Search results for "polperro"

2015 | V 90 The 2015 Merlot offers incredibly expressive aromas of strawberry, blueberry and plum, which carry through into a round, luscious palate full of bright berry and lollipop fruit notes. The finish is lengthy yet integrated, with plenty of tannin that is rich, ripe and velvety on the palate. 2016 | WE 93 2019 embodies classic Hillside Select richness, vibrancy, and balance. The aromas push out of the glass, offering black cherry, cedar, cassis, and juicy red summer berries with lifted floral tones. Even at this youthful age, the complexity of the vintage is striking, merging dark fruit with tobacco, espresso, black olive, red plum, and black tea. The expansive mid-palate is complemented by ripe integrated tannins that add depth and structure, culminating in a long, profound finish.   About Winery Shafer Vineyards has produced classic Napa Valley wines for more than 40 years. Shafer’s wines, including its signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Hillside Select, are found in collectors’ cellars and on wine lists in top luxury hotels and restaurants throughout the world. The vineyard and cellar teams, led by winemaker Elias Fernandez, cultivate more than 200 acres of Shafer-owned vineyards, sources for the winery's celebrated Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay, TD-9, One Point Five, Relentless, and Hillside Select. The winery has a decades-long commitment to sustainability. Beginning in the 1980s Shafer embraced farming techniques that eliminate insecticides and herbicides, and carefully conserve water resources. In 2004 Shafer became the first winery in the U.S. to go 100% solar.

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2015 | JS 99 Rich, complex, expressive; benchmark vintage. 2016 | JS 98 Stunning concentration, ripe blackcurrants, super-long finish. 2018 | JD 99 Powerful, textured, with fruit richness and freshness. 2019 | JD 98 Dense purple hue, cassis, graphite, tobacco; long aging potential. 2020 | Vinous 98 Muscular, blackberry, iodine, graphite; cellar-worthy. 2022 | JS 98 Structured, perfumed, powerful tannins; one of the most transparent Pape Cléments. 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.

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Winemaker Notes The 2020 J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon is dense and dark at the core. Ripe fruit aromas of black cherry and currant are accented by notes of toasted pastry, hazelnut, and vanilla from our extensive barrel aging program. Big, juicy red-fruit flavors infuse the palate while softly textured tannins lead to a long, gratifying finish. THE J LOHR STORY Fifty years ago, Jerry Lohr embarked on a career change. What followed would reshape the landscape of the California wine industry and create one of the country’s most popular wine brands. In the late 1960s, Jerry Lohr began an extensive investigation of California grape growing regions – searching for the ideal location for his first vineyard. Jerry was raised on a South Dakota farm; his agricultural roots armed him with an innate sense for the relationship between climate, soil, and location. His research and instincts led him to the Central Coast, an area just beginning to explore its potential for winegrowing. Four decades ago, the California Central Coast had not yet emerged as one of North America’s world-class winegrowing regions. With little history or viticultural precedent, planting on the Central Coast was a gamble. One of a handful of early pioneers, Jerry Lohr was among the first to realize the inherent potential of Monterey and Paso Robles for producing high quality grapes and superb wines. PIONEERING MONTEREY AND PASO ROBLES -JERRY LOHR LEGACY-It’s no coincidence that the Central Coast’s emergence as a world class winegrowing region runs parallel with the establishment and growth of J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery. Founder Jerry Lohr is one of the region’s pioneers and has played a larger-than-life role in bringing the area to prominence. Jerry’s instincts led him to two regions located about 75 miles apart. In the early 1970s, he chose Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco district for its cool, windy climate and rocky soils as ideal for Chardonnay. In the 1980s, he recognized the potential of Paso Robles for growing Bordeaux varietals, especially Cabernet Sauvignon – given the area’s rich soils and dramatic diurnal temperature swings between warm days and cool nights. After Jerry Lohr’s nearly decade-long search for the right place to plant his first vineyard, he chose a site in Monterey County that was to become the heart of the Arroyo Seco appellation. Jerry originally planted 280 acres in 1972 and 1973 near Greenfield. Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco appellation has proved ideal for growing layered, complex Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Brisk winds and fog off Monterey Bay, stony, well-drained soils, and a lack of damaging fall rains all combine to produce grapes with trademark fruit intensity and balancing acidity. In 1974, Jerry unveiled the first J. Lohr winery in San Jose. In the early 1980s, Jerry Lohr saw the potential for great Cabernet Sauvignon further south. Borrowing a lesson from the French—that great Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon excel in very different growing conditions—Jerry began planting Cabernet Sauvignon and other red varieties in San Luis Obispo County’s little-known Paso Robles region in 1986. With the hands-on devotion of an artisan farmer, Jerry tended to the vines while diligently working toward the creation and development of an adjacent winery and barreling cellars; J. Lohr’s Paso Robles production facility was opened in 1988.

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Winemaker Notes With an intense ruby-red colour, Ornellaia 2019 has a bouquet full of intriguing spicy and balsamic notes, including aromas of black pepper, sage, and aromatic herbs. The wine is both full-bodied and vibrant in the mouth, filling the palate with its dense and elegant tannic texture and ending with a persistent and beautifully crisp finish. About Winery In 1981, Marchese Lodovico Antinori breathed new life into Tenuta dell' Ornellaia, an estate whose potential had been ignored for decades. With the help of Andre Tchelistcheff, the famous agronomist, Antinori planted the first French vines in Bolgheri, which lies in the heart of Tuscany's coastal region, Maremma. The estate yields some of the finest Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc in Tuscany. In 2002, Marchesi de' Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi became owners of Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, which is now owned exclusively by Marchesi de' Frescobaldi. Ornellaia has established itself among the iconic wine estates in Italy (and beyond). The estate is dedicated to producing charming and opulent wines, full of Mediterranean character and finesse, reflecting the estate’s unique terroir in Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast. The combination of Bolgheri’s unique soils and growing conditions, and what can only be characterized as a total obsession with excellence, result in the world-class wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc that so many wine lovers across the world have come to cherish. Ornellaia employs a full time team of 80 people whose passion and motivation make Ornellaia what it is today. No shortcuts in the part of the production are allowed and the details literally come down to a grape by grape basis. Wines are intently crafted to capture the character of each vintage, in all its complexity and facets. In fact, the character and intricacies of each individual vintage are so important to the estate that since vintage 2006, Winemaker and Estate Director Axel Heinz has identified a single word that captures the character of each vintage, and that word is interpreted by a contemporary artist who produces special labels and a site-specific work of art that remains part of the estate’s permanent collection. In addition to its place among Italy’s iconic wines, Ornellaia is also an ambassador for the Bolgheri region, leading it to be recognized as one of Italy’s greatest winegrowing regions. It is their belief, and it is hard to argue, that Bogheri’s mild maritime climate and diversity of soils create wines as distinct, complex and pleasurable as any in the world.  

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2013 Palmaz Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Explore rare, premium wines curated for collectors and enthusiasts. 1976 Wine Hours offers fine wine delivery with elegance and expertise The resulting wine exhibits exceptional concentrations both in structure and aromatics. At first glance, the nose exhibits an inviting whiff of raspberry liquor that is anchored by wet stones drying on a hot summer day. The fruit flavors are a parade of black and blue fruits that slowly transfer to sweet black tea with a gentle yet firm finish. This wine is a perfect excuse to dust off the decanter and stash a few bottles in the back of your cellar if you can resist drinking every bottle young. Palmaz  winemaking takes place in a flawlessly engineered maze of tunnels and domes carved into rock at the base of Napa’s Mount George.  The winery is built into an 18-story cavern in the flank of Mount George, providing it with not only all the benefits of gravity-flow winemaking but also the natural temperature control of a cave. By eliminating mechanical pumps from the winemaking process, gravity-flow design minimizes the turbulence that damages wines’ molecular structure. In 1881, gold rush pioneer Henry Hagan founded the Cedar Knoll Winery. His wines would go on to be served at the San Francisco Opera House and could be found on the dining room tables of San Francisco's high society. The winery was abandoned after the death of Henry Hagan and the onset of Prohibition. The Palmaz family purchased the Hagan property in the late 1990s and promptly set about crafting premium wines from their 45 distinct vineyard blocks, while also restoring the once grand estate to its former glory. The 2013 Cabernet bottling is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon with small amounts of Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc aged 20 months in 89% new French oak.  

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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 Petite Sirah is the leading grape of the 2017 Ingenuity and future vintages. It is still the “Paso Roblean Rhone Blend," but with a bit more identity, purpose and well, Petite-Sirah-ness. About Winery Founded in 2004 by geologists, Bill and Liz Armstrong, Epoch has quickly developed a big reputation for handcrafted, small-production wines with abundant personalities. Under the careful care of Winemaker, Jordan Fiorentini, Epoch is committed to producing world-class wines from Rhône, Zinfandel, and Tempranillo varieties grown on their three west Paso Robles vineyards – Paderewski, Catapult, and York Mountain. Epoch’s Tasting Room and Winery are located on the storied York Mountain which was once home to the first bonded winery on the central coast. Preserving the rich history found on this property as well as Paderewski Vineyard, a sight once owned and cherished by the late Polish Prime Minister and pianist, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Epoch strives to carry on these legacies through their wines and the unique Epoch experience. Through carefully managed, non-invasive farming, Epoch aims to bring the complex character of their vineyards into each bottle of wine they craft. All of Epoch's fruit comes from their three specific and unique sites: Paderewski, Catapult, and York Mountain Vineyard.

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Winemaker Notes The 2016 Hans Family Estate “Spirit of Marlborough” is a handcrafted Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, created to rival the world’s finest examples. The vintage benefited from a long, warm ripening season in Marlborough, producing fruit of exceptional purity and concentration. Aromatically, it offers dark berries, cassis, and plum, layered with notes of spice, cedar, and subtle floral tones. On the palate, it is powerful yet harmonious, with rich fruit depth balanced by fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity, leading to a long, graceful finish. With 13.5% alcohol, this wine embodies elegance and structure, making it both approachable now and capable of aging beautifully for many years. About Winery  Hans Family Estate, also known as Hans Herzog Estate, is a boutique, family-owned winery located in Marlborough, New Zealand. Founded by Swiss-born winemaker Hans Herzog, the estate reflects his philosophy of producing wines with uncompromising quality and individuality. Herzog brought decades of winemaking experience from Europe to New Zealand, establishing the estate as one of the country’s most respected artisanal wineries. What makes Hans Family Estate distinctive is its organic, hands-on approach: every step from vineyard to bottle is carried out onsite, with meticulous attention to detail. Herzog is known for his experimental spirit, cultivating an unusually wide range of grape varieties—over 29, including classics like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as well as rarities such as Viognier, Arneis, Grüner Veltliner, and Nebbiolo. This diversity, combined with a focus on small-scale production and age-worthy wines, has earned the estate international acclaim for its eclectic yet consistently high-quality portfolio.

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Winemaker Notes The 2022 Fournier Père & Fils Sancerre “Terres Blanches” Blanc A.O.P. is a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley that beautifully reflects its distinctive terroir of clay and white limestone soils rich in fossils. This late-ripening site imparts strong aromatic concentration, tension, and excellent aging potential. The wine shows a flinty, smoky nose alongside precise green-fruit notes, with layers of stone fruit, white peach, and herbal accents. On the palate, it is dry, vibrant, and complex, balancing freshness with mineral depth, and finishing long and elegant. Aged on fine lees for 8 months, it combines richness with precision, making it a versatile pairing for seafood, goat cheese, or light poultry dishes. About Winery  Domaine Fournier Père et Fils has been a cornerstone of the Sancerre appellation since its founding in 1926 in Verdigny, at the heart of the Loire Valley. The estate’s history is closely tied to the development of Sancerre itself, having witnessed the appellation’s earliest days and contributed to its rise as a benchmark for Sauvignon Blanc. Over generations, the Fournier family expanded their holdings to include 39 hectares divided into 165 plots, spread across the three major terroirs of Sancerre—limestone, clay-limestone, and terres blanches—as well as vineyards in Menetou-Salon. This mosaic of soils allows them to craft wines of great complexity and authenticity, each reflecting its origin. Deeply committed to terroir expression, the family has cultivated with respect for the land, emphasizing tradition, precision, and the French art de vivre. Today, Fournier Père et Fils is recognized internationally for producing elegant, food-friendly wines that embody both heritage and innovation.

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Winemaker Notes The 2020 Hans Family Estate Viognier from Marlborough is a rich, full-bodied white that beautifully showcases the varietal’s opulence while maintaining balance and elegance. On the nose, it opens with fragrant white blossoms, honeyed peaches, and apricot, layered with subtle truffle and wild meadow notes. The palate is lush and textured, offering tropical fruit flavors like mango and papaya, accented by ginger, honey, and a touch of vanilla from oak aging. Despite its 14% alcohol, it remains harmonious, with a smooth mouthfeel and a long, refined finish that makes it both luxurious on its own and versatile with creamy dishes, soft cheeses, or spiced Asian cuisine. About Winery  Hans Family Estate, also known as Hans Herzog Estate, is a boutique, family-owned winery located in Marlborough, New Zealand. Founded by Swiss-born winemaker Hans Herzog, the estate reflects his philosophy of producing wines with uncompromising quality and individuality. Herzog brought decades of winemaking experience from Europe to New Zealand, establishing the estate as one of the country’s most respected artisanal wineries. What makes Hans Family Estate distinctive is its organic, hands-on approach: every step from vineyard to bottle is carried out onsite, with meticulous attention to detail. Herzog is known for his experimental spirit, cultivating an unusually wide range of grape varieties—over 29, including classics like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as well as rarities such as Viognier, Arneis, Grüner Veltliner, and Nebbiolo. This diversity, combined with a focus on small-scale production and age-worthy wines, has earned the estate international acclaim for its eclectic yet consistently high-quality portfolio.

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2019 | D 97 Riper and substantially more expressive than the 2018, Fortunate Son's 2019 Red Wine The Diplomat is a plush, luscious wine, laden with black cherries, mocha and loam notes. It's full-bodied, rich, velvety and supple, with a lingering finish. Like the previous vintage, it's mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, with a fair whack of Merlot. 2022 | JS 95  A full and layered red with lots of plums and chocolate with dark chocolate and crushed stones. Full and layered. From old dry-farmed, head-pruned merlot and cabernet sauvignon vines, all Calistoga. From the owner of Napa’s Hundred Acre winery. Drink or hold. About Winery Hundred Acre is not simply a winery—it is a legend carved into Napa’s hillsides. Founded by Jayson Woodbridge in 2000, its philosophy is one of uncompromising precision: fruit chosen berry by berry, wines born in underground caves called The Ring, and bottles crowned with a 24-carat gold ring as a symbol of perfection. From Morgan’s Way to Ark and Few and Far Between, each vineyard is treated as sacred ground, yielding Cabernets that have earned more than seventy-eight perfect scores. Inspired by the whimsical Hundred Acre Wood yet executed with obsessive craftsmanship, the estate has become a beacon of rarity and myth, where every release is both a treasure and a testament to the pursuit of the extraordinary.

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