2018 Capture Tradition Sauvignon Blanc

2018 Capture Tradition Sauvignon Blanc

with No Comment $30 and underAlexander ValleyKevin VogtSauvignon BlancSonomaUSA

CAPTURE

2018 TRADITION
SAUVIGNON BLANC

 

2018 Capture Tradition Sauvignon BlancCapture seized our attention more than a decade ago with their very first vintage, and we knew immediately that the brand was something special. At the time, the late Denis Malbec was the winemaker, and today they’re crafted by Winemaster Graham Weerts, who has extensive winemaking experience throughout Bordeaux and South Africa, as well as Stonestreet and Arrowood wineries in Sonoma County.
 
Capture Sauvignon Blanc has always stayed true to its traditions of crafting a Bordeaux-style Sauvignon Blanc that’s balanced, pure, rounded, and loaded with detailed stone fruits and earthy minerals.  
 
The winery’s decision to ferment in stainless steel and age the wine for ten months sur lie further highlights the purity of the fruit. The resulting wine is palate refreshing with finely sculpted flavors and energy. I highly recommend a case while supplies last.
 
CAPTURE
2018 TRADITION
SAUVIGNON BLANC
 
Your Price: $25
 
“Bordeaux-like with its crisp citrus, lemon, and white flower bouquet, the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Tradition is medium-bodied, vibrant and pure on the palate, with beautiful purity and freshness. It’s impeccably made and well worth drinking…” 91 Points
 
“The 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Tradition comes 76% from Alexander Valley and 24% from Lake County, made in stainless steel with lees stirring. It offers gregarious scents of tarragon, chive and mown grass with kiwi, gooseberry, white peaches, flint and lychee notes. The palate is light-bodied and lively with pure fruits, bright acidity and a long, refreshing finish.”  90 Points
2017 Vista Rutherford Proprietary Red Blend

2017 Vista Rutherford Proprietary Red Blend

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

VISTA

2017 RUTHERFORD
PROPRIETARY RED

 
2017 Vista Rutherford Proprietary Red Blend
Being part of a wine brand that’s shattering records and has everybody talking is a great feeling, and VISTA has inspired more gushing comments and endless re-orders than any wine that we’ve featured, period. This wine is a $23 Rutherford Blend that tastes like it should cost many times its price, and if you haven’t opened one lately, I bet you’ll be shocked by how great it is now. We bought every bottle available and we’re now nearly out of the 2017 vintage, so this will likely be the last opportunity to stock up on this record-setting red.  
 
The 2017 originates from Rutherford, an area long celebrated for its exceptional terroir and dusty tannins, this wine embodies many of the hallmarks that I look for in Rutherford Cabernet. The blend is predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, heightened with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and the 2017 vintage saturates your palate in seductive red berries laced with dried lavender, red currants, iron, and Rutherford dust. 
 
The unparalleled value and unrestrained demand for this wine has been solely due to its vastly overdelivering and mimicking many of the same qualities that you’d expect in much higher-end Rutherford wines. The focused, penetrating red fruits, superb richness and classic Rutherford dust characteristics make it irresistible, and unexpectedly great for this modest price.
 

VISTA
2017 RUTHERFORD
PROPRIETARY RED

Your Price: $23
 
 
“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
2015 Laird Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir

2017 Laird Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir

with No Comment $40-$50CarnerosKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaUSA

LAIRD 

2017 PINOT NOIR
GHOST RANCH 

2015 Laird Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is remarkably versatile, and stylistically it can be crafted in more ways than just about any other varietal, ranging from light, bright and elegant, to deep, rich and opulent, and of course, everything in-between. Laird’s Single-Vineyard Pinot from Ghost Ranch definitely lives on the full-bodied end of the spectrum, and beautifully reflects that style.
 
Ghost Ranch is a stunning 9 acre vineyard located on the Sonoma side of Carneros. The site got its name from vineyard workers that had reported seeing children between the rows of vines, and when approached, they would vanish.
 
The winery has always attracted expert winemakers, and they’re currently made by Brian Mox whom previously consulted for both Lewis and Etude.
 
The 2017 is an idyllic example of a deep, full-bodied, and lavish Pinot Noir that doesn’t give an inch in terms of balance. So, if you enjoy Big Pinots, the scariest thing about Laird’s Ghost Ranch Pinot would be missing out on a case.   
 
LAIRD 
2017 PINOT NOIR
GHOST RANCH
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
Your Price: $43/btl
 
Tasting Notes: “The Laird Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir 2017 is a rich, supple wine with bright acidity along with a lush, satiny mouthfeel. It begins with ripe boysenberry, cherry cola and baking spices, with a hint of sweet vanilla. The finish is penetrating and long, with an overall balance that draws you back in, sip after sip…” 93 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2013 Valdez St Peter's Church Zinfandel

2013 Valdez St. Peter’s Church Zinfandel

with No Comment $30 and underAlexander ValleyKevin VogtSonomaUSAZinfandel

VALDEZ

2013 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH

2013 Valdez St Peter's Church ZinfandelHave you ever tasted a perfectly cellared California Zinfandel and had an epiphany moment, realizing that many Zinfandels will get better with age?  A grand example is the 2013 Valdez Zinfandel from St Peter’s Church Vineyard which happens to have also been one of our top 5 wines of the year in 2018. 

The 2013 Valdez St Peter’s Church Zinfandel arose from a 5 acre vineyard in Alexander Valley that’s planted to nearly century old vines.
The Valdez family are some California’s most sought after wine growers, having farmed for Aubert, Kistler, Paul Hobbs and others.
Valdez crafts their Zins in a concentrated and well-built style that bodes exceptionally well for cellaring, and because we recently sold out of their value-priced Sonoma County Zinfandel, we’ve made a deal to fill the void with their 2013 St Peters Zin at a price that’s simply too good to pass up.
 
VALDEZ
2013 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH  
Retails at:  $45/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “This impeccably balanced zinfandel flaunts energizing flavors and aromas of ripe black cherries, concentrated pomegranate, and crushed blackberries with hints of white rose petals, cocoa powder and pipe tobacco. The perfect balance shines through with an amazing brightness that elegantly supports the richly focused flavors.  Simply stunning!”   94 Points
2016 State of Mind Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

2016 State of Mind Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtOregonPinot NoirUSAWillamette Valley

STATE of MIND

2016 PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY

2016 State of Mind Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Great values in Pinot Noir can often come from the small and undiscovered producers that execute a steadfast goal of producing wines with sense of place, vibrancy and life, and that tell a story of their origins.  In many cases despite their small production, their passion for making the best wine possible is immeasurably large, and State of Mind’s 2016 Pinot Noir is a perfect example.
 
State of Mind’s 2016 Pinot Noir arose from a single vineyard planted by veteran Willamette winemakers, and located in heart of the Dundee Hills appellation.  
 
The wine was thoughtfully created by Michael Kennedy who’s an award-winning sommelier and vintner who was previously the Sommelier for Ritz-Carlton, before embarking on his own wine company in Napa Valley that’s been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, Food & Wine Magazine and Barron’s.  
 
This wine has all the makings for greatness, but has a production level so low that many will never find out about it… It also comes from one of the greatest vintages in Willamette Valley history, rivaled only by 2012. The Wine Spectator rated the overall vintage 97 Points, highlighting balance and elegance. 
 
 
STATE of MIND
2016 PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
Your Price:  Insider Club Members Only
 
Tasting Notes: “A finessed, sleek and elegant Pinot Noir from the WV, showing vibrant red & blue fruits on the nose, with rosemary, hazelnut, thyme, basil and rich earth.  The palate is fresh and offers juicy plum acidity at first, but as it opens, denser more rich flavors develop.   The wine evolves wonderfully with air and benefits from being paid against lighter meat dishes, and seafood accented with spices.  Drink this over the next 30 years.” 
2018 TOR Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay

2018 TOR Carneros Napa Valley Chardonnay

with No Comment $50-$60CarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtNapaUSA

TOR

2018 CHARDONNAY
CARNEROS, NAPA VALLEY

2018 TOR Carneros Napa Valley ChardonnayIf you enjoy some of California’s top Chardonnays, and you want to find one at an obtainable price, TOR’s 2018 Carneros Chardonnay is for you. When you read below about the origins of the grapes, and then consider that they’re paired with the immeasurable talents of winemaker Jeff Ames, you might just decide to skip right down to the order button…

Tor’s 2018 Chardonnay is a barrel selection from Steve Beresini’s heritage vines, Larry Hyde’s world-renowned Carneros fruit, and the iconic Durell Vineyard in Sonoma, and any one of these three sites could be considered one of California’s Grand Cru Vineyards.

All three sites were hand-harvested separately, and at their individual optimum ripeness before being pressed directly into small French oak barrels, where winemaker Jeff Ames was then able to identify and capture the best qualities from each vineyard, and harmonize them into something absolutely remarkable.

TOR
2018 CHARDONNAY
CARNEROS, NAPA VALLEY

Your Price: $55/btl

Click to Order

Winery Notes: “This wine is from three historic Chardonnay vineyards, the sum of this winemaker’s selection is greater than its parts. Steve Beresini’s thirty-year-old, dry-farmed heritage vines gives depth and texture, Hyde Vineyard’s wind-cooled topography gives minerality and precision, Durell vineyard contributes richness and opulence. 470 cases made.” 94 Points ~ International Wine Report

2014 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $80-$90Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

RUDIUS 2014 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

KALEY ELIZABETH 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2014 OAKVILLE 

 
Rudius is a wine so profound that it gave every one of our buyers a you gotta be kidding me moment the first time we tried it.  Even after tasting over 5,000 wines this year, Rudius stands out on multiple levels.  For starters, it gave me goosebumps when I first tasted it, and it hails exclusively from a secret vineyard source in Oakville just across from Screaming Eagle.  It’s serendipitous that Rudius chose not to list the vineyard name on their label, or they would have had to charge $175 per bottle, and less of us would get to experience this brilliant wine.  The wine was expertly crafted by Jeff Ames, who mentored under Thomas River Brown at Schrader, Maybach, Outpost and TOR before becoming head winemaker at TOR in 2005.  Since then, he’s made wines scoring in the high-90’s look easy, and words absolutely cannot express how great this wine is at $135/btl.
 
This secret vineyard source has beautiful red soils that give wines from this area intense, prolific flavors, and with neighbors like Screaming Eagle, Rudd, Dalla Valle’s Maya and Joseph Phelps’ Bacchus Vineyards, no doubt this is a great place to source fruit.  The wines from this vineyard have a trademark intense red-fruited perfume, dark, supple fruits, crushed rock and brilliant complexity.  If you enjoy the best wines that Napa Valley has to offer, you do not want to miss this… 
 
RUDIUS
KALEY ELIZABETH 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2014 OAKVILLE
Retails at: $135/btl
 
 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Kaley Elizabeth comes from the Tierra Rojo vineyard in Oakville planted in 1988 and contains a small splash of Cabernet Franc. The nose explodes with baked cherries, blackcurrant cordial and blueberry pie notes with touches of Chinese five spice, wood smoke and beef drippings with a waft of dried herbs. Full-bodied, rich and spicy with mouth-filling savory and spice layers, it has a solid backbone of chewy tannins and a lively line, finishing long. 300 cases were made.”  96+ Points
2015 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2015 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNorth CoastPinot NoirRussian River ValleyUncategorizedUSA

JOSEPH JEWELL  2015 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2015 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

 
We’ve introduced some unbelievable values this year, however, there’s still just one that I can honestly say is the best wine I’ve ever tasted in this price range. Every time I taste it, I ‘m perplexed that a wine we can offer at this price can taste like it costs more than double the price.  The 2015 combines fruit from Hallberg, Floodgate and Bucher Vineyards and Williams-Selyem and Gary Farrell fans likely recognize these sites as being spectacular.  The 2015 makes a gorgeous, elegant entrance onto your palate with stunning balance, detail, intensity, and length, and it perfectly portrays everything that I’m exited about in cool climate California Pinot Noir.  It truly drinks like a killer $40+ Pinot, and wines of this quality don’t come around often.
 
This Pinot has been lingering on my mind since I first tasted it, and in equal detail are the mineral-laced raspberries, red cherries, black tea, wild rose and touches of violets that are etched in my memory.  The 2015 was elevated for 11 months in Francois Freres, Ermitage and Rousseau barrels, and has blossomed over the last 3 years in the bottle. If you love Pinot Noir, and better yet, even if you don’t… try a case of this, and I think you’ll become and instant fan.
 
JOSEPH JEWELL 
2015 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at:  $40/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “My favorite Pinot Noir brand that I’ve discovered in the last few years, the Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir always over-delivers.  The elegant nose is seamless with bright cherries, mixed berries, flowers and spice.  Then comes the wonderfully balanced, nuanced palate which begins with red cherries, crushed raspberries and plum skin, then balanced by dried rose petal, subtle spices and a touch of oak.  The mouth quenching finish brings lingering flavors, lasting for over a minute, then leaving your palate begging for another sip.” 95 Points
2011 Frisson Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Frisson Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonDiamond MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

FRISSON 2011 Frisson Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2011 NAPA VALLEY

 
Frisson is defined as a sudden feeling of excitement or thrill, which is exactly what you’ll get when you taste this $60 Napa Valley Cabernet.  It’s a blend of 70% Diamond Mountain and 30% Howell Mountain fruit and produced in a vintage where parts of the valley floor experienced challenges ripening.  The high elevation Mountains in Northern Napa Valley did quite well, however.  This wine embodies the mission set by the proprietors of creating small production wines from luxury grapes, grown in superior terroir, and  transforming them into balanced wine with sense of place and voice.  The wines are made by Wayne Donaldson who has nearly 3 decades of experience and has held top winemaking positions at notables Domaine Chandon, Moet Hennessy, Louis Martini and the list goes on…
 
The 2011 Frisson was made with an extreme attention to detail and add to it access to incredible Mountain fruit sources, and this wine speaks for itself and it’s stunningly impressive at this price point.  If you follow Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, you might have already heard of Frisson and noticed their mid-90 point scores on their 2015’s…  With a total production of just 150 cases of their perfectly ready to drink 2011 vintage, there are very few cases available, so I wouldn’t wait long to secure yours…
 
FRISSON
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2011 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
 
 
Winery Notes: “Seductive aromas of coffee, black currant and blueberry are laced together with hints of vanilla that drift onto the palate which dances with layers of complex flavor. Espresso chocolate, dark berry fruits and rich brown spice thrill you with delight. The wine is balanced with a dense yet supple tannin finish. 
70% Diamond Mountain, 30% Howell Mountain fruit.”
 
Customers who enjoy Frisson Napa Valley Cabernet may also enjoy these two stunning Cabernets…
2017 Fortune 1621 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Silenus Tryos Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
FORTUNE 1621
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

Click to Order

Journeying for more from 18 months in French and American oak barrels, the 2017 set sail from carefully chosen vineyards throughout Napa Valley, each selected for their own unique characteristics which contribute to the final blend.  The 2017 is marked by it’s superior concentration, royal elegance, fine details and dusty tannins that are rarely found at this price..
SILENUS
2015 TYROS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $32/btl

Click to Order

Winery Notes: “Brilliant ruby red color introduces black cherry, rose petal, vanilla, bay leaf and toasted oak on the nose. The palate has vibrant, deep flavors of raspberry, cherry, and plum with cocoa and vanilla extracted from the oak barrels. The wine is seamless and wonderfully balanced with bright acid, deep red fruit, lightly toasted oak and good structure that least to a long velvety finish.”
216 Heir Apparent Cellar Selection Spring Mountain District Proprietary Red

2016 Heir Apparent Cellar Selection Spring Mountain District Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSpring MountainUSA

HEIR APPARENT  216 Heir Apparent Cellar Selection Spring Mountain District Proprietary Red

2016 CELLAR SELECTION
SPRING MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
PROPRIETARY RED

 
Wine producers that consistently out-perform others in sheer value, concentration, and hedonistic flavors, and do so without sacrificing sense of place, always generate the most excitement from our customers.  Heir Apparent is etched onto that list, and their Spring Mountain Cellar Selection mirrors all of the best qualities of its origin. The Spring Mountain region is unique to the other Mountainous growing regions in Napa Valley, because it produces classically structured Mountain fruit, but with more perceived suppleness than the others.  I’m also drawn to the complexity and savory undertones that often show themselves in Spring Mountain wines.  This one is fantastic at its $110 retail price (join our Insiders Club for special offers).  You’ll feel like the heir to a fortune the moment this wine touches your palate.
 
Calling on Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc sourced exclusively from Spring Mountain, the 2016 pulls you in like a powerful magnet and seduces your senses with perfectly ripe berries, incense, exotic florals, along with savory notes that are intellectually pleasing and continually evolving in the glass.  This beauty will provide enormous levels of enjoyment now and over the next 12-15 years. I highly recommend securing your case… You’ll be glad you did.
 
HEIR APPARENT
2016 CELLAR SELECTION
SPRING MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $110.00/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “This 2016 Cellar selection comes from the one of the most exclusive sub- appellations of Napa Valley. The Spring Mountain District offers rich, volcanic soils. Aromas of black currant and ripe plum are complemented with rich blackberry flavors and a hint of graphite. This carefully selected blend continues to pick build weight into a long and concentrated finish.”