2018 Hendry Cabernet Sauvignon Hendry Vineyard Napa Valley

2018 Hendry Cabernet Sauvignon Hendry Vineyard Napa Valley

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HENDRY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
HENDRY VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Hendry Cabernet Sauvignon Hendry Vineyard Napa Valley
The Hendry family has been growing grapes in Napa Valley since 1939, compiling over 80 years of viticultural experience; they are one of the area’s most long-standing, prominent families. The 203-acre ranch in the Southern part of Napa has a significant coastal influence from San Pablo Bay that helps to maintain acidity and keeps the fruit fresh and bright.
 
Hendry’s Cabernet Sauvignon plots are at an elevation range between 150 and 300 feet above sea level on thin, stony soils similar to the Left Bank of Bordeaux, where some of the world’s most famous Cabernet blends were born. The 2018 release comes from a fabulous vintage and a glorious location from one of Napa’s foundational wineries with decades of experience. With a 95pt score and Cellar Selection designation from Wine Enthusiast, Cabernet Collectors shouldn’t miss it.
 
HENDRY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
HENDRY VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $70
 
 
 
“This deeply colored, extremely ripe and concentrated wine from a cooler part of Napa Valley is powerful but smooth, as a creamy texture carries blueberries, cocoa and anise flavors wrapped in significant fine-grained tannins. The flavors show great depth on the palate and good length on the finish. best from 2026–2036.”
95 Points, “Cellar Selection”
2020 Sans Liege The Offering Red Central Coast

2020 Sans Liege The Offering Red Central Coast

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SANS LIEGE

THE OFFERING RED
CENTRAL COAST 2020

2020 Sans Liege The Offering Red Central Coast
Inspired by wines from the Southern Rhône and aligned with the freedoms of the New World, winemaker Curt Schalchlin seeks terroir with finesse and unrestrained character from the Central Coast that embody his vision. Curt relies on his intuition and carefully monitors each vineyard from Paso Robles to Solvang to ensure that only the highest quality fruit with distinct characteristics makes it to the winery.
 
The Offering is a quest for independence that embraces New World liberties in winemaking but pays tribute to one of France’s most renowned winegrowing regions. The 2020 blend marries Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre with a small portion of stem inclusion that induces a spicy, herbal complexity and complements the alluring, elegant fruit flavors. It’s been a personal favorite of mine for over a decade.
 
SANS LIEGE
THE OFFERING RED
CENTRAL COAST 2020
Retails at: $33
 
 
 
“The Sans Liege The Offering 2020 begins with a bright nose that includes spicy red plums, fresh strawberries, wet stone, iodine, cocoa nibs, and fresh sage. The vibrant palate continues with lively black raspberries, preserved plums, sweet black cherries, spicy cedar, and fresh mint. Its finish is medium long, with a bright freshness, a liquid-saline complexity, and a lingering mouth-quenching quality that brings you back for more.”
94 Points
2018 Jigar Malbec Sonoma County

2018 Jigar Malbec Sonoma County

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JIGAR

MALBEC 2018
SONOMA COUNTY

2018 Jigar Malbec Sonoma County
Jigar and Stephanie Patel are the proud owners of Jigar Wines and seek to secure the best fruit possible from Jigar’s extensive and amicable grower relations along California’s North Coast. Jigar wines are small in production, terroir-driven, and varietally expressive, showcasing the potential of each vineyard brought forth by passionate farmers.
 
The fruit for their 2018 Malbec comes from the Sonoma Valley AVA, where a long, cool growing season created one of Sonoma’s best vintages in the last decade. The harvest took place two to three weeks later than usual, giving fruit with an intricate structure and intense concentration without being overripe. This tiny production of Malbec is pure, fruit-forward, and delightfully approachable.
 
JIGAR
MALBEC 2018
SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at: $30
 
 
 
“The Jigar 2018 Malbec opens with pure, fresh notes of bergamot, lilac, raspberry, blueberry, cinnamon, and black tea leaves. On the palate, the wine has a silky texture and flavors of ripe fruits, plum, blackberry, and berry bramble with a hint of carob. The wine has a playful light to medium body, clean aromatics, concentrated flavors, and a long finish.”
93 Points
2015 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2015 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

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CASA PIENA

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2015

2015 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Located in Yountville, Casa Piena Winery focuses on responsible, sustainable farming techniques that respect the environment and Napa Valley’s natural beauty. The winery’s estate vineyard, the Policy Vineyard, is managed by viticultural icon Jim Barbour, who’s worked with many well-respected, premium vineyards and been a part of some of Napa’s most highly-rated wines.
 
Casa Piena’s founding winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown, uses a minimalistic approach to craft this profound representation of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa Valley’s 2015 harvest produced a small crop of concentrated berries, leading to powerful, intensely flavorful, and complex Cabernet Sauvignon that is entering a seductive period in its aging and is guaranteed to indulge the senses for years to come.
 
CASA PIENA
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2015
Retails at: $175
 
 
 
“The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous. Lifted, floral and beautifully perfumed, the 2015 has come together nicely since I last tasted it. The 2015 has so much to offer. Specifically, it is remarkably nuanced for such an overly ripe, racy wine. A rush of sweet red berry, kirsch, mint and rose petal graces the expressive, inviting finish. This is a terrific showing from proprietor Carmen Policy and winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown.”
94 Points
2018 Proelio Vinedos Viejos Rioja Garnacha

2018 Proelio Vinedos Viejos Rioja Garnacha

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PROELIO

VINEDOS VIEJOS RIOJA
GARNACHA 2018

2018 Proelio Vinedos Viejos Rioja Garnacha
Palacios Vinos de Finca owns three wineries in Spain, and Proelio is their Riojan winery dedicated to expressing high-altitude vineyard terroirs within the region. Proelio’s small plots of old vine Garnacha, Tempranillo, and Graciano contribute distinctive Riojan characteristics to each wine produced.
 
The high-density vineyards where the grapes for the Viñedos Viejos Garnacha are grown thrive in the Alto Najerilla subzone with calcareous clay soils thrusting forth an array of complex aromas and flavors. The 2018 release is 100% varietal and fermented with native yeasts in wooden vats, with 30% stem inclusion, giving a fuller body with vibrant aromas and a silky texture for an unbelievable value.
 
PROELIO
VINEDOS VIEJOS RIOJA
GARNACHA 2018
 
 
 
“A fragrant garnacha with aromas of redcurrants, pomegranate, wild strawberries, thyme, lavender and lemon grass. Some oyster shell, too. Full-bodied with sleek tannins and bright acidity. Silky and vibrant with a long, fresh finish. Drink or hold.”
92 Points
 
“The red 2018 Viñedos Viejos is a perfumed and elegant Garnacha from Cárdenas in the Najerilla zone on red clay and sandstone soils aged in large oak vats for one year. It has 14.5% alcohol but with great balance, and the wine doesn’t come through as ripe or hot at all. In fact, it feels quite fresh, reflecting a cooler vintage. It’s varietal, clean, with integrated oak and with a vibrant and tasty palate…”
92 Points
2018 Pellegrini Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2018 Pellegrini Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

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PELLEGRINI

PINOT NOIR 2018
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2018 Pellegrini Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Pellegrini Wines comes from a prized selection of vineyards in the Russian River Valley, each with a different microclimate and soil composition, leading to a complex portfolio of wines. The winery is renowned for consistently producing high-quality wines and includes a range of single-vineyard bottlings and regional blends, each highlighting the family’s favorite vineyards.
 
The 2018 growing season saw cooler-than-average temperatures at the end of the summer and into the autumn, delaying ripening but aiding in developing more profound, elegant flavors and silkier tannins. This Pinot Noir features fruit from Olivet Lane, Toboni, Hurst, Hallberg, and Nonella vineyards, combining the differences in clones and subtle changes in terroir into one wine with layers of flavors that depict the glorious Russian River Valley.
 
PELLEGRINI
PINOT NOIR 2018
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $40
 
 
 
“Earth, clove, nutmeg and forest floor dominate the medium-bodied palate of this smooth, spicy wine, a blend from several neighborhoods within the appellation. Rhubarb and strawberry develop through a creamy center.”
91 Points
2019 Booker Oublie Red Blend Paso Robles

2019 Booker Oublie Red Blend Paso Robles

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BOOKER 

OUBLIE RED BLEND 
PASO ROBLES 2019

2019 Booker Oublie Red Blend Paso Robles
Eric and Lisa Jensen own 100 acres in Paso Robles, which they purchased more than two decades ago, intending to grow and sell premium fruit to nearby wineries. Eric worked alongside local legends Justin Smith and Stephan Asseo until he branched out independently and released his first vintage of Booker in 2005. 
 
Eric’s objective has always involved the highest farming standards using organic and biodynamic methods and maintaining a harmonious balance in the vineyard. Rhône varietals thrive on their estate, and Oublié is the winery’s Châteauneuf du Pape-inspired blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Mother nature provided a remarkable growing season in 2019, showcasing Mourvèdre and giving this wine a noticeably bolder mouthfeel than past vintages, resulting in an undeniably impressive wine.
 
BOOKER 
OUBLIE RED BLEND 
PASO ROBLES 2019
 
 
 
“The 2019 Oublié is a blend of 31% Syrah, 27% Mourvèdre, 4% Tannat and 4% Petite Sirah with a medium ruby-purple color. The nose offers gregarious mixed berry preserves and accents of potpourri, mint and fragrant earth. The palate offers juicy appeal and powerful fruit with loads of spice and floral perfume, bursts of freshness and firm, pleasantly rustic tannins, finishing very long.”
97 Points
2018 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve Coombsville

2018 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve Coombsville

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MAROON

SPECIAL RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
COOMBSVILLE 2018

2018 Maroon Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve Coombsville
Paul Maroon recognized the potential for Bordeaux varietals to thrive in Coombsville and purchased 37 acres there over two decades ago. He sold fruit to several of Napa Valley’s top wineries until 2009 when he decided to produce the first vintage of Maroon. Coombsville became an AVA in 2011 and quickly established a reputation for delivering sophisticated wines with elegant structure due to the cooler climate in the southern end of Napa Valley.
 
Chris Corley has been the winemaker since Maroon’s inaugural vintage and has worked with Paul for over 20 years, creating a symbiotic relationship built around their passion for the vineyards, the beautiful wines, and a solid commitment to quality. We recommended this wine last November, and it recently earned an incredible 96 Point Score from Lisa Perrotti-Brown, co-founder of The Wine Independent. Lisa is a Master of Wine and former Editor-in-Chief for Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate. At our price of $65/btl, you can be the judge of how great of a deal this wine is. 
 
MAROON
SPECIAL RESERVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
COOMBSVILLE 2018
Retails at: $174
 
 
 
“Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve gallops in with energetic notes of blackcurrant jelly, chocolate-covered cherries, and boysenberry preserves, plus suggestions of chocolate mint and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a structured style with great tension and firm, grainy tannins to support the bright, muscular fruit, finishing long and vibrant.” Reviewed March, 2023
96 Points
2021 Two Squared Chardonnay Knights Valley Sonoma

2021 Two Squared Chardonnay Knights Valley Sonoma

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TWO SQUARED

CHARDONNAY 2021
KNIGHTS VALLEY SONOMA

2021 Two Squared Chardonnay Knights Valley Sonoma
Alpha Omega’s value-focused brand, Two Squared, offers approachable wines in both price and drinkability driven by partnerships with privately-owned boutique vineyards throughout California. All the fruit sourced is hand-picked and fermented in stainless steel tanks to ensure each variety reveals its unbridled characteristics.
 
Alpha Omega’s winemaking team crafts dynamic white wines in a fresh, bright, and focused style. Their Knight’s Valley Chardonnay captures the variety’s most significant attributes in a spectacular balance of flavors, acidity, and length. The 2021 vintage saw ten months of gentle maturation in French oak to coax a bit of toast and pastry notes that elegantly complement the fruit. This value-Chardonnay completely over-delivers in this price range.
 
TWO SQUARED
CHARDONNAY 2021
KNIGHTS VALLEY SONOMA
Retails at: $32
 
 
 
“The Two Squared 2021 Knights Valley Chardonnay opens with potent aromas of orange blossoms, ripe pear, lemon meringue pie, beeswax, and toasted bread. On the palate, the wine has flavors of yellow apple, green mango, pineapple, and roasted almond. The wine has a medium to full body, a soft mouthfeel, and a pleasant, lingering finish.”
93-94 Points
2018 Diego E Damiano Barale Barolo Piedmont Italy

2018 Diego E Damiano Barale Barolo Piedmont Italy

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DIEGO E DAMIANO BARALE

BAROLO 2018
PIEDMONT, ITALY

2018 Diego E Damiano Barale Barolo Piedmont Italy
Brothers Diego and Damiano Barale are a viticultural and winemaking powerhouse after spending valuable time learning the tricks of the trade. Working together, they use their combined education and practical knowledge to produce outstanding wines. Though their company is relatively new, the land they inherited from their father in Barolo and Monforte d’Alba has historical roots in the heart of superior grape-growing regions in Piedmont. 
 
This Barolo is a selection of old and young vineyards, matured for 20 months in oak and another 18 in the bottle before being released to the market. The 2018 growing season was a fertile vintage with no drought concerns, resulting in vines developing healthy canopies of balanced fruit, noticeable in the wine’s acidity-to-alcohol ratio and the mature, supple tannin structure.
 
DIEGO E DAMIANO BARALE
BAROLO 2018
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Retails at: $55
 
 
 
“Just mid ruby with orange tinges. An amplification of their very pretty Langhe Nebbiolo, with more inherent richness but the same minerality, but now wrapped up in sweetly perfumed raspberry fruit. Supple, long and persistent, the fruit on the finish is carried by a fine, long tannic trail. Long, finely balanced and with real depth and with just a touch of oak.”
17++/20