Montepescini Chianti Colli Senesi  is made from 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo.

Deep ruby red in the glass with an intense nose holding blackberry and violet notes. On the palate it is rounded and robust with hints of wild berries, dark cherry and spice. This Chianti has excellent acidity and a long and satisfying finish.

Alcohol: 14.0% 

Aging: 8 months in French oak barrels and an additional 3 months in bottle
Vinification: 13 to 15 days of skin contact maceration.
Vineyards: south sun exposure at 350 meters of altitude (1150 feet)
Grapes: 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo

Pairs well with roasted red and white meats, aged cheeses, dishes with rosemary and garlic or mushrooms.

Cazaux Gigondas Cuvee Prestige is made from 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre.

A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre produced from the oldest vines of the estate and only in the years of highest grape quality. Aromas of prune, chocolate, spices, fruit brandy and plum. Rounded tannins and a long finish.

Red meats aged, venison

Review:

"I was also able to taste the late-release 2020 Gigondas Cuvée Prestige, which is 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre that was brought up in barrel. It has a rocking nose of Provençal spices, saddle leather, dried flowers, and assorted strawberry and raspberry fruit. It's medium to full-bodied, has fine tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. Count me in as a fan. Enjoy bottles any time over the coming 7-8 years."

- Jeb Dunnuck (October 30th 2023), 94 pts

Chappellet Grower Collection Calesa Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

The Calesa Vineyard Chardonnay draws you in with alluring aromas of tropical flowers, summer melon, nectarine, lemon zest and guava, as well as French oak-inspired hints of melted butter and baking spices. On the palate, finely tuned acidity and a creamy, mouth-filling texture add depth and nuance to lush layers of stone fruit, lemon custard, pineapple and passionfruit, all of which culminate in a lingering fruit and spice finish.

Review:

The 2020 Chardonnay Grower Collection Calesa Vineyard is floral, with delicate tropical fruit of melon, orange blossom, and sweet baking spice. The palate is medium-bodied, with a silky texture and notes of toasted vanilla bean, ripe pear, and almond. A well-made wine, it cleans up with lingering floral perfume. Drink 2022-2030.

-Jeb Dunnuck 91 Points

Charles Krug Family Reserve Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Rising 1,650 feet above the Napa Valley floor on the southwestside of Howell Mountain, the Family Reserve Howell MountainCabernet Sauvignon sits above the fog line. The distinctiveclimate, along with volcanic and iron-rich red soils, producefruit with great balance and intensity.

Review:

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Release Cold Springs is the most distinctive of the wines in this range of limited-release Cabernets from Charles Krug. Gravel, licorice, menthol and spice all develop in a Howell Mountain Cabernet endowed with tremendous class and nuance.

-Vinous 92 Points

Charles Krug Peter Mondavi Family Vintage Selection Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Review:

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection has a deep garnet-purple color and features exuberant notes of crushed black cherries, mulberries and blackcurrant cordial with touches of unsmoked cigars, menthol, yeast extract and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated and opulent in the mouth, it has a solid line of plush tannins and plenty of backbone freshness to lift the generous fruit to a long fruity finish.

-Wine Advocate 95 Points

Vintners Dennis O’Neil and Steph Martin began development of Checkerboard Vineyards in 1999 and retained winemaker Martha McClellan to create a portfolio of wines reflecting the mountainside. The estate includes four vineyard sites of different elevation, exposure and soil composition, providing the foundation for a portfolio that includes Checkerboard Aurora Vineyard, Checkerboard Coyote Ridge Vineyard, Checkerboard Nash Creek Vineyard, Checkerboard Kings Row, Checkerboard Sauvignon Blanc, and Checkerboard Rose. Grapes are harvested at dawn in micro-lots and delivered steps away to the winery where clusters are sorted, discarding any blemished ones. Individual berries are hand-selected for vinification and transferred for fermentation, by hand, to Taransaud wooden tanks, stainless tanks, and individual wooden barrels.

Farming is based on long-term sustainability and includes water conservation and monitoring, permanent cover crops planted in alternating rows, and the use of entomology for pest control and the development of soils with good organic matter and microbiology. Checkerboard Vineyards is a member of Fish Friendly Farming which promotes environmentally-friendly land practices and water quality management. Aurora Vineyard is located in a small valley midway up Diamond Mountain and on a large knoll at an elevation of 1,200 feet. The knoll bulges outward, giving the vineyard full Southern exposure and open light from the East and West and protection from Napa Valley’s summer fog. Six acres are planted in the knoll’s rich, volcanic soils that are riddled with basalt cobble in a loamy red clay. The remaining six acres are planted in a deep gravely mix of volcanic ash and chips of decomposed Rhyolite that were washed down from the steep, rocky crags of Diamond Mountain above.

There's a fresh, sweet aroma to the 2016 Checkerboard Aurora Vineyard that builds excitement and anticipation for what's to come. On approach, the palate is juicy and expansive and explodes with flavors of blackberry, mulberry, dark cherry, caramel, leaf tobacco and green olive. The wine continues with a voluptuousness that's linear and constant yet lifted by natural acidity. The finish is showy, long and lingering with finely polished tannins. An exceptional vintage.

Lovely salmon pink color. A very delicate nose of strawberry and redcurrant fruit with floral undertones. There is a silky richness on the palate full of red berries balanced with a subtle bready texture. Very accessible. Will also develop nicely over time.

Colmant Brut Rose NV  is made from 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay

This wine spends a minimum of 24 months on the lees at a consistent temperature of 14C before degorgement.15% of the base wine has been barrel fermented.

Pinot Noir 75%, Chardonnay 25% (Franschhoek, Robertson and Elgin).

15% of the blend is made of reserve wine from the previous vintages and 15% of the base wine is barrel fermented.
This wine spends a minimum of 24 months on the lees at a consistent temperature of 14°C before degorgement.

Perfect as a summer sundowner. A delicious complement to white meat, strawberry dessert and decadent dark chocolate.

Review:

"The Brut Rosé (disgorged March 2018) is a blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay with 15% base wine and 15% reserve wine, with the Pinot Noir macerated on its skins for color, matured on the lees for 24 months. Deep salmon in color, it has a fine mousse and attractive strawberry and cherry scents on the nose - no shy and retiring rosé here. The palate is well balanced with Braeburn apples, hints of strawberry and a touch of tart cherries fanning out toward the creamy-textured, satisfying finish. A sparkling rosé that’s proud to be pink!- Neal Martin"

- Vinous (August 28th 2018), 91 pts

Cortenova Montepulciano d' Abruzzo is made from 100% Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Deep ruby red color with violet highlights and a pleasant and fruity bouquet. Full bodied, soft tannins and good acidity.

Excellent with pasta dishes and red meats.

Cortenova Primitivo is made from 100% Primitivo

The grapes are harvested and immediately pressed at controlled temperature. Fermentation is carried out with maceration on the skins for 10-12 days; daily remontages; malolactic fermentation.

Dark, ruby-red color with violet highlights. Intense and fragrant bouquet with a rich array of red and black fruit aromas and flavors. Harmonious and velvety on the palate. Great balance and structure.
Excellent with grilled or roasted meats, game and cheeses.

Daydreamer Red Blend is made from 60% Pinotage, 20% Shiraz and 20% Grenache.

Bright red and black berry fruit with pink pepper and a hint of violets on a silky palate with fine tannins, that offer weight and length on a fresh, juicy finish.

Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Chaupin is made from 100 percent Grenache. 

A beautiful bottle, archetype of the appellation, which expresses the quintessence of Grenache in its cradle of Châteauneuf du Pape. Between notes of black fruit and violets, this vintage advances in time with suppleness, with already melted tannins.

Review:

Relatively black-fruited for a pure Grenache, it's generous in fruit but not excessive, the alcohol is high of course (it's pure Grenache), but it feels integrated. Long, pure, velvety - this is really stunning. Lifted plum fruit, dusted with dried oregano. It's young, but already quite accessible. It will age well thanks to its freshness and balance. Parcels of Grenache planted on lieux-dits Chaupin, La Janasse and La Crau, mostly sandy soils, the oldest planted in 1912.

-Decanter 96 Points

Dr. Loosen Riesling Eiswein is made from 100 percent Riesling. 

This vibrant, racy dessert wine conjures flavors of densely packed pear, apple and guava, with an intense, nervy edge in the aroma. It is luscious, silky and juicy on the palate, with bright acidity giving it a crisp, dynamic finish. 

Elvio Cogno Pre-Phylloxera Barbera d'Alba is made from 100 percent Barbera.

Produced from one of the last archaic vines of the Langhe area, an open air museum of viticulture from a time gone by, the plants are over one hundred years old. The vines are not grafted but propagated through cuttings, thus maintaining, over the decades, the original Barbera characteristics.

The vineyard has an excellent exposure and sandy-chalky terrain, situated in Berri near La Morra, which guaranteed the vines a natural protection from Phylloxera and imparts unique and exclusive characteristics to the vines. The intriguing simplicity of the vines and their typical, traditional charm that derives from the microclimate and favorable altitude make a one of-a-kind wine.

The low production per hectare guarantees an intensely rare and rich organoleptic concentration. The wine is refined in oak casks that slowly develop the primary aromas. Pleasant and refined, complex even as a young wine but able to withstand bottle aging, it expresses its solid uniqueness even over the years.

A bright, rich ruby color with intense purplish highlights. The aroma is enveloping, aromatic and deep with noticeable spices on first impression and raspberry, strawberry and ripe cherry notes in background. Finish with pleasant harmonies of wild flowers. On the palate it is well structured, fresh and the acidity is excellently balanced, the tannins texture is embracing and flavors remind you of sour cherries, blackberries and prunes.

Review:

Planted in almost entirely sand, this own-rooted vineyard with some vines over 120 years old is a singular expression of Barbera. Elegant aromas of wild rose and fresh bay leaf mixed with cranberry, sour cherry and underbrush are just some of the notes you will discover in this complex wine. The palate is refined and well-balanced with fresh youthful red fruits, fresh flowers and fine tannins driving the wine home. Drink Now–2035. 

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard Summum Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

Summum Chardonnay is the unofficial tête de cuvée of our lineup at Evening Land Vineyards. Fruit for Summum comes from just 14 vine rows that form the backbone of the Seven Springs Estate. Here, soils were formed by ancient volcanic eruptions that sent blazing lava down the current vineyard’s slopes – and today, we’re lucky enough to farm our vines in these mineral-laden soils. The 2019 Summum Chardonnay is medium-bodied and bright, marked by flavors of lemon skin, baked apple, and a touch of sweet spice that leads to a satiny, harmonious finish. For a unique taste of Oregon’s rather untapped potential for high-end Chardonnay, this bottle is it.

Review:

Shows dimension and presence, with elegantly multilayered flavors of Meyer lemon, apple skin, yeasty lees and crushed stone that gather richness and steely opulence on the lingering finish. Drink now

-Wine Spectator 95 Points

Just south of the winery, Bacigalupi Vineyard straddles Westside Road in the upper reach of Russian River Valley. The 125 acre vineyard encompasses a range of terroir, from heavier valley floor soil along the Russian River to alluvial clay loam on the rolling hillsides. The fruit is sourced from a superb block of 25 year-old Wente Clone vines located on the western slope of the site. Bacigalupi was the source of the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that, famously, beat the French wines at the "Judgement of Paris" in 1976.

Bacigalupi Chardonnay has a nose of lemon zest and vanilla bean. The palate opens with red pear and Meyer lemon, and brioche toast and honey comb notes on the finish. Like well-made Chardonnay from great vineyards around the world this wine benefits from getting some air, will age for years, and is best when served chilled around 50 degrees. This wine will evolve in the bottle for many years to come. A terrific wine from one of Sonoma County's top sites for Chardonnay.

Flaunt Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

A lively pinot noir which is forward on the nose. Medium bodied with red fruits - berries currant raspberry. Savory, very slightly herbal with a medium tannins on the finish. Gains on the palate as it opens up. Good acidity, focused fruit, integrated tannins.

There is no measurable residual sugar.
Total Acidity is 6.4
pH is 3.42.