May 22nd 2018 Newsletter - The Grape Tray

May 22nd 2018 Newsletter

2014 Bogle Phantom

Winemaker Notes: Phantom, Bogle’s mysterious apparition of ripe berry and relentless spice, returns to haunt wine lovers. Full of concentration and intensity, this wine will tease, tantalize and linger long after the last sip is gone. Wild berries, black pepper are framed by the influence of oak aging with baking spices and a hint of toasty vanilla. 42% Petite Sirah, 34% Zinfandel, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. $20 Our Price $13.95

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Wine Spectator 90
TABLAS CREEK Rosé Patelin de Tablas Paso Robles 2017

Floral and distinctive for the savory spice, raspberry and watermelon flavors. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Counoise. Drink now. 3,770 cases made.—T.F. $25 Our Price $21.99 (Arrives this afternoon)

95 points Decanter Wine Journal
2016 Delas Saint Esprit
Cotes du Rhone Rouge

60% Syrah, 40% Grenache. Lovely rich opulent and floral, black berry and plum nose, the palate is big with well layered fruit, attractively firm but soft tannin and hints of oak, a big wine with a lovely finish. $12 Our Price $9.95 (Arrives this afternoon)

2017 LA PLAGE ROSÉ DU VAR

Winemaker Notes: Inviting aromas of ripe cherries and raspberries. refreshing in the palate with hints of fresh watermelon, cherries and good mineral. $11 Our Price $8.95

Wine Spectator 89
CHÂTEAU MONT-REDON
Côtes du Rhône Réserve 2015

Ripe and racy, with a delicious beam of red currant and raspberry pâte de fruit laced with light anise and singed apple wood notes. A light mineral edge adds length and cut. Drink now through 2019. 5,000 cases imported. –JM $15 Our Price $10.95

2016 Hahn SLH Estate Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes: Hahn SLH Chardonnay has crisp aromas of honeysuckle, vanilla, hints of citrus and banana. Full bodied flavors with viscous, round mouth-feel of citrus balances the acidic finish. $25 Our Price $16.45

2016 Joyce Submarine Canyon Monterey Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: This Pinot Noir was inspired by the Monterey bay submarine canyon. Measuring over a mile deep it claims the deepest point along the west coast. Strong maritime influences and ancient glacial soils consisting of sand & shale loam combine to create the terrior for these pinot noir vines. Bright and vibrant with raspberry, red currant and cherry. $25 Our Price $16.99

Wine Advocate 93-95
2014 LOUIS MARTINI Cabernet Sauvignon Napa

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley spends 18 months in a combination of 30% new and 70% used French and American barrels. It is another big boy at 15.4% natural alcohol. This wine, which was not yet in bottle, is fabulous, and there are 42,000 cases of it. One of the strongest efforts yet from the Martinis, this cuvée still sells at a modest $38.00 – a fair price for something this compelling. The wine has an opaque purple color, a beautiful nose of blueberries, blackcurrants, licorice, camphor and graphite. The wine is full-bodied and multilayered on the palate with sensational richness and length. It should drink well for 20-25 years. $38 Our Price $29.65 (Back in stock this afternoon)

Randy Smith-The Wine Write 92 Points
Bruce Patch 2014 Harris Kratka Zinfandel

This is a Zinfandel, Carignane, and Petite Sirah blend. Drank over 2 nights, no decant. Deep, rich black cherry aromas. Massive fruit on the palate, right from the get-go. Soft texture, nice finish. Delicious, decadent wine, and a terrific value. $35 Our Price $19.99

2015 J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: The 2015 J. Lohr Hilltop is a great example of the J. Lohr house style of dense but soft Cabernet Sauvignon. Effusive blackberry and currant aromas are integrated with a bouquet of toasted hazelnut and cocoa powder from 18 months of French oak barrel age. Bright fruit on the mid-palate finishes clean and invigorates the appetite for an array of rich menu items. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot. $34 Our Price $26.75 (Back in stock this afternoon)

Wine Spectator 93
PATRICIA GREEN Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge Old Vine 2015

Expressive and beautifully built, with raspberry and rose petal aromas and plush, structured flavors of cherry, spiced cinnamon and dark tea that build power. Shows a slight bite of tannins toward the finish. Drink now through 2023. 1,055 cases made. –TF $42 Our Price $31.99

Wine Spectator 93
SEGHESIO Zinfandel Rockpile Rockpile 2015

Plump and polished but intensely structured, with floral wild berry and orange peel aromas and richly layered black raspberry, mocha and pepper flavors. Drink now through 2026.—T.F 1,622 cases made. $40 Our Price $39.69

2014 Arndt Cellars Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel

Winemaker Notes: Benito Dusi Vineyard is a vineyard planted in 1922 and dry farmed to produce fruit that is rich in flavor and high in brix at the time of picking. The wine opens with a nose of black cherries jubilee, followed by flavors of boysenberry compote and plum skin. The fine tannins give the wine an elegant structure and balance. The flavors persist on the finish with additional spice. Alcohol 15.1%. 150 cases produced. $34 Our Price $28.95 (Arrives 5/23/18)

Wine Advocate 93
2014 Galerie Cabernet Sauvignon Pleinair

The 2014 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon called Pleinair is a blend of 95.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is aged 20 months in 58% new French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. This wine has a similarity to a top-flight St.-Julien from Bordeaux. Loads of Christmas fruitcake, cedar wood, tobacco leaf, black currants and spice box all jump from the glass and from the flavors of this round, juicy, medium to full-bodied wine with silky tannins. Drink it over the next 15 or so years. $60 Our Price $49.99

Wine Spectator 96
CIACCI PICCOLOMINI D'ARAGONA Brunello di Montalcino 2013

Exuding cherry, strawberry, floral and tobacco aromas and flavors, this effusive, fruity style is bright and elegant, with terrific harmony and a long, mouthwatering finish that leaves a mineral impression. Very compelling. Best from 2020 through 2036. 3,500 cases made. –BS $60 Our Price $49.95 (Back in stock)


Wine Spectator 92
LOUIS ROEDERER Brut Champagne Premier NV

An elegant Champagne in an aperitif style, with flavors of crushed blackberry, biscuit, spring blossom and Meyer lemon zest riding the finely detailed bead, underscored by a streak of salinity that emerges on the fresh finish. Drink now through 2022. 15,264 cases imported. –AN $54 Our Price $43.95

Wine Spectator 92
ALBERT BICHOT Fixin 2015

A smooth, polished style, offering black cherry, black currant, earth and mineral aromas and flavors. Dense and vibrant, with a lingering aftertaste of black fruit and mineral. Excellent length. 700 cases imported Best from 2021 through 2033.—B.S. $38 Our Price $35.99 (Arrives 5/23/18)

PinotFile 95 Points
2015 Morgan Double L Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

Vineyard Certified Organic since 2002 making it the first vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands to achieve both organic and sustainable certifications. Clones 777, 667, 115, 114 and Pommard 4. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels, 50% new. • Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Very special nose that attracts with aromas of plum, blueberry, blackberry, cardamom spice and floral blossom. A high-collared wine that is flat out terrific, offering mid weight plus flavors of an array of blue and black fruits. Gifted with plenty of extract yet discreet in generosity with the right touch of oak and earthiness. A tenacious finish completes the picture. $64 Our Price $57.99

Wine Advocate 96+
2014 Spottswoode Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Magnum

This first-growth estate in St. Helena has produced a 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon that is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. It is certainly one of the wines of the vintage. Gorgeously opaque purple, it offers up notes of spring flowers, blueberries, blackcurrants, some baking spice and graphite. It is full-bodied, concentrated and rich, with layers of fruit. The wine builds and builds on the palate, with a great finish of 45+ seconds. This is a sensational 2014 to drink over the next 20+ years. $400/magnum



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