2017 Greg Linn Grand Cru Champagne Blanc de Blancs

2017 Greg Linn Grand Cru Champagne Blanc de Blancs

with No Comment $100 and overChampagneChampagne/SparklingFranceKevin Vogt

Greg Linn

Grand Cru Champagne
Blanc de Blancs
Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger
Vintage Ammonite 2017

2017 Greg Linn Grand Cru Champagne Blanc de Blancs

Greg Linn is an unconventional winemaker, a true globetrotter who describes his brand as “a négociant meets world-traveling rock band.” After years of exploring the world’s most revered wine regions, he found his muse in the hallowed soils of Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger. The result? The extraordinary 2017 ‘Vintage Ammonite’ Grand Cru Champagne.

Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger is a legendary village renowned for its chalky terroir, which yields some of the world’s finest Chardonnay. It’s the birthplace of iconic wines like Salon Le Mesnil and Krug Clos du Mesnil—wines that fetch four-figure price tags and stand as benchmarks of luxury. The purity and prestige of this terroir are the foundation of Greg Linn’s 2017 ‘Vintage Ammonite.’

This exceptional Champagne captures the essence of a singular year, showcasing the ethereal brilliance of Le Mesnil’s Grand Cru vineyards. Each sip is a harmonious blend of minerality, precision, and elegance, a testament to the terroir and the vintage.

Greg Linn
Grand Cru Champagne
Blanc de Blancs
Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger
Vintage Ammonite 2017

Your Price: $125

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“The Greg Linn Vintage Ammonite Grand Cru Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Blanc de Blancs Champagne 2017 begins with a rich nose of baked apples, toasted walnuts, red roses, and toasted brioche. The exquisite, crisp, dry palate is beautifully constructed, with concentrated flavors of citrus, apples, and almond pastry intertwined with a mouth-quenching saline quality, adding even more nuanced characteristics. The incredible finish is as lingering and penetrating as you could ever wish for, making this offering one of the top Champagnes available at any price.” 

98 Points

2023 Jean-Pierre Vacher Sancerre Loire Valley France

2023 Jean-Pierre Vacher Sancerre Loire Valley France

with No Comment $30-$40FranceKevin VogtLoire ValleySancerre

Jean-Pierre Vacher

Sancerre 2023
Loire Valley, France

2023 Jean-Pierre Vacher Sancerre Loire Valley France

Sancerre, a region renowned for its chalky limestone soils and moderate continental climate, has long been a sanctuary for world-class Sauvignon Blanc. This terroir produces wines characterized by a crispness and mineral-driven elegance that are truly distinctive.

Jean-Pierre Vacher, a pioneer in Sancerre winemaking since 1989, established a legacy that continues to thrive today. His son Jérôme and daughter-in-law Karine now oversee the estate, infusing their passion into every bottle, capturing the essence of Sancerre.

The 2023 Sancerre Blanc is a testament to the Vacher family’s dedication. Carefully tended across 25 acres, the vineyard produced grapes that showcase the region’s unique vibrancy.

This wine offers a complex tapestry of flavors: flinty minerality, zesty citrus, and ripe orchard fruit. Its lively acidity provides a crisp, refreshing finish, reflecting the land and the family’s unwavering commitment to excellence.

Jean-Pierre Vacher
Sancerre 2023
Loire Valley, France

Your Price: $32

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“The Jean-Pierre Vacher 2023 Sancerre Blanc offers a delicate bouquet of white and orange blossoms, laced with a subtle hint of ginger, and orange zest, grapefruit, and green passionfruit. On the palate, ripe citrus notes intertwine with green mango, melon, while a chalky minerality provides a refreshing acidic backbone. The finish is clean and fresh, showcasing a classic example of the esteemed region.”

94 Points

2020 Thierry Laffay Chablis Burgundy France

2020 Thierry Laffay Chablis Burgundy France

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

Thierry Laffay

Chablis 2020
Burgundy, France

2020 Thierry Laffay Chablis Burgundy France

Nestled amidst the serene slopes of the Serein River Valley, the vineyards of Chablis flourish upon a rare and storied terroir: Kimmeridgian marl, a sedimentary clay rich in limestone that imparts the wines with their signature bright, mineral character. This soil, coupled with the valley’s Atlantic-tempered climate, creates a harmonious balance. The cool air slows the ripening of the grapes, preserving the vibrant, racy acidity that defines Chablis wines.

Since 1978, Thierry Laffay has meticulously cultivated this remarkable landscape, nurturing just over 17 acres of Chardonnay. For Laffay, it’s not merely about growing grapes—it’s about embracing simplicity and authenticity and sharing the fruits of his labor. His family-run estate adheres to traditional methods, aging wines exclusively in stainless steel tanks and bottled a year after harvest, ensuring the purity of flavor. The 2020 growing season, marked by ideal weather conditions, yielded wines of exceptional quality with the potential for graceful aging.

The 2020 Thierry Laffay Chablis, a standout in recent tastings, exemplifies the brilliance of the vintage. With its vibrant acidity and elegant minerality, it showcases precisely what makes top-tier Chablis so captivating—an unforgettable expression of both land and craftsmanship.

Thierry Laffay
Chablis 2020
Burgundy, France

Your Price: $39.99

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“The Theirry Laffay 2020 Chablis opens with notes of chalky minerality, crushed seashells, chamomile, pears, and quince. On the palate, the wine is lively with a silky mouthfeel and flavors of golden apples, apricots, grapefruit, and lemon custard. The wine has a near-creamy texture balanced by fresh, vibrant acidity and a crisp, stony finish.”

95 Points

2023 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc Napa-Sonoma

2023 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc Napa-Sonoma

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtNapaSauvignon BlancSonomaUSA

Illumination

Sauvignon Blanc
Napa/Sonoma 2023

2023 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc Napa-Sonoma

Quintessa, a renowned Rutherford producer, extends its meticulous craftsmanship to Sauvignon Blanc, crafting Illumination, a wine as exquisite as its flagship red. This luminous expression bursts with vibrant notes of passionfruit, white peach, orange blossom, and zesty tangerine, creating a captivating bouquet.

Rooted in a deep commitment to the environment, Quintessa selected specific blocks to cultivate thriving clonal varieties, capturing the essence of Napa and Sonoma’s diverse terroir. With the same precision that defines their renowned reds, Illumination is crafted from vines planted in 2002, resulting in a Sauvignon Blanc of exceptional character and depth.

The 2023 vintage marks a stellar year in Napa Valley. Abundant winter rains and moderate temperatures fostered an ideal growing season, culminating in the 2023 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc. This exceptional wine showcases Napa’s elegance and vitality, making it a true showstopper.

Illumination
Sauvignon Blanc
Napa/Sonoma 2023

Your Price: $59.99

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“The Illumination 2023 Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from Napa Valley and Sonoma County to offer a balanced, vibrant bouquet of citrus and floral notes, including orange blossom, acacia, followed by a burst of lime zest, lemon, and a hint of grapefruit. On the palate, the wine is crisp and refreshing, with a touch of minerality reminiscent of wet stones. The acidity is well-balanced, leading to a lingering finish that reveals subtle notes of peaches and cream, and a delicate pastry dough character.”

95 Points

2022 Zialena Sauvignon Blanc Geyserville

2022 Zialena Sauvignon Blanc Geyserville

with No Comment $30-$40Alexander ValleyKevin VogtSauvignon BlancSonomaUSA

ZIALENA

SAUVIGNON BLANC
GEYSERVILLE 2022

2022 Zialena Sauvignon Blanc Geyserville

Our tasting panel was immediately enamored by this wine and wondered how we’d never heard of it before. The winery sits on a 120-acre property in Alexander Valley that dates back to the early 1900s when Giuseppe Mazzoni immigrated from Carrara, Italy, and became a grape farmer and winemaker after joining the Italian Swiss Colony. 

The vineyards are situated in a prime location with exceptional terroir, including a combination of soil types, microclimates, and elevation changes that contribute to the unique characteristics found in Zialena wines.

The Winery is committed to sustainable farming practices and employs environmentally friendly methods in the vineyards, focusing on handcrafted, small-lot production wines. The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is the second vintage fermented in custom concrete eggs using the egg’s natural convection to stir the lees and create an elegant structure with a soft texture and ultimate concentrated flavor complexity.

ZIALENA
SAUVIGNON BLANC
GEYSERVILLE 2022

Your Price: $38

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“The Zialena 2022 Geyserville Sauvignon Blanc opens with beautiful aromatics, including elderflower, gardenia, ripe citrus and tropical fruits, and a creamy lemon custard. On the palate, the wine has zippy acidity balanced with concentrated flavors of Meyer lemon, grapefruit, passion fruit, melon, and wet stone minerality. The wine has a touch of creaminess on the mouthfeel and a long, dynamic finish.”

94 Point

2018 Agnes et Didier Dauvissat Chablis Burgundy France

2018 Agnes et Didier Dauvissat Chablis Burgundy France

with No Comment $30 and underBurgandyChablisChardonnayFranceKevin Vogt

AGNÈS et DIDIER DAUVISSAT

CHABLIS 2018
BURGUNDY, FRANCE

2018 Agnes et Didier Dauvissat Chablis Burgundy France
Agnès and Didier Dauvissat were vineyard workers who dreamed of vinifying wine from vineyards they owned, so they bought and planted their first small plot of vines in 1987. Today they hold just over 30 acres of vineyards spread across Petit Chablis, Chablis, Premier Cru Beauroy, Bourgogne Rouge, and Crémant de Bourgogne, producing terroir-distinct wines from each appellation.
 
Dauvissat is a prominent name in the area, and Didier’s cousin, Vincent, of a respected Chablisienne estate nearby, mentored Didier. The stylistic similarities in their wines go beyond the last name. The 2018 Chablis has clean, pure fruit aromatics and a crisp minerality from fermentation in stainless steel, a hallmark of the region that’s created a demand for unoaked Chardonnay worldwide.
 
AGNÈS et DIDIER DAUVISSAT
CHABLIS 2018
BURGUNDY, FRANCE
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Agnès et Didier Dauvissat 2018 Chablis opens with aromas of honeysuckle, applesauce, cinnamon, quince, and white chalk. On the palate, the wine has concentrated flavors of apple and pear with complementary, secondary characteristics of mascarpone and pastry dough. This wine has an impressive depth of aromas and flavors with mouthwatering acidity with incredible purity.”
95 Points
NV Bouquin-Dupont Grand Cru Champagne Blanc De Blancs Brut

NV Bouquin-Dupont Grand Cru Champagne Blanc De Blancs Brut

with No Comment $50-$60ChampagneChampagne/SparklingFranceKevin Vogt

BOUQUIN-DUPONT

GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE
BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT NV

NV Bouquin-Dupont Grand Cru Champagne Blanc De Blancs Brut
The Echelle des Crus was established in 1911, ranking Champagne’s wine-producing villages and the vineyards surrounding them on a scale from 80-100%, and out of the 319 villages in the region, just 17 were awarded a 100% rating and given the prestigious Grand Cru status. Bouquin-DuPont’s Grand Cru Champagne is a prime example of classification’s majestic and regal quality.
This wine originates from Bouquin DuPont & Fils’ Grand Cru vineyard in Avize in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, an area home to vineyards owned by famous Champagne houses such as Moët & Chandon, Roederer, and Taittinger. This ‘Blanc de Blancs’ is a 100% Chardonnay blend from the house’s base wines aged four to ten years on the lees, creating a wonderfully developed, complex wine with a superb balance of focused, linear flavors and aromas.
BOUQUIN-DUPONT
GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE
BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT NV
Your Price: $55
“Indescribably brilliant with a freshness and vibrancy that need to be experienced to be believed , this otherworldly Champagne cascades wave after wave of candied citrus, quince, yellow plum and green pear fruit with elements of wet stone/saline-like minerality, toast, white flowers and a hint of ginger. On your palate, it takes over and puts your swallow reflex into overdrive, then the expansive finish grows for a minute plus, leaving you begging for another sip. It’s simply my new favorite Champagne.”
97 Points
Purecru Brut Rose Cuvee XXI California

Purecru Brut Rose Cuvee XXI California

with No Comment $30-$40Champagne/SparklingKevin VogtUSA

PURECRU

BRUT ROSÉ
CUVEE XXI CALIFORNIA

Purecru Brut Rose Cuvee XXI California
PureCru’s magnetic energy and engrossing charm have touched just about everybody coming into our shop since we introduced it in January, and we’ve urged everybody to try it. The Los Angeles International Wine Competition recently confirmed our enthusiasm for this wine. A panel of judges at the competition rated it 98 points and Best of Class, making it their highest-rated Sparkling wine. 
 
Mitch Cosentino is the mastermind behind PureCru; calling on his half-century of experience, he uses a single-stream fermentation to make it. Midway through fermentation, he transferred the partially fermented juice into a custom pressure-controlled tank, resulting in a wine with remarkable fruit intensity, balance, and freshness. Created from 100% Sangiovese grapes, PureCru Brut Rosé releases a sensational bouquet of aromas and flavors unique to the spicy, seductive Sangiovese variety brought forward by the single-stream fermentation method.
 
PURECRU
BRUT ROSÉ
CUVEE XXI CALIFORNIA
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“The PureCru Brut Rosé XXI opens with an abundance of bright aromas beginning with jasmine, lime zest, wild strawberries, raspberries, lychee, passion fruit, pomegranate, and lemongrass. The aromas carry over onto the palate bursting with intensity and zesty fruit flavors accented by fresh acidity and a creamy effervescence. The finish is long and delightful as it slowly fades away, causing you to crave sip after sip.”
96 Points
2018 Domaine Anderson Estate Chardonnay Anderson Valley

2018 Domaine Anderson Estate Chardonnay Anderson Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Anderson ValleyChardonnayKevin VogtMendocino RidgeUSA

DOMAINE ANDERSON

ESTATE CHARDONNAY
ANDERSON VALLEY 2018

2018 Domaine Anderson Estate Chardonnay Anderson Valley
Domaine Anderson lies where Redwood forests meet the Mendocino Coast, creating a unique pocket of land with warm days significantly cooled by nightly coastal fog. Searching for prime Pinot Noir and Chardonnay terroir in California, this ideal climatic combination led Jean-Claude Rouzaud of the Roederer family to the area in 1981, embarking on a journey to produce supremely balanced, Burgundy-influenced wines from California’s Northern Coast.
 
Jean-Claude’s son, Frederic, continues the pursuit of high-quality wine production at Domaine Anderson’s 50 acres of vineyards meandering through the Anderson Valley with distinct microclimates tucked within the valley floor, gentle knolls, and steep hillsides. The 2018 Estate Chardonnay grapes were handpicked, fermented in small French barriques, and aged ten months in a small proportion of new oak to allow the wine’s vibrant fruit character to shine, uncannily reminiscent of a lovely White Burgundy.
 
DOMAINE ANDERSON
ESTATE CHARDONNAY
ANDERSON VALLEY 2018
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“Nutty, toasty, buttery aromas meld beautifully with rich pear, cream and butterscotch flavors in this well-rounded, concentrated and layered wine. Its richness and complexity are enhanced by an underlying lively acidity for excellent balance.”
92 Points
2020 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay Blend San Luis Obispo

2020 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay Blend San Luis Obispo

with No Comment $40-$50Central CoastChardonnayKevin VogtPaso RoblesUSA

MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

BLANC [CHARDONNAY-BLEND]
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2020

2020 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay Blend San Luis Obispo
Farming is life for Eric Jensen, so he works exclusively with farmers who share the common goal of growing the best fruit possible using organic or biodynamic practices, coaxing the vines to perform at their apex. Gaining experience from neighbors Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure, and friend Justin Smith of Saxum, Eric’s wines make a bold statement of quality with an ideal balance of opulence, intensity, and richness.
 
Eric designs his wines to capture high-quality wine’s most intriguing qualities but with a value price to be shared with friends, family, and your favorite neighbors any day of the week. This Chardonnay-based blend is sourced from select vineyard sites in San Luis Obispo and is rich, sleek, and ready to drink now or in five to six years for aged complexity.
 
MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
BLANC [CHARDONNAY-BLEND]
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2020
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“The Chardonnay-based 2020 Blanc has lush tropical fruits on the nose with accents of toast, almonds and sweet spice. The palate offers generous fruits, a sleek, polished texture, youthful new oak spices and expansive flavors on the long finish. Super classy!”
95 Points