Search results for: 'robl nero'

94 Points! In 2009, the flagship 2009 Nero d'Avola Vrucara is drop dead gorgeous. Black cherries, tar, licorice and melted rocks meld together in a big, boisterous Nero d'Avola. Here, too, the style is very much forward and full-throttle, especially within the context of Nero d'Avola, but it all works. The 2009 is all about power wedded to expressive inner perfume and sheer depth of fruit. I see a wine of exceptional richness and character in the glass. Tobacco, mint, licorice and juicy dark cherries add complexity on the rich, enveloping finish. - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

From the importer: ‘Argille di Tagghia Via’ 100% Nero d’Avola, and takes its name from the church of the Madonna di Tagliavia, a few hundred yards away. The vineyard is planted between Corleone and San Giuseppe Jato.  Soil is impermeable alkaline clay with some sand, poor in organic matter and limestone. Fairly dark violet-tinged red in the glass.

A berryish, spicy aroma (hint of black pepper); lead pencil; somewhat reminiscent of Syrah. Very concentrated palate and fresh acidity. Finish honestly tastes like blackberry, with a faint hint of coconut, a common Nero d’Avola note. A much better, fresher wine than most Nero d’Avola but still forward and drinkable. Try it with red meats, flavorful pasta dishes.

93+ Points! Dark depths of crushed plums, black cherries, balsam herbs and dark chocolate form a beguiling display as the 2019 Nero d'Avola Vrucara smolders up from the glass. This is pure elegance, silky and textural, yet full of youthful tension, with tart wild berries and zesty citrus colliding under an air of inner rose. The 2019 is structured with sweet tannins and is dramatically extended, showing hints of brown spice, mocha and clove that linger on and on and on. This is a powerful rendition of Vrucara. - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

A flurry of fruit and spice, the 2020 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon is a wonderful snapshot of what Paso Robles has to offer. Before diving into the glass, you will notice the rich color this wine exudes, then aromas of blueberry, cocoa, and toasted coconut. Bright, red cherry-like acidity awakes the palate and transitions to a juicy and elegantly tannic mid body. Flavors of blackberry and blueberry carry all the way through to a lingering finish of toasty oak and cocoa powder. A Cab lover’s dream!

From the winery:

In the 2022 Mountain Zinfandel, our Willow Creek District estate vineyards set the tone with beautiful structure and varietal purity. Grapes from other areas including the Adelaida District and Templeton Gap District bring a layer of ripe, jammy and spicy Zinfandel character. The result is a wine that captures the iconic expression of Paso Robles Zinfandel.

92 Points! Rich, gutsy and structured, with a firm mix of earthy tannins, road tar, dried dark berry, sage and cedar, showing strong character. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Syrah. - Wine Spectator

94 Points! Always Syrah-dominated, the 2022 Avenger is based on 50% Syrah, 20% Carignan, 17% Grenache, 12% Petite Sirah, 1% Mourvèdre that was 75% destemmed and brought up in 20% new French and Hungarian oak. Ripe blackberries, flowery incense, pepper, and sandalwood notes all shine on the nose, and this beauty is medium to full-bodied, round, lush, and polished, with plenty of richness yet a weightless mouthfeel. Drink bottles through 2034. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! The 2021 Trespasser is more focused and inward, with darker fruits, graphite, candied violets, and chocolaty, subtle leafy herb-like nuances. It's a rich, full-bodied, concentrated red based on 38% Petite Sirah, 37% Syrah, and 25% Mourvèdre that spent 22 months in 50% new 300- and 400-liter puncheons. It will shine for 5-7 years, if not a decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! The 2023 Fiano is totally captivating, wafting up with vivid sliced apricot complicated by a hint of sour melon and crushed stones. It splashes across the palate, displaying pretty inner sweetness and silken textures, with a peach preserves character that I find wildly attractive. Brisk acidity maintains balance as tropical citrus tones and a nuance of mango linger. Despite this nearly decadent description, the 2023 is incredibly fresh and goes down far too easily. - Eric Guido, Vinous

93 Points! Always a highlight of the Giornata range, the 2023 Fiano opens with an expressive bouquet of dried flowers, beeswax, citrus peels and cleansing, herbal flourishes. The palate combines a sappy, broad texture with a gently elastic core, culminating in a taut, poised and layered finish that lingers with remarkable length. A lovely combination of perfumed, lively and powerful, this should be a pleasure to follow through the better part of a decade. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

97 Points! Starting with the 2021 Grenache Estate Blend, this blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 11% Cinsault, and 4% Roussanne comes all from the Adams Ranch Vineyard and was aged 20 months in new and used mostly French oak. It has a deeper ruby/plum hue as well as a beautiful nose of ripe black raspberries, darker cherries, spicy herbs, sandalwood, and ground pepper. It's complex, medium to full-bodied, has a broad, layered, seamless mouthfeel, and an incredible finish. It's a brilliant Grenache that has so much to love. It will evolve like a great Châteauneuf du Pape and have 15 years or more of overall longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! A good value, the 2023 Keola Red offers juicy darker fruits, peppery herbs, and sappy, floral notes. Based on 45% Petite Sirah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Syrah aged 18 months in 25% new French oak, it's medium to full-bodied, ripe, round, and supple, with no hard edges. This is a pleasure-bent, impeccably made red to drink over the coming 5-6 years. ..As always, Aaron Jackson makes a ripe, powerful style of wine that brings ample fruit and texture while staying nicely balanced. - Jeb Dunnuck

Sourcing:

Petite Sirah - Dusi Vineyards (Templeton Gap District), St Peter of Alcantara (Willow Creek District next door to Pesenti Vineyard)
Syrah - Maison Mason (Willow Creek District next to notable vineyards like Terry Hoage, Paderewski). And Caelesta Vineyard (Templeton Gap)
Cabernet - Old Bailey Vineyard (Adelaida District, oldest vine Cab on the westside, own rooted in 1969 and right next door to HMR Vineyard and planted around the same time).

From the winery: Our second label wine, KEOLA is comprised of barrels and lots from the same vineyards that make up our top-tier Aaron cuvées. These barrels are declassified lots and extra barrels that simply don't find their way into our flagship wines, thus we blend them into KEOLA, our everyday drinking red that massively overdelivers for the price point. Juicy, vibrant and intensely aromatic, its a medium-bodied, absolutely delicious wine that goes with any place, any dish, and any time of day. Comprised mostly of Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Mourvèdre it's a rich and savory, with a blue/red fruit profile and notes of grilled meats and sage/underbrush. The palate is luscious and juicy, loaded with flavors of macerated cherries, cocoa powder, toasty oak, and licorice. Aged for 18 month is 100% French oak, 50% new, it's a wine that will certainly age in the cellar, but we recommend cracking it open now and enjoying it through the remainder of this year!

96+ Points! No wimpy wine, the 2006 Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard (76% Syrah, 18% Mourvedre, and 6% Grenache) has over 16% alcohol. It possesses phenomenal texture, stunning purity, and remarkable freshness, which, again, is attributable to the limestone soils as well as the proprietor’s brilliant hands-off winemaking philosophy. A complex perfume of roasted meats, black fruits, spring flowers, charcoal, and spice is followed by a wine of enormous richness (yet it is neither overweight nor heavy). Beautiful freshness permeates the wine’s black fruit flavors and full-bodied power and length. The finish lasts for nearly a minute. This 2006 should evolve for 12-15+ years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com

94 Points! Dark and inky in the glass, this estate bottling shows intense cassis and lavish violet aromas on the ripe, creamy nose. The palate is thick in texture but still shows compelling edges, offering roasted purple fruit, caramel cream and subtle vanilla flavors, making for a powerful expression. - Wine Enthusiast

92 Points! This wine has an inky purple hue in the glass and concentrated aromas of blackberry, bramble, boysenberry, dark plums, cinnamon, and violets. The palate mirrors the nose, with dark fruit intensity complemented by notes of tobacco leaf and cracked black pepper. Chalky tannins balance the wine, enabling it to pair beautifully with peppered steak or glazed pork tenderloin. - Decanter Magazine

94 Points! The 2021 Petite Sirah checks in as 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Syrah, aged the normal 22 months in 60% new 300-liter barrels. It's a gorgeous expression of the variety with loads of jammy blue fruits, flowery incense, spice, and underbrush notes as well as a full-bodied, deep, richly textured, layered style on the palate. I’d be thrilled to drink a bottle any time over the coming decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

Organic and sustainably farmed grapes hand harvested from Beato Vineyard (60%) and Derby Vineyard (40%), 100% whole cluster carbonic fermentation with native yeast. Left on the skins for 14 days. Bottled with minimal SO2 added. Unfined and Unfiltered.

From the importer: Made of a blend of Nero d’Avola (Frappato 45%, Nero d’Avola 55%), estate-grown in vineyards near Chiaramonte Gulfi, in the Contradas Ponte, Biviere e Fegotto. The soils are a calcareous mixture of clay and sand, at just under 300 meters (1,000 feet) above sea level. The grapes are picked at moderate ripeness (with care to avoid over-ripeness, in other words, in this hot climate) around mid-October; fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts, and maceration with the skins lasts for about 3 weeks. After fermentation the wine is aged on the lees in the tank for a further 2 weeks, then racked and aged in a tank for 18 months. 

Nero d’Avola is the best-known Sicilian red wine grape when bottled on its own, but for my money, this blend is better. The Frappato lightens and lifts the meatiness of the Nero d’Avola, giving it juicier aromas and flavors and making it MORE DELICIOUS. See note above about temperature; stick the bottle in the fridge for 30 minutes for best results. Drink with red meats or more substantial pasta dishes. I bet this will age well, but I doubt I’ll have any left to find out.