2016 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Napa Valley

Francis Ford Coppola and his wife, Eleanor, went well out of their way to restore the Inglenook estate to its former historic self, completing the program in 2011 with the acquisition of the name 'Inglenook' itself. For us, this represents Napa Valley the way it once was, with a nod to Bordeaux, for sure, but a wine with heritage, breed and a sense of place all its own. Classic deep ruby in color just fading at the edges with aromas that conjure suggestion of currant and plum — it's actually thick-skinned 'bloodied Cabernet' † — cedar and good old-fashioned Rutherford dust; chiseled, then polished on the tongue, slippery smooth, almost velvety in texture, all the while maintaining a sense of decorum, of backbone, elegance, balance and harmony; then, lingering welcomely long, fine and warming on the finish. Really, really good stuff.

$62.50 the bottle $318.78 the case of 6

† 'bloodied Cabernet' as (we think we remember) Harry Waugh used to put it about Château Latour

2014 Antica Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Townsend Vineyard

The winemaking heritage of the Antinori family dates back 26 generations and over 630 years in Italy. Antica represents Antinori California, and fulfills the family’s long-standing desire to produce fine wines in the Napa Valley. Set high on the ridge overlooking Rector Canyon and Napa Valley some 1600 feet below, this 24-acre vineyard is planted on a west facing slope of well-drained, volcanic soils. Townsend Vineyard’s architecture is based on Antinori’s planting philosophy for new vineyards in Tuscany. High density vine spacing ensures low production of fruit per vine. Vine rows are aligned from east to west to achieve ideal sun exposure. Vines are trained low to the ground to take advantage of radiant heat from the volcanic rock and soils. Finally, the ideal rootstock and clones of Cabernet Sauvignon were chosen to complement Townsend’s terroir ensuring the best fruit expression: rich, almost purple ruby in color with fleshy pulpy Cabernet Sauvignon aromas suggestive of graphite, cassis, parched mountain vineyard floor and the slightest hint of toast from aging in 100% new French oak; polished, plush and velvety on the tongue, ample and, at the same time, poised and light on its feet with ripe rounded cocoa powdery tannins carrying gently, elegantly bursting mountain fruit flavor, finishing long with a certain vibrancy and freshness on the tongue; this is ripe mountain fruit, to be sure, but with nerve and tension, poise and potency in quiet reserve. Highly recommended. Regularly $112.50 the bottle, on sale now at:

$75.00 the bottle $420.00 the case of 6

2017 Michael Mondavi Family Cabernet Sauvignon Emblem Napa Valley

Known as the «quiet icon» among friends and colleagues, Michael Mondavi is widely credited with helping establish and build the Napa Valley wine industry as we know it, traveling tirelessly to promote the region and Mondavi wines. Drafted into the family business at a young age, his first lesson from his grandfather, Cesare Mondavi, was to leave the soil in his vineyards in healthier condition than when he received it from his father and uncle. That early advice guided Michael's approach to winegrowing. Farmed sustainably and organically, certified Napa Green and Fish Friendly, the Michael Mondavi Family vineyards exemplify a generational commitment to responsible farming.

The Emblem Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon comes from estate vineyards nestled along the northeastern hillsides of Napa, high above Saint Helena. Deep yet still just translucent ruby in color with aromas that hearken back to fermenting berries, spiced plum, a touch of toasted oak and earth, and a certain vinosity (that is, it smells like wine and not some sort of grape liqueur); classy, supple, almost velvet textured on the tongue, expanding with aeration to an even fuller, more potent and satisfying version of itself, with both oomph and complexity to the finish.

$32.50 the bottle $331.56 the case

2019 Gainey Vineyard Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills Santa Barbara County

Santa Rita Hills is becoming, for us, an area of interest for Chardonnay (and Pinot Noir) from California — there is clearly something going on here — and there clearly exists the possibility for both ripeness and signature of place, together with minerality and intensity of flavor. We are only sorry that it has taken us so long to begin to recognize this. Gainey Vineyard Chardonnay excites not only for fulfilling against all of this promise, but also for its value. Pale platinum yellow in color with nostril titillating aromas suggestive of saline seaside air, mineral, mirabelle plum, flesh of golden apple (Andrea noted warm spiced apple) and lemon curd on toasted and liberally buttered baguette; at once soft and creamy textured and yet intensely mineral, with a vivid palate feel and flavors that reverberate long and excitedly on the finish.

$19.99 the bottle $203.88 the case

2019 Gainey Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Santa Ynez Valley Santa Barbara County

Produce of 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Sauvignon Gris fruit estate grown in the gravelly loam soils at the Home Ranch of Gainey Vineyards in eastern Santa Ynez Valley. Vivid yellow gold with glints of green in color with subtle interplay between taut citrusy fruit (let's say a pristine ripe ruby red grapefruit) and minerality on the nose, together with yellow plum and melon (Andrea noted rubbed sage, Henry noted orchard fruits); intensely flavorful and concentrated, with the aromatic interplay in reprise on the tongue in a delicious call and response from the salivary glands, a tantalizing salinity given proximity to the Pacific coast and an overarching freshness to the finish. Delicious!

$14.99 the bottle $152.88 the case

2018 Gainey Vineyard Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Santa Barbara County

Produce of 100% Pinot Noir fruit harvested from vineyards at the western edge of the Santa Ynez Valley. Lovely medium translucent ruby in color; sappy, bramble and berry fruit (Henry was reminded of Volnay, our wine buyer of a ripe vintage in the Hautes-Côtes or Côte Chalonnaise) with a more typical ripe cherry quality revealed with some air (Gainey themselves suggest also pomegranate and a whiff of rose hips); at once supple and energetic on the tongue, nervy, tense, with splendid equilibrium and flavor that just bursts joyfully into being and then melts away ever so slowly, contemplatively into pleasant organoleptic memory; but, thankfully, there's still more wine in the glass.

$29.99 the bottle $305.88 the case

2018 Donnachadh Family Wines Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills

Family owned and organically farmed, Donnachadh (um, let's get this out of the way quickly, it's pronounced DON-nuh-kuh) Vineyard is located in the Santa Rita Hills viticultural area of Santa Barbara County. The vineyard was planted in 2013, the culmination of a dream for Austinite owners Drew Duncan and his wife, Laurie. The property is 285 acres with approximately 40 acres under vine. The climate here is dominated by the Pacific Ocean, which lies about 9 miles from the vineyard. Morning fog cools the grapes and consistent afternoon ocean breezes keep heat from building up over the course of the day. Quite pure Chardonnay aromas suggest the salt sea, orange zest, mirabelle plum, green/golden berries hanging in the cool of the maritime morning (Henry noted wet stone, Andrea noted lemon curd and sourdough, they both noted pear); quite tactile on the palate, caressing in texture with a gentle minerality and flavors that suggest a judicious use of toasty oak and those same now delicious green/golden berries along with a hint of salinity.

$57.50 the bottle $586.56 the case

2018 Donnachadh Family Wines Estate Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills

PLACEHOLDER FOR 2018 REVIEW

$57.50 the bottle $586.56 the case

2018 Trefethen Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley

Ample rainfall in the spring recharged the soil profile and provided a strong start to the growing season. The weather during the summer featured consistent warmth and sunshine without any major heat spells. Cooler than average temperatures in August and September slowed the ripening process, providing long hang time and leading to complex flavor development. October was mostly dry and warmer than usual allowing us to pick each block at optimal ripeness. The harvest was complete before November and the start of an epic rainy season. - https://www.trefethen.com/

Deep, deep ruby purple in color with complex, modern classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon aromas suggesting cassis, torrefaction à la fresh roasting coffee beans, a fine winegrowing earth, graphite, burnished leather and more; seamlessly smooth with fine polished tannins, almost velvety-textured on the palate, holding its shape long with satisfying, mouthwatering flavor that lasts and lasts on the finish; splendid effort, if completely in keeping with that to which we've grown accustomed from Trefethen with this bottling …

$50.00 the bottle $510.00 the case

2018 Illumination by Quintessa Sauvignon Blanc

Intrigued with making a white wine for Quintessa, Agustin Huneeus planted a small plot of Sauvignon Blanc at Quintessa estate in 2002. Intended for family and friends, this passion project soon appealed to guests of Quintessa and top sommeliers in the country. Produce of 56% Sauvignon Musqué, 34% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Sémillon from both Napa and Sonoma counties; bright platinum-yellow in color with fresh herbal aromas suggestive of chervil and mint, then kiwi and crisp cool melon (Henry noted quince and ripe ruby-red grapefruit); fresh and vivid on the tongue, too, with amplitude but without weight and a nice call and response between the wine and the salivary glands; nervy, flavorful and fresh on the finish; our favorite iteration of Illumination to date. Regularly $40.00 the bottle, on sale now at:

$29.99 the bottle $165.00 the case of 6

2018 Martinelli Pinot Noir Bella Vigna Sonoma Coast

The Martinelli family has been farming their estate vineyards since the 1880s (over 135 years now) and are today 6th generation winegrowers. Their reputation as such in Sonoma County has been and remains solid. Their Bella Vigna Pinot Noir is a selection from the Martinelli estate vineyards in the Sonoma Coast appellation meant to offer a wine that reflects the characteristics of these vineyards and also the Martinelli style. It has become go-to Sonoma Coast stuff for us over the last few vintages. Medium ruby in color with glints of fuchsia in color; alluring Pinot Noir aromas suggestive of grape confiture, black cherry, Italian blue plum, candied orange peel and holiday baking spices; silken-textured on the tongue, medium in body, both delicate and rich, with lovely ripe berry flavors and excellent nerve giving voice to the jittery intensity of flavors that carry on long on the warming mouthwatering finish. As per usual, Martinelli Bella Vigna is indeed a lovely Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.

$42.50 the bottle $433.56 the case

The Whole Shebang Fourteenth Cuvée California Red Wine

The Whole Shebang is a wine made entirely by the crew at Bedrock Wine Co., intended to offer "authentic Californian deliciousness" at a most reasonable price. The fruit comes from old vineyards that Bedrock are rehabilitating along with younger vine parcels and barrels of Bedrock wines that do not make the cut for their spiffiest bottlings. And, in our opinion, The Whole Shebang is a great success. Deep, through the glass darkly translucent ruby in color; medium to medium full in body with aromas suggesting berries, spice, the parched northern California earth and the slightest little sliver of oak (Henry noted one could smell the very California sunshine in the glass); grapey and gently grippy on the tongue, warm and impactful, long and flavorful, this is a real red wine that will appeal to folks who prefer honesty in wine production over marketing puffery and frippery. And at its very modest price, it will give a boost to the old wine budget as well.

$12.99 the bottle $132.48 the case

Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red Lot Number 72

Scot Bilbro has taken over for his late father and his brothers and is now running the show at Marietta Cellars. Old Vine Red Lot Number 71 is now on the scene. The wine is tweaked ever so slightly drier than in the past, perhaps now ever the more appealing to both west coast and European wine tastes. Produced mainly from Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane primarily from vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red replicates the old Cal‑Ital field blends there. Alluring deep ruby purple in color, with Zinfandel-influenced aromas suggesting dark ripe juicy berries with hints of the parched dusty northern California vineyard floor; at once fresh and vibrant, smooth and slippery on the tongue with just an inkling of fine-grained tannins that keep it all on the up and over. And, by all means, do take note of its continuing brilliantly true blue in terms of value!

$14.99 the bottle $152.88 the case

2019 Marietta Cellars Old Vine Riesling

Okay, yes, it's also true that we quite generally look to the old country, to Germany or to Alsace, for most all of our Riesling needs. But, one must admire the effort of any producer who has the fortitude or just the good taste to make the noble effort with this most noble of white wine grape varieties, and from elsewhere. So, here we are — California Riesling, Marietta Cellars Old Vine Riesling. Oh come on, what could Mr. Bilbro be thinking? (We hear there may have been a woman involved.) But, it certainly works from an alliterative perspective: Old Vine Red, Old Vine Rosé, Old Vine Riesling, all on the up and «OVR». From the fruit of some of the oldest (planted in 1965), gnarliest, hand-tended Riesling vines in California, from the Wirz Vineyard, four hours’ drive south (there must have been a woman involved) and atop the San Andreas Fault at about 1,000 feet of elevation in the Gabilan Mountains some 25 miles east of Monterey Bay, on a bed of decomposed granite and limestone: lovely, vivid yellow gold in color with aromas that are at once springtime fresh and yet stone-cold Riesling-bold suggesting apricot, peach and orange blossom on a slab of spring rain-moistened stone; ample on the palate with poise and authority, completely dry, but without undue weight (the alcohol is only 12.5%), with both power and juicy refreshingness, and with that same almost electric charge of peach skin tingling acidity that so titillates the tongue and so begs another delicious pull. And, at its price, simply delicious value as well.

$11.99 the bottle $122.28 the case

2018 Marietta Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Armé

Armé is part of Marietta Cellars' family series, named after the husband of Marietta herself, the late Chris Bilbro's late great aunt and inspiration for the project. Produce of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot from estate vineyards in Alexander Valley, the Yorkville Highlands and McDowell Valley in northern California; dense, almost opaque midnight ruby in color with ripe fruit aromas suggesting grape confiture, blackberry, spiced plum, dried herbs, a parched northern California vineyard floor along with a hint of woodsmoke; full, polished and plush on entry (Andrea remarked 'bold') with that rich slate of aromatics reprised faithfully and satisfyingly, so very flavorfully on the palate; this is by no means a small wine, but there is a certain heft without heaviness, a structure without rigidity, with crisp acidity lending freshness and vibrancy on the finish along with warmth and generous length of flavor; pair this up with red meats (yes, brisket and sausages, too), rich high fat content cheeses, stews, wild-boar cassoulet, air-conditioning … Perhaps the best value in northern California Cabernet Sauvignon that we might imagine.

$27.50 the bottle $280.56 the case

2017 Marietta Cellars Christo

The 2017 Christo, Marietta's Syrah/Grenache-based red, is another compelling wine in this range. Inky red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, mint, spice and floral notes are front and center. Sumptuous and racy, the 2017 is so inviting from the very first taste. Rated (90-93). - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com April, 2020

$22.50 the bottle $229.56 the case

2019 Babs Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County

Babs (for Santa Barbara) is a project of Adam Lee, co-founder and former owner/winemaker of Siduri Wines and John Wagner, a winegrower of some renown in the Santa Rita Hills. It marries the red fruits of Santa Maria Valley with the darker flavors of the Santa Rita Hills to produce a signature Santa Barbara Pinot Noir; translucent medium ruby in color with aromas suggestive of baies mélangées, say wild strawberry, raspberry and cherry with a hint of spice from what Adam refers to as «a judicious use of whole clusters in the fermentation»; soft and smooth on the tongue with a crisp berryish acidity lending warmth and presence, leaving the mouth watering with gentle tannins carrying flavor surprisingly long on the finish. Quite delicious. And priced for the porch, too.