Wines

From the importer: The domaine’s top red wine is the cuvée Charles de Batz, which was the original name of d'Artignan. The wine is composed of 90% Tannat with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines that are between 50 and 100 years old. After being completely destemmed, the Cabernet and Tannat are fermented separately in cement tanks. During this time, a bit of micro-oxygenation or microboullage takes place. The wine then goes into oak (50% new) in an underground cellar where it also undergoes malolactic fermentation. After 12 months in wood, it is blended and bottled after a very light filtration.

Very ripe, rich Madiran that takes no prisoners. This wine succeeds in obtaining more fruit than tannin! The color is nearly opaque—wine doesn't get much darker than this. It displays notes of black fruit (blackcurrant and blackberry) along with just a hint of red fruit. There is a cedar-like creaminess to the oak which is extremely well-integrated. Tannins pick up on the finish but, let's face it, this is Madiran and that is to be expected. These tannins seem to dissolve when the wine is matched with richly flavored meats like leg of lamb, duck, goose or game.

93 Points! The 2021 Petite Sirah Thompson Vineyard is a perennial winner. Coming all from the Thompson Vineyard in the Alisos Canyon region of Santa Barbara County and brought up in 18% new American oak, its deep purple hue is followed by a beautiful array of red, black, and blue fruits interwoven with cedarwood, flowery incense, and peppery herbs. It's rich and full-bodied, with beautiful fruit and fine tannins. This is one incredibly classy Petite Sirah that has plenty of up-front appeal yet, I suspect, the balance and structure to evolve for well over a decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

93 Points! This cuvée always delivers, and the 2020 Petite Sirah Thompson Vineyard is no exception, with tons of smoky black fruits and chocolate notes, full-bodied richness, a round, lush, powerful texture, and a great finish. If you have an itch for powerful, unctuous, yet balanced Petite Sirah, this will scratch it. - Jeb Dunnuck

94 Points! Extremely perfumed with violet and blueberry aromas that follow through to a full body with creamy, refined tannins. Wonderful depth, due to the compact fruit and vertical line of tannins. Black pepper to the dark fruit. Better in two or three years. Try after 2022. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2019 Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard is laced with the essence of crème de cassis, blueberry, spice, leather and licorice. The tannins are especially suave for this Calistoga site, where the wines have often been bigger. A cool end to the season and long macerations probably explain most of the wine's personality. The 2019 spent about two weeks on the skins following the alcoholic fermentation and was aged partly in larger format 600L barrels, again, with the goal of reducing the impact of tannins from oak. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

91 Points! A full-bodied red with aromas of black cherries, blackcurrants, violets and black licorice. Tannic and chewy with a firm core of dark fruit. Try from 2023. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! From vines up to 60 or more years old on slatey, calcareous, sandy and gravelly gneiss soils, the 2017 Blaufränkisch Sankt Margarethen is concentrated, refined and bloody on the pure fresh and elegant, terroir-driven nose that displays dark and concentrated black berry aromas with chocolate notes and an almost Port-like concentration. Very elegant and sweet on the concentrated but refreshing mineral and finessed palate, this is a great effort with tension, finesse, stimulating salts and a crystalline and chalky freshness. The wine is rich but highly refined and persistently salty-mineral. Hannes Schuster's 2017 Sankt Margarethen is most probably one of the greatest Blaufränkisch wines I have tasted in more than 20 years. - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com