2015 Leto Cellars Mt Veeder Cabernet Franc

2015 Leto Mt Veeder Cabernet Franc

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet FrancKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

LETO

CABERNET FRANC
2015 MT VEEDER

2015 Leto Cellars Mt Veeder Cabernet Franc
If Napa Valley Cabernet is gold, then Cabernet Franc is platinum, due to its scarcity and cult following. There’s around twenty times as much Cabernet Sauvignon planted in Napa Valley, and on average, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes sell for less than Cabernet Franc. The coveted grape is revered for its stunning power, concentration, delineation, and mouthwatering acidity. Leto’s 2015 Mt Veeder Cabernet Franc, which retails at $78, is simply brilliant. What’s left of this 50 case production is going to fly.
 
Leto sourced their 2015 Cabernet Franc from a single-vineyard perched at 1,100 feet elevation on Mount Veeder. They chose this site for the incredible volcanic soils and vines that yield small, powerful berries with intense flavor. 
 
Mt Veeder is the coolest Mountain in Napa, which allows the grapes to have a longer hang-time so they can develop into something majestic. With a production of only 50 cases, you might want to keep this one secret, at least until you get your case.
 
LETO
CABERNET FRANC
2015 MT VEEDER
Retails at: $78
 
 
 
“The Leto Cellars Mount Veeder Cabernet Franc 2015 begins with a beautiful nose of red cherries, fresh sage leaf, Spring lavender, and Italian glove leather. On the palate, it is vibrant, with penetrating red cherries, black licorice, nutrient-rich earth, with sweet vanilla oak and spice box, and a gorgeous, lingering finish. Drink now through 2028.” 93 Points
2016 Red Mare Dutton Ranch Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay

2016 Red Mare Dutton Ranch Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

RED MARE

2016 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2016 Red Mare Dutton Ranch Vineyard Russian River Valley ChardonnayMy favorite wines are those that illuminate the best qualities and characteristics of the vineyard and vintage foremost over any winemaker’s unique style. Anne Vawter, who’s experience includes working alongside Heidi Barrett as the assistant winemaker at Paradigm for years, did a perfect job giving this Chardonnay from the iconic Dutton Ranch vineyard a bright, beautiful voice. At $48, it’s an absolute steal, but at $36, I would saddle up and secure a case (or two) before this one rides off into the sunset.
 
Red Mare sources their Chardonnay from the famed Dutton Ranch Vineyard located in the Russian River Valley, and fans of Kistler, Patz & Hall, & DuMOL likely recognize this iconic site. On the palate, the wine is plump without being heavy, and offers a kaleidoscope of Granny Smith apple, honeyed pair, pressed lemon and subtle spice.
 
The 2016 is fresh and lively, appealing to anyone looking for a balanced, site-specific wine, but with just enough richness to satisfy fans of a more powerful, California style Chardonnay.
 
RED MARE
2016 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $48
 
Your Price: $36
use code mare36
 
Winery Notes: “Honey, dried hay, and poached pear come together to create a very complex and interesting nose. Stewed apple and freshly rained-on gravel increase the autumnal associations with this wine. In the mouth this wine has a bright, clean entry with a zesty acidity leading through to notes of brioche and stone fruits, finally finishing with a hint of warmth that leads to a round, voluminous and clean finish.”
2015 Cherry Pie Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir

2015 Cherry Pie Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir

with No Comment $40-$50CarnerosKevin VogtNapaPinot NoirUSA

CHERRY PIE

2015 PINOT NOIR
STANLY RANCH

2015 Cherry Pie Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir
After dominating one varietal for more than a decade, the natural progression is to begin a new challenge and conquer that too. Jayson Woodbridge did just that. His Hundred Acre Cabernets reign as one of the top Cult wines in Napa for over a decade, and choosing Pinot Noir as a challenge, he sourced from the iconic Stanly Ranch Vineyard in Carneros. The 2015 vintage is loaded with concentrated cherry fruit, wild rhubarb, and subtle spice, and with a 95 Point Score from Tasting Panel Magazine, now is the perfect time to try it.  
 
Judge Stanly planted the original Stanly Ranch Vineyard in the 1800s, but since being replanted in 2001, it’s been a source for COHO, Saintsbury, and others. The well-drained Haire-loam soils, rolling hills, and coastal influences are ideal for ripening Pinot Noir to the pinnacle of perfection. 
 
Cherry Pie made the 2015 vintage in a dense style, layered with seductive red fruits, intriguing spices, and subtle floral notes. Each small-block was micro-lot fermented to isolate the individual flavors and aromas, and the wine is aged sur lie for the entire process, which contributes to the depth of flavor. 
 
CHERRY PIE
2015 PINOT NOIR
STANLY RANCH
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $45
 
“Stanly Ranch, the easternmost vineyard on the Napa Valley side of Carneros, has proven itself as ideal ground for Pinot Noir for more than 70 years, thanks to its well-drained clayloam soils, gentle slopes, and cool San Pablo Bay breezes.This French oak-aged red offers cinnamon- and nutmeg-spiced rose-petal aromatics and ahint of forest floor. Mocha-tinged soild and strawberry jam fill the mouth with flavor alongside generous notes of tomato leaf, cranberry, and tobacco. Pretty, feminine, and bright.” 95 Points
2017 Gamba Starr Ranch Road Zinfandel

2017 Gamba Starr Road Ranch Zinfandel

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

GAMBA 

2017 ZINFANDEL
STARR ROAD RANCH

2017 Gamba Starr Ranch Road Zinfandel
Over the years, We’ve offered some of the best brands out there, but few have developed the kind of love affair that Gamba has. It’s their undeviating style of matching fruit intensity with old vine depth and balance, and then delivering it all with immaculate detail that’s made them so beloved. Each release is a joy to behold…
 
Gamba birthed the Starr Road Ranch Zin from an organically farmed vineyard planted in 1920. The ancient vines have relied on winter rains as their sole source of irrigation for over 95 years, and they yield just 1.5 tons per acre of strikingly intense, concentrated, pristinely focused fruit. 
 
The 2017 is hugely appealing, with intense raspberry, sweet plum, briery cherry, and cracked black pepper. This vintage is rocking right now and will continue to provide copious amounts of enjoyment over the next decade.
 
GAMBA 
2017 ZINFANDEL
STARR ROAD RANCH
Retails at: $52
 
 
 
 “…. the 2017 Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch Old Vine is similarly colored and offers a sweet plum, blueberries, sandalwood, and spice-driven bouquet. This carries to a medium-bodied, elegant, silky Zinfandel that has loads of character, as well as length. Aged 16 months in 40% new American oak, it’s going to keep nicely for upwards of a decade.” 91 Points
2016 Westwood Estate Annadel Gap Pinot Noir

2016 Westwood Estate Annadel Gap Pinot Noir

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

WESTWOOD

ESTATE PINOT NOIR
2016 ANNADEL GAP 

2016 Westwood Estate Annadel Gap Pinot Noir
When a winery farms their vineyard biodynamically, and the site is ideally suited for Pinot Noir, AND they hire a world-class winemaker to help achieve their goal, great things happen. Westwood’s winemaker is Philippe Melka, whose vast experience includes winemaking at Bryant Family, Quintessa, Hundred Acre, and Dominus. At around $40, this Pinot absolutely should not be missed.
 
Westwood’s Estate Pinot Noir arose from the cool, wind-swept Annadel Gap, located between Mt. Hood and Sonoma Mountain. The 2016 vintage is remarkably individualistic and laces together some of the top Pinot clones, including Calera, Pommard, 777, and Martini. 
 
Philippe and his winemaking team pay attention to every detail, and picked each clone at the pinnacle of ripeness, before being carefully sorted by hand and fermented individually. The wine was gravity-fed into French oak barrels, where it spent the next 16 months developing on the lees. The result is stunning.
 
WESTWOOD
ESTATE PINOT NOIR
2016 ANNADEL GAP
Retails at: $48
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
“This exuberant wine from the estate site offers rich tones of forest floor and black tea. The palate brings wild strawberry, boysenberry and dried herb tones that veer into an intriguing note of white pepper on the finish.” 93 Points, Editors’ Choice
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.”