2011 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Brunello di Montalcino

2011 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Brunello Di Montalcino

with No Comment $40-$50BrunelloBrunelloItalyKevin VogtTuscany

LIVIO SASSETTI 2011 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Brunello di Montalcino

2011 PERTIMALI
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO

 
If you could only drink only one Brunello di Montalcino, what would it be?  Robert Parker wrote “it would have to be Pertimali.”  The only problem is they’re a microscopic Italian producer owning only 7 hectares (about 17 acres), and they’re highly-desired…  Antonio Galloni wrote that Livio Sassetti is “One of Italy’s finest,” and they’ve been making hits since 1982… Their 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is indescribably gorgeous with an intoxicating perfume of wild violets, crushed raspberries, cola and black truffle.  At under fifty per bottle, you may want to skip to the order button…
 
Absolutely hands-on in every way possible, each individual wine is hand-tended by Livio and his two sons.  With attention to every detail, their Brunello has become a Sommelier favorite, gracing the Grand Award winning wine lists of Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller and many others as well…  Because of the minuscule production, there’s simply never enough of this wine to satisfy demand.  I strongly recommend securing your case, before this one runs out… 
 
LIVIO SASSETTI
2011 PERTIMALI
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
Retails at:  $55.00/btl
 
Your Price: $44.99/btl
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From The Wine Enthusiast: “Floral and refined, this opens with alluring scents of violet, iris, perfumed berry, earth and a whiff of pressed powder. The savory, elegant palate offers up juicy wild cherry, raspberry, truffle, anise and white pepper framed in a network of silky tannins. It’s already extremely accessible and will offer fine drinking pleasure for the near and mid-term.”  94 Points
Customers who enjoy Livio Sassetti’s 2011 Brunello Pertimali may also enjoy these two terrific wines…
2013 Moulin De Tricot Margaux 2013 Giovanni Rosso Barolo
MOULIN DE TRICOT
2013 MARGAUX
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl 
 
Tasting Notes: “With striking aromas of crushed violets, black raspberry, wild rose and plum, Moulin de Tricot’s 2013  Margaux is deep, plush and remarkably elegant. Well-integrated and precise flavors of dark red fruits, spices, floral components and minerals all intermingle effortlessly throughout the looonnnng and highly-pleasurable finish...” 
GIOVANNI ROSSO
2013 BAROLO
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl 
 
From The Wine Spectator: “A fruit-driven style, this red also displays ample tannins. Cherry, strawberry, floral and leafy tobacco flavors are backed by a vibrant structure, and this winds down with hints of mineral, earth and tobacco...”   93 Points
2015 Leto Cellars Old Vine Saint Helena Sauvignon Blanc

2015 Leto Cellars Old Vine St. Helena Sauvignon Blanc

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtSauvignon BlancSt HelenaUSA

LETO CELLARS

2015 SAUVIGNON BLANC
OLD VINE, ST. HELENA

2015 Leto Cellars Old Vine Saint Helena Sauvignon Blanc
What is terroir?  It refers to all of the environmental factors that collectively  contribute to a wine’s character and flavors.  Things like climate, farming practices, soil type, etc.  Reflecting terroir, older vines often provide the best representation of their unique characteristics because the root systems are deeper, allowing more complexity to flow from the earth.  Leto’s Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect example.  Originating from half-century old vines from a single vineyard in Napa Valley’s iconic St. Helena AVA, this is a Sauvignon Blanc with a clear and vibrant voice… Remarkably intriguing, hedonistic and full of life, Leto’s 2015 Sauvignon Blanc draws you in with yellow orchard fruits, ripe pear, orange peel, chalk and minerals.
 
Created by Brad Warner, the owner/winemaker who has been making wine for over a 1/2 century, Brad’s talent shows in this brilliant interpretation of St Helena Sauvignon Blanc.  Arising from the Varozza Vineyard on Pratt Avenue in St Helena, the older vines yield just 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 tons per acre of stunningly compelling fruit.  At just $22/btl, one taste and you’re not going to want to LET it gO… 
 
LETO CELLARS
2015 SAUVIGNON BLANC
OLD VINE, ST. HELENA
 
Your Price: $21.99/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “This is a bright yet rich white with Bosc pear, ripe honeydew melon and exotic passionfruit that transitions into a limeade and lemon custard mid palate with liquid minerals on the finish.  It is an enticing, mouth quenching Sauvignon Blanc that keeps you begging for another sip.”
93 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
 
Customers who enjoy Leto’s Sauvignon Blanc may also enjoy these two terrific wines from Leto Cellars..
2015 Leto Mount Veeder Pinot Noir 2013 Leto Cellars Saint Helena Cabernet Sauvignon
LETO CELLARS
2015 PINOT NOIR
MOUNT VEEDER
Retails at:  $56.00/btl
Your Price:

Winery Notes: “At 1,800 feet elevation, the fruit source was a rare and special opportunity. But then again, almost everything about this wine was. A Cabernet lover’s Pinot, this wine was picked carefully and aged in 30% new oak for 11 months. In the glass, notes of plum and cherry confections, espresso bean and dark chocolate accentuate this pretty Pinot Noir.” 

81 Cases Produced
LETO CELLARS
2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
ST. HELENA, NAPA VALLEY 
Retails at:  $85.00/btl
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Tasting Notes: “The 2013 Leto is a classically styled Napa Valley Cabernet with aromas of black cherry, red plum, Good & Plenty candy, dried mustard seed and damp earth.  These aromatics beautifully complement a mouth coating palate of red currants, Bing cherry and mixed red and black fruits. The tannins are silky and the flavors expansive. A nice lingering acidity keep the palate lively and perfectly compliments the spice box notes and toasted vanilla finish.“
94 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier 

2014 Belle Glos Eulenloch Napa Valley Pinot Noir

with No Comment $40-$50CarnerosKevin VogtNapaPinot NoirUSA

BELLE GLOS 

2014 Belle Glos Eulenloch Vineyard Napa Valley Pinot Noir

2014 PINOT NOIR 
“EULENLOCH” NAPA VALLEY

 
Joe Wagner’s Belle Glos Pinot Noirs are created in such an extravagant style that they’ve carved out their own category, and in doing so it took the entire Pinot Noir world by storm.  At 36, Joe has accomplished more than most people accomplish in a lifetime.  Becoming involved in the Wagner Family wine business at an early age, taking in valuable lessons from his father, Chuck Wagner, who founded Caymus Vineyards with his father, Charlie Wagner.  In July of 2015 Joe split off the value priced Meomi Pinot Noir label from Belle Glos and sold it to Constellation Brands for an eye-popping $315 million… When we found out about his inaugural release of a Pinot Noir from Napa Valley, we couldn’t wait to taste it.  Incredibility deep and hedonistic, the 2014 Eulenloch has serious depth by Pinot Noir standards and oozes concentrated black fruits, baking spices and liquid floral.
 
Farmed from the Eulenloch Vineyard located in Napa Valley’s prestigious Carneros AVA, this just released 2014 is really showy right now… Always some of the deepest and most intense California Pinot Noirs, Belle Glos never disappoints with their generous style that resonates with Pinot Noir fans who love a richer style.  If you would like to experience their new Eulenloch Napa Valley Pinot, you can order it individually below, or use this  Click to Order button to order a mixed 15-pack which includes (6) Eulenloch, (3) Las Alturas, (3) Clark & Telephone and (3) Dairyman. 
 
BELLE GLOS 
2014 PINOT NOIR
“EULENLOCH” NAPA VALLEY 
Retails at:  $55.00/btl
Your Price: $44.99/btl
YOU SAVE 18% 
 
 
Winery Notes: “Shimmering scarlet to deep ruby in color, with aromas of blackberry and red cherry highlighted by soft touches of vanilla, nutmeg, toasted coconut and violet blossom. An abundant and layered wine offering flavors of sweet black currant, strawberry, red cherry and vine-fresh blackberry complemented by subtle notes of sugar cookies and honeyed cola nut. The wine is supple and satiny, with bright acidity set off by rich fruit.”

 

2016 Belle Glos Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016 Belle Glos Dairyman Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016 Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir
BELLE GLOS
LAS ALTURAS VINEYARD
2016 PINOT NOIR 
SANTA LUCIA
Retails at:  $55.00/btl
BELLE GLOS
DAIRYMAN VINEYARD
2016 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER 
Retails at: $55.00/btl
BELLE GLOS
CLARK & TELEPHONE VINEYARD
2016 PINOT NOIR
SANTA BARBARA CO.
Retails at: $55.00/btl
Your Price: $44.99/btl
 
Winery Notes: “Bright crimson red in color. Aromas of black cherry and ripe plums combine with subtle notes of dried herbs and smoke. The palate entry shows flavors of cranberry, fresh raspberry, and ripe cherry, complemented by hints of vanilla and baking spice. A balance of savory, cedar and cocoa powder, and sweet, fig jam and ripe blackberry, round out the mouth-feel… great structure, smooth tannins and a lingering fresh finish.”
2014 Lobo Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 Lobo Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

LOBO

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 ATLAS PEAK

2014 Lobo Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon
One of the greatest benefits of having our shop in Yountville is the people that we meet. The connections that we make often result in discovering great wines that are still flying somewhat under the radar.  Lobo is the perfect example.  Proprietor Randy Wulff moved in just behind our shop after he lost his home in the Atlas fire.  We quickly fell in love with his wines for how expressive, profound and hedonistic they were.  Their 2014 Cabernet from Atlas Peak is made in a round, supple yet deeply focused style that comes intermixed with rocky and mineral qualities classic to Atlas Peak. This wine will put a smile on your face, but your hair will be bristling that you didn’t buy a second case.
 
The winery’s flagship bottling of the Atlas Peak Estate Cabernet was carved from Randy’s (former) home vineyard which is perched at 1,350 feet elevation and planted in volcanic, rocky soils.  They use tight spacing to encourage the vines to struggle, which in turn helps to create the incredibly expressive and deep flavors.  Housed for 24 months in oak barrels, this 2014 is brilliant right now, with flavors prowling your taste buds with perfect balance and precision.  Don’t be the lone wolf that misses out on this one…
 
LOBO
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 ATLAS PEAK
Retails at:  $80/btl
 
Tasting Notes: “Showcasing classic Mountain fruit character, the Lobo Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 displays a pristinely focused and firm bounty of red currant, black cherry and red plum, perfectly balanced with the fine grained yet slightly dusty tannins.  Secondary characteristics of cherry cough drop, sweet tobacco leaf, spice box,  fresh sage leaf and sweet vanilla oak dance in perfect step with the concentrated fruit, then followed by a long, velvety finish.  First impressions are always important and looking back at my initial tasting notes, I wrote ‘Wow, this is really killer stuff…’ Drink now through 2030.“
94 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
 
2013 The Vineyard House Oakville Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 The Vineyard House Oakville Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

THE VINEYARD HOUSE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2013 OAKVILLE ESTATE 

2013 The Vineyard House Oakville Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

If you’ve ever wondered if the ability to build a wine legacy could be passed down through generations, take one sip of Jeremy Nickel’s 2013 The Vineyard House Cabernet and you’ll have your answer.  With a family history that includes his father Gil Nickel founding Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel and Dolce, the wine industry merged with his DNA.  But this DNA also needs the perfect vineyard location to truly excel.  These elements precisely converge to create The Vineyard House, and being surrounded by neighbors including BOND, Harlan Estate, Far Niente and Futo means you have all of the components to create something extra special.  To say that we were floored by this wine would be an incredible understatement.  This is what a cult wine that commands $500/btl should taste like and for about $200 a bottle, I recommend getting in while you still can…
With everything perfectly composed, this stunning creation emanates from a vintage unanimously recognized for its unrivaled quality, which became the final piece of the puzzle in creating a wine that can compete with the very best.  After developing for 24 months in oak, this remarkable wine expresses everything that any Cabernet lover would be proud to own…  It’s so good right now, it’ll bring a tear to your eye when you taste it, but be sure to get enough to lay down and enjoy over the next 25 years…
 
THE VINEYARD HOUSE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2013 OAKVILLE ESTATE
Retails at:  $225.00/btl
 
Your Price: 
 
 
Tasting Notes: “The Vineyard House Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 is one of the most complete and seamless Cabernet Sauvignons I’ve tasted over the last few years, which is really saying something if you look at the incredible wines that have graced my glass. It’s simply stunning. It has a linear focus reminiscent of a great first growth Bordeaux, combined with exceptional purity.  It is a majestic wine with wave after wave of wild black plum, crème de cassis, muddled blueberries and crushed blackberry fruit, followed by bittersweet chocolate, liquid minerals, graphite and firm tannins. This profound wine has a surreal presence with incredible purity and an extravagant cascade of red and black fruit which lingers on your palate in what feels like a suspended animation state, keeping you on the edge of your seat through the seemingly endless, elegant finish. Drink it over the next 25 years…”
98 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
Cabernet Sauvignon 91% | Cabernet Franc 6% | Petit Verdot 3%
2014 Bibbiano Riserva Chianti Classico

2014 Bibbiano Riserva Chianti Classico

with No Comment $30 and underChiantiChiantiItalyKevin VogtTuscany

BIBBIANO

2014 Bibbiano Riserva Chianti Classico2014 RISERVA
CHIANTI CLASSICO

As much as I love the innovative and forward styles of New World wines (wines from countries where Vitis Vinifera or wine grapes did NOT originate), there’s something to be said about a winery that’s been around in the Old World (think Europe) since 1865.  With trials and tribulations that span more than 150 years, many of the best wines in the Old World give you that feeling of antiquity and historical relevance when you taste them.  I gained that very impression when I tasted Bibbiano’s Chianti Classico Riserva.  With rock-solid poise, immense depth and precisely delineated flavors, the wine’s powerfully complex dark fruits, spices and subtle smoke are classic to the Old World style, and are intermixed with a newfound love and appreciation for a region that produces some of the best wines in the world.
 
Created from 100% Sangiovese and aged for the required 24 months before bottling, this wine has a lovely dense and satiny texture that comes lined with spices, dried flowers and cassis.  At under thirty per bottle this Riserva has everything that I look for in great Chianti Classico.  I wouldn’t wait for the scores to come out before securing your case, because there are few cases imported of this stunning wine.   
 
BIBBIANO
2014 RISERVA
CHIANTI CLASSICO
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl 
 
 
Winery Notes: “2014 Bibbiano Chianti Classico Riserva is a well-balanced, flavorful wine that is especially good for the vintage. It offers attractive red cherries and berries and spicy, garrique and lapsang suchong smoky tea notes on the nose and palate. It has a silky attack, a well-balanced palate and a persistent finish.”
 
Customers who enjoy Bibbiano’s Chianti Classico Riserva, may also enjoy these two terrific Italian wines…
2012 Salcheto Riserva Vino Nobile di Montelpulciano 2013 Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico Vigna Del Capannino
SALCHETO
2012 RISERVA
VINO NOBILE di MONTELPULCIANO
Your Price: $34.99/btl 
From The Wine Spectator: “Dark notes of blackberry and plum are reinforced by molasses and licorice flavors. Dense and meaty, this red is surprisingly nimble given the power & concentration. What this needs is an aged, grilled steak. Drink now through 2025.”   93 Points
BIBBIANO
GRAN SELEZIONE
2013 CHIANTI CLASSICO
VIGNA DEL CAPANNINO
Your Price: $34.99/btl 

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From The Wine Spectator, “A savory example, featuring tobacco, earth, wild herb and underbrush notes enveloping a core of fading cherry. Balanced and finishing dry, with tobacco and iron accents lingering. Settling in nicely, with a few years more to go…”    93 Points
2017 Domain La Croix Saint-Laurent Sancerre

2017 Domain La Croix Saint-Laurent Sancerre

with No Comment $30 and underFranceKevin VogtLoire ValleySancerre

DOMAINE LA CROIX SAINT-LAURENT

2017 SANCERRE
LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE

2017 Domain La Croix Saint-Laurent SancerreThe best Sancerre white wines are fresh, bright and full of energy, which is why they complement such a wide variety of foods. While Chardonnay can sometimes be too heavy as a cocktail wine, Sancerre offers a great solution.  Old Vine Sancerre adds another dimension of complexity, with even more dynamic and intriguing flavors and Domaine La Croix Saint-Laurent is an absolutely perfect example.  Created from nearly half-century old vines, this wine bursts onto your palate with textural bliss, and a well balanced, keen thread of acidity that leaves your palate craving another sip. 
 
A pure expression of Sancerre, this immensely appealing 100% Sauvignon Blanc (as all white Sancerre’s are) is highly nuanced, intriguing and loaded with pristine fruit and rocky minerals.  If you’re searching for a delicious World-Class white wine that will set the standard for a non-Chardonnay… this is it.
 
DOMAINE LA CROIX 
SAINT-LAURENT
2017 SANCERRE
LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE
Retails at:  $34.00/btl
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl 
 
 Winery Note: “Very pungent nose, floral, stony, stone fruits. Supple, full and nervy mouthfeel, very complex, with flavors of tangerine, kumquat, nectarine. Complex, structured and balanced, with a super long finish. A wine of great energy, brightness and vibrancy.”
 
Customers that enjoy Domaine La Croix’s Sancerre Blanc may also enjoy these two terrific white wines…
2016 Henri Bourgeois La Cote Des Moints Damnes 2017 Domain La Croix Saint-Laurent Sancerre Rose
HENRI BOURGEOIS 
2016 SANCERRE
LA COTE DES MONTS DAMNES
 
Your Price: $37.99/btl
 
Tasting Notes: “The near-vertical slope of the Monts Damnés produces wines that have delicate tropical fruit and vibrant citrus aromas. The palate confirms this  fruitiness and  brings a nice and clean mineral note… This very concentrated wine expresses its strong personality...”
DOMAINE LA CROIX
2017 SANCERRE ROSE
SAINT-LAURANT
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl 
 
Tasting Notes: “Nose is a cornucopia of fruit aromas, a full on attack. Supple, smooth, elegant in the mouth, shows great tension, with flavors of blood orange, white grapefruit, green melon. Great balance, incredibly long finish, a balanced, full flavored, clean, crisp wine.”
2016 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Proprietary Red

2016 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaPritchard HillProprietary RedUSA

CHAPPELLET 2016 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Proprietary Red

2016 MOUNTAIN CUVEE
PROPRIETARY RED  

 
Chappellet’s Iconic Pritchard Hill Vineyards have been hailed by some as “Napa’s Grand Cru,” and particularly with Bordeaux Varietals.  Following the advice of renowned winemaker André Tchelistcheff, by planting on the rocky high-elevation slopes, Chappellet became one of the first wineries in Napa Valley to plant vineyards on the lofty hillsides.  A half century later, their 2016 Mountain Cuvée still includes fruit from the winery’s coveted Estate Vineyard, and was expertly composed by renowned winemaker Phillip Titus, who’s been with Chappellet for nearly 30 years.  At $31.99/btl there’s simply never enough of this value wine from Chappellet to meet demand. 
 
An absolute crowd-pleaser, and those of you who’ve enjoyed this blend each vintage might notice the 2016 exploits a greater percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon than their previous 6 vintages.  With Cabernet as the dominant grape, the 2016 is nicely concentrated, and on the palate, the wine’s hallmark velvety embrace comes dressed with provocative black cherries, blueberries, dried violets and cocoa. I highly recommend securing a case while supplies last…
 
CHAPPELLET
2016 MOUNTAIN CUVEE
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $35.00/btl 
 
Your Price:  $31.99/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “Lush, layered and complex, this Bordeaux blend begins with concentrated aromas of black cherry, boysenberry, and dark chocolate. As the wine evolves in the glass, notes of anise, clove and bay leaf emerge, creating an inviting combination of fruit and spice. On the palate, a creamy texture underscores the wine’s richness, while accentuating flavors of ripe plum, vanilla, and roasted coffee that glide to a long, lingering finish.“
 
Cabernet Sauvignon 51% | Merlot 24% | Malbec 13% | Petit Verdot 9% | Cabernet Franc 3% 
Customers that enjoy Chappellet’s Mountain Cuvee may also enjoy these two terrific Reds… 
2013 Chester's Anvil Hattori Hanzo Cabernet Blend 2013 Titus Napa Valley Malbec
CHESTER’S ANVIL
2013 HATTORI HANZO
CABERNET BLEND
Retails at:  $40.00/btl
Your Price: $34.99/btl 

Click to Order

 
With the price of Napa Cabernet reaching new heights, it feels great to uncover a killer Cabernet Blend at $35 that’s made by a winemaker who’s known for crafting multi-hundred dollar, high-scoring Cabs. Chester’s  Anvil combines the talents Steve Lagier and Carole Meredith, who both worked at Robert Mondavi, and Aaron Pott, who after making Quintessa, embarked on his own label Pott Wines, earning numerous scores in the high 90’s.. 
TITUS 
2013 MALBEC
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 
There are a handful of California winemakers whom many would refer to as legendary or iconic, and whose triumphs and experience are so profound that their very name rings with excellence.  Philip Titus is etched permanently onto that list…  Revered for his work authoring Chappellet’s Pritchard Hill wines for nearly three decades, leaving countless World Class wines in his wake.
2014 Joseph Jewell Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2014 Joseph Jewell Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir

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

JOSEPH JEWELL 

2014 PINOT NOIR
HALLBERG VINEYARD

2014 Joseph Jewell Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
It’s rare for me to taste a wine and immediately get the feeling that I may have just come across my next wine-of-the-year.  Joseph Jewell’s 2014 Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir gave me that very feeling.  With stunning length, detail and balance, the 2014 washes over your palate with supernatural weight and complexity fit for a king.  In my mind this sets the bar for cool climate California Pinot Noir with a plush, satin core lined in detailed blackberry, cigar box, black tea and touches of spice.  You’ll feel like you’ve just hit the mother lode and you won’t want to let go.  
 
Located in the Russian River Valley and a former apple orchard, fruit from Hallberg produces world-class Pinot Noirs from Gary Farrell and Emeritus.  Planted to clones 777 and Pommard 5, the fruit was dry farmed and produces fruit of royal qualities.  If you’ve enjoyed Trombetta, Black Kite, CRU9 and other Pinots that we’ve introduced, Joseph Jewell’s Hallberg shouldn’t be missed…
 
JOSEPH JEWELL 
2014 PINOT NOIR
HALLBERG VINEYARD
Retails at:  $55.00/btl
 
 
 
Tasting Notes: “It’s so exceptionally rare to find a wine that immediately conquers your heart and soul from the very first whiff, then follows through on the palate with all the excitement and intrigue of a first kiss…  Pristine elegance combined with an incredibly delicate balance, weaving in all of the intricate details and building like a romance novel. This wine may not be my first love, but it is the first California Pinot Noir that simply left me speechless and completely satisfied.  Throwing aroma and taste characteristics in would not do it justice, because this wine is a complete sensory experience that a flavor profile cannot quantify…  You just have to experience it, then you’ll know!”  97 Points Kevin M Vogt, Master Sommelier
 
Customers that enjoy Joseph Jewell’s Hallberg Vineyard Pinot,  may also enjoy these two terrific Pinots…

 

2014 Black Kite Kite's Rest Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014 Trombetta Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
BLACK KITE
2014 PINOT NOIR
KITE’S REST VINEYARD
Your Price: $44.99/btl 

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From The Wine Enthusiast, “Great fruit concentration and grace make this wine a winner. It feels medium-bodied despite its high degree of ripeness, showing that balance is attainable with significant power. It has ripe, plummy aromas, fresh red cherry and cranberry flavors, supportive tannins and excellent acidity.” 
 
93 Points, Editor’s Choice
TROMBETTA
2014 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST
Your Price: $44.99/btl 

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From The Wine Enthusiast, “The oak treatment is supportive only, with the wine aged in French oak, 25% of it new, for nine months. Restraint allows it to remain soft and silky on the palate, with inviting characteristics of white pepper, lavender, rose, cranberry, strawberry and vanilla bean.” 
 
93 Points
2015 Saddleback Cellars Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Saddleback Cellars Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

SADDLEBACK2015 Saddleback Cellars Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 OAKVILLE

Nils Venge has always been known as a bit of a cowboy in the wine industry, making wine his own special way, and taking risks that have undoubtedly paid off.  You’re about as likely to find him on a tractor in the vineyard, than just about anywhere else.  Early on, he set the bar as the first American winemaker to earn a perfect 100 Point score from Robert Parker with the 1985 Groth Reserve Cab, and three decades later he’s still blazing the trails, producing bold and unapologetically expressive wines. The winery is located behind Opus One and a stones throw from Silver Oak’s Napa property.  At $75/btl this Oakville Cab will make even the most gristled cowboy grin.
 
Crafted in a deep, showy style, offering layer after layer of dense black fruits, exotic chocolates, white flowers and hints of graphite.  Our panel was shocked by how well the 2013 was showing and we bought all we could…  Kept for 24 months in oak barrels this beauty has had nearly 2 1/2 years of bottle development and it’s gorgeous right now.  I highly recommend adding some of this to your cellar.  
 
SADDLEBACK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 OAKVILLE
Retails at:  $75/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “On the nose, a healthy dose of ripe red berries. On the palate, it approaches as a denser, full wine; its bold structure is evident. Robust black currant, anise and coriander are balanced by notes of blood-orange zest and violets. Throughout, a graphite minerality adds to its layered complexity. The flavorful finish leaves lingering notes of vanilla balanced by delicate tannins… Drinking well through 2023.“