2018 Paraduxx Proprietary Red Napa Valley By Duckhorn Wine Co.

2018 Paraduxx Proprietary Red Napa Valley By Duckhorn Wine Co.

PARADUXX

PROPRIETARY RED
2018 NAPA VALLEY
BY DUCKHORN WINE CO.

 2018 Paraduxx Proprietary Red Napa Valley By Duckhorn Wine Co.
Paraduxx steadfastly produces showy blends to encapsulate the fascinating character and profound complexity that put Napa Valley on the map. Dan Duckhorn gathered seven unique properties specifically for Paraduxx. He chose them for distinct attributes, reflected in their soil variation, terrain, microclimate, and sun exposure. Brandishing captivation and balance, Paraduxx wines personify Napa Valley terroir and American winemaking freedom. 
 
Winemaker Cardiff Scott-Robinson takes inspiration from the world’s most noble blends, crafting deep, charming reds with a distinct identity. He created this year’s Paraduxx with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, dressed with six other varietals, for added intrigue and personality. 
 
Napa Valley’s 2018 vintage provided temperate weather and abundant hang-time, resulting in the fruit’s fully developed flavors and excellent natural acidity. Once harvested, the grapes were gently pressed and fermented before transferring by gravity to the winery’s barrel rooms, where the wine spent the next 18 months developing in French oak.
 
PARADUXX
PROPRIETARY RED
2018 NAPA VALLEY
BY DUCKHORN WINE CO.
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Deep, dark and luxurious, this wine offers alluring aromas of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, currant and cocoa powder, with underlying hints of saddle leather, cinnamon and clove. The voluptuous dark berry notes are echoed on the palate where they are framed by supple tannins and sophisticated layers of anise, vanilla, sweet tobacco leaf and fresh-cracked black pepper, all of which carry the wine to a juicy dark berry finish.”
2018 Panther Creek Pinot Noir De Ponte Vineyard Dundee Hills

2018 Panther Creek Pinot Noir De Ponte Vineyard Dundee Hills

PANTHER CREEK

2018 PINOT NOIR
DE PONTE VINEYARD
DUNDEE HILLS 

2018 Panther Creek Pinot Noir De Ponte Vineyard Dundee Hills
Panther Creek crafts their Pinot Noir from the soil up, with the earth as the defining factor, drawing the blueprint for each of the wines they produce. Their Dundee Hills Pinot Noir arose from red clay-loam and volcanic soils that run from the ground straight through your glass, articulating its origin by balancing tart black cherry with lush raspberry, wild spices, and dried flowers. Once you see who’s making the wine and our price, the only question will be whether a single case will be enough. 
 
Tony Rynders, the winemaker at Panther Creek, has been immersed in Oregon Pinot Noir for two decades. He began his career under the tutelage of Ken Wright and later spent a decade at Domaine Serene, crafting their highly acclaimed Pinots. 
 
De Ponte Vineyard consists of South facing vines grown at 625 feet elevation centered in the Dundee Hills Appellation. Widely praised for their dense red fruits, intense floral aromas, and a hint of minerality, Pinot Noir from De Ponte is unmistakable. Panther’s Creek version expressively embodies the vineyard’s potential, and at $36, I couldn’t be any more enthusiastic about it.
 
PANTHER CREEK
2018 PINOT NOIR
DE PONTE VINEYARD
DUNDEE HILLS
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“This supple, penetrating beauty begins with a nose with black cherries, white pepper, baking spices, and hints of vanilla. It is rich and concentrated with supple Mountain blackberries, pomegranate, cherry cola, and strawberries on the finish and is a silky, hedonistic pleasure to enjoy.”
93 Points
2017 La Pitchoune Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

2017 La Pitchoune Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

LA PITCHOUNE

2017 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST

2017 La Pitchoune Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
La Pitchoune Winery’s minuscule size is their most significant asset; Inspired by a small home in the South of France, La Pitchoune means “the little one.” On a small scale, exploiting winemaker Andrew Berge’s Master’s degree in Agriculture and deep understanding of geography, soil, and vines comes naturally, as deep personal connections cultivate with some of the area’s top growers. Their 2017 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay effortlessly articulates famous vineyard sites with the perfect blend of opulence, buttery characteristics, and refreshing balance. 
 
Combining grand-cru equivalent sites, Pratt and Falcon Crest Vineyards, La Pitchoune’s 2017 La Révolte encompasses a unique clonal mix of Wente, Wente-Hyde, Robert Young, and Mt. Eden brilliantly. 
 
Andrew Berge ages this Chardonnay for 18 months in French oak, mindfully watching over each of the 11 barrels, steadfast on the final result exposing Sonoma Coast’s notorious Goldridge soils and Pacific influence.
 
LA PITCHOUNE
2017 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $48
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“A hazy, golden-green color introduced this very special California Chardonnay. Hand-crafted using old-world techniques and style it is barrel-fermented in 100% French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, this wine exudes impeccable balance. Aromas of lemon curd and orange blossoms intermingled with croissants and wet stones. Flavors of Mirabelle plums, blood-orange zest and Gravenstein apple are heightened by a hint of anise and salty minerality. The crisp, persistent finish carries through to the next sip. Drink now or over the next 5-8 years.”
2016 Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico Vigna Del Capannino

2016 Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico Vigna Del Capannino

BIBBIANO

GRAN SELEZIONE
2016 CHIANTI CLASSICO
VIGNA DEL CAPANNINO 

2016 Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico Vigna Del Capannino
Bibbiano cemented its spot on my top 5 wines-of-the-year list in 2020 with its explosive richness, deep-seated power, and captivating elegance. A month later, it earned a monstrous 95 point score in the Wine Spectator, which referenced the wine’s escalating power. Each time I taste it, the wine not only stands up to Italian, French and American producers, but it dominates just about everything in its path. If you want to taste an exceptionally high-quality Chianti at a great price, this is it. 
 
Making a dramatic entrance from one of Tuscany’s best vintages in nearly two decades, this stunning wine was created from 100% Sangiovese Grosso and aged for 30 months before bottling. On the palate, the wine is intensely captivating and with a satin texture and long resonant finish. 
 
Production requirements for Gran Selezione wines insist on sourcing the grapes from 100% Estate grown fruit or selecting the Estate’s best parcels. It also has higher extract restrictions and extended oak aging requirements. Gran Selezione, which means Great Selection, is the pinnacle of quality for Chianti Classico.
 
BIBBIANO
GRAN SELEZIONE
2016 CHIANTI CLASSICO
VIGNA DEL CAPANNINO
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“This red starts out smooth, displaying ripe black cherry and plum flavors, along with earth, iron and woodsy elements. Gains power as this builds on the palate, ending in an extended aftertaste of loam, iron and wild herb accents… 250 cases imported.”
95 Points
 
“Restrained, fresh pomegranate fruit with slightly nutty character, earthy-strawberry depth and minerality. Bright acidity and savoury character, firm and chalky, with natural and integrated freshness. Andrew Jefford: A gorgeously teased, poised aromatic ripeness here: subtle incense spice just hidden behind the refined, perfumed plums; a hint of orange peel. Shapely, fresh, vivid and vigorous: super purity, admirable finesse.” 
95 Points
 
“…shows classic lines and balanced intensity with a nice spot of acidity and plenty of dark berry fruit to soften it out. The 2016 vintage is a classic one in Tuscany, and that’s why you get so much cooling cherry, forest berry and cassis on this versatile Gran Selezione wine. Drink 2021-2032”
94 Points
2018 Alexana Pinot Noir Terroir Series Willamette Valley

2018 Alexana Pinot Noir Terroir Series Willamette Valley

ALEXANA

2018 PINOT NOIR
TERROIR SERIES
WILLAMETTE VALLEY

2018 Alexana Pinot Noir Terroir Series Willamette Valley
Alexana Terroir Series Pinot Noir is strategically complex and thoughtfully constructed to showcase Willamette Valley’s varied soils & micro-climates. The winery’s motto is that diverse soils create complex wines, and their Terroir Series Pinot Noir exemplifies this. It’s made from five of Willamette Valley’s top AVAs and showcases a broad range of soils, clones, exposures, and climates. The wine is perennially high-scoring, and at less than $40, it’s also a terrific value. 
 
Alexana winemaker Bryan Weil gained invaluable experience while working at one of Oregon’s highest quality producers, Domaine Serene. His Pinot Noirs are deeply expressive, sensual, and rich in complexity. 
 
The Estate farms their Vineyards Biodynamically, resulting in a pure and natural fruit expression, complemented with just ten months in barrel. The final blend encompasses eleven different clones of Pinot Noir, which shows in the vast complexity and delicately layered nuances.
 
ALEXANA
2018 PINOT NOIR
TERROIR SERIES
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“Elegantly structured, the 2018 Alexana Terroir Series Pinot Noir begins with a concentrated nose consisting of fresh cherries, wood spice, wild mushrooms, and rose petals. It has a penetrating palate with fresh red berries, cherry cola, fine-grained fruit tannins, dried tea leaves, and a hint of toasty oak. It is beautifully balanced and ready to drink now but has enough tannin structure to age a decade or so.”
93 Points
2016 Franco Serra Barolo Piedmont, Italy

2016 Franco Serra Barolo Piedmont, Italy

FRANCO SERRA

2016 BAROLO 
PIEDMONT, ITALY 

2016 Franco Serra Barolo Piedmont, Italy
Revered for having captivating power, thought-provoking definition, confident energy, and graceful delivery, Barolo is one of the world’s great wines. Many start around $60, and in vintages like 2016, which the Wine Spectator rates as the best in more than two decades, even entry-level Barolos can be memorable and profound. We estimated Franco Serra’s 2016 Barolo to be around $65, and we loved it at that price. When we found out we could offer it to you at $38, we seized the opportunity. 
 
Keenly focused on tradition, the Sperone family brings four generations of experience to Franco Serra. Proudly intent on producing wines of distinction and value, the family owns and farms 75 acres of prime vineyards outside Monferrato. 
 
Franco Serra Barolo is classically styled, detailing the vintage hallmarks with vibrancy, balance, and refinement. The wine spends a full three years in oak, and with time in the bottle, the wine perfectly balances intensity and grace.
 
FRANCO SERRA
2016 BAROLO 
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“Aromas of plums, cherries and ash with hints of tea and toffee follow through to a full body with layered, chewy tannins and lots of chocolate and walnuts at the finish…”
94 Points
2018 Jon Nathaniel Bodacious Proprietary Red

2018 Jon Nathaniel Bodacious Proprietary Red

JON NATHANIEL

2018 BODACIOUS
PROPRIETARY RED

2018 Jon Nathaniel Bodacious Proprietary Red
Veteran winemakers John and Nat Komes established Jon Nathaniel winery to recapture their creative freedom. They hand-craft each wine with the highest standards of excellence and meticulously select fruit from small parcels that they’ve farmed for decades. John founded Flora Springs winery in the late 70s and helped pioneer barrel fermentation, lees stirring, the use of French and American oak barrels, and proprietary blends in Napa Valley. Nat previously oversaw operations at Flora Springs for nearly 20 years, and together they craft this incredible, high-scoring blend. 
 
This wine gets its name from the iconic rodeo bull, Bodacious, known as The World’s Most Dangerous Bull. The wine Bodacious presents in a larger-than-life, expressive style that captures the winemaker’s creativity and vision for crafting a wine that tells a powerful tale of the vintage and the care that went into it. 
 
They cellared the 2018 release for around 20 months in barrel, and now, right out of the bottle, it’s supple, rich, and inviting. Winemakers Nat and Jon created the 2018 Bodacious by artfully blending Malbec and Petite Verdot, and the sheer quality of this wine is no bull.
 
JON NATHANIEL
2018 BODACIOUS
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“the 2018 Red Blend Bodacious checks in as equal parts Malbec and Petit Verdot, all from the Napa Valley. A big, inky, ruby/purple color is followed by rich notes of ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, dark chocolate, scorched earth, and graphite. With sweet tannins, a dense, concentrated, medium to full-bodied style, and nicely integrated oak, this ripe, sexy 2018 can be drunk today or cellared for 10-15 years.”
93 Points
2018 Ty Caton Upper Bench Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain District

2018 Ty Caton Upper Bench Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain District

TY CATON

2018 UPPER BENCH
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT

2018 Ty Caton Upper Bench Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain District
Dedicated to crafting wines with an authentic sense of place, Ty Caton formed his Cabernet Collection to highlight the very best blocks within his Estate Vineyard on Moon Mountain. His 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Upper Bench offers a vivid portrayal of the distinct terroir of the highest point in his vineyard. The wine powerfully expresses its origin with profound depth, balanced red and black fruits, dusty tannins, and slightly mouth quenching acidity that ties everything in. The winery lists it for $60, which is a real value, but at our price, I’d order what you can of this 112 case production Cab, and you’ll thank me later.  
 
Caton Vineyard is on the Sonoma side of Mount Veeder. The well-drained red volcanic soils there are also home to icons like the Monte Rosso, made famous by Louis Martini, and Frederick’s Vineyard used by Turley. 
 
The Upper Bench block consists of less than 11 acres of vines, allowing Ty to farm each vine on a micro-level. Ty’s commitment to the stewardship of his land, and unwavering determination to make balanced wines with distinct varietal character and terroir intensity, is obvious in this wine.
 
TY CATON
2018 UPPER BENCH
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The Caton Cabernet Collection “Upper Bench” Moon Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 entices you from the beginning with an elegant, yet powerful nose including briary black raspberries, red pie cherries, menthol, sassafras tea, green peppercorns and Spring flowers. The beautifully balanced yet concentrated palate walks a thin line between power and finesse with bright red currants, deep Burgundy plums, earthy wild mushrooms, and sweet vanilla bean. The finish is balanced, with a distinctive pristine mouth quenching quality that combines the concentrated fruit and velvety fruit tannins. It drinks beautifully now and will improve for another decade.”
94 Points
2018 Leviathan Proprietary Red California

2018 Leviathan Proprietary Red California

LEVIATHAN

PROPRIETARY RED
2018 CALIFORNIA 

2018 Leviathan Proprietary Red California
Leviathan is Californian through and through. Created unbound by tradition to showcase the vintage’s most potent characteristics, Leviathan captures the essence of a New World winemaker’s freedom to create a wine outside the bounds of single appellations or classic varietal blends. Recently ranked #18 on Jeb Dunnuck’s list of Napa’s Top Cabernets under $100, and notably, the 2018 Leviathan at $39.99 was also the best value on the list and the only wine priced below $60. 
 
Masterfully blended by Andy Erickson, winemaker at Screaming Eagle from 2005-2010, the 2018 Leviathan was created around a core of Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, all from carefully chosen sites throughout California.
 
Leviathan’s 2018 release exemplifies the vintage’s best characteristics with impressive structure, fully developed flavors, and balanced acidity. At $40, it’s easy to see why it continually gets monster scores.
 
LEVIATHAN
PROPRIETARY RED
2018 CALIFORNIA
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Always a great value… The wine reveals a ruby/purple hue as well as complex notes of red and black fruits, green tobacco, cedary spice, and spring flowers. These all flow to a medium to full-bodied, elegant wine that offers good overall concentration, seamless tannins, and a great finish. Very much in the style of the 2018 vintage with its more streamlined, elegant style, it’s going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age (although it’s far from unapproachable today) and keep for a solid 10-12 years or more. This is one of the more age-worthy examples of this cuvée that I recall.”
94 Points
 
“A Blackberry and asphalt aromas with some violets and rose petals. Medium to full body. Some carbon to the dark fruit. Tasty and delicious. Chewy now, but we like it already. Drinkable now, but will improve with age.”
93 points
2017 Belle Glos Eulenloch Vineyard Pinor Noir Napa Valley

2017 Belle Glos Eulenloch Vineyard Pinor Noir Napa Valley

BELLE GLOS

EULENLOCH VINEYARD
2017 PINOT NOIR
NAPA VALLEY

2017 Belle Glos Eulenloch Vineyard Pinor Noir Napa Valley
Belle Glos Pinot Noirs have an extravagantly rich style that transcends varietal/category to the degree that even some Cabernet-drinkers enjoy them. Winemaker Joe Wagner crafts them with unprecedented lavish fruit and sweet oak levels, and he works to distill the essence of each vineyard and deliver it generously. His Eulenloch Pinot Noir from Napa Valley’s Carneros region is opulent, complex, and nuanced. At around $40, it’s a lot of Pinot for the price. 
 
Joe was involved in the Wagner Family wine business at an early age, taking invaluable lessons from his father, Chuck Wagner, who founded Caymus Vineyards with his father, Charlie. Joe created Belle Glos to showcase Pinot Noirs produced from noteworthy coastal wine-growing regions, and lucky for us, he recently added Eulenloch Vineyard in Napa Valley. 
 
Eulenloch Vineyard benefits from cooling influences from the Pacific Ocean via San Pablo Bay, which helps the grapes maintain acidity and structure. Joe utilizes frequent punch downs to extract color and tannins at the winery, and he controls temperature to maximize flavor.
 
BELLE GLOS
EULENLOCH VINEYARD
2017 PINOT NOIR
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $55
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Deep ruby red with aromas of ripe cherry, blueberry, and juicy blackberry layered with hints of cocoa and forest floor. A rich and opulent wine offering flavors of baker’s chocolate, blackberry, and sweet pipe tobacco. This wine is well rounded with supple, refined tannins and a mouthwatering, long finish.”