2018 Peter Paul Pinot Noir Mille Freres Sonoma Coast

2018 Peter Paul Pinot Noir Mille Freres Sonoma Coast

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

PETER PAUL

2018 PINOT NOIR
MILLE FRERES
SONOMA COAST

2018 Peter Paul Pinot Noir Mille Freres Sonoma Coast
Performing an equilibrium of New World luxurious fruit and refined Old World heritage, Peter Paul Pinot Noir strikes a counterpoise of ripeness, structure, density, and richness that manifests in the virtuosity of their team led by Master of Wine Martin Reyes. Their flagship Mille Freres Pinot Noir comes from Terra de Promissio Vineyard, a site frequented by prestigious producers Kistler, Hanzell, Gary Ferrell, Williams-Selyem, and Kosta Browne. At around $40, don’t miss out on this pedigreed Pinot Noir. 
 
Embraced by some of California’s best producers, Terra de Promissio is the most vineyard-designated Pinot Noir plot in Sonoma County, most famously playing a significant role in Kosta Browne’s 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot, which ranked as the #1 Wine of the year in 2011. 
 
Earning an overall vintage rating of 93-96 Points in 2018, Mother Nature issued “Nearly perfect conditions; full-flavored wines backed by crisp acidity, especially from coastal vineyards,” as noted by the Wine Spectator.
 
PETER PAUL
2018 PINOT NOIR
MILLE FRERES
SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $48
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“Mille Freres commands attention the way luxury Pinot Noir should, with heavenly red and black fruits, knee-weakening florals, savory yumminess, and an underlying warming spice note, a bit like a glorious Christmas celebration. Richly textured, this wine plays like a symphony on the palate with pure flavors of red berry preserve, sweet fresh herbs, hints of mushroom & licorice, perfectly framed by mouth-coating tannins that remain pliant even in their persistence. Fans of the 2016 vintage character will be especially pleased. This is a chiseled, compelling, and (yes) age-worthy Pinot Noir.”
2017 Leto Cellars Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2017 Leto Cellars Proprietary Red Napa Valley

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

LETO CELLARS

PROPRIETARY RED
2017 NAPA VALLEY

2017 Leto Cellars Proprietary Red Napa Valley
Brad Warner’s half-century of winemaking experience is compounded by each successful vintage and tuned with the trials and tribulations encountered along the way, resulting in expertly balanced, story-telling wines of palpable quality. Calling on his vast experience, Brad created this union of Mountain and valley floor fruit that balances power and grace, and simply put, tastes like it should be at least double the price. 
 
Combining Mount Veeder’s power with the refined complexity of Saint Helena fruit, Brad’s decades in the wine industry allowed him access to some remarkable vineyards. He sourced the Merlot and some of the Cabernet from a steep hillside vineyard, which he balanced with Cabernet Sauvignon from dry-farmed vines in St Helena’s center. 
 
Blending 35%Merlot with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, the Merlot softens the Cabernet’s tannins, providing supple fruits that balance Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure. After developing for 22 months in oak and two years in the bottle, this wine is gorgeous now and will gracefully age for another decade.
 
LETO CELLARS
PROPRIETARY RED
2017 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $55
 
 
 
“The 2017 Leto Red Blend is a striking blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, giving it the right balance to drink beautifully now and for many years to come. It begins with a compelling nose of red currants, mountain berries, fresh florals, green sage, and savory, earthy spices. The palate is rich with ripe Burgundy plums, wild currants, hints of vanilla, and subtle spice. It is beautifully concentrated with penetrating fruit that carries the balanced flavors for a long finish, and I highly recommend trying some.” 
94 Points
2018 Sor Ugo Super Tuscan Bolgheri Rosso Superiore

2018 Sor Ugo Super Tuscan Bolgheri Rosso Superiore

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtSangioveseUSA

SOR UGO

2018 SUPER TUSCAN
BOLGHERI ROSSO SUPERIORE
AIA VECCHIA WINERY

2018 Sor Ugo Super Tuscan Bolgheri Rosso Superiore
Aia Vecchia’s determination to express the most natural characteristics of their land, along with their undeterred attention to detail, manifests profoundly in their wines. The wine’s commanding intensity, supreme richness, and arrant focus effortlessly combine, making it feel like the only wine in the room. Vinous writes, “the purity of the flavors is striking,” and with a 94 point score and price far lower than what you’d expect from Bolgheri, it’s easy to see why this is our most popular Tuscan wine year after year. 
 
Sor Ugo boldly reflects Castagneto Carducci terroir and the Estate’s proximity to the Tyrrhenian coast. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, embellished with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot, the 2018 vintage is super-concentrated with crystalline focus enriched with minerality and divinely saturating intensity. 
 
Aia Vecchia’s winemaking team has a precisely detailed approach; Meticulously hand-sorting each berry, vinifying, fermenting and aging each varietal separately before creating the blend, which spends a year in the bottle before release.
 
SOR UGO
2018 SUPER TUSCAN
BOLGHERI ROSSO SUPERIORE
AIA VECCHIA WINERY
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 

“The 2018 Sor Ugo is a superb Bolgheri red. Pliant, succulent and so expressive, the 2018 offers plenty of richness, but with terrific energy, too. Black cherry, mocha, spice, licorice and chocolate all build as the 2018 fills out over time. The purity of the flavors is striking.” 

94 Points

2018 Ilaria Malbec Napa Valley

2018 Ilaria Malbec Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40CoombsvilleKevin VogtMalbecNapaUSA

ILARIA

2018 MALBEC
NAPA VALLEY

2018 Ilaria Malbec Napa Valley
Brazenly expressing their heritage, Ilaria wines are strategically crafted in small lots to showcase their unique identity. The wines highlight the convergence of exceptional Napa Valley terroir and the farming expertise of UC Davis grads Anna and Mario Monticelli. Their Malbec embodies the soul of Napa Valley and builds on Anna and Mario’s accumulative experience, including Chateau Cheval-Blanc, Bryant, Pina, Antinori, and Trinchero. As Jeb Dunnuck writes, “I’d happily drink bottles any time over the coming decade,” and here’s your chance to make it happen. 
 
Ilaria’s Malbec balances the interplay of Coombsville fruit’s elegance and concentrated Atlas Peak flavors. 15% Cabernet Sauvignon adds strength to Malbec’s supple nature, resulting in a harmoniously textured, full-bodied red. 
 
Born from a combination of volcanic and loam soils, this 2018 Malbec highlights the vintage’s power, along with the vast skillset of Anna and Mario and their ability to produce expressive wines that are terroir-transparent and mindfully balanced. 
 
ILARIA
2018 MALBEC
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“…. Beautiful blue fruits, violets, bouquet garni, and peppered meat-like nuances emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a fresh, elegant texture, terrific tannins, and a great finish. I’d happily drink bottles any time over the coming decade.”
92 Points
 
“…. the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Malbec gives up exuberant notes of plum preserves, blueberry pie and Morello cherries with hints of Sichuan pepper, cardamom and cedar chest. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has lovely freshness cutting through the intense black fruit flavors, finishing with a plush texture and great harmony. 414 cases were made.”
91+ Points
2018 Chateau Moulin De La Grangere Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux

2018 Chateau Moulin De La Grangere Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux

with No Comment $30-$40BordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin VogtSaint Emilion

CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE

LA GRANGERE
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU 
2018 BORDEAUX  

2018 Chateau Moulin De La Grangere Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux
Neighboring Château Pavie, one of Saint-Émilion’s most revered producers, Château Moulin de la Grangère has founders passionate about organic viticulture, land stewardship, and producing wines with a sense of place from their small yet privileged location. Their wines benefit from consulting winemaker Michel Rolland’s global experience, including hundreds of A-list clients spanning 13 countries. The exceptional 2018 vintage furthers quality, and at $33, their Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux is a tangible value worth owning. 
 
Château Moulin de la Grangère sits at the foot of the finest slopes of Saint-Émilion, where they planted their certified organic vines in clay-limestone soils. Like Château Pétrus, the wine is 100% Merlot, and Moulin de la Grangère is made in a story-telling style guided by the vintage and marked with elegance. 
 
Pursuing excellence, the wine team uses vibrating shaker tables to sort the fruit, keeping only the most pristine berries. Aged for around 18 months in 30% new French oak, the 2018 release captures the spirit of the Saint-Emilion, presented with confidence, enchantment, and signature balance.
 
CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE
LA GRANGERE
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU 
2018 BORDEAUX
 
Your Price: $33
 
 
“On the nose we discover concentrated notes of red berries, rose, peony and roasted almonds. Beautiful structure without being imposing with silky tannins and very finely woven.”
2018 Saint-Galet Chateauneuf-Du-Pape

2018 Saint-Galet Chateauneuf-Du-Pape

with No Comment $30-$40Cotes du RhoneFranceKevin Vogt

SAINT-GALET 

CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE
2018 VINTAGE

2018 Saint-Galet Chateauneuf-Du-Pape
Venerated for marrying power and grace, Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are the pinnacle of the Southern Rhone Valley, envied for their fruit intensity and garrigue, a French term referring to a savory mix of lavender, juniper, thyme, rosemary, and sage. Their nobility, supreme quality, and scarcity result in prices that start around $50 and climb to over a thousand per bottle. How did we find one for $32? This wine is the direct result of France’s restaurant shutdowns, and fueled by a pause on tariffs, we seized this opportunity.  
 
Eric Bonnet blended this wine, and he is the winemaker at La Bastide Saint Dominique. This Saint-Galet Chateauneuf-du-Pape bursts with black raspberry, dark plum, and new leather, offering supreme balance, energy, and classic garrigue. 
 
Aged in a combination of stainless steel tanks and French oak to best highlight the fruit, this wine reflects the elegance of the 2018 vintage. The Wine Spectator’s Vintage report sights, “Reds are supple and velvety, low in acid, offering flattering, forward fruit.”
 
SAINT-GALET 
CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE
2018 VINTAGE
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“The nose has an alluring blend of pie cherries, savory fresh herbs, cold smoked meat, violets, and hints of spearmint. On the palate it is rich, supple, and penetrating with a complex blend of black raspberries, Burgundy plums, red currants, kitchen spices, crushed minerals, and a rustic elegance. The finish is smooth and supple, but with enough mouth-quenching acidity to keep it lively and long. I love wines like this because they are a wonderful break from my everyday routine.” 
93 Points
2019 Arbe Garbe White Blend Sonoma County

2019 Arbe Garbe White Blend Sonoma County

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtProprietary WhiteSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

ARBE GARBE

2019 WHITE BLEND
SONOMA COUNTY

2019 Arbe Garbe White Blend Sonoma County
Inspired by the Friuli region of Northern Italy, Letizia Pauletto and Enrico Maria Bertoz created Arbe Garbe to reconnect with their roots by crafting unadulterated wines, created from rare varieties common in Friuli but scarce in the New World. An essential part of their blend is Tocai Friulano, a relative of Sauvignon Blanc, of which there are 51 acres planted in California. Malvasia Bianca and Chardonnay shape the rest of the blend into a freshly focused, euphorically detailed white that’s unlike anything else from California. 
 
Winemakers Enrico and Letizia worked harvests in Friuli, well-rounding their skillsets. After arriving in the US, Enrico gained invaluable experience at Sine Qua Non, Joseph Phelps, and Flora Springs. 
 
Their 2019 release includes 50% Malvasia Bianca, an ancient variety with Greek origins contributing to the clean, crisp, laser focus. The winemaking is done naturally with gentle pressing and native fermentation, resulting in balanced, direct, and powerfully intriguing wines.
 
ARBE GARBE
2019 WHITE BLEND
SONOMA COUNTY
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“This beautiful wine packs a one-two punch in both style and fruit character. It begins with a basket of ripe stone fruits, including peaches, nectarines, and apricots. It then follows with exotic bright citrus with pomelos, kumquats, mandarins, calamondins and carries bright florals along the way. The weight and body of this wine are rich and supple, with a degree of opulence and a bright acidity profile to keep it super fresh and clean—what a delight.”
93 Points
2016 Zuidema Grenache McGah Vineyard Rutherfor

2016 Zuidema Grenache McGah Vineyard Rutherford

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

ZUIDEMA

2016 GRENACHE
MCGAH VINEYARD
RUTHERFORD

2016 Zuidema Grenache McGah Vineyard Rutherfor
Freed from a one-acre block of gnarly head-trained Grenache vines that were nearly re-planted to Cabernet, Zuidema Grenache was 30 years in the making and is a passion project by one of Napa’s most respected winemakers. Rudy Zuidema is the winemaker for Mastery and has held winemaking positions at Robert Craig, Honig, and Ehlers Estate, to name a few. His pensive winemaking style results in balanced, complex wines, deep with individuality and varietal truth. At $38, the value is unmistakable. 
 
Sourced from the McGah Vineyard in Eastern Rutherford, Zuidema Grenache powerfully reflects the area’s nutrient-rich, rocky soils and ideal microclimate. The Gobelet trained vines yield various ripeness levels, and that lack of perfect consistency is what Rudy looks for to create the naturally rustic complexity in his wine.
 
Analytically hand-harvesting, de-stemming, native yeast fermenting, and three times daily punch overs for 10-12 days, Rudy’s cumulative knowledge over the past 30 years is commanding in this wine. If you’re looking for something a little different from one of Napa Valley’s greatest terroirs, this is it. 
 
ZUIDEMA
2016 GRENACHE
MCGAH VINEYARD
RUTHERFORD
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“The 2016 expresses incredible fruit purity and opens with aromas of cherry blossom, ripe plum, cinnamon spice, fresh strawberries, and vanilla bean. Flavors of cherry pie, wild berry jam, licorice, and orange zest, layer with subtle herbal nuances. The well-knit tannins are juicy and rustic, integrating with a clean, crisp acid profile. The wine finishes with rolling waves of black raspberry, new leather, dark spice, and graham cracker piecrust.
131 cases produced. 100% Grenache”
2013 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2013 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

TOGETHER

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2013 NAPA VALLEY

2013 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Together’s 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is flawless, deepened with six years of bottle development, accentuating the mountain fruit’s power, and Grant Long Jr’s gentle winemaking techniques. The once muscular profile is now silken, with soft tannins, balanced acidity, opulent fruit, and balanced, integrated oak. At our price, words cannot do this wine justice with how it’s drinking right now. 
 
Grant wove together Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the surrounding mountains of Napa Valley and a vintage unanimously recognized for its unrivaled quality. Robert Parker alerted readers that the 2013 vintage “…may turn out to be the finest vintage I have experienced in tasting North Coast varietals over the last 37 years.” 
 
This remarkable wine is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, enhanced with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, which were vital in balancing the distinct Mountain terroirs. The wine was cave-aged for around 20 months in premium oak barrels, and after six years in the bottle, it’s stunningly brilliant.
 
TOGETHER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2013 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $80
 
 
 
“The Precursor to the lovely 2015 and 2014 vintages that I’ve written about is the Together Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, which is an absolute delight to drink. It begins with a concentrated nose of wild berries, bramble, cocoa powder, Spring florals, and wood spice. The concentrated palate is supple and opulent, with the wine’s characteristic black cherry/berry blend balancing the brighter, fresher red fruit notes and finishing with a chocolaty characteristic. Like the two previous vintages, it is rich, densely concentrated, and powerful, and the finish is smooth, satiny, balanced, and ready to drink right now.” 
93 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2018 Domaine Dominique Guyon Hautes Cotes De Nuits Les Dames De Vergy

2018 Domaine Dominique Guyon Hautes Cotes De Nuits Les Dames De Vergy

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyFranceKevin VogtPinot Noir

DOMAINE DOMINIQUE GUYON 

2018 HAUTES COTES DE NUITS
LES DAMES DE VERGY

2018 Domaine Dominique Guyon Hautes Cotes De Nuits Les Dames De Vergy
Domaine Dominique Guyon (Domaine Antonin Guyon) is a family-owned producer in Burgundy with significant holdings in the Côte d’Or. Brothers Dominique and Michel Guyon lead the operation, and they’re meticulously hands-on, which is not replicable with larger producers and is palpable in the glass. Their 2018 Les Dames de Vergy Cotes de Nuits Red Burgundy has penetrating fruit, restrained with a high level of balance and place. At less than $40, this a joy to behold and a remarkable value.  
 
Dominique accumulated nearly 80 separate parcels in the hills above Nuits-Saint-Georges, in an area known for quality. He combined them into a single 22-hectare vineyard with South facing slopes and limestone, rock, and clay soils that produce a remarkable expression of Pinot Noir. 
 
The Guyon’s are just as meticulous in their winemaking as they are with farming. They sort the grapes by hand in the vineyard, aiming to get the fruit to the vat within just 30 minutes from picking. They age the wine in oak for just 12 months to preserve the natural essence of the fruit, and the results are brilliant. 
 
DOMAINE DOMINIQUE GUYON 
2018 HAUTES COTES DE NUITS
LES DAMES DE VERGY
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“This rich, densely textured wine is impressively ripe. Its tannins are still young and will sustain further development. With plenty of red cherry fruitiness to balance the structure, it will age further. Drink from 2022.”
92 Points “Cellar Selection”