2014 Anarchist Wine Co. The Philosopher Proprietary Red

2014 Anarchist Wine Co. The Philosopher Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtProprietary RedUSA

ANARCHIST WINE CO.

THE PHILOSOPHER 
2014 PROPRIETARY RED

2014 Anarchist Wine Co. The Philosopher Proprietary Red
If you haven’t tried Anarchist’s Philosopher Red Blend at $30, you really should. It’s a soft, supple style with lush fruit, a silky mouthfeel, and a rare complexity at this price. We offered the 2013 last year, which earned 97 Points, and a Double Gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, and the wine quickly made many friends due to its easy-drinking style. The 2014 vintage has more depth and fills your palate with a beautiful medley of fruits and complexity. At under thirty bucks, acquiring a case would be a stroke of wisdom. 
 
There are many theories as to why the Anarchist wines are so darn good. Some might attribute it to the unorthodox blending of Bordeaux and Rhone varietals, and others to the delicious, open-knit style. If you peer more deeply into this wine, you’ll find that it all began at The Wine Foundry, a custom-crush winery making luxury brands, with access to some spectacular fruit sources. 
 
The 2014 Philosopher was built around a core of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and blended with Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. This insightful blend is from a vintage unanimously recognized for its unrivaled quality, and one that brings blissful opulence and fullness to every single tastebud.   
 
ANARCHIST WINE CO.
THE PHILOSOPHER 
2014 PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
“Classic Cabernet aromas of black cherry, plum and violets, along with toffee, mocha, with hints of vanilla bean. Mouth-filling palate with ripe cassis, cacao, cigar box and blueberries. Nicely balanced acidity in a full-bodied wine, with well integrated tannins.”
2017 San Leonino Governo All'uso Toscana Sangiovese IGT

2017 San Leonino Governo All’uso Toscana Sangiovese IGT

with No Comment $30 and underItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

SAN LEONINO

2017 GOVERNO
ALL’USO TOSCANA 
SANGIOVESE IGT

2017 San Leonino Governo All'uso Toscana Sangiovese IGT
Governo is a wine type favored by sommeliers looking for a value-priced Sangiovese with greater depth, richness, and X-factor. Producers make it using similar methods to Amarone, but instead of Valpolicella’s mix of grapes, they use Sangiovese. To make it, winemakers add partially dried grapes back into already fermented Sangiovese, igniting a secondary fermentation, which creates a more profound, more vibrant, and often smoother wine.  
 
Tuscany is where winemakers first developed Governo in the 14th century. It was often a method used by vineyard workers who got paid with the poorest quality grapes in the vineyard. They found that if they added partially raisinated grapes into the already fermented Sangiovese, they could make a deeper, richer Sangiovese that was easier to sell. 
 
San Leonino’s 2017 Governo is 100% Sangiovese and comes from the All’Uso Toscano region in Tuscany. It’s a classically styled wine, with penetrating cherry fruit intertwined with spices, and liquid floral.  
 
SAN LEONINO
2017 GOVERNO
ALL’USO TOSCANA 
SANGIOVESE IGT
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
“Intense notes of ripe cassis, cherry, licorice, cedar and spiced oak dominate on both the nose and palate. 100% Sangiovese.”
2016 Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2016 Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

JOSEPH JEWELL 

2016 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2016 Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
There are many reasons why Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir is the only wine that I’ve featured on my top-five-wines of the year list more than once. The most distinctive trait that’s become a hallmark of this wine is the satiny texture and weight on the palate, which is sublime. Every time I taste it, I’m perplexed that a wine we can offer at this value price can taste like it costs more than double. 
 
Joseph Jewell marries fruit from renowned sites Hallberg, Floodgate, and Bucher Vineyards. Williams-Selyem and Gary Farrell Pinot fans likely recognize these sites as being spectacular.  
 
On the palate, the 2016 vintage is full, rich and opens up to a basket of black cherries, ripe raspberries, black tea, and blue violets. The wine team elevated it for around 11 months in French oak, and then it blossomed generously over the last three years in the bottle.
 
JOSEPH JEWELL 
2016 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $40
 
 
 
“Doubling down on the extreme quality that Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir has produced in previous vintages, the 2016 sets an all new high water mark. The alluring nose has the most beautiful blend of pomegranate, red pie cherries, mixed florals and hints of spice. The mesmerizing mouthfeel has a supple, satiny texture, along with a mouth-filling explosion of ripe black raspberries, sweet red plums, tart cranberry, cherry cola, chamomile tea and asian spice. The rich, supple texture and concentrated flavors are perfectly balanced by a mouth-quenching freshness that leaves me begging for another sip. I am seriously sitting here shaking my head and trying to remember if I have ever had as great a wine at this low price. Don’t think so.” 98 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2018 Sans Liege The Offspring Proprietary Red

2018 Sans Liege The Offspring Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underCentral CoastKevin VogtProprietary RedSanta BarbaraUSA

SANS LIEGE

2018 THE OFFERING
PROPRIETARY RED

2018 Sans Liege The Offspring Proprietary Red
Sans Liege The Offering is a fusion of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre that was inspired by the deliciously complex wines from the Southern Rhone Valley, and crafted with the New World winemaking freedom. Each subsequent vintage develops an even more intense following, and it’s the wines’ magnetic style, with a plush mouthfeel and abundance of complexity that makes it so unforgettable. All of that combined with a retail price of under $30, and the quality is unmatched when it comes to juicy red blends. 
 
With origins from top vineyards in California’s iconic Santa Barbara County, winemaker Curt Schalchlin selects each vineyard based on flavor characteristics and distinct qualities that add layers to the diversity of the overall blend. 
 
This remarkable and highly-expressive blend spent around 16 months in barrel, and Curt made it with a technique of utilizing partial whole cluster fermentation, contributing to greater depth and structure in the wine.
 
SANS LIEGE
2018 THE OFFERING
PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
“The early fall breeze brushes through the orchard, bringing with it aromas of red plum, cinnamon bark, cocoa, and freshly oiled leather. The harvest table is bountiful; friends and family all gather round. Wooden bowls full of green olives and mixed berries are passed as you warm your hands on a rustic mug filled with anise black tea.”
2019 Brevity Pinot Grigio Santa Barbara County

2019 Brevity Pinot Grigio Santa Barbara County

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtSanta BarbaraUSA

BREVITY

2019 PINOT GRIGIO
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

2019 Brevity Pinot Grigio Santa Barbara County
As a fan of Pinot Noir, I can’t help but admire Pinot Grigio. After all, Pinot Grigio came from a genetic mutation of the Pinot Noir grape, removing the color pigmentation and making it a grayish-blue color, rather than purple. And this didn’t just happen yesterday; Pinot Grigio has been around since the Middle Ages. It’s now the second most popular white wine grape in the US, behind Chardonnay, and it’s also found a stronghold in Northern Italy and Alsace. We don’t feature them in our emails often, but then again, we’ve never tasted one as great as this…
 
There are many different styles of Pinot Grigio, from dry and minerally, (common in Northern Italy), to sweet & fruity which is common in Alsace (and also referred to as Pinot Gris.) In the New World, Pinot Grigio is often both fruity and dry. This wine stands out for having concentrated fruit, lively acidy, brilliant details, and powerful intensity. 
 
Brevity is a brand new project made by Bobby Moy, who got his feet wet in the wine industry mentoring under Thomas Rivers Brown before launching this label. It’s farmed organically, and the grapes were whole-cluster pressed and cold fermented for 42 days, which both contributed to the concentrated fruit and bright acid. If you know anyone that loves Pinot Grigio, they should not miss this one.
 
BREVITY
2019 PINOT GRIGIO
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
 
Your Price: $22
 
 
“The Brevity 2019 Santa Barbara County Pinot Grigio is an absolute delight to taste. This stunning wine is defined and focused on the nose with bright citrus, Spring flowers, and green apple hints. The palate is exceptionally concentrated, with intense key lime, passionfruit, and pomelo. There is a steeliness on the palate with this one combined with a very crisp acidity that keeps you coming back for more. It’s simply the best Pinot Grigio I’ve had the last few years.”  93 Points
2018 Castello Romitorio Rosso Di Montalcino Italy

2018 Castello Romitorio Rosso Di Montalcino Italy

with No Comment $30 and underItalyKevin VogtRosso

CASTELLO ROMITORIO

2018 ROSSO DI MONTALCINO
MONTALCINO, ITALY

2018 Castello Romitorio Rosso Di Montalcino Italy
Rosso di Montalcino from a great producer can offer immense value, and provide one of the purest and most vivid interpretations of Sangiovese Grosso grape. Rossos require only one year of age before release, which often results in a fresher and more vibrant Sangiovese that can also be enjoyed young. Castello Romitorio Brunello gets monster scores, and they fashioned their Rosso from younger vines on the Estate. And, they made it with the same exacting standards that make their Brunellos so great. At about 1/2 the price of their Brunello, the value is abundant.
 
Castello Romitorio has Italian history embedded in its DNA. The Estate dates back to the Middle Ages, and through time, transitioned from a temple to a fortress, a monastery, a castle, a Manor House, and now, lucky for us, a winery… 
 
Located northwest of Montalcino’s town, the vineyard has soils composed of clay and Albarese, from which fossils and shells emerge, evidence of an ancient coastal seabed. Their 2018 Rosso is robust, vibrant, and unleashes a flurry of concentrated red and blue fruits, rose garden, and intriguing spice. 
 
CASTELLO ROMITORIO
2018 ROSSO DI MONTALCINO
MONTALCINO, ITALY
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The 2018 Castello Romitorio Rosso di Montalcino takes time to blossom in the glass, yet it is totally worth the wait. A pretty and understated display of cherry and strawberry mixed with dusty earth, roses and hints of undergrowth opens nicely. Soft, silky textures flood the palate with ripe red and hints of blue fruit, sweet yet perfectly contrasted by saline-minerality, along with hints of fine tannin that slowly mount toward the close. The finish is remarkably long, as notes of dried wild berries, blueberry skins and hints of violet florals linger.” 91 Points
 
 
“Limpid garnet color, translucent. Appetizing nose so typical for Sangiovese: the tangy aroma of Marasca cherry. With increasing bottle age, this cherry fruit turns from fresh and crisp to mellow and dried, in the young wines the fruit is pristine, varying in intensity with each vintage. The body is sinewy and bone-dry: not a prettified, mollified Sangiovese but a wine as rugged as the land. There is fine, bright acidity and a lovely tannic grip. This has impact but is not heavy. A little age sits wonderfully on this rustic charmer: bottle age will give you scents of leather, wild thyme and polished wood.” Anne Krebiehl MW
2016 Waterfall Proprietary Red Old Vine Cabernet Franc Sonoma Valley

2016 Waterfall Proprietary Red Old Vine Cabernet Franc Sonoma Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

WATERFALL 

2016 PROPRIETARY RED
(OLD VINE CABERNET FRANC)
SONOMA VALLEY

2016 Waterfall Proprietary Red Old Vine Cabernet Franc Sonoma Valley
At $23, we knew Waterfall’s 2016 Red would be an instant hit, and based on the torrent of re-orders and glowing feedback, we were right. After all, it’s made by Helen Keplinger, whom you might recognize from her work at Bryant, Carte Blanche, and Grace Family, and even at the winery retail price of $42, a wine of this caliber would make anyone do a double-take. At $23, very few can compete.
 
Waterfall’s 2016 Proprietary Red is composed of 100% Cabernet Franc, and Helen crafted it from ancient 80-year-old vines. On the palate, the wine is stunningly balanced, finely detailed, long, and expansive. 
 
This beauty comes from the incredible 2016 vintage, bringing a supple and inviting style that envelopes your palate with rich, enchanting flavors, silky tannins and perfectly ripened dark berries. At this price, you can’t have too much of this in your cellar. 
 
WATERFALL 
2016 PROPRIETARY RED
(OLD VINE CABERNET FRANC)
SONOMA VALLEY
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $23
 
 
“Polished textured with melted tannins. Balancing acidity with aromas of raspberry pie, blueberry and strawberry jam combined with nuances of rose petal and violets + spicy notes on the finish.”
2019 Leto Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

2019 Leto Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaPope ValleySauvignon BlancUSA

LETO

SAUVIGNON BLANC
2019 NAPA VALLEY

2019 Leto Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
Proprietor Brad Warner proves again that he’s got a talent for identifying vineyards capable of producing powerfully compelling, memorable wines. For his 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, he discovered a vineyard in Pope Valley, a remote, high-elevation region positioned behind Howell Mountain, that falls within the greater Napa Valley Appellation. The 2019 vintage is loaded with concentrated stone fruits and is finely sculpted and full of energy. With only 115 cases made, you might want to order yours before sharing…
 
The 2019 vintage arose from a single, high-elevation site in Pope Valley, where a dramatic diurnal temperature shift helped the fruit maintain natural acidity, but gain full ripeness. 
 
Once harvested, Brad fermented the juice at cool temperatures and aged it in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness. On the palate, it’s pristinely focused, alluring, and full of energy, and at $22, you should grab some while you can…
 
LETO
SAUVIGNON BLANC
2019 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $22
 
 
“Pale yellow robe. The bouquet fresh, with notes of white flowers and citrus fruit. The mouth dynamic, with crisp acidity and stone fruit. A pleasant finish.”
2016 Ciavolich Divus Montelpulciano D'Abruzzo

2016 Ciavolich Divus Montelpulciano D’Abruzzo

with No Comment $30 and underItalyKevin Vogt

CIAVOLICH

2016 DIVUS 
MONTELPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO

2016 Ciavolich Divus Montelpulciano D'Abruzzo
If you love Italian reds and enjoy finding great value, you should know about the Montepulciano grape, which is the second most widely planted varietal in Italy. According to Jancis Robinson, the variety likely originated in Tuscany and is related to Sangiovese. Revered for producing deeply colored wines with supple fruit, natural acidity, and muscular tannins, Montepulciano may become your new favorite value grape. The very best come from the village of Abruzzo, and at $23, the Ciavolich 2016 Divus is a remarkable example of just how great they can be. 
 
The Ciavolich Estate sits in the Abruzzo Hills and faces the Adriatic Sea, and they made Divus from the oldest vines on the property. The 60-70 year-old vines grown are in calcareous clay soils and planted on a Tendone system, where the grapes are trained overhead, which is beneficial for frost protection.  
 
The 2016 vintage was a solid one in Italy, and they harvested the grapes under ideal conditions. On the palate, the wine is incredibly elegant and offers supple fruit, with really interesting licorice and black pepper notes. 
 
CIAVOLICH
2016 DIVUS 
MONTELPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO
 
Your Price: $23
 
 
 
“Black raspberries, citrus, licorice and bilberries make for a beautiful nose. While the medium-bodied palate certainly isn’t the most concentrated for Abruzzo, it is all about elegance, purity and finesse. Drink now.”  92 Points
2015 Katherine Goldschmidt Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

2015 Katherine Goldschmidt Crazy Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

with No Comment $30 and underAlexander ValleyCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtSonomaUSA

KATHERINE GOLDSCHMIDT 

2015 CRAZY CREEK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
ALEXANDER VALLEY

2015 Katherine Goldschmidt Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander ValleyAsk me “What’s the best Cab under $20?” and I can honestly say that I haven’t found one that I like better than Katherine Goldschmidt’s 2015 Crazy Creek. When you take a closer look at the vineyard, it’s easy to see why. For years, fruit from Crazy Creek went to Simi for their Reserve Cabernet ($75), and in 2016 Silver Oak recognized the significance of this site and added it to their holdings. The days of finding a Cabernet from Crazy Creek at under twenty bucks are soon to be a thing of the past, and with a 94 point score on top of everything else, you may want to double down, or better… 

Crazy Creek Vineyard got its name from the seasonal creeks that furcate the land, and the earth beneath results from hundreds of thousands of years of erosion. Before they replanted the vineyards in 2017 and 2018, the older, low vigor vines produced tiny yields of Cabernet with more power and depth than what’s typically found in the region.  
 
The 2015 vintage releases a dense core and remarkable palate presence and saturates your palate in an abundance of chocolate-covered cherries, roasted coffee, and black currants. This wine perfectly expresses just how inspiring Cabernet Sauvignon can be from Alexander Valley, and it does so at a price that will make you smile. 
 
KATHERINE GOLDSCHMIDT 
2015 CRAZY CREEK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
ALEXANDER VALLEY
Retails at: $24
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
 
 
“Named for Goldschmidt’s middle daughter, the wine’s grapes hail from Crazy Creek, a vineyard known to produce some iconic wines. Big, bright, blue fruit notes on the nose are meaty, with a chocolate espresso twist and dry tannins showing on the palate. It’s a little masterpiece with a dark chocolate finish that way over delivers on price-to-quality.”  94 Points
 
 
 
 
“Rich and robust with aromas of black cherry, black tea, dark spices, and mocha. Bold and structured showing ripe black currant, cherry, and plum flavors. Very smooth, soft, and supple finish.”