2019 Scarlett Cabernet Sauvignon Mcgah Family Vineyard

2019 Scarlett Cabernet Sauvignon Mcgah Family Vineyard Rutherford Estate

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

SCARLETT

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MCGAH FAMILY VINEYARD
RUTHERFORD ESTATE 2019

2019 Scarlett Cabernet Sauvignon Mcgah Family Vineyard
Scarlett Wines comprises four generations of wine growers working their family vineyards in Rutherford. The McGah family owns and operates the winery, formerly known as McGah Family Cellars, which rebranded in 2015 to celebrate its flagship wine named after the founder’s daughter— Scarlett. The winemaking philosophy encourages “equal parts heart and soul, art and science,” resulting in supremely balanced, classically styled, and delightfully approachable wines that are unique and compelling.
 
Award-winning winemaker Mike Smith began learning his craft by working for free for three harvests with Thomas Rivers Brown before being offered a full-time position as a winemaking assistant and later working with a collection of brands, including Maybach Family, Tamber Bey, Carter, and Rivers Marie. The beautiful 2019 vintage is another fantastic growing season for Napa, and this indulgent estate Cabernet Sauvignon proudly represents its Rutherford heritage.
 
SCARLETT
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MCGAH FAMILY VINEYARD
RUTHERFORD ESTATE 2019
Retails at: $74
 
Your Price: $65
 
 
“Beautiful, sweet cassis and blue fruits as well as lots of violet and floral notions emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, a full-bodied, rich, concentrated barrel sample with wonderful purity of fruit, a good sense of freshness, and serious length on the finish. This promising, elegant yet powerful wine is going to shine with short-term bottle age and keep for two decades.”
93-95 Points
2019 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2019 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

SULLIVAN

COEUR DE VIGNE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RUTHERFORD 2019

2019 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
Jim Sullivan’s obsession with wine began in the 1950s, making wine at home from a small plot of vines gifted to him and his new bride as a wedding present. Jim moved his family to a dusty Rutherford farm in 1972, establishing Sullivan Estate, which has been quietly producing and selling wine to friends, family, and wine lovers for nearly five decades.
 
Winemaker Jeff Cole earned a degree in Wine and Viticulture from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo before working with Schramsberg and J. Davies Vineyards, joining Sullivan in 2013. The 2019 Coeur de Vigne is a Left Bank Bordeaux-inspired blend with a clear and powerful voice, articulated through Jeff’s precise winemaking with an emphasis on displaying the dynamic terroir and rich potential offered by the Rutherford estate.
 
SULLIVAN
COEUR DE VIGNE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RUTHERFORD 2019
Retails at: $120
 
 
 
“Blended with 8% Petit Verdot and 2% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this hearty red is brimming in thick tannin, considerable oak and expansively youthful layers of vanilla, cassis and plum. Impressive in its grasp of both variety and appellation, it is worth cellaring; enjoy best from 2029–2034.”
94 Points “Cellar Selection”
2017 Castello Romitorio Brunello Di Montacino

2017 Castello Romitorio Brunello Di Montacino

with No Comment $60-$70BrunelloBrunelloItalyKevin Vogt

CASTELLO ROMITORIO 

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
MONTALCINO 2017

2017 Castello Romitorio Brunello Di Montacino
Castello Romitorio’s history is extensive, beginning as a temple in Roman times with many transformations before its purchase in 1984 by Italian artist Sandro Chia, who restored the property into a winery and art workshop. Sandro believes art and wine thrive on minute details and that natural progression should never be altered or changed but enhanced.
 
The winery is dedicated to promoting the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG region, recognized over several centuries for its suitability for viticulture, now with sustainable farming practices that respect the environment and surrounding biodiversity. This flagship bottling from the 2017 vintage reflects the proprietor’s intimate understanding of the estate’s terroir that brilliantly transforms after maturing for 24 months in oak and one year in the bottle before release, creating a magnificently impressive wine.
 
CASTELLO ROMITORIO 
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
MONTALCINO 2017
Retails at: $70
 
Your Price: $65
 
 
“The Castello Romitorio 2017 Brunello di Montalcino comes from an estate that is quickly becoming a leader in a special niche of the Montalcino market. The wine is modern and soft, showing lots of contained ripeness and creaminess, yet it successfully embraces the fundamentals of the appellation and Sangiovese, thanks to its bright acidity and finely tuned structure. Few wines reach this level of precision, especially in a challenging vintage such as this.”
94 Points
2019 Pont Neuf Pnt Royal Chardonnay Russian River Valley

2019 Pont Neuf Pont Royal Chardonnay Russian River Valley

with No Comment $60-$70ChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

PONT NEUF

PONT ROYAL CHARDONNAY
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 2019

2019 Pont Neuf Pnt Royal Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Douglas Danielak completed the Professional Winemaking Program at the Lycée Agricole et Viticole de Beaune in Burgundy while working with Wine Exporter Rebecca Wasserman, gaining an impressive knowledge of Burgundian wines and barrels. Upon returning to California, Douglas completed his degree in Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis and, for over twenty years, has made wine for some of Napa Valley’s most respected wineries.
 
Douglas and his wife Mary named Pont Neuf wines after the oldest standing bridge in Paris, symbolizing the bridge between Burgundian and Californian winemaking. By carefully applying low-intervention techniques, native yeasts, and slow malolactic fermentation, this 2019 Russian River Valley Chardonnay possesses Burgundy’s sophistication and finesse matched with California’s opulent, stunning fruit. It’s one of the most popular Chardonnays we feature by pouring in the shop and is a must-try if you love top-quality Chardonnay.
 
PONT NEUF
PONT ROYAL CHARDONNAY
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 2019
 
Your Price: $65
 
 
“The Pont Neuf 2019 ‘Pont Royal’ Chardonnay opens with aromas of golden apple, apricot, toast, roasted almond, and crème brûlée. On the palate, the wine has a rich body with flavors of peach, cantaloupe, and macadamia nut balanced by a crisp minerality and bright acidity. The finish is long and sultry, leaving a lasting impression.”
94 Points
2019 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2019 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

BLACK POWDER

2019 OAKVILLE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2019 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
Exploding onto the Cabernet scene like a stick of dynamite, we introduced Black Powder last year, in their maiden vintage, a phenomenon that developed an instant cult-like following for its explosive flavors, profound depth, and superior quality. Their secret lies in their vineyard sourcing, with this Cabernet coming from an undisclosed site on Oakville’s volcanic Eastside, where you’d expect and would pay over $150 per bottle for wines from the same vineyard. 
 
Setting his sights on creating wines that blow holes in industry norms, Bobby Moy passed his trial-by-fire in the wine industry mentoring under Thomas Rivers Brown before founding Black Powder. The newly released 2019 vintage is a richly concentrated offering, potent, lush, and of the caliber you’d look for from a great Oakville Vineyard, but priced far less than you’d expect.
 
BLACK POWDER
2019 OAKVILLE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $95
 
 
 
“The 2019 Black Powder Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon has beautiful aromatics and opens with violets, cassis, plums, graphite, and cola. The palate is plush with blueberries, cloves, and chocolate for a long, enjoyable finish. The depth of flavor concentration, firm tannins, and fresh acidity give this wine the perfect structure for aging and further flavor development. Drink now through 2030.”
94 Points
2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast

2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $60-$70Kevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

RAEN

2019 PINOT NOIR 
ROYAL ST. ROBERT CUVEE
SONOMA COAST

2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast
Carlo and Dante Mondavi grew up at their grandfather’s OPUS ONE Winery and further sharpened their winemaking skills at their father Tim’s cult brand Continuum, so it’s no surprise that the cult and culture of wine runs deep in their veins. The Mondavi family has a keen talent for selecting vineyards capable of producing premium wines and has been one of American wine’s most influential families.
 
RAEN Royal St. Robert Cuvée Pinot Noir is a tribute to their grandfather, who taught them the art of winemaking and commitment to excellence. The 2019 bottling is a selection of their finest barrels from Freestone, Occidental, Bodega, and Fort Ross Seaview Sea Field Vineyards, showcasing the cool-climate Pinot Noir coming from the rugged coastal hills and now scoring a whopping 97 points from James Suckling.
 
RAEN
2019 PINOT NOIR 
ROYAL ST. ROBERT CUVEE
SONOMA COAST
 
Your Price: $65
 
 
“The aromas of strawberry and raspberry with conifer and hints of bark are impressive. Full-bodied, but so reserved and linear with super long, tightened tannins that melt into the wine. 100% whole cluster. Drinkable now, but much better to wait a year or three.”
97 Points
2018 Castalia Pinot Noir Rochioli Vineyard

2018 Castalia Pinot Noir Rochioli Vineyard

with No Comment $60-$70Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

CASTALIA

2018 PINOT NOIR
ROCHIOLI VINEYARD

2018 Castalia Pinot Noir Rochioli Vineyard
Castalia’s 2018 Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir earned the #2 spot on my top 5 list this year, not for just one, but all reasons; the wine masterfully combines focused, fresh, powerful fruit with intricate detail, length, and balance. This supreme example of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir accentuates the region’s vibrant cherry essence in a rich, sultry style, delineating Rochioli Vineyard’s most remarkable qualities.
 
Rochioli Vineyard produces unforgettably distinct, powerful fruit that’s both riveting and enchanting. Few people know the vineyard as intimately as Terry Bering, Cellar Master of J. Rochioli Vineyards, since 1990. Terry started Castalia Wines in 1992, producing a tiny bit of Pinot Noir from grapes he purchased from a hillside block of Rochioli Vineyard, known for small yields of intensely concentrated fruit. 
 
CASTALIA
2018 PINOT NOIR
ROCHIOLI VINEYARD
 
Your Price: $59.99
 
 
“The Castalia Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018 explodes from the glass with a powerful nose of sweet red cherries, deep black plums, strawberry preserves, exotic cola bean, herbs de Provence, white pepper, and dried rose petals. It’s one of those wines that grabs you from the first whiff and won’t let you go. A gorgeous palate follows with concentrated wild berries, bright red currants, rich cherries, kitchen spices, black tea, and hints of Kalamata olives. It is a very complex, dynamic wine that is exceptionally concentrated, delightfully long, and a thrill to enjoy.” 
96 Points, #2 WCC Top 5 Wines of 2021
2016 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder

2016 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

ANTHEM 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 MOUNT VEEDER

2016 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder
Selected for its powerfully expressive, vividly detailed, and incomparably hedonistic qualities, Anthem’s 2016 Mount Veeder Cabernet is a show-stopper so irresistible that it was nearly impossible to keep stocked in the tasting room. Jeff Ames, the winemaker at TOR and Rudius, crafts Anthem Cabernet to showcase power and restraint while simultaneously exhibiting a stunning level of depth and persistent intensity, setting it apart from others.
 
Anthem winery is steadfast in creating exceptional quality Cabernets from distinctive Mountain AVA’s in Napa Valley. They’ve assembled a powerful team led by highly-respected viticulturist John Truchard and, as mentioned earlier, winemaker Jeff Ames. The winery’s production team is free to vinify without regard for cost, making every decision solely on its impact on the quality of their wine. All of this is present in their wines, and this 2016 release is their most remarkable yet.
 
ANTHEM 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 MOUNT VEEDER
Retails at: $125
 
 
 
“The 2016 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon is an explosion of intense aromas beginning with violets, lavender, cassis, black plums, black cherries, balsamic reduction, black tea, graphite, and earth. The pronounced flavors penetrate the palate with great depth and firm tannins for a completely mouth-coating texture that slowly dissipates into the background. Drinking this wine is a truly ethereal experience, and its structure gives it the ability to be aged for several years of pleasure.”
95 Points, #3 WCC Top 5 Wines of 2021
2018 Ellman Brothers Blend Napa Valley

2018 Ellman Brothers Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Atlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

ELLMAN

BROTHERS BLEND
2018 NAPA VALLEY

2018 Ellman Brothers Blend Napa Valley
Ellman’s 20-acre vineyard sits at the base of Atlas Peak in an ancient riverbed. It reaps the rewards of having soils that uniquely combine the traits of volcanic hillside material with the alluvial ground of the valley floor. The vineyard, managed by Mike Wolf, one of the leading viticulture experts in Napa Valley, is carved into the rocky foothills and planted to a suitcase-clone of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1999, delivering old-world-style wines that are brilliant to taste.
 
Brought to life by winemaker Andy Erickson, who made Screaming Eagle from 2005 – 2010, and Mayacamas, which ranked #2 in the 2019 Wine Spectator Top 100, Ellman wines represent Andy’s cumulative experience, combined with expert farming and a proprietor’s distinct vision. Brother’s Blend, named after the Ellman brothers Neil and Lance, is nearly 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, accentuated with Merlot, and is aged in barrels for 22 months, producing a super smooth red that’s as Vinous writes, “dense, plush and explosive,” and “has so much to offer.”
 
ELLMAN
BROTHERS BLEND
2018 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $95
 
 
 
“The 2018 Proprietary Red Blend Brothers Blend is dense, plush and explosive. A rush of black cherry, menthol, licorice, cloves and mocha gives the 2018 its exuberant personality. This fleshy, voluptuous red has so much to offer. Bright floral notes and a burst of red raspberry fruit punctuate the finish. This is a terrific entry-level red.”
94 Points
2018 Sebright Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 Sebright Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSA

SEBRIGHT

2018 RESERVE 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY

2018 Sebright Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Named after the Silver Sebright bantam chickens that help maintain the biodiversity of their environmentally friendly farmed vineyards, Sebright Cellars quietly produces superior quality boutique Cabernet from their own single-acre Garnett Creek Vineyard in Calistoga. Double planted to clone 7, a clone also used by Screaming Eagle, Sebright’s vineyard produces concentrated fruit enriched with minerality and fresh acidy.
 
Veteran Calistoga winemaker Tom Eddy’s vast experience gives him the tools needed to lucidly reveal the vineyard’s site-specific terroir with singular focus, robust fruit character, and structure for aging. Their 2018 vintage is magnificent, and so if you haven’t tried Sebright before, and you’re looking for a wine that none of your friends have heard of but will rock them to their core when they try it, this is it.
 
SEBRIGHT
2018 RESERVE 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $125
 
 
 
“The Sebright Reserve Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 begins with a deeply extensive, sultry nose that includes crushed blackberries, blueberry cobbler, black currants, baking spices, and violets. These aromas dance in unison with a concentrated palate of burgundy plums, bing cherries, crushed earthy minerals, and black tea, combined with a focused intensity to the fruit. The finish is balanced, with power, finesse, and satiny tannins that create a long, plush finish. This outstanding wine is delightful to drink now but will reward collectors with 15 or more years of enjoyment.”
96 Points