2019 Chateau De La Greniere Lussac Saint-Emilion Bordeaux France

2019 Chateau De La Greniere Lussac Saint-Emilion Bordeaux France

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CHÂTEAU DE LA GRENIÈRE

LUSSAC SAINT-ÉMILION
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2019

2019 Chateau De La Greniere Lussac Saint-Emilion Bordeaux France
Château de la Grenière was founded in the 17th century and acknowledged in the 1868 edition of “Bordeaux & Its Wines,” where it ranked amongst the finest producers in Lussac Saint-Émilion. The soils comprise limestone and clay with a top layer of gravel that encourages sufficient drainage and forces the vines’ roots to dig deep into the earth, ultimately providing compelling complexity to the grapes.
 
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc are the predominant varieties in Lussac, and Château de la Grenière’s 35-year-old vines yield a classic example of the region. The 2019 release is 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc, providing an intrinsic spice that links the wine to a distinct sense of place unmatched anywhere in the world.
 
CHÂTEAU DE LA GRENIÈRE
LUSSAC SAINT-ÉMILION
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2019
 
 
 
“Aromas of ripe dark and blue fruit with hints of chocolate, sweet tobacco and leaves. Plush and juicy with medium body, creamy tannins and a velvety mouth-feel. Soft and lingering. Drinkable now, but better after 2024.”
92 Points
2016 Site Ret Blend Larner Vineyard Ballard Canyon

2016 Site Red Blend Larner Vineyard Ballard Canyon

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SITE

RED BLEND
LARNER VINEYARD 2016
BALLARD CANYON

2016 Site Ret Blend Larner Vineyard Ballard Canyon
Jeremy Weintraub is a winemaker and owner of Site Wines. He has experience in winemaking and grape growing in several regions, including Napa, Paso Robles, Central Otago, Tuscany, and Long Island. He sources grapes from three vineyards in Santa Barbara County, crafting his wines according to each particular vintage.
 
The Larner Vineyard in Ballard Canyon is a small AVA about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The region’s north-to-south orientation in the coastal hills receives little oceanic influence and is much warmer than surrounding areas. This gives the perfect climate for Rhône varietals to thrive.The 2016 Larner Vineyard Red Blend is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Viognier. The Syrah and Viognier were co-fermented in a similar style to red blends from the Rhône, giving brevity and brightness to the final wine.
 
SITE
RED BLEND
LARNER VINEYARD 2016
BALLARD CANYON
Retails at: $50
 
 
 
“The 2016 Red Wine Larner Vineyard is another wine in this range that just dazzles with personality and character. Vibrant inky blue/purplish fruit, grilled herbs, lavender and spice all develop effortlessly. I especially admire the wine’s freshness and energy. The 2016 is a blend of mostly Syrah, with some Grenache and Viognier.”
93 Points
2019 Buoncristiani Proprietary Red O.P.C. Napa Valley

2019 Buoncristiani Proprietary Red O.P.C. Napa Valley

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BUONCRISTIANI

O.P.C. PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Buoncristiani Proprietary Red O.P.C. Napa Valley
Recreated with a fresh approach in each vintage, the Buoncristiani Brothers’ O.P.C. embodies a unique harmony discovered by blending Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah. The wines’ signature reveals itself after rounding out the complexity and texture with Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. After 20 months in French oak and now nearly another two years in the bottle, this wine is drinking beautifully.  
 
Grapes for the O.P.C. are sourced from some of Napa’s most prized vineyards, including Hyde, Stagecoach, Hossfeld, and Bennett, creating a wine that further enhances the enjoyment of life. The brothers run all aspects of their business, from growing and production to sales and marketing, ensuring the highest quality standard. If you’re looking for a wine that will make you smile each time you taste it, this is it.
 
BUONCRISTIANI
O.P.C. PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $75
 
 
 
“…Deep garnet-purple in color, it skips out of the glass with youthful notes of crushed black and red currants, fresh blackberries, and spearmint, followed by suggestions of tilled soil, star anise, and cardamom. The full-bodied palate has impressive poise, featuring expressive black and red fruit layers and a fine-grained texture, finishing long and vibrant.”
94 Points
2021 Waypoint Sauvignon Blanc Ritchie Vineyard Russian River

2021 Waypoint Sauvignon Blanc Ritchie Vineyard Russian River

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WAYPOINT

SAUVIGNON BLANC
RITCHIE VINEYARD 
RUSSIAN RIVER 2021

2021 Waypoint Sauvignon Blanc Ritchie Vineyard Russian River
New Frontier Wines produces Waypoint with a keen focus on single vineyard wines from sustainably farmed vineyards with unique characteristics. Founder Alejandro Bulgheroni, an Argentinian-Italian businessman, farmer, winemaker, and conservationist, has been active in several ecological endeavors since the 1960s and continues to promote his ideals in every bottle produced.
 
Kent Ritchie’s Russian River Valley Vineyard is renowned for producing expressive fruit with incredible aromas and flavors. This particular bottling is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Ritchie Block “C” fermented before maturation in a selection of the finest French barrels from top producers. The exceptional winemaking team of Philippe Melka and Matt Sands carefully vinted this beautifully aromatic Sauvignon Blanc from the 2021 vintage, describing it as “akin to a powerful Sancerre.” 
 
WAYPOINT
SAUVIGNON BLANC
RITCHIE VINEYARD 
RUSSIAN RIVER 2021
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“The Waypoint Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021 begins with a bright, citrusy nose, with white flowers, fresh sage, and white pepper. It continues with a beautifully balanced palate of lemon-lime, white peach, quince, and liquid minerals. It seamlessly combines the best traits of rich American, complex French, and bright New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, leading to a crisp, fresh, and long finish.”
93 Points
2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley

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HEITZ CELLAR

NAPA VALLEY LOT C-91
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017

2017 Heitz Cellar Cabenret Sauvignon Lot C-91 Napa Valley
Joe Heitz introduced Napa Valley’s first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon from Martha’s Vineyard in the late 1950s, founded Heitz Cellar in 1961, and eight years later, he discovered he could create a wine with the qualities he desired most through site selection and assemblage. Since the inaugural vintage in 1969, Heitz Cellar has sourced fruit for Lot C-91 from premium parcels in St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, and Howell Mountain to create a complex, age-worthy wine with focus, depth, and length.
 
This historical cuvée has been released as an homage to Joe Heitz since his passing in 2000 and continues to incorporate his ideation of a complete, wholesome Napa Valley Cabernet. The 2017 Lot C-91 exudes elegance and power from superior site selection and expert blending, purposefully designed to guide the wine into a style that’s both stunning upon release and will stand the test of time.  
 
HEITZ CELLAR
NAPA VALLEY LOT C-91
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017
 
 
 
“Wow. Such a racy and exciting nose! This is quite agile and nimble, full of red and blue berries in the forefront, then complemented by spiced orange, earl grey, red plums, potpourri, savory plums and chocolate. Tense and elegant on the palate, which is all about succulent red berries, nuance and texture. Nothing redundant here. A great Napa cabernet sauvignon that has real definition. A beauty by all accounts!”
96 Points
2018 Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei Toscana IGT

2018 Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei Toscana IGT

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CAVALLI

TENUTA DEGLI DEI
TOSCANA IGT 2018

2018 Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei Toscana IGT
The Cavalli family has been crafting fine wines in Tuscany since the 1970s. Their Tenuta Degli Dei estate is located near Panzano in Chianti, a region known for its rich marl soils and sunny southern exposure. Tommaso Cavalli, the current winemaker, is committed to sustainable farming practices and works with his father, Roberto, to produce wines that are both delicious and environmentally friendly.
 
The 2018 Cavalli is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. It is a full-bodied wine with a dense, robust structure and an underlying elegance. Antonio Galloni describes it as “wonderfully inviting…with exceptional balance and tons of character.” The wine will age gracefully, but it is also enjoyable to drink now. 
 
CAVALLI
TENUTA DEGLI DEI
TOSCANA IGT 2018
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“The 2018 Tenuta Degli Dei is dense, juicy and wonderfully inviting. Silky tannins wrap around a core of inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice, lavender and new leather. In the glass, the 2018 is intensely aromatic and layered, with exceptional balance and tons of character. Here, too, the wine’s overall sense of harmony can only be described as exquisite.”
96 Points
2020 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

2020 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

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MORGAN

TWELVE CLONES
PINOT NOIR 2020
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS

2020 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands
Dan and Donna Lee opened Morgan Winery in 1982, winning Gold and Platinum Medals at the Los Angeles County Fair, from Wine & Spirits Magazine in 1996, and from the San Francisco Chronicle in 2003. These awards helped to establish Morgan Winery as one of the Central Coast’s most recognized labels.
 
The winery’s flagship wine is the Twelve Clones Pinot Noir. This wine pays homage to the numerous clones of Pinot Noir that give it its layers of complex flavors and aromas. The fruit for the 2020 vintage comes from some of Santa Lucia Highlands’ best vineyards, including Morgan’s organically farmed Double L Vineyard, and was whole berry fermented, matured for nine months in French oak, and is a splendid example of the region’s best traits.
 
MORGAN
TWELVE CLONES
PINOT NOIR 2020
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Retails at: $38
 
 
 
“Dark plum and purple-flower aromas show on the nose of this clonal combination. The bold palate is hearty and rich with flavors of black raspberry, blood-orange rind and crushed graphite, offering immense, impressive depth.”
94 Points
2018 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

2018 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

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ECO TERRENO

CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2018

2018 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
Eco Terreno combines Mark Lyon’s relentless drive for sustainability with his remarkable winemaking skills and vast experience gained after spending nearly four decades as lead winemaker at Sebastiani Vineyards. Mark knows that delicious wines begin with healthy vines, and his biodynamically farmed vineyards provide him with the ingredients to craft exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon.
 
We discovered this wine last Fall around the time we started asking if there were any more exceptional domestic Cabernets under $30. When it hit our glass, the wine decisively revealed beautifully concentrated, pure, and complex Alexander Valley fruit, perfectly polished and balanced. We selected it as one of the top-ten value wines under $40 last year, and the wine continues to put a smile on my face every time I try it. 
 
ECO TERRENO
CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
ALEXANDER VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $32
 
 
 
“The 2018 Eco Terreno Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley opens with wild strawberries, black plum, gingerbread, and coffee grounds. The baking spice notes in the wine beautifully combine with the fruit aspects to create an ideal balance with flavors of supple fruits, nutmeg, and dried herbs. The bright acidity gives the wine an exciting brevity that carries into a long pleasant finish and leaves a smile on your face.”
96 Points
2021 Apsara Chardonnay Petaluma Gap

2021 Apsara Chardonnay Petaluma Gap

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APSARA

CHARDONNAY 2021
PETALUMA GAP

2021 Apsara Chardonnay Petaluma Gap
“Apsara” is a Sanskrit word that translates to an angelic dancer with balance, purity, and expression and accurately describes each of Apsara Cellars’ exquisite wines, vinified with precision by co-founder Robin Akhurst. Robin and Aneeta met over 20 years ago, studying biology and environmental science in Indonesia. Their travels piqued their interest in preserving the ecosystem with organic, biodynamic, and sustainable vineyard and winery practices.
 
Robin obtained his degree in Enology and spent the next four years working alongside some of the world’s top winemakers, including Domaine Leflaive in Burgundy, Two Hands Wines in the Barossa Valley, as well as Schrader, Outpost Cellars, Myriad, and Carter Cellars in the Napa Valley. Robin sourced his 2021 Chardonnay from the Petaluma Gap in Sonoma County, then matured it in French oak barrels. The resulting wine is a refreshing, light-natured, beautifully aromatic, and layered Chardonnay with delectable flavors. 
 
APSARA
CHARDONNAY 2021
PETALUMA GAP
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The Apsara 2021 Petaluma Gap Chardonnay opens with elegant aromas of acacia and honeysuckle blossoms, fresh Meyer lemon, golden apple, croissant, and crushed rocks. On the palate, the wine has flavors of apricot, lemon custard, cream, and a hint of vanilla. The bright acidity carries through to the finish, and the moderate to low alcohol level allows this wine to be enjoyed independently.”
96 Points
2022 AXR Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

2022 AXR Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

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AXR

SAUVIGNON BLANC
NAPA VALLEY 2022 

2022 AXR Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
AXR’s estate is a historic property founded over 130 years ago that has been a brewery, restaurant, inn, saloon, and winery with the first woman vintner in California in 1886. The property sits at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains with layers of sedimentary soils formed from eons of rainwater runoff, giving a distinct character and range of depth.
 
Winemaker and part-owner Jean Hoefliger was born in Switzerland and gained initial experience making wine in Bordeaux, working for Château Lynch-Bages and Château Carbonnieux, and later in South Africa at Meerlust. AXR’s 2022 Sauvignon Blanc was fermented in three different vessels, 70% in barrel, 18% in stainless steel, and 12% in concrete eggs, before five months of maturation in 20% new French oak, giving a white Bordeaux-style and mouthfeel with expressive Napa Valley fruit. 
 
AXR
SAUVIGNON BLANC
NAPA VALLEY 2022 
 
 
 
“A bright and vivid white with so much energy and brightness with lime, mango and sliced green pineapple. Tangy, crunchy, and crisp. Drink now.”
91 Points