2014 The Owl & The Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley

2014 The Owl & The Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonDry Creek ValleyKevin VogtSonomaUSA

THE OWL & THE OAK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 DRY CREEK VALLEY 

2014 The Owl & The Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley
Michelle Mercer and her husband Bruce Golden spent 15 years living abroad, giving them priceless opportunities to visit some of the best vineyards in the world. Upon returning to the US, they searched to find the perfect location for growing premium Cabernet Sauvignon in an old-world style with subtle beauty and grace, like a new blossom slowly opening its petals and revealing its inner depth of character.
 
A small plot of 9 acres in Dry Creek Valley proved to be the best location because of the cooler microclimate than neighboring vineyards, allowing the grapes to mature at a slower rate, increasing hang time for deep flavor development while retaining the grape’s natural acidity. The 2014 vintage of The Owl & The Oak is captivating in its vast range of flavors and immaculate structure that coats the palate and continues into an ethereal finish.
 
THE OWL & THE OAK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 DRY CREEK VALLEY
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The Oak & The Owl Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromas of violets, sage, crushed blueberries, wet stones, white truffles, and cocoa powder. The palate is seductive with its velvety tannins and bright acidity, allowing sultry, savory flavors to coat the mouth with a persistent finish. This wine is an old-world wine lover’s dream in the new world with its depth of fresh aromas and flavors, pure from start to finish without being flashy or flabby, and suitable for aging up to 15 years or more.”
95 Points
2020 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills

2020 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills

with No Comment $30 and underCentral CoastKevin VogtPinot NoirSanta Rita HillsUSA

LULI

2020 PINOT NOIR
SANTA RITA HILLS

2020 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills
Seeking to create a new line of handcrafted wines from top-notch fruit at affordable prices, Luli was launched in 2007 by the combined knowledge, skills, and experience of Master Sommelier Sara Floyd, vineyard manager Mark Pisoni, and winemaker Jeff Pisoni. The Pisoni brothers grew up farming in the Santa Lucia Highlands with their father Gary, one of California’s most respected growers, sourcing fruit for Luli from vineyards in or near the same land they call home.
 
Wine is life for Sara and the Pisoni brothers, so the desire to bring family and friends together to swirl a glass of fine wine for a reasonable price is a passion for all three. Possibly one of the best winemaking teams in history, this successful partnership illustrates the talents and strengths of three different masterminds in each vintage and every glass poured.
 
LULI
2020 PINOT NOIR
SANTA RITA HILLS
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The 2020 Luli Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir begins with an intriguing nose that includes fresh strawberries, English rose petals, cotton candy, and Autumn baking spices. The palate mimics these traits, adding cherry cola, red plums, liquid minerals, and a bright freshness combined with a supple texture that beautifully rounds this wine out. Drink it now, and over the next six to eight years.”
92 Points
2017 Leto Cabernet Franc Mount Veeder

2017 Leto Cabernet Franc Mount Veeder

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

LETO

CABERNET FRANC
2017 MOUNT VEEDER

2017 Leto Cabernet Franc Mount Veeder
Leto Cellars matches entrepreneurial determination for crafting limited amounts of superior quality wines with hard work that’s intensified with knowledge and more than 50 years of experience. Their 50 case production of Mount Veeder Cabernet Franc exemplifies Brad Warner’s ability to identify exceptional vineyards and transform the fruit into a varietally sound, memorable masterpiece, offering uncanny value. 
 
Brad sourced his Cabernet Franc from a single-vineyard perched at 1,100 feet elevation on Mount Veeder, chosen for its volcanic soils and low yields of concentrated fruit with intense flavor. Mt Veeder is the coolest Mountain in Napa, which allows the grapes 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
2017 MOUNT VEEDER
Retails at: $78
 
 
 
“The 2017 Leto Cabernet Franc is a beautiful, classic style that opens with aromas of red currants, black raspberries, fresh florals, bramble, crushed rocks, sage, and a hint of white pepper. The palate is fresh and complex with wild blackberries, dried herbs, baking spices, vanilla, and toast, all perfectly balanced by the wine’s crisp, mountain acidity. The finish is long and savory, with soft, integrated tannins that provide an excellent structure for aging but are also pleasant in the wine’s youth.”
94 Points
2018 Lancaster Winemakers Cuvee Alexander Valley

2018 Lancaster Winemakers Cuvee Alexander Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Alexander ValleyKevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaUSA

LANCASTER

2018 WINEMAKER’S CUVEE 
ALEXANDER VALLEY

2018 Lancaster Winemakers Cuvee Alexander Valley
Millions of years ago, volcanic and seismic activity shaped much of Alexander Valley, leaving the area with dozens of unique soil types and microclimates, proven to produce savory and delicious Bordeaux-style blends. Lancaster’s hillside estate soils are nutrient deficient, forcing the vine to concentrate more on survival and less on green leaf growth, ideal for growing grapes with distinct character and varietal expression.
 
Each vintage brings opportunities to learn and improve, so viticulturist Brian Malone and winemaker David Drake work closely to monitor small vineyard changes with satellite mapping and climatic analysis from vineyard weather stations. Every vineyard block is evaluated for each microclimate’s most superior clones and rootstocks, producing wines that boast robust flavors and compete with some of Napa Valley’s finest red wines. 
 
LANCASTER
2018 WINEMAKER’S CUVEE 
ALEXANDER VALLEY
Retails at: $85
 
Your Price: $69.99
 
 
“The 2018 Winemaker’s Cuvee is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Medium ruby, it has pretty scents of Morello cherries, cigar box, lavender and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate is approachable straight from the bottle, with grainy tannins, refreshing acidity and a long, mineral-laced finish.” 
93 Points
2018 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five

2018 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaStags LeapUSA

SHAFER

2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ONE POINT FIVE 

2018 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five
John Shafer began making wine in 1978 and was eager for his son Doug to join him as the lead winemaker, but Doug turned him down two or three times before finally agreeing to a partnership in 1983, which they refer to as the “generation and a half” or One Point Five. The father-son team spent the last 35 years overseeing the production of their Stags Leap wines, which rank among the best in the valley and embody their passion for the district.
 
Sourced from Borderline and Shafer’s Hillside Estate vineyards, known for producing small berries with structure and depth of flavors, One Point Five represents the quintessence of the region. The wine is a worldwide favorite that’s perennially high scoring and beloved for having seamlessly soft tannins and a luscious mouthfeel that’s enjoyable today and suitable to age for a decade.
 
SHAFER
2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ONE POINT FIVE 
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“This is a muscular wine with a velvety backdrop—classic for the vintage and appellation. Silky tannins glide across a foundation of turned earth, crushed rock, clove and tobacco. The wine is hugely structured and grand. Dark plum, cherry and mocha flavors round out the profile….”
97 Points, “Cellar Selection”
 
“This has a deliciously ripe and perfumed nose of blueberries, cloves, potpourri and gravel. It’s full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins and fresh acidity. Creamy and elegant with a driven, focused finish. Cooler and more refined at the end…”
95 Points
 
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) might be the finest vintage to date. Dense purple-hued, with a thrilling nose of blue and black fruits as well as graphite and crushed stone, it’s medium to full-bodied and has a wonderfully pure, elegant texture, ample underlying tannins, and a great finish. It shows the more focused, elegant, yet structured style of the vintage to a T.”
95 Points
2016 Marimar Estate Pinot Noir Metodo Antiguo

2016 Marimar Estate Pinot Noir Metodo Antiguo

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

MARIMAR ESTATE

2016 PINOT NOIR
METODO ANTIGUO

2016 Marimar Estate Pinot Noir Metodo Antiguo
Marimar Torres, of the renowned Familia Torres winemaking family in Spain, immersed herself in the wine business early, bringing an old-world, quality-minded approach to her Sonoma-based estate. Método Antiguo, which translates to “Old Method,” refers to the original way of making wine with whole cluster fermentation that is still used today by many of Burgundy’s top estates as a stylistic tool for increased savory complexity, textural qualities, and tannin structure.
 
Doña Margarita Vineyard is planted at high density, creating increased competition amongst the vines, slowing vigor, and deeply concentrating flavors, later enhanced by whole cluster fermentation. The inclusion of stems during vinification adds gentle tannins, improving the structure, adding heady freshness to the aromatics, which is particularly complementary to Pinot Noir, and this one is drinking beautifully.
 
MARIMAR ESTATE
2016 PINOT NOIR
METODO ANTIGUO
Retails at: $64
 
 
 
“The Marimar Estate Doña Margarita Vineyard Metodo Antiguo Pinot Noir 2016 has an intriguing nose which includes candied strawberries, cherry cola, dried mushrooms, baking spices, fresh thyme, and violets. On the palate, it has fresh mixed berries, saline with a unique savory note, and a clean, minerally component. The finish is balanced and bright, with elegance and finesse.”
92 Points
2015 Heitz Cellar Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2015 Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

HEITZ CELLAR

MARTHA’S VINEYARD
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2015 Heitz Cellar Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Martha’s Vineyard is one of the most prized vineyards in all of Napa Valley, boasting some of the New World’s longest-lasting, alluring Cabernet Sauvignons, capable of 100 point scores. Heitz has had a contract with Martha’s Vineyard since 1966, after Tom and Martha May, founders of Martha’s Vineyard, tasted Heitz Cabernet and were so impressed with the quality, they sealed a deal with their precious fruit.
 
Located on Oakville Bench bordering To-Kalon and below Harlan and BOND wineries, Martha’s Vineyard is fringed with eucalyptus trees believed to be the source of the wine’s signature minty, menthol character that makes it so memorable. The 2015 release is powerfully complex and loaded with the Vineyard’s hallmark savory undertones and is an absolute classic.
 
HEITZ CELLAR
MARTHA’S VINEYARD
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
 
Your Price: $260
 
 
“Enticing, with the frankly ripe profile of the vintage showing off in a display of slightly exotic plum and blackberry coulis flavors, while dark licorice, menthol and sassafras notes course through. Sweet spice accents sparkle through the finish, revealing a lingering hint of singed juniper. The long finish features rippling acidity…” 
95 Points
2017 San Vicenti Chianti Classico Podere Di Stignano

2017 San Vicenti Chianti Classico Podere Di Stignano

with No Comment $30 and underChiantiChiantiItalyKevin VogtTuscany

SAN VICENTI

2017 CHIANTI CLASSICO
PODERE DI STIGNANO

2017 San Vicenti Chianti Classico Podere Di Stignano
As Chianti wines increased in popularity throughout the centuries, Chianti’s borders expanded, including land that didn’t have the same terroir as historical Chianti, therefore Chianti Classico DOCG was created to protect the original wine’s identity. San Vincenti is in the region’s heart, overlooking villas and farmhouses among vines planted on gently rolling hills protected by the Patron Saint of Wine, St. Vincent, whom the winery was named after.
 
San Vincenti Chianti Classico Podere di Stignano is an authentic example from this ancient wine-producing district, encompassing the region’s cultural commitment to crafting world-class wines. By law, Chianti Classico must be at least 80% Sangiovese. San Vincenti’s Chianti Classico is 100% single varietal and displays the pure integrity of Sangiovese in a crowd-pleasing and memorable style that exceeds expectations at this price level.
 
SAN VICENTI
2017 CHIANTI CLASSICO
PODERE DI STIGNANO
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The San Vicente Podere di Stignano Chianti Classico 2017 begins with an alluring nose of tart cherries, licorice, Christmas cake, and geraniums. The palate mirrors the nose and includes focused red currants, red plums, dried sage, cocoa powder, and spice. The finish is bright and fresh, with a satisfying, lingering finish.”
92 Points
2018 Styler Pinot Noir Saucci Vineyard

2018 Styler Pinot Noir Saucci Vineyard

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

STYLER

2018 PINOT NOIR
SUACCI VINEYARD

2018 Styler Pinot Noir Saucci Vineyard
Styler focuses exclusively on cool-climate Pinot Noir with an emphasis on sustainability and site expression. Driven by a love for Pinot Noir and the desire to accurately reflect the grape’s origins by utilizing a hands-off winemaking approach, Styler partnered with UC Davis alumni Scott Rich to bring their dreams to fruition. Scott’s experience includes making wine at Morga Winery in Bel Air, Etude in Napa Valley, and Corpora in Chile.
 
This Pinot Noir arose from the Goldridge soils of Suacci Vineyard, where naturally low yields of tiny grape clusters powerfully reflect their origin with remarkable clarity and sophisticated balance. The 2018 vintage was aged 20 months in barrel, offering focused, concentrated fruit with savory intensity and elegant balance that creates a delightfully joyous experience from the first sip to the last.
 
STYLER
2018 PINOT NOIR
SUACCI VINEYARD
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The 2018 Styler Suacci Pinot Noir has a wonderfully unique combination of elements on the nose, including dried mushrooms, ripe red berries, spice cake, with light hints of glove leather, and orange blossoms. The palate is bright and concentrated with sweet strawberries, concentrated tart cherries, elegant florals, and baking spices. It finishes long and balanced, with the sweet fruit dancing perfectly in sync with the bright freshness.”
93 Points
2019 Hanzell Sebella Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2019 Hanzell Sebella Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

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

HANZELL

SEBELLA PINOT NOIR
2019 SONOMA COAST

2019 Hanzell Sebella Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Founded in 1953 with a passion for traditional Burgundian-style, low intervention winemaking that naturally expresses the purity of the fruit and the terroir, Hanzell is a paragon in this style domestically. The current owners, the de Brye family, and winemaker Michael McNeill dedicate themselves to preserving this natural approach that’s made Hanzell a reference standard for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production.
 
Hanzell “Sebella” Pinot Noir is blended from specially selected vineyard sites on the Sonoma Coast, providing the depth, complexity, and age-worthiness of Hanzell’s estate wines for a fraction of the cost. The wine is primarily aged in neutral barrels, preserving wine’s fresh fruit character and spice that can be enjoyed now or cellared for a few years to develop the classic savory and earthy notes of a mature Pinot Noir.
 
HANZELL
SEBELLA PINOT NOIR
2019 SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“Having spent nine months in new French oak, this wine offers a mix of bright acidity and crunchy red fruit. It uncovers white pepper, lavender and forest floor accents as it develops, yielding a wine that shows tremendous value for the quality.”
94 Points, Editors’ Choice