2019 Lobo Cabernet Sauvignon Wulff Vineyards Napa Valley

2019 Lobo Cabernet Sauvignon Wulff Vineyards Napa Valley

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

LOBO

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
WULFF VINEYARDS
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Lobo Cabernet Sauvignon Wulff Vineyards Napa Valley
Founded on farming first and foremost, Lobo winery grows and sells fruit to premier Napa Valley producers from their Oak Knoll District vineyard, keeping a small number of rows for themselves. Vineyard Manager Mario Bazan has over 30 years of experience managing vineyards like Opus One, To-Kalon, and Stags Leap. He’s helped Lobo Winery transition from selling grapes to becoming a boutique winery making a small production of superb wines.
 
Winemaker Victoria Coleman has been at Lobo’s helm since 2008. She was hired on the spot because of her impressive background, beginning in production with Michael Silacci at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and working alongside Erick Tourbier at Chateau Mouton Rothschild. The 2019 Wulff Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was fermented in stainless steel before aging 18 months in 70% new French oak giving the perfect balance of power and elegance with integrated tannins and a supple mouthfeel.
 
LOBO
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
WULFF VINEYARDS
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $80
 
 
 
“Aromas of black fruit, plums, chocolate, sweet spices and cigar box. It’s medium-bodied with firm, fine tannins. Round and creamy with fruity character and a supple, sweetly spiced finish. Drink from 2023.”
91 Points
2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France

2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France

with No Comment $30 and underBurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

FILLON & FILS

PETIT-CHABLIS 2020
PETIT-CHABLIS FRANCE

2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France
Domaine Fillon & Fils was established in the early 20th century and opened its first wine-tasting cellar in 1935 in the village of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux. The winery continues operation in the hands of the same family and still produces every wine in-house from their 90 acres of vines.
 
Chablis is located southeast of Paris in the northern part of Burgundy, where the harsh, cold winters and short, hot summers create the ideal environment for the racy, brightly styled Chardonnay famous worldwide. Petit Chablis is a style within Chablis with a less strict aging requirement and aimed at an easy-drinking wine with freshness and vibrant acidity, and this 2020 Petit Chablis is the epitome of just that.
 
FILLON & FILS
PETIT-CHABLIS 2020
PETIT-CHABLIS FRANCE
 
 
 
“The Domaine Fillon 2020 Petit Chablis opens with delicate floral notes, lemon zest, cream, brioche, and a chalky minerality. On the palate, the wine has a light body with mouthwatering acidity and flavors of crisp green apple, peach yogurt, and pastry dough. The wine has a lively finish and is dangerously easy to drink.”
93 Points
2019 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley

2019 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaSyrahUSA

SEQUUM

KIDD RANCH SYRAH
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley
Sequum is a scientific term describing the sequence of layers in soil and the perfect name for Paul Skinner’s label, combining his Ph.D. background in viticulture and soil science with years of experience in the vineyard and his passion for wine. After decades of consulting super-premium grape growing, Paul launched his brand in 2003, which is now blended and bottled at Pride Mountain Vineyards with the help of Paul’s loyal winemaking and cellar staff.
 
Paul walks his Kidd Ranch Vineyard each morning and evening in the traditional turn of the 19th-century style assessing each vine’s overall health, nutrient levels, water status, crop load, and rate of ripening. Different Syrah clones are matched with rootstocks and soil types and trained in one of the oldest methods still used in the Northern Rhône, producing deep color and pronounced varietal characteristics that are distinctively apparent in the 2019 release.
 
SEQUUM
KIDD RANCH SYRAH
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $54
 
 
 
“A tiny production wine from an estate site, this offers depths of black cherry, dried herb and chalky tannin. Structured and balanced, with an elegant approach, it remains crisp in acidity throughout.”
90 Points
2020 Macauley Old Vine Zinfandel Napa Valley

2020 Macauley Old Vine Zinfandel Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaOld Vine ZinfandelUSA

MACAULEY

OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
NAPA VALLEY 2020

2020 Macauley Old Vine Zinfandel Napa Valley
Ann Macauley Watson founded the Macauley winery in the early 1980s; her son Mac now runs the estate, working closely with his childhood friend Kirk Venge. Mac and Kirk share the same winemaking philosophy, aiming to create wines with depth and a range of complexity directly related to each site’s specific terroir, which means sourcing the best fruit from the best vineyards in Napa.
 
Macauley’s 2020 Old Vine Zinfandel arose from ancient vines averaging 115 years old from historic vineyards throughout Napa Valley, including Korte Ranch, Kenefick Ranch, and Luvisi. The old vines limit yields, resulting in fruit with concentrated and complex flavors, giving the best qualities of the variety and providing the Macauley signature flavor profile. 
 
MACAULEY
OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
NAPA VALLEY 2020
Retails at: $55
 
 
 
“The Macauley 2020 Old Vine Zinfandel is a spice rack of aromas beginning with cinnamon, clove, sweet tobacco, and cedar with sweet fruit notes of black raspberry and strawberry. On the palate, the wine has bold flavors of ripe berries, vanilla, baking spices, and roasted hazelnuts that glide into a smooth, rich finish.”
93 Points
2018 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder

2018 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

ANTHEM 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOUNT VEEDER 2018

2018 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder
Julie and Justin Arbuckle founded Anthem to produce hedonistically rich, powerful wines from intensely concentrated mountain fruit. After interviewing over 100 applicants, they chose Jeff Ames as their winemaker because of his experience working for Thomas Rivers Brown as his assistant winemaker at Outpost and Schrader, as well as winemaker TOR and Rudius. One taste and you will know that Jeff was a brilliant choice, and at under $100, this is a candidate for the best Cab in Napa Valley.
 
Anthem’s estate on Mount Veeder remains relatively cool, even on the warmest summer afternoons, due to its elevation and sea breezes from the nearby San Pablo Bay. In the 2018 vintage, the weather was more temperate than usual and produced grapes with intense flavor, elegant structure, and finely integrated tannins. Jeff made the resulting harvest into this outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon that’s unbelievably delicious now, with a capacity to age in the cellar for more than 20 years.
 
ANTHEM 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOUNT VEEDER 2018
Retails at: $130
 
 
 
“Structured, with grip and length, this wine is ripe and rich in style with tremendous tannins. Chalky in texture, it provides layers of cassis, vanilla and clove, with the mountain appellation’s signature earthiness and herbal underrates. This will do well to cellar; enjoy best from 2028–2038.”
95 Points ‘Cellar Selection’
2019 The Crane Assembly Disciples Red Blend Napa Valley

2019 The Crane Assembly Disciples Red Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

THE CRANE ASSEMBLY

DISCIPLES RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 The Crane Assembly Disciples Red Blend Napa Valley
George Beldon Crane planted the historic eight-acre GB Crane Vineyard South of St. Helena in 1885, making it one of the first vineyards planted in Napa Valley. Fast forward nearly 140 years, and the site still produces remarkable fruit. Crane initially planted the vineyard as a traditional field blend with Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignan, Alicante Bouschet, Mourvèdre, and Valdiguie, which was common during that era. 
 
With a few new plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot added to the mix, the Disciples Red Blend represents a uniquely-American style of red wine. The blend for the 2019 vintage consists of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Charbono, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon, presented in a bold, rich, and memorable style. 
 
THE CRANE ASSEMBLY
DISCIPLES RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2019
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Pouring a vivid cardinal into the glass, the 2019 Disciples is replete with aromas of cranberry compote, Rainier cherry, Staedtler graphite pencil and Mendocino forest floor – the combination of redwoods, sorels, sun and ocean spray. Upon entry, the wine exudes a bright and lively character with notes of ripe raspberry, red fruits and subtle toasted aok. The wine closes at length with soft fine tannins and an inviting hint of vanilla.
2019 Silverado Merlot Mt Geroge Vineyard Coombsville Napa Valley

2019 Silverado Merlot Mt Geroge Vineyard Coombsville Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50CoombsvilleKevin VogtMerlotNapaUSA

SILVERADO 

MERLOT 2019
MT GEROGE VINEYARD
COOMBSVILLE NAPA VALLEY

2019 Silverado Merlot Mt Geroge Vineyard Coombsville Napa Valley
Silverado Vineyards was founded in 1981 by Ron and Diane Miller and her mother, Lillian Disney, who was married to Walt Disney before his death. Silverado lies in the heart of Stags Leap District and today sustainably farms more than 300 acres to produce and bottle single-vineyard Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Chardonnay, and several other varieties. The winery came under new ownership in 2022 by Bill and Carol Foley, who own around thirty successful wine brands, including Merus, Lancaster, Kuleto, and Foley Estate, and aim to keep the founders’ vision of Silverado Vineyards alive.
 
The Mt George Vineyard is the site of one of the first Napa Valley vineyard plantings in 1868, and the current Merlot plantings from 1989 and 1990 thrive on the well-drained, gravelly slopes of the ancient volcano. The characteristics of a cooler climate are apparent in this wine, which offers intense fruit flavors, spice, and deep color typical of the vineyard. The 2019 vintage yielded superior fruit quality with a friendly approachability and the structure necessary for cellaring. Our panel was thrilled by the wine’s impressive quality and agreed with James Suckling that it’s a hard wine to put down.
 
SILVERADO 
MERLOT 2019
MT GEROGE VINEYARD
COOMBSVILLE NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“Aromas of pine, plum and redcurrant. Medium-bodied with fresh, mineral character and silky tannins. Bright and cool on the palate. Balanced and juicy. So approachable and delicious that it’s hard to put down. Drink now.”
93 Points
2018 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

SILVER OAK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Silver Oak began in a dairy barn in 1972 with a patriotic vision between two friends who wanted to vinify California Cabernet Sauvignon aged in American oak that could stand the test of time. The winery’s popularity grew immensely over the next few decades, becoming one of the most consistent, high-quality domestic producers, delivering its distinctive style with vanilla, dill, sweet black fruits, and savory spice.
 
The Napa Valley bottling is a Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend incorporating other Bordeaux varietals that changes slightly with each season’s conditions and is blended before Silver Oak’s signature aging regimen of 24 months in American oak to ensure a more unified maturation. The winery ages the wines an additional 24 months in the bottle before release, and the 2018 vintage produced wines with focused intensity, exquisite balance, and elegant flavors that have just begun to show off the phenomenal vintage and will continue to develop with age.
 
SILVER OAK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018
 
Your Price: $175
 
 
“The 2018 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is ruby in color with notes of strawberry, fresh carnation, black pepper and vanilla. is wine builds in strength and body across the mid-palate with a blackberry character on the finish and bright cherry return.With integrated tannins, it’s expressive yet luxurious with an even, balanced finish. Given proper cellaring conditions, this wine will continue to improve through 2043.”
2015 Altanza Rioja Gran Reserva

2015 Altanza Rioja Gran Reserva

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtRiojaSpainTempranillo

ALTANZA

RIOJA 2015
GRAN RESERVA

2015 Altanza Rioja Gran Reserva
Located in Rioja Alta, the most historic zone in the region, Bodegas Altanza’s vineyards are terraced throughout river valleys primarily south of the Ebro River. This area is where many of Rioja’s oldest wineries are situated. Tempranillo is the principal variety and has been at the forefront of high-quality, age-worthy wines for more than 150 years.
 
Altanza’s state-of-the-art winery creates timeless wines with an authentic style and a touch of modernity using French and American oak in their aging regimen. The wine team aged the 2015 Rioja Grand Reserva for 27 months in oak before bottling. Rioja’s DOCa law for Grand Reserva then requires wine to spend a minimum of 36 months in the bottle before release, ensuring significant maturation and producing a wine that is stunning upon release and can age for many years.
 
ALTANZA
RIOJA 2015
GRAN RESERVA
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“Beautiful and deep Gran Reserva. You can really taste classicism here. It has an elegant texture, well-integrated tannins, lots of complexity and notes of roasted fruits, sweet spices, cigar box, dried herbs and sweet oak. Fresh acidity enlivens the vivid, spicy and impressively long finish.”
96 Points
2021 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma County

2021 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma County

with No Comment $60-$70Kevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

WILLIAMS SELYEM

PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COUNTY 2021

2021 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma County
Burt Williams and Ed Selyem had an affinity for Burgundy that neither of them could afford, so in the early 1970s, the two set out to make their own Pinot Noir. The goal was to produce wines for themselves; however, Burt nor Ed realized at the time that they were setting the standards for American Pinot Noir. Williams Selyem began with fruit purchased from growers with a simple handshake agreement, and 35 years later, those agreements are still in place and hold a testament to the loyal relationships Burt and Ed created. In 2009, their 2007 Litton Estate Pinot Noir was awarded a 100-Point score by Wine Enthusiast, making it the first California Pinot Noir with a perfect score. 
 
The 2021 Sonoma County Pinot Noir has stunning, pristinely balanced fruit quality from Drake Estate, Klopp, MacGregor, Putnam, Olivet Lane, and Starkey Vineyards. Despite the difficult beginning of the growing season, the vintage commenced with ideal temperatures and slightly below-average yields combined with exceptional fruit quality and vivacity, finely layered flavors, and site specificity.
 
WILLIAMS SELYEM
PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COUNTY 2021
 
Your Price: $65
 
 
“Layered and complex, the Sonoma County Pinot Noir offers strawberry and cherry fruit notes with hints of oolong tea. Clove and wood spices add further depth and intrigue. Sourced from many parts of the Russian River Valley and the Coast, this wine offers a broad brushstroke of the beauty of our diverse fruit sources. Red fruits on the palate with citrus peel undertones overlay onto the supple tannin structure that is refined and elegant.”