California
California is one of the most renowned wine regions in the world, known for producing exceptional wines that reflect the unique character of the region.
One of the most famous vineyards in California is the Napa Valley's Robert Mondavi Winery, which produces a range of high-quality red and white wines, including the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, the Fumé Blanc Reserve, and the Chardonnay Reserve. The estate is committed to sustainable farming practices and is known for its focus on traditional winemaking techniques.
In California, there is also a strong focus on producing organic and biodynamic wines, with vineyards such as the Frog's Leap Winery and the Benziger Family Winery using these practices to produce exceptional wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region.
Overall, California is a region known for producing exceptional wines, with famous vineyards such as Harlan Estate, Dominus, Opus One, Screaming Eagle, Robert Mondavi and many others. With a focus on sustainable and organic farming practices, and a commitment to traditional winemaking techniques, wines from California are gaining increasing recognition and popularity among wine enthusiasts worldwide.
California
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Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)
Kapcsándy's 2014 Grand Vin is everything I had hoped it would be. Fresh and complex in the glass, the 2014 dazzles with a stunning range of Cabernet Sauvignon aromas and flavors that race across the palate. The long, vibrant finish is breathtaking in its beauty and dimension. I can’t help thinking this is probably the sort of wine Lou Kapcsándy dreamed of making. Readers will find a Cabernet Sauvignon of total gravitas. A dollop of Merlot rounds out the blend.HK$4,550.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is pure perfection and undeniably one of the greatest wines in this terrific vintage. With a Château Latour like stature and depth, full-bodied richness, and incredible notes of blue fruits, crushed violets, tobacco, forest floor, and huge minerality, this tight, backward, concentrated 2015 is for those with patience and cold cellar, but it’s a legendary wine in the making. Bravo!HK$5,375.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in 90% new French oak, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is deep garnet-purple colored with a lovely crème de cassis core backed-up by the most amazing perfume of lilacs, oolong tea, camphor and dark chocolate plus gentle wafts of aniseed and red currants. Medium-bodied with fantastic vibrancy and intensity, the palate practically rings with spine-tingling energy. It slowly builds in the mouth to reveal layers of red and black fruits supported by a very finely grained frame and seamless freshness, leading to a drop dead gorgeous, perfumed lift on the long finish. Sex in a glass. 425 cases produced.HK$7,120.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Only the second time it's been 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin sports a deep purple color as well as a Latour-like bouquet of crème de cassis, scorched earth, violets, graphite, camphor, and lead pencil. Rich, powerful and concentrated, with incredible elegance and purity as well as building structure, this magical effort needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will live for 50 years or more.HK$12,935.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
Deep purple-black, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard rockets out of the glass with intense notes of blackcurrant cordial, plum preserves and blueberry pie, plus hints of Chinese five spice, dusty soil, menthol, tar and black truffles, with a waft of roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in poise, delivering layer upon layer of vibrant black and blue fruits with a rock-solid backbone of super ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and just plain delicious. Pure, seemingly effortless, seamless perfection. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 80% new French oak, the alcohol is a relatively modest 14.3%. 300 cases were made.HK$11,825.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
Moving to the 2015s, the 2015 Estate Cuvee State Lane Vineyard is the Margaux of the lineup with its perfumed floral, spice-box, black cherry and currant-driven aromas and flavors. It has an understated elegance, full-bodied richness, a beautiful sweetness of fruit, and a supple, sexy texture that makes it already impossible to resist. Showing a kiss of oak on the finish, give bottle 3-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades.HK$1,925.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95)
The 2016 Estate Cuvee checks in as a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 16% Merlot brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. This deeply colored beauty has impressive black cherries, currants, scorched earth, graphite, and subtle background oak, with ample richness and depth. It's rich, layered, has beautiful tannins, and an elegant style on the palate, yet it certainly has plenty of concentration. It will be better with a year or two of bottle age and is going to evolve gracefully.HK$3,290.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Reminding me of a great Graves with its smoky, darker style (especially with extended aeration), the 2014 Rapszodia is based on 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot brought up in mostly new barrels. Still youthful but clearly in its prime drinking window, it offers a ruby hue with no signs of bricking and a beautiful nose of ripe currants, leafy herbs, cedar pencil, darker cherries, and sappy flowers. I love its overall complexity, and it's full-bodied on the palate, with terrific concentration, a layered, voluptuous mouthfeel, and a heavenly finish. It needs an hour in a decanter if drinking any time soon and has another decade or two of overall longevity. It's absolutely stunning.HK$27,395.00 -
(1x75cl) 2010Vinous (97)
The 2010 Roberta's Reserve is deep, rich, and powerful. The most backward of the Kapcsandy 2010s today, the Roberta's impresses for its purity, centeredness and poise. The 2010 is nowhere near ready to drink. With time in the glass, some of its explosiveness begins to emerge. Dark plum, mocha, new leather and licorice are some of the many notes that flow through to the vibrant, nuanced finish. A dollop of Cabernet Franc (5%) rounds out the blend.HK$4,295.00 -
James Suckling (98)
This is a superb merlot with black olive, blueberry, iodine, and oyster shell. Full body, tight tannins. Chocolate, walnut, and bramble berry. Superb finish. A beauty. Try now but give it four to five years of bottle age.HK$9,125.00 -
Vinous (100)
The 2013 Roberta's Reserve is just as compelling it has always been. Dark, powerful and exotic, the 2013 Roberta's tastes like it has barely budged since I tasted it last year. Intense dark fruit, chocolate, smoke, licorice and tobacco are front and center. Exceptionally polished and towering in its structure, the 2013 will drink well for many, many years. The tannins soften a bit with time in the glass, but the 2013 remains a young wine in need of cellaring.HK$11,665.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)
The 2014 Roberta’s Reserve is a total delight. Now at the beginning of its first plateau of maturity, the 2014 is showing beautifully. Cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, mint, dried cherry and coffee open in the super-expressive bouquet. Truffle, dried flowers, mint and mocha appear later to play off a core of dark Merlot fruit. A touch of Cabernet Franc completes the blend. At ten years of age, this is still a youngster.HK$1,885.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
Another wine that flirts with perfection is the 100% Merlot 2016 Roberta's Reserve, which was harvested at the end of September and spent 20 months in 70% new barrels. I finished my note on this wine with "Best Merlot in the New World," and I can't think of another wine that comes close to the layered, balanced, majestic style of this beauty. Offering up a kaleidoscope of black cherries, damp earth, chocolate, cedarwood, and spring flowers, it's full-bodied and rich, yet just glides over the palate with a seamless, elegant, pure style that needs to be tasted to be believed. As with all the Kapcsandy wines, it has the purity and balance to offer pleasure in its youth yet is going to evolve beautifully.HK$6,335.00 -
(3x75cl) 2015Jeb Dunnuck (96)
Winemaker David Beckstoffer commented that he was blown away by the 2015 vintage. The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard offers the sexy exuberance of the vintage front and center with its huge nose of blueberry fruits, bay leaf, and violets. It's deep, full-bodied, and concentrated, with just straight-up awesome purity of fruit. This is gorgeous.HK$5,720.00 -
(3x75cl) 2019Vinous (97+)
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon La Voleuse du Chagrin emerges from a block of Eisele Clone Cabernet on St. George rootstock on a tiny sliver of vineyard that was one part of Eisele. For that reason, I am not surprised to see that the 2019 has shut down a bit post-bottling. Dark and resonant in the glass, the 2019 exudes class and sensuality, with its energy pretty much buried by the fruit. Production is tiny, so I can only hope to revisit in another few years' time. From barrel, it was one of the most impressive wines I tasted in a morning full of great Cabernets.HK$9,890.00 -
Vinous (100)
An utterly magnificent wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Rhadamanthus Diamond Mountain District is creamy, ample and super-expressive, with layers of fruit presently masking quite a bit of the mountain tannin. Inky dark fruit, licorice, gravel, spice. All the elements come together effortlessly in this sumptuous, explosive Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2018 is so elegant, so pure, so refined. I loved it. In a word: monumental.HK$12,170.00 -
Vinous (98+)
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Rhadamanthus Diamond Mountain District is a heady, hillside wine endowed with an explosive energy that races across the palate from the very first taste. Scorched earth, menthol, gravel, licorice and a good dose of Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot savoriness add weave through a core of dark fruit. The tannins are pretty much buried in this captivating Cabernet from Nigel and Shae Kinsman.HK$12,365.00 -
Vinous (98)
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Anjea Sleeping Lady Vineyard is the most sensual of the Kinsman Eades Cabernets, as it always is. Silky tannins wrap around a core of inky red fruit, blood orange, mint and crushed flowers. Classy and alluring the Anjea is a total knock-out. It's a tremendous example of Sleeping Lady and the vintage. Readers lucky enough to own it should be thrilled.HK$9,675.00 -
(12x75cl) 2009The Kistler Chardonnay Les Noisetiers 2009 exemplifies the pinnacle of Californian viticulture, meticulously crafted in the renowned Les Noisetiers vineyard within Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. Hand-harvested from sustainably managed vineyards, each grape is selected for its exceptional quality, reflecting Kistler’s unwavering commitment to excellence. The 2009 vintage benefits from a temperate growing season, allowing the Chardonnay to achieve an exquisite balance of ripe fruit and vibrant acidity. In the winery, the wine undergoes gentle pressing and is fermented in a combination of open-top fermenters and French oak barrels, imparting subtle complexity and a nuanced texture. Matured for 12 months in French oak, this Chardonnay reveals layers of orchard apple, citrus zest, and delicate brioche undertones, seamlessly integrated with a creamy finish. Kistler’s dedication to precision and tradition shines through in every bottle of the Les Noisetiers 2009, offering a distinguished expression for the refined palate.
HK$10,595.00 -
Indulge in the elegant opulence of Kistler Chardonnay Les Noisetiers 2018. Expertly crafted in the esteemed viticultural region of Sonoma Coast, California, this remarkable wine is a product of meticulous barrel selection from distinguished vineyards by Kistler Vineyards, a revered producer of world-class Chardonnay since 1978. Value is placed on traditional Burgundian methodology, ensuring each bottle showcases authentic varietal character and optimal terroir expression.
The Kistler Chardonnay Les Noisetiers 2018 displays nuanced layers of fragrant honeysuckle, juicy pear, and toasted almond, intertwined with a seam of zesty citrus fruit and mineral-driven elegance. The rich texture and well-integrated oak are balanced with refreshing acidity, culminating in a lingering, harmonious finish. This showstopper exemplifies the producer's unwavering commitment to creating Chardonnays of distinction and longevity. Indisputably, an outstanding selection for the discerning oenophile.
HK$16,850.00 -
Jancis Robinson (16.5)
Light butterscotch note on the nose and a slightly sweeter wine than the Ramey, Woolsey Road 2018 and Kongsgaard 2019 tasted alongside. Though there is the same green streak as in the Ramey. Classic California Chardonnay.HK$11,355.00 -
(12x75cl) 2014Wine Advocate (95)
The 2014 Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard has a gorgeously intense nose of pineapple paste, honey-nut and guava with touches of cashews and brioche. Medium to full-bodied with a lovely satiny texture, the tropical fruits are open for business with a zippy line of acidity to ensure great cellaring potential.HK$21,235.00 -
The Kistler Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2020 is a truly sophisticated expression of Californian viticulture. Artisanally crafted in the acclaimed Kistler Vineyards, this heralded Pinot Noir showcases the exceptional terroir of the Russian River Valley. Known for their commitment to Burgundian traditions, Kistler uses traditional French winemaking techniques, ensuring grapes undergo meticulous hand sorting, native yeast fermentation, and extended French oak ageing. The 2020 vintage, regarded as exceptional by renowned wine critics, offers a complex, enchanting bouquet. Rustic yet refined, it teems with elegant layers of ripe cherry, cranberry, and warm spices, underscored by a whisper of forest floor. The palate enjoys a seamless blend of richness and acidity, culminating in a long, graceful finish. A discerning choice for fine wine collectors, the Kistler Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2020 exudes delicacy, depth and distinction. Immerse yourself in the captivating charm and idyllic finesse of the Californian winemaking legacy with this extraordinary Pinot Noir.
HK$7,915.00 -
(12x75cl) 2021The exquisite Kistler Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2021 is a superb embodiment of California winemaking excellence. Expertly crafted in the fertile soils of the Russian River Valley, this prestige vintage lends notes of exquisite complexity and depth that are emblematic of Kistler’s meticulous artisanal approach. An opulent medley of brambleberry fruit, underlined by a fine tannic structure, creates a richly layered and deeply satisfying palate.
Founded in 1978, Kistler Vineyards has continually risen through the ranks, establishing itself as a leading name in Californian fine wines. Employing Burgundian methods of viticulture, the team skillfully coax the grapes into revealing their full varietal character, making each bottle a testament to the terroir of the Russian River Valley.
Releasing only small quantities to ensure quality, the Kistler Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2021 captures the excellence of the terroir and heralds an unmatched vinicultural experience. Truly a wine for the discerning palate.
HK$6,445.00 -
(12x75cl) 2022The Kistler Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2022 is an inimitable expression of an iconic Californian viticultural region. Produced by the remarkable Kistler Vineyards, whose dedication to old-world viticultural principles has cemented their standing amongst the world's finest winemakers. This stellar Pinot noir originates from the Russian River Valley, where unique terroir and the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean provide optimal conditions for growing this varietal.
On the palate, this exquisite vintage offers a symphony of dark fruits underscored by soft tannins and balance acidity, showcasing the exceptional quality of the 2022 harvest. Further complexity is imparted through the meticulous blend of fruit from individually vinified blocks, each contributing unique characteristics to the final assemblage. Traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques, including natural yeast fermentation and ageing in Francois Frères oak barrels, enhance depth and structural integrity.
The Kistler Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2022 is a testament to Kistler's rich legacy and unparalleled commitment to creating wines of profound character and elegance.
HK$10,160.00 -
(1x75cl) 2014Vinous (95+)
Deceptively medium in body, the 2014 Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard packs a real punch. Succulent red cherry, rose petal, lavender and violet are all pushed forward, but it is the wine's inner sweetness and aromatics that stand out. Today, the KV comes across as very restrained, with bright acids and fabulous balance. A rush of sweet red cherry, blueberry and pomegranate leave a lasting impression. The 2014 is going to need a bit of time in bottle to unwind, but it is superb.HK$1,225.00 -
(12x75cl) 2021The Kistler Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 is a luxurious exemplar of the masterful viticulture that pervades the Californian wine region. Renowned for the consistency of their handcrafted wines, Kistler Vineyards have excelled in producing an exquisite, single-vineyard Pinot Noir, known for its subtlety and complexity.
Grown dedicatedly in the cool, wind-swept soils of Sonoma Coast, the grapes boast succulent, ripe dark fruit nuances underscored by subtle undertones of minerals. Carefully hand-harvested, the grapes undergo native-yeast fermentation in French Oak barrels, endowing the wine with an unforgettable silkiness.
Under the diligent curatorship of winemaker Jason Kesner, the Kistler Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 heralds an elegant balance of intensity, refinement, and grace. It’s a masterstroke in winemaking, beautifully embodying Californian terroir and Pinot Noir's true essence. A fine accompaniment to sophisticated palates and discerning wine collections.
HK$6,660.00 -
Vinous (93)
Vivid red. High-pitched aromas of redcurrant, black raspberry and potpourri, with a deeper note of licorice adding a serious quality. Muscular but light on its feet, offering nervy red and dark berry flavors that expand and deepen with air. A spicy nuance carries through the very long, seductively sweet finish. (JR)HK$11,095.00 -
(12x75cl) 2014Vinous (95)
Dark red and purplish hued fruits, wild flowers, mint, spices and rose petal notes meld together in the 2014 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard. The Cerise is deceptively medium in body, but it packs serious intensity. Expressive, floral-infused aromatics give the Cerise its inner sweetness and perfume, while beams of underlying tannin give the wine its shape. This is another superb wine from Knez.HK$3,850.00 -
(1x75cl) 2020Vinous (96)
The 2020 Chardonnay The Judge is fabulous. It is also easily one of the wines of the vintage. Bright and vibrant, the 2020 is all class. The 2020 is not as opulent as these wines used to be, but no matter, all the elements are so well balanced. Lemon confit, marzipan, spice, minerals and a kiss of French oak all build effortlessly into a crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures.HK$7,465.00
