2021 Orin Swift 8 Years In The Desert Zinfandel Blend

2021 Orin Swift 8 Years In The Desert Zinfandel Blend

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtUSAZinfandel

ORIN SWIFT

8 YEARS IN THE DESERT
ZINFANDEL BLEND 2021

2021 Orin Swift 8 Years In The Desert Zinfandel Blend
In 2000 Dave Phinney released the inaugural vintage of a Zinfandel-based red blend called The Prisoner, which he continued to create for the next eight years until he sold the brand to Huneeus Vintners. The sale came with an eight-year non-compete agreement, preventing Dave from producing Zinfandel blends under his brand, Orin Swift.
 
Orin Swift’s 8 Years in the Desert debut in 2016 and represents those next eight years. The wine was an instant success, driven by its smooth, approachable style with seductive fruits sourced from a collection of premier vineyards in California. The 2021 vintage is the sixth iteration in the brand’s return to Zinfandel blends, with Petite Sirah and Syrah rounding out the mouthfeel and providing extra complexity; the wine is impressive in its fruit-forward style and remains beautifully balanced.  
 
ORIN SWIFT
8 YEARS IN THE DESERT
ZINFANDEL BLEND 2021
Retails at: $53
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“A deep marron core with a ruby rim, the 2021 Eight Years in the Desert opens with aromas of wild blackberry, pepper, oatmeal raisin cookie, Sequoia forest floor, bay leaf and spices. The entry is broad and opulent with a mid-palate of brambly raspberry, black cherry, ripe blueberry and a hint of cacao. The wine has superb length through the finish with ripe tannins and a close of sweet oak.”
2017 MC4 Cabernet Sauvignon Martin & Croshaw Vineyard St. Helena

2017 MC4 Cabernet Sauvignon Martin & Croshaw Vineyard St. Helena

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaSt. HelenaUSA

MC4

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MARTIN & CROSHAW VINEYARD
ST. HELENA 2017

2017 MC4 Cabernet Sauvignon Martin & Croshaw Vineyard St. Helena
Neighbors Paul Martin and Fred Croshaw joined forces to produce their first vintage of just eight cases of Cabernet Sauvignon in 2009. The two have intimate knowledge of their vineyard located in a prime stretch of St. Helena near AXR and Turley Estate. They’ve farmed the vineyard organically and by hand since its initial planting using cuttings from Chateau Margaux.
 
MC4 winemaker Victoria Coleman assisted Michael Silacci at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars while earning her Enology degree from UC Davis, leading to International experience working at Chateau Mouton Rothschild. The 2017 production was a mere 196 cases that encompass the spirit of Napa Valley Cabernet by showcasing varietal purity, soft tannins, and depth of flavors suitable for further aging but are beginning to shine at the present moment.
 
MC4
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MARTIN & CROSHAW VINEYARD
ST. HELENA 2017
Retails at: $75
 
 
 
“The MC4 Saint Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 begins with blackberry preserves, coffee, vanilla spice, white rose petals, and dried mushrooms on the nose. The palate is dominated by red currants, Kalamata olives, and black cherries, with a lively style and satiny tannins. Drink now through 2030.”
93 Points
2019 Smith Wooton Melange Red Blend Napa Valley

2019 Smith Wooton Melange Red Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

SMITH WOOTON

MELANGE RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Smith Wooton Melange Red Blend Napa Valley
Croze Napa Valley’s boutique label, Smith Wooton, focuses on small vineyard sites farmed by meticulous and well-respected grape growers throughout Napa Valley. Winemaker Daniel Benton spends a lot of time in the vineyards and shares the same passion for the land as the growers he chooses to source fruit for his wines.
 
Each small parcel uniquely contributes to the whole picture, and Daniel recognizes each plot’s strengths and highlights those characteristics in the final wine. The Mélange is a red wine produced in a Right Bank Bordeaux Style, and the 2019 vintage is 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot aged 30 months in French oak. The wine is perfectly balanced, showy, and complex and drinks beautifully at this price level.
 
SMITH WOOTON
MELANGE RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $55
 
 
Your Price: Insider Club Members Only
 
 
“The Smith Wooton Mélange 2019 is striking in the glass with a beautiful, brilliant deep ruby color that sets the stage for what is to come. The intriguing nose has sweet florals, cherry jolly-rancher candied fruit, with hints of mint and vanilla bean. The linear, penetrating palate is bright and flashy, with ripe red cherries, pomegranate juice, red currants, sage, and baking spices. The unique flavor components combine with an interesting saline minerality to give it an elegant complexity.”
92+ Points
2013 Relic Grenache Mount Veeder Napa Valley

2013 Relic Grenache Mount Veeder Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

RELIC

GRENACHE 2013
MOUNT VEEDER
NAPA VALLEY

2013 Relic Grenache Mount Veeder Napa Valley
Relic is a boutique wine project by Behrens & Hitchcock alumnus Mike Hirby and Schatzi Throckmorton that specializes in high-quality Bordeaux and Rhone varieties. The wines were made in Behren’s cellars for the first eight years of production, allowing Mike and Schatzi to focus on crafting the greatest wines possible without relying on financial investors.
 
Mike gained additional experience as the winemaker for Realm from 2002 to 2010. Together with Schatzi, the two share a limitless passion for creating wines that express the nuances of the vintage and their unique origin. The 2013 Grenache was sourced from shale and sandy soils on steep, south-facing slopes on Mount Veeder, giving perfectly ripe, juicy fruit with spicy undertones and an impressive capacity for aging.
 
RELIC
GRENACHE 2013
MOUNT VEEDER
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The 2013 Grenache, from Paras Vineyard on Mt. Veeder, is deep, plush and bursting at the seams with intense red fleshed fruit. Succulent and beautifully layered, the Grenache oozes character. A hint of French oak shapes the finish in a racy, voluptuous Grenache that is an absolute joy to taste today. Drink 2016-2023.”
94 Points
2014 Kessler-Haak Estate Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

2014 Kessler-Haak Estate Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastKevin VogtPinot NoirSanta BarbaraSanta Rita HillsUSA

KESSLER-HAAK

ESTATE PINOT NOIR
STA. RITA HILLS 2014

2014 Kessler-Haak Estate Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills
Steadfast on producing grapes capable of capturing the essence of Sta Rita Hills terroir, Kessler-Haak’s founders planted their vineyard in the northwest corner of the region in 2005. Within the next decade, as the vines came of age, their ability to bear fruit expressive of their origin caught the eye of Pinot-maverick Brian Loring, who began crafting Kessler-Haak Vineyard designated Pinot under his Loring label. 
 
Kessler-Haak’s team organically farms their 30 acres of Pinot Noir, striving for a harmonic co-existence amongst the vineyard’s vines, animals, and insects. The east-west orientation of the hills funnels sea breezes into the area, drastically cooling daytime temperatures, which helps maintain fresh acidity and allows the grapes a long hang-time to develop complex flavor compounds. The wine’s fresh acidity also allowed the 2014 vintage to age effortlessly, beautifully depicting the vintage and terroir; the wine is surprisingly dynamic and drinking beautifully right now.
 
KESSLER-HAAK
ESTATE PINOT NOIR
STA. RITA HILLS 2014
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“This study of Clone 2A begins with big aromas of boysenberry jam, black tea and minty chocolate elements. There is decent weight to the palate, where rich and ripe flavors of blackberry meet with firm tannins and buoyant acidity. Dashes of star anise and all spice give further depth.”
93 Points
2018 Site Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley

2018 Site Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley

with No Comment $50-$60Central CoastKevin VogtSanta Maria ValleySyrahUSA

SITE

SYRAH 2018
BIEN NACIDO VINEYARD
SANTA MARIA VALLEY

2018 Site Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley
Jeremy Weintraub is the owner and winemaker for Site Wines and gained experience growing grapes in Paso Robles, Santa Maria, Central Otago, Martinborough, Tuscany, and Long Island. After his vineyard work, Jeremy began making wine at Seavey Vineyard in Napa and later vinifying wines for Adelaida Cellars in Paso Robles, whom he still works with today.
 
Site sources grapes from some of the most distinctive vineyards in California, and Bien Nacido is known for some of the state’s most sought-after cool-climate grapes. Esteemed Syrah producer Sine Qua Non is now entirely estate-grown, no longer sourcing fruit from Bien Nacido, and Site was next in line for their contract with Block B, the oldest, steepest, and most revered plot in the vineyard. The 2018 Syrah has a graceful elegance with earthy and spicy notes reminiscent of the wines of the Northern Rhône, providing an attestation to the exceptional terroir of the Bien Nacido Vineyard.
 
SITE
SYRAH 2018
BIEN NACIDO VINEYARD
SANTA MARIA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $55
 
 
“The 2018 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyards was mostly destemmed (90%) and spent 18 months in 50% new French oak. It’s another inky hued effort that brings both richness and elegance. Lots of darker, briny fruits, smoked game, and black pepper notes give way to a medium to full-bodied wine that has silky yet present tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. It’s going to evolve for 15 years or more.”
96 Points
2020 Pascal Bouchard Chablis 'Le Classique' Burgundy

2020 Pascal Bouchard Chablis ‘Le Classique” Burgundy

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

PASCAL BOUCHARD

CHABLIS ‘LE CLASSIQUE’
BURGUNDY 2020

2020 Pascal Bouchard Chablis 'Le Classique' Burgundy
Located in the heart of Chablis, Pascal Bouchard is passionately committed to delivering the finest expression of Chardonnay from this world-renowned region. The winery is equipped with state-of-the-art stainless steel fermentation tanks, allowing vibrant fruit characteristics to highlight their wines.
 
Florent Denieuil has been making Pascal Bouchard wines for over 20 years and has an intimate knowledge of their vineyards. He vinifies individual plots separately to ensure each site’s terroir transfers transparently into the final wine. “Le Classic” is his homage to the traditional Chablisienne wines, arguably the purest expression of Chardonnay worldwide. The 2020 vintage showcases the region’s hallmark minerality, perfectly balanced with fruit intensity in this delightful Chablis.
 
PASCAL BOUCHARD
CHABLIS ‘LE CLASSIQUE’
BURGUNDY 2020
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“The Pascal Bouchard 2020 “Le Classic” Chablis opens with intense aromas of jasmine, chamomile, lemon, white peach, nectarine, cantaloupe, and a wet chalk minerality. The palate is complex with flavors of green apple, passion fruit, green guava, and apricot. This wine is bright and delightful, with a depth of flavors that envelops your taste buds with hedonistic pleasure.”
94 Points
2019 Details Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County

2019 Details Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County

with No Comment $30-$40Alexander ValleyCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtSonomaUSA

DETAILS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
SONOMA COUNTY 2019

2019 Details Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
Details Cabernet Sauvignon fuses sublime talent, assiduous fruit selection, and rigorous science in creating this value-focused beast, which hails from the Sonoma, Knights, and Alexander Valleys. Their team, led by Ryan Knoth, who previously worked under the tutelage of icons David Abreu, Michel Rolland, and Fredrik Johansson at Staglin, handpicks the fruit to precise analytics, conjuring optimized flavors and aromas.
 
Possessed in their blending of four of Bordeaux’s top five varietals; Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, then adding Petite Sirah, Sinegal’s winemaking team’s obsessive attention to detail paid off. Their efforts result in an enchantingly divine wine that tastes otherworldly.
 
DETAILS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
SONOMA COUNTY 2019
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Details is stunning. Vibrant and explosive in the glass, the Details Cabernet shows just how compelling Cabernet can be beyond Napa Valley. Gravel, crushed rocks, menthol, licorice, plum and incense saturate the palate. This inky, structured Cabernet is one of the very finest Cabernets readers will find in its price point, or virtually any price point, for that matter. The 2019 is a blend from sites in Sonoma Valley, Alexander Valley and Knights Valley.”
96 Points
2019 Quinetessa Proprietary Red Rutherford

2019 Quinetessa Proprietary Red Rutherford

with No Comment $100 and overKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

QUINTESSA

PROPRIETARY RED
RUTHERFORD 2019

2019 Quinetessa Proprietary Red Rutherford
Quintessa sees an opportunity for each vintage to deepen their connection with their land by looking, listening, and developing a better understanding of how each plot responds to its soils, aspect, and microclimate. The Huneeus Family founded the estate on 280 acres of diverse geology with several different terroirs, all organically farmed and individually monitored to ensure the perfect ripening of each plot for their flagship red wine.
 
The 2019 vintage saw early rains that established healthy soils and even shoot-growth with slightly cooler spring temperatures, then ideal summer conditions without significant heat spikes that helped maintain bright acidity. This Bordeaux-style blend is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 22 months in French oak, allowing for a refined integration of tannins and fruit character that have a youthful approachability and a potential for longevity and further development in the cellar.
 
QUINTESSA
PROPRIETARY RED
RUTHERFORD 2019
 
Your Price: $235
Limit 6 Bottles Per Customer
 
 
“This is a winemaker’s master class in blending and understanding of a long-standing site. Dried herb, cedar and pencil shavings accent lifted red fruit and brilliant acidity on the palate, with a supple yet still youthfully grippy texture that is framed by structured, graceful tannins. Enjoy from 2029–2039.”
100 Points
 
“So much earth and spice with walnut and wet earth. Like fog laying over the valley in the morning. Black fruit. Medium-to full-bodied with super-fine tannins that are long and persistent, with graceful progression and length on the palate. So long, with real definition. September 2022 release. From biodynamically grown grapes. Hard not to drink now, but will age wonderfully.”
99 Points
2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza

2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza

with No Comment $40-$50ArgentinaKevin VogtMalbecUco Valley

TAPIZ

BLACK TEARS MALBEC
MENDOZA 2018

2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza
The state-of-the-art Tapiz Winery sits in a prime region of Mendoza’s Uco Valley at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, where their vineyards are some of the highest in the world. Their estate vines are carved into slopes as high as 4,600 feet elevation, producing some of the region’s most stunning wines due to the altitude and intense sunlight, ensuring fresh acidity and deep color.
 
Jean Claude Berrouet produced 44 historical vintages at Petrus and today works with Fabian Valenzuela, who has over 20 years of winemaking experience in Mendoza, creating wines that are an intricate tapestry (tapiz) of the Uco Valley terroir. The 2018 Black Tears Malbec comes from 20-year-old estate vines that were hand-harvested and aged 24 months in new French oak, giving a refined integration of oak spice with delicious ripe fruit flavors of the country’s most prized variety.
 
TAPIZ
BLACK TEARS MALBEC
MENDOZA 2018
Retails at: $55
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Deep blue and black fruit here, with floral, spicy and balsamic accents. Brooding and complex. You have to fathom the power of tannin on the palate, as the texture is so ultra-fine and polished. But don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of tannins here, only so seamless that they make it taste so effortless. Naturally concentrated, juicy and long. Delicious now, but you can hold for added complexity.”
96 Points