Xavier Vignon Cotes du Rhone Rouge Cuvee Vieilles Vignes Organic is made from 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah and 5% Cinsault.
The diversity of terroirs used in this blend allows this wine to combine freshness and balance.
We used Clay and limestone plots located on the hillside where old Grenache naturally express roasted hints. We could obtain in this wine empyreumatical hints without the use of barrels. These plots particular soils and orientation allowed grapes to reach an optimal level of ripeness while conserving a good acidity level.
We also integrated grapes coming from plots located on red rocky clay soils also named “garrigues”. These big red stone are restituting heat coming from the sun at night and bring power and structure to the wine.
Also the blend features vines coming from sandy clays, which are light and rather fresh soils: this allowed the wine to maintain a freshness and vivacity.
Bouquet of cassis, blueberries, lavender, cured meats, and graphite. It's deep, rich, medium to full-bodied, and has a great finish. The Mourvèdre keeps this tight and fresh.
Pairs with grilled beef rib - Veal Columbo - Pork ribs slightly spiced
Review:
"The spicy nose with a slew of red-fruit aromas pulls you into this full-bodied but lively and very well-balanced Cote-du-Rhone. Lovely, creamy texture that’s neatly supported by fine tannins. Long, supple finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (March 2022), 92 pts
Xavier Vignon Gigondas Rouge is made from 85% Grenache and 15% Mourvèdre.
A purple color with violet tints. On the nose, the beautiful ripeness offers everything an array of black fruits (cherries, blackberries) and toasted spices.
On the palate, fine and concentrated tannins are balanced by a nice salinity. Delicious peppery notes complete the long finish.
Pairs with grilled lamb - Roasted Quails with raisins -Venison with cranberries - Risotto with mushrooms.
Review:
"Swirls of black raspberry ice cream and dark chocolate combine in Vignon's 2019 Gigondas, a blend of 95% Grenache and 5% Mourvèdre from numerous small parcels dotted around the appellation. Matured in a large wooden vat, there's no apparent oak aromas or flavors, just the purity of old-vine fruit, creamy tannins, ample concentration and a bright, vibrant—and long—finish. With its combination of intensity and tension, it should drink well for a decade or more. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2020), 93 pts
Zombie Zin Zinfandel is made from 95% Zinfandel and 5% Syrah
Be careful if you go out at night. The Zombie Zin is designed to be consumed in hiding with the only friends you have left... post apocalypse.
The Zombie Zin is sporting a new label design with a torn look, that suggests a window into another world. The colors are more vibrant earth-tones and the capsule is a deep red.
The Zombie Zinfandel is very dark in color, almost a black-purple. The aromas are of ripe, dense black fruits and a hint of dried herbs. The flavors are complex and rich, sporting succulent blackberries, powdered cinnamon, cola and cherry jam. Just a hint of black pepper in the long finish.
The grapes for the Zombie are sourced throughout California, mostly from the dry, hot sandy soils of the Delta region and the Central Valley. The final blend benefitted from some inky Syrah grapes that came from the Central Coast. The wine was fermented in Stainless Steel and aged for about a half a year in American oak.
Pairs well with bloody BBQ meats, sinister soups with eye of newt, bubbly caldron of fleshy stew.
Cazaux Gigondas Tour Sarrasine is made from 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre. 45 year old vines on average.
This strong, warm wine comes from a selection of grapes planted on exceptional soils. The vineyards in Gigondas are situated on the arid hills of the Dentelles de Montmirail. The Mistral blows regularly on these slopes which limits the amount of treatment needed to the vines. The vines grow on stony soils and produce wine that can be kept easily for 10 yrs.
Intense, persistent red and dark fruit aromas. Raspberry, pepper and spice flavors. Silky tannins.
Fayolle Crozes-Hermitage Rouge Cuvee Nicolas is made from 100 percent Syrah.
Deep ruby red color. Nose of red and black currant fruits, pepper, spring flowers, new leather and mineral/earthy nuances. Medium bodied palate of red fruit and spice. Nice balance. Long finish and velvety.
Review:
"Boasting even more striking aromas of blueberries, violets and peppery spice than the La Rochette bottling, the 2018 Crozes-Hermitage La Cuvee Nicolas is almost Côte-Rôtie-like. Medium to full-bodied without seeming at all heavy, ripe without being overdone, silky and fine from start to finish, it's a real beauty and a testament to the potential of the commune of Gervans - a small granitic outpost within the Crozes-Hermitage appellation. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (May 13th 2021), 93 pts
Ferme Blanche Cassis Blanc Excellence is made from 50% Marsanne and 50% Clairette.
On the nose, white fruits, citrus zest, hint of vanilla. Velvety well balanced mouth of ripe fruits and minerality.
Pair with trout, Scallop, or better yet lobster would complement this wine perfectly.
Ferme Blanche Cassis Blanc Excellence is made from 50% Marsanne and 50% Clairette.
On the nose, white fruits, citrus zest, hint of vanilla. Velvety well balanced mouth of ripe fruits and minerality.
Pair with trout, Scallop, or better yet lobster would complement this wine perfectly.
La Despensa Boutique Colchagua Cabernet Sauvignon-Marselan is made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Marselan
A different take on Chilean Cabernet, with grapes from a high-alitude vineyard in the foothills of the Andes, where Summer temperatures never exceed 30C/85F. The grapes ripen over a longer growing season and the higher levels of UV help fix color and flavor profile. This is a fresher take on Cabernet Sauvignon when compared to the typical highly concentrated Cabs that are considered the standard from Chile. The Marselan (from our own vineyard in Santa Ana) adds structure and tension to the wine and also an even more intense color. Expect fresh and recently ripened blackberries and red currants.
La Despensa Boutique Cinsault is made from 100% Cinsault.
A genuinely unique wine - they are the only producers of Cinsault in Colchagua! From a new vineyard planted in 2017, the team at La Despensa thinks they’ve hit the jackpot with this variety in this valley. Much more structure, color and intensity than the typical Chilean Cinsaults from further south, this is an easy drinking but serious version of this wonderfully fruity variety!
Review:
"Apparently the first and only Cinsault from Colchagua, the 2021 Boutique Cinsault was produced with vines planted in 2017 and worked organically (but is not certified), and it's much darker and more structured than the examples from the south. It fermented in concrete with selected yeasts and went through malolactic in stainless steel and then 60% of the volume matured in used barriques for six months. It has 13.5% alcohol and kept good freshness, and it's varietal, balanced and easy to drink but not banal. 1,200 bottles were filled in March 2022. - Luis Gutiérrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (April 2023), 91 pts
Mas Redonne Bandol Rose is made from 55% Mourvèdre, 35% Cinsault, 10% Grenache.
Nice light salmon color, typical of Bandol.
The wine expresses some citrus, Pomelos (a delicious type of grapefruit) and lots of white fruit aromas and minerality.
The flavors are fresh, fruity and very aromatic with tons of apricot and mango.
Grilled salmon, chicken dishes as well as salads, sushi and sashimi.
Mas Redonne Bandol Rose is made from 55% Mourvèdre, 35% Cinsault, 10% Grenache.
Nice light salmon color, typical of Bandol.
The wine expresses some citrus, Pomelos (a delicious type of grapefruit) and lots of white fruit aromas and minerality.
The flavors are fresh, fruity and very aromatic with tons of apricot and mango.
Grilled salmon, chicken dishes as well as salads, sushi and sashimi.
Crianza is the essential wine. Balance and integrity. It displays the fine manners of experience and the grace of plethoric vine. Juicy black fruit on the palate inviting you to eat well and feel good.
But there is more. Crianza maintains an invisible pact with the landscape. An imperceptible force that brings us closer to the truth of the place. And instantly turns extreme climate vineyards into the most welcoming place in the world.
Prepared with Tempranillo grapes (100%), this wine has a very bright, intense maraschino cherry colour that fades to a Cardinal red rim.
It has a very marked aroma with a good balance of fruit and wood, where tones of vanilla intermingle with well-ripened fruit, black berries and wild fruits. There are also noticeable hints of leather and liquorice, resulting from the mingling of the French oak and the aromas inherent in this variety of grape.
In the mouth, the wine has a smooth texture but fills the palate with balanced flavours, including fine tannins, which help extend the life of the wine. The finish and aftertaste are both long and elegant.
Vineyard:
Pago de los Capellanes, Pedrosa de Duero.
Variety composition:
100% Tempranillo.
Type of soil:
Clayey and chalky.
Aging:
12 months in barrel and remainder on rack.
Type of oak:
100% French oak, medium toast.
Serving:
Uncork and decant one hour before serving at a temperature of 16-18 ºC.
Selected harvest with yields limited to 5000 kg per hectare. The harvest begins in early October, starting with the most mature parcels. Once the grapes are brought into the winery, the tanks are seeded with indigenous yeast (start culture) and the alcoholic fermentation begins. During the barrelling period, which lasts 30 days, the wine is crushed and pumped over daily, all the while controlling the density, temperature and evolution of the yeast. At the end of this fermentation, the tanks are emptied and the wine taken for malolactic fermentation.
The malolactic fermentation begins without the addition of bacteria. The temperature is held steady at 20ºC for period of 22 days, during which we monitor the levels of malic and lactic acids. When the malic acid content is less than 0.1 grams per litre, the wine is decanted to separate the lees and is transferred directly to the barrels without undergoing any type of filtration, clarification or cold treatment.
The wine is aged for twelve months in new and semi-new French oak barrels (no more than three years old). At the end of this period, it is taken to the tank for homogenisation, where it undergoes light filtration through cartridges (open pore) and is then bottled.
Pago de los Capellanes Tinto Joven is made from 100% Tempranillo.
Joven Roble is for everyone and for every moment. Fresh and vibrant, while at the same time complete and full of energy. A clear, affable, open and solid character. We take its production very seriously to obtain a blissfully satisfying wine with every vintage.
Review:
All Tempranillo, the 2022 Ribera del Duero Tinto Joven has a deep purple hue as well as beautiful blue fruits, violets, graphite, and charcoal aromas and flavors. Along with medium to full-bodied richness, it has wonderful purity and precision, fine tannins, and a great finish. It's a stunning value.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
Mineral and citrus notes.
RS : 2 g/liter
TA : 5.9g/liter
Fresh and elegant.
RS : 2g/liter
TA : 5.5g/liter
Penedo Borges Icono Edicion Aniversario is made from 31% Cabernet Franc, 27% Petit Verdot, 18% Malbec, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Syrah.
This red blend is made to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the launch of Penedo Borges Icono. It is a tribute to 10 years of learning, effort, dedication and passion for what they do. For this reason, they have chosen a blend of Cabernet Franc, Petit verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah as a faithful representation of teamwork, where each team member highlights with their best version. Penedo Borges Icono Anniversary Edition is a complex and elegant wine, with great structure and volume and a long finish, thus making the trajectory of the winery and their History.
Deep red color with violet hues. On the nose, it presents balanced notes of ripe fruit, with spices and herbal aromas that give great complexity. Its aging in oak finishes harmonizing aromatically the wine with notes of vanilla and chocolate. In the mouth, the sweetness of its tannins give a complex and long finish.
Review:
"This has dark, chocolatey character with notes of black fruit, vanilla, pinewood and hazelnuts. Medium-to full-bodied, compact and a little tight with a firm texture and bright acidity. Layered. Needs time to open and soften. Cabernet franc, petit verdot, malbec, cabernet sauvignon and syrah. Drink now."
- James Suckling (May 2022), 92 pts
Sei Solo Ribera del Duero Tempranillo is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.
Named after Bach's six solos for violin, Sei Solo represents Javier Zaccagnini's vision of elegant, high-toned Ribera del Duero from the powerful, mineral soils of La Horra and the top vineyards of Barroso and Acos that are planted with old vines of 60 to 90 years old.
Displaying wonderful clarity of fruit and excellent transparency to the multi-layered flavors, there is no new oak influence on this at all, resulting in a wine that has nothing to hide behind. Deft tannins support a taut, mineral, dark fruited wine that, while tight knit and brooding is tremendously refined and vital and not at all tiring to drink. A Ribera built on elegance, refinement and nuance that promises great things for the future. A star is born.
Fermented in stainless steel tanks of small capacity, adapted to the size of every vineyard, allowing to do individual fermentation for every different plot.
Short and careful pumping over, never reaching high temperatures to respect the fruit and avoid over extraction of the tannins, gaining the full potential of elegance and finesse of the old vines. After alcoholic fermentation the wines are racked to two-year-old French barrels to undergo malolactic at low temperature ( less than 14 degrees C) . This process takes several months. When malolactic is finished, the wines are racked to 600 liter big barrels of French oak, which are not new to avoid a loss of balance and style of the wines. Aging in barrels for 20 months.
Review:
"Vines as old as 60-90 years are used for this vibrant 100% Tempranillo. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 20 months in neutral, 600-liter big barrels, the wine is named for Bach’s six solos for violin. Dynamic and muscular, with graphite-laden, firm tannins, a chorus of black plum, blackberries, and a true “soil” component play on our heart strings. Rich, igniting the mineral soils of the region, its music is illuminating, but its sense of place is down to earth."
- The Somm Journal (April/May 2022), 96 pts
Sei Solo Ribera del Duero Tempranillo is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.
Named after Bach's six solos for violin, Sei Solo represents Javier Zaccagnini's vision of elegant, high-toned Ribera del Duero from the powerful, mineral soils of La Horra and the top vineyards of Barroso and Acos that are planted with old vines of 60 to 90 years old.
Displaying wonderful clarity of fruit and excellent transparency to the multi-layered flavors, there is no new oak influence on this at all, resulting in a wine that has nothing to hide behind. Deft tannins support a taut, mineral, dark fruited wine that, while tight knit and brooding is tremendously refined and vital and not at all tiring to drink. A Ribera built on elegance, refinement and nuance that promises great things for the future. A star is born.
Fermented in stainless steel tanks of small capacity, adapted to the size of every vineyard, allowing to do individual fermentation for every different plot.
Short and careful pumping over, never reaching high temperatures to respect the fruit and avoid over extraction of the tannins, gaining the full potential of elegance and finesse of the old vines. After alcoholic fermentation the wines are racked to two-year-old French barrels to undergo malolactic at low temperature ( less than 14 degrees C) . This process takes several months. When malolactic is finished, the wines are racked to 600 liter big barrels of French oak, which are not new to avoid a loss of balance and style of the wines. Aging in barrels for 20 months.
Alain Jaume Ventoux Les Gelinottes is made from 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah
The colour is intense, purple-tinged garnet. The aromatic range of the nose goes from fresh berries to black fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry). The palate is full-flavoured, with very soft tannins and aromas of the fruit already mentioned. This is a gorgeous style of wine, fruity driven, for every day drinking...anytime !
Soil types
The wine is produced from hilly vineyards that are mainly planted on sandy and clay soils. They are located on the East side of the Rhone valley, in the Vaucluse area. Welcome to the foothills of the well known “Mont Ventoux” Mountain.
Winemaking and aging
Stainless steel fermentaion at cool temperature to preserve the fruits and typicity. Bottling 8 months after the harvest.
Goes well with quite a lot of food such as Pizza, Pasta, hamburger, mild cheese or even on its own.
It is hard to imagine with the Lithology range receiving 298 points out of 300 for the three single-vineyard wines, that there could possibly be a wine above them. But there is, and it is our Estate wine. Blended several times very intently by masters of their craft Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, this is the ultimate expression of our house’s work. Positive, full-bodied, and quite powerful, there’s the expected crème de cassis and blackberry from St. Helena Cabernets, with mineral, herb, subtle tobacco and vanilla, plum skins, and pie crust, purple flowers, forest-conifer notes, and very fine tannic structure. It is a magnificent, and magnificently elegant expression of this house, and when asked recently, Monsieur Rolland stated plainly to me, “oh yes indeed – this is the best one, the best yet…”
Review:
The flagship 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Alejandro Bulgheroni comes from a selection made by winemakers Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, mostly from Rutherford and Oakville fruit. Aged 20 months in 78% new French oak, it has incredible aromatics of black and blue fruits, spring flowers, and graphite to go with a massive, full-bodied, concentrated style on the palate that somehow stays graceful, weightless, and elegant. This tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is guaranteed to put a smile on your face over the coming 20-25+ years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 99 Points
Saumaize Michelin Pouilly-Fuisse Ronchevats is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Powerful and warm wine offering quince and sweet fruit aromas. Thick and toasty. Rich and well textured.
Review:
"The 2020 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Ronchevats, which comes from Triassic clay soils, has a slightly more honeyed bouquet and as such, maybe does not quite transfer the terroir as much as the Domaine's other cuvées. The palate is actually better than the nose, quite saline and energetic, very focused with a lovely bitter edge emerging towards the finish. Maybe the aromatics will up their game in bottle? Give it a couple of years.
- Neal Martin" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (August 2022), 90+ pts
Montebuena Blanco is made from 80% Viura and 20% Tempranillo Blanco.
What truly sets Montebuena apart is its unique position where the Ebro river is closest to the Sierra Cantabria mountains, creating a blend of Mediterranean and Continental climates that prevents an excess of rain and extreme cold. In addition, the shallow, calcareous soil limits the yield of the harvest and the size of the grapes while increasing the volume of the skins, resulting in deeper color and a greater concentration of flavor.
Montebuena Blanco is straw yellow colored, translucent with greyish hues at the edges. Dominant white fruit aromas of apple and ripe banana on the nose with citrus notes in the background. Fresh and intense on the palate, although the acidity gradually smoothes out as the wine passes through the mouth and gives way to sweetness combined with a slightly bitter note and silky feel that balances the first sensation.
Fresh salads and vegetables, grilled fish, young cheeses, seafood and shellfish.