{"title":"New World Collection","description":"\u003cp\u003e“New World” is often treated as shorthand for ripeness and power. That definition is outdated. The New World Standard is a focused collection of benchmark wines selected for balance, precision, and clear site expression across leading New World regions. These are wines shaped by climate and intent, not excess. Each bottle chosen for how they perform at the table and how clearly they communicate place.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"is2301-hiyueriu21-750","title":"Hiyu Wine Farm Tzum Eriu Red","description":"","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733043523638,"sku":"IS2301-HIYUERIU21-750","price":85.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/fcf6ba44786625f71626742c46d6d97f.jpg?v=1686588167"},{"product_id":"is2301-00chard19-750","title":"00 Wines 'VGW' Chardonnay","description":"","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733043556406,"sku":"IS2301-00CHARD19-750","price":76.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/d0cc48c936eeea408c76aa2d28d77fec.jpg?v=1686588157"},{"product_id":"somm2304-btfarm21pn-750","title":"Big Table Farm, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to part two of our Big Table Farm feature where we have the honor of highlighting one of the hottest $50 Pinot Noirs on the market. We’ve tracked this tremendous success story for some time now, and every Willamette Pinot allocation we’ve managed to secure—our first since the ’18 vintage—has disappeared in an instant. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhy so much brouhaha over a single label? Big Table’s pure, Pacific-kissed fruit is sourced from top sites throughout the valley, all of which are treated with the same level of sustainable, high-quality care from bud break to harvest. These whole-cluster, foot-stomped grapes are gently raised in French barrels and always bottled with minimal intervention in mind. Ultimately, Big Table’s elegantly plush and poised wines provide a thunderous yes to the question: “Can Oregon exist in the upper echelon of Pinot Noir?” NOTE: Our farm-to-table parcel is coming directly from the winery so please allow two weeks for it to arrive at our warehouse.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith previous positions held at high-profile Napa wineries like Marcassin and Blankiet Estate, Brian Marcy is no stranger to the spotlight. But, when he and his wife Clare wanted to expand their “farm”—which in 2005 consisted of chickens running amok in the backyard of their small home—they jointly agreed to move away from Napa’s exorbitantly priced real estate and try their luck in Oregon. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey found solace an hour’s drive from Portland, in the small town of Gaston, ideally wedged between the sub-AVAs of Chehalem Mountain and Yamhill-Carlton District. They realized their dream in short order and now their 70 acres and 1890s-era farmhouse are replete with livestock, crops, beehives, grapevines. They grow everything, raise everything…truly, this is a full-fledged, self-sustaining farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut we’re not here to buy meat or honey (not today, anyway) so let’s get to the wine: As mentioned, they craft several different vineyard-designate wines, but their “Willamette Valley” bottling pulls from all of their top Pinot Noir sites located in the central and northern sections of the valley. Brian’s philosophy for this bottle is a much-needed breath of fresh air: “It would be arrogant of me to think I could predict which fruit will turn into the best wine,” he says, “so I treat all with equal diligence.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter a manual harvest, the fruit sees a ‘whole-cluster’ fermentation via indigenous yeasts and aging occurs in mostly neutral French oak for just under one year. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered, and each hand-applied, annually rotating label—showcasing one of their beloved farm animals—is designed by Clare. In 2021, it was an \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/images.squarespace-cdn.com\/content\/v1\/54c9b914e4b0b6d53ea25e5d\/0def07c1-7a5e-4fe8-aa17-f015c2a6442b\/WV_21.jpg?format=1500w\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAmerican Guinea hog named Ingrid\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBig Table’s 2021 Willamette Pinot Noir has so much charm, refreshment, and elegance. The palate is perfectly medium-bodied and delivers succulent, wonderfully lifted brambly berry flavors of all shades—blue, purple, red, black—before shifting into a long, velvety finish featuring baking spices and a cooling sensation of damp autumnal leaves, sage, and red tea. It’s a joy to drink right now, but I think another six months of evolution in bottle (putting it exactly at the two-year-old mark) will unlock a new dimension. Cheers!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733043621942,"sku":"SOMM2304-BTFARM21PN-750","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/4dd14ea9b21686ec5c41ff6422acabe9.jpg?v=1686588155"},{"product_id":"is2301-hiyuor21-750","title":"Hiyu Wine Farm Tzum Oak Ridge Pinot Noir","description":"","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733043654710,"sku":"IS2301-HIYUOR21-750","price":78.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/ca3e1e915d4cc0bb3adfa7b6de33f0e3.jpg?v=1686588161"},{"product_id":"somm2304-btfarm21wildb-750","title":"Big Table Farm, “Wild Bee” Chardonnay","description":"\u003cp\u003eWith two Big Table visits in as many years, I’ve learned a couple of things. First, Clare Carver is one of the most eclectic, forthright, and inspired people in the industry. Second, the winemaking genius of her husband Brian Marcy extends well beyond Pinot Noir and into today’s 2021 “Wild Bee” Chardonnay. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eDriven by a plush core of brilliant minerality, judiciously influenced by French barrels, and loaded with creamy and vivacious orchard fruit, this transcends Burgundy and California comparisons—it’s in a class by itself! But that’s not all: 2021 is already being called THE vintage of the century by many Willamette experts, and while that’s certain to trigger a lively debate, there’s no questioning that this is the best iteration of “Wild Bee” I’ve had the pleasure of tasting. There is no artifice or insincerity here, and the only bull-you-know-what is used as fertilizer from their own herd of cattle. In short, if you’re after aromatically pure, generous, superbly balanced Chardonnay from the heart of pastoral Oregon, this is the golden ticket. Quantities are always limited but there’s good news: this was just released, and you’re among the very first in line! Our farm-to-table parcel is coming directly from the winery so please allow two weeks for it to arrive at our warehouse.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBONUS\u003c\/strong\u003e: We have more Big Table Farm up our sleeves. Keep a close eye on your inbox this afternoon!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith previous positions held at high-profile Napa wineries like Marcassin and Blankiet Estate, Brian Marcy is no stranger to the spotlight. But, when Clare wanted to expand their “farm”—which in 2005 consisted of chickens running amok in the backyard of their small home—they jointly agreed to move away from Napa Valley’s exorbitantly priced real estate and try their luck in Oregon. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey found solace an hour’s drive from Portland, in the small town of Gaston, ideally wedged between the sub-AVAs of Chehalem Mountain and Yamhill-Carlton District. They realized their dream in short order and now their 70 acres and 1890s-era farmhouse are replete with livestock, crops, beehives, and grapevines. They grow everything, raise everything—truly, this is a full-fledged self-sustaining farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut we’re not here to buy meat, honey, or produce (not today, anyway) so let’s get to the wine: Their “Wild Bee” Willamette Valley Chardonnay bottling pulls from each of the seven Chardonnay sites they work with stationed in the central and northern sections of the valley. Brian’s philosophy for his regional bottlings is a much-needed breath of fresh air: “It would be arrogant of me to think I could predict which fruit will turn into the best wine,” he says, “so I treat all with equal diligence.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter hand harvesting, the fruit ferments via ambient yeasts in mostly neutral French barrels and, after several months of aging, is transferred into a stainless steel blending tank for a couple of days. Minimal sulfur is used throughout. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered, and each hand-applied label is designed by Clare—except for this one! This special, charcoal drawing was designed by another artistic talent, April Coppini. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt’s worth reiterating that this cuvée is just over a year old and was crafted without formulas and computers, so if you want to fully enjoy “Wild Bee” right now, a 15-minute decant and a large Burgundy stem is the best path forward. Still, there’s no denying the purity, vibrancy, and generosity of Big Table Chardonnay at this early stage.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733043687478,"sku":"SOMM2304-BTFARM21WILDB-750","price":38.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/24597fa29bb1fc4c5034f836e9597902.jpg?v=1686588165"},{"product_id":"somm2204-bwarw20rhnst-750","title":"Bow \u0026 Arrow, “Rhinestones”","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhatever you choose to call it—an endorsement, a hunch, insider info—we strongly believe that Bow \u0026amp; Arrow is shaping up to be Oregon’s next generation-defining producer. Furthermore, we’ve long since learned that SommSelect’s French-loving contingent adores these wines, especially today’s energizing, deeply delicious Pinot-Gamay “Rhinestones.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou may recall that two years ago, a previous vintage of “Rhinestones” stunned our room silent during a marathon blind tasting of elite French and Italian reds. The evening’s most memorable highlight was the final wine in a 17-bottle, multi-vintage flight of “Cru” Beaujolais and Premier Cru Volnay and Chambolle. The first sip of this mystery red immediately transported me to the historic Pinot Noir vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin. As I searched the second sip for a specific producer and site, the wine ricocheted south into an explosion of rustic yet soft Gamay fruit and electrifying minerality. I concluded that it was either a young, nervy Gevrey or an especially impressive example of top-tier, top-dollar Morgon. Well, I ended up getting the grape(s) right, but the price and region? Not even remotely close to the stunning Willamette blend that emerged from the brown bag. So, here I am again, with the freshly minted 2019 vintage, challenging anyone to name a $29 domestic red that matches this wine’s vivid fruit, shocking purity, and downright deliciousness. Word to the wise: this is a truly handmade and extremely limited wine that never stays in the market long after release. Get it while it’s hot!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eScott and Dana Frank live in Portland, Oregon. By day, Scott is a wholesale wine distributor, and by night he is a stay-at-home father. Scott’s wife, Dana, trades off daytime parenting duties for a nighttime career as one of Portland’s most respected and visible sommeliers-\u003cem\u003ecavistes\u003c\/em\u003e. On top of all this, the young family still finds a way to oversee a treasure trove of organically farmed vineyards with which they hand-produce a few barrels of exceptional wine under the label Bow \u0026amp; Arrow. In our multi-vintage experience, their single-vineyard Pinot Noirs are reliably outstanding and their Gamay has been a frequenter of the “20-under $20” lists. Still, today’s Pinot Noir\/Gamay blend, “Rhinestones” is my personal, perennial favorite. It’s a limited wine, and what little is bottled mostly stays in Oregon, but a fraction is shared with a few “outside” markets, like Northern California. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat makes Bow \u0026amp; Arrow truly special is that the wines are in no way reminiscent of typical “mainstream” California or Oregon Pinot Noir. There is no excessive alcohol, no overbearing sweet new oak. Instead, Bow \u0026amp; Arrow works in homage to the fresh, angular, and mouthwatering reds of Loire Valley, but their finest red wines also give a convincing nod to classic elements of Burgundy and Cru Beaujolais. The end result is a collection of wines that are as delicious as they are thought-provoking. Bow \u0026amp; Arrow achieves this impressive balance and freshness by harvesting their Pinot and Gamay—from the Johan Vineyard no less, one of the state’s top biodynamic sites—almost a full month earlier than some of their neighbors! Next, they preserve terroir character by treating the wine very gently in the cellar with no excessive technology or addition of sulfites. At the winery, a portion of the fruit remained in whole clusters and the semi-carbonic vinification accentuated aromatics, minerality, and freshness. After maturation in a combination of concrete vessels and old French \u003cem\u003ebarriques\u003c\/em\u003e, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs a result, Bow \u0026amp; Arrow’s 2019 “Rhinestones” is notably poised and full of life. There’s just one catch: You must give the wine ample oxygen before consumption. I would suggest at least 90 minutes in a decanter (or pulling the cork in the morning and letting the bottle rest until dinner) and then slowly savoring the bottle over multiple days—if you can resist! In order to produce as pure and expressive a wine as humanly possible, Scott Frank bottles “Rhinestones” relatively early in its evolution. Consequently, there will be a small amount of CO2 when you first pull the cork, meaning the wine requires proper rest before truly finding itself. Rest assured these are not “flaws” or mistakes. Rather,  they are the results of a skilled winemaker who works without safety nets in the cellar. We’ve noticed day one brings high-toned violet and rose florals and a dense, intense, mouth-filling palate full of plump black cherries, wild strawberry, juicy raspberry, blue plum, alpine herbs, and crushed stones. Day two, however, reveals a super classic, old-school savory edge (forest floor, spice, Burgundian “funk”). We can promise you this bottle, like many similarly styled wines from southern Burgundy, will blow minds for years to come. There are very few domestic reds that possess this remarkable staying power, and I can name zero that so faithfully channel my favorite cutting-edge reds from Beaujolais and Burgundy. Enjoy!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733043720246,"sku":"SOMM2204-BWARW20RHNST-750","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/a0156abe2d35c51f6c34ab9744756d5e.jpg?v=1686588164"},{"product_id":"is2301-tzummh21-750","title":"Hiyu Wine Farm Tzum Moon Hill Farm White","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePiglets frolic among the vines, cows graze on a neighboring pasture, the snow-covered summit of Mt. Hood floats in the distance; Hiyu Wine Farm surely delivers one of the most bucolic and Alpine sights to be found in the US. No wonder that Nate Ready, the estate’s co-founder, likens this area to the climate of European mountainous regions like Savoie, Valais or Val d’Aosta. Despite its rather low altitude, the proximity of the mountain can keep the vineyards covered in snow as late as May; on the other hand, this part of North Oregon also offers an unusual influence of the nearby deserts, causing the character of the vintages to swing from cool and acid-driven to warm and generous, depending on which natural forces prevail.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe parcel is planted to heirloom California Wente Farm Chardonnay clone, small clusters clone cuttings taken from Celilo vineyard on Underwood, and smaller amounts of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir that are grown on soil mixture of sandy loam and basalt. 80% of the blend is Chardonnay which is aged in solera. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is a wine that is many wines at once. It’s in one sense and wild, unfiltered orange wine, with all the textural and umami-laden elements that accompany this. But it is also like a white burgundy. The notes of honey and lavender remind one of the Chablis and the rich texture and reductive characteristics of a very luxurious and long-lived Meursault or Corton Charlemagne. Finally, the long aging in barrel on the lees of many different vintages creates similarities between Sherry and vintage Champagne. It has the salty, nutty, oxidative depth of the formal and the celestial bread and custard-like essences of the latter.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733043785782,"sku":"IS2301-TZUMMH21-750","price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/4d3d0ff6c945cc5bca1f0c2f814d6d33.jpg?v=1686588154"},{"product_id":"somm2303-pcdt18eglozin-750","title":"Precedent, “Evangelho Vineyard” Zinfandel","description":"\u003cp\u003eDespite being our home state’s signature variety, we have to admit we don’t offer much Zinfandel. For a crew whose palates lean heavily toward the graceful and elegant, so much of it is just too big, too boozy, too syrupy sweet. But Precedent’s Zinfandel is the polar opposite, and it has us seriously questioning our drinking habits. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSeeing as this bottle hails from one of the state’s oldest and most iconic vineyards (Evangelho), and is crafted by one of its most respected winemakers (Nathan Kandler of Thomas Fogarty), today’s 2018 Zin should serve as an origin story of classic California wine. It is remarkably complex, soulful stuff that we’d happily pour alongside California’s most serious Cabernets and Bordeaux Blends. Within its powerful yet focused structure is a mélange of brambly dark fruits, potent spice, and a resounding throughline of minerality. If you, like us, have long approached this historically important variety with hesitation, Precedent is here to remind you that, in the right terroir, guided by the right hand, true profundity is possible with Zinfandel. Only eleven barrels were produced!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are certainly more famous and sought-after vineyards than Evanghelo. But there might not be a site in the United States as singular as this. Located in Contra Costa County, about 50 miles east of San Francisco and just northeast of Mount Diablo, Evanghelo is a treasure of California grape-growing heritage. It was planted in the 1890s by Portuguese immigrants, making it one of the oldest surviving vineyards on Earth today. The bush vines are a wild mix of Zinfandel, Mourvédre (known as Mataro here), Carignan, and a rash of other unidentified varieties. These gnarly centenarian vines plunge their roots deep into what’s basically pure sand soils in search of water and nutrients. That sandy soil prevented phylloxera from ever getting a foothold here, meaning all of the vines are own-rooted. And this special place isn’t nestled amongst a landscape of other vineyards; a highway runs alongside it, abandoned factories loom over it, power lines literally run through it, and across the street is a fast food restaurant. Vineyards don’t get any more American than this.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe man behind Precedent knows a thing or two about interpreting great California sites. Since 2004, Nathan Kandler has worked at the iconic Santa Cruz winery Thomas Fogarty where he’s made stunningly pure Chardonnays and Pinots to compete with the best in the state. With Precedent, his personal project, Nathan explores historic sites like Evanghelo that, while they may not be in the most famous neighborhoods, produce wines of serious distinction. His touch in the cellar is minimal, employing plenty of whole clusters, spontaneous fermentations, and neutral barrels. The results are pure, unadulterated looks into California’s vinous majesty.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 2018 Precedent “Evanghelo Vineyard” Zinfandel pours a deep purple with hints of pink. The nose is a medley of deep, dark fruits, blackberry jam, fresh black cherries, dried Damson plums, blackcurrants, and boysenberry backed up by high-toned black pepper, anise, cinnamon, and tobacco spice that place it firmly outside the tutti-fruity realm of most Zin. The palate is dense and full-bodied, but with a fine coating of tannin and invigorating acidity to wick away all that concentration. This would be magical next to a leg of lamb or beef off the grill. And it’s long been a sommelier insider secret that quality Zinfandel becomes magical once they’ve rested in a cellar for around a decade and often much longer—old Frog’s Leap comes to mind. Enjoy!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733047554102,"sku":"SOMM2303-PCDT18EGLOZIN-750","price":34.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/2e3ce0027b0fc55e49dde795cb564014.jpg?v=1686588656"},{"product_id":"somm2202-prd17cab-1500","title":"Pride Mountain Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon MAGNUM","description":"\u003cp\u003eTwo years ago, we had the great fortune of offering Pride Mountain’s 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, an iconic California label sold largely through the winery’s faithful mailing list. As such, our modest allocation was drained long before many of you had a chance to click “read more.” I hope those same people are paying attention today because we’re unveiling one of our longest-held secrets for part two of Magnum Monday: That same glorious 2017 bottling, except in \u003cu\u003elarge format\u003c\/u\u003e. We’ve been squirreling this parcel away for so long that a quick search revealed we’re the last online retailers with access—in fact, Pride Mountain’s own website is “sold out!” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen we first tasted this mind-melting red in 2020, it got us thinking about the infamous “Paris Tasting” of 1976. No, I wasn’t there, but I imagine this is exactly the kind of deep, soulful California Cabernet that outclassed France’s best all those years ago. Of all the things California does well, it does Cabernet Sauvignon best, and since their first commercial vintage in 1994, the Pride family has done it at the highest possible level. In the intervening years, masses of “culty,” painfully expensive labels have invaded the valley like kudzu, making the price of this iconic Cab seem quaint. So, in the spirit of the Paris Tasting, I’d like to place this bottle alongside the best fine wines in the world. If you’d like to make an exceptionally rare and savvy addition to your cellar—one that’ll age beautifully over the next quarter-century—here’s your chance to make off with \u003cstrong\u003eup to three magnums\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eJim and Carolyn Pride purchased what would become Pride Mountain Vineyards in 1989; previously, the property was known as the Summit Ranch, situated at a crest in the Mayacamas range not far from other high-elevation icons like Smith-Madrone and Spring Mountain Vineyards. Wines had been made at Summit Ranch as far back as the 1890s, but Prohibition turned the place into one of Napa’s many “ghost wineries,” the ruins of which are still found on the property today. Climbing up to about 2,000 feet above the valley floor and covering some 85 acres of undulating vineyards, the Pride Mountain estate is the kind of special, secluded place that, once you’ve seen it, turns you into a lifetime customer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBecause the vineyards straddle the Napa\/Sonoma County line, today’s flagship Cabernet is always labeled with the percentages of fruit used from either side. This one, as is visible on the label, is 53% Napa, 43% Sonoma, and 100% “mountain” through and through. The soils are volcanic loam, and the elevation here is such that the vines sit above the “fog line,” meaning they experience less temperature variation than the valley floor below. The lows aren’t as low and the highs aren’t as high. As such, the vine’s metabolism never shuts down; it’s a more even, overall cooler climate, and this combined with the intense UV light at elevation results in grapes with good natural acidity levels but great concentration. They develop thick skins rich in the anthocyanins that give “mountain” Cabernets their robust character. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWinemaker Sally Johnson, who has been with Pride since 2007, has mastered the art of taming some of that tannic brawn in the interest of balance. She sourced from 27 distinct vineyard blocks for this 2017, vinifying and then subsequently aging each separately for about six months before assembling a blend. In all, the wine spent 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% new. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen tasting this 2017, one thing becomes clear immediately: great mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon isn’t just about power. The precision balance of this wine is what impressed me most—it is richly layered, with lush flavors and impeccable balance. In the glass, it’s an opaque dark crimson with a purple\/black-ish tint, with a big blast of dark fruits leading things off: blackberry, mulberry, cassis, currant. Then the savory elements chime in: cacao, warm spice, leather, tobacco, cedar. It is the perfect kind of full-bodied, palate-coating, fresh Cabernet that finishes with a violet-scented, volcanic-rock flourish. If enjoying a bottle now, decant it at least 60 minutes before enjoying in big Bordeaux stems at 60 degrees, being sure to pair it with a proper hunk of meat to do it justice. Otherwise, this magnum has 10-20 more years of positive evolution ahead of it, ready to be uncorked on special occasions in the future. This is a rare benchmark! Enjoy!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733047586870,"sku":"SOMM2202-PRD17CAB-1500","price":178.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/cc917fe13d6c32f7f0528ec8d971b0a6.jpg?v=1686588648"},{"product_id":"somm2303-ryme20brisaspn-750","title":"Ryme Cellars, “Las Brisas” Pinot Noir","description":"\u003cp\u003eTypically, my pitch for excellent Carneros Pinot Noir would boil down to “great site, great grower, great winemaker, all adding up to a bottle that warrants the hefty price tag.” The discovery of Ryme Cellars requires me to modify that approach. Despite hailing from a single vineyard in some of California’s finest Pinot real estate, and being produced by a buzz-worthy winemaking couple, today’s brilliant 2020 “Las Brisas” somehow comes in at $38!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrankly, at this point in my career, I’ve learned that when a wine with this kind of pedigree-to-price-tag ratio finds its way onto our tasting table, you don’t ask how or why, you just enjoy the ride. And what a ride this is: vibrant, structured, and deep-fruited, yet carrying the signature elegance that’s made Ryme a leading light in the artisanal wine movement. Scarcely does the opportunity to experience some of California’s most exquisite Pinot Noir come with such a low barrier to entry. So allow me to give it another go: “great site, great grower, great winemaker, AND a great price.” Grab up to 12 bottles!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eRyan and Megan Glaab are a certified California winemaking power couple. Both natives of the state, they actually met halfway around the world while working at the famed Torbreck estate in Australia’s Barossa Valley. After returning home, they racked up a collective resumé that reads like a who’s who of California all-stars: Sine Qua Non, Pax, Peay…the list goes on. In 2007, they began Ryme with a single ton of organically farmed Aglianico grapes. They joined the cutting edge of the “New California” scene, prioritizing freshness and balance over ripeness and extraction. Nowadays, we don’t think twice about drinking Sierra Foothills Barbera or Napa Ribolla Gialla. We’ve got trailblazers like Megan and Ryan Glaab to thank for that. That said, they don’t strictly focus on oddball varieties; throughout Ryme’s ascent, alongside their Vermentinos and Fianos, they also produce stunning and classically styled Pinots and Cabs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheir “Las Brisas” bottling comes from one of the pioneers of Carneros Pinot, Francis Mahoney. Frances has been growing Pinot Noir here, at the cooler southern end of Sonoma County (Carneros bleeds into Napa County as well), since the 1960s. In Carneros, buffeted as it is by winds off the San Pablo Bay, the Valley’s generous fruit stylings are paired with enlivening acidity thanks to dramatic diurnal temperature shifts. Francis did much of the on-the-ground work to discover what Pinot clones grow best in Carneros, and he now grows no fewer than 12 at “Las Brisas.” Two clones comprise Megan and Ryan’s bottling, each of which brings balance to the wine. The Swan clone lends spice and earth tones while the confusingly named Gamay Beaujolais clone (actually neither Gamay nor from Beaujolais) forms the generous fruit core.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Glaabs ferment the two clones separately before pressing and blending them into neutral barrels for 11 months of aging. The 2020 vintage brought substantial concentration, which Megan and Ryan have deftly balanced with an invigorating structure. Served in a Burgundy bowl just above cellar temp, “Las Brisas” thrums with dark fruit and spice—crunchy plum, raspberry, cherry pit, redcurrant, cedar, cola nut, five spice, rose, and a backbone of mushroomy earth. The palate is soft and inviting, with enlivening acidity taking center stage over the moderate tannins and brilliantly blurring the line between contemplative and crushable. This is a “serious” bottle we’d be happy to pour for the most seasoned California Pinot drinker, but also an undeniably delicious wine we’d pop to enliven our weeknight dinners. Just be sure to grab enough for all occasions!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733047619638,"sku":"SOMM2303-RYME20BRISASPN-750","price":38.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/b8867d9845431a5d9d886d4d8958710a.jpg?v=1686588658"},{"product_id":"somm2304-hop18nvcs-750","title":"Hoopes, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon","description":"\u003cp\u003eNapa Valley, among the most competitive, high-entry wine markets in the entire world, is a place where a small handful of trophy bottles tend to dominate the scene. I don’t know about you, but I for one could use some gloriously delicious, \u003cem\u003eterroir\u003c\/em\u003e-expressive Napa Cab that doesn’t cost a small fortune and is ready to drink now. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEnter Hoopes: Gone is the $100+ price tag, the “needs 10 years of cellaring” disclaimer, the glossy artifice of waitlists. This is, put simply, an organic, expertly crafted, deeply satisfying valley floor Cabernet. And the icing on top is that, at just $55, Hoopes offers the immediacy of Napa luxury without overspending. Cab lovers, there’s no excuse not to load up: everyone benefits from a wine like Hoopes!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpencer Hoopes moved his family from San Francisco to Napa Valley’s Oakville in 1981. It might not sound like that long ago, but Napa was a wildly different place back then. It was still largely an agricultural community in which wine grapes were simply one of many crops. But Spencer took the advice of a neighbor who suggested he plant some Cabernet Sauvignon, which turned out to be perhaps the savviest neighborly advice ever given. Over the next three decades, Oakville became the epicenter of the “Cult Cab” phenomenon, counting among its residents distinguished names such as Screaming Eagle, Opus One, and Harlan. Spencer planted his new vineyard with so-called “suitcase clones,” Cabernet of undefined genetics sourced from some of the great châteaux of Bordeaux.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Hoopes’ originally made their name by selling their organically-farmed Cabernet to these esteemed producers. When Spencer’s daughter Lindsay left her job in San Francisco to take over the family vineyards in 2012, she breathed whole new life into the already distinguished property. She began working with vineyards in Yountville, introduced regenerative farming at the home winery, and even opened an on-site animal sanctuary. The winemaking is handled by Aaron Pott, a California native who happened to have worked under John Kongsgaard and Michel Rolland, all before becoming the director of Château La Tour Figeac in Saint-Émilion. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 2018 vintage was a spectacular growing season in Napa, warm but not overly so, and Hoopes’ interpretation beautifully encapsulates the vintage’s balance between generosity and poise. Nearly 30 months of aging in 40% new French oak also contributed to the wine’s impressively round and rich frame.  It pours an opaque, inky purple and bursts from the glass with sleek Napa Cab flavors of blackcurrant, blue plum, boysenberry, black cherry liqueur, lavender, cedar, pipe tobacco, vanilla bean, and espresso. The full-bodied palate is lush and powerfully enveloping but there’s a real sense of gracefulness thanks to a soft coating of tannin and just-right acidity. It’s an outrageously delicious indulgence for the here and now. Cheers!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733047652406,"sku":"SOMM2304-HOP18NVCS-750","price":61.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/0e8c1d7516a74c760bef34df89cf12d2.jpg?v=1686588641"},{"product_id":"somm2303-ilaria19cs-750","title":"Ilaria, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon","description":"\u003cp\u003eIlaria is back and greater than ever! Two vintages ago, we were so impressed by Ilaria’s Napa Valley Cabernet, we decided to put our money where our mouth was instead of making an empty claim that “it would blow away doubly priced Napa Cabs.” So, we matched it against far-pricier bottles—to remain unnamed—and the standout was still today’s stunning label, crafted by ascendant star Anna Monticelli. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen we were recently given access to her 2019 release, a vintage surrounded by massive buzz, we already knew what we had to do. We sat down yet again and pulled the cork alongside a few Napa Cab contemporaries in the $100-150 range. The results were clear as day: Ilaria by a mile. This is a boutique passion project for Monticelli whose lengthy Napa resume (Piña; Seavey; Bryant Family) has exposed her to plenty of first-rate raw material throughout the valley. The result is a full-bodied, richly textured, mineral-dense Cabernet for those who enjoy the “bigger” side of Napa. If you’re a Cab lover who’s willing to lay out for cult labels, I cannot overstate what a superb, smoking value this is!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIlaria's winemaker, Anna Monticelli has built an impressive resume over the course of a decade-plus in the Valley. After graduating UC Davis, she moved on to the Sorbonne in France, then to Château Cheval-Blanc in Bordeaux for an eye-opening apprenticeship during the harvest of 2000. Upon returning home to Napa, she spent two years as Assistant Winemaker at Seavey Vineyards and four more at Bryant Family Vineyards before joining Piña in 2007. Her Ilaria wines, part of the In Vino Felicitas project she started with her husband, Mario, are named after their daughter, who was born in 2009, the first vintage of this wine. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis 2019 is predominately Cabernet Sauvignon with equal splashes of Petit Verdot and Malbec. The Napa Valley sources are the foothills of Atlas Peak, the iconic Rutherford AVA, and Pope Valley (wedged between Howell Mountain and Chiles Valley), rounded out with a small selection of fruit from southerly Coombsville. After completely de-stemming the fruit, fermentation was carried out in stainless steel tanks. The blended wine then matured in 70% French barriques for a whopping 22 months before bottling. As her experience shows, Monticelli knows Napa Cabernet, and this one has a compact and classic structure with a luxurious edge. We should once again stress that these wines don’t just “hang” with some of Napa’s $100-$200 Cabs, it flat-out dominates them. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile there’s no lack of power, density, and opulence in Monticelli’s 2019 Ilaria Cabernet, it’s a far cry from the routine $100+ labels that line Napa’s valley floor. Many of those can be rich and heady with a seemingly uniform palate, whereas Ilaria’s provides mineral muscle and freshness alongside an impeccably structured core of smoky berry fruit. This erupts with huge swells of cassis, plum, and black cherry that pave the way for pipe tobacco, cedar, star anise, bay leaf, espresso, menthol, and crushed black rock. The palate is full-bodied and powerful, loaded with dark, intense, woodsy flavors that finish on a much higher, longer-lasting note than many of its Napa Valley contemporaries. After a minimum 60-minute decant, I suggest enjoying it slowly over several hours. Any other bottles can be cellared throughout the decade. Cheers!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733047685174,"sku":"SOMM2303-ILARIA19CS-750","price":67.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/2574437393f4f7b82ef7db0ab0899fa0.jpg?v=1686588676"},{"product_id":"somm2010-bbv14gsm-750","title":"Big Basin Vineyards, Gabilan Mountains “GSM”","description":"\u003cp\u003eToday marks the second time in as many days that we’re offering a wine from a producer who was directly affected by California’s recent wildfires. My friend Bradley Brown of Big Basin Vineyards has had an especially terrible year: He lost his home and just about every other structure on his property, as well as his entire crop from his Santa Cruz Mountains estate vineyard. As we were preparing this offer, he was toggling between filing insurance claims, making spot repairs, and bringing in fruit from vineyards he works with outside of Santa Cruz, including the old-vine Mourvèdre used in the revelatory “GSM” blend we’re offering today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis wine shatters any preconceptions you could possibly have about it. Many SommSelect subscribers know Big Basin for some of the most nuanced, Burgundian Pinot Noirs not just in Santa Cruz but the entire West Coast, but Bradley’s keen focus on organic farming, combined with his transcendent talent in the cellar, turns everything he touches into gold. I’m sure he’ll find a way to make magic this year (luckily, his timber-frame winery building is still standing), but in the meantime, we’re thrilled to showcase this 2014 from Big Basin’s library—a beautifully perfumed blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah all sourced from high-elevation sites in the limestone soils of the Gabilan Range. This red blew us away: I can’t remember another example of this classic Southern Rhône blend, French or otherwise, that delivered this level of elegance and perfume. And it is right in its prime drinking window, showing not a hint of fatigue. Taste it and you’ll be reminded of the greatest reds of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but really, it’s in a class by itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThe Gabilan Range effectively picks up where the Santa Cruz Mountains leave off, running south-southeast along the Monterey and San Benito County lines. It is one of the few significant outcroppings of limestone in California and is home to AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) such as Chalone and Mt. Harlan, the latter made famous by Josh Jensen of Calera. A “Gabilan Mountains” AVA is also currently in the works, lending further legitimacy to an area already regarded as a world-class terroir. For his “GSM” 2014, Bradley sourced the Mourvèdre from the 30+-year-old Antle Vineyard (formerly known as the Graff Family Vineyard, so named for Chalone Wine Company founder Dick Graff), while the Grenache and Syrah hail from the magnificent Coastview Vineyard, which sits about six miles south of Mt. Harlan at an altitude of 2,400 feet.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThese sites feel a cooling influence from Monterey Bay, which, along with the limestone\/granite soils, helps preserve acidity in varieties which tend to skew ultra-rich and chunky in California (especially Grenache). The final blend of today’s ’14 was 49% Grenache, 32% Mourvèdre and 19% Syrah, fermented with more than 80% of the whole grape clusters intact and aged 21 months in predominantly used French oak barrels. Just 412 cases were produced in total, and while there is no shortage of intensity here, I can’t remember the last time I had a G-S-M blend with this much aromatic lift and energy. It is simultaneously rich and vivid—muscular rather than fat—with a deep ruby-purple hue and aromas of blackberry, brandy-soaked cherries, lavender, violets, wild herbs, grill char, and crushed stones. Each of the three component varieties makes its voice heard as the wine blossoms in the glass: the sappy cherry notes of the Grenache; the purple-flower perfume of the Mourvèdre; the dark, meaty, spicy kick of the Syrah. It’s easy to conjure the image of the rugged Gabilan Range, and its lofty hilltop vineyards, which look like they were airlifted into place among the thick forests. Decant this wine 45 minutes or so before serving at 60 degrees in Burgundy stems and you’ll be reminded, in no uncertain terms, just how diverse California’s wine culture really is. Try it with the attached recipe and raise a toast to Bradley Brown—there’s lots more greatness still to come from Big Basin Vineyards! Cheers!\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733047717942,"sku":"SOMM2010-BBV14GSM-750","price":34.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"somm2205-venn19rb-750","title":"Young Inglewood, VENN, Napa Valley Red Blend","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf I say “Napa Cabernet” or “Napa Bordeaux Blend,” what leaps to mind? I suspect most readers will summon descriptors like “rich,” “concentrated,” and “expensive.” The mother\/son winemaking team at Young Inglewood, Jacky and Scott Young, see it differently. VENN was founded with the express purpose of marrying old world traditions with modern sensibilities. To put it another way, they don’t just use the “Bordeaux” grapes but strive for more elegant, livelier expressions of those grapes—much like another new-generation visionary that's beloved around here, the Matthiassons. Best of all, they deliver such an expression for just $39, which, as anyone who drinks elite Napa reds knows, is not an easy thing to do.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes, there are countless wines at this price point, but most will overpower you with saturated dark fruit and a dash of expensive-tasting oak. Few exhibit real breed. That’s what bowled us over about VENN: It is more “classically” structured with exceptional purity and precision. This is delicious to drink now but I could see it maturing nicely over the short term—you’d be surprised how effortlessly a well-balanced wine will age, although I don’t see the point of waiting on this 2019! It offers a ton of pleasure and complexity, and what might be most amazing of all is just how “boutique” this bottling is: just 127 cases were made. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBONUS\u003c\/strong\u003e: We’ve upped the ante here by also securing a small amount of VENN’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018. If love dark-fruited, well-balanced, supremely affordable Cabernet that drinks beautifully right out of the gate, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.sommselect.com\/product\/detail\/SOMM2205-VENN18CS-750\/\"\u003eclick here\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eVENN Wine Co. was founded in 2013 as a sister project to Saint Helena-based Young Inglewood. The Youngs keep a fairly low profile, despite (literally) rubbing elbows with some of Highway 29’s titans like Corison and Spottswoode. Both wineries share the same fruit sources, including their historic estate vineyard and other sites they farm themselves. Continuously under vine since the 1870s, their home site in Napa’s benchland is farmed for plant health and balance, using organic and regenerative practices, and allowing the mature Bordeaux varieties to fully ripen their grapes above the rich alluvial soil, replete with deep gravelly loam and fist-sized rocks. The balance of grapes for the blend comes from the nearby “Dos a Dos” vineyard, closer to Rutherford, previously and meticulously farmed organically by the aforementioned Steve Matthiasson. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWinemaking is fairly consistent and refreshingly low tech between the brands as well, save that the VENN wines are crafted for earlier drinking. Davis-trained Jacky makes no secret about the fact that she’s a Francophile, and is especially inspired by the recent waves of organic producers in the last 20 years; Scott, for his part, did harvests at Domaine Leflaive in Burgundy, and at neighboring Spottswoode and Long Meadow Ranch. Seeking freshness, the duo harvested grapes across a three-week period which began in late August. The different varieties go into stainless steel tanks for primary native fermentation and spend an incredible 3-4 weeks on the skins for structure and texture. Twenty months in used French oak serves to further integrate and round out the wine. Minimal sulfur and racking and no fining or filtration help keep the wine bright and fresh. Merlot (40%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (31%) provide the focus and depth with Cabernet Franc (18%) and Malbec (11%) rounding out the remainder, with plummy fruit, spice, and herbs. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Purity and liveliness are the aim,” notes the winery, and indeed, the focus of this wine is astounding. It pays homage to both classic, traditional Bordeaux and more modern, fruit-forward (yet restrained!) West Coast bottles. It’s a richly satisfying mouthful of wine that clocks in at a lithe 13.8% alcohol. You could certainly age some bottles, but it’s ready to go right now!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnytime you need that hit of fruit, pull a bottle from your cool cellar and pop the cork. A quick 30-minute decant allows it to blossom before pouring a generous glass into a Bordeaux stem. As you’d expect from such a standout vintage, this 2019 leads with deep aromas of full-on red and dark fruits, buoyed by spice from the patient \u003cem\u003eélevage\u003c\/em\u003e. A lush palate reinforces the nose, with a juicy entry and an endless wave of fresh, sun-warmed berries, plums, cherries, and chocolate. Silky, fine-grained tannins and balancing acidity frame the fruit and give it astonishing length. It’s generous, but not over-extracted nor overwrought; the only moreish thing about it is its deliciousness. If you’re feeling new world you could pair with a grilled Santa Maria style Tri-Tip or if you’re more of a traditionalist, this rich \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.saveur.com\/article\/Recipes\/Strip-Steaks-with-Green-Peppercorn-Sauce\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eStrip Steak with Green Peppercorn Sauce\u003c\/a\u003e would do the trick.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733047750710,"sku":"SOMM2205-VENN19RB-750","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/4add8c55f210ba638cbed33a4830004a.jpg?v=1686588673"},{"product_id":"somm2203-vcl18cabscm-750","title":"Vöcal Vineyards, “Bates Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon","description":"\u003cp\u003eIt’s a rare treat to see the term “old vine” on a bottle of a domestic wine other than Zinfandel. And true old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon under $100? That’s a ‘unicorn’ bottle these days.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut there’s no denying that 51-year-old, head-trained, dry-farmed Cabernet just...hits differently, as we were gloriously reminded upon tasting Vöcal Vineyards’ sublimely elegant Bates Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon. It shouldn’t have been surprising, considering this bottle hails from the Santa Cruz Mountains, home to some of the most iconic Cabernet Sauvignons ever made (think Ridge and Mount Eden). The two gentlemen behind Vöcal—renowned sommelier and educator Ted Glennon and new-Californian rockstar winemaker Ian Brand—set out to showcase premium single vineyards from this wild, rugged AVA, and hit the nail on the head with this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon shaped by fog, sunshine, and volcanic soil. SommSelect has featured Vöcal’s wines in the past, but the elusive Bates Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon has tended to slip through our fingers, as only 120 cases are made. Not this year, though. I invited Ted over to my house in Napa and didn’t let him leave without promising us a few cases (the things we do for love). At just $68, this is without a doubt one of the most elegant expressions of Californian Cabernet Sauvignon money can buy. We can’t wait for you to try it!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThe Santa Cruz Mountain AVA is an undisputed Mecca for collectors of cooler-climate, personality-forward Cabernet Sauvignons, and simultaneously one of the best-guarded secrets in California. Even after Ridge’s success during the 1976 “Judgement of Paris” tasting, most people still assume their Cabernet comes from the Napa Valley. About 100 miles south, the Santa Cruz Mountains are almost completely devoid of corporate interest and big brand names. The majority of wineries are still family-owned and operated, independent, and focused on single-vineyard expressions of sustainably grown fruit. \u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eBates Ranch is no exception, nestled on the backside of Mount Madonna at the Southern end of the mountain range, where it’s lasted four generations. Bates Ranch enjoys the same ingredients for success as the nearby Montebello Ridge: Pacific breezes, sun-drenched days, and crisp, cold nights. The hillside rows of Cabernet Sauvignon reserved for Vöcal are ungrafted, and their original rootstock does particularly well in hot conditions like those of 2017, plunging up to 30 feet deep searching for water in the decomposed, iron-rich volcanic magma that pushed up from the earth below. Grapes were destemmed and rested in neutral oak for two full years, allowing the chiseled elegance of the old vines to shine clearly. \u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThe 2017 is barely light enough to read through, pinned perfectly between red and purple. I recommend decanting for 30 minutes to an hour before serving in Bordeaux stems and admiring the intoxicating notes of pomegranate juice, potting soil and roasted red peppers that rise to meet you. The palate is refined, taut, and remarkably finessed for a young Californian Cabernet Sauvignon. Perhaps it’s the maturity of the vines that strikes that perfect balance between hedonistic notes of currants and huckleberry and spicier hints of toasted cocoa nibs. When we opened this bottle in my backyard it happened to be a 100 degree day in Napa. That being said, it was the very first bottle empty after the tasting and went down particularly smoothly with the homemade \u003cem\u003ecarne asada\u003c\/em\u003e tacos topped with roasted Poblanos that Ted whipped up for us. Let me just say: it’s a perfect food and wine pairing I’m looking forward to revisiting myself many times over. This is a new-generation vintner at the top of his game!\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733047816246,"sku":"SOMM2203-VCL18CABSCM-750","price":63.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/759c7201e81a269e5902db6a1ff297c6.jpg?v=1686588635"},{"product_id":"somm2302-call18cvc-750","title":"Calluna Vineyards, “CVC” Bordeaux Blend","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf the fine wine industry has taught me anything, it’s that a California label discussed with the same reverence as Togni, Corison, Forman, Ridge, and Mount Eden must surely be the bluest of blue chips, priced no lower than $100, with a devout audience that could sell out Wembley many times over. Unless, however, Calluna Vineyards’ “CVC” has snuck in through the back door. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf your ear is close enough to the ground, you’re likely aware that every critic worth their salt has fallen deeply in love with this stunningly affordable Cabernet-Merlot fusion. John Gilman has even gone so far as to label it “one of California’s finest values in the world of Bordeaux blends,” and that today’s sensational 2018 is “the most complete vintage yet.” Jeb Dunnuck, too, joined the trumpet call by exclaiming it was the “finest vintage of CVC” he’d tasted, one that would bring “20 years or more of prime drinking.” \u003cstrong\u003eTwenty years\u003c\/strong\u003e. Think about that: A Bordeaux blend from the famous Mayacamas range, that delivers more longevity (and likely enjoyability) than many of the elite \u003cem\u003echâteaux\u003c\/em\u003e from which it is inspired. And it’s only $35. That’s it! I’ve tasted a sizable collection of Calluna’s wines over the years now, and it bears repeating that, for the price, few labels—if any—are more serious and age-worthy than today’s 2018 CVC. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eChalk Hill AVA. You may have heard it in passing, but most probably aren’t familiar with this hidden gem of an appellation nestled on the western (Sonoma) side of the Mayacamas range. Calluna’s picturesque vineyards have the highest elevation in the entire AVA, which results in excellent sun exposure, cooler overall temperatures, and greater acid retention. This delivers wines with impeccable balance, far different than those that lie on the valley floor. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBefore David Jeffrey founded Calluna Estate in this unique appellation, he obtained a degree in enology and viticulture and spent a season learning under Bordeaux icon Dr. Alain Raynaud in the early 2000s. Back at that time, Raynaud was the proud owner of Château Quinault and a wine consultant to many others, including Second Growth Lascombes in Margaux and Napa Valley’s Colgin. Upon returning to the States, David was equipped with a vision to craft Bordeaux-style wines in a cooler locale than his neighbors. Today, Calluna’s wines are expertly crafted with balance and sense of place as a top priority, and the result is an undeniably pleasurable bottle of wine; Old World elegance with a Californian accent. This has not gone unnoticed by the critics: Calluna’s praise reaches far and wide, and the demand for their exquisite reds rises with each passing year. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough many producers in Napa and Sonoma craft wines from Bordeaux varieties, the majority shoot for longer hang time and jammy fruit, aging their wines in an abundance of new oak which inevitably masks the varietal purity and voice of terroir. Jeffrey chooses to do things the old-school way—as in Bordeaux—and the critics have come calling with enthusiasm just the same. Coming from sustainably farmed estate vines, today’s 2018 CVC is led by Merlot with nearly equal parts Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. Malbec and Petit Verdot round out the final 15% of the blend. The hand-harvested fruit is manually sorted and fermented in open-top tanks with a routine pump-over regimen for three weeks. The wine then ages for over 20 months in French oak barrels, 20% new. It is bottled unfiltered. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis 2018 “Calluna Vineyards Cuvée” exhibits an opaque ruby-purple core and spills out a variety of serious, Bordeaux-like aromas: blackcurrant, boysenberry preserves, cacao nibs, leather, black raspberry liqueur, licorice, green peppercorn, tobacco, graphite, and beautifully integrated baking spices. The full, concentrated palate is simultaneously soft and firm, consisting of pure dark fruits and a mineral savor similar to the renowned “Left Bank,” the greatest Cabernet terroir on earth. It finishes long and lifted with a desirable hint of glossy oak flavors. I advise you to grab a case, uncork a bottle every year, and keep a brief log to track the glorious evolution that’s bound to come.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733047849014,"sku":"SOMM2302-CALL18CVC-750","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/736c51002e6eb7da8d95ac2ef99f2d93.jpg?v=1686588663"},{"product_id":"somm2302-quilc20cab-750","title":"Quilceda Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen it comes to the 21st Century, one must be far removed from society to steer clear of Quilceda Creek’s unrivaled star power: Equipped with a shocking number of perfect reviews, their flagship Cabernet Sauvignon has become one of the most universally worshipped and coveted Holy Grails. Frankly, the world has rarely seen such a dominant and consistent performance—this isn’t hyperbole or opinion, it’s fact. Just take a gander at any critic’s review: the fanatical praise for Quilceda’s flagship Cabernet is truly unprecedented, with Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate handing it perfect scores as if they were quotidian greetings—five of their last 13 vintages were deemed flawless, an astounding feat that not even the First Growths of Bordeaux can match. Put simply, if you’re seeking the very best in terms of extreme quality, opulence, and unmitigated power, Quilceda Creek’s cult Cabernet Sauvignon is the final stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBecause the winery sells out of each release almost instantaneously, we secured our tiny 2017 allocation well in advance to ensure availability and a fantastic price—one that’s far lower than the nearly $200 average. The army of critics has labeled it “aromatically brooding” and “exceedingly well-tailored” with “pleasure at every turn” and an “ever-evolving finish.” We simply call it a hedonistic showstopper. And, although we don’t have the quantity for it, we’re allowing up to six bottles per person to encourage the cellar aging (10-20+ years) it deserves. That said, don’t beat yourself up if you have the unavoidable urge to pull a cork now—it’s already firing!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eIn 1978, founders Alex and Jeannette Golitzin bonded Quilceda Creek in 1978 at the urging of Alex’s uncle, André Tchelistcheff, the emeritus “Dean” of California winemakers. Little did they know that this was the foundation of a global dynasty that would consistently earn the highest accolades in all of wine. Even their early vintages, which displayed irresistible dark fruit poured over a rigid, tannic scaffolding, and are still aging admirably today. But Quilceda Creek’s unequivocal success has not precluded a careful evolution in style. Gone are the knife-and-fork tannins from their early history. Instead, Alex and Jeannette’s son, Paul Golitzin, and his team are creating remarkable wines that still retain every bit of their original cellar appeal. \u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eQuilceda Creek’s modern facility is as functional as it is beautiful. The winery comprises two large open spaces where every single piece of equipment can be moved around by forklift. Expanded in 2011, the cellar incorporates state-of-the-art technology that initially raised some eyebrows. Rather than traditional pumping over to mix fermentations, Paul Golitzin and co-winemaker Alex Stewart opted for an air-pulse system in which strong bursts of air enter the tank from underneath the cap (the layer of grape skins floating at the top) in order to raise it slightly and allow the unrestricted movement of juice. This gentle method results in finer extraction of color, tannins, and flavor. In Layman’s terms: silkier, more luxurious Cabernet Sauvignon!\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eBut of course, the premium source of the fruit also plays a significant role. The majority of today’s Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the world-famous Champoux Vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills AVA. First planted in 1972, this sprawling site is celebrated as one of Washington’s finest, with a semi-arid desert climate—typical of eastern Washington—and sandy loam soils. The other three vineyard sites blended into today’s flagship wine are Lake Wallula, Palengat (adjacent to Champoux), and Wallula. Sustainably farmed grapes are manually harvested and élevage is completed in 100% new French oak for 20 months, which adds further complexities to the lush core of fruit.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eA few swirls of this Stygian crimson-colored Cabernet reveals just how dense and powerful it is: intoxicating liqueurs of black cherry, raspberry, and cassis roar out, followed by plum pie, candied violet, sweet spice, crushed graphite, cigar box, lead, vanilla bean, and cacao. As for the palate? Quilceda Creek’s 2017 is a master class on extracting both richness and energy, so if it’s luxuriously robust Cabernet you’re after, this will put you in a blissful stupor. Given a minimum two-hour decant, this full-bodied tour de force thunders across the palate with immensely creamy layers of rich black and blue fruit and a finessed core of earth and spice. It’s not for the faint of heart, it’s for the hedonists and those who want the most texture and breadth out of every sip of wine. How they’re able to make this ‘17 so incredibly enjoyable\/accessible right now is beyond me, but don’t mistake it for a Cabernet with a short-lived cellar life! I expect its prime drinking window to open around its sixth birthday, but it’ll keep evolving gracefully over the next 10-20. We hope you enjoy this opulent and world-class cellar collectible!\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733047881782,"sku":"SOMM2302-QUILC20CAB-750","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/1efd3728e89200f0dce7597def65258e.jpg?v=1686587930"},{"product_id":"somm2303-vda19grus-750","title":"Viñedos de Alcohuaz, Mezcla Tinta “Grus”","description":"\u003cp\u003eIt’s one of the first things you figure out when starting your wine journey: special places produce special wines—think about the Mosel, Hermitage, or the Wachau. And after experiencing Alcohuaz’s “Grus,” we’re adding Chile’s Elqui Valley to the list of breathtaking landscapes producing equally impressive wines. After all, terroir doesn’t get much more distinctive than this—these are literally the highest-elevation vineyards on earth! \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis 2019 “Grus” sings with sun-soaked purple fruits and thrums with granite-inflected minerality, all wrapped inside the lifted, tensile structure only 7,200 feet of altitude can provide. Indeed, in a few short years, Alcohuaz has quickly garnered sky-high praise from critics and Chilean connoisseurs for producing some of the most exciting wines in all of South America. It’s a Syrah blend even the most Rhône- or Burgundy-obsessed sommelier would happily pour. And while we admittedly don’t offer much Chilean wine here at SommSelect, after a single taste of “Grus,” we knew we had to share such a singular project with you. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Alcohuaz estate is named for the tiny village in which it’s located, and may just be the most extreme we’ve ever seen, New World or Old. Its home region, the Elqui Valley in northern Chile, is already boundary-pushing by any measure, sandwiched between the cool Pacific coast and the continent-dividing Andres. This rocky, sun-baked valley is home to a few farmers and averages less than three inches of rain per year. Grapes have grown in the Elqui for centuries, but primarily for use in Pisco, Chile’s signature brandy. Only hardy, drought-resistant, ultimately neutral varieties like Pedro Ximenez and Palomino gained a foothold here, and the region was long thought too sparsely populated and forbidding to support any kind of genuine wine trade. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlcohuaz takes Elqui’s extremes to new heights. Vines here don’t just grow in sight of the Andes or in its foothills, they’re literally planted into the boulder-strewn, granitic slopes of the mountains themselves, well over a mile high (specifically 1.37 for today’s cuvée). Patricio and Alvaro Flaño planted the first vines here after a friend mentioned in passing that it’d be an ideal vineyard site. And they learned the hard way just how daunting this place was: all of their Cabernet Franc and Merlot plantings died. But the varieties in “Grus”—Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, among others—have thus far thrived. The deep roots soak up just enough groundwater, and Alvaro and Patricio have trained the vines into pergolas; their canopies provide protection from UV rays.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe extreme care with which Alvaro and Patricio approach their vineyards carries through to the cellar. The hand-harvested fruit ferments, 50% whole cluster, with spontaneous yeast in concrete tanks called \u003cem\u003elagares, \u003c\/em\u003eand is then aged in 2,500- and 6,000-liter wooden vessels for nine months. The blend for “Grus” changes depending on vintage conditions, and in 2019 that meant 75% Syrah, 13% Petite Syrah, 7% Garnacha, and splashes of Malbec, Carignan, and Petit Verdot. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eI would treat this like a Northern Rhône Syrah, served in a Burgundy bowl at just above cellar temp to fully appreciate the aromatic range. The nose leads with crushed fresh blackberry, boysenberry, blackcurrant, purple plum skin, dried cherries, violets, white pepper, and sanguine minerality. The palate is juicy and suave, loaded with dark fruits and flowers before a throughline of granitic rock and invigorating acidity make way for the savory, 15-second finish. This is a serious, sun-inflected, mountainous wine that’d be perfect next to some beef after a long day outdoors. Grab some “Grus” and scale the heights!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733048111158,"sku":"SOMM2303-VDA19GRUS-750","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/bbebe128777b85649248e9f11f739afb.jpg?v=1686587706"},{"product_id":"somm2304-erz15chdk-750","title":"Errazuriz, Viñedo Chadwick","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe most premium label under the Errázuriz estate—and all of Chile—Viñedo Chadwick is named in homage to Eduardo’s father, Alfonso Chadwick Errázuriz. However, the story behind Viñedo Chadwick is not steeped in centuries of winemaking history or a hallowed, time-honored terroir: It’s a contemporary success through and through focused on expert farming, precise harvesting, and master craftsmanship in the cellar. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1945, Alfonso, among Chilé’s most accomplished polo players, built a pitch on his estate grounds while also laying out a vision for a new winery. Decades of success followed before his son assumed control, and in the early 1990s, Eduardo made his boldest move yet by converting the family’s polo field into a vineyard that now serves as the sole source for today’s epic wine. Clearly, Eduardo Chadwick’s ambitious project has paid off. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 2015, fermentation occurred in small stainless steel tanks with thrice-daily pump-overs. Upon completion, the resulting wine was transferred into French barrels (73% new) and a smaller portion into used Stockinger \u003cem\u003efoudres\u003c\/em\u003e. After 22 months of maturation, the wine was blended and bottled. While this vintage was scored one point shy from perfection, it’s yet another radiant example of Cabernet Sauvignon in its most premium and elegant form, and at eight years old, it’s beginning to enter its prime drinking years.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733048700982,"sku":"SOMM2304-ERZ15CHDK-750","price":399.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/c28a9692a1681bf68f346c04db57d7f6.jpg?v=1686587985"},{"product_id":"somm2304-erz17chdk-750","title":"Errazuriz, Viñedo Chadwick","description":"\u003cp\u003e“100 Point Wine.” What are you visualizing? I’m sure it’s iconic Brunello and Super Tuscan producers; Cult Napa in the realm of the Harlan-Bond-Promontory triumvirate; Northern Rhône labels such as Guigal’s “La Las” and Chave’s L’Hermitage; and certainly Bordeaux titans like Margaux, Lafite, Pétrus, and Cheval Blanc. In essence, all members of this highly exclusive and exalted club are considered the créme de la créme of luxury wine in the eyes of critics. Conversely, I know what you’re not visualizing: Chilean wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo what if I told you the sleeping giant that is Viñedo Chadwick has routinely bested First Growths in blind tastings (more on that below) and is the proud owner of multiple 100-pointers, including today’s heavenly 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon? We know it’s priced beyond the reach of most casual drinkers, but the rare opportunity to offer a perfect-scoring white whale, from such an unlikely place, could not be ignored. There is very little to go around—I can hold our entire parcel with two hands—and much more to say about the wine, so I suggest securing a precious bottle or two and coming back to read the extraordinary story behind this flawless, First-Growth-toppling Cabernet. Complimentary shipping on one bottle. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBONUS:\u003c\/strong\u003e Because we enjoyed a private vertical tasting courtesy of Michel Couttolenc, we can also part with a single bottle of Viñedo Chadwick’s 2015 release. \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/sommselect.com\/product\/detail\/SOMM2304-ERZ15CHDK-750\/\"\u003eAvailable here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eIn 2004, a single Berlin event changed the landscape of luxury wine forever, and I’d wager only a few of you are even aware it happened. Co-hosted by Steven Spurrier, of 1976’s \u003cem\u003eJudgment of Paris\u003c\/em\u003e fame, three dozen of Europe’s finest palates blind tasted an embarrassment of Cabernet-based riches from the 2000\/01 vintages with one objective in mind—single out the best bottle. Here are a few labels that were in attendance: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eLafite 2000 | Margaux 2000 | Margaux 2001 | Latour 2000 | Latour 2001 | Solaia 2000\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the results were announced from lowest rank to best, a stunned and perhaps nervous silence filled the room before a frenetic roar of applause: Coming in at first place was Errázuriz’s “Viñedo Chadwick,” a Chilean Cabernet enjoying just its second-ever release. ¡Increíble!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eOver the next decade, proprietor Eduardo Chadwick held no less than 20 blind tastings to see how his First Growth-toppler matured against the competition. Time and again, it continued coming out on top. During these years, the startling results were disseminated throughout the wine industry, yet the airwaves still remained relatively unclogged. And then, in 2016, Viñedo Chadwick earned its golden stripes when James Suckling called the ’14 release “the La Mission Haut Brion of Chile” and awarded it a perfect triple-digit score, a first for Viñedo Chadwick and the country as a whole. Further adding to the fame, Eduardo went on to become \u003cem\u003eDecanter Magazine’s\u003c\/em\u003e “Man of the Year” in 2018, and Robert Parker’s \u003cem\u003eWine Advocate\u003c\/em\u003e awarded his estate “Best Chilean Winery” in 2017. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe most premium label under the Errázuriz estate—and all of Chile—Viñedo Chadwick is named in homage to Eduardo’s father, Alfonso Chadwick Errázuriz. However, the story behind Viñedo Chadwick is not steeped in centuries of winemaking history or a hallowed, time-honored terroir: It’s a contemporary success through and through focused on expert farming, precise harvesting, and master craftsmanship in the cellar. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1945, Alfonso, among Chile’s most accomplished polo players, built a pitch on his estate grounds while also laying out a vision for a new winery. Decades of success followed before his son assumed control, and in the early 1990s, Eduardo made his boldest move yet by converting the family’s polo field into a vineyard that now serves as the sole source for today’s epic wine. Clearly, Eduardo Chadwick’s ambitious project has paid off. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe vineyard today spans 15 hectares that are perched at over 2,100 feet of altitude. In 2017, the grapes were harvested a full month earlier than the year prior, yields were halved, and the crop was double-sorted at the cellar. In other words, what little fruit emerged was among the most precious and balanced they’d ever harvested. Fermentation occurred in a combination of stainless steel and concrete tanks with thrice-daily pump-overs. Upon completion, 80% of the resulting wine was transferred into brand new French barrels with the remainder being fed into used Stockinger \u003cem\u003efoudres\u003c\/em\u003e. After 22 months of maturation, it was meticulously blended and bottled.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile today’s 2017 did in fact receive a coveted “100 point” review, we didn’t let it cloud our judgment: We tasted four vintages, 2015-2018, and the perfect scoring wine wasn’t revealed until after we’d selected a favorite. Two of us chose 2017, and the other chose 2015 (which is also being offered here). Truly, it’s impossible not to get wrapped up in its beauty. If you think you know Chilean Cabernet, I simply must disagree if this wine has never graced your lips. What cannot be overlooked or overstated is the elegance, balance, and brilliant savor of this red—and the fact that it clocks in at just 13.5% alcohol! It is a complete, exceedingly polished Cabernet Sauvignon that is in perfect harmony…full of deep, silky layers that stretch and last for 30 seconds. It’s a seductive, graceful smoke show that’ll easily cellar for 15+ years, and likely keep taking down First Growths and Super Tuscans along the way!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733048733750,"sku":"SOMM2304-ERZ17CHDK-750","price":399.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/3fed3d9350462fe81880f74d6442b80a.jpg?v=1686587954"},{"product_id":"somm2208-chng20tocai-750","title":"Channing Daughters Winery, “Sylvanus Vineyard” Tocai Friulano","description":"\u003cp\u003eWine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot. But the Channing Daughters Winery, with help from Cornell University’s Cooperative Research Vineyard, found that this soil\/climate combination also proved hospitable to Friulano. Their “Sylvanus” vineyard, in Bridghampton, was first planted to Friulano in 1999.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmerican-grown Friulano is an extremely rare commodity; even rarer still is an American Friulano sourced from mature vines. This 2020 combines Friulano (78%) with Sauvignon Blanc (22%) from the Sylvanus Vineyard. Both varieties are harvested at the same time, whole-cluster pressed, and co-fermented, after which the wine was aged in a combination of steel tanks and used oak barrels for five months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePale straw-gold with silver\/green highlights. Some citrusy Sauvignon notes meld with scents\/flavors of apricot, Asian pear, yellow apple, wet stones, and almond skin. The wine is medium bodied, leaning toward medium-plus, with a pleasing fleshiness on the palate. The acidity and stony minerality keep it buttoned up and fresh, but it leaves a lasting impact. Pair with prosciutto and melon or shrimp scampi.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733048832054,"sku":"SOMM2208-CHNG20TOCAI-750","price":31.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/130570f17f12c5d5ffd7a622b4e9d7de.jpg?v=1686587765"},{"product_id":"somm2205-foxchard18-750","title":"Foxtrot Vineyards Chardonnay","description":"\u003cp\u003eIncendiary demand, tight-gripped allocations, and the inevitable race against the clock: This has become the ‘norm’ for Foxtrot, an Okanagan producer whose skyrocketing fame knows no bounds. As you are well aware, their generously priced wines have fooled elite blind-tasters into calling top-tier Burgundy—a feat that has earned our undivided attention. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eFoxtrot, like many wineries here, is relatively new, founded in 2004 by Gustav Allander and his Swedish-expatriate parents who purchased the estate and vineyard attached to it. When I reached out to Douglas Barzelay in 2018—the collector who originally introduced me to Foxtrot all those years ago—I had no idea that he and his business partner, Nathan Todd, were so captivated by Foxtrot that they seized the opportunity to purchase the estate, while retaining Gustav as winemaker. Sometimes we throw around the phrase “life-changing wine,” and for Doug, it’s meant in the most literal sense: Tasting Foxtrot compelled him to purchase the estate. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter a 30-minute decant, the 2018 pours a radiant straw yellow hue and rolls out a powerful aromatic spectacle: layers of rich yellow orchard fruit, pineapple core, Meyer lemon curd, white peach, crushed white rocks, honey, yellow flowers, almonds, citrus blossoms, and vanilla bean. From start to finish, it’s ripe and intensely layered with vibrating acidity and crushed mineral power. All of this creates beautiful tension that reads like a Burgundian Premier or Grand Cru.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733049258038,"sku":"SOMM2205-FOXCHARD18-750","price":43.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/42a606e4797068dc290c83513646b576.jpg?v=1686587786"},{"product_id":"somm2211-grmcy2016cab-750","title":"Gramercy Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon","description":"\u003cp\u003eBetween Bordeaux and Napa Valley, there’s plenty of opulent, structured Cabernet Sauvignon to last a lifetime. But to leave Washington State out of your Cab mix is a critical error. It demands a spot on the table alongside the all-timers, which is something Greg Harrington picked up on when he was looking for a place to craft his own wines. Having been exposed to the greatest wines in the world as a restaurant sommelier and MS candidate, Greg chose Eastern Washington when it came time to make his own leap into winemaking, and this 2016 release of his Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon—driven by fruit from the celebrated Walla Walla growing zone—is his latest validation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Gramercy Cellars lineup, headlined by Cabernet, has captivated us over the years because the wines aren’t showy, they’re soulful. The crushed gravel savor in today’s 2016 calls to mind some of our favorite \u003cem\u003echâteaux\u003c\/em\u003e in Margaux, while the concentration and well-managed tannins evoke some of the old-school titans of the Napa Valley. As we’ve found with past vintages of this wine, it’s a thoughtful, balanced, place-expressive Cabernet that elbows countless others out of the way in a deserved quest for the spotlight. Grab some—you won’t regret it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter passing the Master Sommelier exam, Greg Harrington was a restaurant wine director, but his yen for winemaking grew stronger each year. He was drawn to Washington’s Walla Walla Valley, where he worked harvest in 2004 and established a foothold for Gramercy Cellars. Vineyard-specific Syrahs and Bordeaux-inspired red blends have become the focus, and while Walla Walla can produce reds of immense concentration, Greg seeks to moderate this by harvesting on the early side and using whole-cluster fermentation to give the wines some “cut.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Gramercy Cellars has grown, Greg has been able to acquire two “estate” vineyards, one of which is the Octave Vineyard in Walla Walla, a 22-acre site planted in 2007 and shared by several owners. Other key sources are the Phinny Hill Vineyard, a gravel-rich parcel in the Horse Heaven Hills sub-AVA, and Sagemoor Vineyards, a 180-acre site on the eastern side of the Columbia River first planted in 1968. These vineyards, especially the estate site, are in the process of organic conversion, and 2016 marked the inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Gramercy estate vineyard alongside fruit from the Phinney Hill and Sagemoor sites. The wine contains 92% Cabernet Sauvignon rounded out by Walla Walla Merlot and Petit Verdot. Aged 22 months in 30% new French barrels (a smaller percentage of new oak than previous vintages).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaving tasted this Cabernet bottling across multiple vintages, we’ve found it to occupy a kind of stylistic midpoint between Bordeaux and Napa; you get the “New World” concentration and supple tannins, along with the “Old World” soil character that lends palpable savor. In the glass, it’s a near-opaque, blackish ruby extending to the rim, with aromatics that would send you in a few directions (Margaux? Mount Veeder?) if you were tasting it blind. The fruit component is red, black, and blue all at once, with everything from blackberry to red currant to cassis intertwined with scents of graphite, tobacco, espresso grounds, cacao nibs, and wet gravel. The velvety tannins have a telltale New World feel, and while the ripeness and weight are considerable, it’s the furthest thing from a fruit bomb. It should age well past its 10th birthday, but there’s lots of pleasure to be had right now, provided you give it a 30- to 60-minute decant. Serve it at 60 degrees in large Bordeaux stems and pair it with something that will showcase its brooding, dark-fruited character. I like the looks of the attached braised lamb shanks recipe, and will have it on my to-do list come winter. Cheers!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733049487414,"sku":"SOMM2211-GRMCY2016CAB-750","price":38.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/cead728fe0c71e8894cb5bff11402128.jpg?v=1686587972"},{"product_id":"somm2102-none18enz-750","title":"NoneSuch, “Enz Vineyard” Mourvèdre","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe first time winemaker Caitlin Quinn visited the Enz Vineyard in San Benito County, she sat right down among the 100-year-old vines, dug her fingers into the sparkling sand, and soaked it all in. The Enz Vineyard defies all preconceptions of Californian wine—own-rooted, head-trained, dry-farmed, and hidden deep in San Benito County, where it has flourished since the 1800s. The wines which hail from this special place are truly remarkable. To drink Enz is to understand the very fabric of California winemaking, and to be lucky enough to make a wine from Enz is to partake in history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was one of Caitlin’s lifelong dreams to work with such a genre-bending vineyard. While she adores her “day job” as the assistant winemaker for Sonoma’s Arnot-Roberts, one of California’s most celebrated and unconventional wineries, NoneSuch Wines is her personal passion project. She founded the label with the goal of honoring California’s expansive diversity of exceptional vineyards, beginning with Enz—an indisputable treasure. Her 2018 Mourvèdre drinks like no other: perfumed, floral, deeply aromatic, and abundantly mineral. This is a vivid and brightly fruited departure from the dark, gamey muscles of Bandol. Only five barrels were made, which is a tantalizingly minuscule allocation for one of California’s freshest talents. But then again, if there were more of it, it wouldn’t be Enz! This is the cutting edge of California, without the prohibitive “cult wine” price tag!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is so much beauty in the story of today’s Mourvèdre that it’s hard to know where to begin. Caitlin founded NoneSuch Wines in 2017 after years of drawing inspiration and experience from all corners of the globe. Born in San Luis Obispo, she inherited a love of wine from her parents and their barrels of Napa fruit fermenting in the garage. After her first harvest at Sonoma’s Michel-Schlumberger, she bounced from the Santa Cruz Mountains to New Zealand, Chile, and finally back to California, where she worked at Unti for four years. In 2015, she accepted the position of assistant winemaker at Arnot-Roberts, where she makes glorious, critically-acclaimed wines to this day. Caitlin was first introduced to the Enz vineyard through a close friend (and old-vine whisperer) Ian Brand, of I. Brand \u0026amp; Family wines. That’s how she ended up sitting in the ancient vineyard, admiring the gnarled vines and daydreaming about the wine she’d longed to make for years. Ian offered a few tons of fruit to a handful of friends with the intent of examining Enz through the lens of different winemakers’ styles. The story of this vineyard needed to be told, and Caitlin was ready for the challenge. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eEnz is a vineyard like none other in California, or perhaps the world. At 1,100 feet elevation, the eight-acre block of Mourvèdre was planted in 1922 and has been dry-farmed and organically tended ever since. The vines grow in a complex mosaic of sandy granite, dolomite, and limestone. It’s a living piece of California’s history; you’d be hard-pressed to find head-trained, basket-pruned, own-rooted vines with 95 years of healthy harvests behind them anywhere else in the New World. Enz enjoys the distinction of being the only vineyard within the Lime Kiln Valley AVA, tucked along the Gabilan mountains and far, far from the influence of by-the-numbers winemaking. Caitlin decided to approach the concentrated grapes with delicate minimalism; she treads the hand-harvested fruit by foot, fermented the whole clusters with native yeasts, and aged in five neutral oak barrels. Caitlin’s light touch allows the soul of Enz to beam forth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 2018 is a compelling red-purple blessed with exuberant aromatics. There’s just a touch of Mourvèdre’s signature gamey-ness lingering in the background, but top notes of wild roses, apple mint, and muddled boysenberry take the lead after half an hour of decanting. Each sniff is filigreed with fresh, green notes of wet herbs and cool potting soil, but the juicy core notes are all Santa Rosa plums, cracked granite, and beef jerky. It’s satiny, vivid, and dangerously drinkable once I stopped marveling at every tiny detail. I’d recommend pairing with sizzling \u003cem\u003equesabirria \u003c\/em\u003etacos for a thoroughly Californian meal. Rinse and repeat many times over the next few years, since the 2018 has ample energy pulsing through its purple depths!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733049552950,"sku":"SOMM2102-NONE18ENZ-750","price":32.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/48157547f07cf5c1c1169e1e2c6d6fdc.jpg?v=1686587733"},{"product_id":"is2301-faviamag19-750","title":"Favia “La Magdalena”","description":"","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733050241078,"sku":"IS2301-FAVIAMAG19-750","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/507a5d73d29629bcadc64bee225004af.jpg?v=1686588865"},{"product_id":"is2301-faviacs19-750","title":"Favia “Cerro Sur”","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen precise and conscientious viticulture meets brilliant winemaking, the results can be earth-shatteringly profound. Few viticulturists and winemakers in California possess the level of skill required to divine a wine like today’s, but the team of Annie Favia and Andy Erickson certainly does, as the 2019 Favia “Cerro Sur” makes abundantly clear—this is a masterful red blend from Napa Valley’s cooler climes that perfectly balances Old World structure with New World opulence. Having worked alongside David Abreu, Annie has had a hand in farming vines for the likes of Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Bryant, and Colgin, while her husband Andy, one of the great Cabernet minds of the world, can boast of unparalleled expertise, having made wine at Bond, Screaming Eagle, and Dalla Valle. “Cerro Sur” is their benchmark, combining Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon from two relatively cool-climate sites, and it stands confidently among the biggest-name cult labels of Napa while costing quite a bit less. The Cabernet Sauvignon brings voluptuous crushed blackberry fruit and bay leaf, while the Franc, which is the dominant variety in the blend imbues this red with smoky tobacco, dried herbs, and a powerful backbone. This is Napa-meets-Bordeaux courtesy of two exceptional talents—it will blow you away. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733050273846,"sku":"IS2301-FAVIACS19-750","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/5e65702e986a6456133842ce551c2716.jpg?v=1686588859"},{"product_id":"somm2304-keen18cabrsrv-750","title":"Keenan, Cabernet Sauvignon “Reserve”","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733050306614,"sku":"SOMM2304-KEEN18CABRSRV-750","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/1dc1d342dfc2e69c4e1683dd6609f33b.jpg?v=1686588866"},{"product_id":"is2301-faviacoo19-750","title":"Favia Cabernet Sauvignon, Coombsville","description":"","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733050339382,"sku":"IS2301-FAVIACOO19-750","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/55e3edad86a883738f92e134ea438159.jpg?v=1686588865"},{"product_id":"is2301-faviaoakv19-750","title":"Favia Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville","description":"\u003cdiv\u003eWhen precise and conscientious viticulture meets brilliant winemaking, the results can be earth-shatteringly profound. Few viticulturists and winemakers in California possess the level of skill required to divine a wine like today’s, but the team of Annie Favia and Andy Erickson certainly does, as the 2015 Favia “Cerro Sur” makes abundantly clear—this is a masterful red blend from Napa Valley’s cooler climes that perfectly balances Old World structure with New World opulence. Having worked alongside David Abreu, Annie has had a hand in farming vines for the likes of Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Bryant, and Colgin, while her husband Andy, one of the great Cabernet minds of the world, can boast of unparalleled expertise, having made wine at Bond, Screaming Eagle, and Dalla Valle. “Cerro Sur” is their benchmark, combining Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon from two relatively cool-climate sites, and it stands confidently among the biggest-name cult labels of Napa while costing quite a bit less. The Cabernet Sauvignon brings voluptuous crushed blackberry fruit and bay leaf, while the Franc, which is the dominant variety in the blend (82%) imbues this red with smoky tobacco, dried herbs, and a powerful backbone. Just 343 cases were produced, most gone to Favia’s mailing list. But they shared the last little bit with us, and it must not be missed: This is Napa-meets-Bordeaux courtesy of two exceptional talents—it will blow you away. \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733050372150,"sku":"IS2301-FAVIAOAKV19-750","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/f879325b5e4817cdef84a4bf8937fbe5.jpg?v=1686588859"},{"product_id":"is2212-paradorgr12-750","title":"Parador Cellars Gran Reserva","description":"\u003cp\u003eHaving sold the great wines of the world over a long career as a wine merchant, Steve Ventrello crafts Parador with what might be called a European sensibility. This Cabernet-fueled blend, while in no way lacking in body and structure, is constructed more along old-school Bordeaux lines—he isn’t gunning for “cult wine” status, but rather a powerful, subtly complex red that he’d want to drink both on release and 10-20 years down the line. But this sumptuous red has a crucial blending partner, too, and that’s where the above-mentioned “Spanish twist” comes in: Tempranillo makes up over a third of this stunning 2012 Gran Reserva! It adds rich, velvety textures and a unique savory imprint that truly has no equal in the entire Napa Valley.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhether it’s the Mayacamas Range to the west or the Vaca Range to the east, the mountains that flank the Napa Valley are a treasure trove of world-class vineyards, and today’s two sources are brilliant examples. The “Hossfeld” Vineyard, once an overgrown wilderness perched 1,000 feet above the valley floor, was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon back in the early 1980s by Susan and Henry Hossfeld. This sustainably farmed site is extremely steep and terraced, with very thin topsoil over volcanic bedrock. Soda Canyon, where Hossfeld is perched, sits between the Stag’s Leap and Atlas Peak AVAs, up above Yountville. Ventrello’s precious Tempranillo, on the other hand, hails from the sandstone-rich “Rancho Chimiles” vineyard. This site was specially planted for Parador with vine cuttings that originated from Ribera del Duero and Rioja in the ‘90s. This site, too, sits at 1,000 feet in elevation on a range to the southeast of Soda Canyon. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the winery, the varieties fermented separately before blending and subsequently aging for 36 months in two French puncheons, one of which was new. After bottling, today’s small parcel never moved from its original place of rest. After we submit our order, Steve will personally deliver the wines at our warehouse—how’s that for flawless, direct-from-the-source provenance? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSteve models his wines with the inspiration of Vega Sicilia, so it’s no surprise that today’s is as close as California can get to that legendary label. This 2012 “Gran Reserva” spills into a Bordeaux stem with an opaque dark ruby core with flecks of garnet. The aromas are rich, intense, dark, and intoxicating with cassis, ripe black cherry, roasted plum, dried black raspberry, dusty herbs, clove, coconut husk, sandalwood, and licorice. The palate is sumptuous and finely layered with a wide range of powerfully ripe berry fruits on a hardy backbone of savory earth and baking spice. It should be decanted 15-30 minutes before consuming and tracked for at least three hours! All other bottles will keep aging gracefully until their 20th birthday and beyond.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733050667062,"sku":"IS2212-PARADORGR12-750","price":150.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/d371d69a33ae599c79d64ea1495ec7d2.jpg?v=1686588894"},{"product_id":"is2006-sprgmtn79-750","title":"Spring Mountain Vineyard, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon","description":"\u003cp\u003eProduced by a time-tested and globally respected Napa Valley winery, Spring Mountain’s 41-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon has never moved, and each bottle sports a pristine vintage label that was hand-applied three decades ago, essentially making today’s rarity an\u003cbr\u003eexquisite piece of art that can be touched, opened, and enjoyed—especially enjoyed. We were astonished by its vibrant, youthful garnet core. While it may look like an antique on paper, it’s anything but in the glass. The palate suggests dried black and blue fruits with licorice, crushed volcanic rock, worked leather, old cedar box, and cigar ash. Like a fine well-aged Left-Bank Bordeaux, this effort showcases lengthy fine-grained tannins that finishes\u003cbr\u003eelegantly bone-dry. Leave upright for a full day stored at cellar temperature. Decant for sediment. Bring on the Filet Mignon, creamed spinach, and potatoes au\u003cbr\u003egratin!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733050699830,"sku":"IS2006-SPRGMTN79-750","price":375.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/403e31e402b055fdb0935ed03a4c20bc.jpg?v=1686588889"},{"product_id":"somm2301-scribe19awest-750","title":"Scribe, “Atlas West” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Scribe Winery is just minutes from SommSelect offices, and co-proprietor Andrew Mariani is a friend, but still, this is the first time we’ve managed to get our hands on enough Scribe to share with subscribers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eI’m still shocked, to be honest, for two reasons: (1) production of this mountain-grown 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon was characteristically small; (2) Scribe has such an ardent fan base that most every wine they make is scooped up almost immediately by their wine club members and select restaurants. We’re extra thrilled to land some “Atlas West” Cabernet, not just because it displays a level of energy and minerality reminiscent of the “Paris Tasting” era of Napa Cabernet, but because, at just $85, it is a steal of epic proportions. Most of the Napa Cabernet you’ll encounter at this price point is luxurious and impressive, sure, but how many make you want to have a second or third glass? For us, very few. This is one of those few. You can’t afford to miss it.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eAndrew Mariani and his brother, Adam, founded Scribe in 2007, acquiring a former turkey farm right near the Napa\/Sonoma County line. Hailing from Winters, CA, the brothers grew up around agriculture and both spent considerable time apprenticing at wineries before returning to California—Andrew at a small farm in Greece, Adam in the Northern Rhône (at Guigal, no less) and South Africa. They began producing estate-grown wines in 2011 but have also continued to source fruit from other growers for bottlings like today’s. The Scribe property, which includes a hacienda-style building dating to 1858, was once farmed by German immigrants named Dresel, who brought some of the first Riesling and Sylvaner vines to California (Scribe’s labels include a small logo that says “D\u0026amp;Co,” as an homage to the pre-Prohibition wine history of the farm.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Atlas West” is short for the west side of Atlas Peak—an eight-acre vineyard that sits above the fog line at 1,600 feet (allowing for a long, even growing season devoid of significant temperature spikes). The soils are from the “Hambright” and “Guenoc” series and are dominated by red volcanic material with lots of rock. Grapes for this wine were fully destemmed and fermented on ambient yeasts in open-topped stainless steel fermenters. Aging was for 20 months in 30% new French oak \u003cem\u003ebarriques\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere’s a palpable minerality in this ’19 that speaks to its high-elevation mountain origins. In the glass, it displays a classic Napa Cabernet ruby-purple core moving to magenta at the rim, with aromas and flavors of cassis, black raspberry, black currant, cacao, cigar box, cedar, and graphite. It is full-bodied but also taut and lifted, its oak component already well-integrated and its alcohol relatively modest. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot only is it delicious now, it will age—five years at a minimum but probably much longer. If consuming a bottle in the short term, decant it about 30 minutes before serving at 60-65 degrees and don’t worry if you don’t get through the whole thing in one sitting; day two may well be even more satisfying! Unlike so many over-extracted Napa Cabernets, which tend to overpower food with their sweetness, this one is an optimal choice for the dinner table. Try it with a hanger steak—an underrated cut known for its deep, gamey flavor—and don’t drain your bottle too quickly. Enjoy!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733050732598,"sku":"SOMM2301-SCRIBE19AWEST-750","price":85.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/98552f40886829926b85778c17c9b9e0.jpg?v=1686588894"},{"product_id":"somm2101-skoot16chile-750","title":"Easkoot, “Chileno Valley Vineyard” Pinot Noir","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen it comes to Easkoot, there’s always a looming “if” involved: These tremendous Pinot Noirs of single-vineyard, cool-climate origin have kindled major excitement over the last decade—if you can find a bottle, that is. To make matters more complicated, “Can you get more Easkoot?” has become a recurring question in our inbox over the past two years. The problem is, there’s hardly any produced no matter the cuvée, so this high-demand, low-quantity producer has created quite the dilemma. That, of course, didn’t keep us from calling\/emailing for more, and while most of our entreaties went unfulfilled, we did eventually land an elusive whale: today’s smoking 2016 “Chileno Valley Vineyard.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe previous release clocked in at 250 cases—this one? A paltry 166. They’re going the wrong way! It’s not every day you can find a single-origin Pinot Noir of this extraordinarily high caliber and minuscule production, but today is that day; really, any day Easkoot is available for purchase. We urge you to hoard all you can because each deeply satisfying bottle oozes class and complexity. This doesn’t just compete with the sky-high standards of Burgundy—it’s cool-climate Pinot at its highest, most profound level!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eCaptain Alfred Derby Easkoot. What a name, what a pioneer. It was this man who was christened as Marin County’s first land surveyor in the 1800s, and today’s eponymous label is a deferential nod. Easkoot Cellars’ inaugural vintage came in 2009 and over the past decade, the sole focus has been on seeking out prime vineyards along the coast and crafting small-batch, parcel-designated wines. “Chileno Valley Vineyard” is a premium 34-acre site planted in 1991 and currently farmed by dyed-in-the-wool farmer Mark Pasternak. Nestled deep in the hills of Marin County and wedged between the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay, this is a cool, late-ripening site that produces structured and beautifully balanced Pinot Noirs. You won’t find overly ripe, high alcohol wines here—and that’s especially true for a minimalist producer like Easkoot. After a meticulous harvest, the grapes ferment, 20% whole cluster, on indigenous yeasts before a lengthy barrel (10% new oak) and bottle aging regimen. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733050929206,"sku":"SOMM2101-SKOOT16CHILE-750","price":34.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/04895d930097f5651a33243998351ca4.jpg?v=1686587904"},{"product_id":"somm2304-jlde20syraby-750","title":"Jolie-Laide, “Les Saisons dans les Abyses” Syrah","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJolie-Laide founder Scott Schultz, the onetime Wine Director at Napa Valley’s famed Bouchon, apprenticed with several California Syrah whisperers (Pax Mahle; Arnot-Roberts), so he knows how to capture the essence of the variety without any unnecessary adornments. This is a tangy, cool-climate expression from two acclaimed Central Coast vineyards, and while its label may evoke Renaissance-era gentility, its name, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Les Saisons dans les Abyses,” is the French translation of the heavy-metal banger “Seasons in the Abyss,” by Slayer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Jolie-Laide operation is based in Sebastopol, but their vineyard sources are scattered across California, from Mendocino to Santa Cruz and beyond. Schultz first landed in California in 2007 and quickly found himself gravitating toward the “production” side of the wine business. Following several deep-dive apprenticeships, he launched his Jolie-Laide label in 2010, amassing an impressive collection of grower-partners from whom he sources fruit. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAll the Jolie-Laide wines are characterized by a natural, “minimal intervention” approach: Grape bunches are left intact, foot-crushed, and fermented using only ambient yeasts. Only used barrels are employed for aging. Sulfur is added only at the point of bottling, and in the lowest concentrations possible. The elevation of the two vineyard sources, combined with the poor soil and the 100% whole-cluster fermentation, produces a Syrah of notable energy and spice, with moderate alcohol and crisp acidity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSyrah for this bottling comes from the Brosseau and Coast View vineyards, both nestled in the Gabilan Mountains at elevations of 2,200-2,400 feet. The Gabilan Range effectively picks up where the Santa Cruz Mountains leave off, running south-southeast along the Monterey and San Benito County lines. It contains one of the few significant outcroppings of limestone in California, and is home to AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) such as Chalone and Mt. Harlan. Soils are described as decomposed granite with “veins” of limestone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emany Syrahs skew almost purple\/black in color, this one is a deep ruby\/garnet, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewith a beautiful assortment of fruit, earth, and spice sensations on the nose and palate: blackberries, pomegranate, violets, lavender, black pepper, bay leaf, roasted meat, and tapenade. Medium-plus in body, deeply concentrated, yet tangy and lifted, it has some grip to its tannins that will soften with time in a decanter (30-45 minutes) or in your cellar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e A classically styled Syrah for Provençal-style lamb or beef \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003edaube\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733051650102,"sku":"SOMM2304-JLDE20SYRABY-750","price":43.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/98936aeef4129f51eeb7988fa678f0af.jpg?v=1686588018"},{"product_id":"is2303-crnl19estcab-750","title":"Cornell Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon","description":"\u003cp\u003eSome 20 years ago, Vanessa and Henry Cornell found this remote property, perched at 1,900 feet in the Mayacamas Range, with a history of vine cultivation dating back to the area’s earliest settlers. Of the 240 acres they acquired, they devoted 20 to painstakingly farmed Cabernet vineyards and enlisted a dream team to craft classically styled, critically acclaimed wines. The winemaking is headed by 2019 San Francisco Chronicle and 2021 Vinous “Winemaker of the Year” Françoise Peschon. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Cornell’s vineyards fall within a relatively new Sonoma AVA (American Viticultural Area) called the Fountaingrove District, which was once famous for a “cult” winery of a different sort—that of utopian spiritualist Thomas Lake Harris, who ran a sizable ranch and winery in the area in the late-1800s. The soils combine sedimentary loam and gravel mixed with volcanic deposits, at altitudes that often climb above the “fog line” that makes this one of the coolest sub-appellations in the Napa Valley. The relatively mild temperatures at altitude, combined with intense luminosity, combine to create wines that are intense and concentrated, yet balanced and complex.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is such a sensational, plush, seamlessly constructed Cabernet. It fills a Bordeaux stem with an opaque dark purple core and returns superbly lifted, highly intoxicating aromas of black raspberry, cassis, ripe black cherry, crème de violette, pencil lead, cigar wrapper, tobacco leaf, charred earth, crushed black rock, and heaps of mouthwatering baking spices. The full-bodied palate sweeps through with luxuriously smooth, dark-fruited textures that reverberate for nearly a minute on the finish. It’s a profound Cabernet, one that will easily coexist in a cellar filled with First Growths for decades to come.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733051781174,"sku":"IS2303-CRNL19ESTCAB-750","price":160.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/ab232e13d1193f82dab2e3afb2794a0e.jpg?v=1686589010"},{"product_id":"somm2205-court19cab-750","title":"Cornell, “Courtship” Cabernet Sauvignon","description":"\u003cp\u003eAccording to owners Vanessa and Henry Cornell, today’s 2019 is a result of a two-decade-long “courtship” between them and their land which they first started developing in 2001. This marks their third limited release with deep, savory, beautifully concentrated estate-grown Cabernet placed front and center. It was aged 19 months in 53% new French oak, and, while it may go without saying, I’ll say it anyway: The wine drinks like something twice as expensive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt garnered all the gushing critical acclaim one could ask for, thanks to its combination of immense depth and vibrant, mineral-laden energy—a Spring Mountain signature. In the glass, it displays an opaque ruby-black core moving to a magenta rim, with a kaleidoscopic fruit profile that includes lush black and blueberries, ripe red plum, cassis, and huckleberry layered with an array of savory notes—cedar, tobacco, sage, tar, and dusty earth. The tannins are incredibly fine and well-integrated and for all of the wine’s juicy concentration, it still remains taut, nuanced, and fresh. Decant it 60 minutes before serving in large Bordeaux stems or lay it down for a decade—in a perfect world, you’d do both!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052633142,"sku":"SOMM2205-COURT19CAB-750","price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/e95833e4ff8aba273c7934e8bddcd5d4.jpg?v=1686587856"},{"product_id":"somm2204-pup18syrody-750","title":"Puppione Family Wines, “Ariya” Syrah, Odyssey Vineyard","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Puppione Family launched their winery with two barrels to commemorate the birth of their daughter, and they continue to chronicle their family story of tradition and togetherness one bottle at a time. Simplicity is the guiding principle of our approach to winemaking. But simple ain’t easy. Native yeast fermentations, whole clusters, crushed by foot, aged in neutral oak barrels, little to no additions, unfined and unflitered—no flash, no fluff. Thanks to the mindful farming of the growers we work with who engage in sustainable and organic practices in the vineyard, we can employ these minimalist, traditional techniques because of the high-quality grapes they provide us. The end result–wines of energy and freshness and purity. It’s that simple, but it’s not easy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo just as their daughter experimented and tested in her first year, so did we as newly minted winemakers, decided to craft the 2018 Ariya Syrah with a decidedly Old World approach. The resulting wine displays vivacity and the signature aromas and flavors that make cool-climate Syrah so entrancing. Boasting both elegance and verve, this wine pairs perfectly with smoked eggplant, grilled lamb chops, Carolina BBQ pork sliders, or Osso buco.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052665910,"sku":"SOMM2204-PUP18SYRODY-750","price":36.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/8a6f3b9edead3a4f535d2c644e0eeb8d.jpg?v=1686587847"},{"product_id":"is2210-marcassin13-750","title":"Marcassin 'Marcassin Vineyard' Pinot Noir","description":"","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052698678,"sku":"IS2210-MARCASSIN13-750","price":395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/b0d3247d831071ebc416c0cd96531b8f.jpg?v=1686587680"},{"product_id":"somm2204-slm20chard-750","title":"Salem Wine Company, Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay","description":"\u003cp\u003eAficionados will recognize the name Seven Springs: It is a legendary vineyard in the iron-rich clay and basalt soils of the Eola-Amity Hills, first planted in 1980 by the MacDonald family. It’s a gently sloping, east-facing site, as in Burgundy, and its biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is some of the most sought-after fruit in the Willamette Valley.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSeven Springs is most readily associated with Evening Land Vineyards, which was acquired in 2014 by winemaking duo Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman. At one time, the pair had worked with Burgundy vigneron Dominique Lafon to craft the Evening Land wines, but now they have the reins. Salem Wine Company is a second label for Evening Land, ultilizing younger-vine fruit from Seven Springs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Chardonnay for this 2020 comes mostly from a single block of the Seven Springs Vineyard. Hand-harvested grapes are gently pressed into 500-liter French oak puncheons, where the wine undergoes a native yeast fermentation. Aged for 12 months in neutral oak barrels, it is then transferred to stainless steel tank for six months to naturally clarify before bottling.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe wine is a glistening yellow-gold, with aromas and flavors of yellow apple, pear, salted lemon, white flowers, fresh cream, almond skin, wet stones, and bread dough. It is medium-bodied but broadens nicely in the glass, with a textured, concentrated mouthfeel well-balanced by citrusy acidity. Pair with roast chicken and you might think you’re in a wine bar in Burgundy!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052764214,"sku":"SOMM2204-SLM20CHARD-750","price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/bda164a8b6f305d86afe4cdfec285750.jpg?v=1686589069"},{"product_id":"somm2301-ayres21lewis-750","title":"Ayres, “Lewis Rogers Lane” Pinot Noir","description":"\u003cp\u003eSay it with me: Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, crafted at its highest level, is among the finest wine experiences you can have. So why is a top single-vineyard bottling (Lewis Rogers Lane) from a region-defining producer (Ayres) still under $50? I simply chalk it up as one of the biggest pricing blunders of the 21st century. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSure, Burgundy has Oregon winemaking beat by a couple millennia but when it comes to the here and now, Willamette Pinot is a scorching moonshot with no end in sight. Every producer we’ve featured has been treated like royalty, yet Ayres’ offerings always seem to have an additional sense of urgency attached to them. And today, we’re sharing the pride and joy of their lineup—a sublime and perfumed Pinot Noir from Brad McLeroy’s dry-farmed “Lewis Rogers Lane” vineyard. Having personally visited and tasted today’s wine at Brad’s “mom and pop” estate in the iconic Ribbon Ridge AVA, I’m convinced there’s vinous magic afoot. Share a glass with Brad and he’ll tell you this tiny-production cuvée communicates his special terroir clearer than any other. If you’re still unconvinced, consider that some of the most time-tested and comprehensive Willamette tasters we know called this ’21 release “one of the prettiest, most pure expressions of Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir [they’d] tasted.” Enjoy up to a case. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter several years making wine under the brilliant wing of Veronique Drouhin (Domaine Drouhin) in the heart of the Dundee Hills, Brad McLeroy started out with just a few acres and has since built up a respectable collection of primarily east-facing vineyards on ancient Willakenzie sediments. The McLeroys are the fortunate gatekeepers of their land. They farm their own vines, they make the wines on-site, and they live there—it doesn’t get more “artisanal” than that. Furthermore, no herbicides or pesticides have ever been used at the property, all the vineyards are dry-farmed with organic practices, and the estate has been certified sustainable for over 15 years. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnlike the other sub-appellations of the Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge is a distinguished geological formation of uniform soils—a unique seabed uplift from the northwest peak of the Chehalem Mountains. It’s not the coolest place in the Willamette, nor is it the warmest, but it is among the driest, with a long consistent growing season less susceptible to temperature spikes and uneven ripening. And with Pinot Noir, the less climatic twists and turns, the better. Ayres’ “Lewis Rogers Lane” incorporates all of their Pinot Noir clones (667, 777, 115, 113, Pommard) from their very own estate vineyard deep in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll of the hand-harvested fruit for this cuvée fermented with natural yeasts, with a small portion of whole-cluster fruit to enliven texture and add complexity to the finished wine. The wine spent just under one year in French barrels, 15% new, before bottling. Only 14 barrels were produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfumed and deeply polished with sublime, melt-in-your-mouth textures. That’s Ayres’ 2021 “Lewis Rogers Lane” in a sentence. It rumbles out of a Burgundy stem with ripe, high-toned black cherry, kola nut, muddled black raspberry, red licorice, sweet oak spice, damp earth, huckleberry compote, and a scintillating combination of blue and purple flowers. The plush palate is a few clicks beyond medium body and bright, juicy forest berries envelop the core before yielding to light hints of baking spice and earth. It’s pure. It’s addicting. It’s serious. It’s Willamette Valley Pinot crafted at its highest and most harmonious level.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052796982,"sku":"SOMM2301-AYRES21LEWIS-750","price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/a7e562a47dc97365dfbf01ce7f6e885e.jpg?v=1686589071"},{"product_id":"rptr20pngris-750","title":"Raptor Ridge, “Vineyard Select” Pinot Gris","description":"\u003cp\u003e“Vineyard Select” is sourced from three Willamette Valley vineyards. One is the Zenith Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, where soils combine marine sediments and volcanic basalt and Pacific currents passing through the Van Duzer corridor are most acutely felt. Other sources are the Dion Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains and the Logsdon Ridge vineyard, also in Eola-Amity.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRaptor Ridge was founded in 1995 by Scott and Annie Schull, who started out on a hobby scale from their barn in Hillsboro. They cleared an old cherry orchard to create their 27-acre estate vineyard, which is planted to Pinot Noir and Grüner Veltliner (and is supplemented by fruit from contract growers). They opened their winery on the estate vineyard site in 2009.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhole clusters of Pinot Gris grapes are “direct-pressed” to stainless steel tanks for fermentation (rather than being de-stemmed first), after which the wine spends an extended period in tank aging on its lees (spent yeasts). Malolactic fermentation is blocked, as a means of preserving crispness, but there is ample fruit concentration lending a well-rounded mouthfeel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeep straw-gold in the glass with a coppery tint, there are lots of juicy fruit aromas to lead off—green apple, Anjou pear, melon, lemon curd—along with hints of white flowers, loose tea, and wet stones. The palate is fleshy and nearly full-bodied, but the alcohol is modest and the finishing acidity brisk and refreshing. A great choice for simply prepared Pacific salmon or Dungeness crab.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052829750,"sku":"RPTR20PNGRIS-750","price":26.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/7e6c4ee515bbb4a88f5f19ea20ef0a91.jpg?v=1686589064"},{"product_id":"somm2303-carac17escbrut-750","title":"Caraccioli, “Escolle Vineyard” Brut Cuvée","description":"\u003cp\u003eI’ve got a soft spot for Scott Caraccioli and his team at Caraccioli Cellars because they chose to make their name by taking on perhaps the most powerful wine entity of all time: Champagne. But, just so we’re clear, we’re not offering their Brut Cuvée for sentimental, “let’s support the plucky Californians” reasons. We’re offering it because it is a majestic, age-worthy sparkling wine that any Champagne House would be proud to call its own.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eI don’t say this lightly, because boutique Champagne is one of SommSelect’s bread-and-butter categories; very few sparklers from outside Champagne end up featured here. But there was no hesitation whatsoever with this taut, laser-focused 2017. Sourced entirely from the Caraccioli family’s Escolle Vineyard and aged on lees for a whopping four years before disgorgement (we’ll fill you in on all the wine’s impressive stats below), this is not just one of the great Champagne-method sparklers produced in California, but the world. It’s a must-have benchmark for sparkling wine aficionados.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eStarting with the 2015 vintage, all the Caraccioli wines have been produced from 100% “estate-grown” fruit from their Escolle Vineyard. Planted in 2008, Escolle covers some 124 acres in soils of clay and sandy loam, with most of the plantings devoted to Pinot Noir (87 acres) and Chardonnay (28 acres). The site, which faces mostly east, nevertheless feels a profound cooling influence from the nearby Monterey Bay; it falls within the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Caraccioli fans know, they didn’t start out in SLH: They were a Salinas Valley farming family who eventually branched out at the urging of Scott Caraccioli’s father, Gary, who convinced his uncle and brother to join him. Gary and his brother, Phil, grew up watching their Swiss-Italian grandfather make homemade wine from local grapes, and they longed to be part of the local wine culture. The family launched Caraccioli Cellars in 2006 with partner Joe Rawitzer and set their sights on making great sparkling wine; it would have been hard to find someone more qualified than French enologist Michel Salgues, who had originally moved to California in 1985 to take over winemaking at Roederer Estate. Salgues ran Roederer Estate until 2004, after which he became an international consultant. He forged a deep connection with the Caracciolis, and it goes without saying that the wine world lost a giant when he passed away in 2017.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eToday’s Brut Cuvée bottling is the estate’s flagship. Comprised of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir from the Escolle Vineyard (SIP-Certified sustainable), the “base” wines are fermented mostly in stainless steel, with about 20% finishing primary fermentation in neutral French oak barrels. Once fermentation is complete, the wines spend two months aging in barrels before the second fermentation in bottles. The finished product rests for \u003cstrong\u003efour years\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003een tirage\u003c\/em\u003e (on the spent yeasts) before disgorgement and final bottling. It then spends \u003cem\u003eanother\u003c\/em\u003e year aging “on the cork” before it is released for sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis 2017, only just released, is still taut and tingly and full of youthful energy. In the glass, it’s a burnished yellow-gold with a distinct coppery cast, with aromas of green apple, lemon curd, citrus peel, crunchy Anjou pear, crème brulée, toasted almond, and honeysuckle. These rich aromas lead into a crisp, bone-dry, assertively citrusy palate that shows firm structure and a mouth-watering, salted-lemon quality. It is bright, vivid, and has a very long life ahead of it (at least five years, and likely more) should you decide to cellar a few bottles. In the meantime, serve this around 50 degrees in all-purpose white wine glasses or even red wine stems and make sure to pair it with some food—anything from richer appetizers to main-course dishes. It’s a vinous powerhouse that deserves a showcase. Enjoy!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052862518,"sku":"SOMM2303-CARAC17ESCBRUT-750","price":63.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/2eb72c8241add61299bdccffe474df98.jpg?v=1686587847"},{"product_id":"somm2203-jyc19syhtg-750","title":"Joyce “Tondré Grapefield” Syrah","description":"\u003cp\u003eSituated on the eastern slopes of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range, south of Salinas, the vineyards of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA are some of the coolest-climate sites in the state, situated directly in the path of powerful winds that bring daily refreshment from the Monterey Bay—home to one of the world’s largest submarine canyons and, thus, some of its coldest water. The length of the Santa Lucia Highlands growing season is exceptional—and not threatened by autumn rains—making it possible to preserve acidity and develop proper physiological maturity in grapes. Here’s a California Syrah that a vintner in the Northern Rhône would be proud to call his own!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe “Tondré Grapefield” vineyard, which has four acres of Syrah, is farmed by Joe Alarid, a veteran grower in the Salinas Valley. Joyce has sourced Syrah from this cool, marine-influenced site since 2013. The strong influence of Pacific Ocean currents, combined with the gravelly loam soil of the vineyard site, makes for a Syrah of supreme tension and bright fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eHand-harvested fruit from Tondré Grapefield was fermented with 60% of the whole grape clusters intact, lending lots of spice and snap. Fermentation on ambient yeasts occurred in a small, open-topped vessel, followed by 10 months of aging in a 50-50 mix of concrete tanks and used oak barrels. The wine was transferred back into tank for a month of settling before it was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Just 460 cases were produced.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052895286,"sku":"SOMM2203-JYC19SYHTG-750","price":41.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/d6420d8d92a25ba7a1870ea71018ca10.jpg?v=1686587645"},{"product_id":"somm2304-rjyc22gamay-750","title":"Russell Joyce, Gamay Noir","description":"\u003cp\u003eRussell Joyce’s Gamay is a cutting-edge, micro-production red that crushes and even embarrasses the overwhelming majority of Cru Beaujolais in the value department. This is achieved via natural farming, organic grapes, whole-cluster fermentation, neutral barrels, and minimal intervention. The limited result is an ultra-pure Gamay that seemingly moves from two dimensions of fruit and minerality into an eye-opening third dimension led by textural intensity, freshness, and shocking energy. We have a strong hunch that SommSelect’s Burgundy-loving contingent will fall madly in love with this $30 showstopper.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis 2022 was produced via carbonic maceration, in which whole grape clusters were placed directly into sealed containers and blanketed with CO2 (as in Beaujolais). The fruit is sourced from vineyards in the Arroyo Seco AVA, which is recognized as having the longest vine-growing season in all of California. Vines rooted in rocky shale, sandy granite, and loam are directly in the path of powerful winds that bring daily refreshment from the Monterey Bay—home to one of the world’s largest submarine canyons and, thus, some of its coldest water.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eDon’t let the modest alcohol percentage fool you: this Gamay is incredibly deep and delicious with a pronounced bolt of energy surging through every sip. Because it was crafted without manipulation and is still less than a year old, we advise you to vigorously decant and wait 15 minutes before pouring into large Burgundy stems around 55-60 degrees. In the glass, breathtakingly pure notes of high-toned cherry, raspberry, candied strawberry, violets, rose petal, white pepper, grape stem, and crushed rock unfold with superb grace. Pair with a classic Beaujolais dish like \u003cem\u003ecoq au vin\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052928054,"sku":"SOMM2304-RJYC22GAMAY-750","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/28a3a0d987387e85f5a5d1082f150300.jpg?v=1686587913"},{"product_id":"somm2304-rjyc22verm-750","title":"Russell Joyce, Arroyo Seco Vermentino","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Joyce family made its first foray into Central Coast wine when Francis Joyce planted vines on a Carmel Valley hillside in 1989. His son, Russell, grew up among those vines and has since become one of the premier interpreters of the Monterey County terroir. Russell Joyce works with an all-star roster of growers to source fruit for his 10,000-case production and is currently planting more of his own estate vineyards (including some Vermentino in Arroyo Seco).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 2021, Russell Joyce was given access to a plot of Vermentino just down the road from his own ranch in the Arroyo Seco AVA. The vines were planted in 1997 for pioneering vintner (and noted Italophile) Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon, so the raw material was impeccable. Soils in the site are a poor, rocky mixture based on decomposed granite.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eShining a pale straw-gold in the glass with silvery reflections, this could pass for a Vermentino from Italy’s Ligurian coastline. While still young and taut, its aromas are starting to blossom: notes of wild herbs, sea salt, white grapefruit, green apple, and lemon balm carry over to the medium-bodied palate, which has a slightly “phenolic” (i.e. tannic) quality. Textbook seafood wine!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052960822,"sku":"SOMM2304-RJYC22VERM-750","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/4349a117c6c26986593535d53f5833c8.jpg?v=1686587922"},{"product_id":"somm2208-jyc21verm-750","title":"Russell Joyce, Arroyo Seco Vermentino","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Joyce family made its first foray into Central Coast wine when Francis Joyce planted vines on a Carmel Valley hillside in 1989. His son, Russell, grew up among those vines and has since become one of the premier interpreters of the Monterey County terroir. Russell Joyce works with an all-star roster of growers to source fruit for his 10,000-case production, and is currently planting more of his own estate vineyards (including some Vermentino in Arroyo Seco).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 2021, Russell Joyce was given access to a plot of Vermentino just down the road from his own ranch in the Arroyo Seco AVA. The vines were planted in 1997 for pioneering vintner (and noted Italophile) Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon, so the raw material was impeccable. Soils in the site are a poor, rocky mixture based on decomposed granite.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eShining a pale straw-gold in the glass with silvery reflections, this could pass for a Vermentino from Italy’s Ligurian coastline. While still young and taut, its aromas are starting to blossom: notes of wild herbs, sea salt, white grapefruit, green apple, and lemon balm carry over to the medium-bodied palate, which has a slightly “phenolic” (i.e. tannic) quality. Textbook seafood wine!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733052993590,"sku":"SOMM2208-JYC21VERM-750","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/65073cc6dbd9dc9f5e9c0dbd7a3af0e9.jpg?v=1686587925"},{"product_id":"somm2211-drew19mdrpn-750","title":"Drew Estate, “Morning Dew Ranch” Pinot Noir","description":"\u003cp\u003eWant to know why Drew’s Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is worth $70? For starters, La Tâche and Williams Selyem are closely linked to today’s scintillating bottle, so that’s a good start. But I wanted to test its value in a comparative tasting, and it transcended expectations by running circles around several $70-$100 Premier Crus. Few producers outside of Burgundy are capable of capturing that level of charm and fascination in Pinot Noir—Drew is on that shortlist.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough not yet a household name, Jason Drew is among the most gifted winemakers in California: He has proven to be a blue-chip source for some of the finest site-transparent wines in Mendocino’s forested, high-elevation terroir. Each wine I’ve tasted pushes the limits of precision and finesse, and today’s comes from the highly celebrated “Morning Dew Ranch” vineyard, planted by late legend Burt Williams of Willams-Selyem. Even better is the specific type of Pinot Noir clone in today’s bottle. Wine geeks have buzzed about “828” and its origins for quite some time. This Pinot clone, said to have originated from DRC’s cult-famous “La Tâche” ($9,000+), was allegedly smuggled overseas many decades ago. According to \u003cem\u003ePrince of Pinot\u003c\/em\u003e, the truth has never been confirmed “in fear of violating French IP laws.” True or not, one thing is evident: Today’s Pinot is a world-class wine with polish, perfume, and an extraordinary sense of luxury that’s on par with my favorite Chambolle-Musigny cuvées. Given its extremely limited production, we are only able to offer six bottles per person until our stock runs dry.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy the time Jason started Drew Family Wines in 2000, he had already racked up a stellar resumé, with stints at legendary Napa estates like Joseph Phelps and Corison. In his years of experience at a multitude of northern and central California benchmarks, though, he found that nuance and refreshment were often overlooked in favor of power and ripeness. He and his wife, Molly, established Drew Family Wines to change that, focusing on cooler sites and more hands-off winemaking. They were ahead of the curve: a decade later, the push for lower-alcohol, higher-energy California wines would become a full-blown revolution. Now the market is flooded with producers working in this vein, but Drew remains at the absolute top of the game.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of that success can be attributed to location. The Drews set up shop high in the Mendocino Ridge, which is perched above the fog line, just 3.3 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Here you’ll find them tending an apple and truffle orchard alongside eight acres of estate vines, although they do also source fruit from high-quality sites, like “Morning Dew Ranch.” Planted by Burt Williams just before the new millennium, this southwest-facing vineyard reaches as high as 800 feet and experiences cool, breezy days with foggy mornings. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrew selected two Pinot parcels, planted with the 828 “Lâ Tache” and Rochioli clones, and harvested them by hand. In their cellar, grapes were 75% de-stemmed and a natural fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks. Afterward, the resulting wine was transferred into French barrels, 20% new, and the wine was racked twice via gravity before an unfined\/unfiltered bottling. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you’ve made it this far, that probably means you’re willing to spend $70 on an Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. You won’t have a single regret. This splashes into a large Burgundy stem with a vibrant ruby core and flashes of bright purple. Pristine, vividly gorgeous aromas unfurl in waves, starting with fresh crushed raspberry, Damson plum, wild huckleberry, black cherry, and spiced plum. With air, subtler notes of black tea, damp sage, sweet baking spices, and blood orange peel emerge. The palate is medium-bodied and soft as velvet, delivering layer after layer of deep, ripe, spice-tinged berry fruit alongside a soft yet persistent mineral core. Enjoy one or two now, certainly, but be sure to save any others for birthdays 5-8. Your patience will be handsomely rewarded. Cheers!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733053190198,"sku":"SOMM2211-DREW19MDRPN-750","price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/8c8eb8614631b03ea973b643255bd13b.jpg?v=1686587895"},{"product_id":"somm2208-idl21ffred-750","title":"Idlewild Wines, 'Flora \u0026 Fauna' Red Blend","description":"\u003cp\u003eIdlewild “has a few homes,” including Lost Hills Ranch, which sits in the hills of Mendocino County’s Yorkville Highlands in soils of schist and sandstone. They also manage the Fox Hill Vineyard in central Mendocino county, another rocky site planted to 20- to 30-year-old Arneis, Cortese, Dolcetto, Barbera, and Nebbiolo. A third high-elevation site in the Russian River Valley provides source material for this wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eMendocino County continues to be home to a huge Italian-American agricultural community, and Sam Bilbro pays homage to that history while also crafting wines in a deliberately “Italian” style. He believes—and has proved—that cooler, high-elevation sites in Mendocino can be hospitable to Northern Italian grape varieties, especially the Piedmontese triumvirate of Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a wine designed to deliver lots of nerve and minerality. Combining lots from the above-mentioned vineyards, it is a Barbera-based blend that also incorporates Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Freisa, and Grignolino—essentially a “greatest hits” compilation of Piedmontese varieties. The grapes were subjected to a partial carbonic maceration, à la Cru Beaujolais, with whole grape clusters left intact to preserve brightness and energy. It aged for just four months in neutral oak barrels before bottling.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733053222966,"sku":"SOMM2208-IDL21FFRED-750","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/25ede195610c00d049bc47f64fca1d67.jpg?v=1686587966"},{"product_id":"somm2203-hnd17brbrh-750","title":"Houndstooth, “Rorick Heritage Vineyard” Barbera","description":"\u003cp\u003eKelli White and Scott Brenner are the (married, with children) sommeliers who built the award-winning wine program at PRESS Restaurant in St. Helena, California, among other accomplishments (Kelli is the author of “Napa Valley Then \u0026amp; Now”). Houndstooth is their passion project, launched in 2011, focused on small-lot wines sourced from select vineyards across Northern California. Their experience cultivating the lengthy PRESS wine served them well in identifying the best plots to showcase in their wines: This Barbera is grown by California wine celebrity Matthew Rorick in Murphys, California, in the heart of the Sierra Foothills AVA. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003ePurchased by Matthew Rorick (Forlorn Hope Wines) in 2013, the Rorick Heritage Vineyard does indeed have “heritage.” The site was first farmed by the Shaw family in 1844. It was later acquired by Barden Stevenot, who planted Chardonnay in the 1970s and continued to expand the vineyard’s acreage and varietal mix. Located within the Sierra Foothills AVA, this organically farmed vineyard (now 75 acres) reaches to elevations of 2,000 feet and boasts a cool, “continental” climate. Soils combine schist and limestone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout one-third of the must was fermented in used oak puncheons with whole grape clusters intact; it was then aged in those same puncheons and bottled after about 18 months. Shining a satisfyingly deep ruby-garnet in the glass, the wine leads with lots of saturated fruit aromas, including black and red cherry, black raspberry, rose petals, dried herbs, and turned earth. Medium-plus in body, with good concentration and a taut structure. It finishes with a crisp, mineral twang, lending it good compatibility with food. Try it with burgers or steaks off the grill, Sicilian-style pizza, or baked pastas.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733053255734,"sku":"SOMM2203-HND17BRBRH-750","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/961459572fd15df02b6ae884594548e8.jpg?v=1686587890"},{"product_id":"somm2301-reyn19csclassic-750","title":"Reynvaan, “The Classic” Cabernet Sauvignon Blend","description":"\u003cp\u003ePrepare yourself, because the specs on this culty cellar showpiece are mind-boggling. A site adjacent to Washington’s most famous vineyard? Check. Vines planted under the guidance of the state’s most iconoclastic wine figure? Check. Cabernet Sauvignon grown atop rocks like Châteauneuf’s \u003cem\u003egalets roulés\u003c\/em\u003e? A muscular, mineral styling in the vein of long-lived Bordeaux bottles? A tiny and consistently rave-reviewed production mostly reserved for the estate’s mailing list? Check, check, and check!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn other words, there’s enough geeky and intriguing information here to set even the most jaded sommelier or collector’s heart aflutter. American wines rarely get more terroir-driven, more ageable, more serious than this limited Cabernet. And considering the pedigree and the very long life ahead of “The Classic”—not to mention the exorbitant prices commanded by similarly lauded and lusted-after bottles—I’d argue there’s an incredible value proposition at hand here. Quantities are limited, so act fast if you want to experience one of the most unique and cellar-worthy Cabs America has to offer!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eA wine so unique in the American landscape, logically, hails from an utterly extraordinary terroir. Washington’s Walla Walla Valley AVA produces most of the state’s top wines, but in 2015, a tiny southerly section bleeding into Oregon’s border was redefined as “The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater” and quickly referred to as the “most distinctive wine-producing region in America.” The Rocks is minuscule, just 5.9 square miles, and might be the US’s most soil-specific AVA: It’s the only one in the whole country whose boundaries are drawn by a single soil series, an alluvial fan overlain with basalt stones from the nearby Blue Mountains. These stones have been polished over millennia into smooth ovoid shapes; a picture of the dirt in The Rocks AVA looks nearly identical to the famous “rolled stones” of Châteuneuf-du-Pape. And like that special place, here in The Rocks, wines of immense power and gravitas thrum with an undeniable minerality.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Rocks AVA seems to have a tractor-beam pull on maniacally passionate winemakers. The Reynvaan family first put down roots here in 2004 and has made robust yet elegant wines, mostly from Rhône (and some Bordeaux) varieties. They had an exceptional guide showing them the ropes in their early years: family friend Christophe Baron, whose Cayuse project is easily one of the most acclaimed American wineries of all time, is a Rocks District pioneer. Christophe suggested the Reynvaans plant a vineyard right next to his “En Cerise” plot, a small parcel responsible for Syrah bottlings that collectors snatch up within moments of release. He even went so far as to select the plant material for their vineyard and help them with winemaking their first few vintages. Now, winemaking is handled entirely by Matt Reynvaan, and he consistently produces some of the highest-scoring wines in the state. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eReynvaan’s “The Classic” comes entirely from their estate-owned “In The Rocks” vineyard. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cab Franc and Petit Verdot, this 2019 aged for about 20 months in 40% new oak with the rest in first-, second-, and third-use barrels. This is serious stuff, built for the very long haul. We strongly recommend a two-hour decant if consuming now but it’s best to leave this be until at least 2025. The beginnings of a genuinely legendary wine are present here—cassis, purple plums, black cherry skin, boysenberry, star anise, blood orange peel, black pepper, cedar, and molten rock. The palate is muscular yet lithe, full-bodied and booming with power, while wrapped in a frame of fine-grained tannin. This is a genuine cellar cornerstone of contemporary times, a wine to watch evolve for a decade or more.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SommSelect","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40733053517878,"sku":"SOMM2301-REYN19CSCLASSIC-750","price":68.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/products\/582fd7b05cd396e660dbc329a2b42234.jpg?v=1686587859"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0551\/3628\/8822\/collections\/Spring_Mountain_District_Napa_Valley_AVA.jpg?v=1770770357","url":"https:\/\/sommselect.com\/collections\/new-world-collection.oembed?page=17","provider":"SommSelect","version":"1.0","type":"link"}