2013 Humanitas George’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUncategorizedUSA

HUMANITAS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 GEORGE’S VINEYARD

 
Clinching the #5 spot on my list of the Top Five Wines of 2018 is a wine that is so immediately compelling that I get a blissful sense each time I taste it. Experiencing that in a wine, particularly at this price, compels me to put some in my own cellar so I can experience it again and again.  With the clarity and definition fitting a wine you’d rightfully pay much more for, the 2013 Humanitas George’s Vineyard Cabernet cascades across your palate with enticing flavors and penetrating intensity, revealing endless layers of silky dark fruits, bittersweet chocolate, dried violets, and hints of sweet vanilla…  Over-achieving at its $65 retail price, make sure to join our Insider’s Club and unlock special values.
 
Authored by winemaker Rob Lloyd, former winemaker at Rombauer,  this gorgeous 2013 Cabernet was sourced from a single vineyard in Wooden Valley, located near Altamura. Benefitting from 22 months in oak barrels and now with 3 years of development in the bottle, words can’t express how great this wine is drinking right now… With a mere 240 cases produced, and very few remaining, I strongly recommend grabbing yours, now. 
 
HUMANITAS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 GEORGE’S VINEYARD
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 

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Tasting Notes: “A prodigious wine that is intensely focused and penetrating without being cloying on the palate.  The linear construction concentrates expansive layers of red currant, animal blood and crushed blackberries with toasty sweet vanilla and supple tannins.  The perfect combination of both red and black fruits, violets, graphite and cocoa powder, all wrapped in a mouth-quenching style that makes your palate beg for another sip.” 95 Points

2018 The Optimist Special Mixed 15 Pack

Cyber Monday

with No Comment $100 and overKevin VogtUncategorized
Literally mixing things up in 2018,  We’ve carefully created 4 assorted 15 bottle cases that not only would we be proud to have in our own cellar… but at prices substantially lower than even our normal discounts.  We’ve showcased some of the best-of-the-best wines that we’ve tasted this year, and made sure that each one of these special cases would not only be a joy to own, but would also make fantastic gifts.
 
To learn more about the wines featured in each case, select your preferred price range by clicking on any of the four mixed cases below.  You’ll be directed to our website where you can read about each of the wines in the case, then place your order.  Each case includes 3 bottles each of 5 different wines and ground shipping is included in most States.

 

The Optimist
Winery Retail Price: $717
Our Normal Low Price: $465
 
Cyber Monday Price: $299

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2018 The Optimist Special Mixed 15 Pack
The Statesman
Winery Retail Price: $1020

Our Normal Low Price: $672

Cyber Monday Price: $399

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2018 The Statesman Special Mixed 15 Pack
The Sophisticate
Winery Retail Price: $900

Our Normal Low Price: $555

Cyber Monday Price: $399

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2018 The Sophisticate Special Mixed 15 Pack
The Globetrotter
Winery Retail Price: $729

Our Normal Low Price: $639

Cyber Monday Price: $399

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2018 The Globetrotter Special Mixed 15 Pack
2016 Skryne Napa Valley Red Blend

2016 Skryne Road Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUncategorizedUSA

SKRYNE ROAD

PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY

2016 Skryne Napa Valley Red Blend
The path to wine enlightenment can have a few bumps and rough spots along the way, but it should also be full of memories and new experiences.  Turning onto Skryne Road is like driving on a perfectly smooth road, with curves beautifully shaped, and in all the right places.  It is an absolute pleasure to explore… Wow!  One taste will make you do a brake check, so you can slow down to enjoy the seamless ride.  And while the varietals in the blend might hint at a ride through Tuscany, this wine is completely new world…  It’s created in voluptuous style, laced with holiday spices, sassafras, supple berries and black chocolates.  The blend is paved with Cabernet Sauvignon at over 70% and beautifully landscaped with Merlot, Sangiovese and Petite Sirah…
 
The name Skryne Road (pronounced screen), pays tribute to the winery owners routes and family home on Skryne Road in Ireland.  After arriving in Napa Valley in 1994 they embarked on the path towards producing a wine.  The first descriptors that come to mind when tasting this wine are riveting, deep and enchanting. You won’t believe how great this wine is…
 
SKRYNE ROAD
PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $62/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “Our 2016 Blend is bright with flavors of bramble-berry and black cherry combined with vanilla bean. The palate is round and supple, with fruity characteristics of raspberry jam and soft, silky tannins. Culminating with hints of peppercorn and baking spices“
2016 Silverpoint Petaluma Gap Chardonnay

2016 Silverpoint ‘Petaluma Gap’ Chardonnay

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtPetaluma GapSonomaUSA

SILVERPOINT

2016 Silverpoint Petaluma Gap Chardonnay2016 CHARDONNAY
PETALUMA GAP

 
There are a lot of reasons why Chardonnay is one of the most widely planted varieties in the world, and one of the most popular among consumers.  It’s one of the richest of the white wine varieties, yet can also have amazing balance.  Silverpoint’s new 2016 Chardonnay from the Petaluma Gap perfectly highlights these qualities ….and it’s one of the best Chardonnays that I’ve tasted this year.  It was authored by Don Van Staaveren who was responsible for authoring the Chateau St. Jean wines and made history when his 1996 Cinq Cepages was recognized as the #1 wine on the Spectator Top 100 list, and the first Sonoma wine to garner the #1 spot. Chardonnays of this extraordinary quality and value don’t come around often, and with just 167 cases produced, I wouldn’t hesitate to order yours… 
 
Hailing from the Rodgers Creek Vineyard located in the Petaluma Gap, this is a source for single vineyard wines from Ramey, Sojourn and Cherry Pie. Spending 15 months in oak and aged sur lie, a French term meaning literally ‘on the sediment’, plays a large role in contributing to this wine’s rich, opulent texture.  If you’re searching for a sensational bottle of Chardonnay to share with your friends and family… this is it.    

 

SILVERPOINT
2016 CHARDONNAY
PETALUMA GAP
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “Rich and pale gold with a creamy texture balanced by a lively acidity.  Hints of melon and white peach.  Voluptuous.  A long juicy finish lets you linger with this Chardonnay.“
2015 Juslyn Perry's Blend Spring Mountain Proprietary Red

2015 Juslyn Perry’s Blend Spring Mountain Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedSpring MountainUSA

JUSLYN

2015 PERRY’S BLEND
SPRING MOUNTAIN 

2015 Juslyn Perry's Blend Spring Mountain Proprietary Red
Second chances don’t always come back around, but this one just did, and it marks the perfect start to this holiday season.  When we offered this wine last June, we predicted that mid 90’s scores weren’t far behind.  That prediction came to fruition just a few weeks ago when this wine earned a blockbuster 95 point score from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate.  Assisting in their constant pursuit of perfection, consulting winemaker Angelina Mondavi, who’s worked alongside Jayson Woodbridge at Hundred Acre, helped craft this masterpiece… At the retail price of $95/btl, this is a brilliant bottle of wine and a great representation of Spring Mountain terroir, but you might just want to join our email list and grab as much as you can…   
 
At 81% Cabernet Sauvignon this vintage of Perry’s Blend is stunningly powerful and oozes sweet mulberries, chocolate covered cherries, pen ink, graphite and hints of savory spices.  This wine conveys all of the noble traits that make Spring Mountain so desired, and immediately out of the bottle it’s absolutely rocking and promises another 12-15 years of enjoyment.  Don’t wait too long to secure this blockbuster 95 Point wine…
 
JUSLYN
2015 PERRY’S BLEND
SPRING MOUNTAIN 
Retails at:  $95.00/btl
 
 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “The 2015 Perry’s Blend is deep garnet-purple colored and reveals fragrant kirsch, stewed tea and rose scents with touches of sandalwood, preserved plums, blackberry pie and mulberries plus eucalyptus and tilled soil. The palate is full-bodied and boldly fruited with a firm, velvety frame and a very long, multilayered finish.” 95 Points
2013 Enos Totem Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Enos ‘Totem Ridge Vineyard’ Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtKnight's ValleySonomaUSA

ENOS 

2013 Enos Totem Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
TOTEM RIDGE VINEYARD
KNIGHT’S VALLEY

 
One of my favorite feelings that comes from opening a bottle of wine is one of an overwhelming rush of, wow, I just got a really good deal…  For customer appreciation week this year, we wanted to give you an opportunity to experience that over and over again, with a full week of our best deals of the year.  The only thing steeper than the incline of Totem Ridge Vineyard is the vertigo inducing discount of this $60 Cabernet … The vineyard is located on the Southern edge of the Knight’s Valley, which is an appellation shared with icons like Peter Michael and Anakota…  At $60/btl this wine is a terrific find… At our price it’s one of the best Cabernet offers that we’ve presented all year.
 
If you’re looking for an inky, ripe, fruit bomb with lots of sweet oak and vanilla this wine is NOT for you… If you enjoy a more linear Cabernet with vivid red berries, veins of minerals, spices and crème de cassis.  Don’t let this one slip by.  It opens with a burst of dried raspberries, black cherries, bay leaf, pipe tobacco, crushed rock and incense.  On the palate the wine is long and balanced with intriguing and expansive flavors that bring you back for more.  This wine is only produced in exceptional vintages, so don’t wait for the next one to secure yours… 
 
ENOS 
2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
TOTEM RIDGE VINEYARD
KNIGHT’S VALLEY
Retails at:  $60/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “The 2013 Enos Totem Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon expresses ripe blackberry aromas, notes of cigar box and a burst of cola. Elegant tannins and balanced acidity support a full and firm structure. The round, juicy finish is long and seamless showcased by cedar spice, bing cherry and loamy earth.”
2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUncategorizedUSA

JOSEPH JEWELL 2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2014 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

 
When I first introduced Joseph Jewell’s sensational value Pinot in September, I asked you what the best wine that you’ve ever tasted in the $20 range was?  I’m confident now that many of you have had a chance to try this Pinot, you would agree that it is this Joseph Jewell…   I can tell you without ANY hesitation that it’s my choice too and I personally bought 7 cases for my home cellar, which tells you what I think of it.  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
 
This Pinot hasn’t left my mind (or my glass for very long) 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 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
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.”
2015 Hundred Acre ARK Cabernet Sauvignon

2015 Hundred Acre Cabernet Sauvignon(s)

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUncategorizedUSA

HUNDRED ACRE

2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON(S)
ARK | KAYLI MORGAN

 
What does it take to make a perfect 100 Point wine? It takes much more than impeccable fruit sources, extreme vineyard management and a highly-skilled winemaker.  For Hundred Acre it’s Jayson Woodbridge’s relentless pursuit of perfection, absolutely no compromises and no single detail overlooked… The results simply cannot be denied, and the countless Hundred Point wines left in his dominating wake are an absolute joy to behold, but nearly impossible to acquire… Imagine a wine so deep and bold that each sip gives you goose-bumps… Sounds great right? You simply have to experience them to understand…
 
The 2015 can be defined as the height of the drought in Napa Valley, which in turn produced smaller berries with tremendous concentration and much lower yields.  With the scarcity of the 2015’s, it would be wise to secure yours before the scores are released.
 
 
2015 Hundred Acre ARK Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Hundred Acre Kayli Morgan Cabernet Sauvignon
HUNDRED ACRE
2015 ARK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
 
Your Price: $499.99/btl

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Winery Notes: “The single estate vineyard ARK is located just outside St. Helena, California at the base of Howell Mountain. It was originally planted in the 1880’s, but was sadly lost to Prohibition. It took us five years to rebuild; she is our pride and joy. The ARK is comprised of nine different blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon, planted meter by meter in nine different volcanic soil strata. The vineyard stretches through a sixty-million-year time sequence: three ancient beach fronts, a prehistoric weapons quarry, and spans a 180-degree arc of the sun over its half-mile length.” 
HUNDRED ACRE
2015 KAYLI MORGAN
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
 
Your Price: $499.99/btl

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Winery Notes: “Kayli Morgan is where it all started. In August of 2000, I paid the highest price to date ever paid for planted vineyard land in Napa Valley. After examining the vineyard over a week’s time, I knew I had to own it and that it would make one of the world’s greatest wines. Six weeks later we harvested the first vintage of Hundred Acre, and in a year that was panned by the press, I made one of the highest scoring wines of the vintage…the rest is history….  Kayli Morgan is a single estate vineyard and 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.”
2014 Parusso Anniversary Edition Barolo

2014 Parusso Barolo Anniversary Edition

with No Comment $40-$50BaroloItalyKevin VogtUncategorized

PARUSSO 2014 Parusso Anniversary Edition Barolo

2014 BAROLO
ANNIVERSARY EDITION

 
The name Parusso reflects among other things, generosity, wisdom, and romance, and the winery’s 2014 Anniversary Edition Barolo embodies each of those qualities and more.  The 2014 is powerful, complex and dangerously captivating… You can taste the wisdom that comes along with more than 50 years of winemaking.  Absolutely classic, the 2014 opens up to enchanting aromas of crushed red berries, wild plum, white truffle, dried rose and holiday spices. What I love most about Parusso Barolo is that it never fails to sweep me off of my feet when I taste it, and it’s rare to get that feeling at under fifty bucks…
 
Combining fruit from four iconic vineyard sources including Mariondino, Mosconi, Le Coste and Bussia, Parusso also makes single vineyard Barolos from each of these sites that retail in the $70-$100/btl range… At $49.99/btl, the Anniversary Edition is a striking value in top-quality Barolo, and Vinous calls it one of the most stunning wines of the vintage.  I strongly recommend adding a case of this rare and gorgeous Barolo to your cellar.  With 94+ Points from Vinous, don’t wait too long to secure yours…
 
PARUSSO
2014 BAROLO
ANNIVERSARY EDITION
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl
 
From Vinous: “Marco Parusso’s 2014 Barolo is one of the most stunning wines of the vintage… Rich, deep and explosive on the palate, with stunning aromatic presence and overall intensity, the 2014 is remarkably vivid. Beams of supporting tannin give the wine its energy and persistence. Wild cherry, plum, mocha, dried flowers and lavender are some of the many nuances that take shape as this superb Barolo continues to show off its remarkable complexity and personality. The 2014 was vinified with 100% whole clusters and spent 24 months in French oak, 100% of it new.” 94+ Points
 
Customers who enjoy Parusso Anniversary Edition Barolo may also enjoy these two Barolos…
2013 Giovanni Rosso Barolo 2013 Parusso Barolo Bussia
GIOVANNI ROSSO
2013 BAROLO
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl

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From The Wine Spectator: “A fruit-driven style, this red also displays ample tannins. Cherry, strawberry, floral and leafy tobacco flavors are backed by a vibrant structure, and this winds down with hints of mineral, earth and tobacco…”  93 Points
PARUSSO
2013 BAROLO BUSSIA
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Retails at:  $95.00/btl
 
Your Price: $74.99/btl

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From James Suckling: “This is one of the greatest wines I have ever had from here. So much ripe cherry, raspberry and floral character. Medium body, super-refined tannins and a long and flavorful finish. So much going on here…”97 Points

2017 Armida Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

with No Comment $30 and underDry Creek ValleyKevin VogtSonomaUncategorizedUSAZinfandel

ARMIDA

2017 ZINFANDEL
DRY CREEK VALLEY

 
One of my favorite attributes found in wines is a perceptible level of tension on the palate. Tension can highlight specific characteristics in a wine and contribute energy and complexity on the palate.  There are many winemaking tools and techniques that can be used to create it.  Utilizing multiple clones, varietals or vineyards can add tension. It can come from utilizing both younger and older vines, the use of different types of oak barrels or multiple fermentation methods.  Armida’s 2017 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel shows tremendous tension and was created from a mix of 2/3 old and 1/3 younger vines.  They source from over a dozen vineyard sources Dry Creek, both hillside and valley floor and most of them are farmed by 4th and 5th generation farmers.
 
Immersed in exceptional vineyards, this classic Californian Zinfandel perfectly portrays the essence of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel.  The winery ferments the grapes from each distinct vineyard separately before creating a masterful blend.  They also use a complex mix of American, Hungarian and French oak adding yet even more complexity.  At $23/btl, you simply can’t afford to miss this…
 
ARMIDA
2017 ZINFANDEL
DRY CREEK VALLEY
 
Your Price: $23/btl 
 
 
Winery Notes: “Inky black with brash and seductive blackberry, plum, and smoky oak aromas. Bold, rich flavors of black-cherry jam, raspberry, cola, mocha and anise are wrapped in a warm blanket of vanilla spice and oak. A muscular yet balanced wine finishing long and sweet.“
Zinfandel 90% | Petite Sirah 10%
 
 
Customers who enjoy Armida Dry Creek Zinfandel may also enjoy these two terrific Reds… 
2015 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red 2016 Prisoner Wine Co Saldo Zinfandel
WESTWOOD
2015 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $44.00/btl
 

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From Tasting Panel: “… (25% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, 15% Zinfandel and 10% Tannat) … The perfume is primarily floral: gardenia, red rose petals – with accents on red plum and an echo of black pepper. The palate is a silk road with gritty chocolate tannins. But the ruby slippers that carry you down the path bursts with red plum, dark chocolate cherries, exotic jasmine and grilled meat with soy sauce. The finish is pleasurable with a creamy cedar note.”  95 Points
SALDO
2016 ZINFANDEL
PRISONER WINE CO.
Retails at:  $32.00/btl
 
Your Price: $27.99/btl

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Wonderfully alive on the palate, the 2016 expresses vibrant red fruit, crushed pepper, blueberry liqueur and cocoa dusted cherries. Winemaker Chrissy Wittmann is really showing her obvious talent in this remarkably balanced, yet full-bodied Zin, which arrives loaded with vibrancy and is layered with excitement.  A serious value, the retail price has remained nearly unchanged since their first vintage back in 2007.