2015 Chateau Soussans Margaux

2015 Chateau Soussans Margaux

with No Comment $30-$40BordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin Vogt

CHÂTEAU SOUSSANS

2015 MARGAUX 

2015 Chateau Soussans Margaux
Our weekly tastings are done unbiased, with the retail price often unknown until after a wine makes our selection. We choose them based on quality, varietal and regional standards, and many other determining factors. Once a wine passes that test, the price comes into play, and we look for wines that outperform others in the same price category. I had pegged Château Soussans 2015 Margaux as a $50-$60 outstanding and classic representation of the region and vintage. When I found out that I could offer it to you for $36, I grabbed all I could…
 
Shaped from the highly sought after 2015 vintage, which the Wine Spectator describes as “truly special” in Margaux, Château Soussans is the second wine of Château Deyrem Valentin. Christelle Sorge tends the vines and manages both Estates, and she stands apart for her pure, traditional processes in the vineyards and winery, where her wines are 100% organic and natural. 
 
Christelle’s wine team forged Château Soussans from a small 5-acre parcel planted equally to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and located within the Deyrem-Valentin property. The 25 + year-old vines follow the same routine as Deyrem-Valentin, and the wine balances elegance with power and beautifully defined flavors that are classic to the region. 
 
CHÂTEAU SOUSSANS
2015 MARGAUX
 
Your Price: $36
 
“The Chateau Soussans 2015 is a beautiful, elegant achievement that begins with an intriguing nose with red plums, powdered stone, white flowers, forest ferns, and saddle leather. The palate has waves of mixed berries, red cherries, liquid minerals, and vanilla spice. It is a beautiful balance between power and elegance, which is everything you want from a Margaux.”
94 Points
 
“Made with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot the wine is soft and silky with perfumed strawberry jam on the nose. Ripe plum and cream come through on the palate which has supple tannins and an attractive, lively red fruit finish. This elegant Margaux will be lovely to drink, share and enjoy over the next decade.”
2016 Rafael et Fils Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2016 Rafael et Fils Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

RAFAEL et FILS

2016 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
ESTATE, NAPA VALLEY

2016 Rafael et Fils Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
In winemaking, state-of-the-art equipment and acclaimed fruit sources never hurt, but the human element of having passionate people involved can be as evident as the terroir itself. Marc Rafael is infectiously passionate, spirited, and an all-around nice guy. His wines are some of the most balanced, honest, and well-rounded interpretations of Oak Knoll terroir that I’ve tasted. Even at the winery retail price of around $70, this wine is memorable and overachieving. At our price, it’s one of my favorites in the shop. 
 
Fans of a more Bordeaux styled Napa Cabernet that’s long and persistent, with remarkable balance and subtle early qualities, should look closely at the Western side of the Oak Knoll district. The area’s complex soils and micro-climate that’s one of the coolest in Napa Valley enable the fruit to develop concentrated flavors at ripe sugar levels with refreshing, balanced acidity. 
 
Rafael et Fils Cabernet is all about balance, with complex, lengthy, lingering flavors. Marc ages the wine for 23 months in 30% new French oak barrels to showcase the fruit’s purity. If you’re looking for a Cabernet that will impress even the most discerning palate, give this boutique producer a shot, and I’m confident that you’ll be delighted that you did.
 
RAFAEL et FILS
2016 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
ESTATE, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $69
 
 
“The 2016 Rafael et Fils Oak Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 perfectly reflect Marc Rafael’s humble style and grace. It is a refined and elegant wine with absolutely every element beautifully arranged and styled in a stunningly harmonious fashion. It begins with deep, seamless aromas of dried currants, blackberries and cassis, combined with subtle tobacco and cedar. On the palate, it is a symphony of red and black fruits, with every nuance in perfect balance. The rich, smooth, complex finish drifts off into infinity with amazing poise, leaving me with a captivating, warming glow.” 93 Points 
2018 Domaine Guy Robin Chablis Vieilles Vignes

2018 Domaine Guy Robin Chablis Vieilles Vignes

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

DOMAINE GUY ROBIN

2018 CHABLIS 
VIEILLES VIGNES

2018 Domaine Guy Robin Chablis Vieilles Vignes
Vieilles Vignes means old vines, and Guy Robin is one of my favorite producers of old vine Chablis. He began collecting old Chablis parcels back in the 60s, and few other Chablis estates have such a rich collection of older vines. As a result, few wineries can deliver Chablis wines of such character and complexity. At $33, his Chablis VV offers dynamic complexity, laser focus, and optimum balance.
 
Guy’s daughter Marie-Ange leads the Estate and shares her father’s passion for old vines. She creates their Vieilles Vignes Chablis from vines averaging four decades in age, and many of the neighboring plots are premier cru sites, sharing similar soils and climate. 
 
Guy Robin hand-harvests their Chardonnay grapes at the pinnacle of ripeness. He immediately presses them at the winery, where they’re held in a tank for 24 hours to settle naturally. The winery ferments in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks, and they also age in tanks to preserve the fruit’s most natural expression.
 
DOMAINE GUY ROBIN
2018 CHABLIS 
VIEILLES VIGNES
 
Your Price: $33
 
“Bright, citrusy aromas, with liquid minerals and white flowers, immediately grab you in the nose. On approach, the palate has an amazing richness, with concentrated, penetrating flavors including stone fruits, key lime, and an incredibly focused center palate. The finish is mesmerizing, with an amazing balance of richness and freshness. This is certainly one of my favorite Chablis, each vintage.” 94 Points
2018 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

2018 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

BLACK POWDER

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 HOWELL MOUNTAIN 

2018 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
With the average price of Howell Mountain Cabernet upwards of $150 per bottle, finding one at $40 will make just about anyone do a double-take. We found one, and the wine is dynamite. It’s everything that you’d expect from this iconic AVA and offers a blast of dark mountain berries, dominant focus, and towering structure. Occasionally, we’ll offer a wine that screams for you to stock-your-cellar, and this is undoubtedly one of them. This wine is ridiculously delicious now and will pay dividends in the cellar for 20 years if you can hang on to it that long…
 
Black Powder exploded from the Western Slopes of Howell Mountain at a staggering 2100 feet in elevation, where the vines produce potent berries. In 2018 mother nature helped guide them to the peak of perfection. 
 
This is a hot new project made by Bobby Moy, who passed the trial-by-fire in the wine industry mentoring under Thomas Rivers Brown. This 2018 is poised to blow-up all expectations of what you thought was possible for Howell Mountain Cabernet at a value price. 
 
BLACK POWDER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 HOWELL MOUNTAIN
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The Black Powder Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is an absolutely delightful wine, starting with a lush nose of blackberries, black plums, violets, crushed granite and baking spices. The palate beautifully displays mixed berry cobbler, dark chocolate, espresso roast and fresh sage. This is a textbook version of a Howell Mountain Cab, with firm, slightly dusty tannins, focused fruit, complex minerals, and a long finish. While it is drinking better at this point than I would expect for a 2018 Howell Mountain Cab, I see potential for even greater depth and complexity with bottle age and and/or more time in the glass.” 93-95 Points
2016 Chateau Odilon Haut-Medoc Domaines Barons De Rothschild (Lafite)

2016 Chateau Odilon Haut-Medoc Domaines Barons De Rothschild (Lafite)

with No Comment $30-$40BordeauxFranceKevin Vogt

CHÂTEAU ODILON 

2016 HAUT-MÉDOC
DOMAINES BARONS DE
ROTHSCHILD (LAFITE)

2016 Chateau Odilon Haut-Medoc Domaines Barons De Rothschild (Lafite)
Domaines Barons de Rothschild is a wine empire centered around the world-renowned Rothschild winemaking dynasty. It owns many Estates in Bordeaux, including the iconic first growth producers Château Lafite Rothschild. The Rothschilds also own Château Odilon, which hails from the Listrac-Médoc sub-appellation of Haut Medoc. At $36, the 2016 vintage is fantastic and embodies the full confidence that you would expect from one of Bordeaux’s top houses.  
 
Château Odilon’s vines are on a limestone plateau, which, combined with the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, helps produce fruit with sublime clarity and freshness. This blend is 85% Merlot, balanced with Cabernet Sauvignon, and like many 2016’s, it’s profoundly structured, with beautifully integrated dusty tannins and perfectly balanced acidity. 
 
The Haut-Medoc is a wine-growing region on the left bank that’s adjacent to the appellations of Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Julien, Moulis, and Listrac. The 2016 vintage in Bordeaux is referred to by some winemakers as “the second coming of Bordeaux” due to the overall quality, and once you try one from a great producer, I think you’ll agree… 
 
CHÂTEAU ODILON 
2016 HAUT-MÉDOC
DOMAINES BARONS DE
ROTHSCHILD (LAFITE)
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“This wine offers aromas of black fruit, liquorice sticks, and delicate notes of orange blossom. On aeration, roasted scents and vanilla contribute to the nose’s complexity. The attack is direct and lively. The balance is characterized by good concentration with creamy tannins. This wine has remarkable elegance and its length suggests an excellent potential to age.”
2017 Calculated Risk Barrel Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2017 Calculated Risk Barrel Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaSaint HelenaUSA

CALCULATED RISK

BARREL SELECTION
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2017 NAPA VALLEY

2017 Calculated Risk Barrel Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Adding up the reasons why Calculated Risk offers such an extraordinary value, and the summation will point to fruit source, winemaking, and price. The fruit quality multiplies with their vast selection of premium vineyards under their brands Heir Apparent and Grand Napa Vineyards, and the winemaking gets huge scores from top publications like James Suckling and Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, that have featured all three brands with high ratings. It doesn’t take a calculus degree to see the no risk value in this Calculated Risk… 
 
The winemaking team selected fruit from Coombsville and St. Helena AVA’s to craft a powerful, penetrating, and balanced wine. The wine perfectly fuses the elegance and restrained power of Coombsville, with St. Helena structure and depth.
 
The 2017 Barrel Selection is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and it lights up your senses with cocoa dusted black fruits, graphite, and crushed flowers. The 2017 vintage is rocking right now, and every time I taste it, I’m perplexed by how incalculably good it is. 
 
CALCULATED RISK
BARREL SELECTION
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2017 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $79.99
 
2017 Seabright Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Greenwood Block

2017 Sebright Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Greenwood Block

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSA

SEBRIGHT CELLARS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY 
GREENWOOD BLOCK

2017 Seabright Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Greenwood Block
Some of the best wines are so magnetic that there’s a romance that builds with each subsequent release. That can become intensified on the rarest wines, because of their limited availability, which makes you eagerly await the next release. Sebright is that wine in a nutshell, and virtually everyone that experienced any of their previous vintages, has been asking for more. At our price, it’s a steal, and just like previous years, and once you try it, you’ll wish you had ordered more…
 
With a mere 100 cases produced, chances are you haven’t heard of Sebright Cellars, but I can guarantee once you taste it, you won’t soon forget it. Sebright produced the 2017 Greenwood Block Cabernet from a small vineyard located South of Chateau Montelena Winery and across from Vincent Arroyo in Calistoga.  
 
Veteran Calistoga winemaker Tom Eddy makes the wine, and this exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon perfectly reflects his vast experience. The 2017 vintage precisely balances red and blue fruits, with intriguing minerality and firm, perfectly integrated tannins. We bought every bottle that we could, again, and it’s most certainly not going to be enough.
 
SEBRIGHT CELLARS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY 
GREENWOOD BLOCK
Retails at: $70
 
 
 
“Sebright Winemaker Tom Eddy did a masterful job making this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. After 30 months in oak, it has developed a complex nose of mixed berry cobbler, ripe cherries, crushed minerals, and vanilla spice. The palate is deep and concentrated with flavors of mountain blackberries, black cherry, sage, mint, bittersweet chocolate, and subtle baking spices. It’s a beautiful wine to drink now, but will cellar past 2032.”  95 Points
2014 Rustenberg John X Merriman Bordeaux Blend South Africa

2014 Rustenberg John X Merriman Bordeaux Blend South Africa

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtProprietary RedSouth Africa

RUSTENBERG 

2014 JOHN X MERRIMAN 
BORDEAUX BLEND
SIMONSBERG, SOUTH AFRICA

2014 Rustenberg John X Merriman Bordeaux Blend South Africa

 
There are many reasons why South Africa has some of the most unique terroirs anywhere in the world. The iconic Stellenbosch Mountains have soils that are approximately 600 million years old, which is more than three times older than the soils in Napa Valley. The wines of Stellenbosch can often show interesting mineral notes from the decomposed granite soils, and when done right, they can be extraordinary. I’ve been searching for the right South African wine to bring into the shop, and we recently found it in Rustenberg’s 2014 John X Merriman Bordeaux Blend, Simonsberg. At $28, this is a stunning bottle of wine.   
 
Rustenberg was founded in 1682, and the wine team makes its flagship John X Merriman Bordeaux styled blend in honor of a former owner who played a vital role in revitalizing the Estate. The blend is always predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and in 2014 it encompasses all of Bordeaux’s top 5 grapes. 
 
The Estate vines climb the red slopes of Simonsberg, and the winery monitors each block independently for acid/pH levels, natural sugars and flavors, before vinifying the blocks separately. The final blend is a stunning representation of the Estate, and at $28, don’t miss getting this delightful wine. 
 
RUSTENBERG 
2014 JOHN X MERRIMAN 
BORDEAUX BLEND
SIMONSBERG, SOUTH AFRICA
Retails at: $30
 
Your Price: $28
 
 
“The 2014 John X Merriman is the spiciest vintage to date according to Murray Barlow, due to the cooler growing season that did not go past 30 degrees Celsius during the season. Matured in 35% new oak for 20 months, that spice-box element does percolate through the red berry fruit on the nose, touches of bay leaf and melted tar emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannin on the entry, a fine seam of acidity, grippy and quite assertive at first, but calmer towards the finish with that long spicy/pepper tail on the aftertaste. Give this 2-3 years in bottle. This is discretely classy even if it is just missing that “X” factor.” 90 Points
2016 Works and Days Pinot Noir Hill Justice Vineyard Sonoma County

2016 Works and Days Pinot Noir Hill Justice Vineyard Sonoma County

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma MountainUSA

WORKS AND DAYS

2016 PINOT NOIR
HILL JUSTICE VINEYARD
SONOMA COUNTY

2016 Works and Days Pinot Noir Hill Justice Vineyard Sonoma CountyI often hear about a winemaker’s hands-off approach to winemaking, but one of many things that struck me about Cabell Coursey’s winemaking is his hands-on approach. He believes that the more time spent in the vineyard directly results in better wine. He also picks early and ferments longer, which is a technique that he learned in Burgundy, and it creates balanced wines with fruit, acidity, and tannin. Once you taste it, I’m confident that it’s a wine that you’ll want to enjoy a lot more of in the future. 

Inspired by Burgundy, Cabell learned winemaking from the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. Then he honed his skills in New Zealand and the Willamette Valley before working at iconic producers DuMOL and Kosta Browne.
 
The Hill Justice Vineyard is perched at 1100 feet on Sonoma Mountain, and the rocky, red-soils are rich in clay and produce exceptional quality fruit. The Swiss clonal selection is rare in California but thrives in the extreme environment. If you love Pinot Noir, you should try this beauty before its days are done.
 
WORKS AND DAYS
2016 PINOT NOIR
HILL JUSTICE VINEYARD
SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
 
 
“Lavender aromatics accent a delicately built body that develops intensity as it opens. Asian spice, white pepper and toasted oak burnish on the palate before settling into a soft rounded finish of dark cherry.” 91 Points
2017 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore Vineyard

2017 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore Vineyard

with No Comment $30-$40CoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSAZinfandel

MIKE AND MOLLY

2017 ZINFANDEL
R.W. MOORE VINEYARD

2017 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore VineyardThe only thing deeper than the roots of the ancient vines in the 1905 planted R.W. Moore Vineyard, is the combined family ties in the Napa Valley wine industry of Mike & Molly Hendry. Mike’s grandparents purchased 120 acres at the base of Mount Veeder in the 1930s, where the Hendry Winery sits today, and Molly grew up visiting her uncle Bill at his R.W. Moore Vineyard, which Turley and Biale fans recognize. 

The historic R.W. Moore Vineyard is located in Napa Valley’s highly acclaimed Coombsville region and is an entirely dry-farmed vineyard, where winter rains are the sole source of irrigation. The vines are a field blend of approximately 95% Zinfandel intermixed with Petite Sirah, Carignane, Mourvedre, and Mourtaou. 
 
The wine team made the 2017 vintage in a richly elegant, enchanting style that envelopes your palate in plush dark fruits, satiny tannins, and compelling spice notes. At $36, this Old Vine Zinfandel is an absolute joy.
 
MIKE AND MOLLY
2017 ZINFANDEL
R.W. MOORE VINEYARD
Retails at: $40
 
 
 
 
“This graceful wine is aged in French oak, one-third of it new. Brambly, rich red fruit remains lifted and structured on the palate, alongside a grip of baking spice, black pepper and leather.” 91 Points
 
 
 
“A blend of 95% Zinfandel and 1% each of Petite Sirah, Carignan and Mourvèdre as well as 2% of the rare Cabernet Pfeffer. In some years it shows red fruits like raspberry and cherry; in others, dark fruits like black cherries and blackberries. The vines are dry-farmed, giving small, peppery, intense berries. Drinking Window 2020 – 2028” 91 Points