Salcheto Riserva

Salcheto 2012 Riserva Vino Nobile di Montelpuclciano (Sangiovese Blend)

SALCHETO

2012 RISERVA
VINO NOBILE di MONTELPULCIANO
(SANGIOVESE BLEND)

 
Odds are, when three top wine critics in the US positively agree on a wine, it will appeal to aSalcheto Riserva broad audience. Yes, taste is  subjective, but truly great wine can transcend subjectivity and appeal to a much wider range of palates, simply because it’s an excellent representation, is perfectly balanced and has a set of indescribable qualities that is compelling for just about any wine lover. With triple 92-93 point scores and a price that’s fairly easy to swallow (pun, intended), I strongly recommend trying this one.

Emerging from Tuscany’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, this stunning Riserva spends the required 2 full years in oak and a year in the bottle before release.  With Sangiovese making up 90% of the final blend, the 2012 has a scrumptious bouquet lined with dark berries and wild plum, then on the palate the wine is deep, seductive and velvety.  With about 30 cases available, we don’t expect this wine to last very long…

SALCHETO

2012 RISERVA
VINO NOBILE di MONTELPULCIANO
(SANGIOVESE BLEND)
Your Price: $34.99/btl
 

 
Dark notes of blackberry and plum are reinforced by molasses and licorice flavors. Dense and meaty, this red is surprisingly nimble given the power and concentration. What this needs is an aged, grilled steak. Drink now through 2025.”
 
 93 Points
Toast, mocha, spiced plum and pipe tobacco aromas come together in this savory red. The palate offers juicy raspberry, wild cherry, star anise and vanilla notes with firm, refined tannins. Drink 2018-2026.”
 
92 Points
“… displays pretty aromas of wild berry, cassis and dried cherry. The 2012 vintage is steady and well assembled, although the high notes are more muted. However, you can count on the bouquet to deliver authentic and true Sangiovese aromas…”
92 Points

Customers who enjoy Salcheto’s Vino Nobile di Montelpulciano Riserva, may also enjoy these two terrific Italian wines…

SILVIO GRASSO
2013 BAROLO
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Your Price: $34.99/btl
 
Pushing the boundaries of tangible value, to find a beautifully crafted and classically styled Barolo at under forty per bottle isn’t just an anomaly… It’s a dominating statement in terms of what’s achievable and available at this price point.  Created in a warm, intense style with a solid core and beautifully persistent flavors, we simply couldn’t believe how great this Barolo was for $34.99/btl…
BIBBIANO
GRAN SELEZIONE
2013 CHIANTI CLASSICO
VIGNA DEL CAPANNINO
Your Price: $34.99/btl
 
From The Wine Spectator, “A savory example, featuring tobacco, earth, wild herb and underbrush notes enveloping a core of fading cherry. Balanced and finishing dry, with tobacco and iron accents lingering. Settling in nicely, with a few years more to go…”    93 Points

Cru 9 2014 Pinot Noir Marion Russian River

CRU 9

2014 PINOT NOIR
MARION, RUSSIAN RIVER
 
Indescribably gorgeous and certainly one of our top new discoveries yet… In addition, if I could tell you the vineyard source for this remarkable Pinot, you would likely grab a case (or two) immediately.  However, with a non-disclosure agreement in place, the fruit source needs to be kept secret… but one taste (and the ensuing grin) will tell you everything you need to know.  Immediately on entry, the high-level of focus and definition lets you know you’re getting into something special.  The core is densely concentrated and layered with classic Russian River Valley nuances and then there that finish… the finish seals the deal, and lasts nearly a full minute.  Our adoration of this wine was so intense that we bought all of it… Therefore, we’re thrilled to pour it by the glass in Yountville, for as long as we can keep it on the shelf.  Come by for a glass…
With a complete production of just 9 barrels, the 2014 perfectly marries iconic Pinot clones Pommard, 667 and Calera, creating a complex, fragrant and beautifully balanced Masterpiece.  This is precisely what I look for in absolute top-level Russian River Valley Pinot, with intense red and black berries, beautifully integrated wild rose, holiday spices and cola.
 
CRU 9
2014 PINOT NOIR
MARION, RUSSIAN RIVER
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
Tasting Notes: “This is a prodigious Pinot Noir that offers an awesome nose of wild Spring flowers, cherry cola, fresh crushed raspberries, tart red plum and sweet vanilla spice.  It is concentrated, structured, amazingly balanced and follows through on the palate with black bing cherries, wild berries and dried orange peel intermixed in an elegant, seamlessly graceful style that is absolutely stunning to drink now, but will cellar through 2024.” 
95 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
Customers that enjoy Cru 9’s Russian River Pinot,  may also enjoy these two terrific Pinots…
BRULIAM
2014 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
 
From The Wine Enthusiast, “Hearty sagebrush, rust and dust meet with dried Montgomery cherry and tart pomegranate aromas on the nose of this bottling from a Healdsburg-based producer. It’s luscious on the palate with ripe plum fruit and tons of baking spice, from cinnamon to clove cream, nutmeg and vanilla.” 93 Points
DANIEL
2014 PINOT NOIR
LAGUNA VINEYARD
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
Your Price: $39.99/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “Sensory Notes: This Daniel Pinot Noir is brilliant ruby red in color. The bouquet opens with Huckleberry coulis and black cherry, followed by charcuterie and cedar. This pinot boasts incredibly concentrated red and dark fruit that lingers with a silky texture on the palate. A wine capable of long term aging, every sip offers new nuance.”
PRISONER WINE CO. 2015 CUTTINGS CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Prisoner Wine Co. 2015 ‘Cuttings’ Cabernet Sauvignon

PRISONER WINE CO.

2015 CUTTINGS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON

As the big, masculine brother to the popular Prisoner blend, the 2015 Cuttings
is a larger-than-lifePRISONER WINE CO. 2015 CUTTINGS CABERNET SAUVIGNON Cabernet Sauvignon that immediately grabs you with decadent levels of richness and unbridled depth.  Hailing from high-elevation vineyards, including Bella Vista, Obsidian Ridge, and the York Creek Vineyard on Spring Mountain, Prisoner Wine Company’s Cuttings Cabernet Sauvignon is a one-of-a-kind, dramatic, ostentatious effort that oozes with otherworldly intensity, wrapped in a voluptuous, satin texture. Bursting with intense mulberries, unsweetened blackberry cobbler, decadent creme de cassis and forest floor, at $39.99/btl this is a wine that truly has it all.
 
A forever frontrunner on our tasting menu in Yountville, the 2015 is built around a core of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Petite Sirah, Syrah and Zinfandel.  The 2015 has already won Best of Class in the $55-$58.99 Cabernet category at the San Francisco Chronicle and at $39.99/btl it will completely redefine what you may have thought possible for Cabernet at this price point… Created in an extravagant and velvety style, plush tannins blanket your palate ushering forth a finish that lasts for more than 30 seconds. I strongly recommend securing a case before it’s too late.
 
PRISONER WINE CO.
2015 CUTTINGS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $55.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl
YOU SAVE 27%
Winery Notes: “Inspired by the age-old method of using cuttings from idyllic sites for the propagation of new vines, this Cabernet Sauvignon showcases some of our favorite hillside vineyards. Cuttings combines the deep, intense flavor of Cabernet Sauvignon with the structure and richness of Petite Sirah and Syrah. A small amount of Zinfandel adds a nice layer of complexity and spiciness. Deliciously smooth with flavors of blueberry, dark cherry, and cocoa. Aromas of fresh roasted coffee, black currant, vanilla bean, brown spice, and wild berries.”

Humanitas 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reid Vineyard

HUMANITAS

2012 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
REID VINEYARD, NAPA VALLEY
 
We’ve had a lot of great feedback on many of the wines that we’ve featured, and it’s become abundantly clear that the best feedback often comes from wines that have a little extra bottle age.  But every once in a while we come across a “Holy S**t*” wine, and this is clearly one of them… And since this one is coming to an end, we wanted to give you one last shot at it… Last year we made the Humanitas Signum our number one wine on our top 5 list, and it sold out before noon
 
Expertly composed by winemaker Rob Lloyd, former winemaker at Rombauer, this 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon originates from a single vineyard on the North Eastern edge of St Helena.  Stunningly concentrated and dangerously hedonistic, the 2012 Reid Vineyard Cab is bursting with authoritative and alluring flavors of sensual dark fruits, chocolate espresso, scorched earth and pipe tobacco.
 
HUMANITAS
2012 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
REID VINEYARD, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl

 
Tasting Notes:The aromatic bouquet blooms with red and black fruits, pipe tobacco, dark chocolate and hints of sun-baked earth. In the glass it is black as a starless night, ringed with rich, hedonistic blackberry, cassis, red berries and cocoa powder.  Though dense, this wine is nimble but with deep, dark black currant, mixed black berries, bing cherry and a touch of sweet vanilla that surrounds your palate in pure joy.  This is another sensational effort from a producer that is quickly becoming one of my favorites.”

Brulium 2014 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands

BRULIAM

2014 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
 
From a vineyard that’s become synonymous with excellence, I get excited when I see this vineyard name printed on a bottle. Wineries like Lucia, Roar and Black Kite all make single vineyard Pinots from Soberanes, and Bruliam perfectly articulates this wondrous site.  The wine leaps from the glass with mineral-laced cherries, wild berry, rose petals, ripe plum and hints of baking spices.  It was strategically guided from grape to bottle by medical doctor-turned-winemaker Kerith Overstreet. Earning 93 Points from Wine Enthusiast, this beautifully expressive, sophisticated and charming Pinot is a terrific bottle of wine at near fifty per bottle retail.
Created from 100% Pisoni Clone, Soberanes is the latest vineyard planted by the Pisoni’s & Franscioni’s, whose families have been farming the area for over 100 years.  Bruliam brilliantly expresses the remarkably distinct flavors and textures that this vineyard is becoming known for.  With the average price of Pinot Noir from Soberanes estimated to be upwards of $50/btl, I strongly recommend making some serious room for this one…
 
BRULIAM
2014 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
 
Choose our ‘Build a Case’ feature to order the wines you want and save them until you have a full case (15 bottles) for free ground shipping!
(Choose ‘Build a Case’ as the shipping method during checkout)
 
From The Wine Enthusiast,Hearty sagebrush, rust and dust meet with dried Montgomery cherry and tart pomegranate aromas on the nose of this bottling from a Healdsburg-based producer. It’s luscious on the palate with ripe plum fruit and tons of baking spice, from cinnamon to clove cream, nutmeg and vanilla.” 93 Points

 

Customers that enjoy Bruliam’s Soberanes Vineyard Pinot,  may also enjoy these two terrific Pinots…
TROMBETTA
2014 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST
Your Price: $44.99/btl
 
From The Wine Enthusiast, “The oak treatment is supportive only, with the wine aged in French oak, 25% of it new, for nine months. Restraint allows it to remain soft and silky on the palate, with inviting characteristics of white pepper, lavender, rose, cranberry, strawberry and vanilla bean.
93 Points
DANIEL
2014 PINOT NOIR
GRAND VENT VINEYARD
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
This profound Pinot was composed by accomplished winemaker Dan Fitzgerald, who got his start working at Williams-Selyem… Created in a silky and extravagant style, remarkably deep and compelling flavors envelope your palate and bring a smile to your face.  With a total production of 90 cases, this Pinot Noir will only go to a lucky few.

Tonti 2014 Reserve Old Vine Zinfandel Russian River Valley

TONTI

2014 RESERVE
OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
Have you ever wondered what makes Old Vine wines unique?  There are two defining factors that when combined, become even more powerful.  Like humans, as vines age their circulation becomes weaker which results in smaller berries and more focused and concentrated flavors.  Older vines also have deeper root systems, which increases the complexity in the wine.  Perfectly expressing what Old Vines are about, Tonti’s 2014 Russian River Zinfandel is the delicious result of two ancient vineyards planted in the early 1900’s.  Remarkably hedonistic, the 2014 saturates your palate with a full gamut of red, blue and black fruits, exotic spices, mixed chocolates and round, plush tannins.  With Gus Gamba as their consulting winemaker, Tonti is producing an extremely high-level Zinfandel, and at retail of $49.00/btl it’s well worth the price of admission….
 
Earning a Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, as well as 94 Points from tastings. com, this wine exhibits all the qualities that I look for in Old Vine Zinfandel.  Housed for 18 months in American oak barrels and from a vintage that’s becoming increasingly recognized for it’s superior quality, grab a case while you can. 
 
TONTI
2014 RESERVE
OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at:  $49.00/btl
 
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
 
Winery Notes: “...Deep purple color. Rustic, fruity aromas of wild raspberry Danish, iron rich soil, menthol, and touch of pepper with a slightly chewy, fruity sweet medium body and an intriguing, medium-long sun dried raspberries, sun dried tomatoes, sweet basil, and milk chocolate bar and terracotta finish with firm chewy tannins and light oak. A spot on zinfandel, rich and juicy with good tannins and structure. Organically Dry Farmed”
 
Customers that enjoy Tonti’s Reserve Zinfandel, may also enjoy these two terrific Zins…
CARLISLE 
2015 ZINFANDEL
CARLISLE VINEYARD 
Your Price: $47.99/btl
 
 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, “…This is another killer wine, as it is always one of the top wines in his extensive and impressive portfolio. The alcohol is 15.3%, but that’s a minor component to this big, juicy, succulent, in-your-face, dramatic Zinfandel that boasts raspberry, black cherry, strawberry, licorice, tar, earth and roasted Provençal herbs. ….” 90-93 Points
GAMBA
2015 ZINFANDEL
STARR ROAD RANCH
Retails at:  $49.00/btl
 
Fashioned from an organically farmed vineyard planted in 1920, the ancient vines have relied on winter rains as their sole source of irrigation for over 95 years.  Yielding just 1.5 tons per acre of strikingly intense, concentrated, pristinely focused fruit, the 2015 exhibits all the qualities that I look for in Old Vine Zinfandel.

Walter Hansel 2015 Estate Pinot Noir & 2014 Cahill Lane Chardonnay

WALTER HANSEL
2015 ESTATE PINOT NOIR

2014 CAHILL LANE CHARDONNAY
Like sitting front-and-center at the grand opera, and instead of string, woodwind and percussions vibrating throughout, penetrating flavors permeate your palate, hitting every note along the way with perfect clarity.  Consistently rated in the mid 90’s, and with each performance like a sold-out show, and yet the ticket price has remained almost unchanged over the past decade… Walter Hansel voices the best of the Russian River Valley, and Robert Parker writes that they’re “… consistently terrific wines… realistically priced… consumers couldn’t have a better friend than proprietor Stephen Hansel.”
Originating from famous clones, strategically planted to specific areas of Walter Hansel’s Estate Vineyard, the new releases are hitting the high notes that you wouldn’t think possible at this price level…

 

WALTER HANSEL
2014 CHARDONNAY
CAHILL LANE
Your Price: $34.99/btl
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, “The 2014 Chardonnay Cahill Lane emerges 100% from the Old Wente clone. This is in heavy clay and fertile Goldridge soils and cropped in by at least 30% to improve concentration. This wine, which is less intense than his other Chardonnays, offers notes of lime and other citrus, with crisp acidity…” 
92 Points
WALTER HANSEL
2015 PINOT NOIR
ESTATE VINEYARD
Your Price: $37.99/btl
From Vinous, “The 2015 Pinot Noir The Estate Vineyard boasts off the charts intensity, richness and texture. Soaring aromatics and a core of dark red and bluish fruit are front and center. Racy and voluptuous to the core, the Estate captures all the intensity of this vintage. This is a dazzling Pinot from Stephen Hansel, not to mention one of the best values readers will find.”
94 Points

Pop 300 2016 Oakville Proprietary White

POP 300

2016 OAKVILLE
PROPRIETARY WHITE
POP 300 is the direct result of growing up in a small town surrounded by legendary farmers and winemakers.  It’s well known that Oakville produces some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon fruit in the world, but there are also other varietals grown in Oakville, you just have to know someone to find them…  This is a truly unique, six barrel production white blend by Luke Russ, who’s day job is the Commercial Director at O’Shaughnessey Winery.  It was built around a core Chardonnay and enhanced with Rhone varietals, and pops ebulliently out of the glass with a fireworks display of honeydew melon, Bosc Pear, lemon grass, ginger and banana cream pie.  At under forty per bottle, you really should try some of this…
POP 300 isn’t the only winery playing on the tension between Chardonnay and Rhone varietals.  Orin Swift’s Mannequin and Prisoner Wine Company’s Blindfold are a couple prime examples.  Manfred Krankl  at Sine qu Non has also mastered this type of blend, but POP 300 might be the only one doing this exclusively from Oakville fruit.  Made even more intriguing during the fermentation process where the wine was fermented in a combination of Stainless Steel and French oak.  If you’re searching for a dynamic white that not only pop’s with flavor, but won’t blow up your wine budget, this is it.
POP 300
2016 OAKVILLE
PROPRIETARY WHITE
Your Price: $37.99/btl Click to Order
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
This is a spectacular wine with bright, exotic tropical fruits, mouthwatering honeydew melon, ripe Bosc pear, Spring flowers and hints of baking spices. The compelling blend has an orchestrated murmuration of penetrating, intense flavors that dance on your tongue in a focused, concentrated style, then expand into a long, complex finish.  It is extremely rare to find such a unique and individualistic wine that truly is one of a kind.” Kevin Vogt, Master Sommelier

 

Customers that enjoy Pop 300’s Proprietary White may also enjoy these two delicious white wines…

 

HANZELL
SEBELLA CHARDONNAY
2015 SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at:  $36.00/btl
Your Price: $29.99/btl
California’s answer to classic Chablis, the 2015  Hanzell Sebella Chardonnay induces an immediate feeling of contentment, followed by a rush of exhilarating flavors and an array of fresh nectarines, citrus blossom, warm pear, liquified stones and floral infused honey.
PRISONER WINE CO.
2015 BLINDFOLD
PROPRIETARY WHITE
Retails at:  $32.00/btl
Your Price: $26.99/btl
As the sister version to the popular Prisoner Red, the Blindfold White administers what feels like Cirque du Soleil performance on your palate, with its ebullient zest, delineation and stunning vibrancy.  This wine is surprisingly delicate and nuanced, and simply fascinating to swirl and taste…

Grand Napa 2015 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

GRAND NAPA 
2015 RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
 
Grand Napa’s 2015 Reserve Cabernet is a perfect example of what we strive to offer you with our Saturday emails.  At the $85 retail price, this wine will bring a smile to your face, but at $39.99 it’s an absolute “must have.”  We painstakingly taste (tough job but someone has to do it,) more than 70 wines each week, searching for incredible bottles with even more incredible discounts.  Grand Napa’s 2015 Reserve Cabernet lures you in with a dramatic aromatic performance laced with candied red berries, espresso roast, blackberry, camphor, dark chocolate and dried violets.
 
This silky wine is rich, compact, and created in a style that you’ll love right out of the bottle, yet has the structure to go for more than a decade.  Composed of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Verdot and additions of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this wine cascades across your palate and is wrapped with velvety tannins.  Don’t wait too long to secure a case.
 
GRAND NAPA
2015 RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at:  $85.00/btl
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
Winery Notes: “Black Cherry and cranberry flavors are complimented by caramelized oak and Christmas spices. A bright beam of red plum persists through the finish.
 
Cabernet Sauvignon 82% | Petit Verdot 10% | Cabernet Franc 5% | Merlot 3%

Hendry 2014 Zinfandel Block 20 Napa Valley

HENDRY
2014 ZINFANDEL
BLOCK 28, NAPA VALLEY
 
We taste many different Zinfandels during our weekly tastings, and most of them have origins right in our own backyard… Dry Creek Valley, Russian River or Napa, but we’ve had some from as far away as Croatia.  Few Zinfandels strike me the way that Hendry’s 2014 Block 28 Zinfandel did.  Remarkably penetrating and perfectly balanced, giving way to waves of briary cherry and raspberry fruit, intermixed with holiday spices, cracked black pepper and violets.  The previous vintage was named one of the Year’s Best Zins by Wine & Spirits, and the vintage before that was honored as one of the top 100 wines of the year by the same publication.  I think the 2014 is even better, so don’t wait too long to secure a case.
 
Nestled at the base of Mount Veeder, the Hendry’s have been farming the same vineyard in Napa Valley since the 1930’s… The lessons learned after more than 75 harvests are almost palpable in this extraordinary Zinfandel.  Kept for 15 months in oak barrels, the 2014 is wonderfully long and vibrant, without being the least bit overripe, heavy or jammy. This awesome Zin would be a remarkable compliment to food or delightfully pleasing on it’s own.
 
HENDRY
2014 ZINFANDEL
BLOCK 28, NAPA VALLEY
Your Price: $36/btl Click to Order
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, “As for the 2014 Zinfandel Block 28, this is a briary, berry-scented and flavored Zinfandel that spent 15 months in French oak. There is a touch of new oak in the background, the wine shows minerality and earthy, spicy strawberry and black cherry fruit.” 90 Points

 

Customers that would enjoy Hendry’s Block 28 Zinfandel, may also enjoy these two terrific Zins…
GAMBA
2015 ZINFANDEL
STARR ROAD RANCH
Retails at:  $49.00/btl
Your Price: $39.99/btl
 
Fashioned from an organically farmed vineyard planted in 1920, the ancient vines have relied on winter rains as their sole source of irrigation for over 95 years.  Yielding just 1.5 tons per acre of strikingly intense, concentrated, pristinely focused fruit, the 2015 exhibits all the qualities that I look for in Old Vine Zinfandel.
CARLISLE
2015 ZINFANDEL
PAPERA RANCH
Your Price: $47.99/btl
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, “A killer effort… from a vineyard planted in 1934…  Moreover, he clearly gives the fruit plenty of attention so that it can strut its ripeness and full-bodied character, given the fact that he rarely uses more than 20-25% new French oak, and of course, the wines are bottled with no clarification by fining or filtering. This should drink well for up to a decade or more.”
92-94 Points