2021 Summit Lake Zinfandel Howell Mountain

2021 Summit Lake Zinfandel Howell Mountain

with No Comment $40-$50Howell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSAZinfandel

Summit Lake

Zinfandel 2021
Howell Mountain

2021 Summit Lake Zinfandel Howell Mountain

Summit Lake Vineyards’ 2021 Estate Zinfandel weaves a compelling tale of heritage, dedication, and the distinctive terroir of Howell Mountain. Here, among ancient, head-trained Zinfandel vines nurtured by vintners Bob and Sally Brakesman, the mountain’s bold essence shines through in every vibrant sip. At this lofty elevation, lively fruit intertwines with deep, concentrated flavors, embodying the heart of this celebrated appellation.

Founded in 1971, Summit Lake Vineyards spans a scenic 28-acre estate, home to eight acres of historic Zinfandel vines—some rooted in the pre-Prohibition era. These time-honored vines, having weathered over a century of harvests, impart profound depth and character to the wine.

Howell Mountain, known for its robust and intricate reds, provides a perfect stage for Zinfandel. The 2021 vintage, crafted from a blend of heritage vines dating to 1900 and younger plantings from the early 2000s, delivers a captivating, richly layered wine. Bursting with youthful energy yet steeped in tradition, it offers a memorable expression of Howell Mountain’s iconic spirit.

Summit Lake
Zinfandel 2021
Howell Mountain

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“The Summit Lake 2021 Howell Mountain Estate Zinfandel opens with vibrancy and fresh notes of black cherries and raspberries, complemented with Baker’s chocolate, clove, and white pepper spice. On the palate, the wine has flavors of blackberries, boysenberries, fudge brownies, cinnamon, and a specific graphite-like minerality that is typically found in Howell Mountain fruit. The wine has a smooth texture and velvety tannins that coat your mouth as the wine finishes with finesse and grace. Not even close to being overripe or jammy, this wine shows the elegant side of Zinfandel with impeccable balance.”

94 Points

2016 Leto Exceptional Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Saint Helena

2016 Leto Exceptional Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Saint Helena

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Leto

Exceptional Selection
Cabernet Sauvignon
Saint Helena 2016

2016 Leto Exceptional Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Saint Helena

Leto’s 2016 Exceptional Selection Cabernet Sauvignon captures the height of artisanal winemaking, blending deep intensity, refined elegance, and steadfast commitment. Drawn from a carefully nurtured micro-block of Cabernet vines—rooted over fifty years ago in the storied soils of Saint Helena—this wine tells a vivid tale of legacy, endurance, and terroir. The ancient, dry-farmed vines yield concentrated fruit, revealing their landscape with striking precision.

Under the skilled hand of veteran winemaker Brad Warner, this distinctive Cabernet matured for 21 months in French oak barrels, followed by a remarkable six-year refinement in bottle. The outcome is mesmerizing: a broad, richly layered bouquet that instantly awakens the senses with its intricate depth.

With only a handful of cases produced, the 2016 Leto Exceptional Selection is a rare and soulful expression that speaks quietly but lingers long. After years of careful rest, it reveals its truth: deep, graceful, and complete. It’s a rare opportunity—to experience a wine not just at its peak but in its prime.

Leto
Exceptional Selection
Cabernet Sauvignon
Saint Helena 2016
Retails at: $125

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“The precisely shaped and exquisitely balanced Leto Exceptional Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 begins with an elegant nose filled with black plums, black currants, smooth blue fruits, baking spices, rose petals and sweet vanilla oak. There is a seamless combination of freshly crushed mountain blackberries, kirsch, and light tobacco notes on the palate. The finish is focused, penetrating, balanced, and long, making this wine a truly exceptional selection.”

94 Points

2021 Stewart Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville

2021 Stewart Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSAYountville

Stewart

Cabernet Sauvignon
Yountville 2021

2021 Stewart Cabernet Sauvignon Yountville

Stewart’s 2021 Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon captivated our panel with the distinctive traits of this quietly revered AVA—fragrant aromatics, precisely chiseled tannins, and a delicate balance of opulence and restraint. Sourced from the coveted eastern edge of Yountville, where alluvial soils and benchland terroir echo the character of distinguished neighbors like Kapcsándy and Gemstone, this wine offers remarkable pedigree at an inviting price.

Yountville’s unique expression unfolds through finesse, structure, and grace. Its proximity to San Pablo Bay ushers in cool morning fog, prolonging the growing season and coaxing Cabernet to mature with poise. Rooted in gravelly earth, the vines reach deep, yielding fruit marked by innate concentration, purity, and refinement. A Cabernet emerges that whispers rather than shouts—satin in texture, vividly nuanced, and poised for years in the cellar.

The 2021 vintage was one of Napa’s most exceptional, shaped by modest yields and striking fruit intensity. Stewart Cellars embraced the opportunity, crafting a wine that captures the season’s potential. For those attuned to Napa’s hidden gems, this release is a refined, resonant find, ready to delight now or over time.

Stewart
Cabernet Sauvignon
Yountville 2021
Retails at: $95

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“While deep and concentrated, this full-bodied wine is also smooth in texture, not overly tight with tannins, and woos you with ample blueberry, black cherry and mint flavors. Drinkable soon with decanting, but able to age well through 2030.”

93 Points

2019 Rubia Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2019 Rubia Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

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Rubia

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2019

2019 Rubia Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Rubia’s 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon emerges as a striking reflection of its mountain origins, deftly balancing vigor with refinement. Drawn from the lofty slopes of Howell Mountain and the untamed ridges of Calistoga, it captures the untempered energy of its rugged birthplace while unveiling a polished grace. Guided by the skilled hands of Julien Fayard, a luminary among Napa Valley’s winemakers, this wine commands the senses with its robust, mountain-born intensity, softened by a seamless elegance.

Julien Fayard’s journey lends depth to this creation. Shaped by his time at revered French estates like Château Lafite Rothschild, he carried his mastery to Napa, collaborating with Philippe Melka before stepping forward as a trailblazer in the region’s contemporary winemaking scene. His finesse shines through in this wine—a compelling blend of structure and allure, where the firm tannins of the mountains are artfully tamed.

Limited to just 130 cases, the 2019 vintage matured for nearly two years in French oak, then rested four more in the bottle, allowing its initial intensity to evolve into a refined majesty. Now approaching its finest hour, this Cabernet Sauvignon reveals a captivating harmony of power and subtlety—a wine of undeniable pedigree and exceptional value.

Rubia
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2019
Retails at: $130

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“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) from Rubia is a boisterous, heady wine loaded with character and personality. A blast of inky blue/purplish fruit makes a strong first impression. Spice, rose petal, chocolate and licorice add layers of flavor to this full-throttle, resonant Cabernet Sauvignon. The full-throttle style works well here.”

94 Points

2022 Bruliam Chardonnay Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

2022 Bruliam Chardonnay Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

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Bruliam 

Chardonnay 2022
Heintz Vineyard
Sonoma Coast

2022 Bruliam Chardonnay Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast

Tucked seven miles from the Pacific Ocean, Bruliam Chardonnay shines as a vivid expression of the Heintz Vineyard, a standout treasure along the Sonoma Coast. Perched at 1,000 feet, this site channels the cool, coastal ocean breeze, locking in the fruit’s vibrant freshness. For more than forty years, the Heintz family has tended this remarkable vineyard, its grapes gracing the cellars of California’s most admired winemakers—names like Williams Selyem, DuMOL, and Littorai among them.

Guiding Bruliam Wines is Kerith Overstreet, a physician who traded medicine for the art of winemaking. Her sharp intellect and precise hand in the cellar bring a lively clarity to every bottle. In this Chardonnay, the Heintz Vineyard speaks with striking purity, leaving a lasting echo that resonates with each sip.

Awarded an impressive 96 points, this Chardonnay captures the Sonoma Coast’s character—bright fruit woven with intricate, alluring layers. It reveals the profound possibilities of the region’s Chardonnays, reaching heights that command attention and invite appreciation.

Bruliam
Chardonnay 2022
Heintz Vineyard
Sonoma Coast
Retails at: $65

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“The 2022 Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay slowly unfurls to offer evocative notes of grapefruit, fresh pineapple, white peaches, and chalk dust plus touches of Marcona almonds and nutmeg. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound at this youthful stage, delivering great tension with mineral-laced stone and tropical fruit layers, finishing with great length.”

96 Points

2023 Rochioli Estate Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley

2023 Rochioli Estate Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySauvignon BlancSonomaUSA

Rochioli

Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Russian River Valley 2023

2023 Rochioli Estate Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley

Rochioli’s Estate Sauvignon Blanc embodies the essence of one of California’s most celebrated vineyards, enticing the palate with its stunning concentration, precise linear focus, and enchanting freshness. Emerging from one of California’s most outstanding vintages, this release is a wine that inspires genuine excitement.

For over 85 years, the Rochioli family has been the proud steward of their cool-climate estate—a site revered as one of California’s Grand Cru vineyards. Rochioli’s pedigree is undeniable; each bottle stands as a testament to the masterful craftsmanship of winemaker Tom Rochioli, whose profound connection with the land resonates through every captivating expression.

Sauvignon Blanc is acclaimed for its luminous character, buoyant acidity, and effortlessly approachable drinkability. The exceptionally high-scoring 2023 release from Rochioli brings these cherished qualities to life with a sculpted clarity that leaves the palate yearning for another sip.

Rochioli
Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Russian River Valley 2023

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“A bright silver/straw color, the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc is a single vineyard blend with 64% Old Vine Selection, 23% Clone 376, and the rest Hillside planting. Coming from other-worldly looking old vines, Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t get much better than this in California. Lovely flinty reduction frames this wine with a gorgeous, refined, floral perfume of wet stone, white currants, white pepper, grapefruit, and delicate baking spice. Medium-bodied, it has fantastic concentration, driving, mouthwatering, fresh acidity with a linear feel, and a fantastic, long finish with a chalky mineral texture. Exceptional and age-worthy, it deserves another couple of years in bottle to show its best. Drink 2026-2038.”

96 Points

2018 Figli Luigi Oddero Convento Barolo Piedmont Italy

2018 Figli Luigi Oddero Convento Barolo Piedmont Italy

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Figli Luigi Oddero

Convento Barolo
Piedmont, Italy 2018

2018 Figli Luigi Oddero Convento Barolo Piedmont Italy

Convento Barolo intertwines the rich legacy of tradition with the profound influence of its terroir, yielding a wine that blends Barolo’s innate nobility with a remarkable value rarely encountered in bottles of this stature. Crafted under the expert guidance of Dante Scaglioni—whose 25 years as winemaker shaped the illustrious Bruno Giacosa wines—this creation draws from a deep well of heritage and masterful artistry.

Barolo has long been revered as the “King of Wines and the Wine of Kings,” a distinction earned through its commanding structure, vibrant acidity, and firm tannins, which ensure a graceful evolution over decades. The 2018 Convento Barolo upholds this heritage with distinction. Its complexity unfurls in layers of dark cherry, crushed violets, and the earthy aroma of forest floor, interwoven with subtle hints of anise, leather, and a hint of truffle.

Figli Luigi Oddero is more than a winery; it is a custodian of Piemonte’s past and a beacon for its future. Since the early 1800s, the family has tended the land that would come to shape Barolo’s very identity. Drawn primarily from La Morra, one of the region’s most celebrated terroirs, the 2018 Convento Barolo achieves a rare balance of lineage, craftsmanship, and accessibility. Priced under $50, it offers an effortless opportunity to enjoy one of Italy’s most treasured wines with confidence.

Figli Luigi Oddero
Convento Barolo
Piedmont, Italy 2018

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“The Figli Luigi Oddero 2018 Barolo “Convento” opens with inviting aromas of dried rose petals, red cherries, and ripe strawberries, with hints of licorice, tar, and dried herbs. On the palate, flavors of black tea, leather, and sweet spices emerge alongside subtle earthy undertones. The wine is vibrant and structured, with firm, refined tannins and a lively acidity that carries through the finish. While already approachable, this wine will continue to develop over the next decade or more.”

94 Points

2022 Bruliam Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highland

2022 Bruliam Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highland

with No Comment $40-$50Central CoastKevin VogtMontereyPinot NoirSanta Lucia HighlandsUSA

Bruliam

Pinot Noir 2022
Soberanes Vineyard
Santa Lucia Highlands

2022 Bruliam Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highland

Bruliam’s Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir captures the essence of one of California’s most respected vineyards, showcasing remarkable varietal purity, impeccable balance, and a profound sense of place. Sourced from the renowned Soberanes Vineyard, the latest jewel in the crown of the Pisoni and Franscioni families, this wine offers an exceptional glimpse into the terroir-driven excellence of the Santa Lucia Highlands—at a price that belies its quality.

Bruliam Wines is led by Kerith Overstreet, a physician-turned-winemaker whose meticulous approach and scientific background infuse every bottle with precision and vibrant energy. Her strong relationships with top growers provide access to fruit from iconic sites like Soberanes. Here, fog-drenched mornings, well-drained granitic soils, and consistent coastal winds contribute to the Pinot Noir’s remarkable depth and complexity.

The 2022 Soberanes Pinot Noir impresses with captivating aromatics and a majestic balance of complexity and finesse. This wine, with its impressive 95-point score, surpasses expectations, demonstrating excellence in both viticulture and winemaking—a true achievement for Bruliam Wines.

Bruliam
Pinot Noir 2022
Soberanes Vineyard
Santa Lucia Highlands
Retails at: $70

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“Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2022 Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir gallops out with vibrant notes of redcurrant jelly, kirsch, and forest floor plus wafts of garrigue and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is both elegant and intense, with loads of red berry and mineral layers and a fine-grained texture, finishing long and refreshing.”

95+ Points

2022 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Napa Valley

2022 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCalistogaKevin VogtNapaOak KnollProprietary RedSaint HelenaUSA

Steps

Barrel Select Reserve
Napa Valley 2022

2022 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Napa Valley

The 2022 Steps Reserve Barrel Select embodies the exceptional artistry of Grant Long, Jr., a renowned winemaker celebrated for his work at Aonair, Reverie II, and James Joseph. Grant possesses a unique talent for crafting both approachable and elegant wines, transforming each barrel into a harmonious expression of texture, balance, and enduring appeal.

Sourced from premier vineyards across Napa Valley – Saint Helena, Oak Knoll, Atlas Peak, and Calistoga – the 2022 Steps Reserve showcases a captivating interplay of lush valley floor fruit and structured mountain grapes. This meticulously crafted blend, centered around Cabernet Sauvignon and interwoven with Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, exemplifies Grant’s ability to translate Napa Valley’s diverse terroir into a genuinely captivating wine.

After 18 months of careful aging in French oak, the 2022 Steps Reserve Barrel Select unfolds with layers of rich, penetrating flavors. Polished yet vibrant, this wine promises a journey of evolution, maturing gracefully into a paragon of sophistication over time.

Steps
Barrel Select Reserve
Napa Valley 2022

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“The Steps 2022 Reserve Barrel Select opens with supple fruit aromas of plums and black currants, accompanied by notes of sweet spices, chocolate fudge, graphite, new leather, and cedar. On the palate, the wine is penetrating and concentrated with flavors of blackberries, black plums, allspice, gingerbread, vanilla extract, and toasted hazelnuts. The wine has a sultry structure with silky tannins that glide into a long, smooth finish like a sunset slowly fading into twilight.”

95 Points

2022 EnRoute Pinot Noir Les Pommies Russian River Valley

2022 EnRoute Pinot Noir Les Pommies Russian River Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUncategorizedUSA

EnRoute

Pinot Noir 2022
Les Pommiers
Russian River Valley

2022 EnRoute Pinot Noir Les Pommies Russian River Valley

Crafted with the artistry and precision synonymous with the Far Niente family of wines, the 2022 EnRoute Les Pommiers Pinot Noir weaves a tale of place, passion, and expertise. Conceived to showcase the unique character of single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, this wine embodies the elegance of the Russian River Valley, reflecting the unparalleled craftsmanship that defines Far Niente Wine Estates.

Each vintage embarks on a journey, beginning with EnRoute’s Estate vineyards and extending through partnerships with growers who share their unwavering commitment to quality. These collaborations yield a Pinot Noir as layered and complex as the vineyards themselves. The 2022 vintage, sourced from three coveted Russian River Valley sites, thrived under near-perfect growing conditions.

Aged in French oak, the wine unfolds with a seamless harmony of bright cherry and raspberry fruit, nuanced spice, and lively acidity. The result is a graceful, polished finish that lingers invitingly, beckoning the next sip and celebrating the remarkable terroir of this iconic region.

EnRoute
Pinot Noir 2022
Les Pommiers
Russian River Valley
Retails at: $60

Your Price: $48

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“Vibrant ruby in color, this wine erupts from the glass with aromas of sweet cinnamon, cola and cherry. There is a charming delicacy here, with flavors of dried rose petal, cherry and berry pie filling on a midweight palate. A captivating dance between the snappy tannin structure and the lively acidity of this wine lead to a very pleasurable finish.”

93 Points