2019 Justin Isosceles Red Blend Paso Robles

2019 Justin Isosceles Red Blend Paso Robles

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JUSTIN

ISOSCELES RED BLEND
PASO ROBLES 2019 

2019 Justin Isosceles Red Blend Paso Robles
Justin Winery’s founders planted their first vineyard in 1981, releasing the first commercial vintage in 1987, a richly layered, intense Bordeaux-styled blend predicated on the fossilized limestone soils in Paso Robles. These unique soils are also found in Bordeaux and are a part of the terroir of many of the world’s most distinct and memorable wines. 
 
For over 30 years, Isosceles has been the flagship wine of Justin and shows exactly why this little part of the world has massive potential for viticulture. The 2019 Isosceles comprises nearly 80% Cabernet Sauvignon married with Cabernet Franc and Merlot, aged in new French oak for 21 months, resulting in a full-bodied red wine with a seductively long finish. 
 
JUSTIN
ISOSCELES RED BLEND
PASO ROBLES 2019 
Retails at: $85
 
 
 
“Deep ruby/purple core with black secondary color, lighter toward the rim with moderate plus viscosity and slow forming, moderately stained tears. Very aromatic and complex with ripe black cherry and cassis fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and licorice spice with sweet tobacco, cedar, leather and camphor notes.  Full-bodied with ripe black cherry and blackcurrant fruit complemented with baking spice and oak notes on entry. Sustained fruit and spice are joined by savory autumn leaf, cedar and leather on the mid-palate with mouth filling, fine tannins that lead into a long, complex and balanced finish with attractive fruit, spice, cedar and subtle camphor notes.”
2022 Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County

2022 Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County

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ALMA de CATTLEYA

SAUVIGNON BLANC
SONOMA COUNTY 2022 

2022 Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County
Bibiana González Rave puts her heart and soul into each wine she vinifies and branded her company accordingly, as ‘alma’ translates to ‘soul’ in Spanish. Bibiana grew up in Colombia, where the national flower is the Cattleya (Orchid,) and now produces wines with highly transparent varietal purity from Sonoma County and Napa Valley.
 
She has an impressive repertoire of experience making wine in Bordeaux, the Rhone Valley, and South Africa. When she came to California, industry leaders immediately recognized her talents, hiring her to create fabulous wines at Peay, Lynmar, and Pahlmeyer. The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc came from five different hillside vineyards in Sonoma County, resulting in a dynamic drinking experience. The wine was aged six months on its lees in neutral barrels before bottling, giving an added complexity that’s seriously enjoyable.
 
ALMA de CATTLEYA
SAUVIGNON BLANC
SONOMA COUNTY 2022 
 
 
 
“The Alma de Cattleya Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2022 opens with a dynamic range of aromas, including white peach, passionfruit, Key lime, English rose petals and ripe guava. The wine has fresh, bright citrus on the palate with exotic tropicals, pomelo juice, and chamomile tea. The long, crisp finish cuts a swath across your palate, leaving your mouth watering and wanting more.”
93 Points
2021 Far Niente Chardonnay Napa Valley

2021 Far Niente Chardonnay Napa Valley

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FAR NIENTE

CHARDONNAY 2021
NAPA VALLEY

2021 Far Niente Chardonnay Napa Valley
John Benson founded Far Niente in 1885, and the winery was a notable stronghold in Napa Valley until Prohibition closed the gates in 1919. Sixty years later, Gil Nickel purchased and restored the property with a vision to create a quintessential Napa Valley Chardonnay of sophistication, balance, and stature. He released the first vintage of Far Niente in the modern era, an estate-bottled 1979 Napa Valley Chardonnay that has been a namesake of the winery for over four decades.
 
The fruit for the Estate Chardonnay is grown in Coombsville, which has a similar climate to Carneros, but with less wind and well-drained gravelly loam and volcanic soils that give the wine its signature stone and tropical fruit flavors with a distinct minerality. Malolactic fermentation is avoided in the winemaking process to preserve the malic acid for a fresher sensation on the palate, increased longevity in the bottle, and a celebrated style long associated with the winery.
 
FAR NIENTE
CHARDONNAY 2021
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $73
 
 
 
“The Far Niente Napa Valley Chardonnay 2021 opens with concentrated notes of green apple, ripe pear, exotic tropical fruits, and spring florals. The palate follows suit, bringing vibrant acidity, levity, and intense, ripe flavors. This wine blends the perfect balance of power and elegance in a way that brings you back for sip after sip. It’s an outstanding Chardonnay, thrilling to drink now and over the next decade.”
95 Points
2019 Bruliam Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Roberts Road Sonoma County

2019 Bruliam Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Roberts Road Sonoma County

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BRULIAM

PINOT NOIR 2019
SANGIACOMO ROBERTS ROAD
PETALUMA GAP, SONOMA COUNTY

2019 Bruliam Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Roberts Road Sonoma County
After completing medical school, Kerith Overstreet decided winemaking sounded more exciting and enrolled to study enology at UC Davis leading to her first harvest in 2008. Launching Bruliam with a single barrel, Kerith now produces around 1000 cases annually of primarily single-vineyard Pinot Noir from cherished grower relationships in Sonoma County, Santa Lucia Highlands, and her own Torrey Hill vineyard in the Russian River Valley.
 
The Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard was planted in 1998 and is the first area to receive fog in the Petaluma Gap and the last to burn it off, extending the growing season. This cool microclimate ripens about two weeks later than Gap’s Crown, giving fully ripe fruit without raising sugar levels and preserving crisp acidity, which the 2019 vintage represents beautifully with dynamic precision and elegantly nuanced flavors.
 
BRULIAM
PINOT NOIR 2019
SANGIACOMO ROBERTS ROAD
PETALUMA GAP, SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“This wine wowed me from the first sip, starting with an elegant nose including bright red fruits, holiday baking spices, light florals, and minerals. The vibrant palate starts with tart cranberries, pomegranate, red cherries, and spice box character combined with an intriguing saline quality. This medium-bodied Pinot Noir has beautifully concentrated, crunchy red fruit combined with elegance, grace, and length that is ultimately satisfying. Bravo!”
94 Points
2018 Mastery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 Mastery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

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MASTERY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Mastery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Mastery’s 2018 release offers a deep, powerful reflection of Napa Valley’s highest-rated vintage in more than twenty years; a vintage revered for producing “wines that are rich and dark, but detailed, restrained in style and very terroir-driven,” as written by the Wine Spectator. Winemaker Rudy Zuidema’s cumulative knowledge over the past 30 years is commanding in this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon which beautifully articulates the terroir of Rapp Ranch and Shadybrook Estate Vineyards in Coombsville. 
 
Forged from vines grown in Coombsville’s volcanic soils, this powerful, focused, penetrating Cabernet celebrates its origin in memorable detail. Three barrels made up the entire production in the 2018 vintage, each chosen for varietal focus, concentrated flavors, and a masterful combination of strength and elegance. You’ll find these qualities in many of the world’s most outstanding wines. At $95, Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t get any better!
 
MASTERY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
NAPA VALLEY 2018
 
 
 
“Mastery 2018 is a sumptuous wine with aromas of violet, blueberry, cassis, balsamic glaze, English toffee, cigar box, and petrichor. On the palate, the wine is rich and powerful, with flavors of blackberry pie, dark chocolate, and gingerbread. The 2018 vintage is elegantly layered with an intense structure that will slowly unravel to reveal its intricacies for those who lay this beauty down in the cellar.” 
96-97 Points
2019 Janzen Beckstoffer To-Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon

2019 Janzen Beckstoffer To-Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon

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JANZEN

BECKSTOFFER TO-KALON
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019

2019 Janzen Beckstoffer To-Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon
The renowned Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, initially planted by Hamilton Crabb in 1868, is widely regarded as a Napa Valley First Growth. With a rich heritage of producing exceptional wines that consistently receive high scores, its fruit draws some of Napa Valley’s most distinguished winemakers. Kirk Venge, one of Napa’s most in-demand winemakers, whom you might recognize from Eleven Eleven, Macauley, B Cellars, and Venge wines, crafted this remarkable expression. 
 
The detail-oriented viticultural team keeps the vineyard in optimum health, ensuring the vines grow deep into the well-drained soils in search of nutrients that aid in the fruit’s distinguished flavors and robust structure. Janzen’s 2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon unabashedly displays the signature characteristics that have made the legendary piece of land incredibly valuable.
 
JANZEN
BECKSTOFFER TO-KALON
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019
 
 
 
“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Janzen Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard comes from one of the greatest sites in the valley and is all varietal. Its ruby/purple color is followed by a perfumed, expressive bouquet of red and black currants, flowery incense, leather, chocolate, and baking spices. It’s medium to full-bodied on the palate and nicely balanced, with velvety tannins, a round, supple mouthfeel, and a great finish. It’s drinking nicely already, but I see no need to delay gratification either. Nevertheless, it should have 15 years of prime drinking.”
95 Points
2019 Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah Hawkes Bay NZ

2019 Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah Hawkes Bay NZ

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TRINITY HILL

GIMBLETT GRAVELS SYRAH
HAWKES BAY NZ 2019

2019 Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah Hawkes Bay NZ
The Gimblett Gravels District lies within the winegrowing region of Hawke’s Bay and boasts poor, stony, gravelly soils ideal for New Zealand-grown Syrah. In 1993, Trinity Hill recognized the immense prospects for viticultural excellence in this small subregion formed by the ancient Ngaruroro River, becoming among the first to cultivate Syrah in Gimblett Gravels.
 
Trinity Hills takes pride in being a certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, emphasizing biodiversity and reducing its environmental impact. Notably, New Zealand has the highest number of certified organic wineries globally. The 2019 Gimblett Gravels Syrah is an impressive blend of the three estate vineyards: Gimblett Estate, Tin Shed, and Gimblett Stones. The unique terroir is evident in this bright, spicy wine, offering a quintessential taste of the region.
 
TRINITY HILL
GIMBLETT GRAVELS SYRAH
HAWKES BAY NZ 2019
 
 
 
“Wow. The white-pepper and black-fruit combination here is impressively fresh and vibrant. Really bursting from the glass. The palate has such fine-cut tannins that form a crisp outer shell around very juicy red and dark berries. Cascading, grainy finish. Superb. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”
96 Points
2021 Sonoma Bench Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

2021 Sonoma Bench Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

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SONOMA BENCH

PINOT NOIR 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Sonoma Bench Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
The Green Valley AVA, nestled within the larger Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, is renowned for producing exceptional Pinot Noir. It benefits from the unique climate that brings in fog during the evenings and dissipates slowly, making it one of the last areas in the region to see sunlight. The cool temperatures and extended hangtime provide ideal conditions for the fruit to mature slowly and develop nuanced flavors with a refined complexity.
 
With twenty years of winemaking experience in Sonoma, David Sayre has established enduring partnerships with talented growers from the county’s finest vineyards. The grapes for Sonoma Bench’s 2021 Russian River Pinot Noir underwent meticulous hand-sorting and destemming before fermentation. The wine aged for nine months in 30% new French oak barrels, resulting in a flawlessly balanced Pinot Noir that’s an absolute delight.
 
SONOMA BENCH
PINOT NOIR 2021
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
 
 
“Beautifully reflecting the true essence of the Pinot Noir grape, the Sonoma Bench Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2021 begins with an elegant nose of red cherries, light florals, fresh sage, and subtle baking spices. The palate continues with bright cherry cola, dried mushrooms, and sassafras combined with a saline minerality. This lighter-styled offering has a beautiful, balanced, complex finish that will make any Pinot Noir purist smile.”
94 Points
2020 Edict Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2020 Edict Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

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EDICT

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE 2020

2020 Edict Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
Edict’s winemaking mantra of “truth, generosity, and love” guides each decision from the vineyard to the winery, ensuring premium quality in their finished wines. With 30 years of experience and partnerships with some of the best growers from Carneros to Calistoga, Edict’s Vineyard Manager carefully selects the healthiest fruit with the most significant varietal expression.
 
Edict’s winemaking team focuses on bringing out those unique varietal expressions, highlighting the fruit and harnessing ripe, almost chewy tannins, a smooth texture, and deep, bold aromatics. The 2020 Oakville Collinetta Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied with rich layers of flavor, power, and energy, and with all Edict wines can age but is ready to be enjoyed now.
 
EDICT
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
OAKVILLE 2020
Retails at: $120
 
 
 
“The Edict. Collinetta Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 begins with a generous nose including black currants, blackberry jam, baker’s chocolate, and crushed stones. The supple palate has a pretty combination of mouth watering bright red fruits, combined with deep, ripe black fruits – a textbook signature of Oakville Cabs. It has a long, linear styled finish leaving your palate begging for another sip.”
94 Points
2020 Raoul Gautherin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

2020 Raoul Gautherin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

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RAOUL GAUTHERIN

CHABLIS 1ER CRU
VAILLONS 2020

2020 Raoul Gautherin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
Since 1585 the Gautherin family has cultivated vines on Chablis’ most exposed hillside sites, crafting beautiful wines that tell a detailed story of their origins. Because of low intervention in the vineyard and winery, natural yeasts, and limited or no use of oak, Chablis is one of the purest expressions of Chardonnay worldwide.
 
Raoul Gautherin’s father and son team relies on familial knowledge passed down over several generations and sustainable farming practices that focus on the vitality of the vines to produce world-class wines. The Vaillons Premier Cru vineyard produces wines with distinct minerality and delicate white fruit aromatics, making it one of Chablis’ most desired sites. The 2020 vintage provided wines with rich flavors and deep complexity that are dangerously easy to drink now and will pay tribute to those with the patience to cellar and age.
 
RAOUL GAUTHERIN
CHABLIS 1ER CRU
VAILLONS 2020
 
 
 
“The Raoul Gautherin 2020 1er Cru Chablis opens with expressive notes of chamomile, yellow apple, bread dough, chalky minerality, and oceanic salinity. On the palate, the wine has a silky smooth texture with flavors of apple, quince, apricot, and pastry. This wine has an impeccable balance of rich flavors and bright acidity that flows into a long finish.”
95 Points