About the Wine: The 2017 Les Charmes du Roy is representative of another great vintage for Bordeaux. Perfectly ripe red fruits on the nose are followed by a rich, fruity palate that is well balanced with great aromatic expressions. Full and dense, its ripe and generous fruit, exceptional tannins and long, prominent finish will keep you coming back for more. A robust, distinctive Merlot-based cuvee that is world-class!
About the Winemaker: We were able to secure a limited quantity of this classic Bordeaux, but only on the condition that we don't name the exact source! This isn't uncommon when an affordable wine is crafted by a sought after, award-winning Bordeaux specialist that normally makes clarets that sell for $75 or more a bottle. This family's profound devotion to their terrain and vineyards has earned them an incredible reputation. The award-winning winemaker has an artist's touch handcrafting balanced Bordeaux blends.
About the Wine: Premium Pinot Noir is all about rich, juicy and fresh red fruit — strawberries, raspberries and cherries — and this gem is on point. The fruit flavors simply blossom on the palate. Monterey's long, cool summer allowed the grapes to achieve full maturity while retaining natural acidity. Ageing in oak barrels adds vanilla and toast accents. Top notch.
About the Winemaker: Simply put, Sam Balakian is one of the most experienced winemakers in all of California. He's been hand-crafting premium wines for over 50 years. Sam earned his B.S. in Enology from Fresno State in 1964, making him one of the first graduates of the then-new winemaking program. He then continued his education at the University of California at Davis, earning a master's degree in Food Science in 1966. He's worked with a wide variety of growing areas, vineyards, varietals, production levels, and styles of winemaking.
About the Wine: Super Tuscans are blends made from international grape varietals like Cabernet, Merlot or Syrah usually combined with native Tuscan Sangiovese. You can taste winemaker Alberto Antonini's extensive skills and 30+ years of experience in every sip of this glorious plum and cherry-flavored Super Tuscan which marries cherry-rich Sangiovese with luscious Merlot. From an excellent vintage with record fruit ripeness, it's pleasantly fresh and round with soft tannins and good persistence on the finish. Exceptional!
About the Winemaker: Alberto Antonini is nothing short of a winemaking guru. A Tuscan native, his formal winemaking education spans from Florence to Bordeaux to California. After many years as Head of Winemaking for Tuscany's famed Antinori Winery, he struck out on his own as a "Flying Winemaker", working closely with wineries in Italy, California, Argentina, Chile and Australia. In 2013 and 2015 The Drinks Business magazine and Decanter magazine, respectively, ranked him among the top 5 wine consultants in the world. Alberto is known for his ability to produce authentic, terroir-driven wines from traditional, indigenous grape varieties.
About the Wine: Paso Robles has a reputation for producing powerful, fruit-driven, standout Cabernets like this gem from winemaker and Paso Robles veteran Michael Gwin. A full bodied, captivating wine, its ripe black cherry flavors are accompanied by pleasant vanilla, licorice and wood notes. The finish is long and silky, with the long stay in oak barrels giving it impressive flavor depth. Drink in style!
About the Winemaker: Michael Gwin is passionate about wine. He learned winemaking from the ground up — literally. As an Agribusiness & Viticulture student at California Polytechnic, he was encouraged to learn and experience every aspect of vineyard development and management. This meant long hours in the hot summer sun in wild, rugged areas like the Central Coast's Arroyo Grande Valley. Michael's passion for grape growing evolved into a broad range of winery positions where he learned using the same "hands-on" approach from a number of Central Coast winemaking veterans. Today he leverages his extensive vineyard and winery expertise in crafting exceptional Cabernets and Pinot Noirs using grapes from his favorite Central Coast vineyards.
About the Wine: Paso Robles is an ideal place to showcase Merlot's true nature. The grapes are treated to a perfect mix of warm, sunny days, refreshing afternoon breezes and cool nights (with the range in temperatures resulting in an ideal balance of acidity and freshness in the grapes). A significant presence of limestone in the soil also forces the vines to struggle, making for smaller clusters of fruit with a more concentrated flavor. This Merlot is brimming with personality — it delivers the goods and then some. Plushy and round, notable ripe, dark fruit and rich oak flavors are seamlessly melded together with a sensuous mouthfeel and long finish.
About the Winemaker: Winemaker Alex Cose (who also made the 2016 Elementus C Factor Malbec) left a successful banking career to pursue something he was truly passionate about — making wine. In the 2000s he led the winemaking of some of the most popular, best-selling premium wines ever sold in the U.S. Alex is highly regarded as a master blender as well as an innovator in how and where he sources his grapes.
About the Wine: With its combination of bold flavors and soft tannins, Malbec enjoys widespread appeal among red wine lovers. Winemaker Alex Cose has crafted a beautiful wine with a rich complexity that is supple and harmonious. On the palate, succulent layers of cherries and dark fruit flavors up front are followed by a full-bodied, plush mid palate. The finish is powerful yet elegant, showcasing its ageing in French and American oak. Delicious!
About the Winemaker: Winemaker Alex Cose (who also made the 2016 Cross Creek Merlot Reserve) has had a storied career. In the late 1990's he crafted some of the most expensive and sought after ultra premium Cabernets and Pinot Noirs made in California at the time. Alex is highly regarded as a master blender as well as an innovator in how and where he sources his grapes.