Products meeting the search criteria

Mordoree Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Reine des Bois is made from 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, 2.5% Vaccarese, 2.5% Counoise.
Aged in 50% oak barrels.
Deep ruby red color, red fruits aromas leading to leather, black truffles and coffee notes. Fat and concentrated on the palate, with liquorice and dark fruit flavors.
Pairs well with game and red meats, cheeses.

60 year-old vines

Review:

"The flagship is the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Reine Des Bois and it’s 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties. Aged 20% in old barrels (this was raised in new barrels in the past) and the rest in stainless steel, it’s more backward and closed compared to the Voyageuse release and has ample blackcurrants, smoked earth, graphite, and peppery garrigue aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and textured on the palate, it has solid underlying structure yet still plays in the balanced, charming, elegant style of the vintage. It’s beautifully done and certainly up with the top wines. It should drink nicely for 10-15 years."

- Jeb Dunnuck (October 2020), 95 pts

"Warm and inviting, with a richly layered core of steeped plum, blackberry and cherry fruit. Hints of alder and mesquite check in, along with twinges of chestnut and brick dust. Offers a nice mix of modern and old school. Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Best from 2023 through 2036. —James MOLESWORTH"

- Wine Spectator (Insider, February 17th 2021), 94 pts

Mordoree Lirac Rouge Dame Rousse is made from 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah

Color: Deep Red
Nose : Red fruits (raspberry, black-current) and flowers (violet).
Palate : Full, rich and ample, long finish, nice concentration.
Aging potential : 7 to 9 years

Surface : 22 Ha. Yield : 40 Hl./Ha. Vineyard age : 40 years Terroir : Clay / chalk, clay / limestone and sandy with pebble stones. Harvest : by hand Vinification : 100% destemmed , long 30 days maceration with a maximum of 34°C temperature

Pairs well with red meats, grilled meats, game and cheeses.

 Review:

"Aromas of spiced cherries, forest berries and sweet spices. Medium body with fine tannins. Layered and textured with a velvety mid-palate. Balanced and harmonious with a focused finish and excellent length. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold."

- James Suckling (May 2023), 93 pts

Piron Chenas Quartz is made from 100% Gamay - 60+ years old .

The Chenas Cru is the smallest Beaujolais Cru, not bigger than Côte Rôtie. This is a rare wine. The estate's unique parcel spreads over 22.2 acres of vines on a very steep slope facing East, situated between 310 and 380 meters above sea level. Granitic soils are covered with Quartz crystals and give the wine its own personality.

The vineyard is co-owned by Domnique Piron and Christian Lameloise, whose family owned Lameloise restaurant in Burgundy (3*** Michelin). Decanter classified the wine in the 3 best best bottles of Crus Beaujolais in 2015 (vintage 2013).

Hand harvest, sorting table, part destemming. A first stage of semi carbonic maceration during few days is followed by a more classic Burgundy maceration with « remontages » and « pigeages », for a total of 18-20 days, depending on the vintage.
30% of the wine are aged in recent French oak foundre and oak barrels (no new oak) during 12 months to bring roundness and complexity to the final assemblage.

Pairs well with complex dishes, meats, leaver, and why not a little pigeon with peas and diced bacon.

Review:

"Beautifully attractive violets and red flowers here, carrying a very fresh impression, as well as an exciting and vibrant yet elegant finish. Exceptionally pure and focused. Drink or hold."

- James Suckling (February 2019), 93 pts

Dominique Piron Morgon Cote du Py is made from 100 percent Gamay.

The Morgon Cru is based in the heart of Northern Beaujolais. Côte du Py is the heart of Morgon, a little hill of very old blue stone rocks - the oldest soils of Beaujolais (around 430 millions years old), with a typical blue color.
Côte du Py has been known for centuries for being the best terroir of the village, producing long lived wines with strong structure and flavors.

Wines of the Côte du Py are very dark, profound and dense. Classic aromas of red berries, cherry, kirsh. Fruity, structured and mineral in the mouth with graphite flavors and spicy notes of black and white pepper. Wine can age up to 10 years.

Hand picked grapes are sorted manually and destemmed for 50 to 70%. Fermentation starts in concrete tanks and lasts for 18-25 days with remontages and pigeages. Then after pressurage starts the aging, for 2/3 in concrete tanks, and 1/3 in recent French oak barrels with batonages on fine lies only. After 10 month we do the blending, keeping only the best cuvees and best barrels, and do the bottling.

Pairs well with red meat like beef, duck and game (Hare, Dear, Wild Pork,…), cheses.

REVIEW

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Snake Oil needs a little swirling to reveal emerging notes of freshly crushed blackcurrants, blackberry pie and mulberries plus suggestions of tilled soil, cedar chest and Indian spices with a touch of roses. The full-bodied palate completely coats the mouth with opulent black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers, supported by velvety tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and perfumed.

-Wine Advocate 93+ Points

The 2018 Priest Ranch Snake Oil is all Cabernet Sauvignon, from a trio of hillside vineyards on the Somerston Estate. It has beautiful blueberry and plum fruits as well as notes of sappy herbs, violets, and bouquet garni. More medium-bodied, focused, and elegant, it shines for its purity, freshness, and length. It’s a classic 2018 that will have 15+ years of longevity.

-Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points

Our 2018 Snake Oil was handpicked, sorted, and fermented naturally, then aged for 24 months in 75% new French oak barrels and 25% once-used French oak barrels.

HARVEST NOTES 

The early half of 2018 brought us moderate temperature allowing for a long growing season.   We had a majority of our rainfall in February followed by a mild Spring.  Then summer brought consistent temperatures with little heat spikes.  This weather allowed for longer hang time and for the fruit to ripen at a slower rate.  The 2018 harvest at our estate began in late August and resulted in exceptional quality.

Miso Tahini Bacon

Smith Story Cabernet Sauvignon Pickberryis made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

This wine is an old soul. I feel closer to it than all of the wines we produce, filled with excitement to show off to the world. A rebel of sorts, a Cabernet Sauvignon that is for the curious wine drinker for sure. The 2016 is going to be a showstopper complete with an standing ovation. I can’t wait to see it on stage. Worth the wait.
Ali’s Notes: This was the vineyard I spent the most time in during the 2016 Harvest. There’s a magical view that just pulls me in mixed with an incredible assortment of vineyard rocks popping up throughout the vines. The end of the vineyard rows always had the most gorgeous blooming red roses too. I often sat under the big shade tree on top of the hillside and took it all in. I was there the morning of the pick, the vineyard workers were full of song and hustle. So much TLC was given during harvest.

Eric’s Notes: Steady and mostly uneventful growing season with a bit of midsummer spikes of heat but nothing maddening. A cool slow end of the growing season led to really pretty and balanced fruit. We did get lucky though… we had some rain come in just a few days after picking. Speaking of… the grapes were hand picked. hand sorted, destemmed and fermented in stainless steel with daily manual punch-downs. Wine was then aged in neutral Bordeaux barrels for 22 months before bottling.

It’s wildly similar to our 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. If opening right away, decant a few hours. The wine is a little tight out of the gates but showing nice herb and pepper notes - the salty minerality shows up on the back end of the palate as it airs.

LIBRARY WINE/ LIMITED AVAILABILITY: A Cabernet Sauvignon, without question on the nose. A Cabernet true to the Smith Smith story style; cooler and dancing aromatic while having density and layers of texture. Lots of spicy red fruits up front while fresh bramble fruits bounce around the palate which is rounded out by a savory, almost cinnamon-bark spice mouthfiling finish and pretty tannin structure.

Review:

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Pickberry Vineyard is the most convincing and complete of these wines from Smith Story. Deep and inky, yet very much medium in body, the 2016 has a lot to offer. Blueberry, menthol, licorice, lavender and spice meld in this supple, racy Cabernet Sauvignon. The balance of fruit, structure and freshness is terrific. This classically rendered Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon needs bottle age to truly blossom; give it a few years to be at its best. - Vinous 93 Points

This is a 6 pack with 2 bottles each from vintages from 2013, 2015, and 2016. 

***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2016:

The 2016 Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino is the most brooding of the lineup from Val di Suga and is sourced from the southwest of the region on sandy soils. There are aromatics of black raspberry, licorice, menthol, sage, cinnamon, and iron-rich earth. Its Mediterranean influence is felt on the palate with ripe black cherry, dried herbs, and sun-baked earth. This is the fullest bodied and most savory of the Val di Suga lineup, with more roundness and grip. Its structure will benefit from cellaring for several years and will be great drinking over the next 20 years or more. 2026-2040.

-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points

***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2015:

The 2015 Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino is more introverted on first opening, with notes of black plum, licorice, dried Mediterranean herb, and sun-baked earth. On the palate, it offers a tart dried fruit character, with a building tannin structure that finishes with tomato leaf, and bitter herbs. The most rustic and burly of the wines in the lineup of the 2015 Val di Suga vintage, it will benefit from allowing some time in cellar to see how this matures and its tarriness develops. Drink 2026-2036

-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points

***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2013:

Plenty of spices and fresh herbs on the nose, such as dried rosemary and nutmeg, to match the underlying dried redcurrants and cranberries. Full-bodied with plenty of concentration, but still shows a very sturdy, tannin backbone and punchy acidity, to drive this through to a long finish. Drink in 2021.

-James Suckling 94 Points

This limited release wine is created from the fusion of two exceptional parcels of 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. This classic blend is matured in the finest oak crafting an intriguing unison that captures the essence of the vineyard and highlights its unique varietal expression.

Vintage Overview
2013 was a very good season with predominantly mild, dry days. Yields were generally low and this did result in some excellent parcels of fruit being harvested. Vine-balance was carefully monitored, resulting in fruit that demonstrates the vibrancy and fruit-derived characters that we strive for in our wines. By all accounts it was a textbook vintage.

Tasting Notes
Deep inky purple in color. Aromas of blackberry, mocha, mint and spices. Lush, ripe palate dominated by black fruits, cherry and chocolate. An expansive palate with black fruits and nicely balanced by oak.

Made with the greatest dedication and care, select parcels were matured in new and seasoned French and American oak for up to 20 months prior to being selected for this blend. Individual barrels from our family estate that best demonstrate the intensity of our fruit, balanced by integrated oak were selected for the final blend, which was then bottled with minimal filtration.

Pairs well with venison, ribeye steak, lamb.

Review:

70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit and oak combine here to produce a powerful, full-bodied red with coffee, toast, blackberry and rick plum flavours pouring through the palate. Tannin taps gently at the brakes: peppercorn and pine notes add lift: creaminess to the texture keeps everything running smoothly. Screwcap. 14.5% alc.

Halliday Wine Companion 2020 94 Points

Torello Corpinnat Finca Can Marti Brut 32% Chardonnay, 32% Xarel.lo, 22% Macabeo and 14% Parellada.

The Can Martí estate soils have been formed from sediments from the Garraf Massis, deposited thousands of years ago. One of the most characteristic features of the estate’s soils is the presence of accumulations of calcium carbonate.The movement of water through the soil dissolves the carbonates present and takes them to a certain depth. The continuous repetition of this process has ended up producing the accumulation of these deposits.When these become massive, after thousands of years, they bind together and and form a hard stratum called a petrocalcic horizon. This hard stratum limits the availbility of water to the vine and the production, but is a factor that gives the grape quality.

Straw yellow color, fine and constant bubbles, clean and bright, with golden reflections. The nose reveals a subtle aromatic intensity with fresh and sweet aromas. Honey flowers, citrus notes, white fruit, and balsamic herbs such as fennel.

In the mouth the acidity is well balanced, with delicate bitter notes to the finish and a set of ripe fruits and balsamic nuances.

Torello Corpinnat Special Edition Brut Reserve is made from 44% Xarel.lo, 37% Macabeo, 11% Chardonnay, 8% Parellada.

The estate soils have been formed from sediments from the Garraf Massis, deposited thousands of years ago. One of the most characteristic features of the estate’s soils is the presence of accumulations of calcium carbonate. The movement of water through the soil dissolves the carbonates and takes them to a certain depth. The continuous repetition of this process has ended up producing the accumulation of these deposits. When these become massive, after thousands of years, they bind together and form a hard stratum called a petrocalcic horizon. This hard stratum limits the availability of water to the vine and the production, but is a factor that gives the grape quality

The wine offers a straw yellow color, clean, transparent, fine, and persistent bubbles with a rosary formation. In the nose fresh pear aromas stand out along with delicious notes of pastry cream, white flowers, and candied fruits. On the palate, good balance and acidity. Powerful and flavorful with white flowers and notes of brioche, almond and great length.

Special Edition is very versatile and matches with many different kinds of dishes; pasta, pork, chicken, fish, seafood, rice, cold cuts, desserts.

Weingut Prager Achleiten Riesling Smaragd is made from 100 percent Riesling. 

Franz Prager, co-founder of the Vinea Wachau, had already earned a reputation for his wines when Toni Bodenstein married into the family. Bodenstein’s passion for biodiversity and old terraces, coupled with brilliant winemaking, places Prager in the highest echelon of Austrian producers.

Smaragd is a designation of ripeness for dry wines used exclusively by members of the Vinea Wachau. The wines must have a minimum alcohol of 12.5%. The grapes are hand-harvested, typically in October and November, and are sent directly to press where they spontaneously ferment in stainless-steel tanks.

Achleiten sits east of Weißenkirchen and is one of the most famous vineyards in the Wachau. The steeply-terraced vineyard existed in Roman times. Some sections have just 40 cm of topsoil over the bedrock of Gföler Gneiss, amphibolitic stone, and slate. “Destroyed soil,” as Toni Bodenstein likes to say.

Tasting Notes:

Austrian Riesling is often defined by elevated levels of dry extract thanks to a lengthy ripening period and freshness due to dramatic temperature swings between day and night. Wines from Achleiten’s highly complex soils are famously marked by a mineral note of flint or gun smoke, are intensely flavored, and reliably long-lived.

Food Pairing:

Riesling’s high acidity makes it one of the most versatile wines at the table. Riesling can be used to cut the fattiness of foods such as pork or sausages and can tame some saltiness. Conversely, it can highlight foods such as fish or vegetables in the same way a squeeze of lemon or a vinaigrette might.

Review:

The 2020 Ried Achleiten Riesling Smaragd offers a well-concentrated, fleshy and spicy stone fruit aroma with crunchy and flinty notes. It needs some time to get rid of the stewed fruit flavors, though. Full-bodied, fresh and crystalline, this is an elegant, complex and finely tannic Riesling that needs some years rather than a carafe to polymerize the tannins and gain some finesse. Tasted at the domain in June 2021.

At Prager, I could not determine that 2020 would be inferior to the 2019 vintage; on the contrary, the 2020 Smaragd wines fascinated me enormously in their clear, cool, terroir-tinged way. A 38% loss had occurred mainly because of the hail on August 22, although predominantly in the Federspiel or Riesling vineyards. There was no damage in the top vineyards such as Ried Klaus, Achleiten or Zwerithaler. "Interestingly, the vines are in agony for about two weeks after the hail. There was no more growth, no development of ripeness and sugar," reports Toni Bondenstein. The Veltliner then recovered earlier, while even picking a Riesling Federspiel in October was still a struggle. "Why Riesling reacted more intensively to the hail, I don't know myself either," says Bodenstein. Whole clusters were pressed to preserve acidity and to compensate for the lower extract, and compared to 2019, the 2020s were left on their lees longer. In June, however, the 20s in particular showed outstanding early shape.

-Wine Advocate 94 Points

Light yellow-green, silver reflections. Yellow stone fruit nuances with a mineral underlay, notes of peach and mango, a hint of tangerine zest, mineral touch. Juicy, elegant, white fruit, acidity structure rich in finesse, lemony-salty finish, sure aging potential.

-Falstaff 95 Points

Beliere Bugey-Cerdon  is made from 95% Gamay, 5% Poulsard (a local grape from Jura).

Spontaneous fermentation. An altogether preferable scenario to spontaneous combustion, and A LOT more fun to drink. This pink, semi-dry bubbly was made by spontaneous fermentation, otherwise known as methode ancestrale. Grapes are picked by hand (not just any grapes, these are the local Poulsard and Gamay grown on mountainous slopes in the shadow of the Alps), and fermented in chilled vats just reaching 5 or 6 degrees alcohol. The young and light wine is then bottled, along with its active yeast and considerable unfermented sugars. Under pressure of the cork, the wine continues to ferment, gaining a few degrees of alcohol but retaining a nice amount of sweetness. The bubbles, of course, are another result of fermentation under pressure. This one is so delicious and fun to drink, with a distinctly, well, grapy aroma and a fruitiness that calls out for celebration and jubilation. 
This is also wonderful served with chocolate cake! 
8% ABV.

Produced from the "Ancestral method" (also used to produce Clairette de Die): Low temperature fermentation starting in the tank, light filtration that leaves active yeast in the wine, bottling of the wine with fermentation continuing in the bottle ("spontaneous fermentation in the bottle"), retaining some sugar (40 gr/liter at the end). Made from 95% Gamay, 5% Poulsard (a local grape from Jura).

Review:

"Amber color. Aromas and flavors of cranberry juice, rose petal, cherry and kiwi, and red apple with a round, bright, effervescent, fruity medium-to-full body and a delightful, medium-long finish that shows nuances of cherry, cranberry, beeswax, and rose water. Concentrated fruit flavors, creamy bubbles, and well balanced acidity will make this a splendid pairing with charcuterie." - Beverage Testing -Institute (November 2022), 92 pts - Gold Medal

Chateau Peymartin Saint-Julien is made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot.

Peymartin is the second wine of  Gloria, produced using the youngest vines (average 40 years-old) on the estate.

After a manual harvest, the grapes are vinified in thermo regulated stainless steel vats with malolactic in barrel. Peymartin spends approximately one year in cask followed by additional aging at the estate in bottel prior to release. The ensuing style of wine is typically a lighter and more elegant St. Julien, known for its early drinkability and charming character.

Tasting Notes:

Deep ruby-garnet in appearance, Peymartin is classic left-bank Bordeaux. Aromas of dried tobaco, cedar, blackcurrant, and pungent cooking spices greet the nose.  The palate is extremely elegant with ripe, yet structured tannins balanced by firm acidity, black fruits, savory earth, and hints of toasted vanilla.  A balanced and persistent finish underlines the wine's quality as well as its ability to hold up in bottle.

Classic coastal Russian River aromas and flavors: crisp red apple skin, bright red cherry, deep wild berry, hibiscus, pepper, fresh mint, and a complex woodsy note. There’s wonderful purity and succulence to the core of red and black fruits which are supported by balanced black tea tannins and bright vibrant acidity. The wine finishes sleek and focused with liveliness and lingering aromatic lift.

Review:

A wine with a lot of back end, with dark fruits of blackberry and cherry. Ripe strawberry. Hints of toasted oak and smoke. It’s full and layered with very firm and polished tannins. Very serious and real, and shows the structure of the vintage. Some chocolate. Strawberry pie, too. Drinkable but two to three years of age will help it.

-James Suckling 95 Points

Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

Dutton-Goldfield Rued Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

The nose leads with tangerine, apricot, and kiwi fruit, accented by lemon oil, orange blossom, and hazelnut. In the mouth, the fruit/floral and bright/rich theme continues, with the lychee and Meyer lemon top notes joined by Asian pear and Gravenstein apple, framed with honeysuckle and gardenia.

The dual nature of the wine makes it pair well with both rich and light fare, like lobster roll, roasted pork, or sautéed sole.

Review:

From a clone once called the Chardonnay Musque selection, this wine is highly aromatic and fresh. Juicy tropical fruit and tangerine flavors remain crisp and brilliant, leading to a complex midpalate of Meyer lemon and pear. The finish is topped by lasting, lingering layers of hazelnut.

- Wine Enthusiast 94 Points

Landes Cuvee Prestige Lussac Saint Emilion is made from 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc

Color: deep dark ruby intense color
Aroma: racy and aromatic nose with aromas of ripe red fruit, floral notes, wood and spice with a touch of vanilla.
Taste: this wine has a good structure and some powerful aromas of raspberries, blackcurrant, vanilla and it is powerful with a complex finish. The oak is present but not dominant. The tannins are quite well integrated already.

Average age of the Vines: 60 years Yield : 50 hectoliters / hectare. Grape picking: harvest by machine. Vats: Stainless steel thermoregulated and computerized. Fermentation: 45 to 50 days with a final 35°C warm steeping. Winemaking: Malolactic fermentation in new oak barrel. Ageing: 16 months in new French Oak barrels from Allier and Limousin. Annual production: 10,000 bottles. (833 cases)

Review:

"This shows aromas of ripe blackcurrants and blackberries with walnuts, spices and cocoa. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a bright, succulent character. Racy finish. Drink or hold."

- James Suckling (December 2022), 92 pts

Manoir du Carra Beaujolais-Villages is 100% Gamay. Wine is produced from a selection of old vines (70 to 100 years old). Yield: 40-45 hl/ha
Manual harvest; selection of the best grapes using a sorting table; semi-carbonic maceration for 10-12 days.

Ruby red color, it has a caressing nose of pure strawberries and cream that is very defined and seductive. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins, lively red cherry fruit and pleasing weight on the tense finish.

Aged in large oak barrels (foudres) for 3-4 months. No filtration. Egg white fining.

Manoir du Carra Beaujolais-Villages presents with ruby red color, black berry and cherry aromas. Ample in the mouth, very elegant and long lingering finish.

Great with coq au vin (Chicken cooked in a red wine sauce) or charcuterie (garlic sausage, dry sausage).

Aalto P.S. Pagos Seleccionados Tinto  is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.

Climatic conditions

The farming year began with a mild autumn and little precipitation. A very dry winter started with -9ºC reaching at the end higher temperatures than normal for that time of the year. Spring and summer characterized by little rain, only some rain showers in July and late August avoided the hydric stress of the vines. The vegetative cycle of the vine developed with big variations of temperatures, alternating warm and atypical low temperatures of 4ºC for mid-June. The ripening of the grapes happened under very good conditions and the harvest started on 24th September 2019.  

Grape origin

100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) primarily from very old vines – 60 to 90 years old – from selected plots in La Horra and La Aguilera. The harvest was done by hand, in small boxes of 15 kilos that are thoroughly inspected, bunch by bunch, on the selection table.  

Tasting notes

Review:

Lots of depth here, with ripe blackberries and some nicely baked black cherries, roasted herbs, incense, dark spices, mussels and a balsamic tinge. An admirably fine dollop of tannins on the palate, which are immaculate and juicy, as they thoroughly dunk into the black fruit, melting into a persistent finish that lasts for over a minute. Very impressive. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 96 Points

Alain Jaume Domaine du Clos de Sixte Lirac is made from 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre

An intense red garnet color. On the nose, aromas of red and black ripe fruit (kirsch and wild blackberry). The mouth is full, with aromas of blackcurrant liqueur and spice. Tannins are both harmonious and elegant thanks to the fleshiness of the wine. Hints of licorice and vanilla on the finish, which gives the wine length and complexity.

Soil type LIRAC vineyard is facing Chateauneuf du Pape, opposite side of the Rhône river. As showed by the picture and following geologist George Truc, soils are almost similar in both side. They are marked by the violence wrought by the Rhone river. It consists of a layer of marine molasses of the Miocene period covered by alpine alluvium. The presence of a great number of rounded stones known as "galets" in the earth is evidence of the time when the Rhone, then a torrent, tore fragments of rock from the Alps and deposited them on the plain. LIRAC is one of the up-coming best area from the southern Rhône valley, as it delivers outstanding wines. Winemaking & ageing Traditional wine-making in stainless still vats. Hand sorted bunches, crushed and destemmed grapes. Fermentation temperature : 30°C. 18 days of vatting with pigeages.

Ancien Pinot Noir Russian River Jouissance is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Jouissance is sourced from the single vineyard established and farmed by Mark Lingenfelder at his home estate.  Mark’s decades of experience as a vineyard manager and consulting viticulturalist have provided him the depth of experience to reach the pinnacle at his own property.  Having worked with storied wineries over the years, we are grateful our paths have crossed enabling us to work with him for our Russian River designate.  He tends the vines himself while relying on neighbor Lee Martinelli to provide additional help at the peak times.  We work with a mix of Pommard and Dijon 667 vines from his oldest and youngest blocks – aged wisdom combines with youthful vigor!

The 2021 growing season was a welcome success after a more varied and challenging 2020.  The vines came on with aplomb, demonstrating the rich fruit concentration we expect – even if the crop was meager.  The ongoing drought in California served to further accentuate the character and concentration of the fruit.  While warmer conditions have prevailed in other areas, the coastal areas of California continue to benefit from the maritime influence and moderating influence that it brings.

We fermented in our one ton, open-top tanks after filling by gravity.  A warm fermentation with a combination of native and isolated Burgundian yeasts produced excellent and focused flavor extraction, complemented with traditional punch-downs by hand. The wine was aged entirely in Francois Freres cooperage, 40% new, and racked once, gently, prior to bottling.  Grapes, must, and wines were moved using gravity through to the barrel and using inert gas through racking and bottling.   151 cases produced.

Bright fruit notes dominate the aromas with bright cherry, plum, and boysenberry underlaid by allspice and clove.  On the palate the wine is liquid velvet, it’s silkiness segueing into a burst of fruit and spice that rides high on the palate while gradually opening to deeper berry, tea, and baking spices.  It is a refreshing and lively Pinot Noir in its youth that will continue to fill out in depth and complexity over the next 2-5 years.