2010 - Present Wine

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. 

Expert Reviews 

Expert Review

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | This second wine of the Haut-Brion's newly acquired Château Quintus is rich, with layers of black plums and dense juicy tannins. A dark Merlot-dominated wine, it's smooth and likely to be ready soon. Drink from 2017. (2012).

Our Professional Review

Rand Sieger of 67Wine.com | The Scharzhofberg is considered by many to be the most prestigious vineyard in the Mosel region.  Sipping this beautiful Spatlese from Von Hovel reminded me why it has earned that vaunted reputation.

The nose is stately elegant while at the same time, quite powerful. Yellow fruit and bright white berries marry nicely with lemon zest, spice box, and just a touch of reductive sharpness.  A very definite honey sweetness stretches across the palate with just the right amount of lip-smacking tartness to tie it all together.  Finishes smooth and silky with a lingering trail of honey and brown sugar.

This is one to savor by itself as dessert in its own right, but would be a lovely accompaniment to simple shortbread biscuits, or raspberry tart.

Winemaker Description 

Century-old, pre-phylloxera, ungrafted vines planted on a blue slate hillside of dizzying steepness renders a wine that’s nothing short of profound. It offers intense flavor, integrated juiciness, sensuous texture and extraordinary length and intricacy with guaranteed potential for long maturation.

Gernot Kollmann started his career at the Immich Batterieberg winery in 2009. Since then he has led the house to new successes. Connoisseurs are fascinated by the house wines because they reflect the Moselle and especially the Riesling in an intensive and individual way.

The Immich Batterieberg Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling brings sweet and tart pleasure into the glass. Enchanting herbal bouquet Its bright straw-yellow dress suits the Immich Batterieberg Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling admirably. Spicy flint and dried herbs inspire in the bouquet. Here the Riesling flatters the nose in a clear and light way. Ripe plate peach, a hint of citrus zest and apple blossom find their way into the aromatic spectacle.

The Immich Batterieberg Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling on the palate The mineral-fruity nose of the Immich Batterieberg Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling is followed by a full-bodied and crystal-clear pleasure on the palate. The dried garden herbs and the spicy slate combine on the tongue with apple compote and juicy peach wedges. Balsamic accents and a sinewy body give the wine a lot of elegance, even in the long finish. The fruit of the Immich Batterieberg Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling is pleasantly restrained and leaves plenty of room for spicy and mineral notes.

For this reason, the Riesling is ideal as an accompaniment for the exclusive kitchen on special occasions. Baked veal cheeks on risotto, steamed zander and grilled trout welcome him with joy at their side. Gernot Kollmann creates a fine Riesling from a steep site.

For the Immich Batterieberg Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling, the winemaker chooses particularly long-grown vines with deep roots. The plants have been growing on the blue slate soil for more than eighty years. The Ellergrub site is known for exceptionally elegant wine.

The Immich Batterieberg Enkircher Ellergrub Riesling does not disappoint either. Gernot Kollmann ferments the wine with great patience and calm. Under his hands, the Riesling unfolds its natural potential and absorbs the terroir around the steep slate slope. Great enjoyment from a great location.

Winemaker Description

2017 Timeless Napa Valley is a harmonious wine that deftly balances elegant integration of both high acidity and supple fruit to create a wine with ageworthy structure and character. Notes of pomegranate and cherry on the nose are met by subtle aromas of wisteria, licorice and mint. Carried by essences of rose, plum and tart red fruit, a mouthwatering ripple of bright acidity meets delicate tannins and balancing, savory flavors of minty balsam, cozy mulling spices and stewed black fruits on the palate. 

Winemaker Descrption 

Milan Nestarec Youngster Red is a red natural wine made from a blend of Zweigelt, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Dornfelder. The grapes are hand-harvested and destemmed. The juice ferments in 2000-liter stainless steel tanks. The wine ferments for about 2 months, with occasional pigeage and indigenous yeast fermentation. Elevage takes place in the same tanks for about 2 months. The wine is bottled unfiltered, unfined, and with zero sulfur added.

Winemaker Description

Ruby-red color. The nose is complex and elegant. Notes of dry flowers, hay and rose petal, accompanied by a hint of chamomile. It is fresh, balanced, silky, enveloping and full-bodied on the palate. The tannins are prominent yet well-integrated. The finish is long and persistent. We recommend decanting a few hours before serving.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020

Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points | A medium red hue, the 2020 Barolo Rocche Di Castiglione offers more complexity and is more nuanced in the glass, with notes of dried raspberries, tangerine, roses, dried herbs, and cedar. Medium-bodied, it is crunchy with an elegant feel but has balanced structure and retains a somewhat more chiseled feel that’s true to the vintage. It has a lot to enjoy now and also has a wide drinking window. Drink 2025-2050.

The Wine Advocate 96 Points | The Vietti 2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a very delineated wine with sharp ferrous notes, cherry cola, redcurrant and chalky mineral. It is extremely precise in terms of its aromas. The effect is direct and layered, showing different sides and increasing complexity as it opens in the glass. Dried floral notes, purple flower and iris also appear delicately. The chalky tannins feel abrupt at this young stage, but this wine is built to last nonetheless. Only 3,512 bottles were created.

Vinous 96 Points | The 2020 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a magical wine from a magical site. It marries finesse and volume to a degree that is not found in most of the other wines in this range. Castiglione Falletto is the center of the Barolo production zone, literally and figuratively, the place where many different soil types meet. As a result, the wines often possess mind-blowing balance, which is very much the case here.

Winemaker Notes

Winemaker Description

A medium-bodied Pinot Noir with remarkable floral, cherry and raspberry aromas. In the mouth, bright fruit flavors with a wonderful texture and extraordinary acidity. Smooth and balanced with a long, silky and velvety finish.

Expert Review

92 Points Wine Spectator | A medium-bodied red with aromas of wild raspberries, porcini, dried herbs and smoked meat. Powdery, fine tannins with a chalky feel. Concentrated and taut with a savory, mineral finish. Drink or hold. (2019)

Expert Review

Vinous 97 Points Josh Raynolds writes |  Glass-staining ruby. Exotically perfumed black and blue fruit, incense and candied licorice scents, along with mineral, olive and exotic spice overtones. Seamless and expansive on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet lively blackberry, boysenberry, cherry-cola, salty olive and floral pastille flavors that show outstanding energy and mineral lift. Slow-building tannins grow on a strikingly long, focused finish that strongly echoes the licorice and mineral notes.

Winemaker Description

Don Miguel Vineyard. Named after the late patriarch of the Torres family, this organic vineyard is located in the Green Valley- the coolest, foggiest region of the Russian River, only ten miles from the Pacific. Displays vibrant, luscious fruit reminiscent of blackberries and dark cherries.

This is a wine of precision, finesse and balance, rich and opulent on the palate, with supple tannins. It will continue to develop and gain complexity with age, at least for another 10 years. 

Winemaker's Description

Our Russian River Selection bottlings are quintessential Russian River Valley wines blended from some of the region’s top vineyards, taking advantage of varied climates and unique site characteristics. The 2022 Russian River Selection Pinot Noir has seductive aromas of Luxardo cherries intertwined with rose petals, fresh fennel, dark berry preserves, and a hint of savory earth. The youthful yet complex palate offers juicy flavors of sour cherries, blood orange, wild raspberries and with a dollop of tangy tamarind. Fine-grained tannins are balanced by firm acidity, creating a full-bodied texture, lending to an incredibly long, spicy finish.

Expert Review 

James Suckling - 92 Points: Bright aromas of dried strawberries, wild raspberries, dried herbs and Jolly Ranchers candy. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins and acidity, giving fresh flavors of cherry confit, toffee apples and rhubarb.

Winemaker Description

The soil at Le Claux is a yellowish limestone marl and produces the most “Burgundian” wine at Saint Cosme. “It’s extremely refined and fresh with lots of bouquet. Its propensity to mature is excellent,” says Barruol. The wine features aromas and flavors of wild strawberries, violet, peat, Chinese Five Spice, and camphor.

Grenache is the pale-colored, red-fruited, and potpourri-scented red grape variety of the southern Rhône and can be paired with both rustic and sophisticated dishes. Full-bodied Grenache-based wines are ideal with stews, braises, and grilled meats, while lighter versions can work well with dark fish and tomato-based dishes such as ratatouille. 

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 97 Points | This is packed together, with taut iron cables providing a platform for mouthwatering bitter plum, cassis and blackberry reduction flavors. Sage, bay tobacco and warm earth notes play equally important roles, adding superior range and depth. Everything pulls together through the finish, though the end point takes some time to reach. Best from 2025 through 2040. (2019).

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | The 2019 Gigondas Les Claux is one of the powerful yet elegant wines and offers a great bouquet of red and black fruits, graphite, crushed stone, and spice. It’s full-bodied and tannic and needs time, but the balance is spot on, the tannins are perfectly ripe and polished, and it has a gorgeous finish. Give it 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 15+ TASTING DATE 1/25/2022. (2019).