February 11th, 2020 Newsletter - The Grape Tray

February 11th, 2020 Newsletter

Presidents’ Day Holiday
We will be closed on Monday, 2/17/20

Discounted 70% off of the retail price! 2015 Paraiso Monterey Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes: Aromas of peach, lemon-lime and green apple with flavors of toasted nuts, nectarine and apple. A rich mouth feel with a long full flavored finish. $25 Our Price $7.45 (Arrives this afternoon)

500 Bottle Wine Cabinet
with WhisperCOOL cooling unit

Powerful and quite cooling system with digital controls. Finished wood with glass doors, lock and display light. Includes double deep racks. Very clean and in good condition. Cabinet is located in the Fresno/Clovis area. Purchased new for $5000. Price: $1900 or best offer. Contact: Joe Ohman (707) 931-8689

2018 Hartford Russian River Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: Aromas of black cherry, allspice, black currant and loam are followed by flavors of wild raspberries, dark berries and a crushed rock minerality. The dense entry is followed by a sweet and juicy mouth feel, supported by acidity, silky tannins and a subtle earthy finish. $30

2017 Austin Hope Reserve Cabernet

Winemaker Notes: The 2017 Austin Hope Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is an enticing dark crimson. Warm aromas of blueberries, roasted coffee, burnt toffee, cocoa and dried baking spices fill the glass. On the palate, layers of fine dusty tannins are met with earthy tones, toasted cloves, creamy vanilla and a touch of bright red fruit capped by an epic firm structure. $125 Our Price $108.99 (Back in stock)

Wine Spectator 95
RED STITCH Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley 2015

A real head-turner, ultrarich and powerful, sharply focused, deftly balanced, ending with a mouthcoating mix of black licorice, fresh herb and earth, and cedary oak notes. Best from 2020 through 2035. 300 cases made. — JL $105 (Back in stock 2/13/20)

James Suckling 93 Points
2014 Heitz Cellar Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Attractive red berries and red licorice in this medium-bodied Cabernet. There’s handy freshness and detailed red plums and blackcurrants and a smooth, fine and juicy feel to the finish. Drink or hold. $70 Our Price $58.99

Wine Spectator 93
GAMBLE FAMILY Sauvignon Blanc Yountville Gamble Vineyard 2018

Offers intriguing, distinctive notes of candied ginger and marmalade, with a whiff of beeswax up front, leading to a mouthwatering, fresh mix of Asian pear, white grapefruit and peach flavors. Appealingly precise, with deft acidity imparting focus. Refreshing finish. Drink now through 2029. 1,900 cases made. — MW $28 Our Price $22.95

Wine Spectator 92
GAMBLE FAMILY Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2015

This is lively, with blueberry, açaí and blackberry fruit providing energy and range while light cocoa powder and toasted vanilla notes form the frame. Everything melds nicely through the finish. Rock-solid. Best from 2020 through 2030. 1,450 cases made. — JM $60 Our Price $49.95

Wine Spectator 94
TURNBULL Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville Reserve 2016

Solidly built, with layers of warm cassis, cherry puree and raspberry coulis stretching out over long, fine-grained tannins and juicy acidity. The plushness of the sweet fruit marries wonderfully with the grippy underlay on the lengthy finish. Best from 2022 through 2035. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.—J.M $85 Our Price $76.99 (Back in stock 2/12/20)

2018 Bevan Cellars Ritchie Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes: The Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay has a beautiful gold green hue to it. As you pour this wine it aromatically takes over the room. Your goal might have been to look at the color and viscosity in and on the glass, but the wine forces you to smell her. Pineapple, key lime and freshly grilled toast envelop you. Texturally the wines acidity hits the pallet and lights up your tongue which is immediately followed by her amazing richness. She is all silky power. $71 (Arrives 2/13/20)

Pre-Arrival Alert
Wine Advocate 95-97 Points
2018 Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Another in a string of top vintages, Beaucastel's 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape was produced from Grenache yields of only eight hectoliters per hectare ("normal" is about 28 hectoliters per hectare, according to Marc Perrin). The final blend I was shown is almost candied in its fruity intensity of raspberries and cherries, yet it has a potent underpinning of more savory elements, like tapenade, grilled meat and dried spices. Full-bodied, with fine, silky tannins, this shows tremendous length, reverberating with hints of crushed stone on the finish. $100. Our Price $79.95 (Arrives November 2020) Please email stan@grapetray.com to be added to the pre-arrival list.


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