2018 Leto Cellars Proprietary Red Napa Valley

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LETO CELLARS

PROPRIETARY RED
2018 NAPA VALLEY

Brad Warner of Leto Cellars has over 50 years of experience in the wine industry, beginning his career at Charles Krug, leading him to a full-time position and close to a 30-year tenure as the Vice President of Production at Robert Mondavi Winery. Lisa Warner, Brad’s wife and co-founder of Leto Cellars has over 30 years of experience working for Robert Mondavi, planning prospects on all aspects of wine production.
Brad and Lisa’s behind-the-scenes experience fueled their current endeavor, producing hand-crafted, terroir-focused wines spawned from premier grower relationships throughout the Valley. Their 2018 Proprietary Red combines Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, featuring premium grapes from Mt. Veeder balanced with a touch of Yountville fruit. This wine was a clear stand-out at our tasting, cutting through more than 50 other wines, with penetrating fruit, precision detail, and veteran winemaking balance.
LETO CELLARS
PROPRIETARY RED
2018 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $54
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2017 Baldacci Elizabeth Pinot Noir Carneros

2017 Baldacci Elizabeth Pinot Noir Carneros

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosKevin VogtNapaPinot NoirUncategorizedUSA

BALDACCI

ELIZABETH PINOT NOIR
2017 CARNEROS

2017 Baldacci Elizabeth Pinot Noir Carneros
Marked with concentrated fruit, intriguing textures, and a palpable sense of place, Baldacci’s Carneros Pinot Noir authoritatively expresses many of the region’s best attributes. The wine arose from Baldacci’s Estate Vineyard in Carneros, farmed by Josh Clark, one of wine country’s most sought after viticulturists whose clients include icons like Outpost, Hourglass, and Kinsella, to list a few. At this price, it truly shouldn’t be missed.
 
Michael Baldacci works closely with Ricardo Herrera to craft balanced wines with a sense of place and tangible value. Ricardo gained invaluable experience over the years at icons Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Dominus, and Screaming Eagle.
 
The Baldacci team is steadfast in producing wines that tell a story of their origins and vintage. They achieve this through highly skilled vineyard management, top-level winemaking, and timely choices made during each step along the way. The results speak for themselves, and at this price, a single case may not be enough.
 
BALDACCI
ELIZABETH PINOT NOIR
2017 CARNEROS
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“Our motto is no whimpy Pinot Noir! I approach this varietal as a lighter, yet sturdy red wine from our portfolio. We work towards a balanced fruit load, per vine, in the vineyard. We use our clones to create nuance and texture in the final wine… We strive for a fruit forward expression that is more dark rather than red berry. We de-stem everything and cold soak for no more than 3 days to achieve a color and tannin profile that is more structured. Everything is fermented in open top, small volume tanks with daily punch downs until dry. We use 40% new French oak to marry our fruit with the spice from the wood.”
2018 Arietta Quartet Proprietary Red

2018 Arietta Quartet Proprietary Red

with No Comment $60-$70CarnerosCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUncategorizedUSA

ARIETTA 

2018 QUARTET 
PROPRIETARY RED
 
2018 Arietta Quartet Proprietary Red
Arietta’s specialty is harmoniously balanced Bordeaux-style blends created from top vineyards in Napa Valley. They gain inspiration for their wine from music and believe that great wines should sing with balance, vibrancy, and depth. They’re able to achieve this with the proper instruments (super-premium grapes) and the help of gifted composer/winemaker Andy Erickson. Andy made Screaming Eagle from 2005 through 2010, and he also makes Mayacamas, which in the last two consecutive vintages ranked #2 and #4 on Wine Spectator Top 100. At 95 points and under $100, don’t miss Arietta’s 2018 Quartet.   
 
Cabernet Sauvignon takes center stage in the 2018 Quartet, followed by Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. They finely tuned this wine for 20 months in oak, and it makes a grand entrance from one of Napa Valley’s most exceptional vintages. 
 
The winery sources fruit from Meteor and Two Belles Farms in Coombsville, and in Carneros, they call on Lee Hudson’s renowned vineyard. If you’re looking for a stunningly complex and deeply hedonistic blend to add to your cellar, this one is singing.
 
ARIETTA 
2018 QUARTET 
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $75
 
Your Price: $69.99
 
 
“This blends 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot into a cohesive whole of complex structure and grace. Cedar, pencil shavings, iron and crushed rock provide a savory foundation complemented by lush richness in the form of dense blueberry, dark chocolate and nutmeg…”
95 Points
2015 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder Estate

2015 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder Estate

with No Comment $60-$70Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUncategorizedUSA

ANTHEM

2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOUNT VEEDER ESTATE

2015 Anthem Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder Estate
Every decision making Anthem impacts the quality of wine that they produce, and their production team is free to vinify without regard to cost or other extraneous factors. You can taste their relentless drive for creating the highest quality wine possible from their Estate in every glass. The wines are crafted by Jeff Ames, who mentored under Thomas Rivers Brown at Schrader, Maybach, Outpost, and TOR before becoming head winemaker at TOR in 2005. Jeff is also the owner/winemaker at Rudius, which was my #1 wine in 2019.
 
Mount Veeder arose from an ancient seabed, and it’s the coolest Mountain AVA in Napa, known for producing complex, savory and age-worthy Cabernets. Jeff accentuates those flavors in an elegantly balanced way and doesn’t lose the sense of place.
 
Anthem’s Cabernet is all about balance, length, and escalating intensity, and the 2015 vintage is stunningly rich with penetrating red fruits laced with savory characteristics. The vines yielded just 1.9 tons per acre of super-concentrated berries, and after 18 months in barrel and three years in the bottle, this wine rocks.
 
ANTHEM
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MOUNT VEEDER ESTATE
Retails at: $135
 
 
“A juicy and fruity red with chocolate, red peppers and hints of herbs. Full body, round and succulent tannins and a flavorful finish. Lovely mountain wine. Drink or hold.” 93 Points
 
“A polished and lush version, with boysenberry and blueberry reduction notes forming the core of flavors, while licorice snap and fruitcake hints fill in. Features a roasted apple wood backdrop, though the fruit easily takes center stage through the rich finish. Best from 2020 through 2035…” 92 Points
 
“… Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with notes of prunes, raisin cake and spice box with hints of fresh figs, tobacco and new leather. Full-bodied with a plush frame and loads of evolving baked berries layers, it has tons of spices coming through on the finish.” 91 Points
 
“Our 2015 Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet is a blockbuster mountain Cabernet from Anthem’s own vineyards located at 400 feet in Napa Valley’s Western hillsides. The lower yields in 2015 produced fruit with intense, plush dark berry flavors that Winemaker Jeff Ames crafted into an exquisitely rich Mt. Veeder Cabernet.”
2016 Twenty By Sixteen Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2016 Sixteen By Twenty Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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SIXTEEN BY TWENTY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 NAPA VALLEY

2016 Twenty By Sixteen Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Many of the top winemakers in the world whose wines can fetch hundreds of dollars per bottle and achieve 100 point scores, often consult on wines that are not only affordable, but they’re made with the same exacting standards. Sixteen by Twenty Cabernet is produced by Paul Hobbs, whose very name bears a quintessence of quality so distinguished that it’s known across the globe. At $60, this wine would have you grinning from ear-to-ear when you taste it, but at $45, well, you get the picture.
 
Paul composed the 2016 vintage with grapes from three vineyards. One is the winery’s Estate Vineyard located at the base of Mount Veeder, and another is one of Knight’s Valley’s most iconic vineyards, used in Beringer’s Knights Valley Reserve Cabernet for years; The third is a secret source in Coombsville.
 
Checking in at 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and cut from one of Napa Valley’s most acclaimed vintages, the 2016 is powerful, explosive and strikingly sophisticated. The wine spent a full 24 months in French oak, and now with around 18 months in the bottle, it’s starting to shine brightly.  
 
SIXTEEN BY TWENTY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $60
 
 
“The Sixteen by Twenty Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 begins with a deep nose of rich blue and black berries, penetrating cherries, dark chocolate, bay leaf and supple leather. Although the palate is seemingly weightless, it has a focus and concentration that belies its elegant beginnings. Flavors of ripe blackberries and concentrated black cherries are so well integrated that it just begs you to keep tasting it. On a side note, we tasted this along side 30 other wines and it really stood out among the rest. The winemaking brilliance shows through with clarity.” 93 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
 
2017 Prisoner Wine Company Cuttings Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Prisoner Wine Company ‘Cuttings’ Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUncategorizedUSA

PRISONER WINE CO. 2017 Prisoner Wine Company Cuttings Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 CUTTINGS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON

 
Birthed from high-elevation, steep, hillside vineyards that traverse through some of Napa Valley’s most sought after growing districts, Prisoner Wine Company’s Cuttings Cabernet can be described as the bigger more masculine brother to the popular Prisoner Red blend.  The wine is thoughtfully created from a diverse variety of clones and terroirs, which all lend to the wines vast complexity and infectious charm.  The newly released 2017 bursts from the glass with intense mulberries, wild plum, melted dark chocolate, black currants and vanilla bean.  Cuttings makes a powerful statement on what can be achieved at this price point…
 
Hailing from high-elevation vineyards including Bella Vista, Obsidian Ridge, and the York Creek Vineyard on Spring Mountain, the 2017 Cuttings was built around a core of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Petite Sirah, Syrah and Zinfandel. The wine models extravagance and offers deep, rich, hedonistic flavors, just like we’ve come to expect from Cuttings.  The wine is always made in an irresistibly plump, velvety style with plush tannins that make it impossible to resist diving in for another sip… another glass and then another.
 
PRISONER WINE CO.
2017 CUTTINGS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at:  $55.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl   
YOU SAVE 27%
 
Winery Notes: “Cuttings combines the deep, intense flavor of Cabernet Sauvignon with the structure and richness of Petite Sirah and Syrah. A small amount of Zinfandel adds a nice layer of complexity and spiciness.  Deliciously smooth with flavors of blueberry, dark cherry, and cocoa. Aromas of fresh roasted coffee, black currant, vanilla bean, brown spice, and wild berries.” 
 
 
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
2016 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

2016 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaSonoma MountainUncategorizedUSA

WESTWOOD 2016 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red

2016 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED

 
Legend is defined by an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field, and this wine absolutely lives up to its name.  The 2016 was expertly crafted by Philippe Melka, whose vast experience includes winemaking at Bryant Family, Quintessa, Hundred Acre, and Dominus… He’s undeniably one of Napa Valley’s most sought after and accomplished winemakers and is an absolute legend at his craft.  After tasting the wine, I wasn’t at all surprised to find out that it’s already earned double 96 Point scores.  The wine is powerfully dramatic and glides seamlessly across your palate with precision and absolute elegance.  At fifty bucks per bottle it absolutely should not be missed.
 
This legend arose from the biodynamically farmed Annadel Gap Estate Vineyard located between Mt Hood and Sonoma Mountain.  The area is heavily influenced by morning fog and high-winds, and the variety of soil types lend to the wines vast complexity.  The final blend includes 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and was enhanced with Rhone Varieties.  The flavors are incredibly individualistic, intense and well-balanced and introduce themselves in a silky and enchanting style that make this wine as unique as it is delicious.
 
WESTWOOD
2016 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl 

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YOU SAVE 16%
 
“… Aromas of sweet, savory soil are primed with rich tones of blueberry preserves. Generous and a true extrovert, this red gives wide berth on the palate to creamy boysenberry and luscious, ripe plum. Red floral and graphite strike an accord with high-energy acidity...” 96 Points 
From Wine Enthusiast, “This red is brightly layered in fresh blue fruit, meat and garrigue, showing plenty of density and complexity. It has a wild character that’s intriguing and energetic, with lasting threads of white and black pepper on the finish.”  96 Points, Editor’s Choice
 
Customers who enjoy Westwood Legend may also enjoy these two outstanding Reds…
2015 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red 2017 Hourglass HG III Proprietary Red
STEPS
BARREL SELECT
2015 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl

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Tasting Notes: “Rich, opulent aromas emerge laced with fresh black raspberries, chocolate covered cherries, espresso roast and a touch of sweet vanilla oak.  Penetrating, velvety flavors of crushed blackberries, black plum, minerals, kirsch and hints of roasted coffee expand across your palate as layer upon layer of complexity unfolds.  The supple yet slightly dusty tannins beautifully frame the plush fruit as it elegantly caresses your palate through the long pleasurable finish...” 95 Points
HOURGLASS
2017 HG III
PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $54.99/btl

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From Jeb Dunnuck: “Moving to the barrel samples, the 2017 HG3 is a fruity, forward, total charmer that gives up medium to full-bodied notes of blue and black fruits and leafy herbs. It’s well-made and already hard to resist, yet I suspect it will keep for more than a decade.” 91-93 Points
2018 Domaine Ott Chateau de Selle Provence Rose

2018 Domiane Ott Chateau de Selle Provence Rosé

with No Comment $40-$50FranceKevin VogtProvenceProvenceRoséUncategorized

DOMAINE OTT 2018 Domaine Ott Chateau de Selle Provence Rose

2018 PROVENCE ROSÉ
CHATEAU DE SELLE

 
Every different kind of wine has at least one brand that sets a prescience of quality, and act as a reference-standard for the category. When it comes to dry Rosé from Southern France, Domaine Ott reigns supreme. They’re one of the most iconic producers of Rosé wines, and they’re consistently high-scoring, and they always sell out.  Château de Selle was the first estate acquired by Marcel Ott in 1912 and they’ve continued to create some of the most detailed and intellectually profound Rosé on the market.  Emerging from Provence, France where greater than 50% of the wine output is Rosé, Domaines Ott’s Chateau de Selle will win you over with detailed mandarine orange, lime peal, striking minerality and crystalline structure.  This is simply one of the best Rosés in the world and with Labor Day weekend coming up fast, now is the time to stock up.
 
With attention to every minute detail under consideration, beginning with the terroir, and finishing with the stunning perfume bottle like packaging, Domaines Ott is the epitome of classic Provençal Rosé.  While there might be a lot of Rosés available in the $20-$30 range that are easy to love, Domaines Ott will have you infatuated from the moment it touches your lips. Rosé simply doesn’t get any better…
 
DOMAINE OTT
2018 PROVENCE ROSÉ
CHATEAU DE SELLE
Retails at:  $54.00/btl
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl 
 
From Wine & Spirits: “De Selle was Marcel Ott’s first estate, an imposingly rocky slope of gypsum, red clay, dolomite, gravel and sandstone in Taradeau that he purchased in 1912. The rosé it produced in 2018-a blend of grenache with cinsault, syrah and mourvèdre-is more open than the Clos Mireille: De Selle is immediately inviting in its fresh, floral scents of melon and rosemary. The urge to drink it becomes only more immediate when the tangy wine hits the palate, delivering seashell minerality like a jolt of electricity. Bright and energetic, it would make short work of a dozen oysters.“ 93 Points
 
Customers who enjoy Domaines Ott Chateau de Selle Rosé, may also enjoy these two outstanding Provence Rosés…
2017 Chateau des Garcinieres Cotes du Provence Rose
 2018 Domaine Ott Clos Mireille Provence Rose
CHÂTEAU DES GARCINIÈRES
2018 PROVENCE ROSÉ
CÔTES DE PROVENCE
 
Your Price: $23/btl

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Importers Tasting Notes: “... This biodynamic Rosé is vibrant and fresh; aromas of white peach and passion fruit emerge from the glass with a hint of lavender to remind us of its home by the sea. As with previous vintages, the mouth is filled with delicate raspberry and wild strawberry. The hallmark minerality of the wine is persistent thru the lively finish. Crisp and lovely, the striking acidity makes it a perfect example of why all others try to imitate the Rosés’ of Provence!”
 
DOMAINE OTT
2018 PROVENCE ROSÉ
CLOS MIREILLE
Retails at:  $54.00/btl
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl

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From Wine & Spirits: “Clos Mireille sits close to the sea, a patch of schist and clay in La Londe Les Maures. Planted to grenache, with some cinsault, rolle and syrah, and farmed organically, it produced a tight rosé in 2018, succulent and strong. It tastes vividly of sea spray, powered by Meyer lemon-like acidity, while herbal notes play at the edges, like an echo of the scrub that grows between the vines. For all its power, this is a quiet wine, a rosé that demands close attention over a leisurely fish dinner.”  94 Points
2014 Valdez St Peter's Church Zinfandel

2014 Valdez St Peter’s Church Zinfandel

with No Comment $30-$40Alexander ValleyKevin VogtSonomaUncategorizedUSAZinfandel

VALDEZ 2014 Valdez St Peter's Church Zinfandel

2014 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH

 
There are many different interpretations of Zinfandel produced in California, ranging from  intensely jammy, to those that have a brawny build and concentrated core, to a pure, supple and well-balanced style.  This remarkable single-vineyard Zin from Valdez falls in the brawny, well-built category with a deep and concentrated core of fruit, unending depth and escalating persistence.  What makes this Zin extra-special is that it also attracts some of the best attributes of the other styles of Zin. It has just enough intense jammy fruit to let you know it’s classic Old Vine Zinfandel and a purity of flavors and balance reflecting the talented family that produced it. The Valdez family are some California’s most sought after wine growers, having farmed for Aubert, Kistler, Paul Hobbs and others.  Their St. Peter’s Church Zinfandel is simply one of the best Zin’s produced in California, which is why their 2013 earned a spot on my top 5 wines of the year list in 2018…
 
Arising from a 5 acre vineyard in Alexander Valley that’s planted to nearly century old vines, this wine exhibits all the qualities that I look for in Old Vine Zinfandel. Rosenblum fans might also recognize this vineyard from single-vineyard Zinfandels that they produced in the 1990’s.  Carved from one of Sonoma Counties greatest vintages, this exemplary ancient vine Zinfandel is a must-have.
 
VALDEZ
2014 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl
 
Tasting Notes: “This focused, penetrating zinfandel flaunts intense flavors and aromas of rich Bing cherries, concentrated cranberry, and black currants with hints of Spring flowers, bakers chocolate and black olives. The amazing balance of flavors makes your palate thirst for more after every sip of this beauty.”
 
Customers that enjoy Valdez St. Peter’s Church Vineyard  Zinfandel, may also enjoy these two terrific Zins… 
2016 Gamba Family Ranches Zinfandel 2107 Quivira Pillsbury Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel
GAMBA
2016 ZINFANDEL
FAMILY RANCHES
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “… a bold, well structured wine with an aromatic nose of ripe berries, brown spice, and black licorice. The color is a beautiful and vibrant dark crimson. The wine is deftly balanced, with flavors that burst on the palate, offering well defined dark cherry, raspberry and blueberry that give way to dark chocolate, spicy pepper and a hint of nutty oak. The frame is firm yet round without harsh edges, with an appealing, weighty, yet buoyant mid palate, and a refreshing lift on the lengthy, enjoyable, toasty finish.”
QUIVIRA
2017 ZINFANDEL
PILLSBURY VINEYARD
DRY CREEK VALLEY
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl

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From Jeb Dunnuck: “… the 2017 Zinfandel Pillsbury Vineyard (100% Zinfandel) has a classic bouquet of plums, mulled currants, cedary spice, and incense. Elegant, medium to full-bodied, rounded, and fleshy on the palate, with good purity, it’s another beautiful Zinfandel from this estate.” 93 Points