September 27th 2022 Newsletter - The Grape Tray

September 27th 2022 Newsletter

Taste 2019 Quilt Napa Cabernet and 2018 Arkenstone Napa Proprietary Red at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Tuesday, September 27th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2019 Quilt Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: While the majority of the fruit comes from the floor of the Napa Valley to achieve the richness and elegance desired, we also relied on some grapes grown in the well-drained gravelly soils of the side slopes and at low elevations in the more mountainous areas for a blend with more structure and complexity than we could have achieved had we used fruit grown solely in a single region. Napa Valley AVAs: Oakville, St. Helena, Atlas Peak, Coombsville, Calistoga, and Howell Mountain. $55

Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points
2018 Arkenstone Estate Proprietary Red

Flirting with perfection, the 2018 Estate Red is an off-the-hook beauty based on 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, and the rest Malbec and Merlot. Full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, and both powerful and elegant, it offers a captivating bouquet of chocolate covered blue fruits, bay leaf/bouquet garni, violets, and candied orange zest. I’d be happy to drink a bottle today, but smart money will give it 2-3 years of bottle age. $225

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Taste 2015 Nielson Santa Maria Pinot, 2021 Pisoni Family Estate Cuvee Pinot and 2020 Kosta Browne Russian River Pinot at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Wednesday, September 28th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2015 Nielson Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: The wine shows aromas of blackberries, rose petals, dried herbs, and earth. Flavors are driven by a dark fruit core, complemented by sandalwood, black pepper, and crushed stone. $20 Internet Price $13.99. GT and VRW Insider Price $8.95

2021 Pisoni Family Lucia Estate Cuvée Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: Layers of black cherry, Mission fig, spiced plum, and berry crumble provide a stepping stone for more subtle hints of fresh sage, clove, and vanilla bean. . .$55

2020 Kosta Browne Russian River Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: Perfectly clean and precise with bright red fruits. Cranberry, boysenberry, and layered baking spices complement the alluring hint of vanilla. On the palate, this wine has a polished, expressive texture and bountiful red fruit. A pleasing tension on the palate finishes with inspiring length and integrated tannins. $112

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Taste 2021 Daou Paso Cabernet, 2020 Daou Reserve Cabernet and 2019 Daou Soul of a Lion Cabernet at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Thursday, September 29th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2021 Daou Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: The 2021 DAOU Discovery Cabernet Sauvignon presents a deep ruby-purple color, foreshadowing intense aromas of cherry and blackberry jam complemented by dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, and desert sage. The nose also reveals secondary nuances of wet gravel, sandalwood, and plum pudding with subtle notes of fennel, black olive and eucalyptus. On the palate, a swirl of black raspberry, pomegranate, cherry preserve, and Zante currant melds seamlessly with crushed herbs, fig and cranberry. An impeccably balanced finish flows effortlessly from the juicy mid palate, leaving lovely notes of boysenberry, rhubarb, graphite, and dried thyme. $25

Wine Advocate 92-94 Points
2020 DAOU Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a barrel sample of free-run Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) and Petit Verdot (25%), matured for 16 months in 50% new oak. Still youthfully coiled, it hints at blueberry fruit with swirls of graphite, soy sauce and exotic spices. The medium-bodied palate is velvety in texture, savory in character and finishes with uplifting acidity. This is due to be bottled in May 2022. $60 Our Price $49.95

Wine Advocate 97+ Points
2019 DAOU Vineyards Soul Of A Lion Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Soul Of A Lion is a blend of free-run Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), Cabernet Franc (14%), and Petit Verdot (9%), aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. Opaque ruby in color, it offers aromatic contrast between dark, savory cherry fruit, chargrill and graphite, and top notes of green pepper and rose petals. The palate explodes with detailed flavors and its tannins are already resolved and chocolaty, with seamless acidity and exotic spicy layers emerging on the extended finish. Wow! $180 Our Price $146.95

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James Suckling 94 Points
2018 Beaulieu Vineyards Tapestry Reserve

This is layered, with chewy tannins and attractive blackcurrant and blackberry character. Chocolate and walnut highlights. Full and flavorful, but not heavy in any sense of the word. Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot and cabernet franc. Better in a year or two. $65 Internet Price $56.99 (Available GT and VRW)

2019 Peachy Canyon Westside Zinfandel

Winemaker Notes: Pale garnet, bordering on brick. Extremely balanced, with light grainy tannins, nice length, and a full body. A spicy nose of bay leaves, rose petals, white pepper, coriander, and anise opens up to a mouth full of raspberry brambles and strawberry-rhubarb pie. Accented with hints of ripe stone-fruit, red currants, and vanilla. $22 Our Price $18.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Spectator 96 Points
Antinori Toscana Tignanello 2019

A supple, elegant red highlighted by bright cherry, black currant, violet, tobacco, iron and oak spice aromas and flavors. Though fluid and seemingly approachable now, this is well-structured and shows the balance to age. Fine length. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2042. 25,800 cases made, 5,000 cases imported. $145 Our Price $134.99 (Back in stock GT 9/29/22)

Wine Advocate 97
2016 Staglin Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate bursts out of the glass with beautiful black cherry compote, warm cassis and freshly crushed blackberries scents plus touches of chargrill, violets, dark chocolate and pencil shavings and a waft of English lavender. Full-bodied, the palate features great intensity combined with fantastic freshness, textured by soft, finely grained tannins and lifted by the most gorgeous floral perfume, finishing long and layered. Beautiful wine. $285 (Back in stock GT 9/28/22) Delicious!

Montecillo ’20 “Singladuras” Albarino, Rias Baixas

Winemaker Notes: An attractive, pale lemon color with touches of green. Very elegant nose, with wine flavors such as jasmine and orange blossom followed by notes of sweet apple and dried herbs with a saline background. In the mouth it is rich and full of flavor, with a glycerine texture. It is marked by lively acidity that envelopes the notes of flowers and citrus mixed with aromatic herbs. Full-bodied, long and balanced. $24 Our Price $16.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Spectator 93 Points
2018 Shea Willamette Valley Shea Estate Pinot Noir

Deeply structured but not weighty, with dynamic blueberry and raspberry flavors that take on notes of black tea and licorice as it moves towards refined tannins. Drink now through 2028. $45 Our Price $39.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Advocate 94 Points
2017 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino

The Altesino 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is ripe and round with lots of pretty textural richness and juicy fruit flavors. These qualities tie in nicely with the character of the vintage that saw long and hot summer days. Dark fruit, plum and blackcurrant pave the way for savory spice, tobacco and limestone. The effect is soothing and rich, and the wine remains perfumed and silky to the end. The tannins are well managed in this hot-vintage wine. Fruit is sourced over 25 hectares of vines with tufo soils and alberese rock. Best after 2024. $75 Our Price $64.99 (Available GT and VRW)

2019 Valley Ghost Aglianico

Winemaker Notes: Aglianico is an obscure variety normally grown in the boot of Italy and tends to be a really big wine. This Central Valley version while not as dark in color still has many of the same attributes of white pepper, rose petals and fresh cherries with a hint of minerality, not to mention a little bit of that “Rutherford dust” or dirt road on the back palete. This a great summertime wine that will hold up well with barbecue and other spicy foods. $11 (Available GT)

Wine Advocate 95+
2019 Tenuta Sette Ponti • Oreno

The Tenuta Sette Ponti 2019 Oreno celebrates the wine's 20th anniversary (1999-2019) with a special label and a heavy glass bottle. This blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot is beautifully ripe and generous with impeccable fruit throughout. Its primary intensity is delivered with energy and character, showcasing broad brush aromas of black fruit, exotic spice, cured tobacco and new leather. The tannins are quite strong in this edition and do make for a brief moment of astringency on the close. This is a thickly extracted blended Tuscan red, and it makes sense that its fiber and structure is also more compact and concentrated in 2019. $110 Our Price $74.99 (Available GT)

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Taste 2016 Burgess Contadina Napa Cabernet, 2019 Luca Old Vine Malbec and 2019 Groth Oakcross Proprietary Oakville Red at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, September 30th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2016 Burgess Cellars CONTADINA Napa CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Winemaker Notes: A dense and concentrated cabernet with aromas and flavors of confectionary blackberry and stewed cassis. The lush fruit is brought into balance by high tone herbal aromatics of mint, sage, and sweet tobacco. The distinctively thick-skinned Cabernet grapes provide a long velvety finish. $52 Our Price $44.99

Wine Spectator 93 Points
LUCA Malbec Uco Valley Old Vine 2019

Unctuous and fine-grained flavors of dark currant and ripe cherry are supported by medium-grained tannins in this red, which is creamy midpalate, with concentrated chocolate mousse notes on the finish. Drink now through 2026. 13,000 cases made, 7,000 cases imported. — KM $35 Our Price $31.99

Wine Spectator 94 Points
Groth Oakcross Proprietary Red Oakville 2019

A dynamic blend, combining deep structure with finesse and polish, this features black cherry and cassis flavors laced with toasty spice, red licorice and a hint of dusty herbs as it builds tension toward refined tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 1,150 cases made. $99 Our Price $85.99

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Taste 2021 Sean Minor Signature Sonoma Coast Pinot, 2019 Daou Reserve Cabernet and 2019 Kathryn Hall Napa Cabernet at (VRW) for $15 per person.
Saturday, October 1st. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

Wine Spectator 91 Points
SEAN MINOR Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Signature Series 2021

Bright, high-pitched style, withy blood orange and damson plum notes racing through, flecked liberally with savory and thyme hints. Nice sleek feel on the finish. Drink now through 2027. 7,500 cases made.—J.M. $28 Our Price $19.49

Wine Advocate 95 Points
2019 DAOU Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Magnum

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve contains 20% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot. It was made from free-run juice and matured 16 months in 50% new French oak. The nose is deep and savory, offering up layers of grilled meats, blackberries, dark spices, dried flowers and iron. The palate is silky and detailed with savory character and surprisingly fresh acidity, finishing long and spicy. $120/magnum. Our Price $97.95/Magnum

Wine Spectator 94 Points
2019 Kathryn Hall Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

 Rich and fleshy in feel, but with a nice juicy edge for balance, this lets creamed plum and blackberry fruit spill forth, laced liberally with mocha, singed alder, sweet tobacco and melted black licorice. For the hedonist crowd. Drink now through 2035. 6,300 cases made. $225 Our Price $199.99

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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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