2018 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five

2018 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaStags LeapUSA

SHAFER

2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ONE POINT FIVE 

2018 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five
John Shafer began making wine in 1978 and was eager for his son Doug to join him as the lead winemaker, but Doug turned him down two or three times before finally agreeing to a partnership in 1983, which they refer to as the “generation and a half” or One Point Five. The father-son team spent the last 35 years overseeing the production of their Stags Leap wines, which rank among the best in the valley and embody their passion for the district.
 
Sourced from Borderline and Shafer’s Hillside Estate vineyards, known for producing small berries with structure and depth of flavors, One Point Five represents the quintessence of the region. The wine is a worldwide favorite that’s perennially high scoring and beloved for having seamlessly soft tannins and a luscious mouthfeel that’s enjoyable today and suitable to age for a decade.
 
SHAFER
2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ONE POINT FIVE 
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“This is a muscular wine with a velvety backdrop—classic for the vintage and appellation. Silky tannins glide across a foundation of turned earth, crushed rock, clove and tobacco. The wine is hugely structured and grand. Dark plum, cherry and mocha flavors round out the profile….”
97 Points, “Cellar Selection”
 
“This has a deliciously ripe and perfumed nose of blueberries, cloves, potpourri and gravel. It’s full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins and fresh acidity. Creamy and elegant with a driven, focused finish. Cooler and more refined at the end…”
95 Points
 
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) might be the finest vintage to date. Dense purple-hued, with a thrilling nose of blue and black fruits as well as graphite and crushed stone, it’s medium to full-bodied and has a wonderfully pure, elegant texture, ample underlying tannins, and a great finish. It shows the more focused, elegant, yet structured style of the vintage to a T.”
95 Points
2015 Heitz Cellar Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2015 Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

HEITZ CELLAR

MARTHA’S VINEYARD
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2015 Heitz Cellar Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Martha’s Vineyard is one of the most prized vineyards in all of Napa Valley, boasting some of the New World’s longest-lasting, alluring Cabernet Sauvignons, capable of 100 point scores. Heitz has had a contract with Martha’s Vineyard since 1966, after Tom and Martha May, founders of Martha’s Vineyard, tasted Heitz Cabernet and were so impressed with the quality, they sealed a deal with their precious fruit.
 
Located on Oakville Bench bordering To-Kalon and below Harlan and BOND wineries, Martha’s Vineyard is fringed with eucalyptus trees believed to be the source of the wine’s signature minty, menthol character that makes it so memorable. The 2015 release is powerfully complex and loaded with the Vineyard’s hallmark savory undertones and is an absolute classic.
 
HEITZ CELLAR
MARTHA’S VINEYARD
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
 
Your Price: $260
 
 
“Enticing, with the frankly ripe profile of the vintage showing off in a display of slightly exotic plum and blackberry coulis flavors, while dark licorice, menthol and sassafras notes course through. Sweet spice accents sparkle through the finish, revealing a lingering hint of singed juniper. The long finish features rippling acidity…” 
95 Points
2019 Highlands Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley

2019 Highlands Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

HIGHLANDS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 RESERVE
NAPA VALLEY

2019 Highlands Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley
Highlands Winery combines over 75 years of winemaking and grape growing experience by two wine industry pioneers, both working with some of the biggest names in Napa. Dave Cofran began making wine in 1967 and later joined Silver Oak in 1984 as GM, and Paul Segas is an expert in the vineyard, selling grapes to Chateau Montelena, Joseph Phelps, and Robert Mondavi.
 
Paul and Dave spent years perfecting their crafts and combined their expertise to make high-quality wines from small plots, guided by the belief that winemaking begins in the vineyard. Their attention to detail, drive to make their best wines possible, and vast knowledge of the vineyards and winemaking is undeniable in this wine, which won’t last long at less than half the winery retail price!
 
HIGHLANDS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 RESERVE
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $85
 
 
 
“Highlands Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 is an incredibly aromatic beauty that opens with violets, cassis, blackberries, anise, and graphite. The palate is round with flavors of black plums, cloves, and chocolate fondant cake. The fine-grained tannic structure and fresh acidity will age very well, becoming softer with time and revealing additional layers of complex flavors.” 
92 Points
2019 My favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

2019 My favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

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

MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 PASO ROBLES

2019 My favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
Eric Jensen of Booker Vineyard is dedicated to growing fruit for some of the best wineries in Paso Robles, gaining experience along the way from neighboring farmers and vintners, particularly from his original favorite neighbor, Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure Winery. The homage is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from exceptional vineyards around Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, and Edna Valley, presented in a powerfully compelling and lavish style. 
 
Farming is life for Jensen and the farmers he works with, sharing the common goal of growing the best fruit possible using organic or biodynamic practices, coaxing the vines to perform at their ultimate best. The result is a wine that stands up to some of the most noteworthy California cult Cabernets and makes no excuses at its $50 price level where it performs at the highest level. 
 
MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 PASO ROBLES
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“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
2019 Dakota Shy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2019 Dakota Shy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

DAKOTA SHY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 NAPA VALLEY

2019 Dakota Shy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Dakota Shy founder, Todd Newman, was raised outside of the small farming town of Minot, North Dakota, where from a very young age understood the meaning behind a long, hard day of work. Discovering his passion for wine at 22 years old while working at a Michelin starred restaurant in Napa Valley, Todd came to work for Revana Family Vineyards, where he met assistant winemaker Tom Garrett.
 
With access to some of the most prestigious vineyards and several years of working under some of Napa Valley’s biggest winemaking legends, Newman and Garrett partnered to found Dakota Shy. Named to represent the balance between the strength and humility of winemaking, the two have reached their shared goal of producing wine to rival the best of what Napa Valley has to offer, producing truly exceptional and profound Cabernet Sauvignon.
 
DAKOTA SHY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $110
 
 
“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is soft, pliant and wonderfully inviting, with terrific energy that adds brightness to the red/purplish berry fruit, spice and rose petal flavors. This mid-weight, vibrant Cabernet is a terrific introduction to the year.”
90-92 Points
2019 Sailor's Grave Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2019 Sailor’s Grave Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaStags LeapUSA

SAILOR’S GRAVE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 NAPA VALLEY 

2019 Sailor's Grave Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Sailor’s Grave highlights Michael Pozzan’s ability to hand-select exceptional fruit each vintage, exemplifying his drive to create an affordable Napa Cabernet packed with character, depth, and rich flavors. He sculpted his 2019 vintage from a core of Stag’s Leap District fruit complemented with fruit from Chiles Valley and his home vineyard in Calistoga, showcasing the diversity in all three terroirs.
 
Checking in at 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this vintage offers a well-rounded interpretation of Napa Valley terroir and the vintage as a whole. The wine hails from a year that produced richly concentrated flavors, fruit purity, and balanced acidity that’s delightful to drink.
 
SAILOR’S GRAVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $40
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“2019 Sailor’s Grave Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has fresh, bright fruit aromas of black cherries and black currants, accented with chai tea and vanilla extract. On the palate, the wine is bursting with juicy, ripe plums and blackberries, balanced with a rich cocoa finish. The wine’s firm tannic structure and concentration of flavors suggest that it can age for a few years, but it’s also pleasantly approachable and more than easy to drink now as well.”
90 Points
2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve

2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn’s Reserve

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCabernet SauvignonCalistogaHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

JAMES JOSEPH

CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
2019 KATHRYN’S RESERVE

2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve
For decades, James Joseph built a reputation for crafting age-worthy Cabernets that are powerfully elegant and profoundly hedonistic. The 2019 release embodies the brand’s fingerprint conveyed with Howell Mountain Cabernet’s concentration, Atlas Peak fruit’s depth, and Calistoga’s signature minerality. 
 
The 2019 vintage combines 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, aged 20 months in barrel and crafted in a concentrated and showy style ladened with dark fruits, assorted chocolates, and rocky minerals. With just four barrels produced, don’t hesitate to secure this release.
 
JAMES JOSEPH
CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
2019 KATHRYN’S RESERVE
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Balance is one of the most important aspects of wine because when all the components are in balance, the wine effortlessly draws attention and acclaim. The 2019 James Joseph does just that, beginning with a nose of ripe cherry and blackberry fruit enveloped in sweet baking spices and cocoa, like a blueberry pie that your grandmother just took out of the oven. This rich and round wine finishes with velvety tannins that make it approachable in its youth, but the depth and concentration of flavors mean that this wine can also lay down for another ten years and develop further complexity.”
96 Points
2018 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 O’Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

O’SHAUGHNESSY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY

2018 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Flaunting Oakville fruit’s alluring complexity, Mount Veeder’s savory tinge, and combining Howell Mountain Cabernet’s focused concentration, O’Shaughnessy’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is epic. It’s a harmonious composition of the winery’s Estate vineyards, located in some of Napa Valley’s most elite neighborhoods. 
 
Since their inception, O’Shaughnessy’s winemaker has been Sean Capiaux, whom you might know from his work at Peter Michael or his brand Capiaux. He did a fantastic job on the reference-standard 2018 release, perfectly expressing Mountain terroir enriched with Oakville elegance. 
 
O’SHAUGHNESSY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $79.99
 
 
“This is such an outstanding wine at any price, but here we’re talking about outstanding value as well. Notes of iron and crushed rock lead to a lengthy balance of juicy red fruit and clove. With small amounts of Merlot, Malbec, Saint-Macaire and Cabernet Franc, it shows a deft hand at blending, with lasting notes of black pepper and nuanced oak.”
97 Points, Editors’ Choice
2019 Details Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County

2019 Details Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County

with No Comment $30-$40Alexander ValleyCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtKnight's ValleySonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

DETAILS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2019 SONOMA COUNTY

2019 Details Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
Details Cabernet fuses superior talent, assiduous fruit selection, and rigorous science in creating their value-focused Cabernet, which hails from the Sonoma, Knights, and Alexander Valleys. Their team, let by Ryan Knoth, who previously worked under the tutelage of icons David Abreu, Michel Rolland, and Fredrik Johansson at Staglin, handpicks the fruit to precise analytics equating to optimized flavors and aromas. 
 
Masterfully blending four of Bordeaux’s top five varietals; Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, then adding Petite Sirah, Sinegal’s winemaking team’s obsessive attention to detail paid off. Their efforts result in an enchanting wine that tastes like it should be much more expensive.
 
DETAILS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2019 SONOMA COUNTY
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Details is obviously a very young wine, but its freshness and energy are so compelling. Spice, new leather, menthol, licorice and dried herbs are some of the many notes that grace the 2019. Even in the early going, the 2019 is positively stellar. Franc aromatics and a distinct savoriness from the Petit Verdot add so much character. This may be the best vintage yet. I loved it.”
93-95 Points
2017 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2017 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $50-$60Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

BELLA UNION

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2017 NAPA VALLEY

2017 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Backed by decades of elite winemaking and premium vineyard sources, Bella Union hit the ground running in 2012, founded by Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel winery partners. Focused on creating a union of flavors, textures, and character, voiced through artistry and exceptional fruit, Bella Union is “well-made” and “sumptuous” as described by Wine Enthusiast and deserving of its 95 Point score and spot on the top 100 Cellar Selection list of 2020. 
 
Ideally located in Rutherford, Bella Union’s Estate Vineyard reaps the benefits of well-draining, gravelly loam soils, and diurnal temperature swings, encouraging the site’s signature intense, beautifully proportioned fruit and complex aromas. 
 
Crafted in an expressive and richly textured style, Bella Union winemakers unite Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon with Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot, harmonizing each varietal’s most significant characteristics, displayed with finesse and brilliance. 
 
BELLA UNION
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2017 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $80
 
Your Price: $59.99
 
 
“Sinewy, earthy and full of spice, this well-made wine is lush and sumptuous, with firm, focused tannins and integrated oak. Black cherry, cinnamon and nutmeg meld on the structured, full-bodied palate, with a graceful hint of dark chocolate on the finish. This will do well in the cellar.”
95 Points, #74 Top 100 Cellar Selections 2020