2013 Roderer Estate L'Ermitage Brut Sparkling Wine

2013 Roderer Estate L’Ermitage Brut Sparkling Wine

with No Comment $40-$50Anderson ValleyChampagne/SparklingKevin VogtSonomaUSA

ROEDERER ESTATE

2013 L’ERMITAGE
BRUT SPARKLING WINE

2013 Roderer Estate L'Ermitage Brut Sparkling Wine
Roederer Estate is rooted in viticulture and centered around ownership of their vineyards. In France, their top Champagne is Cristal, but in California, their flagship Sparkling wine is their L’Ermitage, which they only make in exceptional vintages. Relying on age-old traditions, they’ve established a reputation as the top domestic Sparkling wine, and with its 95 point score and placement on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Cellar Selections list, here’s your chance to own it. 
 
Roederer’s winemaking style moves beyond science and chemistry into artistry measured by taste. Their team ages L’Ermitage for an impressive five years in oak casks, lending body, finesse, and depth, setting it apart from other California Sparkling wines.
 
Selecting Anderson Valley as the California outpost; The area was chosen for its proximity to the Pacific, inducing a gentle cycle of warm days and cool nights, allowing the grapes to slowly mature and develop full flavors. L’Ermitage’s choreographed union of 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir is domestic sparkling at the highest level.
 
ROEDERER ESTATE
2013 L’ERMITAGE
BRUT SPARKLING WINE
Retails at: $55
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“A panoply of subtle aromas and delicate flavors wrapped in a silky, slightly crisp texture give this medium-bodied wine a great sense of elegance. Fresh ginger, biscuits, toasted almonds and mild cherry nuances fill the palate. Best through 2025.”
95 Points, #42 Top 100 Cellar Selections
 
“The nose is open and inviting, golden apples mingling with toast, mushrooms, honey and crushed stone. The medium-bodied palate, with eight grams per liter dosage, has pure fruits tactfully accented by earthy, toasty notes. It’s energetic but rounded, supported by a finely beaded mousse, and it finishes long and layered.”
93+ Points
2018 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

2018 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaSonoma MountainUSA

WESTWOOD

2018 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED

2018 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red
Legends of biodynamic viticulture, Westwood spares no expense raising the highest quality wines possible from their Estate. Their vineyard is one of a handful of Demeter-certified Biodynamic vineyards in North America. Westwood’s winemaker is Philippe Melka, named by the Wine Advocate as “one of the Top 10 Winemakers in the World,” and whose vast experience includes winemaking at Bryant Family, Quintessa, Hundred Acre, Mastery, and Dominus. Jeb Dunnuck writes, this wine has a “notable sense of class and balance,” and simply put, you don’t want to miss it. 
 
Westwood Legend arose from the cool, wind-swept Annadel Gap Vineyard, located between Mt. Hood and Sonoma Mountain, and includes specially sourced organic grapes from Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Formatted to bring out the best qualities of the Estate, the 2018 blend is exquisite.
 
Meticulously made, Philippe and his winemaking team harvest each clone at the pinnacle of ripeness before being carefully sorted by hand and fermented in individual lots. The wine was gravity-fed into French oak barrels, where it spent the next 20 months. The result is stunning.
 
WESTWOOD
2018 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“The 2018 Legend Proprietary Red is an interesting blend of 45% Syrah, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Tannat, and a splash of Petit Verdot. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by loads of blackberry and blueberries fruit intermixed with plenty of peppery herbs, menthol, and graphite. This rich, full-bodied effort has a delicious juiciness, polished tannins, and a notable sense of class and balance.”
92 Points
2016 Maroon Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville

2016 Maroon Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSA

MAROON

SPECIAL RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 COOMBSVILLE 

2016 Maroon Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville
Fueled by unparalleled quality and extreme scarcity, the following for Maroon’s Special Reserve Cabernet grows stronger with each vintage. Patronage is furthered by winemaker Chris Corley’s ability to harness Coombsville fruit’s power and deliver it with finesse and elegance. The Special Reserve is created from the top-performing blocks in the vineyard and priced in line with Coombsville greats Favia, Merus, and Meteor at $160 retail; As you can imagine, at less than 1/3 of the retail price, we have great difficulty keeping it stocked. 
 
Deeper and more defined than Maroon’s other bottlings, winemaker Chris Corley introduced as little manipulation as possible during the winemaking process, allowing the remarkable terroir of Maroon’s best Vineyard Blocks to shine.
 
The 2016 Special Reserve is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged for a full 24 months in oak before bottling. If you’re looking for an elegant but powerful Cabernet with plenty of definition and complexity, this is it.
 
MAROON
SPECIAL RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 COOMBSVILLE
Retails at: $160
 
 
 
“The 2016 vintage of Maroon Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has a rich, intense nose with briary wild berries, graphite, fresh sage, and hints of vanilla. The palate is concentrated, with penetrating crushed blackberries, dense black plum, decadent cassis, and an ethereal mouthfeel. It is a concentrated and focused wine with a finish that is elegant, powerful, refined, and long. It is a gift for your mouth now and will continue to drink beautifully for another decade or more.”
97 points
2018 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

2018 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

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

MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 PASO ROBLES

2018 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
Created in a collaborative spirit that calls on the best, sustainably farmed fruit from a collection of neighboring vineyards, Eric Jensen of My Favorite Neighbor believes it takes a village to make great wine. His circle includes favorite neighbor Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure, and friend Justin Smith of Saxum, whom Eric spent five vintages with, gleaning top-level winemaking. This wine gives Paso Robles an unmistakable voice, powerful enough to be heard in Napa. A $50, 96 Point Cabernet from anywhere is a dominating force.  
 
Guided by inspiration, Eric interferes as little as possible during the winemaking process, resulting in elegantly balanced wines with a salient sense of place. Modeling consistency, this wine’s cumulative average rating from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate over the past six consecutive vintages is an astounding 96 Points.
 
Impeccably farmed, Eric’s 100-acre certified organic estate vineyard on Paso’s Westside produces noble quality fruit. The 2018 blend includes 77% Cabernet Sauvignon accented with Bordeaux and Rhone varieties, aged 18 months in oak.
 
MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 PASO ROBLES
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“…deep purple/ruby-hued and has slightly more red fruits with lots of black raspberry, cassis, toasted spice, unsmoked tobacco, and incense aromas and flavors. It almost has a Margaux-like perfume and is medium to full-bodied, seamless, and wonderfully balanced on the palate. Some chalky minerality comes through with time in the glass, and it has plenty of tannins and a great finish. It’s not an over-the-top blockbuster and impresses just as much for its elegance as its richness.”
96+ Points
 
“… Deep ruby-black in color, it gives up luscious crème de cassis, blackberry pie, kirsch, mint chocolate, vanilla bean, coffee and grilled meats scents with touches of tobacco and sweet spices. Medium to full-bodied, it offers intense, expertly managed, ripe fruits and loads of spices with a firm, finely grained frame and great freshness, finishing long and spicy.”
93-95+ Points
 
“Dark, bright-rimmed purple. Deeply perfumed aromas of ripe black/blue fruits, sandalwood and potpourri take on a smoky mineral nuance and a spicy top-note with air. Palate-staining blackberry, cassis, cherry-vanilla, spice-cake and mocha flavors are joined by suggestions of candied rose and cola on the back half. Finishes on an alluringly sweet dark berry preserve note, with well-knit, gently gripping tannins and sharp definition.”
94 Points
2018 Lobo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 Lobo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

LOBO

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY

2018 Lobo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Founded on farming first and foremost, Lobo’s Oak Knoll Vineyard’s high-density planting, aggressive pruning, and idyllic terroir caught the eye of great winemakers like Randy Lewis from the get-go. Calling on Mario Bazan’s 30 years of experience managing vineyards like OPUS ONE, To-Kalon, and Stags Leap, Lobo positioned themselves for a seamless transition from selling grapes to becoming a boutique winery making ridiculously high-quality wines. 
 
Lobo winemaker Victoria Coleman is well-rounded in her skillset, working alongside Erick Tourbier at Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Jade Valley Winery in China. Her exposure to Old-World winemaking technique resonated and manifested in the elegantly balanced, terroir expressive wines she produces. 
 
Raised under the shadows of the Mayacamas Mountains, Lobo Vineyard’s well-drained gravelly loam and micro-climate cooler than the neighboring Yountville produces Cabernet Sauvignon fruit of dynamic complexity. Their 2018 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon crafted in a style that melds balance and enchantment, power and grace, and at less than $100, this wine is stunningly impressive. 
 
LOBO
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $75
 
 
 
“A savoury and spice-driven nose of tobacco leaves, underbrush and earl grey tea. Tender red fruits and zesty acidity provide a delicious lift to the finish, where the tannins and edgy but pleasing. A delicious Cabernet at a relative value…”
92 Points
 
“… More beauty than beast with nose of meadow flowers and red berry fruit, it offers lush, pretty flavors of red currant, cherry, pomegranate, black raspberry and allspice. An elegant and sensual wine that promises wonderful aging potential and is ready to enjoy when you are.”
2018 Calculated Risk Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2018 Calculated Risk Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

CALCULATED RISK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 OAKVILLE

2018 Calculated Risk Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
Dedicated to crafting wines that express their true sense of the land, natural varietal character, and balance, Calculated Risk’s Oakville Cabernet is a foremost example of the winery’s driving force. Oakville’s notorious complexity is powerfully bestowed and incarnated with robust intensity, keen focus, and lasting balance. Priced in line with many Oakville neighbors at $120, at $46, it doesn’t take a calculus degree to sum up this deal. 
 
Winemaker Dwight Bonewell married two Oakville Vineyards, Money Road, near Oakville’s center, and a State Lane property bordering Yountville AVA. The wine presents a broad interpretation of Oakville terroir, delivered with balance and polished in an easy-drinking style.
 
Striking balance between bold and supple flavors, the final blend includes a small amount of Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot, from the incredible 2018 vintage, which was virtually uninterrupted by significant heat spikes, enabling the grapes to mature and accumulate intense flavor and complexity.
 
CALCULATED RISK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 OAKVILLE
Retails at: $120
 
 
 
“Plenty of ripe berries and cherries here with some chocolate and hazelnut undertones. It’s full-to medium-bodied with round tannins and a flavorful finish. Shows richness with balance. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.”
93 Points
2013 Villa Le Prata Brunello Di Montalcino, Italy

2013 Villa Le Prata Brunello Di Montalcino, Italy

with No Comment $40-$50BrunelloBrunelloItalyKevin VogtPiedmont

VILLA LE PRATA

2013 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
MONTALCINO, ITALY 

2013 Villa Le Prata Brunello Di Montalcino, Italy
Villa Le Prata Brunello has a distinct personality, shaped by the vintage, elevation, and Galestro clay soils. An alliance of power and elegance marks this wine embellished by their female team, led by internationally renowned winemaker Doctor Graziana Grassini. Time in the bottle has erected a magnificent bouquet, awakened harmonious energy, and enhanced the fruit’s divine purity. Ready to drink now, it’s, as Vinous writes, a “Lovely Brunello.” 
 
Montalcino’s 2013 vintage produced “balanced Brunellos with vibrant structures,” as noted by the Wine Spectator. Villa Le Prata’s 2013 marries three single-hectare sites, ranging in elevation, exposure, climate, and soils, resulting in a well-rounded, balanced wine.
 
The winemaking team is meticulous in their fruit selection, and they ferment in stainless steel for 20 days, preserving the most natural essence of the fruit. This wine poised and ready to drink after gaining its elegance from 42 months in French oak, followed by 24 months in Slovenian oak, and two more years in the bottle. 
 
VILLA LE PRATA
2013 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
MONTALCINO, ITALY
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“The raspberry and cherry aromas are very intense and pretty. Full body, silky and fine tannins. Juicy fruit. I love the finish. Delicious now but better in 2019.”
93 Points
 
“Bright red. Perfumed aromas of red currant, sweet spices and blood orange, taking on an increasing floral personality with aeration. Supple and sweet, but displaying very good lift and noteworthy finesse to the fruit-driven flavors of spicy red currant and raspberry. Offers lovely purity and intense aromatics, not to mention a light touch, on the long, juicy finish. Lovely Brunello.”
92 Points
2017 Aldenalli Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2017 Aldenalli Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

ALDENALLI

2017 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST

2017 Aldenalli Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Enkindled by two families’ shared passion for Pinot Noir, Aldenalli is the cumulative result that exemplifies Sonoma Coast viticulture, producing Pinot Noir with an engaging personality, place, and balance. Alden and Emeril Lagasse developed the brand together with Alli and Dan Kosta. Dan is an award-winning winemaker and Kosta Browne co-founder. Their 2017 Sonoma Coast Pinot thoughtfully intertwines three distinct cool-climate vineyards into one not-to-be-missed remarkably food-friendly Pinot. 
 
A masterpiece of complexity, the 2017 Sonoma Coast Pinot is cut from Gap’s Crown, Sunchase, and Campbell Ranch Vineyards, skillfully marrying five Pinot Noir clones. Campbell provides elegance and bright acidity, complemented by the structure and spice characteristics of Gap’s Crown and Sunchase Vineyards in the Petaluma Wind Gap.
 
Capturing the pure essence of this fruit, winemakers Shane Finley and Dan Kosta aged this wine for only ten months in barrel. The resulting wine is remarkably fresh with penetrating fruit and thought-provoking complexity that’s hard to find.
 
ALDENALLI
2017 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $56
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“A savory style, framed by firm acidity that backs the dried cherry and berry flavors. Cedar and balsam wood notes fill the finish. Drink now through 2023.”
90 Points
 
“A bright, red-cherry and sappy style of pinot on the nose with fresh, fragrant appeal. The palate has crisp, juicy red-cherry flavor and fresh, fine-grained tannin. Drink now.”
90 Points
2017 Meyer Family Cellars Spitfire Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Meyer Family Cellars Spitfire Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

MEYER FAMILY CELLARS

2017 SPITFIRE OAKVILLE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2017 Meyer Family Cellars Spitfire Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
Meyer Family Cellars is rooted in Napa Valley tradition, established by Justin Meyer, visionary and co-founder of Silver Oak Cellars. Justin’s son Matt and his wife Karen have worldwide winemaking experience, and together they craft this remarkable Oakville Cabernet, sourced from a coveted Oakville neighborhood. They make it in a powerfully rich, enchanting style that offers incredible value for the region. 
 
Spitfire arose from an undisclosed site near Eastern Oakville, where the Vaca Mountains converge with the Valley floor. The iron-rich, volcanic soils are nutrient deficient and force the roots deep into the earth, extracting the site’s unique terroir. 
 
Matt ages this wine for 22 months in A&K barrels, a Missouri-based cooperage owned by Silver Oak. The American oak adds intriguing spice elements which blend well with Oakville’s notoriously complex fruit.
 
MEYER FAMILY CELLARS
2017 SPITFIRE OAKVILLE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $54
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“After nearly three years of aging, this ’17 Oakville Cabernet has begun to demonstrate many of the fruit and aromatic characteristics we’ve come to expect. Cassis, blackberry, and red-black currant all work in ripe combination across the juicy palate, with secondary notes of cooking spice, eucalyptus, and a hint of licorice. Two years in American oak have added a complex spice box of flavors, showing cardamom and cinnamon layered in a framework of integrated oak tannins. This vineyard site continually produces wines of great polish and drinkability, making them a joy to open while still young. As always, Spitfire is made for your next steak!” 
Gold Medal, Sunset International Wine Competition
2018 Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills

2018 Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtOregonPinot NoirUSA

LINGUA FRANCA

2018 ESTATE PINOT NOIR
EOLA-AMITY HILLS

2018 Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills
Lingua Franca winery resulted from Master Sommelier Larry Stone’s vision to develop an exceptional vineyard, neighboring Argyle’s Lone Star, Domaine Serene’s Jerusalem Hill, and Evening Land’s Seven Springs in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills region. Combine that with Burgundy-icon Dominique Lafon’s vision to produce world-class wine to further strengthen the team. Their wines walk a tightrope having New World concentration and intensity that’s equally matched with pristine balance and a powerful sense of place reminiscent of great Burgundy. 
 
Larry and his team separated the vineyard into twenty-three blocks, planted to different rootstocks and budwood reflective of the varying soil conditions. They impeccably farm the vineyard under low-impact, Organic and Biodynamic principles, which include no-till farming and the use of pygmy goats, guided through each row of vines by a Llama.
 
Lafon protégé, and winemaker Thomas Savre crafts the wines, with consulting winemaker Dominique Lafon. Their team meticulously sorts the fruit in the vineyard and at the winery and ferments the berries 20% whole cluster for added depth and structure. They age the wine for 12 months, primarily in neutral barrels to preserve the fruit’s natural essence.
 
LINGUA FRANCA
2018 ESTATE PINOT NOIR
EOLA-AMITY HILLS
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Structured and refined, with sleek and steely raspberry and blueberry flavors laced with stony minerality and fresh violets. Builds tension toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2028.”
92 Points
 
“This has a Syrah-like foundation of earthy herbs and chewy tannins. The fruit is pure Pinot—elegant and bright raspberry flavors rich enough to feel lightly jammy. It finishes with a kick of citrusy acidity…”
92 Points
 
“Sourced from our best-performing blocks of Pinot Noir, the Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir begins with a heady scent of roses and red fruits. On the palate, the wine is quite dense and rich, powerful in expression, with a perfect balance of red and black fruits, dark plum, pomegranate and raspberry, then the nuances of wet stone and savory herbs come through in the lifted lingering finish and velvety texture.”