Made from Chardonnay verjus, the fresh juice from early harvested grapes, this cheerful bubbly is peachy clean, with an inner brightness and soft mousse that reveals lime chiffon.
Made from Chardonnay verjus, the fresh juice from early harvested grapes, this cheerful bubbly is peachy clean, with an inner brightness and soft mousse that reveals lime chiffon.
A low 11% abv, low sugar and only 97 calories define this crisp and refreshing sparkler. Notes of ripe lemon zest invigorate the palate.
Located in Tel Azekah in the Elah Valley, Five Stones Vineyard, on fertile alluvial soils, lies at the crossroads between Israel’s coastal plain and Jerusalem. This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot, and 10% Malbec. Flavors of cedar and blackberry merge into a suede-lined, opulence. Energetic, with a broad wash of black raspberry and cherry. Graphite, new leather, and sweet tobacco gather momentum, but the fruit dominates at the end.
A blend of 34% Shiraz, 31% Marselan, 18% Petite Sirah, with some Alicante Bouschet and Carignan shows how well Mediterranean varieties perform in this terroir. Bright raspberry and plum weaves through wet stone, garrigue, and hibiscus tea. Silky tannins offer a textural ideal, with exotic herbs and dried violets glistening, thanks to striking acidity.
A French-oak aged blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 23% Petit Verdot, and 16% Cabernet Franc. Notes of stony soil, cherry liqueur, mocha, dried roses, and sweet basil gain ground in this classy red. Acidity ramps up mid-point, gracing the palate with a fresh take on wild berries, cedar, and red tea leaves.
This blend of 95% Chardonnay and 5% Sauvignon Blanc is fermented and aged in 80% new French oak barrels. It certainly lives up to its name, its nobility adorning notes of toasted almond, lemon blossom, and butterscotch. Rich, with a leesy, lush finish.
Verging on full-bodied and bolstered by one-third of the juice having been aged in new French oak, this shows sweet black cherry and blackberry fruit with well-integrated wood notes.
Based on fruit sourced in equal portions from Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties, this is very solid Pinot for $13. Medium-bodied but neither over-ripe nor juked up with excess oak, it shows clear Pinot character with appealing delicacy but still plenty of flavor and structure.