In This Newsletter:Wednesday Library SelectionsFeaturing Domaine Drouhin, Shafer Vineyards, Bond Estates, Ridge, Sin Qua Non, and more! Wine Of The Week Marchesi Mazzei. #23 Wine Of The Year – Wine Spectator Top 100, 2017
Mazzei Tenuta Belguardo Maremma Toscana Rosso, Tuscany, Italy 2013 750ml $59 special, 12 bottles availableWine Spectator 95 Points “A red of great purity and polish, offering black cherry, blackberry, spice and herb flavors, this evokes tobacco, graphite and leather nuances as it builds nicely on the palate. Finishes with grip, harmony and complexity, as well as terrific length. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2028.”
Lowest listed price on the West Coast. Average price is $61! Featured Wines Domaine Drouhin.
Domaine Drouhin Louise Drouhin Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, USA 2014 750ml $149 special, 6 bottles availableVinous 94 Points “Dark red. Musky, deep-pitched aromas of black raspberry, cherry liqueur and incense, plus a smoky nuance and a suggestion of vanilla. Sappy, pliant and penetrating on the palate, offering bitter cherry, dark berry and spicecake flavors complemented by licorice and mocha nuances. Becomes sweeter and more lively with air and finishes spicy and extremely long; smooth tannins frame the intense fruit.” Domaine Drouhin Louise Drouhin Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, USA 2016 750ml $159 special, 6 bottles availableVinous 95 Points ” …displaying a suave blend of heft and focus to the concentrated red and blue fruit, lavender pastille and spicecake flavors. Shows impressive energy on the gently tannic, penetrating finish, which hangs on with serious, floral-driven tenacity.”
Hundred Acre Wines.
Hundred Acre ‘Ark Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, USA 2015 750ml $599 special, 3 bottles availableWine Advocate 100 Points “Medium to full-bodied, the palate is charged with amazing energy, packing wonderfully vibrant black fruits, red berries and mineral flavors into a firm, finely grained frame, finishing very long and beautifully lifted.”
Lowest listed price in the USA. Next lowest price is $625.
Hundred Acre ‘Morgan’s Way’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA 2012 750ml $549 special, 5 bottles availableWine Advocate 99 Points ” …opens with the most beautiful red roses and lilacs scents with red and black cherry compote and hints of cinnamon stick, earth, stewed tea, cigar box and forest floor. The palate is full-bodied, rich and seductive with incredibly perfumed fruit and a satiny texture, finishing very long.”
Shafer Vineyards.
Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, USA 2012 750ml $349 special, 5 bottles availableWine Advocate 100 Points “Shafer’s flagship wine, and one of the world’s greatest Cabernet Sauvignons … The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is a perfect wine. It elicits more than a few “wows” when you smell the incredible notes of charcoal, graphite and subtle toast, buttressed and dominated by blackcurrant, blackberry and blueberry fruit.” Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, USA 2013 750ml $289 special, 6 bottles availableWine Advocate 98+ Points ” …Fabulous potential of 30-50 years is evident in this profound bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that is inky blue/black to the rim and offers up notes of charcoal embers, scorched earth, blackberries, cassis, blueberries, a hint of coffee, and background barrique smells … Try not to consume a bottle for at least another 4-5 years and then watch the magic unfold.”
Limited QuantitiesDon’t Miss Out on These Rare Wines! Bond Estates. These are the only listings for these wines in the United States today:
Bond Melbury, Napa Valley, USA 2002 750ml $549 special, 1 bottle availableWine Advocate 100 Points ” …the wine has an extraordinary aromatic profile of smoky meats intermixed with blackberry, crème de cassis, charcoal, lead pencil shavings and espresso … This extraordinary effort displays oodles of glycerin and fabulous purity, while the oak has been completely absorbed.” Bond St. Eden, Napa Valley, USA 2002 750ml $549 special, 1 bottle availableWine Advocate 100 Points ” …showing incredible elements of cedarwood, licorice, chocolate and creme de cassis as well as exquisite texture, full-bodied intensity, and unbelievable purity and length. It is only the second vintage for this vineyard, leased by Bill Harlan for several decades, and it has turned out to be a killer Cabernet Sauvignon and a great classic of Napa. It should drink well for 20-25 years.” Bond Vecina, Napa Valley, USA 2002 750ml $499 special, 1 bottle availableWine Advocate 97 Points “Intense aromas of mint, fine leather and ripe cherries emerge on the nose of the 2002 Vecina, which comes from a site near Harlan Estate, in the western hills of Oakville. It’s full-bodied, supple and charming, with a long, long finish… “
Levy & McClellan.
Levy & McClellan Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA 2005 750ml $399 special, 1 bottle availableWine Advocate 95+ Points “On the palate, the wine combines considerable substance, power, and extract with a sense of harmony as well as elegance. Black currant, blackberry, and gamy, meaty notes are also present in this full-bodied effort with an incredibly long finish.”
Peter Michael Winery.
Peter Michael ‘Les Pavots’ Estate Red, Knights Valley, USA 2016 750ml $179 special, 1 bottle availableJames Suckling 99 Points ” …Extremely poised and powerful. Finishes with so much fresh leather and blueberries. Goes on for minutes.” Peter Michael ‘Le Moulin’ Rouge Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, USA 2010 750ml $149 special, 1 bottle availableWine Advocate 94 Points ” …The 2010 reveals lots of cassis, black raspberry jam, spring flower and loamy, dusty soil notes as well as a full-bodied, opulent style. It should drink well for a decade.” Peter Michael ‘Le Moulin’ Rouge Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, USA 2011 750ml $79 special, 1 bottle availableVinous 90-92 Points ” …Another finely shaped, chiseled wine, the 2011 shows lovely precision and plenty of nuance.”
Rhys Vineyards.
These are the only listings for these wines in the United States today:
Rhys Vineyards Home Vineyard Pinot Noir, San Mateo County, USA 2019 750ml $99 special, 1 bottle availableVinous 94 Points “The 2019 Pinot Noir Home Vineyard is one of the more savory wines in the range … A Pinot of subtlety and nuance, the Home Vineyard, will appeal most to readers who enjoy understated wines.” Rhys Vineyards Horseshoe Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA 2018 750ml $119 special, 1 bottle availableVinous 97 Points “The 2018 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard is dense and brooding. Black cherry, licorice, spice, leather, herbs and mineral accents shape this ample, beautifully resonant Pinot Noir.”
Ridge Vineyards.
Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA 2015 750ml $219 special, 1 bottle availableWine Advocate 95 Points “Supple and elegantly generous on the palate, its structure has started to soften, but fine-grained tannins are still apparent on the saturated, chewy finish.” Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA 2019 750ml $219 special, 1 bottle availableVinous 98 Points “The 2019 Monte Bello is a wild, exotic wine … In a word: magnificent.”
Sine Qua Non.
Sine Qua Non ‘Lightmotif’ White, California, USA 2014 750ml $189 special, 1 bottle availableWine Advocate 97 Points ” …a rich, layered profile that carries tons of ripe peach, honeycomb, pineapple, flowers and citrus. Pure, elegant and silky on the palate, with full-bodied richness, it never puts a foot wrong, is ethereally textured and has a great finish.”
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