2019 Domaine Curry Gentlemans Cut Napa Valley

2019 Domaine Curry Gentlemans Cut Napa Valley

with No Comment $70-$80Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

DOMAINE CURRY

GENTLEMAN’S CUT
NAPA VALLEY CUVEE 2019

2019 Domaine Curry Gentlemans Cut Napa Valley
Domaine Curry is the culmination of a deep appreciation for wine, family, friends, and the moments shared with the people we love the most. Ayesha Curry is a New York Times best-selling cookbook author, a familiar face on several cooking shows, including the Food Network, a restaurateur, and one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 for “most influential food and wine businesswoman.”
 
Ayesha partnered with her sister-in-law Sydel Curry and CEO John Schwartz, proprietor at Amuse Bouche, Vin Perdu, and Coup de Foudre, offering the perfect balance of entrepreneurial spirit and expertise. The Gentleman’s Cut Cuvée is a Bordeaux-style blend from choice vineyards curated to celebrate Ayesha and Sydel’s husbands, Stephen Curry and Damion Lee, with 40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Malbec each playing their part in this decadent blend.
 
DOMAINE CURRY
GENTLEMAN’S CUT
NAPA VALLEY CUVEE 2019
Retails at: $80
 
Your Price: $75
 
 
“Domaine Curry 2019 “Gentleman’s Cut” Cuvée begins with violets, red plum, blackberry, crushed volcanic rock, cloves, oregano, and sweet baking spices. The wine has soft tannins giving a lush mouthfeel with flavor intensity and a long finish reminiscent of black cherry and milk chocolate. The 2019 vintage has a warm approachability with a fine structure for aging, so don’t feel guilty about drinking a bottle tonight, but a bit of time in the bottle will reward those with patience.”
94 Points
2017 Juslyn Perrys Blend Spring Mountain

2017 Juslyn Perrys Blend Spring Mountain

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSpring MountainUSA

JUSLYN

PERRY’S BLEND
SPRING MOUNTAIN 2017

2017 Juslyn Perrys Blend Spring Mountain
Juslyn Vineyards’ proprietors, Perry and Carolyn Butler, came to Napa in 1997 from the tech industry, bringing a high level of quality expectations and detail-oriented nature. Winemaker Angelina Mondavi exceeded those expectations beginning her career at age 10 in the lab at her family’s winery, Charles Krug, and now has 28 harvests under her belt. She also has an undergraduate degree from Villanova University with a major in Chemistry and a Master’s degree in Oenology from the University of Adelaide’s Waite Campus.
 
Since her return to Napa in 2007, Angelina’s had the opportunity to work with many acclaimed winemakers, including Stacy Clark at Pine Ridge and Jayson Woodbridge of Hundred Acre. She carefully crafts Perry’s Blend as a Left Bank Bordeaux-style Red that changes each vintage but is based around a core of Cabernet Sauvignon enhanced primarily with Cabernet Franc, proudly conveying the Spring Mountain prestige and classic character.
 
JUSLYN
PERRY’S BLEND
SPRING MOUNTAIN 2017
Retails at: $110
 
 
 
The 2017 Juslyn Vineyards Perry’s Blend is an exceptional example from Spring Mountain opening with an incredible depth of aromas, with wild black currants, black tea, balsamic, cloves, fresh roses, and volcanic rock. The palate mimics the nose with its deeply concentrated flavors adding blackberries, black olives, dark chocolate, and a hint of aniseed. A linear structure of flavors reveals a very concentrated and focused wine with a solid tannic structure and bright acidity that will keep this wine fresh, alive, and age-worthy for at least another 12 to 15 years.” 
94 Points
2019 Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2019 Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

DOUBLE DIAMOND

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE 2019

2019 Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
Fred Schrader founded Double Diamond in 2001 to share Schrader Cellars’ level of commitment to producing some of Napa Valley’s most extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignons with a broader audience of wine lovers. Hiring Thomas Rivers Brown as winemaker, the brand quickly rose to the top, fueled by access to some of Napa Valley’s best grapes, resulting in just under three dozen 100-point scores from some of the world’s most respected critics.
 
This captivating Oakville Cabernet lives up to its pedigree with incredible depth, complexity, and sense of place, showing Brown’s signature style. The 2019 vintage has silky tannins with intense flavors and a sophisticated structure to give the wine approachability in its youth with a solid backbone for aging, allowing for many years of enjoyment.
 
DOUBLE DIAMOND
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE 2019
Retails at: $80
 
Your Price: $75
 
 
“Released by Schrader as a separate brand, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from Double Diamond (which is still 70% To Kalon) offers a forward, medium to full-bodied, incredibly sexy style as well as classy notes of cassis, tobacco, incense, orange blossom, and flowers. Readers looking for a touch of that Schrader magic at a slightly more affordable price are going to love this beauty. It’s already drinking nicely, and I see no need to delay gratification.”
94 Points
2015 Spence Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

2015 Spence Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

with No Comment $80-$90Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

SPENCE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
HOWELL MOUNTAIN 2015

2015 Spence Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
Spence Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon’s producers set out to create a wine that’s theirs alone, reflective of the specific characteristics of their exceptionally unique plot near Howell Mountain’s summit. Their production team is entirely hands-off in the cellar and keenly focused on extracting what transpires in the vineyard, resulting in this utterly intense, beautifully defined, powerfully expressive wine.
 
Uniquely positioned above a canyon, Spence’s Vineyard benefits from consistent breezes, thickening the grape skins, and contributing color and intensity. The site’s thick surface layer of red volcanic soil laced with rock allows rapid drainage, forcing the roots deep into the earth, extracting site-specific nuance. Winemaker Ted Osborne forms these qualities into this powerful, elegant, and unforgettable wine.
 
SPENCE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
HOWELL MOUNTAIN 2015
Retails at: $110
 
 
 
“Coming from the Spence’s vineyard at 1,900’ elevation on top of Howell Mountain, this blockbuster Cabernet reminds me of watching a Cheetah run in slow motion. It’s firm and bursting with power, yet sleek, graceful, and elegant at the same time. It begins with a gorgeous nose of explosive black plums, fragrant violets, dusty cocoa powder, wet slate, dried mushrooms, and vanilla hints. This mind-blowing concoction is perfectly ripe on the palate, with concentrated crushed blackberries, exotic wild currants, stewed plums, baker’s chocolate, and scorched earth. It is wonderfully firm and amazingly complex and long on the palate, with mouth-quenching crushed-velvet tannins that, time after time, left me yearning for another sip. It is a decadent, amazingly sultry stunner now that will continue to drop jaws for well over another decade.” 
97 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
 
2018 Waterstone Merlot Napa Valley

2018 Waterstone Merlot Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosKevin VogtMerlotNapaUSA

WATERSTONE

MERLOT 2018
NAPA VALLEY

2018 Waterstone Merlot Napa Valley

Founded on a singular goal to craft luxury wines at affordable prices by putting enological knowledge at the forefront, Waterstone Winery launched in 2000. The quality of their wines and brand’s success centers on relationships with some of Napa Valley’s best growers and long-term grape growing contracts throughout Napa Valley.
The Truchard Vineyard in Carneros ascends into the Mayacamas mountains with low-yielding vines that give this Merlot ultimate character, complexity, and freshness. The extra-long hang-time in the 2018 vintage created dynamic flavors and aromas, retained bright acidity, and provided a solid structure for this wine to stand the test of time.
WATERSTONE
MERLOT 2018
NAPA VALLEY
Your Price: $29.99
“The Waterstone 2018 Merlot opens with enticing aromas of red plum, black cherry, clove, mocha, cinnamon, and crushed rocks. On the palate, the wine’s intense depth coats the mouth with flavors of blackberry, milk chocolate, and sweet baking spices. The round mouthfeel and sultry texture warm your soul like a cashmere sweater on a cool, breezy night.”
93 Points
2019 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon The Pact Coombsville

2019 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon The Pact Coombsville

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSA

FAUST

THE PACT
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
COOMBSVILLE 2019

2019 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon The Pact Coombsville
In 1998, Agustin and Valeria Huneeus were among the first to plant vineyards in the Coombsville AVA, an area known for diverse, eroded volcanic soils, elevation, and a significantly cooler climate than other parts of Napa Valley, due to its proximity to the San Pablo Bay. Agustin was the CEO of Concha y Toro at 27 years old in 1960, while Valeria was a microbiologist and viticulturist, which in 1989 helped her discover the land for Quintessa, their other well-established Napa Estate.
 
The Pact Cabernet Sauvignon is from the winery’s most expressive vines on an elevated bench in Coombsville. It’s a site where ancient volcanic ash and rocks interspersed within the soils bring out the wine’s signature minerality and linear intensity. The 2019 vintage lives up to its legacy with a luxuriously dense palate, fine tannins, and a solid, vibrant structure that will stand the test of time.
 
FAUST
THE PACT
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
COOMBSVILLE 2019
 
Your Price: $125
 
 
“Red currants and blackcurrants with some violets and crushed earth. Full-bodied with round, creamy tannins. Fine, velvety tannins that are open and grounded. Firm and tight finish. Drinkable now, but better in 2024.”
96 Points
2019 Prisoner Cabernet Sauvingnon Napa Valley

2019 Prisoner Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

PRISONER

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Prisoner Cabernet Sauvingnon Napa Valley
Impressively rich and concentrated, The Prisoner Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 is a wine made in a similar fashion and style as The Prisoner Red Blend but with Cabernet Sauvignon as the main blending component. Director of Winemaking Chrissy Wittman works closely with a team of experienced growers in Napa Valley, and hand selects vineyard blocks that best fit the profile of her spellbinding wines unhindered by tradition.
 
Chrissy blended in small percentages of Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, Petite Sirah, and Charbono for the extra rich mouthfeel well known by Prisoner drinkers worldwide. It aged in French and American oak, giving the wine a signature spice rack of flavors and silky smooth finish. Our panel was impressed by this wine’s stunning concentration, superior richness, and riveting flavor profile, guaranteed to delight fans of rich, inky-style Napa Cabs.
 
PRISONER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $55
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Sleek, with cassis and plum notes laced with subtle alder and tobacco notes. The polished finish has a pretty flicker of savory. Drink now through 2027.”
91 Points
 
“The Prisoner Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 begins with a deep, rich nose of black and blue fruits, toasted coconut, sweet vanilla, and wood spice. The palate is lush and rich, with deep, ripe blackberry and sweet black currants combined with espresso, baker’s chocolate, and tobacco notes.”
90 Points
2019 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2019 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

BLACK POWDER

2019 OAKVILLE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2019 Black Powder Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
Exploding onto the Cabernet scene like a stick of dynamite, we introduced Black Powder last year, in their maiden vintage, a phenomenon that developed an instant cult-like following for its explosive flavors, profound depth, and superior quality. Their secret lies in their vineyard sourcing, with this Cabernet coming from an undisclosed site on Oakville’s volcanic Eastside, where you’d expect and would pay over $150 per bottle for wines from the same vineyard. 
 
Setting his sights on creating wines that blow holes in industry norms, Bobby Moy passed his trial-by-fire in the wine industry mentoring under Thomas Rivers Brown before founding Black Powder. The newly released 2019 vintage is a richly concentrated offering, potent, lush, and of the caliber you’d look for from a great Oakville Vineyard, but priced far less than you’d expect.
 
BLACK POWDER
2019 OAKVILLE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $95
 
 
 
“The 2019 Black Powder Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon has beautiful aromatics and opens with violets, cassis, plums, graphite, and cola. The palate is plush with blueberries, cloves, and chocolate for a long, enjoyable finish. The depth of flavor concentration, firm tannins, and fresh acidity give this wine the perfect structure for aging and further flavor development. Drink now through 2030.”
94 Points
2017 Keever Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2017 Keever Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

KEEVER

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2017

2017 Keever Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Keever Vineyards is a small family estate with six and a half acres of vines planted on rocky hillsides at the foot of the Mayacamas mountain range. The gravelly clay loam soils contain softball-sized chunks of rock left behind from millions of years of erosion, forcing the vines to work harder and produce intensely concentrated flavors.
 
Keever’s winemaker Celia Welch, whom you might recognize from Barbour, Dalla Valle, and Scarecrow, uses her tuned-in senses, harvesting the grapes at full physiological ripeness based on flavor instead of numbers. Each vineyard block is treated separately, with fruit gently transferred by gravity flow into the fermentation tanks, followed by maturation in French oak selected and approved by Celia, allowing the wines to express their personality with seamless integration.
 
KEEVER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2017
Retails at: $135
 
 
 
“Made form 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon gives a deep garnet-purple and has quite a serious, slightly closed nose of warm blackcurrants, black cherry compote, baked plums and espresso with hints of forest floor, truffles and tar. Medium to full bodied, the palate is packed with black fruit preserves and savory layers, with a chewy texture and plenty of freshness on the long, earthy finish…”
93+ Points
 
“Primarily from estate fruit in Yountville, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is all Cabernet aged in 70% new French oak. It just screams Cabernet with its red, black, and blue fruits as well as tobacco, spice, lead pencil, and cedary aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and with fine tannins, it’s another brilliant 2017 from Celia Welch.”
93 Points
 
“The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is soft, supple and inviting, with no hard edges and tons of near- to medium-term appeal. Sweet tobacco, mint, licorice, dried flowers and leather add aromatic nuance to a soft, open-knit Cabernet that will drink well right out of the gate. This is not terribly complex, but it is absolutely delicious; the 2017 is pure class. Sweet floral notes, rose petal and red cherry add lift on the close.”
92 Points
2019 Matias Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2019 Matias Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSAYountville

MATIAS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Matias Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
For years, Matias was a paragon producer of value Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, beloved for their sophistication and balance, far exceeding their price level. Now entering the Cabernet Sauvignon market, Matias sources fruit from Yountville AVA, with a small portion coming from north of Calistoga, combining depth, concentration, and balance, making anyone do a double-take when they try it at this price.
 
The wine was aged in 66% new French oak from Saury and Taransaud, striking an optimal balance between the fruit and oak. This 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon has silky smooth tannins that make it easily drinkable at the moment but also has the depth and intensity of a wine that can easily lay down for a decade or so.
 
MATIAS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Rich boysenberry, opulent black plum, dark chocolate, and crushed granite combine with purple flowers and hints of vanilla spice. The satiny tannins and supple mouthfeel help make this an extraordinary value. It is rare to find a wine of this quality at this price.”
92 Points