2024 Zialena Sauvignon Blanc Geyserville

2024 Zialena Sauvignon Blanc Geyserville

Zialena

Sauvignon Blanc
Geyserville, 2024

2024 Zialena Sauvignon Blanc Geyserville

The 2024 Zialena Sauvignon Blanc is the product of nearly a century of uninterrupted stewardship. From the same Alexander Valley estate first cultivated by Giuseppe Mazzoni in the early 1900s, it carries forward a lineage rarely seen in California, where ownership, farming, and intent have remained aligned across generations.

That continuity finds its clearest expression in the cellar, where Mark Mazzoni approaches the wine with experience shaped by decades rather than ideology. Fermentation in concrete, including egg-shaped vessels, allows the wine to evolve without interference, preserving what the vineyard gives while refining texture and structure. Each decision reflects a familiarity earned over decades, not imposed in pursuit of style.

The 2024 growing season unfolded with a steady rhythm that favored balance, allowing the vineyard to progress without interruption. At a site shaped by decades of observation, these are the years that matter most. The wine captures that alignment, where conditions and experience converge to produce something both precise and complete.

Zialena
Sauvignon Blanc
Geyserville, 2024
Retails at: $38

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“The Zialena 2024 Sauvignon Blanc from Alexander Valley opens with the inviting scent of lemon poppy seed muffins, followed by bright Meyer lemon, honeydew melon, and juicy mango, accented by orange blossom florals and vanilla. On the palate, the wine has rich, concentrated flavors of lemon curd, sweet cream, raw almonds, hints of tropical fruits, and delicate floral notes, giving a balance between freshness and roundness. The finish is long and polished, showcasing both opulence and brightness.”

94 Points

2023 Castalia Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2023 Castalia Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

Castalia

Pinot Noir 2023
Rochioli Vineyard
Russian River Valley

2023 Castalia Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

From one of California’s most storied vineyards, the 2023 Castalia Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir reveals itself gradually, never all at once. It gathers with intention, each element settling into place with precision. The result is a wine that does not chase impact, but achieves something far rarer: complete harmony.

Continuity defines this wine. Terry Bering has worked at Rochioli Vineyard since 1990, learning it block by block, vintage by vintage, long before site expression became a guiding principle in California. Founded in 1992, Castalia serves as his personal lens on the vineyard, a small-scale project rooted in experience and an unwavering focus on precision.

The 2023 vintage unfolded with rare steadiness, a long and even season that allowed the vineyard to develop without pressure. At Rochioli, where detail defines the outcome, the results are unmistakable. The 2023 Castalia stands among the most complete bottlings in the wine’s history, capturing both the character of the vintage and the depth of understanding behind it.

Castalia
Pinot Noir 2023
Rochioli Vineyard
Russian River Valley

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“The 2023 Castalia Rochioli Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a striking achievement, even by the lofty standards of this site. The nose bursts with vibrant red cherry, cola bean, and French lavender, laced with crushed granite and mandarin peel, while subtle pie spices add complexity without intrusion. On the palate, it reveals powerful concentration married to remarkable precision. Intense red cherry fruit drives forward in compact, multi-layered waves of depth and intensity, framed by liquid minerals and mouth-quenching acidity that keeps everything vibrant and alive. The finish is long, elegant, and penetrating, echoing for what feels like minutes. This is Russian River Pinot at its most pristine state—pure, profound, and utterly convincing.”

97 Points

2023 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

2023 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

Robert Biale

Black Chicken Zinfandel
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

Some wines are born of soil, while others are born of story. Black Chicken is both. Conceived on the Biale family farm in the 1940s as a code whispered over a crackling party-line phone, this Zinfandel has grown into one of Napa Valley’s most revered gems. The 2023 vintage carries that history forward with fresh intensity, a wine that unites heritage with the precision of modern craftsmanship.

Black Chicken is shaped by the Oak Knoll District, where the Biale family has tended their home ranch since the 1930s. This cooler pocket of Napa lends the wine its hallmark freshness and balance, characterized by bright acidity, supple tannins, and fruit that sings with clarity, giving Black Chicken its unmistakable voice.

From vineyard to cellar, every detail of the 2023 vintage was shaped with purpose, yielding a Zinfandel of extraordinary character. Vibrant fruit, supple tannins, and an enduring finish make this release one of the most complete Black Chickens to date. This is a Zinfandel that transcends trend or time, standing proudly as one of Napa Valley’s enduring treasures.

Robert Biale
Black Chicken Zinfandel
Napa Valley 2023

Your Price: $55

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“A big but cool and well-balanced wine that is full-bodied but fresh. Made from vines averaging 40 years old and from mostly cool parts of Napa Valley, including the Biale family’s vineyard planted in 1937. Moderate tannins lift the vivid raspberry, blackberry, black pepper and umami flavors. Drink or hold.”

94 Points

2022 Random Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2022 Random Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

Random Ridge

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2022

2022 Random Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

At 2,000 feet above sea level, where Napa and Sonoma meet along a jagged ridgeline, Random Ridge occupies a realm defined by exposure. Winds sweep across the Mayacamas. Soils thin to fractured rock. Vines dig deep or fail. This is not comfortable farming. It is mountain viticulture at its rawest. The wines carry the imprint of that altitude, concentrated and structured, shaped by a place that refuses excess.

That intensity was no accident. In 1980, Bill Hawley began pioneering this remote site, clearing and planting ten acres the following year on slopes many would have left untouched. Now decades into maturity, the vines root through shallow, well-drained soils that naturally limit vigor and yields. From those conditions comes natural concentration forged in the ground itself.

Above the fog line, ripening unfolds with deliberation, and that composure defines the 2022 vintage. Nearly 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sharpened with a touch of Cabernet Franc, it delivers compact, dark-fruit flavors layered with a savory, mineral edge inseparable from its rocky origins. The finish lingers, steady and assured, echoing the wind-swept ridgeline from which it came.

Random Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2022
Retails at: $60

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“The Random Ridge 2022 Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is supple and expressive, opening with layered dark fruit aromas of black cherry, ripe plum, and blackberry, savory notes of bay leaf, wild mushroom, warm spices, an earthy core of forest floor, and graphite. On the palate, concentrated yet finely balanced fruit is framed by polished structure, with nuances of dark chocolate and freshly grated nutmeg adding depth and complexity, with a distinct mountain-grown fruit tension.”

94 Points

2023 Sentium By Continuum Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino

2023 Sentium By Continuum Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino

Sentium

By Continuum
Sauvignon Blanc
Mendocino, 2023

2023 Sentium By Continuum Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino

Sentium stands apart for one clear reason: it treats Sauvignon Blanc as a wine of structure and longevity, not just freshness. Drawn from old-vine fruit in Mendocino, it delivers a rare combination of mineral precision, layered texture, and power. As the white wine expression of Continuum Estate, it carries that same uncompromising pursuit of precision into an entirely different register.

Its character takes shape in Redwood Valley, where cooling Pacific influence meets ample sun, creating a natural balance between ripeness and moderation. This steady pace slows ripening, preserving tension while allowing the fruit to reach full phenolic maturity. In 2023, that equilibrium comes through cleanly, where freshness and concentration move in seamless alignment.

The cellar work reinforces that balance through a deliberate, multi-vessel élevage. Concrete, stainless steel, and neutral oak each add dimension, while extended lees aging builds texture and density through the mid-palate. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc of uncommon shape and persistence, expansive yet precise, leaving a lasting impression that extends well beyond the variety’s expected limits.

Sentium
By Continuum
Sauvignon Blanc
Mendocino, 2023

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“The 2023 release totals approximately 188 cases. This vintage delivers beautifully luscious fruit, marked by lemon-leaf pithiness and notes of crushed Marcona almonds. There’s excellent tension and grip here, with the wine showing its hallmark medium-bodied richness and silky, satiny fruit character. Laced with vibrant acid tension, it finishes long with flinty minerality, a kiss of tarragon, and a lingering saline edge. Chiara Mondavi set out to find older, organically farmed vines cared for by family growers. Her search led her to Mendocino’s Redwood Valley, where vineyards planted between the 1940s and 1970s provided the perfect fit for her vision of crafting textured, ageworthy Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.”

96 Points

2021 Domaine De La Riviere Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2021 Domaine De La Riviere Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

Domaine de la Rivière

Pinot Noir 2021
Middle Reach Vineyards
Russian River Valley

2021 Domaine De La Riviere Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

With poised intensity, Domaine de la Rivière Pinot Noir captures one of the most compelling stretches of the Russian River Valley. In this prized Middle Reach corridor, cooling Pacific fog tempers the sun and extends the growing season, preserving freshness and detail. The result is a wine defined by balance, where vivid red fruit, lifted aromatics, and fine structure reflect a site shaped by equilibrium.

Guided by a philosophy that favors precision, the wine reflects a disciplined, site-first approach. At the helm, Kale Anderson brings a pedigree shaped at Colgin Cellars, Cliff Lede Vineyards, and Pahlmeyer, where he honed a style defined by precision and control. Each decision in the cellar is deliberate, preserving tension, structure, and aromatic lift, resulting in a Pinot Noir that is both transparent and complete.

Native fermentation anchors the wine in transparency, allowing site and structure to speak without interference. This is Pinot Noir that moves beyond immediacy, offering both present beauty and the promise of evolution. It speaks with clarity of place and rewards those willing to follow it over time.

Domaine de la Rivière
Pinot Noir 2021
Middle Reach Vineyards
Russian River Valley
Retails at: $75

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“Aromas of pomegranate, cherry, black tea and orange peel swirl and mingle on the nose of this native-fermented Pinot. The palate gives flavors of salty cherry, roasted mushroom and violets, with the satisfying grip of tannin lingering through the finish. Best 2028–2040.”

94 Points, Cellar Selection

Merlot wine bottle from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, 2014 vintage.

2014 La Jota Merlot Howell Mountain

La Jota

Merlot 2014
Howell Mountain

Merlot wine bottle from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, 2014 vintage.

The 2014 La Jota Howell Mountain Merlot arrives with an authority that immediately distinguishes it. Born at high elevation, it forgoes plushness in favor of precision and generosity in favor of structure, delivering a wine that is both powerful and exacting. This is Merlot with genuine mountain backbone, shaped by volcanic soils, cool nights, and a long growing season that prizes depth, tension, and longevity.

La Jota’s roots run deep on this mountain. Founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, the estate has endured cycles of abandonment and renewal, yet its commitment to Howell Mountain has never wavered. Today, under the direction of Chris Carpenter, that legacy is honed with precision. His approach is measured and site-driven, allowing the character of these historic vineyards to emerge fully.

At twelve years of age, the 2014 demonstrates precisely why Howell Mountain wines command such respect for their longevity. The structure remains firm, but the edges have softened, revealing a more expressive, layered profile. A natural freshness keeps the wine vibrant and lifted. It is a compelling reminder that wines from this elevation are built not merely to endure, but to evolve.

La Jota
Merlot 2014
Howell Mountain
Retails at: $100

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“Blended with 10% Petit Verdot, this age-worthy beauty is impressively oaked and tannic in its youth, with a concentration of densely packed red and black currants. Coconut shavings and vanilla appear from the background alongside black pepper and cinnamon. This should drink best from 2024–2034.”

94 Points, Cellar Selection

Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc wine bottle from MorganLee Vineyard, Napa Valley.

2024 Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc MorgaenLee Vineyard

Ghost Block

Sauvignon Blanc
MorgaenLee Vineyard
Yountville 2024

Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc wine bottle from MorganLee Vineyard, Napa Valley.

In a valley defined by Cabernet, crafting a Sauvignon Blanc of substance takes conviction. Yountville provides ideal conditions, with warm afternoons and cool evenings that sharpen flavor while preserving texture. The 2024 Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc captures that equilibrium with precision, layering lemon citrus, grapefruit, and fresh florals over structure shaped by old vines and intentional blending. This is Sauvignon Blanc with lineage and depth, built with purpose.

Its foundation is organically farmed, dry-farmed vines, some planted in 1978, their roots set deep in Yountville soils. The block is harvested in three measured passes, each pick capturing a distinct point of maturity, from vibrant citrus tension to fuller ripeness. Together, they form a complete portrait of one vineyard, amplifying complexity without losing sense of place.

In the cellar, that detail is preserved and refined. Whole-cluster pressing maintains purity, while barrel fermentation and seven months of aging shape integration and lift. A modest 2 percent of Sémillon adds subtle breadth to the mid-palate, extending the finish without softening the wine’s edge. The result is poised and luminous, a Sauvignon Blanc of precision, texture, and lasting presence.

Ghost Block
Sauvignon Blanc
MorgaenLee Vineyard
Yountville 2024
Retails at: $35

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“The Ghost Block 2024 MorgaenLee Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc hails from Yountville in Napa Valley and opens with an exuberant bouquet of cherry blossoms, jasmine, gooseberries, freshly cut lemon slices, ruby grapefruit, passion fruit, mangos, golden apples, and a wet stone minerality. On the palate, the wine is bright and energetic, with crisp acidity, flavors of lemon zest, white peaches, and guavas, all seamlessly layered. This wine has a clean, focused precision and structure, enhancing its freshness, with a long, refreshing finish.”

94 Points

2023 Napanook by Dominus Napa Valley Red

2023 Napanook by Dominus Napa Valley Red

Napanook

by Dominus
Napa Valley Red 2023

2023 Napanook by Dominus Napa Valley Red

A beautiful entry into the wines of Dominus Estate, the 2023 Napanook captures the essence of a vineyard that has shaped Napa Valley for nearly two centuries. Drawn entirely from the historic Napanook Vineyard in Yountville, first planted in 1836 by George C. Yount, the wine reflects the authority of a site whose gravelly valley-floor soils have long proven ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine takes inspiration from the classic structure of Left Bank Bordeaux while remaining unmistakably Napa in character. The vineyard is farmed with an unwavering focus on balance and site expression. Dry-farmed vines send their roots deep into gravelly clay-loam soils threaded with volcanic material, while meticulous cane pruning and careful cluster thinning ensure each vine yields fruit of concentration and purity.

In the cellar, the philosophy is one of moderation and transparency. The 2023 Napanook matures for twenty months in French oak barrels, about twenty percent of them new, a measured approach that frames the wine without overshadowing it. The emphasis remains firmly on allowing the voice of the Napanook Vineyard to come through with precision.

Napanook
by Dominus
Napa Valley Red 2023

Your Price: $79.99

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“Aromas of blueberries, ash and stones with hints of blackberries, orange peel and chocolate. It’s medium-bodied with medium-round tannins that are polished and velvety but always in check. Cedar and baking spices like nutmeg on the palate. Lovely soft and silky texture with a long finish. Enchanting and delicious. 92% cabernet sauvginon, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. Drink now or hold.”

97 Points

2022 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

2022 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

Ponzi Vineyard

Pinot Noir 2022
Laurelwood District
Willamette Valley

2022 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

Founded in 1970 by Dick and Nancy Ponzi, Ponzi Vineyards helped define modern Oregon wine. Long before the Willamette Valley earned global acclaim for Pinot Noir, the Ponzis believed in its potential. The 2022 Laurelwood District Pinot Noir carries that conviction forward with five decades devoted to place, precision, and an unwavering faith in Oregon’s promise.

Ponzi sources this wine predominantly from its estate vineyards Avellana, Aurora, and Linda Vista, all within the Laurelwood District. Beneath the vines lies fractured basalt capped by layers of windblown loess, soils that shape architecture as much as flavor. The wine delivers a fine mineral tension that speaks directly to its origin.

The cellar work sharpens that expression. Ten percent whole-cluster fermentation adds aromatic lift, while ten months in French oak refines the tannins and adds polish. Bottled by gravity to preserve purity, the wine finishes with focus and persistence, carrying Laurelwood’s signature tension from first impression to final note.

Ponzi Vineyard
Pinot Noir 2022
Laurelwood District
Willamette Valley
Retails at: $47

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“The 2022 bottling of the Ponzi entry-level Pinot Noir punches well above its weight class. The savoury and earth-driven elements buoy the dark fruits that predominate on the wine’s finish. Rich soil notes and dried violets introduce the effusively aromatic wine, with hints of smoky clove and freshly turned soil. The palate offers redolent muddled blackberries with mint, whisps of graphite mineral tones and a finish of warm spices.”

94 Points