2015 Morlet Cabernet Sauvignon Les Petits Morlet

2015 Morlet Cabernet Sauvignon Les Petits Morlet

with No Comment

MORLET

2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
LES PETITS MORLET 

2015 Morlet Cabernet Sauvignon Les Petits Morlet
Fifth-generation winemaker Luc Morlet grew up in Avenay-Val d’Or, France, working with his family on their estate, kindling an early passion for wine and tradition. During his university studies in Viticulture and Enology, he worked vineyards in Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Southern France, creating a traditional, time-tested technique foundation, which he brought to America. 
 
Luc left France in 1996, joining his wife Jodie in California, bringing with him his savoir-faire of Old-World winemaking techniques, becoming known and respected in Napa and Sonoma for crafting superbly balanced, terroir focused wines. His Les Petits Cabernet is a Cuvée style blend constructed from younger vines grown on many of the A-list properties where Luc sources fruit, offering the power, persistence, and balance that you’d want from a top-tier Napa Valley wine.
 
MORLET
2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
LES PETITS MORLET
 
Your Price: $95
 
 
“Slightly deeper colored than the ’14, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Petits Morlet offers more black fruits, graphite, scorched earth, and tobacco. It’s another full-bodied yet finesse-driven wine from this estate that has good acidity, ripe tannin, and plenty of class. As with the 2014, it will keep for over a decade.”
93 Points
 
“…Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Petits Morlet gives up expressive red and black currants notes with underlying hints of Chinese five spice, bay leaves, pencil lead and dark chocolate with a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, it coats the mouth with black fruits and red berry sparks, framed by grainy tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and juicy…”
92 Points
2019 Castello Romitorio Super Tuscan Tuscany, Italy

2019 Castello Romitorio Super Tuscan Tuscany, Italy

with No Comment

CASTELLO ROMITORIO

2019 ROMITORO
SUPER TUSCAN
TUSCANY, ITALY

2019 Castello Romitorio Super Tuscan Tuscany, Italy
Castello di Romitorio’s history is extensive, beginning as a temple in Roman times with many transformations before its most recent renovation in the 1980s into a winery and art workshop by the owner and Italian artist Sandro Chia. Sandro believes the best expressions of art and wine thrive with a minimalistic approach and that natural progression should never be altered but rather enhanced.
 
The Romitoro IGT encompasses indigenous French varietals, proving that these varieties grow incredibly well in Tuscany, producing high-quality wines. The 2019 Castello di Romitorio “Romitoro” comingles Syrah and Petit Verdot, in a classic and refreshing style that scored 93 points from Robert Parker and James Suckling, offering incomparable value at $25.
 
CASTELLO ROMITORIO
2019 ROMITORO
SUPER TUSCAN
TUSCANY, ITALY
 
Your Price: $25
 
 
“The Castello Romitorio 2019 RomiTòro is a generous Tuscan blend of Petit Verdot and Syrah… This is a terrific value from a vintage that delivers excellent balance, intensity and richness. That beautiful concentration is what drives this wine, imparting dark fruit flavors, plum, spice and sweet tobacco along the way. This was a terrific vintage in both Maremma and Montalcino, the two areas where Filippo Chia makes wine.”
93 Points
 
“Plums and blackberries with black-mushroom and dark bark undertones. Full-bodied with round tannins and a delicious, juicy finish. This needs time to come together, but already so pretty. Drink or hold.”
93 Points
2018 Black Kite Pinot Noir Kite's Rest Anderson Valley

2018 Black Kite Pinot Noir Kite’s Rest Anderson Valley

with No Comment

BLACK KITE

2018 PINOT NOIR
KITE’S REST
ANDERSON VALLEY

2018 Black Kite Pinot Noir Kite's Rest Anderson Valley
Black Kite Cellars was born out of a love for Burgundian Style Pinot Noirs after Rebecca and Tom Birdsall spent a vacation biking through the region, tasting the distinct nuances from one vineyard to the next. Rebecca and Tom were specific on the style of Pinot Noir they preferred, tasting through Anderson Valley, Sonoma Coast, Carneros, Russian River Valley, Santa, Lucia Highlands, Willamette Valley, and Burgundy to discover what they were looking for in a winemaker.
 
Jeff Gaffner joined the team in 2005 after earning fame from helping make the 1996 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages, which was Wine Spectator’s #1 Wine of the Year. The Kite’s Rest Pinot Noir comes from the winery’s estate vineyard of the same name planted with Dijon 114, 115, and Pommard, giving the wine balance between the elegant aromatics of the Dijon clones and the richness and body of the Pommard clone. If you enjoy boutique, hand-crafted Pinot Noir, you really should try it. 
 
BLACK KITE
2018 PINOT NOIR
KITE’S REST
ANDERSON VALLEY
 
Your Price: $45
 
 
“Refined and precise, with hints of red licorice to the sleek assembly of cherry, dried berry and currant flavors. Loamy midpalate, with a long, crisp finish of slate and spice. Drink now through 2026.”
93 Points
 
“Lavish ripe fruit flavors meet delicious baking-spice accents in this broad, smooth and mouthfilling wine. It’s easy to love for the strawberry, and red- and black-cherry notes and the cinnamon, vanilla and cedar shadings from oak aging.” 
93 Points
2015 Corley Proprietary Red Napa Valley

2015 Corley Proprietary Red Napa Valley

with No Comment

CORLEY

PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY

2015 Corley Proprietary Red Napa Valley
The Corley family and their dedicated team are well known for creating single vineyard premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from their vineyards in Rutherford, St. Helena, Yountville, and Oak Knoll. In 1990 they planted Cabernet Franc in their Oak Knoll vineyard with the vision of producing a Meritage of the three varieties.
 
The 2015 vintage is a small production of just 506 cases comprised of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Cabernet Franc, and 32% Merlot, created to be approachable in its youth while also having the capability to age and can be enjoyed at every phase of its development. With over five years in the bottle, the 2015 perfect showcases Chris Corley’s winemaking ability, the strong vintage, and choice of vineyards.
 
CORLEY
PROPRIETARY RED
2015 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $75
 
 
“The 2015 Corley Proprietary Red Wine opens with lavender, cassis, freshly picked blackberries, cherry cola, cloves, and crushed volcanic rocks. The palate is intense and complex, with flavors of black plums and cocoa powder with a hint of savory black olives. This wine is simply stunning at the moment and is an excellent food wine that will age gracefully for the next decade or so.”
96 Points
2017 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Duttin Ranch Vineyard

2017 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Duttin Ranch Vineyard

with No Comment

PATZ & HALL

2017 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD

2017 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Duttin Ranch Vineyard
James Hall and Donald Patz were colleagues at Flora Springs Winery before realizing they had shared passion for wines with a sense of place and character, and so they built a friendship around their love for small lot wine production. In 1988 Patz & Hall was founded by Donald and Heather Patz, James Hall, and Anne Moses, and has since maintained a solid reputation of excellence, consistently producing brilliant wines from some of Sonoma’s most well-renowned vineyards and growers.
 
The Dutton Ranch vineyard is home to some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in western Sonoma County, with partial dry farming producing intensely concentrated berries. The 2017 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay is a blend of five clones- Hyde-Wente, Robert Young, Rued, UC Davis Clone 4, and Spring Mountain, aged in 35% new Burgundian French oak giving the wine some spice while allowing the fruit shine.
 
PATZ & HALL
2017 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
Retails at: $48
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
 
“From the Russian River, the 2017 Chardonnay Dutton Ranch is a step up and has more intensity and depth, with a rocking bouquet of honey stone fruits, brioche, toasted hazelnuts, and crushed stone. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, with bright acidity, it has a kiss of background oak but is a seriously good, layered effort that will cruise for 5-7 years, probably longer.”
96 Points
2017 Sola Provus Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

2017 Sola Provus Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

with No Comment

SOLA PROVUS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 OAKVILLE
2017 Sola Provus Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
First planted with wine grapes in the 1860s, the Oakville AVA is home to many family-owned vineyards managed by detail-oriented growers and visionary vintners working together to articulate the region’s notorious complexity, continuing the AVA’s precedence. Within the Napa Valley, Oakville has the largest concentration of some of Napa’s greatest producers, including Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, and Opus One, to name a few.
 
Sola Provus’ proprietors knew they had discovered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when they discovered land for sale in Oakville, so the husband and wife sold everything they owned, quit their jobs, and moved to Napa to begin their wine adventure. Our tasting panel tasted the 2017 Sola Provus with many other wines from the same vintage, and the Sola Provus truly stood out as a winner with tangible value. 
 
SOLA PROVUS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 OAKVILLE
Retails at: $110
 
 
 
“The 2017 Sola Provus Cabernet Sauvignon is a sultry wine that opens with notes of crushed blackberries, black cherries, cassis, mushrooms, baked earth, and Christmas spices.  The wine’s complexity expands onto the palate with fudge brownies, savory spices, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The finish is long and layered, slowly drifting from one flavor to the next until you’re ready for another sip.”
94 Points
2020 Foxen Chenin Blanc Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Santa Maria

2020 Foxen Chenin Blanc Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Santa Maria

with No Comment

FOXEN

2020 CHENIN BLANC
ERNESTO WICKENDEN VINEYARD
SANTA MARIA VALLEY
2020 Foxen Chenin Blanc Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Santa Maria
Foxen’s Chenin Blanc comes from one of the oldest plots of Chenin Blanc in the United States, the Ernesto Wickenden vineyard, planted in 1966. Located inside the Santa Maria Valley AVA, the vineyard benefits from the cool air that funnels in from the Pacific Ocean to the sun-drenched hillsides, giving a much-needed cooling effect. This climate allows for optimum ripeness with crisp acidity that’s palpable in this exceptional wine.
 
Ernesto Wickenden’s old vines produce low yields of highly concentrated grapes adding greater complexity and a rich texture, commingled with honey, tropical fruits, and floral aromas. The 2020 vintage is a stunning wine that stood out in a crowd of dozens of other wines when tasted by our tasting panel, doing so for an unbelievably low price. 
 
FOXEN
2020 CHENIN BLANC
ERNESTO WICKENDEN VINEYARD
SANTA MARIA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $27
 
 
“The 2020 Foxen Chenin Blanc begins with decadent floral notes of honeysuckle and acacia, followed by ripe golden apples, peaches, honey, straw, and vanilla ice cream. On the palate, the wine is rich with Meyer lemon, a hint of dried pineapple, and a flinty minerality. The bright acidity perfectly balances the ripe fruit and body, leading to an elegant finish.”
93 Points
2016 The Paring Proprietary Red California

2016 The Paring Proprietary Red California

with No Comment

THE PARING

PROPRIETARY RED
2016 CALIFORNIA

2016 The Paring Proprietary Red California

Created in 2006 out of a desire for more creativity and imagination in the vineyard, The Paring catapulted into popularity, earning placements on many great restaurant wine lists due to its undeniable charm. The grapes for The Paring come from younger vines within the vineyard blocks at highly regarded big sister wineries The Hilt and JONATA.
 
Winemaker Matt Dees is a natural when it comes to winemaking, curious and experimental, with notable vintages under his belt from Staglin in Napa Valley and Craggy Range in New Zealand. The 2016 vintage is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Petit Verdot that scored 93 points from Jen Dunnuck and is a beautiful homage to Bordeaux style blends for under $30. 
 
THE PARING
PROPRIETARY RED
2016 CALIFORNIA
 
Your Price: $28
 
 
“The 2016 Red Wine checks in as a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot. Brilliant notes of cassis, tobacco leaf, damp earth, cedary herbs, and graphite all emerge from this concentrated, remarkably pure, elegant Bordeaux blend hat has building tannins and a great, great finish. It tastes like it costs three times the price.”
93 Points
2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast

2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast

with No Comment

RAEN

2019 PINOT NOIR 
ROYAL ST. ROBERT CUVEE
SONOMA COAST

2019 Raen Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast
Carlo and Dante Mondavi grew up at their grandfather’s OPUS ONE Winery and further sharpened their winemaking skills at their father Tim’s cult brand Continuum, so it’s no surprise that the cult and culture of wine runs deep in their veins. The Mondavi family has a keen talent for selecting vineyards capable of producing premium wines and has been one of American wine’s most influential families.
 
RAEN Royal St. Robert Cuvée Pinot Noir is a tribute to their grandfather, who taught them the art of winemaking and commitment to excellence. The 2019 bottling is a selection of their finest barrels from Freestone, Occidental, Bodega, and Fort Ross Seaview Sea Field Vineyards, showcasing the cool-climate Pinot Noir coming from the rugged coastal hills and now scoring a whopping 97 points from James Suckling.
 
RAEN
2019 PINOT NOIR 
ROYAL ST. ROBERT CUVEE
SONOMA COAST
 
Your Price: $65
 
 
“The aromas of strawberry and raspberry with conifer and hints of bark are impressive. Full-bodied, but so reserved and linear with super long, tightened tannins that melt into the wine. 100% whole cluster. Drinkable now, but much better to wait a year or three.”
97 Points
2019 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2019 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

with No Comment

DUCKHORN

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 NAPA VALLEY

2019 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Duckhorn made their first Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in 1978 and has only missed one vintage in over 40 years. Their Cabernet consistently delivers a lush, rich, eclectic taste of Napa because it’s a blend of many of their estate properties, including Rector Creek in Yountville, Monitor Ledge in Calistoga, Stout on Howell Mountain, and even their historic Three Palms Vineyard.
 
The 2019 vintage saw an ideal summer without any significant heatwaves, ensuring an even ripening of the grapes and more complex flavor development. The blend consists of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot aged 16 months in 100% French oak (50% new and 50% neutral), creating a soulful balance between the fruit and the oak.
 
DUCKHORN
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 NAPA VALLEY 
Retails at: $78
 
Your Price: $59.99
 
 
“The Duckhorn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 is a rich, powerful wine with deep concentration and firm structure. The nose and palate are in sync with wild mountain blackberries, ripe Bing cherries, cedar, pie spices, dried herbs, and vanilla hints. Although compact and firm now, the intensity of sweet fruit on the palate blooms from under the youthful, slightly gripping fruit tannins, after a little time in the glass. The intensity of fruit combined with the foundational structure tells me this one has a couple of decades of good living ahead of it.”
94 Points