2018 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges De Latour Private Reserve

2018 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

BEAULIEU VINEYARDS

GEORGES DE LATOUR
PRIVATE RESERVE 2018
CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2018 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges De Latour Private Reserve
Few wines in the Napa Valley have the same historical prestige as Beaulieu Vineyard’s Georges de Latour Private Reserve, setting the benchmark for Napa Cabernet Sauvignon for over 80 years. André Tchelistcheff didn’t know it at the time, but his talented winemaking helped create one of the most collected American wines and one of the first true “cult” Cabernets in the New World.
 
André coined the term “Rutherford dust” because of the unique aroma that gives wines a provenance that can’t be matched anywhere else in the world. The 2018 release is an elegantly structured wine with layers of complexity and finely integrated tannins that create a solid backbone for aging, making it a fine addition to any collector’s cellar. As a side note, former BV winemaker for 27 years, Joel Aiken, is part of our weekly tasting panel, and his insight is invaluable.
 
BEAULIEU VINEYARDS
GEORGES DE LATOUR
PRIVATE RESERVE 2018
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $145
 
Your Price: $139.99
 
 
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve is fabulous. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2018 is a fine addition to the lineage of one of Napa Valley’s most historic wines. Inky red fruit, chocolate, leather and licorice all open in the glass. Aeration brings out floral top notes, raspberry and a hint of blood orange. There is plenty of depth, but the tannins are finer than they were a few years ago. Shorter time on the skins and a reduction in barrel fermentations really allow the pedigree of these Rutherford sites to come through. The 2018 is sensational.”
98 Points
 
“Blackberry, blackcurrant and mint with some sage and crushed-stone undertones. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that are in-check and nicely polished. Smoke, toasted oak and bark at the end, complementing the fresh yet ripe fruit. Drink after 2024.”
98 Points
 
“The famous wine lives up to its historic promise in this wonderfully complex and structured vintage, the wine showing an abundance of tension and youthful grip. Earthy in dried herb, cedar and sage, it shares notes of black currant, cassis and forest within a textured and brightly layered foundation of elegant ageablity. Enjoy best from 2028–2038.”
97 Points, Cellar Selection
2017 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2017

2017 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2017

with No Comment $50-$60Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

GROTH 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
OAKVILLE 2017

2017 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2017
When Groth received the first 100 Point score for an American-made wine in 1985, they proved Oakville fruit’s vast potential and elevated Napa Valley wine to even higher heights. Groth believes that every great winery must be committed to consistency and continuity, beliefs that led to their wines being published on the Wine Spectator’s prestigious Top 100 Wines list nearly a dozen times.
 
Sustainability is at the forefront of the vineyard and winemaking practices at Groth, producing wines with Napa Green and Fish Friendly Farming certified practices since 2014. Their Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon emerges from the winery’s Estate vineyard and a few select properties from the heart of the Oakville AVA, crafted to remind us of the region’s most classic traits, detailing why the area is considered by many to be Napa’s grand cru.
 
GROTH 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
OAKVILLE 2017
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $59.99
 
 
“The 2017 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon (Oakville) is a gorgeous wine. Pliant and racy in the glass with striking depth, it offers terrific richness and intensity. The 2017 benefits from some lots that might have otherwise gone into the Reserve. Super-ripe dark red cherry, pomegranate, mint, cinnamon and rose petal all add nuance, but it is the wine’s balance and overall sense of harmony that stand out the most. This flamboyant Cabernet is a real overachiever.”
91 Points
 
“Open and plush in feel, with a pretty, savory frame surrounding gently mulled plum and blackberry notes. Light tobacco and warm stone details chime on the finish. Drink now through 2027.”
91 Points
 
“This has a mineral nose with aromas of blackcurrants, dried herbs, graphite and iodine. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins. A little short, but nicely done. Give it time to open. Drink or hold.”
91 Points
2019 AXR Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2019 AXR Proprietary Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSaint HelenaUSA

AXR

PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 AXR Proprietary Red Napa Valley
If vines could speak, AXR’s historic St. Helena estate’s vines would have stories as juicy as their fruit, chronicled for 134 years as the property transitioned from a brewery, restaurant, inn, saloon, and winery, including having one of the first female winemakers in California in 1886. Today the winery celebrates Napa’s progress and innovation, helping elevate the valley’s name to the high-quality standing wine lovers worldwide seek.
 
Winemaker Jean Hoefliger draws on his experiences working in the cellars at Chateau Carbonnieux and Chateau Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux, bringing a Grand Cru Classé prestige to his Napa Valley masterpieces. This Proprietary Red Blend is a classic Left Bank style with 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, but for a much friendlier price than a comparable quality French Bordeaux. The 2019 vintage is rocking right now and will continue to improve over the next decade or more.
 
AXR
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“An aromatic red with notes of ripe cassis and blackberries, flowers, chocolate and cigar box. Full body, an array of plush, polished tannins and juicy, delicious fruit. Long finish. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 5% cabernet franc, 4% merlot and 1% petit verdot…”
95 Points
2013 Korbin Kameron Kristen Proprietary Red Moon Mountain District

2013 Korbin Kameron Kristen Proprietary Red Moon Mountain District

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtMoon MountainMt VeederNapaProprietary RedUSA

KORBIN KAMERON

KRISTIN PROPRIETARY RED
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT 2013

2013 Korbin Kameron Kristen Proprietary Red Moon Mountain District
Korbin Kameron’s success results from continuous improvement to their Estate, relentless drive, and talent, combining the skills of 100-Point winemaker Timothy Milos with “the ubiquitous wizard of sustainable winemaking,” Phil Coturri, who has over 35 years of knowledge of organic and biodynamic farming. The Moonridge Vineyard hovers high above the valley floor at Mt. Veeder’s peak at 2,300 feet elevation and is sustainably farmed by Phil, resulting in a pure and natural expression of concentrated mountain fruit.
 
Tim creates wines with the family’s vision in mind, calling on traditional winemaking practices and a minimalist approach, producing terroir-driven wines with distinctive vineyard characteristics. The Kristin Proprietary Red Blend is a Bordeaux style blend with nine years of age that’s aided the evolution of the wine, giving silky-smooth tannins, lush fruit, and sweet baking spices along with an impressive intensity that makes a lasting impression.
 
KORBIN KAMERON
KRISTIN PROPRIETARY RED
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT 2013
Retails at: $85
 
 
 
“The 2013 Korbin Kameron Proprietary Red Blend Kristin is exquisite yet powerful, opening with lavender, rose petals, black cherries, baker’s chocolate, cayenne pepper, and petrichor. On the palate, the wine is soft and supple with flavors of blueberry pie, marzipan, and sweet cloves. This wine is at a sweet spot in its development but still has aging potential due to its intensely concentrated mountain fruit.”
95 Points
2017 The Mascot Red Wine Napa Valley

2017 The Mascot Red Wine Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

THE MASCOT

RED WINE 
NAPA VALLEY 2017

2017 The Mascot Red Wine Napa Valley
The Mascot shares all of the hallmarks of Napa Valley’s most elite wines, such as meticulous farming, high-profile winemaking, and pedigreed grapes. Emerging from distinct hillside vineyards, specifically from the comparatively younger vines of BOND, Harlan Estate, and Promontory, The Mascot lucidly reveals its distinguished pedigree with each swirl of the glass while offering insight into the vintage and evolution of its parent properties.
 
While the winery doesn’t specify exact grape varietal percentages in each vintage, The Mascot has historically been 85-95% Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. Crafted in an intensely captivating style that’s gloriously supple, penetrating, and harmoniously balanced, only a few very select retailers have the opportunity to offer this wine, and we are delighted to be one of them!
 
THE MASCOT
RED WINE 
NAPA VALLEY 2017
 
Your Price: $160
 
 
“…The nose draws forward notes of red fruit and elements—earth, warm spice, leather—often deferred to the finish. Lithesome tannins and vibrant acidity attend a crystalline structure that is finely wrought and radiantly transparent.”
ORIN SWIFT 8 YEARS IN THE DESERT ZINFANDEL BLEND 2020 In 2000, Dave Phinney made his first vintage of The Prisoner, a Zinfandel-based red blend that went “viral” and is now a household name after captivating audiences worldwide, offering something different but seriously delicious. In 2008, Dave sold The Prisoner to Huneeus Vintners with an eight-year non-compete agreement to not produce Zinfandel blends under his brand, Orin Swift. 8 Years in the Desert represents the dry spell that Dave agreed to, lasting until 2016 when he proudly introduced his new splendor. Sourcing fruit from a vast collection of top-of-the-line vineyards from California’s most ideal growing regions, this wine is a bold, approachable style layered with complexity and hedonistic fruits. ORIN SWIFT 8 YEARS IN THE DESERT ZINFANDEL BLEND 2020 Retails at: $50 Your Price: $45

2020 Orin Swift 8 Years In The Desert Zinfandel Blend

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtUSAZinfandel

ORIN SWIFT

8 YEARS IN THE DESERT
ZINFANDEL BLEND 2020

ORIN SWIFT 8 YEARS IN THE DESERT ZINFANDEL BLEND 2020 In 2000, Dave Phinney made his first vintage of The Prisoner, a Zinfandel-based red blend that went “viral” and is now a household name after captivating audiences worldwide, offering something different but seriously delicious. In 2008, Dave sold The Prisoner to Huneeus Vintners with an eight-year non-compete agreement to not produce Zinfandel blends under his brand, Orin Swift. 8 Years in the Desert represents the dry spell that Dave agreed to, lasting until 2016 when he proudly introduced his new splendor. Sourcing fruit from a vast collection of top-of-the-line vineyards from California’s most ideal growing regions, this wine is a bold, approachable style layered with complexity and hedonistic fruits. ORIN SWIFT 8 YEARS IN THE DESERT ZINFANDEL BLEND 2020 Retails at: $50 Your Price: $45
In 2000, Dave Phinney made his first vintage of The Prisoner, a Zinfandel-based red blend that went “viral” and is now a household name after captivating audiences worldwide, offering something different but seriously delicious. In 2008, Dave sold The Prisoner to Huneeus Vintners with an eight-year non-compete agreement to not produce Zinfandel blends under his brand, Orin Swift.
 
8 Years in the Desert represents the dry spell that Dave agreed to, lasting until 2016 when he proudly introduced his new splendor. Sourcing fruit from a vast collection of top-of-the-line vineyards from California’s most ideal growing regions, this wine is a bold, approachable style layered with complexity and hedonistic fruits.
 
ORIN SWIFT
8 YEARS IN THE DESERT
ZINFANDEL BLEND 2020
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“Bright violet in the glass, the 2020 8 Years in the Desert is the epitome of our style, the reason we are even here in the first place. As it’s being poured, the aromatics hit squarely on the nose with a perception of sweetness: pure brambly raspberry juice and blueberry preserves with a hint of white pepper and High Sierra forest floor. Yet, the perceived sweetness on the nose is just that, perceived, and doesn’t carry through to the palate. Lush and enveloping with a beam of acidity, notes of blackberry pie, plum and kirsch flourish. Ultra-round tannins and lingering raspberry, the wine finishes in slow-motion.”
2017 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2017 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

SILVER OAK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
NAPA VALLEY 2017

2017 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Silver Oak is one of the most consistent, high-quality producers of Cabernet Sauvignon domestically, continuously delivering in their distinctive style of age-worthy Cabernets with extravagant levels of sweet black fruits, vanilla, and savory elements. The winery was born out of a dairy barn in 1972, and to this day, Silver Oak’s driving philosophy behind the wines is that their best bottle of wine is yet to be made, which is hard to imagine if you’ve ever enjoyed their wines over the years.
 
The overall blend of the wine changes with each season’s conditions, and the 2017 vintage combines just over 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. Silver Oak’s distinctive style comes by aging their Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for an impressive 24 months in American oak barrels and two more years in the bottle before release. The extended barrel aging and time in the bottle results in a wine with beautifully integrated flavors that’s ready to drink now and will stand the test of time.
 
SILVER OAK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
NAPA VALLEY 2017
 
Your Price: $139.99
 
 
“Our 2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is ruby in color with notes of blackberry, blueberry, roasted coffee beans, coriander and a hint of nutmeg. Smooth upon entry, this wine is broad and plush on the mid-palate. It has an elegant density throughout and a long, generous finish. Given proper cellaring conditions, this wine will show beautifully through 2041.”
2020 Emeritus Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2020 Emeritus Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

EMERITUS

PINOT NOIR 2020
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2020 Emeritus Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Emeritus proprietors favor wines with balance and vineyard character over those with intensity and varietal character alone, following a Burgundian philosophy where the grape acts as a vector for translating the terroir in a glass. It is essential to Emeritus to be an estate winery because they believe that winemaking begins in the vineyard, and having complete control over their land is ideal for cultivating the vines to their pinnacle of potential.
 
All vineyards are dry-farmed, forcing the vines to dig deep into the earth, searching for nutrients and water and enhancing the overall complexity and minerality of the wines. The 2020 Emeritus Russian River Pinot Noir is a blend of Emeritus’ estate vineyards planted in coveted the Goldridge soils of the Green and Russian River Valleys, and at $40 is a serious contender of ultimate quality.
 
EMERITUS
PINOT NOIR 2020
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The Emeritus Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2020 begins with a deep, rich nose of ripe boysenberries, cola bean, violets, and fresh mushrooms. The palate is bright, fresh, and concentrated, with complementary flavors of medium intensity. It has mouth-quenching acidity and an elegant, long finish. This bottling drinks beautifully now but will put on even more weight and body over the next couple of years.”
92 Points
2018 Grand Napa Master Red Napa Valley

2018 Grand Napa Master Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40CoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSaint HelenaUSA

GRAND NAPA 

MASTER RED
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Grand Napa Master Red Napa Valley
Grand Napa Vineyards in Rutherford produces full-bodied wines with depth, character, and balance from select vineyards that give fruit with powerful concentration and plush tannins. Winemaker Dwight Bonewell is involved in the vineyards and the winery, ensuring that only the best fruit is harvested and sorted by hand before coaxing each vineyard’s unique character into its purest expression.
 
The Master Red is a tribute to the early award-winning Bordeaux style blends from Napa, combining 55% Cabernet Sauvignon with almost equal parts Merlot and Malbec, all grown in Coombsville and Saint Helena, attributing complexity from cooler and warmer parts of the Valley. 2018 is an exquisite vintage due to ideal growing conditions without any significant heatwaves, allowing to wine to be delicately layered with complex aromas and flavors that would make the early wines of Napa genuinely proud.
 
GRAND NAPA 
MASTER RED
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $90
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“Loads of black cherries, currants, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and spring flower notes emerge from the 2018 Master Red. A medium to full-bodied, lightly textured blend with integrated tannins and a clean, classy finish, I’d be thrilled to drink bottles any time over the coming 10-15 years.” 
92 Points
 
“Savory aromas of dried mushroom and oyster shell on the nose, layered with dried blackcurrant and tobacco. It’s medium- to full-bodied with sleek, integrated tannins. Flavorful with a juicy, savory finish. Try from 2021.” 
92 Points
2018 Booker Fracture Syrah Paso Robles

2018 Booker Fracture Syrah Paso Robles

with No Comment $90-$100Central CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesSyrahUSA

BOOKER

FRACTURE SYRAH
PASO ROBLES 2018

2018 Booker Fracture Syrah Paso Robles
Dedicated to growing fruit for some of the best wineries in Paso Robles, Eric Jensen farmer and winemaker at Booker Winery, gained valuable experience from neighbors Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure, and friend Justin Smith of Saxum. Fracture is one of Booker’s flagship wines, with its name paying homage to the limestone that causes the calcareous soil in the vineyard to crack.
 
Paso Robles welcomed the cooler 2018 vintage, leading to a relaxed harvest of healthy fruit and longer hang-time for the grapes, allowing them to develop more complex flavors and aromas. This 100% Syrah is made in a silky smooth style that Eric describes as “falling into a soft pillow” that is ready to drink right off of the bottling line but also has the potential to age for another 20 years or longer. 
 
BOOKER
FRACTURE SYRAH
PASO ROBLES 2018
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“Another magical wine, the 2018 Fracture is based on 100% Syrah brought up in new and used French oak. Deep purple-hued, with beautiful notes of crème de cassis, blackberries, vanilla bean, toasted spices, white flowers, and a hints of charcuterie, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, perfectly integrated oak, a rounded, lush mouthfeel, and a great finish. This unabashedly Paso Robles Syrah brings loads of fruit yet stays balanced, elegant, and is simply a thrill to drink.”
98 Points
 
“Youthful purple. Heady, spice-accented aromas of blackberry, blueberry cherry liqueur and pungent flowers show excellent clarity and energetic lift. Sappy and penetrating on the palate, displaying sharply defined black/blue fruit, violet pastille, cola and exotic spice flavors that turn livelier as the wine opens up. Finishes extremely long, smoky and minerally, with powerful, spicy thrust, a repeating floral note and gently chewy, polished tannins.”
97 Points