2017 Halcon Alturas Syrah Yorkville Highlands

2017 Halcon Alturas Syrah Yorkville Highlands

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaSyrahUSA

HALCON

2017 ALTURAS SYRAH
YORKVILLE HIGHLANDS 

2017 Halcon Alturas Syrah Yorkville Highlands
Halcon’s guiding principle is, “the best fruit makes the best wine,” and they planted their vineyard without the slightest compromise. At 2,500 feet, it’s one of the highest vineyards in California, and the densely planted vines grown in heavily metamorphosed sandstone, fractured shale, and quartz-rich rock produce brilliant quality fruit. The location, ocean influence, and altitude form a climate remarkably similar to Côte-Rôtie, and the wines are spectacular.
 
Halcon’s densely-planted, organically-farmed vineyard contains heritage selections from Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. Their Syrah’s style is reminiscent of Côte-Rôtie and was co-fermented with Viognier, which adds lift and a beautiful focus to the dense core of fruit. 
 
For added depth and structure, Scott Sharpley, whom you might recognize as the winemaker at ROAR, utilized 50% whole-cluster fermentation in the winemaking process and kept the wine in mostly neutral oak barrels. If you’ve been waiting for the next rising wave in California Syrah, it’s here, and you too will be a believer the moment you try it.
 
HALCON
2017 ALTURAS SYRAH
YORKVILLE HIGHLANDS
Retails at: $32
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
“The 2017 Alturas is another stellar wine in this range. Rich and deep in feel, the 2017 has a bit more body than is typical for the Halcón wines, and yet it retains all of the signatures of the house style. Firm tannins wrap around a core of red fruit, licorice, wild flowers, herbs and rose petal. The 2017 is pretty alluring today, but it will be even better in another few years’ time, once all the elements have come together a bit more fully.” 
94 Points
2015 Chateau De Vie Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga

2015 Chateau De Vie Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSA

CHATEAU DE VIE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 CALISTOGA 

2015 Chateau De Vie Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga
Chateau de Vie isn’t just a working B&B surrounded by world-class vineyards. They also produce a small amount of powerful Cabernet Sauvignon that’s clean and focused, with exceptional fruit and intertwined minerality. Dave Phinney, the winemaker responsible for creating The Prisoner, Orin Swift, and Location brands, helps make it. Dave also consults for a handful of small wineries, and Chateau de Vie might be a lesser known brand, but the quality of their wine is something special.
 
The estate is located on the northern end of Calistoga and sits almost directly behind Tamber Bey and not far from Chateau Montelena. Their soils are loaded with volcanic compounds, formed by ancient lava flows, and produce Cabernet Sauvignon with powerful fruit and intriguing minerality. 
 
Calistoga is warmer than most other appellations in Napa, and thus, produces some of the biggest, boldest, and most robust Cabernet Sauvignons in the Valley. Chateau De Vie perfectly details all of the qualities that I love about Calistoga Cabernet and delivers them with focus and balance. 
 
CHATEAU DE VIE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 CALISTOGA
Retails at: $68
 
 
“The Chateau de Vie 2015 is everything you would hope for from this spectacular vintage. It begins with an enticing nose with briary red currants, cool blue fruits, purple flowers, a hint of spearmint and vanilla spice. The seductively lively palate is balanced with red cherries, wild blackberries, dark plums, cassis and cocoa powder. The beautiful finish has just enough bright acidity to keep your mouth watering for more.”
93 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
 
“All Estate Grown fruit off of 3.5 acres on the Northwest side of Calistoga. Aged in 70% New French Oak Barrels for 22 months This is a deeply rich and satisfying Cabernet with aromas of blackberry, mocha, black fig, dark brown bread and rich vanilla. The wine is fleshy in texture and ripe on the palate, with almost a heady display of blueberry, black fig and toasted caramel. The finish is long and sweetly ripe and will pair nicely with rich cheeses and ripe fruits as well as dark roasts or sauced filet. It is essentially ready to drink and will grow softer and more aromatic over the next few years.”
80% Cabernet Sauvignon | 10% Petite Verdot |10% Cabernet Franc
2016 Janicot Vignobles Cahors Malbec Lamagdelaine Noire

2016 Janicot Vignobles Cahors Malbec Lamagdelaine Noire

with No Comment $30 and underCahorsFranceKevin VogtMalbec

JANICOT VIGNOBLES

2016 CAHORS MALBEC
LAMAGDELAINE NOIRE

2016 Janicot Vignobles Cahors Malbec Lamagdelaine Noire
Malbec originates from France and thrives in the Cahors region in the South, where they’ve produced it since the late middle ages. In Cahors, the Mediterranean climate combines the cooling influences from the Atlantic with calcium-rich limestone soils to create a deeper, richer, meatier Malbec. Janicot Vignobles’ 96 Point Cahors Malbec from Château Lamagdelaine is a brilliant example of how profound they can be, and at less than thirty bucks, the value is real.
 
Château Lamagdelaine’s 16 hectares of vines that reside on both sides of the Gallo-Roman aqueduct have thrived there for nearly 2000 years. This wine’s remarkable complexity results from the three distinct soil types within the Estate, which include; limestone scree cone, gravel, and siderolithic clays.  
 
The vineyard produces deep, black, intense, aromatic Malbec fruit that carries a freshness from the Southwest facing rows. Their vines average 40 years and reach deep into the thin topsoil, which results in a more concentrated wine with depth and complexity. 
 
JANICOT VIGNOBLES
2016 CAHORS MALBEC
LAMAGDELAINE NOIRE
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
96 Points
 
Gold Medal
 
Decanter World Wine Awards 2019
 
“Beautiful dark color, complex aromas mingling with very ripe red fruits. Mouth of beautiful substance where the tannins are round and well melted, the wine blends harmoniously with the wood, a finish with toasted notes.”
2017 Black Kite Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands

2017 Black Kite Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtMontereyPinot NoirSanta Lucia HighlandsUSA

BLACK KITE

2017 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS

2017 Black Kite Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
Black Kite Cellars produces highly-textured, expressive Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from exceptional coastal vineyards. For them, wine is a journey that combines high aspirations with a long term commitment, patience, and fortitude. Their journey began in 2003 with the inaugural vintage and led them to Jeff Gaffner, who became their winemaker in 2005. In 2010, it steered them to the Soberanes Vineyard, now producing this extraordinary Pinot Noir. 
 
The wine team forged this remarkable wine from three rows of vines out of the Soberanes Vineyard, planted to the Pisoni Clone. The vineyard is synonymous with excellence and is the latest site developed by the Pisoni’s & Franscioni’s, whose families have been farming the area for over 100 years. 
 
Winemaker Jeff Gaffner gained fame helping make the renowned 1996 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages, which became the Wine Spectator’s #1 wine of the year. Jeff fermented this Pinot with Burgundian yeast and performed punch-downs three times daily, contributing to the remarkable textures and flavor extraction of this very special Pinot.
 
BLACK KITE
2017 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
 
Your Price: $45
 
“Dark aromas of roasted plum, loamy earth, crushed rocks and a hint of shiitake mushroom show on the nose of this bottling. The palate is loaded with earthy flavors of rock and mushroom, set against a backdrop of boysenberry and wild herbs.”
92 Points
 
“Shimmering magenta. Deep-pitched red and blue fruit aromas pick up hints of vanilla and exotic spices with air. Fleshy and subtly chewy on the palate, offering appealingly sweet black raspberry and boysenberry flavors that become livelier through the midpalate. Closes long and spicy, with a repeating vanilla note and steadily building tannins…”
92 Points
 
“Our 2017 Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir is a deeply expressive wine that opens with beguiling bottle brush and sweet tea aromas that give way to a complex core of black fruit, cassis and clove. The rich, round mouthfeel is met with just enough tannic traction to sustain the compelling fruit intensity throughout the long finish. Enjoy upon release or cellar for up to 4-6 years.”
199 Cases Produced
2018 Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains

2018 Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonCentral CoastKevin VogtSanta Cruz MountainsUSA

MARTIN RAY

2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS
2018 Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA produces powerful Cabernet Sauvignons with appealing savory elements, firm tannins, and intriguing red and black fruits. Martin Ray sources their Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet from three high-elevation sites that produce intensely concentrated fruits. Our panel loved their 2018 vintage, but we weren’t the only ones. With a 95 point score, I’d jump on this sub $35 Cabernet before it’s too late.
 
Martin Ray’s Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet comes from high-elevation vineyards, Fellom Ranch, Cooper-Garrod, and Beauregard, each sharing large diurnal temperature fluctuation shifts, which result in powerfully concentrated fruit. 
 
The 2018 release is a blend of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and fermented on its skins for a month, which extracted the deep purple color. They stored the wine for 18 months in French and American oak barrels, which added compelling vanilla and spice elements.
 
MARTIN RAY
2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $33
 
“Loads of forest floor, mushrooms, leaves and dark fruit on the nose. It’s full-bodied with juicy fruit and chewy tannins. Hints of toasted oak and cedar, too. This is a structured red that needs two or three years to soften, then you can give it a go. Best Santa Cruz Mountain cab for a long time from here. Try after 2023.”
95 Points
 
“Notes of dense cassis with touches of nutmeg and cherry. Blackberry brush and mountain sage with bright acidity and a touch of graphite. Firm, chalky tannins and well-integrated oak.”
2019 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

2019 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

LIMERICK LANE

2019 ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2019 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley
Limerick Lane dials in an ideal balance of rich, powerful, and expressive Zinfandel that’s simultaneously fresh, bright, and focused. The winery is run by fourth-generation winemaker Jake Bilbro who grew up at his father’s Marietta Cellars. The wines are made by Chris Pittenger, who gained first-hand experience working at iconic wineries Biale, Torbreck, Marcassin, and Williams-Selyem. The previous vintage earned a monstrous 95 point rating from Jeb Dunnuck, and this new vintage is even better.
 
Limerick Lane’s Russian River Zinfandel at the core is a field blend, which includes ancient Zinfandel vines interplanted with other rare varieties like Pelousin and Negrette. The fruit is co-fermented and offers unparalleled power, depth, and stunning definition.  
 
The 2019 vintage is built around a base of Estate fruit and includes grapes from 5 carefully selected sites, including Sodini vineyard, which Bedrock and Carlisle fans might recognize. Chris ages this Zinfandel for 18 months in predominantly neutral barrels to maintain the beautiful fresh fruit and striking acidity that makes their Zin’s unique. 
 
LIMERICK LANE
2019 ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
“Our Russian River Zinfandel is our flagship wine. Originally planted by Italians at the start of the 1900’s, this wine hearkens back, in some ways, to a different time. While seamless and with an unparalleled clarity of flavor and aromas, there is also an undeniable gravity that Limerick Lane Zinfandel seems to exude. It may be nothing more than a romantic appreciation for the hands that have tended these vines for over a century. It’s possible that it is a result of the other varieties, now all but extinct, save for a few old Zinfandel vineyards like Peloursin, Negrette, and Petite Sirah, that add more structure, color, and acid than normally found in Zinfandel. Maybe the rocks, the dirt, the morning fog and the afternoon sun come together in this place a little differently than anywhere else. It may even be all of these special characteristics combined, but the Zinfandel grown at the end of this little lane is undeniably special, undeniably unique, and undeniably “Limerick Lane.”
2018 Kanzler Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2018 Kanzler Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

KANZLER

2018 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2018 Kanzler Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Kanzler’s Russian River Pinot is flawlessly balanced and epitomizes cool-climate, domestic Pinot Noir at the highest level, making it the appropriate choice as my number 1 wine in 2020. Even after tasting around 5,000 wines this year, Kanzler is fresh on my mind. Their team utilizes top-level farming practices, skilled winemaking, and they source from some of the best Pinot Noir vineyards in California. At $60, this is one of the finest domestic Pinot Noirs that I’ve tasted. 
 
The winery’s Estate Vineyard in Sebastapol has well-drained Goldridge soils and a fog blanket from the Pacific that’s ideal for growing Pinot Noir. Their vineyard caught the eye of Kosta Browne, who’s made a single-vineyard Pinot from Kanzler for nearly 20 consecutive vintages. This 2018 is primarily Estate fruit and includes almost 25% fruit from Walker Station Vineyard, a source for Paul Hobbs for years. 
 
Kanzler set out to make the best Pinot possible from their Estate. To meet their goal, they exercise everything from meticulous farming to double-hand sorting. They also utilize partial whole-cluster fermentation for added depth. Their winemaking is gentle, precise, and skilled, and the results are simply stunning.
 
KANZLER
2018 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
Your Price: $59.99
 
“This gorgeous Pinot Noir begins with a deep, rich, concentrated nose including tart candied red fruits, opulent black fruits, fresh sage, delicate rose petals, and gunflint. On the palate, it combines compact, bright fruit featuring focused Burgundy plums, ripe Bing cherries, tart pomegranates, dried currants, and baking spices. Its finish is decadent, very alluring and complex with an incredible intensity that’s powerful, lush and long, along with an incredible balance that gives me goosebumps.”
96 Points
 
Winery Notes: “The 2018 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir wine is opulent and rich while still displaying great freshness. The classic silky Pinot texture is more chocolate mousse than heavy whipping cream, and the tannins show enough grip to hold and frame the wine without being bitter or obtrusive. The high percentage of once-used barrels imparts a subtle oak characteristic that enhances and compliments the fruit and spice character. After opening for several hours, exotic sweet-spice notes reminiscent of liquors in the Vin Santo or Fernet range begin to appear, further enhancing the intrigue and complexity of this Pinot Noir.”
2016 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2016 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

with No Comment $80-$90Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

RUDIUS

KALEY ELIZABETH 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 OAKVILLE 

2016 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
Rudius clinched the #2 spot on my top 5 list this year by perfectly balancing power and grace, which are qualities shared by many of the world’s best wines. The wine tells a powerful tale from a remarkable Oakville vineyard, hewn from a superb Napa Valley vintage. It was written by Jeff Ames, who mentored under Thomas Brown at Schrader, Maybach, Outpost, and TOR before becoming winemaker at TOR in 05′. Since then, he’s made wines scoring in the high-90’s look easy, and words absolutely cannot express how great this wine is at $135/btl, let alone $89.
 
Kaley Elizabeth reigns from an incredible vineyard in Eastern Oakville, known for its red soils that give wines from this area intense, prolific flavors. With neighbors like Screaming Eagle, Rudd, Dalla Valle’s Maya, and Joseph Phelps’ Bacchus Vineyards, no doubt it’s an excellent place to source fruit.
 
The 2016 vintage has a dynamic presence on the palate backed by fine tannins and mouth-quenching acidity. After around two years in barrel and two more in the bottle, this release is deep, rich, and enchanting, and as Jeb Dunnuck writes, “it’s another magical wine from winemaker Jeff Ames!”
 
RUDIUS
KALEY ELIZABETH 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 OAKVILLE
Retails at: $135
 
 
“Coming from the Tierra Roja vineyard in Oakville and also spending 27 months in oak, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Kaley Elizabeth (there’s 4% Cabernet Franc) offers a meaty, exotic bouquet of bloody blueberry fruits, gamey meats, iodine, blood orange, and violets. With full-bodied richness and depth, it’s flawlessly balanced, has fine tannins, and a seamless, sexy texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. In short, it’s another magical wine from winemaker Jeff Ames! Drink bottles over the coming 20-25 years or more.”
97 Points
 
“The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Kaley Elizabeth, from Tierra Roja, Oakville, is a sumptuous, exotic wine. A dollop (7%) of Cabernet Franc adds a striking perfume that gives this wine notable aromatic depth to match its exotic, alluring personality. Chocolate, espresso, licorice, dried herbs, menthol all flesh out in this flamboyant, sumptuous Cabernet Sauvignon from Rudius. Silky tannins and plush fruit give the 2016 tons of immediacy and appeal, even at this early stage. This is such a gorgeous wine.”
96 Points
 
“The 2016 vintage offered perfect field conditions and incredible quality in the final yield. The ‘Kaley Elizabeth’ will draw you in with an opulent profile that is classically Oakville — rich black cherries, cassis and elderberry. Pronounced accents of warm, Middle Eastern spices and crushed slate are bound by lengthy hillside tannins that filled your palate, carrying the wine to a long, compelling finish. The Kaley Elizabeth is undoubtedly the most age- worthy wine in our portfolio. This year’s Kaley shows the best of both the eastern Oakville hillside and the beauty of the interplay between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.”

2014 Korbin Kameron Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain District

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMoon MountainMt VeederNapaUSA

KORBIN KAMERON 

2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT

When scrutinizing the final contenders for our top 5 list this year, we re-tasted Korbin Kameron’s 2014 Estate Cabernet side-by-side a $135 bottle of Napa Cab was clear that Korbin deserved a top spot on our list. They produce their Estate Cabernet in a powerfully compelling style that’s resonated deeply with fans of concentrated, inky Mountain wines. The wines are made by Tim Milos, who crafted stellar vintages of Opus One, Stag’s Leap, and Cliff Lede. At just $40, this is one of the best wine bottles in the shop, period. 
 
The Cabernet includes the iconic clones 337 and 7, which thrive in the well-drained gravelly loam soils. The area’s ample daytime sunshine and cooling maritime influence at night are perfect for ripening Bordeaux varietals to the peak of perfection.
 
Korbin Kameron’s vineyard is perched on a ridge near the top of Mt Veeder and straddles the Mayacamas Mountain Range at 2,300 feet elevation. Phil Coturri farms the vineyard organically, biodynamically, and sustainably, resulting in a pure and natural expression of fruit. 
 
KORBIN KAMERON 
2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Retails at: $60
 
 
“The Korbin Kameron Moon Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 begins with a deep, concentrated nose composed of tart red fruits, combined with blue and black fruits, violets and hints of spice. The color is a dark purple that perfectly frames the focused, concentrated palate, showcasing pomegranate, crushed blackberries, dried cherries, and red currants. This is a flashy wine with supple tannins that lead to a very long, intense finish. KorbinKameron 2014 is a wine that’s beautiful now, but will age for 12 years or more.”
95 Points
2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red

2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underAtlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

VISTA

ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
2018 PROPRIETARY RED

2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red
Vista’s 2018 Atlas Peak Red is the single most extraordinary $23 wine that I’ve tasted, and for that reason, it made my top 5 list in 2020. The wine has the concentration, depth, complexity, and balance that you’d expect from a remarkable $40-$50 bottle of high-elevation Napa wine, but at $23, it’s hard to wrap your head around how it can be that good, for the modest price. This vintage is a game-changer for superior quality, value-priced Mountain wines, and the 1,000 case production will fall short of what’s needed to match demand once people taste it.
 
At 2,000 feet elevation on Atlas Peak, Vista’s 2018 Reserve Blend was wrought from the rocky red Aiken soils and perfectly shows off the deep, concentrated flavors that make this region famous.
 
Predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, balanced with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the 2018 vintage envelopes your palate in a blanket of perfectly ripe berries laced with crushed violets, espresso bean, and rocky minerals. If you’re looking for a wine that tastes like it should be at least double or triple the price, this is it.
 
VISTA
ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
2018 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $23
 
“While the first vintage of Vista Atlas Peak Red Blend 2017 set a new standard completely unheard of at this modest price, the Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Red Blend 2018 raises that bar even higher. It begins with aromas of crushed dark berries, creme de cassis, black plum, earthy minerals, pencil lead, dried sage, and vanilla. This beauty has an intensely concentrated palate, with blackberry purée, focused black cherries, red currants, mountain blueberries, allspice, and rocky minerals. It is a gorgeous example of Mountain fruit that is mind-bogglingly great at this price. Wow. Drink now through 2028.”
95-97 Points