The year was 1924. It was the heart of the Prohibition Era and wine’s darkest hour when it was outlawed and deemed unconstitutional. It was also the year the Delicato family first planted vineyards in California and farmed grapes that were sold to friends and neighbors.
Crafted with rich, dark fruit aged in Premium Whiskey Barrels, the grapes for the Whiskey Barrel-aged French Blend were picked at optimal ripeness based on winemaker evaluation, vineyard condition and an eye on weather. The fruit is harvested in the cool of the night and delivered to the winery to be destemmed into fermentation tanks. Once the wine is made, a portion is aged in Whiskey barrels, imparting classically smooth vanilla, toasty oak notes to the structured blend.
For more info, visit 1924 by Delicato Family Wines website.
VARIETALS
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot and Malbec
Complex and velvety, with silky tannins and a delicious taste, this is how the “Alter Ego”, fascinating Rouge of Château Palmer presents itself.
This Margaux AOC is born from a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, grown according to certified biodynamic methods. With a pleasant gustatory balance and marvelous fruity aromas, “Alter Ego” is a refined and complex wine of great depth, a lively expression of the different parcels and of the natural and genuine flavors of the grapes.
Underpinned by the year’s favorable climate, the 2020 vintage is on par with 2018 in terms of structure, boasting sunny Merlots, refined and powerful Cabernets, and a terroir of exceptional clarity.
Château Brane-Cantenac stands proudly in the heart of the prestigious Margaux appellation. Renowned for its wines of remarkable elegance and finesse, this 75-hectare property is an emblem of quality and excellence in the world of fine wines.
Since Henri Lurton took over in 1992, he has made it his mission to produce the best possible wine, reinforcing Brane’s position as a second classified growth in 1855. The Château de Brane-Cantenac vineyard is unique in that the terroir of the Brane plateau contributes to the elegant and aromatic signature of the estate’s wines.
Baron de Brane is the second wine from Château Brane-Cantenac. This wine is a tribute to Baron Jacques-Maxime de Brane, who owned the vineyard in the 19th century. This second wine is made from deep gravel plots of clay gravel.
For more info, visit Château Brane-Cantenacwebsite.
The Caccia al Piano tenuta, or wine estate, is set into the enchanting winegrowing environment of Bolgheri, where the perfect combination of Mediterranean climate and limestone-clay soils has created a terroir ideal for yielding world-class wines. The romantic Via Bolgherese, with its vineyards and olive groves, is the background for winemaker Franco Ziliani’s new adventure in creating wines that always leave their mark.
Historic Bolgheri Rosso by Caccia al Piano takes its name from a poem by Giosuè Carducci, testifying to the sense of belonging to the territory of Castagneto, birthplace of the famous poet. A blend composed mainly of Merlot grapes to which are added Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot, all from the various company crus. Able to fully reveal the structure and complexity typical of the Bolgheri amphitheater, it is a wine that expresses immediate pleasantness without sacrificing excellent aging potential.
Chappellet is recognized as one of the great Napa Valley wineries, and one of the few which remains family owned. Today, the second generation is committed to continuing the vision of their parents, Donn and Molly Chappellet. Together, the siblings are dedicated to maintaining sustainable farming techniques, a relentless focus on wine quality, respect for Pritchard Hill’s natural beauty and the preservation of family ownership for generations to come.
The most sought-after wine in the portfolio, this limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon represents the pinnacle of Chappellet winemaking and embodies the elegant power and complexity of Pritchard Hill winegrowing. Like the great Bordeaux wines that first inspired Donn Chappellet, this wine is crafted by blending Cabernet Sauvignon with other classic Bordeaux varietals. The wine was aged for 22 months in 100 percent new French oak. Grown on rocky, mountainside vineyard, these Cabernets have consistently displayed an ability to age for several decades.
Chappellet is recognized as one of the great Napa Valley wineries, and one of the few which remains family owned. Today, the second generation is committed to continuing the vision of their parents, Donn and Molly Chappellet. Together, the siblings are dedicated to maintaining sustainable farming techniques, a relentless focus on wine quality, respect for Pritchard Hill’s natural beauty and the preservation of family ownership for generations to come.
The most sought-after wine in the portfolio, this limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon represents the pinnacle of Chappellet winemaking and embodies the elegant power and complexity of Pritchard Hill winegrowing. Like the great Bordeaux wines that first inspired Donn Chappellet, this wine is crafted by blending Cabernet Sauvignon with other classic Bordeaux varietals. The wine was aged for 22 months in 100 percent new French oak. Grown on rocky, mountainside vineyard, these Cabernets have consistently displayed an ability to age for several decades.
Chappellet is recognized as one of the great Napa Valley wineries, and one of the few which remains family owned. Today, the second generation is committed to continuing the vision of their parents, Donn and Molly Chappellet. Together, the siblings are dedicated to maintaining sustainable farming techniques, a relentless focus on wine quality, respect for Pritchard Hill’s natural beauty and the preservation of family ownership for generations to come.
The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon has been a foundational wine in Chappellet Winery portfolio for more than five decades. It is a benchmark for the long-lived hillside wines of the Napa Valley; full of structure and aging potential, yet seductively forward in its concentrated varietal character. The dry, rocky soils of Pritchard Hill produce small, intensely flavorful grapes. Crop thinning allows for full, even ripening and elevates flavor complexity.
Château Bibian is a historic (and one of the oldest) property in Listrac-Médoc, located between the more famous communes of Margaux and Saint-Julien.
The château, purchased by the Meyre family in 1999 and a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur classified, is today run by the 6th generation, where Nathalie and Julien Meyre, in consultation with the famous wine consultant (Michel Rolland), carry on the family traditions and produce this classic Bordeaux wine.
Located in the southern part of the Bordeaux Medoc peninsula, Château Cantemerle, designated a great growth in the famous 1855 classification, thanks to its unique terroir, produces complex well-balanced and refined wines.
The wine’s structure displays reserve and complexity, with a welltempered richness and great length. It represents a perfect model of elegance, balance, and the fine flavors typical of Cantemerle’s greatest wines.
Family owned since 1810, the Château Cap Léon Veyrin originates from the meeting of Château Cap Léon and the Veyrin estate. Cape comes from the word “head”. In fact, the vineyards of Cap Léon are located on the highest points of Listrac-Médoc, favoring natural drainage and ideal sunshine. Nathalie and Julien Meyre, are the 6th generation of the family running this property, perpetuate the tradition: predominance of Merlot, collage with egg white, aging of 12 months in barrels, manual harvesting for young parcels and for old vines, while bringing their dynamism to this renowned Cru Bourgeois Supérieur du Médoc.
For more info, visit Château Cap Léon Veyrinwebsite.
VARIETALS
60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot
Château Carbonnieux is one of the oldest and largest wine estates in the Bordeaux region. Its history extends over almost 8 centuries and its vineyard over a hundred hectares. Belonging to the Perrin Family since 4 generations, the whole vineyard is located around the castle at the top of a superb gravel hill. All the wines produced depend on the Pessac-Léognan AOP.
2017 will be remembered for the frosty spells in late April that severely affected the Château Carbonnieux vineyard, but thanks to the meticulous attention paid to the vineyard and the precision and technique of the château team, they have succeeded in extracting the best from this vintage like true winemakers. A flagship wine of the estate, the 2017 Château Carbonnieux red is the result of a rigorous selection of the finest lots tasted.
Château Chasse-Spleen is the leading Moulis estate along with Château Poujeaux. Although it is classified only as a Cru Bourgeois, it regularly outperforms many of the Médoc’s more renowned classed growths. There are numerous stories trying to explain the name of Chateau Chasse Spleen. The first version is that the name was inspired from a visit by Lord Byron in 1821, which was so moved, that he quoted, “Quel remede pour chasser le spleen”, which when loosely translated means, “What remedy to remove the spleen?”. The other equally poetic explanation is attributed to the poem Spleen, whose author Charles Baudelaire also visited Château Chasse-Spleen.
A very elegant, fresh and classical wine with a lot of energy and drive on the finish with great aging potential.
For more info, visit Château Chasse-Spleenwebsite.
VARIETALS
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot
Château Chasse-Spleen is the leading Moulis estate along with Château Poujeaux. Although it is classified only as a Cru Bourgeois, it regularly outperforms many of the Médoc’s more renowned classed growths. There are numerous stories trying to explain the name of Chateau Chasse Spleen. The first version is that the name was inspired from a visit by Lord Byron in 1821, which was so moved, that he quoted, “Quel remede pour chasser le spleen”, which when loosely translated means, “What remedy to remove the spleen?”. The other equally poetic explanation is attributed to the poem Spleen, whose author Charles Baudelaire also visited Château Chasse-Spleen.
A very elegant, fresh and classical wine with a lot of energy and drive on the finish with great aging potential.
For more info, visit Château Chasse-Spleenwebsite.
VARIETALS
53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot
Past Château Lafite, then up the small hill of stones, the locals call “Caux”, to Cos d’Estournel and its discrete neighbour Château Cos Labory.
The name of the estate comes from its geographical location on the Cos hill and the name of François Labory, who was the first owner until 1845. Mr. d’Estournel then acquired it before selling it again to an English banker, Charles Martyns in 1852. The property was finally taken over by George Weber in the 1930’s, who bequeathed it to his daughter and son-in-law, François Audoy in 1959. In 1971, the couple acquired the neighbouring estate, Château Andron Blanquet, until their elder son Bernard took over, now the emblematic symbol of the estate, having always lived in Saint-Estèphe.
Over time, the changes came gradually through substantial investment into technology, particularly an ultra-modern vat house and a new cellar. Having decided to vinify the wines at low temperatures to preserve and extract the fruit, their aim is to offer wines that age well but are also enjoyable when still young. Château Cos Labory combines characteristic Saint-Estèphe vigour and elegance and its rich tannin content gives this wine good ageing potential.
Château d’Armailhac is not only a beautiful setting but also a vibrant working and meeting place for the three Pauillac estates and their beating heart.
A place that reflects the identity of Château d’Armailhac, a combination of timelessness, local roots and elegant sobriety. The owners wanted to create buildings that would look as though they had always been there. As a result, Château d’Armailhac blends seamlessly into the Pauillac winegrowing landscape.
Typically for a Pauillac wine, Cabernets predominate in the blend. However, the relatively high proportion of Cabernet Franc is a hallmark of Château d’Armailhac. The wine is defined by a kind of elegant classicism, discernible whatever the vintage.
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