K&L Wine Merchants - Ryan Woodhouse Reviews

2021 Francophone by Daniel Baron Sonoma - Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 06-03-2026

This is a really fun wine for folks who appreciate both Old World and New World styles - or at least wines that strike a thoughtful balance between the two, as this one does. Daniel Baron is one of the most experienced winemakers you’re ever likely to meet. In 1974, he attended UC Davis, where he studied Viticulture and Enology under the legendary Dr. Harold Olmo. After graduating, he worked numerous harvests before eventually landing in Bordeaux at the iconic Château Pétrus during none other than the famed 1982 vintage. After 12 months at Pétrus, he had befriended owner Christian Moueix and returned to his native California to help launch the newly minted Dominus Estate. After working at Dominus for 13 years as General Manager, Dan went on to become the winemaker at Silver Oak, a tenure he held until 2016. Now that’s quite a résumé, huh? Francophone is a project Dan made with Naked Wines, combining fruit from both Napa’s Oakville district and Sonoma’s Moon Mountain. The 2021 Francophone - a playful nod to Dan’s inspirational journey to Bordeaux and back - has rich, ripe fruit, but also an elegant, refined structure more reminiscent of Bordeaux. Dusty red and black fruits meet leather, camphor, subtle hints of licorice, and graphite. The very modest use of oak frames the wine with just a faint sprinkle of spice. Very easy-drinking and silky on the palate, this is a remarkably compelling Cabernet. The fact that you can get a wine directly from the hands of a winemaker with this kind of pedigree is just mind-blowing. Check it out, Insiders!

Price: Hidden

2021 WeatherEye "Estate - Hillfighter" Red Mountain Proprietary Red

Review Date: 06-02-2026

If there’s one vineyard in the country that I’m most excited about right now, it’s gotta be this one. WeatherEye is one of the most extreme, unique, and inspiring vineyard sites I’ve encountered in my 20 years in the wine business. In fact, in August I’m taking a detour from my trip to Walla Walla just to see this spectacular site with my own eyes! WeatherEye is planted on the very crest and upper ridgeline of Red Mountain. Despite Red Mountain’s long history of producing some of the most famous, critically acclaimed, and age-worthy wines in Washington, this upper portion of the hill was, until recently, deemed unplantable due to the almost solid bedrock, lack of soil, and constant exposure to wind. However, a decade ago, the idea for WeatherEye was born: a vineyard planted against all commercial convention. Looking to the Northern Rhône for inspiration, much of the site is planted to high-density, head-trained or single-stake, sur échalas, methods favored on the hills of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, where the famed Mistral wind wreaks havoc on the vines. The vineyard is a patchwork of dozens of small blocks draped across the rock-strewn hillside. The team at WeatherEye also made the very unconventional decision not to remove much of the native vegetation from among the vines. The rows are interspersed with mountain chaparral growing freely among the vineyard, and I’m convinced its influence can be seen in the complex, garrigue-like component in the wines. The Hillfighter Red Blend is the perfect introduction to the powerful wines of WeatherEye. It combines some atypical blending partners, such as Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller portions of Syrah and Tempranillo. But this wine really isn’t about varietal typicity. It’s about a sense of place: a bold expression of a rugged, rocky, windswept mountain. There’s rich, powerful dark fruit, but also wildflowers, dried herbs, cured meats, dusty spices, crushed rock minerality, and camphor. I went deep on this compelling wine to get the very best pricing we could, almost 50% off the typical cost. It’s right up there with some of the most intriguing and compelling wines on our shelves anywhere near this price point. If you haven’t experienced these wines yet, there’s no better time, or better wine, to take the leap.

Price: Hidden

2023 Ernest Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

Review Date: 06-02-2026

As you probably noticed, the last few offerings we had from Ernest disappeared fast! Thankfully, I was able to go back to the winery and rustle up another phenomenal deal, this time on their 2023 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Hailing from a single vineyard called Ocean View Vineyard on the western edge of Green Valley / West Sonoma Coast, the wine is made in part from Old Wente Clone fruit, combined with younger plantings of Clone 4 Chardonnay. The style is classic Ernest: fresh, vibrant, full of zesty mineral tones and lots of energy. Native yeast fermented and matured in largely neutral French oak, this is very much in a Chablis-esque style, with great focus and saline minerality. Coming in at just 12% ABV, this racy Chard has lifted white flowers, crunchy orchard fruit, quince, Golden Delicious apple, citrus oil, raw hazelnut, chalky minerals, and a subtle toasted grain / pie crust note on the finish. Really focused and refreshing, and a spectacular value at our deeply discounted price. We bought everything we could - don’t miss it!

Price: Hidden

JS: 95

DC: 94

2022 Overshine "Tina's Block - Maple Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Review Date: 05-29-2026

I had not seen the Overshine wines until recently, but when I learned that Sam Bilbro was making the wines I immediately payed full attention. I have long loved Sam's wines from his other brand, Idlewild, that is focused on Italian grape varieties. Knowing his exceptional skills in the cellar, deep connections to great vineyards across Sonoma, and his dedication to top-notch farming, I knew these wines would be special. Overshine's "Tina's Block" Zin comes from a tiny 2-acre block of vines planted in 1910 at Maple Vineyard in Dry Creek Valley. The wine is a classic ancient vine field blend. The block is thought to be roughly 80% Zinfandel interplanted with Petite Sirah, Carignan, Mission, Alicante Bouchet, and Cinsault. The wine is medium to full bodied with lots of beautiful brambly dark fruit, hints of hot stone and dusty earth. Soft, ripe tannins, hints of baking spice and subtle oak. Lush, rich, soft, but not sweet or overly jamy. Really excellent Zinfandel from a fantastic old block of vines. Classic California in a bottle. Our Insider's Advantage price on this is laughable given the quality. Load up for summer grilling season, at $15 this can't be beaten.

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2023 Sandhi "La Rinconada Vineyard" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Review Date: 05-27-2026

It's not everyday you see a 98-point wine, from a "Grand Cru" vineyard, crafted by an iconic winemaker, selling at this kind of price point! But your eyes do not deceive you, this is not a mirage. Today (and probably only today) we have an absolutely incredible price on this 2023 La Rinconada Pinot Noir from Sandhi. At over 50% off SRP, and under $30, this is set to evaporate in a hurry. The wine itself is stunning, classic Sandhi. La Rinconada Vineyard, now almost 30 years old, was planted by legendary vigneron Richard Sanford, right next door to his eponymous Sanford & Benedict Vineyard. This spot is ground zero for Sta Rita Hills Pinot Noir with its calcareous clay, Botella Loam soils and cooling breezes funneling down the valley. La Rinconada was also the first certified organic vineyard in Santa Barbara County setting a high bar for meticulous organic viticulture long before it was in vogue. The wine was fermented with native yeast, predominantly whole-cluster, then aged in neutral French oak for 10 months. The wine is both floral and savory at once. Wildflowers in a hedgerow with juicy berry fruits, amaro-like qualities of alpine herbs, spiced citrus peel, raspberry and subtle clove. Very elegant in texture, with super fine tannins, bright acidity, but not overly tart, a beautifully balanced wine. Such a perfect expression of place, quintessential, benchmark Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir.

Price: Hidden

WE: 98

JS: 94

VN: 92

2023 Ridge Vineyards "Pagani Ranch" Sonoma Valley Zinfandel

Review Date: 05-20-2026

Pagani Ranch is one of the most historic vineyards in all of California. Planted between 1890 and 1914, these ancient vines stand alongside Highway 12 in Sonoma valley, just outside the town of Kenwood. As with many vineyards planted during that era, the blocks are field blends, with multiple varietals interplanted together. The vines are predominantly Zinfandel, but speckled with Petite Sirah, Mataro (Mourvèdre), and Alicante Bouschet. Ridge has been sourcing fruit from Pagani Ranch since the 1991 vintage and has become synonymous with this famed old-vine site. The 2023 vintage was close to perfection for heritage vineyards like Pagani. Healthy winter rainfall set the stage for an exceptional growing season that stretched well into the fall, with remarkably moderate temperatures and an absence of dramatic heat spikes or untimely rain events. The team at Ridge was able to harvest the fruit at ideal ripeness, preserving both vibrant acidity and remarkable flavor complexity. The wine was aged almost entirely in neutral oak, allowing the character and purity of the ancient-vine fruit to take center stage. As the staggering critical acclaim suggests, Ridge absolutely knocked it out of the park with this bottling. It’s a benchmark wine for the vintage and a vivid reminder of just how special California’s old-vine vineyards truly are. These historic sites are vinous treasures that deserve to be championed and preserved as an essential part of California’s wine story. Despite the historical significance of the vineyard, Ridge’s impeccable winemaking, and the enormous scores and acclaim surrounding this release, the wine remains a tremendous value. Our decades-long relationship with Ridge allows us consistent allocations at highly competitive pricing. This is a very special bottle from a truly great vintage - don’t miss it.

Price: $39.95

2024 Anonymous Wine Collective "Envy Block" Ballard Canyon Syrah

Review Date: 05-15-2026

Another first for the Anonymous Wine Collective: a Syrah under our house label. And what an absolute beauty to kick things off. Sourced from one single hillside block of vines, that we've named "Envy Block" due to it's reputation as the sweet spot on this estate for producing the most potent and explosive Syrah. This very block is coveted by some of the most famed cult producers on the Central Coast and has produced multiple 100-point wines. Most wines sourced from this exact parcel retail between $80 and $160, many of them exclusive mailing-list offerings. Most wines sourced from this exact parcel retail between $80 and $160, many of them exclusive mailing-list offerings. Farmed with certified organic and biodynamic methods. The nose is wonderfully expressive with wild blackberry, black raspberry, dark cherry, dried herbs, violets, and hints of dusty earth. Beneath the exuberant fruit lies a compelling savory streak of cracked peppercorn, charred meat, and toasted exotic spice. Medium-plus in body, the wine carries a mouth-filling texture layered with fine tannins that provide impressive structure and length. The whole-cluster inclusion lifts the aromatics beautifully and keeps the wine fresh, energetic, and linear through the finish. This is a remarkably classy bottle of Syrah and, at this price point, an almost unbelievable value. I think it will resonate equally with lovers of savory Northern Rhône Syrah and fans of rich yet refined California Rhône-style wines. I couldn’t be happier with how this wine turned out - I only hope we made enough once people discover just how good it is for the money.

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2021 Ernest "Alder Springs Vineyard" Mendocino County Chardonnay

Review Date: 05-11-2026

One of the most magical bottles of Chardonnay I’ve tasted in 2026. That might seem like a bold statement given the number of wines I get to taste, but this wine just really resonates with my palate and delivers everything I want in this style of Chardonnay. It starts with a wonderful riff of matchstick and struck-flint reduction - not overpowering, but definitely a significant aromatic component that sets the tone. Beneath that, there’s beautifully ripe golden fruit: baked peach, nectarine, then sharper notes of preserved lemon and salted key lime. Richly textured, yet long, precise, and laser-focused through the finish, with mouthwatering acidity and reverberating flavor intensity. Richness and restraint done to perfection. I love this wine.

Price: Hidden

VN: 94

WE: 94

JS: 93

2025 Anonymous Wine Collective Oakville Sauvignon Blanc

Review Date: 05-08-2026

This is a seriously classy bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that combines purity of fruit and sheer quaffability with next-level complexity and depth. The source of this wine is a parcel of old-vine Sauvignon Blanc in the heart of Oakville, a subregion of Napa where precious little Sauvignon Blanc is grown anymore, simply because folks can replant the land to Cabernet and get two to four times the price for the fruit or wine. However, some growers realize it’s better to keep world-class Sauvignon Blanc in the ground than plant a few more acres of average Cabernet if the soils aren’t right. We partnered with one such estate to make this wine. That old-vine fruit was then fermented and aged in a variety of different vessels to build texture and tension in the wine. Some was aged in 500L seasoned French oak. Some rested in concrete tank. Another portion aged in a handmade Italian terracotta amphora. I worked with the winemaker to combine these fascinating individual components into one cohesive blend, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. As a young wine, the vivacious tropical and ripe citrus fruits are at the forefront, but there’s also a wonderful mineral tension and crystalline quality to the wine. The portion that spent time in relatively neutral oak boosts the texture just a touch, giving the wine wonderful length and presence on the palate. Despite its relatively inexpensive price point, this is not your typical, simple, stainless-steel, straightforward Sauvignon Blanc. There’s real sophistication and nuance here. I can’t wait to see how this wine settles in; I think it will continue to improve over the coming weeks, months, and probably years. Cheers!

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2024 Samuel Louis Smith "Baytree Lane Vineyard" Sonoma Valley Gamay Noir

Review Date: 05-06-2026

There are few young winemakers in the business with more raw talent than Sam Smith. His wines have that magical balance of edgy, electric vibrancy, elegant refinement, and quiet repose all at the same time. They show incredible purity and a vivid sense of place. Made using very non-interventionist techniques, they remain polished and sophisticated nonetheless. The Baytree Lane Gamay is a new wine in his lineup, and it is immediately one of my favorites. Coming from a small vineyard above the town of Sonoma, this Gamay Noir is grown on red volcanic soils. Pouring it for our sales staff last week garnered the same reaction time and time again: “Ooohhh, now that’s just delicious!” The wine has the perfect combination of upfront, bright red fruit - think ripe raspberry, pomegranate, and alpine strawberry, along with baking spices, a hint of black pepper, dried rose petal, hot volcanic stone, and bramble leaf. Elegant, light-medium-bodied, and translucent in the glass, yet packed with flavor, it has a refined, silky texture on the palate. Just an eminently quaffable wine. I absolutely loved it. The value here is also stunning given the quality in the bottle.

Price: $32.95

JD: 97

WE: 94

2024 Raen "Royal St. Robert Cuvée" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Review Date: 04-24-2026

A truly benchmark expression of the ultra-cool, western edge of the Sonoma Coast. This wine is sourced from a handful of vineyards, all within a few miles of the frigid Pacific. Fruit comes from Occidental, Bodega, and Fort Ross, where temperatures tend to hover in the upper 60s and low 70s even in mid-summer. This long, moderate growing season allows for incredible flavor development while preserving the fruit’s natural acidity. Clones include Calera, Swan, and Dijon selections 667, 115, and 777. The wine is made with 100% whole-cluster native fermentation and aged in neutral French oak to preserve a pure expression of the coast. The nose soars from the glass with dried rose petals, alpine strawberry, bramble leaf, torn herbs, camphor, subtle leather, and earthy spice. The fruit profile mirrors the aromatics beautifully, with wild red berries, black raspberry, lifted floral tones, and deeper earthy notes. Woodsy spice, coastal chaparral, and brambly tones are always present, interwoven with the bright red fruit. Long and silky on the palate, this is beautifully resolved even as a young wine, though it will surely become even more striking and gain additional mid-palate breadth with a few years in bottle. A singular, distinctive, and truly compelling expression of Pinot Noir that deserves a place on anyone’s dinner table.

Price: $73.95

JS: 99

2022 Aperture "Soil Specific" Sonoma County Bordeaux Blend

Review Date: 04-21-2026

Beyond the massive critical acclaim and dazzling résumé of Aperture winemaker Jesse Katz, I’m not sure how much more I can add to the conversation, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. The hype around Jesse’s Aperture wines is absolutely legit. These are some of the purest, most polished, and most downright delicious wines you’ll find in California. The combination of estate-grown fruit and top-tier sourcing from some of the region’s best vineyards means they over-deliver time and again. They are modern, rich, powerful, fruit-driven wines, but they also have lift, freshness, and more than enough structure to shine at the dinner table. We have exceptional pricing on these wines right now, taking them from best-in-class on a normal day to outright must-buys. Through our Insider’s Advantage program, we have the best pricing in the country. So whether you’re already a fan of these blockbuster wines or just hearing about them for the first time, don’t miss the chance to stock up at these ludicrous prices.

Price: Hidden

2022 Grand Napa Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 04-15-2026

Over the last five years or so, we’ve had the opportunity to offer several impressive wines from Grand Napa at exceptional prices. Time and again, they’ve proven to be powerful, structured, serious Napa Cabernets that have earned a loyal following among our customers. The 2022 Mount Veeder bottling is the perfect foil to the also-excellent Howell Mountain bottling. Whereas Howell leans into its muscular, brooding power and dark fruit profile, the Veeder bottling is strikingly aromatic, refined, detailed, and nuanced. This cooler, east-facing terroir, with vines planted in sandy, gravelly soils, has produced a wonderfully open and expressive wine. The profile here leans more red-fruited, with notes of dried red currant, spiced cherry, bramble, and bay laurel. It’s a fascinating wine, with subtle power and a real sense of mountain terroir. As with its sibling, this is a wine you can enjoy now with a good decant, and it should continue to improve for at least the next decade in the cellar. With neighbors such as Mayacamas and Aaron Pott, this wine offers a true expression of the sub-region and shows impressive pedigree, refinement, precision winemaking. As with the Howell Mountain wine, there is very little real competition offering this level of Mount Veeder Cabernet anywhere near this price point. Limited availability and limited-time pricing.

Price: Hidden

TWI: 94

RP: 92

2022 Grand Napa Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 04-15-2026

Over the last five years or so, we’ve had the opportunity to offer several impressive wines from Grand Napa at exceptional prices. Time and again, they’ve proven to be powerful, structured, serious Napa Cabernets that have earned a loyal following among our customers. The 2022 Howell Mountain bottling is a classic reflection of this famed mountain terroir. Sourced from a small vineyard perched at 1,800 feet in rocky volcanic soils, the vines produce tiny clusters that yield a deeply concentrated, intensely flavorful Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is redolent of cassis, mulberry, and plum, with notes of dryland chaparral, graphite, and cigar box. Muscular yet refined tannins give it plenty of structure and power, but it never feels abrasive or monolithic. This is a wine you can enjoy now with a solid 30-minute decant, and it should continue to improve for at least the next decade in the cellar. At its usual $145 retail price, it sits comfortably alongside many top-class wines and more than holds its own. At our ludicrously discounted Insider’s Advantage price, nearly $100 below SRP, it simply blows the competition out of the water. Frankly, there is no real competition offering this level of Howell Mountain Cabernet at this price. Limited availability and limited-time pricing.

Price: Hidden

JS: 92

RP: 92

JD: 91

2021 Red Car Sonoma Coast Syrah

Review Date: 04-14-2026

Syrah is such a fascinating grape. After nearly 25 years of studying wine, I still find it utterly captivating. While Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are often seen as the most transparent varieties, speaking most clearly of terroir, I would argue that Syrah can be even more expressive of its environment, a grape capable of conveying a remarkably vivid sense of place. Today’s offering is a perfect example: Red Car’s perfumed, elegant, ultra-cool-climate Syrah from the Sonoma Coast. The fruit comes from vineyards planted within 10 miles of the ocean, where the long, slow growing season stretched into mid to late October before harvest. Fermentation included a healthy portion of whole clusters in small open-top fermenters, with daily hand punch-downs and native yeast fermentation. The wine was then aged for 15 months in 500-liter French oak puncheons, only 10% new, with the balance in well-seasoned barrels. The intent is clear: to preserve the soaring floral aromatics and savory intensity of this cool-climate Syrah without masking it with an obvious winemaking signature. The result is a benchmark expression of both grape and place. Aromas and flavors of violets, cracked peppercorn, blackberry preserve, cured meat, cast iron, spiced citrus peel, and dried rose petal unfold beautifully in the glass. Despite its cool-climate pedigree and savory, brooding character, the wine is surprisingly approachable, with a lovely core of fruit on the mid-palate that makes it especially drinkable. A wonderful Syrah, made even more compelling by our incredible Insider’s Advantage pricing. All this quality and pedigree for under $20? Just wow. Load up - you won’t regret it. Cheers!

Price: Hidden

JS: 94

WE: 92

WS: 92

2018 Hewitt "Estate" Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 04-09-2026

Hewitt Estate is a true jewel of a vineyard, sitting squarely on the western Rutherford Bench - one of the finest places on earth to grow Cabernet Sauvignon. Its immediate neighbors include Inglenook, BV’s "Ranch No. 1" (the historic source for Georges de Latour), and just nearby you’ll find Scarecrow, Staglin, Morisoli, Bella Oaks, and Greer - an extraordinary collection of pedigree sites sharing the same coveted terroir. The soils here are classic Rutherford Bench: perfectly drained, gravelly alluvial fans spilling off the Mayacamas Mountains to the west. This warm, up-valley location provides the heat needed to fully ripen Cabernet, while the mountains offer crucial afternoon shade, preserving freshness and balance. The result is a wine that marries power and concentration with refinement and nuance. In the cellar, the estate fruit receives meticulous care - optical sorting, small-lot fermentations by block, and élevage in top-tier French oak. The wine opens with deep, layered aromas of dusty redcurrant, blackberry compote, baker’s chocolate, and leather, underscored by warm earth, oak spice, and that telltale iron-tinged minerality of Rutherford’s famed “dust.” On the palate, the structure is polished and fine-grained. After time in bottle, it's approachable and drinking beautifully. Despite its eight years of age, the wine's flavor profile remains quite youthful, brimming with fruit and energy, and clearly built for further development in the cellar. At our exceptional Insider’s Advantage pricing, this is a rare opportunity to secure a truly pedigreed Rutherford Cabernet at a fraction of the cost of its neighbors - many of which command $300–$800 per bottle. Coming from om the outstanding 2018 vintage, this wine delivers all the pedigree and longevity you’d expect. This is the real deal - don’t miss it!

Price: Hidden

JS: 96

VN: 95

2025 Anonymous Wine Collective Contra Costa County Rosé of Mourvedre

Review Date: 04-02-2026

This marks our inaugural rosé under Anonymous—and it’s nothing short of phenomenal. Mediterranean in spirit and crafted from Mourvèdre, this dry rosé comes from ancient, own-rooted vines planted over 120 years ago in the deep, sandy soils of Contra Costa County. These venerable vines have endured for more than a century thanks to those remarkably sandy soils, which are inhospitable to phylloxera and allowed them to survive when so many others did not. Naturally low-yielding, the old vines produce fruit of striking concentration, purity, and freshness. The grapes were gently pressed and fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel, then aged for four months on fine lees in a combination of stainless steel and neutral oak to build texture and nuance without sacrificing vibrancy. The result is a beautifully expressive rosé brimming with bright, juicy red fruit, hibiscus, alpine strawberry, and hints of spiced citrus peel, all underscored by a crystalline minerality. Dry and refreshingly precise, it balances crunchy fruit, tactile texture, and layered depth, finishing zesty and mouthwatering. I’ll be drinking this all spring and summer long—it’s simply delicious.

Price: $14.95

2024 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Review Date: 03-28-2026

This is the second edition of Anonymous that we’ve produced in partnership with this incredible, world-renowned winery—a relationship that dates back to earlier editions of our emeritus house label, Kalinda. The last release was a single-vineyard, single-block wine. This time, working hand in hand with the winemaking team, we felt the synergy of multiple components created something even more compelling than any one individual element. The blend brings together estate-grown fruit with several barrels sourced from highly renowned, Grand Cru–level single vineyards. The wine is composed primarily of heritage clones—Hyde (Calera selection), Swan, and Pommard—with smaller portions of Dijon clones. The fruit was fermented in small, open-top tanks with native yeast and approximately 20% whole-cluster inclusion. After fermentation, the wine was aged for 15 months in French oak (30% new) before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Working with this team is a true pleasure. With decades of winemaking pedigree and multiple 100-point wines to their credit, this partnership embodies everything the Anonymous Wine Project stands for. Under its own label, this wine typically retails for $80–$100. The value made possible through anonymity is simply sensational.

Price: Hidden

2024 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

Review Date: 03-28-2026

This is the second edition of Anonymous that we’ve produced with this incredible, world-renowned winery, and it takes the quality to an entirely new level. I’m proud to say I worked hand in hand with the winemaking team to craft this custom blend from the crème de la crème of single-vineyard components sourced from some of the region’s most sought-after sites. At the core of the wine are three Grand Cru–caliber vineyards, including old Wente clone vines planted in 1974. Most of the fruit comes from the far western edge of the Russian River Valley, where the AVA meets the West Sonoma Coast. The ultra–cool climate, Goldridge soils, and meticulous viticulture ensure that only the finest fruit makes it through the doors of this esteemed estate. The fruit was gently pressed, and the juice was racked to top-quality French oak (30% new), where it fermented with native yeasts and aged on its lees for 15 months. The final blend is composed of 12 carefully selected barrels, chosen not only for their exceptional individual character but also for their seamless integration as a whole. I couldn’t be more proud of this wine. Working with this team is a true joy. With decades of winemaking pedigree and multiple 100-point wines to their credit, this partnership embodies everything the Anonymous Wine Project is about. Under its original label, this wine typically retails for $75–$90. The value delivered through anonymity is simply sensational.

Price: Hidden

2023 Bishop's Peak (Talley) San Luis Obispo Coast Pinot Noir

Review Date: 03-28-2026

For the 15+ years I’ve worked at K&L, Talley’s Bishop’s Peak Pinot Noir has been one of the most consistently over-delivering bottles of Pinot Noir on our shelves. Back when I worked the sales floor every day from 2011 to 2013, this was a wine I put into customers’ hands time and again because of the value it offered: a well-made Pinot Noir with terrific varietal character, wonderful purity, balance, and a level of complexity far beyond what you’d expect at this modest price point. Here in 2026, all of that still rings true. And today, we have an even sharper price on the wine than we did more than a decade ago. The 2023 Bishop’s Peak Pinot is one of the best versions of this little gem I’ve seen in years, a testament to the quality of the long, cool growing season. The wine is sourced from Talley’s three estate vineyards in Arroyo Grande along with fruit from Greengate Ranch in Edna Valley. All of these excellent vineyards fall within the heavily coast-influenced SLO Coast AVA, established in 2022. The fruit is SIP Certified Sustainable, fermented with native yeast in small open-top tanks, and punched down by hand. The wine was then aged for six months in 20% new French oak. That relatively short élevage and modest use of new oak really allow the wine’s purity of fruit and fragrance to shine. It offers pure forest berry fruit, potpourri, and pomegranate, with hints of cinnamon and allspice alongside bramble leaf and loamy earth. Medium-bodied, bright, and delicious, with just 13.5% ABV. The winery sells this wine for $24, and we’ve typically offered it at $20. Right now, though, we have a spectacular Insider’s Advantage price that brings it in under $15, where it stands as simply one of the best Pinot Noir values you can buy anywhere.

Price: Hidden

WE: 93

VN: 90

Rhys "Perpetual Reserve" California Sparkling Wine

Review Date: 03-10-2026

When sparkling wine in California is produced with the utmost care, intention, diligence, and absolute focus on quality, the results can rival even the great wines of Champagne. At Rhys Vineyards, everything they do is guided by an uncompromising dedication to quality - from the clonal selections in the vineyard, to the farming and viticulture, to the meticulous small-lot winemaking in their state-of-the-art cellar. Rhys has long been considered one of the premier Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers in the country, crafting Burgundian-inspired wines from their incredible estate vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Anderson Valley. More than a decade ago, the team at Rhys began experimenting with estate-grown sparkling wines. In the early years, these wines were made only in minuscule quantities and shared among friends and family. As the team dialed in the results, and even planted dedicated vineyard blocks with sparkling wine clones, they edged ever closer to producing enough wine to release to their devoted mailing list. Now, finally, Rhys is making enough sparkling wine for us to get our hands on some. It’s still a tiny production of just a few hundred cases, entirely handmade, riddled, and disgorged. But we secured some cases, both here in California and in NYC. I shared this wine with our staff during the 2025 holiday season to much applause. They immediately recognized its spectacular quality. In fact, I poured this wine at my own holiday table and was blown away. Then, in February, Jeb Dunnuck awarded it a monster 98-point score. I immediately went back to secure whatever additional cases were available, and today we’re thrilled to offer them to you. A little about the wine itself: though it carries a broad California AVA designation, don’t confuse this with inexpensive wines sourced from inferior sites. This wine is entirely estate-grown at Rhys’ properties in Anderson Valley, from Bearwallow Vineyard, and in the Santa Cruz Mountains, predominantly from Mt. Pajaro Vineyard in Corralitos. The fruit is organically and biodynamically farmed. The base wine is very gently whole-cluster pressed, fermented with native yeast in neutral oak barrels, and allowed to rest on fine lees for eight months prior to a further two years aging en tirage. After that, the wine is disgorged and finished with a low 4 g/L dosage. The blend is roughly 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir, and around one-third of the wine comes from a solera-style perpetual reserve dating back to the 2016 harvest. The vibrant, crisp, electric freshness of the cool-climate, coastal fruit is beautifully contrasted by the rich, toasty, umami character of the reserve wine, along with the yeasty, brioche notes from extended time on tirage. That interplay of freshness and richness in both the aromatics and flavor profile also carries through to the texture of the wine. It is at once piercing and focused, with incredible tension on the palate, yet the finish fans out with breadth and textural finesse like a vintage Champagne. It’s a spectacular wine that delivers on every level. I can’t think of another sparkling wine, from anywhere in the world, that rivals this for the price.

Price: $59.95

2010 Mira "Hyde Vineyard" Napa Valley Syrah (Winery Direct Library)

Review Date: 03-06-2026

The 2010 Hyde Syrah is a complex and thought-provoking wine that clearly reflects the dramatic growing season of 2010. A year that began historically cool, only to heat up as harvest approached, produced some seriously structured, concentrated, and powerful wines. This wine is no exception. Dark, rich black fruit and smoldering scorched earth are balanced by toasted spices, hints of peppered steak, and campfire coals. A robust wine with charred spices and meaty elements underscoring the muscular dark fruit. It has aged very well and is now showing lovely development of character from its 15 years in bottle. What a treat—especially at this ludicrous price. Enjoy.

Price: Hidden

WE: 91

2009 Mira "Hyde Vineyard" Napa Valley Syrah (Winery Direct Library)

Review Date: 03-06-2026

The 2009 Hyde Syrah from Mira is a potent wine with lots of ripe, rich fruit—boysenberry, smoked plum, and black cherry. With time aging in bottle, the wine has developed lovely notes of saddle leather, dried herbs, and hints of steak tartare with aged balsamic. It’s in a great place right now, where the plush fruit and texture remain generous, while complex secondary characters are beginning to fill in as the wine’s maturity shows beautifully. How fun to be able to enjoy a perfectly aged wine, direct from the winery’s cellar, at such a modest price. If you love wines with a nice amount of age on them, this is an offer you won’t want to miss. Limited availability.

Price: Hidden

WE: 92

2022 Tread "Sierra Madre Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay

Review Date: 03-04-2026

I’ve long been a fan of this vineyard site, and I even had the chance to work with the fruit during my time in the cellar 15 years ago. Originally planted in the 1970s, it’s a historic site that has long earned its Grand Cru status. The wines from here always strike a fascinating balance between power and precision—naturally concentrated and dense, yet driven by vibrant, piercing, mouthwatering acidity. That’s exactly the case here. This isn’t a fruit-forward Chardonnay; it’s all about saline, stony minerality, freshly baked pie crust, hints of jasmine, citrus peel, and Marcona almond. Complex and compelling, it clearly reflects the pedigree of the site and its intense maritime influence. Chablis-like perhaps, but it doesn’t need to imitate anything. This wine has a true sense of place all its own.

Price: Hidden

VN: 94

WE: 92

2021 Tread Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir

Review Date: 03-04-2026

These Tread wines are about to become some of the best-selling wines of the year—and with good reason! We have simply incredible pricing on a collection of wines that are exceptional across the entire range. Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays sourced from some of the finest, most renowned vineyards in Santa Barbara, crafted by a much-lauded winemaker at the top of her game. The wines are delicious, they’ve received strong critical acclaim…so why the deep deal, you ask? Well, the winery has recently changed ownership and they came to us looking to move through some inventory. Having tasted these wines several times in the past, I already knew this was going to be a coup, and the pricing we negotiated is absolutely incredible. The wines are classically made, cool-climate expressions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The fruit sources are top-notch and the winemaking artisanal, small-production, and meticulous. From the broader AVA bottlings to the single-vineyard wines, this lineup over-delivers on value for money and is going to put a smile on a lot of faces—just like it did mine. The 2021 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir combines fruit from Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley. It’s a pairing that works beautifully, with Sta. Rita providing a floral, high-toned, red-fruited element while Santa Maria brings a more savory, gamey, earthy dimension to the mix. There’s wonderful fruit here—black raspberry, cherry, sarsaparilla, with hints of bramble and spring hedgerow. Open, expressive, and instantly enjoyable. Stunning value at more than 60% off the original price. This is a case buy while it lasts.

Price: Hidden

WE: 95

Boulard-Bauquaire "Trepail" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Vieilles Vignes

Review Date: 03-03-2026

A longtime favorite of mine even amongst the plethora of great wines Gary has sourced from all over Champagne. This old vine bottling from Boulard Bauquaire always delivers. An ultra mineral-driven Blanc De Blanc from a parcel of vines over 75-years of age! This wine is so fine, aromatic and complex. I just love the delicate floral aromas, lingering minerals and elegant texture this wine expresses. It's also a remarkable value for money especially when you consider this is coming from a small grower-producer, with top pedigree, and sourced from a single parcel of vines planted in pure chalk soils. Fantastic as always!

Price: $44.99

2022 Matthiasson Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 03-03-2026

As you can see from the long list of staff reviews, this wine is exactly what we love to drink here at K&L—wines with balance, poise, purity, and precision. Steve Matthiasson crafts exactly that: wines rooted in elegance, varietal typicity, and a profound sense of place—first and foremost, gastronomic wines meant to be enjoyed at the table. A farmer above all else, much of Steve’s magic happens in the vineyard, where the vines are meticulously hand-tended with an uncompromising focus on quality. He aims for modest yields and true physiological (flavor and phenolic) ripeness at lower sugar levels. Farming organically and regeneratively, Steve sources from both his estate vineyards and select parcels up and down the valley that he farms with the same loving care and attention. Our team (myself included) absolutely fell in love with this wine’s old-school sensibility. At just 13% alcohol, it offers plenty of savory, lifted aromatics—tobacco, wintergreen, bay laurel, and freshly turned earth—woven seamlessly with pure mulberry, dark cherry, and black raspberry fruit. All that classic Cabernet character is beautifully interlaced with freshness and clarity. The wine is alive on the palate, buoyed by vibrant acidity and framed by fine yet tactile tannins. It’s youthful and already open and delicious, yet with its electric freshness, I have no doubt it will age gracefully for 10 years or more. It will be fascinating to watch those classic varietal notes evolve as bottle age begins to shape the wine. A singularly brilliant Cabernet, confidently charting its own course through the modern era of Napa Valley. And an exceptional value in its own right.

Price: $79.95

DC: 99

2023 Melville "Estate" Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay

Review Date: 02-27-2026

This year, Melville celebrates 30 years of grape growing in the Sta. Rita Hills, and over that time this family-run estate has firmly established itself in the upper echelon of producers in the region. Entirely dedicated to estate-grown, organically farmed fruit and classical, refined winemaking, Melville crafts wines that stand among the purest expressions of place you’ll find anywhere in California. While the Pinot Noirs of Sta. Rita Hills often steal the spotlight, this is also an absolutely magical place to grow Chardonnay. Just ten miles from the Pacific, the sandy soils and ultra-cool climate of Melville’s estate yield a wine that is crystalline, vibrant, and laser-focused, driven by electric natural acidity. The estate is planted to an impressive array of Chardonnay clones—from Dijon and UC Davis selections to heritage massal cuttings from Hanzell, Mount Eden, and Hudson—adding layers of nuance and complexity. Fermented and aged entirely in neutral oak, with no malolactic fermentation, the philosophy here is clear: precision over opulence, minerality over weight, tension over ripeness. The aromatics are beautifully defined—preserved lemon, white florals, baked golden apple, cracked rye, lime leaf, and wet stone. On the palate, it’s incredibly refreshing and alive, with mouthwatering energy and a clean, mineral-laced finish that calls you back for another sip. Delicious now for its vibrancy and lift, this is also a Chardonnay that should evolve gracefully over the next 3–5 years, if not longer. At 25% off, our Insider’s Advantage price represents exceptional value. Load up—summer is right around the corner.

Price: Hidden

2023 Melville "Estate" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Review Date: 02-27-2026

This year, Melville celebrates 30 years of grape growing in the Sta. Rita Hills, and over that time this family-run estate has firmly established itself in the upper echelon of producers in the region. Entirely dedicated to estate-grown, organically farmed fruit and classical, refined winemaking, Melville crafts wines that stand among the purest expressions of place you’ll find anywhere in California. The estate sits on the northwestern edge of the AVA, just ten miles from the Pacific. Here, soils are dominated by windblown sands, underpinned in places by Monterey shale and pockets of clay loam. Mature vines—planted to a diverse array of clones—stretch across the estate’s rolling contours, divided into dozens of meticulously farmed blocks. After three decades, the Melville team knows this land intimately, and they weave those blocks together in their Estate Pinot Noir with remarkable precision and purity. With 40% whole-cluster fermentation, the wine is an aromatic delight. The nose bursts with lifted florals, ripe berry fruit, exotic spice, star anise, clove, citrus peel, pomegranate, black raspberry, and dried alpine herbs. On the palate, it is incredibly vibrant and fresh, delivering generous yet crunchy, spice-laced red fruit alongside subtle notes of earth and amaro-like bitters. This wine perfectly reflects the Sta. Rita Hills’ famed “refrigerated sunshine”—ample California ripeness balanced by the bracing freshness of an ultra-cool growing season. The result is Pinot Noir with both depth and electric energy. With our extra-sharp Insider’s Advantage pricing, this becomes an absolute must-buy. Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir simply doesn’t get better at this price—it's not even close.

Price: Hidden

2021 La Jota Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 02-24-2026

The 2021 La Jota is an absolute masterclass in Howell Mountain Cabernet. Winemaker Chris Carpenter—of Lokoya and Cardinale fame—may well be the finest craftsman of powerful yet poised, mountain-grown Cabernet of his generation. His monumental wines over the past few decades stand as a testament to unwavering dedication and precision. Few producers capture the immense power and intensity of site with such consistency, while maintaining vibrancy, dynamism, and refinement. From this historic estate, first planted in the late 1800s, the 2021 La Jota is a tour de force of Howell Mountain Cabernet. The nose is deeply expressive, redolent of crème de cassis, blackberry coulis, dried wildflowers, graphite, leather, charred oak spice, and crushed rock. There is beautiful tension between the richness of the fruit, the wild savory chaparral character of the mountain, and a firm mineral backbone. Structurally, the wine is muscular and brooding, yet the tannins are remarkably refined and fine-grained for such a powerful expression. It’s a Cabernet of both authority and precision, with exceptional balance and a long, resonant finish. An incredible wine with decades ahead of it. Enjoy now with an hour in the decanter, or cellar confidently for 20+ years. Our limited-time Insider’s Advantage pricing offers a very rare opportunity to secure this iconic Howell Mountain Cabernet at nearly 40% below its typical retail price.

Price: Hidden

2021 Heitz Cellar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 02-23-2026

For more than half a century, Heitz Napa Valley Cabernet has stood as a benchmark for the region. Few names are as synonymous with Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon; it unquestionably belongs among the valley’s handful of true icons and remains a standard-bearer for New World Cabernet as a whole. What I’ve always admired about Heitz—both under its original ownership and now with Lawrence Wine Estates—is its unwavering commitment to its own vision. The wines have never chased fashion, nor bent to the fleeting preferences of critics. A steadfast dedication to estate farming, traditional winemaking, and a clearly defined house style has always set Heitz apart from the crowd. A visit to the old stone winery tucked into the hills east of St. Helena—still home to massive, antique (and very much in use) oak foudres—perfectly illustrates how deeply rooted in tradition these wines are. Longtime winemaker Brittany Sherwood deserves tremendous credit for maintaining remarkable continuity through the 2018 change in ownership. Quality remains as high as ever, with the wines staying true to their historic style. The 2021 vintage at Heitz is simply spectacular. A year that played directly into the hands of a producer with exceptional vineyard holdings and a philosophy centered on longevity. A small, deeply concentrated crop delivered power and structure in abundance. True to form, the wines underwent an extended élevage—more than two years in a combination of French oak barrels and large-format neutral foudre, followed by a minimum of another year in bottle before release. That patience in the winery's cellar means you don’t have to wait: the wine is already beautifully polished and primed for decades of graceful evolution in your cellar. The 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet is a blend of estate and single-vineyard sources. As one of the largest landowners in the valley, with over 400 acres of organically farmed vineyards, Heitz has an extraordinary palette of sites from which to draw. The core of the wine comes from the famed Trailside Vineyard in Rutherford, with contributions from Howell Mountain, Oakville, St. Helena, Calistoga, and Oak Knoll. In the glass, the wine is both classic and compelling. Aromas of lavender, briar patch, cedar, and tobacco lead into a dark, concentrated fruit profile of blackcurrant, mulberry coulis, and bittersweet baker’s chocolate, with subtle menthol notes lending lift and freshness to the black and blue fruits. Medium-plus in body with impressive concentration and flavor, it remains poised and never heavy—no overt oak sweetness, just pure, expressive Cabernet character. If you were to look up “Classic Napa Cabernet” in the dictionary, this wine would be a fitting illustration. Proof, once again, that when something isn’t broken, there’s no need to fix it.

Price: $69.95

2022 Gemstone "Facets" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 02-04-2026

Here's a rare chance to get your hands on a beautifully crafted Napa Cabernet, made by one of the most famed winemakers of a generation, for a price that is almost too good to be true. We have a razor sharp, Insider's Advantage price on this 95-point stunner, made by Julien Fayard! At more than 40% off, this wine out performs anything else in this price point. Lush, rich, full-bodied Cab, with tons of blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, new leather, sweet oak spice, and hints of pencil shavings. Very silky, polished tannins, easy drinking, but definitely mouth filling and powerful. Load up and enjoy for the next 5-8 years and beyond.

Price: Hidden

DC: 95

2022 Lail "Blueprint" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 01-21-2026

A wine you never see at this price. Our price today is $20 lower than our closest competitor, and $40 lower than the national average! This special Insider's Advantage price on a benchmark Napa Cab is unlikely to ever be seen again. This beautifully crafted wine is composed of an intricate selection of fruit sources across the length and breadth of the Valley. Lail's "Blueprint" Cabernet is often one of the finest examples of a true appellation wide blend favoring broad but meticulous selections of top quality fruit to give a true expression of the vintage. The purity and polish here is astounding. Though that's not really surprising when you consider that the wine is crafted by Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky, two of the countries most celebrated and accomplished winemakers. A nose of creme de cassis, lavender, black raspberry, cedar, subtle cocoa powder and new leather. Fine, elegant, poised tannins, give lovely form to the wine that doesn't show any of the over-ripeness that plagues some 2022s. The precision and clarity of fruit here is something to behold. I doubt this price will last long, so if you're reading this act fast without hesitation.

Price: Hidden

2022 Martin Ray Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 01-14-2026

We have an incredible trio of sub-AVA Cabs from Martin Ray on offer today. For many years Martin Ray have sourced exceptional parcels of fruit from across Napa Valley in beyond based on decades of relationships in the business. The Diamond Mountain, Howell Mountain, and Mount Veeder bottlings represent the pinnacle of their production sourcing the best-of-the-best barrels for the small-production, AVA specific wines. The Howell Mountain bottling comes from one of the highest elevation sites on the mountain sitting above 2,200ft. The vines grow in compressed volcanic ash, or "tuff", lending explosive aromatics and a distinctive minerality to the wine. The vineyard's reputation dates back to it's first planting back in the 1950s. The current vines are fully mature at 30-years of age and producing highly concentrated fruit. Classic Howell fruit with blackcurrant, plum, graphite, espresso, suave and sophisticated oak tones meld with the lush, deep fruit. Broad and powerful with great underlying mineral tones and a muscular structure for 10+ years of ageing potential. What an amazing price for this single vineyard Howell Mountain Cab! Our long relationship with Martin Ray allows us to bring you these incredible wines, with massive scores to you at very reasonable price points. Enjoy!

Price: Hidden

JS: 95

2022 Martin Ray Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 01-14-2026

We have an incredible trio of sub-AVA Cabs from Martin Ray on offer today. For many years Martin Ray have sourced exceptional parcels of fruit from across Napa Valley in beyond based on decades of relationships in the business. The Diamond Mountain, Howell Mountain, and Mount Veeder bottlings represent the pinnacle of their production sourcing the best-of-the-best barrels for the small-production, AVA specific wines. The Mount Veeder bottling comes from a highly renowned but non disclosed site off Wall Road in the northern part of the AVA. This site has long produced some of the most highly acclaimed wines from the region. The wine is fermented in small, open-top fermenters, punched down by hand, and gently basket pressed. The wine is handled gently so as to not over extract the wine and overwhelm the incredible detailed nuances of the site. Ageing for the Veeder sees a more modest 50% new French oak for 18 months. The wine is a very classic expression of Veeder with mountain chaparral, cedar, leather and crushed volcanic rock intermingled with a more red fruited profile. Serious and structured but with elegant, long chain tannins. I love Veeder Cab for its retention and even amplification of the savory aspects of the grape that I love so much in Bordeaux and other cooler climate regions where it's grown. The vines here sit at significant elevation and the daytime highs are significantly cooler than the valley floor below. So, even in warm vintages like 2022, the Cabernet-ness doesn't get ripened out of the grapes. A beautiful wine with a more classically styled flavor profile. Our long relationship with Martin Ray allows us to bring you this incredible wines, with massive scores to you at very reasonable price points. Enjoy!

Price: Hidden

JS: 95

2022 Martin Ray Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 01-14-2026

We have an incredible trio of sub-AVA Cabs from Martin Ray on offer today. For many years Martin Ray have sourced exceptional parcels of fruit from across Napa Valley in beyond based on decades of relationships in the business. The Diamond Mountain, Howell Mountain, and Mount Veeder bottlings represent the pinnacle of their production sourcing the best-of-the-best barrels for the small-production, AVA specific wines. The Diamond Mountain bottling comes from one of the most historic sites in the region. Previously known as Constant Diamond Estate, this vineyard has a legacy dating back to the 1890s. Planted at the top of Diamond Mountain at 2,200ft elevation, many vines are terraced into the steep volcanic hillsides. The wine is fermented in small fermenters and matured 60% new French oak for 18 months. The wine has a vibrant, inky purple color, notes of graphite, lavender, tobacco box. The fruit is focused and pure, cassis, mulberry, and some briary tones add savory complexity. Quite structured and serious with a clear upside for ageing and positive development in the cellar for 5-8-10 years or more. Our long relationship with Martin Ray allows us to bring you this incredible wines, with massive scores to you at very reasonable price points. Enjoy!

Price: Hidden

JS: 95

2021 Anthill Farms "Bertoli Vineyard" Russian River Valley Old Vine Field Blend

Review Date: 01-12-2026

Today we're offering a one-time deal on a one-off wine. This amazing old vine field blend is such a unique and interesting offering. Sourced from a century old planting of vines in the Russian River Valley of mixed varietals all interplanted with one another. The vineyard is farmed organically and without irrigation. The blend for this wine includes roughly equal parts Alicante Bouschet, Carignane, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Zinfandel. Anthill owner / winemaker Anthony Filiberti took this old vine fruit and fermented it whole-cluster and partially using carbonic maceration (sealed tank) to create a unique expression of this historic vineyard. While most old vine blends of this type are big, rich, ripe wines, the Anthill Bertoli is notably medium bodied, with brighter fruit, floral spice tones, and a very modest 12% alcohol. It reminds me a little of the more elegant style of Nebbiolo with it's subtle power and aromatic lift. The wine still has depth and substance, and the 20% Alicante Bouchet means the color is still pretty intense and deep, but it's really fun to see what these old vines without the 15% alcohol and fruit ripeness that one might expect. I think its a wonderfully versatile wine for pizza, pasta, BBQ, burgers. Oh, and our Insider's Advantage price, for such a unique wine, under $20...that's half price and moves it right into the everyday drinker category. This is rocking wine for the price and little piece of history in a bottle.

Price: Hidden

2019 Clif Family "Cold Springs Vineyard" Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 01-01-2026

It's not everyday that we get 95-point, single vineyard, estate-grown and bottled Howell Mountain Cab for 50% off! But that is exactly what were offering today! The Clif Family (yep the folks behind those delicious granola bars) have quietly been acquiring great vineyards around Napa Valley for a decade. With sustainability being a core focus for the family, their vineyards are certified CCOF organic and the company is certified BCorp. After graduating from UC Davis and learning her craft at the renowned Fisher Vineyards, winemaker Laura Barrett has now been at the helm of Clif Family for 12 years. Cold Spring Vineyard is located on the southern side of Howell Mountain (the opposite orientation to Croquet Vineyard) at 1,660ft elevation. The soils here are dominated by compressed volcanic ash or tuff. This wine screams Howell Mountain to me with an impenetrable color in the glass, a dark, smoky, almost black fruit profile, graphite, cigar box, crushed rocks. The saturated fruit is draped over muscular, mountain-fruit tannins. Mountain chapparal and briar patch notes add complexity to the heart of darkness core. Wow, this wine is very impressive, and our pricing is just incredible for the quality. Only 300 cases total production. Act fast, this is a truly incredible deal at our very special, 50% off Insider's Advantage pricing!

Price: Hidden

WE: 95

JD: 92

JS: 91

2019 Clif Family "Croquet Vineyard" Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 01-01-2026

It's not everyday that we get 95-point, single vineyard, estate-grown and bottled Howell Mountain Cab for 50% off! But that is exactly what were offering today! The Clif Family (yep the folks behind those delicious granola bars) have quietly been acquiring great vineyards around Napa Valley for a decade. With sustainability being a core focus for the family, their vineyards are certified CCOF organic and the company is certified BCorp. After graduating from UC Davis and learning her craft at the renowned Fisher Vineyards, winemaker Laura Barrett has now been at the helm of Clif Family for 12 years. The Croquet Vineyard Cab comes from just 3 acres of Clone 337 Cabernet planted on a steep hillside on the northeastern slope of Howell Mountain at 1,800 ft elevation. The soils here are iron rich, red, volcanic clay loam. This site produces a concentrated but lush style of Cabernet with rich cassis fruit, ollaberry, hints of vanilla and exotic oak spice. The palate has plenty of structure and tannin to measure up to the bold fruit profile. The wine is full-bodied with a big, decadent mouthfeel. This is classic Howell Mountain with a nice polished fruit profile allowing enjoyment from a relatively young stage. However, as their top wines from the very best estate selections and barrels, these wines are also designed to go the distance and will no doubt age 15-20 years in the cellar.

Price: Hidden

2021 Mt. Brave Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 12-22-2025

We have the best price in the country on this stunning 99-point mountain-grown Cabernet from winemaking legend Chris Carpenter. 2021 Mount Brave Mt Veeder Cab for well under $100! This wine combines the power and concentration of rich Napa fruit with the savory complexity and a structural prowess that Mount Veeder delivers time and time again. During his long tenure at Mt Brave, Lokoya, La Jota, and Cardinale, Chris Carpenter has cemented his reputation as the king of mountain-grown Cab in the region. He has almost super-natural abilities to produce wines of incredible intensity and power but at the same time, somehow refined the tannin structure that often makes wines like this need decades in the cellar before they can be enjoyed. Not so with this beauty - it's already drinking beautifully with lush, dark, exotic fruit, laced with wild chaparral, leather, singed cedar, oak spice and dark chocolate. Mouthcoating and saturated, but not overly tannic or grippy. It's a big, muscular wine, but it's polished and pure with great balance and length on the palate. When you consider the Lokoya wines sell for over $500, this is an absolute bargain as your getting the same winemaking expertise and quality for a fraction of the price. Drink now or anytime over the next decade or more. This is a lot of wine for the money!

Price: Hidden

2014 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Winery Direct Library Release)

Review Date: 12-19-2025

We have a very special offering today: an absolutely delicious, beautifully aged Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from one of the valley’s most iconic and historic estates, Freemark Abbey. I recently secured a small parcel of 2014 Cabernet directly from the winery’s library, and with nearly a decade in bottle, this wine is squarely in its sweet spot. The 2014 vintage continues to impress me. Initially overshadowed by the acclaim surrounding 2013, it has proven to be a true sleeper, delivering wines that have aged with remarkable grace. This Cabernet shows lush dark fruit and cocoa powder, layered with the compelling secondary aromas and flavors that only time can bring. The nose is expressive and beautifully balanced, offering notes of mulberry and plum alongside dusty earth, hints of cedar, unsmoked cigar, and subtle barrel spice. On the palate, the wine is velvety and refined, with excellent concentration at its core as those secondary nuances begin to weave seamlessly around the fruit. The tannins have softened nicely, yet still provide structure and definition across the palate. This is an exceptional opportunity to enjoy a perfectly mature Napa Cabernet—nearly 12 years old—sourced directly from the winery’s cellar. I secured every bottle available, and quantities are extremely limited. I recommend acting quickly, as this is truly a one-time offering. Cheers!

Price: $59.95

DC: 95

JS: 93

RP: 92

2023 Dusty Nabor "Bentrock Vineyard" Sta Rita Hills Chardonnay

Review Date: 12-15-2025

The very name of this vineyard in the western Sta. Rita Hills is entirely fitting for the wines that this radical terroir expresses. The soils here are made up of huge chunks of flint or chert. This dense, hard rock was created as the diatomaceous parent material was bent, compressed and heated in the earth's crust by the unimaginable forces of the tectonic plates. The hills that skirt the south western edge of the appellation are formed from an uplift of this ancient seabed rock. The wines coming from here have a distinctive liquid rock, stony, salty mineral quality that is captured perfectly in this complex Chardonnay from Dusty Nabor. A young, up and coming winemaker, producing some of the most exciting wines from the region, Dusty's wines are not to be missed by folks of love more savory, mineral driven styles with tension, focus and precision. If you've enjoyed wines from Tyler, Domaine de la Cote, The Hilt, Sandi, and Ojai etc, you have to check these wines out. Really distinctive, compelling wines. And, of course, we have amazing pricing!

Price: Hidden

WE: 95

2023 Anonymous Wine Collective Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

Review Date: 11-26-2025

I'm beyond excited to bring these next Anonymous releases to you! I have huge ambitions for what we can achieve with this project, and this duo of Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay and Pinot Noir represent the next leap forward in the plan. I think these wines are probably the most exciting bottlings yet under Anonymous especially since I know the caliber of the producer that we partnered with! Again, we're sworn to secrecy here but what I can tell you is that this Pinot Noir is entirely estate-grown and produced in the Santa Cruz Mountains by one of the most highly revered producers in the region. The vineyards are farmed according to organic and biodynamic protocols, with a big focus on heritage clonal material and high-density hillside plantings. The Pinot Noir is fermented using around 30% whole-clusters, in tiny one-ton micro-fermentations. Native yeast and gentle hand-punch downs are used for precise and delicate extraction. The wine is then aged in top notch French cooperage, around 15% new oak. This wine is absolutely singing aromatically - a bouquet of fresh picked roses, bay laurel, baking spice and dried citrus peel. The palate is so pure and vibrant with juicy red berry fruits, cool raspberry, Alpine strawberry, some complex amaro-like herbs and sassafras elements. Texturally the wine is lifted and elegant, with very fine silky tannins, and perfectly crunchy acidity that buoys the ripe red fruits perfectly. Savory Coastal Redwood grove elements add some extra intrigue and very typical terroir driven flavors to the wine highlighting its cool climate, mountain origins. So enjoyable and expressive as a young wine, tasting great from the first sip, but I know from experience that these wines also age beautifully, and I hope I'll be diligent enough to save a few bottles to drink 10 years from now and be very happy. Simply unbelievable value for money here at more than 50% off the typical cost of this exact same juice. I couldn't be more stoked on how this bottling turned out! Enjoy, cheers!

Price: Hidden

2023 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Review Date: 11-24-2025

Before Ridge’s 2023 Lytton Springs was awarded Wine Spectator’s #3 Wine of the Year in 2025, it had already picked up a casual 98-point score from Jeb Dunnuck! As one of the most historic vineyards and wineries in the state, the team at Ridge never take their status and success for granted. They’re always looking for ways to improve their farming and winemaking, and take their role as stewards of these 100+ year-old vineyards very seriously. The 2023 Lytton is truly magical. The very cool growing season and late harvest in 2023 really played to the strengths of these historic, heritage vineyards. The wine possesses a natural old vine concentration, great depth and layered complexity from the field blend, but also wonderful purity and freshness from the pristine fruit. A legend in the making here.

Price: $49.95

JD: 98

DC: 96

WS: 95

2023 Anonymous Wine Collective "Pagani Ranch - Ancient Vine" Sonoma Valley Zinfandel

Review Date: 11-13-2025

An absolute classic rendition of Zinfandel this legendary, historic site. There tons of rich, brambly fruit from the old vine Zin, but also real substance and complexity from the inclusion of Alicante Bouchet and a Primitivo clone brought here by Italian immigrants over a century ago. The wine shows a real sense of place with a crushed rock and ferrous mineral tone from red iron-rich loam and volcanic cobblestones that define the soils of the site. The picture perfect growing season in 2023 gave this wine lots of vibrancy and focus to balance all that old vine concentration and potency. The subtle use of both French and American oak is a well known signature when combined with this beautiful fruit. The value here, as with all the Anonymous wines is simply outstanding! Enjoy!

Price: Hidden

2023 Anonymous Wine Collective Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

Review Date: 11-06-2025

I'm beyond excited to bring these next Anonymous releases to you! I have huge ambitions for what we can achieve with this project, and this duo of Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay and Pinot Noir represent the next leap forward in the plan. I think these wines are probably the most exciting bottlings yet under Anonymous especially since I know the caliber of the producer that we partnered with! Again, we're sworn to secrecy here but what I can tell you is that this Chardonnay is entirely estate-grown and produced in the Santa Cruz Mountains by one of the most highly revered producers in the region. The vineyards are farmed according to organic and biodynamic protocols, with a big focus on heritage clonal material and high-density hillside plantings. The wine is fermented in French oak with native yeast. The barrels are mostly neutral with just 15% new oak. This is a stunningly focused, mineral driven Chardonnay with ethereal concentration of flavor and vibrancy. White meadow flowers soaked in morning dew. Bright, juicy citrus grove fruit, some hints of Golden Delicious apple, toasted almond, chalky minerals, resonating saline minerals are so long and salivating on the palate. The team behind this wine is focused on small-lot, artisanal winemaking. This wine is simply a barrel selection we put together with them specifically for the Anonymous Wine Collective project. I'm lucky enough to have a long, personal relationship with this producer, and I'm absolutely thrilled they chose to partner with us on these wines. At half the price of the regular bottling, for the exact same quality and pedigree the value here is simply astounding. Unbeatable QPR and a wine that I'd happily put into to a blind tasting with Chardonnay from anywhere in the world at 3-4 times the price and be confident that it would more than hold its own. Don't miss this stunner! Cheers!

Price: Hidden

2023 Method California Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 10-31-2025

Who doesn't love a bargain!? I most certainly LOVE finding wines that deliver amazing quality at modest price points. However, I also know that cheap (or should I say inexpensive) often doesn't correlate with great...and life is too short to drink bad wine. So I'm meticulous, demanding, even downright judgemental even on wines that are below $20. Because you can't give bad a wines a pass just because they're cheap. Well, here's a wine that needs no such pass. This wine absolutely explodes the QPR category and sets an extremely high bar for any of the competition. We have been working closely with the Precision Wine Co. Method Cab for a while now and weren't surprised at all when the 2023 Method California Cab was named as the *No.1 Best Buy Value of the Year* by Wine Enthusiast. Now think about, out of tens of thousands of wines reviewed in 2025, this Cab was deemed the Best Value of them all! When you pour a glass you'll understand why. This is serious juice for an extremely affordable price point. Classic varietal aromas and flavors of ripe blackcurrant, dark plum, cocoa powder, subtle vanilla oak tones. The palate is ripe and juicy with soft, supple dark fruit, hints of dried herbs, and dusty earth. Round, soft and approachable, but never feeling fake or manipulated like so many wines in this category. At it's typical $20 price point this wine is an amazing deal...at our Insider's Advantage pricing is a downright steal. A party wine extraordinaire, load up!

Price: Hidden

WE: 94

2022 PROJECT M "Bednarik Vineyard" Tualatin Hills Pinot Noir

Review Date: 10-29-2025

We have just a small parcel of these tiny production wines from Project M winery in Oregon. The Bednarik Vineyard Pinot Noir comes from a very interesting site in the little known, but historic sub-region of Tualatin Hills. This area is home to several older plantings of Pinot Noir, Bednarik Vineyard being one of the jewels. Planted over 40 years ago, these own-rooted, dry-farmed, Pommard selection vines produces wines of incredible depth and character. There's a deep, brooding, brambly resonance to the wine. Quite dark fruited, blackberry, forest fruits, dusty earth, moss, warming spices, and hints of leather, too. Medium plus bodied, great fruit density in the attack, but long, persistent acidity really draws out the palate nicely with some of the more savory, earthy tones. We have a limited amount of wine at a really great price, so if this one appeals to you, get what you can before it's too late.

Price: Hidden

JD: 93

VN: 93

WE: 91

2024 Wrath "EX" Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc

Review Date: 10-24-2025

This bright, vibrant, explosive Sauv Blanc is entirely estate-grown at Wrath's SIP Certified Sustainable San Saba Vineyard in Monterey. The vineyard is nestled up against the Santa Lucia Highlands, just a few feet too low in elevation to make the offical AVA, but sharing the characteristics of this ultra cool climate growing region. The clone is 100% Sauvignon Musqué, that provides a particularly aromatic, lifted expression of the varietal. The vines grow in extremely gravelly soils laid down by the Arroyo Secco River. Cool winds and daily fog from the Monterey Bay, combined with the very rocky soils give this wine a saline, mineral undercurrent that compliments the juicy, upfront fruit components. Try this wine is oysters, moules marinières, or with crunchy crudité vegetables with an herb-infused aioli. An amazing value, and a great wine to have around the house when you need something versatile and refreshing.

Price: $14.95

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$9.99

WE: 91

2021 Evidence "Bruadair Vineyard" Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 10-03-2025

I love a wine with a great backstory, and this one is a beauty. Back in 1986, Jason Court, owner / winemaker of Evidence Wines was just out of college, living in Chicago. To pay the bills he got gig bartending where he met a guy by the name of Chris Carpenter. They became fast friends, and kept in touch over the years as life pulled them in various directions. Jason made his way in to TV and movie production and was living and working in LA. Chris Carpenter (as many of you probably figured out) became one of the most celebrated winemakers of a generation in Napa Valley. Chris makes the wines at Lokoya, Cardinale, La Jota, Mount Brave and others. His prowess with mountain-grown Napa Cabernet is quite frankly second to none. In the early 2000s a wave of strikes in the entertainment business left Jason out of work and with time to burn. He connected with Chris and arranged to head up to Napa and work harvest for a few weeks while the ongoing labor disputes got settled. 23 years later, Jason is still in Napa, working alongside Chris at Cardinale! He's learned a great deal from his longtime friend and mentor and gotten his hands on some pretty darn exceptional grapes, too! In 2016 after 20+ years of working in the cellar, with encouragement from Chris Carpenter, Jason decided to buy a few tons of fruit and create his own personal label. The Evidence wines are tiny production, made at Cardinale winery, and made from the best grapes money can buy in Napa. The 2021 Evidence "Bruadair Vineyard" Mt Veeder Cab shows exactly well Jason learned his craft from Chris. This is a massive, monumental Cabernet with huge concentrated fruit, structure, extract and a firm core of classic Veeder rocky minerality. The dense, muscular black and blue fruit is enveloped in luxurious oak with rich spices and dark cocoa tones. Creme de cassis, blackberry puree, damson jam, charred oak notes, crushed rock, graphite, leather and spice box. This wine has formidable structure is isn't for the faint of heart. A true "steakhouse wine". Have with a wood grilled tomahawk steak or braised shorts ribs. If you're drinking it anytime in the next 5 years, an hours decant will serve you well.

Price: Hidden

JD: 96

JS: 95

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