2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

JOSEPH JEWELL 2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2014 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 

 
We’ve introduced some unbelievable values this year, more so than in any year previously.  However, there’s just one wine that I can honestly say is the best wine I’ve ever tasted in this price range.  For that reason, Joseph Jewell’s Russian River Valley Pinot was an easy choice as my #3 wine of the year in 2018.  After all, the 2014 combines fruit from Hallberg, Floodgate and Bucher Vineyards… Williams Selyem and Gary Farrell fans likely recognize these sites.  The 2014 washes over your palate with stunning balance, detail and length, and it perfectly portrays everything that I look for in cool climate California Pinot Noir.  It truly drinks like a killer forty dollar Pinot, and wines like this don’t come around often. Make sure to join our Insider’s Club for special pricing and be the first find out about these hidden gems.
 
This Pinot hasn’t left my mind, or my glass for very long since I first tasted it, and in equal detail are the mineral-laced blueberries, bramble fruit, black tea, dried rose and touches of violets that are etched in my memory.  The 2014 elevated for 11 months in Francois Freres, Ermitage and Rousseau barrels, and has blossomed over the last 3 years in the bottle. If you love Pinot Noir, and better yet, even if you don’t… try a case of this, and I think you’ll become and instant fan. 

 

 
JOSEPH JEWELL
2014 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at:  $38/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “A special barrel selection from our favorite Russian River vineyard sites, this wine offers elegance from start to finish. This wine beckons with an exquisite bouquet of raspberry and black cherry laced with hints of rose petals and violets. A soft mid-palate is highlighted by fresh, bright red fruits that linger long on the finish.”
2013 Valdez St Peter's Church Zinfandel

2013 Ulises Valdez St. Peter’s Church Zinfandel

with No Comment $30-$40Alexander ValleyKevin VogtSonomaUSAZinfandel

ULISES VALDEZ 2013 Valdez St Peter's Church Zinfandel

2013 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH

When comparing the Ulises Valdez St. Peter’s Church Zinfandel to all of the others that I’ve tasted over the years, it’s number one in my mind, and for that reason it was a clear choice as my #4 wine in 2018.  Detailed, intense, penetrating, balanced are all perfect descriptors for this wine… The winery was founded by the late Ulises Valdez, one of California’s most sought after wine growers, revered for farming vineyards for Aubert, Kistler, Paul Hobbs and others.  When he wasn’t farming for California’s most elite vineyards, he was cultivating his dream of building a successful brand and his children continue in his legacy of hard-work, passion, and family.
 
Arising from a 5 acre vineyard in Alexander Valley that’s planted to nearly century old vines, this wine exhibits all the qualities that I look for in Old Vine Zinfandel. Rosenblum fans might also recognize this vineyard from single vineyard Zinfandels that they produced in the 1990’s.  I’ve always believed that “perfect” wines are exceptional to nearly everyone who tastes them, regardless of varietal.  This is one of those and this exemplary ancient vine Zinfandel absolutely shouldn’t be missed…
 
ULISES VALDEZ
2013 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 

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Tasting Notes: “This impeccably balanced zinfandel flaunts energizing flavors and aromas of ripe black cherries, concentrated pomegranate, and crushed blackberries with hints of white rose petals, cocoa powder and pipe tobacco. The perfect balance shines through with an amazing brightness that elegantly supports the richly focused flavors.  Simply stunning!“ 94 Points

2013 Humanitas George’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUncategorizedUSA

HUMANITAS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 GEORGE’S VINEYARD

 
Clinching the #5 spot on my list of the Top Five Wines of 2018 is a wine that is so immediately compelling that I get a blissful sense each time I taste it. Experiencing that in a wine, particularly at this price, compels me to put some in my own cellar so I can experience it again and again.  With the clarity and definition fitting a wine you’d rightfully pay much more for, the 2013 Humanitas George’s Vineyard Cabernet cascades across your palate with enticing flavors and penetrating intensity, revealing endless layers of silky dark fruits, bittersweet chocolate, dried violets, and hints of sweet vanilla…  Over-achieving at its $65 retail price, make sure to join our Insider’s Club and unlock special values.
 
Authored by winemaker Rob Lloyd, former winemaker at Rombauer,  this gorgeous 2013 Cabernet was sourced from a single vineyard in Wooden Valley, located near Altamura. Benefitting from 22 months in oak barrels and now with 3 years of development in the bottle, words can’t express how great this wine is drinking right now… With a mere 240 cases produced, and very few remaining, I strongly recommend grabbing yours, now. 
 
HUMANITAS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 GEORGE’S VINEYARD
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 

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Tasting Notes: “A prodigious wine that is intensely focused and penetrating without being cloying on the palate.  The linear construction concentrates expansive layers of red currant, animal blood and crushed blackberries with toasty sweet vanilla and supple tannins.  The perfect combination of both red and black fruits, violets, graphite and cocoa powder, all wrapped in a mouth-quenching style that makes your palate beg for another sip.” 95 Points

2016 Skryne Napa Valley Red Blend

2016 Skryne Road Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUncategorizedUSA

SKRYNE ROAD

PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY

2016 Skryne Napa Valley Red Blend
The path to wine enlightenment can have a few bumps and rough spots along the way, but it should also be full of memories and new experiences.  Turning onto Skryne Road is like driving on a perfectly smooth road, with curves beautifully shaped, and in all the right places.  It is an absolute pleasure to explore… Wow!  One taste will make you do a brake check, so you can slow down to enjoy the seamless ride.  And while the varietals in the blend might hint at a ride through Tuscany, this wine is completely new world…  It’s created in voluptuous style, laced with holiday spices, sassafras, supple berries and black chocolates.  The blend is paved with Cabernet Sauvignon at over 70% and beautifully landscaped with Merlot, Sangiovese and Petite Sirah…
 
The name Skryne Road (pronounced screen), pays tribute to the winery owners routes and family home on Skryne Road in Ireland.  After arriving in Napa Valley in 1994 they embarked on the path towards producing a wine.  The first descriptors that come to mind when tasting this wine are riveting, deep and enchanting. You won’t believe how great this wine is…
 
SKRYNE ROAD
PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $62/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “Our 2016 Blend is bright with flavors of bramble-berry and black cherry combined with vanilla bean. The palate is round and supple, with fruity characteristics of raspberry jam and soft, silky tannins. Culminating with hints of peppercorn and baking spices“
2016 Silverpoint Petaluma Gap Chardonnay

2016 Silverpoint ‘Petaluma Gap’ Chardonnay

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtPetaluma GapSonomaUSA

SILVERPOINT

2016 Silverpoint Petaluma Gap Chardonnay2016 CHARDONNAY
PETALUMA GAP

 
There are a lot of reasons why Chardonnay is one of the most widely planted varieties in the world, and one of the most popular among consumers.  It’s one of the richest of the white wine varieties, yet can also have amazing balance.  Silverpoint’s new 2016 Chardonnay from the Petaluma Gap perfectly highlights these qualities ….and it’s one of the best Chardonnays that I’ve tasted this year.  It was authored by Don Van Staaveren who was responsible for authoring the Chateau St. Jean wines and made history when his 1996 Cinq Cepages was recognized as the #1 wine on the Spectator Top 100 list, and the first Sonoma wine to garner the #1 spot. Chardonnays of this extraordinary quality and value don’t come around often, and with just 167 cases produced, I wouldn’t hesitate to order yours… 
 
Hailing from the Rodgers Creek Vineyard located in the Petaluma Gap, this is a source for single vineyard wines from Ramey, Sojourn and Cherry Pie. Spending 15 months in oak and aged sur lie, a French term meaning literally ‘on the sediment’, plays a large role in contributing to this wine’s rich, opulent texture.  If you’re searching for a sensational bottle of Chardonnay to share with your friends and family… this is it.    

 

SILVERPOINT
2016 CHARDONNAY
PETALUMA GAP
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “Rich and pale gold with a creamy texture balanced by a lively acidity.  Hints of melon and white peach.  Voluptuous.  A long juicy finish lets you linger with this Chardonnay.“
2015 Juslyn Perry's Blend Spring Mountain Proprietary Red

2015 Juslyn Perry’s Blend Spring Mountain Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSpring MountainUSA

JUSLYN

2015 PERRY’S BLEND
SPRING MOUNTAIN 

2015 Juslyn Perry's Blend Spring Mountain Proprietary Red
Second chances don’t always come back around, but this one just did, and it marks the perfect start to this holiday season.  When we offered this wine last June, we predicted that mid 90’s scores weren’t far behind.  That prediction came to fruition just a few weeks ago when this wine earned a blockbuster 95 point score from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate.  Assisting in their constant pursuit of perfection, consulting winemaker Angelina Mondavi, who’s worked alongside Jayson Woodbridge at Hundred Acre, helped craft this masterpiece… At the retail price of $95/btl, this is a brilliant bottle of wine and a great representation of Spring Mountain terroir, but you might just want to join our email list and grab as much as you can…   
 
At 81% Cabernet Sauvignon this vintage of Perry’s Blend is stunningly powerful and oozes sweet mulberries, chocolate covered cherries, pen ink, graphite and hints of savory spices.  This wine conveys all of the noble traits that make Spring Mountain so desired, and immediately out of the bottle it’s absolutely rocking and promises another 12-15 years of enjoyment.  Don’t wait too long to secure this blockbuster 95 Point wine…
 
JUSLYN
2015 PERRY’S BLEND
SPRING MOUNTAIN 
Retails at:  $95.00/btl
 
 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “The 2015 Perry’s Blend is deep garnet-purple colored and reveals fragrant kirsch, stewed tea and rose scents with touches of sandalwood, preserved plums, blackberry pie and mulberries plus eucalyptus and tilled soil. The palate is full-bodied and boldly fruited with a firm, velvety frame and a very long, multilayered finish.” 95 Points
2013 Enos Totem Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Enos ‘Totem Ridge Vineyard’ Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtKnight's ValleySonomaUSA

ENOS 

2013 Enos Totem Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
TOTEM RIDGE VINEYARD
KNIGHT’S VALLEY

 
One of my favorite feelings that comes from opening a bottle of wine is one of an overwhelming rush of, wow, I just got a really good deal…  For customer appreciation week this year, we wanted to give you an opportunity to experience that over and over again, with a full week of our best deals of the year.  The only thing steeper than the incline of Totem Ridge Vineyard is the vertigo inducing discount of this $60 Cabernet … The vineyard is located on the Southern edge of the Knight’s Valley, which is an appellation shared with icons like Peter Michael and Anakota…  At $60/btl this wine is a terrific find… At our price it’s one of the best Cabernet offers that we’ve presented all year.
 
If you’re looking for an inky, ripe, fruit bomb with lots of sweet oak and vanilla this wine is NOT for you… If you enjoy a more linear Cabernet with vivid red berries, veins of minerals, spices and crème de cassis.  Don’t let this one slip by.  It opens with a burst of dried raspberries, black cherries, bay leaf, pipe tobacco, crushed rock and incense.  On the palate the wine is long and balanced with intriguing and 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 
2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
TOTEM RIDGE VINEYARD
KNIGHT’S VALLEY
Retails at:  $60/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “The 2013 Enos Totem Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon expresses ripe blackberry aromas, notes of cigar box and a burst of cola. Elegant tannins and balanced acidity support a full and firm structure. The round, juicy finish is long and seamless showcased by cedar spice, bing cherry and loamy earth.”
2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUncategorizedUSA

JOSEPH JEWELL 2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2014 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

 
When I first introduced Joseph Jewell’s sensational value Pinot in September, I asked you what the best wine that you’ve ever tasted in the $20 range was?  I’m confident now that many of you have had a chance to try this Pinot, you would agree that it is this Joseph Jewell…   I can tell you without ANY hesitation that it’s my choice too and I personally bought 7 cases for my home cellar, which tells you what I think of it.  The 2014 combines fruit from Hallberg, Floodgate and Bucher Vineyards… Williams Selyem and Gary Farrell fans likely recognize these sites.  The 2014 washes over your palate with stunning balance, detail and length, and it perfectly portrays everything that I look for in cool climate California Pinot Noir.  It truly drinks like a killer forty dollar Pinot, and wines like this don’t come around often at this price
 
This Pinot hasn’t left my mind (or my glass for very long) since I first tasted it, and in equal detail are the mineral-laced blueberries, bramble fruit, black tea, dried rose and touches of violets that are etched in my memory.  The 2014 was elevated for 11 months in Francois Freres, Ermitage and Rousseau barrels, and has blossomed over the last 3 years in the bottle. If you love Pinot Noir, and better yet, even if you don’t… try a case of this, and I think you’ll become and instant fan.
 
JOSEPH JEWELL
2014 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at:  $38/btl
 
 
 
Winery Notes: “A special barrel selection from our favorite Russian River vineyard sites, this wine offers elegance from start to finish. This wine beckons with an exquisite bouquet of raspberry and black cherry laced with hints of rose petals and violets. A soft mid-palate is highlighted by fresh, bright red fruits that linger long on the finish.”
2015 Hundred Acre ARK Cabernet Sauvignon

2015 Hundred Acre Cabernet Sauvignon(s)

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUncategorizedUSA

HUNDRED ACRE

2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON(S)
ARK | KAYLI MORGAN

 
What does it take to make a perfect 100 Point wine? It takes much more than impeccable fruit sources, extreme vineyard management and a highly-skilled winemaker.  For Hundred Acre it’s Jayson Woodbridge’s relentless pursuit of perfection, absolutely no compromises and no single detail overlooked… The results simply cannot be denied, and the countless Hundred Point wines left in his dominating wake are an absolute joy to behold, but nearly impossible to acquire… Imagine a wine so deep and bold that each sip gives you goose-bumps… Sounds great right? You simply have to experience them to understand…
 
The 2015 can be defined as the height of the drought in Napa Valley, which in turn produced smaller berries with tremendous concentration and much lower yields.  With the scarcity of the 2015’s, it would be wise to secure yours before the scores are released.
 
 
2015 Hundred Acre ARK Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Hundred Acre Kayli Morgan Cabernet Sauvignon
HUNDRED ACRE
2015 ARK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
 
Your Price: $499.99/btl

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Winery Notes: “The single estate vineyard ARK is located just outside St. Helena, California at the base of Howell Mountain. It was originally planted in the 1880’s, but was sadly lost to Prohibition. It took us five years to rebuild; she is our pride and joy. The ARK is comprised of nine different blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon, planted meter by meter in nine different volcanic soil strata. The vineyard stretches through a sixty-million-year time sequence: three ancient beach fronts, a prehistoric weapons quarry, and spans a 180-degree arc of the sun over its half-mile length.” 
HUNDRED ACRE
2015 KAYLI MORGAN
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
 
Your Price: $499.99/btl

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Winery Notes: “Kayli Morgan is where it all started. In August of 2000, I paid the highest price to date ever paid for planted vineyard land in Napa Valley. After examining the vineyard over a week’s time, I knew I had to own it and that it would make one of the world’s greatest wines. Six weeks later we harvested the first vintage of Hundred Acre, and in a year that was panned by the press, I made one of the highest scoring wines of the vintage…the rest is history….  Kayli Morgan is a single estate vineyard and 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.”

2017 Armida Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

with No Comment $30 and underDry Creek ValleyKevin VogtSonomaUncategorizedUSAZinfandel

ARMIDA

2017 ZINFANDEL
DRY CREEK VALLEY

 
One of my favorite attributes found in wines is a perceptible level of tension on the palate. Tension can highlight specific characteristics in a wine and contribute energy and complexity on the palate.  There are many winemaking tools and techniques that can be used to create it.  Utilizing multiple clones, varietals or vineyards can add tension. It can come from utilizing both younger and older vines, the use of different types of oak barrels or multiple fermentation methods.  Armida’s 2017 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel shows tremendous tension and was created from a mix of 2/3 old and 1/3 younger vines.  They source from over a dozen vineyard sources Dry Creek, both hillside and valley floor and most of them are farmed by 4th and 5th generation farmers.
 
Immersed in exceptional vineyards, this classic Californian Zinfandel perfectly portrays the essence of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel.  The winery ferments the grapes from each distinct vineyard separately before creating a masterful blend.  They also use a complex mix of American, Hungarian and French oak adding yet even more complexity.  At $23/btl, you simply can’t afford to miss this…
 
ARMIDA
2017 ZINFANDEL
DRY CREEK VALLEY
 
Your Price: $23/btl 
 
 
Winery Notes: “Inky black with brash and seductive blackberry, plum, and smoky oak aromas. Bold, rich flavors of black-cherry jam, raspberry, cola, mocha and anise are wrapped in a warm blanket of vanilla spice and oak. A muscular yet balanced wine finishing long and sweet.“
Zinfandel 90% | Petite Sirah 10%
 
 
Customers who enjoy Armida Dry Creek Zinfandel may also enjoy these two terrific Reds… 
2015 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red 2016 Prisoner Wine Co Saldo Zinfandel
WESTWOOD
2015 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $44.00/btl
 

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From Tasting Panel: “… (25% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, 15% Zinfandel and 10% Tannat) … The perfume is primarily floral: gardenia, red rose petals – with accents on red plum and an echo of black pepper. The palate is a silk road with gritty chocolate tannins. But the ruby slippers that carry you down the path bursts with red plum, dark chocolate cherries, exotic jasmine and grilled meat with soy sauce. The finish is pleasurable with a creamy cedar note.”  95 Points
SALDO
2016 ZINFANDEL
PRISONER WINE CO.
Retails at:  $32.00/btl
 
Your Price: $27.99/btl

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Wonderfully alive on the palate, the 2016 expresses vibrant red fruit, crushed pepper, blueberry liqueur and cocoa dusted cherries. Winemaker Chrissy Wittmann is really showing her obvious talent in this remarkably balanced, yet full-bodied Zin, which arrives loaded with vibrancy and is layered with excitement.  A serious value, the retail price has remained nearly unchanged since their first vintage back in 2007.