Specials

94 Points! From the highest-elevation vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, at its southern, warmer tip, the 2023 Pinot Noir Cortada Alta exudes feral features of honeysuckle, sagebrush, pine, and wild rose. The exposure to the winds can make the tannins abrasive, though when well-managed as they are here, the wine remains super structured yet supple. Ultimately, it’s both feral and funky in all the right ways, as enjoyable as it is contemplative. It should drink well another 10 years or more. - Virginie Boone, jebdunnuck.com

93 Points! The 2023 Pinot Noir Cortada Alta Vineyard is another high point in Russell Joyce's portfolio, offering a uniquely balanced and energetic expression of the Santa Lucia Highlands. It leads with a bright, fragrant bouquet of red and blue fruits, damp earth and crushed stones. The palate is slender and focused, containing a surprising saturation, considering its lithe frame. It concludes with an elegant, ethereal finish with fine-grained tannins. - Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

93 Points! The cooler temperatures seemed to benefit the Calistoga source of Coup de Foudre's 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon. Dominated by ripe cherries, it still has some of the herbal streaks found in the 2022 but fewer of them, morphing them into attractive tomato or tobacco-leaf nuances. It's full-bodied and reasonably silky in feel, with ample length and a dusting of fine-grained tannins on the finish. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

94 Points! A firm, structured and intense red with potent black fruits wrapped in muscular tannins. Iron, floral, black-cherry and star-anise flavors. Very focused and powerful yet poised, ready for extended aging for those with patience. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! The 2023 Gemellaia, a varietal Merlot in this vintage, is dusty and floral, enticing with an array of crushed violets, white pepper, cedar shavings and wild blueberries. It is seamless and supple, with a savory mix of red and blue fruits underscored by crisp mineral tones, as an air of lavender gathers toward the close. It is dramatically long, staining and structured, with a web of fine tannins, yet maintains excellent freshness and verve. The 2023 Gemellaia is simply stunning. No fan of Merlot should be without it. – Eric Guido, Vinous

96 Points! A fresh and perfumed wine with aromas of sandstone, roses and lavender. Silky tannins and refreshing acidity with a long finish that carries flavors of wild blueberry, raspberry and pomegranate. – JamesSuckling.com

95+ Points! A dramatic departure from the history of this wine, the 2023 Gemellaia is composed of 100% Merlot and is an absolutely transcendent expression of the variety. Bounding from the glass with a sophisticated, red- and black-fruited nose with sandalwood, turned earth, underbrush and dark chocolate aromas, the palate is rich and saturated yet equal parts slender and spry. It culminates with a lifted, savory finish that lingers with refined, chalky tannins and remarkable length. This is the only thing like it in the Central Coast, and I look forward to following its evolution. – Matthew Luczy, robertparker.com

97 Points! Limarí is a unique region. Its dry, cold climate characterized by cloudy mornings and sunny evenings, along with its calcareous and clayish soils, give it a distinctiveness compared to other white wine regions around the world. The 2022 Chardonnay Amelia encapsulates all these conditions, especially in a cold vintage. Winemaker Marcelo Pappa aimed to showcase this character by aging the wine for 12 months, with 90% in old French barrels and 10% in new ones. This greenish-yellow wine reveals aromas of lime, herbs, green apple and pineapple. The true difference lies on the palate: a saline, compact and vibrant Chardonnay with a dry, vivid and enduring finish. Undoubtedly one of the finest white wines in South America. - Joaquin Hidalgo, Vinous

97 Points! Very serious and complex aromas of oysters, cooked apples, fresh seaweed and crushed stone. Full-bodied with a phenolic tension and depth. Chewy and impressive, with a phenolic finish. Excellent structure. No malolactic. Super drinkability and possibility to age. Drink now or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Though not that expressive today, this red is saturated with cherry, earth and iron flavors, accented with mint and rosemary. Firmly built, this persists on the aftertaste, with fresh cherry and berry notes. - Wine Spectator

From the winery:

This wine is 100% Chardonnay, and is the new version of what was our Bien Nacido Chardonnay.  Over the last 10 years the Bien Nacido Vineyard has been shrinking due to virus and economic considerations, and a couple of the blocks that we used to get from are now sadly gone.  Luckily, Block 18, which is directly behind the winery, has remained healthy, productive and yields high quality grapes.  This is the first year that we have worked with the Maria Vista Vineyard.  It is a beautifully farmed vineyard about 5 miles west of Bien Nacido, so slightly cooler site, and sits directly across the road from Presqu’ile Vineyard and Winery.

The grapes for this wine were harvested in four separate picks between September 10^th and September 24^th, at sugars ranging from 21.7 to 24.0° brix, all with great acidity.  Each lot was whole cluster pressed, chilled overnight in tank, and transferred to barrel the next day.  For Chardonnay, we use exclusively Francois Freres French oak Burgundy barrels, of which about 25% were new, 25% were two year old, and the rest neutral.  It went through complete malo in the barrel and was aged on the lees for 9 months.

This is classic Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay, with aromas of apples, pears, citrus and a nice dollop of toasty French oak.  The Maria Vista component, coming from a cooler climate gives the wine a nice bit of minerality as well.  

Incredibly, only $39.98 at checkout!

93 Points! A perfectly fine, classic, and easy-drinking Cabernet Sauvignon from the Jericho Canyon Vineyard, rife with blue-black and red-fruit nuance, rich toasty oak spice, scorched earth nuances with powerful chewy tannins that resolve through notes of dark chocolate and anise on the full-bodied finish. - Decanter Magazine

97 Points! Black berry, slate, lead pencil, black currant, and wet earth. Excellent pedigree. Medium to full body with exquisite tannins that run the length of the wine and show intensity and focus. The purity of the cab character shows such clarity and resonates back to the great cabs of the 1970s. A blend of cab from the vineyards: Martha’s, Trailside, Howell Mountain, and Linda Falls. Drinkable but better in four or five years. - JamesSuckling.com

97 Points! Beringer's Private Reserve in the 2021 vintage combines 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, and 2% Malbec. It was aged 18 months in 65% new French oak. It's a very stylish wine with an excellent balance between its powerful, fine-grained tannins and plump, juicy, black-toned fruits. The bouquet is lovely, too, revealing a wealth of vintage-specific savoury potpourri character in its sagebrush, dried rose petal, and coriander atop candied red berry fruits and fragrant ironstone minerality. Full-bodied, with a deep core of succulent blackberry fruit that is downright silky. Between the dazzling fruit character and perfectly integrated tannin, the Private Reserve has a seamless quality, making it so approachable now but well-endowed with the structure to age gracefully. - Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter Magazine

97 Points! The 2021 Private Reserve is the most refined of the 2021s from Beringer. The aromatics alone are so alluring. There's 12% Cabernet Franc in the blend this year, and that comes through loud and clear. Crushed flowers, espresso, mint, licorice and red/purplish fruit all grace this silky, super-polished offering. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

97 Points! So much dark berry, dried berry, matchstick and iodine here. Plus intense aromas of black currants and black berries. So floral. Full-bodied with firm and compacted tannins that are super polished and balanced. Very long and linear. The tightness, focus and complexity harks back to the 1990s but the purity and transparency is today. September 2024 release. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 12% cabernet franc, 6% merlot, and 2% malbec. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! Supple and harmonious, this red delivers cherry, raspberry, rose and mineral flavors on an elegant frame. Balanced and fresh, with a lingering aftertaste echoing the fruit and mineral elements. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! From a vineyard with old vines and schistic galestro soils, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Poggiarelli opens to a deep and unique sense of aromatic layering, starting with dark fruit, sweet tobacco leaf, flavored cigarette and spice. The wine is rich with dense fruit flavors and ripe tannins. You taste Sangiovese's skins with a hint of bitterness. However, the truly distinguishing factor of Poggiarelli is the etched mineral notes. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

96 Points! Lush and fruit-driven aromas of blood plums, black currants, mocha, blueberry compote, licorice, potpourri and spices. The palate is textural and rounded, with fine tannins, bright acidity and a fruit-driven and complex finish. This is Vine Hill Ranch’s second label. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

94 Points! The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon from Baker & Hamilton is fabulous. Medium in body and beautifully layered, the 2023 graces the palate with lovely red/purplish-toned fruit lifted by soaring floral aromatics. Time in the glass releases hints of lavender, cinnamon and new leather. Fine-grained tannins round things out in style. This supremely elegant Cabernet Sauvignon is irresistibly sexy. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

99 Points! This is a young wine with terrific depth and layers of fruit. It’s full-bodied with notes of eucalyptus, lavender and sage and hints of matchsticks and oranges. It’s linear and tight at the end, with an energetic finish. Very Saffredi in nature. Better than the 2021. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 10% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! This is one of only a handful of wines made on the Tuscan Coast that has managed to interpret the vintage in such an excellent manner. The Fattoria le Pupille 2022 Saffredi (a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot) deftly plays upon the elegance and fruity brightness of the growing season, while also harnessing its freshness and its slightly more streamlined appeal. The wine is nuanced and layered with fine details that recall wild berry, spice, blue flower and blood orange. To my mind, the 2022 stands apart from almost every other past vintage of Saffredi. This is a new direction for the wine that we can all happily embrace. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

98 Points! Menthol-infused dark berry aromas open the door to an intense and juicy mouthful of precisely wrought red and black berries and cherries. Wonderful lip-smacking sapidity and finely integrated tannins complete the package. The 2022 Saffredi is the result of the estate's hard work and it has paid dividends. Elisabetta Geppetti's son, Ettore – in just his third vintage overseeing the winemaking without the experienced hand of ex-consultant Luca d'Attoma – has beautifully interpreted the vintage. He tells me that, unusually, it took the team three harvests at different times to obtain the freshness evident in the wine. It's a stunner. Wow! - Deacnter Magazine

95 Points! Magnificent black cherry, tea leaf, cocoa and violet perfume. Elegant, round and silky on the palate, with ripe polished tannins, amazing structure and nicely-integrated oak. Fruit-driven and persistent finish. - Decanter World Wine Awards

93 Points! Sweet almonds, lemon curd and spiced pink and white grapefruit are accented by a hint of flintiness and mineral lines through a mouthwatering finish. - Wine Enthusiat

93 Points! Sleek yet well-structured, with expressive flavors of raspberry and pomegranate accented by crushed stone, rose petal and black tea as this builds tension and polish toward refined tannins. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! Perfumed nose of red currants, sour cherries, frozen raspberries, crushed stone and wild herbs. Medium-bodied with bright acidity. Precise, agile and seductive, with a vibrant core of succulent berries and a lift of white pepper toward the persistent finish. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! This powerful red is dense yet fleshy, evoking cherry, tobacco, iron, earth and wild herb notes. Balanced and fresh, with a lingering aftertaste of fruit, savory Mediterranean herbs and mineral notes. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! Notes of raspberries and cherries with red licorice, dried orange peel and spices. Medium- to full-bodied with meaty structure. Tannins are wide and velvety with a juicy, red-fruited mid-palate. Fresh and crunchy at the end. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2020 Zinfandel Sheep Camp lifts up more like a spiced herbal tea than wine, with rose buds, cedar shavings, rosemary and dried strawberries forming its bouquet. This is soft textured with chalky minerals and crisp red fruits that give way to dusty tannins. The acidity wins the day, adding a vibrancy yet also spiciness that tugs at the cheeks as the 2020 finishes with admirable length and full of tension. - Eric Guido, Vinous