WITCHERY
It is an absolute thrill to find an upper-echelon Cabernet from a boutique winery with a couple extra years of age built in. In this particular case, it took an unusual circumstance for this one to still be available. Witchery uncovered a handful of cases of their flagship Oakville Reserve Cabernet from the heralded 2014 vintage, stowed away unnoticed in their warehouse for years. We opened a bottle at our last tasting and the bouquet alone was so intensely hedonistic that it rocked me to the core. This wine screams top-tier Oakville Cabernet and was hewn from a vineyard that sits directly South of Opus One. At under $100/btl, grab what you can, because once you taste how great the 2014 is right now, you’ll likely be on a witch-hunt for more.
Witchery’s 2014 Oakville Reserve flaunts a haunting perfume laced with crushed black fruits, camphor, burning embers that come intertwined with black chocolates, dried violets and roasted espresso. Those of you who tasted any of the previous vintages of Witchery know what this wine is capable of… Multiply that hedonism by two extra years in the bottle, and, well you get the picture…
WITCHERY
2014 OAKVILLE RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $110.00/btl
Your Price: $99.99/btl
Tasting Notes: “Profound, intoxicating aromas aromas of majestic blue and black fruits, white chocolate, and cassis soar from the glass. Extravagant layers of chocolate covered blueberry, plum, roasted coffee, and black-cherry completely wrap your palate. The pure, fine grain tannins are gently woven throughout and carry the wine effortlessly through the long voluptuous finish…”
Customers who enjoy Witchery Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, may also enjoy these Oakville Cabernets…
2016 Gamba Family Ranches Zinfandel
GAMBA
Throughout my career I’ve offered some truly memorable wines that have developed amazing followings, but only a handful have inspired the kind of love affair that Gamba has. After Robert Parker’s latest visit to the winery, he alerted readers, “… Gamba’s name is going to have to be included with some of the stars of Sonoma, such as Hartford Court, Carlisle, Bedrock and even the superstar Turley over in Napa.” Absolutely bursting at the seams with magnificent levels of jammy black raspberries and briary red fruits, Gus Gamba’s new 2016 Family Ranches could be the poster child for Gus Gamba’s Zinfandel. They’re always charming and hedonistic, with stunning opulence and full of extracted detail. At this price, their 2016 Family Ranches should not be missed.
Designed from a unique correlation of estate and neighboring vineyards, as well as merging young and old vines, the Family Ranches bottling creates a lush, fruit-forward Zin that’s laced with compelling depth and precision. Many of my Zin loving clients have proclaimed that Gamba Zin is The BEST wine in the world, and if you love elaborately flavored, delicious Zinfandel decadence, you’ll want to grab a case of Gamba’s Family Ranches while you still can.
GAMBA
2016 ZINFANDEL
FAMILY RANCHES
Retails at: $45.00/btl
Winery Notes: “The 2016 Family Ranches Zinfandel is a bold, well structured wine with an aromatic nose of ripe berries, brown spice, and black licorice. The color is a beautiful and vibrant dark crimson. The wine is deftly balanced, with flavors that burst on the palate, offering well defined dark cherry, raspberry and blueberry that give way to dark chocolate, spicy pepper and a hint of nutty oak. The frame is firm yet round without harsh edges, with an appealing, weighty, yet buoyant mid palate, and a refreshing lift on the lengthy, enjoyable, toasty finish.”
Customers that enjoy Gamba’s Family Ranches Zinfandel, may also enjoy these two terrific Zins…
2014 Enos Totem Ridge Vineyard Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
ENOS 
2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
TOTEM RIDGE VINEYARD
KNIGHTS VALLEY
How great can a wine really be at this price? Anybody that’s tasted VISTA and JOSEPH JEWELL knows first-hand the quality of wines that we’ve been able to find at that price. The new 2014 ENOS Cabernet is in the same category. The vintage brought a fuller, richer and more structured wine, which is exactly what this wine needed to become something you are going to think about for a long time. When you taste it for the first time you’ll be shocked by the level of quality, which is amplified in all the right places… The vineyard is located on the Southern edge of the Knight’s Valley, which is an appellation shared with icons like Peter Michael and Anakota and at $60/btl this Cabernet would likely make you very happy. At our price it’s one of the best wines that I’ve ever tasted.
Commanding a presence from one of Napa Valley’s best vintages, one that the Wine Spectator describes as producing “dense, charming, cellar-worthy wines,” the 2014 bursts from the glass with intense dark fruits, beautifully intertwined with vivid red currants, veins of minerals, lavender, chocolates, and slate. On the palate the wine is deep and rich with intriguing, expansive flavors that bring you back for more. This wine is only produced in exceptional vintages, so don’t wait for the next one to secure yours…
ENOS
2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
TOTEM RIDGE VINEYARD
KNIGHTS VALLEY
Retails at: $60/btl
Tasting Notes: “An enticing wine that has a beautifully pungent nose of bright red fruits, fresh black currants, green sage and cracked black pepper. The approach is rich, concentrated and envelopes your palate with focused pressed blackberries, graphite, crème de cassis and cigar box. The wine is vibrant and intense with impressive balance and brimming with crushed blueberries and ripe blackberry fruit followed by tobacco leaf and vanilla spice box. The finish is long, and expansive with slightly dusty tannins… Unbelievable for the price” 93 Points
2015 Philip Togni Spring Mountain, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
PHILIP TOGNI 
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SPRING MOUNTAIN, ESTATE
The true mark of quality in a wine is not how great it is immediately, but how long it’s great over time. One of the best examples in the New World is Philip Togni’s legendary Spring Mountain Estate Cabernet. The wine has a proven track record to last 30 years and is utterly breathtaking upon release… Chock full of hedonistic aromas spanning from pulverized mountain berries and roasted coffee beans to graphite and cigar box, and it will simply light up your senses. At a recent tasting event in Brussels, Togni’s 1990 Cabernet outperformed iconic Bordeaux producers, Château Latour, Margaux, Haut-Brion and Mouton to list a few… The 2015 vintage has already earned two separate 96 Point scores from both Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, as well as The Wine Spectator, so don’t wait too long to secure yours.
A pinnacle on Spring Mountain, Philip Togni’s Estate vineyard is perched at 2,000 feet in elevation and produces fruit of stunning qualities. Immensely complex, layers of blackberries, pressed mulberries, sage, and cassis are intertwined with veins of iron and volcanic minerals. Solidly braced with flavors that glide to a seemingly endless finish, the 2015 is an absolute classic and shouldn’t be missed.
PHILIP TOGNI
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SPRING MOUNTAIN, ESTATE
Your Price: $135/btl
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“A focused, tannic style, featuring tobacco and sage notes intermixed liberally with steeped currant and blackberry fruit flavors. Terrific cast iron and graphite hints flow underneath. This has loads of character and range, showing very vigorous, savory-edged cut. Youthfully rugged, with brambleedged grip to burn. Cellaring will let all the elements meld. Best from 2021 through 2040.” 96 Points
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“Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate has a very classic nose of cassis, warm plums and crushed blackberries with notions of cigar box, garrigue, damp soil and truffles plus wafts of menthol and underbrush. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a firm frame of grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and minerally.” 96 Points
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Customers that enjoy Philip Togni Estate Cabernet Sauvignon may also enjoy these two terrific Cabs…
2015 Pavillon De Taillefer Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux
PAVILLON DE TAILLEFER
2015 SAINT EMILION
GRAND CRU BORDEAUX
Across the world, critics are raving about the 2015 vintage in Bordeaux. The vintage set a record for perfect 100 Point wines from Wine Enthusiast, and around half of those were from Saint Emilion. The Wine Spectator rated the overall vintage 97 Points, noting Saint Emilion was the sweet spot, and this was the appellation’s highest rated vintage since 2010. Saint Emilion is the oldest active wine producing region in Bordeaux, officially formed in 1199. This stunning representation of a Grand Cru Saint-Emilion was created by Catherine Cohen, who interned with the legendary Jean-Claude Berrouet at Château Petrus. Jean-Claude immediately recognized her talents and installed Catherine at the famous La Fleur Petrus where she made the wines from 1995 to 2001. At $45/btl, this wine had our entire panel in awe…
Created from half-century old vines, and revealing textbook Saint Emilion crushed red fruits, shaved rock and plush black plum, this wine leaves your taste buds yearning for another sip. Catherine and her husband Phillippe purchased the Estate in 2006 after it was personally recommended by Jean-Claude Berrouet. This Estate is now clearly on a positive trajectory and this is one journey that you don’t want to miss.
PAVILLON DE TAILLEFER
2015 SAINT EMILION
GRAND CRU BORDEAUX
Your Price: $44.99/btl
Tasting Notes: “The 2015 vintage of Pavillon de Taillefer has enticing aromas of black cherry, red plum, licorice, and spice, with hints of smoke, fine herbs, glove leather, cocoa powder, violets and dried tobacco. The elegant, velvety palate begins with plush Bing cherry, dried blueberry, baker’s chocolate, wet slate and crushed minerals.“
93+ Points, Kevin M Vogt, Master Sommelier
Customers that enjoy Chateau Pontete Bellegrave, may also enjoy these two terrific French Reds…
2017 Cru9 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
CRU9 
2017 CHARDONNAY
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
When a wine producer has an undeviating focus to produce the absolute best wines imaginable in their category, and they’re not in it to make a buck, but to give back to help non-profits, you actually get a surreal sense of excitement and energy when you taste them. If you’ve been reading my emails for any length of time, you already know how I feel about CRU9. It was one of our best winery discoveries in 2018 and after tasting the new releases coming up in 2019… it’s clear to me that they’ve gotten even better. The 2017 Chardonnay was forged from a secret vineyard source that also sells to several high-end producers, and although it’s name needs to be kept secret, one taste will tell you everything you need to know…
With just 4 barrels produced, you can virtually taste the attention to every minute detail that went into producing this wine. It was aged for 11 months sur lie, a French term meaning literally ‘on the sediment.’ The sur lie style plays a large role in contributing to this wines rich, opulent texture. Notably, CRU9 also gives back and helps support two nonprofit women shelters, Rudy’s Place in CA and House of Hope in IA. Every time you buy a CRU9 bottle, you also help level the playing field for survivors of human trafficking, domestic abuse, and homelessness.
CRU9
2017 CHARDONNAY
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $38.00/btl
Tasting Notes: “A beautifully perfumed Chardonnay with a compelling, complex nose of dried pineapple, ripe pear, rich butterscotch, fresh green herbs, Spring flowers and a touch of sweet vanilla spice. On the palate, it is supple and lush with more dried pineapple, crisp apple, buttered caramel, chamomile tea, and a beautifully long finish that goes on and on. An exceptional effort that balances the palate richness with perfectly zingy acidity that brightens and lifts the palate just enough so it doesn’t come off as heavy.” 93+ Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
Customers who enjoy Cru9 Russian River Chardonnay may also enjoy these two terrific Chardonnays…
2015 Bruliam Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir
BRULIAM 
2015 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
If an individual vineyard’s unique terroir along with all of the nuances and complexities that it’s capable of producing were a voice, the Soberanes Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands would be one of the loudest and most beautiful in the New World. The vineyard has become synonymous with excellence and is becoming more and more well known for producing fruit with otherworldly complexity. It’s easy to get excited when you see its name printed on a label, and wineries like Roar, Lucia and Black Kite all make single vineyard Pinots from it. Bruliam Soberanes embraces clarity and definition and leaps from the glass with ripe boysenberry, mineral-laced cherries, wild rose, dark plum and holiday spices. With the average price of Pinot Noir from Soberanes estimated to be upwards of $50/btl, I strongly recommend making some serious room for this one..
Created from 100% Pisoni Clone, Soberanes is the latest vineyard planted by the Pisoni’s & Franscioni’s, whose families have been farming the area for over 100 years. Bruliam brilliantly expresses the remarkably distinct flavors and textures that this vineyard is becoming known for. It was strategically guided from grape to bottle by medical doctor-turned-winemaker Kerith Overstreet and this charming and sophisticated Pinot Noir should not be missed.
BRULIAM
2015 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
Retails at: $48.00/btl
From Wine Enthusiast: “Deep and hearty aromas of boysenberry, hickory smoke, iron, bay leaf and forest floor show on this single-vineyard expression. Dark rhubarb, baked strawberry and red plum pop on the sip, with healthy pinches of mace and cinnamon spice. It is very complex.” 92 Points
Customers who enjoy Bruliam Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir may also enjoy these two stunning Pinots…
2016 Heir Apparent Cellar Selection Oakville Red
HEIR APPARENT 
2016 OAKVILLE RED
CELLAR SELECTION
Have you ever wondered what makes the Oakville AVA so revered for producing Bordeaux Varietals? Over many thousands of years sediment has washed down from the hillsides creating notoriously complex earth. On the Western side of Oakville where icons Harlan, Martha’s Vineyard and Beckstoffer ToKalon Vineyards lie, the soils are sandy and gravelly, which result in exceptional drainage, which helps produce large root systems and healthy vines. On the Eastern side, near Screaming Eagle, Rudd and Plumpjack, the soils are red in color and loaded with minerals and volcanic composites. Some of the best wines produced in Napa Valley have Oakville origins and the average price per bottle is likely higher than any other AVA in the Valley. It’s rare to find an Oakville wine under $100/btl. Make sure to join our Insider’s Club (it’s free) to unlock special offers ~ or use the Click to Order button and see your price in the cart.
Heir Apparent’s 2016 Oakville Red seduces your senses with intense aromas of dark berries, exotic florals, minerals and hints of graphite. Calling on Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot all sourced exclusively from Oakville, the 2016 Cellar Selection offers stunning levels of pleasure, and should drink well over the next 12-15 years. I highly recommend locking up a case… You’ll be glad you did.
HEIR APPARENT
2016 OAKVILLE RED
CELLAR SELECTION
Retails at: $110/btl
Winery Notes: “Coming from the prestigious Oakville appellation, this carefully selected of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and a dash of Merlot shows firm tannins, a compact structure along with hits of black cherry, currant, plum and dark toast.“
2015 Kinsella Spencer Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
KINSELLA 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 SPENCER VINEYARD
I love tasting a new wine that is so compelling, it reminds me just how stunning a varietal can be. Meticulous farming practices, vineyard source, clonal selection and winemaking all combine to make the sum of the parts much greater than the individual pieces. I experienced this excitement in a bottle of Kinsella Spencer Vineyard Cabernet, which is absolutely one of the finest examples of Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s made by Thomas Rivers Brown, whom you may recognize from Schrader, Revana, Maybach, and Outpost… The 2015 Cabernet from Spencer Vineyard is stunningly elegant, rich and extracted, offering pulverized dark berries intertwined with graphite, dried violets and black currant… The previous vintage scored 95 points from Robert Parker, and I think the new vintage is even better.
With clones hand-picked by Thomas River Brown, Kinsella’s organically farmed vineyard is composed of three separate blocks. Heirloom, Jersey Boy and Spencer. The 2015 Spencer stole the show with our panel and we were captivated by the wine’s elegance and authoritative flavors that unwind methodically across the palate. The 2015 was built for the cellar and will effortlessly go for 15+ years, but if opened now, it will surely put on a performance of a lifetime.
KINSELLA
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 SPENCER VINEYARD
Your Price: $99.99/btl
Winery Notes: “This vintage certainly picks up where the 2014 left off. Engaging right out of the bottle, this bright cuvee is chock full of notes of ripe black currant, graphite and clove. Cigar box and violet mesh wonderfully with this higher acid cabernet and would be smashing with a dry aged ribeye!” Cabernet Sauvignon 92% | Petit Verdot 8%
Customers that enjoy Kinsella Spencer Cabernet Sauvignon, may also enjoy these two fantastic Cabs.
2014 Luca Malbec Paraje Altamira
LUCA 
2014 MALBEC
PARAJE ALTAMIRA
A winemakers vision can sometimes transform a category of wines for an entire region and propel them to an even higher level. Laura Catena did just that and it began with a vision to create a new breed of Argentine wines that would express individual terroirs from low-yielding, high-elevation vineyards in some of Argentina’s best wine growing regions. It didn’t take long for consumers and critics to catch on… Their wines have had a string of stellar reviews and her 2012 Malbec was featured as the #19 wine on the Wine Spectator top 100 list in 2014. Luca offers a truly vivid interpretation of high-elevation Malbec that’s expressive, profound and hedonistic, yet manages to do so while staying true to the varietal and region from which it was hewn.
Paraje Altamira is a small sub-appellation within the renowned Uco Valley, which is an area that has likely produced more 95 – 100 Point wines than any other region of Argentina. The fruit was grown at 3,600 feet in elevation and in rocky, alluvial soils and offers stunning power, depth and superior focus. When tasting this wine it’s almost hard to believe the realistic price level…
LUCA
2014 MALBEC
PARAJE ALTAMIRA
Your Price: $29.99/btl
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “There is a big jump in quality from the 2013 to the 2014 Malbec Paraje Altamira that matured in 500-liter oak barrels for eight months. There is much more freshness here, the fruit is a mixture of red and black and there are violets and some spices. The palate is juicy and soft with clean flavors that are easy to drink. The nose grows in the glass to become more floral. Delicious Malbec...” 91 Points
Customers who enjoy Luca Malbec may also enjoy these two terrific Argentine Reds…