2020 Flowers Rose of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2020 Flowers Rose of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtRoséSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

FLOWERS

ROSÉ OF PINOT NOIR
2020 SONOMA COAST

2020 Flowers Rose of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Flowers Winery designedly crafts their Rosé to highlight the distinct minerality and fresh acidity in this wine. Their team exercises minimal intervention in the cellar to promote a pure expression of the Sonoma Coast. This new release illustrates their commitment to expressing the uniqueness of their land as it excites your taste buds with striking pink grapefruit, saltwater minerals, sea breeze, and fresh acidity. 
 
The winemaking team created their 2020 Pinot Noir Rosé from their Sea View Ridge Estate and selected family-owned vineyards on the Sonoma Coast, all properties sharing a pronounced coastal influence and aligning farming practices. 
 
With attention to every detail, fruit is hand-sorted on the winery’s custom-built shaker table before six team members assess every cluster before allowing only the best fruit to pass through by gravity flow into the fermenters. The blend is 100% Pinot Noir and perfectly reflects the quality of fruit and meticulous care that goes into it.
 
FLOWERS
ROSÉ OF PINOT NOIR
2020 SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Elegant and distinct, with aromas of peach, strawberry and subtle hints of rose petal. Bursts of fresh citrus colorfully drive the palate and are balanced with flavors of nectarine and stone fruit. A silky entrance coupled with fresh and uplifting acidity leaves you with our signature coastal expressions.”
2016 Badia Di Morrona I Sodi Del Parentaio Chianti Riserva

2016 Badia Di Morrona I Sodi Del Parentaio Chianti Riserva

with No Comment $30 and underChiantiChiantiItalyKevin VogtTuscany

BADIA DI MORRONA 

I SODI DEL PARETAIO
2016 CHIANTI RISERVA

2016 Badia Di Morrona I Sodi Del Parentaio Chianti Riserva
Badia di Morrono is an historic Estate in Tuscany dedicated to farming their land and balancing technology with traditional techniques. Their land near the village of Morrona was once undersea, and is now rich in marine nutrients. The vines are grown in well-drained clay, minerally and sandy soils that make their wines recognizable with a clear sense of place. Their 2016 Chianti Riserva is classically styled, harmoniously balanced, and at $26, it’s a stunning value. 
 
This 2016 enters from one of Tuscany’s greatest vintages in the last two decades, and one the Wine Spectator rates 97 points and describes as producing, “Vibrant, elegant wines; grapes harvested under ideal conditions”
 
The winemaking team fermented the Riserva for ten months in concrete and stainless steel tank, preserving the natural flavors of the fruit. The blend is predominantly Sangiovese, balanced with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, and was aged for 18 months in oak.
 
BADIA DI MORRONA 
I SODI DEL PARETAIO
2016 CHIANTI RISERVA 
 
Your Price: $26
 
 
“Quite reductive at first, but this later opens up with notes of brambleberries, red cherries, oranges and herbs. Medium body, firm tannins and a nutmeg-flavored finish. Drink now.”
91 Points
 
“Ruby red with garnet colored undertones when aged. Bouquet: scent of balm and with more finesse as it ages; Harmonious, savory, slightly tannic; soft and velvety. Pleasing and versatile to the palate with a well-balanced acidity and soft, mature tannins.”
2018 Baldacci Sorelle Chardonnay Carneros

2018 Baldacci Sorelle Chardonnay Carneros

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtNapaUSA

BALDACCI

SORELLE CHARDONNAY
2018 CARNEROS

2018 Baldacci Sorelle Chardonnay Carneros
Revered for lively acidity and concentrated fruit, Carneros Chardonnays benefit from their proximity to the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay. Cool air funnels through the Coastal Mountain ranges allowing the grapes a long growing season, with temperatures cool enough to maintain acidity and structure. Baldacci’s Sorelle Chardonnay perfectly reflects this phenomenon, as echoed by Jeb Dunnuck, who writes that it’s “nicely textured and has good acidity followed by a clean finish, all making for a delicious Chardonnay.” 
 
Michael Baldacci works closely with Josh Clark to farm his Carneros Vineyard to its utmost potential. Josh is a leading viticulturist whose A-list clients include Outpost, Hourglass, and Kinsella Estate, to name a few. 
 
Sorelle is barrel-aged and crafted in a full-bodied, concentrated style by Michael Baldacci and Ricardo Herrera. Ricardo gained experience at icons Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Dominus, and Screaming Eagle. The resulting wine performs at an exceptionally high-level that’s uncommon at this price.
 
BALDACCI
SORELLE CHARDONNAY
2018 CARNEROS
Retails at: $40
 
 
 
“A full-bodied, toasty white with aromas and flavors of apricot, ripe pear, smoke and apple pie. Crisp acidity and a toasty, flinty finish. Drink or hold.”
91 Points
 
“…the 2018 Chardonnay Sorelle offers an attractive, richer style that carries lots of buttered melon, white peach, and pineapple fruit notes as well as some background toastiness. It’s nicely textured and has good acidity followed by a clean finish, all making for a delicious Chardonnay to drink over the coming couple of years.”
90 Points
2018 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Sea Slopes

2018 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Sea Slopes

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

FORT ROSS

2018 PINOT NOIR
SEA SLOPES 

2018 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Sea Slopes
Sea Slopes is a wine inspired by the majestic Sonoma Coast and crafted by renowned winemaker Jeff Pisoni. Over the years, this wine has built upon a reputation of excellence as one of the area’s most reliable values. It’s the delicious result of the culmination of the proprietor’s drive to make the best wines from their Estate, and at $30, the value is substantial. 
 
Fort Ross Vineyard sits at the exact location where various soil types and elevations meet with an extreme maritime climate. In the near vicinity and inside the Fort Ross Seaview AVA, icons Peter Michael, Marcassin, Martinelli, Flowers, and Pahlmeyer all source fruit. 
 
Winemaker Jeff Pisoni helps to articulate the best attributes of the Estate. Jeff barrel ages this wine in primarily neutral barrels to integrate the natural acidity, rich flavors, and soft tannins into a beautiful, perfumed Pinot Noir.
 
FORT ROSS
2018 PINOT NOIR
SEA SLOPES
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Bottled under screw cap and a value-priced effort, the 2018 Pinot Noir Sea Slopes comes from sites in the Sonoma Coast and has a lively, complex bouquet of spiced cherries, cranberries, sappy flowers, and a kiss of marine-like salinity. With good complexity, medium body, nicely integrated acidity, and a good finish, it’s a delicious drinker to enjoy over the coming 3-4 years.”
89 Points
 
“An expressive garnet, this lively Pinot Noir has alluring layers of raspberry, red plums and hibiscus aromas. Vibrant flavors of perfumed Bing cherry, tangy plum and dried cranberries seamlessly intertwine with hints of cassis framed by fine tannins. The mouthwatering acidity and structured, elegant layers of pure Pinot Noir fruit lingers through the energetic finish. Sea Slopes is a true expression of a coastal Pinot Noir.”
2018 Marimar Estate Acero Unoaked Chardonnay Russian River Valley

2018 Marimar Estate Acero Unoaked Chardonnay Russian River Valley Don Miguel Vineyard

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

MARIMAR ESTATE

ACERO UNOAKED CHARDONNAY
2018 RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
DON MIGUEL VINEYARD

2018 Marimar Estate Acero Unoaked Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Marimar Estate’s Don Miguel Vineyard is in Green Valley, the coolest, foggiest part of the Russian River. The site is influenced by traditional Mediterranean viticultural practices and planted in a high-density European-style with more than 2,000 vines per acre, which naturally encourages low-yields with concentrated, and balanced flavors. The winemaking team selected specific blocks with great intensity and aromatics within the vineyard for their Acero Unoaked Chardonnay, which at around $25, is a serious value. 
 
Don Miguel Vineyard is organically farmed and contains desirable sandy loam, Goldridge soils of volcanic origin, and marine sediment. The high-density planting promotes vines to live longer and achieve fruit with greater concentration and more elegance and finesse. 
 
Marimar Torres teamed up with Bill Dyer, legendary winemaker at Sterling Vineyards, for 20 years to produce the best wines possible from the Estate. The wine team ages and ferments their Acero Chardonnay in 100% stainless steel to capture the purity of flavors and the fruit’s most natural essence.
 
MARIMAR ESTATE
ACERO UNOAKED CHARDONNAY
2018 RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
DON MIGUEL VINEYARD
Retails at: $34
 
Your Price: $25
 
 
“Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, this wine never sees oak. A floral aroma of honeysuckle wrangles the nose as a crisp palate brings flavors of pear, peach and lavender. Stony minerality defines the texture, and the finish carries a touch of honey.”
90 Points
 
“This has a bright, green-melon and apple nose with light, flinty nuances. The palate has a supple, white-peach and pear core. Fresh, light and clean. Drink now.”
90 Points
 
“There are lots of stony notes to the open-textured, spicy Gala apple, dried apricot and quince flavors of this white. The plush finish offers plenty of creaminess. Drink now.”
89 Points
2018 Paydirt Going For Broke Proprietary Red California

2018 Paydirt Going For Broke Proprietary Red California

with No Comment $30 and underCentral CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesProprietary RedUSA

PAYDIRT

GOING FOR BROKE
PROPRIETARY RED
2018 CALIFORNIA

2018 Paydirt Going For Broke Proprietary Red California
Paydirt is an idiom about striking gold, defining a valuable or rewarding discovery, which is the feeling you’ll have when you taste this wine. The secret behind the palpable quality is in the dirt. With a core of Dusi Vineyard fruit, followed by Bokisch in Lodi and other vineyards in Paso Robles, Oak Knoll, and St Helena, Paydirt is deeply-rooted in heritage clones from ancient parcels. Jeb Dunnuck recently tasted the 2018 and alerted readers to this “delicious drinker,” so now would be the perfect time to stake your claim on a case. 
 
The 2018 blend married 81% old vine Zinfandel with Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Barbera, and Cabernet Sauvignon crafted by winemaker Kent Jarman. Kent is also the winemaker at Coup de Foudre and Kenefick Ranch and was previously the assistant winemaker at Duckhorn. 
 
This wine made its debut in 2010, and the winery proved they could hold-their-own in the competitive $30 red blend category. Now entering the 2018 vintage, they’re onto a new challenge in the sub $20 price range and based on the quality, they’re poised to dominate it.
 
PAYDIRT
GOING FOR BROKE
PROPRIETARY RED
2018 CALIFORNIA
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
“Brambly herbs, plum, framboise, and violet notes emerge from the 2018 Going For Broke, which is a Zinfandel-dominated blend that includes small amounts of Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Balanced and medium to full-bodied, with both richness and elegance, it’s a delicious drinker to enjoy over the coming 4-6 years or so.”
90 Points
2017 B. Kosuge Pinot Noir The Shop, Carneros

2017 B. Kosuge Pinot Noir The Shop, Carneros

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosKevin VogtNapaPinot NoirUSA

B. KOSUGE 

2017 PINOT NOIR
THE SHOP, CARNEROS 

2017 B. Kosuge Pinot Noir The Shop, Carneros
Byron Kosuge is a highly-skilled winemaker who’s spent decades immersed in Carneros Pinot Noir, but it’s his curious nature that sets him apart from the rest. He continually experiments with farming and fermentation techniques to create a more distinctive, fresher Pinot Noir. He describes his style as a “new tradition” of winemaking, inspired by old-world methods but recombining them in ways that seem to suit New World conditions. The results are brilliant, and at $30, his 2017 Carneros Pinot Noir is also a glaring value.
 
Byron spent the first 15 years of his winemaker career at Saintsbury Winery in Carneros, where he meticulosity studied the region and surrounding vineyards. His vast skill set has attracted several other high-quality Pinot producers like MIURA and Small Vines as the consulting winemaker. 
 
In the vineyard, and the cellar, Byron is incredibly hands-on; walking the vineyards, working the vines, sorting grapes. He ferments his Carneros Pinot in a combination of neutral oak vessels of various sizes and concrete, resulting in a clean, fresh style of Pinot Noir that’s remarkably balanced.
 
B. KOSUGE 
2017 PINOT NOIR
THE SHOP, CARNEROS
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The 2017 Shop was, as usual, aged in a combination of neutral oak vessels of various sizes and concrete. In response to the somewhat riper flavors in the fruit, I included a fairly healthy portion of whole clusters in the fermentations, slightly more than usual, to help balance out the ripe fruit flavors. But no drastic changes. In its youth the wine was deeply colored, very plush and a bit brooding during its time in barrel and cask. Now, it still tends towards the darker fruit end of the spectrum. One other benefit of mature vines—despite the heat of the vintage, the alcohol checks in at surprisingly modest 13.3%”
2018 Bacio Divino Pazzo Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2018 Bacio Divino Pazzo Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaOakvilleProprietary RedUSA

BACIO DIVINO

2018 PAZZO 
NAPA VALLEY
PROPRIETARY RED

2018 Bacio Divino Pazzo Napa Valley Proprietary Red
Bacio Divino is one of the top producers of Sangiovese-based blends in Napa Valley, and their reputation of excellence spans each of the wines they produce. They created Pazzo in 1999 as a sister-label to Bacio Divino that would appeal to a broader audience. The 2018 vintage is incredibly rich, with penetrating fruit and intriguing floral elements. Pazzo means crazy in Italian, and at around $30, the 2018 release is a crazy-good value.
 
Bacio Divino has a history of producing high-scoring wines. Because of that, they have access to some of the greatest vineyards in Napa Valley, including Beckstoffer Heritage sites in Oakville and Rutherford and Sangiovese on Atlas Peak. Pazzo comes from a collection of unnamed sites and include grapes from their Estate vineyard.
 
Winemaker Kirk Venge built the 2018 Pazzo with 38% Sangiovese and 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and he tied them together with Syrah and Petite Sirah. The 2018 vintage produced powerful fruit with incredible intensity. This vintage is like a bistro-wine on steroids, and you’ll thank me later, once you taste it.
 
BACIO DIVINO
2018 PAZZO 
NAPA VALLEY
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“This is full-bodied with round, ripe tannins that give form to the ripe palate of plum and berry with some fig undertones. Round and savory. Drink now or hold.”
91 Points
 
“Pazzo (which means ‘crazy’ in Italian) is a ‘funky’, unpretentious blend – an ingratiating wine that is wonderful to drink in its youth. In addition to its good looks, it displays a nose of red berry aromas and follows through with spirited, sweet, lingering, fruit flavors. We have enjoyed incredible success and growth with this unique blend.”
2019 Alma De Cattleya Chardonnay Sonoma County

2019 Alma De Cattleya Chardonnay Sonoma County

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

ALMA de CATTLEYA

2019 CHARDONNAY 
SONOMA COUNTY 

2019 Alma De Cattleya Chardonnay Sonoma County
Bibiana González Rave’s unwavering commitment to superior quality, accessible prices, varietal purity, and origin in her wines is highly transparent. She makes wines in a bright and cheerful style tied to the year’s hallmarks and location of the grapes. I’ve stopped asking how she can create wines with such surreal quality, sense of place, and value, and I’m just simply going to enjoy them and share them with you.
 
Bibiana created this brilliant 2019 Chardonnay from methodically selected vineyards, each with a strong coastal influence that lends to the perfect balance of acidity, texture, softness, and length. She then crafted this wine using the same exacting standards as the Cattleya single-vineyard Chardonnays, which retail for around $70 per bottle. 
 
Bibiana has extensive experience making wine in Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley in France and South Africa. When she came to California, industry leaders immediately recognized her talents as she helped shape brilliant wines at Peay, Lynmar, and Pahlmeyer, to name a few. At just $26, you have to try this.
 
ALMA de CATTLEYA
2019 CHARDONNAY 
SONOMA COUNTY
 
Your Price: $26
 
 
“Lush notes of red apple and juicy pear balance beautifully with notes of lemon curd, honeysuckle and hints of toasted vanilla. Bright acidity and a rich mouthfeel add complexity and a textured, complex finish.”
2018 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2018 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtMontereyPinot NoirSanta Lucia HighlandsUSA

MORGAN

TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
2018 PINOT NOIR 

2018 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

Dan Lee’s focus on sustainable farming and minimalist winemaking over the past 40 years has made Morgan winery a category leader in high-quality, value wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands. The winery consistently produces balanced wines of distinction, and at less than $30, their Twelve Clones Pinot Noir regularly makes my short-list of California’s best value Pinots.
 
Morgan draws on several of the Santa Lucia Highlands’ top Vineyards, including the Double L Estate, Rosella’s, and Tondre, to create their flagship Twelve Clones Pinot. 
 
The team named Twelve Clones for the diverse Pinot Noir clones inside the Double L Vineyard. The vast selection of clones contributes to the multi-dimensional flavors and aromas that make this wine so revered.
 
MORGAN
TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
2018 PINOT NOIR
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Layers of baked berry, pie crust and star anise show on the nose of this clonal combination. It’s clean and direct on the palate, offering tart red-currant and cranberry fla­vors, touched up by thyme, lavender and potpourri elements.”
92 Points
 
“… the light ruby-hued 2018 Pinot Noir Twelve Clones gives up a pretty nose of framboise and strawberries as well as lots of floral, rose petal, sappy herb, and minty aromas and flavors. It’s another lightly textured, medium-bodied, elegant wine from this estate to enjoy over the coming 4-6 years.”
92 Points
 
“Pale ruby color, fresh cherry nose, crisp and bright with cherry, strawberry and rhubarb notes; silky and fresh, charming and long.” – Anthony Dias Blue, October 2020”
92 Points
 
“The 2018 Twelve Clones demonstrates the finesse of Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands. It displays aromas of blackberry, cola, and cured meat. Flavors of red and black fruit are complemented by notes of black plum and toasty oak. Perfectly poised, this medium bodied wine is light on its feet and a great reflection of 2018’s elegance…”