American Wines

Napa Valley is one of the World’s most exciting areas for producing some of the best and most exciting Cabernet Sauvignon in the World. We are delighted to ship the wine of Frog’s Leap into Ireland and their dry farmed Cabernet Sauvignon from the Rutherford Bench is charming Antonio Galloni rates the Frog’s Leap Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2017  95 points. This estate also does an impressive Zinfandel and Merlot. For Duckhorn enthusiasts we of course stock the Duckhorn Estate Merlot 2017 and their Cabernet Sauvignon. We also are delighted to stock the wines of Sequoia Grove, an estate where some of our team have worked in their vineyards so their address 8338 St Helena Hwy and fond memories of the late founder Jim Allen. 

For those who really want to push out the boat and go for one of the real icon wines of the Napa Valley, Opus One may be the one to opt for.Opus one is the legendary cooperation between the late Bob Mondavi and the Baron de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton Rothschild. A bit of trivia on this cooperation Bob Mondavi came to Ireland and sampled many vintages of Mouton Rothschild at the renowned le Coq Hardi before going to Bordeaux to sign the co-operation deal. Of course the late ‘TP’ was on board for this trip. 

We currently have the Opus One 2016 in stock which we shipped directly from Bordeaux.  On the Opus One 2016 vintage Parker writes: “ Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Opus One offers up bold, expressive black and blue fruits: warm black plums, black cherries, blackcurrants and wild blueberries with a beautiful undercurrent of lilacs, roses, fertile loam, underbrush and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is a tightly coiled spring ready to explode, with fantastic tension and wonderfully ripe, very fine-grained tannins, finishing very long with a mineral lift”  Rating 98 points. 

Opus one 2016  Jancis Robinson writes:  “77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec.

Succulent and fruity with a porty note on the nose. Interlaced oak gives cedar and sweet spice. There's also dark chocolate (a benchmark flavour, apparently) and iodine too. Silky tannins, glossy texture – this is Pauillac in soft focus. Absolutely drinkable. Long, savoury and serious. (RH)”

For those who are fans of the Zinfandel grape the wines of Ridge are really the reference wines for this varietal and we are pleased to carry the Ridge East Bench, Ridge Lytton Springs and the Ridge Geyserville all with their unique story to tell and reflect the genius of Paul Draper.

Ridge Lytton Springs 2017 reviewed:

The 2017 Lytton Springs is made up of 74% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 9% Carignane and 2% Mataro. It aged in 100% air-dried American oak, 10% new. Medium ruby-purple, it opens with dried flowers, autumn leaves and cinnamon stick notions over a core of crushed red cherries, dried cranberries, apricot, underbrush, red currant and black cherries with a super spicy undercurrent. The palate is medium-bodied, spicy and fresh with a grainy frame and juicy freshness, finishing long and lifted.Parker 91 points

For Pinot Noir and Chardonnay enthusiasts we cannot recommend the Sonoma Coast wines of Failla enough. The Failla wines attracted the following words from Parker “Failla is a reference point winery for the Sonoma Coast. This is as good as it gets”.

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