2019 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

2019 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Alexander ValleyCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtSonomaUSA

SILVER OAK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2019

2019 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
Silver Oak’s founders envisioned creating world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, aged exclusively in American oak, that could be cellared and enjoyed for decades. Founded in a dairy barn in 1972, Silver Oak has maintained a seductive house style from oak from their cooperage in Missouri and is now one of California’s leaders in sustainability.
 
The driving philosophy behind Silver Oak wines is that they have yet to make their best wine, and the vineyard team uses precise viticulture techniques to evaluate each vineyard block and make informed farming decisions on a block-by-block basis. The Alexander Valley Estate sits upon the benchland of the Mayacamas mountains, rich in mineral soils with excellent drainage key for Cabernet Sauvignon, which develops savory-like characteristics. 
 
Until 2011 and a 40-year tradition, Silver Oak Alexander Valley was 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, but blending experiments have since proven to enhance the wine, with the 2019 vintage seeing 95.2% Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, aged in an even 50-50 split of new and used oak barrels for complete integration.
 
SILVER OAK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2019
 
 
*Released August 5th*
 
 
“The 2019 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has notes of red cherry, raspberry, blackberry, iris, vanilla and clove. Ruby in color, this elegant wine has great acidity and lift on the mid-palate. Black currant and warm baking spices linger with a deep and fruity finish. It will provide drinking pleasure through 2047 given proper cellaring.”
2015 Chateau Mascard Haut-Medoc Bordeaux

2015 Chateau Mascard Haut-Medoc Bordeaux

with No Comment $30 and underBordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin Vogt

CHÂTEAU MASCARD

HAUT-MÉDOC
BORDEAUX 2015

2015 Chateau Mascard Haut-Medoc Bordeaux
Château Mascard resides in the Haut-Médoc AOC on the left bank of the Garonne River, a few miles west of the world-famous Pauillac AOC in Bordeaux, France. The soils in the region consist of dense gravel topsoil above clay beds. Well-drained gravel soils are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, while Merlot prefers water-retaining clay. The Château’s vineyards are planted accordingly and sustainably farmed.
 
Each lot is fermented separately after harvest before carefully blending into a wine representing the Chateau’s mixed terroir. The wine is then aged for 16 months in French oak barrels before being bottled. This 2015 vintage is a 65% Cabernet Sauvignon blend with 35% Merlot that has developed sensationally well in the bottle, with black cherry, red currant, and hints of pepper and pencil shavings. Enjoy it on its own or with grilled meats or wild game. At $25, this is one of the best values in Bordeaux that we’ve discovered and is sure to impress.
 
CHÂTEAU MASCARD
HAUT-MÉDOC
BORDEAUX 2015
 
 
 
“The Château Mascard 2015 Haut-Médoc has a developed nose with aromas of lavender, plum, red currant, cocoa powder, mushrooms, clove, black olive, and dusty earth. On the palate, the wine has layers of intense flavors, including blackberry, black cherry, baking spices, truffle, and dark chocolate. This wine has savory, nuanced characteristics and soft tannins from its time maturing in the bottle, and though it could age longer, it has reached a sublime point in its journey and is very enjoyable right now.”
95 Points
2021 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Russian River Valley

2021 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir The Estate Vineyard Russian River Valley

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

WALTER HANSEL

PINOT NOIR 2021
THE ESTATE VINEYARDS
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Russian River Valley
Born with a love and passion for agriculture, Walter Hansel enlisted his son Stephen to help him plant grapevines on the family estate in the Russian River Valley. Throughout the 1980s, Walter and Stephen experimented with making wine for fun, and thanks to Stephen’s legendary Pinot Noir-producing friend Tom Rochioli, the father-son team learned the nuances of viticulture and how to translate that knowledge into stellar wines.
 
Walter Hansels’ vineyards comprise six different Pinot Noir clones, and The Estate Vineyards Pinot encompasses each, establishing a uniform balance and ultimate complexity. The 2021 release was fermented in stainless steel with an addition of 5% whole clusters to a small number of tanks and matured in French oak for 12 months giving a style focused on the purity of the fruit with a hint of spice.
 
WALTER HANSEL
PINOT NOIR 2021
THE ESTATE VINEYARDS
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
 
 
“The 2021 Pinot Noir The Estate Vineyards is gracious, elegant and silky. Crushed red/purplish berry fruit, spice and mint are nicely laced together in a juicy, mid-weight Pinot that delivers the goods. The 2021 offers tons of immediacy, but marries that with a good bit of energy. This is a very serious wine with a bright, bright future.”
92 Points
2021 Kanzler Chardonnay Walker Station Vineyard RRV

2021 Kanzler Chardonnay Walker Station Vineyard Russian River Valley

with No Comment $60-$70ChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

KANZLER

CHARDONNAY 2021
WALKER STATION VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Kanzler Chardonnay Walker Station Vineyard RRV
In 1996, the Kanzler family was the first to plant vineyards in the chilly Sebastopol Hills in western Sonoma County, just eight miles from the Pacific Ocean. Steve Kanzler immersed himself in viticulture, taking classes at UC Davis, and sought advice from neighbors, winemakers, vineyard managers, and soil experts all around the county to perfect his knowledge and understanding of grape growing.
 
After the first harvest in 2000, Kanzler began to sell fruit to prominent and up-and-coming wineries, including Lynmar, Rivers-Marie, and Kosta Browne. The Kanzlers recognized the immense quality of another vineyard, Walker Station, and so when the opportunity came up to lease it after Harry Walker of Walker Station Vineyard retired, they didn’t hesitate.
 
Kanzler’s 2021 Walker Station Vineyard Chardonnay is sourced from the cool, hilly Green Valley of the Russian River Valley, giving opulent, fresh fruit that winemaker Alex Kanzler crafts into a focused style combining elegance, power, and finesse.
 
KANZLER
CHARDONNAY 2021
WALKER STATION VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
 
 
“The Kanzler 2021 Walker Station Chardonnay opens with energetic notes of acacia blossoms, jasmine, quince, yellow apple, star fruit, and buttercream frosting. On the palate, the wine has layered flavors that unfold into pear, apricot, baked apple pie, bourbon anglaise, and a crisp minerality. This wine has a satin-like quality that envelopes your taste buds and leads to a pleasant finish that enlightens the senses.”
95 Points
2020 Awatere River Pinot Noir Marlborough

2020 Awatere River Pinot Noir Marlborough

with No Comment $30 and underNew ZealandPinot Noir

AWATERE RIVER

PINOT NOIR 2020
MARLBOROUGH

2020 Awatere River Pinot Noir Marlborough
The Awatere Valley within Marlborough, New Zealand, was created by ancient glaciers that left pockets of alluvial soils excellent for growing and producing wines with a distinct flinty minerality. This relatively cool climate is in one of the South Island’s sunniest locations, ideal for a long, slow ripening season, enhancing the fruit’s complexity and depth.
 
Awatere River Winery is a collection of 100% sustainably produced, premium wines from low-yielding vines that depict the originality of the valley’s rich, alluvial deposits from intensely aromatic fruit with nuanced flavor characteristics. 
 
The 2020 growing season in Marlborough saw idyllic weather from bud break to harvest, and the Pinot Noir from Awatere River highlights this flawless vintage with bright fruit, fresh acidity, and a long distinguished finish. 
 
PS: When we tasted this Pinot last week, everybody on our panel wanted to buy a case.
 
AWATERE RIVER
PINOT NOIR 2020
MARLBOROUGH
 
 
 
“The 2020 Awatere River Marlborough Pinot Noir begins with a bright and vibrant nose of wild raspberries, sweet baking spices, cola bean, elegant florals, and spearmint hints. The racy palate continues with focused tart red cherries, pomegranate, saline minerality, black tea, and sage. The finish is long and focused with bright acidity and integrated tannins that make it a delight to enjoy. It drinks so far beyond its price point that I was compelled to write about it even though there were professional reviews already published.”  Tasted July 2023
94 Points
2020 L'Aventure Optimus Estate Paso Robles

2020 L’Aventure Optimus Estate Paso Robles

with No Comment $60-$70Central CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesProprietary RedUSA

L’AVENTURE

OPTIMUS ESTATE
PASO ROBLES 2020

2020 L'Aventure Optimus Estate Paso Robles
One of Paso’s leading winemakers, Stephan Asseo, began making wine in 1982 after studying at L’Ecole Oenologique de Macon in Burgundy. He and his wife Beatrice owned three domains in Bordeaux, and Stephan made wine there for 17 years. 
 
Feeling slightly restricted by the winemaking rules and requirements set by the AOC, Stephan, and Beatrice began searching for a terroir in the New World that would give them the freedom to craft creative blends. After about a year of traveling worldwide, they found what they sought in the rolling hills on the west side of Paso Robles. 
 
L’Aventure’s 2020 Optimus enchants your taste buds with 58% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Petit Verdot from the estate vineyard then, spent 14 months in French oak without fining or filtering, paying homage to Stephan’s talent and innovative spirit.
 
L’AVENTURE
OPTIMUS ESTATE
PASO ROBLES 2020
 
 
 
“A blend of 58% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Optimus has a deep ruby color and a deep core of red and black cherries, chargrill, thyme, charcuterie and desiccated violet. The full-bodied palate is light on its feet with juicy acidity and approachable grainy tannins, and it has a long, layered finish.”
95 Points
2022 Soalheiro Mineral Rose Alvarinho and Pinot Noir Portugal

2022 Soalheiro Mineral Rose Alvarinho and Pinot Noir Portugal

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPortugalRosé

SOALHEIRO 

MINERAL ROSÉ
ALVARINHO & PINOT NOIR
PORTUGAL 2022

2022 Soalheiro Mineral Rose Alvarinho and Pinot Noir Portugal
The founders of Soalheiro planted Alvarinho (Albariño) in 1974 in the Portuguese region of Monção and Melgaço, which was unheard of at the time. Today the third generation of the family runs the winery and has implemented sustainable viticulture to ensure the health of the vines and the surrounding environment.
 
The Soalheiro Mineral Rosé was inspired by the famous rosés of Provence, boasting minerality in a light, dry style of wine while giving prominence to two varieties from two different regions in Portugal. 
 
This unique blend showcases 70% Alvarinho and 30% Pinot Noir harvested and fermented separately before spending six months in stainless steel with lees contact. The 2022 release projects crisp mineral notes with light spice and fresh, exotic fruits, mirroring qualities I look for in the world’s top-level Rosés. 
 
SOALHEIRO 
MINERAL ROSÉ
ALVARINHO & PINOT NOIR
PORTUGAL 2022
 
 
 
“The Soalheiro 2022 Mineral Rosé of Alvarihno and Pinot Noir is exuberant and elegantly layered with aromas of wet stones, rose petals, lime zest, blood orange, lychee, and white strawberry. On the palate, the wine is crisp and complex with flavors of strawberry cream, grapefruit, pear, and lychee. This wine has bright acidity that perfectly complements the fresh fruit and minerality that dances into a brilliant finish.”
98 Points
2022 Massican Annia White Blend California

2022 Massican Annia White Blend California

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtProprietary WhiteUSA

MASSICAN

ANNIA WHITE BLEND
CALIFORNIA 2022

2022 Massican Annia White Blend California
Dan Petroski is a well-known (former Larkmead) winemaker in Napa Valley, and his latest creation is Annia, a white wine that’s a delight to drink.
 
Annia is a blend of Friulian grapes (Ribolla Gialla and Tocai Friulano) and Chardonnay, made in a Mediterranean style. This blend creates a fresh, vibrant, and approachable wine with a kaleidoscope of aromatics. The Chardonnay provides structure and acidity, while the Friulian grapes add complexity and depth.
 
The 2022 vintage of Annia is a lovely wine that’s pale yellow with citrus and orange blossom aromas and a palate that is fresh and lively, with peach and lemon zest flavors with an underlying thread of complex minerality, leading to a long, lingering finish.
 
If you enjoy interesting white wines, I think you will love this one.
 
MASSICAN
ANNIA WHITE BLEND
CALIFORNIA 2022
 
 
 
“The Massican 2022 Annia is an elegantly styled white blend that brings aromas of orange blossom, peach, yellow apple, lemon, wet stones, and an oceanic salinity. On the palate, the flavors are broadened by the medium to full-bodied texture with notes of white blossoms, peach, lemon zest, and a crisp minerality. This wine is not only easy to drink but brings complexity that carries into a beautiful finish.”
95 Points
2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

LIMERICK LANE

ZINFANDEL 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley
Jake Bilbro of Limerick Lane Winery is the third steward of the historic property since the Del Fava family planted the estate vineyard in 1910. The landmark property has maintained its roots for over a century, focusing on sustainable farming and minimal irrigation. The farming team only irrigates plots when necessary, producing fruit with complex, concentrated flavors and aromas.
 
Limerick Lane specializes in high-quality Zinfandel, sourcing from their estate along with a few nearby old vine Zinfandel vineyards known for growing the highest quality fruit. 
 
Winemaker Chris Pittenger intentionally alters the vineyard composition of each vintage, seeking out fruit to create the most balanced wine possible. Their 2021 vintage embodies the spirit of the Russian River Valley with perfectly ripe, bright fruit accented by refreshing acidity and an ideal balance of flavors.
 
LIMERICK LANE
ZINFANDEL 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $46
 
 
 
“The 2021 Zinfandel (Russian River Valley) is an absolute delight. Bright and intensely floral, the 2021 is packed with varietal character. Crushed red berry fruit, white flowers and mint all race out of the glass in this refreshing, juicy Zinfandel from Limerick Lane. This is an absolute winner.”
91 Points
2021 Saddleback Chardonnay Napa Valley

2021 Saddleback Chardonnay Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

SADDLEBACK

CHARDONNAY 2021
NAPA VALLEY

2021 Saddleback Chardonnay Napa Valley
Nils Venge is a celebrated American winemaker and the first to achieve a perfect 100 Point score by making the 1985 Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, establishing a hierarchy of superior winemaking in Napa. Nils started Saddleback Cellars in 1976 on 14 acres of vineyards in Oakville, also home to Harlan Estate, Opus One, and Screaming Eagle.
 
Combining one of the country’s best winemakers, an impressive estate terroir, and a bit of sourcing from viticultural havens in Napa Valley, Nils crafts this outstanding Chardonnay, giving a frame of reference for what the variety is capable of in the right environment. 
 
Crafted in a quintessential Napa Valley style, Saddleback’s Chardonnay highlights Napa Valley character, combined with notes reminiscent of Burgundy, offering fantastic value at this price level. 
 
SADDLEBACK
CHARDONNAY 2021
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $45
 
 
 
“Saddleback Cellars 2021 Napa Valley Chardonnay opens with acacia blossoms, vanilla bean, apricot, peach, and nutmeg notes. On the palate, the wine has a silky-smooth texture and flavors of ripe stone fruits, vanilla cream, baking spices, and a hint of wet stone minerality. This wine is a bright, fresh example of California Chardonnay and showing off at the moment, making an excellent pairing for this summer.”
94 Points