2018 Federico Graziano Fedegraziani Etna Rosso Sicily Italy

2018 Federico Graziano Fedegraziani Etna Rosso Sicily Italy

with No Comment $30-$40ItalyKevin VogtRosso

FEDERICO GRAZIANI

FEDEGRAZIANI ETNA ROSSO
SICILY, ITALY 2018

2018 Federico Graziano Fedegraziani Etna Rosso Sicily Italy
Federico Graziani won best Italian sommelier in 1998 at the Italian Association of Sommeliers competition at 23 years of age, allowing him to work with some of Italy’s most influential chefs while earning a degree in Viticulture and Enology in 2006. That same year, Federico was ready to make wine from Sicily’s Mt. Etna, so he contacted famed enologist and Etna expert Salvo Foti for help finding old head-trained vines near the mountain’s base.
 
Interestingly, the Etna DOC shares similarities to Burgundy with a likeness in soil diversity, differing aspects, and the age of the vineyards. These vineyards wrap around the volcanic mountainsides, providing wines with intense minerality, concentration, and complex nuance. Federico’s 2018 Fedegraziani Etna Rosso has won critical acclaim and is on the wine lists of some of the world’s finest restaurants, including, Geranium and Osteria Francescana.
 
FEDERICO GRAZIANI
FEDEGRAZIANI ETNA ROSSO
SICILY, ITALY 2018
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Typical Etna style with light color, but lots of red-berry and mineral aromas and flavors, packed into a medium body with graceful, well-integrated tannins and lots of bright-berry flavor on the tight finish. Nerello mascalese and nerello cappuccio. Nor overly complex, but well defined and true. Drinkable now, but best from 2023.”
91 Points
2019 Eleven Eleven Cabernet Sauvignon X I Estate Napa Valley

2019 Eleven Eleven Cabernet Sauvignon X I Estate Napa Valley

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

ELEVEN ELEVEN

X∙I ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Eleven Eleven Cabernet Sauvignon X I Estate Napa Valley
Inspired by the Greek word “Parea,” which refers to the power of friends coming together to share their values, philosophies, ideas, and life experiences, Eleven Eleven is a boutique winery producing impressive wines from their state-of-the-art facility near downtown Napa. Director of Operations Brett Weis and Consulting Winemaker Kirk Venge craft powerfully expressive wines that remain elegant and balanced.
 
Fruit for the X∙I Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in Oak Knoll AVA, an excellent location for Bordeaux varieties due to the combination of the clay loam soils and cooling influences from San Pablo Bay that are ideal for ripening and maintaining freshness in the grapes. The 2019 vintage is the second debut of the X∙I, a predominately Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend accompanied with small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec to provide elegance, balance, and nuanced character.
 
ELEVEN ELEVEN
X∙I ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $85
 
Your Price: $79.99
 
 
“Soft and dusty in lush red fruit, with a compelling backbone of acidity, this estate wine is enjoyable in its youth, with approachable tannins and well-integrated oak. Cassis and cherry notes are seasoned in hints of vanilla and baking spice.”
93 Points
2020 Harvey & Harriet Red Blend San Luis Obispo

2020 Harvey & Harriet Red Blend San Luis Obispo

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastKevin VogtProprietary RedUSA

HARVEY & HARRIET

RED BLEND 2020
SAN LUIS OBISPO

2020 Harvey & Harriet Red Blend San Luis Obispo
Eric Jensen’s My Favorite Neighbor and Harvey & Harriett brands spotlight the vast potential for high-quality, memorable wines from San Luis Obispo, making many friends along the way with their value prices. Eric’s ambition and ingenuity led him to find an ideal balance of brightness, intensity, and richness, designed to capture higher-end wine’s most striking characteristics but with a value price.
 
Eric created this delightful, friendly, cult-style wine in honor of his hardworking parents, Harvey and Harriet, who most likely wouldn’t be able to afford today’s top-end wines. Harvey and Harriet is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec from select vineyard sites in San Luis Obispo and is a strong competitor against similar styles that cost two or three times as much.
 
HARVEY & HARRIET
RED BLEND 2020
SAN LUIS OBISPO
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“Nice herbs, olives with a hint of savory anchovies, blackcurrants and tobacco to the nose. Juicy and bright with fine, present tannins on a medium- to full-bodied palate. Nicely flattering and fruit-forward, too. Drink or hold.”
93 Points
2019 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

2019 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

SOJOURN

CHARDONNAY 2019
SONOMA COAST

2019 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
Sojourn Cellars was founded in 2001 as a first-class artisanal winery with a competitive drive to make limited bottlings from some of California’s most expressive and distinctive vineyards. The winery produces highly acclaimed Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa and Sonoma counties that seamlessly showcase the brilliance of each specially selected location.
 
The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a blend of Sangiacomo Vella Ranch, Durell Vineyard, Sangiacomo Roberts Road, and Gap’s Crown Vineyards, all known for their laser-focused expression of cool-climate characteristics. The 2019 growing season was similar to 2018, with mild weather, but yields were lower, which increased the overall concentration of the fruit, creating wines with impressive depth and complexity.
 
SOJOURN
CHARDONNAY 2019
SONOMA COAST
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“The 2019 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is a beauty that gives up a fresh, lively, medium-bodied style as well as textbook Chardonnay ripe orchard fruits, white flowers, and honeyed toast. I like its overall balance on the palate, it has good acidity, and outstanding length.”
93 Points
2017 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley

2017 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

SEQUUM

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
KIDD RANCH VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY 2017

2017 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley
Paul Skinner’s Ph.D. in viticulture and soil science combined with decades of experience consulting super-premium grape growing were the ideal foundation for launching his boutique wine brand Sequum in 2003. The name comes from a scientific term describing the soil layers, and it is the perfect name for his brand as he combines his love for science with his passion for wine.
 
Paul takes a hands-on approach to his Kidd Ranch vineyard, walking the rows each morning and evening to examine each vine, checking for optimum health and ensuring vitality. His 2017 Kidd Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon embodies his creatively scientific spirit with layers of dimensional complexity, concentration, and flawless structure that will please Cabernet drinkers for years to come.
 
SEQUUM
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
KIDD RANCH VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY 2017
Retails at: $75
 
 
 
“The Sequum 2017 Kidd Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon opens with concentrated aromas of violets, nutmeg, blackberry, black currant, earth, and mushroom. On the palate, the wine has velvety tannins and distinct layers of complex flavors such as black cherry, ripe plum, English toffee, dark chocolate, and savory spice. The wine has an impeccable balance between the intensity of flavors, level of tannin, and brightness, making this wine a treat to drink right now as well as giving it longevity in the bottle.”
94 Points
2020 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo

2020 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonCentral CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesUSA

MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2020

2020 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo
What began as an homage to Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure Winery propelled into an obsession driven by like-minded grape-growers who’ve become winemaker Eric Jensen’s favorite neighbors. Farming is life or Eric, and each grower he works with shares the common goal of sustainable viticulture and raising the highest quality fruit possible to create wines of distinction and trend-setting quality.
 
Founded with extreme dedication and zero compromises, My Favorite Neighbor hits a sweet spot of perfectly ripe fruit, flavor intensity, and lavish textures, giving some of the best $100 Cabernets a real challenge. Eric has made wines from consecutive vintages earning mid-90-point scores, and his 2020 vintage is a tremendous follow-up, moving his wine one step closer to becoming a household name in high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon.
 
MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2020
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $45

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“Red chili pepper, olives, tobacco and cocoa powder to the fresh cassis and blackberries. Restrainedly opulent and well-structured on the palate, showing impressive length and polished tannins. Great poise here! Delicious now, but will hold.” 
94 Points
 
2018 La Sirena Pirate Treasured Red Napa Valley

2018 La Sirena Pirate Treasured Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtProprietary RedUSA

LA SIRENA

PIRATE TREASURED
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 La Sirena Pirate Treasured Red Napa Valley
Renowned winemaker Heidi Barrett’s Pirate TreasuRed is a fun, multi-varietal blend reimagined each vintage through her connections to some of California’s best vineyards. Heidi was immersed in wine from a young age working alongside her father, Dick Peterson. She is one of California’s most celebrated and talented winemakers, creating some of Napa’s most sought-after wines. 
 
La Sirena is Heidi’s brand, established in 1994, with the Pirate TreasuRed celebrating its 12th vintage with a six-varietal blend consisting of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Grenache, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Franc. 2018 was a glorious vintage in Napa Valley, and the fruit showcases the ideal conditions with bright acidity, freshness, and complex aromas meticulously vinified by one of the finest winemakers in the world.
 
LA SIRENA
PIRATE TREASURED
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“The 2018 Pirate is a deep ruby red color with open aromas of ripe fruit – plums and cherries – with complex notes of savory spices, vanilla, toasted French oak, cardamom, and olive tapenade. Delicious, round, and silky smooth across the palate with seamless, layered flavors and barely-there structural tannins. Flavors last several minutes with a nice balance and finish. Easy to drink and easy to love – perfect for pairing with a variety of full-flavored food or bringing a swashbuckling spirit to any party or gathering.”
2019 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore Vineyard

2019 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore Vineyard

with No Comment $30-$40CoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSAZinfandel

MIKE AND MOLLY

ZINFANDEL 2019
R.W. MOORE VINEYARD

2019 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore Vineyard
Mike and Molly Hendry’s connections to Napa Valley grape-growing run as deep as the roots of the ancient Zinfandel vines of the R.W. Moore Vineyard, initially planted in 1905 in what is now the Coombsville AVA. Molly’s uncle Bill owns the historic vineyard, a member of the U.C. Davis Heritage project, where genetic material from the vineyard is studied and preserved.
 
This field blend of approximately 95% Zinfandel, with small amounts of Petite Sirah, Carignan, Mourvedre, and Mourtaou, displays the unique microclimate and its cooling influences from the Pacific Ocean, maintaining freshness and overall balance. Mike and Molly have been producing wines from this legacy vineyard since 2009, and their 2019 vintage is the beginning of a new decade of Zinfandel excellence with this full-bodied yet graceful wine.
 
MIKE AND MOLLY
ZINFANDEL 2019
R.W. MOORE VINEYARD
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The Mike & Molly Hendry 2019 Coombsville R.W. Moore Vineyard Zinfandel has a bright, fresh nose with aromas of ripe red plum, cranberry, cloves, black tea, and cigar box. The wine has flavors of red cherry, strawberry, and sweet baking spices, with soft, smooth tannins and a velvety finish. This wine has a concentration and fruit intensity for age-ability, and an inviting youthful drinkability with spice notes will pair perfectly with the holidays.”
94-95 Points
2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux

2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux

with No Comment $30-$40BordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin Vogt

ESPRIT de PAVIE

RED BORDEAUX
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2016

2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux
Esprit de Pavie made its debut in 2008, created by the visionary Gerard Perse, who is also the owner of world-famous estates such as Chateau Pavie, Chateau Monbousquet, Chateau Pavie-Decesse, and Chateau Bellevue-Mondotte. The wine receives the same care and attention as its illustrious sister properties, ensuring a high-quality level for each bottle produced.
 
Esprit de Pavie arose from southern-facing slopes in the valleys of the Dordogne, characterized by sandy and gravelly foothills, clay hillsides, and a clay-limestone plateau. This classic regional blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon came from one of Bordeaux’s best vintages and spent just the right amount of time maturing in the bottle for more complex flavor development and a softer tannin structure. The wine is a “total charmer,” as Jeb Dunnuck writes, and it’s also an incredible value.
 
ESPRIT de PAVIE
RED BORDEAUX
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2016
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“Extremely aromatic with kir, cherries and flowers. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins. Juicy fruit. So round and inviting now. Drink and enjoy.”
91 Points
2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore

2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore

with No Comment $30 and underItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

BULZAGA

EPIPOGIO 2018
ROMAGNA SANGIOVESE SUPERIORE

2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore
Cantina Bulzaga is located in Romagna, Italy, looking up to the Brisighellesi hills that create the natural border between Romagna and Tuscany. The winery’s roots run deep within the region, with each wine named for a flower found in the Apennines. Epipogio gets its name from the epipogium flower or ghost orchid.
 
Bulzaga’s team organically farms, with only vines that strongly connect to the terroir with distinct varietal character selected for wine production. The 2018 vintage is 100% Sangiovese aged for eight months in cement vats before bottling and exudes aromatic purity with earthy notes, fresh fruit, spice, and everything nice. 
 
As a side note, our panel tasted this wine blind without any prior knowledge of the wine’s value price, and we couldn’t believe it was only a $20 bottle.
 
BULZAGA
EPIPOGIO 2018
ROMAGNA SANGIOVESE SUPERIORE
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
“The Bulzaga 2018 Epipogio Romagna Sangiovese Superiore opens with sultry notes of rosemary, sour cherry, cranberry, earth, black tea, and cigar box. On the palate, the wine is focused, with flavors of black cherry, cranberry, black tea, and peppercorns. The wine’s fruity, savory, and spicy characteristics are uniquely balanced in a rustic Tuscan fashion and provide an incredible drinking experience.”
94 Points