This Cabernet Sauvignon displays rich red hues with a bouquets of sweet berries, completed with spicy oak. Ripe berry characters generously flow smoothly onto the plate blending with spicy oak and soft chewy tannins.

In 1989, Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud acquired a small plot of 0.6 hectares in the valley of Saint-Emilion between Pavie-Macquin and La Clotte. In 1991, they produced their first vintage bottled by themselves. Since then, they have acquired other plots and properties, in Saint-Christophe-Des-Bardes, Saint Sulpice de Faleyrens and Saint-Etienne de Lisse. While the first critics called it "garage wine", Château Valandraud, although still unclassified, is nevertheless considered by almost all wine professionals, including Robert Parker, as one of the very first wines of Bordeaux. Château Valandraud was promoted to 1er Grand Cru Classé de Saint Emilion in 2012. Member of the Union of Grands Crus of Bordeaux since 2017. The 2009 Valandraud is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc matured in 100% new oak for 22 months.

In 1815, Guillaume Lawton said of Château Lafite, “I consider it to be the the most elegant and delicate, with the finest substance of the three (Premier Crus). The location of its vines is one of the finest in the Médoc”. In 1855 the Château was ranked as a Premier Grand Cru in the famous classification that was prepared for the Universal Exhibition of that year. A recurring phenomenon in recent years, the beginning of the winter was mild and dry, and it was only at the end of January that beneficial colder temperatures arrived, accompanied by rain. Bud break began in early April as usual, and the vines then grew quickly, as they had ample reserves of water and the weather was mild. In June, flowering was early and uniform, which is always a promising sign. The influence of the Atlantic ocean and the Gironde estuary helped to reduce the effect of a somewhat hot summer with high temperatures. Water stress was high, but rain in August brought the freshness required for the grapes to change colour and then to ripen perfectly. Conditions were ideal during the harvests, enabling us to obtain optimal ripeness for each plot.

Product Information: This Desafio Cabernet Sauvignon is a resounding and powerful wine that reverberates across your palate for minutes after you taste it. Nose it, and you get mulberry, new leather and rosemary. Luxurious black fruit that mingles with cooling and refreshing fresh mint and sage. This is cabernet at its best. Creamy black fruit leads the way and ventures into a world of dark chocolate, espresso and grippy yet caressing tannic structure. Made of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 11% Petit Verdot from sandy sustainably farmed vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley of California. For maturation the wine goes into 80% new French oak, 20% neutral French oak (225L). Maker: Owned by the iconic Screaming Eagle, JONATA wines are on the vanguard of an emerging quality movement in California winegrowing. The Ballard Canyon AVA is located within the greater Santa Ynez Valley appellation. As California’s Central Coast most notable emerging locations, JONATA’s sandy site and its team’s winegrowing know-how have produced results that are widely recognised as the best ever seen from this region. Dedicated to expressing a range of red—and a handful of white—wines from its estate in the Central Coast of California’s Ballard Canyon appellation within Santa Ynez Valley, Jonata is one of a new breed of producers throughout the world who are thriving with a non-traditional amalgam of varieties and blends. With a commitment in particular to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, and informed by cutting edge viticulture, winemaking and a polyface approach to their estate, the Jonata wines are on the vanguard of an emerging quality movement in California winegrowing. Jonata is dedicated to sustainability from the inside out; a principled approach to farming. With its use of polyface farming—as first introduced to America by Michael Pollan in his book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”—Jonata integrates and revolves livestock (chickens, turkeys, goats, pigs and sheep) in their farming model, which naturally enhances the soil and health of their land not to mention that of the critters themselves and the Jonata community! We maintain a large communal garden and an orchard that produces our own estate olive oil along with honey from bees raised on the ranch. Water is used judiciously and with precision. Herbicides and pesticides don’t even enter the conversation. Vineyard: 2018 is one of those rare 'unicorn vintages' with a long and slow harvest allowing for beautiful phenological ripening without the abrupt rise in sugar and corresponding dramatic drop in acidity that can result from typical heat spikes. The yields are healthy and quality is exceptional. The reds are defined by subtlety and elegance. They are a pleasure to taste. They appear to be similar to the 2017 reds with that same complexity and charm. These are very exciting wines. Nose - Pencil Shavings, Cassis, Dried Sage Absolutely heady perfume. Spiced dark chocolate, cassis, bay leaf, dried sage, fig paste and currant candies. Palate - Dark Fruits, Spice, Menthol More density, more aromatics, more power. A wine of tremendous force and direction. Intense and concentrated, serious and focused. Still tightly coiled and freakishly young. Finish - Tobacco Leaf, Ripe Tannin, Savoury Spices Finish highlighted by cooling, gentle tannins. Definitely in the conversation of hallowed Desafio vintages. Unique in its expression and focus. Profound in a similar way to the 2018 Alma. Earthy structure and sweet, black fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon drives the 2018 El Desafio de Jonata. Light on its feet for such a big wine, the Desafio dazzles from the very first taste. Pencil shavings, liquorice, lavender, spice, menthol and grilled herbs build in a stunning, deeply pitched Ballard Canyon red that hits all the right notes. The 2018 is simply magnificent. Don't miss it. - Vinous, 97 Points. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 El Desafio de Jonata has a big Cabernet nose of tobacco leaf and truffly earth as well as beautiful dark fruits, a touch of chocolate, medium to full-bodied richness, ripe tannin, and a great finish. The balance, polish, and elegance here, paired with plenty of concentration, is superb. - Jeb Dunnuck, 95-97 points.

This wine shows the style of the vintage and quite likely the impact of the small crop. In such years, Cabernet Sauvignon in particular, has a complex but somewhat subdued nose, where the wine hints of the underlying power and complexity but takes years to reveal its true colours. So here we see smouldering red currant, black currant and mulberry, with a floral, violet lift, sitting over cedar and tar. On the palate there is concentration and length - dark fruits combining with firm tannin and leather and tarry notes.

Planted in the late 19th century, the High Trellis vineyard was the first d'Arenberg vineyard to be trained above knee height. For the past four decades, a Cabernet Sauvignon has been produced from the vineyard to critical acclaim, even winning the Jimmy Watson trophy in 1969. Something that d'Arry reminds current winemaker, and son, Chester about often!

This Levantine Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is redolent with blackberry, blackcurrant and cocoa-rich chocolate on the nose. Followed by the supple, balanced middle palate evokes truffle, bramble and earthy complexity on the palate. An outstanding example of site and region, its chewy, satisfying tannins are beautifully integrated with fleshy fruit characters, hedonic spice and lingering, persistent length.

Bright crimson with ruby hues. Sweet, fragrant aromas of red and blue fruits, cherries and raspberries with hints of dried flowers, herbs, spices and cedar. The medium-weight palate is beautifully structured with rich, juicy red fruit flavours and powerful fine-grained tannins for an excellent length and and lipsmacking acidity.

This beautiful wine displays an attractive ruby red colour in a glass. The well balanced bouquet emits medium intensity fragrances of blackberry, dried herbs and earth. It offers coffee, toasted oak and vanilla characters towards the end. The nose smoothly makes way for a lush palate, filled with flavours of juicy forest fruits and soft vanilla, leading to savoury notes. Together with palate coating tannins, these characters culminate in a cocoa and coffee dominated finish.

A classic McLaren Vale Cabernet offering up aromas of dark, juicy blackcurrant, cassia bark, toasted anise, sage flower, dusty cedar and worn leather. It is an elegant Cabernet getting more exciting in the glass as it gets some air. A medium to full-bodied wine full of black olive and jubey fruit, firm, fine and textural tannins with spice and comfort redolent of Christmas pudding with warm brandy sauce.