July 15th 2022 Newsletter - The Grape Tray

July 15th 2022 Newsletter

WOW-French Rhone 57% Off!
2019 Cadenette Costières de Nîmes Contrôlée

Winemaker Notes: The ripening of the fruits has been carried out far, which gives a powerful wine with pronounced aromas of liquorice, black fruits or prunes. The color is a deep red. 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache. $16 Our Price $6.95 (Available GT)

Wine Spectator 92 Points
LEMELSON Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Thea's Selection 2018

Refined and structured, offering pinpoint black cherry, savory spice and black tea flavors that build tension and tannins on the finish. Drink now through 2029. 9,700 cases made.—T.F. $34 Our Price $24.99 (Back in stock GT and VRW)

Domaines Barons de Rothschild Les Legendes Bordeaux Rouge 2018

Winemaker Notes: Pleasant and aromatic with red and black aromas (strawberry and raspberry) and toasty notes, well balanced and harmonious on the palate. $18 Our Price 15.49 (Available GT)

James Suckling 94 Points
2017 Tolaini Al Passo Toscana

A beautiful, ripe wine, offering plums and chocolate, as well as tile and walnuts. It’s full and layered with beautiful fruit and caressing tannins. Rock on. $27 Our Price $20.99 (Available VRW)

James Suckling 94 Points
2017 Pecchenino San Giuseppe Barolo

A rather soft and rich young Barolo with strawberry and floral character and hints of watermelon. It’s full-bodied and layered. Rich finish. So attractive now, but will age nicely. Try after 2023. $60 Our Price $51.99 (Available GT and VRW)

James Suckling 97 Points
2017 Cordero di Montezemolo Monfalletto Barolo, Piedmont

This shows a lot of tar and roses with dried strawberries as well. Full-bodied with very, very fine tannins that coat your mouth, yet they are so velvety and set up the overall, focused and pure-fruit impression of the wine. Fantastic young Barolo. From organically grown grapes. Better in 2026, when the tannins will be more resolved. $55 Our Price $47.99 (Available GT and VRW)

James Suckling 92 Points
2016 Farella Estate Napa Merlot

Fresh with lots of polished and chewy tannins that give the wine focus and texture. Berry, chocolate and spice character. Medium to full body. Flavorful finish. Drink or hold. $60 Our Price $29.99 (Arrives GT 7/21/22)

Wine Spectator 93 Points
FRÉDÉRIC ESMONIN
Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux St.-Jacques 2018

Well-defined aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry, rose and stone are the hallmarks of this expressive red. It firms up nicely, yet remains poised and sophisticated, with fruit, tobacco and iron accents lingering on the finish. Best from 2024 through 2042. 100 cases imported. — BS $85 Our Price $73.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Advocate 94 Points * 2019 Raúl Pérez • Ultreia Saint Jacques

The nose of the 2019 Ultreia Saint Jacques is nothing short of spectacular. It shows the varietal character and the juicy and round style of the Valtuille vineyards. It's harmonious, clean and expressive. They are using more and more stems with long macerations, malolactic in tanks and aging in 30% oak vats (he purchased from Alión) and 70% of the wine in used 225-liter oak barrels for one year. There is only one master blend, which is put into oak vats and bottled by 25,000- to 30,000-bottle lots. In 2019 he produced 110,000 bottles of this wine. $30 Our Price $18.99 (Available GT and VRW)

James Suckling 93 Points
2019 Beringer Luminus Oak Knoll Napa Chardonnay

Dried apricot, pineapple, lemon curd, crushed stones and some hay on the nose. It’s full-bodied and buttery with concentrated mineral and ripe-fruit layers. Some spice, too. Excellent length. $30. Our Price $23.95 (Back in stock GT and VRW 7/16/22)

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
2016 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Distinctions

First released in 2014 and made with the idea to highlight richness and opulence, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Distinctions includes slightly more valley floor fruit compared to the Knights Valley Reserve and offers a forward, sexy, incredibly satisfying style as well as lots of blackcurrant fruit, ripe tannins, and impeccable balance. Despite the richer, more forward style, it’s going to evolve just fine on its balance and concentration. $49 Our Price $41.95 (Back in stock GT and VRW 7/16/22)

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
2019 Hartford Court Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

Readers looking for an incredibly charming, delicious Pinot Noir that’s going to deliver the goods should check out the 2019 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley from Hartford Court. Revealing a translucent ruby/plum color, it has a wonderful nose of spiced red and black fruits, candied violets, orange blossom, and incense. Medium-bodied on the palate, it’s wonderfully balanced, with soft, supple tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. Drink this beauty any time over the coming 5-6 years. $40 Our Price $32.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Advocate 97 Points
2019 The Setting Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville, from the Skellenger Vineyard, has a deep ruby-purple color and layered perfume of cassis, warm chocolate, bouquet garni and tobacco, plus touches of tar and coffee beans. The full-bodied palate offers surprising restraint, managing richness without over-ripeness, and has powdery tannins and bursts of refreshing acidity. It boasts sleek new-oak spices and a long, latent finish that suggests it will continue to unfold in bottle over the next several years. Only 244 cases were made. $135 (Available GT)

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Taste 2021 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc, 2019 The Hilt Radian Vineyard Pinot and 2019 Hourglass Blueline Napa Cabernet at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $20 per person.
Friday, July 15th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Spectator 94 Points
GREYWACKE Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2021

This stunning white is aromatic, fresh and intense, with notes of lemon curd, yuzu, peach, ripe melon and honeysuckle that are effortless and mouthwatering, backed by lemongrass and candied ginger notes on the long, expressive finish. Drink now. —M.W. $23 Our Price $19.99

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
2019 The Hilt Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard

In the same realm, the 2019 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard offers more red and blue fruits (black raspberries, cherries, blueberries) as well as ample minerality and graphite. It too is medium-bodied, utterly seamless, flawlessly balanced, and concentrated. As with all of these 2019s from Dees, it has slightly more texture and suppleness than past vintages and is going to drink nicely for a decade. $105. Internet Price $94.99

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
2019 Hourglass Blueline Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Blueline Cabernet Sauvignon is another stunning wine in the lineup. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as beautiful cassis and blue-tinged fruits, it has lots of violet and lead pencil notes, medium to full body, perfect balance, and incredible tannins. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Merlot, it's going to deliver the goods for upwards of two decades. $150

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Taste 2018 Byron Nielson Chardonnay, 2018 L’Aventure Cote a Cote and 2018 Mondavi Oakville Cabernet The Estates at (VRW) for $15 per person.
Saturday, July 16th. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

Decanter 92 Points
2018 Byron Nielson Vineyard Chardonnay

Slightly restrained nose with nice stone fruit and floral character underneath. Light lemon sherbet notes with toasted pineapple on the palate, pleasingly dry and youthful finish. $30

Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points
2018 L'Aventure Cote a Cote

Straight-up sexy, the 2018 Cote A Cote is a Grenache-dominated blend that includes 26% Mourvèdre and 23% Syrah, all aged in 35% new French oak. Stunning notes of black raspberries, ground pepper, Asian spices, and candied violets all flow to a full-bodied, concentrated wine that reminds me of a great vintage of Domaine de la Janasse's Châteauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes cuvée. It shows more chalky minerality with time in the glass and is pure, seamless, and beautifully put together. Drink it over the coming 10-12 years. $105

Wine Spectator 93 Points
ROBERT MONDAVI Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville The Estates 2018

Rich and seductive in feel, with a lovely swath of loamy-edged steeped plum and blackberry compote flavors, backed with flashes of anise and sweet bay leaf. A loamy edge extends nicely in lockstep with the fruit on the finish. Textbook Oakville Cabernet. Best from 2022 through 2034. 9,791 cases made. — JM $90

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Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW)
1552 E. Champlain Drive, Ste 109 Fresno, CA 93720
Via Montana Center (NE Corner Shepherd and Champlain-Two doors south of Big 5) www.vintagereserve.biz 559-878-3953
Tuesday-Friday 12:00 Noon-6:00 PM
Saturday 12 Noon-4:00 PM


The Grape Tray (GT)
6023 N. Palm Avenue Fresno, CA 93704
Opus One Center (NW Corner Bullard and Palm)
www.grapetray.com 559-226-6828
Monday-Friday 10:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday 10:30 AM-4:00 PM


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