Calvados, Molinara, Madeira, C...
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La Dama Vini Valpolicella Classico 2023I do like Valpolicella, especially when it’s red fruited, balanced, and easy to drink, which is what this wine delivers. Strawberry, white pepper, a dusty frame of tannin, a sweetness to poached strawberry and raspberry, a little blood orange, with a peppery finish of good length. Puts me in mind of Pelaverga in a way, and there’s that low key energy to the wine that makes it so appealing. A little bit of ripe tomato tang, new leather, and lots of red fruited and spicy interest. You have to like them red fruited and peppery, but here’s a frisky and good wine that’s not trying too hard to be anything other than a good drink. Like it. Yum. GARY WALSH, the wine front
Established by Gabriele and Miriam Dalcanele in 2006, La Dama represents the new breed of winemakers in the region. Modern, fresh yet compelling wines coaxed from organically farmed vineyards in the fabled commune of Negrar, home to some of the great names including the legendary Giuseppe Quintarelli.Their 10 hectare estate has been certified organic since 2015 and works only with the native varieties of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara. Oak influence is kept to a minimum in order to ensure the vineyard speaks for itself in the glass.
Opens with wild forest fruits, a touch of red currant flecked throughout and dusted with sweet, peppery spice. Silky fruit, super vibrant and punchy packed with flavour but delivered in La Dama's typical ethereal style. A little dark cherry, a splash of blackberry, and a touch of wild strawberry fruit too. Finishes long and fresh. Another great drop.
2023Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499 -
Little Frances 11th House Red Cabernet 2021Erin Pooley was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. Before relocating to California she graduated from Charles Sturt University with a degree in Wine Science. Erin has been making wine worldwide since 2007.
Enamored with the nuance and intrigue of white wine with bottle age, Erin started her wine company in 2012 with Semillon from the Luchsinger Vineyard in Lake County, California. From the outset Erin subscribed to the philosophy of aging Semillon before release. We heard about her through our (PWS) dealings with Kenny at Hobo Wine Co. in California. When we tried her wines back here in Aus we were instantly enamored. No lack of talent here and we can't wait to see what's to come.
This is cabernet Jim but not as we know it. Softly spiced and enticing with violet florals, hints of crushed pepper and some wild herbs. It's fleshy, bright leading with currants, blackberry and a melange of wild forest fruit. It's not big but it's juicy. It's not light but it's oh so fresh. It's cabernet but its Erin's own take on cabernet. Made for drinking, not thinking.
2021Cabernet MerlotAustralia$30.00 As low as $27.00 -
Henriques and Henriques Monte Seco Extra Dry 3 y.o NVThis is a relatively new concept for Madeira: a dry aperitif style wine. I like it. It sits in the glass with a very pale color and a slightly nutty nose. There is a rounded feel to the palate with notes of apple and some saltiness. WILL LYONS, The Wall Street JournalNVMadeiraPortugal428$31.00 As low as $27.90 -
Comtesse de Malet Roquefort 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Cabernet Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, MerlotFrance356$32.00 As low as $28.80 -
Tedeschi Valpolicella 'Lucchine' 2021A medium-bodied, fruity and crunchy red with cherries, sweet spices and leafy notes. Joyful and succulent. Sustainable. Drink now. JAMES SUCKLING
25% Corvina; 25% Corvinone; 30% Rondinella; 10% Molinara; 10% Rossignola, Negrara, Dindarella.
Lucchine is the name of the vineyard that provides the grapes. It is located in the plains at the foot of Pedemonte hills in the heart of the historic Valpolicella Classico area. The Tedeschi Family has been linked to winemaking since 1630. However, it was the purchase of several vineyards in 1824 by Nicolo Tedeschi which laid the foundation for the family's current winemaking business. These are classicaly styled but modern takes with a consistency that few producers can boast.
2015Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$32.00 As low as $28.80 -
La Dama 'Bollicella' Rosato Pet Nat 2019Established by Gabriele and Miriam Dalcanele in 2006, La Dama represents the new breed of winemakers in the region. Modern, fresh yet compelling wines coaxed from organically farmed vineyards in the fabled commune of Negrar. It's also pertinent to note that Gabriele spent some time making sparkling wine before starting LA Dama and is well-versed in the style. This is also no afterthought, pet nat either. He only uses the best molinara grapes off the property to make this incredibly delicious sparkling.
Wonderful cassis and cranberry fruit all punchy, bright, and layered with a delicate spice and chalky top note. Gentle bubbles caress with a fine film that carries pristine red fruits along. Lovely balance with a freshness and nervy energy that you expect from the style but so often don’t receive. Honestly, this is a masterclass in what pet-nat should look like – bright, crunchy, and full of life with a purity of fruit at its core.
2019Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$35.00 As low as $31.50 -
Speri Valpolicella La Roverina 2022More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$36.00 As low as $32.40 -
La Dama Bollicella Rosato Pet Nat 2020A gentle fine bead cuts the cassis and cranberry fruit that underlies a subtle chalky and delicate spice lift. Fine and breezy in style it still packs in plenty of flavour. Crisp and vivacious. Lovely poise and precision too but never straying away from its easy-going nature and trying to be something its not. What every pet-nat should be.2020Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$39.00 As low as $35.10 -
La Dama Vini Valpolicella Classico Ripasso Superiore 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$44.00 As low as $39.60 -
La Dama Vini Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ca Besi 2019A wine that originated from where the Valpolicella tadition of drying grapes and the freshness and fragrance of grapes pressed during harvest are combined. This gives birth to a wine of great concentration and elegance, where the freshness suprises when countered by the dark, sweet fruits and long persistent palate.
This skirts such a lovely middle-ground and the lighter, fresher style we see from La Dama is given a little oomph and lick of pizzaz that is hard not to love. Pepper and camphor on the nose with dark roasted ground spice and a Campari like citrus flourish. It belies what comes after which seems so pretty and energetic but matched with some lovey dark, broody fruit that swims around a concentrated but focused core. It comes of subtle and persistent and ultimately so readily appealing. A very cool drop!
2019Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$60.00 As low as $58.00 -
Henriques & Henriques Madeira Verdelho 10yo 500mlPlanted at altitudes up to 400-metres located in the north of the island (Ponta Delgada and São Vincente), this late maturing grape is used to produce fruity, medium-dry styles. Considered a favourite amongst Madeira’s winemakers due to it’s ability to balance acidity, sugar and alcohol, at this level Verdelho produces a striking, off-dry wine that can also be served as an aperitif, with tapas dishes or more complex seafood dishes. With age, the wines grow in intensity, developing delicious honeyed depths and a creamy texture that is balanced by its racy acidity.NVMadeiraPortugal428$63.00 As low as $56.70 -
Henriques & Henriques Madeira Sercial 10yo 500mLSercial is the driest style of Madeira and this 10-year-old has vibrant acidity. A rich tawny colour with aromas of fruit cake, nuts, dried orange peel and citrus freshness. An initial figgy richness on the palate gives way to notes of fresh citrus, toasted almonds, walnuts and savoury umami notes. Finishes crisp and dry with a delicious salty tang. This type of Madeira won't improve with bottle age, but an open bottle can keep for several months. DECANTER
100% Sercial grown on mixed volcanic soils and hand-harvested mid to late September. Fermented with some whole-clusters with skin maceration in lagares with native yeasts. Matured in canteiro; aged in balseiro (large cask) and pipas (pipes) for a minimum of 10 years. Winemaker: Humberto Jardím. Vegan. TA 5.8 g/l, pH 3.52, RS 55.1 g/l.
Pale tawny. Edgy, sour marmalade with real refreshment and raciness. Clean as a whistle, and so fresh! JANCIS ROBINSONNVMadeiraPortugal428$63.00 As low as $56.70 -
Henriques Madira Bual 10yr OldThe non-vintage 10-Year-Old Bual has a Baume of 3.1 degrees. It has a light, slightly muffled nose. The fruit is initially subdued, although with encouragement, it offers dried lemon peel, a touch of caramel and sesame. The palate is medium-bodied with a honeyed entry and sufficient spice to offset the sweetness. The finish is nicely defined with toffee notes on the aftertaste.NEAL MARTIN, erobertparker.com 2012NVMadeiraPortugal428$63.00 As low as $56.70 -
Reserve de la Comtesse 2017 375mlThis is a wonderful second wine, and a real success in a vintage where second wines are often punching below their weight. It's rich, plump, floral-edged and above all extremely drinkable. It has a juicy frame and it delivers. A 2% pinch of Petit Verdot adds spice (and is added only after the press wine, the absolute final step to add depth, if needed). They used no secondary fruit at all. This should be good to go in five to six years. Tasted several times. DECANTER
The 2017 Reserve de la Comtesse is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it strolls out of the glass with nonchalant notions of preserved red plums, black cherries, kirsch and black raspberries with wafts of wilted roses, cinnamon toast, fallen leaves and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, the palate is very pretty, with delicately played tannins and bags of freshness, finishing wonderfully fragrant. LISA PERROTTI-BROWN, The Wine Advocate2017Cabernet MerlotFrance356$68.00 As low as $61.20 -
La Dama Valpolicella Classico Superiore Colombarino 2019More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2019Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$73.00 As low as $71.00 -
Pereira D'Oliveiras Tinta Negra Medium Dry 5yoMixed dried fruits and nuts in a soft nose, all gooey and golden. There are dates and jar plums with fine old treacle from a tin can, a flourish of billy tea, and touches of aromatic timber and baking spice. Has a nicely defined palate with fruit extract and developing abstract secondaries providing a drying rail and grooving the palate. Succulence is nicely controlled – the sweetness only makes it halfway through the palate before the acid train takes over ... but by then the mouth-feel is up and about and sugar has done its trick. Scott Wasley, The Spanish AcquisitionNVMadeiraPortugal428$81.00 As low as $72.90 -
Henriques & Henriques Madeira Boal 15yo 500mlThe non-vintage 15-Year-Old Bual is initially reticent, but it blossoms in the glass to reveal notes of nutmeg, cloves and honey, although the toffee-ish element is conspicuous. The palate is very smooth with toffee notes on the entry. Neal Martin, ROBERT PARKERNVMadeiraPortugal428$82.00 As low as $73.80 -
Henriques & Henriques Madeira Verdelho 15yo 500mlThe non-vintage 15-Year-Old Verdelho has a Baume of 1.9 degrees. It has a terse, orange rind, California raisin and dried apricot-scented bouquet with attractive resinous aromas emerging with aeration. The palate is well-balanced with superb acidity, crisp, honeyed fruit and a delicious spicy finish that is focused and tense. This is one of the best in their range. Neal Martin, ROBERT PARKERNVMadeiraPortugal428$90.00 As low as $81.00 -
Willie Smiths Pommeau de Tasmanie 18.2%Aged in small apple brandy casks for over 12 months, this rich and generous liqueur is a result of blending pressed French and British heirloom apple varieties with our apple spirit.
Complex and well-structured with baked apple and spice, balanced with firm tannins and cask influence.
Our take on the traditional aperitif from North-West France – enjoy as such or serve with blue cheese or dessert. WILLIE SMITH
NVCalvadosFrance$90.00 As low as $81.00 -
Serilhan 2016
The 2016 Sérilhan has a wonderful, quite high-toned and generous bouquet with ample blackberry and raspberry scents laced with violet and hints of iodine. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip in the mouth, quite symmetrical and focused with impressive precision on the finish. This feels dialed back in terms of power to the benefit of this elegant Saint-Estèphe. Tasted at the Cru Bourgeois tasting in London (92) NEAL MARTIN2016Cabernet MerlotFrance356$94.00 As low as $84.60 -
La Dama Vini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2019Complex delicate aromas of peonies and roses, changing into black cherries and dried red plums. There are cloves, earth and licorice, with a balsamic note and freshness. A warm, enveloping structure with velvety tannins, persistence depth, plays with the balsamic aromas. 100 days of drying, before fermentation, and aged in oak for 36 months. LA DAMA2019Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$97.00 As low as $87.30 -
Le Guaite di Noemi Valpolicella Superiore 2013More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2013Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$120.00 As low as $108.00 -
Labegorce Margaux 2017More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2017Cabernet Merlot, Cabernet SauvignonFrance356$135.00 As low as $121.50 -
Lafon Rochet 2019The 2019 Lafon-Rochet is every bit as compelling today as it was from barrel. There is a feeling of elegance to the 2019 that is so striking. Sweet dark cherry, plum new leather, tobacco, licorice, spice and rose petal all grace the 2019 as it unwinds to its long finish. Lafon-Rochet is not huge nor obvious, as some Saint-Estèphes are, but it is absolutely compelling. ANTONIO GALLONI
The 2019 Lafon-Rochet, which was picked from 25 September to 5 October, requires a little coaxing from the glass, eventually unfurling with blackberry, bilberry, violet and light crushed stone/clayey scents that is quintessential Saint-Estèphe. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins, fresh and saline in the mouth, old school in the best sense of that expression. No, it is not the most flamboyant Lafon-Rochet, but it is imbued with a sense of nobility and classicism that I much admire. Tasted three times with consistent notes. NEAL MARTIN
Brilliant stuff, the 2019 Château Lafon-Rochet shows the best of the vintage with its pure, precise, elegant, yet at the same time concentrated style. Showing lots of ripe currant, plum, tobacco, Asian spice, and cedar pencil aromatics, it's medium to full-bodied, has nicely integrated acidity, and just seamless tannins. It's beautifully done and well worth seeking out. It's going to evolve for 20-25+ years. JEB DUNNUCK
2016Cabernet MerlotFrance356 -
Roger Groult Calvados 8yo Pays d'Auge 41% 700mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
CalvadosFrance$150.00 As low as $135.00 -
Speri Amarone della Valpolicella 'Monte Sant Urbano' 2018A compelling bouquet of dusty dried violets, fresh coffee grounds, cocoa powder and dried black cherries makes the 2019 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Sant'Urbano impossible to ignore. This is wonderfully lifted and graceful in style, dense yet energetic with silken textures and polished red berry fruits that slowly saturate the palate. The 2019 youthfully folds in upon itself, leaving a bitter tinge of spice, dark chocolate and fine-grained tannins. The balance here is something to behold. The 2019 is full of potential—bury it deep. ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous
The Speri’s presence in this winemaking heartland goes back to 1874, though the original homestead and cellars are even older - 1580. From generation to generation for well over a century, the Speri family have handed down a heritage of pride in their land and passion for its fruits. The family operation now comprises of Carlo (pr/admin), vineyardists Eliseo, Marco and Giampietro, winemakers Paolo and Alberto, marketing manager Giampaolo, and the fifth generation Luca and Chiara Speri.
The family now have 60 hectares of autochtonous vines in the finest Classico districts, divided into three distinct crus; La Roverina, Sant’Urbano and La Roggia. In these hills the vines enjoy a mild climate that you would not expect at this northerly latitude and are planted at a much higher density than the appellation’s average using organic farming methods.2018Corvina, Molinara, Red, RodinellaItaly499$150.00 As low as $135.00 -
Le Guaite di Noemi Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2013More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2013Corvina, Molinara, RodinellaItaly499$150.00 As low as $135.00 -
Chasse Spleen 2016 Museum ReleaseMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2016Cabernet MerlotFrance356$160.00 -
Lafon Rochet 2020The 2020 Lafon-Rochet represents the essence of classicism in Bordeaux. Medium in body and finely-cut, Lafon-Rochet is one of the classiest, more refined Saint-Estèphes readers will come across. Dark fruit, earthiness, lavender, licorice, menthol and cloves add nuance, but it is the wine's balance and vibrancy that impress most. Give the tannins a few years to melt away. Superb. ANTONIO GALLONI
I loved the 2020 Château Lafon-Rochet, a rich, powerful, concentrated Saint-Estèphe that stays beautifully balanced and elegant. Lots of pure cassis and darker currant fruits as well as tobacco, chocolate, and damp herb notes define the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with plenty of mid-palate depth, building tannins, and a great finish. It's going to take 7-8 years to hit the early stages of maturity, but it's a brilliant wine. The blend is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, with an alcohol of 13.5 and a pH of 3.68. Tasted twice. JEB DUNNUCK
2016Cabernet MerlotFrance356$160.00 As low as $144.00 -
Cidrerie du Leguer Eau de Vie de Cidre 700mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
CalvadosFrance449$180.00 As low as $162.00 -
Adrien Camut Pays D'Auge Calvados 6yrs 700mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
CalvadosFrance449$195.00 As low as $175.50 -
Lafon Rochet 2016An explosion of all manner of black berries with discreet, toasty and smoky oak, makes this a joyful St.-Estèphe. Then the great balance of ripeness, lively acidity and velvety tannins come together beautifully at the elegant finish to make this the best wine from this producer in modern times. Needs two or three years to soften. Try in 2022. JAMES SUCKLING
A sleeper in this vintage, the 2016 Lafon-Rochet is positively stellar. Bright, translucent and super-expressive, the 2016 has so much to offer. Lavender, tobacco, cedar, mint and dried herbs give the 2016 striking aromatic top notes to play off the darker fruit flavors. The 2016 is pure class. Don't miss it. ANTONIO GALLONI
The 2016 Lafon-Rochet has a very engaging bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit laced with pencil shavings and loamy scents. In fact, the more you nose this wine, the more its complexity becomes apparent. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine line of acidity, ripe and generous yet maintaining outstanding tension and revealing a judicious touch of peppercorns on the finish, which fans out gloriously. This is a fabulous Lafon-Rochet NEAL MARTIN
All the success of St-Estèphe in 2016 can be seen in Lafon- Rochet this year, where the 30mm of rain on 13th September and 13mm on 8th October, with nothing in between, allowed the clay, limestone and gravel soils to fully ripen the grapes. Owner Basile Tesseron says he had never seen such maturity in his Cabernet Sauvignons, and certainly we have hugely intense aromatics from the first nose. The palate features finessed and fleshed out mouthwatering black fruits making it hard not to love this. Tasted three times in total, and every time it stood out. JANE ANSON, Decanter
2016Cabernet MerlotFrance356$200.00 As low as $180.00 -
Lafon Rochet 2015One of the potential sleepers of the vintage, Basil Tesseron's 2015 Lafon-Rochet is a total knock-out. Explosive, deep and powerful, the 2015 possesses remarkable richness and intensity. A host of black cherry, smoke, gravel, menthol, tar and licorice notes abound. I tasted the 2015 four times over two weeks. During that time, the wine seemed to acquire more and more freshness as well as finesse. There is little question Lafon-Rochet is one of the stars of Saint-Estèphe in 2015. The blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot ANTONIO GALLONI
A gem from Saint-Estèphe is the 2015 Château Lafon-Rochet and it's certainly one of the top wines from this appellation in 2015. Elegant, medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure and refined, it offers impressive notes of sweet dark fruits, crème de cassis, classy oak and a kiss of minerality. It's the finesse and quality of tannin, as well as its solid mid-palate, that sets this beauty apart. This wine is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot, and it's hidden little gem worth tracking down! JEB DUNNUCK
2016Cabernet MerlotFrance356$200.00 As low as $180.00 -
Christian Drouin Calvados 1995 700mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
1995CalvadosFrance$330.00 As low as $297.00 -
Pereira D'Oliveiras Madeira Malvazia Sweet Frasqueira 1991For madeira to get the classification frasqueira, they are required to be aged a minimum of 20 years in barrel, and a further 2 in bottle. The variety used for this madeira as well is Malvazia, a white grape, usually used in sweeter styles of Madeira, due to higher acid and create balance in the finished sweet wine. This particular vintage was bottled in 2019 and released in 2021, with a total of 28 years cask aging.
Here's Crazy Mary-Jane! A big herbal hit on the nose takes away any possibility of candy over-sweetness. Caramel and grilled nuts run around in a complex of wood notes, and excellent freshness partners aged and developed secondary characters. Herbal-columbine, toffee-tobacco, sweet but smoky and caney. A lashing of acid squeak teases out a long, almost savoury tea-like finish, with sugar memories tumbling along behind. Scott Wasley, The Spanish Acquisition1991MadeiraPortugal428$385.00 As low as $346.50 -
Leoville Poyferre 2015More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2015Cabernet MerlotFrance356$395.00 -
Pereira D'Oliveiras Madeira Sercial Dry Frasqueira 1989More time in wood equals more complex wood-and-balsam volatile secondary beauty. The fruit characters are raisined, dried, preserved and citric all at once, wandering through a sky-wide nose of fine aromatic timber, grilled bread and nuts. Dry Sercial's vegetality is largely subsumed by fine old wood perfume. It’s complex as all get-out, but with great harmony and composure. Dry and saline in the mouth, it’s almost austere but with a nice textural generosity through the palate, marked by complex herbal-woodiness and juicy palate acidity. Scott Wasley, The Spanish Acquisition1989MadeiraPortugal428$425.00 As low as $382.50 -
Montrose 2017 1500ml2 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
Saint-Estèphe 2ème Cru Classé
Extremely aromatic with currant, wild-herb and fresh-violet aromas. This is regal cabernet sauvignon at its finest. The palate has unwaveringly long and defined tannins that carry such fresh, piercingly pure, redcurrant and cassis flavors. A twin to the superb 2015? A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.(97) JAMES SUCKLINGThe 2017 Montrose is a very pretty, polished wine that speaks much more to finesse than power. Expressive floral and spices notes add an attractive inner sweetness to a Montrose that in 2017 leans more into the red fruit spectrum. Gracious yet deep, with terrific overall balance, the 2017 Montrose is a total winner. What impresses most about the 2017 is its freshness and sophistication. I won't be surprised if Montrose turns out to be even better than this note suggests further down the road. Graphite, licorice, menthol and sage lead to a finish with real grip and freshness. The 2017 is such a classy and promising wine. (95+) ANTONIO GALLONI
The 2017 Montrose was so impressive from barrel and now, bottled since July, it continues to put in a strong case for being one of the best Left Bank wines. It has a very pure and intoxicating bouquet with intense blackberry, light cassis, juniper and violet aromas, almost Margaux-like in terms of personality. Although there is a patina of new oak after bottling, it is in sync with the fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip on the entry. Tightly wound at the moment but supremely well focused, this is a classic Montrose, "cool" and reserved, demonstrating impressive tension and precision towards the finish. It will require less time in bottle than the 2016 for example, so broach this superb Saint-Estèphe after five or six years and then it will give 25 to 30 years of drinking pleasure, and knowing Montrose, probably longer. Tasted twice with consistent notes. (95) NEAL MARTIN
2017Cabernet MerlotFrance356$790.00 As low as $711.00