2021 Occidental Pinot Noir Freestone-Occidental Sonoma Coast

2021 Occidental Pinot Noir Freestone-Occidental Sonoma Coast

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OCCIDENTAL 

FREESTONE-OCCIDENTAL
PINOT NOIR 2021
SONOMA COAST

2021 Occidental Pinot Noir Freestone-Occidental Sonoma Coast
Steve Kistler worked his first harvest for Ridge Vineyards in 1975 and observed the obvious difference in the character of the cool climate, coastal fruit versus fruit grown in warmer vineyards further inland. Steve developed a taste for marine-influenced wines, opened Kistler Vineyards in 1978, and has been a Pinot Noir pioneer since the early 1990s. He then sought ridges and terraces near the small town of Bodega, which he believes have the ideal soil and climate for producing Burgundian-styled wine. 
 
After selling his stake in Kistler Vineyards in 2008, Steve embarked on a new project named Occidental focused on cool-climate Pinot Noir of the utmost quality. The 2021 Freestone-Occidental Pinot Noir comes from the Bodega Headlands, Occidental Station, and Bodega Ridge vineyards and shares the same winemaking regimen as their single vineyard Pinots and projects a bright, focused energy that will develop beautifully over time.
 
OCCIDENTAL 
FREESTONE-OCCIDENTAL
PINOT NOIR 2021
SONOMA COAST
 
Your Price: $69.99
 
 
“The Occidental Freestone-Occidental Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 begins with an evocative nose of cherry cough drop, cola bean, salami, Spring florals, and dried herbs. The gorgeous, penetrating palate continues with bright red fruits, fresh mixed berries, sweet dark cherries, bay leaf, and a saline minerality. It balances power and elegance in a way that beautifully expresses the best characteristics of the Pinot Noir varietal. The long, drawn-out finish and mouth-quenching acidity make it an amazing treat that I can’t wait to enjoy again.”
95 Points

2021 Flowers Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

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FLOWERS

PINOT NOIR 2021
SONOMA COAST 

Over three decades ago, Joan and Walt Flowers took a risk and planted their first vineyard along the “far” Sonoma Coast, known for its rough and rugged windswept shoreline. They were among the first to grow in the area, seeing the vast potential to create wines that express their origin and promote the region’s unique flavors from the remote coastal ridges.
 
This Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir features a selection of fruit from Lavio Ranch, Hallberg Ranch Vineyard, Bohan Ranch, and the Flowers’ Sea View Ridge Estate, reflecting the ultimate expression of cool-climate, coastal fruit. The 2021 vintage gave small yields of grapes with an impressive depth of flavors elaborately layered into a backbone of fine tannins, giving a polished texture and a refined, lush finish.
 
FLOWERS
PINOT NOIR 2021
SONOMA COAST 
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“This has nice tension and tannic framing. Full-bodied, firm and lightly chewy with freshness, and spicy character to the ripe strawberry and cherry on the finish.”
93 Points
2021 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay San Luis Obispo

2021 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay San Luis Obispo

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MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

MFN BLANC CHARDONNAY
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2021

2021 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc Chardonnay San Luis Obispo
Eric Jensen’s original “favorite neighbor,” Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure, is a close friend and mentor that helped shape him as a grower and winemaker. What began as an homage to Stephan in 2006 with the launch of the My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet-based wine has turned into a line of carefully crafted wines that can unabashedly stand up to many award-winning, cult-style wines. They’ve been getting lots of well-deserved attention ever since their initial release.
 
Eric believes that great wine begins in the vineyard, so every site that contributes to MFN gets farmed using organic or biodynamic practices for vines that live up to their full potential. The 2021 Blanc/Chardonnay has already earned a blockbuster 97-point score from Wine Advocate, calling it “an old-school style reminiscent of Napa” because of its rich, voluptuous mouthfeel and ripe stone fruit aromatics. At around $40, this wine is a big win for Cali-style Chardonnay fans.
 
MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
MFN BLANC CHARDONNAY
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2021
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The 2021 Chardonnay is very ripe in style with scents of banana chip, apple pie, jasmine, allspice and brown sugar. The full-bodied palate is packed with ripe, spicy fruits and plenty of refreshing acidity, and it finishes long with a satiny, mouth-coating texture. It’s an old-school style reminiscent of Napa that fans of ripe, oaked Chardonnays will enjoy.”
97 Points
2018 Pope Valley Winery Merlot Napa Valley

2018 Pope Valley Winery Merlot Napa Valley

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POPE VALLEY WINERY

MERLOT 2018
NAPA VALLEY

2018 Pope Valley Winery Merlot Napa Valley
Pope Valley Winery is family owned and operated on the northern side of Howell Mountain in a more quaint, quiet part of Napa Valley. Ed Haus founded the property as the Burgundy Winery & Olive Oil Factory in 1897, and Eakle family purchased the historic winery a century later. Eager to elevate the winery to a new level with a new name and a small, passionate team, led by renowned winemaker Jean Hoefliger who’s drawn experience working in the cellars at Alpha Omega, AXR, Chateau Carbonnieux, and Chateau Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux.
 
The 2018 Merlot was grown in the Eakle Vineyard, known for its complex mineral soils that produce rich, distinctive wines with expressive character. The wine matured for 24 months in 40% new French oak barrels, and the final blend comprises 75% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Malbec and drinks fabulously with a silky smooth texture and lingering finish.
 
POPE VALLEY WINERY
MERLOT 2018
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $38
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“A fragrant nose of mulberries, plums, dried herbs, roasted meat and spice box. Full body with fine-grained tannins. Layered, with a plush texture. Creamy and vibrant with a fresh, fruity finish. Drink or hold.”
91 Points

2020 Foley Johnson Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

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FOLEY JOHNSON 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
RUTHERFORD 2020

Bill Foley is a titan in the wine industry, with around thirty successful brands, including Merus, Lancaster, Kuleto, and many others. Foley Johnson is paramount because it bears his name and is in the heart of Rutherford, one of the most significant regions in America for growing premium Cabernet Sauvignon with a distinct “Rutherford dust” characteristic.
 
The Foleys believe that sustainable farming in their vineyards preserves the local ecosystem and produces fruit that more accurately depicts the unique terroir in this small pocket of Napa Valley. The 2020 release upholds the standards of previous vintages with powerfully layered flavors accented by the signature “Rutherford dust,” a dynamic structure with ripe tannins. At less than $50, Foley Johnson is one of the best values in the region.
 
FOLEY JOHNSON 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
RUTHERFORD 2020
Retails at: $75
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“The Foley Johnson Estate Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 begins with a savory nose dominated by deep black cherry, ripe blackberry, fresh red currants, dried salame, and ground espresso, followed by tobacco leaf, vanilla hints, and white flowers. The structured palate has slightly dusty tannins, which frame a wine that reflects similarities in the nose with bright, fresh red fruits balanced by deeper black fruits and baker’s chocolate. These elements combine to create an elegantly complex wine that drinks great at release but will continue to age gracefully for the next eight years or so.”
93 Points
2018 Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley

2018 Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley

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PEDESTAL

MERLOT 2018
COLUMBIA VALLEY

2018 Pedestal Merlot Columbia Valley
After two decades of building the Chateau Ste. Michelle brand and its affiliate wineries to international recognition, Washington wine icon Allen Shoup ventured into a new concept aimed at elevating Washington wines by bringing in renowned international winemakers to create super-premium wines. Allen hired ambitious French native Gilles Nicault to be the Director of Winemaking of his newest creation, Long Shadows, because of Gille’s knowledge and flexibility to help the consulting winemakers create their masterpieces.
 
World-renowned winemaker Michel Rolland consults for the Long Shadows Pedestal Columbia Valley Merlot, providing the vision for this wine from his hometown of Saint-Émilion, also home to some of the variety’s most famous producers. The 2018 Pedestal is 82% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Malbec, hand-harvested after an ideal autumn with cool nights giving the grapes a long hang-time to reach full ripeness without losing acidity for an outstanding balance and layers of indulgent flavors.
 
PEDESTAL
MERLOT 2018
COLUMBIA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $69.99
 
 
“An utterly spectacular showing from this exciting vintage. 82% Merlot with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, this revels in its Turkish coffee aromas with sandalwood, dark currants, chocolate fudge and blueberry compote rounding out the bouquet. This presents a hedonistic bent with an intense mouthfeel and glorious length. Unabashedly big, the acidity and firm tannins hold this gorgeous core of blue and dark fruits in place.”
96 Points
2018 Federico Graziano Fedegraziani Etna Rosso Sicily Italy

2018 Federico Graziano Fedegraziani Etna Rosso Sicily Italy

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FEDERICO GRAZIANI

FEDEGRAZIANI ETNA ROSSO
SICILY, ITALY 2018

2018 Federico Graziano Fedegraziani Etna Rosso Sicily Italy
Federico Graziani won best Italian sommelier in 1998 at the Italian Association of Sommeliers competition at 23 years of age, allowing him to work with some of Italy’s most influential chefs while earning a degree in Viticulture and Enology in 2006. That same year, Federico was ready to make wine from Sicily’s Mt. Etna, so he contacted famed enologist and Etna expert Salvo Foti for help finding old head-trained vines near the mountain’s base.
 
Interestingly, the Etna DOC shares similarities to Burgundy with a likeness in soil diversity, differing aspects, and the age of the vineyards. These vineyards wrap around the volcanic mountainsides, providing wines with intense minerality, concentration, and complex nuance. Federico’s 2018 Fedegraziani Etna Rosso has won critical acclaim and is on the wine lists of some of the world’s finest restaurants, including, Geranium and Osteria Francescana.
 
FEDERICO GRAZIANI
FEDEGRAZIANI ETNA ROSSO
SICILY, ITALY 2018
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Typical Etna style with light color, but lots of red-berry and mineral aromas and flavors, packed into a medium body with graceful, well-integrated tannins and lots of bright-berry flavor on the tight finish. Nerello mascalese and nerello cappuccio. Nor overly complex, but well defined and true. Drinkable now, but best from 2023.”
91 Points
2019 Eleven Eleven Cabernet Sauvignon X I Estate Napa Valley

2019 Eleven Eleven Cabernet Sauvignon X I Estate Napa Valley

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ELEVEN ELEVEN

X∙I ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2019

2019 Eleven Eleven Cabernet Sauvignon X I Estate Napa Valley
Inspired by the Greek word “Parea,” which refers to the power of friends coming together to share their values, philosophies, ideas, and life experiences, Eleven Eleven is a boutique winery producing impressive wines from their state-of-the-art facility near downtown Napa. Director of Operations Brett Weis and Consulting Winemaker Kirk Venge craft powerfully expressive wines that remain elegant and balanced.
 
Fruit for the X∙I Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in Oak Knoll AVA, an excellent location for Bordeaux varieties due to the combination of the clay loam soils and cooling influences from San Pablo Bay that are ideal for ripening and maintaining freshness in the grapes. The 2019 vintage is the second debut of the X∙I, a predominately Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend accompanied with small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec to provide elegance, balance, and nuanced character.
 
ELEVEN ELEVEN
X∙I ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
NAPA VALLEY 2019
Retails at: $85
 
Your Price: $79.99
 
 
“Soft and dusty in lush red fruit, with a compelling backbone of acidity, this estate wine is enjoyable in its youth, with approachable tannins and well-integrated oak. Cassis and cherry notes are seasoned in hints of vanilla and baking spice.”
93 Points
2020 Harvey & Harriet Red Blend San Luis Obispo

2020 Harvey & Harriet Red Blend San Luis Obispo

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HARVEY & HARRIET

RED BLEND 2020
SAN LUIS OBISPO

2020 Harvey & Harriet Red Blend San Luis Obispo
Eric Jensen’s My Favorite Neighbor and Harvey & Harriett brands spotlight the vast potential for high-quality, memorable wines from San Luis Obispo, making many friends along the way with their value prices. Eric’s ambition and ingenuity led him to find an ideal balance of brightness, intensity, and richness, designed to capture higher-end wine’s most striking characteristics but with a value price.
 
Eric created this delightful, friendly, cult-style wine in honor of his hardworking parents, Harvey and Harriet, who most likely wouldn’t be able to afford today’s top-end wines. Harvey and Harriet is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec from select vineyard sites in San Luis Obispo and is a strong competitor against similar styles that cost two or three times as much.
 
HARVEY & HARRIET
RED BLEND 2020
SAN LUIS OBISPO
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“Nice herbs, olives with a hint of savory anchovies, blackcurrants and tobacco to the nose. Juicy and bright with fine, present tannins on a medium- to full-bodied palate. Nicely flattering and fruit-forward, too. Drink or hold.”
93 Points
2019 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

2019 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

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SOJOURN

CHARDONNAY 2019
SONOMA COAST

2019 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
Sojourn Cellars was founded in 2001 as a first-class artisanal winery with a competitive drive to make limited bottlings from some of California’s most expressive and distinctive vineyards. The winery produces highly acclaimed Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa and Sonoma counties that seamlessly showcase the brilliance of each specially selected location.
 
The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a blend of Sangiacomo Vella Ranch, Durell Vineyard, Sangiacomo Roberts Road, and Gap’s Crown Vineyards, all known for their laser-focused expression of cool-climate characteristics. The 2019 growing season was similar to 2018, with mild weather, but yields were lower, which increased the overall concentration of the fruit, creating wines with impressive depth and complexity.
 
SOJOURN
CHARDONNAY 2019
SONOMA COAST
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“The 2019 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is a beauty that gives up a fresh, lively, medium-bodied style as well as textbook Chardonnay ripe orchard fruits, white flowers, and honeyed toast. I like its overall balance on the palate, it has good acidity, and outstanding length.”
93 Points