Early to bud and early to ripen, the 2014 vintage was our third drought year in a row. Dry, even temperatures marched the grapes along at a steady clip all year and created a wine with beautifully integrated fruit, acidity, and tannin.
Dense and dark magenta in color, this is a lithe and energetic vintage with lifted aromatics and a purity of fruit that lights up the medium-bodied tannin structure. The nose promises fresh black fruits, cherries and a touch of graphite, and the palate completely delivers. Juicy blackberry, plum, and bright cherry explode in the mouth, and develop into savory notes of baked black fruit and fresh pencil shavings on the mid-palate. 
Eagle Summit Vineyard’s signature eucalyptus appears on the back palate to brighten the fruit, showing fragrant peppermint and warm, toasty spices through the finish. Whether you open it young or wait a few decades, this vintage does Howell Mountain proud--sophisticated and smart, with a rustic wild side.

Cresta Velia Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Aged in 100% French oak (86% new)

• 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Eagle Summit Vineyard on Howell Mountain
• Equal amounts of clone 4 and clone 7
• unfined and unfiltered

Review:

"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet aged 20 months in 86% new French oak, with the typical suspects in terms of cooperage – Darnajou, Taransaud, and Remond. This opaque purple-colored wine has plenty of mulberry and blackcurrant fruit along with hints of blackberries, camphor and incense. The are some notes of unsmoked cigar and licorice as well. Ripe, medium to full-bodied and luscious, it is a classic to drink over the next 15 or more years. - RP"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #228, December 2016), 90 pts

Damilano Barolo Cannubi is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

Garnet ruby red in color with orange reflections. The bouquet is ample and embracing, with pronounced fruity notes of cherry and plum and notes of tobacco, licorice and cocoa. On the palate, the wine is harmonious, pleasantly dry with soft tannins, broad and full-bodied. Persistent finish.

Cannubi is a sumptuous wine, perfect with the full-flavored Piedmontese cuisine such as white truffle -based dishes and braised meat. Ideal with the refined dishes of the great international gastronomy.

Review:

Sweet berries, tar and hazelnuts on the nose with some iodine and dry earth. Full-bodied with a solid center palate of juicy fruit and powerful, fine tannins. It’s racy and very long. Needs time to soften. Better after 2023.

-James Suckling 96 Points

DAOU Vineyards Soul of a Lion is made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot .

The 2020 vintage presents an alluring profusion of black cherry, mulberry and Oregon blackberry aromas with notes of leather, cigar box and dark chocolate. Hints of desert sage and crème de menthe accent the rich fruit. The palate is silky and voluptuous, delivering loads of currant, cassis, black raspberry and ripe cherry. Notes of fig and baking spice are underscored by earthy tones of dates and truffle. Mature, ripe tannins yield a weighty, velvety texture integrated with a limestone minerality and subtle oak. A lengthy finish leaves lingering impressions of blackberry, plum and espresso with a touch of white pepper. A wine of immense staying power that will evolve favorably for many years to come.

Review:

Impressively dark in the glass, this bottling pairs intense purple fruit and flower on this nose with more roasted, umami-laden aromas. The elegant palate is a master class in tannin management, proving firm in structure yet soft in mouthfeel. Flavors of blackberry jam, cocoa, walnut and cracked pepper ride a lingering acidity into the finish.

-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points

Gaec de Brangers Menetou Salon Blanc 100% Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and refreshing with rich, ripe lime and grapefruit aromas. Elegant, beautifully rounded, harmonious and well-balanced, a mineral sytle and a smooth and long finish. It is ideal as an aperitif and a great match with shellfish, smoked and grilled salmon, goat cheese.
DOMAINE DU GAEC DES BRANGERS is owned by the CHAVET family, which is one of the most reknown winemaking families of the Menetou-Salon Appellation. Philippe Chavet has been running the estate for 25 years and each year, his cuvees are awarded in the international competitions and by the international press.

Unoaked

12.5 ABV

Average age of the vines is 20 years old. Traditional winemaking in temperature-controlled stainless steel tank.
Slow fermentation at low temperature.

Ideal as an aperitif, any cooked fish such as smoked and grilled salmon, and with goat cheese.

Domaine du Colombier Hermitage Rouge is made from 100 percent Syrah. 

Perfect with beef ribs, grilled meats and cheese.

Manually harvested with destemmed grapes and fermented for about 2 to 3 weeks in temperature controlled vats, with an ageing period of 12 months, 65% in oak barrels and 35% in concrete tanks.

Review:

Brought up in 30% new demi-muids, with the balance in used barrels, the 2017 Hermitage is beautifully pure and layered, with smoking good notes of crème de cassis, white flowers, crushed rocks, and violets. Deep, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has plenty of tannins and is going to need 5-7 years of bottle age. This is a sensational Hermitage from Colombier that will drink well for 25+ years.

These wines are made by the talented Florent Viale and shine for their purity as well as character. While the winemaking here is traditional, with the wines destemmed and brought up mostly in used demi-muids, the purity of fruit can give the impression that wines are more modern styled than they are. They will all benefit from short-term cellaring.

-Jeb Dunnuck 96+ Points

Domaine Jean Grivot Echezeaux Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Domaine Jean Grivot is among the great names in Burgundian wine. Étienne Grivot and his wife Marielle took over from Étienne’s father Jean Grivot in 1987. The vineyards are densely planted and farmed organically “sans certification” while the aim in the cellar is for balance and clear expression of terroir.

Jean Grivot’s 15.5 hectares spread across 22 appellations with vineyards in the communes of Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Besides the three grand crus, there are 8 premier crus including the much lauded Les Beaux Monts and Suchots in Vosne-Romanée. The grapes are completely de-stemmed and fermentation is spontaneous.

About the Vineyard:

Echézeaux grand cru is a large vineyard of 38 hectares divided into 11 individual climats. Grivot’s parcel is in the climat of Les Cruots and lies at the southern end of Echézeaux near the premier cru of Les Suchots. A good Echézeaux should have rich fruit, considerable earthiness, and be very complete on the palate.

Tasting Notes:

The wine shows aromas and flavors of red berries, herbs, and purple flowers. The palate is rich with ripe fruit and medium weight with bright acidity and fine tannins. Aging in 40-70% new Burgundian pièce brings notes of vanilla, toast, and baking spices.

Food Pairing:

Red Burgundy might be the world’s most flexible food wine. The wine’s high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, and low tannins make it very food-friendly. Red Burgundy, with its earthy and sometimes gamey character, is a classic partner to roasted game birds, grilled duck breast, and dishes that feature mushrooms, black truffles, or are rich in umami.

Review:

A very elegant expression of Echezeaux, with a velvety black plum and rose petal fruit. There is a lovely freshness and so much finesse that the tannin and structure might surprise you at the end. This has the substance to age for decades. Produced from a 0.84ha parcel in Cruots next to Comte Liger-Belair. The vines were planted in 1954 and the destemmed fruit was gently fermented.

-Wine Spectator 97 Points

Louis Jadot Montrachet Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

Le Montrachet is situated to the south of the Côte de Beaune, on both villages of Puligny Montrachet and Chassagne Montrachet (like the Batard Montrachet Grand Cru).

The terroir is extremely chalky with a lot of stones, perfectly drained and easy to overheat with south-south-eastern exposition.
The Montrachet is produced with Chardonnay

Grapes are harvested by hand and put in small cases in order not to damage the fruits. Grapes are pressed softly, they ferment in oak barrels produced by our cooperage. 1/3 are new barrels. Aging usually lasts 15 months on fine lies before bottling.

Review:

Aromas of buttered toast, honeyed peaches, white flowers and mint introduce the 2019 Montrachet Grand Cru (Maison Louis Jadot), a full-bodied, layered and enveloping wine that's satiny and sumptuous, with lively acids and fine depth at the core. While I'd give the nod to the stunning Demoiselles as Jadot's best white wine this year, this Montrachet—purchased from the Chassagne-Montrachet side, from the house's usual source—is undeniably promising.

-Wine Advocate 94-96 Points

A clearly pronounced personality: powerful, sometimes wild aromas; a marked acidity, which give it a captivating freshness; a fine roundness, sometimes even opulence. In short, an intense wine which has many cards in its hand to win you over.

Review:

Notes of cherries, cassis, peonies and rich spices preface the 2020 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Murgers, a medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated wine that's lively and penetrating. Like its 2019 predecessor, it's especially seamless and charming.
-Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 92-94 Points

Double Diamond by Schrader Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon stands to outshine the award-winning 2019 vintage with even deeper concentration and complexity. On the nose, the wine leaps from the glass with ripe blackberry, cassis, black cherry, and red plum, with a lovely herbaceous undertone. The palate expresses juicy red and black fruits with hints of black tea, damp earth, vanilla bean, lavender, and just a touch of flint. With fine-grained tannins and mouthwatering acidity that lingers through the long finish, this wine is ready to drink upon release but will cellar well for years to come.

Double Diamond is sourced exclusively from a complement of prime vineyard estates. Sourced from the same famed vineyards as its beloved inspiration Schrader Cellars in Napa Valley’s world-renowned Oakville AVA, including our To Kalon Vineyard.

A late harvest Riesling with fruity sweetness and great aging potential, aromatic bouquet of honey, melon, ripe fruits. Grapes come from Brauneberger Juffer and Juffer-Sonnenuhr - one of the most prestigious vineyards in the Mosel winegrowing region. The vineyard faces south and provides the best conditions for growing Riesling.

Pairs well with pâté, Asian cuisine.

Dr. Loosen Riesling Eiswein is made from 100 percent Riesling. 

This vibrant, racy dessert wine conjures flavors of densely packed pear, apple and guava, with an intense, nervy edge in the aroma. It is luscious, silky and juicy on the palate, with bright acidity giving it a crisp, dynamic finish. 

Review:

This is extremely rich, yet the acidity keeps it on its toes. The palate is rich, sporting rhubarb and apricot flavors that are laced by hints of earth, coriander seed and honeyed oolong tea. It has an appealing sweet tart character that takes over and is matched by super suave texture. Shows incredible persistence through the long finish. Drink now through 2050.

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points 

Lush, energetic and intense, this gorgeous 2017 Napa Valley Cabernet begins with aromas of blackberry, huckleberry and chocolate, as well as hints of mint, cardamom, clove and graham cracker. On the palate it displays lovely brightness, with firm, resolved tannins framing flavors of boysenberry and black currant. As it evolves in the glass, subtle sweet and savory notes are revealed, carrying the wine to a long, focused finish.

Review:

So complex and beautiful now with blackcurrants, olives, bark, and oyster shells. Full to medium body. Resolved, velvety and juicy tannins. Then turns firm and beautiful. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. Drinkable now but will age beautifully.

-James Suckling 95 Points

Classic coastal Russian River aromas and flavors: crisp red apple skin, bright red cherry, deep wild berry, hibiscus, pepper, fresh mint, and a complex woodsy note. There’s wonderful purity and succulence to the core of red and black fruits which are supported by balanced black tea tannins and bright vibrant acidity. The wine finishes sleek and focused with liveliness and lingering aromatic lift.

Review:

A wine with a lot of back end, with dark fruits of blackberry and cherry. Ripe strawberry. Hints of toasted oak and smoke. It’s full and layered with very firm and polished tannins. Very serious and real, and shows the structure of the vintage. Some chocolate. Strawberry pie, too. Drinkable but two to three years of age will help it.

-James Suckling 95 Points

Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

EnRoute Winery Les Pommiers Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Aromas of fresh raspberry compote are complemented by notes of baking spice, and fresh rain on a forest floor. Generous-yet-soft strawberry preserve flavors expand on the palate, with elegant, silky tannins. A mouthwatering acidity glides across the finish.

 Review:

Vibrant ruby in color, this wine erupts from the glass with aromas of sweet cinnamon, cola and cherry. There is a charming delicacy here, with flavors of dried rose petal, cherry and berry pie filling on a midweight palate. A captivating dance between the snappy tannin structure and the lively acidity of this wine lead to a very pleasurable finish.

-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points

Ferme Blanche Cassis Blanc Excellence is made from 50% Marsanne and 50% Clairette.

On the nose, white fruits, citrus zest, hint of vanilla. Velvety well balanced mouth of ripe fruits and minerality.

Pair with trout, Scallop, or better yet lobster would complement this wine perfectly.

Ferme Blanche Cassis Blanc Excellence is made from 50% Marsanne and 50% Clairette.

On the nose, white fruits, citrus zest, hint of vanilla. Velvety well balanced mouth of ripe fruits and minerality.

Pair with trout, Scallop, or better yet lobster would complement this wine perfectly.

SALE!

Finca los Cedros Single Vineyard Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.

Single vineyard wine from the Finca los Cedros vineyard in Paraje Altamira (3,600 ft. elevation). Planted in high density (8,000 plants per hectare) on calcareous gravel soils, this Malbec has a fresh & easy-drinking style with a mineral character.

Intense purple color. Plum, brambly berries, spices and an iris/violet note are apparent on the nose. Intense, fruity flavors with velvety tannins.

Fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Aged 12 months in oak barrels and concrete vats.

Excellent with roasted meats, duck, salad, pasta, pizza.

Flaunt Pinot Noir Peake Ranch Vineyard Santa Rita Hills is made from 100% Pinot Noir.

Review:

"A light shade of ruby in the glass, this single-vineyard expression pops on the nose with fresh Bing cherry, strawberry, curry leaf and carnation aromas. The palate is very zesty as well, with a taut texture that presents flavors of smashed currant, melon rind, crunchy sage and wild thyme. - MATT KETTMANN"

- Wine Enthusiast (April 2022), 94 pts

Flaunt Russian River Valley Sparkling Brut is made from 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir.

This Brut is absolutely lovely. It is drier than the previous versions with only 1.5 grams of residual sugar. It is powerful and brisk with well integrated bubbles. There is an immediate hit of lemon zest with touches of nectarine and plum. Mid palate you notice the warm notes of brioche and a slight kick of white pepper on the finish.

This Russian River Valley Brut is a blend of wine from two vineyards in the Russian River Valley. It is approximately equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These two grapes work wonderfully in Sonoma County’s maritime climate where the long, cool growing season allows for adequate ripeness of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay while maintaining superb levels of natural acidity. Dianna Novy always loved the Russian River Valley for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, first as still wines, and now as Sparkling Wine.

Review:

"This crisp Brut offers fresh aromas and flavors of ripe pear and apple with a leesy fresh bread note. It is mouth filling with fresh acidity and has a sense of refinement, finishing long and chalky. Try it with oysters. A blend of 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir with 3 years en tirage."

- I-winereview.com (December 2022), 92 pts

Force Majeure Epinette  is made from 46% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot.

Epinette is Force Majeure's Right-bank Bordeaux-inspired blend, and was named after an avenue in Libourne (France) that leads to Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, the home of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Epinette is also the name of a musical instrument akin to a piano, as well as a word for pine tree, which is a fitting nod to their home in Washington state.

The wine itself is a blend of primarily Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, proportions of which change depending on the vintage. The Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grown in lower areas of the vineyard with deep, well-drained soils, much less rocky than the soils of our Rhone varietals.

Review:

"I loved the 2016 Epinette from barrel, and it certainly doesn't disappoint from bottle. Sporting a deep purple color as well as a huge bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherries, smoked earth, chocolate, and cedary spice, this flamboyant, powerful beauty hits the palate with loads of fruit, has sweet tannins, no hard edges, building tannins, and a huge finish. It's one seriously pleasure-bent effort that has another 10-15 years of prime drinking." - Jeb Dunnuck (April 2019), 96+ pts