2018 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve Coombsville

2018 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve Coombsville

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSA

MAROON

SPECIAL RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
COOMBSVILLE 2018

2018 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve Coombsville
Paul Maroon recognized the potential for Bordeaux varietals to thrive in Coombsville and purchased 37 acres there over two decades ago. He sold fruit to several of Napa Valley’s top wineries until 2009 when he decided to produce the first vintage of Maroon. Coombsville became an AVA in 2011 and quickly established a reputation for delivering sophisticated wines with elegant structure due to the cooler climate in the southern end of Napa Valley.
 
Chris Corley has been the winemaker since Maroon’s inaugural vintage and has worked with Paul for over 20 years, creating a symbiotic relationship built around their passion for the vineyards, the beautiful wines, and a solid commitment to quality. We recommended this wine last November, and it recently earned an incredible 96 Point Score from Lisa Perrotti-Brown, co-founder of The Wine Independent. Lisa is a Master of Wine and former Editor-in-Chief for Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate. At our price of $65/btl, you can be the judge of how great of a deal this wine is. 
 
MAROON
SPECIAL RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
COOMBSVILLE 2018
Retails at: $174
 
 
 
“Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve gallops in with energetic notes of blackcurrant jelly, chocolate-covered cherries, and boysenberry preserves, plus suggestions of chocolate mint and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a structured style with great tension and firm, grainy tannins to support the bright, muscular fruit, finishing long and vibrant.” Reviewed March, 2023
96 Points
2017 Rocca Vesperra Napa Valley Red

2017 Rocca Vesperra Napa Valley Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSAYountville

ROCCA

VESPERRA 2017
NAPA VALLEY RED

2017 Rocca Vesperra Napa Valley Red
Rocca Family Vineyards’ team makes wines from two certified organic estate vineyards awarded Napa Green and Fish Friendly Farming. The Grigsby Vineyard in Yountville is the source of the lush fruit for the Vespera Red Blend, a hand selection of barrels highlighting the philosophy of sharing a bottle of wine with family and friends.
 
Vespera is the Latin word for “evening,” which perfectly represents a setting where loved ones share conviviality and joy without being pretentious. The 2017 vintage is 43% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Syrah, and Merlot, aged in French oak for 22 months. The wine is a diamond in the rough and an incredible value for a high-quality, hand-made Napa Valley Blend.
 
ROCCA
VESPERRA 2017
NAPA VALLEY RED
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“Charming nose of dark fruit, violets and chalk. Some chocolate, too. It’s medium-bodied and savory with an inky note and firm tannins. Energetic finish with fresh acidity. Drink or hold.”
91 Points
2018 Erickson & Caradin Cabernet Sauvignon St Helena

2018 Erickson & Caradin Cabernet Sauvignon Craftsmen & Wolves St Helena

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaSt HelenaSt. HelenaUSA

ERICKSON & CARADIN 

CRAFTSMEN & WOLVES
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ST HELENA 2018

2018 Erickson & Caradin Cabernet Sauvignon St Helena
Erikson & Caradin proprietors are keenly aware that soil, elevation, and climate play crucial roles in fine wine production; however, expertise and ambition can take wine to the next level. Erikson & Caradin began in 2013, selling their small production to friends and restaurants, and continue to remain craft-focused, with only around fifty barrels produced across eight different designations.
 
Their specialty is producing terroir-driven wines, which aligns with winemaker Kevin Morrisey’s skillset after interning at Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux before Stags’ Leap Winery, Etude, and Ehlers Estate. Their 2018 Craftsman & Wolves Cabernet emerged from two rows of VSP (Vertical Shoot Position) trained clone 337 Cabernet Sauvignon vines. The Vineyard sits above alluvial soils created by ancient river beds providing rich, powerful fruit with profoundly complex minerality.
 
ERICKSON & CARADIN 
CRAFTSMEN & WOLVES
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ST HELENA 2018
Retails at: $140
 
 
 
“Aromas of blueberries, dark cherries, cassis, lavender and oak spices. Full body with plush, velvety tannins. Rich and creamy with an intense, bold core of ripe black fruit on the mid-palate and a dense finish. Big, yet polished and balanced. Drink after 2023.” (Reviewed 1/3/22)
93 Points
2019 Meyer Family Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fluffy Billows Oakville

2019 Meyer Family Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fluffy Billows Oakville

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

MEYER FAMILY CELLARS

FLUFFY BILLOWS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
OAKVILLE 2019

2019 Meyer Family Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fluffy Billows Oakville
Matt and Karen Meyer combine their impressive educational knowledge and practical hands-on experience to expertly craft each Meyer Family Cellars wine. Matt spent many hours shadowing his father, Justin Meyer, in the vineyards and cellar at Silver Oak, interning in Oregon, Australia, and New Zealand, eventually gaining a Master’s in Viticulture from UC Davis. Karen completed her Enology degree from Charles Sturt University in Australia and worked harvests worldwide, finally landing her in Willamette Valley, where she and Matt met.
 
The Oakville AVA is home to some of Napa Valley’s most exclusive and premium vineyards, and the Meyer family has farmed and produced Cabernet from Oakville since the mid-1970s. The 2019 growing season saw extended hang times aiding depth and layers of flavors harnessed by Matt and Karen’s meticulous winemaking methods. The Fluffy Billows Cabernet Sauvignon brings impressive power, depth, and richness uncommon in this price range.
 
MEYER FAMILY CELLARS
FLUFFY BILLOWS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
OAKVILLE 2019
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The Meyer Family Cellars Fluffy Billows Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 begins with a nose of bright cherry, green herbs, wet clay, and vanilla spice. The palate continues with a complex liquid-mineral quality, beautifully balancing focused red and black fruits and mouth-quenching acidity that carries the concentrated flavors to a long, satisfying, lingering finish. This wine is a real standout Cabernet Sauvignon at this price point.” 
94 Points
2018 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel Mayacamas Range

2018 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel Mayacamas Range

with No Comment $30-$40CalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSAZinfandel

STORYBOOK

MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL
MAYACAMAS RANGE 2018

2018 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel Mayacamas Range
In the Western hills above Calistoga, Storybook Mountain Vineyards produces one of the most profound expressions of California Zinfandel. This captivating style of Zinfandel combines power and elegance with freshness and remarkable complexity. Andre Tchelistcheff advised Dr. Jerry Seps to plant Zinfandel on his property in the 1970s. Nearly fifty years later, Storybook Mountain’s Zinfandels have made the Wine & Spirits magazine’s top 100 list around twenty times. 
 
The vineyard’s surprisingly cool micro-climate, elevation, and red clay-loam soils create a terroir where the Zinfandel grape can develop optimum flavors at lower sugars. Jerry aged this Zinfandel in a combination of French and American oak barrels inside the 130 years old caves, dug into the volcanic rock. The resulting wine is exceptional and comes at my highest recommendation.
 
STORYBOOK
MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL
MAYACAMAS RANGE 2018
Retails at: $45
 
 
 
“Jerry Seps’s widest selection from his hillside estate northwest of Calistoga, Mayacamas Range is meant to be enjoyed in its youth. The wine has grace and energy, delivering dark-cherry roundness directly into the tannins and their bone-broth savor. Those tannins combine blueberry-skin freshness and a hint of bitter almond in a lasting, supple impression. Heady and beautiful.”
94 Points
2020 Gro Chardonnay Haspel Vineyard Mt. Veeder

2020 Gro Chardonnay Haspel Vineyard Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

GRO

CHARDONNAY 2020
HASPEL VINEYARD, MT VEEDER

2020 Gro Chardonnay Haspel Vineyard Mt. Veeder
GRO Wines proprietor Lars Bjorkman attended UC Davis to pursue a medical degree but later discovered his heart was in viticulture and enology. After receiving his degree from the world-renowned winemaking program, Lars worked in Sonoma County, Australia, and Napa Valley. Today, he works alongside owner and winemaking master Nils Venge at Saddleback Cellars in Oakville. 
 
Lars, his wife, and co-proprietor Molly Hill, also a graduate of UC Davis in the viticulture and enology program, search for charismatic vineyard sites to craft small-lot, single-vineyard wines. Mt. Veeder is the lowest yielding AVA in Napa Valley due to its rugged, volcanic soils and proximity to the San Pablo Bay, providing the Haspel Vineyard an exceptional combination of elements to produce this elegant, cool-climate-influenced style of Chardonnay.
 
GRO
CHARDONNAY 2020
HASPEL VINEYARD, MT VEEDER
Retails at: $42
 
 
 
“Pineapple, lemon, pear and yuzu notes are crisp and clean on a sleek frame, with notes of minerality, clipped lemon verbena and fresh grated ginger, with a long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2027. 217 cases made.”
92 Points
2019 Buoncristiani Proprietary Red O.P.C. Napa Valley

2019 Buoncristiani Proprietary Red O.P.C. Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

BUONCRISTIANI

O.P.C. PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Buoncristiani Proprietary Red O.P.C. Napa Valley
Recreated with a fresh approach in each vintage, the Buoncristiani Brothers’ O.P.C. embodies a unique harmony discovered by blending Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah. The wines’ signature reveals itself after rounding out the complexity and texture with Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. After 20 months in French oak and now nearly another two years in the bottle, this wine is drinking beautifully.  
 
Grapes for the O.P.C. are sourced from some of Napa’s most prized vineyards, including Hyde, Stagecoach, Hossfeld, and Bennett, creating a wine that further enhances the enjoyment of life. The brothers run all aspects of their business, from growing and production to sales and marketing, ensuring the highest quality standard. If you’re looking for a wine that will make you smile each time you taste it, this is it.
 
BUONCRISTIANI
O.P.C. PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $75
 
 
 
“…Deep garnet-purple in color, it skips out of the glass with youthful notes of crushed black and red currants, fresh blackberries, and spearmint, followed by suggestions of tilled soil, star anise, and cardamom. The full-bodied palate has impressive poise, featuring expressive black and red fruit layers and a fine-grained texture, finishing long and vibrant.”
94 Points
2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

HEITZ CELLAR

NAPA VALLEY LOT C-91
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017

2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley
Joe Heitz introduced Napa Valley’s first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon from Martha’s Vineyard in the late 1950s, founded Heitz Cellar in 1961, and eight years later, he discovered he could create a wine with the qualities he desired most through site selection and assemblage. Since the inaugural vintage in 1969, Heitz Cellar has sourced fruit for Lot C-91 from premium parcels in St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, and Howell Mountain to create a complex, age-worthy wine with focus, depth, and length.
 
This historical cuvée has been released as an homage to Joe Heitz since his passing in 2000 and continues to incorporate his ideation of a complete, wholesome Napa Valley Cabernet. The 2017 Lot C-91 exudes elegance and power from superior site selection and expert blending, purposefully designed to guide the wine into a style that’s both stunning upon release and will stand the test of time.  
 
HEITZ CELLAR
NAPA VALLEY LOT C-91
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017
 
 
 
“Wow. Such a racy and exciting nose! This is quite agile and nimble, full of red and blue berries in the forefront, then complemented by spiced orange, earl grey, red plums, potpourri, savory plums and chocolate. Tense and elegant on the palate, which is all about succulent red berries, nuance and texture. Nothing redundant here. A great Napa cabernet sauvignon that has real definition. A beauty by all accounts!”
96 Points
2018 Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei Toscana IGT

2018 Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei Toscana IGT

with No Comment $40-$50ItalyKevin VogtNapaProprietary Red

CAVALLI

TENUTA DEGLI DEI
TOSCANA IGT 2018

2018 Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei Toscana IGT
The Cavalli family has been crafting fine wines in Tuscany since the 1970s. Their Tenuta Degli Dei estate is located near Panzano in Chianti, a region known for its rich marl soils and sunny southern exposure. Tommaso Cavalli, the current winemaker, is committed to sustainable farming practices and works with his father, Roberto, to produce wines that are both delicious and environmentally friendly.
 
The 2018 Cavalli is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. It is a full-bodied wine with a dense, robust structure and an underlying elegance. Antonio Galloni describes it as “wonderfully inviting…with exceptional balance and tons of character.” The wine will age gracefully, but it is also enjoyable to drink now. 
 
CAVALLI
TENUTA DEGLI DEI
TOSCANA IGT 2018
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“The 2018 Tenuta Degli Dei is dense, juicy and wonderfully inviting. Silky tannins wrap around a core of inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice, lavender and new leather. In the glass, the 2018 is intensely aromatic and layered, with exceptional balance and tons of character. Here, too, the wine’s overall sense of harmony can only be described as exquisite.”
96 Points
2022 AXR Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

2022 AXR Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaSauvignon BlancUSA

AXR

SAUVIGNON BLANC
NAPA VALLEY 2022 

2022 AXR Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
AXR’s estate is a historic property founded over 130 years ago that has been a brewery, restaurant, inn, saloon, and winery with the first woman vintner in California in 1886. The property sits at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains with layers of sedimentary soils formed from eons of rainwater runoff, giving a distinct character and range of depth.
 
Winemaker and part-owner Jean Hoefliger was born in Switzerland and gained initial experience making wine in Bordeaux, working for Château Lynch-Bages and Château Carbonnieux, and later in South Africa at Meerlust. AXR’s 2022 Sauvignon Blanc was fermented in three different vessels, 70% in barrel, 18% in stainless steel, and 12% in concrete eggs, before five months of maturation in 20% new French oak, giving a white Bordeaux-style and mouthfeel with expressive Napa Valley fruit. 
 
AXR
SAUVIGNON BLANC
NAPA VALLEY 2022 
 
 
 
“A bright and vivid white with so much energy and brightness with lime, mango and sliced green pineapple. Tangy, crunchy, and crisp. Drink now.”
91 Points