Sonoma County
2018 Soliste, L’Esperance Pinot Noir, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage production: 143 cases
The fruit for L'Esperance come from Soliste's 'founding' Sonatera Vineyard. It is one of those unique vineyard sites that truly exemplifies the... Soliste philosophy and style. The hilltop site has three different exposures, north, south, and west. This geography funnels brisk marine winds over the vines reducing vigour, extending the ripening period of the grapes, and allowing distinctive aromatics to develop.
£770 / Case£64.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £962.45 / Case, £80.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Soliste, L’Esperance Pinot Noir, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage production: 143 cases
The fruit for L'Esperance come from Soliste's 'founding' Sonatera Vineyard. It is one of those unique vineyard sites that truly exemplifies the... Soliste philosophy and style. The hilltop site has three different exposures, north, south, and west. This geography funnels brisk marine winds over the vines reducing vigour, extending the ripening period of the grapes, and allowing distinctive aromatics to develop.
£66 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £82.40 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Soliste, Forêt Pinot Noir, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage Production: 117 cases
Forêt comes from a magnificent secluded vineyard near Occidental. The hillside vineyard has a northeastern exposure, a very steep slope, and is... in the middle of a spectacular redwood forest. Just 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean on the western coastal range, is perhaps the most visually stunning vineyard which Soliste uses – the depth of aromatics and spice in Forêt are a pure reflection of this truly unique vineyard’s site, slope, climate, and clone.
Don Plumley & Claude Koeberle: "Deep hues of dark plums, cassis, boysenberries with brilliant amethyst gemstone, showing specs of skin pulp and minerals, which denotes whole cluster press extraction. Forêt’s alluring nose is a complex bouquet of blackcurrants, graphite mineral, black pepper, plums, Bing cherries, interlaced redwood pine needles. As the wines open up, profound aromas of dark fruit compote, licorice, spiked with Alpine forest smells, burnt orange peel, elevate the wine to an Amaro like infusion. Decanting is a must for this wine to appreciate all of its subtilities. The front palate is exceptionally voluptuous and textural, with pure concentration of blackberries, dark cherries, boysenberries, and candied violets, all lifted by dried herbal and evergreen forest. The mid-palate possesses an immensely concentrated core of dark fruit compote, framed by the rich structuring tannins created by our commitment to the whole cluster press. As the wine opens up, the luscious, exotic dark fruit elixir is layered with pulpy tannins adding earthy tones, gaminess, exotic spices, mint, and black pepper, all in perfect harmony. The finish is impressive in its length, focus and complexity. The whole clusters are definitely present, chewy, grippy, pulling the richness of the fruit into an aristocratic elegance. Bright acidity of red tart cherries, cranberry, and violet, infused with wet stone minerals lift the mid-palate fruit density, elongating the wine into a perpetual finish."
£770 / Case£64.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £962.45 / Case, £80.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Soliste, Forêt Pinot Noir, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage Production: 117 cases
Forêt comes from a magnificent secluded vineyard near Occidental. The hillside vineyard has a northeastern exposure, a very steep slope, and is... in the middle of a spectacular redwood forest. Just 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean on the western coastal range, is perhaps the most visually stunning vineyard which Soliste uses – the depth of aromatics and spice in Forêt are a pure reflection of this truly unique vineyard’s site, slope, climate, and clone.
Don Plumley & Claude Koeberle: "Deep hues of dark plums, cassis, boysenberries with brilliant amethyst gemstone, showing specs of skin pulp and minerals, which denotes whole cluster press extraction. Forêt’s alluring nose is a complex bouquet of blackcurrants, graphite mineral, black pepper, plums, Bing cherries, interlaced redwood pine needles. As the wines open up, profound aromas of dark fruit compote, licorice, spiked with Alpine forest smells, burnt orange peel, elevate the wine to an Amaro like infusion. Decanting is a must for this wine to appreciate all of its subtilities. The front palate is exceptionally voluptuous and textural, with pure concentration of blackberries, dark cherries, boysenberries, and candied violets, all lifted by dried herbal and evergreen forest. The mid-palate possesses an immensely concentrated core of dark fruit compote, framed by the rich structuring tannins created by our commitment to the whole cluster press. As the wine opens up, the luscious, exotic dark fruit elixir is layered with pulpy tannins adding earthy tones, gaminess, exotic spices, mint, and black pepper, all in perfect harmony. The finish is impressive in its length, focus and complexity. The whole clusters are definitely present, chewy, grippy, pulling the richness of the fruit into an aristocratic elegance. Bright acidity of red tart cherries, cranberry, and violet, infused with wet stone minerals lift the mid-palate fruit density, elongating the wine into a perpetual finish."
£66 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £82.40 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Vérité, Assortment Case, Sonoma County 3x75cl
Case contains 1x75cl each: Le Désir 2019, La Joie 2019, and La Muse 2019
With scores of 100/99/99 points from The Wine Advocate, and 100/100/98+ from The Wine Independent, the 2019s are three... sensational wines that offer a remarkable vinous journey through Sonoma's greatest terroir.
Founded and developed by pioneer vintner Jess Jackson, the goal of Vérité was to focus on exploring the identity of eastern-Sonoma's hillside vineyards through combining expectational sites across to showcase terroir and vintage characteristics to the highest standard.
Jackson's first-choice to head the project renowned St. Emilion winemaker Pierre Seillan, who arrived for the first vintage in 1998. They both took inspiration from the most famous Châteaux of Pomerol to craft a distinctly 'Sonoma' Merlot that could stand proudly aside it's French cousins - La Muse. It was such a resounding success and led them to explore more micro 'Grand Crus' along the mountainous eastern portion of Sonoma. They soon developed a Cabaret Sauvignon based cuvée that was a dead ringer for the greats of Pauillac - La Joie - and a Cabernet Franc led blend inspired by the modern classics of St. Emilion - Le Désir.
Now, with significant input from Pierre's daughter, the uber-talented Hélène Seillan, the 2019s have transcended any comparison to Bordeaux to stand among the most exceptional and striking examples of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot in Northern California.
£1,230 / Case£410 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,485.61 / Case, £495.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Aperture, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillon
Production: 1,808 cases
Aperture's Sauvignon Blanc was originally inspired by winemaker Jesse Katz’s experience working at Bordeaux First-Growth, Château... Haut-Brion in Bordeaux. His unique barrel program provides the wine with a distinct complexity and a subtle weight on the palate.
The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is the first vintage to include Estate-grown Sémillion and Sauvignon Musqué, planted on the Aperture property in 2019. These two estate blocks were hand-harvested in early September while fruit from Dry Stack Vineyard in the Bennett Valley AVA was brought in
in early October, consistent with this vineyard’s unique late-ripening characteristics.
1/3 New French oak, 1/3 once used French Oak, and the remaining neutral French oak was selected for this vintage’s barrel program. Once transferred to barrel, the wine was placed in a cold barrel room to keep fermentation cool and slow to intentionally preserve the bright aromatics and fresh quality. As the wine slowly fermented for an additional 3 weeks in barrel, it was topped and stirred weekly. The wine stayed in those same barrels for 6 months. At that point, Jesse stopped the fermentation in order to maintain the wine’s natural bright acidity.
£505 / Case£42.08 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £644.45 / Case, £53.70 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Aperture, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillon
Production: 1,808 cases
Aperture's Sauvignon Blanc was originally inspired by winemaker Jesse Katz’s experience working at Bordeaux First-Growth, Château... Haut-Brion in Bordeaux. His unique barrel program provides the wine with a distinct complexity and a subtle weight on the palate.
The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is the first vintage to include Estate-grown Sémillion and Sauvignon Musqué, planted on the Aperture property in 2019. These two estate blocks were hand-harvested in early September while fruit from Dry Stack Vineyard in the Bennett Valley AVA was brought in
in early October, consistent with this vineyard’s unique late-ripening characteristics.
1/3 New French oak, 1/3 once used French Oak, and the remaining neutral French oak was selected for this vintage’s barrel program. Once transferred to barrel, the wine was placed in a cold barrel room to keep fermentation cool and slow to intentionally preserve the bright aromatics and fresh quality. As the wine slowly fermented for an additional 3 weeks in barrel, it was topped and stirred weekly. The wine stayed in those same barrels for 6 months. At that point, Jesse stopped the fermentation in order to maintain the wine’s natural bright acidity.
£43 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £54.80 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2022 Bevan Cellars, Dry Stack Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage production: n/a
The Dry Stack Vineyard rests 170 metres above sea level on the eastern slope of Mt. Taylor in Bennett Valley, towards the more elevated eastern... reaches of Sonoma County. The soils are marine clay and loam with gravel throughout which brings minerality, while the cool climate provides lift and vibrancy. Russell uses a touch of French Oak to add texture and depth, making sure that the wine is all about rich aromas and pure, intense fruit. This is a Summer-showstopper and simply has to be experienced.
Russel Bevan: "Gold...pure gold in a glass. This years Dry Stack stands apart from previous vintages in it's sophistication. It highlights the aromatic characteristics and mouth-watering flavors, while staying true to our rich, expressive, bold style of winemaking. Notes of bosc pears, melon and fresh Meyer lemon balance the dazzling acidity. Minimal french oak influence on the wine offers a hint of fresh cedar and shortbread on the finish. This wine screams for grilled figs with goat cheese, drizzled in orange blossom honey."
£425 / Case£35.42 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £555.50 / Case, £46.29 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2022 Bevan Cellars, Dry Stack Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage production: n/a
The Dry Stack Vineyard rests 170 metres above sea level on the eastern slope of Mt. Taylor in Bennett Valley, towards the more elevated eastern... reaches of Sonoma County. The soils are marine clay and loam with gravel throughout which brings minerality, while the cool climate provides lift and vibrancy. Russell uses a touch of French Oak to add texture and depth, making sure that the wine is all about rich aromas and pure, intense fruit. This is a Summer-showstopper and simply has to be experienced.
Russel Bevan: "Gold...pure gold in a glass. This years Dry Stack stands apart from previous vintages in it's sophistication. It highlights the aromatic characteristics and mouth-watering flavors, while staying true to our rich, expressive, bold style of winemaking. Notes of bosc pears, melon and fresh Meyer lemon balance the dazzling acidity. Minimal french oak influence on the wine offers a hint of fresh cedar and shortbread on the finish. This wine screams for grilled figs with goat cheese, drizzled in orange blossom honey."
£37 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £48.19 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2020 Argot, Bastard Tongue Pinot Noir, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage Production: 200 cases
The Bastard Tongue Pinot Noir is a barrel selection of the top parcels of Sonoma Pinot Noir from Argot's single-vineyard portfolio. The fruit is... sourced from cool-climate sites that Justin has worked with for the past decade. Each one was chosen for its distinct soils and expression of Sonoma County's terroir. The 2020 spent 22 months in 100% new French oak.
£850 / Case£70.83 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,067.09 / Case, £88.92 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2020 Argot, Bastard Tongue Pinot Noir, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage Production: 200 cases
The Bastard Tongue Pinot Noir is a barrel selection of the top parcels of Sonoma Pinot Noir from Argot's single-vineyard portfolio. The fruit is... sourced from cool-climate sites that Justin has worked with for the past decade. Each one was chosen for its distinct soils and expression of Sonoma County's terroir. The 2020 spent 22 months in 100% new French oak.
£71 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £89.12 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Mauritson Wines, Loam Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production: 170 cases
Mauritson's vision for LOAM is simple: to produce exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons in Sonoma County by cultivating exemplary vineyards defined by... their soil. All wines in the LOAM series are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% identical clone and rootstock - but embody the single variable of the soil in which they were grown.
LOAM Cabernet Sauvignon is Mauritson's proprietary blend of grapes sourced from vineyards planted in Positas, Suther, and Clough soils. It is composed of the best vineyards, grown in the best soil, from the best appellations. Perfectly structured, LOAM balances the brightness and focused tannins of hillside fruit with the dense, rich characteristics of fruit grown in the ancient riverbed and valley floor soils.
Four Corners Wine: "A real 'WOW' Cabernet! Rich and intense on the nose with bags of grilled herbs meat juices, an almost compote/red wine jus note, a touch of caramelised mushroom, and a core of pure blackcurrant. On the palate it's extremely refined, youthful, and pure, with a juicy core boasting great depth and texture. It's an intense Cabernet, hugely appealing and distinct in its character. Stunning now, easier 15+ years of cellaring potential too." (Dec. 2022)
£84 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £104.54 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Mauritson Wines, Loam Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production: 170 cases
Mauritson's vision for LOAM is simple: to produce exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons in Sonoma County by cultivating exemplary vineyards defined by... their soil. All wines in the LOAM series are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% identical clone and rootstock - but embody the single variable of the soil in which they were grown.
LOAM Cabernet Sauvignon is Mauritson's proprietary blend of grapes sourced from vineyards planted in Positas, Suther, and Clough soils. It is composed of the best vineyards, grown in the best soil, from the best appellations. Perfectly structured, LOAM balances the brightness and focused tannins of hillside fruit with the dense, rich characteristics of fruit grown in the ancient riverbed and valley floor soils.
Four Corners Wine: "A real 'WOW' Cabernet! Rich and intense on the nose with bags of grilled herbs meat juices, an almost compote/red wine jus note, a touch of caramelised mushroom, and a core of pure blackcurrant. On the palate it's extremely refined, youthful, and pure, with a juicy core boasting great depth and texture. It's an intense Cabernet, hugely appealing and distinct in its character. Stunning now, easier 15+ years of cellaring potential too." (Dec. 2022)
£995 / Case£82.92 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,238.93 / Case, £103.24 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2016 Melka, Mekerra Proprietary Red, Sonoma County 1x75cl
£135 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £165.97 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Scherrer, Scherrer Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Production: 136 cases
From the family’s hillside Scherrer Vineyard in the far north of Alexander Valley, this sublime Chardonnay has a signature lime note and a leaner,... higher acidity, offering an intense and complex wine. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed to French oak cooperage, where primary and malolactic fermentation occurred. All of these elements were allowed to integrate during its more than yearlong residence in wood. It was bottled without fining or filtration to respect both its delicacy and its more substantial qualities.
£37 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £47.60 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Scherrer, Scherrer Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Production: 136 cases
From the family’s hillside Scherrer Vineyard in the far north of Alexander Valley, this sublime Chardonnay has a signature lime note and a leaner,... higher acidity, offering an intense and complex wine. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed to French oak cooperage, where primary and malolactic fermentation occurred. All of these elements were allowed to integrate during its more than yearlong residence in wood. It was bottled without fining or filtration to respect both its delicacy and its more substantial qualities.
£440 / Case£36.67 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £566.45 / Case, £47.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2015 Soliste, L’Esperance Pinot Noir, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage Production: 75 cases
The fruit for L'Esperance come from Soliste's 'founding' Sonatera Vineyard. It is one of those unique vineyard sites that truly exemplifies the... Soliste philosophy and style. The hilltop site has three different exposures, north, south, and west. This geography funnels brisk marine winds over the vines reducing vigour, extending the ripening period of the grapes, and allowing distinctive aromatics to develop.
£65 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £81.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2016 Soliste, Forêt Pinot Noit, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage Production: 193 cases
Forêt comes from a magnificent secluded vineyard near Occidental. The hillside vineyard has a northeastern exposure, a very steep slope, and is... in the middle of a spectacular redwood forest. Just 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean on the western coastal range, is perhaps the most visually stunning vineyard which Soliste uses – the depth of aromatics and spice in Forêt are a pure reflection of this truly unique vineyard’s site, slope, climate, and clone.
Don Plumley & Claude Koeberle: "Deep hues of dark plums, cassis, boysenberries with brilliant amethyst gemstone, showing specs of skin pulp and minerals, which denotes whole cluster press extraction. Forêt’s alluring nose is a complex bouquet of blackcurrants, graphite mineral, black pepper, plums, Bing cherries, interlaced redwood pine needles. As the wines open up, profound aromas of dark fruit compote, licorice, spiked with Alpine forest smells, burnt orange peel, elevate the wine to an Amaro like infusion. Decanting is a must for this wine to appreciate all of its subtilities. The front palate is exceptionally voluptuous and textural, with pure concentration of blackberries, dark cherries, boysenberries, and candied violets, all lifted by dried herbal and evergreen forest. The mid-palate possesses an immensely concentrated core of dark fruit compote, framed by the rich structuring tannins created by our commitment to the whole cluster press. As the wine opens up, the luscious, exotic dark fruit elixir is layered with pulpy tannins adding earthy tones, gaminess, exotic spices, mint, and black pepper, all in perfect harmony. The finish is impressive in its length, focus and complexity. The whole clusters are definitely present, chewy, grippy, pulling the richness of the fruit into an aristocratic elegance. Bright acidity of red tart cherries, cranberry, and violet, infused with wet stone minerals lift the mid-palate fruit density, elongating the wine into a perpetual finish."
£65 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £81.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2016 Soliste, Forêt Pinot Noit, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage Production: 193 cases
Forêt comes from a magnificent secluded vineyard near Occidental. The hillside vineyard has a northeastern exposure, a very steep slope, and is... in the middle of a spectacular redwood forest. Just 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean on the western coastal range, is perhaps the most visually stunning vineyard which Soliste uses – the depth of aromatics and spice in Forêt are a pure reflection of this truly unique vineyard’s site, slope, climate, and clone.
Don Plumley & Claude Koeberle: "Deep hues of dark plums, cassis, boysenberries with brilliant amethyst gemstone, showing specs of skin pulp and minerals, which denotes whole cluster press extraction. Forêt’s alluring nose is a complex bouquet of blackcurrants, graphite mineral, black pepper, plums, Bing cherries, interlaced redwood pine needles. As the wines open up, profound aromas of dark fruit compote, licorice, spiked with Alpine forest smells, burnt orange peel, elevate the wine to an Amaro like infusion. Decanting is a must for this wine to appreciate all of its subtilities. The front palate is exceptionally voluptuous and textural, with pure concentration of blackberries, dark cherries, boysenberries, and candied violets, all lifted by dried herbal and evergreen forest. The mid-palate possesses an immensely concentrated core of dark fruit compote, framed by the rich structuring tannins created by our commitment to the whole cluster press. As the wine opens up, the luscious, exotic dark fruit elixir is layered with pulpy tannins adding earthy tones, gaminess, exotic spices, mint, and black pepper, all in perfect harmony. The finish is impressive in its length, focus and complexity. The whole clusters are definitely present, chewy, grippy, pulling the richness of the fruit into an aristocratic elegance. Bright acidity of red tart cherries, cranberry, and violet, infused with wet stone minerals lift the mid-palate fruit density, elongating the wine into a perpetual finish."
£770 / Case£64.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £962.45 / Case, £80.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days