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A dramatic, ridgetop landscape — rising 1500 feet above Lake Hennessey, staring west over Pritchard Hill — persistently influenced by a push/pull draw between The Valley’s floor and Lake Berryessa. This wild, untamed, eastern frontier of Napa Valley, produces singular, terroir-driven wines of captivating beauty, power and lift. An unseasonably wet and cool springtime produced significant shatter at Sage Ridge in 2019, reducing our yields by 50%, leading to a particularly flamboyant edition of this wine.

An incomparable expression of Cabernet Sauvignon — massively pure red fruit character, delivered on a ribbon of ultra-suave tannins and gorgeously seductive high tones. The palate never relents its come-hither posture. Aromatically, puts forth an intriguing botanical complexity that is unmistakably site-specific. As our experience with this one-of-a-kind terroir deepens, we remain endlessly excited for the potential of these unique ridgetop vineyards. Get your hands on a bottle and pull the cork…a wine built for immense near-term gratification.

Review:

"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Sage Ridge Vineyard opens with open-knit notes of plum preserves, baked blackberries and boysenberry jam, leading to a core of crème de cassis, mocha, camphor and Indian spices with a touch of unsmoked cigars. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and dense with black fruit preserves, framed by soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and very spicy. Only 75 cases were made. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (November 2021), 95 pts

Arzuaga Ladera del Norte Ribera del Duero is made from 100% Tempranillo.

The grapes come from organic crops and are harvested from the "Valdesardon" farm, owned by the Arzuaga Navarro family, which is the westernmost vineyard of the Ribera del Duero DO, located at an altitude of 800 meters in the village of Olivares de Duero. Clay-limestone soil on a hillside that will mark the characteristics of the wine.

The wine is of medium high intensity in color, a clear and bright cherry with purple flashes. An array of red fruits such as raspberry and cherry predominates with a high aromatic intensity, combining with balsamic tones, coffee and roasted notes coming from the aging in oak barrels without being overwhelming. This is a fresh and elegant wine, with an easy and balanced entry into the mouth followed by juicy and chewy sensations. Slightly sweet and toasted notes, and a pleasant and balanced aftertaste that is reminiscent of the fruity aromas on the nose.

Ideal companion for red meat, white meat, game and game, roasted or in sauce. Blue fish and soft cheeses.

Review:

"Intense cherry color. Aromas of dried herbs, creamy oak, black fruits and lactic notes. In the mouth, ripe fruits, spices, fine tannins, full-bodied."

- Penin 2022, 92 pts

Arzuaga Ribera del Duero La Planta is made from 100% Tempranillo.

Deep violet red. Clean and bright with a range of red fruits (raspberry and cherry) that dominate with a high aromatic intensity, joined by balsamic, cacao, coffee, and roasted tones. Fresh, elegant, easy, and balanced in the mouth with a lightly sweet, toasted, and pleasant aftertaste.

Fried fish, sausage, and white meats such as roasted poultry.

Review:

"A fruit-forward nose with brambly cherries, plums, flowers and some dark spices. Fruity and medium-bodied on the palate showing bright and supple fruit with soft tannins. Quite approachable and pleasing with lots of fruit. Drink now."

- James Suckling (October 2022), 90 pts

Arzuaga Ribera del Duero Reserva is made from 95% Tempranillo, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot.

Clean and bright ruby red with purple reflections. Great aromatic intensity, complex and elegant, where the compote of red fruits dominates. The palate is structured with silky, sweet tannins and a lingering finish.

The harvest was done manually at the optimum point of maturity, and carried out separately for each of the more than 20 different plots used to make this wine. After the selection tables, a pre-fermentation maceration at low temperature and subsequent alcoholic fermentation at 28º is carried out, giving way to malolactic fermentation and aging in new French oak barrels for 26 months.  

Ideal with red meats (big game), roasted white meat, and blue cheese.

Avatar Malbec is 100% Malbec.

Aged in 100% French Oak barrels for 4 months and then 6 months in the bottle beofre release

Presents a vibrant red color with glints of bordeaux. Great aromatic intensity. It expresses in a very fresh way, with red fruits and a remarkable sweetness. In the mouth it’s balanced with round and sweet tannins, rich and with a marked acidity.

Coming from Agrelo district. 
Average of the vines is 25 years old. 
Soil type: Alluvial and sandy soils with a big amount of rocks just besides the Mendoza river. This is one of the most prestigious terroirs in Argentina.
Winemaking: Crushing, destemming and maceration pre-fermentative at 11ºC for 24 hours. Alcoholic fermentation in tanks. 4 weeks of skin contact maceration. Aged in French oak barrels for 4 months, Malolactic fermentation in contact with fine lees.
Wine was slightly filtered before bottling.

Babylons Peak Paardeberg Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz. 

Babylon's Peak winery, situated on the highest weathered granite slopes of the Paardeberg Mountain, is privately owned by the Basson family who has passed down the tradition, passion and art of winemaking over four generations. Predominantly low-yield dryland bushvines are selected to produce these excellent wines with distinctive character.

A classic Shiraz with dark fruit, violets and white pepper. An elegant wine with ripe tannins and a lingering aftertaste.

The grapes were harvested by hand. The grapes were destalked only, no crushing was done. Cold maceration was done before fermentation started in open fermenters. The grapes fermented between 24-26°C for 5-7 days, after which the wine was taken to barrels where it went through malolactic fermentation. After malolactic fermentation was completed, the wine spent 14 months in 225 litre French oak barrels until bottling.

Pairs with rich and creamy meat dishes eg. oxtail and venison.

Babylons Peak Pinotage is made from 100 percent Pinotage.

Babylon's Peak winery, situated on the highest weathered granite slopes of the Paardeberg Mountain, is privately owned by the Basson family who has passed down the tradition, passion and art of winemaking over four generations. Predominantly low-yield dryland bushvines are selected to produce these excellent wines with distinctive character.

Dark red color, with ripe plums and mocha on the nose. Dark fruit followed by spice on the palate. A well balanced wine with smooth integrated tannins.

The Pinotage is dryland bushvines, planted on the highest south-east facing granite slopes on the farm. Due to its unique terroir, this vineyard ripens slowly over a very long period. This results in very dark color, soft tannins and good flavor compounds. The baboons normally harvest their quantity first and we pick the rest.

The grapes were harvested by hand at 25,6°B.and destalked only. No crushing was done. Cold maceration was done before fermentation started in open fermenters. The grapes fermented between 24-26°C for 5-7 days, after which the wine was taken to barrels where it went through malolactic fermentation. After malolactic fermentation was completed, the wine spent 12 months in 225 liter French oak barrels until bottling.

Pairs with lamb, bobotie and braaied red meat.

Bertrand Bachelet Chassange Montrachet Blanc is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

The Chassagne-Montrachet appellation is located in the southern part of the Côte de Beaune and produces mainly white wines. The vineyard faces east, with varied soil types, characterized by the presence of iron oxide, which gives a red-brown color to the soil.

Bertrand Bachelet Chassagne-Montrachet is produced from two villages, La Canière and Les Lombardes.

The wine offers a golden color, a soft, floral nose with spicy notes. On the palate, the wine is ample and harmonious, combining freshness and tension.

Pairs well with fish (especially salmon) or white meat in sauce (poultry, veal).

Bertrand Bachelet Maranges Rouge is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

The Maranges appellation is the youngest of the Côte de Beaune family, making its debut in May 1989. It spans three villages, namely Dezize-lès-Maranges, Cheilly-les-Maranges and Sampigny-les-Maranges. Several hills and slopes make up this appellation, all south/south-east-facing, at an altitude of between 200 and 400 metres. The Maranges 1ers Crus are spread over seven distinct villages.

'La Fussière' is the main village of the Maranges appellation and is located in the Cheilly and Dezize-les-Maranges areas.

When young, ideal with meat such as a rib of beef or filet mignon; when aged, it pairs wonderfully with dishes in spicy sauces.

Bastgen Kestener Paulinshofberg Riesling Kabinett is 100 percent Riesling.

Kesten is a small village right by the Mosel surrounded by steep vineyards called Paulinsberg (=hills of Saint Paul). The vines grow on bridle clay slate near the river - a classic terroir that has been cultivated with vines ever since Roman times. Riesling is the most typical grape of the Mosel region that produced a fruity Kabinett with beautiful peach aromas on the nose, rich and ripe fruits on the mouth with honeyed notes and a refreshing acidity.  This is a very pleasing wine.

They meticulously tend 4.5 ha (11.11 acres) of which 80% is Riesling. The soil is made of slate. Their vineyards are located in Kesten and Brauneberg, on a steep terrace, and planted to 50-year old vines. Fortunately for Bastgen, they own part of the famous Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr. The vines produce very small, ripe berries that are very tasty.

The grapes are strongly selected, only minimal amounts of botrytis are tolerated. At time of the harvest the grapes are fully ripened with a golden color and tart acidity. After a natural sedimentation process the fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks under cool conditions. The wine remains on the lees until April, then is gently filtered once, and bottled.

Review:

"This prototypical Mosel Kabinett has depth and vibrancy all packed into a light-bodied frame. Not super-sleek, but enormously refreshing with super-expressive white peach, yellow apple and honeysuckle aromas. Super-crisp finish. Delicious now, but excellent aging potential too! From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap."

- James Suckling (November 2023), 94 pts

Bavencoff Meursault Blanc is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Clear golden and green robe. Meursault shows a green golden color, leaning towards bronze as it ages. Limpid and brilliant, it exhibits silver highlights. The young wine is redolent of toasted almonds and hazelnuts in a floral and mineral (flint) setting. Butter, honey, and citrus fruits are also present. On the palate it is rich and ample with a nice balance between freshness and smooth nutty flavors. .

Aged in French oak barrels (50% new).

Noble and fine-textured fish or meat, blue cheeses and foie gras.

Bavencoff Pernand Vergelesses Blanc is made from Chardonnay.

The wine offers a white gold or pale yellow color turning into darker gold with age. It boasts aromas of white flowers, (may, acacia) developing into notes of amber, honey and spices. On the palate it is mineral, harmonious and easy to like.

Aged in new oak barrels (Allier).

Sushi, fresh-water fish in white sauce, and for pasta or a seafood risotto.

Bavencoff Montagny Blanc is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

This Montagny presents a typical robe of a Burgundy Chardonnay: A pale yellow color with discreet green reflections. The color will change to golden yellow with age. On the nose, it develops delicate honey and vanilla aromas. On the palate, this wine is full-bodied, it offers a slightly oily texture typical of the great whites of Burgundy, rich and fresh flavors (vanilla, honey, golden apple, toast). The finish is long and mineral.

This wine goes perfectly with veal in sauce, scallops in butter and herbs, and most fish. Also to drink with hard mountain cheeses: Comté, Beaufort.

Benjamin Romeo La Cueva del Contador is made from 91% Tempranillo, 9% Garnacha.

Named after the centuries-old caves or “cuevas” carved out of the hillside below the castle of San Vicente in Sonsierra north of the Ebro, this wine is composed of 91 percent Tempranillo and 9 percent Garnacha. The fruit is sourced from eight different plots that yield about 1.2 kg per vine. Fermentation begins after a three-day cold maceration and the wine is aged for nineteen months in 100 percent new French oak and bottled without fining or filtration.

The palate offers flavors of blackberry coulis, Damson plums, Rosemary and well-integrated tannins; this wine is well balanced and youthful with a long powerful finish. Both red and black fruit are pronounced in the nose, but there are also mineral and herbal notes of gravel and lavender.

Review:

 I found cleaner aromas and a fresher quality and finer tannins in the 2019 La Cueva del Contador, a quite complete wine with elegance and finesse combined with power and concentration. The oak is still noticeable after 18 months in new barriques, and I'd wait a little longer before pulling the cork. It has the perfume of La Cueva in the background. It should resurface with a little more time in bottle. 10,000 bottles produced.

-Wine Advocate 95 Points

Bernardins Beaumes de Venise Rouge Cru Cotes du Rhone is made from 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Grenache Blanc.

Bright ruby color with cherry tinges. Complex black fruit aromas on the nose enhanced by spicy notes. Rounded palate with good length.

The wine is drinking well right now and can be kept for another 10 years.

Situation
Spreads out over the south-east side of the Dentelles de Montmirail hills, in Beaumes de Venise in the southern part of the Rhone valley.

Terroir
 On a poor sandy, hungry and arid soil consisting of tender limestone and gritty zones of sandy mollasse.

In the vineyard
The vineyards and their terroir are the essence of our wines. This is where everything starts and where we focus our efforts throughout the year. You can’t make great wine without great grapes.

The viticulture is essentially done by hand. Five people work full-time in the vineyards. They are supplemented by seasonal employees who work during bunch thinning and the harvest in order to bring out the very best in our vines. Working by hand and the attention each vine gets are fundamental. Pruning, de-budding, trellising, leaf removal and picking are thus carried out by hand with the utmost care.

We prepare the soil by using good old-fashioned ploughing. Organic compost is made from grape marc (the discarded stalks and skins).

As a way of protecting the plants, we only use phytosanitary products when necessary and within strict guidelines by staggering the treatments appropriately, to minimise the amount of chemicals used. We prefer to use as much as possible manual and organic techniques . Leaving natural grass cover, removing buds and leaves from the vines, preserving biodiversity around the vineyard: olive, almond and cypress trees, wild rosemary and capers.

Winemaking
We make two red wines at the estate. Terroir wines shaped by the two classic Côtes du Rhône varieties: Grenache and Syrah. We don’t follow any winemaking recipe but are constantly searching for the perfect expression of terroir and each vintage’s particular characteristics. We don’t go for overripe grapes and over-extraction, as we think the wine has to stay refreshing and balanced.

Leaving the wine for 15 days in concrete vats, we try to gently extract the tannins and anthocyanins essential for the wine’s structure and colour. The wine doesn’t come into any contact with wood during ageing. This way the characteristics of our terroir can fully express

Serve with a meal especially red meat, game and cheese.

Review:

"Interesting blend, and it comes through on the nose - it's a fruity, floral style of Beaumes that's really appealing. Full-bodied, rounded, generous and fluid, with very fine tannins. This is a real success in 2021. Also contains 5% Mourvèdre and 4% Grenache Blanc. No destemming, aged 12 months in stainless steel."

- Decanter (September 2022), 93 pts

Deep cherry red in color with a garnet rim. On the nose, it is intense and elegant, with a base of ripe fruits that blends with the subtle tertiary aromas of sweet spices and cocoa. On the palate, it is balanced, full-bodied but with sweet and pleasant tannins, with a long and very persistent aftertaste.

Review:

Boeira Douro Red is made from 35% Touriga Nacional, 35% Tinta Roriz and 30% Touriga Franca.

 Deep ruby color with purple hints. Aromas of red and black fruits, toasty notes and dark chocolate. Smooth on the palate with good structure and excellent mouthfeel. Fresh, with well integrated tannins bringing elegance and a gastronomic profile to the wine. Very well balanced.  Boeira Douro DOC Red from the Douro Valley is the result of a careful blend of different varieties from the Douro. After fermentation the wine was left in contact with its lees until bottling in order to develop complexity and richness.

Pair with pork roast stuffed with prunes and apricots, grilled meats, marinated leg of lamb, chicken curry, pasta with beef or pork ragout, vegetable timbale with roasted tomatoes and grilled almonds. A very “friendly” food wine.

Boeira Douro Reserve Red is made from 35% Touriga Nacional, 35% Tinta Roriz and 30% Touriga Franca.

Smooth attack with good structure and excellent mouth feel. Fresh, with well integrated tannins bringing elegance and a gastronomic profile to the wine. Very well balanced.

No Oak.Boeira Douro Doc Red Reserve from the Douro Valley is the result of a careful blend of different varieties from the Douro. After fermentation the wine was left in contact with its lees until bottling in order to develop complexity and richness.

Ideal for red meat dishes, such as beef or roast beef with strong spices, thus associating with some traditional Portuguese dishes such as roasted lamb or veal steak. The wine should be served between 16º and 18ºC.

Boussey Monthelie Blanc is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

The name Monthelie comes from Mont Lyoei, mountain of Bacchus. 

The Boussey Monthelie Blanc has a nice pale yellow color with green reflections.  Aromas of white flowers, fresh almonds, lemon and minerality.  The finish is long with a very good balance between the acidity and the ripeness. 

Goes well with poultry, fish and crab cakes. 

Boussey Monthelie Blanc Premier Cru Sur La Velle is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

The name Monthelie comes from Mont Lyoei, mountain of Bacchus. The "Sur la Velle" plot is located on the eastern edge of Monthélie. It borders the Volnay Clos des Chênes Premier Cru to the east. The vineyards here lie on broadly southeast facing slopes with just enough gradient to achieve good drainage.

The Monthelie Blanc Premier Cru Sur La Velle has a beautiful pale yellow color with green reflections.

It is complex and rich with delicious aromas of white flowers, fresh almonds, lemon and minerality.
The finish is long with a very good balance between the excellent ripeness and the perfect amount of acidity. 

We recommend this wine with white meat, fish and seafood.

Burgo Viejo Rioja Crianza is made from 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano.

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.

Review:

"A fruity and attractive red with medium body, red fruit and a fresh finish. Not a lot of structure, but delicious and fruity at the end. And not overdone. Tempranillo. Drink now."

- James Suckling (August 2021), 91 pts