2020 Bodegas Pinea 12 by Pinea Ribera del Duero

2020 Bodegas Pinea 12 by Pinea Ribera del Duero

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtSpainTempranillo

BODEGAS PINEA 

“12” by PINEA
RIBERA del DUERO 2020

2020 Bodegas Pinea 12 by Pinea Ribera del Duero
Located at an average elevation over 3,000 feet, Bodegas Pinea cultivates some of Spain’s most outstanding examples of Tempranillo. The harsh continental climate of the Ribera del Duero region forced Tempranillo vines to adapt to frigid winters and blistering summers, causing a thicker skin that contributes to a boost of tannins and deeper color that Rioja fans seek.
 
The “12” is a collaboration between Bodegas Pinea and Texas A&M Athletics devoted to creating a luxury product for an everyday price. The 2020 vintage experienced ideal conditions with a typical rainy spring, perfectly sunny summer days, and cool nights resulting in a perfect balance between flavors, acidity, and tannins that complement anything from pizza to a ribeye steak for under $20.
 
BODEGAS PINEA 
“12” by PINEA
RIBERA del DUERO 2020
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
“The Bodegas Pinea “12” Ribera del Duero 2020 is an unbelievably powerful value that delivers concentration and complexity at a meager price. It begins with an intense nose of red and black fruits, dried tea leaves, subtle earth, and baking spices. The palate is juicy and rich, with balanced, ripe flavors, depth, and complexity. It is nearly impossible to find a wine that delivers so much for such a low price.”
94 Points
2019 Fortune 1621 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2019 Fortune 1621 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

FORTUNE 1621

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Fortune 1621 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Fortune 1621 is a value Cabernet Sauvignon founded by the Bump family, proud owners of Darms Lane Winery, located just South of Yountville in the Oak Knoll District. Their vineyards lay in the shadows of the Mayacamas Mountain Range, in an area cooler than many other parts of Napa Valley, where Bordeaux varieties flourish. 
 
The Bump family hired winemaker Brian Mox in 2003, elevating the quality of their wines to new heights. Mox gained his Enology degree from UC Davis and honed his skills at notable wineries Etude, Lewis Cellars, and Laird Family Estates. He creates this beautifully balanced Napa Valley Cabernet by combing estate fruit with small grower vineyards in Oak Knoll, St. Helena, and Rutherford, crafted to represent Napa Valley as a whole while offering uncompromising quality.
 
FORTUNE 1621
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2019
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Fortune 1621’s 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon hosts a variety of enticing aromas beginning with lavender potpourri, black currants, ripe blueberries, chai spice, and a melted Hershey’s milk chocolate bar. On the palate, the wine’s powerful flavors of red plums, gingerbread, and sweet balsamic reduction coat the mouth with plush, velvety tannins that help carry the sublime finish. To me, this wine says, “the door’s always open,” with its amiable approachability that will gain some savory complexity with aging but is ready whenever you are.”
92 Points
2020 Black Pine Pinot Sonoma Coast

2020 Black Pine Pinot Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPetaluma GapPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

BLACK PINE

PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST 2020

2020 Black Pine Pinot Sonoma Coast
Roger Roessler’s Black Pine exemplifies the essence of California Pinot Noir by blending opulent Russian River Valley fruit with earthier Petaluma Gap grapes while maintaining a value price, setting it apart from all others. Their method of blending also allows for a more consistent wine vintage to vintage as Roger hand-selects each site, showcasing the talents of the winery’s grower partners deliciously in your glass.
 
This wine has a permanent section on the rack in our shop as it hits the sweet spot with the perfect balance of juicy fruits, minerality, and earth. Passionate Pinot Noir enthusiasts made this fantastic value Pinot Noir for Pinot-lovers to enjoy any day of the week, and the 2020 vintage is one of their best yet.
 
BLACK PINE
PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST 2020
Retails at: $38
 
Your Price: $26
 
 
“The Black Pine Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2020 opens with red cherries, cola, nutmeg, dried oregano, forest floor, and coffee. The palate is enhanced with deeper fruit flavors of black raspberries, pomegranate, and berry bramble with accents of mushrooms and cocoa powder. This medium-bodied wine is refreshingly easy to drink, with or without food, and a pleasure to enjoy on any occasion.”
92 Points
2016 Shottesbrooke Estate Series Shiraz Mclaren Vale

2016 Shottesbrooke Estate Series Shiraz Mclaren Vale

with No Comment $30 and underAustraliaKevin VogtMcLaren ValeSyrahWestern Australia

SHOTTESBROOKE

ESTATE SERIES SHIRAZ
MCLAREN VALE 2016

2016 Shottesbrooke Estate Series Shiraz Mclaren Vale
Nick Holmes began his journey in the wine world in 1981 after he planted his first vineyard and established the Shottesbrooke winery. Today, Nick’s stepson Hamish Maguire is the vineyard manager and head winemaker whose business and science degrees, in addition to his international winemaking experience, have prepared him to continue his father’s legacy.
 
Shottesbrooke is a small boutique winery that is proud to produce wines with vineyard site-specific character from the unique terroir that is McLaren Vale. The Estate Series Shiraz comes from the best fruit from their estate vineyards, reflective of their Australian origin, and among the best the Mclaren Vale region can offer for less than $20.
 
SHOTTESBROOKE
ESTATE SERIES SHIRAZ
MCLAREN VALE 2016
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
“Black ruby color. Elegant aromas of nougat, ripe berry melange, pecan, milk chocolate, and damp earth with a velvety, vibrant, dry-yet-fruity medium-full body and a colossal, long praline, candied ginger, tamarind, dill, black pepper, and pimento finish with moderate oak flavor. A distinctive, elegant wine that offers a conversation piece and excellent meal companion.”
92 Points, Gold Medal “Exceptional” “Best Buy”
2018 Vista Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Reserve

2018 Vista Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Reserve

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

VISTA

RUTHERFORD RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018

2018 Vista Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Reserve
Vista commands the wine world’s attention as the only Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford at $25, powerfully reflecting the region’s signature complexity, elegance, and dusty tannins, a combination unmatched anywhere in the world. Qualities magnified further by the 2018 vintage and amplified by time in the bottle, unleashing a richer, more opulent, complex Cabernet that will make anyone rethink what’s possible at this price level.
 
This 2018 offering originates from Rutherford’s Western side, where the soils and microclimate produce pristine, complex fruit. The Cabernet Sauvignon is clone 337, often used in cult wines, and it’s balanced with 15% Oakville Cabernet Franc and 6% Rutherford Merlot. The resulting wine reflects the vintage with a purity of fruit and complexity that expands into mineral-laced black fruits, blue violets, iron, and Rutherford dust hints. If you’re looking for a wine that tastes like it should be at least double the price, this is it.
 
VISTA
RUTHERFORD RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018
 
Your Price: $25
 
 
“The Vista Reserve Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 has a gorgeous, powerful nose of blackberry pie filling, French lavender, sweet vanilla and brioche. On the palate, this opulent beauty is rich and concentrated, with a core of focused fruits and flavors including mountain blackberries, red plums, ripe blueberries, menthol, vanilla spice, and dark chocolate, all supported by fine grained fruit tannins. It is amazingly ready-to-drink now, but has the structure to cellar for a decade.” 
95 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2020 Domaine Maison Cheverny Rogue Loire Valley

2020 Domaine Maison Cheverny Rogue Loire Valley

with No Comment $30 and underFranceKevin VogtLoire ValleyPinot Noir

DOMAINE MAISON

CHEVERNY ROUGE
LOIRE VALLEY 2020

2020 Domaine Maison Cheverny Rogue Loire Valley
Domaine Maison is in the heart of the Loire Valley in the Touraine region sandwiched between the Loire and the Cher rivers, benefiting from moderated climatic conditions protecting the vines from frost and excessive heat. The vineyards consist of 20 – 45-year-old vines planted on clay-limestone and slightly gravelly soils, maintained to decrease yields and heighten the overall quality of the fruit.
 
The grapes are fermented in stainless steel vessels preserving the fruit’s energetic vibrance and encouraging a style of wine ready to drink immediately and even slightly chilled. This Pinot Noir and Gamay blend with a splash of Malbec, locally known as Côt, is a remarkable value and a rare find with a fresh floral character, bright red fruits, and gentle tannins. We introduced the previous vintage last Fall, and it rapidly developed devotees in and around Yountville due to its incredible quality, delicious nature, and unbeatable value.
 
DOMAINE MAISON
CHEVERNY ROUGE
LOIRE VALLEY 2020
 
Your Price: $22
 
 
“The 2020 Domaine Maison Cheverny Rouge is yet another stunning wine, full of energy, opening with notes of jasmine, peonies, rose petals, cranberries, dried oregano, and crushed rocks. The wine is lively on the palate with flavors of raspberries, wild strawberries, nutmeg, and white pepper and displays an impressive depth divinely balanced by bright acidity. The best serving temperature for this style of wine is around 62 degrees, which really brings out the wine’s vivid character.”
96 Points
Chateau De Parnay Loire Valley Cabernet Franc Saumur Champigny

2018 Chateau De Parnay Loire Valley Cabernet Franc Saumur Champigny

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet FrancFranceKevin VogtLoire Valley

CHÂTEAU DE PARNAY LE BLASON DE PARNAY

SAUMUR CHAMPIGNY 2018 
LOIRE VALLEY CABERNET FRANC

Chateau De Parnay Loire Valley Cabernet Franc Saumur Champigny
Château de Parnay in the Saumur Champigny AOC was purchased in 2006 by Regis Vincenot and Mathias Levron, who revived the estate and transitioned the farming into sustainable practices. Their certified organic vineyards include Old Cabernet Franc vines grown in yellowish-cream colored, chalky, and sandy limestone called tuffeau, a soil unique to the Loire Valley, which is known for producing exquisite quality Cabernet Franc.
 
The grapes for Le Blason were manually harvested and selected specifically for this wine before undergoing a cold maceration for three days, followed by 12 days of gentle extraction, creating a more elegant style of wine. This pristine 100% Cabernet Franc sees no oak during fermentation nor aging, giving rise to divine floral aromas, juicy red fruits, and earthy spice notes that transport you to the Loire Valley without ever having to leave your home.
 
CHÂTEAU DE PARNAY LE BLASON DE PARNAY
SAUMUR CHAMPIGNY 2018 
LOIRE VALLEY CABERNET FRANC
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The 2018 Chateau de Parnay “Le Blason” is vibrant and alive with fresh lavender, wild roses, cranberries, berry bramble, cloves, forest floor, and truffles. The wine shimmers on the palate with flavors of red cherries, red and black raspberries, dried oregano, and savory spices. This wine has a brilliant acidity that beautifully complements the deep complexity and leaves your mouth watering for another sip.”
95 Points
2017 Wallace By Ben Glaetzer Shiraz Grenache Barossa Valley

2017 Wallace By Ben Glaetzer Shiraz Grenache Barossa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underAustraliaGrenacheKevin VogtSyrah

WALLACE BY BEN GLAETZER

SHIRAZ/GRENACHE
BAROSSA VALLEY 2017

2017 Wallace By Ben Glaetzer Shiraz Grenache Barossa Valley
Grenache and Syrah are superb partners due to their chemical makeup because Grenache tends to oxidize more easily, whereas Syrah is more prone to reduction. This complimentary blend originates from the Southern Rhône and is found in wines such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape but is also very popular in Australia, adding a new, stunning dimension to traditional Shiraz. 
 
Ben Glaetzer’s wine team sources the fruit from 50-80-year-old Shiraz vines and 50-100-year-old Grenache vines that produce minimal yields of highly concentrated berries. The Grenache is unoaked to preserve the lively fruit aromas, while the Shiraz matured for 16 months in two and three-year-old barrels consisting of 80% French oak and 20% American oak, resulting in a wine that’s truly the best of both worlds.
 
WALLACE BY BEN GLAETZER
SHIRAZ/GRENACHE
BAROSSA VALLEY 2017
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“This is a nice drink. Thrills with a chill! I wish I didn’t have to write anything more because to do so, chortles on and contradicts the spirit of a wine that is gulpable because-and not despite of-its virtuous simplicity. Sweet berry fruit notes sashay to Turkish delight and kirsch, all licked by briar and a dash of vanillin oak. There is old-turf-vinosity to this, with length and effusive energy.”
92 Points
 
“Dark magenta. A perfumed bouquet evokes ripe dark berries, candied flowers and licorice, along with hints of cracked pepper and cured tobacco. Fleshy blackberry, cherry-cola and floral pastille flavors show very good depth as well as energy and spicy lift. The clinging finish features fine-grained tannins and repeating floral and licorice notes.”
91 Points
 
“Yes, the 2017 Wallace Shiraz-Grenache blend is heavily weighted toward Shiraz (as usual), but it’s the Grenache that makes itself known on the nose, adding lovely florals and raspberries to the slightly darker toned fruit of the Shiraz. Medium to full-bodied, this is supple yet crisp—perhaps a bit youthful and angular—but finishes with silky tannins and plenty of length. In another year or two, it might rival the impressive 2016.”
90+ Points
2016 Chateau Labadie Medoc Bordeaux France

2016 Chateau Labadie Medoc Bordeaux France

with No Comment $30 and underBordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin Vogt

CHÂTEAU LABADIE

2016 MEDOC
BORDEAUX, FRANCE

2016 Chateau Labadie Medoc Bordeaux France
Bordeaux’s original classification by Napoleon III in 1855 has remained nearly unchanged, representing just 61 chateaux and leaving many quality producers without deserved prestige and recognition. The Cru Bourgeois classification that Chateau Labadie attained was introduced to the Chamber of Commerce of Bordeaux and the regional Chamber of Agriculture in 1932, giving proper accolades to the quality coming from Chateaux left out of the original classification but fully deserving growers and vintners in their own right.
 
Bordeaux’s 2016 vintage was excellent, reminding critics of some of the region’s most famous vintages from the 1980s but with greater clarity and precision due to advances in the vineyards and wineries. Not only is this one of Bordeaux’s most note-worthy vintages in the last 40 years, but this wine comes from a producer whose primary concern isn’t about image but consistency of quality, which you’ll taste in this remarkable expression from the Medoc.
 
CHÂTEAU LABADIE
2016 MEDOC
BORDEAUX, FRANCE
 
Your Price: $25
 
 
“This rich wine has powerful tannins as well as attractive black-currant fruits. It is both generous and well structured, coming from 20-year-old vines. Drink this dense wine that’s full of potential from 2023.”
91 Points, Editors’ Choice
 
“This has a bright, ripe and juicy edge of ripe red berries that deliver attractive, sweet fruit on the palate. Good depth and detail here. A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Drink in the next six to eight years.”
90 Points
2018 Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaOak KnollRutherfordStags LeapUSA

MARTIN RAY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY

2018 Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Martin Ray Vineyards and Winery embraces the “wines of place” philosophy, perenially producing wines that showcase the best of the region’s site-specific terroir. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon blends four different sought-after appellations: Howell Mountain, Oak Knoll, Rutherford, and Stags Leap District, giving this wine diversity from the select vineyards.
 
This release is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that underwent hand punch-downs for two weeks in open-top fermenters and then aged in 40% new French oak for 16 months. Any wine drinker familiar with Martin Ray knows the consistency of high quality from vintage to vintage the wines have to offer, and the 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon hits a home run for the superior level of sophistication in the bottle at this price.
 
MARTIN RAY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $30
 
Your Price: $25
 
 
“Deep and manicured with blueberry and blackberry aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and tight with super polished tannins and a tight, racy finish. Beautifully crafted tannins make this exciting. Better after 2022, but already beautiful. Screw cap.”
93 Points