Domaine Michel Magnien Cote de Nuits-Villages is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

Domaine Michel Magnien has evolved into a Burgundy producer of a singular style and philosophy from cellars located in the village of Morey-Saint-Denis. In 1993, Frédéric Magnien persuaded his father Michel to begin domaine bottling. The domaine is now certified biodynamic by Demeter and the wines are produced without the use of new oak. 

The domaine’s 45 acres are spread across the villages of Morey-Saint-Denis, Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, and Vosne Romanée, with holdings in several premier cru and grand cru vineyards. These include the grand crus Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, and Charmes-Chambertin. Frédéric Magnien maintains an average vine age of 50 years. 

Côte de Nuits-Villages is from two climats in Brochon: Créole, Les Carrés. Brochon is a neighboring commune of Fixin and Gevrey-Chambertin and often carries similar characteristics of those two villages. The wine was fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks followed by several months aging in 100% used pièce. Around 20% whole clusters were included in the cuvée. 

Côte de Nuits-Villages shows bright and fresh red-fruit character with notes of earth and spice. 50-year-old vines contribute weight and richness to this otherwise fresh-tasting Burgundy unadorned with the taste of new oak. It’s a pure expression of red Burgundy from biodynamically farmed grapes.  

Red Burgundy might be the world’s most flexible food wine. The wine’s high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, and low tannins make it very food friendly. Red Burgundy, with its earthy and sometimes gamey character, is a classic partner to roasted game birds, grilled duck breast, and dishes that feature mushrooms, black truffles, or are rich in umami.  

Principal El Principal Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Syrah originating from old, ungrafted vines. Deep, intense ruby red, black fruit and cassis aromas, well-integrated woody notes, great structure and balance. Ripe and present tannins, elegant and sophisticated in the mouth, a pure expression of the terroir.

Denomination of Origin: Maipo Andes Valley
Vineyard altitude: 800 meters above sea level
Soil: Alluvial origin, Clay loam.
Climate: Sub humid Mediterranean with big influence of the Andes Mountains.
Thermal oscillation: Between 18º and 22ºC.
Viticulture system: Espalier
Pruning: Double Guyot
Yield 4.500 kg/ha
Cool maceration (8°C): 6 days.
Alcoholic fermentation: 6 days.
Post fermentative maceration: 16 days.
Barrel aging: 20 months, new French oak
Bottling: February 2016
Bottle aging: Minimum 2 year in the bottle before release to the market.

pH: 3.46
Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L
RS: 2 g/L

Reviews:

- Descorchados (November 2017), 95 pts

"This complex cuvée of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Syrah from some of the highest vineyards in Pirque is built to age in bottle. Aged in 75) new wood, it’s serious, concentrated yet beautifully balanced, with very fine tannins, some aromatic mocha oak, layers of dark fruit and a backbone of acidity. 2022-30"
- Tim Atkin (Chile 2018 Special Report), 94 pts

Elvio Cogno Baroloa Ravera is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

2017 is to be considered a very good vintage. Despite being characterized by hot and dry summer months, water reserves in the soil and September rain saved the vines from being stressed by water shortage. These factors, together with the excellent exposure of our plots and the scrupulous practices adopted in the vineyard during the growing season, allowed the grapes to fully ripen, avoiding to anticipate the harvest date too much. The 2017 wines are incredibly pleasant to drink: they are rich in crunchy red fruit, with an energetic mouthfeel, dominated by freshness and elegant tannins.

Goes well with braised meats, stewed game, roasts, and mature cheeses such as pecorino and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Brilliant garnet-red in color with orange highlights. Firm, elegant and potent on the nose, it has scents of dog-rose, mint and tobacco, scents that meld over the course of time into spice, coffee, licorice, truffle, leather and minerals. A full-bodied, rounded bouquet of great structure and balance, redolent of plum jam and withered brambles. The persistent chocolatey aftertaste is harmonious and enticing. Over the years, it gradually refines its characteristics to achieve classic elegance and composure.

Review:

Made by the estate that put this celebrated cru on the map, and showing an enviable combination of elegance and power, this stunning wine opens with aromas of wild berries, underbrush, dark spice and balsamic notes of cedar and new leather. The tense, savory palate is loaded with youthful energy, showing succulent Marasca cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and star anise framed in tightly knit, refined tannins and surprisingly bright acidity for the vintage. A mineral note suggesting iron adds depth to the close.

-Wine Enthusiast 98 Point

Farnio Chianti Montalbano Riserva is made from 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo and 5% Colorino.

Brilliant ruby red with plain ruby shades, fairly clear. Blackberry and violet notes emerge on the nose with spiced and vegetal tones, leading to a leathery and pencil lead finish. Elegant, pleasant, pure and intense aromas but vigorous and round. Slightly tannic and fresh, balanced and full-bodied.

Wild boar in sauce, grilled meat, casseroles, game and mature pecorino cheese.

Faustino Gran Faustino I Rioja Gran Reserva is made from 86% Tempranillo, 9% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo.

Gran Faustino I 2004 is a wine that has a very positive evolution as far as tasting aspects are concerned. We have a garnet-colored, medium-bodied, bright wine with a long life ahead of it. It is clean and intense on the nose. Tertiary aromas predominate, with a marked presence of prunes and ripe fruit, perfectly blending with spicy and balsamic aromas from the barrel ageing. Black pepper is also present, reminding us that the Graciano is part of this very particular blend. It is on the palate where this great wine shows its elegance. Its entrance is subtle, but it gradually unleashes a flood of sensations. Notes of licorice, candied fruit, cocoa, and again, the balsamic notes we found on the nose also appear. A well-balanced acidity and polished tannins highlight its silkiness and roundness. It’s a wine brimming with nuances and complexity, very plush, with a sweet and delicate finish.

Classy wine with engaging tobacco, smoke and earthy aromatics. Complex and energetic with spice and red fruit flavours whooshing through the palate in a seductive style. A satisfying aged wine with thrillingly well-integrated new oak and a long, savoury finish.

-Decanter 97 Points

Ferren Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

100% native fermentation (primary and secondary), long cool fermentations often lasting up to a full year, minimal lees stirring, no additions of any kind (commercial yeast, water, acid, enzymes, etc., never any fining or filtration). Aged 18 months in 15% new French oak (Francois Freres, Vosges, Troncais Forrests)

 Review:

"This red's pure beam of mulberry, griotte and blood orange pâte de fruit is racy, fresh and in perfect alignment as the flavors pick up dried anise, bergamot and iris accents along the way. Captivating for its combination of range and restraint, with a long, streamlined finish that ripples with subtle tension. Drink now through 2032. - James MOLESWORTH”
- Wine Spectator's insider (May 22nd 2024), 95 pts

Finca Sobreno Ildefonso Toro  is made from 100% Tinta de Toro
Very Old Vines (Minimum 80 years of age)
Aged in 100% new French Oak Barrels for 18 months + 12 months in the bottle

The wine is produced in very limited quantity from the estate's oldest vineyards (80 years old vines) and is fermented in 2,000-liter open-top fermentation vats. Our winemaker punches down the cap by hand three times a day using the traditional pigeage method to ensure optimal extraction.

The name of the wine is the surname of the San Ildefonso family, father Roberto and daughter Paloma, and represents the apex of their winemaking tradition.

Tasting notes
Deep cherry color.
Very expressive, elegant and complex with ripe fruit, mineral notes, sweet spices, chocolate aromas and intense toasts.
Powerful, tasty, round and very smooth. We find again black berries, mineral notes, chocolates with roasted aromas. Very long after taste.

Soil types:
The soil is formed by sediments of sand, clay and limestone, which produce a dark lime-bearing topsoil, with fine and coarse sands.
This year we had low rain falls getting very healthy bunches. Besides, cool nights and not very hot days at the end of the cycle were excellent for a complete ripening of the grapes, full of nuances.

Winemaking and aging
The fruit is manually selected and picked in small cases. After destemming the grapes are stored in 2.000 liter open fermenter tanks and cold maceration at 8ºC during 8 days. Three times a day the cap of the skins is submerged manually (pigeage) and after the alcoholic fermentation is finished at a controlled temperature, the wine is macerated until the wine maker determines the appropriate extraction polyphenols. The malolactic fermentation is carried out in new French oak barrels. The wine was aged in new French oak barrels for 16 months, followed by another 12 months minimum in the bottle.

Ideal for red meats, lamb, roasted meat and strong cheeses

Review:

The deep purple-hued 2017 Ildefonso Toro offers up classic aromatics of spicy red and black fruits, vanilla bean, graphite, cheese rind, and scorched earth, which carry to a medium to full-bodied red that has nicely integrated tannins, a round, layered mouthfeel, and a great finish. Aged 18 months in 70% French and 30% American oak, it should evolve gracefully over the coming decade.

-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points

The nose opens with aromas of blackberry, blueberry, black current and boysenberry. The fruit elements are complimented with notes of forest floor, cigar box, dark chocolate and espresso. The wine is rich and balanced and French oak barrels add the ideal amount of complexity with notes of baking spice and warm vanilla. This is a full-bodied wine with integrated tannins that give it a long, lingering finish. Stunning.

Primary Vineyard: Sycamore Vineyard—Rutherford (100%): Small 24-acre vineyard located about 1.2 miles south of Bosche, right up against the Mayacamas Range, this vineyard has a rich clay loam. Sycamore Vineyard produces small berries reminiscent of mountain fruit berries, with intense extract of color and flavor. The color is very dark early in the fermentation, with flavors of black currant and black berry with a forest floor complexity.

Review:

Mint, spearmint, dark-berry and blueberry aromas. Leaves and sage, too. Full-bodied and firm with fantastic depth. Cool fruit with menthol and mint. Spice. Refreshing. Firm tannins. Fantastic 2017. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 97 Points

G.D. Vajra Barolo Coste di Rose is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

The Coste di Rose is a very seductive wine right out of the gate. Cherries and roses burst on the nose, with hints of amarena, red hard candy, wild berries, wet stone, mint and thyme. The palate is radiant and expressive, with all of the signature elements of Coste di Rose in nice evi-dence: the ethereal character, the saline, up-front tannic structure, and further whiffles of roses and cherries in the finish.

Review:

This wine shows a darker and more savory profile than Vajra’s Costa di Rose, its black-cherry flavors tinged with notes of licorice and tobacco. Scents of lavender and violet lend a delicate touch to the wine, which continued to gain verve and freshness with time in the glass.

-Wine & Spirits 96 Points

Refined and very floral on the nose, with a shiny straw yellow color. The nose opens up citrus and honeyed, followed by white peach and cantaloupe notes. It is creamy and voluptuous on the palate. 2020 Gaia & Rey is a moving wine, with a vibrant freshness and lingering finish with a quality of sapidity. It shows remarkable elegance.

Review:

Always a fantastic chardonnay with apple pie, nougat, vanilla, and flint aromas and flavors. Hints of salted caramel. Medium to full body with racy acidity and bright fruit. Complex and lively. Tight and reserved at the end. Needs time to open. Try after 2024.

-James Suckling 96 Points

2021 Rossj-Bass displays the main features of the vintage well, with intense fruit concentration and floral notes. The nose shows ripe citrus notes of lemon peel and orange evolving into tropical fruits. The richness of the nose and the same notes are reflected on the palate, where remarkable acidity balances the fruit concentration. The wine is rich, full-bodied and creamy, with a long finish.

Review:

The 2021 Gaja Rossj-Bass starts off with very, crisp, green fruit and much more Sauvignon Blanc dominant aromas of grassy, bright, fragrant green apple and green pepper - all very bright and cheerful. Then Chardonnay seems to take over in the medium-full bodied and pleasing creamy texture of the wine. This is balanced again by the tangy, juicy acidity of Sauvignon. This is very elegant blend of Sauvignon Blanc aromas and zestiness and the textural comfort of Chardonnay. The name Rossj is a nickname of Angelo Gaja’s second daughter, Rossanna.

-Wine Independent 94 Points

Gessinger Zeltinger Schlossberg Kabinett is 100 percent Riesling. 

Zeltinger Schlossberg is the little sister of the well-known grand cru site Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. Behind the old village center of Zeltingen rises the steep slope "Zeltinger Schlossberg". On the exposed vineyards of blue Devonian slate, juicy wines full of character and minerality ripen.

The Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett is made from fruit picked at around 86° Oechsle and was fermented to fruity-styled levels of residual sugar (42 g/l). It has a quite restrained and smoky nose of anise, Conference pear, bergamot, rose, lime tree, dill, and eucalyptus. The wine proves superbly playful, finely juicy, and fruity on the palate. This rounder and richer side is nicely buffered off by more structure and intensity in the very long and smoky finish. The feel of residual sugar is already well integrated in the after-taste, which is already more off-dry than fully fruity as lime and grapefruit skin dominate.

Acidity 8.6 g/l
Residual sugar 42 g/l

perfect match to Asian cuisine, spicy food as well as BBQ.

Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

 Review:

Stunning, with incredible vibrancy and concentration to the orange sherbet, lemon curd and ruby grapefruit flavors at the core. Features fresh-grated ginger, lemon thyme and salted melon on the finish. Drink now.

-Wine Spectator 94 Points

59% Pinot Noir, 41% Chardonnay

An extremely fine and grouped effervescence. The dress is crystalline, luminous, and slightly golden. The nose is fruity, fresh, and tangy. Both greedy and elegant, it expresses pastry notes and aromas of fresh fruit: nougat, frangipane, candied orange, and mirabelle plum. A delicate note of passe-crassane pear carrying a touch of Williams pear liqueur can be guessed. A tonic wine, with a nice tension around the aromas of fresh fruits. Nectarine, yellow peach, and a tangy note of rhubarb develop in the mouth. The end of the mouth is clean, frank, saline, and mineral leaving a touch of bitterness and verbena.

Review:

Having retained all its youthful acidity because there was no malolactic fermentation, the Champagne is brilliantly lit. Acidity and a light texture from the Pinot Noir in the blend give the wine a crisp edge with still-young citrus.

-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points

A firm, focused version, this swathes a chiseled spine of acidity in a raw, silky texture and finely meshed flavors of yellow peach, orange liqueur, honeycomb and chopped almond. A rich streak of salinity drives the well-cut, spiced finish. Drink now through 2035.

-Wine Spectator 94 Points

Grace Town Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi  is amde from 98% Old VIne Zinfandel + 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Ruby red in color, with red fruit, raspberry, and spice on the nose. This wine is medium in body, with notes of ripe cherry, cedar box, cinnamon, anise, black pepper, and hint of smoke on the palate. It has a long, silky finish. 

HUGE SALE!

Grand Veneur Cotes Du Rhone Les Champauvins is made of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre

Intense, brilliant garnet-red colour. It reveals lovely fruit, loads of body and a heady bouquet of ground peppers, raspberries cherry liqueur, currants, and spice box. Full-bodied and dense, it tastes more like a "baby Châteauneuf" than a Côtes du Rhône.
A complete wine, rich and elegant, thanks to the harmony of all the elements which make it up.

Drink between 1 and 6 years.

Soil type DOMAINE GRAND VENEUR “Les Champauvins” stretches on 34 ha classified in Côtes du Rhône. The plots are located in the northern border of Châteauneuf du Pape, exactly from 3 meters outside the appellation. A small lane of rocks going through the rocky plateaux has been decided to be the AOC limit in 1936. Here, soils are made of red clay and rocks (pebbled stones of quartz). The quantity of rocks can be amazing as they can completely cover the soil (see picture). In summer and during the day, the rocks temperature will increase to 55°C. This accumulated heat will be get back to the vines during nights . Day after day, this unique phenomenon allow the grapes to reach a perfect maturity and produce a unique wine. Winemaking & Ageing Traditional, in stainless steel vats. Harvest crushed and destemmed. Fermentation in temperature controlled vats at 28°C. Eighteen-day vating period with “pigeage”. Grenache is aged in concrete vats, Syrah and mourvèdre in 4 years old barrelsntense, brilliant garnet-red colour. It reveals lovely fruit, loads of body and a heady bouquet of ground peppers, raspberries cherry liqueur, currants, and spice box. Full-bodied and dense, it tastes more like a “baby Châteauneuf” than a Côtes du Rhône. A complete wine, rich and elegant, thanks to the harmony of all the elements which make it up.

Review:

"A velvety, poised and focused Cotes-du-Rhone with aromas of red berries, warm spices and a touch of bark. Full-bodied with round, ripe tannins. Creamy texture with a juicy and delicious core of bright berries funneling through to the lively finish with excellent length. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold."

- James Suckling (May 9th 2024), 92 pts

Guillemot-Michel Vire-Clesse Charleston is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

This cuvée is produced from hundred-year old vines that the great-grandfather planted after he returned from World War I. The family wanted to honor his memory and vinify these vines the same way he did, in old demi-muids.
Charleston is a deep and complex wine that gently express itself in the glass, offering juicy white fruit flavors and a lengthy finish.

Charleston is vinified and aged for one year in demi-muids of over 10 years old. During the following harvest, the wine is racked and placed in vats for another 6 months of aging before bottling.

Fish in white sauce, poultry in creamy sauce, hard cheeses.

Review:

The 2020 Viré-Clessé Charleston is the most structured, concentrated wine in the range, mingling notions of crisp orchard and stone fruit with scents of clear honey, white flowers, beeswax and mint in an inviting bouquet. Medium to full-bodied ample and satiny, it's layered and multidimensional, with impressive depth at the core, racy acids and chalky grip. Derived from the Guillemot family's oldest parcel of vines (dating back to 1918), it's built to age.

-Wine Advocate 94 Points

The Grand Vin is the 2017 Harlan Estate, and this beauty just about jumps from the glass with its pure cassis and blackcurrant fruits as well as notes of tobacco, graphite, crushed stone, and spice. With a full-bodied, expansive mouthfeel, building, velvety tannins, and a layered, seamless style that offers way more pleasure than just about every other wine in the vintage, bottles can be enjoyed any time over the coming 20-25 years.

- Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points

The 2017 Harlan Estate is superb. Deep, inky and wonderfully expressive, the 2017 is impeccably rendered. All the elements come together effortlessly. The nervous tannins of the vintage are evident, but there is also plenty of sumptuousness. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of red-toned fruit and floral notes that are surprising for a year with massive heat spike. The 2017 is polished and sophisticated to the core. In a word: impressive.

-- Antonio Galloni - 96+ Points

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Harlan Estate needs a little coaxing to reveal captivating iron ore, red currant jelly, cloves and crushed rocks scents with a core of warm cassis, Black Forest cake and boysenberries plus a waft of pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm, grainy texture with a lively backbone and loads of earthy layers, long and mineral laced. This should be one of the longer-lived wines coming out of the 2017 vintage.

"2018 had a certain sense of ease to it," Bill Harlan said as we tasted the barrel sample of the next iteration of this iconic label. "The pace was wonderful." "Mother nature was allowing us an extended runway," winemaker Cory Empting agreed. "We just started picking and couldn’t stop."

-Wine Advocate 97+ Points

This is fully loaded, with waves of dense yet succulent blackberry, black currant and fig preserves that move along steadily, pulling roasted apple wood, dark bay leaf, espresso cream and humus notes along. A bolt of cast iron emerges through the finish, remaining well-encased in the fruit and adding prodigious length and stability. A fairly tremendous wine, especially considering the vintage. Best from 2022 through 2040. 2,040 cases made. 

-Wine Spectator 97 Points

Hartford Court Far Coast Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

The 2019 Far Coast Vineyard Chardonnay exhibits aromas of orange zest, yellow apple, dried fruits, and spice. The flavors of tangerine, mandarin orange, and quince are followed by a long textural finish of minerals and delicate fruit.

Review:

This vineyard is located on a mountain ridge north of Fort Ross on the Sonoma Coast at 700 feet elevation, and the wine was aged for 14 months in 39% new French oak. The 2019 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard offers more lime citrus, saline minerality, and white peach, and the palate is fresh, energetic, and consistent with the nose. Texture-wise, it is markedly different, with more focused structure and tension.

-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points

The Cabernet Sauvignon Casey’s Lakeview is similarly inky bluish/purple to the rim. Tasting like blood, this wine is dense and rich with lots of chocolate, espresso, earth and spice. It is deep, full-bodied, and again, a masculine style of wine that needs at least 4-5 years of cellaring and should keep for 25 or more years.

Lakeview Vineyard is the winery’s mid-block vineyard planted to a combination of clone 6 & 337 Cabernet Sauvignon on 101-14 rootstock. Excellent drainage from the rocky and chalky soils plus plenty of sunlight throughout the day produces wines of bold character with mouth filling flavors.

Organic farming methods are used to produce this Cabernet Sauvignon Casey's Lakeview vineyard. Vines are 17 years old. Ageing in French oak barrels (85% new) for 20 months, then 12 months in bottle prior to release. Non-filtered.

Review:

"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Casey's Lakeview Vineyard is the most overt of these wines. Superripe black cherry, plum, chocolate and licorice add to an impression of flamboyance that sits on the edge of being too much. The effects of the drought are felt in the wine's slightly roasted profile. - Antonio Galloni"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2016), 91 pts