2022 Zialena Sauvignon Blanc Geyserville

2022 Zialena Sauvignon Blanc Geyserville

ZIALENA

SAUVIGNON BLANC
GEYSERVILLE 2022

2022 Zialena Sauvignon Blanc Geyserville

Our tasting panel was immediately enamored by this wine and wondered how we’d never heard of it before. The winery sits on a 120-acre property in Alexander Valley that dates back to the early 1900s when Giuseppe Mazzoni immigrated from Carrara, Italy, and became a grape farmer and winemaker after joining the Italian Swiss Colony. 

The vineyards are situated in a prime location with exceptional terroir, including a combination of soil types, microclimates, and elevation changes that contribute to the unique characteristics found in Zialena wines.

The Winery is committed to sustainable farming practices and employs environmentally friendly methods in the vineyards, focusing on handcrafted, small-lot production wines. The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is the second vintage fermented in custom concrete eggs using the egg’s natural convection to stir the lees and create an elegant structure with a soft texture and ultimate concentrated flavor complexity.

ZIALENA
SAUVIGNON BLANC
GEYSERVILLE 2022

Your Price: $38

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“The Zialena 2022 Geyserville Sauvignon Blanc opens with beautiful aromatics, including elderflower, gardenia, ripe citrus and tropical fruits, and a creamy lemon custard. On the palate, the wine has zippy acidity balanced with concentrated flavors of Meyer lemon, grapefruit, passion fruit, melon, and wet stone minerality. The wine has a touch of creaminess on the mouthfeel and a long, dynamic finish.”

94 Point

2015 Coplan The Chairman Red Blend Sonoma Valley

2015 Coplan The Chairman Red Blend Sonoma Valley

COPLAN 

THE CHAIRMAN
RED BLEND 2015
SONOMA VALLEY

2015 Coplan The Chairman Red Blend Sonoma Valley

Coplan is a limited-production, boutique winery in Sonoma, with an estate vineyard boasting Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in the Sonoma side of the Carneros region in the 1940s. The Chairman is their flagship red blend that pays homage to the founder’s father, representing the layers of flavors and aromas encountered when opening a beautiful, balanced bottle of wine.

Winemaker Jacqueline Yoakum, known for her past work at Littorai, Amaranthe, and Schramsberg and currently the lead winemaker for Keller Estate, expertly blends each vintage to capture the elements of the growing season and quality of the fruit. 

Drinking beautifully right now, the 2015 Chairman comprises 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, with a portion of the fruit harvested from 70-year-old vines, and 58% Merlot, aged in French oak for 24 months and producing a minuscule release of just 100 cases.

COPLAN 
THE CHAIRMAN
RED BLEND 2015
SONOMA VALLEY
Retails at: $55

Your Price: $35

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“The 2015 Coplan The Chairman Sonoma Valley Red Wine Blend 2015 begins with a supple, seamless nose with red and black currants, ripe blueberries, elegant lavender, sweet vanilla, cardamom, and Spring florals. The palate continues with smooth, deep, rich black and red berries, tart cherry, and black plum with light kitchen spices, coffee hints, saline, and more floral elements. The rich, round fruits are balanced beautifully with just enough bright freshness to keep the opulence from feeling heavy. Tasted in November of 2023, and is perfectly ready to drink now.”

93 Points

2017 Aspara Syrah Las Madres Vineyard

2017 Aspara Syrah Las Madres Vineyard

APSARA

SYRAH 2017
LAS MADRES VINEYARD

2017 Aspara Syrah Las Madres Vineyard
The word apsara originates from the Sanskrit language, symbolizing an angelic dancer with balance, purity, and expression, accurately describing each of Apsara Cellars’ exquisite wines. The winery’s founders, Robin and Aneeta Akhurst, met 20 years ago while studying biology and environmental science in Indonesia, broadening the scope of their interests in preserving nature with organic, biodynamic, and sustainable practices.
 
After Robin obtained his degree in Enology, he spent the next four years working with legendary winemakers worldwide, including Anne Claude Leflaive in Burgundy, Matt Wenk in the Barossa Valley, and Thomas Rivers Brown in the Napa Valley. The 2017 Apsara Syrah was grown in the meticulously farmed Las Madres Vineyard in Sonoma Carneros and is known for its cool climate Syrah with spice, depth, and style similar to the celebrated wines of the Northern Rhône. With only 100 cases produced, it won’t last long at this price.
 
APSARA
SYRAH 2017
LAS MADRES VINEYARD
Retails at: $80
 
 
 
“The 2017 Apsara Las Madres Vineyard Syrah begins with notes of violets, rose petals, garrigue, white pepper, blackberry, and chocolate mousse. The wine envelopes and coats the palate with silky tannins and flavors of black plum, bramble, chocolate chip cookies, and aniseed. This style of Syrah is seductive but not heavy and sweetly coaxes you into the perfect state of relaxation.”
94 Points
2016 Immortal Estate Slope Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County

2016 Immortal Estate Slope Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County

IMMORTAL ESTATE

SLOPE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
SONOMA COUNTY 2016

2016 Immortal Estate Slope Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
Immortal Estate’s vineyards are among the steepest in California, terracing a 55-degree slope on Spring Mountain that receives ample sunshine with increased airflow and water drainage for the fruit’s greatest possible concentration of flavors. This 100pt capable estate was previously named Hidden Ridge, and, in 2019, Tusk Proprietor Tim Martin, Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, and Supermodel Kate Upton purchased it.
 
Two-time 100-point winemaker Tim Milos selects harvest dates by tasting grapes from each block and carefully sorts the fruit before fermentation, ensuring that only perfectly healthy grapes make it to fermentation. The 2016 vintage was glorious for Sonoma, and this mountain Cabernet Sauvignon was aged 28 months in 75% new French oak to help soften the tannins for smooth drinkability. It’s no surprise that Immortal Slope receives high scores from enthusiasts and critics with each release.
 
IMMORTAL ESTATE
SLOPE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
SONOMA COUNTY 2016
 
Your Price: $79.99
 
 
“Starting with the 2016 Slope, this beauty is all Cabernet Sauvignon that saw 28 months in 75% new French oak. Dense purple-hued with a rocking bouquet of blackcurrants, sagebrush, sappy green herbs, lead pencil, and tobacco, it hits the palate with a mammoth-sized personality that carries lots of tannins, a plush, sexy texture, no hard edges, and a great finish.”
95 Points
2017 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Duttin Ranch Vineyard

2017 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Duttin Ranch Vineyard

PATZ & HALL

2017 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD

2017 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Duttin Ranch Vineyard
James Hall and Donald Patz were colleagues at Flora Springs Winery before realizing they had shared passion for wines with a sense of place and character, and so they built a friendship around their love for small lot wine production. In 1988 Patz & Hall was founded by Donald and Heather Patz, James Hall, and Anne Moses, and has since maintained a solid reputation of excellence, consistently producing brilliant wines from some of Sonoma’s most well-renowned vineyards and growers.
 
The Dutton Ranch vineyard is home to some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in western Sonoma County, with partial dry farming producing intensely concentrated berries. The 2017 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay is a blend of five clones- Hyde-Wente, Robert Young, Rued, UC Davis Clone 4, and Spring Mountain, aged in 35% new Burgundian French oak giving the wine some spice while allowing the fruit shine.
 
PATZ & HALL
2017 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
Retails at: $48
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
 
“From the Russian River, the 2017 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch is a step up and has more intensity and depth, with a rocking bouquet of honey stone fruits, brioche, toasted hazelnuts, and crushed stone. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, with bright acidity, it has a kiss of background oak but is a seriously good, layered effort that will cruise for 5-7 years, probably longer.”
96 Points
2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast

2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast

RAEN

2019 PINOT NOIR 
ROYAL ST. ROBERT CUVEE
SONOMA COAST

2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast
Carlo and Dante Mondavi grew up at their grandfather’s OPUS ONE Winery and further sharpened their winemaking skills at their father Tim’s cult brand Continuum, so it’s no surprise that the cult and culture of wine runs deep in their veins. The Mondavi family has a keen talent for selecting vineyards capable of producing premium wines and has been one of American wine’s most influential families.
 
RAEN Royal St. Robert Cuvée Pinot Noir is a tribute to their grandfather, who taught them the art of winemaking and commitment to excellence. The 2019 bottling is a selection of their finest barrels from Freestone, Occidental, Bodega, and Fort Ross Seaview Sea Field Vineyards, showcasing the cool-climate Pinot Noir coming from the rugged coastal hills and now scoring a whopping 97 points from James Suckling.
 
RAEN
2019 PINOT NOIR 
ROYAL ST. ROBERT CUVEE
SONOMA COAST
 
Your Price: $65
 
 
“The aromas of strawberry and raspberry with conifer and hints of bark are impressive. Full-bodied, but so reserved and linear with super long, tightened tannins that melt into the wine. 100% whole cluster. Drinkable now, but much better to wait a year or three.”
97 Points
2019 Flowers Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

2019 Flowers Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

FLOWERS

2019 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST

2019 Flowers Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
The heart of the winemaking philosophy at Flowers is for the wine to express its origin and promote the unique flavors of the rough, rugged, and remote coastal ridges of the Sonoma Coast. Three distinct qualities define the vineyards used to source their Chardonnay: extreme elevation, coastal influence, and sustainable farming practices that together create a haven for growing cool-climate varieties.
 
Winemaker Chantal Forthun believes in low intervention and uses a natural yeast strain from the skin of the grapes for fermentation, giving Flowers wines their particular characteristics. The 2019 vintage saw a cold, wet winter, followed by a mild spring and summer, resulting in moderate to slow ripening for delicate but complex layers of flavor with bright acidity and a pleasantly lingering finish. Our panel was thrilled with the quality of their 2019 Chardonnay, marking one of their best vintages yet, offering a stratospherically high level of quality for its value price.
 
FLOWERS
2019 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“I love the Chardonnay from this estate, and their appellation 2019 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is well worth seeking out, revealing a lighter gold hue as well as a crisp, nicely defined bouquet of poached pear, citrus, spice, and hazelnuts. Beautiful on the palate as well, it’s medium-bodied and has nicely integrated acidity, notable balance, and a great finish.”
94 Points
 
“Rich and finely textured, with concentrated white fruit flavors that show buttery hints. The spicy finish lingers with minerally snap and creamy accents. Drink now through 2025.”
92 Points
2014 The Owl & The Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley

2014 The Owl & The Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley

THE OWL & THE OAK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 DRY CREEK VALLEY 

2014 The Owl & The Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley
Michelle Mercer and her husband Bruce Golden spent 15 years living abroad, giving them priceless opportunities to visit some of the best vineyards in the world. Upon returning to the US, they searched to find the perfect location for growing premium Cabernet Sauvignon in an old-world style with subtle beauty and grace, like a new blossom slowly opening its petals and revealing its inner depth of character.
 
A small plot of 9 acres in Dry Creek Valley proved to be the best location because of the cooler microclimate than neighboring vineyards, allowing the grapes to mature at a slower rate, increasing hang time for deep flavor development while retaining the grape’s natural acidity. The 2014 vintage of The Owl & The Oak is captivating in its vast range of flavors and immaculate structure that coats the palate and continues into an ethereal finish.
 
THE OWL & THE OAK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 DRY CREEK VALLEY
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The Oak & The Owl Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromas of violets, sage, crushed blueberries, wet stones, white truffles, and cocoa powder. The palate is seductive with its velvety tannins and bright acidity, allowing sultry, savory flavors to coat the mouth with a persistent finish. This wine is an old-world wine lover’s dream in the new world with its depth of fresh aromas and flavors, pure from start to finish without being flashy or flabby, and suitable for aging up to 15 years or more.”
95 Points
2018 Lancaster Winemakers Cuvee Alexander Valley

2018 Lancaster Winemakers Cuvee Alexander Valley

LANCASTER

2018 WINEMAKER’S CUVEE 
ALEXANDER VALLEY

2018 Lancaster Winemakers Cuvee Alexander Valley
Millions of years ago, volcanic and seismic activity shaped much of Alexander Valley, leaving the area with dozens of unique soil types and microclimates, proven to produce savory and delicious Bordeaux-style blends. Lancaster’s hillside estate soils are nutrient deficient, forcing the vine to concentrate more on survival and less on green leaf growth, ideal for growing grapes with distinct character and varietal expression.
 
Each vintage brings opportunities to learn and improve, so viticulturist Brian Malone and winemaker David Drake work closely to monitor small vineyard changes with satellite mapping and climatic analysis from vineyard weather stations. Every vineyard block is evaluated for each microclimate’s most superior clones and rootstocks, producing wines that boast robust flavors and compete with some of Napa Valley’s finest red wines. 
 
LANCASTER
2018 WINEMAKER’S CUVEE 
ALEXANDER VALLEY
Retails at: $85
 
Your Price: $69.99
 
 
“The 2018 Winemaker’s Cuvee is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Medium ruby, it has pretty scents of Morello cherries, cigar box, lavender and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate is approachable straight from the bottle, with grainy tannins, refreshing acidity and a long, mineral-laced finish.” 
93 Points
2016 Marimar Estate Pinot Noir Metodo Antiguo

2016 Marimar Estate Pinot Noir Metodo Antiguo

MARIMAR ESTATE

2016 PINOT NOIR
METODO ANTIGUO

2016 Marimar Estate Pinot Noir Metodo Antiguo
Marimar Torres, of the renowned Familia Torres winemaking family in Spain, immersed herself in the wine business early, bringing an old-world, quality-minded approach to her Sonoma-based estate. Método Antiguo, which translates to “Old Method,” refers to the original way of making wine with whole cluster fermentation that is still used today by many of Burgundy’s top estates as a stylistic tool for increased savory complexity, textural qualities, and tannin structure.
 
Doña Margarita Vineyard is planted at high density, creating increased competition amongst the vines, slowing vigor, and deeply concentrating flavors, later enhanced by whole cluster fermentation. The inclusion of stems during vinification adds gentle tannins, improving the structure, adding heady freshness to the aromatics, which is particularly complementary to Pinot Noir, and this one is drinking beautifully.
 
MARIMAR ESTATE
2016 PINOT NOIR
METODO ANTIGUO
Retails at: $64
 
 
 
“The Marimar Estate Doña Margarita Vineyard Metodo Antiguo Pinot Noir 2016 has an intriguing nose which includes candied strawberries, cherry cola, dried mushrooms, baking spices, fresh thyme, and violets. On the palate, it has fresh mixed berries, saline with a unique savory note, and a clean, minerally component. The finish is balanced and bright, with elegance and finesse.”
92 Points