Holiday Buying Guide: What Would Woodhouse Drink?
Domestic Wine Buyer Ryan Woodhouse has a fantastic job. Because he’s located in Napa, he has access to small, independent winemakers and the most prestigious cult winemakers in the business alike. You’ll often find him out and about in vineyards and cellars all around California with some of the brightest lights making wine today. Because of those personal connections, he brings us remarkable deals in Domestic wine that would be impossible otherwise. The other thing to know about Ryan: his palate is impressively elegant. When he picks out a wine, you can bet it’ll have gorgeous acid structure and depth of character. His California wines are not jammy; they’re not hyper-experimental or trendy. They are well-made testaments to this new era of winemaking in the U.S.—one that is in its sweet spot of sophistication and artistry. Below are his picks for the holidays.
$20-30 Whites
2020 Planetary "Larissa - Heintz Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (Previously $50) $19.99 It’s very rare to see Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay for under $50 a bottle… and unheard of to get it for under $20! Our winery-direct deal gets this wine to you at a super sharp price! Charles Heintz Vineyard sits just outside the town of Occidental. The site is very cool and foggy with a long, drawn-out growing season. The fruit from here has amazing intensity of flavor, often picking up exotic, ripe stone fruit and even tropical tones. But, the cool growing season means the wines have beautiful acidity to perfectly balance all the richness and power. This is a stunner!
2022 Farella Coombsville Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $24.95 If you like a crisp, fresh, vibrant style of Sauv Blanc look no further. This stunning bottle from Farella Estate is a go-to for me. All estate-grown at this renowned vineyard that essentially founded the Coombsville AVA. 30+-year-old vines planted in very rocky, volcanic ash soils produce a wine with loads of aromatic intensity. The wine is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel keeping it racy and bright with tangerine, lime leaf, white flowers, crushed rock mineral, and chopped herbs. So mouthwatering and delicious.
$20-30 Pinot
2021 Stolo SLO Coast Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $55) $29.95 95WA One of my favorite Pinots of the year! Just deliciously drinkable and pure. Stolo is an estate right in the coastal town of Cambria, just a couple miles from the cold Pacific. The vines are really on the edge of viability here with temperatures rarely exceeding 70F. Bright red berry fruits, baking spice, rose petals, bramble, fresh soil and bergamot. Very easy to drink!
2018 Big Basin "Lester Family Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mtns Pinot $29.95 (Elsewhere $55) 94VN We have an exceptional price on this brooding, powerful, single-vineyard Pinot from Big Basin. Hailing from the Lester Family Vineyard, farmed by legendary viticulturist Prudy Foxx, this has all the classic elements you could hope for from a cool climate Pinot. Dusty forest berries, dried herbs, truffle, turned earth, redwood forest, savory spices. Layered and complex, this one really has depth and structure to age also. A great food wine, try with roast game hens.
2021 Morgan "Twelve Clones" Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir $29.95 93IWR 93WE A perennial favorite of mine, Morgan winemaker Sam Smith is at the top of his game making some of the best wines in California. Twelve Clone comes mostly from Morgan’s Double L Vineyard that is one of the oldest plantings in the Santa Lucia Highlands and has been farmed organically for several decades. Ripe raspberry, crushed cherry, Asian spice, tangerine peel, wild sage, dusty earth. Very pure and elegant, subtle oak adds a nice polish to the delicious fruit. Amazing value.
$20-$30 Cabs
2020 Valo “Atemporal - Conner Lee Vyd” Columbia Valley Bordeaux Blend (Elsewhere $38) $14.95 Likely one of the best deals in the store. A powerful, structured, Bordeaux-inspired blend from a Grand Cru site in Washington with 40-year-old, own-rooted vines. Our crazy price on this really doesn’t reflect the quality of the wine in the bottle. Trust me, stock up on this and you’ll be very happy for years to come.
2018 Ragtag Wine Co. Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $46) $19.99 Another ridiculous deal we found this year from a great vineyard in Paso Robles. Hillside-planted, mature vines in the El Pomar District with super rocky soils. This wine captures the incredible fruit intensity that Paso brings, but it has freshness, vitality, and a little more true varietal character than I see in many wines from the AVA. Big, monster, heavy bottle, and a gorgeous embossed, foiled label… your friends will think you paid way more for it than you did!
2019 Richard Bruno Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $40) $19.99 Not too much to say about this one apart from… legit, delicious, ripe, bold, powerful Napa Cabernet for a price that basically doesn't exist anymore. 50% off and under $20. Exceptional wine for the money.
2021 AXR Napa Valley Proprietary Red (Elsewhere $45) $29.95 A few weeks back we struck a great deal with AXR and managed to get this wine to you for under $30! Made by 100-pt pedigree, cult-Cab producer Jean Hoefliger of Alpha Omega, Harbisson, The Debate, etc. Fruit from some of the finest vineyards across the valley including Coombsville, Yountville, Oak Knoll, Rutherford, and St. Helena. Labeled as a Red Blend but it’s 75% Cabernet Sauvignon. Big cassis, blackberry, ripe redcurrant, cigar box, graphite. Very expressive even young, pop n’ pour wherever you want.
2018 Planetary Estate "Polaris" Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon (Previously $68) $29.99 We still have some cases of this exceptional single-vineyard wine from Planetary Estate, the “Polaris Vineyard” Cabernet. This tiny estate sits just off Silverado Trail in the heart of east Yountville. Neighbors include Kapcsandy, Nickel & Nickel - State Lane Vineyard, and Pina's Wolff Vineyard. The property is no longer producing wine, and we got a stellar deal on the last remaining vintages at 50% off the already pretty reasonable SRP. Classic, somewhat old-school leaning Napa Cab with bright cassis, mint, lavender, gravelly minerals, unsmoked cigar, pencil shavings. Very vibrant and focused. An excellent candidate for 10 years of aging, it really shows the quality and longevity of the 2018 vintage.
2017 Spring Valley Vineyards "Frederick" Walla Walla Valley Bordeaux Blend (Previously $50) $29.95 A historic property with a family history dating all the way back to the original homestead in 1865. The 2017 Frederick is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon. It's very Pauillac like on the palate with cassis, damson, mulberry, alluring scents of cedar, unsmoked cigar, bay laurel and gravelly mineral elements. Fine, elegant, powdery tannins work perfectly with the layered, aromatic, blue and black fruits. This would be a wonderful compliment to rack of lamb or standing rib roast. Treat it as you would a 10-year old Bordeaux and it will perform! Really impressive wine with a lot going on and wonderful balance and completeness.
$20-$30 Zins
2021 Bedrock "Old Vine" California Zinfandel $24.95 94WS What can be said about this wine… one of our best selling wines from any category in 2023. A blend of some of the finest old vine Zinfandel plantings on planet Earth with an average age of 80-years…some back to the 1880s! There is no better QPR Zin than this bottle from Bedrock.
2021 Ridge Vineyards "East Bench" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel (Elsewhere $46) 95JD 95WE We worked out a smoking deal with Ridge on this final bottling of East Bench for broad market release. Our price is $10 less than most and it has been flying off our shelves. From a vineyard block planted 21 years ago with cuttings from the very best ancient vines in the state. Huge press, soaring aromas, bold flavors, and a wonderfully satisfying purity of fruit. A benchmark zin (pardon the pun).
2021 Green & Red "Estate - Chiles Canyon Vineyards" Napa Valley Zinfandel $29.95 93WS A huge staff favorite here at K&L, the Green & Red wines are truly special. A one of a kind estate perched on the hillsides in Chiles Canyon looking over Napa Valley some 1,600ft below. Organic viticulture combined with the complex soils (a mix of green serpentine and red volcanic loam - Green & Red) make for some of the most distinctive and refined Zins on the market. The wines have a distinctive mountain garrigue quality that really speaks to their sense of place.
$50ish Whites
2021 Peay West Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $49.95 96JD A spectacular wine from Peay showing all the quality of the exceptional vineyard and picture-perfect vintage. All estate fruit, plus a couple tons from a neighbor who’s vineyard was planted by the Peays. This racy, mineral driven, crystalline Chardonnay is positively electric and laser-like.
2021 Martin Woods "Koosah Vineyard" Eola-Amity Hills Chard $54.95 96DC 96JD 95WE One of my most exciting “finds” of 2023 were the Martin Woods wines from Oregon. Rising-star winemaker Evan Martin is making some of the most exciting wines in the state and I was blown away by the quality of the entire range. Koosah is a very rocky, high-elevation site in the Eola-Amity hills. The fruit from here is highly sought after by the best of the best winemakers in Oregon. Laser focused, laden with intense minerality and vibrant, fresh fruit. This rivals top 1er Cru white Burgundy. Check out any of the wines from Martin Woods, you won’t be disappointed.
2022 Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $44.95 94JS Year in year out Flowers is a go-to winery for us here at K&L. The brand is known and loved far and wide but despite the winery's growth from early days as a pioneer of the West Sonoma Coast the quality is as good, if not better than ever! Winemaker Chantal Forthun works with organic / biodynamic estate grown fruit, plus a list of the very best growers across the region to craft consistently delicious and archetypal renditions of the Sonoma Coast. The wines are flavorful, yet subtle, refined with beautiful acidity and poise. The 2022 Chardonnay is absolutely delicious and already drinking perfectly. Hard to go wrong with Flowers.
2021 Failla "Platt Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $54.95 96JD 95VN From veteran winemaker Ehren Jordan, this stunning Platt Vineyard Chardonnay makes an exceptional argument for more Chardonnay to be planted in this sub-region of the coast. The previously small amount of Wente Clone Chard from here is fermented in a combination of 10% French oak, concrete egg and Austrian oak casks. Naturally concentrated with explosive flavor and intensity but searing acidity and savory, salty minerality in spades. Exceptional.
2022 Shafer "Red Shoulder Ranch" Carneros Chardonnay $59.95 97WE A broad and powerful wine with depth and richness buoyed by fresh acidity from the cold Carneros wines that swirl across San Pablo Bay. I think this wine has become more refined in recent years but without losing the quintessential, ripeness and power of Napa Chardonnay. The 2022 is a real winner with huge critical acclaim.
2022 Lail "Blueprint" Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $59.95 95WE For those in the market for top-quality Sauvignon Blanc, you can’t go wrong with Lail. This producer puts huge effort into their Sauvignon Blanc program and it shows in the quality. Bright citrus fruits, Asian pear, wet stone mineral, Makrut lime leaf and lemongrass.
$50ish Pinots
This year has been a huge year for incredible wines from Oregon. A string of excellent vintages culminating in the superb 2021 wines has seen the category go from strength to strength. Two of the best performing wineries have been Brittan Vineyards and Martin Woods. These two wineries are making truly world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as evidenced by the enormous critical acclaim from top publications. We have partnered with both wineries and gotten access to their smallest-production single-vineyard and single-block wines made in miniscule quantities. Both lineups were among some of the very best wines I tasted all year and most of these wines are available only from K&L in California!
2021 Martin Woods "Koosah Vineyard" Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir $49.95 From the same site referenced above in my Chardonnay review, super thin rocky soils, cool, windy, high elevation site in Eola-Amity. An explosively aromatic and floral wine, winter spice, pristine berry fruits, flint, dry leaf. Elegant yet impactful.
2021 Martin Woods "Hyland Vineyard" McMinnville Pinot Noir $49.95 From mature vines planted in 1989 on their own-roots. Bold dark red fruits, earthy spices, crumbly soil, dried rose petals, sandalwood hints. Shows some iron-like minerals with air. A complex bottle with a long life ahead.
2019 Brittan "Basalt" McMinnville Willamette Valley Pinot Noir $59.95 Brittan Vineyard is a complex study in microblock terroir. The vineyard is divided into numerous blocks defined by soil, aspect, orientation, and clonal selection. This intricate delineation and commitment to small lot winemaking makes for fascinating wines that have a lot to say about their place. The Basalt Block is taken from the mid-slope, south facing, central block of the vineyard. It has very rocky, marine basalt soils and full midday sun exposure. It balances its deep, dense fruit with powerful volcanic minerality and wonderful tension from a beam of natural acidity.
2019 Brittan "Gestalt" McMinnville Willamette Valley Pinot Noir $59.95 98WA The Gestalt Block is the west facing slope of the vineyard. Here the vines are exposed to the full force of the cooling Van Duzer Corridor winds. The fruit here is thick-skinned, very low yielding, producing a Pinot of keen structure, savory intensity and dusty earthy fruit. A very distinctive impression.
2018 Patz & Hall "Chenoweth Vineyard" Russian River Pinot Noir $49.95 95WE 94JD
2021 Anthill Farms "Comptche Ridge Vineyard" Mendocino County Pinot Noir $54.95 96WA
$50ish Cabs
2018 Hendry "Estate" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $59.95 95WE Still one of my absolute favorite Napa Cabs under $100…to be honest at any price point. This somewhat under the radar, 4th generation, family estate at the foot of Mt. Veeder has some of the oldest blocks in the valley planted in 1974 on St. George rootstock that survived the Phylloxera dissemination in the late 1980s. The wine straddles old school power and structure with some nice grippy tannins, but it also has great fruit and ripeness all polished off in 60% new French oak. An absolute bargain.
2021 Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $49.96 94WE (Ex-Dominus Winemaker) I visited Clos du Val back in September and was super impressed with the wines being made by new(ish) winemaker Carmel Greenberg. Carmel joined the team in 2021, finishing up the 2019 wines and making the 2021s from vine to bottle. She spent the last 8 years as Assistant Winemaker to Tod Mostero at Dominus. This 21’ Napa Cab also comes mostly from Clos du Val’s River Bend Vineyard in Yountville, just a hop, skip and jump from Dominus. There’s a wonderful refinement to the tannis, they’re silky but not over ripe. Excellent freshness and purity. I very much like the direction these wines are going in, and it’s a total steal for the price.
2021 Faust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 49.95 95JS Speaking of excellent values in seriously good Napa Cabernet - the 21’ Faust Cab is rocking. Coming mostly from the estate vineyard in the heart of Coombsville and showing it. I love the smoldering volcanic minerals, dark rose petals, blackcurrant, obsidian, gravel, tobacco leaf. It has deep red to black fruits, but also brooding savory tones and a mineral core that screams Coombsville. Muscular enough to age very well, but polished enough to enjoy young too.
2021 Post & Beam (Far Niente) Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $49.95 94WE If you want an out-and-out delicious, fruit-forward, pleasure-packed Napa Cab you can’t go wrong with this inexpensive bottling from Far Niente called Post & Beam. Drawing on their incredible fruit holdings and relationships all over the valley this delivers an experience few wines can at this price point. Lush, rich, exotic, beautifully executed Napa Cab for a great price.
$50ish Other Reds
2020 WeatherEye "Estate - Hillfighter" Red Mountain Proprietary Red $49.95 95-96JD Another one of my most exciting additions to our selections this year were the WeatherEye wines from Red Mountain in Washington. This “you have to see it to believe it” vineyard is scattered in tiny individual blocks along the ridgeline and north facing slope of Red Mountain. One of the most ambitious plantings ever taken on in the USA but already the wines are turning heads and getting huge attention. This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Tempranillo and Syrah is the perfect intro to these magical wines.
2021 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel $49.95 95VN A standout wine in a stacked tasting at Ridge earlier this Fall. The 2021 Lytton was simply incredible. I loved the wine's balance, purity, layers and textural nuance. It makes perfect sense in the glass why these ancient field blend vineyards make such compelling wines. Each varietal plays its part and the sum is greater than its parts. 2021 is such a great year for Zin based wines with the cool, elongated harvest maintaining excellent freshness and vibrancy.
2021 Carlisle "Carlisle Vineyard" Russian River Valley Zinfandel $54.95 97JD 94-96VN From old-vine legend Mike Officer’s home block. This historic vineyard in the Russian River was planted in 1927. It’s largely Zinfandel, but is also home to about 15% of several dozen mixed varieties both reds and whites. Mike farms the place with the utmost case and attention and the resulting wine is phenomenal and a benchmark for old vine mixed plantings.
$75-$100ish Whites
2021 Wayfarer "Estate - Wayfarer Vineyard" Fort Ross-Seaview Chardonnay $89.95 98WA 98JS 96JD 96TWI From a remote vineyard just one ridge top back from the Pacific Ocean on the far West Sonoma Coast in the tiny Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. High enough to escape the persistent fog, but constantly cooled by fresh ocean breezes, this place makes special wine. You can taste the cool sunshine. The wines are ripe and juicy and full of flavor, but the acidity is pronounced, piquant and refreshing. The natural concentration of the fruit is gently dusted with French oak. So much flavor, texture and energy packed into this bottle…and look at those scores!
2021 DuMol "Isobel - Charles Heintz Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $74.95 98WA 97VN Another wine that gets much of it’s character from proximity to the ocean. Charles Heintz Vineyard sits just above the town of Occidental about 6 miles from the ocean. This area sees a little more fog than the higher elevation Wayfarer Estate and the soils here are very fine Goldridge loam. This vineyard has a long reputation for producing intensely flavored wines with exotic, even slightly honeyed flavors, whilst retaining zesty, bright acidity giving cut and precision to the wines. No one does this spectacular fruit more justice than Andy Smith at DuMOL. World-class.
2019 Cobb "Doc's Ranch - Joann's Block" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $69.95 98DC 97WA From a tiny block of vines at Doc’s Ranch (adjacent to Cobb’s Coastlands Vineyard) this steep, hillside planting on ancient marine sedimentary soils produces top quality Chardonnay with incredible mineral intensity, textural depth and effortless concentration. Long elevage on fine lees gives a hint of flinty reduction that is addictive to me. The wine also has excellent aging potential to develop even more complexity.
2020 Ramey "Rochioli Vineyard" Russian River Valley Chardonnay $79.95 98WE A great example of prototypical Russian River from an iconic vineyard site right in the nucleus of the region. The natural weight, richness and unctuous nature of this fruit is countered by Ramey’s precise sculpting of the wine into its fine and crystalline form. Big, rich and decadent, but never over the top and always with vitality and freshness to spare.
2021 Accendo Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $79.95 94VN The Araujo’s have a long history of making very special Sauvignon Blanc with their legendary Eisele expression. After selling Eisele Vineyard and founding Accendo Cellars, the pursuit of making top notch white wine continues. Coming from Juliana Vineyard in Pope Valley, plus Rancho Pequeño in Oakville. Fermented in French oak and concrete eggs. Made by the inimitable Françoise Peschon.
$75-$100ish Pinots
2021 Domaine Drouhin "Laurène" Dundee Hills Pinot Noir $74.95 96WE 96IWR A top block and barrel selection made by Dominique Drouhin every year for this reserve tier bottling is always stunning. I love that Dominique doesn’t approach it looking for the biggest, boldest of most exuberant barrels…she actually looks for more subtle, nuanced, reserved expressions that communicate what is special about this spectacular Dundee Hills site. Always up there is the best Oregon wines of the vintage.
2021 Three Sticks "Gap's Crown Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $69.95 97WE The nose alone on this beauty from Three Sticks will stop you in your tracks! This fantastic site in the western slopes of Sonoma Mountain in the Petaluma Gap AVA, has earned a reputation as one of the best vineyards in the state. Dark cherry, pomegranate, toasted spices, hot stone, bramble and lilac. This windy site with rocky soils produces serious wines with structure and depth.
2021 Failla "Hirsch Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $84.95 98JD Failla always makes one of the best expressions of this legendary vineyard and the 2021 is real gem. Really expressive of this wild, rugged, mountainous coastal site - brambly red fruits, crushed raspberry, redwood forest, red earth, dried wild flowers, leaf litter. Complex, always evolving in the glass.
2021 Kelley Fox "Carter Vineyard" Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir $79.95 98JD From old, own-rooted vines planted in 1983. This wine really leans into the savory side of Pinot Noir with truffle, earthy spices, clove, dried porcini, and leather mix with loganberry and pomegranate. Give it at least 30 minutes of air and try with roast pork loin.
2019 Cobb "Doc's Ranch Vineyard - Swan & Calera" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $99.95 98WA A visit to Cobb in October was one of the most memorable tastings of the year. The fact it was 50F and you couldn’t see more than 100 yards through the fog didn’t stop the wines from illuminating our hearts. These wines are really grown on the edge of viability, overlooking Bodega Bay with constant ocean influence. Ross’ wines are so precise, coiled, and compact when young, they need time to unfurl in the glass; but when they do, they’re clearly some of the most exciting Pinot Noirs in the world.
$75-$100ish Cabs
2019 Beau Vigne "Reserve" Napa Valley Cabernet $74.95 (Elsewhere $175) 95JD 95TWI A monstrous Cab for folks who love the dial up to 11. The last Beau Vigne sourced from Stag’s Ridge Vineyard on Atlas Peak. Intense black and blue fruit, blackberry, cassis, roasted plum, huckleberry, lavender, graphite, charred oak spice, crushed rock. Big mountain tannins, wrapped in saturated waves of dark fruit and smoky oak. We have a huge $100 discount on this wine from its original SRP!
2018 Evidence "Immaculate Vineyard" Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon $94.95 Winemaker Jason Court learned his craft working alongside his longtime friend and mentor Chris Carpenter at Lokoya, Cardinale, La Jota and Mt Brave. His tiny production Evidence wines are made at Cardinale to this day. Immaculate Vineyard is a tiny planting right next door Paul Hobbs Nathan Coombs Vineyard in the center of Coombsville. The wine is redolent with smoky spices, mulberry, blackcurrant, briar patch, hot stone, and graphite. Elements of tobacco leaf and leather mingle with the torrent of muscular dark fruit. Exotic oak spices add another dimension and structural definition. A very powerful wine that will no doubt age 20-30 years. Bold, concentrated and youthfully tense. A very serious wine that's up there with the best of the vintage including many that are significantly more expensive from the very same neighborhood.
2019 Paradigm Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon $99.95 Just in time for the holidays we got our hands on a few cases of Paradigm Cab! This vineyard sits in the sweet spot of west Oakville. Neighbors include Opus One - To Kalon, Martha’s Vineyard, and Vine Hill Ranch. The wines are made by none other than Heidi Barrett, whose resume includes Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, Vineyard 29, Grace Family etc etc.) And so given the neighborhood and pedigree of the winemaking…how is this wine still under $100!?
2019 O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $109.95 98JD 97DC One of my favorite expressions of Howell Mountain, O’Shaughnessy is a perennial standout for me. Longtime winemaker Sean Capiaux captures just the right amount of rugged mountain character with elegance and polish from precise work in the cellar. It is also one of few wines that use the full gambit of Bordeaux varietal.
2018 Laurel Glen Sonoma Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon $94.95 96W&S 94VN If you like old-school, structured, classically styled, mountain-grown Cabernet then Laurel Glen is very hard to beat. This old vineyard planted in the 1960s has produced more than its fair share of incredible bottles over the years. Organically farmed vines on the eastern slopes of Sonoma Mountain produce a distinctive, savory, very Bordeaux-like wine from a unique heritage clone of Cabernet Sauvignon now recognized by UC Davis as the Laurel Glen Clone. Red currant, elderberry, cedar, dry tobacco leaf, leather, loamy earth. Long chain tannins that give great longevity without feeling harsh or astringent. Fans of Mayacamas, Dunn, Togni, Spring Mountain etc should try this Sonoma classic.
2018 Scattered Peaks "Morisoli Vineyard" Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon $69.95 (Elsewhere $150) 94DC A wine that I think is one of the best gifts of the season. We have a smoking price on this fantastic Cabernet from the historic and highly renowned Morisoli Vineyard in the heart of Rutherford. Sourced from one block of Clone 7 Cabernet, crafted by master winemaker, Joel Aiken who made the BV wines for over 25 years. A stunning bottle inside and out, luxurious heavy bottle, foiled and embossed label, tissue wrapped. If you need a very special gift, these also come in beautiful 6-Pack wooden cases. Bold, decadent, deep dark fruit, classic Rutherford dust, very suave and sophisticated high-end oak adds exotic spice and polish. Great wine.
$100 Whites
2016 Rhys "Horseshoe Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay $99.99 96JD 95WA From a stunning site high in the Santa Cruz Mountains with ancient marine sedimentary soils. Farmed using organic and biodynamic practices and meticulously crafted in tiny lots to maintain exceptional quality. Rhys’ reputation precedes them as one of the premier producers of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay anywhere in the new world. On a par with top white Burgundy and in the cellars of all serious collectors of Chardonnay.
2021 Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Chardonnay $109.95 98JS 95WA An iconic Napa Valley Chardonnay that continues to impress year after year. Sourced from Pahlmeyer Estate, Stagecoach, Antica, Hudson and Hyde Vineyard (basically the best of the best Chardonnay sites in Napa) - this is a powerhouse wine that still keeps plenty of cut and vibrancy to balance the sheer intensity of fruit. Richly and luxuriously oaked but not overly so. A deserved benchmark.
2021 Sea Smoke "Estate Vineyard" Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay $99.00 We have a tiny amount of Sea Smoke “Estate” Chardonnay remaining from our Fall allocation. If you need an extra special, ultra-rare gift for a white wine lover in your life, you can’t go wrong with this stunning bottle from one of the premier vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills. Golden orchard fruit combines with toasted grains, racy minerality from the diatomaceous soils and cooling winds of the region. Power and restraint - sheer class.
2020 Arista "U.V. El Diablo Vineyard" Russian River Valley Chardonnay $99.95 98WA 96JD Arista have risen through the ranks of top Chardonnay producers in the country pretty fast and their wines are now hard to find and highly rated by top publications. The source fruit from the very best sites across the Sonoma Coast. This wine comes from the revered U.V. El Diablo Vineyard developed and farmed by the late-great Ulises Valdez. Highly concentrated and exotic fruit is tempered by electric acidity and whiffs of savory oak spice. Crushed rock minerals are interwoven into this fantastically layered, complex wine.
2020 Arista "Ritchie Vineyard" Russian River Valley Chardonnay $99.95 97WA 97JD Aritsa makes a fantastic Ritchie Chardonnay that captures all the elements that make this site so unique and sought after. Gorgeous bright fruit, luxurious textures, mouthwatering acidity, length for days on the finish. Great poise and tension from a site that has so much richness it can sometimes lose focus, not here, winemaker Matt Courtney nailed this one.
$100+ Pinot
2021 Raen "Sea Field Vineyard" Fort Ross-Seaview Pinot Noir $114.95 99JD 98JS A visit to Raen earlier this year firmly cemented them in my top 5 Pinot Noir producers in the state. The wines are simply exquisite. They show just how magical Pinot Noir can be from the true West Sonoma Coast. This ultra-cool area requires meticulous farming, attention to detail, subtle but precise winemaking to bring the best out of the fruit and Raen are setting the standard in all of these areas. Give it time to unwind in the glass (or decanter) they way you would treat Burgundy and this wine will strut its stuff for hours. Magical, world-class Pinot Noir.
2021 Beaux Frères "Beaux Frères Vineyard" Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir $124.95 95WS 95WA The legendary wines of Beaux Frères are as good as they ever were, showing why this longtime stalwart can still hang with the very best wines coming out of Oregon. Much of this vineyard is now over 35-years of age, the vines are mostly heritage clones, Pommard and Wädenswil, planted on their own roots. Power, depth and structure meet savory complexity and aromatic finesse. Beaux Frères’ wines age beautifully, but they’re also very accessible right out of the gate. The 2021 releases from them are a good indicator of just how special this vintage was in the Willamette Valley.
2021 Peter Michael "Ma Danseuse" Fort Ross-Seaview Pinot Noir $159.95 96-98WA 97VN 97JD Somehow we managed to secure a few cases of Peter Michael’s “Ma Danseuse” Pinot Noir this year, so if you need a special gift, look no further than this - one of the rarest and most highly rated Pinot Noirs in our inventory. A big, bold Pinot Noir with tons of dark fruit, cherry, loganberry, baked strawberry, baking spice, damp forest floor, exotic oak. Lush and velvety but with lovely lift and energy, too. Very limited.
$125+ Cabs
2019 Baker & Hamilton (Vine Hill Ranch) Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon $124.95 95WS Baker & Hamilton from Vine Hill Ranch offers savvy buyers a chance to get their hands on some of the very best (and most expensive) Cabernet fruit in the valley. Sitting in a perfect locale on Oakville’s western bench, nestled up against the Mayacams Mountains, Vine Hill Ranch is always in the discussion for top 5 vineyards in Napa. The purity of fruit, varietal expression and silkiness of tannin from this site is practically unparalleled. Baker & Hamilton is essentially a second label of VHR, but is entirely estate grown and crafted by longtime iconic winemaker Françoise Peschon (Stags Leap, Araujo, Accendo, Heimark, Drinkward - Peschon). Probably the best $125 you can spend on Napa Cab.
2019 Evidence "Bruadair Vineyard" Mt Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon $124.95 99JD 97JS 96WS As mentioned earlier in the write up from his Coombsville Cab, Evidence winemaker / owner Jason Court was mentored by Napa legend Chris Carpenter at Lokoya, Cardinale, La Jota where he worked in the cellar for decades. Just a few years back, at Chris’ encouragement, Jason started bottling his own wines and within three vintages his wines are flirting with perfect scores from top wine critics. This beauty from Braudair Vineyard on Mt Veeder combines a vaulted aromatic finesse with incredible purity of fruit with big mountain power and longevity. Clearly Jason was a good student over the years; watch for these wines to become a big name in cult Napa Cab.
2021 Realm "The Bard" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $174.95 97JS 97TWI The long-awaited new bottling of Realm's The Bard is finally released! After Realm chose not to make any red wines in 2020 due to wildfire smoke concerns, we've been chomping at the bit to get the new '21 vintage. The Bard is Realm's Napa Valley-wide, Cabernet-dominant blend that comes from a staggering list of some of the very best vineyards in the valley: Blair, Houyi, Beckstoffer To Kalon, Beckstoffer Bourn, Larkmead, Realm SLD Estate, Farella, Orchard, and Bettinelli Upper Range. It offers a peek behind the curtain into the world of some of Napa’s most sought after and highly allocated wines. Monster scores are rolling in with more to follow.
2019 Mayacamas Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon $184.95 97VN 96WS For many decades the wines from Mayacamas have proven themselves as some of the most collectible and long lived in the country. This historic winery dating from 1889 prides themselves with keeping true to their roots and ignoring various winemaking trends and fads that come and go. The wines are produced very traditionally with very low technological inputs. Concrete fermenters, gravity transfers, long aging in large neutral oak vessels. Everything is done to preserve the special and distinctive flavor of this terroir. It’s a philosophy that has endured for a longtime, and the wines are still just as special as ever.
2019 Ad Vivum "Sleeping Lady Vineyard" Yountville Cabernet $199.95 98DC 97WA 97JD One of my favorite wines tasted in 2023. Timeless, classic Napa cabernet that’s quite simply as good as it gets. Sleeping Lady Vineyard is perfectly situated on the western bench of Yountville, just south of the Veterans Home on HWY29. Farmed by the Betinelli family, it is widely considered one of the best vineyards in the valley. Ad Vivum is a small, boutique project from winemaker Chris Phelps. Chris was the founding winemaker at Christian Moueix’s Dominus Estate for its first 12 vintages. He also made some legendary vintages of Caymus in a bygone era. The combination of Chris’vast wineking pedigree and the sheer class of this vineyard have combined to make a truly memorable bottle. Also available in a 3-Pack Wood Case.
2019 Dunn Howell Mountain Cab Sauvignon $199.00 98VN 98IWR 96WS and #6 Top 100 Thanks to our longtime partnership with Dunn we have continued to secure more cases of their celebrated 2019 Howell Mountain Cab. There’s not much I can really say about Dunn that hasn’t already been said a hundred times before, but I will just reiterate that the 2019 is one of the most exceptional vintages of this wine that I’ve been fortunate to taste. It is also surprisingly approachable as a young wine, whilst still retaining decades of cellaring potential.