2014 Worthy Sophia's Cuvee Proprietary Red

2014 Worthy Sophia’s Cuvee Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

WORTHY

2014 SOPHIA’S CUVEE
PROPRIETARY RED

2014 Worthy Sophia's Cuvee Proprietary Red

 
I always pay extra attention to wines that are a second wine from a top producer with a track record of excellence. Worthy Sophia’s Cuvée is the second wine of Axios, and their 2016 Cabernet goes for around $195. Both wines are made by legendary winemaker Bob Egelhoff, who’s held winemaking positions at such notable wineries as Pahlmeyer, Harlan, Chappellet, Merryvale, and David Arthur. At under $30 this Worthy Sophia’s Cuvée is simply one of the best values in Napa Valley Cabernet blends, period.  
 
Ascending from one of Napa Valley’s best vintages, one that the Wine Spectator describes as producing “dense, charming, cellar-worthy wines,” the latest vintage of Sophia’s Cuvée offers silky, mouthwatering tannins, chocolate covered raspberries, espresso, and violets. 
 
The 2014 vintage checks in at 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, and is balanced with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It’s created from a collection of secret fruit sources spread throughout Napa Valley, and the 2014 release is a beautiful portrayal of the spectacular year. 
 
WORTHY
2014 SOPHIA’S CUVEE
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $32
 
Your Price: $29.99
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“A tight and linear red with blueberry, blackberry, and currant character. Ultra-fine tannins that are polished and attractive. Medium body. Bright finish. Drink in 2020.” 92 Points
 
 
“The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Worthy Sophia’s Cuvée wraps around the palate with striking density and richness. Scents of mocha, espresso, dark spices and new leather give the 2014 much of its aromatic nuance and lift. Polished, silky tannins contribute to the wine’s near-term appeal.” 90 Points
MCPRICE MYERS HIGH ON THE HOG 2017 PROPRIETARY RED

2017 McPrice Myers High On The Hog Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underCentral CoastKevin VogtProprietary RedUSA

MCPRICE MYERS

HIGH ON THE HOG
2017 PROPRIETARY RED

MCPRICE MYERS HIGH ON THE HOG 2017 PROPRIETARY REDConsumers seeking robust, textured reds with endless character, and value prices, may already know winemaker “Mac” McPrice Myers. For years his Barrel 27 wines were a staple in the value section of our shop, and in 2013 he rebranded the project as his Blue Collar Series. One of my favorites is his High on the Hog Red, which was also a former Barrel 27 wine, and it’s a full-throttle blend of primarily Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. With 93 Points and Editors’ Choice from Wine Enthusiast, you’ll feel like you’re high on the hog, and at a price that will make you smile.  

Mac built the 2017 vintage of High On The Hog from carefully chosen sites in California’s Central Coast, including Luna Matta and Santa Barbara Highlands. The wine is made in a highly-expressive, deep, and showy style and offers a harmony of crushed berries, smoked meats, black pepper, wild plum, and violets. 
 
He then fermented the grapes in multiple different vessels, including Stainless Steel, Concrete, and open-top fermenters. For added depth and structure, Mac utilized 20% whole cluster fermentation in the process. At twenty bucks, you simply have got to try it… 
 
MCPRICE MYERS
HIGH ON THE HOG
2017 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
“Aromas of fresh boysenberry, baked pastries, caramel and savory smoke lead into a well-integrated palate of fruit, herb and wood flavors that are framed by firm yet polished tannins. It’s fresh with acidity and yet dense, finishing on a touch of pine needle.” 93 Points, Editor’s Choice
 
“Deep vivid ruby. Powerful red and blue fruit preserve, candied licorice and exotic spice aromas pick up a smoky nuance with air. Broad, fleshy and seamless in texture, offering palate-coating black raspberry, cherry cola, fruitcake and mocha flavors sharpened by a zesty, peppery nuance. Clings with authority on the long, smoky finish, which leaves behind a sweet violet pastille note. For fans of bold, full-throated but not overbearing red wine, there’s serious value here. 20% whole clusters.”  91 Points
2014 Anarchist Wine Co. The Philosopher Proprietary Red

2014 Anarchist Wine Company ‘The Philosopher’ Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

ANARCHIST WINE CO.

THE PHILOSOPHER 
2014 PROPRIETARY RED

2014 Anarchist Wine Co. The Philosopher Proprietary Red

Anarchist makes their Philosopher Blend in a soft, supple style with lush fruit and a silky mouthfeel, so it’s easy to theorize why so many people would like it. We offered the 2013 last year, which earned 97 Points, and a Double Gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, and the wine quickly made many friends due to its easy-drinking style that’s so easy to love. The 2014 vintage has more depth and richness and fills your palate with a beautiful medley of fruits and complexity. At our price, the hypothesis points to a case.

There are many theories as to why the Anarchist wines are so darn good. Some might attribute it to the unorthodox blending of Bordeaux and Rhone varietals, and others to the delicious, open-knit style. If you dig deeper into this wine, you’ll find that it all began at The Wine Foundry, which is a custom-crush winery, making luxury brands, and that has access to some spectacular fruit sources. 

The 2014 Philosopher was built around a core of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and blended with Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. The 2014 transcends from a vintage unanimously recognized for its unrivaled quality, and one that brought a more opulent, fuller wine that fills every inch of your palate with bliss and delight.   

 

ANARCHIST WINE CO.
THE PHILOSOPHER 
2014 PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $42

Your Price: $29.99
 

“Classic Cabernet aromas of black cherry, plum and violets, along with toffee, mocha, with hints of vanilla bean. Mouth-filling palate with ripe cassis, cacao, cigar box and blueberries. Nicely balanced acidity in a full-bodied wine, with well integrated tannins.”

2016 Arietta Quartet Proprietary Red

with No Comment $60-$70CalistogaCarnerosCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

ARIETTA

2016 QUARTET
PROPRIETARY RED

Harmonious is the first word that comes to mind when tasting Arietta’s Quartet. The wine brings together four Bordeaux varietals in a way that perfectly complements, supports, and defines one-another. The blend was composed by Andy Erickson, who made Screaming Eagle from ’05 – ’10, and he also makes Mayacamas, which just ranked #2 in the recent Wine Spectator Top 100. With 95 Points and a spot on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100, don’t miss this vintage of Arietta Quartet.  

Arietta built this superior blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc around a core of Coombsville fruit that’s paired with carefully chosen sites in Carneros and Calistoga. The 2016 benefits from two new Cabernet Vineyards in Southern Napa that are both managed by one of Napa Valley’s top viticulturists, Mike Wolf. 

The 2016 was finely tuned for 22 months in oak and made its entrance from one of Napa Valley’s most exceptional vintages, and one that the Wine Spectator ranks as the highest-rated vintage since 1997. If you’re looking for a stunningly complex and deeply hedonistic blend to add to your cellar, this one is absolutely singing.

ARIETTA
2016 QUARTET
PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $68
 
 
“Winemaker Andy Erickson coaxes beautiful fruit and structure from this blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, many of the grapes from Coombsville and Carneros. Juicy and weighty on the palate in blackberry and blueberry, it offers firm integrated tannin and undeniable elegance, with lovely teases of dried herb, graphite and exotic spice.” 
95 Points, Editors’ Choice, #48 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2019
 
“The 2016 Quartet is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep purple-black in color, it features youthful, vivacious black and red currants notions with an undercurrent of black plums, mulberries, Indian spices and fragrant earth plus wafts of tobacco and new leather. Full-bodied and laden with decadent black fruit and spicy layers, it has a velvety backbone and long spicy finish.” 94 Points
2018 Venge Scout's Honor Proprietary Red

2018 Venge Scout’s Honor Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

VENGE

2018 SCOUT’S HONOR
PROPRIETARY RED2018 Venge Scout's Honor Proprietary Red

Venge’s Scout’s Honor is anything but your average Zinfandel blend. Kirk Venge mastered the art of enhancing the blend with Charbono and Petite Sirah to create a concentrated, extracted red that balances the jammy characteristics from the Zinfandel. It’s that delicious combination that inspired more poetic comments than any other blend that I’ve offered, and here’s a chance to try their 2018, which is classic to their hallmark style. 

Created using a state-of-the-art, 100% gravity-flow method, the 2018 Scout’s Honor is concocted from at 63% Zinfandel, 16% Charbono, 12% Petite Sirah and 9% Sirah. The wine was created from old-vines and was made in a deep, rich, extracted style and offers oodles of blueberry cobbler, crushed herbs, and spices. 

This iconic blend was authored by Kirk Venge, who was named “One of the Top 20 New Winemakers in the World” by Food & Wine Magazine. Kirk also makes the high-scoring Janzen and Bacio Divino wines, as well as several other cult brands.

VENGE
2018 SCOUT’S HONOR
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $39

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Wine Country Connection Reveiw

“The 2018 Scout’s Honor has a deep nose of blueberry cobbler, roasted coffee beans, dried violets and hints of vanilla. On the pallet the wine has a dense core of black cherry fruit, intense blueberry, blue herbs, black pepper, strawberry and hints of cherry pipe tobacco. The wine is absolutely delicious, so-much-so that my glass was emptied before I could finish my tasting notes, so I had to go back for a second.” 

2015 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

2015 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40ChileKevin VogtProprietary Red

VIK

2015 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED2015 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

Picture a red wine with piercing fruit, riveting complexity, stunning power, and remarkable definition. You could be tasting a red blend from Chile. We introduced Vik’s 2012 Milla Cala Blend back in 2018, and a short time later, it went on to rank #22 on the Wine Spectator Top 100. Critics agree that this wine is extraordinary, and the 2015 vintage has high 92-94 point scores and has already earned a place on Wine Enthusiast’s 100 list. 

Vik produced their Milla Cala in their state-of-the-art winery, which is one of the preeminent wineries in the Southern Hemisphere. Milla Cala arose from an area South of Santiago that they secured after years of intense scientific research and more than 4,000 soil samples, in a relentless search for the best terroir in Chile. The final blend incorporates nearly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, accented with Carmeñere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah.

The Vik wines are created by legendary winemaker Patrick Valette, who is responsible for crafting some of the most exceptional wines in Chile and Bordeaux, paired with Norwegian entrepreneur Alexander Vik. With literally no expense spared on this project, the grapes were meticulously sorted in the most modern grape selection line in Chile before being transported by gravity into individual fermentation tanks.

 

VIK
2015 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only
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“A rich and dense second wine of VIK. Lots of dried fruit with light prunes, plums and hints of burnt lemons. Spices, too. Full body, layered and rich. Juicy. Needs two or three years to soften. A blend of 66% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, 7% syrah and 3% carmenere. Drink in 2020.”  94 Points

 

“Milla Cala is the most approachable of the VIK reds, made from an assemblage of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Carmenère, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. Fresh, bright and leafy, with undertones of aromatic Mediterranean herbs and silky, polished tannins. 2019-23.”  93 Points

 

“This Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend opens with aromas of root beer, baking spices and cocoa along with naturally spicy berry scents. A lively palate is tannic while showing a firm grip and some bumpiness. Mocha and herbal berry and plum flavors are lightly chocolaty prior to a flush finish that echoes with spice. There’s no mistaking this wine’s Chilean DNA. Drink through 2025.”  92 Points, #87 Top 100 Wines of 2019
2015 Mending Wall Proprietary Red Mortar & Stone

2015 Mending Wall Mortar & Stone Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Atlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedReviewUSA

MENDING WALL

2015 PROPRIETARY RED
MORTAR & STONE

2015 Mending Wall Proprietary Red Mortar & StoneCombining the power of Mountain-grown Zinfandel with the voluptuous texture of Calistoga Petite Sirah can be magical. Mending Wall Mortar and Stone is a stunning example of this. The Zinfandel arose from the iconic Aida Vineyard atop Altas Peak, and the Petite Sirah comes from one of the most celebrated vineyards for that varietal in the New World, which was the former source for Carver Sutro. And on top of all that, Thomas Brown is the winemaker… 

Frank Dotzler, one of the co-owners of Mending Wall, was also one of the co-founders of Outpost Winery. Frank teamed up with Mark & Donna Walker (owners of the super-high scoring, Cult brand Pulido-Walker,) as well as his long-time winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for this project. Thomas made history as the first American winemaker to receive a perfect 100 point score from the Wine Spectator.

This tiny production, proprietary blend harnesses the power and intensely concentrated flavors of Atlas Peak Zinfandel with the showy, voluptuous textures of Petite Sirah in way that pulls on the best qualities of both varietals in total harmony. If you love big, lush, concentrated blends with copious charm, this is for you. 

MENDING WALL
2015 PROPRIETARY RED
MORTAR & STONE

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“The Zinfandel from high atop Atlas Peak (Aida Vyd, an original Turley source) is robust, showy mountain fruit. Vines in the historic Mountain Peak vineyard produce some of the most impressive berries we’ve seen in this varietal, nicely structured and spicy rather than super jammy. That spice component pairs beautifully with the final vintage of our estate Syrah. Once again, the venerable Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah completes the blend, lending tannic backbone and deep, black color.It has a seductive appeal-dark, sultry, moody in the very best ways-with good balance between earthy inputs and luscious fruit notes.”

2018 Paydirt ‘Going for Broke’ California Proprietary Blend

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtProprietary RedUSA

PAYDIRT

GOING FOR BROKE
PROPRIETARY BLEND
2018 CALIFORNIA

Paydirt burst onto the wine scene in 2010 and quickly made a name for themselves with their crowd-pleasing, California-style Reds. The winery proved early on that they could hold-their-own in the competitive $30 red blend category. Now entering their 2018 vintage, they’re onto a new challenge in the sub $20 price range.

The 2018 faultlessly combines 81% old vine Zinfandel with Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Barbera and Cabernet from top-sites including Dusi in Paso Robles, Bokisch in Lodi, and includes vineyards in Oak Knoll and St Helena.

Paydirt has attracted talented winemakers, and one of Paso’s top winemakers, McPrice Myers, made the first vintages. The 2018 was authored by Kent Jarman, who’s also the winemaker at Coup de Foudre and Kenefick Ranch, and previously the assistant winemaker at Duckhorn Vineyards.

PAYDIRT
GOING FOR BROKE
PROPRIETARY BLEND
2018 CALIFORNIA

Your Price: $19.99

“The nose is filled with ripe blackberries, smoked plum, orange relish, cranberry, blueberry compote, white pepper, and dark chocolate. The palate is round, juicy, and bursting with fresh-ness and concentrated red and dark fruit components. The finish is persistent, layered and vibrant, with a touch of spice.”
2017 Hunter Glenn Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2017 Hunter Glenn Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

HUNTER GLENN

PROPRIETARY RED
2017 NAPA VALLEY

2017 Hunter Glenn Napa Valley Proprietary RedWith roots in Sonoma County and a shop in Yountville, we meet our fair share of farmers that produce a small amount of their own wine… So when Jeffrey Shifflett, Jr. pulled up to our weekly tasting in his farm truck, we were looking forward to trying the wines. When he placed them on the table, the sleek packaging was a bit of a surprise, but when the wines hit the glass, we realized that he wasn’t just a farmer, but an incredibly gifted winemaker.

The Shifflett family’s ranch neighbors icons Dominus and Trethefen, and the vines lie in the shadow the Mayacamas Mountain range, in an area that has a micro-climate that’s cooler than further up Valley. The 2017 proprietary red was built around a core of Cabernet Sauvignon that’s enhanced with Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Based on the sheer quality of the wine, we knew Jeff must have mentored under some outstanding winemakers. As it turns out, Jeff worked harvest in Australia before spending time at both Cakebread and Elyse wineries. At $40, I guarantee you’ll be stunned by the quality…

HUNTER GLENN
PROPRIETARY RED
2017 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $45

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“In the glass the wine showcases our signature color, dark ruby, like polished Garnet. Aromas of cedar, baking spices and vanilla hint at the restrained use of oak, followed by cherries and sarsaparilla. The first sip bursts with red fruit, cherry cola, and hints of violet. Subtle tannins integrate with fruit on the palate, leading to a long and pleasing finish.” 90 Cases Produced

02016 Muga Rioja Reserva

2016 Muga Rioja Reserva

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtProprietary RedRiojaSpain

MUGA 

2016 RIOJA RESERVA
RIOJA, SPAIN 

02016 Muga Rioja Reserva
Leading the pack as one of Rioja’s top producers, Bodegas Muga’s flagship 2016 Rioja Reserva is one of the most stunning values from the old world. At $30, the 2016 earned a monster 95 Point score from James Suckling, who dubs it, “One of the top best-value, high-quality reds in Spain.” I recommend making some extra room in the cellar…
 
Bodegas Muga is a paragon producer in Spain’s iconic Rioja region, and it’s their philosophy of never losing touch with the authenticity of the wines that they’re making, and their constant use of traditional winemaking processes that’s kept them in the number one spot. 
 
Their wine team built the 2016 Rioja Reserva around a solid core of 70% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha, then enhanced with other indigenous varietals. They aged this wine for 24 months in oak cask, and on the palate, it’s richly layered and powerfully intense. At $30, the value is nearly inconceivable.
 
MUGA 
2016 RIOJA RESERVA
RIOJA, SPAIN 
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“This is really tight and powerful with gorgeous tannins and solid fruit. Full body. Tight and composed. Wet earth, smoked meat and hints of black truffles. Very long and powerful. Wonderful length. Real Rioja. One of the top best-value, high-quality reds in Spain. Drink or hold.” 95 Points
 
 
“…This has the Muga style and the imprint of the cool and fresh 2016 vintage, one of the best vintages of recent years… It has a mixture of red and black fruit with sweet spices that are very integrated and in harmony. The palate is silky and clean, and the tannins are round and gentle…” 93 Points