2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux

2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux

with No Comment $30-$40BordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin Vogt

ESPRIT de PAVIE

RED BORDEAUX
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2016

2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux
Esprit de Pavie made its debut in 2008, created by the visionary Gerard Perse, who is also the owner of world-famous estates such as Chateau Pavie, Chateau Monbousquet, Chateau Pavie-Decesse, and Chateau Bellevue-Mondotte. The wine receives the same care and attention as its illustrious sister properties, ensuring a high-quality level for each bottle produced.
 
Esprit de Pavie arose from southern-facing slopes in the valleys of the Dordogne, characterized by sandy and gravelly foothills, clay hillsides, and a clay-limestone plateau. This classic regional blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon came from one of Bordeaux’s best vintages and spent just the right amount of time maturing in the bottle for more complex flavor development and a softer tannin structure. The wine is a “total charmer,” as Jeb Dunnuck writes, and it’s also an incredible value.
 
ESPRIT de PAVIE
RED BORDEAUX
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2016
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“Extremely aromatic with kir, cherries and flowers. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins. Juicy fruit. So round and inviting now. Drink and enjoy.”
91 Points
Purecru Brut Rose Cuvee XXI California

Purecru Brut Rose Cuvee XXI California

with No Comment $30-$40Champagne/SparklingKevin VogtUSA

PURECRU

BRUT ROSÉ
CUVEE XXI CALIFORNIA

Purecru Brut Rose Cuvee XXI California
PureCru’s magnetic energy and engrossing charm have touched just about everybody coming into our shop since we introduced it in January, and we’ve urged everybody to try it. The Los Angeles International Wine Competition recently confirmed our enthusiasm for this wine. A panel of judges at the competition rated it 98 points and Best of Class, making it their highest-rated Sparkling wine. 
 
Mitch Cosentino is the mastermind behind PureCru; calling on his half-century of experience, he uses a single-stream fermentation to make it. Midway through fermentation, he transferred the partially fermented juice into a custom pressure-controlled tank, resulting in a wine with remarkable fruit intensity, balance, and freshness. Created from 100% Sangiovese grapes, PureCru Brut Rosé releases a sensational bouquet of aromas and flavors unique to the spicy, seductive Sangiovese variety brought forward by the single-stream fermentation method.
 
PURECRU
BRUT ROSÉ
CUVEE XXI CALIFORNIA
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“The PureCru Brut Rosé XXI opens with an abundance of bright aromas beginning with jasmine, lime zest, wild strawberries, raspberries, lychee, passion fruit, pomegranate, and lemongrass. The aromas carry over onto the palate bursting with intensity and zesty fruit flavors accented by fresh acidity and a creamy effervescence. The finish is long and delightful as it slowly fades away, causing you to crave sip after sip.”
96 Points
2018 Domaine Anderson Estate Chardonnay Anderson Valley

2018 Domaine Anderson Estate Chardonnay Anderson Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Anderson ValleyChardonnayKevin VogtMendocino RidgeUSA

DOMAINE ANDERSON

ESTATE CHARDONNAY
ANDERSON VALLEY 2018

2018 Domaine Anderson Estate Chardonnay Anderson Valley
Domaine Anderson lies where Redwood forests meet the Mendocino Coast, creating a unique pocket of land with warm days significantly cooled by nightly coastal fog. Searching for prime Pinot Noir and Chardonnay terroir in California, this ideal climatic combination led Jean-Claude Rouzaud of the Roederer family to the area in 1981, embarking on a journey to produce supremely balanced, Burgundy-influenced wines from California’s Northern Coast.
 
Jean-Claude’s son, Frederic, continues the pursuit of high-quality wine production at Domaine Anderson’s 50 acres of vineyards meandering through the Anderson Valley with distinct microclimates tucked within the valley floor, gentle knolls, and steep hillsides. The 2018 Estate Chardonnay grapes were handpicked, fermented in small French barriques, and aged ten months in a small proportion of new oak to allow the wine’s vibrant fruit character to shine, uncannily reminiscent of a lovely White Burgundy.
 
DOMAINE ANDERSON
ESTATE CHARDONNAY
ANDERSON VALLEY 2018
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“Nutty, toasty, buttery aromas meld beautifully with rich pear, cream and butterscotch flavors in this well-rounded, concentrated and layered wine. Its richness and complexity are enhanced by an underlying lively acidity for excellent balance.”
92 Points
2015 Chateau Trapaud Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux

2015 Chateau Trapaud Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux

with No Comment $30-$40BordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin VogtSaint Emilion

CHÂTEAU TRAPAUD

SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
BORDEAUX 2015

2015 Chateau Trapaud Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux
Beatrice Larribiere is the fourth generation owner and winemaker of Château Trapaud, located just a few hundred meters from Château Valandraud and a close neighbor to the renowned Château Pavie. Beatrice’s winemaking style reveals the intricate balance between fruit, tannic structure, and expression of terroir from her vines organically farmed since 2009. She achieved this balance in the glorious 2015 vintage Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.
 
Saint Emilion Grand Cru AOC adheres to strict yields, a minimum alcohol level, and must be estate-bottled, ensuring a higher quality product. 2015 vintage is considered an excellent growing season for the region, which produced concentrated wines with soft tannins that are ready to drink now but likely have many years of potential in the cellar. At under $40, this remarkable Bordeaux is a staple in our shop, and the 2015 vintage is among their best yet.
 
CHÂTEAU TRAPAUD
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
BORDEAUX 2015
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Impressive concentration here; this smells of dark-berry pastries, plums and fresh cedary wood. Slick and flavor-packed palate with blueberry and deep-set plum-fruit flavors. Drink or hold.” 
92 Points
2017 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

2017 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40ChileKevin VogtProprietary Red

VIK

2017 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED

2017 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red
Alex and Carrie Vik spent two years seeking out the most exceptional vine-growing terroirs in Chile with the potential to create the world’s best wines. In the Millahue Valley near the foothills of the Andes, named “Lugar de Oro” or “Golden Place” by the native Mapuche people, the Vik’s found their prime location, planting vineyards on the rolling landscape with several microclimates offering a diverse range of complexity.
 
Christian Vallejo oversees the vineyards and winemaking and insists on handpicking the harvest and using natural yeasts before fermenting in a combination of new and used French oak barrels. The 2017 Milla Cala is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Carmenere, 11% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Syrah and was the highest-scoring Chilean wine on Wine Enthusiast’s best wines of 2021, helping the Vik’s achieve their goal of making the finest Chilean wine.
 
VIK
2017 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“This is really so delicious with spice, tile, light chocolate and juicy berries. Medium to full body. Wonderful intensity and brightness. Delicious with so much energy. No new wood here. All about balance and drinkability. A blend of 59% cabernet sauvignon, 15% cabernet franc, 5% syrah, 19% carmenere and 2% merlot. Drink now.”
94 Points
 
“Briary blackberry and cassis aromas include familiar Chilean notes of eucalyptus and juniper. This Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend is ripe and creamy in feel, with generous flavors of brown sugar, herbs, blackberry, cassis, coffee and chocolate. The finish is chewy and rich. Drink now–2025.”
93 Points, #73 Top 100 Cellar Selections 2021
2019 Baxter Chardonnay Oppenlander Vineyard

2019 Baxter Chardonnay Oppenlander Vineyard

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtMendocinoUSA

BAXTER

OPPENLANDER VINEYARD
CHARDONNAY 2019

2019 Baxter Chardonnay Oppenlander Vineyard
Philip Baxter gained inspiration for winemaking as a young boy working alongside his father, an influential figure and a supporter of his endeavors. After attending UC Davis, Phil took an internship in Burgundy. In France, he contributed to wine production from more than 30 vineyards ranging from village level to Grand Cru, developing French-winemaking techniques he would later bring to California.
 
Baxter wines are exclusively handmade, benefiting from Philip’s 17 years of experience and gentle, traditional French techniques that celebrate the varietal and the terroir. The grapes came from a small block on the Oppenlander vineyard. They were harvested by hand, fermented in neutral French oak, and aged on the lees for 12 months, adding body to the fresh, pure fruit flavors for a domestic Chablisienne-style Chardonnay that’ll rock your world when you try it.
 
BAXTER
OPPENLANDER VINEYARD
CHARDONNAY 2019
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The 2019 Baxter Oppenlander Chardonnay has an alluring nose opening with chamomile, orange zest, green apple, Meyer lemon, brioche, vanilla ice cream, and crushed rocks. The aromas transfer to the palate with the added complexity of white peach, apricot, and nectarine with a hint of freshly baked brioche. The bright acidity complements the zesty minerality and crisp fruit flavors that portray elegance in a glass and varietal purity.”
94 Points
2017 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Coombsville Napa Valley

2017 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Coombsville Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSA

MAROON

2017 RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON    
COOMBSVILLE, NAPA VALLEY

2017 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Coombsville Napa Valley
Pursuing his passion for agriculture, Paul Maroon acquired 37 acres in Coombsville 20 years ago, selling fruit to some of Napa Valley’s top wineries before realizing the full potential of his Estate in 2009 and producing his first vintage under his moniker. Today, Maroon’s team focuses on raising 100% single-varietal wines crafted to balance power and finesse, allowing their exceptional vineyard prominence. Their simplistic approach is ideal for their Estate’s gravelly loam soils and cool climate, naturally encouraging balanced flavors. 
 
Coombsville is cooler than much of Napa, which was a significant advantage in 2017 with a slight heatwave at the end of the growing season; however, Maroon’s vineyards were nearly unaffected and continued to ripen slowly and evenly. The wine was aged 30 months in 1/3 new French oak barrels and 2/3 neutral barrels, emphasizing the gorgeous fruit character with incredible depth and layers of flavor. At our price, Maroon Cabernet has developed an immense following that’s ever-increasing, unpretentiously delivering exceptional quality, seldom available at this price.
 
MAROON
2017 RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON    
COOMBSVILLE, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $100
 
 
 
The Maroon Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 starts with a penetrating nose of bing cherries, black currants, tobacco leaves, vanilla hints, and crushed slate. The gorgeous fruit is compact and penetrating on the palate with concentrated red currants, blackberries, and black plums, combined with rocky minerals and wood spice. It has bright, fresh flavors with intense fruit and a long, powerful finish, wrapped in velvety tannins.”
94 Points
2016 Ceres Central Otago Pinot Noir Inlet Vineyard

2016 Ceres Central Otago Pinot Noir Inlet Vineyard

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNew ZealandPinot Noir

CERES

CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR
INLET VINEYARD 2016

2016 Ceres Central Otago Pinot Noir Inlet Vineyard
Ceres is the Roman Goddess of agriculture and rumored for saving humans from famine by teaching them to plant wheat, making her a principal figure in life, birth, and growth. Brothers James and Matt Dicey created this wine with Ceres in mind, combining eco-friendly farming and minimalistic techniques in the winery, resulting in remarkably balanced Pinot Noir that vividly depicts its origin.
 
Central Otago is the world’s most southerly region covering a wide range of complex soils, including schist, clay, loam, and sand, producing some of the New World’s most exciting Pinot Noirs. Pinots from this region are inspiring because they entertain the needs of Burgundy lovers while also tickling the interests of Russian River Valley enthusiasts with soft tannins, intense fruit density, and earthy complexity. Here’s a brilliant example of just how great they can be.
 
CERES
CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR
INLET VINEYARD 2016
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Fragrant notions of redcurrant and thyme on the nose continue with a streamlined, channeled energy along the palate. Freshness and drive are the hallmarks. The pure nature of the fruit shines through with brightness and verve, unburdened by any new oak. Drinking Window 2020 – 2035.”
93 Points
2018 Grand Napa Master Red Napa Valley

2018 Grand Napa Master Red Napa Valley

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

GRAND NAPA 

MASTER RED
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Grand Napa Master Red Napa Valley
Grand Napa Vineyards in Rutherford produces full-bodied wines with depth, character, and balance from select vineyards that give fruit with powerful concentration and plush tannins. Winemaker Dwight Bonewell is involved in the vineyards and the winery, ensuring that only the best fruit is harvested and sorted by hand before coaxing each vineyard’s unique character into its purest expression.
 
The Master Red is a tribute to the early award-winning Bordeaux style blends from Napa, combining 55% Cabernet Sauvignon with almost equal parts Merlot and Malbec, all grown in Coombsville and Saint Helena, attributing complexity from cooler and warmer parts of the Valley. 2018 is an exquisite vintage due to ideal growing conditions without any significant heatwaves, allowing to wine to be delicately layered with complex aromas and flavors that would make the early wines of Napa genuinely proud.
 
GRAND NAPA 
MASTER RED
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $90
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“Loads of black cherries, currants, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and spring flower notes emerge from the 2018 Master Red. A medium to full-bodied, lightly textured blend with integrated tannins and a clean, classy finish, I’d be thrilled to drink bottles any time over the coming 10-15 years.” 
92 Points
 
“Savory aromas of dried mushroom and oyster shell on the nose, layered with dried blackcurrant and tobacco. It’s medium- to full-bodied with sleek, integrated tannins. Flavorful with a juicy, savory finish. Try from 2021.” 
92 Points
2018 Bruliam Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highland

220126 2018 Bruliam Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highland

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastKevin VogtMontereyPinot NoirSanta Lucia HighlandsUSA

BRULIAM

2018 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS

2018 Bruliam Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highland
Medical doctor-turned-winemaker Kerith Overstreet is the genius behind Bruliam, and it’s her intricate attention to detail that brings her wines energy and life. Bruliam Wines is a boutique winery producing around 1000 cases annually of single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay from some of California’s most celebrated vineyards.
 
Kerith’s relationships with many renowned growers secure her allocations of some of the highest quality fruit in California, hence her single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Soberanes Vineyard, the latest site developed by the Pisoni & Franscioni families. The character of Soberanes shines brilliantly in this wine with its captivating, majestic balance of complex aromas and flavors; the wine is a real over-achiever at this price.
 
BRULIAM
2018 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Retails at: $55
 
 
 
“Dark, bright-rimmed red. Spice-tinged red fruits, incense and floral qualities on the perfumed nose, along with a building mineral topnote. Juicy and energetic on the palate, offering vibrant raspberry and cherry, rose pastille and exotic spice flavors that show fine delineation and appealing sweetness. Deeply flavored but graceful as well, finishing on a gently tannic note, with strong, red-fruit- and spice-driven tenacity.”
93 Points