OLD WORLD WINES IN REAL-TIME

The conclusion has been made, we have been fortunate to taste some world-class wines in real-life situations, and it's never too early to enjoy the best from anywhere. Recently, last week, we enjoyed a 2019 Mouton Rothschild, and although it was as expected ( too young too this etc ). The next day it showed me the parallels of where Napa Valley and Bordeaux varieties are heading. Balance, freshness, texture, and depth are the new and old recipes to express terroir. The cookie-cutter point-chasing days are done! PNV 2023 will prove this point towards the end of the month!

~ The Wine Lab

100 Points The Wine Advocate

2005 LA MISSION HAUT-BRION

The 2005 La Mission Haut-Brion is pure perfection. It has an absolutely extraordinary nose of sweet blackberries, cassis and spring flowers with some underlying minerality, a full-bodied mouthfeel, gorgeously velvety tannins (which is unusual in this vintage) and a long, textured, multi-layered finish that must last 50+ seconds. This is a fabulous wine and a great effort from this hallowed terroir. Drink this modern-day legend over the next 30+ years. Only 5,500 cases were produced of this blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc.

LET'S START ELEVATING THE GAME AGAIN!

No pun intended, allow me to introduce the e-mail series that will showcase the rare last bottle(s), the V Early Wine Bird featured promotions. The premise remains the same, wine(s) we (I) actually love to drink and believe in!

I certainly don't have the patience or time to waste on wines that don't deliver or have our satisfaction guarantee.

The precession will only continue being more acute, let's go hard and explore!

~ The Wine Lab

( BEST PRICE IN THE COUNTRY )

Genuine Chronological Order - You Have Our Word.

Once Sold, It Comes Down or Flying In This Case ;)

2006 SCREAMING EAGLE

97 Points The Wine Advocate, Robert M. Parker, Jr.

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc) is a more structured, firmer style with noticeable tannins and an almost atypical Bordeaux-like austerity that is something of a departure from previous Screaming Eagle wines. It also seems somewhat out of character for the general vintage character, but once the wine sits in the mouth, the beautiful, rich, concentrated creme de cassis fruit, licorice, and spice box, are dramatic and noticeable. Overall, this is an elegant but more backward style of Screaming Eagle that will probably need 4-5 years of bottle age, and last for 20-25+ years if not longer.

98 Points The Wine Advocate, Antonio Galloni

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is stunning. A wine that is only now beginning to shed its tannin, the 2006 stands out for its vibrancy and energy. All of the classic Screaming Eagle notes are in the glass, but with a little more edge and cut than in most vintages. Sweet red berries, crushed rocks, flowers and spice box are alive in the glass. Over time, hints of sage, mint rosemary and pencil shavings add complexity. The 2006 is a decidedly cool-weather wine with less opulence than either the 2007 or 2009, but it is absolutely singing today. Another few years will only help the wine come together even more fully, but it is impossible to miss the 2006’s utterly breathtaking beauty. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026.

I have had a number of fabulous tastings at Screaming Eagle, but this was one of the most memorable. The biggest news at Screaming Eagle is the release of a second wine, a project that has been in the works for a number of years. Owner Stan Kroenke and his team wanted to make sure their new wine was up to the estate’s standards, and have only released the first vintages over the last few months. I tasted all four vintages of Screaming Eagle’s second label, Second Flight, next to Screaming Eagle itself, which allowed for a fascinating set of comparisons of both wines across a number of vintages. Like its big brother, Second Flight is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine, but here the Merlot plays a much more significant role. Regardless, what comes through most is the signature of these sites as seen through the lenses of the respective vintages. Readers might also enjoy taking a look at a recent video I shot with Winemaker Nic Gislason during the 2012 harvest that we recently posted on our site.

THE WINE CREATOR HAS UNIFIED WINE WORLDS INTO ONE!

Cabernet Sauvignon ~ Napa Valley

Merlot ~ Bordeaux, France

Malbec ~ Valle de Uco Argentina

Petit Verdot ~ Dehesa del Carrizal, Spain

Cabernet Franc ~ Helderberg, South Africa

PANGAEA

Michel Rolland has transcended beyond a level most would never dream of when it comes to the tapestry of wine manifestation! A wine that left me wondering in a terroir sense like no other wine before, as time passed, the varietals began to showcase their finesse & individuality. I enjoy Art and appreciate creativity, this wine has the power to give you a sense of enlightenment as it's unparalleled in its composition.

The Master's Blending Touch Is Deep!

 ~ The Wine Lab

2015 PANGAEA WORLD RED

Beautiful nose of spices like thyme, pepper with touches of a slate minerality. Textured and balanced with multiple essence sensations of roses, vanilla bean and macerated cherries. On the palate the wine has the freshness of freshly cut strawberries with touches of mouth watering black cherries and plums.

WE'VE BEEN ATOP THE SWEET MOUNTAIN FOR A WHILE!

Ever since the introductions were made about 7 years ago we've continued to stock the Bevan arsenal of wines on our shelves. A Cult Club sensation then and today this wine continues to showcase a masterful blend inspired by old-world giants.

 ~ The Wine Lab

97 Points Jeb Dunnuck

2019 BEVAN CELLARS

Huge blue fruits, cassis, violets, and leafy herbs notes emerge from Bevan’s 2019 Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, a full-bodied, fresh, lively Cabernet that has silky yet building tannins, good acidity, and one heck of a finish. As with all of the 2019s here, it already offers pleasure, yet I suspect a few years of bottle age are warranted here.

JD

The High-End Saturated PNV 2023 Lab

The wine international wine community has descended on

Napa Valley on a day where we had 2 inches of snow on the highest peaks. Simply an awesome sensation of energy where we feel the power and comradery wine infuses within your soul! I'm all about promoting The West Coast and have soft spot for The Happy Canyon, this producer does Bordeaux varieties so damn well! Exceptional!

~ The West Coast Wine Lab

95 Point Jeb Dunnuck

2019 CROWN POINT

ESTATE SELECTION

The 2019 Estate Selection is more of a blend and is based on 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 5% each of Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec, all aged in 50% new barrels. It’s a stunner, offering beautiful purity in its cassis, darker cherry, and blackberry-like fruits as well as notes of graphite and chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it’s perfectly balanced, has great tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. Drink it over the coming 10-15 years.

AMAZING WINES

Readers looking for the best Bordeaux blends coming out of Santa Barbara County need to check on these releases from Crown Point Vineyards. Located in the warmer Happy Canyon region, with the wines made by Frenchman Simon Faury, these wines bring incredible richness and depth while still holding onto a sense of freshness and purity. You could easily put these in a blind lineup of the best from Napa, and they’ll more than hold their own.

NOTHING LIKE ALWAYS BEING IN THE MOMENT

"When you expect greatness and you are overcome with sensations of limitless pleasure ~ now that is what I call living. We simply have no time to settle for ordinary anything. We demand sense of place, quality, textures and flavors that can on be delivered through precession in production.

~ The Wine Lab

UNANIMOUS

100

2019 DALLA VALLE MAYA

THE WINE ADVOCATE REVIEW

As fans know, Maya comes from a very special section of the estate vineyard, situated in the valley's eastern foothills, below Pritchard Hill and in the above the Oakville floor, overlooking Screaming Eagle. The blend is two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Maya slowly unfurls to reveal a firework display of redcurrant preserves, kirsch, boysenberries and wild blueberries, followed by iron ore, red roses, cardamom, fallen leaves and crushed rocks, with a waft of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is stunningly graceful and refined, featuring exhilarating mineral sparks among the red and black fruits, finishing with so much brightness and energy. Breathtaking!

JEB DUNNUCK REVIEW

One of the finest wines in the vintage is the 2019 Maya Proprietary Red Wine, and red wine doesn’t get any better. The usual blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, its deep purple hue is followed by an incredible bouquet of blackcurrants, tobacco, dark chocolate, and crushed stone, which turns more floral, pretty, and complex with time in the glass. Full-bodied on the palate, it marries a rare sense of elegance and finesse with incredible intensity. It’s impossible to resist today yet merits at least 5-7 years of bottle age, and I have no doubt this beauty will still be enjoyable at age 50. Bravo!

One Of The Most Classic Wine Houses In The Napa Valley!

I've visited the winery once, once was enough to see that the vision of the project is timeless. I ran into Christian Moueix as he was leaving a restaurant, we both nodded at each other as we made I contact and keep moving. Game recognizes game, I'm a huge fan of Dominus and I know he gets our e-mails. All about passion, that's it!

~ The Wine Lab

( ONE OF EACH BOTTLE )

2019 DOMINUS

The 2019 Dominus is blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, aged in 40% new French oak. Impressively dark-hued in the glass, it yields scents of cherries and cassis on the nose—or is it black cherries and redcurrants? Subtle notes of mocha, pencil shavings and almost Graves-like earthiness wind through the concentrated, medium to full-bodied palate, giving it a sense of savory gravitas, while the finish is silky and long, leaving a lingering residue of soft tannins and mouthwatering freshness.

2019 NAPANOOK

Exuberantly fruity on the nose, the 2019 Napanook is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Despite seeing 40% new French oak, what shines on the nose are the ripe cherries, delicately brushed with wisps of tobacco, sage and bay leaf. It's medium to full-bodied, supple and silky in feel on the palate, while the finish lingers easily, adding notes of pencil shavings and mocha. 

YOU MENTIONED SENSORY OVERLOAD!

Playing in wine time is a skill that can only be developed by a select few, the reason being can be attributed to consistency and exposure. The base has been laid down for what we project in The Wine Lab, despite our exposure in real wine time, we look forward to seeing and tasting different levels of stratification as we proceed!

RARE MAGNUMS OF A TRUE CLASSIC!

( The Best Dominus I've Ever Tasted )

~ The Wine Lab

2019 DOMINUS NAPA VALLEY

RED WINE

98 Points The Wine Advocate

( These Wines Are Coming Direct From Our Distribution Partner )

The 2019 Dominus is blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, aged in 40% new French oak. Impressively dark-hued in the glass, it yields scents of cherries and cassis on the nose—or is it black cherries and redcurrants? Subtle notes of mocha, pencil shavings and almost Graves-like earthiness wind through the concentrated, medium to full-bodied palate, giving it a sense of savory gravitas, while the finish is silky and long, leaving a lingering residue of soft tannins and mouthwatering freshness.

A WINE LAB TASTING PANEL STANDOUT

A unique site created in the early eighties, the future vision to employ dynamite in order to fracture the bedrock was visionary.  The result is continued production of world class highly coveted Bordeaux varieties for which legendary winemakers for continue to line up. The history of the site is framed by innovative farming taking place at the iconic family owned vineyard.

These wines express a sense of place and are designed for enjoyment now and show characteristics of aging nicely well into the future.

~ The Wine Lab

Jeb Dunnuck ( A ) Rated

2019 HOSSFELD ESTATE BLEND

The 2019 Red Blend checks in as a blend of 40% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, with the balance Merlot, that spent 20 months in French oak. Its deep purple hue is followed by an up-front, exuberant red offering lots of candied red and black fruits, notes of violets, tobacco, and flowery incense, medium to full body, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Drink this solid, impeccably made blend over the coming decade or more.

UN ALTRO GRANDE GIORNO

Thanks to the kindness of our clients we have been indulging in some of Italy's most iconic producers.  The Lab is constantly enhancing to point that the palate has become microscopic with precision!

THREE ICONS IN ONE SET, DON'T MISS OUT

~ Il Laboratorio Del Vino

2019 MASSETO 

98 Points The Wine Advocate

This bottle opens a new chapter for one of Italy's most celebrated and collected wines. The first vintage made entirely in its dedicated state-of-the-art winery (and the first vintage with a 10% dabble of Cabernet Franc added to what has historically aways been a pure expression of Merlot), the Masseto 2019 Masseto has two main themes at heart: concentration and elegance. And managing those two seemingly contrasting elements requires a little bit of magic. That's the Masseto magic we look for. The 2019 vintage delivers it in spades with lovely concentrated fruit, blackberry, integrated spice, tobacco, crushed slate, pencil shaving and lots of texture and fiber to push a lasting mouthfeel. The wine's richness translates into density and power to the palate, meanwhile the bouquet reveals fluidity and new sides as the wine opens in the glass. The finish is tapered and focused.

2019 TENUTA SAN GUIDO

BOLGHERI SASSICAIA

98 Points The Wine Advocate

The latest release from Tenuta San Guido is the 2019 Bolgheri Sassicaia. The bouquet is up front and very expressive from the get-go. It offers a generous display of crunchy, dark cherry that hints at the extra concentration and fruit weight obtained in the 2019 growing season. This vintage will be remembered for the crisp richness of the fruit and its important textural imprint. It also shows fine elegance, bordering on the ethereal, with berry aromas, tarry earth and brushes of balsam herb or grilled rosemary. Sassicaia always shows an almost-glossy finely knit quality to the polished mouthfeel, and I find it again here next to fresh acidity and firm tannins. Mouthfeel in 2019 is the wine's strongest suit. The 2019 is one of the prettiest and most balanced editions of Sassicaia we've seen this past decade, along with the back-to-back duo of 2016 and 2015. The 2019 marries the precision of the 2016 with the rich fruit weight of the 2015.

2019 ORNELLAIA BOLGHERI SUPERIORE

ORNELLAIA

97 Points The Wine Advocate

This is a beautiful expression of coastal Tuscany and the sunny Mediterranean. The Ornellaia 2019 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia (a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot) pours from the bottle with a specific darkness that has elements of both inky saturation and ruby highlights. The wine is saturated and rich—this is something you notice off the bat—but it also reveals a pleasing lightness or grace that is transmitted to both the bouquet and the palate. Dark fruit, pressed blackberry and plum mingle with more substantial aromas of spice, leather and sweetly cured tobacco. The tannins are beautifully managed, and the wine sports considerable heft and density on the palate that drives a very long and pleasurable mouthfeel.

THIRTY-ONE YEARS AFTER THEIR INITIAL PERFECT SCORE

Key observation moving forward, the brands that own and control their own vineyard(s) and farming practices are the ones that will lead the revolution of quality as we head into the age of artistry in winemaking. Several newer producers that are surging higher than ever or the classics that have maintained their quality will be at the forefront. When others are worried about the new demographic, legendary vision, and history will always maintain their timeless appeal.

~ The Wine Lab

2019 DALLA VALLE

MAYA

PROPRIETARY RED WINE

100 Points The Wine Advocate

As fans know, Maya comes from a very special section of the estate vineyard, situated in the valley's eastern foothills, below Pritchard Hill and in the above the Oakville floor, overlooking Screaming Eagle. The blend is two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Maya slowly unfurls to reveal a firework display of redcurrant preserves, kirsch, boysenberries and wild blueberries, followed by iron ore, red roses, cardamom, fallen leaves and crushed rocks, with a waft of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is stunningly graceful and refined, featuring exhilarating mineral sparks among the red and black fruits, finishing with so much brightness and energy. Breathtaking!

100 Points Jeb Dunnuck

One of the finest wines in the vintage is the 2019 Maya Proprietary Red Wine, and red wine doesn’t get any better. The usual blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, its deep purple hue is followed by an incredible bouquet of blackcurrants, tobacco, dark chocolate, and crushed stone, which turns more floral, pretty, and complex with time in the glass. Full-bodied on the palate, it marries a rare sense of elegance and finesse with incredible intensity. It’s impossible to resist today yet merits at least 5-7 years of bottle age, and I have no doubt this beauty will still be enjoyable at age 50. Bravo!

REMEMBERING THE DAYS OF WORKING AT OPUS ONE....I've been drinking Opus One since the mid 90's, worked many a lavish dinner at the winery in the early 2000's as well. Sensory recall allows me to say that this is the best Overture I've ever tasted. The prices might be a little different than the early days of The Wine Lab mind yet the quality has sky rocketed for this iconic wine that continues to posses global recognition.

~ The Wine Lab

2019 OPUS ONE OVERTURE

( Every Vintage In The Blend Is Blockbuster )

A timeless expression of our estate vineyards, Overture is full bodied but approachable in its youth. Overture shows generous dark fruit aromas and flavors with a soft, supple mid-palate. The freshness and soft glow of acidity parallel the subtle tension with dark fruit flavors, savory herbs, espresso, and cocoa.

Once You Reach A Level Of Hedonistic Flow While In The Wine MATRIX, there simply is no going back.  The Instagram Wine Professor Russell Bevan has kept his foot on the gas ever since Robert M. Parker Jr said so way back in the day.  As the demographics change in wine consumption, it's good to see the stylistic congruencies some of my favorite wine makers continue to exude! Bryn is a sexxxy sultry rendition of this hedonistic blend!

~ The Wine Lab

96 - 99 Points Jeb Dunnuck

2019 PERUS BRYN

More bloody, iron, and bouquet garni-like nuances emerge from the 2019 Bryn Proprietary Red, which might just surpass the 2018. Beautifully concentrated, rich, and full-bodied, it offers a slightly more red fruited, savory, chocolate style and is already complex. Give bottles a few years in the cellar and it should cruise for 15-20 years.

JD

ONLY A FEW ELEMENTALS EXIST IN THE NAPA VALLEY

Martha McClellan, Michel Rolland, David Abreu.. Definitely, a group of modern-day alchemical personalities. Sloan is one cult wine I've had not the most experience with, yet when I did taste it, all the components of their unique Rutherford terroir are most definitely showcased ~ draped in luxurious flavors and textures.

~ The Alchemical Wine Lab

97- 99 Points Jeb Dunnuck

98 - 99 Points The Wine Advocate

2019 SLOAN

PROPRIETARY RED

The 2019 Proprietary Red sports a deep purple-black color, erupting from the glass with powerful scents of crème de cassis, black cherry compote and preserved plums, plus hints of chocolate box, cedar chest and Indian spices, with a waft of menthol. Big, super-rich and super-concentrated, the palate delivers layer upon layer of black fruits and exotic spices, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length.

YOUR INSPIRATION SHOULD BE POETIC, MINE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LUMINESCENCE

Continuing with PNV current legends. I remember tasting this then new project from John & Stacy Reinert at PNV 2020. I bought 5 future cases on the spot, as I saw then that the evolution of Brilliant Mistake wines had shifted into the realm of artistic allure of sensuality. A most definite seductive wine!

~ The Poetic Wine Lab

98 Points Jeb Dunnuck

2019 THE POET & THE MUSE

Another brilliant vintage for the cuvée, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve The Poet & The Muse is a tiny production release that’s a barrel selection of the best in the vintage. Its deep purple hue is followed by awesome aromatics of ripe blue and black fruits, new leather, tobacco, flowery incense, and chocolaty oak. With full-bodied richness, a layered, opulent mouthfeel, sweet tannins, and a great finish, it’s a classic, gorgeous Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to drink any time over the coming 20-25 years.

Lo Sai Insieme Noi Siamo Fantastici

From the historic kings of Italian wine production, comes the latest sensation of San Guido ~ Guidalberto

Your next spicy pasta ragu will never be same!

~ Il Laboratorio Del Vino

Solid A Rating Vinous Wine Media

2020 GUIDALBERTO

The 2020 Guidalberto is a gorgeous, classy wine. Less opulent than it can be, the 2020 impresses with its energy and drive. Sweet red cherry, plum, mint, rose petal, cedar and pipe tobacco all take shape in this super-attractive, mid-weight offering from Tenuta San Guido. There's a bit more Merlot in the 2020, but Guidalberto is increasingly made from lots that don't make it into Sassicaia, which explains the style of recent vintages. This is a terrific showing, especially considering the recent bottling. It's a fine relative value in Bolgheri's high-rent district.

– Antonio Galloni

THE CLASSIC & THE EN VOGUE BOX

These two wines bridge past winemaking philosophies, which are becoming the future, and the future of a constant expression of needing to be different. There will always be change, Grape Culture is immersing themselves in the constant flow of Napa Valley wine expressions with the best of them.

2019 SHAFER ONE POINT FIVE

96 Points Dunnuck

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five is a gem of a wine that readers will love to have in their cellars. Sweet cassis, violets, and graphite define the bulk of the aromas, and it’s a classic Napa Valley Cabernet on the palate with its full-bodied richness, velvety tannins, and opulent yet balanced style. A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and the rest Malbec and Petit Verdot, raised 20 months in new barrels, it’s going to keep for a solid two decades. 

2019 GRAPE CULTURE GIII

V CULT CLUB STANDOUT

Offering up awesome notes of crème de cassis, white chocolate, lead pencil, and cedar. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it nevertheless shines for its elegant, balanced profile, has no hard edges, and is a complete, beautiful wine that will drink well for 15-20 years.