Winemaker Notes
Elegant and complex, aromatically enthralling depth of violets, forest loam, dark berry and tobacco notes. Full body, a firm, dense structure followed by a seamless, sustained finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This offers nuanced aromas of black cherry, red plum, rosewater, crisp red-delicious apple, burnt orange and Christmas spices. These aromas unfold onto the palate where the spices really sing. While this wine is in balance, boasting bright and zippy acidity and ample weight, the woody and spiced tannins stand out and steal the show.
Editors’ Choice -
James Suckling
The nose of dried flowers and orange peel make this a very striking wine, and in spite of the big, dry tannins there's a surprising elegance on the palate. The finish is long, sleek and very fresh.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Nebbiolo Reserve was aged for 12 months in French oak (40% new, the rest second-use). Sourced from two vineyards planted in 1995 and 2001, this is typically my personal favorite in the lineup. So, too, this year. You could identify this blind just by cheating and looking at the color—washed out, a bit faded, reminding me of many old fashioned Nebbiolos in years gone by. Then, it gives you that crisp punch and some power on the finish. Compared to the Octagon or the other reds this issue, this is tight and intense, needing more time. The fruit and depth are not quite as good as the structure, but I've learned that this bottling tends to grow in the cellar with time. It certainly has the freshness and backbone to age reasonably well, even if it is a bit too reticent just now. Buy this and put it away for a couple of years for better results. It has an excellent chance of improving in the cellar. This will not be released until June 2017.
Rating: 90+
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
Diversity of landscape, terrain and climate make Virginia one of the most exciting American wine producing states today. Its viticultural history reaches as far back as 1607 when early settlers made the first wine from indigenous American grapes.
Thomas Jefferson imported the first French varieties to Virginia and grew the Vitis vinifera species (the European species), though not with great success.
Today, however, increased knowledge and optimal vineyard management techniques bring prosperity with a great number of diverse varieties. Virginia’s varied landscape has created seven distinct AVAs (American Viticultural Areas).
Encouraged by an enthusiastic state government, fine wine production in Virginia continues to flourish. The state achieves success with a variety of wine types and styles including sparkling wines, Bordeaux Blends, Nebbiolo, Chardonnay, Viognier and less common whites like Petit Manseng and Vermentino.