Super-concentrated and mineral. Release always trails the regular Sancerre Blanc by a year so it has extra time in both tank and bottle.
An understated charm on the nose, revealing elegant aromas of yellow fruits like apricot and mirabelle plum, along with hints of anise and marzipan. A touch of green pepper adds a light and airy quality. On the palate, it offers a crisp and delightful experience, with flavors of plum and orange wedge, culminating in a chalky, saline finish.
VINEYARDS: The vineyards are planted in Terroir of Kimmeridgian marls (calcareous clay with encrustation of oyster and mussel fossils) from the Jurassic time. Trellised vines are averaged around 30 years old and have a planting density of 8000 vines/ha. Tillage takes place in the rows until the bud burst, the rest of the year to natural grass covers. The Côte des Monts Damnés is located in Chavignol. Steep hillsides (declivity up to 70%), facing south, with an altitude that ranges from 650 to 980 feet.
VINTAGE: The grapes matured in cooler temperatures than in recent years, so the 2021 vintage is in line with other vintages that conform to the temperate climate of the Centre-Loire wine region.
VINIFICATION AND MATURATION: The grapes were handpicked and had a light cold static settling to eliminate the coarsest lees. Fermentation and aging took place in stainless steel tanks (88%) and 10 years old wooden vats (12%). After, the wine was aged on fine fermentation lees for 9 months.
Brilliant golden yellow robe. The Bourgogne Chardonnay from Remy Lefevre is a marvel of density and aromatic expression. Very expressive on the nose, hints of stone and yellow fruits such as peach, pineapple. The opulence of the mouthfeel is nicely balanced between minerality and very delicate oaky notes. Slightly saline finish marked by a magnificent tension and freshness leaving an great memory and pleasure !
No RS
Total acidity: 3.30 g/L
No irrigation. Machine harvested. Grapes destemmed 100%.
- Vinification in vats
- Malolactic fermentation done
- Fine lees stirred during vinification
- 10% of the wine was aged in French Oak barrels
- 2 rackings carried out: one at the end of fermentation and one before bottling
- Wine filtered through a tangential filter
Remy Lefevre Bourgogne Chardonnay goes well with caesar salads, seafood and soft cheeses such as goat cheese.
Leindl Gruner Veltliner Seeberg Kamptal is made form 100 percent Gruner Veltiner. Medium yellow green. Fine yellow apple fruit, delicate hint of quince and honey, candied orange zest, highly attractive bouquet. Juicy, good complexity, extract core sweet, silky texture, fine acidity bow, fine and salty minerality, great length, secure aging potential, a very finesse Veltliner-style.
Review:
“Inviting nose, with layers of quince and elegant, aromatic herb leading through to a richly textured palate of opulent fruit and a fine acidity.”
- Decanter World Wine Awards 2023, 96 pts
Leindl Riesling Zobinger Heiligenstein Kamptal is made from 100 percent Riesling.
Medium yellow green. Fine nuances of ripe apricot, a hint of yellow apple, delicate herbs and spices, mineral Touch, hints of candied orange zest. Juicy, elegant, fine stone fruit, touch of finesse acidity, salty minerality in the finish, remains long, already well to drink.
Cold Fermentation.
Aged on the lees for 12 months in Stainless Steel tank. No Oak.
No ML
Review:
"Aged on the lees for 12 months in stainless steel, this wine saw no oak. Its original name – Hellenstein -- referred to hell stone, as the vineyards are on a mountain where the “sun burns like hell.” It was later renamed Heiligenstein, which translates as holy rock, and is a geological island of desert sandstone, with volcanic matter. Its earthy slate character lends out scents and flavors of honeyed apricot, salty pears, and stone fruit pith."
-The Tasting Panel (May/June 2022), 94 pts
Les Gentilhommes Pouilly Fuisse Premier Cru Clos Reyssier is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
A gentilhomme is a gentleman characterized by his delicacy, thoughtfulness, and courtesy. "Les Gentilhommes" was created by brothers Richard and Stephane Martin as brand embodying the gentleman's character combined with Burgundian know-how.
From the work in the vineyard to the vinification in barrel, they are inspired to share these noble values. Quality, authenticity and long family tradition are the foundation of these wines.
Les Gentilhommes Pouilly Fuisse Premier Cru Clos Reyssier's description
Lodovico Langhe Nebbiolo is made from 100% Nebbiolo.
Bright ruby-red which softens on ageing; delicate, fruity nose of raspberries and violets that becomes ethereal over time; dry, balanced flavor, with good body that softens after ageing and lingers on the finish.
Vine: Nebbiolo
Vineyards: North-est facing with Guyot pruning (7-9 buds / vine).
N° Vines / hectare: 4,000
Yield / hectare: 70-80 q / Ha
Plant year: 2007
Nebbiolo is a native black grape variety of Piedmont that gives birth also Barolo and Barbaresco. The name ‘Nebbiolo’ derives from the word ‘fog’ and there could be two reasons. The first hypothesis traces the name of Nebbiolo back to the obscured, almost clouded appearance of the grape, covered with abundant bloom. The second hypothesis, more suggestive, is linked to the very late ripening of the grapes: the Nebbiolo grape harvest often takes place in late October, when the vineyards are enveloped in morning mists.
It pairs with pasta, soup, meats, seasonal dishes and medium-aged cheeses.
Long Shadows Dance Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Allen Shoup and winemaker Gilles Nicault have experimented with Chardonnay since the beginning of their collaboration on the Long Shadows Vintners project. The wine was fermented using a proprietary process to achieve a wonderful balance of richness and minerality. Two of Washington’s oldest Chardonnay vineyards provide the grapes for this limited production wine. Wente clone Chardonnay from French Creek Vineyard, east of Prosser – including a selection of old vine Chard (40%) – and Boushey Vineyard, north of Grandview, were chosen for the vibrant, lively character that defines Chardonnay grown on both these sites.
A layered, aromatic wine that displays minerality and white blossom fragrances with flavors of white peach, apple and a hint of baking spice woven throughout a subtle, creamy texture.
62% Sangiovese, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah. Among Tuscany's oldest and most prestigious wine families, Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari teamed with Allen Shoup to produce a wine that showcases Washington State's terroir with plenty of Italian character. Saggi (meaning "wisdom") is a stunning blend of two outstanding Washington Sangiovese vineyards. Candy Mountain Sangiovese gives the wine its dark fruit flavors and appealing notes of anise. Dick Boushey's Yakima Valley Sangiovese, planted in 1992, adds vibrancy and liveliness. Because Cabernet Sauvignon has the potential to overtake Sangiovese, the Folonaris work closely with Sagemoor Vineyards to carefully select blocks of Cabernet they know from experience deliver elegant character and refined tannins. Syrah, also from Sagemoor, adds to the wine's dark color and rich mid-palate.
Review:
There are only a few Sangiovese-dominated wines from Washington, but they tend to be rock-solid. The 2018 Saggi Red Wine is a great example, revealing a ruby/semi-translucent color as well as notes of ripe cherries, leafy herbs, sandalwood, and dried flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it has plenty of richness, velvety tannins, and outstanding length. It opens up nicely with time in the glass and should have 10-12 years of longevity.
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2020), 92 pts
Long Shadows Sequel Syrah is made from 95% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
An intensely colored wine with spicy aromas of cassis, smoked meats and a hint of olive tapenade woven throughout layers of black currant, blueberry and a trace of licorice. Wonderfully balanced, with a broad mouth-feel and soft tannins that hold together seamlessly.
Winemaking: Syrah’s delicate skin requires gentle handling during fermentation to extract richness without imparting bitter tannins, so winemaker John Duval uses a variety of techniques to produce a wide spectrum of flavors. A portion of the grapes were fermented using an Australian method known as “rack and return” that requires draining the tank twice daily and gently putting the juice back over the top of the skins. Whole-cluster fermentation was also used to enhance richness and dimension on the palate. Lastly, some of the lots underwent submerged cap fermentation to add structure and enhance the mouthfeel of the finished wine. Aged 18 months in 100% French oak barrels, 65% new.
Review:
Loads of black fruits, smoked game, liquid violets, and cracked pepper notes emerge from the 2018 Syrah Sequel, which has gorgeous Syrah wildness and gaminess, full-bodied richness, a pure, elegant, seamless texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. Count me impressed. You could safely put this up with the best Syrah coming out of Washington and California.
-Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
Lydian was established in 2019 as a new way to experience Washington wine. The team behind Avennia brings you another delicious wine that serves as an introduction to a lifetime of wine appreciation and a fresh take on Washington terroir.
In music, Lydian refers to a mode, or scale that is used as a building block for some of the world’s oldest and newest masterpieces. This happy sounding mode brings joy on its own, yet when molded and crafted by talented musicians can become a work of timeless art.
We believe Washington vineyards produce some of the finest building blocks in the world. With these grapes, and the collective talent behind those growing and working with them, Lydian wines can be as complex, nuanced, and profound as any jazz classic.
Lydian: a fun, fresh take on Washington wine.
Lydian GSM is fresh and lively on the palate, with strawberry, red cherry, and hints of savory earth, fresh mint, and lavender. A delicious wine!
"This is a superb value, with aromas that recall a warm custard popover slathered with blackberry jam. The wine's silky texture almost makes you forget about its cassis, mocha and saline flavors. It's a balanced gem of a red. - Michael Alberty"
- Wine Enthusiast (July 2023), 92 pts - Editors' Choice
Maipe Torrontes is made from 100% Torrontes from the Salta region. Manual harvest.
7 day maceration with selected yeasts at 8°-10°C; fermentation with selected yeasts at 12°-14°.
Spring-like nose of fresh white peaches, pears, green apple, green melon and hints of jasmine and rose petals.
On the palate, it has a beautiful structure and acidity along with fruit flavors and plenty of body. Well balanced, this wine displays a pleasant freshness with citrus notes and a long finish.
Best enjoyed in its youth either by itself, or as a wonderful partner with smoked meats, mild to medium-strong cheeses, seafood and a great partner for spicy food as well.
With its maritime influence, California's Monterey region has an extended growing season that yields wines with full flavor development and great acid balance.
Mandolin Chardonnay has a lush tropical fruit core, balanced by crisp acidity and nicely integrated oak.
The grapes for this Chardonnay were sourced from vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA of Monterey County, where high winds, dry days, and bay fogs create a cool, but very long, growing season. These growing conditions are ideal for cool-climate grapes such as Chardonnay, and lead to full, forward fruit flavors and ideal acidity. Grapes were harvested at an ideal balance of sugar and acid, and the wine was fermented in 1-2 year-old French oak barrels. This wine did not undergo malo-lactic fermentation, thus preserving its bright acidity. Total Acidity: 0.70 pH: 3.45 Residual Sugar: 0.51 g/liter
Redolent of strawberries and roses, fragrant and medium bodied. Refreshing, tart finish.
Average age of the vines: 30 years old (between 20 and 60 years old). Skin contact maceration: between 2 and 5 days depending on the parcels.
Beaujolais-Nouveau has been very popular with almost every Thanksgiving dish - from turkey to ham, green beans to mashed potatoes, and gravy to cranberry sauce.
Maringer-Reif Piesporter Michelsberg (liter) is 100 percent Riesling.
A beautiful wine with delicate perfumed aromas. Medium bodied, well balanced, filled with peaches and green apples, crisp and fresh acidity.
QBA stands for "Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete", which means that the wine comes from one of the 13 designated wine regions.
Ideal by itself or to complement a variety of meat and seafood dishes.
Maysara Autees Pinot Blanc is made from 100 percent Pinot Blanc
No oak
Autees is the ancient Persian Goddess that protects all plants, animals and trees on Earth. She is the protector of life and all things that grow.
A slightly richer episode of Pinot Blanc, tending towards monologues of ripe apricot and even lychee.
Act I is entitled: ‘Floral scents in the nose are pure honeysuckle alight on a cool breeze…’ Then the grizzled director cuts to a shock of acidity that beckons you back again.
Act II opens with a playful back-and-forth of the mineral laden mid-palate and a lilting tune of a green grass finish.
Act III is seldom noticed over your mile-wide smile.
At Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard, we are committed to cap-turing the complete expression of our land and conveying it to you through superior quality in every bottle. We practice only low-impact, holistic farming methods in our Demeter Certified Biodynamic Vineyard. We are confident these practices are the best way to capture the true essence of the soil in our fruit and ensure health of our vines and the unique accent of our terroir for generations. This philosophy is carried into the cellar, where Demeter Certified Biodynamic wine-making practices produce wines with intensity, sophistication and elegance while maintaining a purity of both fruit and earth.
Stellar with the firmer cheeses, fresh, ripe fruit and subtly herbed seafood.
Meyney Saint Estephe is made from 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 13% Petit Verdot.
The vineyards planted on a perfectly drained siliceous gravel soil provide ideal conditions for the maturity of the grapes and result in a very deep black color wine with spicy notes and a distinguished style.
The 2020 vintage embodies what Bordeaux does best - a great classic vintage, complete, complex, rich and unctuous.
Review:
"Attractive aromas of ripe dark berries with dark spices, walnut, chocolate nibs and bark. Medium- to full-bodied with a dense, velvety texture and plush, fine-grained tannins. Very textural and creamy with a deep core of ripe dark fruit and a succulent finish. Try after 2025."
- James Suckling, 93 pts
Thomas Sancerre Rose is made from 100% Pinot Noir.
Vines are 20-55 years old.
Terroir (soil type) is a blend of "Caillottes" and "Terre Blanche".
Everything is machine harvested (which means it is 100% destemmed).
50% Direct press + 50% Saignée (bled) with 12-24 hours of skin contact maceration.
The alcoholic fermentation is done in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.
Right before bottling, the wine is fined with Bentonite (very light filtration with oenologic clay).
Tasting Notes:
Light, bright pink. Redcurrant, strawberry and chalk on the nose, with a touch of singed orange gaining strength with air. Dusty red fruit and citrus flavors are braced by tangy minerality, which adds lift and cut. Uncompromising in the best way, finishing with excellent clarity and echoes of lemon and orange zest.
Food pairings:
This is a very versatile wine. You can have it on its own in the summer time as an apéritif. But it is also excellent with Hors d'Oeuvres and terrines. It will compliment any white meat dish and poultry. You can also enjoy it with salmon or exotic food (slightly spicy sushi).
SALE!
Morambro Creek Padthaway Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
Deep inky black & purple in colour. The nose is perfumed with violet, blackberry, vanilla and spice with a touch of earth and liquorice over white pepper in the background. Expansive palate, smooth lush ripe back fruits nicely balanced oak, plenty of concentration with a long finish.
IMPORTER SALE!
Winemaking at Morambro Creek is very traditional and labor intensive.
Oak maturation takes place using 35% new barrels both French and American. This blend was put together using select barrels from our family estate that best demonstrate the intensity of our fruit balanced by integrated oak.
excellent with barbecued pork, beef, venisson as well as grilled vegetables.
Alchohol is 14.5%
Mordoree Cotes du Rhone Rouge La Dame Rousse is made from 40% Grenache, 35 % Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 5% Carignan, 5% Counoise.
100 % destemming, 15 day maceration with a maximum of 30° C temperature
Deep red color. Blackcurrant and violet aromas. Melted and fine tannins, good finish.
Food pairing: cold meats and delicatessen, grilled meats, semi-mature cheeses.
Review:
"A very satisfying red Cotes-du-Rhone with plenty of black-cherry fruit and rather fine-grained tannins filling out the expansive palate. Lively acidity lifts the finish nicely. A blend of grenache and syrah with a touch of cinsault. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink now."
- James Suckling (February 2022), 90 pts
Mordoree Cotes du Rhone Rouge La Dame Rousse is made from 40% Grenache, 35 % Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 5% Carignan, 5% Counoise.
100 % destemming, 15 day maceration with a maximum of 30° C temperature
Deep red color. Blackcurrant and violet aromas. Melted and fine tannins, good finish.
Food pairing: cold meats and delicatessen, grilled meats, semi-mature cheeses.
Mordoree Cotes du Rhone Rouge La Dame Rousse is made from 40% Grenache, 35 % Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 5% Carignan, 5% Counoise.
100 % destemming, 15 day maceration with a maximum of 30° C temperature
Deep red color. Blackcurrant and violet aromas. Melted and fine tannins, good finish.
Food pairing: cold meats and delicatessen, grilled meats, semi-mature cheeses.
Tenuta di Nozzole La Forra Chianti Classico Riserva is made from 100% Sangiovese.
Located north of the village of Greve in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, the Nozzole estate covers a striking, rugged, mountainous area of about 1,000 acres at 984 feet in elevation. In order to obtain concentration and complexity in the wine, yields are kept low. The grapes are hand harvested, destemmed and crushed. Fermentation is initiated on the skins in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, followed by a maceration period to draw out color and tannins. The wine is racked into stainless steel tanks for malolactic fermentation before aging in oak vats and in bottle before release. The wine is bottled on the estate.
The 2020 vintage was characterized by a basically cold period between April and May and by a generally warm and dry climate until July. The initial slight delay of the vegetative cycle has been recovered since the summer. The sudden increase in temperatures, especially for the later varieties where the fruit set had not yet ended, has favored a production characterized by sparse and light bunches. The stable and sunny climate of the months of August and September allowed the grapes to complete ripening in optimal conditions.
Review:
Attractive on the nose with cherries, red berries, dried herbs and baking spices. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins. Harmonious and poised with a refined character. Weightless and agile. Polished and succulent finish.
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
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.
Review:
An energetic wine with a charming nose of spice, black fruits and black pepper. On the palate, it is ripe and concentrated, with Cabernet-led leafy blackcurrant flavours, underpinned by fresh acidity and supported by mineral, fine-grained, very elegant tannins. Classy and characterful with a really long, immensely impressive, finish.
-Decanter 97 Points