April 9th 2024 Newsletter - The Grape Tray

April 9th 2024 Newsletter

Special tasting event this Saturday benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society®.
See details and RSVP information in the Saturday Tasting Section.

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On deck for wine tasting next week at VRW:

Wine Spectator 92 Points
Revana Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Ithaca Vineyard 2016

Warm plum and black currant paste flavors are lined with singed cedar, tobacco and warm earth notes, picking up a light leathery tug as the fruit keeps pace through the finish. Best from 2020 through 2030. 500 cases made. $190

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points
2019 Macauley Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Kalyteros

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Kalyteros is largely in the same style, and it’s a hedonistic bomb of a wine offering a deep purple/plum color, complex notes of darker currants, blueberries, eucalyptus, spicy oak, and crushed stone, full-bodied richness, ripe, polished tannins, and beautiful overall balance and length. Drink bottles over the coming 15-20 years as well. $200

Jeb Dunnuck 97-100 Points
2021 Andremily No 10 Syrah

Lastly, the Syrah-dominated 2021 No 10 reveals a dense purple hue as well as a wild bouquet of blueberries, wild strawberries, ground pepper, game, iron, and assorted floral, meaty nuances. Stunningly complex even at this young age, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, ample tannins and underlying structure, and a finish that won’t quit. It will clearly be a match for the 2020, and this puppy is going to flirt with perfection at maturity. $155

Wine Spectator 93 Points
BODEGAS JUAN GIL Jumilla Blue Label 2021

An aromatic thread of toast, licorice, vanilla and Mediterranean macchia winds through generous flavors of plum sauce and blackberry paste. Full-bodied but fresh and well-structured, this red is firmed by chalky, integrated tannins that sculpt the long, lasting finish. Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Drink now through 2031. —A.N. $34

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Taste Silver Oak Cabernet: 2019 Alexander Valley and 2019 Napa at Vintage Reserve Wine for $20 per person.
(Limited: We will open 2 bottles of each wine for this tasting)
Tuesday, April 9th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2019 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet

Winemaker Notes: The 2019 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has notes of red cherry, raspberry, blackberry, iris, vanilla and clove. Ruby in color, this elegant wine has great acidity and lift on the mid-palate. Black currant and warm baking spices linger with a deep and fruity finish. It will provide drinking pleasure through 2047 given proper cellaring. Blend: 95.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.5% Cabernet Franc, 1.9% Merlot, 0.4% Petit Verdot. $90

James Suckling 95 Points
Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

So elegant, supple and silky, this vintage is a dream to drink now, but should also have plenty of life ahead of it. Aromas of blueberries and dark chocolate meld with luxe black fruit, mint and cocoa on the palate. A blend of 77% cabernet sauvignon, 18% merlot and dashes of cabernet franc and petit verdot. $200

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Taste 2015 Còlpetrone Montefalco Sagrantino Memoira, 2019 Oddero Barolo and 2010 Colpetrone Sacer Sagrantino di Montefalco for $15 per person.
Wednesday, April 10th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Spectator 92 Points
2015 Còlpetrone Montefalco Sagrantino Memoira

Steeped raspberry, singed orange peel, black tea leaf and dark chocolate notes are bright and appealing in this silky red, which is tightly meshed with sculpted tannins and a spicy, mineral-driven underpinning, ending with a chewy finish. Drink now through 2035. 7,500 cases made, 750 cases imported. $27

Wine Spectator 94 Points
Oddero Barolo 2019

Packed with strawberry, cherry, rose, tar and tobacco flavors, this solid red is balanced and built for aging, with excellent length. There's a graceful feel and the lasting impression is ripe fruit, so be patient. Best from 2027 through 2043. 2,740 cases made. $60

Vinous 93+ Points
2010 Colpetrone Sacer Sagrantino di Montefalco, Umbria

The 2010 Montefalco SagrantinoSacer is dark and imposing in the glass. An air of crushed rocks gives way to balsamic spice, tobacco, plum sauce and hints of camphor. On the palate, this is like pure silk and deeply textural, gaining tension through mineral-tinged red berries and a bite of grippy tannins that saturate over time. Hints of dark chocolate and dried citrus peels linger through the long and structured finale. I love the balance here, yet the 2010 will still need a few more years of cellaring to show its best. The Sacer is a late-release vineyard selection that spends twelve months maturing in barriques, six of which are spent on the lees with weekly bâtonnage. Drinking Window 2025-2032. $52

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Taste 2021 Quilt Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 2022 Caymus California Cabernet Sauvignon and 2021 Caymus Napa Cabernet at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Thursday, April 11th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2021 Quilt Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: Dark plum in color with exuberant aromas of dark cherry strudel, ripe blackberry, and cocoa nibs. Bold and opulent flavors of boysenberry jam, dark chocolate, and Malabar plum with a hint of clove. This Cabernet Sauvignon is elegant on the palate, with strong acidity and a long, smooth finish accompanied by velvety tannins. $55

2022 Caymus California Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: This wine is a California-appellation Cabernet Sauvignon - supple, dark and rich, bearing the signature hallmarks of Caymus. It is sourced from sites throughout the state which feature climatic conditions, soils and topography that are ideally suited to Cabernet. This project stems from excitement over California's diverse vineyard land, often in lesser-known areas, with the potential to produce exceptional Cabernet. $80

2021 Caymus Napa Cabernet

Producer Notes: Caymus has a signature style that is dark in color, with rich fruit and ripe tannins – as approachable in youth as in maturity. Since its founding in 1972, Caymus has become renowned as a consistent leader in the production of Napa Valley Cabernet. Grapes for this wine are farmed in a range of Napa’s sub-appellations – from Coombsville to Calistoga – with fruit from the valley floor creating lushness and the hillsides providing backbone. Diversification enables us to make the best possible wine in a given year, featuring layered, lush aromas and flavors, including cocoa, cassis and ripe berries. $90

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Wine Spectator 94 Points
Revana Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Terroir Series 2019

This is packed with waves of steeped plum, boysenberry compote and açaí reduction, dripping with fruit but keeping its form and detail thanks to underlying tar and graphite notes. Presents pretty violet and anise accents, which fill in the background. Best from 2023 through 2036. 1,400 cases made. $105 (Arrives GT 4/10/24)

Wine Spectator 95 Points
2016 Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino Poggio al Granchio

Black currant, cherry and plum flavors abound in this red, accented by licorice, tar, menthol, iron and tobacco notes. Pure, detailed and harmonious, with spice and mineral elements lingering on the long aftertaste. Almost approachable now, but better in three to five years. Best from 2024 through 2048. 250 cases imported. $83 (Available GT and VRW)

2022 Robert Sinskey Vin Gris of Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: A rosé for all seasons - this organically farmed, whole cluster pressed Vin Gris of Pinot Noir deserves attention year ‘round. The glimmering salmon color provides a clue that this wine is a pure, vibrant, well crafted beverage. Bright, spring strawberry leads into summer raspberry, guava and peach, contrasted by notes of juicy winter citrus like orange and Meyer lemon. High tone rose petal and lavender add to the allure. $39 (Arrives GT 4/10/24)

James Suckling 91 Points
2019 Fattoria del Cerro Silineo Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Ripe berry and cherry aromas with some vanilla undertones. It’s full and juicy with a big palate and a creamy finish. Layered, if a little old-school. $22 Our Price $19.99

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Taste 2021 Coho Headwaters Proprietary Red, 2021 Lancaster Winemaker’s Cuvee Cabernet and 2020 Long Shadows Cabernet Sauvignon Feather at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, April 12th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2021 Coho Headwaters Proprietary Red

Winemaker Notes: The 2021 COHO Headwaters Napa Valley Red Wine boasts rich red and black fruit flavors of Bing cherries and black plums accompanied by hints of mocha and subtle graphite characters. This approachable yet complex wine shows a vitality from its natural acidity supported by a supple tannin profile that promises enjoyment for years to come. $45

2021 Lancaster Winemaker’s Cuvee Cabernet

Winemaker Notes: This wine delivers the epitome of complexity and depth. The combination of warm climate and alluvial and gravelly loam soil found on our estate is ideal for creating balanced wines of concentration and richness. Dark purple in the glass, this wine opens with aromas of indulgent, dark berry fruit with savory undertones and notes of toasted oak. The palate is full bodied with multi-layered flavors of black cherry, currant, tobacco and graphite. 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. $80

Wine Advocate 98 Points
2020 Long Shadows Cabernet Sauvignon Feather

Instantly impressive, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Feather opens to silky, fresh and fleshy dark red and black fruit tones with picturesque rich and ripe notions that sashay out of the glass with elegance, power and precision. Medium to full-bodied, the Cabernet shows incredible depth and breadth with succulent acidity and fine-grained tannins. This will have no trouble aging past its 20th birthday. World-class and devastatingly beautiful, the wine continues to somersault across the ever-evolving finish, and it will undoubtedly be well received upon its release in the fall later this year. Mark your calendar now, and run, don’t walk to add this to your cellar. Just under 48,000 bottles were filled after the wine rested for 22 months in all French oak, 90% first fill. $75

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Saturday, April 13th. Special Tasting Event


SWIRL. SMELL. SIP. REPEAT!
WINE TASTING FUNDRAISER

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Come enjoy wine tasting, small bites, and live music! Part of proceeds go to the LLS fundraiser.
$50 per person
Saturday, April 13th 12-3PM
Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW)
1552 E. Champlain Drive, Ste 109 Fresno, CA 93720
PLEASE RSVP TO SUSAN (559)352-9214
KATS CRITTERS CHASING DOWN CANCER
katscritters.org


Taste 2022 Ghost Block MorgaenLee Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 Capiaux Starscape Russian River Pinot Noir and 2019 Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Estate at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) fundraiser $50 per person.
Saturday, April 13th. Available 12:00 noon - 3:45 PM

2022 Ghost Block MorgaenLee Sauvignon Blanc

Winemaker Notes: Beautiful aromatics of grapefruit and white peach jump from the glass followed by subtle tropical fruit notes of guava and papaya. $25

Antonio Galloni, Vinous 96 Points
2021 Capiaux Starscape Russian River Pinot Noir

The 2021 Pinot Noir Starscape is one of the most potent, virile wines in the range. These old vines planted in the 1960s with the wide row spacing typical of the era yields a decidedly potent, muscular Pinot. Most of the 2021s here are quite refined, but the Starscape is all about power and structural intensity. Dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, graphite mocha and spice linger on the finish. This is a dazzling effort from Sean Capiaux. $60

Wine Spectator 94 Points
Aston Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Estate 2019

In the not-shy style, this pumps out tasty boysenberry and blackberry puree fruit, liberally laced with anise and singed mesquite. Shows a bit of a wild brambly edge through the finish as the fruit pumps through, with the requisite acidity for support. Very distinctive, and should be fun to cellar. Drink now through 2030. 500 cases made. $75

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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


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