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.

=PNEU=

Going back in time with a wine that has been on the Napa Valley restaurant scene for well over a decade. A rare Pinot Noir wine emanating from the Coombsville AVA made by legendary grower/winemaker Tom Farella. This wine has the power of effortlessly fusing an array of worldly flavors of cuisine.

~ The Wine Lab

2017 =PNEU= 

HAYNES VINEYARD, COOMBSVILLE

Expressive aromas are of strawberry, raspberry and spices of white pepper, clove and fennel. The wine evolves with every sip revealing balance and structure with additional flavors of sandalwood and forest floor. The long finish is of black tea, cherry and a touch of vanilla.

Constantly Loving & Leaving Wines....

Yet I never forget the impressions caused by greatness, in time, will surely catch up and fall in love yet again in a more profound way.  This 2018 AMOENUS Cabernet Sauvignon from Arkenstone is a V Wine Cellar

exclusive!

Tasting the lineup today with Jake Krausz and reflecting on a past filled with Consistency, Continuity, Appreciation and a commitment to Terroir was very enlightening!

Don't Miss Out On This New Age Instant Classic!

~ The Wine Lab

97 Points The Wine Advocate 

2018ARKENSTONE

AMOENUS VINEYARD

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Amoenus Vineyard was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, 90% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the glass with flamboyant notes of red currant jelly, black raspberries, fresh black currant and cinnamon stick, plus suggestions of red roses and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, tightly knit and wonderfully perfumed in the mouth, it delivers velvety tannins and a long, fragrant finish. 

THE HIGHEST RATED CHEV TO DATE

" Day & night always chasing the enlightenment brought about by sensual spices and flavors of quality! The cosmos of highend Pinot Noir production sensed a seismic shift when the CIRQ family of wines burst onto the scene!

Fantastically made and delicious! "

~ The Wine Lab 

2018 CHEV

RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

96 POINTS JEB DUNNUCK

Lots of ripe red and darker berry fruits as well as notes of iron, sagebrush, and earthy, foresty notes emerge from the 2018 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, a rich, medium to full-bodied beauty that has a great mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and enough structure to benefit from a year or two of bottle age and keep for a decade. This is a meaty, almost bloody Pinot Noir with loads of character.

Lastly, there are a tiny 532 magnums of the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Triniceros, a blend put together by famed consultant Michel Rolland. It's possibly closest in style to the Plyspline release and has incredible dark fruits (cassis, currants) as well as notes of graphite, toasted spice, chocolate, white flowers, and lead pencil shavings. A wine that builds incrementally on the palate, it has ripe, velvety tannins, an expansive texture, fabulous mid-palate depth, and the balance and class to drink well today yet also evolve for 20-30 years.

More Morgado In Any Language Works!

The best descriptor I've heard regarding Pinot Noir was SEX IN A GLASS, I laughed at the time but now the Hedonistic seductive projections wine deliver is all I crave.

Texture, Concentration & In Unison!

NOT PROBABLY ( read below ), THIS PINOT NOIR IS PACKED WITH LIFE & CONTINUES TO SATURATE THE PALATE!

 ~ The Wine Lab

95 Points Jeb Dunnuck

2018 Morgado

PINOT NOIR, RITAS CROWN

The 2018 Pinot Noir Rita's Crown comes from a great vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills and is a powerful, full-bodied, concentrated wine that’s very much in the style of the estate. Smoked earth, chocolate, brambly herbs, and savory red and black fruits pack the nose, and it’s already drinking nicely, yet I suspect it will evolve for at least 4-5 years, probably longer.

JD

GOING UP & STAYING WITH THE ELEVATION SENSATION

~ HOWELL MOUNTAIN HIGH ~

" Always one of my fondest memories from The Lab rewind wine mind. The Outpost production style continues to shift in an array of ways how other mountain contemporaries are influenced by making wines with a fierce core of fruit and texture that leaves you wanting more."

~ The Wine Lab

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points

2018 OUTPOST

ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Moving to the Bordeaux blends, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate has an already complex style in its cigar, black fruit, smoked earth, and baking chocolate aromas and flavors. It’s medium to full-bodied, has a layered, seamless texture, and sweet tannins. It’s going to drink nicely in its youth yet also age gracefully.

JD

ALWAYS INTERESTED IN A LIGHT TRIP BACK IN TIME.....

Let's go to the Realm of King RICHARD II. A rare opportunity to acquire one of the bottlings classic vintages.

~ The Wine Lab

2018 REALM

THE BARD

98 Points Mr. J Dunnuck

The 2018 The Bard is beautiful and certainly in the same realm as the 2015 and 2016, both magical wines. This cuvée reveals a deep purple color followed by a beautiful perfume of crème de cassis, blackberries, roasted coffee, spring flowers, and violets. With incredible richness, no hard edges, and a blockbuster finish, this incredible wine offers serious opulence with no sensation of heaviness or weight. It's beautifully done and already complex and nuanced. It will evolve for at least 15+ years. The blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, and 2% each of Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah.

SHAFER HILLSIDE SELECT

40th ANNIVERSARY

Winemaker Elias Fernandez Signed Bottles

SHAFER HILLSIDE SELECT

40th ANNIVERSARY

Winemaker Elias Fernandez Signed 1500ml Bottles

When Legendary Becomes Even More NICHE! Shafer Vineyards has recently been making headlines by expanding their Vineyard sites and acquiring new sites to yield even more greatness in the near future. 

All these continuations if you will, are being spearheaded by Elias Fernandez whose wine almanac of knowledge continues to expand and force other producers to elevate their game!

It's Show Time! Let's Shine On!

~ The Wine Lab 

DON'T MISS OUT ~ V WINE EXCLUSIVE SIGNED BOTTLES

JEB DUNNUCK 100 POINTS

2018 SHAFER HILLSIDE SELECT

STAGS LEAP DISTRICT

Incredible purity and precision, as well as opulence, define the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select, and this is as good as any Cabernet Sauvignon in the world today. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a thrilling bouquet of pure crème de cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, lead pencil shavings, and an incredible minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, seamless texture, ample mid-palate depth, and a great finish. This is classic 2018 Napa Valley with its purity, freshness and precision as well as sensational concentration and perfectly integrated acidity, tannins, and alcohol. It delivers pleasure today yet warrants a solid 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to be a 30- to 40-year wine.

Three Single Vineyard Wines...Which One Is Best? 

About the only wine fueled debate I'd take part in, as these days it's all about wine positive flows that never end! These Debate wines have world class winemaking behind them and well over deliver with quality!

~ The Wine Lab

2018 THE DEBATE 

2018 The Debate • Cabernet Sauvignon Artalade Vineyard

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Artalade Vineyard bursts from the glass with notes of blueberry compote, baked plums, Black Forest cake and crème de cassis with hints of expresso, licorice and charcoal. The full-bodied palate is packed with black fruit preserves with a refreshing backbone and grainy texture, finishing on a lingering earthy note.

2018 The Debate • Cabernet Sauvignon Denali Vineyard

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Denali Vineyard has a very deep purple-black color, delivering pronounced, profound notes of black currant cordial, black berry pie and plum preserves with suggestions of charcoal, licorice, Indian spice and fertile loam, plus a waft of black tea. The medium to full-bodied palate has a rock-solid structure of super firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular black fruits preserves flavors, finishing long and spicy.

2018 The Debate • Cabernet Sauvignon Sacrashe Vineyard

Sporting a very deep opaque purple color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Sacrashe Vineyard charges out of the gate with energetic scents of crushed blackberries, black cherries and black currant cordial, followed by hints of cedar chest, clove oil, violets and mocha plus a waft of black truffles. The full-bodied palate is laden with tightly wound, crunchy black fruits with lots of earthy and savory nuances and a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins, finishing long and mineral laced.

The Always Loyally To Wine Fans Mascot....

Is available in good supply here at the V.  I recently tasted this latest vintage during The V Foundation Wine Celebration and it's the best I can recall from the famous hillside vineyard sources it hails from.

~ The Wine Lab

2018 THE MASCOT

Red Blend Oakville

Enticing deep brooding aromas of dark fruit, black tea, and herbal notes. The texture expands around a lifted structure, as powdery tannins gently resolve. This diffused, enigmatic softness is anchored on the mid-palate by a gratifying density, which prepares the senses for a flourish of hidden energy and vivid detail that illuminates the finish.

The Elevation Sensation That Is Possessed By Wines With Lift...Enter AILERON

Always ready to ascend to the peaks of the Napa Valley through wine. This new project from Shannon

O'Shaugnessy is showcasing the evolution of her wine production future in the sphere of smaller lot wines with precision.

 ~ The Wine Lab

96 Points Jeb Dunnuck

2019 AILERON

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Coming from Atlas Peak, it offers some classic mountain blue fruits as well as notes of graphite and obvious minerality. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it has plenty of tannins and a savory, complex style that will benefit from bottle age.

JD

IT'S BEEN MAGICAL FOR A LONG TIME......

Southern California Rhone inspired wines have captivated my pursuit of hedonistic expansion for well over a decade! This 2019 EABA just made the glass feel as if it contained weight as the texture and flavors are massively dense.

~ The Wine Lab

97 Points Jeb Dunnuck

2019 ANDREMILY EABA

The 2019 Eaba is another uber-rich, opulent, sexy wine delivering a monster bouquet of ripe blackberries, smoked game, violets, and orange blossom as well as full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. This Syrah-dominated blend includes 24% Mourvèdre, 13% Grenache, and 2% Viognier and was sourced from a handful of sites (Bien Nacido, White Hawk, Larner, Harrison-Clarke, G2 and Alta Mesa). It will spend 22 months in 55% new oak.

JD

West Coast Love Affair....West coast Rhône wines are my weakness, Washington state Rhône inspired wines hit different. I recently tasted, yesterday, the latest CAYUSE offerings and went in with a clean canvas. The flavors and textures I sensed where supremely unique and majestic in quality, some of the pleasures where unidentifiable withing my window of exposure. Conclusion, these wines are a sensory experience that could easily inspire you to seek only the finest quality moving forward.

 ~ The West Coast Rhône Wine Lab

96 Points Jeb Dunnuck

2019 CAYUSE

GOD ONLY KNOWS

The 2019 Grenache God Only Knows is another gorgeous example of this wine that has a style all its own. Revealing a translucent ruby hue as well as a kaleidoscope-like bouquet of ripe cherries, blackberries, forest floor, spring flowers, and charcoal, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a silky, seamless mouthfeel, perfect balance, and a great finish. This exotic, perfumed Grenache is a hypothetical mix of a Grand Cru from the Côte de Nuits and a 100% Grenache Châteauneuf from sandy soils. It should cruise in the cellar for 10-15 years.

JD

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!

Scott Ran Into Yountville's Wine Spectre.....

He saw visions of quality reminiscent of old world grandeur! One of Yountville's best sellers, is back in stock!

2019 GHOST BLOCK

Reserve ~ Yountville

Sourced from our famous Ghost Block Vineyard, the 2019 vintage has bold aromatics of dark cherry, ripe plum and blackcurrant that are met with delicate floral notes of lavender and violet, and finishes with spicy black pepper and clove. On the palate, blackberry, black cherry, and cassis are supported with layers of dark chocolate and cacao and rounded out with herbal notes of bay leaf and tobacco giving the wine stunning richness and depth. Medium to full-bodied with fine grained tannins and nicely balanced acidity create a beautiful long, lengthy finish that shows off the unique terroir of the iconic vineyard from where it originates. 

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.

ALWAYS CAPTIVATED BY DEPTH & TEXTURE

Come to find out I'm always pleasantly surprised in endless cycles when it comes to wines, the level and degree of wines we taste is immense.  Recently fell in love with this Santa Ynez Valley project that tapped into my love affair with Grenache! The texture, depth and bright flavors are found in wines that are much more higher in price point.

A Wine Lab New Sensation For Sure!

~ The Wine Lab

95 Points Wine Spectator 

2019 KAENA

ALI'I GRENACHE

Elegant aromas show bright red fruit and soft sandalwood. The palate is smooth and silky with flavors of ripe cherry, sweet pomegranate, and baking spices.

Suttle reminders of a childhood filled with cherry cola pop candy!

A Win Wine Indeed!

UN VINO ETÉREO

( An Ethereal Wine )

West coast Rhone varieties have become a true delicacy.  The brand " California Rhone Wines " is so interesting to me, these producers are united in uplifting one another, that is all that matters to me.  Being part of the wine community and representing the artistry most of these producers have achieved is in many way unparalleled.

This La Sangre De Jonata is so seductive, all one wants to do is sense its bouquet, take a sip and then you feel as Jeb feels! It's simply bad ass!

~ Californication Rhone Lab 

2019 JONATA

LA SANGRE DE JONATA

97 PUNTOS JEB DUNNUCK

The 2019 La Sangre De Jonata (91% Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah, and 3% Viognier) sports a similar dense purple hue as well as stunning blueberry and blackberry fruits intermixed with awesome graphite, ground pepper, liquid violet, and iron-like aromas and flavors. Stunningly pure, full-bodied, and concentrated, it has the more focused, structured style of this estate front and center as well as incredible purity and a finish that won't quit. This is brilliant all the way, and while it has some appeal today, it will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and, I suspect, have two decades of overall longevity.

" We've known Jason Moore for a long time, I know the story, the collaborations in the past and all that goes into staying relevant in this wine game.  Recently he brought in his 2019s and he showed great pride in his wines, most importantly the Sage Ridge that has the highest printed final score.  Numbers are numbers until you go into the wine memory bank and his statements proved to be true, I found it challenging to recall a bottling that outshined what was showing in glass!

" FANTASTIC WINE "

From here on, it's life in the fast lane. We can all fuel up and continue reaching for never ending greatness! "

~ The Wine Lab

96+ Points The Wine Advocate 

2019 MODUS OPERANDI CELLARS

SAGE RIDGE VINEYARD

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Sage Ridge Vineyard soars out of the glass with intense scents of blackcurrants, black cherries and fragrant earth, plus wafts of cedar, rose oil and espresso, with just a hint of Provence herbs. Full-bodied, the firm, taut and muscular palate has seamless freshness, finishing long and earthy. Give it a good 3-5 years before broaching, and drink it over the next 20 years+.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANT TO NOT THINK.

The folks behind this wine are doing a great job with quality vs price point, most of all they are kind people. I'll leave it at that! A solid wine lab win win!

~ The Wine Lab 

2019 NO BRAINER

Offering beautiful aromas of ripe black currant, blackberry liqueur, black cherry and raspberry compote. Layers of purple flowers, mocha, underbrush and loamy soil round out the fruit forward nose. The palate showcases layered texture and finesse. The dark fruit and sweet toasty oak coat the palate with a gorgeous enduring finish.

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

PERFECTION IS ALWAYS IN THE EYE ... 

of the beholder. It's always good to get a little more access to some modern day legendary wines made by wine icons.

The foundation has been set, let's see where the continued focus takes us along the REALM To Kalon road of classic Napa Valley Power House Cabernet Sauvignon.

~ The Wine Lab 

2019 REALM

BECKSTOFFER TO KALON

99 POINTS THE WINE ADVOCATE

Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard has a deep garnet-purple color, requiring a little coaxing before it spills out of the glass with fantastically showy blackberry preserves, boysenberries and cassis notes, plus hints of black raspberries, clove oil and potpourri, with a touch of tobacco leaf. The decadent, full-bodied palate sports a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins with beautiful freshness. All that generous black fruit melds seamlessly into a very long, mineral-laced finish.

A Project That Made A Huge Splash... within our Cult Club is back in its 2019 version. With two of the valley's most connected winemakers making this project a continuing success, it's no surprise the 2019 has picked up where the 2018 left off. Quality continues to radiate a wine with texture & depth.

~ The Wine Lab

94 Points The Wine Advocate, Joe Czerwinski

2019 REFLECTIONIST

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Personally, I find it pleasantly lifted and perfumed, with more floral and herbal nuances to go alongside raspberry-tinged fruit. It's still full-bodied and velvety in feel, but it's brighter and juicier on the lengthy finish.

LET'S JUST SAY THIS

When I tasted the 1st vintage of the Royal Prince Cabernet several years back, time flies, the wine blew the doors off several wines that were well over $100 in pricing withing the tasting line up.  The reason behind these wine revelations is strategic and precise composition in assembly. 

This is the BEST SUB $100 wine I've come across in a long while, enjoy some right away.

Texture, Balance & Freshness All Intact!

~ The Wine Lab

2019 ROYAL PRINCE RESERVE 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

93 Points Jeb Dunnuck

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is rock star stuff and delivers a classic Napa level of richness and depth while staying pure, clean, and beautifully balanced. Lots of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, spice, and hints of tobacco all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, with a rich, fleshy, opulent mouthfeel, good tannins, and a great finish. Don't miss this sexy, concentrated, impeccably made Cabernet!

Wine Lab Exclusive

It's as delicious as you imagine your favorite translucent color would taste like..Single Vineyard Chardonnay from Ritchie Vineyard in the Russian River AVA.

 ~ The Wine Lab

2019 RUBIA

CHARDONNAY, RITCHIE VINEYARD RRV

Aromas are very delicate, pear, white fruits,

honeydew and subtle touches of lychee and aromatic

herbs. This is a fresh and rich chardonnay, balancing

the expression of the site through its richness and the

elegance of the Russian River through its freshness.

About The Process:

The 2019 Rubia Ritchie Chardonnay comes from the

revered Ritchie Vineyard in the Russian River AVA. The

grapes are handpicked and whole-cluster pressed. The

juice is fermented in 100% new French oak and kept on

lees for 16 months with a light monthly batonnage. The

barrel fermentation reinforces the sweet texture from the

Russian River, and the malolactic fermentation finishes to

round the palate and polishes the acidity for a soft and

creamy finish.

PRESSING THE EASY BUTTON ....

... With a classic Napa Valley producer on a cloudy day here in the Napa Valley.  The light rain has passed and it's time to start enjoying some of these classic 2019s. This latest bottling is singing songs of a change of season, much welcomed as harvest is in progress!

~ The Wine Lab

2019 SPOTTSWOODE LYNDENHURST

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst is composed of 77.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.4% Cabernet Franc, 4.1% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot and 3.8% Malbec. Deep garnet-purple in color, it skips out of the glass with lively blueberries, redcurrants and kirsch scents, plus hints of cedar chest, fragrant earth and rose hip tea. Medium-bodied, elegant and lively in the mouth, the palate is chock-full of bright and crunchy red and black fruits, finishing long and earthy.

THE COLABORATIVE PROCESS IS PRICELESS

Something is happening at The Vineyardist that will allow all of us to benefit from as wine consumers and promoters.  Just when you think you've seen all the angles, there are always different perspective points that aid in enhancing sensory.  Tony Biagi is starting to delve into wine composition on a level that the total body of work in some of his projects will microscopically penetrate your palate and leave you in a sense of desire. Thus making you desire more and more ~ only pure quality will do moving forward!

THIS VINEYARDIST IS HIGH PROFILE JUICE! 

Recently Had The Pleasure To Visit The Winery, Very Impressive!

~ The Traveling Wine Lab

99 Points Jeb Dunnuck

2019 THE VINEYARDIST

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

CALARCADIA, VINEYARD

Deep purple, with a killer nose of crème de cassis, white flowers, violets, toasted spices, and graphite, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Calarcadia Vineyard hits the palate with a massive, opulent, incredibly sexy style that needs to be tasted to be believed. It's a huge wine, no doubt, but it still has nuance in its aromas and flavors, is seamless and weightless on the palate, has ultra-fine tannins, and is just pure Napa Valley goodness. It's going to flirt with perfection on release and evolve for 30 years or more.

INTOXICATING AROMAS....

They just don't appear out of nowhere, meticulous farming fused with some highly sought after legendary Alban & Estrella clones give this wine unparalleled Texture & Tension.  Kimsey Vineyard Rhone varieties are the benchmark for California Rhone, I've been drinking wines from the vineyard since 2013...this Brother knows, a must open "Bohemianistic" effort!

~ The Wine Lab

( WINE LAB 5 STARS )

2019 UNKNOWN BROTHER

KIMSEY VINEYARD

The wine opens with scents of warmed blackberry cobbler, red and black currant jelly, and a bouquet of lilacs and violets, with nuances of black pepper and orange zest. On the palate the wine is bright and fresh but oh so layered, with waves of blueberry compote building to a crescendo of shaved chocolate, cranberry sauce with hints of garden mint and sweet pipe tobacco. The wine is drinking fabulously upon release but will gain complexity in your cellar if you have the patience.

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

WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS CHARDONNAY FOR OVER A YEAR....

Our tasting panel consists of ( Legendary Winemakers, Renowned Growers, Worldly Gentlemen, A Super Palate Promoter & random guests that matter feedback wise ) Kale David Anderson has merged into the fast track of high-end single vineyard Chardonnay production and is taking us along to experience affordable supreme quality.

A must have for the holiday table and well beyond.

A V Wine Cellar Exclusive!

Don't Miss Out.

~ The Wine Lab

2020 KALE DAVID

A18-ATLAS PEAK

5 Stars The Wine Lab

The beautifully bright gold appearance is alluring. Pineapple, pear, apricot, and lemon curd are blended with toast, white flowers, and honey on the nose. The medium body palate is simultaneously rich and linear.Additional fruits joining the nose are green apple, kiwi, and lime. Accompanying the fruit are flinty notes of wetstone and chalk. All of this gives way to a medium plus mouthwatering finish of sweet and sour lemon-lime candy. The acid in this wine makes it a natural pairing with seafood and would be exceptional with lobster and clarified butter. Drink now and over the next 10 years.

BUCKING UP & RIDING ON

We continue with the newest & freshest wines with confidence, RND has been done!  We've tried various 2020s at different price points and we'll soon be promoting some Wine Lab backed wines of curiosity.  2020 RIDE comes in at below $50 and has some modern day wine wizards collaborating in its production.

~ The Wine Lab

2020 RIDE

CABERNETSAUVIGNON

2020 RIDE shows dark, almost opaque edges with gorgeous notes of blackberry fruit, sage, black olive and shaved cocoa. The mouthfeel has a decadent richness and textural quality with a long and delicious finish. Both dense and flecked with acidity, the wine shows equal parts power and grace.

MADE A FEW PHONE CALLS....

To express my love for this wine and make it available here. Recently enjoyed a few glasses at a local Italian hot spot and became captivated by its versatility and finesse.

~ The Wine Lab

2021 BRUNO GIACOSA

ROERO ARNEIS

Intense straw colored with greenish glints. The nose presents lemon, pineapple, peach and apricot notes with floral hints. On the palate, it is fresh, full-bodied, with mineral notes and a persistent finish.

I read today that control is only an illusion, well it's time to get a little out of control in a controlled environment. Enter the freshly released Domaine Tempier Rose to kiss Summer goodbye in luxurious fashion. September is a month of celebration, celebrate your sparkle with love always!

~ The Wine Lab

A Rated The Wine Advocate 

2021 DOMAINE TEMPIER

BANDOL ROSE

The Bandol Tempier Rosé offers a unique blend of complexity and freshness. It has a fine structure, with no tannin. The high-quality care given to the vines and the diversity of the terroirs produce a flavorful intensity and a strong typicity.

Mourvèdre with Grenache and Cinsault.

Advocate Review Below

Not included in the blind tasting at the Local Syndicat, Tempier's 2021 Bandol Rose nevertheless looked good when I tasted it at the estate. It's a very fine, elegant example of Bandol rosé, with notes of passion fruit and pink grapefruit leading the way in a tightly knit, medium-bodied package that adds promising hints of white peach and anise on the lingering finish.

THREE OF THE MOST INTERESTING WINES FROM THE WEST COAST....

When we have the luxury to drink these wines, they reign supreme. They are thought inducing wines that lead to layered, in-depth discussions. All three are masterfully crafted in California.

~ The Wine Lab 

ALL 100 POINTS JEB DUNNUCK

2019 Realm The Absurd

Another perfect wine in the lineup is the 2019 The Absurd, and while I wasn’t able to get the blend or vineyard sources (they like to keep that a secret), it’s a thrilling, magical wine that tops out on my scale. More dense and concentrated than the Dr. Crane, especially on the mid-palate, it has an incredible, full-bodied, powerful style that carries ample darker cassis and blue fruits as well as scorched earth, tobacco, graphite, and violets. With a monster of a mid-palate, incredible tannins, no hard edges, and a level of purity that’s hard to describe, this needs to be forgotten for at least 4-5 years, and it should have 40-50 years of overall longevity.

2018 Sine Qua Non Grenache

11 Confessions Vineyard

The 2018 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard comes all from the estate vineyard located on the eastern side of the Sta. Rita Hills and is even more Grenache-dominated, checking in at close to 84% Grenache with 9% Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah, and the rest Viognier. Aged a whopping 38 months in 52% new barrels, it has an insane bouquet of black raspberries, herbes de Provence, violets, mulled cherries, sandalwood, and new leather. As complex and nuanced as they come, this full-bodied beauty has awesome purity of fruit, a layered, balanced mouthfeel, sweet, fine-grained tannins, and a great, great finish. It's one of those wines that makes you run out of adjectives. One of the finest examples of Grenache to pass my lips, give it 2-3 years and enjoy over the following two decades.

2019 Dalla Valle Maya

Proprietary Red Wine

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!