Domaine du Colombier Hermitage Rouge is made from 100 percent Syrah. 

Perfect with beef ribs, grilled meats and cheese.

Manually harvested with destemmed grapes and fermented for about 2 to 3 weeks in temperature controlled vats, with an ageing period of 12 months, 65% in oak barrels and 35% in concrete tanks.

Review:

Brought up in 30% new demi-muids, with the balance in used barrels, the 2017 Hermitage is beautifully pure and layered, with smoking good notes of crème de cassis, white flowers, crushed rocks, and violets. Deep, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has plenty of tannins and is going to need 5-7 years of bottle age. This is a sensational Hermitage from Colombier that will drink well for 25+ years.

These wines are made by the talented Florent Viale and shine for their purity as well as character. While the winemaking here is traditional, with the wines destemmed and brought up mostly in used demi-muids, the purity of fruit can give the impression that wines are more modern styled than they are. They will all benefit from short-term cellaring.

-Jeb Dunnuck 96+ Points

Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

A lovely, brilliant crimson color. A very earthy Nuits nose with some vanilla bean, too. On the palate, smoky, velvet-textured fruit without any tannin, but acids take their place, so the wine is nicely balanced. Not heavy, but a very elegant Pinot expression at the end.

Review:

Exotic scents of violet, raspberry and wild cherry mark this juicy red. Vivid and fruity, yet backed by a baseline of firm tannins. Shows fine balance and a lingering aftertaste of red berries and mineral. Best from 2022 through 2038.

-Wine Spectator 93 Points

Domaine Jean Grivot Echezeaux Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Domaine Jean Grivot is among the great names in Burgundian wine. Étienne Grivot and his wife Marielle took over from Étienne’s father Jean Grivot in 1987. The vineyards are densely planted and farmed organically “sans certification” while the aim in the cellar is for balance and clear expression of terroir.

Jean Grivot’s 15.5 hectares spread across 22 appellations with vineyards in the communes of Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Besides the three grand crus, there are 8 premier crus including the much lauded Les Beaux Monts and Suchots in Vosne-Romanée. The grapes are completely de-stemmed and fermentation is spontaneous.

About the Vineyard:

Echézeaux grand cru is a large vineyard of 38 hectares divided into 11 individual climats. Grivot’s parcel is in the climat of Les Cruots and lies at the southern end of Echézeaux near the premier cru of Les Suchots. A good Echézeaux should have rich fruit, considerable earthiness, and be very complete on the palate.

Tasting Notes:

The wine shows aromas and flavors of red berries, herbs, and purple flowers. The palate is rich with ripe fruit and medium weight with bright acidity and fine tannins. Aging in 40-70% new Burgundian pièce brings notes of vanilla, toast, and baking spices.

Food Pairing:

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.

Review:

A very elegant expression of Echezeaux, with a velvety black plum and rose petal fruit. There is a lovely freshness and so much finesse that the tannin and structure might surprise you at the end. This has the substance to age for decades. Produced from a 0.84ha parcel in Cruots next to Comte Liger-Belair. The vines were planted in 1954 and the destemmed fruit was gently fermented.

-Wine Spectator 97 Points

Domaine Jean Grivot Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Aux Boudots is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Domaine Jean Grivot is among the great names in Burgundian wine. Étienne Grivot and his wife Marielle took over from Étienne’s father Jean Grivot in 1987. The vineyards are densely planted and farmed organically “sans certification” while the aim in the cellar is for balance and clear expression of terroir.

Jean Grivot’s 38.3 acres spread across 22 appellations with vineyards in the communes of Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Besides the three grand crus, there are 8 premier crus including the much lauded Les Beaux Monts and Suchots in Vosne-Romanée. The grapes are completely de-stemmed and fermentation is spontaneous.

Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Boudots 1er cru lies in the “Zone Vosnoise” or northern end of Nuits-Saint-Georges just below Les Damodes. It borders Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts 1er just to its north. Its position slightly lower on the slope with deep soil full of pebbles results in a richer and fuller wine.

The grapes are destemmed and maceration à froid usually lasts just a day or two. The alcoholic fermentation is spontaneous and malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel. Depending on the vintage, the proportion of new oak is around 30-60% for the premier crus. 

The wine shows aromas and flavors of red berries, herbs, and purple flowers. The palate is rich with ripe fruit and medium weight with bright acidity and fine tannins. Aging in 30-60% new Burgundian pièce brings notes of vanilla, toast, and baking spices.

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.

Reviews:

‘The 2020 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Boudots Ter Cru has the best aromatics among Grivat Nuits Saint-Georges with very well defined red berry fruit, briary and lignt sous-bois aromas. The palate is medium-badied with fine-grain tannins, slightly savory on the entry, fresh and saline on the finish. This has real verve and class, though it will benefit from time in bottle

-Vinous 93-95 Points

A wine with the substance and structure to support the generous lashings of new oak used for maturation, and the overall effect is elegant and classic in style. Aux Boudots, where Grivot has 0.85ha, is at the northern edge of Nuits, just over the border from Vosne-Romanée Malconsorts. They began to pick on the 3rd of September – Etienne specified that they are very particular that the tannins are ripe and do what they can to prolong the vegetative cycle. Still, the grapes were picked with an entirely correct pH of around 3.4.

-Decanter 94 Points

Domaine Meo-Camuzet Corton Les Perrieres Grand Cru 2020

Review:

One of the highlights of the range this year is the 2020 Corton Grand Cru Les Perrières, a vibrant, mineral wine evocative of wild berries, forest floor, rich spices and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and vibrant, with beautifully refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish, it's well worth seeking out.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 93-95+ Points

G.D. Vajra Freisa 'Kye' Langhe Rosso  is made from 100% Freisa.

DESCRIPTION: In 2004, Freisa was discovered to be the closest relative to Nebbiolo, thus explaining the deep bond this variety has with Piemonte and its people. With a noble profile and similar characteristics to the Nebbiolo, we have been bottling a dry Langhe DOC Freisa ever since 1989. Kyé means ‘who is?’ and represents the surprise for this indigenous and forgotten grape.

VINEYARD AND TERROIR: Estate vineyards, the oldest located in San Ponzio, on the lower west border of Bricco delle Viole. This is the closest vineyard to the winery, and a selezione massale planted by Aldo in 1980.

GROWING: In 1971, Aldo Vaira was one of the earliest adopters of organic farming in Piemonte. Vineyards have been nurtured and soil preserved by grassing and cover crop for almost 50 years now. With an incredible ratio of manual work per hectare, farming at Vajra is a labor of love and “recipe-free” attention. Intense research is also placed into monitoring and improving the biodiversity of both flora and fauna not just in the vineyards, but also in the winery fields and forests. The winery is sustainably certified (UNI EN 11233:2009) and will be again fully organic certified since 2019.

Langhe DOC Freisa Kyè displays a beautiful, translucent garnet color. The aromatics are a combination of redcurrant and wild mountain berries, layered with a touch of sweet spices, fresh leather, and candied japonica prune. The mouth is juicy, succulent, with lots -yet never hefty- tannins. There is a beautiful structure in this vintage and a lovely, lovely finish.

Review:

‘The 2018 Langhe Freisa Kyé is quite refined in this vintage and yet it also shows all of the aromatic nuance and complexity that are such signatures of this variety and wine. Dried herbs, rose petal, lavender, mint and spice lend exotic nuance to this deep, beautifully layered Freisa. The Kyé is one of the sleepers of Piedmont's 2018 vintage. It is, quite frankly, ‘as good or better than some Barolos in this tricky vintage. ~- Antonio Galloni

-Vinous 93 Points

Gaja Ca'Marcanda 'Camarcanda' Bolgheri is made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon & 30% Cabernet Franc .

Color : Deep garnet.Aroma : Initial aromas evoke violet, cassis, dark licorice and a spicy note of black pepper, leading to undertones of aromatic herbs, incense, dried rose petals, clove and cedar.Taste : Sleek and intense on entry with elegant herbal, light black pepper and cassis flavors on the mid palate.

Review:

After Bolgheri’s torrid and parched 2017 growing season, more moder-ate conditions in 2018 brought the vines and their wines shimmering to life. All of the wines at Ca’Marcanda fermented spontaneously in 2018, which Gaia Gaja attributes to the balance in the musts. This wine, a blend of cabernets sauvignon and franc, is taut and energetic, its flavors of crunchy plum and blackberry laced with notes of licorice, tobacco and graphite.

-Wine & Spirits 96 Points

The Ca' Marcanda estate does not make a Bolgheri Superiore, although this bottle would qualify as such. The 2018 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and you definitely feel those full-throttle varietal aromas with big intensity and clarity. Spicy greenness comes forward as grilled rosemary and lavender essence, but the wine boasts nice depth and dimension, and enough textual richness to smooth it all out. This was a slightly cooler vintage with some sporadic rain showers throughout the summer. These conditions might explain the sharper side of those Cabernet aromas. As the wine moves over the palate, it reveals more substantial aromas of black fruit, spice and baker's chocolate. This vintage is slightly thinner than the hot 2017 expression before it and the classic 2016. However, this wine should certainly play forward positively in terms of its aging potential.

-Wine Advocate 95 Points

Dense and fluid at once, this red delivers plum, black cherry, licorice, olive, bay leaf and spice flavors. Ripe and balanced, with a lingering, spicy, tobacco-tinged aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2033. 1,500 cases made, 225 cases imported. — BS

-Wine Spectator 95 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.

Gimenez Mendez Alta Reserva Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc. 

Gimenez Mendez Sauvignon Blanc shows a very pale hue, almost crystal clear in color. Intense and herbal bouquet in harmony with fruity notes of guava and green apple, mango and maracuja. The wine is full and ample on the palate with a very firm structure. Dry, crisp and lively in the mouth.

Sauvignon blanc grapes are hand harvested very early during some mornings of February. Banches are destemmed and delicately crushed. With a quick press, fresh and very aromatic juice are obtained. Juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks during 15 days at controlled low temperatures, between 14 to 16 °C .Once fermentation is finished lees are kept and stirred for 1 month to get a creamy texture. Then a carefully clarification is necessary. The wine is filtered and stabilized without cold, and finally bottled to keep the freshness. No oak.

Ideal to serve with very spicy seafood, sushi or salads, as well as white meats with sweet-sour sauces, paté. Serve chilled.

Review:

An un-oaked white that shines with green herbs, grapefruit zest, pea tendrils and superb acidity. It shows exotic floral notes with a steely middle. A pop of nectarine on the finish adds to its crystal clean clarity.

Tasting Panel 91 Points

In 1996, building on their tradition of excellence established at Duckhorn Vineyards, and their growing love of Pinot Noir, Dan and Margaret Duckhorn came to Anderson Valley to found Goldeneye. Anderson Valley has since earned acclaim as one of the world’s greatest Pinot Noir regions. Representing the pinnacle of our winemaking portfolio, Ten Degrees is made from only our finest lots, making it a Pinot Noir of unparalleled grace and grandeur.

Reviews:

From the best lots on the Golden- eye Estate, this wine aged in French oak for 16 months. Scents of wild cherry and sage are off the charts. Undeniable vibrancy, generous fruit, and floral notes create a mael- strom of flavor and texture that complements the wine's intensely high energy. Earthy, salty notes manifest in a kiss of soil, balsamic, cinnamon, and cedar.

-Tasting Panel 96 Points

A beautiful blend of the best barrels of all the single vineyards and it shows wonderful complexity and thoughtfulness. Layered and complete, giving you so much flavor and deliciousness.

-James Suckling 96 Points

Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Le Miocene is made from 60% Clairette, 40% Roussanne

Pale yellow colour with hints of green, aromas of white flowers (may blossom, honeysuckle).
The palate is pleasantly balanced between liveliness and roundness, which brings out characteristics of dried apricot, honey and elderberry. A Châteauneuf du Pape white displaying a great finesse.

Best between 1 and 8 years.

Soil type Coming from the single vineyard named “La Fontaine”, the plot is facing north.It is made of clay-sand and limestone. Thanks to the northern orientation, it is always very well aired. This sector allow the Roussane and Clairette to mature in great conditions without losing freshness, which we believe is key point. Winemaking & ageing Whole-bunch pressing. Vinification in stainless-steel tanks. Fermentation temperature controlled at 15°C.

Review:

"The classic white from this estate is the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Le Miocene Blanc, and it shines in the vintage. Based on 60% Clairette and 40% Roussanne, it has a lighter gold hue as well as textbook aromatics of citrus, pears, and minty herbs. I love its balance, it’s medium-bodied, has the vintage’s fresher style, and outstanding length. It should evolve gracefully, and while the safe bet is to enjoy bottles over the coming 2-4 years, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this evolve for well over a decade."

- Jeb Dunnuck (November 2022), 92 pts

Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Le Miocene is made from 60% Clairette, 40% Roussanne

Pale yellow colour with hints of green, aromas of white flowers (may blossom, honeysuckle).
The palate is pleasantly balanced between liveliness and roundness, which brings out characteristics of dried apricot, honey and elderberry. A Châteauneuf du Pape white displaying a great finesse.

Best between 1 and 8 years.

Soil type Coming from the single vineyard named “La Fontaine”, the plot is facing north.It is made of clay-sand and limestone. Thanks to the northern orientation, it is always very well aired. This sector allow the Roussane and Clairette to mature in great conditions without losing freshness, which we believe is key point. Winemaking & ageing Whole-bunch pressing. Vinification in stainless-steel tanks. Fermentation temperature controlled at 15°C.

These are Magnum bottles!

Grand Veneur Chateauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is made from 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah

Matured in concrete vats (40%) and oak casks (60%)

It boasts an inky/purple color in addition to a gorgeous perfume of crushed rocks, jammy black fruits, charcoal and graphite. Blackberry aroma with an air of dates pressed in alongside – this is sweet-noted. It is easy to appreciate, a sleek and stylish start. The palate holds excellent fruit that runs well and has kick. Its tannins move round freely and a minted finale comes forward. Its dark fruit is tasty, darkens on the finish, where tar and char from its oak enter. It is all very much together, a bundle of harmony, and will gain local attributes as it ages.
An outstanding Chateauneuf du Pape which display the best of its terroir.

The vines are 50 to 100+ year old. They are planted on red clay soils covered with pebble stones.

Harvest is destemmed and crushed. Fermentation temperature is controlled at 30°C. Vatting period of 18 to 20 days. Matured in concrete vats (40%) and oak casks (60%).

The vineyards are located in the north of Châteauneuf du Pape. GRAND VENEUR «Vieilles Vignes» cuvee is produced from the older vines. Thanks to time and an organic growing, roots go very deep in the soil. Yields are naturally low and grapes highly concentrated.
The vines are 50 to 100+ year old. They are planted on red clay soils covered with pebble stones.

Winemaking and aging
Harvest is destemmed and crushed. Fermentation temperature is controlled at 30°C. Vatting period of 18 to 20 days. Matured in concrete vats (40%) and oak casks (60%).

Pair with venisson, duck, braised lamb or strong cheese.

Review:

"Up with the crème de la crème of the vintage, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a bigger, richer wine than the Les Origines cuvée and has a beautiful core of smoked black fruits, candied violets, peppery garrigue, and scorched earth-like aromas and flavors. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it’s flawlessly balanced and has terrific tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a great finish. It certainly shows the more front end-loaded, fleshy, mildly concentrated style of the 2018 vintage, yet the balance is top-notch, and it’s just a thrill to drink today. It should evolve nicely for 10-15 years."

- Jeb Dunnuck (October 2020),96 pts

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

THIS IS A MAGNUM OFFER

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

Beautifully expressive, with yellow fruits, orange blossom, smoke & flint. Thick and saline on entry, then seriously deep in the mid-palate, with suggestions of exotic fruits perfectly countered by strong minerality. This wine strikes a perfect balance between sweet and salty elements, and it shows vibrant acidity. It boasts a thickness that few other northern Mâconnais can match.

Enjoy with fish (such as sole meuniere), seafood, roasted chicken, goat cheese.

Review:

"The 2018 Viré-Clessé Quintaine is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with a lovely bouquet of honeyed citrus fruit, fresh pastry and orange blossom. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and supple, it's elegantly textural and refined, with a fragrant core of fruit and a long, penetrating finish. Even though it will reward a bit of bottle age, it's slightly finer-boned than the more concentrated, muscular 2017, so I would opt to drink this immensely charming wine before its older sibling. – William Kelley"

- The Wine Advocate (Issue 249, June 30th 2020), 93 pts

Hightower Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain is made from 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot.

As Hightower Cellars' signature wine, Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Red Mountain wine – bold and full of the flavors that make this region so special. As much as possible, Tim and Kelly Hightower take a non-interventionist approach to winemaking. They place great emphasis on vineyard selection, picking, pressing, and blending so that Hightower wines are naturally beautiful and free from pretense. They let the powerful and concentrated fruit from Red Mountain speak for itself. The result is a collection of well-balanced, nuanced wines that reveal something new and interesting each time you open a bottle.

Aromas of tart blueberry and lush red cherry dominate the nose, while firm tannins and full body lend structure to this inky, pigmented wine. The palate features notes of dark fruit, fresh cut wood, and dried tobacco. This wine is an excellent candidate for decanting, as the aromas evolve wonderfully over time to express softer, lush fruit and hints of herbs and spices.

Red Mountain AVA 100% (Hightower Estate Vineyard 56%, E&E Shaw Vineyard 44%)
New Oak 71%, Neutral Oak 29% (American 67%, French 11%, European 11%, Hungarian 11%)
Un-fined and un-filtered

Pairs with grilled red meat, fig and olive tapenade, bacon wrapped dates.

Paysan Sauvignon Blanc Zabala Vineyard is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Paysan Sauvignon Blanc comes from Zabala Vineyard - located on a large holding on the Arroyo Seco floodplains that was part of land granted to the Zabala family before California’s statehood. It was first planted in the 1970s and has grown to encompass over 1000 acres. Zabala Vineyard is one of the rockiest vineyard I Brand works with, full of what is locally known as ‘Greenfield Potatoes’, which are the rather inedible round river stones that dominate the soil and have been collected into piles and walls at every property in the basin. This vineyard is located directly in the path of the daily Salinas Valley winds, which control sugar development and retain natural acidity. Certified organic grapes.

Tasting Notes: Light-bodied. Aromatic explosion on the nose. Lime, gooseberry, green melon, grapefruit, white peach, passion fruit. Crisp, tart, clean with bright acidity on the palate. Neutral oak ageing provides subtle creaminess, while still exhibiting trademark green notes.

I Brand Melon de Bourgogne Chalone  is made from Melon de Bourgogne.

The Graff Family began working in Chalone in the early 60s, with Dick Graff as the driving force behind the Chalone Vineyard, building, with the support of his brothers and a gaggle of stockholders, the original 1919 planting to international fame. After selling the Chalone group and Dick’s untimely death in a plane crash, the family’s land holdings have shrunk progressively to just this 160 acre parcel, owned by Dave Graff and his children. On those 160 acres is a small 3 acre vineyard planted in 1989 to Syrah, Mourvédre and Melon de Bourgogne. The site has depleted, granitic soils. The Melon de Bourgogne in Chalone was originally thought to be Pinot Blanc. Dick Graff distributed cuttings of these vines as far as Oregon. In the 1970s, a visiting ampelographer correctly identified the vines as Melon de Bourgogne. These vines were selected from the older ‘Pinot Blanc’ planting and can legally be labeled as either (but we like accuracy).

The wine comes from a tiny parcel of 30+ year old Melon planted on depleted granitic soils. The warm days and cold nights of the Chalone AVA produce a perfect balance of concentration and acidity, which Ian Brand amplifies with a few days of skin contact. The pure aromas of light peach, pear and gardenia are slightly toasty on the nose. The palate is defined by lemon-skin and grapefruit-pith grip, with a touch of baked apple in the midpalate.

Inglenook Rubicon is made from 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot

Since its inaugural vintage in 1978, Rubicon has been the Estate's premier red wine, reflecting the soul of the property and expressing Francis Coppola's wish to create a Bordeaux-styled grand wine, that is, "a wine that can please contemporary taste, but with a historical aspect [that defines] our vineyards at their zenith."

Rubicon was named after the small river crossed by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C., declaring his intention to gain control of Rome, thereby launching a civil war among opposing factions. Over time the phrase "crossing the Rubicon" has come to signify any irreversible action with revolutionary intent or the outcome of which holds great risk. True to its uncommon depth, Inglenook's Rubicon continues to be a testament to the finely tuned rendering of a risk well-taken.

 Strikingly rich in color and extract, the 2018 Rubicon is unquestionably a precocious, hedonistic wine. The exotic, well-knit aromas and flavors include ripe cassis, allspice, star anise, vanilla and black licorice. Upon entry, this full-bodied wine envelops the palate with its luxurious concentration and supple, silky tannins, supported by vibrant freshness from the balanced acidity, and perfectly-integrated French oak. Very long and expansive in the finish, the 2018 Rubicon will be memorable for decades to come.

Review:

Subtle and complex red with blackberry, black truffle, sweet tobacco and mahogany. Highlights of lavender and violets. Full-bodied and very tight with finesse and tension. Very polished, fine tannins. Long finish. Delicious already, but best after 2022.

-James Suckling 97 Points

J Lohr Signature Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon 6% Cabernet Franc 6% Saint Macaire 4% Petit Verdot 4% Malbec.

J. Lohr Signature Cabernet Sauvignon was first produced to honor the 80th birthday of founder Jerry Lohr. This limited release was specially selected and blended from the exceptional 2016 vintage in Paso Robles. It is both a tribute to Jerry's pioneering efforts in the region and our red wine portfolio's ultimate expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. VINEYARDS & CELLAR Beck Vineyard, in the Creston District of Paso Robles, is a unique, high elevation site that sits at 1,700 feet above the early morning fog line. Its calcareous soils and cooling afternoon winds are perfect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet from this vineyard ripens early with excellent color, purity of fruit, and phenolic maturity. Incorporation of Cabernet Franc brings freshness to the blend, while the rare Bordeaux variety, Saint Macaire, brings density and a savory character. Petit Verdot and Malbec add structure, color, and a component of bright fruit. The hand-harvested grapes were held separate at harvest and berry-sorted into six-ton open top tanks for fermentation. Maceration took place on the skins for five days, before early pressing to achieve ideal tannin extraction. Aged 19 months in 100% new French oak from coopers Nadalie and Sylvain.

Review:

J. Lohr Cuvee St. E  is made from  80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2016 J. Lohr Cuvée St. E captures the ripe but savory side of the Bordeaux varieties. This wine is dark in color with a bright garnet hue. Aromas of red currant, coffee bean and dark chocolate lead to a palate of ripe plum and cassis. Tightly wound tannins are typical in Cabernet Franc and present the greatest reward after a few years of bottle age.

A perfect pairing for filet mignon with a shallot cream sauce or Osso Bucco (braised veal shanks) over a bed of polenta.

Review:

Strong aromas of black cherry, toasted oak, caramel, vanilla, charred coffee bean and milk chocolate make for a heavy nose in this blend. Blackberry and dry elderberry flavors are framed by firm tannins and asphalt on the palate.

-Wine Enthusiast 92 Points

-Decanter 92 Points