Highly Allocated Gems
Showing 325–333 of 646 results
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Grace Family 2009 Blank Cabernet Sauvignon
$195.99Napa Valley California
Enjoyabilityfactor 96 Rating
Like other family-founded wineries in Napa Valley, Grace Family Vineyards started small, more a dream than a business. It was 1976 and San Francisco stockbroker Richard Grace and his wife bought an old home in St. Helena to raise their family in the country. The couple planted a one-acre vineyard and two years later harvested their first real crop, which they sold to Caymus Vineyard. The Grace family’s grapes were used by Caymus until 1983, when the Grace Family started making their own wine. These days the Graces cultivate a number of vineyards, though production remains highly limited. Only Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are grown, and Grace Family wines are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are prized for their opulence and rich flavors. They are generally available only through a mailing list. Annual production is 200 cases. SP23-1 -
Gramercy Cellars 2015 Syrah Lagniappe
$69.99Columbia Valley Washington State
Jeb Dunnuck 98 Rating
Always one of my favorite releases from this estate, the 2015 Syrah Lagniappe is 100% Syrah (mostly from the Red Willow Vineyard in Yakima, with 5% from the Forgotten Hills Vineyard just south of Walla Walla). Deep ruby/plum-colored and loaded with Côte Rôtie-like (Côte Blonde?) notes of black raspberries, crushed flowers, tapenade, and crushed flowers, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, seamless, and silky on the palate, with incredible finesse and elegance. It's going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and knock your socks off over the following decade or more. It’s unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. R16-1 SP19-2 -
Grattamacco 2019 Bolgheri Superiore
$119.99Tuscany Italy
Jeb Dunnuck 98 Rating
Reserved layers and depth slowly begin to emerge from the 2019 Grattamacco, so it is going to need time in cellar to open and show itself. As it opens in the glass, it reveals attractive dark mineral earth, kirsch, black pepper spice, and balsamic. It is concentrated and compact at this stage, with savory richness, and it displays full and balanced structure, ripe and present tannins, and notes of cassis, cedar, and pine resin. It reveals rich complexity without ever feeling murky, and its energetic tension takes this wine to the next level. Drink 2025-2050. R23-7 SPBX-6 -
Guado al Tasso 2016 Bolgheri Superiore
$159.99Tuscany Italy
James Suckling 98 Rating
Beautiful center palate of fruit here with ripe and silky tannins that are resolved and fine-grained. Full-bodied, polished and ever so refined. Oyster shell, stone and hints of rosemary and lavender. Driven finish. Better after 2022. R39-1 -
Guado al Tasso 2019 Bolgheri Superiore
$139.99Tuscany Italy
James Suckling 98 Rating
This has a wild and perfumed nose of dried thyme, sage, blackberries, cocoa, graphite and white and green peppercorns. Then dried flowers. Full-bodied with firm, tight and precise tannins. Vibrant. There’s so much character and structure. A new benchmark for this winery. More cabernet franc than in the past. Best yet? 65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% cabernet franc and 10% merlot. Try from 2025. R39-3 -
Hartford Court 2014 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard
$109.99Russian River Valley California
Wine Advocate 96 Rating
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What is usually their finest Pinot Noir hails from Hartford’s oldest vines, planted with the Martini clone in 1975. The 2014 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard is often not picked until after Halloween, as it is one of the coldest vineyards in the Russian River Valley. Its spicy, complex notes of allspice, sassafras, sweet black cherries and Asian plum sauce are exotic, fragrant and intense. The superb fragrance is matched by an exotic, silky, fleshy wine with dark berries (especially ripe raspberries and black cherries), soft tannins, and full body. This is a head-turning “wow” Pinot Noir to drink over the next decade. R15-4 -
Hartford Court 2015 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard
$85.99Russian River Valley California
Jeb Dunnuck 95 Rating
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From the oldest vines planted in the 1970s, the 2015 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard is a perfumed, spicy wine that's just singing on the nose. Ripe cherries, raspberries, candied orange, and exotic spices give way to a medium to full-bodied, supple, seamless Pinot Noir. It has bright acidity, sweet, vibrant, fruit, notable tannin, and a great finish. Like a lot of the wines here, it has the fruit to shine, but this is certainly one of the more structured and tannic wines in the lineup. SP7-4 -
Hartford Court 2015 Pinot Noir MacLean’s Block Vineyard
$79.99Russian River Valley California
Jeb Dunnuck 96 Rating
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Also from the Green Valley portion of the Russian River Valley, from two separate blocks in the vineyard, the 2015 Pinot Noir MacLean's Block offers ample black cherries, exotic darker fruits, some toasty oak, medium to full body, and a lush, rounded, deep style on the palate. This cuvée sees a touch of whole cluster inclusion and is aged in 29% new French oak. Give this savory, rich, concentrated (masculine even) Pinot Noir a few years and enjoy over the following decade. SP7-6 -
Hartford Court 2016 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard
$109.99Russian River Valley California
Jeb Dunnuck 97 Rating
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I also loved the 2016 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard. Located in the Russian River and planted in 1975 to a heritage Martini Clone, this cool site struggles to ripen, giving this 2016 an exotic, complex, vibrant style along with its ample red and black fruits, candied violets, potpourri, and sandalwood. It’s one of the more vibrant, racier wines in the lineup, yet its acidity is nicely integrated, it’s flawlessly balanced, and it has a great, great finish. Give bottles a year or two and enjoy over the following decade. R15-1
