2021 Aspara Cellars Rose of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2021 Apsara Cellars Rose of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtRoséSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

APSARA CELLARS

ROSÉ of PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST 2021

2021 Aspara Cellars Rose of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Founders of Apsara Cellars, Robin and Aneeta Akhurst, met 20 years ago while studying biology and environmental science in Indonesia. Their travels broadened their interest in preserving nature with organic, biodynamic, and sustainable practices. Robin obtained his degree in Enology and spent the next four years working with Anne Claude Leflaive at Domaine Leflaive in Burgundy, Matt Wenk of Two Hands Wines in the Barossa Valley, Thomas Rivers Brown of Schrader and Outpost Cellars, and Mike Smith of Myriad and Carter Cellars in the Napa Valley.
 
Nothing could have prepared Robin better than his time spent with some of the world’s top winemakers, and today he sources fruit for Apsara wines with growers who share the same ecological ideals. Robin harvested the grapes for this 2021 Rosé of Pinot Noir early to maintain a vibrant acidity, low alcohol, and delicate fruity and floral notes that make a perfectly indulgent summer wine. 
 
APSARA CELLARS
ROSÉ of PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST 2021
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The 2021 Apsara Rosé begins with aerial notes of rose petals, pink grapefruit, mandarin orange, ginger, and fresh sage. The wine has a light body with mouthwatering acidity and refreshing flavors of peach, strawberry, and white cherry. This elegant wine is uplifting to the senses from the first sip through the delightful, zesty finish.”
94 Points
2017 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages Sonoma County Red

2017 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages Sonoma County Red

with No Comment $70-$80Alexander ValleyDry Creek ValleyKevin VogtKnight's ValleyMoon MountainProprietary RedSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

CHATEAU ST. JEAN 

CINQ CEPAGES 2017
SONOMA COUNTY RED

2017 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages Sonoma County Red
Chateau St. Jean was founded in the Sonoma Valley in 1973 and quickly established a reputation for single vineyard-designated wines that captured the individual character of each site. Cinq Cépages is the winery’s flagship wine that winemaker Margo Van Staaveren creates from specially selected fruit from outstanding vineyard locations throughout Sonoma. The wine has an incredible history of exceptional accomplishments, including ranking as the #1 wine on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list in 1999, followed by the #2 spot in 2002. 
 
This Cabernet Sauvignon dominant Bordeaux-style blend has fruit sourced from Knights Valley, Moon Mountain, Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, and the Sonoma Valley estate. The yields for the 2017 vintage were lower than average, leading to wines of fine quality with depth, dimension, and silky smooth tannins.
 
CHATEAU ST. JEAN 
CINQ CEPAGES 2017
SONOMA COUNTY RED
Retails at: $90
 
Your Price: $79.99
 
 
“Beautiful blackberry, mushroom, bark and oak leaf. Some pine cone, too. Full-bodied, round and savory with layers of ripe fruit. Rather chunky wine, but nicely done. Drink after 2025.”
94 Points
2015 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label Napa Valley

2015 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSA

MAROON

BLACK LABEL
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2015

2015 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label Napa Valley
Embodying power and elegance at a value price, Maroon’s Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the winery’s Coombsville-Estate Vineyard and a neighboring property with similar rocky, volcanic, gravely loam soils. Polished by winemaker Chris Corley’s style of introducing as little manipulation as possible, Maroon’s 2015 vintage is beautiful now and has a lot to offer, particularly at our value price.
 
This incredible value emerges from one of Napa Valley’s top vintages, which the Wine Spectator describes as producing “significantly lower yields…Quality is high.” The 2015 vintage is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, offering supple dark fruits and red currants with perfectly balanced acidity. After more than five years inside the bottle, the winery reached deep into their cellar and found this gem for us, which we couldn’t wait to share with you.
 
MAROON
BLACK LABEL
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2015
Retails at: $70
 
 
 
“This wine begins with a beautiful, deep, supple nose of dark berries, purple florals, and light spice. The lively palate has a great presence with a balance of both red and black fruits, including black cherries, red currants, and ripe plums, and sweet vanilla, along with slightly earthy minerals. The finish is focused, long, and very satisfying.”
94 Points
2020 Castello Romitorio Super Tuscan

2020 Castello Romitorio Super Tuscan

with No Comment $30 and underChiantiItalyKevin VogtTuscany

CASTELLO ROMITORIO

ROMITORO SUPER TUSCAN
TUSCANY 2020

2020 Castello Romitorio Super Tuscan
Castello Romitorio was purchased by Italian artist Sandro Chia in 1984, who initiated a complete restoration of the historic property that has served as a Roman temple, fortress, monastery, castle, and manor house. Sandro believes the best expressions of art and wine thrive with a minimalistic approach and that natural progression should never be altered but rather enhanced.
 
Toscana IGT allows for international varieties, most commonly French, proving Tuscany has incredible potential for world-class wines outside their indigenous varieties. The 2020 ‘Romitòro’ is a blend of Petit Verdot and Syrah that encompasses the winery’s vision of artistic exploration and dedication to excellence.
 
CASTELLO ROMITORIO
ROMITORO SUPER TUSCAN
TUSCANY 2020
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $27
 
 
“The 2020 RomiTòro is a blend of Petit Verdot and Syrah, and it does a terrific job of capturing the exuberance and jovial qualities of sunny Tuscany. The wine shows layers of candied cherries, crème de cassis, sweet almond paste and even a touch of crushed mineral or aspirin. This 70,000-bottle release is creamy and rich in texture, with lots of plump primary flavors and absolutely no rough edges.”
93 Points
 
“The 2020 Romitoro is packed full of balanced pleasure. It’s dark yet also rich and spicy, with blue-toned florals giving way to currants, worn leather and smoke. This is elegant and plush on the palate, with masses of tart wildberries energized by zesty acidity while giving way to inner rose perfumes.  The 2020 finishes with amazing length and potency, as it leaves a staining of liquid lavender and sweet violets. The Romitoro, a blend of Petit Verdot and Syrah, is showing beautifully today.” 
92 Points
2019 Pont Neuf Pnt Royal Chardonnay Russian River Valley

2019 Pont Neuf Pont Royal Chardonnay Russian River Valley

with No Comment $60-$70ChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

PONT NEUF

PONT ROYAL CHARDONNAY
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 2019

2019 Pont Neuf Pnt Royal Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Douglas Danielak completed the Professional Winemaking Program at the Lycée Agricole et Viticole de Beaune in Burgundy while working with Wine Exporter Rebecca Wasserman, gaining an impressive knowledge of Burgundian wines and barrels. Upon returning to California, Douglas completed his degree in Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis and, for over twenty years, has made wine for some of Napa Valley’s most respected wineries.
 
Douglas and his wife Mary named Pont Neuf wines after the oldest standing bridge in Paris, symbolizing the bridge between Burgundian and Californian winemaking. By carefully applying low-intervention techniques, native yeasts, and slow malolactic fermentation, this 2019 Russian River Valley Chardonnay possesses Burgundy’s sophistication and finesse matched with California’s opulent, stunning fruit. It’s one of the most popular Chardonnays we feature by pouring in the shop and is a must-try if you love top-quality Chardonnay.
 
PONT NEUF
PONT ROYAL CHARDONNAY
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 2019
 
Your Price: $65
 
 
“The Pont Neuf 2019 ‘Pont Royal’ Chardonnay opens with aromas of golden apple, apricot, toast, roasted almond, and crème brûlée. On the palate, the wine has a rich body with flavors of peach, cantaloupe, and macadamia nut balanced by a crisp minerality and bright acidity. The finish is long and sultry, leaving a lasting impression.”
94 Points
2021 Farella La Luce Sauvignon Blanc Coombsville Estate

2021 Farella La Luce Sauvignon Blanc Coombsville Estate

with No Comment $30 and underCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaSauvignon BlancUSA

FARELLA

LA LUCE SAUVIGNON BLANC
COOMBSVILLE ESTATE 2021

2021 Farella La Luce Sauvignon Blanc Coombsville Estate
Tom Farella knew early on that he had an affinity for wine and graduated from UC Davis in 1983 with a degree in Viticulture and Enology. He left California to work in Burgundy for six years, followed by a harvest and vineyard work in Oregon before returning home to his father’s small Farella-Park Vineyards, where he was the lead winemaker from 1991 to 2018.
 
Fellow UC Davis graduate Ryan Pass is the current winemaker, and utilizing Tom’s expertise, Ryan ensures the winery’s goals are accomplished, crafting exceptionally balanced, sustainably produced wines. Farella’s hillside vineyard was planted in 1979 on volcanic ash and gravelly loam in the cool Coombsville AVA, giving the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc a distinct vibrancy, purity, and generous length.
 
FARELLA
LA LUCE SAUVIGNON BLANC
COOMBSVILLE ESTATE 2021
 
Your Price: $28
 
 
“The 2021 Farella Sauvignon Blanc opens with uplifting notes of elderflower, chamomile, grapefruit, lime zest, lemongrass, and wet stones. The wine is vivid and alive on the palate with fresh acidity and flavors of Granny Smith apple, mango, green guava, and fresh oregano. This wine is perfect for summer with a pleasant levity and verve to brighten the moment.”
94 Points
2019 Domaine De L'Arnesque Chateauneuf du Pape

2019 Domaine De L’Arnesque Chateauneuf du Pape

with No Comment $40-$50Cotes du RhoneFranceKevin VogtRhone ValleyRhone Valley

DOMAINE DE L’ARNESQUE

CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE
VINTAGE 2019

2019 Domaine De L'Arnesque Chateauneuf du Pape
L’Arnesque is one of several small vineyard areas within the famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape region, named after its site-specific terroir and unique soils. Domaine de L’Arnesque shares this name and is owned and cared for by the 5th generation of the Biscarrat family. The vineyard’s soils are made up of limestone and clay and covered with large stones known as “galets” that absorb the warmth from the sunlight and transmit that heat to the vines during cool, breezy nights.
 
Domaine de L’Arnesque’s winemaking team utilizes a partial whole cluster fermentation, increasing this wine’s aromatics, structure, and complexity. The 2019 vintage is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre, aged 12 months in 600-liter French oak barrels typical of the Rhône Valley, giving a wine with regional purity, pride and balance.
 
DOMAINE DE L’ARNESQUE
CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE
VINTAGE 2019
 
Your Price: $45

 

“Ripe and alluring, with a seductive display of warmed cassis and plum sauce flavors laced with melted red licorice and fruitcake notes. Fine grained through the finish, where light applewood, shiso and garriguenotes keep this honest. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2023 through 2036. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 500 cases imported.”
93 Points
2019 Armelle Et Bernard Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Echezeaux

2019 Armelle Et Bernard Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Echezeaux

with No Comment $90-$100BurgandyFranceKevin VogtPinot Noir

ARMELLE ET BERNARD RION

CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY
LES ECHEZEAUX 2019

2019 Armelle Et Bernard Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Echezeaux
Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion was founded in 1896 by Pierre Rion after he acquired vines from Chateau de la Berchere during his years as a dedicated sharecropper. More than a century later, the fifth generation of the Rion family runs the winery. They have vineyard holdings strategically positioned in some of the most recognized Burgundian wine-producing villages, including Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, Nuits-Saint-Georges, and Vougeot.
 
‘Les Echezeaux’ is planted with vines of an average age of 50 years in the southern part of the village of Chambolle-Musigny, receiving ample sunlight and achieving perfect ripeness. The 2019 vintage saw frost, hail, and drought, which lowered yields but produced small but brilliant crops with deep concentration and may be one of the best vintages in the last decade.
 
ARMELLE ET BERNARD RION
CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY
LES ECHEZEAUX 2019
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“The Armelle et Bernard Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Echezeaux 2019 opens with a bright nose of tart red cherry, cardamom, pomegranate, fresh green herbs, saddle leather, cinnamon spice, shoe polish, and freshly harvested French lavender. On the palate, the wine has flavors of Ranier cherries, white raspberries, and clove hints, along with a liquid metal/saline quality that bolsters the fresh acids and medium-grained tannins, leading to a long, elegant finish. It’s enjoyable now due to its pristinely balanced fruit/tannin structure, but it will evolve beautifully over the next decade.”
95 Points
2020 Stemmler Pinot Nour Nugent Vineyard

2020 Stemmler Pinot Nour Nugent Vineyard

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonoma

STEMMLER

PINOT NOIR
NUGENT VINEYARD 2020
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2020 Stemmler Pinot Nour Nugent Vineyard
Robert Stemmler migrated to California from Germany in 1961, taking a job at Charles Krug Winery; he later worked for Inglenook and Simi before opening his winery in 1976, focusing on Pinot Noir production. His first vintage release was in 1982, and by 1984 critics were calling his Pinot Noirs the best in America.
 
Robert sold the winery in 1989 but still assists whenever needed to help maintain that quality that he established 40 years ago. The Nugent vineyard, planted in 1997 with Calera, Dijon 667, and Pommard clones, brings delightful nuances to the blend, and the 2020 vintage delivers a bright and light yet concentrated wine that’s hard to resist at this price.
 
STEMMLER
PINOT NOIR
NUGENT VINEYARD 2020
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“The 2020 Stemmler Nugent Vineyard Pinot Noir opens with bright notes of red cherry, wild strawberry, baking spices, earth, crushed rock minerality, and crushed oregano. On the palate, the wine has flavors of cranberry, berry bramble, and cloves with refreshing acidity and soft tannins that result in a super smooth finish. This wine is an outstanding value and should not be missed by Pinot Noir lovers looking for a wine for any night of the week.”
92 Points
2019 Edict Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2019 Edict Proprietary Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

EDICT

PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Edict Proprietary Red Napa Valley
Edict’s team mindfully crafts boutique wines that remain true to their geographic character, offering a sense of place in each wine produced. Their approach begins with their vineyard manager’s 30 years of expertise and a collaboration with some of Napa Valley’s top growers to ensure a selection of the healthiest fruit with the most significant varietal expressions, giving their winemaker the ingredients to craft memorable wines.
 
The 2019 Proprietary Red wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend that exhibits a dynamic balance of Napa Valley terroir from several different soil types. This wine’s complex structure allows for a few years in the cellar but is already welcoming and drinking beautifully, making it the perfect wine to open anytime.
 
EDICT
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $80
 
 
 
“Aromas of red and black fruit, espresso and crushed herbs. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity and silky tannins. Juicy and succulent on the palate. Charming. Drink or hold.”
92 Points