2023 Sentium By Continuum Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino

2023 Sentium By Continuum Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino

with No Comment $70-$80Kevin VogtMendocinoMendocino RidgeSauvignon BlancUSA

Sentium

By Continuum
Sauvignon Blanc
Mendocino, 2023

2023 Sentium By Continuum Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino

Sentium stands apart for one clear reason: it treats Sauvignon Blanc as a wine of structure and longevity, not just freshness. Drawn from old-vine fruit in Mendocino, it delivers a rare combination of mineral precision, layered texture, and power. As the white wine expression of Continuum Estate, it carries that same uncompromising pursuit of precision into an entirely different register.

Its character takes shape in Redwood Valley, where cooling Pacific influence meets ample sun, creating a natural balance between ripeness and moderation. This steady pace slows ripening, preserving tension while allowing the fruit to reach full phenolic maturity. In 2023, that equilibrium comes through cleanly, where freshness and concentration move in seamless alignment.

The cellar work reinforces that balance through a deliberate, multi-vessel élevage. Concrete, stainless steel, and neutral oak each add dimension, while extended lees aging builds texture and density through the mid-palate. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc of uncommon shape and persistence, expansive yet precise, leaving a lasting impression that extends well beyond the variety’s expected limits.

Sentium
By Continuum
Sauvignon Blanc
Mendocino, 2023

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“The 2023 release totals approximately 188 cases. This vintage delivers beautifully luscious fruit, marked by lemon-leaf pithiness and notes of crushed Marcona almonds. There’s excellent tension and grip here, with the wine showing its hallmark medium-bodied richness and silky, satiny fruit character. Laced with vibrant acid tension, it finishes long with flinty minerality, a kiss of tarragon, and a lingering saline edge. Chiara Mondavi set out to find older, organically farmed vines cared for by family growers. Her search led her to Mendocino’s Redwood Valley, where vineyards planted between the 1940s and 1970s provided the perfect fit for her vision of crafting textured, ageworthy Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.”

96 Points

2021 Domaine De La Riviere Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2021 Domaine De La Riviere Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

Domaine de la Rivière

Pinot Noir 2021
Middle Reach Vineyards
Russian River Valley

2021 Domaine De La Riviere Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

With poised intensity, Domaine de la Rivière Pinot Noir captures one of the most compelling stretches of the Russian River Valley. In this prized Middle Reach corridor, cooling Pacific fog tempers the sun and extends the growing season, preserving freshness and detail. The result is a wine defined by balance, where vivid red fruit, lifted aromatics, and fine structure reflect a site shaped by equilibrium.

Guided by a philosophy that favors precision, the wine reflects a disciplined, site-first approach. At the helm, Kale Anderson brings a pedigree shaped at Colgin Cellars, Cliff Lede Vineyards, and Pahlmeyer, where he honed a style defined by precision and control. Each decision in the cellar is deliberate, preserving tension, structure, and aromatic lift, resulting in a Pinot Noir that is both transparent and complete.

Native fermentation anchors the wine in transparency, allowing site and structure to speak without interference. This is Pinot Noir that moves beyond immediacy, offering both present beauty and the promise of evolution. It speaks with clarity of place and rewards those willing to follow it over time.

Domaine de la Rivière
Pinot Noir 2021
Middle Reach Vineyards
Russian River Valley
Retails at: $75

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“Aromas of pomegranate, cherry, black tea and orange peel swirl and mingle on the nose of this native-fermented Pinot. The palate gives flavors of salty cherry, roasted mushroom and violets, with the satisfying grip of tannin lingering through the finish. Best 2028–2040.”

94 Points, Cellar Selection

Merlot wine bottle from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, 2014 vintage.

2014 La Jota Merlot Howell Mountain

with No Comment $80-$90Howell MountainKevin VogtMerlotNapaUSA

La Jota

Merlot 2014
Howell Mountain

Merlot wine bottle from Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, 2014 vintage.

The 2014 La Jota Howell Mountain Merlot arrives with an authority that immediately distinguishes it. Born at high elevation, it forgoes plushness in favor of precision and generosity in favor of structure, delivering a wine that is both powerful and exacting. This is Merlot with genuine mountain backbone, shaped by volcanic soils, cool nights, and a long growing season that prizes depth, tension, and longevity.

La Jota’s roots run deep on this mountain. Founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, the estate has endured cycles of abandonment and renewal, yet its commitment to Howell Mountain has never wavered. Today, under the direction of Chris Carpenter, that legacy is honed with precision. His approach is measured and site-driven, allowing the character of these historic vineyards to emerge fully.

At twelve years of age, the 2014 demonstrates precisely why Howell Mountain wines command such respect for their longevity. The structure remains firm, but the edges have softened, revealing a more expressive, layered profile. A natural freshness keeps the wine vibrant and lifted. It is a compelling reminder that wines from this elevation are built not merely to endure, but to evolve.

La Jota
Merlot 2014
Howell Mountain
Retails at: $100

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“Blended with 10% Petit Verdot, this age-worthy beauty is impressively oaked and tannic in its youth, with a concentration of densely packed red and black currants. Coconut shavings and vanilla appear from the background alongside black pepper and cinnamon. This should drink best from 2024–2034.”

94 Points, Cellar Selection

Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc wine bottle from MorganLee Vineyard, Napa Valley.

2024 Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc MorgaenLee Vineyard

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaSauvignon BlancUSAYountville

Ghost Block

Sauvignon Blanc
MorgaenLee Vineyard
Yountville 2024

Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc wine bottle from MorganLee Vineyard, Napa Valley.

In a valley defined by Cabernet, crafting a Sauvignon Blanc of substance takes conviction. Yountville provides ideal conditions, with warm afternoons and cool evenings that sharpen flavor while preserving texture. The 2024 Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc captures that equilibrium with precision, layering lemon citrus, grapefruit, and fresh florals over structure shaped by old vines and intentional blending. This is Sauvignon Blanc with lineage and depth, built with purpose.

Its foundation is organically farmed, dry-farmed vines, some planted in 1978, their roots set deep in Yountville soils. The block is harvested in three measured passes, each pick capturing a distinct point of maturity, from vibrant citrus tension to fuller ripeness. Together, they form a complete portrait of one vineyard, amplifying complexity without losing sense of place.

In the cellar, that detail is preserved and refined. Whole-cluster pressing maintains purity, while barrel fermentation and seven months of aging shape integration and lift. A modest 2 percent of Sémillon adds subtle breadth to the mid-palate, extending the finish without softening the wine’s edge. The result is poised and luminous, a Sauvignon Blanc of precision, texture, and lasting presence.

Ghost Block
Sauvignon Blanc
MorgaenLee Vineyard
Yountville 2024
Retails at: $35

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“The Ghost Block 2024 MorgaenLee Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc hails from Yountville in Napa Valley and opens with an exuberant bouquet of cherry blossoms, jasmine, gooseberries, freshly cut lemon slices, ruby grapefruit, passion fruit, mangos, golden apples, and a wet stone minerality. On the palate, the wine is bright and energetic, with crisp acidity, flavors of lemon zest, white peaches, and guavas, all seamlessly layered. This wine has a clean, focused precision and structure, enhancing its freshness, with a long, refreshing finish.”

94 Points

2023 Napanook by Dominus Napa Valley Red

2023 Napanook by Dominus Napa Valley Red

with No Comment $70-$80Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSAYountville

Napanook

by Dominus
Napa Valley Red 2023

2023 Napanook by Dominus Napa Valley Red

A beautiful entry into the wines of Dominus Estate, the 2023 Napanook captures the essence of a vineyard that has shaped Napa Valley for nearly two centuries. Drawn entirely from the historic Napanook Vineyard in Yountville, first planted in 1836 by George C. Yount, the wine reflects the authority of a site whose gravelly valley-floor soils have long proven ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine takes inspiration from the classic structure of Left Bank Bordeaux while remaining unmistakably Napa in character. The vineyard is farmed with an unwavering focus on balance and site expression. Dry-farmed vines send their roots deep into gravelly clay-loam soils threaded with volcanic material, while meticulous cane pruning and careful cluster thinning ensure each vine yields fruit of concentration and purity.

In the cellar, the philosophy is one of moderation and transparency. The 2023 Napanook matures for twenty months in French oak barrels, about twenty percent of them new, a measured approach that frames the wine without overshadowing it. The emphasis remains firmly on allowing the voice of the Napanook Vineyard to come through with precision.

Napanook
by Dominus
Napa Valley Red 2023

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“Aromas of blueberries, ash and stones with hints of blackberries, orange peel and chocolate. It’s medium-bodied with medium-round tannins that are polished and velvety but always in check. Cedar and baking spices like nutmeg on the palate. Lovely soft and silky texture with a long finish. Enchanting and delicious. 92% cabernet sauvginon, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. Drink now or hold.”

97 Points

2022 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

2022 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtOregonPinot NoirUSAWillamette Valley

Ponzi Vineyard

Pinot Noir 2022
Laurelwood District
Willamette Valley

2022 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

Founded in 1970 by Dick and Nancy Ponzi, Ponzi Vineyards helped define modern Oregon wine. Long before the Willamette Valley earned global acclaim for Pinot Noir, the Ponzis believed in its potential. The 2022 Laurelwood District Pinot Noir carries that conviction forward with five decades devoted to place, precision, and an unwavering faith in Oregon’s promise.

Ponzi sources this wine predominantly from its estate vineyards Avellana, Aurora, and Linda Vista, all within the Laurelwood District. Beneath the vines lies fractured basalt capped by layers of windblown loess, soils that shape architecture as much as flavor. The wine delivers a fine mineral tension that speaks directly to its origin.

The cellar work sharpens that expression. Ten percent whole-cluster fermentation adds aromatic lift, while ten months in French oak refines the tannins and adds polish. Bottled by gravity to preserve purity, the wine finishes with focus and persistence, carrying Laurelwood’s signature tension from first impression to final note.

Ponzi Vineyard
Pinot Noir 2022
Laurelwood District
Willamette Valley
Retails at: $47

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“The 2022 bottling of the Ponzi entry-level Pinot Noir punches well above its weight class. The savoury and earth-driven elements buoy the dark fruits that predominate on the wine’s finish. Rich soil notes and dried violets introduce the effusively aromatic wine, with hints of smoky clove and freshly turned soil. The palate offers redolent muddled blackberries with mint, whisps of graphite mineral tones and a finish of warm spices.”

94 Points

2023 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2023 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

Favia

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

With a 98-point affirmation, Favia’s 2023 Napa Valley Cabernet stands as a clear statement of intent. Andy Erickson’s aim is direct: to bring Coombsville and Oakville together not as opposites, but as complements. Coombsville contributes freshness and mineral tension; Oakville delivers depth and structure. The result is a composed expression that captures Napa in full scale and proportion.

This is not blending for effect. It is calibration. Coombsville’s edge tightens the spine, carving a clean line through the wine’s core, while Oakville provides weight and gravitational pull. The structure feels deliberate and exact, with each element measured and placed with precision. Nothing drifts beyond its frame.

The proportions reinforce that design. Seventy-six percent Cabernet Sauvignon establishes foundation and breadth. Twenty-one percent Cabernet Franc introduces lift, definition, and structural tension, with Petit Verdot completing the architecture. After careful tannin extraction, the wine matures for twenty months in French oak, building depth without softening its lines. The final impression is complete and resolved, powerful yet controlled, undeniably Favia.

Favia
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2023

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“In a new beginning for Favia, an equal blend of Coombsville and Oakville represents the best of both appellations—the fresh, savory, mineral edge of the former intertwining with the deep flavor and floral lift of the latter. Layers of fruit, supported by graphite, dried herbs, flowers and spices, lead to a luscious yet refined palate with finely tuned tannins and a bright line of acidity. A complete, balanced expression of Napa. 75% cabernet sauvignon, 21% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. Excellent. Drink or hold.”

98 Points

2023 Idda Etna Rosso Sicily Italy

2023 Idda Etna Rosso Sicily Italy

with No Comment $70-$80ItalyKevin VogtRosso

Idda

Etna Rosso
Sicily, Italy 2023

2023 Idda Etna Rosso Sicily Italy

Great wines are often born from a singular vision. Rarely are they shaped by two that move in complete accord. IDDA unites Italian icon Angelo Gaja with the Graci family, whose work has helped define Etna’s modern ascent. The 2023 Etna Rosso proves this is more than collaboration. It is convergence, capturing the volcano’s raw mineral force and refining it through discipline.

Etna is anything but passive. Its soils, layered with ancient lava and ash, are mineral-rich and naturally free-draining, compelling vines to root deep into volcanic stone. In Biancavilla, on the southwest slope, IDDA farms at an elevation where light is intense and ripening deliberate. The 2023 reflects that terrain with precision, offering red-toned fruit, savory nuance, and a structural spine that feels inseparable from the black earth beneath it.

The architecture points toward longevity. Acidity remains vivid, tannins composed, fruit tightly knit within a persistent mineral core. Time will bring further dimension, yet even now the wine carries authority. It presents Etna as one of Italy’s most serious and distinctive terroirs, rendered with intent.

Idda
Etna Rosso
Sicily, Italy 2023

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The aromas of cranberries, pears, honeysuckle and other white flowers are enticing. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins and a fresh, bright finish. A little closed now but already very enjoyable. Drink or hold.”

94 Points

2022 Salus Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate

260313 2022 Salus Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

Salus

Cabernet Sauvignon
by Staglin Family Vineyard
Rutherford Estate 2022

2022 Salus Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate

 

Some estates define a place so completely that their story becomes inseparable from the soil itself. On the southwestern edge of Rutherford, where a century and a half of viticultural history lies layered in gravel and clay, the Staglin family continues a legacy first planted in the 1860s. Each vintage conveys that sense of place, making it unmistakably Staglin and setting the bar for Rutherford excellence.

At the helm is winemaker Fredrik Johansson, whose precision and judicious winemaking define the modern Staglin style. Trained under Thomas Rivers Brown and guided by vineyard maestro David Abreu, Johansson shapes the estate’s organically farmed fruit into a Cabernet Sauvignon that radiates purity and structure.

Power meets intention in this wine. Beneath its layers of fruit lies a more profound generosity: the Staglin family’s ongoing commitment to healing the mind. Through One Mind, each bottle of Salus extends that mission, bridging the worlds of fine wine and philanthropy with rare authenticity while donating 100% of its profits. In the Staglin tradition, greatness is measured not only by acclaim but also by compassion. Bravo!

Salus
Cabernet Sauvignon
by Staglin Family Vineyard
Rutherford Estate 2022

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“Staglin Salus Estate Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2022: This Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon displays a deep ruby color with impressive concentration. The nose reveals black and blue fruits, graphite, pipe tobacco, crushed stone, and red rose petals, offering complexity without excess. On the palate, blackberries and boysenberries dominate, supported by a deep, lush, and powerful structure. The oak is balanced and integrated, adding depth rather than overwhelming the fruit. Intense and concentrated, it finishes long and elegant, with fine tannins suggesting 15-20 years of evolution. A strong effort from Staglin. Drink 2026-2042.”

96 Points

2018 Chateau Cantenac Brown Margaux Gran Cru Bordeaux

2018 Chateau Cantenac Brown Margaux Gran Cru Bordeaux

with No Comment $70-$80BordeauxBordeauxFranceKevin Vogt

Château Cantenac Brown

Margaux 2018
Grand Cru Classé 1855
Bordeaux, France

2018 Chateau Cantenac Brown Margaux Gran Cru Bordeaux

In Margaux, pedigree is never accidental. The 2018 Cantenac Brown stands securely within its 1855 Third Growth lineage, yet speaks with striking modern precision. Built on 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and shaped through deliberate élevage, it marries classical Left Bank structure with precision and control. History is present, but never heavy. The result is a wine where tradition and exacting craftsmanship meet in seamless proportion.

Beneath the estate’s vineyards, deep gravel soils define the wine long before it reaches the cellar. In 2018, that geology found eloquent expression. The Cabernet-led blend carries the unmistakable signature of the Médoc: firm architecture first, perfume rising gradually behind it, longevity always implied.

What ultimately sets the 2018 apart is its texture. The tannins are finely structured yet composed. Aged in 60% new French oak, the élevage brings polish and depth, reinforcing the wine’s frame rather than embellishing it. The finish is long and mineral, steady and assured, leaving a lasting impression of Margaux rendered with both conviction and balance.

Château Cantenac Brown
Margaux 2018
Grand Cru Classé 1855
Bordeaux, France

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“The 2018 Cantenac Brown is fabulous. Dark rich and expansive, the 2018 wraps around the palate with stunning depth. Dark red/black fruit, iron, cedar, chocolate, dried herbs and a whole range of earthy notes are pushed forward as this ample Margaux shows off its considerable allure. The 2018 is a big, rich wine. Give it at least a few years to fully come together.”

95 Points