La Chapelle
Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin
I was shocked at the quality of the 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin and I can’t think of another wine that comes close to this level of depth, concentration and richness in the vintage. Its inky color is followed by sensational notes of roasted herbs, licorice, caramelized meats and layers of black and blue fruits. Rich, full-bodied, thick and unctuous, hats off to the Perrin family for this incredible effort! Give bottles 4-6 years of cellaring and drink over the following two decades. Jeb Dunnuck, Robert Parker 97 Points
Guigal La Mouline Côte Rôtie
Guigal are one of the cornerstones of the Côte Rôtie appellation after Etienne Guigal founded the estate in 1946, tending vines that have produced world class wines for over 2,000 years. The 2005 Côte Rôtie is a blend of 89% Syrah and 11% Viognier is a truly remarkable wine from vintage that was considered difficult by many. That is impossible to tell when enjoying a bottle of this 100 Robert Parker pointed Côte Rôtie that is voluptuous and complex. Still tightly wound and a little shy, the 2005 will age easily for 20+ years which should be considered mandatory.
M chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon
M. CHAPOUTIER Ermitage Le Pavillon, Hermitage Rare and highly sought-after, M.Chapoutiers brooding Ermitage Le Pavillon comes from a parcel of vines anchored on the granite soils of the Bessard commune lower down on the Hill of Hermitage. Le Pavillon refers to the ruins of an old stone-house located just below the vineyard on the famous Hill. The Syrah grapes are hand-harvested and entirely destemmed before undergoing vinification in concrete tanks. Following an extended maceration the wine is matured in a mix of approximately 30% new and 70% seasoned French oak casks for 18-20 months.
Casanova Di Neri Cerretalto
Cerretalto is a single vineyard Brunello from one of the very best sites in the region. The wine is made only in exceptional years when the quality of fruit warrants. The best fruit from the site is hand harvested, sorted, destemmed and crushed before undergoing wild yeast fermentation in open vats. The temperature controlled fermentation lasts 3-4 weeks and then the wine is transferred to oak barrels for 31 months followed by a further 30 months in bottle. The wine is kept back in the winery for 6 years before release.
Opus One
The 2014 Opus One exudes subtle aromas of fragrant florals, fresh garden herbs and forest floor that give way to a concentrated blend of red cherry, blackberry and black currant. Fine-grained tannins offer a velvety texture and complex structure that builds to a long, vibrantly fresh finish with a touch of mocha. Enjoyable now, the wine will delight for years to come. Oakville, California: Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley's Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth. The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture. Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.
Chateau Pavie
Another terrific success for the flagship estate (a 92-acre vineyard situated on the famed limestone and clay-rich slopes of Cote Pavie) of Chantal and Gerard Perse, the 2011 Pavie is composed of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. 2011 may be the biggest, richest, most massive wine of the vintage. With thrilling levels of concentration, tremendous purity, high but sweet tannin, a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, and terrific intensity, depth and palate presence, this larger-than-life effort will require 5-8 years of cellaring, and should age effortlessly over the following 25-30 years.
Château Montrose
France's Bordeaux, is the spiritual home of the Cabernet family of grapes, which extends beyond Sauvignon and Franc to Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. If you love Margaret River Cabernet blends, or indeed the Merlot dominant reds of Hawkes Bay, NZ, then you must look at the wines upon which many of them have been modelled. This wine is Cabernet and Merlot, deep and rich, cassis and earthy cedar, structure and uncommon length - all hallmarks of Grand Cru Bordeaux.
Domaine d'Eugenie Grand Cru
Clos Vougeot is renowned for being one of the finest red wines in Burgundy with superlative depth, richness and power. Domaine d'Eugenies Clos Vougeot comes off a small holding of 1.36ha within the large walled Clos Vougeot vineyard. The plot is located in one of the best positions at the top of the slope and is managed along biodynamic principles. The fruit is handpicked, 50% is then destemmed with fermentation taking place in small vessels, before undergoing maturation in approximately 90% new French oak barrels.