December 23rd 2019 Newsletter - The Grape Tray

December 23rd 2019 Newsletter

Wine Spectator 96
WARRE Vintage Port 2011, Half Bottle

Offers seamless flavors of kirsch, chocolate, dark plum and allspice, fresh and elegant, with a towering structure and intense red berry accents. Unctuous and long on the finish, showing loads of grip. Best from 2030 through 2060. 3,000 cases made. — KM. $47/375ml. Our Price $40.95/375ml

Holiday Hours
Monday, 12/23/19 10:30 AM-5:30 PM
Tuesday, 12/24/19 10:30 AM-3:00 PM
Wednesday, 12/25/19 Merry Christmas
Thursday, 12/26/19 Closed
Friday, 12/27/19 10:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, 12/28/19 10:30 AM-4:00 PM

2017 Meiomi Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: A rich garnet color with a ruby edge, the wine opens to reveal lifted fruit aromas of bright strawberry and jammy fruit, mocha, and vanilla, along with toasty oak notes. Expressive boysenberry, blackberry, dark cherry, juicy strawberry, and toasty mocha flavors lend complexity and depth on the palate. The well-integrated oak provides structure and depth seldom seen in Pinot Noir. $25 Our Price $16.95

2017 Mollydooker The Boxer Shiraz

Winemaker Notes: Complex and expressive. Bright maraschino cherry, fresh plum, rich dark chocolate and licorice max out the flavor spectrum. The tannins are fine, the fruit is soft and the flavors tickle the taste buds. Consistently impressive. $32 Liquidation Price $20.95 (Limited to stock on hand)

Wine Spectator 92
LOUIS ROEDERER Brut Champagne
Premier NV

An elegant Champagne in an aperitif style, with flavors of crushed blackberry, biscuit, spring blossom and Meyer lemon zest riding the finely detailed bead, underscored by a streak of salinity that emerges on the fresh finish. Drink now through 2022. 15,264 cases imported. –AN $54 Our Price $41.95

Wine Advocate 93
2015 Hall Winery Napa
Cabernet Sauvignon, Magnum

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon offers an earthy/savory nose with notes of fertile loam, tree bark and smoked meat over a cassis and black cherry core with touches of roses and menthol. The full-bodied palate delivers great expression and plenty of character, supported by chewy tannins and finishing on a savory note. $142/magnum. Our Price $126.99/magnum

2017 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot

Winemaker Notes: Nose of forest floor, with blackberry, Bing cherry and bramble fruits. A hint of Rosemary. Thoughtful and focused on the palate. Intense dark fruits with notes of blackberry and blueberry Vineyards: Pratt-Sexton, Marshall, Burnside, Watertrough, Kanzler, Gap's Crown, Thorn Ridge, Freestone Clones: 667, Pommard 4, 115, 777, 828, Swan, 23, 114, 2A. $105 Our Price $99.99

Wine Advocate 94+
2017 Eisele Vineyard Napa Sauvignon Blanc

Bottled in late July, the 2017 Sauvignon Blanc is a real step up from previous vintages, springing from the glass with vibrant lime cordial, orange blossom and grapefruit notes with touches of allspice, honeysuckle, ripe pears, white peaches and struck flint. Medium-bodied with a suggestion of satin to the texture and a fantastic intensity of exuberant citrus fruits and mineral notes, it delivers a very long, refreshing finish. This should age beautifully! $100

Wine Spectator 98
GRAHAM Vintage Port 2000, Half Bottle

Smells like freshly picked orchids, with loads of ripe, clean fruit. Full-bodied, medium sweet and very powerful and racy. It lasts for minutes on your palate. Yet there's a balance and class to this young Vintage Port. This is the greatest glass of Graham I have ever tasted, young or old. Best after 2014. 9,000 cases made. –JS $80/750ml. Our Price $45.95/375ml (Limited)

Wine Spectator 98
GRAHAM Vintage Port 2016, Half Bottle

This offers a distilled plum and boysenberry essence, with a racy feel, as spearmint and graphite notes drive through. As the finish kicks in, this turns toward the dark side, with ganache, charcoal and tar elements. Has the showy ripeness of the vintage but is backed by a decidedly dry feel on the finish, imparting a sense of precision despite the heft. Best from 2030 through 2055. 6,325 cases made, 3,000 cases imported. — JM $65/375ml. Our Price $52.95/375ml

Wine Spectator 92
2018 HARTFORD COURT Chardonnay Russian River Valley

Luscious, rich and full of creamy white fruit flavors flanked by buttery accents. Spicy plushness lingers into the finish, with some honeyed notes. Drink now through 2024. 17,000 cases made. $30 Our Price $24.99

James Suckling 98 Points
Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2007

This is a step up from the linear and fresh 2006. It shows subtle depth and power with a dense block of vivid fruit that's highlighted with lemon zest, green apples and hints of white peaches. Just the right amount of praline and nuts on the nose. Fine and tight bead give the Champagne a luxurious mouthfeel. One for now or the cellar. Drink or hold. $200 Our Price $129.95

2016 CIRQ Treehouse Vineyard
 Russian River Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: Fresh cranberry, pomegranate and dense raspberries, softly muddled with cardamom, cinnamon and coriander with a small amount of dried blood orange zest. Multitude of soft red fruits, schnozberry, wrapped in thin red apple skin. Creamy, with an eddy of velvety taffeta, fine tannins that linger and settle deeply throughout, boomeranging from front to back then resting on the mid palate. $195

Wine Spectator 95
KRUG Brut Champagne Grande Cuvée 167ème Édition NV

This mouthwatering Champagne is intense, from the floral- and spice-laced nose to the racy frame of acidity to the expansive flavors of grilled nut, mandarin orange peel, black currant and coffee. Stands out for finesse rather than power, with an enticing finish that brings you back for another sip. Disgorged January 2018. Drink now through 2027. From France.—A.N. $160

Wine Advocate 96
2016 TOR Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville Hillside

Drive the Oakville Cross Road to the Silverado Trail, then look directly forward and up and you see Tierra Roja, a small four-acre jewel of a hillside vineyard. The vineyard is dotted with big rocks, and the soil is roja (very red). This wine comes from the upper steep terraces of the vineyard, directly below Dalla Valle. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Hillside features red, black and blue fruits with floral and earthy nuances plus pencil shavings and a meaty/savory undercurrent. The palate is full-bodied, firm, grainy and lively with loads of earth and mineral layers. 447 cases produced. $155



Back to Our Blog

Are you 21 years old, or older?

No