Elegance. Structure. Balance. These are the elements of the extraordinary. You find them in the soaring work of architecture, the perfect line of poetry, the ballerina’s graceful leap, and in the exquisitely crafted Napa Valley wines of First Press Wine Cellars.
First Press Wine Cellars focuses on the two varietals which best exemplify California’s premier winegrowing region, a richly textured Cabernet Sauvignon and a brightly refreshing Chardonnay.
Bernard Magrez’s journey is that of passion, a constant desire for improvement, know-how and exceptional success which has its roots first in Bordeaux, in the Grands Crus Classés, then in other prestigious terroirs in France and around the world.
L’Âme de Pape Clément’s vineyard is nestled in the heart of the Graves region, on the left bank of the Garonne River where the soil and climate are ideal for grapes to ripen and vines to flourish. Dig down into the subsoil and you’ll find gravel and a layer of clay and limestone, which absorbs the sun’s heat during the day and releases it at night to produce remarkably full, ripe grapes. What’s more, the nearby river and the vineyard’s exposure to the sun help create a microclimate which helps protect and nurture the vines.
Paying homage to the famed terroir of Stellenbosch’s historic wine region, L’Avenir was only founded in 1992 by Mauritius native Marc Wiehe.
Under the oenological direction of winemakers Dirk Coetzee, Mattheus Thabo and Francois Conradie, the winery in the foothills of the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch produces now a well-endowed and award-winning wine portfolio of wines, distinguished by their unmistakably South African character with an elegant touch of French flair, with the two classic South African grape varieties Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, as the cornerstone of the South African wine industry, forming the main focus of L’Avenir.
Produced from a vineyard that was planted in 1971, L’Avenir Estate’s single vineyard Chenin Parcel selection in the vineyard and cellar, combined with minimum intervention winemaking results in a true masterpiece. This beautifully poised Chenin has lots of similarity with classic white Burgundy – a refined core, layers, freshness and a touch of appealing gunflint. As the estate says, “Authentic South African wines, with a touch of French flair.”
Owned by the Bernard family since 1983, the magnificent Domaine de Chevalier is at the top of the greatest Crus Classés of Bordeaux.
The estate is located in the heart of the Pessac-Léognan appellation which is located in a green setting south of Bordeaux.
Domaine de Chevalier watches over a rare vineyard with 60 hectares of red vines. The vineyard is based on a gravel terroir with clay-gravelly subsoils. Since 1986, the young vines have been intended to ripen the berries which are used in the blending of the estate’s second wine, L’Esprit de Chevalier.
Bernard Magrez’s journey is that of passion, a constant desire for improvement, know-how and exceptional success which has its roots first in Bordeaux, in the Grands Crus Classés, then in other prestigious terroirs in France and around the world. Bernard Magrez’s journey is that of passion, a constant desire for improvement, know-how and exceptional success which has its roots first in Bordeaux, in the Grands Crus Classés, then in other prestigious terroirs in France and around the world.
Located in Saint-Christoly-Médoc, a town once renowned for its trading port that became a gateway to the world, “L’inattendu” des Grands Chênes is a wine that is both structured and smooth, making the most of its Garonne gravel terroir.
The history of La Tour Carnet merges with the history of France. Bearing the name of the squire who infallibly helped his Lord to resist French royalty at the end of the Hundred Years War, Château La Tour Carnet played a major role in the revolution of the Médoc vineyards and the quality of its wine, rewarded by the entry in the classification of Grands Crus Classés of 1855. The diversity of its terroir and the constant search for perfection make this Haut-Médoc an exceptional wine.
Since purchasing the estate in 2000, Bernard Magrez has returned the estate’s Château, cellars and 311 hectares to their glory days, marrying cutting-edge technology with traditional savoir-faire.
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 classic Bordeaux wines.
This wine is a rigorous selection of young plots of vines from Château Bibian and it comes from the best terroirs of Listrac.
Le Fleurs de Bibian can be enjoyed in its youth, to savor all its roundness and fruitiness.
Cantina Le Monde is located in Friuli, within the famous Grave del Friuli area that extends from the foothills of the Alps to the Adriatic Sea. The origins of the estate that once owned the farmland can be traced back to the early 1700’s. The name ‘Le Monde’ is taken from the Germanic-Latin word “Mundio”, an ancient Germanic law that ‘protected’ the farmlands of the region. Cantina Le Monde ‘protects’ and safeguards its vineyards, farming in a healthy way, that respects nature and the sustainable future of ancient soils.
The Cabernet Franc from Le Monde winery is a light and ready-to-drink red wine from Friuli with an excellent quality-price ratio, perfect for daily consumption.
The brand Le Preare was created by Cantina Valpolicella Negrar to pay tribute to a history, where previous generations very often paid a very high price, allowing todays generation of vine growers to benefit from the hard work of their forefathers.
Located in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico, this area was also known for its prestigious stones, such as the red marble of Verona. It was widely used by the Venetians when building their villas. However, the use of other local stones, less prestigious then marble, was wide spread. The antique mines where the stone was taken, were called “preare” in local dialect. The local stones were used to separate the vineyards and also to build the terraces, allowing the vines to grow also on steep slopes.
The history of this wine is old, it dates back to the ancient Romans and the famous wine Retico highly praised and appreciated by the Latin poets. Symbol of the viticulture of the Valpolicella Classica based on the particular process of the naturally withering of the grapes, is considered to be origin of the Amarone.
It was in 1981 that the Marquis Lodovico Antinori, cousin of Piero Antinori, founded the Ornellaia Estate, in the heart of the Bolgheri area, a few kilometers from the Mediterranean coast. Thus, with the first harvest of 1985, what would become an icon among the SuperTuscans was born: the “Ornellaia”. With the inauguration of the company, the world-famous enologist, Michel Rolland, begins to deal with the technical part of the cellar. Subsequently, in the 90s the other two labels were born: “Le Volte” and “Le Serre Nuove”.
Instantly enjoyable, versatile and playful, Le Volte dell’Ornellaia is all about conviviality. This bright red wine opens the door to the world of Ornellaia and simply shares the passion for quality that is experienced every day on our estate and with every sip. Le Volte dell’ Ornellaia is a fine wine for spontaneous wine lovers and needs no ceremony.
The Miles from Nowhere name comes from the journey Franklin Tate’s ancestors made over 100 years ago from Eastern Europe to Australia: upon their arrival, they felt they had travelled “miles from nowhere”.
The philosophy of Miles from Nowhere is based on a passion for seeking out precious pockets of exceptional land and vineyards across the Margaret River region.
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon is created by selecting only the best individual panels and rows (the so called “Best Blocks“) from across 3 different sub-regions of Margaret River.
Cabernet Sauvignon is Margaret River’s classic variety, it represents where the region started.
As Margaret River continues to grow and develop, the love for Cabernet never changes, it is the soul of the community, and responsible to have put Margaret River on the map.
Back in 1985, good friends, Tim Murphy, Dale Goode, and Dave Ready, were deep in their weekly game of liar’s dice when an idea was formulated. On that particularly lively night, the trio decided to make their love of wine official.
They pooled their collective talents together and established Murphy-Goode, a serious winery built around a common concept: don’t take life so seriously. And they did a pretty “goode” job!
Thoughts from the Winemaker: “This is no wimpy Merlot. We make this wine to please even the finickiest of Cab drinkers. Look for aromas and flavors of black cherry, blueberry, and blackberry all tied together with just a kiss of toasty vanilla.” David Ready, Jr.
Back in 1985, good friends, Tim Murphy, Dale Goode, and Dave Ready, were deep in their weekly game of liar’s dice when an idea was formulated. On that particularly lively night, the trio decided to make their love of wine official.
They pooled their collective talents together and established Murphy-Goode, a serious winery built around a common concept: don’t take life so seriously. And they did a pretty “goode” job!
This Pinot Noir sources grapes throughout the coast of California, from the marine-influenced vineyards of Sonoma County down to hills of the idyllic Santa Barbara. Cool conditions in these prime growing spots keep grapes at a perfect balance between vibrant dark fruit character and bright acidity. Notes of vanilla from aging in French and American oak add complexity to the intense black cherry aromas and flavors.
Elaborated since the 2019 vintage, this Pauillac is a fruity, supple and well-balanced wine.
The grapes making up the blend of this cuvée come from young vines in the Tour Pibran and Château Pichon Baron vineyard, with clay-limestone and gravelly soil. These grapes are harvested, vinified and aged by the Château Pichon Baron team. They produce this Pauillac with the same standards of quality as their other wines in order to highlight this appellation.
Located at the heart of the vineyard of Alsace since 1957, Cave des Vignerons de Pfaffenheim has developed a taste for quality and innovation in line with its traditions and values.
This old vines Pinot noir unveils fresh aromas of berries and some notes of spices.
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