Winemaker Notes
Since the inaugural Skipstone vintage of 2005, our annual approach with Oliver’s Blend is to create a blend of Cabernet Sauvignons from up to 20 individual small lots. Each lot has a unique profile (based on soil type, exposure and clonal selection) and blended they create a foundation. This Cabernet Sauvignon is then embellished with small amounts of our other blending varietals to best showcase the vintage.
With so many pockets of soil differentiation and exposures, Oliver’s Blend is a symphonic compilation of aroma and flavor. This, coupled with clonal diversity of multiple Cabernet clones throughout our hillside plantings, creates an exceptionally complex wine. Year after year, this is a wine of profound power and elegance.
Oliver’s Blend is aged for two years in barrel and another year in bottle prior to our release. This highly-structured Cabernet Sauvignon is an excellent candidate for further cellaring, with potential to age for decades.
About Winery
Skipstone is tucked between two stunning hillsides in the mountains above Alexander Valley. We aspire to perfection in every aspect of our wine growing and estate farming, drawing inspiration from the unparalleled potential and promise of the earth. Uncompromising in our standards of sustainability and treatment of the land, we are committed to nurturing the precious resource that is our 200 acre estate. Blessed by nature, we listen intently to the terroir of our vineyards, and in turn, our wines speak eloquently of their origin.
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About Winery
Founded in 1942 by Joseph Arlaud and Renée Amiot, Domaine Arlaud in Morey-Saint-Denis, Burgundy, is a 15-hectare family estate known for organic/biodynamic, low-intervention Pinot Noir. The Domaine, now led by Cyprien Arlaud (since 2013), produces esteemed Grand Crus, including Charmes-Chambertin, often characterized by silky tannins and elegant red fruit.
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About Winery
Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, originally founded in the 19th century as Domaine Robert Arnoux, is a prestigious family-run estate in Vosne-Romanée, Burgundy, that has built its reputation on producing refined Pinot Noir wines from top Côte de Nuits appellations like Chambolle-Musigny. In 2008, the domaine was renamed Arnoux-Lachaux when Pascal Lachaux, Robert Arnoux’s son-in-law, took over management, later joined by his son Charles Lachaux, who has gained acclaim for innovative viticulture and a focus on purity and terroir expression. Today, the estate is recognized as one of Burgundy’s rising stars, with its Chambolle-Musigny wines celebrated for elegance, aromatic finesse, and longevity.
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About Winery
Domaine Aurélien Verdet is a third-generation Burgundy estate in Arcenant, Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, founded on a pioneering commitment to organic viticulture begun by Aurélien’s father, Alain, in the 1970s. Alain Verdet was one of the first in Burgundy to farm organically, planting vineyards in 1971 and setting a precedent that his son has carried forward. Aurélien established his own domaine in the early 2000s, combining estate-grown fruit with grapes sourced from trusted growers across prestigious Côte de Nuits appellations such as Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Today, he cultivates about 4.5 hectares in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and produces Pinot Noir wines using minimal intervention techniques—manual harvesting, indigenous yeast fermentation, and careful barrel aging—to highlight terroir expression. His wines are praised for purity, personality, and balance, offering approachable value at the village level and serious structure in premier crus, positioning Aurélien Verdet as one of Burgundy’s most promising next-generation winemakers.
Winemaker Notes
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 The Matriarch rocks up with forthright notions of crushed blackcurrants, black cherries and mulberries plus hints of crushed rocks, dried herbs, iron ore and black soil plus a touch of Ceylon tea. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals impressive intensity with a firm texture of grainy tannins and bags of freshness, finishing with an herbal lift.
About Winery
Sourced from select hillside estates, the Cabernet Sauvignon wines of BOND vividly demonstrate the range of Napa Valley's finest terroirs. From the more than eighty vineyards we have worked with over the past quarter century, we have slowly and vigilantly selected five sites. BOND became our covenant and shared commitment to produce only the best expression of the land. By way of this valuable experience, we had the opportunity to identify select properties that we felt had the potential to define the ‘Grand Crus’ of Napa Valley. These small hillside Cabernet vineyards, ranging in size from 7 to 11 acres, became the basis for the wines of BOND.
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Winemaker Notes
Based on the winemaker notes and critical reviews from 2016, the Bouchard Père & Fils Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru "Les Cailles" is a red Burgundy wine that exemplifies elegance within the robust Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation. The 2016 vintage, specifically, is noted for its refined, complex, and "textbook" portrayal of this premier cru site.
About Winery
Founded in 1731 in Beaune by Michel Bouchard, Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy's oldest and largest estates, holding 130 hectares of vines across the Côte d'Or, including prestigious Grand and Premier Cru plots. Renowned for historical parcels like the monopoly Beaune Grèves Vigne de l'Enfant Jésus, the estate blends traditional, multi-generational expertise with modern, gravity-fed winemaking techniques.
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Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Maison Camille Giroud Chambertin Grand Cru is defined by its brooding intensity, rippling power, and refined sensuality. Winemaker Carel Voorhuis notes that while the 2018 vintage provided healthy fruit, careful management was required to maintain freshness in the reds during the warm conditions.
About Winery
Founded in 1865 in Beaune, Maison Camille Giroud is a historic Burgundian négociant known for traditional, long-aging wines (vins de garde). Following a 2002 takeover by investors including Ann Colgin, the house adopted a modern, terroir-driven approach, utilizing organic grapes and minimal intervention to produce acclaimed, elegant wines, including renowned Chambertin Grand Cru.
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Winemaker Notes
Complex and generous, Chassagne-Montrachet 2016 has a clear lemon color. The nose and palate present with intense aromas and flavors of acacia, yellow peaches and ripe pineapple, lined with notes of vanilla, almonds and hazelnuts. The finish is long and leaves a sense of generosity.
About Winery
In 2014, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Michael Baum and his family (Famille Carabello-Baum) purchased the historic Château de Pommard in Burgundy, France, becoming the first Americans to own a winery in the region. They became the fifth family in 300 years to steward the estate, focusing on converting the 20-hectare Clos Marey-Monge vineyard to biodynamic farming and elevating their wines.
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Winemaker Notes
The 2016 Carabello-Baum Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (produced by Château de Pommard) is a white Burgundy Chardonnay from a challenging vintage, offering a pale yellow color with gold highlights. It features a complex bouquet of citrus, white flowers, acacia, and hazelnut with a fresh, generous palate and long,, slightly saline finish, often aged in oak.
About Winery
In 2014, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Michael Baum and his family (Famille Carabello-Baum) purchased the historic Château de Pommard in Burgundy, France, becoming the first Americans to own a winery in the region. They became the fifth family in 300 years to steward the estate, focusing on converting the 20-hectare Clos Marey-Monge vineyard to biodynamic farming and elevating their wines.
Winemaker Notes
From the very front of the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, this block produced exceptional wines in 2016 due to exceptional farming, perfectly balanced cropping and significant hang time. Year after year, these older clone 4 vines offer our most upfront, instantly appealing and massive wine from this vineyard. Blackberry fruits, licorice, and mocha mingle to create a lavish multi-layered wine, offering an enormous mid-palate buttressed perfectly by the wine's natural acidity and gripping tannins. Offering a unique amount of ripeness and texture, this is an elegant wine wrapped up in a cloak of raw but refined power. While drinking great now, allow this wine to age and watch it reach its full potential.
About Winery
The origins of Carter Cellars began in the mid 1980's when the historic Carter House Victorian was built. When this small bed and breakfast became too popular for the crowd from the cities up and down the west coast the Hotel Carter was added and a restaurant (the highly regarded Restaurant 301) was needed for the guests. For the guests at the restaurant Mark Carter began compiling what has become (since 1998) a Wine Spectator Grand Award winning wine list. He began sourcing the best wines the world had to offer from first growth Bordeaux to the top Napa Cabernet and even the high quality, little-known gems that helped the wine list stand out. Because of the great recognition of the restaurant and its wine list Mark was able to host winemaker dinners with the likes of Dan Duckhorn and Nils Venge.
Mark and Nils became fast friends at these dinners while sharing their all encompassing passion for great wines. Mark wanted to expand his love of wines and start a new age wine label devoid of a brick and mortar facility but sourcing only the best fruit from the most renowned vineyard in Napa. His goal was to create the best Napa Cabernet that could be made. Nils Venge, the superstar winemaker responsible for receiving the first "perfect score" on a domestic wine from Robert M. Parker Jr. while at Groth in 1985, seemed like the perfect match on this quest for perfection.
Carter Cellars first vintage was in 1998 sourcing grapes from the steeply terraced Coliseum Block of the Hossfeld Vineyard. In continuing to source wine from top Napa vineyards Mark and Nils made a svelte Fortuna Block Cabernet from the ancient red volcanic soils of the Fortuna Vineyard in 1999. In 2000 Carter Cellars began a long and deeply rewarding relationship with the most iconic vineyard in the western hemisphere: the Beckstoffer portion of the original To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. Thus began the rise of the famed and highly rated Carter Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet, a wine that to this day continues to receive top scores from critics worldwide.
In 2001 Carter Cellars deviated from solely making large and powerful Cabernet when they acquired Merlot fruit from the Truchard Vineyard in Carneros. This vineyard has varied soils and a marine-influenced climate which makes the ripe and rounded fruit which goes into our lush and ultra-premium Merlot. In 2004 Carter Cellars expanded again when they began sourcing Cabernet fruit from the Revilo Vineyard in St Helena right next door to some of the highest rated Napa Cabernet and farmed by Reg Oliver of El Molino. The Revilo Vineyard fruit makes for large and austere Cabernet with incredibly smooth tannins which benefit from some bottle age and will greatly reward those with the patience for fine wines.
Mark and Nils began looking for a permanent home for Carter Cellars and for a small Napa Winery at which they could produce wines from estate grown fruit. In 2006 they founded Envy Winery on Tubbs Lane in Calistoga. This 17 acre property would specialize in Estate grown Merlot, Cabernet and Petite Sirah and would become the new home of Carter Cellars.
Winemaker Notes
It offers compelling aromas of black cherries, warm black berries, and crème de cassis, with hints of plum pudding, mincemeat pie, and exotic spices. The wine is full-bodied, rich, and opulent, with a long, spicy finish. Some critics have noted it's a layered and nuanced wine, with a sexy texture, and power from the To Kalon Vineyard. It is considered a fabulous wine and the finest vintage of this release to date. One reviewer noted the wine has a sweet nose of sugar plum and powdered sugar, and suggests a two-hour decant before serving.
About Winery
The origins of Carter Cellars began in the mid 1980's when the historic Carter House Victorian was built. When this small bed and breakfast became too popular for the crowd from the cities up and down the west coast the Hotel Carter was added and a restaurant (the highly regarded Restaurant 301) was needed for the guests. For the guests at the restaurant Mark Carter began compiling what has become (since 1998) a Wine Spectator Grand Award winning wine list. He began sourcing the best wines the world had to offer from first growth Bordeaux to the top Napa Cabernet and even the high quality, little-known gems that helped the wine list stand out. Because of the great recognition of the restaurant and its wine list Mark was able to host winemaker dinners with the likes of Dan Duckhorn and Nils Venge.
Mark and Nils became fast friends at these dinners while sharing their all encompassing passion for great wines. Mark wanted to expand his love of wines and start a new age wine label devoid of a brick and mortar facility but sourcing only the best fruit from the most renowned vineyard in Napa. His goal was to create the best Napa Cabernet that could be made. Nils Venge, the superstar winemaker responsible for receiving the first "perfect score" on a domestic wine from Robert M. Parker Jr. while at Groth in 1985, seemed like the perfect match on this quest for perfection.
Carter Cellars first vintage was in 1998 sourcing grapes from the steeply terraced Coliseum Block of the Hossfeld Vineyard. In continuing to source wine from top Napa vineyards Mark and Nils made a svelte Fortuna Block Cabernet from the ancient red volcanic soils of the Fortuna Vineyard in 1999. In 2000 Carter Cellars began a long and deeply rewarding relationship with the most iconic vineyard in the western hemisphere: the Beckstoffer portion of the original To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. Thus began the rise of the famed and highly rated Carter Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet, a wine that to this day continues to receive top scores from critics worldwide.
In 2001 Carter Cellars deviated from solely making large and powerful Cabernet when they acquired Merlot fruit from the Truchard Vineyard in Carneros. This vineyard has varied soils and a marine-influenced climate which makes the ripe and rounded fruit which goes into our lush and ultra-premium Merlot. In 2004 Carter Cellars expanded again when they began sourcing Cabernet fruit from the Revilo Vineyard in St Helena right next door to some of the highest rated Napa Cabernet and farmed by Reg Oliver of El Molino. The Revilo Vineyard fruit makes for large and austere Cabernet with incredibly smooth tannins which benefit from some bottle age and will greatly reward those with the patience for fine wines.
Mark and Nils began looking for a permanent home for Carter Cellars and for a small Napa Winery at which they could produce wines from estate grown fruit. In 2006 they founded Envy Winery on Tubbs Lane in Calistoga. This 17 acre property would specialize in Estate grown Merlot, Cabernet and Petite Sirah and would become the new home of Carter Cellars.
In 2006 Carter Cellars expanded again. Still with an extremely small case production they made the Hossfeld Red Blend also from the Hossfeld Vineyard in Soda Canyon. This Predominately Merlot blend contains Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Verdot and is modeled on one of Mark's Favorites: Chateau Petrus with a uniquely Californian side.
In 2012 Carter Cellars added two additional exciting Cabernets vineyards to the portofilo: the Weitz Vineyard and Beckstofffer Las Piedras Vineyard. Long considered one of the gems of Turnbull Wine Cellars vineyard holdings, the Weitz Vineyard, also known as the Leopoldina Vineyard, sits on 62 glorious acres high on the Oakville Bench. The fruit from the vineyard is renowned for its profound structure, elegant rich texture and lingering acidity and minerality. The Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is a historic vineyard in the St. Helena AVA. Roughly translated to the stones or little pebbles, the vineyard sits at the base of Sulfur Creek on the southwest outskirts of St. Helena. Riddled with rocks, the soil is porous and provides ideal support for the vines and when matched with excellent farming techniques, the result is remarkable dense and concentrated fruit.
Winemaker Notes
This low production 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from hand selected fruit out of our best vineyards. This is a powerfully concentrated Napa Cabernet, that can be consumed immediately or can be cellared to reveal hidden nuances. This wine has as it all - a deep black purple color and virtually everything you would want in a great Cabernet Sauvignon, including dense flavors of blackberries, graphite and mocha all dressed in well-integrated oak profile. Immediately there is a blast of fresh lively fruit that dances with minerality and spices, matched with a rich sumptuous finish - in other words, Carter Cellar's signature profile, a wine that has showcases both finesse and verve.
About Winery
The origins of Carter Cellars began in the mid 1980's when the historic Carter House Victorian was built. When this small bed and breakfast became too popular for the crowd from the cities up and down the west coast the Hotel Carter was added and a restaurant (the highly regarded Restaurant 301) was needed for the guests. For the guests at the restaurant Mark Carter began compiling what has become (since 1998) a Wine Spectator Grand Award winning wine list. He began sourcing the best wines the world had to offer from first growth Bordeaux to the top Napa Cabernet and even the high quality, little-known gems that helped the wine list stand out. Because of the great recognition of the restaurant and its wine list Mark was able to host winemaker dinners with the likes of Dan Duckhorn and Nils Venge.
Mark and Nils became fast friends at these dinners while sharing their all encompassing passion for great wines. Mark wanted to expand his love of wines and start a new age wine label devoid of a brick and mortar facility but sourcing only the best fruit from the most renowned vineyard in Napa. His goal was to create the best Napa Cabernet that could be made. Nils Venge, the superstar winemaker responsible for receiving the first "perfect score" on a domestic wine from Robert M. Parker Jr. while at Groth in 1985, seemed like the perfect match on this quest for perfection.
Carter Cellars first vintage was in 1998 sourcing grapes from the steeply terraced Coliseum Block of the Hossfeld Vineyard. In continuing to source wine from top Napa vineyards Mark and Nils made a svelte Fortuna Block Cabernet from the ancient red volcanic soils of the Fortuna Vineyard in 1999. In 2000 Carter Cellars began a long and deeply rewarding relationship with the most iconic vineyard in the western hemisphere: the Beckstoffer portion of the original To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. Thus began the rise of the famed and highly rated Carter Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet, a wine that to this day continues to receive top scores from critics worldwide.
In 2001 Carter Cellars deviated from solely making large and powerful Cabernet when they acquired Merlot fruit from the Truchard Vineyard in Carneros. This vineyard has varied soils and a marine-influenced climate which makes the ripe and rounded fruit which goes into our lush and ultra-premium Merlot. In 2004 Carter Cellars expanded again when they began sourcing Cabernet fruit from the Revilo Vineyard in St Helena right next door to some of the highest rated Napa Cabernet and farmed by Reg Oliver of El Molino. The Revilo Vineyard fruit makes for large and austere Cabernet with incredibly smooth tannins which benefit from some bottle age and will greatly reward those with the patience for fine wines.
Mark and Nils began looking for a permanent home for Carter Cellars and for a small Napa Winery at which they could produce wines from estate grown fruit. In 2006 they founded Envy Winery on Tubbs Lane in Calistoga. This 17 acre property would specialize in Estate grown Merlot, Cabernet and Petite Sirah and would become the new home of Carter Cellars.
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About Winery
Charles Van Canneyt is a highly regarded Burgundian winemaker who took over Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat in Vosne-Romanée from his grandfather Alain Hudelot in 2008. The domaine, founded in 1962, quickly rose under his leadership to become one of the most sought-after estates in the Côte de Nuits, known for its refined and terroir-driven wines. In 2012, Van Canneyt launched his own négoce label, sourcing grapes from trusted growers in top Burgundy sites, including grands crus like Chambertin and Griotte-Chambertin. His négociant wines mirror the philosophy of his domaine work: gentle extraction, thoughtful use of oak, and a focus on elegance and typicity. Today, Charles Van Canneyt is celebrated as both the guardian of Hudelot-Noëllat’s legacy and the creator of his own distinctive imprint on Burgundy, producing wines that balance tradition with modern precision.
Winemaker Notes
Dark, dense ruby color. Nose with concentrated ripe cherry fruit. On the palate, dense and opulent, beautiful sweetness, slightly oriental spice, very noticeable acidity, fine tannins. Has bite and pressure, good finish.
About Winery
Chateau Gracia is produces garage-style (aka "vins de garage") St-Emilion wines from a 4.4-acre vineyard with microscopic yields of 18-22 hectoliters per hectare (400-550 cases). Michel Gracia the proprietor is good friends with Ausone’s Alain Vauthier, produces wines that have much in common with the lushness and concentration of Ausone. Founded in 1997, Michel is a first-generation immigrant, originating from Spain. After less then a decade since his first crush, Michel was already recognized by Robert Parker as one of the twenty best wine estates in France in 2006. Vineyards Vines cover just 1.9-hectares of clayey/limestone soil, planted with 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and an average age of vine at just under thirty years. Yields are kept low, down to a paltry 21hl/ha. There is another 1.26- hectares parcel on more sandy soil planted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc which is the source of "Les Angelots de Gracia".
Winemaker Notes
The wine has a deep, glittering hue and a complex nose on which black fruit aromas mingle with graphite and spice notes. The structure on the palate is particularly dense and long, with chiselled tannins of incredible precision. A 2012 of remarkable purity and energy, with fantastic fruit and radiance that take it to the peak. For the first time, Pontet-Canet matured nearly a third of the vintage in concrete amphoras.
About Winery
Château Haut-Batailley, Fifth Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 Official Classification, is a benchmark in the Pauillac appellation. Its name is derived from the word "bataille" (battle), in memory of the fighting that is said to have taken place on the estate at the end of the Hundred Years' War in the 15th century.
Since 2017, Château Haut-Batailley has been run by the Cazes family, who are continuing the work begun by the Borie family in 1930 while carrying forward the style and quality of this key Médoc cru on the Left Bank of the Bordeaux region.
Winemaker Notes
The blackcurrants and blueberries with violets on the nose are fascinating. Full-bodied and very tightly wound with gorgeous tannins and a linear and bright finish. Needs two to four years to come together.
About Winery
Château Haut-Batailley, Fifth Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 Official Classification, is a benchmark in the Pauillac appellation. Its name is derived from the word "bataille" (battle), in memory of the fighting that is said to have taken place on the estate at the end of the Hundred Years' War in the 15th century.
Since 2017, Château Haut-Batailley has been run by the Cazes family, who are continuing the work begun by the Borie family in 1930 while carrying forward the style and quality of this key Médoc cru on the Left Bank of the Bordeaux region.
Winemaker Notes
Very intense, remarkable, garnet-red colour. The nose shows impressively ripe fruit, concentration, and complexity. This is the epitome of a wine made from grapes with just the right degree of maturity. The wine starts out generous, sweet, and broad-based on the palate, going on seamlessly to reveal increasing body and power. The class, breeding, and sophistication of the tannin are obvious. 2016 La Mission Haut-Brion is certainly the most complete and charming the château has made in a long time.
Chateau La Mission Haut Brion
Château La Mission Haut-Brion is a world-renowned winery located in the prestigious Pessac-Léognan appellation in the Bordeaux region of France. It holds a special place in the history of Bordeaux wines due to its exceptional quality and long-standing heritage. The estate is known for producing top-tier red wines, and its wine is often regarded as one of the most sought-after in the region.
Winemaker Notes
Ruby / purple color, the intense and complex nose reveals hints of black fruit, brioche bread. The attack is vivid and velvety. The mid-palate enhanced the black fruit notes, unveiled firstly on the nose and some toasty notes. The wine is juicy and fleshy with elegant tannins. Final on the length.
About Winery
Chateau Langoa-Barton, 3rd Classified Growth, was the first of the two Bordeaux wine estates bought by Hugh Barton in the 1820s, the other being Leoville-Barton, 2nd Classified Growth.
Hugh Barton was a descendant of an Irish family which settled in Bordeaux in the 18th century and which has a long and distinguished history in the region's wine trade. Both properties are still family-owned and run and together represent the longest tradition of unchanged ownership in the Medoc. Anthony Barton is the current proprietor but is gradually passing the reins to his daughter Lillian. Langoa Barton has 20 hectares of vineyards (Cabernet Sauvignon 71%, Merlot 21% and Cabernet Franc 8%) lie on gravelly-clay soils. Vinification includes 18 months' maturation in oak barriques (50% new). Langoa Barton is vinified and matured in exactly the same way as Leoville-Barton and any difference between them must be put down to variations in the soils and exposure of their respective vineyard blocks.
Both Langoa and Leoville wines are models of typical St Julien restraint and elegance, and Anthony's fair pricing policy, always with an eye to the long term has won him many loyal friends amongst his customers. For years, Langoa Barton was considered slightly lighter and more forward than Leoville. However, in the last decade it has become noticeably deeper in colour and richer and more concentrated on the palate. Langoa Barton is now often the equal of Leoville.
Winemaker Notes
Ruby / purple color, the intense and complex nose reveals hints of black fruit, brioche bread. The attack is vivid and velvety. The mid-palate enhanced the black fruit notes, unveiled firstly on the nose and some toasty notes. The wine is juicy and fleshy with elegant tannins. Final on the length.
About Winery
In 1826, Hugh Barton, already proprietor of Chateau Langoa, purchased part of the big Leoville estate. His part then became known as Léoville Barton. Six generations of Bartons have since followed, and continued to preserve the quality of the wine, classified as a Second Growth in 1855.
In 1983, Anthony Barton, the present owner, was given the property by his uncle Ronald Barton who had himself inherited it in 1929. Anthony Barton's daughter Lilian Barton Sartorius now helps her father in managing the estate. Together, they maintain the traditional methods of winemaking, producing a typical Saint-Julien of elegance and distinction. The Château Léoville Barton is the property of the Barton’s family and Lilian Barton Sartorius manages it with her two children, Mélanie and Damien.
Winemaker Notes
With their smoky and spicy bouquet, the red wines are of an admirable quality and a very characteristic softness. The wine is both concentrated, fine and harmonious, with an aromatic palette as wide as it is precise. The depth and length in the mouth are exceptional. Quality of the terroir, sustained efforts and dynamism have borne fruit bringing Pape Clément to a level very close to that of the premiers crus.
About WineryChateau Pape Clément owes its name to its most illustrious owner. A man of the cloth born in 1264, Bertrand de Goth became Bishop of Comminges, in the Pyrenees Mountains, at the age of 31; he later became Archbishop of Bordeaux in 1299.
He then received as a gift the property in Pessac, the Vineyard de La Mothe. Taken by a passion for the vine, he continually took part personally in equipping, organizing and managing the domain in accordance with the most modern and rational practices. Nevertheless, on 5 June 1305 the cardinals met in a conclave in Pérouse and appointed him to succeed Pope Benedict XI, who had passed away prematurely after only eleven months of reign. Bertrand de Goth took the name of Clement V.
Supported by Philip IV, it was he who decided in 1309 to move the papal court to Avignon, thus breaking with Rome and its battles of influence. During this same period, the weight of his responsibilities led him to relinquish his property, giving it to the Archbishop of Bordeaux. Henceforward, the vineyard was to be known to posterity under the name of this enlightened pope.
Management under the clergy brings modernity The grateful Church perpetuated Pope Clement's work. Each archbishop in turn turned to modernity and technical progress, to the point of the wine estate becoming a model vineyard. In addition to especially early harvests, which remain one of its special characteristics, Chateau Pape Clément is without a doubt the first vineyard in France to align vine stock to facilitate labour.
At the end of the 18th century, the Archbishop of Bordeaux was dispossessed of his property. The papal vineyard became part of the public domain.
8 June 1937 was a dark day in the vineyard's history, when a violent hailstorm destroyed virtually the entirety of the estate. Two years later, Paul Montagne bought it and gradually brought it back to life. Thanks to his efforts, the vineyard returned to its former rank and stood up to the surge in urbanization. His descendents, Léo Montagne and Bernard Magrez, perpetuate this secular tradition so that Chateau Pape Clément wines continue to delight the wine-lovers of today and tomorrow.
Winemaker Notes
The 2016 Cimarossa Rian Cabernet Sauvignon Highlight the wine's powerful structure, depth, and potential for aging, emphasizing that it's not meant for immediate consumption but rather to be savored with time and good company. It offers a complex profile of blackberry, dark fruit, and earthy notes, with hints of spice and a long, elegant finish.
About Winery
Located at 2100 feet in elevation on the Vaca range in Napa Valley, the Cimarossa “red hilltop” Vineyard flourishes in its native and natural setting. What might seem like a simple score given the farm plots that are available in the wine country, in reality, took Dino and Corry over 10 years to locate. One visit will confirm—it was worth the wait, with unrivaled 360 degree views of mountains, wilderness, and the valley floor below.
The vineyard build-out adhered to one driving force principle—to leave the property’s natural surroundings in their most native state.
This philosophy became a way of life and a constant reminder of the true fruits that the mountain can bear when left to its own devices.
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About Winery
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, based in Vosne-Romanée in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits, traces its origins to 1815 when General Louis Liger-Belair, a decorated officer under Napoleon, acquired the Château de Vosne and extensive vineyard holdings, including the famed La Romanée. Over the 19th century, the domaine grew to encompass some of Burgundy’s most prestigious crus, but inheritance divisions and sales gradually reduced its size. For much of the 20th century, the family’s vineyards were cultivated but vinified and bottled by others, leaving the Liger-Belair name absent from wine labels. In 2000, Louis-Michel Liger-Belair, an agricultural engineer and oenologist, reestablished the domaine under its own label, reviving the family’s winemaking tradition. Today, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair is celebrated for its biodynamic practices and exceptional wines from Vosne-Romanée’s most illustrious terroirs, including La Romanée, Reignots, and Clos du Château.
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About Winery
Domaine de Grand Pré, located in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, was founded in 1994 by Swiss immigrant Hanspeter Stutz, who believed the region’s terroir could produce world-class wines. With the help of his son Jürg, a Swiss-trained winemaker, Hanspeter transformed the property into one of Atlantic Canada’s pioneering wineries, combining viticulture with hospitality and culinary experiences. Initially focused on establishing quality vineyards, the estate grew into a family-run operation that now includes a restaurant led by Chef Jason Lynch, showcasing local ingredients alongside the wines. Today, Hanspeter’s daughter Beatrice manages the winery, while Jürg continues to oversee winemaking, ensuring that Domaine de Grand Pré remains a cornerstone of Nova Scotia’s wine industry, blending European tradition with Canadian innovation.
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About Winery
Domaine Dujac, based in Morey-Saint-Denis in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits, was founded in 1967 by Jacques Seysses, a passionate young winemaker who had trained in Champagne and apprenticed in Burgundy before acquiring his first 4.5 hectares of vineyards. The domaine quickly gained recognition for its elegant, terroir-driven Pinot Noir, and over the years expanded holdings to include prestigious parcels in Échezeaux, Bonnes Mares, Chambertin, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, and Vosne-Romanée Malconsorts. By the late 1990s, Jacques was joined by his sons Jeremy and Alec, and Jeremy’s wife Diana, who now lead the estate, continuing the family tradition while introducing sustainable practices and broadening production to include Chardonnay from the Côte de Beaune. Today, Domaine Dujac is celebrated worldwide as one of Burgundy’s most dynamic family domaines, blending respect for tradition with innovation.