Wine & Spirits

A blockbuster gem and another Andy Erickson masterpiece. Dark cherry and some leather and with a nice earthiness undertone. Well structured and good tannic structure throughout. Just a great wine showing that great fruit from a great vineyard makes a difference.  --Winston Huh

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This Pinot-centric Jackson Family brand expands into Oregon with this smooth, dark and toasty wine. It's layered with whiffs of smoke, espresso and black licorice, matched with dark fruit flavors of black cherry and cassis. It's a big, balanced, sexy wine with polished tannins that leave a trail of tobacco highlights.  --PAUL GREGUTT  

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Alejandro Bulgheroni Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Napa 2017 "Dark currants, chocolate, gravelly earth, and tobacco notes emerge from the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard. It's deep, full-bodied, balanced, and just a stunning wine in every sense. I suspect it will show even more complexity in 3-4 years and cruise for two decades. This cuvée is a selection (from two blocks in the To Kalon Vineyard) that spent 21 months in just under 90% new French oak. 81 cases made." - Jeb Dunnuck

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100% Chardonnay  Kistler is a true standard bearer of quality in California. Blossom and white flowers on the nose and loads of dense but well balanced fruit - peach, apricots, pineapple and pear - on the palate. A fine and complex smorgasbord of fruit. 30 year old vines. Les Noisetiers is a combination of specific lots from within Kistler’s vineyards of designated quality that are situated in far western Sonoma County, near the coast. They began creating Les Noisetiers upon noting that there was an inherent mineral tone which they loved in the lots from their vineyards planted in these coastal sandy Gold Ridge soils. Hand harvested in September. Native yeast fermentation in French oak barrels. Aged on its lees in the same French oak barrels for 11-18 months in their subterranean, gravel floor barrel rooms. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 422 barrels produced. Pair with: rich poultry, pork and pasta dishes.

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VINEYARD NOTESWinemakers across Napa Valley reported another stellar harvest for 2016. Bud break began early due to a warm spring, and the summer then brought moderate daytime temperatures with cool evenings. Harvest started early, in mid-August, and progressed at a steady pace. October ushered in a few rain showers that put a swift end to a successful harvest.FOOD PAIRING NOTESPair our VOTE. with a lamb burger, eggplant Parmesan or a chocolate truff le souff lé.

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Winemaker Notes Dusted blackberries, plums, and dark fruit tones coalesce into a wide expanse of engaging freshness and vibrancy. Creamy tannin's tell a story of a layered and complex wine. Brilliant raspberry reduction, Rainier cherry, and cassis unfold in waves through the mid-palate to its impressive, well-tiered finish. The 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is truly symphonic in its progression of flavor, density, power, and lift

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96 Points Jeb Dunnuck. " ...inky colored, the 2017 Casual Encounters checks in as 40% Syrah, 35% Mourvèdre, 19% Grenache, and tiny amounts of Carignan and Tannat. Lots of mulled black fruits, smoked meat, barbecue, and peppery notes emerge from the glass. It's full-bodied, super-rich, and concentrated, yet still stays light on its feet and beautifully balanced. It's a classic, sweetly fruited, sexy 2017 ... "

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2017 PharaohMoans Syrah, Paso Robles – Huge Score From Wine Critic Jeb Dunnuck, “All Syrah brought up in 60% new barrels, the 2017 Syrah Westside offers a thrilling bouquet of black (and some blue) fruits, bay leaf, bacon fat, chocolate, and spring flowers. With a Côte-Rôtie like meatiness and gamey, floral character, medium to full body, no hard edges, and fine tannins, it’s another remarkable effort from this estate. Drink it any time over the coming decade or more.”  JEB DUNNUCK 97 POINTS

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Details Never shy in the glass, the 2015 Evenstad Reserve radiates a blissful bouquet of boysenberry, marionberry, dark chocolate, and sage. In the mouth, its graceful texture enters with power and seduces every part of your palate - exposing wave upon wave of alluring flavors of dark fruits, mushroom, and cola. Its silky-smooth, velvet-like tannins, give way to a long, weighted finish that endures with unrivaled finesse and persistence. This is truly a compelling wine that illustrates two and a half decades of winemaking mastery in one of the finest places in the world to grow and produce Pinot Noir.

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92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate  The 2009 Art Bus Red is another seductive, totally polished wine from La Sirena and Heidi Barrett. Ripe red berries, crushed flowers, cinnamon and sweet pipe tobacco are layered into the silky, polished finish. This pretty, mid-weight red has plenty of juicy, forward fruit, not to mention considerable sheer appeal. Fifteen percent of the proceeds from the sale of Art Bus are donated to charity. (AG)  (12/2012)

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Winemaker Notes The 2016 Crown Point Cabernet Sauvignon is a full, rich, and beautiful wine that beckons both the nose and palate with a sense of textural generosity and aromatic complexity. Blue and black fruits are beautifully woven through its powerful core of minerality, accented by subtle notes of cocoa & toasted spices. This wine possesses an energy and freshness that indicates a long life ahead of it. Mother Nature graced the estate with a near-perfect growing season in 2016. Conditions in the vineyard were optimal for producing evenly ripe, concentrated fruit, which displayed rich, developed tannins right off of the vine. In keeping with tradition, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from multiple blocks on the estate, from a range of clones that all contribute different expressions of the variety to the wine. Small quantities of the other four noble Bordelaise varieties were added to the final blend for polish and complexity. All of the blocks were harvested & fermented separately, and the individual components were blended after 12 months of élevage in barrel. Total time in 225 liter French oak barrels (70% new) was 26 months. Blend: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec

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Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate 31st Jan 2019 "Aged 18 months in 53% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mercury Head delivers expressive notes of blackcurrant pastilles, preserved plums and chocolate-covered cherries with hints of eucalyptus, cigar box and fragrant earth. Full-bodied with a firm frame of ripe, grainy tannins and a refreshing line, it has a fantastic core of expressive fruit, finishing long and minty. 6,000 cases produced." (95 pts.) About the Label As a child, the winemaker loved and collected the Liberty dime - nicknamed the "Mercury Head" - which now fittingly graces his flagship wine's bottle.

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