2016 Mastery Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2016 Mastery Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $90-$100CoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

MASTERY  2016 Mastery Napa Valley Proprietary Red

PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY

 
The 2016 vintage of Mastery is everything you would expect from this near perfect vintage.  Wine Spectator Magazine touts 2016 as their highest rated vintage for Napa since 1997 and rated it a 98 point score.  The new 2016 Mastery is a perfect reflection of this other-worldly vintage.  With just three barrels produced, Mastery is one of our most popular wines every year, but the demand always exceeds our supply.  This thrilling wine is finely detailed with a sweet inner core of focused red and black berries, supple tannins, and concentrated flavors that build layer upon layer of hedonistic bliss.  With a total production of 73 cases, this vintage of Mastery will disappear far too early…
 
Created from Napa Valley’s highly acclaimed Coombsville region, the vineyard is located on volcanic soils on the Eastern outskirts of the town of Napa.  This elegantly styled, yet focused and penetrating Napa Valley Cabernet Blend satisfies everything a Cabernet drinker looks for.  After spending about 2 years in French oak, this perfectly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon enchants your taste buds.  If you would like to add some of this exceptional wine to your cellar, please place your order right away.  This is another in a long list of near-perfect vintages of Mastery and we know you will absolutely love it!  It is spectacular.
 
MASTERY
PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $95/btl

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Tasting Notes: “Embodying every finite nuance that makes the 2016 vintage so great, Mastery 2016 has alluring aromas of black currants, bing cherries, crushed minerals and dried rose petal.  Seductive wild mountain blackberries, ripe red plum and cassis, are in perfect harmony with the concentrated, rich, supple black fruits balancing the brighter red fruits, providing both depth and length as well as complexity on the palate.  The finish is focused with an amazing seamless structure, providing immense satisfaction.”  Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2012 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Anderson Valley Brut Sparkling Wine

2012 Roederer Estate L’Ermitage Brut Sparkling Wine

with No Comment $40-$50Anderson ValleyChampagne/SparklingKevin VogtSonomaUSA

ROEDERER ESTATE 2012 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Anderson Valley Brut Sparkling Wine

2012 L’ERMITAGE
BRUT SPARKLING WINE

 
Did you know that Roederer Estate in Anderson Valley is the sister winery of Louis Roederer in France?  In France, their top Champagne is Cristal, but in California their flagship Sparkling wine is their L’Ermitage, which they only make in exceptional vintages.  Their winemaking style helping guide their success is based upon two very important elements; complete ownership of their vineyards with meticulous farming, along with oak-aging their Reserve wines.  L’Ermitage spends and impressive 5 years in oak casks, which lends to their style of body, finesse and depth of flavor.   With 95 and 97 Point scores from two of the Country’s top critics, this is a truly stunning vintage of L’Ermitage.
 
Louis Roederer is one of the most iconic names in Champagne with more than 200 years of traditional winemaking.  In the early 1980’s they discovered that the Anderson Valley, just North of Sonoma, was ideally suited for grapes used to make sparkling wines.  The area has a cooler climate with well-drained soils, and the close proximity to the Pacific Ocean provides a gentle cycle of warm days and cool nights, allowing the grapes to slowly mature and develop full flavors.  At under $50, this is simply one of the greatest sparkling wines produced in the New World.
 
ROEDERER ESTATE
2012 L’ERMITAGE
BRUT SPARKLING WINE
Retails at:  $50/btl
 
Your Price: $45/btl

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“Extravagant, yet balanced and refined, with lush, crisp brioche, fresh ginger and spice, roasted hazelnut and Asian pear flavors that fan out on the lengthy finish. Drink now through 2020.”  95 Points
“Luxurious and layered, this nicely mature wine has a broad range of complex aromas and flavors, from fig to mushroom to butter and baking spices that ride a supple texture and linger for a long finish. The very fine bead, plush texture and a creamy richness that verges on sweetness are practically irresistible. Best through 2025.”  97 Points, Cellar Selection
2015 Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay

2015 Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay

with No Comment $40-$50CarnerosChardonnayHaroKevin VogtNapaUSA

PATZ & HALL 2015 Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay

2015 CHARDONNAY
HYDE VINEYARD 

 
What does it really mean to be considered one of California’s Grand Cru Chardonnay Vineyards?  To me, the single most important quality is the level of vivid distinction that the site is able to produce year after year.  It’s these vineyards that can produce the most clear-cut examples of their individualistic terroir that will attract many of the greatest Chardonnay producers to make wine from it.  Larry Hyde’s Vineyard in Carneros makes the short-list of California Chardonnay Vineyards that have reached that status and it’s been a long-time source for icons Pahlmeyer, Ramey, Aubert, Kistler, & TOR, to name just a few… Patz & Hall‘s 2015 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay perfectly expresses the Vineyards profound power, elegance and vivid complexity that have made it so preferred.
 
Founded in 1988 by Donald & Heather Patz, James Hall, and Anne Moses, Patz & Hall built a solid reputation of excellence, and has consistently produced brilliant wines with no shortage of character and overall balance.  Their 2015 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay was barrel fermented after relentless fruit sorting and attention to every detail.  The winery has been working with Hyde fruit since 1990, and in fact it’s their longest grape purchase relationship which began in just their 3rd year of production.  Over the past nearly 30 years, they’ve produced some of my favorite interpretations of this in-arguably renowned site. 
 
PATZ & HALL
2015 CHARDONNAY
HYDE VINEYARD 
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl  
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“Restraint in the use of oak paid off here. Distant smoke mingles with sea air on the nose. It’s on the palate that the ripeness and richness of the wine becomes apparent – there is bundled force and warmth at the centre of this, radiating outward with finessed power. A big but elegant wine. Drinking Window 2020 – 2030″  93 Points

 
 
“Rich in green apple and fig, this wine offers medium-bodied weight and breadth and grainy acidity. From the famous site planted to densely concentrated berries, it’s fleshy and textured, with plenty of complexity from spice and oak.“ 92 Points

 
“…offering subtle glimpses at lemon peel, white peach and orange blossom scents with hints of oyster shells, shaved almonds and coriander seed. Medium bodied with a lovely satiny texture, it offers plenty of mineral and citrus flavors with a long, refreshing finish.” 91 Points
 
Customers who enjoy Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay  may also enjoy these two terrific Chardonnays…
2016 Lobo Wulf Vineyard Chardonnay 2017 Montagu Durell Vineyard Chardonnay
LOBO 
2016 CHARDONNAY
WULF VINEYARD
Retails at:  $60/btl
 

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Tasting Notes: “This gorgeous wine highlights a full, intense palate of rich, yet balanced flavors, loaded with Golden Delicious apple, exotic tropical fruit, ripe pear and pineapple flavors. These intriguing characteristics all intermingle on the palate, then slowly taper off with a satisfying sweet vanilla/toasty oak finish. Drink now through 2021.“
93 Points, Kevin M Vogt, Master Sommelier
MONTAGU
2017 CHARDONNAY
DURELL VINEYARD
Retails at:  $55/btl
 

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Winery Notes: “This Chardonnay hails exclusively from the Durell Vineyard in Sonoma Coast. The Chardonnay is bright, powerful, and driven by a flinty minerality balanced with tropical fruit notes of white peach, honeyed apricots, and lemon curd with hints of mint and citrus. This wine was fermented in French barrels and spent one year in barrel leading to wonderfully balanced oak integration while sur lee aging developed rich complexity.“
2016 Matias Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir

2016 Matias Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtMontereyPinot NoirSanta Lucia HighlandsUSA

MATIAS

2016 Matias Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir

2016 PINOT NOIR
ROSELLA’S VINEYARD

 
Anybody that’s tasted the Pinot Noirs from Matias Winery knows first-hand what an incomparable value they offer. Their Pinots exude a truly high-level of class and sophistication, and they do so at such an amazing value, that many others simply cannot compete.  In fact, the average retail price of other Pinots from Rosella’s Vineyard tops $60 per bottle…  Matias bursts from the glass with bright raspberry and dark cherry fruit, liquid floral, spice box and hints of baked earth.  The vineyard was planted by Gary Franscioni, one of California’s most distinguished growers who also owns the iconic Garys’ and Sierra Mar Vineyards, and is partners in the Pisoni and Soberanes vineyards as well.  Wineries like Roar, Kosta Browne and Loring all make single vineyard Pinots from it, and Matias perfectly articulates the best qualities of the vineyard and at a price that will make you smile.
 
Composed by accomplished winemaker Dan Fitzgerald, who got his start by working at Williams-Selyem, Matias has become one of our most loved and request Pinots in the shop. They’re micro-produced and artisan made in every way imaginable and our only complaint is that there’s never enough to satisfy the growing demand…
 
MATIAS
2016 PINOT NOIR
ROSELLA’S VINEYARD
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “Deep ruby red in color, the bouquet opens with Huckleberry jam and black cherry followed with charcuterie and asian spice. This pinot boasts incredibly concentrated red and dark fruit that lingers, silky textured on the palate. A wine capable of long term aging, every sip offers new nuance.” 197 Cases Produced
2012 J Gregory Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon

2012 J Gregory Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSA

J GREGORY 2012 J Gregory Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2012 COOMBSVILLE

 
When we wrote about J Gregory’s Extol Red Blend in July, the wine sold out in a matter of hours, and nearly simultaneous to the delivery notices came an overabundance of re-order requests and glowing feedback.  Anybody that tasted the Extol, knows this winery is the real deal, and here’s a chance to try their 100% Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon from the epic 2012 vintage.  With around 5 years inside the bottle, this wine is indescribably stunning right now and it’s perfectly balanced and poised to go another decade. The bouquet alone merits the $95 retail price, and on the palate, the brilliantly detailed and absolutely classic Coombsville cocoa dusted black berries and graphite light up your senses.  Once you taste it, you’ll feel like you stole it.
 
Making an entrance from one of Napa Valley’s most prized vintages, this wine was expertly crafted by Mark Jessup who was on the original winemaking team at OPUS ONE from 1979 through 1987.  The Napa Valley earthquake destroyed around half of the 600 cases that were originally produced.  Lucky for us, some of the inventory has been safely tucked away at the winery for all of these years and as soon as we tasted it, we grabbed every bottle available.  If you love Cabernet, I highly recommend going BIG on this one…
 
J GREGORY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2012 COOMBSVILLE
Retails at:  $95/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “I love the way this wine sneaks up on you.  On the nose, intriguing aromas of dried blueberries, lavender, pencil lead and wet stone tease you. On my first taste, dried currants, earthy minerals, dried herbs and a hint of sweet vanilla prevail.  After some time in the glass, this one puts on weight, with concentrated cherry and dried cranberry., The excitement in the glass builds as it puts on weight in the glass, with a crescendo that peaks after well over an hour in the glass, leaving a long, penetrating finish.  This perfectly ready to drink beauty is great now, but has the structure to age for a decade or more. What a delight to drink. 94 Points
2014 Enos Totem Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 Enos Totem Ridge Vineyard Knight Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtKnight's ValleyNorth CoastUSA

ENOS  2014 Enos Totem Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
TOTEM RIDGE VINEYARD
KNIGHTS VALLEY

 
How great can a wine really be? Anybody that’s tasted VISTA and JOSEPH JEWELL knows first-hand the quality of wines that we’ve been able to find at an incredible price.  The new 2014 ENOS Cabernet is in the same category.  The vintage brought a fuller, richer and more structured wine, which is exactly what this wine needed to become something people are going to talk about for a very long time.  When you taste it for the first time you’ll be shocked by the level of quality, which is amplified in all the right places… Totem Ridge Vineyard is located on the Southern edge of the Knight’s Valley, which is an appellation shared with icons like Peter Michael and Anakota and at $60/btl this Cabernet would likely make you very happy.  From Cherry Picked Wines it’s simply one of the greatest values in the shop.
 
Commanding a presence from one of Northern California’s best vintages, one that the Wine Spectator describes as producing “dense, charming, cellar-worthy wines,” the 2014 bursts from the glass with intense dark fruits, beautifully intertwined with vivid red currants, veins of minerals, lavender, chocolates, and slate.  On the palate the wine is deep and rich with intriguing, expansive flavors that bring you back for more.  This wine is only produced in exceptional vintages, so don’t wait for the next one to secure yours…
 
ENOS
2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
TOTEM RIDGE VINEYARD
KNIGHTS VALLEY
Retails at:  $60/btl
 
 
 
Tasting Notes: “An enticing wine that has a beautifully pungent nose of bright red fruits, fresh black currants, green sage and cracked black pepper.  The approach is rich, concentrated and envelopes your palate with focused pressed blackberries, graphite, crème de cassis and cigar box.  The wine is vibrant and intense with impressive balance and brimming with crushed blueberries and ripe blackberry fruit followed by tobacco leaf and vanilla spice box.  The finish is long, and expansive with slightly dusty tannins… Unbelievable for the price”  93 Points
2017 Vineyard 36 Foundation Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2017 Vineyard 36 Foundation Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaOak KnollProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

VINEYARD 36  2017 Vineyard 36 Foundation Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2017 FOUNDATION
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 

 
Each year we make a handful of discoveries that are so inspiring, that the guys on our tasting panel can sometimes sell the wine completely out the instant it arrives in our warehouse.  Vineyard 36 is one of those wines, and when we tasted their 2016 Thirty Six Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard earlier this year, the wine disappeared in an instant.  As luck would have it, we just tasted their 2017 Foundation Proprietary Red, which includes 14% Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer George III heightened with Merlot from Oak Knoll.  We kept the wine hidden in our warehouse, just long enough to send you this note, (we hope). The wine was made at Vineyard 29, which is one of Napa Valley’s most innovative wineries with everything from gravity flow tanks to an optical sorter that can be programed algorithmically…  It was crafted by Keith Emerson who also makes Vineyard 29’s Cabernets…  At this price, you might want to skip straight to the order button.
 
Vineyard 36 is a partnership between professional athletes Cam Ward and Tim Gleason and their friend Jason Earnest.  With a shared goal of producing exceptional wines sourced from premier estates that express the diversity of Napa Valley’s finest terroirs, this is truly a winery to watch.  Wines of this quality and caliber at this price don’t not come around often, so I highly recommend grabbing what you can for your cellar, before this one disappears. 
 
VINEYARD 36 
2017 FOUNDATION
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $55/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “Explosive red and black fruit aromas are complimented by hints of violets, perfume, baking spices and vanilla.  Bright Bing cherry, hints of sandalwood and clove with a mouthwatering acid profile, medium-full body and velvety tannin structure.  A slight mineral, slate component adds a nuance to this fresh, approachable red blend.  Drinkable upon release, will age gracefully for 10+ years.” 
2016 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

2016 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaSonoma MountainUncategorizedUSA

WESTWOOD 2016 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

2016 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED

 
Legend is defined by an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field, and this wine absolutely lives up to its name.  The 2016 was expertly crafted by Philippe Melka, whose vast experience includes winemaking at Bryant Family, Quintessa, Hundred Acre, and Dominus… He’s undeniably one of Napa Valley’s most sought after and accomplished winemakers and is an absolute legend at his craft.  After tasting the wine, I wasn’t at all surprised to find out that it’s already earned double 96 Point scores.  The wine is powerfully dramatic and glides seamlessly across your palate with precision and absolute elegance.  At fifty bucks per bottle it absolutely should not be missed.
 
This legend arose from the biodynamically farmed Annadel Gap Estate Vineyard located between Mt Hood and Sonoma Mountain.  The area is heavily influenced by morning fog and high-winds, and the variety of soil types lend to the wines vast complexity.  The final blend includes 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and was enhanced with Rhone Varieties.  The flavors are incredibly individualistic, intense and well-balanced and introduce themselves in a silky and enchanting style that make this wine as unique as it is delicious.
 
WESTWOOD
2016 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl 

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“… Aromas of sweet, savory soil are primed with rich tones of blueberry preserves. Generous and a true extrovert, this red gives wide berth on the palate to creamy boysenberry and luscious, ripe plum. Red floral and graphite strike an accord with high-energy acidity...” 96 Points 
From Wine Enthusiast, “This red is brightly layered in fresh blue fruit, meat and garrigue, showing plenty of density and complexity. It has a wild character that’s intriguing and energetic, with lasting threads of white and black pepper on the finish.”  96 Points, Editor’s Choice
 
Customers who enjoy Westwood Legend may also enjoy these two outstanding Reds…
2015 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red 2017 Hourglass HG III Proprietary Red
STEPS
BARREL SELECT
2015 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl

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Tasting Notes: “Rich, opulent aromas emerge laced with fresh black raspberries, chocolate covered cherries, espresso roast and a touch of sweet vanilla oak.  Penetrating, velvety flavors of crushed blackberries, black plum, minerals, kirsch and hints of roasted coffee expand across your palate as layer upon layer of complexity unfolds.  The supple yet slightly dusty tannins beautifully frame the plush fruit as it elegantly caresses your palate through the long pleasurable finish...” 95 Points
HOURGLASS
2017 HG III
PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $54.99/btl

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From Jeb Dunnuck: “Moving to the barrel samples, the 2017 HG3 is a fruity, forward, total charmer that gives up medium to full-bodied notes of blue and black fruits and leafy herbs. It’s well-made and already hard to resist, yet I suspect it will keep for more than a decade.” 91-93 Points
2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

2015 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

BEAULIEU VINEYARDS 2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

GEORGES DE LATOUR
2015 PRIVATE RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON

 
When I tasted BV’s flagship Georges de Latour Cabernet last Fall, I knew huge scores weren’t far behind… The 2015 has such incredible intensity, matched equally with concentration, balance and length, that it will rock-the-world for just about anybody that tastes it.  The wine has Napa Valley history embedded deep into its DNA, and is a timeless classic that embodies every quality that makes Rutherford so wondrous.  Under the guidance of one of the world’s most iconic winemakers, Andre Tchelistcheff, BV built on a reputation of excellence and achievements, and now, nearly 80 vintages later, Georges de Latour is still turning heads. Just look at the group of 96-98 point scores.
 
Enchanting, profound and deeply hedonistic all come to mind when tasting the 2015.  This vintage was made in the winery’s new state-of-the-art facility and it perfectly combines time-honored traditions with modern technologies.  Birthed from the iconic BV Ranches Numbers 1 and 2, originally planted by Georges de Latour in the early 1900’s…  Now that the reviews are out, I wouldn’t hesitate long to secure your case.
 
BEAULIEU VINEYARDS
GEORGES DE LATOUR
2015 PRIVATE RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $145.00/btl
 
Your Price: $119.99/btl 

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98 Points
 
“A complex red with blackcurrants, forest floor and mint. Eucalyptus, too. Love the aromas. Full body with ripe tannins that roll on the palate. Very harmonious and precise. Needs four to five years to come together, but already a joy to taste.”

97+ Points
 “… Deep purple-colored, with a brilliant bouquet of crème de cassis, blueberries, graphite, and smoked herbs, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, terrific purity, and building tannins, which become even more apparent with extended air time… This is the real deal and count me impressed. It’s approachable today thanks to its purity and balance, but given its old-school, classic feel, I’ve no doubt it’s going to evolve for 2-3 decades.” 

97 Points
“... Dense in colour, the 2015 expresses superbly the intensity of Napa Cabernet along with hints of mint and spice. It’s surprisingly fresh on the palate with total absence of over-extraction, the fruit, oak and tannins being in perfect harmony, leading to a firm and polished finish. This is historical Napa at its very best.”

96+ Points
 “… very deep purple-black in color and reveals bags of crushed blackberries, black cherries and warm cassis notes with mocha, Sichuan pepper and hoisin plus unsmoked cigars and cedar chest hints. Full-bodied and absolutely laden with layers of black fruits and spices, it has a firm, grainy frame and seamless freshness, finishing very long.” 
 
 
Customers who enjoy BV Georges de Latour Cabernet may also enjoy these two icons… 
Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Vertical
2016 Quintessa Proprietary Red
BERINGER
PRIVATE RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
VERTICAL COLLECTION
2013 | 2014 | 2015
Retails at: $1020/6-Pack
 
Your Price: $750/6-PACK 

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[2014] From Jeb Dunnuck: “...sports an inky, opaque color to go with killer notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, hints of oak, graphite and minerality. Rich, full-bodied and beautifully concentrated, it’s tight and backward, and is more reminiscent of a 2013 than a 2014…” 96 Points
 
[2015] From James Suckling: “The spice and walnut aromas are so enticing. Undertones of blackberries and black truffles. Full-bodied, dense and layered with fantastic tension and seamless tannins. It goes on for minutes. All about classic structure and beauty…” 99 Points
QUINTESSA
2016 PROPRIETARY RED
RUTHERFORD, NAPA VALLEYYour Price: $190/btl 

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From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “… Very deep purple-black in color, it comes bounding out of the glass like a pedigree pup with exuberant notions of crème de cassis, warm blueberries and black cherries with hints of redcurrants, kirsch, candied violets, crushed rocks, cigar box and fallen leaves plus a waft of truffles. Full, rich and beautifully laced with layers of floral notes and fragrant earth, the profound black and blue fruits build slowly in the mouth, achieving great energy and depth with a beautiful velvety frame, finishing long and perfumed.” 97+ Points
2016 La Follette Lorenzo Vineyard Chardonnay

2016 La Follette Lorenzo Vineyard Chardonnay

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

LA FOLLETTE 2016 La Follette Lorenzo Vineyard Chardonnay

2016 CHARDONNAY
LORENZO VINEYARD

 
There are several key qualities that I look for in absolutely top-quality Chardonnay.  First I look at color intensity, and evaluate it for a golden hue that’s both striking and pure.  Next, is aroma, and I want to smell both complexity and precision detail. On the palate, the most important thing that I seek is balance.  A great Chardonnay can be rich, and opulent, but it needs to be finely threaded with enough acidity to be refreshing, and to not fall flat.  I found all of the above in a glass of 2016 La Follette Lorenzo Vineyard Chardonnay, and it turns out I wasn’t alone… With 94-95 Point scores from Robert Parker and Jeb Dunnuck, this micro-produced Chardonnay is screaming for your attention.  At under $40, it’s truly one of the best examples California Chardonnays that I’ve tasted in years.
 
La Follette is all about showcasing terroir, and their goal is to create a wine that is transparent to the individual site from which it was hewn.  The Lorenzo Vineyard lies in the middle of Sonoma’s Iconic Russian River Valley AVA and the vineyard gets plenty of cooling fog in the mornings and evenings which help the grapes maintain acidity throughout their lifecycle.  The 10 acre vineyard is planted to Old Wente Clone, which is a classic Chardonnay clone preferred for producing wines with intense aromatics, and rich textures.  With just 128 cases produced, I wouldn’t wait to secure yours.
 
LA FOLLETTE
2016 CHARDONNAY
LORENZO VINEYARD
Retails at:  $50.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl  
YOU SAVE 20%
 
 
“A step up, the 2016 Chardonnay Lorenzo Vineyard comes from a vineyard in the Russian River and spent ten months in 20% new French oak. It has riveting notes of caramelized lemons, white flowers, salty minerality, and toasted bread. Clean, pure, medium to full-bodied, with integrated acidity and a great finish, it has a racy, vibrant style that’s backed up by terrific intensity and depth. It’s a beauty.“  95 Points
“The 2016 Chardonnay Lorenzo Vineyard has gregarious scents of honeycomb, pink grapefruit, green mango and nectarines with touches of croissant and apple blossom. Medium-bodied, it fills the palate with great tension and tightly wound mineral and tropical layers, finishing with great length and depth. 128 cases produced.” 94 Points
 
Customers who enjoy La Follette Lorenzo Vineyard Chardonnay  may also enjoy these two terrific Chardonnays…
2017 Vine Cliff Los Carneros Chardonnay
 2017 Montagu Durell Vineyard Chardonnay
VINE CLIFF
2017 CHARDONNAY
LOS CARNEROS 
Retails at:  $50.00/btl
 

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Winery Notes: “.. opens up with inviting citrus notes of Meyer lemon and mandarin orange, followed by floral notes of honey suckle, and jasmine. A second breath of wine takes you to a place of minerals, with hints of flint and wet stones. The gentle kiss of oak seems to seep through the fruit ever so slowly. The beauty of this vintage is reflected by the perfect balance between fruit, oak, and acid. The palate exhibits a depth of fruit flavors ranging from golden delicious apple, tangelo, and nectarine. On the finish the wine ends with a medley of honey, citrus, and floral notes.”
MONTAGU
2017 CHARDONNAY
DURELL VINEYARD
Retails at:  $55/btl
 

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Winery Notes: “This Chardonnay hails exclusively from the DurellVineyard in Sonoma Coast. The Chardonnay is bright, powerful, and driven by a flinty minerality balanced with tropical fruit notes of white peach, honeyed apricots, and lemon curd with hints of mint and citrus. This wine was fermented in French barrels and spent one year in barrel leading to wonderfully balanced oak integration while sur lee aging developed rich complexity.”