2020 S. Delafont Mosaique Rouge Languedoc-Roussillon

2020 S. Delafont Mosaique Rouge Languedoc-Roussillon

with No Comment $30 and underFranceKevin VogtProprietary Red

S. DELAFONT

MOSAIQUE ROUGE 2020
LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON

2020 S. Delafont Mosaique Rouge Languedoc-Roussillon
Samuel Delafont founded Maison S. Delafont in 2010, bringing innovative environmental biodiversity and the invention of the stainless steel barrel to produce and celebrate Languedoc wines. Samuel believes that respecting a balanced ecosystem is the best approach to growing vines with healthy fruit that naturally represent the nuances of their particular terroir.
 
The stainless steel barrels provide an ideal curved shape that enhances lees contact, preserves freshness, and reinforces the volume and complexity of the wine. Languedoc red wines combine Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Grenache and can offer tremendous value. Samuel’s 2020 release highlights purity from a marriage of varieties and terroirs using his cutting-edge stainless steel barrels.
 
S. DELAFONT
MOSAIQUE ROUGE 2020
LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON
 
 
 
“A fine-grained yet grippy wine with a peppery leanness that evolves over time in the glass. Earthiness evolves into savoury herbs and dried spices which open into surprisingly juicy and multilayered black fruits with lovely refreshing acidity. Really intriguing and palatable.”
95 Points
2019 Ty Caton Upper Bench Merlot Moon Mountain District

2019 Ty Caton Upper Bench Merlot Moon Mountain District

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtMerlotMoon MountainSonomaUSA

TY CATON

UPPER BENCH MERLOT
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
SONOMA COUNTY 2019

2019 Ty Caton Upper Bench Merlot Moon Mountain District
Winemaker Ty Caton’s relentless drive to produce “wines of distinction with an authentic sense of place” began after he returned to his hometown of Sonoma and convinced his parents to develop their land in the Moon Mountain District. The region located North of Sonoma on the western slopes of the Mayacamas mountain range is now well known for producing intense, flavorful fruit with a volcanic minerality from the intricate complexity of the mountain soils not far from the Pacific Coast.
 
The estate’s three acres of Merlot thrive in the Upper Bench Vineyard with an east-to-west orientation on iron-clay soils that are particularly suited to this variety. The 2019 growing season was nearly perfect in Sonoma with long hang-times, even fruit development, and concentrated flavors that are deeply defined coming from Ty’s mastery in the vineyard and the winery.
 
TY CATON
UPPER BENCH MERLOT
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
SONOMA COUNTY 2019
Retails at: $42
 
 
 
“The Ty Caton 2019 Upper Bench Moon Mountain District Merlot opens with aromas of violets, ripe fruit, cherries, plums, and sweet baking spices. On the palate, the wine has a silky, smooth texture and flavors of blackberries, chocolate-covered cherries, mocha, and a fresh minerality. Give this a few years in the cellar for further development, or enjoy it now with its supple drinkability.”
93 Points
2019 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Ranch Carneros

2019 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Ranch Carneros

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtNapaUSA

LAIRD

CHARDONNAY
COLD CREEK RANCH
CARNEROS 2019

2019 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Ranch Carneros
With over 50 years of vineyard expertise farming some of Napa Valley’s prized locations, Ken Laird uses his intimate knowledge of each vineyard as the foundation of Laird wines. Ken is the third generation of his family in farming, but he swapped tobacco farming for grape growing after he and his wife purchased land in Napa Valley in 1970.
 
The family’s Cold Creek Ranch is on the Sonoma side of the Los Carneros district and exposed to thick fog and cold marine winds, providing balanced fruit flavors with bright acid and excellent concentration. The 2019 vintage saw 46% malolactic fermentation giving a bit of creaminess to the body without overwhelming the wine, and the result is absolutely delicious. 
 
LAIRD
CHARDONNAY
COLD CREEK RANCH
CARNEROS 2019
 
 
 
“The Laird 2019 ‘Cold Creek’ Chardonnay begins with an inviting nose of honeysuckle, apricot, peach, toast, and vanilla. On the palate, the wine has a rich texture balanced by fresh acidity and flavors of nectarine, salted caramel corn, Werther’s Original caramels, and old-fashioned peaches and cream. This wine offers friendly approachability, ready to be enjoyed right now.”
92 Points
2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France

2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France

with No Comment $30 and underBurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

FILLON & FILS

PETIT-CHABLIS 2020
PETIT-CHABLIS FRANCE

2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France
Domaine Fillon & Fils was established in the early 20th century and opened its first wine-tasting cellar in 1935 in the village of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux. The winery continues operation in the hands of the same family and still produces every wine in-house from their 90 acres of vines.
 
Chablis is located southeast of Paris in the northern part of Burgundy, where the harsh, cold winters and short, hot summers create the ideal environment for the racy, brightly styled Chardonnay famous worldwide. Petit Chablis is a style within Chablis with a less strict aging requirement and aimed at an easy-drinking wine with freshness and vibrant acidity, and this 2020 Petit Chablis is the epitome of just that.
 
FILLON & FILS
PETIT-CHABLIS 2020
PETIT-CHABLIS FRANCE
 
 
 
“The Domaine Fillon 2020 Petit Chablis opens with delicate floral notes, lemon zest, cream, brioche, and a chalky minerality. On the palate, the wine has a light body with mouthwatering acidity and flavors of crisp green apple, peach yogurt, and pastry dough. The wine has a lively finish and is dangerously easy to drink.”
93 Points
2019 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley

2019 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaSyrahUSA

SEQUUM

KIDD RANCH SYRAH
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley
Sequum is a scientific term describing the sequence of layers in soil and the perfect name for Paul Skinner’s label, combining his Ph.D. background in viticulture and soil science with years of experience in the vineyard and his passion for wine. After decades of consulting super-premium grape growing, Paul launched his brand in 2003, which is now blended and bottled at Pride Mountain Vineyards with the help of Paul’s loyal winemaking and cellar staff.
 
Paul walks his Kidd Ranch Vineyard each morning and evening in the traditional turn of the 19th-century style assessing each vine’s overall health, nutrient levels, water status, crop load, and rate of ripening. Different Syrah clones are matched with rootstocks and soil types and trained in one of the oldest methods still used in the Northern Rhône, producing deep color and pronounced varietal characteristics that are distinctively apparent in the 2019 release.
 
SEQUUM
KIDD RANCH SYRAH
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $54
 
 
 
“A tiny production wine from an estate site, this offers depths of black cherry, dried herb and chalky tannin. Structured and balanced, with an elegant approach, it remains crisp in acidity throughout.”
90 Points
NV Decoy Brut Rose California

NV Decoy Brut Rose California

with No Comment $30 and underChampagne/SparklingKevin VogtUSA

DECOY

BRUT ROSÉ
CALIFORNIA NV

NV Decoy Brut Rose California
Dan and Margaret Duckhorn, founders of Duckhorn Vineyards, established Decoy as a value-focused brand in 1985. Duckhorn has a reputation in Napa Valley for producing memorable wines of the utmost quality. Decoy comes from a mix of Duckhorn estate vineyards and other top growers, seeing the same meticulous treatments as their prized, family-named wines. 
 
Acclaimed winemaker Dana Epperson is an expert with multiple grape varieties, using her intuition to create the Decoy Sparkling Rosé into a sensational delight. This wine spent a year en tirage before being disgorged, meaning it spent time with the lees in the bottle and developed more complex and sophisticated aromas and flavors that are readily enjoyable immediately upon release.
 
DECOY
BRUT ROSÉ
CALIFORNIA NV
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The Decoy Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine opens with fruity notes of strawberry, lime zest, kiwi, and golden raisin. On the palate, the wine has bright flavors of white cherry, green guava, and berries and cream with a hint of raw almond. The fresh acidity perfectly balances the juicy fruit flavors and finishes with an invigorating freshness.”
93 Points
2019 Eco Terreno Cuvee Tierra Red Blend Alexander Valley

2019 Eco Terreno Cuvee Tierra Red Blend Alexander Valley

with No Comment $30 and underAlexander ValleyKevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaUSA

ECO TERRENO

CUVEE TIERRA RED BLEND  
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2019

2019 Eco Terreno Cuvee Tierra Red Blend Alexander Valley
Eco Terreno Wines are at the forefront of sustainable farming and a leader in biodynamics, placing a high importance on the health of the vineyard and the environment to grow the highest quality fruit. Founder and winemaker Mark Lyon, the former lead winemaker at Sebastiani Vineyards, draws from his years of experience with Alexander Valley fruit and focus on finding harmony with nature.
 
The winery is located within a small hamlet of the Russian River in Alexander Valley, experiencing coastal fog from the Petaluma Gap, blanketing the vineyards each morning, preserving acidity and freshness. The ideal growing season in 2019 allowed Mark to dial into each plot for the Cuvée Tierra blend consisting of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 24% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot that delivers serious quality for this value price.
 
ECO TERRENO
CUVEE TIERRA RED BLEND  
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2019
 
Your Price: $27
 
 
“The Eco Terreno 2019 Cuvée Tierra Alexander Valley Red Blend opens with violets, earth, dried herbs, chocolate-covered strawberries, black cherries, and cloves. On the palate, the wine has ripe, chalky tannins and beautifully balanced flavors of blackberries, red plums, cinnamon, vanilla bean, savory spice, and black olives. The wine has a soft texture that is easy to drink right now with enough intensity to age a few years in the cellar.”
94-95 Points
2018 Pope Valley Winery Merlot Napa Valley

2018 Pope Valley Winery Merlot Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underHowell MountainKevin VogtMerlotNapaUSA

POPE VALLEY WINERY

MERLOT 2018
NAPA VALLEY

2018 Pope Valley Winery Merlot Napa Valley
Pope Valley Winery is family owned and operated on the northern side of Howell Mountain in a more quaint, quiet part of Napa Valley. Ed Haus founded the property as the Burgundy Winery & Olive Oil Factory in 1897, and Eakle family purchased the historic winery a century later. Eager to elevate the winery to a new level with a new name and a small, passionate team, led by renowned winemaker Jean Hoefliger who’s drawn experience working in the cellars at Alpha Omega, AXR, Chateau Carbonnieux, and Chateau Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux.
 
The 2018 Merlot was grown in the Eakle Vineyard, known for its complex mineral soils that produce rich, distinctive wines with expressive character. The wine matured for 24 months in 40% new French oak barrels, and the final blend comprises 75% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Malbec and drinks fabulously with a silky smooth texture and lingering finish.
 
POPE VALLEY WINERY
MERLOT 2018
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $38
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“A fragrant nose of mulberries, plums, dried herbs, roasted meat and spice box. Full body with fine-grained tannins. Layered, with a plush texture. Creamy and vibrant with a fresh, fruity finish. Drink or hold.”
91 Points
2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore

2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore

with No Comment $30 and underItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

BULZAGA

EPIPOGIO 2018
ROMAGNA SANGIOVESE SUPERIORE

2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore
Cantina Bulzaga is located in Romagna, Italy, looking up to the Brisighellesi hills that create the natural border between Romagna and Tuscany. The winery’s roots run deep within the region, with each wine named for a flower found in the Apennines. Epipogio gets its name from the epipogium flower or ghost orchid.
 
Bulzaga’s team organically farms, with only vines that strongly connect to the terroir with distinct varietal character selected for wine production. The 2018 vintage is 100% Sangiovese aged for eight months in cement vats before bottling and exudes aromatic purity with earthy notes, fresh fruit, spice, and everything nice. 
 
As a side note, our panel tasted this wine blind without any prior knowledge of the wine’s value price, and we couldn’t believe it was only a $20 bottle.
 
BULZAGA
EPIPOGIO 2018
ROMAGNA SANGIOVESE SUPERIORE
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
“The Bulzaga 2018 Epipogio Romagna Sangiovese Superiore opens with sultry notes of rosemary, sour cherry, cranberry, earth, black tea, and cigar box. On the palate, the wine is focused, with flavors of black cherry, cranberry, black tea, and peppercorns. The wine’s fruity, savory, and spicy characteristics are uniquely balanced in a rustic Tuscan fashion and provide an incredible drinking experience.”
94 Points
2016 Bossert Gundersheimer Riesling Rheinhessen Germany

2016 Bossert Gundersheimer Riesling Rheinhessen Germany

with No Comment $30 and underGermanyKevin VogtRiesling

BOSSERT

GUNDERSHEIMER RIESLING
RHEINHESSEN, GERMANY 2016

2016 Bossert Gundersheimer Riesling Rheinhessen Germany
Driven by a deep passion for their land, the Bossert family has been growing grapes since 1848, passing down their family’s winemaking philosophy to the youngest generation. Philipp and Johanna Bossert proudly represent the winery today after experience gained interning at several prestigious wineries in France, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. They’ve taken everything learned along the way and poured it into their wines which offer immense value.
 
The Riesling is grown in vineyards surrounding their hometown of Gundersheim and benefits from a rich soil that allows the grapes to mature slowly, reaching full aromatic development. Their 2016 vintage has aged gracefully and offers a wide range of aromatics and flavors with penetrating intensity and expert balance, mimicking many qualities I’d expect from a much more expensive offering.
 
BOSSERT
GUNDERSHEIMER RIESLING
RHEINHESSEN, GERMANY 2016
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Quite a big, rich wine, but with serious elegance and a delicate spiciness that make it hard to resist. There’s nothing superficial about the long, complex finish. Drink now.”
92 Points