2015 Chateau Mascard Haut-Medoc Bordeaux

2015 Chateau Mascard Haut-Medoc Bordeaux

with No Comment $30 and underBordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin Vogt

CHÂTEAU MASCARD

HAUT-MÉDOC
BORDEAUX 2015

2015 Chateau Mascard Haut-Medoc Bordeaux
Château Mascard resides in the Haut-Médoc AOC on the left bank of the Garonne River, a few miles west of the world-famous Pauillac AOC in Bordeaux, France. The soils in the region consist of dense gravel topsoil above clay beds. Well-drained gravel soils are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, while Merlot prefers water-retaining clay. The Château’s vineyards are planted accordingly and sustainably farmed.
 
Each lot is fermented separately after harvest before carefully blending into a wine representing the Chateau’s mixed terroir. The wine is then aged for 16 months in French oak barrels before being bottled. This 2015 vintage is a 65% Cabernet Sauvignon blend with 35% Merlot that has developed sensationally well in the bottle, with black cherry, red currant, and hints of pepper and pencil shavings. Enjoy it on its own or with grilled meats or wild game. At $25, this is one of the best values in Bordeaux that we’ve discovered and is sure to impress.
 
CHÂTEAU MASCARD
HAUT-MÉDOC
BORDEAUX 2015
 
 
 
“The Château Mascard 2015 Haut-Médoc has a developed nose with aromas of lavender, plum, red currant, cocoa powder, mushrooms, clove, black olive, and dusty earth. On the palate, the wine has layers of intense flavors, including blackberry, black cherry, baking spices, truffle, and dark chocolate. This wine has savory, nuanced characteristics and soft tannins from its time maturing in the bottle, and though it could age longer, it has reached a sublime point in its journey and is very enjoyable right now.”
95 Points
2021 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Russian River Valley

2021 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir The Estate Vineyard Russian River Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

WALTER HANSEL

PINOT NOIR 2021
THE ESTATE VINEYARDS
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Walter Hansel Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard Russian River Valley
Born with a love and passion for agriculture, Walter Hansel enlisted his son Stephen to help him plant grapevines on the family estate in the Russian River Valley. Throughout the 1980s, Walter and Stephen experimented with making wine for fun, and thanks to Stephen’s legendary Pinot Noir-producing friend Tom Rochioli, the father-son team learned the nuances of viticulture and how to translate that knowledge into stellar wines.
 
Walter Hansels’ vineyards comprise six different Pinot Noir clones, and The Estate Vineyards Pinot encompasses each, establishing a uniform balance and ultimate complexity. The 2021 release was fermented in stainless steel with an addition of 5% whole clusters to a small number of tanks and matured in French oak for 12 months giving a style focused on the purity of the fruit with a hint of spice.
 
WALTER HANSEL
PINOT NOIR 2021
THE ESTATE VINEYARDS
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
 
 
“The 2021 Pinot Noir The Estate Vineyards is gracious, elegant and silky. Crushed red/purplish berry fruit, spice and mint are nicely laced together in a juicy, mid-weight Pinot that delivers the goods. The 2021 offers tons of immediacy, but marries that with a good bit of energy. This is a very serious wine with a bright, bright future.”
92 Points
2021 Kanzler Chardonnay Walker Station Vineyard RRV

2021 Kanzler Chardonnay Walker Station Vineyard Russian River Valley

with No Comment $60-$70ChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

KANZLER

CHARDONNAY 2021
WALKER STATION VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Kanzler Chardonnay Walker Station Vineyard RRV
In 1996, the Kanzler family was the first to plant vineyards in the chilly Sebastopol Hills in western Sonoma County, just eight miles from the Pacific Ocean. Steve Kanzler immersed himself in viticulture, taking classes at UC Davis, and sought advice from neighbors, winemakers, vineyard managers, and soil experts all around the county to perfect his knowledge and understanding of grape growing.
 
After the first harvest in 2000, Kanzler began to sell fruit to prominent and up-and-coming wineries, including Lynmar, Rivers-Marie, and Kosta Browne. The Kanzlers recognized the immense quality of another vineyard, Walker Station, and so when the opportunity came up to lease it after Harry Walker of Walker Station Vineyard retired, they didn’t hesitate.
 
Kanzler’s 2021 Walker Station Vineyard Chardonnay is sourced from the cool, hilly Green Valley of the Russian River Valley, giving opulent, fresh fruit that winemaker Alex Kanzler crafts into a focused style combining elegance, power, and finesse.
 
KANZLER
CHARDONNAY 2021
WALKER STATION VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
 
 
“The Kanzler 2021 Walker Station Chardonnay opens with energetic notes of acacia blossoms, jasmine, quince, yellow apple, star fruit, and buttercream frosting. On the palate, the wine has layered flavors that unfold into pear, apricot, baked apple pie, bourbon anglaise, and a crisp minerality. This wine has a satin-like quality that envelopes your taste buds and leads to a pleasant finish that enlightens the senses.”
95 Points
2020 L'Aventure Optimus Estate Paso Robles

2020 L’Aventure Optimus Estate Paso Robles

with No Comment $60-$70Central CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesProprietary RedUSA

L’AVENTURE

OPTIMUS ESTATE
PASO ROBLES 2020

2020 L'Aventure Optimus Estate Paso Robles
One of Paso’s leading winemakers, Stephan Asseo, began making wine in 1982 after studying at L’Ecole Oenologique de Macon in Burgundy. He and his wife Beatrice owned three domains in Bordeaux, and Stephan made wine there for 17 years. 
 
Feeling slightly restricted by the winemaking rules and requirements set by the AOC, Stephan, and Beatrice began searching for a terroir in the New World that would give them the freedom to craft creative blends. After about a year of traveling worldwide, they found what they sought in the rolling hills on the west side of Paso Robles. 
 
L’Aventure’s 2020 Optimus enchants your taste buds with 58% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Petit Verdot from the estate vineyard then, spent 14 months in French oak without fining or filtering, paying homage to Stephan’s talent and innovative spirit.
 
L’AVENTURE
OPTIMUS ESTATE
PASO ROBLES 2020
 
 
 
“A blend of 58% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Optimus has a deep ruby color and a deep core of red and black cherries, chargrill, thyme, charcuterie and desiccated violet. The full-bodied palate is light on its feet with juicy acidity and approachable grainy tannins, and it has a long, layered finish.”
95 Points
2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

LIMERICK LANE

ZINFANDEL 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley
Jake Bilbro of Limerick Lane Winery is the third steward of the historic property since the Del Fava family planted the estate vineyard in 1910. The landmark property has maintained its roots for over a century, focusing on sustainable farming and minimal irrigation. The farming team only irrigates plots when necessary, producing fruit with complex, concentrated flavors and aromas.
 
Limerick Lane specializes in high-quality Zinfandel, sourcing from their estate along with a few nearby old vine Zinfandel vineyards known for growing the highest quality fruit. 
 
Winemaker Chris Pittenger intentionally alters the vineyard composition of each vintage, seeking out fruit to create the most balanced wine possible. Their 2021 vintage embodies the spirit of the Russian River Valley with perfectly ripe, bright fruit accented by refreshing acidity and an ideal balance of flavors.
 
LIMERICK LANE
ZINFANDEL 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $46
 
 
 
“The 2021 Zinfandel (Russian River Valley) is an absolute delight. Bright and intensely floral, the 2021 is packed with varietal character. Crushed red berry fruit, white flowers and mint all race out of the glass in this refreshing, juicy Zinfandel from Limerick Lane. This is an absolute winner.”
91 Points
2021 Saddleback Chardonnay Napa Valley

2021 Saddleback Chardonnay Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

SADDLEBACK

CHARDONNAY 2021
NAPA VALLEY

2021 Saddleback Chardonnay Napa Valley
Nils Venge is a celebrated American winemaker and the first to achieve a perfect 100 Point score by making the 1985 Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, establishing a hierarchy of superior winemaking in Napa. Nils started Saddleback Cellars in 1976 on 14 acres of vineyards in Oakville, also home to Harlan Estate, Opus One, and Screaming Eagle.
 
Combining one of the country’s best winemakers, an impressive estate terroir, and a bit of sourcing from viticultural havens in Napa Valley, Nils crafts this outstanding Chardonnay, giving a frame of reference for what the variety is capable of in the right environment. 
 
Crafted in a quintessential Napa Valley style, Saddleback’s Chardonnay highlights Napa Valley character, combined with notes reminiscent of Burgundy, offering fantastic value at this price level. 
 
SADDLEBACK
CHARDONNAY 2021
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $45
 
 
 
“Saddleback Cellars 2021 Napa Valley Chardonnay opens with acacia blossoms, vanilla bean, apricot, peach, and nutmeg notes. On the palate, the wine has a silky-smooth texture and flavors of ripe stone fruits, vanilla cream, baking spices, and a hint of wet stone minerality. This wine is a bright, fresh example of California Chardonnay and showing off at the moment, making an excellent pairing for this summer.”
94 Points
2021 Bacio Divino Pazzo Red Blend Sonoma County

2021 Bacio Divino Pazzo Red Blend Sonoma County

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

BACIO DIVINO

PAZZO RED BLEND
SONOMA COUNTY 2021

2021 Bacio Divino Pazzo Red Blend Sonoma County
Sourcing fruit from some of Napa and Sonoma’s best vineyards, Bacio Divino produces superior quality wines under the guidance of Kirk Venge, one of California’s most in-demand winemakers, whom you might recognize from Eleven Eleven, Macauley, and Venge wines. A combination of exceptional terroir, expert winemaking, and excellent fruit quality is their recipe for success, and the wines are phenomenal.
 
Pazzo was created in 1999 as a sister label to Bacio Divino and translates to “crazy” in Italian and perfectly depicts the wine’s crazy-good value. The 2021 vintage comprises 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petite Sirah, 19% Merlot, 11% Sagrantino, and 4% Malbec aged 14 months in once-used French oak barrels that provide a hint of spice but maintain the fruit’s integrity and complex flavor profile. It’s a big, juicy, crowd-pleasing wine at a modest price point.
 
BACIO DIVINO
PAZZO RED BLEND
SONOMA COUNTY 2021
Retails at: $45
 
 
 
“The Bacio Divino 2021 Sonoma County Red has intense, rich aromas of ripe plum, bramble, licorice, and Fig Newton cookies. On the palate, the wine has a smooth mouth-coating texture that lingers throughout the finish with flavors of raspberry jelly, black cherry, Marionberry pie, and fresh mint. The flavor concentration and tannic structure will give this wine longevity but don’t hesitate to drink it now.”
93 Points
2021 Per-Us Lyla Napa Valley

2021 Per-Us Lyla Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

PER•US

LYLA 2021
NAPA VALLEY

2021 Per-Us Lyla Napa Valley
PER·US Winery produces super high-quality, high-scoring boutique wines from some of Napa Valley’s most desired vineyards under the guidance of rockstar winemaker Russell Bevan. Bevan is one of just a handful of winemakers that have earned multiple 100-Point scores from some of the world’s most well-known critics for his intensely flavorful hedonistic wines with harmonious balance.
 
Lyla is a blend based on equal parts Cabernet Franc from the Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Tench Vineyard in Oakville’s center, directly across from Screaming Eagle. The 2021 growing season was longer than average, and there were no heat spikes near harvest which gave the Cabernet Franc a lively acidity that brightened up the blend and is a match made in heaven when paired with hearty dishes.
 
PER•US
LYLA 2021
NAPA VALLEY
 
 
 
“Our Lyla blends have some magical qualities to them. In 2021, the growing season was so incredibly long, and there was no heat near harvest. We were able to maintain the acid levels in our Cabernet Franc which makes this wine incredibly vibrant and lively. If we have ever crafted a wine that is perfect for cuisine, this is it. The natural cool climate of the franc’s high acid profile is incredibly complementary to rich, hearty dishes. It screams for braised short ribs, or beef Bourguignon. It has the linear power to cut through almost any dish while showcasing it’s beautiful blue and red fruits. This wine is all about bound up energy.” 
2022 J. Bucher Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley

2022 J. Bucher Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySauvignon BlancSonomaUSA

J. BUCHER

SAUVIGNON BLANC
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 2022

2022 J. Bucher Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley
Located in Healdsburg at the site of an old dairy farm, Bucher Vineyard is one of the Russian River Valley’s most prized vineyards. Renowned producers Williams Selyem, Merry Edwards, and Joseph Jewell have all produced single vineyard wines from Bucher, highlighting the site’s ability to deliver exceptional fruit. 
 
Bob Cabral, the former winemaker at Williams Selyem, helped the Bucher family establish their vineyards, quickly becoming a top supplier for some of the Russian River Valley’s most renowned wineries. The 2022 Bucher Estate Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc comes from a block planted in the 1970s and takes on a European approach to the variety with fresh minerality and a delicate balance of citrus and tropical fruits, perfect for warm summer months. 
 
J. BUCHER
SAUVIGNON BLANC
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 2022
Retails at: $38
 
 
 
“J. Bucher’s 2022 Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc is similar to the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast because it gives powerfully concentrated fruit with delicate elegance. The wine opens with ripe citrus fruits, including lemon and grapefruit, a backdrop of white blossoms, and some hints of pineapple and lychee. On the palate, the wine offers notes of ripe lemon, golden apple, green mango, and chalky minerality.”
94 Points
2019 Montagu The Baron Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2019 Montagu The Baron Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

MONTAGU

THE BARON
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RUTHERFORD 2019

2019 Montagu The Baron Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
Weston Eidson apprenticed with mentors Jason Moore of Modus Operandi Cellars and Russell Bevan. Well-connected, Eidson has partnered with exceptional vineyards in Napa and Sonoma, including Sage Ridge, Baciagalupi, Durell, Charles Heintz, Hyde, and Richie. He thoughtfully crafts his wines to highlight the terroir through minimal intervention winemaking.
 
The Baron is a rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with some Petit Verdot to flesh out the mid-palate and give the wine a zesty spice and playfulness. The fruit comes from a secret vineyard in Rutherford, and the 2019 vintage was fabulous for the area, producing wines with depth, robust flavors, and ripe, fine-grained tannins that feel like satin and will provide at least a decade of ageability.
 
Don’t let the scores based on the winery’s $125 retail sway you. At our price, it is one of our finest offerings and is a rich, powerful, hedonistic Cabernet Sauvignon that will make you wish you had ordered more once you’ve tried it. Our panel loved it, and now it’s an unbelievable value.
 
MONTAGU
THE BARON
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RUTHERFORD 2019
Retails at: $125
 
 
 
“Starting with the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon The Baron, which includes 10% Petit Verdot, this rich, chewy, mouth-filling effort offers tons of ripe black cherry and plum fruits as well as chocolate and assorted spices. It’s a chewy, fruit-driven Cabernet to drink over the coming decade.” Reviewed May, 2022
90 Points