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SPRING IS IN!!!
INTRODUCING OUR SPRING SELECTIONS!
RODNEY STRONG RESERVE
2006
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 94
Frequent stirring of the lees during barrel aging added a creamy texture to an already full-bodied wine, making for a rich, plush mouth feel, balanced with vibrant acidity. Powerful aromas of spiced apple, pear and pie crust join lemon-cream and toasty oak on the palate, adding up to a compelling and thoroughly satisfying experience for true Chardonnay lovers.
Wonderful perfumed aromas fold over to the palate, which is fullbodied
and ultrarich without being heavy, delivering tiers of ripe
fig, apricot and green apple, shaded by spicy, toasty oak. Better
than previously reviewed. Drink now through 2012
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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STUHLMULLER VINEYARDS
2007
ROBERT PARKER RATING: 92
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 91
It is hard to find a 92-point Chardonnay for $24 a bottle, but Stuhlmuller’s 2007 Chardonnay (5,600 cases) is a beauty. Lemon oil, honeysuckle, white currant, white peach, and poached pear characteristics are present in this beauty along with terrific freshness, medium to full body, a layered mouthfeel, and a long, pure, dry finish. Drink this knock-out Chardonnay over the next 2-3 years.
-ROBERT PARKER REVIEW
Tangy lime and citrus notes join riper green apple and honeydew melon in this supple, full-bodied, complex and elegant offering. The finish is long and clean. Drink now through 2011.
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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VALDEZ LANCEL CREEK VINEYARD
2006
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 93
Dense, ripe and beautifully structured, with delightfully briary cherry and blueberry aromas and powerful yet still supple licorice, sage and cracked white pepper flavors that linger on the finish. Drink now through 2014.
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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MUELLER L.B.
2007
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 91
Sparkling medium yellow/gold in color, this wine explodes
with bright, clear tropical fruit aromas. Smokey perfumed pear and apple
aromas join the party, accompanied by yeast, toast and butter scents. Full in
body and generous in flavor, this wine glides softly with beautifully balanced
natural acidity. Mango, pineapple, pear and apple flavors dance harmoniously
on the palette in this enormously enjoyable wine. The finish; long and crisp
with toasty oak and butterscotch nuances. Enjoyable today or cellar for an
additional 2-4 years for added complexity.
A classic Mueller Chardonnay, offering a hint of hazelnut and a beam of vibrant pear, citrus and green apple fruit. Full-bodied, clean, focused and persistent. Drink now through 2012.
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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WALTER HANSEL CUVEE ALYCE
2006
ROBERT PARKER RATING: 96
The best cuvee I tasted of the 2006s is the 2006 Chardonnay Cuvee Alyce, a spectacular Chardonnay that possesses notes of buttered citrus, white currants, crushed rocks, honeysuckle, and tropical fruits. It is full-bodied, rich, deep, pure, and stunningly long and intense. This is a superb Chardonnay and the most opulent and fleshy of all these wines.
-ROBERT PARKER REVIEW
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ANCIEN CARNEROS
2007
The nose opens with a burst of fresh, just-ripened cherry fruits moving towards a richer dried cranberry and kirsch, spiced with chocolate, cloves, and baking spices. Aromas open up to exhibit an exotic, perfumed overlay of sarsaparilla, cola, sandalwood, rose petal and lilac. The palate is well-structured, exhibiting a balanced basket of black, brambly fruit, plum, ripe cherry and strawberry, spiced with cardamom and dark chocolate. The midpalate is lush and deep, lifted with a fresh wash of acidity and followed by mouth-filling tannins.
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O'CONNOR (SAME VNYD. AS PAUL HOBBS)
2007
This wine shows intense aromatics of dark ripe cherries ,strawberries and fresh herbs. The palate is creamy, juicy, and with a touch of minerality. The wine is very elegant and carries the fruit to a long finish.
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GREAT EVERYDAY VALUES
OBSIDIAN RIDGE
2005
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 90
This is tight, structured, full-bodied and concentrated, yet also sleek and focused, with lovely blackberry, dried currant and hints of sage and spice, ending with chewy tannins. Drink now through 2013.
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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JUSTIN THE ORPHAN
2007
Bright purple in color with a ruby red hue, the 2007 is our best Orphan offering to date. Aromas of black fruit, raspberry and leather fill the glass. The entry is soft, balanced and layered with fruits, fig and a touch of spice. The mid palate is fleshy and fruit forward, segueing into a finish lightly touched by ripe tannins and nuances of new French and American oak.
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BUEHLER
2007
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 90
Our Zinfandel is aged for 11 months in a combination of French and American oak
barrels, 20% of which are new. At this level of “new wood”, the up-front endearing
quality of Zinfandel can assert itself. Aromas of a briar patch on a hot summer day
carry over to the palate and are carried in a mouth-filling, flavorful, juicy package.
The wine is crafted for immediate enjoyment but for those who enjoy a more
complex wine displaying some bottle-aged character, aging for another two to three
years is a good option.
Soft and elegant, this has a delicate sense of complexity, offering floral raspberry and cherry aromas, with juicy, layered plum and spicy cinnamon flavors that linger on the lively finish. Drink now through 2014.
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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LOUIS MARTINI SONOMA
2007
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LOUIS MARTINI SONOMA
2006
ROBERT PARKER RATING: 90
One of the finest bargains in California Cabernet Sauvignon must be Louis M. Martini’s outstanding 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma. The good news is there are 140,000 cases produced. Fabulously sweet aromas of black currants, licorice, and cedar soar from the glass of this medium to full-bodied wine. With silky tannins as well as surprising concentration, depth, and texture, this 2006 should drink well for 8-10 years.
-ROBERT PARKER REVIEW
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WESTREY
2007
Always reflective of the vintage, the 2007 Willamette Valley blend offers juicy raspberry and cherry flavors with finesse and balance. An attractive bright, ruby color complements an aroma of roses, raspberry and strawberry. Raspberry and strawberry flavors develop as the wine opens with delicate hints of spice. The 2007 vintage is refreshing and perfect with lighter foods.
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HOT IMPORTS!
OUTSTANDING QUALITY!
PILLAR BOX RED
2006
ROBERT PARKER RATING: 91
The 2006 Pillar Box Red is 50% Shiraz, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Merlot aged in a mix of used French and American oak. Purple-colored, it offers an enticing, fruity nose including aromas of cassis, black cherry, black raspberry, and blueberry. Full-bodied, ripe, and layered with flavor, this wine totally over-delivers on my hedonist’s meter. Drink this awesome value over the next 2-3 years. Pillar Box has a powerful pedigree; fruit sourced from Henry’s Drive and winemaking consultation from the renowned Chris Ringland.
-ROBERT PARKER REVIEW
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VINA COBOS FELINO
2007
ROBERT PARKER RATING: 91
The 2007 Felino Malbec is a splendid introduction to this grape variety. The nose is redolent of wild black cherry leading to an elegant, ripe, wine with gobs of flavor and 1-2 years of aging potential. Drink this hedonistic effort through 2015.
-ROBERT PARKER REVIEW
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BRANCOTT
2008
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 92
The wine is light straw in colour with green
highlights. Aromas of gooseberry, stone-fruits and
red capsicum characterise the nose with the palate
showing ripe gooseberry supported by peach notes
and a tantalizing minerality. This wine shows a
fantastic equilibrium of concentrated fruit fl avours
and zesty acidity.
This is crisp, offering a lively mouthful of peach-accented grapefruit and mineral flavors, all hanging on effortlessly through the long, graceful finish. Drink now.
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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RAZOR'S EDGE SHIRAZ GRENACHE
2006
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 91
Polished, round and expressive. A gorgeous mouthful of ripe blackberry, plum, cherry and exotic spices, with hints of leather and brown sugar nibbling at the edge. The finish rolls on and on against superfine tannins. Drink now through 2016.
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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WINE STOP TOP PICKS
CONN VALLEY RESERVE
2005
ROBERT PARKER RATING: 96
The Conn valley has a dense, dark ruby color. Has a classic Conn Valley bouquet with aromas of cassis, cigar box, black pepper and crushed granite. On the palate it is complex and dense. Full bodied, blackberries, sweet tannins. Coffee, chewy and concentrated long finish, lingering aftertaste. Should age effortlessly 20-25 years.
The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is showing even better than it did last year, which is not unusual when tasting the wines of Todd Anderson and Mac Sawyer. Dense ruby/purple to the rim, with the classic Pauillac-like nose of creme de cassis, cedar wood, a hint of tobacco leaf, and very subtle smoke, the wine displays charcoal and roasted herbs, full-bodied power, wonderfully sweet tannins, and a long, long finish. This is a 20- to 25-year wine that should just get better and better as it ages, but it is accessible enough to drink now.
-ROBERT PARKER REVIEW
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BEAU VIGNE JULIET
2006
(THE SAME WINE MAKER AS THE PRISONER)
ROBERT PARKER RATING: 93
The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Juliet (a 770-case blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc), while essentially a second wine, is a gorgeous effort. A deep ruby/purple color is followed by beautiful aromas of blackberries, black currants, coffee beans, cedar, and toasty oak, a wine with vivid fruit, an expansive, savory mouthfeel, sweet tannin, and a long finish. This is a beauty to drink over the next decade or more.
-ROBERT PARKER REVIEW
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NEAL FAMILY VINEYARDS
2005
This year has the most intense concentration of flavors and aromas to date. Rich, ripe fruit and complexity sum up this Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas and flavors include black cherry, plum, cassis, floral notes, chocolate, black licorice, tea and spice. The generous and velvety tannins allow the fruit and candy flavors, along with an earthy (Rutherford Dust) character, to evolve into a delightful finish that provides great depth to the wine.
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NICKEL & NICKEL (FAR NIENTE) VOGT VINEYARD HOWELL MTN.
2005
WINE ENTHUSIAST RATING: 95
The 2005 Vogt Cabernet Sauvignon is an incredible wine. The aromas of jammy
fruit and floral notes are dark and intense. The palate offers sweet, rich flavors
of blackberry and cassis mixed with floral and spice. Incredibly concentrated, this
wine is powerful, yet soft, with firm, polished tannins.
A beautiful Howell Mountain Cab that shows its terroir in the firm, rich tannic structure. And what gorgeous tannins they are, so refined and expressive. The fruit is perfectly ripe, suggesting currants, blackberries, red and black cherries,
licorice and a hint of milk chocolate. Rewarding now, and should hold and
improve for at least a decade.
-WINE ENTHUSIAST REVIEW
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CHAPPELLETT
2005
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 94
From its cocoa and coffee layers to its fresh herb notes and
voluptuous fruit flavors, this wine displays a balanced and
graceful expression of mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon.
The wine’s dark plum and sweet fruit core is supported by
vibrant, bright cherry aromatics, well-structured tannins,
spicy oak and an earthy minerality.
Assertive herb, anise, blackberry and wild berry fruit is tight, firm, tannic and well-structured, picking up depth and length on the finish. Best from 2010 through 2016
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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NEYERS
2007
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 93
Grapes from the Carneros district vineyards that went into this wine were harvested with higher than normal natural acidity, and the subsequent malo-lactic fermentation was especially vigorous. The result is a Chardonnay with a creamy texture and an attractive element of toast, or grilled bread, in the aroma. Most importantly, winemaker Tadeo Borchardt's efforts have given us a wine of great balance. The separate components are harmoniously joined together with no single characteristic dominating the final blend. The wine is flavorful without being awkward and satisfying without being extreme.
Complex aromas of smoke, fig and citrus fold over to the palate. Full-bodied, with fine structure and acidity, along with flavors that end up giving this a delicate feel. The aftertaste is delicious. Drink now through 2012.
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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PRISONER
2007
WINE SPECTATOR RATING: 92
The 2007 blends the lush berry flavors of Zinfandel, the power and concentration of Cabernet Sauvignon, the dark black fruit of Syrah, the intensity and structure of Petite Sirah, the flesh of Charbono, and a hint of Grenache - all combined for a decadent wine with great complexity.
Offers both style and structure, with lively aromas of black raspberry,
cracked pepper and mocha, with plush and layered flavors of wild berry, fresh sage and licorice. Ripe tannins sneak in on the finish. Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Charbono
and Grenache. Drink now through 2014.
-WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW
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GHOST BLOCK
2006
Bright and elegant aromas of cherry, blackberry, tobacco, spice and roses. On the palate the wine leads into a balanced and full attack of ripe blackberries, cherries with deep dark chocolate and coffee in the mid-palate, to a long and lingering finish of toffee, orange peel, and cherries. Well balanced with great weight and structure.
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