2020 Domaine Eden Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains

2020 Domaine Eden Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastKevin VogtPinot NoirSanta CruzSanta Cruz MountainsUSA

DOMAINE EDEN

PINOT NOIR 2020
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS

2020 Domaine Eden Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains

One of Santa Cruz Mountains’ most esteemed producers, Domaine Eden, was modeled after Mount Eden Vineyards and specializes in crafting exceptional Pinot Noir from a selection of Dijon clones 777, 667, and 828, alongside historical California clones like Mount Eden, Calera, and Swan.

Nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the winery thrives in a cool climate with diverse soils ideally suited for nurturing Burgundian varieties. The vineyard team adheres to rigorous sustainable farming practices, yielding limited yet intensely concentrated fruit that embodies the region’s identity. 

With a commitment to purity and site expression, the wines of Domaine Eden undergo fermentation with indigenous yeast, remaining unfined and unfiltered. The 2020 vintage emerges as a standout expression, capturing the region’s essence and delivering a beautifully harmonious fusion of fruit, earth, and minerality.

DOMAINE EDEN
PINOT NOIR 2020
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS
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“Fresh, with raspberry, damson plum and blood orange notes, carried by finely beaded acidity and backed by rooibos tea and savory notes through the lively finish. Shows taut underlying grip too, giving this a touch of old school. Drink now through 2030.”

91 Points

2021 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Red Blend

2021 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Red Blend

with No Comment $30 and underAtlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

VISTA

ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
RED BLEND 2021

2021 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Red Blend

Back and better than ever before, Vista’s 2021 Atlas Peak Reserve Red Blend is another paradigm-shifter for superior quality, value-priced Mountain wines. This stunner has the concentration, depth, complexity, and balance you’d expect from an exceptional $50+ Napa wine, but at $25, it’s almost unfathomable how great it is for this low price.

Harvested at 2,000 feet elevation on Atlas Peak, Vista’s 2021 Reserve Blend was wrought from the rocky red Aiken soils that perfectly display the deep, concentrated flavors that make this region famous.

Predominately Cabernet Sauvignon at 61%, balanced with Merlot and Malbec, the 2021 vintage has the power of a thoroughbred, tamed by the skilled hand of winemaker Grant Long Jr, whom you might know from Aonair, Reverie II, Steps, and James Joseph. If you’re looking for a fabulous wine that tastes like it should be double or triple the price, look no further.

VISTA
ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
RED BLEND 2021

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“Unparalleled in their ability to create rich, powerful, high-quality Napa Valley wines at an exceptionally low price, Vista continues to raise the bar with the release of their 2021 Reserve Atlas Peak Red Blend. This beautiful creation begins with a vibrant nose, including crushed Blackberries, blueberry cobbler, lavender, and hints of wood spice. The powerful palate continues with concentrated red currants, mixed berry compote, Bing cherries, pipe tobacco, saline minerality, and cocoa powder. The firm volcanic mountain structure beautifully balances the intense fruit with a style, grace, and energy, leading to a long finish that simply satisfies.”

95 Points

2019 Walter Hansel The South Slope Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2019 Walter Hansel The South Slope Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

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

WALTER HANSEL

THE SOUTH SLOPE
PINOT NOIR 2019
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2019 Walter Hansel The South Slope Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

Consistently exceptional, Walter Hansel’s Pinot Noirs mirror qualities that you’d expect from California’s most elite Pinot Noir producers, doing so at a price that’s drawn many admirers. 

Walter Hansel had a penchant for horticulture early on and enlisted the help of his son, Stephen, to plant a half-acre of vines in the 1970s. During the next decade, the Hansel family would harvest their tiny vineyard, and produce two barrels, making about 50 cases of wine. 

The Estate now farms 80 acres of contiguous vineyards. The South Slope is at the highest elevation and southernmost plot, planted to Clone 777, known for giving wines a distinct earthiness. The 2021 South Slope Pinot Noir was fermented in stainless steel and aged 12 months in oak before release, earning 96 points from Vinous and highlighting “knock-out” qualities.

WALTER HANSEL
THE SOUTH SLOPE
PINOT NOIR 2019
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

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“The 2021 Pinot Noir The South Slope is a classic Steven Hansel wine. A rush of dark cherry, plum lavender, rose petal and licorice are all dialed up. This boisterous, exuberant Pinot Noir has a ton of character. Plush contours wrap it all together in style. The 2021 will be nearly impossible to resist on release. What a knock-out!”

96 Points

2019 Dievole Petrignano Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

2019 Dievole Petrignano Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

with No Comment $30 and underChiantiChiantiKevin VogtTuscanyUSA

DIEVOLE PETRIGNANO

CHIANTI CLASSICO
TUSCANY, ITALY 2019

2019 Dievole Petrignano Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

Dievole is a renowned winery in the heart of Tuscany in the Chianti Classico region near Castelnuovo Berardenga. Celebrated for exceptional wines and a commitment to sustainable winemaking practices, the estate has a rich history dating back to the 11th century.

The winery’s flagship wine, Dievole Chianti Classico DOCG, is outstanding and hails from the 2019 vintage, a year the Wine Spectator describes as producing “fresh, balanced reds with finesse and the structure to age.” 

Dievole’s Chianti Classico wines effortlessly showcase the region’s quintessential characteristics; combined with an outstanding growing season and the DOCG’s aging regulations, this wine is already shining brightly.

DIEVOLE PETRIGNANO
CHIANTI CLASSICO
TUSCANY, ITALY 2019

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“Petrignano is a new wine for Dievole, the result of the estate’s collaboration with Chilean soil specialist, Pedro Parra. It comes from a recently planted 15ha site between 300 and 330 metres above sea level, distinguished by an abundance of limestone near the surface. The nose is flinty and iron-speckled, giving way to sun-soaked wild berries. It balances the generous warmth of the south with freshness and long, chalky tannins, sneaking some vibrant acidity in there too.”

91 Points

2021 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo

2021 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 2021

2021 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo

In 2001, Eric and Lisa Jensen purchased 100 acres in Paso Robles, founding Booker Vineyards, followed by My Favorite Neighbor, initially focusing on farming high-quality grapes for nearby wineries. Eric started making wine on the side with his friend Justin Smith of Saxum and neighbor Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure before he and Lisa decided to create wines that would rival the best out of Napa Valley in their categories. 

Established with unwavering commitment and a refusal to compromise, My Favorite Neighbor strikes a balance with impeccable ripe fruit, intense flavors, and sumptuous textures, presenting a formidable challenge to some of the finest $100 New World Cabernets. 

Eric has consistently crafted wines from successive vintages that have garnered impressive mid-90-point scores, and his 2021 vintage stands as a remarkable successor, propelling his wine toward widespread recognition as a premier name in San Luis Obispo-area Cabernet Sauvignon.

MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2021
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“The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is smoking good, with a full-bodied, rich, opulent wine that has classic cassis and darker blue fruits as well as leafy tobacco, baking spice, and bouquet garni notes. This textured, ripe, sexy wine stays nicely balanced, has ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s another awesome value.”

94 Points

2021 Kanzler Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2021 Kanzler Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

with No Comment $50-$60$60-$70Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaSonoma CoastUSA

KANZLER

PINOT NOIR 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Kanzler Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

In 1996, the Kanzler family was the first to plant vineyards in the chilly Sebastopol Hills in western Sonoma County, just eight miles from the Pacific Ocean. Steve Kanzler immersed himself in viticulture, taking classes at UC Davis, and sought advice from neighbors, winemakers, vineyard managers, and soil experts all around the county to perfect his knowledge and understanding of grape growing. 

Kanzler’s Vineyard has a legacy highlighted by Pinot Noir icons Lynmar, Rivers-Marie, and Kosta Browne, who’ve all produced a single-vineyard Pinot from Kanzler for around 20 consecutive vintages, ranking among their best wines produced. 

Striving to create intensely exquisite Pinot, winemaker Alex Kanzler crafted this Russian River Valley Pinot Noir around a core of Estate fruit, layering in Mes Filles, Marshall, Walker Station, and Wild Horse Vineyards for increased nuance. Their winemaking is gentle, precise, and skilled, and the results are simply stunning.

KANZLER
PINOT NOIR 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

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“Ripe, with deliciously succulent waves of plum, boysenberry and mulberry fruit rolling through, laced with iris and hibiscus notes and ending with light anise and apple wood hints on the finish. Packs a nice finishing kick of fruit at the end, too, while keeping a racy edge. Best from 2024 through 2032.”

94 Points

2018 Marquesw De Murrieta Rioja Reserva Finca Ygay Rioja Spain

2018 Marques De Murrieta Rioja Reserva Finca Ygay Rioja Spain

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtRiojaSpainTempranillo

MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA

RIOJA RESERVA
FINCA YGAY
RIOJA SPAIN 2018

2018 Marquesw De Murrieta Rioja Reserva Finca Ygay Rioja Spain

Luciano Murrieta was one of the first winemakers to establish a winery in Rioja after his studies in Bordeaux in 1852. He achieved worldwide recognition for his signature style of producing powerful, complex, and elegant wines. The Marqués de Murrieta Reserva is a traditional Riojan wine that embodies Luciano’s passion and pays tribute to one of Rioja’s pioneers.

The vineyards are located in Rioja Alta at 320 to 485 meters above sea level and are rooted in a traditional, iconic history with modern innovation. 

The 2018 Reserva combines 82% Tempranillo, with Graciano, Mazuelo, and Garnacha aged 16 months in a mixture of new and used American oak with a year and a half in the bottle before release for a balanced integration and sophisticated drinkability.

MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA
RIOJA RESERVA
FINCA YGAY
RIOJA SPAIN 2018

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“The flagship red 2018 Rioja Reserva was produced with a blend of 86% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo (a.k.a. Cariñena) and 2% Garnacha selected from their 300 hectares of vineyards that exemplifies the character of the vintage and the place… Each variety and plot fermented separately in stainless steel. and the wines aged separately in American oak barrels for 21 months and then settled in concrete until bottling. It follows the path of the 2016, where I noticed a change that is taken further in this, controlling the power and increasing the freshness. It’s very aromatic, a year completely different from the 2017; it has less structure and more freshness and subtler balance and enough oomph, concentration and power neatly compensated by freshness… It’s perfumed, fresh, elegant and medium-bodied, with a velvety texture. Superb!”

94 Points

2019 Diego Conterno Barolo Monforte D'Alba

2019 Diego Conterno Barolo Monforte D’Alba

with No Comment $50-$60BaroloBaroloItalyKevin VogtPiedmont

DIEGO CONTERNO

BAROLO 2019
MONFORTE D’ALBA

2019 Diego Conterno Barolo Monforte D'Alba

Under the mentorship of Piedmontese luminary winemaker Beppe Colla, Diego Conterno honed his winemaking skills at the Prunotto Winery. In 1982, he and his cousins started their winery, where Diego worked for nearly two decades, further developing his winemaking signature. 

In 2000, Diego began a winemaking journey all on his own with a five-acre plot in Ginestra, one of Barolo’s named cru growing sites. Today, Diego and his son Stefano run the winery, holding an esteemed reputation for producing Nebbiolo wines. 

The 2019 Barolo comes from a selection of fruit from estate vineyards in Bricco San Pietro, San Giovanni, and Ginestra, each vinified separately and aged to perfection in a combination of traditional botti and cement tank for 30 months. 

DIEGO CONTERNO
BAROLO 2019
MONFORTE D’ALBA

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“Lifted with blood orange citrus, the 2019 Barolo Del Comune Di Monforte D’Alba is spiced with clove, menthol, and cherry. It is medium to full bodied, with fine tannins, a fresh spine of acidity, and raspberry, dusty earth, and fresh peach. I love the balance of its structure and its refined texture. This is an outstanding effort to drink 2024-2044.”

95 Points

2021 Sparkman Holler Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

2021 Sparkman Holler Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonColumbia ValleyKevin VogtUSAWashington State

SPARKMAN

HOLLER 2021
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
COLUMBIA VALLEY

2021 Sparkman Holler Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

Sparkman Cellars is renowned for crafting concentrated yet gracefully balanced wines from Washington State. Their wines are continually turning heads, and in 2016, their 2013 Holler Cabernet ranked #21 on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list. The winery was also named one of Wine Spectator’s Rising Stars, Wine Enthusiast’s Cult Wineries, and Wine & Spirits’ Top 100 Wineries in the World, solidifying them as a top winery in the region. 

Winemaker Linn Scott carefully selected grapes from eight distinct vineyards within Columbia Valley for the Holler Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, resulting in a wine that delivers a well-rounded representation of Columbia Valley’s terroir.

Bordeaux-inspired, the 2021 Holler checks in at 77% Cabernet Sauvignon heightened with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Aged in a combination of French, Eastern European, and American oak for 18 months, the 2021 Holler thoroughly impresses at its modest $35 Retail price.

SPARKMAN
HOLLER 2021
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
COLUMBIA VALLEY

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“The Sparkman Holler Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 begins with a rich nose of red, blue, and black fruits, roasted coffee, milk chocolate, pencil shavings, and lavender. The powerful, opulent palate continues with sweet black currants, tart red currants, ripe blackberries, toasted hazelnuts, chocolate-covered espresso beans, allspice, and dried bay leaves. This is a complex wine with a deep richness on the palate, combined with satiny tannins that lead to a long, supple finish, optimally framing a wine that drinks well above its price level.

94+ Points

2021 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2021 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

SOJOURN

PINOT NOIR 2021
SONOMA COAST

2021 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Specializing in intensely flavored, terroir-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Sojourn Cellars emerged as a top-tier artisanal winery in 2001, motivated to craft exclusive wines from California’s most vibrant and unique vineyards. Decades later, the winery continues turning heads by skillfully showcasing the brilliance of each carefully chosen site.

Sourcing high-quality Pinot Noir grapes from the windswept regions along Sonoma Coast and foggy Russian River Valley, the 2021 release intertwines fruit from Gap’s Crown, Sangiacomo, Walala, and Dorothy Cameron Vineyards. 

The optimal 2021 growing season offered exceptional quality grapes that were 100% destemmed, fermented in open-top fermenters, finished in French oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered for ultimate purity.

SOJOURN
PINOT NOIR 2021
SONOMA COAST
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“Juicy and engaging, with heavy mulled raspberry and blood orange flavors coursing through, carried by a bright mineral edge and a flurry of red tea and savory notes. The long, lingering finish has nice latent tension. Drink now through 2030.”

93 Points