K&L Wine Merchants - Ryan Woodhouse Reviews

2019 Ink Grade Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 08-13-2026

For a limited time, we have exceptionally low, exclusive Insider’s Advantage pricing on this mountain-grown Napa Cabernet from Ink Grade. Ink Grade sits on the eastern slopes of Howell Mountain, overlooking Chiles Valley. Portions of the vineyard fall just below the AVA’s official 1,500-foot elevation line, so the wine is bottled as Napa Valley Cabernet - but its character is Howell Mountain to the core. Much of the estate is dramatically steep, with terraces carved into rocky volcanic slopes. The property is owned by Demeine Estates, which also owns Heitz Cellar and Stony Hill, and is farmed according to certified organic and biodynamic protocols. Winemaker Matt Taylor has worked at a number of top properties, including a long stint just over the hill at the legendary Eisele Vineyard, so it’s fair to say he knows a thing or two about crafting classically styled, age-worthy Napa Cabernet. There’s plenty of mountain power here, but this is far from just brawn and brute force. A beautiful aromatic lift captures the wild chaparral character that is so distinctive of Howell Mountain. Briary red fruit, plum, graphite, singed cedar, exotic oak spice, and hot stone unfold in layers. The palate is long and deeply structured, with ample tannin but a polished, refined feel that keeps everything in balance. And what a price we have on this bottle almost 50% off a wine that typically sells for $80-$90! At this level of quality and pedigree, I don’t expect it to last long.

Price: Hidden

2021 Jonive (Moon Dust Vineyard) Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Review Date: 08-13-2026

This bottle shows exactly why the terroir of the Sebastopol Hills is so coveted for producing highly expressive, elegant, cool-climate Pinot Noir, and why this specific locale will soon have its own dedicated AVA. The 2021 Pinot Noir has a magical balance of vibrant forest berry fruit, with hints of darker, more brambly fruit emerging with air. Warm earthy spices, sandalwood, clove, blackcurrant leaf, and spiced citrus peel add layers of complexity. The wine is finely poised, refined, and elegant, with impeccable purity and freshness. With a few years of bottle age already under its belt, it’s drinking beautifully now and should continue to evolve gracefully over the next 2–5 years and beyond.

Price: Hidden

DC: 93

WS: 93

2022 Jonive "Moon Dust Vineyard" Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Review Date: 08-13-2026

The Jonive Chardonnay is pretty close to my perfect bottle of Chardonnay. If you’ve read my reviews before, you probably know exactly what’s coming next: richness and restraint. This wine absolutely nails that balance, combining beautifully textured, ripe, powerful fruit with electric acidity, struck-flint minerality, and wonderful vibrancy and length on the palate. The magic here is really threefold: the significant diurnal temperature swing, which helps concentrate the fruit while preserving natural acidity; the mature vines, which seem to convey a remarkable sense of place; and the pure Goldridge soils, with their ideal balance of water-holding capacity and moderate fertility for naturally balanced vines. Okay, maybe it’s fourfold, because there’s also some seriously dialed-in winemaking from seasoned veteran Vance Rose. All in all, this is a beautiful bottle of Chardonnay, powerful yet precise, richly textured yet energetic, and it drinks exceptionally well right now. At this price, it’s an absolute steal.

Price: Hidden

WE: 95

VN: 92

WS: 91

2023 Baker & Hamilton Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 08-11-2026

The Baker & Hamilton Cabernet is a total sleeper wine that continues to fly under the radar for many folks. The second wine of Vine Hill Ranch (VHR), this entirely estate-grown and produced Cabernet comes from one of the most highly regarded and critically acclaimed parcels of vines in all of Napa Valley. VHR’s flagship wine regularly earns perfect 100-point scores and costs $325 per bottle. Baker & Hamilton comes from the same estate vineyards and is made by the same winemaker. Vine Hill Ranch sits at the southwestern end of Oakville, right on the border with Yountville, nestled against the Mayacamas Mountains. Immediately to the south lies Dominus Estate. To the east is Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper, once part of Vine Hill Ranch. Just to the north are Harlan Estate and Martha’s Vineyard. This is truly sacred ground for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines grow on an ideal alluvial fan of coarse gravels washed down from the mountains over millennia. The peaks to the west also provide critical afternoon shade, helping preserve varietal character, acidity, and freshness through the growing season. The wine is made by famed winemaker Françoise Peschon, whose résumé includes decades of producing world-class Cabernet at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Araujo Eisele Vineyard, Accendo, Heimark, and others. Trained at UC Davis and in Bordeaux, including a stint at Château Haut-Brion, Peschon has a remarkable ability to combine power and grace seamlessly. In a strong vintage like 2023, second wines can be an especially savvy choice. There was a bounty of top-quality fruit, and the long, cool, near-perfect growing season allowed winemakers to pick exactly when they wanted, without major heat spikes or other issues compromising fruit quality. In the cellar, the top parcels and barrels are selected for the premier VHR bottling. The remaining estate lots are blended into Baker & Hamilton and sold for a fraction of the price while retaining much of the same pedigree, character, and quality. At a recent staff tasting, the sales team and I kept coming back to how much this wine reminded us of Dominus right next door. There’s beautifully detailed red and black fruit, a suave, silky texture from refined tannins, subtle earthy spice, and savory notes of leather, tobacco, and seared meat. It’s an incredibly refined, perfumed, detailed Cabernet. There’s plenty of power and lush fruit, but that’s almost a given in Napa Valley. What I love about this wine is the refinement, purity, and sense of place that are hallmarks of this magical parcel of land. I think it absolutely crushes many wines costing significantly more and will continue to do so for a decade or longer in the cellar. This is an extremely smart buy in the world of high-end Napa Cabernet.

Price: Hidden

2021 Strala Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 08-04-2026

What do you think it would cost to take ultra-premium Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from a highly renowned vineyard in one of Napa Valley’s most exclusive and expensive sub-regions, then have it crafted into wine by one of the valley’s most sought-after cult winemakers? Now put that wine into a beautiful screen-printed, hand-waxed bottle and add a 96-point score from a top wine publication. What would you expect to pay - $150? $200? Well, today we have exactly that, exclusively through Insider’s Advantage, for under $50! Here are the details: the 2021 Strala Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced predominantly from La Montagne Vineyard on Pritchard Hill, with celebrated neighbors including Colgin, Bryant, Ovid, Realm, and Chappellet. The wine was made at Atelier Melka by superstar winemaker Maayan Koschitzky, whose résumé includes Screaming Eagle, Lail, Dalla Valle, and Checkerboard. This is a stunning bottle, inside and out, delivering truly luxurious, cult-Napa Cabernet character at a price that seems practically impossible given the wine’s pedigree. Powerful, bold, and unapologetically modern, it oozes class from the first pour. Hedonistic layers of ripe dark fruit, crème de cassis, blackberry preserves, and exotic oak spice unfold across a rich, mouth-filling texture. Yet for all its decadence and generosity, the wine never loses sight of its mountain origins. Powerful structure, savory graphite, a volcanic mineral core, and hints of wild mountain herbs and chaparral bring complexity and definition beyond the opulent fruit. This is a wine that both looks and tastes seriously expensive, yet thanks to our huge Insider’s Advantage discount, is remarkably affordable. It is sure to strike a chord with a lot of Cabernet lovers, so don’t sleep on it. This is a one-time deal, and it will sell out.

Price: Hidden

DC: 96

2021 Hanzell "Estate" Moon Mountain District Pinot Noir

Review Date: 08-03-2026

Today we have an incredible offer from a winery that simply does not make deals on its wines. Should you choose to read no further, know this: this is absolutely world-class Pinot Noir at a price that is unheard of. A wine capable of standing toe-to-toe with any Pinot Noir-based wine on the planet without flinching. And at a price 50% lower than you'll find it elsewhere. Hanzell is one of my three favorite wineries in all of California. This iconic property possesses an extraordinary combination of history, pedigree, quality, and innovation. First and foremost, Hanzell is one of the most historic wineries in the state. It is home to California’s oldest continuously producing blocks of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, planted in 1953. The winery was also the first to use stainless steel tanks for commercial wine production - commonplace today, but revolutionary at the time - and the first to isolate the strain of bacteria responsible for malolactic fermentation in wine. The estate has long been renowned for producing world-class wines with the ability to cellar gracefully for decades. I have personally enjoyed Hanzell Pinot Noirs from the 1960s and Chardonnays from the 1970s that remained vibrant, complex, and utterly delicious. Given that history and pedigree, you might imagine Hanzell simply resting on its laurels and cruising on reputation. Nothing could be further from the truth. Today, Hanzell Estate may be the most progressively farmed vineyard and farm I have ever experienced. Fully explaining the level of detail and intention behind the estate’s holistic farming and commitment to biodiversity would require a thesis-length breakdown of everything the team does in its stewardship of the land. A visit to the property reveals just how extraordinary the farming program has become and why Hanzell now stands as a modern standard-bearer for regenerative, holistic, closed-loop agriculture. I can think of no better example of a more thoughtfully farmed and meticulously crafted true wine of terroir. The sheer amount of care, intention, labor, and craftsmanship invested in these wines is second to none - and I mean that wholeheartedly. The many glowing critical reviews of this wine will provide more than enough aroma and flavor descriptors to communicate just how complex and delicious it is. What I hope to convey here is the larger importance of Hanzell: not only the staggering achievements of the past seven decades, but also the estate’s tireless pursuit of a brighter future. Better farming. Better soils. Healthier ecosystems. Better livelihoods for the people who live and work on the estate. Jason Jardine - president, farmer, winemaker - and the entire team at Hanzell are deeply aware of the estate’s history and significance. Yet rather than allowing that pedigree to become an excuse for complacency, they use it as continued motivation to pursue greater excellence, meaningful progress, and an even more thoughtful expression of this remarkable place.

Price: Hidden

2022 Mallea (Tyler) Santa Barbara County Rhône Red Blend

Review Date: 07-31-2026

Mallea is back with a new vintage, and once again it’s a strong contender for the best-value bottle of wine in our entire inventory. Now, that’s a bold statement, but let me explain. Mallea is a collaborative project between Eric Mallea of Sanford and Justin Willett of Tyler. Eric is the longtime vineyard manager for Sanford Winery, whose estate holdings include the legendary Sanford & Benedict and La Rinconada Vineyards. For Mallea, Eric hand-selects top-notch fruit from other vineyards he farms throughout the region, giving him control over quality from soil to bottle. For the winemaking, he partnered with longtime friend Justin Willett of Tyler Winery fame. Long regarded as one of the most talented winemakers in Santa Barbara County (if not all of California) Justin brings incredible experience and pedigree to the cellar. The Mallea wines were designed to seriously over-deliver in the $25–$30 category. At our massively discounted, winery-direct pricing, this wine is absolutely maxing out the QPR however you look at it. And don’t just take my word for it...ask any of our sales staff. At a recent round of staff tastings, this wine made just about everything else in the lineup look silly. It’s simply unbelievably delicious at an unheard-of price for handcrafted, high-quality, small-production wine. A classic Southern Rhône-inspired blend of Grenache (44%), Syrah (42%), and Mourvèdre (14%), this is made with truly artisanal, small-lot techniques. The fruit is fermented with partial whole clusters and native yeast in open-top wooden vats, then aged in neutral French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. The wine is medium-plus bodied, with lovely deep red and black fruits. The mid-palate is plush yet fresh and vibrant, with polished tannins and savory hints of warm earth, dried garrigue, and hard-ground spices lingering through the finish. So complete, delicious, and beautifully balanced. It’s hard to believe a wine this tasty can be this inexpensive!

Price: $9.95

VN: 92

2024 Stony Hill "SHV" Napa Valley Chardonnay

Review Date: 07-30-2026

This is one of the most compelling bottles of Chardonnay I've drunk in some time. A laser-focused wine with incredible tension and reverberating minerality. The iconic Stony Hill property on Spring Mountain is now owned by Demeine Estates, which also owns the legendary Heitz Cellar and historic Haynes Vineyard in Coombsville. With this new Napa Valley-appellated bottling, winemaker Reid Griggs flexes his fruit-sourcing prowess, combining Chardonnay from Heitz's Quartz Creek Vineyard in Oak Knoll and Haynes Vineyard in Coombsville with a little Stony Hill Spring Mountain estate fruit to create something truly special. These world-class Chardonnay vineyards have been woven together seamlessly, each complementing the others perfectly. The style of the wine is very much in keeping with how Stony Hill has made its age-worthy Chardonnay for many decades. The wine has searing acidity, was not put through malolactic fermentation, and was aged with only a sparing use of new oak. It's linear, focused, and bristling with electric energy. In the glass it reveals struck flint, preserved lemon, crystalline white peach, ripe citrus, barley water, citrus oil, split white oak, and wet river stone. With time in the glass, the wine keeps opening up and gaining mid-palate texture and depth. So wonderfully layered and complex. This is amazing and so energized now as a young Chardonnay, but it's clearly a wine built to age for decades. If you love mature Chardonnay, forget a few bottles of this in your cellar for 15–20 years. I bet it will be spectacular.

Price: $49.95

JS: 97

DC: 95

2024 Brick & Mortar Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

Review Date: 07-25-2026

Another rocking value, the 2024 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir from Brick & Mortar showcases the dark, brambly fruit character I always associate with this region. A little deeper and more brooding than the Sonoma Coast bottling, it leans toward blackberry, dark cherry, dried herbs, and forest floor. Polished tannins and a subtle touch of oak spice lift the wine and linger through the finish. It is still a baby, but already drinking beautifully, needing only a few swirls in the glass to awaken the aromas. Incredible QPR.

Price: Hidden

JD: 94

JS: 94

2024 Brick & Mortar Anderson Valley Chardonnay

Review Date: 07-25-2026

Showing that they are every bit as skilled with Chardonnay as they are with Pinot Noir, Matt and Alexis bottle this wine simply as Anderson Valley, even though it comes entirely from a single renowned vineyard: Ferrington. You may recognize the Ferrington name from iconic producers such as Williams Selyem, which have long sourced fruit from this mature Anderson Valley site. The wine offers beautifully crystalline golden orchard fruit, ripe citrus, spiced apple pie, salted almond, and stone-ground flour. The balance between fruit and minerality is spot-on, with generous ripeness matched by wonderful tension and verve. This is a seriously sophisticated Chardonnay at a remarkably reasonable price. Awesome stuff!

Price: Hidden

JS: 94

JD: 93

2023 Brick & Mortar Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Review Date: 07-25-2026

Matt and Alexis Iaconis, the husband-and-wife duo behind Brick & Mortar Wines, continue to produce some of the most consistently delicious and exceptional-value wines in the state. These wines overdeliver in every way. The 2023 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir actually comes from a single vineyard in Carneros, right on the edge of San Pablo Bay. The fruit is sourced from 25+ year-old vines farmed under certified organic standards. Elegant and silky, the wine is packed with juicy, ripe fruit, offering notes of red berries, alpine strawberry, nutmeg, and dried rose petal. This is simply crazy delicious at such a modest price point. There are hundreds of $50+ Pinot Noirs out there that can’t come close to the quality in this bottle.

Price: Hidden

WE: 93

2024 Anonymous Wine Collective SLO Coast Pinot Noir

Review Date: 07-21-2026

Our latest Pinot Noir from the Anonymous Wine Collective comes from the newly minted SLO Coast AVA. This ultra-cool-climate growing region on California’s Central Coast has long been renowned for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and other aromatic white varieties, but has now been formally recognized with the creation of an AVA defined by its immediate proximity to the Pacific Ocean. We partnered with one of the region’s most celebrated and critically acclaimed producers to craft this entirely estate-grown and produced Pinot Noir from vineyards located just a few miles from the coast. The fruit was hand-harvested and meticulously sorted before undergoing open-top, native fermentation with 10% whole-cluster inclusion. Each block was handled separately until the final barrel selections were made, bringing together our favorite components into one seamless expression of the SLO Coast. The wine is effusively aromatic and pure - a silky, highly perfumed expression of Pinot Noir that is drinking beautifully right out of the gate. Yet, knowing the reputation of this estate, it should also age gracefully for many years to come. Once again, our commitment to preserving the anonymity of our winery partners allows us to offer this wine at a fraction of the price it would command under the regular label. I hope you enjoy it. Cheers!

Price: Hidden

2024 Anonymous Wine Collective "Heritage Block" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 07-20-2026

The latest Cabernet from the Anonymous Wine Collective is a truly special wine with an incredible backstory. I was lucky enough to walk among the vines with the winemaker and hand-pick barrels in the cellar to put together the final blend. It has been an absolute joy to help create this tiny, 200-case bottling from a historic block of vines that played an instrumental role in putting Napa Cabernet on the global map. The block of vines from which this wine originates was planted in 1974. It sits above the valley floor on a perfect alluvial bench at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains, along the western edge of the valley. The vines, an old heritage clone of Cabernet grafted onto St. George rootstock, grow in extremely rocky soils composed of weathered basalt and compressed volcanic ash, or tuff. From the late 1970s through the 1980s, fruit from this very block was a component of early Opus One bottlings and was blended into Robert Mondavi’s iconic Reserve Cabernet alongside To Kalon fruit (apparently to add structure!) My initial dream was to bottle a pure Cabernet Sauvignon from these 50-plus-year-old vines. However, while tasting barrels, I fell in love with some Merlot and Petit Verdot from a neighboring block planted in the mid-1990s. After trying several renditions of a Bordeaux-style blend, I decided to add equal parts Merlot and Petit Verdot to the cuvée, as they beautifully complemented the dense, brooding old-vine Cabernet. The final blend was literally scribbled on the back of a napkin and sealed with a handshake. Once the components were racked together, the finished wine went back into barrel (Taransaud barrels, no less) for several more months, allowing everything to marry before bottling. Even though this wine is still an absolute baby, the quality is already clear to see. It is inky, brooding, and powerful, with an uncommon depth of black fruit, crushed rock, savory graphite, cedar, bay laurel, and beautifully integrated barrel spice. Please decant the wine for at least an hour if drinking it anytime soon, allowing it time to open up. I think it will be in fine form by this coming autumn and should have more than 20 years of aging potential. This is a wine I am incredibly proud of and one I will be enjoying on special occasions for many years to come!

Price: Hidden

2023 Carboniste "Whale" California Sparkling Chardonnay

Review Date: 07-20-2026

Today we have a wine that proves classy, luxurious, dynamic sparkling wine doesn't have to break the bank! Carboniste has long been a favorite here at K&L with its outstanding range of bubbly, spanning everything from delightfully esoteric pét-nats to traditional method, grower-Champagne-inspired wines from top single-vineyard sites. Carboniste is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Dan and Jacqueline Person. They are fully committed to small-batch sparkling wines and work out of a modest warehouse winery in Sonoma. Dan is a true master of his craft and has become a trusted source of knowledge for many of his peers in the industry on all things sparkling wine. Many of Carboniste's labels feature ocean creatures: octopus, urchin, crab...but today we're featuring the grandest of ocean voyagers: the whale. Carboniste's Whale Sparkling Wine is Chardonnay-based, with parcels of fruit sourced from Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Sonoma counties. The really intriguing thing here is that rather than maturing the wine for an extended period on tirage, Dan ages the still base wines for up to 32 months in neutral oak casks before giving the wine another 12 months on its lees in bottle. The wine is then hand-disgorged and finished with a very minimal dosage. This unique approach perfectly captures the rich, golden fruit and unctuous texture of California Chardonnay while combining it with coastal freshness, saline minerality, and subtle toasty notes from the lees aging. The low dosage keeps the wine bright, vibrant, and zesty on the palate, drawing you back for another mouthwatering sip. This is a stunning bottle of sparkling wine from a small boutique producer at an exceptional price. It's no surprise this earned a massive 98-point score from Jeb Dunnuck, it's a winner through and through.

Price: $29.95

JD: 98

2019 Zaca Mesa "Estate - Z Cuvee" Santa Ynez Valley Rhône Blend

Review Date: 07-16-2026

This pricing on Zaca Mesa’s “Z Cuvée” is just plain ridiculous. The winery is under new ownership, and some upcoming rebranding and repositioning of the wines has prompted them to offer simply incredible deals on current inventory. As you “Insiders” know, here at K&L we don’t like to pass up a too-good-to-be-true deal, so we backed up the truck on this one! Honestly, this wine is a solid value at its typical $25-$30 price. At under $10, it’s an absolute steal. Zaca Mesa is a stalwart producer in Santa Barbara County, with a long history of crafting benchmark wines (especially Rhône varietals) dating back to the late 1970s. Its estate vineyards are firmly established, with mature vines, top-notch farming practices, and a longstanding commitment to quality over quantity. Winemaker Kristin Bryden has been with Zaca Mesa since 2011 and knows the estate inside and out. Traditional, artisanal winemaking, relying on the exceptional raw material produced by the 150-acre estate, is the name of the game here. These are authentic, well-made wines of real integrity. The 2019 Z Cuvée is just hitting its stride and entering a perfect drinking window. There’s an abundance of rich, dark fruit - plum, blackberry, and black cherry - alongside complex notes of dusty earth, garam masala, and smoked meat. Medium to full-bodied, it shows just the subtlest hint of bottle age beginning to emerge beneath the still-robust primary fruit. This wine should remain in its prime pop-and-pour window for the next two to five years and massively overdelivers on quality and complexity at this laughably low price.

Price: Hidden

WE: 94

2006 Kathryn Kennedy "Estate" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (Winery Direct Library Release)

Review Date: 07-06-2026

This wine is absolute magic in a bottle - a simply stunning, perfectly aged, world-class Cabernet Sauvignon that can stand toe-to-toe with any challenger. Its local competition would be neighboring Ridge Monte Bello or Mount Eden, and I would happily put this wine side-by-side with an aged Monte Bello without hesitation. It would have no problem rising to the challenge. Run it against the most famous names from Napa Valley, too. Trust me, this is as good as aged California Cabernet gets, period. This is a truly unprecedented opportunity to offer a 20-year-old library release with incredible historical pedigree from one of the most unique and singular vineyards in the country. The price we’re offering is almost too good to be true - $150 less per bottle than the wine is currently selling for elsewhere. I recently drank a bottle of this wine with my family and was floored by the quality, and by the absolutely perfect stage of development it has reached. After 20 years in bottle, the wine still has beautifully rich, pure Cabernet fruit, but it also shows the suave and sophisticated complexity that can only come from graceful aging. The once-formidable mountain tannins are now silky, elegant, and perfectly resolved. Since the 1970s, Kathryn Kennedy’s postage-stamp vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains has been renowned for powerful, age-worthy, Bordeaux-inspired Cabernet Sauvignon. Since 1981, Kathryn’s son Marty has been crafting the wines, and after Kathryn’s passing in 2009, he continued the legacy of producing exceptional wines from this small but mighty terroir. K&L has long carried these wines. A quick check of our database shows SKUs going all the way back to the 1970s and 1980s. I have known Marty personally since 2010 and have always admired the way he continues to honor his mother’s legacy, producing wines of integrity and quality above all else. Recently, Marty and I struck a deal to sell some parcels of library wine at extra-sharp pricing. I asked him which vintages he thought were particularly compelling right now, and he immediately suggested 2006 as one of the favorite wines of his long career. The bottle he sent me confirmed what I already knew would be a heartfelt recommendation, and here we are with today’s offer. If you enjoy beautifully aged Cabernet, be it from Napa, Bordeaux, or anywhere else, you have to try this wine. If you already know the wines of Kathryn Kennedy and saw the price, you’ve likely already filled your cart. Do not miss this opportunity: perfect provenance, a 20-year library release, and once-in-a-lifetime pricing. Enjoy!

Price: Hidden

2023 Cordant "Solomon Hills Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

Review Date: 07-01-2026

Solomon Hills is the sister property to Bien Nacido, also owned and farmed by the Miller family. This vineyard sits on the opposite side of the Santa Maria Valley from Bien Nacido and is significantly closer to the ocean. The vines grow on rolling hills of ancient sand dunes and are constantly impacted by cold winds and salty ocean fog. Wines from Solomon Hills are always distinctive and wildly aromatic, combining crunchy berry fruits with savory, amaro-like herbs and underbrush. This eye-opening release from Cordant is no different. The wine leaps from the glass with just-ripe dark cherry, pomegranate, sassafras, freshly turned earth, and alpine herbs. Lithe and fresh, with linear acidity and tension running through the somewhat briary fruit. Complex, layered, and a wine that draws you back to the glass time and time again.

Price: Hidden

WE: 96

2023 Cordant "Radian Vineyard" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Review Date: 07-01-2026

Radian is undoubtedly one of the greatest vineyards planted on the Central Coast in the past few decades. Owned and farmed by The Hilt Estate, under the same ownership as Jonata and Screaming Eagle, this vineyard continues to raise the bar for quality in the entire region. A remote, hilltop site in the frigid southwestern portion of the Sta. Rita Hills, Radian flirts with being too cold to consistently ripen fruit. But as we all know, marginal sites that have winemakers biting their nails most vintages also tend to produce magical wines that are beyond comparison. The grapevine often does its best work when pushed to the limit of viability. Radian has soils composed of mixed diatomaceous earth, calcareous clay, and fractured chert or flint. The vineyard has many undulations and varied aspects, all contributing to the power, tension, and complexity of the wines grown here.

Price: Hidden

WE: 94

2023 Cordant "Escolle Vineyard" Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

Review Date: 07-01-2026

Escolle Vineyard is perhaps not quite as well known as the other vineyards in this formidable lineup, but it is not one to be overlooked. In the past five years or so, Escolle Vineyard has very quickly established itself as a premier Pinot Noir and Chardonnay site. Owned and farmed by the multigenerational Caraccioli family, much of the fruit grown at this very cool, windswept hillside vineyard goes into the production of traditional-method sparkling wines. The rocky, decomposed granite soils, constant winds off Monterey Bay, and northeastern-facing aspect of the vineyard mean that fruit here retains wonderful freshness and purity, with a complex underlying mineral component. Immaculate attention to detail in the farming of the vineyard means that grapes from Escolle are highly sought after. Several recent releases from Escolle have reached 98 points from esteemed wine critics, firmly establishing its place in the upper echelon of single-vineyard sites. Cordant’s expression is fragrant and pure, showing bright red fruits, lifted baking spices, floral notes, alpine herbs, crushed raspberry, clove, and wet clay. So silky and fine on the palate, with wonderful vibrancy and energy. An exciting wine from a vineyard quickly gaining a reputation for brilliance.

Price: Hidden

WE: 94

2023 Cordant "Bien Nacido Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

Review Date: 07-01-2026

I love Bien Nacido Vineyard. I have worked with fruit from this OG vineyard since my formative years in the California wine business at Bonny Doon nearly 20 years ago. Planted in 1973, this incredible vineyard on the northern bench of the Santa Maria Valley has long been held in high regard as one of California’s Grand Crus. Wines from Bien Nacido rose to fame with the likes of Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, Adam Tolmach of Ojai, and Bob Lindquist of Qupé consistently producing exceptional, ageworthy wines from the site. Others, such as Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non, followed as the vineyard’s reputation grew in stature. Still family-owned by the Miller family after more than 50 vintages, the quality of fruit grown at Bien Nacido is beyond reproach. Cordant produced a stunning wine in 2023 that is a faithful representation of this historic vineyard. The vineyard’s signature wild, sauvage, bramble-like edge to the fruit is immediately apparent. Ripe dark red fruits, warming spices, blackcurrant leaf, truffle, and dried herbs mingle with the brooding dark berry fruit. Classic Bien Nacido in every regard. Delicious now with a nice 30- to 40-minute decant to allow the structure to relax, or enjoy it over the next decade as more complexity builds around the primary core of fruit.

Price: Hidden

WE: 93

2010 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Winery Direct Library Release)

Review Date: 06-29-2026

After the mild and relatively straightforward 2009 vintage, 2010 was a roller coaster. Heavy rainfall in January and February pushed budbreak back by two to three weeks, and additional rains in May disrupted flowering, leading to a lighter crop with varied cluster and berry sizes. Very cool conditions persisted through June and July, with very little summer heat. Some grape growers, concerned by the slow ripening curve, began pulling leaves to expose clusters directly to the sun. This proved to be a costly mistake when a serious heat wave arrived in late August, causing some fruit to suffer from sunburn and raisining. Those who stayed the course with a steady hand were rewarded with a long Indian summer, with temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s stretching well into September and helping make up for the cool start to the growing season. Overall, the vintage is characterized by intense, dark-fruited wines with serious concentration and a somewhat brooding personality. That vintage character is certainly on display here in the remarkable 2010 Freemark Abbey Napa Cabernet. Darker-fruited than the 2009, with a little more structure, power, and moodiness, this wine shows rich mulberry, cassis, graphite, and crushed rock at its core. Hints of leather and subtle bottle development are beginning to emerge, but in general the wine remains impressively fresh, dense, and youthful as it approaches 15 years of age in bottle. This is a powerful, deeply expressive Napa Cabernet with plenty of life still ahead.

Price: $59.95

2009 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Winery Direct Library Release)

Review Date: 06-29-2026

2009 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon The 2009 vintage is remembered fondly as a very successful year in Napa Valley, and the wines, now 15 years later, bear out that early optimism. The growing season began with below-average rainfall and a moderate amount of water stress on the vines. Weather throughout the year was relatively stable, with no dramatic heat events or untimely rains to create major issues for grape growers. The crop came in just above average, with consistently high quality across the board. In their youth, the 2009s showed a lovely balance of primary fruit and medium-plus structure. While not as concentrated or dramatic as the 2010s, the 2009s have a wonderful sense of balance, purity, and approachability. This bottling from Freemark shows the effortless grace of the vintage, with richness of fruit and mid-palate plushness carried by beautifully resolved structure. Now showing delicious secondary character, this wine is in absolute prime condition to enjoy over the next one to five years. The profile is mostly deep red-fruited, with briary, brambly elements and a lovely dusty, loamy earth component. Hints of graphite and pencil shavings mingle with unsmoked cigar, subtle bay leaf, and worn leather. Silky on the palate, the tannins are relaxed and supple, making this ready for a quick 20- to 30-minute decant and straight into the glass. So easy to enjoy, this is a lovely wine drinking perfectly right now.

Price: $59.95

2022 Groth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 06-26-2026

In a world where Napa Valley Cabernet is often over $100, and Oakville Cabernet even more expensive, Groth continues to produce one of the absolute best deals in the region. For the price and quality, there’s practically nothing that can match this wine, especially when you factor in a 95-point score from a top publication. This bottling combines Groth's estate-grown fruit with fruit from neighboring vineyards with whom they have long-term contracts. The wine is beautifully proportioned, showing lush dark fruit, blackberry, dark cherry, hints of espresso bean, cocoa powder, and toasty oak. Ripe, plush tannins make this wine approachable and easy to pop and pour for just about any occasion. A remarkably complete, delicious, and polished Cabernet for a more-than-fair price. Bravo, Groth!

Price: $49.95

DC: 95

JS: 92

WS: 90

2023 Anthill Farms "Campbell Ranch" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

Review Date: 06-26-2026

This wine was a huge hit with the staff at K&L this week, and we all agreed that Vinous’ Billy Norris absolutely nailed the tasting note, calling it “West Sonoma Coast in a glass” in his 95-point review. This racy, fresh, vibrant Chardonnay comes from a very cool vineyard site in the hamlet of Annapolis, on the far northern end of the West Sonoma Coast. Most vineyards in this region are only warm enough to ripen fruit because they sit above 1,000 feet elevation, largely above the marine fog. Campbell Ranch, however, sits around 750 feet, meaning it sees many days where fog blankets the vines and may only burn off for a few hours before returning again overnight. The result is this dynamic, electric wine, bursting with brisk, salty minerals, oyster shell, zesty citrus fruit, hints of just-ripe peach, and split white oak. As it warms in the glass, subtle fresh-baked bread notes add another layer, along with touches of Golden Delicious apple. This is a fantastic Chardonnay that will equally please lovers of Chablis and cool-climate California Chardonnay alike. Once again, thanks to our Insider’s Advantage program, we’re offering the last few cases of the vintage at a massive 50% discount!

Price: Hidden

VN: 95

RP: 92

2023 Anthill Farms "Jack Hill Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Review Date: 06-26-2026

Jack’s Hill Pinot Noir comes from a small, ultra-cool-climate vineyard on the West Sonoma Coast. This site sits just a few miles from the ocean near Bodega Bay, where the vines are constantly buffeted by cold winds and fog off the Pacific. Temperatures during the growing season very rarely exceed 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and often hover around 65-70 even on a “warm,” sunny day. The long, extended growing season allows for tremendous flavor development in this pure, elegant, bright-fruited Pinot Noir. The nose is full of red berries, dried flowers, baking spice, sassafras, and hints of dry, dusty earth. Very vibrant and focused on the palate, with just the subtlest hint of oak framing the pomegranate and raspberry fruit. Savory, woodsy spice and whole-cluster stem notes add further intrigue. What a beautiful bottle of Pinot Noir, and what an exceptional price - 50% off thanks to our Insider’s Advantage program.

Price: Hidden

VN: 95

RP: 93

2021 Acumen "PEAK" Atlas Peak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 06-18-2026

This may be one of the biggest deals of the year! We just landed a parcel of 2021 Acumen “Peak” Cabernet at a crazy price, and the wine is phenomenal. The Acumen estate sits high on Atlas Peak, producing intense, powerful, structured Cabernets with real mountain character. The winemaker behind the project is none other than Phillip Corallo-Titus of Chappellet fame. Phillip has decades of experience crafting long-lived, 100-point Cabernets, and his pedigree really shows in this wine. Atlas Peak sits just south of Pritchard Hill and shares much of the same terroir: elevation, rocky volcanic soils, and an arid climate that forces the vines to produce meager amounts of deeply concentrated fruit. The 2021 Acumen “Peak” is the top barrel selection from the estate, hand-selected for purity, power, and true mountain expression. The wine is inky and potently aromatic, bursting with mulberry, crème de cassis, camphor, graphite, toasty oak spice, and crushed-rock minerality. Full-bodied and brooding, with a dense mid-palate and smoldering dark fruit that carries into a long, structured finish. It’s youthful and hedonistic right now, delivering all the mountain intensity and formidable concentration you’d expect from this site and vintage. Knowing how well Phillip’s wines age, including Chappellet’s famed Pritchard Hill bottling, I think this has at least 20 years of longevity ahead of it, if not more. This is legit mountain-grown Napa Cabernet, from a great vintage, from a top 100-point winemaker, for an absolute steal.

Price: Hidden

TWI: 97

2021 Caelesta "Apollo - Estate" Templeton Gap District Paso Robles Red Blend

Review Date: 06-15-2026

Apollo is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend with a smaller portion of Petite Sirah. Brian consulted with legendary Napa Valley winemaker Tony Biagi of Hourglass, PlumpJack, CADE, To Kalon Wine Co., Amici, Odette, and others to help hone his Cabernet Sauvignon skills after focusing primarily on Rhône varieties. It seems to have done the trick, as this Cabernet-based blend is stunning. Very lifted, with lavender, crushed cassis, blackberry, hints of green tobacco leaf, crushed-rock minerality, and sexy oak spice around the edges. A bold but beautifully polished wine. STUNNING value at this ludicrous price.

Price: Hidden

VN: 94

JD: 92

WE: 92

2021 Big Basin "Rodnick Farm Vineyard" Chalone Gabilan Mountains Pinot Noir

Review Date: 06-12-2026

Rodnick Farm is a fascinating vineyard in one of the most distinctive and singular terroirs in all of California: the Chalone AVA. This high-elevation, mountainous region is famed for its rugged limestone soils. Sitting high in the Gabilan Mountains, very close to Pinnacles National Park and right on the San Andreas Fault, the unique geology here really informs the wines. Ancient, uplifted seabed limestone on the western side of the fault meets volcanic and granitic bedrock on the other. The region’s climate is very dry due to the rain shadow effect of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. It’s almost like a high desert up there, well above the fog line, but the region still gets significant cooling from the Pacific Ocean 40 miles away, creating dramatic diurnal swings in temperature. Rodnick Farm was planted by legendary vigneron Richard Graff in the 1980s. Graff also owned Chalone Vineyard from the 1960s and developed this vineyard right next door. This Pinot Noir is produced from those same 40+ year-old heritage Pinot Noir vines planted by Dick Graff himself. The wine is so reminiscent of the place. A real mineral core runs throughout. The fruit is a little more substantial than the Ascona Vineyard bottling, and Rodnick trades redwood forest character for more dry-land, mountain chaparral and dusty limestone elements. The fruit profile is quite brambly, and the wine has a really fascinating “sauvage” wildness to it. Whether it’s the old heritage vines or the ruggedness of this remote mountain terroir, this wine is totally captivating and such a vivid expression of place. Once again, our pricing here is just incredible for such an artisanal, high-quality wine.

Price: Hidden

2021 Big Basin "Ascona Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

Review Date: 06-12-2026

This Pinot Noir comes from one of my personal favorite vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains: Ascona Vineyard. Perched right on Skyline Blvd high above Los Gatos, this vineyard sits at 2,500 feet elevation on ancient calcareous sandstone soils that were once part of the ocean floor. The vineyard is surrounded by Redwood trees and actually looks due west to Big Basin State Park and the Pacific Ocean beyond. For the past decade, the vineyard has been meticulously farmed by Ken Swegles, one of the most renowned grape growers in the region. The quality and purity of that fruit really shines through in the wine. Pristine berry fruits, alpine strawberry, dark raspberry, coastal redwood grove nuances, freshly turned soil, spiced citrus peel, and dried floral notes all emerge from the glass. This is a supremely elegant, yet sneakily structured wine. It is at once fine and detailed, but with a subtle mountain structure underneath. As with all the Big Basin Pinots, it’s quite Burgundian in nature, but also a distinctly Santa Cruz Mountains expression of place. Drink now with a nice 30-minute decant to allow the subtleties and nuances to emerge, or lay it down comfortably for another 5-8 years. Absolutely ridiculous at this price!

Price: Hidden

VN: 94

WE: 94

2021 Doren "Reserve" Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Review Date: 06-12-2026

Today we have an absolutely incredible price on a classically styled, tiny-production Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon. Just four barrels of the 2021 Doren Reserve Cabernet were produced - only 85 cases in total. The organically grown fruit comes from two small vineyards in Glen Ellen and Kenwood and is the passion project of longtime K&L friend Ben Doren. Ben crafts this wine with meticulous attention to detail, and the Reserve bottling spent more than three years maturing in top-quality French oak, 25% of it new. The flavor profile is decidedly old school, favoring varietal typicity, balance, and nuance over sheer power and ripeness. Weighing in at a modest 13.2% ABV, it recalls local icons such as Laurel Glen and B.R. Cohn's Olive Hill Cabernet. The wine leaps from the glass with dark fruits intertwined with leafy, cigar box notes. Plummy fruit is laced with tobacco, cedar, mint, and an array of dried herbs. Dark chocolate-covered cherry and dried rose petal aromas add another layer of intrigue, creating a fascinating interplay of dark fruit, savory complexity, and floral nuance. This is a complex, beautifully layered Cabernet with excellent aging potential. I can easily imagine it shining a decade from now as secondary characteristics begin to emerge and add even greater depth and complexity. We secured every remaining case of this beautiful wine, and at the price we're offering, it certainly won't be around for long.

Price: Hidden

WE: 95

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.

Price: Hidden

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

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!

Price: Hidden

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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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WE: 92

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