2019 Daniel Pinot Noir Grand Vent Vineyard Petaluma Gap

2019 Daniel Pinot Noir Grand Vent Vineyard Petaluma Gap

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtPetaluma GapPinot NoirSonomaUSA

DANIEL

PINOT NOIR
GRAND VENT VINEYARD
PETALUMA GAP 2019

2019 Daniel Pinot Noir Grand Vent Vineyard Petaluma Gap
Dan Fitzgerald of DANIEL Wines believes that the strong relationship between family, soil, and culture is at the heart of what makes a wine genuinely compelling. Unlike many wineries, Dan veers away from expansion and aims to stay small, focusing on a limited production of wines from premium growers with the same passionate demeanor. Case in point, Dan produced 45 cases of this gorgeous Pinot Noir.
 
Pinot Noir thrives in cool climates, and many of the world’s top Pinots come from areas with cooling coastal influences, like the Petaluma Gap in Sonoma County. The gap between the mountains funnels in cold oceanic breezes from the Pacific Ocean and creates a climate where Pinot Noir can not only fully ripen but maintain freshness. The Grand Vent Vineyard produces small crops of concentrated fruit with elegant balance, and the 2019 release is one of the best vintages of the last decade, and this is a shining example. 
 
DANIEL
PINOT NOIR
GRAND VENT VINEYARD
PETALUMA GAP 2019
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The Daniel 2019 Grand Vent Petaluma Pinot Noir opens with notes of wild roses, mint, sour raspberry, red cherry, and cardamom. On the palate, the wine is concentrated with flavors of bright red fruits, bramble, black tea leaves, and a crushed rock minerality. The depth and complexity of flavors dance into a lengthy finish, delicately balanced by silky tannins and refreshing acidity.”
94 Points 
2019 Meyer Family Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fluffy Billows Oakville

2019 Meyer Family Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fluffy Billows Oakville

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

MEYER FAMILY CELLARS

FLUFFY BILLOWS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
OAKVILLE 2019

2019 Meyer Family Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fluffy Billows Oakville
Matt and Karen Meyer combine their impressive educational knowledge and practical hands-on experience to expertly craft each Meyer Family Cellars wine. Matt spent many hours shadowing his father, Justin Meyer, in the vineyards and cellar at Silver Oak, interning in Oregon, Australia, and New Zealand, eventually gaining a Master’s in Viticulture from UC Davis. Karen completed her Enology degree from Charles Sturt University in Australia and worked harvests worldwide, finally landing her in Willamette Valley, where she and Matt met.
 
The Oakville AVA is home to some of Napa Valley’s most exclusive and premium vineyards, and the Meyer family has farmed and produced Cabernet from Oakville since the mid-1970s. The 2019 growing season saw extended hang times aiding depth and layers of flavors harnessed by Matt and Karen’s meticulous winemaking methods. The Fluffy Billows Cabernet Sauvignon brings impressive power, depth, and richness uncommon in this price range.
 
MEYER FAMILY CELLARS
FLUFFY BILLOWS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
OAKVILLE 2019
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The Meyer Family Cellars Fluffy Billows Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 begins with a nose of bright cherry, green herbs, wet clay, and vanilla spice. The palate continues with a complex liquid-mineral quality, beautifully balancing focused red and black fruits and mouth-quenching acidity that carries the concentrated flavors to a long, satisfying, lingering finish. This wine is a real standout Cabernet Sauvignon at this price point.” 
94 Points
2018 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel Mayacamas Range

2018 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel Mayacamas Range

with No Comment $30-$40CalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSAZinfandel

STORYBOOK

MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL
MAYACAMAS RANGE 2018

2018 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel Mayacamas Range
In the Western hills above Calistoga, Storybook Mountain Vineyards produces one of the most profound expressions of California Zinfandel. This captivating style of Zinfandel combines power and elegance with freshness and remarkable complexity. Andre Tchelistcheff advised Dr. Jerry Seps to plant Zinfandel on his property in the 1970s. Nearly fifty years later, Storybook Mountain’s Zinfandels have made the Wine & Spirits magazine’s top 100 list around twenty times. 
 
The vineyard’s surprisingly cool micro-climate, elevation, and red clay-loam soils create a terroir where the Zinfandel grape can develop optimum flavors at lower sugars. Jerry aged this Zinfandel in a combination of French and American oak barrels inside the 130 years old caves, dug into the volcanic rock. The resulting wine is exceptional and comes at my highest recommendation.
 
STORYBOOK
MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL
MAYACAMAS RANGE 2018
Retails at: $45
 
 
 
“Jerry Seps’s widest selection from his hillside estate northwest of Calistoga, Mayacamas Range is meant to be enjoyed in its youth. The wine has grace and energy, delivering dark-cherry roundness directly into the tannins and their bone-broth savor. Those tannins combine blueberry-skin freshness and a hint of bitter almond in a lasting, supple impression. Heady and beautiful.”
94 Points
2019 Chateau De La Greniere Lussac Saint-Emilion Bordeaux France

2019 Chateau De La Greniere Lussac Saint-Emilion Bordeaux France

with No Comment $30 and underBordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin VogtSaint Emilion

CHÂTEAU DE LA GRENIÈRE

LUSSAC SAINT-ÉMILION
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2019

2019 Chateau De La Greniere Lussac Saint-Emilion Bordeaux France
Château de la Grenière was founded in the 17th century and acknowledged in the 1868 edition of “Bordeaux & Its Wines,” where it ranked amongst the finest producers in Lussac Saint-Émilion. The soils comprise limestone and clay with a top layer of gravel that encourages sufficient drainage and forces the vines’ roots to dig deep into the earth, ultimately providing compelling complexity to the grapes.
 
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc are the predominant varieties in Lussac, and Château de la Grenière’s 35-year-old vines yield a classic example of the region. The 2019 release is 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc, providing an intrinsic spice that links the wine to a distinct sense of place unmatched anywhere in the world.
 
CHÂTEAU DE LA GRENIÈRE
LUSSAC SAINT-ÉMILION
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2019
 
 
 
“Aromas of ripe dark and blue fruit with hints of chocolate, sweet tobacco and leaves. Plush and juicy with medium body, creamy tannins and a velvety mouth-feel. Soft and lingering. Drinkable now, but better after 2024.”
92 Points
2016 Site Ret Blend Larner Vineyard Ballard Canyon

2016 Site Red Blend Larner Vineyard Ballard Canyon

with No Comment $40-$50Central CoastKevin VogtProprietary Red

SITE

RED BLEND
LARNER VINEYARD 2016
BALLARD CANYON

2016 Site Ret Blend Larner Vineyard Ballard Canyon
Jeremy Weintraub is a winemaker and owner of Site Wines. He has experience in winemaking and grape growing in several regions, including Napa, Paso Robles, Central Otago, Tuscany, and Long Island. He sources grapes from three vineyards in Santa Barbara County, crafting his wines according to each particular vintage.
 
The Larner Vineyard in Ballard Canyon is a small AVA about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The region’s north-to-south orientation in the coastal hills receives little oceanic influence and is much warmer than surrounding areas. This gives the perfect climate for Rhône varietals to thrive.The 2016 Larner Vineyard Red Blend is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Viognier. The Syrah and Viognier were co-fermented in a similar style to red blends from the Rhône, giving brevity and brightness to the final wine.
 
SITE
RED BLEND
LARNER VINEYARD 2016
BALLARD CANYON
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“The 2016 Red Wine Larner Vineyard is another wine in this range that just dazzles with personality and character. Vibrant inky blue/purplish fruit, grilled herbs, lavender and spice all develop effortlessly. I especially admire the wine’s freshness and energy. The 2016 is a blend of mostly Syrah, with some Grenache and Viognier.”
93 Points
2019 Buoncristiani Proprietary Red O.P.C. Napa Valley

2019 Buoncristiani Proprietary Red O.P.C. Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

BUONCRISTIANI

O.P.C. PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Buoncristiani Proprietary Red O.P.C. Napa Valley
Recreated with a fresh approach in each vintage, the Buoncristiani Brothers’ O.P.C. embodies a unique harmony discovered by blending Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah. The wines’ signature reveals itself after rounding out the complexity and texture with Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. After 20 months in French oak and now nearly another two years in the bottle, this wine is drinking beautifully.  
 
Grapes for the O.P.C. are sourced from some of Napa’s most prized vineyards, including Hyde, Stagecoach, Hossfeld, and Bennett, creating a wine that further enhances the enjoyment of life. The brothers run all aspects of their business, from growing and production to sales and marketing, ensuring the highest quality standard. If you’re looking for a wine that will make you smile each time you taste it, this is it.
 
BUONCRISTIANI
O.P.C. PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $75
 
 
 
“…Deep garnet-purple in color, it skips out of the glass with youthful notes of crushed black and red currants, fresh blackberries, and spearmint, followed by suggestions of tilled soil, star anise, and cardamom. The full-bodied palate has impressive poise, featuring expressive black and red fruit layers and a fine-grained texture, finishing long and vibrant.”
94 Points
2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

HEITZ CELLAR

NAPA VALLEY LOT C-91
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017

2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley
Joe Heitz introduced Napa Valley’s first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon from Martha’s Vineyard in the late 1950s, founded Heitz Cellar in 1961, and eight years later, he discovered he could create a wine with the qualities he desired most through site selection and assemblage. Since the inaugural vintage in 1969, Heitz Cellar has sourced fruit for Lot C-91 from premium parcels in St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, and Howell Mountain to create a complex, age-worthy wine with focus, depth, and length.
 
This historical cuvée has been released as an homage to Joe Heitz since his passing in 2000 and continues to incorporate his ideation of a complete, wholesome Napa Valley Cabernet. The 2017 Lot C-91 exudes elegance and power from superior site selection and expert blending, purposefully designed to guide the wine into a style that’s both stunning upon release and will stand the test of time.  
 
HEITZ CELLAR
NAPA VALLEY LOT C-91
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017
 
 
 
“Wow. Such a racy and exciting nose! This is quite agile and nimble, full of red and blue berries in the forefront, then complemented by spiced orange, earl grey, red plums, potpourri, savory plums and chocolate. Tense and elegant on the palate, which is all about succulent red berries, nuance and texture. Nothing redundant here. A great Napa cabernet sauvignon that has real definition. A beauty by all accounts!”
96 Points
2018 Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei Toscana IGT

2018 Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei Toscana IGT

with No Comment $40-$50ItalyKevin VogtNapaProprietary Red

CAVALLI

TENUTA DEGLI DEI
TOSCANA IGT 2018

2018 Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei Toscana IGT
The Cavalli family has been crafting fine wines in Tuscany since the 1970s. Their Tenuta Degli Dei estate is located near Panzano in Chianti, a region known for its rich marl soils and sunny southern exposure. Tommaso Cavalli, the current winemaker, is committed to sustainable farming practices and works with his father, Roberto, to produce wines that are both delicious and environmentally friendly.
 
The 2018 Cavalli is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. It is a full-bodied wine with a dense, robust structure and an underlying elegance. Antonio Galloni describes it as “wonderfully inviting…with exceptional balance and tons of character.” The wine will age gracefully, but it is also enjoyable to drink now. 
 
CAVALLI
TENUTA DEGLI DEI
TOSCANA IGT 2018
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“The 2018 Tenuta Degli Dei is dense, juicy and wonderfully inviting. Silky tannins wrap around a core of inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice, lavender and new leather. In the glass, the 2018 is intensely aromatic and layered, with exceptional balance and tons of character. Here, too, the wine’s overall sense of harmony can only be described as exquisite.”
96 Points
2020 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2020 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtMontereyPinot NoirSanta Lucia HighlandsUSA

MORGAN

TWELVE CLONES
PINOT NOIR 2020
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS

2020 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands
Dan and Donna Lee opened Morgan Winery in 1982, winning Gold and Platinum Medals at the Los Angeles County Fair, from Wine & Spirits Magazine in 1996, and from the San Francisco Chronicle in 2003. These awards helped to establish Morgan Winery as one of the Central Coast’s most recognized labels.
 
The winery’s flagship wine is the Twelve Clones Pinot Noir. This wine pays homage to the numerous clones of Pinot Noir that give it its layers of complex flavors and aromas. The fruit for the 2020 vintage comes from some of Santa Lucia Highlands’ best vineyards, including Morgan’s organically farmed Double L Vineyard, and was whole berry fermented, matured for nine months in French oak, and is a splendid example of the region’s best traits.
 
MORGAN
TWELVE CLONES
PINOT NOIR 2020
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Retails at: $38
 
 
 
“Dark plum and purple-flower aromas show on the nose of this clonal combination. The bold palate is hearty and rich with flavors of black raspberry, blood-orange rind and crushed graphite, offering immense, impressive depth.”
94 Points
2018 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

2018 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

with No Comment $30 and underAlexander ValleyCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtSonomaUSA

ECO TERRENO

CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2018

2018 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
Eco Terreno combines Mark Lyon’s relentless drive for sustainability with his remarkable winemaking skills and vast experience gained after spending nearly four decades as lead winemaker at Sebastiani Vineyards. Mark knows that delicious wines begin with healthy vines, and his biodynamically farmed vineyards provide him with the ingredients to craft exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon.
 
We discovered this wine last Fall around the time we started asking if there were any more exceptional domestic Cabernets under $30. When it hit our glass, the wine decisively revealed beautifully concentrated, pure, and complex Alexander Valley fruit, perfectly polished and balanced. We selected it as one of the top-ten value wines under $40 last year, and the wine continues to put a smile on my face every time I try it. 
 
ECO TERRENO
CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $32
 
 
 
“The 2018 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley opens with wild strawberries, black plum, gingerbread, and coffee grounds. The baking spice notes in the wine beautifully combine with the fruit aspects to create an ideal balance with flavors of supple fruits, nutmeg, and dried herbs. The bright acidity gives the wine an exciting brevity that carries into a long pleasant finish and leaves a smile on your face.”
96 Points