The name Parusso reflects among other things, generosity, wisdom, and romance, and the winery’s 2014 Anniversary Edition Barolo embodies each of those qualities and more. The 2014 is powerful, complex and dangerously captivating… You can taste the wisdom that comes along with more than 50 years of winemaking. Absolutely classic, the 2014 opens up to enchanting aromas of crushed red berries, wild plum, white truffle, dried rose and holiday spices. What I love most about Parusso Barolo is that it never fails to sweep me off of my feet when I taste it, and it’s rare to get that feeling at under fifty bucks…
Combining fruit from four iconic vineyard sources including Mariondino, Mosconi, Le Coste and Bussia, Parusso also makes single vineyard Barolos from each of these sites that retail in the $70-$100/btl range… At $49.99/btl, the Anniversary Edition is a striking value in top-quality Barolo, and Vinous calls it one of the most stunning wines of the vintage. I strongly recommend adding a case of this rare and gorgeous Barolo to your cellar. With 94+ Points from Vinous, don’t wait too long to secure yours…
PARUSSO
2014 BAROLO
ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Your Price: $49.99/btl
From Vinous: “Marco Parusso’s 2014 Barolo is one of the most stunning wines of the vintage… Rich, deep and explosive on the palate, with stunning aromatic presence and overall intensity, the 2014 is remarkably vivid. Beams of supporting tannin give the wine its energy and persistence. Wild cherry, plum, mocha, dried flowers and lavender are some of the many nuances that take shape as this superb Barolo continues to show off its remarkable complexity and personality. The 2014 was vinified with 100% whole clusters and spent 24 months in French oak, 100% of it new.” 94+ Points
Customers who enjoy Parusso Anniversary Edition Barolo may also enjoy these two Barolos…
2016 Orin Swift Papillon Proprietary Red
ORIN SWIFT
2016 PAPILLON
PROPRIETARY RED
The wine equivalent of a marathon runner, Orin Swift’s Papillon moves across the palate with stamina and escalating energy, building definition with each new stride. With all five Bordeaux varietals entering the race, the 2016 pushed through 15 months of oak barrels, and offers a burst of sweet mulberries followed by an adrenalin rush of hedonistic delights that will leave you racing to track down another case. Built from some of Napa Valley’s most iconic vineyard sources, including fruit from Atlas Peak and St. Helena AVAs, it’s no surprise that the previous three consecutive vintages have earned stellar 94 to 95 Point scores from Robert Parker… Don’t get lapped and miss out on your case of 2016.
Carved from carefully chosen vineyards spread throughout various prestigious growing regions in Napa Valley, the 2016 offers up intense aromas beginning with dark cherries and plum and then moving to black chocolates, dried violets, and graphite that leap from the glass. If you love deep, rich, full-bodied blends, this one is an absolute delight…
ORIN SWIFT
2016 PAPILLON
PROPRIETARY RED
Your Price: $69.99/btl
Winery Notes: “An inky, dark garnet sits in the glass with bursting aromatics even from afar-ripe blackcurrant and blackberry with hints of Kirsch, Madagascar vanilla and cigar box. Velvety and rich on entry and through the mid, the wine offers flavors of dark plum, blueberry and notes of fennel, fresh leather and a subtle minerality. Plush, layered and dense, the wine finishes with dusty tannins and a lingering touch of black cherry.”
Customers that enjoy Orin Swift Papillon may also enjoy these two fantastic Reds…
2014 Silverado GEO Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon
SILVERADO
2014 GEO CABERNET SAUVIGNON
COOMBSVILLE, NAPA VALLEY
Coombville is one of Napa’s hottest up-and-coming regions, and at the same time it’s one of the coolest, literally… The cooler daytime temps allow the Bordeaux varietals to slowly ripen, developing deep, complex flavors. I find Cabernet Sauvignon from Coombsville incredibly alluring with a sort of earthy hedonism that makes them absolutely unique. The soils are rocky and volcanic, and the wines always reflect those characteristics beautifully. Luminaries Caldwell, Paul Hobbs, Pahlmeyer, Purlieu, Meteor and Favia to name just a few, all source from this idyllic terroir. Silverado has farmed their Mt. George Ranch Vineyard in Coombsville for a couple of decades, and GEO was made to celebrate 20 years there.
Silverado Vineyards is owned by the Disney family, who bought their first 81 acre vineyard in Yountville in 1976. They’ve since strategically acquired vineyards in Stags Leap, Carneros and Coombsville, propelling the winery to become exclusively estate-grown. The 2014 GEO perfectly illustrates all of the hallmarks that I love about Coombsville with concentrated blackberry, scorched earth, sultry minerals and satiny texture. With the 95 Point score from James Suckling, don’t wait too long to secure your case.
SILVERADO
2014 GEO CABERNET SAUVIGNON
COOMBSVILLE, NAPA VALLEY
Your Price: $74.99/btl
From James Suckling: “Vibrant aromas of blueberries and blackcurrants follow through to a full body, a tight and dense center palate and a long and silky finish. So beautiful. Polished and refined...” 95 Points
Customers who enjoy Silverado GEO Cabernet may also enjoy these two stunning Cabernets…
2017 Vista Rutherford Red Blend
Update: We are SOLD OUT of the 2017 Vista Rutherford Red Blend. However, we just received the 2017 Vista Atlas Peak Proprietary Red. Quite frankly, we think it may be even better than the Vista Rutherford. And it’s STILL only $23 btl. Click Here for More Details
How do you get an incredible Rutherford Cabernet Blend for $23? Frankly, you don’t, unless something unusual happens… Originally intended to be a Single Vineyard Cabernet, a winemaking miscommunication led to some barrels from other high-end projects getting accidentally blended into the same tank. The result is an absolutely stunning Rutherford Blend that needs a new home… When I first tasted this wine I was asked to estimate the retail price with no information other than what was on the label. After considering the focused and penetrating red fruits, classic Rutherford dust characteristics and long, pleasant finish, my number was $75-$95/btl… Turns out it was $95, had it been finished as a single vineyard Rutherford Cabernet. We knew this wine would leave countless fans wanting more, which was proven by around a 1/2 pallet/week in re-orders that have poured in. Now the wine is nearly sold out, so if you haven’t stocked up yet, this is the last call…
Originating from Rutherford, an area long celebrated for its exceptional terroir and dusty tannins, this wine embodies many of the hallmarks that I look for in Rutherford Cabernet. Predominately Cabernet, heightened with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the 2017 saturates your palate in seductive red berries laced with dried lavender, red currants, iron, and Rutherford dust. If you look for value Reds from Napa Valley, I strongly recommend that you double or even triple down on this one, before it’s too late…
VISTA
2017 RED BLEND
RUTHERFORD
Intended Retail $95/btl
Your Price: $23/btl
Tasting Notes: “Scintillating aromas of fresh blackberries, tart red currants, cocoa powder and vanilla spice. The palate is dense, rich and powerful with a beautiful combination of bright red fruit characteristics that perfectly intertwine with deep black fruits including blueberry compote, crushed black raspberries, ripe red plum, baking spices and bittersweet chocolate. Intense and penetrating, this wine displays concentrated, powerful fruit with a gorgeous center core that finishes with a long, focused finish and slightly dusty tannins.” 92 – 95 Points
2013 Mayacamas Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon
MAYACAMAS
2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MOUNT VEEDER, NAPA VALLEY
Mayacamas has been producing hits since the 1950’s, and it would take a pivotal move to stand-out above their incredible past accomplishments. Mayacamas Estate made that move in 2013 when they hired Andy Erickson as winemaker. Andy made Screaming Eagle from 2005-2010 producing two perfect 100 Point Wines. Beyond that, he also assisted in making wine at Harlan Estate as well as crafting wines for Ovid, Arietta, Staglin, Dalla Valle and his own label Favia. Commemorating his first vintage with twin 97 Point Scores, if you collect Napa Valley’s finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon, don’t miss this release…
Created from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grown near the top of Mount Veeder, Mayacamas stands out among other top Cabernets for their unique use of neutral oak barrels. This wine spends a total of 32 months in neutral oak, which helps to preserve the wines natural favors and expressive terroir without taking a back seat to the oak itself. They produce some of the most classically-styled, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley and this vintage marks a rebirth that any serious collector must have…
MAYACAMAS
2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MOUNT VEEDER, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $150.00/btl
Your Price: $119.99/btl
YOU SAVE 20%
“This is slightly more opulent than other vintages of Mayacamas with tile, slate, dark fruits and flowers such as roses. Full body, firm and luscious tannins. Lots of sage and lavender undertones. Best ever from here? First wine from new owners. Reserved extravagance.“
97 Points
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“… Virile, imposing and massively structured in the glass… The flavors are dark, bold and incisive, with potent tannins and a real feeling of gravitas to back things up. Black cherry, game, smoke, gravel and licorice add to an impression of brooding intensity….”
97 Points
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Customers that enjoy Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon may also enjoy these two terrific Cabs…
NICKEL & NICKEL
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
CC RANCH, RUTHERFORD
Retails at: $120.00/btl
Your Price: $99.99/btl
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon C C Ranch Vineyard is deep garnet-purple in color with a nose of warm blackberries and blueberry compote with hints of cedar chest, mocha and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, it is velvety and elegant with lovely perfume and great persistence.” 95+ Points
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EISELE
2014 ALTAGRACIA
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $135.00/btl
Your Price: Join Our Email List to Unlock Special Offers
From James Suckling: “Lots of sweet-tobacco, currant and coffee character, yet this remains refined and subtle. Mushroom undertones. Medium to full body, ultra-fine tannins and a velvety texture. Complex and fascinating. Spanish cedar all the way. Better in 2019.” 96 Points
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2016 Bevan Ontogeny Proprietary Red
BEVAN
2016 ONTOGENY
PROPRIETARY RED
Have you ever had a wine so stunningly brilliant that it made you question the theory that taste is subjective? I can’t fathom anybody not getting that feeling when they taste Bevan‘s 2016 Ontogeny. This is Bevan‘s least expensive of his big reds and the 2016 has a larger percentage of Cabernet than ever before. I generally try not to predict the potential for a perfect score, however that was before I tasted Bevan‘s Ontogeny… I strongly recommend grabbing as much as you can, before the scores are out. His 2012 Ontogeny scored 99 points from Robert Parker and the 2016 is at a new level…
Accumulating perfect 100 point scores at a record pace, Russell Bevan clearly has a Midas touch in winemaking. His Ontogeny Proprietary Red combines four of the top five Bordeaux Varietals, grown in several of his top vineyard sites. The wine is kept in a variety of high-end oak barrels and the 2016 is showing so much potential right now that it has to be experienced to fathom how good is. There truly aren’t enough superlatives to describe this one…
BEVAN
2016 ONTOGENY
PROPRIETARY RED
Your Price: $99.99/btl
Winery Notes: “Ontogeny. Like our EE, this is more Cabernet Sauvignon than ever before. Less mineral, more pure fruit. It also has a layer of richness that the previous Ontogeny wines didn’t have. The fruit profile from the additional Cabernet Sauvignon is blackberry, boysenberry and there is a hint of mocha that really pops on the finish. Deep purple, incredibly seductive. This is as decadent as Ontogeny has ever been.”
Customers who enjoy Bevan Ontogeny may also enjoy these two Bevan Releases…
2015 Chalk Hill Estate Proprietary Red
CHALK HILL
2015 ESTATE RED
PROPRIETARY RED
Named for it’s unique volcanic soils composed of chalky white ash, the Chalk Hill AVA produces stunning wines, and in my mind, this one reigns supreme. This wine makes absolutely no excuses at it’s $70 retail price… A paragon of Northern Sonoma County, and especially when it comes to Bordeaux varietals, this towering, ostentatious effort from Chalk Hill Winery is brimming with super-concentrated dark berries, black chocolates, pipe tobacco, and creme de cassis. The 2015 has superb presence on the palate with great intensity, depth and balance. Unsurprisingly, it’s already earned 94 Points from Robert Parker.
A fusion of nearly 60% Cabernet Sauvignon enhanced with Malbec, Petit Verdot and Merlot, the wine‘s deep, concentrated core is complex and extracted, carving out layers of vivid dark berries, black tea, sweet vanilla and cigar box. After evolving for 20 months in oak and kept for over a year in the bottle, this compelling wine is drinking beautifully now and will cellar effortlessly for two decades…
CHALK HILL
2015 ESTATE RED
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $70.00/btl
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “The 2015 Estate Red is deep garnet-purple colored and delivers a good amount of oak-inspired notions to begin over a core of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry pie, preserved plums and chocolate box with hints of vanilla pod and cigar box. Big, concentrated and full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with black fruit preserves, framed by ripe, firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing on a woody note. Forget it for 5-6 years and drink it over the next 20.“ 94 Points
Customers who enjoy Chalk Hill Estate Red may also enjoy these two terrific Reds…
LAIRD
JILLIAN’S BLEND
2014 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $48.00/btl
Your Price: Join Our Email List to Unlock Special Offers
When Napa Valley’s preeminent farming family uses just 3% of their grapes to produce their own wine, they’re able to hand select the absolute best grapes, producing wines of unrivaled quality. We’ve always loved Laird’s Jillian’s Blend, but our affection was further solidified when we tasted the new vintage side-by-side another Napa Cab Blend that we love, which retails at $70/btl. We unanimously agreed that the Laird eclipsed it by a healthy margin.
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DANCING HARES
2016 MAD HATTER
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $75.00/btl
Your Price: $59.99/btl
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2014 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir
DOMAINE SERENE
2014 PINOT NOIR
EVENSTAD RESERVE
I’m often asked about wineries to visit in Willamette Valley, and for as long as I can remember Domaine Serene has topped my list. It’s simply my favorite producer of classic, profound and hedonistic Oregon Pinot Noir. When the winery went up against Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (one of the most expensive Pinot Noirs in the world) in a blind tasting of 3 wines from each producer in vintages 1998, 1999, and 2000, Domaine Serene placed first, second and third with the 1998 and 1999 vintages and first and second with their 2000… Domaine Serene’s Evanstad Reserve is an undeniable reference standard for Oregon Pinot Noir and with the 94 and 95 point scores, it simply won’t be available for long…
One of the keys to the wineries success is the diversity of soils, clones and microclimates found on their 240 acres of dry farmed, Estate Vineyards. The diversity in their vineyards allow them to create the best representation of the vintage, every year… With accolades like #1 Pinot in the world on the Wine Spectator top 100 for 2013, this is one you don’t want to miss.
DOMAINE SERENE
2014 PINOT NOIR
EVENSTAD RESERVE
Retails at: $75.00/btl
Your Price: $64.99/btl
YOU SAVE 13%
“A soft and silky pinot with beautiful dried strawberries, blueberries and hints of vanilla to close. Medium to full body, ultra-fine tannins and a fruity finish. This is all about subtlety and freshness.” 95 Points
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“There is a darker fruit spectrum evident in the reserve, with notes of coffee, smoke, black fruits, a touch of charred wood all worked through, and without damping the core fruit flavors. Those bright flavors spotlight raspberry, plum and black cherry...” 94 Points, Editors’ Choice
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Customers who would enjoy Domaine Serene’s Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir, may also enjoy these two terrific Pinots…
2011 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Brunello Di Montalcino
LIVIO SASSETTI
2011 PERTIMALI
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
If you could only drink only one Brunello di Montalcino, what would it be? Robert Parker wrote “it would have to be Pertimali.” The only problem is they’re a microscopic Italian producer owning only 7 hectares (about 17 acres), and they’re highly-desired… Antonio Galloni wrote that Livio Sassetti is “One of Italy’s finest,” and they’ve been making hits since 1982… Their 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is indescribably gorgeous with an intoxicating perfume of wild violets, crushed raspberries, cola and black truffle. At under fifty per bottle, you may want to skip to the order button…
Absolutely hands-on in every way possible, each individual wine is hand-tended by Livio and his two sons. With attention to every detail, their Brunello has become a Sommelier favorite, gracing the Grand Award winning wine lists of Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller and many others as well… Because of the minuscule production, there’s simply never enough of this wine to satisfy demand. I strongly recommend securing your case, before this one runs out…
LIVIO SASSETTI
2011 PERTIMALI
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
Retails at: $55.00/btl
Your Price: $44.99/btl
YOU SAVE 18%
From The Wine Enthusiast: “Floral and refined, this opens with alluring scents of violet, iris, perfumed berry, earth and a whiff of pressed powder. The savory, elegant palate offers up juicy wild cherry, raspberry, truffle, anise and white pepper framed in a network of silky tannins. It’s already extremely accessible and will offer fine drinking pleasure for the near and mid-term.” 94 Points
Customers who enjoy Livio Sassetti’s 2011 Brunello Pertimali may also enjoy these two terrific wines…
2012 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red
VIK
2012 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED
MILLAHUE VALLEY, CHILE
Sometimes it pays to get in early… Last September we were the first retailer in the US to taste Vik’s 2012 Milla Calla Blend, and we knew it was something special. When it recently scored 94 Points by the Wine Spectator, I wasn’t the least bit surprised… It’s produced by one of the preeminent wineries in the Southern Hemisphere, and from an area that lies South of Santiago that was chosen after two years of intense scientific research and more than 4000 soil samples, in a relentless search for the best terroir in Chile. The final blend checking in at 50% Cabernet Sauvignon accented with Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah, saturating your palate in intense dark fruits, saddle leather, black chocolate and earthly spices….
Created by legendary winemaker Patrick Valette, who is responsible for crafting some of the greatest wines in Chile and Bordeaux, and Norwegian entrepreneur Alexander Vik. With literally no expense spared on this project, the grapes were meticulously sorted in the most modern grape selection line in Chile before being transported by gravity, into individual fermentation tanks. VIK’s top wine retails for $140/btl and we found that the Milla Cala at $40/btl drinks like a wine that should be many times its price point.
VIK
2012 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED
MILLAHUE VALLEY, CHILE
Your Price: $39.99/btl
From The Wine Spectator: “Rich and refined, delivering unctuous dark fruit and spice flavors that offer a creamy svelteness. Slate and mineral accents linger on the complex finish, with dark chocolate and olive notes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot. Drink now through 2022...” 94 Points
Customers who enjoy Vik’s Milla Cala Proprietary Red may also enjoy these two terrific wines…