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
2017 Raoul Gautherin Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos

2017 Raoul Gautherin Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos

with No Comment $80-$90BurgandyChablisChardonnayKevin VogtUSA

RAOUL GAUTHERIN

GRAND CRU CHABLIS
2017 LES CLOS

2017 Raoul Gautherin Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos
Chablis exemplifies the purest expression of Chardonnay through minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery, the use of natural yeasts, and the limited use of oak, prioritizing the delicate nuances of flavor. Adrien Gautherin of Domaine Raoul Gautherin vinifies his Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos in tanks and ages it in old barrels, creating a wine with incredible aging potential. 
 
Grand Cru vineyards in Chablis are grown in 160 million-year-old sedimentary limestone-rich clay, known as Kimmeridgian marl, famous for giving wines with vibrant character, racy acidity, and a zesty mineral component. These world-class Chardonnays begin showing their spectacular depth and charm after three to four years, which is where this one is right now, and with only 120 cases produced, don’t hesitate to secure yours.
 
RAOUL GAUTHERIN
GRAND CRU CHABLIS
2017 LES CLOS
Retails at: $100
 
Your Price: $89
 
 
“The 2017 Raoul Gautherin & Fils Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos has an exquisite nose with aromas of honeysuckle, white blossoms, green apples, white peaches, and brioche. The flavors on the palate are reminiscent of a butter pecan ice cream, coating the palate in a creamy mouthfeel but finishing on a crisp note with the wine’s natural acidity. This wine can be enjoyed now but will really shine after laying down in the cellar for a few more years.”
93 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
2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Cote D'Or Pinot Noir

2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Cote D’Or Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyFranceKevin VogtPinot Noir

FABIEN COCHE

BOURGOGNE COTE D’OR
2019 PINOT NOIR

2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Cote D'Or Pinot Noir
Fabien Coche is a fourth-generation winemaker with exceptional familial ties to the Côte d’Or, coming from one of Burgundy’s renowned winemaking families, Coche-Dury. Fabien took over his family’s Domaine in 2005 and has quickly become the Coche to keep an eye on with wines that are neither flashy nor dramatic but poised, powerful, and seductive.
 
The Pinot Noir for his Bourgogne Rouge comes from two parcels; One in Meursault and the other in Pommard, where roots have grown deep into the earth for the last 30 to 60 years, extracting the remarkable terroir. Fabien’s minimalistic approach focuses on expressing the site in each wine he creates without the use of pump-overs or punch-downs, ensuring a fruit purity that speaks of the terroir it was grown on, providing a sensation you won’t want to miss!
 
Our entire tasting panel wanted to buy a case for themselves after tasting this… 
 
FABIEN COCHE
BOURGOGNE COTE D’OR
2019 PINOT NOIR
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The 2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir is everything you’re looking for in a Pinot Noir. This stunning wine has profound complexity opening with rose petals, cranberries, red cherries, wild strawberries, cloves, mushrooms, and forest floor. The wine has a silky mouthfeel on the palate with beautifully balanced fruity and savory flavors that gracefully linger on the finish.”
94 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
2019 Highlands Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley

2019 Highlands Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

HIGHLANDS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 RESERVE
NAPA VALLEY

2019 Highlands Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley
Highlands Winery combines over 75 years of winemaking and grape growing experience by two wine industry pioneers, both working with some of the biggest names in Napa. Dave Cofran began making wine in 1967 and later joined Silver Oak in 1984 as GM, and Paul Segas is an expert in the vineyard, selling grapes to Chateau Montelena, Joseph Phelps, and Robert Mondavi.
 
Paul and Dave spent years perfecting their crafts and combined their expertise to make high-quality wines from small plots, guided by the belief that winemaking begins in the vineyard. Their attention to detail, drive to make their best wines possible, and vast knowledge of the vineyards and winemaking is undeniable in this wine, which won’t last long at less than half the winery retail price!
 
HIGHLANDS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 RESERVE
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $85
 
 
 
“Highlands Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 is an incredibly aromatic beauty that opens with violets, cassis, blackberries, anise, and graphite. The palate is round with flavors of black plums, cloves, and chocolate fondant cake. The fine-grained tannic structure and fresh acidity will age very well, becoming softer with time and revealing additional layers of complex flavors.” 
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
2017 Gaja Magari Ca'Marcanda

2017 Gaja Magari Ca’Marcanda

with No Comment $70-$80ItalyKevin VogtProprietary RedTuscany

GAJA

2017 MAGARI
CA’ MARCANDA

2017 Gaja Magari Ca'Marcanda
Gaja is one of the world’s great wine producers, known for their risk-taking and having outstanding consistency of superior quality since 1859. Ca’Marcanda, or “house of endless negotiations,” is the name of the second property purchased by the Gaja family in 1996, after 18 trips to complete the negotiations for buying the Estate.
 
Ca’Marcanda, located in the Bolgheri region of Tuscany, is planted with Bordeaux varieties allowing Gaja to produce Magari, a sultry Tuscan blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot. The vineyard blocks for this blend on the fertile hillsides of Terre Brune, or loamy, clay-rich soils known to provide depth, richness, and minerality to wines, and with Gaja’s top wines selling for more than $500, the Magari is an absolute steal.
 
GAJA
2017 MAGARI
CA’ MARCANDA
 
Your Price: $75
 
 
“The Gaja family at its Camarcanda estate is leading a silent revolution. Certified organic, although this is not mentioned, the winery has overturned Merlot for Cabernets and cordon training for guyot in the vineyards…. The 2017 vintage shines for its bright cassis fruit, melded with blackberry and cherry, then leafy and cedary notes to develop garrigue in depth. The creamy and dense palate has almost firm acidity and shows a bit of a dry finish, but otherwise this is hedonistically supple.” 
94 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
2019 My favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

2019 My favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonCentral CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesUSA

MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 PASO ROBLES

2019 My favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
Eric Jensen of Booker Vineyard is dedicated to growing fruit for some of the best wineries in Paso Robles, gaining experience along the way from neighboring farmers and vintners, particularly from his original favorite neighbor, Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure Winery. The homage is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from exceptional vineyards around Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, and Edna Valley, presented in a powerfully compelling and lavish style. 
 
Farming is life for Jensen and the farmers he works with, sharing the common goal of growing the best fruit possible using organic or biodynamic practices, coaxing the vines to perform at their ultimate best. The result is a wine that stands up to some of the most noteworthy California cult Cabernets and makes no excuses at its $50 price level where it performs at the highest level. 
 
MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 PASO ROBLES
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“2019 My Favorite Neighbor is deeply aromatic with incense, ripe black plums, blackcurrants, and chocolate-covered cherries. The wine has a rich, decadent mouthfeel with voluminous flavors of blueberry crumble, mocha, and butterscotch. The wine has an edgy minerality, like wet stones after a rainstorm, enhanced by the soft, chalky tannins, finishing with a succulent, velvety texture. Drink now until 2031.”
94 Points