Roland Champion Champagne Non Vintage Brut Rose Carat (magnum) is made from 33% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Meunier and 33% Pinot Noir
The Champagne rose shows an orange salmon color coming from the red wine base. The pinot meunier brings red fruit aromas of strawberry and raspberry with hints of spices. The palate is juicy and harmonious with good depth and minerality. A delicate balance between Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir.
It is a blend of 93% White juice (made from 33% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Meunier and 33% Pinot Noir) and 7% Pinot Noir red wine. The grapes used to produce the Coteaux Champenois red wine are coming from their vineyards near the Village of Verneuil.
Review:
"Eye of the partridge color. With a bouquet that evokes leesy hints of red cherry and berry with a touch of stone fruit, this is a finely sculpted wine, beautifully balanced with rich flavors of cherry, shortbread,and a hint of honeyed apricot. A rosé Champagne that’s complex and dry with good palate depth and length. A blend of 20% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, and 40% Pinot Meunier; 7-85% of the juice is red wine (Pinot Noir) from 2013 vintage of Coteaux Champenois Rouge from the village of Verneuil. 3+ years on the lees." - I-WineReview (Champagne: Diversity and Change, January 2020), 92 pts
"A delicate, subtle Champagne, delivering aromatic notes of mulling spices and yeast that accent the flavors of kirsch, bread dough, candied lemon zest and rose petal. This is finely tuned, with lively acidity and a minerally finish. 330 cases made. –AN"
- Wine Spectator , 91 pts
"Bright orange. Aromas of blood orange, dried rose, allspice and minerals, with a subtle note of anise. Juicy and precise, with very good depth to its spicy red berry and citrus pith flavors. Finishes smooth and long, with excellent clarity and lingering spiciness."
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar , 91 pts
"Champion is a small grower in Chouilly, in the Cotes des Blancs, an area known for fantastic chardonnay. This rosé — of which he makes only about 330 cases — includes 10 percent red wines (pinot noir, pinot meunier) to give it a pale, salmonlike color and a beguiling palate of cranberries, strawberries and currants. Wow. And yum."
- Washington Post, ***
Romariz 20 Years Old Tawny is rich, warm and well balanced. Concentrated, firm tannins. Aromas of hazelnuts and walnuts, raisin, honey, caramel and dark chocolate notes. Excellent with desserts, cheese or by itself at the end of a meal.
Made from Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Tinta Amarela
The color is beginning to denote the age, showing a certain similarity to coffee and waxed wood. The aroma combines quince-jam, delicate orange blossom and a touch of vanilla. Delicious smooth butterscotch and dried fruit flavors.
A Romariz Colheita brings together the finest wines from good extensive stocks to express the individual richness and flavours of the particular year enhanced by the nutty characteristics that come with the Tawny ageing process.
Pairs with nut based desserts, pecan pie and apple strudel.
The Royal Shiraz Cabernet is made from 50% Shiraz, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
The Royal Shiraz – Cabernet Sauvignon borrows its name from a grand old hotel in Riebeek Kasteel. It is the oldest hotel in the Western Cape; a beloved fixture of the area.
Juicy and fruity, rich and ripe in style with blackberry, blackcurrant and spice flavors, subtle vanilla and black pepper. Smooth and well-balanced with a lingering finish of berries, spice and beautifully integrated oak.
Pairs well with red meat, especially classic recipes like roasted leg of lamb, grilled lamb chops and beef kebabs, game, duck, pasta and cheese.
The Royal Shiraz Cabernet is made from 50% Shiraz, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
The Royal Shiraz – Cabernet Sauvignon borrows its name from a grand old hotel in Riebeek Kasteel. It is the oldest hotel in the Western Cape; a beloved fixture of the area.
Juicy and fruity, rich and ripe in style with blackberry, blackcurrant and spice flavors, subtle vanilla and black pepper. Smooth and well-balanced with a lingering finish of berries, spice and beautifully integrated oak.
Pairs well with red meat, especially classic recipes like roasted leg of lamb, grilled lamb chops and beef kebabs, game, duck, pasta and cheese.
Rubus Brut Blanc de Blanc NV is made from 1/3 Ugni Blanc, 1/3 Airen, 1/3 Muscat .
The Rubus Project was created by Fran Kysela as a way to source & sell incredible wines at value prices. All wines in this international project are hand-selected by Fran Kysela. Rubus wines are fruit driven, true-to-type values that over deliver - a true representation of quality for the consumer at an excellent price.
Elegant pale yellow color with fine bubbles. Floral and fruity on the nose, with aromas of fresh butter and cake. On the palate, the wine is crisp and harmonious - a delightful sparkling wine.
Machine harvest. The base wine is fermented at a low temperature. The second fermentation takes place at 14°C for 2 weeks, followed by dosing.
Rudi Pichler Kollmutz Smaragd Gruner Veltliner is made from 100 percent Gruner Veltliner.
Rudi Pichler is among the elite growers of the Wachau producing wines of precision, power, and longevity. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling make up 95% of the production with the remaining 5% shared between Weißburgunder and Roter Veltliner. Rudi Pichler belongs to the prestigious Vinea Wachau and vinifies under the strict parameters of their codex.
Yields are kept low between 30 and 35 hectoliters per hectare with botrytis carefully removed by hand. Grapes are crushed by foot and receive between three and 36 hours of maceration on the skins. Vinification is entirely in stainless-steel tanks and malolactic fermentation is avoided.
Kollmütz is a terraced vineyard in Wösendorf sitting between 200 and 400 meters of elevation. The soils of Kollmütz developed from an ancient landslide resulting in chaotic layers of rock and boulders. The vineyard is particularly rich in magnesium and iron. Wines from Kollmütz are typically linear, dense, and intensely mineral in character.
Grüner Veltliner is the signature grape of Austria and produces a dry white wine with savory aromas, spicy flavors, and good acidity. Grüner Veltliner Smaragd from the Wachau is a full-bodied wine and is rich in style with notes of stone fruit, lemon, radish, and arugula.
Review:
I have heard gruner veltliner dismissed for supposedly not being elegant, but this is an extremely elegant example! Very complex nose of snow peas, green beans, wild herbs and green pepper. On the medium-bodied palate, this remarkable gruner veltliner has a discreet succulence, but what makes it amazing is the way it glides so gracefully over the palate, then splash lands in a deep pool of wet stone minerality. Underplayed power and concentration!
-James Suckling 97 Points
Ruffino Alauda Toscana IGT is made from 40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 25% Colorino.
An elegant, full-bodied wine, Alauda is a harmonious sum of its parts. Rich with varietal flavors of plum and cherry from the Merlot and layered with ripe berry flavors from the Cabernet Franc, and unique balsamic and dark chocolate notes from the Colorino. The extended oak aging process integrates the blend while providing tertiary flavors of sweet spice and soft, elegant tannins for a lingering finish. This wine will age gracefully for decades.
Ruffino Modus Primo Toscana IGT Italian Red Wine is the evolution of Modus, showcasing quality fruit from three Tuscan vineyards on Ruffino's Poggio Casciano Estate, each one representing the best that this centuries-old wine region terroir has to offer. This Ruffino wine opens with a bouquet of ripe cherries and orange zest, followed by layered balsamic notes and spicy hints of sweet tobacco and vanilla.
Review:
Ripe and lively in its sensory profile, it shows notes of black plums, blackberries, sage and laurel. Juniper berries describe the secondary scene. Full body, elegant and relaxed on the palate, it closes modern and captivating. Better from 2023.
-WineCritic.com 94 Points
Chateau Sainte Catherine Bordeaux Blanc is made from 67% Semillon and 33% Sauvignon (Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris).
A clear and brilliant color. The first nose reveals the minerality of our terroir (limestone subsoil). Fruity and delicate aromas come to sublimate this nose in a second time. On the palate, the wine is round and charming with sustained aromas throughout the tasting. (Small red fruits and white flowers).
Chateau Sainte Catherine Bordeaux Blanc is made from 67% Semillon and 33% Sauvignon (Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris).
A clear and brilliant color. The first nose reveals the minerality of our terroir (limestone subsoil). Fruity and delicate aromas come to sublimate this nose in a second time. On the palate, the wine is round and charming with sustained aromas throughout the tasting. (Small red fruits and white flowers).
Importer Sale
Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence Rose is made with 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Cinsault
Bright, crisp, fruity rosé from Provence.
Sainte Victoire became its own AOC within the AOC Cotes de Provence in 2005. It is more demanding in term of yields, vinification and quality than the general AOC Cotes de Provence. Green harvest and in the cellar, using a sorting table in order to keep only the best grapes for the macerations.
A natural match to enjoy with salad, chicken, grilled salmon, just simply with an hamburger or on his own, colder, during a warmer summer day.
Sainte-Marie Bourgogne Blanc Vieilles Vignes is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The wine has a perfect light yellow color with green hues. Nose of white flower, sweet spice and bitter orange. Fresh and delicious attack. It shows roundness and a slight buttery note with a very saline finish that makes you slightly salivate.
Excellent with Seafood, grilled fish, clams and oysters of course. Also great with goat cheese or Comté cheese.
Aged on lees for 6 months in stainless steel vats. Adjustment of sulphites at the end of MLF and before bottling. Filtration on earth then on 1.2µ cartridge after bonding with bentonite.Machine harvest, and direct pressing with a pneumatic horizontal press. Static settling. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel vats with native yeast and bacteria.
Savory nuances of toasted quinoa, banana bread, and nutmeg are present in the nose. On the palate, this sake is layered, lifted and complex, with flavors of plantain, dried cranberry, nougat, white Mushroom and almond.
POLISHING RATIO: 60%
ALCOHOL: 15-16%
SMV +/-: +3.0
RICE KAKE: 50% WAKAMIZU 50% LOCALLY FARMED JAPANESE RICE
YEAST STRAIN: PROPRIETARY
This inviting Honjozo is full of floral, quince, dried mango, anise and hazelnut aromatics. On the palate this sake has medium body and a smooth mouth feel. Forward flavors of persimmon and black pepper with lively acidity gives this sake a beautiful balance.
Pair this with: Salmon teriyaki, chicken meatballs, glazed ham, spinach and bacon salad; served warm with Shabu Shabu
RICE POLISHING RATIO: 60%
ALCOHOL: 15-16%
SWEET/DRY: +5.0
FOOD PAIRINGS: Duck, Grilled salmon, Chicken meatballs, Glazed ham, Chinese, Italian, Cured Meats
CHEESE PAIRINGS: Comte, Mimolette, Pecorino
Juicy & Refreshing. Full of fruity flavors with clean sweetness. Brewed with Hitogokochi, the special sake rice harvested in Nagano, and natural water slowly filtered down the Japan Alps. In 1866, toward the end of the Edo period, Matsujirou Kurogouchi and his family started a small sake brewery currently called Senjo named after Senjo Ga Take, a 3000-meter peak in the Japanese Alps. Today Senjo Brewery strives to combine art with science and old skill with new technology by adding modern twits to the rich historical traditions of Sake brewing.
Pair with Deep-fried fish with sweet & sour sauce, Young sweetfish tempura (chiayu tempura), Caesar salad.
Juicy & Refreshing. Full of fruity flavors with clean sweetness. Brewed with Hitogokochi, the special sake rice harvested in Nagano, and natural water slowly filtered down the Japan Alps. In 1866, toward the end of the Edo period, Matsujirou Kurogouchi and his family started a small sake brewery currently called Senjo named after Senjo Ga Take, a 3000-meter peak in the Japanese Alps. Today Senjo Brewery strives to combine art with science and old skill with new technology by adding modern twits to the rich historical traditions of Sake brewing.
Pair with Deep-fried fish with sweet & sour sauce, Young sweetfish tempura (chiayu tempura), Caesar salad.
Juicy & Refreshing. Full of fruity flavors with clean sweetness. Brewed with Hitogokochi, the special sake rice harvested in Nagano, and natural water slowly filtered down the Japan Alps. In 1866, toward the end of the Edo period, Matsujirou Kurogouchi and his family started a small sake brewery currently called Senjo named after Senjo Ga Take, a 3000-meter peak in the Japanese Alps. Today Senjo Brewery strives to combine art with science and old skill with new technology by adding modern twits to the rich historical traditions of Sake brewing.
Pair with Deep-fried fish with sweet & sour sauce, Young sweetfish tempura (chiayu tempura), Caesar salad.
San Giorgio Ugolforte presents a dark core of red and black berry fruit layered with earth, leather, smoke, and herbs. Complex and elegant, the wine is full on the palate and firm in tannin structure. Refreshing acidity frames a graceful finish. Classic Brunello di Montalcino.
This red is marked by cherry, plum, thyme, sage and loam aromas and flavors. Lively and firmly structured, featuring a saline undercurrent. An open-knit version, with nice equilibrium, fine energy and a long, resonant finish.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
-Wine Spectator 94 Points
Saumaize Michelin Pouilly-Fuisse Pentacrine made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The name Pentacrine is derived from a small marine star-shaped fossil found in some soils on the Vergisson rock - the emblem of the estate. The cuvee is a blend of grapes from five different parcels of the Vergisson rock planted on scratched limestone. It is vinified in large barrels (demi-muids) in order to enhance the freshness of the wine.
Tropical and citrus fruit aromas and mineral character are followed by complex citrus and apple flavors balanced by a refreshing acidity. A deliciously pure and fresh white wine.
Segries Clos Jean Alesi Cotes du Rhone Rouge is made from 1/3 each of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
This wine was originally called Segries Lanzac Clos Hermitage Cotes du Rhone Rouge
This 3.5 hectare vineyard, located in the famous “Quartier de la Chartreuse de Villeneuve-les-Avignon”, has been owned by the Formula 1 race car driver Jean Alesi since 1995. It is managed by Château de Ségriès.
This wine is a blend of 33% Grenache, 33% Syrah, and 33% Mourvedre sourced from 40-year-old vines. It was fermented in concrete vats then aged for nine months in 5% new oak barrels. The wine is a very grapey color in the glass. There is a light nose of tightly packed black fruit, dried herbs, pepper, and licorice. In the mouth there are tight-grained blue fruit, fine, powerful tannins, and a little strawberry flavor breaking loose. With air the wine reveals pencil and pepper flavors along with the structure for aging.
Yield: 40 hl/ha
Age of the vines: 40 years.
Vinification: 21 days skin maceration in temperature controlled concrete vats
Ageing: 9 months oak aging -5% new French oak from Seguin Moreau cooper and 95% of 1 year old barrels.
Delicious with roast meat, grilled vegetables, strong cheese and chocolate desserts.
Hartford Court Three Jacks Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The Three Jacks Vineyard Chardonnay exhibits aromas of lemon curd, orange marmalade, and brioche, with juicy flavors of pear, candied citrus peel, chamomile, and a rich, mineral-driven texture. The wine is full-bodied, weighty, and rich yet remarkably agile on its feet because of firm underlying acidity.
The 2019 Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard, from vines planted in 1995, was barrel fermented and matured in 31% new French oak for 14 months. It's one of the best iterations I've tasted, combining expansive flavor and texture with precise, laser-like acidity. It offers delicate, pure scents of apricot, dried tarragon, white pepper and citrus blossoms with a stony undercurrent. The medium-bodied palate has dynamic energy from its oily texture and shimmery acidity, and it finishes with tense, mineral-driven flavors. It has much more to give as it unfurls in bottle and will be long lived in the cellar.
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 95 Points
Le Jade Picpoul de Pinet is made from 100% Picpoul de Pinet
Pale straw color. Delicate white flower, citrus and juicy pear aromas. Fresh, crisp, and bright acidity with mineral and saline accents. Well-balanced and easy-drinking.
A refreshing treat laced up with snappy food-friendly acidity.
Picpoul Le Jade makes a classic match with oysters on the half shell and goes very well with exotic food in general. Picpoul means lip-smacking good.
SOIL : Clay and limestone soil just a few kilometres from the reputed Etang de Thau (salted water lagoon) overlooking the Mediterranean town of Sète.
VINIFICATION : Grapes are harvested at 12°- 13° maturity
Skin maceration for several hours
Selection of drained juice after undergoing pneumatic pressure.
Cold double decantation.
Thermoregulated fermentation at 16°C
No malolactic fermentation.