2022 Clos du Mont-Olivet Chateauneuf-du-Pape France

2022 Clos du Mont-Olivet Chateauneuf-du-Pape France

with No Comment $40-$50Chateauneuf-Du-PapeFranceKevin VogtRhone ValleyRhone Valley

Clos du Mont-Olivet

Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Rhone Valley, France 2022

2022 Clos du Mont-Olivet Chateauneuf-du-Pape France

Clos du Mont-Olivet tells a vivid story of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Founded in 1932, the estate has long pursued a holistic vision, assembling vineyard holdings across multiple lieux-dits to express the region’s full breadth in a single wine. The 2022 vintage carries this philosophy forward, offering a composed, layered portrait shaped by the collective voice of the region, where complexity emerges from diversity, balance, and an understanding of the terroir.

 

That vision is grounded in decades of thoughtful vineyard acquisitions, guided by traditional farming practices. By working parcels across the appellation, Clos du Mont-Olivet has built a living archive of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s soils and exposures, allowing each site to contribute its own nuance. The result is a style defined by continuity and clarity, one that privileges harmony over immediacy.

A standout at our recent tasting, the 2022 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape distinguished itself through balance and composure. Built around Grenache and supported by a full spectrum of traditional Rhône varieties, it carries depth without heaviness, unfolding with measured structure and confident authority.

Clos du Mont-Olivet
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Rhone Valley, France 2022

Your Price: $49.99

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

Click to Order

 

“The effusive nose of ripe raspberries and sour cherries pulls you into this concentrated and well-structured Chateauneuf. Firm core with plenty of licorice, black olives and spices, and a long, complex finish that’s beautifully supported by the expertly crafted tannins. A cuvee based on grenache made since 1932. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.”

94 Points

2021 Emeritus Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley

2021 Emeritus Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

Emeritus

Pinot Noir 2021
Hallberg Vineyard
Russian River Valley

2021 Emeritus Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley

Emeritus Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir doesn’t tiptoe into the room; it announces itself without apology. This is a Pinot built on grand presence, yet it never loses its balance. That tension is the magic of Hallberg Ranch in Green Valley: dry-farmed vines digging deep into Goldridge soils, yielding fruit with both volume and shape.

Green Valley doesn’t dilute richness; it sculpts it. Cool coastal influence slows ripening enough to preserve definition, even as the fruit reaches full phenolic maturity. In the 2021 Pinot Noir, that balance is unmistakable: a deep, expressive core framed by freshness and natural tension, allowing generosity without tipping into heaviness.

Guiding that expression is Keith Hammond, whose familiarity with the Russian River landscape has shaped Emeritus since 2007. His approach favors continuity over reinvention, allowing the vineyard’s character to come through with confidence and clarity. The result is a wine that rewards attention and is a vivid reminder of what can be achieved when vineyard, vintage, and vision align without compromise.

Emeritus
Pinot Noir 2021
Hallberg Vineyard
Russian River Valley
Retails at: $50

Your Price: $45

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

Click to Order

 

“Classic Russian River character from a dry-farmed vineyard is on display here, with a nose full of cherry, raspberry and cola spice aromas. The palate has a charming balance between crushed raspberry, mint and floral flavors and the grip of some ageworthy tannin. Drink 2028–2040.”

93 Points

2021 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2021 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

Paradigm

Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville 2021

2021 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

Paradigm’s Cabernet has long been a wine for those paying close attention. Its broader recognition did not arrive through marketing or spectacle, but through discovery, when a respected critic encountered it unexpectedly and recognized something exceptional. That moment confirmed what insiders had long known: Paradigm is an estate that has been producing Cabernet of uncommon poise and remarkable quality.

Paradigm’s estate sits just south of the famed To Kalon Vineyard, surrounded by some of Oakville’s most revered names. This privileged position, defined by alluvial soils and ideal exposure, yields fruit of natural concentration and balance. The vineyard expresses itself clearly, capturing Oakville’s signature tension between power and elegance, richness balanced by freshness, and without excess.

In the cellar, the skilled hand of Heidi Barrett brings composure to the wine, shaping it with the precision that has defined many of Napa Valley’s most celebrated bottlings. The result is a Cabernet of depth and structure, expressive yet beautifully balanced. In a landscape where acclaim often drives excessive richness, Paradigm remains grounded, offering an Oakville Cabernet that stands confidently among its storied neighbors while retaining a rare sense of authenticity and approachability.

Paradigm
Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville 2021

Your Price: $98

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

Click to Order

 

“This blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot was fermented in stainless steel with a small percentage of whole berries included. Winemaker Mark Fasi explains that pressing off the wine before it goes dry helps to soften the tannins. The wine is then aged 18–20 months in approximately 50% new French oak. The Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignons are medium-bodied and exude utmost elegance, showcasing soaring tannins that are assertive yet beautifully integrated and framed by crisp, juicy acidity. The palate reveals pure and gorgeous red berry fruit, complemented by a panoply of brown spices, wild herbs like sage, and floral notes of lilacs and violets. This wine is absolutely pure, brimming with energy and tension, and delivers a stunningly refined expression. A remarkable effort, embodying balance, vitality, and sophistication. Truly impressive. The winemaker is legendary Napa icon Heidi Barrett. Mark Fasi, who joined the winery in 2010 and has worked hand-in-hand with Barrett, takes the helm as winemaker with the 2023 vintage.”

97 Points, #18 Top 50 US Wines 2025

2021 Shibumi Knoll Chardonnay Rrussian River Valley

2021 Shibumi Knoll Chardonnay Russian River Valley

with No Comment $70-$80ChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

Shibumi Knoll

Chardonnay 2021
Corazon del Río Vineyard
Russian River Valley

2021 Shibumi Knoll Chardonnay Rrussian River Valley

Shibumi Knoll occupies a rare place in California Chardonnay, guided by intention rather than scale and shaped by the skilled hand of Thomas Rivers Brown. The result is a wine that speaks in a higher register, focused, precise, and alive with detail, offering a clear counterpoint to the estate’s more mature expressions.

Within the renowned Buena Tierra Vineyard, one small block behaves differently. Its younger vines yield fruit with sharper edges, brighter energy, and a natural tension that demands restraint. The 2021 Corazon del Rio Chardonnay is drawn from this block and shaped to emphasize clarity and lift. What emerges is a wine with nerve and definition, alive rather than polished into submission.

Nothing here feels accidental. Time in barrel brings texture and dimension without dulling the wine’s natural edge, keeping tension at the core of the experience. The palate is persistent and finely tuned, delivering intensity through precision rather than force. It is a Chardonnay that rewards attention, unfolding gradually and revealing its depth with patience, not haste.

Shibumi Knoll
Chardonnay 2021
Corazon del Río Vineyard
Russian River Valley

Your Price: $79.99

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

Click to Order

 

“The 2021 Chardonnay Corazon Del Rio Vineyard is another brilliant Chardonnay (these are all made by Thomas Rivers Brown) from the Russian River Valley. Bright citrus, honeyed flowers, and subtle toasty oak notes define the aromatics, and its medium-bodied, has a fresh, focused mouthfeel, terrific balance, and a great finish. I’d be thrilled with bottles in the cellar.”

95 Points

2020 Chester Kidder Red Blend Columbia Valley

2020 Chester Kidder Red Blend Columbia Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Columbia ValleyKevin VogtProprietary RedUSAWashington State

Chester Kidder

Red Blend 2020
Columbia Valley

2020 Chester Kidder Red Blend Columbia Valley

Drawn from three of Washington’s most distinguished vineyard sites, Summit View, Candy Mountain, and Dionysus, the 2020 Chester-Kidder Columbia Valley Red speaks with a confidence rooted firmly in place. It is a wine shaped by contrast and harmony, where structure, richness, and finesse align in a composition that feels both deliberate and deeply satisfying.

Chester-Kidder is a masterful blend, balancing Cabernet Sauvignon’s authority with the generous depth of Syrah and the refined lift of Petit Verdot. Each variety plays a distinct role, contributing structure, texture, and aromatic complexity without ever competing for attention. The harmony achieved speaks to vineyard selection and an instinctive understanding of how these elements come together.

Extended élevage brings the wine fully into focus. Thirty months in French oak add nuance rather than dominance, weaving notes of cocoa, espresso, and warm spice into a concentrated dark-fruit core. The integration is seamless, the texture polished, and the finish long and resonant. It is a wine that unfolds with patience and composure, revealing its depth gradually with poise.

Chester Kidder
Red Blend 2020
Columbia Valley
Retails at: $70

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

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

Click to Order

 

“Very perfumed with aromas ranging from lavender, graphite and sandalwood to purple plum, blueberry and black pepper. Firm and compact on the palate, with a full body and dense, chewy tannins. Toasty but not opulent. Needs a couple of years to soften. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 33% syrah and 10% petit verdot. Try from 2026.”

93 Points

2019 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

2019 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

La Jota

Cabernet Sauvignon
Howell Mountain 2019

2019 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

On Howell Mountain, beauty is earned. The soils are thin, the slopes unforgiving, and the climate cool; yet from this adversity comes the soul of the La Jota Cabernet. Each cluster ripened under intense sunlight and cooled by high-elevation breezes, developing a structure both formidable and refined. The result is a wine that speaks fluently of its origin: dark, resonant, and built for the long arc of aging.

La Jota’s roots run deep into this mountain as well. Founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, the estate has weathered booms, busts, Prohibition, and rebirth, all while maintaining its foothold on Howell Mountain’s most expressive soils. Today, under Chris Carpenter’s guidance, the estate channels more than a century of resilience into each vintage. His approach honors the site’s original philosophy: let the mountain speak first, then shape its voice with precision and patience.

After several years of unhurried evolution in bottle, the 2019 now shows a harmony that only time can create. The fruit has deepened and integrated, while the tannins have relaxed without losing their mountain backbone, creating a wine that is open, expressive, and beautifully layered. It retains all the hallmarks of great Howell Mountain Cabernet, but with a charm and accessibility that make it stunningly enjoyable right now.

La Jota
Cabernet Sauvignon
Howell Mountain 2019
Retails at: $185

Your Price: $149.99

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

Click to Order

 

“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is another superb wine from La Jota. Rich and explosive, the 2019 possesses tremendous density and plenty of mountain power. A rush of black cherry, blackberry, licorice, spice and menthol builds into the huge finish. This is a fabulous vintage for the La Jota Cabernet.”

96 Points

2022 Flanagan the beauty of three Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2022 Flanagan the beauty of three Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

Flanagan

the beauty of three
Pinot Noir 2022
Sonoma Coast

2022 Flanagan the beauty of three Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

The beauty of truly exceptional Pinot Noir is found not in what is added or altered, but in what is allowed to remain. With the beauty of three, Flanagan embraces that philosophy fully, crafting a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir that feels guided rather than imposed. Drawn from the Gap’s View and River Road Grape Farm vineyards, the wine reflects meticulous farming and a thoughtful, measured approach in the cellar, allowing purity of fruit, texture, and site to take precedence.

This approach carries seamlessly into the winemaking. Aging in once-used and neutral barrels ensures that oak never obscures the wine’s voice. Instead, the vineyards and the vintage’s character come through with vibrant composure.

At its core, the beauty of three is a quiet statement of Flanagan’s guiding philosophy: wines shaped by integrity, grounded in their vineyards, and respectful of the season that formed them. Every decision, from farming to élevage, serves the wine’s sense of harmony. The result is a Pinot Noir that feels authentic, expressive, and memorable without excess.

Flanagan
the beauty of three
Pinot Noir 2022
Sonoma Coast
Retails at: $42

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

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

Click to Order

 

“This rich and textured Pinot gives aromas of Bing cherry, cedar and shiitake on the nose, while the palate delivers a punch of raspberry, orange peel and cinnamon flavors with smooth tannin and juicy acidity. Pair this with roasted pork shoulder or ribs.”

91 points

2023 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

260114 2023 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtMontereyPinot NoirSanta Lucia HighlandsUSA

Luli

Pinot Noir 2023
Santa Lucia Highlands

2023 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

Luli’s 2023 Pinot Noir exceeds expectations, delivering remarkable pedigree at a price that feels almost improbable. It offers a level of clarity, balance, and authenticity that many costlier bottles struggle to match. This is not value born of compromise, but value earned through intention, precision, and an unwavering respect for place.

Set along the windswept slopes of the Santa Lucia Highlands, the wine draws its character from a cool, coastal climate shaped by fog-laced mornings, steady ocean breezes, and extended growing seasons. These conditions naturally favor freshness and structure, allowing the fruit to emerge with definition and lift. The result is a Pinot Noir that feels vibrant and composed, carrying depth with ease rather than weight.

That sense of composure is reinforced by a hands-on approach in both vineyard and cellar. Low yields, meticulous sorting, and native fermentations allow the fruit to speak clearly, while small-lot vinification preserves nuance and texture. By forgoing fining and filtration, the wine retains its natural energy, resulting in a Pinot Noir that is pure, expressive, and unmistakably authentic.

Luli
Pinot Noir 2023
Santa Lucia Highlands

Your Price: $29.99

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

Click to Order

 

“Candied cherry and raspberry compote aromas are very fresh and accessible on the nose of this bottling, which also shows earthier hints of soil and bark. The palate is zippy with acidity that shines through the black cherry, star anise and turned loam flavors.”

94 Points

2021 Sixteen by Twenty Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

2021 Sixteen by Twenty Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

Sixteen by Twenty

Chardonnay 2021
Sonoma Coast

2021 Sixteen by Twenty Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

Sixteen by Twenty represents a modern vision of California Chardonnay, one rooted in balance rather than excess. Its name reflects a philosophy borrowed from fine art, where proportion and restraint define true beauty. This mindset carries through every stage of winemaking, resulting in a wine that feels polished, thoughtful, and effortlessly refined.

The 2021 vintage showcases the Sonoma Coast at its most expressive. Sourced from two cool, windswept vineyard sites, the blend combines Old Wente’s richness and aromatic complexity with the tension and precision of Clone 6. The result is a Chardonnay that feels both generous and controlled.

Eleven months in French oak lend subtle structure and texture, enhancing the wine without dominating it. The finish is persistent and balanced, carrying the wine’s natural energy through a long, graceful close that invites another sip.

Sixteen by Twenty
Chardonnay 2021
Sonoma Coast
Retails at: $60

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

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

Click to Order

 

“The 16X20 2021 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay introduces coastal freshness with opulent California Fruit, featuring flavors of Meyer lemon, golden apples, nectarine, crushed stone, and a subtle thread of vanilla bean and butterscotch. On the palate, the wine has a vibrant edge balanced by rich flavors of ripe orchard fruit, a saline edge, lemon curd, and hazelnut. Playful and expressive, this wine exemplifies the refinement and energy of the Sonoma Coast.”

94 Points

2021 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour

2021 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

Beaulieu Vineyard

Cabernet Sauvignon
Georges de Latour
Private Reserve
Napa Valley 2021

2021 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour

With consistency and restraint, Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de Latour Private Reserve helped shape the very identity of Napa Valley and remains one of its most enduring benchmarks. First produced in 1936, it is a living record of the region’s evolution, proving that true greatness is not driven by trends, but earned through decades of disciplined craftsmanship and vision.

The 2021 vintage draws its strength from the western bench of Rutherford, sourced exclusively from BV Ranches No. 1 and No. 2, vineyards first planted by Georges de Latour in the early 1900s. These historic sites sit on well-draining alluvial fan soils that naturally limit vigor and concentrate flavor, producing Cabernet Sauvignon of depth, structure, and unmistakable Rutherford character.

The 2021 vintage affirmed its place among Napa’s elite when it was ranked #2 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2024 and earned multiple 98-point scores from leading critics. These accolades are not departures from history, but confirmations of it, reinforcing Georges de Latour as a wine that continues to set the standard for what great Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon can achieve.

Beaulieu Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon
Georges de Latour
Private Reserve
Napa Valley 2021
Retails at: $180

Your Price: $149.99

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

Click to Order

 

“Lastly, the flagship 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Georges De Latour Private Reserve is in the same ballpark as the 2019 and is an incredibly elegant yet concentrated 2021 that does everything right. Purple-hued, with ample cassis, wild sage, graphite, and darker chocolate-like aromatics, it picks up a Graves-like gravelly earth character with air and is full-bodied, has ripe, polished tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. As with many of the top 2021s, it’s a touch reserved and closed and needs 4-5 years of bottle age, but will drink well for 30 years.”

98+ Points