2013 Kuleto Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Kuleto Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

KULETO

2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE, NAPA VALLEY

2013 Kuleto Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

We’re always looking for the best values in Napa Cabernet, and one of the things that we pay critical attention to are Estate wines hewn within a close proximity to other revered vineyards.  Kuleto Estate is located just across Sage Canyon Road from Chappellet, Continuum and Gandona and their Estate Cabernet is an uncanny value at $60.  At this price, it’s honestly not even fair… The vineyard is remarkably diverse with vines planted along ridges and steep hillsides.  The soils, elevations and sub-climates are so complex that they delineated the property into more than 100 distinct micro-blocks.  Their 2013 Estate Cabernet is made up of 24 different micro-blocks.  Our panel was so taken by the quality that we bought every bottle that the distributor had available.  

Composed by seasoned winemaker Dave Lattin, and with a focused richness and elaborate, penetrating flavors, this wine has more than enough structure to age for many years to come.  Pressed in the winery’s state-of-the-art gravity-flow winery, their Estate Cabernet spends 20 months in oak barrels before bottling.  If you love big, full bodied Napa Cabernet Sauvignon without the premium price tag that normally comes with them… This one’s definitely for you.  

 
KULETO
2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
 
 
From Wine Enthusiast: “From the producer’s estate at over 1,000 feet in elevation, this seamlessly textured wine grabs one’s palate from the start and doesn’t let go. Huckleberry and cedar notes meet bay leaf accents and grippy tannins, all enveloped in smoky oak. It finishes with bright, fresh blackberry.” 92 Points

2016 Cru⁹ ‘Stop Talking’ Napa Valley Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

CRU⁹

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
STOP TALKING…
2016 NAPA VALLEY

 
When we first introduced Cru9’s Cabernet last year, we knew that once ANYBODY tasted it that they wouldn’t be able to stop talking about how great it is at this price.  The conversation on the 2016 would be highlighted by a compact core of dense blackberry, velvety cassis, cocoa dusted raspberries and crushed granite. And with great volume, and an even more powerful voice than earlier vintages, the 2016 is confident and authoritative, yet finely detailed and effortlessly balanced. Of course, you may want to whisper since there were only 11 barrels produced… At this price it’s simply one of the best Cabernets in the shop.
 
Resonating from a secret vineyard sources in Oakville, St. Helena and Rutherford, the 2016 exhibits all the best traits of the vintage.  On the palate, waves of concentrated blackberry, sandalwood, black currants, white flowers and earthy minerals circulate and add new dimensions as the wine opens up.  Notably, CRU9 also gives back and helps support two nonprofit women shelters, Ruby’s Place in CA and House of Hope in IA (read more).  Every time you buy a bottle of CRU9, you also help level the playing field for survivors of human trafficking, domestic abuse, and homelessness.
 
CRU9
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
STOP TALKING…
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “Cru 9 Stop Talking Cabernet 2016 has an intense purple color offering a powerful nose of ripe blackberries, black cherry, dried currants, crushed rocks, cigar box and hints of cinnamon.  On the palate, it is intensely penetrating and focused with concentrated wild mountain blackberries, cassis and velvety tannins. It finishes in a linear style that’s so focused and penetrating, it brings an immediate smile to your face and is exceptionally satisfying.  In a world where hundred plus dollar Napa Cabs are the norm, this is the ultimate ‘Bang for your Buck’ wine. Superb! Drink now through 2029.” 97 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier

2017 Vista Rutherford Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUncategorizedUSA

VISTA

2017 RUTHERFORD
PROPRIETARY RED

 
Being part of a wine brand that’s shattering records and has everybody talking is always fun, and Vista turns out to be our single most popular wine we’ve ever offered… This is a $23 Rutherford Blend that tastes like it should cost many many times its price.  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, the intended retail was $95, had it been finished as a single vineyard Rutherford Cabernet under a different brand name.  If you look for value reds from Napa Valley, I strongly recommend that you double or even triple down on this one…
 
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.  At $23 bucks this wine shatters expectations of how great a value wine can possibly be in this price.
 
VISTA
2017 RUTHERFORD
PROPRIETARY RED
 
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
2014 Liparita V Block Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 Liparita V Block Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSAYountville

LIPARITA  2014 Liparita V Block Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon

 

2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
V BLOCK, YOUNTVILLE

 
With the ever-growing number of new wineries in Napa Valley, sometimes it pays to re-discover a historic Estate.  Liparita, originally named Liparita – La Jota is absolutely one of the oldest wine Estates in Napa Valley, with the original property on Howell Mountain dating back to 1880.  In 1900 their claret earned a gold medal in Paris and another in Saint Louis in 1904.  Like many other Napa Valley wineries, Liparita vanished with Prohibition and remained a ghost winery that didn’t re-open until the late 1980’s.  Now, nearly 140 years after their inception, Liparita is producing stunning, classically-styled Cabernet Sauvignons and you really ought to try this one.  
 
Conjured from a single block that’s ideally located in a benchlands vineyard in Napa Valley’s iconic Yountville AVA, the 2014 erupts from the glass with intense blackberry, red plum, pipe tobacco and dark chocolate.  Kept for 21 months in oak barrels, the 2014 is made in a deep, supple style that opens up beautifully in the glass.  This one is going to fly… 
 
LIPARITA 
2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
V BLOCK, YOUNTVILLE
Retails at: $65.00/btl
 
 
From James Suckling: “Attractive spice, walnut, earth and currant character follows through to a medium body, fresh acidity and a tangy, complex aftertaste. Fun, traditional-styled cab. Drink now or hold.” 91 Points
2016 Silver Ghost Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2016 Silver Ghost Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUncategorizedUSA

SILVER GHOST  2016 Silver Ghost Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 NAPA VALLEY

 
From a part of the world where Cabernet Sauvignon grapes average around $8,000 per ton, the list of producers that can create a quality wine at a relative value is getting more and more rare. Silver Ghost’s proprietor is well connected with handful of secret vineyard sources in Rutherford, Calistoga and Yountville which allows him to produce a killer Napa Valley Cabernet at under forty per bottle… Without divulging specifics on the vineyard names or locations, Proprietor Weston Eidson is able to offer this wine at a lower price than the quality in the bottle suggests, and once you taste it, it’ll tell you everything you need to know.
 
The 2016 showcases the diversity of each vineyard, with each adding its own unique character and complexity to the final blend.  Cellared for around 22 months in French oak barrels, the 2016 is not only rich and concentrated, but it’s supple and smooth offering an array of crushed black fruits, chocolate covered cherries, cassis and roasted espresso.  Those of you who’ve tasted Weston’s earlier vintages of Silver Ghost already know… If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend grabbing some before it vaporizes.
 
SILVER GHOST
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $35/btl
 
Winery Notes: “Silver Ghost is a rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon crafted from some of the finest vineyards in the Napa Valley. The wine is deep in color with aromas of black cherry, blueberry and cassis leaping from the glass. On the palate Silver Ghost reveals layers of red and black fruit intermingled with mocha, toast and savory spice. A sumptuous texture rounds out the long finish.” 93 Points – Tasting Panel Magazine
 
Customers who enjoy Silver Ghost Napa Valley Cabernet may also enjoy these two stunning value Cabs… 
2016 Sailor's Grave Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Humanitas Piscis Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
SAILOR’S GRAVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $40.00/btl
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

Click to Order

 
With origins in Yountville, Coombsville and Oakville, the 2016 was housed in oak barrels for 22 months.  In the glass the 2016 is incredibly hedonistic, with layers of rich and supple dark berries that are intermixed with black coffee, bay leaf, pipe tobacco and dark chocolate.  The finish is long and expansive and makes it impossible to resist diving in for another sip… another glass and another.
HUMANITAS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 PISCIS VINEYARD
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “...The nose has a sultry opulence with pungent berry intensity followed by blueberry tart, creme de cassis, hints of bay leaf, liquid mineral and sweetened dark chocolate.  The palate begins with penetrating, focused flavors of crushed blackberries and red currants, followed by secondary characteristics including wet stone, cigar box and vanilla spice...” 97 Points
2016 Coup De Foudre Napa Valley 37.2 Cuvee

2016 Coup De Foudre Napa Valley Cuvee 37.2

with No Comment $70-$80Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUncategorizedUSA

COUP DE FOUDRE 2016 Coup De Foudre Napa Valley 37.2 Cuvee

2016 CUVEE 37.2
NAPA VALLEY

 
With a name like Coup de Foudre  (pronounced koo dah foo drah) meaning the moment when lightning strikes, or when something unforgettable occurs that you want to capture forever, my expectations were set high…  They were made even higher by knowing who’s behind the project… Coup de Foudre is owned by John Schwarts whom you might recognize from Amuse Bouche, Au Sommet, Vin Perdu and PharaohMoans.  John has an eye for exceptional talent, working with the likes of Heidi Barrett, et.al.  The 2016 Cuvee shattered my absolutely stratospheric expectations, starting with a unique double label design where you can peel the top layer off to keep, leaving one more below it, to a riveting bouquet and dense, polished core that’s stunningly balanced, poised and polished.  At $75 this wine has everything that I look for in an Ultra Premium Napa Valley Blend.
 
The wine was pristinely constructed by talented winemaker Kent Jarman who perfected his craft at Kenefick Ranch Winery and Duckhorn Vineyards in the early 2000’s.  This distinctive Bordeaux styled blend is built around a core of top-quality Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot.  The 2016 has already earned 94 Points from Vinous and with 450 cases produced, this one most certainly won’t be available for long.
 

 

COUP DE FOUDRE 
2016 CUVEE 37.2
NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $75/btl
 
From Vinous: “The 2016 Merlot Cuvee 37.2 is just as good from bottle as it was from barrel. Deeply layered and yet also super-polished, the 2016 has much to recommend it. A rush of dark cherry, plum, leather, smoke, licorice, grilled herb and earthy notes abound in this beautifully resonant and expressive Merlot-based blend. Even with all of its intensity, the 2016 has terrific freshness.”  94 Points
 
Customers who enjoy Coup de Foudre Cuvee 37.2 may also enjoy these two terrific Red Blends…
2015 Rapp Ranch Cutter's Reserve Napa Valley Proprietary Red
 2016 Vin Perdu Napa Valley Proprietary Red
RAPP RANCH 
CUTTERS RESERVE 
2015 PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $69.99/btl

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Tasting Notes: “This Napa Valley red blend is uniquely driven by 45% Petit Verdot.  Blueberry , licorice, and rose petal entice the nose with secondary aromas of rhubarb, mint and graphite.  Medium bodied on the palate, a burst of mixed berries, anise, and kirsch kiss the tongue.  Balanced, firm tannins lead to a bright, long, lingering finish.“
VIN PERDU
PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $75/btl 

Click to Order

 
2014 Cabaud Benedictions Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 Cabaud Benedictions Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $80-$90Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaOakvilleUncategorizedUSA

CABAUD 2014 Cabaud Benedictions Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 BENEDICTIONS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE, NAPA VALLEY

 
In the California wine world, the name Beckstoffer rings synonymous with quality, and the best Beckstoffer sites are the six Heritage Vineyards: To-Kalon; Missouri Hopper; Dr. Crane; George III; Las Piedras; and Bourn. Each historic site is capable of producing world-class fruit, generating many of the highest rated, most sought after wines in Napa Valley.  Cabaud’s 2014 Benedictions is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard in Oakville. Centered just North of the town of Yountville on the Southern end of Oakville, you might recognize this name from single-vineyard Cabernets produced by Alpha Omega, Purlieu, B. Cellars among others, but what you probably won’t see is finding a wine from this vineyard at under $100/btl… The average is more likely North of $175 per bottle and Cabaud is simply one of the best.
 
Finding new wines made by top producers that are somewhat unheard of, pays off big at times… Cabaud’s winemaker is Luc Morlet, whom many of you many know from his work at Peter Michael or from his own label Morlet which is raking in 100 point scores…  I would estimate Morlet’s Cabs to range from $165 to around $300/btl and at $150 Cabaud is a fantastic wine… I cannot put into words how incredible this wine is. Wines of this caliber, at this price never last long… I wouldn’t hesitate to secure yours.
 
CABAUD
2014 BENEDICTIONS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $150/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “A beautifully deep ruby color immediately captures your imagination of what is about to unfold… A quick swirl and sniff reveals a nose of red currants, black plum skin, wet stone, hints of English rose petals and sweet vanilla oak. Then at first sip, layers of lush red plums, dried blueberries, wild mountain blackberries combine with hints of green tea and tobacco leaf. The supple, seamless elegance and lively freshness of the red and black fruits combine with the fine-grained tannins and a beautifully balanced center core, telegraphing more than a decade of cellar life. The finish is long and powerful, yet refined and focused as well. This one will be a delight to drink for many, many years.”  96 Points
2015 Blind Tasting Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2015 Blind Tasting Napa Valley Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40Howell MountainKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

BLIND TASTING 2015 Blind Tasting Napa Valley Proprietary Red

PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY

 
One of the fastest growing categories in our shop is New World style red blends that are built around a core of high-quality Zinfandel.  This type of blend is always a crowd-favorite because they’re brimming with lush fruits, attractive spice, deep, succulent flavors and when everything is in perfect balance, they’re completely irresistible.  A perfect example is the 2015 Blind Tasting which is unabashedly Californian.  It has a core of Howell Mountain Zinfandel, amplified with ancient vine Petite Sirah, then ratcheted up even more with Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain.  Fans of The Prisoner Red and Venge’s Scout’s Honor should not miss this wine and if you haven’t experienced a California Style Red blend, here’s a great opportunity to do so, but don’t wait too long because there were only 6 barrels produced.
 
The 2015 vintage lights up your palate with penetrating red and black fruits that come interwoven with wild rose, Mountain blueberries, hints of cinnamon and crushed granite.  A deeply powerful wine with focused intensity that’s perfectly balanced by finely grained tannins.  I strongly recommend you jump at the chance to secure a case.  You’ll thank me later…
 
BLIND TASTING
PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “Alluring aromas of ripe blackberries, red plums, sweet floral notes and a touch of vanilla spice seduce your nose. A compact core of perfectly balanced cherry preserves, muddled blueberries, wild blackberries and a touch of black pepper unfurl and expand across your palate.  Opulent without being inky, the supple fruit tannins combine with a very long finish to simply make you smile. Drink right now, or you can hold until 2025.”  94 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
 
Customers who enjoy Blind Tasting Proprietary Red may also enjoy these two terrific Blends…
2016 Venge Scout's Honor Proprietary Red
 2017 The Prisoner Proprietary Red
VENGE
2016 SCOUT’S HONOR
PROPRIETARY BLEND
 
Your Price: $37.99/btl 

Click to Order
THE PRISONER
PROPRIETARY RED 
2017 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $42.99/btl
 
Electric, jubilant, infectiously charming, the new 2017  Prisoner unshackles a posse of vibrant and elaborate flavors that are both intense and broadening, and become even more complex with aeration. Having jail-break level intensity, the 2017  permeates with unsweetened cherry cobbler, wild strawberries, chocolate dipped blueberries and liquid floral.  

2017 Vista Atlas Peak Red Blend

with No Comment $30 and underAtlas PeakKevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

VISTA 

2017 RED BLEND
ATLAS PEAK

How do you get an incredible Atlas Peak Cabernet Blend for $23? Quite honestly, you don’t, unless something very unusual  occurs… Originally intended to be single vineyard Cabernets, a winemaking  miscommunication led to a portion of two separate high-end projects getting accidentally blended into the wrong tanks.  The result is two absolutely stunning blends that became the Vista wines… and both batches were originally slated to sell for $95/btl, had the original concept gone smoothly.  We knew when we previously offered Vista Rutherford Blend, we would make some die-hard fans… and we were right. We bought everything that they made and in a relatively short time, we sold-out of all 728 cases of the Rutherford… Our single biggest seller of all time.
 
Luckily, but almost miraculously so, there is this Atlas Peak version of Vista, and it is even better than the Rutherford… Atlas Peak is an area long celebrated for its concentrated flavors and rocky terroir, and this wine embodies many of  the hallmarks that I look for in Atlas Peak Cabernet. Predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, balanced with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the 2017 saturates your palate in seductively deep black berries laced with dried lavender, red currants, iron, and crushed rock.  If you like the idea of a top quality Napa Cabernet blend at an incredible value, I highly recommend loading up on this one before it also sells out all too soon… 
 
VISTA 
2017 RED BLEND
ATLAS PEAK
 
Your Price: $23/btl
 
Tasting Notes: “Capturing a depth and richness that is completely unheard of at this price, Vista Atlas Peak unfurls aromas of muddled blackberries, black plum, crushed granite, graphite  and hints of vanilla.  The palate is powerfully concentrated with a stunning array of flavors including deep black cherries, blackberry tart, blueberry syrup, with hints of tobacco and chocolate.  Powerful mountain fruit created a wine that is focused and linear in style, yet richly structured with balanced fruit tannins and a palate staining mid palate that leads to a long, intense finish.”  94 – 96 Points

2014 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $100 and overCabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUncategorizedUSA

SILVER OAK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 NAPA VALLEY

When it comes to high quality domestic Cabernet Sauvignon, I can’t think of any brand that’s defined the space as dominantly as Silver Oak has over the past 4 decades.  Silver Oak is one of the most recognizable names across the globe in premium level Cabernet Sauvignon from the New World.  The upcoming release of the 2014 Napa Valley is an absolute classic that’s made in the distinctive Silver Oak style, divulging extravagant levels of sweet black fruits, camphor and vanilla.  2014 was another Blockbuster vintage, and this release displays the year’s amazing rich mouthfeel, weighty palate and dense core.  The Wine Spectator rated the overall vintage for Napa Valley Cab 96 Points, rivaling the 2012 and 2013 vintages and they note that it produced many dense, charming, cellar-worthy wines.
 
Revealing beautiful focus and concentration, and supported by supple tannins that slowly reveal layer after layer of crushed blackberry, creamy black currants, rosemary, chocolates and hints of truffle.  If you would like to add some of this classic Napa Valley Cabernet to your cellar, please do so right away and take advantage of special pre-release pricing and ground shipping included on all full or mixed 15 bottle cases to most States.
 
Release Date: February 2nd, 2019
 
SILVER OAK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:     $125.00/btl
 
Pre Release: $114.99/btl 
 
Winery Notes: “Our 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has an opaque crimson color with a purplish hue. The alluring nose draws you in with notes of cassis, black cherry, pipe tobacco, salted caramel, cocoa beans and fresh strawberry. This full-bodied wine enters with a depth of flavor and offers mouth-coating, velvety tannins and flavors of cream soda and red fruit. Black currant and vanilla notes crescendo through the palate to the lengthy finish. This wine is drinkable upon release, but given proper cellaring conditions can be enjoyed through 2040.“