2016 Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2016 Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

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SADDLEBACK

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 OAKVILLE 

2016 Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
Saddleback Cellars is where premium Oakville fruit and a half-century of winemaking experience join forces to create deeply profound Cabernet Sauvignon that ranks among one of Oakville’s best values. The winery’s 14-acre vineyard is in a sweet-spot behind OPUS ONE, where the soils and climate combine to produce grapes of regal qualities. Nils Venge crafts the wine, and Nils was the first American winemaker to earn a perfect 100 point score from Robert Parker when he made the 1985 Groth Reserve Cab.
 
Saddleback’s vineyard is near Oakville’s center on Money Road with notable neighbors Plumpjack, Groth, and Silver Oak. The 2016 release showcases the vintage’s intense fruit and powerful style that offers layer after layer of dense black fruits, exotic chocolates, leather, and cassis. 
 
Nils ages his Cabernet for around 24 months in oak barrels, contributing structure and adding additional complexity layers. The 2016 vintage benefited from a further two years in the bottle, and it’s delicious right now will continue to perform for the next decade.
 
SADDLEBACK
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 OAKVILLE
Retails at: $78
 
 
 
“This has the well-defined fruit and racy graphite edge that typifies the vintage, with a core of steeped black currant and plum fruit and extra mesquite, sassafras and warm earth nuances throughout. The richness makes this tempting now, but no rush. Drink now through 2030.”
92 Points
 
“This substantial 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a truly stunning! On the nose, complimentary oak, with pleasing aromas of black cherry, blackberry, graphite and light anise. One the palate, it approaches with a balanced, full bodied mouthfeel. It engages the palete with bold tannins and balances gracefully with blackberry compote, black cherry, leather and a hint of anise. A flavorful finish is generous with lingering notes of black pepper. Perfectly paired with your favorite cut of beef or tomato based pasta dish. Another amazing vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon from the ‘King of Cabs’!”
2017 Duckhorn Three Palms Napa Valley Merlot

2017 Duckhorn Three Palms Napa Valley Merlot

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DUCKHORN 

2017 THREE PALMS
NAPA VALLEY MERLOT

2017 Duckhorn Three Palms Napa Valley Merlot
Three Palms is the most distinguished Merlot Vineyard in the New World. It’s the exact location where a combination of large diurnal temperature swings and highly-porous gravely soils combine to produce powerful Merlot berries specific to their site. Dan Duckhorn recognized its vast potential early on and has created a single-vineyard Merlot from it since 1978. The Wine Spectator describes the 2017 release as “Powerful, rich and complex,” which is precisely what you’d expect from Three Palms. This vintage earned 96 points and was featured as the #15 wine globally on their Top 100 list last year.
 
Duckhorn’s 2017 Three Palms Vineyard Merlot perfectly embodies this hallowed ground’s most revered characteristics; Power, concentrated fruit, intensity, and a profound sense of place. 
 
The 2017 vintage was created from 100% Estate fruit, combining 91% Merlot balanced with Cabernet, Malbec, and Cab Franc. The wine is powerful, driven, focused, and confident. I strongly recommend securing a case of this celebrated California Merlot.
 
DUCKHORN 
2017 THREE PALMS
NAPA VALLEY MERLOT
 
Your Price: $110
 
 
“Powerful, rich and complex, with a refined mix of currant, dark cherry and plum tart flavors backed by suave, medium-grained tannins. Well-defined slate and loamy notes stretch out nicely on the finish, with black olive hints. Drink now through 2027.”
96 Points, #15 Top 100 Wines of 2020
 
“Once again, the famed Three Palms Vineyard has yielded a fascinating and full-bodied Merlot. Luxurious aromas of black cherry, plum, raspberry, cedar and wet slate rise from the glass where they mingle with hints of chocolate and sweet baking spices. On the palate, dusty tannins add nuance and sophistication to a round, fleshy texture, with flavors of black and red fruit, fig and iron-rich earthy notes drawing the wine to a long, resonant finish.”
2015 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Brunello Di Montalcino

2015 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Brunello Di Montalcino

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LIVIO SASSETTI

2015 PERTIMALI 
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO

2015 Livio Sassetti Pertimali Brunello Di Montalcino
If you could only drink only one Brunello di Montalcino, what would it be? Robert Parker wrote, “it would have to be Pertimali.” The only problem is they’re a microscopic Italian producer owning only 7 hectares (about 17 acres), and they’re highly desired. The 2015 vintage earned a near-perfect 98 Point score from James Suckling, and at under $100, this should be in every Italian wine collector’s cellar.
 
The 2015 vintage in Montalcino was textbook, and one that James Suckling alerts, “nobody should miss.” The vintage brought remarkable power, dynamic complexity, and a purity of fruit that’s spectacular, and Livio Sassetti’s 2015 showcases all of it. 
 
Livio and his two sons take a hands-on approach in every way possible, and each wine is hand-tended by them. With a concentrated focus on every detail, their Brunello has become a Sommelier favorite, gracing the Grand Award-winning wine lists of Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller, and many others.
 
LIVIO SASSETTI
2015 PERTIMALI 
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
Retails at: $90
 
Your Price: $79.99
 
 
“There’s something ethereal in the nose with flowers, cherries, strawberries and shitake mushrooms. Full body. This grows on the palate with super tannin and fruit structure. So much berry flavor and round, caressing tannins that fill your mouth. Tight at the end. This needs four to five years to show its true greatness…”
98 Points
 
“Aromas of woodland berry, pine forest, truffle and dried herb emerge from the glass in this fragrant red. Full in weight but refined, the accessible palate offers dried cherry, black tea, star anise and a dollop of vanilla alongside polished tannins before a minty finish. Reflecting the hot vintage, it’s already approachable but still offers good midterm aging potential. Drink 2021–2027.”
94 Points
2018 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2018 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

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MORGAN

TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
2018 PINOT NOIR 

2018 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

Dan Lee’s focus on sustainable farming and minimalist winemaking over the past 40 years has made Morgan winery a category leader in high-quality, value wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands. The winery consistently produces balanced wines of distinction, and at less than $30, their Twelve Clones Pinot Noir regularly makes my short-list of California’s best value Pinots.
 
Morgan draws on several of the Santa Lucia Highlands’ top Vineyards, including the Double L Estate, Rosella’s, and Tondre, to create their flagship Twelve Clones Pinot. 
 
The team named Twelve Clones for the diverse Pinot Noir clones inside the Double L Vineyard. The vast selection of clones contributes to the multi-dimensional flavors and aromas that make this wine so revered.
 
MORGAN
TWELVE CLONES
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
2018 PINOT NOIR
Retails at: $35
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Layers of baked berry, pie crust and star anise show on the nose of this clonal combination. It’s clean and direct on the palate, offering tart red-currant and cranberry fla­vors, touched up by thyme, lavender and potpourri elements.”
92 Points
 
“… the light ruby-hued 2018 Pinot Noir Twelve Clones gives up a pretty nose of framboise and strawberries as well as lots of floral, rose petal, sappy herb, and minty aromas and flavors. It’s another lightly textured, medium-bodied, elegant wine from this estate to enjoy over the coming 4-6 years.”
92 Points
 
“Pale ruby color, fresh cherry nose, crisp and bright with cherry, strawberry and rhubarb notes; silky and fresh, charming and long.” – Anthony Dias Blue, October 2020”
92 Points
 
“The 2018 Twelve Clones demonstrates the finesse of Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands. It displays aromas of blackberry, cola, and cured meat. Flavors of red and black fruit are complemented by notes of black plum and toasty oak. Perfectly poised, this medium bodied wine is light on its feet and a great reflection of 2018’s elegance…”
 
2016 Post Parade Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon

2016 Post Parade Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon

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POST PARADE

2016 STRETCH DRIVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 

2016 Post Parade Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon
Post Parade Winery was founded ten years ago under the guiding principle to create something worth appreciating. The Post Parade crew performed this achievement without the slightest compromise, and they brought in Thomas Brown to make the wines. You may recognize Thomas from Schrader, Revana, and Outpost. When the project first launched, Brown said “Post Parade has been the most enjoyable project I’ve taken on in recent memory.” The wines have continually stretched the boundaries of quality at their price level, and the 2016 Stretch Drive, which is the second wine at Post Parade, is, as Jeb Dunnuck writes, “guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
 
The winery works closely with three vineyards; Trench Vineyard in Oakville, made famous by Russell Bevan; Red Head Vineyard on Soda Springs Road, where Brown also sources fruit Saunter Winery; and Ithaca Vineyard in North Rutherford, which is also a source for Revana winery. 
 
The grapes that go into Stretch Drive are hand-sorted twice, first by cluster, and again berry by berry after destemming, to ensure only perfectly ripened fruit makes its way to the crusher. The juice is then fermented on the skins for 16 days, extracting color and flavor, before aging in barrels for 22 months.
 
POST PARADE
2016 STRETCH DRIVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at: $75
 
Your Price: $69.99
 
 
“The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Stretch Drive is also terrific and has a supple, sweetly fruited, sexy style. Ample blueberry and strawberry liqueur, fruitcake and spring flower notes all emerge from this full-bodied, massive fruit bomb that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. I suspect it will age, but I’d just drink it.”
93 Points
 
“Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 75% new French oak, the 2016 Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple colored and gives up notes of blackberries, black cherries, cassis and mulberries with hints of chocolate box, tilled soil and vanilla pod. Full, juicy and bursting with blackcurrant flavor, it has a soft texture and long, refreshing finish.”
90 Points
2018 The Crane Assembly Disciples Proprietary Red

2018 The Crane Assembly Disciples Proprietary Red

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THE CRANE ASSEMBLY

2018 DISCIPLES
PROPRIETARY RED

2018 The Crane Assembly Disciples Proprietary Red
The Crane Assembly wines honor the history of the G.B. Crane Vineyard, established around 1885. The eight-acre vineyard has 4 acres of original plantings. For Disciples, winemaker Kevin Fox and consulting winemaker Dave Phinney intermix fruit from other iconic vineyards in the area to replicate the style and structure of G.B. Crane. The 2018 release is richly layered, with supple dark fruits, vast complexity, and is perfectly balanced.
 
The wine’s backbone comes from Morisoli Vineyard, which sits in the center of the Rutherford bench and has been a longtime source for BV Georges de Latour, Elyse, Mercury Head, and the list goes on. The 2018 release also includes fruit from Tofanelli Vineyard in Calistoga, which has attracted producers like Prisoner, Schrader Cellars, and Turley. 
 
In 2018, the final blend is nearly 50% Zinfandel, matched with Bordeaux and Rhone Varieties. This wine deliciously shows off the incomparable skills of Dave Phinney & Kevin Fox. They are masters at creating new, unique blends that are as individualistic as they are enjoyable.
 
THE CRANE ASSEMBLY
2018 DISCIPLES
PROPRIETARY RED
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“Strawberry preserves leap from the glass initially, followed by a bouquet of floral aromatics: lavender, violets and roses. Rich earthy notes of freshly plowed soil, fresh rain on warm granite and petrichor. Spicy, but not a peppery spice, more of a star anise spiciness, tart raspberries and sweet plouts, with a very long, dusty finish of strawberry cream, vanilla and caramelized sugar that lingers…. smooth and luscious!”
2019 Quinta de Soalheiro Alvarinho (Albarino) Moncao e Melgaco Portugal

2019 Quinta de Soalheiro Alvarinho (Albarino) Moncao e Melgaco Portugal

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QUINTA de SOALHEIRO 

2019 ALVARINHO (ALBARINO)
MONCAO e MELGACO, PORTUGAL

2019 Quinta de Soalheiro Alvarinho (Albarino) Moncao e Melgaco Portugal
Soalheiro is a benchmark producer of high-quality Albariño wines from the Monçao region of Northern Portugal. Their journey started nearly 50 years ago when Joгo Antуnio Cerdeira and his father planted the area’s first Albariño vines. The region is uniquely protected by surrounding mountains, creating atmospheric conditions ideal for ripening the coveted Spanish variety. They produce their Albariño in a super-clean, minerally, bright, and refreshing style, and with the 95 point score and modest price, everybody should try it.
 
Albarino grows best in areas with a strong maritime influence, which helps the grapes maintain a lively acidity. Soalheiro’s Vineyards are positively affected by the Minho River, which carries marine winds inland from the Atlantic. 
 
Joгo decants the freshly pressed juice for 48 hours at low temperatures before fermentation to concentrate the grapes’ qualities and allow room for evolution in the bottle. His wines are stunning upon release and can age for more than a decade.
 
QUINTA de SOALHEIRO 
2019 ALVARINHO (ALBARINO)
MONCAO e MELGACO, PORTUGAL
 
Your Price: $24.99
 
“A delicate but beguiling, lifted nose, with lychee and fennel notes that follow through on a cool elegant palate, alongside white peach, nectarine, pear, pear skin and a touch of passionfruit. Steely, grapefruit acidity makes for a well-focused, long, mineral finish. Lovely purity, balance and restraint. Drinking Window 2020 – 2034”
95 Points
 
“…a blend from their own parcels in Melgaco as well as neighboring vines they help farm…. Their flagship bottling is a blend of estate and purchased fruit, and this 2019 is the best version we’ve tasted in recent years. It captures their placement between the mountains and sea, where the Minho River carries winds inland from the Atlantic. Bright and fresh when first poured, the wine’s flavors of lemon pith and crunchy apple extend with air, gaining depth and length while holding the cool, airy feel of a summer rain.”
93 Points
 
“… The expression of fruit here is pure Alvarinho… It’s pretty tasty in its youth too. Like the Granit, though, this might be better next year—although this is more approachable. They both will age well, as the winery’s track record in general has frequently demonstrated over the years… This looks terrific this year, and it’s a typically super value. Drink 2020 – 2031”
92 Points

2016 Rudius Savory Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

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RUDIUS

SAVORY ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 HOWELL MOUNTAIN 

The smallest plots of land can have the greatest potential to produce the most vivid interpretations of their terroirs. The home vineyard of legendary winemaker Jeff Ames is Savory Estate, which sits at 1780 feet on Howell Mountain. The tiny 1.3-acre vineyard produces potent fruit and wines with tremendous structure, depth, and age-ability. With a 98 point score on the 2016 vintage, I wouldn’t hesitate to secure yours.
 
Icons David Abreu and Rick Forman planted Savory Estate, and they chose Clone 7 Cabernet Sauvignon, used in numerous cult wines. The soils are a mixture of clay and gravely loam, and when matched with the extreme elevation, produce intensely concentrated fruit. 
 
Jeff Ames mentored under Thomas River Brown at Schrader, Maybach, Outpost, and TOR before becoming head winemaker at TOR in 2005. His wines are some of the deepest, most hedonistic, and balanced that I’ve found anywhere near this price level, and with these incredibly high scores, this one could disappear fast. 
 
RUDIUS
SAVORY ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 HOWELL MOUNTAIN
Retails at: $135
 
 
 
“The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Savory Estate comes all from a great, higher elevation vineyard on Howell Mountain and checks in as 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. It spent 27 months in French oak prior to bottling, and there are a scant 125 cases made. This sensational effort boasts a dense, inky color as well as a kaleidoscope-like array of blueberries, blackcurrant liqueur, bay leaf, iron, and an almost bloody, meaty character that’s hard to describe. The palate doesn’t lose a beat and is full-bodied, deep, concentrated, and structured, yet also ethereal and elegant. This is mountain Cabernet at its finest! It has some upfront appeal already, yet my money is on it benefiting from 4-5 years of bottle age and cruising for 25-30 years. Hello, beautiful!”
98 Points
 
“The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Savory Estate, from Jeff Ames’s home property on Howell Mountain, is superb. A great example of the Howell Mountain appellation, the 2016 possesses tremendous depth and tons of savory aromatic presence. There is so much to like and admire in this potent, virile Cabernet Sauvignon. All the elements are wonderfully fused together with appealing notes of chocolate, leather and dried flowers that develop in the glass. The 2016 is explosive, vivid and simply stunning in its beauty. That’s all there is to it.”
96 Points
 
NV Marquis de la Mysteriale Cuvee Grand Esprit Champagne

NV Marquis de la Mysteriale Cuvee Grand Esprit Champagne

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MARQUIS de la MYSTERIALE

CUVÉE GRAND ESPRIT
CHAMPAGNE NV

NV Marquis de la Mysteriale Cuvee Grand Esprit Champagne
How much would you expect to pay for a bottle of Champagne? Champagne commands a higher price tag than other sparkling wines due to strict requirements on aging and the fact that the region is roughly 8% of the size of Sonoma County. Champagne wines must spend at least 15 months in the bottle before release, which is longer than any other Sparkling, and they usually start above $40-$60/btl. There’s a reason why Marquis de La Mysteriale Champagne is just $29.99. The company that produces it has decided to discontinue this particular wine, which creates a grand opportunity for you.
 
Maison de Grand Esprit crafts their Champagne in a toasty and rich style, which they achieve through aging on the lees for a full 15 months. Their winemaking team sourced the grapes from small family growers, and they completed the blend with 59% Chardonnay and 41% Pinot Noir. 
 
Winemaker Florent Gauthier has an inherent passion for wine he’s developed in France, Switzerland, Australia, Chile, Argentina, and California, even working for a brief time at Stags’ Leap Winery. He believes in minimal intervention winemaking and allowing for each wine’s finesse and elegance to express itself.
 
MARQUIS de la MYSTERIALE
CUVÉE GRAND ESPRIT
CHAMPAGNE NV
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“This wine is soft and well balanced. An attractive predominance of Chardonnay in the blend with Pinot Noir gives an edge of minerality as well as fresh apple flavors. The wine is ready to drink.”
90 Points
 
“Rich and complex yet fresh, our Champagne possesses a beautiful, intricate aroma of toasted bread, almond and nougat combined with a fine, persistent mousse.”
2016 Coursey Graves West Slope Syrah Bennett Valley

2016 Coursey Graves West Slope Syrah Bennett Valley

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COURSEY GRAVES

2016 WEST SLOPE SYRAH
BENNETT VALLEY

2016 Coursey Graves West Slope Syrah Bennett Valley
Winemaker Cabell Coursey works tirelessly to uncover and illuminate some of Napa and Sonoma’s lesser-known vineyards that are quietly yielding world-class grapes. He seeks out steep hillside plots that experience cool atmospheric conditions and have rocky soils that share similarities to the austere conditions of Bordeaux. These vineyards are capable of producing concentrated fruit with majestic characteristics that are unique to their origin. When I first tasted his 2016 West Slope Syrah last year, my immediate thought was, I’m getting a case of this for my cellar.
 
Coursey Graves Estate Vineyard is located a thousand feet above sea level on Bennett Mountain, where the ancient volcanic soils and unique micro-climate is ideally suited for Syrah. The wine is powerfully compelling, richly layered, and effortlessly elegant. 
 
Burgundy inspired winemaker Cabell Coursey, and he learned winemaking from the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. Then he honed his skills in New Zealand and the Willamette Valley before working at iconic producers DuMOL and Kosta Browne. The 2016 release has several stellar reviews, but DougAndrea on CellarTracker may have said it best with his quote, “OMG. Buy more…” 
 
COURSEY GRAVES
2016 WEST SLOPE SYRAH
BENNETT VALLEY
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“Very savory and smoky, this Sonoma syrah is anything but a fruit bomb. The slightly sappy tannins and smoked-bacon flavor nicely balances the underplayed ripeness. The finish is fresh with plenty of spicy complexity. Drink or hold.”
93 Points
 
“Deep ruby-purple, the 2016 Syrah Estate West Slope has a very pretty nose with scents of violet, stone and graphite with touches of tar and olive over a concentrated core of blackcurrant, warm black cherries and spice box. Full-bodied, it gives up intense, spiced blue and black fruits framed by firm, ripe tannins and good freshness, finishing very long…”
92 Points
 
“This is a thick, rich and unctuously varietal wine, smoky in oak and beautifully wrapped layers of grilled meat and game. A thicket of lavender and licorice gives it complexity and more to ponder.”
90 Points