2018 Coho Headwaters Red Blend Napa Valley

2018 Coho Headwaters Red Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50CoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

COHO

HEADWATERS RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Coho Headwaters Red Blend Napa Valley
Gary Lipp worked in the California wine industry for over 35 years, founding Coho in 2002 with the principles he learned from his experiences working in multiple aspects of wine production. He started strong and continued down a path of excellence by hiring renowned winemaker Phillip Titus to help achieve his goal of crafting flavorful yet balanced wines. Philip has been with Chappellet for nearly 30 years and has produced some of California’s most sought-after wines. 
 
Gary introduced Headwaters Proprietary Red in 2005 after a fire destroyed the winery’s inventory of Cabernet Sauvignon for their 100% varietal wine. Thanks to the wine community’s generosity, Coho produced a red blend from Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. This Bordeaux-style blend still focuses on fruit from Coombsville, and the cooler 2018 vintage is already exquisite with layers of delicate complexity, creating aromas and flavors reminiscent of the Old World.
 
COHO
HEADWATERS RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Dark plums, mulberries, cloves and earthy undertones. It’s full-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Full and fruity with structure and freshness on the palate. Long finish. Very polished. Drink in 2023.”
93 Points
2019 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2019 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

SULLIVAN

COEUR DE VIGNE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RUTHERFORD 2019

2019 Sullivan Coeur De Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
Jim Sullivan’s obsession with wine began in the 1950s, making wine at home from a small plot of vines gifted to him and his new bride as a wedding present. Jim moved his family to a dusty Rutherford farm in 1972, establishing Sullivan Estate, which has been quietly producing and selling wine to friends, family, and wine lovers for nearly five decades.
 
Winemaker Jeff Cole earned a degree in Wine and Viticulture from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo before working with Schramsberg and J. Davies Vineyards, joining Sullivan in 2013. The 2019 Coeur de Vigne is a Left Bank Bordeaux-inspired blend with a clear and powerful voice, articulated through Jeff’s precise winemaking with an emphasis on displaying the dynamic terroir and rich potential offered by the Rutherford estate.
 
SULLIVAN
COEUR DE VIGNE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RUTHERFORD 2019
Retails at: $120
 
 
 
“Blended with 8% Petit Verdot and 2% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this hearty red is brimming in thick tannin, considerable oak and expansively youthful layers of vanilla, cassis and plum. Impressive in its grasp of both variety and appellation, it is worth cellaring; enjoy best from 2029–2034.”
94 Points “Cellar Selection”
2019 Mt. Brave Merlot Mt. Veeder

2019 Mt. Brave Merlot Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $90-$100Kevin VogtMerlotMt VeederNapaUSA

MT. BRAVE

MERLOT 2019
MT. VEEDER

2019 Mt. Brave Merlot Mt. Veeder
Mount Veeder is Napa Valley’s largest AVA, yet it produces less than two percent of Napa’s total wine production, with the lowest average yields in the region. The mountain is an ancient seabed with thin, rocky soils and 30-degree slopes at varying angles creating several different microclimates that enjoy temperatures ten to fifteen degrees cooler than the Valley floor.
 
Chris Carpenter has a well-respected reputation for vinifying mountain-grown fruit and created classic vintages at Lokoya and Cardinale before taking on the Mt. Brave project, which began in 2007. The eastern-facing slopes of the vineyard produce fruit with tiny, concentrated berries full of lush flavors and rich structural components. The 2019 Merlot is near perfection and a clear standout with complex aromatics, depth of flavors, seductive mouthfeel, and long-lasting finish. 
 
This wine is the epitome of Napa Valley Mountain-grown Merlot and gets Merlot-of-the-vintage for my palate.
 
MT. BRAVE
MERLOT 2019
MT. VEEDER
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“Aromas of violets and blackberries with some black olives follow through to a full-bodied palate with finesse, polish and great length. Velvety tannins. Incredible finish. Great class here. Drinkable now, but better to hold for about five or six years.”
98 Points
2016 Patrizia Cencioni Solaria Brunello Di Montalcino

2016 Patrizia Cencioni Solaria Brunello Di Montalcino

with No Comment $40-$50BrunelloBrunelloItalyKevin VogtPiedmont

PATRIZIA CENCIONI SOLARIA 

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
MONTALCINO 2016

2016 Patrizia Cencioni Solaria Brunello Di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino was one of the first regions in Italy to receive DOCG status in 1966 and is one of the most sought-after Italian wines. Fifty years later, the Wine Spectator ranks Brunello’s 2016 vintage as one of the highest-rated vintages in the region’s history, earning an overall vintage rating of 99 Points and noting a “Textbook growing season resulting in wines of finesse and elegance, balance and harmony.”
 
Winemaker Patrizia Cencioni knows Montalcino’s best wines are born in the vineyard and developed in the cellar. Solaria Vineyard, planted in 1989, sits 300 meters above sea level on a natural plateau composed of coarse tuff and clay soils, contributing to the wine’s incredible depth. Patrizia ages this wine for 30 months in a cask to fully integrate the flavors, and now, after extended time in the bottle, the wine is singing brilliantly.
 
PATRIZIA CENCIONI SOLARIA 
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
MONTALCINO 2016
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino holds your attention with a gorgeous bouquet of lavender giving way to cherry, blackberries, earthy minerals and white smoke. This is dark in character and silky in feel with a savory, almost-salty display of polished black fruits and minerals. Brisk acids provide grip and lend a cheek-puckering tension. Fine tannins add to the 2016’s already-youthful poise, yet they don’t get in the way. A mix of sweet violet florals and lingering ripe fruit satiate the palate. I love the balance here. The 2016 almost tricks you into thinking that it doesn’t need time in the cellar to show its best. But don’t be fooled; this will only get better with time.”
93+ Points
2018 Tolosa Heritage Pinot Noir Edna Valley

2018 Tolosa Heritage Pinot Noir Edna Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastKevin VogtPinot NoirUSA

TOLOSA

HERITAGE PINOT NOIR
EDNA VALLEY 2018

2018 Tolosa Heritage Pinot Noir Edna Valley
Tolosa Winery is part of the Alpha Omega Collective and specializes in Burgundian varieties grown in Edna Valley, California’s coolest AVA. The region’s transverse valley extends inland from the Pacific Ocean and funnels cold air and fog, creating an ideal environment for cool-climate varietals such as Pinot Noir. The Franciscan Mission of San Luis Obispo de Tolosa planted the first vines in the area and is the inspiration behind the winery’s name, paying homage to the hardworking farmers who pioneered the land.
 
Tolosa’s winemaker works to convey the distinct character of the wine, beginning in the vineyard with specially selected clones for each unique soil type, followed by gentle fermentation in stainless steel and oak barrels for a fine-tuned, integrated Pinot Noir. The 2018 vintage features earthy, herbal tones and bright red fruit aromatics, trademark characteristics of the Edna Valley AVA Pinots that elevate and delight the senses at a very fair price point.
 
TOLOSA
HERITAGE PINOT NOIR
EDNA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“Hearty aromas of black raspberry and muddled plum are lifted by sage and pepper on the ripe but clean nose of this bottling. There’s a pleasantly herbal kick to the palate, where the sagebrush aspects wrap around the dark-mulberry and wild-plum flavors. Rocky tannins give both structure and minerality.”
93 Points
2018 Sixto Chardonnay Uncovered Washington State

2018 Sixto Chardonnay Uncovered Washington State

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtUSAWashington State

SIXTO

CHARDONNAY UNCOVERED
WASHINGTON STATE 2018

2018 Sixto Chardonnay Uncovered Washington State
Charles Smith is the visionary Washington State winemaker behind several successful brands that have received over 200 scores of 95 Points and above. Musician Sixto Rodriguez and the documentary Searching for Sugar Man inspired the SIXTO label. It’s a project from Charles Smith and his VP of Winemaking and Viticulture Brennon Leighton that focuses on old-vine Chardonnay grown at higher elevations from cooler climate vineyards throughout Washington.
 
The ‘Uncovered’ Chardonnay is a cuvée of three single vineyards, including the Moxee Vineyard planted in 1973, the Rosa Hills Vineyard planted in 1977, and the Frenchman Hills Vineyard planted in 1998. The 2018 growing season began with mild temperatures followed by a long, dry fall enabling the fruit a long hang time and complete flavor development marking an outstanding vintage.
 
SIXTO
CHARDONNAY UNCOVERED
WASHINGTON STATE 2018
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“This is always a pretty chardonnay with transparent cooked-apple, lemon-rind and ripe-pineapple character. It’s full-bodied, layered and beautiful. Drink now.”
93 Points
2021 Sea Slopes Pinot Noir By Fort Ross Winery Sonoma Coast

2021 Sea Slopes Pinot Noir By Fort Ross Winery Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

SEA SLOPES

BY FORT ROSS WINERY
PINOT NOIR 2021
SONOMA COAST

2021 Sea Slopes Pinot Noir By Fort Ross Winery Sonoma Coast
Lester and Linda Schwartz purchased a section of forest straddling the edge of the Sonoma Coast in 1988, where wind-swept, foggy ridges overlook the Pacific. Experts advised against planting vines in this cool-climate area, claiming it was too risky for viticulture. Still, after six years of experimentation with different clones, rootstocks, and trellising systems, Lester and Linda produced their first vintage, proving the site’s ability to grow exceptional Burgundian varieties.
 
Jeff Pisoni, son of the legendary winemaker Gary Pisoni, joined the team in 2009, bringing his experience gained from growing up immersed in wine culture and his degree in Enology from the California State University Fresno. The 2021 growing season was drier than average, forcing the vines’ roots to dig deep into the earth for nutrients and water, resulting in very concentrated Pinot Noir fruit, with flavors carefully integrated by aging the wine in 80% neutral and 20% new French oak for nine months.
 
SEA SLOPES
BY FORT ROSS WINERY
PINOT NOIR 2021
SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $33
 
 
“The Sea Slopes Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 is a virtual basket of red fruits on the nose and palate, with bright and fresh red raspberries, red cherries, and ripe plum, along with violets, cola, and fresh sage. It has an excellent concentration of fruit on the finish, surrounded by slightly chalky tannins in its youth, which will soften over the next few months.”
92 Points
2017 MC4 Cabernet Sauvignon Martin & Croshaw Vineyard St. Helena

2017 MC4 Cabernet Sauvignon Martin & Croshaw Vineyard St. Helena

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaSt. HelenaUSA

MC4

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MARTIN & CROSHAW VINEYARD
ST. HELENA 2017

2017 MC4 Cabernet Sauvignon Martin & Croshaw Vineyard St. Helena
Neighbors Paul Martin and Fred Croshaw joined forces to produce their first vintage of just eight cases of Cabernet Sauvignon in 2009. The two have intimate knowledge of their vineyard located in a prime stretch of St. Helena near AXR and Turley Estate. They’ve farmed the vineyard organically and by hand since its initial planting using cuttings from Chateau Margaux.
 
MC4 winemaker Victoria Coleman assisted Michael Silacci at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars while earning her Enology degree from UC Davis, leading to International experience working at Chateau Mouton Rothschild. The 2017 production was a mere 196 cases that encompass the spirit of Napa Valley Cabernet by showcasing varietal purity, soft tannins, and depth of flavors suitable for further aging but are beginning to shine at the present moment.
 
MC4
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MARTIN & CROSHAW VINEYARD
ST. HELENA 2017
Retails at: $75
 
 
 
“The MC4 Saint Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 begins with blackberry preserves, coffee, vanilla spice, white rose petals, and dried mushrooms on the nose. The palate is dominated by red currants, Kalamata olives, and black cherries, with a lively style and satiny tannins. Drink now through 2030.”
93 Points
2019 Smith Wooton Melange Red Blend Napa Valley

2019 Smith Wooton Melange Red Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

SMITH WOOTON

MELANGE RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Smith Wooton Melange Red Blend Napa Valley
Croze Napa Valley’s boutique label, Smith Wooton, focuses on small vineyard sites farmed by meticulous and well-respected grape growers throughout Napa Valley. Winemaker Daniel Benton spends a lot of time in the vineyards and shares the same passion for the land as the growers he chooses to source fruit for his wines.
 
Each small parcel uniquely contributes to the whole picture, and Daniel recognizes each plot’s strengths and highlights those characteristics in the final wine. The Mélange is a red wine produced in a Right Bank Bordeaux Style, and the 2019 vintage is 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot aged 30 months in French oak. The wine is perfectly balanced, showy, and complex and drinks beautifully at this price level.
 
SMITH WOOTON
MELANGE RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $55
 
 
Your Price: Insider Club Members Only
 
 
“The Smith Wooton Mélange 2019 is striking in the glass with a beautiful, brilliant deep ruby color that sets the stage for what is to come. The intriguing nose has sweet florals, cherry jolly-rancher candied fruit, with hints of mint and vanilla bean. The linear, penetrating palate is bright and flashy, with ripe red cherries, pomegranate juice, red currants, sage, and baking spices. The unique flavor components combine with an interesting saline minerality to give it an elegant complexity.”
92+ Points
2013 Relic Grenache Mount Veeder Napa Valley

2013 Relic Grenache Mount Veeder Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

RELIC

GRENACHE 2013
MOUNT VEEDER
NAPA VALLEY

2013 Relic Grenache Mount Veeder Napa Valley
Relic is a boutique wine project by Behrens & Hitchcock alumnus Mike Hirby and Schatzi Throckmorton that specializes in high-quality Bordeaux and Rhone varieties. The wines were made in Behren’s cellars for the first eight years of production, allowing Mike and Schatzi to focus on crafting the greatest wines possible without relying on financial investors.
 
Mike gained additional experience as the winemaker for Realm from 2002 to 2010. Together with Schatzi, the two share a limitless passion for creating wines that express the nuances of the vintage and their unique origin. The 2013 Grenache was sourced from shale and sandy soils on steep, south-facing slopes on Mount Veeder, giving perfectly ripe, juicy fruit with spicy undertones and an impressive capacity for aging.
 
RELIC
GRENACHE 2013
MOUNT VEEDER
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The 2013 Grenache, from Paras Vineyard on Mt. Veeder, is deep, plush and bursting at the seams with intense red fleshed fruit. Succulent and beautifully layered, the Grenache oozes character. A hint of French oak shapes the finish in a racy, voluptuous Grenache that is an absolute joy to taste today. Drink 2016-2023.”
94 Points