2023 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

2023 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSAZinfandel

Robert Biale

Black Chicken Zinfandel
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

Some wines are born of soil, while others are born of story. Black Chicken is both. Conceived on the Biale family farm in the 1940s as a code whispered over a crackling party-line phone, this Zinfandel has grown into one of Napa Valley’s most revered gems. The 2023 vintage carries that history forward with fresh intensity, a wine that unites heritage with the precision of modern craftsmanship.

Black Chicken is shaped by the Oak Knoll District, where the Biale family has tended their home ranch since the 1930s. This cooler pocket of Napa lends the wine its hallmark freshness and balance, characterized by bright acidity, supple tannins, and fruit that sings with clarity, giving Black Chicken its unmistakable voice.

From vineyard to cellar, every detail of the 2023 vintage was shaped with purpose, yielding a Zinfandel of extraordinary character. Vibrant fruit, supple tannins, and an enduring finish make this release one of the most complete Black Chickens to date. This is a Zinfandel that transcends trend or time, standing proudly as one of Napa Valley’s enduring treasures.

Robert Biale
Black Chicken Zinfandel
Napa Valley 2023

Your Price: $55

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“A big but cool and well-balanced wine that is full-bodied but fresh. Made from vines averaging 40 years old and from mostly cool parts of Napa Valley, including the Biale family’s vineyard planted in 1937. Moderate tannins lift the vivid raspberry, blackberry, black pepper and umami flavors. Drink or hold.”

94 Points

2023 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay Napa Valley

2023 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

Sequoia Grove

Chardonnay
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay Napa Valley

In a region celebrated for its opulence, the 2023 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay stands out by choosing nuance as its compass. It’s a wine shaped by cool-climate discipline: mornings that delay ripeness, evenings that preserve acidity, and vineyards that favor elegance over indulgence. It shows a precision that feels rare for Napa, offering a Chardonnay shaped as much by restraint as by ripeness.

Much of that character comes from Carneros’ Haire Vineyard, where 30-year-old Wente and Robert Young clone vines deliver fruit with natural concentration. These old vines ripen slowly, holding onto acidity even in generous years, giving the wine its signature tension. Oak Knoll adds its own imprint, layering in structure and a subtle mineral thread that keeps the wine lifted and complete.

The winemaking team further amplifies that interplay of energy and richness. Native-yeast fermentation and extended lees contact build a creamy mid-palate, while the modest use of new French oak contributes subtle warmth rather than weight. The resulting Chardonnay is vibrant yet composed, delivering richness through texture rather than sweetness and finishing with a clarity that echoes its origins.

Sequoia Grove
Chardonnay
Napa Valley 2023
Retails at: $38

Your Price: $29.99

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“A nicely rich, suave and spicy white that blends luxurious poached apple and pear flavors with notes of marzipan, lemon meringue, toasted almonds, hazelnuts, brioche and butter. Full-bodied, broad in mouthfeel, well layered and plush. Drink now.”

93 Points

2022 Facets Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2022 Facets Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSAYountville

Facets

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 20222022 Facets Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Precision is the language Julien Fayard speaks fluently, and in Facets 2022, he’s written a love letter to Napa’s diversity. The wine captures the essence of Napa Valley, standing as a polished reflection of the region’s diverse terroirs, revealing balance over excess. It’s a wine that captures the power of California sun and the restraint of French discipline in perfect, seamless motion.

For Fayard, crafting Facets is less about blending fruit than sculpting dimension. Sourced from the cool precision of Oak Knoll and the structured gravitas of Yountville, the 2022 vintage draws on contrasting terroirs to create harmony. His training at Château Lafite Rothschild and Quintessa informs a philosophy of finding an equilibrium between opulence and restraint, ripeness and poise.

Aged for 20 months in French oak, the 2022 Facets reveals depth without heaviness. It is a modern Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that’s refined, confident, and enduring. For collectors and casual enthusiasts alike, it’s a wine that defines where Napa Cabernet is headed: elegant, deliberate, and undeniably world-class.

Facets
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2022

Your Price: $65

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“The Gemstone estate vineyard spans 6.5 hectares (16 acres) on the western benches of Yountville. Still, Facets is Gemstone’s non-estate wine, crafted from carefully selected vineyards in Yountville and Oak Knoll by winemaker Julien Fayard, who took the helm in 2021. The 2022 Facets is a crowd-pleaser with upfront appeal, offering heady aromas of violets, rose petals, sweet candied red berry fruit, and dusty minerals. The velvety, fine-grained tannins are seamlessly integrated on the palate, giving the wine a polished texture. Full-bodied and rich, it features expressive, balanced cedarwood sweetness and finishes with notes of crushed cacao nibs. Grapes are gently pressed directly into barrels for fermentation and aged up to 18 months in 40% new French oak. The 2022 vintage is approachable now and perfect for drinking, while the more structured 2021s continue to develop, delivering a harmonious balance of richness, elegance, and immediate gratification.”

95 Points

2023 Flora Springs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2023 Flora Springs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

Flora Springs

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Flora Springs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

When Gina Gallo-Boisset assumed her role at Flora Springs, she carried the legacy of California’s foremost winemaking dynasty and the influence of one of Burgundy’s most vibrant families. Their 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon embodies this union: a wine that captures Napa’s bold essence with elegance, precision, and contemporary finesse.

At its core, the wine reveals a harmonious duality: the depth of Rutherford’s gravelly soils entwined with the lush generosity of Oak Knoll fruit. This Cabernet bears substance without weight, commanding attention while inviting another sip through its impeccable balance.

In the cellar, the partnership of Gina and longtime Flora Springs winemaker Enrico Bertoz shaped the wine with both power and restraint. The élevage here is thoughtful, never heavy-handed: time in French oak shapes the tannins into silk without obscuring the purity of the fruit. What emerges is a Napa Cabernet that honors the grandeur of the past yet speaks confidently to the present: a wine of structure, grace, and enduring character.

Flora Springs
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2023
Retails at: $75

Your Price: $65

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“Aromas of blackberries, plums, ink, graphite and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with softly integrated tannins and bright acidity. Great freshness and balance. The premiere release under new ownership and packaging. Drink or hold.”

93 Points

2022 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Napa Valley

2022 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCalistogaKevin VogtNapaOak KnollProprietary RedSaint HelenaUSA

Steps

Barrel Select Reserve
Napa Valley 2022

2022 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Napa Valley

The 2022 Steps Reserve Barrel Select embodies the exceptional artistry of Grant Long, Jr., a renowned winemaker celebrated for his work at Aonair, Reverie II, and James Joseph. Grant possesses a unique talent for crafting both approachable and elegant wines, transforming each barrel into a harmonious expression of texture, balance, and enduring appeal.

Sourced from premier vineyards across Napa Valley – Saint Helena, Oak Knoll, Atlas Peak, and Calistoga – the 2022 Steps Reserve showcases a captivating interplay of lush valley floor fruit and structured mountain grapes. This meticulously crafted blend, centered around Cabernet Sauvignon and interwoven with Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, exemplifies Grant’s ability to translate Napa Valley’s diverse terroir into a genuinely captivating wine.

After 18 months of careful aging in French oak, the 2022 Steps Reserve Barrel Select unfolds with layers of rich, penetrating flavors. Polished yet vibrant, this wine promises a journey of evolution, maturing gracefully into a paragon of sophistication over time.

Steps
Barrel Select Reserve
Napa Valley 2022

Your Price: $49.99

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“The Steps 2022 Reserve Barrel Select opens with supple fruit aromas of plums and black currants, accompanied by notes of sweet spices, chocolate fudge, graphite, new leather, and cedar. On the palate, the wine is penetrating and concentrated with flavors of blackberries, black plums, allspice, gingerbread, vanilla extract, and toasted hazelnuts. The wine has a sultry structure with silky tannins that glide into a long, smooth finish like a sunset slowly fading into twilight.”

95 Points

2021 Lewis Cellars Mason's Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2021 Lewis Cellars Mason’s Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaOak KnollRutherfordSaint HelenaUSA

Lewis Cellars

Mason’s Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021

2021 Lewis Cellars Mason's Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Randy Lewis’s journey to winemaking is as captivating as his former life on the racetrack. A professional race car driver, passionate about speed and precision, Randy’s trajectory took a dramatic turn following a life-altering crash during the 1991 Indianapolis 500 qualifiers. This near-fatal incident ignited a new passion, inspiring him to craft world-class wines.

In 1992, Randy and his wife, Debbie, founded Lewis Cellars. They brought the same focus and dedication to winemaking that once propelled him to success on the track. Over the past three decades, Lewis Cellars has become synonymous with excellence, garnering numerous 90+ point scores and achieving the prestigious title of Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year in 2016.

The 2021 Mason’s Cabernet Sauvignon embodies the winery’s meticulous attention to detail and commitment to sourcing from Napa Valley’s premier vineyard sites, including Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford, and Oak Knoll. This wine reflects a vintage characterized by intensity and concentration, offering ripe blackberry, cassis, and subtle spice aromas. With its robust structure and refined tannins, Mason’s balances power and elegance, delivering a sensory experience that deepens with each sip.

Lewis Cellars
Mason’s Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021

Your Price: $79.99

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Mason’s Cabernet is a smoking value offering a big, rich, mouthful of ripe black fruit as well as full-bodied richness, ripe, velvety tannins, no hard edges, and classic Cabernet tobacco, spice, and chocolate nuances.”

94 Points

2021 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Napa Valley

2021 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Diamond MountainKevin VogtNapaOak KnollProprietary RedSaint HelenaUSA

STEPS

RESERVE BARREL SELECT
NAPA VALLEY 2021

2021 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Napa Valley
STEPS Barrel Select Reserve is a quintessential Napa Valley Blend crafted by Grant Long, Jr., the renowned winemaker behind Aonair, Reverie II, James Joseph, and Witchery. Grant’s winemaking wizardry creates approachable wines with a supple texture, hedonistic flavors, and ageability.
 
The 2021 STEPS unites plush valley floor fruit from Oak Knoll and St. Helena with structured mountain fruit from Diamond Mountain, showcasing the exceptional balance of Napa terroir.
 
The blend for this vintage is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, aged in 50% new French oak and 50% once-used French oak, seamlessly harmonizing power and elegance.
 
STEPS
RESERVE BARREL SELECT
NAPA VALLEY 2021
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“The 2021 Steps Reserve Barrel Select has fresh aromas of violets, black tea leaves, berry bramble, ripe plum, and black olive. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with bright acidity and flavors of black cherry, black currant, mint, dark chocolate, and cloves. The wine’s intensity and fine-grained tannins will allow for graceful development, although it’s drinking quite nicely already.”
94 Points
2022 Two Old Dogs Sauvignon Blanc Oak Knoll Napa Valley

2022 Two Old Dogs Sauvignon Blanc Oak Knoll Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaOak KnollSauvignon BlancUSA

TWO OLD DOGS

SAUVIGNON BLANC
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT
NAPA VALLEY 2022

2022 Two Old Dogs Sauvignon Blanc Oak Knoll Napa Valley
Major League teammates Chris Iannetta and Vernon Wells founded JACK Wines in 2012 over their passion for sharing wines with friends and family. Their success in the brand led them to expand their portfolio with Two Old Dogs and another partnership with highly respected vintner Jennifer Lamb.
 
Critically acclaimed winemaker Julien Fayard joined the team, bringing first-hand experience working in Bordeaux at Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. Julien relocated to Napa Valley, where he took the position of Philippe Melka’s director of winemaking and, today, focuses on his projects and is one of Napa Valley’s most sought-after winemakers. 
 
The Two Old Dogs 2022 Sauvignon Blanc comes from Oak Knoll District and was vinified in stainless steel to retain fruit purity and freshness that complement summertime’s leisurely atmosphere.
 
TWO OLD DOGS
SAUVIGNON BLANC
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT
NAPA VALLEY 2022
 
 
 
“The Two Old Dogs 2022 Oak Knoll Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and opulent with notes of fresh-cut grass, bay leaf, elderflower, gooseberry, and passion fruit. On the palate, the wine has flavors of zesty grapefruit, green guava, and mineral undertones with lively acidity and a clean, focused finish. This wine’s crisp, bright personality makes an excellent poolside or beachfront companion and pairs with many types of dishes, making it an easy choice for the summer and into the fall.”
95 Points
2021 Vineyard 36 Foundation Red Napa Valley

2021 Vineyard 36 Foundation Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollOakvilleProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

VINEYARD 36 

FOUNDATION RED
NAPA VALLEY 2021

2021 Vineyard 36 Foundation Red Napa Valley
Professional hockey players Tim Gleason and Cam Ward teamed up with their friend Jason Earnest to create Vineyard 36 out of the group’s shared vision and a common goal to produce wines that express the diversity of Napa Valley. Keith Emerson joined as the Director of Winemaking in 2017, ironically having run programs for ultra-premium custom crush clientele for Vineyard 29 since 2005 at their state-of-the-art gravity-flow facility, bringing two decades of winemaking expertise and experience.
 
The Foundation pays tribute to Tim and Cam’s careers in hockey with an ice rink-shaped oval with faint skate marks. The Roman numeral III in the center represents the bond and friendship between the three friends. The 2021 vintage comprises 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, sourced from Oakville, Oak Knoll, and Rutherford, giving a complete, balanced Napa red wine with power and definition. 
 
The Cabernet comes from one of Rutherford’s best-known vineyards, but non-disclosure agreements prevent me from telling you which one. 
 
VINEYARD 36 
FOUNDATION RED
NAPA VALLEY 2021
Retails at: $55
 
 
 
“The Vineyard 36 Foundation Napa Red 2021 begins with a bright nose with wild berries, marzipan, white rose, and spearmint hints. The lush palate continues with concentrated candied cherries, penetrating sweet boysenberries, leading to a lengthy finish with a nice balance between the ripe fruits and complexity, combined with slightly chalky/satiny tannins that will continue to unfurl in the future.” 
94 Points
2019 Kelly Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley

2019 Kelly Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

KELLY FAMILY VINEYARDS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE NAPA VALLEY
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT 2019

2019 Kelly Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley
Kelly Family Vineyards is one of our most exciting boutique wine discoveries this year, and their 2019 vintage embodies everything we look for in superior-quality, small-lot Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. For years, they’ve sold fruit to some of Napa’s top Cabernet producers, and if I told you which ones, I’m confident you’d jump straight to the order button. 
 
Vineyard Manager Mario Bazán immigrated to Napa in 1973 and was charmed by Napa’s beauty, so he carefully honed his viticultural skills as a laborer and today runs one of the most respected vineyard management companies in Napa and Sonoma counties.
 
Winemaker Bob Pepi works closely with Gene and Mario to craft Kelly Family Vineyards’ limited production of premium quality wines. The depth and complexity of the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon release reflect the undivided attention of the small, intimate team and the glorious vintage.
 
KELLY FAMILY VINEYARDS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE NAPA VALLEY
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT 2019
Retails at: $95
 
 
 
“Coming from another fantastic vintage in Napa Valley, the Kelly Family 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits notes of wet stones, petrichor, black currant, savory spice, and a hint of cinnamon. On the palate, the wine has bright acidity that enhances the flavors of dried herbs, menthol, black plum, cherry, and allspice. The finish lingers on the palate and portrays the complexity of the flavors as it envelopes your taste buds. This wine has the structure to age and will continue to develop.”
96 Points