The Wine Gift Shop

Red Wine by Ridge from Santa Cruz Mountains, California. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc After natural primary and secondary fermentations ended, Ridge began assembling this outstanding Santa Cruz Mountains. Based on blind tastings, they included selected portions of the early-ripening Merlot and the last-picked Cabernet, all of the first press, and the richest of the second. By April, assemblage was complete. Twenty-two months in air-dried American oak has integrated the wine. It is beautifully balanced, and can be enjoyed now, yet will develop still greater complexity with five to ten years of bottle age.

Red Wine by Rodney Strong from Sonoma County, California. Blend: 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot Celebrating the esteemed art of blending, the spirit of Symmetry is the true essence of Sonoma County winemaking. With nearly 40 years experience growing classic French grape varieties here, Rodney Strong selects their best Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other traditional Bordeaux grapes from mountain and hillside vineyards in Alexander Valley, where well-drained rocky soils combine with warm, sunny days and cool nights to provide ideal growing conditions. The 2004 Symmetry greets you with an opulent bouquet of blackberries, ripe dark plums and sweet spices. The wine opens generously on the palate with layers of blackberry, cassis and plum framed with accents of dark chocolate and spice. The finish is persistent and smooth. This wine is at once rich, harmonious, powerful, and elegant; a wine intended to be enjoyable on release, yet destined for years of further evolution in the bottle.

Red Wine by Rust en Vrede from South Africa. Deep purple color. Massively rich aromas with an array of ripe cherry and blackberry, exotically spiced. The palate is packed with these flavors -deeply concentrated. Almost explosively mouth filling, with a fine tannin finish. Chosen as one of Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines four years in a row.

Red Wine by Rustenberg from South Africa. 46% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot A great vintage following the excellent 2003. There is more restraint in this vintage and the wine is very complex all around. Typical Rustenberg aromas of cellar spices, dark cherries & fynbos. The palate is richly layered with fruit tannin and well-balanced. John X. Merriman purchased part of the Rustenberg farm in 1892 (it was subsequently bought by the current owners, the Barlow family, in 1940) and this Cabernet-dominated blend is named after him. As with all Rustenberg wines, this is a fine, structured bottling that's more than New World. Offers smoky fruit, a mineral character, and dry tannins. This has potential to age for at least five years. -Wine Enthusiast

Red Wine by St. Clement from Napa Valley, California. The 2003 Oroppas is a Cabernet Sauvignon based wine from a combination of three esteemed appellations: Rutherford, Diamond Mountain, and from within the heart of Napa Valley. To add depth and complexity, the Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with twelve percent Merlot from Carneros and four percent Cabernet Franc from Rutherford. The Merlot adds the lush red fruit component whereas the Cabernet Franc rounds out the structure and tannin of the wine. The wine was aged in eighty-four percent New French oak barrels for nineteen months. Beautiful aromas of blackberries, cassis, currant, and dark chocolate smothered in a raspberry reduction sauce abound in this wine. The rich velvety texture and soft luscious tannins are supplemented by ripe red and black fruit flavors of strawberry and blueberry. Caramel, coffee, and vanilla flavors are supplied by the French Oak barrels that we use to age this wine. The wine has great fruit extraction of plums, wild berries, and cherry cola which coats the palate from start to finish.

Red Wine by St. Supery from Napa Valley, California. Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec The fruit for this red blend was harvested during the cool hours of early morning to maximize fresh flavors. Crush occurred in St. Supery's cellar prior to fermentation and maceration on the skins, after which the wines were drained and pressed to barrels for maturation. After a year in predominantly French oak, a preliminary blend was created and that blended wine put back into barrel in order to begin the process of marrying the flavors of the component varietals. Another twelve months later, the wines went through final evaluation to complete the blend. From the out start the 2003 El? is an amazing wine, there is great depth of both aroma and flavor. The wine begins with hints of cocoa, blackberries and toasted oak. Upon further investigation, one picks up kirsch and black cherries. Elegant, supple and gracefully balanced, and finishing with a lively burst of ripe fruit and supple tannins. Drink now through 2013.

Red Wine by Santa Rita from Chile, South America. This superb wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere, three varieties originally from Bordeaux that have been carefully cultivated by Santa Rita. Triple C benefits from the best of both the Old and New World, combining the elegance of traditional grape varieties with state-of-the-art New World techniques. The specially selected grapes are grown at Santa Rita's Alto Jahuel Estate in Maipo Valley, Chile, approximately 40 miles from Santiago. Triple C represents a new style in Chilean winemaking, becoming a true expression of Chilean nature; complex and abundant. Blend: 55% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Carmenere

Red Wine by Sena from Chile, South America. The 2002 Se\\xF1a captures the essential elements of the Se\\xF1a style: perfect balance, ripe fruit, complexity on the nose and elegance on the palate. Black cherry, blackberry and blueberry are accented by spicy notes of sandalwood and cedar, with rich undertones of freshly turned earth and cocoa. The aging in new French oak contributed integrated notes of whole vanilla bean and toast. Spicy, chalky tannins create a lively sensation on the palate. The wine fills the mouth on entry and carries through to a long finish. The big tannin structure should allow the wine to age very well and continue to gain in complexity for at least ten years. Food Match: roasts, grilled meats, game, duck, beef.

Red Wine by Sena from Chile, South America. The 2003 Se?a reflects the best of the Aconcagua Valley. Fruit-forward and lush, it is full of blueberry, blackberry, cherry, and licorice aromas balanced by smoky notes and vanilla from its French oak aging. The mouth-feel is soft and luxurious, full of sweet ripe tannins and a finish that lingers long on the palate. This wine is delightful today, but will improve in the bottle over the next ten years for even greater pleasure in the future. Food pairings: Roasts, grilled meats, game, duck, beef.

Red Wine by Seven Hills from Walla Walla Valley, Washington. Pentad vintage red wine, a Walla Walla Valley blend of five varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (13%), Carmenere (6%), Cabernet Franc (13%) and Malbec (13%). The intention with Pentad is change through time, shaping expansive flavor, complexity, and creation of an evolving sensory experience. Every care has been taken in the production of Pentad, to provide a transcendent wine that is both enjoyable and collectible. The 2003 is the most open at release of the three Pentad vintages released to date. It offers an inviting accessibility, accenting warm, ripe tones and expansive fruit characters. Red and blackcurrant dominate the nose, interwoven with tropical passionfruit and hints of blueberry. Sweet cooking spice and light notes of fennel and licorice round out the aroma. I find red raspberry, vanillin, light smoky notes by mouth. The structure is broad, balanced, and elegant yet very persistent and generous. Overall, a beautiful representation of the nature of this very warm vintage year. - Casey McClellan, Winemaker

Red Wine by Taltarni from Victoria, Australia. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon. 30% Merlot 15 months in two and three year old oak barriques Alcohol: 14% This wine is deep black cherry in color with an alluring assortment of uplifted black cherries, dark berry fruits and traces of cut rosemary on the nose. You will also notice a hint of scorched almonds, ground coffee, tobacco leaves and licorice allsorts. On the palate it is a well-structured medium body wine with layers of plump plum and blackberry fruits. A mix of savoury spices, subtle herbs and firm, dusty tannins are balanced by good natural acidity. A perfect accompaniment to a veal ragout. Drink tonight or age for another 5-8 years.

Red Wine by Veramonte from Chile, South America. Number 5 on the Wine.com 100 of 2007! Primus is a racy blend of Carmenere, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon made from the highest quality grapes at the Veramonte Estate. It showcases the rare Carmenere variety, a distinctive grape that has found its home in Chile. Well structured with mature, ripe fruit that exhibits an evolved complexity with a seamless blending of the three varietals. Velvety, with a medium body and smooth, yet powerful tannins. Chile claims the lost Bordeaux grape Once a widely planted variety in Bordeaux, Carmenere was all but forgotten after the phylloxera outbreak in the 1880s virtually wiped it off the European wine map. The happy news is that someone carried the vine (also known as Grande Vidure and Grande Carmenet) to Chile in the 1850s. At that time, Chile was welcoming a wine renaissance. The aristocracy was moving to the countryside with the vision of creating a wine industry to rival Europe's. They planted the noble vines from France and for over a century, thought that the high-vigor vine with pinkish leaves was a special clone of Merlot or Cabernet Franc. After masquerading as Merlot for over a century in Chile, it wasn't until the 1990s that Chilean winegrowers determined the mystery vines are not Merlot but the lost Bordeaux grape Carmenere. Since then, Chile has become synonymous with the lush and exotic wines made from Carmenere and is the only country producing Carmenere based wines. Salud! Unusually ripe for a Casablanca red, this blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and carmenere has the texture of melted chocolate and ripe flavors of fig and blueberry. A powerful acidity keeps a refreshing tension. -Wines & Spirits The proprietary red wine, the 2004 Primus, is a blend of 47% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 23% Carmenere. It delivers an attractive perfume of pain grille, black cherry and blueberry. This is followed by a supple, ripe wine with no hard edges in a

Red Wine by Verite from Sonoma County, California. French for joy, La Joie emphasizes Cabernet Sauvignon and represents a Pauillac-style wine. The wine is deep purple in color, spicy and intense in the nose, with density and structure from its Cabernet Sauvignon dominance. A saturated dense purple color emerges from the 2003 La Joie. A blend of 75.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19.8% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, it offers up smoky, sweet scents of lead pencil shavings, cedar, spice box, volcanic earth, black currants, and smoke. With excellent fruit, full-bodied power, a layered texture, and an exceptionally long finish, it is not as accessible and plump as La Muse, and will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age. It should drink well for 20-25 years. Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 95 Points

Red Wine by Vilafonte from South Africa. Series C. This wine is made from the most intense, powerful wines from the vineyard; very deep concentrated fruit; a predominance of Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc with some Malbec/Merlot to round it out. It has a high percentage of restrained new oak which integrates well with the fruit. It has great length. Cabernet Sauvignon 82% Merlot 9% Cabernet Franc 7% Malbec 2%

Red Wine by Vilafonte from South Africa. Series M. This wine is more Merlot based; still a blend, but using the Merlot, and Malbec with Cabernet to give it some backbone. It is more supple, more fruit forward; with silky texture in the mouth, good length, and very approachable and succulent. Merlot 41% Malbec 16% Cabernet Sauvignon 39% Cabernet Franc 4%

Red Wine by Vilafonte from South Africa. Series M. This wine is more Merlot based; still a blend, but using the Merlot, and Malbec with Cabernet to give it some backbone. It is more supple, more fruit forward; with silky texture in the mouth, good length, and very approachable and succulent.

Red Wine by Winemaker's Collection from Medoc, France - Bordeaux. This special project of the Bordeaux negociant, Bordeaux Millesimes (called Once Upon a Wine), and its proprietor, Dominique Renard, was originally labeled The Winemakers' Collection, Episode 1, but the name had to be changed. As I wrote last year, in each vintage, one of the world's greatest winemakers (Michel Rolland in 2005 and Denis Dubordieu in 2006) is chosen to focus on a single parcel of a given terroir, in this case, Chateau d'Arsac. Five-thousand cases will be produced in 2005, and everything, including viticulture, fermentation, upbringing, and bottling, is being controlled by the chosen winemaker who has full control over the winemaking team, the yields, the choice of fermenters, the style and type of barrels, the time in oak, and the manner in which the wine is bottled. Michel Rolland was fortunate to be chosen in 2005 as this is an exceptional vintage. It boasts classic richness, deep, smoky, black currant and sweet cherry fruit, a gorgeously opulent texture, decent acidity, high but sweet tannin, and a seamless, full-throttle mouthfeel. This stunning effort competes with some of Bordeaux's finest wines. It should age effortlessly for 15 or more years. -Robert Parker, Wine Advocate 92-94