Lexicon Merlot is made from 100 percent Merlot.
Lexicon varietal wines are carefully selected by Fran Kysela to show the essence of each variety, along with its terroir of origin, both of which are essential elements of a good wine.
Luis XIV Fondillon Oro 50 years NV is made from 100 percent 100% Monastrell (Mourvedre). Only 24 9 liter cases produced.
The wine is produced in the village of Cañada, in the subarea of Alto Vinalopó in the province of Alicante. Made from 100% Monastrell planted on traditional dry land as bush vines, at 550-580 meters above sea leval and enjoying a Mediterranean climate with great marine influence due to the easterly winds.
Fondillon 50 years is mahogany in color with orange tile rim, medium layer and great density. On the nose, it has a very deep aroma of old wood, black tea and carob. In the mouth, it has a sweet entry balanced by a rich high acidity. Its aromas are long, almost eternal and very intense. It tastes like old mahogany, a very old barrel and bygone times.
Bottled in December 2019.
AGEING:
CASK NAME: Saboners.
AGEING: Aged more than 50 years (single barrel).
TYPE OF WOOD: 19th-century American oak barrels
CASK SIZE: 70 “cántaros valencianos” (805 litros).
ANALYSIS:
GLUCOSE AND FRUCTOSE: 34 gr/litre.
VOLATILE ACIDITY: 1.35 gr/l.
ALCOHOL: 16.2º (NO ADDED ALCOHOL).
FREE SULFITES: less than 10 mg/litre.
TOTAL SULFITES: 76 mg/litre.
Review:
Dark mahogany color, candied fruit aromas, fruit liqueur notes, spicy, varnish, acetaldehyde, bakery, complex. Fine solera notes, bitter flavors."
- Penin 2022, 99 pts
"The NV Fondillón Luis XIV has the subtitle Edad Superior a 50 años (over 50 years old), and it's a dark mahogany, bottled from a single barrel that has the specific profile of a very old wine greatly concentrated by age, which tends to make it similar to other very old and concentrated wines, be it a Mediterranean rancio or a very old Moscatel. It has notes of bitter chocolate, coconut and iodine, carob beans (algarroba) and some bittersweet sensations. It's dense and concentrated, and the palate is pungent, with very intense flavors and a bitter twist in the finish. This has 16.3% alcohol, 6.45 grams of acidity and 34 grams of sugar, but it comes through as very dry. The wine is long and extraordinary, but it just doesn't have any Fondillón character after decades of concentration by evaporation. The price is ludicrous. Only 435 half-liter bottles were filled in December 2019. - Luis GUTIERREZ
- Wine Advocate (September 2020), 95 pts
"Fondillón is an extraordinary treasure of Alicante, a rare product, made from late harvest, non-botrytised grapes, unfortified, but with a final alcohol of no less than 16%. Intense, aged, but not sweet (deliciously not more than 45g/l). Fab with cheese or dark chocolate. The wines have to be a minimum of 10 years; this release is more than 25 years. The project is a revival by David Carbonell of Vins del Comtat and two local families. Very limited quantities. - Sarah Jane Evans MW"
- Decanter (December 2021, My top 10 Spanish fine wines of 2021), 95 pts
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.
Michel Thomas Sancerre Blanc is 100% Sauvignon Blanc (40% Caillottes, 40% Grosses Terres, 20% Silex)
The wine displays an exotic nose with a touch of smoke and licorice. On the palate, peach and watermelon dominate with citrus zest and chalk notes.
Aged on the lees for a few months (no oak).
Soil type: Clay, limestone, sedimentary rock Pairs with seafood, fish, goats cheese.
Mollydooker Velvet Glove Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
Sticky plum jam and spicy nutmeg aromas are alluringly prominent on the nose, whilst berries and mocha weave
and envelop your entire palate. The finish is incredibly smooth and silky, with elegant fruit flavors that linger in your mouth. An outstanding example of a perfectly balanced Shiraz from McLaren Vale.
Money Bordeaux Rouge is made from 80% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot.
Colour : Deep red with a purple tint
Nose : Pleasant aromas of ripe black fruits, coffee & vanilla
Mouth : Medium-bodied with juicy fruit character, soft tannins and a rich finish.
Pair with charcuterie, red meats, grilled chicken, pasta, cheeses
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.
A deep and rich hue of golden straw gives the first clue that this is a serious Chardonnay. Aromas of pear, green apple, and lime peel jump out of the glass followed by more nuanced fragrances of orange blossom, ginger root, and brioche. The sensation on the palate casually demonstrates both broad depth and laser like focus. An assertive core of acid and saline minerality rests completely ensconced in rich flavors of pie crust, clotted cream, and burnt caramel. Drink now for fresh vibrance, or in ten years for wild complexity. This wine is a perfect white to be enjoyed year-round.
Review:
The 2021 MFN Blanc Chardonnay is very ripe in style with scents of banana chip, apple pie, jasmine, allspice and brown sugar. The full-bodied palate is packed with ripe, spicy fruits and plenty of refreshing acidity, and it finishes long with a satiny, mouth-coating texture. It's an old-school style reminiscent of Napa that fans of ripe, oaked Chardonnays will enjoy.
-Robert Parker 97 Points
Orin Swift Abstract Red is made from Grenache, Petite Sirah and Syrah.
The 2022 Abstract pours a dark purple core with a neon, ruby rim. The nose is quintessential Abstract but with a broodier twist-notes of ripe black plum, cacao, black pepper, cedar, dried porcini, forest floor musk and sweet oak. The entry is coating and flooding with hints of blueberry preserves, tarragon, balsamic glaze and anise. Bright and lifting through the palate, the finish offers an umami note akin to eggplant yakitori.
MATURATION Aged eight months in French Oak, 31% New ALC/VOL 15.3%
Ossian Quintaluna Verdejo is made from 100% Verdejo
Quintaluna is a young wine that is made exclusively from Verdejo in the province of Segovia. 60% is very old grape: pre-phylloxera (ungrafted). 40% is made of very young grapes on trellises, grown certified organic, with low yields. The key to success for the Verdejo grape is held in the soil. Ideal soil has a high content of sand and pebbles of different sizes. Some have higher proportions of clay and others have significant proportions of clay and limestone. As the pebbles and sand allow for good drainage, the clay holds enough moisture to allow the vines to thrive.
The color is a straw yellow with greenish reflections. On the nose, you will find aromas of white flowers, stone fruit (peach), and citrus (lemon, mandarin). It also displays tropical fruit aromas. The palate is complex. Natural acidity is evident in the freshness and length on the palate. Almond and ripe fruit flavors are found in the mid-palate with fresh grass and citrus on the finish.
It pairs wells with all kinds of appetizers, entrees and salads.
Review:
"Light, bright straw. Fresh pear, orange pith and a suggestion of pungent flowers on the powerfully scented nose, along with a building mineral nuance. Juicy and incisive in the mouth, offering Meyer lemon, pear and quince flavors accented by a spicy ginger flourish. Silky and focused on the finish, which shows powerful floral lift, minerally cut and impressive persistence. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (February 2021), 92 pts
Ossian Quintaluna Verdejo is made from 100% Verdejo
Quintaluna is a young wine that is made exclusively from Verdejo in the province of Segovia. 60% is very old grape: pre-phylloxera (ungrafted). 40% is made of very young grapes on trellises, grown certified organic, with low yields. The key to success for the Verdejo grape is held in the soil. Ideal soil has a high content of sand and pebbles of different sizes. Some have higher proportions of clay and others have significant proportions of clay and limestone. As the pebbles and sand allow for good drainage, the clay holds enough moisture to allow the vines to thrive.
The color is a straw yellow with greenish reflections. On the nose, you will find aromas of white flowers, stone fruit (peach), and citrus (lemon, mandarin). It also displays tropical fruit aromas. The palate is complex. Natural acidity is evident in the freshness and length on the palate. Almond and ripe fruit flavors are found in the mid-palate with fresh grass and citrus on the finish.
It pairs wells with all kinds of appetizers, entrees and salads.
Review:
"The 2020 Quintaluna is pure Verdejo from small plots on sandy soils in the province of Segovia, fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts. They still use grapes from external suppliers but are working toward using 100% their own grapes (which they might achieve in 2023); therefore, the wine is not certified organic, because some of the vineyards from the growers are not certified. It has a balsamic nose reminiscent of bay leaf, dried yellow flowers, chamomile and pollen intermixed with pit fruit. It has a dry palate and a chalky texture, with balance and finesse, with moderate ripeness and 13.5% alcohol. 110,000 bottles. - Luis GUTIERREZ"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (January 31st 2023), 92 pts
Ottella Lugana Bianco is produced in South Benedetto di Lugana. 100% Turbiano (clonal type of Trebbiano di Lugana)
The grapes are harvested exclusively from our own vineyards; harvesting is strictly manual in small 17kg-crates. Guyot, double arc training method.
A brief contact on the skin, stainless steel-controlled fermenting.
Intense straw yellow color with green tinges. Exotic notes, candied fruit and citrus, warm and very deep on the nose. Widespread expressive finesse; to the palate the texture is rich and persistant.
Pairs best with fish-based plates, soup, pasta or rice, white meat.
Review:
“Fresh, with a nice combination of green fruit and pears alongside exotic mango and guava. Light and elegant with vibrant acidity."
- Decanter World Wine Awards 2022, 90 pts - SILVER MEDAL
Ottella Lugana Bianco is produced in South Benedetto di Lugana. 100% Turbiano (clonal type of Trebbiano di Lugana)
The grapes are harvested exclusively from our own vineyards; harvesting is strictly manual in small 17kg-crates. Guyot, double arc training method.
A brief contact on the skin, stainless steel-controlled fermenting.
Intense straw yellow color with green tinges. Exotic notes, candied fruit and citrus, warm and very deep on the nose. Widespread expressive finesse; to the palate the texture is rich and persistant.
Pairs best with fish-based plates, soup, pasta or rice, white meat.
Palacio del Burgo Rioja Blanco is made from 100% Viura.
The wine shows a brilliant pale yellow color. The nose is elegant and very fruity, with straw and pineapple notes. The taste is intense, being extremely fruity with fresh balanced acidity.
Palacio del Burgo White Wine has been created to accompany all kinds of meals and be the perfect glass of wine to illuminate those memorable low light encounters. This wine is the product of the winemaker's efforts to highlight the fruit. The structure and mouth feel of the wine compliment and balance the fruit.
Enjoy it with white fish dishes and seafood.
Post & Beam by Far Niente Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Vibrant, refreshing and stunningly perfumed, the Post & Beam Chardonnay opens with aromas of fresh melon and wild honeysuckle. The palate is lush and round, with silky layers of melon and baked apple spice framed by soft, toasted oak and lifted acidity.
Quinta do Vesuvio Single Quinta Vintage Port is made from 33% Touriga Nacional, 35% Touriga Franca, 15% Sousão, 12% Alicante Bouschet, 5% Other.
This is a powerful, attention-grabbing wine, with taut muscularity. It offers magnificent aromas of rockrose, mint and hints of ginger. The substantial palate is full with expressive black fruit notes lifted by peppery schist tannins (the seasoning provided by the Sousão). The long, lingering aftertaste indicates impressive ageing potential.
Review:
Deep dark ruby garnet, opaque core, violet reflections, delicate edge brightening. Delicate smoky spice, fine nougat, black berries, ripe figs, candied orange zest. Juicy, elegant, fine extract sweetness, ripe tannins, pleasant freshness, chocolaty in the finish, mineral and long-lasting, extremely elegant style, a large Vesuvio, has class.
-Falstaff 99 Points
The 2017 Vintage Port is a blend of 33% Touriga Nacional, 35% Touriga Franca, 15% Sousão and 12% Alicante Bouschet, plus miscellaneous others filling out the blend. This was bottled about a month before tasting after 18 months in seasoned vats, but the just-bottled sample was not really ready. This was instead a pre-bottling sample. It comes in with 115 grams of residual sugar.
- Wine Advocate 99 Points
Gigondas offers a rich bouquet, with fine, fruity and spicy aromas and a sunny color ranging from ruby to dark garnet. The nose reveals a bouquet of red fruits and very ripe black fruits. On the palate, the Gigondas is full-bodied with a fleshy attack. The Grenache Noir releases all the expression of its power in this shimmering red wine with marked tannins, a structured body and a great aptitude for aging. Syrah and Mourvèdre reinforce their garnet color and spice up their aromas.
Review:
- Wine Enthusiast , Anna Lee C. Iijima 94 Points
Ricudda Chianti Classico Riserva 100% Sangiovese.
Deep ruby red color.
The wine shows an intense and persistent bouquet, with notes of berries and spices such as licorice and black pepper. Well-harmonized hints of oak.
In the mouth, it is well structured and balanced, complex, persistent with notes of red fruits and spices such as black pepper and licorice.
Pair with grilled red meats, steak, game of hair and feather, stewed and roasted, aged cheeses hard like pecorino.
Rileys Rows Rose of Syrah is made from 100 percent Syrah.
When I think about my rosé one word comes to mind: intentional. Made from 100% syrah and pressed off skins in the Provencal style this wine is not just an afterthought. Typically picked in mid-October from a cool climate site the fruit comes in with both chemical and flavor ripeness. The result is a low alcohol, fresh wine with a complete flavor profile
Rinaldi Brachetto d' Acqui is made from 100% Brachetto d'Acqui
The skin gives the wine its particular scent and flavor.
Light ruby red color. The bouquet is musky and delicate with scents of ripe red fruit (strawberry, blackberry) and roses. Sweet and smooth flavors with lingering aromatic persistence. There is a good balance between the sweetness and the freshness, which makes this wine very pleasant.
The training system used is Guyot with a density of 2500-3000 vines per hectare. Manual harvest. Temperature controlled maceration for approximately seven days with mechanic plunging of the cap and pumping over to increase extraction of substances from the skins. This is the most important part of the vinification. Soft pressing.
SALE!
Rinaldi Joyful NV is made from 85 % Barbera, 10 % Cortese and 5 % Moscato
Straw yellow color, fruity with hints of apple and mint.
Joyful is a modern sparkling wine made using the method charmat process with the secondary fermentation made in a stainless steel tank.
Zone of production: Ricaldone’s territory on the hills called "Bricco Rioglio" and "Valmorana" and Celle.
Average altitude: 280 m above sea level, calcareous soil with tufa layers.
Training system: guyot with a cultivation density of about 3500 vines per hectare.
Vinification: manual harvest into crates, usually in September. Soft pressing. Settling in steel vats to have a natural clearing of musts. Further temperature and pressure controlled fermentation.
Joyful is great as an aperitif but also pairs very well with seafood.
Review:
"Golden yellow color. Aromas and flavors of hazelnut, cocoa, and vanilla, dried cherry multi grain bread, valencia orange, and over ripe melon with a satiny, bright, effervescent, dry light-to-medium body and a stimulating, medium-length finish with notes of fruit and nut multigrain biscuit with dried red fruits, toasted hazelnut, watermelon rind, and lime zest. Citrus forward and bright with a subtle hint of salinity makes this sparkling completely crushable yet sophisticated enough to bring to dinner."
- Beverage Testing Institute (November 2022), 93 pts - Gold Medal
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
Walt Bob's Ranch Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Bob’s Ranch Estate Vineyard
Characterized by its proximity to the Pacific Ocean; Coastal breezes along with low rolling hills and morning fog define this cool climate site
Sonoma Coast Appellation
Heavy fog and strong winds tempered by bright afternoon sunshine
Petaluma Wind Gap
Creates a unique micro-climate within the appellation, producing distinctive Pinot Noir
Sandy, Well-draining Soils
Stresses vines into producing grapes of full varietal intensity
43 Vineyard Blocks on 72 Acres
With an array of clones and field selections, this ranch produces complex and delicious wines
Review:
"The stunning 2021 WALT ‘Bob’s Ranch’ Pinot Noir is a masterclass by this winemaking team. This Sonoma Coast AVA property has a wide range of Pinot Noir selections and is in close proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Stored in roughly 30% new French oak, this shows off dense blackberry and black cherry notes on the nose with shades of cola. Very seamless on the mouth, this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. The salty and savory aspects, as well as the length, all add to the enjoyment."
Owen Bargreen 95 Points