1969 - Older Wine

Producer Description 

A classic crisp, refreshing wine with apple, pear and citrus flavors, this is the perfect party wine to go, for those times when you don't know where the party might lead. 

Our White Zinfandel has a beautifully bright salmon color and aromas of strawberries and spice. Full of flavors, this wine has a refreshing crisp and clean finish.

A remarkably fruity wine that boasts ripe strawberry with layers of sugared lemon, passion fruit, watermelon, and hints of quince jam. This light bodied wine offers up a fruit cocktail of summer flavors leading to a delightfully bright finish.

Expert Reviews

The Wine Advocate 90 Points | The NV 10 Year Old Tawny was bottled in 2013 with a bar top cork. It comes in at 106.7 grams per liter of residual sugar. Some Ports emphasize flavor, others emphasize structure. This starts out with perfect focus, elegant but increasingly intense on the tight finish. Early on, it was all about the structure, with a haze of velvet. The flavors were a bit muted initially, but it unfolded into an elegant and graceful whole with a flavorful finish. Its bright, clean feel always remains as it fleshes out and puts on weight. 

The Wine Spectator 90 Points | Refined, with bright flavors of dried berry, plum compote and cherry tart that are long and lush. Very creamy on the finish, which features chocolate mousse.

The Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | In the full Fonseca style, this aged tawny shows both rich fruit and a more serious wood-aged character. Good acidity follows the sweet initial taste, broadening into ripe flavors of nut, plum jelly, and a final crisp acidity.

Winemaker Description 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Jeb Dunnuck 91 Points | Adelsheim’s single vineyards were planted in the early 2000s on very steep slopes at 485 to 625 feet elevation. The bright red 2022 Pinot Noir Boulder Bluff Vineyard has a fruity and floral profile with notes of candied raspberries, pressed flowers, sweet herbs, and fresh soil. It takes on more tension on the palate, with finely coiled tannins, juicy, ripe fruit, mouthwatering, fresh acidity, and a long feel throughout the finish. It’s focused and has a good, compact, yet elegant feel. Drink 2025-2037.

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | The 2022 Pinot Noir Boulder Bluff is supple and inviting. Matured for 10 months in 33% new French oak, it opens with wafts of iodine and woodsmoke that give way to wild berry fruit and accents of rose petal and tangerine. Medium-bodied, it offers layer after layer of red fruit, citrus and spice. It’s structured by finely chalky tannins and mouthwatering acidity and has a long, layered finish. 

Winemaker Description 

Prefecture: Niigata • ABV: 15-16% • Rice: Goyaku Mangoku milled to 65% • Sake Meter Value: +6 • Acidity: 1.3

• Takes the concept of ‘everyday sake ‘ to new heights
• Dry, clean, light, notes of hazelnut and toasted rice.
• Can be served chilled, room temp or warmed
• Gohyaku Mangoku and Koshi Ibuki rice milled to 65%

While breweries love to showcase their premium ginjo styles Kirinzan take immense pride in their entry level ‘futsu-shu’ meant for everyday drinking. They use Gohyaku Mangoku and Koshi Ibuki sake rice polished to 65%, beyond requirements for even the premium honjozo grade. All rice is sourced directly from small farmers in the local  agricultural cooperative, none farther than five miles from the brewery. Made in the house style, it is dry, clean, light bodied, well balanced. Notes of hazelnut and toasted rice that makes it excellent both chilled or gently warmed.

Expert Review

Michael Schachner of The Wine Enthusiast 89 Points | A cloudy brown color along with nutty, slightly fiery aromas of caramel and cocoa open this aggressive oloroso with somewhat sharp acidity. A narrow flavor profile includes toffee, mushroom and orange peel, while saltiness drives a tannic finish.

Winemaker Description 

Are you always on the lookout for the next delicious dessert wine to accompany your meals? Our 750ml plum drink variety could not be a better choice! With all the distinctive flavors you look for in a fruit-flavored sake, our sweet KOSHU Plum sake finishes off dinner with a taste to remember. You can serve it cold at the end of the meal, or try one as a drink right before you dig into your dinner. Either way, you get a refreshing beverage your guests will ask for again and again.

Intense, appetizing aromas of candied plum and cherry. The palate is sweet, but not cloying, with concentrated flavors of plum, black cherry and almond, and a lingering finish.

The KOSHU PLUM is a decadent, complex plum 'sake', ideal as an aperitif or dessert drink.

Winemaker Description 

Our award-winning Hambledon Classic Cuvée Rosé is produced exclusively from our own estate on the South East facing chalk slopes of Windmill Down, in the historic village of Hambledon.

The rosé expression of our Classic Cuvée. Aged a minimum of 45 months, this Chardonnay-led blend will reveal aromas of wild strawberry and gentle vanilla. At the finish, Hambledon's chalky soils and the influence of the Pinot Noir red wine add a hint of phenolic bite.

The colour is vivid, a gentle salmon pink, and the fruit, reflecting the cooler 2019 vintage, has notes of green apple, crisp nashi pear and floral hedgerow scents of hawthorn and fresh sloe.

The rose expression of our Classic Cuvee. Aged a minimum of 45 months, this Chardonnay-led blend will reveal aromas of wild strawberry and gentle vanilla. At the finish, Hambledon's chalky soils and the influence of the Pinot Noir red wine add a hint of phenolic bite.

Expert Reviews 

James Suckling 98 Points | Made from old vines and blended from casks of Port averaging 40 years of maturity, this is a rare treat with which to finish an evening. The color is tawny brown, with a light orange-amber rim and mahogany center. Fully developed aromas of cinnamon, cedar, nutmeg, vanilla, dried apricots and hazelnuts lead to layered, rich, sweet and creamy flavors and a long, long finish.

Decanter 97 Points | Terrific stature and visceral intensity. Tightly wound acidity, a touch of volatile acidity and Cognac-like spirit drive to the kaleidoscopic palate, unleashing a never-ending panoply of flavors: black cardamom, spicy fruit chutney, salty praline, mocha, dried mango, marmalade and walnut. Ultra-long, well-focused and resonating.

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points | The NV 40 Year Tawny is a blockbuster Tawny! Coming all from the estate vineyard and aged 40 years or more in 640-liter oak barrels, it has a touch of ranico-like character as well as beautiful caramelized fruits, toasted spice, cigar, and walnut/nuttiness. Ripe, heady, full-bodied and beautifully complex, it’s going to be perfect for sipping at the end of a meal over the coming couple of decades.

Wine Spectator 95 Points | This is exotic, with a wide range of baked peach, dried cherry and fig, singed cinnamon, warmed praline, hazelnut and green tea notes all swirling around together. The long finish is rich and  thoroughly comforting.

James Suckling: 94 Points, The fresh and floral nature of this wine is more than evident, with black cherry and orange undertones. The palate is medium-bodied and refined, with silky tannins and mineral highlights. Tangy and crisp at the end.

Wine Spectator: 91 Points Cherry, raspberry, leather, earth and tobacco flavors converge in this broad, savory red. Tightens up, with the sinewy tannins leaving their mark on the finish. The fruit returns, so give this a little time. Sangiovese and Merlot.

Vinous: 91 Points The 2022 Chianti Classico Ama opens with a burst of dark red cherry/plum fruit. Vibrant and generous, with bright acids, the Ama is an absolute delight. Its forward personality and impeccable balance make it a fine choice for drinking now and over the next decade or so. 

Winemaker Notes

• Region: Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy.
• Flavor Profile: Blackberry, plum, raspberry, earthy notes, licorice, tobacco, leather, herbs, often with floral hints like rose.
• Texture: Rich, broad, velvety, firm tannins, medium to full-bodied.
• Aging: Recommended for cellaring for a few years to develop further, with potential to age well.
• Producer: Castello di Ama, a respected producer known for quality Chianti.
• Tasting Notes Summary:

s a fantastic Blanc de Blancs expressing what subtlety is all about… 

The juice arrives from one fifth from Grand Cru village of Cramant in Côte des Blancs and the rest from the 1ers Crus villages of Bisseuil (Vallée de la Marne), Villers-Marmery, Villers Allerand, Rilly la Montagne (Montagne de Reims) and Vertus (Côte des Blancs). 

Exceptional, long and refreshing, a wine that can carry over the next coming 15 years. “A Fantastic Blanc de Blanc” as stated by Audrey Frick JebDunnuck.com 95 Points Jeb Dunnuck / 92 Points Wine Advocate.

The 2019 is a Vintage Champagne of remarkable balance. Champagne Leclerc Briant Millésime 2019 is grafted with Pinot Noir in equal parts from both Grands Crus villages of Very and Mailly, and with Chardonnay from famous Mesnil-sur-Oger, giving a 100% Grand Cru provenance cuvée. 

96 Jeb Dunnuck &  95 James Suckling Points - The 2019 Champagne Millésime Extra Brut boasts a bright yellow/straw color and delivers intense, precise notes of fresh pear, bright crushed stones, delicate flinty reduction, Meyer lemon, and fresh lemongrass. 

SINGLE VINTAGE 2018 - From a warmer 2018 vintage - As described by the property: "A Champagne chiseled in its expression of greed, promoting a pleasure of all moments and revealing fruity aromas and freshness”. 

CERTIFIED ORGANIC and VEGAN

94+ Jeb Dunnuck It pours a rich, youthful yellow hue and is forward in its expressive notes of toasted oak spice that are very assertive and joined by notes of toasted croissant, orange marmalade, white pepper, and ripe red berries. 

Practicing Organic • 100% Chardonnay (Wente, 15, 76, and 4 clones) • Mae Estate Vineyard (Sta. Rita Hills AVA) • Planted in 2017 • Elder series and Tierra complex sandy loam soils • Hand-harvested • Whole cluster pressed to tank to settle overnight • Native yeast fermentation in barrique and puncheon • No battonage • Fermented and aged 10 months in French barrique and puncheon (20% new) • Additionally aged 8 months in stainless steel before bottling • 398 cases produced • 12.8% abv   

VINOUS 95 The 2023 Chardonnay Mae Estate Vineyard pours a very light, crystalline yellow color, yet its weight and depth belie that translucent hue. Chalky and powdery in texture, it's a wine of excellent harmony and nuance that sings in perfect resonance all the way from start to finish. A fleshy, rich stone fruit profile leads the charge but, highlighted by shades of salty minerality and an almond-oil-like richness that lends a viscosity to the mouthfeel. Another excellent 2023 Chardonnay from Justin Willett. 

WINE ADVOCATE 93 The 2023 Chardonnay Mae Estate opens with a lovely bouquet of citrus curd, fennel and pastry cream, followed by a spongey, pure and succulent palate. The finish is understated and driven by an even-keeled finish that lingers with bright, chiseled acidity. This is a stellar example of the northern corridor of Sta. Rita Hills, and it will be an increasingly formidable presence in the Tyler roster as the vines mature.

Practicing Organic • 100% Chardonnay (Mt. Eden Selection) • Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (Sta. Rita Hills AVA) • Sourced from the original 1971 own-rooted vines • Elder Chert and shale over clay soils • Whole cluster pressed to tank • Native yeast fermentation • Racked into barrels and puncheons (15% new oak) • No battonage and full malolactic fermentation • Aged 10 months sur lies before going back to tank for an additional 3 months • 222 cases produced   • 13.1% abv  

WINE ADVOCATE:96 The 2023 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard opens with aromas of golden apple, white chocolate, fennel and citrus rind, delivered with the omnipresent combination of class and restraint that defines the site. The palate is dense, supple and concentrated, before springing into a driving, prescient finish grounded by a waxy richness and a phenolic grip. While the La Rinconada bottling offers a touch more intensity and invigorating energy in this vintage, this is one of the most definitive renderings of the vineyard, and it should evolve fantastically in bottle.

Aged 18 months in 228L French barriques (20% new) and 500L neutral puncheons • Ony 153 cases produced   

Wine Advocate 96+ :  Always a centerpiece of the Tyler range, the 2023 Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard is distinguished by an additional layer of high-resolution clarity in this vintage, elevating what is routinely one of the region's finest Chardonnay expressions. It combines a sumptuous, textural power with an equal measure of incredibly focused, mineral-driven energy throughout. Radiant, pure, herbal and honeyed on the nose, the palate exudes a broad, powerful muscularity that glides smoothly into a seamless, measured and mouthwatering finish that lingers with chalky grip.

VINOUS 96: The 2023 Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard is an alluring, incredibly textural wine, with a generous, ample personality and impressive delineation of flavors. Mint, toasted spices, yellow apple, chamomile and chalk embrace a sumptuous, creamy mid-palate, leading to a finish of great precision. This is a beautifully balanced white with tons of suaveness and a clear mineral accent.

The New York Times

The New York Times by Eric Asimov |  Scott and Jenny Schultz of Jolie-Laide make highly distinctive wines from grapes that are not among California's usual suspects. The trousseau gris grapes for this bottle were farmed organically and stomped by foot. The wine is lively and aromatic and will go with a wide range of savory and sweetish things. 

Winery Notes

Planted in the late 1970s, these rare, near extinct vines with massive, gnarly trunks produce unique and fascinating fruit. In return, the wine made from them is always beguilingly complex and nuanced.

Since our first Fanucchi Wood Road Trousseau Gris bottling in 2010, the wines have shown a strong structural foundation with vintage driven character. However, vine yields vary, and in 2024, Mother Nature graced us with half the fruit yielded in 2023 making this Trousseau Gris as rare as the old vines that produced it.

To preserve natural acidity, we harvested the grapes early and foot stomped them for a three day whole cluster cold soak. This gentle maceration adds subtle phenolic texture and mouthfeel, lifted aromatics, and a gorgeous rose gold hue. The now roseate juice was gently moved to a combination of neutral puncheon and stainless steel for a slow and cold native yeast fermentation. Once primary fermentation was complete, the wines were moved to neutral puncheons and barrique for a 6-month élevage to preserve freshness and aromatics.

The 2024 Trousseau Gris is a fresh and elegant wine showing off summer melon, nectarine, white tea, and pine. 12.5% ABV

The 2024 labels feature the work of Sandra Fontenas, a French visual artist and photographer based in La Rochelle, FR. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

The Wine Enthusiast by Michael Alberty writes 90 Points | This modest Pinot Gris offers uncomplicated refreshment for a modest price. The show begins with outdoorsy aromas of Asian pear, honeysuckle and fresh-cut grass. The flavors are just as pleasing, with lemon curd uniting with notes of ginger, thyme and a touch of green tea. 

Winemaker Description 

The 2024 Acrobat Pinot Gris is refreshing and approachable, offering flavors of pear, guava, and honeydew melon with a touch of minerality. Bright acidity lifts this medium-bodied wine, imparting energy and length on the finish.

Winemaker Description 

With a straw yellow colour, Yzaguirre Blanco Clasico Vermouth has an intense aroma with herby and spicy notes. Mild balsamic touches give it a pleasant and very unique structure. Fresh and smooth in the mouth and very well balanced, it has notes of vanilla and cinnamon.

Excellent as an everyday aperitif. Serve with 2 anchovy-stuffed olives, 2 or 3 ice cubes and a twist of orange. Serve very chilled.

Memo Summary Notes

The Yzaguirre Blanco Clásico Vermouth is a well-regarded example of the Spanish style of white vermouth, produced by Bodegas Yzaguirre, a house with a long history in the Catalan region (between Reus and Tarragona) dating back to 1884.

Yzaguirre's vermouths are made using traditional, artisanal methods and a blend of over 80 aromatic herbs and spices that are macerated (soaked) in a white wine base.

Cocktails: It works excellently as the Bianco/Blanc component in various cocktails, often where a sweet, less bitter white vermouth is desired:

• White Negroni (often with Gin, and a bitter like Suze or Luxardo Bitter Bianco).

• Martini variations (as a sweeter alternative to Dry Vermouth).

• V&S (Vermouth and Soda): Simple, refreshing, and popular in Spain.

  
  

   

Expert Review - Vintage 2020

James Suckling 90 Points | I love the blue fruit and violet brightness of this amply structured medium- to full-bodied Israeli red. Some bitter chocolate and black licorice character, too. Moderately dry with crisp acidity at the long, straight finish.

Memo Notes

Jezreel Valley Winery is a modern and highly acclaimed boutique winery located on Kibbutz Hanaton in the fertile Jezreel Valley of the Lower Galilee, Israel. It is celebrated for its commitment to creating distinctly Israeli, Mediterranean-style wines and for its pioneering work with local grape varietals.

Truly Israeli Wine: Established in 2011, the winery's core vision is to craft wines that perfectly suit the Israeli climate and palate, moving away from imitation of traditional European styles.

Jezreel is best known for its red blends and its commitment to the indigenous Argaman grape.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

The Wine Advocate 91 Points | The white 2022 Quíbia was produced with 60% Premsal and 40% Giró Ros and sold as a generic wine without appellation because of the use of the Giró Ros grape. It matured with lees in stainless steel before being bottled. It has 12.9% alcohol and good freshness. Unfortunately, it feels quite reductive and is difficult to read on the nose, but the palate feels vibrant and fresher. Give it a little bit of time.

Memo Notes

The 2022 is celebrated for blending aromatic fruit with a refreshing, savory quality:

Color: Enticing straw-lemon with greenish highlights.

Aromas: A delightful mix of ripe white peach, pear, jasmine, and the striking note of sea brine or crushed seashells. You may also find subtle hints of Meyer lemon and green mango.

Palate: Crisp, lively, and well-balanced. The wine delivers concentrated flavors of ripe peach,

Anjou pear, and citrus zest. Reviewers often mention a silky, almost olive oil-like texture and a savory note of capers or green almond.

Salinity: A distinct salinity runs through the wine, acting as a complex counterpoint to the fruit, which makes it incredibly versatile with food.

Winemaker Description 

Ànima Negra was founded in 1994 when two self-taught friends — Pere Ignasi Obrador and Miquelàngel Cerdà — decided that the wines of their native Mallorca weren’t reaching full potential.

Taking advantage of some unused milk tanks at the dairy farm owned by Pere’s family, they made two barriques of wine from Callet grapes (a native Mallorcan varietal) they’d purchased from local farmers. The initial results were so encouraging that the friends decided to form a partnership and continue pursuing their newly found passion for wine.

Situated in the southeast of Mallorca, Ànima Negra winery produces its wines on the old country estate of Son Burguera, close to the town of Felanitx. The buildings date back to the 13th century, and contain a traditional winemaking area, which historically was used to supply wine for locals living on and near the estate.

Ànima Negra sources its grapes from more than 135 carefully selected parcels of land that the partners either own or control. Virtually all of these parcels are within a six-mile radius of the winery, and most of the vines are 50 to 85 years old.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | I was able to taste the just-bottled 2023 Manoella Branco. This was a very balanced vintage, the growing season was almost perfect, and yields were good. The wine was a little closed for such an expressive year of wines with purity and freshness. It has notes of white flowers and fruit and a balsamic touch with the balance and harmony from the old vines.

Winemaker Description 

Vibrant and fresh wine with intense citric, floral and mineral notes. On the palate shows pure flavors and nice balance.

Varietals - Gouveio, Viosinho, Rabigato and Códega do Larinho.

Established in 2001 by Sandra Tavares da Silva and Jorge Serôdio Borges, both winemakers and couple, that have been investing and acquiring old vineyards and properties at Pinhão Valley. “Our goal is to create wines that express all the characters of the traditional vineyards and varieties from Douro Valley. Balanced wines between concentration, complexity and elegance.

Wine & Soul is one of the most exciting and dynamic producers in Portugal today, consistently earning high praise from international critics for both their still and fortified wines.

The harvest was planned for the first week of September in perfect weather conditions.

All grapes previously selected and de-stemmed were pressed on a pneumatic press and fermented on stainless steel tanks at low temperatures during 4 weeks, after which was aged sur lies during 6 months.


The 2009 L d’Or delivers a richer, slightly broader expression of this iconic single-vineyard Muscadet while retaining its hallmark finesse and mineral precision. The warmer vintage brings notes of ripe pear, lemon curd, and white peach alongside the classic aromas of crushed granite, oyster shell, and fresh herbs. On the palate, it’s generous yet impeccably balanced, with supple texture lifted by bright acidity and a long, saline, stony finish. A beautifully mature Muscadet that combines depth, freshness, and terroir transparency—released directly from the domaine’s cellar and drinking at a gorgeous point today.

The 2008 L d’Or is a strikingly fresh and finely structured mature Muscadet, drawn from old vines rooted in the estate’s signature granite soils. This vintage shows lifted aromas of citrus oil, green apple skin, crushed stone, and sea breeze, layered with subtle notes of almond and fennel as it opens. On the palate, it’s tense, vibrant, and beautifully chiseled, carrying the classic saline edge that defines great Muscadet. Long, mineral, and impeccably balanced, this is a superb example of how L d’Or evolves with time—precise, elegant, and still remarkably youthful despite its age.

Winemaker Description 

A young, powerful and fruity red wine. Intense ripe red fruit on the nose. On the palate, sweet fruit such as blueberries mingle with violets, scorched earth, and graphite in a plump, powerful, medium to full-bodied wine. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

James Suckling 91 Points | Buttered corn, baked pears, vanilla and white chocolate on the nose, followed by a creamy, full-bodied palate. It’s ripe but shows good freshness. Sweet buttercream notes to close.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 90 Points | Raspberries, oranges, licorice and red plums on the nose of this fresh and bright red. It’s medium-bodied, juicy and fruity. Drink now.

Expert Reviews

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | Disgorged in January 2019, the latest release of Gaston Chiquet's NV Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs d'Aÿ is showing beautifully, opening in the glass with scents of crisp yellow orchard fruit, white flowers, blanched almonds and fresh peach. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and charming, with a succulent core of fruit, a delicate pinpoint mousse and a nicely defined finish. Elegant and expressive, this is a beautifully balanced Blanc de Blancs that would make for a perfect aperitif.

Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | The base vintage of the NV Champagne Blanc De Blancs D'Ay Grand Cru Brut is from 2019, and it spent 4 years on the lees. A robust style of Blanc de Blancs, it’s assertive with notes of ripe pineapple, preserved lemon, honeycomb, and fresh walnut. Flesh and full-bodied, it has a soft, pillowy mousse, a persistent core of acidity, and a powerful drive through the finish. It will need some age to improve, as its tertiary notes should start to integrate and harmonize, rounding out its muscular personality.

The Wine Spectator 90 Points | Disgorged in January 2019, the latest release of Gaston Chiquet's NV Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs d'Aÿ is showing beautifully, opening in the glass with scents of crisp yellow orchard fruit, white flowers, blanched almonds and fresh peach. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and charming, with a succulent core of fruit, a delicate pinpoint mousse and a nicely defined finish. Elegant and expressive, this is a beautifully balanced Blanc de Blancs that would make for a perfect aperitif.

Winemaker Description 

A vibrant yellow-green in color, the Blancs de Blancs, d'Aÿ Grand Cru offers a delicate and fruity nose of citrus, pineapple, grapefruit with a hint of lemon. Lively on the palate with the finesse of Chardonnay and notes of citrus, white flowers, mandarin, fresh sage, and a long and fresh finish.

• Practicing organic
• 90% Pinot Noir (15% vin rouge), 10% Chardonnay
• 50% 2022, 50% 2021-2020
• From Rilly-la-Montagne 1er Cru and Villers-Allerands 1er Cru
• Clay and limestone
• 35+ year old vines
• No malo
• Fermented and aged in large foudre
• Aged 30+ months on the lees
• Dosage: 8g/L

• The Wine Advocate by William Kelley writes 92 Points |

  Generous and expressive, the latest rendition of Vilmart's NV Brut Premier Cru Cuvée Rubis is showing very well, bursting with aromas of red berries, plums, blood orange and dried flowers. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with a sapid core of fruit, a pillowy mousse and a lively, delicately phenolic finish, it's already drinking well. This is based on the 2017 vintage, with reserve wines from the 2016 and 2015 vintages, and it was disgorged with nine grams per liter dosage.

• The Wine Spectator 93 Points | Fine and harmonious, this is lightly chalky and refined in texture, showing pinpoint integration of its well-spiced range of pureed raspberry, blood orange granita, lime peel, biscuit and mineral notes and its spine of chiseled acidity. Concentrated yet ethereal. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged July 2024. Drink now through 2030.
• Allen Meadows Burghound 91 Points | Medium ruby color. The moderately fruity nose is composed of raspberry, cherry, strawberry and lovely yeast, apple and citrus peel whiffs. The delicious and super-yeasty flavors possess fine depth on the clean and relatively dry finish, indeed this is notably drier than what is typical for the genre. Lovely and this is a wine that could be enjoyed now or held for a few years first.
• Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | The NV Cuvée Rubis is vibrant pink, with aromas of wildflowers, wild raspberry, and juicy fruit. The palate is juicy and round, with blood orange, and perfect for relatively near-term drinking over the next 6-8 years.

Expert Reviews

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | Medium golden yellow hue, the NV Champagne La Vallée Suspendue Extra Brut is expressive on the nose and leaps from the glass with rounded aromas of lemon curd, merengue, pastry dough, marzipan, and red berries. It has more intensity on the palate, becoming more savory and salty, with a brothy feel, a fluffy mousse, and a chalky, textured finish. This is a solid wine with a lot of character to enjoy over the coming 10 years.

Vinous 93 Points | The NV (2016) Extra Brut La Vallée Suspendue is a blend of 80% Meunier, 15% Pinot Noir and 5% Chardonnay, based on 2016 with 50% reserve wines from a perpetual reserve that goes back to 1999. Those elements combine in a rich, resonant Champagne that is incredibly distinctive. Dried pear, spice, tangerine oil and exotic yellow flowers all build in the glass, but it is the wine's overall balance I admire most. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. Disgorged: June 2023.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2024 

The Tasting Panel 94 Points by Michael Franz writes 94 Points | Tavel is the world’s only appellation solely devoted to rosé wines, and Château d’Aqueira is a specialist of a very high order. This wine’s beautiful ruby color displays an unwillingness to tilt toward the wildly popular style of Provence, and it is followed up by wonderfully deep flavors recalling pomegranate and ripe red cherry that remain fresh thanks to a streak of acidity that continues through the finish. Please, let this wine never change.

The Wine Advocate by Yohan Castaing writes 91 Points | Notes of raspberries, wild strawberries, pomegranate and grapefruit preface the 2024 Tavel from Château d’Aquéria, a medium- to full-bodied, round and enveloping wine with a structured mid-palate and a long, spicy and generous finish

James Suckling 91 Points | Dense, fruit-driven and caressing, showing watermelons, crushed berries and mild spices on the nose. Medium-bodied with a delicious, well-rounded and supple development on the palate. Vivid and flavorful.

Winemaker Description 

The intense pink color is characteristic of a great Tavel and shines with bright red glints. Aromas of raspberry and strawberry share the glass with peppery notes. The wine is balanced and flavorful, and the finish is long with caramel notes. It is a gastronomic rosé that pairs with every part of the meal from aperitif through dessert.

Food Pairing | Pair with barbeque, red meat, dessert, or fruit.

Grapes of exceptional quality from a noble terroir allow Château d’Aqueria to craft a quintessential Tavel, widely appreciated as the finest wine of its appellation. Grapes are handpicked from Château d’Aqueria’s own vineyards, which span 163 acres across the sandy slopes of Tavel. The mesoclimate is ideal for cultivating Grenache and crafting crisp, fresh rosé wines. Using its cutting-edge weather station, located in the heart of the vineyards, Château d’Aqueria precisely monitors weather conditions and adjusts vineyard practices accordingly.

The grapes are hand harvested and destemmed, followed by a maceration to extract color. The varieties are blended two by two to enhance aromatic complexity. This is a key step in crafting these Tavel wines as this maceration extracts color, structure, and matter.

The grapes are then pressed before the fermentation undergoing temperature-controlled maceration and fermentation in stainless steel vats for 15 days. This wine sees no malolactic fermentation and no oak contact. A second blend takes place in December before bottling.

This results in a flavorful, vibrant, and food-friendly rosé that can be enjoyed year-round.

OwenBargreen.com: 93 Points “The 2023 ‘Santa Cruz Mountains’ Cabernet Sauvignon has 15% Merlot blended in. It is refined and elegant on the tongue, as the toasty oak caresses a gorgeous core of dark currants, black cherry compote and espresso bean notes alongside gravelly soils. Very fresh and vibrant, with terrific acidity, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2035.” -Owen Bargreen (June 2025).

Vinous Media: 93 Points “The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Cruz Mountains) is a blend of fruit from the Monte Bello estate and a few neighboring vineyards (Bates, Vidovich and Fellom) aged for 16 months in 100% American oak. Taut and structured, the 2023 opens with dark fruit, cracked pepper, smoked meat, tobacco leaf and cedar, all enshrouded in firm, chalky tannins that lead to a long, savory finish. This is a very fine access point to the Ridge house style at a more approachable price. As a note, this cuvée has existed in various iterations in the past, and was the original designation for what eventually became Ridge’s Estate Cabernet.” -Billy Norris (September 2025).

Wine Enthusiast: 93 Points + Cellar Selection “This bottling, which includes 15% Merlot and 4% Petite Verdot, marks the return of an appellation blend to the Ridge lineup. Aromas of black plum, clove and ajwain draw in the nose, while the palate picks up licorice and more black plum alongside a firm structure.” -Matt Kettmann (December 2025 Issue).

Wine Advocate: 92 Points “Including contracted fruit from Bates Ranch, Fellom Ranch and Vidovich, along with additions from Monte Bello, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon marks the first return of this cuvée since 2007. A lush nose of sweet black fruits, pine needles, sage and a gourmand touch of vanilla pod introduces a soft, velvety and pliable palate, ending with a pure, mouthwatering finish framed by a subtle touch of woody tannins. Overall, it’s a solid, accessible and over-performing example of Santa Cruz Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, which includes 15% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.” -Matthew Luczy (August 2025).

Wine Spectator: 92 Points “This sports a lively singed mesquite and savory aspect out front, with juicy and youthfully compact notes of red currant, bitter cherry and plum coulis held in check for now. Shows nicely chiseled tannins through the finish. A modicum of patience is needed. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2038.” -James Molesworth (September 2025)