Products meeting the search criteria

Florence Cholet Meursault Blanc is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

This classic Meursault offers expressive and complex aromas of white flower, white fruit, and herbal aromas. Bright acidity and minerality emerge on the palate from this beautifully balanced and structured white, followed by subtle hints of vanilla and toasted brioche nuances in a refreshing finish.

Pair with fresh Truffle Pasta, Beaufort Cheese, Pike Quennelles.

Force Majeure Epinette  is made from 46% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot.

Epinette is Force Majeure's Right-bank Bordeaux-inspired blend, and was named after an avenue in Libourne (France) that leads to Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, the home of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Epinette is also the name of a musical instrument akin to a piano, as well as a word for pine tree, which is a fitting nod to their home in Washington state.

The wine itself is a blend of primarily Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, proportions of which change depending on the vintage. The Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grown in lower areas of the vineyard with deep, well-drained soils, much less rocky than the soils of our Rhone varietals.

Review:

"I loved the 2016 Epinette from barrel, and it certainly doesn't disappoint from bottle. Sporting a deep purple color as well as a huge bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherries, smoked earth, chocolate, and cedary spice, this flamboyant, powerful beauty hits the palate with loads of fruit, has sweet tannins, no hard edges, building tannins, and a huge finish. It's one seriously pleasure-bent effort that has another 10-15 years of prime drinking." - Jeb Dunnuck (April 2019), 96+ pts

G.D. Vajra Barolo Ravera is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

Review:

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 94 Points

Gaja Sito Moresco Rosso Langhe is made from 35% Nebbiolo, 25% Merlot, 25% Barbera, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon

Sito Moresco is named for the family who farmed this 25-acre estate in Barbaresco before its purchase by the Gaja family, a nod to the people and traditions that preceded it. It means literally the Moresco site, after the family name of Giovannini Moresco. GAJA created this red blend to deliver greater approachability in its youth. Sito Moresco is made from vineyards located in the villages of Treiso and Barbaresco (in the Barbaresco appellation) and fruit from Serralunga d’Alba (in the Barolo appellation). Pheasants are featured on Sito Moresco's label to commemorate the beautiful birds that inhabit the forests adjacent to GAJA's vineyards. Concentration of fruit, structure and acidity are the highlights of the vintage.

Gessinger Zeltinger Schlossberg Kabinett is 100 percent Riesling. 

Zeltinger Schlossberg is the little sister of the well-known grand cru site Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. Behind the old village center of Zeltingen rises the steep slope "Zeltinger Schlossberg". On the exposed vineyards of blue Devonian slate, juicy wines full of character and minerality ripen.

The Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett is made from fruit picked at around 86° Oechsle and was fermented to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (42 g/l). It has a quite restrained and smoky nose of anise, Conference pear, bergamot, rose, lime tree, dill, and eucalyptus. The wine proves superbly playful, finely juicy, and fruity on the palate. This rounder and richer side is nicely buffered off by more structure and intensity in the very long and smoky finish. The feel of residual sugar is already well integrated in the after-taste, which is already more off-dry than fully fruity as lime and grapefruit skin dominate.

Acidity 8.6 g/l
Residual sugar 42 g/l

perfect match to Asian cuisine, spicy food as well as BBQ.

Gran Moraine Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Aromas of brambly black fruit, cranberry sauce, and blue raspberry Tootsie Rolls. On the palate, bright punchy red licorice, navel orange zest, and white coffee beans.

Reviews:

Precise and elegantly generous, this red shows detailed flavors of cherry and raspberry laced with rose petal, black tea and stony mineral notes as it builds richness and tension toward refined tannins.

-Wine Spectator 93 Points

This is a delicious wine with a lot of character. Dark and red fruit with hints of crushed stone and toffee on the nose. Fresh and crisp fruit with a tangy character. Smooth tannins with a crisp finish. Vines are on sandy soils at 400 to 500 feet altitude. 

-James Sucking 93 Points

Guillemot-Michel Vire-Clesse Charleston is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

This cuvée is produced from hundred-year old vines that the great-grandfather planted after he returned from World War I. The family wanted to honor his memory and vinify these vines the same way he did, in old demi-muids.
Charleston is a deep and complex wine that gently express itself in the glass, offering juicy white fruit flavors and a lengthy finish.

Charleston is vinified and aged for one year in demi-muids of over 10 years old. During the following harvest, the wine is racked and placed in vats for another 6 months of aging before bottling.

Fish in white sauce, poultry in creamy sauce, hard cheeses.

Review:

"The 2019 Viré-Clessé Charleston is brilliant, opening in the glass with notes of buttered citrus fruit, pear, beeswax and vanilla pod. Full-bodied, layered and textural, with huge concentration, lively acids and a seamless, multidimensional profile, it's long and penetrating. It's one of the very best wines I've ever tasted from the domaine. Readers will remember that the Guillemot family's oldest parcel of vines dates back to 1918, and the idea behind this cuvée is to work the vines and make the wine in the same way as their grandfather—who planted them—did. It spends a year in old demi-muids followed by six months in tank on the lees. - William Kelley"

 - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (August 2021), 94+ pts

Hall Wines The Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 96% Cabernet, 4% Merlot.

The 2017 Kathryn Hall is deep, dark ruby in color and elegantly balanced with layered aromas of concentrated blackberry, freshly turned earth, and a hint of warm, spicy oak. The palate is fruit-forward with underlying notes of rich cocoa and leather. Layers of black fruit, nutmeg, cassis and brooding earthy notes are abundant. Supple, seamless tannin abounds, and the wine finishes with an incredible dark fruit feed-back that lasts several minutes.

 Review:

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot, brought up mostly in new barrels. It’s a killer bottle of wine offering lots of ripe black fruits intermixed with savory herbs, melted chocolate, and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows the lush, round, velvety style of the 2019 vintage and is already impossible to resist. It’s going to evolve for 15+ years if well stored.

-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points

 Heritage School Julies Creekside Cabernet Sauvingon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Cabernet Sauvignon Julie’s Creekside Vineyard is an impressive, opaque purple colored wine that is super-concentrated and extracted with relatively sweet tannins, a touch of chocolate and espresso, a full-bodied mouthfeel and pure, dark, primordial fruits. This is a big, masculine, concentrated wine set for long-term aging. Saying that, it has a certain accessibility, but won’t hit its prime for at least another 8-10 years and keep 25-30.

Review:

"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Julie's Creekside Vineyard is dark, sumptuous and surprisingly open-knit for such a young wine. Black cherry, plum, game, rose petal, sage, smoke and earthy notes underpin a core of intense dark red cherry and plum fruit. Soft contours and generous, super-ripe fruit add to the wine's near and medium-term appeal. - Antonio Galloni"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2016), 93 pts

Heritage School Missiaens Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

A steep, rocky site with red volcanic soils results in our most structured and concentrated wine. Planted in 1998 using 110R rootstock and clone 337 Cabernet Sauvignon our Hillside Vineyard produces wines as breathtaking as the views from its slopes. These tiny, dark blue berries ripen near the end of September thanks to cool afternoon temperatures allowing for increased hang time and developed flavors.

Reviews:

"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Missiaen's Hillside Vineyard is the darkest and richest of these wines, but it also has enough structural breadth to handle all of that intensity. Superripe plum, bittersweet chocolate, tobacco and licorice all flesh out over time. This is an especially rich, seamless style, yet all the elements are in the right place. - Antonio Galloni"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2016), 92 pts

Hickinbotham Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Trueman represents Cabernet in Clarendon at its best. Its purity, its elegant style, its supple, polished nature ... it’s a wine of its own.Distinct in character, this is not like Cabernet from the Vales below or the hills to the east. From its pretty, delicate florals and musk, through to its silky blackcurrant and kalamata juice and down to its dark carbon soul - Trueman is a modern Cabernet that encapsulates all the toil and antiquity of Clarendon. Echoing the unearthed prose of wine writer Ebenezer Ward from 1886 on theCabernet sown from this very land – Trueman is “an excelled wine, of very marked flavor and bouquet”.

Review:

Deep garnet/purple, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hickinbotham Vineyard has a classic nose showing pronounced fresh blackcurrant and blackberry highlighted by cloves, menthol, pencil shavings and earth notes. Medium to full-bodied, taut and muscular, the palate has grainy tannins, nice freshness and a long finish.

-Wine Advocate 93 Points

Hickinbotham Revivalist Merlot is made from 100 percent Merlot. 

The Merlot for this red wine was sourced from vines planted in 1989 and 1976 at 220-245m altitude on a western facing aspect on the estate. During harvest, we hand-picked, de-stemmed, whole berry sorted, then 100% gently crushed. We then cold soaked, with native fermentation, and pumped over daily with a minimum of 21 days on skins. Basket pressed with light pressing included in free run, heavier pressings kept separate and not included, drained directly to barrel. The wine was racked and returned three times during maturation for 15 months, aged in fine-grain Bordeaux coopered barrels of which are approximately 25% new.

Review:

Deep ruby. Lush cherry-cola, blackberry and mocha qualities on the deeply perfumed nose, which is complemented by suggestions of candied rose and vanilla. In a round, generous style, offering sweet dark berry and fruitcake flavors that are supported by an undercurrent of juicy acidity. Pliant tannins frame an impressively long, sappy finish that strongly repeats the cherry and floral notes. 50% new French oak.

- Vinous 94 Points

Hoopes Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

“Made with the same care and thoughtfulness of our single vineyard series, the Hoopes Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of fruit from a rich variety of sites. The synthesis of these vineyards, which represent the complex tapestry of Napa terroir, results in sublime balance, intense aromas and luscious textures that bring the diverse valley into harmony in a glass. Born out of curiosity, this Cabernet Sauvignon has matured into a stunning wine, which over delivers in intensity and richness. We are proud of this beautiful example of what the Napa Valley can do.”

This wine has a very pretty fruit-forward nose filled with plummy sweet tarts, cherry compote, cocoa nibs, hard candy, cedar box, and allspice. The entry is fresh and clean with a core of delicious generous fruit. It has a lovely elegant texture, weighty middle and resolves into a mocha filled finish.

Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2018 Abercrombie reflects the highs that can be achieved in a superb vintage when thoughtful and deliberate winemaking combine with exceptional vineyards. The color is a vivid, deep ruby, tingeing purple and betraying the wine's youth. The bouquet evolves in a measured fashion as the wine slowly aerates, filling the glass with textbook Cabernet perfume of powerful dark fruits, rubbed bay leaf, cedar, coffee beans and vanilla. Intensity and purity of fruit is the standout feature, and this transmits seamlessly to the palate, where the profound structure and effortless length also take centre stage. The harmony of rich fruit, clean and vibrant acidity and fine, abiding tannins speak to the beguiling nature of this young wine and the glorious future that awaits its patient custodians in ensuing decades. This is true West Australian Cabernet.

Named for Walter Abercrombie, the much loved Great Grandfather and mentor of Jeff Burch, the owner of Howard Park Wines, this is Howard Park's finest Cabernet Sauvignon.  

Howard Park’s winemaking philosophy is to craft elegant, age-worthy wines from our best sites in the Margaret River & Great Southern regions of Western Australia. Critical site selection, meticulous viticultural practice and detailed winemaking underline each Icon wine.

Review:

This is really fine with such polished and manicured fruit and tannins that deliver a thoroughly refined and beautiful palate with sweet dark fruit, from currants to blackberries. Long, long finish. Hard not to drink now. But one for the cellar. Try after 2025.

-James Suckling 97 Points

SALE!

Jip Jip Rocks Chardonnay is made from 100 percent unoaked Chardonnay.

Light yellow with a pale straw hue. A classic nose of lemon, fresh stonefruit and melon. The palate is clean and fresh with mineral characters underpinning ripe pineapple and lime flavours. This wine will age beautifully over the next 4-5 years.

 Winemaking report: Gentle pressing and free run juices create the base of this wine. Traditionally Jip Jip Rocks Chardonnay is a 2/3 blend fermented and matured in stainless steel and 1/3 fermented in stainless steel, which receives extended lees contact to add texture and complexity to the palate.

Review:

Attractively fruited and fragrant, the wine shows golden peach, baked fig, vanilla and lemon peel aromas on the nose, followed by a succulent palate that’s creamy and lingering. Beautifully styled and highly enjoyable. At its best: now to 2023. AU$23.00. Dec 2019.

-Wine Orbit 92 Points

Kershaw Chardonnay Deconstructed Groenland Shale CY548 is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

The inspiration for this Chardonnay stems from my belief that the Elgin region has both a signature grape as well as particular terroirs within its demarcated boundary that reflect regional credentials. This Chardonnay was selected from a sub-region of Elgin from a specific vineyard and an individual clone (CY548).

Tasting Notes:

Sourced from the foothills of the Groenland Mountain in Northern Elgin this clone has been taken from Corton Charlemagne cuttings. It produces wines that have aromatics oscillating between lemon blossom, white flowers, petrichor and struck stone. Full in body they exude concentration with white stone fruit yet reinforced with an austere texture and robustness that makes for excellent aging potential. The Bokkeveld Shales adds structure and concentration to the flavor.

Vineyards: 

Sourced from the foothills of the Groenland Mountain in Northern Elgin this clone has been taken from Corton Charlemagne cuttings.

Winemaking: 

Grapes were hand-picked in the early autumnal mornings, placed into small lug baskets and tipped directly into a press before being gently whole-bunch pressed up to a maximum of 0.6 bar or until a low juice recovery of 580 liters per ton was obtained. The juice gravity-flowed directly to barrel (no pumps were used at all) without settling. The unclarified juice had no enzymes or yeast added to it and therefore underwent spontaneous fermentation until dry, with malolactic discouraged. The wine rested in barrel for 4 months prior to judicious sulfuring and a further 7 months’ maturation in barrel before racking and bottling.

Barrel: Selection: A small number of artisanal coopers are selected from mostly Burgundy, with only French oak was chosen. Up to 40% of the oak is new with the remainder split into 2nd and 3rd fill barrels of predominantly 228 litres.

Look at pairing this with textured fish, straightforward chicken dishes, pan-fried or grilled pork dishes, soft-rind cheeses, cream or creamy dishes be it with pasta or the aforementioned fish, chicken or pork, to allow the complexity of the wine to shine through. If using mustard, preferably use Dijon mustard as it uses verjus (soured grape juice) and not vinegar. Also look to delicate herbs (tarragon, dill, basil, parsley) rather than hard stalked herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc). Avoid smoked meats or fish as well as highly spiced dishes as this can overwhelm the wine and clash with the oak. I would try oysters; Lobster grilled or boiled but not thermidor as it is too rich; turbot, dover sole, sea bass, yellowtail with a shellfish sauce; fish pie; roasted free-range chicken with tarragon; roast loin of pork with garlic and ginger; truffle risotto; pasta in a clam sauce; slice of brie de meaux.

Review:

"Perfume of flowers, minerals and citrus zest. The palate is dense and focused, almost chewy with an opulent mandarin mid palate and long, savory finish. Matured in 50% new oak that is seamlessly integrated with the wine."

- International Wine Review (Richard Kershaw Lifts Elgin To New Heights, February 2019), 94 pts

Kershaw Chardonnay Deconstructed Lake District Bokkeveld Shale CY95 is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

The inspiration for this Chardonnay stems from my belief that the Elgin region has both a signature grape as well as particular terroirs within its demarcated boundary that reflect regional credentials. This Chardonnay was selected from a sub-region of Elgin from a specific vineyard and an individual clone.

Tasting Notes: Sourced from a parcel in the Western part of Elgin the 95 clone is known for its excellent quality creating wines that are aromatic, fuller bodied and rich yet tightly structured, well–balanced with length of flavor, managing to show restraint and mouth-watering passivity with a great line through the palate and fruit veering towards white peach flesh and nectarine. On Bokkeveld Shales it brings amplified perfume on the nose and persistence and elegance to the palate.

Winemaking: 
Grapes were hand-picked in the early autumnal mornings, placed into small lug baskets and tipped directly into a press before being gently whole-bunch pressed up to a maximum of 0.6 bar or until a low juice recovery of 580 liters per ton was obtained. The juice gravity-flowed directly to barrel (no pumps were used at all) without settling. The unclarified juice had no enzymes or yeast added to it and therefore underwent spontaneous fermentation until dry, with malolactic discouraged. The wine rested in barrel for 4 months prior to judicious sulfuring and a further 7 months’ maturation in barrel before racking and bottling.

Review:

"Minerals and a hint of flint on the nose. The expressive minerality of this wine also shows on the palate with complementary light stone fruit notes. Aged in 50% new 228L oak aging for 11 months."

- International Wine Review (Richard Kershaw Lifts Elgin To New Heights, February 2019), 95 pts

La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 is made from 90% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano

The 2015 Gran Reserva 904 Tinto offers great aromatic complexity, with notes of wild strawberry, red cherry, plum, blackberry and cranberry combined with aromas of tobacco, brioche, ground coffee, caramel, cedar and cinnamon blossom. The alcohol and acidity are elegantly balanced on the palate and its polished, gentle tannins and freshness provide a smooth and refined mouthfeel. Fine, delicate and very long aftertaste, that will continue to be rounded with time in the bottle, making this new Gran Reserva 904 a wine with great cellaring potential.

Especially recommended with all kinds of meat and stews, seasoned fish and desserts with chocolate or red fruit toppings. Perfect as an after-dinner drink.

Review:

A perfumed nose of plums, mulberries, mushrooms, caramel, sweet tobacco and sweet spices. Full-bodied with velvety, fine tannins and lively acidity. Balanced and supple with a creamy texture. Delicate and precise with a long, polished finish.

- James Suckling 97 Points

La Ronciere Selva Oscura Sparkling Extra Brut is made from 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay.

Selva Oscura was born to further complement La Ronciere’s cold-climate wine program. Only early, thin-skinned varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can ripen in the cold, rainy Araucanía Province. Grape maturity often comes with great difficulty, but the resulting wines reach the bottle with intense freshness and vibrant aromas. Planted in volcanic soils and surrounded by ancient forests, this is a place where vines have developed under adversity and grown to deliver unique wines, with inspiring character and personality.

Review:

96 points -Tim Atkin MW

La Spinona Barbaresco Secondine is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

This single-vineyard Barbaresco comes from his 3.5 hectares on the cru of Secondine. It is the commune of Barbaresco below the zone of Rabaja Basa and Paje and is where Gaja’s San Lorenzo is located. It is 230 meters above sea level with a southern exposure.

Excellent with game, red meats, truffle dishes and aged cheeses.

Color: Deep ruby red with a hint of garnet in the reflections.
Bouquet: Bright bouquet full of cherries, raspberries, licorice and floral notes.
Taste: Elegant and refined with delicate, soft tannins. It is fresh, velvety and extremely well balanced.

Review:

Aromas of wild red berry, blue flower, crushed mint and oak-driven spice come to the forefront. Reflecting the nose, the full-bodied, polished palate features juicy Morello cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and spearmint alongside lithe tannins. It's balanced, with bright acidity and closes on a note of bitter almond.

-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points 

La Spinona Sori Gepin Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.

Color: Brilliant deep ruby red with garnet reflections.
Bouquet: Rich fruity bouquet with hints of violets , spice and mature berries.
Taste: Densely structured with full, complex flavors of ripened red fruits, wood and earth tones. A Huge wine of elegant proportions that become velvety and graceful with aging.

The Beruttis bought 4 hectares in 1994 in the then relatively unknown zone of Novello which lies on the confines of Monforte and Barolo. A Sorì is an entirely south-facing vineyard. This Sori lies at 230 meters. It is named for the great grandfather that started the Barbaresco vineyards. The vines are an average of 40 years old. The first vintage was the 1996.

The Spinona is a special breed of Piedmontese hunting Dog, which the Berutti’s raise. As the legend goes, this particular dog, Baica, received her place of honor on the label for an act of great heroism. She saved the Berutti’s only son from drowning in the irrigation lake when he was a baby. The son then became a veterinarian to save the dogs and later obtained a degree in agronomy to take care of the vineyards.

Brilliant deep ruby red with garnet reflections. Rich fruity bouquet with hints of violets, spice and mature berries. Densely structured with full, complex flavors of ripened red fruits, wood and earth tones. A huge wine of elegant proportions that becomes velvety and graceful with aging.

Review:

"The 2015 Barolo Sori' Gepin needs quite a bit of air to open, but it is so expressive as that starts to happen. Dried flowers, cedar, tobacco and autumn leaves are laced together in a mid-weight, savory Barolo loaded with character. The 2015 remains nervy and taut, but that is the house style. - Antonio Galloni"

- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (October 2020), 93 pts