2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza

2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza

with No Comment $40-$50ArgentinaKevin VogtMalbecUco Valley

TAPIZ

BLACK TEARS MALBEC
MENDOZA 2018

2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza
The state-of-the-art Tapiz Winery sits in a prime region of Mendoza’s Uco Valley at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, where their vineyards are some of the highest in the world. Their estate vines are carved into slopes as high as 4,600 feet elevation, producing some of the region’s most stunning wines due to the altitude and intense sunlight, ensuring fresh acidity and deep color.
 
Jean Claude Berrouet produced 44 historical vintages at Petrus and today works with Fabian Valenzuela, who has over 20 years of winemaking experience in Mendoza, creating wines that are an intricate tapestry (tapiz) of the Uco Valley terroir. The 2018 Black Tears Malbec comes from 20-year-old estate vines that were hand-harvested and aged 24 months in new French oak, giving a refined integration of oak spice with delicious ripe fruit flavors of the country’s most prized variety.
 
TAPIZ
BLACK TEARS MALBEC
MENDOZA 2018
Retails at: $55
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Deep blue and black fruit here, with floral, spicy and balsamic accents. Brooding and complex. You have to fathom the power of tannin on the palate, as the texture is so ultra-fine and polished. But don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of tannins here, only so seamless that they make it taste so effortless. Naturally concentrated, juicy and long. Delicious now, but you can hold for added complexity.”
96 Points
2018 Ritual Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley Chile

2018 Ritual Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley Chile

with No Comment $30 and underChileKevin VogtPinot Noir

RITUAL

PINOT NOIR 2018
CASABLANCA VALLEY, CHILE

2018 Ritual Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley Chile
Ritual’s organic estate in the Casablanca Valley sits just a few miles from the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean, where a Humboldt current creates early morning fog and breezes ideal for Pinot Noir. The vineyards are surrounded by 6000 acres of forest promoting biodiversity and sustainability in the environment.
 
The grapes were hand harvested and double sorted before fermentation, in which a portion of the fruit is whole-cluster fermented, adding extra spice and tannin. The 2018 growing season saw significant rainfall in the winter and moderate temperatures throughout the season, resulting in a long hang time that guaranteed full physiological ripeness and intense flavor profiles.
 
RITUAL
PINOT NOIR 2018
CASABLANCA VALLEY, CHILE
 
Your Price: $24
 
“Nuanced fragrance, full of racy raspberries, mossy berries, forest floor and spices. Elegant, but deep. Smooth, round and subtle on the palate. So much poise, showcasing fine, pinot character. From organically grown grapes. Drink now or hold.”
93 Points
2018 Paradise Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Select Sonoma County

2018 Paradise Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Select Sonoma County

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

PARADISE RIDGE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
BARREL SELECT 2018
ROCKPILE, SONOMA COUNTY

2018 Paradise Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Select Sonoma County
Intensely focused on sustainable viticulture, Paradise Ridge Winery’s team takes it to the nth degree by calling on sheep for weed abatement and natural fertilization. They meticulously care for each vine using strategic canopy management, cover crops, and a focus on biodiversity, promoting healthy vineyards. This considerable commitment flows through every aspect of wine production when seasoned Sonoma County winemaker Dan Barwick guides the grapes from vine to bottle, crafting elegant, age-worthy wines with a site-specific identity.
 
Their Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon arose from 7 unique blocks from sustainably farmed Rockpile and Branham Vineyards in the northwest corner of Sonoma County inside the Rockpile AVA. It’s called Rockpile for its rocky soils consisting of sandstone and shale at 2,000 feet above sea level, producing concentrated wines with refreshing acidity. The 2018 vintage saw a mild summer without significant heat spells that continued into the autumn, allowing the tannins to achieve ideal ripeness and full flavor evolution for a perfectly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon.
 
PARADISE RIDGE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
BARREL SELECT 2018
ROCKPILE, SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“The Paradise Ridge Barrel Select Rockpile Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 begins with a deep, sultry nose of wild red and black berries, bramble, green herbs, espresso grounds, and kitchen spices. It continues on the palate with beautifully focused, concentrated red currants, mountain blackberries, cocoa powder, and crushed stone. Mouth-quenching acidity and crunchy tannins support the bright, juicy fruit. The penetrating flavors and long finish stay with you on the palate for nearly a minute.”
93+ Points
2018 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

2018 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

with No Comment $80-$90Alexander ValleyCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtSonomaUSA

SILVER OAK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2018

2018 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
Driven by the belief that their best wines are still ahead, Silver Oak’s steadfast focus is on Cabernet Sauvignon aged exclusively in American oak and guided by sustainability and precision viticulture. Silver Oak’s team utilizes precision viticulture to understand each vine’s status in real time, making informed farming decisions on a block-by-block basis. These tools are centered around consistency and are detectable in their wine. 
 
Their 2018 vintage epitomizes their commitments and distinctive style with concentrated dark fruits, vanilla, fresh dill, and Kalamata olives. Arriving from the 2018 growing season, Silver Oak aged this wine for 24 months in American white oak barrels, creating a classic expression of Silver Oak’s distinctive style that’s delightful now, and will provide enjoyment for years to come.
 
SILVER OAK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2018
 
Your Price: $89.99
 
 
“Ruby in color, the 2018 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has notes of cassis, caramel, juniper and pomegranate. Lifted and vibrant on the nose, this wine is fresh on the palate with a juicy, fruit-forward core. Its silky mouthfeel will provide drinking pleasure through 2044 given proper cellaring.”
2018 Waits-Mast Pinot Noir Mariah Vineyard Mendocino Ridge

2018 Waits-Mast Pinot Noir Mariah Vineyard Mendocino Ridge

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtMendocino RidgePinot NoirSonomaUSA

WAITS-MAST

PINOT NOIR 2018
MARIAH VINEYARD
MENDOCINO RIDGE

2018 Waits-Mast Pinot Noir Mariah Vineyard Mendocino Ridge
Waits-Mast Cellars began in 2005, crafting their first barrel of Pinot Noir, and within two years, Brian Mast and Jennifer Waits watched their dreams become a reality with their boutique brand focused on high-quality Pinot Noir. Shalini Sekar joined the team as the winemaker in 2013 and came from a background in music with a Master’s Degree in Flute and Piccolo Performance but shifted her focus to studying Enology and Viticulture and sharpened her skills at Williams-Selyem and Copain Custom Crush.
 
The Mariah Vineyard is sustainably farmed and found in the Mendocino Ridge AVA at 2300 feet above sea level, resulting in more sunlight hours because of its position above the fog layer. The 106-case production 2018 vintage has a density not seen in previous vintages with an intensely bright color and layers of complexity that begin to unfold as soon as a glass is poured and continues into the long, complex finish.
 
WAITS-MAST
PINOT NOIR 2018
MARIAH VINEYARD
MENDOCINO RIDGE
Retails at: $47
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“Quite flavorful and nicely structured, this well-concentrated wine grown at 2,300 feet in elevation is worth keeping to enjoy how it develops over time. Engaging raspberry, red cherry and redwood aromas are followed by mouthfilling, ripe black fruit flavors on a full body braced by moderate, fine-grained tannins. Best from 2026.”
95 Points “Cellar Selection”
2018 Domaine Eden Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains

2018 Domaine Eden Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains

with No Comment $30-$40Central CoastKevin VogtPinot NoirSanta CruzSanta Cruz MountainsUSA

DOMAINE EDEN

PINOT NOIR 2018
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS

2018 Domaine Eden Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains
Domaine Eden is an estate owned by iconic Santa Cruz Mountains producer Mount Eden vineyards that focuses on high-quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production. Their team adheres to strict sustainable farming standards, producing small, concentrated yields of remarkable fruit. The vineyards are planted with Dijon clones 777, 667, and 828 and the historic California clones Mount Eden, Calera, and Swan, resulting in remarkably complex, aromatically indulgent wines that have become a signature of the brand.
 
Indigenous yeasts carry out the fermentation in French Burgundian barrels without fining, filtration, or manipulation, allowing complete transparency and purity true to the varietal. The 2018 Pinot Noir lives up to its sister winery’s hierarchy with a suave mouthfeel and polished balance reflective of the site’s terroir in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
 
DOMAINE EDEN
PINOT NOIR 2018
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Gamy aromas of roasted pork and a wet stone mineraliy surround the plush cranberry fruit on the nose of this bottling. There’s a floral edge to the palate, from rose petal to violet, as well as light red-currant and more game flavors.”
93 Points
2018 Arkenstone NVD Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 Arkenstone NVD Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonHowell MountainKevin VogtNapaUSA

ARKENSTONE

NVD CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Arkenstone NVD Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
The Arkenstone Estate Vineyard at 1400 feet on Howell Mountain consists of 13 acres of vines divided into 22 separate vineyard blocks, providing winemaker Sam Kaplan with the necessary components for crafting magnificent high-elevation Cabernet Sauvignon that competes with the best in the Valley. Sam’s winemaking philosophy centers around elegance and balance, utilizing hands-on organic farming, limited yields, and harvesting at uniform ripeness, resulting in cellar-worthy wines that are delicious upon release.
 
The NVD is the newest addition to the winery’s production from the steep slopes of the volcanic soils in the Vaca range, providing a supreme balance between the concentrated mountain fruit and minerality. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is an excellent representation of the superior quality that put Napa on the international wine map, and the 2018 vintage is showing brilliantly.
 
ARKENSTONE
NVD CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018
 
Your Price: $95
 
 
 
“One of winemaker Sam Kaplan’s finest showings from a lineup of 15 wines across his consulting clients, which include Vida Valiente, Memento Mori, Vangone and Maxem, his own label. This 100% Cabernet is a blend of grapes from Pritchard Hill, Howell Mountain and Calistoga. Aged 22 months in 75% new French oak it delivers heady aromas of cinnamon-dusted black cherry and ripe blueberry, an intriguing herbal note and ground espresso. The structured palate is broad and plush with red boysenberries, savoury black olives, leather and a refreshing herbal note. It glides to a chocolate finish, supported by fine-grained, sappy tannins.
Drinking Window 2021 – 2040.”
98 Points
 
“….made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, 80% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose reveals notes of warm plums, baked black currants and black cherries with suggestions of clove oil, black tea, Chinese five spice and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with firm, crunchy black berry flavors with bags of freshness and plush tannins, finishing with compelling energy…”
94 Points
 
2018 Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley

2018 Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

JOSEPH JEWELL

PINOT NOIR 2018
HALLBERG VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2018 Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley
Joseph Jewell wines are known for their approachability, balance, and natural varietal character derived from small, independently owned vineyard sites in Humboldt and Sonoma Counties that focus on sustainable farming practices. Owner and winemaker Adrian Jewell Manspeaker was delighted to begin working with the Hallberg Vineyard in 2010 and has produced this single-vineyard Pinot Noir ever since. Hallberg is a longtime vineyard source for Gary Farrell and Emeritus, both great producers.
 
The Hallberg Vineyard is known for its dry-farmed Gold Ridge soils that encourage deep root propagation, giving fruit with increased depth and complexity of flavors. This 2018 vintage is a prime example of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, highlighting the vineyard’s earthy terroir and opulent fruit that will leave your taste buds craving more.
 
JOSEPH JEWELL
PINOT NOIR 2018
HALLBERG VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The Joseph Jewell Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2018 begins with an elegant nose of fresh raspberries, dried cranberries, cola bean, French lavender, and sweet vanilla. A supple, opulent palate follows with integrated flavors of pomegranate, red cherries, delicate fresh herbs, and a liquid saline complexity. This bottling is a lush, penetrating wine with depth and lots of character and length that rates as another fantastic Pinot Noir from Joseph Jewell.”
94 Points
2018 Gorman Proprietary Red Zacharys Ladder Red Mountain WA

2018 Gorman Proprietary Red Zachary’s Ladder Red Mountain WA

with No Comment $30-$40Columbia ValleyKevin VogtProprietary RedUSAWashington State

GORMAN

ZACHARY’S LADDER
PROPRIETARY RED
RED MOUNTAIN, WA 2018

2018 Gorman Proprietary Red Zacharys Ladder Red Mountain WA
Chris Gorman has over 30 years of experience in the wine industry, working as an importer for several years before switching gears into wine production. He made several small batches of wine before going commercial in 2002, establishing Gorman Winery and releasing the first vintage of Zachary’s Ladder, highlighting Washington State’s Columbia Valley wine region.
 
The fruit for this Proprietary Red was grown in the Red Mountain AVA, located in Eastern Washington inside the larger Columbia Valley Region, an area recognized for some of the state’s most extraordinary wines. The 2018 Zachary’s Ladder is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend aged in neutral French oak for 20 months, allowing the fruit to be the main focus of this full-bodied, supple, beautifully structured red wine.
 
GORMAN
ZACHARY’S LADDER
PROPRIETARY RED
RED MOUNTAIN, WA 2018
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“The 2018 Zachary’s Ladder is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend that includes 15% Syrah and 5% Petit Verdot. It offers loads of darker fruits as well as notes of peppery herbs, violets, and spring flowers. It has a kiss of classy oak, is medium to full-bodied, and has a plush, mouth-filling texture. As with all of Chris’s wines, it brings the richness and texture yet stays beautifully balanced.”
93 Points
 
“It seems that 2018 was a bountiful vintage, and this wine offers its cornucopia of fruit. Cherry- and raspberry-gummy aromas are followed by plump, rounded fruit flavors that show impressive depth, layering and plenty of structure to support it all.”
92 Points, Editors’ Choice
 
“This broad-shouldered red offers both chutzpah and style. The backbone shows a density that’s typical of Red Mountain, suggesting time in the cellar, yet there’s just enough rich blackberry, cedar and mineral accents to make this approachable. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2027.”
92 Points
2018 Shafer Relentless Syrah Napa Valley

2018 Shafer Relentless Syrah Napa Valley

with No Comment $90-$100Kevin VogtNapaSyrahUSA

SHAFER 

RELENTLESS SYRAH
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Shafer Relentless Syrah Napa Valley
Shafer’s Relentless Syrah made its debut in 1999 before capturing three spots on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list, including the #1 ranking in 2012. Now in its 20th vintage, this spectacular Syrah/Petite Sirah blend continues to steal the show with its intensely captivating, indulgent style and consistently stratospheric scores from numerous critics.
 
Named for Shafer’s longtime winemaker Elias Fernandez’s relentless dedication to high-quality winemaking, this wine is an individual selection of only the top-quality fruit, just like the Hillside Select. The blend changes each year, and the 2018 vintage is 76% Syrah with 24% Petite Sirah, but what remains the same is the wine’s bold, polished style that’s been consistent for over two decades.
 
SHAFER 
RELENTLESS SYRAH
NAPA VALLEY 2018
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“A young wine with superb depth and polish that shows great depth and brightness. Full and focused with blue fruit and long, fine tannins that are compact and energetic. Slate. Graphite. Sophisticated and curated. So beautiful to try now, but be patient and open after 2026.”
97 Points
 
“…the 2018 Relentless looks to be just about sensational, offering a dense purple color as well as rich, loaded notes of blackberries, currants, smoked meats, peppery spice, and violets. Reminding me of a great Cornas on steroids with its gamy, exotic character paired with beautiful richness, it has fabulous purity, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. This will undoubtedly be a great vintage for this cuvée, and my money is on it being one of the best yet.”
96-98 Points