2019 Silver Ghost Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2019 Silver Ghost Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSAYountville

SILVER GHOST 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2019 NAPA VALLEY

2019 Silver Ghost Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Named after Weston Eidson’s great-grandfather’s love for the legendary automobile of the same name- the 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, Silver Ghost Napa Valley Cabernet embodies the same precision, power, and class. Weston’s winemaking parallels in quality, gaining much of his experience from mentors Jason Moore and Russell Bevan.
 
Crafted from a selection of high-quality grapes from Rutherford, Calistoga, and Yountville, Silver Ghost is bold and expressive with 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 5% Petite Verdot aged 22 months in 50% new French oak barriques. This value-driven wine compares to other Napa Valley Cabernets that are double and triple the price and thoroughly impressed our tasting panel when it stood out in a lineup of a few dozen respected producers within Napa Valley.
 
SILVER GHOST 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2019 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at $40
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“I’m always impressed by the quality to value this producer offers in his wines, and this new release is another absolute winner. The 2019 Silver Ghost Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon begins with a nose including black cherries, pink peppercorns, dried sage, bay leaf, and violets. The palate showcases red currants, wild red berries, fresh tobacco leaf, cardamom, delicate mint, and oak spice. While this bottle will certainly benefit from a few extra years of aging, it is drinking beautifully now and will continue to for another decade.”
92 Points
2018 Barnett Vineyards Rattlesnake Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain

2018 Barnett Vineyards Rattlesnake Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaSpring MountainUSA

BARNETT VINEYARDS

2018 RATTLESNAKE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SPRING MOUNTAIN DISTRICT

2018 Barnett Vineyards Rattlesnake Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain
Representing the highest level wine possible from Barnett Vineyards, Rattlesnake Hill comes from a small rocky knoll on the estate at 2050 elevation, blended with the crème de la crème barrels of their Estate fruit, meticulously scrutinized by winemaker David Tate throughout elevage. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 vintage rattles your senses with euphoric complexity, penetrating fruit, and indescribable length. 
 
Rattlesnake Hill Cabernet made its debut in 1991, prompting a handwritten congratulatory letter from Robert Parker stating, “I’ve only been compelled to do this twice in my career before, but enclosed you will find a personal check for 2 cases for my cellar.” Their team’s unwavering use of traditional techniques and micro-managing production has solidified them as a paragon on Spring Mountain for more than 30 years, and this wine represents the pinnacle of their achievements.  
 
BARNETT VINEYARDS
2018 RATTLESNAKE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SPRING MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
 
Your Price: $195
 
 
“Our tasting panel tastes thousands and thousands of wines every year, many of them super high-scoring. Even so, there are very few that are so mind-bogglingly great from the first sip that they virtually require you to continue discovering their secrets. The 2018 Barnett Rattlesnake Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain is undoubtedly one of those super-compelling wines that dials everything into perfection. It begins with a very intriguing nose, including black currants, graphite, light menthol, cocoa powder, and the aromas of walking through a cedar grove after rainfall. It continues with a very compact, concentrated palate of muddled blackberries, black raspberries, baker’s chocolate, and saline minerals, along with hints of green peppercorn. Then, just saying the finish is long and complex is an understatement. The waves of balanced fruits and flavors not only dance across your palate for over a minute, but they also penetrate your very being. This stunner is a spectacular bottle of wine, and I can’t wait until the next time I get to taste it again.”
98 Points
2017 Peter Mathis Grenache Sonoma Valley

2017 Peter Mathis Grenache Sonoma Valley

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

PETER MATHIS

2017 GRENACHE
SONOMA VALLEY

2017 Peter Mathis Grenache Sonoma Valley
Peter Mathis made wine for over 20 years at Ravenswood while simultaneously working on a side project clearing land in the hills above Sonoma Valley, below the famed Monte Rosso Vineyard. He planted the vineyard himself, carved into Southern-facing slopes, using cuttings from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, achieving his long-held dream of growing premium Grenache in California. 
 
Grown in low vigor volcanic soils, Mathis Vineyard is planted to Grenache vines primarily, but includes a small amount of Petite Sirah, Carigñan, and Alicanté Bouschet, which make up a small percentage of the blend each year. Peter’s clonal selection yields tiny berries with great color and a tannic backbone with extra spice representing European roots with American flair. Our panel was thrilled with the wine’s penetrating fruit, site expression, and stunning balance, and it is a remarkable value at $32.
 
PETER MATHIS
2017 GRENACHE
SONOMA VALLEY 
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“Among the most dark-fruited examples from the Mathis Vineyard, the 2017 Grenache rivals the 2007 and 2015 for lush blackberry and plum fruit, pepper spice, fresh acidity, firm grip and power—all balanced with the typical sweet, red fruit of all Grenache wines. These past vintages have been some of my favorites: they pair spectacularly with food, age well, and have a “seriousness” about them that I adore. I expect the 2017 to be an absolute top year for Mathis Grenache—highly recommended.”
2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91

2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaOakvilleRutherfordSt HelenaUSA

HEITZ CELLAR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 LOT C-91
2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91
Joe Heitz pioneered single-vineyard wines in Napa Valley, and in 1969 he blended select plots from his most prized vineyards, discovering that he could create a wine with the qualities he desired most – aging potential, complexity, and depth. Lot C-91 encompasses this art of assemblage, gracefully presented with concentrated fruit, focus, and sophisticated complexity. 
 
Heitz is a historic winery that continues to pursue the same traditional, age-worthy style for which they’re well known and respected. For the last 50 years, Heitz Cellar has sourced fruit for Lot C-91 from premium parcels in St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, and Howell Mountain, representing a step-up in quality, achieving the density and length of a genuinely fantastic wine, which recently earned an extraordinary score.
 
HEITZ CELLAR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 LOT C-91
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“Blue fruit with stone, lavender and currant aromas and flavors. Fresh herbs too. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins. Such firmness and focus and beauty. A blend of all their top single vineyards. Drink or hold.”
96 Points
2018 Brevity Pinot Noir Mission Ranch Vineyard Monterey County

2018 Brevity Pinot Noir Mission Ranch Vineyard Monterey County

with No Comment $30 and underArroyo SecoKevin VogtMontereyPinot NoirUSA

BREVITY

2018 PINOT NOIR
MISSION RANCH VINEYARD
MONTEREY COUNTY 

2018 Brevity Pinot Noir Mission Ranch Vineyard Monterey County
Brevity is an exciting new project by Bobby Moy, a talented winemaker who got his feet wet in the wine industry mentoring under Thomas Rivers Brown. He sourced his Pinot Noir from the Mission Ranch Vineyard, the oldest commercial vineyard in the Arroyo Seco AVA, an area defined by its unique geography resulting from the Arroyo Seco River and its influence from the Pacific Ocean. 
 
The 2018 vintage combines three iconic Pinot Noir clones, offering the powerful dark fruits and structure of Pommard, the richness and expressive fragrance of 777, and the concentrated cherry and bright acidity of 115. At $30, this is a stunning bottle of Pinot Noir that’s shining right now and was a highlight of our recent tasting, outperforming wines at twice its price.
 
BREVITY
2018 PINOT NOIR
MISSION RANCH VINEYARD
MONTEREY COUNTY 
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The Brevity Mission Ranch Vineyard Monterey Pinot Noir 2018 is a shimmering ruby color in the glass and begins with a nose of bright red fruits, elegant florals, cola, chalk, and light spice. The palate is medium-bodied yet lush, with cherry liqueur, red raspberries, black tea, cola bean, and hints of vanilla. There is a silky elegance to it that keeps you coming back for more.”
91 Points
2018 Saracina Old Soul Red Mendocino

2018 Saracina Old Soul Red Mendocino

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtMendocinoProprietary RedUSA

SARACINA

OLD SOUL RED
2018 MENDOCINO

2018 Saracina Old Soul Red Mendocino
An area that’s a pinnacle of sustainable farming, Mendocino County has 25% of its grape growers certified organic, the largest percentage in the nation. Many wineries in this region are less interested in building extravagant tasting rooms and instead are focused on naturally crafting exceptional wines that express the identity of Mendocino County.
 
Saracina’s 2018 Old Soul is a blend of 43% Zinfandel, 31% Malbec, and 26% Petite Sirah, all grown on site-specific vineyards ideal for each varietal to express its most unique characteristics. The 2018 release has an “intriguing personality,” as noted by Wine Enthusiast, offering tremendous quality for the price, perfectly representing the region’s soul with a conscious sense of place and delightful energy.
 
SARACINA
OLD SOUL RED
2018 MENDOCINO
 
Your Price: $25
 
 
“Based on Malbec, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah, the 2018 Old Soul Red By Saracina is another outstanding, sexy red from winemaker Alex MacGregor. Medium to full-bodied, it has lots of blue fruits, notes of peppery herbs and violets, and a balanced, delicious style. Enjoy bottles over the coming 2-4 years or so.”
91 Points
 
“Tones of dark chocolate and rich black fruit give an intriguing personality to this full-bodied, moderately tannic wine. Cocoa notes melt on the palate as the flavors expand through a lingering finish.”
91 Points
2018 Erickson & Caradin Ivy & Thistle Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak

2018 Erickson & Caradin Ivy & Thistle Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

ERICKSON & CARADIN

2018 IVY & THISTLE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
ATLAS PEAK

2018 Erickson & Caradin Ivy & Thistle Cabernet Sauvignon Atlas Peak
True wine lovers and collectors in their own right, Erikson & Caradin set out to create Cabernet Sauvignons that top the highest standards. The two found their beginnings in 2013 when they sold the entirety of their small production to good friends and select restaurants. They continue to remain craft-focused today, with only 50 barrels produced across eight separate designations.
 
The 2018 Ivy & Thistle is the fourth vintage of one single row of Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the steepest part of the Atlas Peak Vineyard, providing intensely concentrated and expressive mountain fruit. The cool vintage allowed for a longer hang time, producing beautifully complex fruit that winemaker Kevin Morrisey fermented in concrete before aging in second-use barrels. These practices encourage the fruit’s natural expression of its terroir to be the main focus in this limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon.
 
ERICKSON & CARADIN
2018 IVY & THISTLE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
ATLAS PEAK
Retails at: $140
 
Your Price: $49
 
 
“The 2018 Erikson & Caradin Ivy & Thistle Cabernet Sauvignon has pronounced aromas of lavender, purple lilacs, black currants, black plums, cardamom, and graphite. The flavors are rich and intense on the palate with black cherries, crushed blackberries, dark chocolate, and dried herbs. The wine is full-bodied with velvety tannins and a very smooth, persistent finish that is drinkable today or can be aged up to 10 years.”
93 Points
2018 Chateau Guillon Bordeaux Graves

2018 Chateau Guillon Bordeaux Graves

with No Comment $30 and underBordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin Vogt

CHÂTEAU GUILLON

2018 BORDEAUX
GRAVES

2018 Chateau Guillon Bordeaux Graves
Graves, named for its deep gravel soils, is historically significant as the home of the first vineyards in Bordeaux and famed first-growth Chateau Haut-Brion. Bordeaux is now one of the most sought-after wine regions globally. Its top producers sell their wines for monumental prices; however, most wines produced in this classic region are surprisingly affordable.
 
Chateau Guillon manicures their pristine vineyards with an attention to detail that artistically translates into their gloriously structured red wine. This Left Bank blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon scored an impressive 95 points at the 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards, securing its spot as one of the more collectible wines in the fantastic 2018 vintage.
 
CHÂTEAU GUILLON
2018 BORDEAUX
GRAVES
 
Your Price: $24.99
 
“Sweet, full and mellow, with settled, attractive, bright red berries, blackberry, cedar and leather. Extremely elegant and well put together, this is an accomplished and hugely satisfying wine”
95 Points
2016 Gaja Brunello Di Montalcino Pive Santa Restituta

2016 Gaja Brunello Di Montalcino Pive Santa Restituta

with No Comment $80-$90BrunelloBrunelloItalyKevin Vogt

GAJA

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
2016 PIEVE SANTA RESTITUTA

2016 Gaja Brunello Di Montalcino Pive Santa Restituta
Gaja is one of the biggest names in Italian wine, famous for a fusion of modern and traditional winemaking, continually impressing wine critics and collectors from all over the world since their early beginnings 250 years ago. In the 1960s and ’70s, Angelo Gaja was one of the first winemakers in Italy to begin experimenting with new French oak barriques that today contribute to Gaja’s signature house-style.
 
Brunello di Montalcino is famous for the Brunello clone of Sangiovese, known for more body, multiple layers of concentrated flavors, and impressive longevity that by law must be aged for a minimum of two years in barrel and four years total before release. Master of Wine Greg Sherwood has rated Gaja’s 2016 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino as one of the estate’s most outstanding vintages, with beautifully perfumed aromatics and intensely complex flavors that pleasantly linger into a long finish.
 
GAJA
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
2016 PIEVE SANTA RESTITUTA
 
Your Price: $89.99
 
 
“The 2016 Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino is intensely aromatic, beginning with violets, roses, potpourri, black cherries, leather, balsamic, and saffron. The palate is equally complex with flavors of black plums, cherry cola, cocoa, and earth. The depth of flavors and fine-grained tannins thoroughly coat the mouth leading into a long, decadent finish that can be enjoyed now or cellared to gracefully age for the next 12-15 years.”
95 Points
 
Vintage Report: 2016 Brunello di Montalcino
“Textbook growing season resulted in wines of finesse and elegance, balance and harmony, with mostly red fruit flavors…”
99 Points
2019 Edict Pinot Noir Anderson Valley

2019 Edict Pinot Noir Anderson Valley

with No Comment $30 and underAnderson ValleyKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaUSA

EDICT

2019 PINOT NOIR
ANDERSON VALLEY

2019 Edict Pinot Noir Anderson Valley
Edict creates varietally and regionally sound, hand-crafted wines based on “truth, generosity, and love,” a motto that guides them each vintage. They source their Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley, an area that saw the arrival of viticulture during the Gold Rush in 1849; however, the region’s geographic isolation made it difficult to settle until a more effective implementation of roads in the 1960s and 1970s.
 
Anderson Valley is the coolest grape-growing appellation in California, encouraging lower natural sugars and higher acidity, resulting in fresher, more nuanced Pinot Noir. Rich and ethereal with ripe cherry and baking spice flavors evenly balanced with refreshing acidity, this wine is a classic example of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, offering a level of sophistication you’d expect of wines at twice our price. 
 
EDICT
2019 PINOT NOIR
ANDERSON VALLEY
Retails at: $54
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Super aromatic with a perfume of cherry vanilla and cedar earth. Grown on gravelly soils in Mendocino County, north of Boonville, and aged 10 months in 41% new French oak. Notes of black cherry, a pinch of salt on a tobacco leaf, and an earthy, sandalwood vibe throughout. Round and plump, it delivers a savory side of black olive and anise.”
95 Points