2018 Laird Malbec Flat Rock Vineyard Napa Valley

2018 Laird Malbec Flat Rock Vineyard Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtMalbecNapaUSAYountville

Laird

Malbec 2018
Flat Rock Vineyard
Napa Valley

2018 Laird Malbec Flat Rock Vineyard Napa Valley

A showstopper at our recent tasting, Laird’s 2018 Flat Rock Vineyard Malbec captures the rare moment when power and precision meet in perfect harmony. Drawn from the volcanic soils of Yountville’s eastern edge, this wine channels its pristine origins. It’s a wine that reflects not only the essence of place but also the discipline of a family that’s been perfecting the art of balance for generations.

From vineyard to cellar, every step of this wine’s creation reflects intent. The fruit was harvested at optimal ripeness, then aged for 21 months in French oak. What emerges is Malbec reimagined through a Napa lens: concentrated and full-bodied, yet balanced by refinement and lift. It’s the kind of craftsmanship that transforms a varietal curiosity into something enduring.

Now fully realized after five years in bottle, the 2018 Flat Rock Vineyard Malbec shows the seamless integration of time and terroir. The structure is commanding, yet the fruit remains luminous and pure, framed by fine French oak and a finish that lingers with mineral precision. Every element is in perfect balance, as if the wine has settled into its natural rhythm after years of quiet evolution.

Laird
Malbec 2018
Flat Rock Vineyard
Napa Valley
Retails at: $65

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“The 2018 Laird Flat Rock Ranch Malbec from Napa Valley is a beautiful domestic Malbec, showing excellent concentration and balance. The nose reveals aromas of wild berry cobbler, English rose petals, Chambord liqueur, and dried herbs. On the palate, it delivers juicy, sweet black raspberries and cassis, supported by satiny tannins and black tea on the back-end. The finish is long and mouth-quenching, with bright acidity. The intense fruit and balanced structure will allow this wine to evolve well over the next decade, though it’s approachable now.”

94 points

2024 Picayune Sauvignon Blanc Napa & Sonoma

2024 Picayune Sauvignon Blanc Napa & Sonoma

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaSauvignon BlancSonomaUSA

Picayune

Sauvignon Blanc
Napa & Sonoma 2024

2024 Picayune Sauvignon Blanc Napa & Sonoma

Some wines make an entrance, while this one makes an impression. The 2024 Picayune Napa/Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t need power to command attention; it draws you in with precision. Its charm lies in contrast: clarity rather than flash, texture instead of weight. This is California fruit expressed with European poise: subtle, shimmering, and unforgettable.

Behind that calm exterior lies remarkable intent. Winemaker Claire Ducrocq Weinkauf harvests early, capturing the brightness of dawn before the valley’s heat softens the fruit. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc that thrives on energy rather than ripeness: crisp and finely tuned, with an alcohol level of just 13.1%. Every decision reflects restraint, transforming potential exuberance into elegance.

Fermentation was split between stainless steel for clarity and neutral French oak for subtle weight, a decision that defines the wine’s remarkable balance. The oak imparts no overt flavor, only a silken texture that frames its crystalline acidity. The wine feels both poised and refreshing: proof that restraint, when executed with this kind of technical precision, can be as thrilling as opulence.

Picayune
Sauvignon Blanc
Napa & Sonoma 2024

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“The Picayune 2024 Sauvignon Blanc bursts from the glass with vivid aromas of gooseberry, lime zest, and passion fruit, balanced by subtle notes of fresh-cut grass and green herbs. On the palate, the wine is pure, bright, and zesty, showcasing crisp acidity that complements flavors of tropical fruit, citrus, and green melon. A touch of minerality and a hint of grapefruit pith lend structure and lift, creating a style reminiscent of New Zealand’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, but with California’s hallmark of sun-kissed, ripe fruit. The finish is clean, refreshing, and vibrant, leaving a lingering impression.”

94 Points

2021 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2021 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Anthem

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021

2021 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

Perched on the rugged slopes of Mount Veeder, where vines cling to fractured rock, Anthem’s 2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was born in defiance of gravity. It’s a wine forged by extremes: sunlight and shadow, warmth and wind, precision and power. What emerges is a wine of profound beauty, with dark and muscular yet polished to a fine sheen, its elegance revealed through structure, harmony, and quiet confidence.

Under the direction of acclaimed winemaker Jeff Ames, every decision at Anthem is made with confidence and patience. Having honed his craft alongside icons like Thomas Brown, Ames channels that experience into a style defined by purity and restraint, revealing a wine that feels sculpted, as though every contour has been carved by intent. 

For the 2021 vintage, Jeff coaxed out the vineyard’s most expressive fruit: dense yet detailed, layered with mountain spice, graphite, and violets. Already earning high praise, it drinks beautifully now, but its real magic will unfold over a decade or more. Whether savored tonight or cellared for tomorrow, this is Cabernet that carries the voice of the mountain and the patience of the ages.

Anthem
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021
Retails at: $130

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“The 2021 Anthem Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon opens with inviting aromas of black cherries and ripe currants, layered with hints of crushed graphite, violets before folding in subtle hints of loamy earth and warm spices which add wonderful complexity. The palate is medium to full and finely structured, with firm tannins supporting a core of dark fruit and mocha nuances which lingers through the finish Excellent today, but also offers a promising graceful evolution with cellaring.”

94 Points

2022 Saracina Soul of Mendocino Red Wine Blend Mendocino County

2022 Saracina Soul of Mendocino Red Wine Blend Mendocino County

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtMendocinoProprietary RedUSA

Saracina

Soul of Mendocino
Red Wine Blend 2022
Mendocino County

2022 Saracina Soul of Mendocino Red Wine Blend Mendocino County

Drawn from organically farmed vineyards rooted in Mendocino’s rugged, ancient soils, Saracina’s 2022 Soul of Mendocino Red honors both the land and the people who bring it to life. The estate’s roots run deep into the Mayacamas foothills, where this wine emerges as both homage and evolution: a seamless blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, old-vine Grenache, and Carignan that transforms the region’s rustic soul into something quietly profound and elegantly refined.

At Saracina, craftsmanship begins below ground. The team studies the mineral threads of each parcel, nurturing vines whose roots dive deep through fractured sandstone and clay. That dedication to detail yields fruit of rare vibrancy, marked by sunlight and tension. It’s viticulture as quiet artistry, where science and soul work in concert.

In the glass, the Soul of Mendocino Red captures everything Saracina stands for: vibrancy without excess, texture without weight. Zinfandel lends warmth, Petite Sirah depth, Grenache grace, and Carignan lift, composing a symphony of balance and quiet confidence. It stands as both a reflection of its landscape and a reminder that elegance needs no excess. 

Saracina
Soul of Mendocino
Red Wine Blend 2022
Mendocino County

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“The Saracina ‘Soul of Mendocino’ 2022 Mendocino County Red Wine Blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Grenache, and Carignane begins with bright, ripe aromas of strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, black tea leaves, anise, and sweet tobacco. On the palate, the wine has flavors of juicy, wild berry bramble, chocolate covered cherries, and marjoram in a smooth, supple texture. This wine is both expressive and effortlessly drinkable, creating an inviting blend that celebrates Mendocino fruit with a refined finish.”

94 Points

2022 Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2022 Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaPinot NoirSonoma CoastUSA

Aston

Pinot Noir 
Sonoma Coast 2022

2022 Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Perched on the remote ridgelines of Annapolis, where redwoods meet ocean fog, Aston Estate has long stood as one of the Sonoma Coast’s wild frontiers. Two decades after its founding, Aston Estate feels reborn. Once a collaboration between three of Napa’s most revered figures, it now thrives under the singular vision of Thomas Rivers Brown. His 2022 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir channels the wisdom of maturity and the freshness of rediscovery. 

Drawn entirely from the estate’s 12-acre vineyard in the far western reaches of Sonoma, the 2022 vintage captures the essence of Annapolis itself: cool air, fractured soils, and relentless wind. Here, vines root deep into ancient marine sediment, yielding fruit of uncommon purity and tension. 

What emerges in 2022 is not merely a reflection of the site but of stewardship. Brown’s approach favors patience over intervention, allowing the wine to unfold in graceful precision. Each element from fruit, spice, and structure moves in balance, revealing a Pinot Noir that feels as timeless as the land it comes from. 

Aston
Pinot Noir 
Sonoma Coast 2022

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“A nearly opaque red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is flush with aromas of black cherries, a bit of plum, eucalyptus, sweet tobacco, and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, it has more structure but is light on its feet for the vintage, with a ripe, sunny feel and a long finish. Drink 2026-2046.”

96 Points

2022 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Vineyard Los Carneros Sonoma

2022 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Vineyard Los Carneros Sonoma

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtSonomaUSA

Laird

Chardonnay 2022
Cold Creek Vineyard
Los Carneros, Sonoma

2022 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Vineyard Los Carneros Sonoma

Laird’s 2022 Cold Creek Ranch Chardonnay is not just another expression of Carneros; it displays how restraint can yield brilliance in the glass. Here, Ken Laird’s fifty years of farming mastery align with winemaker Brian Mox’s measured touch in the cellar, resulting in a wine that hums with energy and poise, shaped by the marriage of persistence and place.

The Cold Creek Ranch vineyard rests on the Sonoma side of Los Carneros, where cool marine winds and fog slow the ripening process to a patient rhythm. Planted to Burgundian Clones 15 and 95, the vines produce remarkably balanced fruit. In the cellar, partial malolactic fermentation adds a gentle creaminess, while ten months in French oak lend structure and depth.

What distinguishes this Chardonnay is its composure. Every step, from vineyard to barrel, reflects the intent and confidence that come only with experience. The 2022 Cold Creek Ranch Chardonnay offers a harmony of brightness, texture, and length that lingers gracefully on the palate. It is a wine of elegance and clarity, timeless in its refinement and distinctly Californian in spirit.

Laird
Chardonnay 2022
Cold Creek Vineyard
Los Carneros, Sonoma

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“Spiced and nutty on the nose, this offers ripe orchard fruit, sliced pineapple and honeysuckle nuances. Full and creamy with densely packed flavors and a firm, lingering finish. Long and delicious. Drink or hold.”

92 Points

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Mt. Brave

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2019

2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

After years of quiet evolution in the cellar, the 2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon is finally revealing the full measure of its power and grace. What was once tightly coiled and brooding has unfurled into a symphony of mountain fruit, fine tannin, and haunting perfume. The wine offers a mesmerizing reminder of what patience can achieve in the hands of a master.

100pt winemaker Chris Carpenter has spent more than two decades decoding the language of Napa’s mountain vineyards, and Mt. Brave is among his most eloquent expressions. From the steep, fractured slopes of Mt. Veeder, he coaxes fruit that balances density with lift, structure with purity. The 2019 reveals that duality: a wine of formidable strength that moves with the grace of a dancer.

Now, with time having sculpted its edges to perfection, the 2019 Mt. Brave Cabernet stands at its pinnacle. It opens with an arresting purity, unfolding in layers before settling into a finish that seems to stretch toward the horizon. Mt. Brave’s 2019 vintage is mountain Cabernet at its most complete: soulful, sophisticated, and utterly compelling.  

Mt. Brave
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2019
Retails at: $125

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“Showcasing the lovely freshness of high-elevation Mt Veeder grapes. Vivid boysenberry and mulberry fruits give way to mountain herbs, dusty minerals and rich toasty cedar. A compact wine revealing black-fruited flavours and savoury herbal nuances alongside sculpted tannins that are pixelated and mouthcoating. An impressively long finish of iron shavings, baked agave and dried chaparral.”

97 Points

2023 Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

2023 Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

with No Comment $100 and overChateauneuf-Du-PapeFranceKevin VogtRhone Valley

Vieux Télégraphe

Châteauneuf-du-Pape
La Crau 2023

2023 Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

High above the Rhône plain, on the stony expanse of La Crau, the Brunier family tends one of France’s most storied vineyards. Each vintage of Vieux Télégraphe distills a century of devotion to this harsh and beautiful place, where vines grow not in soil but among stones. The 2023 release captures that heritage at its purest: a wine of sculpted structure, radiant fruit, and the unmistakable clarity that only this plateau can impart.

From hand-harvest to slow fermentation in concrete, every step at Vieux Télégraphe reflects patience. The old vines, some planted before the Second World War, yield small, concentrated berries that speak not of abundance but of endurance. Matured in large, neutral foudres, the wine develops a strength and texture that feels carved rather than built.

Few wines so seamlessly capture the paradox of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the marriage of Mediterranean warmth and mountain freshness. The 2023 Vieux Télégraphe radiates both: the generosity of ripe Grenache framed by the cool austerity of limestone. It stands as proof that in the right hands, hardship becomes harmony, and from the stones of La Crau, true beauty is born.

Vieux Télégraphe
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
La Crau 2023

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“In spite of its extreme youth, this great Chateuneuf-du-Pape leaps out at you with its depth of wet-earth, ripe red-berry and dried-flower aromas. Rich and concentrated, but so suave and refined. Incredible length! Already delicous, but this has a great future ahead of it. Drink or hold.”

98 Points

2023 Synthesis Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2023 Synthesis Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

Synthesis

Pinot Noir 2023
Russian River Valley

2023 Synthesis Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

Born from Martin Ray’s estate vineyard along Laguna Road, the 2023 Synthesis Russian River Valley Pinot Noir captures the essence of its origin with striking clarity. The site sits in the heart of the valley’s cool corridor, where morning fog shapes firm but bright fruit. In the cellar, thoughtful intention takes the lead, resulting in a Pinot Noir that balances power and poise, each element reflecting the vineyard’s coastal charm.

The 2023 season unfolded slowly, each stage measured and guided. Yields were modest, canopies were managed for balance, and harvest came only when acidity and aromatics aligned perfectly. The result is a wine that feels sculpted and alive with detail, yet effortlessly composed.

Aged twelve months in French oak, the 2023 release finds its balance in texture and tone. On the palate, it’s silken yet vibrant. Fine-grained tannins guiding a line of vivid acidity through a finish that lingers with quiet confidence. This is Russian River Pinot Noir that’s expressive, graceful, and beautifully composed.

Synthesis
Pinot Noir 2023
Russian River Valley
Retails at: $50

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“A crisp and clean pinot with dried strawberries, cherries and hints of sandalwood on the nose. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a juicy finish. It has all you need. Drink or hold.”

94 Points

2021 Florence Reserve Zinfandel Rockpile Sonoma County

2021 Florence Reserve Zinfandel Rockpile Sonoma County

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtSonomaSonoma ValleyUSAZinfandel

Florence

Reserve Zinfandel
Rockpile 2021
Sonoma County

2021 Florence Reserve Zinfandel Rockpile Sonoma County

Few places challenge a vine like Rockpile. Perched on a ridge above Lake Sonoma, where the wind never rests and the soil fractures like ancient bone, the Florence Vineyard defines what it means for a vine to struggle and to triumph. From this unforgiving terrain emerges the 2021 Florence Vineyard Reserve Rockpile Zinfandel, a wine that channels its hardship into strength. The result is a Zinfandel that captures both the wildness of altitude and the refinement of mastery.

Long before Rockpile was recognized as an appellation, Jack Florence Jr. saw its promise. He carved his vineyard into the rocky hillsides with the conviction that hardship breeds distinction. Decades later, his 2021 Florence Vineyard Reserve Zinfandel affirms that vision: a wine of intensity and grace, rooted in heritage cuttings from the storied St. Peter’s Church clone and elevated by the restless energy of the mountain.

Only 235 cases were produced, each bottle an unfiltered glimpse into one of Sonoma’s most demanding landscapes. The 2021 vintage speaks in layers of blackberry, cracked pepper, and wild herbs framed by minerality and tension. It’s a wine that feels alive, pulsing with the elevation that shaped it, the craftsmanship that guided it, and the patience that allowed it to find its voice.

Florence
Reserve Zinfandel
Rockpile 2021
Sonoma County
Retails at: $60

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“Lush, almost creamy in texture, this complex, high powered and deeply fruity wine boasts distinctive black pepper and singed sage flavors atop its deep black cherries and blackberries. Moderate to full tannins give it a good backbone for pairing with big proteins. Best from 2025–2035.”

94 Points