2019 Fontaine Du Clos Vacqueyras Rhone Valley France

2019 Fontaine Du Clos Vacqueyras Rhone Valley France

with No Comment $30 and underCotes du RhoneFranceKevin VogtRhone ValleyRhone Valley

FONTAINE DU CLOS

VACQUEYRAS 2019
RHONE VALLEY, FRANCE

2019 Fontaine Du Clos Vacqueyras Rhone Valley France
Domaine Fontaine du Clos’ foundation was built upon years of farming and nurturing a vine nursery that supplies vineyards throughout France. The estate accounts for over 40 grape varieties on 250 acres planted in Vaucluse, Vacqueyras, and Côtes du Rhône. The deep-rooted connection to the fruit through farming eventually became a passion for wine production that Céline and Jean-François Barnier nurture today.
 
The Vacqueyras AOC lies at the foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail range and benefits from cool mountain breezes at night, which helps maintain bright acidity in Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre grapes. The 2019 vintage produced a structured, bold red with a vibrant freshness that was a stunning beauty among several Napa Valley Cabernets, thoroughly impressing our tasting panel.
 
FONTAINE DU CLOS
VACQUEYRAS 2019
RHONE VALLEY, FRANCE
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Penetrating and very complex, the Fontaine du Clos Vacqueyras begins with a vibrant nose including black currants, elderberry jam, multivitamins, fresh wild mushrooms, animal blood, crushed granite, dandelion greens, and peppermint hints. These elements combine on the palate with concentrated blueberries, Italian herbs, marionberry syrup, menthol, and slightly chalky tannins. This stunner is a medium-full-bodied wine with an intense concentration of fruit and nearly unheard-of complexity and length at this price. While the name is a mouth full, the wine is even more so… in a good way. Anyone who tries this beauty will most likely love it.”
94+ Points
2019 La Pitchoune La Revolte Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

2019 La Pitchoune La Revolte Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

LA PITCHOUNE

LA RÉVOLTE CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST 2019

2019 La Pitchoune La Revolte Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
Inspired by a small family property in Southern France, La Pitchoune Winery’s name translates to “the little one.” The winery is proud of its small size and production, which the owners consider their most significant asset because they can spend more time, attention, and focus to every bottle they produce. 
 
Winemaker Andrew Berge’s Master’s degree in Agriculture gives him a deep understanding of geography, soil, and vines that are the foundation of his wines. The 2019 La Révolte Chardonnay was sourced from the Pratt and Falcon Crest Vineyards and hand-crafted using Old-World style techniques, including barrel fermentation without fining or filtering for opulent flavor and impeccable balance.
 
LA PITCHOUNE
LA RÉVOLTE CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST 2019
Retails at: $48
 
 
 
“La Pitchoune 2019 La Révolte Chardonnay begins with rich notes of apricot, honeydew melon, vanilla, and beeswax. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with opulent flavors of ripe peach, nectarine, honey, and toasted brioche. The flavor intensity lingers into a pleasant finish balanced by refreshing acidity.”
92 Points
2018 Laird Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 Laird Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $50-$60Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

LAIRD

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Laird Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Ken Laird is the third generation of his family in the farming business, swapping tobacco growing for cultivating wine grapes after moving to Napa Valley and purchasing his first parcel in 1970. Following Robert Mondavi’s advice, he and his wife Gail transformed an old prune orchard into a vineyard with Bob’s guarantee that the Laird’s Cabernet Sauvignon would be “the highest harvest price paid in the Valley.”
 
The Lairds have continually expanded their land holdings over the last 50 years, becoming the largest family-owned vineyard owners in Napa Valley with a deep understanding of the minute factors influencing each microclimate. Their 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon arose from three of their favorite vineyards, Flat Rock, Mast Ranch, and Linda Vista Ranch, aged in 40% new French oak for 21 months giving a robust style of wine with firm, elegant tannins and a delightful balance.
 
LAIRD
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $55
 
 
“Fruity nose of baked blueberries, ripe blackberries, cherry pie, sweet spices, licorice, tobacco leaves and chocolate. Full-bodied with firm, polished tannins. Beautifully rich, succulent core of blue and black fruit. Better from 2023.”
93 Points
NV Mader Cremant D'Alsace Brut

NV Mader Cremant D’Alsace Brut

with No Comment $30 and underChampagne/SparklingFranceKevin Vogt

MADER

CRÉMANT D’ALSACE
BRUT NV

NV Mader Cremant D'Alsace Brut
Crémant d’Alsace is crafted in a traditional method and is one of France’s most consumed sparkling AOC wines due to its Champagne-level quality at a much friendlier price. By law, the fruit must be hand-harvested, spend a minimum of nine months on the lees inside the bottle, and spend a year in the bottle before release.
 
The vineyards of Domaine Mader were converted to organic farming in 2007, helping preserve the unique expression of Alsatian terroir, consisting of thirteen unique soil types. Mader’s Crémant d’Asace Brut is a blend of 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Blanc, and 20% Pinot Gris from the 2018 vintage with 15% reserve wine from the Domaine’s most noteworthy vintages, contributing depth and complexity.
 
MADER
CRÉMANT D’ALSACE
BRUT NV
 
Your Price: $29.99

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“The Mader Crémant d’Alsace Brut begins with intricate notes of lemon, lime, green apple, lemon yogurt, and crushed rocks. On the palate, the wine has vibrant acidity and flavors of quince, white peach, and fresh dough. The wine finishes with a zippy sensation and remarkable brightness that energizes the palate.”
92-93 Points
 
2018 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Dutton Ranch Vineyard

2018 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Dutton Ranch Vineyard

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

PATZ & HALL

CHARDONNAY 2018
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD

2018 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Dutton Ranch Vineyard
Donald Patz and James Hall were colleagues at Flora Springs Winery before a shared passion for wines with a sense of place brought them together to create Patz & Hall, one of California’s crown jewel Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producers. In 1988 Patz & Hall was founded by Donald and Heather Patz, James Hall, and Anne Moses. The winery, to this day, maintains a reputation of excellence by consistently producing brilliant wines from some of Sonoma’s most renowned 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 2018 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 to shine radiantly.
 
PATZ & HALL
CHARDONNAY 2018
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
Retails at: $44
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“James Hall selects the fruit for this wine from 11 blocks farmed by the Dutton family. Most of the vines are older plantings of heritage clones and selections, a mix that seems to respond to a slow, spontaneous fermentation and development in French oak barrels (35 percent new). The 2018 builds to a savory and ornate chardonnay, a wine with traction that digs into scents of violets and game, jasmine and butterscotch, giving a sweet impression without any actual sweetness. There’s yellow and orange citrus fruit, but the main impression is earthy, with notes of lobster mushroom and lobster broth in a mineral finish. It’s floral, clean, intense wine, with stature and resistance to oxygen. Decant it for crab Louis, or cellar it for years.”
94 Points
 
2018 Les Hauts De Granget Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux

2018 Les Hauts De Granget Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux

with No Comment $30-$40BordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin VogtSaint Emilion

LES HAUTS DE GRANGET

SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
BORDEAUX 2018

2018 Les Hauts De Granget Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux
Les Hauts de Granget is produced by the Union de Producteurs de Saint Emilion, a cooperative established during the economic crisis of the 1930s to unite several vineyards and estates in production. For over 80 years, the emphasis has been on quality and responsibility, as evidenced by their multiple certifications and state-of-the-art facility.
 
Les Hauts de Granget produces elegant wines with sophistication, reflecting the subliminal terroir of St Émilion. With the help of four oenologists and a viticultural expert, their 2018 vintage won the Medaille d’Or in France, a blind tasting celebrating the most impressive wines in the country. It also charmed the Decanter World Wine Awards, receiving an incredible 96-point score. 
 
LES HAUTS DE GRANGET
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
BORDEAUX 2018
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“Ripe black cherry, blueberry, cedar and cinnamon on the nose. Full bodied with fine grained ripe tannins. Cabernet Franc helps to give some refreshing acidity that balances the depth of fruit concentration.”
96 Points
20121 Hanzell Pinot Noir Sebella Sonoma Coast

2021 Hanzell Pinot Noir Sebella Sonoma Coast

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

HANZELL

SEBELLA PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST 2021

20121 Hanzell Pinot Noir Sebella Sonoma Coast
Hanzell Vineyards is a historic Sonoma property planted in 1953 after the founder, James D. Zellerbach, spent several years in Burgundy, falling in love with the region’s style, techniques, and wine culture. The De Brye family acquired the estate in 1975, focusing on sustainability and maintaining the original, holistic farming approach.
 
The Sebella Pinot Noir celebrates this site and soil selection and sources fruit from like-minded partner growers in the Sonoma Coast AVA. The 2021 Sebella was aged for ten months in 100% neutral French oak to maintain a fresh coastal charm, complex fruit intensity, and depth, emulating the estate wines for a third of the price.
 
HANZELL
SEBELLA PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST 2021
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“The Hanzell 2021 Sebella Pinot Noir opens with lilacs, fresh red cherry, and plum accented by savory spice, sweet tobacco, and a sea shell minerality. The wine has a light to medium body and flavors of pomegranate, cranberry, blood orange, and cinnamon. The bright, playful character is in a delicate balance with soft tannins, ready to drink now or lay down for a few years.”
93 Points
2021 Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc Marlbrorough

2021 Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc Marlbrorough

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNew ZealandSauvignon Blanc

STONELEIGH

SAUVIGNON BLANC
MARLBOROUGH 2021

2021 Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc Marlbrorough
Dedicated to sustainability, Stoneleigh winery produces classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that’s bright, vibrant, and fresh with the ideal mix of tropical fruit, minerality, and traditional herbaceous notes. Their team is steadfast in revealing Marlborough’s identity, derived from the shallow, well-drained Rapaura soils and temperate climate. 
 
Stoneleigh’s team sources from cooler-climate areas with high sunshine hours to deliver intense, crisp, and aromatically rich Sauvignon Blanc that’s true to its origin. This wine is crafted with minimum intervention in the winery and fermented slowly at cold temperatures to ensure the freshness and vibrancy of the fruit, resulting in a textbook example of the region.
 
STONELEIGH
SAUVIGNON BLANC
MARLBOROUGH 2021
Retails at: $20
 
Your Price: $17.99
 
 
“The Stoneleigh 2021 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has an incredible aromatic intensity with notes of elderflower, fresh cut grass, lime zest, passion fruit, white peach, and a steely minerality. On the palate, the wine has a racy acidity with flavors of grapefruit, green guava, melon, and mango. The mouthwatering finish is lengthy, zesty, and fresh after each sip ensuring you’ll be back for more.”
93 Points
2019 Tinazzi Corvina Collezione Di Famiglia Verona Italy

2019 Tinazzi Corvina Collezione Di Famiglia Verona Italy

with No Comment $30 and underCorvinaItalyKevin Vogt

TINAZZI

COLLEZIONE DI FAMIGLIA
CORVINA 2019
VERONA ITALY

2019 Tinazzi Corvina Collezione Di Famiglia Verona Italy
The Tinazzi family has produced wine for over 50 years and seeks modernity and sustainability within their traditional vineyard and winemaking practices. The winery’s sustainability focus began in the 2000s to protect and preserve the environment and the needs of future generations while producing prestigious local wines.
 
Corvina is a late-ripening Italian grape variety grown in the Veneto that’s low in tannin and high in acidity. It is integral in Valpolicella wines, including the region’s famous Amarone. This 100% Corvina is varietally classic with red berried fruits, black cherry, and spice that entices fans of juicy Rhône-style blends, Zinfandel, and of course, Valpolicella. The previous vintage made our top 5 wines list last year, and the 2019 vintage represents the same level of top-notch quality for an unbeatable value.
 
TINAZZI
COLLEZIONE DI FAMIGLIA
CORVINA 2019
VERONA ITALY
 
Your Price: $25
 
 
“The Tinazzi 2019 Corvina begins with lavender and juicy fruit notes of red and black cherries and cranberry with complementary spice notes of white pepper and black tea leaves. On the palate, the wine bursts with cherry, raspberry, black plum, and sweet baking spices with soft, supple tannins and a smooth finish. This wine is just as easy to drink as it is to enjoy.”
93-94 Points
2020 Leviathan Proprietary Red California

2020 Leviathan Proprietary Red California

with No Comment $30-$40CoombsvilleKevin VogtMoon MountainProprietary RedSonomaUSA

LEVIATHAN

PROPRIETARY RED
CALIFORNIA 2020

2020 Leviathan Proprietary Red California
Andy Erickson grew up in the Midwest, and after spending a summer in France, he began his winemaking journey in Napa Valley before moving to Mendoza, Argentina. Upon his return to Napa, he worked under several renowned winemakers, including Paul Hobbs, John Kongsgaard, and Michel Rolland, and earned his Master’s Degree in Enology from UC Davis. During his college studies, he worked at Spottswoode and Saintsbury wineries before making wine for some of Napa Valley’s top estates, including Harlan Estate, Screaming Eagle, and Staglin Family Vineyards.
 
Propelled by his access to some of the most exceptional vineyards in Northern California, Andy founded Leviathan in 2004 to showcase the freedom of American winemaking without rigid appellation requirements. For the 2020 blend, he sourced Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Syrah, Syrah, Petite Verdot, and Cabernet Franc from some of his favorite plots in Red Hills, Coombsville, and Moon Mountain, combining his advanced knowledge and skillset for this delicious blend.
 
LEVIATHAN
PROPRIETARY RED
CALIFORNIA 2020
Retails at: $40
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“Lots of black olive, tar and asphalt with black fruit. Medium to full body with firm and linear tannins that run the length of the wine. This is a multi-region blend with a large percent from Sonoma. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 13% petite syrah, 7% syrah, 5% petit verdot and 4% cabernet franc. Drink or hold.”
93 Points