2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

Mt. Brave

Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021

2021 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

High on Mt. Veeder, where vineyards cling to fractured slopes and fog drifts beneath the canopy, Mt. Brave finds its voice. The 2021 Cabernet rises from this unforgiving terrain, shaped by elevation, exposure, and time rather than convenience. What emerges is a wine of uncommon gravity, carrying the mountain’s tension and resolve through every layer.

Chris Carpenter guides that expression with the authority of experience, drawing on decades spent understanding Napa’s most demanding mountain vineyards. At Mt. Brave, his approach balances discipline with intuition, allowing the intensity of Mt. Veeder fruit to speak without losing precision. Thoughtful choices in the vineyard and cellar bring structure into proportion, refining the mountain’s natural edge rather than softening it.

The 2021 vintage captures Mt. Brave at a moment when structure and harmony fully align. Dense fruit, firm architecture, and underlying freshness point to a long, measured evolution in bottle, even as the wine already shows composure and depth. This is mountain Cabernet built with patience in mind, rewarding contemplation today and cellaring in the years ahead.

Mt. Brave
Cabernet Sauvignon
Mt. Veeder 2021
Retails at: $125

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“A fabulous wine of focus and polish with very fine tannins that caress your palate and give great length to the finish. Medium to full body. The aromas of violets and currants are so beautiful. Dreamy. Best ever? A blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 2% merlot, 1% malbec and 1% petit verdot. A total of 3830 cases produced. Give it three to four years to soften.”

99 Points

2021 Benessere Phenomenon Red North Coast

2021 Benessere Phenomenon Red North Coast

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtNorth CoastProprietary RedSonoma ValleyUSA

Benessere

Phenomenon Red
North Coast 2021

2021 Benessere Phenomenon Red North Coast

California’s leading wineries have long excelled at reinterpretation, and the 2021 Phenomenon stands as a clear expression of that strength. Inspired by Italian tradition yet shaped by North Coast conditions, it brings together Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon in a way that feels instinctive rather. Phenomenon is not an homage. It is a statement of how seamlessly Old World sensibility can take root in California soil.

That confidence reflects a house philosophy grounded in tradition and disciplined execution at Benessere Vineyards. Each variety is vinified independently, preserving its natural character before being assembled with intention. Complexity is built without blur, balance achieved through patience and proportion rather than formula.

In the glass, the blend finds harmony. Sangiovese brings lift and red-fruited tension, Merlot adds breadth and texture, Syrah deepens the mid-palate, and Cabernet Sauvignon anchors the structure. Each element remains distinct, yet the whole moves as one, delivering a North Coast red that feels composed, versatile, and deeply satisfying.

Benessere
Phenomenon Red
North Coast 2021
Retails at: $80

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“The Benessere 2021 Phenomenon Red Wine from the North Coast opens with layered aromatics of ripe black cherry, blackberry compote, blueberry, cocoa, espresso, dried herbs, and cedar. On the palate, it offers plums, cherries, cassis, toasted oak, and sweet and savory spices that co-mingle and complement each other. These flavors are balanced by bright acidity and subtle earthiness, resulting in a supple mid-palate and plush mouthfeel that leads to a harmonious finish.”

93 Points

2021 Casina Bric Nebbiolo Cuvee 970 Origo Ginis Brut Rose

with No Comment $30-$40Champagne/SparklingItalyKevin Vogt

Casina Bric

Nebbiolo Cuvée 970
Origo Ginis Brut Rosé
Spumante d’Alba 2021

Sparkling Nebbiolo remains one of Italy’s most compelling outliers, and Casina Bric’s Nebbiolo d’Alba Cuvée 970 Spumante Brut Rosé stands among its most convincing expressions. Drawn from the rare Nebbiolo d’Alba Spumante designation, the wine reframes expectations, showing how Nebbiolo’s structure and energy can translate into lift and finesse rather than weight.

Cuvée 970 reflects a deliberate, measured approach to sparkling winemaking. Extended time on the lees builds depth and cohesion, while careful handling preserves brightness and freshness. The result is a wine with natural composure, where texture and precision work together and elegance never comes at the expense of character.

Nebbiolo seldom appears in sparkling form, and that rarity lies at the heart of Cuvée 970’s appeal. Casina Bric resists softening the grape’s identity, instead preserving its natural tension and vitality. Freshness, structure, and lift move in concert, yielding a sparkling rosé that feels articulate and precise, carrying Nebbiolo’s unmistakable verve in a form that is both unexpected and entirely convincing.

Casina Bric
Nebbiolo Cuvée 970
Origo Ginis Brut Rosé
Spumante d’Alba 2021

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“The Cascina Bric 2021 Cuvée 970 Nebbiolo d’Alba Spumante Rosé has a fine, persistent mousse,and opens with aromas of white strawberry, ripe peach, and pink grapefruit, layered with hints of raspberry and maraschino cherry. On the palate, delicate red berry fruit takes center stage, with hints of strawberry shortcake. The fruit feels pure and is carried by just enough acidity for a crisp, refreshing finish.”

93 Points

2021 Pirouette Proprietary Red Columbia Valley

2021 Pirouette Proprietary Red Columbia Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Columbia ValleyKevin VogtProprietary RedUSAWashington State

Pirouette

Proprietary Red
Columbia Valley 2021

2021 Pirouette Proprietary Red Columbia Valley

The Pirouette 2021 Columbia Valley Red is engineered for balance, translating some of Washington’s most respected vineyard sites into a wine of measured structure and authority. Its architecture is defined by line and proportion, shaped by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, then refined through extended time in French oak, allowing its depth to emerge.

Rooted in Columbia Valley fruit yet informed by classical Bordeaux proportions, the blend emphasizes structure and freshness. Cabernet Sauvignon provides line and backbone, Merlot softens the edges, and the supporting varieties add nuance, creating a wine that favors articulation at every stage.

Compelling from the outset, the 2021 Pirouette is nevertheless built with time in mind. Its balance and structure suggest a long, graceful evolution, as layers continue to knit and deepen. It is a wine that offers immediate pleasure while promising greater complexity for those willing to follow its arc in the cellar.

Pirouette
Proprietary Red
Columbia Valley 2021
Retails at: $75

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“The otherworldly 2021 Long Shadows Pirouette Red Wine is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon with 36% Merlot and the remainder Malbec and Petit Verdot. Very dark in the glass, this offers alluring black florals on the nose with tar, tobacco leaf, mocha, anise and shades of dark chocolate shavings. The stunning aromatics are simply head-turning. The palate is ultra-refined offering a seamless drinking experience. This is the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted since its inception back in 2003.”

98 Points

2021 Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley

2021 Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley

with No Comment $60-$70Columbia ValleyKevin VogtMerlotUSAWashington State

Pedestal

Merlot 2021
Columbia Valley

2021 Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley

Washington State has proven, time and again, that Merlot thrives here, but Pedestal captures the variety at a particularly high register. The 2021 release reflects an approach centered on site expression, precision farming, and patient élevage, yielding a wine that delivers depth and polish. It is a Merlot built to command attention rather than chase it.

Pedestal is a product of the Long Shadows philosophy: pairing world-class vineyard sources with a singular, disciplined vision. In 2021, that vision comes into focus through a carefully assembled blend of Columbia Valley Merlot drawn from vineyards prized for consistency and character. The result is a wine that feels deliberately shaped to emphasize clarity, depth, and longevity.

Guiding the final expression is Michel Rolland, whose influence appears not through excess, but through control. Trained in Bordeaux and refined through decades of working with Merlot at the highest level, Rolland brings a philosophy rooted in balance, texture, and age-worthiness. The 2021 Pedestal reflects that sensibility at every turn: expressive, composed, and built to evolve with understated confidence.

Pedestal
Merlot 2021
Columbia Valley
Retails at: $75

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“A blend put together by the incredibly talented Michel Rolland, the 2021 Merlot Pedestal is based on 80% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9% Petit Verdot that spent 22 months in 75% new French oak. Its deep plum/purple hue is followed by a brilliant, full-bodied, unctuous beauty that has loads of darker currant and black cherry fruits, some chocolate and leafy herbs notes, velvety tannins, and a layered mouthfeel that just begs to be drunk. It’s easily one of the finest expressions of Merlot in the state, and it would stand up just fine to some of the top Merlot releases from France and Napa. Drink bottles over the coming 10-15 years.”

96 Points

2021 Flanagan Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast

2021 Flanagan Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNorth CoastUSA

Flanagan

Cabernet Sauvignon
the beauty of three
North Coast 2021

2021 Flanagan Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast

Born from the same discipline as Flanagan’s flagship Cabernets, the 2021 the beauty of three North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon rewrites expectations. Made without shortcuts and raised alongside the estate’s most important wines, it exists because Flanagan chose care over compromise. The result is a Cabernet defined by proportion, shaped by intention rather than outcome.

Sourced primarily from the Kelsey Bench in Lake County, with complementary fruit from Sonoma County, the beauty of three strikes a measured balance between power and refinement. Cabernet Sauvignon forms the structural core, while Merlot adds dimension and nuance, bringing composure and lift. The focus remains on precision and movement, allowing each vineyard source to speak without unnecessary intervention.

The 2021 growing season further sharpened that sense of place. Lower yields and careful vineyard work delivered fruit with natural energy and definition. Time in barrel, followed by extended bottle rest, has preserved those qualities, resulting in a Cabernet that expresses its origin and season with confidence.

Flanagan
Cabernet Sauvignon
the beauty of three
North Coast 2021
Retails at: $38

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“The Flanagan 2021 North Coast ‘Beauty of Three’ Red has a fresh and linear profile, with aromas of raspberry and cherry, layered with ripe plum and blackcurrant, plus earthy notes of damp soil, fallen leaves, and black tea leaves. On the palate, the wine is clean and precise, with a seamless, elegant structure and refined tannins that frame the fruit without weight. The wine has balanced acidity that carries it through a polished finish, emphasizing purity and restraint.”

93 Points

2021 Marquis de Goulaine Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Loire Valley France

2021 Marquis de Goulaine Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Loire Valley France

with No Comment $30 and underFranceKevin VogtLoire ValleySancerreSauvignon Blanc

Marquis de Goulaine

Touraine Sauvignon Blanc
Les Landelles 2021
Loire Valley, France

2021 Marquis de Goulaine Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Loire Valley France

Marquis de Goulaine’s Les Landelles Sauvignon Blanc delivers a level of freshness, balance, and site expression that immediately sets it apart as an exceptional value. Floral aromatics and fresh herbal notes emerge with immediacy and restraint, capturing Touraine’s cool influence and mineral soils in strikingly pure form.

That purity is rooted firmly in Touraine’s geology and climate. Beneath the vines, tuffeau limestone intermingles with sands and flint clays, soils that naturally favor tension and aromatic definition. Above ground, the region’s position between Atlantic influence and a more continental rhythm allows Sauvignon Blanc to ripen slowly, preserving acidity while sharpening expression.

Les Landelles delivers its message with Loire-like precision. Bright acidity defines the structure, bringing focus to citrus and herbal notes while allowing the wine’s mineral character to surface naturally. There is no excess weight, resulting in a finish that feels both refreshing and distinctly place-driven.

Marquis de Goulaine
Touraine Sauvignon Blanc
Les Landelles 2021
Loire Valley, France

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“The Marquis de Goulaine 2021 Touraine Les Landelles is lively and expressive, with aromas of lime zest, grapefruit pith, subtle green tropical fruit notes, and freshly cut grass, white peach, and chalky soil. On the palate, the wine is sharp and focused, driven by racy acidity and flavors of citrus, green apple, and gooseberry, with a Touraine limestone minerality. The wine finishes clean and with hints of oceanic salinity and a crisp, refreshing sensation.”

94 Points

2021 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2021 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

Silver Oak

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021

2021 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Few wineries have shaped the modern idea of American Cabernet Sauvignon quite like Silver Oak. From the outset, its ambition was never about fleeting acclaim, but about crafting wines built to endure, bottles that reward patience while offering real pleasure from the first pour. That clarity of purpose remains central to the estate today, and it is unmistakable in the 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet, which has earned exceptional critical praise.

That level of consistency is no accident. Silver Oak has long believed that true quality comes from control rather than excess, a philosophy most clearly embodied in its decision to oversee its own barrel aging through a dedicated Missouri cooperage. By shaping every element of élevage, the estate ensures that oak supports rather than dominates, framing the fruit and allowing each vintage to express strength and restraint with precision.

The 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon brings this philosophy into sharp focus. A deep, composed core of fruit is carried by a polished texture and impeccable balance, hallmarks of the Silver Oak style. The wine shows presence without weight, structure without rigidity, and finishes with a steady, confident length that speaks to both immediate pleasure and long-term evolution.

Silver Oak
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021
Retails at: $200

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“Silver Oak’s 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet might well be one of the finest wines they’ve produced. Compact and beautifully poised, it marries generosity of fruit with a firm structural frame and focused aromatics. A panoply of blackberry and warm spice—smoked paprika, cinnamon, tobacco—lifts from the glass, interwoven with black truffle and loamy earth. Full-bodied, with a solid foundation of lengthy tannins buttressing the wine, it’s carried by a firm spine of juicy acidity. Rich oak spices are balanced by graphite minerality, a potpourri of dried flowers, and a chalky-earth finish that lingers. This is undoubtedly set to be one of Silver Oak’s longest-lived wines: ripe and generous enough to enjoy young, yet built on a sturdy foundation that will reward long-term cellaring. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec are blended before barreling down for 24 months in American oak, of which 85% was new, 15% was once-used, and aged 20 additional months in bottle before release.”

98 Points

2021 Emeritus Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley

2021 Emeritus Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley

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

Emeritus

Pinot Noir 2021
Hallberg Vineyard
Russian River Valley

2021 Emeritus Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Russian River Valley

Emeritus Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir doesn’t tiptoe into the room; it announces itself without apology. This is a Pinot built on grand presence, yet it never loses its balance. That tension is the magic of Hallberg Ranch in Green Valley: dry-farmed vines digging deep into Goldridge soils, yielding fruit with both volume and shape.

Green Valley doesn’t dilute richness; it sculpts it. Cool coastal influence slows ripening enough to preserve definition, even as the fruit reaches full phenolic maturity. In the 2021 Pinot Noir, that balance is unmistakable: a deep, expressive core framed by freshness and natural tension, allowing generosity without tipping into heaviness.

Guiding that expression is Keith Hammond, whose familiarity with the Russian River landscape has shaped Emeritus since 2007. His approach favors continuity over reinvention, allowing the vineyard’s character to come through with confidence and clarity. The result is a wine that rewards attention and is a vivid reminder of what can be achieved when vineyard, vintage, and vision align without compromise.

Emeritus
Pinot Noir 2021
Hallberg Vineyard
Russian River Valley
Retails at: $50

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“Classic Russian River character from a dry-farmed vineyard is on display here, with a nose full of cherry, raspberry and cola spice aromas. The palate has a charming balance between crushed raspberry, mint and floral flavors and the grip of some ageworthy tannin. Drink 2028–2040.”

93 Points

2021 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2021 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

Paradigm

Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville 2021

2021 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

Paradigm’s Cabernet has long been a wine for those paying close attention. Its broader recognition did not arrive through marketing or spectacle, but through discovery, when a respected critic encountered it unexpectedly and recognized something exceptional. That moment confirmed what insiders had long known: Paradigm is an estate that has been producing Cabernet of uncommon poise and remarkable quality.

Paradigm’s estate sits just south of the famed To Kalon Vineyard, surrounded by some of Oakville’s most revered names. This privileged position, defined by alluvial soils and ideal exposure, yields fruit of natural concentration and balance. The vineyard expresses itself clearly, capturing Oakville’s signature tension between power and elegance, richness balanced by freshness, and without excess.

In the cellar, the skilled hand of Heidi Barrett brings composure to the wine, shaping it with the precision that has defined many of Napa Valley’s most celebrated bottlings. The result is a Cabernet of depth and structure, expressive yet beautifully balanced. In a landscape where acclaim often drives excessive richness, Paradigm remains grounded, offering an Oakville Cabernet that stands confidently among its storied neighbors while retaining a rare sense of authenticity and approachability.

Paradigm
Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville 2021

Your Price: $98

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“This blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot was fermented in stainless steel with a small percentage of whole berries included. Winemaker Mark Fasi explains that pressing off the wine before it goes dry helps to soften the tannins. The wine is then aged 18–20 months in approximately 50% new French oak. The Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignons are medium-bodied and exude utmost elegance, showcasing soaring tannins that are assertive yet beautifully integrated and framed by crisp, juicy acidity. The palate reveals pure and gorgeous red berry fruit, complemented by a panoply of brown spices, wild herbs like sage, and floral notes of lilacs and violets. This wine is absolutely pure, brimming with energy and tension, and delivers a stunningly refined expression. A remarkable effort, embodying balance, vitality, and sophistication. Truly impressive. The winemaker is legendary Napa icon Heidi Barrett. Mark Fasi, who joined the winery in 2010 and has worked hand-in-hand with Barrett, takes the helm as winemaker with the 2023 vintage.”

97 Points, #18 Top 50 US Wines 2025