2021 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Napa Valley

2021 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Napa Valley

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STEPS

RESERVE BARREL SELECT
NAPA VALLEY 2021

2021 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Napa Valley
STEPS Barrel Select Reserve is a quintessential Napa Valley Blend crafted by Grant Long, Jr., the renowned winemaker behind Aonair, Reverie II, James Joseph, and Witchery. Grant’s winemaking wizardry creates approachable wines with a supple texture, hedonistic flavors, and ageability.
 
The 2021 STEPS unites plush valley floor fruit from Oak Knoll and St. Helena with structured mountain fruit from Diamond Mountain, showcasing the exceptional balance of Napa terroir.
 
The blend for this vintage is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, aged in 50% new French oak and 50% once-used French oak, seamlessly harmonizing power and elegance.
 
STEPS
RESERVE BARREL SELECT
NAPA VALLEY 2021
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“The 2021 Steps Reserve Barrel Select has fresh aromas of violets, black tea leaves, berry bramble, ripe plum, and black olive. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with bright acidity and flavors of black cherry, black currant, mint, dark chocolate, and cloves. The wine’s intensity and fine-grained tannins will allow for graceful development, although it’s drinking quite nicely already.”
94 Points
2020 Sor Ugo Super Tuscan Bolgheri Superiore Aia Vecchia Winery

2020 Sor Ugo Super Tuscan Bolgheri Superiore Aia Vecchia Winery

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SOR UGO

SUPER TUSCAN 2020
BOLGHERI SUPERIORE
AIA VECCHIA WINERY

2020 Sor Ugo Super Tuscan Bolgheri Superiore Aia Vecchia Winery
The Pellegrini family members have been prominent growers in Tuscany for several generations, selling their fruit to other wineries, and after replanting their vineyards in 1995, they established their portfolio of small-lot Super Tuscan blends focusing on Bordeaux grape varieties. The Aia Vecchia estate, named after an ancient building standing in the center of the property, is located near the Tyrrhenian coast with a favorable microclimate combined with ideal soils for producing stunning wines. 
 
The Bolgheri DOC, home to Italian legends Ornellaia, Sassicaia, and Tignanello, was established in 1994 but previously gained recognition under the Super Tuscan monikerbecause producers in the region were defying the Italian wine laws by incorporating international varieties, particularly those from Bordeaux. 
 
The Aia Vecchia 2020 Sor Ugo is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in barriques, plus another six months in the bottle, resulting in a richly layered, powerful red with stunning complexity.
 
SOR UGO
SUPER TUSCAN 2020
BOLGHERI SUPERIORE
AIA VECCHIA WINERY
 
 
 
“The 2020 Sor Ugo is packed with blackberry, cloves, leather, menthol, licorice and chocolate. Rich and resonant in the glass, with tons of energy, Sor Ugo has plenty to offer. The substantial, expansive finish is especially of note. I would prefer to drink this over the next decade or so.”
93 Points
2019 Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley

2019 Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley

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

JOSEPH JEWELL

PINOT NOIR 2019
HALLBERG VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2019 Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley
Adrian Jewell grew up in Northern California’s cold, foggy climate, believing that sites with cooler microclimates along the North Coast can grow California’s best Pinot Noirs. Adrian is the owner and winemaker of Joseph Jewell wines, and his goal is to make wines that bring people together with approachability, balance, and natural varietal character derived from small, independently owned, and sustainably farmed vineyards.
 
The Hallberg Vineyard in the Russian River Valley is known for its dry-farmed Gold Ridge soils that encourage deep root propagation in search of water and nutrients, giving fruit with increased depth and complexity of flavors. Joseph Jewell began working with the vineyard in 2010 and has released a single-vineyard designation ever since. His 2019 continues to share the legacy of the vineyard’s distinct earthy and spicy fruit with an impressive depth of flavors. 
 
Side Note: Our tasting panel tried this wine earlier this year, and at the time, it was a bit closed and didn’t make our selection. We tasted it again recently, and it had blossomed into an outstanding representation of Hallberg Vineyard and a truly memorable wine. At our price of $42, it’s one of my favorite Pinots in the shop. 
 
JOSEPH JEWELL
PINOT NOIR 2019
HALLBERG VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“This wine offers a deep, dark-fruit profile of great flavor and texture, with a soft, supple approach to tannin and well-integrated oak. Dark cherry is accented in dried herb, baking spice and forest, expansive on the palate throughout.”
90 Points
2021 Vineyard 36 Foundation Red Napa Valley

2021 Vineyard 36 Foundation Red Napa Valley

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VINEYARD 36 

FOUNDATION RED
NAPA VALLEY 2021

2021 Vineyard 36 Foundation Red Napa Valley
Professional hockey players Tim Gleason and Cam Ward teamed up with their friend Jason Earnest to create Vineyard 36 out of the group’s shared vision and a common goal to produce wines that express the diversity of Napa Valley. Keith Emerson joined as the Director of Winemaking in 2017, ironically having run programs for ultra-premium custom crush clientele for Vineyard 29 since 2005 at their state-of-the-art gravity-flow facility, bringing two decades of winemaking expertise and experience.
 
The Foundation pays tribute to Tim and Cam’s careers in hockey with an ice rink-shaped oval with faint skate marks. The Roman numeral III in the center represents the bond and friendship between the three friends. The 2021 vintage comprises 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, sourced from Oakville, Oak Knoll, and Rutherford, giving a complete, balanced Napa red wine with power and definition. 
 
The Cabernet comes from one of Rutherford’s best-known vineyards, but non-disclosure agreements prevent me from telling you which one. 
 
VINEYARD 36 
FOUNDATION RED
NAPA VALLEY 2021
Retails at: $55
 
 
 
“The Vineyard 36 Foundation Napa Red 2021 begins with a bright nose with wild berries, marzipan, white rose, and spearmint hints. The lush palate continues with concentrated candied cherries, penetrating sweet boysenberries, leading to a lengthy finish with a nice balance between the ripe fruits and complexity, combined with slightly chalky/satiny tannins that will continue to unfurl in the future.” 
94 Points
2019 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2019 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

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COURTNEY BENHAM

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
RUTHERFORD 2019

2019 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
California offers geological diversity that few other wine regions can match, and winemaker Courtney Benham, inspired by his upbringing on a farm, fell in love with the varying landscape and endless possibilities. Courtney has three decades of experience in the wine industry, and his talent for selecting expressive plots with terroir-articulated fruit is evident in each wine he bottles.
 
Rutherford’s gravel and loam soils with volcanic deposits are a magical combination that creates the legendary complexity known as “Rutherford Dust,” sought after by Cabernet Sauvignon lovers worldwide.
 
Courtney Benham’s 2019 Rutherford Cabernet comes from a fantastic vintage in Napa Valley and highlights the region’s dusty tannins, earthy characteristics, and fruit concentration.
 
COURTNEY BENHAM
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
RUTHERFORD 2019
Retails at: $85
 
 
 
“Dark berries and fresh flowers on the nose with some herbs and spices. Medium to full body. Refined, very polished and tight with length and focus. Compressed and very pretty. Needs time to open and show its true self. Better after 2024.”
94 Points
2021 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Russian River Valley

2021 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir The Estate Vineyard Russian River Valley

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

WALTER HANSEL

PINOT NOIR 2021
THE ESTATE VINEYARDS
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Russian River Valley
Born with a love and passion for agriculture, Walter Hansel enlisted his son Stephen to help him plant grapevines on the family estate in the Russian River Valley. Throughout the 1980s, Walter and Stephen experimented with making wine for fun, and thanks to Stephen’s legendary Pinot Noir-producing friend Tom Rochioli, the father-son team learned the nuances of viticulture and how to translate that knowledge into stellar wines.
 
Walter Hansels’ vineyards comprise six different Pinot Noir clones, and The Estate Vineyards Pinot encompasses each, establishing a uniform balance and ultimate complexity. The 2021 release was fermented in stainless steel with an addition of 5% whole clusters to a small number of tanks and matured in French oak for 12 months giving a style focused on the purity of the fruit with a hint of spice.
 
WALTER HANSEL
PINOT NOIR 2021
THE ESTATE VINEYARDS
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
 
 
“The 2021 Pinot Noir The Estate Vineyards is gracious, elegant and silky. Crushed red/purplish berry fruit, spice and mint are nicely laced together in a juicy, mid-weight Pinot that delivers the goods. The 2021 offers tons of immediacy, but marries that with a good bit of energy. This is a very serious wine with a bright, bright future.”
92 Points
2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

LIMERICK LANE

ZINFANDEL 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley
Jake Bilbro of Limerick Lane Winery is the third steward of the historic property since the Del Fava family planted the estate vineyard in 1910. The landmark property has maintained its roots for over a century, focusing on sustainable farming and minimal irrigation. The farming team only irrigates plots when necessary, producing fruit with complex, concentrated flavors and aromas.
 
Limerick Lane specializes in high-quality Zinfandel, sourcing from their estate along with a few nearby old vine Zinfandel vineyards known for growing the highest quality fruit. 
 
Winemaker Chris Pittenger intentionally alters the vineyard composition of each vintage, seeking out fruit to create the most balanced wine possible. Their 2021 vintage embodies the spirit of the Russian River Valley with perfectly ripe, bright fruit accented by refreshing acidity and an ideal balance of flavors.
 
LIMERICK LANE
ZINFANDEL 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $46
 
 
 
“The 2021 Zinfandel (Russian River Valley) is an absolute delight. Bright and intensely floral, the 2021 is packed with varietal character. Crushed red berry fruit, white flowers and mint all race out of the glass in this refreshing, juicy Zinfandel from Limerick Lane. This is an absolute winner.”
91 Points
2019 Montagu The Baron Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2019 Montagu The Baron Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

MONTAGU

THE BARON
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RUTHERFORD 2019

2019 Montagu The Baron Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
Weston Eidson apprenticed with mentors Jason Moore of Modus Operandi Cellars and Russell Bevan. Well-connected, Eidson has partnered with exceptional vineyards in Napa and Sonoma, including Sage Ridge, Baciagalupi, Durell, Charles Heintz, Hyde, and Richie. He thoughtfully crafts his wines to highlight the terroir through minimal intervention winemaking.
 
The Baron is a rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with some Petit Verdot to flesh out the mid-palate and give the wine a zesty spice and playfulness. The fruit comes from a secret vineyard in Rutherford, and the 2019 vintage was fabulous for the area, producing wines with depth, robust flavors, and ripe, fine-grained tannins that feel like satin and will provide at least a decade of ageability.
 
Don’t let the scores based on the winery’s $125 retail sway you. At our price, it is one of our finest offerings and is a rich, powerful, hedonistic Cabernet Sauvignon that will make you wish you had ordered more once you’ve tried it. Our panel loved it, and now it’s an unbelievable value.
 
MONTAGU
THE BARON
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RUTHERFORD 2019
Retails at: $125
 
 
 
“Starting with the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon The Baron, which includes 10% Petit Verdot, this rich, chewy, mouth-filling effort offers tons of ripe black cherry and plum fruits as well as chocolate and assorted spices. It’s a chewy, fruit-driven Cabernet to drink over the coming decade.” Reviewed May, 2022
90 Points
2019 Kelly Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley

2019 Kelly Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley

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

KELLY FAMILY VINEYARDS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE NAPA VALLEY
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT 2019

2019 Kelly Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley
Kelly Family Vineyards is one of our most exciting boutique wine discoveries this year, and their 2019 vintage embodies everything we look for in superior-quality, small-lot Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. For years, they’ve sold fruit to some of Napa’s top Cabernet producers, and if I told you which ones, I’m confident you’d jump straight to the order button. 
 
Vineyard Manager Mario Bazán immigrated to Napa in 1973 and was charmed by Napa’s beauty, so he carefully honed his viticultural skills as a laborer and today runs one of the most respected vineyard management companies in Napa and Sonoma counties.
 
Winemaker Bob Pepi works closely with Gene and Mario to craft Kelly Family Vineyards’ limited production of premium quality wines. The depth and complexity of the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon release reflect the undivided attention of the small, intimate team and the glorious vintage.
 
KELLY FAMILY VINEYARDS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE NAPA VALLEY
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT 2019
Retails at: $95
 
 
 
“Coming from another fantastic vintage in Napa Valley, the Kelly Family 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits notes of wet stones, petrichor, black currant, savory spice, and a hint of cinnamon. On the palate, the wine has bright acidity that enhances the flavors of dried herbs, menthol, black plum, cherry, and allspice. The finish lingers on the palate and portrays the complexity of the flavors as it envelopes your taste buds. This wine has the structure to age and will continue to develop.”
96 Points
2021 Hourglass HG III Red Blend Napa Valley

2021 Hourglass HG III Red Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

HOURGLASS 

HG III RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2021

2021 Hourglass HG III Red Blend Napa Valley
The Hourglass estate consists of two vineyards producing a line of estate wines under winemaker Tony Biagi, who gained nearly ten years of experience making wines for Plumpjack. The two vineyards are planted predominately with Bordeaux varietals, and Tony focuses on creating Old-World-styled wines with a modern twist.
 
The HG III is a unique blend of small lots of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Sirah, offering a silky-smooth, consistent style of a Napa Valley red blend that continuously finds itself on the shelves of our wine shop. The 2021 vintage is youthful and full of life with concentrated flavors, smooth, supple tannins, and a long, indulgent finish. It is the perfect accompaniment to a meal or a relaxing evening.
 
HOURGLASS 
HG III RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2021
Retails at: $53
 
 
 
“The Hourglass 2021 HG III Proprietary Red Blend opens with a spice rack of complex aromas with violets, pink peppercorns, red currant, blackberry, leather, and mushroom. On the palate, the wine has depth and flavors of ripe red plum, blueberry, melted dark chocolate, malt, toasted bread, and roasted coffee beans. The flavor intensity lasts through the finish and is enjoyable from beginning to middle to end.”
94 Points