2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red

2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Diamond MountainKevin VogtNapaOakvilleProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

STEPS

RESERVE BARREL SELECT
2019 PROPRIETARY RED

2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red
Each year STEPS is re-birthed as it’s formed from declassified grapes from some of Napa Valley’s most coveted vineyards and meticulously blended by winemaker Grant Long, Jr, whom you might know from Aonair, Witchery, and James Joseph. Grant makes the blend with an unwavering goal of producing a showy, opulent red, guided by the vintage and the varietals that performed best. The 2019 release reflects the vintage’s knockout power and blanketing intensity, and at $50, the value is nearly inconceivable.
 
Steps 2019 Barrel Select draws on Diamond Mountain’s concentrated fruit and expressive flavors, then brings Rutherford elegance and Oakville complexity into play with absolute grandiosity. The final blend is more than 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot, crafted in a richly layered, lavish, hedonistic style. The wine is a steal at $50, and at $45, a single case won’t be enough.
 
STEPS
RESERVE BARREL SELECT
2019 PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“The 2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select is beautifully aromatic with violets, ripe black plums and black raspberries, dark chocolate, and wet stones. On the palate, flavors of blueberry pie, cocoa power, and a savory mushroom component add additional layers of complexity. The tannins are fine-grained, giving the wine a velvety texture felt throughout the long and opulent finish that slowly fades away on the palate, revealing its complexity one layer at a time.”
95 Points
2019 Harvey & Harriet Proprietary Red San Luis Obispo

2019 Harvey & Harriet Proprietary Red San Luis Obispo

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesProprietary RedUSA

HARVEY & HARRIET

PROPRIETARY RED 
2019 SAN LUIS OBISPO

2019 Harvey & Harriet Proprietary Red San Luis Obispo
Luxuriously designed to emulate high-end Cabernet Blends’ most hedonistic qualities, Harvey & Harriett creator Eric Jensen’s inspiration for this wine came from his hardworking parents, Harvey and Harriet, who couldn’t afford the expensive, top-level Cabernet blends produced today. Eric struck gold, finding an ideal balance of opulence, intensity, and richness, making it a clear choice as our number four pick this year. 
 
Dedicated to growing fruit for some of the best wineries in Paso Robles, Eric Jensen of Booker Vineyard gained winemaking experience along the way from neighbors Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure, and friend Justin Smith of Saxum. The fruit for Harvey & Harriet is sourced from premier sites, blended to showcase the depth, power, and character expected from cult-style wines. 
 
HARVEY & HARRIET
PROPRIETARY RED 
2019 SAN LUIS OBISPO
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“The 2019 Harvey & Harriet Blend is an extraordinary value in wine that begins with a beautiful nose of red, black, and blue fruits, along with graphite, vanilla spice, and sweet florals. It continues on the palate with crushed blackberries, red currants, pie spices, and liquid minerals. It has enough power without being over-the-top and is lush and rich, with supple, satiny tannins. Although it will drink beautifully for another 8 – 10 years, there is no reason to wait because it is delightful now.”
93 Points, #4 WCC Top 5 Wines of 2021
 
“…the 2019 Harvey and Harriet can be thought of as the more approachable, lush red in the lineup, and it always seems more black fruit-driven than the straight Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackberries, sweet tobacco, cedar, and some floral violet nuances define the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a beautiful texture and silky tannins. It’s a smoking value, and while it has plenty of up-front charm, it certainly has a decade or more of overall longevity.”
94 Points
2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red

2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Diamond MountainKevin VogtNapaOakvilleProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

STEPS

RESERVE BARREL SELECT
2019 PROPRIETARY RED

2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red
Each year STEPS is re-birthed as it’s formed from declassified grapes from some of Napa Valley’s most coveted vineyards and meticulously blended by winemaker Grant Long, Jr, whom you might know from Aonair, Witchery, and James Joseph. Grant makes the blend with an unwavering goal of producing a showy, opulent red, guided by the vintage and the varietals that performed best. The 2019 release reflects the vintage’s knockout power and blanketing intensity, and at our price, the value is nearly inconceivable.
 
Steps 2019 Barrel Select draws on Diamond Mountain’s concentrated fruit and expressive flavors, then brings Rutherford elegance and Oakville complexity into play with absolute grandiosity. The final blend is more than 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot, crafted in a richly layered, lavish, hedonistic style. The wine is a steal at $50, and at $45, a single case won’t be enough.
 
STEPS
RESERVE BARREL SELECT
2019 PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“The 2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select is beautifully aromatic with violets, ripe black plums and black raspberries, dark chocolate, and wet stones. On the palate, flavors of blueberry pie, cocoa power, and a savory mushroom component add additional layers of complexity. The tannins are fine-grained, giving the wine a velvety texture felt throughout the long and opulent finish that slowly fades away on the palate, revealing its complexity one layer at a time.”
95 Points
2018 Ellman Brothers Blend Napa Valley

2018 Ellman Brothers Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Atlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

ELLMAN

BROTHERS BLEND
2018 NAPA VALLEY

2018 Ellman Brothers Blend Napa Valley
Ellman’s 20-acre vineyard sits at the base of Atlas Peak in an ancient riverbed. It reaps the rewards of having soils that uniquely combine the traits of volcanic hillside material with the alluvial ground of the valley floor. The vineyard, managed by Mike Wolf, one of the leading viticulture experts in Napa Valley, is carved into the rocky foothills and planted to a suitcase-clone of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1999, delivering old-world-style wines that are brilliant to taste.
 
Brought to life by winemaker Andy Erickson, who made Screaming Eagle from 2005 – 2010, and Mayacamas, which ranked #2 in the 2019 Wine Spectator Top 100, Ellman wines represent Andy’s cumulative experience, combined with expert farming and a proprietor’s distinct vision. Brother’s Blend, named after the Ellman brothers Neil and Lance, is nearly 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, accentuated with Merlot, and is aged in barrels for 22 months, producing a super smooth red that’s as Vinous writes, “dense, plush and explosive,” and “has so much to offer.”
 
ELLMAN
BROTHERS BLEND
2018 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $95
 
 
 
“The 2018 Proprietary Red Blend Brothers Blend is dense, plush and explosive. A rush of black cherry, menthol, licorice, cloves and mocha gives the 2018 its exuberant personality. This fleshy, voluptuous red has so much to offer. Bright floral notes and a burst of red raspberry fruit punctuate the finish. This is a terrific entry-level red.”
94 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 Larkmead Firebelle Napa Valley

2018 Larkmead Firebelle Napa Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

LARKMEAD

2018 FIREBELLE
NAPA VALLEY

2018 Larkmead Firebelle Napa Valley
Strategically planted above two colluvial fans extending from the Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges with 300 feet of ancient riverbed gravel beneath the topsoil, Larkmead’s 110-acre vineyard contains seven distinctive soil profiles, providing unique flavor characteristics in the fruit. The vineyard is planted with the most suitable varieties, clones, and rootstocks, creating the wide range of flavors and nuances that’s become a hallmark of Larkmead wines.
 
Merlot is grown in well-drained, rich loam soils full of clay and gravel, resulting in more plush density that enhances the softness of the wine. The winery’s super high-scoring Firebelle blend is based around a core of 75% Merlot, enriched with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, showing refined beauty, grace, and a substantial aging potential with its fine-grained tannins and exquisite balance.
 
LARKMEAD
2018 FIREBELLE
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $120
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“Marrying 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is focused, soft and rounded in feel, with an underlying structure that should lend well to aging. It shows integrated notes of cedar, dried herb and slate that mix with a core of blueberry and plum. Lingering accents of nutmeg and cocoa nib mark the close….”
97 Points, #39 Top 100 Cellar Selections 2021
 
“Lovely aromas of tile, blackberries and plums with some lavender and violets, following through to a full body with chewy, round tannins that are layered into the pretty, not overly ripe fruit…”
96 Points
2016 Ehlers Estate Portrait Proprietary Red

2016 Ehlers Estate Portrait Proprietary Red

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSaint HelenaUSA

EHLERS ESTATE

2016 PORTRAIT
PROPRIETARY RED

2016 Ehlers Estate Portrait Proprietary Red
Ehlers Estate in St. Helena is a historic winegrowing property initially established in the mid-1800s at Napa Valley’s narrowest point, where constant airflow brings morning fog and moderating sea breezes, ensuring a slow and even ripening. The estate’s old-world style layout, where the farthest point of the property is just 600 yards from the centrally located winery, is rare in California, naturally encouraging an increased focus on quality.
 
Ehlers’s vineyard, situated on 42 contiguous acres, is divided into five primary blocks defined by their unique soil types and 25 sub-blocks with varying combinations of clones and rootstocks, offering a remarkable diversity in their fruit. Designed to represent “the perfect picture” of the unique terroir of this classical estate, the 2016 Portrait is firm and confident, harmoniously displaying the vineyards and vintage’s most remarkable characteristics. 
 
EHLERS ESTATE
2016 PORTRAIT
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $60
 
 
“Fresh, with a light savory streak amid the red currant and damson plum fruit, giving this a racy, focused profile. Shows a floral nuance in the background and a bright mineral edge on the finish. Relies on precision rather than bombast. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2020 through 2030.”
92 Points
2016 Blanket Prince Of Hearts Proprietary Red

2016 Blanket Prince Of Hearts Proprietary Red

with No Comment $90-$100Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

BLANKIET

PRINCE OF HEARTS 
2016 PROPRIETARY RED

2016 Blanket Prince Of Hearts Proprietary Red
In 1996, Claude and Katherine Blankiet had the opportunity to view an undeveloped hillside property behind Dominus’ Napanook vineyard and purchased the site without hesitation, naming it Paradise Hills. The vineyard experiences a cooler terroir than other parts of Napa Valley due to its eastern exposure with bright sunny mornings and cool, shady afternoons, preserving natural acidity as temperatures rise later in the day, producing exquisitely balanced, focused fruit.
 
Viticulturist David Abreu and winemaker Helen Turley extensively studied the different soil compositions in the vineyard, dividing it into four distinct blocks with strategically selected rootstocks and clonal varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The 96 point 2016 Prince of Hearts captures the essence of this top estate, presented with a supple mouthfeel and exceptional balance made possible by the site’s complex terroir and the wine team’s diligence in the vineyard and cellar.
 
BLANKIET
PRINCE OF HEARTS 
2016 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“…another seamless, elegant wine from the estate that has remarkable complexity in its sandalwood, spice box, chocolate, and cassis and blueberry-like fruits. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless texture, and ultra-fine tannins, it can be drunk today or cellared for 15+ years. It’s another beautiful wine from this team that has both power and finesse.”
96 Points
 
 
2018 Lancaster Winemakers Cuvee Alexander Valley

2018 Lancaster Winemakers Cuvee Alexander Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Alexander ValleyKevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaUSA

LANCASTER

2018 WINEMAKER’S CUVEE 
ALEXANDER VALLEY

2018 Lancaster Winemakers Cuvee Alexander Valley
Millions of years ago, volcanic and seismic activity shaped much of Alexander Valley, leaving the area with dozens of unique soil types and microclimates, proven to produce savory and delicious Bordeaux-style blends. Lancaster’s hillside estate soils are nutrient deficient, forcing the vine to concentrate more on survival and less on green leaf growth, ideal for growing grapes with distinct character and varietal expression.
 
Each vintage brings opportunities to learn and improve, so viticulturist Brian Malone and winemaker David Drake work closely to monitor small vineyard changes with satellite mapping and climatic analysis from vineyard weather stations. Every vineyard block is evaluated for each microclimate’s most superior clones and rootstocks, producing wines that boast robust flavors and compete with some of Napa Valley’s finest red wines. 
 
LANCASTER
2018 WINEMAKER’S CUVEE 
ALEXANDER VALLEY
Retails at: $85
 
Your Price: $69.99
 
 
“The 2018 Winemaker’s Cuvee is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Medium ruby, it has pretty scents of Morello cherries, cigar box, lavender and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate is approachable straight from the bottle, with grainy tannins, refreshing acidity and a long, mineral-laced finish.” 
93 Points
2018 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

2018 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSonomaSonoma MountainUSA

WESTWOOD

2018 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED

2018 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red
Legends of biodynamic viticulture, Westwood spares no expense raising the highest quality wines possible from their Demeter-certified Biodynamic vineyard, one of just a handful in North America. Their winemaker is Philippe Melka, named by the Wine Advocate as “one of the Top 10 Winemakers in the World,” whose vast experience includes winemaking at Bryant Family, Quintessa, Hundred Acre, Mastery, and Dominus.
 
Westwood Legend arose from the cool, wind-swept Annadel Gap Vineyard, located between Mt. Hood and Sonoma Mountain, and includes specially sourced organic grapes from Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Formatted to bring out the best qualities of the Estate, the “superbly expressive” 2018 blend earned a massive 97 Point rating from Tasting Panel Magazine, and at around $50, delivers legendary quality.
 
WESTWOOD
2018 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“In its third vintage, this superbly expressive red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Mourvedre emits scents of jasmine, plum blossoms and cafe mocha. Winemakers Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky fermented the wine in closed-top stainless steel tanks as well as a French oak upright tank. Aged in 30% new French oak for 20 months. The palate mirrors the nose, adding a graceful array of floral notes with more robust flavors ascending to heavenly levels of black raspberry, coffee, and dots of white pepper that cause the mouth to salivate.”
97 Points