2015 Spence Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

2015 Spence Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

with No Comment $80-$90Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

SPENCE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 HOWELL MOUNTAIN 

2015 Spence Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
The producers of Spence Howell Mountain Cabernet set out to create a wine that’s theirs alone, reflective of the specific characteristics of their exceptionally unique plot near Howell Mountain’s summit. Keenly focused on extracting what transpires in the vineyard, voiced in your glass with eloquence, purity, and individuality, their team is hands-off in the cellar. Their 2015 Howell Mountain Cabernet is sensationally intense, rivetingly defined, powerfully expressive, and an incredible value. 
 
Uniquely positioned above a canyon, Spence’s Vineyard benefits from consistent breezes, thickening the grape skins, contributing color and intensity. The site’s thick surface layer of red volcanic soil laced with rock allows rapid drainage, forcing the roots deep into the earth, extracting site-specific nuance.
 
Spence’s winemaker Ted Osborne began his career at Cakebread before gaining global experience in Australia, South Africa, and Bordeaux and returning to Napa Valley to make wine at Piña and Storybook Mountain. His focus is on vineyard-defined wines that unveil the site’s character in a balanced, elegant, and unique fashion through minimal-intervention winemaking.
 
SPENCE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 HOWELL MOUNTAIN
Retails at: $110
 
 
 
“Coming from the Spence’s vineyard at 1,900’ elevation on top of Howell Mountain, this blockbuster Cabernet reminds me of watching a Cheetah run in slow motion. It’s firm and bursting with power, yet sleek, graceful, and elegant at the same time. It begins with a gorgeous nose of explosive black plums, fragrant violets, dusty cocoa powder, wet slate, dried mushrooms, and vanilla hints. This mind-blowing concoction is perfectly ripe on the palate, with concentrated crushed blackberries, exotic wild currants, stewed plums, baker’s chocolate, and scorched earth. It is wonderfully firm and amazingly complex and long on the palate, with mouth-quenching crushed-velvet tannins that, time after time, left me yearning for another sip. It is a decadent, amazingly sultry stunner now that will continue to drop jaws for well over another decade.” 
97 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2018 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red

2018 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50CalistogaCoombsvilleHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

STEPS

RESERVE BARREL SELECT
2018 PROPRIETARY RED

2018 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red
Each year STEPS is re-birthed as it’s formed from declassified grapes out of some of Napa Valley’s most coveted vineyards and meticulously blended by winemaker Grant Long, Jr, whom you might know from Aonair, Witchery, and James Joseph. Grant makes the blend with an unwavering goal of producing a showy, hedonistic red that’s guided by the vintage and the varietals that performed best. The 2018 release perfectly reflects the vintages knockout power and underlined elegance, and at $50, the value is nearly inconceivable.
 
Steps 2018 Barrel Select draws on the concentrated flavors of Howell Mountain fruit and brings into play the elegance of Coombsville and the minerality of Calistoga grapes. Each lot was fermented separately and barrel-aged for 23 months before the blend was assembled and guided into bottles. 
 
The final blend is nearly 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. The 2018 vintage is richly layered and ladened with ripe blackberries, assorted chocolates, minerals, and red flowers on the palate. With just four barrels produced, don’t hesitate to secure this release. 
 
STEPS
RESERVE BARREL SELECT
2018 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
“The 2018 Steps Barrel Select begins with an intense, ripe nose of black red currants, graphite, fresh mushrooms and sweet vanilla. The palate is powerful and penetrating with crushed mountain blackberries, lush black fruits, espresso roast and refined minerals. It finishes with satiny tannins, and a long, balanced, supple mouthfeel. Drink now until 2030.” 
94 Points
2017 Cade Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

2017 Cade Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

CADE 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 HOWELL MOUNTAIN
 
2017 Cade Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
CADE’s vision is to produce a modern Howell Mountain Cabernet that articulates their majestic grapes’ power while balancing all of the other components from acidity and tannins to oak. They’re able to achieve this with state-of-the-art equipment, organically farmed grapes, and a talented winemaking team led by Danielle Cyrot, who spent six years at Stags’ Leap Winery. Jeb Dunnuck calls their 2017 “a brilliant value,” and with a 96 point score, don’t hesitate to secure some.
 
Composed from five of the best vineyards on Howell Mountain, including Ink Grade, Eagle Summit, Cold Springs, Cade Estate, and Cade 13th, this wine offers a vivid glimpse into the power of Howell Mountain fruit.  
 
After developing for 19 months in barrel and more than a year in the bottle, the 2017 release is stunningly complex, polished, and laced with intriguing minerals. The wine is rocking right now and promises another decade or more of improvement.
 
CADE 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 HOWELL MOUNTAIN
Retails at: $110
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“Coming from estate fruit on Howell Mountain and made from 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% each of Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Merlot, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate offers a darker, more mineral-driven style compared to the Napa release. It has beautiful blackcurrant, cassis, forest floor, graphite, and tobacco leaf-like aromas and flavors. Deep, full-bodied, beautifully polished and elegant, it’s another remarkable effort from this team. As Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon goes, it’s a brilliant value!” 96 Points
 
“The 2017 Cade Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with 4% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot, is deep garnet-purple colored and a little closed, slowly giving up warm cassis, blackberry tart and mulberries with touches of spice box, pencil shavings and Marmite toast. The full-bodied palate is firm, grainy and muscular with an earthy expression and just enough freshness, finishing on a lingering mineral note.”  94 Points
 
“The wine has aromas of blueberry, blackberry, coco nibs, cran- raspberry, roasted coffee, clove, cinnamon, black pepper, mint, and fruit leather. The wine has a velvety texture with lush and prominent tannins and bright acidity. There are flavors of boysenberry, blueberry pie, red cherry, cola, vanilla, graham cracker, and chocolate truffles.”
2018 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

2018 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

BLACK POWDER

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 HOWELL MOUNTAIN 

2018 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
With the average price of Howell Mountain Cabernet upwards of $150 per bottle, finding one at $40 will make just about anyone do a double-take. We found one, and the wine is dynamite. It’s everything that you’d expect from this iconic AVA and offers a blast of dark mountain berries, dominant focus, and towering structure. Occasionally, we’ll offer a wine that screams for you to stock-your-cellar, and this is undoubtedly one of them. This wine is ridiculously delicious now and will pay dividends in the cellar for 20 years if you can hang on to it that long…
 
Black Powder exploded from the Western Slopes of Howell Mountain at a staggering 2100 feet in elevation, where the vines produce potent berries. In 2018 mother nature helped guide them to the peak of perfection. 
 
This is a hot new project made by Bobby Moy, who passed the trial-by-fire in the wine industry mentoring under Thomas Rivers Brown. This 2018 is poised to blow-up all expectations of what you thought was possible for Howell Mountain Cabernet at a value price. 
 
BLACK POWDER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 HOWELL MOUNTAIN
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The Black Powder Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is an absolutely delightful wine, starting with a lush nose of blackberries, black plums, violets, crushed granite and baking spices. The palate beautifully displays mixed berry cobbler, dark chocolate, espresso roast and fresh sage. This is a textbook version of a Howell Mountain Cab, with firm, slightly dusty tannins, focused fruit, complex minerals, and a long finish. While it is drinking better at this point than I would expect for a 2018 Howell Mountain Cab, I see potential for even greater depth and complexity with bottle age and and/or more time in the glass.” 93-95 Points
2017 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2017 O’Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtMt VeederNapaOakvilleUSA

O’SHAUGHNESSY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY

2017 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
O’Shaughnessy is one of Napa Valley’s top Cabernet producers, and it’s rare for us to feature their wines because of their scarcity. They have machine-like consistency for producing focused, intensely flavored Cabernets with perfect balance. At $75, their Napa Valley Cabernet perfectly represents their powerful style, and as Jeb Dunnuck says, “It’s a terrific 2017 as well as a good value.”
 
O’Shaughnessy’s Napa Valley Cabernet is composed using all Estate fruit from the winery’s properties on Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, and Oakville. The wine perfectly expresses Mountain terroir with Oakville elegance in a way that brings me back for more. 
 
Since their inception, O’Shaughnessy’s winemaker has been Sean Capiaux, whom you might know from his work at Peter Michael or his own brand Capiaux. He did a terrific job on the 2017 which has concentrated, supple dark fruits, fresh violets, and complex savory notes.
 
O’SHAUGHNESSY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $75
 
 
 
“Moving to the reds, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley checks in as 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 5% Malbec that spent 20 months in 75% new French oak. Deep purple-colored with notes of blackcurrants, blueberries, smoked earth, white chocolate, and crushed violets, it’s medium to full-bodied, ripe, and sexy, with a core of sweet fruit. It’s a terrific 2017 as well as a good value.”  93 Points
 
“A very reserved and structured cabernet with red and dark berries, as well as cedary notes and a savory, iodine-like edge. The palate has a very balanced and composed feel with a sleek, focused edge to the fresh blackcurrant flavors. Drink or hold.” 93 Points
 
“O’Shaughnessy’s 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a terrific choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Bright aromatics, plush fruit and silky tannins give the 2017 much of its immediate appeal. Sweet red cherry, plum, mint, spice, blood orange, and rose petal all meld together in this very pretty and engaging Cabernet; there is certainly plenty to like here. As always, the Napa Valley Cabernet is a blend of fruit from O’Shaughnessy’s Oakville, Howell Mountain and Mt. Veeder ranches.” 91 Points
2017 Witchery Reserve Cabernet Howell Mountain Two Barrel Production

2017 Witchery Reserve Cabernet Howell Mountain Two Barrel Production

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

WITCHERY

2017 RESERVE CABERNET
HOWELL MOUNTAIN
TWO BARREL PRODUCTION

2017 Witchery Reserve Cabernet Howell Mountain Two Barrel Production
Witchery translates to an irresistible fascination, and just about everybody that tries it becomes entranced, and collects each subsequent vintage. A single taste of Witchery Cabernet casts a powerful spell beneath the rich, hedonistic flavors, and wine lovers don’t stand a chance. Their two-barrel production Howell Mountain Reserve Cabernet stands tall amongst the area’s most revered producers. With the micro-production and macro quality of this vintage, there will be many people on the hunt for more.
 
The wine team produced this profound interpretation of Howell Mountain Cabernet from an unnamed vineyard that produces majestic quality fruit. The 2017 vintage shows off all of the hallmarks that make the area so desired, with authoritative power, towering structure, and profoundly rich and hedonistic flavors.  
 
This creation was held captive for nearly two years in new French oak barrels, and now with more than a year inside the bottle, the wine is remarkably complex and oozes inky dark berries, black chocolates, spices and hints of violets. With around 50 cases produced, Don’t hesitate to secure yours.
 
WITCHERY
2017 RESERVE CABERNET
HOWELL MOUNTAIN
TWO BARREL PRODUCTION
Retails at: $125
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“There were only two barrels or roughly 50 cases produced of the 2017 vintage of Witchery Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. This vintage beautifully follows a long string of incredible vintages for Witchery. The nose draws you in with powerful black cherries, ripe plums, balanced Spring lavender, fresh sage, and vanilla spice. Then on the palate, the focused, concentrated flavors begin with ripe mountain blackberries, red currants, and Burgundy plums, complemented by cocoa powder, espresso dust, and layers of complexity. If you are a fan of Witchery’s previous vintages, this one will cast a deep spell upon you as well…”  95 Points
2015 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

2015 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

BERINGER

2015 PRIVATE RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 

2015 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private ReserveAs much as I love tasting and discovering new, and as-of-yet undiscovered wine producers, there’s nothing like the feeling of historic significance, pride and antiquity that I get from tasting a wine that helped pave the way for Napa to become one of the greatest wine regions of the world. Beringer’s flagship Private Reserve Cabernet hasn’t skipped a beat either, and their 2015 ranked as the #24 Wine-Of-The-Year on James Sucklings Top 100 in 2018 with an outstanding 99 Point score. Here’s a chance to own it, and at a fantastic price… 

Beringer is one of Napa Valley’s most historically significant wineries. Period. After all, they’re California’s oldest continually operating winery, and they’re the only winery in history to have both a red and white wine honored as the #1 wine on the Wine Spectator Top 100. 
 
The 2015 Private Reserve was built on a core of 62% fruit from Bancroft and Steinhauer Ranches atop Howell Mountain, which provided enormous structure and richness. Made even better with fruit from the iron-rich Home and Chabot Vineyards in St. Helena and topped with fruit from Spring Mountain and Mount Veeder to round out the stunningly complex blend…
 
BERINGER
2015 PRIVATE RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $170
 
Your Price: $135
 
 
“The spice and walnut aromas are so enticing. Undertones of blackberries and black truffles. Full-bodied, dense and layered with fantastic tension and seamless tannins. It goes on for minutes. All about classic structure and beauty.”  99 Points, Top 100 Wines of 2018
 
 
“…This full-bodied, ripe, voluptuous beauty shows the vintage to a T, offering a blast of sweet blackcurrants, licorice, ground herbs, and graphite aromas and flavors. Blockbuster styled, with full body and an expansive, sexy texture, it has the depth and density to continue drinking brilliantly for 20+ years.” 97 Points
 
“… the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of plum preserves, baked blackberries and cassis with hints of menthol, sandalwood and chocolate box. Full-bodied with soft, seductive tannins and a lively backbone supporting the generous, ripe, opulent fruit, it has a decadent spiciness and great length.” 95+ Points
2015 GRP Henry Brothers Vineyard Howell Mountian Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2015 GRO Henry Brothers Vineyard Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $50-$60Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUncategorizedUSA

GRO 2015 GRP Henry Brothers Vineyard Howell Mountian Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
HENRY BROTHERS VINEYARD
2015 HOWELL MOUNTAIN

 
One of the greatest benefits of having our shop in Yountville, is the people that we meet. The connections that we make often result in discovering great wines that are somewhat unknown in the wine world, and one of the best examples is the 2015 GRO Howell Mountain Cabernet.  It’s a tiny project by Lars Bjorkman and Molly Hill. Lars’ day job is crafting the iconic Saddleback wines in Oakville where he works alongside legendary California winemaker Nils Venge.  He produced a whopping 80 cases of Howell Mountain Cabernet from a vineyard next-door to Dunn… The 2015 oozes with intense mulberry, blackberry cassis, freshly ground coffee, pencil shavings and black chocolates.  At $90/btl this wine competes with the best…but join our (free) Insider’s Club and unlock special offers!
 
This stunning  interpretation of boutique Howell Mountain Cabernet showcases all of the hallmarks that make the area so desired with authoritative power, towering structure remarkable detail.  Commanding a presence from one of the valley’s best vintages, one that the Wine Spectator describes as “Short crop delivered big quality surprise; rich, supple and deeply colored”, this wine is absolutely exemplarily.  This wine will likely sell out in a matter of hours, so if you’d like to add some to your cellar, time is of the essence.
 
GRO
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
HENRY BROTHERS VINEYARD
2015 HOWELL MOUNTAIN
Retails at:  $90/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “The 2015 vintage from Henry Brothers Vineyard is an intense year from an intense site.  Cabernet Sauvignon lovers will rejoice in this rich, inky, wine from a vintage that developed during the end of the drought years, when vines had to push through the red, volcanic soil to find water and nutrients in order to survive.  Tonnage was extremely light this year, on average 10 clusters per vine, so get this wine while you can.”
 
Customers who enjoy Gro Howell Mountain Cabernet may also enjoy these two outstanding Cabs…
 
2015 Juslyn Perry's Blend Spring Mountain Proprietary Red 2014 Laird Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
JUSLYN
2015 PERRY’S BLEND
SPRING MOUNTAIN
Retails at:  $95.00/btl
 
 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “The 2015 Perry’s Blend is deep garnet-purple colored and reveals fragrant kirsch, stewed tea and rose scents with touches of sandalwood, preserved plums, blackberry pie and mulberries plus eucalyptus and tilled soil. The palate is full-bodied and boldly fruited with a firm, velvety frame and a very long, multilayered finish.”  95 Points
LAIRD
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
Your Price: $54.99/btl

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From Vinous: “A rich, unctuous wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is sweet, layered and enveloping in feel. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, cloves and new leather are all fused together. This is an especially intense, flamboyant expression of the vintage.”  90 Points
2015 Blind Tasting Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2015 Blind Tasting Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Howell MountainKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

BLIND TASTING 2015 Blind Tasting Napa Valley Proprietary Red

PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY

 
One of the fastest growing categories in our shop is New World style red blends that are built around a core of high-quality Zinfandel.  This type of blend is always a crowd-favorite because they’re brimming with lush fruits, attractive spice, deep, succulent flavors and when everything is in perfect balance, they’re completely irresistible.  A perfect example is the 2015 Blind Tasting which is unabashedly Californian.  It has a core of Howell Mountain Zinfandel, amplified with ancient vine Petite Sirah, then ratcheted up even more with Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain.  Fans of The Prisoner Red and Venge’s Scout’s Honor should not miss this wine and if you haven’t experienced a California Style Red blend, here’s a great opportunity to do so, but don’t wait too long because there were only 6 barrels produced.
 
The 2015 vintage lights up your palate with penetrating red and black fruits that come interwoven with wild rose, Mountain blueberries, hints of cinnamon and crushed granite.  A deeply powerful wine with focused intensity that’s perfectly balanced by finely grained tannins.  I strongly recommend you jump at the chance to secure a case.  You’ll thank me later…
 
BLIND TASTING
PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “Alluring aromas of ripe blackberries, red plums, sweet floral notes and a touch of vanilla spice seduce your nose. A compact core of perfectly balanced cherry preserves, muddled blueberries, wild blackberries and a touch of black pepper unfurl and expand across your palate.  Opulent without being inky, the supple fruit tannins combine with a very long finish to simply make you smile. Drink right now, or you can hold until 2025.”  94 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
 
Customers who enjoy Blind Tasting Proprietary Red may also enjoy these two terrific Blends…
2016 Venge Scout's Honor Proprietary Red
 2017 The Prisoner Proprietary Red
VENGE
2016 SCOUT’S HONOR
PROPRIETARY BLEND
 
Your Price: $37.99/btl 

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THE PRISONER
PROPRIETARY RED 
2017 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $42.99/btl
 
Electric, jubilant, infectiously charming, the new 2017  Prisoner unshackles a posse of vibrant and elaborate flavors that are both intense and broadening, and become even more complex with aeration. Having jail-break level intensity, the 2017  permeates with unsweetened cherry cobbler, wild strawberries, chocolate dipped blueberries and liquid floral.  
2015 Hoopla The Mutt Proprietary Red

2015 Hoopla ‘The Mutt’ Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaOakvilleProprietary RedUSA

HOOPLA

2015 THE MUTT
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY

2015 Hoopla The Mutt Proprietary Red
What’s all the hoopla about with this wine? Hoopla’s Napa Valley Red Blend “The Mutt” might be a mixed breed, but if you follow the lineage, I think you’ll find it’s from some doggone good stock…  After all, the producer Hoopes Ranch does own 35 acres in Oakville… They also produce Reds from Howell Mountain and The Muttis a cross-breed of barrels that didn’t go into Hoopes purebred bottlings that range $50-$100/btl…  On the palate the wine offers a lush coat of smooth dark berries and slightly dusty tannins, intertwined with spice box, subtle cigar, and absolutely no bite.  At $23/btl it might just become man’s second best friend…
 
This delicious crossbreed combines Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and was harnessed in oak barrels for 18 months. This lively offering is now calming and comforting with layers of fruit, intertwined with subtle spices, un-sweetened blackberry pie filling, plum and toasty oak.  Don’t let this one escape…
 
HOOPLA 
2015 THE MUTT 
PROPRIETARY RED 
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $25/btl
 
Your Price: $23/btl 
 
Winery Notes: “This Napa Valley Red Blend exemplifies that big 2015 concentration. The aromas are rich and inviting with juicy blackberry, violet, and anise lending layered complexity. The mid-palate is full and plummy with a touch of toasted oak. This structured yet smooth wine finishes with hints of cola and vanilla.”
 

Customers who enjoy Hoopla’s The Mutt may also enjoy these two stunning Reds…

2015 Katherine Goldschmidt Crazy Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 Vista Rutherford Proprietary Red
KATHERINE GOLDSCHMIDT 
2015 CRAZY CREEK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
ALEXANDER VALLEY 
 
Your Price: $19.99/btl 

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From The Tasting Panel: “Named for Goldschmidt’s middle daughter, the wine’s grapes hail from Crazy Creek, a vineyard known to produce some iconic wines. Big, bright, blue fruit notes on the nose are meaty, with a chocolate espresso twist and dry tannins showing on the palate.  It’s a little masterpiece with a dark chocolate finish that way over delivers on price-to-quality.”  94 Points
VISTA 
2017 RED BLEND
RUTHERFORD
 
Your Price: $23/btl 

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Tasting Notes: “Scintillating aromas of fresh blackberries, tart red currants, cocoa powder and vanilla spice.  The palate is dense, rich and powerful with a beautiful combination of bright red fruit characteristics that perfectly intertwine with deep black fruits including blueberry compote, crushed black raspberries, ripe red plum, baking spices and bittersweet chocolate.  Intense and penetrating, this wine displays concentrated, powerful fruit with a gorgeous center core that finishes with a long, focused finish and slightly dusty tannins.”  92 – 95 Points  Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier