SPECIALLY CURATED WINE CASE WITH RATINGS OF 95 OR HIGHER
AXR Flagship Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California Winemaker Notes The Flagship Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon by AXR is a Napa Valley icon wine, made with intention and showing a direct reflection of the prestigious vineyards it comes from - Sleeping Lady, Artalade, Denali and their estate V Madrone vineyards. Shiny, in color with dark black cherry with touches of currant and velvet. Beautiful nose of cedar, thyme, nutmeg and cassis with dark cherry, licorice and plum. Dense but fresh entrance evolving on freshly
picked red cherry, red currant and macerated strawberry, lingering on granular tannins and spices. Professional Ratings • 96 Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateA barrel selection, “flagship” cuvee, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Flagship is deep garnet-purple colored. It bursts from the glass with opulent notes of baked blackberries, warm black cherries and cassis with nuances of chocolate box, redcurrant jelly, roses and cedar chest. The full-bodied palate is jam-packed with black fruit and floral layers, framed by beautifully ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Consumer Ratings: (23) 5.0 – Fantastic
Bibi Graetz Colore 2021 Tuscan Blends from Tuscany, Italy Winemaker Notes Colore is the highest expression of Bibi Graetz dream, from very old vineyards of Sangiovese. Poor soils mixed with sand and stone and high altitude create the perfect terroir for a wine that tells a lot about Tuscany and its ancient taste. Only the best few barrels of the whole production will become Colore.
Professional Ratings • 99 James SucklingIntense aromas of purple fruits such as raspberry, spice, lead pencil and granite. Perfumed flowers as well. Full-bodied, tight with poised tannins that show transparency and focus. Crunchy and very long. Better after 2028 when it opens and integrates beautifully. • 98 Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateThe Bibi Graetz 2021 Colore is Sangiovese from old vines, but otherwise, winemaking and the oak regime is identical to the other top red, Testamatta. In this case, fruit comes from the Lamole area with vineyards at a high 600 meters above sea level. Some are south facing but high up on the mountain. As Bibi explains: “Colore delivers power and freshness, whereas Testamatta delivers transparency and freshness.” The Colore shows the pure energy and liveliness of Sangiovese with violet, wild cherry and orange zest. The wine delivers an elegantly earthy side with a very delineated mouthfeel driven by very fine, silly tannins. This is a beautiful wine with delicately sweet cherry on the finish. Bibi has been making little changes to this wine over the years (other than giving it a new winery home in Fiesole) to capture an ideal or benchmark for Sangiovese. His 2021 is his best wine yet. Production is 35,000 bottles, which is slightly lower compared to the last vintage. Rating: 98+. • 95 Wine SpectatorPure and elegant, offering a beam of cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, rose and mineral aromas and flavors. This harmonious version builds in intensity to the long, fruit-filled finish, where a hint of blood orange peeks through. Sangiovese. Drink now through 2037. Consumer Ratings: (16) 5.0 – Fantastic
Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto 2019 Nebbiolo from Barolo, Piedmont, Italy Winemaker Notes Intense red garnet color. The bouquet is intense and elegant, with floral notes such as rose and fruity notes of blackcurrants, pomegranate and raspberries. On the palate it is structured with excellent tannic plot that enhances roundness and persistence.
Professional Ratings • 98 James SucklingGorgeous aromas of roses that fill the glass along with ripe strawberries, raspberries and forest fruits. Very structured and right with finely toned tannins that are tight, sleek and racy. One for the cellar. • 96 Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateWith the white label, the 2019 Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche is a generous and expansive wine that hits the palate from all sides. It offers lingering sensations of sweet fruit with a good amount of intensity and muscle power pushing from behind. That forward momentum is fueled by dark fruit, rusty earth, wet clay and blood orange. It shows elegance, substance and finely tuned tones with considerable tension and tightness. This is another bottle to rest at the back of your cellar. Rating :96+ • 95 Wine SpectatorThis round, rich red is laced with cherry, raspberry, iron, earth and underbrush aromas and flavors. There's a firm structure, with burly yet well-integrated tannins providing support and the ability to age. Overall, this is balanced and long, with a persistent aftertaste of fruit, mineral and savory notes. Best from 2027 through 2048. 225 cases imported. Consumer Ratings: (15) 5.0 - Fantastic
Chateau Giscours 2000 Bordeaux Red Blends from Margaux, Bordeaux, France Winemaker Notes This wine has a beautiful intense ruby color with reddish orange glints. The nose reveals a delightful blend of complex aromas of candied fruit, leather and violets. In the mouth, the intense bouquet translates into silky tannins that develop a pleasing fullness on the palate. The overall impression is of a purity that is not lacking in complexity. Excellent long finish. A great Margaux that should evolve magnificently and has an aging potential of 20 years or more.
Professional Ratings • 93 Wine SpectatorVery dark and concentrated, with intense aromas of tobacco, coffee and blackberries. Full-bodied, with big, velvety tannins and a long finish of licorice, berry and currants. Giscours is doing something special. Best ever from here. • 92 Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateProbably the finest Giscours made since the 1975, this black/purple-colored 2000 offers up terrific notes of camphor, creosote, blackberry, and cassis jam intermixed with notions of smoke and earth. Spicy, with low acidity, a big, rich, fleshy, full-bodied palate, outstanding texture, and a long, pure finish, it is, to reiterate, one of the best Giscours produced over the last 25 years. A sleeper of the vintage, it is still available for a realistic price. Consumer Ratings: (12) 5.0 - Fantastic
Chateau Troplong Mondot 2000 Bordeaux Red Blends from St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France Professional Ratings • 99 James SucklingThis has superb depth and intensity with very fine tannins that draw you down. So much black fruit, together with black pepper and salt. Extremely well-crafted.
Vertical and deep. Chalky and salty with black chocolate. Range: 98-99 • 96 Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateExtremely young with an unbelievable deep purple color, the 2000 Troplong Mondot has hardly budged since I tasted it in 2003. Two recent tastings confirmed that this is the greatest Troplong Mondot between their profound 1990 and more recent vintages such as 2005, 2008, and 2009. Copious chocolate, graphite, blackberry, blueberry, cassis, and ink characteristics are present in this full-bodied, powerful, massive St.-Emilion. While the tannins are noticeable, they are better integrated than they were seven years ago, and the fruit, extract, and richness clearly outweigh the wine’s structure. This 2000 will benefit from another 4-5 years of cellaring (longer than I originally predicted), and has at least two decades of drinkability ahead of it. • 91 Wine SpectatorLovely berry, cherry and spice, with hints of mineral. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a pretty mineral and berry aftertaste. A sexy and refined red. Consumer Ratings: (24) 5.0 – Fantastic
Emilio Moro Malleolus de Sanchomartin 2020 Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, Spain Winemaker Notes With successive vintages lauded by the national and international critics, this excellent wine is a real pleasure for the most demanding palates for its expressiveness and combination of nuances.
Professional Ratings • 95 Wine SpectatorThere's a pleasing vibrancy to this rich and powerful red, with a core of ripe, bright red currant, raspberry and pomegranate seed flavors interwoven with accents of eucalyptus, dried thyme and sage, fig cake and mocha. The firm tannins are dense but well-meshed and lightly chalky on the savory finish of tobacco and loamy earth notes. • 94 James SucklingAn impressive Ribera del Duero that’s complex, deep and powerful, with a full load of dusty, reactive tannins. Full-bodied and quite tight and coated, with a firm grip from the fine wood tannins at the end. Consumer Ratings: (15) 5.0 – Fantastic
Louis Latour Echezeaux Grand Cru 2019 Pinot Noir from Flagey-Echezeaux, Cote de Nuits, Cote d'Or, Burgundy, France Winemaker Notes This Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru 2019, of a dark ruby color, expresses a complex nose with blackcurrant, clove and mocha aromas. The palate is ample and round offering a beautiful freshness. It uncovers licorice, mocha and almond paste notes. Remarkable length on the finish.
Professional Ratings • 95 Wine SpectatorThis red exudes opulence, with black cherry, black currant, earth and spice aromas and flavors wrapped up in the fleshy texture. Shows a beam of vivid acidity that keeps it delineated and extends the long, mineral-infused finish. Solidly built and shows terrific potential for a long evolution. Best from 2025. • 92 Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateThe 2019 Echezeaux Grand Cru is quite promising, offering up aromas of minty berry fruit, burning embers, warm spices and toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with ripe tannins and a lusty, oak-inflected finish, it's quite marked by its élevage but typically tends to come around by the time it's bottled. Barrel Sample: 90-92 Consumer Ratings: (20) 5.0 – Fantastic
Louis Latour Puligny-Montrachet Les Referts Premier Cru 2022 Chardonnay from Puligny-Montrachet, Cote de Beaune, Cote d'Or, Burgundy, France Winemaker Notes Pale yellow in color, Louis Latour Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru 'Les Referts' 2022 has a nose of grilled almond and citrus peel. The palate is very well rounded, revealing notes of honey and citrus fruit again, accompanied by sap aromas. Very nice length.
Professional Ratings • 95 Wine SpectatorLush and opulent in style, featuring peach, apple tart, lemon cake, praline, butterscotch and mineral flavors. Broad-shouldered and mouthfilling, with a lingering aftertaste of seashore, peach and oak spice notes, this white shows excellent balance and expression. Best from 2026 through 2033. Consumer Ratings: (16) 5.0 - Fantastic
M. Chapoutier Hermitage Chante-Alouette Blanc 2019Marsanne from Hermitage, Rhone, France Winemaker Notes Complex yet subtle, with aromas of quince, walnut, honey, ginger, acacia with a hint of linden-tree. The palate it is very elegant with a fine and lengthy finish.
Professional Ratings • 95 Jeb DunnuckAlways a classic Hermitage Blanc, the 2019 Hermitage Chante-Alouette Blanc is all Marsanne that comes mostly from vines just above the Le Méal lieu-dit, but also from the upper part of the Les Murets. A rich, medium to full-bodied beauty, it has classic Hermitage minerality as well as smoking good notes of buttered peach, quince, woodsmoke, crushed stone, and a touch of spice. It shows even more minerality on the palate and is balanced, with ample mid-palate depth and a great finish. This young, concentrated, vibrant Hermitage Blanc can be drunk over the coming 20-25 years or more. • 94 Wine SpectatorDeliciously ripe and succulent, with yellow apple, green plum and Cavaillon melon notes laced with salted butter, honeysuckle and heather. This has a minerally edge and a flash of bitter orange buried on the finish, adding a hint of tension for balance. Lovely. • 93 Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateBlended from the lieux-dits of Les Murets, Le Méal and the loess portion of L'Ermite, the 2019 Hermitage Chante-Alouette is a ripe, rich wine marked by notes of toasty oak, pear, pineapple, melon and citrus. Medium to full-bodied, it's silky in feel across the mid-palate, then long and zesty-briny on the finish. It can be consumed young or after a decade of cellaring. Consumer Ratings: (6) 5.0 – Fantastic
The Debate Sleeping Lady Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2018 Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley, California Winemaker Notes Sleeping Lady Vineyard, located on the southern edge of Yountville, is the coolest of the three Cabernet Franc sites. Sleeping Lady expresses the finesse of Cabernet Franc. Sleeping Lady Vineyard has beauty, softness, and elegance with a backbone of freshness. Shiny, deep, dark black cherry with touches of eggplant and ruby on the rim. On the nose is an explosion of savory herbs, thyme, coco powder, cedar and chocolate with cassis and blueberry reduction lingering on touches of graphite and cherry jam with
crushed rocks and truffle salt On the palate: Beautiful, soft and jammy entrance evolving on a fresh mid-palate with touches of boysenberry and freshly picked Maine blueberries, lingering on tannins with touches of dark chocolate and red currant. 100% Barrel Fermented, 20 days on skins. Aged 22 months, 80% new French oak. Blend: 100% Cabernet Franc Professional Ratings • 95 Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateThe deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Cabernet Franc Sleeping Lady Vineyard opens with fragrant scents of wild blueberries, red currant jelly and kirsch, with nuances of dried lavender, pencil shavings and cardamom plus a touch of dusty soil. Full-bodied, the densely packed palate delivers mouth-coating red berry and floral layers with loads of blue fruit accents, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and perfumed. • 95 James SucklingBlackcurrants, sandalwood, nutmeg and pine needles on the nose. Walnuts and tobacco, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Powerful, yet retains freshness. Pretty, fresh-herb highlights to the fruit. This needs a few years. Drink from 2024. • 92 Wine SpectatorThis shows a solid, packed core of dark currant and blackberry paste flavors that have a strong tug of dark earth throughout as well. Offers nice tobacco and singed cedar accents through the finish. Best from 2023 through 2030. Consumer Ratings: (16) 5.0 – Fantastic
TOR Cuvee Torchiana Beresini Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 Chardonnay from Napa Valley, California Winemaker Notes The 2022 Beresini vineyard is possibly the richest Beresini to date and shows additional density from the warmth of the vintage as we went through harvest. This is always a more rich/intense styled chardonnay, but this year it displays additional layers of complexity and finesse. As always, this wine shows a bit of what I tend to associate with a white Rhone (think like Chave Hermitage) in its textural richness and length. The nose immediately hits you with white peach, honeydew, Earl Grey, and jasmine, followed up on the palate with bergamot,
white raspberry and almond extract. This year adds on a bit of back end freshness and precision that just keeps this wine going forever on the palate, with a creamy and silky texture. Professional Ratings • 98 James SucklingSo creamy, lush and buttery, it’s an all-out ripe, mouth-filling and luxurious wine. Saturated in golden apples, poached pears, cream and vanilla bean on a full body. So broad, indulgent, luscious and lingering in the finish. • 94 Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateFrom a vineyard that has been part of the Tor lineup for almost 20 years, the 2022 Chardonnay Beresini Vineyard Cuvee Torchiana exhibits ripe citrus aromas akin to mandarin oranges and tangerines, with vanilla notes balanced by hints of lime and lemon. It's medium to full-bodied, streamlined and crisp but with a long, silky-textured finish. Consumer Ratings: (14) 5.0 - Fantastic
TOR Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California Winemaker Notes The 2021 Vine Hill Ranch leads with beautiful balance, grace, and length. It is almost equal parts red fruit, blue fruit, and black fruits, displaying one of the greatest Cabernet vineyards in the world. This vintage again shows the amazing mid-plate and what the slightly 'cooler' side of South Oakville can produce. Its rounded texture and balance continue to resonate through the long silky finish. Blend: 99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings • 98 James SucklingExtremely aromatic with violets, blue berries and black currants. Then notes of graphite and lead pencil come through. Amazing aromas. Full-bodied with rich and dusty tannins that show fantastic length and intensity. Bark and wet earth undertones with black mushrooms. Needs three or four years to come around. • 97 Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateA blend from three blocks of this famed vineyard at the southern end of Oakville, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch combines scents of pencil shavings, subtle hints of thyme and sage, black cherries and mint. Medium to full-bodied, it doesn't have the sheer power of some of the other Tor bottlings but makes up for it in complexity. Silky, streamlined on the palate and boasting tremendous length on the finish, it's another winner from Tor Kenward and winemaker Jeff Ames. • 97 Jeb DunnuckFrom an incredible vineyard in the southern part of Oakville, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard is about as silky and seamless as they come, with full-bodied aromas and flavors of red and black fruits, savory herbs, chocolate, and spicy wood. Coming from Blocks 3, 4, and 7, it has polished tannins, flawless overall balance, and a layered. Consumer Ratings: (24) 5.0 - Fantastic