2014 Worthy Sophia's Cuvee Proprietary Red

2014 Worthy Sophia’s Cuvee Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

WORTHY

2014 SOPHIA’S CUVEE
PROPRIETARY RED

2014 Worthy Sophia's Cuvee Proprietary Red

 
I always pay extra attention to wines that are a second wine from a top producer with a track record of excellence. Worthy Sophia’s Cuvée is the second wine of Axios, and their 2016 Cabernet goes for around $195. Both wines are made by legendary winemaker Bob Egelhoff, who’s held winemaking positions at such notable wineries as Pahlmeyer, Harlan, Chappellet, Merryvale, and David Arthur. At under $30 this Worthy Sophia’s Cuvée is simply one of the best values in Napa Valley Cabernet blends, period.  
 
Ascending from one of Napa Valley’s best vintages, one that the Wine Spectator describes as producing “dense, charming, cellar-worthy wines,” the latest vintage of Sophia’s Cuvée offers silky, mouthwatering tannins, chocolate covered raspberries, espresso, and violets. 
 
The 2014 vintage checks in at 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, and is balanced with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It’s created from a collection of secret fruit sources spread throughout Napa Valley, and the 2014 release is a beautiful portrayal of the spectacular year. 
 
WORTHY
2014 SOPHIA’S CUVEE
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $32
 
Your Price: $29.99
Click to Order
 
 
 
“A tight and linear red with blueberry, blackberry, and currant character. Ultra-fine tannins that are polished and attractive. Medium body. Bright finish. Drink in 2020.” 92 Points
 
 
“The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Worthy Sophia’s Cuvée wraps around the palate with striking density and richness. Scents of mocha, espresso, dark spices and new leather give the 2014 much of its aromatic nuance and lift. Polished, silky tannins contribute to the wine’s near-term appeal.” 90 Points
2017 Borne Pinot Noir Anderson Valley

2017 Borne Pinot Noir Anderson Valley

with No Comment $30 and underAnderson ValleyKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaUSA

BORNE

2017 PINOT NOIR
ANDERSON VALLEY

2017 Borne Pinot Noir Anderson Valley

One of the most distinct and appealing regions for Pinot Noir cultivation anywhere in the world is the Anderson Valley appellation located less than 100 miles North of San Francisco. Perfectly positioned near the Pacific Ocean and with a wide diurnal temperature variation, the AVA is classified as a Region 1 growing area, which designates the coldest climate in which grapes may be commercially grown with success. Anderson Valley Pinots are known for their incredible floral-infused flavors and aromas, lively fruit, and subtle earthy characteristics. Here’s a great example, and at our price, a case may not be enough. 
 
Birthed from a single site strategically located in a prime zone of Anderson Valley, referred to as the Deep End. The area lies on the Northwestern end of the AVA, where the valley narrows and is lower in elevation, allowing the cool, maritime fog to pour in and heavily influence the grapes. 
 
The wine team made Borne’s 2017 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir in a bright and spirited style that delivers plenty of floral-infused red fruits, and baking spices, accompanied by a soft, velvet-like texture, and satisfying finish. 
 
BORNE
2017 PINOT NOIR
ANDERSON VALLEY
Retails at: $28
 
Your Price: $22
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“Dark red/purple in color, the nose is fragrant with black cherry, backing spices and orange blossom. The palate is well textured and polished with good acidity. Flavors of toasted cocoa, ripe fig and marionberry linger on a long finish.”
2017 Rapp Ranch Chardonnay Napa Valley

2017 Rapp Ranch Chardonnay Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40CarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtNapaUSA

RAPP RANCH

2017 CHARDONNAY
NAPA VALLEY 

2017 Rapp Ranch Chardonnay Napa Valley

 

Some of the most memorable Chardonnays offer a brilliant play between tension and elegance. Rapp Ranch’s 2017 Napa Chardonnay is a stunning example and arose from two different sites that work beautifully together, and harmoniously accentuate the best qualities from one another. This liquid gold was also made by Rudy Zuidema, whom you might recognize as the winemaker for Mastery.

 
The 2017 vintage intertwines fruit from the Truchard Vineyard, which lies just up the hill from Lee Hudson’s Vineyard, as well as the Poseidon Vineyard, which sits directly on the Napa Valley Marina. The Truchard block sits between Far Niente and Nickel and Nickle’s rows and contributes the incredibly opulent and expressive fruit. 
 
The Poseidon Vineyard is planted in clay soils and contributes an electric acidity that lifts the richer fruit from Truchard. It’s the power and muscle behind the pure and delicious Truchard fruit. This beauty is simply one of my favorite Napa Chardonnays that I’ve tasted this year. With 232 cases made, don’t wait to stake your claim. 
 
RAPP RANCH
2017 CHARDONNAY
NAPA VALLEY 
Retails at: $40
 
Your Price: $36
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“The Rapp Ranch Chardonnay is a beautiful expression of grace and elegance from the Los Carneros region of Napa Valley. Golden straw in color, the aromas of Asian pear, oats and French vanilla ice cream remind you of an inviting warm cobbler. The rich and round mouthfeel coats your palate with flavors of candied citrus, macadamia nuts, and cinnamon. A beautiful balance of weight and acid, this wine is sure to disappear quickly!”
2012 V12 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2012 V12 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaStags LeapUSA

V12

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 444
2014 NAPA VALLEY

2012 V12 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

After a fast-paced racing career, growing premium grapes seems to go hand-and-hand. Just look at what Randy Lewis and Mario Andretti have accomplished. Indy-car Champion Jimmy Vassar owns V12, and he brings to his wine the same focus and determination needed to be a successful race car driver. And wait until you see where his vineyard is… 
 
The V12 Estate Vineyard is on Soda Canyon Road, Southeast of Stags Leap Winery, and above Odette and Joseph Phelps La Rocas Vineyards. The vineyard itself was blanketed with several feet of solid surface rock and had to be blasted with dynamite before top viticulturist Davie Piňa could plant it. 
 
Chad Alexander makes the wine, and he’s well-versed in hillside Cabernet, spending years as the head winemaker at Hess Collection and Robert Craig wineries. The 2014 444 Cabernet is a concentrated and solidly-built wine, with an incredible core of fruit that’s decorated with rocky minerals, cassis, and crushed violets… 
 
V12
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 444
2014 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $65
 
 
2014 Monthelie-Douhairet-Porcheret Burgundy

2014 Monthelie-Douhairet-Porcheret Burgundy

with No Comment $40-$50BurgandyFranceKevin VogtRed Burgandy

MONTHELIE-DOUHAIRET-PORCHERET 

2014 LES DURESSES
PREMIER CRU RED BURGUNDY

2014 Monthelie-Douhairet-Porcheret Burgundy

 
As hard as it is to find Premier Cru Red Burgundies at an affordable price, finding one made by one of Burgundy’s most renowned winemakers is a lot more difficult… Monthelie-Douhairet-Porcheret is made by André Porcheret, former winemaker at Domaine Leroy from 1988-1993. Leroy is one of the greatest producers in the world, and some would consider them in the same class as Domaine Romanee Conti. At our price, Monthelie’s Les Duresses is absolutely stunning.
 
The area of Monthelie is known for producing some of Burgundy’s most stunning values, and it neighbors Volnay to the North. The top producer in Monthelie is Monthelie Douhairet Porcheret, and their wines offer sensational levels of pure yet expressive fruit, notable elegance, and sense of place. 
 
Arising from a solid vintage in the Cote de Beaune, and one the Wine Spectator details as the third consecutive year of hail, resulting in low yields, yet the best are complex, juicy and age-worthy. This is an exceptional example of the vintage, which produced powerful, complex wines.
 
MONTHELIE-DOUHAIRET-PORCHERET 
2014 LES DURESSES
PREMIER CRU RED BURGUNDY
 
Your Price: $45
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“The Monthelie Douhairet Porcheret Monthelie Les Duresses 2014 begins with an alluring nose combining tart cherries, asian spices, pomegranate, French lavender, crushed rock and hints of cola. The palate is bright with tart red berries, earthy minerals, exotic spices and a saline quality. It has a medium finish with fine grained tannins that promise a decade of cellaring or more.” 92 Points
2016 Ty Caton Winemaker's Cuvee Moon Mountain District

2016 Ty Caton Winemaker’s Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Moon Mountain District

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMoon MountainNapaUSA

TY CATON 

WINEMAKER’S CUVEE
2016 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT 

2016 Ty Caton Winemaker's Cuvee Moon Mountain DistrictIf you enjoy robust, hedonistic Cabs from Mount Veeder, and the elegant and savory wines from Spring Mountain, you would also enjoy wines from Moon Mountain. Positioned on the Sonoma side of Mount Veeder, the well-drained red volcanic soils are also home to icons like the Monte Rosso, which was made famous by Louis Martini, and Frederick’s Vineyard used by Turley. At the $38 retail price, Ty Caton’s Winemaker’s Cuvée from Moon Mountain earned a Gold Medal at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition. But at our price, few others can compete.  

Ty selected clone 337 for his Cabernet, which is commonly found in cult wines and thrives in the well-drained volcanic soils. On the palate, the wine is stunningly deep, enchanting, and full of hedonistic delights. 
 
The 2016 Cuvée checks in at 90% Cabernet Sauvignon entwined with Merlot and spent 15 months in oak barrels. Now with a couple of years in the bottle, it conquers your senses with an exotic tapestry of opulent black fruits, liquid floral, and crushed rock.
 
TY CATON 
WINEMAKER’S CUVEE
2016 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOON MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Retails at: $38
 
 
 
 
 
“The 2016 Estate Winemaker’s Cuvee meets the palate with rich and full-bodied flavors of black currant, red plums, and cassis, followed by oak notes of cedar and vanilla. These dark flavors produce a lush and velvety textured mouth feel that combine with supple tannins, and leads to a long silky finish.”
2017 Maldonado Chardonnay Los Olivos Vineyard

2017 Maldonado Chardonnay Los Olivos Vineyard

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtNapaUSA

MALDONADO 

2017 CHARDONNAY
LOS OLIVOS VINEYARD

2017 Maldonado Chardonnay Los Olivos VineyardMaldonado Chardonnay is the delicious result of nearly four decades spent immersed in Napa Valley agriculture, including managing iconic vineyards like Newton Cellars. The results speak volumes, and fruit from their remarkable vineyard has attracted top producers like Venge and B Cellars to craft Chardonnay from it. The Maldonado’s passion for the grape is transparent in their flagship Los Olivos bottling, which is made in a richly layered style with beautiful weight, balance, and gloriously defined fruit. 

The Los Olivos Vineyard is near the Southeastern edge of Napa Valley, in a cool, windswept region that experiences strong maritime influences from the Pacific Ocean and the San Pablo Bay. These influences funnel through the Coastal Mountain ranges, and allow the grapes a long growing-season, with temperatures cool enough to maintain acidity and structure. 
 
Maldonado perfectly balances nectar-like texture with balanced acidity and detailed candied lemon, tropical fruits, and vanilla bean. The wine team barrel ferments the grapes, and then the wine is aged sur lie, which contributes to this wine’s incredible richness and buttery aromas. 
 
MALDONADO 
2017 CHARDONNAY
LOS OLIVOS VINEYARD
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $39.99
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“Inviting aromas of maple, Meyer lemon curd and ripe nectarine. Bright and clean with spiced maple, green apple, citrus, wet slate and subtle hint of oak. A classic style Chardonnay, yet re-imagined!”  
2017 Twomey Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2017 Twomey Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

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

TWOMEY

2017 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2017 Twomey Pinot Noir Russian River ValleyThe Duncan family members are major players and innovators in the California wine industry and have been since the 1970s. After dominating one varietal for decades with Silver Oak Cabernet, they took on a new challenge with Pinot Noir under the Twomey moniker. They embarked on the new project bringing decades of winemaking experience, a spirit of innovation, and a focus on excellence and sustainability. The results are simply stunning, and their 2017 Russian River Pinot Noir is a textbook example. 

Twomey’s 2017 Russian River Pinot Noir is a cuvée that includes fruit from the winery’s original Westpin Vineyard, located on the North end of the Russian River Valley. They also blend fruit from cool-climate sites, including Last Stop Estate, Bailey, and Bartolomei. The complex mix of terroirs and clonal selections contributes to this wine’s vast layers of fruit. 
 
Justin Hirigoyen leads the winemaking team at Twomey. Justin trained at Domaine Faiveley in France and was also the winemaker at Spring Mountain Vineyards, where he utilized a technique of fermenting 22% of the juice using whole clusters for added depth and structure.
 
TWOMEY
2017 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
Your Price: $49.99
Click to Order
 
 
 
“Black-red with a lighter edge; Complex yet delicate nose of white pepper, fig reduction, black raspberry, cardamom, and prosciutto; Layered and packed with fruit; Round with powdery tannins that are both balanced and concentrated; Dense tannins carry the layered fruit for a lasting finish.”
2018 Barrique Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2018 Barrique Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

BARRIQUE 

2018 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST

2018 Barrique Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Producing quality Pinot Noir begins in the vineyard with the right clonal selection, terroir, and perfectly ripened fruit. Then, it moves to the winery, where gentle and skilled winemaking techniques complete the job. It doesn’t always take much money to get the result you want. If you have relationships with the right growers and have the right skills, you can make a stunning wine that doesn’t cost a fortune. Barrique’s 2018 Sonoma Coast Pinot is the perfect example, and at our price, I bet you’ll wish you had ordered more when you try it…  
 
Barrique’s Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir encompasses cool-climate vineyards in the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Carneros AVAs. The blend also includes fruit from the Roses Estate Vineyard on Olivet Road, which is near icons like Martinelli. 
 
Once harvested, the fruit was gently transferred by gravity to open-top fermenters, where it was fermented with 33% whole clusters for added depth and structure. The resulting wine is balances brightly focused and intriguing fruit, with velvety, yet firm tannins and lovely acidity.  
 
BARRIQUE 
2018 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $23
 
Your Price: $19
Click to Order
 
 
 
“The 2018 Barrique Pinot Noir is deep red in the glass, the nose is full of ripe huckleberry, cedar and vanilla spice. The texture is plush with a broad mouthfeel. Flavors of blackberry compote, fig jam and caramelized sugar round out a long finish.”
MCPRICE MYERS HIGH ON THE HOG 2017 PROPRIETARY RED

2017 McPrice Myers High On The Hog Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underCentral CoastKevin VogtProprietary RedUSA

MCPRICE MYERS

HIGH ON THE HOG
2017 PROPRIETARY RED

MCPRICE MYERS HIGH ON THE HOG 2017 PROPRIETARY REDConsumers seeking robust, textured reds with endless character, and value prices, may already know winemaker “Mac” McPrice Myers. For years his Barrel 27 wines were a staple in the value section of our shop, and in 2013 he rebranded the project as his Blue Collar Series. One of my favorites is his High on the Hog Red, which was also a former Barrel 27 wine, and it’s a full-throttle blend of primarily Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. With 93 Points and Editors’ Choice from Wine Enthusiast, you’ll feel like you’re high on the hog, and at a price that will make you smile.  

Mac built the 2017 vintage of High On The Hog from carefully chosen sites in California’s Central Coast, including Luna Matta and Santa Barbara Highlands. The wine is made in a highly-expressive, deep, and showy style and offers a harmony of crushed berries, smoked meats, black pepper, wild plum, and violets. 
 
He then fermented the grapes in multiple different vessels, including Stainless Steel, Concrete, and open-top fermenters. For added depth and structure, Mac utilized 20% whole cluster fermentation in the process. At twenty bucks, you simply have got to try it… 
 
MCPRICE MYERS
HIGH ON THE HOG
2017 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
“Aromas of fresh boysenberry, baked pastries, caramel and savory smoke lead into a well-integrated palate of fruit, herb and wood flavors that are framed by firm yet polished tannins. It’s fresh with acidity and yet dense, finishing on a touch of pine needle.” 93 Points, Editor’s Choice
 
“Deep vivid ruby. Powerful red and blue fruit preserve, candied licorice and exotic spice aromas pick up a smoky nuance with air. Broad, fleshy and seamless in texture, offering palate-coating black raspberry, cherry cola, fruitcake and mocha flavors sharpened by a zesty, peppery nuance. Clings with authority on the long, smoky finish, which leaves behind a sweet violet pastille note. For fans of bold, full-throated but not overbearing red wine, there’s serious value here. 20% whole clusters.”  91 Points