2018 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley

2018 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaSaint HelenaUSA

SEQUUM

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
KIDD RANCH VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley
Sequum is a boutique winery based in Saint Helena, led by Paul Skinner, who combines his Ph.D. in viticulture and soil science with his deep connections in the wine industry to create balanced wines with a powerful sense of place. 
 
Paul spent two decades consulting for premium vineyards before starting his winery in 2003, which is now blended and bottled at Pride Mountain Vineyards.
 
The cooler 2018 growing season is known for producing red wines with elegance, and this Cabernet Sauvignon is nuanced and sophisticated while exhibiting power and depth throughout the finish. It promises a divine wine-drinking experience and has many years of cellaring potential.
 
SEQUUM
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
KIDD RANCH VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $75
 
 
 
“The Sequum Kidd Ranch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 begins with an intense nose of black currants, Italian glove leather, baking spices, milk chocolate, Kalamata olives, and French lavender. The rich palate continues with ripe red and black plums and tart red cherries, combining a complex savory note with sweet vanilla spice. It has an outstanding balance of rich, ripe black fruits intermixed with tart, bright red fruits, intertwined in a way where the red fruits lift the heavier dark fruits to create a wine with impeccable power, elegance, grace, liveliness, and length. Congratulations to Paul Skinner and his team for making another beautiful vintage of this wine.”
95 Points
2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtOregonPinot NoirUSA

LINGUA FRANCA

AVNI PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY 2021

2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
Larry Stone was the ninth Master Sommelier in the United States and spent over 30 years as a high-profile sommelier and restaurateur. In 2010, he began negotiations on the highly sought-after 150-acre Janzen Farm in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills AVA, finally purchasing the property in 2012. The estate lies in the neighborhood of Argyle’s Lone Star, Domaine Serene’s Jerusalem Hill, and Evening Land’s Seven Springs vineyards, known for Nekia, Gelderman, and Jory soils and a climate ideally suited to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
 
Larry co-founded Lingua Franca alongside David Honig and Dominique Lafon in 2015. Dominique, a well-known producer in Meursault, assumed the position of the consulting winemaker and brought on his protégé Thomas Savre to craft the wines because of Thomas’s experience working for some of the top domains in Burgundy. The Avni Pinot Noir comes primarily from the Lingua Franca Estate Vineyard, with around 30% from other prized plots in the Eola-Amity Hills region to elevate the range of aromas and flavors but retain the savory spice.
 
LINGUA FRANCA
AVNI PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY 2021
 
 
 
“The Lingua Franca Avni Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021 begins with a strikingly complex Burgundian-like nose of fresh cherries, delicate green herbs, light wood spice, and white florals. The palate continues with bright red and sweet black cherries, tart pomegranate, ripe Burgundy plums, black tea, hints of cola, and saline minerality. The touch of greenness from partial whole-cluster fermentation dances with the complex sweet/tart fruit to showcase the lushness of Oregon Pinot Noir, guided by the thoughtful, measured hand of a Burgundian winemaker in a way that beautifully projects the best traits of both regions.”
94 Points
2021 Le Petit Broux Sancerre Blanc Loire Valley

2021 Le Petit Broux Sancerre Blanc Loire Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtLoire ValleySancerreSauvignon BlancUSA

LE PETIT BROUX

SANCERRE BLANC
LOIRE VALLEY 2021

2021 Le Petit Broux Sancerre Blanc Loire Valley
Sancerre is one of the most sought-after styles of Sauvignon Blanc worldwide because of its sophistication and vivid sense of place. The wines are famous for their clean, fresh character with focused flinty minerality, salinity, textured layers of citrus, and tropical fruit flavors on riper vintages.
 
The classic French region is located in the heart of the country and has been a center of French resistance since the Middle Ages, bringing people together for centuries. After a warm vintage the previous year, the cooler 2021 vintage reveals classic Sancerre nuances, and the Le Petit Broux bottling displays zesty acidity, lower alcohol levels, and vibrant, bright fruit with a finish that keeps you wanting glass after glass.
 
LE PETIT BROUX
SANCERRE BLANC
LOIRE VALLEY 2021
 
 
 
“The 2021 vintage for Sancerre brought back originality with cooler temperatures giving aromas of gooseberry, lemon zest, green melon, and a crushed seashell minerality. On the palate, the Le Petit Broux has a fresh, clean mouthfeel and bright acidity with flavors of lemongrass, green grapefruit, lime, and oceanic salinity. The wine finishes with energy, liveliness, and a sense of elevation.”
93-94 Points
2018 Pellegrini Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2018 Pellegrini Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

PELLEGRINI

PINOT NOIR 2018
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2018 Pellegrini Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Pellegrini Wines comes from a prized selection of vineyards in the Russian River Valley, each with a different microclimate and soil composition, leading to a complex portfolio of wines. The winery is renowned for consistently producing high-quality wines and includes a range of single-vineyard bottlings and regional blends, each highlighting the family’s favorite vineyards.
 
The 2018 growing season saw cooler-than-average temperatures at the end of the summer and into the autumn, delaying ripening but aiding in developing more profound, elegant flavors and silkier tannins. This Pinot Noir features fruit from Olivet Lane, Toboni, Hurst, Hallberg, and Nonella vineyards, combining the differences in clones and subtle changes in terroir into one wine with layers of flavors that depict the glorious Russian River Valley.
 
PELLEGRINI
PINOT NOIR 2018
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $40
 
 
 
“Earth, clove, nutmeg and forest floor dominate the medium-bodied palate of this smooth, spicy wine, a blend from several neighborhoods within the appellation. Rhubarb and strawberry develop through a creamy center.”
91 Points
2021 Apsara Syrah Sonoma Mountain

2021 Apsara Syrah Sonoma Mountain

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtSonomaSonoma MountainSyrahUSA

APSARA

SYRAH 2021
SONOMA MOUNTAIN

2021 Apsara Syrah Sonoma Mountain
Robin and Aneeta Akhurst founded Apsara Cellars over a shared passion for the environment, studying biology and environmental science. They met in Indonesia over 20 years ago and began honing in on preserving nature with organic, biodynamic, and sustainable practices. The word “apsara” originates from the Sanskrit language and translates to an angelic dancer with balance, purity, and expression, and constitutes the philosophy behind Apsara’s wines.
 
After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, Robin rode his motorbike down to Provence, France, pursued a degree in Enology, and spent the next four years working with legendary winemakers worldwide, including Anne Claude Leflaive in Burgundy, Matt Wenk in the Barossa Valley, and Thomas Rivers Brown in the Napa Valley. The 2021 Sonoma Mountain Syrah is 100% Syrah, aged eight months in 30% New French oak and 70% once-used French oak, retaining varietal purity and vibrant aromatics while continuing a brand trademark with an Old World style.
 
APSARA
SYRAH 2021
SONOMA MOUNTAIN
Retails at: $80
 
 
 
“The Apasara Sonoma Mountain Syrah 2021 begins with a powerful nose of ripe black plums, crushed boysenberries, cold smoked meat, violets, and baking spices. The palate continues with sweet, intense, concentrated red and black stone fruits and supple chocolate, framed on a sultry, seductive body that is rich and opulent with supple tannins and a long, silky finish.”
95 Points
2018 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel Mayacamas Range

2018 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel Mayacamas Range

with No Comment $30-$40CalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSAZinfandel

STORYBOOK

MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL
MAYACAMAS RANGE 2018

2018 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel Mayacamas Range
In the Western hills above Calistoga, Storybook Mountain Vineyards produces one of the most profound expressions of California Zinfandel. This captivating style of Zinfandel combines power and elegance with freshness and remarkable complexity. Andre Tchelistcheff advised Dr. Jerry Seps to plant Zinfandel on his property in the 1970s. Nearly fifty years later, Storybook Mountain’s Zinfandels have made the Wine & Spirits magazine’s top 100 list around twenty times. 
 
The vineyard’s surprisingly cool micro-climate, elevation, and red clay-loam soils create a terroir where the Zinfandel grape can develop optimum flavors at lower sugars. Jerry aged this Zinfandel in a combination of French and American oak barrels inside the 130 years old caves, dug into the volcanic rock. The resulting wine is exceptional and comes at my highest recommendation.
 
STORYBOOK
MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL
MAYACAMAS RANGE 2018
Retails at: $45
 
 
 
“Jerry Seps’s widest selection from his hillside estate northwest of Calistoga, Mayacamas Range is meant to be enjoyed in its youth. The wine has grace and energy, delivering dark-cherry roundness directly into the tannins and their bone-broth savor. Those tannins combine blueberry-skin freshness and a hint of bitter almond in a lasting, supple impression. Heady and beautiful.”
94 Points
2020 Gro Chardonnay Haspel Vineyard Mt. Veeder

2020 Gro Chardonnay Haspel Vineyard Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

GRO

CHARDONNAY 2020
HASPEL VINEYARD, MT VEEDER

2020 Gro Chardonnay Haspel Vineyard Mt. Veeder
GRO Wines proprietor Lars Bjorkman attended UC Davis to pursue a medical degree but later discovered his heart was in viticulture and enology. After receiving his degree from the world-renowned winemaking program, Lars worked in Sonoma County, Australia, and Napa Valley. Today, he works alongside owner and winemaking master Nils Venge at Saddleback Cellars in Oakville. 
 
Lars, his wife, and co-proprietor Molly Hill, also a graduate of UC Davis in the viticulture and enology program, search for charismatic vineyard sites to craft small-lot, single-vineyard wines. Mt. Veeder is the lowest yielding AVA in Napa Valley due to its rugged, volcanic soils and proximity to the San Pablo Bay, providing the Haspel Vineyard an exceptional combination of elements to produce this elegant, cool-climate-influenced style of Chardonnay.
 
GRO
CHARDONNAY 2020
HASPEL VINEYARD, MT VEEDER
Retails at: $42
 
 
 
“Pineapple, lemon, pear and yuzu notes are crisp and clean on a sleek frame, with notes of minerality, clipped lemon verbena and fresh grated ginger, with a long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2027. 217 cases made.”
92 Points
2021 Apsara Chardonnay Petaluma Gap

2021 Apsara Chardonnay Petaluma Gap

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtPetaluma GapSonomaUSA

APSARA

CHARDONNAY 2021
PETALUMA GAP

2021 Apsara Chardonnay Petaluma Gap
“Apsara” is a Sanskrit word that translates to an angelic dancer with balance, purity, and expression and accurately describes each of Apsara Cellars’ exquisite wines, vinified with precision by co-founder Robin Akhurst. Robin and Aneeta met over 20 years ago, studying biology and environmental science in Indonesia. Their travels piqued their interest in preserving the ecosystem with organic, biodynamic, and sustainable vineyard and winery practices.
 
Robin obtained his degree in Enology and spent the next four years working alongside some of the world’s top winemakers, including Domaine Leflaive in Burgundy, Two Hands Wines in the Barossa Valley, as well as Schrader, Outpost Cellars, Myriad, and Carter Cellars in the Napa Valley. Robin sourced his 2021 Chardonnay from the Petaluma Gap in Sonoma County, then matured it in French oak barrels. The resulting wine is a refreshing, light-natured, beautifully aromatic, and layered Chardonnay with delectable flavors. 
 
APSARA
CHARDONNAY 2021
PETALUMA GAP
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The Apsara 2021 Petaluma Gap Chardonnay opens with elegant aromas of acacia and honeysuckle blossoms, fresh Meyer lemon, golden apple, croissant, and crushed rocks. On the palate, the wine has flavors of apricot, lemon custard, cream, and a hint of vanilla. The bright acidity carries through to the finish, and the moderate to low alcohol level allows this wine to be enjoyed independently.”
96 Points
2018 Vik Milla Cala Millahue Valley Chile

2018 Vik Milla Cala Millahue Valley Chile

with No Comment $30-$40ChileKevin VogtProprietary Red

VIK

MILLA CALA 2018
MILLAHUE VALLEY CHILE

2018 Vik Milla Cala Millahue Valley Chile
Alex and Carrie Vik established VIK Winery in the rolling foothills of the Andes Mountains after nearly two years of scientific research seeking out the ideal terroir. After their search, they finally found the prime planting location in the Millahue Valley, in a pocket named “Lugar de Oro” or “Golden Place” by the native Mapuche people. The vines are planted in twelve undulating valleys of several different microclimates, all cooled by Pacific coastal breezes and Andes Mountain winds.
 
Milla Cala is a tribute to Old World meets New World by embodying the connection between the growing environment and the human hand. The vineyards are hand-harvested, and fermented with natural yeasts, giving a distinct house style. The 2018 release blends 60% Cabernet Sauvignon with Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Merlot, reflecting the region’s purity and rich complexity.
 
VIK
MILLA CALA 2018
MILLAHUE VALLEY CHILE
Retails at: $49
 
 
 
“Sweet berries, dried flowers, fresh mushrooms and some currants on the nose, following through to a medium to full body with fine, creamy tannins that give the wine form and tension. Juicy and savory fruit. A blend of cabernet franc, syrah, carmenere and merlot. Better to give this time, but already a beautiful, juicy red to drink. Drink or hold.”
94 Points
 
“A modern Bordeaux blend made by Cristian Vallejo who combines Cabernet Sauvignon with 18% Carmenere, 14% Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot from Millahue, Cachapoal. Aged for 20 months in oak, it is opulent and tasty with a nose of cherries, plums, blackberries, currants, eucalyptus and aromatic herbs wisely combined with spicy aromas from the ageing. Full-bodied with a lush texture and accomplished freshness, the long finish offers fruity and balsamic aromas.”
94 Points
2019 Mantanzas Creek Merlot Alexander Valley

2019 Mantanzas Creek Merlot Alexander Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Alexander ValleyKevin VogtMerlotNapaUSA

MATANZAS CREEK

MERLOT 2019
ALEXANDER VALLEY

2019 Mantanzas Creek Merlot Alexander Valley
The owners of Matanzas Creek launched operations in 1977 and built a reputation on sustainably farmed grapes and a beautiful lavender field, providing a haven for pollinators and promoting biodiversity. The winery is certified under the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and was one of the first wineries to bear the Certified California Sustainable logo on the label with the 2017 release.
 
The Merlot growing in Alexander Valley near the Mayacamas Mountains takes on a robust character due to the limited availability of water and the diverse soil composition. The grapes have a distinct power balanced by finesse, and the 2019 vintage is a fine example of the region’s terroir and the superior quality that Matanzas Creek is known for.
 
Professionally reviewed back in August 2022, this wine recently wowed our panel with focused, concentrated fruit, graphite, cocoa, inky blackberry, and fine tannins. 
 
MATANZAS CREEK
MERLOT 2019
ALEXANDER VALLEY
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“The 2019 Merlot Alexander Valley is fleshy with aromas of cocoa, blackberry, and fresh turned soil, and its palate is supple in texture, with fine tannins and notes of red plum, red flowers, and cocoa. This red is perfect for youthful drinking over the next few years.” Tasted in August of 2022.
89 Points