2023 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley

2023 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

Steps

Barrel Select Reserve
Proprietary Red Blend
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley

Born from a vintage that winemakers dream of, the Steps 2023 Barrel Select captures the essence of Napa Valley at its purest. Selected from just three barrels, this wine reflects the singular vision of Grant Long, Jr., whose name has become synonymous with craftsmanship through his acclaimed work at Aonair, Reverie II, and James Joseph.

Grant’s vision for Steps Reserve has always centered on a balance between the valley’s plush generosity and its rugged, high-elevation edge. The 2023 vintage embodies that duality with striking clarity. Cabernet Sauvignon lends structure and power, while Merlot and Malbec add notes of supple fruit and lifted aromatics.

Aged for nineteen months in Sylvain and Darnajou barrels, the Steps Reserve Barrel Select emerges polished yet vibrant, its depth framed by the quiet luxury of fine French oak. Beneath its refinement lies a pulse of energy, a sign of its youth and promise. With time, this wine will evolve into something extraordinary: an elegant and enduring reflection of both the vintage and the vision.

Steps
Barrel Select Reserve
Proprietary Red Blend
Napa Valley 2023

Your Price: $49.99

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“The STEPS Reserve Barrel Select 2023 Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend begins with deep aromas of cassis, black cherries, ripe plums, dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, clove, dried herbs, and cedar. On the palate, the wine is refined and silky, with a seamless mouthfeel and bright acidity, which enhances the complexity of flavors ranging from plush black fruits and spices, keeping the profile fresh and poised. Fine-grained tannins lend structure, and the elegant finish lingers for a harmonious and polished expression of Napa Valley.”

96 Points

2023 James Joseph Kathryn's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2023 James Joseph Kathryn’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

James Joseph

Kathryn’s Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2023

2023 James Joseph Kathryn's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

In a valley steeped in prestige, few producers have carved a legacy as quietly compelling as James Joseph. For more than twenty years, these Cabernet Sauvignons have spoken not in thunderous declarations but in eloquent whispers of terroir and time, each vintage an exploration of Napa’s most prized vineyard sites. The 2023 Kathryn’s Reserve continues that lineage with striking brilliance, embodying the belief that true greatness lies in balance.

With Kathryn’s Reserve, winemaker Grant Long Jr. channels decades of experience and a deep understanding of Napa’s patchwork terroirs into a wine that feels both timeless and immediate. The 2023 vintage speaks with uncommon clarity, revealing the kind of precision and purity that only emerge when everything aligns: ideal weather, mature vines, and a winemaker attuned to the rhythms of the season.

James Joseph reveals a Cabernet Sauvignon that captures the grandeur of Napa without the imposing price tag that often accompanies it. It’s a wine that overdelivers in every dimension: sourcing, craftsmanship, aging potential, and sheer drinking pleasure. In doing so, it redefines what value can mean, and it’s the bottle most will wish they had bought more of when they had the chance.

James Joseph
Kathryn’s Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2023

Your Price: $49.99

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“The James Joseph 2023″ Kathryn’s Reserve” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon opens with a structured aromatic profile of blackcurrants, blackberries, and plum, complemented with notes of violets, graphite, and cedar. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and supple, with flavors of dark fruits, hints of mocha, cassis, and sweet tobacco. The wine has fine-grained tannins and balanced acidity with a long, refined, impressive persistence and finish. The wine has a youthful approachability, but will definitely age well in the cellar due to the near-perfect conditions for the 2023 vintage in Napa Valley.”

95 Points

2022 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Napa Valley

2022 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Atlas PeakCalistogaKevin VogtNapaOak KnollProprietary RedSaint HelenaUSA

Steps

Barrel Select Reserve
Napa Valley 2022

2022 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Napa Valley

The 2022 Steps Reserve Barrel Select embodies the exceptional artistry of Grant Long, Jr., a renowned winemaker celebrated for his work at Aonair, Reverie II, and James Joseph. Grant possesses a unique talent for crafting both approachable and elegant wines, transforming each barrel into a harmonious expression of texture, balance, and enduring appeal.

Sourced from premier vineyards across Napa Valley – Saint Helena, Oak Knoll, Atlas Peak, and Calistoga – the 2022 Steps Reserve showcases a captivating interplay of lush valley floor fruit and structured mountain grapes. This meticulously crafted blend, centered around Cabernet Sauvignon and interwoven with Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, exemplifies Grant’s ability to translate Napa Valley’s diverse terroir into a genuinely captivating wine.

After 18 months of careful aging in French oak, the 2022 Steps Reserve Barrel Select unfolds with layers of rich, penetrating flavors. Polished yet vibrant, this wine promises a journey of evolution, maturing gracefully into a paragon of sophistication over time.

Steps
Barrel Select Reserve
Napa Valley 2022

Your Price: $49.99

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“The Steps 2022 Reserve Barrel Select opens with supple fruit aromas of plums and black currants, accompanied by notes of sweet spices, chocolate fudge, graphite, new leather, and cedar. On the palate, the wine is penetrating and concentrated with flavors of blackberries, black plums, allspice, gingerbread, vanilla extract, and toasted hazelnuts. The wine has a sultry structure with silky tannins that glide into a long, smooth finish like a sunset slowly fading into twilight.”

95 Points

2022 Vista Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

2022 Vista Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

Vista Reserve

Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford 2022

2022 Vista Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

The 2022 Vista Reserve Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is a game-changer, boldly proving that stunning quality doesn’t have to come with a premium price tag. As the sole Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon available at $25, this wine offers the region’s hallmark elegance, complexity, and signature “Rutherford dust” tannins, wrapped in a richness that belies its modest price.

Sourced from Rutherford’s coveted western slopes, where ideal soils and temperate microclimate nurture grapes to perfection, the 2022 vintage shines with concentrated fruit, velvety tannins, and remarkable balance and exemplifies Vista’s unwavering commitment to exceptional quality.

Crafted by renowned winemaker Grant Long Jr. of Aonair, Reverie II, Steps, and James Joseph, this Cabernet Sauvignon overflows with richness and sophistication. It redefines expectations at this price point, delivering an extraordinary tasting experience that rivals bottles far more expensive.

Vista Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford 2022

Your Price: $25

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“The Vista 2022 Reserve Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon opens with vibrant aromas of blackberry, blueberry, lavender, and cloves. On the palate, there are flavors of red currant, berry compote, cherry, tobacco, graphite, and cocoa. The wine’s firm structure and elegant finish deliver exceptional quality at an incredible price.”

95 Points

2022 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve Napa Valley

2022 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn’s Reserve Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

James Joseph

Cabernet Sauvignon
Kathryn’s Reserve
Napa Valley 2022

2022 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve Napa Valley

James Joseph has cultivated a legacy of exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon for over two decades, sourcing grapes from Napa Valley’s most esteemed vineyards. Each vintage is a testament to the artistry of Grant Long Jr., a renowned winemaker with a distinguished history at Aonair, Reverie, and Steps.

Grant’s unwavering dedication to excellence is evident in Kathryn’s Reserve, a wine that balances power and elegance. His meticulous approach captures the essence of Napa Valley’s diverse terroir, transforming each vintage into a masterpiece of complexity and depth. The 2022 Kathryn’s Reserve is a prime example, offering a captivating blend of charm and sophistication that belies its modest price point.

The 2022 Kathryn’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is more than a wine—it’s an experience crafted to captivate today and age gracefully into the future. With its irresistible expression of Napa Valley’s finest terroir and winemaking mastery, this is a bottle that promises to leave a lasting impression.

James Joseph
Cabernet Sauvignon
Kathryn’s Reserve
Napa Valley 2022

Your Price: $49.99

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“The James Joseph 2022 Kathryn’s Reserve begins with ripe, juicy fruit aromas of plum, black cherry, blackberry, Marionberry pie, baking spices, and dark chocolate, with a hint of crushed rock minerality. On the palate, flavors of dark fruits, baking spices, cocoa powder, balsamic reduction, freshly baked brownies, and savory notes. This wine offers a harmonious blend of ripe fruit, spice, minerality, well-integrated tannins, and bright acidity, making it a pleasure to drink now and suitable for aging.”

94 Points

2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red

2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Diamond MountainKevin VogtNapaOakvilleProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

STEPS

RESERVE BARREL SELECT
2019 PROPRIETARY RED

2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red
Each year STEPS is re-birthed as it’s formed from declassified grapes from some of Napa Valley’s most coveted vineyards and meticulously blended by winemaker Grant Long, Jr, whom you might know from Aonair, Witchery, and James Joseph. Grant makes the blend with an unwavering goal of producing a showy, opulent red, guided by the vintage and the varietals that performed best. The 2019 release reflects the vintage’s knockout power and blanketing intensity, and at $50, the value is nearly inconceivable.
 
Steps 2019 Barrel Select draws on Diamond Mountain’s concentrated fruit and expressive flavors, then brings Rutherford elegance and Oakville complexity into play with absolute grandiosity. The final blend is more than 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot, crafted in a richly layered, lavish, hedonistic style. The wine is a steal at $50, and at $45, a single case won’t be enough.
 
STEPS
RESERVE BARREL SELECT
2019 PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“The 2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select is beautifully aromatic with violets, ripe black plums and black raspberries, dark chocolate, and wet stones. On the palate, flavors of blueberry pie, cocoa power, and a savory mushroom component add additional layers of complexity. The tannins are fine-grained, giving the wine a velvety texture felt throughout the long and opulent finish that slowly fades away on the palate, revealing its complexity one layer at a time.”
95 Points
2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red

2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red

with No Comment $40-$50Diamond MountainKevin VogtNapaOakvilleProprietary RedRutherfordUSA

STEPS

RESERVE BARREL SELECT
2019 PROPRIETARY RED

2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select Proprietary Red
Each year STEPS is re-birthed as it’s formed from declassified grapes from some of Napa Valley’s most coveted vineyards and meticulously blended by winemaker Grant Long, Jr, whom you might know from Aonair, Witchery, and James Joseph. Grant makes the blend with an unwavering goal of producing a showy, opulent red, guided by the vintage and the varietals that performed best. The 2019 release reflects the vintage’s knockout power and blanketing intensity, and at our price, the value is nearly inconceivable.
 
Steps 2019 Barrel Select draws on Diamond Mountain’s concentrated fruit and expressive flavors, then brings Rutherford elegance and Oakville complexity into play with absolute grandiosity. The final blend is more than 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot, crafted in a richly layered, lavish, hedonistic style. The wine is a steal at $50, and at $45, a single case won’t be enough.
 
STEPS
RESERVE BARREL SELECT
2019 PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“The 2019 Steps Reserve Barrel Select is beautifully aromatic with violets, ripe black plums and black raspberries, dark chocolate, and wet stones. On the palate, flavors of blueberry pie, cocoa power, and a savory mushroom component add additional layers of complexity. The tannins are fine-grained, giving the wine a velvety texture felt throughout the long and opulent finish that slowly fades away on the palate, revealing its complexity one layer at a time.”
95 Points
2013 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2013 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

TOGETHER

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2013 NAPA VALLEY

2013 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Together’s 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is flawless, deepened with six years of bottle development, accentuating the mountain fruit’s power, and Grant Long Jr’s gentle winemaking techniques. The once muscular profile is now silken, with soft tannins, balanced acidity, opulent fruit, and balanced, integrated oak. At our price, words cannot do this wine justice with how it’s drinking right now. 
 
Grant wove together Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the surrounding mountains of Napa Valley and a vintage unanimously recognized for its unrivaled quality. Robert Parker alerted readers that the 2013 vintage “…may turn out to be the finest vintage I have experienced in tasting North Coast varietals over the last 37 years.” 
 
This remarkable wine is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, enhanced with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, which were vital in balancing the distinct Mountain terroirs. The wine was cave-aged for around 20 months in premium oak barrels, and after six years in the bottle, it’s stunningly brilliant.
 
TOGETHER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2013 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $80
 
 
 
“The Precursor to the lovely 2015 and 2014 vintages that I’ve written about is the Together Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, which is an absolute delight to drink. It begins with a concentrated nose of wild berries, bramble, cocoa powder, Spring florals, and wood spice. The concentrated palate is supple and opulent, with the wine’s characteristic black cherry/berry blend balancing the brighter, fresher red fruit notes and finishing with a chocolaty characteristic. Like the two previous vintages, it is rich, densely concentrated, and powerful, and the finish is smooth, satiny, balanced, and ready to drink right now.” 
93 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2016 Witchery Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2016 Witchery Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $90-$100Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUSA

WITCHERY

2016 OAKVILLE 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 

2016 Witchery Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
Designed to encapsulate the 16th-century definition of their namesake, an irresistible fascination, everything about Witchery wines, including; the attractive packaging, charming bouquet, and enchanting flavors, are expertly choreographed and on display. The wine casts a powerful spell, setting in motion an instant and devoted following by just about everybody trying it. 
 
Witchery’s Oakville Cabernet comes from a secret vineyard located directly South of OPUS ONE and adjacent to Silver Oak. The site’s ideal micro-climate and complex soils produce incredibly expressive Cabernet fruit that lends well to Witchery’s signature style of crafting chillingly rich and captivating wines. 
 
Winemaker Grant Long Jr aged the wine 100% New French Oak Barrels, completing the blend with Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The 2016 release developed remarkably well in the bottle, and with just 8 barrels produced and only a handful of cases left, now is a great time to try it.
 
WITCHERY
2016 OAKVILLE 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 

“Some Cabernets are styled more elegantly with laser like precision, while others are monstrous, bold and powerfully inky. Somewhere in the middle lies the perfect balance of power & grace and I’ve found it in this wine. The Witchery Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 is a picture of balance with a nose that actually smells satiny with fresh black plums, crushed blueberries, sweet vanilla and delicate floral notes. The palate is lush and beautifully balanced with black cherry, red currants, ever so slightly dusty tannins and beautifully integrated toasty oak. The finish is long, penetrating and so mouth watering that it evokes a pavlovian response. It is absolutely beautiful now, but will age gracefully for a decade or more.”

96 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier 

2015 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2015 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment $40-$50Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

TOGETHER

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2015 NAPA VALLEY

2015 Together Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Together Cabernet Sauvignon harnesses Mountain fruit’s power through gentle winemaking, barrel age, and time in the bottle and delivers it with supreme elegance, refinement, and balance. The wine is crafted by Grant Long Jr, whom you might know from Witchery, Aonair, James Joseph, and Steps. Grant produced the 2015 vintage in the deeply enchanting style that we’d expect from his wine, and at $80, it’s worth every penny. Of course, at our price, very few wines can even complete.
 
Grant flawlessly merged hillside Cabernet Sauvignon fruit sourced from the surrounding mountains of Napa Valley, then enhanced it with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, which are vital in balancing the distinct Mountain terroirs. 
 
This remarkable 2015 was cave-aged for around 20 months in premium oak barrels, and after blossoming in the bottle for more than three years, the flavors have come together spectacularly. There are very few cases of this boutique Cabernet produced, and priced at 1/2 of the winery retail, you simply can’t order too much of this.
 
TOGETHER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2015 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $80
 
 
 
“Following the spectacular 2014 vintage, the Together Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 is even more enticing. It begins with a concentrated nose of muddled blackberries, cassis, black plums, fresh lavender, and vanilla spice. The brooding palate has impressive balance with the wine’s deep, dark bass notes in perfect harmony with the brighter red fruit character. The rich, supple texture caresses your taste buds into a blissful, satiated state. It then finishes very long, with a complexity that teases your palate in such a beautiful way, and leaving you absolutely needing that next sip. Then the next. Then the next…” 
94 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier