2016 Cru9 As Ever Russian River Valley Chardonnay

2016 Cru9 ‘As Ever’ Russian River Valley Chardonnay

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

CRU9 AS EVER…

2016 Cru9 As Ever Russian River Valley Chardonnay2016 CHARDONNAY
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

 
 
If you’ve been reading my emails this year, you already know how I feel about Cru9. It’s absolutely one of the best new discoveries for us this year, and with a quality-to-price ratio that you simply will not believe. The 2016 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is created from a secret vineyard source that also sells to several high-end producers, but due to a non-disclosure agreement, the fruit source needs to be kept secret.  One taste, however, will tell you everything you need to know.  This wine competes with the best $50 Chardonnays that I’ve tasted, it’s startling how good it is. 
With just 4 barrels produced, you can almost taste the attention to every minute detail that went into producing this wine.  It was aged for 11 months sur lie, a French term meaning literally ‘on the sediment’, the sur lie style plays a large role in contributing to this wine’s rich, opulent texture.  Notably Cru9 also gives back and helps support two nonprofit women shelters, Rudy’s Place in CA and House of Hope in IA.  Every time you buy a Cru9 bottle, you also help level the playing field for survivors of human trafficking, domestic abuse, and homelessness.  
 
CRU9 AS EVER…
2016 CHARDONNAY
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $38.00/btl
 
 
 
Tasting Notes: “This lovely, graciously styled Chardonnay has a beautiful nose of orange marmalade, lemon blossom, citrus oil, wild flowers and chamomile tea. The palate follows through with a mouth watering array of ripe pear, toasted hazelnut, butter cream, subtle toasted oak notes, combined with lively acidity. Nuanced, sumptuous and nicely layered, it has a beautifully soft-textured finish. Drink this classically styled Russian River Chardonnay now and over the next few years. 100 Cases Produced” 
93 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
 
Customers who enjoy Cru9’s Russian River Chardonnay may also enjoy these two terrific Chardonnays…

 

2015 Silverpoint Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2014 Red Mare Dutton Ranch Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay
SILVERPOINT
2015 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
If the best wines were like a puzzle, this wine would have every piece laid out perfectly.  With everything from an accomplished winemaker, iconic vineyard, blockbuster vintage and a terrific price, this wine truly has it all.  It was authored by Don Van Staaveren who’s responsible for authoring the Chateau St. Jean wines from ’85-’97, and even made history when his 1996 Cinq Cepages was recognized as the #1 wine on the 1999 Wine Spectator Top 100 list.  It was the first Sonoma wine to receive the honor of being the #1 Wine in the World…
RED MARE
2014 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
A luminous interpretation of Dutton Ranch fruit, the 2014 washes over your palate with classic Granny Smith apple, spiced pear, juicy yellow melon and subtle lemon bar.  Big and full across the palate and crafted in a plump, round style, if you’re searching for a top-level California Chardonnay without the high price tag that usually comes with one, I would saddle up and secure a case of Red Mare before this one rides off into the sunset
2014 Hollywood & Vine 2480 Napa Valley Chardonnay

2014 Hollywood & Vine 2480 Napa Valley Chardonnay

with No Comment $30-$40Atlas PeakChardonnayKevin VogtNapaUSA

HOLLYWOOD & VINE

“2480” CHARDONNAY
2014 NAPA VALLEY

2014 Hollywood & Vine 2480 Napa Valley Chardonnay
If you asked an expert how to make it in Hollywood, they would likely tell you that you have to stand out above the crowd and have some compelling qualities about you that are unique to you.  The same holds true for wine, and Hollywood & Vine’s 2480 Chardonnay is unique.  For starters it’s sourced from a high-elevation vineyard in Napa Valley’s coveted Atlas Peak AVA.  Even more unique is the wine is crafted entirely from the Harold Weimer Chardonnay clone, which is known for producing exotic and wildly individualistic flavors.  This Chardonnay delights your taste buds with detailed reflections of underripe pineapple, jasmine, orange zest and delicate tropical notes.  
And like a great actor, a great wine also need a talented coach to highlight the best qualities and pull all of the right pieces together… This Chardonnay was authored by Celia Welch, (Scarecrow, D.R. Stephens, Barbour, Dalla Valle…)  And just in case you may not be familiar with Celia’s artistry, just know that she made 5 cases of 2012 Scarecrow that sold for a record $260,000 at the Premiere Napa Valley Wine Auction… If you’re looking for a Chardonnay that stands out above the rest, this one’s for you… 
 
HOLLYWOOD & VINE
“2480” CHARDONNAY
2014 NAPA VALLEY
Your Price: $39.99/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “The cool-climate origins of this crisp, fruit-driven Chardonnay are evidenced in the aromas that add notes of wet granite and a touch of sweet lemongrass to the jasmine, green apple and bright orange zest notes. This ripe, aromatic Chardonnay was fermented in a combination of new and once-used French oak barrels plus a few barrels of steel, and kept sur-lie with biweekly battonage, so the floral notes are supported by a few deep base notes of toasty vanilla and fresh lees. On the palate, the wine shows integrated, complex flavors of green apple, apricot, a touch of mineral character and a bright, crisp finish which highlights the citrus notes.”
 
Customers who enjoy Hollywood & Vine’s 2480 Chardonnay may also enjoy these two terrific Chardonnays…
2014 SilverPoint Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
 2014 Red Mare Dutton Ranch Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay
SILVERPOINT
2015 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
If the best wines were like a puzzle, this wine would have every piece laid out perfectly.  With everything from an accomplished winemaker, iconic vineyard, blockbuster vintage and a terrific price, this wine truly has it all.  It was authored by Don Van Staaveren who’s responsible for authoring the Chateau St. Jean wines from ’85-’97, and even made history when his 1996 Cinq Cepages was recognized as the #1 wine on the 1999 Wine Spectator Top 100 list.  It was the first Sonoma wine to receive the honor of being the #1 Wine in the World…
RED MARE
2014 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
 
A luminous interpretation of Dutton Ranch fruit, the 2014 washes over your palate with classic Granny Smith apple, spiced pear, juicy yellow melon and subtle lemon bar.  Big and full across the palate and crafted in a plump, round style, if you’re searching for a top-level California Chardonnay without the high price tag that usually comes with one, I would saddle up and secure a case of Red Mare before this one rides off into the sunset
Bouquin-Dupont Grand Cru Champagne Blanc de Blancs

Bouquin Dupont Grand Cru Champagne Blanc de Blancs

with No Comment $50-$60ChampagneChampagne/SparklingFranceKevin Vogt

BOUQUIN DUPONT

GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE
BLANC DE BLANCS

Bouquin-Dupont Grand Cru Champagne Blanc de Blancs
It’s rare to taste a wine so brilliant, that it makes you want to hang your hat and forget about the rest for a while… Dupont Grand Cru is that wine.  A remarkable expression of grower Champagne, and in the under $150/btl category, in our shop, it’s the best that we’ve ever carried.  The flavors and aromas are wonderfully developed, profound and exhilarating.  Aging for an impressive 4 to 10 years sur lie, many of the world’s top Grand Cru Champagnes age for a similar length of time on the lees, resulting in a rich, yet focused and linear with an intensity that I love… This one will simply compete with ANY prestige Champagne you can think of.  Period.
 
Grand Cru Champagne is very rare as only 17 of the 319 villages in Champagne produce Grand Cru quality grapes. This wine originates from Dupont’s Grand Cru Vineyard in the heart of Côte des Blancs. Comprised of 100% Chardonnay grapes that were sorted by hand, and pressed traditionally to collect the noblest juice.  With just a minuscule amount imported into the US, we don’t expect this beauty to be available for long…      
 
BOUQUIN DUPONT
GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE
BLANC DE BLANCS
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 
Your Price: $54.99/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “Indescribably brilliant with a freshness and vibrancy that need to be experienced to be believed , this otherworldly Champagne cascades wave after wave of candied citrus, quince, yellow plum and green pear fruit with elements of wet stone/saline-like minerality, toast, white flowers and a hint of ginger. On your palate, it takes over and puts your swallow reflex into overdrive, then the expansive finish grows for a minute plus, leaving you begging for another sip.  It’s simply my new favorite Champagne. ”   97 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
Customers that enjoy Bouquin DuPont’s Grand Cru Champagne may also enjoy these two fantastic Champagnes…
RH Coutier Grand Cru Champagne NV 2006 Dom Perignon Brut Champagne
RH COUTIER
GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE
CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
Retails at:  $50.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl 
 
An absolutely stunning Grand Cru Champagne, Grand Cru is very rare in Champagne, as only 17 of the 319 villages there produce Grand Cru quality grapes.  Reaping the rewards from aging for an impressive 4 to 6 years sur lie, many of the world’s top Grand Cru Champagnes age for a similar length of time on the lees, resulting in a rich, yeasty style that’s rarely available at this very realistic price. 
DOM PERIGNON 
BRUT CHAMPAGNE
2006 VINTAGE
Retails at: $200.00/btl
 
Your Price: $179.99/btl
 
From Vinous: “… the 2006 shows off fabulous intensity in a style that brings together the ripeness of 2002 with the greater sense of verve and overall freshness that is such a signature of the 2004… The 2006 falls into the family of riper, more voluptuous Dom Perignons, but without veering into the level of opulence seen in vintages such as 2002.”  97 Points

Silverpoint 2015 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

with No Comment ChardonnayKevin VogtNapaSonoma CoastUSA
SILVERPOINT
2015 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST
 
If the best wines were like a puzzle, this wine would have every piece laid out perfectly.  With everything from an accomplished winemaker, iconic vineyard, blockbuster vintage and a terrific price, this wine truly has it all.  It was authored by Don Van Staaveren who’s responsible for authoring the Chateau St. Jean wines from ’85-’97, and even made history when his 1996 Cinq Cepages was recognized as the #1 wine on the 1999 Wine Spectator Top 100 list.  It was the first Sonoma wine to receive the honor of being the #1 Wine in the World… This wine makes no excuses at the winery’s $45/btl retail price, in fact it performs at a level even higher than that… At $29.99/btl the only puzzle piece missing is how many cases you can find room for…
 
This wine arose from the Rodgers Creek Vineyard located in the Petaluma Gap, this vineyard produces single vineyard wines from Ramey, Sojourn and Cherry Pie. Spending 15 months in oak and aged sur lie, a French term meaning literally ‘on the sediment’, the sur lie style aging plays a large role in contributing to this wine’s rich, opulent texture.  If you’re searching for an incredibly high quality Chardonnay to share with your friends and family and selling way below its true value… This is it.
 
SILVERPOINT
2015 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
 
From the Wine Enthusiast, “Don Van Staaveren is the winemaker of this well-crafted wine sourced from Rodger’s Creek Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap area.  Opulent on the nose, it follows up in richness and robust flavors of toasted oak and apple, finishing awash in butterscotch...” 90 Points