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Rioja Royalty!

Available now are very limited amounts of the iconic and past #1 Wine of the Year from Marques De Murrieta Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2011.


Marqués de Murrieta´s foundation is linked to the origins of the Rioja wines since Luciano Murrieta produced in 1852 the first Rioja wine and was also the first one to export his wines. Luciano, appointed Marquis by the King Amadeo of Savoy thanks to his work in Rioja, travelled to Bordeaux to learn the winemaking techniques that he introduced later in Spain. He established the concept of “château” in the Ygay Estate where he built the emblematic Ygay Castle.

The result of many years of experience, a renowned historic label. An icon of the Rioja Grandes Reservas of total quality and excellence. Exclusively produced with the best years of our best single vineyard, matured for two and a half years in American oak barrels and three years in bottle that give this wine a new depth, complexity and vivacity. Living legend of Rioja which has survived three centuries, destined to break records for its surprising vivacity of intense cherry colour which gives an amazing complexity. Its nose exhibits an aromatic intensity which seduces us with its red fruits, floral notes of truffles, incense and spicy touches. It caresses the palate with a satin texture. A Gran Reserva that shows strength, elegant bouquet, fruity intensity and impeccable balance.

Castillo Ygay is always made from grapes sourced from La Plana single-vineyard, planted in 1950 and located on a plateau at the highest point of our Finca Ygay, at 485 metres above sea level.


Marques De Murrieta, Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Rioja 2011
$390+ tax

98 Points - James Suckling
Extremely well-mannered, traditional character to this, showing layer upon layer of savory complexity on the nose, with iron, dried meat, tobacco, balsamic fruit, dried red berries, orange peel, leather and dried mushrooms. A medium-to full-bodied, linear and zesty Rioja that’s full of nuanced flavors that linger through the very long, savory finish. Floral, too. Yet, it remains bright and precise. Tempranillo with 16% mazuelo.

97 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Deep violet-red to the eye, this wine has a nose of raspberry, white chocolate and juniper berry. Still youthful on the palate, it offers ever-present tannins supporting flavors of dark plum, black cherry, caramel and violet that slowly fade into a soft cherry-pie finish. Drink through 2042.

97 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2011 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial was produced with a blend of 84% Tempranillo and 16% Mazuelo (Cariñena) from a plot called La Plana that was planted in 1950 at 485 meters in altitude, the highest in the Ygay property. The grapes were picked between September 17 and 22, and the Mazuelo was later, on September 28. The bunches were destemmed and lightly crushed and put to ferment in stainless steel for 11 days with constant pump-overs and punch-downs. The Tempranillo matured for 28 months in American oak barrels and the Mazuelo for 28 months in French barriques. It's 14% alcohol and has a pH of 3.65 with 5.6 grams of acidity (measured in tartaric acid per liter). It's very tough to follow a vintage like 2010, and 2011 was not an easy year; the wine is possibly more powerful and concentrated but keeping the freshness, with a longer élevage but very young and lively, with an elegant texture and mouthfeel, great balance and elegance. The wine feels lively, and it seems impossible that it has been in bottle for over six years. It has the classical profile with the effect of the American oak barrels, cigar box, cedar wood, sweet spices—aromatic, intoxicating, complex. This should age very slowly and for a very long time. 131,668 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2016. No 2013, 2014 or 2015 will be produced. They have a 2012, and they will jump from that to 2016. The 2012 will be released in late 2023 or early 2024 and the 2016 in 2027 or 2028. Finger crossed...

95 Points - Vinous
Deep garnet. A highly perfumed, complex bouquet evokes red and blue fruits, incense, pipe tobacco, vanilla and mocha, along with smoky mineral and spice nuances that build in the glass. Sappy, palate-staining black raspberry, cherry compote, succulent herb, candied rose and vanilla flavors show excellent depth and clarity, while a spine of juicy acidity contributes cut and structure. Shows excellent energy and detail, finishing with strong persistence, repeating florality and velvety tannins that come in late.

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Baudry's Precious Chenin Blanc!


Unquestionably one of Chinon’s most outstanding producers: Bernard Baudry, in addition to being super talented, is also fortunate to have vineyards that showcase the varied soil types of the appellation.

 
Bernard Baudry took a leap of faith and started his domain in 1972 with a handkerchief size vineyard. Over the years, Monsieur Baudry thoughtfully and patiently acquired pieces of vineyards that gave distinctive expressions of Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc. Today, Bernard Baudry has one of the most treasured parcels of vineyards in Chinon. With his son Matthieu joining the domain in 2000, the operation remains a family affair. Bernard Baudry is in the village of Cravant-les-Coteaux in Chinon in the heart of Loire Valley, where Cabernet Franc found its finest expression. The vines are cultivated in harmony with nature without using synthetic chemical or herbicides. The harvest is by hand and only the indigenous yeasts are used. The wines are bottled unfiltered. Such practices are rare in the region nowadays.

Bernard Baudry is an icon of the French natural wine movement, eschewing oak and creating wines with intense minerality, terroir, and joie-de-vivre. His Chenin grapes come organically-farmed vines over clay-limestone soils, hand-picked and fermented with wild yeasts in cement. There's a brief maturation here (also in unlined cement vats), with no filtration occurring before bottling.
 
From a one hectare parcel behind the historical Chateau Sonnay, where the slope is clay with limestone and the exposure is south. Vines were planted here before the French Revolution. Raised in neutral barrels until the following June. A subtle kiss of oak from fermentation in 500-liter puncheons adds nuance and a fine grain. Baudry is among the Loire’s most reliable names for authentic, age-worthy reds produced via natural methods, and the same holds true for the domaine’s rare, precious chenin blanc. 

It's rare to find any white wine from the otherwise red territory of Chinon in the Loire Valley, let alone a Chenin Blanc of such outrageous deliciousness!
 
 

Bernard Baudry, Chinon Blanc 2021
$47+ tax
 
A rare white from an appellation of reds, Baudry’s Chinon Blanc is delightful with a Middle Eastern–spiced dish like roasted eggplant and curried yogurt. Outside-the-box ingredients such as black garlic and rose harissa or my colleague Caterina’s secret weapon, sumac, produce an umami pop when paired with the lush, waxy texture of the wine. Bold spices amp up its character rather than overpowering it, so have fun with it. - Emily Spillmann

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Quality & Value Champagne, Back in Stock!

Many of you who have purchased Chapelle INSTINCT Champagne from me in the past have been asking for more. Well, I'm happy to report that this fantastic value for money bubbly is back in stock!


The ''Cl. De la Chapelle'' Champagne brand 'was created in 1948 by winegrowers, who decided after World War II to join their forces with the goal of developing and highlighting their age-old activity. Now a group of 21 growers based in Villedommange, just south of Reims, a vineyard area covering nearly 30 hectares. The current members, all winemakers born to these families, are the heart and mind of this terroir and produce excellent Champagne for you in the finest tradition of Champagne region.
 
 
Clos de la Chapelle, Brut Instinct Premier Cru NV 
$55+ tax
 
From a small co-op of 21 growers based in Villedommange, just south of Reims. The Brut Instinct 1er Cru is 55% Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir & 15% Chardonnay. We love it for its soft mousse, great depth of flavour, good length and ability to drink everyday. Brilliant Premier Cru champagne. “Very pretty nose with mouth-filling fruit and delicate mousse. Nothing in excess… Just the sort of fizz you’d be thrilled with at a party” – Jancis Robinson.

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Burgundy Legend, Limited Quantities!

Pascal Clement was born in the village of Savigny-les-Beaune to a family of growers, where his father founded the Maison in 1950. After over 20 years as a grower and winemaker in the region – including his time at legendary Domaine Coche-Dury in Meursault - he launched his own micro-négoçiant project in 2012. The wines live in a stunning building built in 1850 with a splendid arched cellar, housing 200 barrels. Pascal works with fifteen farmers/vineyard owners with vineyard holdings across Burgundy, personally selecting and tending the plots he chooses to work with.
 
Pascal’s winemaking philosophy is very non-interventional. All the wines are fermented with native yeasts and undergo malolactic naturally (depending on vintage). In 2016, a “salty” year, the whites all completed malo while in 2015, Pascal chose to halt malolactic. The wines rest in barrel with no lees stirring/ bâtonnage. For reds, Pascal prefers Rousseau barrels and whites are in Damy, Billon, and François Frères. Recently, Pascal started moving to larger 500L casks for aging, finding better balance of wood to wine compared to the 225L Burgundy barrels he had been using.
 
From the cooler pocket of Narvaux, on white marl and limestone soils, this fuller wine has stunning ample cut, with tight green apple, crystalline lemon, and quartz chiseling through lemon curd and fresh hazelnuts on the streamline palate, finishing with ample salinity. This is such a pristine wine now, with focus atypical of the appellation, but which speaks to the site.



Pascal Clement, Meursault Les Narvaux 2017
$104 + tax
 
92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Meursault Les Narvaux is showing beautifully, offering up aromas of citrus oil and crisp Anjou pear mingled with hints of beeswax and fresh butter. Medium to full-bodied, satiny but incisive, it's elegantly textural, with terrific depth and tension at the core, underpinned a racy spine of acidity that carries through the penetrating finish.
 
92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
The nose on this wine promises creaminess, with subtle yeastiness. The palate has ease and creamy flow, presenting a lemony, cushioned and yeasty texture. Rounded and bright, the finish leaves a vivid impression of buttermilk.
 
2017 is an exceptional White Burgundy vintage. The Les Narvaux lieu-dit lies just above Les Genevrieres (Premier Cru) at the top of the Meursault hill towards the west. At 900 feet elevation, it is one of the highest vineyards in the village with a steep slope. The vines average 45 years old on shallow clay limestone soils with some chalk oriented to the south-east.

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Classic Pinot Noir From The Willamette Valley!

After not producing the Mt. Jefferson Cuvée in 2020 due to forest fires, Cristom has just released it's long awaited 2021 vintage and I have stock ready for you to order.

Cristom Vineyards was established in 1992 by the Gerrie family to grow and craft distinguished wines of place that honor individual sites and old-world techniques. Family owned thirty years later, they remain stewards of the east-facing volcanic hillside in the Eola-Amity Hills focused on growing benchmark Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
 
Bringing together biodynamic and organic farming methods, they farm the land with the next 100-years in mind. Their winegrowing centers on the philosophy that the greatest expression of terroir produces the finest wines. The cornerstone of our winemaking is rooted in traditional methods – site selection, low yields, whole-cluster fermentation and native yeasts – to produce balanced, dynamic wines of intensity, structure and length.
 
Mt. Jefferson Cuvée is a representation of the Cristom approach to winemaking from some of the finest vineyards in the Eola-Amity hills with a focus on fruit from the estate. With a focus on whole-clusters and native yeast, ‘Mt. Jeff’ is the foundation of the winery and flagship wine of their brand.
 
 

Cristom, Mt. Jefferson Pinot Noir 2021
$77+ tax
 
The 2021 Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir is crafted predominately from their renowned estate single vineyards - Eileen, Jessie, Louise, Marjorie and Paul Gerrie Vineyard - along with fruit from some of thier finest partner vineyards. The variety of sources imbues the Mt. Jeff (as it’s affectionately known) with unique characteristics due to the diverse volcanic soils, elevations, and aspects. With 30 years dedicated to whole cluster fermentations and native yeasts, they consider the Mt. Jefferson Cuvée the embodiment of Cristom’s respected winemaking style.
 
Aromatically the wine is red and blackberry driven, perfumed with fine vanilla cake, damp forest floor, and violets. On the palate, the wine is juicy and full, with perfectly ripened berry fruits, well-integrated tannins, and mulling spices.
 
The 2021 vintage may come to be defined by the near storybook ending to the growing season that allowed the vines to preserve fresh fruit characters in concentrated clusters and achieve greater balance in the wines in one of the driest years in company history. Overall, the 2021 vintage may reveal itself to be one of the greats of the last ten years.

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Uco Valley Malbec Only $26!

The Uco Valley is one of the more prestigious subzones of Mendoza, and one of the most dramatic. The vines are planted at exceptional altitudes, exposed to the sun but softened by the winds. The fruit here is powerful but full of freshness. Andeluna takes full advantage of the altitude - their 1300 Malbec is loaded with black plum and ripe dark cherries. There's violet and a meatiness to the wine as well, along with really complex flavours of tar, some gravelly tannins and a lick of oak. Rich and lingering.

It’s not difficult to get very, very excited indeed from the fine wines coming out of Argentina’s Mendoza region. There, you’ll find talented winemakers who’ve decided the sky is the only limit when it comes to quality, innovation, and the kind of excellence they can achieve through viticulture… and Andeluna Winery is among the best producers in Mendoza right now. In fact, this winery is so good, the world Sommelier Wine Awards named it ‘Producer of the Year’ in 2010, and other awards and recognitions have come thick and fast since then. Spearheaded by visionary winemaker Silvio Alberto in 2003, Andeluna was set up to explore the possibilities of the high altitude vineyards of Mendoza. Here, the air is thin, the soils are dry and loose, and the weather is unforgiving… but the grapes which grow do so in tiny yields, which offer up truly incredible flavours and aromas. When Alberto’s first vintage was released, it became clear to him that his mission was to bring the flavours of Mendoza to the world, and continuing exploring the incredible potential that his Malbec vines displayed so strongly. Over the past 15 years, Andeluna has grown from strength to strength, and continues to innovate with the land, the grapes, the climate, and the constantly evolving equipment and technology at Alberto’s disposal. Argentinian wine continues to ascend to ever-greater heights, and it’s wineries like this one providing the rocket fuel.
 
 

Andeluna 1300, Uco Valley Malbec 2020
$26+ tax 

91 Points - James Suckling 
Aromas of ripe blackberries, plums, blueberries, cloves and sweet tobacco. It’s medium-to full-bodied with sleek, fine tannins. Smooth and fruity with some refreshing, zesty notes. Drink or hold.
 
Vineyards: The grapes come from vineyards situated in Tupungato, Mendoza at over 1300 m.a.s.l. (4300 feet). This wine highlights the characteristics of the fruit as well as the typical identity of the Uco Valley Region. The vineyards are organically farmed. The grapes were harvested at just the right time, the aim of which is to highlight the freshness of the fruit and the intensity of their youth.
 
Winemaking: Careful manual selection of clusters. Pre-fermentative maceration at low temperatures. Fermentation by means of natural and selected yeasts in controlled stainless steel tanks with temperatures that oscillate at 79 °F (26 °C). The wine is in contact with French oak for a period of 3 months and then is cellared in bottles for a minimum of another 3 months.
 
Tasting Notes: Intense purple colour. Deep floral aroma, especially violets, and red fruits such as raspberries and strawberries. In the mouth, soft and high volume tannins, which give the wine a long and exquisite finish. In the mouth is fresh, smooth and balanced. Earthy cherry fruit with an strong oak presence. Youthful finish with hints of clove and vanilla.

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French Winter Whites, Only 6 of Each!

Often called one of the greatest producers of Chardonnay in Pouilly Fuissé, the wines from certified organic Domaine Barraud are now available. All of Barraud’s wines have their own character - from the fatty richness of the 'en Buland' to the mineral force of the ‘Les Crays’ – but quality is always the driving force. Decanter has often written about Barraud over the years, most recently ranking them the #2 producer in Pouilly Fuissé!
  

‘I have said this before, but I will say it again: no one makes better wine in the Mâconnais than Barraud. There are a few Domaines that produce wines that are sometimes just as good, but none of them surpasses the quality he consistently produces. If you aren’t familiar with the wines, you owe it to yourself and your pocketbook to check them out.' – Allen Meadows, Burghound


Lying in the shadow of the grand rock, ‘La Roche de Vergisson’, is one of the finest estates in all of Burgundy and unquestionably the master of Vergisson, Domaine Daniel et Julien Barraud. They are not only the source of Vergisson’s finest organic wines, but also set the standard for world-class Burgundy from the Mâconnais. With holdings in the best and oldest vineyards in the region, the wines are a PhD level course in top level Chardonnay. Theirs are wines that without fail can stand tall next to comparable bottles from the Côte d’Or, yet still offer extraordinary value.
 
The viticultural history of the Barraud family began in 1905, when Jean-Marie Barraud first purchased parcels in Vergisson, the highest point in the Mâconnais. Since that time, Daniel Barraud, along with his son Julien and wife Martine (the master of the vines), have turned his family’s Domaine into a benchmark producer of the region and a must-have for all Burgundy lovers. To back this up, the Domaine was ranked #2 by Decanter for Pouilly Fuissé producers!

Surrounded by the imposing cliffs of Solutré and Vergisson, the family estate is located in the limestone-rich valley of Vergisson. Soils here are a mix of limestone scree, fossilized limestone and colored clays, each terroir offering a particular character to each wine; the Barrauds take particular care to ensure each separate terroir is expressed clearly in each wine. Vines are cared for according to organic principles, and the estate is certified.

Harvest is done by hand in multiple passes to ensure grapes are perfectly ripe. Fruit is delicately pressed in cluster via pneumatic press. Juice is placed in temperature-controlled tanks to settle overnight and is then transferred via gravity to barrels where both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation takes place naturally. After 11 to 14 months, depending on the cuvée, the wines are racked and placed in tank before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.



Domaine Barraud Pouilly Fuissé ‘Les Crays’ 2019
$86+ tax (SOLD OUT)

  • 60+ year old vines, certified organic
  • Indigenous yeast fermentation
  • Matured 12 months in barrels (20% new wood) and 3 months in tanks after racking.
  • The wine is mineral, delicate and round. Aromas of crushed stones, jellied quince, citrus salad. Very mineral, precise, with a core of concentrated white fruit. One of Vergisson’s most concentrated crus as well as its most mineral and precise—both Montrachet and Meursault ‘Perrieres’ at once.
92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Pouilly-Fuisse Les Crays delivers a generous bouquet of citrus peel, buttery pastry, vanilla pod, smoke and yellow orchard fruit. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, it's bright and layered, with excellent concentration and a long, saline finish. Like all Barraud's 2019s, it's a powerful, muscular wine, but for now, everything is kept in check.


Domaine Barraud Pouilly Fuissé ‘En Buland’ 2019
$96+ tax (only 6 bottles available)
  • Situated on the hill side of the Rock of Solutrè, this parcel is exposed North Easterly.
  • 80-90 year old vines, certified organic
  • Matured 12 months in barrels (35% new wood) and remains three additional months in tanks after racking.
  • This Pouilly Fuissé offers powerful substance. Complex and sublte, it has an exceptional minerality. 
  • Aromas of lemon oil, crushed stones, wildflowers. Profoundly deep and complex; a great wine for the cellar. The last and slowest of Barraud’s vineyards to ripen, thus the added texture and concentration to the wine.
92 Points - Allen Meadows, Burghound
Ripe and fresh aromas of apricot, white peach and plenty of citrus influence are trimmed in noticeable but not invasive wood. Like the Sur la Roche, the big-bodied flavors are attractively textured, serious and powerful with excellent depth and persistence. This isn't quite as dense but it's even better balanced.
 
92 Points - Vinous
The 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé En Buland Vieilles Vignes has a very elegant and poised bouquet with Golden Delicious, honeysuckle and jasmine, touches of white peach in the background. The aromas are beautifully defined. The palate is well balanced with more concentration and weight than the Les Crays. It feels voluminous towards the waxy-textured finish with a long tail of ginger that lingers on the aftertaste. Superb.
 
92-95 Points - Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy 
"Planted in 1934 at high density (1m x 0.90 = 11,000 plants per hectare). This will not be classified as 1er cru, but is the Barraud’s favourite site and I cannot disagree with them. Cool nights here, but it is open to the east so enjoys the morning sun and does ripen well, typically ready for picking just after the halfway point of the vintage. This has a deep concentration of white fruit with a lively dancing thread of acidity right through the middle, full of the joys. Really fine long intense wine. Avoids heat and sucrosity. There is less of the vintage effect and great ageing potential here. Great wine!"
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Historic California Chardonnay!

The name Martin Ray resonates deeply in the history of California Winemaking. Martin Ray was a pioneer, dedicated to crafting single varietal, region specific wine from 1943 through 1972 in Saratoga, in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Mentored by Paul Masson, he took a burgundian approach to his winemaking, and developed what is now one of the most historical properties in California, known as Mount Eden.
 
Nearly twenty years later, Courtney Benham stumbled upon 1500 cases of Martin Ray wine in a San Jose warehouse. Recognizing his good fortune, and his intent and drive to produce terroir driven wines, Ray’s historical significance and philosophy resonated with him. Courtney purchased the brand, and since 1990 has been committed to the production of artisanal wines worthy of the Martin Ray name.
 
In 2003, Martin Ray Vineyards & Winery made its home in the Russian River Valley, on the edge of Green Valley at one of the oldest continually working wineries in California. Today, Courtney and his winemaking team devote themselves to Ray’s ideology of making “wines of place”. By sourcing from hillside vineyards, they are relentless at telling the story of each exceptional appellation and vineyard. The depth of the portfolio offers those seeking a unique experience the chance to explore some of the most revered appellations in California. From our 12 acre Estate, to the mountain regions of Santa Cruz and Napa, to the northern reaches of Dry Creek Valley and Sonoma Coast, there is an abundance of phenomenal growing regions, great farming, and meticulous detail to vintages.
 
In an effort to produce a wine that pays honorable tribute to the es- teemed AVA, we source our grapes from premium sites throughout the region. This blend includes several of the vineyards that have shown as standouts within the vast and rugged Sonoma Coast.
 
Each lot picked individually at peak ripeness. Gently pressed, cold-settled for two days, then racked to stainless and 20% new French oak barrels. Certain lots see inoculation, while others are natural yeast fermentations
 
 

Martin Ray, Sonoma Coast California Chardonnay 2020
$42+ tax (Sold Out)
 
The 2020 Martin Ray Sonoma Coast Chardonnay offers layers of juicy citrus, fresh pear, white flowers and apple skins Fresh and light with a touch of minerality, well-integrated oak and vanilla bean on the finish.
 
92 points James Suckling
Aromas of dried apples, lemon zest, smoked almonds, buttered toast and cloves. Medium-to full-bodied with fresh acidity and a tight, layered and focused palate. Excellent structure and energy. Drink now or hold.

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Exceptional Full Bodied Spanish Red!

Bodegas Nabal is the new project of the Navarro Balbás family who, after a long business career of more than 20 years as winemakers in Ribera del Duero and promoters of the creation of the D.O. Arlanza with its Lerma wines, have started this important project (Enotourism) in the historic heart of the D.O. Ribera del Duero Gumiel de Izán – Burgos.

The place where the Valley of NABAL is located is one of the most recognized for the quality of its wines from almost century-old vineyards. The family shows their preference for high quality and artisanal wines taking care of every detail, from the vineyard to the bottle.

History, tradition and vanguard united to shape a family dream that respects the origins and work of their elders.

With a perfect location between the villages of Gumiel de Izán and Villalbilla de Gumiel, at 850 meters, these vines were planted on trellis about 40 years ago on slight slopes of calcareous clay soil and undergo extreme temperature changes. Average yield is limited to 5000 Kg/ha.

Grapes are put into tanks with whole grain and fermented with autochthonous yeast. A pre- fermentative cold maceration is done for extraction of aromas and color. Fermentation at 25o C with soft and short daily pump over the cap runs. A post-fermentative maceration of maximum 3 days is followed by a natural malolactic fermentation, controlled at 21o C. After the second fermentation, the wine is transferred to new French and American oak barrels.

Deep and intense red cherry color. On the nose a base of young fruit shows character, freshness and remarkable finesse. Sensory notes of barrel over time. Spicy and balsamic aromas, predominantly of clove and scrubland, stand out. It shows a perfect integration between the wine and its barrel aging. It is full-bodied, well-balanced, tasty and with a broad sensation on the palate. Its vivacity and nice structure give this wine a great potential for expression and complexity over time.


Bodegas Nabal, Valle de Nabal Tempranillo 2019
$31+ tax


92 Points - Tim Atkin MW, Best of Ribera del Duero report 2020
Spicy and balsamic aromas, predominantly of clove and scrubland, stand out. On the palate it is full-bodied, well-balanced, tasty and with a broad sensation on the palate. Its vivacity and nice structure give this wine a great potential for expression and complexity over time.

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Back Vintage Chateauneuf du Pape!


Maison BROTTE is a family independent winery founded in 1931 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape by M. Charles Brotte, one of the pioneers of bottling in the Southern Rhône Valley, and inventor of the famous "La Fiole du Pape"

 
Four generations for this Châteauneuf-du-Pape house rooted in the heart of the Rhône Valley for more than 70 years. In 1931, Charles Brotte, the founder, moved to Châteauneuf-du-Pape and created a bottling cellar, in order to offer wine lovers wines with the character of this country. Later, it is the creation of the Fiole du Pape which became famous, a true original ambassador, exported to more than 95 countries. Today, La Maison Brotte is a dynamic and innovative ensemble, which brings together a vineyard of more than 60 hectares, Domaine Barville, Château de Bord, Domaine Grosset and then the Domaine de l'Aube. It also has a winemaking and aging cellar as well as a Wine Museum to tell the story of the appellation and the work of the winegrower.



Les Hauts de Barville Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2016
$53+ tax (only 2 bottles available)

93 Points - Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Hauts de Barville is a classic blend of 70% Grenache and 15% each Mourvèdre and Syrah. Fine notes of pencil shavings underscore cherry and apricot fruit in this full-bodied, rich, velvety textured wine that offers plenty of weight yet manages to retain a sense of elegance.

92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Ripe mulberry and strawberry notes abound from nose to finish, accented by hints of sweet spice and dried Mediterranean herbs. While rich and plush in body, it has brisk, integrated acidity and finely edged tannins that lend elegant structure. Enjoy now–2030.

Chateauneuf du Pape 2016 Vintage
I taste a lot of wine. Normally, when looking at 50-100 wines in a morning, you find long patches of average, or worse, boring wine. It’s the long, dull patches of uninteresting that make wine tasting so much work.

Why am I starting my 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape report with that in mind? Because it was effortless to taste over 200 wines from the 2016 Chateaunuef du Pape appellation. During the tasting, I kept wondering if I was losing my mind, because wine after wine was so good! Each wine was exciting to see, swirl, smell, feel and taste. Wines that were often lackluster with good. Wines that were good were now very strong. And wines that were often stellar were reference points this year! My scores might look generous. But these wines deserve it! 

2016 Chateauneuf du Pape is the single most, consistent vintage for any appellation I have ever tasted! Almost every wine I tasted showed promise, offering consistently, complex aromatics, silky tannins, freshness, balance and at the top end, you find a beautiful purity of fruit, with finishes that do not want to quit.

How did all this happen? It is important to understand that 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape is the product of very warm days, and good drops in temperature during the night, giving the wines freshness, ripe, soft tannins and concentration. – The Wine Cellar Insider

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Exclusive Three Sticks Chardonnay

‘Three Sticks’ refers to the three Roman numerals that follow Founder and Principal Bill Price’s written name. He was known as “Billy Three Sticks” growing up surfing in Hawaii, where the young Price attended high school. As he describes his path from seawater to wine in a calm, steady voice, it’s hard to guess that this is the same man who spent much of the last 30 years in corporate board rooms. Rather, it seems only natural that Price would trade in a thriving business career for a life among the vines, and that the father of three would wax poetic on the importance of leaving the world a better place for generations to come—whether through sustainable vineyard and winery practices, or through his nonprofit work.

The Price family purchased Durell in 1997 and shortly thereafter introduced Three Sticks Wines in 2002. “That’s what drove me to make wine in the first place,” Bill recalls. “We had access to a diverse variety of fruit and I wanted to make wines that were distinctive. I have my pick of the vineyard rows, and love to see what is created from grape to bottle.” Originally planted in 1979, the vines were tended by grower Steve Hill for more than 30 years before he shared his intimate knowledge with our Director of Vineyard Operations, Rob Harris. From cover crops to water collection, every vineyard decision is measured by how it will affect this vintage, as well as the next generation of winemakers.

The pedigree of Three Sticks begins not in the glass, nor even in the cellar. Instead, it begins in the rocky, volcanic soils of Durell, one of the most diverse and prized vineyards in Sonoma Valley. Planted primarily to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this rolling 610-acre parcel spans the Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Coast and Carneros AVAs, and is the birthplace of Three Sticks Wines.

Here is a rich, generously fruited, fairly full-bodied Chardonnay that already displays serious concentration and depth, yet is still very young and a wine with the certain promise to grow better with time. It is dense and slightly fleshy in feel with the structure to grow and grow, and, while weighty, it shows nary a hint of extraneous fat. Finesse and further polish are guaranteed to come with age, and, as impressive as it may be in its youth, it is a cellar worthy offering that deserves to be laid away for at least a few years before being brought to the table as an accompaniment to richer fare such as butter-poached lobster, salmon in sauce or even pan-roasted duck breasts.



Three Sticks, Durrell Vineyard Chardonnay 2018
$134+ tax

The Durell Vineyard Chardonnay is the ultimate showcase of terroir. It is primarily composed of the old Wente clone, planted in various blocks throughout Durell. Each site expresses unique characteristics—one, on golden sandy soil atop a hillcrest, offers deep concentration, while another is situated at the base of the hillside on rocky soil which provides bright acidity and minerality. This 2018 staple is a rich, luxurious wine, accented with notes of honey-lemon meringue, shortbread, and yellow apple, that is best described as a ray of sunshine in your glass.

97 Points - Wine Enthusiast
This is a tremendously bright expression from a famous site. It is exuberant in tangy lemon, crushed rock and sea spray, with lasting acidity that tapers it all. Offering a
beautiful mix of texture and nuanced earthiness, this is a wholly memorable wine.

95 Points - Wine Spectator
Powerfully structured, with concentrated dried apple and peach pastry flavors that are loaded with spicy richness. Crunchy acidity floods the midpalate, with notes of sage cream on the lithe finish. Drink now through 2026.

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Outstanding Oregon Pinot Noir!

In 2003, Andrea and James Frey founded Trisaetum in one of the few places where climate, soil, and entrepreneurial spirit combine to produce some of the world's best wines. Today, the family owned and operated winery in the heart of Oregon's Ribbon Ridge AVA produces small lots of acclaimed Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Chardonnay from its three estate vineyards.

Since the family lives on site, James and Andrea have been committed to farming in a manner that creates a healthy and diverse ecosystem. This includes preservation of the natural habitats that surround their vineyards, dry-farming, never using herbicides, never tilling, extensive composting, bee-friendly viticulture and hand-harvesting every cluster.

Refined and detailed, with vibrant cherry and pomegranate flavours that draw in accents of green tea and cardamom, building toward broad-shouldered tannins. Medium-bodied with supportive acidity and great length on the finish, this Pinot delivers on all fronts. 


Thanks to the versatility of flavours and overall structure of Pinot Noir, the possibilities are endless when it comes to food pairing. Try matching the savoury components of Pinot with game meats, or compliment the fruitiness with soft cheeses or creamy sauces. 


Trisaetum, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2020
$57+ tax


93 Points - James Suckling
This wine offers the balance of power and elegance that make it a terrific food wine. Bright perfumed aromas of chocolate-covered raspberry, wild strawberry, rose petal and exotic spice lead to vibrant flavours of red cherry, and raspberry with notes of savoury earth and spice. Lively acidity fleshes out the silky, finely textured tannins lingering through on the luxurious finish.

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Gaja in Sicily, & Very Limited!


Acclaimed Italian winemaker Angelo Gaja has made his first wines on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily after joining forces with local producer Alberto Graci.


Angelo Gaja, famed for his Piemontese wines, has bought 21 hectares (ha) of land on the lesser-known southwest slopes of Sicily’s Mount Etna through a 50/50 joint venture with Graci, according to Italian website cronachedigusto.it.

The first wines were produced from the 2017 harvest, with the venture poised to build a winery and purchase further vineyards in the longer term. This 2020 vintage is only the second vintage to arrive here in British Columbia.

Gaja’s move is the latest evidence of growing interested in Etna, and wines from volcanic regions in general.


IDDA, Etna Rosso 2020
$105+ tax

IDDA means "she" in the Sicilian dialect and is the term that, with affection and admiration, the local inhabitants use to define Mount Etna. IDDA is also the name of the joint project of two families, Gaja and Graci. The colour nuances of the labels, red like lava evoke the terraced vineyards and the movement of a spiral, an ancient symbol representing cyclical continuity and eternal expansion.

The IDDA Etna Rosso is made from 100% Nerello Mascalese fermented in a combination of oak and concrete vats, which was then followed by 24 months of ageing in oak and concrete. To taste, sweet aromas, like marzipan, sour black cherry and mulberry rise from the glass. The wine shows notes of candied citrus fruits, tomato leaves and oregano and has a clear expression of ripe and sweet fruit on the palate. This is remarkably Burgundian in both weight and style for a wine produced somewhere so completely different.

Below ratings are for the 2019 Vintage.

96 Points - James Suckling
This is really beautifully rich and opulent with aromas of ripe fruit, caramel and chocolate brioche. Some earth, too. Medium-to full-bodied with soft, integrated tannins that give a cashmere mouth feel. It’s fresh and very long with gorgeous texture and a delicious finish. 98% nerello mascalese and 2% nerello cappuccio. A joint production from Graci and Gaja. So attractive to drink now, but better in 2023.

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Idda 2019 Etna Rosso shows depth, length and everything in between. This 2019 vintage benefits from a long and slow growing season, just what the native red grapes of Etna prefer. The spring season saw a lot of rain for ample water reserves, and the weather then transitioned to a dry but not too hot summer season. The late harvest helped to develop structure and linearity in the wine that you taste, thanks to bright fruit nuances of blackberry, plum and a touch of candied orange peel. The wine is light, vertical and otherwise void of any residual heaviness. It finishes with pretty accents of toasted nut and earthy terracotta.

93 Points - Wine Enthusiast
The result of a joint venture between Etna pioneer Graci and Piedmont icon Gaja, this has aromas of camphor, Mediterranean scrub and blue flower. Vibrant and savory, the elegantly structured, palate offers ripe raspberry, licorice and a hint of coffee bean before a flinty close. Polished tannins offer smooth support. Drink through 2027.

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Iconic Guado al Tasso 2019

The Guado al Tasso estate is located in the small but prestigious Bolgheri DOC, on the coast of upper Maremma, about one hundred kilometers southwest from Florence. This appellation has a relatively recent history, DOC Bolgheri was approved in 1995 and since then it has become an internationally recognized reference point for the Italian and international winemaking arena. 

The estate covers an area of 320 hectares (790 acres) planted with vines, set in a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides known as the "Bolgheri Amphitheatre" due to its particular shape. The vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Vermentino Nero and Bianco. The nearby sea provides a mild climate with constant breezes that mitigate summer heat and alleviate harsh winter weather, maintaining a clear sky and a high level of sunlight exposure.

The Guado al Tasso estate’s most characteristic geographic feature is the Bolgheri Amphitheater, a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides that faces the Tyrrhenian Sea. The shape of the territory creates a unique microclimate with beneficial temperature fluctuations. The estate’s vineyards are located at the foot of the amphitheater, an optimal position as cold nocturnal breezes cool down the vines. These particular climatic conditions give the grapes pronounced aromas and guarantee a perfect ripening of the berries.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and occasionally a small amount of Petit Verdot to best represent the complexity and elegance of the Bolgheri terroir. This wine has been produced since 1990 from vineyards on alluvial soils whose composition ranges from clay-sand to clay-loam with rocky deposits know as “scheletro”.



Tenuta Guado al Tasso, Bolgheri Superior 2019
$169+ tax (6 bottles remaining)
 
Guado al Tasso 2019 is an intense ruby red color. On the nose it’s rich and alluring with notes of tobacco, licorice, plums and balsamic sensations that are accompanied by light, elegant aromas of toasted coffee. On the palate it’s characterized by aromatic precision and purity, persistent and savory. Tannins are of outstanding quality ,very pleasant midpalate and finish. 2019 is a vintage that has great aging potential.
 
98 Points - James Suckling
This has a wild and perfumed nose of dried thyme, sage, blackberries, cocoa, graphite and white and green peppercorns. Then dried flowers. Full-bodied with firm, tight and precise tannins. Vibrant. There’s so much character and structure. A new benchmark for this winery. More cabernet franc than in the past. Best yet? 65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% cabernet franc and 10% merlot.
 
97 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I've been tracking the increasing percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend of this iconic Tuscan wine. The 2019 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso is made with 25% Cabernet Franc, with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot. That this heat-resistant grape now makes up a quarter of the blend speaks to how vintners are gearing up to counter climate change. These are intelligent choices, and you can count on this wine to maintain that level of extreme elegance and intensity that it is known for (even when Merlot was a bigger part of the blend). Indeed, this is a new and improved Guado al Tasso with focused aromas of pencil shaving, white pepper and crushed stone that frame a rich core of black fruit. A fluttering of dried mint gives lift and power to the bouquet. This is a beautifully linear and powerful red blend.
 
96 Points - Wine Enthusiast
This gorgeous, full-bodied red opens with layers of aromas including camphor, pipe tobacco, oak-driven spice and ripe black-skinned fruit. Boasting structure and finesse, the intense palate delivers ripe black plum, juicy cherry, licorice and menthol framed in ultrarefined tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2026–2039.

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99 Point Pape Clément Grand Vin!

No Bordeaux collection is complete without Pape Clément and their stunning, full-throttle, near-perfect-scoring 2015 Grand Vin release.


Take your mind to elite Left Bank Bordeaux for a moment. Now, which famous château would you envision if I said Galloni called their 2015 Grand Vin“one of the stars of the vintage,” Dunnuck put it “at the top of the hierarchy,” and Suckling was a single point away from a perfect score? Given all that, you’re probably imagining a First or Second Growth—maybe even Palmer or Pontet-Canet—but you’d be wrong. What about a château that was infamously left out of the 1855 Bordeaux Classification? This is Château Pape Clément, and while it’s hard to believe, I suppose we should be grateful because that’s the only thing keeping this epic Left Bank red from costing $400-$600.

For many, Pape Clément has become one of the great contemporary properties ever since wine magnate Bernard Magrez began releasing blockbuster after blockbuster in the 2000s. And when these wines are at their best (2015 is one such vintage), they’re never too far in quality or proximity from prestigious First Growth Haut-Brion. Savvy collectors already know the drill here: buy six bottles and lay them down for 10-20 years. That said, having just savored my own stellar bottle at Thanksgiving—it’s powerful and intoxicating with a fusillade of cassis, violet, graphite, and cedar—I highly recommend opening one now so you can get a preview of the profundity to come. Very little available. 

Pape Clément’s exclusion from the Grands Crus Classés en 1855 feels like a wine crime when you consider how deep and impactful their history has been. Their very first harvest dates all the way back to 1252, and their owner in 1305, Raymond Bertrand de Got, was crowned Pope Clément V. Hence, Château Pape Clément. After the estate was excluded from the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, they found some redemption nearly a century later when the Grands Crus Classés de Graves was announced for several elite properties in Pessac-Léognan. Today, Pape Clément still belongs to this prestigious group alongside other legends like Haut-Brion, Mission-Haut-Brion, Smith Haut Lafite, and Chevalier.

Pape Clément is fastidious in both vineyard and cellar. They plow by horse, utilize electric tractors, and have started biodynamic trials that have all assisted in obtaining a rare (for Bordeaux) High Environmental Value 3 certification. Come harvest, the grapes are picked and sorted manually while being painstakingly de-stemmed by hand in the cellar. They are then transferred via gravity into massive wooden vats where manual punch-downs routinely occur during a long 30- to 40-day maceration. The resulting wine free-flows again into mostly new, high-quality French oak barriques for 18 months of maturation. Their Grand Vin consistently displays how power and concentration can coexist with elegance in the glass. In certain vintages, there’s a higher percentage of Merlot to Cabernet Sauvignon, but 2015 is tilted more to Cab Sauv at 56% with 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc rounding it out.

Even in its youth, it is immediately evident on the nose that this Grand Vin is elite, powerful Left Bank royalty. The ripe, concentrated fruits of 2015 are on full display but so, too, are aromas of pencil lead, graphite, cedar, cacao nib, fresh leather, peppercorn medley, and baked earth. The palate is medium-plus in body and overflowing with sumptuously dark and structured flavors of cassis, black cherry liqueur, roasted plum, huckleberry, and licorice. It’s a massive—but never cloying—tour de force that’s just starting to give a sneak preview into its extraordinary evolution. If enjoying soon, do so in your largest Bordeaux stems after ample air: a slow-ox at your discretion or a multi-hour decant. It’s great now, will be incredible in 3-5 years, and should be next-level stupendous around 2030 and far beyond. Enjoy!



Château Pape Clément, Pessac-Léognan Grand Vin 2015
235+ tax (Limited Quantities Available)

99 Points - James Suckling

The clarity to this wine is impressive. Wealth of dark-plum and black-fruit essence not to mention orange citrus. Everything is dialed up to the limit here but then dialed in on the palate. Such impressive depth and suave, ripe, fluid tannins that deliver impressive length. Great wine. Such polish. Superb. Try from 2022.

97 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
As with the white, the 2015 Château Pape Clément is up at the top of the hierarchy and is a tour de force in Red Bordeaux that should be snatched up by readers. Coming from a 50-hectare parcel of the gravelly soils and harvest between September 25th and October 15th, it’s a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc that saw a long maceration (30-40 days) and 18 months in 80% new French oak. With a deep ruby/plum color and awesome notes of currants, black cherries, truffles, chocolate and graphite, this beauty hits the palate with a massive, full-bodied, opulent, sexy, yet never heavy style. With terrific concentration, perfect balance, and ripe tannin, as well as plenty of oak, give bottles 4-5 years of cellaring and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades.

96 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Pape Clement is blended of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, matured in 80% new and 20% one-year-old French oak barrels for 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple, it opens with profound notes of crushed red and black currants, black cherries and cassis with touches of mocha, baking spices, menthol and lavender plus a hint of new leather. Medium-bodied, firm and concentrated with tons of tightly wound black fruit and earth layers, it has a grainy frame and refreshing lift on the long finish.

95 Points - Wine Spectator
Ripe and lush, with flashy anise, apple wood and mocha notes forming the frame and ample cassis, cherry paste and plum sauce flavors at the core for balance. Shows lots of sweet spice details through the finish, with the apple wood edge holding sway for now. A bold, glossy version that will please fans of the style after some time. Best from 2022 through 2035.

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97 Points - 2nd Growth Bordeaux - $59!

One of the most well-priced, familiar names in all of Bordeaux, Chateau Rauzan-Gassies is a charming estate in famed Margaux, with a history that dates back to the 17th century. Second Growth (2ème Cru Classé) in the original 1855 Bordeaux classification, you can see why I was so excited to find a dozen more cases of their second label L'Orme de Chateau Rauzon-Gassies from the 2016 vintage, one of the best they've made in a decade. L'Orme is sourced from vineyards in Haut-Médoc just down the road from Margaux, with a classic core of tobacco, dried cherries, and cedar. While the tannins are just starting to soften, the 2016 is a winner at this price. The top value wine at Decanter's World Wine Awards, L’Orme de Chateau Rauzan-Gassies is simply amazing for a $59 Bordeaux!


L'Orme de Chateau Rauzan-Gassies 2016
$59+ tax

97 Points - Decanter Magazine
We shouldn’t forget just how good 2016 was, and to find a Haut-Medoc wine still available from this vintage within our Value price category was an unexpected treat. This is dark purple-red, with earthy and purposeful aromas. The fruit is rich, dense and closely constituted, just beginning to leave the flush of youth behind it but with plenty of cladding to take it through another half-dozen years of ageing if you wish. The innate depth and tenacity of the fruit suggest serious vineyard origins. A real bargain.

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BACK THE TRUCK UP!

Over the past couple weeks I have offered you a very limited supply of premium wines with a relatively large price tag from some of the wine world’s most exclusive regions. Today however, I would like to introduce you to a wine that I recently sampled that hails from Sicily, a premier Italian wine growing region that tastes great and costs only $16!

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, served as a crossroads for ancient civilizations. Today, it boasts one of Europe’s most dynamic wine industries. Though a part of Italy, Sicily’s breadth of landscapes approximates a small country itself.

The Greeks, Phoenicians, Arabs and Italians have all held sway over Sicily. Though the Greeks brought their advanced viticulture techniques, Sicilians have been making wine since 4000 BC. Its dry, warm climate features regular sunshine and moderate rainfall that suits wine production. Arid conditions reduce the chance of rot and mildew, especially in areas kissed with coastal breezes. This makes Sicily a prime candidate for organic farming.

In the past, however, farmers opted for higher yields, which turned Sicily into a bulk wine center. They distributed to mainland Europe to boost thin wines, as well as to China and India, who imported concentrated Sicilian must to sweeten foods.

Heritage regions like Marsala did put Sicilian wine on the map. Wine traditions in each of the island’s regions, from Vittoria to Mount Etna, have remained strong. In the 1980s, a resurgence in interest brought improvements in viticulture and winemaking. Today, Sicily turns out some of the most exciting labels in Italy.

Historically, Italian wine regions have clung tightly to its historical grapes, and Sicily is no different. While international varieties are prominent players, for critics, sommeliers, and importers, the wines they dream about at night are indigenous.

Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted and celebrated red grape. If you find a Sicilian wine in your wine shop, it will likely be Nero d’Avola. It yields wines of deep color and flavor, with moderate structure, juicy acidity and soft-to-medium tannins. Flavors of dark, brambly fruit and spice are common.

Sicilia DOC is a broad, island-wide appellation. It launched in 2011 by a consortium of wine producers who promoted the Sicilia IGT to a DOC. The dozens of wineries participating in the appellation agreed to work in tandem to promote Sicily’s native grapes like Grillo, Nero d’Avola, Frappato and Catarratto as well as the lesser known Inzolia, Grecanico and Perricone. Though, international varieties like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, are, in fact, allowed.

Firriato is a relatively new winery that was founded in 1985. They have quickly gained the attention of the wine enthusiasts and the press. Their philosophy is to employ highly qualified international winemaking consultants from Australia and New Zealand and combine them with the talents of their wine maker Giuseppe Pellegrino. This team has been charged with the duty of making wines that express the uniqueness of the Sicilian terroir using up to the minute technology. The intention is not to make an Australian or New Zealand styled wine but to make soft and expressive Sicilian wines through the experience of the team with the resources that abound in their sub region in Western Sicily near Trapani. They are making some of the most dynamic wines in Sicily today.
 

Firriato ‘Nari’ Nero d’Avola 2019
$16+ tax
 
Nari is a classic spaghetti red wine made from a blend of Nero d’Avola and Petit Verdot. Typically Sicilian in structure, but a little lighter than you might think. There is some tannin and Italian dryness that permeates the dark, brooding fruit and spice. Expect a more rustic style wine, with earthy flavours mixed with the fruit. At $16, it is all you can expect and a bit more. Hamburgers would be an excellent match. 80% Nero d’Avola and 20% Petit Verdot.

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BARICCI is for BRUNELLO LOVERS!

Baricci Brunello di Montalcino may be new to the our market but make no mistake about it, this is some of the best quality Sangiovese being exported from Italy these days.

Nello Baricci, the founder of the estate, was born in Montalcino in 1921. In 1955, with the few savings, he bought the Eastern slope of the Montosoli hill, a very special place with a long tradition of Sangiovese cultivation dating back to the Middle- Age. The Montosoli hill was already famous for the production of high-quality wines thanks to its exceptional combination of soil composition and micro-climate. When the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino was established in 1967, Nello Baricci was already considered a Master of Sangiovese. Moreover, he registered the 1st hectare of Brunello at the Chamber of Commerce in Siena, a real pioneer in the history of Montalcino. The first bottle of Rosso di Montalcino was produced in 1968 and the first Brunello in 1971. Today Baricci is the only producer to have all his vineyards (5 Ha) in the Montosoli “Grand Cru”, plus the cellar.
 
The estate is now managed by Nello’s grandsons, Federico and Francesco. In Montosoli the Pliocene marine-soil gives the Sangiovese vines great richness in mineral substances, plus its rocky structure (quartz, marnes, schist, fossils) guarantees a good drainage in the rainy seasons, which is a fundamental prerogative for a high-quality grape ripeness. The micro-climate is the other great component making this area so exceptional. The Montosoli Cru is located in the Northern area of Montalcino. The higher altitude works as a barrier from the heating and the warm winds coming from South. Moreover, the adjacent cooler and humid Valdarbia area to the North, contributes to lower the average temperature and to increase the humidity. This cooler climate makes the ripening process slower than in other areas of Montalcino. Here, usually the harvest is delayed of 15 days than in the warmer Southern sites. These characteristics give the wines perfect ripe tannins, great acidity, and a very balanced sugar concentration, what translates in a Rosso full of freshness and fruitiness, and in a Brunello full of elegance, complexity, and smoothness.
 
 
Baricci Colombaio Montosoli, Brunello di Montalcino 2016
$109+ tax (just released, limited quantities)
 
97 Points - Wine Spectator
Fresh and vivid, this red features cherry, raspberry, plum, floral, black tea and mineral aromas and flavors. The well-defined fruit character is nicely balanced by earthy, savory elements, lively acidity and refined tannins. This is complete, with terrific finesse and complexity. Best from 2024 through 2048.
 
95 Points - Vinous
The 2016 Baricci Brunello di Montalcino is an experience to behold. The bouquet mixes dark earth tones, crushed stone and animal musk with sweet black cherries and balsamic spice. It’s soft and enveloping, seeming to coat all that it touches in ripe primary fruits, just as a mix of brisk acids and salty minerals penetrate deeply, adding traction to this heady experience. Licorice, sweet herbs and a hint of cocoa resonate through the long and structured finale. With perfect symmetry, and so much upfront appeal, it’ll be hard to keep your hands off; but do yourself a favor, and lose these bottles in the cellar for at least the next five years. 
 
95 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of underbrush, rose, wild berry and new leather are front and center. Hailing from Montosoli, one of Montalcino’s most revered vineyard sites, the full-bodied palate combines power and finesse, delivering ripe cherry, oak-driven spice and coffee bean alongside firm, close-grained tannin's. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Give it time to fully develop. Drink 2026–2046. 
 
 
Baricci Colombaio Montosoli Brunello di Montalcino 2015
$99+ tax (just released, limited quantities)

96 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The full name of this estate is Baricci Colombaio Montosoli, and indeed it is one of the protagonists of the celebrated Montosoli vineyard. The Baricci 2015 Brunello di Montalcino is highly distinguished by its mineral side (with marl, marine fossil, schist quartz and Galestro soils), and that is truly the magic of this wine. There is a pungent note of raw grape at first, but it lifts to reveal forest berry, camphor ash and subtle touches of sweet spice. These elements come together like a tightly fitted mosaic. The wine is balanced and fresh, with just enough structure to add firmness and considerable length to its polished mid-weight frame. In fact, mouthfeel is this wine's strongest suit. Acidity is never a problem in Montosoli, located on the north side of Montalcino where day and night temperature shifts play an important role in slow fruit ripening. This warm vintage shows higher extract, but the overall balance allowed Baricci to bottle using very little sulfur (which could account for that little tangy note you get on first nose).
 
95 Points - Decanter
All 5ha of Baracci's vines are contained in one single vineyard on the hill of Montosoli. With a southeastern exposure, the vineyards are cooled by breezes from the north and east and the soils are a complex mix of marl, schist and quartz. The 2015 is effortlessly balanced, starting with suitably mellowed but still radiant aromas of fennel blossom, tobacco and crushed stone. It flows smoothly on the palate, demonstrating its cunning power with well-honed tannins. For now, underlying tasty red cherry is highly gratifying but this will express so much more in years to come. Drinking Window 2023 - 2037
 
94 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Subdued aromas evoking underbrush, baked plum and scorched earth form the nose along with a balsamic whiff of camphor. Full bodied and chewy, the brawny, enveloping palate features dried cherry, licorice, coffee bean and the warmth of alcohol alongside firm, noble tannins. Drink 2022–2030
 
94 Points - Wine Spectator
A textbook Sangiovese, in the ripe style, boasting cherry, leather, iron, earth and tobacco aromas and flavors. Firm and lively, with a lingering aftertaste of fruit, mineral and savory elements. Best from 2022 through 2040.

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Enjoying Decades of Champagne
The holiday season will be on us before we know it. With the continued demand for Champagne in the Canadian market, the time to stock up is now.

With no set or commonly followed release schedule for Champagne’s vintage bottlings, consumers have the luxury of selecting newly released cuvées dating back as many as two decades. Generally speaking, the fair 2016 and superb 2015 vintages are the youngest available right now. These latest releases are almost a preview of those two appealing vintages, with most house’s tête de cuvées (the top of a producer’s range) still resting in their caves. You should also look out for long-held releases from 2008, Champagne’s best 21st-century vintage to date, as well as impressive new additions from vintages that are already largely released. 

Non-vintage offerings also abound, with classic examples from leading houses Krug and Laurent-Perrier. Each Champagne producer has its own aging regimen, which makes it difficult to generalize about the base vintage for this group. But, with the exception of the challenging 2017 vintage, winemakers in Champagne have a very solid range of recent harvests to blend for these multi-vintage examples.

 
André Clouet Champagne
André Clouet and his son Jean Francoise are the owners and the soul of this Domaine. Everything here is conceived with the highest care in order to produce the famous Pinot Noir in the territory of Bouzy, 10 hectares classified as Grand Cru, lying on chalky soils. Great attention is devoted to the soil, the vaste terroir and the cultivation and vinification methods. This is the simple and clear philosophy of the owners: vineyards must be looked after. Green pruning, minor conservative maintenance, few treatments only with minerals: everything contributes to obtaining a special and unique terroir. This Domaine embodies within itself a part of its tradition and at the same time also the innovation brought by the new generation that has found in Jean Francoise an important ambassador. If on the one hand the vinification process is still carried out in the old and traditional cellar thanks to an ancient press always capable of producing fine and harmonious nectars, on the other hand the must is instead collected in small but modern conical steel containers purposely built by Jean Francoise. In them, the fermentation takes place exclusively with native yeasts and is used all the time necessary for each stage of vinification. Cleanliness is sovereign, which is not easy to find here. Modernity and tradition side by side to always obtain the maximum result. Here, sometimes, there is also the mania for detail: the barriques, used a bit during fermentation and a bit for aging, are all used and all come from the same supplier: the famous producer of Sauternes Chateau Doisy Daene: only in this way, in fact, you can be sure that they have been perfectly washed, sanitized and preserved. Jean Francoise tells us that the choice of wines and cupages is made only after several careful tastings. Blending is all about choice: it requires memory, instinct and intuition. You have to imagine how Champagne will be after it has aged for several years. While the different tanks are being prepared, sp are the bottles. The most important quality for the glass of a Champagne bottle is the strength to withstand high pressure. Then, made this important choice, the full bottles are taken into the long chalky tunnels of the Domaine cellar for a minimum of three years. During this long rest period, a sediment caused by the particles suspended in the wine forms. For this reason, the bottles are placed in special containers such as hives, known as pupitres, where they are initially kept in a horizontal position. Then the remouage, the famous process of mixed rotation of each bottle, is performed, a little to the right and a little to the left. This process concentrates all the sediments in the neck of the bottle, close to the cap, which are carefully expelled thanks to the subsequent manual degourgement. The result is a magical wine destined to be the king of the parties.

André Clouet, ‘Grande Réserve’ Grand Cru Brut NV$75+ tax
This is a classic multi-vintage cuvee that speaks to the incredible vineyards held by Jean-François Clouet. Initially showing a very fresh bouquet of high toned fruits with hints of hazelnuts and yeasty aromas, Grande Réserve cuvée displays highly structured red fruit notes on the palate for which the area is so famous. Long lees aging, low dosage and Grand Cru Pinot Noir fruit combine for an opulent yet balanced Champagne. 

Aging: 4 years on lees contains 50% perpetual reserve wine. 

93 Points - James Suckling
The effusive nose of candied citrus, ripe pear and brioche pulls you into this fresh and creamy champagne that hits all the pleasure buttons for a non-vintage Brut. Then the chalky freshness at the finish pulls you back for another sip. 100% pinot noir.

Andre Clouet, Dream Vintage 2008$160+ tax (6 bottles only)
The ‘Dream Vintage’ collection by André Clouet is a gourmand retrospective dedicated to the great vintages of the Champagne region. Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs, 100% Chardonnay, harvested from the best vineyards in Bouzy, village 100% Grand Cru. Labels are inspired to the great Cadillacs colours in the 50s.

Limited Edition Champagne.

96 Points - James Suckling
Such a classic Blanc de Blancs champagne with the special elegance, brilliance and minerality of the 2008 vintage. Very well structured, but without the austere acidity structure that some 2008s have. Long and very clean finish that sends you back to the glass. 100% chardonnay. Drink or hold.

André Clouet, ‘Cuvée 1911’ Grand Cru Brut NV $145+ tax
Grand Cru Pinot Noir, ‘1911’ is sourced from 10 of their best parcels, or lieux-dits, in Bouzy that produce a wine of rich concentration and intense minerality. The newest disgorgement, with 50% consisting of a barrel-fermented selection from 2008 and the other half coming from a 10+-year-old perpetual reserve. It is aged on its lees for a staggering number of years until disgorgement in June of 2020. It was given a light dosage of five grams. Clouet’s Layers of ripe yellow fruit, crushed chalk minerality, and well-integrated secondary flavors. 

Varieties: 100% Grand Cru Pinot Noir

Composition: 2008 (50%) | 1995 (25%) | 1997 (25%)

Aging: 6 years on lees

Total Production: 1911 bottles
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Bruno Paillard Champagne
Bruno Paillard was born in Reims in 1953 into an established family of Champagne "vignerons" and brokers. He started his own brokerage in 1975 and founded his own Champagne house in 1981. In fact, it is the youngest prestige house to be created since World War II. Bruno Paillard is synonymous with quality. One hundred and twenty five acres of Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards provide the exceptional Pinot Noir, Pinot Munier and Chardonnay grapes which are used in the production of three luxury cuvees and one vintage Champagne. Each wine is produced in the traditional method and under the personal supervision of Bruno Paillard at his striking, state-of-the-art glass and stainless steel facility just outside Reims. Using only the first pressing of the grapes, Mr. Paillard is able to achieve the purest fruit flavors which then develop extraordinary balance during extended aging in the cellars. The Champagnes are all made with the dosage kept as low as possible in order to respect the authenticity of the wines. As a final note of quality, every bottle carries its date of "disgorgement". Bruno Paillard is the only Champagne house to do so. The Champagnes of Bruno Paillard are rich, complex and dry but above all, elegant.

Bruno Paillard, Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV$147+ tax
Very pale and shiny with green tints. The effervescence is lighter than in the other Champagnes thanks to a less powerful bottle fermentation.First aromas are citrus – lime and grapefruit – followed by white flowers. While opening in the glass, a touch of almond and toast appears.The entry is lively leading to a complex combination of citrus and white flowers. The effervescence is extremely fine, silky and creamy. The finish is fresh and long.

93 Points Wine Enthusiast
Grand Cru vineyards in Le Mesnil sur Oger and Oger contribute the majority of the Chardonnay fruit in this real representative of the Côte des Blancs. The wine is crisp, and textured, a panoply of white fruits and steeliness.

Bruno Paillard Brut Assemblage 2009$160+ tax 
Made exclusively from the first pressings of grapes from ten of the best terroirs in the Champagne region, the Assemblage 2009 is an equal blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Seven years of its ten years of ageing were on the lees, which has contributed to its rich and complex notes of candied fruits and spice. In keeping with the house style, it’s a dry one too, with a very low dosage (or added sugar content) of just 5g per litre – putting it firmly in the “extra brut” category.
 
93 Points Jeb Dunnuck
This has complex clotted-cream and lemon-pastry aromas with a succulent and sleek feel that holds a wealth of supple, smoky-peach and lemon flavor. Very plush texture. Smoothly resolved and nicely balanced.
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Champagne Jacquesson
Champagne Jacquesson was founded in 1798 by Memmie Jacquesson and he did so well that Napoléon gave him a medal. The business left family hands toward the end of the 1800s, and eventually was bought by the Chiquet family in 1974. Today Jacquesson is jointly managed by Jean-Hervé and Laurent Chiquet. Jean-Hervé, once the cellar master, now primarily runs the commercial aspects of the business, while his younger brother Laurent runs the production side and has taken the role of chef de cave. In a given year, Champagne Jacquesson farms between 69 and 76 acres in the grand cru villages of Aÿ, Avize, and Oiry, and in the premier cru villages of Hautvillers, Dizy, and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. The acres vary because the house owns 69 acres with the option to take farming contracts on as many as 7 more, and Jacquesson does all the farming on whatever it contracts for. 
 
Sustainable practices are the norm here, and one-third of Jacquesson’s vineyards are certified organic. The brothers use vertical presses rather than more abusive horizontal presses. The juice flows by gravity into steel tanks for 24 hours of settling, after which it is transferred to large neutral wood casks (foudres) for several months to undergo alcoholic and malolactic fermentations. The dosage is typically in the extra-brut range of one to six grams of sugar per liter. 
 
The aim of the 7-series is to emphasize the best qualities of a given year, rather than to dumb down individual vintages to make a uniform non-vintage. It’s worth noting that this series is being aged progressively longer in bottle, so that by the time Cuvée 734 was released in May 2010 it had a full three years of bottle age, including four months after disgorgement. Jean-Hervé and Laurent had decided that the 7-series would be Jacquesson’s best blended wine. Going forward, the vintage wines would be limited to the four single-vineyard wines, made only in good years and in very limited numbers, while the house’s one blend would be the 7-series. The requirements for the vintage-dated single vineyards are simple: the wine must have a distinct personality, one that reflects its terroir, and it is not needed in the 7-series blend.

Jacquesson Cuvee 744 Extra Brut$115+ tax
The fruit of Jacquesson labors was a crop of healthy, mature grapes with particular mention for the Pinot Noirs which were super successful. Reserve wines from previous 700 Cuvées complete the blend.
 
94 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Disgorged in February 2021 with 0.75 grams per liter dosage, the NV Extra-Brut Cuvée No. 744 is based on the 2016 vintage. Exhibiting complex aromas of orange oil, crisp stone fruit, fenugreek and subtle hints of yellow Chartreuse, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and seamless, with terrific depth at the core, lively acids and a pinpoint mousse. Simultaneously vivid but replete with sapid nuance, this new release throws into relief all the work the Jacquesson brothers have made in the vineyards and cellar over the last two decades. Best after 2021.
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Top Chablis Producer & 5 BOTTLES ONLY

This is the story of the Michel family, who has been making wines in the heart of Chablis since the 19th century. A firmly rooted sense of excellence is passed down from generation to generation. Louis Michel & Fils has always been a family business, and is managed today by Guillaume Michel, who takes great pride in perpetuating the Domaine’s ethos.

As a pioneer and now a leader on the subject, Louis Michel & Fils made the bold decision to vinify its wines only in stainless steel tanks: this neutral material does not have any effect on the natural qualities of the chardonnay grapes. This approach is certainly apparent in the Louis Michel & Fils style: these Chablis wines exude finesse, purity and freshness.

Chablis boasts unique soil that is made up of marl, limestone and oyster fossils dating back 150 million years. This soil plays an important role in winemaking because it brings even greater variety to the aromatic complexity of the wines and provides the minerality that is so typical of Chablis.

Located in northern Burgundy, the vineyards of Chablis are subjected to cold winters, late springs prone to frosts, hot and dry summers, and sometimes very significant diurnal temperature variations, particularly with the changing of seasons. This climate is certainly challenging for both the vineyard and the growers but has a clear benefit in making Chablis a truly fine terroir.



Louis Michel & Fils, Fourchaume 1er Cru Chablis 2020
$79+ tax (only 5 bottles left)

94 Points - Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
With this vintage, all of Michel's 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent, formerly labeled as Fourchaume for the US market, appears under this name. It's one of the high points of the range, exhibiting aromas of white flowers, crisp stone fruit, freshly baked bread and beeswax, followed by a medium to full-bodied, racy and chiseled palate with fine concentration and a long, saline finish.
As I've written before, Guillaume Michel presides over this important 22-hectare estate, which has long been the reference for tank-fermented and matured Chablis, a style that the Michel family did much to popularize in the 1980s. Intense and tensile wines are the calling card here, pure and unadorned in style and consistently high in quality. Indeed, I sometimes think that Louis Michel is the most underrated of Chablis's larger domaines.

93 Points - Jasper Morris
Like the Butteaux Vieilles Vignes, this has also been racked twice. The bouquet grows steadily from a slow start. There is huge weight on the palate, headier, with some bacon fat, almost too much. Definitely a white meat wine. Chunky finish, somewhat dissociated at the moment.

93 Points - Burghound.com
Like the old vines Butteaux, sulfur and reduction dominate the underlying fruit. By contrast, there is outstanding freshness and intensity to the medium-bodied flavors that possess very good mid-palate density, all wrapped in a complex and impressively long finish that exudes plenty of refreshing salinity. This is also firmly structured and should benefit from at least 3 to 5 years of cellaring and reward 7 to 10. 

The Fourchaume Vineyard
Fourchaume is one of the best known - and largest - Premier Cru vineyards in Chablis. The vineyard is located just to the north of Chablis town on the eastern banks of the Serein river. Here, a favorable south-to-southwesterly aspect and high-quality limestone soils beget a distinctive Chardonnay-based wine, distinguished from other Chablis Premier Crus by its rounded lemony flavors that nevertheless retain a fresh minerality.

The soils in Fourchaume are also similar to those in the Grand Cru vineyards, being made up of the same chalky, limestone-rich Kimmeridgian subsoil. This dry, barren, generally thin soil helps to stress vines, lessening vigor and yield and leading to more concentrated grapes and good acidity retention - a hallmark of the region.

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More Superb 2018 Napa Cabernet!

La Jota Vineyard Co. was founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, an immigrant from Switzerland, who established a German-language newspaper in San Francisco. No doubt influenced by other European immigrants involved in California's nascent wine industry, Hess purchased 327 acres of a Mexican land grant—Rancho La Jota—on Howell Mountain to plant vineyards. He built the stone winery from volcanic ash rock quarried on the property; his first fermentation tanks also came from the estate, from a stand of nearby coastal redwoods.
 
The rocky, shallow soils, the abundance of wind and fog, and the remoteness of Howell Mountain terroir were reminiscent of Europe where some of the best wines in the world were being produced. Hess, along with other early pioneers, believed that Napa Valley could achieve the same distinction – and they were right. At the 1900 Paris Exposition, only two years after the winery's construction, La Jota garnered international recognition after Hess won a bronze medal for his "Blanco."
 
Prohibition effectively ended wine production in the United States and the market for Howell Mountain's superior wines collapsed. Although Prohibition ended in 1933, the damage was already done. A few Howell Mountain wineries attempted to start up again, but none succeeded. Ultimately the wineries were left empty and the region became home to numerous "ghost" wineries. A half-century went by, and in 1974, former oilman Bill Smith acquired the "ghost" La Jota Vineyard Co. and planted vines on the estate. Eight years later, in 1982, the revived La Jota winery was officially bonded. In 2005, California wine pioneer Jess Jackson and his wife Barbara Banke purchased La Jota.
 
Today, the winery proudly carries on the century-old La Jota Vineyard Co. winemaking tradition, producing small lots of mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay.
 
There are 28 acres planted across three estate vineyards, each with its own distinct personality. The Hill vineyard is the highest, sunny and steep. The Meadow vineyard is the largest, and the Winery Block vineyard sits next to the original 19th century stone winery. The Winery Block is planted with St. George rootstock, and comprised of unique, phylloxera-resistant Cabernet Franc vines that date back over 40 years.

 

“The isolated, bucolic setting of La Jota’s vineyards and winery seems timeless, not a lot different than in the late 1800s. The people who have passed through here tell its history: the mountain was settled ages ago by the Wappo tribe; a Mexican general granted the land to a pioneer settler from North Carolina; a Swiss immigrant founded the winery; an Italian mason likely designed the stone winery built by Chinese laborers, and the land was planted with French grape varieties. That is the story of America.” - Chris Carpenter, Winemaker


La Jota Vineyard Co, Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
$180+ tax

97 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain was aged for 22 months in oak barrels, 84% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it explodes from the glass with bombastic black currants, black cherries and boysenberries notes plus underlying hints of violets, dark chocolate and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid structure of firm, grainy tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and fragrant.

96 Points - James Suckling
Aromas of pine needles, asphalt, graphite and black fruit follow through to a full-bodied and chewy palate with so much tannin, giving this real Howell Mountain character. It goes on and one. Muscular and in need of time in the bottle to soften. Better after 2024.

95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon shows its Howell Mountain terroir nicely yet still has a supple, textured, elegant style that gives it plenty of upfront appeal. Beautiful cassis and darker currants, chocolate, tobacco, and cedar pencil notes emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with present yet silky tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish, where it shows more and more tannins with time in the glass. It can be drunk today with plenty of pleasure, but smart money is on giving bottles 2-4 years of bottle age and following for 10-15.

94 Points - Wine Spectator
Very sleek and tightly coiled, with a pure, racy beam of cassis and plum reduction notes coursing through, inlaid seamlessly with a bright iron spine and lively licorice snap and apple wood notes. Shows its grip at the very end, so no rush. Best from 2022 through 2038.

94 Points - Decanter
La Jota’s Howell Mountain bottling is a distinctively pure and floral. The nose is loaded with ripe blue fruit and fresh purple flowers centered around a dense core of power. As structured as it is, there is a fantastic refinement to the tannin structure and softness to the acidity. A great example of a modern mountain-sourced Napa Cabernet-based blend. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot.

2018 Vintage
Seamless season of heavenly hangtime and phenomenal phenolic development. February saw abundant rains, followed by lots of filtered light in spring and early summer. Both bud break and flowering occurred a bit late, but under ideal weather conditions, creating plentiful and even fruit set. Summer brought generous sun during the day and cooler marine influences, virtually uninterrupted by major heat spikes. The relatively mild summer followed by extended fall sunshine and moderate heat created near-ideal conditions for winemakers to allow their fruit to accumulate flavor complexity with gradual increases in sugar levels. Volume is looking great, up 20-30% increase over average crop quantity.

Howell Mountain AVA
A century after the Star's report, in 1983, the Howell Mountain American Viticultural Area (AVA) became one of the first official sub-appellation of Napa Valley. Where rivers, creeks and property lines usually define an AVA, the Howell Mountain boundaries are defined by a 1,400 foot elevation contour line as the lowest point and the highest vineyards at 2,500 feet above sea level. The vines share the mountain with pines, oaks, madrone and coastal redwoods.

On many summer mornings, a white blanket of coastal fog covers the Napa Valley. Howell Mountain, in stark contrast, rises gracefully above the fog line, giving it slightly warmer nighttime temperatures and cooler mid-day temperatures than the valley floor. While the differences in temperature are still pronounced enough to maintain balanced acidity in the grapes, the steadier climate allows the berries to develop thicker skins that impart intense color, texture and structure to wines.

Howell Mountain itself is a weathered volcanic "knob" with two distinct soils: crumbly white decomposed volcanic ash known as rhyolitic tuff and red, iron-laden soils of clay and volcanic rock. Vines develop good root systems in these well-draining, porous, nutrient-lean soils, allowing them to self-regulate the amount of water they take in. The vines have to struggle to survive, resulting in tiny berries and clusters with very high flavor concentration.

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A STEAL OF A DEAL

I recently had the opportunity to sample Da Forville's Barbaresco 2018 and I can assure you that there is no greater value out there when it comes to premium Barbaresco. 

The DeForville family emigrated to Piedmont from Belgium in 1848 and established themselves in the village of Barbaresco in 1860. Here, the family was instantly engaged in growing the Nebbiolo grape under the direction of Gioachino De Forville. He was succeeded by his son, Vincenzo, followed by Vincenzo’s nephew, Paolo and, then, the fourth generation is represented by Paolo’s daughter, Mafalda and her husband, Bruno Anfosso. Now, the fifth generation is in place: Valter and Paolo Anfosso, the two sons of Bruno and Mafalda. We are particularly proud to note that, along with the Ferrando family in the northern reaches of Piedmont, we have worked with the Anfosso-De Forville family since the very first moment of our engagement as importers of wine for the USA. Our first vintage together was 1978 and we have worked together every vintage since that time.

In the early part of the twentieth century, the DeForvilles sold their wine in bulk directly to restaurants and to retailers who then bottled the wine. In 1940 the estate bottled its first wine and now virtually their entire production is bottled at the estate with annual output averaging 100,000 bottles.

“Unparalleled consistency, exceptional quality, and enduring, logic-defying value. De Forville is the ultimate “triple threat” in Piedmont’s legendary Barbaresco DOCG.”
 
The nearly 11 hectare domaine is divided between holdings in the villages of Barbaresco [4.5 hectare] and Castagnole Lanze [6.5 hectare], a commune that is about four kilometers east of Barbaresco in the direction of Asti. The family production is supplemented by purchases of grapes from growers with whom the Anfosso family has long ties, usually over multiple generations. Within Barbaresco, Nebbiolo is planted in the “cru” vineyards of Rabaja, Loreto and Pozzo.

In general, the grapes are all hand-harvested and are then fermented in stainless steel with complete temperature control. The reds are traditionally vinified, being fermented on the skins throughout a cuvaison that may extend (for the Barbaresco) for as long as 4 weeks. At the end of November, the wines are racked into large oak barrels [50 to 60 hectoliter size] and the malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel. For the Barbaresco, several rackings will be done during the first year and thereafter the wines will remain in barrel for an additional 2 years without a racking. The Barbaresco is then bottled without filtration.
 
Alongside the wines of the historic Produttori del Barbaresco, the impeccable De Forville lineup represents not just the greatest quality-to-price proposition in Barbaresco but in the broader world of wine. The amount of history, breed, ageability, consistency, and flat-out Nebbiolo greatness is just extraordinary. And while you might be tempted to think it a mass-market wine given its price, it’s got all the artisanal street cred one could ask for (it’s not a very large estate, and only about 600 cases of this wine make it to the US in any given vintage). Fruit for this flagship Barbaresco is sourced from vines averaging 35 years of age and includes some grapes from well-known Barbaresco ‘cru’ vineyards such as “Rabaja” and “Pozzo.” Fermented in stainless steel and aged 18 months in large, used, Slavonian oak botti, it’s always a well-proportioned, aromatically complex Barbaresco. 
 

De Forville, Barbaresco 2018 
56+ tax
 
93 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Earthy, almost funky aromas of withered rose, overripe dark-skinned fruit, moist soil and the merest hint of barnyard appear in the glass. The soulful palate mirrors the nose, offering game, cured meat, raspberry jam, hints of grilled herbs and leather alongside assertive, rather dusty tannins. It's fresh, with bright acidity.

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Exceptional Barolo!

Cesare Bussolo, a La Morra native, and Roberto Voerzio’s right-hand man since 2007 has made an impeccable start making wine under his own label.

As a child, Cesare played with his sister among the vines in the vineyard he now owns; a beautiful west-facing site called Santa Lucia. After wine school in Alba, which he graduated in 1998, Cesare worked for local traditionalists Bovio for seven years.  Along the way to Barolo Cesare is struck by Roberto Voerzio, in the small village of La Morra, where the simple idea of the Cru is crucial and the finesse dominates the structure and power. The two work together, day by day, and Cesare absorbs as much as he can from Voerzio: instilling him with a deep care of the vineyard and respect for the natural environment.  Extremely low yield per plant, a very light touch in the cellar, and respect to the container (barrique or big barrel, new or used).

Cesare Bussolo, Barolo del Comune di La Morra 2018
$165 +tax (Limited Quantities)

The Barolo del Comune di La Morra, was produced for the first time in 2017 and symbolizes a wine that plays more on drinkability and elegance. In this case, Cesare uses only the Boiolo vineyard in La Morra, a cru of considerable importance but one that gives more pleasant and fresh nebbiolos. Little more than 4000 bottles produced. A great wine, nothing to do with an entry level Barolo. Class and drinkability are the key words for this wine.
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DOMAINE MICHELOT

This winery has been in the Michelot family for six generations and, having increased in size over the years, now comprises more than 19 hectares which include a number of prestigious 1er cru wines. The domaine achieved widespread recognition in the 60s under the direction of the charismatic Bernard Michelot and this spirit and tradition flourishes and grows in the hands of the current generation.
 
They keep anti-malady treatments of the vines to a strict minimum, preferring to keep the land itself healthy through a carefully scheduled programme of ploughing. They allow grass to grow in a part of each vineyard and mow it regularly. The grass deprives the vines of easily accessible water and forces the root system deep into the ground. This minimises the need for pesticides and concentrates the specific qualities that each terroir brings to its wine.

To preserve their independence as growers and wine makers they are not part of any organised system or society of organic agriculture. This allows them to develop their own research, the object of which is to encourage the vine to protect itself and to strengthen its immune defences.

Harvesting involves a manual selection of perfect grapes on the vine. These are then taken to the cuverie in specially designed stainless steel bins.

The wine-making process normally begins with the grapes being lightly crushed before pressing but if the vintage conditions require it then all of the grapes go directly into the pneumatic presses. After a light, cold racking of 6 to 12 hours, the juice goes into casks where the alcoholic fermentation, followed by the malo-lactic fermentation, takes place.

Then follows the maturing process in oak barrels (15% of which are new) and several blends may be produced depending on the nature of the vintage. The wines are kept in barrel for 10 to 12 months and, after racking, are blended together in tanks and left for 5 to 6 months in order to ensure perfect balance and equilibrium. If needed, fining and a light filtration will take place before the wine goes into bottles. The maturing process lasts from 16 to 18 months.



Domaine Michelot, Bourgogne Blanc 2019

$48+ tax

This Bourgogne Blanc comes from parcels situated exclusively within the Meursault commune and bordering the land classified as Appellation Meursault Villages. The soil is a clay limestone mix and the subsoil is gravel. As with their Villages and Premiers Crus parcels, the soil is ploughed and partially grassed. The wine-making and maturing processes are identical to those of our Villages and Premiers Crus wines. Its character is very close to that of a Meursault Villages and it goes well with delicate starters and foie gras.

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Magnum Champagne 

The House of Ruinart was founded on September 1, 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart. His uncle, a learned Benedictine monk called Dom Thierry Ruinart had incredible insight. He foretold that this new “wine with bubbles”, developed in his native region of Champagne and which the royal courts of Europe adored, was destined for a bright future.
 
The creation of the House of Ruinart coincided with the dawn of the Enlightenment in France and of the French “art de vivre”. There arose in France a true culture of everything good and beautiful, favouring fine and elegant, light and sophisticated, delicate and rare taste. The cuvées naturally found their place. 
 
Driven by a constant quest for excellence and the absolute, the House selected chardonnay, a rare and fragile grape variety, as the common thread for all its cuvées.
 
On September 1, 1729, Nicolas Ruinart started his first ledger dedicated to “wine with bubbles”, effectively giving rise to the first champagne house ever created.
 
Ruinart is often called the "chardonnay house" for its reliance on Champagne's white variety. Former cellar master Jean-François Barot decided to focus on the grape when he redefined the Ruinart style in the early 1990s. Chardonnay-dominant Champagne tends to be fine and linear.
 

Ruinart's Blanc de Blancs is the perfect expression of Ruinart style. Made using only chardonnay grapes, it is a blend of its best base wines, giving it aromatic richness, freshness and an exceptional purity. Timeless quintessence of the Ruinart taste, this cuvée is the greatest expression of such rare refinement.

Ruinart, Blanc de Blancs Champagne NV 1.5L Magnum
$300+ tax (less than BCL pricing)

94 Points - Wine Spectator
A toasty blanc de blanc with an aromatic overtone of smoke and lemon peel notes accenting flavors of poached apricot, brioche, passion fruit coulis and fresh thyme. Fine and creamy in texture, with a racy finish. Best from 2022 through 2027.

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Affordable and Delicious Chablis

In 1814 Jean-Joseph Moreau, a young cooper, marries a local winemaker’s daughter and inherits the oldest wine House of Chablis. Driven by passion for the vine and traditional values, he runs the business incredibly well and becomes very quickly one of the most important producers of wine in Chablis. He was a pioneer in the region and his success kept on rising.

Over the years, J. Moreau & Fils established on the international market and has become a prestigious House, successful worldwide.

Since 1814, J. Moreau & Fils has been rising to the challenge of the Chablis terroir to bring out the very best of its single grape varietal, Chardonnay, in pursuit of its signature white wines that are complex, elegant, and precisely balanced.

Pure and authentic wines characterised by an original blend: subtle minerality and intense fruitiness, structure and aromatic complexity, and a constant hint of smoke, proof of a preserved terroir.

The House handles its wines carefully and with precaution, simplicity and efficiency. All of this gives the wines a unique expression that is illustrated by an intense citrus nose, with fresh hazelnuts, underscored by a subtle minerality with a characteristic smoky edge. In the mouth, they are fresh, dense and very aromatic, with notes of blossom, nuts and sometimes, for certain crus, a finish of sweet spices and confectioner’s custard. 

The style asserts itself through wines that are elegant yet intense, fruity yet mineral, sweet yet fresh, and perfect for enjoying young yet delicious after a few years – a paradox and a challenge risen to by J. Moreau & Fils.

This wine will perfectly emphasize any type of sea food such as a fatty fish (salmon or bluefin tuna), sushi and sashimi. Will also be a great companion to poultry, asian or exotic food. Try it also with goat cheeses, as well as fresh and light refined cheese.



J. Moreau & Fils, Gloire de Chablis 2020
$38+ tax (only 18 bottles left)

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99 Point World Class Grenache!

Forget about what you think you know about Australian wines, because they are not all mass produced "critter" wines like the ones made popular in the 90's. There is a new breed of Australian winemaker, and they are much more concerned about quality and restraint over opulence and power. Yangarra is one of these producers.

The Yangarra philosophy is to produce wines from their single-vineyard estate, that reflect an authentic sense of place.The property is 170 total hectares, of which nearly 90 hectares are planted to vine. The remaining 80 hectares are preserved for native vegetation and wildlife and is intended to enhance the symbiotic relationship between the vines and their natural environment. Yangarra’s combination of rare geologies, moderate altitude, abundant sunshine and cool evening breezes make it perfect for growing varieties that thrive in the moderate maritime Mediterranean environments. They are devoted to producing wines from the best grape varieties of the southern Rhone, where our old bush vine Grenache is the cornerstone variety. Yangarra Estate is planted with a number of diverse varieties, including traditional grapes like Shiraz and Roussanne to more obscure varieties such as Bourboulenc, Picpoul Noir, Clairette Blanc and Counoise. With a tendency towards experimentation, Yangarra was the first in Australia to commercially plant Grenache Blanc. Through our biodynamic regenerative farming practices and their sensitive winemaking philosophies their respect of this special piece of country is evident in the wines they make from its grapes – every Yangarra Estate wine is a confident reflection of the land.
 
Number 13 on James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of 2021 "Peter Fraser oversees the winemaking at this McLaren Vale outpost of Jackson Family Wines. Although there are a couple of Shiraz wines and a Roussanne as part of the lineup, the emphasis here is on the region's pride and joy—Grenache. Experimentation is part of the game, with ceramic eggs, foudres and whole bunches all playing roles. The High Sands version is one of Australia's top Grenache wines year after year, although the Ovitelli is often more fragrant and complex." - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate



Yangarra Ovitelli Grenache 2019
$86+ tax

99 Points - James Suckling
Such attractive red-floral, stone and bracken aromas here with a red-plum and redcurrant edge, as well as pink grapefruit, blood orange and white pepper. The palate has a sleek and granular feel with a finely detailed style of tannin and a dried red-berry and cherry core. Leaf-like layers of tannin. Exquisite. Drink over the next eight years.
 
97 Points - Wine Enthusiast
From the block next to the renowned High Sands vineyard, Ovitelli skips the oak in favor of 158 days on skins in large ceramic eggs. The result is a Grenache that pulses with energy, purity and expression of place. Aromas match the shimmering antique-rose color. There's fleshy wild red berries, rose petals, tea leaf and an underbelly of white spice. The palate is layered and elegant with a quiet power in the form of ultrafine, textural tannins that cinch the crunchy acidity and juicy fruit. Drinking stunningly now, this wine could cellar until 2029 for another level of complexity.

95 Points - Robert Parker
From vines planted in 1946, the 2019 Ovitelli Grenache fermented in 675-liter ceramic eggs and stayed on the skins for another 158 days post-fermentation. Free-run juice was then returned to eggs for another five months of maturation (no press wine is utilized). The result is a medium-ruby wine with extraordinary aromas of red raspberries and cherries, laced with delicate strands of garrigue, wild roses and black tea. Medium-bodied and silky-textured, it's drying yet mouthwatering at the same time on the prolonged finish, an intriguing paradox that prompts sip after sip. It's the best vintage of Ovitelli that I've tasted to date.

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96 Point Traditional Rioja!

Bodegas López de Heredia (LDH) is one of the wine world’s great wine treasures. Founded in 1877 by Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, it remains safely in family hands to this day.
 
Unusually for Rioja, Lopez de Heredia produce wines solely from the fruit of their own 182 hectares of vines. These vines are in four separate vineyards arranged on the alluvial slopes overlooking the river Ebro, on the cusp of the sub regions Alta and Alavesa. Each is given its own expression in their wines Tondonia, Bosconia, Cubillo and Gravonia.
 
The grapes planted here are mainly Tempranillo with some Graciano, Garnacha and Mazuelo for the reds and Viura with Malvasia for the whites. The age of the vines plays a significant role in the character and quality of the wines, with some plantings reaching 80-100 years old. These gnarled vines deliver naturally low yields and help to bring high levels of complexity in the final wines.
 
LDH are not particularly vocal about their efforts around sustainability. This is because they don’t wish to promote their wines on the basis of practices they consider normal. Having never adopted the chemical regimes which became so widespread, they have not had to reverse any of the damage. They continue to manage their vineyards in a fashion which Don Rafeal would still recognise today.
 
The bodega itself is a cathedral of wine, with towering vats and stacks of barrels. Visitors can be left in no doubt as to the venerability of this place and the importance of tradition. As is typical in Rioja, oak has a significant role to play here. But new barrels, made onsite in their own cooperage, are broken in with wines which are reserved for bodega celebrations. When the barrels go into service after three years of seasoning the influence they exert on the wines is a slow and gentle development of personality rather than overpowering vanillin and lactones.
 
Wines are released with considerable age (far more than any legal requirements) and only when LDH deem them ready. If something runs out in the marketplace, they don’t rush to replace it; the new vintage will follow only when it’s finished. (A sometimes frustrating, but ultimately rewarding, experience for devoted followers.) In fact, not rushing is at the heart of the way the family works, in the vineyard and in the winery.
 
Their range of reds opens with their unusually complex and intriguing Crianza Cubillo. The three years which Cubillo spends in cask, plus four to five years in bottle before release, exceeds the legal levels for Gran Reserva. Bosconia Reserva appears in a Burgundy bottle – a hint as to the exlegant yet full-bodied wine within. In exceptional years, a Bosconia Gran Reserva is also made. This is only released 20 years after the vintage, and it is predictably scarce.
 

LDH’s most famous and largest vineyard is the magnificent Tondonia, first established by Don Rafael in 1913. It’s made up of 100 ha of red and white grapes. Tondonia Reserva is always full of energy; a showcase for the bodega’s trademark freshness. The Gran Reserva is only made in the best years; it has massive concentration and demands long ageing.

The 2010 vintage in Rioja is the highest rated vintage in the last few decades by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator.



Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Red Reserva 2010
$89+ tax (only 5 Bottles Left)

96 Points - Robert Parker
The 2010 Viña Tondonia Reserva has all I expect from a Reserva from Tondonia, complexity, elegance and evolution, a developed nose with notes of forest floor and wild berries, herbs and flowers, a touch of iodine, brick dust and very fine, polished tannins. It has the seriousness and elegance of Tondonia.

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#9 Decanter Top 10 Champagnes of 2021

Rare Champagne boasts an illustrious past, with its first vintage having been presented to Marie Antoinette in 1785. The wine is produced in very limited quantities and is restricted to exceptional years, with only 11 vintages being declared over the past four decades of production. 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir from selected grand cru vineyards. 
 
In a subtle, joyful effervescence, the intense crystalline golden robe evokes yellow diamonds. The initial nose shines by the pure vivacity of this vintage. As Rare Millésime 2008 gradually warms in the glass, a vast range of orange blossom, hyacinth and white flowers is released. This leads to the delicacy of vanilla blossoms, a touch of fresh coconut, aromas of just ripe Williams pear and fresh almond, enhanced by notes of tangerine and blackcurrant buds. The second nose reveals the saline minerality, abundant and refined, an iodine-smoky harmony and a touch of licorice. On the palate the crispy, precise attack is followed by exuberant aromas of fresh pineapple, freshly cut and crisp, passion fruit, kiwi and coconut, nuanced with tangy citrus notes. These combine with plush springlike flavours with unparalleled length. The finish, with remarkable saline and iodine notes, perpetuates the journey into an endless spring.


Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2008
$280+ tax (6 bottles available)


97 Points - Wine Spectator 
Like a stallion out of the gate, this shows an initial explosion of power, in the form of mouthwatering flavors and fine texture, before quickly settling into an elegant gait. The racy acidity is seamlessly knit, buoying the lacy mousse and flavors of cassis, toasted brioche and tangerine, with accents of candied ginger, hazelnut and fleur de sel lingering on the long, creamy finish. Drink now through 2035.
 
96 Points - Wine Enthusiast
The new release of this producer's prestige cuvée comes in its usual beautifully sculpted bottle. The Champagne, from a great vintage in the region, is just approaching maturity still showing minerality from the high amount of Chardonnay in the blend. Nutty flavors are creeping in, keeping the great texture adding complexity. Drink this very fine wine now although it will also age further.

95+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck
A gorgeous, yet tight, backward vintage for this cuvée, the 2008 Champagne Rare is based on 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir with around 10 grams of dosage. Beautiful crisp citrus and stone fruits as well as flinty minerality and just hint of brioche emerge from the glass, and it takes hours for this to really unwind and show its potential. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has bright acidity, terrific concentration, and a great finish. I wouldn't think about opening another bottle for a solid 5-7 years, but it should have 30 years or more of ultimate longevity.

17.5 Points - Jancis Robinson
70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir from 11 crus (including Villers-Marmery, Vertus, Montgueux for Chardonnay and Aÿ, Verzy and Ambonnay for Pinot Noir). No oak. Full malo. Régis Camus left this blend on lees for 10 years and then aged it for a year after disgorgement in November 2019 with a dosage of 10 g/l. Interesting how difficult it is for this wine to shed its relationship with Piper-Heidsieck on search engines.
Brilliant pale coppery colour. Mmmm! So concentrated and heady with a huge array of aromas including, amazingly, coconut – but not in a tarty way. Masses of tense lime fruit aromas. Very dense nose. Lifted and refreshing and this seems much more youthful than12 years old. It does rather remind me of Dom Pérignon with its concentration and density but I don't suppose that comment will necessarily be welcome with the winemaker. It's just so electric in texture. Truly an exciting, luxurious champagne.

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BRUNELLO LOVERS LOVE LE CHIUSE

Here are two outstanding pre sale offers from today's hottest Brunello producer in Montalcino, Le Chiuse. Following up on their 2021 Wine Spectator #5 Wine of the Year, the new releases of these wines are destined to sell out fast. Pre order now as quantities are extremely limited.

Hardly any other Tuscan winery is as closely related to the founding fathers of Brunello di Montalcino as the small business of Simonetta Valiani and her husband Nicolò Magnelli. Le Chiuse is located south of Montalcino between the villages of Montosoli and Canalicchi and belonged to the aristocratic Biondi-Santi family from the 18th century onwards, whose Sangiovese wine made history in 1888 as the very first Brunello di Montalcino.

Strictly speaking, Simonetta is the niece of Franco Biondi-Santi, the last representative of this Tuscan wine dynasty, who had a special knack for single-varietal Sangiovese wines. In his opinion, the vineyards of Le Chiuse were among the best situated in the whole of Montalcino, which is why he had leased Simonetta's vineyards for the production of his legendary and long-lived Brunello Riserva wines for many years. 
 
Today, the Sangiovese Grosso vines still ripen at an altitude of 350 metres on these very north/northeast slopes of Montalcino, from which the Biondi- Santi Riserva was once produced. In the meantime, Simonetta presses her own refined Brunello di Montalcino and the no less impressive Riserva DIECIANNI from these seven hectares, while the vines for her magnificent, cherry-fruited Rosso di Montalcino ripen on the south-eastern side of the hill. 
 
With such a noble pedigree, the stage is already set for excellent wine production, which is why we were even more impressed that Simonetta, at the age of only 26, wanted to raise her bar even higher and initiated an important turnaround in the family business. With the conversion to organic viticulture techniques, rigorous yield reductions and targeted grape selection, the modest winemaker and her husband Nicolò have been producing phenomenal wines since 1992, to which the Montalcino region owes its excellent reputation. 
 
"At the beginning it was difficult and very exhausting, especially with three children. But I was still so passionate about it," says the winemaker in conversation, who inherited her enthusiasm for wine from her grandfather Tancredi, Franco's father. Following his traditional idea, Simonetta vinifies without commercial yeasts and ages her Rosso di Montalcino for 12, the Brunello for 36 and the Riserva for a whole 48 months in large Slavonian oak barrels. 
 
"Today, my son works with me at the winery, which means that I have managed to pass on to him the passion for my work," she adds with a smile. Simonetta is definitely a driving force in the top class of Montalcino, which she proves to us and the world's most renowned wine critics every year anew with her multi-layered Sangiovese wines. 
 

Le Chiuse Brunello di Montalcino 2017
$166+ tax
 
97 Points - Wine Enthusiast
One of the best wines of the vintage, this stunner opens with compelling aromas of new leather, forest floor, perfumed berry and menthol. Full-bodied and elegantly structured, the delicious palate delivers crushed raspberry, ripe Marasca cherry, baking spice and licorice set against firm, refined tannins. It boasts remarkable freshness and balance for the hot vintage.
 
95 Points - Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The Le Chiuse 2017 Brunello di Montalcino (made with certified organic fruit) exhibits a silky and elegant profile that only a handful of estates in the appellation achieve with consistency. This is the desired direction of Brunello as a whole I believe, and it's nice to see these successful results in a difficult, hot vintage such as 2017. The wine is silky and glossy on the palate with wildflowers, berry and forest floor. 
 
94 Points - Wine Spectator
Offers key themes of black cherry, blackberry and violet aromas and flavors, with mineral, tobacco and bitter almond accents. Solidly built, with dense tannins expanding on the finish. Overall, there is a sense of elegance here, with a silkiness and persistence.
 
 

Le Chiuse Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Diecianni 2012
$259+ tax
 
97 Points - Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
This is a special treat, and I'm so grateful to the folks at Le Chiuse for kindly sending this sample for review. Released 10 years after the vintage, the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Diecianni gives us a concrete opportunity to measure the longevity of bottle-aged Brunello. The bottles are numbered by hand, and I tasted number 343. I was not initially a believer in the long-term merits of the 2012 vintage, but this stunning bottle has changed my mind. Sangiovese can age with grace and care, and that's what this wine teaches us. Aromas of wild berry, dried current, red orange, earth and rusty nail converge with precision. The wine's color is vibrant and bright despite the nearly 10 years of age, and the mouthfeel is light and radiant in intensity. There is a lot of aspiration in this wine, and I think you'll be inspired. Unfortunately, only 2,000 bottles were held back for release.
One of my favorite wines in this report is the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Diecianni from Le Chiuse. Starting with the 2010 vintage, this estate has been holding back a small part of their production to release 10 years after the harvest. I wish more producers in Montalcino would commit to similar late-release programs. Lorenzo Magnelli and his team are biodynamic farmers, and the winery has been organic for 15 years.
 
One of my favorite wines in this report is the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Diecianni from Le Chiuse. Starting with the 2010 vintage, this estate has been holding back a small part of their production to release 10 years after the harvest. I wish more producers in Montalcino would commit to similar late-release programs. Lorenzo Magnelli and his team are biodynamic farmers, and the winery has been organic for 15 years.
 
97 Points - Wine Spectator
This red is beginning to find its sweet spot, revealing mushroom, leather, fading cherry, berry, earth and mineral aromas and flavors. Still firm, with fine equilibrium and an expansive finish that has freshness and grip. Begs for braised beef, Bolognese or wild boar ragù

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EXCEPTIONAL FRENCH CHARDONNAY

Château de Fuissé is a leading producer of Chardonnay wines in the Pouilly-Fuissé zone of the Mâconnais region. The estate has been owned since 1862 by five generations of the Vincent family. In total the estate owns over 40 hectares (100 acres) of vineyards across five appellations, 37 of which are planted to Chardonnay. Of this, 25ha lie in Pouilly-Fuissé itself.

Born from limestone soils where the best wines of the appellation also come from, this Pouilly-Fuissé is graced with the classic profile of this Burgundy variety, featuring notes of white fruits, almonds and oak, married with honeysuckle and limestone. Its fresh and round mouth will beautifully complement the delicate trout flesh topped with beurre blanc.



Château de Fuissé, Pouilly-Fuissé "Tete de Cuvée" 2020
$60+ tax


89-92 points - Allen Meadows, Burghound.com
Here too a more restrained nose is ripe but cool with its fresh aromas of pear, apple, tangerine and lemon-lime nuances. There is better richness to the slightly bigger and more concentrated medium-bodied flavors that deliver solid length on the saline-inflected, clean and dry finish. This delicious effort will need to develop better depth to merit the upper end of my projected range.

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BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO, FROM FARM TO YOUR TABLE

Yesterday I had the pleasure of tasting this 2016 Brunello di Montalcino produced with minimal intervention by the Tornesi family. Tornesi is very new to our market, as the 2015 vintage was the first vintage imported into BC. With only a handful of cases available, now is the time to pick up and try a new and outstanding Brunello.

Set in a beautiful Tuscan hilltop town, Montalcino is considered the birthplace of Tuscany’s fullest, richest wine: the long-aging Brunello di Montalcino. This dense, robust red is among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world, earning its vineyards one of the very first DOCG distinctions ever awarded in Italy.

Brunello di Montalcino comes from a very distinct and designated (DOCG – officially designated in 1967 as one of Italy’s first DOC classified wines) region in Tuscany about 70 miles south of Florence, Brunellos typically are the best wines produced from the Sangiovese grape. By regulation, Brunellos must be produced by using a 100% Brunello clone (Grosso) of the Sangiovese grape, hence the mystic and lore of this exceptional wine. Typically, Brunellos are among the most expensive Italian wines. 

The Tornesi family has been growing grapes on their Montalcino estate since 1865, and is still family operated with Maurizio Tornesi at the helm of both viticulture and winemaking. His father Gino works alongside him, a true Tuscan farmer, as authentic as they come, who knows the land of Montalcino like the back of his hand. In fact, as dwellers of the land, each member of the Tornesi family was born and raised there and has worked within the winery to help it grow. In 1967, the family registered the vines as Brunello, becoming one of the first producers in the region. In 1993, they bottled their first Rosso di Montalcino and their first Brunello di Montalcino using their Sangiovese grapes. The vineyards are cultivated under supervised control with organic fertilizer and without the use of herbicides. Being a small, family operated winery, most of the work is done by hand, including fall harvest. The Tornesi family believes their wine is proof of work done with passion and obstinacy.

The Tornesi Brunello vineyards are next to the famed vineyards of Biondi-Santi, the heavily steeped vineyards benefit from the higher elevation and the excellent exposure, providing fruit that not only possesses acidic backbone and intense aromatics, but also ripeness and body. 


This Tornesi Brunello di Montalcino spends 24 months in oak and is a rugged style typical of traditional Tuscan wine making. It is still young so quite tannic, worth opening for a few hours before drinking. The nose opens up to dark cherry, oak and coffee, on the palate its acidic with rich dark fruit flavours and an earthy finish. 


Tornesi Brunello di Montalcino 2016
$84+ tax

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BIODYNAMIC & ORGANIC PINOT NOIR

As a pioneering producer and winegrower of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, DeLoach Vineyards has been experimenting with and perfecting the best combinations of soil, rootstock, and clones for over three decades. In 2003, the Boisset family brought two generations of sustainable winemaking experience from Burgundy, France to California’s Russian River Valley and pulled up the estate vineyards that had just produced Wine Enthusiast magazine’s 2004 wine of the year: DeLoach Vineyards’ 30th Anniversary Cuvée Pinot Noir. The award-winning vineyards were replanted with cover crops in order to revitalize the soil and in the meantime, DeLoach partnered with winegrowers equally dedicated to and passionate about eco-friendly farming practices and the production of high-quality wines. Wine & Spirits magazine named DeLoach Vineyards a Top 100 Winery for the twelfth time in the winery’s history in 2012.

The Russian River Valley extends just south of the town of Healdsburg to the San Pablo Bay in the west. It has the coolest climate of all the regions in Sonoma because of the fog traveling up the Russian River from the ocean. The climate makes the Russian River Valley prime Chardonnay and Pinot Noir country. Both grape varieties thrive here with a lush, rich intensity of fruit flavors rarely found in other places. The cooler climate creates the ideal conditions to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with more intense forward fruit, lovely crispness and acidity with great balance and length. This Russian River Valley appellation is truly one of the shining stars of Sonoma.



DeLoach Pinot Noir 2019
$51+ tax


A beautiful ruby red color in the glass, the 2019 Russian River Pinot Noir opens with bright red fruit aromas of strawberry and cherry. Raspberry, rhubarb and dark plum flavors are met with a touch of spice and bright acidity. This is a medium-bodied wine with moderate tannins and a lingering and mouthwatering finish

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MAGNIFICENT 1er CRU CLASSÉ ROSÉ

Due to it's unique microclimate and terrior, Rimauresq is one of a select  group of Côtes de Provence vineyards awarded 1er Cru Classé status in 1955, a classification mirroring that of the great Bordeaux châteaux and based on the quality of the wines and heritage of the properties. The vineyard, located at an altitude ranging from 140 to 190 meters, enjoys the combined influence of beneficial effects of the Mistral and the shade of Our Lady of the Angels. The estate consists of a clayey-schistous and crystalline soil, with sandy and stony parts. It is this unusual diversity that allows Rimauresq to excel. 

Vinification of their rosés is all about preserving freshness. The fruit is harvested in the morning to capitalize on the impact of the cool night and then undergoes cold maceration in temperature-regulated stainless steel vats. Cold pressing separates free run juice from the must and it then ferments at a low temperature. The rosé matures on lees with regular stirring to ensure great aromatic intensity and good fat texture. 

This is a serious rose with delicate floral, strawberry fruit characters and a fresh dry finish. Rimauresq takes its name from the ”Real Mauresque” which is the river which flows through the vineyards. Its exceptional ‘terroir’, recognised through its Cru Classé status, results in wines of elegance, complexity and purity. It is blend of 43% Grenache, 24% Cinsault, 10% Mourvedre.

 
Domaine de Rimauresq, Côtes de Provence, Cru Classé 2021
$39 + tax (only 10 bottle let)
 
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CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN CHARDONNAY

Stonestreet Estate Vineyards is the story of a family’s vision to defy the limits of California winegrowing. Jess Stonestreet Jackson and Barbara Banke established the estate in 1995, and their son Christopher Jackson and his wife Ariel continue the legacy — and the middle name “Stonestreet” has now been passed from father to son for three generations. Stonestreet is one of the most expansive and multi-faceted mountain vineyards in the world and produces a distinctive collection of single vineyard wines — powerful Cabernet Sauvignon, soulful Chardonnay and electric Sauvignon Blanc.

The Jackson family acts as stewards of the land, caring for this 5,500 acre mountain estate that towers high above the Alexander Valley in the Mayacamas Mountain Range. Ranging 400ft to 2,400ft in elevation, the estate showcases a dramatic array of mesoclimates on peaks, valleys and ledges. The geological diversity of the mountain, which contains more soil types than all of France, confers a strong mineral characteristic in the fruit, while the challenges of farming at elevation produce smaller, more concentrated berry clusters.

Knowing that it would take more than one generation to understand the complexity of the estate, Jess Jackson notably stated, “Stonestreet has the destiny to be one of the greatest vineyard sites of all time.” As the second generation, Christopher and Ariel are building upon that legacy, pushing it forward with an ever-deepening understanding of this awe-inspiring estate.

Stonestreet, Estate Chardonnay 2016
$65 + tax
 

93 points - Vinous
The 2016 Chardonnay Estate is a terrific introduction to the Stonestreet Chardonnays. Citrus, apricot, mint and a dash of new oak add nuance to this finely cut mountain Chardonnay. The Estate Chardonnay is another wine that delivers serious quality for the money. Silky and textured, the 2016 hits all the right notes. What a gorgeous wine it is.
 
92 points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Fermented in barrel and aged 11 months in 36% new French oak, the 2016 Chardonnay Estate has a ripe apple, peach blossom, poached pears and nutmeg-scented nose with a waft of beeswax. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is satisfyingly savory with plenty of citrus and mineral accents and a long spicy finish.
 
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