Greetings!

Rogers & Company's mission for 25 years has been to bring the finest wines from around the world to Ontario.  Some are in the value price category like the wines from Cannonball and Tiefenbrunner; some are more collectable and built for the cellar like wines from Shafer, Caymus and Fontodi; but most straddle that sweet middle-ground, both cellar worthy and affordably drinkable, like Belle Glos' Pinot Noirs, Ridge's Zinfandels and Chiquet's Champagnes.   

So, I am excited to introduce you to O'Shaughnessy Estate Winery and Capiaux Cellars.

O'Shaughnessy produces wines from two of Napa's famed regions: Howell Mountain and Mount Veeder. Robert Parker calls O'Shaughnessy "One of the superstar estates on Howell Mountain" (Dec 2009).  Since the 2003 vintage, when the estate vineyards began producing all the fruit for the winery, Mr. Parker has awarded no less than 94 points to both of the O'Shaughnessy Cabernets, and the Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon has received 98 points for the 2008 vintage!

Capiaux Cellars is the personal winery of O'Shaughnessy's winemaker and COO Sean Capiaux.  For 16 years he has been dedicated to making only artisan Pinot Noir, in small lots, from very highly respected vineyards such as Freestone Hill, Widdoes and Pisoni.  Robert Parker also praises this winery, stating that Sean "demonstrates a Midas touch with Pinot Noir." (Feb 2011).

We plan to build verticals for our clients of the O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, by offering the 2006 first, then taking a small parcel of the the 2005 and then the 2007. All wines will be packed in sixes, around $100 per bottle.   Clients who have ordered the 2006 and 2005 will have first refusal on subsequent vintages.  

We also plan to offer a small parcel of the 2005 Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, but our allocation is extremely small, so we may not be able to fulfill all requests, we can only promise to be fair in our distribution of it.   

The first Pinot Noirs from Capiaux that we will be offering are Chimera 2009 and "Pisoni Vineyard" 2008. The Chimera is a blend of fruit from four vineyards within the Sonoma Coast appellation, most prominently from the Petaluma Gap, a region best known for "nervy and tense" fruit quality that gives the wines vibrancy.  This wine comes in cases of twelve at approximately $42 per bottle, making it more special than an "everyday" wine, but certainly not at a price that should have you 'hands-off'.   

The Capiaux "Pisoni Vineyard" Pinot Noir 2008 is certainly a "special occasion" wine from one of California's most famed vineyards.  Farmed by the incomparable Gary Pisoni, who makes his own label called Roar, he sells his grapes to a number of California's top Pinot Noir producers.  Of the 10 who made Pisoni Pinot Noirs in 2008, the Capiaux is the most affordable, with Patz & Hall's and Bernardus' fetching close to $100 in the U.S.

This is a powerful wine, as is the style of the Santa Lucia Highlands.  The budwood for this section of the Pisoni property is planted to its own rootstock (which is very rare) and comes from Domaine de le Romanée-Conti's "La Tache" Grand Cru Monopole vineyard. 

Please visit these websites for more information and images, O'Shaughnessy and Capiaux.   If you would like to reserve any cases, please let me know.  As always, our up-to-date price lists and further information about our entire portfolio is available at Rogers & Company.

Sincerely,

Chris. 

Chris McLean

416 961 2294 x 29