The 2019 Pinot Noir VGR has a medium ruby-purple color and powerful aromas of cranberries, blueberries and tangerine with accents of woodsmoke, tea leaves and dark spices. The medium-bodied palate is pure and defined with bright... Read More
A blend of 60% Grenache, 16% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and smaller amounts of Clairette Rose, Counoise, Terre Noir and Vaccarèse, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Alchimie is a strong effort. Black cherries, black olives... Read More
The fruit for this wine is sourced from Ebenezer, specifically the Hoffmann vineyard holdings. A component hails from Dimchurch, says Callum Powell, winemaker, which is the property that the Hoffmanns first settled at in the 1850s,... Read More
In October 2021, the Flaxman Valley (up in Eden Valley) was decimated by a severe hail event. I picked 25% of what I usually take from Nathan Burley's vineyard next door, says Callum Powell, winemaker, less of Naimanya and... Read More
This is a combination of Ebenezer fruit (Hoffmann) and Kalimna (Asbroek) and the only blended wine in the 2022 suite of releases. Theel's Handfibel is an 1800s school chart I found digging through the Barossa Archives, says... Read More
A deep and really complex Echezeaux with a ton of forest berries, very polished tannins and wonderful sweetness that grows at the back of the palate. Very long and complex finish with a lot of herbal and mineral complexity. Very... Read More
The attractive red-beet and milk-chocolate nose leads you into a full-bodied, tannic wine that’s built for long aging. Plenty of ripe plum on the very bold, almost massive palate. Expands nicely as it aerates, but you need... Read More
Intensely fragrant, this stunner has enticing scents of crushed mint, rose a hint of pine forest and a potpourri of spice. Made with organically farmed grapes, it's linear, with knife-like precision that frames pomegranate,... Read More
Ripe red and blue plums. Cherry liqueur with chocolate, vanilla and purple flowers. Medium- to full-bodied with soft acidity and fine tannins. Juicy and fruit-forward.
Hints of stewed herbs to the nicely baked cherries, strawberries and some hibiscus and dark spices. Fruity, medium-bodied on the palate with fine-grained tannins and a fresh, medium-long finish. Drink now.
Black plum and violet aromas meet with toasted oak and cocoa dust on the nose of this bottling. There’s a chalky frame to the palate, where blackberry and woodspice flavors align.
The 2019 EABA (end all be all) is a blend of 61% Syrah, 24% Mourvèdre, 13% Grenache and 2% Viognier and was made with 65% whole clusters. Fruit comes from several vineyards in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties,... Read More
The 2019 Grenache is blended with 11% Mourvèdre, 6% Syrah and 4% Graciano and was made using 65% whole clusters. Fruit comes from the Slide Hill Vineyard in Edna Valley, and the Alta Mesa Vineyard, Larner Vineyard and Harrison-Clarke... Read More
This is a very beautiful red with currant and berry character. Very fine and polished tannins, too. The impact is just so polished and focused. Linear and exciting. A barrel sample but should be great.
This is a very beautiful red with currant and berry character. Very fine and polished tannins, too. The impact is just so polished and focused. Linear and exciting. A barrel sample but should be great.
Some blue fruit with iron and lavender character. Very perfumed. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a bright finish. Linear and tight. Hibiscus at the end. A blend of declassified barrels from the single-vineyard wines. Drink... Read More
Dark color. Lots of black cherry, umami, pine resin, oyster shell, wild berry and iodine aromas. Unique and full-bodied with powdery tannins that get firm. Tees this up nicely. Most likely heritage clones. Drinkable but will age... Read More
A lovely and charming nose of strawberries, raspberries, crushed stones, tea leaves and some mild spices. It’s medium-bodied, silky and crunchy, with a purity of fruit throughout and a voluptuous, well-rounded texture toward... Read More
Brooding and deeply structured, this retains a sense of focus and vibrancy, with flavors of wild berries, clove, savory anise and green peppercorn that build tension and zestiness toward medium-grained tannins. Zinfandel, Carignan... Read More
The 2020 Syrah Hudson Vineyard T Block is a dense, brooding wine. Black fruit, spice, gravel, menthol and dried herbs add to an impression of gravitas. There is plenty of depth, obviously, but the 2020 is not especially refined... Read More
The 2022 Etna Rosso wafts up with a perfumed blend of rosy florals and hints of juniper berry. This is vividly fruit-focused, with a wave of ripe wild berries and sweet spices that flow across a stream of brisk acidity. It leaves... Read More
A ripe, fresh and pretty nose layers notes of black cherry, raspberry, violet and a discreet whiff of earth. The rich, vibrant and delicious middle weight flavors possess a velvety texture that extends to the lingering finale... Read More
The Bodega Contador was founded in 1995 when Benjamin Romeo, winemaker and grower, acquired a centuries old cave beneath the Castle of San Vicente de la Sonsierra (Rioja). In 1996 he made the first vintage of his “La Cueva... Read More
Bernard Magrez's 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous. It is made in a much more restrained style than the wines of the past. There is plenty of natural Napa Valley richness, but not the heaviness that marked some earlier vintages.... Read More