$50 - $75 Wine

Winemaker Description

The blend is dominated by the Estate Vineyard, yet the significant percentage of Walker—Kanzler's Green Valley vineyard—bends the wine in an exciting red-note direction: hibiscus, rhubarb and red licorice. The aromatics deliver fresh berries, cola, white pepper and pine sap. Fig notes emerge on the palate with a spicy, black tea finish. Modest whole cluster and slightly more new oak make the wine soft and approachable, while bright acid keeps it fresh, juicy, and well-knit.

Winemaker Description 

This historic estate, situated in the hills just south of Aix-en-Provence, has been in the hands of the Rougier family for two centuries and holds a virtual monopoly on the appellation of Palette. Château Simone encompasses twenty hectares of vineyards that sit on limestone soils at elevations between 500 and 750 feet above sea level on the slopes of Montaiguet. The special mesoclimate of this appellation is influenced by the encircling pine forests, the mass of Mont Sainte-Victoire, and the Arc River. 

The vineyards were reconstituted after the invasion of phylloxera but many vines are over a century old. The Rougiers maintain the particular vinification methods developed and cherished over many decades. All of the grapes are hand harvested, destemmed, lightly pressed and fermented for 15 to 20 days in small wooden vats with only wild yeast, then put into small foudre to rest on the lees. 

The red from Simone is an elegant yet well-constituted wine of great depth. It is primarily composed of Grenache and Mourvèdre but its special character reflects the presence of a mélange other grape varieties, albeit in small proportion, including Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Castet, Manosquin, Théoulier, Tibouren, Picpoul Noir, and Muscat de Hambourg. 

Orin Swift · Machete · California Red Blend · 2022

Machete is Orin Swift’s Petite Sirah-driven California red — a wine that wears its power unapologetically. Named for the blade, it is built for those who want something bold, brooding, and uncompromising: inky, chewy, and loaded with dark fruit. The 2022 blends Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Grenache, aged 12 months in French oak (36% new), and earned 91 points from Wine Advocate for its combination of ripe, full-bodied intensity and surprising brightness on the finish.

The 2022 Machete pours an opaque, inky garnet with a neon violet rim — be careful, it stains. The nose opens with powerful notes of bright black plum, slate, cacao, wild sage, and crushed gravel. On the palate, brooding blackberry pie and ripe blue fruits are tempered with hints of orange peel and Amarena cherry. Chewy tannins, classic Petite Sirah, soften over time and culminate in a lengthy finish with a note of sweet oak. Full-bodied, mouthwatering, and built to impress.

“A blend based on Petite Sirah, the 2022 Machete features classic Petite Sirah aromas of black cherries, blueberries and licorice. Full-bodied and big-boned, this is very ripe, yet it’s surprisingly tart, mouthwatering and bright on the finish, framed by ripe, softly dusty tannins.”
— Wine Advocate · 91 Points (Vintage 2022). 

• Producer: Orin Swift Cellars, Napa Valley, California
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: California
• Blend: Petite Sirah, Syrah & Grenache
• Aging: 12 months in French oak, 36% new
• Style: Dry red — full-bodied, inky, brooding
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Black plum, blackberry pie, blueberry, cacao, slate, wild sage, orange peel, Amarena cherry, sweet oak finish
• Pairings: Dry-aged ribeye, braised short rib, lamb chops, smoked brisket, aged cheddar

WA:91 · California — Petite Sirah-driven, inky and brooding. Orin Swift at its most uncompromising.

Winemaker Description

This wine is intense ruby red in colour with youthful highlights. On the nose, there are notes of almonds, violets and oranges which are intertwined with aromas of coffee and vanilla. It is a full-bodied wine with well-balanced acidity.

The rounded tannins from the Sangiovese are lifted by the cassis concentration of the Cabernet on the long, concentrated finish. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2017 

James Suckling 93 Points |  Blueberries and blackcurrants with bark and licorice. Full body and round, chewy tannins. This is very fresh and bright with some sage and stone character. From organically grown grapes. Needs time to soften. Drink after 2023.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2017 Ghiaie della Furba opens to a bouquet of minty herbs, camphor and smoke before deepening further to display dusty red currant and spice box. This is velvety and fleshy in feel, with stimulating acidity that enlivens its spicy black fruit and building mineral tones. It tapers off with persistence, power and grippy tannin, the perfect mix for a long evolution. The Ghiaie della Furba is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah and 20% Merlot that refines in barrique, half new and half second pass. It's important to note that production was down by 40% in 2017 due to trost.

Winemaker Description 

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.

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.