2016 Post Parade Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon

2016 Post Parade Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon

POST PARADE

2016 STRETCH DRIVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 

2016 Post Parade Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon
Post Parade Winery was founded ten years ago under the guiding principle to create something worth appreciating. The Post Parade crew performed this achievement without the slightest compromise, and they brought in Thomas Brown to make the wines. You may recognize Thomas from Schrader, Revana, and Outpost. When the project first launched, Brown said “Post Parade has been the most enjoyable project I’ve taken on in recent memory.” The wines have continually stretched the boundaries of quality at their price level, and the 2016 Stretch Drive, which is the second wine at Post Parade, is, as Jeb Dunnuck writes, “guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
 
The winery works closely with three vineyards; Trench Vineyard in Oakville, made famous by Russell Bevan; Red Head Vineyard on Soda Springs Road, where Brown also sources fruit Saunter Winery; and Ithaca Vineyard in North Rutherford, which is also a source for Revana winery. 
 
The grapes that go into Stretch Drive are hand-sorted twice, first by cluster, and again berry by berry after destemming, to ensure only perfectly ripened fruit makes its way to the crusher. The juice is then fermented on the skins for 16 days, extracting color and flavor, before aging in barrels for 22 months.
 
POST PARADE
2016 STRETCH DRIVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $75
 
Your Price: $69.99
 
 
“The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Stretch Drive is also terrific and has a supple, sweetly fruited, sexy style. Ample blueberry and strawberry liqueur, fruitcake and spring flower notes all emerge from this full-bodied, massive fruit bomb that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. I suspect it will age, but I’d just drink it.”
93 Points
 
“Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 75% new French oak, the 2016 Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple colored and gives up notes of blackberries, black cherries, cassis and mulberries with hints of chocolate box, tilled soil and vanilla pod. Full, juicy and bursting with blackcurrant flavor, it has a soft texture and long, refreshing finish.”
90 Points
2018 The Crane Assembly Disciples Proprietary Red

2018 The Crane Assembly Disciples Proprietary Red

THE CRANE ASSEMBLY

2018 DISCIPLES
PROPRIETARY RED

2018 The Crane Assembly Disciples Proprietary Red
The Crane Assembly wines honor the history of the G.B. Crane Vineyard, established around 1885. The eight-acre vineyard has 4 acres of original plantings. For Disciples, winemaker Kevin Fox and consulting winemaker Dave Phinney intermix fruit from other iconic vineyards in the area to replicate the style and structure of G.B. Crane. The 2018 release is richly layered, with supple dark fruits, vast complexity, and is perfectly balanced.
 
The wine’s backbone comes from Morisoli Vineyard, which sits in the center of the Rutherford bench and has been a longtime source for BV Georges de Latour, Elyse, Mercury Head, and the list goes on. The 2018 release also includes fruit from Tofanelli Vineyard in Calistoga, which has attracted producers like Prisoner, Schrader Cellars, and Turley. 
 
In 2018, the final blend is nearly 50% Zinfandel, matched with Bordeaux and Rhone Varieties. This wine deliciously shows off the incomparable skills of Dave Phinney & Kevin Fox. They are masters at creating new, unique blends that are as individualistic as they are enjoyable.
 
THE CRANE ASSEMBLY
2018 DISCIPLES
PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“Strawberry preserves leap from the glass initially, followed by a bouquet of floral aromatics: lavender, violets and roses. Rich earthy notes of freshly plowed soil, fresh rain on warm granite and petrichor. Spicy, but not a peppery spice, more of a star anise spiciness, tart raspberries and sweet plouts, with a very long, dusty finish of strawberry cream, vanilla and caramelized sugar that lingers…. smooth and luscious!”
NV Marquis de la Mysteriale Cuvee Grand Esprit Champagne

NV Marquis de la Mysteriale Cuvee Grand Esprit Champagne

MARQUIS de la MYSTERIALE

CUVÉE GRAND ESPRIT
CHAMPAGNE NV

NV Marquis de la Mysteriale Cuvee Grand Esprit Champagne
How much would you expect to pay for a bottle of Champagne? Champagne commands a higher price tag than other sparkling wines due to strict requirements on aging and the fact that the region is roughly 8% of the size of Sonoma County. Champagne wines must spend at least 15 months in the bottle before release, which is longer than any other Sparkling, and they usually start above $40-$60/btl. There’s a reason why Marquis de La Mysteriale Champagne is just $29.99. The company that produces it has decided to discontinue this particular wine, which creates a grand opportunity for you.
 
Maison de Grand Esprit crafts their Champagne in a toasty and rich style, which they achieve through aging on the lees for a full 15 months. Their winemaking team sourced the grapes from small family growers, and they completed the blend with 59% Chardonnay and 41% Pinot Noir. 
 
Winemaker Florent Gauthier has an inherent passion for wine he’s developed in France, Switzerland, Australia, Chile, Argentina, and California, even working for a brief time at Stags’ Leap Winery. He believes in minimal intervention winemaking and allowing for each wine’s finesse and elegance to express itself.
 
MARQUIS de la MYSTERIALE
CUVÉE GRAND ESPRIT
CHAMPAGNE NV
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“This wine is soft and well balanced. An attractive predominance of Chardonnay in the blend with Pinot Noir gives an edge of minerality as well as fresh apple flavors. The wine is ready to drink.”
90 Points
 
“Rich and complex yet fresh, our Champagne possesses a beautiful, intricate aroma of toasted bread, almond and nougat combined with a fine, persistent mousse.”
2016 Coursey Graves West Slope Syrah Bennett Valley

2016 Coursey Graves West Slope Syrah Bennett Valley

COURSEY GRAVES

2016 WEST SLOPE SYRAH
BENNETT VALLEY

2016 Coursey Graves West Slope Syrah Bennett Valley
Winemaker Cabell Coursey works tirelessly to uncover and illuminate some of Napa and Sonoma’s lesser-known vineyards that are quietly yielding world-class grapes. He seeks out steep hillside plots that experience cool atmospheric conditions and have rocky soils that share similarities to the austere conditions of Bordeaux. These vineyards are capable of producing concentrated fruit with majestic characteristics that are unique to their origin. When I first tasted his 2016 West Slope Syrah last year, my immediate thought was, I’m getting a case of this for my cellar.
 
Coursey Graves Estate Vineyard is located a thousand feet above sea level on Bennett Mountain, where the ancient volcanic soils and unique micro-climate is ideally suited for Syrah. The wine is powerfully compelling, richly layered, and effortlessly elegant. 
 
Burgundy inspired winemaker Cabell Coursey, and he learned winemaking from the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. Then he honed his skills in New Zealand and the Willamette Valley before working at iconic producers DuMOL and Kosta Browne. The 2016 release has several stellar reviews, but DougAndrea on CellarTracker may have said it best with his quote, “OMG. Buy more…” 
 
COURSEY GRAVES
2016 WEST SLOPE SYRAH
BENNETT VALLEY
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“Very savory and smoky, this Sonoma syrah is anything but a fruit bomb. The slightly sappy tannins and smoked-bacon flavor nicely balances the underplayed ripeness. The finish is fresh with plenty of spicy complexity. Drink or hold.”
93 Points
 
“Deep ruby-purple, the 2016 Syrah Estate West Slope has a very pretty nose with scents of violet, stone and graphite with touches of tar and olive over a concentrated core of blackcurrant, warm black cherries and spice box. Full-bodied, it gives up intense, spiced blue and black fruits framed by firm, ripe tannins and good freshness, finishing very long…”
92 Points
 
“This is a thick, rich and unctuously varietal wine, smoky in oak and beautifully wrapped layers of grilled meat and game. A thicket of lavender and licorice gives it complexity and more to ponder.”
90 Points
2014 William Knuttel Cabernet Sauvignon Windsor Oaks Vineyard

2014 William Knuttel Cabernet Sauvignon Windsor Oaks Vineyard Chalk Hill

WILLIAM KNUTTEL

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
WINDSOR OAKS VINEYARD 
CHALK HILL 2014

2014 William Knuttel Cabernet Sauvignon Windsor Oaks Vineyard
William Knuttel produces wines with intensity and finesse, which he achieves through meticulous fruit selection and skilled winemaking. As the former VP and winemaker at Chalk Hill, he has relationships with some of Sonoma County’s most heralded growers. As a veteran winemaker, he allows each featured site to shine brightly under his namesake label. At just $40, his 2014 Windsor Oaks Vineyard Cabernet is deep, firm, and well-defined, showing off his learned skills as a top winemaker.
 
Knuttle’s 2014 Windsor Oak Vineyard Cabernet is sourced from a single block of vines overlooking the Russian River Valley to the West and the Alexander Valley and the Mayacamas Mountains to the East. He’s scrupulous in his selection of only the ripest and most flavorful berries for his single-vineyard bottling, and he vinifies them separately. 
 
The hillside vineyard is quintessentially Chalk Hill and planted over well-drained, gravelly, clay-loam soils with open exposure to brisk Russian River Valley breezes that allow the Cabernet to maintain balanced acidity and fine structure. He produced just 8 barrels of this wine, and after more than 4 years in the bottle, the wine is stunning.
 
WILLIAM KNUTTEL
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
WINDSOR OAKS VINEYARD 
CHALK HILL 2014
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and spiced tea rise unabated from this inky black wine. A well-integrated backbone of velvety tannins and toasty oak highlights cherry and cassis flavors, leading to concentrated fruit in a seamless and assertive finish. Alcohol 14.8%”
2018 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2018 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

COURTNEY BENHAM

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 RUTHERFORD 

2018 Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
Courtney Benham wines give tribute to Courtney’s love of terroir and journey through some of Napa Valley’s most distinctive appellations, offering a vivid portrayal of their unique origins. Rutherford is one of the most celebrated terroirs in Napa Valley due to its dynamic complexity, powerful elegance, and dusty tannins. Courtney’s version spotlights each of those hallmark characteristics, as well as the incredible vintage, and at less than $50, it’s one of the best values in the region.
 
Rutherford plays an integral part of Courtney’s terroir expression series, with ideal temperatures coupled with gravel and loam soils and volcanic deposits. These elements produce dense Cabernet Sauvignon fruit heightened with a quintessential earthiness that’s unique to the region. 
 
Winemaker Courtney Benham has three decades of experience, and his talent for selecting vineyards of distinction is highly evident in this wine. The 2018 vintage showcases power and restraint, with concentrated fruit, earthy minerals, and a singular focus.  
 
COURTNEY BENHAM
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2018 RUTHERFORD
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $46
 
 
“The blue fruit, fresh flowers, sandalwood and dust are so beautiful in this. Full body, firm and polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Really linear and tight. Persistent finish…”
94 Points
2015 The Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Estate

2015 The Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Estate

THE VINEYARD HOUSE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2015 OAKVILLE ESTATE 

2015 The Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Estate
The Vineyard House is my go-to recommendation for anyone looking for $500 quality in Cabernet, but at a price that’s less than half that. Surrounding their Estate Vineyard are properties owned by Harlan Estate, Promontory, and Futo, which garner around $500 to $1600 per bottle. Jeremy Nickel owns the winery, and the brand is a tribute to his late father, Gil Nickel, of Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel wineries. The wine is under-the-radar, for now, but based upon the extreme quality inside the bottle and pedigree of the land, the brand will likely be a future cult wine.
 
Jeremy’s property is elevated above the benchlands of Oakville, overlooking To-Kalon and Martha’s Vineyards. The vines are grown in volcanic and sedimentary bedrock and produce fruit with superior concentration, power, and depth. 
 
This stunning wine emerges from one of Napa Valley’s top vintages, which the Wine Spectator describes as producing “significantly lower yields…Quality is high.” After developing for 24 months in oak, this remarkable wine expresses everything that I look forward to in upper echelon Oakville Cabernet. Still, we priced it at less than half of what you’d expect. 
 
THE VINEYARD HOUSE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2015 OAKVILLE ESTATE
Retails at: $225
 
 
 
“The Vineyard House Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 is picture-perfect. Of all the Cabernet Sauvignons I taste every year, The Vineyard House always stands out as one of the best-of-the-best Napa Cabernets that could easily challenge any contender. It’s powerfully brooding, with a linear element that makes it incredibly complex and seamless, along with remarkable purity. It is a towering wine with a mouth-watering combination of wild Burgundy plums, crushed mountain blackberries, smooth blue fruits, and elegant florals. It has a defined presence on your palate, but with all elements perfectly in place. The finish stays on your palate long enough to evolve as it slowly expands, then tapers for over a minute. It’s simply a delight to behold, and you can enjoy it now and over the next couple of decades.”
97 Points
 
“Our 2015 Cab is a case study of power & balance. This reddish-purple wine displays concentrated aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries, redcurrants, crème de cassis, violets, rosehips, tobacco leaf, forest floor, and pencil lead. Its seamless tannic structure and bright acidity will provide the stuffing for great longevity in your cellar. Patience will pay off in dividends, but our extended barrel aging adds a supple nature to the wine allowing for accessibility in its youth. The 2015 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon will not disappoint with its polished but intense personality.”
2017 D.V. Catena Tinto Historico Red Malbec Blend

2017 D.V. Catena Tinto Historico Red Malbec Blend

D.V. CATENA 

TINTO HISTORICO RED
2017 MALBEC BLEND

2017 D.V. Catena Tinto Historico Red Malbec Blend
The DV Catena wines are inspired by Nicolas Catena’s father’s legacy as a master of assemblage. They resulted from years of research identifying Argentina’s top terroir that would offer the greatest concentration of aroma and flavors. The Tinto Historico Red marries several of the winery’s historic high-elevation vineyards and does so with natural balance, concentration, and a distinct identity. At around $20, it’s as James Suckling writes, “A stunning wine for this price point.”
 
Arising from the family’s historic vineyards in the Valle de Ugo, which range 3 to 4 thousand feet elevation, the 2017 release is both concentrated, clean, and firmly balanced. 
 
Winemaker Alejandro Vigil believes that “Winemaking revolves around contact with nature, and you need to breathe the same air as the vine, suffer the cold and the heat, and feel a sense of belonging to that place.” You can feel that connection in the wine, and at $22, a single case may not be enough. 
 
D.V. CATENA 
TINTO HISTORICO RED
2017 MALBEC BLEND
 
Your Price: $22
 
 
“A stunning wine for this price point! Plenty of malbec violet character, but also delicate spices and great freshness. A wealth of drive and ripeness. The finish is long and polished. Drink or hold.” 
94 Points
 
“Bright ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry, cassis and tobacco leaf are lifted by a violet topnote; higher-pitched and more pristine than the 2016 example. Then juicy and rather refined on the palate, showing a restrained sweetness and good energy to its purple fruit, violet and licorice flavors. Finishes firm and long, with substantial broad, dusty tannins. Perhaps the best vintage yet for this bottling, which was launched in 2014…”
91 Points
2017 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles

2017 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles

JUSTIN

2017 ISOSCELES 
PASO ROBLES 

2017 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles
Justin pioneered Bordeaux grape varietal blending in Paso Robles more than 30 years ago and named their flagship wine Isosceles for the three varieties that go into it; Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Today, they’re one of the most recognizable producers in the region, and Isosceles unwaveringly delivers rich layers of lavish fruits and remarkable complexity. At around $60, it’s a lot of wine for the price.
 
Justin planted their vineyards in the Santa Lucia Mountains, where abundant fossilized limestone and enormous diurnal temperature swings proved ideal for ripening Bordeaux varietals and producing powerfully expressive flavors. 
 
The 2017 release is centered around a core 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, enhanced with Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and then aged in 100% new French oak barrels for an impressive 21 months. If you’re looking for a full-bodied red with deep, enthralling flavors and stunning complexity, this is it. 
 
JUSTIN
2017 ISOSCELES 
PASO ROBLES
Retails at: $76
 
Your Price: $59.99
 
 
“Highly aromatic and complex with lush, ripe black cherry, black currant and boysenberry with vanilla, cinnamon spice, sweet tobacco and savory notes of leather, camphor and cedar; Full bodied and luxuriant with ripe black fruit, mostly cherry and black currant with mixed ripe berries and barrel spice on entry. The mid-palate features continued fruit with subtle savory elements of autumn leaf, leather, and cedar with rounded, plush tannins that extend into a long finish featuring black cherry and camphor notes. The 2017 ISOSCELES is a full, complex and rich wine that is drinking nicely on release and will offer added complexity in a few years. 15% alcohol.”
2015 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2015 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

TOGETHER

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2015 NAPA VALLEY

2015 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Together Cabernet Sauvignon harnesses Mountain fruit’s power through gentle winemaking, barrel age, and time in the bottle and delivers it with supreme elegance, refinement, and balance. The wine is crafted by Grant Long Jr, whom you might know from Witchery, Aonair, James Joseph, and Steps. Grant produced the 2015 vintage in the deeply enchanting style that we’d expect from his wine, and at $80, it’s worth every penny. Of course, at our price, very few wines can even complete.
 
Grant flawlessly merged hillside Cabernet Sauvignon fruit sourced from the surrounding mountains of Napa Valley, then enhanced it with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, which are vital in balancing the distinct Mountain terroirs. 
 
This remarkable 2015 was cave-aged for around 20 months in premium oak barrels, and after blossoming in the bottle for more than three years, the flavors have come together spectacularly. There are very few cases of this boutique Cabernet produced, and priced at 1/2 of the winery retail, you simply can’t order too much of this.
 
TOGETHER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2015 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $80
 
 
 
“Following the spectacular 2014 vintage, the Together Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 is even more enticing. It begins with a concentrated nose of muddled blackberries, cassis, black plums, fresh lavender, and vanilla spice. The brooding palate has impressive balance with the wine’s deep, dark bass notes in perfect harmony with the brighter red fruit character. The rich, supple texture caresses your taste buds into a blissful, satiated state. It then finishes very long, with a complexity that teases your palate in such a beautiful way, and leaving you absolutely needing that next sip. Then the next. Then the next…” 
94 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier