2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSAZinfandel

LIMERICK LANE

ZINFANDEL 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 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 landmark property has maintained its roots for over a century, focusing on sustainable farming and minimal irrigation. The farming team only irrigates plots when necessary, producing fruit with complex, concentrated flavors and aromas.
 
Limerick Lane specializes in high-quality Zinfandel, sourcing from their estate along with a few nearby old vine Zinfandel vineyards known for growing the highest quality fruit. 
 
Winemaker Chris Pittenger intentionally alters the vineyard composition of each vintage, seeking out fruit to create the most balanced wine possible. Their 2021 vintage embodies the spirit of the Russian River Valley with perfectly ripe, bright fruit accented by refreshing acidity and an ideal balance of flavors.
 
LIMERICK LANE
ZINFANDEL 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $46
 
 
 
“The 2021 Zinfandel (Russian River Valley) is an absolute delight. Bright and intensely floral, the 2021 is packed with varietal character. Crushed red berry fruit, white flowers and mint all race out of the glass in this refreshing, juicy Zinfandel from Limerick Lane. This is an absolute winner.”
91 Points
2021 Saddleback Chardonnay Napa Valley

2021 Saddleback Chardonnay Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

SADDLEBACK

CHARDONNAY 2021
NAPA VALLEY

2021 Saddleback Chardonnay Napa Valley
Nils Venge is a celebrated American winemaker and the first to achieve a perfect 100 Point score by making the 1985 Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, establishing a hierarchy of superior winemaking in Napa. Nils started Saddleback Cellars in 1976 on 14 acres of vineyards in Oakville, also home to Harlan Estate, Opus One, and Screaming Eagle.
 
Combining one of the country’s best winemakers, an impressive estate terroir, and a bit of sourcing from viticultural havens in Napa Valley, Nils crafts this outstanding Chardonnay, giving a frame of reference for what the variety is capable of in the right environment. 
 
Crafted in a quintessential Napa Valley style, Saddleback’s Chardonnay highlights Napa Valley character, combined with notes reminiscent of Burgundy, offering fantastic value at this price level. 
 
SADDLEBACK
CHARDONNAY 2021
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $45
 
 
 
“Saddleback Cellars 2021 Napa Valley Chardonnay opens with acacia blossoms, vanilla bean, apricot, peach, and nutmeg notes. On the palate, the wine has a silky-smooth texture and flavors of ripe stone fruits, vanilla cream, baking spices, and a hint of wet stone minerality. This wine is a bright, fresh example of California Chardonnay and showing off at the moment, making an excellent pairing for this summer.”
94 Points
2021 Bacio Divino Pazzo Red Blend Sonoma County

2021 Bacio Divino Pazzo Red Blend Sonoma County

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtProprietary RedSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

BACIO DIVINO

PAZZO RED BLEND
SONOMA COUNTY 2021

2021 Bacio Divino Pazzo Red Blend Sonoma County
Sourcing fruit from some of Napa and Sonoma’s best vineyards, Bacio Divino produces superior quality wines under the guidance of Kirk Venge, one of California’s most in-demand winemakers, whom you might recognize from Eleven Eleven, Macauley, and Venge wines. A combination of exceptional terroir, expert winemaking, and excellent fruit quality is their recipe for success, and the wines are phenomenal.
 
Pazzo was created in 1999 as a sister label to Bacio Divino and translates to “crazy” in Italian and perfectly depicts the wine’s crazy-good value. The 2021 vintage comprises 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petite Sirah, 19% Merlot, 11% Sagrantino, and 4% Malbec aged 14 months in once-used French oak barrels that provide a hint of spice but maintain the fruit’s integrity and complex flavor profile. It’s a big, juicy, crowd-pleasing wine at a modest price point.
 
BACIO DIVINO
PAZZO RED BLEND
SONOMA COUNTY 2021
Retails at: $45
 
 
 
“The Bacio Divino 2021 Sonoma County Red has intense, rich aromas of ripe plum, bramble, licorice, and Fig Newton cookies. On the palate, the wine has a smooth mouth-coating texture that lingers throughout the finish with flavors of raspberry jelly, black cherry, Marionberry pie, and fresh mint. The flavor concentration and tannic structure will give this wine longevity but don’t hesitate to drink it now.”
93 Points
2021 Per-Us Lyla Napa Valley

2021 Per-Us Lyla Napa Valley

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

PER•US

LYLA 2021
NAPA VALLEY

2021 Per-Us Lyla Napa Valley
PER·US Winery produces super high-quality, high-scoring boutique wines from some of Napa Valley’s most desired vineyards under the guidance of rockstar winemaker Russell Bevan. Bevan is one of just a handful of winemakers that have earned multiple 100-Point scores from some of the world’s most well-known critics for his intensely flavorful hedonistic wines with harmonious balance.
 
Lyla is a blend based on equal parts Cabernet Franc from the Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Tench Vineyard in Oakville’s center, directly across from Screaming Eagle. The 2021 growing season was longer than average, and there were no heat spikes near harvest which gave the Cabernet Franc a lively acidity that brightened up the blend and is a match made in heaven when paired with hearty dishes.
 
PER•US
LYLA 2021
NAPA VALLEY
 
 
 
“Our Lyla blends have some magical qualities to them. In 2021, the growing season was so incredibly long, and there was no heat near harvest. We were able to maintain the acid levels in our Cabernet Franc which makes this wine incredibly vibrant and lively. If we have ever crafted a wine that is perfect for cuisine, this is it. The natural cool climate of the franc’s high acid profile is incredibly complementary to rich, hearty dishes. It screams for braised short ribs, or beef Bourguignon. It has the linear power to cut through almost any dish while showcasing it’s beautiful blue and red fruits. This wine is all about bound up energy.” 
2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtOregonPinot NoirUSA

LINGUA FRANCA

AVNI PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY 2021

2021 Lingua Franca Avni Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
Larry Stone was the ninth Master Sommelier in the United States and spent over 30 years as a high-profile sommelier and restaurateur. In 2010, he began negotiations on the highly sought-after 150-acre Janzen Farm in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills AVA, finally purchasing the property in 2012. The estate lies in the neighborhood of Argyle’s Lone Star, Domaine Serene’s Jerusalem Hill, and Evening Land’s Seven Springs vineyards, known for Nekia, Gelderman, and Jory soils and a climate ideally suited to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
 
Larry co-founded Lingua Franca alongside David Honig and Dominique Lafon in 2015. Dominique, a well-known producer in Meursault, assumed the position of the consulting winemaker and brought on his protégé Thomas Savre to craft the wines because of Thomas’s experience working for some of the top domains in Burgundy. The Avni Pinot Noir comes primarily from the Lingua Franca Estate Vineyard, with around 30% from other prized plots in the Eola-Amity Hills region to elevate the range of aromas and flavors but retain the savory spice.
 
LINGUA FRANCA
AVNI PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY 2021
 
 
 
“The Lingua Franca Avni Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021 begins with a strikingly complex Burgundian-like nose of fresh cherries, delicate green herbs, light wood spice, and white florals. The palate continues with bright red and sweet black cherries, tart pomegranate, ripe Burgundy plums, black tea, hints of cola, and saline minerality. The touch of greenness from partial whole-cluster fermentation dances with the complex sweet/tart fruit to showcase the lushness of Oregon Pinot Noir, guided by the thoughtful, measured hand of a Burgundian winemaker in a way that beautifully projects the best traits of both regions.”
94 Points
2021 Hourglass HG III Red Blend Napa Valley

2021 Hourglass HG III Red Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

HOURGLASS 

HG III RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2021

2021 Hourglass HG III Red Blend Napa Valley
The Hourglass estate consists of two vineyards producing a line of estate wines under winemaker Tony Biagi, who gained nearly ten years of experience making wines for Plumpjack. The two vineyards are planted predominately with Bordeaux varietals, and Tony focuses on creating Old-World-styled wines with a modern twist.
 
The HG III is a unique blend of small lots of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Sirah, offering a silky-smooth, consistent style of a Napa Valley red blend that continuously finds itself on the shelves of our wine shop. The 2021 vintage is youthful and full of life with concentrated flavors, smooth, supple tannins, and a long, indulgent finish. It is the perfect accompaniment to a meal or a relaxing evening.
 
HOURGLASS 
HG III RED BLEND
NAPA VALLEY 2021
Retails at: $53
 
 
 
“The Hourglass 2021 HG III Proprietary Red Blend opens with a spice rack of complex aromas with violets, pink peppercorns, red currant, blackberry, leather, and mushroom. On the palate, the wine has depth and flavors of ripe red plum, blueberry, melted dark chocolate, malt, toasted bread, and roasted coffee beans. The flavor intensity lasts through the finish and is enjoyable from beginning to middle to end.”
94 Points
2021 Bodega Atamisque Catalpa Malbec Mendoza Argentina

2021 Bodega Atamisque Catalpa Malbec Mendoza Argentina

with No Comment $30 and underArgentinaKevin VogtMalbecUco Valley

BODEGA ATAMISQUE 

CATALPA MALBEC 2021  
TUPUNGATO-VALLE DE UCO
MENDOZA ARGENTINA

2021 Bodega Atamisque Catalpa Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Bodega Atamisque sits in the San José District along the western foothills of the Andes Mountains in the Uco Valley near Tupungato, one of Mendoza’s most highly regarded growing regions. The vineyards in Tupungato are at an average elevation of 4,200 feet above sea level, moderating hot daytime temperatures and exposing the fruit to more intense sunlight, resulting in grapes with concentrated flavors, elaborately structured tannins, and crisp acidity.
 
Catalpa is the winery’s flagship wine produced from vines over 90 years old, taking advantage of the unique climate that contributes to some of the world’s most outstanding Malbecs. The 2021 vintage was aged for 14 months in Taransaud-Demptos French oak, giving the wine added complexity and age-ability, sustaining the winery’s standards and continuing Malbec’s legacy in Argentina.
 
BODEGA ATAMISQUE 
CATALPA MALBEC 2021  
TUPUNGATO-VALLE DE UCO
MENDOZA ARGENTINA
 
 
 
“Quite a ripe nose with plenty of black cherries, stewed blueberries, black licorice and violets. Juicy and chalky on the palate with a medium to full body and floral fruit coming through alongside the purple, pulpy fruit. Drink now.”
91 Points
2021 Le Petit Broux Sancerre Blanc Loire Valley

2021 Le Petit Broux Sancerre Blanc Loire Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtLoire ValleySancerreSauvignon BlancUSA

LE PETIT BROUX

SANCERRE BLANC
LOIRE VALLEY 2021

2021 Le Petit Broux Sancerre Blanc Loire Valley
Sancerre is one of the most sought-after styles of Sauvignon Blanc worldwide because of its sophistication and vivid sense of place. The wines are famous for their clean, fresh character with focused flinty minerality, salinity, textured layers of citrus, and tropical fruit flavors on riper vintages.
 
The classic French region is located in the heart of the country and has been a center of French resistance since the Middle Ages, bringing people together for centuries. After a warm vintage the previous year, the cooler 2021 vintage reveals classic Sancerre nuances, and the Le Petit Broux bottling displays zesty acidity, lower alcohol levels, and vibrant, bright fruit with a finish that keeps you wanting glass after glass.
 
LE PETIT BROUX
SANCERRE BLANC
LOIRE VALLEY 2021
 
 
 
“The 2021 vintage for Sancerre brought back originality with cooler temperatures giving aromas of gooseberry, lemon zest, green melon, and a crushed seashell minerality. On the palate, the Le Petit Broux has a fresh, clean mouthfeel and bright acidity with flavors of lemongrass, green grapefruit, lime, and oceanic salinity. The wine finishes with energy, liveliness, and a sense of elevation.”
93-94 Points
2021 Two Squared Chardonnay Knights Valley Sonoma

2021 Two Squared Chardonnay Knights Valley Sonoma

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtKnight's ValleySonomaUSA

TWO SQUARED

CHARDONNAY 2021
KNIGHTS VALLEY SONOMA

2021 Two Squared Chardonnay Knights Valley Sonoma
Alpha Omega’s value-focused brand, Two Squared, offers approachable wines in both price and drinkability driven by partnerships with privately-owned boutique vineyards throughout California. All the fruit sourced is hand-picked and fermented in stainless steel tanks to ensure each variety reveals its unbridled characteristics.
 
Alpha Omega’s winemaking team crafts dynamic white wines in a fresh, bright, and focused style. Their Knight’s Valley Chardonnay captures the variety’s most significant attributes in a spectacular balance of flavors, acidity, and length. The 2021 vintage saw ten months of gentle maturation in French oak to coax a bit of toast and pastry notes that elegantly complement the fruit. This value-Chardonnay completely over-delivers in this price range.
 
TWO SQUARED
CHARDONNAY 2021
KNIGHTS VALLEY SONOMA
Retails at: $32
 
 
 
“The Two Squared 2021 Knights Valley Chardonnay opens with potent aromas of orange blossoms, ripe pear, lemon meringue pie, beeswax, and toasted bread. On the palate, the wine has flavors of yellow apple, green mango, pineapple, and roasted almond. The wine has a medium to full body, a soft mouthfeel, and a pleasant, lingering finish.”
93-94 Points
2021 Apsara Syrah Sonoma Mountain

2021 Apsara Syrah Sonoma Mountain

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtSonomaSonoma MountainSyrahUSA

APSARA

SYRAH 2021
SONOMA MOUNTAIN

2021 Apsara Syrah Sonoma Mountain
Robin and Aneeta Akhurst founded Apsara Cellars over a shared passion for the environment, studying biology and environmental science. They met in Indonesia over 20 years ago and began honing in on preserving nature with organic, biodynamic, and sustainable practices. The word “apsara” originates from the Sanskrit language and translates to an angelic dancer with balance, purity, and expression, and constitutes the philosophy behind Apsara’s wines.
 
After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, Robin rode his motorbike down to Provence, France, pursued a degree in Enology, and spent the next four years working with legendary winemakers worldwide, including Anne Claude Leflaive in Burgundy, Matt Wenk in the Barossa Valley, and Thomas Rivers Brown in the Napa Valley. The 2021 Sonoma Mountain Syrah is 100% Syrah, aged eight months in 30% New French oak and 70% once-used French oak, retaining varietal purity and vibrant aromatics while continuing a brand trademark with an Old World style.
 
APSARA
SYRAH 2021
SONOMA MOUNTAIN
Retails at: $80
 
 
 
“The Apasara Sonoma Mountain Syrah 2021 begins with a powerful nose of ripe black plums, crushed boysenberries, cold smoked meat, violets, and baking spices. The palate continues with sweet, intense, concentrated red and black stone fruits and supple chocolate, framed on a sultry, seductive body that is rich and opulent with supple tannins and a long, silky finish.”
95 Points