2010 - Present Wine

Winemaker Description

This shows plenty of currant character, blueberry compote and tar, as well as savory undertones. Medium-bodied with resolved tannins and a round finish. 

Israel. Matatia is an extraordinary gift, honoring the man whose vision is the inspiration for Dalton Winery. Produced during outstanding years and in limited quantities, Matatia is about supreme quality and selectiveness. This wine embodies an eminence which is as rare and exceptional as the man himself. Matatia is a project that is always several years in the making and is named after Mat Haruni, without whom there would be no Dalton Winery.

Pair with turkey, hamburgers, pizza, or even dark chocolate.

Matatia is dark purple in colour, rich with fragrant notes of forest fruit, blueberries and raspberries, spiced with earthy hints of tobacco and licorice. The wine is full-bodied, well-structured complex and elegant with very good aging potential.

All Dalton wines are strictly Kosher Le Mehadrin and Kosher for Passover. They are under the supervision of the Merom Galil Rabbinate, Rabbi Yoseph Mishalil; Beit Din Yoreh Deya, Rabbi Shlomo Machpud; Rabbi Mordechai Ungar of Monsey New York and the Orthodox Union (OU).

The vineyards for the wine were preselected and attended special care throughout the years. Yields were dramatically reduced in order to increase the flavour concentration in the remaining grapes. Harvest was in late September and early October. The grapes for this wine came from separate vineyards that were picked and fermented separately. During fermentation, the grape cap was pumped over several times a day to increase the depth of colour and levels of extraction of the wine in the gentlest way possible.

Before completing fermentation, the wine was pressed out, and the free run wine was separated and used to make this wine. Malolactic fermentation was then encouraged and when completed the wine was racked into a mix of new and old French oak barrels for 24 months. Once the aging was complete each individual barrel was tasted for quality and only the wines of the very highest quality made it to the final blend. The wine was further aged for a year in the bottle before release.

Expert Review - Vintage 2020

Wine Enthusiast 91 Points | Tangy green apple and mineral intensity is tempered by richer golden apple and baking spice flavors in this nervy, well balanced, light-bodied wine. Tastes refreshing and mouthwatering.

Winemaker Description 

The balance of texture and freshness seen in the 2020 Quartz Creek is rare in Chardonnay. This harmony allows for versatility at the table

The vibrancy of fresh citrus on the palate is outstanding with chilled seafood like dungeness crab and razor clams. Still, there is enough texture and savory characteristics to pair with classic chicken marsala. 

Winemaker Description 

Maçanita’s Douro Branco exemplifies the confluence of richness and elegant minerality that is the hallmark of Douro whites. The indigenous Viosinho provides the backbone to this mineral driven wine, showcasing the slate soil and high altitude plantings that fuel this project. Fermented and aged all in stainless steel, Antonio and Joana very capably maintain the freshness and acidity in this wine, yielding a wine of purity and balance.

Stunning Pinot from the cool, high-altitude Colchagua Valley. Grown on volcanic soils and aged in concrete egg and neutral oak. Light, bright color with high aromatic intensity of fresh strawberries and red fruit such as currants and raspberry. On the palate, mineral with high acidity, along with ripe, soft and persistent tannins. 

Very aromatic with bright, structured strawberry and raspberry fruit, wet leaves, and stoney minerality. Sustainably farmed. Winemaker Description.

Winemaker Description

This wine comes from plots of bush-trained vines on poor, sandytextured soils in the Rioja Alta area. The vines are an average of morethan 35 years old and smaller yields. They are harvested with great care and transported to the winery in small containers. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainlesssteel tanks at a controlled temperature of 28ºC, with prior bleeding-off and a long maceration of three weeks in contact with theskins. Ageing in French and American oak barrels (90%-10%) over 28 months, followed by subsequent bottle conditioning for at least 4 years until it is leaves the winery.

AWARDS
93 Silver Medal · International Wine Challenge (v. 2011).

90 Puntos · James Suckling (a. 2010).

90 puntos · Guía Repsol (a. 2010).

90 puntos · Wine Spectator (a. 2009).

91 puntos · Wine Enthusiast (a. 2009).

91 puntos · Wine Wine Advocate (a. 2008).

SENSORY EVALUATION

Look: Ruby red with a noticeable rim. Excellent brightness and clarity.

Aroma & palate: On its first contact with oxygen, it appears clean but reticent. Then, sweet notes of oak appear, cinnamon, clove and candied fruits. Infinite nuances that change with the passage of time.

On the palate, it is subtle and pleasant, with great finesse uponentry and through the mid-palate.

The tannins are extremely well polished and it has a serene acidity that maintains a long finish.

SERVING & FOOD PAIRING

White meat, oven-baked fish. Cured meat and dark chocolate desserts. 

93 Silver Medal · International Wine Challenge (v. 2011).

Winemaker Description

Franck Balthazar is yet another tiny domaine in the region whose wines have become highly sought-after over the last decade; worldwide demand now far exceeds production. Predictably, market prices reflect this growth. Balthazar is a fastidious farmer and careful winemaker, which has earned him tremendous respect from his neighbors on the Cornas hill. All whole clusters are used here, no new oak, and as little sulfur as possible. If you ever encounter the unsulfured “Sans Soufre” Cornas bottlings in France, especially at any restaurants in the area, jump on them, as they are amazing but generally don’t hold up to extended shipping journeys. It’s a very strong case for the “drink local” argument. The 2020s have turned out fantastic.

Expert Review

Vinous 97 Points | Dark magenta. Highly perfumed, mineral-accented red and dark berry liqueur, candied violet, smoky bacon and Moroccan spice qualities on the nose, along with olive and black pepper nuances. Offers vibrant, palate-staining and spice-laced cassis, bitter cherry, floral pastille and smoky mineral flavors that show impressive depth and a bracing undercurrent of juicy acidity. Expands steadily with air and finishes wonderfully long and gently chewy, with polished tannins, resonating spice and floral notes.  Drinking 2026 - 2034/

Winemaker Description 

Very intense, with lots of haybales and chalk, but also big hints of chamomile and rounder pastry notes. Roasted almonds, old apples and grapefruits peels too. It’s dry, zingy and punchy, with a lot of flor influence and maturity. The warming intensity even hints at a Fino sherry at times.

Expert Rating

93 Points Wine Enthusiast | This textbook Petite Sirah aged in neutral oak barrels shows the LangeTwins at their best. The wine reveals all the grape variety's inky color, intense black-fruit flavors and grippy tannins. Yet it also adds subtleties of dark chocolate, anise and red roses that emerge with repeated sipping. Best from 2025–2035. (2019).

Winemaker Description

Intense color, rich aromas of pepper jelly, dried cranberry, and black tea.

Situated in the heart of the Lodi AVA, our 100 vineyard produces concentrated fruit, making it the perfect place to plant our Petite Sirah. Matching its intense color, this wine is packed with rich aromas of pepper jelly and dried cranberries, as well as undertones of black tea. This combination of fruit and spice harmonizes on the palate and is supported by warm tannins influenced by 15 months of neutral oak aging.

Certified Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing

Winemaker Description 

Lange Twins Jahant Woods Fumé Blanc 2021 is a vibrant and aromatic white wine from Lodi, California. This Fumé Blanc, made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, offers bright flavors of citrus, green apple, and tropical fruits, with a subtle hint of smokiness from oak aging. The wine’s crisp acidity and clean, refreshing finish make it an excellent choice for pairing with seafood, salads, or light appetizers. Lange Twins’ dedication to sustainable viticulture and quality winemaking is showcased in this lively and expressive Fumé Blanc. 

Winemaker Notes:

Campo di Camagi is one of the three labels of 100% Cabernet Franc produced by Andrea Franchetti from 2014, who wanted to devote the utmost attention to this historic grape of Bordeaux, enhancing its characteristics in relation to three different terroir of the estate. It is produced exclusively with grapes from a single plot of 1.5 hectares composed of a thin layer of quartz and limestone. The 27 year old vines struggle to grow in this space, the stems do not grow, the roots have filled it.

Expert Reviews 

Monica Larner writes:   Made with Cabernet Franc, the Tenuta di Trinoro 2020 Campo di Camagi shows a level of sharpness and precision that you don't get as clearly in the other wines in this series of single-vineyard releases. There is more oak spice with redwood and cedar, along with crushed granite and pencil shaving. The wine is linear and delivers big intensity to the palate, and it has the structure and acidity to accompany a long drinking window.  Drinking 2024 2045  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 95+

James Suckling writes:  So perfumed with violets and lavender with some currants. Medium- to full-bodied with polish and finesse. Racy and fine. Finesse with drive. Very elegant and straightforward with a racy texture. Very long and lightly edgy. 92% cabernet franc and 8% merlot. Drink after 2027 but already beautiful.  - James Suckling 96

Bruce Sanderson writes:  A spicy red, featuring a beam of black currant and blackberry fruit shaded by violet, black pepper, iron and mint. Lithe and ends with a line of resonant tannins on the tobacco-tinged finish. Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. 166 cases made, 65 cases imported.  Wine Spectator 94

Jancis Robinson writes:  Racy, lively and a little fragile and delicate. Tense.  Drinking 2024 - 2034  - Jancis Robinson 17.5

Winemaker Description

Enticing aromas of blackberry and fresh thyme mingle with hints of rose petal, cardamom, and sumac. Juicy forest fruits and black cherry on the palate are complemented by spice and floral notes, with a slate-like minerality, fresh acidity, and well balanced tannins.

Expert Review

Wine Spectator 92 Points | This flashy red shows appeal with a glossy texture that encases the blackberry reduction, steeped black cherry, mocha and licorice flavors, with accents of black olive, dried rose petal and smoke. A distinctive style. Drink now through 2027. 250 cases imported. 

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 96 Points:  A gorgeous blond bombshell of a Champagne, fragrant with roasted hazelnut, vanilla and smoke notes that waft through layers of poached pear and quince, pastry cream, pain d'épices and candied ginger. This is sculpted by a vibrant acidity that's seamlessly knit to the plush, silky mousse and chalky underpinning.

Wine Advocate 95 Points:  The 2012 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne is showing beautifully out of the gates, offering up demonstrative aromas of sweet golden orchard fruit, buttery croissants, peach and hazelnuts. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and enveloping, it's a rich, textural, vinous Comtes somewhat reminiscent of the brilliant 2002. If it gains in tension and cut (as the 2002 did and as I suspect the 2012 will) with more time on cork, it will make this initial rating seem conservative.

James Suckling 99 Points:  This is a fantastic and refined Blanc de Blancs. So layered and complex, with lemon curd, chalk, hazelnuts, pastries, baked apples and almond croissants. Structured and tightly wound, with almost imperceptible bubbles. Delicious salty notes at the end. Beautiful.

Winemaker Description

Deep and ruby red color. Intense and fruity notes of ripe red fruits and sweet spices. Strong personality, harmonious structure and well-complexed tannins, with a long finish.

This wine pairs well with red meats, seasoned pecorino cheese and steak. 

Winemaker Description 

Delicate profile, floral with notes of citrus, a hint of pineapple and banana. Fresh taste, pleasantly acidic with a long finish. 

Straw yellow with greenish reflections. Delicate profile, floral with notes of citrus, a hint of pineapple and banana. Fresh taste, pleasantly acidic with a long finish.

This light, refreshing Bianco Toscana is a versatile and very drinkable wine to complement many dishes and to capture the heart.

Ideal as an aperitif or to accompany fish and vegetables.

Winemaker Description 

An elegant and feminine Riesling with fine fruit of ripe lemon, apricot and pineapple. Juicy and harmonious on the palate, with charming acidity and a fine floral finish. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019 

Wine Enthusiast 96 Points | This is a generous, full-bodied wine. Touches of vanilla indicate the wood aging but that will go as the elegant structure and black fruits come to the fore. The wine’s future is assured, promising impressive drinking from 2027.

Wine Spectator 94 Points | This drapes wonderfully, with its range of warmed cassis, plum reduction and blackberry preserve flavors displaying a cashmere feel while warmed anise, alder, juniper and bay details peek in throughout. Rich yet defined finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036.

James Suckling 94 Points | Blueberry, blackberry, black tea, dark chocolate and walnut on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm, well integrated tannins. Silky and richly flavored. Always shows finesse. Lots of character at the finish, from wet earth and mushroom to currant and berry. Try from 2024.

Expert Review

Wine Advocate 96 Points: The 2014 Extra Brut Les Chemins d'Avize Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is fabulous. Rich, ample and potent, the 2014 possesses tremendous density from start to finish. Apricot, spice, dried flowers, graphite and lemon confit all build in a Champagne of enormous resonance. The pedigree here is evident. Chemins d'Avize is a blend from the Chemin de Plivot and Chemin de Flavigny lieux-dits. It was vinified in neutral oak and bottled with dosage of two grams per liter. Disgorged: June, 2021. 

Winemaker Description

Manuel Moraga and his family live just outside of Yumbel in the Bio Bio River Valley of Chile. 

They are the seventh generation to look after their 80 hectare farm, 16 of which under vine. All vines are dry farmed, organically and characterized by its soils of "trumao" (volcanic sand formed by redeposited ash). Their vineyard was the 33rd registered vineyard in the history of Chile which speaks for just how old some of their vines are. In the winery all of the work is done manually meaning no destemmer, only "zaranda" (traditional bamboo screen); no presses, only free run juice; no pumps, only gravity. In addition, the wines are made naturally without using any type of oenological products, including sulphur.

This "oldschool" bottle (Manuel asked his label designer for something 'classic' and got this - so hey, we run with it, ha!) is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 25% País (Cabernet planted 1999, Malbec & País planted in 1776), dry farmed organically on Trumao (type of volcanic soil native to Central and Southern Chile). All grapes are hand harvested and fermented in raulí. The wine continues to age in old neutral oak barriques for about 10 months before being bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with zero SO2.

Sustainable, organic, dry farming 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 25% País

Winemaker Description 

Pale yellow. Anised notes. Fine and flexible, fresh in the final. Fresh citrus fruit and herbs on the nose, powerful and mineral on the palate. 

Pair with shellfish, whitefish, sauerkraut. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2016

James Suckling 96 Points | I love the deep and complex nose, in which the cassis and mint of cabernet sauvignon are beautifully married to the more generous blackberry of ripe merlot and the vanilla and toasty notes from the oak are marvelously integrated. On the palate it creeps up on you slowly; the first impression is ripe yet delicate, then the fine-grained tannins charge through and light up the sky. Very long finish. Drink or hold.

Wine Enthusiast 96 Points | Beautifully wood aged, with subtle hints of spice, this is an elegant, textured wine, ripe with white fruit tones and layered with intense, fresh acidity. Its bright highlights are tempered by warm fruitiness and by the mineral texture that promises aging. 

Decanter 95 Points | The colour is rich and deep but with luminosity that gives nuance and fresh air. It's a lovely 2016, poised but not as powerful as some in the vintage, yet every inch the sophisticated reflection of the appellation. Restrained grilled berry fruits take their time to unfurl. It's still very closed but the liquorice and slate notes become clearer after 10 minutes in the glass, and the wine has already deepened in the few years since bottling. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points | As to the red, the grand vin is the 2016 Château Malartic-Lagravière (53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot). Aged in 80% new barrels and hitting 13.5% natural alcohol, it offers a deep purple color with beautiful cassis, tobacco, crushed rocks, and subtle incense aromas and flavors. Balanced, medium to full-bodied, and straight-up seamless on the palate, it’s another brilliant Graves that offers ample pleasure today yet will keep for 20+ years or more.

Wine Spectator 92 Points | Ripe and fresh, with bright cherry, plum and currant pâte de fruit flavors that have a racy edge while roasted apple wood, sweet tobacco and red licorice notes fill in through the lengthy finish. Thoroughly delicious, and approachable now or capable of some cellaring. Drink now through 2030.

Winemaker Description

These vines are two kilometers inland from the Bío Bío river. The granitic soil has its origins in the volcanic activity that defined the costal range called Cordillera de Nahuelbuta, which translates to "Cougar’s Land," or Tierra de Pumas in Spanish. The wine itself is appropriately named due with its complex, fruity and meaty character. 

Expert Review

92 Points Robert Parker | The other new País is the 2019 Tierra de Pumas that comes from three hectares of old vines, the 77th vineyard registered in the zone, so one of the oldest remaining vineyards in Bio-Bio and possibly all of Chile, certainly over 200 years old. The soils are a mixture of granite and quartz with some clay, and the lower parts are more sedimentary, what it's locally called Serie Santa Juana because the vineyard is quite large. This is certainly different from the rest—if it's because of the soil or not is another story, but the vinification and élevage is very similar for all. There is a note that reminds me of blood orange peel and talcum powder, intensely aromatic, almost as if it went through semi-carbonic fermentation (which it did not). When tasted next to the other four País bottlings, this is the one that stands out because it has a different character. 10,000 bottles produced.

Winemaker Description

Forest Glen Winery produces full-flavoured, smooth red wines that are aged in small American oak barrels and are ready to be enjoyed without further bottle aging. 

Intense ruby red with violet shadings, nearly opaque with traces of garnet
Bouquet. Expansive and persistent with sweet fruits, notes of blackberry, black cherry and a subtle nuttiness. Sweet spices lead to a mineral finish

Soft, sweet, voluptuous body, persistent and velvety. The tannins are thick and sweet, the acidity is well balanced, cutting the density and heaviness, while giving structure. Long finish, persistently fruity with notes of underbrush, forest fruit, and complex, intense spices. Producer Description. 

Expert Reviews | Vintage 2020 

96 Points James Suckling | This Spatlese beams you up to Cloud 9, from where you have a wonderful view over the beautiful Mosel Valley. In spite of the considerable concentration, this is super-delicate and precise on the barely medium-bodied palate. Enormously long finish, where you barely feel the natural grape sweetness. Drink or hold. 

95 Points Wine Advocate | The 2020 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese is pure, clear and flinty on the concentrated nose that is reminiscent of a fresh fruit salad served on a slate plate on an early summer morning. Light, lush and highly finessed but seriously structured on the palate, this is a savory, very clear and elegant Sonnenuhr Spätlese with great precision and finesse and highly stimulating salinity and mouth-watering grip on the finish. Rating: 95+ 

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 94 Points |  Lightly toasty on the nose, with grilled brioche, smoke and spice accents, this is fresh and citrusy on the plushly creamy palate. Reveals Meyer lemon, poached apricot, grated ginger and fresh lemon thyme enriched by chopped almond and biscuit. Long, well-honed finish. Chardonnay. Drink now through 2031. 200 cases imported.

Wine Advocate 94 Points |  When Gilles de Larouzière took the reins chez Henriot and tasted the vins clairs of the 2016 vintage with his team, one cuvée from Avize stood out from the crowd enough that it seemed to merit a tirage of its own. The result is the 2016 Brut L'inattendue, disgorged after four years on the lees with four grams per liter dosage. It's a demonstrative, expressive Champagne, bursting with aromas of white peach, crisp orchard fruit and confit lemon mingled with subtle hints of buttery pastry, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and attractively vinous palate, its fleshy core of fruit complemented by a pretty pinpoint mousse. Already drinking well, it's testimony to the exciting things happening at this historic house.

Decanter 94 Points |  Slightly smoky, bolstered by a chalky touch to the flint-accented nose which expresses an array of white and citrus fruit, as well as an enticing floral component. The mouthfeel has crystalline purity and is finely balanced, with citrussy acidity that delivers freshness and lift on the chalk-textured, flower-infused finish. Just the right amount of refreshing bitterness makes this an ideal partner for gastronomic dishes. Malolactic fermentation is de rigueur for Henriot. Ageing on lees before bottling was carried out in stainless steel. Dosage of 4g/l and disgorged in June 2021. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2016 

Wine Spectator 97 Points | Beautifully rendered, with a lush and seamless flow of cassis, steeped cherry, warmed raspberry and gently mulled blackberry fruit flavors gliding through. Light lilac, savory, mesquite and mineral accents underline the finish, adding additional texture and length. Deep and long, with sublime definition and gorgeous fruit. Best from 2024 through 2040.

Wine Enthusiast 99 Points | With a rare 94% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, this wine is packed both with black-currant flavors and impressive tannins and acidity. It moves Château Margaux into a new dimension with its dense, dry core of tannins that will power the wine into a seriously long-term future. Best after 2025. Cellar Selection.

Wine Advocate 99 points | Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Château Margaux (blended of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot) sashays out of the glass with glamorous red currants, candied violets, kirsch and crushed blackcurrants scents followed by notions of tilled black soil, forest floor, cast iron pan and cigar box with subtle wafts of lavender and oolong tea. Medium-bodied, mineral laced accents hover over the palate with an ethereal sensation of weightlessness, yet it is super intense with layers of red and black flavors supported by a firm texture of silt-fine tannins, finishing wonderfully fragrant and incredibly long.

Decanter 98 Points | This is a serious Margaux, hugely Cabernet dominant on both nose and palate as you would expect with 94% of the blend. It has an extremely fine, elongated tannic structure, just barely there and so classy, focussing on the gentle elasticity. There are more blue than black fruits here, wonderfully spun out and softened with crushed tobacco. It has the expansive aromatic structure of Margaux, the floral and mineral aspects clear, as is the tension that lifts the palate up and out. It's reminiscent of the 2005, though with less evident tannins. It's not as hefty as the 2010 or as staggering as the 2015, but is still a joyful expression of the estate. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | The grand vin 2016 Château Margaux is a beauty and tastes like the essence of Margaux. Thrilling notes of blueberries, cassis, crushed violets, flowery incense, and spice notes all give way to a full-bodied 2016 that strikes an incredible balance between richness and elegance. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels, it’s more focused and elegant than the 2015, yet I suspect it’s just as concentrated, and readers are going have a blast comparing these two magical vintages over the coming 4-5 decades.

James Suckling 99 Points | It’s very friendly and warm on the nose showing flowers and red fruit. But then on the palate, it lets you know how serious it is. Full-bodied, yet reserved, extremely tight and well-formed with super polished tannins that go on for minutes. A solid and typical Margaux with all the personality and beauty in strength. Try after 2027.

Winemaker Description

A seductive Margaux with an intense nose of black fruit and red plums. Some herb and wood notes, too. It’s full-bodied with pretty, pure-berry flavors with some crushed stones and cement. The texture is silky and fine-grained and the tannins melt into the wine. Precise, flavorful finish with length. 

It’s an incredibly sexy, flawlessly balanced beauty that’s going to be relatively approachable in its youth yet age effortlessly on its balance and purity.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018 

97 Points James Suckling | A seductive Margaux with an intense nose of black fruit and red plums. Some herb and wood notes, too. It’s full-bodied with pretty, pure-berry flavors with some crushed stones and cement. The texture is silky and fine-grained and the tannins melt into the wine. Precise, flavorful finish with length. Try after 2024.

96 Points Jeb Dunnuck | Tasted twice and showing incredibly well both times, the 2018 Château Malescot Saint-Exupery comes from a 28-hectare vineyard in the heart of Margaux and is a rough blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This full-bodied Margaux has everything you could want from this appellation, offering incredibly complex notes of cassis, tobacco, earth, and spice, full body, sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. It’s an incredibly sexy, flawlessly balanced beauty that’s going to be relatively approachable in its youth yet age effortlessly on its balance and purity. Barrel Sample: 94-96.

95 Points Robert Parker | The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Malescot St. Exupery leaps from the glass with expressive scents of baked blackberries, Morello cherries and boysenberries with hints of blackcurrant cordial, dark chocolate, licorice and tilled soil. The medium to full-bodied palate has impressive intensity without heaviness, delivering mouth-coating black fruits and a firm, grainy texture, finishing with a refreshing earthy lift.

95 Points Wine Spectator | Lovely, with gently mulled plum, blackberry and black currant fruit sailing through atop a velvety structure while mouthwatering bay, black tea and iron notes flow underneath. Seductive, detailed finish lets a sanguine note echo longest. Gorgeous wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036.

93 Points Decanter | Malescot is always a relatively modern style, and it stays true to form in 2018. It's an enjoyable, high energy wine but it doesn't quite reach the heights of its 2016. It's a rich damson colour, with plump fruit on the attack. The oak impact is a little forced, and this is clearly aiming for vibrancy and character. 5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2026 - 2038.

93  Points Wine Enthusiast | This is a fruity and structured wine. With its dusty tannins and promising firm core, it has the texture for aging. Fruitiness gives it the potential to mature into a poised and sophisticated wine. Drink from 2026.

Winemaker Description

Syrah Laide translates loosely to Pretty-Ugly, a French term of endearment to describe something that is unconventionally beautiful, a dogma that is applied to each cuvée. "Hawks Butte adds slightly more density and fruit while still wildly fresh with lithe tannin and Halcon compliments with brooding structure. Violet, camphor, white pepper and cedar" - Jolie-Laide 100% Syrah, grapes were planted on two vineyards (Halcon and Hawkes Butte) both at high elevation. 

Grapes are left on stems, crushed by foot and fermented with very light punch downs. The juice is then placed into neutral oak for 10 months. 12-25ppm added SO2 depending on vintage and cuvée. 

Winemaker Descrption

Nestled high in the granite and limestone soils of the Gabilan Mountain Range in the Chalone appellation of Monterey County. Coastal Marine influence of the nearby Monterey Bay combined with high elevations create large diurnal swings that experience much less fog than the valley below make for low yielding fruit with complex concentration and purity.

Foot crushed and fermented whole cluster and aged in neutral barrique.

Dusty red strawberry and cherry complimented by notes of orange zest and spice flow into soft tannin with fresh juicy acid. 

Winemaker Description 

Pale yellow in color with light green hints.

This Ventisquero Reserva Sauvignon Blanc wine has complex and elegant nose offers up aromas of lime, grapefruit, pineapple and pear complemented by floral and mineral touches. 

In mouth it is fresh, well-balanced with a rich acidity and soft body, where citric and tropical fruits reappear with mineral finish that delivers complexity and elegance.

Expert Reviews 

Wine Spectator 95 Points | Dark and winey, with a well-built core laden with cassis and dark plum puree while flashes of anise, lilac and charcoal fill in throughout. Finish has hints of chestnut and warm earth for a burly edge, but there's ample fruit for balance. Plenty grippy in the end too; cellaring required. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

Wine Advocate 98 Points | The 2018 Montrose is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a good amount of air to unlock the vibrant scents of crushed blackberries, preserved plums and cassis with suggestions of star anise, cedar chest, underbrush, Indian spices and iron ore, plus an emerging waft of violets. The full-bodied palate features the most exquisitely ripe tannins, offering a rock-solid backbone with tons of freshness lifting the taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and mineral laced. Going back to this wine over a period of hours and then days further reveals a Montrose of great opulence, richness and depth. Incidentally, the IPT level this year is 82, which indicates a very high level of tannins, and yet they are so, so ripe. The alcohol is around 14.5%. But sit back, close your eyes and forget the numbers—this is pure hedonism in its youth with a fantastic 40+ years of cellaring ahead of it, during the course of which do not be at all surprised if you are blown away by a three-digit experience.  -- Drinking 2024 - 2064.

Decanter 98 Points | Rich and deep with beautifully nuanced dark chocolate, mocha, cocoa bean and liquorice. Just full of understated power and silky tannins. This is gorgeous and among my top wines of the Left Bank. As it opens in the glass you get sweet black cherry and cassis flesh, and a sense of lilting sappiness. Great stuff from Montrose.  Drinking Window 2028 - 2045 -- Tasted by Jane Anson(at Bordeaux, 09 Nov 2020) Part of Top St-Estèphe 2018 wines: Re-tasted in bottle.

Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points | A full-bodied powerhouse as well as a perfect wine, the 2018 Château Montrose is a final blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new French oak. Boasting a deep purple hue as well as awesome levels of crème de cassis and smoky blackberry fruits and notes of tobacco, lead pencil, scorched earth, and chocolate, it's deep, opulent, and incredibly concentrated on the palate, with no shortage of mid-palate depth, tannins, or length. It reminds me a little of a fresher version of the 2003, although there's more Cabernet Sauvignon in 2018 as well as less Merlot. It has that classic Montrose minerality and backward, mineral-laced style, yet I suspect this will be drinkable in just 5-6 years and should evolve into a modern-day legend from this terroir.  Drinking 2027 - 2077Jancis Robinson 18 points 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot.

James Suckling 98 Points | Purity and beauty on the nose with blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, crushed-stone and violet character. A full-bodied red with masses of polished tannins and intense flavors of currants and blackberries. Juicy finish. Super depth to this. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2027.

Vinous 97 Points | The 2018 Montrose is dazzling. Whereas so many 2018s are opulent and broad, Montrose is a wine of vertical explosive power. Ripe Cabernet aromatics soar out of the glass, making a strong first impression. Black cherry, leather, licorice, graphite and menthol develop later as the 2018 starts to open in the glass. The energy, vibrancy and drive here are palpable right out of the gate. Montrose is one of real stars of 2018. Don't miss it!  Drinking 2028 - 2058 .