On Deck for wine tasting next week at VRW:

Wine Advocate 93-95 Points * 2019 Domaine de l'Arlot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts St Georges

The most structured and muscular of Domaine de l'Arlot's premiers crus, the 2019 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts St Georges wafts from the glass with aromas of cassis, plums, dark berries, raw cocoa and sweet soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with lively acids, powdery tannins and a youthfully chalky finish, this is an elegantly muscular wine built to age. $150

James Suckling 95 Points
2019 Beaulieu Vineyard Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

A very attractive red now, with complexity and yummy drinkability. It’s medium-bodied with medium, round tannins that are fresh and more-ish. It’s dusty and lightly earthy with dark currants as well as tobacco. So much going on, in a subtle and refreshing way. 85% cabernet sauvignon, 10% petit verdot, and 5% malbec. Drink or hold. $80

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Taste 2021 Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah, 2019 Plumpjack Napa Merlot and 2019 Paul Hobbs Coombsville Napa Cabernet Sauvignon at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Tuesday, October 17th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2021 Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah

Winemaker Notes: Sporting richly hued shades of dark ruby and near purple, the 2021 Luli Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah is a hidden gem crafted from a notoriously difficult vintage in this prestigious California appellation. Each swirl in the glass brings new life to this savory and spicy offering, with notes of freshly ground coffee, dark chocolate, new leather, and spiced plum filling setting the stage. As this deliciously pure Syrah coats the palate, waves of blackberry crumble, red cherry, and black pepper pair with hints of dried herbs de Provence and subtle meaty undertones to create a complex mélange of flavors. Approachable to its core, this wine still possesses structured tannin and remarkable acidity which suggests it will continue to age for years to come. $25

Wine Spectator 93 Points
PLUMPJACK Merlot Napa Valley 2019

Polished and well-knit, this opulent red features red currant, savory spice and licorice flavors that build richness and structure toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2029. 5,378 cases made. —Tim Fish. $74

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
2019 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville Napa

From the southern, cooler end of the valley, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville offers a vibrant, lively bouquet of blue fruits, sappy herbs, truffle, tobacco, and hints of gravelly earth. It brings plenty of richness on the palate and is medium to full-bodied, has nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's a beautiful, cooler-climate, textured, balanced Cabernet that can be enjoyed today or cellared for upwards of two decades. MATURITY: 2022 – 2042. $120

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Taste 2019 Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet or 2019 Kenzo Estate Ai Napa Cabernet at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for the price noted below.
Wednesday, October 18th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Antonio Galloni, Vinous 98 Points (Tasting $20)
2019 Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is outrageously beautiful. A wine of extraordinary purity, the 2019 dazzles right out of the gate. The tannins are nearly silky for a young Howell Mountain Cabernet. Red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, rose petal and pomegranate all build in this sumptuous, explosive Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2019 is one of the most elegant Cabernets I have tasted here, and that is saying something What a wine! $225

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points (Tasting $25)
2019 Kenzo Estate Ai Napa Cabernet

Checking in as a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Ai boasts a rocking bouquet of red and black currants, smoked tobacco, iron, chocolate, and baking spices. Full-bodied, concentrated, and mouth-filling, it brings loads of fruit, has moderate acidity, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's rock star bottle of wine to enjoy over the coming 15-20 years. $300

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Taste 2021 Turley Zinfandel: Old Vine, Estate and Ueberroth at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Thursday, October 19th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Advocate 93 Points
2021 Turley Wine Cellars Zinfandel Old Vines

The 2021 Zinfandel Old Vines has a medium ruby color and plush red and black cherries on the nose with accents of mushrooms, forest floor, savory spices and mint. The full-bodied palate is grainy and refreshing with generous berry fruit and a long, spicy finish. It's similar to the Juvenile with a bit more oomph, and it's just as easy to drink. $32

Wine Advocate 92 Points
2021 Turley Wine Cellars Zinfandel Turley Estate

 Deep ruby, the 2021 Zinfandel Turley Estate opens with rubbery notes that give way to cassis, dried plums and toasted coconut. The full-bodied palate is much more generous than the nose. Super concentrated and ripe, it has a supple mouthfeel and some overt coconut flavors. It seems to unwind as it airs, so give it some time in a decanter, and serve it with grilled meats or ribeye. $49

Wine Advocate 94-96 Points
2021 Turley Wine Cellars Zinfandel Ueberroth Vineyard

Still in barrel, the 2021 Zinfandel Ueberroth Vineyard has youthfully kaleidoscopic aromas of Morello cherries, peach and orange peel and nuances of wild mint, aniseed and potpourri. The full-bodied palate is bursting with generous, nuanced fruit. It has notable freshness and pleasantly chewy tannins, and it offers a layered finish. It's very expressive so far. $60

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2021 Pico Maccario Lavignone Rosato

Winemaker Notes: Pale salmon in appearance, Lavignone Rosato is beautiful to look at. It is even better to drink, however, as the nose and palate are met by playful aromas of wild strawberry, watermelon, cranberry, fresh-cut grass, and river stone. A refreshing, but modest, backbone of acidity supports a round mouth-feel and velvety texture. The dry and balanced finish leaves the palate feeling clean and refreshed. $18 Liquidation Price $10.95 (Limited to supply on hand at GT)

Antonio Galloni, Vinous 92 Points
2022 Bedrock Wine Company Ode to Lulu Rose

Bedrock’s 2022 Rosé Ode to Lulu, a blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah is one of the more complete Rosés readers will come across. Deep and beautifully layered, Ode to Lulu is a complex wine that will be at home either as an aperitif or as a companion at the dinner table. Rich, red-toned fruit, crushed flowers and subtle earthy notes all open effortlessly. $24 Our Price $20.49 (Available GT and VRW)

James Suckling 94 Points
2020 Boris Champy Bignon 421 Hautes-Cotes de Beaune, Burgundy

A revolutionary wine, even for this cool-climate appellation. Very cool red-cherry and cranberry nose with a slew of herbal nuances. A lot riper, rounder and more concentrated on the palate than the nose suggested. Very long, sleek and straight palate with tons of mountain freshness and wet-stone minerality at the very exciting finish. The name comes from the fact that the Bignon site is 421 meters above sea level. From biodynamically grown grapes and matured in 500-liter oak barrels. Drink or hold. $60 Our Price $56.99 (Available GT and VRW)

2021 Clos Sainte Magdeleine Cotes de Provence Rose

Producer Notes: Using a similar blend to the Cassis rosé, Sack has crafted what is perhaps the quintessential Provençal refresher—an uplifting nectar of bright citrus, fresh berry fruit, wild herbs, and salty sea air—that is a far cry from the countless technological, mass-marketed examples in production throughout the region. $32 Our Price $22.99 (Available GT)

2021 Bevan Ontogeny Proprietary Red

Winemaker Notes: The 2021 vintage is showing so massive on release that it’s giving us 2018 vibes. As usual, it is a blend of all of our best vineyards, although primarily Tench Vineyard. Prominently Cabernet Sauvignon, it shows massive power and is one of our darkest Ontogeny bottlings ever, yet it still retains its complexity with the Merlot and Cabernet Franc additions. Vibrant blueberry, boysenberry and créme de cassis with super concentrated fruit, and with the weight and tannin in the back palate that will allow this wine to age gracefully. Deep, dark and powerful. $100 (Arrives GT 10/18/23)

Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points
2021 Bevan Cellars Tench Cabernet Sauvignon

From one of the top sites in the valley and all Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard isn't far off the Calixtro cuvée, yet it's more forward and opulent, with savory red and black fruits, notes of iron, dusty earth, leather, and baking spice, full-bodied richness and depth, and ripe yet building, substantial tannins. It offers some up-front charm today, but it’s going to reward 3-4 years of bottle age and should evolve for 25-30 years. This is another serious, age-worthy, incredible wine from Bevan that readers will absolutely love. $210 (Arrives GT 10/18/23)

James Suckling 99 Points
2020 Lynch Bages Pauillac Bordeaux

A beautifully layered red with blackcurrant, hazelnut and lead-pencil character and fine, velvety tannins. Full-bodied and reserved. It’s like a tightly knit ball of polished tannins that are cashmere in texture. So very long and impressive. Give this time. A terrific Lynch. $150 (Available GT and VRW)

Jeb Dunnuck 94+
2019 Groth Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

The deeper purple-hued 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a terrific Oakville effort loaded with pure cassis fruit as well as notes of spicy oak, scorched earth, and tobacco. Classic Napa Cabernet in every way, it’s medium to full-bodied, has ripe, polished tannins, a terrific spine of acidity, and the balance and purity to evolve for 20-25 years if well stored. $170 Our Price $153.99 (Available GT)

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Taste 2022 Groth Napa Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 Pahlmeyer Napa Merlot and 2019 Etude Napa Cabernet Sauvignon at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, October 20th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Spectator 92 Points
2022 Groth Napa Sauvignon Blanc

Distinctive, with lanolin, honeysuckle and litsea oil accents to the ripe peach, citrus and apricot flavors at the core. Reveals mouthwatering acidity and sea salt minerality on the finish. Drink now. $30

The Wine Independent 93-95 points
2021 Pahlmeyer Napa Merlot

The single-varietal 2021 Merlot comes 62% from Waters Ranch and 38% from Stagecoach Vineyard and is due to be bottled very soon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the glass with bold expressions of juicy blueberries, Morello cherries, and wild blueberries, leading to wafts of rose oil, cardamom, and cumin seed with a waft of fragrant soil. The full-bodied palate delivers a very fine-grained yet firm backbone of ripe, rounded tannins and beautiful tension to support the black fruit and floral layers, finishing long with a spicy lift. $130

James Suckling 96 Points
2019 Etude Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Lots of blackcurrant and crushed stone on the nose, as well as some dustiness. Full-bodied, very velvety and restrained. Beautiful energy at the end. This comes mostly from Coombsville, Rutherford and Oakville vineyards. Two or three years will bring this into the right space, but already so enjoyable to taste. $100

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Taste 2021 Pinot Noir: J Vineyards Three County, Lucia Estate Cuvee and Lucia Soberanes at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Saturday, October 21st. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

2021 J Vineyards Monterey-Sonoma-Santa Barbara Counties Pinot Noir

A firm and savory pinot with dried strawberry and dark cherry aromas and flavors with hints of chocolate and nutmeg. Medium-bodied. Pretty fruit. Nice tension here. $24

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points
2021 Lucia Pinot Noir Estate Cuvee

Looking at the three Pinot Noirs, the 2021 Pinot Noir Estate Cuvee is a larger production release (2256 cases) that brings terrific darker berry fruits, some spice, underbrush, black tea, and crushed stone nuances, medium body, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. A serious wine, it benefits from air and will easily evolve for 5-7 years or more. It's a smoking value in impeccably made, high-quality Pinot Noir that will beat the pants off many a Premier Cru Burgundy. $55

Wine Advocate 95 Points
2021 Lucia Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard

The 2021 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard saw a touch more stems and was fermented with 35% whole clusters, with the aging spanning 11 months in 45% new French oak. It needs air to show at its best and gives up beautiful red and black fruits as well as black tea, spicy herbs, and foresty, earthy nuances. With more moderate acidity, a round, supple, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish, it's going to benefit from a year or two of bottle age and evolve gracefully over the following decade. It's another brilliant wine. $70

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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
Tuesday-Friday 10:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday 10:30 AM-4:00 PM