2019 Villa Loren Amarone Della Volpolicella Veneto Italy

2019 Villa Loren Amarone Della Volpolicella Veneto Italy

with No Comment $30-$40ItalyKevin VogtProprietary White

VILLA LOREN

AMARONE DELLA VOLPOLICELLA
VENETO ITALY 2019

2019 Villa Loren Amarone Della Volpolicella Veneto Italy
Progetti Agricoli is an established Italian producer showcasing the best in Italian wine production, and their Villa Loren label focuses on wines of Veneto. Within Veneto lies Valpolicella DOCG, where Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone, and Molinara grapes are hand-harvested late in the season for Amarone della Valpolicella. Once harvested, the grapes are dried in well-aerated drying lofts for three to four months, desiccating the grapes and concentrating sugars, flavors, and aromas.
 
Fermentation for Amarone is a long, slow process due to high sugar levels in the juice and cooler temperatures in the winter, enhancing flavor components as the sugar slowly converts into alcohol. The 2019 Amarone della Valpolicella from Villa Loren was aged in medium-sized oak casks for 24 months before bottling and left to rest in the bottle for eight months before release. The resulting rich, layered, luscious wine is an absolute delight and offers exceptional value at under $40 for one of Italy’s most desired styles of wine.  
 
VILLA LOREN
AMARONE DELLA VOLPOLICELLA
VENETO ITALY 2019
 
 
 
“The Villa Loren Amarone della Valpolicella 2019 is a deep garnet red in color, with aromas of fresh figs, cocoa powder, dried rose petals and nutmeg. The concentrated palate continues this theme with bittersweet chocolate-covered tart dried black cherries, preserved plums, and sweet black fruits. These sweet flavors are beautifully balanced with a slightly bitter black tea character. The balance of sweet-tart fruit, bitter, drying tannins, and long, lingering finish combine to leave your mouth watering, yearning for another sip.
93 Points
2021 Quinta Da Raza Alvarihnho Trajadura Vinho Verde Portugal

2021 Quinta Da Raza Alvarihnho Trajadura Vinho Verde Portugal

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPortugalProprietary White

QUINTA DA RAZA

ALVARINHO TRAJADURA
VINHO VERDE PORTUGAL 2021

2021 Quinta Da Raza Alvarihnho Trajadura Vinho Verde Portugal
Quinta da Raza is a family-owned winery located in the Vinho Verde DOC in Northwestern Portugal. The estate has been in operation for five generations, and they are passionate about producing high-quality wines that reflect the region’s unique terroir.
 
Vinho Verde is a coastal region that is exposed to the Atlantic Ocean. This combination of maritime influences and granite soils creates an ideal environment for growing white grape varieties. These grapes are often blended together to create both complex and refreshing wines.
 
The 2021 Alvarinho Trajadura is a perfect example of this type of wine. It is a blend of 60% Alvarinho and 40% Trajadura, and it was fermented in stainless steel and aged on the lees for four months. This results in a wine that is bright, refreshing, and full of flavor.
 
This wine is perfect for enjoying by the pool on a hot summer day. It would also be a great pairing for seafood dishes or light salads.
 
QUINTA DA RAZA
ALVARINHO TRAJADURA
VINHO VERDE PORTUGAL 2021
 
Your Price: $22
 
 
“The Quinta da Raza 2021 Alvarinho Trajadura is light, bright, and opens with playful notes of lime blossom, jasmine, grapefruit, white peach, fresh ginger, and a chalky minerality. On the palate, the wine is slightly effervescent with zesty acidity and flavors of blood orange, lime zest, cantaloupe, and freshly squeezed lemonade. This wine is a quintessential necessity for summertime with its opulence and levity and leaves a lasting impression accompanied by an impressive finish.”
97 Points
2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

MT. BRAVE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MT. VEEDER 2019

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder
Chris Carpenter is a master at harnessing the power of mountain-grown fruit, gaining a complete understanding of the challenging viticulture crafting legendary vintages at Lokoya and Cardinale. Chris began Mt. Brave on the slopes of Mount Veeder in 2007, unable to resist the temptation to produce wines from a different mountainside with thin, rocky soils and 30-degree slopes at varying angles. This unique topography creates several different microclimates that enjoy temperatures ten to fifteen degrees cooler than the Valley floor.
 
The eastward-facing Mt. Brave vineyard receives a significant maritime influence from the chilly San Pablo Bay, resulting in fruit with tiny, concentrated berries full of flavor and structural components, allowing the wine to age for several years. 
 
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is powerful and focused with fine tannins and fresh acidity that will aid in graceful maturation, slowly revealing the wine’s true nature over time.
 
MT. BRAVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MT. VEEDER 2019
 
 
 
“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
Helfrich Cremant D'Alsace Brut Alsace France

Helfrich Cremant D’Alsace Brut Alsace France

with No Comment $30 and underChampagne/SparklingFranceKevin Vogt

HELFRICH

CREMANT D’ALSACE BRUT
ALSACE, FRANCE

Helfrich Cremant D'Alsace Brut Alsace France
The Helfrich family has been in the wine and spirits business for three generations in Alsace, France, and is proud to craft traditional Alsatian wines from the region’s prized grape varieties. Alsace boasts 13 major soil types and is the second northernmost wine region after Champagne, experiencing a continental climate with cold, snowy winters and hot, sunny summers. The sunny weather promotes full physiological ripeness, while the cool nights preserve fresh acidity.
 
The Helfrichs strive to create wines with complexity, elegance, and balance that are lively and refreshing, and the Crémant is that and more. The wine is made by the traditional method, resting on the fine lees for three months before the second fermentation in the bottle and aging 24 months before disgorgement giving complexity, focus, and delightful drinkability. It’s my new favorite value sparkler.
 
HELFRICH
CREMANT D’ALSACE BRUT
ALSACE, FRANCE
 
 
 
“The Helfrich Crémant d’Alsace begins with fresh floral notes of jasmine and chamomile highlighted with green apple, lemon zest, and starfruit, with hints of wet stones. On the palate, the wine is refreshing with crisp acidity and flavors of quince, grapefruit, meringue, and pastry dough. This wine is the epitome of freshness in a glass and finishes with a snappy vibrance.” 
95 Points
2018 Coho Pinot Noir Stanly Ranch Vineyard Los Carneros

2018 Coho Pinot Noir Stanly Ranch Vineyard Los Carneros

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosKevin VogtNapaPinot NoirUSA

COHO

PINOT NOIR
STANLY RANCH VINEYARD
LOS CARNEROS 2018

2018 Coho Pinot Noir Stanly Ranch Vineyard Los Carneros
COHO Wines was founded in 2002 by Gary Lipp, following principles he learned from his 35 years of experience working in multiple aspects of wine production. To help achieve his goal of crafting powerful yet perfectly balanced wines, Gary hired renowned winemaker Phillip Titus, who has been with Chappellet for nearly three decades and producing award-winning wines.
 
The Stanly Ranch Vineyard is the easternmost vineyard on the Napa side of the Los Carneros AVA, first planted in 1870 and supplied Louis Martini with fruit leading up to his purchase of 200 acres of the site in 1942. COHO has produced a Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir since their inaugural vintage, and the 2018 release is a blend of Pommard clones, planted in 1970, and younger Dijon clones, giving a vast array of complexity from Napa’s cooler, southern edge near the San Pablo Bay.
 
Sadly, this is Coho’s final vintage. We hate seeing them go, as their wines have always over-delivered with substantial quality and value, making them a favorite among many of our customers. 
 
COHO
PINOT NOIR
STANLY RANCH VINEYARD
LOS CARNEROS 2018
Retails at: $45
 
 
 
“Notes of raspberries, strawberries, baking spices and dried flowers. Medium-bodied with plush tannins. Juicy and fruity with floral and spicy character on the finish. Rich and layered. Drink or hold.”
92 Points
2021 Vineyard 36 Foundation Red Napa Valley

2021 Vineyard 36 Foundation Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollOakvilleProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

VINEYARD 36 

FOUNDATION RED
NAPA VALLEY 2021

2021 Vineyard 36 Foundation Red Napa Valley
Professional hockey players Tim Gleason and Cam Ward teamed up with their friend Jason Earnest to create Vineyard 36 out of the group’s shared vision and a common goal to produce wines that express the diversity of Napa Valley. Keith Emerson joined as the Director of Winemaking in 2017, ironically having run programs for ultra-premium custom crush clientele for Vineyard 29 since 2005 at their state-of-the-art gravity-flow facility, bringing two decades of winemaking expertise and experience.
 
The Foundation pays tribute to Tim and Cam’s careers in hockey with an ice rink-shaped oval with faint skate marks. The Roman numeral III in the center represents the bond and friendship between the three friends. The 2021 vintage comprises 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, sourced from Oakville, Oak Knoll, and Rutherford, giving a complete, balanced Napa red wine with power and definition. 
 
The Cabernet comes from one of Rutherford’s best-known vineyards, but non-disclosure agreements prevent me from telling you which one. 
 
VINEYARD 36 
FOUNDATION RED
NAPA VALLEY 2021
Retails at: $55
 
 
 
“The Vineyard 36 Foundation Napa Red 2021 begins with a bright nose with wild berries, marzipan, white rose, and spearmint hints. The lush palate continues with concentrated candied cherries, penetrating sweet boysenberries, leading to a lengthy finish with a nice balance between the ripe fruits and complexity, combined with slightly chalky/satiny tannins that will continue to unfurl in the future.” 
94 Points
2020 Andre Brunel Chateauneuf-Du-Pape Les Cailloux

2020 Andre Brunel Chateauneuf-Du-Pape Les Cailloux

with No Comment $50-$60Chateauneuf-Du-PapeFranceKevin VogtRhone Valley

ANDRÉ BRUNEL

CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE
LES CAILLOUX 2020

2020 Andre Brunel Chateauneuf-Du-Pape Les Cailloux
This historic estate was established in the 17th century when André Brunel’s family purchased a vineyard plot from the Bishop of Avignon. André took over the reins of this estate in 1971, and his son Fabrice joined the winemaking team in 2012, keeping the family legacy alive by pursuing quality with the highest regard and respect for the environment.
 
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is notorious for its large, round pebbles that absorb the sun’s energy, radiating warmth throughout the night, allowing the grapes to achieve ideal ripeness and incredible complexity. “Les Cailloux” gets its name from the pebbles.
 
The 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape red wine blends 70% Grenache with Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cinsault from sixty-year-old vines. The 2020 vintage is drinking beautifully now and will continue to delight for the next decade.
 
ANDRÉ BRUNEL
CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE
LES CAILLOUX 2020
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“This traditional style Chateauneuf has a complex nose of leather, dry earth, candied orange peel and licorice. More red-berry fruit on the expansive yet delicate palate, where there’s a wonderful interplay of super-fine tannins and restrained richness through the very long, silky finish. Drink or hold.”
94 Points
2019 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

2019 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

with No Comment $30 and underAlexander ValleyCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtSonomaUSA

ECO TERRENO

CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2019

2019 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
Eco Terreno is a certified biodynamic and organic farm that uses modern techniques to strengthen and restore the soils within the vineyards to their original state. The winery’s sustainably farmed vines and founder Mark Lyons’ years of experience as the lead winemaker for Sebastiani Vineyards result in these sensational bottles.
 
The winery receives coastal fog through the Petaluma Gap each evening, blanketing the vineyards throughout the night into the morning. This helps to preserve acidity and freshness in the grapes, resulting in a balanced and polished Cabernet Sauvignon.
 
The 2019 growing season was nearly perfect for Alexander Valley, and it shows in this incredible value at this price.
 
ECO TERRENO
CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $32
 
 
 
“The Eco Terreno 2019 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has signature notes of earth and minerality with violet, blackberry, plum, cassis, crushed graham crackers, and black olives. On the palate, the wine has soft tannins and a smooth texture with flavors of black cherry, blueberry, mushroom, baking spices, and cocoa powder. The wine has a silky finish with a structure that should age well over the next decade.”
96 Points
2018 The Mascot Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2018 The Mascot Proprietary Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

THE MASCOT

PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 The Mascot Proprietary Red Napa Valley
The Mascot shares the hallmarks of Napa Valley’s most elite wines, such as meticulous farming, high-profile winemaking, and pedigreed grapes, offering an introduction to Napa’s most distinguished Cabernet Sauvignons. Emerging from distinct hillside vineyards, specifically from the comparatively younger vines of BOND, Harlan Estate, and Promontory, The Mascot lucidly reveals its unrivaled pedigree with each swirl of the glass while offering insight into the vintage and evolution of its parent properties.
 
While the winery doesn’t specify exact grape varietal percentages in each vintage, The Mascot has historically been 85-95% Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. Crafted in an intensely captivating style that’s gloriously supple, penetrating, and harmoniously balanced, only a few very select retailers have the opportunity to offer this wine, and we are delighted to be one of them!
 
THE MASCOT
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2018
 
 
 
“…The fruit of the young vines maintained a measured balance that gave the team little indication that harvest was imminent. Fog and temperate days followed in September, when relying more on instinct than empirical cues we began to pick. This judgment as well as the gentle nature of the season is confirmed in the subtle, ethereal power of the vintage, which reveals itself first in the deep, brooding aromas of dark fruit, black tea, and herbal notes. The texture expands around a lifted structure, as powdery tannins gently resolve. This diffused, enigmatic softness is anchored on the mid-palate by a gratifying density, which prepares the senses for a flourish of hidden energy and vivid detail that illuminates the finish.”
2019 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2019 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

COURTNEY BENHAM

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
RUTHERFORD 2019

2019 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
California offers geological diversity that few other wine regions can match, and winemaker Courtney Benham, inspired by his upbringing on a farm, fell in love with the varying landscape and endless possibilities. Courtney has three decades of experience in the wine industry, and his talent for selecting expressive plots with terroir-articulated fruit is evident in each wine he bottles.
 
Rutherford’s gravel and loam soils with volcanic deposits are a magical combination that creates the legendary complexity known as “Rutherford Dust,” sought after by Cabernet Sauvignon lovers worldwide.
 
Courtney Benham’s 2019 Rutherford Cabernet comes from a fantastic vintage in Napa Valley and highlights the region’s dusty tannins, earthy characteristics, and fruit concentration.
 
COURTNEY BENHAM
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
RUTHERFORD 2019
Retails at: $85
 
 
 
“Dark berries and fresh flowers on the nose with some herbs and spices. Medium to full body. Refined, very polished and tight with length and focus. Compressed and very pretty. Needs time to open and show its true self. Better after 2024.”
94 Points