The Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner Red Blend is made from a blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Charbono.
Bright aromas of ripe raspberry, vanilla, and coconut give way to flavors of fresh and dried blackberry, pomegranate, and vanilla, which linger harmoniously for a smooth and luscious finish.The Prisoner Red Blend was inspired by the wines first made by the Italian immigrants who originally settled in Napa Valley. The Prisoner is now the most recognized red blend, leading the resurgence of interesting blends by incorporating Zinfandel with the unlikely mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Charbono.
On the nose, dried blackberry, dried açai berries, and hints of cedar and tobacco leaf are accented by sweet spices of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Flavors of ripe dark cherry, blackberry coulis, and hints of anise linger harmoniously for a soft, vibrant finish balanced by ripe tannins.
Chef Brett recommends pairing The Prisoner Red Blend with Kalbi Short Ribs or Chicken Mole Tostada.
Vineyards: When you outgrow winemaking tradition, you must forge your own path. And we did. The Prisoner exists because of the collaboration with our growers, many of which have been with us since the very beginning—from the Solari Family Vineyard in Calistoga, where old school sensibilities meet new techniques, to the Korte Ranch in St. Helena, a vineyard whose diligence outlasted the Prohibition and has sustained four generations.
Trefethen Family Vineyards Dragon's Tooth Red is made from 49% Malbec 37% Petit Verdot 14% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Our Nana, Catherine Trefethen, was Welsh. Her twin loves of wine and family were the original inspiration for our estate in Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll District. Celebrating our heritage, “Y Ddraig Goch”, the symbol of Wales, adorns this bottle of Dragon’s Tooth, a provocative blend born from the rockiest part of our vineyard.
This wine opens with expressive aromas of cherry and blackberry accented with notes of fig, tobacco leaf, and sarsaparilla. Full-bodied and balanced, the integrated flavors of ripe dark fruit lead to a lush and abundant finish.
Winery Chef Chris Kennedy enjoys Dragon‘s Tooth with earthy and rich cuisine. He suggests pairing it with our Creamy Mushroom Pasta. The complementary flavors, textures, and intensity of both the dish and the wine are stunning.
Review:
“Intrepid aromas of richly peppered blue and black fruit with a sheen of minty refreshment. Structured, polished and densely textured, with indulgent tannins and a penetrating bead of fine acidity. Built for the long haul.”
-2024 Decanter World Wine Awards 97 Points
Verite Le Desir Red is made from 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, 6% Malbec.
The 2018 Le Désir has a dark inky appearance with a violet hue that extends to the rim. The compelling characteristics of Cabernet Franc are expressed on the nose and palate with flavors of crunchy cranberry, ripe raspberry, red currant, dried sage, crushed mint, and cinnamon bark; followed by spice cake, subtle vanilla liquor, and singed toast. The persistent finish and bright acidity suggest the wine will continue to evolve in the cellar for many years to come.
Review:
The Cabernet Franc blend of the trio, the 2018 Le Desir is 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 6% Malbec, and as with all these wines, it was brought up in new barrels. Ruby/purple and not completely opaque, it offers up a classic Cabernet Franc nose of mostly red fruits, spring flowers, damp earth, cedary spices, and truffle. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shines for its incredible elegance and purity more than outright power, yet it still brings plenty of richness. With ultra-fine tannins, perfect balance, and one heck of a great finish, it's another great, great wine from this estate.
Jeb Dunnuck 98+ Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
The contrast between our 10 Acre and West Block Pinot noirs exemplifies how slight geographical differences can have significant influence on the flavor profile of a wine. Planted in 1997, The 10 Acre block of Pinot noir is the oldest planting on the Patton Valley Estate Vineyard. Located on the east-facing slope of our vineyard, this area gets full sun in the cool morning hours, leading to a slower, more gradual ripening process and a wine that is typically elegant and lighter in body with prevailing red fruit character.
The 2011 10 Acre Pinot noir shows abundant aromatics, immediately woodsy but overwhelmingly fresh with lavender and red plum, sweet caramel and malt. The palate is lush and broad with sweet cherry, cigar box, and the faintest hint of peat smoke. Soft and very subtle tannins give this wine a solid backbone. A great acid profile makes this wine likely to offer boundless enjoyment when consumed in the short term, or if given some time to rest, the distinct potential of becoming something much more profound. Drink now or cellar 5-8 years.
The nose here is brilliantly red fruited, with layer upon layer of subtle spice, bright floral notes, herbs, and stone. Its not all poetry and pageantry, though, and the first impression of the wine was simply, “oh that’s goooood.” A fair assessment, and sometimes that it all one requires. Further tastes show fine tannin throughout, a juicy, vibrant mouthfeel that is very likeable, and deft, long-developing layers of fruit that reveal themselves severally.
Patton Valley's flagship wine, The Estate is the most comprehensive expression of their vineyard site, and the wine that truly defines their place in a given vintage.
Review:
"Glistening red. Vibrant red fruit, floral and spice scents show very good clarity that picks up subtle hints of succulent herbs and smoky minerals with air. Juicy and energetic in the mouth, the 2017 offers gently sweet cherry raspberry and rose pastille flavors and a touch of spicecake. Smooth, well-integrated tannins make a late appearance on a long, floral-tinged finish that shows no rough edges.
- Josh Raynolds" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (August 2020), 92 pts
Patton Valley Petillant Naturel Riesling is made from 100 percent Riesling.
Good friends and good wine make this funny world go ‘round, right? Without those friends letting us buy some of their precious Riesling, we couldn’t make this delicious wine. Even if we did have to beg. A little.
We are using some really great vineyard sites to make this wine, and they are as diverse as they are excellent. Preserving the inherent “riesling-ness” is as important here as making this sparkle, so we’ve been extra careful to be clean, true, and simple with this. Native yeast ferments and minimal handling with fastidious cleanliness make this an absolute natural wonder. A small dosage of organic sugar kicks off the bottle ferment to make it sparkle.
This smells like apples, pears, apricot, and the sea. Not kidding. The palate is fizzy, fun, and fresh with an appley bite and pear - almond lushness. All angles and elbows, the lees and sediment widen the palate with pleasing breadth.
VINEYARDS:
25% Norris McKinley, Ribbon Ridge AVA - LIVE
50% Windridge, Chehalem Mountains AVA - LIVE
25% Wascher, Dundee Hills AVA - USDA Organic
pH: 3.04
Patton Valley Rose is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Its beautiful salmon-pink color hints at the enjoyment that awaits you. Alluring aromatics spill out of the glass, with scents of fresh-cut ripe strawberry, candied rose petal, cotton candy and bubble gum harmonizing together and inviting deeper inspection. In the mouth, the first sensation is one of volume and a cacophony of lush ripe fruit flavors, followed by a zingy, green apple acidity and a slight mouth-watering frizzante, the trademark of Patton Valley Rosé. One glass is never enough.
Patton Valley Rose is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Its beautiful salmon-pink color hints at the enjoyment that awaits you. Alluring aromatics spill out of the glass, with scents of fresh-cut ripe strawberry, candied rose petal, cotton candy and bubble gum harmonizing together and inviting deeper inspection. In the mouth, the first sensation is one of volume and a cacophony of lush ripe fruit flavors, followed by a zingy, green apple acidity and a slight mouth-watering frizzante, the trademark of Patton Valley Rosé. One glass is never enough.
Our Touraine Sauvignon blanc is crisp and refreshing, with rich, ripe lime and grapefruit aromas. Great elegance with mineral style and despite everything some kind of roundness.
Average age of the vines is 20 years old.
We produce a part of this cuvee with 12 hours skin maceration and another part from directly pressed grapes
Wine was slightly filtered before bottling to ensure wine will remain stable.
Ideal for the Aperitif , any cooked fish such as smoked and grilled salmon but also obviously with a Goat Cheese.
Our Touraine Sauvignon blanc is crisp and refreshing, with rich, ripe lime and grapefruit aromas. Great elegance with mineral style and despite everything some kind of roundness.
Average age of the vines is 20 years old.
We produce a part of this cuvee with 12 hours skin maceration and another part from directly pressed grapes
Wine was slightly filtered before bottling to ensure wine will remain stable.
Ideal for the Aperitif , any cooked fish such as smoked and grilled salmon but also obviously with a Goat Cheese.
Ancien Pinot Noir Carmel Valley River Ranch is made from 100% Pinot Noir.
River Ranch Vineyard from suitcase clone of famous vineyard, mother block to the Pisoni clone as well.
Spice, tea, and plum and blackberry aromas dance atop currants and boysenberry pie. The opulence continues with secondary notes of chocolate and black tea that lead to satisfying elegant finish revealing jasmine. The finish is mouthwatering and long with presenting umami, soy, and Asian spice. Planted to the same special cuttings as our block at the Toyon Farm in Carneros, they are a joy tasting side by side, illustrating the profound influence of terroir.
Pair with Asian, pork with hoisin sauce, savory foods.
Review:
"Sourced from a vineyard of imported Burgundian cuttings planted back in 1982, this is a complex Pinot Noir, offering concentrated aromas of blueberry, palo santo and warm vanilla on the nose. The palate is joyous in cherry and baking-spice flavors, then picks up an herbaceous eucalyptus leaf kick before dropping into a spicy, Sichuan peppercorn-laced finish. - M.K."
- Wine Enthusiast (February/March 2024), 95 points + Editor's Choice
Appasionata Andante Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Argot Chardonnay Sonoma County is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Pouring a green-tinted gold, our Sonoma County Chardonnay is a beautiful wine from word go. Radiating from within, a blast of apple/pear fruit informs this wine both aromatically, and on the palate. As flavors unfurl, a progression of orange blossom, pineapple, white peach, and hazlenut are followed by a finish dominated by ginger, baked apple, with a trailing kiss of mint’s freshness. A stunning wine — wholly informed by the perfection of 2018’s growing season — defined by its dichotomy of massively intense flavors, and superb acidity and freshness.
Raised by minimalistic methods, often associated with the classic Chardonnay winemaking techniques of Meursault. With a focus on the coolest Chardonnay region in Sonoma County, 2018’s long, even growing season favored our vineyards’ moderate climate, old vines and deep volcanic soils. These grapes were allowed an extended ripening period on the vine, resulting in perfect balance and concentrated flavors.
Argot Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County is made out of 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
Massive aromatics, and a bold, intensely, full-flavored palate define the personality of this wine. Juicy stone fruits, laser-focused lemon Jolly Rancher and a full-blown tropical fruit character explode on the palate. This bright and inviting wine is perfectly suited to sunny afternoons or paired with classic summer fare.
This bright and inviting wine is perfectly suited to sunny afternoons, or paired with classic summer fare.
Avennia Cabernet Franc Champoux Vineyard is made from 100% Cabernet Franc.
This very limited bottling shows the compelling potential of Cabernet Franc from a top vineyard. Though it’s often used as a spice in Avennia's Bordeaux blends, this wine, from the legendary Champoux Vineyard, has its own unique character and complexity that convinced them to feature it alone.
"Exotic on the nose with Bing cherry syrup, red raspberries, black tea, sassafras, damp tobacco leaf, pencil shavings, and rubbed thyme. Plush and silky on the palate, with bright cherry, pomegranate seed, loamy earth tones, and dusted, savory herbs. This unique wine is drinking well now, but as always, will improve with 4-5 years in the cellar. Drink 2026-2040." - Chris Peterson, Winemaker
Review:
"A stellar Cabernet Franc. Gorgeous, effusive aromas of roasted hatch pepper, smoked sea salt, dried violets and candied red fruit. The palate is nicely integrated but will knit together further with time. Red-fruited and full, with pomegranate molasses, tart cherries and savoury notes of smoky sage. Beautiful. Drink 2024-2034." - Clive Pursehouse
- 96 points, Decanter
Avennia Valery Red Blend is made from 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc
Valery is named for the patron saint of wine in the St. Emilion region that inspired it.
We started with old vine Merlot from a stony block in the heart of the Yakima Valley and added complex, aromatic Cabernet Franc from the Horse Heaven Hills. The result is a balanced, complex wine with the elegance and ethereal perfume that this blend of two of Washington’s best varietals are known for.
The nose on this wine is very perfumed, almost exotic with notes of fresh violets, red plum, winter mint, fresh herbs and crushed limestone qualities. The palate is poised and balanced, with red fruits and mocha powder encapsulated in limestone. The finish lingers delicately, with the Cabernet Franc asserting a light tobacco and herb note, giving depth. A compelling wine that will continue to unwind for 7-10 years in the cellar.
Review:
"Brought up in 30% new French oak, the 2016 Valery (70/30 Merlot and Cabernet Franc) offers more black cherry and earthy, herbal notes as well as a medium-bodied, seamless, beautifully balanced style. It too shows a vibrant, fresh, yet concentrated style that has a Bordeaux feel in its weight and texture."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2019), 93 pts
"Good medium-dark red. Aromas of blueberry, mocha, licorice and violet are a bit darker than those of the 2015 version. Dense and penetrating, with wild flavors of dark berries, licorice and game given lift by rocky minerality and a minty nuance. Chris Peterson slightly acidified his Cabernet Franc from Champoux Vineyard, which he added to the wine for richness. This beauty may yet tighten up in the bottle.- Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2018), 92+ pts
Bastgen Kestener Paulinshofberg Riesling Kabinett is 100 percent Riesling.
Kesten is a small village right by the Mosel surrounded by steep vineyards called Paulinsberg (=hills of Saint Paul). The vines grow on bridle clay slate near the river - a classic terroir that has been cultivated with vines ever since Roman times. Riesling is the most typical grape of the Mosel region that produced a fruity Kabinett with beautiful peach aromas on the nose, rich and ripe fruits on the mouth with honeyed notes and a refreshing acidity. This is a very pleasing wine.
They meticulously tend 4.5 ha (11.11 acres) of which 80% is Riesling. The soil is made of slate. Their vineyards are located in Kesten and Brauneberg, on a steep terrace, and planted to 50-year old vines. Fortunately for Bastgen, they own part of the famous Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr. The vines produce very small, ripe berries that are very tasty.
The grapes are strongly selected, only minimal amounts of botrytis are tolerated. At time of the harvest the grapes are fully ripened with a golden color and tart acidity. After a natural sedimentation process the fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks under cool conditions. The wine remains on the lees until April, then is gently filtered once, and bottled.
Review:
"This prototypical Mosel Kabinett has depth and vibrancy all packed into a light-bodied frame. Not super-sleek, but enormously refreshing with super-expressive white peach, yellow apple and honeysuckle aromas. Super-crisp finish. Delicious now, but excellent aging potential too! From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap."
- James Suckling (November 2023), 94 pts
Scents and flavors of peach and yellow plum, citrus and mineral notes. Extremely long, white peach finish.
This wine is a 100 case Cuvee produced from the steepest part of the Paulinschofberger vineyard, 65 % slope. Vine age is 105 years old. "Grosses Gewachs" Großes Gewächs: (great growth = Grand cru), a designation used by VDP members in all regions except Mosel and Rheingau to designate top-level dry wines from selected sites (the highest level of quality). Dry means dry on the palate. The maximum yield is 50 hl/ha, from a classified vineyard. The natural minimum density of must is around 90° Oechsle. The wines are produced using exclusively traditional production methods. The wines are tested and approved by a test body before and after bottling. Hand Harvest (no machine harvest). The wine must not be released before September the year after it was made.
Review:
"Very smoky nose of sealing wax and candied citrus. This medium-bodied dry riesling is strikingly original and has good balance on the impressively structured palate, but it does lack a bit of charm. Long, firm finish. May well show better after further bottle age. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - Stuart PIGOTT (Senior Editor)" - James Suckling (November 9th 2023), 91 pts
Bellevue Cotes de Bordeaux-Castillon Cé Ma Cuvée is made from 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc
The wine is made with 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Average age of the vines is 50 years old (everything is between 40 and 60 years old).
Cé Ma Cuvée is a tribute from Michel Lydoire to his 2 daughters:
Cé is for Céline. She is like the Merlot grape varietal. Pleasant and calm.
Ma is for Marina. She is like the Cabernet Franc grape varietal. Tough and with a lot of character.
The color is deep and inky.
The nose is spicy, fruity and oaky with some nice vanilla and coconut aromas.
The mouthfeel is complex, with ripe red and black fruit flavors. Some spiciness and integrated oak flavors.
The wine starts as the Vieilles vignes, but some wine is aged in 500-liter American Oak Barrels for 18 months.
They are using a mix of different toastiness for the barrels. Some high toast and some are medium toast.
This is a fun wine that can be enjoyed with any food, charbroil burgers, grilled vegetables, cheeses ... or even with dark chocolate desserts.
Winemaker Landon Donley considers Sauvignon Blanc to be the premier white wine of Napa Valley. Quattro Theory Sauvignon Blanc captures the best Napa Valley expression of this varietal.
Our Sauvignon Blanc is grown in our estate Mary’s Vineyard in Calistoga, containing some of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc plantings in Napa Valley at more than 30 years old. The old vines offer concentration and complimentary young vines add vibrance, and a small amount of Semillon from the estate adds a roundness to the wine.
Every step of the winemaking process is designed to heighten the natural aromatics, flavor and vibrant acidity of Sauvignon Blanc: each lot of fruit is chilled, then whole-cluster pressed over two hours with 23 check-ins to isolate exactly the press of juice we want.
With its intense aromatics, vibrant fruit and bright acidity, this Sauvignon Blanc is refreshing and offers concentration, complexity and long finish that make it enjoyable on its own, interesting from first sip to last, as well as an ideal complement to food.
Suggested pairings: fresh oysters, lemon-herb roasted chicken and goat cheese salad.
Review:
Brilliant and vibrant, this nicely nervy wine is packed with limes, lemons and grassy nuances. A touch of salinity gives it mouthwatering freshness plus a bit of food-friendly restraint.
-Wine Enthusiast 92 Points