2018 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc By Quintessa

2018 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc By Quintessa

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ILLUMINATION

2018 SAUVIGNON BLANC
BY QUINTESSA

2018 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc By Quintessa
Quintessa was founded on 280 acres of diverse geology, providing many different microclimates that are the key to ripening the grapes for their flagship red wine. The same attention to detail and passion for expressing the unique composition of terroir goes into their Sauvignon Blanc sourced from carefully selected sites in the south of Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and their estate vineyard in Rutherford.
 
Founders Agustin and Valeria Huneeus listen to the land, and with organic and biodynamic farming, they capture the nuances of each plot in every bottle produced. The Illumination is a stunning example of what happens when humans and nature come together in perfect unison. 
 
ILLUMINATION
2018 SAUVIGNON BLANC
BY QUINTESSA
Retails at: $50
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Generous and plump, with fleshy flavors of ripe melon, peach and apricot, accented by crisp citrus, honeysuckle and spice details, gaining momentum on the finish. Drink now.”
91 Points
2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91

2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91

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HEITZ CELLAR

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 LOT C-91

2016 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Lot C-91
Joe Heitz pioneered single-vineyard wines in Napa Valley, and in 1969 he blended select plots from his most prized vineyards, discovering that he could create a wine with the qualities he desired most – aging potential, complexity, and depth. Lot C-91 encompasses this art of assemblage, gracefully presented with concentrated fruit, focus, and sophisticated complexity.
 
Heitz is a historic winery that continues to pursue the same traditional, age-worthy style for which they’re well known and respected. For the last 50 years, Heitz Cellar has sourced fruit for Lot C-91 from premium parcels in St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, and Howell Mountain, representing a step-up in quality, achieving the density and length of genuinely fantastic wine.
 
HEITZ CELLAR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2016 LOT C-91
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“The presence of savory elements such as sage, rosemary, cured meats, and black pepper distinguishes this cuvée from any other. The conclusion of the Lot C-91 on the palate displays incredible complexity and harmony, and those who can afford to be patient will be rewarded for decades to come.” 
2019 Sailor's Grave Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2019 Sailor’s Grave Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

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SAILOR’S GRAVE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 NAPA VALLEY 

2019 Sailor's Grave Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Sailor’s Grave highlights Michael Pozzan’s ability to hand-select exceptional fruit each vintage, exemplifying his drive to create an affordable Napa Cabernet packed with character, depth, and rich flavors. He sculpted his 2019 vintage from a core of Stag’s Leap District fruit complemented with fruit from Chiles Valley and his home vineyard in Calistoga, showcasing the diversity in all three terroirs.
 
Checking in at 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this vintage offers a well-rounded interpretation of Napa Valley terroir and the vintage as a whole. The wine hails from a year that produced richly concentrated flavors, fruit purity, and balanced acidity that’s delightful to drink.
 
SAILOR’S GRAVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2019 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $40
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“2019 Sailor’s Grave Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has fresh, bright fruit aromas of black cherries and black currants, accented with chai tea and vanilla extract. On the palate, the wine is bursting with juicy, ripe plums and blackberries, balanced with a rich cocoa finish. The wine’s firm tannic structure and concentration of flavors suggest that it can age for a few years, but it’s also pleasantly approachable and more than easy to drink now as well.”
90 Points
2015 Caiarossa Toscana IGT Tuscany, Italy

2015 Caiarossa Toscana IGT Tuscany, Italy

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CAIAROSSA

2015 TOSCANA IGT
TUSCANY, ITALY

2015 Caiarossa Toscana IGT Tuscany, Italy
Caiarossa describes their flagship Super Tuscan as a liberation of the senses, achieved by artfully blending seven varieties, biodynamically farmed and woven into a luxurious tapestry, encapsulating the Estate’s dynamic terroir. Tuscany’s 2015 vintage embellished the wine’s already alluring qualities, naturally producing wines, “Ripe and opulent, with plenty of fruit,” as noted by the Wine Spectator, and with 96 points and priced less than $60, I highly recommend adding this Italian legend to your cellar. 
 
The Estate’s 16-hectare vineyard on the Tuscan coast was resurrected in 2004 by the late Eric Albada Jelgersma of Grand Cru Margaux houses Château Giscours and Château du Tertre. The winery’s deep ties to Bordeaux are present in their wines, telling an authentic tale of their origin. 
 
CAIAROSSA
2015 TOSCANA IGT 
TUSCANY, ITALY
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $58
 
 
“The nose immediately shows a fabulous contrast between riper mulberries and blackberry crumble and freshly ground herbs, citrus and incense. The palate shows much the same polish, carrying bright blue-fruit flavors across a bedrock of muscular tannins and driven acidity. This finishes long and very grainy yet succulent. A blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, sangiovese, petit verdot and alicante.”
96 Points
2019 Martin Ray Pinot Noir Coast Grade Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains

2019 Martin Ray Pinot Noir Coast Grade Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains

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MARTIN RAY

2019 PINOT NOIR
COAST GRADE VINEYARD
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS

2019 Martin Ray Pinot Noir Coast Grade Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains
Martin Ray’s winemaking is Burgundian-influenced, focused on single varietal wines representative of their terroir. Courtney Benham, the owner of Martin Ray, selected the Coast Grade Vineyard on the ocean side of the Santa Cruz Mountains for the cooling effects of the morning and evening fog from the San Francisco Bay and the vineyard’s ability to produce Pinot Noir with exceptional clarity, focus and natural acidity. 
 
Delicately refined, Pinot Noir grown along the Santa Cruz Mountains benefits from coastal fog and cooler temperatures preserving the natural acidity allowing the grapes to ripen slowly, producing fresher fruit character. The Coast Grade Vineyard’s steeply sloped terroir near the Pacific Ocean gives a seashell-like salinity and a distinct earthiness that marries perfectly with the fruit for a heightened balance and regional typicality. 
 
MARTIN RAY
2019 PINOT NOIR
COAST GRADE VINEYARD
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS
Retails at: $55
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“A pinot with very fresh and aromatic, primary-fruit character with lightly under-ripe strawberry and citrus undertones. Fine tannins. Crisp finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”
92 Points
2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve

2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn’s Reserve

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JAMES JOSEPH

CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
2019 KATHRYN’S RESERVE

2019 James Joseph Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn's Reserve
For decades, James Joseph built a reputation for crafting age-worthy Cabernets that are powerfully elegant and profoundly hedonistic. The 2019 release embodies the brand’s fingerprint conveyed with Howell Mountain Cabernet’s concentration, Atlas Peak fruit’s depth, and Calistoga’s signature minerality. 
 
The 2019 vintage combines 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, aged 20 months in barrel and crafted in a concentrated and showy style ladened with dark fruits, assorted chocolates, and rocky minerals. With just four barrels produced, don’t hesitate to secure this release.
 
JAMES JOSEPH
CABERNET SAUVIGNON  
2019 KATHRYN’S RESERVE
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Balance is one of the most important aspects of wine because when all the components are in balance, the wine effortlessly draws attention and acclaim. The 2019 James Joseph does just that, beginning with a nose of ripe cherry and blackberry fruit enveloped in sweet baking spices and cocoa, like a blueberry pie that your grandmother just took out of the oven. This rich and round wine finishes with velvety tannins that make it approachable in its youth, but the depth and concentration of flavors mean that this wine can also lay down for another ten years and develop further complexity.”
96 Points
2017 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles

2017 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles

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JUSTIN

2017 ISOSCELES 
PASO ROBLES 

2017 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles
Named for a trio of Bordeaux varieties; Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, Justin Isosceles is one of Paso Robles’ most distinguished wines, unwavering in delivering layers of lavish fruits, extract, and remarkable complexity. 
 
Justin planted their vineyards in the Santa Lucia Mountains, where abundant fossilized limestone and enormous diurnal temperature swings proved ideal for ripening Bordeaux varietals and producing powerfully expressive qualities. If you’re looking for a full-bodied red with deep, enthralling flavors and stunning complexity, this is it.
 
JUSTIN
2017 ISOSCELES 
PASO ROBLES
Retails at: $76
 
Your Price: $59.99
 
 
“Dark purple. Deep-pitched cassis, cherry-vanilla and pipe tobacco aromas are complemented by a building floral note and a hint of cracked pepper. Rich but energetic as well, showing solid thrust to the dark berry preserve, mocha and rose pastille flavors. Finishes on a smoky note, with strong tenacity, lingering floral oak spice character and steadily building tannins. All new French oak.”
93 Points
2017 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard

2017 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard

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CALERA

2017 PINOT NOIR
MILLS VINEYARD

2017 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard
Influenced by Burgundy, Josh Jensen’s vision for Calera was to produce Pinot Noir with a vivid sense of place grown in limestone-rich soils, similar to Burgundy’s Côtes d’Or. He developed his vineyard at a staggering 2,200 feet elevation on Mt Harlan, planted above a limestone deposit of several million tons, revolutionizing Burgundian-style, age-worthy domestic Pinot Noir with a powerful sense of place. 
 
Planted in 1984, Mills Vineyard is 14.4 acres of Southeast facing hillsides, revered for producing Pinot Noir fruit with stunning fragrance and layered complexity. This wine balances power and elegance brilliantly with sophisticated depth, keen focus, and youthful energy. 
 
CALERA
2017 PINOT NOIR
MILLS VINEYARD
Retails at: $84
 
Your Price: $75
 
 
“The 2017 Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard is slightly deeper colored (it’s still translucent) and offers a gorgeous nose of ripe redcurrants, cherries, spring flowers, sappy forest floor, and ample spice nuances. With medium to full body, beautiful depth of fruit, and a seamless texture, it’s another stunning Pinot Noir from this team that I’d be happy to have in the cellar.” 
97 Points
2017 Luke Goldschmidt Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

2017 Luke Goldschmidt Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

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LUKE GOLDSCHMIDT

CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2017 ALEXANDER VALLEY

2017 Luke Goldschmidt Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley
Goldschmidt wines highlight a region’s most distinct characteristics, presenting them in a terroir-revealing, intensely expressive, balanced style. Some of their best examples come from Alexander Valley, where Nick Goldschmidt has extensive experience. Nick’s son Luke also has experience making wine worldwide, from Chile, France, Spain, and Argentina to New Zealand. Together, they crafted this wine which at $22 perfectly reflects Alexander Valley’s rich terroir.
 
The 2017 vintage is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from low-vigor vines, yielding just 3.5 tons per acre of highly concentrated berries. The wine is deep and rich on the palate, layered with red and black fruits, cocoa, cherry pipe tobacco, and dried herbs.
 
LUKE GOLDSCHMIDT
CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
2017 ALEXANDER VALLEY
Retails at: $25
 
Your Price: $22
 
 
“Nicely focused red cherry and red raspberry aromas. Loaded with red berry fruit flavors with a touch of caramel, dark chocolate, and toasty oak. Full and well-structured from the long hang time. The texture is smooth and the mouth medium bodied. White pepper and spice in the finish with long and supple tannins.”
2018 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

2018 O’Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

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O’SHAUGHNESSY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY

2018 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Flaunting Oakville fruit’s alluring complexity, Mount Veeder’s savory tinge, and combining Howell Mountain Cabernet’s focused concentration, O’Shaughnessy’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is epic. It’s a harmonious composition of the winery’s Estate vineyards, located in some of Napa Valley’s most elite neighborhoods. 
 
Since their inception, O’Shaughnessy’s winemaker has been Sean Capiaux, whom you might know from his work at Peter Michael or his brand Capiaux. He did a fantastic job on the reference-standard 2018 release, perfectly expressing Mountain terroir enriched with Oakville elegance. 
 
O’SHAUGHNESSY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2018 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $79.99
 
 
“This is such an outstanding wine at any price, but here we’re talking about outstanding value as well. Notes of iron and crushed rock lead to a lengthy balance of juicy red fruit and clove. With small amounts of Merlot, Malbec, Saint-Macaire and Cabernet Franc, it shows a deft hand at blending, with lasting notes of black pepper and nuanced oak.”
97 Points, Editors’ Choice