Long Shadows Chester Kidder is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah and 15% Petit Verdot
Allen Shoup named this wine in honor of his mother, Elizabeth Chester, and his grandmother, Maggie Kidder. He selected Long Shadows' director of winemaking and viticulture, Gilles Nicault, to craft this New World blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and other classic Bordeaux varieties.
Select Cabernet Sauvignon lots underwent an extended maceration of 40 days to produce supple yet firm tannins that stand up to 30 months of barrel aging in tight-grained French oak barrels (85% new). The extra time in barrel helped to integrate the fruit, enhance the mid-palate with an extra layer of complexity, and provide an appealing earthiness to the finish.
The 2018 Chester-Kidder Red Wine is based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Syrah, and the rest Petit Verdot that spent 30 months in 85% new French oak. It's another brilliant wine from this team and has vibrant plum and darker, almost blue fruits as well as spicy oak, chocolate, graphite, and scorched earth aromas and flavors. Balanced and medium to full-bodied, with a terrific sense of freshness as well as building tannins, it's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and have two decades of longevity.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot is made from 82% merlot, 15% cabernet sauvignon and 3% petit verdot.
Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world's top wineries, teamed with Washington State wine visionary Allen Shoup to produce this limited release wine.
With its intense color and inviting aromas of dark berries, licorice, baking spice and a hint of smoke, the Pedestal is a bold wine that leaves a lasting impression. Dark fruit flavors integrated with sweetness from the barrel and richness from the tannins come together seamlessly, lingering across a structured mid-palate and lengthy finish.
Winemaking: Hand-harvested grapes were double-sorted to remove green material that might impart harsh tannins, then most of the lots were cold soaked to build richness and flavor before undergoing whole-berry fermentation in 55L upright French wood tanks. This, combined with gentle pump-overs throughout fermentation, enhanced the wine’s color, texture and mouthfeel. The finished wine was aged 22 months in 85% new French oak barrels.
Review:
"The 2019 Pedestal Merlot was made with 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. The nose opens with a firm backbone of fresh and ripe black plums and dark cherries before delightful oaky essences sway from the glass with notions of baked earth. Full-bodied, the palate offers a firm mouthfeel that lifts with time to reveal a succulent tannic edge and juicy flavors of spiced plums and blackberry skin with brown baking spices, vanilla and nutmeg that resonate with vibrancy and power. The wine continues to evolve and reveal elegant complexities before ending with a long spicy finish with delightful oak tones. Just under 32,000 bottles were filled after the wine rested for 22 months in all French oak, 86% new barrels. - Anthony MUELLER"
- Wine Advocate (May 11th 2023), 94 pts
Long Shadows Pirouette Meritage is made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 13% Malbec.
Philippe Melka, named one of the top nine winemakers in the world by Robert Parker, used small lots from Washington State's finest vineyards to craft this enticing red blend.
A variety of fermentation methods were used to enhance complexity and richness in this classic Bordeaux blend. Hand-harvested Cabernet was fermented in 400L French oak barrels that were gently rolled throughout fermentation to integrate the oak with refined, dark fruit flavors and give the wine its silky mouthfeel. All other varieties were fermented in traditional stainless steel tanks, with select lots enjoying longer skin contact to enhance the wine's dark color and mid-palate. The finished wine was aged 22 months in French oak barrels (75% new) before bottling unfiltered and unfined.
Review:
Composed of just over 50% Cabernet Sauvignon with 33% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Pirouette starts with a firm backbone of fresh dark red and black fruit tones that waft with dusty florals and succulent oak spices. Full-bodied and with layers of juicy plums, blackberry jus, vanilla and cardamom madeleines, the palate reveals a balanced structure, succulent acidity and fine-grained tannins. The wine glides to a refined and long-lingering finish and will continue to drink well and remain food-friendly for over two decades. Just over 30,000 bottles were filled after the wine rested for just under two years in all French oak, 85% new. Give it a try!
-Wine Advocate 95 Points
The 2019 Pirouette is a mix of 56% Cab, 33% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Malbec and Petit Verdot. Currants, spicy oak, burning embers, and smoked tobacco are just some of its nuances, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, building, chalky tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It needs 3-4 years in the cellar, but it’s terrific.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94+ Points
Mas Sinen Clos Priorat is made from 38% Garnacha, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carinena, 16% Syrah.
Before the 2017 vintage, this wine was called Negre. It is the same vinification and level of excellence as the prior cuvee, but with a different name.
It's quite ripe, concentrated, powerful and oaky with black rather than red fruit and peat and graphite aromas. The palate is full-bodied with plenty of rough-hewn tannins and moderate acidity, and is in need of bottle age and/or powerful food. An XXL Priorat.
Napa Bench Cabernet Sauvigon Napa Valley is made from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 2% Petite Verdot.
The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 16 months.
The Bench lands of Napa Valley are where we find Cabernet Sauvignon with Power and Strength. Elegant and supple tannins complete the structure. Bench lands are the geological middle ground that connect the Valley Floor with the Mountain rises, perfectly drained soils!
NAPA BENCH Cabernet Sauvignon is a sophisticated blend of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. We start with Cabernet Sauvignon 95%, blend Merlot 3%, and finish with Petite Verdot 2%. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 16 months.
Tasting Notes
NAPA BENCH is rich and flavorful. Red and dark fruits are apparent in the nose with Plum, Currant and Blackberry tones. The aroma is layered and shows the power of Cabernet and of oak nuance. The pallet is fine grained tannin, long and refined with a high degree of Deliciosity! The finish lingers and invites a second glass. Share with your favorite friends, and always with your hottest date.
This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon offers an incredible aroma of big black, rich fruit, spring flowers, graphite and toast. Full-bodied with stunning concentration and flavors of dark cherries, black plum, melted milk chocolate. Well integrated French oak, this well balanced wine has supple, but ripe tannins and a lengthy finish. From a single vineyard in Oakville. 14 months in 60% new French oak, Excellent value for Oakville-Napa Valley. Just 350 cases produced.
Palacio del Burgo Crianza is made from 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano
Palacio de Burgo's Crianza blends the concept of the intense fruity young wines traditionally made in Rioja and the old world wine making style that has made the region famous. The result is a complex wine that impresses for its intensity right from the moment it is poured in the glass.-Mike Good, Timeless Wines
Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature; aged in American oak barrels for 12 months.
Red ruby colored wine with violet tones; well-balanced, black fruit, vanilla and coconut flavors. Powerful, complex and silky smooth…classic old style Rioja at a bargain price.
Pairs well with aged cheeses and grilled meats
(aged for a year in new and used American oak barrels) Brilliant violet color. Fragrant, oak-spiced dark berries, cherry preserves and a hint of candied flowers on the nose. Blends depth and energy smoothly, offering ripe boysenberry, cherry-cola and coconut flavors and a touch of smokiness. Closes spicy, broad and long, with smooth tannins and lingering florality. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (February 2019), 90 pts
You would be happy to open this, even if oak dominates the nose. It's a lovely wine with cassis and bramble and a long, smoky finish."
- 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards, 90 pts, SILVER MEDAL
Piron Chenas Quartz is made from 100% Gamay - 60+ years old .
The Chenas Cru is the smallest Beaujolais Cru, not bigger than Côte Rôtie. This is a rare wine. The estate's unique parcel spreads over 22.2 acres of vines on a very steep slope facing East, situated between 310 and 380 meters above sea level. Granitic soils are covered with Quartz crystals and give the wine its own personality.
The vineyard is co-owned by Domnique Piron and Christian Lameloise, whose family owned Lameloise restaurant in Burgundy (3*** Michelin). Decanter classified the wine in the 3 best best bottles of Crus Beaujolais in 2015 (vintage 2013).
Hand harvest, sorting table, part destemming. A first stage of semi carbonic maceration during few days is followed by a more classic Burgundy maceration with « remontages » and « pigeages », for a total of 18-20 days, depending on the vintage.
30% of the wine are aged in recent French oak foundre and oak barrels (no new oak) during 12 months to bring roundness and complexity to the final assemblage.
Pairs well with complex dishes, meats, leaver, and why not a little pigeon with peas and diced bacon.
Review:
"Beautifully attractive violets and red flowers here, carrying a very fresh impression, as well as an exciting and vibrant yet elegant finish. Exceptionally pure and focused. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (February 2019), 93 pts
Poggio San Polo Podernovi Brunello di Montalcino is made from Sangiovese.
Intense ruby red in color with garnet hues, clear and glossy. The bouquet exhibits typical aromas of violets and small red berries. Subtle nuances of forest undergrowth, aromatic wood, a touch of vanilla and jammy mixed fruit then give way to subtle hints of coffee. This Brunello is intense, persistent, broad and heady. Full-bodied and warm on the palate, with a densely-woven texture and robust body, it has a persistent finish with well-rounded tannins. The particular features of the terroir at San Polo produce a Brunello with a capacity for lengthy aging, while patient cellaring enhances the wine during ageing in the bottle.
Review:
Lovely purity of fruit with ultra fine tannins and depth, finesse and complexity. Black cherries, cedar and some flowers. It’s full-bodied with very fine tannins that drive the finish. Give it a year or two to open more, but already so enticing. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 96 Points
The San Polo 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (with 8,000 bottles produced) is a textured wine with hearty fruit and touches of smoked meat and spice. At its core, the wine offers dark fruit, blackberry and ripe plum. The rich fruitiness of the wine cedes to campfire ash, mahogany and furniture wax. These results are sultry and even a bit flashy, with distant background tones of teriyaki and plum sauce. The wine is fermented in cylindrical oak fermenters and aged in oak for three years. We'll see this bottle hitting the market sometime after February 2021.
-Wine Advocate 95 Points
Deep garnet in color. Baking spice aromas of cinnamon and clove are intertwined with dark stone fruits, blackberry pie, vanilla, white pepper and notes of oak and rose. A full bodied palate presents layers of dark black cherry, coffee, blackberry, dark currant and notes of milky chocolate. Beautifully rounded with an unctuous velvety mouth-feel. This refined wine is a sensational expression of what a Napa Valley Cabernet represents with a long, smooth finish and fine grained tannins.
For our 2018 Napa Valley Quilt Reserve, we tasted the developing wine throughout the fermentation and aging processes, then set aside the very best 2% for this reserve bottling. Our lot selection was based on intensity, complexity and boldness of expression that could withstand a longer aging cycle and heavier use of new French oak.
Tasting Notes
Deep Ruby Red in color with aromas of black currant, bright cherry, toffee, blackberry, marionberry pie and notes of dark chocolate. Rich and satisfying on the palate with flavors of boysenberry jam, black cherry pie filling, and cocoa layered with notes of vanilla and hazelnut. A full-bodied Cabernet with layers of concentrated black fruit, bright acidity and excellent balance. A long, velvety and satisfying finish, enjoy this stellar vintage now and for years to come!
Powerful and rich tasting, this wine from Joseph Wagner is velvety in texture and spicy in aroma. It drips with jammy Port like flavors that are backed by fine-grained tannins that tightened a bit on the finish for a good grip. Best from 2025.
-Tasting Panel 97 Points
Raats MR Mvemve Raats de Compostella is made from 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 12% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot
The name de Compostella (meaning “field of stars” or “compilation of stars”) was chosen to reflect the fact that each component is crafted to stand alone as a world class varietal wine. The wine exhibits a deep, dark ruby color. Blackcurrant and black cherry fruit with hints of violets, cedar and cinnamon are revealed on the nose. The palate is rich and complex with mineral, blackberry fruit and dark chocolate on the finish. The five Bordeaux varietals harmoniously convene in this consistent, linear flavor profile that is polished with a well-defined finish.
Review:
he 2020 De Compostella is composed of 30% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 16% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Beginning with a focused, juicy and complex nose of dark red fruits, the wine has impeccable balance between oak, fruit and earthy floral tones. Full-bodied and with succulent acidity, the palette offers a firm frame of fine-grained tannins, while the fruit profile makes way for elegant earth and notes of crème de cassis sway with subtle flavors of sage and spiced plum. The red blend continues to somersault and reveal its complexities over the long-lingering and ever-evolving finish. Be patient with this exceptional wine
-Wine Advocate 95 Points
Houyi Vineyard is Realm’s estate vineyard on Pritchard Hill. Tucked away on the eastern side of Napa Valley, Pritchard Hill is home to some of the best-known wine names in the world. At an elevation of nearly 1300 feet, our 22 acre vineyard sits above the fog line, its vines soaking in the morning sun. The vineyard is full of dense, volcanic rock. These unique soils provide an environment for the vines to produce concentrated fruit. This wine is rich and complex yet soft and elegant. It is approachable in a way that runs counter to many mountain wines. A paradox…
Realm has produced a single vineyard cabernet sauvignon from Houyi Vineyard since 2013. After cherishing this site for nearly a decade, we had the good fortune of acquiring the vineyard from the Chang family in 2022. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue the Chang family’s legacy as stewards of this special land.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Red fruit; aromatic; softer; approachable tannins that run counter to some mountain sites
Ruffino Romitorio di Santedame Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG is made from 90% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino.
Romitorio di Santedame, a limited-production Gran Selezione from Castellina in Chianti, pays homage to a rich history while embracing a bright future. It originates from a single vineyard within the Chianti Classico's "golden basin" (Conca d'Oro) and is crafted from an exclusive blend of Sangiovese and Colorino. The latter is a native Tuscan grape variety that was nearly extinct but has experienced a revival through dedicated research and promotion efforts.
Fruity aromas typical of Sangiovese, including black cherry and ripe plum, with violet and complex chocolate and black pepper notes. The palate offers sweet tobacco and balsamic hints, while its balanced structure with refined tannins and lively acidity makes it suitable for extended aging.
Review:
You feel the oak here, suggesting vanilla and clove character, but it’s very well complemented by the dark fruit, ranging from blackberries to mulberries to dark cherries. Full-bodied, dense and decadent with a regal structure and muscular tannin backbone. The acidity cuts nicely through on the long finish and provides freshness. Drink from 2024.
-James Suckling 94 Points
The 2020 Cabernet is a shining example of how delicious, elegant and beautiful our Cabernet can be. The aromas of ripe plum, black cherry and stone fruits entice the nose. The wine is beautifully structured with a soft, velvety feel on the palate. The soft, subtle tannins make it seem that you are drinking a more mature wine. The hint of spice integrated with dark stone fruits segue into a long, lingering and enticing mouthfeel. This vintage is not one to miss, it’s approachable now and destined to be off the charts in years to come
Review:
Lastly, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Shibumi Knoll Vineyard is all varietal and spent 22 months in 75% new barrels. It's another beautifully balanced and impeccably made wine from this team that has tons to love, and in this case, it certainly represents a relative value as well. Cassis, darker chocolate, scorched earth, and graphite are just some of its aromatics, and it's concentrated and has full-bodied richness, fine tannins, and the pure, layered, impressive style of the vintage front and center.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
Siegel Unique Selection Red is made from 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Carmenere and 20% Syrah
Aged in French oak barrels for 14-16 months.
Viña Siegel Unique Selection is the utmost expression of our best Los Lingues vineyards located in the Alto Colchagua region.
A deep violet color. There are aromas of cassis and cherries with hints of spices, chocolate and violets. This wine is characterised by its complexity and harmony, with a robust tannic structure.
After carefully selecting the optimum harvest date, the grapes are hand selected, then they are de-stemmed and cold macerated for 5-6 days. Alcoholic fermentation occurs at 26-29°C, during this period pump overs are performed daily at the winemaker’s discretion. Post-fermentative maceration occurs for 2 to 3 weeks. The wine is smoothly clarified. Cold stabilisation only occurs when necessary.
Review:
"The blend - Cabernet Sauvignon with 55% Carmenère and Syrah - might not be unique, but this is certainly a special wine from the best zones of Los Lingues, showing serious, aromatic mint, black cherry and cassis fruit, bold tannins and the structure to age further in bottle. 2022-29"
- Tim Atkin MW (Chile 2020 Special Report), 93 pts
Siegel Unique Selection Red is made from 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Carmenere and 20% Syrah
Aged in French oak barrels for 14-16 months.
Viña Siegel Unique Selection is the utmost expression of our best Los Lingues vineyards located in the Alto Colchagua region.
A deep violet color. There are aromas of cassis and cherries with hints of spices, chocolate and violets. This wine is characterised by its complexity and harmony, with a robust tannic structure.
After carefully selecting the optimum harvest date, the grapes are hand selected, then they are de-stemmed and cold macerated for 5-6 days. Alcoholic fermentation occurs at 26-29°C, during this period pump overs are performed daily at the winemaker’s discretion. Post-fermentative maceration occurs for 2 to 3 weeks. The wine is smoothly clarified. Cold stabilisation only occurs when necessary.
Review:
"Blackberry, blackcurrant leaf, rose, peppercorn and chocolate orange. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins. Concentrated and layered with a flavorful, spicy finish. 45% cabernet sauvignon, 35% carmenere and 20% syrah. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (June 2021), 91 pts
Sky Devil Formation is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2018 Sky Devil Cabernet Sauvignon is an unapologetically bold, structured wine. There’s finesse to the nose that offers cherry, coffee bean, and cracked black pepper; the mid-body
is textured with full mouthfeel and the right amount of oak that results in flavors of toast and blackberry; the finish is firm with lengthy, evolving tannins. The barrel program for the 2018 vintage was 26 months in 100% new French oak. We bottled 392 cases unfined and unfiltered.
Great with a New York strip steak. Good to drink now; cellared properly, ages well for 20 – 25 years.
Review:
This Cabernet includes small amounts of Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot in the blend. Aged 21 months in a majority of new oak, it tastes of toast and deliciously ripe red fruit, with substantial concentration, structure and intensity.
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
Sokol Blosser Big Tree Block Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
1970 was winding down when our founders, Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol Blosser pulled their ’68 VW Camper up to an abandoned prune orchard some 30 miles southwest of Portland. These moonstruck kids had little farming experience and just a basic knowledge of winemaking. What they did have, in abundance, was a passion for growing the Pinot Noir grape and creating world-class wine. Soon after settling on this extraordinary land, they planted their first vines and cinched their place as pioneers in Oregon’s budding wine industry.
Review:
A very impressive wine for the striking sense of spice, white-pepper and briary, forest notes, across red cherries. The palate has sapid, focused style with such taut yet silky tannins holding long and true. Pure red cherries here. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Sunset Hills Shenandoah Springs Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
This is our first release of a clone-specific wine for Sunset Hills. The goal is to show you a specific terroir, one that year after year delivers excellent fruit quality. I chose clone 96 for its complexity both in ripening and barrel aging. During ripening, the fruit has notes of pineapple and pear with great acidity. I saw this wine as a chance to highlight not only the vineyard, but how detailed we can get in growing and making wine.
100% Chardonnay:
75% Clone 96
20% Clone 76
5% Clone 17
Notes of light honeysuckle, Asian pear, raw almond, and lemon custard. Medium body and medium acid.
This is a 6 pack with 2 bottles each from vintages from 2013, 2015, and 2016.
***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2016:
The 2016 Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino is the most brooding of the lineup from Val di Suga and is sourced from the southwest of the region on sandy soils. There are aromatics of black raspberry, licorice, menthol, sage, cinnamon, and iron-rich earth. Its Mediterranean influence is felt on the palate with ripe black cherry, dried herbs, and sun-baked earth. This is the fullest bodied and most savory of the Val di Suga lineup, with more roundness and grip. Its structure will benefit from cellaring for several years and will be great drinking over the next 20 years or more. 2026-2040.
-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points
***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2015:
The 2015 Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino is more introverted on first opening, with notes of black plum, licorice, dried Mediterranean herb, and sun-baked earth. On the palate, it offers a tart dried fruit character, with a building tannin structure that finishes with tomato leaf, and bitter herbs. The most rustic and burly of the wines in the lineup of the 2015 Val di Suga vintage, it will benefit from allowing some time in cellar to see how this matures and its tarriness develops. Drink 2026-2036
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2013:
Plenty of spices and fresh herbs on the nose, such as dried rosemary and nutmeg, to match the underlying dried redcurrants and cranberries. Full-bodied with plenty of concentration, but still shows a very sturdy, tannin backbone and punchy acidity, to drive this through to a long finish. Drink in 2021.
-James Suckling 94 Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Review:
“The medium-bodied palate is so tightly wound at this youthful stage, slowly revealing layer upon layer of fragrant black and red fruits with loads of mineral sparks, supported by beautifully fine-grained yet firm tannins and seamless acidity, finishing with epic length and a whole firework display of mineral and floral notes. This is gorgeous. ” Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent 100 Points