2018 Black Kite Pinot Noir Kite's Rest Anderson Valley

2018 Black Kite Pinot Noir Kite’s Rest Anderson Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Anderson ValleyKevin VogtMendocinoPinot NoirUSA

BLACK KITE

2018 PINOT NOIR
KITE’S REST
ANDERSON VALLEY

2018 Black Kite Pinot Noir Kite's Rest Anderson Valley
Black Kite Cellars was born out of a love for Burgundian Style Pinot Noirs after Rebecca and Tom Birdsall spent a vacation biking through the region, tasting the distinct nuances from one vineyard to the next. Rebecca and Tom were specific on the style of Pinot Noir they preferred, tasting through Anderson Valley, Sonoma Coast, Carneros, Russian River Valley, Santa, Lucia Highlands, Willamette Valley, and Burgundy to discover what they were looking for in a winemaker.
 
Jeff Gaffner joined the team in 2005 after earning fame from helping make the 1996 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages, which was Wine Spectator’s #1 Wine of the Year. The Kite’s Rest Pinot Noir comes from the winery’s estate vineyard of the same name planted with Dijon 114, 115, and Pommard, giving the wine balance between the elegant aromatics of the Dijon clones and the richness and body of the Pommard clone. If you enjoy boutique, hand-crafted Pinot Noir, you really should try it. 
 
BLACK KITE
2018 PINOT NOIR
KITE’S REST
ANDERSON VALLEY
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“Refined and precise, with hints of red licorice to the sleek assembly of cherry, dried berry and currant flavors. Loamy midpalate, with a long, crisp finish of slate and spice. Drink now through 2026.”
93 Points
 
“Lavish ripe fruit flavors meet delicious baking-spice accents in this broad, smooth and mouthfilling wine. It’s easy to love for the strawberry, and red- and black-cherry notes and the cinnamon, vanilla and cedar shadings from oak aging.” 
93 Points
2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast

2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $60-$70Kevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

RAEN

2019 PINOT NOIR 
ROYAL ST. ROBERT CUVEE
SONOMA COAST

2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast
Carlo and Dante Mondavi grew up at their grandfather’s OPUS ONE Winery and further sharpened their winemaking skills at their father Tim’s cult brand Continuum, so it’s no surprise that the cult and culture of wine runs deep in their veins. The Mondavi family has a keen talent for selecting vineyards capable of producing premium wines and has been one of American wine’s most influential families.
 
RAEN Royal St. Robert Cuvée Pinot Noir is a tribute to their grandfather, who taught them the art of winemaking and commitment to excellence. The 2019 bottling is a selection of their finest barrels from Freestone, Occidental, Bodega, and Fort Ross Seaview Sea Field Vineyards, showcasing the cool-climate Pinot Noir coming from the rugged coastal hills and now scoring a whopping 97 points from James Suckling.
 
RAEN
2019 PINOT NOIR 
ROYAL ST. ROBERT CUVEE
SONOMA COAST
 
Your Price: $65
 
 
“The aromas of strawberry and raspberry with conifer and hints of bark are impressive. Full-bodied, but so reserved and linear with super long, tightened tannins that melt into the wine. 100% whole cluster. Drinkable now, but much better to wait a year or three.”
97 Points
2018 Maison Harbour Gevrey-Chambertin 'La Justice' Red Burgundy

2018 Maison Harbour Gevrey-Chambertin ‘La Justice’ Red Burgundy

with No Comment $80-$90BurgandyKevin VogtPinot NoirUSA

MAISON HARBOUR

GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN
‘LA JUSTICE’
2018 RED BURGUNDY

2018 Maison Harbour Gevrey-Chambertin 'La Justice' Red Burgundy
The prestigious appellation Gevrey-Chambertin is located in the Northern part of Burgundy in the Côte de Nuits (North Slope) and produces full-bodied, rich Pinot Noirs with a firm structure, velvety tannins, and delicate texture. Before establishing their small négociant house, Maison Harbour’s Nicholas and Colleen Harbour attended wine school in Beaune, making lifelong friends that connected the couple with small growers with vineyard parcels.
 
Revered for being more age-worthy and fuller-bodied than other parts of Burgundy, Pinot Noirs from Gevrey-Chambertin are great for your cellar, and this one is unbelievable right now. The Harbours age their Pinot Noirs in two to six-year-old barrels, focusing on the fruit’s reflection of the terroir, creating brilliantly defined wines with remarkable freshness.
 
MAISON HARBOUR
GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN
‘LA JUSTICE’
2018 RED BURGUNDY
 
Your Price: $85
 
 
“The 2018 Maison Harbour La Justice Gevrey Chambertin opens with a stunning nose of rich cherries, dried rose petals, gunflint, mixed berries, nutmeg, black tea, and earthy minerals. The complexity of aromas seamlessly continues on the palate with powerful richness and impressive concentration, including lush fruit flavors of splash pluots and red plums, then continuing with cola bean and dried mushrooms. At a mere fraction of the price, this village-level Gevrey drinks better than many Premier Cru and even Grand Cru burgundies I’ve had. It’s simply stunning, and if you like Burgundy, this one will blow you away with the power and richness it has, particularly at this price.”
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 Carr Pinot Noir Hilliard Bruce Vineyard

2018 Carr Pinot Noir Hilliard Bruce Vineyard

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastKevin VogtPinot NoirSanta BarbaraSanta Rita HillsUSA

CARR

2018 PINOT NOIR
HILLIARD BRUCE VINEYARD

2018 Carr Pinot Noir Hilliard Bruce Vineyard
Ryan Carr, the owner, grower, and winemaker for Carr Vineyards & Winery, never imagined himself in the wine industry until moving to Santa Ynez Valley, where he found himself working in the vineyards, and he hasn’t blinked since. In 1998 Ryan worked for Central Coast Wine Services, getting the chance to make wine with several different wineries, gleaning hands-on experience with some of the area’s best winemakers.
 
Partnering with his friend Andy Kahn, winemaker of Kahn, the two started a vineyard development company, allowing access to high-quality grapes. Ryan also became the assistant winemaker for Kahn and made the first commercial vintage of his Carr wine in 2004. Ryan’s involvement in the vineyard makes him a better winemaker because of his intimate knowledge of the growing conditions the grapes experienced before they got to the winery, which is fully evident in every drop of this gorgeous Pinot.
 
CARR
2018 PINOT NOIR
HILLIARD BRUCE VINEYARD
Retails at: $49
 
Your Price: Insider Club Members Only
 
 
“The 2018 Carr Hilliard Bruce Vineyard Pinot Noir is bright, ruby red in color, and begins with notes of rose petals, potpourri, wild strawberries, and cinnamon sticks. The palate has a smooth texture with refreshing acidity and flavors of raspberry, bramble, vanilla, and savory undertones that round out the balance. This wine is the type of Pinot Noir that everyone should have on hand for any and every kind of occasion.”
92 Points
2020 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills

2020 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills

with No Comment $30 and underCentral CoastKevin VogtPinot NoirSanta Rita HillsUSA

LULI

2020 PINOT NOIR
SANTA RITA HILLS

2020 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills
Seeking to create a new line of handcrafted wines from top-notch fruit at affordable prices, Luli was launched in 2007 by the combined knowledge, skills, and experience of Master Sommelier Sara Floyd, vineyard manager Mark Pisoni, and winemaker Jeff Pisoni. The Pisoni brothers grew up farming in the Santa Lucia Highlands with their father Gary, one of California’s most respected growers, sourcing fruit for Luli from vineyards in or near the same land they call home.
 
Wine is life for Sara and the Pisoni brothers, so the desire to bring family and friends together to swirl a glass of fine wine for a reasonable price is a passion for all three. Possibly one of the best winemaking teams in history, this successful partnership illustrates the talents and strengths of three different masterminds in each vintage and every glass poured.
 
LULI
2020 PINOT NOIR
SANTA RITA HILLS
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The 2020 Luli Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir begins with an intriguing nose that includes fresh strawberries, English rose petals, cotton candy, and Autumn baking spices. The palate mimics these traits, adding cherry cola, red plums, liquid minerals, and a bright freshness combined with a supple texture that beautifully rounds this wine out. Drink it now, and over the next six to eight years.”
92 Points
2016 Marimar Estate Pinot Noir Metodo Antiguo

2016 Marimar Estate Pinot Noir Metodo Antiguo

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

MARIMAR ESTATE

2016 PINOT NOIR
METODO ANTIGUO

2016 Marimar Estate Pinot Noir Metodo Antiguo
Marimar Torres, of the renowned Familia Torres winemaking family in Spain, immersed herself in the wine business early, bringing an old-world, quality-minded approach to her Sonoma-based estate. Método Antiguo, which translates to “Old Method,” refers to the original way of making wine with whole cluster fermentation that is still used today by many of Burgundy’s top estates as a stylistic tool for increased savory complexity, textural qualities, and tannin structure.
 
Doña Margarita Vineyard is planted at high density, creating increased competition amongst the vines, slowing vigor, and deeply concentrating flavors, later enhanced by whole cluster fermentation. The inclusion of stems during vinification adds gentle tannins, improving the structure, adding heady freshness to the aromatics, which is particularly complementary to Pinot Noir, and this one is drinking beautifully.
 
MARIMAR ESTATE
2016 PINOT NOIR
METODO ANTIGUO
Retails at: $64
 
 
 
“The Marimar Estate Doña Margarita Vineyard Metodo Antiguo Pinot Noir 2016 has an intriguing nose which includes candied strawberries, cherry cola, dried mushrooms, baking spices, fresh thyme, and violets. On the palate, it has fresh mixed berries, saline with a unique savory note, and a clean, minerally component. The finish is balanced and bright, with elegance and finesse.”
92 Points
2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Cote D'Or Pinot Noir

2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Cote D’Or Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyFranceKevin VogtPinot Noir

FABIEN COCHE

BOURGOGNE COTE D’OR
2019 PINOT NOIR

2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Cote D'Or Pinot Noir
Fabien Coche is a fourth-generation winemaker with exceptional familial ties to the Côte d’Or, coming from one of Burgundy’s renowned winemaking families, Coche-Dury. Fabien took over his family’s Domaine in 2005 and has quickly become the Coche to keep an eye on with wines that are neither flashy nor dramatic but poised, powerful, and seductive.
 
The Pinot Noir for his Bourgogne Rouge comes from two parcels; One in Meursault and the other in Pommard, where roots have grown deep into the earth for the last 30 to 60 years, extracting the remarkable terroir. Fabien’s minimalistic approach focuses on expressing the site in each wine he creates without the use of pump-overs or punch-downs, ensuring a fruit purity that speaks of the terroir it was grown on, providing a sensation you won’t want to miss!
 
Our entire tasting panel wanted to buy a case for themselves after tasting this… 
 
FABIEN COCHE
BOURGOGNE COTE D’OR
2019 PINOT NOIR
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The 2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir is everything you’re looking for in a Pinot Noir. This stunning wine has profound complexity opening with rose petals, cranberries, red cherries, wild strawberries, cloves, mushrooms, and forest floor. The wine has a silky mouthfeel on the palate with beautifully balanced fruity and savory flavors that gracefully linger on the finish.”
94 points
2018 Styler Pinot Noir Saucci Vineyard

2018 Styler Pinot Noir Saucci Vineyard

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

STYLER

2018 PINOT NOIR
SUACCI VINEYARD

2018 Styler Pinot Noir Saucci Vineyard
Styler focuses exclusively on cool-climate Pinot Noir with an emphasis on sustainability and site expression. Driven by a love for Pinot Noir and the desire to accurately reflect the grape’s origins by utilizing a hands-off winemaking approach, Styler partnered with UC Davis alumni Scott Rich to bring their dreams to fruition. Scott’s experience includes making wine at Morga Winery in Bel Air, Etude in Napa Valley, and Corpora in Chile.
 
This Pinot Noir arose from the Goldridge soils of Suacci Vineyard, where naturally low yields of tiny grape clusters powerfully reflect their origin with remarkable clarity and sophisticated balance. The 2018 vintage was aged 20 months in barrel, offering focused, concentrated fruit with savory intensity and elegant balance that creates a delightfully joyous experience from the first sip to the last.
 
STYLER
2018 PINOT NOIR
SUACCI VINEYARD
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The 2018 Styler Suacci Pinot Noir has a wonderfully unique combination of elements on the nose, including dried mushrooms, ripe red berries, spice cake, with light hints of glove leather, and orange blossoms. The palate is bright and concentrated with sweet strawberries, concentrated tart cherries, elegant florals, and baking spices. It finishes long and balanced, with the sweet fruit dancing perfectly in sync with the bright freshness.”
93 Points
2019 Hanzell Sebella Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2019 Hanzell Sebella Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

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

HANZELL

SEBELLA PINOT NOIR
2019 SONOMA COAST

2019 Hanzell Sebella Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Founded in 1953 with a passion for traditional Burgundian-style, low intervention winemaking that naturally expresses the purity of the fruit and the terroir, Hanzell is a paragon in this style domestically. The current owners, the de Brye family, and winemaker Michael McNeill dedicate themselves to preserving this natural approach that’s made Hanzell a reference standard for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production.
 
Hanzell “Sebella” Pinot Noir is blended from specially selected vineyard sites on the Sonoma Coast, providing the depth, complexity, and age-worthiness of Hanzell’s estate wines for a fraction of the cost. The wine is primarily aged in neutral barrels, preserving wine’s fresh fruit character and spice that can be enjoyed now or cellared for a few years to develop the classic savory and earthy notes of a mature Pinot Noir.
 
HANZELL
SEBELLA PINOT NOIR
2019 SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“Having spent nine months in new French oak, this wine offers a mix of bright acidity and crunchy red fruit. It uncovers white pepper, lavender and forest floor accents as it develops, yielding a wine that shows tremendous value for the quality.”
94 Points, Editors’ Choice