2020 Raoul Gautherin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

2020 Raoul Gautherin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

with No Comment $40-$50BurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

RAOUL GAUTHERIN

CHABLIS 1ER CRU
VAILLONS 2020

2020 Raoul Gautherin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
Since 1585 the Gautherin family has cultivated vines on Chablis’ most exposed hillside sites, crafting beautiful wines that tell a detailed story of their origins. Because of low intervention in the vineyard and winery, natural yeasts, and limited or no use of oak, Chablis is one of the purest expressions of Chardonnay worldwide.
 
Raoul Gautherin’s father and son team relies on familial knowledge passed down over several generations and sustainable farming practices that focus on the vitality of the vines to produce world-class wines. The Vaillons Premier Cru vineyard produces wines with distinct minerality and delicate white fruit aromatics, making it one of Chablis’ most desired sites. The 2020 vintage provided wines with rich flavors and deep complexity that are dangerously easy to drink now and will pay tribute to those with the patience to cellar and age.
 
RAOUL GAUTHERIN
CHABLIS 1ER CRU
VAILLONS 2020
 
 
 
“The Raoul Gautherin 2020 1er Cru Chablis opens with expressive notes of chamomile, yellow apple, bread dough, chalky minerality, and oceanic salinity. On the palate, the wine has a silky smooth texture with flavors of apple, quince, apricot, and pastry. This wine has an impeccable balance of rich flavors and bright acidity that flows into a long finish.”
95 Points
2021 L'Objet Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Comstock Vineyard Dry Creek Valley

2021 L’Objet Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Comstock Vineyard Dry Creek Valley

with No Comment $30 and underDry Creek ValleyKevin VogtSauvignon BlancSonoma

L’OBJET BLANC

SAUVIGNON BLANC
COMSTOCK VINEYARD
DRY CREEK VALLEY 2021

2021 L'Objet Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Comstock Vineyard Dry Creek Valley
L’Objet is the creation of winemaker/owner Danny Glover. Danny spent several years writing and producing in the artistic Los Angeles music culture before discovering a captivating Pinot Noir that inspired and drew him into the winemaking world. He honed in on his new passion by working for Clos du Bois, Armida, and Dutcher Crossing before launching his brand and pursuing the finest fruit quality from conscientious, hardworking growers.
 
Danny sources Sauvignon Blanc from the Comstock Family Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, valuing Bob and Sandy Comstock’s meticulous attention to detail that pays off each vintage with exceptional quality—the 2021 growing season experienced warm days with cool, foggy nights and a lengthy hang-time, perfect for complex flavor development that jumps out of the glass in this fresh and lively Sauvignon Blanc.
 
L’OBJET BLANC
SAUVIGNON BLANC
COMSTOCK VINEYARD
DRY CREEK VALLEY 2021
 
 
 
“The L’Objet 2021 Comstock Family Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Dry Creek Valley opens with pronounced aromas of acacia, jasmine, Meyer lemon, passion fruit, and cantaloupe. On the palate, the wine has a smooth texture with fresh tropical fruit flavors, pink grapefruit, and jasmine. The wine has a crisp finish that balances the depth of flavors in quite a delightful drinking experience.”
94 Points
2019 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Ranch Carneros

2019 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Ranch Carneros

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtNapaUSA

LAIRD

CHARDONNAY
COLD CREEK RANCH
CARNEROS 2019

2019 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Ranch Carneros
With over 50 years of vineyard expertise farming some of Napa Valley’s prized locations, Ken Laird uses his intimate knowledge of each vineyard as the foundation of Laird wines. Ken is the third generation of his family in farming, but he swapped tobacco farming for grape growing after he and his wife purchased land in Napa Valley in 1970.
 
The family’s Cold Creek Ranch is on the Sonoma side of the Los Carneros district and exposed to thick fog and cold marine winds, providing balanced fruit flavors with bright acid and excellent concentration. The 2019 vintage saw 46% malolactic fermentation giving a bit of creaminess to the body without overwhelming the wine, and the result is absolutely delicious. 
 
LAIRD
CHARDONNAY
COLD CREEK RANCH
CARNEROS 2019
 
 
 
“The Laird 2019 ‘Cold Creek’ Chardonnay begins with an inviting nose of honeysuckle, apricot, peach, toast, and vanilla. On the palate, the wine has a rich texture balanced by fresh acidity and flavors of nectarine, salted caramel corn, Werther’s Original caramels, and old-fashioned peaches and cream. This wine offers friendly approachability, ready to be enjoyed right now.”
92 Points
2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France

2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France

with No Comment $30 and underBurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

FILLON & FILS

PETIT-CHABLIS 2020
PETIT-CHABLIS FRANCE

2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France
Domaine Fillon & Fils was established in the early 20th century and opened its first wine-tasting cellar in 1935 in the village of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux. The winery continues operation in the hands of the same family and still produces every wine in-house from their 90 acres of vines.
 
Chablis is located southeast of Paris in the northern part of Burgundy, where the harsh, cold winters and short, hot summers create the ideal environment for the racy, brightly styled Chardonnay famous worldwide. Petit Chablis is a style within Chablis with a less strict aging requirement and aimed at an easy-drinking wine with freshness and vibrant acidity, and this 2020 Petit Chablis is the epitome of just that.
 
FILLON & FILS
PETIT-CHABLIS 2020
PETIT-CHABLIS FRANCE
 
 
 
“The Domaine Fillon 2020 Petit Chablis opens with delicate floral notes, lemon zest, cream, brioche, and a chalky minerality. On the palate, the wine has a light body with mouthwatering acidity and flavors of crisp green apple, peach yogurt, and pastry dough. The wine has a lively finish and is dangerously easy to drink.”
93 Points
NV Decoy Brut Rose California

NV Decoy Brut Rose California

with No Comment $30 and underChampagne/SparklingKevin VogtUSA

DECOY

BRUT ROSÉ
CALIFORNIA NV

NV Decoy Brut Rose California
Dan and Margaret Duckhorn, founders of Duckhorn Vineyards, established Decoy as a value-focused brand in 1985. Duckhorn has a reputation in Napa Valley for producing memorable wines of the utmost quality. Decoy comes from a mix of Duckhorn estate vineyards and other top growers, seeing the same meticulous treatments as their prized, family-named wines. 
 
Acclaimed winemaker Dana Epperson is an expert with multiple grape varieties, using her intuition to create the Decoy Sparkling Rosé into a sensational delight. This wine spent a year en tirage before being disgorged, meaning it spent time with the lees in the bottle and developed more complex and sophisticated aromas and flavors that are readily enjoyable immediately upon release.
 
DECOY
BRUT ROSÉ
CALIFORNIA NV
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The Decoy Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine opens with fruity notes of strawberry, lime zest, kiwi, and golden raisin. On the palate, the wine has bright flavors of white cherry, green guava, and berries and cream with a hint of raw almond. The fresh acidity perfectly balances the juicy fruit flavors and finishes with an invigorating freshness.”
93 Points
2021 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills

2021 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastChardonnaySanta BarbaraSanta Rita HillsUSA

BREWER-CLIFTON

CHARDONNAY 2021
STA. RITA HILLS

2021 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills
Greg Brewer founded Brewer-Clifton in 1996 to showcase the unique geographic, geologic, and climate of the Santa Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County. He began vinification training in 1991 at Santa Barbara Winery, and through his work at Brewer-Clifton, Melville, and Diatom wineries, Greg proved without any doubt that Sta. Rita Hills is a world-class wine-growing region, and in 2020 he was named winemaker-of-the-year by Wine Enthusiast. 
 
Sta. Rita Hills is one of the coolest grape-growing regions on the west coast, providing fruit with purity and a firm structure that’s the calling card of Brewer-Clifton wines. The 2021 Chardonnay was whole-cluster fermented in neutral barrels to achieve a harmonious balance between the terroir-specific minerality and bright fruit flavors, keeping the focus fresh and clear.
 
BREWER-CLIFTON
CHARDONNAY 2021
STA. RITA HILLS
Retails at: $40
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“The Brewer-Clifton 2021 Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay opens with fresh notes of honeysuckle, apricot, pineapple, brioche, and beeswax. Flavors of peach, nectarine, lemon poppy seed muffin, and roasted almond are complemented by a vibrant acidity on the palate. The wine is elegantly textured, and the soft mouthfeel lingers into the finish.”
93-94 Points
2020 Arbe Garbe White Blend Sonoma County

2020 Arbe Garbe White Blend Sonoma County

with No Comment $30-$40Proprietary WhiteSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

ARBE GARBE

WHITE BLEND 2020
SONOMA COUNTY

2020 Arbe Garbe White Blend Sonoma County
Letizia Pauletto and Enrico Maria Bertoz have reconnected with the roots of their native region of Friuli, Italy, by crafting pure, refined wines from Friulian varieties uncommonly found in the US. Enrico and Letizia worked harvests in Friuli while attending college, polishing their skills and picking up valuable old-world techniques. After arriving in California, Enrico gained additional experience at Sine Qua Non, Joseph Phelps, and Flora Springs, paving the way for his success with this brand.
 
Arbe Garbe is a white blend of Tocai Friulano, a relative of Sauvignon Blanc, of which only around 50 acres are planted in California, Malvasia Bianca, an ancient variety with Greek origins, and Chardonnay. The 2020 release may be the freshest yet with clean, crisp, focused flavors that are unlike any other wine from California and provides a unique and inviting drinking experience.
 
ARBE GARBE
WHITE BLEND 2020
SONOMA COUNTY
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“The Arbe Garbe 2020 Sonoma County Proprietary White begins with opulent floral notes of honeysuckle, orange blossom, and jasmine, followed by cinnamon apple strudel, quince, ginger, and lemon verbena. The flavors on the palate are a bit riper with golden apple, green pineapple, white peach, nectarine, and a hint of honey. This wine is delightfully refreshing with a medium body, providing roundness and checking all the boxes.”
95 points
2021 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay San Luis Obispo

2021 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay San Luis Obispo

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastChardonnayKevin VogtUSA

MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

MFN BLANC CHARDONNAY
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2021

2021 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay San Luis Obispo
Eric Jensen’s original “favorite neighbor,” Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure, is a close friend and mentor that helped shape him as a grower and winemaker. What began as an homage to Stephan in 2006 with the launch of the My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet-based wine has turned into a line of carefully crafted wines that can unabashedly stand up to many award-winning, cult-style wines. They’ve been getting lots of well-deserved attention ever since their initial release.
 
Eric believes that great wine begins in the vineyard, so every site that contributes to MFN gets farmed using organic or biodynamic practices for vines that live up to their full potential. The 2021 Blanc/Chardonnay has already earned a blockbuster 97-point score from Wine Advocate, calling it “an old-school style reminiscent of Napa” because of its rich, voluptuous mouthfeel and ripe stone fruit aromatics. At around $40, this wine is a big win for Cali-style Chardonnay fans.
 
MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
MFN BLANC CHARDONNAY
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2021
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The 2021 Chardonnay is very ripe in style with scents of banana chip, apple pie, jasmine, allspice and brown sugar. The full-bodied palate is packed with ripe, spicy fruits and plenty of refreshing acidity, and it finishes long with a satiny, mouth-coating texture. It’s an old-school style reminiscent of Napa that fans of ripe, oaked Chardonnays will enjoy.”
97 Points
2019 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

2019 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30-$40ChardonnayKevin VogtSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

SOJOURN

CHARDONNAY 2019
SONOMA COAST

2019 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
Sojourn Cellars was founded in 2001 as a first-class artisanal winery with a competitive drive to make limited bottlings from some of California’s most expressive and distinctive vineyards. The winery produces highly acclaimed Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa and Sonoma counties that seamlessly showcase the brilliance of each specially selected location.
 
The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a blend of Sangiacomo Vella Ranch, Durell Vineyard, Sangiacomo Roberts Road, and Gap’s Crown Vineyards, all known for their laser-focused expression of cool-climate characteristics. The 2019 growing season was similar to 2018, with mild weather, but yields were lower, which increased the overall concentration of the fruit, creating wines with impressive depth and complexity.
 
SOJOURN
CHARDONNAY 2019
SONOMA COAST
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“The 2019 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is a beauty that gives up a fresh, lively, medium-bodied style as well as textbook Chardonnay ripe orchard fruits, white flowers, and honeyed toast. I like its overall balance on the palate, it has good acidity, and outstanding length.”
93 Points
2020 Domaine Guerrin Saint Veran Le Clos Vessats White Burgundy

2020 Domaine Guerrin Saint Veran Le Clos Vessats White Burgundy

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyChardonnayFranceKevin Vogt

DOMAINE GUERRIN

SAINT-VERAN 2020
LE CLOS VESSATS
WHITE BURGUNDY

2020 Domaine Guerrin Saint Veran Le Clos Vessats White Burgundy
Nestled in the protected area between the Roche de Solutré and the Roche de Vergisson, Domaine Guerrin lies West of Mâcon in Southern Burgundy, in a region known for exceptional value. Founded in 1926, today the Estate is run by the fourth generation of the family with a passionate, respectful, and responsible philosophy that promotes the terroir from their vineyards in Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, and Mâcon-Vergisson.
 
Saint-Véran is known for its Chardonnay with a harmoniously round and fresh balance of stone fruit, floral, and mineral notes similar to its neighbor, Pouilly-Fuissé. The 2020 “Le Clos Vessats” comes from a unique plot on clay-limestone soils giving ripe, rich fruit aged in stainless steel to preserve the fruit’s purity and is meant to be enjoyed now and for the next four to five years.
 
DOMAINE GUERRIN
SAINT-VERAN 2020
LE CLOS VESSATS
WHITE BURGUNDY
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“The Domaine Guerrin & Fils 2020 Saint-Véran ‘Le Clos Vessats’ opens with decadent notes of orange blossom, acacia, honeydew melon, toast, roasted almonds, and wet stones. On the palate, the wine has a seamless, rich texture balanced by crisp acidity, with flavors of golden apple, pear, pineapple, and vanilla. This wine is excellent with or without food, on a cold or hot day, any time of the day.”
94 Points