2020 Edict Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2020 Edict Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

EDICT

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE 2020

2020 Edict Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
Edict’s winemaking mantra of “truth, generosity, and love” guides each decision from the vineyard to the winery, ensuring premium quality in their finished wines. With 30 years of experience and partnerships with some of the best growers from Carneros to Calistoga, Edict’s Vineyard Manager carefully selects the healthiest fruit with the most significant varietal expression.
 
Edict’s winemaking team focuses on bringing out those unique varietal expressions, highlighting the fruit and harnessing ripe, almost chewy tannins, a smooth texture, and deep, bold aromatics. The 2020 Oakville Collinetta Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied with rich layers of flavor, power, and energy, and with all Edict wines can age but is ready to be enjoyed now.
 
EDICT
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE 2020
Retails at: $120
 
 
 
“The Edict. Collinetta Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 begins with a generous nose including black currants, blackberry jam, baker’s chocolate, and crushed stones. The supple palate has a pretty combination of mouth watering bright red fruits, combined with deep, ripe black fruits – a textbook signature of Oakville Cabs. It has a long, linear styled finish leaving your palate begging for another sip.”
94 Points
2018 Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

PURLIEU

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Purlieu Wine Company, whom you may know from their second label Le Pich, specializes in single-vineyard wines from some of Napa Valley’s most prized locations, including Beckstoffer To-Kalon, Georges III, Missouri Hopper, and Sugarloaf. Their Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a cuvée of several majestic sites and a tribute to the valley with its multiple soil types and microclimates contributing to its remarkable complexity.
 
Originally from France, Julien Fayard’s two decades of winemaking expertise are well respected. He began honing his skills at Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux, then gained more valuable experience as Director of Winemaking for Philippe Melka at elite producers such as Lail, Gemstone, Hundred Acre, Vineyard 29, and Mastery. The 2018 release is living up to its expectations from a fabulous vintage known for elegance, intricate flavors, and sophistication with substantial longevity.
 
PURLIEU
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $115
 
 
 
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is fabulous. Silky tannins and plush fruit wrap around the palate in a super-expressive Cabernet Sauvignon that has so much to give. Bright acids perk up the blackberry jam, mocha, licorice, spice and gravel flavors. The 2018 is fresh, vibrant and loaded with personality. I loved it.”
94 Points
2019 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Ranch Carneros

2019 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Ranch Carneros

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtNapaUSA

LAIRD

CHARDONNAY
COLD CREEK RANCH
CARNEROS 2019

2019 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Ranch Carneros
With over 50 years of vineyard expertise farming some of Napa Valley’s prized locations, Ken Laird uses his intimate knowledge of each vineyard as the foundation of Laird wines. Ken is the third generation of his family in farming, but he swapped tobacco farming for grape growing after he and his wife purchased land in Napa Valley in 1970.
 
The family’s Cold Creek Ranch is on the Sonoma side of the Los Carneros district and exposed to thick fog and cold marine winds, providing balanced fruit flavors with bright acid and excellent concentration. The 2019 vintage saw 46% malolactic fermentation giving a bit of creaminess to the body without overwhelming the wine, and the result is absolutely delicious. 
 
LAIRD
CHARDONNAY
COLD CREEK RANCH
CARNEROS 2019
 
 
 
“The Laird 2019 ‘Cold Creek’ Chardonnay begins with an inviting nose of honeysuckle, apricot, peach, toast, and vanilla. On the palate, the wine has a rich texture balanced by fresh acidity and flavors of nectarine, salted caramel corn, Werther’s Original caramels, and old-fashioned peaches and cream. This wine offers friendly approachability, ready to be enjoyed right now.”
92 Points
2019 Lobo Cabernet Sauvignon Wulff Vineyards Napa Valley

2019 Lobo Cabernet Sauvignon Wulff Vineyards Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

LOBO

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
WULFF VINEYARDS
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Lobo Cabernet Sauvignon Wulff Vineyards Napa Valley
Founded on farming first and foremost, Lobo winery grows and sells fruit to premier Napa Valley producers from their Oak Knoll District vineyard, keeping a small number of rows for themselves. Vineyard Manager Mario Bazan has over 30 years of experience managing vineyards like Opus One, To-Kalon, and Stags Leap. He’s helped Lobo Winery transition from selling grapes to becoming a boutique winery making a small production of superb wines.
 
Winemaker Victoria Coleman has been at Lobo’s helm since 2008. She was hired on the spot because of her impressive background, beginning in production with Michael Silacci at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and working alongside Erick Tourbier at Chateau Mouton Rothschild. The 2019 Wulff Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was fermented in stainless steel before aging 18 months in 70% new French oak giving the perfect balance of power and elegance with integrated tannins and a supple mouthfeel.
 
LOBO
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
WULFF VINEYARDS
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $80
 
 
 
“Aromas of black fruit, plums, chocolate, sweet spices and cigar box. It’s medium-bodied with firm, fine tannins. Round and creamy with fruity character and a supple, sweetly spiced finish. Drink from 2023.”
91 Points
2019 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley

2019 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaSyrahUSA

SEQUUM

KIDD RANCH SYRAH
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley
Sequum is a scientific term describing the sequence of layers in soil and the perfect name for Paul Skinner’s label, combining his Ph.D. background in viticulture and soil science with years of experience in the vineyard and his passion for wine. After decades of consulting super-premium grape growing, Paul launched his brand in 2003, which is now blended and bottled at Pride Mountain Vineyards with the help of Paul’s loyal winemaking and cellar staff.
 
Paul walks his Kidd Ranch Vineyard each morning and evening in the traditional turn of the 19th-century style assessing each vine’s overall health, nutrient levels, water status, crop load, and rate of ripening. Different Syrah clones are matched with rootstocks and soil types and trained in one of the oldest methods still used in the Northern Rhône, producing deep color and pronounced varietal characteristics that are distinctively apparent in the 2019 release.
 
SEQUUM
KIDD RANCH SYRAH
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $54
 
 
 
“A tiny production wine from an estate site, this offers depths of black cherry, dried herb and chalky tannin. Structured and balanced, with an elegant approach, it remains crisp in acidity throughout.”
90 Points
2020 Macauley Old Vine Zinfandel Napa Valley

2020 Macauley Old Vine Zinfandel Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaOld Vine ZinfandelUSA

MACAULEY

OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
NAPA VALLEY 2020

2020 Macauley Old Vine Zinfandel Napa Valley
Ann Macauley Watson founded the Macauley winery in the early 1980s; her son Mac now runs the estate, working closely with his childhood friend Kirk Venge. Mac and Kirk share the same winemaking philosophy, aiming to create wines with depth and a range of complexity directly related to each site’s specific terroir, which means sourcing the best fruit from the best vineyards in Napa.
 
Macauley’s 2020 Old Vine Zinfandel arose from ancient vines averaging 115 years old from historic vineyards throughout Napa Valley, including Korte Ranch, Kenefick Ranch, and Luvisi. The old vines limit yields, resulting in fruit with concentrated and complex flavors, giving the best qualities of the variety and providing the Macauley signature flavor profile. 
 
MACAULEY
OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
NAPA VALLEY 2020
Retails at: $55
 
 
 
“The Macauley 2020 Old Vine Zinfandel is a spice rack of aromas beginning with cinnamon, clove, sweet tobacco, and cedar with sweet fruit notes of black raspberry and strawberry. On the palate, the wine has bold flavors of ripe berries, vanilla, baking spices, and roasted hazelnuts that glide into a smooth, rich finish.”
93 Points
2018 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder

2018 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

ANTHEM 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOUNT VEEDER 2018

2018 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder
Julie and Justin Arbuckle founded Anthem to produce hedonistically rich, powerful wines from intensely concentrated mountain fruit. After interviewing over 100 applicants, they chose Jeff Ames as their winemaker because of his experience working for Thomas Rivers Brown as his assistant winemaker at Outpost and Schrader, as well as winemaker TOR and Rudius. One taste and you will know that Jeff was a brilliant choice, and at under $100, this is a candidate for the best Cab in Napa Valley.
 
Anthem’s estate on Mount Veeder remains relatively cool, even on the warmest summer afternoons, due to its elevation and sea breezes from the nearby San Pablo Bay. In the 2018 vintage, the weather was more temperate than usual and produced grapes with intense flavor, elegant structure, and finely integrated tannins. Jeff made the resulting harvest into this outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon that’s unbelievably delicious now, with a capacity to age in the cellar for more than 20 years.
 
ANTHEM 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOUNT VEEDER 2018
Retails at: $130
 
 
 
“Structured, with grip and length, this wine is ripe and rich in style with tremendous tannins. Chalky in texture, it provides layers of cassis, vanilla and clove, with the mountain appellation’s signature earthiness and herbal underrates. This will do well to cellar; enjoy best from 2028–2038.”
95 Points ‘Cellar Selection’
2019 The Crane Assembly Disciples Red Blend Napa Valley

2019 The Crane Assembly Disciples Red Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

THE CRANE ASSEMBLY

DISCIPLES RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 The Crane Assembly Disciples Red Blend Napa Valley
George Beldon Crane planted the historic eight-acre GB Crane Vineyard South of St. Helena in 1885, making it one of the first vineyards planted in Napa Valley. Fast forward nearly 140 years, and the site still produces remarkable fruit. Crane initially planted the vineyard as a traditional field blend with Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignan, Alicante Bouschet, Mourvèdre, and Valdiguie, which was common during that era. 
 
With a few new plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot added to the mix, the Disciples Red Blend represents a uniquely-American style of red wine. The blend for the 2019 vintage consists of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Charbono, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon, presented in a bold, rich, and memorable style. 
 
THE CRANE ASSEMBLY
DISCIPLES RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2019
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Pouring a vivid cardinal into the glass, the 2019 Disciples is replete with aromas of cranberry compote, Rainier cherry, Staedtler graphite pencil and Mendocino forest floor – the combination of redwoods, sorels, sun and ocean spray. Upon entry, the wine exudes a bright and lively character with notes of ripe raspberry, red fruits and subtle toasted aok. The wine closes at length with soft fine tannins and an inviting hint of vanilla.
2019 Silverado Merlot Mt Geroge Vineyard Coombsville Napa Valley

2019 Silverado Merlot Mt Geroge Vineyard Coombsville Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50CoombsvilleKevin VogtMerlotNapaUSA

SILVERADO 

MERLOT 2019
MT GEROGE VINEYARD
COOMBSVILLE NAPA VALLEY

2019 Silverado Merlot Mt Geroge Vineyard Coombsville Napa Valley
Silverado Vineyards was founded in 1981 by Ron and Diane Miller and her mother, Lillian Disney, who was married to Walt Disney before his death. Silverado lies in the heart of Stags Leap District and today sustainably farms more than 300 acres to produce and bottle single-vineyard Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Chardonnay, and several other varieties. The winery came under new ownership in 2022 by Bill and Carol Foley, who own around thirty successful wine brands, including Merus, Lancaster, Kuleto, and Foley Estate, and aim to keep the founders’ vision of Silverado Vineyards alive.
 
The Mt George Vineyard is the site of one of the first Napa Valley vineyard plantings in 1868, and the current Merlot plantings from 1989 and 1990 thrive on the well-drained, gravelly slopes of the ancient volcano. The characteristics of a cooler climate are apparent in this wine, which offers intense fruit flavors, spice, and deep color typical of the vineyard. The 2019 vintage yielded superior fruit quality with a friendly approachability and the structure necessary for cellaring. Our panel was thrilled by the wine’s impressive quality and agreed with James Suckling that it’s a hard wine to put down.
 
SILVERADO 
MERLOT 2019
MT GEROGE VINEYARD
COOMBSVILLE NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“Aromas of pine, plum and redcurrant. Medium-bodied with fresh, mineral character and silky tannins. Bright and cool on the palate. Balanced and juicy. So approachable and delicious that it’s hard to put down. Drink now.”
93 Points
2018 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

SILVER OAK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Silver Oak began in a dairy barn in 1972 with a patriotic vision between two friends who wanted to vinify California Cabernet Sauvignon aged in American oak that could stand the test of time. The winery’s popularity grew immensely over the next few decades, becoming one of the most consistent, high-quality domestic producers, delivering its distinctive style with vanilla, dill, sweet black fruits, and savory spice.
 
The Napa Valley bottling is a Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend incorporating other Bordeaux varietals that changes slightly with each season’s conditions and is blended before Silver Oak’s signature aging regimen of 24 months in American oak to ensure a more unified maturation. The winery ages the wines an additional 24 months in the bottle before release, and the 2018 vintage produced wines with focused intensity, exquisite balance, and elegant flavors that have just begun to show off the phenomenal vintage and will continue to develop with age.
 
SILVER OAK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018
 
Your Price: $175
 
 
“The 2018 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is ruby in color with notes of strawberry, fresh carnation, black pepper and vanilla. is wine builds in strength and body across the mid-palate with a blackberry character on the finish and bright cherry return.With integrated tannins, it’s expressive yet luxurious with an even, balanced finish. Given proper cellaring conditions, this wine will continue to improve through 2043.”