2023 Clementine by Cold Spring Vin Blanc El Dorado California

2023 Clementine by Cold Spring Vin Blanc El Dorado California

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtProprietary WhiteUSA

Clementine

by Cold Spring
Vin Blanc 2023
El Dorado, California

2023 Clementine by Cold Spring Vin Blanc El Dorado California

With crystalline focus and aromatic depth, the 2023 Clementine Vin Blanc redefines the possibilities for Rhône-inspired whites grown in California’s high-altitude terrain. Perched in the Sierra Nevada foothills at elevations where the Pacific’s cooling influence meets summer warmth, the vineyards yield grapes of dazzling clarity and depth.

With a soul rooted in the Rhône Valley and a voice unmistakably Californian, this wine captures the rare harmony between sun-drenched fruit and alpine lift. Harvested at the apex of ripeness, the 2023 vintage pulses with natural energy. Winemaker Adam Smith employs whole-cluster pressing and wild yeast fermentation, allowing the vineyard’s voice to speak with purity and intention.

During our tasting, which featured White Burgundies and other Californian whites—some costing twice or even three times as much—Clementine emerged as the unexpected star. Its brilliance lies in its balance: a wine that stirs both intellect and emotion. For those seeking something simultaneously soulful and electric, this bottle sets a new standard—a beautifully kept secret worth discovering.

Clementine
by Cold Spring
Vin Blanc 2023
El Dorado, California

Your Price: $25

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“The Clementine 2023 Vin Blanc is perfumed with aromas of white blossoms, chamomile, honeycomb, buttercream frosted peach Danish pastry, lime, and tangerine. On the palate, the wine has flavors of yellow apple, ripe pear, juicy apricot, sweet spices, and a subtle exotic hint of lychee. The wine is floral and expressive with a gentle roundness on the finish.”

93 Points

2019 La Sirena Aviatrix Grenache El Dorado

2019 La Sirena Aviatrix Grenache El Dorado

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtUSA

LA SIRENA

AVIATRIX GRENACHE
EL DORADO 2019

2019 La Sirena Aviatrix Grenache El Dorado
Heidi Peterson Barrett is one of Napa Valley’s most celebrated and talented winemakers and has created some of Napa Valley’s most sought-after wines since the 1980s. Between her position as an independent winemaker at Dalla Valle in the late 1980s and developing a small project called Screaming Eagle soon afterward, Heidi’s career took flight as she earned five 100-point scores for her efforts within a few short years.
 
Heidi started La Sirena in 1994, and Aviatrix, a brand that’s an homage to her love of flight as a helicopter pilot, is a boutique line of small production wines she crafts with her distinguished expertise, unparalleled passion, and very adventurous spirit. The 2019 Grenache comes from El Dorado County, an area recognized for producing Rhône-style wines with incredible complexity and pure varietal character at a price point with sky-high appeal.
 
LA SIRENA
AVIATRIX GRENACHE
EL DORADO 2019
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The 2019 La Sirena Aviatrix Grenache has a complex and intriguing nose with aromas of rosemary, lavender, peppercorns, red cherry, berry bramble, and cigar box. On the palate, flavors of cranberry, red plum, white pepper, and dried herbs are in a delicate balance with soft, ripe tannins and juicy acidity. This wine drinks best with a slight chill that allows the complex range of flavors dances into an elegant, lengthy finish.”
95 Points
 
2019 Skinner Grenache Rogue El Dorado

2019 Skinner Grenache Rogue El Dorado

with No Comment $30 and underGrenacheKevin VogtUSA

SKINNER

GRENACHE ROUGE
EL DORADO 2019

2019 Skinner Grenache Rogue El Dorado
Skinner Vineyards is one of the country’s first wineries, established in 1861 by a Scottish miner named James Skinner. The winery serendipitously ended up back in the hands of the same Skinner family in 2006 when Kevin and Kathy Skinner came across the name on an old map and purchased 25 acres a mile from the original property.
 
The Skinners planted their vineyard modeled after the initial planting during the Gold Rush, including an assortment of Rhône varietals for which the winery is known. Grenache is part of the Skinner legacy and thrives in the rocky soils and warm, dry climate of El Dorado County, producing a wine that strikes a balance between bright, juicy fruit and vibrant acidity.
 
SKINNER
GRENACHE ROUGE
EL DORADO 2019
Retails at: $36
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Vivid, sunbaked fruit flavors and a great structure of moderate acidity and tannins balance this wine out beautifully on a high level. Blackberry and raspberry notes mingle with hints of cedar, clove and black pepper for a tasty complexity.”
92 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.”

2015 Skinner El Dorado Syrah

with No Comment $30 and underFair PlaySyrahUSA

SKINNER

2015 SYRAH
EL DORADO

One of the fastest-growing categories in our shop is high-quality California Syrah at value Prices, and when you read about who’s involved in this project, and then consider it’s less than $30 bucks, it should be an easy decision to try it. After all, the wine is made by Chris Pittenger, who gained valuable first-hand experience working at iconic wineries Marcassin and Williams-Selyem.
 
The sumptuous, silky Skinner Syrah was carved primarily from the winery’s Stoney Creek Estate Vineyard, perched at 2,740′ elevation in the tiny AVA of Fair Play, located inside the larger El Dorado and Sierra Foothill Appellations. The area produces Syrah with distinct elegance, remarkable delineation, and rustic appeal. 
 
The 2015 vintage is artfully composed of 88% Syrah and finished with other Rhone grape varieties for added lift and abundant layers. After spending 23 months in French oak barrels, it has evolved nicely in the bottle and is seamlessly balanced, profound, and absolutely delicious…
 
SKINNER
2015 SYRAH
EL DORADO
Retails at: $30
 
Your Price: $24
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 “This wine tastes bold and assertive, pushing smoky oak and vanilla flavors close to the edge but rescuing them with attractive ripe flavors of blackberry and black cherry. The wine is full bodied, layered and mouthcoating, supported by moderate tannins that melt into the bold flavors.”93 Points