2023 Hawk and Horse Cabernet Franc Red Hills Lake County

2023 Hawk and Horse Cabernet Franc Red Hills Lake County

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet FrancKevin VogtNapaUSA

Hawk & Horse

Cabernet Franc 2023
Red Hills Estate

2023 Hawk and Horse Cabernet Franc Red Hills Lake County

Dick Peterson helped shape Napa Valley history, which is part of what makes Hawk & Horse so compelling. Instead of chasing modern trends, the estate remains committed to something increasingly rare: site-driven wines built around farming, measured winemaking, and longevity. Sourced entirely from organically and biodynamically farmed volcanic vineyards in the Red Hills AVA, the 2023 Hawk & Horse Cabernet Franc delivers remarkable depth while preserving the freshness, precision, and aromatic lift that make great Cabernet Franc so captivating.

What stands out most is how unapologetically authentic the wine feels. Nothing here seems engineered toward trends or critic formulas. The structure feels natural. The freshness feels earned. Volcanic minerality, crushed herbs, dark fruit, and floral notes are allowed to speak clearly rather than being polished into sameness. In a market crowded with interchangeable luxury reds, this wine still feels deeply connected to a vineyard, a farming philosophy, and the people behind it.

Very few wines at this price point put together a resume like this. Estate grown. Biodynamically farmed. Volcanic soils. Dick Peterson and Scott Harvey are behind the winemaking. A 96-point score from Tasting Panel. Yet none of those details would matter if the wine itself did not deliver emotionally, and this absolutely does. The 2023 Hawk & Horse Cabernet Franc carries the kind of energy and personality that makes you stop after the first sip and immediately go back for another.

Hawk & Horse
Cabernet Franc 2023
Red Hills Estate
Retails: $65

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“Cab Franc grown on rocky soils at an elevation of 2,200 feet has quite the impact. Focused, with melting dark chocolate cherries, roasted coffee, blackberries, layered with candied violets. The palate is long, with exquisitely balanced tannins and a fine mineral tonality on the clean finish.”

96 Points

2021 Tom Eddy Cabernet Sauvignon Kerry's Vineyard Napa Valley

2021 Tom Eddy Cabernet Sauvignon Kerry’s Vineyard Napa Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

Tom Eddy

‘Kerry’s Vineyard’ Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

2021 Tom Eddy Cabernet Sauvignon Kerry's Vineyard Napa Valley

Tom Eddy has never chased the modern Napa style. While many producers turned toward heavier ripeness and immediate appeal, he stayed committed to powerful mountain Cabernet Sauvignon meant to evolve for decades. The 2021 Kerry’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon carries that same identity from the very first sip. It is structured, intense, and built to last.

The 2021 vintage aligns perfectly with everything Tom Eddy has built his reputation on: firm structure, longevity, and mountain-driven intensity. Kerry’s Vineyard brings impressive concentration while holding onto freshness and control. There is real power here, yet it never feels excessive or overworked.

Wines like this have become increasingly rare in Napa Valley. There is no attempt to soften the edges or rush approachability. Instead, the 2021 Kerry’s Vineyard simply embraces the structure and drive that have defined Tom Eddy Cabernets for decades, rewarding patience rather than chasing immediacy.

Tom Eddy
‘Kerry’s Vineyard’ Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Retails: $210

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“Coming from Kerry’s Vineyard in Calistoga, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Kerry’s Vineyard reveals a classic bouquet of red and black fruits, chocolate, spice, and floral nuances, with subtle oak shadings in the background. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a round, supple texture, with fine balance and integration. The finish brings chalky, crushed stone-like minerality that adds complexity. Aged three years in 70% new French oak, this beautifully crafted effort will drink nicely over the coming 8-10 years.”

93 Points

NV Sherwin Cellar Scraps #19 Napa Valley Red

NV Sherwin Cellar Scraps #19 Napa Valley Red

with No Comment $70-$80Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSpring MountainUSA

Sherwin

‘Cellar Scraps’ #19
Napa Valley Red

NV Sherwin Cellar Scraps #19 Napa Valley Red

Cellar Scraps #19 is one of those wines that catches your eye even before you open it. The packaging pulls you in, but what’s inside holds your attention. From one of Spring Mountain’s most respected producers, this is Sherwin giving the reins a gentle loosen. It is a multi-vintage blend drawn from serious Napa sites, offering a level of creativity and playfulness you rarely encounter at this quality.

The concept is straightforward, yet the execution is anything but simple. Sherwin selects fruit from top vineyard sources across Napa and builds the blend barrel by barrel. Cabernet Sauvignon forms the backbone, while the supporting varieties are woven in with real precision, adding texture and dimension. The multi-vintage approach gives the team the freedom to fine-tune every detail, and it shows in the final wine.

It opens with immediate charm, but there is real depth beneath the surface. Dark fruit and spice lead the way, followed by a smooth, layered texture that unfolds across the palate. Structure keeps everything neatly in place, maintaining focus and composure through a finish that lingers longer than you expect. Polished, expressive, and genuinely complex, this is the kind of Napa blend that confidently overdelivers.

Sherwin
‘Cellar Scraps’ #19
Napa Valley Red
Retails: $85

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“The Cellar Scraps #19 Napa Valley Red Wine has an exciting array of complexity on the nose with juicy red and black cherries, boysenberries, hints of cedar and black tea leaves, balsamic glaze, and savory spices. On the palate, the wine has a smooth texture with a bit of a bite from tannic structure. The flavors match the aromas on the palate with a mélange of red and black fruits, spices, and a finish of hot cocoa. This wine is very well balanced and very easy to drink, with potential for aging as well.”

94 Points

2018 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

2018 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaOakvilleRutherfordUSA

Heitz Cellar

Cabernet Sauvignon
Lot C-91 2018
Napa Valley

2018 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

A visionary pioneer, Joe Heitz etched his name into Napa Valley history by introducing the region’s first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon from Martha’s Vineyard in the late 1950s. He subsequently founded Heitz Cellar in 1961.

Lot C-91 traces its origins to the autumn of 1969. Joe had a profound realization: by carefully selecting grapes from his finest parcels, he could craft a wine that transcended the sum of its components. The resulting wine embodies the culmination of five decades of relentless dedication, experimentation, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. 

A passionate homage to Joe Heitz, who passed in 2000, this cuvée is meticulously crafted in each vintage. The 2018 vintage, predominantly sourced from estate vineyards in St. Helena, incorporates fruit from the revered appellations of Oakville, Rutherford, and Howell Mountain. The result is a flawlessly balanced Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, a timeless testament to Joe Heitz and his enduring legacy.

Heitz Cellar
Cabernet Sauvignon
Lot C-91 2018
Napa Valley
Retails at: $120

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“In 1969, Joe Heitz made a cuvée that was more outstanding than his Napa Cabernet, but not a single-vineyard bottling. In 2018, after the winery was bought by Gaylon Lawrence Jr., the team at Heitz discovered four bottles and decided they should set out to recreate Joe’s experiment. It is the boldest of the bunch: a delicious hedonistic pleasure filled red with excellent balance and teeming with pure dark fruit notes, rich earthen spices, dried purple florals, cedarwood, tobacco, and dark chocolate — a firm acid backbone frames fine-grained tannins. There is plenty of richness, balanced by tension and energy. Lawrence Wine Estates Master Sommelier and CEO Carlton McCoy calls it the ‘uber Napa cuvee’ and the best multi-site expression of Heitz for the vintage.”

95 Points

2022 Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

Lewis

Cabernet Sauvignon
Reserve 2022
Napa Valley

Built with conviction, Lewis Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 captures the essence of Napa through power shaped by discipline. Sourced from the most compelling vineyard parcels and guided by a relentless pursuit of polish, it reveals a wine where intensity is not accidental, but carefully constructed.

Time in barrel refines and amplifies its character, with 19 months in French oak shaping both texture and aromatic complexity. Behind it lies a winemaking philosophy that prioritizes impact without sacrificing structure, where richness is never accidental but the result of deliberate choices at every stage. This is where Lewis separates itself, crafting wines that are as intentional as they are expressive.

The result is a wine that transcends vintage, defined instead by its completeness. It reflects a winery that has spent decades refining a singular voice, one rooted in richness yet sharpened by experience. In the 2022 Reserve, that voice is unmistakable: confident, composed, and built to endure.

Lewis
Cabernet Sauvignon
Reserve 2022
Napa Valley

Your Price: $119.99

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“Aged for 19 months in 75% French oak barrels, the 2022 Reserve bottling elevates its profile with similar blue fruit and blackberry preserve character, enhanced by more pronounced toasty oak spices. This wine dials up the tannin tension to the maximum, delivering a robust and powerful expression. Muscular and brooding, it boasts intensely saline-laced tannins with a dark chocolate quality. The dark fruit character is more pronounced, with hints of kirsch adding complexity. Everything in this Reserve bottling feels amplified, offering loads of pleasure in 2022. Best paired with hearty braised meats to complement its intensity and structure.”

94 Points

2022 Saddleback Zinfandel Calistoga Napa Valley

2022 Saddleback Zinfandel Calistoga Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50CalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSAZinfandel

Saddleback

Zinfandel 2022
Calistoga, Napa Valley

2022 Saddleback Zinfandel Calistoga Napa Valley

Calistoga Zinfandel takes on a deeper, more resonant voice in the 2022 Saddleback Cellars offering, where old vines translate warmth and intensity into depth and composure. The fruit arrives with presence, carried by a steady sense of control that shapes power into structure, revealing a wine defined by precision, balance, and composed authority.

The foundation lies in carefully selected old-vine sites in Calistoga, where smaller yields concentrate flavor while preserving energy. These mature vines bring layered depth, capturing both the warmth of the valley floor and the lift that defines the region at its best. This interplay gives the wine its sense of movement, where richness and freshness exist in seamless alignment.

What emerges is a Zinfandel of striking precision, its structure holding firm from the first impression through a long, composed finish. That control reflects the influence of Nils Venge, who has spent decades shaping wines that balance power with poise. That legacy comes through in every detail in this release, directing intensity into a form that feels both enduring and complete.

Saddleback
Zinfandel 2022
Calistoga, Napa Valley
Retails at: $56

Your Price: $40

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“Plump and brooding, with deep and ripe blackberry, cassis, licorice and toasty spice flavors that finish with briary tannins. Drink now through 2032. 782 cases made.”

92 Points

2024 Far Niente Chardonnay Napa Valley

2024 Far Niente Chardonnay Napa Valley

with No Comment $50-$60ChardonnayCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSA

Far Niente

Chardonnay 2024
Napa Valley

2024 Far Niente Chardonnay Napa Valley

Defined by control and guided by grace, Far Niente’s 2024 Chardonnay achieves richness and precision in equal measure. It feels sculpted, its cool-climate origins articulated through vibrant acidity and a firm mineral spine. By forgoing malolactic fermentation, the wine preserves a crystalline edge, allowing the estate’s proprietary “Charlemagne” selection to reveal layered texture with focus.

Rooted in Coombsville’s gravelly loam and volcanic ash soils, it carries a mineral tension that grounds its generosity. These well-draining sites promote slow ripening, building depth while safeguarding natural acidity. The wine broadens across the palate, then narrows with purpose, finishing long and composed, its architecture as deliberate as its texture.

Balance is the defining signature. Acidity remains vivid, fruit precise, oak integrated rather than pronounced. Nothing dominates; everything aligns. The 2024 does not chase opulence. It relies on proportion, site, and discipline to create a Chardonnay that is confident, structured, and enduringly compelling.

Far Niente
Chardonnay 2024
Napa Valley
Retails at: $76

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“The Far Niente 2024 Napa Valley Chardonnay captivates with an elegance and freshness complemented by a subtle richness, beginning with aromas of citrus blossoms, honeydew melon, ripe nectarine, and sweet cream. On the palate, the wine offers flavors of vibrant lemon and lime zest, hints of vanilla, and delicate baking spices. The wine has a silky texture, balanced acidity and flavors, and a long, polished finish.”

94 Points

2023 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

2023 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSAZinfandel

Robert Biale

Black Chicken Zinfandel
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel Napa Valley

Some wines are born of soil, while others are born of story. Black Chicken is both. Conceived on the Biale family farm in the 1940s as a code whispered over a crackling party-line phone, this Zinfandel has grown into one of Napa Valley’s most revered gems. The 2023 vintage carries that history forward with fresh intensity, a wine that unites heritage with the precision of modern craftsmanship.

Black Chicken is shaped by the Oak Knoll District, where the Biale family has tended their home ranch since the 1930s. This cooler pocket of Napa lends the wine its hallmark freshness and balance, characterized by bright acidity, supple tannins, and fruit that sings with clarity, giving Black Chicken its unmistakable voice.

From vineyard to cellar, every detail of the 2023 vintage was shaped with purpose, yielding a Zinfandel of extraordinary character. Vibrant fruit, supple tannins, and an enduring finish make this release one of the most complete Black Chickens to date. This is a Zinfandel that transcends trend or time, standing proudly as one of Napa Valley’s enduring treasures.

Robert Biale
Black Chicken Zinfandel
Napa Valley 2023

Your Price: $55

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“A big but cool and well-balanced wine that is full-bodied but fresh. Made from vines averaging 40 years old and from mostly cool parts of Napa Valley, including the Biale family’s vineyard planted in 1937. Moderate tannins lift the vivid raspberry, blackberry, black pepper and umami flavors. Drink or hold.”

94 Points

2022 Random Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2022 Random Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Random Ridge

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2022

2022 Random Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

At 2,000 feet above sea level, where Napa and Sonoma meet along a jagged ridgeline, Random Ridge occupies a realm defined by exposure. Winds sweep across the Mayacamas. Soils thin to fractured rock. Vines dig deep or fail. This is not comfortable farming. It is mountain viticulture at its rawest. The wines carry the imprint of that altitude, concentrated and structured, shaped by a place that refuses excess.

That intensity was no accident. In 1980, Bill Hawley began pioneering this remote site, clearing and planting ten acres the following year on slopes many would have left untouched. Now decades into maturity, the vines root through shallow, well-drained soils that naturally limit vigor and yields. From those conditions comes natural concentration forged in the ground itself.

Above the fog line, ripening unfolds with deliberation, and that composure defines the 2022 vintage. Nearly 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sharpened with a touch of Cabernet Franc, it delivers compact, dark-fruit flavors layered with a savory, mineral edge inseparable from its rocky origins. The finish lingers, steady and assured, echoing the wind-swept ridgeline from which it came.

Random Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2022
Retails at: $60

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“The Random Ridge 2022 Mt Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is supple and expressive, opening with layered dark fruit aromas of black cherry, ripe plum, and blackberry, savory notes of bay leaf, wild mushroom, warm spices, an earthy core of forest floor, and graphite. On the palate, concentrated yet finely balanced fruit is framed by polished structure, with nuances of dark chocolate and freshly grated nutmeg adding depth and complexity, with a distinct mountain-grown fruit tension.”

94 Points

Merlot wine bottle from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, 2014 vintage.

2014 La Jota Merlot Howell Mountain

with No Comment $80-$90Howell MountainKevin VogtMerlotNapaUSA

La Jota

Merlot 2014
Howell Mountain

Merlot wine bottle from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, 2014 vintage.

The 2014 La Jota Howell Mountain Merlot arrives with an authority that immediately distinguishes it. Born at high elevation, it forgoes plushness in favor of precision and generosity in favor of structure, delivering a wine that is both powerful and exacting. This is Merlot with genuine mountain backbone, shaped by volcanic soils, cool nights, and a long growing season that prizes depth, tension, and longevity.

La Jota’s roots run deep on this mountain. Founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, the estate has endured cycles of abandonment and renewal, yet its commitment to Howell Mountain has never wavered. Today, under the direction of Chris Carpenter, that legacy is honed with precision. His approach is measured and site-driven, allowing the character of these historic vineyards to emerge fully.

At twelve years of age, the 2014 demonstrates precisely why Howell Mountain wines command such respect for their longevity. The structure remains firm, but the edges have softened, revealing a more expressive, layered profile. A natural freshness keeps the wine vibrant and lifted. It is a compelling reminder that wines from this elevation are built not merely to endure, but to evolve.

La Jota
Merlot 2014
Howell Mountain
Retails at: $100

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“Blended with 10% Petit Verdot, this age-worthy beauty is impressively oaked and tannic in its youth, with a concentration of densely packed red and black currants. Coconut shavings and vanilla appear from the background alongside black pepper and cinnamon. This should drink best from 2024–2034.”

94 Points, Cellar Selection