$50 - $75 Wine

Winemaker Description 

The grapes were harvested by hand in 15 kg boxes, selecting the best bunches in the vineyard. After the harvest, the grapes underwent a pre-fermentative cold cryomaceration process and were then pressed and racked after 24 hours. This must fermented in French oak barrels and remained there together with its lees for 6 months. After that, the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 15 months and bottled in August 2022.

Golden colour and medium intensity. Clean and bright. Medium-high aromatic intensity and very complex Notes of citrus rind (mandarin), stone fruits such as ripe peach. Hints of almonds and aniseed, brioche, vanilla and a fine toffee. Volume on the palate, very sweet, silky and medium acidity. Saline notes on the palate, where citrus and toasted notes are present again. Sweet and long finish. 

Winemaker Description 

This rich and aromatic wine features notes of black fruit, black pepper, dark chocolate, dried flowers, and minerals. It has a compact structure with a velvety texture and a distinct acidic tone Type of soil. 

Grapes are harvested from several vineyards in the Judean mountains, 900 meters above sea level.

Producer Description 

Our GOTT 2022 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas of black cherry, blackberry, black currant, and cocoa, with subtle notes of cedar and sweet tobacco. On the palate, rich dark fruit flavors lead to complex, well-structured tannins on the mid-palate and are balanced by a long, elegant finish with delicate hints of dried herbs.

Expert Reviews — Vintage 2018

About the Producer

The Ronchi di Cialla winery sits within its own valley like something out of a fairy tale — roads curving through rows of vines planted between outcroppings of forest, with the family home and cellar perched at the top of a hill overlooking vineyards in all directions. Ivan Rapuzzi runs the winery with his mother and brother, following the same traditional methods as their father before them.

The Rapuzzi family saved Schioppettino from extinction, building a library of wines spanning decades that proves just how magnificently this variety matures. Today, Schioppettino has its own subzone within Friuli Colli Orientali — Schioppettino di Prepotto — while Ronchi di Cialla enjoys its own unique terroir within the Cialla Valley.

• Producer: Ronchi di Cialla
• Appellation: Colli Orientali del Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
• Varietal: Schioppettino
• Vintage: 2018
• Format: 750ml
• Style: Full-bodied, floral, spiced red
• Tasting Notes: Rose petals, violets, blackberry, blood orange, white pepper
• Aging Potential: Excellent — cellar worthy
• Pairings: Braised meats, game, aged cheeses, mushroom dishes

The Prisoner Pinot Noir | Sonoma Coast | 2022 | 750ml | California, USA

Redefining taste once again, this Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is a masterful blend from two of California's most celebrated AVAs — Russian River Valley and Petaluma Gap. Russian River's diverse terroir contributes a wide range of styles, while the cool, foggy climate of the Petaluma Gap lends a distinctive coastal minerality.

• Winery: The Prisoner Wine Company
• Origin: Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, USA
• Bottle Size: 750ml
• Varietal: Pinot Noir
• Vintage: 2022
• AVAs: Russian River Valley & Petaluma Gap

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Ripe cranberry and dried black cherry with early floral notes and hints of mocha, chai, and leather
• Palate: Luxurious mouthfeel with juicy black cherry and spice at midpalate
• Finish: Lengthy and complex with notes of cardamom and clove

Winemaker Description 

The Estate Pinot Noir is sourced from throughout Shea Vineyard, one of the most iconic vineyards in Oregon. Careful vineyard practices and restrained winemaking allow each vintage to reveal its uniqueness. The 2022 vintage finished warm and dry, allowing the fruit to achieve full ripeness and the Estate to reflect the big, concentrated style Shea Vineyard is known for.

"All Shea wines are 100% estate grown; most are single block/single clone selections. This blends grapes from the entire estate, offering a unique glimpse of the overall terroir. I’ve reviewed wines from this iconic vineyard for over two decades, and followed the estate wines almost since their first vintage. There is a special excellence that carries into Shea designates made by almost any winery. But in wines made by the estate itself there is a focus and specificity that is exceptional. Why this particular piece of land is so special is a question I’ve wondered about for years. The block and clone selections are all complete wines in and of themselves, but this estate blend captures the fullness of the whole site with black fruits, expressive oak (one third new), clean earth, barrel spice and exceptional depth." - 96 points, Paul Gregutt's Northwest Wine Guide

"This wine opens with an alluring bouquet of red and black cherries, Blood orange, walnut shells, and a hint of rosemary. The palate is supple and refined, with a medium body and a lively mouthfeel that keeps it moving and refreshing. As the wine unfolds, a subtle dried herb undertone emerges, adding an extra layer of complexity to the finish." - 94 points, International Wine Report

"Attractive nose with sour cherries, dried orange peel and dried herbs. So delicate and pure, with a medium body and zesty, tangy mouthfeel. It has a fresh, minty undertone at the end." - 93 points, jamessuckling.com

Winemaker Description 

Quite dark and earthy spice, a touch of dark chocolate, a touch of ethereal coolness, black pepper, and a hint of truffle spice.

But what a mineral, almost chalky grip and the inviting freshness of acidity. It's pure, precise, unvarnished, with edges and corners, and the acidity is top-notch; you just have to like it.

An incredibly nervy, yet racy style, despite the power. Has the potential to age for a very long time. Wow.

Winemaker Description 

Originating from the traditional cru area of Barolo, Tenuta Monchiero Barolo is crafted from 100% Nebbiolo d'Alba grapes. This 2019 Barolo offers a deep and complex flavor profile, featuring pronounced tannins that soften beautifully with time.

Expect rich notes of black fruit, complemented by strong, persistent tannins and a robust structure. Aged for two years in Slavonian oak barrels and an additional two years in the bottle, this wine delivers a refined, long-lasting finish.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points | The 2022 Château Fleur Cardinale is a blend of 78% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, vinified with a cold pre-fermentation maceration and raised for 12-14 months in 72% new French oak, 18% one-year-old barrels, 7% large foudres, and 3% amphora. It's a full-bodied, layered Saint-Émilion exhibiting dark berries, graphite, crushed stone, and truffly earth-like nuances on the nose. This ripe, yet flawlessly balanced Saint-Emilion has moderate acidity, silky tannins, and a seamless, polished texture. A slightly modern-styled expression, it’s nevertheless lush, opulent, and utterly compelling, showing both depth and finesse.

James Suckling 95 Points | Spiced cherries, cedar, white pepper and dark mushrooms on the nose. Almost full-bodied on the palate, with ripe, dusty, caressing tannins that are evenly packed. Juicy, long and complete. Really well balanced and already appealing, but better after 2026.

Vinous 95 Points | The 2022 Fleur Cardinale is pure and total sensuality. Silky and nicely layered, this medium-bodied Saint-Émilion is a delight. Elegant tannins complement a core of dark-toned fruit. Lavender, espresso, licorice, dried herbs and menthol lead into the long, sustained finish.

Memo Summary Notes

The Chateau Fleur Cardinale 2022 is widely considered by critics to be one of the estate's most successful vintages to date. It captures the extreme intensity of the 2022 Bordeaux growing season while maintaining a surprising level of freshness and elegance.

Winemaker Description 

Pale gold in colour. Rich with complex, sweet flavour, Dereszla's Tokaji Aszu shows vibrant aromas of caramel and floral notes.

The palate is smooth with intense honey, nuts, apricots, marmalade, mango and papaya flavours leading into a perfectly balanced, spicy finish. Pair it with blue cheese drizzled with honey and topped with walnuts.

Expert Review - Vintage 2019

Danielle Callegari of the WIne Enthusiast writes 88 Points | Hot chili peppers burst off the nose of this Nero d'Avola, lifted by wood smoke, macerated blackberries and bitter chocolate. Spiciness carries over to the palate, with notes of black pepper and tomato-pepper jam, but also more berries and some tobacco leaf. Tannins are firm but polished.  

Winemaker's Notes

Our Professional Review 

Bart Hopkins of 67wino.shop writes | Made from 50 year old organic and Biodynamically grown Nero d’Avola vines, the 2020 Contrada is a beautifully crafted, totally natural Sicilian red wine. The bouquet is deep and rich with earthy plum and dark berry and licorice aromas that mingle playfully with notes of exotic spices. In the mouth the flavors are seductive and elegant with purity, freshness and detailed complexity. An exceptionally unique expression of Nero d’Avola.
Bart Hopkins

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

Paul Gregutt from the Wine Enthusiast writes 95 Points | From Draper clone vines planted in 1965, this bright gold-hued wine brings myriad details to its apple, jicama, white peach and nut oil flavors. A whiff of smoke carries throughout, and its sheer complexity strains the vocabulary. Stay with it as more subtle layers unfold. Though seductive now, it should mature well through 2030. — Paul Gregutt 

James Suckling 92 Points | A layered and fresh white with cooked apples, honey and straw. Medium- to full- bodied, creamy and textured wine with fresh and pretty fruit. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.

Expert Review - Vintage 2019

Lisa Perrotti-Brown of the Wine Advocate writes 92-94+ Points | Opaque purple-black colored, the 2019 Larrivet Haut-Brion charges out of the gate with wonderfully fragrant scents of black raspberries, Morello cherries and wild blueberries with suggestions of blackcurrant pastilles, candied violets, chocolate mint and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with red and black fruit layers, framed by firm, exquisitely ripe, velvety tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Just stunning!.

Winemaker Description 

The 2019 vintage was marked by a dry, mild winter. April showers were followed by cool, rainy May and June. The year was also notable for its exceptionally hot summer, with irregular rainfall. A dry, warm September helped to balance out the slow veraison. Harvesting took place from September 19 to October 12. 

The 2019 vintage is a blend of three grape varieties, composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet Franc. This vintage is notable for its brilliant garnet color. The typical nose of this wine is the expression of the Cabernet Sauvignon of our terroir, powerful and deep, releasing notes of black fruit stewed with spices and zan sticks. On the palate, the wine is opulent, sustained by an explosion of black fruits such as blackcurrant and morello cherry. The powerful tannic structure accompanies the gourmand sensation throughout the entire length. 2019 is one of the great Bordeaux vintages of 2018, 2019 and 2020. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 93 Points |  A bright and racy pinot with lots of strawberries, raspberries, hibiscus, spices and dried lavender. Tense and agile with a medium body and a crunchy feel to its tannins. Fresh and minerally. Drink now or hold.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Plush and elegantly structured, this red unfurls raspberry and cherry flavors accented with forest floor, black tea and savory spices as this builds tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2032.

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | Crisp, mouthwatering acidity is but one of many highlights here. Pretty dried rose-petal and dark raspberry aromas are flanked by a loamy soil note. The flavors are fruit-driven, with raspberry and lemon flavors uniting with tiny bits of sugar cookie and walnut behind a curtain of silky tannins. — Michael Alberty

Winemaker Description 

The 2022 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir touts all the hallmarks of our storied appellation. It begins with hints of ripe plum skin, ocean air, baking spices, and cocoa powder dustiness on the nose. The palate is just as expressive, with fresh, juicy red fruit backed by graceful tannins, a complex brininess, and a mouth-watering acidity. Finishing with spiced oak and a mouth-coating basalt minerality, this wine is great now and will be for years to come.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | This ripe and generous wine smells like a cherry pie and tastes like warm raspberries and cherries dusted with cinnamon and ground cloves. It’s a welcoming, almost-sweet Pinot that is comfy in texture and alluring in flavor.

Wine Spectator 91 Points | Juicy and elegant, with a savory edge to the mix of gently mulled raspberry and cherry fruit flavors, revealing a sous-bois accent as they move through the finish. Drink now through 2027. 342 cases made.

Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | Pouring a deep youthful red hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir Reserve is ripe and expressive on opening, offering loads of black cherries, sweet herbs, forest floor, and cola. Medium-bodied, it retains good levity on the palate while keeping a ripe feel, with ripe tannins and a clean finish.

Winemaker Description 

Ripe cherry and plum aromas open to a complex mix of rhubarb, forest floor, creamy oak and exotic dark floral tones. The fruit flavors continue a smooth, full bodied palate with forest floor, vinous and dark cherry flavors, finishing with supple volume and balance acidity.

Enjoy this wine now with sweet and spicy Moroccan roasted carrots, truffle risotto or cellar for enjoyment over the next few years.

Winemaker Description 

Delicate and nuanced, this autumnal release from Kozaemon sees a period of aging over summer before its release, yielding a sake with subtle maturity and refinement. A natural pairing for all specialties of autumn like squash and slow braised meat.

The Vintage Champagne flute is perfect for beautifully developed champagnes. Its slim yet slightly tapered shape encourages the fine bead while highlighting aromatics in vintage champagnes, making it the choice for those connoisseurs who are after an elegant flute.

The glass includes a 'sparkling point' to aid the formation of bubbles.

This product is made of clear crystal glass.

Sommeliers was the world’s first wine friendly glass collection and a design revolution created by Claus J. Riedel (9th generation). The range adheres to the Bauhaus design principle of form follows function, as Claus J. Riedel had discovered that certain wines showed more depth and better balance when enjoyed from certain shapes. Thin-blown and unadorned, Sommeliers was the beginning of RIEDEL's dominance of the global wine glass market.

This product is handmade.

Our master glassmakers individually craft each item so every piece has a unique character. Due to the nature of crafting, small tolerances in the size and weight of each product, tiny bubbles, imperfections, or slight surface variations are an acceptable part of the process.

This pack contains a single piece. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

Jeb Dunnuck 91-93 Points | A ripe, opulent second wine, the 2022 Amiral De Beychevelle offers lots of black cherry, mulberry, and plum-like fruits as well as some floral, violet, and graphite nuances. It's medium to full-bodied, has elegant, silky tannins, and a great finish. It's one heck of a sexy, already hard to resist second wine that should keep for 10-12 years, if not longer.

James Suckling 91-92 Points | Very refined and pretty already with linear fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Medium body. Attractive finish. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% merlot.

Producer Description 

Akutain’s Rioja Reserva — a blend of Tempranillo with a touch of Garnacha and Viura — is fermented in a combination of stainless steel and fiberglass tanks, then aged for 35 months in predominantly neutral American oak with a small amount of French barrels. Mid-Ruby in color, this Reserva possesses a beautiful bouquet of ripe berry fruit mixed with notes of dried herbs, tobacco and rose petals.

The full-bodied palate displays concentrated flavors of black cherry, cooked-down strawberries and earth balanced by velvety, textured tannins. The finish exhibits enduring depth and complexity. The perfect companion to grilled, roasted or braised meats and game.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Luis Gutierrez of the Wine Advocate 96 Points | The 2021 Pegaso Granito has a very clean nose and comes through as very approachable, with an elegant personality. They picked all grapes together (there were some unripe grapes) and fermented it all together. The wine has a medium-bodied palate, the granularity of the tannins is extremely small, and it has a very fine mineral sensation. It has incredible elegance and finesse, with lifted aromatics, high-pitched, acute, fine-boned and with the frontal tannins from the granite soils.

Producer Description 

Cebreros is both the name of the village and the appellation of origin in the southeast of the province of Ávila, within the greater Sierra de Gredos region, the mountainous area located on the continental divide of Spain. The region is unspoiled, wild, rustic, full of energy and light, and as authentic as it gets. It is a transitional zone where northern Spain gives way to southern Spain. The wines from the Sierra de Gredos mountains to the west of Madrid (aka Vinos de Madrid) have finally begun to claim their rightful place alongside other top wine regions focused on producing world-class garnacha. For many insiders, the region is now leading the conversation about this Mediterranean garnacha grape, now understood to be indigenous to Spain. 

Whole clusters are picked by hand in small boxes, with a strict selection made in the vineyard. The clusters are de-stemmed, crushed, and fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks and large neutral French oak foudres. The wine is then aged for 18 months in new and used 600L French oak barrels sourced from different forests.

Big Table Farm Pinot Noir — Willamette Valley, Oregon 2023

Big Table Farm is one of Willamette Valley's most beloved small producers — a genuine farm winery run by Brian and Clare Carver, who raise animals, grow vegetables, and make wine with the same hands-on, unhurried philosophy. Their Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is sourced from a network of trusted growers across the valley, blended to capture the region's signature elegance: bright red fruit, floral lift, and the kind of fine-grained structure that makes Oregon Pinot so compelling at the table. The 2023 vintage produced just 2,154 cases.

The wine pours a translucent ruby. The nose is supple and elegantly complex — delicate raspberry, cherry, rose petal, orange peel, and dusky spices. On the palate, it's bright and energetic with crunchy tannins and focused acidity, delivering red apple, blood orange, and raspberry with a lovely balance of fruit and savory undertones. Fine-grained tannins carry it through a long, polished finish. Drink now through 2033.

"Supple and elegantly complex, with delicate raspberry and cherry flavors laced with rose petal, orange peel and dusky spices as this glides toward fine-grained tannins." — Wine Spectator, 93 Points

• Producer: Big Table Farm, Willamette Valley, Oregon
• Vintage: 2023
• Appellation: Willamette Valley AVA
• Varietal: Pinot Noir
• Production: 2,154 cases
• Size: 750ml
• Accolades: Wine Spectator 93 | James Suckling 93
• Drink: Now through 2033
• Tasting Notes: Raspberry, cherry, rose petal, orange peel, blood orange, dusky spices, fine-grained tannins
• Best Paired With: Roasted duck, mushroom risotto, truffled dishes, lean pork or veal, brie, goat cheese

A dual 93-point Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from one of Oregon's most authentic farm wineries — elegant, precise, and built for the table.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 95 Points | All the ripeness of this very warm vintage, married to wonderful freshness that gives this the light-footedness of a great dancer. Mostly white fruit, but just a hint of fresh pineapple. Long, silky finish. Drink or hold. (2018). 

Robert Parker 93+ Points | The 2018 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is discreet yet deep and complex on the elegant and spicy nose that exhibits very fine stone fruit aromas. Round, lush and piquant on the palate, this is a crystalline, piquant, persistently salty and stimulating Himmelreich with fine tannins on the finish that add grip and a very light, food-friendly astringency that moderates away the sweetness. Still young, this is a Spätlese to serve with food in 10-15 years. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | This has all of the elements of a great spätlese, with pronounced acidity supporting the ripe peach, yellow apple, mango and spruce flavors, while hints of vanilla and piecrust add to the complexity. Still a bit intense, but this should develop beautifully with age, allowing the minerality to become more prominent. Best from 2022 through 2038. (2018).

Winemaker Description

This delicious, versatile wine begins with aromas of blackberry, rose hip, dried cranberries and hints of boysenberry followed by notes of violets and crushed spices.

On the palate, the wine begins with a soft, dense, lush, tannin structure supported by flavors of red berry fruit, subtle acidity and a long flavorful, vanilla finish. 

Winemaker Description

Israel. 100% Petite Verdot Produced from grapes grown on old vines in the Carmel region. After fermentation and soaking on the skins, the wine aged in French oak barrels for 15 months.

The wine has a deep purple hue and aromas of blackberries, blueberries, licorice and leather. It is full bodied and has a long and well-balanced finish. Pair with lamb based casseroles, and pasta dishes with a mushroom or meat broth base.

Kosher for Passover.

Winemaker Description

Its traditional production makes Vocation Champagne a Blanc de Noirs to enjoy on any occasion and turn it into a memorable moment.

The Champagne region is synonymous with excellence, hard work and continuous work to continue offering recognized world-class wines and bubbles. Our vocation and respect for nature, as well as our lives, manage to create the best fruit which is the basis and structure for our final offering.

Vocation is the living representation of what has been our home for centuries and radiates our values ​​as a family by making and respecting the traditional way of making champagne, the precious liquid.

Expert Reviews

Wine Enthusiast 91 Points | This wine is now mature, showing richness while also preserving elegance. Earthy, herbal tones are laced through the wine’s juicy fruit texture. Enjoy now for best enjoyment.

Wine Spectator 90-93 Points | Still very primal, but enticing, with sappy raspberry, sweet spice, melted licorice and linzer torte notes that have yet to stretch out fully. There's racy acidity as well, so this should knit nicely.

Expert Review - Vintage 2020

The Wine Enthusiast by Christina Pickard writes 92 Points | 2020 was a stellar vintage across New York State, despite the challenges of picking in a pandemic year. This charmingly demonstrates Long Island's prowess with Merlot. A fragrant fruit salad perfume of summer berries with subtle purple flower, vanilla and baking spice tucked beneath. It's supple, structured and harmonious, with firm, sappy tannins and a crunch of acidity.  

Winemaker Description

The Grapes of Roth is Winemaker Roman Roth's private label, and a true testament to his classic, yet adventerous, wine-making style. Wonderful dark cherry fruit with well integrated oak, classic graphite and great minerality is complimented by a very savory and elegant finish.

Dark red brick in color. Elegant aromas of cassis and fine toasted sandalwood fill the glass. The mouth-feel is rich and concentrated, yet balanced with wonderful fruit of plumbs, prunes and amazing minerality. The finish has layers of ripe tannins and nicely toasted oak with fine classic earthiness, leather and iodine notes. The fruit and alcohol provide great length and make this a very special Merlot that possesses great aging potential and is the perfect partner with food.

This is a wine to be aged. It has a huge maturation curve ahead and will gain many more nuances and facets. Serve just at room temperature. Pair this Merlot with dishes you might think of for big, bold wines: steak, cassoulet, duck and decadent dark chocolate desserts. 

Memo Summary Notes

The 2020 Wölffer Estate "The Grapes of Roth" Merlot is widely considered a benchmark for Long Island winemaking. It is the personal label of Wölffer’s longtime winemaker, Roman Roth, who uses it to showcase a more robust, "Right Bank" Bordeaux style that proves Merlot can be both powerful and sophisticated.

The 2020 vintage was particularly stellar for New York, recently earning the #100 spot on the Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2025.

Winemaker Description

Incredibly rich amber colour with golden mahogany reflections, this 10-year-old Tawny emanates from the opening of the bottle a superb aromatic bouquet: with initial notes of almond, walnut, fig, dried fruit, currants, candied orange, then evolving for roasting and wood notes. In the mouth the same complexity, a rich, concentrated, deep structure supported by a magnificent acidity. It evolves with energy and firmness and as an exceptionally long finish. Winemaker Description.

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 91 Points | From old, field blend vineyards, this Port has a fine nutty character. It shares that with red fruits, gentle spice and a fine balance between sweetness and a drier core. This wine, rich and with toffee flavors, is ready to drink.

Icardi Barbaresco Montubert Organic 2020 750ml

A benchmark Barbaresco from one of Piedmont's most principled organic estates. The Icardi family has farmed without herbicides or pesticides since 1914, and the Montubert vineyard expresses the full nobility of Nebbiolo — structured, aromatic, and built to age gracefully.

James Suckling 93 Points: Red-fruited and spiced with crushed walnuts and licorice. Medium-bodied with polished, delicate tannins. Fresh and vivid fruit character with a polished mineral finish and hints of citrus peel and dried herbs.

Wine Enthusiast 91 Points: Sweetly spiced and charming, showing aromas of candied cherries, allspice, cedar, and mixed wild herbs. Elegant tannins with flavors of dried cranberries and dried orange peel. Drink now–2035.

Wine Spectator 90 Points: Savory with juniper, eucalyptus, and mint accenting a cherry, strawberry, and floral core. Lean and taut with dusty tannins. Best from 2027 through 2042.

Food Pairings

• Braised short ribs, osso buco, and slow-roasted lamb
• Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano and hard cheeses
• Truffle pasta, mushroom risotto, and game meats
• Roasted duck and venison

Wine Details

• Varietal: Nebbiolo
• Appellation: Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont, Italy
• Vintage: 2020
• Size: 750ml
• Farming: Certified Organic
• Producer: Icardi

93 Points — Jeb Dunnuck
92 Points — James Suckling
91 Points — Wine Advocate

Geoffroy “Empreinte Millésime” 2018 is a vintage Blanc de Noirs Champagne produced entirely from Pinot Noir grown in three historic Premier Cru parcels in Cumières. Powerful yet refined, it captures the ripe red-fruit character of this celebrated Vallée de la Marne village while preserving freshness, mineral tension and a finely detailed mousse.

The wine is sourced from mature, south-facing vines planted on the midslope above the Marne River. Fermentation and maturation in large oak vessels build texture and complexity without obscuring the purity of the Pinot Noir. After extended aging on the lees and a very low dosage, the finished Champagne offers ripe orchard fruit, citrus, red berries, fresh bread, toasted nuts and a distinctive saline finish.

The Place

Cumières is a historic Premier Cru village in Champagne’s Vallée de la Marne, located immediately west of Hautvillers and northwest of Épernay. Its vineyards rise steeply from the right bank of the Marne River, benefiting from predominantly south- and southeast-facing exposures.

The village’s warm, sunny slopes allow Pinot Noir to achieve excellent ripeness. Cumières Champagne is consequently known for its expressive fruit, generous texture and distinctly vinous character. The underlying chalk and limestone preserve freshness and mineral tension, preventing the wines from becoming overly broad or heavy.

Although Champagne Geoffroy’s winemaking facilities are now located in Aÿ, the family’s identity remains inseparable from Cumières, where it has cultivated vines since the 17th century.

The Empreinte Vineyards

Empreinte is drawn from three historic Cumières Premier Cru parcels:

Les Chalmonts
Les Barremonts
Les Pêchers

The vineyards lie on the midslope at approximately 160 meters above sea level, with a gradient of around 19%. Their southerly exposure promotes full Pinot Noir ripeness, while the slope provides natural drainage and excellent sunlight throughout the growing season.

The soils are composed principally of clay and limestone with fragments of millstone and flint. Clay contributes body, ripe fruit and textural generosity. Limestone and chalk provide freshness, structure and salinity, while flinty elements can contribute the delicate smoky or reductive mineral character frequently found in the wine.

The source vines average approximately 40 years of age. The parcels are selected annually, harvested together and pressed as a single expression of mature-vine Pinot Noir from Cumières.

The Meaning of Empreinte

“Empreinte” translates as “imprint” or “mark.” The name reflects the domaine’s intention to capture the distinctive imprint of Cumières terroir through Pinot Noir.

The cuvée represents one of the estate’s historic and defining wines. Rather than blending across villages or grape varieties, Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy uses Empreinte to highlight the depth, ripeness and mineral structure Pinot Noir can achieve on the warm slopes of Cumières.

The Grape: 100% Pinot Noir.

Although Pinot Noir is a dark-skinned grape, the juice is naturally clear. Gentle pressing with minimal skin contact produces a white Champagne known as Blanc de Noirs.

Pinot Noir provides Empreinte with structure, body and aging potential, together with characteristic flavors of red apple, cherry, raspberry and subtle red currant. Mature vines and extended lees aging add further layers of citrus, toasted bread, nuts, spice and savory mineral complexity.

The 2018 Vintage

Empreinte 2018 is a true vintage Champagne, produced solely from grapes harvested during the 2018 growing season.

The warm, generous vintage allowed Pinot Noir in favorably exposed Cumières vineyards to achieve excellent maturity. The resulting Champagne possesses ripe fruit and a broad, enveloping texture, but sufficient acidity and mineral structure maintain balance and freshness.

The vintage produced a comparatively approachable expression of Empreinte, combining concentrated Pinot Noir character with a creamy mousse, fresh citrus and a delicate saline edge.

Viticulture

Champagne Geoffroy practices sustainable and increasingly organic viticulture. Chemical weedkillers are avoided, vineyard soils are cultivated and cover crops are encouraged to improve biodiversity and soil health.

The grapes are harvested by hand at optimum maturity and carefully sorted. Achieving full physiological ripeness is central to the Geoffroy style, particularly for a low-dosage wine such as Empreinte, where there is very little added sweetness to soften or disguise the character of the base wine.

Pressing and Vinification

The Pinot Noir is pressed in a traditional Coquard press. Only the finest first-pressing juice, known as the tête de cuvée, is selected.

The individual vineyard parcels are handled by gravity and fermented with indigenous yeasts. The 2018 was vinified principally in large 20-hectoliter Stockinger oak casks, together with other neutral barrels and demi-muids.

Large-format, seasoned oak allows the wine to develop greater breadth, texture and oxygen-derived complexity without contributing excessive new-oak flavor. It also complements the naturally rich and vinous character of mature-vine Cumières Pinot Noir.

The wine is neither heavily fined nor filtered, preserving its natural texture and aromatic complexity.

Lees Aging and Dosage

The importer lists approximately 66 months of aging on the lees. Jeb Dunnuck describes the wine as spending a minimum of five years sur latte before disgorgement.

This extended lees maturation develops the Champagne’s fine mousse and contributes notes of brioche, fresh bread, pastry, almond and toasted nuts.

The bottles reviewed by James Suckling and Wine Advocate were disgorged in December 2024 with a dosage of only 1 gram per liter. This extremely low dosage gives the wine a dry, focused profile and allows its Pinot Noir fruit, chalky minerality and delicate phenolic structure to remain clearly defined.

Skurnik’s broader technical profile lists 3 grams per liter for the cuvée, indicating that dosage may vary between disgorgement lots. Both figures fall within the Extra Brut category.

Tasting Notes

The 2018 Empreinte displays a luminous copper-straw color with a persistent stream of small, finely formed bubbles.

The bouquet opens with sliced apple, pear, white grapefruit and orange zest, followed by raspberry, red currant and other subtle red-fruit notes. With air, aromas of honey, fresh bread, brioche, toasted almond and Madagascar vanilla become more pronounced.

A delicate flinty reduction frames the fruit and contributes additional mineral complexity. The oak is present primarily as texture and gentle toast rather than overt wood flavor.

On the palate, the Champagne is medium- to full-bodied, firm and generous. A creamy mousse surrounds ripe apple, citrus and red-berry flavors, while vibrant acidity maintains energy and definition.

The mid-palate is broad, textural and enveloping, yet the wine remains controlled and precise. Pinot Noir contributes a subtle phenolic grip, leading to a delicately bitter, gastronomic finish marked by grapefruit pith, almond, chalk and salty spice.

This is a substantial but elegant Blanc de Noirs: expressive enough to enjoy now, yet sufficiently structured to develop greater nutty, savory and brioche complexity with additional bottle age.

Professional Ratings

93 Points — Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2018 Champagne Premier Cru Cumières Blanc de Noirs Empreinte Extra Brut is a more elegant and approachable wine in this vintage, pouring a bright copper/straw color and offering notes of fresh almond, fresh bread, white grapefruit, red fruit, and delicate flinty reduction that frames the nose. Made from 100% Pinot Noir from the best plots of Cumières and raised in oak with a minimum five years sur latte, it™s medium-bodied and has a creamy texture and a fine mousse with just a subtle salty spice. It is not the most obvious wine in the tasting, but it will offer a lot of refreshing enjoyment over the next 8-10 years. Drink 2025-2035."

92 Points — James Suckling: "Sliced apples, berries, honey and toasted bread on the nose of this dry, expressive Champagne. Lovely pinot noir character, firm but generous. Tight bubbles. Pinot noir from Cumieres. Disgorged December 2024. 1 g/L dosage. Drink now or hold."

91 Points — Wine Advocate: "Geoffroy™s 2018 Blanc de Noirs Cumieres Empreinte originates from several south-facing parcels in Cumieres, averaging 40 years of age. These parcels are annually selected, harvested and pressed together, then vinified primarily in 20-hectoliter Stockinger casks. Disgorged in December 2024 with a dosage of one gram per liter, the wine bursts from the glass with expressive aromas of pear, orange zest, brioche and Madagascar vanilla. Full-bodied, textural and enveloping on the palate, it displays notable mid-palate sweetness despite its low-dosage style. Ripe yet vibrant acidity complements the wine, while Pinot Noir phenolics assert themselves on the delicately bitter finish. Made with full malolactic fermentation, this cuvee stands apart from the rest of the range, offering a richer, fruit-forward profile that's full of charm."

The Producer

The Geoffroy family has cultivated vineyards in Cumières since the 17th century. Estate bottling began during the 1950s, and René Geoffroy later expanded the domaine and established its reputation as an independent grower-producer.

Today, Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy manages the estate with his wife, Karine. Although the family moved its winemaking operations to a historic property in Aÿ in 2008, most of its vineyards remain in Cumières.

The domaine farms approximately 14 hectares, including roughly 11 hectares in Cumières, with additional parcels in neighboring Vallée de la Marne villages.

The Geoffroy style is built around ripe fruit, individual parcel selection, traditional pressing, oak fermentation and extended cellar aging. The wines combine the generosity of the Vallée de la Marne with energetic acidity, restrained dosage and a distinctive vinous character.

Food Pairing

Empreinte is a gastronomic Champagne particularly well suited to poultry, mushrooms and mature cheeses.

Recommended pairings include Bresse chicken with morels, roast chicken, quail with grapes, duck breast, veal, pork tenderloin and a fricassee of wild mushrooms.

It also pairs beautifully with seared tuna, grilled salmon, lobster, scallops, truffle risotto and savory pastry dishes. Mature Comté, Gruyère, Parmesan and other aged cheeses complement its toasted-almond and brioche character.

Serving and Cellaring

Serve at approximately 50–54°F in a tulip-shaped Champagne glass or a generous white-wine glass. The producer recommends serving Empreinte at approximately 11–12°C.

A wider glass allows its Pinot Noir fruit, oak-derived texture and mature lees aromas to develop more fully than a narrow flute.

The Champagne is ready to drink now but should continue to evolve through approximately 2035. Additional bottle age will encourage more developed notes of toasted nuts, dried fruit, honey, brioche and savory spice.

Producer: Champagne Geoffroy
Cuvée: Empreinte Millésime
Vintage: 2018
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Subregion: Vallée de la Marne
Village: Cumières Premier Cru
Classification: Premier Cru
Style: Vintage Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut Champagne
Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Vineyard Sources: Les Chalmonts, Les Barremonts and Les Pêchers
Exposure: Predominantly south-facing
Altitude: Approximately 160 meters
Slope: Approximately 19% gradient
Vine Age: Approximately 40 years and older
Soils: Clay-limestone with fragments of millstone and flint
Farming: Sustainable and practicing organic
Harvest: Hand harvested and sorted
Press: Traditional Coquard press; tête de cuvée juice
Fermentation: Indigenous yeasts in large oak casks, barrels and demi-muids
Lees Aging: Approximately 66 months
Disgorgement: December 2024 for the bottles reviewed
Dosage: 1 g/L for the December 2024 reviewed disgorgement; importer profile also lists 3 g/L for the cuvée
Alcohol: 12.5%
Recommended Drinking: 2025–2035
Bottle Size: 750ml

Geoffroy “Empreinte Millésime” Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru Extra Brut 2018

Geoffroy “Expression” Premier Cru Brut is the signature non-vintage Champagne of this historic grower-producer. Built around the 2021 harvest and enriched with an equal proportion of reserve wines from a perpetual blend begun in 1970, Expression brings together ripe orchard fruit, red-fruit nuance, chalky minerality and a finely detailed mousse.

The blend is sourced from Premier Cru vineyards in Cumières and Hautvillers in the Vallée de la Marne. Pinot Noir and Meunier provide body, fruit and vinous depth, while Chardonnay contributes citrus freshness, precision and lift. A very low dosage of 3 grams per liter gives the wine a dry, focused profile while preserving the generosity and expressive fruit that define the Geoffroy style.

The Place

Expression reflects vineyards planted on the right bank of the Grande Vallée de la Marne, primarily around the Premier Cru village of Cumières, with additional fruit from Hautvillers Premier Cru.

Cumières lies between the Marne River and the forested slopes northwest of Épernay. Its favorably exposed hillside vineyards are particularly well suited to Pinot Noir and Meunier, producing wines with ripeness, generous fruit and notable vinosity. Chardonnay brings additional freshness and finesse to the final blend.

The soils vary across the source parcels and include clay-limestone, marl and sand. Clay contributes breadth and fruit concentration, while limestone and chalk provide freshness, structure and a persistent mineral character. The varied soils and exposures allow Geoffroy to create a layered Champagne that expresses the broader personality of the Vallée de la Marne rather than a single vineyard.

The Expression Cuvée

Expression is considered the introductory or foundational cuvée of Champagne Geoffroy, but its production is far from simple. The wine is assembled from several vineyard parcels, three grape varieties and an extensive collection of reserve wines.

The Geoffroy family describes Expression as its “memory wine,” connecting the character of the current harvest with previous generations. Each release combines a substantial proportion of the base vintage with wine drawn from the estate’s perpetual reserve, which was established by René Geoffroy in 1970.

This reserve system gives the Champagne consistency and complexity while allowing each new base vintage to remain visible. The youthful energy of 2021 is balanced by the depth, texture and maturity contributed by reserve wines spanning many previous harvests.

The Base-2021 Blend

The base-2021 release is composed of:

35% Meunier
35% Pinot Noir
30% Chardonnay

Approximately 50% of the blend comes from the 2021 harvest. The remaining 50% comes from Geoffroy’s perpetual reserve, which contains wines dating from its establishment in 1970 through the years preceding the 2021 harvest.

Meunier contributes aromatic fruit, suppleness and immediate charm. Pinot Noir gives the wine structure, depth and subtle red-fruit character. Chardonnay adds citrus freshness, floral lift and mineral precision.

Together, the three varieties produce a Champagne that is ripe and generous without becoming heavy, with firm acidity and chalky minerality preserving energy throughout the finish.

The 2021 Base Vintage

The 2021 growing season in Champagne was cooler and more difficult than several of the warm, dry vintages that preceded it. Careful vineyard selection was essential, but successful growers produced wines with bright acidity, aromatic freshness and a distinctly classical Champagne profile.

In Expression, the lively character of the 2021 base wine is complemented by the broader texture and maturity of the perpetual reserve. The result combines the freshness and tension of the vintage with the depth and continuity of a multi-vintage blend.

Viticulture

Champagne Geoffroy follows a practicing-organic and sustainability-focused approach in the vineyard. The estate avoids chemical weedkillers, encourages biodiversity, cultivates cover crops and works the soil to maintain healthy microbial activity and deeper root systems.

The grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness and carefully sorted before pressing. Geoffroy’s emphasis on ripe, healthy fruit is especially important because Expression is intended to display both freshness and a distinctive vinous richness.

The source vines are generally more than 30 years old and are distributed among multiple Premier Cru parcels in Cumières and Hautvillers.

Winemaking

The grapes are pressed in a traditional Coquard press. Vinification is conducted parcel by parcel, allowing the character of each vineyard, grape variety and soil type to be assessed before the final blend is assembled.

The base wines are fermented and matured in a combination of temperature-controlled enameled tanks and neutral oak barrels. The perpetual reserve is maintained in concrete tanks, which allow the reserve wine to develop texture and complexity without contributing overt oak flavor.

Malolactic fermentation is only partially completed for this release. Retaining a portion of the wine’s natural malic acidity helps preserve freshness and tension, while partial malolactic fermentation softens the texture and adds balance.

The assembled Champagne underwent secondary fermentation in bottle and matured for approximately 30 months on its lees. Extended lees contact contributes the creamy mousse and subtle notes of brioche, bread dough and pastry found in the finished wine.

The dosage is only 3 grams per liter, giving Expression a notably dry profile. This restrained dosage highlights the wine’s acidity, chalky mineral character and savory complexity while allowing its ripe fruit to remain expressive.

Tasting Notes

The base-2021 Expression pours a bright straw-yellow color with a persistent stream of fine bubbles. The bouquet opens with fresh apple, pear, quince and preserved lemon, accompanied by red currant, ripe black cherry and orange peel.

As the wine opens, additional notes of white flowers, crushed chalk, toasted brioche, pastry cream, smoke and subtle nuttiness emerge. The reserve-wine component contributes depth and maturity, while the 2021 base preserves aromatic freshness and energy.

The palate is medium-bodied, focused and beautifully balanced. Firm acidity is wrapped in a creamy, finely detailed mousse, producing a Champagne that feels both energetic and polished. Orchard fruit and citrus are joined by subtle red-fruit flavors, toasted bread and a lightly pithy texture.

A distinct mineral foundation runs through the wine, bringing notes of crushed stone and chalk to the foreground. The finish is crisp, savory and persistent, with preserved lemon, brioche and mineral flavors lingering after each sip.

Expression is approachable upon release, but its combination of reserve-wine complexity, vibrant acidity and extended lees aging allows it to develop additional richness and harmony with short-term cellaring.

Professional Ratings

93 Points — James Suckling: "Dry with delicious sliced-apple and chalk aromas and flavors with crushed-stone undertones. It™s medium-bodied with a focused palate and a crisp, delicious finish. Nicely done. Drink now." 2025-08-05

92 Points — Wine Spectator: "A mouthwatering version, with firm acidity swathed in the creamy, finely detailed mousse, this offers a rich, tightly meshed range of ripe black cherry, preserved lemon, toasted brioche, smoke and pastry cream flavors. A minerally underpinning drives the finish. Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged September 2024. 750 cases imported. - AN"

91 Points — Jeb Dunnuck: "A bright yellow hue, the NV Champagne 1er Cru Expression Brut is from the 2020 vintage but includes perpetual reserve wines going back to 1970. The nose displays notes of nectarine, golden apples, hay, and a hint of nuttiness or bread. Medium-bodied, with good balance on the palate, it™s quite harmonious and very tasty all around, with a fluffy mousse, notes of orange citrus, and a clean, savory finish. It™s quite approachable and will drink well now or over the coming 5-7 years. 5 grams per liter dosage."

The Producer

The Geoffroy family has cultivated vines in Cumières since the 17th century. Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy represents the fifth generation of his family to grow grapes and produce wine in the Vallée de la Marne.

The family began placing greater emphasis on estate-bottled Champagne after the Second World War. In the 1970s, René Geoffroy decided to retain the family’s entire crop for Champagne production rather than selling grapes to larger houses. He also established the perpetual reserve that remains central to Expression today.

The estate now farms approximately 14 hectares, with most of its vineyards located in Cumières and additional parcels in Hautvillers, Damery and Fleury-la-Rivière. Although the winery and cellars are now located in Aÿ, the identity of Champagne Geoffroy remains deeply connected to the slopes of Cumières.

Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy’s approach combines careful vineyard work, ripe fruit, parcel-by-parcel vinification and restrained dosage. The wines are known for their balance of vinous depth, energetic acidity and precise expression of the Vallée de la Marne.

Food Pairing

Expression is an excellent aperitif, but its texture, low dosage and substantial reserve-wine component also make it a versatile food Champagne.

Serve with oysters, shrimp, crab cakes, smoked salmon, seafood pastries, scallops, sushi or tempura. It also pairs beautifully with roast chicken, veal sweetbreads, pork tenderloin, mushroom tart, aged Comté and other firm, savory cheeses.

The wine’s acidity and chalky finish cut through butter and cream, while its orchard-fruit, brioche and subtle red-fruit flavors complement roasted poultry, pastry-based appetizers and richer seafood dishes.

Serving and Cellaring

Serve at approximately 46–50°F. A white-wine glass rather than a narrow flute will allow the wine’s orchard fruit, brioche, mineral and reserve-wine aromas to develop more fully.

Expression is ready to drink upon release and may be enjoyed over the next five to seven years. Additional bottle age will soften the mousse and encourage more developed notes of toasted nuts, honey, pastry and dried orchard fruit.

Producer: Champagne Geoffroy
Cuvée: Expression
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Subregion: Vallée de la Marne
Villages: Cumières Premier Cru and Hautvillers Premier Cru
Classification: Premier Cru
Style: Non-Vintage Brut Champagne
Base Vintage: 2021
Blend: 35% Meunier, 35% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay
Vintage Composition: 50% 2021 and 50% perpetual reserve
Perpetual Reserve: Established in 1970
Soils: Clay-limestone, marl and sand
Vine Age: Generally more than 30 years
Farming: Practicing organic and sustainability-focused
Harvest: Hand harvested and sorted
Press: Traditional Coquard press
Fermentation: Enameled tanks and neutral oak barrels
Reserve-Wine Aging: Concrete tanks
Malolactic Fermentation: Partial
Lees Aging: Approximately 30 months
Dosage: 3 grams per liter
Disgorgement: September 2024
Alcohol: Approximately 12.5%
Bottle Size: 750ml

Geoffroy “Expression” Premier Cru Brut Champagne — Base 2021