2019 Martin Ray Chardonnay Dutton Ranch Vineyard Concrete Fermented

2019 Martin Ray Chardonnay Dutton Ranch Vineyard Concrete Fermented

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

MARTIN RAY

2019 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
CONCRETE FERMENTED 

2019 Martin Ray Chardonnay Dutton Ranch Vineyard Concrete Fermented
Chardonnay is highly-expressive and transparent in both the terroir and fermentation method. Most Chardonnays are either barrel or stainless steel tank fermented, but there’s been a resurgence in Concrete Egg fermentation, and for a good reason. The convex shape of a Concrete Egg creates a vortex that persuades the natural lees to be suspended throughout the vessel, resulting in more body, flavors, textures, and softer acidity. Martin Ray’s Dutton Ranch Chardonnay is a brilliant example, and with a 95 point score and priced at just $25, I highly recommend it.
 
Dutton Ranch Vineyard is in the Green Valley sub-appellation of the greater Russian River Valley. The Goldridge sandy loam soils and near-proximity to the Pacific provide the ideal growing conditions for premium Chardonnay grapes. Luminaries Kistler, Patz & Hall, & DuMOL have all sourced grapes from it. 
 
With a 95 point score and priced at just $25/btl, Martin Ray’s Concrete Fermented Dutton Ranch Chardonnay offers detailed tropical fruits, perfect balance, and stony minerality. They aged this incredible wine for ten months sur lie and inside concrete eggs, contributing to the beautiful textures, flavors, and body. 
 
MARTIN RAY
2019 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
CONCRETE FERMENTED
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $25
 
“This is a Dutton Ranch chardonnay, showing cooked-apple, lemon and peach character with praline and vanilla undertones. Opulent, yet in check. Full-bodied and layered. Very long and flavorful. No wood here. Fermented and aged in concrete eggs. Such a beautiful and pure single-vineyard Sonoma white. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”
95 Points
 
“Vibrant Eureka lemon zest, fresh peach and racy minerality with touches of Acacia flower. Layers of subtle pear and underripe nectarine beneath mouthwatering acidity, over a clean, linear palate.”
2013 Miner Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

2013 Miner Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

with No Comment $50-$60Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

MINER

2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
STAGECOACH VINEYARD

2013 Miner Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard
Miner has consistently produced powerfully elegant wines since the late 90s, under the guidance of Gary Brookman, who had honed his skills at Joseph Phelps and Grace Family. In excellent years like 2013, their Cabernets can perform at an exceptionally high level after around five years in the bottle, where they become even more enchanting and powerfully hedonistic. Their 95 Point 2013 Stagecoach Cabernet is a prime example of this, and now it drinks like it should be double the price.
 
Stagecoach Vineyard was developed in 1995 by Dr. Jan Krupp, and it took more than seven years to clear over one billion pounds of volcanic rock. The vineyard stretches from Pritchard Hill to an area overlooking Miner Winery in Oakville, and the well-drained soils produce powerful berries laced with volcanic subtleties. 
 
This wine emerges from a vintage unanimously recognized for its unrivaled quality, and one that Robert Parker alerted readers that it “…may turn out to be the finest vintage I have experienced in tasting North Coast varietals over the last 37 years.” After 21 months in premium French oak barrels and more than five years of development inside the bottle, this wine is stunningly brilliant right now.  
 
MINER
2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
STAGECOACH VINEYARD
Retails at: $110
 
 
“Aromas of blackberry, walnut and light, wet earth follow through to a full to medium body, light chocolate and a long finish. Refined and polished. Classic style. Better in 2019”
95 Points
 
“An impressively elegant wine from this rugged mountain top vineyard on the eastern slopes of Napa Valley. With black cherry and licorice flavors, flanked by firm yet lush tannins. A wine as special as this undeniably unique vineyard.”
2016 Steele Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard Green Acres

2016 Steele Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard Green Acres

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaUSA

STEELE 

2016 PINOT NOIR
SANGIACOMO VINEYARD
GREEN ACRES 

2016 Steele Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard Green Acres
Winemaker Jed Steele has an impressive 50 years of winemaking experience, which began in the cellar at Stony Hill in 1968 after getting his enology degree at UC Davis. It’s taken him all over the Golden State, and he’s worked closely with grape-growers across California throughout that time. Jed settled on Sangiacomo’s Green Acres Vineyard to craft his first Pinot Noir under his namesake. Green Acres was also the Sangiacomo’s first vineyard, which they planted in 1969, and it’s their most sought-after with the greatest number of Sangiacomo-designated wines produced from it. Wines average around $50 from this site, so at $24, it’s a steal. 
 
One might describe Steele’s winemaking approach as minimalistic, and they use a light-handed method that better highlights the wines’ natural aromas and flavor characteristics. They transfer wine by gravity wherever possible and use native yeasts and natural fermentation during the process. 
 
They fashioned the 2016 Green Acres Pinot Noir from 30-year-old vines that produced berries with incredible flavor intensity. The wine spent 16 months in barrel, and now time in the bottle has further developed the remarkable depth and finely detailed flavors in this very special Pinot. 
 
STEELE 
2016 PINOT NOIR
SANGIACOMO VINEYARD
GREEN ACRES
Retails at: $38
 
Your Price: $24
 
“This is a beautiful, and consistent expression of Pinot Noir: medium color and the pronounced aroma of Bing cherries, combined with a smooth structure and perfect balance. Of the many Pinot Noir’s we make this is the lightest and brightest with an unmatched elegance, and lingering finish.”
290 Cases Produced
2017 Peter Franus Chardonnay Napa Valley

2017 Peter Franus Chardonnay Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtNapaUSA

PETER FRANUS

2017 CHARDONNAY
NAPA VALLEY

2017 Peter Franus Chardonnay Napa Valley
Wine is a sensual experience for Peter Franus, and he crafts his with this guiding principle. Richness, complexity, harmony, and balance are all key elements that shape his wines, along with a strong sense of place. Robert Parker wrote, “A long-time veteran of the Napa Valley wine scene, Peter Franus continues to make a bevy of intelligent, elegant wines.” His Chardonnay is classy, clean, and well-balanced, and it also happens to be a remarkable value.
 
Peter sources his Chardonnay from the Stewart Vineyard in Carneros, where the clonal selection, soils, and microclimate combine to make it a unique property, perfect for producing high-quality Chardonnay with a distinctive identity. 
 
At the winery, grapes are whole-cluster pressed and barrel fermented and inoculated with a yeast strain chosen for its ability to ferment slowly and not generate much heat, which he believes is critical in preserving aromatics and adding complexity. The results speak for themselves, and at our price, the value is abundant… 
 
PETER FRANUS
2017 CHARDONNAY
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $38
 
 
“Some dried apples and lime zest here with a touch of vanilla and herbs. Flint, too. Full-bodied with fresh acidity and lively fruit character, as well as a phenolic finish. Hint of stone. Drink now.”
91 Points
 
“Floral and youthful in lively acidity, this is a nicely made, balanced and moderately weighty white. Stone, mineral and a thread of apple skin provide a measured level of fruity fleshy flavor that holds onto some nuance and complexity.”
90 Points
 
“A tantalizing hint of gold announces this is Chardonnay. Consistent with its predecessors, our 2017 offers intriguing and complex aromas of caramelized apple, vanilla, hazelnut, and orange blossom. The background of toasty sweet oak lifts the nose offering additional structure to the wine. Appropriate acidity awakens the palate and keeps the wine refreshing. The hallmark of excellent wine? It keeps drawing you back for more.”
2018 Gamba Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch

2018 Gamba Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

GAMBA

2018 ZINFANDEL
STARR ROAD RANCH

2018 Gamba Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch
Gus Gamba specializes in ancient vines and can act as a human conduit for those vines to tell their best story in every vintage. In 2018, the tale flowed seamlessly, and Gus noted that this harvest was one of the smoothest he had ever experienced. The century-old vines of Starr Road Ranch produced intensely flavored berries with a powerful focus and brilliant detail. With solid reviews from Robert Parker and Jeb Dunnuck, now is the time to secure yours.
 
The Starr Road Ranch Zin comes from an organically farmed vineyard planted in 1920, where the ancient 95 year old vines rely on winter rains as their sole source of irrigation. They yield just 1.5 tons per acre of strikingly intense, concentrated, pristinely focused fruit.
 
Gus and his winemaking team double hand-sort the berries, with only the best making their way into fermentors. Next, the 2018 release spent an impressive 18 months aging in primarily American oak barrels, contributing to the spice characteristics. 
 
 
GAMBA
2018 ZINFANDEL
STARR ROAD RANCH
Retails at: $52
 
Your Price: $45
 
“The 2018 Zinfandel Old Vine Starr Road Ranch has restrained aromas of cranberry sauce, apricots and sweet berry fruits with accents of aniseed and bitter citrus peel. Medium to full-bodied, it floods the mouth with dense fruits set in a chewy frame and finishing slightly warm.”
91 Points
 
“Spice box, cedarwood, brambly herbs, and red and black plum notes all emerge from the 2018 Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch. Medium-bodied, with a core of sweet fruit as well as a focused style on the palate, it’s a pleasure-bent Zinfandel to drink in its youth.”
89 Points
 
“The 2018 Gamba Starr Road Old Vine Zinfandel exhibits a brilliant and beautiful, deep scarlet color. The aroma offers dark berries, blackberry compote, brown spices and a compelling hint of creamy oak. The wine is medium to full in body, with a mouth-watering, and full throttle fruit profile. Balanced, yet rich with dark black fruits, cinnamon stick, freshly baked butter pie crust with a note of cocoa and spice that fill the palate. The wine is woven with a lifting acidity that propels the wine giving it a pleasant buoyancy and freshness on the palate. The texture is polished, with soft leathery tannins. This is a classic Old Vine Zinfandel that will deserve a special place in your cellar. The finish is youthful, and intense, and enjoyable now, but will continue to get better with time in the cellar.”
2018 Dayna Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District

2018 Dayna Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

DAYNA ESTATE

2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT 

2018 Dayna Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District
Fans of elegantly styled Cabernet Sauvignons with profound aromatics, soft tannins, and long, expansive flavors should look closely at Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll AVA. The region is one of the coolest in Napa Valley and has a strong marine influence from the San Pablo Bay. This microclimate creates one of the longest growing seasons in Napa Valley, optimal for flavor development, maintaining freshness, and overall balance. Dayna Estate’s 2018 Oak Knoll Cabernet is a stunning example of how great they can be, and at the winery retail price of $80, it’s a solid bottle of wine. Of course, at our price, you can’t have too much of this in your cellar.
 
Dayna Estate is a joint venture between Silenus Vintners and Paul Segas. Paul is an experienced grape grower that sold fruit to Chateau Montelena, Robert Mondavi, and Joseph Phelps, and he also runs the show at Highlands Winery on Howell Mountain. His wines are becoming increasingly known for being classic examples of their origins and exceptional values. 
 
The vineyard is on Oak Knoll’s Western Bench that sits at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains, where complex soils derived from the large Dry Creek alluvial fan helps produce gorgeous fruit of incredible character. This wine is textbook Oak Knoll Cabernet with an elegant presence on the palate, subtle details, and long, lingering flavors. 
 
DAYNA ESTATE
2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT
Retails at: $80
 
 
“The Dayna Estate Oak Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 begins with a lively nose of ripe blackberry purée, Italian glove leather, sweet vanilla spice, and light Spring florals. The palate continues with rich black cherries, juicy pomegranate, and mixed berries, combined with a liquid mineral character, freshly milled black pepper and crushed velvety tannins. The finish is long, focused, energizes your palate and is a delight to enjoy.”
94 Points
 
“Intense ruby red in color with aromas of cassis, plum, black cherry, and cocoa powder. The wine dances on the palate with rich fruit flavors of black cherry, ripe pomegranate, and black violets enhanced with black pepper notes. The rich fruit flavors evolve into a graceful finish loaded with red fruit and smooth tannins. The wine is lush while maintaining a bright freshness.”
2017 Chateau Moulin De La Grangere Bordeaux Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

2017 Chateau Moulin De La Grangere Bordeaux Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

with No Comment $30-$40BordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin VogtSaint Emilion

CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE LA GRANGERE

2017 BORDEAUX  
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU 

2017 Chateau Moulin De La Grangere Bordeaux Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
On paper, Château Moulin de la Grangère has everything you would want from a great Bordeaux. Their location is next to Château Pavie, one of Saint-Émilion’s most revered wineries that earns regular 100 point scores. Next, their consulting winemaker is Michel Rolland, whom many would argue is the world’s top winemaker. Their 2017 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru follows through with penetrating fruit, beautifully integrated tannins, and perfectly balanced acidity on the palate. At $33, the only thing this wine doesn’t have is a high price to match its tangible pedigree.
 
Château Moulin de la Grangère sits at the foot of the finest slopes of Saint-Émilion, where they planted their certified organic vines in clay-limestone soils. The winery excelled in 2017, and it was a vintage the Wine Spectator described as follows… “Cloudy July kept wines on the fresh, pure side, with good acidity and modest tannins. St.-Emilion atop the limestone plateau is excellent.” 
 
This wine is often 100% Merlot, but in 2017, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon increased structure in the final blend. Before fermentation, the wine team used vibrating tables to meticulously sort the most pristine berries, which shows in this stunning Grand Cru. 
 
CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE LA GRANGERE
2017 BORDEAUX  
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
 
Your Price: $33
 
“The Château Moulin de la Grangère 2017 is a beautifully elegant Bordeaux, beginning with a nose of red currants, pomegranates, crushed granite, freshly turned earth, and light florals. There is an intriguing tension between red currants, mountain blackberries, crushed minerals, and cool blue fruits on the palate. It is elegant and focused with a seamless, supple mouthfeel and a long finish. Drink now through 2028.”
93 Points
2016 Cerro Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2016 Cerro Proprietary Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaOak KnollProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

CERRO

PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY

2016 Cerro Proprietary Red Napa Valley
Cerro red blend with its unabashedly Californian style, plush dark berries, and lavish hedonism has been snowballing in popularity since we introduced it earlier this year. Derek Beitler, a nephew of Caymus Founder, Chuck Wagner, created the brand. Derek founded Carne Humana in 2010 and later sold to his cousin Joe Wagner. Since then, he’s spearheaded popular brands like Bodega Rancho and Skyhook, and he continually builds upon his reputation of producing quality wines at realistic prices.
 
Derek forged this wine from secret vineyard sources in Rutherford and Oak Knoll. The 2016 Cerro Blend combines 65% Petit Verdot with 33% Petite Sirah and 2% Zinfandel into an intensely concentrated, lush, yet balanced red blend that’s remarkably pleasing.
 
The wine team kept this vintage for 30 months in French oak barrels, producing a deep, powerful wine with a focused intensity that gives way to a rush of irresistible fruit, displayed with outstanding clarity and showy, rich layers. 
 
CERRO
PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
“Opaque purplish-black color. Fragrant nose of black fruits, very floral. Mouthfeel is rich and smooth, with soft tannins. Flavors of plums, blackberries, dark cherries and espresso.”
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
2017 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Sea Slopes

2017 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Sea Slopes

with No Comment $30 and underFort Ross SeaviewKevin VogtSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

FORT ROSS

2017 PINOT NOIR
SEA SLOPES 

2017 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Sea Slopes
Fort Ross was one of the first to plant Pinot Noir on the extreme Sonoma Coast’s rugged ridges, overlooking the Pacific. After purchasing the land in 1988, the Schwartz family spent years experimenting with various clones, rootstocks, and trellising systems, before selecting a set of heritage clones that they believed would best reveal the terroir of their majestic vineyard. Their 2017 Sea Slopes is the delicious result of the culmination of their continual drive to make the best wines from their Estate, and at $30, the value is real.
 
Sea Slopes comes exclusively from the winery’s Estate Vineyard located in the Fort Ross Seaview AVA, a source for Peter Michael, Marcassin, Martinelli, Flowers, and Pahlmeyer, to list a few.
 
In 2009 renowned winemaker Jeff Pisoni came aboard to articulate the best attributes of the Estate further. Jeff barrel ages this wine for ten months in mostly neutral barrels to integrate the natural acidity, rich flavors, and soft tannins into a beautiful, perfumed Pinot Noir.
 
 
FORT ROSS
2017 PINOT NOIR
SEA SLOPES
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
“This red offers outstanding value for the quality: a balanced, textured and varietally satisfying expression of coastal coolness and acidity. Earthy flavors of tea, cola, black licorice and dried herb provide an exoticism amidst elegant layers of orange peel and cranberry.”
92 Points, Editors’ Choice
 
“Aromas of wild red flowers and red cherries, as well as raspberries here. The palate has a gently creamy texture with fine, supple and even-paced tannins, carrying vibrant, fresh-fruit flavors. Drink now. Screw cap.”
91 Points