2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Mt. Brave

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

High on Mt. Veeder, where vineyards cling to fractured slopes and fog drifts beneath the canopy, Mt. Brave finds its voice. The 2021 Cabernet rises from this unforgiving terrain, shaped by elevation, exposure, and time rather than convenience. What emerges is a wine of uncommon gravity, carrying the mountain’s tension and resolve through every layer.

Chris Carpenter guides that expression with the authority of experience, drawing on decades spent understanding Napa’s most demanding mountain vineyards. At Mt. Brave, his approach balances discipline with intuition, allowing the intensity of Mt. Veeder fruit to speak without losing precision. Thoughtful choices in the vineyard and cellar bring structure into proportion, refining the mountain’s natural edge rather than softening it.

The 2021 vintage captures Mt. Brave at a moment when structure and harmony fully align. Dense fruit, firm architecture, and underlying freshness point to a long, measured evolution in bottle, even as the wine already shows composure and depth. This is mountain Cabernet built with patience in mind, rewarding contemplation today and cellaring in the years ahead.

Mt. Brave
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021
Retails at: $125

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“A fabulous wine of focus and polish with very fine tannins that caress your palate and give great length to the finish. Medium to full body. The aromas of violets and currants are so beautiful. Dreamy. Best ever? A blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 2% merlot, 1% malbec and 1% petit verdot. A total of 3830 cases produced. Give it three to four years to soften.”

99 Points

2022 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2022 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

Duckhorn

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2022

2022 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

From its earliest days, Duckhorn Vineyards has approached Napa Valley Cabernet not as a showpiece, but as a discipline. The 2022 vintage carries that philosophy forward, shaped by decades of experience and a conviction that greatness lies in proportion. Its strength comes from a deliberate balance of mountain and valley-floor fruit, yielding a wine that feels assured, composed, and unmistakably rooted in place.

That balance is established well before the cellar. By drawing from both mountain and valley-floor vineyards, the blend captures Napa Valley’s natural balance between structure and generosity. Mountain fruit brings linear intensity and aromatic lift, while valley-floor sites contribute breadth and texture. Together, they form a cohesive expression that feels layered and dimensional.

In the glass, the wine offers both immediacy and promise. Its structure and harmony invite enjoyment now, while its depth and freshness point to a long, measured evolution in the cellar. Every element feels deliberate, resulting in a wine that is authentic, grounded, and deeply satisfying from first impression through the finish.

Duckhorn
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2022
Retails at: $80

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“Bright and refined with aromas of blackberries, cassis, fresh tobacco, crushed stones and dark chocolate. The palate is full-bodied and polished with fine tannins and vibrant fruit. Defined and balanced with a touch of minerality. Drink or hold.” 

92 Points

2022 Florence Reserve Zinfandel Rockpile Sonoma County

2022 Florence Reserve Zinfandel Rockpile Sonoma County

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtSonomaSonoma ValleyUSAZinfandel

Florence

Reserve Zinfandel
Rockpile 2022
Sonoma County

2022 Florence Reserve Zinfandel Rockpile Sonoma County

High above the fog line, Rockpile vines live in a state of constant exposure, where elevation and wind shape the season and strip away excess. The 2022 Florence Vineyard Reserve Zinfandel captures that environment, translating altitude into focus and rugged terrain into precision. It is Zinfandel elevated in both expression and intent.

At this elevation, the Florence Vineyard rises above the densest valley fog while remaining shaped by strong, cooling winds. These conditions extend the growing season, thicken skins, and concentrate flavor without sacrificing freshness. In 2022, that balance yielded fruit of remarkable intensity and definition, carrying the vineyard’s natural rigor directly into the wine.

What ultimately defines the vintage is its energy. Concentrated fruit moves in step with lift and structure, creating a Zinfandel that feels dynamic rather than dense. Each sip bears the imprint of wind and altitude, delivering power with control and a finish that remains vivid, focused, and assured.

Florence
Reserve Zinfandel
Rockpile 2022
Sonoma County
Retails at: $60

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“Deep, dark and very spicy, this black-fruited Zin displays aromas of blackberry and plum on the nose. These give way to flavors of black cherry, dark chocolate and licorice that wash across the palate with powerful, ageworthy tannins. Lay this down for a few years, then enjoy with barbecued pork ribs.”

94 Points, Cellar Selection

2013 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2013 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

Inglenook

Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford 2013

2013 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

When Philippe Bascaules shifted his focus from Château Margaux to Inglenook, the objective was not to replicate Bordeaux style, but to apply Bordeaux standards. The 2013 Inglenook Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is a direct expression of that discipline, defined by precision, hierarchy, and a deliberate resistance to excess.

That intent is most evident in the wine’s construction. Estate-grown fruit is drawn from the finest Cabernet Sauvignon lots remaining after Inglenook’s Rubicon blend is finalized, placing this bottling squarely within the estate’s internal hierarchy. It is shaped by the same uncompromising criteria that govern Inglenook’s flagship wine, where balance and longevity are essential, not optional.

The 2013 growing season provided ideal conditions to realize that vision. A dry, even year delivered fruit with natural concentration, allowing the blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, supported by Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot, to come together with definition. Eighteen months in oak unified the structure, reinforcing a sense of proportion and setting the wine firmly on a path of long, measured evolution.

Inglenook
Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford 2013

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“The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is very fine. It remains young and quite vibrant, with lovely floral overtones that add freshness throughout. This mid-weight, energetic Cabernet is terrific. In time, it may surpass the Rubicon, given its greater freshness. This is a fine showing. Drink 2023 – 2033.”

95 Points

2021 Benessere Phenomenon Red North Coast

2021 Benessere Phenomenon Red North Coast

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNorth CoastProprietary RedSonoma ValleyUSA

Benessere

Phenomenon Red
North Coast 2021

2021 Benessere Phenomenon Red North Coast

California’s leading wineries have long excelled at reinterpretation, and the 2021 Phenomenon stands as a clear expression of that strength. Inspired by Italian tradition yet shaped by North Coast conditions, it brings together Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon in a way that feels instinctive rather. Phenomenon is not an homage. It is a statement of how seamlessly Old World sensibility can take root in California soil.

That confidence reflects a house philosophy grounded in tradition and disciplined execution at Benessere Vineyards. Each variety is vinified independently, preserving its natural character before being assembled with intention. Complexity is built without blur, balance achieved through patience and proportion rather than formula.

In the glass, the blend finds harmony. Sangiovese brings lift and red-fruited tension, Merlot adds breadth and texture, Syrah deepens the mid-palate, and Cabernet Sauvignon anchors the structure. Each element remains distinct, yet the whole moves as one, delivering a North Coast red that feels composed, versatile, and deeply satisfying.

Benessere
Phenomenon Red
North Coast 2021
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“The Benessere 2021 Phenomenon Red Wine from the North Coast opens with layered aromatics of ripe black cherry, blackberry compote, blueberry, cocoa, espresso, dried herbs, and cedar. On the palate, it offers plums, cherries, cassis, toasted oak, and sweet and savory spices that co-mingle and complement each other. These flavors are balanced by bright acidity and subtle earthiness, resulting in a supple mid-palate and plush mouthfeel that leads to a harmonious finish.”

93 Points

2021 Pirouette Proprietary Red Columbia Valley

2021 Pirouette Proprietary Red Columbia Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Columbia ValleyKevin VogtProprietary RedUSAWashington State

Pirouette

Proprietary Red
Columbia Valley 2021

2021 Pirouette Proprietary Red Columbia Valley

The Pirouette 2021 Columbia Valley Red is engineered for balance, translating some of Washington’s most respected vineyard sites into a wine of measured structure and authority. Its architecture is defined by line and proportion, shaped by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, then refined through extended time in French oak, allowing its depth to emerge.

Rooted in Columbia Valley fruit yet informed by classical Bordeaux proportions, the blend emphasizes structure and freshness. Cabernet Sauvignon provides line and backbone, Merlot softens the edges, and the supporting varieties add nuance, creating a wine that favors articulation at every stage.

Compelling from the outset, the 2021 Pirouette is nevertheless built with time in mind. Its balance and structure suggest a long, graceful evolution, as layers continue to knit and deepen. It is a wine that offers immediate pleasure while promising greater complexity for those willing to follow its arc in the cellar.

Pirouette
Proprietary Red
Columbia Valley 2021
Retails at: $75

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“The otherworldly 2021 Long Shadows Pirouette Red Wine is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon with 36% Merlot and the remainder Malbec and Petit Verdot. Very dark in the glass, this offers alluring black florals on the nose with tar, tobacco leaf, mocha, anise and shades of dark chocolate shavings. The stunning aromatics are simply head-turning. The palate is ultra-refined offering a seamless drinking experience. This is the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted since its inception back in 2003.”

98 Points

2023 Beaux Freres Chardonnay Willamette Valley

2023 Beaux Freres Chardonnay Willamette Valley

with No Comment $80-$90Kevin VogtOregonUSAWillamette Valley

Beaux Frères

Chardonnay 2023
Willamette Valley

2023 Beaux Freres Chardonnay Willamette Valley

The 2023 Beaux Frères Chardonnay reads like a topographic map of the Willamette Valley, each line drawn with intention. It captures the region’s cool poise and underlying energy in a distinctive way, translating site into sensation. This is a Chardonnay defined by articulation, where freshness and depth move together without compromise.

That articulation emerges from a deliberate mosaic of vineyards rather than a single voice. Fruit from Doration, the Beaux Frères Estate, and Star Mooring spans the Chehalem Mountains and Ribbon Ridge AVAs, uniting elevation, exposure, and soil nuance into a coherent whole. Each site adds its own inflection, creating a wine that feels layered and dimensional while remaining firmly centered.

In the cellar, the same approach guides every decision. Whole-cluster pressing and ambient yeast fermentation set the tone from the outset, while time in French oak builds texture without softening the wine’s edges. A final period in stainless steel sharpens line and preserves lift, carrying the Chardonnay to a finish marked by poise, persistence, and confidence.

Beaux Frères
Chardonnay 2023
Willamette Valley

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“So layered, textural, minerally and savory in character. This offers brilliant acidity, lemon zest and chalky minerals with light almond and toast nuances. A slight flinty, reductive aroma adds an enticing edge, then the palate delivers lemon curd, marzipan and hazelnuts that expand on the finish. Drink now or hold.”

97 Points

2022 Antinori Tignanello Tuscany Italy

2022 Antinori Tignanello Tuscany Italy

with No Comment $100 and overChiantiItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

Antinori

Tignanello 2022
Tuscany, Italy

2022 Antinori Tignanello Tuscany Italy

Few wines have altered the course of Italian winemaking as profoundly as Tignanello. Born on a sunlit hillside in the heart of Chianti Classico, this legendary bottling challenged tradition at a time when convention ruled. The 2022 Tignanello offers a modern expression of that breakthrough, shaped by decades of vision and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

That transformation took shape through deliberate and radical choices. Tignanello was among the first Tuscan wines to age Sangiovese in small oak barrels and to incorporate Bordeaux varieties, decisions that challenged prevailing doctrine and unlocked new layers of depth and precision. Together, these choices established a style that balanced tradition with innovation and set a new global benchmark.

The 2022 vintage brings that pioneering spirit into sharp focus. An extended growing season allowed the fruit to reach full maturity, resulting in a wine defined by balance rather than force. Sangiovese leads with energy and structure, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc add dimension and contour. Aged for sixteen months in French and Hungarian oak, the wine emerges layered and composed, its power carried with ease by polished perfection.

Antinori
Tignanello 2022
Tuscany, Italy

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“Rich and fruit-forward, the Marchesi Antinori 2022 Tignanello very much respects the vintage that tends to deliver more concentration and volume overall. It delivers extra fruit weight with a velvety, satiny feel over a generous mouthfeel. Tignanello offers blackcurrant and cherry, but there is a mineral note that keeps things focused. This is a beautiful expression of the vintage, with excellent work done to execute soft tannins, texture and length.”

97 Points

2018 Vina Pomal Organic Reserva Rioja Spain

2018 Vina Pomal Organic Reserva Rioja Spain

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtRiojaSpainTempranillo

Viña Pomal

Organic Reserva
Rioja, Spain 2018

2018 Vina Pomal Organic Reserva Rioja Spain

Rooted in Haro, one of Rioja’s most historically charged enclaves, Bodegas Bilbaínas’s Viña Pomal speaks with the authority of place. Founded in 1901, the estate is Rioja’s longest-standing bottling winery, its extensive estate vineyards forming the backbone of a house style guided by continuity rather than reinvention. This classic Rioja Alta subtly resets expectations for what a traditionally framed Reserva can deliver at this level.

The 2018 vintage is built entirely on Tempranillo, a focused expression that allows variety and zone to emerge without dilution. Sourced from certified organic vineyards, the wine favors equilibrium, emphasizing freshness, structure, and natural balance. In a Reserva category often shaped by blending, this purity feels deliberate, sharpening the wine’s connection to place.

In the cellar, tradition completes the picture. A long maceration builds depth and structure before the wine is raised for eighteen months in American oak, a hallmark of classical Rioja élevage. The result is a Reserva defined by polish and drinkability, where savory nuance, measured oak, and fresh fruit move in alignment.

Viña Pomal
Organic Reserva
Rioja, Spain 2018

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“All Tempranillo, the 2018 Vina Pomal Reserva is a medium-bodied red aged 18 months in American oak and 18 months more in bottle. Smooth, supple tannins provide a rounded richness of red fruit and a hint of citrus, with light spice, anise, and woody undertones. It has the classic element of balsamic that floats between aromas of violet and vanilla. Drink now through 2030.”

92 Points

2021 Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley

2021 Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Columbia ValleyKevin VogtMerlotUSAWashington State

Pedestal

Merlot 2021
Columbia Valley

2021 Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley

Washington State has proven, time and again, that Merlot thrives here, but Pedestal captures the variety at a particularly high register. The 2021 release reflects an approach centered on site expression, precision farming, and patient élevage, yielding a wine that delivers depth and polish. It is a Merlot built to command attention rather than chase it.

Pedestal is a product of the Long Shadows philosophy: pairing world-class vineyard sources with a singular, disciplined vision. In 2021, that vision comes into focus through a carefully assembled blend of Columbia Valley Merlot drawn from vineyards prized for consistency and character. The result is a wine that feels deliberately shaped to emphasize clarity, depth, and longevity.

Guiding the final expression is Michel Rolland, whose influence appears not through excess, but through control. Trained in Bordeaux and refined through decades of working with Merlot at the highest level, Rolland brings a philosophy rooted in balance, texture, and age-worthiness. The 2021 Pedestal reflects that sensibility at every turn: expressive, composed, and built to evolve with understated confidence.

Pedestal
Merlot 2021
Columbia Valley
Retails at: $75

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“A blend put together by the incredibly talented Michel Rolland, the 2021 Merlot Pedestal is based on 80% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9% Petit Verdot that spent 22 months in 75% new French oak. Its deep plum/purple hue is followed by a brilliant, full-bodied, unctuous beauty that has loads of darker currant and black cherry fruits, some chocolate and leafy herbs notes, velvety tannins, and a layered mouthfeel that just begs to be drunk. It’s easily one of the finest expressions of Merlot in the state, and it would stand up just fine to some of the top Merlot releases from France and Napa. Drink bottles over the coming 10-15 years.”

96 Points