First Drop The Cream Barossa Shiraz 2016
The Cream is blended at the optimum time from the best barrels from First Drop’s most prized vineyards to create the ultimate expression of Barossa Shiraz from the vintage. A rich, textured, seamless wine that combines power and elegance. It’s seductive, with a pedigree that will see it mature for a further 10 to 15 years. Indulge now or reward yourself later.
Single Vineyard Location:
35% Ebenezer
35% Greenock
30% Seppeltsfield
Colour: Black
Nose: Lifted black fruit aromas with hints of smoke, tar, leather, orals and Indian spices
Palate: Rich kirsch and black fruits, dark chocolate and licorice, balanced with textured, lingeringly seamless tannins
"A spicy and brambly nose showing lots of liqueur notes derived from fruits, such as blackberries, dark cherries and dark plums. A hint of ivy extract and licorice, too. The palate is very composed with a surprisingly vibrant line of acidity that runs right through the middle, carrying ripe but structured and firm tannins to the very nicely structured finish." - 95 points, James Suckling
First Drop Fat of the Land Barossa Shiraz – Ebenezer (Single Vineyard) 2015
The Barossa is an amazing place with a diverse history from which a great community has grown living o- the Fat of the Land. Famed for its Shiraz vineyards, some dating back to the 19th century, the wines from this small, but proud region are as unique and divergent as its history and community. One can make such varied expressions of Shiraz, due to the different meso-climates of each subregion, the elevation range, and the myriad of soil types that are to be found throughout the Barossa. The Fat of the Land series seeks to showcase the sub regions of the Barossa, and the contrasting styles of Shiraz that can be made here. Shiraz from a single vineyard in Seppeltsfield.
Colour: Dark kirsch
Nose: Lifted dark cherry aromas with notes of licorice and dark chocolate
Palate: Flavour packed with kirsch, prunes, dark chocolate and liquorice. Rich and muscular, like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"The nose is captivating here, offering up aromas of forest fruits, blueberries, sour cherries and a hint of walnut shell. Full body, structured and juicy tannins and a long finish. Everything is in balance and nothing's overdone. Drink now." - 94 points, James Suckling
"Offers toasty, cedary notes that lend a dominating spicy, tobacco-laced vibe to the core of plum and black cherry flavors. Finishes with licorice and toasty spice notes, and firming tannins. Drink now through 2028. 200 cases made, 50 cases imported." - MaryAnn Worobiec, Senior Editor and Napa Bureau Chief at Wine Spectator
First Drop 2% Barossa Shiraz 2019
Our reserve Shiraz is sourced from vineyards in Greenock (35%), Ebenezer (35%), Seppeltseld (30%). Dense dark berry fruits, with hints of tobacco and cocoa are further enhanced by subtle use of oak. This wine has been matured in 28% new French oak hogsheads and the balance in 3 and 4 year old French oak hogsheads and American oak barriques for 17 months sur lie, resulting in a sexy, textured palate. And who’s 2%? Moscatel! A splash of funk that supports the base line fruit, and puts the ‘ph’ in fat.
Colour: Dark plum
Nose: Lifted black fruit aromas with a hints of earth and spice
Palate: Rich, phat, dark berry fruits, with hints of dark chocolate and Indian ink, supported by a dense core of tannins.
"That’s two percent muscadelle for those playing at home, the rest is shiraz sourced from Ebenezer, Seppeltsfield and Greenock and aged in French oak (50% new). The split is roughly one-third each. The nose has a deeply spicy edge and aromas of ripe dark plums, blackberries and black cherries, as well as dark chocolate and currants. The palate has a wealth of rich black fruit and flavors of salted licorice, cocoa, blood plums and blackberries. Very concentrated. Drink over the next decade. Screw cap." - 94 points, James Suckling
Chateau Beychevelle 2018
Beychevelle 2018 can be characterized by two words: Harmony and Concentration. This vintage presents a balance rarely achieved at this stage. A bouquet of well-ripened red and black fruit invites us to sample the intense, harmonious palate. Very silky tannins accompanied by fruit bursting with freshness and concentration. 2018 will join the list of Château Beychevelle’s truly exceptional vintages.
Varietals: Merlot 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 41%, Petit Verdot 6%, Cabernet Franc 3%
"Violet and warm cassis aromas and flavors lead the way, melding with applewood, ganache, açaí and blueberry reduction notes along the way. Almost lush in the end, but there's a buried tarry streak giving it just a bit of grippy texture for contrast. Serious juice. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc." - 95 points, James Molesworth, Senior Editor and Special Projects Director at Wine Spectator
"Currants and blackberries with crushed stone and fresh herbs. Some flower stem, too. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and linear with firm, driven tannins. This needs four or five years of bottle age to open and come together. " - 94 points, James Suckling
Amuse Bouche Napa Valley Red Blend 2019
For the 2019 vintage of Amuse Bouche, it features the artwork by one the most prominent artists of our time. Françoise Gilot, born in 1921, is a decorated French painter perhaps best known for her long, stormy relationship with Pablo Picasso, with whom she had two children, Claude and Paloma. Gilot is highly regarded as an international artist of the second half of the twentieth century. She has exhibited her work for more than 50 years in the major art centers of Europe, Asia, and North America. She was awarded the French Order of Arts and Letters with rank of Commander in 1988, the French Legion of Honor with rank of Chevalier in 1990, and the rank of Officer in the National Order of Merit by the president of France in 1996.
Amuse Bouche 2019 is crafted in the Pomerol-style, is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc from our vineyards in the east Rutherford Hills of Napa Valley.
"The 2019 Amuse Bouche, a Right Bank-inspired Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend is superb. Expansive, sweet aromatics are immediately seductive. Silky tannins wrap around a core of plum fruit, sweet tobacco, chocolate, spice and leather. This wonderfully expressive, elegant Napa Valley red hits all the right notes in a mid-weight, nuanced style that is all class." - Antonio Galloni, January 2022
"This is a beautiful, juicy, merlot-based red with melted-chocolate and berry aromas and flavors. It’s full and creamy with lovely balance and attractive character, showing freshness and layers of fruit. Violets and berries at the end. Merlot and cabernet franc. Gorgeous. Drink or hold." - 95 points, James Suckling
Chateau de Pommard Clos Marey – Monge “Simone” 2019
Nestled at the foot of the Château de Pommard, Simone is a 0.53 hectare plot of remarkable terroir that embodies the soul of our domain. With one of the highest internal surface of clay in Burgundy, her Pinot Noir is delicate and intense. Planted in 1986, her vines produce a rich, complex, and rare cuvée. Hand-harvested grapes, hand-sorted on a vibrating table. 100% whole-cluster, placed into stainless steel fermentation vats by gravity flow. Weeks-long maceration, minimal pumping-over and punching-down. Pressing in pneumatic press. Placed in 20% new French oak barrels for 18 months of aging on fine lees. Light filtration.
Tasting Notes: Deep, dark ruby color with hints of violet. The nose is electric and full of energy. Captivating aromatic bouquet of fresh roses, dried flowers, musk, undergrowth, and graphite. Fresh and vibrant, this very special cuvée will undoubtedly express the same energy for the next 30 years.
Food Pairing: Beef, Veal, Game, Poultry
Chateau de Pommard Clos Marey – Monge “Simone” 2018
Famille Carabello-Baum and Château de Pommard are thrilled to reveal Simone 2018, the newest vintage of the estate’s iconic wine from the Clos Marey-Monge. With 1,800 bottles produced in the most generous years, Simone is the family’s rarest cuvée—available by allocation only.
The delicacy, intensity, and structure of a red wine strongly depend on the quality of the internal surface of clay contained in the soil. The higher the internal density, the more a vineyard can produce grand cuvées. With an internal surface density of 736 square meters per gram, Simone holds Burgundy’s record, beating the greatest Grands Crus of the region. Why force Nature? Château de Pommard’s winemaker is convinced that this rich and intense Pinot Noir does not need human intervention to express itself fully.
“Powerful and delicate, our Simone 2018 is adorned with a dark, deep ruby color and violet undertones. The nose is electric, full of energy. It distills a captivating aromatic bouquet of fresh roses, dried flowers, musk, undergrowth, and graphite. The palate is fresh and vibrant: this wine is alive. The very tight tannic structure is remarkably silky and velvety. With its long, vibrant, and saline finish, this very deep cuvée will offer the same energy for the next 30 years.” - Château de Pommard
Chateau de Pommard Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2020
"Such a lovely cassis and framboise nose that you'd need to have a problem with red or dry wine not to fall in love with this. Not one of the biggest 2020s in Burgundy, but the balance and texture of this are so beautiful. Such delicate sweetness and spice. Very long, structured yet silky finish. Drink or hold." - 96 points, James Suckling
Food Pairing: Beef, Veal, Game (deer, venison), Poultry
Chateau de Pommard Vougeot Premier Cru “Les Petits Vougeot” 2020
Surrounded by two prestigious Grands Crus, “Les Petits Vougeots” is a tiny and highly sought-after vineyard in the Côte de Nuits and an excellent representation of the outstanding quality of the Vougeot appellation. Its marl and limestone-rich soils lend delicacy and depth to the wine.
- Hand-harvested grapes
- Long maceration over several weeks, minimal pumpingover and punching-down
- Pressing in pneumatic press
- Placed in French oak barrels for aging on fine lees
- Light filtration before bottling
Our Vougeot Premier Cru “Les Petits Vougeots” 2020 is an elegant and complex wine. Behind its intense ruby color, It shows a fruity nose reminiscent of blackcurrant and blackberry, with notes of laurel and elderberry. The palate is rich and elegant, with perfectly-integrated tannins. The delicate finish is highly persistent.
Chateau de Pommard Clos Marey Monge – Chantrerie 2018
Some of the oldest vines in Clos Marey-Monge, Chantrerie’s 2.41hectares of marly-clay soils produce a dark, rich and deep PinotNoir with a sweet palate. Known as the spirit of our vineyard, this old Lady benefits from one of the largest internal surfaces of clay in the Côte d’Or, worthy of a Grand Cru, just behind Simone’s record.
Hand-harvested grapes, hand-sorted on a vibrating table. 100% de-stemmed, placed into stainless steel fermentation vats by gravity flow. Weeks-long maceration, minimal pumping-over and punching-down. Pressing in pneumatic press. Placed in French oak barrels for aging on fine lees. Light filtration.
Tasting Notes: Behind its intense ruby-purple color, our Chantrerie 2018 hides an aromatic bouquet marked by flowers and black fruits, revealing the feminine side of Pommard. On the palate, the tannins are dense and velvety. Lively and energetic, this exceptional cuvée has a long, mineral finish with saline notes. Generous and undeniably elegant, it will evolve gracefully over the coming decades.
Recommended Serving Temperature: 16°C
Food Pairing: Beef, Veal, Game, Poultry
Chateau de Pommard Clos Marey – Monge Monopole 2015
The largest monopole in Burgundy, Clos Marey-Monge benefits from a unique environment, protected by a two-meter stone wall. Positioned at the base of the Pommard hill, the complexity of our vineyard’s soils come from the alluvial, sand and gravel carried along by the Avant-Dheune river thousand years ago.
Hand-harvested grapes, hand-sorted on a vibrating table. 100% de-stemmed, placed into stainless steel fermentation vats by gravity flow. Weeks-long maceration, minimal pumping-over, and punching-down. Pressing in pneumatic press. Placed in French oak barrels for aging on fine lees. Light filtration.
Tasting Notes: Our Clos Marey-Monge Monopole 2015 is everything a Burgundy Pinot Noir from a great vintage should be: power and elegance in perfect harmony. From the brilliant ruby color to the plush, concentrated fruit to the dense, chewy tannins - this wine has it all. Decanting this youthful Pommard is highly recommended to fully enjoy an aromatic symphony of black currant, blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry supported by warm spices, roasted coffee, and herbal, earthy notes of mint, tobacco, and forest floor. The mouth-watering acidity and luxuriant finish leave no doubt that our Clos Marey-Monge Monopole 2015 is truly a grand Pinot to enjoy now or easily cellar for a decade - if you’re patient enough to wait.
"Beautiful on the nose with so much perfume and brightness with ripe strawberries, cedar and dried flowers that follow through to a full body, layers of ripe tannins and a long, flavorful finish. So delicious now, but a long life ahead of it. Drink or hold." - 95 points, James Suckling
Chateau de Pommard Clos Marey – Monge Monopole 2011
Clos Marey-Monge is a collection of different micro-climates and soil types. Each of our seven terroirs – Simone, Nicolas-Joseph, Grands Esprits, Chantrerie, 75 Rangs, Micault, and Émilie – is a different composition of limestone, iron-rich clay, alluvium and other minerals essential to Pinot Noir. Clos Marey-Monge sits on top of the Avant-Dheune Valley dejection cone, a geological structure that allows even greater Pinot Noir growing conditions to flourish. It produces a straight Pinot Noir with firm tannins and potential for long aging.
On the nose, it has earthy, herbal aromas with notes of red fruits. On the palate, hints of cedar, red cherry, and strawberries.
Foor Pairing: A great accompaniment to fish, game meats and poultry.