Past Offers

Scattered Peaks is a super-premium spin on Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from a mix of Napa’s finest vineyards. The wine is elegantly crafted by wine industry veteran Derek Benham and legendary Napa Valley winemaker, Joel Aiken. Joel spent 27-years making the world-famous red wines at Rutherford's legendary Beaulieu Vineyards, including several of the finest BV Georges de Latour Reserves ever. Joel left BV in 2010 to get into the consulting business. And why not? With his expertise and knowledge of Napa’s finest vineyards it seems this cat that could make some serious coin making other wineries viable forces to be reckoned with.

We’ll keep the broader narrative short as we have been broadcasting this message for something like three decades. Nobody brings the value ‘drama’ like the Spaniards, and that’s true for every conceivable price level. Where else do you get reserve level wines, with some bottle age, for less money than you would pay for some homogenized domestic corporate bottling? Character, versatility, and value are the order of the day every day! Sure, there are new ‘players’ in Spain tossing out things with ‘statement’ prices, but that is a small percentage of the crowd. The prevailing tradition is still as it was, some of the best red wine deals in the world.

Can you believe it? Thanksgiving this week. Wow. And crazy to think how folks will be sharing it this year. Zoom Thanksgiving with Grandma? Yup, may be. Regardless, it'll be different. Next year? With the recent vaccine news it looks like things next holiday will be back to 'normal', whatever that new normal may be. In the meantime, drink something really frigging great this year. I mean it. Treat yourself. Go all out, Lord knows you deserve it. We usually preach prudence, being careful with your money, spending wisely, and we've practiced what we preach for close to 40 years. But this year? Chuck it out the damn window. Open that crazy ridiculous bottle. And DRINK it, ENJOY it. Go crazy. Honestly, it's what we'll be doing...damn the torpedoes, full Grand Cru Burgundy ahead!

To all Wine Exchangers, We sold Joel Gott’s first vintage back in the mid-90’s. At that time, he was a ‘Zin guy’, making great Zinfandel from Amador County while working with his ‘burger joint’ in Napa, Taylor’s Refresher. A lot has changed. Taylor’s isn’t Taylor’s anymore, it’s Gott’s Roadside, and the Joel Gott label has ‘grown up’ over the last 20 years with the help of Trinchero Family Estates, who he partnered up with back in 2009. Yes, there’s more Joel Gott now. You’ll see it around, especially the Cabernet. But one wine from them you don’t see everywhere is their terrific Sauvignon Blanc! Sauvignon has always been near and dear to Joel, I believe it was the second wine he and his winemaker wife Sarah Gott made in the late 90’s.

Sometimes it is tough pushing the rock uphill. Change is a word that does not exist in most places of Bordeaux. For Lilian Ladouys, a beautiful chateau in St Estephe, it’s hard to overcome some of the short comings of the estate’s early years. On the Right Bank, properties like Ausone, Pavie, Angelus and Clos Fourtet among others all managed to turn around their properties with great success. But for some reason, the perception and acceptance of the turnaround (though a reality) is tougher to achieve on the Left Bank. While that is unjust for owner Jacky Lorenzetti who, since 2008, has been doing all the right things to produce great wine here, it is a benefit for you… at least for now. But folks, it won’t stay this way as the wine is now officially too good.

To all Wine Exchangers, The Opus One 2017 is here and it’s once again the ultimate gift! Remember, half of Opus One comes from their two choice parcels in the To Kalon Vineyard. The other half is, of course, their vineyard across the street that surrounds the winery in Oakville. Serious dirt for a serious wine. Their wine is made in the exact same fashion as a Bordeaux First Growth. Walk into the cellars of Mouton, Margaux or Lafite and you’ll see the same gear. Monster scores again for this esteemed property that is currently firing on all cylinders.

The Féret guide was on to something as this estate is incredibly unique for the area. Why you ask? Well in the land of Cabernet Sauvignon, this property is 75% Merlot but get this…combined with a shockingly high 25% Petit Verdot and the oenology team of Michel Rolland and Vincent Cachau behind the winemaking. And it’s that Petit Verdot that gives this wine its meaty spine, which on the palate brings structure to the wine. The fruit is handpicked and fermented in thermoregulated stainless steel vats. After fermentation, the wine is aged 12 months in French Oak, 50% new. The wine is gorgeous with a nose of cassis and blueberries. On the palate, there is a concentrated essence of blue and black fruits, with some underlying minerality, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel and stunning texture, length and purity. This is a superb Haut-Médoc, with surprisingly sweet tannin, which is even more remarkable in this vintage of big tannins.

Does Chardonnay have to be from California or France in order for it to be great? Obviously, one would think the answer is no, based on the fact that the world is a very big place and Chardonnay can grow just about anywhere. But you’d be shocked how hard it is to convince somebody that someplace like Australia can make some of the world’s greatest examples. Our mission today is to convince you that it may not only be advisable for you to add some Aussie Chard to your cellar, but perhaps move it a few notches up your personal Chardonnay roster in the process!

Yes! Spirits are back in the Winex house. Finally. Hey, this stuff takes time. The gears of progress grind slowly, but we’re extremely pleased to now offer you a variety of cutting edge spirits expertly curated by Spirits Master Gabrielle Dion that matches our own philosophy of cutting edge finds, top quality and excellent prices.

Big week here! Our spirits section is off and running. I gotta say, it's a new world for me personally. There's so much to learn, a ton of information to digest. We've been 100% wine-oriented for pretty much he last decade. Now there's...Mezcal? Hundreds of Mezcals? I know, I've been living under a spirits rock, but after tasting dozens of Bourbons (Rye, Wheated, Blended), Gins (Plymouth, Old Tom, London Dry, International) and everything else I have to say that I'm personally excited for the quality of our opening set (over 200 selections) and it seems you are too, spirits sales ere brisk on our first official day.