Morlet Family Vineyards Billet Doux Late Harvest Semillon 2012 (half-bottle) is made from Sémillon (65%) Sauvignon Blanc (31%) Muscat à Petits Grains (4%)

rowing in the gravelly soil of an ancient riverbed in the beautiful Alexander Valley, the old vines benefit from hot afternoons and cool, foggy mornings, favorable for the development of Botrytis (Noble Rot). Extremely small yields in the Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat vineyards lead to the immensely concentrated fruit. Just as one receives a note from one’s sweetheart, we present this wine as a precious ‘Love Note’ or ‘Billet Doux.’

Deep crystal clear gold. Intense and complex bouquet of dry apricot, pêche de vigne and Reine Claude yellow plum intermixed with notes of quince, honey, Muscat and a hint of sweet vanilla. Full bodied, the palate is reminiscent of the nose, with a creamy sweet texture and a great intensity. The large amount of sugar and glycerin creates a highlighted viscosity. Along with the wine’s great concentration, richness and opulence, the classical aromatic complexity reveals a flamboyant yet harmonious ensemble, leading to a very long, complex and smooth finish.

Proprietary name ‘Billet Doux’

Name meaning Love Note 

Type of wine Late harvest white wine

Appellation Alexander Valley

Vineyard singularity 25-60 year old vines Loamy and gravelly soils from an ancient river bed One cluster per shoot ‘de rigueur’

Typical harvest date November Picking Manual, small lugs, refrigerated truck

Sorting Cluster by cluster

Fermentation In barrel through native yeast

Upbringing 16 months French Oak from selected artisan Coopers

Bottling Unfined, filtered to prevent Malolactic

Cellaring time Decades

Serving Chilled and decanted

Review:

Produced from 65% Sémillon, 31% Sauvignon Blanc and 4% Muscat, the 2012 Billet Doux has a medium golden color and profoundly scented nose of beeswax, honeyed nuts, orange marmalade, Manuka honey and preserved lemons. Full-bodied, full-on sweet, rich, concentrated and oh-so-unctuous, it delivers powerful flavor layers and epic length. 175 cases were made.

-Wine Advocate 97 Points

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Coeur de Vallee emerges from Andy Beckstoffer's portion of the To Kalon vineyard. Black cherry, blackberry jam, bittersweet chocolate and dark spices are front and center. Young and tannic, the 2013 needs time for the tannins to soften. This is an especially ripe, flamboyant style for...

Review

From the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, the 2013 Coeur de la Vallée shows creamy tannins, beautiful blackberry and cassis fruit, and hints of blueberries, violets, forest floor and licorice. This is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc, and the black fruits are triumphant in this gorgeous wine. It should drink nicely for 25-30 years.

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 97 Points

Contact us direct for discount on 6 and 12 bottle purchases

Opus One 2017 is made from Cabernet Sauvignon 80%, Petit Verdot 9%, Cabernet Franc 5%, Merlot 5% and Malbec 1%.

The Opus One 2017 offers a harmonious aromatic balance of rich dark fruit, stems of roses, and earthy forest floor. The juicy entry offers a round, silky mouthfeel with just enough acidity to complement the satin texture. This seductive wine shows flavors of black cassis, black cherry and a hint of cocoa powder. The fine-grained, plush tannins evolve into a long, supple finish.  A supremely age-worthy wine, it will delight now and for many years to come.

Reviews:

A fist of late summer cherries, raspberry and bilberry fruits set out their stall, all with the juicy character that confirms, even in a hot vintage like 2017, Opus can deliver balance and sculpted elegance. Beautiful grip, creamy texture with a strikingly powerful tannic frame. As the wine stays in the glass the floral aromatics begin to bloom up. A brilliant Opus. 20 days maceration - around half what it would have been a decade ago. 54% native yeast, as part of their native yeast project. 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec complete the blend. Harvest spread out over September 5 to October 8, just before the fires, by which time they had less than 10% of the fruit still out on the vines.

-Decanter 96 Points

A remarkable wine for the year, the 2017 Opus One is a dense, full-throttle beauty. Plush fruit and soft, silky contours give the 2017 its racy personality. Exotic, beautifully perfumed and impeccable in its balance, Opus One is one of the most complete wines of the vintage. In 2017, Opus One has a distinctly red-toned fruit profile that distinguishes it from the surrounding vintages.

-- Antonio Galloni  95+ Points

Opus One had picked 91% of their fruit before the fires started in 2017, and only two lots were eliminated from consideration. The 2017 Opus One, bottled in July 2019, is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4.5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly grows on the nose, revealing compelling notes of baked black cherries, mulberries, black raspberries, warm cassis and blackberry pie with nuances of spice cake, yeast extract, tapenade, licorice and dusty soil with a waft of wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has a lively skip in its step, featuring bags of juicy raspberry and cassis-laced fruit and a refreshing line, supported by ripe, plush tannins, finishing long and graceful. 

-Wine Advocate 95 Points

Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc

20 months in French oak (only about a third of that is new oak) and for 20 more months in bottle before release

Our winemaking "style" is solely determined by this place or terrior we call "Paradigm." Winemaking is agriculture when you own your vineyards and are able to farm them to promote the very best Earth will give you. All of our selections of wines are made from five varietals on the estate. Every wine is 100% farmed and grown by us.

Complexity in our wines supported by luscious fruit and acidity is our hallmark. Our efforts during harvest and barrel cellaring concentrate on maintaining the freshness from the first day we handpicked each vineyard block. Simple winemaking protocols are employed while crucial “timing” oriented winemaking decisions rule each day.

Dark Cabernet color with beautiful aromas of black cherry, cassis, plus 5-spice, vanilla. Big, ripe and mouthcoating across the palate. The flavors are similar to the aromas with ripe fruit, berry/cherry pie, moderate tannins, and nice length. This wine shows enough structure to be age-worth, yet soft and balanced enough to enjoy upon release. Flavors linger in this tasty, dense wine. Tastes like Oakville. -Heidi Barrett

Review:

"Pretty cassis and blackberry fruits as well as notes of cedar pencil, spicy oak, and tobacco emerge from the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville. Medium-bodied, it has a balanced, elegant texture, moderate tannins, and a good finish. It's a complex, classy wine to enjoy over the coming decade or more. This is a classic, workhorse styled Cabernet from winemaker Heidi Barrett with lots to love. The blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, all aged 20 months in French oak."

- Jeb Dunnuck (March 2021), 90 pts

Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

The 2018 vintage is elegant, yet powerful and displays classic Hyde Vineyard traits of delicate white flowers, tangerine zest, and lemon cream. On the palate the wine is citrus-driven with orange and lemon flavors along with hints of toasted almond and vanilla. The wine has great acidity that leaves a white chalk/mineral note on the very long finish.

Review:

Rich and contoured, this is filled with concentrated Fuji apple, pear tart and quince paste flavors that are well-structured and backed by powerful acidity. Shows intense mineral and sea salt notes on the long finish. Drink now through 2025. 1,400 cases made. 

-Wine Spectator 93 Points

Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.

Grown on the west side of St. Helena, this distinctive cabernet sauvignon clearly displays its origins with a rich garnet hue and sophisticated aromas of cacao bean, crème de cassis, and sweet tobacco on the nose. Layered, with a superb structure, the wine offers impressions of blueberry coulis, black raspberry, and savory herbs like Herbs de Provence. The weighty mid-palate unveils anise spice and a graphite mineral note that combines with a fresh acidity that extends the long finish.

Review:

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard was aged in 70% new oak this vintage, as opposed to 100% as it normally is. Deep garnet-purple in color, it rolls out of the glass with perfumed rose hip tea, fragrant earth and incense scents, giving way to a core of kirsch, blackberry preserves and blackcurrant pastilles plus a touch of iron ore. Full-bodied, rich and seductive, it has exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and a refreshing backbone, finishing long and minerally.

-Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 99 Points

Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.

Grown on the west side of St. Helena, this distinctive cabernet sauvignon clearly displays its origins with a rich garnet hue and sophisticated aromas of cacao bean, crème de cassis, and sweet tobacco on the nose. Layered, with a superb structure, the wine offers impressions of blueberry coulis, black raspberry, and savory herbs like Herbs de Provence. The weighty mid-palate unveils anise spice and a graphite mineral note that combines with a fresh acidity that extends the long finish.

Review:

Needing plenty of air to show at its best, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is a sensational, gorgeous Napa Valley Cabernet that delivers the goods like only this region can. Pure Cabernet magic on the nose, with deep blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, lead pencil, and a kiss of spring flowers as well as a beautiful Pessac-Leognan-like scorched earth character, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, silky tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. It's one of those wines that builds incrementally on the palate and it's only after the second or third sip that you realize how special this wine is. It also offers that rare mix of power and elegance that's the hallmark of all great wines. It needs a couple of hours in the decanter if drinking any time soon. Hats off to Paul Hobbs for an incredible Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

-Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points

Paul Hobbs George Menini Estate Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

Located on the southwestern edge of the Russian River Valley appellation in an area known as the Sebastopol Hills, this Chardonnay from George Menini Estate displays pale straw in color and boasts an elixir of white and yellow florals, tart yellow apple, bartlett pear, and baking spice. A precise yet supple wine with notes of juicy Gravenstein apple, vibrant sea salt, and crushed rock, complemented by a cool-climate zing of acidity. An impressive level of complexity for a young vineyard.

Review:

The 2021 Chardonnay George Menini Estate, matured for nine months in 27% new oak, is notably perfumed and energetic. The nose segues from iodine and saline to tones of panna cotta, lilac and yuzu, and the palate is stunning with its pairing of highly concentrated, layered flavors and fireworks of fresh acidity. It has a touch of anchoring textural grip, shimmery mineral character and a very long, expressive finish. It will be very long-lived in bottle

-Wine Advocate 97 Points

Paul Hobbs George Menini Estate Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

A more reflective style of Pinot Noir from the Sebastopol Hills, our inaugural release presents deep ruby in hue with fresh raspberry, mountain strawberry, and baking spices. On the palate, notes of blue fruits, sandstone, and vanilla caress the palate, framed by supple tannins and juicy acidity creating tension. This is a bright and focused wine with a long, elegant finish.

Review:

This is so spicy, with crushed cloves, nettles and blue fruit. Sichuan spices, too. Full-bodied with juicy fruit and orange zest. Creamy and polished tannins. Wonderful depth and length. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 97 Points

Hailing from the newly established West Sonoma Coast AVA, this inaugural release displays deep ruby in tint with Bing cherry, wild mountain berry, and an ethereal note of damp earth. Vibrant red and blue fruits dance on the palate, accompanied by oyster shell and a stony tension in character with its coastal influences. A silky texture and uplifted acidity add a sophistication and intensity to this wine, as well as a remarkably long finish.

Review:

The 2021 Pinot Noir (West Sonoma Coast), a new wine in this range, is lights out. Rich, ample and bold, the 2021 races across palate with layers of purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice and spice. A dollop of stems adds nuance, but without dominating the overall balance. There's terrific acidity and structure to play off the natural fruit richness that is such a distinctive attribute of the best sites in the appellation.

-Vinous 96 Points

Resonance Decouverte Vineyard Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

James Suckling 93 Points

This is a 6 liter imperial also called a Methuselah.

Roland Champion Champagne Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru 2014 is made from 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay from the chalky soils of Chouilly.

This Champagne is full of elegance and finesse. Very complex nose, with a bouquet of aromas dominated by honey, brioche and notes of dried fruits, hazelnuts and sweets. Perfectly matured.

Manual harvest; then pressing immediately to avoid oxidation & preserve quality. Free run juice only. Aged six years on the lees.

It matches magnificently with foie gras!

Review:

"Based in Chouilly on the Côte des Blancs, it is obvious this producer will have a Blanc de Blancs Champagne. And very good it is, with some age after six years on lees while still having freshness, crisp acidity and a tight, steely edge. The bottling will benefit from further aging, and it will be at its best from 2022. - ROGER VOSS"

- Wine Enthusiast (December 2020), 92 pt

This is a 9 liter imperial also called a Salmanazar .

Roland Champion Champagne Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru 2014 is made from 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay from the chalky soils of Chouilly.

This Champagne is full of elegance and finesse. Very complex nose, with a bouquet of aromas dominated by honey, brioche and notes of dried fruits, hazelnuts and sweets. Perfectly matured.

Manual harvest; then pressing immediately to avoid oxidation & preserve quality. Free run juice only. Aged six years on the lees.

It matches magnificently with foie gras!

Review:

"Based in Chouilly on the Côte des Blancs, it is obvious this producer will have a Blanc de Blancs Champagne. And very good it is, with some age after six years on lees while still having freshness, crisp acidity and a tight, steely edge. The bottling will benefit from further aging, and it will be at its best from 2022. - ROGER VOSS" 

- Wine Enthusiast (December 2020), 92 pt 

Schwarz Nitschke Block Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.

This Bethany vineyard was planted by Jason Schwarz's parents in 1968 and has been tended to by the hands of his family ever since. The vines are dry-grown and produce small crops of intensely flavored fruit.

A display of the purest blood-plum and black cherry, with cracked black peppercorn and streaky bacon over some seriously fine oak. Some subtle herbaceous qualities, nettle and thyme bring life to an otherwise immense nose. Very juicy on the palate, deeply flavorsome, long and with mouth-coating tannin for a very textured, very focused Barossa classic.

Slow cooked beef ribs, grilled meats, wild game and grilled vegetables.

Schwarz The Grower Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.

Dedicated to all the Growers we work with, whose hard work and dedication to their craft enable us to purchase lucious fruit year after year. The Grower range is a testament to the amazing growers Jason has forged long-term relationships with since 2001.

The full spectrum of Barossa Shiraz's aromatic capability is here on show: from scorched earth, bitter couverture chocolate just-dried raisin, sweet red licorice and cola bean, all heady, defined and un-wound for all to see. Here. The fine line between luxurious fruit and energy is walked gracefully, it's warming and full-blooded nature tethered by lifted acidity.

Pair with marbled steak or rich beef stews, roast beef, grilled bbq meats.

Silverado Vineyards Geo Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.

In 1988, Ron and Diane Miller, purchased the Mt George Vineyard, the site of the first vinifera plantings in the Coombsville AVA. Situated in a quiet corner of the Napa Valley a few miles east of the city of Napa, Mt George is a vineyard of undeniable strength. As the 20th anniversary of Silverado’s first Mt George harvest approached in 2012, the decision was made to make a wine for the occasion. It is called GEO – Greek for “Earth” and short for “George” – and it represents the highest expression of single-vineyard Cabernet from this extraordinary place.

Aromas of black cherry liquor, crushed hazelnut, tilled earth, and dried rose petal. Decadent and rich on the palate with flavors of sweet dark plum and cocoa powder. Well-integrated tannins lead to a seamless finish.

Pair GEO with Chicken with Chunky Olive Tapenade

Review:

Black, inky earthiness defines the nose and palate, along with a round, silky mouthfeel. Cocoa and dried violets appear against a slightly dusty backdrop, while notes of leather, black olive, and slate are soul-stirring. This vintage is GEO's most elegant to date, but its robust, statuesque character remains intact.

-Tasting Panel 96 Points

-The Somm Journal 96 Points

Sokol Blosser Big Tree Block Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

1970 was winding down when our founders, Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol Blosser pulled their ’68 VW Camper up to an abandoned prune orchard some 30 miles southwest of Portland. These moonstruck kids had little farming experience and just a basic knowledge of winemaking. What they did have, in abundance, was a passion for growing the Pinot Noir grape and creating world-class wine. Soon after settling on this extraordinary land, they planted their first vines and cinched their place as pioneers in Oregon’s budding wine industry.

Review:

A very impressive wine for the striking sense of spice, white-pepper and briary, forest notes, across red cherries. The palate has sapid, focused style with such taut yet silky tannins holding long and true. Pure red cherries here. Drink or hold.

Stonestreet Estate Vineyards Rockfall Cabernet Sauvignon is made from Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sourced from one of our highest elevation vineyards, the 2017 Rockfall Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon features a true wildness that expresses the rugged growing site 2,000ft above the fog line. Elegant aromas of blueberries, cassis, graphite and black tea with complex undercurrents of baking spices. This wine balances power with elegance through to its savory palate with a generous structure and ample tannins. The structure of this wine allows for many years of cellar aging to continue to bring out nuanced flavors and complexity.

Review:

The Rockfall Vineyard is between 2,000 and 2,200-feet in elevation, and the wine that originates there is powerful and concentrated in style, with robust red-fruit and mineral tones. Herbal and classic, it shows elegance and integrated oak and tannin within its context of intensity and structure. Enjoy best from 2027–2037. Virginie Boone

-Wine Enthusiast 96 Points

Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port. 

This is a 6 pack with 2 bottles each from vintages from 2013, 2015, and 2016. 

***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2016:

The 2016 Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino is the most brooding of the lineup from Val di Suga and is sourced from the southwest of the region on sandy soils. There are aromatics of black raspberry, licorice, menthol, sage, cinnamon, and iron-rich earth. Its Mediterranean influence is felt on the palate with ripe black cherry, dried herbs, and sun-baked earth. This is the fullest bodied and most savory of the Val di Suga lineup, with more roundness and grip. Its structure will benefit from cellaring for several years and will be great drinking over the next 20 years or more. 2026-2040.

-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points

***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2015:

The 2015 Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino is more introverted on first opening, with notes of black plum, licorice, dried Mediterranean herb, and sun-baked earth. On the palate, it offers a tart dried fruit character, with a building tannin structure that finishes with tomato leaf, and bitter herbs. The most rustic and burly of the wines in the lineup of the 2015 Val di Suga vintage, it will benefit from allowing some time in cellar to see how this matures and its tarriness develops. Drink 2026-2036

-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points

***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2013:

Plenty of spices and fresh herbs on the nose, such as dried rosemary and nutmeg, to match the underlying dried redcurrants and cranberries. Full-bodied with plenty of concentration, but still shows a very sturdy, tannin backbone and punchy acidity, to drive this through to a long finish. Drink in 2021.

-James Suckling 94 Points