Grassi 2014 Shiner Series Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment
GRASSI
2014 SHINER SERIES
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
 
We run across many second wines, but they don’t always come in second place…  Particularly when they’re created from Estate fruit and crafted by a brilliant winemaker.  Factoring in that Super Seconds often come at a lower price, it’s something to pay closer attention to. Grassi’s 6 barrel production of their 2014 Shiner Series Cabernet is incredibly fabulous and lucky for consumers, it also comes in at around $30/btl below their Estate Cabernet… It’s brought to life by Robbie Meyer, whose experience includes 5 vintages at the iconic Peter Michael Winery, as well as time at Lewis Cellars, Jericho Canyon, Del Dotto, and Meyer is currently the winemaker for Pierson Meyer…
 
Emanating from Grassi’s Estate Vineyard located on Soda Canyon Road, positioned about a mile South of the Stag’s Leap District and rests just below Atlas Peak, Grassi excelled in 2014… The clonal selection includes 337, which is commonly used in cult Cabernets and is known for producing bold yet luscious wines with some spice, dark berry flavors, and supple tannins.   Aged for 20 months in oak, this wine has everything I look for in a high-end Napa valley Cabernet, except the high price.
 
FYI, a “Shiner” is an unlabeled bottle straight from the winery prior to labeling, generally with a paper sticker and hand-written info on it.  This wine is an hommage to actual “Shiners.”
 
GRASSI
2014 SHINER SERIES
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at:  $50/btl
Your Price: $45/btl Click to Order
YOU SAVE 10%
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
Winery Notes: “This Cabernet Sauvignon blend is a delicious and approachable cuvee from our estate vineyard… shows beautiful fruit expressions of ripe black cherry and wild blackberry. There is appropriate structure to the wine, but you will find it to have soft tannins and a very even mouthfeel that can be enjoyed as a daily wine pairing.” 150 Cases Produced
 
 
Customers who enjoy Grassi’s Shiner Series Cabernet Sauvignon may also enjoy these stunning Cabernets…
EHLERS ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 ST. HELENA
Retails at:  $55.00/btl
 
 
In grape growing, much as in real estate, location-location-location is absolutely essential.   And when your neighbors include Chuck McMinn’s renowned “Aida” Vineyard, Turley and Revana, wine lovers should pay keen attention.  Founded in 1886, EhlersEstate, located just North of St. Helena, quietly produces some of the most classically styled Cabernet Sauvignon out there.
LAIRD
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
Your Price: $52.99/btl
 
 
 
From Wine Enthusiast, “Juicy, spicy and red-fruit dominated, this wine is broad-shouldered and moderately balanced, with a powerful hit of tannin on the finish. Sweet tobacco and vanilla flavors crescendo on the finish.”
 
 
 
90 Points

Silverpoint 2015 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

with No Comment
SILVERPOINT
2015 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST
 
If the best wines were like a puzzle, this wine would have every piece laid out perfectly.  With everything from an accomplished winemaker, iconic vineyard, blockbuster vintage and a terrific price, this wine truly has it all.  It was authored by Don Van Staaveren who’s responsible for authoring the Chateau St. Jean wines from ’85-’97, and even made history when his 1996 Cinq Cepages was recognized as the #1 wine on the 1999 Wine Spectator Top 100 list.  It was the first Sonoma wine to receive the honor of being the #1 Wine in the World… This wine makes no excuses at the winery’s $45/btl retail price, in fact it performs at a level even higher than that… At $29.99/btl the only puzzle piece missing is how many cases you can find room for…
 
This wine arose from the Rodgers Creek Vineyard located in the Petaluma Gap, this vineyard produces single vineyard wines from Ramey, Sojourn and Cherry Pie. Spending 15 months in oak and aged sur lie, a French term meaning literally ‘on the sediment’, the sur lie style aging plays a large role in contributing to this wine’s rich, opulent texture.  If you’re searching for an incredibly high quality Chardonnay to share with your friends and family and selling way below its true value… This is it.
 
SILVERPOINT
2015 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
 
From the Wine Enthusiast, “Don Van Staaveren is the winemaker of this well-crafted wine sourced from Rodger’s Creek Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap area.  Opulent on the nose, it follows up in richness and robust flavors of toasted oak and apple, finishing awash in butterscotch...” 90 Points


 

Humanitas 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reid Vineyard

with No Comment

HUMANITAS

2012 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
REID VINEYARD, NAPA VALLEY
 
We’ve had a lot of great feedback on many of the wines that we’ve featured, and it’s become abundantly clear that the best feedback often comes from wines that have a little extra bottle age.  But every once in a while we come across a “Holy S**t*” wine, and this is clearly one of them… And since this one is coming to an end, we wanted to give you one last shot at it… Last year we made the Humanitas Signum our number one wine on our top 5 list, and it sold out before noon…
 
Expertly composed by winemaker Rob Lloyd, former winemaker at Rombauer, this 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon originates from a single vineyard on the North Eastern edge of St Helena.  Stunningly concentrated and dangerously hedonistic, the 2012 Reid Vineyard Cab is bursting with authoritative and alluring flavors of sensual dark fruits, chocolate espresso, scorched earth and pipe tobacco.
 
HUMANITAS
2012 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
REID VINEYARD, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
Tasting Notes: “The aromatic bouquet blooms with red and black fruits, pipe tobacco, dark chocolate and hints of sun-baked earth. In the glass it is black as a starless night, ringed with rich, hedonistic blackberry, cassis, red berries and cocoa powder.  Though dense, this wine is nimble but with deep, dark black currant, mixed black berries, bing cherry and a touch of sweet vanilla that surrounds your palate in pure joy.  This is another sensational effort from a producer that is quickly becoming one of my favorites.”

Brulium 2014 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands

with No Comment

BRULIAM

2014 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
 
From a vineyard that’s become synonymous with excellence, I get excited when I see this vineyard name printed on a bottle. Wineries like Lucia, Roar and Black Kite all make single vineyard Pinots from Soberanes, and Bruliam perfectly articulates this wondrous site.  The wine leaps from the glass with mineral-laced cherries, wild berry, rose petals, ripe plum and hints of baking spices.  It was strategically guided from grape to bottle by medical doctor-turned-winemaker Kerith Overstreet. Earning 93 Points from Wine Enthusiast, this beautifully expressive, sophisticated and charming Pinot is a terrific bottle of wine at near fifty per bottle retail.
Created from 100% Pisoni Clone, Soberanes is the latest vineyard planted by the Pisoni’s & Franscioni’s, whose families have been farming the area for over 100 years.  Bruliam brilliantly expresses the remarkably distinct flavors and textures that this vineyard is becoming known for.  With the average price of Pinot Noir from Soberanes estimated to be upwards of $50/btl, I strongly recommend making some serious room for this one…
 
BRULIAM
2014 PINOT NOIR
SOBERANES VINEYARD
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
 
Choose our ‘Build a Case’ feature to order the wines you want and save them until you have a full case (15 bottles) for free ground shipping!
(Choose ‘Build a Case’ as the shipping method during checkout)
 
From The Wine Enthusiast, “Hearty sagebrush, rust and dust meet with dried Montgomery cherry and tart pomegranate aromas on the nose of this bottling from a Healdsburg-based producer. It’s luscious on the palate with ripe plum fruit and tons of baking spice, from cinnamon to clove cream, nutmeg and vanilla.” 93 Points

 

Customers that enjoy Bruliam’s Soberanes Vineyard Pinot,  may also enjoy these two terrific Pinots…
TROMBETTA
2014 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST
Your Price: $44.99/btl
 
From The Wine Enthusiast, “The oak treatment is supportive only, with the wine aged in French oak, 25% of it new, for nine months. Restraint allows it to remain soft and silky on the palate, with inviting characteristics of white pepper, lavender, rose, cranberry, strawberry and vanilla bean.“
93 Points
DANIEL
2014 PINOT NOIR
GRAND VENT VINEYARD
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
This profound Pinot was composed by accomplished winemaker Dan Fitzgerald, who got his start working at Williams-Selyem… Created in a silky and extravagant style, remarkably deep and compelling flavors envelope your palate and bring a smile to your face.  With a total production of 90 cases, this Pinot Noir will only go to a lucky few.

Sparkman 2015 Holler Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment
SPARKMAN
2015 HOLLER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Sparking an intense love affair with Washington Wines with just a single taste, when we first offered Sparkman’s 2013 Holler Cabernet two years ago we knew it would induce one of those where have you been all my life moments…  Later that year it went on to rank #21 in the world on the Wine Spectator Top 100 and even outscored icons like Screaming Eagle at more than 25 times its price.  The 2015 Sparkman Holler will make you fall in love with Columbia Valley wines all over again and hits your palate with a thundering cascade of dark brambly fruits, roasted coffee, minerals and crushed violets.  It’s honestly thrilling to taste this wine, considering it’s still sells for around thirty per bottle.
Carved from eight distinct vineyards and kept for 19 months in oak Barrels, the 2015 is stunningly concentrated, poised and beautifully proportioned.  Both the 2013 and 2014 were wines that left a deep impression, and followed up by the 2015, I can honestly say this is my favorite one yet.  If you’ve had interest in experiencing a great wine from this incredible region, this is the perfect opportunity to try one of the best.
SPARKMAN
2015 HOLLER
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at:  $32.00/btl
Your Price: $29.99/btl
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
Winery Notes: “Phantasmagoria: red black blue fruit chocolates flowers spices textures, depth breadth. Velvet stone smoke cinnamon kelp play dough grip supple rich minerals.” 

 

Customers that enjoy Sparkman’s Holler Cabernet Sauvignon,  may also enjoy these two terrific Cabs…
OBSIDIAN RIDGE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 ESTATE, RED HILLS
Retails at: $32.00/btl
Your Price: $29.99/btl
A wine with fabulous upside potential, this idyllic expression of Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon emerges from the winery’s high elevation vineyard where the explosive terroir manifests perfectly in this exceptional, award-winning Cabernet.   Perpetually high scoring, an earlier vintage was named Best Cabernet at the Lake County Wine Awards Competition, where it earned a Double Gold Medal and outperformed some of the area’s other top wines.
LUKE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 COLUMBIA VALLEY
Retails at:   $30/btl
Your Price:  $23/btl
Recognized as one of the 2016 Wine Spectator wineries to watch, Luke’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is rich and extracted, yet perfectly poised and elegant, with substantial quantities of chocolate covered raspberries, creme de cassis, pulverized blackberries, and dried violets.  A palpable sense of value is absolutely unmistakable in this wine, and the previous three consecutive vintages have all earned 90 and above scores in the Wine Spectator…

Tonti 2014 Reserve Old Vine Zinfandel Russian River Valley

with No Comment
TONTI

2014 RESERVE
OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
 
Have you ever wondered what makes Old Vine wines unique?  There are two defining factors that when combined, become even more powerful.  Like humans, as vines age their circulation becomes weaker which results in smaller berries and more focused and concentrated flavors.  Older vines also have deeper root systems, which increases the complexity in the wine.  Perfectly expressing what Old Vines are about, Tonti’s 2014 Russian River Zinfandel is the delicious result of two ancient vineyards planted in the early 1900’s.  Remarkably hedonistic, the 2014 saturates your palate with a full gamut of red, blue and black fruits, exotic spices, mixed chocolates and round, plush tannins.  With Gus Gamba as their consulting winemaker, Tonti is producing an extremely high-level Zinfandel, and at retail of $49.00/btl it’s well worth the price of admission….
 
Earning a Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, as well as 94 Points from tastings. com, this wine exhibits all the qualities that I look for in Old Vine Zinfandel.  Housed for 18 months in American oak barrels and from a vintage that’s becoming increasingly recognized for it’s superior quality, grab a case while you can. 
 
TONTI
2014 RESERVE
OLD VINE ZINFANDEL
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at:  $49.00/btl
 
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
 
Winery Notes: “...Deep purple color. Rustic, fruity aromas of wild raspberry Danish, iron rich soil, menthol, and touch of pepper with a slightly chewy, fruity sweet medium body and an intriguing, medium-long sun dried raspberries, sun dried tomatoes, sweet basil, and milk chocolate bar and terracotta finish with firm chewy tannins and light oak. A spot on zinfandel, rich and juicy with good tannins and structure. Organically Dry Farmed”
 
Customers that enjoy Tonti’s Reserve Zinfandel, may also enjoy these two terrific Zins…
CARLISLE 
2015 ZINFANDEL
CARLISLE VINEYARD 
Your Price: $47.99/btl
 
 
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, “…This is another killer wine, as it is always one of the top wines in his extensive and impressive portfolio. The alcohol is 15.3%, but that’s a minor component to this big, juicy, succulent, in-your-face, dramatic Zinfandel that boasts raspberry, black cherry, strawberry, licorice, tar, earth and roasted Provençal herbs. ….” 90-93 Points
GAMBA
2015 ZINFANDEL
STARR ROAD RANCH
Retails at:  $49.00/btl
 
Fashioned from an organically farmed vineyard planted in 1920, the ancient vines have relied on winter rains as their sole source of irrigation for over 95 years.  Yielding just 1.5 tons per acre of strikingly intense, concentrated, pristinely focused fruit, the 2015 exhibits all the qualities that I look for in Old Vine Zinfandel.

Walter Hansel 2015 Estate Pinot Noir & 2014 Cahill Lane Chardonnay

with No Comment
WALTER HANSEL
2015 ESTATE PINOT NOIR

2014 CAHILL LANE CHARDONNAY
Like sitting front-and-center at the grand opera, and instead of string, woodwind and percussions vibrating throughout, penetrating flavors permeate your palate, hitting every note along the way with perfect clarity.  Consistently rated in the mid 90’s, and with each performance like a sold-out show, and yet the ticket price has remained almost unchanged over the past decade… Walter Hansel voices the best of the Russian River Valley, and Robert Parker writes that they’re “… consistently terrific wines… realistically priced… consumers couldn’t have a better friend than proprietor Stephen Hansel.”
Originating from famous clones, strategically planted to specific areas of Walter Hansel’s Estate Vineyard, the new releases are hitting the high notes that you wouldn’t think possible at this price level…

 

WALTER HANSEL
2014 CHARDONNAY
CAHILL LANE
Your Price: $34.99/btl
From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, “The 2014 Chardonnay Cahill Lane emerges 100% from the Old Wente clone. This is in heavy clay and fertile Goldridge soils and cropped in by at least 30% to improve concentration. This wine, which is less intense than his other Chardonnays, offers notes of lime and other citrus, with crisp acidity…” 
92 Points
WALTER HANSEL
2015 PINOT NOIR
ESTATE VINEYARD
Your Price: $37.99/btl
From Vinous, “The 2015 Pinot Noir The Estate Vineyard boasts off the charts intensity, richness and texture. Soaring aromatics and a core of dark red and bluish fruit are front and center. Racy and voluptuous to the core, the Estate captures all the intensity of this vintage. This is a dazzling Pinot from Stephen Hansel, not to mention one of the best values readers will find.”
94 Points

Buoncristiani 2014 OPC Blend Napa Valley

with No Comment
BUONCRISTIANI

2014 O.P.C. BLEND
NAPA VALLEY
 
In winemaking, sometimes less is more, but in this particular scenario, more is clearly more.  Created by four brothers, each with their own set of skills and talents that when combined with a passion for wine… the results speak for themselves.  Consistently high scoring and now in it’s 16th vintage, they’ve managed to again raise the bar, and it’s already made a big impression on the critics.  Robert Parker boasts that it’s “an intriguing blend that Buoncristiani has pulled off flawlessly” and with the stellar 95 Point Score, don’t hesitate to secure a case.
 
The 2014 blend was fashioned from a rockstar lineup of several of Napa Valley’s most prestigious vineyards, including Hyde, Stagecoach, Hossfeld, Bennett, and even the Yountville Vineyard just across from our wine shop.  The diversity in each site adds complexity to the final blend.  Aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, the wine is dense, concentrated and remarkably delicious.  If you’re searching for a stand-out Napa Valley blend from one of the best vintages in the last decade… This is it.
 
  From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, “The 2014 Proprietary Red O.P.C. is a blend of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Syrah, 20% Malbec and 12% Merlot. A brilliant nose of blue, red and black fruits, licorice, graphite, background spice and roasted meats jumps from the glass of this complex proprietary red. This is an intriguing blend that Buoncristiani has pulled off flawlessly. The color is a dense ruby/purple, the wine full-bodied and rich with sweet tannin, a burgeoning, broad suppleness and a rich, long, lusty finish. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.“ 95 Points
 
Retails at:  $70.00/btl
 
Join our Email List for Exclusive Offers

Janzen To-Kalon Vineyard 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment
JANZEN
TO-KALON VINEYARD
2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
If you had to choose just one, what vineyard do you think is THE BEST in the entire New World?  Many would argue that it’s Andy Beckstoffer’s To-Kalon Vineyard which regularly garners worldwide accolades and attracts some of the most talented winemakers to produce  single vineyard To-Kalon wines.  Clinching 97 Points from Robert Parker, this beauty was authored by Kirk Venge, who was named One of the Top 20 New Winemakers in the World by Food & Wine Magazine.  Perfectly illustrating the profound hedonism and highlighting the definitive complexities that make this site so remarkable, with a complete production of only 7 barrels, there’s not much of this high-scoring Cab to go around…
Surrounding Robert Mondavi Winery and in the heart Oakville, the To-Kalon Vineyard has become synonymous with excellence.  This wine unleashes an electrifying perfume of crushed black fruits, espresso roast, graphite and exotic spices that tip the scales in terms of scrumptious mouth-feeling flavors and defined opulence.  Kept for 26 months in new Taransaud French oak barrels, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is remarkably generous and highly extracted. I strongly recommend locking up some of this stunning wine.
JANZEN
TO-KALON VINEYARD
2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Your Price: $174.99/btl Click to Order
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
From Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate,  “The 2014 Janzen Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon sports a very deep garnet-purple color and exotic nose of Indian spices, smoked meats and sandalwood over a core of crème de cassis, baked black berries and blueberry pie with wafts of dried roses and oolong tea. Full-bodied, rich, opulent and seductive, it has beautifully plush tannins and just enough freshness to support the generous fruit, finishing very long and very sexy…” 97 Points

 

Customers who enjoy Janzen’s Beckstoffer To-Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon may also enjoy these two terrific wines…
TOR
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 NAPA VALLEY
Your Price $79.99/btl 
With all of the X’s and O’s in just the right place… Tor’s 2014 Napa Valley  Cabernet  Sauvignon is the wine equivalent of an All-Star team of Napa Valley’s top players…  Melanson Vineyard on Pritchard Hill takes on the role as the team captain.  Also taking the field are To-Kalon, Teirra Roja, Cimarossa, Herb Lamb and Vine Hill.  Tor producers single vineyard  Cabernets from each of these MVP’s (Most Valuable Properties), which start around $150/btl, and have near perfect batting records.
SAUNTER
RED HEAD VINEYARD
2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Your Price: $110/btl
From Robert  Parker, “… Possessing an extra gear and level of concentration, the wine has an inky bluish purple color and a sweet kiss of blueberry, blackcurrant and spice box as well as a floral note. It is full-bodied, opulent and voluptuously textured, all hallmarks of this 2014 vintage. The finish is opulent, and the wine long, showing complexity and secondary nuances, and giving no excuse to defer one’s gratification. This is a sumptuous beauty to drink over the next 15 or so years.” 94 points

Pop 300 2016 Oakville Proprietary White

with No Comment
POP 300

2016 OAKVILLE
PROPRIETARY WHITE
POP 300 is the direct result of growing up in a small town surrounded by legendary farmers and winemakers.  It’s well known that Oakville produces some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon fruit in the world, but there are also other varietals grown in Oakville, you just have to know someone to find them…  This is a truly unique, six barrel production white blend by Luke Russ, who’s day job is the Commercial Director at O’Shaughnessey Winery.  It was built around a core Chardonnay and enhanced with Rhone varietals, and pops ebulliently out of the glass with a fireworks display of honeydew melon, Bosc Pear, lemon grass, ginger and banana cream pie.  At under forty per bottle, you really should try some of this…
POP 300 isn’t the only winery playing on the tension between Chardonnay and Rhone varietals.  Orin Swift’s Mannequin and Prisoner Wine Company’s Blindfold are a couple prime examples.  Manfred Krankl  at Sine qu Non has also mastered this type of blend, but POP 300 might be the only one doing this exclusively from Oakville fruit.  Made even more intriguing during the fermentation process where the wine was fermented in a combination of Stainless Steel and French oak.  If you’re searching for a dynamic white that not only pop’s with flavor, but won’t blow up your wine budget, this is it.
POP 300
2016 OAKVILLE
PROPRIETARY WHITE
Your Price: $37.99/btl Click to Order
+ Ground Shipping Included on ANY Full or Mixed 15-Pack
(Upgrade your 15-Pack to UPS 3-DAY AIR for $39, Available in select States)
“This is a spectacular wine with bright, exotic tropical fruits, mouthwatering honeydew melon, ripe Bosc pear, Spring flowers and hints of baking spices. The compelling blend has an orchestrated murmuration of penetrating, intense flavors that dance on your tongue in a focused, concentrated style, then expand into a long, complex finish.  It is extremely rare to find such a unique and individualistic wine that truly is one of a kind.” Kevin Vogt, Master Sommelier

 

Customers that enjoy Pop 300’s Proprietary White may also enjoy these two delicious white wines…

 

HANZELL
SEBELLA CHARDONNAY
2015 SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at:  $36.00/btl
Your Price: $29.99/btl
California’s answer to classic Chablis, the 2015  Hanzell Sebella Chardonnay induces an immediate feeling of contentment, followed by a rush of exhilarating flavors and an array of fresh nectarines, citrus blossom, warm pear, liquified stones and floral infused honey.
PRISONER WINE CO.
2015 BLINDFOLD
PROPRIETARY WHITE
Retails at:  $32.00/btl
Your Price: $26.99/btl
As the sister version to the popular Prisoner Red, the Blindfold White administers what feels like Cirque du Soleil performance on your palate, with its ebullient zest, delineation and stunning vibrancy.  This wine is surprisingly delicate and nuanced, and simply fascinating to swirl and taste…