2018 Frisson Proprietary Red Toucher Vineyard Yountville

2018 Frisson Proprietary Red Toucher Vineyard Yountville

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSAYountville

FRISSON

PROPRIETARY RED
TOUCHER VINEYARD
2018 YOUNTVILLE

2018 Frisson Proprietary Red Toucher Vineyard Yountville
Yountville marks the convergence of extremes where cool mornings meet warm afternoons producing vibrant wines with fully developed flavors and rich, diverse soils create dark, intense, and extracted Cabernet Sauvignon. Frisson’s Yountville proprietary blend bears these majestic hallmarks with supple fruits embroidered with earthly hedonism lengthened by fresh, natural acidity. 
 
Winemaker Paul Colantuoni is adept with Yountville terroir, gaining experience at Rocca Vineyards, where he crafts their high-scoring Yountville wines, eloquently revealing the region’s signature characteristics. This wine highlights the vintage’s power by embellishing its best qualities with additions of Merlot and Petite Verdot to a base of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon.
 
FRISSON
PROPRIETARY RED
TOUCHER VINEYARD
2018 YOUNTVILLE
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“The Frisson Proprietary Red Toucher Vineyard 2018 begins with sweet-spice aromas of cinnamon and cloves, leading into vanilla, cherry cola, cassis, black plums, and a savory tapenade. The wine is refreshingly balanced between the fruit and spice components on the palate, leading to a great complexity of flavors that continue to evolve until the finish. This wine is ready to drink now but will display more developed flavors and aromas after a few years.”
92 points
2018 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc By Quintessa

2018 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc By Quintessa

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaRutherfordSauvignon BlancUSA

ILLUMINATION

2018 SAUVIGNON BLANC
BY QUINTESSA

2018 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc By Quintessa
Quintessa was founded on 280 acres of diverse geology, providing many different microclimates that are the key to ripening the grapes for their flagship red wine. The same attention to detail and passion for expressing the unique composition of terroir goes into their Sauvignon Blanc sourced from carefully selected sites in the south of Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and their estate vineyard in Rutherford.
 
Founders Agustin and Valeria Huneeus listen to the land, and with organic and biodynamic farming, they capture the nuances of each plot in every bottle produced. The Illumination is a stunning example of what happens when humans and nature come together in perfect unison. 
 
ILLUMINATION
2018 SAUVIGNON BLANC
BY QUINTESSA
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Generous and plump, with fleshy flavors of ripe melon, peach and apricot, accented by crisp citrus, honeysuckle and spice details, gaining momentum on the finish. Drink now.”
91 Points
2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91

2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaOakvilleRutherfordSaint HelenaUSA

HEITZ CELLAR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 LOT C-91

2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91
Joe Heitz pioneered single-vineyard wines in Napa Valley, and in 1969 he blended select plots from his most prized vineyards, discovering that he could create a wine with the qualities he desired most – aging potential, complexity, and depth. Lot C-91 encompasses this art of assemblage, gracefully presented with concentrated fruit, focus, and sophisticated complexity.
 
Heitz is a historic winery that continues to pursue the same traditional, age-worthy style for which they’re well known and respected. For the last 50 years, Heitz Cellar has sourced fruit for Lot C-91 from premium parcels in St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, and Howell Mountain, representing a step-up in quality, achieving the density and length of genuinely fantastic wine.
 
HEITZ CELLAR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 LOT C-91
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“The presence of savory elements such as sage, rosemary, cured meats, and black pepper distinguishes this cuvée from any other. The conclusion of the Lot C-91 on the palate displays incredible complexity and harmony, and those who can afford to be patient will be rewarded for decades to come.” 
2019 Sailor's Grave Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2019 Sailor’s Grave Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaStags LeapUSA

SAILOR’S GRAVE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 NAPA VALLEY 

2019 Sailor's Grave Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Sailor’s Grave highlights Michael Pozzan’s ability to hand-select exceptional fruit each vintage, exemplifying his drive to create an affordable Napa Cabernet packed with character, depth, and rich flavors. He sculpted his 2019 vintage from a core of Stag’s Leap District fruit complemented with fruit from Chiles Valley and his home vineyard in Calistoga, showcasing the diversity in all three terroirs.
 
Checking in at 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this vintage offers a well-rounded interpretation of Napa Valley terroir and the vintage as a whole. The wine hails from a year that produced richly concentrated flavors, fruit purity, and balanced acidity that’s delightful to drink.
 
SAILOR’S GRAVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $40
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“2019 Sailor’s Grave Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has fresh, bright fruit aromas of black cherries and black currants, accented with chai tea and vanilla extract. On the palate, the wine is bursting with juicy, ripe plums and blackberries, balanced with a rich cocoa finish. The wine’s firm tannic structure and concentration of flavors suggest that it can age for a few years, but it’s also pleasantly approachable and more than easy to drink now as well.”
90 Points
2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve

2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn’s Reserve

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCabernet SauvignonCalistogaHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

JAMES JOSEPH

CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
2019 KATHRYN’S RESERVE

2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve
For decades, James Joseph built a reputation for crafting age-worthy Cabernets that are powerfully elegant and profoundly hedonistic. The 2019 release embodies the brand’s fingerprint conveyed with Howell Mountain Cabernet’s concentration, Atlas Peak fruit’s depth, and Calistoga’s signature minerality. 
 
The 2019 vintage combines 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, aged 20 months in barrel and crafted in a concentrated and showy style ladened with dark fruits, assorted chocolates, and rocky minerals. With just four barrels produced, don’t hesitate to secure this release.
 
JAMES JOSEPH
CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
2019 KATHRYN’S RESERVE
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Balance is one of the most important aspects of wine because when all the components are in balance, the wine effortlessly draws attention and acclaim. The 2019 James Joseph does just that, beginning with a nose of ripe cherry and blackberry fruit enveloped in sweet baking spices and cocoa, like a blueberry pie that your grandmother just took out of the oven. This rich and round wine finishes with velvety tannins that make it approachable in its youth, but the depth and concentration of flavors mean that this wine can also lay down for another ten years and develop further complexity.”
96 Points
2018 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 O’Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

O’SHAUGHNESSY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY

2018 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Flaunting Oakville fruit’s alluring complexity, Mount Veeder’s savory tinge, and combining Howell Mountain Cabernet’s focused concentration, O’Shaughnessy’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is epic. It’s a harmonious composition of the winery’s Estate vineyards, located in some of Napa Valley’s most elite neighborhoods. 
 
Since their inception, O’Shaughnessy’s winemaker has been Sean Capiaux, whom you might know from his work at Peter Michael or his brand Capiaux. He did a fantastic job on the reference-standard 2018 release, perfectly expressing Mountain terroir enriched with Oakville elegance. 
 
O’SHAUGHNESSY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $79.99
 
 
“This is such an outstanding wine at any price, but here we’re talking about outstanding value as well. Notes of iron and crushed rock lead to a lengthy balance of juicy red fruit and clove. With small amounts of Merlot, Malbec, Saint-Macaire and Cabernet Franc, it shows a deft hand at blending, with lasting notes of black pepper and nuanced oak.”
97 Points, Editors’ Choice
2018 Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

2018 Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

LEWIS 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 RESERVE

2018 Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Under the guidance of Josh Widaman, former winemaker at Pahlmeyer, Lewis Cellars’ team is hands-on in every aspect of viticulture, vinifying vineyard blocks individually, separated by clone and rootstock. They’re in the vineyards year-round, many of which were planted exclusively for them, harvesting when the fruit reaches full maturity, crafting wines in an intensely captivating style that’s a hallmark of their brand.
 
Created from the showiest barrels each vintage, Lewis Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon spends around 19 months in barrel. The wine epitomizes their signature style producing super-rich, concentrated wines packed with complexity, depth, and polished sophistication.  
 
LEWIS 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 RESERVE
Retails at: $175
 
Your Price: $165
 
 
“A big bruiser, blockbuster of a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve boasts a dense purple color as well as a mammoth-sized bouquet of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, roasted herbs, and lead pencil. Thick, rich, and full-bodied on the palate, it has a great mid-palate, building yet bright, polished tannins, and a great finish. It’s one big mouthful of fruit at the moment, but it will develop more elegance and nuance with 2-4 years of bottle age, and I suspect it will have two decades of overall longevity.”
95 Points
 
“This is an extrovert, with singed vanilla, mocha and violet notes gilding a ripe, lush core of plum, blackberry and black currant fruit. Ends with a frankly toasty tug on the licorice- and fruit-filled finish. A bit amped up in style, but will have fans for sure. Best from 2022 through 2035.”
94 Points
2017 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2017 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $50-$60Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

BELLA UNION

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2017 NAPA VALLEY

2017 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Backed by decades of elite winemaking and premium vineyard sources, Bella Union hit the ground running in 2012, founded by Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel winery partners. Focused on creating a union of flavors, textures, and character, voiced through artistry and exceptional fruit, Bella Union is “well-made” and “sumptuous” as described by Wine Enthusiast and deserving of its 95 Point score and spot on the top 100 Cellar Selection list of 2020. 
 
Ideally located in Rutherford, Bella Union’s Estate Vineyard reaps the benefits of well-draining, gravelly loam soils, and diurnal temperature swings, encouraging the site’s signature intense, beautifully proportioned fruit and complex aromas. 
 
Crafted in an expressive and richly textured style, Bella Union winemakers unite Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon with Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot, harmonizing each varietal’s most significant characteristics, displayed with finesse and brilliance. 
 
BELLA UNION
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2017 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $80
 
Your Price: $59.99
 
 
“Sinewy, earthy and full of spice, this well-made wine is lush and sumptuous, with firm, focused tannins and integrated oak. Black cherry, cinnamon and nutmeg meld on the structured, full-bodied palate, with a graceful hint of dark chocolate on the finish. This will do well in the cellar.”
95 Points, #74 Top 100 Cellar Selections 2020
2017 Baldacci Elizabeth Pinot Noir Carneros

2017 Baldacci Elizabeth Pinot Noir Carneros

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosKevin VogtNapaPinot NoirUncategorizedUSA

BALDACCI

ELIZABETH PINOT NOIR
2017 CARNEROS

2017 Baldacci Elizabeth Pinot Noir Carneros
Marked with concentrated fruit, intriguing textures, and a palpable sense of place, Baldacci’s Carneros Pinot Noir authoritatively expresses many of the region’s best attributes. The wine arose from Baldacci’s Estate Vineyard in Carneros, farmed by Josh Clark, one of wine country’s most sought after viticulturists whose clients include icons like Outpost, Hourglass, and Kinsella, to list a few. At this price, it truly shouldn’t be missed.
 
Michael Baldacci works closely with Ricardo Herrera to craft balanced wines with a sense of place and tangible value. Ricardo gained invaluable experience over the years at icons Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Dominus, and Screaming Eagle.
 
The Baldacci team is steadfast in producing wines that tell a story of their origins and vintage. They achieve this through highly skilled vineyard management, top-level winemaking, and timely choices made during each step along the way. The results speak for themselves, and at this price, a single case may not be enough.
 
BALDACCI
ELIZABETH PINOT NOIR
2017 CARNEROS
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“Our motto is no whimpy Pinot Noir! I approach this varietal as a lighter, yet sturdy red wine from our portfolio. We work towards a balanced fruit load, per vine, in the vineyard. We use our clones to create nuance and texture in the final wine… We strive for a fruit forward expression that is more dark rather than red berry. We de-stem everything and cold soak for no more than 3 days to achieve a color and tannin profile that is more structured. Everything is fermented in open top, small volume tanks with daily punch downs until dry. We use 40% new French oak to marry our fruit with the spice from the wood.”
2017 Frisson Cabernet Sauvignon Alluvium Coombsville

2017 Frisson Cabernet Sauvignon Alluvium Coombsville

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaSanta Cruz MountainsUSA

FRISSON

2017 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ALLUVIUM COOMBSVILLE

2017 Frisson Cabernet Sauvignon Alluvium Coombsville
Frisson is a French word defined by a sudden feeling of excitement or thrill; Taking inspiration from this, Frisson Cabernet is mindfully crafted in a magnetic style, awakening your senses with intensely compelling characteristics, drawing you in with soul-stirring energy. The winery’s Alluvium Coombsville Cabernet whispers the spirit of the region with persuasive power and polished confidence, leaving a positive impression at its $115 retail price and a frisson at less than $40. 
 
Focusing on revealing Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley’s leading sub-appellations most dynamic features, Frisson proprietors drew on Coombsville’s gravelly loam soils and cooler climate that naturally encourages balanced fruit in creating this masterpiece. 
 
This wine embodies the proprietor’s mission of creating boutique wines from grapes grown in superior terroir, transforming them into balanced wine with a sense of place. Crafted by Paul Colantuoni and Wayne Donaldson, former winemaker at Domaine Chandon, Moet Hennessy, and Louis Martini, Frisson offers exceptional value. 
 
FRISSON
2017 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ALLUVIUM COOMBSVILLE
Retails at: $115
 
 
 
“Frisson’s 2017 Alluvium Coombsville Cabernet is striking in the glass with a deep, brooding, inky-purple color. This full-throttle wine begins with a powerful nose that includes very ripe dried plums, dried cherries, black currants, dried herbs, Asian spices, light florals, and bramble. The intense palate has concentrated black fruits with black plums, black cherries, vanilla hints, and exotic spice. This is certainly no cocktail wine, and it begs to be enjoyed with food. I had it with orange-barbecue glazed pork, and it was delightful.”
91 points