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
2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red

2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underAtlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

VISTA

ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
2018 PROPRIETARY RED

2018 Vista Atlas Peak Reserve Proprietary Red
Cementing its spot on my top 5 list in 2020, Vista’s 2018 Atlas Peak Red is the single most extraordinary $23 wine that I’ve tasted. The wine has the concentration, depth, complexity, and balance that you’d expect from a remarkable $50 bottle of high-elevation Napa wine, but at $23, it’s hard to wrap your head around how it can be that good, for the modest price.
 
At 2,000 feet elevation on Atlas Peak, Vista’s 2018 Reserve Blend was wrought from the rocky red Aiken soils and perfectly shows off the deep, concentrated flavors that make this region famous. Predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, balanced with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, if you’re looking for a wine that tastes like it should be at least double or triple the price, this is it.
 
VISTA
ATLAS PEAK RESERVE
2018 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $23
2016 Franco Serra Barolo Piedmont, Italy

2016 Franco Serra Barolo Piedmont, Italy

with No Comment $30-$40BaroloBaroloKevin VogtPiedmontUSA

FRANCO SERRA

2016 BAROLO 
PIEDMONT, ITALY 

2016 Franco Serra Barolo Piedmont, Italy
Revered for having captivating power, thought-provoking definition, confident energy, and graceful delivery, Barolo is one of the world’s great wines. Many start around $60, and in vintages like 2016, which the Wine Spectator rates as the best in more than two decades, even entry-level Barolos can be memorable and profound. We estimated Franco Serra’s 2016 Barolo to be around $65, and we loved it at that price. When we found out we could offer it to you at $38, we seized the opportunity. 
 
Keenly focused on tradition, the Sperone family brings four generations of experience to Franco Serra. Proudly intent on producing wines of distinction and value, the family owns and farms 75 acres of prime vineyards outside Monferrato. 
 
Franco Serra Barolo is classically styled, detailing the vintage hallmarks with vibrancy, balance, and refinement. The wine spends a full three years in oak, and with time in the bottle, the wine perfectly balances intensity and grace.
 
FRANCO SERRA
2016 BAROLO 
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“Aromas of plums, cherries and ash with hints of tea and toffee follow through to a full body with layered, chewy tannins and lots of chocolate and walnuts at the finish…”
94 Points
2017 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2017 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

SULLIVAN

COEUR DE VIGNE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 RUTHERFORD 

2017 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
For nearly 50 years, Sullivan Estate has quietly produced classically styled Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon with a powerful sense of place. Their vineyard located North of BV, behind Franciscan, is under the guidance of Mike Wolf, one of the leading viticulture experts in Napa Valley, whose past and present clients include Bond, Scarecrow, and Lewis. Winemaker Jeff Cole’s goal for each vintage is to craft wine with great density, depth, and longevity, and his 2017 is a stunning example. 
 
Carved into an ancient riverbed with soil types ranging from clay loam to sandy gravel, Sullivan’s Vineyard has excellent drainage, which assists in producing intensely flavored berries. 
 
Sullivan’s Coeur de Vigne 2017 captures the essence of the vineyard and combines 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with 22% Merlot and 3% Malbec. The wine was kept for 19 months in oak and is drinking stunningly right now.
 
SULLIVAN
COEUR DE VIGNE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 RUTHERFORD
Retails at: $110
 
 
 
“Smooth textured and rich with ripe plum and blackberry fruit, elegant and lush with depth and balance, what you want from a top-quality Napa Cab.”
94 Points, Anthony Dias Blue
 
“Blended with 22% Merlot and 3% Malbec, this is an impressively made wine from the Rutherford estate. Densely concentrated, it offers youthfully grippy layers of black olive, dark cherry and plum, with underlying earthiness. The finish takes on additional notes of clove, black pepper and tobacco.”
92 Points
2018 Ty Caton Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain District

2018 Ty Caton Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain District

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMoon MountainNapaUSA

TY CATON

2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT

2018 Ty Caton Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain District
Devoted to unveiling Moon Mountain Cabernet’s most captivating characteristics, Ty Caton developed his vineyard adjacent to world-class sites like Monte Rosso, planting multiple blocks, separated by soil type, elevation, and sun exposure. His Estate Cabernet Sauvignon offers a well-rounded depiction of the entire vineyard, capturing Ty’s commitment to land stewardship and drive to bottle the best wine possible from his Estate. 
 
Striving to produce wines of distinction, Ty’s vineyard on the Sonoma side of Mount Veeder is carved into steeply contoured hillsides with well-drained red volcanic soils that have fresh, focused fruit with outstanding depth. 
 
Ty’s 100% Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is blended from a wide selection of his individually farmed blocks, representing the vineyard as a whole with balance, character, and sense of place. Aged for 15 months in French oak, the 2018 release is stunning at this price level.
 
TY CATON
2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Retails at: $44
 
 
 
“The 2018 Estate Cabernet greets the palate with rich and robust flavors of black cherries, plums, and cassis, followed by oak notes of sandalwood and vanilla. These dark flavors produce a dense textured mouth feel that combine with soft sturdy tannins, followed by a long silky smooth finish.”
2017 Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2017 Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $50-$60Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollStags LeapUSA

ADAPTATION

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY

2017 Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Framed by Mountain fruit’s power, harnessed with additions of Stags Leap, Oak Knoll, and Pope Valley grapes, Adaptation’s Cabernet Sauvignon is purposefully versatile and abundantly complex. The 2017 release emerges from the rugged, dynamic terrain of Howell Mountain’s Ink Grade Vineyard, supplying structure, depth, and flavor intensity. 100-point powerhouse Odette Winery creates Adaptation, under the guidance of Jeff Owens, formed to combine power and elegance while simultaneously showcasing its origins. 
 
Napa Valley’s diversity of micro-climates, terrain, soils, and exposures created an Artist’s palette of flavors, textures, tannins, and aromas for Jeff to adapt Howell Mountain’s power unveiling an approachable, elegant wine that delivers on all fronts. 
 
Centered around a core of nearly 80% Cabernet Sauvignon transformed with additions of Merlot, Malbec, and Petite Sirah, then aged 18 months in oak, Adaptation personifies the best characteristics of the vintage and the winery’s drive to showcase Napa Valley’s unique terroir gracefully.
 
ADAPTATION
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $62
 
Your Price: $59.99
 
 
“From the folks at Odette and Plumpjack, this lovely red is juicy, broad and immensely likable, with soft layers of baking spice, black cherry and licorice. With 16% Merlot and smaller additions of Malbec and Petite Sirah, it delivers supple texture and length without fuss.”
91 Points, “Editors’ Choice”
2018 Martinelli Zinfandel Vigneto Di Evo

2018 Martinelli Zinfandel Vigneto Di Evo

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtSonomaSonoma ValleyUSAZinfandel

MARTINELLI

2018 ZINFANDEL
VIGNETO DI EVO

2018 Martinelli Zinfandel Vigneto Di Evo
The Martinelli Family’s intimate knowledge of their land developed over 135 years, encompassing six generations with an unsurpassed dedication to farming and crafting wines expressing their place and heritage. Their plantings include Jackass Hill; The steepest non-terraced vineyard in Sonoma County at a death-defying 65 degrees slope, compared to today’s 30 degrees limit. Their Vigneto di Evo Zinfandel is a barrel selection from Jackass, Vellutini, Lolita, and Giuseppe & Luisa vineyards. At $33, it offers a profound glimpse into the lifeblood of their wines. 
 
Guardians of terroir, the Martinelli team strives to consistently produce wines deeply rooted in place, highlighting the vineyard’s character through a hands-off winemaking approach, allowing the wine to go through a set of natural processes with minimal intervention.
 
Courtney Wagoner and Erin Green created this wine to represent the winery’s best Zinfandel plots, manifesting primal energy, heritage, and balance. Deeper, darker flavors developed from the vineyard’s proximity to the Pacific, heightened by old-vine intensity, and refreshed with younger vines, resulting in a fantastic representation of the Estate.
 
MARTINELLI
2018 ZINFANDEL
VIGNETO DI EVO
Retails at: $40
 
Your Price: $33
 
 
“… 2018 “Vigneto di Evo” Zinfandel has energetic aromas of wild strawberry, sweet leather and star anise lift and fill your nose. The palate has balanced acidity and elegant tannins with layers of chocolate and black cherry. Sweet and juicy flavors of blackberry and baking spices linger through the finish.”
2019 Widows Peak Pinot Noir By Beau Vigne Anderson Valley

2019 Widows Peak Pinot Noir By Beau Vigne Anderson Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Anderson ValleyKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaUSA

WIDOWS PEAK

BY BEAU VIGNE
2019 PINOT NOIR
ANDERSON VALLEY

2019 Widows Peak Pinot Noir By Beau Vigne Anderson Valley
Beau Vigne is a boutique producer whose signature style is in making balanced, rich, multidimensional wines, and one that Robert Parker says is “one of my favorite wineries.” Their founding winemaker was Dave Phinney, later succeeded by Kirk Venge, and now, Julian Fayard, former Director of Winemaking for Philippe Melka, is at the helm. Their recently released Widows Peak Pinot Noir impresses at its $85 retail price, but at $38, it’s an absolute delight.  
 
This remarkable Pinot Noir emerged from a small vineyard in Anderson Valley centered between two creeks where well-drained gravelly soils and large diurnal temperature swings inspire fruit with clarity, place, and dynamic complexity. 
 
This soul-stirring Pinot Noir gains complexity from a wide range of Dijon clones 115, 667, and 777, as well as Swan and Pommard, each distinctively showcased, flawlessly delivering the vineyard’s identity. At this price, you’ll thank me once you taste it. 
 
WIDOWS PEAK
BY BEAU VIGNE
2019 PINOT NOIR
ANDERSON VALLEY
Retails at: $85
 
 
 
“The finished Anderson Valley Pinot Noir offers a provocative and swirling mélange of aromas and flavors. Lush bing cherry, raspberry and fine-grained tannins, spice, and a flinty mineral notes.”
2016 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2016 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

HEITZ

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 NAPA VALLEY

2016 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Dedicated to classic winemaking, Heitz Cellar’s invariant style of producing profoundly hedonistic and age-worthy Cabernets is a hallmark of their brand. The winery has reliably produced its unmistakably intense, savory, well-built Cabernets since 1961. Their 2016 Napa Cabernet perfectly expresses their timeless approach, fusing power and elegance, enriched with history, and a desire to handcraft Cabernets at the highest level. 
 
Joe Heitz had a keen eye for discovering vineyards capable of producing age-worthy wines. Their 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet showcases two Saint Helena Vineyards, Only One and Spring Valley, enhanced with a touch of Rutherford fruit. 
 
Each decision made at the winery, from when to pick, through the entire fermentation and aging process, is purposefully made to guide the wine into a style that’s both stunning upon release and will stand the test of time, rather than be flashy and forward when consumed young.
 
HEITZ
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $65
 
 
“A subtle savory edge leads off, followed by enticing rooibos tea, red currant preserve and raspberry coulis flavors. Elegant finish. Drink now through 2026.”
91 Points