2018 Rapport Napa Valley Grenache

2018 Rapport Napa Valley Grenache

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RAPPORT

2018 Rapport Napa Valley Grenache2018 GRENACHE 
NAPA VALLEY

 
In the wine business, it’s not just who you know, but it’s who you surround yourself with that can help pave the way for success in a new brand.  Outpost winery on Howell Mountain has always been a breeding ground for talent… Some of their clients included Schrader, GTS, Maybach and Gemstone to name just a few. That’s also where Brent Sloan, owner of Rapport wines and former GM at Outpost met Anne Fogerty, who happens to be Thomas Rivers Brown’s assistant winemaker.  Her wife Camille is the director of winemaking for Fayard wines, and the combined talent of all three is a force to be reckoned with in the world of boutique wine production.  Their 2018 Grenache is sourced from vines located along the Eastern edge Rutherford, and if I could name the vineyard, you’d of already ordered a case…  The wine is profoundly detailed, penetrating and intense, and it’s absolutely one of the most stunning examples of Napa Valley Grenache that I’ve tasted.
The 2018 vintage provided idyllic growing conditions that were perfect for ripening Grenache, with a mild summer and extended Fall sunshine.  Rapport Grenache spends minimal time in oak in order to preserve the most pure expression of the fruit.  It was fermented whole-cluster, which is an old-world method of fermenting the fruit on the stems, and lends structure and depth to the wine. Trust me on this wine… You’ll be seriously glad you did.  
 
RAPPORT
2018 GRENACHE 
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “Our Rapport 2018 Grenache opens with soaring aromatics of kirsch liqueur, black cherries, and strawberry jam. It is lush, medium-bodied and unfiltered while offering complex flavors of red fruit savoriness which should be consumed in its first decade of life.”
2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

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J. GREGORY 2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED

 
On occasion, we’ll offer a wine with a narrative so enthralling that it seems like just about everybody wants to try it… Likewise, those are the wines that disappear the fastest, which is exactly what happened when we wrote about J. Gregory’s 2014 Extol Blend.  As luck would have it, we uncovered some of their 2013, so multiply that compelling story by an extra year of bottle development.  What’s the story? J Gregory’s is made by Mark Jessup who was on the original winemaking team at OPUS ONE from 1979 through 1987, and his flagship “Extol” Proprietary Red is his version of OPUS ONE.  The 2013 has a magnetic bouquet that pulls you in and on the palate, the wine is incredibly layered and powerful, yet supple and balanced.  At the winery price of $115, believe me, it’s an incredible bargain (Join our Insiders Club for special offers).  I recommend going big, because this one is going to fly.
 
The 2013 is built around a solid core of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and dressed with Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Merlot.  The flavors are profoundly stunning, pure and supple.  Like the 2014, the wine has a regal presence on the palate that’s impossible to miss. The 2013 spent 22 months developing in French oak and it envelopes your taste buds in perfectly ripened wild berries, dried herbs, bakers chocolate and pipe tobacco.  You might need someone to pinch you to make sure you’re not dreaming of a time when OPUS ONE was around the same price.
 
J. GREGORY
2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $115/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “You just know from the moment this wine kisses your lips… it’s really something special. This brilliant expression has an exquisite nose of wild crushed ripe blackberries, alluring red currants, dried herbs and smoke. Impressively structured with a beautifully supple approach, the rich, viscous, velvety texture perfectly frames the opulent layers of bing cherry, brooding mountain berries and cassis.  Then comes a breath of sweet pipe tobacco, green herbs and sweet vanilla oak. The supple fruit tannins perfectly balance a mesmerizing flow of precisely orchestrated fruits, then ending with a long, elegant, mouth watering finish.” 97 Points
2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Proprietary Red

2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Napa Valley Proprietary Red

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BEAULIEU VINEYARD2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Proprietary Red

TAPESTRY RESERVE
PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY

 
Tapestry is defined by an intricate or complex combination, and BV’s Tapestry Reserve intricately combines 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with each of the five major Bordeaux varietals and lives up to the literal definition of its name.  The winery tailors their winemaking for each varietal to best capture the individual nature of the vintage and unique origins of the grapes.  Fifty percent of the Cabernet Sauvignon arose from the Western benchlands of Rutherford, and was balanced with fruit from Stags Leap, Atlas Peak, and Coombsville.  On the palate the Cabernet plays a key role in imparting a generous core of wild blackberries, cassis, while the Merlot shows vivid dark cherry fruit.   Malbec adds black plum while Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot complete the wine with wild violets and added structure.  In blockbuster vintages like 2015, the Tapestry Reserve can take on all of the best qualities of the vintage and deliver them with stunning elegance, complexity and profound definition.  At around $50/btl the value is off-the-charts.
 
Alluring, engaging and balance all come to mind when tasting the 2015 Tapestry Reserve.  The winery has Napa Valley winemaking history embedded deep in its DNA and was established in 1900.  Throughout the years they’ve produced many timeless classics that embody the essence of Napa Valley.  Their 2015 Tapestry Reserve is an absolute classic that can be enjoyed now and over the next decade.
 
BEAULIEU VINEYARD
TAPESTRY RESERVE
PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $65.00/btl
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl   
YOU SAVE 23%
 

93 Points
“Lots of ripe fruit with very fine tannins and a juicy mouthfeel. Medium to full body, polished and round texture and a flavorful finish. Soft with lots of flavor. Drink or hold.“

92 Points
“…a beautiful perfume of roses and lilacs with a core of cassis, redcurrant jelly and blackberry tart plus a touch of cedar chest. Full, velvety and seductive, it delivers layers of perfumed red and black fruit with a very long finish.”

92 Points
“soft, pliant and supple, all qualities that make it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Sweet red cherry, plum, rose petal, mint and dried flowers are all laced together in this racy, super-expressive blend from BV. The Cabernet Sauvignon-based Tapestry is one of the hidden gems in the range.” 

91 Points
“Takes a bright and relatively fresh approach, with raspberry and plum coulis flavors racing through first, backed by a plumper feel on the back end, showing notes of anise, mocha and briar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2026″
2017 Leto Cellars Bennett Valley Chardonnay

2017 Leto Cellars Bennett Valley Sonoma County Chardonnay

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LETO CELLARS 2017 Leto Cellars Bennett Valley Chardonnay

2017 CHARDONNAY
BENNETT VALLEY
SONOMA COUNTY

 
Many of the greatest wines that we evaluate at our weekly tastings are tasted without knowing the retail price, along with little to no information about them other than what’s printed on the bottle.  With Leto Cellars’ 2017 Chardonnay, we knew from first-hand experience how great their Cabernets have performed for the price, and we also knew the wine was made by a seasoned winemaker with more than 50 vintages under his belt…  On the palate the wine had remarkable structure, ample acidity, and detailed poached pear, granny smith apple and white peach.  It absolutely shatters expectations at this price.
 
This incredibly small 110 case production Chardonnay was forged from the newly formed Bennett Valley Appellation in Sonoma County.  Bennett Valley is unique in that it’s surrounded on three sides by the Sonoma Mountain range, and receives cooling from the Pacific Ocean flowing through Crane Canyon, which runs the length of the gap between Sonoma and Taylor Mountains.  The cooling plays a large role in allowing the grapes to maintain a firm acidity and structure, and Leto’s 2017 Chardonnay is the perfect example…
 
LETO CELLARS
2017 CHARDONNAY
BENNETT VALLEY
SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at:  $30/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “The 2017 Leto Cellars Bennett Valley Chardonnay has a bright, floral nose along with an amazing freshness on the palate, showcasing crisp green apples, ripe pear, and balanced, integrated sweet vanilla oak.  It is lively on the palate and not in the least bit cloying or heavy, and beautifully displays this wonderfully fresh style.”
2017 Martinelli Giuseppe & Luisa Zinfandel

2017 Martinelli Giuseppe & Luisa Zinfandel

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MARTINELLI 2017 Martinelli Giuseppe & Luisa Zinfandel

2017 ZINFANDEL
GIUSEPPE & LUISA

 
The only thing stretching deeper than the root systems of the ancient Zinfandel vines of Jackass Hill, are Martinelli’s roots in the Russian River Valley, which go back to the 1880’s.  Giuseppe and Luisa Martinelli planted their iconic Jackass Hill Vineyard in 1899 on a 60 degree slope, which remains the steepest non-terraced hillside vineyard in Sonoma County.  In 1994 Lee Martinelli grafted budwood from the centurion vines of Jackass Hill and planted them on a rocky knoll above the winery which became the Giuseppe & Luisa Vineyard.  This wine is the liquid definition of a huge California-style Zinfandel with unending depth, penetrating wild raspberry compote, boysenberry jam and mouthwatering acidity.  Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate proclaims, “This is just what Zinfandel should be…” and at about 1/2 the price of Jackass Vineyard Zin, I wouldn’t hesitate to secure yours.
 
Martinelli was one of the early leaders back in the early 1990’s producing cult level Zinfandels that were nearly impossible to acquire. Their 2017 was brought to life by winemakers Courtney Wagoner and Erin Green. Erin worked alongside Helen Turley in the early ’90’s on some of her projects, including at Bryant Family & Martinelli and also was director of winemaking at Pahlmeyer.  If you love huge, California style Zinfandel, this one shouldn’t be missed.
 
MARTINELLI
2017 ZINFANDEL
GIUSEPPE & LUISA
 
Your Price: $58/btl  
 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “Medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Zinfandel Giuseppe and Luisa has a wonderful nose of yellow peach preserves, apricot, boysenberry jam, cinnamon stick and warm black fruits-there are loads of fruity and spicy layers here. In the mouth, it’s medium to full-bodied with intense tricolored fruits, firm, grainy tannins and very juicy acidity, finishing long and peachy. This is just what Zinfandel should be!” 96 Points
2017 Foley Johnson Estate Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Foley Johnson Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

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FOLEY JOHNSON  2017 Foley Johnson Estate Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 ESTATE CABERNET
RUTHERFORD, NAPA VALLEY

 
Napa Valley’s Iconic Rutherford appellation is one of the most revered regions for Cabernet Sauvignon, and it’s celebrated for producing wines with palpable and distinct character, superior elegance and of course classic Rutherford dusty tannins.  Paragons Quintessa, BV and Scarecrow all set a precedence for quality in Rutherford.  The best Rutherford Cabernets will fuse elegance, complexity and dusty tannins in a way that makes you want to enjoy them on a regular basis.  Of course with an average retail price of well over $100 per bottle for Rutherford Cabernet, it can be tough to find one at a modest price. Foley Johnson’s Rutherford Estate Cab is absolutely one of the best values in Rutherford, with a name that’s synonymous quality.
 
Arising from Rutherford, an area long celebrated for its exceptional terroir and dusty tannins, this exemplary Cabernet Sauvignon shines with all of the hallmarks that I love most about Rutherford.  It’s supremely focused and brims with concentrated red fruits, wild violets, cherry pipe tobacco, crushed graphite and of course, beautiful Rutherford dust.  Their Rutherford Estate Cabernet competes favorably with the best in the Valley…
 
FOLEY JOHNSON
2017 ESTATE CABERNET
RUTHERFORD, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $75.00/btl
 
 
 
Winery Notes: “Our 2017 Estate Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon displays inviting aromas of huckleberry, cedar, black pepper and a hint of dried sage. On the palate, bold tannins are balanced with flavors of black currant and dark cherry with savory notes of tobacco and graphite. Well structured and full bodied, our Cabernet Sauvignon is approachable now, but will age beautifully over the next 5-10 
2016 Mastery Napa Valley Proprietary Red

2016 Mastery Napa Valley Proprietary Red

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MASTERY  2016 Mastery Napa Valley Proprietary Red

PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY

 
The 2016 vintage of Mastery is everything you would expect from this near perfect vintage.  Wine Spectator Magazine touts 2016 as their highest rated vintage for Napa since 1997 and rated it a 98 point score.  The new 2016 Mastery is a perfect reflection of this other-worldly vintage.  With just three barrels produced, Mastery is one of our most popular wines every year, but the demand always exceeds our supply.  This thrilling wine is finely detailed with a sweet inner core of focused red and black berries, supple tannins, and concentrated flavors that build layer upon layer of hedonistic bliss.  With a total production of 73 cases, this vintage of Mastery will disappear far too early…
 
Created from Napa Valley’s highly acclaimed Coombsville region, the vineyard is located on volcanic soils on the Eastern outskirts of the town of Napa.  This elegantly styled, yet focused and penetrating Napa Valley Cabernet Blend satisfies everything a Cabernet drinker looks for.  After spending about 2 years in French oak, this perfectly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon enchants your taste buds.  If you would like to add some of this exceptional wine to your cellar, please place your order right away.  This is another in a long list of near-perfect vintages of Mastery and we know you will absolutely love it!  It is spectacular.
 
MASTERY
PROPRIETARY RED
2016 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $95/btl

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Tasting Notes: “Embodying every finite nuance that makes the 2016 vintage so great, Mastery 2016 has alluring aromas of black currants, bing cherries, crushed minerals and dried rose petal.  Seductive wild mountain blackberries, ripe red plum and cassis, are in perfect harmony with the concentrated, rich, supple black fruits balancing the brighter red fruits, providing both depth and length as well as complexity on the palate.  The finish is focused with an amazing seamless structure, providing immense satisfaction.”  Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
2012 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Anderson Valley Brut Sparkling Wine

2012 Roederer Estate L’Ermitage Brut Sparkling Wine

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ROEDERER ESTATE 2012 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Anderson Valley Brut Sparkling Wine

2012 L’ERMITAGE
BRUT SPARKLING WINE

 
Did you know that Roederer Estate in Anderson Valley is the sister winery of Louis Roederer in France?  In France, their top Champagne is Cristal, but in California their flagship Sparkling wine is their L’Ermitage, which they only make in exceptional vintages.  Their winemaking style helping guide their success is based upon two very important elements; complete ownership of their vineyards with meticulous farming, along with oak-aging their Reserve wines.  L’Ermitage spends and impressive 5 years in oak casks, which lends to their style of body, finesse and depth of flavor.   With 95 and 97 Point scores from two of the Country’s top critics, this is a truly stunning vintage of L’Ermitage.
 
Louis Roederer is one of the most iconic names in Champagne with more than 200 years of traditional winemaking.  In the early 1980’s they discovered that the Anderson Valley, just North of Sonoma, was ideally suited for grapes used to make sparkling wines.  The area has a cooler climate with well-drained soils, and the close proximity to the Pacific Ocean provides a gentle cycle of warm days and cool nights, allowing the grapes to slowly mature and develop full flavors.  At under $50, this is simply one of the greatest sparkling wines produced in the New World.
 
ROEDERER ESTATE
2012 L’ERMITAGE
BRUT SPARKLING WINE
Retails at:  $50/btl
 
Your Price: $45/btl

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“Extravagant, yet balanced and refined, with lush, crisp brioche, fresh ginger and spice, roasted hazelnut and Asian pear flavors that fan out on the lengthy finish. Drink now through 2020.”  95 Points
“Luxurious and layered, this nicely mature wine has a broad range of complex aromas and flavors, from fig to mushroom to butter and baking spices that ride a supple texture and linger for a long finish. The very fine bead, plush texture and a creamy richness that verges on sweetness are practically irresistible. Best through 2025.”  97 Points, Cellar Selection
2013 Matias Riccitelli Vineyard Selection Malbec

2013 Matias Riccitelli Vineyard Selection Argentina Malbec

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MATIAS RICCITELLI  2013 Matias Riccitelli Vineyard Selection Malbec

2013 MALBEC
VINEYARD SELECTION
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

 
Every great winemaker has at least one mentor that helped guide them in their career.  When  your father is the head-winemaker at Bodegas Norton, and the first South American to ever be named Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine, it can come with a few advantages… Matias Riccitelli had both the connections and the drive to spend a decade working 2 harvests each year, one in Argentina, and the others in New Zealand, Napa Valley, Europe and Australia.  During that time he soaked up every bit of winemaking knowledge in order to achieve his goal of creating a brand of that could express the full potential of Argentine terroir.
 
Carved from exceptional vines ranging 20-80 years in age and grown in Perdriel and Vistalba in the Lujan de Cuyo and El Cepillo in La Consulta,  Riccitelli’s 2013 Vineyard Selection Malbec is stunningly complex and loaded with hedonistic aromas of dark black fruits, scorched earth, blue violets, licorice and hints of wild game.  Many of you tasted and loved Riccitelli’s The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree Malbec that we introduced last year, and with the Vineyard Selection Malbec, I wouldn’t hesitate to secure yours…
 
MATIAS RICCITELLI
2013 MALBEC
VINEYARD SELECTION
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Retails at: $55/btl
 
 
From Vinous: “(made from three small vineyards in Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley): Bright medium ruby. Showing more balsamic cedar and herbs on the nose than the 2014 The Apple . . . Malbec; plenty ripe but less dark-fruity and chocolatey and more minty and herbal… this intensely flavored wine is much less sweet than The Apple, with its currant and blackberry flavors complemented by a saline quality and nicely framed by healthy acidity. A bit less forthcoming, drier and more classic on the end, showing suaver tannins.“
2014 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

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RUDIUS 2014 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

KALEY ELIZABETH
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 OAKVILLE

 
In winemaking, when the stars align perfectly and combine fruit from one of Oakville’s best vineyards with one of Napa’s most talented winemakers, the end result is a wine that competes with the best in the world.  The 2014 Rudius Kaley Elizabeth gave me goosebumps when I first tasted it, and it hails exclusively from a secret vineyard source in Oakville just across from Screaming Eagle… If Rudius chose to list the vineyard on their label they would have to charge around $175 per bottle.  The wine was brilliantly crafted by Jeff Ames, who mentored under Thomas River Brown at Schrader, Maybach, Outpost and TOR before becoming head winemaker at TOR in 2005.  Since then, he’s made wines scoring in the high-90’s look easy, and with his own label Rudius, he’s applied that same skill-set to creating value wines with unrestrained character and profound hedonism. Words absolutely cannot express how great this wine is at $135/btl (join our free Insiders Club for special offers).
 
This secret vineyard source has beautiful red soils that give wines from this area intense, prolific flavors, and with neighbors like Screaming Eagle, Rudd, Dalla Valle’s Maya and Joseph Phelp’s Bacchus Vineyards, no doubt this is a great place to source fruit.  The wines from this vineyard have a trademark intense red-fruited perfume, dark, supple fruits, crushed rock and brilliant complexity.  If you enjoy the best wines that Napa Valley has to offer, you do not want to miss this…
 
RUDIUS
KALEY ELIZABETH
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 OAKVILLE
Retails at:  $135/btl
 
 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Kaley Elizabeth comes from the Tierra Rojo vineyard in Oakville planted in 1988 and contains a small splash of Cabernet Franc. The nose explodes with baked cherries, blackcurrant cordial and blueberry pie notes with touches of Chinese five spice, wood smoke and beef drippings with a waft of dried herbs. Full-bodied, rich and spicy with mouth-filling savory and spice layers, it has a solid backbone of chewy tannins and a lively line, finishing long. 300 cases were made.”  96+ Points