2021 Gamba Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch Russian River Valley

2021 Gamba Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch Russian River Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtOld Vine ZinfandelRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

GAMBA

ZINFANDEL 2021
STARR ROAD RANCH
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Gamba Zinfandel Starr Road Ranch Russian River Valley
Gus Gamba farms some of the oldest Zinfandel vines in California, planted by pioneering immigrants from the turn of the 20th century. The winery’s vineyards are farmed organically and rely solely on rainwater for irrigation, just as they did over 100 years ago. 
 
Planted in 1920, the Starr Road Ranch Vineyard produces tiny yields of highly-concentrated Zinfandel fruit with stunning depth of flavor and remarkable complexity. The grapes are double sorted by hand, ensuring only the highest quality fruit is selected to make this profound expression of Old Vine Russian River Valley Zinfandel.
 
GAMBA
ZINFANDEL 2021
STARR ROAD RANCH
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The Gamba 2021 Starr Ranch Road Zinfandel begins with notes of Christmas spices, red licorice, clove, marzipan, and red cherry. On the palate, the wine has a bright red fruit accented by nutmeg, allspice, and fresh acidity. This wine is perfect for a casual afternoon and makes an excellent match for barbequed foods.”
94 Points
2017 Worthy Sophias Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2017 Worthy Sophias Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

WORTHY

SOPHIA’S CUVEE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2017

2017 Worthy Sophias Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Worthy Sophia’s Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon is the second label of Axios, a premium Napa Cabernet producer named after the Greek word for ‘worthy.’ This Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend debuted in 2001 and has amassed a loyal following due to its ability to mirror qualities and characteristics that you’d expect from much higher-end bottlings. Sophia’s Cuvée is named after the proprietor’s daughter and is intricately fashioned around a Bordeaux-style blend by winemaker Robert Egelhoff.
 
Robert has prior experience as the Vineyard Manager for Beckstoffer Vineyards. He made wine for Bella Vista, Amizetta, and Robert Craig and crafted the Wine Spectator 1997 wine of the year, the David Arthur Elevation 1147 Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2017 Sophia’s Cuvée blends Cabernet Sauvignon with Petite Verdot and Merlot, providing incredible value in a wine from a winery with a strong pedigree for premier quality.
 
WORTHY
SOPHIA’S CUVEE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2017
 
 
 
“The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Worthy Sophia’s Cuvee is a very pretty wine for drinking now, as it is already showing the first signs of aromatic complexity and softening. Sweet tobacco, cedar, mind, dried flowers and plum are front and center in this forward, juicy Cabernet Sauvignon.”
90 Points
2021 Harvey & Harriet White Blend San Luis Obispo

2021 Harvey & Harriet White Blend San Luis Obispo

with No Comment $30 and underCentral CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesProprietary WhiteUSA

HARVEY & HARRIET

WHITE BLEND 2021
SAN LUIS OBISPO

2021 Harvey & Harriet White Blend San Luis Obispo
Eric Jensen of Booker Vineyards in Paso Robles created Harvey & Harriet to honor his hardworking parents, who raised a large family in a small home on a tight budget and loved wine. Eric’s parents wouldn’t have been able to afford the best quality wines at today’s prices, so this label intentionally brings delicious wines to the table that everyone can enjoy.
 
This White Blend is a new addition for Harvey & Harriet, comprised of Chardonnay, Albariño, Viognier, and Pinot Grigio. The Chardonnay contributes incredible richness and body, while the other varieties bring complex citrus and orchard fruits and a beautifully aromatic, floral lift. The wine is bright, fresh, and soft-textured, making it a delight to drink.
 
HARVEY & HARRIET
WHITE BLEND 2021
SAN LUIS OBISPO
 
 
 
“The 2021 White Blend, a blend of Albariño, Chardonnay, Viognier and Pinot Gris, has intense aromas of peach, lemongrass, fresh citrus, honey and flint, opening to new aromatic nuances with each return to the glass. The medium-bodied palate is bursting with perfumed fruit, loaded with juicy acidity, and it finishes with a touch of anchoring texture. It’s a delicious yet serious white with alluring generosity that keeps you coming back for more.”
95 Points
2019 Booker Fracture Syrah Paso Robles

2019 Booker Fracture Syrah Paso Robles

with No Comment $90-$100Central CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesSyrahUSA

BOOKER

FRACTURE SYRAH
PASO ROBLES 2019

2019 Booker Fracture Syrah Paso Robles
In 2001, Eric and Lisa Jensen purchased 100 acres in Paso Robles and founded the Booker Vineyard with a keen focus on farming high-quality grapes for nearby wineries. Eric started making wine on the side with his friend Justin Smith of Saxum and his neighbor Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure for a few years before he and Lisa decided it was time to release their own expression of the Booker Vineyard.
 
The certified organic vineyard has a high concentration of limestone that causes fractures in the soils, leading to the name of their flagship wine. The Fracture is 100% Syrah and a selection of the softest wines aged in small French barriques, and the 2019 vintage shows gorgeous aromatics and deep flavors with a delightfully long finish.
 
BOOKER
FRACTURE SYRAH
PASO ROBLES 2019
 
 
 
“The 100% Syrah 2019 Fracture comes all from the Booker Estate Vineyard and is another pure, balanced, incredibly classy wine from this estate. Loads of darker fruits, ground black pepper, crushed stone, and scorched earth give way to a medium to full-bodied, powerful, concentrated Syrah that will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 10-15 years.”
97 Points
2020 Dundee Wine Library Pinot Noir McMinville Oregon

2020 Dundee Wine Library Pinot Noir McMinville Oregon

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtOregonPinot NoirUSAWillamette Valley

DUNDEE WINE LIBRARY

PINOT NOIR 2020
PUGILIST CHAPTER THREE
MCMINVILLE OREGON

2020 Dundee Wine Library Pinot Noir McMinville Oregon
The Dundee Wine Library in the Dundee Hills AVA of Willamette Valley is family owned by two Oregonian natives, Henry and Araminta Miller. They farm a small estate vineyard, planted in 2015, and have several partnerships with renowned growers in the Dundee Hills, Ribbon Ridge, Chehalem Mountains, and McMinnville AVAs. 
 
Winemaker Thibaud Mandet was born in Auvergne, France, and earned a degree in organic chemistry before moving into more exciting studies in wine in Champagne and Bordeaux. The 2020 Pugilist Pinot Noir was sourced from the Hyland Vineyard in McMinnville and aged for eleven months in neutral French barrels, gently coaxing the fruit’s superior quality to shine through and purely express Willamette Valley’s terroir.
 
DUNDEE WINE LIBRARY
PINOT NOIR 2020
PUGILIST CHAPTER THREE
MCMINVILLE OREGON
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The DWL The Pugilist Chapter Three Pinot Noir 2020 begins with a nose of sweet cherries, bright berries, wild mushrooms, fresh Spring florals, and wet chalk. The palate continues with concentrated cherry juice and vibrant pomegranate dancing in step with a beautiful balance of ripe fruits with bright freshness. The crisp acidity carries the penetrating fruit through to a long, complex, satisfying finish.”
94 Points
2018 Kelly Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley

2018 Kelly Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley Oak Knoll District

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

KELLY FAMILY VINEYARDS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE NAPA VALLEY
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT 2018

2018 Kelly Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley
Harold Kelly was a founding member of the Land Trust of Napa County, and the Kelly family has been a massive part of Napa Valley’s agricultural land preservation for over 40 years. Harold’s son,Gene Kelly, is the proprietor of Kelly Family Vineyards, and he works closely with winemaker Bob Pepi to create a “wine worthy of being shared with close family and friends while you tell your family story.”
 
Mario Bazán was charmed by Napa’s energizing beauty in the early 1970s and is the Vineyard Manager of Kelly Family, placing emphasis on sustainable agriculture resulting in wines with greater depth and personality. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon speaks volumes from this small production, typical of the winery, whose quality is maintained by the undivided attention of a small, intimate team.
 
KELLY FAMILY VINEYARDS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE NAPA VALLEY
OAK KNOLL DISTRICT 2018
Retails at: $95
 
 
 
“The 2018 Kelly Family Vineyards Oak Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 begins with focused aromas and flavors of blackberry pie, sweet black cherry, savory black olive, boysenberry jam, dusty minerals, sweet vanilla spice, and dried herbs. This offering from the fabulous 2018 vintage is an intensely concentrated wine on the palate with a beautiful balance of deep fruit and a bright, fresh, elegant style combined with a long, lingering finish.”
94 Points
2009 Monte Real Rioja Gran Reserva Rioja Spain

2009 Monte Real Rioja Gran Reserva Rioja Spain

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtRiojaSpainTempranillo

MONTE REAL

RIOJA GRAN RESERVA
RIOJA, SPAIN 2009

2009 Monte Real Rioja Gran Reserva Rioja Spain
Founded in 1890, Bodegas Riojanas has deep roots in Rioja, with vineyards in a prime location in Cenicero. Their wines combine the elegance of Rioja Alta with the prowess and fruit of Rioja Alavesa. The 2009 growing season in Rioja is considered one of the most stunning vintages from that decade, according to Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate. One taste of Monte Real’s 2009 Gran Reserva will tell you that; the wine also received Editors’ Choice from Wine Enthusiast upon release in 2017, and it’s only improved since.
 
Visionary winemaker Felipe Nalda celebrated his 45th vintage during the harvest of 2009 as he expertly guided this Gran Reserva into a textbook style of Rioja using traditional large, upright tinajas and American oak barrels, where this wine spent three years before bottling. This aging program provides the distinctive Riojan spice with an integrated silky, smooth texture and layers of flavors that merge into a serene, delightful finish. 
 
MONTE REAL
RIOJA GRAN RESERVA
RIOJA, SPAIN 2009
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“Aromas of roasted earth, leather and fine oak are more out-front than berry fruit, and that’s the way it should be for a Gran Reserva. This feels bold, lively and still a touch bumpy. Chocolaty oak and vanilla notes rest comfortably on top of ripe berry and black-plum flavors, while the finish is persistently earthy and chocolaty. Drink through 2028.”
93 Points, Editors’ Choice
2019 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red Sonoma County

2019 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red Sonoma County

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

WESTWOOD

LEGEND PROPRIETARY RED
SONOMA COUNTY 2019

2019 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red Sonoma County
Sustainability is the heart and soul of Westwood’s philosophy, centered around sourcing fruit from vineyards farmed organically or biodynamically, becoming one of just a few Demeter-certified Biodynamic vineyards in North America. Famed winemakers Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky are the vintner team at the helm of Westwood wines, bringing forth their knowledge and experience gained at top wineries, including Bryant Family, Quintessa, Hundred Acre, Screaming Eagle, and Dalla Valle.
 
Like the three previous releases, the 2019 Proprietary Red Wine Legend blends the biodynamically farmed Westwood Estate Annadel Gap Vineyard fruit with specially selected organic, sustainable fruit from Sonoma County and Napa Valley. This rich, sultry red wine is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon enhanced with Syrah and with small amounts of Counoise, Grenache, and Tannat that spent twenty months in French oak, giving a divine drinking pleasure for at least the next seven to eight years.
 
WESTWOOD
LEGEND PROPRIETARY RED
SONOMA COUNTY 2019
Retails at: $55
 
 
 
“With 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Syrah, this 20-month French oak barrel-aged blend has a dep, opaque purple hue. Notes of spiced blackberry, licorice, and new leather. Creamy, with heather and soy sauce – it’s penetrating and concentrated – but generous in its juicy, floral nature. Dark chocolate lingers on the juicy finish.”
95 Points
2019 P. Ferraud & Fils Moulin A Vent Cru Beaujolais L'Eolienne

2019 P. Ferraud & Fils Moulin A Vent Cru Beaujolais L’Eolienne

with No Comment $30 and underBurgenlandFranceKevin Vogt

P. FERRAUD & FILS

MOULIN-A-VENT
CRU BEAUJOLAIS
L’EOLIENNE 2019

2019 P. Ferraud & Fils Moulin A Vent Cru Beaujolais L'Eolienne

Maison P. Ferraud & Fils was founded in 1882 and has been family owned for the last five generations, passing down valuable winemaking expertise and cultural values. The family has always placed high regard on traditional and regional practices in the vineyard and winery but also listens to today’s market, keeping a mindful eye on consumer preferences.
 
Moulin à Vent is known as the “King of Beaujolais” because it produces the most full-bodied, tannic, age-worthy wines of Beaujolais’ ten Cru Vineyards. This particular bottling comes from a unique plot named L’Eolienne, deliberately released up to two years later than other regional producers to ensure the right amount of age, creating a Pinot Noir-like profile at a very approachable price.
 
P. FERRAUD & FILS
MOULIN-A-VENT
CRU BEAUJOLAIS
L’EOLIENNE 2019
 
 
 
“The Ferraud & Fils 2019 “L’Eolienne” Moulin-a-Vent begins with aromas of fresh rose petals, cranberries, red cherries, bramble, white pepper, truffle, and dried herbs. On the palate, the wine has bright acidity that balances and highlights savory notes and earthy flavors with meaty undertones. This wine is at a prime drinking stage and will continue to develop for the next decade or so.”
94 Points
2019 Rubia Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard

2019 Rubia Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard

with No Comment $40-$50ChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

RUBIA

CHARDONNAY 2019
RITCHIE VINEYARD

2019 Rubia Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard
Margaret and Joe Valenzuela founded Rubia Wine Cellars as a tribute to their love and a deep desire to become a part of the winemaking world. They built strong friendships throughout Napa and Sonoma, allowing them access to renowned vineyards like Kent Ritchie’s Vineyard. Considered one of the top locations for Chardonnay in the Russian River Valley, Ritchie Vineyard fruit produces award-winning wines from Aubert, Ramey, DuMOL, and Paul Hobbs.
 
Furthering their dream, Margaret and Joe hired Julien Fayard as their winemaker. Julien worked for Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte in France before moving to the US, then became the Director of Winemaking for Philippe Melka. Rubia’s 2019 vintage Chardonnay was fermented in new French oak and kept on the lees for 16 months with a monthly batonnage creating a round, creamy mouthfeel and a long, flavorful finish.
 
RUBIA
CHARDONNAY 2019
RITCHIE VINEYARD
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“The Rubia 2019 Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay begins with notes of chamomile and honeysuckle with ripe peaches, apricots, marzipan, and vanilla custard. On the palate, the wine has a rich texture and creamy mouthfeel with flavors of honeydew, pear, baking spices, and toasted brioche. The roundness on the palate rolls into a smooth yet bright finish.”
93-94 Points