2023 Gainey Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

2023 Gainey Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirSanta BarbaraSanta Rita HillsUSA

Gainey

Pinot Noir
Sta. Rita Hills 2023

2023 Gainey Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

Every so often, vineyard and vintage fall into perfect rhythm. That’s exactly what happened for Gainey in 2023, when the cool, drawn-out growing season of the Santa Rita Hills gave their estate Pinot Noir the time it needed to develop exceptional aromatic detail and purity. The result was the revelation of our recent tasting: a wine that unfolded with understated confidence and left me wanting to revisit it the moment the glass was empty.

That vibrance is amplified by the diversity of clones planted across Gainey’s two estate ranches, each offering its own nuance of aroma and structure. Some bring lifted red fruit, others a darker, savory edge, and together they create a Pinot Noir whose layers reveal themselves gradually and with intention. This is fruit shaped by a landscape of varied soils and exposures, infused into a wine of uncommon balance.

All of this culminates in a Pinot Noir that speaks fluently of its origin—one of California’s most expressive cool-climate regions. The 2023 release doesn’t attempt to reinterpret Sta. Rita Hills; it embodies it, showing what’s possible when patience, precision, and pristine fruit converge. It’s a wine that reminds you why this appellation stands as one of the pinnacles of West Coast Pinot Noir.

Gainey
Pinot Noir
Sta. Rita Hills 2023
Retails at: $35

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

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

Click to Order

 

“The 2023 Gainey Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir delivers a pure, cool-climate expression of the appellation. The nose opens with vivid strawberry-rhubarb pie, fresh raspberries, warm baking spices, root beer, and a touch of sandalwood. On the palate, it is mid-bodied and energetic, showing bright, fresh strawberry fruit, mandarin peel, and black tea notes, carried by vibrant mouth-watering acidity and a distinct liquid-mineral character that drives the finish. Seamless, focused, and refreshingly energetic, this is a textbook Sta. Rita Hills Pinot that drinks beautifully now yet possesses the balance and structure to evolve gracefully over the next 5–7 years.”

94 points

2017 Calistoga Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Soteros Vineyard Napa Valley

2017 Calistoga Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Sotero’s Vineyard Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSA

Calistoga Ranch

Cabernet Sauvignon
Sotero’s Vineyard
Napa Valley 2017

2017 Calistoga Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Soteros Vineyard Napa Valley

High above Calistoga’s quiet hillsides once stood a hidden vineyard known only to a privileged few. Sotero’s Vineyard was the crown jewel of Calistoga Ranch, its fruit reserved exclusively for members who understood that rarity often exists in silence. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon captures that lost world with haunting clarity, bringing a wine of profound purity and poise, now serving as the final voice of a place the wildfires took, but time could not erase.

Kirk Venge, one of Napa Valley’s most respected craftsmen, shaped this wine with his signature mix of intuition and precision. A third-generation vintner raised among vines and schooled in both science and soil, Venge brings a deep understanding of how to translate vineyard character into emotion. His work here reveals the full range of his skill, harnessing the natural intensity of mountain fruit and refining it with gentle patience.

Crafted exclusively from Cabernet Sauvignon and matured for two full years in French oak, the 2017 vintage achieves an elegant equilibrium of power and finesse. Cellared to perfection, it offers a soulful glimpse into a vineyard that no longer exists, yet speaks through every glass.

Calistoga Ranch
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sotero’s Vineyard
Napa Valley 2017
Retails at: $185

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

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

Click to Order

 

“The Calistoga Ranch 2017 Napa Valley Sotero’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromatic depth and complexity, showing aromas of violets, blackberries, cherries, red currants, earth, nutmeg, and a hint of menthol. On the palate, the wine is beginning to show signs of graceful evolution with flavors of dark chocolate, graham cracker crust, mixed berry pie, and balsamic reduction. This wine balances richness with refinement, showcasing the classic generosity and structure of Calistoga Cabernet with fine, integrated tannins and a dusty, mineral finish.”

95 Points

2023 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Price Family Estates Sonoma Coast

2023 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Price Family Estates Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

Three Sticks

Pinot Noir 2023
Price Family Estates
Sonoma Coast

2023 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Price Family Estates Sonoma Coast

Among the countless Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs, few capture the imagination like the 2023 Three Sticks Price Family Estates. The wine seamlessly weaves some of Sonoma Coast’s most distinguished voices, drawing from estate jewels such as Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala. Each vineyard contributes its character, culminating in a Pinot Noir that speaks eloquently.

Three Sticks has long been admired for crafting Pinot Noir of purity and grace, and the 2023 Price Family Estates bottling marks a thrilling new chapter. Guided by the foundation laid by Bob Cabral and carried forward by Ryan Prichard, it reflects not just winemaking skill but the seamless passing of a torch, ensuring continuity while unlocking new dimensions of expression.

 

The hallmark of the 2023 vintage is its ability to deliver depth without heaviness. Every detail of this wine reflects an estate committed to elevating Pinot Noir to its highest expression. Bright, aromatic, and texturally seamless, it delivers a complete expression of Sonoma’s coastal beauty, standing as a reminder that Pinot Noir, in the right hands, can be both delicate and profound. 

Three Sticks
Pinot Noir 2023
Price Family Estates
Sonoma Coast
Retails at: $55

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

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

Click to Order

 

“From one of the latest harvests in the Sonoma Coast history, development of flavor had an advantage and this wine is proof. This wine is a blend of the estate’s six vineyards including the Heritage Vineyards of the Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala. The wine is delicate and feathery, with clear cut acid structure that illuminates cherries, pomegranate, and orange peel. Its dimension is notable, a down pillow of creamy blueberry, hibiscus, and mint chocolate chip with a dash of black pepper on the finish.”

97 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

2020 Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

2020 Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

with No Comment $40-$50ChiantiChiantiItalyKevin VogtTuscany

Bibbiano

Gran Selezione
Chianti Classico
Vigna del Capannino
Tuscany, Italy 2020

2020 Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

From a mere seven hectares of the storied 19th-century estate of Bibbiano rises the 2020 Vigna del Capannino: an extraordinary expression of Tuscany’s soul. Perched atop a compact, clay-rich plateau, this vineyard captures the drama of one of Italy’s most revered terroirs. The naturally dense soils lend the wine profound structure and a chiseled mineral backbone, while the west-facing exposure coaxes the depth and intensity that define this vintage.

The power of Vigna del Capannino begins with its singular focus: 100% Sangiovese Grosso. This clone, selected and refined over decades, produces fruit that embodies both the energy of the vintage and the elegance of its lineage. In 2020, the grapes achieved perfect balance, allowing the wine to capture a full spectrum of flavor.

After harvest, the wine underwent a patient élevage of 24 months, divided between neutral cement and fine French and Slavonian oak, followed by a half-year of bottle rest. This unhurried maturation refined the wine’s natural intensity into harmony. The result is a Chianti Classico of rare depth, with tannins that are taut yet silken, framing a finish that lingers with quiet authority.

Bibbiano
Gran Selezione
Chianti Classico
Vigna del Capannino
Tuscany, Italy 2020

Your Price: $42

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

Click to Order

 

“Ripe strawberries, raspberries, red licorice, moist bark and wet stones on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied, tense and juicy with crunchy tannins and chalky texture. Vivid acidity keeps the wine nervy. Racy finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”

94 Points

2018 Laird Malbec Flat Rock Vineyard Napa Valley

2018 Laird Malbec Flat Rock Vineyard Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtMalbecNapaUSAYountville

Laird

Malbec 2018
Flat Rock Vineyard
Napa Valley

2018 Laird Malbec Flat Rock Vineyard Napa Valley

A showstopper at our recent tasting, Laird’s 2018 Flat Rock Vineyard Malbec captures the rare moment when power and precision meet in perfect harmony. Drawn from the volcanic soils of Yountville’s eastern edge, this wine channels its pristine origins. It’s a wine that reflects not only the essence of place but also the discipline of a family that’s been perfecting the art of balance for generations.

From vineyard to cellar, every step of this wine’s creation reflects intent. The fruit was harvested at optimal ripeness, then aged for 21 months in French oak. What emerges is Malbec reimagined through a Napa lens: concentrated and full-bodied, yet balanced by refinement and lift. It’s the kind of craftsmanship that transforms a varietal curiosity into something enduring.

Now fully realized after five years in bottle, the 2018 Flat Rock Vineyard Malbec shows the seamless integration of time and terroir. The structure is commanding, yet the fruit remains luminous and pure, framed by fine French oak and a finish that lingers with mineral precision. Every element is in perfect balance, as if the wine has settled into its natural rhythm after years of quiet evolution.

Laird
Malbec 2018
Flat Rock Vineyard
Napa Valley
Retails at: $65

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

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

Click to Order

 

“The 2018 Laird Flat Rock Ranch Malbec from Napa Valley is a beautiful domestic Malbec, showing excellent concentration and balance. The nose reveals aromas of wild berry cobbler, English rose petals, Chambord liqueur, and dried herbs. On the palate, it delivers juicy, sweet black raspberries and cassis, supported by satiny tannins and black tea on the back-end. The finish is long and mouth-quenching, with bright acidity. The intense fruit and balanced structure will allow this wine to evolve well over the next decade, though it’s approachable now.”

94 points

2021 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2021 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Anthem

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021

2021 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

Perched on the rugged slopes of Mount Veeder, where vines cling to fractured rock, Anthem’s 2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was born in defiance of gravity. It’s a wine forged by extremes: sunlight and shadow, warmth and wind, precision and power. What emerges is a wine of profound beauty, with dark and muscular yet polished to a fine sheen, its elegance revealed through structure, harmony, and quiet confidence.

Under the direction of acclaimed winemaker Jeff Ames, every decision at Anthem is made with confidence and patience. Having honed his craft alongside icons like Thomas Brown, Ames channels that experience into a style defined by purity and restraint, revealing a wine that feels sculpted, as though every contour has been carved by intent. 

For the 2021 vintage, Jeff coaxed out the vineyard’s most expressive fruit: dense yet detailed, layered with mountain spice, graphite, and violets. Already earning high praise, it drinks beautifully now, but its real magic will unfold over a decade or more. Whether savored tonight or cellared for tomorrow, this is Cabernet that carries the voice of the mountain and the patience of the ages.

Anthem
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021
Retails at: $130

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

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

Click to Order

 

“The 2021 Anthem Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon opens with inviting aromas of black cherries and ripe currants, layered with hints of crushed graphite, violets before folding in subtle hints of loamy earth and warm spices which add wonderful complexity. The palate is medium to full and finely structured, with firm tannins supporting a core of dark fruit and mocha nuances which lingers through the finish Excellent today, but also offers a promising graceful evolution with cellaring.”

94 Points

2022 Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2022 Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaPinot NoirSonoma CoastUSA

Aston

Pinot Noir 
Sonoma Coast 2022

2022 Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Perched on the remote ridgelines of Annapolis, where redwoods meet ocean fog, Aston Estate has long stood as one of the Sonoma Coast’s wild frontiers. Two decades after its founding, Aston Estate feels reborn. Once a collaboration between three of Napa’s most revered figures, it now thrives under the singular vision of Thomas Rivers Brown. His 2022 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir channels the wisdom of maturity and the freshness of rediscovery. 

Drawn entirely from the estate’s 12-acre vineyard in the far western reaches of Sonoma, the 2022 vintage captures the essence of Annapolis itself: cool air, fractured soils, and relentless wind. Here, vines root deep into ancient marine sediment, yielding fruit of uncommon purity and tension. 

What emerges in 2022 is not merely a reflection of the site but of stewardship. Brown’s approach favors patience over intervention, allowing the wine to unfold in graceful precision. Each element from fruit, spice, and structure moves in balance, revealing a Pinot Noir that feels as timeless as the land it comes from. 

Aston
Pinot Noir 
Sonoma Coast 2022

Your Price: $45

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

Click to Order

 

“A nearly opaque red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is flush with aromas of black cherries, a bit of plum, eucalyptus, sweet tobacco, and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, it has more structure but is light on its feet for the vintage, with a ripe, sunny feel and a long finish. Drink 2026-2046.”

96 Points

2022 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Vineyard Los Carneros Sonoma

2022 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Vineyard Los Carneros Sonoma

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtSonomaUSA

Laird

Chardonnay 2022
Cold Creek Vineyard
Los Carneros, Sonoma

2022 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Vineyard Los Carneros Sonoma

Laird’s 2022 Cold Creek Ranch Chardonnay is not just another expression of Carneros; it displays how restraint can yield brilliance in the glass. Here, Ken Laird’s fifty years of farming mastery align with winemaker Brian Mox’s measured touch in the cellar, resulting in a wine that hums with energy and poise, shaped by the marriage of persistence and place.

The Cold Creek Ranch vineyard rests on the Sonoma side of Los Carneros, where cool marine winds and fog slow the ripening process to a patient rhythm. Planted to Burgundian Clones 15 and 95, the vines produce remarkably balanced fruit. In the cellar, partial malolactic fermentation adds a gentle creaminess, while ten months in French oak lend structure and depth.

What distinguishes this Chardonnay is its composure. Every step, from vineyard to barrel, reflects the intent and confidence that come only with experience. The 2022 Cold Creek Ranch Chardonnay offers a harmony of brightness, texture, and length that lingers gracefully on the palate. It is a wine of elegance and clarity, timeless in its refinement and distinctly Californian in spirit.

Laird
Chardonnay 2022
Cold Creek Vineyard
Los Carneros, Sonoma

Your Price: $29.99

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

Click to Order

 

“Spiced and nutty on the nose, this offers ripe orchard fruit, sliced pineapple and honeysuckle nuances. Full and creamy with densely packed flavors and a firm, lingering finish. Long and delicious. Drink or hold.”

92 Points

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Mt. Brave

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2019

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

After years of quiet evolution in the cellar, the 2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon is finally revealing the full measure of its power and grace. What was once tightly coiled and brooding has unfurled into a symphony of mountain fruit, fine tannin, and haunting perfume. The wine offers a mesmerizing reminder of what patience can achieve in the hands of a master.

100pt winemaker Chris Carpenter has spent more than two decades decoding the language of Napa’s mountain vineyards, and Mt. Brave is among his most eloquent expressions. From the steep, fractured slopes of Mt. Veeder, he coaxes fruit that balances density with lift, structure with purity. The 2019 reveals that duality: a wine of formidable strength that moves with the grace of a dancer.

Now, with time having sculpted its edges to perfection, the 2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet stands at its pinnacle. It opens with an arresting purity, unfolding in layers before settling into a finish that seems to stretch toward the horizon. Mt. Brave’s 2019 vintage is mountain Cabernet at its most complete: soulful, sophisticated, and utterly compelling.  

Mt. Brave
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2019
Retails at: $125

Your Price: $99.99

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

Click to Order

 

“Showcasing the lovely freshness of high-elevation Mt Veeder grapes. Vivid boysenberry and mulberry fruits give way to mountain herbs, dusty minerals and rich toasty cedar. A compact wine revealing black-fruited flavours and savoury herbal nuances alongside sculpted tannins that are pixelated and mouthcoating. An impressively long finish of iron shavings, baked agave and dried chaparral.”

97 Points