Search results for: 'mostly a one plot'

One of the world's most popular blends, and the best-selling Scotch whisky in Scotland. Famous Grouse is a very nicely balanced, malty blend which was first made in 1896, and would go on to be known as The Famous Grouse, with the name registered in 1905. Around eighty years later, the company was awarded a Royal Warrant. The blend represents great value for money, and it also works beautiful in whisky-based cocktails. Delicious.

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96 Points! A plush and opulent Pavillon Rouge with plums, boysenberries and hints of cedar and chocolate. Full-bodied, this has lovely powdery tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Juicy and delicious, it's so attractive now that it’s hard not to drink. Second wine of Chateau Margaux. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, 7% petit verdot and 5% cabernet franc. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! Bottled in July, the inky-hued 2022 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge offers a classic nose of ripe black raspberries, cassis, spring flowers, spice oak, and graphite. This leads to a medium to full-bodied Margaux with remarkable purity, a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, plenty of tannins, and a great finish. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points!  This is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it erupts from the glass with flamboyant notes of baked plums, licorice, and boysenberry preserves, leading to hints of sandalwood, dusty soil, iron ore, and dried roses. The full-bodied palate is rich and plush, jam-packed with black fruit preserves flavors, finishing long and spicy. So gorgeous. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

94 Points! Beautiful vivid colour, bright and intense. Dark chocolate, cherries and subtle perfume on the nose. Bright and lively thought also lean and straight on the palate. A generous weight and intense grip to the tannins. It’s on the tense side, focussed with extreme precision to the fruit profile with racy acidity unpinning the tannins which are at the fore. Feels refined and elegant, more serious than some other second wines in its construction but is classy, juicy, sculpted and softly plush. The fruit has bite and tang, with liquorice and graphite edges and spiced accents giving angles but all enjoyable and really building to the whole. Great freshness and length. 7% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.61pH. 84 IPT - highest IPT, highest before was 2018 which was 82. 15% press wine. 31% production. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

94 Points! The 2022 Pavillon Rouge is a rich, ample wine. It is also one of the most opulent, creamy editions of Pavillon Rouge I can remember tasting. Supple and juicy, with tons of mid-palate richness and volume, the 2022 is shockingly intense in its texture. At the same time, the tannins are so polished, with no hard edges or angular contours. In 2022, Pavillon Rouge is a wine of extreme and total pleasure. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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Aged a minimum of three years, this 100% malted barley whisky is matured in former Bourbon casks sourced from Kentucky, adding depth and complexity. On the nose, aromas of vanilla, shortbread, give way to a touch of cedar. The silky body brings flavors of orange oil, toasted coconut, and graham cracker on the palate. The soft finish lingers with cinnamon and mild barrel spice.

This whisky showcases its light, natural color and is not chill filtered. Courage & Conviction Bourbon Cask is bottled in batches to highlight the nuance of each contributing barrel. The first batch, released in the Spring of 2021, is dedicated to one of Courage & Conviction's key mentors, Nancy Fraley. 46% ABV.

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From the importer: This comes from all three communes where Lilbert farms vines. Typically it is made with three consecutive vintages and is aged on its lees for a minimum of three years beginning in April following the harvest. It's also made entirely from the first pressing; Bertrand's second press juice for all three cuvées is sold to Moët.

With the warmer years, Bertrand began to lower his dosages from the usual 6-7 grams to less than 5 grams, beginning with the NV based on 2014. The NV based on 2015 received 4 grams; the NV based on 2016 received 3 grams. The style isn't changing so much as the weather is warming.

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Nose - Thick caramel, subtle dry baking spices and lighter leather and barrel char. Medicinal cherry and raspberry, buttery toffee, and a growing chocolate with soft slightly herbal earthy sweetness.

Palate - More spice to the palate than on the nose. Cola-like sweetness with some cherry and raspberry red fruits, walnut, semi-sweet chocolate and slightly dry oak.

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Perfectly paired with a Bloody Mary, Mango Habanero has a serious spiciness and flavor that is unmistakably different from other pepper or chipotle vodkas.

It has a robust orange-gold color, and an aroma of fresh mangos, subtle peppers and spiced hazelnut, similar to a mango paleta. On the mouth, it's hot and sweet, with a medium body, and has an exciting hint of papaya and mango, along with various pepper-jelly notes. Mango Habanero is truly one of a kind.

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96 Points! Aromas of crushed stone, blackcurrants and blackberries. Full-bodied with extremely well-crafted tannins that are chewy and layered, yet polished and fantastic. Love the finish. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 25% petit verdot, 22% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. Drink after 2026. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

95 Points! The 2019 Clerc Milon is a real success. At more than 70%, this blend contains one of the highest proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon in the property's recent history, and the result is a wine of real nobility. Offering up aromas of violets, wild berries, licorice, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with notable depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. From clay-limestone soils rather than the sandy gravels that characterize d'Armailhac, this is by some margin the more structured and serious of Mouton-Rothschild's two Pauillac stablemates. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

 

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94 Points!  This has a pretty nose of chocolate, praline, blueberries, lavender and bramble berries. It’s medium-bodied with firm, compact tannins. Firm and focused with an enticing bitter chocolate character throughout. Some smoked wood. Intense and tightly wound. Opens on the palate. Try in 2027. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

94 Points! One of the best Haut-Médocs out there, and a wine that competes with any number of classified growths, the 2019 Château Sociando-Mallet is ruby/plum-hued and has a great nose of ripe red and black currants, spice, smoked tobacco, and loamy earth. It shows the more expressive, open, seamless style of the 2019 vintage and is medium to full-bodied, has beautifully polished tannins, and just about perfect balance. Smart readers will buy a case (or more) of this beauty, and it will have an incredibly broad drink window, with 30-35 years of overall longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck

 

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Trebbiano (45%), Malvasia (35%), Verdicchio (20%). From the importer: Produced in an entirely natural manner under the guidance of Giampiero Bea, the Coenobium is a blend of Trebbiano, Verdicchio, and Malvasia, harvested together and co-fermented without added yeasts or temperature stabilization. Aged on its fine lees in steel and fiberglass tanks, it is bottled just before the next harvest without fining or filtering. The nose is evocative of autumn on multiple sensory levels, with aromas of fennel fronds, chamomile tea, almonds, and tangerine that lead into a full but delicately rendered palate. Vitorchiano’s volcanic soils come through with a somber smoke-iron interplay, and glowing acidity lets the savory flavors coat the mouth, yet the overall impression is one of freshness and drinkability.

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PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

97 Points! Another excellently consistent wine from Gruaud in 2022 that gives terroir typicality with crystalline purity and such overall charm. Smooth and supple, silky but firm, generous but serious. Gorgeous acidity keeps the palate lifted and fresh while the concentrated fruit and quite present tannins give the structure and frame. I love the detail and purity, powerful and strong but refined. Direct with energy and juicy, vibrant acidity. Mineral, graphite and liquorice aspects grip the palate and linger on the finish with soft spices. Has a very moreish quality with approachability but the racy core and intense backbone suggests long ageing potential. 3.8pH. 3.45g/l total acidity. 40% production. 13% press wine (only Cabernet Sauvignon). - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com

97+ Points! The 2022 Château Gruaud Larose is largely Cabernet Sauvignon yet includes 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc that was brought up in 95% new barrels. It's an inky-hued 2022 that has a killer nose of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, liquid violets, and a beautiful, crushed stone-like minerality. This powerful, full-bodied Gruaud Larose has plenty of mid-palate depth, fine, polished tannins, and a great finish. It's probably best hidden in the back of the cellar for a decade if possible, but it should be incredibly long-lived. I think it's as good as the 2018 and one of the absolute classics from this château. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! Quite a discreet nose of dark fruit and minerals, with excellent depth. Uncoiled power and intensity, with a full body and firm but polished tannins that dissolve into a long and close-knit finish. It goes on for almost a minute. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! The 2022 Gruaud Larose was picked from 7 to 24 September and includes a little more pressed wine this year: 13.5% exclusively from Cabernet Sauvignon due to the quality. This latest vintage matured for a planned 18 months in 95% new oak. Significantly, this is the first year under organic certification (notice two storks on the label signifying this. Maybe they are carrying a little Gruaud baby?) At 13.64% alcohol, this is less than many other properties for those seeking slower intoxication. It has an impressive bouquet with pure blackberry and raspberry fruit, black truffle and sous-bois scents. I am impressed by its delineation and focus; frankly, these are the nicest aromatics I've encountered for a while at this address. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins. I cannot remember a Gruaud at this nascent stage that exhibits this level of energy and tension deriving from the Cabernet Sauvignon extracted at the beginning of vinification. There's much more precision here. Mineral-driven toward the finish, this easily surpasses vintages made at the estate over the last decade and more. Perhaps like the legendary Gruauds of old (1982, 1961, 1928, even 1870)? Gruaud reborn. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

96 Points! Bottled in May 2024, the 2022 Gruaud Larose has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, violets, vine smoke, pen ink and tar. Medium to full-bodied, dense and layered, it's rich and broad, with terrific depth at the core, sweet structuring tannins and a long, expansive finish. Checking in at 13.6% alcohol, it's the estate's first organic-certified vintage. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

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PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

97 Points! The 2022 Clos Lunelles comes from vines just outside the (St. Emilion) appellation, just across from Faugères, and is based on 80% Merlot and 10% each Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Black raspberries, crushed stone, flowers, and chocolaty nuances all shine in this brilliant Castillon, another riveting wine from this team that brings full-bodied power and richness while staying elegant and seamless. You can put this up with the best in Saint-Emilion and it will do just fine. - Jeb Dunnuck

95 Points! A fresh and vivid red with lots of black fruits and blueberries as well as violets and other flowers. It's full-bodied with very silky and fine tannins. Flavorful finish. Lots going on. Made from only nine hectares. Impressive for the appellation. 80% merlot, 10% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2027. - James Suckling

 

 

 

 

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Giraudière’s Saumur Blanc “L'Ardillon de Brézé” is Chenin Blanc from vines planted in Brézé in 1985, 2003, and 2009, at 75 meters of altitude on a gentle slope facing north-south and east-west, depending on the parcel. The topsoil is deep clay with limestone and flint rock on limestone bedrock. Saumur Blanc “L'Ardillon de Brézé” is fermented in barrels at a maximum of 17°C and aged for 12 months before bottling.

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With 90% of C’Juste composed of Gros Manseng grown on the large veins of white clay in warm-to-hot summer conditions and without added sulfites, we may expect its takeoff to be like the first throttle on the tarmac in a fast but chubby commercial liner; however, it’s more like (what I imagine) being pressed against the seat of screaming fighter jet during takeoff. We, for one, find C’Juste yet another impressive no-sulfites-added white wine that demonstrates what’s possible if done correctly in the cellar. It’s as inviting as it is electric, and once open the bottle tends to empty rather quickly.

Laurent describes C’Juste as, “a rich wine due to the typicity of Gros Manseng. From one year to the next, the Victoria pineapple side (a note not often found in colder and wetter climate Gros Manseng wines) remains the common thread, while the 10% of Ugni Blanc brings freshness and acidity—the lemon side on the finish. It’s for the meal rather than apero hour and can compete with a fine Chardonnay in terms of power and the freshness of a great Chenin Blanc.”

Once in the cellar, the grapes are first left for 24 hours in concrete to cool down, then they’re whole-cluster pressed before being returned to the same medium. At the end of the 10-15-day natural fermentation, the wine is racked off the gross lees into four 8hl Italian terracotta amphoras for 11 months before bottling. There is no sulfite added to this wine at any time, though the exception is the 2020 version. C’Juste is lightly filtered but not fined.

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We compose our gin on a citrusy, botanical backbone. Classic juniper and coriander meld with kaffir lime, lemongrass, and grains of paradise. Put it on ice or in a craft cocktail and let the flavor expand. Cheers.

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92 Points! Disgorged in December 2024 with a dosage of one gram per liter, Dehours’s NV Brut Grande Réserve is built on the 2022 vintage and bolstered by 40% to 50% reserve wines from a perpetual cuvée initiated in 1998, it opens with expressive aromas of pear, peach, orange zest and honeysuckle. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, fleshy and ample, underpinned by vibrant acidity. Demonstrative and approachable, this wine promises immediate pleasure. - Kristaps Karklins, robertparker.com

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The best 'chillable red' we've ever tasted! This new category is a 'danger zone' filled with undernourished, emaciated, funky, sweaty wines. This one? Beautiful! Grab a few from our cold box and enjoy this summer...

A wacky blend of Roussanne, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Marselan from Coteaux d"Aix en Provence. Their 31 hectares of vineyards are on clay and limestone soils, and at an elevation of 450 meters, are some of the highest in the region. 

 

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The best value going on Etna today...95% Carricante, 5% other local grape varieties. Vines are an average of 60 years old, located in Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, at 670 meters above sea level. The soil is a black volcanic soil mixed with sand and minerals. Vines are pruned and trained in traditional head-trained cordon spur. Manual harvest, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, aged on lees for 6 months before bottling.

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The best value going on Etna today...100% Nerello Mascalese. Vines are an average of 60 years old, located in Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, at 670 meters above sea level. The soil is a black volcanic soil mixed with sand and minerals. Vines are pruned and trained in traditional head-trained cordon spur. Manual harvest, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, aged on lees for 10 months in used barriques before bottling.

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"The 2022 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits Aux Chaumes, which comes from the border of the Vosne appellation, has a more elegant and refined bouquet compared to the regular bottling sans lieu-dit. The palate is well-structured with firm grip, a little drier and more sinewy in style with admirable length on the finish." 89-91, Neal Martin, Vinous, Jan 2024  

“ A slightly more elegant nose freely offers up its combination of red cherry, raspberry and discreet spice nuances. There is both good richness and minerality to the delicious and vibrant middleweight flavors that possess a bit more overall depth on the balanced and youthfully austere finale. One to consider, especially if you like to age wines from the Hautes Côtes.” Allen Meadows, Burghound, Jan 2024 

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98 Points! One of the top two or three wines in the vintage, I was blown away by the 2017 King Coal, which comes all from the Stoneridge Vineyard on the Royal Slope and is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Syrah. The Syrah is not destemmed, and everything is co-fermented in oak uprights and aged in 60% new barrels. Brilliant on all accounts, with a huge nose of spiced red and black fruits, chocolate, cured meats, tobacco, and truffle, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, awesome tannins, a great mid-palate, and a finish that won’t quit. The Syrah component gives this plenty of upfront appeal, yet it’s going to cruise in cold cellars for 15 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck Learn More