2017 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley

2017 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley

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SEQUUM

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
KIDD RANCH VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY 2017

2017 Sequum Cabernet Sauvignon Kidd Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley
Paul Skinner’s Ph.D. in viticulture and soil science combined with decades of experience consulting super-premium grape growing were the ideal foundation for launching his boutique wine brand Sequum in 2003. The name comes from a scientific term describing the soil layers, and it is the perfect name for his brand as he combines his love for science with his passion for wine.
 
Paul takes a hands-on approach to his Kidd Ranch vineyard, walking the rows each morning and evening to examine each vine, checking for optimum health and ensuring vitality. His 2017 Kidd Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon embodies his creatively scientific spirit with layers of dimensional complexity, concentration, and flawless structure that will please Cabernet drinkers for years to come.
 
SEQUUM
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
KIDD RANCH VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY 2017
Retails at: $75
 
 
 
“The Sequum 2017 Kidd Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon opens with concentrated aromas of violets, nutmeg, blackberry, black currant, earth, and mushroom. On the palate, the wine has velvety tannins and distinct layers of complex flavors such as black cherry, ripe plum, English toffee, dark chocolate, and savory spice. The wine has an impeccable balance between the intensity of flavors, level of tannin, and brightness, making this wine a treat to drink right now as well as giving it longevity in the bottle.”
94 Points
2020 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo

2020 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo

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MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2020

2020 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon San Luis Obispo
What began as an homage to Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure Winery propelled into an obsession driven by like-minded grape-growers who’ve become winemaker Eric Jensen’s favorite neighbors. Farming is life or Eric, and each grower he works with shares the common goal of sustainable viticulture and raising the highest quality fruit possible to create wines of distinction and trend-setting quality.
 
Founded with extreme dedication and zero compromises, My Favorite Neighbor hits a sweet spot of perfectly ripe fruit, flavor intensity, and lavish textures, giving some of the best $100 Cabernets a real challenge. Eric has made wines from consecutive vintages earning mid-90-point scores, and his 2020 vintage is a tremendous follow-up, moving his wine one step closer to becoming a household name in high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon.
 
MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2020
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $45

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“Red chili pepper, olives, tobacco and cocoa powder to the fresh cassis and blackberries. Restrainedly opulent and well-structured on the palate, showing impressive length and polished tannins. Great poise here! Delicious now, but will hold.” 
94 Points
 
2018 La Sirena Pirate Treasured Red Napa Valley

2018 La Sirena Pirate Treasured Red Napa Valley

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LA SIRENA

PIRATE TREASURED
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 La Sirena Pirate Treasured Red Napa Valley
Renowned winemaker Heidi Barrett’s Pirate TreasuRed is a fun, multi-varietal blend reimagined each vintage through her connections to some of California’s best vineyards. Heidi was immersed in wine from a young age working alongside her father, Dick Peterson. She is one of California’s most celebrated and talented winemakers, creating some of Napa’s most sought-after wines. 
 
La Sirena is Heidi’s brand, established in 1994, with the Pirate TreasuRed celebrating its 12th vintage with a six-varietal blend consisting of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Grenache, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Franc. 2018 was a glorious vintage in Napa Valley, and the fruit showcases the ideal conditions with bright acidity, freshness, and complex aromas meticulously vinified by one of the finest winemakers in the world.
 
LA SIRENA
PIRATE TREASURED
NAPA VALLEY 2018
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“The 2018 Pirate is a deep ruby red color with open aromas of ripe fruit – plums and cherries – with complex notes of savory spices, vanilla, toasted French oak, cardamom, and olive tapenade. Delicious, round, and silky smooth across the palate with seamless, layered flavors and barely-there structural tannins. Flavors last several minutes with a nice balance and finish. Easy to drink and easy to love – perfect for pairing with a variety of full-flavored food or bringing a swashbuckling spirit to any party or gathering.”
2019 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore Vineyard

2019 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore Vineyard

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MIKE AND MOLLY

ZINFANDEL 2019
R.W. MOORE VINEYARD

2019 Mike and Molly Zinfandel R.W. Moore Vineyard
Mike and Molly Hendry’s connections to Napa Valley grape-growing run as deep as the roots of the ancient Zinfandel vines of the R.W. Moore Vineyard, initially planted in 1905 in what is now the Coombsville AVA. Molly’s uncle Bill owns the historic vineyard, a member of the U.C. Davis Heritage project, where genetic material from the vineyard is studied and preserved.
 
This field blend of approximately 95% Zinfandel, with small amounts of Petite Sirah, Carignan, Mourvedre, and Mourtaou, displays the unique microclimate and its cooling influences from the Pacific Ocean, maintaining freshness and overall balance. Mike and Molly have been producing wines from this legacy vineyard since 2009, and their 2019 vintage is the beginning of a new decade of Zinfandel excellence with this full-bodied yet graceful wine.
 
MIKE AND MOLLY
ZINFANDEL 2019
R.W. MOORE VINEYARD
Retails at: $42
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The Mike & Molly Hendry 2019 Coombsville R.W. Moore Vineyard Zinfandel has a bright, fresh nose with aromas of ripe red plum, cranberry, cloves, black tea, and cigar box. The wine has flavors of red cherry, strawberry, and sweet baking spices, with soft, smooth tannins and a velvety finish. This wine has a concentration and fruit intensity for age-ability, and an inviting youthful drinkability with spice notes will pair perfectly with the holidays.”
94-95 Points
2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux

2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux

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ESPRIT de PAVIE

RED BORDEAUX
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2016

2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux
Esprit de Pavie made its debut in 2008, created by the visionary Gerard Perse, who is also the owner of world-famous estates such as Chateau Pavie, Chateau Monbousquet, Chateau Pavie-Decesse, and Chateau Bellevue-Mondotte. The wine receives the same care and attention as its illustrious sister properties, ensuring a high-quality level for each bottle produced.
 
Esprit de Pavie arose from southern-facing slopes in the valleys of the Dordogne, characterized by sandy and gravelly foothills, clay hillsides, and a clay-limestone plateau. This classic regional blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon came from one of Bordeaux’s best vintages and spent just the right amount of time maturing in the bottle for more complex flavor development and a softer tannin structure. The wine is a “total charmer,” as Jeb Dunnuck writes, and it’s also an incredible value.
 
ESPRIT de PAVIE
RED BORDEAUX
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2016
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“Extremely aromatic with kir, cherries and flowers. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins. Juicy fruit. So round and inviting now. Drink and enjoy.”
91 Points
2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore

2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore

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BULZAGA

EPIPOGIO 2018
ROMAGNA SANGIOVESE SUPERIORE

2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore
Cantina Bulzaga is located in Romagna, Italy, looking up to the Brisighellesi hills that create the natural border between Romagna and Tuscany. The winery’s roots run deep within the region, with each wine named for a flower found in the Apennines. Epipogio gets its name from the epipogium flower or ghost orchid.
 
Bulzaga’s team organically farms, with only vines that strongly connect to the terroir with distinct varietal character selected for wine production. The 2018 vintage is 100% Sangiovese aged for eight months in cement vats before bottling and exudes aromatic purity with earthy notes, fresh fruit, spice, and everything nice. 
 
As a side note, our panel tasted this wine blind without any prior knowledge of the wine’s value price, and we couldn’t believe it was only a $20 bottle.
 
BULZAGA
EPIPOGIO 2018
ROMAGNA SANGIOVESE SUPERIORE
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
“The Bulzaga 2018 Epipogio Romagna Sangiovese Superiore opens with sultry notes of rosemary, sour cherry, cranberry, earth, black tea, and cigar box. On the palate, the wine is focused, with flavors of black cherry, cranberry, black tea, and peppercorns. The wine’s fruity, savory, and spicy characteristics are uniquely balanced in a rustic Tuscan fashion and provide an incredible drinking experience.”
94 Points
2021 Martin Ray Pinot Noir Hallberg Ranch Russian River Valley

2021 Martin Ray Pinot Noir Hallberg Ranch Russian River Valley

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MARTIN RAY

PINOT NOIR 2021
HALLBERG RANCH
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

2021 Martin Ray Pinot Noir Hallberg Ranch Russian River Valley
Martin Ray dedicated his life to creating single-varietal wines from unique AVAs that genuinely represented the site where the grapes were grown. Courtney Benham purchased the brand in 1990 and continues where Martin left off, producing the same stylistically pure, terroir-driven wines and utilizing his natural talent for selecting distinctive vineyards.
 
The Hallberg Vineyard was a former apple orchard on the edge of Green Valley, where the vines are 100% dry-farmed, which lends to the grapes reaching complete physiological ripeness at lower sugar levels. The site’s distinctive, marine-influenced fruit attracts some of Sonoma’s top producers to make wine from it, including Gary Farrell, Joseph Jewell, and Emeritus. Martin Ray’s version is supple and rich in red fruits, capturing the vineyard’s distinct identity wrapped into a lush, easy-drinking, delightful wine.
 
MARTIN RAY
PINOT NOIR 2021
HALLBERG RANCH
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $42

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“This is very fine with sliced strawberries and a hibiscus character throughout. Medium body. Very focused with fine tannins and a fresh and vivid finish. Lots of energy. Fantastic. Drink or hold.”
95 Points
 
2018 Hendry Zinfandel Blocks 7 and 22 Napa Valley

2018 Hendry Zinfandel Blocks 7 and 22 Napa Valley

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HENDRY

BLOCKS 7 & 22 ZINFANDEL
NAPA VALLEY 2018

2018 Hendry Zinfandel Blocks 7 and 22 Napa Valley
The Hendry family have farmed grapes at the base of Mount Veeder since 1939, obtaining a vast amount of knowledge while perfecting their practices with over 80 years of harvests. Their ranch has a substantial marine influence from the nearby San Pablo Bay that maintains acidity and keeps the fruit fresh and bright, resulting in some of Napa Valley’s most distinctive Zinfandels.
 
Block 7 was planted in 1975 and Block 22 in 1995 on benchlands with thin, stony soils exposed to dense morning fogs and strong afternoon breezes that result in complex, concentrated flavors. The cool weather of the 2018 growing season gave wines with focus, elegance, and ageability, and this Zinfandel will intrigue palates for years to come. 
 
HENDRY
BLOCKS 7 & 22 ZINFANDEL
NAPA VALLEY 2018
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“George Hendry planted Block 7 in 1975. At the time, he was selling grapes from his family’s ranch at the base of Mt. Veeder, just west of the city of Napa. He planted Block 22 in 1995, a few years after he began to make his own wine. His nephew Mike manages the vines today, blending Blocks 7 & 22, both clone 2 zinfandel, and aging it in French oak barrels (one third of them new). If you love Napa Valley zinfandel as I do, you owe it to yourself to get this wine if just for the smell alone. It starts with tight floral clarity, then expands toward zinfandel’s classic generosity, touching every sense receptor with its purity of fruit. Immediately fresh and refreshing, this begins to sit in its oak as it develops over several days, suggesting that you drink it either now or in ten years when it will have completely digested that oak and show the vineyard through a mature lens.” 
94 Points
2020 Steps Proprietary Red Reserve Barrel Select Napa Valley

2020 Steps Proprietary Red Reserve Barrel Select Napa Valley

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STEPS

RESERVE BARREL SELECT
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2020

2020 Steps Proprietary Red Reserve Barrel Select Napa Valley
STEPS Barrel Select Reserve is designed each year from a powerfully expressive and quality-driven selection of fruit from some of Napa Valley’s most prized AVAs. Grant Long Jr. is well known for his winemaking at Aonair, Reverie II, James Joseph, and Witchery, and he creates STEPS Reserve in the same supple, concentrated, and hedonistic style that’s developed a devoted following.
 
The 2020 STEPS combines structured mountain fruit from Diamond Mountain and Atlas Peak with characteristically earthy, dusty Rutherford fruit to create a harmonious balance of Napa terroir. The blend consists of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon enhanced with Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Merlot, presented in a richly layered style that perfectly balances power and elegance and a long, smooth finish. 
 
STEPS
RESERVE BARREL SELECT
PROPRIETARY RED
NAPA VALLEY 2020
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“The 2020 Steps Reserve Barrel Select opens with an intense nose and aromas of violet, lilac, black tea, red plum, black raspberry, and volcanic rock. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and mouth-filling with flavors of ripe plums, cocoa powder, berry bramble, and savory spice. The tannins are velvety soft but with a strong backbone that will allow the wine to age and develop further.”
94 Points
2018 Westwood Pinot Noir Sonoma County

2018 Westwood Pinot Noir Sonoma County

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WESTWOOD

PINOT NOIR 2018
SONOMA COUNTY

2018 Westwood Pinot Noir Sonoma County
Westwood proprietor Carl Stanton founded his Annadel Gap Vineyard in 1998, and over the next dozen years, his viticultural team planted and replanted each block to discover the vineyard’s unique identity. The Annadel Gap lies between Sonoma Mountain and Mount Hood. Like the Petaluma Gap, cool Pacific breezes and thick fog roll in most mornings and evenings, resulting in fruit with fully developed, complex flavors and fresh acidity.
 
Westwood’s team farms their vineyards biodynamically, providing renowned winemakers Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky pure and exceptional quality fruit to seamlessly bring their vineyards to life in their wines. The 2018 growing season gave Pinot Noir grapes great intensity, elegance, and layers of decadent flavors, and this wine from the Annadel Gap Vineyard is a stunning example.
 
WESTWOOD
PINOT NOIR 2018
SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“Sourced from the estate’s Annadel Gap Vineyard as well as parcels in Petaluma Gap vineyard Terra de Promissio, this wine was aged 18 months in (41% new) French oak and bottled unfil- tered. Aromas of fresh red cherry, chocolate, and cinnamon lead to a palate that is juicy to its core. Caramel apple, tomato leaf, lavender, and cranberry are vibrant and the mouthfeel generous, opening up to baking spices backed by beetroot and rhubarb. Complex and delicious.”
95 Points