Sitewide Sale - Reds

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. 

Expert Review

Jancis Robinson 18 Points | Deep blackish ruby. Quite a complex, high-toned nose. Sweet and polished with treacle notes. Masses of fruit almost covers the tannins. Luscious. 2016 was excellent for both quality and quantity with great diurnal temperature variation, so they decided to make two extra tanks for a super-blend. (But not Asili because they don’t have too much of that cru.) 16,000 bottles were offered direct to importers. The blend spent three years in wood and three years in bottle so it was released only in 2023. The idea is to make Don Fiorino only when the vintage is perfect and they can also make all the single-vineyard wines. To be shipped to the UK in spring 2024.  Named after the priest who restarted the co-op after its beginnings in the village co-op. Catholic co-ops were common then as priests could read and write! Don Fiorino had a brilliant mind and had the foresight to convince the local farmers to make only Barbaresco even though in the 1950s and 1960s it was not easy to sell.  Drinking 2023 to 2040.  - Jancis Robinson

Wine Advocate | Monica Lerner writes 96 Points |  With exactly 16,090 bottles made, the Produttori del Barbaresco 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is another stellar experience in this series of nine single-vineyard Riserva wines from Barbaresco's most successful wine cooperative. The Ovello is quite sharp and defined in terms of its aromas of wild cherry, dried violet and powdered licorice. Those mineral tones are very clear in this classic vintage. However, the Ovello finishes on a slightly softer note (compared to the Pajè) with a finer and more approachable tannin. The blended fruit for this cru is supplied by the Audasso, Cavallo, Cravanzola, Gonella, Grasso, Maffei, Odore, Sarotto, Unio, Vacca and Varaldo families.  Drinking 2024 to 2048. 

Vinous | Antonio Galloni writes 97 Points |  The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is the most severe and angular of these wines. It will appeal most to die-hard classicists. Chalk, white pepper, mint and sweet red cherry fruit all grace this chiseled, beautifully translucent Barbaresco. As always, the Ovello needs a number of years in bottle to reveal its charms, which in 2016 are many. It is a positively stellar wine in every way.  Drinking 2026 to 2041.

Wine Spectator | Bruce Sanderson writes 96 Points |  Rich, broad and spicy, exhibiting plum, cherry, tar, licorice and eucalyptus aromas and flavors. Offers muscle and grace, with intensity and persistence on the long finish. To be released April 2023. Best from 2024 through 2040. 

Winemaker Description

If the grapes and soil have anything at all to say, we cannot imagine a more faithful interpreter.

The simultaneous release adopted the extremely non-standard practice of air-drying the grapes post-harvest. Our first vintage from the Rancho Réal vineyard is an experiment in phenolic extraction and a realization of our intent to not slavishly replicate the wines of Southern France, but rather to seek to find and amplify the unique characteristics of our climats and terroirs in the Central Coast of California.

Winemaker Description

The EQ Granite Pinot Noir has a bright and lively red color, with violet hues. The aromas offer notes of red fruit, mixing with hints of minerals, spices, and ripe citrus. Delicate on the nose and palate, the wine is well structured and balanced, with juicy acidity and sweetness from the ripe tannins.

This Pinot Noir pairs well with pasta and risotto dishes, white meats, fish, game and spiced foods. 

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 93 Points | The 2015 Mingortiz is pure Tempranillo from an organically farmed vineyard in Briones that gives the wine its name. It was planted in 1964, a south-facing plot with limestone-rich soils at 515 meters altitude that give the wine length and elegance. The uncrushed grapes fermented in an oak vat after a six-day cold soak. Malolactic was in barrel, same as the élevage, which was in brand new French barriques and lasted 16 months. 

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | Finca Allende wines are back in the U.S., and 2015 is a fine vintage to debut this single-vineyard Tempranillo. Its ripe aromas suggest berry and prune, with floral highlights. Lemony acidity bolsters its warm, toasty blackberry and plum flavors. Agile in build, it shifts gears like a fine-tuned transmission. 

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 low 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).

Expert Reviews

94 James Suckling | A big, juicy red with lots of blackberry and chocolate character to the fruit, as well as juicy and chewy tannins. It shows plenty of backbone and stuffing.

94 Points Decanter | I've been thoroughly enjoying the work that they are doing at Marquis d'Alesme in recent vintages and this very much continues the success. Sappy, juicy, well defined raspberry and blackberry fruits, concentrated in all the right places, with a saline finish that is both mouthwatering and moreish. Winemaker Marjolaine de Coninck has steered the property through the heat of the summer and got the balance just right.

94 Points Jeb Dunnuck | The 2019 Château Marquis D'Alesme is terrific and a good follow-up to the brilliant 2018. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue, it gives up a great nose of ripe darker cherries, blackberries, mulberries, leafy herbs, cedar pencil, and violets. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied Margaux with a rich, fleshy, expansive mouthfeel, polished tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. I'm not sure it will make terribly old bones, but it shines for its purity of fruit as well as its terrific overall balance and purity. As I wrote from barrel, it's one of those pretty, elegant wines that still packs rocking levels of fruit! Drink it any time over the coming 15-20 years. Best After 2022

92 Points Robert Parker | The 2019 Marquis d'Alesme has tuned out well, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berry fruit, wood smoke, licorice and sweet soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless, it's supple and charming, with a succulent core of fruit, powdery tannins and fine length. Best After 2025

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/

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Loads of licorice and currants follow through to a full-bodied palate, with lots of refined tannins and a long, long finish. This is very structured and layered. Beauty. Better than the 2000.

Wine Advocate 91 Points | The dense ruby/purple-colored 2003 is surprisingly fresh and crisp, displaying no signs of the vintage’s extreme heat. This full-bodied, powerful, rich, backward, dense, tannic effort reveals notes of Chinese black tea, creme de cassis, licorice, and melted chocolate. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring, and drink it over the next two decades.

James Suckling 93 Points | Slightly cooked fruit on the nose, with a toasted oak and meaty character. Full bodied, with round and chewy tannins and loads of fruit. Big and burly, I like it. 

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

96 points Robert Parker | If you love Cabernet Franc, please direct your attention here. The Tenuta di Trinoro 2019 Campo di Magnacosta is a study in the intensity, power and depth of this grape. Campo di Magnacosta was the first of several single-vineyard parcels planted to this variety. The first bottling from this 1.5-hectare site was made in 2011, and this year a mere 2,122 bottles were released. The wine is profound and pure with luscious dark fruit, sharp minerality, spice and etched contours. You get that distinctive hint of slate or pencil shaving that is especially characteristic of this Cabernet Franc. Its full-bodied texture wraps smoothly over the palate, and the tannins have been expertly integrated.

Wine Spectator 94 Points | Bay leaf, tomato leaf and thyme aromas add a savory element to the black currant and black cherry fruit, with lively acidity and compact tannins providing support as this winds down on the lingering finish. Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2042. 176 cases made, 55 cases imported.  

Vinous 94 Points | The 2019 Campo di Magnacosta comes as very tightly wound. Bright red/purplish toned fruit, chalk, mint and white pepper lend notable and salivating energy to this decidedly focused Franc. It's amazing to see just how expressive these wines are with regards to site and vintage. Let's see if this fleshes out a bit more with time.  Drinking 2025 - 2039  — Antonio Galloni, 94+ Points

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. 

Winemaker Description

This juicy red is 100% Gamay from a 9 hectare plot of 60 year-old vines planted on granitic soil. No sulphur is used in the cellar and after bottling the wine is left to rest for 2 months before release. Fresh and fruity with low tannins, this makes for great accompaniment to fish dishes. 

A bright crimson-purple in colour. Aromas of red cherries, cassis and strawberries mixed in with pleasantly earthy notes. Juicy and light on the palate with notes of summer red fruit flavours and silky tannins leading to a refreshing finish.

Try chilled with roasted cod, coq au vin or prawn dumplings with a sweet chilli sauce.

Grapes are hand-harvested and meticulously sorted. Semi-carbonic maceration without SO2, for 4-6 days 2 months in “cuve”.

Almost all the grapes for this cuvée come from within the Morgon cru, but the wine is not entitled to the Morgon appellation because yields surpass the accepted limit of 56 hl/ha. This is intentional: the high yields prevent excessive concentration and yield an easy-drinking, fruit-driven red with low alcohol. 

Expert Review

Allen Meadows writes:  A restrained if pretty nose timidly offers up its array of mostly red gamay fruit cut with spice and pepper hints. The delicious and attractively textured middleweight flavors possess good verve before culminating in a dusty, mildly austere and sneaky long finale where a hint of warmth slowly emerges. This too could easily be enjoyed young or held for 2 to 3 years in order to round off the moderately firm tannins. Good quality for the category.  - Burghound

Our Professional Review

Javernieres is a parcel at the foot of the famous Cote du Py hill. This wine is incredibly pure and fresh, bountiful in dark berry fruits and dark plums. Flavors of sweet spices, black tea and savoriness, also, entertain the palate. This Morgon is sculpted with fine tannins, minerality, medium bodied offering generous length.  Debra, Beaujolais Wine Buyer.

Expert Reviews 

James Suckling 94 Points | Dark, meaty and smoky with a wet-earth undertone, this is a bold and fleshy Morgon that packs a punch at the long, moderately dry and very savory finish. Just beginning to open up, but surely has many years ahead of it. Drink or hold.

Winemaker Description

This is a well-structured wine, redolent of black fruits (mulberries and cherries). Carbonic maceration of the whole berries lasts 12 to 15 days, aand the wine is raised in barrel as well as tank. Jean-Marc's wines are all very bright and pure. Incredible value down the line as Burgaud wines are underpriced compared to other cru Beaujolais producers, especially considering the quality.

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

Mevushal. Israel. A delicate dry red wine with aromas of ripe red fruit and Mediterranean spices, it is smooth with a long finish.

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

Expert Reviews 

Wine Enthusiast 96 Points | Definite richness alongside classic elegance. It’s a stylish wine, the fruit integrated into a beautiful structure. It’s not all refinement, because there is also a weight to the black plum skin and dark berry character. A wine that will age over many decades.

Robert Parker 94 Points | This is a stunning Chateau Margaux, made in a sexy, up-front, elegant style, with deep creme de cassis fruit intermixed with spring flowers, a solid inner core of richness and depth, but again, very sweet tannins as well as striking minerality and elegance. One of the most seductive Chateau Margauxs given its recent bottling, this blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot should drink beautifully for the next 25-30 years. Remarkably, a mere 36% of the entire production was selected for the 2008 Chateau Margaux.

Wine Spectator 91 Points | Shows a lightly sinewy, with coiled notes of damson plum, red currant preserves, rooibos tea, singed balsa wood and iron, lacking the vintage's typical crisp edge. The fine-grained finish is approachable already, but this will age gracefully and should develop a more perfumed than rich profile.

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 

A Tempranillo with a small addition of 5% Viura, i.e. white grapes. This is not only unusual on the Côte-Rotie of the Northern Rhône, but also in the Rioja and the Ribera del Duero. The base wine already shows why the future of this prestigious region lies in the high altitudes of Rioja Alavesa. The cool nights up here create a unique freshness, a purity of fruit and wonderful floral-playful aromas.

Clearly violet to the black cherry, also blueberry, just very delicate hints of plum underneath, overall a lot of bright, fresh fruit, stimulating and clear as a bell. And the mouth is just as brilliantly polished and juicy, dark wild berries and a fine-grained, but by no means softened tannin structure make Artuke's quality and ripeness standards clear even in the basic segment. A beautiful, even slightly salty, precise high-altitude Tempranillo full of fruit and without any influence of wood. Winemaker Description.

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. 

Our Professional Reivew

Jerremiah of 67Wine.com | Very light garnet in color. Cherries and earth on the nose. The body is light with very soft tannins. The palate includes berries and a touch of wood with a clean finish.

Winemaker Description

The nose opens with bright cherry and strawberry aromas, followed by hints of cinnamon and clove, complimented by a light smokiness. The palate is refreshing with a soft mouthfeel, encompassed by flavors of tart cherries,and cranberries, rounded out with pepper and thyme for a savory finish.

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

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. 

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 .

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).

Intense ruby red colour with purple reflections.

94 Points Decanter | Brilliant, succulent and luscious fruit. Blackberry, damson, chocolate and sage with a brilliant hold and muscular tannins.

93 Wine Spectator Points | This is really well-built, with a core of dark currant and blackberry paste flavors supported by racy charcoal and bay notes while flashes of savory and singed sandalwood dot the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2035.

93 Points Robert Parker | The 2018 Phélan Ségur is composed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot, weighing in at 14% alcohol, 3.8 pH and has an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. Deep purple-black in color, it leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of crushed blackberries, blackcurrant jelly and kirsch, plus suggestions of menthol, Ceylon tea, forest floor and lavender. The medium-bodied palate delivers elegance and impressive vivacity with finely grained tannin's and a refreshing line supporting the intense red and black berry layers, finishing long and perfumed. Rating 93+.

93 Wine Spectator Points | This is really well-built, with a core of dark currant and blackberry paste flavors supported by racy charcoal and bay notes while flashes of savory and singed sandalwood dot the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2035.

Winemaker Descrption 

Bianchi Oasis Sur Malbec has a great intense color with fresh and complex aromas that offer spice, fresh plums, blackberries and figs. Sweet, with gentle and ripe tannins mark its initial presence on the palate. The wine is unctuous, round and complex with a full mouth-feel, medium structure and a harmonious and fruity finish.

Winemaker Description

Rich reddish color with a russet tone. Combines the aroma of vanilla with the freshness of the grape variety. Balanced on the palate, smooth and elegant. 

Winemaker Description 

Volnay wines are feminine, if only one word shall be used. Evolving throughout red fruits and violet aromas, their roundness makes them very seducing, with soft yet firm tannins. It is a distinguished and elegant wine, known as a great representative of the Côte de Beaune.

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.