2019 La Magia Brunello Di Montalcino Italy

2019 La Magia Brunello Di Montalcino Italy

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La Magia

Brunello Di Montalcino
Montalcino, Italy 2019

2019 La Magia Brunello Di Montalcino Italy

From one of Brunello’s most celebrated vintages emerges a wine that feels inevitable—2019 La Màgia, a vivid reflection of its origins, moment, and intent. Tucked into the southern folds of Montalcino, La Màgia occupies a storied landscape once held sacred by the Etruscans. Its name—magìa—hinting at its mysticism. Since the late 1970s, the Schwarz family has tended this estate with a deep respect for the land and an understated commitment to its potential.

At the heart of La Màgia lies a striking 37-acre amphitheater of Sangiovese, a seamless expanse of 40-year-old vines. Perched high and facing east, the vineyard is sculpted from stony, sandy loam atop water-holding clay—soil that challenges the vine and lends refinement through adversity, where the wild grace of nature transforms into something extraordinary.

Matured for 36 months in French oak, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino balances poise and strength. Its palate is lively yet polished, with smooth tannins and bright acidity that captivate now and promise a decade or more of evolution. Earning mid to high 90s scores universally, I welcome you to discover the enduring magic of La Màgia for yourself.

La Magia
Brunello Di Montalcino
Montalcino, Italy 2019

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“The nose opens fresh and cool, with aromas of eucalyptus, wild mint and fennel, before the tang of raspberries and pomegranates arrives. The palate brings richer fruit notes of candied cherry and blood orange, but also more of those refreshing herbaceous elements, leaping on the back of athletic tannins and searing acid.”

96 Points

2022 Maquis Revela Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley

2022 Maquis Revela Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley

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Maquis

Revela Gran Reserva
Cabernet Sauvignon
Colchagua Valley 2022

2022 Maquis Revela Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley

The 2022 Maquis Revela Colchagua Valley Cabernet Sauvignon captivates with its bold, intricate, and elegantly crafted profile. Viña Maquis, rooted in one of Chile’s oldest estates, traces its origins to the 18th century, when Jesuit priests produced sacramental wine on this storied land. Since 1916, the Hurtado family has upheld this heritage, refining the vineyards and embracing a meticulous, hands-on approach to winemaking that vividly captures the essence of the terroir.

In 2022, a cool growing season followed a dry winter, yielding fruit of remarkable balance—crisp acidity, vibrant aromatics, and rich concentration. Sourced primarily from a rare 1997 block planted on ungrafted European rootstock, the Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Chile’s phylloxera-free soils, safeguarded by the Andes’ natural barrier. The result is a wine of exceptional purity and character, rarely matched elsewhere.

Blended with Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot, this wine evokes a Left Bank Bordeaux spirit while distinctly reflecting its Chilean roots. Lively spice, refined structure, and elegance unite in a wine that narrates a compelling story of heritage, resilience, and place—far surpassing its price.

Maquis
Revela Gran Reserva
Cabernet Sauvignon
Colchagua Valley 2022

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“I like the restraint of this cabernet sauvignon, which almost delivers a Bordelais touch with its lead-pencil and graphite character. Structured and medium-bodied with firm, creamy tannins and a tight finish. Sustainable. Better from 2025.”

92 Points

2021 Dehlinger Goldridge Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2021 Dehlinger Goldridge Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

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Dehlinger

Goldridge Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley 2021

2021 Dehlinger Goldridge Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

Dehlinger’s 2021 Goldridge Pinot Noir flows with the grace of a dancer and the quiet strength of nature—elegant, poised, and deeply tied to its origins. Established in 1975 by Tom Dehlinger, the winery played a pivotal role in shaping the Russian River Valley’s character. With expertise in biochemistry and viticulture, Tom crafted winemaking into a precise integration of science and terroir.

This wine derives its vitality from the renowned Goldridge soils—ancient, sandy loams formed from uplifted marine beds, lending finesse and vibrancy. These soils, valued for their excellent drainage and mineral depth, produce fruit of exceptional purity and complexity. At Dehlinger’s estate vineyard, the vines’ deep roots draw a unique intricacy, yielding fruit with striking clarity.

Sustainably and dry-farmed, the vineyard flourishes without irrigation, cultivating resilience in the vines and authenticity in every sip. In the cellar, meticulous care prevails—grapes ferment with native yeasts and age in French oak, allowing the wine to mature while preserving its sense of place. It was the first bottle emptied at a recent tasting, a clear sign of its captivating charm and impeccable quality.

Dehlinger
Goldridge Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley 2021

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“A medium ruby color, the 2021 Pinot Noir Goldridge is highly expressive out of the gate, offering spicy and well-layered with notes of baking spice, cinnamon, dried violets, ripe raspberries, and brambly herbs. Medium-bodied, it has a great spine of acidity, a texture of fine tannins, and a long finish with a note of perfume. Drink it over the next 15 years.”

95 Points

2021 Haute Montagne Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2021 Haute Montagne Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

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Haute Montagne

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021

2021 Haute Montagne Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

The 2021 Haute Montagne Cabernet Sauvignon remains a closely guarded treasure among Napa Valley connoisseurs—a refined expression of mountain-grown fruit from a distinguished, yet undisclosed, vineyard. Sourced from lofty elevations above Lake Hennessy, where Cabernet Sauvignon often exceeds $300 per bottle, this declassified jewel offers a rare chance to savor premier pedigree at an accessible price.

Douglas Danielak, a winemaker of subtle brilliance, guides its creation. Schooled at UC Davis and honed in Burgundy, Danielak marries precision with instinct. His tenure at Knights Bridge earned him Wine Spectator’s “Winemaker to Watch” acclaim. Each vintage he crafts exudes disciplined elegance, harmonizing innovation with deep reverence for tradition.

Fermented in small lots, aged in fine French oak, and shaped by Bordeaux-inspired methods, the 2021 Haute Montagne Cabernet Sauvignon balances restraint with grandeur. Its sculpted tannins and layered complexity weave power with poise, where each sip hints at a deeper story still untold. 

Haute Montagne
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021

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“The Haute Montagne Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 begins with an elegant nose of red and black fruits, cocoa powder, white flowers, and baking spices. The complex palate continues with concentrated blackberries, juicy black cherries, red currants, Italian black plums, liquid minerals, dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, and sweet vanilla. It’s made in a concentrated, compact style with firm, focused tannins and a long, sophisticated finish. Enjoy this one now and over the next decade or more.”

94 Points

2021 Two Old Dogs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2021 Two Old Dogs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

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Two Old Dogs

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021

2021 Two Old Dogs Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

The 2021 Two Old Dogs Cabernet Sauvignon captures the essence of what a memorable $50 Napa Cabernet should offer—vibrant, layered, and beautifully balanced with an engaging complexity. This exceptional wine expands the JACK portfolio through a collaboration between Major League luminaries Chris Iannetta and Vernon Wells, joined by vintner Jennifer Lamb, whose unwavering commitment to quality radiates throughout this creation.

Guiding this endeavor is Julien Fayard, a masterful talent in Napa Valley’s winemaking scene. With origins in Bordeaux and a refined skill set honed at the renowned Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Fayard infuses Two Old Dogs with precision and a wealth of experience. His aim is deliberate: to produce a Cabernet that reveals the depth and richness synonymous with Napa’s finest, while keeping it within reach.

The 2021 vintage unfolds with generous notes of dark fruit, cradled by smooth tannins and a silky texture that carries through to a lingering, graceful finish. It’s a wine that marries strength with elegance, delivering a compelling experience at an impressive value—a true delight for Cabernet enthusiasts.

Two Old Dogs
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021
Retails at: $55

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“The Two Old Dogs 2021 Oak Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon opens with notes of blackberry, boysenberry, dark chocolate, violets, cigar box, and toast. On the palate, the wine is penetrating and concentrated with flavors of blueberry, plum, cocoa, and cassis. The wine has fine-grained tannins and is beginning to show brilliantly with just a few years in the bottle. Great acidity and concentration will allow this wine to age for several years, but you won’t be disappointed if you can’t wait.”

95 Points

2021 White Lane 1005 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena

2021 White Lane 1005 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena

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White Lane 1005

Cabernet Sauvignon
St. Helena 2021

2021 White Lane 1005 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena

Certain wines emerge unexpectedly, while others seem fated to cross our paths. The 2021 White Lane 1005 St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon belongs to the latter group—a remarkable find and among the most captivating revelations of the year. With a mere 76 cases crafted, its scarcity matches its allure, drawn from a vineyard quietly nestled along unassuming White Lane near V. Sattui Winery. Once a closely guarded treasure, savored solely by family and trusted companions, it now opens its doors—but only to a fortunate handful.

This Cabernet Sauvignon portrays a vivid expression of its grape, reflecting all that distinguishes the 2021 vintage—a season Wine Spectator praises for shaping Napa’s contemporary character, where freshness, vibrancy, and power align with striking precision. From the initial taste, it reveals itself with lucidity, effortlessly weaving richness with vibrancy while echoing the deep-rooted heritage of St. Helena’s landscape.

Matured for 37 months in neutral oak, it strikes a balance of authority and grace, unveiling a tapestry of lush dark fruit, smooth tannins, and a sophistication that resonates long after the glass is empty. Through careful cultivation and an exceptional year, something rare and distinctive has emerged—a wine once hidden, now poised for discovery.

White Lane 1005
Cabernet Sauvignon
St. Helena 2021

Retails at: $90

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“The 1005 White Lane Saint Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 offers a compelling aromatic profile, showcasing fresh blackberries and red currants alongside subtle hints of milk chocolate and violets. A distinct minerality, evocative of wet slate, adds complexity. The palate is concentrated and focused, displaying a linear structure. Flavors of black currants and black raspberries dominate. While initially reserved, the wine opens with aeration, gaining considerable weight and revealing a core of remarkably penetrating fruit—a characteristic rarely encountered. The finish is exceptionally long and memorable. This is a truly impressive Cabernet Sauvignon, a “WOW” wine from beginning to end.”

96 Points

2023 Roland Lavantureux Premier Cru Chablis Vau de Vey Burgundy

2023 Roland Lavantureux Premier Cru Chablis Vau de Vey Burgundy

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Roland Lavantureux

Premier Cru Chablis
Vau de Vey 2023
Burgundy, France

2023 Roland Lavantureux Premier Cru Chablis Vau de Vey Burgundy

Roland Lavantureux’s 2023 Vau de Vey Premier Cru Chablis is a singular treasure, born from one of Chablis’ most striking terroirs. Nestled on a steep, southeast-facing slope etched into ancient Kimmeridgian marl, Vau de Vey embodies the vivid interplay between stone and vine. The wine radiates clarity, its character shaped by fossil-laden soils and the crisp air of the Serein Valley.

The Lavantureux family has long been immersed in the cadence of Chablis, but it was Roland who, in 1979, chose to bottle wines under their own name. Today, his sons, Arnaud and David, carry forward this vision—Arnaud shaping the wines in the cellar, David broadening the estate’s presence.

Arnaud Lavantureux fermented this wine at low temperatures to preserve its vibrancy and focus, aging it in a balance of stainless steel and seasoned oak. The result is a Chablis of remarkable precision and depth—a vivid, mineral-driven reflection of one of the region’s most captivating Premier Cru sites.

Roland Lavantureux
Premier Cru Chablis
Vau de Vey 2023
Burgundy, France

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“This 2023 Vau de Vey opens with a strikingly concentrated nose, weaving lemon curd, a thread of liquid saline, and delicate white flowers into a clean, elegant bouquet. There’s a purity here that captivates without pretension. On the palate, it unfolds with mandarin, Key lime, and guava, underscored by a flinty minerality that lends focus. The acidity is vibrant, driving a linear, penetrating structure that stretches long across the finish. Exquisite in its clarity and depth, this Chablis is a compelling expression of its terroir, offering immediate pleasure with the promise of further complexity.”

96 Points

2021 Ovid Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2021 Ovid Proprietary Red Napa Valley

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Ovid

Proprietary Red
Napa Valley 2021

2021 Ovid Proprietary Red Napa Valley

Ovid’s 2021 Napa Valley Red captures the majestic allure of Pritchard Hill, a terroir renowned for its ability to yield wines of exceptional quality, as evidenced by two prestigious 100-point scores. Nestled on slopes rich with volcanic history, Ovid stands alongside revered estates such as Colgin, Bryant, and Chappellet, producing wines that resonate with profound depth and character.

Guided by winemaker Austin Peterson, whose craft has been honed under the mentorship of luminaries Andy Erickson and Michel Rolland, this vintage reflects meticulous artistry. Peterson aged the wine for 20 months in French oak, blending approximately 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The result is a masterful wine, harmoniously balancing robust power with elegant finesse.

Inspired by the Roman poet Ovid, celebrated for his transformative “Metamorphoses,” the winery embraces a philosophy of innovative exploration. This spirit infuses wines crafted to evolve gracefully over time. As critic Jeb Dunnuck proclaims, “this is a killer bottle of wine!”—a view underscored by its dual perfect scores, making this release an essential treasure for discerning collectors and devoted enthusiasts.

Ovid
Proprietary Red
Napa Valley 2021
Retails at: $425

Your Price: $399

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“Moving to the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and the balanced 7% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Insanely pure, it offers kaleidoscope-like aromatics of black and blue fruits, spring flowers, chocolate, burning embers, and bouquet garni. Full-bodied on the palate, it doesn’t get any better, and it’s concentrated, has building tannins, and a monster of a finish. Offering more generosity and opulence than just about every other wine in the vintage, this is a killer bottle of wine! It will make your eyes roll back in your head today, yet will ideally be given 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully over the following two decades. Bravo!”

100 Points

2021 VIK Milla Cala Red Blend Millahue Valley Chile

2021 VIK Milla Cala Red Blend Millahue Valley Chile

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VIK

Milla Cala Red Blend
Millahue Valley, Chile 2021

2021 VIK Milla Cala Red Blend Millahue Valley Chile

Vik’s 2021 Milla Cala embodies the pinnacle of Chilean winemaking, confidently ranking among the world’s finest wines under $50. Its profound character has earned prestigious recognition, securing #36 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2024 and a remarkable 95-point endorsement from James Suckling, affirming its captivating expression.

Milla Cala hails from the Millahue Valley, known as “Lugar de Oro,” or “Golden Place,” by the indigenous Mapuche. Nestled in the Andean foothills, its vines flourish across a mosaic of valleys shaped by cooling Pacific breezes and crisp mountain air, yielding grapes of exceptional purity and intensity.

Milla Cala elegantly blends Old World tradition with New World innovation, balancing nature’s influence with a refined human touch. Hand-harvested grapes undergo spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, showcasing an authentic style that vividly reflects its origins. Comprising nearly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, skillfully blended with Carménère, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Merlot, the 2021 vintage offers seamless complexity and purity—a vibrant reflection of its remarkable terroir, lingering gracefully after each sip.

VIK
Milla Cala Red Blend
Millahue Valley, Chile 2021
Retails at: $49

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“Dark chocolate, black olives and a touch of sweet tobacco to the sweet blackberries. Rich and deep but very fresh at the same time. Firm, full and pretty seamless. Very long finish. 68% cabernet sauvignon, 16% carmenere, 4% cabernet franc, 7% syrah and 5% merlot. Drink or hold.”

95 Points

2023 L. Foppiano 1896 Red Blend Sonoma County

2023 L. Foppiano 1896 Red Blend Sonoma County

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L. Foppiano

1896 Red Blend
Sonoma County 2023

2023 L. Foppiano 1896 Red Blend Sonoma County

L. Foppiano’s 2023 ‘1896’ Sonoma County Red captivates from the first sip, revealing layers of lush blue and red fruits interwoven with vibrant spices. This wine embodies a storied legacy that began over a century ago when Italian immigrant Giovanni Foppiano established his visionary estate in 1896. Today, under the inspired leadership of Martin Ray, the winery embraces a new chapter, seamlessly blending tradition with innovation.

Central to this revival is winemaker Raemy Paterson, whose refined artistry elevates the vineyards’ bounty into something extraordinary. Having sharpened her skills at Ridge Vineyards and Jordan Winery, Raemy masterfully blends Petite Sirah and Zinfandel, employing meticulous techniques to craft a wine of harmonious complexity and polished elegance.

The 2023 ‘1896’ Red vividly reflects Foppiano’s rich heritage and bright future. This distinctive vintage invites you to share in its narrative—a wine perfectly suited for memorable gatherings, complimenting grilled meats and elevating family barbecues with its timeless character. Grab some now… It’s a small price for such a big wine.

L. Foppiano
1896 Red Blend
Sonoma County 2023
Retails at: $28

Your Price: $23

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“The L. Foppiano 2023 “1896” Sonoma County Red Blend opens with a vibrant mix of hibiscus, cardamom, blackberries, cherries, cranberries, and a hint of fruit punch with a sangria-like brightness. On the palate, the mirrors the aromatic profile, showing ripe fruit tones, subtle notes of dried herbs, and a hint of pretzels dipped in milk chocolate. Balanced and unpretentious, this crowd-pleasing red is perfect for casual sipping or weeknight pairing.”

92 Points