2018 Luce Brunello di Montalcino

2018 Luce Brunello di Montalcino

with No Comment $100 and overBrunelloBrunelloItalyKevin VogtTuscany

Luce

Brunello di Montalcino
Montalcino 2018

2018 Luce Brunello di Montalcino

In 1980, Brunello di Montalcino became Italy’s inaugural wine to receive the prestigious DOCG designation, solidifying its position as the crown jewel of Montalcino’s winemaking tradition. Nestled within Tuscany’s rolling hills, this enchanting village, where vineyards intertwine with ancient olive groves, boasts a unique microclimate that nurtures exceptional viticulture. Montalcino’s harmonious blend of landscape and heritage yields some of the world’s most celebrated wines.

At Tenuta Luce, each facet of the winemaking process is approached with profound respect for the land, the vineyards, and the artisans who bring it to life. The 2018 Luce Brunello di Montalcino embodies this dedication. Blessed by a temperate summer devoid of excessive rain or scorching heat, the grapes achieved optimal phenolic ripeness, developing layers of complexity. Following fermentation in cement tanks, the wine matured in Slavonian oak barrels, resulting in a luxuriously smooth red that encapsulates the richness and elegance of Montalcino.

Luce’s 2018 vintage offers a bold and captivating expression of the year, characterized by its “beautiful texture and balance,” as commended by James Suckling, a renowned Italian wine critic.

Luce
Brunello di Montalcino
Montalcino 2018
Retails at: $150

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“A finely structured and focused Brunello with a complex array of cherries, blackberries, dried roses, bark, licorice and hints of praline. Iodine and oyster shells, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, very fine tannins. Beautiful texture and balance. Remains fresh and fine until the end. Try in 2025.”

96 Points

2019 Pope Valley Winery Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2019 Pope Valley Winery Proprietary Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaPope ValleyProprietary RedUSA

POPE VALLEY WINERY

PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Pope Valley Winery Proprietary Red Napa Valley

Nestled in the northeastern hills beyond Howell Mountain in a quiet part of Napa Valley, Pope Valley Winery owns and farms eighty acres of premium vines. The winery’s pair of estate vineyards yield outstanding wines that embody the distinct qualities of the Pope Valley AVA. Each meticulously crafted wine adheres to the highest standards of winemaking excellence, placing them in a league that would typically command triple-digit prices among other Napa Valley wines.

The Director of Winemaking, Jean Hoefliger, works closely with Winemaker Greg Fitzgerald, combining their extensive expertise, passion, and inherent skill to craft top-tier wines, elevating the winery to a world-class standard. 

The 2019 Proprietary Red Wine is 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, both sourced from the Eakle Ranch Estate, giving the vineyard’s signature complexity from its Pleasanton loam and Bressa-Dibble soils that produce wines with distinctive, expressive character.

POPE VALLEY WINERY
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $48

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“The Pope Valley Vineyards Proprietary Red 2019 begins with a ripe nose of dark fruits, chocolate, sweet florals, and a touch of pie spice. The palate continues with wild blackberries, ripe cherries, a hint of vanilla, pencil lead, and dried herbs. The balance of sweet, ripe fruits balances savory characteristics that add to the complexity and depth. This wine finishes with a moderately long finish that will pair beautifully with smoked or grilled meats.

92 Points

 

2019 Erikson & Caradin Archer & Thorn Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2019 Erikson & Caradin Archer & Thorn Proprietary Red Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCalistogaKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSAYountville

ERIKSON & CARADIN

ARCHER & THORN
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Erikson & Caradin Archer & Thorn Proprietary Red Napa Valley

Erikson & Caradin proprietors are keenly aware that soil, elevation, and climate play crucial roles in fine wine production; however, expertise and ambition can take wine to the next level. Erikson & Caradin began in 2013, selling their small production to friends, and continue to remain craft-focused, with only around fifty barrels produced across eight different designations.

Their specialty is producing terroir-driven wines, which aligns with winemaker Kevin Morrisey’s skillset after interning at Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux before Stags’ Leap Winery, Etude, and Ehlers Estate. 

Based around a core of Cabernet Sauvignon, balanced with Merlot and Petite Sirah, the winery’s 2019 Archer & Thorn Proprietary Red, from Calistoga, Yountville, and Oakville, captures the essence of Napa Valley, delivered with penetrating fruit framed by firm tannins and remarkable balance. 

At $90, this wine earned well-deserved scores, but at $30, I’ll let you decide…

ERIKSON & CARADIN
ARCHER & THORN
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $90

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“Aromas of black cherries, plums, fresh herbs and fresh mint. Medium-to full-bodied with velvety tannins. Succulent black fruit with light dried-citrus character. Earthy herbal notes as well. Best after 2025.”

93 Points

2019 Bodegas Bianchi IV Generacion Single Block Malbec

2019 Bodegas Bianchi IV Generacion Single Block Malbec

with No Comment $40-$50ArgentinaKevin VogtMalbecUco Valley

BODEGAS BIANCHI

IV GENERACIÓN | SINGLE BLOCK
GRAN MALBEC 2019
VALLE DE UCO, ARGENTINA

2019 Bodegas Bianchi IV Generacion Single Block Malbec

Bodegas Bianchi’s roots trace back to 1928 when Valentin Bianchi achieved his dream of acquiring a vineyard in Argentina. Enzo, Valentin’s son, served as a visionary winemaker at the Estate for over fifty years, and his passion and unwavering commitment to continually elevating the quality of the estate created a lasting legacy. Notably, the family heritage and involvement in winemaking have contributed significantly to the quality and success of Argentine wines.

The IV Generación celebrates the fourth generation of the Bianchi family. The Gran Malbec comprises grapes from a single block in the Los Chacayes estate vineyard, producing a powerful expression of high-elevation Malbec. 

The final blend differs yearly as specific barrels are selected to represent each harvest. The 2019 vintage impressed our panel by perfectly balancing power and finesse with intense fruit concentration, elegant spice, and a silky finish.

BODEGAS BIANCHI
IV GENERACIÓN | SINGLE BLOCK
GRAN MALBEC 2019
VALLE DE UCO, ARGENTINA
Retails at: $55

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“One tremendously exceptional red. Spiced cedar, mulberry, and black tea join garden herbs and violets for an intense, yet juicy, red. Tannins are plush and a dot of white pepper seasons generous blackberry jam notes.”

97 Points

 

2019 Walter Hansel The South Slope Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2019 Walter Hansel The South Slope Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtPinot NoirRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

WALTER HANSEL

THE SOUTH SLOPE
PINOT NOIR 2019
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2019 Walter Hansel The South Slope Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

Consistently exceptional, Walter Hansel’s Pinot Noirs mirror qualities that you’d expect from California’s most elite Pinot Noir producers, doing so at a price that’s drawn many admirers. 

Walter Hansel had a penchant for horticulture early on and enlisted the help of his son, Stephen, to plant a half-acre of vines in the 1970s. During the next decade, the Hansel family would harvest their tiny vineyard, and produce two barrels, making about 50 cases of wine. 

The Estate now farms 80 acres of contiguous vineyards. The South Slope is at the highest elevation and southernmost plot, planted to Clone 777, known for giving wines a distinct earthiness. The 2021 South Slope Pinot Noir was fermented in stainless steel and aged 12 months in oak before release, earning 96 points from Vinous and highlighting “knock-out” qualities.

WALTER HANSEL
THE SOUTH SLOPE
PINOT NOIR 2019
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

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“The 2021 Pinot Noir The South Slope is a classic Steven Hansel wine. A rush of dark cherry, plum lavender, rose petal and licorice are all dialed up. This boisterous, exuberant Pinot Noir has a ton of character. Plush contours wrap it all together in style. The 2021 will be nearly impossible to resist on release. What a knock-out!”

96 Points

2019 Dievole Petrignano Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

2019 Dievole Petrignano Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

with No Comment $30 and underChiantiChiantiKevin VogtTuscanyUSA

DIEVOLE PETRIGNANO

CHIANTI CLASSICO
TUSCANY, ITALY 2019

2019 Dievole Petrignano Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

Dievole is a renowned winery in the heart of Tuscany in the Chianti Classico region near Castelnuovo Berardenga. Celebrated for exceptional wines and a commitment to sustainable winemaking practices, the estate has a rich history dating back to the 11th century.

The winery’s flagship wine, Dievole Chianti Classico DOCG, is outstanding and hails from the 2019 vintage, a year the Wine Spectator describes as producing “fresh, balanced reds with finesse and the structure to age.” 

Dievole’s Chianti Classico wines effortlessly showcase the region’s quintessential characteristics; combined with an outstanding growing season and the DOCG’s aging regulations, this wine is already shining brightly.

DIEVOLE PETRIGNANO
CHIANTI CLASSICO
TUSCANY, ITALY 2019

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“Petrignano is a new wine for Dievole, the result of the estate’s collaboration with Chilean soil specialist, Pedro Parra. It comes from a recently planted 15ha site between 300 and 330 metres above sea level, distinguished by an abundance of limestone near the surface. The nose is flinty and iron-speckled, giving way to sun-soaked wild berries. It balances the generous warmth of the south with freshness and long, chalky tannins, sneaking some vibrant acidity in there too.”

91 Points

2019 Diego Conterno Barolo Monforte D'Alba

2019 Diego Conterno Barolo Monforte D’Alba

with No Comment $50-$60BaroloBaroloItalyKevin VogtPiedmont

DIEGO CONTERNO

BAROLO 2019
MONFORTE D’ALBA

2019 Diego Conterno Barolo Monforte D'Alba

Under the mentorship of Piedmontese luminary winemaker Beppe Colla, Diego Conterno honed his winemaking skills at the Prunotto Winery. In 1982, he and his cousins started their winery, where Diego worked for nearly two decades, further developing his winemaking signature. 

In 2000, Diego began a winemaking journey all on his own with a five-acre plot in Ginestra, one of Barolo’s named cru growing sites. Today, Diego and his son Stefano run the winery, holding an esteemed reputation for producing Nebbiolo wines. 

The 2019 Barolo comes from a selection of fruit from estate vineyards in Bricco San Pietro, San Giovanni, and Ginestra, each vinified separately and aged to perfection in a combination of traditional botti and cement tank for 30 months. 

DIEGO CONTERNO
BAROLO 2019
MONFORTE D’ALBA

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“Lifted with blood orange citrus, the 2019 Barolo Del Comune Di Monforte D’Alba is spiced with clove, menthol, and cherry. It is medium to full bodied, with fine tannins, a fresh spine of acidity, and raspberry, dusty earth, and fresh peach. I love the balance of its structure and its refined texture. This is an outstanding effort to drink 2024-2044.”

95 Points

2019 Blacksmith Cabernet Sauvignon C.L.R.T. Napa Valley

2019 Blacksmith Cabernet Sauvignon C.L.R.T. Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

BLACKSMITH

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
C.L.R.T. NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Blacksmith Cabernet Sauvignon C.L.R.T. Napa Valley

Founded in 2003 by winemaker Matt Smith, Blacksmith Cellars carved its niche in the world of high-quality wines produced at a remarkable value. Driven by their balance, freshness, and sophisticated complexity, Blacksmith wines highlight the skill, expertise, and heritage integral to exceptional, autonomous winemaking. 

Emerging from Napa Valley, where Cabernet prices regularly top $100 and up per bottle, Blacksmith’s C.L.R.T. stands out, representing unparalleled value in this premium, high-priced area.

C.L.R.T. comes from the term “claret,” a centuries-old British term used for Bordeaux wines, centering on the primary red varieties of the famous, historic region. 

The 2019 vintage results from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, aged in French oak, and defines value in an area known for premium Cabernet Sauvignon.

BLACKSMITH
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
C.L.R.T. NAPA VALLEY 2019

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“The Blacksmith C.L.R.T. Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 begins with a nose with briary ripe blackberries, mocha, nutmeg, pie spices, and light florals. The palate continues with black currants, dried prunes, cherry Luden’s cough drops, baker’s chocolate, and cloves. It is ripe on the palate with penetrating fruit, rich flavors, complex aromas, and a medium-long finish. It’s always great to find a ridiculous value in Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.”

93 Points

2019 Maroon Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville

2019 Maroon Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonCoombsvilleKevin VogtNapaUSA

MAROON

SPECIAL RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
COOMBSVILLE 2019

2019 Maroon Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville

Paul Maroon acquired 37 acres in Coombsville over two decades ago, supplying grapes to Napa Valley’s leading wineries until 2009, when he ventured into crafting the inaugural vintage of Maroon. Coombsville gained AVA status in 2011, swiftly earning acclaim for its cooler climate, which imparts sophistication and elegant structure to its wines in the southern reaches of Napa Valley.

Maroon Estate’s 17 acres of vines reside in a bowl-shaped depression at the base of Mount George, an extinct volcano. This site provides a patchwork of rocky volcanic soil and fertile gravelly loams, ensuring efficient drainage and optimal water supply for the vines, culminating in impeccably balanced wines. 

The 2019 Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon arose from 30-year-old vines and some younger vines, providing a wide range of complex flavors and aromas, highlighting the exceptional vintage from Napa’s most celebrated new subregion.

MAROON
SPECIAL RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
COOMBSVILLE 2019
Retails at: $174

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“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of blackberry pie, black cherry preserves, and warm cassis leap from the glass, leading to wafts of violets, mint tea, and tar with a hint of licorice. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully soft-spoken and savory, with nice, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness to support, finishing long and mineral-laced.”

95 Points

2019 Rustenberg John X Merriman Red Blend Simonsberg South Africa

2019 Rustenberg John X Merriman Red Blend Simonsberg South Africa

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtProprietary RedSouth Africa

RUSTENBERG 

JOHN X MERRIMAN 
RED BLEND 2019
SIMONSBERG, SOUTH AFRICA

2019 Rustenberg John X Merriman Red Blend Simonsberg South Africa

In the Stellenbosch region of South Africa, the historic Rustenberg Estate has a rich history dating back to the late 17th century. The Estate has consistently maintained its reputation for producing high-quality wines from the 600 million-year-old soils of the Stellenbosch Mountains. This ancient terroir imparts captivating mineral hints attributed to the decomposed granite soils and achieves exceptional quality when crafted with precision.

The John X Merriman Red gets its name from the Estate’s former owner, who played a prominent role in revitalizing the area and promoting the tourism and agricultural value of Stellenbosch. 

The wine is a Bordeaux-styled blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and in the 2019 vintage, is accentuated with Malbec and Petit Verdot from a small yield that is aging wonderfully.

RUSTENBERG 
JOHN X MERRIMAN 
RED BLEND 2019
SIMONSBERG, SOUTH AFRICA

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“Dark cherries, plums, chocolate, grilled herbs and cigar box on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with fine, creamy tannins. Succulent, fruity and delicious with lingering chocolate notes. Merlot, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and petit verdot. Sustainable. Drink or hold.”

92 Points