2016 Chateau Chantelune Margaux Bordeaux France

2016 Chateau Chantelune Margaux Bordeaux France

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CHÂTEAU CHANTELUNE

MARGAUX 2016
BORDEAUX, FRANCE

2016 Chateau Chantelune Margaux Bordeaux France

Château Chantelune is a small estate with 40-year-old vines grown at the highest elevation within the Margaux AOC. 

José Sanfin, the director of Château Cantenac Brown, is the proprietor of Château Chantelune, and he focuses on producing the most exceptional quality fruit from his small vineyards.

This classic Right Bank Bordeaux centers on Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Even better, 2016 is considered one of the stand-out vintages of the last decade due to ideal weather conditions.

This vintage produced fruit with incredible structure, depth of flavor, and refined tannins, sculpting a wine that’s drinking beautifully now, with the ability to age.

CHÂTEAU CHANTELUNE
MARGAUX 2016
BORDEAUX, FRANCE

Your Price: $49.99

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“Owned by José Sanfins, director of Cantenac Brown, who also owns Haut Médoc property Château du Moulin. Chantelune is a tiny estate, but quality is high. Extremely silky with some lovely caramel and coffee bean notes alongside damson fruit. Here the flavours go all the way through the mid-palate, really making you smile, intense but not overpowering.”

91 Points

2020 Erikson And Caradin Cabernet Sauvignon Bilateral Napa Valley

2020 Erikson And Caradin Cabernet Sauvignon Bilateral Oakville Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

ERIKSON & CARADIN 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
BILATERAL 2020
OAKVILLE, NAPA VALLEY

2020 Erikson And Caradin Cabernet Sauvignon Bilateral Napa Valley

Erikson & Caradin is a small, innovative winery in Napa Valley that is committed to producing fine wines with a handcrafted approach. The proprietors believe that soil, elevation, and climate play crucial roles in winemaking but that expertise and ambition can take wine to the next level.

The winery’s Innovative Series explores different vine training methods, and the “Bilateral” wine celebrates bilaterally-trained Cabernet Sauvignon vines grown in Oakville. The fruit for the 2020 vintage came from a vineyard across from Screaming Eagle, one of Napa’s most renowned wineries. The bilateral viticultural practices used in this vineyard resulted in grapes with great intensity and concentration, which is reflected in the finished wine.

The 2020 Bilateral Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerful and complex wine with intense flavors and a balanced structure that will surely please Cabernet Sauvignon lovers.

ERIKSON & CARADIN 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
BILATERAL 2020
OAKVILLE, NAPA VALLEY

Retails at: $140

Your Price: $49.99

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“The Erikson & Caradin 2020 Bilateral Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon has fragrant aromas of blueberry pie, black currants, elegant florals, fresh sage, and milk chocolate. The palate continues with ripe blackberries, black plums, Bing cherries, mocha, hints of allspice, and a touch of sweet vanilla. The seamless, lingering palate is very supple, with satiny tannins and a long, refined finish.”

95+ Points

2018 Grand Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaRutherfordSaint HelenaUSA

GRAND NAPA 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RESERVE NAPA VALLEY 2018

Grand Napa Vineyards in Rutherford produces rich, full-bodied wines with depth and character from premium vineyards in Napa Valley, hand-selected by winemaker Dwight Bonewell. Dwight’s involvement in the vineyards ensures harvesting only the highest quality fruit before he works his magic in the winery, carefully nurturing each vineyard’s unique character into its purest expression.
 
Grand Napa’s 2018 Reserve Cabernet arose from prime sites in Rutherford, St. Helena, and Coombsville, compellingly representing the vintage and distinct origins. The 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon spent 22 months in 50% new French oak and 50% two-year-old oak giving a graceful balance between fruit and spice components from the oak, plush tannins, and impressive depth and structure.
 
GRAND NAPA 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RESERVE NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $110
 
 
 
“Another terrific wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve offers lots of blackcurrants, spice box, tobacco leaf, and chocolatey nuances to go with a full-bodied style on the palate. It has the 2018 vintage’s fresher, more elegant style yet brings ample fruit and has an expansive, layered mouthfeel as well as a great finish. It’s another wine to enjoy any time over the coming 15-20 years.”
94 Points

2020 Foley Johnson Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

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FOLEY JOHNSON 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
RUTHERFORD 2020

Bill Foley is a titan in the wine industry, with around thirty successful brands, including Merus, Lancaster, Kuleto, and many others. Foley Johnson is paramount because it bears his name and is in the heart of Rutherford, one of the most significant regions in America for growing premium Cabernet Sauvignon with a distinct “Rutherford dust” characteristic.
 
The Foleys believe that sustainable farming in their vineyards preserves the local ecosystem and produces fruit that more accurately depicts the unique terroir in this small pocket of Napa Valley. The 2020 release upholds the standards of previous vintages with powerfully layered flavors accented by the signature “Rutherford dust,” a dynamic structure with ripe tannins. At less than $50, Foley Johnson is one of the best values in the region.
 
FOLEY JOHNSON 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
RUTHERFORD 2020
Retails at: $75
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“The Foley Johnson Estate Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 begins with a savory nose dominated by deep black cherry, ripe blackberry, fresh red currants, dried salame, and ground espresso, followed by tobacco leaf, vanilla hints, and white flowers. The structured palate has slightly dusty tannins, which frame a wine that reflects similarities in the nose with bright, fresh red fruits balanced by deeper black fruits and baker’s chocolate. These elements combine to create an elegantly complex wine that drinks great at release but will continue to age gracefully for the next eight years or so.”
93 Points
2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza

2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza

with No Comment $40-$50ArgentinaKevin VogtMalbecUco Valley

TAPIZ

BLACK TEARS MALBEC
MENDOZA 2018

2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza
The state-of-the-art Tapiz Winery sits in a prime region of Mendoza’s Uco Valley at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, where their vineyards are some of the highest in the world. Their estate vines are carved into slopes as high as 4,600 feet elevation, producing some of the region’s most stunning wines due to the altitude and intense sunlight, ensuring fresh acidity and deep color.
 
Jean Claude Berrouet produced 44 historical vintages at Petrus and today works with Fabian Valenzuela, who has over 20 years of winemaking experience in Mendoza, creating wines that are an intricate tapestry (tapiz) of the Uco Valley terroir. The 2018 Black Tears Malbec comes from 20-year-old estate vines that were hand-harvested and aged 24 months in new French oak, giving a refined integration of oak spice with delicious ripe fruit flavors of the country’s most prized variety.
 
TAPIZ
BLACK TEARS MALBEC
MENDOZA 2018
Retails at: $55
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Deep blue and black fruit here, with floral, spicy and balsamic accents. Brooding and complex. You have to fathom the power of tannin on the palate, as the texture is so ultra-fine and polished. But don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of tannins here, only so seamless that they make it taste so effortless. Naturally concentrated, juicy and long. Delicious now, but you can hold for added complexity.”
96 Points
2020 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay Blend San Luis Obispo

2020 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay Blend San Luis Obispo

with No Comment $40-$50Central CoastChardonnayKevin VogtPaso RoblesUSA

MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

BLANC [CHARDONNAY-BLEND]
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2020

2020 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay Blend San Luis Obispo
Farming is life for Eric Jensen, so he works exclusively with farmers who share the common goal of growing the best fruit possible using organic or biodynamic practices, coaxing the vines to perform at their apex. Gaining experience from neighbors Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure, and friend Justin Smith of Saxum, Eric’s wines make a bold statement of quality with an ideal balance of opulence, intensity, and richness.
 
Eric designs his wines to capture high-quality wine’s most intriguing qualities but with a value price to be shared with friends, family, and your favorite neighbors any day of the week. This Chardonnay-based blend is sourced from select vineyard sites in San Luis Obispo and is rich, sleek, and ready to drink now or in five to six years for aged complexity.
 
MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
BLANC [CHARDONNAY-BLEND]
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2020
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“The Chardonnay-based 2020 Blanc has lush tropical fruits on the nose with accents of toast, almonds and sweet spice. The palate offers generous fruits, a sleek, polished texture, youthful new oak spices and expansive flavors on the long finish. Super classy!”
95 Points
2019 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo

2019 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonCentral CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesUSA

MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2019

2019 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo
Turning heads with yet another massive score, Eric Jensen of My Favorite Neighbor created an ideal combination of perfectly ripe fruit, flavor intensity, and lavish textures, giving some of the best $50 Cabernets anywhere a real challenge. As a homage, he created this Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from exceptional vineyards around Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, and Edna Valley, crafted to deliver unreal quality and shake up domestic the Cabernet Sauvignon market in this price range.
 
Eric is dedicated to growing fruit for some of the best wineries in Paso Robles, gaining experience from neighboring farmers and vintners, particularly from his original favorite neighbor, Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure Winery. Farming is life for him, and the farmers he works with all share the common goal of growing the best fruit possible using organic or biodynamic practices, coaxing the vines to perform at their ultimate best. The results are simply stunning, and with the new 96 point score, don’t hesitate to secure yours.
 
MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2019
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Blended with a bit of Syrah and Petit Verdot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep ruby-purple color and an alluring fragrance of cassis, violet, aniseed, bitter chocolate and coffee beans. It’s notable this vintage for Goldilocks ripeness and seamless lift, offering a chocolate-like texture and very long finish.”
96 Points
 
“…more elegant and focused, with medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of cassis, redcurrants, green tobacco, and cedary spice. I love its texture, it has ripe, polished tannins, plenty of sweet fruit, and a great, great finish, all while staying in a relatively compact, and again, elegant package. As I’ve written in the past, it would cost three to four times the price from Napa. It’s worth noting the change in appellation from Paso Robles to San Luis Obispo County, which probably allows for a wider range of fruit.”
95 Points
 
“2019 My Favorite Neighbor is deeply aromatic with incense, ripe black plums, blackcurrants, and chocolate-covered cherries. The wine has a rich, decadent mouthfeel with voluminous flavors of blueberry crumble, mocha, and butterscotch. The wine has an edgy minerality, like wet stones after a rainstorm, enhanced by the soft, chalky tannins, finishing with a succulent, velvety texture. Drink now until 2031.”
94 points
2013 Korbin Kameron Kristen Proprietary Red Moon Mountain District

2013 Korbin Kameron Kristen Proprietary Red Moon Mountain District

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtMoon MountainMt VeederNapaProprietary RedUSA

KORBIN KAMERON

KRISTIN PROPRIETARY RED
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT 2013

2013 Korbin Kameron Kristen Proprietary Red Moon Mountain District
Korbin Kameron’s success results from continuous improvement to their Estate, relentless drive, and talent, combining the skills of 100-Point winemaker Timothy Milos with “the ubiquitous wizard of sustainable winemaking,” Phil Coturri, who has over 35 years of knowledge of organic and biodynamic farming. The Moonridge Vineyard hovers high above the valley floor at Mt. Veeder’s peak at 2,300 feet elevation and is sustainably farmed by Phil, resulting in a pure and natural expression of concentrated mountain fruit.
 
Tim creates wines with the family’s vision in mind, calling on traditional winemaking practices and a minimalist approach, producing terroir-driven wines with distinctive vineyard characteristics. The Kristin Proprietary Red Blend is a Bordeaux style blend with nine years of age that’s aided the evolution of the wine, giving silky-smooth tannins, lush fruit, and sweet baking spices along with an impressive intensity that makes a lasting impression.
 
KORBIN KAMERON
KRISTIN PROPRIETARY RED
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT 2013
Retails at: $85
 
 
 
“The 2013 Korbin Kameron Proprietary Red Blend Kristin is exquisite yet powerful, opening with lavender, rose petals, black cherries, baker’s chocolate, cayenne pepper, and petrichor. On the palate, the wine is soft and supple with flavors of blueberry pie, marzipan, and sweet cloves. This wine is at a sweet spot in its development but still has aging potential due to its intensely concentrated mountain fruit.”
95 Points
2020 Domaines Ott Chateau De Selle Rose Cotes De Provence

2020 Domaines Ott Chateau De Selle Rose Cotes De Provence

with No Comment $40-$50FranceKevin VogtProvenceProvenceRosé

DOMAINES OTT

CHÂTEAU DE SELLE ROSÉ
CÔTES DE PROVENCE 2020

2020 Domaines Ott Chateau De Selle Rose Cotes De Provence
Provence is the oldest winemaking region in France and the only in the world dedicated to rosé. Marcel Ott purchased several acres in the late 1800s, and 125 years later, the family estates are still run by the Ott family, with each Domaine producing wines of definition and allegiance to each vineyard’s unique terroir.
 
Chateau de Selle’s Vineyard sits on gypsum, red clay, dolomite, and sandstone mixed with gravel and large stones nestled high into the limestone slopes sheltered from winter frosts and harsh weather. The vines are grown on terraced vineyards that procure nuances from the diverse soils influenced by the sea, giving the 2020 vintage laser definition, making it “another gorgeous Ott,” as written by James Suckling.
 
DOMAINES OTT
CHÂTEAU DE SELLE ROSÉ
CÔTES DE PROVENCE 2020
Retails at: $54
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“…Ott’s 2020 Cotes de Provence Rose Chateau de Selle boasts restrained aromas of peach, melon and citrus underscored by hints of crushed stone. In the mouth, it’s medium-bodied and concentrated, with ample intensity, a slightly creamy texture and a long, mouthwatering finish. Like the other top rosés of Domaines Ott, this is a wine that is often better in its second year.”
93 Points
 
“This is big on drinkability with light cherry, strawberry and peach aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, creamy and minerally with fresh, stony character. Vivid at the end. Another gorgeous Ott. Drink now.”
93 Points
2015 Monchiero Barolo Piedmont Italy

2015 Monchiero Barolo Piedmont Italy

with No Comment $40-$50BaroloBaroloItalyKevin VogtPiedmont

MONCHIERO

2015 BAROLO
PIEDMONT, ITALY

2015 Monchiero Barolo Piedmont Italy
The Monchiero winery was established by Vittorio Monchiero’s grandfather, who decided to stay in the Langhe after World War II to tend to his treasured land, unlike his six brothers who left Italy for the United States. Vittorio took over the winery at the end of the 1980s and began examining each plot and replanting vines as necessary, adapting his vineyards to modern agriculture, which is reflective in the balance of his wines.
 
Vittorio aims to bring modernity into the vineyards and winery without losing the traditions that helped shape the historic region and its wines for centuries. The 2015 Barolo is divine and elegant with excellent fruit concentration accented with minerality, earth, and spice, producing a quality level rarely found for less than $50.
 
MONCHIERO
2015 BAROLO
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“A red showing ripe-berry and chocolate character with polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Medium to full body. Intense and focused ending. Drink after 2021.” 
92 Points