2021 | D 94 This wine features alluring ripe mulberry fruit aromas with hints of minerals and spice. The texture boasts impressive ripeness and density while retaining the freshness typical of the vintage, and firm tannins carry us to a lingering finish. The wine is produced from tiny grape clusters produced from six old vine parcels in En Jouise, Carougeot, Les Murots, Les Crais, Vignes Belles, and Les Seuvrées. The grapes are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (50% new). This wine is among the top village-level Gevreys of the vintage.   About Winery The Roy family has farmed these vineyards for four generations, beginning to bottle their own production in 1982. In 2003, Marc Roy's daughter, Alexandrine Roy, took over the winemaking and management of the estate. Representing the fourth generation, Alexandrine introduced meticulous, garden-like organic farming, reduced crop yields for deeper flavor concentration, and utilized traditional winemaking methods like foot-treading (pigeage). Today, the tiny estate is celebrated worldwide for producing exceptionally pure, vibrant, and silky Pinot Noir and a rare white Marsannay.

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Winemaker Notes The wine is a superb, deep purple-red color. The first nose is at once intense and subtle. It has a ripe fruitiness, and swirling brings out its aromatic complexity.The first expression is incredibly smooth and delicate, expanding and filling the palate without ever “flexing its muscles”. The tannins are precise but not aggressive, and subtly enchanting. The finish is long and fragrant. Once again, Haut-Brion surprises for its ability to enhance the complementarity of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. About Winery Château Haut-Brion's history spans five centuries, starting with Jean de Pontac's acquisition of the domain in 1521. He defined the estate's vineyards and built the château in 1549. The property was further developed by his descendants, and its wines gained renown among British aristocrats and authors, including Samuel Pepys, who wrote about them in 1663. Thomas Jefferson also visited and praised the estate's wines. In the 1930s, the property was acquired by the Dillon family, and is still managed by the Dillon family today. 

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Winemaker Notes Very beautiful, deep, garnet-red color. The nose is ripe and concentrated. After swirling in the glass, it becomes more complex with hints of very ripe – but not excessively so – red and black fruit. There are also liquorice nuances and a soupçon of clove. The wine starts out with a very soft mouth feel and immediately shows tremendous volume and depth in every respect, with flavors reminiscent of ripe fruit and cocoa beans. The long aftertaste features mocha and slightly bitter coffee nuances. Barrel ageing will undoubtedly bring out more of this wine's greatness and confirm its place among the finest vintages of Château Haut-Brion. About Winery Château Haut-Brion's history spans five centuries, starting with Jean de Pontac's acquisition of the domain in 1521. He defined the estate's vineyards and built the château in 1549. The property was further developed by his descendants, and its wines gained renown among British aristocrats and authors, including Samuel Pepys, who wrote about them in 1663. Thomas Jefferson also visited and praised the estate's wines. In the 1930s, the property was acquired by the Dillon family, and is still managed by the Dillon family today.     

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2017 | WA 97 Aromas of plum, violet, kirsch, and black raspberry with a medium-bodied palate, displaying great finesse, vibrant fruit, and a long, savory finish. About Winery Château La Gaffelière is owned by Léo de Malet Roquefort. Located in the centre of the St. Emilion appellation, due south of St. Emilion town, the property shares a similar climate to that enjoyed by both St.Emilion and Pomerol: more continental than the maritime Médoc, with generally more spring rainfall, though less in summer and winter. La Gaffeliere’s vineyards (Cabernet Sauvignon 5%, Merlot 65%, Cabernet Franc 30%) lie on a sloped sandy/clay-limestone topsoil and limestone subsoil (a mix of Côtes and Pieds de Côtes). La Gaffeliere is classified as a 1er grand cru classé(B). Clos La Gaffeliere is their Second wine. Born in 1985, Clos is produced mainly from the young vines.

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Winemaker Notes This superb 2010 expresses a delicate fruit, but very persistent. A perfectly worked wine, at once accessible and promotor. We are under the spell of superb velvety tannins. A very nice entry into before opening the great wine of Léoville!   About Winery Chateau Leoville Las Cases is one of the largest and oldest classified growths in the Medoc region of France. Originally the other two Leovilles, Leoville Poyferre and Leoville Barton were part of the large estate. Today Leoville Las Cases comprises over 209 acres and has been run since 1950 by the Delon Family. Currently, the estate is run by the well-known Michel Delon. The estate stretches from Chateau Beychevelle down to Chateau Latour, and the main estate is a picturesque, enclosed 100 acre vineyard depicted on the label. The winery is established as a Second Growth. vineyard.

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Winemaker NotesThis great estate in southern Pauillac, facing the Latour vineyard, is at the top of its game. In this release, the tannins are as impressive and dense as the black fruits. Together they form a harmonious ensemble, richly structured, concentrated from the many old vines in the blend, and very ageworthy. Drink from 2027. About Winery The Estate was founded in the late 17th Century. This period was known as the Grand Siecle, or "great century", in reference to Louis XIV's 1661 accession to the French throne. In 1689 Pierre Desmezures de Rauzan, an influential wine merchant and steward of the prestigious Latour and and Margaux estates, bought plots of vines close to the Latour estate to create Enclos Rauzan. These vines were part of his daughter Therese's dowry when she married Baron Jacques Pichon de Longueville in 1694, the year in which the Pichon Baron estate was founded. An illustrious estate, with an enduring reputation, was born. It remained in the same family for generations. In 1850 the property was divided in two. Baron Raoul Pichon de Longueville's section became the Pichon Baron estate. The second section, belonging to his three sisters, became Pichon Comtesse. Baron Raoul was proud of his prestigious property, and in 1851 he commissioned the imposing chateau inspired by Renaissance architecture that we know today. This uniquely charming and romantic chateau, with its two emblematic turrets, has stood proudly at the vineyard's heart ever since. During the Universal Exhibition of 1855, the wine was classed as a Second Grand Cru Classe according to the ranking system requested by Emperor Napoleon III, who wished to showcase Bordeaux's great wines. In 1933, the Pichon de Longueville family sold the property to the Bouteiller family, who managed the chateau for over 50 years.  In 1987 the estate was bought by AXA Millesimes, whose aim is to enable great wines from the vineyards with a glorious past to achieve their full potential. An architectural competition was launched in collaboration with the Paris Pompidou Centre to provide the estate with new operational buildings. The comprehensive reconstruction of the fermenting room and cellar, and renovation of the chateau, began in 1988. Since then, the 19th century chateau's image has been reflected in an ornamental pool stretching majestically before it.. And since 2008, its silvery expanse conceals an underground cellar, reminiscent of Jules Verne's Nautilus, with view of both the water and sky. The barrel cellar complements a production process in which excellence is paramount, in the finest tradition of great Pauillac wines.

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Winemaker Notes Ruby in colour. Floral yet rich with dark fruit. Aromas of blackberries, anise, spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, and juicy dark fruits. The palate is lush and structured, detailed and layered. A balanced and long finish. About Winery Château Troplong Mondot, located in Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, boasts a rich history dating back to the 17th century. Initially part of the estate of Abbe Raymond de Seze, the iconic château was built in 1745. The estate was later named after Raymond Troplong, who expanded the vineyards to their current size in the mid-1800s. The property has seen various owners, including Georges Thienpont and Alexandre Valette, before becoming family-owned in 1936. In 2017, the estate was acquired by SCOR insurance company. 

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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.

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Winemaker Notes Corton appears deep purple, dark red velvet in density magenta. Ample, its bouquet is expressed on fruity accents (blueberry, redcurrant, kirsch) or flowery (violet), evolving towards the undergrowth, the animal, leather, fur, pepper, licorice. On the palate, it is powerful and full-bodied, structured, readily demonstrative: chewiness and body. About Winery Domaine Ponsot is a family-owned wine producer in Burgundy. It is known for its red and white wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but is also well-known for the Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru Clos des Monts Luisants, the only 100-percent Aligoté premier cru wine in Burgundy. The domaine was founded in 1872 by the Ponsot family in Morey-Saint-Denis. Most of the domaine's holdings are in grand cru and premier cru vineyards, and Ponsot makes wines from such famous vineyards as Clos de la Roche, Clos de Vougeot and Corton. Unlike most Burgundy houses, Domaine Ponsot does not make regional wines under the Bourgogne title. It also manages its vineyards and wineries differently to other producers in Burgundy. There are no sorting tables – bunch management is done in the vineyard. The wines go through uncontrolled ferments, and are not filtered or fined. The domaine gained notoriety when it was embroiled in the widespread wine fraud of counterfeiter Rudy Kurniawan. In 2008, owner Laurent Ponsot was sent an auction list that included some old vintages of Ponsot wines. Some of these were wines that had never been produced, and suspecting counterfeit, asked that these wines were withdrawn from the auction. Since then, Ponsot has looked into various counterfeiting measures, and in 2009, the bottles were fingerprinted with unique bubble codes that were impossible to reproduce.

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Winemaker Notes The 2020 Les Allées de Cantemerle is characterized by its vibrant fruit, including blackcurrant, cherry, and plum, with notes of cedar, tobacco, and vanilla from oak aging. It offers an elegant structure with silky tannins and a long, graceful finish featuring dark berry and fresh raspberry notes. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc creates a sophisticated and approachable wine, praised for its refined fruitiness and classic Left Bank Bordeaux character.  About Winery Château Cantemerle's story is a blend of historical events, family legacy, and the enduring allure of Bordeaux wines. The property, a Fifth Growth in Haut-Médoc, has a rich history stretching back to the Middle Ages. It began as part of a defensive fortification line, later evolving into a vineyard with ties to the Pons de Cantemerle family. 

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2020 | JS 93 Vivid notes of tart cherry and underripe black raspberry and chappa- ral. Currants and olive leaf with fleshy tannins and white pepper offer a savory finish that contrasts the hints of vanilla. About Winery The name Martin Ray resonates deeply in the history of California Winemaking. Martin Ray was a pioneer, dedicated to crafting single varietal, region specific wine from 1943 through 1972 in Saratoga, in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Mentored by Paul Masson, he took a Burgundian approach to his winemaking, and developed what is now one of the most historical properties in California, known as Mount Eden.Nearly twenty years later, Courtney Benham stumbled upon 1500 cases of Martin Ray wine in a San Jose warehouse. Recognizing his good fortune, and his intent and drive to produce terroir driven wines, Ray’s historical significance and philosophy resonated with him. Courtney purchased the brand, and since 1990 has been committed to the production of artisanal wines worthy of the Martin Ray name.In 2003, Martin Ray Vineyards & Winery made its home in the Russian River Valley, one of the oldest continually working wineries in California. Today, Courtney and his winemaking team devote themselves to Ray’s ideology of making “wines of place”. They are relentlessat telling the story of wine. The depth of the portfolio offers those seeking a unique experience the chance to explore some of the most revered regionsin California. Fromthe Russian River Valley to Napa Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains, there is an abundance of phenomenal growing regions, great farming, and meticulous detail to vintages.  

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