2020 Foxen Chenin Blanc Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Santa Maria

2020 Foxen Chenin Blanc Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Santa Maria

with No Comment $30 and underCentral CoastChenin BlancKevin VogtSanta Maria ValleyUSA

FOXEN

2020 CHENIN BLANC
ERNESTO WICKENDEN VINEYARD
SANTA MARIA VALLEY
2020 Foxen Chenin Blanc Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Santa Maria
Foxen’s Chenin Blanc comes from one of the oldest plots of Chenin Blanc in the United States, the Ernesto Wickenden vineyard, planted in 1966. Located inside the Santa Maria Valley AVA, the vineyard benefits from the cool air that funnels in from the Pacific Ocean to the sun-drenched hillsides, giving a much-needed cooling effect. This climate allows for optimum ripeness with crisp acidity that’s palpable in this exceptional wine.
 
Ernesto Wickenden’s old vines produce low yields of highly concentrated grapes adding greater complexity and a rich texture, commingled with honey, tropical fruits, and floral aromas. The 2020 vintage is a stunning wine that stood out in a crowd of dozens of other wines when tasted by our tasting panel, doing so for an unbelievably low price. 
 
FOXEN
2020 CHENIN BLANC
ERNESTO WICKENDEN VINEYARD
SANTA MARIA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $27
 
 
“The 2020 Foxen Chenin Blanc begins with decadent floral notes of honeysuckle and acacia, followed by ripe golden apples, peaches, honey, straw, and vanilla ice cream. On the palate, the wine is rich with Meyer lemon, a hint of dried pineapple, and a flinty minerality. The bright acidity perfectly balances the ripe fruit and body, leading to an elegant finish.”
93 Points
2020 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

2020 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

LIMERICK LANE

2020 ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2020 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley
Jake Bilbro of Limerick Lane Winery is the third steward of the historic property since the Del Fava family planted the estate vineyard in 1910. The Del Favas saw the potential of the land early on, even before modern science that is commonly used today in the New World to determine the best soils, plots, and which rootstock and clones will thrive to the fullest.
 
Limerick Lane’s Russian River Zinfandel is a field blend including ancient Zinfandel vines co-planted with Peloursin, Negrette, and Syrah. The winery is proud of its “hands-off, eyes on” approach that continues to lead to uniquely rich and powerful wines with brightness and elegance that earned the 2018 and 2019 vintages scores in the mid-90s. The newly released 2020 vintage is just as glorious, offering substantial value at forty bucks.
 
LIMERICK LANE
2020 ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The 2020 Limerick Lane Zinfandel begins with fresh aromas of cranberry, raspberry, boysenberry jam, and spicy notes of cinnamon, cloves, pepperwood, cedar, mushrooms. The sweet baking spices linger into a long and pleasant finish that enhances the fresh acidity and bright fruit character. This wine is charming on its own but is a lovely complement to a variety of dishes.”
93 Points
2020 Domaine Chasselay Gamay Rouge Je T'Aime Mais J'ai Soif

2020 Domaine Chasselay Gamay Rouge Je T’Aime Mais J’ai Soif

with No Comment $30 and underBurgandyFranceKevin Vogt

DOMAINE CHASSELAY

2020 GAMAY ROUGE
JE T’AIME MAIS J’AI SOIF 

2020 Domaine Chasselay Gamay Rouge Je T'Aime Mais J'ai Soif
The Chasselay family has been growing grapes and making wine since 1464 in the small village of Châtillon d’Azergues, located in southern Beaujolais, where granite and limestone soils produce exquisite fruit. Today, Jean-Gilles Chasselay and his two children Fabien and Claire, work the vineyards and vinify the wines with an invested interest in sustainable viticulture and have been certified organic since 2006.
 
Whole-cluster fermentation is very common in the region; however, while Fabien was training under Bruno Clavelier in Vosne Romanée, he learned that destemming Gamay grapes produced a Burgundian style wine with silky tannins and a touch of salinity. The grapes are hand-harvested and fermented in concrete with natural yeasts, emphasizing the fresh fruit character and minerality from the soils for a wine that drinks deliciously on its own but is also magnificent with food. Trust me on this one; if you enjoy French Pinot Noir or top-quality Beaujolais wines, you’ll love this.
 
DOMAINE CHASSELAY
2020 GAMAY ROUGE
JE T’AIME MAIS J’AI SOIF 
 
Your Price: $27
 
 
“Je t’aime mais j’ai soif” means, “I love you, but I’m thirsty,” and this wine couldn’t be more accurately named. The intense and complex aromatics hook you immediately with cranberries, wild strawberries, black plums, warm apple cider, dried oregano, savory spice, and underbrush. The palate is bright and alluring with acidity that tingles on the palate, a deep concentration of flavors, and an electric finish. This wine pairs beautifully with charcuterie but also drinks superbly on its own.”
93 Points
2020 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills

2020 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills

with No Comment $30 and underCentral CoastKevin VogtPinot NoirSanta Rita HillsUSA

LULI

2020 PINOT NOIR
SANTA RITA HILLS

2020 Luli Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills
Seeking to create a new line of handcrafted wines from top-notch fruit at affordable prices, Luli was launched in 2007 by the combined knowledge, skills, and experience of Master Sommelier Sara Floyd, vineyard manager Mark Pisoni, and winemaker Jeff Pisoni. The Pisoni brothers grew up farming in the Santa Lucia Highlands with their father Gary, one of California’s most respected growers, sourcing fruit for Luli from vineyards in or near the same land they call home.
 
Wine is life for Sara and the Pisoni brothers, so the desire to bring family and friends together to swirl a glass of fine wine for a reasonable price is a passion for all three. Possibly one of the best winemaking teams in history, this successful partnership illustrates the talents and strengths of three different masterminds in each vintage and every glass poured.
 
LULI
2020 PINOT NOIR
SANTA RITA HILLS
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The 2020 Luli Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir begins with an intriguing nose that includes fresh strawberries, English rose petals, cotton candy, and Autumn baking spices. The palate mimics these traits, adding cherry cola, red plums, liquid minerals, and a bright freshness combined with a supple texture that beautifully rounds this wine out. Drink it now, and over the next six to eight years.”
92 Points
2020 Domaines Ott By. Ott Provence Rose

2020 Domaines Ott By. Ott Provence Rose

with No Comment $30 and underFranceKevin VogtProvenceProvenceRosé

DOMAINES OTT

2020 BY. OTT
PROVENCE ROSÉ

2020 Domaines Ott By. Ott Provence Rose
A benchmark in style, Domaines Ott is one of the top rosé producers globally and acts as a reference standard in its category, setting the highest bar for quality. Provence, the oldest vineyard land in mainland France, has for the last 2600 years been primarily focused on crafting fruity, focused, dry rosés with a delicate color but a deep concentration of red fruit flavors and backbone of minerality.
 
Setting out to produce the finest examples of Provençal wines crafted from noble grape varieties, Marcel Ott discovered the Estate which would become Domains Ott in 1896. Today, cousins Christian and Jean-François Ott continue with the same dedication, creating classic and refreshing rosé blends, setting timeless precedence of quality. 
 
DOMAINES OTT
2020 BY. OTT
PROVENCE ROSÉ
 
Your Price: $27.99
 
 
“Plenty of sliced strawberries and peaches with citrus and perfume. Medium-bodied, showing lovely fruit and balance. Creamy finish. Drink and enjoy.”
91 Points
 
“Light orange-pink. Ripe pit fruits and red berries on the nose, along with a hint of smokiness. Juicy and open-knit, offering strawberry and nectarine flavors that show very good clarity and back-end cut. Finishes smooth and long, leaving a suggestion of pit fruits behind.”
90 Points
2020 Joseph Jewell Rose Of Pinot Noir Slusser Vineyard Russian River

2020 Joseph Jewell Rose Of Pinot Noir Slusser Vineyard Russian River

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtRoséRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

JOSEPH JEWELL

ROSÉ OF PINOT NOIR
SLUSSER VINEYARD
2020 RUSSIAN RIVER 

2020 Joseph Jewell Rose Of Pinot Noir Slusser Vineyard Russian River
Representing a singular expression of the people, place, and vintage, Joseph Jewell wines bring people together with easy approachability, conversation-driving quality, and powerful varietal character. They source from expressive, cool-climate vineyards that provide the ingredients necessary to create wines that stand out for their pristine balance and thoughtful sophistication. Their 2020 Rosé was a bright star at our tasting with piercing aromatics, mineral-intensity, and contagious energy, and at $24, it’s a superb value. 
 
Farmed by the same family for over 100 years, Slusser Vineyard is in the middle reach of the Russian River Valley, where Mark West Creek’s flooding resulted in intense minerality in the wines. 
 
Calling on 100% Pinot Noir, winemaker Adrian Jewell crafted this Rosé in a brightly focused style, highlighting the vineyard’s keen minerality and freshness of fruit that will leave your taste buds craving more.
 
JOSEPH JEWELL
ROSÉ OF PINOT NOIR
SLUSSER VINEYARD
2020 RUSSIAN RIVER
 
Your Price: $24
 
 
“Fruity and layered in waves of raspberry, strawberry and watermelon, this light, crisp wine delivers vibrant flavor and texture. Dried herb and a hint of lemongrass add complementary nuance and deliciousness.” 
91 Points
2020 Maison Lispaul Sancerre Les Deux Rangs Loire Valley

2020 Maison Lispaul Sancerre Les Deux Rangs Loire Valley

with No Comment $30 and underFranceKevin VogtLoire ValleySancerre

MAISON LISPAUL

2020 SANCERRE
LES DEUX RANGS
LOIRE VALLEY

2020 Maison Lispaul Sancerre Les Deux Rangs Loire Valley
When it comes to refreshing wines with dynamic complexity, laser focus, and tantalizing acidity, Sancerre is unparalleled. They offer stratospherically high quality/value compared to neighboring Burgundy, where you could be paying several times the bottle price for wines of comparable quality. Shirley Gaucher’s 2020 Sancerre Les Deux Rangs is classically concentrated, refreshingly bright, and focused, offering tremendous value, immediately noticeable in your glass. 
 
Drawn from established thirty-year-old vines grown in classic clay and flint soils, Shirley Gaucher’s Sancerre is vinified in stainless steel tanks for eight months, preserving the wine’s natural freshness, keen acidity, and fruit purity. 
 
Made at Maison Lispaul, named for the winemaker’s two children Lison and Paul-Henri, which is a small family-run estate, with proprietor David Maudry coming from a family of vintners. Their Sancerre comes from a 15-hectare plot on the left bank of the Loire, chosen for its Southern exposure, silex (flint)-rich soils, and expressive fruit.
 
MAISON LISPAUL
2020 SANCERRE
LES DEUX RANGS
LOIRE VALLEY
 
Your Price: $28
 
 
“The Shirley Gaucher Sancerre Les Deux Rangs 2020 shimmers in the glass and begins with a beautiful combination of lively fruits and florals on the nose, including ripe pomelo, lime peel, white peach, and wild rose petals. It has a laser-like focus on the palate with grapefruit, Kiwi, and mandarins, along with a focused, penetrating, and vibrant finish.”
91 Points
2020 Skinner Grenache Blanc El Dorado

2020 Skinner Grenache Blanc El Dorado

with No Comment $30 and underGrenache BlancKevin VogtSierra FoothillsUSA

SKINNER

GRENACHE BLANC
2020 EL DORADO 

2020 Skinner Grenache Blanc El Dorado
Setting out to epitomize Sierra Foothill wines, Skinner designed their state-of-the-art winery to support chemical-free, small-lot fermentations. They strategically assembled a team of like-minded, talented individuals, including winemaker Adam Smith, former assistant winemaker at Craggy Range in New Zealand, and Domaine Serene in Oregon. Specializing in Rhône varieties, their Grenache Blanc exemplifies their team’s combined experience, environmental awareness, and the full capabilities of their vineyard. 
 
At 1,400 feet elevation, the alluvial soils of Skinner’s vineyard combine with elevation-induced cool temperatures, resulting in fruit with bright acidity and balanced flavors. Their vineyard’s shallow topsoil and decomposed granite cause the vines to struggle for water and nutrients, encouraging flavor intensity. 
 
Combining Concrete, Stainless Steel, and French oak fermentation vessels for increased complexity, Skinner’s winemaking team ferments their Grenache Blanc on the lees, increasing textural richness. At $24, this wine offers substantial value.
 
SKINNER
GRENACHE BLANC
2020 EL DORADO
 
Your Price: $24
 
 
Foothill Wine Festival 2021
Double Gold Medal
Best of Show – White Wine
100 Points
 
“The aromatics on the 2020 Grenache Blanc are punchy and brilliant, as the nose suggests a wine of tremendous posture. The first impression is crushed limestone and white flowers, giving way to underpinnings of blood orange, honeysuckle and sandalwood. This wine’s clean, platinum hue and lithe aromatics only begin to tell the story of its deep, complex palate presence of weight and electric tension; a tight balance of flowers, fruit and dirt, this is a real testament to the transcendence of El Dorado-grown white Rhônes.”
2020 Pop 300 Rose Napa Valley

2020 Pop 300 Rose Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaOakvilleRoséUSA

POP 300

2020 ROSÉ
NAPA VALLEY

2020 Pop 300 Rose Napa Valley
Pop 300 spotlights a micro-parcel of Pinot Noir near To Kalon Vineyard’s center called the Wilsey Vineyard. This unique site exposes Oakville’s intriguing complexity with a fresh perspective of brightly focused fruit and refreshing style. Recently recognized by Antonio Galloni on his in-depth Oakville AVA map, the vineyard’s very existence was known only by a handful of Oakville locals until Pop 300’s debut in 2012. POP 300 is a wine for those in the know, and with just 141 cases made, hopefully, it stays that way for a bit longer. 
 
Oakville produces some of the world’s most remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon, but very few people know that Pinot Noir exists in the region. Created by Luke Russ, Oakville-raised, and the Commercial Director at O’Shaughnessy Winery, this genuinely unique Rosé of Pinot Noir is truly special. 
 
Luke makes his Rosé in a piercing style, with a unique floral lift, achieved by co-fermenting with a fragrant white. Enhanced with a small amount of Grenache Blanc from a secret vineyard on Mount Veeder, this scarcely available 2020 Rosé should be on your “drink me” list today.
 
POP 300
2020 ROSÉ
NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“The 2020 POP 300 rose is here. And boy aren’t we pleased to have been able to make this wine during this wild ride of a year. Harvested early in the morning on September 4th we had a beautiful crop to work with this year. As I have done in the past I co- fermented part of this wine with a floral white. This year I went with a small amount of Grenache Blanc from a low production vineyard on Mt. Veeder. This has added to the Pinot Noir base with playful aromas of unripe mango, white peach and lime zest. The wine was fermented in a combination neutral French oak and stainless steel barrels with no malolactic conversion. 141 cases produced”
2020 Flowers Rose of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2020 Flowers Rose of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtRoséSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

FLOWERS

ROSÉ OF PINOT NOIR
2020 SONOMA COAST

2020 Flowers Rose of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Flowers Winery designedly crafts their Rosé to highlight the distinct minerality and fresh acidity in this wine. Their team exercises minimal intervention in the cellar to promote a pure expression of the Sonoma Coast. This new release illustrates their commitment to expressing the uniqueness of their land as it excites your taste buds with striking pink grapefruit, saltwater minerals, sea breeze, and fresh acidity. 
 
The winemaking team created their 2020 Pinot Noir Rosé from their Sea View Ridge Estate and selected family-owned vineyards on the Sonoma Coast, all properties sharing a pronounced coastal influence and aligning farming practices. 
 
With attention to every detail, fruit is hand-sorted on the winery’s custom-built shaker table before six team members assess every cluster before allowing only the best fruit to pass through by gravity flow into the fermenters. The blend is 100% Pinot Noir and perfectly reflects the quality of fruit and meticulous care that goes into it.
 
FLOWERS
ROSÉ OF PINOT NOIR
2020 SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Elegant and distinct, with aromas of peach, strawberry and subtle hints of rose petal. Bursts of fresh citrus colorfully drive the palate and are balanced with flavors of nectarine and stone fruit. A silky entrance coupled with fresh and uplifting acidity leaves you with our signature coastal expressions.”