January 30th 2018 Newsletter - The Grape Tray

January 30th 2018 Newsletter

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2015 Lewis Cellars Alec's Blend Napa

Winemaker Notes: Our 2015 Alec's Blend is a lot like the Honda XR500 that Alec takes to the trails of Lefthand Canyon in Boulder, CO - big, powerful, and lots of fun. Bursting with sappy black cherry, chocolaty oak spice and Madagascar vanilla, it's a dense and delicious blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit-driven and plush but framed in fine, polished tannins, this ride will make you smile. $65 Our Price $58.99 (Arrives 1/31/18)

Wine Spectator 96
LOUIS CHÈZE Condrieu Pagus Luminis 2015

This has power, with a large core of creamed peach, nectarine and yellow apple fruit. Lengthy, pure and vibrant, with a mineral streak running underneath and chamomile and honeysuckle notes gilding the finish. Dreamy wine. Drink now through 2022. 1,200 cases made. –JM $69 Our Price $44.99

2014 Ancien RUSSIAN RIVER "JOUISSANCE" PINOT NOIR

Winemaker Notes: Lightly spiced and fruity aromas of strawberry and bright cherry mix with hazelnut and fresh herbs as an introduction to this hedonistic blend of fresh fruit and earthy spice. The wine opens to a broad and soft mid-palate of black cherry, cassis, and fresh wild strawberry. The palate is elevated and brightened with a refreshing acidity that welcomes this wine to the table. The finish brings out dried flowers, fresh berries, sweet cranberry orange, allspice and cinnamon. Over the next few years, development will keep revealing sensual subtleties hidden in layers beneath the robust fruit. $48 (Arrives 1/31/18)

Sommariva Prosecco Superiore di Conegliano-Valdobbiane Brut DOCG NV

Winemaker Notes: Fragrant floral tones and drying mineral notes characterize this luminous Prosecco Brut. The sparkling wine delivers frothy peach, herbal accents and a steady dose of citrus zest. $15 Our Price $12.99

2015 Calera Central Coast Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: The bouquet possesses a lovely mix of richness, fruit and savory like blackberry pie; quite comforting. On the palate we find intriguing hints of pink rose, briar, red currant, violets and spice; this Pinot has an alluring silky texture with deep flavors of black cherry, baking spice and a whisper of licorice. It’s nicely structured and lingers beautifully on the finish. $28 Our Price $23.99 (Arrives 1/31/18)


Wine Spectator 90
CHÂTEAU HAUT-BEAUSÉJOUR St.-Estèphe 2014

A ripe style, with enticing raspberry and black currant confiture notes studded with singed spice and black tea details. A good tobacco underpinning keeps this honest, though the relatively fleshy edge will give this more immediate appeal. Best from 2018 through 2024. –JM $35 Our Price $24.35

Wine Spectator 88
MOHUA Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2016

Mouthwatering grapefruit, lemon and green apple flavors are vivid and intense, with a hint of dried mango on the finish. Drink now. 46,000 cases imported. –MW $14 Our Price $9.75

Wine Spectator 95
BEAUX FRÈRES Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge The Upper Terrace 2015

A dynamic wine, with beguiling rose petal and violet aromas, accented by dark plum and blueberry notes. The flavors are focused and structured, yet supple, with espresso and smoky spice details that gain traction toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2025. 1,120 cases made. –TF $110 (Arrives 1/31/18)

2015 Lewis Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: Like an Aston Martin V-12 our 2015 Napa Valley Cabernet is a silky powerhouse of fruit at wide-open-throttle. Black currant, plum and juicy ripe berries rev freely on the palate with seductive oak spice, candle wax and semi-sweet chocolate aromas. Fine-tuned and polished, the wine is deceptively powerful with supple, sweeping tannins. $100 Our Price $89.99 (Back in stock 1/31/18)

Wine Spectator 95
BEAUX FRÈRES Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge, Magnum

The Beaux Frères Vineyard 2015, Magnum Offers impressive presence and polish, with a multilayered, complex core wrapped in rich, expressive blueberry and cherry flavors, accented by savory spice and espresso details. Builds depth as this dances toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2025. 2,700 cases made. –TF $200/Magnum

Wine Enthusiast 97 Points
2015 Austin Hope Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintner Austin Hope, whose family is intertwined in the rise of Paso Robles, spent years working to release a wine of this caliber. Dark and thick in the glass, aromas of black currant and blueberry meet with roasted coffee, chocolate syrup and baked plum on the wondrous nose. The palate is soft and extremely expressive, with blueberry, black pepper, firm mid-palate tannins and a finish that’s redolent of cappuccino candies. $50 Our Price $42.99

Wine Spectator 94
BRICK HOUSE Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge Les Dijonnais 2015

Such a mouthful of lithe, supple fruit, offering delicate yet expressive notes of raspberry, stony mineral and savory spice. Long, lingering finish is framed by refined tannins. 575 cases made. Drink now through 2024.—T.F 2014 $52 Our Price $47.99 (Back in stock 1/31/18)

Wine Spectator 94
BEDROCK Evangelho Vineyard Heritage Contra Costa County 2016

Combines personality with polish, offering floral cherry and tomato leaf aromas and layered, plump cracked pepper, Asian spice and smoky plum flavors. Zinfandel, Carignane and Mataro. Drink now through 2026.—T.F 600 cases made. $37 Limited

Antonio Galloni Vinous 97 pts
Krug NV Grande Cuvée 164ème Édition

Krug's NV Grand Cuvée 164 Edition is a total knockout. Based on the 2008 vintage, the 164th Edition shows all the crystalline tension and energy that is such a signature of the year. At times, the 164 reminds me of the 2008 vins clairs I tasted after harvest. The flavors are brisk, delineated and pulsing with energy, while the more oxidative notes that are such a signature of Krug Champagnes are not especially evident. A wine of total pedigree and class, the 164 reminds me of some of the great Grand Cuvées of the 1960s and 1970s I have been lucky to taste over the years. No Champagne lover will want to be without this spectacular, captivating wine. All that said, readers should be patient, as the 164 is painfully young, austere and in need of serious cellaring. $190 Our Price $154.95



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