2013 Cabaud Benedictions Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Cabaud ‘Benedictions’ Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $80-$90Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

CABAUD

2013 BENEDICTIONS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE, NAPA VALLEY

2013 Cabaud Benedictions Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
What do you get when you combine the highest level of winemaking with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from one of Andy Beckstoffer’s heritage vineyards in Oakville?  You get a wine that competes with the best in the world… Many of you know winemaker Luc Morlet from his work at Newton Cellars, Peter Michael, or from his own label Morlet which is raking in 100 point scores…  We brought you another wine from Cabaud earlier this year that many of you said was one of the best that you had ever tasted.  The 2013 Benedictions is the top wine produced at Cabaud and it’s made from the iconic Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard in Oakville.  The previous vintage caught the eye of Robert Parker who scored the 2012 94-96 Points and the new vintage is even better…
 
Finding new wines made by top winemakers, that are somewhat unheard of, pays off big at times… I would estimate Morlet’s Cabs to range from $165 to around $300/btl.  At $150 Cabaud is a killer deal…I cannot put into words how incredible this wine is.  Wines of this caliber and at this price never last long… I wouldn’t hesitate to secure yours.   Make sure to sign up for our email list to unlock special offers.

 
CABAUD
2013 BENEDICTIONS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $150/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “An intense, glass-staining purple color combines beautifully with flavors of blueberry pie filling, with muddled blackberries, red currant, bramble, white flowers and bakers chocolate. The supple, full-bodied opulence, sweet tannin, and rich, dense center core intermingle with the powerful fruit to seduce you with the first sip. The finish is long, powerful and supple with just enough fruit tannins to allow this one to age for a decade or so.  Kudos to Luke Morlet for crafting such a stunning wine.”  96 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2015 Oakville Winegrowers Oakville Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon

2015 Oakville Winegrowers ‘Oakville Cuvee’ Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

OAKVILLE WINEGROWERS

THE OAKVILLE CUVEE
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 

2015 Oakville Winegrowers Oakville Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon
Arguably THE rarest significant wine produced in Napa Valley, with a mere 100 magnums and 50 double magnums produced (roughly 33 cases,) the 2015 Oakville Cuvée is the ultimate prize for your wine cellar. Immersed in superior pedigree, this absolutely brilliant wine, perfectly portrays the essence of Napa Valley’s prized Oakville appellation.  With an All-Star lineup of Oakville producers contributing, the list includes some of Napa Valley’s most iconic Cult Cabernets…  Each are members of the Oakville Winegrowers association, and contribute a small amount of extraordinarily high-quality wine in collaboration to produce a one-of-a-kind Cabernet Sauvignon of the highest-level, and benefiting the Oakville Winegrowers Association, a not-for-profit charity.  
 
With a stunning bouquet permeating your senses, gorgeous red and black cherry, exotic florals, baker’s chocolate and graphite emerge from the glass before opening up to crushed blueberries and wild violets. With packaging almost as stunning as what’s inside the bottle, each individual bottle is etched and numbered… Early birds get the low numbers… 
 
OAKVILLE WINEGROWERS
THE OAKVILLE CUVEE
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
 
MAGNUMS (1.5L):          $900/1.5L
 
DOUBLE MAGNMS (3L): $1800/3L
 
+ FREE GROUND SHIPPING ON 3 MAGS OR 1 DOUBLE MAG
 
Tasting Notes: “Cascading wave after wave of concentrated black cherry, red currant, cassis and blackberry tart all combine in such a beautiful way that it makes you salivate immediately with the first sip. Secondary flavors of pipe tobacco, chocolate dusted espresso and sweet vanilla oak all sing in harmony with the intense fruit in this dense, rich, stunning Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an ultra luxurious expression that perfectly balances the bass notes of black fruits with the alto notes of the red fruits… it simply screams Oakville. Available in large formats only, these very rare bottles will age beautifully for many decades to come.”  98 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
 
 
Accendo Cellars – B Cellars – Bevan Cellars – Bond – Dalla Valle Vineyards – Detert Family Vineyards – Far Niente – Favia Erickson – Flora Springs Winery – Futo Wines – Gamble Family Vineyards – Gargiulo Vineyards – Ghost Block Goldschmidt Vineyards – Groth Vineyards & Winery – Harbison Estate – Harlan Estate – Heitz Cellars – Hoopes Vineyard – Kelham Vineyards – Kelleher Family Vineyards – MacDonald – Maybach Wines – Meyer Family Cellars – Miner Family Vineyards – Nemerever Vineyards – Nickel & Nickel – Oakville Cross Oakville East – Oakville Ranch – Oakville Winery – Opus One – O’Shaughnessy Estate – Paradigm Winery – Peter Michael Winery – PlumpJack Winery – Promontory Estate – Raymond Winery – Robert Mondavi Winery – Round Pond Estate – Rudd – Oakville Estate  – Saddleback Cellars – Screaming Eagle – Spoto Family Wines – Stanton Vineyards – Tamber Bey Winery – Teaderman Vineyards – Textbook – Tierra Roja Vineyards – TOR Wines – Turnbull Wine Cellars – Vine Cliff Winery – 
Vine Hill Ranch – Vitus 
2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2014 Joseph Jewel Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

JOSEPH JEWELL

2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2014 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 

 
What’s the best wine that you’ve ever tasted in this price range?  I can tell you without ANY hesitation that mine is Joseph Jewell’s 2014 Russian River Pinot Noir.  If I paid $40/btl for this Pinot, I would be thrilled with the quality.  After all, the 2014 combines fruit from Hallberg, Floodgate and Bucher Vineyards… Williams Selyem and Gary Farrell fans likely recognize these sites.  The 2014 washes over your palate with stunning balance, detail and length, and it perfectly portrays everything that I look for in cool climate California Pinot Noir.  It truly drinks like a killer forty dollar Pinot, and wines like this don’t come around often at this price. I absolutely guarantee you’ll love it. Make sure to join our email list to unlock special offers.
 
This Pinot hasn’t left my mind since I first tasted it, and in equal detail are the mineral-laced blueberries, bramble fruit, black tea, dried rose and touches of violets that are etched in my memory.  The 2014 elevated for 11 months in Francois Freres, Ermitage and Rousseau barrels, and has blossomed over the last 3 years in the bottle. If you love Pinot Noir, and better yet, if you don’t… try a case of this, and I think you’ll become and instant fan. 
 
JOSEPH JEWELL
2014 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at:  $38/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “A special barrel selection from our favorite Russian River vineyard sites, this wine offers elegance from start to finish. This wine beckons with an exquisite bouquet of raspberry and black cherry laced with hints of rose petals and violets. A soft mid-palate is highlighted by fresh, bright red fruits that linger long on the finish.” 
2016 Orin Swift Machete Proprietary Red

2016 Orin Swift Machete Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtProprietary RedUncategorized

ORIN SWIFT

2016 MACHETE
PROPRIETARY RED

2016 Orin Swift Machete Proprietary RedRobert Louis Stevenson wrote “wine is bottled poetry.”  There’s one wine brand that excites a certain “love affair” and devotion that would certainly be poem-worthy. Uniquely, there are a dozen different labels in each case of Machete and if you find the labels intriguing, wait until you taste the wine… The 2016 stampedes from the glass with a glorious and persistent perfume layered with blueberry velvet cake, dried violets, and incense, intertwined with a tinge of bacon fat and wood smoke.  Machete has clinched coveted positions on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list on three separate occasions. The 2016 is one of their best yet and I wouldn’t miss it…
 
Drawing from several celebrated regions throughout California, the 2016 Machete combines Petite Sirah, Grenache and Syrah into a hedonistic collision of deep, velvety and seductive flavors.  Don’t wait for the reviews to surface on the 2016…  We just tasted it, and it’s absolutely one of the best Machetes yet…
 
ORIN SWIFT
2016 MACHETE
PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl 
 
Winery Notes: “Violet ink in the glass, a nose of black plums, cassis, and cacao engage. The robust entry consists of a progressing palate of blackberry and boysenberry compote, a reduction of dark plum and ripe figs, and pure Amarena cherry. Flashes of vanilla and traces of minerality evolve into chalky tannins and a smooth lingering finish.“
 
Customers that enjoy Orin Swift Machete may also enjoy these two fantastic Reds…
2014 Dept 66 Cote Catalanes Grenache 2015 Orin Swift Papillon Proprietary Red
DEPARTMENT 66
2014 GRENACHE
COTES CATALANES
 
Your Price: $37.99/btl

Click to Order

 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “A blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah and a splash of Carignan… This inky colored, downright sexy 2014 offers terrific notes of blueberries, blackberries, violets and chalky minerality. Big, concentrated and textured, yet still playing in the more elegant style of the 2014 vintage, this beauty will drink well for a decade..” 93 Points
ORIN SWIFT
2015 PAPILLON
PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $64.99/btl

Click to Order

 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2015 Papillon Proprietary Red features expressive crème de cassis, mulberries, plum preserves and chocolate box notes with wafts of underbrush, dried herbs and Indian spices. Full-bodied, rich, opulent and spicy in the mouth, it has a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing long with a lively pepper and herbs lift.”  94 Points
2014 Black Cordon Laguna Road Vineyard

2014 Black Cordon Laguna Road Vineyard Chardonnay

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

BLACK CORDON

2014 CHARDONNAY
LAGUNA ROAD VINEYARD 

2014 Black Cordon Laguna Road VineyardScientists suspect that taste and memory are inextricably bound… I’m given a reminder of that every time we open a bottle of a Paul Hobbs made Chardonnay. His Chardonnays provoke instant feelings of joy along with a serene calming sensation, pulling on your emotions in way that only the absolute best winemakers can accomplish.  With lovely weight and decadent texture, exquisite flavors wrap your palate in a silk blanket, laced with Meyer Lemon, tangerine oil, ripe pineapple, butterscotch, and nutmeg.  At $65 this elaborately flavored Chardonnay would take you to a happy place, you’ll want to grab as much as you can.  Make sure to sign up for our emails to receive special offers on selected wines.

 
Although not indicated on the bottle, the fruit for Black Cordon’s Laguna Road Chardonnay comes from the iconic Ulises Valdez Vineyard.  You might recognize the UV Vineyard from single vineyard Chardonnays by Aubert and Paul Hobbs. You might expect to pay upwards of $75/btl for a Chardonnay from this hallowed ground, don’t wait to secure yours… A mere 4 barrels (93 cases) were produced of this absolutely stunning Chardonnay. 
 
BLACK CORDON
2014 CHARDONNAY
LAGUNA ROAD VINEYARD
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 
Your Price:
 
Tasting Notes: “Rich, decadent and inviting, the 2014 Black Cordon Laguna Road Chardonnay is bursting with Meyer Lemond, almond shavings, tangerine and honeyed apple.  Wildflowers, nutmeg and orange rind add to it’s deep complexity.  On the palate the wine is sensual and balanced with terrific weight and structure”  93 Cases Produced 
2016 Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2016 Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

LEWIS CELLARS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 NAPA VALLEY

2016 Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

There are certain wine releases in Napa Valley where you simply can’t afford to wait for reviews to surface.  Topping that list is the Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet.  The 2013 vintage of this wine ranked #1 in the world on the 2016 Wine Spectator Top 100 List, cementing Lewis Cellars as simply one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons produced in Napa Valley, based upon price/quality.  The 2016 envelopes your palate in provocative dark berries and lavish extract, displaying striking purity and complex nuances that continually unmask new components with aeration.  At under $100/btl this is one of the absolute best Cabernet Sauvignons on the market.

This wine spends around 15 months in high quality oak barrels, and is sourced from several meticulously selected, painstakingly farmed vineyards throughout Napa Valley. Once again poised for perfection, this monumental effort is big, dense and stunningly complex. Don’t wait for the reviews on the 2016 to come out, because it’s always too late at that point…

LEWIS CELLARS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $100/btl
 
Your Price: $95/btl 
 
Winery Notes: “Juicy, ripe and fruitful our 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet captures the kitchen aromas of home jam-making.  Creamy vanilla and wood spice together with black plum, truffle and earth give the nose delectable character.  Flush with fruit, dusky, dense and polished the wine finishes with cushy, dark-chocolate tannins.“
 
Customers that enjoy the Lewis Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, may also enjoy these two Lewis Cellars Cabernets… 
 
2016 Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend Napa Valley Proprietary Red 2016 Lewis Cellars Mason's Cabernet Sauvignon
LEWIS CELLARS
ALEC’S BLEND
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 
Your Price: $59.99/btl 

Click to Order

Bottled horsepower…  Lewis  Alec’s Blend offers a high-octane mix of power, elegance and profound luxury.  It’s the liquid version of a Maserati GT, and it cuts a swath across your taste buds with an unapologetically bold, petal-to-the metal style that’s perfectly dialed in. 

2015 Il Borro ‘Toscana’ Tuscany, Italy

with No Comment $60-$70ItalyKevin VogtProprietary RedTuscanyUncategorized

IL BORRO

2015 TOSCANA
TUSCANY, ITALY

 
Moving another step closer to their goal of producing the best Bordeaux styled blend outside of Bordeaux, and with a monster 97 Point score, Salvatore Ferragamo’s Il Borro from their family estate in Tuscany simply blew me away.  Many of the same attributes that led the Ferragamo’s to become one of the top luxury brands in the world, are also key in creating a wine brand at the highest level. Like their clothing line, their wine is powerfully bold, yet gorgeously elegant and remarkably detailed. With no expense spared, the family purchased 700 hectares in Tuscany which included the hilltop town of Il Borro (depicted on the label,) which they named this flagship wine after.  While you may not want to plunk down the steep tariff for a pair of their shoes, you can board the Ferragamo train and enjoy some of their stunning wine…
 
The 2015 laces together 50% Merlot, dressed with 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and is then precisely detailed with other varietals.  After meticulously hand sorting each grape, the wine is sent gravity flow into the tank where 10-20% of the juice is removed to increase concentration… James Suckling calls the 2015 the best Il Borro to date and at under $100/btl this is absolutely one of the best Tuscan wines that I’ve tasted.
 
IL BORRO
2015 TOSCANA
TUSCANY, ITALY
 
Your Price: $64.99/btl 
 
From James Suckling: “This is the best Il Borro to date with fantastic blackberry, blueberry and sandalwood aromas that follow through to a full body with masses of fruit. Yet, it remains bright and linear down the center palate. A rich and toned wine. 50 per cent merlot, 35 per cent cabernet and 15 per cent syrah…” 97 Points
 
 
Customers who enjoy Il Borro Toscana may also enjoy these two terrific Italian wines…
2013 Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia 2013 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Brunello Di Montalcino
ALDO CONTERNO
2013 BAROLO BUSSIA
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Retails at:  $90.00/btl
 
Your Price: $69.99/btl

Click to Order

 
From James Suckling: “...Shows a beautiful complexity of ripe fruit such as cherries as well as orange peel undertones with lemon and pineapple highlights. Medium body and well-defined tannins.”  96 Points
LIVIO SASSETTI
2013 PERTIMALI
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
Retails at:  $80.00/btl
 
Your Price: $69.99/btl

Click to Order

 
From James Suckling: “This is intense and complex yet subtle with fantastic aromas of rose petal, plum, clove and fresh mushroom. Hints of stems. Full body, focused and polished with a linear line of tannins and fabulous length. A beauty…”  98 Points

 

2014 Coho Headwaters Proprietary Red

2014 Coho ‘Headwaters’ Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40CoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

COHO

2014 HEADWATERS
PROPRIETARY RED

2014 Coho Headwaters Proprietary Red
When your flagship wine graces Top 100 lists on more than one occasion, expectations are high for another exceptional vintage.  Some wineries might choose to keep doing exactly what they’ve been doing, and others strive to get even better.  Coho chose the latter, and in their 2014 they made a pivotal move upstream by hiring Philip Titus.  There are a handful of California winemakers whom many would refer to as legendary or iconic, and whose triumphs and experience are so profound that their very name rings with excellence.  Philip Titus is etched permanently onto that list…  Revered for his work authoring Chappellet’s Pritchard Hill wines for nearly three decades, leaving countless World Class wines in his wake… The 2014 Headwaters can be described as riveting, profound and hedonist and should be strongly considered by the case at under $40… 
 
Spawning primarily from Napa Valley’s Coombsville AVA, the 2014 blend lures you in with 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, fleshed out with additions of Merlot and Petit Verdot.  After swimming for 21 months in oak, this wine benefited from nearly two years developing in the bottle and is really stunning right now.  I strongly recommend a case of this prized Napa Valley Red Blend.  It’d be a drag if you missed out…    
 
COHO
2014 HEADWATERS
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $50.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl 
YOU SAVE 20%
 
Winery Notes: “A focused purity of gorgeous red and blue fruits infuse a core of currant and pomegranate flavors. This is an elegant wine that despite its early approachability will continue to reveal additional complexities for the next five to seven years.”
 
Customers who enjoy Coho Headwaters may also enjoy these two terrific Reds… 
 
2014 Laird Jillian's Blend Proprietary Red 2013 Xtant Petit Batard Napa Valley Proprietary Red
LAIRD
JILLIAN’S BLEND
2014 NAPA VALLEY 
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
 
When Napa Valley’s preeminent farming family uses just 3% of their grapes to produce their own wine, they’re able to hand select the absolute best grapes, producing wines of unrivaled quality.  We’ve always loved Laird’s Jillian’s Blend, but our affection was further solidified when we tasted the new vintage side-by-side another Napa Cab Blend that we love, which retails at $70/btl. We unanimously agreed that the Laird eclipsed it by a healthy margin. 
PETIT BATARD
2013 NAPA VALLEY RED
by XTANT…
Retails at:  $55.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl

As the second label for Xtant, an ultra-premium producer whose reds go for $85-$175/btl,  Petit Bâtard delivers a wine of remarkably high quality, and without the lofty price tag that generally accompanies them.  With access to the same tools, techniques and terroir that go into creating their flagship wine, the 2013 Petit Bâtardmerits significant attention at $39.99. 
2015 DOMAINE BOUARD-BONNEFOY “LES PETITS CLOS” CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET, 1ER CRU

2015 Domain Bouard-Bonnefoy Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru, Les Petits Clos

with No Comment $60-$70ChardonnayFranceKevin Vogt

DOMAINE BOUARD-BONNEFOY 2015 DOMAINE BOUARD-BONNEFOY “LES PETITS CLOS” CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET, 1ER CRU

2015 CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET
PREMIER CRU, LES PETITS CLOS

 

Did you know that all white Burgundies are 100% Chardonnay and that many people believe that the greatest Chardonnay vineyards in the world surround the Montrachet Vineyard in Burgundy? One of the best white wine growing villages is named Chassagne-Montrachet and includes the Montrachet Vineyard. Within that village is a Preimere Cru vineyard named Morgeot, that includes an even smaller parcel called Les Petit Clos, which sits at around 750 elevation and is très magnifique… The hillside vineyards and those at the base of the hills produce some of the best fruit due to better drainage and other factors.  The 2015 Domaine Bouard-Bonnefoy Chassagne-Montrachet has laser focus, breathtaking detail and dazzles your taste buds with intriguing orchard fruits, hints of cinnamon and rocky minerals.  At under $100/btl this wine performs at the absolute highest level for Premier Cru Chassagne-Montrachet. 
 
Made from vines greater than 60 years old, Domaine Bouard-Bonnefoy’s Les Petit Clos is indescribably magnificent.  With around 50 cases imported, chances are you might not have heard of it and it’s not easy to find, and with the price of Montrachet costing hundreds to thousands of dollars per bottle, this is the perfect introduction to ultra-high quality white Burgundy at a relative value price.
 
DOMAINE BOUARD-BONNEFOY
2015 CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET
PREMIER CRU, LES PETITS CLOS
Retails at:  $90.00/btl
 
Your Price: $69.99/btl

Click to Order

You Save 22%

 
Tasting Notes: “Brimming with elegance combined with a linear style and enough tension and focus to surprise your palate on the first sip.  Complex flavors of ripe orchard fruits including red apple, ripe peach and citrus notes, intermingling with liquid mineral and a breath of vanilla and hint of cinnamon further entice you.  The finish is long and lingering, just begging you to take another sip. Beautiful!” 95 Points
Customers that enjoy Domaine Bouard-Bonnefoy Chassagne-Montrachet Les Petits Clos may also enjoy these two terrific white wines…
2016 HENRI BOURGEOIS “LA COTE DES MONTS DAMNES” SANCERRE 2016 DOMAINE FRANCOIS GAUNOUX “CLOS DE MEIX CHAVAUX” MONOPOLE MEURSAULT
HENRI BOURGEOIS 
2016 SANCERRE
LA COTE DES MONTS DAMNES
 
Your Price: $37.99/btl

Click to Order

Tasting Notes: “The near-vertical slope of the Monts Damnés produces wines that have delicate tropical fruit and vibrant citrus aromas. The palate confirms this  fruitiness and  brings a nice and clean mineral note… This very concentrated wine expresses its strong personality…”
DOMAINE FRANCOIS GAUNOUX 
2016 “MONOPOLE” MEURSAULT
“CLOS DE MEIX CHAVAUX”
 
Your Price: $74.99/btl

Click to Order

 
Importer’s Tasting Notes: “Nose of white flowers, minerals. Great mouthfeel, rich, supple and pure, very silky. Flavors of pear, apple, nectarine blend with minerality and salinity.  This is a wine of great tension, balance and energy, truly a breathtaking wine. 30 cases imported.”
2015 Selene 'Chesler' Cabernet Franc

2015 Selene ‘Chesler’ Cabernet Franc

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet FrancCalistogaKevin VogtNapaUncategorizedUSA

SELENE

2015 CHESLER
CABERNET FRANC

 
2015 Selene 'Chesler' Cabernet Franc
Mia Klein’s 2015 Chesler is so ridiculously good, that once you taste it, you might end up calling me back, wanting to pay more for it.  Sure!  Anyway, Chesler has been a staple in our Yountville store since we opened, and is easily one of the best wines on the shelf in the $50 range.  It’s a profound interpretation of New World Cabernet Franc and Merlot from ancient vines in the Frediani Vineyard.  The wine was composed by Mia Klein, who has a long history of making wines for Dalla Valle, Spottswoode, Araujo, Viader, and Chappellet, as well as being named Winemaker of the Year by Food & Wine Magazine.  This perfectly choreographed dance between the dominant Cabernet Franc is softened by blending elegant, supple Merlot.  The 2015 Chesler engages your emotions with intense blueberry and vivid red raspberry notes pirouetting with white flowers, wild mint, chocolate and wild rose.
 
Sculpted from the historic Frediani Vineyard which was planted in 1905, Mia gives voice to the Cabernet Franc and Merlot vines from this vineyard, and the result has to be tasted to be believed.  A blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot, the 2015 is full-bodied and opulent with great depth and delineation.  The Merlot adds an opulence to the Cab Franc, softening any hard edges that might have otherwise existed, and the end result is simply stunning.  Don’t let this one ski by…
 
SELENE
2015 CHESLER
CABERNET FRANC
Retails at:  $50/btl
 
 
 
Winery Notes: “Mixed berry pie, complete with crisp, buttery crust, dark chocolate dipped fresh strawberry, and light caramel in the aromatics. The aromas come through with impact and intensity in the mouth, especially the fresh strawberry. The tannins are just a half step in the foreground of the other flavors, showing a bit of chewiness, acting as the mortar cementing the parts into the whole.”  85% Cabernet Franc | 15% Merlot