2017 Calistoga Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Soteros Vineyard Napa Valley

2017 Calistoga Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Sotero’s Vineyard Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSA

Calistoga Ranch

Cabernet Sauvignon
Sotero’s Vineyard
Napa Valley 2017

2017 Calistoga Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Soteros Vineyard Napa Valley

High above Calistoga’s quiet hillsides once stood a hidden vineyard known only to a privileged few. Sotero’s Vineyard was the crown jewel of Calistoga Ranch, its fruit reserved exclusively for members who understood that rarity often exists in silence. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon captures that lost world with haunting clarity, bringing a wine of profound purity and poise, now serving as the final voice of a place the wildfires took, but time could not erase.

Kirk Venge, one of Napa Valley’s most respected craftsmen, shaped this wine with his signature mix of intuition and precision. A third-generation vintner raised among vines and schooled in both science and soil, Venge brings a deep understanding of how to translate vineyard character into emotion. His work here reveals the full range of his skill, harnessing the natural intensity of mountain fruit and refining it with gentle patience.

Crafted exclusively from Cabernet Sauvignon and matured for two full years in French oak, the 2017 vintage achieves an elegant equilibrium of power and finesse. Cellared to perfection, it offers a soulful glimpse into a vineyard that no longer exists, yet speaks through every glass.

Calistoga Ranch
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sotero’s Vineyard
Napa Valley 2017
Retails at: $185

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“The Calistoga Ranch 2017 Napa Valley Sotero’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromatic depth and complexity, showing aromas of violets, blackberries, cherries, red currants, earth, nutmeg, and a hint of menthol. On the palate, the wine is beginning to show signs of graceful evolution with flavors of dark chocolate, graham cracker crust, mixed berry pie, and balsamic reduction. This wine balances richness with refinement, showcasing the classic generosity and structure of Calistoga Cabernet with fine, integrated tannins and a dusty, mineral finish.”

95 Points

2017 PureCru Sangio Vetta Napa Valley

2017 PureCru Sangio Vetta Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

PureCru

Sangio Vetta
Napa Valley 2017

2017 PureCru Sangio Vetta Napa Valley

PureCru’s Sangio Vetta offers a compelling invitation to wine enthusiasts seeking unique experiences. This wine, with its Brunello-like qualities, presents exceptional value for its remarkable quality. How does PureCru achieve this? Through the artistry of Mitch Cosentino, a seasoned winemaker with over four decades of expertise.

Recognized internationally, Mitch is a pioneer in Cal-Ital wines. His innovative approach seamlessly blends Old World elegance with New World intensity. Invited to speak at the inaugural World Conference for Nebbiolo, Mitch’s mastery is undeniable.

The 2017 Sangio Vetta honors this expertise. A blend of 81% Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc, it has been meticulously aged for 38 months in oak barrels. This extended aging period, reminiscent of the esteemed tradition of Brunello di Montalcino, ensures a rich and complex wine that rewards patient drinkers.

PureCru
Sangio Vetta
Napa Valley 2017
Retails at: $36

Your Price: $29.99

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“Some blood-orange character to the savory plums, dried cranberries and cloves on the nose. Nice salted plum and grapefruit on the palate, with a pleasant, chalky texture to the fine tannins. Juicy, with medium body. Delicious now.”

92 Points

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

2017 Justin Justification Red Paso Robles

2017 Justin Justification Red Paso Robles

with No Comment $50-$60Central CoastKevin VogtPaso RoblesProprietary RedUSA

JUSTIN

JUSTIFICATION RED
PASO ROBLES 2017

2017 Justin Justification Red Paso Robles
Justin Winery’s founders planted their first vineyards in 1981 on fossilized limestone soils with a similar composition as those in Bordeaux, stressing the vines and giving wines a wide range of character and depth of flavor. The winemaking philosophy combines Old World practices with New World technology to create world-class wines from Paso Robles’ unique microclimate, which includes the most significant difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures of any wine-growing region in California.
 
Justification highlights a Right Bank Bordeaux-style blend featuring Cabernet Franc and Merlot aged in 100% French oak barrels. The 2017 vintage is a full-bodied red with a beautiful combination of power and freshness, comprising 65% Cabernet Franc with 35% Merlot, making an excellent accompaniment with a wide range of foods and any occasion from a friendly barbecue to a candlelit dinner.
 
JUSTIN
JUSTIFICATION RED
PASO ROBLES 2017
Retails at: $62
 
 
 
“The 2017 Justification is a Right Bank-styled blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot. Medium to deep ruby-purple in color, it offers bright red and black cherry fruits with notions of garrigue, dried herbs, vanilla and cardamom. In the mouth, it’s medium to full-bodied, with slowly opening fruits and a firm, grainy frame. It has great lift and freshness and finishes long. An approachable, friendly style.”
92 Points
2017 Rocca Vesperra Napa Valley Red

2017 Rocca Vesperra Napa Valley Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSAYountville

ROCCA

VESPERRA 2017
NAPA VALLEY RED

2017 Rocca Vesperra Napa Valley Red
Rocca Family Vineyards’ team makes wines from two certified organic estate vineyards awarded Napa Green and Fish Friendly Farming. The Grigsby Vineyard in Yountville is the source of the lush fruit for the Vespera Red Blend, a hand selection of barrels highlighting the philosophy of sharing a bottle of wine with family and friends.
 
Vespera is the Latin word for “evening,” which perfectly represents a setting where loved ones share conviviality and joy without being pretentious. The 2017 vintage is 43% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Syrah, and Merlot, aged in French oak for 22 months. The wine is a diamond in the rough and an incredible value for a high-quality, hand-made Napa Valley Blend.
 
ROCCA
VESPERRA 2017
NAPA VALLEY RED
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“Charming nose of dark fruit, violets and chalk. Some chocolate, too. It’s medium-bodied and savory with an inky note and firm tannins. Energetic finish with fresh acidity. Drink or hold.”
91 Points
2017 Marques De Murrieta Finca Ygay Reserva Rioja Spain

2017 Marques De Murrieta Finca Ygay Reserva Rioja Spain

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtProprietary RedRiojaSpainTempranillo

MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA

FINCA YGAY RESERVA
RIOJA SPAIN 2017

2017 Marques De Murrieta Finca Ygay Reserva Rioja Spain
Luciano Murrieta was one of the first winemakers to establish a winery in Rioja after his studies in Bordeaux in 1852. He achieved worldwide recognition for his signature style of producing powerful, complex, and elegant wines. The Marqués de Murrieta Reserva is a traditional Riojan wine that embodies Luciano’s passion and pays tribute to one of Rioja’s pioneers.
 
The vineyards are located in Rioja Alta at 320 to 485 meters above sea level and are rooted in a traditional, iconic history with modern innovation. The 2017 Reserva is 82% Tempranillo, 9% Graciano, 6% Mazuelo, and 2% Garnacha aged 16 months in a mixture of new and used American oak with a year and a half in the bottle before release for a balanced integration and sophisticated drinkability.
 
MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA
FINCA YGAY RESERVA
RIOJA SPAIN 2017
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Incredible depth and intensity on the nose with chocolate, walnut, blackberry and wet-earth aromas. Some iodine, too. All this follows through to a full body with very silky tannins that give the wine depth and length. It’s really framed beautifully. Reserved and tight at the finish. A terrific wine for the cellar. Give this three to five years to open.” (Reviewed October 2021)
96 Points
2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

HEITZ CELLAR

NAPA VALLEY LOT C-91
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017

2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley
Joe Heitz introduced Napa Valley’s first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon from Martha’s Vineyard in the late 1950s, founded Heitz Cellar in 1961, and eight years later, he discovered he could create a wine with the qualities he desired most through site selection and assemblage. Since the inaugural vintage in 1969, Heitz Cellar has sourced fruit for Lot C-91 from premium parcels in St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, and Howell Mountain to create a complex, age-worthy wine with focus, depth, and length.
 
This historical cuvée has been released as an homage to Joe Heitz since his passing in 2000 and continues to incorporate his ideation of a complete, wholesome Napa Valley Cabernet. The 2017 Lot C-91 exudes elegance and power from superior site selection and expert blending, purposefully designed to guide the wine into a style that’s both stunning upon release and will stand the test of time.  
 
HEITZ CELLAR
NAPA VALLEY LOT C-91
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017
 
 
 
“Wow. Such a racy and exciting nose! This is quite agile and nimble, full of red and blue berries in the forefront, then complemented by spiced orange, earl grey, red plums, potpourri, savory plums and chocolate. Tense and elegant on the palate, which is all about succulent red berries, nuance and texture. Nothing redundant here. A great Napa cabernet sauvignon that has real definition. A beauty by all accounts!”
96 Points
2017 Worthy Sophias Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2017 Worthy Sophias Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

WORTHY

SOPHIA’S CUVEE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2017

2017 Worthy Sophias Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Worthy Sophia’s Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon is the second label of Axios, a premium Napa Cabernet producer named after the Greek word for ‘worthy.’ This Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend debuted in 2001 and has amassed a loyal following due to its ability to mirror qualities and characteristics that you’d expect from much higher-end bottlings. Sophia’s Cuvée is named after the proprietor’s daughter and is intricately fashioned around a Bordeaux-style blend by winemaker Robert Egelhoff.
 
Robert has prior experience as the Vineyard Manager for Beckstoffer Vineyards. He made wine for Bella Vista, Amizetta, and Robert Craig and crafted the Wine Spectator 1997 wine of the year, the David Arthur Elevation 1147 Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2017 Sophia’s Cuvée blends Cabernet Sauvignon with Petite Verdot and Merlot, providing incredible value in a wine from a winery with a strong pedigree for premier quality.
 
WORTHY
SOPHIA’S CUVEE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2017
 
 
 
“The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Worthy Sophia’s Cuvee is a very pretty wine for drinking now, as it is already showing the first signs of aromatic complexity and softening. Sweet tobacco, cedar, mind, dried flowers and plum are front and center in this forward, juicy Cabernet Sauvignon.”
90 Points
2017 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley

2017 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

SEQUUM

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
KIDD RANCH VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY 2017

2017 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley
Paul Skinner’s Ph.D. in viticulture and soil science combined with decades of experience consulting super-premium grape growing were the ideal foundation for launching his boutique wine brand Sequum in 2003. The name comes from a scientific term describing the soil layers, and it is the perfect name for his brand as he combines his love for science with his passion for wine.
 
Paul takes a hands-on approach to his Kidd Ranch vineyard, walking the rows each morning and evening to examine each vine, checking for optimum health and ensuring vitality. His 2017 Kidd Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon embodies his creatively scientific spirit with layers of dimensional complexity, concentration, and flawless structure that will please Cabernet drinkers for years to come.
 
SEQUUM
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
KIDD RANCH VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY 2017
Retails at: $75
 
 
 
“The Sequum 2017 Kidd Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon opens with concentrated aromas of violets, nutmeg, blackberry, black currant, earth, and mushroom. On the palate, the wine has velvety tannins and distinct layers of complex flavors such as black cherry, ripe plum, English toffee, dark chocolate, and savory spice. The wine has an impeccable balance between the intensity of flavors, level of tannin, and brightness, making this wine a treat to drink right now as well as giving it longevity in the bottle.”
94 Points
2017 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley

2017 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaSyrahUSA

SEQUUM

KIDD RANCH SYRAH
NAPA VALLEY 2017

2017 Sequum Syrah Kidd Ranch Napa Valley
After decades of consulting super-premium grape growing, Paul Skinner launched his Sequum label in 2003, which is now blended and bottled at Pride Mountain Vineyards. “Sequum” is a scientific term describing layers of soil, and it turned out to be the perfect name for Paul’s wines as he combined his Ph.D. background in viticulture and soil science with years of experience in the vineyard and his passion for wine.
 
Paul takes a hands-on approach to his Kidd Ranch vineyard, noting subtle changes in soil composition and planting vines onto corresponding rootstocks for optimum health and vitality. His 2017 Syrah is a prime example of his expertise, delivered in a pure, focused, and complex wine that speaks of its place of origin with varietal typicity.
 
SEQUUM
KIDD RANCH SYRAH
NAPA VALLEY 2017
Retails at: $54
 
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“Herbal, earthy and complex, this is a well-structured wine, rich and layered in blueberry and strawberry flavors. From a two-acre estate, it has length and breadth and is intensely flavorful, finishing in bolts of white and black pepper.”
92 Points