Forged from ancient vines dating back to the 1880’s, and including the iconic Morisoli and Milat vineyards in Rutherford and St. Helena, Crane Assembly Disciples was named for these vineyards which can be considered “disciples” of the ancient vines of G.B. Crane, which the winery owns. The G.B. Crane vineyard was originally planted around 1885, making it one of the oldest vineyards in the Napa Valley… The 2016 release is incredibly appealing and comes layered with wild raspberries, black cherries, clove and incense. The wine was masterfully blended by winemaker Kevin Fox and consulting winemaker Dave Phinney, and with a 93 Point score from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, I wouldn’t wait too long to assemble your case.
Absolutely thrilling to swirl and taste, this wine has every quality that I look for in an ancient vine Zinfandel Blend. The final blend includes bits of Charbono, Grenache and Petite Sirah which enhance color, depth and structure. The 2016 is bursting with pristinely focused, seductive fruit and is incredibly hedonistic on the palate as flavors continue to expand throughout the extremely long finish.
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “A blend of 76% Zinfandel, 13% Charbono, 6% Grenache and 5% Petite Sirah, the 2016 Disciples is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with gorgeous notions of hoisin, Black Forest cake, prunes and potpourri with hints of black pepper, unsmoked cigars and cloves. Full-bodied, rich, opulent and oh-so-spicy, it fills the palate with decadent fruit and a plush texture, finishing with a lively lift.” 93 Points
2014 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo
FRATELLI ALESSANDRIA
2014 BAROLO
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Some of the best things in life are emotionally resonating, and that sensation can come from anything that moves us. A great speech, poem, song, play, picture, and in this case, Fratellia Alessandria Barolo… At a recent trade tasting at Farmstead in St Helena, this wine moved us more than ANY other wine at the event and if you could only see what it was up against, you’d have already ordered a case. The wine is stunningly detailed and powerfully expressive. It bounds from the glass with black cherries, wild plum, pipe tobacco, crushed mint and candied orange peel. With brilliant evolution and finesse, this remarkable illustration of Barolo has already earned solid reviews from two of the Country’s top critics. Of course, with the limited number of cases of this gem that make their way into the US, you’ll want to move quickly…
We certainly weren’t the first to discover this gorgeous Barolo… It was originally recognized by King Carlo Alberto in 1843 for having notable quality. The Fratelli Estate crowns the small hilltop village of Verduno, and the 2014 includes fruit from Riva Rocca, Rocca dell’Olmo, Neirane, Campasso and Bosco vineyards, and it’s truly one of the best 2014 Barolo’s under $100/btl that I’ve tasted. I strongly recommend securing a case.
FRATELLI ALESSANDRIA
2014 BAROLO
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Retails at: $54.00/btl
Your Price: $47.99/btl
“Now with a few months in bottle, Alessandria’s 2014 Barolo is a real powerhouse. Smoke, scorched earth, tobacco, menthol, licorice and wild cherry all convey an impression of gravitas, as this potent, muscular Barolo shows off its personality. The 2014 has quite a bit of density and richness at this level. I won’t be surprised if it turns out even better than this note suggests. There is so much going on here.”
91 + Points
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“The Fratelli Alessandria 2014 Barolo is a streamlined and elegant wine that imparts delicate tones of wild berry, spice, licorice, rosemary twig and candied orange peel. This is a classic expression and an absolute embodiment of Barolo tradition. The finish is long and silky with lingering tones of smoke and crushed mineral. This wine is very nicely done. It ages slowly in large Slavonian oak casks for three years...”
91 Points
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Customers who enjoy Fratelli Alessandria may also enjoy these two stunning Barolos…
2017 Fortune 1621 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
FORTUNE 1621
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY
Sailing into their 2017 vintage with even more energy and forward momentum, Fortune 1621 is a brand that’s become synonymous with value Cabernet Sauvignon in our shop. With the Bump family at the helm, and a crew that includes winemaker Brian Mox, who spent several vintages at Lewis Cellars, Fortune 1621 is clearly a voyage worth taking. The 2017 evokes the kind of joy you would get sailing across a glassy, calm ocean, as flavors glide seamlessly across your palate, leaving a soft wake of crushed black fruits, dried lavender, mocha with hints of blueberries. At under $30, don’t miss the boat on this one…
Journeying for more from 18 months in French and American oak barrels, the 2017 set sail from carefully chosen vineyards throughout Napa Valley, each selected for their own unique characteristics which contribute to the final blend. The 2017 is marked by it’s superior concentration, royal elegance, fine details and dusty tannins that are rarely found at this price…
FORTUNE 1621
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY
Your Price: $29.99/btl
Tasting Notes: “Fresh nose of toasty oak, red currant, vanilla and touches of mocha. The palate is full bodied with pure notes of cherry, red berry intermingled with blackberry and hints of tobacco.“
Customers who enjoy Fortune 1621 Cabernet may also enjoy these two stunning Napa Cabs…
2016 Cosa Obra Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
COSA OBRA
2016 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST
It’s very telling to us when any particular wine is still requested and praised months or even years post offering… When this happens, some might call it storied or legendary, but when a value Pinot Noir under thirty bucks makes this list, it simply speaks to the above average quality of the wine. For those of you who tasted, loved and are still talking about the earlier vintages of Cosa Obra Pinot, all I can say is, wait until you taste the 2016… Vaulting from from the glass with a vibrant medley of dark cherries, exotic spices, lavender and subtle vanilla, this is not only a terrific value, but a wine I think people will talk about long after it’s gone.
Arising from the Sangiacomo Vineyard, a vineyard that’s produced it’s fair share of memorable and highly-rated wines, the 2016 spends just 9 months in French oak, preserving the wines vibrant and lively flavors, yet adding a lightly toasty finish. Long, lovely and persistent on the palate this is simply a wine that when you taste it, you feel like you got a great deal, and that leaves a good taste in your mouth… Pun intended.
COSA OBRA
2016 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $32.00/btl
Your Price: $29.99/btl
Winery Notes: “Garnet color in the glass. The nose opens slowly over time revealing aromas of dark cherry, spice, and tobacco. A full mid palate with flavors of black cherry, blueberry-pomegranate and cherry cola, embellished with toasty oak in the background. Wellrounded, integrated tannins and texturally appealing with a soft and sleek mouthfeel.“
Customers that enjoy Cosa Obra Pinot Noir may also enjoy these two terrific Pinots…
ALMA de CATTLEYA
2017 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COUNTY
Your Price: $27.99/btl
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “Pale ruby purple in color, the 2017 Pinot Noir opens with Bing cherries, tart cranberry, blackberry, violet and tobacco leaf aromas with tangerine peel nuance. Light to medium-bodied, it’s fresh and soft in the mouth with crunchy red fruits and citrus accents, framed by soft, grainy tannins and juicy freshness to lift the finish...” 90 Points
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JOSEPH JEWELL
2015 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $40/btl
Your Price: Insider Club Members Only
Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers Click to Order From PinotFile: “Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Terrific nose offering aromas of vivid cherry, raspberry, spice and subtle toast. Thoroughly satisfying in a mid weight style featuring flavors of black cherry, blackberry and spice with a deft touch of oak in the background. Notable mid palate and finishing intensity, with gracious tannins. A charming AVA wine.” 92 Points
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2015 Bibbiano Vigna Del Capannino Gran Selezione Chianti Classico
BIBBIANO
GRAN SELEZIONE
2015 CHIANTI CLASSICO
VIGNA DEL CAPANNINO
When our panel tasted Bibbiano’s 2015 Gran Selezione Chianti back in April, we knew immediately that it was a picture-perfect example of stunning Chianti Classico. We went BIG, and bought all we could… If you read the most recent issue of Wine Spectator Insider, this one might have caught your eye with an incredible 96 Point score and modest price. After all, it is from Tuscany’s best vintage in nearly 2 decades… The wine was created from 100% Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello) and aged for 30 months before bottling. It has a lovely satiny texture and long resonant finish, and at under forty per bottle this 96 Point Blockbuster has everything that I look for in great Chianti Classico. If you missed our offer on this one back in April, here’s one more chance, but this time, it may not last the day…
Chianti Classico fans had a lot to be thankful for when the Italian Wine Authority approved a new classification above Riserva called Gran Selezione (Great Selection.) It represents the pinnacle of quality for Chianti Classico. The new class must be created from 100% Estate grown fruit, or a selection of the Estate’s best parcels… It also has higher extract restrictions and longer oak aging requirements. If you want to taste a seriously high-quality Chianti at a value price, this is the perfect opportunity.
BIBBIANO
GRAN SELEZIONE
2015 CHIANTI CLASSICO
VIGNA DEL CAPANNINO
Your Price: $39.99/btl
From Wine Spectator: “Alluring aromas of wild rosemary, thyme and sage complement the black cherry, blackberry, iron and tobacco flavors in this powerful red, which is supple and fluid, yet muscular too, with a long, resonant finish. Best from 2021 through 2040. From Italy.” 96 Points
Customers who enjoy Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti may also enjoy these two stunning Italian Reds…
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SALCHETO
2013 RISERVA
VINO NOBILE DI MONTELPULCIANO
Your Price: $29.99/btl
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ARIA DI CAIAROSSA
2012 TOSCANA
ROSSO IGT
TUSCANY, ITALY
Your Price: $39.99/btl
From The Wine Spectator: “A savory and fruity style, boasting blueberry, boysenberry, leather, earth and spice flavors. Quickly yields to firm tannins, yet there is sweetness and length on the finish… Best from 2019 through 2025...” 91 Points
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2015 Cornerstone Benchlands Cabernet Sauvignon
CORNERSTONE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 BENCHLANDS
When it comes to the highest quality, most powerful Cabernet Sauvignons in our shop that sell for less than $75, there’s one brand that’s been a Cornerstone (figuratively and literally) in that category for years… It’s a wine that has every component necessary to be truly outstanding, and it begins with winemaker Kari Auringer who worked under Celia Welch at Cornerstone as well as contributing to the fame of some of the Napa Valley’s most luminous names including Scarecrow, Keever, Kelly Fleming, and Corra to name a few. Adding another level of greatness to the wine is winemaker Charles Thomas who has more than 30 years winemaking experience crafting Robert Mondavi’s Reserve Cabernets, the first twelve vintages of OPUS ONE, or his work at Cardinale, Lokoya, Verité and Rudd. And then there’s the vineyards…
Cornerstone’s 2015 Benchlands Cabernet is built around a core of Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Oakville and Rutherford. The 2015 is made in a rich, opulent style with remarkable intensity and stunning length. On the palate, the wine is rich and elegant with wonderful energy, and flavors that unwind methodically across your palate. At $75/btl you’d be thrilled by the quality. From us, you’ll want to make extra room in the cellar, and go deep…
CORNERSTONE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 BENCHLANDS
Retails at: $75.00/btl
Your Price: Insider Club Members Only
Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers
Click to Order
Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers
Click to Order
Tasting Notes: “The 2015 Cornerstone Benchlands Cabernet Sauvignon is another beautiful rendition, picking up right where the 2014 left off. The elegant, sultry nose begins with captivating ripe blackberries, toasty oak and black olives, followed by hints of beechnut gum, lavender and rock dust. The palate starts with a pristine elegance and balance, paralleling the focused flavors of black cherries, red currants and black tea, then followed by beautifully integrated, toasty, sweet vanilla spice. The orchestrated finish lingers with elegant acidity, dusty fruit tannins and a wonderful freshness. Drink now, or drink later, but I’m going back for a second glass now...” 94 Points
2012 Heitz Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
HEITZ
TRAILSIDE VINEYARD
2012 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Heitz is an absolutely historic winery that continues to craft wine in the same traditional and age-worthy style that they’ve become revered for, for almost 60 years. Each decision made at the winery, from when to pick, through the entire fermentation and aging process are purposefully made to guide the wine into a style that will stand the test of time, rather than be flashy and forward when consumed young. Why? You’ll find the answer in a bottle of 2012 Heitz Trailside Vineyard Cabernet… After resting for 3 long years in 100% oak, followed by another 3 years inside the bottle, the 2012 now awakes with penetrating dark fruits, powerful structure, unending depth and remarkable detail. With the new 2013 vintage checking in at $125/btl, the 2012 is a stunning value, that shouldn’t be missed at $79.99/btl.
The Trailside Vineyard, located in the Iconic Rutherford AVA, made it’s debut in 1989 and they’ve produced a bevy of high-scoring Cabernets from this vineyard ever since. The wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and made it’s entrance from one of Napa Valley’s most desired vintages. I highly recommend saddling up and securing your case…
HEITZ
TRAILSIDE VINEYARD
2012 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $85.00/btl
Your Price: $79.99/btl
“Subtle aromas of plums and cherries with hazelnuts and cedar follow through to a full body. Plenty of wood showing in the mid-palate with a flavorful finish. Needs two or three years to come together. A traditionally structured Napa cab with focus. Drink in 2021 and onwards.” 93 Points
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“Features an alluring mulled spice hint weaving around a core of gently steeped plum, blackberry and red currant fruit flavors. A light cherry wood note lines the finish while the fruit easily keeps pace. This is approachable now but there’s no rush.” 93 Points
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“From a certified organic vineyard in Rutherford, this is a 100% varietal wine that impresses from start to finish, allowing room for a slight whiff of reduction and tar on the nose. Dark notions of coffee are interwoven between bright layers of cassis and red cherry around structured acidity and oak.”
94 Points, Cellar Selection
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Customers who enjoy Heitz Trailside Cabernet may also enjoy these two stunning Cabernets…
PARADIGM
2015 OAKVILLE ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $84.00/btl
Your Price: $79.99/btl
If I were to choose one wine that perfectly expresses Oakville’s notorious complexity, Paradigm would be my first choice. This absolutely stunning wine made by Heidi Barrett comes from the Western side of Oakville, just South of Beckstoffer’s Iconic To-Kalon Vineyard in an area widely considered the epicenter of Grand Cru quality Cabernet Sauvignon. Paradigm’s neighbors include icons, Dominus, Harlan Estate, Opus One, and Martha’s Vineyard…
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INGLENOOK
2014 RUTHERFORD
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $75/btl
Your Price: $65/btl
From Vinous: “ … pulses with a host of savory and mineral notes that confer notable freshness. Quite representative of the vintage, the Cabernet displays considerable energy and tension, with terrific intensity throughout. Graphite, lavender, mint, smoke and tobacco are all finely knit in a Cabernet that offers quite a bit of potential.” 92-95 Points |
2016 Château Moulin De La Grangère Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux
CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE LA GRANGÈRE
2016 BORDEAUX
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
In many ways, wine is like a puzzle, and each piece would be factors such as vintage, winemaker, location, and price. Based upon these, Château Moulin De Grangère is a masterpiece. Each sip is as satisfying as placing the last piece firmly in place, because finding a Grand Cru Bordeaux that drinks as well as this one and at this price level is incredibly rare. The winery’s consulting winemaker is Michel Rolland who many would argue is THE top winemaker in the world, with customers spanning 13 countries. The winery neighbors Château Pavie, one of Saint-Émilion’s most revered wineries that earns regular 100 point scores and goes for many hundreds of dollars per bottle… And the Vintage? The Wine Spectator rated the overall vintage 94 Points, noting “a very homogenous vintage”, and under $40 this wine needs to be experienced.
Saint Émilion is the oldest active wine producing region in Bordeaux, officially formed in 1199. The Château Moulin La Grangère sits at the foot of the finest slopes of Saint-Émilion and the certified organic vines are planted in clay-limestone soils. The 2016 is 100% Merlot and like many 2016’s, it’s profoundly structured, with great depth, penetrating fruit, beautifully integrated tannins, and perfectly balanced acidity. I strongly recommend a case of this remarkable Grand Cru.
CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE LA GRANGERE
2016 BORDEAUX
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
Your Price: $33/btl
Tasting Notes: “This Saint Emilion Grand Cru is made from 100% Merlot grapes and aged in oak barrels. The elegant red wine exudes a spicy-fruity bouquet with aromas of red and black berries. The palate is characterized by ripe red fruits with fine tannins. The taste is rounded off by subtle woody notes with vanilla and some licorice.”
Customers that enjoy Château Moulin De La Grangere Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, may also enjoy these two terrific Bordeauxs…
2016 Morgan Twelve Clones Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
2016 PINOT NOIR
TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Odds are, when three top wine critics in the country positively agree on a wine, it will appeal to a broad audience. Yes, taste is subjective, but truly great wine can transcend subjectivity and appeal to a much wider range of palates, simply because it’s an excellent representation, is perfectly balanced and has a set of indescribable qualities that is compelling for just about any wine lover. Morgan Twelve Clones has always made my short-list of California’s best value Pinots and the reasons why were abundantly clear at our recent tasting where it outshined multiple Pinots at a much higher price level. With triple 91-93 point scores and a price that’s fairly easy to swallow (pun, intended), I strongly recommend locking up a case.
When you begin to dig into the specifics on why this wine is such a stunning value, the first thing you might note is that nearly 1/3 of the fruit comes from the winery’s flagship Double L Vineyard and their single vineyard from there rings in at $65. You might also note the care that goes into crafting this wine, with fruit being hand-sorted, twice… The most obvious reason is unequivocal the moment this wine hits your palate, and you’ll find the multi-dimensional flavors, balanced acidity and supple fruit will induce a smile on even the most discerning palate.
MORGAN
2016 PINOT NOIR
TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Retails at: $35.00/btl
Your Price: $29.99/btl
YOU SAVE 14%
“Brilliant red. Spice-accented raspberry and cherry accents along with hints of woodsmoke cola and Asian spices. Silky and energetic on the palate offering appealingly sweet red berry and floral pastille flavors that deepen slowly as the wine opens up. Fine-grained tannins lend shape to an impressively long mineral- and spice-laced finish that shows excellent clarity and repeating florality.” 91 Points
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“Aromas of strawberries, tar and light earth follow through to a medium body with fine and light tannins. A floral, watermelon and citrus aftertaste. A pleasing purity of fruit to this. Drink now.” 92 Points
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“Moving to the reds, the 2016 Pinot Noir Twelve Clones (aged ten months in 38% new French oak) offers ample black cherry, violet, and scorched earth aromatics, hints of background oak, medium body, and a beautiful fruit forward, balanced, layered style on the palate. It’s a winner.“ 93 Points
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2012 Rudius Fion Bainise Proprietary Red
RUDIUS
2012 FION BAINISE
PROPRIETARY RED
What do you get when you combine one of Napa’s most talented winemakers, whose day job is crafting the high-scoring TOR wines, with ancient Mourvedre from Bedrock, Syrah from Hudson and nearly century old Grenache vines from Sceales Vineyard? The net result is a wine so outrageously good, that at thirty bucks it’s not even fair… Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Jeff Ames, who mentored under Thomas River Brown at Schrader, Maybach, Outpost and TOR before becoming head winemaker at TOR in 2005. At TOR he’s made crafting high-90’s rated wines look easy, and with his own label Rudius, he’s applied that same skill-set to creating value wines with unrestrained character and profound hedonism. Words can’t express how brilliant this wine is showing right now, but maybe actions can? We bought every single bottle available just after we tasted it.
How do you take a wine like this and make it even better? You allow it to blossom for 5 years in the bottle… The Fion Bainise blend is build around a core of 57% ancient vine Grenache and enhanced with 130 year old Mourvedre vines from Morgan Twain Peterson’s Iconic Bedrock Vineyard. It’s then amplified with 7% Syrah from Hudson Vineyard. A wine this great, likely won’t last the day…
RUDIUS
2012 FION BAINISE
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $38.00/btl
Your Price: $29.99/btl
YOU SAVE 21%
Winery Notes: “Jeff always allows this wine to take on a life of its own, letting the brilliance of the vintage guide his blend, and in 2012 the Grenache is the shining star. Head-trained, 84 year- old Grenache gives the wine a deep ruby color and commands your attention from the first whiff with spicy aromas, sweetened by lush raspberry and subtle lavender undertones. On the palate, the Grenache dominates the entry with bright acidity and tannins that demand a little time in the cellar (or at least 30 minutes to breath once you pop the cork). The minerality of the 126 year-old Mourvédre wows you in the end, filling out the finish with flavors of silky ripe elderberry. And as the 2012 vintage would dictate, this is a bigger wine than previous incarnations, but fans of this bottling will recognize the bright acidity and appreciate its incredible ability to go with almost any food.“
Customers that enjoy Rudius Fion Bainise may also enjoy these two stunning blends…