$50 - $75 Wine

Expert Review - Vintage 2019

Allen Meadows of Burghound writes | A spicier and slightly more deeply pitched nose of plum, black cherry and similarly subtle earth influence gives way to bigger and richer medium weight flavors that also possess fine tension on the impressively long finish. This isn't quite as refined but there is a bit more here and this too is an excellent Bourgogne that will need at least 2 to 3 years of patience. One to buy.

Winemaker Description 

The name derives from Moresco, the previous owner of the parcel in Pajorè vineyard which was purchased in 1979.

Abundant snowfall and low temperatures led to an unusually severe, rainy winter, followed by a dry spring. Temperatures picked up again in mid-March, accelerating the plant life cycle.

Unfortunately, the cold temperatures returned in early April with icy winds that channeled through the valleys and affected the lower vineyards, especially in the Barbaresco area.

Other Barbaresco vineyards affected by frost recorded minimal losses of 5%. Our Barolo vineyards are located at higher altitudes and survived the frost unscathed. The summer rolled out dramatically with a bright and windy start, hot and violent midseason, characterized by frequent thunderstorms, and ended hot and dry.

While both benefited from thunderstorms that cooled the land, powdery mildew became a real threat in Barbaresco in July. A redeeming rainfall came at the end of August, refreshing the Barbaresco and Barolo vineyards.

2021 was a late vintage, tending to be dry but cool, resulting in wines of great volume and richness marked by savoriness and length, generous even on the nose, with intense and complex aromas.

The two varieties ferment and macerate separately for three weeks. After the malolactic fermentation, they are blended and then aged in oak for 12 months.

A beautiful violet color atypical of Nebbiolo but reflective of the 2021 vintage where fullness and richness are even present to the eye. The wine has bold notes of blackberry, cherry, blood orange, and bergamot with a touch of flintiness. Medium-structured with lots of juiciness and harmony on the palate all lead to well-balanced acidity and tannin structure with a long finish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

Paul Gregutt from the Wine Enthusiast writes 95 Points | From Draper clone vines planted in 1965, this bright gold-hued wine brings myriad details to its apple, jicama, white peach and nut oil flavors. A whiff of smoke carries throughout, and its sheer complexity strains the vocabulary. Stay with it as more subtle layers unfold. Though seductive now, it should mature well through 2030. — Paul Gregutt 

James Suckling 92 Points | A layered and fresh white with cooked apples, honey and straw. Medium- to full- bodied, creamy and textured wine with fresh and pretty fruit. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points | A richer reflective ruby hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard is a savory wine with notes of wet stones, graphite, pine, fresh black cherries, mixed berries, and tea leaf. It is very appealing on the palate early on. with refined tannins and a juicy feel. It’s very attractive now, and it’s not going to slow down any time soon. Drink 2024-2040.

James Suckling 95 Points | Aromas of fresh sour cherries and strawberries with hints of violets, crushed herbs and seashells. Crunchy and savory on the palate, with a medium body and wet stone and mineral character. Structured with refined yet firm tannins. Long finish.

The Wine Advocate 92 Points |  The 2022 Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard opens with tarry, meaty tones that give way to wild berry fruit, mushrooms, dried herbs and potpourri. The light-bodied palate is delicately styled with understated yet detailed flavors, silky tannins, juicy acidity and a long, spicy finish.

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | Briary raspberry and wild strawberry aromas burst from the glass, followed by traces of violets and grilled portobello mushrooms. The wine’s Bing cherry, lemon and white chocolate flavors fill the mouth. A combination of jangly acidity and rippling tannins suggests a long life for this wine.

Wine Spectator 92 Points | Brooding and deeply structured, offering blueberry and cherry flavors laced with black tea and savory spice notes as this builds toward medium-grained tannins. 

Winemaker Description 

Freedom Hill Vineyard is located in the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range, toward the western edge of the Willamette Valley near the Eola-Amity AVA. The grapes from Freedom Hill make their way into the wine portfolios of some of the most esteemed, artistic wineries in the Willamette Valley.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 95 Points | Super saturated from the color to the flavors and finish, this wine shows how concentrated and layered a malbec can be. The color is dark to the rim, the aromas boast blueberries, dark cherries and creme de cassis, and the flavors layer black fruit over spearmint, cocoa and graphite nuances. Full-bodied, firmly tannic and balanced for many more years of improvement. Best from 2028.

Vinous 93 Points | The 2022 Malbec Bramare Valle de Uco blends grapes from a selection of vineyards across the Uco Valley. Twenty percent was aged for up to 18 months in oak barrels, while the remaining 80% was kept in tank. This purple-hued wine features notes of wet stone, black fruit, mint and blueberry, complemented by a fine layer of light oak. It is broad, smooth and concentrated on the palate, with a juicy mouthfeel that showcases wood nuances and a long, fruity finish. This lovely vintage balances concentration with freshness.

Wine Spectator 90 Points | There's a decent amount of oak, but this red wears it well, offering a chocolaty cast offset by fresh Santa Rosa plum and raspberry flavors with a slight graphite bite. Finishes with savory and mocha notes around plush tannins. Drink now through 2034.

Winemaker Description 

Deep purple color. Very complex character with aromas of red fruit and violets with hints of spices. On the palate it has a very good structure, fresh acidity and fine grain tannins.

Winemaker Description 

Lightly touched by wood aging, this ripe wine is both crisp and rich. Its briskness brings in a mineral edge while the ripeness produces the rich apple and apricot fruits. 

The palate is very well balanced, skillfully blending vivacity and roundness. Meyer lemon, golden apple, peach, toasted oak and fresh cream. Medium in body, with medium-plus intensity and nice viscosity on the palate.

Winemaker Description 

Laurent & Michelle are grower Champagne located in Mareuil-Sur-Ay in the Valley of the Marne. They are the fourth generation. After a sickness due to contact with chemicals, Laurent along with his wife Michelle decided in the mid 2000's to start a new label called Champagne Laurent Benard. The new winery will focus on farming in biodynamie, craft vintage designated and long solera non vintage with little no added sulfites sparkling wines. They started with 2.5ha out of the 8ha they own. The soil is predominantly chalky. The vines are on average 35 years old and planted with Pinot Meunier, then Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 

Laurent is a well known researcher in the microcosme of wine, he has done extensive studies about yeasts at the C.N.R.S. (National Scientific Research Center). Therefore, the first fermentation is carried out with wild yeasts in oak. The wine is bottled 10 months later and the second fermentation is done with in-house cultured yeasts from Laurent’s vineyards. The wines age on the lees for a period of 3 years minimum. Depending on the vintage, the cuvees and the balance, Laurent decides of his dosage. Each one is different but never goes above Extra-Brut level. 

The blend of Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir shines in this Mareuil-sur-Ay chalky terroir. The wines of Laurent and Michelle are with definite personality, ripe flavors leaning on the oxidative sides, firm and persistent texture, saline finishes. Since 2020, Charles, their son, has joined the team and been step by step in charge of the biodynamic farming and winemaking.

Expert Review - Vintage 2019

Lisa Perrotti-Brown of the Wine Advocate writes 92-94+ Points | Opaque purple-black colored, the 2019 Larrivet Haut-Brion charges out of the gate with wonderfully fragrant scents of black raspberries, Morello cherries and wild blueberries with suggestions of blackcurrant pastilles, candied violets, chocolate mint and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with red and black fruit layers, framed by firm, exquisitely ripe, velvety tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Just stunning!.

Winemaker Description 

The 2019 vintage was marked by a dry, mild winter. April showers were followed by cool, rainy May and June. The year was also notable for its exceptionally hot summer, with irregular rainfall. A dry, warm September helped to balance out the slow veraison. Harvesting took place from September 19 to October 12. 

The 2019 vintage is a blend of three grape varieties, composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet Franc. This vintage is notable for its brilliant garnet color. The typical nose of this wine is the expression of the Cabernet Sauvignon of our terroir, powerful and deep, releasing notes of black fruit stewed with spices and zan sticks. On the palate, the wine is opulent, sustained by an explosion of black fruits such as blackcurrant and morello cherry. The powerful tannic structure accompanies the gourmand sensation throughout the entire length. 2019 is one of the great Bordeaux vintages of 2018, 2019 and 2020. 

One of the most respected Sauterne producers, often referred to as the +poor man's Yquem+, Suduiraut is typically plump and unctuous; the great vintages have the ability to age for many decades.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2006

Yohan Castaing of the Wine Advocate writes 95 Points | Lively and elegant, the 2006 Suduiraut reveals aromas of baked pineapple, ripe orchard fruits, spices and a vanilla pod mingled with delicate notes of caramel. Medium to full-bodied, rich and seamless, it’s perfectly balanced with a fleshy core of fruit, an enrobing and deep texture with racy acids and a long, tense and mineral finish. This blend of 96% Sémillon and 4% Sauvignon Blanc, containing 138 grams per liter of residual sugar, was picked in three tries between September 11 and November 7 and was matured for 18m months in 50% new oak barrels and 50% one-year-old used barrels. It could age gracefully over the next 20 years.

Wine Enthusiast 95 Points | Very opulent, the wine has a velvet, honeyed texture. This richness translates into the flavors, which are of yellow fruits, hinting at mango with lychee spice. Its density lingers, with freshness coming through at the end.

VINOUS 92, Neal Martin writes:  The 2006 Suduiraut was raised in 50% new oak for 18 months, still has that distinctive Tokaji Aszú aroma that I have picked up upon on several previous bottles, attractive in its own Hungarian way. The palate is medium-bodied with a viscous opening, quite sharp and pointed, fresh as a daisy and one of the most mineral-driven Suduiraut of the decade. There are touches of white pepper, almond flakes and bitter orange towards the saline finish that lingers in the mouth. This is what you might call a "very useful" Suduiraut. 143gm/L residual sugar. Tasted at the Suduiraut vertical at the château.  Drinking 2016 to 2036. 

Wine Spectator 92 Points | Dried citrus fruit and apple crumble aromas follow through to a full, thick and intense palate, with loads of lemon curd and apple skin character. Medium sweet. Feels almost chalky. Viscous. Best after 2012. 3,450 cases made.

Jancis Robinson writes:  Glowing amber. Some tartrates. Sumptuously brulée with notes of almond and, although it's incontrovertibly a sweet wine, its finish is so clean and refreshing! This may not be one of the most famous vintages for Sauternes but Suduiraut has, as usual, delivered enormous pleasure. It's not the most complex, sweetest, nor potentially longest-lived vintage but it's just a lovely drink now. Chapeau!   Drinking 2018 to 2030.  - Jancis Robinson 17.5

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 93 Points |  A bright and racy pinot with lots of strawberries, raspberries, hibiscus, spices and dried lavender. Tense and agile with a medium body and a crunchy feel to its tannins. Fresh and minerally. Drink now or hold.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Plush and elegantly structured, this red unfurls raspberry and cherry flavors accented with forest floor, black tea and savory spices as this builds tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2032.

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | Crisp, mouthwatering acidity is but one of many highlights here. Pretty dried rose-petal and dark raspberry aromas are flanked by a loamy soil note. The flavors are fruit-driven, with raspberry and lemon flavors uniting with tiny bits of sugar cookie and walnut behind a curtain of silky tannins. — Michael Alberty

Winemaker Description 

The 2022 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir touts all the hallmarks of our storied appellation. It begins with hints of ripe plum skin, ocean air, baking spices, and cocoa powder dustiness on the nose. The palate is just as expressive, with fresh, juicy red fruit backed by graceful tannins, a complex brininess, and a mouth-watering acidity. Finishing with spiced oak and a mouth-coating basalt minerality, this wine is great now and will be for years to come.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | This ripe and generous wine smells like a cherry pie and tastes like warm raspberries and cherries dusted with cinnamon and ground cloves. It’s a welcoming, almost-sweet Pinot that is comfy in texture and alluring in flavor.

Wine Spectator 91 Points | Juicy and elegant, with a savory edge to the mix of gently mulled raspberry and cherry fruit flavors, revealing a sous-bois accent as they move through the finish. Drink now through 2027. 342 cases made.

Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | Pouring a deep youthful red hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir Reserve is ripe and expressive on opening, offering loads of black cherries, sweet herbs, forest floor, and cola. Medium-bodied, it retains good levity on the palate while keeping a ripe feel, with ripe tannins and a clean finish.

Winemaker Description 

Ripe cherry and plum aromas open to a complex mix of rhubarb, forest floor, creamy oak and exotic dark floral tones. The fruit flavors continue a smooth, full bodied palate with forest floor, vinous and dark cherry flavors, finishing with supple volume and balance acidity.

Enjoy this wine now with sweet and spicy Moroccan roasted carrots, truffle risotto or cellar for enjoyment over the next few years.

Uncover the vibrant character of Burgundy through this expressive Pinot Noir from Domaine Lignier-Michelot. The 2021 Bourgogne Rouge delivers a captivating blend of red berries, floral notes, and a hint of spice, all wrapped in a silky texture with a long, lingering finish.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

Neal Martin of Vinous writes | The 2021 Bourgogne Rouge, contains 50% whole bunches, doesn't need much aeration to reveal quite juicy blackcurrant and bilberry scents; somehow, it's quite steely. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins, nicely structured and rather bold for a Bourgogne Rouge, with a sweet cassis finish. Modern in style perhaps, but certainly well crafted. (Drink between 2024-2028).

Allen Meadows of Burghound writes | An even fresher, and much more floral-infused, nose blends both black berry fruit and violet with a spicy top note. Here too there is a beguiling texture to the vibrant and solidly concentrated medium weight flavors that possess excellent depth and persistence for a wine at this level. Warmly recommended. (Drink starting 2024).

Jasper Morris MW of Inside Burgundy writes |  50% whole bunch vinification. Quite a dark centre to the colour. Despite the relatively early picking date, this clearly has ripe fruit on the darker side. Some tannins at the back but not vegetal, and with adequate acidity. Drink from 2024-2026.

Winemaker Description 

This vineyard is east-south oriented in the village of Chenove. The soils are dark brown, dry and contain marls and clay with stones and gravels helping for a good drainage. 

The Clos du Roy vineyard may be the first parcel to get the premier cru appellation in the near future.

The Marsannay Clos du Roy will match very well red roasted or grilled meat. With time, it will also match marinated meat, stews and most cheeses.

From the start, Maison Louis Jadot has always accorded equal importance to each of Burgundy’s appellations, from Grand Crus right through to regional wines. Our aim is to express the true nature of Burgundy through our wines, a terroir that can be both proud of its past and optimistic about its future. In order to produce wines that celebrate their terroir, Frederic Barnier works with a team: Cyril and Audrey. Together they have a large part to play in determining the success of our enterprise. Each influences the creation of our wines with their own particular set of skills, whether technical or commercial, thereby ensuring that Maison Jadot has a bright future ahead of it. 

Producer Description 

Made in Spain. The Toledo corkscrew’s double lever has revolutionized the uncorking of wine bottles. It allows extraction in two steps in an effortless way without breaking the cork.

Handcrafted with a natural wood inlay. High polished nickel plated, curved blade and a non-stick spiral. 4-3/4” long. 

Producer Descrption

Satin Finished. Made in Germany. A very solid original Monopol cutting thread ,and a smooth, free flowing top spiral. Excellent finished mechanism. For natural or synthetic corks. 6” tall. Zinc die cast and steel construction. 

Winemaker Description 

Delicate and nuanced, this autumnal release from Kozaemon sees a period of aging over summer before its release, yielding a sake with subtle maturity and refinement. A natural pairing for all specialties of autumn like squash and slow braised meat.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Ken's Wine Guide | This slightly cloudy midnight purple colored Zinfandel from Once and Future opens with a blackberry and red licorice bouquet with hints of red plum, black cherry, dried sage, and violets. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with integrated medium acidity. The mouthfeel is balanced, round, and smooth. The flavor profile is blackberry, stone dust, and cinnamon blend with notes of boysenberry, black plum and nutmeg. We also detected hints of black tea and oak. The finish is dry, and its well-managed moderate tannins are very nicely sustained. The Tasting Panel would then pair this Zin with a nice New York strip steak along with a dark chocolate mousse. Enjoy – 

Vinous 91 Points | The 2022 Zinfandel Green & Red Vineyard is another wine in this range that is pretty closed today. It has plenty of energy, but the mid-palate is not quite as developed as it is in most vintages. Bottled on the early side, this feels a bit like it’s not fully developed. 

Our Professional Review

Bart of 67Wine.com writes | Beautifully sculpted and finely detailed, this delicious village white Burgundy has a terrific bouquet of white orchard fruits, wildflowers and lemon zest. There is lovely mouth presence with layers of flavor highlighted with mineral complexity and perfectly balanced acidity. This is a wine that presents itself in the glass with elegance and sophistication, and will accompany fine dining gracefully with finesse and savoir faire!

Winemaker Description 

Tasting note

Aromas of hawthorn, acacia which evolve with age to ambre, honey and spices. A harmonious and pleasant body on the palate.
Food pairings

Ideal with the pastas and risottos with seafood, the cheeses such as the blue cheeses.

Winemaker Description 

100% Chardonnay from Grand Cru locations Cramant, Chouilly and Le Mesnil sur Oger.

Fresh and elegant blanc de blancs with hints of lemon, apples, grapefruit, brioche, white flowers and a seductive creaminess.

Pneumatic press, fermentation in thermo-controlled steel tanks. A portion of Prestige Brut ferments in 90 hl large French oak barrels. After vinification and storage, the wine is allowed to rest for three years on lees in the bottle before disgorging.

The wine consists of two vintages and 15% of the blend consists of perpetual reserve. The reserve for the wine is now of vintages from 2009 to 2017.

The wine has been aged for 36 months on lees in the bottle.

Pair with fish and shellfish are also excellent with the roe pizza.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

Wine & Spirits Magazine 94 Points | This profound and powerful Chardonnay exhibits a rich, complex intensity that can only be found in unfiltered wines. The grapes are predominantly grown in the Carneros region where bay breezes and morning fog combine to create the cooler climate ideal for growing Chardonnay rich with concentrated flavors.

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | Newton's 2021 Chardonnay Unfiltered is light gold-hued and offers a great nose of sauteed stone fruits, honeyed white flowers, and spicy oak. Textured and medium-bodied, with bright acidity and terrific balance, it's made in a richer style but still stays wonderfully pure and balanced.

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | Subtle oak spices mingle with lots of golden apple, yellow peach and pineapple flavors in this lightly oaked, medium-bodied wine that was barrel-fermented with indigenous yeast.

The Wine Advocate 91 Points | A Napa classic, Newton's 2021 Chardonnay Unfiltered continues a long tradition of excellence, delivering scents of toasted grain, caramelized pineapple and ripe melon. It's medium to full-bodied, starting off generous and round, then tightening up and turning citrusy on the finish.

Wine Spectator 90 Points | Strikes an appealing balance between rich, spicy notes and a fresh thread of acidity and a juicy core of apple, pear and peach flavors and fresh-grated ginger. Reveals lingering hints of almond croissant, nutmeg and marmalade. Drink now. 5,600 cases made.

Winemaker Description 

This profound and powerful Chardonnay exhibits a rich, complex intensity that can only be found in unfiltered wines. The grapes are predominantly grown in the Carneros region where bay breezes and morning fog combine to create the cooler climate ideal for growing Chardonnay rich with concentrated flavors.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020

James Suckling 94 Points | This gorgeous wine is fragrant with cinnamon, rose petal and cedar aromas, then rich in black cherries, plums and flowers with a medium body and moderate tannins. A firm texture and balancing acidity lead to good length in the finish.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Refined and precise, this red serves up handsome flavors of raspberry and cherry accented by savory tea and mineral tones while building tension toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2032.

The Wine Advocate 91 Points | The 2022 Pinot Noir Estates has alluring scents of pomegranate, rhubarb, blood orange, tobacco and dried herbs. The medium-bodied palate is finely chalky with fireworks of fresh acidity. Its deep core of spicy fruit is immediately approachable, and a flourish of floral perfume defines the long finish.

Winemaker Description 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

Jeb Dunnuck 95 | From two blocks next to the winery, with three different clones planted in 1995, the ripe red-hued 2021 Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais is lush with notes of wild raspberry, wild herbs, and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, it is approachable up front but has great underlying structure. It’s drinking well now but has lots of life ahead over the next 8-10 years if stored properly.

Decanter 94 Points | This Pinot plot planted in 1995 to all Dijon clones delivers a wine that is fresh and delicate. Aromas of fresh crushed raspberry, lavender and wet slate lean into a palate that balances savoury fresh and dried herbs of fennel and thyme with tomato leaf notes and cedar plank. There are notes of mineral-driven umami and pine bough, all undergirded by blue fruit character throughout. The wine finishes fresh and bright.

James Suckling 94 | A fresh and pretty pinot with fresh raspberries, orange zest, pomegranates, rose petals and nutmeg on the nose. It’s medium-bodied, with sleek, fine tannins and crunchy acidity. Lots of energy on a vibrant finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink now or hold.

Decanter 94 Points | This Pinot plot planted in 1995 to all Dijon clones delivers a wine that is fresh and delicate. Aromas of fresh crushed raspberry, lavender and wet slate lean into a palate that balances savoury fresh and dried herbs of fennel and thyme with tomato leaf notes and cedar plank. There are notes of mineral-driven umami and pine bough, all undergirded by blue fruit character throughout. The wine finishes fresh and bright.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Dynamic yet elegantly layered, with a beam of fresh acidity that drives vibrant cranberry and cherry flavors. Reveals crushed stone and dusky spice accents, finishing with medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2032.

Winemaker Description 

Sophie and Vincent Morey both come from families of winegrowers in Santenay and Chassagne-Montrachet respectively. After studies at Beaune’s Lycée Viticole and work experience in St-Emilion in the Bordeaux region, Vincent rejoined the family domaine led by his father Bernard Morey in 1986.

In the same year Sophie was vinifying her first vintage for the Ménager-Belland domaine in Santenay where she had inherited the tradition of winemaking from her mother. Finally, in 2006 Sophie and Vincent set up their own domaine and had their first harvest in 2007.

Treating their vineyards as if they were gardens, Sophie and Vincent agree that fine wines start with good grapes, require attention to detail, and demand the winegrower and winemaker to be adaptable vintage after vintage.

The Vintage Champagne flute is perfect for beautifully developed champagnes. Its slim yet slightly tapered shape encourages the fine bead while highlighting aromatics in vintage champagnes, making it the choice for those connoisseurs who are after an elegant flute.

The glass includes a 'sparkling point' to aid the formation of bubbles.

This product is made of clear crystal glass.

Sommeliers was the world’s first wine friendly glass collection and a design revolution created by Claus J. Riedel (9th generation). The range adheres to the Bauhaus design principle of form follows function, as Claus J. Riedel had discovered that certain wines showed more depth and better balance when enjoyed from certain shapes. Thin-blown and unadorned, Sommeliers was the beginning of RIEDEL's dominance of the global wine glass market.

This product is handmade.

Our master glassmakers individually craft each item so every piece has a unique character. Due to the nature of crafting, small tolerances in the size and weight of each product, tiny bubbles, imperfections, or slight surface variations are an acceptable part of the process.

This pack contains a single piece. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020

Decanter 95 Points | Dark and heady on the nose, richly fruited and perfumed, smells serious and deep and totally inviting with dark chocolate, coffee and mocha notes with blackcurrant and black cherry and spiced vanilla, tobacco and cedar. Energetic, lively, vivid and bright on the palate but deep too, such a lovely vibrancy laced with liquorice, tobacco and bitter chocolate. Definitely serious but I love the energy, potency and florality. Structured and intense, totally seductive in a heady way yet still lively with a juicy core of strawberry, red cherry and blackcurrant. Feels nicely constructed and considered. A great second wine.

James Suckling 95 Points | Blackcurrants and dark chocolate with rose stems and flowers. Full-bodied with chewy tannins, racy texture and a spicy finish. Polished. 50% merlot, 42% cabernet sauvignon and 8% petit verdot. Try after 2028.

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points | More Cabernet Sauvignon-based in most vintages, the 2020 Les Griffons De Pichon Baron is a slight shift and is based on 50% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in 50% new French oak. More pure cassis, redcurrants, acacia flowers, violets, and graphite flow to a full-bodied, beautifully textured, concentrated 2020 with enough tannins to warrant 4-5 years of bottle age.

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | This wine is firm, its balance of Cabernet Sauvignon giving rich concentration and structure. The wine is dense, offering ripe tannins over the black currant fruits. Drink from 2027. (Cellar Selection).

Winemaker Description

Plenty of chocolate, tobacco and blackcurrant character on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and present. Long and intense. This is rather tight and mouth-puckering. Give it time to soften. Very structured. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2025.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Vinous 95 Points | The 2019 La Lagune offers exquisite transparency on the nose - one of the most terroir-expressive Pessac-Léognan wines this vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, taut and fresh, quite saline with a very integrated and poised finish that lingers in the mouth. Wonderful - could this be the best La Lagune in years? Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

James Suckling 95 Points | Plenty of chocolate, tobacco and blackcurrant character on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and present. Long and intense. This is rather tight and mouth-puckering. Give it time to soften. Very structured. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2025.

Producer Description 

Blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay vinified and aged in oak barrels.
No malolactic fermentation. This wine comes from the 2017 harvest only.

Brut Nature – Dosage: 0g/l

Effervescence. Its fine bubbles escape with elegance. Dress - Its shiny dress reveals a golden color.

Nose - With a wonderful expression and great generosity, it opens with white peach type fruits then delicately evolves into notes of grapefruit and lemon zest. And what about the few almond fragrances that punctuate everything!

Mouth - True to the nose, it is of good size. We particularly appreciate its freshness and complexity! Immediate pleasure!

Producer Desription 

The Bonville family's selection is made only from the Chardonnay grape and is characterized by its fine perlage and the typical scent of chalk and hazelnuts. 

Minerality, purity as well as a tasty chalky appearance come out of this delicious bottle, perfectly suited for an aperitif and to awaken the taste buds. aromas of citrus fruits (lemon, grapefruit) and green apple marry with distinction with very fine bubbles giving the whole thing an extremely airy side. pleasant. A superb Blanc de Blancs to put in everyone’s mouth !

Producer Description 

Deep violet in color with glints of ruby. On the nose, it shows intense and highly complex aromas that evolve in the glass, with notes of herbs, fresh red fruits, spices, and a touch of menthol. 

On the palate, it has a great elegant structure and excellent volume and acidity, giving it a long, pleasant finish. This is a special wine that represents the uniqueness of its vineyard with a real sense of place.

Expert Review - 2020 Vintage

Jesica Vargas of The Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | This wine is predominantly Malbec, coming from old vines in Maule Valley. It has a nose of eucalyptus and earthy raspberries. Fine tannins and moderate acidity hold a palate full of cherries, herbs and tobacco. Savory notes shape the aftertaste.

Producer Description 

Akutain’s Rioja Reserva — a blend of Tempranillo with a touch of Garnacha and Viura — is fermented in a combination of stainless steel and fiberglass tanks, then aged for 35 months in predominantly neutral American oak with a small amount of French barrels. Mid-Ruby in color, this Reserva possesses a beautiful bouquet of ripe berry fruit mixed with notes of dried herbs, tobacco and rose petals.

The full-bodied palate displays concentrated flavors of black cherry, cooked-down strawberries and earth balanced by velvety, textured tannins. The finish exhibits enduring depth and complexity. The perfect companion to grilled, roasted or braised meats and game.

Producer Description 

Intense, dark ruby red color. Exquisite aroma offering classic notes of dark berry jam and hints of leather. A wonderfully elegant palate, revealing soft tannins and lingering layers of fruit and spices that carry through to the finish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

The Wine Advocate Luis Gutierrez writes 97 Points | From the vines on the mid slope and has a very elegant, fragrant nose with notes of concentrated violet and a solid palate. The slate tannins give a talcum powder texture, and the wine opens up in the mid-palate, making it very expansive. In the long term, it seems like the slate gives a better palate and the granite is more nose.…This has the combination of the cooler year and the resilience of the slate soils, coming through as complex and elegant, powerful and concentrated but with an ethereal side to it too. Bravo!

Producer Description 

The Pizarra vineyards are found on red metamorphic slate soils, which are unique to the village of Cebreros, folded into the mostly granitic mountain range. This slate soil makes Cebreros unlike any other village within the Sierra de Gredos region. Pizarra soil is located above 950 meters, up to 1200 meters, mainly with an eastern orientation. 

The wines from here have a signature expression: they are always fresh, complex, direct, and profound. Pizarra is a limited production wine produced from over 60-year-old, bush-trained garnacha vines, yielding 15hl/ha from the vineyards of Arrebatacapas, La Redonda, La Curva, Fuente Fabian, and Presidente. The farming at Pegaso is organic, and the wines are made with low intervention and minimal sulfur at bottling.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Luis Gutierrez of the Wine Advocate 96 Points | The 2021 Pegaso Granito has a very clean nose and comes through as very approachable, with an elegant personality. They picked all grapes together (there were some unripe grapes) and fermented it all together. The wine has a medium-bodied palate, the granularity of the tannins is extremely small, and it has a very fine mineral sensation. It has incredible elegance and finesse, with lifted aromatics, high-pitched, acute, fine-boned and with the frontal tannins from the granite soils.

Producer Description 

Cebreros is both the name of the village and the appellation of origin in the southeast of the province of Ávila, within the greater Sierra de Gredos region, the mountainous area located on the continental divide of Spain. The region is unspoiled, wild, rustic, full of energy and light, and as authentic as it gets. It is a transitional zone where northern Spain gives way to southern Spain. The wines from the Sierra de Gredos mountains to the west of Madrid (aka Vinos de Madrid) have finally begun to claim their rightful place alongside other top wine regions focused on producing world-class garnacha. For many insiders, the region is now leading the conversation about this Mediterranean garnacha grape, now understood to be indigenous to Spain. 

Whole clusters are picked by hand in small boxes, with a strict selection made in the vineyard. The clusters are de-stemmed, crushed, and fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks and large neutral French oak foudres. The wine is then aged for 18 months in new and used 600L French oak barrels sourced from different forests.