OG Tasting Notes Lot 101-200

Look back on the amazing wines we have released to check out tastings notes. These are the original product notes archive for the purposes of providing product information for products that no longer have online product information. Pricing, availability and shipping content may be out of date. We make no claims of having any of these products available to sell at the pricing listed in this content. Most recent tasting notes may also be missing.

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Lot 101 | 2018 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc

Other than an 89 pt. blip in a particularly hot vintage, this wine has a 10-year run of consistently scoring between 91-93 points from the Wine Spectator. Granted, it was about 10-years ago and it looks like they stopped bothering once they had an audience for the wine. They continue to generate a lot of local press however with numerous Washington State press noting this bottling is considered one of the best Cabernet Franc's in Washington. Sourced from the producers estate vineyard just a stones throw from the legendary Seven Hills Vineyard, it sells out of the tasting room for around $40/bottle and yours today for just $15/bottle.

Dark garnet in the glass and showing fairly well with a few minutes of air having been bottled about two months ago (three by the time it gets to you). Classic notes of spicy cherry, red currant and beautifully perfumed florals are underpinned with dark earth, smoky oak and coffee bean. Lush, ripe blackberry, black cherry and plum notes on entry well supported by impeccable, tannins. Brighter cherry fruit mingles with smoky oak and graphitic, loamy tannins in a long, mouthwatering finish. The dichotomy between the higher-toned perfumed red fruits and the dark, savory notes is fantastic. This is a spectacular wine for $15/bottle.

97% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, 1% Merlot (100% Estate)
35% new French oak
14.9% alc.
bottled November 16th, 2020
500 cases available

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Lot 102 | 2018 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2018 vintage for red wines in Washington State was about as close to perfection as it gets. Today's release, an estate-grown, single-vineyard designate 2018 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon, has a 10-year run of consistently scoring between 91-93 points from the Wine Spectator (other than the occasional 88-89 pt. blip in a lesser vintage). Granted, it was about 10-years ago and it looks like they stopped bothering with submissions once they had an audience for the wine. Nevertheless, what you have here is a Cabernet Sauvignon from a great vineyard in a fantastic vintage at an unheard of price.

Sourced from the producers estate-vineyard (just a stones throw from the legendary Seven Hills Vineyard), it sells out of the tasting room for around $40/bottle and is yours today for just $16/bottle. Comparable to just about any $60-$70/bottle Napa Cabernet, this is a fantastic offer at this price.

Dark garnet, almost opaque in the glass. The bouquet is redolent with spicy blackberry compote, creme de cassis, pepper and mineral-infused florals with a kiss of smoky oak. Rich, chewy and dense on entry with plenty of ripe fruit and lush, toasty vanilla notes from the American oak perfectly balanced against rock and tobacco. Rich and ripe with seamless tannin integration, this terrific Cabernet Sauvignon is a first-class effort at an INCREDIBLE price. Should be drinking quite nicely in April.

98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec, 100% Estate
40% new French and America oak
14.9% alc.
800 cases available
Bottled December 11th, 2020

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Lot 103 | 2018 Walla Walla Malbec

The 2018 vintage for red wines in Washington State was about as close to perfection as it gets. Today's release, an estate-grown, single-vineyard designate 2018 Walla Walla Malbec, is from the same producer as N.97-N.99 and N.101 through N.106.

Sourced from the producers estate-vineyard (just a stones throw from the legendary Seven Hills Vineyard), it sells out of the tasting room for $35/bottle and is yours today for just $15/bottle. There are only 250 cases available.

Deep ruby/opaque in the glass. Fennel, sage and mushroom mingle with spicy black cherry liqueur and fig aromas in a fascinating bouquet. Firm on entry with fleshy mid-palate tannins carrying dark fruit, rock and leather with firm oak and spice on finish. Balanced, complex and unique with terrific structure, this is a wonderful Walla Walla Malbec that will age nicely over the next decade. Should be settled into the bottle by late May, early June.

99% Malbec, 1% Petite Verdot
40% new French and American oak
14.8% alc.
235 cases available
Bottled February 18th, 2021

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Lot 104 | 2018 Walla Walla Petit Verdot

If Cabernet Franc gets more earthy and ethereal in Walla Walla, Petit Verdot gets more muscular and robust. This dense, meaty wine is a chewy, delicious take on the varietal. Sourced from the same producer as N. 74 and N. 75 Syrah, this is a first class winery and a terrific effort in a terrific vintage. There are only 150 cases available.

Inky, dense and virtually opaque in the glass. The aromas are dense too with smoky graphite, mineral, meaty black fruit and cardamom spice. Huge and chewy on the palate with robust mouth-coating tannins powering through a lip-smacking, teeth-staining finish. Fantastic structure and balance.

100% Petit Verdot, 100% estate fruit
14.8% alc.
150 cases available
Bottled on December 17, 2020

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Lot 105 | 2018 Rocks District Cabernet Sauvignon

The "Silver Oak" of Washington State!

If you are a fan of that style, I think you will appreciate this American-oak aged Cabernet. Rich, ripe and lush but well-structured, it's right up the alley.

Estate-produced and grown, the vineyard is planted in the massive cobblestone washouts of the Rocks District of Milton Freewater, where you can dig for 40-50 feet and still hit rock. The source winery only bottles this wine in exceptional vintages (which 2018 certainly was) as a Reserve Cabernet priced at $65/bottle, now yours for just $20/bottle.

Deep garnet in the glass. Effusive and spicy on the nose, chock full of creme de cassis and raspberry with nice leather and cedar accents supported on bourbon vanilla and river rock mineral notes. Plush, sumptuous, and smooth as silk on the palate with almost shockingly imperceptible tannins (in large part due to the wines bottling phase having 40 days in the bottle), this wine is a magic carpet ride of sumptuousness.

If you are worried the wine sounds too plush and fat, don't. It's just a bottling phase...I also have next to me the hold back sample from last Fall and there's plenty of structure. Should be knit together sometime in mid-to-late-Spring.

98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 100% The Rocks District Estate fruit
50% new American Oak
14.9% alc.
200 cases
Bottled December 17th, 2020

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Lot 106 | 2018 Walla Walla Tempranillo

This wine is from the same producer as N.97-N.99 as well as N.101 through N.105. I think you'll find all of these wines, even the recent bottlings, are punching waaay above their weight-class. Of course, N.106 Walla Walla Tempranillo reflects the same high-end winemaking with all estate fruit and generous, high-quality oak deployment. Happy to tell you that its one of my favorites of the bunch (along with N.98 - damn that turned out great!).

Rustic yet rich, this is a classic Tempranillo in terms of flavors but with a modern fruit profile. As I said, like the others wines from this producer, it bats way above it weight-class and is a fantastic deal at $15/bottle vs. the $30-$35 you'd pay at the winery.

Deep ruby in the glass and opaque other than for a little crimson around the rim. Bottled January 28th, its still coalescing in the bottle but but the layers are all there. Opens with piquant red fruits (pomegranate) and walnut husk turning to the more purple fruit profiles underpinned with the darker, earthier components of leather and cocoa. Should be fabulous once it comes together. Rich and full-bodied on the palate with ripe, well-integrated tannins coated with chocolatey oak notes in a long finish. Its a bit backwards right now (to be expected) but, for those of you who like them rich and powerful with plenty of oak, this will be great for May/June BBQ.

98% Tempranillo, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
98% Walla Walla, 2% Rocks District
45% new French and American oak combo
14.7% alc.

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Lot 107 | 2018 Yountville Petite Sirah

Situated just off State Lane on the east side of Napa Valley in the Yountville AVA, this vineyard sits close by legendary producers Kapscandy and Clif Lede. The estate Petite Sirah on offer today is itself a component of a just south of $100 per bottle red blend. The producer simply had about 600 gallons of extra Petite as the blend is usually a specific percentage split between the two varietals. Dismiss this wine as simply excess juice at your own risk.

Raised in 100% new French oak, this beautiful and powerful Petite Sirah has excellent intensity. It is, of course, inky in the glass (the hold back sample I have from September 3rd has completely stained the clear glass purple) but its beautifully perfumed with a lovely potpourri of floral aromatics haloing black cherry, blueberry, dark chocolate-covered figs and toasty oak. Its muscular yet supple on the palate with terrific density nicely balanced against excellent acidity. Raspberry compote, blue fruit, vanilla and seasoned oak mingle in this rich structure, unfurling their intensity against a wave of robust, chewy tannins. If you like it big and bold, this is your wine!

*please note: the wine was bottled in Burgundy glass, not Bordeaux as pictured above.

100% Petite Sirah, 100% Yountville District
100% New French oak
14.9% alc.
Bottled November 30th, 2020

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Lot 108 | 2018 Fair Play District (El Dorado) Zinfandel

The vineyards of the El Dorado's Fair Play district occupy the transitional foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at elevations between 2,000- and 3,000-feet. As a result, the region has one of the larger diurnal swings in California. Renowned for powerful Zinfandel's that have, mercifully, been reigned in from the excesses of the 2000's, today the region produces wines of both power and grace and a great deal more precision.

This release is the first of several Reserve designated lots I purchased, all with 30+ price tags and all largely the winemaker's blends (we tweaked a few but just 1-2% using producer's wines). All have been in barrel until August 2020. This is an extremely well respected producer with deep roots in the region. The wines are very well made with broad stylistic appeal in that they are precisely what you would expect from the region.

Dusky, medium ruby. Springs from the glass with dusty plum, blackberry syrup and pepper dominating the nose with just a kiss of raspberry. There is chocolate too but it shows more on the palate where the tootsie roll character envelops the warm, lush palate of black and red fruits in a long, smooth finish. The wine has tremendous balance and very good weight and structure - it should age nicely for another 5-7 years.

Check-in tasting 7.11.21 - cracking open nicely and ready to go. Beautiful bouquet of raspberry, pepper and tobacco leaf with fleshy, juicy, ripe mid-palate offering terrific balance and plenty of structure with plum, pepper and tobacco on the finish. Excellent length with a tannin structure that will give it many more years of life. This is extremely well-made, quintessential foothills Zinfandel.

99% Zinfandel, 1% Petite Sirah
30% new American Oak, medium toast.
15.7% alc.
Bottled November 11th, 2020

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Lot 109 | 2018 Fair Play District (El Dorado County) Syrah

BOTTLED NOVEMBER 13TH, 2020 AND SHIPS NOW WEATHER PERMITTING

This wine is from the same producer as N.108 Fair Play Zinfandel.

The vineyards of the El Dorado's Fair Play District occupy the transitional foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at elevations between 2,000- and 3,000-feet. As a result, the region has one of the larger diurnal swings in California. Renowned for powerful Zinfandel's that have, mercifully, been reigned in from the excesses of the 2000's, today the region produces wines of both power and grace and a great deal more precision.

This release is the second of several Reserve designated lots I purchased, all with 30+ price tags and all largely the winemaker's blends - N.109 is the winemakers blend and its 100% Syrah. All have been in barrel until August 2020. This is an extremely well respected producer with deep roots in the region. The wines are very well made with broad stylistic appeal in that they are precisely what you would expect from the region.

Medium Ruby in the glass with some sexy pale purple energy running through it...remarkably fresh looking for a 2018 wine...If I had to guess I would say it was a 2019. Vibrant and fresh nose features a lovely lilac note topping boysenberry, graham cracker and dark chocolate with the meaty, savory, peppery notes rounding out the lower register. Plush and lush yet powerfully structured on the palate with ripe purple and black fruits riding a savory mineral framework that showcases Fair Play's volcanic soils. Archetypal and Delicious! A steal at $12/bottle.

Check-in tasting 7.11.21 - Bang! Ripe, meaty boysenberry, brown sugar, violet and pepper explode from the glass. Exquisite balance and tremendous complexity make this an absolutely fantastic wine. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Best Syrah I have had out of the foothills..makes me wish I had more of this!

30% new French Oak
100% Syrah
14.9% alc.
Bottled November 13th, 2020

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Lot 110 | 2018 Fair Play District Petite Sirah

The vineyards of the El Dorado's Fair Play District occupy the transitional foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at elevations between 2,000- and 3,000-feet. As a result, the region has one of the larger diurnal swings in California. Renowned for powerful Zinfandel's that have, mercifully, been reigned in from the excesses of the 2000's, today the region produces wines of both power and grace and a great deal more precision.

This release is the third of several Reserve designated lots I purchased, all with 30+ price tags and all largely the winemaker's blends. Our only adjustment here was to blend 2% of the producer's Syrah to this wine. This is a classic Petite Sirah produced by a master of the varietal in this particular clime. With 50% new French oak and a regular retail in the mid- $30's, N.110 is an exceptional value at only $14/bottle equivalent. Only 100 cases left as of 8.18.21.

Dense and inky in the glass but with vibrant fuchsia around the rim. Gobs of blueberry and raspberry fruit mingle with black pepper and chocolate. There's a spicy halo and wonderful freshness to the bouquet with a red rock mineral note that runs throughout, providing lift and complexity. At a reasonable 14.8% alcohol, the juicy black and red fruits are warm but never overbearing, nicely balanced against firm, chewy tannins in a long, lingering finish. Will age nicely over the next decade but should be pretty approachable in April 2021.

Check-in tasting 7.11.21 - opens with rock, flower and earth are framed with blueberry, plum, pepper and vanilla. Muscular, vibrant and chewy on the palate with ample structure and dimension just cracking open. Palate staining finish is surprisingly elegant and well-balanced - and I mean really well-balanced. All of the wines form this producer are exceptional in that way. This wine has a long life ahead but ready to rock-and-roll now.

98% Petite Sirah, 2% Syrah - all estate fruit
50% new French Oak
14.8% alc.
Bottled November 30th, 2020

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Lot 111 | 2018 Fair Play District Tempranillo

The vineyards of the El Dorado's Fair Play district occupy the transitional foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at elevations between 2,000- and 3,000-feet. As a result, the region has one of the larger diurnal swings in California. Renowned for powerful Zinfandel's that have, mercifully, been reigned in from the excesses of the 2000's, today the region produces wines of both power and grace and a great deal more precision.

Today's release is one of several Reserve designated lots I purchased, all with $30+ price tags. This is an extremely well respected producer with deep roots in the region. The wines are very well made with broad stylistic appeal in that they are precisely what you would expect from the region.

Dark and inky in the glass. Seven weeks in the bottle now and emerging from shock so the aromas are a bit disjointed but its all there on the palate. Black fruit kirsch aromas support raspberry white chocolate bark, wood resin and cacao with a kiss of red rock minerality. Plush and substantial on the palate with gobs of fruit and tannin fanning out in a long, potent finish. Absolutely fabulous. This is a stunning deal at $12/bottle.

Check-in tasting 7.11.21 - right out of the bottle, offers classic, brooding nose of blackberry, plum, and dark earth haloed with vanilla and seasoned oak. Opens up quickly with cassis and rhubarb pie fruit moving to the fore. Its beautifully knit together on the palate with seamless amalgam of fruit, oak, and tannin. Just starting to hit its stride, this big boy is a terrific example of regional winemaking experience. Again, exquisite balance throughout.

100% Tempranillo
30% new American oak
15.1% alc.
125 cases available
Bottled November 20th, 2020

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Lot 112 | 2018 Sierra Foothills Cabernet Sauvignon

I have not in the past been a huge fan of Cabernet's from the Sierra Foothills region. However, this wine, produced from one of the highest elevation vineyards in California, is a terrific example of mountain-grown, volcanically-derived fruit. (www.duartegeorgetown.com at 2500 feet was planted by the Duarte family of Duarte Nursery to show what the Sierra Foothills could do). Rich, ripe and beautifully balanced, its a classic expression of the variety; in fact, I think this wine could easily be confused for a hillside Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

It comes to us from the same Fair Play District winery as N.108 through N.111 and is one of several Reserve designated lots I purchased, all with 30+ price tags (this one is almost $40/bottle) and all largely the winemaker's blends (we tweaked a few but just 1-2% using producer's wines). This is an extremely well respected producer with deep roots in the region. The wines are very well made with broad stylistic appeal in that they are precisely what you would expect from the region.

Deep garnet in the glass. Aromas of blackcurrant, cassis, cedar, crushed red rock and succulent acacia flower are well-delineated and complex. Supple on entry with ripe raspberry and cassis melded with red rock minerality and nice resin top note supported on fleshy, chewy tannins. The lengthy finish is smooth and balanced presenting nuanced red fruit and rock with precision and grace.

Check-in tasting 7.11.21 - WOW! nose, complex and well-delineated sweet florals, notes of raspberry puree, blackberry syrup and red rock are absolutely soaring. Beautifully integrated on the palate with very compelling complexity and balance and an exquisite structure. This will go down as one of the best dN Cabernet deals, hands down. Wish we had more!

100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% Sierra Foothills
35% new French oak (estimated)
15.6% alc.
Bottled November 13th, 2020
100 cases available.

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Lot 113 | 2019 PetiteSirah Fair Play District /El Dorado County

***BOTTLED MAY 7TH, 2021

The vineyards of the El Dorado's Fair Play District occupy the transitional foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at elevations between 2,000- and 3,000-feet. As a result, the region has one of the larger diurnal swings in California. Renowned for powerful Zinfandel's that have, mercifully, been reigned in from the excesses of the 2000's, today the region produces wines of both power and grace and a great deal more precision.

N.113 is from the same producer as the previous Petite Sirah release, N.110, but its a different animal, far more expressive due to the 30% new medium to medium+ French oak which elevates the fruit and doesn't overpowering it. As you'll recall, my recent late August tasting of N.110 found that the wine has fantastic concentration and richness, but its still integrating its oak.

What we see with N.113 is a far more expressive, terroir-driven version of the same fruit. Clearly the winemaker saw a more accessible vintage and went in another, more elegant direction. I am a huge fan and, if you like that macerated raspberry, cherry candy and pepper combo, you will be too.

Medium/dark garnet in the glass - this is not an extracted version of Petite Sirah, more like a Pinot Noir-lovers version of the varietal. Effusive white pepper rises up through fresh, macerated raspberry and expressive layers of hard cherry candy, tobacco leaf, and leather with a lovely caramel robe enveloping the bouquet. Bright and vibrant with mouth-watering acidity and palate staining focus, candied fruit, pepper and spice lingering through a terrific retro-nasal driven finish. Deeeelicious. Shocking that this wine is 14.9% alc., it drinks more like 13.8%-14% - will be fantastic with a big steak!

97.5% Petite Sirah, 2.5% Syrah, 100% Estate fruit, 100% Fair Play District
30% new French oak (medium, medium+ toast)
14.9% alc. - however, this wine drinks like its 13.8-14% with plenty of crunchy acidity
Bottled May 7th, 2021

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Lot 114 | 2019 Fair Play District, El Dorado County Reserve Tempranillo

The vineyards of the El Dorado's Fair Play District occupy the transitional foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at elevations between 2,000- and 3,000-feet. As a result, the region has one of the larger diurnal swings in California. Here decomposed granite and shale hilltops make up the lean soils that can ideally-control Tempranillo's natural vigor. Renowned for powerful reds that have, mercifully, been reigned in from the alcoholic/extract excesses of the 2000's, today the region produces wines of both power and grace and a great deal more precision.

OG N.114 2019 Tempranillo is a great example of the increase in regional quality. Aged in 30% new American oak a la Espana, where the varietal powers some of Spain's greatest wines in Rioja and Ribera Del Duero, this wine is cracking open nicely now and ready-to-drink with a good decant (bottled back in November). With a Reserve designation and well over $30+ price point, its another hell of a deal at $9/bottle, $108/case.

Medium to deep garnet in the glass. Plum, cocoa dust occupy the core of the bouquet with blackberry jam and bourbon vanilla rounding it out with seasoned oak notes. Firm-yet-juicy on the medium-full-bodied palate with an excellent balance of fruit, structure and acidity with spicy, pretty cherry fruit featured in the mid-palate. While this wine is drinking nicely now, the darker fruit of the nose versus the brighter red fruit on the palate indicates this wine probably needs another couple of months in bottle to fully coalesce. Not surprising given the power and structure here. This wine could age another 10 years with ease.

98% Tempranillo, 2% Syrah
30% new American oak
14.9% alc.
350 cases available
Bottled November 20th, 2020

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Lot 115 | 2019 Carneros Rose of Pinot Noir

From one of Sonoma Carneros most experienced Rose producers, this delicately perfumed beauty will tickle your palate. Pale pink, elegant, crisp, bright and supremely refreshing, its retails for over $30/bottle; now only $10/bottle. Bottled December 11th, it'll be gorgeous by the time March rolls around.

Shimmering, pale salmon. Strawberry and raspberry fruit are brisk and lifted with cherry blossom, appleskin, citrus and mineral. Beautiful. Fleshy and juicy on entry...bone-dry but perfectly balanced with mouthwatering , crystalline, fruit-laden acidity accented with rose petals. Long, pure finish.

100% Pinot Noir, 100% stainless steel
11% alc.
500 cases available
bottled December 11, 2020

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Lot 116 | 2019 Yorkville Highlands Sauvignon Blanc

Sourced from a rugged ridge top at almost 2,000 feet of elevation, this fresh and vibrant Sauvignon Blanc will make a terrific Spring-time sipper. The source winery sells this bottling for well over $20/bottle.

Pale-to-medium yellow in the glass. Gooseberry, passionfruit, green apple skins and white flowers soar from the glass with pear aromas providing a solid core. Fresh and lively on the palate with zesty apple and chalky acidity leading to a lingering finish that adds honeyed blossoms and pear notes. Clean, pure and zippy with excellent balance throughout. Spring in a bottle.

100% Sauvignon Blanc
13.6% alc.
150 cases available
Bottled December 2nd, 2020

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Lot 117 | 2019 Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

This muscular-yet-elegant Cabernet hails from the western hills of Sonoma Valley in the foothill alluvial's draining down off of the southern foot of Sonoma Mountain. The winemaker (and consulting winemaker for a variety of high-end Sonoma Valley wineries) told me he's too busy with his other clients to spend anytime selling his own wines so he's getting out of the game.

$50/bottle Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon doesn't sell itself you know.

This southern part of Sonoma Valley is relatively cool and, despite the 14.9% alc., this is an intriguing, unique cool-climate style. I know the November 2020 bottling seems early for a Cabernet but we felt the wine was ready (the 2019's are fabulous by the way).

Farmed at just one-cluster per shoot (yielding under two tons per acre), fermented in open-top redwood vats, and aged in 50% new French oak, its a steal at $16/bottle.

The nose is redolent with oak at this young stage, chock-full of tootsie roll notes from the MT+ barrels and savory, graphitic concentration. The once-vibrant black cherry/black raspberry fruit is subdued at this point (bottled just a couple months ago) but the lovely perfumed violet and red rock are on full display. On the palate, supple, elegant blackberry fruit is beautifully balanced with with firm acidity and chewy french oak tannin. The finish is long and lingering with chewy fruit echoing throughout. Rock solid and delicious now but there's a lot more complexity to come. Hold through to late Spring, early summer.

***Tasting Notes 8.19.21 - showing very nicely now with a good decant. I gave it a couple hours of air and it really began to sing with blueberry, pie crust and sage notes opening up into beautiful blackberry juice, red rock, seasoned oak and mint all well-delineated on the nose. Smooth on entry with gobs of red and black fruit and juicy tannins. Wonderfully rich with good length in the finish but clearly there is more to come in terms of complexity. There is plenty of oomph here for the cellar but this wine is drinking well now. Hell of a deal at $16/bottle!

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
50% new French oak
14.9% alc.
300 cases available
Bottled November 18th, 2020

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Lot 118 | 2018 Chalk Hill Malbec

Oh my. Juicy, rich, ripe, deep, dark, and delicious are just a few descriptors of this fantastic Chalk Hill Malbec...while I'm at it, I would throw in lush, intense and hedonistic too.

Produced by one of Chalk Hill's finest producers from some of the finest vineyards on Chalk Hill, this is a no expense spared, built to the nines Malbec with approximately 80% new French Oak. I paid more for this wine than I did many Napa Cabernet's actually. The wine sells for well over $60/bottle at the winery under a special reserve designation and is a stunning opportunity at $24/bottle.

Bottled back on November 13th, it will largely be through bottle shock by mid-February, 2021. In fact, its drinking nice nicely already (1/14/21) but will certainly benefit from more time in the bottle.

Inky in the glass with a beautiful nose of provencal herb, brooding black cherry, smoky oak, dark chocolate and mocha notes. Plush on entry with a juicy melange of mixed dark berry fruit and spice perfectly integrated atop a chewy tannin structure. The jammy fruit is lush and hedonistic but perfectly ripe and never over the top - always in balance. The finish is long, pure, and seamless. Drink over the next decade.

100% Malbec, 100% Chalk Hill, 100% Estate-grown
80% new French oak
15.2% alc.
Bottled November 13th, 2020
500 cases available

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Lot 119 | 2018 Chalk Hill Syrah

N.119 Chalk Hill Syrah comes to us from the same producer as N.118 Chalk Hill Malbec. True to previous form, the Syrah is an open-knit style, big and bold and immediately accessible with five-to-seven-years of ageing capability. I liked this wine so much I paid as much as, if not more than, many Napa Cabernet's I purchased. Big, bold, lush and juicy, these wines will have broad appeal. The Syrah has 90-94 point scores, year-in, year-out from the Wine Spectator. Given how good the 2018 vintage was its easy to see this wine slotting into the mid-90's again. $65 out of the winery tasting room, yours for just $24/bottle.

Deep garnet in the glass. Lovely lavender and allspice aromas halo warm boysenberry pie with graham cracker crust and dark chocolate bass notes...savory, meaty black pepper notes emerge with air. Wonderfully complex, the rocky, volcanic soils this wine was grown in show in the intense-yet-ethereal aromatics.

The palate is just as rewarding with exquisite balance and tremendous length offering up rich fruit and spicy herb notes gently attenuated over ripe tannins. Deft and complex, this wine drinks well now and will age beautifully over the next decade (I had originally given this a 5-7 year window but now that its has settled into the bottle, the structure is more obvious). Straight up fantastic.

100% Syrah, 100% Chalk Hill, 100% Estate-grown.
approximately 70% new French oak
14.2% alc.
Bottled November 13th, 2020

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Lot 120 | 2018 Moon Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

94 POINTS, PLATINUM MEDAL!
2021 SOMMELIER CHALLENGE WINE COMPETITION

Deep, dark and seductive! A Platinum Award winner at the 2021 Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition.
94-POINTS

One of my Top Three Cabernet's from 2018, this fantastic wine is sourced from high atop the Moon Mountain AVA. The altitude and volcanic soils create an ethereal mountain Cabernet Sauvignon with a complex array of flavors, a lithe structure and incredible balance and complexity. With 75% new French oak and a price point well over $100/bottle, its an incredible offer at $19/bottle, $228/case. If you like mountain fruit, do not miss this wine!

Moon Mountain is one of Sonoma's newest AVA's. It was carved out of the Valley of the Moon AVA where it made no sense to be included given that the area carved out stretches over some of the highest elevation vineyards sites on the North Coast. The new AVA houses many notable even legendary vineyards and is one of the great secret hot spots for Cabernet (not to mention Zinfandel) in both Napa and Sonoma Counties. The source vineyards combination of elevation and red volcanic soils have made it a legendary source for many a high-end red wine program.

Deep purple, almost opaque. Black cherry and creme de mure are lifted on an amalgam of crushed rock, blossom with a kiss of lavender and bergamot. Plum and iron emerge with air to create a beautifully complex and ethereal bouquet. The wine is tight on the palate (no surprise given it was bottled in November) and just beginning to stretch out. Linear and muscular on entry with firm, big-grained tannins carrying primary black and red fruits underpinned with vanilla. The finish is incredibly long, lingering, and quite pure but clearly this fantastic Cabernet is just beginning to unwind in the bottle.

81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 7% Petite Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
100% Moon Mountain District
75% new French oak
14.9% alcohol
Bottled November 11th, 2020
600 cases available

***

Lot 121 | 2018 Knights Valley Sauvignon Blanc

Pale-to-medium straw in the glass. Fume- style. The aromas are gorgeous...ripe pineapple and musky honeydew/guava are haloed by a lemon cream, marshmallow fluff and little white fig. Fantastic fruit/acid tension on the palate with pretty citrus flavors melding with the ripe pineapple richness brought on by barrel-fermentation, battonage and 20+ months of barrel-ageing. Lip-smacking and lengthy finish just goes on and on...

100% Sauvignon Blanc
80% new French oak
13.5% alc.
100 cases available
Bottled December 2nd, 2020

***

Lot 122 | 2019 Dry Creek Pinot Noir

94-Points, Platinum Medal
2021 Sommelier Challenge Wine Competition

Leave it to negociant Cameron Hughes to stick his thumb into an AVA not known for Pinot Noir and pull out a plum, so to speak. It's a dark side Pinot, but it has the acidity to make it work. A fine bottle to sway the Pinot haters in your circle. A Platinum Award winner at the 2021 Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition. 94-POINTS Sep 28, 2021

Known for their huge portfolio of single-vineyard-designate Pinot's from California's best Grand Cru sites, the producer of today's release is one the pioneer's of New World Pinot Noir. To be honest, I have no idea what this little lot of Dry Creek Pinot Noir was doing in their portfolio...vineyard test, new offering sacrificed to COVID-related business concerns or maybe a wine club only offering? Who knows.

What I do know is the wine is delicious and clearly made with the same care that goes into their normal SVD bottlings. And don't let the Dry Creek appellation fool you, there are quite a few cool sites there and this is a bone-dry Pinot with good acidity and terrific structure. There is not a Pinot in this portfolio under $70 so I think you are in good hands at $20/bottle.

Medium ruby in the glass. Ripe, spicy Bing cherry and cola contrast with ethereal notes of dried rose petal and an earthen spice rack of cinnamon and cardamom. Supple on entry with pretty red fruits supported by mouthwatering yet firm acidity that lifts the ethereal tones. Red fruit echoes throughout the lengthy, medium-full-bodied finish with a kiss of seasoned french oak. Ripe throughout but bone dry and nuanced with gobs of structure. Good stuff.

100% Pinot Noir, 100% Dry Creek
14.8% alc.
250 cases available
Bottled February 11, 2021 - open June/July and drink over the next 8 years.

***

Lot 123 | 2017 Napa Valley Merlot

Definitely a Cab-lovers Merlot, this densely colored, rich, chewy red will make you wonder why you don't drink more Merlot. There is some serious fortitude as well as supple complexity to this dynamite wine.

Deep ruby in the glass with an opaque core. Beautiful, uplifted bouquet of ripe cherries jubilee, baking spice, plum, and chocolate/tootsie roll oak notes with a kiss of mineral-infused tobacco leaf and white flower. As complex as it is gorgeous. Big and rich on the palate with gobs of ripe, red and blacks fruits perfectly integrated with chewy tannins in a long, chocolatey finish.

99% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
50% Calistoga (hillside alluvial estate vineyard) and 50% St. Helena
40% new French oak
15.1% alc.
500 cases available.
Bottled November 13, 2020

***

Lot 124 | 2018 Napa Valley Merlot

92-POINTS, GOLD MEDAL
2021 SOMMELIERS CHALLENGE WINE COMPETITION

Sourced from a legendary winery and produced from a legendary vineyard, Lot 124 is an incredible offering that will have broad appeal. This an elegant-yet-powerfully-structured wine that will age beautifully over the next 15-20 years.

The winery is a Napa Valley pioneer, the vineyard is none other than the epic, sprawling S********H Vineyard high atop Atlas Peak. With a well-over $75/bottle price point, its an exceptional offer at $24/bottle - especially considering it has 8-months in the bottle.

Why didn't I release this sooner? It's one of those wines where I missed the tasting window before bottle shock set in.

And taken its time to come around it has. As you've likely heard from me before, the 2018's are powerfully structured yet elegantly fruited wines and, while they move through bottle shock normally, they are taking much longer than is typical to evolve/crack open in the bottle (just look at N.15 Merlot, we bottled that wine over a year ago and it is just now opening up).

This is a good thing, however, as it speaks to the tremendous ageing capability and most excellent stuffing of these wines.

Like N.15, Lot 128 is still unwinding but quite approachable with a long decant (or, better yet, a 24-hour decant). Its a gorgeously constructed wine with an elegant expression laid over a powerful structure that reflects its mountainside provenance; it should come as no surprise that this wine is still swaddled in baby fat.

Deep ruby in the glass. The bouquet starts with Santa Rosa plum and cherry notes juxtaposed with dark earth and coffee bean but grows ever more ethereal with air. The mountain perfume comes up slowly with raspberry hard candy and the classic sage and provencal garrigue joining the chorus. Dusty barrel spice aromas of brown sugar and cinnamon hard candy ebb and flow through the ever shifting bouquet. Supple on entry yet tightly-wound with Bing cherry notes riding over minerally mountain tannins that keep the mid palate focused and ethereal not to mention mouthwatering. The tannins crest and crash leaving baking spice and cherry fruit to caress the palate. As the fruit resolves, seasoned french oak and crushed walnuts echo through the long finish.

There is tremendous depth and complexity here just waiting to reveal itself...the patient will certainly be rewarded.

100% Merlot
40% new French oak, medium toast
14.2% alc
400 cases available
Bottled November 13th, 2020

***

Lot 125 | 2019 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

Viva la elegance!

This pretty Pinot weighs in at just 12.2% alcohol but packs a lovely array of fruits on an elegant framework.

Organically- and Biodynamically-farmed amongst the rolling hills in the deep-end of Anderson Valley, its remarkable how fully ripe this wine is despite its low alcohol. Featuring minimal intervention and a low oak register, this is about as pure as Pinot comes. Selling for $30/bottle out of the tasting room, it can be yours for just $16/bottle. Similar wines would sell for a bit more from surrounding wineries I suspect but, as the source winery values value quite a bit, their products are usually quite reasonably priced to begin with.

Bottled on November 19, 2020, the wine just starting to come into its own. Very pale ruby in the glass. The nose shows in layers, not yet having coalesced fully but its still pretty as hell with strawberry and cola and a little woody, resinous halo suggesting a modicum of stem inclusion here for structure. Soon watermelon comes to the fore with black cherry and savory dark earth filling out the darker fruit registers and completing the bouquet. Can't wait to see how this knits together in another month or so. The palate is linear and precise with pretty red fruits well supported by crisp, exquisite minerality in a long, lip-smacking finish with more complexity to come!

100% Pinot Noir, 100% Anderson Valley, 100% Estate fruit
Not sure on percentage of new French oak but I estimate 15-20%
12.2% alc.
Bottle November 19th, 2020
400 cases available

***

Lot 126 | 2019 Anderson Valley Reserve Pinot Noir

OG N.126 is the big brother from the sister winery to OG N.125 (which needs a couple more months in bottle). In short, this is the Reserve offering from a family of high-end estates in the Anderson Valley (I use the term reserve not because the producer does, but to denote this as a higher-end cuvee).

Organic and bio-dynamically farmed, but with a higher percentage of new French oak, this Pinot is produced from select lots pulled from three estate vineyards (each of which produces a SVD priced in the mid-$60's) and sells out of the tasting room in the mid-$40's. Scores on the current 2017 bottling are 92 and 91 points from the Advocate and Enthusiast. Weighing in at 13.4%, its a broadly appealing, deeply complex, wonderfully-flavorful Pinot not to mention an exceptional value.

Beautiful, translucent garnet in the glass. Smoky black cherry is haloed with rose petal and spicy orange blossom underpinned with blackberry, black tea and forest floor notes. The palate is broad, firmly structured and seamless with juicy-yet-nuanced fruit notable for its excellent fruit/acid tension. Everything here is beautifully proportioned and elegantly rendered with pitch-perfect verve and precision.

Updated Notes August 27th, 2021

N.126 2019 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir - bigger and fleshier, N.126 is the Reserve big brother to N.125 and it shows as the wine is still tightly wound and swaddled in baby fat right out of the bottle. It opens up nicely, and would be fantastic with richer fare, but it definitely needs a good hour decant. This is a very collectible wine and patience is required.

100% Pinot Noir, 100% Anderson Valley, 100% estate fruit.
Mostly neutral French oak
13.5% alc.
300 cases available
Bottled November 19th, 2020
Please note: these tasting notes are based off of final blend prior to bottling. This wine needs another 3-4 months in bottle to coalesce.

***

Lot 127 | 2018 Columbia Valley (Wahluke/Walla Walla) Red Blend

QPR alert!

This fantastic everyday-drinker is perfect for weekday consumption as well as parties and events as things open back up - in fact, it should be drinking quite nicely by Memorial Day. A combination of primarily Malbec and Merlot from Wahluke Slope and Walla Walla, this wonderfully-vibrant, soft and juicy Red Blend offers excellent complexity and incredible QPR at $8/bottle. Was $30+!

Why so inexpensive? Simple...red blends (especially those without a high-end appellation) are valued poorly on the bulk market, regardless of quality!

Medium, deep-ruby in the glass with vibrant purple rim. Aromas of soft raspberry, blackberry bramble, and graham cracker are haloed with leather and cedar aromas in a ridiculously complex bouquet for this price point. The fruit really shines here but with just the right amount of oak. Soft and juicy on the mid-palate with a well-delineated amalgam of red and black fruits that are fresh and perky but amply-structured leading to a fairly lengthy finish. You won't find quality like this at $8 anywhere!

30% Malbec, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Syrah,
10% Sangiovese
59% Wahluke Slope, 41% Walla Walla Valley
20% new French oak
14.8% alc.
Bottled January 15th, 2021

***

Lot 128 | 2019 Willamette Valley (Yamhill/Eola) Chardonnay

Its back and better than ever!

N.128 is from the same producer as N.77 2018 Willamette Valley Chardonnay (which has been quite well received by consumer and critic alike on CellarTracker). The wine is just as good if not better and at a better price to boot! Here is my write-up of the 2018 with a few adjustments to the tasting notes but the profiles are essentially the same.

Burghounds...looking for a baby Montrachet? Look no further.

Today's release comes from a producer in Willamette Valley's renowned Yamhill-Carlton district. With consistent 91-92 pt. scores for the last two vintages running from Robert Parker, Antonio Galloni/Vinous.com and the Wine Spectator, this mid-$40's-retail Chardonnay is an incredible offer at $16/bottle. The same wine the winery bottles, its absolutely freaking gorgeous stuff. Whether your thing is Sauvignon Blanc or buttery Chardonnay, the beautiful texture and seamless perfection here will have broad appeal (just don't drink it ice cold - 55-60 degrees is perfect).

Honeysuckle and hazelnut are perfectly-pitched against lemon curd, spicy apple pie and honey-poached Bosch pear in a beautifully delineated and precise bouquet with a nice white pepper perfume. Smooth and seamless on entry but vibrant with juicy citrus and orchard fruit perfectly rendered over lip-smacking mineral and wet river rock. Beautifully-textured, this wine glides across your palate dripping precisely-attenuated fruit into a river of mineral meringue, a whisp of vanilla and white pepper. Touch more richness and depth on the mid-palate than the 2018. Long and pure and chock-full of equal parts creamy, blossomy succulence and nervy tension, this classic Burgundian-style Chardonnay will absolutely knock your socks off.

100% barrel-fermented, 21% new French oak
100% Chardonnay
13.4% alc.
630 cases available
Bottling March 29th, 2021

***

Lot 129 | 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

One of the last wines I bought before the fires, this archetypal Napa Valley Cabernet is sourced from a mix of estate and purchased fruit sourced from St. Helena, Chiles Valley, and Calistoga with just a smidge of Rutherford Cabernet. We upgraded the base Cabernet (which sells for $75/bottle out of the tasting room) with 20% of the same producers $100+ Reserve Cabernet. Priced today at $20/bottle, this lithe, sexy, full frontal Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is an incredible offer.

Deep ruby in the glass. Ripe and concentrated with cherry and black raspberry with notes of chaparral and cardamom, tobacco leaf, graphite and toasty french oak. Blackberry and bay leaf lurk under the surface, coming up after about an hour of air. Supple yet robust fruit is beautifully welded to velvety tannins giving the wine a perfectly balanced structure that will drink well in its youth and age nicely too. The mid-palate delivers pretty raspberry puree underpinned with blackberry fruit and chocolatey oak notes. The wine is chewy and lip-smacking throughout the long finish.

Bottled in late January, this Cabernet is still shocky; however, it should come around relatively quickly (May/June) as its made in a right-up-the-middle, classic style that is approachable now but will age nicely over the next decade.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
55% St. Helena, 25% Chiles Valley, 18% Calistoga, 2% Rutherford AVA
50% new French oak, 22 months in barrel
14.7% alc.
600 cases available
Bottled January 27th, 2021

***

Lot 130 | 2019 Napa Valley Chardonnay

This is about as terroir-driven as Chardonnay gets. From a cool, steep, hillside vineyard just east of Carneros and south of Coombsville at the southern end of Napa Valley, this Chardonnay sees no new oak. Beautifully expressive and extremely well-crafted, it weighs in at just 12.3% alc.

The 2019 bottling just received a mid-90's score from one of the more terroir-appreciative critics so, if you are a fan of crisp, mineral, Chablisienne-style Chardonnay (this is a very calcareous site), you won't to miss this highly allocated, $40-$50 retail offering now priced at just $20/bottle. Only 30 cases available.

Lovely, spicy bergamot, almond meat, and oyster shell perfume intermingles with ripe pear and apple with a kiss of nectarine. Expansive and open-knit on the palate with ample structure and chalky minerality leading to excellent mid-palate tension and energy. There's some richness there too but its still wrapped in baby fat so give this another year in bottle if you can. Should age nicely over the next decade.

100% Chardonnay, 100% Napa Valley
100% neutral oak
12.3% alc
30 cases available
Bottled February 25th, 2021

***

Lot 131 | 2018 Walla Walla Old Block Cabernet Sauvignon

***BOTTLED 3/23/21. SHIPS MID-JUNE WEATHER PERMITTING
***CHOOSE SUMMER HOLD OPTION TO RECEIVE THE WINE IN THE FALL

Due to the tiny quantity (125 cases) available, this wine will be offered only in six-pack quantities. 225 six-packs are up for grabs at this time.

Due to the overall complexity of this deal and the sampling logistics and the small quantities involved (we purchased almost 30 barrel lots from two boutique wineries that share ownership), I opted to get the wines through bottle shock and then release them closer to drinkability. This wine has almost three months in the bottle now and is starting to open up nicely but has a quite a future ahead.

Sourced from the Windrow Vineyard (the oldest planted commercial vineyard in Walla Walla Valley and early source for Leonetti and L'Ecole 41), N.131 2018 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful example of old-vine Washington Cabernet. Robust yet elegant, its loaded with complex, mouthwatering fruit and a harmonious structure just now un-packing itself. We purchased the entire production of this old block Cabernet Sauvignon and bottled the wine as-is.

Past vintages of this wine were sold just south of $60/bottle but you can purchase a bit of Walla Walla history today for just $12/bottle, $72/six-pack.

Deep garnet in the glass. Graphite-dusted black cherry, camphor, plum and dark chocolate are enveloped in a halo of toasty french oak. Fleshy and juicy on entry with sappy black cherry and blackberry fruit melding into a currant-driven mid-palate tension that carries the pretty fruit into a long, sustained finish. Medium-full-bodied with robust yet well-integrated tannins, this wine will drink nicely over the next 10-12 years. Again, it was bottled a little less than three months ago so probably best to wait until Fall 2021.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% estate Windrow Vineyard
30% new French oak
14.6% alc.
225 6-packs available
Bottled March 23rd, 2021

***

Lot 132 | 2018 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

2021 CRITICS CHALLENGE RESULTS
PLATINUM - 94-POINTS!

July 6th, 2021
A gorgeous representation of Howell Mountain's rustic structure that makes the bold fruit sing. It's got a long life ahead, but I bet you won't be able to hold on to it for long -- it's just so attractive right now. Considering an absolutely amazing price, you can get a case end enjoy the evolution over time. Serve with a well marbled prime rib and enjoy the extended moment of bliss. A Platinum Award winner at the 2021 Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition.
94 Rich Cook Jul 6, 2021 Critics Challenge

***WINE SHIPS WEEK OF JUNE 3RD WEATHER PERMITTING
***PURCHASE SUMMER HOLD FOR $5 TO STORE YOUR WINE UNTIL MID-OCTOBER

Sourced from a $90/bottle program, this 2018 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is a classically styled wine from an incredible vintage. Since we produced less than 100 cases, Lot 132 will be offered as a single-bottle purchase at $25 per bottle - only slightly higher than the full case offer price would have been.

As far as I can tell, the producers wines have not been been professionally reviewed for some time (though Sbragia scored a 94 with a vineyard designate Cabernet from this producers vineyard. This is small, family run winery that's has been in business since early 2000's so its likely they just don't need to bother. However, I can assure you Lot 132 is an exceptional wine and it is incredibly priced. As mentioned previously, 2018 is a hell of a vintage.

Opaque in the glass. Spice, black fruits, molten licorice and an amalgam of cherry kirsch and red rock define the gorgeous bouquet (sample was bottled yesterday May 19th and hasn't gone into shock yet). White flowers and acacia wood add dimension to the nose with air. Supple and fleshy on entry with chewy tannins supporting plump black fruit and mineral-driven earth notes with black cherry and cassis echoing throughout the long finish. Pretty open-knit style that will age nicely over the next 10-15 years but drink well in the near-term.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
75% new French Oak
14.8% alc.
95 cases produced
Bottled May 19th, 2021

***

Lot 133 | 2019 Eola Amity Hills Chardonnay

The source for this release is one of Oregon's newer entrants to high-end Chardonnay, but they've quickly established themselves as one of the finest producers in the state for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Beyond being located in the Eola-Amity Hills and scoring 93-96 points from virtually all major critics for their 2018 estate Chardonnay (as well as past vintages), there's not much else I can tell you regarding the provenance of this wine other than, like much of Oregon's Chardonnay, its a Burgundian-styled wine that would have a particular appeal to sommeliers and restaurants.

In all of my years of being a negociant, it is one of the finest Chardonnay's I have ever released (and probably the most expensive to purchase). If you can't tell, I'm particularly proud of this sophisticated wine and eager to share it with you, particularly given that it is priced about 70% off what you'd pay at the winery. (Please note: mock-up label says Willamette Valley but the wine is 100% Eola-Amity Hills).

Pale yellow in the glass. The aromas are energetic, mineral-driven and redolent with creamy lemon, jasmine blossom, dried pineapple and nectarine beautifully haloed with a honeyed bergamot/fennel perfume. Fleshy and energetic yet creamy on the palate, this wine perfectly balances richness and verve with layers of perfumed stonefruit and lemon candy building on the palate before unfurling with perfectly-attenuated energy and tension. Seamless and mouthwatering, this a very special Chardonnay that will impress with its pinpoint precision and epic, elegant length. Should age nicely over the next 5-7 years. Booyah.

100% Chardonnay, 100% Estate grown and produced, 100% Organic/Biodynamic
30-40% new French oak (est)
13% alc.
400 cases available
Bottling Date: March 29, 2021

***

Lot 134 | 2020 Lake County Sauvignon Blanc

Exotic and sexy, this beautiful Lake County Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from a Napa Valley Winery where it sells for just under $30 out of the tasting room. Not a lot of folks can sell Lake County SB for over $20 so I think you'll be suitably impressed at $12/bottle. Trust me, this is fantastic SB and should be drinking nicely come April for Spring/Summer poolside (of course, this wine was picked well before the fires and has no smoke taint).

Very light in color with a pretty green tinge. Explosive on the nose, rich with mineral-laden blossom. lychee and pear. Soft and fleshy on entry with zesty citrus notes and flinty acidity echoing in a long, pure finish. Delicious.

100% Sauvignon Blanc
Partial barrel-ferment, the rest done in stainless steel.
14.4% alc.
500 cases available
Bottled February 25th, 2021

***

Lot 135 | 2017 Mendocino 80- to 90-Year-Old-Vine Carignan

92-POINTS, GOLD MEDAL!
2021 CRITICS CHALLENGE WINE COMPETITION

A layered Carignan that maintains its fun factor with razzleberry and spice. A Gold Award winner at the 2021 Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition.
92-POINTS Jul 6, 2021

Fresh and vibrant despite having 32-months in barrel, this gorgeous Carignan has pretty, Pinot-like fruit characteristics but with Old World, Italia-style structure.

Bold and juicy yet complex and elegant, it hails from 80- to 90-year-old, head-trained Carignan vines from Piffero and Bartolomei vineyards on the rocky eastern benches of Redwood Valley in Mendocino County. The producer is one of the stalwarts of the region and knows the Mendocino county dirt better than anyone. The wine retails just south of $30/bottle out of the tasting room and is an absolute steal at $15/bottle.

Terrific and, I will bet, surprising quality. In fact, I think this might be the perfect wine to spring on guests - will make you as cool as hell.

Get yourself a nice big bowl to enjoy the beautiful aromas. Medium purple in the glass. Powdered lavender and rose petal spring from the glass, underpinned with warm brown sugar notes from the extended barrel time. Wild berry bramble, walnut husk, and graham cracker round out the glorious bouquet. Beautifully balanced on entry with a soft, medium-body delivering raspberry, anise and sage spice against a firm yet well-integrated structure. Juicy and chewy across the mid-palate with a long, pristine finish. The purity of fruit here is truly compelling.

98% Carignan, 2% Merlot, 100% Mendocino County
Sourced from Piffero and Bartholomei vineyards 80-90-year-old, head-trained vines
14% alc.
250 cases available
Bottled November 13th, 2020

***

Lot 136 | 2018 Adelaida District, Paso Robles Syrah

Oh yeah. Deep Paso, baby. The Adelaida District lies west of highway 101 and Paso Robles and its rocky, calcareous soils, high-elevation and ocean proximity make it some the best terroir in the region.

This Westside gem is one of the best Syrah's I've ever sourced, anywhere. Last years vintage scored 94-POINTS from one of the major pubs with past vintages scoring between 92 and 94 from various other major publications (I'd love to tell you who buts it just too obvious) and the wine sells for $40+.

Deep purple and fairly opaque. The nose is gorgeous, redolent with pretty pastille, powdered violet, and a pure beam of boysenberry surrounded with ethereal earthen tones and anchored with bacon fat. On the palate, layer after layer of meaty blue fruit, baking spice and wet stone are wrapped in silky elegance but finish with a chewy grip of dark, earthy berry. All the pieces are there but I would let this integrate a bit more and wait until June before cracking this beauty.

100% Syrah, 100% Estate, 100% Adelaida District
20-25% new French oak
14.4% alc.
350 cases available
Bottled December 11, 2020

***

Lot 137 | 2019 Rhone White Blend

The Adelaida District lies west of highway 101 and Paso Robles and its rocky, calcareous soils, high-elevation and ocean proximity make it some the best terroir in the region. Today's release is a tiny little 100 case lot of Rhone white blend, 60% Grenache Blanc, 26% Picpoul, and 14% Viognier. Barrel-fermented in large puncheons and neutral barrels and then aged on the lees until July, this wine is brilliantly focused and expressive. $35 out of the tasting room.

Pale yellow in the glass. Lychee, pear, ginger and honeycomb dance with orange blossom and a diamond-like, crystalline minerality in a super pretty bouquet. White fruit and honeydew melon on entry melding with honeycomb and a blossomy retronasal blast in the finish. Schisty acidity provides tension and grip and elegance. Delicious but needs more time in the bottle to integrate fully. Try this in April.

60% Grenache Blanc, 26% Picpoul, 14% Viognier
100% Estate fruit, 100% Adelaida District, Paso Robles
14% alc.
100 cases available
Bottled December 11th, 2020

***

Lot 138 | 2018 Napa Valley Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

N.138 is sourced from the same producer as N.80 2018 Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

A month or so after I purchased the other Cabs, they came to me with a tiny Family Reserve Lot comprised of 35% of the same wine in N.80 Reserve Cabernet plus 65% of their Family Reserve Cabernet (which sells for north, and I mean way north, of $100/bottle). Deep, dark and tantalizing, I was immediately smitten. I did consider blending this into the N.80 for a bit more stuffing (which we hadn't bottled yet due to harvest) but it was an easy decision to keep it separate.

Quick side note: the Estate Lot is 100% Calistoga Cabernet and the other a mix of Calistoga and St. Helena so it comes in just under the 85% requirement for Sub-AVA status; hence, the Napa Valley AVA.

Deep ruby, almost opaque in the glass. Right out of the bottle pretty raspberry and cherry poke out of the abyss but quickly recede as the aromas darken and cocoa-dusted Santa Rosa plums come to the fore. Silky on the palate with elegant, lifted acidity masking chewy tannins. Once those unfurl, chocolate-covered cherries and graham cracker notes echo throughout the long, superbly-balanced finish with hints of clay and dark earth keeping things interesting.

8/3 tasting update. This wine has deepened and darkened its fruit profile. Rich and chewy now with fantastic balance and potent structure. Complexity is coming through nicely - this is approachable with good decant.

94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 2% Petite Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
82% Calistoga, 18% St. Helena
50% new French oak
14.8% alc.
125 cases available
Bottled January 27th, 2021
Bottled

***

Lot 139 | 2018 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

Oh man, what a mouthful of Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit was was sourced from two of Washington States most legendary vineyards, Champoux and Phinney Hill (located right next to each other in Horse Heaven Hills) and produced by one of Washington States most-respected producers. Both sites are renowned for their fine, dark tannins and beautifully-balanced fruit. Grace, elegance, power and precision are exquisitely captured by today's offering.

The source winery offers this wine for $60+/bottle and routinely scores in the 91-93 point range with major critics. And that's all I can say about that.

Hell of a deal at $19/bottle - that much I can assure you.

Dark in the glass, deep ruby and just a shade off of opaque. Bottled 12/18, this wine is still emerging from shock and pungent with seasoned oak, ripe but fresh cassis and cherry fruits and a deep plum backbone. Rich and chewy on the palate with robust tannins well integrated with ripe but nicely attenuated fruit finishing with an amalgam of dark chocolate and plum riding red rock infused mineral tannins. The values of precision and grace are deeply evident in this rich, dark, powerful wine.

85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot
50% new French oak
14.9% alc.
Bottled December 18th, 2020
500 cases available

***

Lot 140 | 2018 Rocks District of Milton-Freewater Syrah

From an organically-farmed, Grand Cru vineyard in the Rocks district, this powerful, elegant and alluring Syrah comes from one of the Districts benchmark producers. Meaty and peppery with lovely floral lift and elegantly rendered fruit, this tightly-coiled, well-chiseled beauty is a defining style for the region. Priced now at $60-75/bottle out of the winery, it's a fantastic offer at $20.

Medium-to-deep purple in the glass. Meaty lavender and smoky mineral dominate the brooding nose with raspberry and black cherry lurking below the surface due to bottle shock (but that will come back up, of course). Tightly wound but seamless across the palate showing tremendous finesse and elegance with delicately nuanced, if tightly wound, fruit. There is little to no new oak here so the savory fruit is very pure and, once the wine gets through shock, will be quite expressive and pretty. Definitely a Syrah purists dream.

100% Syrah, 100% The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater
Aged in large format, neutral oak for 22 months
14.9% alc. (though it feels like a lot less)
200 cases available
Bottled December 17th, 2020

***

Lot 141 | 2018 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

Bottled back in February and coming around nicely in the bottle, Lot 141 is a no-expense spared, built-to-the-nine's Cabernet Sauvignon designed to showcase the best of the Horse Heaven Hills appellation.

I'll cut right to the chase here: The 2016 and 2017 versions of this wine scored 94- and 92-points respectively with Jeb Dunnock and a $65/bottle price tag. 2018 is considered a superior vintage so I think its safe to conclude N.141 would fall somewhere in between, if not outpace, those scores. We purchased the finished blend and bottled it as-is.

It is an incredible offer at $18/bottle.

N.141 2018 HHH Cabernet will age another 10-15 years easily and I recommend a solid decant in the meantime. Tightly wound, brooding and muscular out of the gate, with air this wine becomes very expressive and, eventually, what you'll find is a sophisticated, deftly-made Cabernet Sauvignon that delivers tremendous complexity at a ridiculous price. Perfectly-ripe and exceptionally-well-balanced at 14.3% alc., N.141 will have broad appeal to Napa Valley Cabernet and Bordeaux-lovers alike. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Deep purple in the glass. Tightly wound, deep and concentrated at first but soon opens up to reveal pretty cassis, dusty dark fruit, graphite, cedar, and crushed red rock notes. Pretty violet florals halo while caramel and toffee notes underpin the bouquet. Broad, generous and muscular on entry but surprisingly elegant as well featuring big-grained tannins stained with cassis and black fruit that resolve into a prettier cherry and red rock spectrum as the wine echoes through a long, sustained finish. Terrific tension and lift throughout.

78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Malbec, 9% Petite Verdot
50% new French oak, light-to-medium toast
14.3% alc.
450 cases available
Bottled February 17th, 2021.

***

Lot 142 | 2018 Horse Heaven Hills Malbec

91-POINTS
2021 Sommelier Challenge Wine Competition

Horse Heaven Hills Malbec? You just gotta trust me on this one folks.

From the same producer as N.143 Petite Verdot (which has been extremely well-received), N.142 2018 Horse Heaven Hills Malbec is a no-expense-spared, single-vineyard-designate offering from a deep-pocketed producer in Washington State. No expense was spared in either the construction of the winery and vineyard or the production of this wine - flagship-level juice normally priced at $65/bottle out of the winery.

Dark and rich with perfectly-ripe fruit, chocolatey oak, and a sexy structure, this Malbec delivers all the complexity of an $85+/bottle Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

And it is spectacularly priced at $18/bottle. Not to mention the fact that it now has over two months in the bottle and is resolving nicely. I can only imagine the look on your friends faces this summer when you tell them you only paid $18/bottle for this!

Its all here folks - don't miss this one.

Inky and opaque in the glass. Rich aromas of boysenberry jam and blackberry syrup coalesce with succulent purple florals underpinned with french vanilla and perfectly- integrated sexy, toasty, chocolatey oak. Ripe yet supple on entry with ripe blue and black fruit folded over minerally, mildly-chewy tannins that carry this wine to a surprisingly elegant and gorgeous finish that goes on and on. This medium-full-bodied Malbec (14.5% alc.) delivers excellent complexity, a suave structure, ripe fruit and perfectly-integrated French oak. Ladies and gentlemen, this is first-class, deftly-made wine.

88% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Petite Verdot, 1% Syrah
100% Horse Heaven Hills, 100% single-vineyard
14.5% alc.
500 cases available
Bottled February 17th, 2021

***

Lot 143 | 2018 Horse Heaven Hills Petite Verdot

Today's offering comes to us from a deep-pocketed producer in Washington State. The vineyards and winery were planted/built with one goal in mind - make world-class Cabernet and other Bordelais varietals. No expense was spared in either planting the vineyard or constructing the winery.

However, today's offering is not their Cabernet - that'll come later. Up first is one of my favorite wines from Washington State. This $60+ Horse Heaven Hills Petite Verdot will absolutely knock your socks off at $18/bottle.

Like everything else here, this is no-expense-spared, first-class juice. Deep, rich, and powerful, its a hell of a mouthful of wine for sure but also beautifully nuanced and savory with umami. I cannot recommend this highly enough. More Petite Verdot please Washington State.

Inky and pungent in the glass, ripe with brooding black cherry and black currant peeking through the toasty cocoa and seasoned oak framework. All saddled to a big chunk of solid rock minerality. Pretty florals are a bit subdued but once this gets through bottle shock it'll be impressive. Supple on entry and chewy across the palate with super-smooth tannins leading the lengthy finish. Everything is buttoned-up and dialed-in here, classy and sophisticated with an ample, expansive structure that will unleash its complexity shortly. Should flesh out around June but will be really singing this Fall. Will age nicely over the next 10-15 years.

100% Petite Verdot, 100% Horse Heaven Hills, 100% estate
40% new French oak
14.8% alc.
200 cases available
Bottled February 17th, 2021

***

Lot 144 | 2019 Napa Valley Chardonnay

Sourced from an estate producer located on the Atlas Bench alluvial fan dropping down off of Atlas Peak in the cooler southern climes of Napa Valley. These gravelly, well-drained soils produce wines of excellent concentration and intensity. Today's release is a wonderful Chardonnay, beautifully-crafted and refined with a terrific verve. Produced in a combination of new French oak barrels an concrete eggs (renowned for their uncanny ability to produce intense yet even fruit extraction), the resulting wine combines a rich, creamy mouthfeel but gorgeous, elegant aromatic expression. Stylistically, this wine is right up the middle, creamy, elegant and sophisticated but not overtly buttery. Exquisite comes to mind. Mid-$40's out of the tasting room, a steal at $16/bottle.

Pale, medium straw. The nose is fantastic, redolent with lemon blossom, vanilla, fresh-cut pineapple and citrus notes haloed with a lovely vetiver perfume. Fantastic on entry, round and full-bodied but super-supple. Beautifully balanced with perfectly-ripe, chalky pineapple, mandarin and honeydew melon accented with baked baguette and vetiver notes that echo through a long, elegant finish. Pristine fruit is perfectly integrated with wood and mouthwatering acidity. Shazam!

100% Chardonnay
30% barrel-fermented in new French oak, 70% concrete eggs
14.3% alc.
500 cases available
Bottled February 18, 2021

***

Lot 145 | 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

You might recall OG N.129 Napa Cabernet. In that release, I mentioned a particular Reserve Lot that we blended into the producers standard $75 Napa Cabernet. Today I am releasing the $100+ Reserve Cabernet lot (St. Helena and Rutherford fruit sources) which we further turbocharged with two killer lots of Rutherford Cabernet and St. Helena Merlot sourced from another high-end Napa producer. The result is a deep, palate-staining Cabernet with a seamless, chewy structure, perfectly-integrated oak and supple, vibrant fruit - never over-extracted. Its an absolute steal at $32/bottle.

Deep ruby with an opaque core. Focused layers of aromatic complexity featuring dried cherry, creme de cassis and dusty blackberry compote mingling with cedar, creme de cassis and leather. Supple and beautifully seamless on entry, well-supported with lively acidity and chewy, palate-staining tannins coated in blackberries and brown sugar with a vanilla bean top note. Medium-full-bodied (14.8% alc.) with juicy acidity and supple, nuanced, perfectly-ripe fruit, this is a beautifully-balanced, precise and powerful Cabernet Sauvignon that will age nicely over the next 10-15 years. A true Napa Valley Classic!

90% Cabernet, 10% Merlot
60% St. Helena, 40% Rutherford
50% new French oak
14.8% alc.
550 cases available
Bottled January 26, 2021

***

Lot 146 | 2017 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

This was originally offered to VIP's as a thank you. The remainder is now available in the Bottle Shop.

Big, concentrated and spicy with ripe black fruits and ripe, mouth-coating tannins, this full frontal Cabernet with absolutely knock your socks off. Priced around $175/bottle, this is no-expense spared Cabernet from one of the masters. If you like 'em big, chewy and rich with ripe layers of black fruit, this is for you. $39/bottle.

Inky, opaque in the glass. Graphite, camphor, white flowers, ripe blackberry jam, dark chocolate and cocoa powder. Plush, dense and multi-layered across the palate with blackberry compote and toasty oak interwoven with big-grained, mature tannins. Booyah. Forget about this for another couple years and then drink over the next 10-15 years.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from select vineyards in top appellations (sorry, not allowed to mention)
80% new French oak
15.1% alc.
Bottled May 18th, 2021

***

Lot 147 | 2018 Walla Walla Red (Nebbiolo/Charbono)

***BOTTLED FEBRUARY 19TH, SHIPS MID-JUNE WEATHER PERMITTING
***CHOOSE SUMMER HOLD OPTION AT CHECKOUT FOR FALL SHIPPING

And now for something completely different!

Like sister wine N.131, N.147 is sourced from the Windrow Vineyard, the oldest planted vineyard is Walla Walla. A blend of 69% Charbono and 31% Nebbiolo, this is a fantastically complex wine with tremendous upside for ageing...I've had this bottle open now for three days and its only now getting expressive. The Nebbiolo bottling sells for $55 and the Charbono $38, so I think its fair to say this is a tremendous value at $10/bottle.

We think the two blend beautifully together and I am thrilled with the result...while still evolving, already the bouquet is beautiful and the wine is supple and seamless on the palate with excellent length, elegance and coherence. The overall quality here is fabulous and should be well-considered by those of you for an affinity for Italian wines and a penchant for ageing same...this thing will go another 15+ years.

A mix of medium purple and medium garnet in the glass. Tight right out of the bottle so a 24-hour decant is highly recommended right now (decant for an hour or two and then decant back to bottle, let sit overnight) to get the aromatics to express. Then you get the cherry fruit, tar and rose petals from the Nebbiolo underpinned with the deep plum, a kiss of wild strawberry and rustic brown sugar notes from the Charbono. Fleshy and ultra-supple with fantastic-but-tightly-wound fruit wrapped around nicely integrated tannins - perfectly elegant but with a robust core that will allow for extended ageing and tremendous complexity down the road.

Obviously, the best of this wine is out ahead of it but I think it will be quite enjoyable this Fall so long as you give it plenty of air.

69% Charbono, 31% Nebbiolo (100% estate Windrow Vineyard)
100% neutral French oak
12.9% alc.
500 x 6-packs
Bottled February 19th, 2021

***

Lot 148 | 2019 Sierra Foothills Cabernet/Syrah

Liquid silk!

Today's offering comes to us from a high-end producer from whom I have recently purchased some fantastic wines. Its largely derived from Cabernet and Syrah from some terrific vineyards at about 2000-feet in the Sierra Foothills and then finished with a smidge of Napa Cabernet (15%) to round out the blend. The resulting wine is silky and juicy with sexy, vibrant fruit and sweet, beautifully integrated oak that's just a blast to drink.

This wine is currently only available to the source wineries mailing list as bit of a thank you so I can't really compare the prices insofar as I don't know what they are. I actually paid a lot more for this than I should have and am offering it at a price lower than I need, but I found it too delicious to pass up. So, consider it my thank you to you as well.

At the end of the day this is a wine with good complexity, lots of character, and a silky palate. It's drinking remarkably-well right now given it has less than a month in the bottle (and is likely to oscillate a bit more as it comes through shock), but I think this wine will be ready to rock in another month or two. Solid cellar defender at $16/bottle.

Deep ruby in the glass. Chocolate-covered cherries, acacia blossom and plenty of spicy cinnamon with dark berry notes and a kiss of red rock in fresh-turned black earth. Racy on the palate with silky, juicy dark berry and chocolate unfurling on a wave of big-grained yet soft and succulent foothill tannins. Brooding and super-serious? No. Just sexy fruit and a playful demeanor that's quite compelling.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Syrah
85% Sierra Foothills, 15% Napa Valley
14.8% alc.
Bottled February 18th, 2021

***

Lot 149 | 2020 Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc

BOTTLES APRIL 9TH, SHIPS LATE APRIL

A very Bordelais-style Sauvignon Blanc, this wine combines barrel-fermented and tank-fermented lots to produce a zesty bouquet and rich mid-palate weight while still maintaining the mouthwatering freshness we adore in Sauvignon Blanc. $25/bottle at the winery, yours for just $11/bottle, $132/case. 200 cases available. Its fabulous.

Zesty and complex bouquet with melon and apple notes riding grapefruit/gooseberry zest and honeysuckle blossom in a beautifully uplifted, bright and effusive bouquet. The 15% new French oak and lees stirring give the wine nice weight and texture on entry with richer white fruit profiles (honeyed pear and apple) and toasted nut notes. Pretty acidity provides a wonderful mineral lift that carries the wine to a long, lingering, blossomy finish.

100% Sauvignon Blanc
25% barrel fermented (75% new French oak in that portion, 15% overall blend), 75% stainless steel fermented.
13.9% alc.
200 cases available
Scheduled bottling date April 9th. Will ship late April, early May.

***

Lot 150 | 2019 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

93-POINTS, GOLD MEDAL
2021 SOMMELIERS CHALLENGE WINE COMPETITION

The story of Lot 150 started on our trip up to Washington State late last summer. Word got around that we had tidied up many a cellar and we were invited back to peruse the expansive cellars of another high-end producer. Here we found a treasure trove of largely pre-assembled barrel lots of Cabernet Sauvignon from some of Red Mountains finest vineyards like Ciel du Cheval, Quintessence, and Klipsun not to mention the producer's own estate vineyard.

We finalized two wines, the first of which is OG Lot 150 2019 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

A combination of barrel lots from programs that range from $50/bottle (~60% of blend) up to the mid-$80's (~40% of the blend), the result captures all the ethereal beauty of Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon for the incredible price of just $19/bottle. I do think its fair to say this wine would easily retail for $60+/bottle.

Deep ruby/opaque in the glass. Sweet violets and crushed red rock halo black cherry, leather and plum. There are layers of nuance and complexity here and a new discovery around every corner as the bouquet opens up with blackberry and brown sugar/walnut husk joining cinnamon spice. Ripe and chewy on entry with black cherry and leather resounding over bristling tannins. The finish is beautiful, playing out with richness, elegance and precision. Exceptionally-deft wine making here.

86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 2% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Syrah, 1% Petite Verdot
~55% new French oak
14.7% alc.
Bottling May 27th, 2021

***

Lot 151 | 2018 Napa Valley Reserve Meritage

94-POINTS, PLATINUM MEDAL
2021 SOMMELIERS CHALLENGE WINE COMPETITION

Here is yet another very serious wine at a very unserious price from this line. It has the Napa Valley signature profile for a Bordeaux styled blend that pays tribute without sacrificing identity. In other words, the fruit is fully ripe, and it's got the structure to keep it from flying apart. Yum! A Platinum Award winner at the 2021 Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition.
94 Rich Cook Sep 21, 2021

I have to admit this wine made me question my choice of the Red Mountain Cabernet for Lot 150. At the end of the day, the beautiful, classy, ethereal expression of Red Mountain won out. Given due consideration, however, I thought it appropriate to line this up next door to Lot 150 as Lot 151.

A blend of 47% Cabernet, 39% Merlot, and 14% Malbec, Lot 151 2018 Napa Valley Reserve Meritage is rich and ripe with beautiful (very expensive) oak and a lush, open-knit but still-potent structure. Complex but accessible, this magic carpet ride of a wine will have broad appeal as a cellar-defender extraordinaire.

Silky-smooth, priced at $75/bottle and Reserve-designated at the winery, its an incredible deal at $19/bottle. Will age nicely over the next decade.

Deep garnet with an opaque core. Fabulous nose of violets and ripe blackberry nestled with black cherry and leather notes. There's plenty of well-integrated oak - these are very nice barrels, medium plus toast but perfectly seasoned. The palate is where its at, however, soft and lush with ripe fruit but perfectly-balanced by the robust structure. The finish is epic and lovely with waves of red and black fruit unfurling over minerally tannins with shaved chocolate and toffee notes echoing throughout. This is Napa Valley hedonistic pleasure at its best. Insanely good for $13/bottle.

Bottled February 19th but I think this one will come around relatively quickly.

47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 14% Malbec
70% St. Helena, 16% Oakville, 14% Calistoga
45% new French oak
14.8% alc.
600 cases available
Bottled February 19th, 2021

***

Lot 152 | 2018 Russian River Chardonnay

*SHOULD SHIP EARLY APRIL WEATHER PERMITTING

This is a fantastic small-lot Russian River Chardonnay that I purchased in shiner (a shiner is a bottle of wine with no label and a non-branded cork...in this case, closed with what is known in the industry as a 1+1 cork). Bottled Spring of 2020, its drinking beautifully now. $50/bottle out of the tasting room, only $20/bottle today.

Medium straw in the glass. Gorgeous and fully expressive nose of warm butter, dried pineapple, baked apple and powdery honeysuckle blossom. Meyer-lemon custard and white lilies come up with air. Succulent and soft yet juicy on the palate with harmonious fruit and mineral integration that presents waves of baked apple spice, ginger and honey in a long, lush, beautifully-balanced finish. Like I said, gorgeous. Drink at cellar temp 55 degrees (pull out of the fridge 20 minutes before you open) to fully enjoy this wine.

100% Chardonnay from three RRV sites
40% new French oak
14.3% alc.
175 cases available
Labeled March 2021

***

Lot 153 | 2018 Columbia Valley (Walla Walla) CSM

***BOTTLED FEBRUARY 18TH, SHIPS WEEK OF JULY 19TH WEATHER PERMITTING
***CHOOSE SUMMER HOLD FOR FALL SHIPPING

Lot 153 comes to us from the same producer of the OG N.83 through to OG N.89. These wines are all fantastic and Lot 153 is no exception; in fact, this one was the hardest to part with it seems as it was meant to be the first CSM (Cab, Syrah, Merlot) they had produced. However, the winery, recently sold, was told to divest itself of the wine and it was offered to us late last year. The wine sees approximately 30% new French oak and is largely sourced from the wineries Walla Walla estate vineyard plus a lot of Syrah from Pheasant Run, also located in the Walla Walla Valley AVA.

Lot 153 CSM now has almost two months in the bottle and will be nicely fleshed out by mid-May. This wine was meant to retail for $60/bottle and is nicely priced at $18/bottle. Plush, juicy and ripe but with excellent depth and dimension, you will be floored by the value here. Another excellent cellar defender. There are only 200 cases left so I would advise that you move quickly on this one.

Deep-ruby, medium-purple in the glass. The aromas are a bit disjointed from bottling but still lovely, showing excellent complexity...clearly there is a lot going on here. Savory seasoned oak, deep plum and bourbon-soaked cherries ebb and flow with waves of coffee bean and candle wax notes. Again, this will need another 30 days to coalesce but it will be beautiful. Plush and chewy across the palate with outstanding structure that is at once approachable but provides plenty of stuffing for another decade of ageing potential.

48% Cabernet, 30% Merlot, and 22% Syrah - 100% Walla Walla, 100% Columbia Valley
30% new French oak
14.9% alc.
400 cases available
Bottled February 18th, 2021

***

Lot 154 | 2018 Walla Walla Malbec

Lot 154 Walla Walla Malbec is sourced from the same producer as Lots 83 through 89 as well as the Lot 153 CSM. I tell you this because you know the quality this winemaker produces - those wines are across the board fantastic and showing nicely now. Lot 154 was bottled back in February but I didn't have a tank sample to work with at the time so I waited until it was through bottle shock and opening up.

This all estate fruit from their Walla Walla property and sees approximately 18% new French oak just to elevate the fruit. The wine is lithe, precise, elegant and powerful with beautiful balance. Those of you who liked the N.86 Merlot will find this wine very attractive; in fact, the blend is very similar to N.86, just swap the Merlot for Malbec...77% Malbec, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Syrah (all estate). Again, this is precision crafted wine with deftly deployed oak that retails between $50 and $60/bottle - a screaming deal at $16/bottle.

Opaque in the glass with just a hint of ruby around the rim. Pungent aromas of chaparral, sage and violet adorn toffee-laced, candied black cherry fruit. With air, an even deeper register of black plum fruit, earthy spice and coffee join the party. Supple on entry with ample structure and interwoven tannins just beginning to unwind revealing black cherry and cedar spice finishing with with a kiss of vanilla, clove and cinnamon. This wine is beautifully balanced and complex and ready to rock-and-roll now but will continue to gain complexity over coming months.

77% Malbec, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Syrah (all estate)
18% new French oak (100% barrel-aged)
14.9% alc.
500 x 6-packs available
Bottled February 12th, 2021

***

Lot 155 | 2019 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

Update: Since I purchased this wine I actually met with the proprietor on other business and he explained to me what I really had in the bottle here. This is a legendary vineyard (Platt - as close to grand cru as we get in CA) with legendary consulting winemaker and directly out of their $100/bottle program. I wondered why it took so long to come around in the bottle! Those of you who purchased this by the case should be patting yourselves on the back right now!

This tiny little boutique production is one of the best Sonoma Coast Chardonnay's I've seen, one of four lots I purchased from this producer. Yes, its a bit pricey but its worth it.

The wine is classically styled for the region (similar to Russian River Chardonnay) with beautiful aromas and mouth-watering, crystalline minerality. First-class juice all around with about 35% new French oak and no-expense spared production including concrete eggs and large format French oak puncheons. Bottled last week so give it until May/June to spread its wings...should age nicely another 10+ years.

Medium straw in the glass. Beautiful aromas of white lily and lemon grass halo crisp notes of gala apple skin, bosc pear, and flinty river rock. Honey and fresh butter round out the nose. Smooth and seamless mid-palate with mouthwatering mineral lifting pretty white fruit and orange citrus notes to a long, flinty finish with marshmallow creme notes.

100% Chardonnay, 100% Sonoma Coast
35% new French oak
14.0% alc.
100 cases available
Bottled February 18, 2021

***

Lot 156 | 2019 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Sourced from the same producer as N.157 and N.158, OG N.156 2019 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is a gorgeous, textbook example of the varietal in this region. The sensibility is decidedly Burgundian with integrated oak that lifts the fruit and beautiful mid-palate tension and verve. Selling for just around $100/bottle out of the tasting room, its a stellar deal at $24/bottle. Only 100 cases available.

Features an energetic yet succulent bouquet of honeysuckle blossom, white flower and spicy, poached pear lifted by lemon oil/ candy and ginger notes. Beautifully layered on the pale with lip-smacking acidity and nervy tension driving through a diamond-dusted mineral supernova. Incredible purity and persistence on the finish. Shazam!

100% Chardonnay, 100% Russian River Valley
60% new French Oak, low toast
14.2% alc.
20 cases remaining
Bottled February 18th, 2021

***

Lot 157 | 2019 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

94-Points, Platinum Medal
2021 Sommelier Challenge Wine Competition

High toned cherry fruit aroma is the calling card here, with a pleasant kirsch vibe keeping it right up front. On the palate is where the complexity show itself, with vanilla, brown spice and rich oak toast joining the cherry fruit. There's solid structure “ feel confident about aging this a while for full enjoyment. A Platinum Award winner at the 2021 Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition.
94-POINTS

From the same producer as N.155, N.156, and N.158, this phenomenal Pinot Noir hails from a legendary consulting winemaker working in a legendary vineyard (from which another producer just scored 100-points for their 2018).

All of the three wines have been bottled in the last month so my tasting notes will be cursory.

Sourced from the legendary Platt Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast just a few miles from the Pacific and renowned for its Burgundian qualities. Pale ruby in the glass...shy on the nose for now with a peek of red fruit and pretty perfume. The texture on the palate tells the story here, however, as this is beautifully structured wine with plenty of power and grace and huge, resounding length. Its all sensation at this point due to the bottle shock but its all there. Don't touch this until next year. Retails for well over $100/bottle.

100% Pinto Noir, 100% single-vineyard
60% new French oak
14.9% alc. (yes, high, but the wine is impeccably balanced)
250 cases available
Bottled February 11th, 2021

***

Lot 158 | 2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Sourced from same legendary consulting winemaker/producer as Lot 156 and Lot 157. This wine retails for around $200/bottle. Only 150 cases available

Inky, deep ruby in the glass. Meaty and brooding on the nose with ethereal notes of lavender and graphite managing to escape the abyss. With air, subtle, elegantly delineated graphite, black plum and cassis starting to peek through all the dark structure. Yes, this wine is deeply bottle shocked right now but its going to be fabulous, I promise. Its all here, gobs of structure, great acidity and fine french oak tannins focusing the mouthfeel and finishing with layers of graham cracker, black pepper and graphite.The fruit will come as this wine grows more agile in the bottle.

100% Cabernet, 100% Alexander Valley, 100% Estate
70% new French oak
14.6% alc.
150 cases available
Bottled February 11th, 2021

***

Lot 159 | 2018 Rutherford District Red Blend/Meritage

Deep, dark, and delicious, this Rutherford Red Blend (I would have called it a Meritage but it had 2% Petit Sirah) is ripe, chewy and muscular but also seamless and beautifully polished. Built for a $75/bottle program and to accompany an $85/bottle Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, it's a no-expense spared, flagship offering from a Napa Valley stalwart producer with significant $40-$50 Napa Cabernet program. This is their bottling blend as they simply sought to trim their case goods inventory. It's actually a reasonably good deal deal at $75/bottle and is, of course, an absolutely phenomenal deal at $20/bottle.

Deep ruby/opaque in the glass. The aromas are beautiful and vibrant in spite of the fact this wine has just one-month in the bottle. Deep, dusty plum and red cassis contrast nicely with tobacco leaf and a toasty, seasoned french oak halo with cedar notes and dark earth rounding out the bouquet. Supple and seamless on entry with finely textured tannins bringing out the leathery tones in the fleshy and rich mid-palate. Ripe black and red fruits drive the long finish. Super smooth, richly-fruited, and elegantly-structured with impeccable balance, this is a perfectly-assembled red blend.

45% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petite Verdot, 10% Malbec, 2% Petite Sirah
100% Rutherford, 100% single-vineyard
35% new French oak
14.9% alc.
Bottled February 19th, 2021

***

Lot 162 | 2018 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

***BOTTLED FEBRUARY 18TH, 2021

Phew - this bad boy has finally hit its stride. Like so many of the 2018's, this very-well-structured Cabernet has taken many months to come around. Its drinking much better now but still requires a good decant and will age nicely over the next 15+ years.

Lot 162 is the big-brother to N.131 Cabernet from the same winery and vineyard so I will post that info below.

Due to the tiny quantity (185 cases) available, this wine will be offered only in six-pack quantities. 270 x six-packs are up for grabs at this time.

Due to the overall complexity of this deal and the sampling logistics and the small quantities involved (we purchased almost 30 barrel lots from two boutique wineries that share ownership), I opted to get the wines through bottle shock and then release them closer to drinkability. This wine has almost seven months in the bottle now and is starting to open up nicely but has a quite a future ahead.

Sourced from the Windrow Vineyard (the oldest planted commercial vineyard in Walla Walla Valley and early source for Leonetti and L'Ecole 41), N.162 2018 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful example of Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon. Robust yet elegant, its loaded with complex, mouthwatering fruit and a harmonious structure just now un-packing itself. We purchased the entire production of this Plateau Block Cabernet Sauvignon and bottled the wine as-is.

Past vintages of this wine were sold just south of $60/bottle but you can purchase a bit of Walla Walla history today for just $12/bottle, $72/six-pack.

Dark, opaque in the glass with a garnet rim. Tightly would out of the bottle but unwinds nicely with lovely complexity showing plum, cigar box, and black cherry and then smoky blackberry and coffee. Rich and chewy tannins are just beginning to release the deep black fruit interwoven with notes of Belgian chocolate, black licorice and ground roasted coffee beans in a beautiful, asian-spiced finish.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon - 100% Plateau Block Windrow Vineyard
40% new French oak
Alc. 14.5%
185 cases produced
Bottled February 18th, 2021

***

Lot 163 | 2018 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

With almost a year in bottle now, this single-vineyard designate Hill Block Cabernet Sauvignon from the oldest commercially planted vineyard in Walla Walla (Windrow Vineyard) is showing great!

This is from the same producer as Lots 131, 162 and 164 and the last of these releases. I am simply re-printing the copy from the previous releases below for the uninitiated.

Due to the overall complexity of this deal and the sampling logistics and the small quantities involved (we purchased almost 30 barrel lots from two boutique wineries that share ownership), I opted to get the wines through bottle shock and then release them closer to drinkability. This wine has almost seven months in the bottle now and is starting to open up nicely but has a quite a future ahead.

Sourced from the Windrow Vineyard (the oldest planted commercial vineyard in Walla Walla Valley and early source for Leonetti and L'Ecole 41), N.164 2018 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful example of Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon. We purchased the entire production of this Hill Block Cabernet Sauvignon and bottled the wine as-is.

Normally priced at $58/bottle, its a steal at $11/bottle or $132/case!

Dark and inky in the glass, its surprising elegant and beautifully balanced on the palate. On the nose, Blackberry, cassis, licorice and brown sugar are supported by seasoned oak aromas and dark earth. Smooth as silk on entry with supple black cherry and blackberry fruit mingling with juicy acidity and beautifully integrated oak and tannin structure. Excellent overall balance with persistence and length on the finish.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
100% Hill Block, Windrow Vineyard (planted 1998)
50% new French oak
14.3% alc.
300 cases available
Bottled February 18th, 2021

***

Lot 164 | 2018 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Up for grabs today is Lot 164, a $70/bottle, Reserve-designated Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon primarily from the very well-regarded, 40+-year-old-vines of Cold Creek Vineyard, one of Washington States oldest vineyard sites. Small quantities of Cabernet from Olsen Estate (Wahluke Slope AVA) and and Stone Tree (Yakima Valley AVA) populate a small portion of the blend as well.

The winemaker is, I think its fair to say, a cult rockstar winemaker known for pioneering lower-alcohol yet still dynamic wines in the region (this Cab weighs in at 14.2%) as well as one of the few winemakers to whom the Leonetti's sell fruit.

The source winery itself is a sibling to the producer behind Lots 131, 147 and 162 and part of the complicated, 30-wine purchase I made last Fall in Walla Walla (there were two wineries involved). Lot 164 was bottled February 19th but I missed the very critical week-after-bottling to finalize tasting notes and have just been waiting for them to come around in the bottle before release.

And, while the wineries may be siblings in a sense, they, like siblings, have different personalities. The style here is clearly terroir-driven and, despite the relatively low-alcohol, very densely-packed akin to a high-end Bordeaux.

Inky, deep garnet in the glass. The bouquet is still pretty locked up even after 8-months in bottle (the tale of 2018!) but, after a couple days open in the bottle, the aromatics start to lift with spring rain on violets, brambled black raspberry, pencil shavings and seasoned spruce hardwood managing to escape this densely-packed yet elegant bouquet. The palate is tightly wound, as you can imagine, reticently offering hints of purple fruit over graphitic minerality. Smooth and elegant on the finish with fine, tight-grained french oak tannins stretching out over excellent, if unrevealing, length. Definitely a wine to leave untouched for a year or so.

88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petite Verdot
22% New French Oak
14.2% alc.
200 cases available

***

Lot 165 | 2018 Napa Carneros Estate Pinot Noir

Oh man, I'm in love. This gorgeous, textbook Napa Carneros Pinot Noir comes to us from one of the pioneers of not just Napa Carneros, but the larger Napa Valley region. If you are a Pinot Noir fan, I am confident this wine's effortless finesse will have broad appeal. It is faaantastic, ya just gotta trust me!

Priced at $50/bottle out of the tasting room with 91- and 93-point scores from a couple of the big four reviewers (wish I could name who scored what but these folks are quite protective), it's a fantastic offer at just $19/bottle. This is the same wine the winery bottled, they just had more than they could use.

Dark garnet in the glass. Beautifully expressive nose with well-delineated strawberry and black cherry fruit accented by lilac, sweet plums, and earthy black tea and a kiss of sandalwood from the medium-toast French oak. Tons of verve here aromatically. The entry is supple and seamless with ripe red and black fruits amply supported by fresh, vibrant, mineral-driven acidity that leads to a beautiful, perfectly-balanced finish. This is fantastic Pinot Noir, deftly-made with an crystalline effortlessness that makes it nearly impossible to drink just one glass. Grabs the case folks, you won't regret it. Only 400 cases available!

100% Pinot Noir, 100% Napa Carneros Estate
35% new French oak, medium-toast.
14.1% alc.
Bottled May 25th

***

Lot 166 | 2018 Walla Walla Valley Meritage

***BOTTLED APRIL 9, 2021 - SHIPS NEXT WEEK

***THIS IS PRE-RELEASE PRICING ON A WINE WITH OVER 6-MONTHS IN BOTTLE

Lot 166 2018 Walla Walla Meritage comes to us from the same producer partners that brought us N.131, N.147 as well as Lots 162 and 164 (for those you new to dN, we moved from the N. numbering system to using Lot numbers with Lot 150. I like the sound of it better).

As I have mentioned ad nauseum, this was a complicated deal with over 30 different barrel lots. Lot 166 is a our own proprietary blend utilizing some of the best of those barrel lots. In fact, the base wine is a fantastic Walla Walla Merlot (WW Merlot easily rivals WW Cabernet Sauvignon) with portions of the same Windrow Vineyard Plateau and Hill block Cabernet's found in Lots 131 and 162 blended in. Four barrels of rather stunning Petite Verdot put some real spine into the blend too, not that Walla Walla Cab and Merlot need much help in that department.

The result is a supple and seamless yet potent blend of spicy plum, cherry fruit and robust structure. Crafted from $45-$70/bottle components, Lot 166 is a phenomenally good deal at $18/bottle.

Deep garnet in the glass. Opens up beautifully with a couple minutes in the glass. Candied pie cherry, spicy plum, brown sugar, cocoa, and toasted french oak are just now beginning to unwind. The wine is seamless and supple on entry, layered and vibrant across the palate with mouth-watering cherry, spice, and savory depths of barrel spices supported by a robust-yet-well-integrated structure that indicates there is a lot more to come here. Outstanding.

51% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petite Verdot
100% Estate Fruit, 100% Walla Walla Valley
~40% new French oak
14.5% alc.
400 cases available.
bottled April 9th, 2021

***

Lot 167 | 2019 Napa Valley Chardonnay

BOTTLED APRIL 20TH, SHIPS NOW WEATHER PERMITTING

A combination of fruit grown in Napa Carneros and Oak Knoll, this vibrant, exquisite Chardonnay will have broad appeal. It is 100% barrel-fermented with 100% malaolactic fermentation and 50% new French oak, yet the wine retains tremendous freshness, elegance and super-pretty citrus and stone-fruit notes. This is no Rombauer. Instead, its elegant and pristine with the fleshy, creamy texture nicely balanced by vibrant acidity on the palate. I love this style.

The current version of this wine in the marketplace is the 2017 vintage which retails for anywhere from $40-$50/bottle and has received 93- and 94-point scores from The Wine Advocate as well as Jeb Dunnock. That the 2017 is still in the marketplace is likely why we were able to get our hands on a healthy chunk of the 2019. Complex, gorgeous and layered, Lot 167 2019 Napa Valley Chardonnay is a stunningly-good deal at $12/bottle, $144/case. You simply will not find this kind of depth and dimension anywhere near this price.

Medium straw in the glass. Pretty and perfumed with white peach and keffir lime notes nestled into the richness of ripe honeydew melon and sweet almond blossoms. The depth here is simply fantastic! One critic noted this wine sashays out of the glass - that is a perfect description. Fleshy and creamy on the palate with ripe, honeyed orchard fruit getting terrific lift from crystalline acidity that delivers a sweet and blossomy yet also toasty retro-nasal kick and huuuuuge length. Perfectly-balanced and pretty throughout, this fantastic Chardonnay has a sense of effortlessness, sophistication and elegance to it I rarely find in California Chardonnay. Absolutely fantastic.

100% Chardonnay
50% Napa Carneros, 50% Oak Knoll District
100% barrel-fermented, 100% malolactic fermentation,
50% new French oak, low-to-medium-toast.
13.5% alc.
800 cases available
Bottled April 20th, 2021

***

Lot 168 | 2018 Dry Creek Zinfandel

Like your Dry Creek Zinfandel big and bold but with boutique producer attention to detail? Today's release is from one of Dry Creek's defining producers - a small, family run outfit focused on making big, rich and expressive Zinfandel and Petite Sirah's but on a small scale.

At it since the 80's, I've long been a fan of the wines but, since their productions are so small, I rarely run into them on the bulk market other than for the odd squirrely barrel or two. Fruit-driven, expressive and bold but always balanced, I am quite pleased to be able to offer you a couple hundred cases of kick-ass 2018 Dry Creek Zinfandel. This is the producer's finished blend which sells for $36/bottle, yours today for $16/bottle.

Wonderfully aromatic already with robust bourbon-soaked cherry, sweet tobacco leaf, a kiss of thyme and classic, Dry Creek foothill spice. Juicy, open-knit and absolutely delicious with cherry and raspberry and caramel notes from the well-deployed American oak splaying out in a long, harmonious finish. This is a classic style, pure and resinous, driven by oak-elevated, not oak-dominated fruit.

98% Zinfandel, 2% Petite Sirah
35% new American oak
16.2% alc.
250 cases available
Bottled April 14, 2021

***

Lot 169 | 2018 Dry Creek Petite Sirah

Dense, bold, and full-bodied, Lot 169 is a full-throttle 2018 Dry Creek Petite Sirah that will knock your socks off. Despite its lushness, this wine is perfectly-balanced, open-knit and accessible with broad appeal. Selling for over well over $40/bottle off the wineries website, its nicely priced at $12/bottle, $144/case. Unfortunately, I only have 150 cases so PS-lovers would be well-advised to move quickly.

Blackberry/blueberry pie and white flower aromas are haloed with spicy, toasty oak underpinned with vanilla. Chewy and dense across the palate but nicely-balanced with fruit and mineral spice that integrate seamlessly into the lush background of youthful tannins. The wine finishes rich and broad with mouth-coating tannins echoing with the ripe black and blue fruit.

100% Petite Sirah
50% new oak, split between French and American
14.9% alc.
150 cases
Bottled April 13th, 2021

***

Lot 170 | 2019 Dry Creek Reserve Merlot

Lot 170 2019 Dry Creek Reserve Merlot comes to us from the same small, boutique producer of the very-well-received Lots 168 Zin and 169 Petite Sirah. I have always been knocked-out by this wine but was unable to catch good notes before it shocked up completely so I waited until now, three months later.

The good news is Lot 170 drinking great and ready to rock and roll now.

And you can thank the deliciously ripe 2019 vintage for this - its perfectly ripe but also well-built with a fantastic, open-knit structure that carries the power and richness of the wine beautifully. Rich, ripe, lush and succulent yet chewy and muscular, Lot 170 is indeed a powerhouse Merlot made is a Reserve style. If you like big, reds with plenty of rich, lush fruit you are going to LOVE Lot 170.

There are only 225 cases of this $40+/bottle Reserve-designate Merlot available.

Deep ruby in the glass but not quite opaque. Sings with ripe black cherry and blueberry fruit and is pungent with passilla pepper, brown sugar and seasoned oak. Ultra-smooth on entry but big and chewy across the palate with robust yet well-integrated tannins carrying layers of black and red fruit and toasted vanilla notes in a lush, expansive finish. Fantastic overall structure and integration, as well as its ultra-plush musculature, makes this quite drinkable now but compelling over the next 5-7 years as well. Booyah!

87% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec, 100% Dry Creek Valley
50% new French and American oak
14.8% alc.
225 cases available
Bottled May 3rd, 3021

***

Lot 171 | 2018 Sonoma Coast (Petaluma Gap) Pinot Noir

Sourced from a small, boutique producer, this beautifully-crafted Pinot Noir hails from the Sonoma Stage Vineyard. The vineyard was planted about 10-years-ago by the Hyde Family to the Swan and Calera suitcase clones, each of which, and at different times, was allegedly smuggled in from Domain de La Romanée-Conti and propagated throughout California.

Sonoma Stage Vineyard has been the source for many a high-end, boutique producer and was recently sold, leading many to assume they would no longer be able to source from the vineyard. Hence, a natural candidate when it comes to right-sizing your inventory.
This wine blew me away when I first tasted it (as did every other wine this producer put in front of me) and I think you'll find it an exceptional offering. With no expense spared in its production (including 50% new French oak), a $55/bottle price tag and solid collectible bona fides, its an incredible value at $21/bottle.

Deep garnet in the glass. The nose opens with dark, earthy fruit, graphite and gravel notes adding pretty strawberry and raspberry notes punctuated with seasoned french oak and haloed with thyme, cola and cinnamon spice accents. The nose is a bit monolithic just now but that's to be expected with these clones; however, it does indicate this wine will be best when cellared for a few years. Robust and broad on entry, its seamless across the midpalate with gobs of fleshy structure punctuated with vibrant acidity that carries all the rich fruit and muscle to a resounding and lengthy finish. And, while this is a pretty powerful Pinot that will age well over the decade, I do see it drinking nicely come this Fall.

100% Pinot Noir, 100% Petaluma Gap/Sonoma Coast
50% new French oak
14.5% alc.
210 cases available
Bottling April 13th, 2021

***

Lot 172 | 2019 Napa Valley Syrah

Today's release comes to us from a vineyard in the southern reaches of the Napa Valley, a cool-to-moderate site sitting just north of highway 12 on the hilltops above Sheehy and Soscol Creeks. Here the Mt. George volcanics mix with uplifted alluvial's to create the low-yielding conditions that can even ripen Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (which, despite the cooler weather conditions, is actually heavily-planted here). And while this is a southern valley location, this is not really a cool-climate-style (like the gorgeous N.136 Adelaida Syrah) but rather a deep, dark, delicious and perfectly-ripe example of classic hillside Napa Syrah.

The producer (located further up-Valley) spares no expense with this wine and its actually quite a reasonable value at their price range of $45-$55/bottle versus where you would normally price a hillside Syrah aged in 60% new French oak. Lush, open-knit, rich and ripe, I think this will have tremendous appeal to Syrah fans as well as Napa Cabernet-lovers. A steal at $20/bottle.

Opaque/inky in the glass. Redolent with a meaty plum and brown sugar core haloed by sweet lavender, blackberry jam and chocolate. Plush and juicy on the palate with dusty plum, cocoa, fresh blackberry and a pretty anise notes but well-structured with chewy, hillside tannins coated in rich black fruit. The finish is very long, echoing with dark fruit and seasoned oak. Fabulous.

100% Syrah, 100% Napa Valley
60% new French oak
15% alc.
Bottled May 11th, 2021

***

Lot 173 | 2018 Sonoma Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Sourced from a $95/bottle program, this is a no-expense-spared effort to create a flagship Cabernet for a small boutique brand from one of Sonoma Mountain's finest (and one of the first fully organic) vineyards, Murray Ranch. Murry Ranch's mix of volcanic soils and uplifted cobblestones serves as a key source for Paul Hobbs and Arrowood (until it was sold) as well as a slew of up-and-coming winemakers eager to establish their reputations for high-end Cabernet. The winemaker for this particular project is a high-end consulting winemaker for a variety of Napa Valley Cabernet producers with $150 to $300+ price points sourcing fruit from To Kalon and George the III. In short, this guy is legit.

Stylistically, this wine is decidedly riper than the other 2018 Sonoma Mountain Cabernet currently on offer, N.54, but still weighs in at what would now be considered a moderate alcohol of 14.8%. While N.54 is ethereal and elegant with more appeal to the typical Pinot Noir drinker or the quintessential old world palate, Lot 173 is powerful yet restrained with fruit and structure in perfect balance, and more likely to appeal to the classic Napa Cabernet Lover. In fact, I'll got out on a limb here and say this wine is as good as any of the 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet's we have produced so far.

Unfortunately, there are only 40 cases left, so Napa Valley Cab Lovers should not hesitate to secure their case. It is an incredible wine for $25/bottle.

Opaque, inky in the glass with a kiss of purple around the rim. Elegant and focused aromas cover the full spectrum with white flowers, ripe raspberry, leather and spicey cinnamon (Big Red?) underpinned with crushed river rock. Supple, sinewy and beautifully attenuated on palate with a perfect amalgam of raspberry and ripe, minerally tannins with crushed red rock notes that echo through the long, sustained finish. Again, perfect balance of ripe fruit, structure, elegance and power. Fantabulous!

97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec
45% new French oak - lovely barrels, perfectly integrated.
14.8% alc.
40 cases left
Bottled April 14, 2021

***

Lot 174 | 2019 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

$30 Russian River Valley Chardonnay for $15/bottle? Yessir.

Ready-to-drink RRV Chardonnay at $15/bottle? Hell yeah!

With six-weeks in the bottle now, Lot 174 2019 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is opening up beautifully! Pure aromas, concentrated flavors, and an elegant structure make it perfect for all day sipping.

The winery and vineyard are located in the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley appellation on an uplifted plateau just a stones throw from Kistler and Iron Horse Vineyards. The winery hired a few years ago a very experienced North Coast winemaker to lead the Rennaissance of the brand but COVID put a damper on the export markets as well as their tasting room business. We were able to purchase this Chardonnay as well as a very small Lot of Carneros Pinot Noir for a most excellent price.

Pale yellow in the glass. The bouquet is pure and delineating nicely with flint, river rock, and caramel apple notes with a spicy, candied ginger, ripened Bosc pear, and marshmallow halo. Opening up nicely with plenty more complexity to come. Soft, smooth and elegant on entry soft with ripe pear, a kiss of honey and marshmallow on the mid-palate with a hint of roasted cashew on the finish. The pretty, mineral-driven acidity is nicely attenuated throughout the lengthy, echoing finish. This is a pretty and elegant style of Russian River Chardonnay perfect for all year round drinking.

100% Chardonnay, 100% Green Valley of the Russian River Valley
28% new French oak
13.7% alc.
400 cases available.
Bottled May 10th, 2021

***

Lot 175 | 2019 Red Mountain/Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Lot 175 is the sibling to Lot 150 and every bit as good - maybe better if you like a bit more muscle in your Cabernet. A blend of 73% Red Mountain and 23% Walla Walla fruit, it is derived from some of the best vineyards in both regions and aged in approximately 60% new French oak. Similar to Lot 150, it's a blend we assembled from programs ranging from $50+ to $80+/bottle Reserve Lots.

Thanks to the Columbia Valley appellation (we would need 85% Red Mountain to make the RM appellation), I am able to offer this to you at an incredible price of $19. I'm working super-lean on the first tranche so now is a phenomenal opportunity to own some of the best 2019 Cabernet out of Washington State for a song.

The story of Lot's 150 and 175 started on our trip up to Washington State late last summer. Word got around that we had tidied up many a cellar and we were invited back to peruse the expansive cellars of another high-end producer. Here we found a treasure trove of largely pre-assembled barrel lots of Cabernet Sauvignon from some of Red Mountains finest vineyards like Ciel du Cheval, Quintessence, and Klipsun not to mention the producer's own estate vineyard. Lot 175 combines fruit from Walla Walla's legendary Seven Hills Vineyard as well.

We finalized two wines, the first of which is OG Lot 150 2019 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The second of which is Lot 175 Columbia Valley (73% Red Mountain/27% Walla Walla). The structure has a bit more heft than Lot 150 so we kept it in barrel for a few more months and bottled it on June 7th.

A combination of barrel lots from programs that range from $50/bottle (~70% of blend) up to the mid-$80's (~30% of the blend), the resulting wine combines the ethereal elegance of Red Mountain with the power of Walla Walla hillside fruit.

Dark garnet in the glass. Beautifully lifted aromas of violets and black cherry/blackberry contrast with darker and more mysterious tones of dark earth, graphite, mulled cinnamon and crushed red rock. Excellent complexity. The silky texture is layered with fruit and chewy tannins supported by vibrant acidity punctuated with lightly toasted wide-grain French oak. Fantastic balance, power and elegance from a terrific vintage.

79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 9% Petite Verdot, 1% Malbec
approximately 60% new French oak
14.5% alc.
800 cases available
Bottled June 7th, 2021

***

Lot 176 | 2019 Russian River Pinot Noir

94-Points, Platinum Medal
2021 Sommelier Challenge Wine Competition

Here's a spicy side Pinot Noir that pops with cinnamon and cardamom over lively cherry fruit that rides a wave of cool climate acidity through a zesty finish. It will sit well on a table of fish or fowl, and it will cut through a cream sauce effortlessly. A Platinum Award winner at the 2021 Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition. 94-POINTS Sep 28, 2021

Fleshy and racy with crystalline fruit, plenty of verve and native yeast suavage, Lot 176 2019 Russian River Pinot Noir strikes the perfect balance between the ripe/unctuous and leaner Sonoma Coast styles.

The source winemaker is a Burgundian maestro and has always been my favorite for striking just the right balance between California fruit and Burgundian nerve.

Lot 176 is sourced from a variety of top-quality Pinot Noir sites in the heart of the Russian River Valley and fermented on native yeasts (~30% whole cluster) and aged in 50% new French oak with monthly battonage. Again, no expense is spared here. The resulting wine threads the needle between ripeness and structure beautifully, delivering complexity, elegance, and concentration on a lithe, sinewy framework.

Priced between $50-$60/bottle, this wine scores, without fail, between 94- and 92-points with the major critics and is probably under-priced versus the marketplace. Pinot fans of all stripes, its time to back up the truck!

Medium garnet in the glass. Beautifully complex, balanced and layered aromas of dried rose petal, black cherry, dark earth, asian spice/ginger and a lovely bergamot tea halo that envelops it all. Air complexes the aromas further adding warm, flinty river rock, wild strawberry and a really cool, earthy layer of coastal river ravine that reminds me of the Mendocino's coastline, chock-full of verdant canopies and ferny, wooded glades. Silky smooth on the palate, medium-bodied with nuanced, delicate fruit dancing in crunchy, mouth-watering acidity and punctuated with fine French oak tannin. Damn fine wine here folks.

100% Pinot Noir - mix of Pommard and Dijon Clones
25-30% stem inclusion, Native yeast ferment, 50% new French oak, monthly battonage
14.1% alc.
600 cases available
Bottled April 22nd, 2021

***

Lot 177 | 2020 Russian River Valley Rose of Pinot Noir

90 POINTS, GOLD MEDAL!
2021 CRITICS CHALLENGE WINE COMPETITION

A dry, herb-driven style, with subtle strawberry, cherry and zesty citrus balancing nicely. A Gold Award winner at the 2021 Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition.
90-POINTS July 6, 2021

Russian River Rosé of Pinot Noir made from $70/bottle ultra-premium Pinot Noir fruit for just $10/bottle? Yes, please.

Sourced from a legendary vineyard in the Russian River Valley, these folks decided not to take any chances with smoke taint and produced a Rosé from their incredible Pinot Noir fruit (without maceration with the skins, smoke compounds are generally not extracted into the wine...which is why you are likely to see quite a bit of Rosé of Cabernet from Napa Valley this year).

Of course, they make a rose every year anyhow so this is all de rigeur for them; however, selling 150 cases is one thing, selling 1000 is another. Needless to say, we purchased the remainder and have it here on offer today. They price their wine just over $30/bottle (they've already released the 2020) and I have ours on offer today for $9/bottle, $108/case. We bottle in April and should ship out later in the month.

This Rose of Pinot Noir is flat out gorgeous and one of the prettiest Rosé's you'll see (sorry I don't have a bottle image but our designer is buried in label development). It's aged in neutral oak for about 5 months and comes out a lovely, pale salmon color. The bouquet is crisp and beautifully expressive with rose petal, watermelon, and crisp strawberry with hints of lemon verbena and grapefruit. Its smooth, almost creamy, on the palate with pretty, pure, nuanced fruit laid out over soft, mineral tannins that finish with a crisp, delicate elegance and sustained sucosité. Fantastic! Or, I should say, Fantastique!

100% Rose of Pinot Noir, 100% Russian River Valley, 100% Estate fruit
100% Neutral French oak barrel-aged for 5 months
13% alc.
600 cases available
Scheduled to bottle April 6th, 2021

***

Lot 178 | 2018 Mt. Veeder Chardonnay

Legendary 100-point consulting winemaker meets incredible Mt. Veeder Estate vineyard!...what more do I need to say? Oh yeah, how about that its only $25/bottle versus the well over $125/bottle they charge their mailing list for their final blend (sold in six-packs - only 100 cases and I want to spread it around) . Trust me when I say no expense was spared in the production of this wine...sub-two-ton yields, top-quality oak, etc.

Now, here's the fine print. These barrels didn't make the final blend. They started with twelve barrels and only bottled the blend of five for their final cuvee and we got the rest. Does this mean they were rejects? Hardly, the producer wanted to put their best foot forward and this clonal selection (Wente and Montrachet) was the best. Lot 178 is a fabulous wine (more Montrachet than Wente in ours), however, you have my word on that.

Green gold in the glass. Apple and brioche out of the gate but soon the honeyed citrus notes move to the fore as the bouquet complexes. Rich and broad-shouldered on entry with creamy apple supported by a citrus and mineral spine that carries the wines to a resounding finish that echoes on your palate for a good minute. Drinks nicely even with just a month in the bottle but do your self a favor and hang onto a couple of these for at least another year to watch it evolve. Should be spectacular.

100% Chardonnay
Approximately 60% new French oak, 40% second-fill French oak barrels.
14.5% alc.
100 cases (200 six-packs) available
Bottled April 19th, 2021

***

Lot 179 | 2019 Napa Valley Petite Sirah

The moose is loose!

Broad-shouldered and rich, Lot 179 2019 Napa Valley Petite Sirah is a powerhouse Petite produced by a Napa Valley consulting winemaker with a legendary focus on Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a rich, concentrated and very modern-style Petite with plenty of ripe fruit, well-integrated oak and soft, sweet ultra-polished tannins. If you liked N.41 St. Helena Cabernet or Lot 57 St. Helena Cabernet, you'll love this.

The producer is quite cagey about the sub-appellation (and would only sell it to us as Napa Valley) but the wine is clearly sourced from a particular vineyard located on the rocky, volcanic northeastern slopes of Howell Mountain yet still in the Calistoga appellation. The wine retails for $60-$75/bottle and today's offering is just $21/bottle. A stunning value for a wine of this provenance and quality.

Squid ink dark in the glass. The bouquet erupts with cherry kirsch and huckleberry framed with sarsaparilla and brown sugar with nuances of charred oak, clove and leather. The wine is full-bodied on entry with dark, luscious lush fruit splaying out over chewy-yet-silky tannins and a long, lingering cocoa and roasted coffee-infused finish. Big-and-brawny yet never overbearing, this is precision winemaking at its best. Booyah.

100% Petite Sirah
60% new French oak
15.1% alc.
300 cases available
Bottled May 11th, 2021

***

Lot 180 | 2018 Paso Robles Meritage

Sourced from one of the stalwarts of the Paso Robles region (Westside fruit, yeah!), this purpose-built Bordelaise-blend is a seamless masterpiece of ripe yet beautifully-attenuated fruit deftly-layered over a firm core of tannins. This wine has an almost Italian-style firmness to it (think Super Tuscan) despite being a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot. Harmonious, elegant and weighing in at just 14.1% alc., this is a wonderful example of what Westside Paso Robles can do with Bordelaise varieties. Previous vintages are priced well over $35/bottle at the winery, yours today for just $15/bottle. Deep garnet in the glass. Rich plum and baking spice aromas mingle with brown sugar, leather, and dried tobacco - a total classic bouquet. The combo of French and American oak blends seamlessly here too. The wine is smooth and rich up front with plums and seasoned oak wrapping around the firm, aforementioned structure. An absolute pleasure to drink now (not to mention decidedly food-friendly), this wine will age beautifully over the next decade.

40% new French and American oak, 50/50 split
30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 17% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 14% Petite Verdot
14.1% alc.
61 cases left
Bottled May 3rd, 2021

***

Lot 181 | 2019 Amador County Cabernet Sauvignon

Lot 181 2019 Amador County Cabernet Sauvignon was produced by a North Coast boutique winery from an exceptional crushed-granite vineyard in the Amador County foothills. With a emphasis on balance and focus while still delivering fruit-forward wines, Lot 181 was their effort to source an excellent Cabernet at a great price for their mailing list, an inaugural release that was better suited for less turbulent times in the wine business. It is one the best Cabernet's I've had from this region.

Built to the nines with well-integrated new French oak, this wine makes a fabulous everyday drinker/cellar defender delivering gobs of lush, hedonistic fruit but plenty of structure and excellent balance. It is already drinking well with just a month in the bottle. I am confident this wine would, at a minimum, retail somewhere in the $30-$40 range and it delivers tremendous value at just $15/bottle.

Medium-to-deep ruby in the glass with nice glycerine complexion. Ripe blackberry, creme de cassis and crushed red rock dominate the nose along with plenty of seasoned french oak that should integrate nicely over the coming months. Big, lush and supple on entry but balanced throughout, Lot 181 delivers Napa Valley quality black and red fruits laid out over mouthwatering acidity that beautifully lifts the ample fruit to a long, sustained finish. Absolute magic carper ride of a wine that should be ready to rock by the 4th of July!

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
approximately 40-50% new French and American oak medium+ toast
14.9% alc.
600 cases available
Bottled May 3rd, 2021

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Lot 182 | 2019 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Lot 182 comes to us from one of California's most revered producers of Chardonnay and the source for Lot 176 Russian River Pinot Noir. After we did the lot 176 deal, I specifically requested they put together a Russia River Chardonnay for me. We only received 8 barrels and, quite frankly, I paid more for it than I have many Napa Cabernet's - that's how much I like it.

This cuvee is mostly estate fruit with two barrels from their single vineyard program. Because of the small quantity produced, as well as the high price, Lot 182 Russian River Valley Chardonnay will be sold in six-packs.

Weighing in at 13.8%, this crystalline beauty is a Burgundian-styled masterpiece - about as good as it gets here in CA.

Medium-to-pale gold with just a kiss of green. Barrel-fermentation and lees stirring makes the bouquet leap from the glass, redolent with honey-soaked pear, spice and butter haloed with citrus blossoms. Energetic on the palate nervy acidity and ripe fruit with huge length, this is powerful, sexy Chardonnay with beautiful purity. Fantastic!

100% Chardonnay, 75% estate
20% new French oak
13.8% alc.
200 cases produced
Bottled May 24th, 2021

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Lot 183 | 2020 Alexander Valley Rose of Sangiovese

Ripe, succulent and fresh, this absolutely glorious Rose is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Immensely quaffable, its perfect for picnics and poolsides. If you like a richer, fruit-forward style Rose that is still dry, Lot 183 is your wine! Checkout the tasting video here!

Normally priced just under $20/bottle, this unique, purpose-built Sangiovese Rose is now available for just $13/bottle. The only reason we got our hands on it is due to a recent sale of the winery and the new owner rationalizing the inventory. Get it while the gettin's good!

Deep pink/red in the glass...you can almost smell the watermelon and strawberry just by looking at it. Lo and behold, the nose is pungent with watermelon and strawberry candy, pretty rose petal and jasmine blossom with a lovely tobacco leaf note adding complexity. The aromas have excellent dimension and are alone worth the price of entry. Opulent on entry, rich fruit rides a bone-dry structure of red-fruit-flecked minerality that leads to a long, pretty, delicately-nuanced finish. Complex, wonderful and best of all, Deeelicious.

100% Sangiovese Rose...purpose-built, not saignee.
100% stainless steel fermentation and ageing.
14.3% alc.
Bottled May 11th, 2021

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Lot 184 | 2019 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Folks, this is a smokin' good deal.

The 2018 version of this Pinot Noir front-lines for just under $60/bottle and scored 92-points from one of the main reviewers. The fruit is sourced from Nunes Vineyard in the Russian River Valley and produced by one of the indisputable pioneer's of California Pinot Noir. Just $16/bottle, $192/case...get it while you can folks.

Garnet in the glass and effusive with ripe strawberry, cranberry and rhubarb notes haloed with black tea-infused florals and just a bit of pepper. Supple on entry with sappy red fruit caressing the midpalate while chalky, crunchy acidity adds structure carrying the pretty red fruit and tea notes to a long, lovely, resounding finish. Ripe yet pretty, medium-weight and very approachable with just a kiss of new French oak, this is a terrific Pinot Noir that will drink well in the near-term and age nicely over the next 7-10 years. Delicious.

100% Dijon Clone Pinot Noir
approx 15% new French oak
14.4% alc.
300 cases produced
Bottled May 11th, 2021

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Lot 185 | 2019 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Burgundian Masterpiece!

This classic expression of Russian River Chardonnay comes to us from one of the most important wine growing families in the Russian River region. And while they own and farm many of the finest Chardonnay and Pinot vineyards in the Russia River watershed, they save their best for their own small, boutique brand.

The producers bottling has already received a 92-point score from the Wine Advocate for the same wine we have in the bottle today. With a $50-price point, it will thrill you with its perfect balance of old and new world sensibility not to mention its incredible tariff of just $14/bottle!

This is an incredible offer folks, world-class Chardonnay at a fraction of the price. If you missed out on Lot 155 or Lot 156 RRV Chardonnay or love the Willamette Valley Chardonnay offerings, Lot 185 is right up your alley, presenting the best of both worlds for chardonnay...rich-yet-elegant, powerful-yet-layered with chiseled minerality and mouth-watering acidity perfectly balanced with rich fruit and well-deployed oak.

300 cases available.

Pale yellow in the glass. Opens with butter and honeysuckle blossom over a core of Honeycrisp apples. With air, caramel, Fuji apple skin, and Bosc pear mesh with flinty river rock and white lilies. Rich on entry with ripe fruit perfectly delineated over crystalline minerality. The finish is perfectly-focused with lingering toasted vanilla unfurling over ripe nectarine and white peach in an electric, mouthwatering and pulsating finish. Fabulous.

100% Chardonnay
40% new French oak, 100% barrel-fermented.
13.9% alc.
300 cases available
Bottled April 26th, 2021

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Lot 186 | 2019 California (Solano/Napa) Chardonnay

RomButter Bomb Alert! If you like the buttery, tropical style of Rombauer Chardonnay, look no further than Lot 186. 100% barrel-fermented in 45% new American oak and 47% once-used American oak, this rich, ripe Chardonnay will knock your socks off.

The wine was actually produced by a high-end Napa Valley winery for luxury restaurant accounts in China, but recent trade wars have soured that market for CA imports. When it comes to Chardonnay, most Chinese only care that it comes from California so the fruit was sourced from a vineyard that actually straddles the Solano/Napa County line, part of it in Wooden Valley (Napa County) and the other in Suisun Valley (Solano County). Solano County has recently become quite the hot spot for Napa wineries looking for more good grape growing regions as evidenced by the Wagner Family of Caymus and Meomi fame as well as the Gallo Family (and, yes, with the Gallo's, Family should be capitalized) buying up large swaths of land there recently. Because this wine is technically California appellation, I was able to get an exceptional deal for you. Effectively, this is no-expense-spared, Napa Carneros-quality Chardonnay for just $12/bottle. I'm telling you, if you like Rombauer, you will love this!

Medium yellow in the glass. Huge nose of perfectly-ripe pineapple, caramel apple and peach surrounded by vanilla and honeysuckle blossom. Viscous on entry with pineapple and vanilla notes building into caramel, butterscotch and toasty American oak on the creamy mid-palate. There is freshness and structure throughout the wine with the peachy notes getting more evident with air. Fantastic!

100% Chardonnay, 70% Solano County, 30% Napa County
45% new American Oak, 47% once-filled American oak
14.5% alc.
500 cases available
Bottled May 24th, Shipping late June

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Lot 187 | 2019 Atlas Peak Syrah

***BOTTLES MAY 20 AND SHIPS MID-JUNE WEATHER PERMITTING
***CHOOSE SUMMER HOLD OPTION AT CHECKOUT FOR FALL SHIPPING

Lot 187 2019 Atlas Peak Syrah comes to us from the same producer as N.44 2018 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon (which has excellent 93pt. reviews and only 250 bottles left in the store!) and N.45 2018 St. Helena Merlot (only 300 bottles left).

The fruit for Lot 187 is sourced from the legendary Stagecoach Vineyard and aged in 50% new French oak. The end result is a classic Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah, replete with succulent florals, blue fruit and coffee bean, and a powerful structure that will age beautifully over the coming 10-15 years. Winery priced at $70/bottle, yours today for $15/bottle, $180/case.
Only 100 cases available.

Deep ruby/opaque in the glass but not inky. Complex, beautiful bouquet of white lily, blueberry, and coffee bean with savory, earthy graphite, plum preserve and beef jerky notes rounding things out. Full-bodied and powerful on entry with blue fruit poking through a delicious amalgam of savory oak and plum reduction notes. Huge length on the finish with gobs of extract echoing across your palate. Should be nice this Fall.

100% Syrah
50% new French oak
15% alc.
100 cases available
Bottles May 20, 2021

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Lot 188 | 2019 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

This fantastic Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet is sourced from the Raines Vineyard on the steep hillsides up above Saratoga. Aged in approximately 45% new American oak (nice Canton cooperage) and priced to sell at $55/bottle, its an exceptional offer at just $18/bottle. There are only 125 cases available so SCM Cab-lovers should move quickly! Oh, did I mention, the wine is good (great, actually)? Classically-styled, it weighs in at just 14.2% alcohol and is perfectly-ripe with juicy, mouthwatering acidity.

Deep ruby/garnet combo in the glass. A core of black cherry and currant mixes with earthy graphite and crushed gravel notes with a pretty rose petal and Provence herb halo making things really interesting. Beautifully balanced and complex aromas. The palate is equally beguiling with supple, ripe blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, mouthwatering acidity and a robust, gravelly structure that carries the robust fruit to a long, sustained finish that echoes on your palate for a good minute. Yum.

93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot
45% new American Oak
14.2% alc.
125 cases available
Bottled May 3rd, 2021

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Lot 189 | 2019 Sonoma Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

95-Points, Platinum Medal
2021 Sommelier Challenge Wine Competition

Another ridiculous value from de Négoce “ one that is alive with acidity and ripeness that just sing in the glass and in the mouth. Vanilla and a touch of mint play a countermelody to the powerful blackberry and currant, and a little heat in the finish doesn't distract. Nicely realized! A Platinum Award winner at the 2021 Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition.
95-POINTS Sept 21, 2021

Lot 189 is sourced from the same producer as Lot 173 2018 Sonoma Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon so I have included that write-up below. Everything holds true for the 2019 wine. Typical of the vintage, however, the 2019 is a more open-knit style with riper fruit profile - its certainly less brooding and will be far more approachable in its youth than the 2018.

Sourced from a $95/bottle program, this is a no-expense-spared effort to create a flagship Cabernet for a small boutique brand from one of Sonoma Mountain's finest (and one of the first fully organic) vineyards, Murray Ranch. Murry Ranch's mix of volcanic soils and uplifted cobblestones serves as a key source for Paul Hobbs and Arrowood (until it was sold) as well as a slew of up-and-coming winemakers eager to establish their reputations for high-end Cabernet. The winemaker for this particular project is a high-end consulting winemaker for a variety of Napa Valley Cabernet producers with $150 to $300+ price points sourcing fruit from To Kalon and George the III. In short, this guy is legit.

Unfortunately, we were only able to secure 165 cases of the 2019 Cabernet and 125 of those case are up for grabs in 6-packs. As I said previously, Napa Valley Cab Lovers should not hesitate to secure their case. It is an incredible wine for $20/bottle.

Opaque, inky in the glass with a kiss of purple around the rim. Boisterous brambly blackberry an raspberry join cinnamon spice and crushed red rock with leather and white flower in an open-knit bouquet. Supple yet juicy on entry with rich black and red fruits melded to fine, minerally tannins that echo through the long, pretty finish. Super approachable and remarkably delicious now but you'll want to let this get through bottle shock (I'm catching it now with one-week in bottle) later this Fall.

98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec
45% new French oak
14.8% alc.
125 cases available
Bottled July 14th, 2021

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Lot 190 | 2018 Napa Valley Mountain Meritage

Bang. This fantastic purpose-built, Reserve-designated Meritage is meant to showcase the power and structure of mountainside vineyards in Napa Valley. Despite their tremendous enthusiasm for the 2018 vintage, the producer simply had a couple hundred case over what they thought they could sell. Retailing for right around $100/bottle, I think you'll find this quite the bargain at $29/bottle. It is a rockstar.

Opaque in the glass. Dark cherry is framed with Haagen Daas coffee ice cream and spicy cedar notes. The aromas are fairly monolithic and dense, as well as oak-dominated, but they'll unwind beautifully. Powerful yet supple on entry with beautiful mineral-laced, chewy tannins showcasing blackberry and black cherry fruit in a long, harmonious finish. While fairly oak-dominated, this blend is seamless on the palate and will flesh out with a good 8-10 months in the bottle. Look for this to drink nicely in its youth and age well over the next 10-15, if not 20, years. Glorious stuff.

45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petite Verdot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 100% Napa Valley
50% new French oak
14.8% alc.
225 cases available
Bottling May 3rd, 2021

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Lot 191 | 2018 Napa Carneros Pinot Noir

***BOTTLED MAY 19TH, 2021 SHIPS NEXT WEEK WEATHER PERMITTING
***CHOOSE SUMMER HOLD FOR FALL SHIPPING

Beautifully elegant and food-friendly, this 2018 Napa Carneros Pinot Noir is sourced from a really nice vineyard in the Carneros hills. The producer is the same winery as the Lot 174 Russian River Valley Chardonnay (which is drinking really nicely now and available in a six-pack at $11/bottle!) and they shoot for a prettier expression of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These are both perfect for warm summer months refreshment and both are decidedly food-friendly with good acidity and freshness. The Pinot weighs in at just 13.6% alc.

Both are fantastically priced at $11/bottle and available in 6-packs. Lot 191 is extremely limited as we have less than 200 cases total.

Deep garnet in the glass. The aromas are almost fully-knit together as the wine approaches two-months in bottle with black cherry and wild strawberry aromas haloed with rose petals and dried herbs. Soft and silky on entry with pretty red fruits arrayed over mineral-laced tannins that have excellent length. This Pinot has a terrific, elegant structure and, being a 2018, is drinking great now and will grow even more nuanced over the next 5-7 years.

If you are looking for a medium-bodied, pretty and elegant Pinot, I believe you will find this a stupendous deal at $11/bottle.

100% Pinot Noir, 100% Napa Carneros hillside vineyard
25% new French oak
13.6% alc.
360 x 6-packs total production
Bottled May 19th, 2021

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Lot 192 | 2019 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

93-POINTS, GOLD MEDAL
2021 SOMMELIERS CHALLENGE WINE COMPETITION

Lot 192 comes to us from a relatively new, Napa Valley-based, boutique producer (and sommelier) sourcing fruit from a gently-sloping hillside vineyard just across the street from the well-regarded Knights Bridge Winery in Knights Valley (Knights Valley is just north of the Napa County line in Sonoma County but its volcanic soil structures are very similar to Napa Valley).

The vineyard was recently converted over to organic production by the legendary Barbour Vineyard Management. In his 30+ years as a vineyard manager and viticulturalist, Jim Barbour has planted and managed some of Napa Valley's most coveted vineyards, including Hundred Acre, Grace Family, Blankiet, Hourglass, Tom Seaver's GTS, Pride, D.R. Stephens, Revana, Fleming, Au Sommet, Amuse Bouche, Keever, Von Strasser, etc.

From the finest French oak to the best vineyard management team, no expense was spared in the production of this wine. Since the producer has yet to launch their inaugural 2018 bottling I can't give you a price comparison but I figure this wine would, at a minimum, sell for about $65-$75 and largely because its Knights Valley, not Napa Valley. This is an incredible offering at $21/bottle.

Dark, inky and opaque in the glass but lively, expressive and vibrant with aromas and flavors of lavender, black cherry and cassis, cigar box, chocolate truffle, pimento, and seasoned aromatic spruce and cedar hardwoods. Love these barrels. Supple on entry and rich on the palate with with lively, red-rock acidity that frames an elegantly-extracted spectrum of blackberry and cassis fruit with a fine coating of mineral and french oak tannins. Aromatic spruce, cocoa and violets linger on the finish.

The sommelier influence clearly shows in this wine...its beautifully extracted yet very harmonious with some killer minerality thanks to the vineyards volcanic soils. Big-yet-elegant, and it will age beautifully as well.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% Knights Valley, Sonoma County
50% new French oak
14.7% alc.
500 cases available
Bottling May 18th, 2021

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Lot 193 | 2019 Red Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

Uh-oh, another OG dN candidate for Value Cabernet Sauvignon of the year. Given the fruit-forward nature of the 2019 vintage (versus the powerfully structured 2018's), this wine would certainly qualify for Ultimate Cellar Defender status.

Hands-down, this is one of the best Cabernet's I have ever sourced out of the Red Hills District of Lake County and one of the best values to date out of this program. For those of you unfamiliar with the Red Hills District of Lake County, this is a nice piece here that also discusses the source vineyard for this bottling.

The winemaker has an excellent pedigree in Sonoma County working for one of the top-end Russian River Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir brands. He produces this wine for a $40+/bottle program (separate from the aforementioned SB and PN program) and consults on a variety of other projects. Let me just say this wine is a relatively good value at that $40 price point and an exceptional offer at $16/bottle.

The program/brand itself is relatively new and extremely well-funded so little expense was spared in the production of these wine including top-quality fruit from Obsidian Ridge Vineyard, small-lot custom crush production and 20-months in 40% new French oak barrels. And that's about all I can say about that other than this is an absolutely fantastic $16 bottle of Cabernet.

Deep purple, almost opaque, in the glass. Bottled just 6 weeks ago but already showing nicely with rich notes of blackberry, plum and black cherry mingling with tobacco, crushed red rock and violets underpinned with tootsie roll/dark chocolate and seductive vanilla bean oak notes. Lush and vibrant on the palate with red and black fruits framed in mouth-watering acidity and a fine tannin structure. The wine explodes on the palate with a fantastic amalgam of fruit, rock, oak and tannin. Sexy, juicy and hedonistic in the best way, this wine may be the Ultimate Cellar Defender Cabernet!

100% Cabernet Sauvignon
40% new French oak
14.8% alc.
Bottled May 18th, 2021

***

Lot 194 | 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Ethereal, gorgeous, pure and elegant, Lot 194 is one of my favorite Cabernet Sauvignons.

I was at first taken aback by its somewhat un-extracted color, but immediately smitten by its complex and expressive aromatics. Sourced from a fantastic hillside site hidden back in the rather-cool climate of Wooden Valley, just to the northeast of Coombsville/Wild Horse Valley and to the southeast of Atlas Peak. (In fact, Wild Horse Valley is the coolest site in Napa Valley as the air mass that passes over Carneros cools another 10 degrees by the time it rises to the AVA. You can click this link and see the Wooden Valley running north-to-south just to the northeast of Wild Horse Valley).

The winemaker is a legend amongst winemakers but hardly a household name save for wine geeks. As one of the former winemakers on the program that put Napa Cabernet on the map as well as being a member of founding team for Opus One, this individual has 40-years of grokking Napa Valley terroir at a whole other level.

Combining the power of Napa Valley Cabernet with the elegant-yet-potent expression of Burgundy, Lot 194 is sure to impress with its cool-climate, ethereal sensibility. It will age phenomenally-well too. I cannot wait to imbibe the aromas five years from now!

Priced at $95 at the winery (the 2016, that is - the 2012 is $125/bottle), you will not find such a pretty and potent Cabernet at $35/bottle anywhere. This is world-class winemaking folks.

Medium-ruby in the glass. As noted previously and effusively, this wine is gorgeously aromatic with succulent, powdery pink florals caressing perfectly-ripe and very-pure aromas of cherry and raspberry. The oak is just a platform here, almost imperceptibly elevating the fruit. Bravo. Supple yet potent on entry presenting delicately nuanced red fruits mingling with brown sugar and tobacco leaf-tinged-yet-crystalline minerality that goes supernova on the midpalate. The minerality steals the show here, the nuanced, red fruit-flecked starburst dancing elegantly across your palate for a good minute or two. 'Gol dang...

99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Merlot
50% light-toast French oak
14.7% alc.
400 cases available
Bottling Scheduled for May 19th, 2021

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Lot 195 | 2019 Napa Valley Meritage

93-POINTS, GOLD MEDAL
2021 SOMMELIERS CHALLENGE WINE COMPETITION

The Prettiest Athlete in Napa Valley or YinYang Hillside Harmony?

I had originally titled this release the former but, given our seeming confusion over the sexes these days, I think I'll go with the latter. It's a better metaphor for Lot 195 anyhow, combining as it does so seamlessly the masculine and feminine qualities traditionally associated with wine.

Lot 195 comes to us from the same producer as Lot 194; however, it is purely a creation of Mark and my work on the blending table. It combines 60% Merlot (which, AFAIK, the producer does not traditionally bottle) with 20% of the Cabernet Sauvignon from Lot 194 and 20% of the Cabernet Franc that comprises Lot 196. The base Merlot component here is absolutely a stand-alone-quality wine but this blend was irresistible.

The result is a fantastic wine that combines the prettier spectrum of Bordelais aromatics with a muscular-yet-mineral-laden structure akin to more robust, age-worthy Burgundies. YinYang, indeed. The vineyard, as previously noted in the Lot 194 release, is a hillside site in the relatively cool-climate of Napa's Wooden Valley.

There are only 300 cases available of this gorgeous wine and I highly recommend it for Napa Merlot fans as well as Pinot Noir fans. It will age beautifully for another 15-20 years, growing more ethereal and elegant with time (note the 14.3% alc). The overall quality is every bit as good as the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc which retail for over $80/bottle. At $25/bottle this is a stunning value.

Medium ruby in the glass. Soaring yet succulent bouquet with cherry candy and powdery, fresh, linen-like florals mixing with forest floor...deeper base notes of dark fruit and fresh-turned earth lie in the background. Racy and dynamic on the palate delivering nicely attenuated red and purple fruits set atop fantastic, mineral-coated tannins that go supernova on the mid-palate before presenting a constellation of pretty fruit notes that echo through a long finish. Sexy dyn-o-mite!

60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc
100% single-vineyard
50% new French oak, light toast
14.3% alc.
300 cases available
Bottled May 19th, 2021

***

Lot 196 | 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc

The Cabernet Franc you've been waiting for is here!

Ethereal, gorgeous, pure and elegant, Lot 194 is my favorite Cabernet Franc and the best CF I've ever sourced.

Like Lot 194 from the same producer, I was at first taken aback by its somewhat un-extracted color, but immediately smitten by its complex and expressive aromatics. Sourced from a fantastic hillside site hidden back in the rather-cool climate of Wooden Valley, just to the northeast of Coombsville/Wild Horse Valley and to the southeast of Atlas Peak. (In fact, Wild Horse Valley is the coolest site in Napa Valley as the air mass that passes over Carneros cools another 10 degrees by the time it rises to the AVA. You can click this link and see the Wooden Valley running north-to-south just to the northeast of Wild Horse Valley).

The winemaker is a legend amongst winemakers but hardly a household name save for wine geeks. As one of the former winemakers on the program that put Napa Cabernet on the map as well as being a member of founding team for Opus One, this individual has 40-years of grokking Napa Valley terroir at a whole other level.

Combining the structure of moderate climate Napa Valley Cabernet Franc with the elegant-yet-potent expression of Burgundy, Lot 196 is sure to impress with its cool-climate, ethereal sensibility. It will age phenomenally-well too. I cannot wait to imbibe the aromas five years from now!

Priced at $85 at the winery, it is, well, impressively priced at $35/bottle if I do say so myself. This is a deftly-made, precision-tuned wine with exceptional complexity and true finesse. Will age beautifully over the next 10-15 years.

Medium ruby in the glass. Opens with the sweet perfume of dried rose petals and tobacco leaf haloing a core of watermelon and cherry candy, cinnamon spice and a loamy underpinning. Beautiful, pure and complex. Perfectly-ripe and supple on entry, Lot 196 is seamless and transparent across the mid-palate before unfurling pretty cherry fruit over robust tannins. The wine has excellent focus and depth a long and lingering finish.

98% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon (same vineyard)
50% new French oak, low toast for fruit elevation
14.4% alc.
350 cases available
bottled May 19th, 2021

***

Lot 197 | 2018 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

*PURCHASED AS SHINERS - WILL SHIP AS SOON AS LABELS GO ON

Lot 197 is a 2018 Green Valley of the Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Purchased as a shiner (bottled wine with no label on it), its been in bottle for well over a year now and spreading its wings nicely. A small cuvee of only 200 cases (150 of which are on offer today) culled from the best barrels from their three Green Valley sourcing sites (which are legendary but remain anonymous here), it represents the flagship offering from this small, boutique producer. The winemaker is fifth generation in the wine business and has access to the best vineyards in Green Valley.

If I had purchased this as bulk it would have been priced around $16/bottle, but shiners are a bit more valuable as the wine is ready to rock-and-roll. The producer prices this at $75/bottle so would still contend this is an exceptional offer at $20/bottle, or $120 for a six-pack (I am splitting this up to give more of you access to the opportunity).

Medium garnet in the glass. Immediately spicy with cherry fruit and forest floor but it takes on a deeper blue fruit dimension with air adding gunsmoke and sarsaparilla to the mix. You'll definitely want to decant this wine to take full advantage of the wide spectrum it offers; otherwise, you'll be on the last glass as it begins to open up. Balanced and seamless on entry with crunchy red fruits and schisty minerality punctuated with cacao notes from the nicely-integrated French oak. Complex and elegant with pinpoint delineation, this wine absolutely benefit from a couple more years in the bottle and will age nicely over the next 12 years or so. Gorgeous.

100% Pinot Noir, 85% Green Valley of the Russian River Valley and 15% Russian River Valley
40% new French oak
14% alc.
300 6-packs available
Bottled April 2020

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Lot 198 | 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

94-Points, Platinum Medal
2021 Sommelier Challenge Wine Competition

Blockbuster Beauty

Lot 198 comes to us from a family-run winery's estate vineyard up on the hillsides of the Atlas bench between Atlas Peak and Soda Canyon Roads. The owner and winemaker quietly consults for a who's who of top Napa Valley Cabernet houses. On offer today is the family's top 2018 cuvee, a blend of 90% estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Spring Mountain Merlot that they purchase from another grower.

Rich and hedonistic yet nicely balanced and never over-the-top, this is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with broad appeal. If you are looking for an open-knit, approachable style with lots of stuffing but also well built with class and precision, I cannot recommend this highly enough. It is absolutely delicious.

Priced at $80/bottle out of the tasting room (you won't find it anywhere else), it is actually a rather decent value given where everyone else prices their flagship wines these days...of course, its a magnificent value at $35/bottle, especially considering the incredible 2018 vintage.

Inky and opaque, nearing squid ink, this Cabernet has just a touch of crimson around the rim. Deep, dark, rich aromas of toasted french oak frames candied fig, black cherry truffle and dark chocolate contrasting beautifully with worn leather and sage notes. Lush yet explosive on entry with a fantastic, magic-carpet-ride-mouthfeel, full and fleshy, spiked with chewy tannins and resolving into a refined layer of cigar box, fennel and dark chocolate. Ridiculously Delicious! Don't miss!

CHECK IN TASTING 1/14/2022 - Dark toasted French oak frames and candied fig. Oozing with dark chocolate, black cherry with hints of truffle contrasted with worn leather and sage. Explosive mouthfeel, full and fleshy and spiked with chewy tannins, resolving into a refined layer of cigar box, fennel and dark chocolate

90% Cabernet Sauvignon (Atlas Bench area), 10% Spring Mountain Merlot (Keenan Vineyard)
80% new French oak, 60% barrel-fermented
15% alc.
400 cases available
Bottled June 14, 2021

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Lot 199 | 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Lot 199 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon comes to us from one of my Napa Valley favorite wineries for producing wines that continually punch way above their weight class.

This Cabernet retails for just under $70/bottle despite having a world class consulting winemaker, having been aged in well over 80% new French oak, produced from 40+ year-old-vines with the most recent vintage scoring 93+- to 95-point scores with critics as varied as The Wine Advocate to the San Francisco Wine Competition. I guess one of the benefits of having owned your vineyard for 40+ years is the ability to keep you prices tied more to inflation than ego. Needless to say, this is an exceptional value for a wine that will actually be approachable this Fall.

The vineyard itself is located in the west side alluvials draining off of Mount Veeder northwest of the city of Napa in the Oak Knoll appellation. Here cobbly drainage and relatively cool conditions, while problematic for commercial production in this part of the valley, are ideal for low-yielding, conscientiously produced Cabernet Sauvignon. I've long been a fan of this portion of the valley and in 2019 it performed heroically.

Despite being from a relatively cool-climate (not to mention nearly opaque), Lot 199 is remarkably open-knit and plush at a reasonable 14.8% alc. Credit many, many decades of farming experience for that.

Richly aromatic with a beautiful blackberry syrup and candied violets halo haloing crisply delineated cassis and chocolate-covered black cherry, warm river rock, a kiss of bell pepper to keep things interesting, and fresh-tilled soil with plenty of well-integrated seasoned oak. Red and black fruits are deftly-deployed over juicy, soft tannins that carry through a long, plush finish with ample flesh and plenty of verve with pretty red cassis notes echoing throughout. Classy and complex, this wine features a delicious balance between tension and hedonism.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon (96% Oak Knoll plus 4% Rutherford Cabernet we blended in for additional depth and structure).
80%+ new French oak
14.8% alc.
350 cases available
Bottled July 12th, 2021

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Lot 200 | 2019 Napa Valley Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon

I won't belabor the point that the hillsides up above Lake Hennessy, from Pritchard Hill to the Sage Canyon area, are absolutely spectacular and as worthy of vinous praise as the To Kalon vineyard itself.; in fact, this area is often referred to as Oakville On A Mountain. Needless to say, this is as Grand Cru as it gets for hillside Cabernet-lovers.

Lot 200 is hands down the finest Cabernet Sauvignon I have ever come across in the bulk market. For that we have COVID to thank.

The source vineyard, topping out at 1500-feet of elevation, is as spectacular a site as you'll see with the vineyards scalloping like oyster shells over numerous ridges. The price per ton starts at $15,000 and ownership requires a minimum bottle price of $150 in their contracts. There are a number of winemakers who source from here and, of the two 2019 barrel-samples that have been reviewed, both have scored 96-98 points with Vinous.com and Jeb Dunnock. The client list is a who's who.

Lot 200 is the owners 2019 cuvee (yes, same wine they will bottle) produced by a winemaker with numerous 100-point scores under their belt. It sees 100% new French oak and can only be described as massive, intense, dynamic and delicious. Yet, as fantastically rich and flashy as it is, this Cabernet still retains tremendous precision, purity and focus, the hallmark of great mountain fruit.

The producer's 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon scored 96+ points and the 2019 vintage, while a bit hotter on the valley floor, was spectacular at altitude and considered by client, critic, and winery alike to be superior to the 2018 vintage.

Front-lining around $200/bottle, it's as close as any of us will come to having a 100-point wine for just $30.

If you buy just one OGdN Cabernet this year, this should be the one.

Inky hued and opaque with a glycerine, jelly-like complexion. The bouquet is strikingly aromatic and intense, unfolding with liquid dark chocolate, creme de cassis, and a beautiful amalgam of black tea, raspberry, dried flowers, sage/bouquet garni and crushed rock/red clay. The complexity is spectacular. Full-bodied and rich on the palate but tightly woven with silky, satiny tannins that caress the palate while delivering sappy, concentrated-yet-elegant fruit with beautiful purity and seamless structure. The delineation, power and intensity are stunning here and, as fantastic as this is now, it has the potential to age for another 20-30 years. Incredible!

78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petite Verdot, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec
100% new French oak - only the finest
14.8% alc.
800 cases available
Bottled June 15th, Shipping late July, early August. Weather Permitting.