2023 Hourglass HGIII Proprietary Blend Napa County

2023 Hourglass HGIII Proprietary Blend Napa County

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Hourglass

HGIII Proprietary Blend
Napa County 2023

2023 Hourglass HGIII Proprietary Blend Napa County

Hourglass’s 2023 HGIII feels like a privilege to taste, crafted with the pedigree of a flagship wine yet offered with the generosity of an insider’s secret. Under the guidance of Tony Biagi, whose work at PlumpJack helped define modern Napa elegance, the 2023 HGIII brings together estate farming and meticulous blending in a way that feels both contemporary in its polish and classic in its depth.

The blend unfolds with Merlot’s plush density at the center, followed by Cabernet’s disciplined structure and Petite Sirah’s darker, savory character. These elements meet without competing, resulting in a wine that feels composed rather than constructed. It is a blend that moves with purpose, showing both restraint and confidence.

Hourglass gives the 2023 HGIII sixteen months of élevage to refine its edges without weighing it down. The oak adds dimension rather than dominance, keeping the fruit at the forefront. What emerges is a wine shaped by patience and intention, with a finish that is long, supple, and confidently restrained.

Hourglass
HGIII Proprietary Blend
Napa County 2023
Retails at: $53

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“The Hourglass 2023 HG III Napa Valley Red Blend opens with enticing aromas of blackberries, Bing cherries, pomegranate, peppercorn, fennel seed, and crushed rose petals. On the palate, the wine is plush yet structured, unfolding with flavors of crème de cassis, black cherries, and baker’s chocolate. The finish is long, harmonious, and finely textured, supported by polished tannins and balanced acidity.”

96 Points

2023 Gainey Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

2023 Gainey Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

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Gainey

Pinot Noir
Sta. Rita Hills 2023

2023 Gainey Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills

Every so often, vineyard and vintage fall into perfect rhythm. That’s exactly what happened for Gainey in 2023, when the cool, drawn-out growing season of the Santa Rita Hills gave their estate Pinot Noir the time it needed to develop exceptional aromatic detail and purity. The result was the revelation of our recent tasting: a wine that unfolded with understated confidence and left me wanting to revisit it the moment the glass was empty.

That vibrance is amplified by the diversity of clones planted across Gainey’s two estate ranches, each offering its own nuance of aroma and structure. Some bring lifted red fruit, others a darker, savory edge, and together they create a Pinot Noir whose layers reveal themselves gradually and with intention. This is fruit shaped by a landscape of varied soils and exposures, infused into a wine of uncommon balance.

All of this culminates in a Pinot Noir that speaks fluently of its origin—one of California’s most expressive cool-climate regions. The 2023 release doesn’t attempt to reinterpret Sta. Rita Hills; it embodies it, showing what’s possible when patience, precision, and pristine fruit converge. It’s a wine that reminds you why this appellation stands as one of the pinnacles of West Coast Pinot Noir.

Gainey
Pinot Noir
Sta. Rita Hills 2023
Retails at: $35

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“The 2023 Gainey Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir delivers a pure, cool-climate expression of the appellation. The nose opens with vivid strawberry-rhubarb pie, fresh raspberries, warm baking spices, root beer, and a touch of sandalwood. On the palate, it is mid-bodied and energetic, showing bright, fresh strawberry fruit, mandarin peel, and black tea notes, carried by vibrant mouth-watering acidity and a distinct liquid-mineral character that drives the finish. Seamless, focused, and refreshingly energetic, this is a textbook Sta. Rita Hills Pinot that drinks beautifully now yet possesses the balance and structure to evolve gracefully over the next 5–7 years.”

94 points

2017 Calistoga Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Soteros Vineyard Napa Valley

2017 Calistoga Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Sotero’s Vineyard Napa Valley

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Calistoga Ranch

Cabernet Sauvignon
Sotero’s Vineyard
Napa Valley 2017

2017 Calistoga Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Soteros Vineyard Napa Valley

High above Calistoga’s quiet hillsides once stood a hidden vineyard known only to a privileged few. Sotero’s Vineyard was the crown jewel of Calistoga Ranch, its fruit reserved exclusively for members who understood that rarity often exists in silence. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon captures that lost world with haunting clarity, bringing a wine of profound purity and poise, now serving as the final voice of a place the wildfires took, but time could not erase.

Kirk Venge, one of Napa Valley’s most respected craftsmen, shaped this wine with his signature mix of intuition and precision. A third-generation vintner raised among vines and schooled in both science and soil, Venge brings a deep understanding of how to translate vineyard character into emotion. His work here reveals the full range of his skill, harnessing the natural intensity of mountain fruit and refining it with gentle patience.

Crafted exclusively from Cabernet Sauvignon and matured for two full years in French oak, the 2017 vintage achieves an elegant equilibrium of power and finesse. Cellared to perfection, it offers a soulful glimpse into a vineyard that no longer exists, yet speaks through every glass.

Calistoga Ranch
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sotero’s Vineyard
Napa Valley 2017
Retails at: $185

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“The Calistoga Ranch 2017 Napa Valley Sotero’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromatic depth and complexity, showing aromas of violets, blackberries, cherries, red currants, earth, nutmeg, and a hint of menthol. On the palate, the wine is beginning to show signs of graceful evolution with flavors of dark chocolate, graham cracker crust, mixed berry pie, and balsamic reduction. This wine balances richness with refinement, showcasing the classic generosity and structure of Calistoga Cabernet with fine, integrated tannins and a dusty, mineral finish.”

95 Points

2023 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley

2023 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley

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Steps

Barrel Select Reserve
Proprietary Red Blend
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Steps Barrel Select Reserve Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley

Born from a vintage that winemakers dream of, the Steps 2023 Barrel Select captures the essence of Napa Valley at its purest. Selected from just three barrels, this wine reflects the singular vision of Grant Long, Jr., whose name has become synonymous with craftsmanship through his acclaimed work at Aonair, Reverie II, and James Joseph.

Grant’s vision for Steps Reserve has always centered on a balance between the valley’s plush generosity and its rugged, high-elevation edge. The 2023 vintage embodies that duality with striking clarity. Cabernet Sauvignon lends structure and power, while Merlot and Malbec add notes of supple fruit and lifted aromatics.

Aged for nineteen months in Sylvain and Darnajou barrels, the Steps Reserve Barrel Select emerges polished yet vibrant, its depth framed by the quiet luxury of fine French oak. Beneath its refinement lies a pulse of energy, a sign of its youth and promise. With time, this wine will evolve into something extraordinary: an elegant and enduring reflection of both the vintage and the vision.

Steps
Barrel Select Reserve
Proprietary Red Blend
Napa Valley 2023

Your Price: $49.99

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“The STEPS Reserve Barrel Select 2023 Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend begins with deep aromas of cassis, black cherries, ripe plums, dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, clove, dried herbs, and cedar. On the palate, the wine is refined and silky, with a seamless mouthfeel and bright acidity, which enhances the complexity of flavors ranging from plush black fruits and spices, keeping the profile fresh and poised. Fine-grained tannins lend structure, and the elegant finish lingers for a harmonious and polished expression of Napa Valley.”

96 Points

2023 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Price Family Estates Sonoma Coast

2023 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Price Family Estates Sonoma Coast

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Three Sticks

Pinot Noir 2023
Price Family Estates
Sonoma Coast

2023 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Price Family Estates Sonoma Coast

Among the countless Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs, few capture the imagination like the 2023 Three Sticks Price Family Estates. The wine seamlessly weaves some of Sonoma Coast’s most distinguished voices, drawing from estate jewels such as Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala. Each vineyard contributes its character, culminating in a Pinot Noir that speaks eloquently.

Three Sticks has long been admired for crafting Pinot Noir of purity and grace, and the 2023 Price Family Estates bottling marks a thrilling new chapter. Guided by the foundation laid by Bob Cabral and carried forward by Ryan Prichard, it reflects not just winemaking skill but the seamless passing of a torch, ensuring continuity while unlocking new dimensions of expression.

 

The hallmark of the 2023 vintage is its ability to deliver depth without heaviness. Every detail of this wine reflects an estate committed to elevating Pinot Noir to its highest expression. Bright, aromatic, and texturally seamless, it delivers a complete expression of Sonoma’s coastal beauty, standing as a reminder that Pinot Noir, in the right hands, can be both delicate and profound. 

Three Sticks
Pinot Noir 2023
Price Family Estates
Sonoma Coast
Retails at: $55

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“From one of the latest harvests in the Sonoma Coast history, development of flavor had an advantage and this wine is proof. This wine is a blend of the estate’s six vineyards including the Heritage Vineyards of the Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala. The wine is delicate and feathery, with clear cut acid structure that illuminates cherries, pomegranate, and orange peel. Its dimension is notable, a down pillow of creamy blueberry, hibiscus, and mint chocolate chip with a dash of black pepper on the finish.”

97 Points

2023 Carter Cabernet Sauvignon The Haze Napa Valley

2023 Carter Cabernet Sauvignon The Haze Napa Valley

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Carter

Cabernet Sauvignon
The Haze 2023
Napa Valley

2023 Carter Cabernet Sauvignon The Haze Napa Valley

In a region where reputation can precede reality, The Haze stands as proof that mastery needs no introduction. Crafted by a team responsible for more than a dozen perfect scores, the 2023 release reflects everything Carter Cellars has built its legacy upon: power without excess, detail without restraint, and a sense of place that whispers through every sip. 

Under the direction of winemaker Russell Bevan, the fifth vintage of The Haze emerges as a masterclass in controlled intensity. Bevan approaches texture the way a sculptor works with marble: patiently, precisely, revealing power without losing beauty. The 2023 vintage showcases his signature touch, with saturated fruit lifted by freshness, and tannins that glide smoothly.

Composed entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon, The Haze radiates with the hallmarks of the Carter Cellars house style: deep, concentrated fruit, seamless texture, and a finish that unfolds deliberately. It’s the kind of wine that reminds you why this valley remains at the heart of the world’s Cabernet conversation. A place where craft meets conviction, and where a producer like Carter Cellars continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the glass.

Carter
Cabernet Sauvignon
The Haze 2023
Napa Valley

Your Price: $95

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“There are 235 cases of the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon The Haze, a 100% varietal from a mix of sites. Cassis, graphite, smoky oak, and a Graves-like scorched earth and smoky character all shine here, and it’s full-bodied, has a pure, elegant, layered mouthfeel, sweet yet building tannins, and outstanding length.”

95-97 Points

2013 Valadorna by Tenuta di Arceno Super Tuscan Tuscany

2013 Valadorna by Tenuta di Arceno Super Tuscan Tuscany

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Valadorna

by Tenuta di Arceno
Super Tuscan
Tuscany 20132013 Valadorna by Tenuta di Arceno Super Tuscan Tuscany

Some wines age gracefully, and others seem to defy time altogether. The 2013 Valadorna belongs firmly to the latter. It’s a luminous example of how meticulous craftsmanship and patient cellaring can sculpt a wine into a timeless masterpiece. More than a decade after harvest, it remains astonishingly vibrant, capturing the essence of Tuscany with grace, poise, and authenticity.

Behind this remarkable longevity stands Pierre Seillan, the Bordeaux-born master whose touch defines some of the world’s most revered wines. His deep understanding of micro-crus, perfected at Vérité, finds a new voice here in Tuscany. In Valadorna, Seillan channels Merlot’s supple depth and marries it to the verve of Cabernet Franc, the backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon, and the finesse of Petit Verdot.

Drawn from the estate’s cooler Valadorna and Capraia parcels, where sandy-clay soils meet morning mists, the 2013 unfolds with haunting precision. Firm yet silken, expansive yet composed, it culminates in a finish that lingers like memory itself. The 2013 Valadorna is a rare alignment of time, terroir, and talent: a wine not merely crafted, but composed, into something enduringly profound.

Valadorna
by Tenuta di Arceno
Super Tuscan
Tuscany 2013
Retails at: $75

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“The 2013 Valadorna (mostly Merlot with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot) is yet another home run in this blockbuster collection of new releases from Tenuta di Arceno in the southern part of Chianti Classico (Castelnuovo Berardegna). This is a firm and tightly knit expression that is packed tight with black fruit, tobacco, tar and dark chocolate. The wine shows enormous aromatic intensity, but then it slims down just a touch in the mouth to offer an elegantly tapered finish.”

95 Points

2022 Facets Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2022 Facets Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

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Facets

Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 20222022 Facets Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Precision is the language Julien Fayard speaks fluently, and in Facets 2022, he’s written a love letter to Napa’s diversity. The wine captures the essence of Napa Valley, standing as a polished reflection of the region’s diverse terroirs, revealing balance over excess. It’s a wine that captures the power of California sun and the restraint of French discipline in perfect, seamless motion.

For Fayard, crafting Facets is less about blending fruit than sculpting dimension. Sourced from the cool precision of Oak Knoll and the structured gravitas of Yountville, the 2022 vintage draws on contrasting terroirs to create harmony. His training at Château Lafite Rothschild and Quintessa informs a philosophy of finding an equilibrium between opulence and restraint, ripeness and poise.

Aged for 20 months in French oak, the 2022 Facets reveals depth without heaviness. It is a modern Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that’s refined, confident, and enduring. For collectors and casual enthusiasts alike, it’s a wine that defines where Napa Cabernet is headed: elegant, deliberate, and undeniably world-class.

Facets
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2022

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“The Gemstone estate vineyard spans 6.5 hectares (16 acres) on the western benches of Yountville. Still, Facets is Gemstone’s non-estate wine, crafted from carefully selected vineyards in Yountville and Oak Knoll by winemaker Julien Fayard, who took the helm in 2021. The 2022 Facets is a crowd-pleaser with upfront appeal, offering heady aromas of violets, rose petals, sweet candied red berry fruit, and dusty minerals. The velvety, fine-grained tannins are seamlessly integrated on the palate, giving the wine a polished texture. Full-bodied and rich, it features expressive, balanced cedarwood sweetness and finishes with notes of crushed cacao nibs. Grapes are gently pressed directly into barrels for fermentation and aged up to 18 months in 40% new French oak. The 2022 vintage is approachable now and perfect for drinking, while the more structured 2021s continue to develop, delivering a harmonious balance of richness, elegance, and immediate gratification.”

95 Points

2023 Icon The Beau Vigne Collection Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2023 Icon The Beau Vigne Collection Proprietary Red Napa Valley

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Icon

The Beau Vigne Collection
Proprietary Red
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Icon The Beau Vigne Collection Proprietary Red Napa Valley

In Napa Valley, where power often takes precedence, Icon by the Beau Vigne Collection stands apart for its precision. Crafted by Julien Fayard, a winemaker with a pedigree spanning Château Lafite Rothschild to Quintessa, this 2023 release transforms raw potential into sculpted elegance. Every detail, from vineyard selection to barrel aging, speaks to an exacting vision: to create a wine that embodies both the strength of Napa and the finesse of Bordeaux.

Fayard builds Icon as a study in equilibrium, drawing from a network of Napa Valley vineyards that range from rocky benchlands to sun-drenched valley floors. The foundation is Cabernet Sauvignon, lending structure and drive, while Merlot and Petit Verdot add suppleness, fragrance, and a quiet depth of color. The result is a red of quiet confidence: concentrated yet agile, bold yet impeccably balanced.

The 2023 Icon feels like the future of Napa, a wine that honors its lineage while rewriting the script. It carries the valley’s trademark depth and plushness, yet moves with the precision of a Bordeaux. The mouthfeel is textural and complete. It stands as liquid proof that restraint and richness can coexist in perfect harmony.

Icon
The Beau Vigne Collection
Proprietary Red
Napa Valley 2023
Retails at: $80

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“A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot and Petit Verdot, it shows a firm grip. The wine directs your attention to iron-ore and espresso, slowly allowing its streamlined structure to open up. Dried lavender and black plum texturize the palate; tannins firm and muscular.”

94 Points

2020 Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

2020 Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

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Bibbiano

Gran Selezione
Chianti Classico
Vigna del Capannino
Tuscany, Italy 2020

2020 Bibbiano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

From a mere seven hectares of the storied 19th-century estate of Bibbiano rises the 2020 Vigna del Capannino: an extraordinary expression of Tuscany’s soul. Perched atop a compact, clay-rich plateau, this vineyard captures the drama of one of Italy’s most revered terroirs. The naturally dense soils lend the wine profound structure and a chiseled mineral backbone, while the west-facing exposure coaxes the depth and intensity that define this vintage.

The power of Vigna del Capannino begins with its singular focus: 100% Sangiovese Grosso. This clone, selected and refined over decades, produces fruit that embodies both the energy of the vintage and the elegance of its lineage. In 2020, the grapes achieved perfect balance, allowing the wine to capture a full spectrum of flavor.

After harvest, the wine underwent a patient élevage of 24 months, divided between neutral cement and fine French and Slavonian oak, followed by a half-year of bottle rest. This unhurried maturation refined the wine’s natural intensity into harmony. The result is a Chianti Classico of rare depth, with tannins that are taut yet silken, framing a finish that lingers with quiet authority.

Bibbiano
Gran Selezione
Chianti Classico
Vigna del Capannino
Tuscany, Italy 2020

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“Ripe strawberries, raspberries, red licorice, moist bark and wet stones on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied, tense and juicy with crunchy tannins and chalky texture. Vivid acidity keeps the wine nervy. Racy finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”

94 Points