Located in the heart of the Pessac-Léognan appellation and dating back to 1365, Château Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the oldest châteaux in Bordeaux. This magnificent property entered a new era in its history following its acquisition by Daniel and Florence Cathiard in 1990. Driven with passion and ambition by the Cathiards, Château Smith Haut Lafitte has established itself as one of the finest properties in the Graves region, with wines world-renowned for their elegance and style, both red and white.
The Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is is the second wine of Château Smith Haut Lafitte but produced and cared for with the same attention reserved for the château’s first wine. The château uses its own vines, thanks to a mother vine preserved in the nursery on Lalande Island.
For more info, visit Château Smith Haut Lafittewebsite.
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.
This Amarone truly expresses the company philosophy, shown through the wine’s balance between elegance and structure. Made from grapes grown in the Valpolicella Classica zone, which undergo “appassimento” (gentle drying) before ageing in large oak barrels for a minimum of 24 months and further maturation of 6-8 months in bottle.
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”.
Crafted from the same varieties, under the same sky, from the same philosophy: Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia is a proud second vin, which has the ability to foretell the personality of the estate’s flagship wine. Together, the two wines provide their own distinctive points of view. The pleasure of sipping Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia evolves over time, adding the charm of maturity to the vigour of youth.
“Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2020 unabashedly reveals generous aromas of ripe red fruit. Soft and enticing on the palate, showing phenomenal balance between body, fullness and elegance.” – Olga Fusari – Winemaker
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is one of the second wines of the property. Created since the 2012 vintage, it has a pure and direct character.
The grapes which make up this wine’s blend come primarily from gravelly plots of land near the Gironde estuary, a good environment for Cabernet-Sauvignon.
Les Griffons offers a vigorous and fresh tasting experience, full-bodied and clean, overflowing with energy.
It was in Latour de France that M.Chapoutier chose to set up his domain. The vines of Bila-Haut and Occultum Lapidem were the first expressions of this terroir. The story continued near a little village called Lesquerde. Steep, craggy limestone, arid soil, battered by the tramontane wind…
The vineyard of Occultum Lapidem is located on gneiss and schistous soils from the Devonian Period and limestone from Kimmeridgian Period.
For more info, visit M. Chapoutier – Domaine de Bila-Hautwebsite.
The story began with Michel Chapoutier, a unique man with a thirst for knowledge, definitely one of a kind. He seeks to discover and reflect the full potential of his terroirs and let the soils express their true character.
This now forms the basis of the M. CHAPOUTIER ethos to reveal the very best of what the soils have to offer.
The story began with Michel Chapoutier, a unique man with a thirst for knowledge, definitely one of a kind. He seeks to discover and reflect the full potential of his terroirs and let the soils express their true character.
This now forms the basis of the M. CHAPOUTIER ethos to reveal the very best of what the soils have to offer.
The Prestige line is M.Chapoutier’s heritage, representing classic Grands Crus signed Maison M. CHAPOUTIER and representative of their appellations in the Rhône Valley.
Made from 100% Syrah, the vines of Les Bécasses are grown on the South and South-East slopes, which allows the grape variety to express itself with great power and elegance, and deliver a wine of great finesse and good length.
Siepi, owned by Mazzei family since 1435, has always been a model farm, still managed today with the same kind of respect. A unique location, a special microclimate, the foresight in the early 1980s to plant Merlot as the ideal grape to complement Sangiovese in a very particular “terroir” produce a wine which is perfectly balanced between elegance, power and complexity.
“One of the 50 wines that changed Italy wine style” – Gambero Rosso
For generations, everything in the Moser family has revolved around wine and its associated traditions. It was Alfred Moser’s son, Gernot Moser, who integrated international standards into the lovingly managed family business, thus laying the foundations for the Moser philosophy that is lived in every fiber of the company today: quality takes time. And space.
Terra Austria is a selection of reserves, possibly with light barrique aging. The typicity of the region, the soil, the harmonious interplay of fruit, spice and acidity are reflected in these wines.
Tied to the Seigneuries of Lafite and Mouton (future First Classified Growths belonging to two different branches of the Rothschild family), Château Clerc Milon derives its name from its historic owners, the Clerc family, who acquired it when it was sold as a national asset after the French Revolution.
Living testimony to the considerable improvements in quality achieved at the property since the arrival of Baron Philippe and his descendants, Château Clerc Milon now has a second wine. Pastourelle de Clerc Milon has joined the dance and already accomplished its first very confident steps in the company of fine Pauillac wines. Its name comes from a traditional dance, the pastourelle, which evokes a knight’s romantic encounter with a shepherdess: the name echoes the pair of dancers that adorn the label of the Grand Vin. Made of gold, enamel and pearls, this precious miniature from the Museum of Wine in Art at Château Mouton Rothschild belonged to Catherine II, the empress of Russia, and is inspired by characters of the Commedia dell’Arte. Baroness Philippine de Rothschild chose it as the Clerc Milon emblem because of her love of the theatre.
2012 was a year of contrasts. The conditions of the vintage favoured superb expression of the Merlot, here mostly planted on clay-limestone parcels.
The PietraPura range is the result of the shared objectives of making the most of the native vines of the Salento area and of creating wines that express the very best of the terroir. Rocca delle Macìe has combined experience and expertise to create three different types of wine using Primitivo and Negroamaro grapes, which are vinified and bottled in the Puglia Region, under the watchful eye of the Zingarelli family’s chief winemaker, Luca Francioni.
The Primitivo grapes of this wine come from selected vineyards located in southern Puglia, where the traditional Alberello basso vine training method is employed.
The Reschke family first settled in the Limestone Coast district in 1906, establishing themselves as prime Hereford graziers. In 1989 Burke Reschke, fourth generation in the family decided to develop the farmland into vineyards, which in turn produced exceptional fruit, as well as a number of Australia’s icon wines.
Reschke is committed to producing superior wines from meticulously managed vineyards in the heart of Coonawarra. Optimal vineyard soils comprised of thin layers of rich red loams over ancient limestone provide the bare requirement for growth without indulging the grapevine’s natural tendency for vigour. Hungry soils combined with rigorous hand pruning restrict yields to ensure richly flavoured fruit. Reschke ‘Vitulus’, Latin, meaning ‘bull calf’, is skilfully crafted to drink well at release and reward those with patience from a short stay in the cellar.
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when Italo Zingarelli, a film-maker, producer and director, decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate, in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone and to produce wines that, thanks to their balance between the tannic structure, fruit and pleasantness, can be appreciated by young people and wines that are able to give over the years a great evolution.
The “Zingarelli Family” is the Classic Chianti of Rocca delle Macie which well represents the characteristics of this great wine area according to the interpretation of a winery in which tradition and experience blend with modern techniques.
This Chianti Classico Riserva is an harmonious blend of three vines mixed in different percentages, where Sangiovese has a majority, with good tannins and a rich and persistent finish.
This particular label and vintage celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Rocca delle Macìe, founded in 1973 by Italo Zingarelli.
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when Italo Zingarelli, a film-maker, producer and director, decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate, in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone and to produce wines that, thanks to their balance between the tannic structure, fruit and pleasantness, can be appreciated by young people and wines that are able to give over the years a great evolution.
Sasyr is a highly quaffable wine that is fruity and polished on the palate, with no sharp edges; well-rounded, sinuous, and immensely drinkable. Like all great women, it has character and personality, making for a complete, well-balanced wine. In relation to more ‘masculine’ wines that require specific matches to find a sense of equilibrium at the dinner table, Sasyr is a very versatile proposal that works well with all manner of dishes, but is also very pleasant on its own, accompanied only by some great music.
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when Italo Zingarelli, a film-maker, producer and director, decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate, in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone and to produce wines that, thanks to their balance between the tannic structure, fruit and pleasantness, can be appreciated by young people and wines that are able to give over the years a great evolution.
One of the two historic crus of the company, this wine is produced with grapes selected exclusively from Tenuta Sant’Alfonso.