2013 J Gregory Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 J Gregory Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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

J. GREGORY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 NAPA VALLEY

2013 J Gregory Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
What comes after making some of Napa Valley’s most prestigious wines in the 1980s and 1990s? Mark Jessup was part of the original winemaking team at OPUS ONE from 1979 through 1987, and after OPUS, he chose to pursue his dream of building a winery of his own… Lucky for us, we found him, and his 2013 Napa Cabernet is genuinely a joy to behold.
 
The 2013 J Gregory Napa Cabernet hails from one of the areas most prized vintages. At nearly 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine perfectly embodies the power and focus that are hallmarks of this vintage. On the palate, the wine is detailed and expressive, yet firmly balanced and sophisticated.
 
Mark works closely with a handful of growers, where he has long term, mutual relationships. His 2013 vintage has origins in Coombsville and Oak Knoll, which are both situated in cooler-climate regions within Napa Valley, where in a great vintage like 2013, the grapes can achieve optimum ripeness, and at a gradual pace…
 
J. GREGORY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $85
 
 
 
“There is a compelling way that this wine presents itself, with an intriguing nose of bright, briary wild berries and subtle eucalyptus that combine with balanced sweet vanilla and hints of wet earth. On the palate, ripe black cherries, red and black raspberries, red currants, and fresh cranberries beautifully frame elegant floral characteristics along with a subtle, minerally, slate-like thread. This beauty indeed begins bright and linear but puts on weight and body as it opens up in the glass over time. Drink or hold for a decade or more.” 94 Points
2015 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

2015 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40ChileKevin VogtProprietary Red

VIK

2015 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED2015 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

Picture a red wine with piercing fruit, riveting complexity, stunning power, and remarkable definition. You could be tasting a red blend from Chile. We introduced Vik’s 2012 Milla Cala Blend back in 2018, and a short time later, it went on to rank #22 on the Wine Spectator Top 100. Critics agree that this wine is extraordinary, and the 2015 vintage has high 92-94 point scores and has already earned a place on Wine Enthusiast’s 100 list. 

Vik produced their Milla Cala in their state-of-the-art winery, which is one of the preeminent wineries in the Southern Hemisphere. Milla Cala arose from an area South of Santiago that they secured after years of intense scientific research and more than 4,000 soil samples, in a relentless search for the best terroir in Chile. The final blend incorporates nearly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, accented with Carmeñere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah.

The Vik wines are created by legendary winemaker Patrick Valette, who is responsible for crafting some of the most exceptional wines in Chile and Bordeaux, paired with Norwegian entrepreneur Alexander Vik. With literally no expense spared on this project, the grapes were meticulously sorted in the most modern grape selection line in Chile before being transported by gravity into individual fermentation tanks.

 

VIK
2015 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED

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“A rich and dense second wine of VIK. Lots of dried fruit with light prunes, plums and hints of burnt lemons. Spices, too. Full body, layered and rich. Juicy. Needs two or three years to soften. A blend of 66% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, 7% syrah and 3% carmenere. Drink in 2020.”  94 Points

 

“Milla Cala is the most approachable of the VIK reds, made from an assemblage of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Carmenère, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. Fresh, bright and leafy, with undertones of aromatic Mediterranean herbs and silky, polished tannins. 2019-23.”  93 Points

 

“This Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend opens with aromas of root beer, baking spices and cocoa along with naturally spicy berry scents. A lively palate is tannic while showing a firm grip and some bumpiness. Mocha and herbal berry and plum flavors are lightly chocolaty prior to a flush finish that echoes with spice. There’s no mistaking this wine’s Chilean DNA. Drink through 2025.”  92 Points, #87 Top 100 Wines of 2019
2015 Mending Wall Proprietary Red Mortar & Stone

2015 Mending Wall Mortar & Stone Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Atlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedReviewUSA

MENDING WALL

2015 PROPRIETARY RED
MORTAR & STONE

2015 Mending Wall Proprietary Red Mortar & StoneCombining the power of Mountain-grown Zinfandel with the voluptuous texture of Calistoga Petite Sirah can be magical. Mending Wall Mortar and Stone is a stunning example of this. The Zinfandel arose from the iconic Aida Vineyard atop Altas Peak, and the Petite Sirah comes from one of the most celebrated vineyards for that varietal in the New World, which was the former source for Carver Sutro. And on top of all that, Thomas Brown is the winemaker… 

Frank Dotzler, one of the co-owners of Mending Wall, was also one of the co-founders of Outpost Winery. Frank teamed up with Mark & Donna Walker (owners of the super-high scoring, Cult brand Pulido-Walker,) as well as his long-time winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for this project. Thomas made history as the first American winemaker to receive a perfect 100 point score from the Wine Spectator.

This tiny production, proprietary blend harnesses the power and intensely concentrated flavors of Atlas Peak Zinfandel with the showy, voluptuous textures of Petite Sirah in way that pulls on the best qualities of both varietals in total harmony. If you love big, lush, concentrated blends with copious charm, this is for you. 

MENDING WALL
2015 PROPRIETARY RED
MORTAR & STONE

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“The Zinfandel from high atop Atlas Peak (Aida Vyd, an original Turley source) is robust, showy mountain fruit. Vines in the historic Mountain Peak vineyard produce some of the most impressive berries we’ve seen in this varietal, nicely structured and spicy rather than super jammy. That spice component pairs beautifully with the final vintage of our estate Syrah. Once again, the venerable Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah completes the blend, lending tannic backbone and deep, black color.It has a seductive appeal-dark, sultry, moody in the very best ways-with good balance between earthy inputs and luscious fruit notes.”

2018 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir

2018 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtMontereyPinot NoirSanta Lucia HighlandsUSA

BELLE GLOS

2018 PINOT NOIR
LAS ALTURAS 

2018 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir
When it comes to the deepest, Inkiest and most extravagant Pinot Noirs, Joe Wagner, founder of Belle Glos is an innovator for this unique style. He launched the brand in 2001 and focused on showcasing Pinot Noirs produced from California’s most noteworthy coastal wine-growing regions.
 
His method of incorporating unprecedented levels (by Pinot Noir standards) of lavish fruits, sweet oak and stacked berries, resonated with wine lovers across the globe. He was involved in the Wagner Family wine business at an early age, taking in valuable lessons from his father, Chuck Wagner, who founded Caymus Vineyards. In July of 2015 Joe split off the value priced Meomi Pinot Noir label from Belle Glos and sold it to Constellation Brands for an eye-popping $315 million…
 
One of my favorites each year hails from the Las Alturas Vineyard, which is perched at 1,200 feet elevation on one of the highest grape-growing benches in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. The vineyard is heavily influenced by coastal fog from the Monterey Bay, and from gusty maritime winds that funnel in from the bay throughout the afternoons, which contributes to one of the longest growing seasons in California, and in turn, allows for a long hang-time and fully developed flavors. If you enjoy BIG, inky and full-bodied California Pinot Noir, along with our best price in years, this one should top your list. 
 
BELLE GLOS
2018 PINOT NOIR
LAS ALTURAS
Retails at: $55.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl
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Winery Notes: “Deep garnet in color with an aromatic medley of black cherry, marionberry, ripe plum and a hint of anise. Dark fruit on the palate with flavors of wild berries, caramelized oak and cacao nibs complemented by subtle notes of vanilla, cedar and a hint of lavender and forest floor. Rich and unrestrained, this wine’s abundant fruit is beautifully balanced by firm acidity and layers of red and black fruit.”
2017 Calculated Risk Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Selection

2017 Calculated Risk Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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

CALCULATED RISK

BARREL SELECTION
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY

2017 Calculated Risk Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel SelectionI love watching a brand that we’ve featured from their early days gain momentum, with high scores and well-deserved acclaim. Grand Napa Vineyards in Rutherford also produces the Calculated Risk and Heir Apparent brands, and top publications like James Suckling and Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate feature all three brands with high scores. With a mere 178 cases produced, the 2017 Calculated Risk Barrel Selection Cab impressed our panel, as well as James Suckling. 

Owner Dwight Bonewell produces multiple brands, all under one umbrella, and that’s a good thing because Grand Napa has access to a selection of Napa Valley’s top vineyards. When creating the 2017 Calculated Risk Barrel Selection, his team selected fruit from Coombsville and St. Helena AVA’s to create a wine that’s powerful, penetrating, and balanced.  

The 2017 Barrel Selection is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and it lights up your senses with cocoa dusted black fruits, graphite, and crushed flowers. The wine perfectly fuses the elegance and restrained power of Coombsville, with St. Helena structure and depth. 

CALCULATED RISK
BARREL SELECTION
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY

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“Wild flowers and roses with a fresh, blackberry and blackcurrant edge to the nose, too. The palate has soft, ripe and almost creamy tannins on offer, in a soft, easy mode. Drink or hold.”  91 Points

2017 Turley Old VInes Zinfandel

2017 Turley Old Vines Zinfandel

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastKevin VogtOld Vine ZinfandelReviewUSA

TURLEY

2017 ZINFANDEL
OLD VINES

 

2017 Turley Old VInes ZinfandelTurley is an American Icon that’s been a benchmark producer of Old Vine Zinfandel for nearly three decades. Their first vintage of 1993 Hayne Zinfandel ranked #11 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list, and they’ve remained a paragon in their field ever since. They now produce an eye-popping forty-seven separate wines from over fifty Certified Organic Vineyards, and they specialize in ancient vines. Their Old Vines Zinfandel beautifully displays their undeviating winemaking philosophy that’s an anthem of their brand.

The 2017 Old Vines Zinfandel was carefully stitched together from a vast collection of ancient vineyards spanning across seven iconic regions across California and created from vines ranging from 41 to 129 years old, the 2017 showcases old vine depth, and with no shortage of personality. 

The winery has always attracted some of California’s most talented winemakers, beginning with Helen Turley. Helen passed the torch to winemaker Ehren Jordan, and now Ehren to Tegan Passalacqua, who worked under Jordan before becoming Director of Winemaking. 

 

TURLEY
2017 ZINFANDEL
OLD VINES

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“… the 2017 Zinfandel Old Vines features exotic spice accents over a core of blueberry and boysenberry compote, crushed black cherries and berries with notes of cinnamon stick and potpourri. Medium to full-bodied, it has loads of spicy black and blue fruits in the mouth with firm, ripe tannins to frame and juicy acidity, finishing long and very spicy.”  92 Points

“The 2017 Zinfandel Old Vines is rich, ample and fleshy. The heat of the year gave the Old Vines a little extra kick. Dried cherry, licorice and spice add an exotic flair to this super-expressive wine loaded with class and pedigree.” 91 Points

“Sleek and briary, with generous black cherry, licorice and toasty spice flavors. Drink now through 2024.” 90 Points

2018 Recoltant Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2018 Recoltant Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

RECOLTANT

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY

2018 Recoltant Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

It feels great to be on the leading edge of a new brand that’s destined to make an impact in the competitive $40 Napa Cabernet category. Recoltant is the younger brother to Le Pich and Purlieu, and the wine is produced by Julien Fayard, who is absolutely at the top of his game… 

Recoltant is a collaboration of declassified barrels of premium Cabernet that didn’t quite fit into Le Pich or Purlieu. The final blend was stitched together from several celebrated regions throughout Napa Valley, and Julian made the wine with the same standards of excellence that he practices in all of his projects.  

Julien Fayard learned his craft at Chateau Lafite Rothschild, before gaining even more valuable experience as Director of Winemaking for Philippe Melka at elite Napa Valley producers like Lail, Gemstone, Hundred Acre, and Mastery. The result is so great at this price that you really have to try it.

RECOLTANT
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY

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“The Recoltant Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 mimics sibling wines Purlieu and Le Pich in many ways. It is inky black in color, with a nose of mixed black berries, black currants, glove leather, and rose petal. On the palate, the wine is deep and rich with flavors of blackberry cobbler, kitchen spice, and grandma’s pie crust combined with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. Winemaker Julian Fayard’s genius shines through because even with all of these powerful characteristics, this wine is not the least bit cloying or overly heavy.”  94 Points

2014 Maroon Special Reserve Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 Maroon Special Reserve Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSA

MAROON 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
SPECIAL RESERVE
2014 COOMBSVILLE 

 
2014 Maroon Special Reserve Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon
There are many styles of California Cabernet, ranging from big, ripe, and inky, to silky, elegant, and linear, and both can be equally powerful and hedonistic, although in very different ways. Maroon’s 2014 Special Reserve Cabernet from Napa Valley’s highly acclaimed Coombsville region, falls into the more elegant style, with laser-like focus, powerfully hedonistic flavors, and Classic Coombsville attributes. At the winery’s $160 retail, Maroon priced it in line with Coombsville icons Favia, Merus, and Meteor. At our price it’s the most significant discount on premium Cabernet that we’ve ever offered.  
 
This stunning 2014 Cabernet arose from the winery’s Estate Vineyard in Coombsville, where for years the winery sold fruit to Joseph Phelps for their iconic Insigna Blend. On the palate, the wine is classic Coombsville and made in a focused, highly detailed style with sweet red fruits, vibrant red currants, clay, wet earth, and black raspberries.
 
Entering from one of Napa Valley’s best vintages, one that the Wine Spectator describes as producing “dense, charming, cellar-worthy wines.” The 2014 Special Reserve is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged for a full 24 months in oak before bottling. If you’re looking for an elegant, medium-bodied Cabernet with plenty of power and personality, this is it. 
 
 
MAROON 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
SPECIAL RESERVE
2014 COOMBSVILLE
Retails at: $160
 
 
“Brown brick red color. Aromas and flavors of spiced dried berries, honeycomb, leather bag filled with coffee, chocolate and spice, and wet clay with a satiny, bright, fruity medium-to-full body and a warming, complex, very long finish with notes of cassis pie a la mode, honey glazed carrots, cherry cola, and chocolate mint with silky, soft tannins. A stately, seamless cabernet with deep rich flavors, finely balanced oak, and a long satisfying finish.” 96 Points, Cellar Selection
2013 Shottesbrooke Eliza Reserve McLaren Vale Shiraz

2013 Shottesbrooke Eliza Reserve McLaren Vale Shiraz

with No Comment $30-$40AustraliaKevin VogtMcLaren ValeSyrah

SHOTTESBROOKE

ELIZA RESERVE SHIRAZ
2013 MCLAREN VALE

2013 Shottesbrooke Eliza Reserve McLaren Vale Shiraz

We seized an opportunity to work with Shottesbrooke’s 97 Point Eliza Reserve Shiraz last year, and although the wine sold in a flash, it made a grand impression on everybody who tried it. Re-order requests were abundant, due to the wines’ chillingly intense nature and substantial hedonistic style. As luck would have it, we just procured another shipment, and at a rock-bottom price…. 

Named after the founders’ daughter, Eliza is the top Reserve Shiraz produced by the winery and is produced only in exceptional vintages. They created this wine from an individual patch of vineyard on the winery’s McLaren Flat property that naturally produces tiny yields of high-quality fruit.

Due to low yields and high-demand for Eliza, only a limited number of cases make their way to the US. The wine is kept for 19 months in oak before bottling, and the 2013 vintage is brimming with vivid red berries, roasted meats, black chocolate, and spices.

 
SHOTTESBROOKE
ELIZA RESERVE SHIRAZ
2013 MCLAREN VALE

Retails: $46.99

Your Price: $33
 

“Cloudy indigo color. Attractive, roasted, meaty aromas and flavors of mocha maple fudge, smoked nuts, jerky, and toasty cedar and clay with a satiny, dry-yet-fruity medium-full body and a tingling, involved, long finish that exhibits suggestions of blackberry creme brulee, pomegranate-tomato chutney on rye raisin toast, beef consommé, and tamari with moderate oak flavor. A decadently delicious and savory shiraz that will stimulate and satisfy.” 97 Points, Platinum Medal, Superlative 
2015 Leto Cellars Mt Veeder Cabernet Franc

2015 Leto Mt Veeder Cabernet Franc

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet FrancKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

LETO

CABERNET FRANC
2015 MT VEEDER

2015 Leto Cellars Mt Veeder Cabernet Franc
If Napa Valley Cabernet is gold, then Cabernet Franc is platinum, due to its scarcity and cult following. There’s around twenty times as much Cabernet Sauvignon planted in Napa Valley, and on average, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes sell for less than Cabernet Franc. The coveted grape is revered for its stunning power, concentration, delineation, and mouthwatering acidity. Leto’s 2015 Mt Veeder Cabernet Franc, which retails at $78, is simply brilliant. What’s left of this 50 case production is going to fly.
 
Leto sourced their 2015 Cabernet Franc from a single-vineyard perched at 1,100 feet elevation on Mount Veeder. They chose this site for the incredible volcanic soils and vines that yield small, powerful berries with intense flavor. 
 
Mt Veeder is the coolest Mountain in Napa, which allows the grapes to have a longer hang-time so they can develop into something majestic. With a production of only 50 cases, you might want to keep this one secret, at least until you get your case.
 
LETO
CABERNET FRANC
2015 MT VEEDER
Retails at: $78
 
 
 
“The Leto Cellars Mount Veeder Cabernet Franc 2015 begins with a beautiful nose of red cherries, fresh sage leaf, Spring lavender, and Italian glove leather. On the palate, it is vibrant, with penetrating red cherries, black licorice, nutrient-rich earth, with sweet vanilla oak and spice box, and a gorgeous, lingering finish. Drink now through 2028.” 93 Points