Luce Brunello is the estate’s tribute to one of Italy’s crowning jewels of wine production. Of the 217 acres of vineyards at Luce, 27 are are officially listed in the Register for Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. It is an exquisitely balanced wine, gentle and yet powerful, and is produced in very small quantities to showcase the unique character of a pure Sangiovese  from the estate and to pay tribute to the tradition of winemaking excellence in Montalcino.

From a wine of utter charm, La Fleur-Petrus has through the developments of the last 20 years become a wine of profound depth and complexity, all the while retaining its irresistible, seductive edge. You could even call it the archetype of  Pomerol.

Today the estate is composed 90% of Merlot with an average vine age of 30 years and 10% of Cabernet Franc with an average vine age of 50 years. Christian Moueix’ obsessive work in the vineyard focuses on sap flow and the treatment of each vine individually. In the cellar, vinifications are extremely precise but quite traditional.

Château La Serre has an exceptional position in the very heart of Saint-Emilion, six hundred feet from the town ramparts of this magical UNESCO protected area, on outstanding limestone soils with a due south exposure.  The history of the property dates to the 15th century, with the residence constructed at the end of the 17th century by a prominent local family.  Arnaud d’Arfeuille’s grandfather purchased the property in 1956, and his father Luc in particular worked on renovating the vineyards and cellars to produce wine equal to its terroir.

The estate spreads over 18 acres between Villemaurine and Trottevieille, on shallow clay over limestone – the road dividing the two major vineyard parcels on Château La Serre is in fact blocked off, since there is an old limestone quarry below the vineyard and it’s dangerous for cars to drive over it. The vineyards consist of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc with an average vine age of 35 years.

La Serre is one of the absolute little gems of Saint-Emilion.

The heat and sun of the vintage produced exceptional wines in Saint-Emilion, with fruit, depth and balance in abundance.  In the perfectly proportioned cellar, optical sorting was followed by a pre-fermentation cold soak, fermentation in concrete tank, and aging for around 16 months in a majority of new oak.

This elegant, traditional style Brunello is produced at a mid-sized estate located in the southern hills of Montalcino, between the towns of Sant’ Angelo in Colle and Castelnuovo dell’Abate, one of the most quintessentially picturesque areas in Tuscany.

The Synthesi Aglianico del Vulture is true to its name: the word means “synthesis,” and the wine is made from grapes grown in different sections of the Vulture region. Synthesi is an Aglianico intended for drinking young, and is an excellently priced example of what the grape is all about. 

Sandrone’s Dolcetto d’Alba is produced using Dolcetto grapes from 11 different vineyards, all within the Barolo DOCG. Sandrone’s Dolcetto sees no time in wood and is a remarkably robust and complex example of the variety.

Ornellaia is the estate’s “Grand Vin,” with exceptional balance, power, elegance, and great aging potential. It faithfully reflects, in every vintage, its nature, site, and distinctive Mediterranean personality, and has established itself as one of the most iconic wines in Italy (and beyond).

Ferren’s Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a barrel select blend of all all the single vineyard Chardonnays. No less astounding in texture, depth or acidity, it is simply barrels that offer more in their youth and the tiniest touch less oak.

Baumard’s Savennières are enthralling. The piercing minerality offset by a deep ripeness, the distinct flavors of stone fruits, spices and honeyed notes. The fabulous pleasure they offer when young, and their ability to age seemingly forever: these are special wines, appreciated at the most basic level, and revered by the most knowledgeable.

Savennières is a tiny region located on the northern banks of the Loire River, just across from the town of Rochefort Sur Loire.  The entire appellation consists of fewer than 360 acres of vines, all planted to Chenin Blanc.  The South/Southeast facing vineyards are planted on unique soils composed of schistous volcanic debris mixed with sandstone and granite, imparting a strong, intensely original minerality to the Chenin Blanc grape.  The average yields for the appellation are well below permitted levels, and actually the lowest of any dry french white wines; the resulting wines have stunning concentration and perfume.  The combination of this concentration with the naturally high acidity of the Chenin Blanc grape results in wines capable of lasting and improving for decades.

The wines at Chateau Montelena are often described as having classic “old-world” structure with ripe California fruit, and the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is emblematic of this style. These wines tend to have more acid and more moderate alcohol levels as compared to some of the “cult” Cabs. This combination of classic chemistry and California sunshine allows them to offer immediate pleasure and complexity on release, and the ability to develop beautifully.

The wine is crafted from Montelena estate and prime neighboring vineyards located in the northern end of the Napa Valley, in and around Calistoga, next to primary or secondary tributaries of the Napa River. More specifically, each site has been selected for its alluvium soil profile, which provides an earthy, complex and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is softened by the judicious addition of Merlot, more than the Estate Cabernet, and is aged similarly to the Estate Cabernet, just a few months fewer, and it requires fewer months in barrel before release.

Amarone Riserva “Ca ‘Florian” is made with selected grapes from one of the oldest vineyards owned by the Tommasi family, with vines averaging 30 years. This “Cru” or “Climat,“ as one would say in Burgundy, is characterized by its “simplicity and elegance,” with notes of cherry and typical black cherries of the valley of Marano, but also the sweet spices and greater structure and elegance common to the Valley of Negrar, which give it the ability to age for the long term.

The Ca’ Florian vineyard is a 12 acre parcel that lies on the Pedemonte hills surrouding the winery in San Pietro in Cariano, and has a south-western exposure. It is a terraced vineyard whose vines are trained using the traditional pergola veronese system. The soils are mostly cretaceous and calcareous.

After harvesting and manual selection, the grapes are laid down in boxes of 5 to 6 kg and naturally dried in the fruttaio for 4 months. They are gently pressed the following January and slowly fermented on the skins using indigenous yeasts, a process lasting  about 30 days. The wine is aged first in tonneau for one year and then for 3 years in Slavonian casks. It then sees one additional year of bottle aging. The 2011 vintage is a blend of 75% Corvina, 15% Corvinone, and 10% Rondinella.

Grown mostly on the Devonian slate soils that characterize the Saar, this feinherb (half-dry) Riesling shows intense aromatics of stone fruit, which are carried through by a subtle sweetness on the palate. As with all of Roman’s wines, indigenous yeasts are used for long, cold fermentations. It’s structure and bright acidity make it a true overachiever, and a worthy entry point to this ambitious lineup.

Named for the iron-rich “red slate” which characterizes the top sites in the Wiltingen Grosse Lagen, this slightly off-dry style is the perfect blend of ripe fruit, invigorating minerality and bright acid. It’s an especially potent partner for spicy and delicate flavors.

The Ockfener Bockstein is a beautiful single vineyard hillside made up mostly of devonian slate, with streaks of greywacke running through it. Replete with ripe citrus and tropical fruit, the wine displays beautiful texture and weight that is perfectly balanced by it’s racey acidity.

This Grand Cru site is marked by a distinctive red slate that brings an almost smoky minerality. Notes of white pepper, and dried herbs accompany ripe stone fruit in this uniquely complex bottling.

As the flagship of the estate, Decero Amano takes its name from our “amano” or “by hand” approach. Each year, the wine is masterfully blended using the most distinctive parcels from the Remolinos Vineyard. A blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Tannat, the wine is characterized by its warm aromas of leather, liquorice and baked black plum. World-renowned wine critic, Luis Gutierrez, of The Wine Advocate, once described the wine as “pure silk, with a kind of Audrey Hepburn perfection.”

ISKRA is the Serbian word for “spark,” and Gianni Masciarelli dedicated this wine to his wife, Marina Cvetic, who is from Serbia. It is among the Marina Cvetic line of wines, which Gianni created for his wife. Made from a single-vineyard cru of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, ISKRA is a wine of extraordinary distinction and depth.

The Trebbiano Riserva Marina Cvetic represents the ultimate expression for the estate of one of the historical vines of Abruzzo.  Like Montepulciano, Trebbiano was once thought to be a workhorse grape without the potential to produce great wine. The interpretation of this wine is original and has a character. Marina Cvetic wines have full body and are elegant and are a “lone voice” for the most demanding and technical experts.

Chanson’s regional wine, Viré Clessé is one of the best white wines of the region, combining suppleness and minerality. The appellation lies in the heart of the Mâcon appellation in the south of Burgundy. The two villages, Viré and Clessé form a unique terroir on south-east facing slopes. In Viré, the soil is chalky with large layers of clay. In Clessé, the soil structure is slightly different, with a combination of chalk and clay mixed with liasic marls combined with oyster-fossils, giving the wine an underlying minerality. It’s produced from a combination of Chardonnay and Chardonnay Muscaté grapes. 

The Poggio al Tufo Cabernet Sauvignon  comes from the Rompicollo vineyard in Pitigliano, a town near the Tuscan coast known for its volcanic soil which contains a high concentration of tufo, a particular type of volcanic rock. The wine is a deep ruby red and opens with complex aromas of blackberry jam, black pepper, licorice, vanilla, and balsamic herbs. The palate is enveloping and full-bodied, with velvety tannins integrated with a pleasant freshness.