• California,  Chardonnay,  Exceptional White,  Napa,  Sauvignon Blanc,  Sonoma

    Exceptional Whites

                  2018 Napa Sauvignon Blanc   2016 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay                                                                            Pastorale Vineyard Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned winery founded in 1973 when Joe Phelps purchased a former cattle ranch near St. Helena, the Stags Leap District, Oakville, Rutherford, Oak Knoll District, Carneros and South Napa Valley. In 1999, the Phelps family added 100 acres of vineyard property near the town of Freestone on the Sonoma Coast, where…

  • California,  Chardonnay,  Exceptional White,  Napa,  Sauvignon Blanc

    Exceptional Whites

                      Heitz Cellars 2016 Napa Chardonnay & 2018 Napa Sauvignon Blanc In 1961, Joe and Alice Heitz purchased their first vineyard, 8 acres just south of St. Helena.  Working out of their small California winery attached to the land they purchased, they put in round-the-clock sweat equity to build their business.  Heitz Cellars rapidly established a reputation as home base for one of the Napa Valley’s most innovative and brilliant winemakers, and the unassuming winery soon became a prestigious destination for wine connoisseurs.  In 1964, Heitz acquired 160-acre parcel in Spring Valley and began sharpening his skills on Cabernet Sauvignon, and in 1965, by chance, acquired a small vineyard in…

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Malbec,  Merlot,  Napa,  Petit Verdot

    Cellar Selection

    Silver Oak 2014 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon When Raymond T. Duncan first visited the Napa Valley in the late 1960s, he was taken by the region’s rugged beauty.  He was also wise enough to understand the potential of the fledgling wine industry.  In the 1970’s, he began to buy land in both Napa and Alexander Valleys with the goal of planting vineyards.  But with his home and business in Colorado and no viticulture expertise of his own, Ray approached Justin Meyer, whom he had met through mutual friends, and asked him to plant and manage the vineyards.  Then working at Christian Brothers, Justin agreed with one condition: in addition to managing…

  • California,  Exceptional Red,  Napa,  Petite Sirah,  Zinfandel

    Exceptional Red

    Frank Family Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel 2015 Recently I went to a tasting event and was able to try a selection of Frank Family Vineyards Fine Wines. A full selection is only available at the winery. Frank Family Vineyards first constructed as the Larkmead Winery in 1884, where a train had run through which is now their driveway. The building was refinished with native sandstone from the nearby hills in 1906 and still stands tall today, and at some point the original stone building was remolded. Richard (Rich) Frank started the winery as a hobby; and named it “Frank Family” to promote a Family atmosphere. The winery is believed to…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Napa,  Rutherford

    Cellar Selection

    Sill Family Vineyards 2015 très CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Rutherford Sill Family Vineyards is a family-owned and operated exquisite boutique winery with estate vineyards producing ultra-premium, very limited production carefully hand-crafted wines.  As a Court of Master Sommelier, Winemaker, Igor Sill became passionate about Bordeaux wines after being introduced to Château Margaux, Château Latour, Château Haut-Brion and Château Lafite Rothschild in the late 1970s by H. Lyman Emerson, a renaissance gentleman and noted fine wine collector. Concluding with Estate history, however the last chapter has not yet been written!  In 2016, the Sill family acquired the 24.5 acre Ardente Estate Winery, an Atlas Peak AVA, Napa winery and vineyards whose Cabernet Sauvignon…

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Merlot,  Napa

    Cellar Selection

    Sill Family Vineyards 2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Atlas Peak Sill Family Vineyards is a family-owned and operated exquisite boutique winery with estate vineyards producing ultra-premium, very limited production carefully hand-crafted wines.  As a Court of Master Sommelier, Winemaker, Igor Sill became passionate about Bordeaux wines after being introduced to Château Margaux, Château Latour, Château Haut-Brion and Château Lafite Rothschild in the late 1970s by H. Lyman Emerson, a renaissance gentleman and noted fine wine collector. Continuing with a bit of Estate history:  In 1996, the Sill family acquired the Blackrock Terrace block along the Silverado Trail, known as the Princess’ property.  In 2003, Mike Nunez began performing vineyard management for SFV…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Chardonnay,  Napa,  Sonoma

    Cellar Selection

    Sill Family Vineyards très Rosé de Chardonnay 2017 Sill Family Vineyards is a family-owned and operated exquisite boutique winery with estate vineyards producing ultra-premium, very limited production carefully hand-crafted wines.  As a Court of Master Sommelier, Winemaker, Igor Sill became passionate about Bordeaux wines after being introduced to Château Margaux, Château Latour, Château Haut-Brion and Château Lafite Rothschild in the late 1970s by H. Lyman Emerson, a renaissance gentleman and noted fine wine collector. A little about the old history of the Estate: The Sill Family vineyards has a long history dating back to the early 1800s where the Wappo Indians, a Native American Indian Tribe inhabited the Napa Valley…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Napa,  Sonoma,  Weekend Selection

    Weekend Selection

    B.R. Cohn 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Gold Label Founded by Bruce Cohn in 1984, B.R. Cohn Winery is located in the heart of Sonoma Valley. Bruce Cohn bought the land now known as Olive Hill Estate Vineyards in 1974. The small family operated winery is surrounded by the 90-acre Olive Hill Estate Vineyards, where soils warmed by underground natural hot springs and gentle ocean breezes create a unique microclimate resulting in ideal growing conditions for outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon. This Gold Label offering from founder Bruce Cohn, who (for us older rockers) managed the Doobie Brothers, one of my favorite groups of the 70’s. Mr. Cohn, when not managing the Doobie Brothers,…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Napa

    Cellar Selection

               Caymus 2012 40th Anniversary Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon In 1971 Charlie Wagner and his wife Lorna Belle Glos Wagner asked their son Charles (Chuck) Wagner, who had just graduated from high school, if he would be interested in joining them in starting up a winery. If Chuck declined the offer, Charlie and Lorna were planning to sell out of their ranch in Napa Valley and move to Australia. Chuck accepted his parents’ offer to launch the winery, Caymus Vineyards. The Wagners produced their first vintage in 1972, consisting of 240 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, Caymus has focused their efforts in the production of quality Cabernet Sauvignon. Back in…

  • Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Cellar Selection,  Malbec,  Merlot,  Napa,  Petit Verdot

    Cellar Selection

    Robert Mondavi 2013 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon Robert Mondavi Winery, located in Oakville, CA, makes a number of outstanding and consistent quality wines and established his winery in 1966 with a vision to have his Napa Valley wines to be among the world’s finest.  Robert Mondavi also believed his wines should reflect its “roots” and be a signature creation from a combination of the soil, climate and production techniques, both new and old, which transforms the grapes into a fine wine. Oakville Cab has an alluring dark purple, almost inky color with loads of blue and black fruit aromas. The wine is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc,…