2018 Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2018 Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

with No Comment $50-$60Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

SADDLEBACK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE 2018

2018 Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
Nils Venge was the first American winemaker to earn a 100-point score in 1985 with the Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, establishing a pedestal of quality winemaking that few others have achieved. He established Saddleback Cellars in the late 1970s from vineyards situated on 14 acres behind Opus One, where the soils and climate combine to produce grapes of regal qualities.
 
The estate hasn’t changed much since Nils first began growing grapes, and that’s just the way nature intended it to be. Napa’s 2018 vintage delivered pristine conditions for producing superior wines that make a powerful statement and earning an overall vintage rating of 99 Points from The Wine Spectator, matched only by Napa Valley’s 1997 vintage.
 
SADDLEBACK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE 2018
Retails at: $78
 
 
 
“The 2018 Saddleback Cellars Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon opens with sultry notes of violets, cassis, black cherry, black plum, cardamom, and petrichor. On the palate, the wine’s rich, penetrating core expresses flavors of blackberry tart and chocolate gelato with a delightfully balancing acidity and long finish. This wine is incredible right now and has a solid structure for aging, rendering years of pleasure-filled drinking experiences.”
94 Points
2018 MaCo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 MaCo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

MaCo

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 MaCo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Expert viticulturist Roberto Corona and wine aficionado Jesus Maciel created a dynamic equilibrium when they founded MaCo Vineyards in 2009. They’ve since developed a standard of excellence for Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll District. The vineyards are located on the western side of Silverado Trail near Soda Canyon Road, facing east, receiving copious amounts of California sunshine before being cooled nightly by the region’s breezes from the San Pablo Bay, helping maintain a bright acidity.
 
The second generation of MaCo Vineyards, Alvaro Camacho, pulled up to our tasting in his farm truck to present his family’s wines to our tasting panel, making it evident that he was serious about the MaCo Vineyards legacy. 2018 in Napa was a vintage for the record books, and MaCo’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon impressed us as soon as the bottle was opened, signaling a promising future for years to come.
 
MaCo
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $100
 
 
 
“The 2018 MaCo Cabernet Sauvignon opens with notes of lavender, blueberry, blackberry jam, black currants, wet stones, cloves, and earth. On the palate, flavors of black raspberry, marionberry pie, and cocoa are concentrated and balanced by fresh acidity. This wine’s fine-grained tannic structure and intensity promise longevity and the ability to evolve in the cellar if you have the patience to do so.
94-95 Points
2018 AXR Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 AXR Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaSaint HelenaUSA

AXR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 AXR Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
AXR’s historic estate in St. Helena sits at the base of the Mayacamas range, where sedimentary soils accumulated from thousands of years of runoff, resulting in a geography that produces wines of enviable character. The mastermind behind their wines is Jean Hoefliger, who’s drawn experience working in the cellars at Chateau Carbonnieux and Chateau Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux, bringing a Grand Cru Classé element to his new-world wines.
 
The 2018 AXR Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon exemplifies the estate’s benchmark style with powerful, lush tannins and rich flavors, arising from a vintage the Wine Spectator describes as “spectacular.” If you’re looking for a pedigreed, super high-scoring Napa Valley Cabernet under $100, this one’s pretty darn incredible.
 
AXR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $88
 
Your Price: $79.99
 
 
“Wonderful aromas of currants, plums, lavender, slate and violets follow through to a full body with tight, chewy tannins that are polished and beautiful. Lovely texture and firmness to the opulent, vivid fruit. Opulence with form. Give this at least four or five years to come together. A blend of key single vineyards. Try after 2024.”
97 Points
 
“Refined in rich red fruit, savory spice and bolts of black pepper, this lovely appellation wine shows a roundedness and length—the tannins sweet and well integrated. Dark-plum, cherry and mocha flavors layer atop the smooth texture, providing tremendous quality and complexity for the price.”
95 Points, Editors’ Choice
2018 Wightman Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2018 Wightman Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

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

WIGHTMAN

PINOT NOIR 2018
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2018 Wightman Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
The Russian River Valley produces some of California’s most distinguished Pinot Noirs due to the sandy loam and Goldridge soils and their proximity to the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean. Wightman’s founder and vintner Justin Harmon worked under 100 Point winemaker Russell Bevan for several years, honing his craft, so he understands how to capture the texture and intensity of the region’s terroir with its opulent, ripe fruit, fresh acidity, and spice.
 
Justin sourced the fruit for this outstanding Pinot Noir from an assortment of Heritage clones: Wadenswil, Pommard, and Martini, harvested from vineyards in the rugged hills on the edge of the Russian River AVA. The wine was aged for 16 months in 30% new French oak giving some spice but allowing the beautiful fruit to shine, making a grand impression on our tasting panel. Now, we can’t wait to share it with you.
 
WIGHTMAN
PINOT NOIR 2018
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $49
 
 
 
“The Wightman Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2018 begins with a nose that includes cotton-candied raspberries, cola bean, delicate fresh green herbs, light florals, and cinnamon hints. The palate has bright, elegantly concentrated red cherry/berry fruit with a liquid saline complexity, hints of toasty oak, and a beautiful combination of fruit extraction and mouth quenching acidity. This release is a lovely, classic Russian River Valley Pinot Noir that is ready to drink now but will cellar nicely over the next eight years.”
93 Points
2018 Wayfarer Pnot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard Fort Ross Seaview

2018 Wayfarer Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard Fort Ross Seaview

with No Comment $90-$100Fort Ross SeaviewKevin VogtPinot NoirSonomaUSA

WAYFARER

PINOT NOIR
WAYFARER VINEYARD
FORT ROSS-SEAVIEW 2018 

2018 Wayfarer Pnot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard Fort Ross Seaview
Throughout his career, acclaimed Napa Valley vintner Jayson Pahlmeyer became increasingly enamored by Burgundian wines, leading him to search for the world’s finest vineyards for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the early 1990s. After a deal fell through in Burgundy, Jayson’s winemaker Helen Turley brought him to an organic farm for sale on the extreme Sonoma Coast that she felt had all the essential elements to be the ‘La Tache of California.’
 
Jayson purchased the property in 1998, and legendary viticulturist David Abreu planted the Wayfarer vineyard in 2002. The fruit was initially blended into Russian River fruit for the Pahlmeyer label until 2012, when the exceptionally high quality of the harvest demanded a brand of its own. Each block for the 2018 vintage was handpicked before sunrise and hand-sorted to guarantee only the healthiest grapes selected, producing elegantly structured wines with intense flavors, bright acidity, and incredible precision.
 
WAYFARER
PINOT NOIR
WAYFARER VINEYARD
FORT ROSS-SEAVIEW 2018 
 
Your Price: $98
 
 
“The 2018 Pinot Noir Wayfarer Vineyard has a medium ruby color and slowly opening perfume of garrigue, dried orange peel, prosciutto and rose petals with mineral-laced cranberry and red and black berry fruits. The medium-bodied palate, grainy and incredibly fresh, slowly gains in flavor amplitude and nuance in the mouth, ending in a fanfare of spicy detail.”
98+ Points
 
“…This deeper ruby/purple-hued effort offers an awesome bouquet of black raspberries, scorched earth, toasted spices, and flowery incense. It’s rich, medium to full-bodied, and a stunning effort.. Bravo!”
96 Points
2018 Alex Gambal Bourgogne Aligote Burgundy

2018 Alex Gambal Bourgogne Aligote Burgundy

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyFranceKevin VogtWhites

ALEX GAMBAL 

BOURGOGNE ALIGOTE
BURGUNDY 2018

2018 Alex Gambal Bourgogne Aligote Burgundy
Burgundy is synonymous with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; however, a few vineyards grow lesser-known varieties, such as Aligoté. It takes a lot to stand up to the quality and hierarchy of the region. Still, Aligoté currently represents six percent of plantings in Burgundy, and it’s beginning to make a comeback thanks to increased knowledge in the vineyard, restricting yields and creating more intensely captivating fruit.
 
Vines aged 25 to 40 years in the southern part of the Côte d’Or in Auxey-Durresses are the source of the concentrated, complex fruit for this profound example of Aligote. The grapes are hand-picked, fermented in neutral oak, and aged for 12 months, adding body to the light, refreshing nature of the variety.
 
ALEX GAMBAL 
BOURGOGNE ALIGOTE
BURGUNDY 2018
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“The Alex Gambal 2018 Bourgogne Aligoté opens with fresh notes of elderflower, honeycomb, lime zest, a hint of vanilla, brioche, and bright minerality. On that palate, the wine has a crisp acidity with flavors of green apple, lemon, and pastry dough. The invigorating style of this wine makes it very easy to sip in the afternoon, especially on a warm summer day.”
94 Points
2018 Bibbiano Chianti Classico Riserva

220520 2018 Bibbiano Chianti Classico Riserva

with No Comment $30-$40ChiantiChiantiKevin VogtTuscanyUSA

BIBBIANO

CHIANTI CLASSICO
RISERVA 2018

2018 Bibbiano Chianti Classico Riserva
Tenuta di Bibbiano lies in the historic center of the Chianti Classico DOCG, where wine has been a part of the culture for thousands of years. Two brothers, Tommaso and Federico Marrocchesi Marzi, own the winery, and their family has lived on the property for over 150 years in harmony with nature by incorporating organic farming methods.
 
The University of Florence helped identify several different soil types and aspects used to select the proper indigenous clone for each site, with Sangiovese Grosso reigning supreme. The Chianti Classico Riserva is 100% Sangiovese Grosso aged 18 months, half in concrete and half in French oak, creating a balanced integration of complex flavors and offering remarkable quality at this price level.
 
BIBBIANO
CHIANTI CLASSICO
RISERVA 2018
 
Your Price: $34
 
 
“Iron and sanguine elements complement cherry and plum flavors in this old-school red. Loam, tobacco and leafy underbrush elements mingle with dense, dusty tannins as this unwinds through the finish. Best from 2023 through 2032. 420 cases imported”
92 Points
2018 Waterstone Merlot Napa Valley

2018 Waterstone Merlot Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosKevin VogtMerlotNapaUSA

WATERSTONE

MERLOT 2018
NAPA VALLEY

2018 Waterstone Merlot Napa Valley

Founded on a singular goal to craft luxury wines at affordable prices by putting enological knowledge at the forefront, Waterstone Winery launched in 2000. The quality of their wines and brand’s success centers on relationships with some of Napa Valley’s best growers and long-term grape growing contracts throughout Napa Valley.
The Truchard Vineyard in Carneros ascends into the Mayacamas mountains with low-yielding vines that give this Merlot ultimate character, complexity, and freshness. The extra-long hang-time in the 2018 vintage created dynamic flavors and aromas, retained bright acidity, and provided a solid structure for this wine to stand the test of time.
WATERSTONE
MERLOT 2018
NAPA VALLEY
Your Price: $29.99
“The Waterstone 2018 Merlot opens with enticing aromas of red plum, black cherry, clove, mocha, cinnamon, and crushed rocks. On the palate, the wine’s intense depth coats the mouth with flavors of blackberry, milk chocolate, and sweet baking spices. The round mouthfeel and sultry texture warm your soul like a cashmere sweater on a cool, breezy night.”
93 Points
2018 Tinazzi Collezione Di Famiglia Verona Corvina

2018 Tinazzi Collezione Di Famiglia Verona Corvina

with No Comment $30-$40CorvinaItalyKevin Vogt

TINAZZI

COLLEZIONE DI FAMIGLIA
VERONA CORVINA 2018

2018 Tinazzi Collezione Di Famiglia Verona Corvina
Corvina is an Italian grape variety with an integral role in all Valpolicella wines, including Amarone, which must include a minimum of 45% in their blends. This late-ripening variety is low in tannin and high in acidy. Tinazzi’s version is varietally characteristic, manifested with bright cherry, transitioning to juicy dark cherry, spice, and classic hints of almond, a signature of the variety.
 
Located near Verona in Northern Italy, Tinazzi sits in the heart of where the Corvina grape reigns supreme. Proprietor Gian Andrea Tinazzi is passionate about accurately expressing territorial character in his wines, and his Corvina from Verona is a classic example. Fans of juicy Rhone blends, Zinfandel, and Valpolicella wines (and well, anybody with a pulse) would love this 96 Point Red, especially at $25.
 
TINAZZI
COLLEZIONE DI FAMIGLIA
VERONA CORVINA 2018
 
Your Price: $25
 
 
“Deep bright red; Ample and harmonious, ranging from red fruits to spices; Velvety, persistent and full, with great harmony.”
96 Points, Luca Maroni
 
“The 2018 Tinazzi Verona Corvina is concentrated with juicy fruit aromas such as cranberries, red cherries, and black raspberries with spicy hints of cardamom, nutmeg, white pepper, and dried oregano. This medium to full-bodied wine is fresh and delightful with soft tannins and a succulent finish. The depth and complexity of flavor this wine displays puts it on a well-deserved pedestal and can be enjoyed tonight and over the next few years.”
94 Points, #5 WCC Top 5 Wines of 2021
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