Gimenez Mendez Alta Reserva Petit Verdot is made from 100% Petit Verdot.
The wine comes from Las Brujas vineyard located 35 km from the Río de la Plata. The breezes of the Atlantic Ocean refresh the vines permanently thanks to the flat topography of the South of Uruguay.
Intense purple in color, Alta Reserva Petit Verdot offers aromas of dried fruits, ripe plums, spicy notes of white pepper and vanilla. In the mouth it is powerful and refined, with elegant and firm tannins. It is a wine with great personality and expression of the Uruguayan climate and terroir.
Pairing:
Meat: Lamb stew, Lamb Chops, Lamb Kabobs, Roasted Pork, Barbecue Beef Short Ribs, Ground Beef Burgers, Iranian Beryooni, Mexican Adobo, Beef with Mole, Chinese Barbecue Pork
Vegetable: Portabello Mushroom, Black Lentils, Truffle, Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Hazelnut, Black Olives, Eggplant,
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:
Gimenez Mendez Alta Reserva Tannat is made from 100 percent Tannat.
The wine is 100% Tannat, intense, smooth yet powerful and elegant with ripe red fruits on the nose, perfect acidity and balanced tannins in the mouth. An easy drinking and food-friendly wine. Tannat is considered as one of the “healthiest” red wine grapes, thanks to much higher levels of antioxidants. Enjoy this wine - a unique style from the South Atlantic.
Hand harvest and hand selection, destemming and crushing . Pre fermentation maceration at low temperature during 6 days. Delicate and slow fermentation with selected yeast between 18 to 25 C during 12 to 15 days. Post maceration during 8 days. American and French oak aging during 9 months. Finally a blend is produced with wines of the same variety obtained from different plots to achieve the GIMENEZ MENDEZ Alta Reserva profile.
Pairs well with roasted red meats (parrilla-asado), pastas and well-seasoned cheeses. Ideal with lamb. Also very enjoyable with desserts and chocolate.
Review:
"Blackberries, roasted meaty spices and some red fruit, too. A textured, medium-to full-bodied red with tight but polished tannins and good length. Drink now."
- James Suckling (May 2022), 91 pts
Grand Veneur Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge Les Origines is made from 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah
Matured in vats (grenache) and in oak casks (syrah and mourvèdre).
Deep and brilliant, purple-red colour. An exciting nose with aromas of black fruit (blackcurrant, cherry) spices and vanilla. This great aromatic complexity is found on the palate : the spices and ripe fruit appear with an elegant woodiness and harmonious tannins. The finish has good aromatic length and introduces a touch of liquorice and pepper.
A terrific Châteauneuf du Pape with great concentration and finesse.
Best between 2 and 20 years. Best to decant if young (less than 5 years old).
Soil type Extreme north of Châteauneuf du Pape. This plateau is made with a high quantity of red clay mixed with rocks. This area is considerated to be one of the best to produce rich and powerful red wines. By definition, LES ORIGINES will always deliver a great complexity and ageing potential. Winemaking & ageing Harvest is sorted by hand, destemmed and crushed. Fermentation temperature is controlled at 30°C. Vatting period of 18 to 20 days. Matured in vats (grenache) and in oak casks (syrah and mourvèdre).
Review:
"The huge nose of violet pastilles, mulberries, smoked bacon and a touch of hot asphalt pulls you into this expansive but beautifully balanced Chateauneuf that’s packed with fine, powdery tannin. So much bitter-chocolate character, but this exactly matches the deep fruit and, at the long crescendo finish, there are fascinating balsamic and hot dry-earth touches. Drinkable now, but best from 2025."
- James Suckling (March 2022), 94 pts
Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone Rouge Reserve is made from 60% Grenache Noir, 35% Syrah and 5% Cinsault.
The colour is purple-tinged garnet.The aromatic range of the nose goes from fresh berries (wild raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry) to spices.The palate is big and full-flavoured, with silky-smooth tannins and aromas of the fruit already mentioned. The finish introduces touches of liquorice and pepper. A Côtes du Rhône with great complexity for an every day drinking.
A classic Rhône to drink between 1 and 4 years.
Review:
"A juicy red-fruited wine, this has interesting edges of green olive and clove. The silky texture and crisp acidity help the palate glide between ripe fruits, savory and mineral elements. Delicious. - Anna-Christina Cabrales"
- Wine Enthusiast (October 2023), 92 pts
Green & Social Rueda Organic Tempranillo is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.
The launch of green & social is a step forward in pursuit of the sustainability by Cuatro Rayas and the starting point of new environmental initiatives in support of the social economy that the Cooperative launched. Lightweight recycled glass to reduce emissions. Aluminum capsule free of plastics and 100% recyclable. Sugar cane cap with zero carbon footprint. The Green and Social Organic Tempranillo has a bright and clean, mid-depth ruby red color and purple hue. Intense aroma with hints of ripe berries. Soft and velvety on the plate, perfect balance between tannins and acidity, round and long finish.
Guillemot-Michel Vire Clesse (magnum) 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.
Halter Ranch Vineyard Ancestor Estate Reserve is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Malbec, 17% Petit Verdot,
Their flagship wine, Ancestor is their Bordeaux-style reserve blend, and an homage to the Ancestor Tree, the largest Coast Live Oak on record. The 2019 Ancestor showcases aromas of red currant and dark chocolate along with subtle hints of cinnamon and clove. The entry is soft and rich with layered flavors of blueberry, blackberry, and dark cherry. The mid- palate is thick and mouth coating with balanced acid. The finish is framed by integrated tannins and delicate flavors of caramel and truffle.
Pair with roasted meats, reduction sauces, and hearty stews.
Review:
Cabernet is more than half of this wine, with Petit Verdot and Malbec making up the rest. Rich and ripe with deep black plums and plenty of Christmas spice with just a touch of evergreen tips freshness. The palate is lushly fruited, rich with blackberry jam, chocolate and cherries and a touch of smoky cedar to finish. Rich, redolent fruits and dusty cocoa powder mark the finish deep and long-lasting. (CP)
-Decanter 91 Points
Harney Lane Chardonnay Home Ranch is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Fruit aromas of baked apple, ripe pear and pineapple are highlighted with pleasant notes of butterscotch, roasted nuts, honey and vanilla cream.
Sub-appellation : Mokelumne River
T.A. : 5.4g/L
pH : 3.71
R.S. : 0.3%
Pairs with , brown Butter Lobster, roasted Butternut Squash Pasta, creamy Risotto. Brie & Caramelized Onion Pizza
Harney Lane Zinfandel Home Ranch is made from 100 percent 95% Zinfandel and 5% Petite Sirah .
The Home Ranch Zinfandel showcases Lodi’s terroir with distinct character. Dark ruby in color, it offers fragrant aromas of brambly fruit, black cherry and raspberry jam, highlighted with a whisper of savory spices and white pepper. The harmonious, elegant tannins create a warm, plush mouthfeel and silky finish on this rich full bodied wine.
Sub-appellation : Mokelumne River
T.A. : 6g/L
pH : 3.73
R.S. : 0.16%
Pairs with:
Saucy Lasagna
Roasted Beet Salad with Chèvre
Korean Sweet Short Ribs
Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Dark crimson in color, with deep garnet hues. A concentrated array of aromas of mulberry, blackberry and dark plum indicate the richness to come, while savory and complex notes of charcuterie, cedar, sage and five spice tease the senses. Plush and velvety on the palate, the wine has intense fruit concentration with plum, red currant, blackberry and anise flavors, yet an enchantingly elegant and refined structure. Layers of silky tannins reveal the impressive depth of the wine before giving way to an incredibly long finish.
Review:
This has a very complex nose, offering so many facets of spices and fragrance with florals and orange peel, as well as crushed stones, ripe black cherries, blackberries and dark cherries, earth, chocolate and more. The intensity and power here is very tightly held and it has a build of such precise tannins, which carry very intense and assertively ripe blackberries, dark cherries, ripe plums and blueberries. So much on offer here. This has a very bold, intense feel. Exceptional vintage. One of their finest. Try from 2028.
-James Suckling 100 Points
Dark crimson in color, with deep garnet hues. A concentrated array of aromas of mulberry, blackberry and dark plum indicate the richness to come, while savory and complex notes of charcuterie, cedar, sage and five spice tease the senses. Plush and velvety on the palate, the wine has intense fruit concentration with plum, red currant, blackberry and anise flavors, yet an enchantingly elegant and refined structure. Layers of silky tannins reveal the impressive depth of the wine before giving way to an incredibly long finish.
Review:
A rather refined Hill of Grace with roasted meat, smoked meat, and juicy plums. Some mushroom and forest-flower character, too. It’s medium- to full-bodied, juicy and savory. Light white pepper at the end. Underlying finesse and elegance to this. The flavor does not go away. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 99 Points
Medium garnet with crimson hues. Intense and evocative aromas of briary black currant, blackberry, blueberry, Satsuma plum, with lifted notes of sage, bay leaf, crushed flowering herbs, black pepper, anise and hints of cedar. The palate is rich and complex with well-defined blackberry, mulberry, red plum and black currant fruit, layered with sage, black pepper and bay leaf, and carried by fine-grained, mature, velvety tannins for an almost endless finish.
Pair with Lamb Loin.
Review:
A juicy and savory red with plum, chocolate, hazelnut, and walnut aromas and flavors. Medium to full body and creamy tannins. Juicy and balanced. Meat and chocolate. Molé-like. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 96 Points
Hoopla Chardonnay Yountville is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Classic notes of fresh pineapple, ripe pear and Fuji apple greet the nose with a lovely warmth and creaminess in the mouth from aging sur-lie in tank without the introduction of oak. This mid-palate breadth yields to an open, clean and refreshing finish.
This wine is delicious with roast chicken and buttery mashed potatoes, fish tacos, Chinese chicken salad, lobster mac and cheese, triple crème Brie slathered on French baguette and salt & pepper flavored kettle-cooked potato chips.
Despite its relative youth, Zweigelt is actually an Austrian classic. This variety was created in 1922, when Dr. Fritz Zweigelt crossed two grapes - St Laurent and Blaufränkisch. Originally, it was intended for the new variety to be called Rotburger, referring to the place where it was born, Klosterneuburg. But this name never took hold, and instead, Zweigelt was named after the man who was the key in its development.
Today, Zweigelt is the most widely planted red variety in Austria, growing in nearly 9% of this country's vineyards. It is a robust grape, highly resistant to dryness, frost and various diseases.
The wine boasts a pale rosé color, it has plenty of fruity aromas, with red cherry and wild strawberry flavors. It is medium-bodied, but it still have a nice long and pleasant finish with a light cinnamon type of spice to it.
Only the best grapes are harvested with a lot of experience and know-how and further processed. The grapes are fermented directly gently pressed and cooled. The fermentation takes place exclusively in stainless steel tanks.
Perfectly at home on any picnic, delicious with fried chicken, and tames the heat when paired with spicy dishes. There is also a slight watermelon note that makes it perfect for spring and summer. A great pairing with barbecued shrimp.
Ibizkus White Tierra Ibiza is made from 90% Malvasia and 10% of other grape varietals (Macabeo, Muscat and Chardonnay).
With the Malvasia grape as the protagonist, Ibizkus white is an intense wine with its own personality. A straw yellow color with golden hus, it is medium-bodied, smooth, creamy and aromatic with citrus fruit, stone fruit and smoked fragrances. Silky on the palate with balanced acidity..
Vineyards on the west of the island bring density and fullness to the wine while the Cala Mastella vineyards add freshness.
Malvasia is grown on calcareous clay terraces in the San Mateo region and limestone rock slopes on a vineyard close to the sea at 180-metre altitude.
Review:
"Fragrant wine with a pot-pourri of flavors: apricot, hop flowers, cucumber skin and jasmine. Slightly spritzy. Would really shine with food perhaps.
- Decanter World Wine Awards, Silver Medal - 90 pts
Indwe Pinotage Coastal Region is made from 100 percent Pinotage.
Pinotage is a true South African grape variety, Our signature grape smilar to the Blue Crane being our national bird. Indwe Pinotage grapes are meticulously sourced from our grape producers along the Coastal region of the Western Cape ensuring complexity, depth and purity of fruit. The wine is layered with sweet cherry notes, and subtle hints of mocha and vanilla flavors.
Jean-Michel Sorbe Reuilly Blanc is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
The first nose is expressive and opens up to notes of acacia, citrus (lemon, grapefruit). Full on the palate with lovely freshness. This wine boasts nice balance and good length.
The vines are 15 to 20 years old and are located on the left bank of the Cher River, southwest of Quincy. This vineyard enjoys good exposure to the sun and overlies hillocks composed of sandy alluvial deposits and gravel dating back to the Quaternary Period. Each terroir is managed with minimal intervention in an environmentally friendly approach. Vinification: Slow pressing. Fermentation took place under controlled temperatures (18°C).The wine was aged on fine lees for a minimum of 4 months. It was filtered only once before being bottled.
Pair with crustaceans, asparagus, or goat's cheeses.
After pouring, allow the wine to breathe for a few moments in the glass before enjoying so that it may fully release all of its aromas.
Jean-Claude et Nicolas Fayolle Hermitage Rouge Donnieres is made from 100% Syrah.
Made from 40-year-old vines planted on granitic and rocky soils in the Lieu dit "Les Donnieres" at the bottom of the Hermitage's hill.
Intense inky ruby red color.
The wine has plenty to offer with red and black fruit aromas, as well as a good minerality.
The finish is very long, clean and juicy and offers a great spicy mouthfeel.
Soil is clay, silica and round pebbles.
Hand harvested in small crates. The grapes are then pumped into tanks (full cluster, not destemmed).
It will stay in this tank for 15 days for the skin contact maceration and the Alcoholic fermentation.
Tey will also use the "rack and return" technique (delestage).
Then the wine is transfered into neutral French Oak barrels where the wine will complete the Malo-Lactic fermentation.
Delicious with grilled red meat such as venison or lamb and most cheeses.
Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Jana is 100% Syrah.
Black raspberry aromas, licorice, sizzled bacon and smoke. Elegant and pure with depth and well-integrated tannins.
Jana is the name of Johann and Emmanuelle's daughter.
Manual harvest, selection of the grapes from the "Chaillot" parcel, full clusters, fermentation in tanks for 3 weeks, daily remontage and pigeage. Malolactic fermentation in oak barrels and aging on the lees for 12-18 months in barrels (new old barrels) The average age of the vines is 11 years. Yield: 25 hl/ha
Review:
"Dark purple. Highly perfumed, oak-spiced black and blue fruits, incense, vanilla and potpourri on the hugely perfumed nose, along with hints of licorice, smoked meat and mocha. Stains the palate with concentrated, spice-laced blueberry, cassis, cherry-vanilla and espresso flavors that turn sweeter as the wine opens up. Broad, polished tannins add shape to a strikingly long, smoke- and spice-driven finish that strongly echoes the floral and blue fruit notes. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2022), 97 pts
Joseph Drouhin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Producing communes: Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet.
Site: Bâtard-Montrachet straddles Puligny and Chassagne. It lies right below the famous Montrachet vineyard. Bâtard is one of the greatest white wines of the Côte de Beaune.
History & tradition: according to the often told story, the lord of Puligny in the Middle Ages divided his estate between his children: the eldest was the « chevalier » (knight), the daughters were the « pucelles » (young virgins) and the son born out of wedlock was the « bâtard ».
Soil: located on a mild slope, the soil is a brownish limestone mixed with gravel. The secret of this exceptional terroir comes from the unique interaction between the deep layers of limestone and the roots of the vines.
Tasting a wine of this stature is always cause for emotion. The golden colour has bright reflections. After some aeration, the aromas reveal their rich intensity: grilled bread, almond, honey, exotic wood...What is striking is the structure of the wine, its « monumental » grandeur. There is even a touch of tannin that provides an added dimension. A voluptuous finale, seemingly without end, with precious notes of preserved and ripe fruit..
Supply: this wine comes from grapes harvested on some parcels of the Drouhin Family Properties as well as from grapes and musts purchased from supply partners according to rigorous specifications.
Harvest: grapes harvested by hands in open-work crates. If necessary, a careful sorting is proceeded.
Vinification: slow pressing in a pneumatic press. The juice of the last press is separated from the free run-juice. The juice is transferred into wine barrel after a little settling.
Ageing: the alcoholic fermentation as the malolactic and the ageing are being processed in oak barrels. The proportion of new barrels is around 30%.
The ageing lasts between 18 to 21 months.
Origin of the wood: oak grown in French high forest.
Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation. The data obtained is completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.
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
M. Chapoutier Hermitage Monier de la Sizeranne is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
In Hermitage, Syrah achieves its noblest expression and La Sizeranne has become a benchmark wine for the region. M. Chapoutier's roots in the Rhône date back to 1808, when the family first settled in Tain l'Hermitage. The family purchased a winery owned by Comte Monier de la Sizeranne and over time, acquired a number of excellent vineyards, including some of the oldest in France. M. Chapoutier was the first winery to put Braille on a wine label in 1996. Maurice Monier de la Sizeranne was the owner of the plot of the Hermitage, la Sizeranne until he was blinded in a hunting accident and unable to take care of the land, choosing instead to sell to the Chapoutier family. Following his accident, Maurice became the inventor of the first version of abbreviated Braille, and Chapoutier included Braille on the wine labels as a tribute to his work.
he grapes ferment in open wooden vats after total destemming. Two daily treadings ensure a good extraction of the tannins. Maturation takes place in oak casks, of which one third is new. Several rackings permit a slow and natural clarification process. The wine is unfiltered and unfined.
Review:
I was blown away by the 2019 Hermitage Monier De La Sizeranne, and if there’s a best buy out there in 2019 Hermitage, this might be it. Blackberries, black raspberries, spice box, new leather, and bouquet garni all dominate the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied, with a round, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a rare mix of richness and elegance. It’s a stunning wine that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face over the coming 2+ decades. Hats off to the team at Chapoutier!
-Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points