Specials

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.  

97 Points! Robust, floral and intense. 100% old-vine grenache, expressing aromas of wild berries, sweet cherries, orange peel, dried flowers, grilled herbs and loads of spices. It’s full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Juicy at the center with so much energy. It’s vibrant and focused with good drive in the finish. Bright and agile. From organically grown grapes with Ecocert certification. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! There's a lot to love in this ethereal red, with stunning purity and allure. The perfumed nose is marked by black fruit, pepper, smoked bacon and tobacco, with smoky oolong tea in the backdrop. Concentrated yet doesn't feel weighed down, with fine, chalky tannins landing the finish, which stretches out in effortless harmony and reveals earthy tugs of tar and juniper. Its beautiful suppleness makes this approachable now, but this will also go the distance in the cellar. Drink now through 2040. - Wine Spectator

99 Points! One of the palest and most perfumed Barolos from Vietti with a transparent, ruby-orange hue. This is a super nuanced, elegant, expressive and ethereal Monvigliero that grows on me, with enchanting notes of grilled grapefruit, thyme, frozen raspberries and mineral. A subtle splash of white pepper and mezcal-like smokiness. Really refined and transparent, with some citrus and mineral tensions that are closely knit with the fine, crumbled tannins. So much finesse and detail here, and its complexity will continue to unwind. Really composed, soulful and mind-blowing! A big wow that deserves attention. Vegan. Best with a Burgundy glass. Can drink now or from 2027. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! An appetizing sense of restraint comes with vibrant red and black fruit in this vivid and well-balanced wine. It's medium-bodied, slightly tannic, supporting complex red cherry, sour cherry, bay leaf and savory tea notes. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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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

92 Points! The Fattoria le Pupille 2024 Morellino di Scansano is led by Sangiovese with small percentages of Alicante and Ciliegiolo that bring extra brightness and energy. In Maremma, complex soils of volcanic deposits layered with ancient marine sediments define the character of the region, and for this wine, the Sangiovese is planted on sandstone soils that enhance elegance and aromatic lift, while other parcels feature pietra serena, red clays and limestone matched carefully to the appropriate variety. The bouquet offers redcurrant, myrtle and fragrant herbal notes of fresh rosemary and thyme, evoking the herb garden that lines the walkway to the estate’s newly inaugurated tasting room and visitor center. This wine offers phenomenal value. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

93 Points! Light and delicate, with crunchy fruit and flint, cranberry and raspberry aromas and flavors. Light-bodied and spicy at the end. Crunchy, crisp and bright. A joy to drink everyday. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

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

90 Points! Very crisp and bright, the Cantina Andriano (Kellerei Andrian) 2022 Alto Adige Pinot Grigio has aromas of citrus, crushed stone, star fruit and white grapefruit. Those bright aromas join a lean-bodied finish. There is a subtle hint of fleshy citrus, with something like a tangerine sorbet on the close. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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90 Points! Fresh verbena and lime lend zip to white grapefruit and peach in this juicy blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc. Bright in fruit and thirst quenching, it's an easy-drinking, fruity dry white with crowd appeal. - Wine Enthusiast

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

90 Points! Brimming with fresh black-cherry fruit, this light and crisp Julienas has a very engaging balance of full fruit, gentle tannin and lively acidity. Good length, thanks to those tannins!  - JamesSuckling.com

Old cherry trees are planted in this plot of 60 year old vines giving to the wine distinct note of cherries, stone fruits, pepper and kirsch every year. 

94 Points! It would be easy to mistake this for a Northern Rhone wine, because of the savory and raw-meat character. But with some aeration ripe-damson plum and violet notes also emerge. Concentrated, with a slew of fine tannins wrapped in velvet on the powerful yet focused palate. So much mineral and tannic power at the dramatic finish. - JamesSuckling.com

Château Jolys, the largest estate in the Jurançon AOC with its 36 hectares, nestles on the superb hills of Chapelle de Rousse village. The gentle slopes are exposed South / South-West and form amphitheatres facing the Pyrenees moutains. Soils are chalky and clayey. 

Cuvée Jean is made from 100% Petit Manseng grapes. The grapes are surmatured using the passerillage method, and the resulting concentration of sugar gives for perfectly healthy, golden and extremely ripe grapes. 

After total destemming and maceration before fermentation, we keep only the free-run juice to make this wine (juice obtained before pressing), in order to obtain the best of the richness and the aromas of the Petit Manseng grapes. After cold settling, alcoholic fermentation is carried out in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks (at around 20°C so as to preserve the aromas). Barrel ageing for 9 months in French oak barrels.

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

Just a great frigging bottle of RED WINE. Son Of a Butcher shows the softer side of Yannick’s favorite red grape – Tannat – and its amazing potential as a blending variety. The deep, dark, spicy bouquet revolves around blackberries, white pepper, plums, violets, dry leaves with notes of licorice and roasted coffee. Supple and full-bodied, it’s an unmistakable California resident, rich and with youthful vibe, but the one who doesn’t forget its French heritage. Aged for 18 months in 20% new and 80% neutral French oak barrels. 40% Old Vine Tannat, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma & Napa), 30% Merlot (Sonoma Mtn), 10% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Syrah. All from undisclosed Top Vineyards in Northern California.

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

The vineyard is located on terraces of galets roules, 60% Grenache Blanc and 40% Clairette.