Hamilton Russell Vineyards Bramble Hill Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Hamilton Russell Vineyards in South Africa has developed an international reputation over 40 vintages for unusually restrained, classically styled Pinot noir, with deep structure and spice balancing fruit opulence. Hamilton Russell Oregon aims to express this stylistic philosophy with the very best Willamette Valley fruit - showcasing the restrained, structured classicism of great European Pinot noir and the bright purity of Oregon fruit. The celebrated Bramble Hill vineyard in Ribbon Ridge, delivers a particularly bright, pure, lively minerality to complement the complex lifted fruit the best Oregon Pinot noir is known for.
Review:
Limpid ruby-red. Fresh red berries, blood orange, floral and baking spice qualities on the incisive nose. Juicy, focused and lithe on the palate, offering subtly sweet raspberry and cherry flavors and building spicecake and cola nuances. Closes long and nervy, with discreet tannins framing repeating floral and spice notes.
-Vinous 93 Points
Harney Lane Chardonnay Home Ranch is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Fruit aromas of baked apple, ripe pear and pineapple are highlighted with pleasant notes of butterscotch, roasted nuts, honey and vanilla cream.
Sub-appellation : Mokelumne River
T.A. : 5.4g/L
pH : 3.71
R.S. : 0.3%
Pairs with , brown Butter Lobster, roasted Butternut Squash Pasta, creamy Risotto. Brie & Caramelized Onion Pizza
Harney Lane Chardonnay Home Ranch is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Fruit aromas of baked apple, ripe pear and pineapple are highlighted with pleasant notes of butterscotch, roasted nuts, honey and vanilla cream.
Sub-appellation : Mokelumne River
T.A. : 5.4g/L
pH : 3.71
R.S. : 0.3%
Pairs with , brown Butter Lobster, roasted Butternut Squash Pasta, creamy Risotto. Brie & Caramelized Onion Pizza
Medium garnet with crimson hues. Intense and evocative aromas of briary black currant, blackberry, blueberry, Satsuma plum, with lifted notes of sage, bay leaf, crushed flowering herbs, black pepper, anise and hints of cedar. The palate is rich and complex with well-defined blackberry, mulberry, red plum and black currant fruit, layered with sage, black pepper and bay leaf, and carried by fine-grained, mature, velvety tannins for an almost endless finish.
Pair with Lamb Loin.
Review:
A juicy and savory red with plum, chocolate, hazelnut, and walnut aromas and flavors. Medium to full body and creamy tannins. Juicy and balanced. Meat and chocolate. Molé-like. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 96 Points
Hickinbotham Peake Cabernet Shiraz is made from 60 percent Cabernet and 40 percent Shiraz.
Named after the late Mr. Edward John Peake who established the first vineyard and orchard at Clarendon circa 1850. Blending Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz is a famous part of Australian winemaking history and whilst the individual components of this wine are mighty, the sum of The Peake’s parts is magnificent. The Cabernet shines aromatically with notes of blackberry pie and dark chocolate, while the Shiraz fills the mid-palate with black plum and toasty oak. Fine tannins and balanced acidity contribute to an incredibly long finish. The Peake continues to honor the legacy of this iconic Australian blend.
Review:
Hickinbotham's 2017 The Peake Cabernet Shiraz is a 60-40 blend of the varieties, aged in a healthy proportion of new French oak. As a barrel selection, it stands above the other wines in the lineup, being more complex and complete than either the Brooks Road Shiraz or the Trueman Cabernet. Cassis leads the way, rounded out by ripe cherries and joined by shadings of cedar and vanilla. It's full-bodied and concentrated in the mouth, rich, supple and almost creamy in texture and boasts a long, silky finish. While nearly drinkable already, it should easily age for a decade or more.
-Wine Advocate 96 Points
Holocene Memorialis Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Holocene Pinot Noir Memorialis is a blend of 777, Pommard and 115 clones from MonksGate vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, and it saw about 20% new French oak for 16 months prior to bottling. It is always the lighter and more feminine of the two Holocene wines, with red fruits, white flowers, dried herbs, mushroom and forest floor aromatics, bright acidity and a lithe texture, long finish.
Ilaria De Nardi Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore is made from 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 20% Corvinoni
Intense red color with garnet hints. Almond and fresh walnut aromas. Full-bodied with a good structure.
This is an excellent red wine with a supple body. The techniques used to produce this wine is typical from the area.
Excellent with cold cut, fresh and mature cheeses. Perfect with red meat and game.
Late harvest style Corvina aged on Amarone lees. The must of Amarone remains in the vat and instead of being pressed, it is topped up with high quality Valpolicella before being left to referment for about 10-15 days.
Pairs well with roasted meats.
Bright deep ruby color, with spicy aromas reminiscent of red pepper, pepper and slight sensations of licorice.
In the mouth we can again find the typicity in its spicy flavors, balanced tannins, fresh, vibrant acidity and good volume.
Persistent, complex finish, with the authentic characteristics of a great Cabernet Franc.
Perfect companion for red and game meats, pasta, stews, rice and a variety of winter cuisine dishes.
Review:
“Beautifully judged by Fabricio Orlando, this is a rich, plush San Rafael Cabernet Franc from a bodega that’s getting better with every vintage. Cut grass, dark chocolate and green pepper aromas are complemented by fine 85% new oak, plum and black cherry flavours and nuanced, layered tannins. 2024-32.”
- Tim Atkin 2024 Best of Argentina Report, 94 points
Imperial Stag Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.
Intense and bright ruby red color. Aromas of ripe fruit with spicy notes of eucalyptus and licorice. Vanilla and tobacco aromas contributed by the ageing in French oak barrels. Good volume on the palate, balanced, intense with great concentration, sweet flavors, with rotund tannins polished with elegance and sophistication.
Perfect companion for red and game meats, pasta, stews, rice and a variety of winter cuisine dishes.
Alcohol | 14,4% |
---|---|
Ac. Total | 5,8g/l |
Ph | 3,3 |
Review:
There's a texture, weight and self-confidence about the Imperial Stag reds that I find really appealing. Stylishly oaked in 85% new barrels, it combines aromas of violet, liquorice and coffee bean with a palate of cassis, blackberry and fresh green herbs, sculpted tannins and a refreshing, tapering finish. 2025-32
-Tim Atkin MW Argentina Report 93 Points
J. Lohr Cuvee St. E is made from 80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2016 J. Lohr Cuvée St. E captures the ripe but savory side of the Bordeaux varieties. This wine is dark in color with a bright garnet hue. Aromas of red currant, coffee bean and dark chocolate lead to a palate of ripe plum and cassis. Tightly wound tannins are typical in Cabernet Franc and present the greatest reward after a few years of bottle age.
A perfect pairing for filet mignon with a shallot cream sauce or Osso Bucco (braised veal shanks) over a bed of polenta.
Review:
Strong aromas of black cherry, toasted oak, caramel, vanilla, charred coffee bean and milk chocolate make for a heavy nose in this blend. Blackberry and dry elderberry flavors are framed by firm tannins and asphalt on the palate.
-Wine Enthusiast 92 Points
Lovely blue-black fruits running all the way through, and a whiff of toffee and burnt blackberry on the nose.
-Decanter 92 Points
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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
This non vintage wine sparkles to the tune of a well balanced blend; predominantly 3 year old Shiraz aged in old French oak barrels allowing wonderful smooth integration of fruit and a rich weighty texture across the palate. This is blended with a touch of younger vintage Shiraz to bring ripe juicy varietal fruit characters to the finished wine.
Deep crimson color with brick red mousse and a fine bead. The aroma displays ripe plums, earthy notes and spice. Mouthfilling flavors of plums and prunes with hints of liquorice. Soft, creamy with a persistent cherry, chocolate and spice finish.
Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Jana is 100% Syrah.
Black raspberry aromas, licorice, sizzled bacon and smoke. Elegant and pure with depth and well-integrated tannins.
Jana is the name of Johann and Emmanuelle's daughter.
Manual harvest, selection of the grapes from the "Chaillot" parcel, full clusters, fermentation in tanks for 3 weeks, daily remontage and pigeage. Malolactic fermentation in oak barrels and aging on the lees for 12-18 months in barrels (new old barrels) The average age of the vines is 11 years. Yield: 25 hl/ha
Review:
Joseph Drouhin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Producing communes: Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet.
Site: Bâtard-Montrachet straddles Puligny and Chassagne. It lies right below the famous Montrachet vineyard. Bâtard is one of the greatest white wines of the Côte de Beaune.
History & tradition: according to the often told story, the lord of Puligny in the Middle Ages divided his estate between his children: the eldest was the « chevalier » (knight), the daughters were the « pucelles » (young virgins) and the son born out of wedlock was the « bâtard ».
Soil: located on a mild slope, the soil is a brownish limestone mixed with gravel. The secret of this exceptional terroir comes from the unique interaction between the deep layers of limestone and the roots of the vines.
Tasting a wine of this stature is always cause for emotion. The golden colour has bright reflections. After some aeration, the aromas reveal their rich intensity: grilled bread, almond, honey, exotic wood...What is striking is the structure of the wine, its « monumental » grandeur. There is even a touch of tannin that provides an added dimension. A voluptuous finale, seemingly without end, with precious notes of preserved and ripe fruit..
Supply: this wine comes from grapes harvested on some parcels of the Drouhin Family Properties as well as from grapes and musts purchased from supply partners according to rigorous specifications.
Harvest: grapes harvested by hands in open-work crates. If necessary, a careful sorting is proceeded.
Vinification: slow pressing in a pneumatic press. The juice of the last press is separated from the free run-juice. The juice is transferred into wine barrel after a little settling.
Ageing: the alcoholic fermentation as the malolactic and the ageing are being processed in oak barrels. The proportion of new barrels is around 30%.
The ageing lasts between 18 to 21 months.
Origin of the wood: oak grown in French high forest.
Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation. The data obtained is completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.
Justin Isosceles Proprietary Red Paso Robles is made from 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc.
In 1987, we made our first vintage of a wine styled after the famous First Growth producers of Bordeaux, created with the same uncompromising care as the Grands Vins of those venerable chateaux. For more than 30 vintages, ISOSCELES has been our flagship wine and quality benchmark for this style of wine here on the Central Coast of California. A blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon supported by Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the 2018 ISOSCELES shows why Paso Robles is such a great place to grow these varieties.
Full-bodied, with ripe black fruit, complex baking spice and amazingly ready to drink right out of the gate, you can try a bottle or two now, but make sure to save a few to enjoy this wine as it continues to evolve after some time in the cellar.
Appearance: Deep ruby/purple core with black secondary color, lighter toward the rim with moderate plus viscosity and slow forming, moderately stained tears.
Aroma: Very aromatic and complex with ripe black cherry and cassis fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and licorice spice with sweet tobacco, cedar, leather and camphor notes.
Palate: Full-bodied with ripe black cherry and blackcurrant fruit complemented with baking spice and oak notes on entry. Sustained fruit and spice are joined by savory autumn leaf, cedar and leather on the mid-palate with mouth filling, fine tannins that lead into a long, complex and balanced finish with attractive fruit, spice, cedar and subtle camphor notes.
Try it with a classic herb crusted roasted rack of lamb, a grilled prime ribeye steak, or the exquisite cheeseburgers with tomato, arugula, bacon jam and chive aioli from The Restaurant at JUSTIN.
Review:
A stunning Bordeaux blend with smooth, intense flavors of plum, toast, and chocolate. Dense, layered, and balanced, with a long, concen- trated finish.
-Tasting Panel 95 Points
K Vitners The Hidden Syrah is made from 100 percent Syrah.
It is not a secret the magnitude this wine can reach. In this vintage, femininity reigns supreme. Perfume, flowers, cassis. All anchored to sense of place with stone, ancient soil and chanterelles that make this wine a wine of the earth.
Review:
Kirsch, ripe black cherries, roasted herbs, violets, and orange blossom notes all emerge from the 2018 The Hidden Syrah Northridge Vineyard, which is all Syrah brought up in neutral oak. Rich, full-bodied, and beautifully polished, it packs loads of fruit yet stays light on its feet, with no sensation of heaviness. As with all of these Syrahs from Smith, it's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age.
-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points
The Kasteelberg range of wines, celebrates the discovery of Riebeek and the Kasteelberg mountains in 1661. Kasteelberg stands sentinel over the fertile valley below. From the slopes of the mountains, hand-selected grapes are expertly crafted with care to produce rare and expressive wines. The Kasteelberg range truly is the pinnacle of our Winemaker's art.
Often referred to as Shiraz Country, the Riebeek Valley is renowned for exceptional Shiraz wines.
The Kasteelberg Shiraz is a lively rich wine, full bodied with a subdued smokiness on the nose and a pallet of ripe fruit and interesting spice.
Well-balanced and smooth, the aftertaste lingers with the exciting flavors of Christmas pudding.
Serve at room temperature. The perfect companion to barbequed lamb, fillet medallions and game. Lovely with Springbok stuffed with bacon, garlic and rosemary and a great match to a cheese and preserve platter.
Review:
"I'd expect to prefer the 2017 Shiraz to the 2018 bottling, but it's actually the reverse. Maybe Alecia Boshoff has just got more experience with the fruit from this Kasteelberg site. Sweet and spicy, with enticing incense and violet aromas, fine tannins, succulent red berry fruit and deftly integrated one-third new oak. 2021-26"
- Tim Atkin (South Africa 2020 Report), 92 pts
Laird Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is made from 100 percent Napa Cabernet.
This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from three vineyards: Mast Ranch, for its earthy and robust structure, Flat Rock Ranch, for its fruit-forward characteristic and silky structure, and Linda Vista Ranch, for its juicy and vibrant approach-ability.
Tasting Notes: Opaque ruby color with a tinge of purple introduces developing aromas of blackberry jam, cranberry, and acacia flower. This medium-bodied red wine expresses flavors of ripe black plum, walnut, and cassis on the front of the palate, and is complemented by chewy tannins and juicy cherry on the finish.
Vineyard: 42% Mast Ranch + 35% Flat Rock Ranch + 23% Linda Vista Ranch
Appellation: Napa Valley
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Review:
"A lush, flattering style, with warmed cassis, fresh açaí berry and boysenberry pâte de fruit notes pressed together by bittersweet cocoa–accented toast. Dark and winey through the finish, with a streak of tar underneath that gives the lush fruit a solid grounding. Best from 2025 through 2037.. —James MOLESWORTH."
- Wine Spectator Insider (March 14th 2024), 93 pts
Laird Pinot Grigio Cold Creek is made from 100 percent Pinot Grigio.
The Laird Family’s Cold Creek Ranch is a 300 acre vineyard located on the Sonoma side of the Carneros district. The cooling sea breezes off the San Pablo Bay are perfectly suited for Pinot Grigio as well as Chardonnay, two grape varieties that thrive in this special vineyard.
Tasting Notes: The clear yellow sapphire hue sparkles in the sunlight, with inviting aromas of juicy passionfruit, honeysuckle and Juicy Fruit gum. The palate is balanced with medium acid and enticing flavors of melon, apricot, vanilla, and subtle mineralty, leading to a focused, mouthwatering finish.
Vineyard: 100% Cold Creek Ranch
Appellation: Los Carneros (Sonoma)
Laird Pinot Noir Ghost Ranch is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir
9 months in French Oak (60% new)
Vineyard workers have long reported seeing people between the rows and down by the creek, people who simply disappear when approached. Hence the name “Ghost Ranch”. This is our family’s seventh vintage of Pinot Noir.
Tasting Notes: With enticing garnet hues, that leads way to aromas of fresh raspberries, toasty oak, Bing cherries and baking spice. With a medium body and a balanced smooth palate that opens to distinct layers of wild strawberry, vanilla & sweet cherry compote.
Easily paired with a variety of cuisine including Pasta Puttanesca, cedar plank salmon or Paella.
Laird Pinot Noir Ghost Ranch is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir
9 months in French Oak (60% new)
Vineyard workers have long reported seeing people between the rows and down by the creek, people who simply disappear when approached. Hence the name “Ghost Ranch”. This is our family’s seventh vintage of Pinot Noir.
Tasting Notes: With enticing garnet hues, that leads way to aromas of fresh raspberries, toasty oak, Bing cherries and baking spice. With a medium body and a balanced smooth palate that opens to distinct layers of wild strawberry, vanilla & sweet cherry compote.
Easily paired with a variety of cuisine including Pasta Puttanesca, cedar plank salmon or Paella.
Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
Grown on the west side of St. Helena, this distinctive cabernet sauvignon clearly displays its origins with a rich garnet hue and sophisticated aromas of cacao bean, crème de cassis, and sweet tobacco on the nose. Layered, with a superb structure, the wine offers impressions of blueberry coulis, black raspberry, and savory herbs like Herbs de Provence. The weighty mid-palate unveils anise spice and a graphite mineral note that combines with a fresh acidity that extends the long finish.
Review:
Needing plenty of air to show at its best, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is a sensational, gorgeous Napa Valley Cabernet that delivers the goods like only this region can. Pure Cabernet magic on the nose, with deep blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, lead pencil, and a kiss of spring flowers as well as a beautiful Pessac-Leognan-like scorched earth character, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, silky tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. It's one of those wines that builds incrementally on the palate and it's only after the second or third sip that you realize how special this wine is. It also offers that rare mix of power and elegance that's the hallmark of all great wines. It needs a couple of hours in the decanter if drinking any time soon. Hats off to Paul Hobbs for an incredible Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
-Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points
Mordoree Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Reine des Bois is made from Grenache 75 %, Mourvèdre 10%, Syrah 10 % , Counoise 3% & Vaccarese 2%.
This premium cuvee - whose name means "Queen of the Woods" - is from 65-year-old vines, planted on Villafranchian-era terrasses. Yield is 30 hl/ha.
Deep ruby red; opaque. Aromas of red fruits change to wooden touches of leather, black truffles and coffee. Fat, concentrated and full flavored with a very long liquoriced and fruity finish.
Pairs with red meats, sauce dishes, game animals (woodcock, wild boar) and semi mature cheeses.
Review:
"Huge and powerful, but so fresh. This has great driving intensity, with even bigger, more structural tannins than the domaine’s other cuvée. A rampaging Châteauneuf that will take time to settle, and will always be wild. Long, vibrant and chiselled. An absolute beast. Mordorée has been massive but overripe in the past; it's still massive but with this vintage the ripeness is more controlled, and it has transformed into something extraordinary. Fermented and aged 80% in stainless steel, the rest in old barrels. - Matt WALLS"
- Decanter Magazine (September 17th 2023, Part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022: Report and top-scoring wines), 98 pts