2014 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $80-$90Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

RUDIUS 2014 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

KALEY ELIZABETH 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2014 OAKVILLE 

 
Rudius is a wine so profound that it gave every one of our buyers a you gotta be kidding me moment the first time we tried it.  Even after tasting over 5,000 wines this year, Rudius stands out on multiple levels.  For starters, it gave me goosebumps when I first tasted it, and it hails exclusively from a secret vineyard source in Oakville just across from Screaming Eagle.  It’s serendipitous that Rudius chose not to list the vineyard name on their label, or they would have had to charge $175 per bottle, and less of us would get to experience this brilliant wine.  The wine was expertly crafted by Jeff Ames, who mentored under Thomas River Brown at Schrader, Maybach, Outpost and TOR before becoming head winemaker at TOR in 2005.  Since then, he’s made wines scoring in the high-90’s look easy, and words absolutely cannot express how great this wine is at $135/btl.
 
This secret vineyard source has beautiful red soils that give wines from this area intense, prolific flavors, and with neighbors like Screaming Eagle, Rudd, Dalla Valle’s Maya and Joseph Phelps’ Bacchus Vineyards, no doubt this is a great place to source fruit.  The wines from this vineyard have a trademark intense red-fruited perfume, dark, supple fruits, crushed rock and brilliant complexity.  If you enjoy the best wines that Napa Valley has to offer, you do not want to miss this… 
 
RUDIUS
KALEY ELIZABETH 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2014 OAKVILLE
Retails at: $135/btl
 
 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Kaley Elizabeth comes from the Tierra Rojo vineyard in Oakville planted in 1988 and contains a small splash of Cabernet Franc. The nose explodes with baked cherries, blackcurrant cordial and blueberry pie notes with touches of Chinese five spice, wood smoke and beef drippings with a waft of dried herbs. Full-bodied, rich and spicy with mouth-filling savory and spice layers, it has a solid backbone of chewy tannins and a lively line, finishing long. 300 cases were made.”  96+ Points
2016 Cru9 Stop Talking Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2016 Cru9 Stop Talking Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

CRU9 2016 Cru9 Stop Talking Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
STOP TALKING…
2016 NAPA VALLEY

 
Selected for having unparalleled concentration, remarkable depth and laser focus, CRU9’s 2016 Cabernet was the obvious choice for our #2 pick this year.  The wine could be the poster child for classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and throughout the year, it became increasingly clear that this wine was truly special as it generated an open tap of enthusiastic comments and large re-orders.  Resonating from secret vineyard sources in Oakville, St. Helena, and Rutherford, the 2016 exhibits all the best traits of the vintage.  On the palate, waves of concentrated blackberry, sandalwood, black currants, white flowers and earthy minerals circulate and add new dimensions as the wine opens up… At the winery retail of $60/btl it’s amazing, and it’s simply one of the best Cabernets in the shop.
 
Emerging from a Blockbuster vintage, which the Wine Spectator rated the 2016 vintage from Napa Valley as the best since 1997 for Napa Cabs, the 2016 is confident and authoritative, yet finely detailed and effortlessly balanced.  Notably, CRU9 also gives back and helps support two nonprofit women shelters, Ruby’s Place in CA and House of Hope in IA.  Every time you buy a bottle of CRU9, you also help level the playing field for survivors of human trafficking, domestic abuse, and homelessness.
 
CRU9
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
STOP TALKING…
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “Cru 9 Stop Talking Cabernet 2016 has an intense purple color offering a powerful nose of ripe blackberries, black cherry, dried currants, crushed rocks, cigar box and hints of cinnamon.  On the palate, it is intensely penetrating and focused with concentrated wild mountain blackberries, cassis and velvety tannins. It finishes in a linear style that’s so focused and penetrating, it brings an immediate smile to your face and is exceptionally satisfying.  In a world where hundred plus dollar Napa Cabs are the norm, this is the ultimate ‘Bang for your Buck’ wine. Superb! Drink now through 2029.” 97 Points
2015 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2015 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNorth CoastPinot NoirRussian River ValleyUncategorizedUSA

JOSEPH JEWELL  2015 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2015 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

 
We’ve introduced some unbelievable values this year, however, there’s still just one that I can honestly say is the best wine I’ve ever tasted in this price range. Every time I taste it, I ‘m perplexed that a wine we can offer at this price can taste like it costs more than double the price.  The 2015 combines fruit from Hallberg, Floodgate and Bucher Vineyards and Williams-Selyem and Gary Farrell fans likely recognize these sites as being spectacular.  The 2015 makes a gorgeous, elegant entrance onto your palate with stunning balance, detail, intensity, and length, and it perfectly portrays everything that I’m exited about in cool climate California Pinot Noir.  It truly drinks like a killer $40+ Pinot, and wines of this quality don’t come around often.
 
This Pinot has been lingering on my mind since I first tasted it, and in equal detail are the mineral-laced raspberries, red cherries, black tea, wild rose and touches of violets that are etched in my memory.  The 2015 was 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, even if you don’t… try a case of this, and I think you’ll become and instant fan.
 
JOSEPH JEWELL 
2015 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at:  $40/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “My favorite Pinot Noir brand that I’ve discovered in the last few years, the Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir always over-delivers.  The elegant nose is seamless with bright cherries, mixed berries, flowers and spice.  Then comes the wonderfully balanced, nuanced palate which begins with red cherries, crushed raspberries and plum skin, then balanced by dried rose petal, subtle spices and a touch of oak.  The mouth quenching finish brings lingering flavors, lasting for over a minute, then leaving your palate begging for another sip.” 95 Points
2017 Montagu Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay

2017 Montagu Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtNorth CoastUSA

MONTAGU 2017 Montagu Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay

2017 CHARDONNAY
RITCHIE VINEYARD

 
Chosen for its profound sense of place, brilliant details and irresistible opulence, Montagu’s singe-vineyard Ritchie Chardonnay stands tall as our #4 Wine in 2019.  Ritchie Vineyard has an epic history of producing some of California’s most distinguished Chardonnays, and it’s a site celebrated by powerhouses Aubert, DuMOL, Ramey, Patz & Hall, and the list goes on…  Kent Ritchie planted his vineyard in the early 1970’s… now fast-forward nearly 50 years, the Old Wente Clone vines now have gnarly trunks and produce tiny quantities of choice grapes. The only problem is the average price of Chardonnay from Ritchie is North of $60/btl… That’s where we come in, and Montagu’s Ritchie Chardonnay is an amazing value at their $55 price.  At our price, you won’t believe your taste buds…  
 
The Ritchie Vineyard is centered in the iconic Russian River Valley, and the soils are pure sandy Goldridge loam, which originates from the bed of an inland sea.  It enjoys the cooling fog from the Pacific, and the grapes are able to achieve optimum ripeness and maintain brilliant acidity.  This gorgeous Chardonnay was created by Weston Eidson who gained valuable winemaking knowledge from mentors Jason Moore and Russell Bevan.  You won’t find a better Chardonnay at a lower price.  
 
MONTAGU
2017 CHARDONNAY
RITCHIE VINEYARD
Retails at:  $55/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “Shimmering in the glass like freshly polished brass, every other element in this wine shines as brightly too.  The nose is deep, supple, and rich with ripe apples, honeysuckle and baking spices.  The palate spans a full and opulent array of flavors, combining butter baked pear, violets and hints of ginger, along with a gorgeous mouth-coating intensity, all without being too heavy.  Then comes the finish, which wraps you in a warm, comforting blanket, lingering on and on, then putting you in a very happy place.” 94 Points
2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

J. GREGORY 2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED

 
I knew from the very first taste that J Gregory’s 2013 Extol deserved a spot on my top 5 list for 2019.  The wine is made in an enthralling style that washes over your palate in rich layers of perfectly ripened berries, focused red currents, baker’s chocolate and spice.  It was is created by Mark Jessup who was on the original winemaking team at OPUS ONE from 1979 through 1987, and his flagship “Extol” Proprietary Red is his version of OPUS ONE, and the 2013 was built around a solid core of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and dressed with Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Merlot.  The wine has a magnetic bouquet that draws you in, and on the palate, the wine is incredibly layered and powerful, yet supple and balanced.  At the winery price of $115, believe me, it’s an incredible bargain.  I recommend going big, because this one is going to fly…
 
Enchanting, profound, hedonistic are all fitting descriptors of the 2013 Extol which spent 22 months developing in French oak.  The flavors are profoundly stunning, pure and supple and on the palate the 2013 wraps your taste buds in a restrained opulence that I find incredibly appealing.  You might need someone to pinch you to make sure you’re not dreaming of a time when OPUS ONE was around the same price.  
 
J. GREGORY
2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $115/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “You just know from the moment this wine kisses your lips… it’s really something special. This brilliant expression has an exquisite nose of wild crushed ripe blackberries, alluring red currants, dried herbs and smoke. Impressively structured with a beautifully supple approach, the rich, viscous, velvety texture perfectly frames the opulent layers of bing cherry, brooding mountain berries and cassis.  Then comes a breath of sweet pipe tobacco, green herbs and sweet vanilla oak. The supple fruit tannins perfectly balance a mesmerizing flow of precisely orchestrated fruits, then ending with a long, elegant, mouth watering finish.” 97 Points
2011 Frisson Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Frisson Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonDiamond MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

FRISSON 2011 Frisson Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2011 NAPA VALLEY

 
Frisson is defined as a sudden feeling of excitement or thrill, which is exactly what you’ll get when you taste this $60 Napa Valley Cabernet.  It’s a blend of 70% Diamond Mountain and 30% Howell Mountain fruit and produced in a vintage where parts of the valley floor experienced challenges ripening.  The high elevation Mountains in Northern Napa Valley did quite well, however.  This wine embodies the mission set by the proprietors of creating small production wines from luxury grapes, grown in superior terroir, and  transforming them into balanced wine with sense of place and voice.  The wines are made by Wayne Donaldson who has nearly 3 decades of experience and has held top winemaking positions at notables Domaine Chandon, Moet Hennessy, Louis Martini and the list goes on…
 
The 2011 Frisson was made with an extreme attention to detail and add to it access to incredible Mountain fruit sources, and this wine speaks for itself and it’s stunningly impressive at this price point.  If you follow Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, you might have already heard of Frisson and noticed their mid-90 point scores on their 2015’s…  With a total production of just 150 cases of their perfectly ready to drink 2011 vintage, there are very few cases available, so I wouldn’t wait long to secure yours…
 
FRISSON
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2011 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
 
 
Winery Notes: “Seductive aromas of coffee, black currant and blueberry are laced together with hints of vanilla that drift onto the palate which dances with layers of complex flavor. Espresso chocolate, dark berry fruits and rich brown spice thrill you with delight. The wine is balanced with a dense yet supple tannin finish. 
70% Diamond Mountain, 30% Howell Mountain fruit.”
 
Customers who enjoy Frisson Napa Valley Cabernet may also enjoy these two stunning Cabernets…
2017 Fortune 1621 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Silenus Tryos Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
FORTUNE 1621
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

Click to Order

Journeying for more from 18 months in French and American oak barrels, the 2017 set sail from carefully chosen vineyards throughout Napa Valley, each selected for their own unique characteristics which contribute to the final blend.  The 2017 is marked by it’s superior concentration, royal elegance, fine details and dusty tannins that are rarely found at this price..
SILENUS
2015 TYROS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $32/btl

Click to Order

Winery Notes: “Brilliant ruby red color introduces black cherry, rose petal, vanilla, bay leaf and toasted oak on the nose. The palate has vibrant, deep flavors of raspberry, cherry, and plum with cocoa and vanilla extracted from the oak barrels. The wine is seamless and wonderfully balanced with bright acid, deep red fruit, lightly toasted oak and good structure that least to a long velvety finish.”
216 Heir Apparent Cellar Selection Spring Mountain District Proprietary Red

2016 Heir Apparent Cellar Selection Spring Mountain District Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSpring MountainUSA

HEIR APPARENT  216 Heir Apparent Cellar Selection Spring Mountain District Proprietary Red

2016 CELLAR SELECTION
SPRING MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
PROPRIETARY RED

 
Wine producers that consistently out-perform others in sheer value, concentration, and hedonistic flavors, and do so without sacrificing sense of place, always generate the most excitement from our customers.  Heir Apparent is etched onto that list, and their Spring Mountain Cellar Selection mirrors all of the best qualities of its origin. The Spring Mountain region is unique to the other Mountainous growing regions in Napa Valley, because it produces classically structured Mountain fruit, but with more perceived suppleness than the others.  I’m also drawn to the complexity and savory undertones that often show themselves in Spring Mountain wines.  This one is fantastic at its $110 retail price (join our Insiders Club for special offers).  You’ll feel like the heir to a fortune the moment this wine touches your palate.
 
Calling on Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc sourced exclusively from Spring Mountain, the 2016 pulls you in like a powerful magnet and seduces your senses with perfectly ripe berries, incense, exotic florals, along with savory notes that are intellectually pleasing and continually evolving in the glass.  This beauty will provide enormous levels of enjoyment now and over the next 12-15 years. I highly recommend securing your case… You’ll be glad you did.
 
HEIR APPARENT
2016 CELLAR SELECTION
SPRING MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $110.00/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “This 2016 Cellar selection comes from the one of the most exclusive sub- appellations of Napa Valley. The Spring Mountain District offers rich, volcanic soils. Aromas of black currant and ripe plum are complemented with rich blackberry flavors and a hint of graphite. This carefully selected blend continues to pick build weight into a long and concentrated finish.”
2018 Rapport Napa Valley Grenache

2018 Rapport Napa Valley Grenache

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtNapaUSA

RAPPORT

2018 Rapport Napa Valley Grenache2018 GRENACHE 
NAPA VALLEY

 
In the wine business, it’s not just who you know, but it’s who you surround yourself with that can help pave the way for success in a new brand.  Outpost winery on Howell Mountain has always been a breeding ground for talent… Some of their clients included Schrader, GTS, Maybach and Gemstone to name just a few. That’s also where Brent Sloan, owner of Rapport wines and former GM at Outpost met Anne Fogerty, who happens to be Thomas Rivers Brown’s assistant winemaker.  Her wife Camille is the director of winemaking for Fayard wines, and the combined talent of all three is a force to be reckoned with in the world of boutique wine production.  Their 2018 Grenache is sourced from vines located along the Eastern edge Rutherford, and if I could name the vineyard, you’d of already ordered a case…  The wine is profoundly detailed, penetrating and intense, and it’s absolutely one of the most stunning examples of Napa Valley Grenache that I’ve tasted.
The 2018 vintage provided idyllic growing conditions that were perfect for ripening Grenache, with a mild summer and extended Fall sunshine.  Rapport Grenache spends minimal time in oak in order to preserve the most pure expression of the fruit.  It was fermented whole-cluster, which is an old-world method of fermenting the fruit on the stems, and lends structure and depth to the wine. Trust me on this wine… You’ll be seriously glad you did.  
 
RAPPORT
2018 GRENACHE 
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “Our Rapport 2018 Grenache opens with soaring aromatics of kirsch liqueur, black cherries, and strawberry jam. It is lush, medium-bodied and unfiltered while offering complex flavors of red fruit savoriness which should be consumed in its first decade of life.”
2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

J. GREGORY 2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED

 
On occasion, we’ll offer a wine with a narrative so enthralling that it seems like just about everybody wants to try it… Likewise, those are the wines that disappear the fastest, which is exactly what happened when we wrote about J. Gregory’s 2014 Extol Blend.  As luck would have it, we uncovered some of their 2013, so multiply that compelling story by an extra year of bottle development.  What’s the story? J Gregory’s is made by Mark Jessup who was on the original winemaking team at OPUS ONE from 1979 through 1987, and his flagship “Extol” Proprietary Red is his version of OPUS ONE.  The 2013 has a magnetic bouquet that pulls you in and on the palate, the wine is incredibly layered and powerful, yet supple and balanced.  At the winery price of $115, believe me, it’s an incredible bargain (Join our Insiders Club for special offers).  I recommend going big, because this one is going to fly.
 
The 2013 is built around a solid core of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and dressed with Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Merlot.  The flavors are profoundly stunning, pure and supple.  Like the 2014, the wine has a regal presence on the palate that’s impossible to miss. The 2013 spent 22 months developing in French oak and it envelopes your taste buds in perfectly ripened wild berries, dried herbs, bakers chocolate and pipe tobacco.  You might need someone to pinch you to make sure you’re not dreaming of a time when OPUS ONE was around the same price.
 
J. GREGORY
2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $115/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “You just know from the moment this wine kisses your lips… it’s really something special. This brilliant expression has an exquisite nose of wild crushed ripe blackberries, alluring red currants, dried herbs and smoke. Impressively structured with a beautifully supple approach, the rich, viscous, velvety texture perfectly frames the opulent layers of bing cherry, brooding mountain berries and cassis.  Then comes a breath of sweet pipe tobacco, green herbs and sweet vanilla oak. The supple fruit tannins perfectly balance a mesmerizing flow of precisely orchestrated fruits, then ending with a long, elegant, mouth watering finish.” 97 Points
2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Proprietary Red

2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedRutherfordStags LeapUSA

BEAULIEU VINEYARD2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Proprietary Red

TAPESTRY RESERVE
PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY

 
Tapestry is defined by an intricate or complex combination, and BV’s Tapestry Reserve intricately combines 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with each of the five major Bordeaux varietals and lives up to the literal definition of its name.  The winery tailors their winemaking for each varietal to best capture the individual nature of the vintage and unique origins of the grapes.  Fifty percent of the Cabernet Sauvignon arose from the Western benchlands of Rutherford, and was balanced with fruit from Stags Leap, Atlas Peak, and Coombsville.  On the palate the Cabernet plays a key role in imparting a generous core of wild blackberries, cassis, while the Merlot shows vivid dark cherry fruit.   Malbec adds black plum while Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot complete the wine with wild violets and added structure.  In blockbuster vintages like 2015, the Tapestry Reserve can take on all of the best qualities of the vintage and deliver them with stunning elegance, complexity and profound definition.  At around $50/btl the value is off-the-charts.
 
Alluring, engaging and balance all come to mind when tasting the 2015 Tapestry Reserve.  The winery has Napa Valley winemaking history embedded deep in its DNA and was established in 1900.  Throughout the years they’ve produced many timeless classics that embody the essence of Napa Valley.  Their 2015 Tapestry Reserve is an absolute classic that can be enjoyed now and over the next decade.
 
BEAULIEU VINEYARD
TAPESTRY RESERVE
PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl   
YOU SAVE 23%
 

93 Points
“Lots of ripe fruit with very fine tannins and a juicy mouthfeel. Medium to full body, polished and round texture and a flavorful finish. Soft with lots of flavor. Drink or hold.“

92 Points
“…a beautiful perfume of roses and lilacs with a core of cassis, redcurrant jelly and blackberry tart plus a touch of cedar chest. Full, velvety and seductive, it delivers layers of perfumed red and black fruit with a very long finish.”

92 Points
“soft, pliant and supple, all qualities that make it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Sweet red cherry, plum, rose petal, mint and dried flowers are all laced together in this racy, super-expressive blend from BV. The Cabernet Sauvignon-based Tapestry is one of the hidden gems in the range.” 

91 Points
“Takes a bright and relatively fresh approach, with raspberry and plum coulis flavors racing through first, backed by a plumper feel on the back end, showing notes of anise, mocha and briar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2026″