2020 Stemmler Pinot Noir BZ Vineyard Anderson Valley

2020 Stemmler Pinot Noir BZ Vineyard Anderson Valley

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STEMMLER

PINOT NOIR
BZ VINEYARD 2020
ANDERSON VALLEY

2020 Stemmler Pinot Noir BZ Vineyard Anderson Valley
Robert Stemmler began working at Charles Krug after moving to California from Germany in 1961, and later for Inglenook and Simi wineries before launching his winery focused on Pinot Noir in 1976. His Pinot Noirs rose to critical acclaim, being called the best in America in 1984. Although Robert sold in his winery 1989, he still steps in to ensure that the quality level he established over 40 years remains intact.
 
The BZ Vineyard sits near the Navarro River in the Anderson Valley, not far from the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the coolest sites the winery works and the last one harvested. Stemmler harvested wines from the 2020 vintage a little earlier than usual, allowing for a brighter character than past vintages, bringing zesty acidity and fresh red fruits from a co-fermentation of different Pinot Noir clones specially selected by the winemaking team. 
 
STEMMLER
PINOT NOIR
BZ VINEYARD 2020
ANDERSON VALLEY
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“The Stemmler 2020 Bz Pinot Noir opens with bright notes of red berry and stone fruits with light florals. The palate continues with cotton-candied bright red cherries, ripe strawberries, cola bean, chalk, and white flowers. It is a fresh, easy-drinking Monday through Thursday wine.”
90 Points
2020 Maison Jessiaume Bourgogne Chardonnay Burgundy France

2020 Maison Jessiaume Bourgogne Chardonnay Burgundy France

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MAISON JESSIAUME

BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY
BURGUNDY FRANCE 2020

2020 Maison Jessiaume Bourgogne Chardonnay Burgundy France
Founded in 1850 in the Santenay region of Burgundy, Maison Jessiaume’s proprietors are unwaveringly committed to continuing the winery’s legacy and showcasing unique terroirs. Jessiaume controls thirty-seven acres of organically farmed vines across fifteen sub-appellations, with their Chardonnay vines predominant in the southern areas. These vineyards provide crisp, clean acidity, minerality, and floral notes to the wines.
 
The winemaking team relies on a minimalistic approach, removing human intervention as much as possible and utilizing techniques such as ambient yeast fermentation, gravity flow, and natural clarification. The 2020 Bourgogne Chardonnay is a blend of different plots that were delicately refined over ten months in neutral French oak, keeping the characteristics of the fruit intact while providing a bit more structure, spice, and a softer mouthfeel that is delightfully approachable.
 
MAISON JESSIAUME
BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY
BURGUNDY FRANCE 2020
 
 
 
“The Domaine Jessiaume 2020 Bourgogne Chardonnay comes from a nearly perfect vintage for white wines, evident in this wine with concentrated aromas of honeysuckle, chamomile, apricot, custard, allspice, and wet stones. On the palate, the flavors or just as intense with peach, and pear, with a hint of butterscotch pot de crème. The wine is drinking fabulously at the moment, with or without food, and is impressively delightful.”
95 Points
 
2019 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Estate

2019 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Estate

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PARADIGM   

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE ESTATE 2019

2019 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Estate
In 1976, winegrowers Ren and Marilyn Harris decided to purchase a vineyard, and without hesitation, their first choice was in what is now the Oakville AVA of Napa Valley. The Harris’s hired a promising young winemaker named Heidi Barrett for their inaugural vintage under the Paradigm label in 1991, and she’s been with them ever since, sharing her passion, knowledge, and sage-like wisdom for creating phenomenal wines from vineyards responsibly farmed with love and dedication.
 
Located directly south of Beckstoffer’s To-Kalon Vineyard and with neighbors like Opus One and Martha’s Vineyard, Paradigm Estate sits on premium terroir in the heart of Oakville. The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon displays classic Oakville aromatics from perfectly ripe, lush fruit aged 20 months in French oak and 20 months in bottle before release, with the potential to age much longer. However, it is already a brilliant wine in its youth!
 
PARADIGM   
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE ESTATE 2019
 
 
 
“Our 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is dark ruby in color with aromas of deep ripe fruit, black cherries, blackberry, currants, plums, savory spice, vanilla, and toasty French Oak. Aromas and flavors show nice concentration in 2019. The wine has a dense texture and mouthcoating mouthfeel. Classic Oakville Cabernet flavors similar to the aromas. Optimum ripeness leads to a lush, rich, and well-balanced wine that bodes well for age ability. Layered and interesting with a long persistent finish. A delicious offering from Paradigm. Enjoy!”
Heidi Barrett
2017 Justin Justification Red Paso Robles

2017 Justin Justification Red Paso Robles

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JUSTIN

JUSTIFICATION RED
PASO ROBLES 2017

2017 Justin Justification Red Paso Robles
Justin Winery’s founders planted their first vineyards in 1981 on fossilized limestone soils with a similar composition as those in Bordeaux, stressing the vines and giving wines a wide range of character and depth of flavor. The winemaking philosophy combines Old World practices with New World technology to create world-class wines from Paso Robles’ unique microclimate, which includes the most significant difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures of any wine-growing region in California.
 
Justification highlights a Right Bank Bordeaux-style blend featuring Cabernet Franc and Merlot aged in 100% French oak barrels. The 2017 vintage is a full-bodied red with a beautiful combination of power and freshness, comprising 65% Cabernet Franc with 35% Merlot, making an excellent accompaniment with a wide range of foods and any occasion from a friendly barbecue to a candlelit dinner.
 
JUSTIN
JUSTIFICATION RED
PASO ROBLES 2017
Retails at: $62
 
 
 
“The 2017 Justification is a Right Bank-styled blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot. Medium to deep ruby-purple in color, it offers bright red and black cherry fruits with notions of garrigue, dried herbs, vanilla and cardamom. In the mouth, it’s medium to full-bodied, with slowly opening fruits and a firm, grainy frame. It has great lift and freshness and finishes long. An approachable, friendly style.”
92 Points
2021 Bodega Atamisque Catalpa Malbec Mendoza Argentina

2021 Bodega Atamisque Catalpa Malbec Mendoza Argentina

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BODEGA ATAMISQUE 

CATALPA MALBEC 2021  
TUPUNGATO-VALLE DE UCO
MENDOZA ARGENTINA

2021 Bodega Atamisque Catalpa Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Bodega Atamisque sits in the San José District along the western foothills of the Andes Mountains in the Uco Valley near Tupungato, one of Mendoza’s most highly regarded growing regions. The vineyards in Tupungato are at an average elevation of 4,200 feet above sea level, moderating hot daytime temperatures and exposing the fruit to more intense sunlight, resulting in grapes with concentrated flavors, elaborately structured tannins, and crisp acidity.
 
Catalpa is the winery’s flagship wine produced from vines over 90 years old, taking advantage of the unique climate that contributes to some of the world’s most outstanding Malbecs. The 2021 vintage was aged for 14 months in Taransaud-Demptos French oak, giving the wine added complexity and age-ability, sustaining the winery’s standards and continuing Malbec’s legacy in Argentina.
 
BODEGA ATAMISQUE 
CATALPA MALBEC 2021  
TUPUNGATO-VALLE DE UCO
MENDOZA ARGENTINA
 
 
 
“Quite a ripe nose with plenty of black cherries, stewed blueberries, black licorice and violets. Juicy and chalky on the palate with a medium to full body and floral fruit coming through alongside the purple, pulpy fruit. Drink now.”
91 Points
2018 Grand Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley

2018 Grand Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley

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GRAND NAPA 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RESERVE NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Grand Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley
Our top-selling Cabernet Sauvignon this year, Grand Napa Vineyards in Rutherford, produces rich, full-bodied wines with depth and character from premium vineyards in Napa Valley. Grand Napa owner/winemaker Dwight Bonewell hand-selects the vineyards he works with, and his involvement ensures harvesting only the highest quality fruit before he works his magic in the winery, carefully nurturing each vineyard’s unique character into its purest expression.
 
Grand Napa’s 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon arose from prime sites in Rutherford, St. Helena, and Coombsville, compellingly representing the vintage and distinct origins. This bottling spent 22 months in 50% new French oak and 50% two-year-old oak, giving a graceful balance between the depth of fruit, spice components from the oak, plush tannins, and impressive structure.
 
GRAND NAPA 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RESERVE NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $110
 
 
 
“Another terrific wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve offers lots of blackcurrants, spice box, tobacco leaf, and chocolatey nuances to go with a full-bodied style on the palate. It has the 2018 vintage’s fresher, more elegant style yet brings ample fruit and has an expansive, layered mouthfeel as well as a great finish. It’s another wine to enjoy any time over the coming 15-20 years.”
94 Points
2020 Trinity Hill The Gimblett Red Hawkes Bay New Zealand

2020 Trinity Hill The Gimblett Red Hawkes Bay New Zealand

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TRINITY HILL

THE GIMBLETT RED 
GIMBLETT GRAVELS 2020
HAWKES BAY NEW ZEALAND

2020 Trinity Hill The Gimblett Red Hawkes Bay New Zealand
The soil composition of Gimblett Gravels, a Hawkes Bay, New Zealand subdistrict, is like a little slice of Bordeaux. As this region’s name suggests, the soil consists of gravel, which Cabernet Sauvignon vines love. Trinity Hill has been growing grapes in this area for over 25 years and is a certified Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand member. They’re committed to biodiversity and reducing their environmental impact.
 
Chief Winemaker Warren Gibson has been with Trinity Hill since 1997 and has won the New Zealand Winemaker of the Year title from Winestate Magazine. Since 2005, The Gimblett has been a Bordeaux-styled red wine with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. The 2020 release is no exception. It’s a beautiful wine that captures the nuances of the growing season and reflects the region’s terroir.
 
TRINITY HILL
THE GIMBLETT RED 
GIMBLETT GRAVELS 2020
HAWKES BAY NEW ZEALAND
 
 
 
“Very deep, bold and bright purple-colour and the aromas are wonderfully clear and pure, speaking loudly of cabernet sauvignon subtly backed with classy oak. The palate is supremely elegant and beautifully proportioned, with concentration but also elegance and style. A wine of real panache and great potential for cellaring. (50% cabernet franc, 33% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot).”
97 Points
2019 Waits-Mast Pinot Noir Nash Mill Vineyard Anderson Valley

2019 Waits-Mast Pinot Noir Nash Mill Vineyard Anderson Valley

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WAITS-MAST

PINOT NOIR
NASH MILL VINEYARD
ANDERSON VALLEY 2019

2019 Waits-Mast Pinot Noir Nash Mill Vineyard Anderson Valley
Brian Mast and Jennifer Waits founded Waits-Mast in 2005 and created a brand whose core passion centers around premium, vineyard-designated Pinot Noir. Shalini Sekar joined the team as the winemaker in 2013, previously developing her foundation in music by earning a Master’s Degree in Flute and Piccolo Performance, now using that same precision, balance, and determination in her winemaking.
 
The Mariah Vineyard is sustainably farmed and found inside the Mendocino Ridge AVA at 2300 feet above sea level. The extreme elevation results in more intense sunlight hours because of its aspect above the fog layer. The various loam soils above fractured sandstone in the vineyard help provide mineral-based complexity, and the 2019 vintage gave wines with intense flavors that are enormously enjoyable on their own and a decadent enhancement to any meal.
 
WAITS-MAST
PINOT NOIR
NASH MILL VINEYARD
ANDERSON VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $52
 
 
 
“This is a beautiful Pinot Noir with a depth of flavor that will only increase in complexity over time. Find pronounced aromas and flavors of bright red cherry, strawberry and pomegranate, forest floor, toasted wood and violet. Fine-grained, silky tannins slide off the tongue; elevated acidity brings lightness and freshness from start to lingering finish.”
96 Points, “Editors’ Choice”
2021 Le Petit Broux Sancerre Blanc Loire Valley

2021 Le Petit Broux Sancerre Blanc Loire Valley

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LE PETIT BROUX

SANCERRE BLANC
LOIRE VALLEY 2021

2021 Le Petit Broux Sancerre Blanc Loire Valley
Sancerre is one of the most sought-after styles of Sauvignon Blanc worldwide because of its sophistication and vivid sense of place. The wines are famous for their clean, fresh character with focused flinty minerality, salinity, textured layers of citrus, and tropical fruit flavors on riper vintages.
 
The classic French region is located in the heart of the country and has been a center of French resistance since the Middle Ages, bringing people together for centuries. After a warm vintage the previous year, the cooler 2021 vintage reveals classic Sancerre nuances, and the Le Petit Broux bottling displays zesty acidity, lower alcohol levels, and vibrant, bright fruit with a finish that keeps you wanting glass after glass.
 
LE PETIT BROUX
SANCERRE BLANC
LOIRE VALLEY 2021
 
 
 
“The 2021 vintage for Sancerre brought back originality with cooler temperatures giving aromas of gooseberry, lemon zest, green melon, and a crushed seashell minerality. On the palate, the Le Petit Broux has a fresh, clean mouthfeel and bright acidity with flavors of lemongrass, green grapefruit, lime, and oceanic salinity. The wine finishes with energy, liveliness, and a sense of elevation.”
93-94 Points
2015 Altanza Rioja Reserva Rioja Spain

2015 Altanza Rioja Reserva Rioja Spain

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ALTANZA

RIOJA RESERVA
RIOJA, SPAIN 2015

2015 Altanza Rioja Reserva Rioja Spain
Founded in 1998 by close friends who shared the dreams and ambitions of making classic Riojan wines, Bodegas Altanza’s state-of-the-art winery is located in Rioja Alta, where many of the region’s oldest wineries thrive. The winery combines tradition with modernity to offer sensibly priced wines of the utmost quality.
 
Tempranillo is Rioja’s most predominant and highly praised red grape variety and has influenced the region’s style for over a century and a half. This 2015 Reserva is one hundred percent Tempranillo that was fermented with natural yeasts and matured in French oak barrels renewed every five years to provide an array of complexity without overwhelming the fruit. 
 
ALTANZA
RIOJA RESERVA
RIOJA, SPAIN 2015
 
 
 
“A fruity red with toasted oak and some chocolate and spice. It’s medium-bodied with medium round tannins and a lightly chewy, fruity finish. Drink or hold.”
92 Points