2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91

2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaOakvilleRutherfordSt HelenaUSA

HEITZ CELLAR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 LOT C-91
2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91
Joe Heitz pioneered single-vineyard wines in Napa Valley, and in 1969 he blended select plots from his most prized vineyards, discovering that he could create a wine with the qualities he desired most – aging potential, complexity, and depth. Lot C-91 encompasses this art of assemblage, gracefully presented with concentrated fruit, focus, and sophisticated complexity. 
 
Heitz is a historic winery that continues to pursue the same traditional, age-worthy style for which they’re well known and respected. For the last 50 years, Heitz Cellar has sourced fruit for Lot C-91 from premium parcels in St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, and Howell Mountain, representing a step-up in quality, achieving the density and length of a genuinely fantastic wine, which recently earned an extraordinary score.
 
HEITZ CELLAR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 LOT C-91
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“Blue fruit with stone, lavender and currant aromas and flavors. Fresh herbs too. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins. Such firmness and focus and beauty. A blend of all their top single vineyards. Drink or hold.”
96 Points
2017 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2017 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $50-$60Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

BELLA UNION

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2017 NAPA VALLEY

2017 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Backed by decades of elite winemaking and premium vineyard sources, Bella Union hit the ground running in 2012, founded by Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel winery partners. Focused on creating a union of flavors, textures, and character, voiced through artistry and exceptional fruit, Bella Union is “well-made” and “sumptuous” as described by Wine Enthusiast and deserving of its 95 Point score and spot on the top 100 Cellar Selection list of 2020. 
 
Ideally located in Rutherford, Bella Union’s Estate Vineyard reaps the benefits of well-draining, gravelly loam soils, and diurnal temperature swings, encouraging the site’s signature intense, beautifully proportioned fruit and complex aromas. 
 
Crafted in an expressive and richly textured style, Bella Union winemakers unite Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon with Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot, harmonizing each varietal’s most significant characteristics, displayed with finesse and brilliance. 
 
BELLA UNION
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2017 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $80
 
Your Price: $59.99
 
 
“Sinewy, earthy and full of spice, this well-made wine is lush and sumptuous, with firm, focused tannins and integrated oak. Black cherry, cinnamon and nutmeg meld on the structured, full-bodied palate, with a graceful hint of dark chocolate on the finish. This will do well in the cellar.”
95 Points, #74 Top 100 Cellar Selections 2020
2017 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2017 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

SULLIVAN

COEUR DE VIGNE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 RUTHERFORD 

2017 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
For nearly 50 years, Sullivan Estate has quietly produced classically styled Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon with a powerful sense of place. Their vineyard located North of BV, behind Franciscan, is under the guidance of Mike Wolf, one of the leading viticulture experts in Napa Valley, whose past and present clients include Bond, Scarecrow, and Lewis. Winemaker Jeff Cole’s goal for each vintage is to craft wine with great density, depth, and longevity, and his 2017 is a stunning example. 
 
Carved into an ancient riverbed with soil types ranging from clay loam to sandy gravel, Sullivan’s Vineyard has excellent drainage, which assists in producing intensely flavored berries. 
 
Sullivan’s Coeur de Vigne 2017 captures the essence of the vineyard and combines 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with 22% Merlot and 3% Malbec. The wine was kept for 19 months in oak and is drinking stunningly right now.
 
SULLIVAN
COEUR DE VIGNE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 RUTHERFORD
Retails at: $110
 
 
 
“Smooth textured and rich with ripe plum and blackberry fruit, elegant and lush with depth and balance, what you want from a top-quality Napa Cab.”
94 Points, Anthony Dias Blue
 
“Blended with 22% Merlot and 3% Malbec, this is an impressively made wine from the Rutherford estate. Densely concentrated, it offers youthfully grippy layers of black olive, dark cherry and plum, with underlying earthiness. The finish takes on additional notes of clove, black pepper and tobacco.”
92 Points
2017 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

BEAULIEU VINEYARDS

GEORGES DE LATOUR
2017 PRIVATE RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2017 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
A wine of grand distinction, BV’s Georges De Latour Cabernet is a liquid legacy epitomizing Rutherford’s distinctive terroir with a transpicuous window into the fragrance of Rutherford and deep connection to the area’s roots. Paid homage by winemaking and fruit selection of the highest level that and even after 80 vintages the wine is as solid as ever. This 2017 offers a choreographed union of power and grace, and with double high-90s reviews, it’s a joy to behold. 
 
Beaulieu Vineyards is a timeless classic, embodying every trait that makes Rutherford so wondrous. Created from vines planted in the early 1900s, George de Latour’s first vintage was in 1936, released in 1940 to honor the winery founder’s passing. 
 
Under the guidance of one of the world’s most iconic winemakers, Andre Tchelistcheff, BV built on a reputation of excellence and achievements. Composed inside the winery’s new state-of-the-art facility, Georges de Latour perfectly balances time-honored traditions with modern technologies.
 
Fun side note, friend and former head winemaker at BV (27 years there) Joel Aiken tastes with us on our tasting panel each week.
 
BEAULIEU VINEYARDS
GEORGES DE LATOUR
2017 PRIVATE RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $145
 
Your Price: $125
 
 
“This is one of the most balanced Georges de Latour, offering currants, minerals, fresh herbs and spices. It’s full-bodied with very fine tannins. Long and focused. Subtle and complex. Very elegant and refined in the end. Reminds me of classic, old vintages from the 1960s and 1970s. Drink or hold.”
97 Points
2016 Zuidema Grenache McGah Vineyard Rutherfor

2016 Zuidema Grenache McGah Vineyard Rutherford

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

ZUIDEMA

2016 GRENACHE
MCGAH VINEYARD
RUTHERFORD

2016 Zuidema Grenache McGah Vineyard Rutherfor
Freed from a one-acre block of gnarly head-trained Grenache vines that were nearly re-planted to Cabernet, Zuidema Grenache was 30 years in the making and is a passion project by one of Napa’s most respected winemakers. Rudy Zuidema is the winemaker for Mastery and has held winemaking positions at Robert Craig, Honig, and Ehlers Estate, to name a few. His pensive winemaking style results in balanced, complex wines, deep with individuality and varietal truth. At $38, the value is unmistakable. 
 
Sourced from the McGah Vineyard in Eastern Rutherford, Zuidema Grenache powerfully reflects the area’s nutrient-rich, rocky soils and ideal microclimate. The Gobelet trained vines yield various ripeness levels, and that lack of perfect consistency is what Rudy looks for to create the naturally rustic complexity in his wine.
 
Analytically hand-harvesting, de-stemming, native yeast fermenting, and three times daily punch overs for 10-12 days, Rudy’s cumulative knowledge over the past 30 years is commanding in this wine. If you’re looking for something a little different from one of Napa Valley’s greatest terroirs, this is it. 
 
ZUIDEMA
2016 GRENACHE
MCGAH VINEYARD
RUTHERFORD
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“The 2016 expresses incredible fruit purity and opens with aromas of cherry blossom, ripe plum, cinnamon spice, fresh strawberries, and vanilla bean. Flavors of cherry pie, wild berry jam, licorice, and orange zest, layer with subtle herbal nuances. The well-knit tannins are juicy and rustic, integrating with a clean, crisp acid profile. The wine finishes with rolling waves of black raspberry, new leather, dark spice, and graham cracker piecrust.
131 cases produced. 100% Grenache”
2018 Silver Ghost Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 Silver Ghost Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

SILVER GHOST 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 NAPA VALLEY

2018 Silver Ghost Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Weston Eidson’s devotion to quality and conviction for making rich, expressive, value-priced Napa Cabernet is getting him noticed. He’s found the ideal balance of lush Valley-floor fruit and robust high-elevation grapes that together make his wines thoroughly enjoyable. It’s clear when you taste them that they share qualities found in significantly higher-priced Cabs, and at $35, that’s something to celebrate.
 
Silver Ghost’s 2018 vintage combines fruit from a historic East Rutherford vineyard, a hillside site in Calistoga, and a secret parcel in Yountville. The wine also marries clone 7, which emanates elegance, and clone 337, which lends to the lush textures, and richness. 
 
The 2018 release was cellared for 22 months in French oak barrels and is concentrated, poised, and polished. With solid scores out of the gate, I wouldn’t hesitate too long to secure yours.
 
SILVER GHOST 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“Aromas and flavors of dried flowers with currants, blackberries and violets. It’s full-bodied with soft, refined tannins and a savory finish. Pretty length, too…”
93 Points
 
“Deep garnet, rich plum nose, smooth and graceful, lush and toasty with ripe plum fruit; balanced, long and elegant.”
92 Points
 
“Silver Ghost is a full-bodied and richly expressive Cabernet Sauvignon crafted from some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. Dark in color with a vibrant nose of blueberries, violets and crème de cassis the palate reveals lush red and blue fruits, mocha and dark spice. The luxurious texture and depth continue through the long finish.”
2018 The Crane Assembly Disciples Proprietary Red

2018 The Crane Assembly Disciples Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50CalistogaKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

THE CRANE ASSEMBLY

2018 DISCIPLES
PROPRIETARY RED

2018 The Crane Assembly Disciples Proprietary Red
The Crane Assembly wines honor the history of the G.B. Crane Vineyard, established around 1885. The eight-acre vineyard has 4 acres of original plantings. For Disciples, winemaker Kevin Fox and consulting winemaker Dave Phinney intermix fruit from other iconic vineyards in the area to replicate the style and structure of G.B. Crane. The 2018 release is richly layered, with supple dark fruits, vast complexity, and is perfectly balanced.
 
The wine’s backbone comes from Morisoli Vineyard, which sits in the center of the Rutherford bench and has been a longtime source for BV Georges de Latour, Elyse, Mercury Head, and the list goes on. The 2018 release also includes fruit from Tofanelli Vineyard in Calistoga, which has attracted producers like Prisoner, Schrader Cellars, and Turley. 
 
In 2018, the final blend is nearly 50% Zinfandel, matched with Bordeaux and Rhone Varieties. This wine deliciously shows off the incomparable skills of Dave Phinney & Kevin Fox. They are masters at creating new, unique blends that are as individualistic as they are enjoyable.
 
THE CRANE ASSEMBLY
2018 DISCIPLES
PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“Strawberry preserves leap from the glass initially, followed by a bouquet of floral aromatics: lavender, violets and roses. Rich earthy notes of freshly plowed soil, fresh rain on warm granite and petrichor. Spicy, but not a peppery spice, more of a star anise spiciness, tart raspberries and sweet plouts, with a very long, dusty finish of strawberry cream, vanilla and caramelized sugar that lingers…. smooth and luscious!”
2018 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2018 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

COURTNEY BENHAM

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 RUTHERFORD 

2018 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
Courtney Benham wines give tribute to Courtney’s love of terroir and journey through some of Napa Valley’s most distinctive appellations, offering a vivid portrayal of their unique origins. Rutherford is one of the most celebrated terroirs in Napa Valley due to its dynamic complexity, powerful elegance, and dusty tannins. Courtney’s version spotlights each of those hallmark characteristics, as well as the incredible vintage, and at less than $50, it’s one of the best values in the region.
 
Rutherford plays an integral part of Courtney’s terroir expression series, with ideal temperatures coupled with gravel and loam soils and volcanic deposits. These elements produce dense Cabernet Sauvignon fruit heightened with a quintessential earthiness that’s unique to the region. 
 
Winemaker Courtney Benham has three decades of experience, and his talent for selecting vineyards of distinction is highly evident in this wine. The 2018 vintage showcases power and restraint, with concentrated fruit, earthy minerals, and a singular focus.  
 
COURTNEY BENHAM
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 RUTHERFORD
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $46
 
 
“The blue fruit, fresh flowers, sandalwood and dust are so beautiful in this. Full body, firm and polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Really linear and tight. Persistent finish…”
94 Points
2016 Cerro Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2016 Cerro Proprietary Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaOak KnollProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

CERRO

PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY

2016 Cerro Proprietary Red Napa Valley
Cerro red blend with its unabashedly Californian style, plush dark berries, and lavish hedonism has been snowballing in popularity since we introduced it earlier this year. Derek Beitler, a nephew of Caymus Founder, Chuck Wagner, created the brand. Derek founded Carne Humana in 2010 and later sold to his cousin Joe Wagner. Since then, he’s spearheaded popular brands like Bodega Rancho and Skyhook, and he continually builds upon his reputation of producing quality wines at realistic prices.
 
Derek forged this wine from secret vineyard sources in Rutherford and Oak Knoll. The 2016 Cerro Blend combines 65% Petit Verdot with 33% Petite Sirah and 2% Zinfandel into an intensely concentrated, lush, yet balanced red blend that’s remarkably pleasing.
 
The wine team kept this vintage for 30 months in French oak barrels, producing a deep, powerful wine with a focused intensity that gives way to a rush of irresistible fruit, displayed with outstanding clarity and showy, rich layers. 
 
CERRO
PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
“Opaque purplish-black color. Fragrant nose of black fruits, very floral. Mouthfeel is rich and smooth, with soft tannins. Flavors of plums, blackberries, dark cherries and espresso.”
2015 Maxville Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2015 Maxville Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

MAXVILLE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2015 NAPA VALLEY

2015 Maxville Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Chiles Valley Cabernet grapes are a recurrent source for many of Napa’s top producers. That’s because the area lies East of Rutherford at elevations ranging from 600-1200 feet, and it’s cooler than the Valley floor, providing ideal conditions for the grapes to retain their natural acidity. Wineries like Volker Eisele and Brown Estate have been making hits there for years, and Maxville, which burst on the scene in 2014, is positioning themselves to be at the top.
 
Maxville hired renowned winemaker Jean Hoefliger to give voice to their incredible Estate. Jean trained in Bordeaux and South Africa before working at powerhouse producers Hartford Court, Newton, and Alpha Omega. 
 
The Estate Vineyard was planted in 1974, and the almost half-century-old vines produce small yields of concentrated and intensely flavored fruit. Their highly distinctive terroir comes through with deep, expressive flavors, finely grained tannins and natural, fresh acidity. 
 
MAXVILLE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2015 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $65
 
 
“The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is another sexy, sweetly fruited effort. Blackcurrants, blueberries, charred earth, and leafy herb notes all emerge from this medium-bodied, nicely balanced, concentrated 2015 that has present tannins and good purity of fruit. It’s going to drink nicely for 10-15 years.”
89 Points
 
“There is a considerable amount of Petite Sirah (11%) blended within this wine, which helps emphasize its big power and concentration. Earth, soy, currant, cedar and graphite accent a core of juicy blackberry and chocolate-covered cherry.”
89 Points
 
“Dark opulent ruby and garnet hues with tantalizing aromas of black currant jam, earthy and ripe dark fruits layered with hints of vanilla, cassis and black pepper. The palate has a supple entry that lingers to the back of the mouth with firm tannin structures.”