2016 Hill Family Barrel Blend Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2016 Hill Family Barrel Blend Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

HILL FAMILY

BARREL BLEND
2016 NAPA VALLEY

2016 Hill Family Barrel Blend Napa Valley Proprietary Red
One of the key elements that I look for in a wine is complexity, and Hill Family’s Barrel Blend has that and more. It’s a blend of nearly a dozen grape varieties and encompasses eight unique vineyards. Of course, complexity isn’t anything without balance. Fortunately for us, the blend was constructed by winemaker Alison Green Doran who worked under Andre Tchelistcheff at her father’s Simi winery and was also the winemaker at Lewis Cellars. It’s remarkably balanced and a stunning value at under $30.
 
Alison constructed the 2016 Barrel Blend around a core of 41% Merlot that’s heightened with ten other varieties. Each varietal plays harmoniously on the palate and fills in where others fall short, adding layers of flavors, textures, and aromas to the final blend. 
 
The winemaking team carved this 2016 vintage red from eight carefully chosen vineyards ranging from the valley floor to 1,200 feet elevation, and it comes from a vintage that the Wine Spectator ranks as the best since 1997. If you’re on the lookout for a charming, individualistic, complex red that won’t break the bank, this one is for you.
 
HILL FAMILY
BARREL BLEND
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at $32
 
Your Price: $29.99 
 
“Coming from multiple vineyards in the valley and mostly Merlot, the 2016 Barrel Blend offers loads of kirsch and blackberry fruits as well as complex spice and tobacco characteristics. It’s forward, charming, and straight-up delicious, and ideal for drinking over the coming 8-10 years.” 89 Points
 
“Hill Family’s 2016 Merlot-based Barrel Blend is big, juicy and full of up-front appeal. I would prefer to drink it on the early side in order to get the most out of the wine’s succulence and vibrant, racy fruit.”  89 Points
2017 Vista Rutherford Proprietary Red Blend

2017 Vista Rutherford Proprietary Red Blend

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

VISTA

2017 RUTHERFORD
PROPRIETARY RED

 
2017 Vista Rutherford Proprietary Red Blend
Being part of a wine brand that’s shattering records and has everybody talking is a great feeling, and VISTA has inspired more gushing comments and endless re-orders than any wine that we’ve featured, period. This wine is a $23 Rutherford Blend that tastes like it should cost many times its price, and if you haven’t opened one lately, I bet you’ll be shocked by how great it is now. We bought every bottle available and we’re now nearly out of the 2017 vintage, so this will likely be the last opportunity to stock up on this record-setting red.  
 
The 2017 originates from Rutherford, an area long celebrated for its exceptional terroir and dusty tannins, this wine embodies many of the hallmarks that I look for in Rutherford Cabernet. The blend is predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, heightened with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and the 2017 vintage saturates your palate in seductive red berries laced with dried lavender, red currants, iron, and Rutherford dust. 
 
The unparalleled value and unrestrained demand for this wine has been solely due to its vastly overdelivering and mimicking many of the same qualities that you’d expect in much higher-end Rutherford wines. The focused, penetrating red fruits, superb richness and classic Rutherford dust characteristics make it irresistible, and unexpectedly great for this modest price.
 

VISTA
2017 RUTHERFORD
PROPRIETARY RED

Your Price: $23
 
 
“Scintillating aromas of fresh blackberries, tart red currants, cocoa powder and vanilla spice. The palate is dense, rich and powerful with a beautiful combination of bright red fruit characteristics that perfectly intertwine with deep black fruits including blueberry compote, crushed black raspberries, ripe red plum, baking spices and bittersweet chocolate. Intense and penetrating, this wine displays concentrated, powerful fruit with a gorgeous center core that finishes with a long, focused finish and slightly dusty tannins.”  92-95 Points Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2016 Ramey Napa Valley Claret

2016 Ramey Napa Valley Claret

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

RAMEY

2016 CLARET
NAPA VALLEY2016 Ramey Napa Valley Claret

When one of the greatest American winemakers, with 40 years experience and more accomplishments than we can list, releases his version of a Claret style blend that’s made with a goal of exemplifying the best of qualities of Napa Valley terroir in a given vintage, I pay close attention… When that particular vintage ranks as the highest rated since 1997, according to the Wine Spectator Vintage Report, you might as well skip down to the order button.

Claret is a British term used to describe a red blend made from the top 5 most classic Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Ramey’s 2016 Claret includes 4 of the top 5 Bordeaux grapes, forged from a vast selection of Appellations in Napa Valley.

David Ramey is one of the great pioneers in the California wine industry, and throughout his career, he’s helped put many iconic wineries on the map including Dominus, Rudd Estate and Jericho Canyon. His Napa Valley Claret is made in a round, supple style that’s abundantly complex, deep and layered. With solid scores from many of the top critics in the Country, I wouldn’t hesitate to secure your case.

RAMEY
2016 CLARET
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $42

Your Price: $39.99

Click to Buy

 

Wine Enthusiast: “This blends a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon with 26% Merlot, 12% Malbec, 8% Syrah and 2% Petit Verdot. Together, they interweave into a cohesive whole of clove, black pepper and meaty intensity and integrated oak. Soft and round on the palate, it pleases at an unbelievable price.” 92 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: “…Medium to deep ruby-purple, it offers aromas of bay leaf, sage brush, cardamom, anise and clove with mint chocolate, underbrush, blackberries and blackcurrants. It’s medium to full-bodied, rounded and easygoing in the mouth, with gentle, grainy tannins and great freshness to lift the finish. It would be all too easy to glug a bottle of this “luncheon Cab,” as David Ramey calls it.” 91 Points

Jeb Dunnuck: “This medium-bodied, silky, nicely textured red offers notes of ripe black cherries, currants, and assorted tobacco and herbal notes, and it’s textured and balanced. Drink it over the coming decade.” 90 Points

2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

J. GREGORY 2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED

 
I knew from the very first taste that J Gregory’s 2013 Extol deserved a spot on my top 5 list for 2019.  The wine is made in an enthralling style that washes over your palate in rich layers of perfectly ripened berries, focused red currents, baker’s chocolate and spice.  It was is created by Mark Jessup who was on the original winemaking team at OPUS ONE from 1979 through 1987, and his flagship “Extol” Proprietary Red is his version of OPUS ONE, and the 2013 was built around a solid core of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and dressed with Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Merlot.  The wine has a magnetic bouquet that draws you in, and on the palate, the wine is incredibly layered and powerful, yet supple and balanced.  At the winery price of $115, believe me, it’s an incredible bargain.  I recommend going big, because this one is going to fly…
 
Enchanting, profound, hedonistic are all fitting descriptors of the 2013 Extol which spent 22 months developing in French oak.  The flavors are profoundly stunning, pure and supple and on the palate the 2013 wraps your taste buds in a restrained opulence that I find incredibly appealing.  You might need someone to pinch you to make sure you’re not dreaming of a time when OPUS ONE was around the same price.  
 
J. GREGORY
2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $115/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “You just know from the moment this wine kisses your lips… it’s really something special. This brilliant expression has an exquisite nose of wild crushed ripe blackberries, alluring red currants, dried herbs and smoke. Impressively structured with a beautifully supple approach, the rich, viscous, velvety texture perfectly frames the opulent layers of bing cherry, brooding mountain berries and cassis.  Then comes a breath of sweet pipe tobacco, green herbs and sweet vanilla oak. The supple fruit tannins perfectly balance a mesmerizing flow of precisely orchestrated fruits, then ending with a long, elegant, mouth watering finish.” 97 Points
216 Heir Apparent Cellar Selection Spring Mountain District Proprietary Red

2016 Heir Apparent Cellar Selection Spring Mountain District Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSpring MountainUSA

HEIR APPARENT  216 Heir Apparent Cellar Selection Spring Mountain District Proprietary Red

2016 CELLAR SELECTION
SPRING MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
PROPRIETARY RED

 
Wine producers that consistently out-perform others in sheer value, concentration, and hedonistic flavors, and do so without sacrificing sense of place, always generate the most excitement from our customers.  Heir Apparent is etched onto that list, and their Spring Mountain Cellar Selection mirrors all of the best qualities of its origin. The Spring Mountain region is unique to the other Mountainous growing regions in Napa Valley, because it produces classically structured Mountain fruit, but with more perceived suppleness than the others.  I’m also drawn to the complexity and savory undertones that often show themselves in Spring Mountain wines.  This one is fantastic at its $110 retail price (join our Insiders Club for special offers).  You’ll feel like the heir to a fortune the moment this wine touches your palate.
 
Calling on Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc sourced exclusively from Spring Mountain, the 2016 pulls you in like a powerful magnet and seduces your senses with perfectly ripe berries, incense, exotic florals, along with savory notes that are intellectually pleasing and continually evolving in the glass.  This beauty will provide enormous levels of enjoyment now and over the next 12-15 years. I highly recommend securing your case… You’ll be glad you did.
 
HEIR APPARENT
2016 CELLAR SELECTION
SPRING MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $110.00/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “This 2016 Cellar selection comes from the one of the most exclusive sub- appellations of Napa Valley. The Spring Mountain District offers rich, volcanic soils. Aromas of black currant and ripe plum are complemented with rich blackberry flavors and a hint of graphite. This carefully selected blend continues to pick build weight into a long and concentrated finish.”
2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

J. GREGORY 2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED

 
On occasion, we’ll offer a wine with a narrative so enthralling that it seems like just about everybody wants to try it… Likewise, those are the wines that disappear the fastest, which is exactly what happened when we wrote about J. Gregory’s 2014 Extol Blend.  As luck would have it, we uncovered some of their 2013, so multiply that compelling story by an extra year of bottle development.  What’s the story? J Gregory’s is made by Mark Jessup who was on the original winemaking team at OPUS ONE from 1979 through 1987, and his flagship “Extol” Proprietary Red is his version of OPUS ONE.  The 2013 has a magnetic bouquet that pulls you in and on the palate, the wine is incredibly layered and powerful, yet supple and balanced.  At the winery price of $115, believe me, it’s an incredible bargain (Join our Insiders Club for special offers).  I recommend going big, because this one is going to fly.
 
The 2013 is built around a solid core of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and dressed with Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Merlot.  The flavors are profoundly stunning, pure and supple.  Like the 2014, the wine has a regal presence on the palate that’s impossible to miss. The 2013 spent 22 months developing in French oak and it envelopes your taste buds in perfectly ripened wild berries, dried herbs, bakers chocolate and pipe tobacco.  You might need someone to pinch you to make sure you’re not dreaming of a time when OPUS ONE was around the same price.
 
J. GREGORY
2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $115/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “You just know from the moment this wine kisses your lips… it’s really something special. This brilliant expression has an exquisite nose of wild crushed ripe blackberries, alluring red currants, dried herbs and smoke. Impressively structured with a beautifully supple approach, the rich, viscous, velvety texture perfectly frames the opulent layers of bing cherry, brooding mountain berries and cassis.  Then comes a breath of sweet pipe tobacco, green herbs and sweet vanilla oak. The supple fruit tannins perfectly balance a mesmerizing flow of precisely orchestrated fruits, then ending with a long, elegant, mouth watering finish.” 97 Points
2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Proprietary Red

2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedRutherfordStags LeapUSA

BEAULIEU VINEYARD2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Proprietary Red

TAPESTRY RESERVE
PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY

 
Tapestry is defined by an intricate or complex combination, and BV’s Tapestry Reserve intricately combines 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with each of the five major Bordeaux varietals and lives up to the literal definition of its name.  The winery tailors their winemaking for each varietal to best capture the individual nature of the vintage and unique origins of the grapes.  Fifty percent of the Cabernet Sauvignon arose from the Western benchlands of Rutherford, and was balanced with fruit from Stags Leap, Atlas Peak, and Coombsville.  On the palate the Cabernet plays a key role in imparting a generous core of wild blackberries, cassis, while the Merlot shows vivid dark cherry fruit.   Malbec adds black plum while Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot complete the wine with wild violets and added structure.  In blockbuster vintages like 2015, the Tapestry Reserve can take on all of the best qualities of the vintage and deliver them with stunning elegance, complexity and profound definition.  At around $50/btl the value is off-the-charts.
 
Alluring, engaging and balance all come to mind when tasting the 2015 Tapestry Reserve.  The winery has Napa Valley winemaking history embedded deep in its DNA and was established in 1900.  Throughout the years they’ve produced many timeless classics that embody the essence of Napa Valley.  Their 2015 Tapestry Reserve is an absolute classic that can be enjoyed now and over the next decade.
 
BEAULIEU VINEYARD
TAPESTRY RESERVE
PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl   
YOU SAVE 23%
 

93 Points
“Lots of ripe fruit with very fine tannins and a juicy mouthfeel. Medium to full body, polished and round texture and a flavorful finish. Soft with lots of flavor. Drink or hold.“

92 Points
“…a beautiful perfume of roses and lilacs with a core of cassis, redcurrant jelly and blackberry tart plus a touch of cedar chest. Full, velvety and seductive, it delivers layers of perfumed red and black fruit with a very long finish.”

92 Points
“soft, pliant and supple, all qualities that make it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Sweet red cherry, plum, rose petal, mint and dried flowers are all laced together in this racy, super-expressive blend from BV. The Cabernet Sauvignon-based Tapestry is one of the hidden gems in the range.” 

91 Points
“Takes a bright and relatively fresh approach, with raspberry and plum coulis flavors racing through first, backed by a plumper feel on the back end, showing notes of anise, mocha and briar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2026″
2016 Mastery Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2016 Mastery Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $90-$100CoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

MASTERY  2016 Mastery Napa Valley Proprietary Red

PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY

 
The 2016 vintage of Mastery is everything you would expect from this near perfect vintage.  Wine Spectator Magazine touts 2016 as their highest rated vintage for Napa since 1997 and rated it a 98 point score.  The new 2016 Mastery is a perfect reflection of this other-worldly vintage.  With just three barrels produced, Mastery is one of our most popular wines every year, but the demand always exceeds our supply.  This thrilling wine is finely detailed with a sweet inner core of focused red and black berries, supple tannins, and concentrated flavors that build layer upon layer of hedonistic bliss.  With a total production of 73 cases, this vintage of Mastery will disappear far too early…
 
Created from Napa Valley’s highly acclaimed Coombsville region, the vineyard is located on volcanic soils on the Eastern outskirts of the town of Napa.  This elegantly styled, yet focused and penetrating Napa Valley Cabernet Blend satisfies everything a Cabernet drinker looks for.  After spending about 2 years in French oak, this perfectly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon enchants your taste buds.  If you would like to add some of this exceptional wine to your cellar, please place your order right away.  This is another in a long list of near-perfect vintages of Mastery and we know you will absolutely love it!  It is spectacular.
 
MASTERY
PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $95/btl

 Click to Order

Tasting Notes: “Embodying every finite nuance that makes the 2016 vintage so great, Mastery 2016 has alluring aromas of black currants, bing cherries, crushed minerals and dried rose petal.  Seductive wild mountain blackberries, ripe red plum and cassis, are in perfect harmony with the concentrated, rich, supple black fruits balancing the brighter red fruits, providing both depth and length as well as complexity on the palate.  The finish is focused with an amazing seamless structure, providing immense satisfaction.”  Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2017 Vineyard 36 Foundation Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2017 Vineyard 36 Foundation Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaOak KnollProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

VINEYARD 36  2017 Vineyard 36 Foundation Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2017 FOUNDATION
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 

 
Each year we make a handful of discoveries that are so inspiring, that the guys on our tasting panel can sometimes sell the wine completely out the instant it arrives in our warehouse.  Vineyard 36 is one of those wines, and when we tasted their 2016 Thirty Six Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard earlier this year, the wine disappeared in an instant.  As luck would have it, we just tasted their 2017 Foundation Proprietary Red, which includes 14% Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer George III heightened with Merlot from Oak Knoll.  We kept the wine hidden in our warehouse, just long enough to send you this note, (we hope). The wine was made at Vineyard 29, which is one of Napa Valley’s most innovative wineries with everything from gravity flow tanks to an optical sorter that can be programed algorithmically…  It was crafted by Keith Emerson who also makes Vineyard 29’s Cabernets…  At this price, you might want to skip straight to the order button.
 
Vineyard 36 is a partnership between professional athletes Cam Ward and Tim Gleason and their friend Jason Earnest.  With a shared goal of producing exceptional wines sourced from premier estates that express the diversity of Napa Valley’s finest terroirs, this is truly a winery to watch.  Wines of this quality and caliber at this price don’t not come around often, so I highly recommend grabbing what you can for your cellar, before this one disappears. 
 
VINEYARD 36 
2017 FOUNDATION
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $55/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “Explosive red and black fruit aromas are complimented by hints of violets, perfume, baking spices and vanilla.  Bright Bing cherry, hints of sandalwood and clove with a mouthwatering acid profile, medium-full body and velvety tannin structure.  A slight mineral, slate component adds a nuance to this fresh, approachable red blend.  Drinkable upon release, will age gracefully for 10+ years.” 
2016 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

2016 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaSonoma MountainUncategorizedUSA

WESTWOOD 2016 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

2016 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED

 
Legend is defined by an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field, and this wine absolutely lives up to its name.  The 2016 was expertly crafted by Philippe Melka, whose vast experience includes winemaking at Bryant Family, Quintessa, Hundred Acre, and Dominus… He’s undeniably one of Napa Valley’s most sought after and accomplished winemakers and is an absolute legend at his craft.  After tasting the wine, I wasn’t at all surprised to find out that it’s already earned double 96 Point scores.  The wine is powerfully dramatic and glides seamlessly across your palate with precision and absolute elegance.  At fifty bucks per bottle it absolutely should not be missed.
 
This legend arose from the biodynamically farmed Annadel Gap Estate Vineyard located between Mt Hood and Sonoma Mountain.  The area is heavily influenced by morning fog and high-winds, and the variety of soil types lend to the wines vast complexity.  The final blend includes 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and was enhanced with Rhone Varieties.  The flavors are incredibly individualistic, intense and well-balanced and introduce themselves in a silky and enchanting style that make this wine as unique as it is delicious.
 
WESTWOOD
2016 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl 

Click to Order

YOU SAVE 16%
 
“… Aromas of sweet, savory soil are primed with rich tones of blueberry preserves. Generous and a true extrovert, this red gives wide berth on the palate to creamy boysenberry and luscious, ripe plum. Red floral and graphite strike an accord with high-energy acidity...” 96 Points 
From Wine Enthusiast, “This red is brightly layered in fresh blue fruit, meat and garrigue, showing plenty of density and complexity. It has a wild character that’s intriguing and energetic, with lasting threads of white and black pepper on the finish.”  96 Points, Editor’s Choice
 
Customers who enjoy Westwood Legend may also enjoy these two outstanding Reds…
2015 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red 2017 Hourglass HG III Proprietary Red
STEPS
BARREL SELECT
2015 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl

Click to Order

 
Tasting Notes: “Rich, opulent aromas emerge laced with fresh black raspberries, chocolate covered cherries, espresso roast and a touch of sweet vanilla oak.  Penetrating, velvety flavors of crushed blackberries, black plum, minerals, kirsch and hints of roasted coffee expand across your palate as layer upon layer of complexity unfolds.  The supple yet slightly dusty tannins beautifully frame the plush fruit as it elegantly caresses your palate through the long pleasurable finish...” 95 Points
HOURGLASS
2017 HG III
PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $54.99/btl

Click to Order

From Jeb Dunnuck: “Moving to the barrel samples, the 2017 HG3 is a fruity, forward, total charmer that gives up medium to full-bodied notes of blue and black fruits and leafy herbs. It’s well-made and already hard to resist, yet I suspect it will keep for more than a decade.” 91-93 Points