June 23rd 2017 Newsletter - The Grape Tray

June 23rd 2017 Newsletter

WOW 53% Off! Wine Spectator 91

KUNDE ESTATE Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma Valley Magnolia Lane

2015 Perfectly ripe peach, mango and melon flavors are intense and fleshy, with bright acidity and floral and honey details that linger. Drink now. 8,900 cases made.-M.W. $17 Liquidation Price $7.99 (Limited to stock on hand)

2013 Stewart Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: An opaque deep garnet color rimmed with bright purple. Rich aromatics of vanilla, blackberry, and tobacco entice while the full-bodied palate features flavors of blueberry and plumb with a hint of smoke from the French oak. The tannins are plush and powerful, but not overbearing, giving this wine perfect balance. This Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship of Stewart Cellars; always memorable and enjoyed upon first release and a decade on. $68 (Back in stock) Our Price $60.99 Delicious!

2015 Lloyd Carneros Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes: We are excited to release our new 2015 Carneros Chardonnay. Sourced from the Home and Green Acres Blocks from Sangiacomo Vineyard, as well as a small amount fruit from the Truchard Vineyard, this is a fantastic expression of California Chardonnay. Picked at the peak of ripeness, this Chardonnay is then barrel fermented and left on the lees until we get ready to bottle. Flavors of tropical fruits, pear and apple are supported by rich notes of vanillin, leading into a powerful and succulent finish. Cheers and enjoy! $40 Our Price $33.99

Vinous 90 pts
Wrath 2014 Chardonnay Fermata San Saba Vineyard Monterey

Light, bright gold. Ripe Meyer lemon, white peach and melon aromas are complemented by fresh jasmine, honey and dusty mineral notes. Smooth and expansive on the palate; poached pear and pit fruit nectar flavors pick up a subtle smoky nuance with air. Shows very good depth and energy and finishes long, stony and tight, leaving a subtle floral note behind. $32 Our Price $26.99

Wine Spectator 94
JOH. JOS. PRÜM Riesling Kabinett Mosel Graacher Himmelreich 2015

This juicy and harmonious white, with a easy-drinking character, offers complex aromas hinting at violet, black currant and peach, while the flavors pick up apple and mineral notes, all capped by a long aftertaste echoing fruit, mineral and floral elements. Drink now through 2024. 830 cases made. From Germany.—B.S $36 Our Price $28.45

Wine Advocate 94
2014 Chateau Canon St Emilion Bordeaux

The 2014 Canon has a very well-defined, precise bouquet with ebullient raspberry and wild strawberry scents infused with minerals. The aromatics here are utterly captivating. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and very well-judged acidity. There is tension and poise to this Saint Emilion, gently fanning out with a delicate spicy finish that lingers long in the mouth. Market $68-$87 Our Price $74.99


Wine Enthusiast 93
2014 EnRoute Les Pommiers Pinot Noir

The producer's flagship wine, this is sourced from several Green Valley sites, including Amber Ridge and Manna. Both contribute a full-bodied wealth of packed-earth flavor in a generously layered, rich explosion of dark cherry, plum and pomegranate. Along the way, streaks of citrus and black tea provide exotic interludes. $60 Our Price $53.99

Wine Advocate 94
2013 Quilceda Creek Palengat Vineyard

More Merlot dominated in 2013 (they plan to move this back to a more Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blend in the future), the 2013 Palengat Vineyard is another terrific 2013 that makes the most of vintage. Sexy, voluptuous and rounded, with no hard edges, it gives up classic notes of plums, graphite and licorice in its full-bodied, mouth-filling and impossible to resist style. While I'd happily drink a glass (or three) today, it will drink well for another 10-15 years. $140

Wine Advocate 93-95
2015 Domaine de l'Arlot Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts Saint Georges

The 2015 Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Fôrets Saint Georges includes around 55% whole bunch and is actually a blend of six different cuvées. What is interesting is that the whole bunch contribution is far less tangible in this compared to the Clos de l'Arlot. It is very well defined, quite sensual in style with very pure red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin: tart red cherry fruit, wild strawberry, saline in the mouth with a sappy finish that keeps drawing you back in. This is an outstanding contribution to the vintage, courtesy of winemaker Géraldine Godot. $116 (Arrives 6/28/17)

Wine Spectator 94
HARTFORD FAMILY Zinfandel Russian River Valley Old Vine 2015

This is what Russian River Zinfandel is all about. Rich, dynamic and layered, with complex fruit, offering notes of jammy black raspberry, stony mineral, herbes de Provence and licorice. The finish unfurls at length. Drink now through 2026.-T.F. 1,700 cases made. $38 Our Price $29.99

Wine Advocate 91
2012 Volker Eisele Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate exhibits an attractive deep ruby/purple color as well as sweet notes of crème de cassis, a creamy, medium to full-bodied texture, and good elegance, purity and depth. This attractive, delicious effort tips the scales at 14.5% alcohol. Drink it over the next decade. $50 Our Price $46.99

Antonio Galloni Vinous 95 pts
Ridge Vineyards 2014 Petite Sirah Lytton Estate

The 2014 Petite Sirah Lytton Estate is outstanding. Deep, luscious and intense, but with none of the aggressiveness Petite so often presents, the 2014 is utterly captivating from the very first taste. Dark red and blue-hued stone fruits, mint, spices and licorice are front and center. The purity of the fruit here is simply remarkable. As hard as it may be to believe, the 2014 can be enjoyed on the young side. This is a tremendous wine. Don't miss it! $35 Our Price $31.99 (Back in stock this afternoon)

2014 Frank Family Carneros Pinot

Winemaker Notes: The 2014 Carneros Pinot Noir is light ruby red in the glass. This has an earthy nose, with notes that pop with aromas of baking spices, especially cinnamon. The palate offers bright, fresh flavors of Rainier cherries and vanilla, and a round mouthfeel. $35 Our Price $29.99


Wine Advocate 95
2014 Lucia Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard

The 2014 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard is a classic effort from this impeccably run estate. Black raspberries, black cherry, crushed flowers, earthy notes and even a hint of truffle all emerge from this beautifully proportioned, layered, medium-bodied and silky textured beauty. Showing the core of sweet fruit that's the hallmark of this appellation, it has fine, yet present tannin, good acidity and more and more of the classic Garys' vineyard minerality showing on the finish. Drink this stunning Pinot Noir through 2024. $60 (Back in stock)

Wine Advocate 95
2014 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, is a beauty. Bigger-boned and framed than many 2014s, with more structure, this is classic Oakville material, with an opaque purple color and a big, sweet kiss of graphite, blackcurrants, Christmas fruitcake and spice box. Full-bodied and opulent, with moderate tannin, this is a gorgeous wine to drink now and over the next 20 or more years. $120

2014 Nickel and Nickel Suscol Merlot

Winemaker Notes: The 2014 Suscol Merlot offers a perfect harmony of juicy and succulent flavors. A small swirl coaxes enticing aromas of dark plum, green olive and cedar from the glass. Earthy notes of tobacco leaf, olive, tar and spice blend nicely with the dark, sweet fruit. From year to year, this wine’s distinctiveness lies in the lush, velvety tannins that expand upon the initial sip and develop with richness through the finish. This wine pairs beautifully with food and benefits from a little bottle age in your cellar. $65 Our Price $53.99 (Arrives this afternoon)

2014 Nickel & Nickel John C. Sullenger Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville

Winemaker Notes: The 2014 John C. Sullenger Cabernet Sauvignon shows flavorful expressions of bright fruits, savory herbs and toasty oak. Seductive aromas of plum, olive and earth entice the taster and carry through to the palate, alongside flavors of black cherry, tobacco and sage. Balanced acidity and spicy oak complement the dark, rich fruits while round, supple tannins build the midpalate. Approachable now, this wine will continue to develop over the next 10 years. $115 Our Price $94.99 (Arrives this afternoon)



Back to Our Blog

Are you 21 years old, or older?

No