2021 Krupp Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon The Wheelman Napa Valley

2021 Krupp Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon The Wheelman Napa Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Atlas PeakCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

Krupp Brothers

Cabernet Sauvignon
The Wheelman
Napa Valley 2021

2021 Krupp Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon The Wheelman Napa Valley

In the mid-1990s, the Krupp brothers were captivated by a rugged 750-acre parcel atop Atlas Peak. Despite its formidable challenges—water scarcity, isolation, and volcanic, rocky terrain—the brothers were determined to cultivate a vineyard. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to locate an underground water source, they succeeded with the unconventional aid of a water witch.

The Stagecoach Vineyard, a testament to the Krupps’ perseverance and vision, has become one of Napa Valley’s most iconic properties. It produces bold, penetrating wines with extraordinary structure. The Wheelman, a limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon, is renowned for its exceptional quality, robustness, and volcanic minerality. Aged 22 months in 70% new French oak, the 2021 release is approachable now but promises to evolve gracefully for years to come.

Embrace the legacy of the Stagecoach Vineyard by experiencing the extraordinary Wheelman Cabernet Sauvignon.

Krupp Brothers
Cabernet Sauvignon
The Wheelman
Napa Valley 2021

Your Price: $99.99

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“The Krupps Brothers The Wheelman Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 is loaded with enticing dark fruit and spice, delivering a complex and elegant experience. The nose is initially brooding, revealing rich notes of black plums, ripe Bing cherries, and a touch of chocolate-covered espresso beans. Indian spices and a subtle hint of fresh lavender add complexity, while rocky mineral nuances provide an earthy element. The wine is supple and silky on the palate, with a concentrated yet elegant structure. Pure and linear, the distinctive flavors of sweet red and black berries and vanilla spice dance across the tongue, creating a vibrant, complex tapestry. The finish is lingering, leaving a lasting impression of the wine’s great depth and character. Drink or cellar until 2036.”

93 Points

2021 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Red Blend

2021 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Red Blend

with No Comment $30 and underAtlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

VISTA

ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
RED BLEND 2021

2021 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Red Blend

Back and better than ever before, Vista’s 2021 Atlas Peak Reserve Red Blend is another paradigm-shifter for superior quality, value-priced Mountain wines. This stunner has the concentration, depth, complexity, and balance you’d expect from an exceptional $50+ Napa wine, but at $25, it’s almost unfathomable how great it is for this low price.

Harvested at 2,000 feet elevation on Atlas Peak, Vista’s 2021 Reserve Blend was wrought from the rocky red Aiken soils that perfectly display the deep, concentrated flavors that make this region famous.

Predominately Cabernet Sauvignon at 61%, balanced with Merlot and Malbec, the 2021 vintage has the power of a thoroughbred, tamed by the skilled hand of winemaker Grant Long Jr, whom you might know from Aonair, Reverie II, Steps, and James Joseph. If you’re looking for a fabulous wine that tastes like it should be double or triple the price, look no further.

VISTA
ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
RED BLEND 2021

Your Price: $25

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“Unparalleled in their ability to create rich, powerful, high-quality Napa Valley wines at an exceptionally low price, Vista continues to raise the bar with the release of their 2021 Reserve Atlas Peak Red Blend. This beautiful creation begins with a vibrant nose, including crushed Blackberries, blueberry cobbler, lavender, and hints of wood spice. The powerful palate continues with concentrated red currants, mixed berry compote, Bing cherries, pipe tobacco, saline minerality, and cocoa powder. The firm volcanic mountain structure beautifully balances the intense fruit with a style, grace, and energy, leading to a long finish that simply satisfies.”

95 Points

2018 Acumen Peak Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak

2018 Acumen Peak Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak

with No Comment $90-$100Atlas PeakCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

ACUMEN

PEAK CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 ATLAS PEAK

2018 Acumen Peak Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak
Acumen Estate consists of 116 organically certified acres of vines on Atlas Peak, spread across two vineyards from which a small portfolio of estate-grown wines is born. The winery bases their sought-after style of Cabernet Sauvignon on the great Cabernets of the 1960s and 70s, which helped secure Napa on the international wine map.
 
Acumen sells a large portion of their mountain-grown fruit to other fine wineries in Napa Valley, allowing Chappellet’s 30-year veteran winemaker Philip Titus to focus on his favorite small vineyard blocks. The 2018 vintage is graceful with an exquisite yet powerful structure due to a cooler than average summer with zero heat spikes, allowing the grapes to slowly develop full physiological maturity, depth of aromas and flavors, and an incredible overall balance between fruit, earth, and minerality.
 
ACUMEN
PEAK CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 ATLAS PEAK
Retails at: $115
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Peak showed nicely, with beautiful blue fruits, scorched earth, licorice, and violet aromas and flavors. With medium to full-bodied richness, it stays tight and compact on the palate, with a fresh, Bordeaux-like style in its tannins and acidity. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age but should age nicely on its purity and elegance.”
95 Points
 
“Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Peak charges out of the gate with energetic scents of red and black currants, fresh blackberries and boysenberries with suggestions of camphor, cardamom, tar and new leather plus a waft of pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated and decadent in the mouth, the palate has a solid foundation of firm, grainy tannins and lively freshness to support, finishing long with a pleasantly surprising floral perfume coming through at the end.”
94+ Points
2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve

2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn’s Reserve

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCabernet SauvignonCalistogaHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

JAMES JOSEPH

CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
2019 KATHRYN’S RESERVE

2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve
For decades, James Joseph built a reputation for crafting age-worthy Cabernets that are powerfully elegant and profoundly hedonistic. The 2019 release embodies the brand’s fingerprint conveyed with Howell Mountain Cabernet’s concentration, Atlas Peak fruit’s depth, and Calistoga’s signature minerality. 
 
The 2019 vintage combines 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, aged 20 months in barrel and crafted in a concentrated and showy style ladened with dark fruits, assorted chocolates, and rocky minerals. With just four barrels produced, don’t hesitate to secure this release.
 
JAMES JOSEPH
CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
2019 KATHRYN’S RESERVE
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Balance is one of the most important aspects of wine because when all the components are in balance, the wine effortlessly draws attention and acclaim. The 2019 James Joseph does just that, beginning with a nose of ripe cherry and blackberry fruit enveloped in sweet baking spices and cocoa, like a blueberry pie that your grandmother just took out of the oven. This rich and round wine finishes with velvety tannins that make it approachable in its youth, but the depth and concentration of flavors mean that this wine can also lay down for another ten years and develop further complexity.”
96 Points
2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red

2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underAtlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

VISTA

ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
2018 PROPRIETARY RED

2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red
Cementing its spot on my top 5 list in 2020, Vista’s 2018 Atlas Peak Red is the single most extraordinary $23 wine that I’ve tasted. The wine has the concentration, depth, complexity, and balance that you’d expect from a remarkable $50 bottle of high-elevation Napa wine, but at $23, it’s hard to wrap your head around how it can be that good, for the modest price.
 
At 2,000 feet elevation on Atlas Peak, Vista’s 2018 Reserve Blend was wrought from the rocky red Aiken soils and perfectly shows off the deep, concentrated flavors that make this region famous. Predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, balanced with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, if you’re looking for a wine that tastes like it should be at least double or triple the price, this is it.
 
VISTA
ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
2018 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $23
2018 Acumen Mountainside Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2018 Acumen Mountainside Proprietary Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Atlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary Red

ACUMEN

2018 MOUNTAINSIDE
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY

2018 Acumen Mountainside Proprietary Red Napa Valley
Acumen wines have a definitive style similar to Napa Valley’s great Cabernets from the 1960s and 1970s. They craft classically structured, balanced wines marked by complexity and ageability under renowned winemaker Phillip Titus, winemaker at Chappellet for nearly 30 years. At $40, Acumen’s Mountainside Red embodies the soul of their Estate vineyard, their team’s talent, and their proprietor’s drive, offering immeasurable value. 
 
At around 1500 feet elevation on Atlas Peak, Acumen’s Mountainside Blend was wrought from the rocky, volcanic soils and relatively cool climate, perfectly depicting the deep, concentrated flavors that make this region famous.
 
Acumen sells most of their fruit, allowing Phillip Titus to focus on his favorite blocks for Acumen’s estate wines. Phillip created this wine around a core of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with Merlot and Petit Verdot for soft, supple characteristics, balancing the power of Mountain Cabernet.
 
ACUMEN
2018 MOUNTAINSIDE
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“This full-bodied wine starts with fragrant aromas of ripe blackberries, potpourri, freshly turned earth, and Chambord. On the palate, we find mouth-coating flavors of blueberries, Santa Rosa plums, and baking spices with a pleasant grip of ripe tannins coupled with notes of toffee, rhubarb compote, fresh sage and cigar box on the long and pleasant finish.”
2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red

2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underAtlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

VISTA

ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
2018 PROPRIETARY RED

2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red
Vista’s 2018 Atlas Peak Red is the single most extraordinary $23 wine that I’ve tasted, and for that reason, it made my top 5 list in 2020. The wine has the concentration, depth, complexity, and balance that you’d expect from a remarkable $40-$50 bottle of high-elevation Napa wine, but at $23, it’s hard to wrap your head around how it can be that good, for the modest price. This vintage is a game-changer for superior quality, value-priced Mountain wines, and the 1,000 case production will fall short of what’s needed to match demand once people taste it.
 
At 2,000 feet elevation on Atlas Peak, Vista’s 2018 Reserve Blend was wrought from the rocky red Aiken soils and perfectly shows off the deep, concentrated flavors that make this region famous.
 
Predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, balanced with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the 2018 vintage envelopes your palate in a blanket of perfectly ripe berries laced with crushed violets, espresso bean, and rocky minerals. If you’re looking for a wine that tastes like it should be at least double or triple the price, this is it.
 
VISTA
ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
2018 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $23
 
“While the first vintage of Vista Atlas Peak Red Blend 2017 set a new standard completely unheard of at this modest price, the Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Red Blend 2018 raises that bar even higher. It begins with aromas of crushed dark berries, creme de cassis, black plum, earthy minerals, pencil lead, dried sage, and vanilla. This beauty has an intensely concentrated palate, with blackberry purée, focused black cherries, red currants, mountain blueberries, allspice, and rocky minerals. It is a gorgeous example of Mountain fruit that is mind-bogglingly great at this price. Wow. Drink now through 2028.”
95-97 Points
2016 Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak

2016 Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapa

CORNERSTONE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 ATLAS PEAK

2016 Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak
Cornerstone Cellars is a foundational producer, and when wedged into the under-fifty category for Napa Cabernet, they are tough to beat. Their brand’s fundamental attribute is cemented in top-level winemaking and access to some of the most expressive vineyards in Napa Valley. Their 2016 Atlas Peak Cabernet arose from Dr. Jan Krupp’s iconic Stagecoach Vineyard, revered for well-drained soils producing powerful berries laced with volcanic subtleties. At less than half the price of the winery retail, don’t hesitate to secure a case.
 
This stunning wine was composed by Kari Auringer, who worked under Celia Welch at Cornerstone and contributed to the fame of some of the Napa Valley’s most luminous names, including Scarecrow, Keever, Kelly Fleming, and Corra, to name a few. 
 
This wine makes its splash from one of Napa Valley’s most outstanding vintages, and one that the Wine Spectator ranks as the highest-rated vintage since 1997. The 2016 release brings superior concentration, scrumptious dark fruits, and absolutely killer focus. 
 
CORNERSTONE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 ATLAS PEAK
Retails at: $95
 
 
“The Cornerstone Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 begins with a beautifully elegant nose including lavender & violets, wild sage, mountain blackberries, black raspberry, pencil lead, bright red currants, and Autumn Spices. It is clean and vibrant on the palate, with a beautiful combination of black cherries, red plums, and assorted black berries, along with a pristine freshness, seamless complexity, and linear focus. It concludes with a long, powerful finish, including lively fruit tannins, fresh tobacco leaf, earthy minerals, and vanilla spice. Drink now through 2032.”
95 Points
 
“The first swirl of this provocative hillside Cabernet releases classic mountain grown fruit characteristics of intense ripe berries and black licorice. Bold and expressive, the core is bursting with primarily black ripe fruit with a bit of red berry notes. The complex mid-palate is satisfying and seductive, offering spice and sweet vanilla flavors with integrated tannins that linger on the finish. The layers of flavors continue to unfold as this tasty gem opens up. Always evolving, this wine immediately begs another taste.”
2018 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve

2018 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn’s Reserve

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCabernet SauvignonDiamond MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

JAMES JOSEPH 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 KATHRYN’S RESERVE 

2018 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve
James Joseph has built a reputation for crafting age-worthy Cabernets that are powerfully elegant and profoundly hedonistic for the last eighteen vintages. Without constraint, the wine adapts to each vintage, bringing in new fruit sources or dropping old ones to craft the most extraordinary wine possible. The 2018 vintage is the deepest, most decadent, and hedonistic version yet, and with a total production of just 4 barrels, don’t hesitate to secure yours.
 
In this 2018 release, James Joseph combined the power of Diamond Mountain with the concentrated fruit of Atlas Peak and then intertwined the elegance of Rutherford. After nearly two years in French oak, the 2018 vintage offers a spectacular display of deep black fruits, dark chocolates, graphite, and liquid violets. 
 
Grant Long Jr., winemaker at Witchery, Steps, and Aonair, authored this masterpiece. Grant’s wines have a cult following for their incredibly compelling, magnetic style that draws you in and keeps you coming back for more. 
 
JAMES JOSEPH 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 KATHRYN’S RESERVE
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
“The 2018 James Joseph Kathryn’s Reserve begins with a nose combining deep, rich aromas of Autumn spiced blackberry cobbler, dried tobacco leaves, fresh mint, and sweet vanilla. The palate is intensely focused, with tantalizing layers of lush, concentrated black currants, crème de cassis, blueberry purée, and espresso roast, all in perfect balance. The ripe fruit tannins are silky smooth, so this wine begs you to drink it now, or over the next 10 years. This release is quite possibly the best James Joseph Kathryn’s ever made.”
96 Points
2015 Mending Wall Proprietary Red Mortar & Stone

2015 Mending Wall Mortar & Stone Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Atlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedReviewUSA

MENDING WALL

2015 PROPRIETARY RED
MORTAR & STONE

2015 Mending Wall Proprietary Red Mortar & StoneCombining the power of Mountain-grown Zinfandel with the voluptuous texture of Calistoga Petite Sirah can be magical. Mending Wall Mortar and Stone is a stunning example of this. The Zinfandel arose from the iconic Aida Vineyard atop Altas Peak, and the Petite Sirah comes from one of the most celebrated vineyards for that varietal in the New World, which was the former source for Carver Sutro. And on top of all that, Thomas Brown is the winemaker… 

Frank Dotzler, one of the co-owners of Mending Wall, was also one of the co-founders of Outpost Winery. Frank teamed up with Mark & Donna Walker (owners of the super-high scoring, Cult brand Pulido-Walker,) as well as his long-time winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for this project. Thomas made history as the first American winemaker to receive a perfect 100 point score from the Wine Spectator.

This tiny production, proprietary blend harnesses the power and intensely concentrated flavors of Atlas Peak Zinfandel with the showy, voluptuous textures of Petite Sirah in way that pulls on the best qualities of both varietals in total harmony. If you love big, lush, concentrated blends with copious charm, this is for you. 

MENDING WALL
2015 PROPRIETARY RED
MORTAR & STONE

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“The Zinfandel from high atop Atlas Peak (Aida Vyd, an original Turley source) is robust, showy mountain fruit. Vines in the historic Mountain Peak vineyard produce some of the most impressive berries we’ve seen in this varietal, nicely structured and spicy rather than super jammy. That spice component pairs beautifully with the final vintage of our estate Syrah. Once again, the venerable Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah completes the blend, lending tannic backbone and deep, black color.It has a seductive appeal-dark, sultry, moody in the very best ways-with good balance between earthy inputs and luscious fruit notes.”