2023 Montagu Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2023 Montagu Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

Montagu

Pinot Noir 2023
Santa Lucia Highlands

2023 Montagu Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

Rooted in legend and tracing its lineage to Burgundy, Montagu’s 2023 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir captures a spirit that transcends the ordinary. The wine is crafted entirely from the storied La Tâche clone, a rare cutting believed to have originated from Burgundy’s legendary Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Rich and evocative, this Pinot Noir exudes the deep, nuanced character of its noble lineage.

At the helm of this extraordinary wine is the gifted winemaker Weston Eidson, whose intuitive craftsmanship and meticulous vineyard selection have earned him a rising star status. For this rare 100-case offering, Eidson sourced grapes from a vineyard adjacent to one of the Santa Lucia Highlands’ most illustrious sites.

On the palate, the 2023 Montagu unfolds gracefully. Its seamless texture unfurls luscious layers of ripe cherry, nuanced by intriguing spices and hints of delicate florals. Polished tannins carry each sip toward a lingering finish, exemplifying the elegance that defines the Santa Lucia Highlands.

Montagu
Pinot Noir 2023
Santa Lucia Highlands
Retails at: $75

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“The Montagu Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2023 unfurls an enchanting bouquet, where ripe, sweet strawberries intertwine with the refined perfume of English roses. A zesty lift of mandarin peel cuts through, complemented by a subtle hint of nutmeg. On the palate, this wine unleashes waves of concentrated red plum and blood orange, its flavors concentrated and vivid, saturating the senses with intensity. Each sip builds to a finish that stretches long and persistent, leaving an indelible mark of satisfaction. Outright delicious, it embodies the Santa Lucia Highlands’ finest traits—vibrant fruit, structural finesse, and captivating depth. This is a Pinot Noir of exceptional poise and power.”

94 Points

2024 Rene Malleron Clos du Roy Sancerre Loire Valley

2024 Rene Malleron Clos du Roy Sancerre Loire Valley

René Malleron

Clos du Roy Sancerre
Loire Valley, 2024

2024 Rene Malleron Clos du Roy Sancerre Loire Valley

When history, terroir, and resilience converge, the result is something remarkable. The 2024 René Malleron Clos du Roy Sancerre emerges from a tiny 3.7-acre vineyard shaped like a crown, its south-facing slopes catching every ray of the Loire Valley sun, producing a Sauvignon Blanc that is as noble as its name. This historic parcel, first recorded in the 14th century when granted to King Henry IV, remains a jewel of Sancerre.

Rooted in Kimmeridgian limestone laced with ancient oyster shells, Clos du Roy yields fruit of rare purity and mineral drive. In 2024, Malleron channeled this essence into a wine that balances vivid freshness with the textural depth only this unique site can deliver.

The 2024 vintage tested every vine in Sancerre, but Clos du Roy emerged with remarkable clarity and drive. This wine distills the year’s adversity into a singular expression: bright, finely etched, and humming with limestone energy. The result is a Sancerre of riveting freshness and crystalline purity, destined to leave a lasting impression.

René Malleron
Clos du Roy Sancerre
Loire Valley, 2024

Your Price: $35

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“The Clos du Roy 2024 Sancerre nearly jumps out of the glass with notes of orange blossoms, Meyer lemon, grapefruit, white peaches, green melon, and a wet stone minerality. On the palate, the wine has a vibrant character with concentrated flavors of citrus and tropical fruits, a hint of lemon yogurt, refreshing acidity, and a light, ethereal finish. This wine is immediately enjoyable in the glass and will enhance any occasion with its friendly approachability and sophisticated array of varietal flavors and aromas.”

95 Points

2021 Trujillo Cabernet Sauvignon Gary Morisoli Vineyard Rutherford

2021 Trujillo Cabernet Sauvignon Gary Morisoli Vineyard Rutherford

Trujillo

Cabernet Sauvignon
Gary Morisoli Vineyard
Rutherford, 2021

2021 Trujillo Cabernet Sauvignon Gary Morisoli Vineyard Rutherford

Some vineyards whisper their pedigree, while others proclaim it boldly. The Gary Morisoli Vineyard, rooted in Rutherford’s gravelly soils since 1902, speaks with unmistakable authority. In 2021, Michael Trujillo captured that voice in pure Cabernet form, yielding a wine that radiates the classic power, elegance, and “Rutherford Dust” that define Napa at its best.

The Morisoli family has farmed this vineyard since 1902, passing its stewardship through five generations, each shaping the evolution of Rutherford’s legendary benchland. Michael Trujillo has walked these rows for over thirty harvests, translating their fruit into wines of depth and authenticity. In 2021, he recognized a harmony of ripeness and structure so compelling that it demanded a vineyard designation.

Every so often, a vintage comes along that defines a winemaker’s career and elevates a vineyard’s legacy. For Michael Trujillo and the Morisoli family, 2021 is such a year. It is both a celebration of over a century of farming and the culmination of a winemaker’s devotion. Claim yours now to enjoy a Cabernet that exemplifies Napa Valley at its pinnacle.

Trujillo
Cabernet Sauvignon
Gary Morisoli Vineyard
Rutherford, 2021
Retails at: $165

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“Always some of the best grapes Trujillo has had to work with, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Gary Morisoli Vineyard marries black cherries and dusty earth with hints of cedar and vanilla. It’s full-bodied, silky yet rich and complete—it’s hard to find anything to critique on the palate, while the long finish adds beguiling hints of licorice and dark chocolate.”

97 Points

2021 Simon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2021 Simon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Simon

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021

2021 Simon Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Simon’s 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a thrilling benchmark for what modern Napa can achieve: powerful yet polished, expressive yet restrained. Shaped by star winemaker Maayan Koschitzky, whose journey spans Screaming Eagle and his role as Director of Winemaking at Atelier Melka, it embodies a synthesis of pedigree and precision, earning 97-point acclaim and placing it among the valley’s most compelling wines. 

Its foundation lies in a pantheon of Napa’s most revered vineyards: Sleeping Lady in Yountville, Vine Hill Ranch and Tench in Oakville, Beckstoffer Georges III in Rutherford, and Collinetta in Coombsville. Each site contributes a vital voice: benchland fruit for structure, eastern slopes for intensity and minerality, and Coombsville’s volcanic soils for freshness and aromatic lift.

Koschitzky’s hallmark is clarity, and it shows in every detail of this 2021 Cabernet. The élevage in French oak provides sculpted edges rather than ornament, allowing terroir to speak in a clear, resonant voice. The wine is penetrating but not ostentatious, refined but not restrained—a true reflection of a winemaker at the height of his craft.

Simon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021
Retails at: $180

Your Price: $149.99

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“Extremely precise and focused Napa Cabernet sporting black currants, black cherries, and coriander, bright minerality, with fragrant wild herbs and white pepper nuances. Medium to full-bodied. The tannins are very pointed, precise, and long and have a beautifully sweet edge that seamlessly resolves into perfectly ripe black cherry fruit and currants with a mineral-rich finish. It’s fresh, lacy, and compact. A new project with winemaker Maayan Koschitzky at the helm, who, through the owners, is contracting for fruit with Rocca Family Vineyards in Coombsville, the famous Tench Vineyard and Vine Hill Ranch in Oakville, Beckstoffer Georges III in Rutherford, and Sleeping Lady Vineyard in Yountville. This Cabernet includes grapes sourced from Rocca, Tench, and Sleeping Lady.”

97 Points

2022 The Setting Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

2022 The Setting Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

The Setting

Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley 2022

2022 The Setting Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

With his chart-topping, 98-point masterpiece, Jesse Katz has carved a new pinnacle, with a wine that whispers luxury and roars with purpose. The 2022 vintage of The Setting Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from two of Alexander Valley’s coolest and most distinguished vineyard sites, effortlessly balances vibrant intensity with graceful finesse, showcasing a wine of profound depth, alluring elegance, and undeniable power.

Jesse Katz’s meteoric rise has positioned him among the wine industry’s most revered figures. His artistry reached global acclaim with the creation of the record-breaking, million-dollar, six-liter magnum of The Setting Glass Slipper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Katz’s dedication to excellence and innovation resonates vividly in every bottle, cementing his legacy as one of the great contemporary winemakers.

The 2022 Setting Cabernet Sauvignon captivates with its rich tapestry of lush, concentrated flavors, interwoven seamlessly with vibrant acidity and exquisite texture. At around $100, it competes with Napa Valley’s finest, offering a luxurious experience marked by complexity, precision, and elegance that lingers long after the final sip.

The Setting
Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley 2022
Retails at: $115

Your Price: $95

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley comes from one of the coldest sites from which they farm Cabernet Sauvignon. A dark red color, the wine is forward with blue-fruited highlights and shining with notes of juniper, pine, violets, forest floor, and fresh herbs. It’s long, elegant, and focused on the palate, with a more linear feel, an even plushness of tannins, and redcurrants, cassis, and vanilla shining through to the long finish. Drink 2025-2050.”

98 Points

2021 Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley

2021 Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley

Ulysses

Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville, Napa Valley 2021

2021 Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley

One of the great wines of the vintage, the 2021 Ulysses Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is an instant classic and a profound example of what is possible when visionary winemaking meets exceptional terroir. With Tod Mostert, the acclaimed artisan behind Dominus, guiding every nuance, the wine encapsulates the subtle power and refined character unique to Oakville’s revered vineyards.

Nestled in the heart of the Oakville Bench, Ulysses’ vineyard thrives in gravelly clay-loam soils, enriched by half-century-old vines and meticulous organic farming practices certified by CCOF. Dry-farmed to encourage deep root growth, the vineyard produces grapes of extraordinary purity, vibrant complexity, and concentrated flavors, giving a true reflection of their prestigious terroir.

Composed predominantly of Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Ulysses unfurls in slow, deliberate waves. Rich tones of Scharffen Berger dark chocolate, intense blackberries, and exotic spice swirl together, underscored by Italian espresso. A wine of staggering presence and poise, it delivers a rare convergence of place, precision, and polish, earning its place among Napa Valley’s most revered.

Ulysses
Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville, Napa Valley 2021

Your Price: $180

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“Simply put, Christian Moueix’s Napa Valley project Ulysses is a wine every collector of Napa Cabernet should have in their cellar. The 2021 release of the Oakville red is a knockout that is never too bombastic, entirely reserved even in its generosity, and one that will last a very long time… Opaque purple-ruby to the rim. A wine showing all the best qualities you’d expect from a prime Oakville site. This is a beautifully balanced red, imbued with a tremendously fresh streak of acidity. The nose leads with prime, ripe, dark black fruits, cassis, violets, creme de menthe, and crushed slate.—medium to full-bodied with impressively fashioned tannins that are robust and build through the extravagantly long finish. Marked by ripe black cherry and spiced plum notes, the length is extended by zesty blood orange acidity. Fragrant with sage and thyme, nuanced by brighter cherry blossom freshness and mineral tension. Impressive depth and density with a core of pure, ripe, and juicy fruit. Exceptional. This was the last wine in a complete vertical tI tasted with Moueix and winemaker Tod Mostero in a tasting room tucked within the barn on the Ulysses Vineyard site. ‘I’m thrilled,’ commented Moueix, ‘There’s a real dignity to the wines.’ Moueix said that until this tasting, he hadn’t quite noticed the style signature but found it emerging, though cautioned, ‘Even with our experience next door at Dominus, we are still figuring it out.’ For Mostero, ‘Making these has been a discovery of place. With our mature vines, we’re just beginning to get a sense of the true resonance of the place. The 2021 typifies what we can expect. This arrow-like structure that is piercing, resonant, and strong.'”

99 Points

2022 Venge Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard Atlas Peak

2022 Venge Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard Atlas Peak

Venge

Cabernet Sauvignon
Stagecoach Vineyard
Atlas Peak 2022

2022 Venge Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard Atlas Peak

From one of Napa’s most iconic mountain vineyards, the 2022 Venge Stagecoach Cabernet Sauvignon is a masterclass in tension and terroir. Sourced from the steep, volcanic F3 block and shaped by Kirk Venge’s precise winemaking, this wine delivers depth, minerality, and unapologetic power without sacrificing elegance.

The vineyard’s high-altitude terrain, with its red volcanic soils and dramatic temperature shifts, coaxes a remarkable balance between power and finesse. The 2022 vintage is composed of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Malbec, a marriage that adds dimension, aromatic lift, and a seamless mouthfeel that never overreaches.

The 2022 vintage is beautifully sculpted, dynamic, and unmistakably Stagecoach. From its inky concentration to its mineral backbone, this wine is a paragon of mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. For collectors and connoisseurs drawn to site-driven expression and cellar-worthy depth, this is a wine that delivers not just bold flavor but a vivid sense of place.

Venge
Cabernet Sauvignon
Stagecoach Vineyard
Atlas Peak 2022
Retails at: $110

Your Price: Insider Club Members Only

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“Sourced from three blocks of Stagecoach Vineyard, this Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Clone 685, Clone 4, and Clone 337, aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. Brimming with ripe cherry fruit, sweet spice, sandalwood nuances, and sagebrush character, this wine offers a medium- to full-bodied palate filled with a spectrum of crunchy red and blue fruit. While mountain tannins from this site are typically powerful and robust, they are beautifully balanced in 2022, making this incredibly approachable and ready to drink now and often. Nils Venge founded the brand in 1992 with the first vintage of Venge Vineyards. His son, Kirk Venge, began making the wines in 2003 and took over the brand in 2008.”

95 Points

2023 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Price Family Estates Sonoma Coast

2023 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Price Family Estates Sonoma Coast

Three Sticks

Pinot Noir 2023
Price Family Estates
Sonoma Coast

2023 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Price Family Estates Sonoma Coast

Among the countless Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs, few capture the imagination like the 2023 Three Sticks Price Family Estates. The wine seamlessly weaves some of Sonoma Coast’s most distinguished voices, drawing from estate jewels such as Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala. Each vineyard contributes its character, culminating in a Pinot Noir that speaks eloquently.

Three Sticks has long been admired for crafting Pinot Noir of purity and grace, and the 2023 Price Family Estates bottling marks a thrilling new chapter. Guided by the foundation laid by Bob Cabral and carried forward by Ryan Prichard, it reflects not just winemaking skill but the seamless passing of a torch, ensuring continuity while unlocking new dimensions of expression.

 

The hallmark of the 2023 vintage is its ability to deliver depth without heaviness. Every detail of this wine reflects an estate committed to elevating Pinot Noir to its highest expression. Bright, aromatic, and texturally seamless, it delivers a complete expression of Sonoma’s coastal beauty, standing as a reminder that Pinot Noir, in the right hands, can be both delicate and profound. 

Three Sticks
Pinot Noir 2023
Price Family Estates
Sonoma Coast
Retails at: $55

Your Price: $49.99

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“From one of the latest harvests in the Sonoma Coast history, development of flavor had an advantage and this wine is proof. This wine is a blend of the estate’s six vineyards including the Heritage Vineyards of the Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala. The wine is delicate and feathery, with clear cut acid structure that illuminates cherries, pomegranate, and orange peel. Its dimension is notable, a down pillow of creamy blueberry, hibiscus, and mint chocolate chip with a dash of black pepper on the finish.”

97 Points

2023 Manor Du Capucin Macon Solutre-Pouilly Burgundy France

2023 Manor Du Capucin Macon Solutre-Pouilly Burgundy France

Manor Du Capucin

Mâcon Solutré-Pouilly
Burgundy, France 2023

2023 Manor Du Capucin Macon Solutre-Pouilly Burgundy France

The Manoir du Capucin 2023 Mâcon-Solutré-Pouilly is a wine that speaks with crystalline clarity, capturing Chardonnay in its purest, most transparent form. Guided by vigneronne Chloé Bayon, who revitalized her family’s historic estate, it is a wine that embodies Bayon’s belief that the most authentic expression of Chardonnay is one that allows the land itself to shine through.

 

These two hectares of vines cling to the slopes surrounding Solutré-Pouilly, where ancient, fossil-rich limestone and marl soils have shaped vines for centuries. It is a terroir both dramatic and singular, set against the limestone escarpment of Solutré, where Chardonnay develops a natural brightness and mineral tension.

 

Cuvée Délice is 100% Chardonnay, crafted in a style that prizes freshness, elegance, and authenticity. It is an expression that is at once graceful and compelling, marrying the weight of history with the energy of a new generation. Experience this wine for yourself to appreciate how Burgundy’s southern reaches can deliver wines of extraordinary finesse, unforgettable charm, and uncanny value.

Manor Du Capucin
Mâcon Solutré-Pouilly
Burgundy, France 2023

Your Price: $29.99

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“The Manoir du Capucin 2023 Mâcon-Solutré-Pouilly is illuminating and inviting, opening with aromas of orange blossoms, freshly sliced apples, a subtle note reminiscent of vanilla pudding, and a focused, wet stone minerality. On the palate, the wine is crisp, with flavors of orchard fruits, lemon peel, and delicate notes of spice. The finish is clean and precise, highlighting the wine’s purity and graceful sense of place.”

94 Points

2022 Frederic Magnien Croix-Violette Cote De Nuits-Villages

2022 Frederic Magnien Croix-Violette Cote De Nuits-Villages

Frédéric Magnien

Croix-Violette 2022
Côte De Nuits-Villages

2022 Frederic Magnien Croix-Violette Cote De Nuits-Villages

Frédéric Magnien’s 2022 ‘Croix Violette’ whispers of place, patience, and precise artistry. Emerging from a storied vineyard in the village of Brochon, steps from the prestigious terroirs of Gevrey-Chambertin, this wine distills the spirit of the Côte de Nuits into a singular, vivid expression. Here, beneath ancient stone walls, vines 50 years old dig deeply into limestone-clay soils, lending the wine a profound mineral resonance.

Guiding this narrative is Frédéric Magnien, a fifth-generation vigneron whose winemaking philosophy bridges tradition with exploration. Frédéric’s formative experiences include working alongside visionary Josh Jensen at Calera Vineyards. Today, he meticulously oversees each organically farmed parcel, ensuring his wines convey authenticity.

Magnien’s hands-off approach is evident: native yeast fermentations in stainless steel and gentle maturation in French oak barrels, as well as carefully selected clay amphorae. This unique aging process imparts an elegant, silken texture while preserving the pristine clarity of the vineyard’s identity. At $49.99, the 2022 Croix Violette is an exceptional value that invites contemplation, stirs emotion, and lingers vividly in memory.

Frédéric Magnien
Croix-Violette 2022
Côte De Nuits-Villages

Your Price: $49.99

Click Here to Join Our (Free) Insider’s Club & Unlock Special Offers

Click to Order

 

“The 2022 Côte de Nuits-Village Croix Violette from Frédéric Magnien is a well-structured Pinot Noir that shows good concentration and balance. The nose offers aromas of ripe strawberries and dried rose petals, accented by mandarin peel, mild baking spices, dusty earth, cola, and mushrooms. On the palate, flavors of bright red cherries, black tea, and sweet red berries emerge, supported by a liquid saline note and a velvety, mouth-quenching texture. The finish is long and elegant. Drink now through 2032.”

94 points