Wine Spectator 92 Points
ALMA DE CATTLEYA Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County 2021

Aromatic, intense and distinctive, delivering mouthwatering lemongrass, Meyer lemon, pomelo and white grapefruit flavors, with an intriguing touch of litsea oil that lingers on the fresh finish. Drink now. 2,000 cases made.—MaryAnn Worobiec. $22. Internet Price $19.99 (Available GT and VRW)

2016 The Calling Alexander Valley Visionary Proprietary Red

Winemaker Notes: Bold and inviting, the nose offers compelling layers of dark black fruit with nuances of coffee, chocolate and brown spice. The palate is rich and concentrated, with flavors of ripe blackberry and blueberry that marry elegantly with notes of vanilla, cedar and dark toffee. Soft yet with a tension and firm tannins, this is a perfect wine to pair with dry aged beef and your favorite sauce. $23 Our Price $19.99 (Available GT and VRW)

2019 M Cellars Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon

Blackberry, cedar, licorice, black tea, warm brown spice, dark chocolate. Plush, generous, with a lifted finish, showcasing firm, polished tannins. $25 Our Price $20.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Spectator 93 Points
SPARKMAN Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Holler 2019

Broad-shouldered and generous, this red layers in deep blackberry and cherry flavors, picking up mocha espresso and dusky spice accents as this moves toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2029. —T.F. $35 Our Price $29.95 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Spectator 94 Points
DR. H. THANISCH MÜLLER-BURGGRAEF Riesling Auslese Mosel Bernkasteler Lay 2016

This luscious wine offers flavors of ripe apple, baked pear and sweet baking spices. A tad creamy in texture and well-balanced, this shows lots of complexity throughout. Supple midpalate, with a slightly floral, intense and prolonged finish. Drink now through 2036. 50 cases made, 14 cases imported. — AZ $38 Our Price $34.99 (Arrives GT 7/27/22)

Wine Spectator 93 Points
2018 Shea Willamette Valley Shea Estate Pinot Noir

Deeply structured but not weighty, with dynamic blueberry and raspberry flavors that take on notes of black tea and licorice as it moves towards refined tannins. Drink now through 2028. $45 Our Price $39.99 (Arrives GT 7/27/22)

James Suckling 94 Points
NV Charles Heidsieck Brut Champagne Reserve

Remarkable depth of mature aromas - tons of candied lemon peel, dried pear and brioche - plus wonderful textural richness on the palate make this stand out amongst the regular Brut NVs. Then comes the intense and very long, mineral finish to crown this prince of the category. Based on 2016 base wines, but with 52% reserve wines, almost a third of which were 10 to 20 years of age. Drink or hold. $50 (Available GT and VRW)

2020 Caterwaul Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: Dark purple all the way to the rim, the wine opens with aromas of creosote, blackberries, espresso roast and toast. Now fully recovered from bottling, it has picked up density and weight adding a rich blueberry core to the palate complemented by baker’s chocolate, tobacco and licorice. This is the Napa Cabernet bottling we imagined offering when we started this project. $50 (Available GT and VRW) Limited

Wine Advocate 97 Points
2019 The Setting Wines Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Opaque ruby-purple in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley is deeply scented with Morello cherry and blueberries accented by nuances of bouquet garni, violets, dark chocolate and graphite. The full-bodied palate is powerful, with intense, concentrated fruit, loads of ripe, grainy tannins and softened acidity to carry the long finish, which is a bit warm. It's a bold, ripe style that will benefit from another 5-7 years in bottle. $95 (Arrives GT this afternoon)

Wine Spectator 90 Points
ALMA DE CATTLEYA Pinot Noir Sonoma County Rosé 2021

Pretty, sleek and floral, with peach and watermelon flavors that finish on a crisp, spicy accent. Drink now. 1,000 cases made. From California.—Tim Fish. $22 Our Price $18.99 (Back in stock GT and VRW this afternoon)

Wine Advocate 95 Points
2013 Doyard Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru

The 2013 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru has also turned out beautifully, unwinding in the glass with notes of citrus oil, peach, white flowers and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, it's taut and chiseled, with serious reserves of concentration and a long, mineral finish. Disgorged in spring 2021, while its quality is apparent, this is predictably a little introverted out of the gates, so I look forward to revisiting it later this year. $125 Our Price $109.99 (Available GT)

Wine Advocate 94 Points
2011 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
Blanc de Blancs

After the tightly coiled, hyper-concentrated 2008, Taittinger's 2011 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne represents a more immediate, charming rendition of this cuvée. Bursting from the glass with aromas of orchard and stone fruit mingled with notions of pastry cream, blanched almonds and mandarin, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and fleshy, with a soft and enveloping profile, lively acids and a pretty pinpoint mousse. Readers might think of the 2011 as a somewhat less reductive and less intense stylistic sibling of the 2006, and as it takes on more toasty complexity with bottle age, it will make for immensely seductive drinking. $200 Internet Price $192.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva

Winemaker Notes: A noble and austere sparkling cava. Greenish yellow in colour with golden glints, it's clear and star bright. A persistent, elegant stream of bubbles rise to form a perfect rosary on the surface. Complex aromas of white fruits with hints of wood. Fresh, well-balanced and elegant on the palate with an excellent final sensation. $10 Our Price $7.95 (Available GT and VRW)

****************************

Taste 2019 Foxen Julia’s Vineyard Pinot, 2018 David Arthur Napa Proprietary Red and 2018 MC4 St. Helena Cabernet at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, July 22nd. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
2019 Foxen Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard

The 2019 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard is more elegant and finesse-driven, with a beautiful perfume of framboise, wild strawberries, violets, and sappy flowers. All about red fruits and flowers, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a seamless, flawlessly balanced mouthfeel, good acidity, and just a hint of classic Santa Maria salinity on the finish. Aged 16 months in 21% new French oak, this brilliant Pinot Noir is up with the crème de la crème in the vintage. $72 Our Price $62.99

Wine Spectator 93 Points
DAVID ARTHUR Proprietary Red Napa Valley 2018

Racy and focused, with sanguine and iron notes piercing through the core of red currant and damson plum fruit. The long finish has mouthwatering cut as the minerality stays vibrant. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2032. 2,830 cases made. — JM $80

Wine Spectator 93 Points * 2018 MC4 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Martin & Croshaw Vineyard 2018

This delivers a pure, savory and licorice-flecked beam of cassis and plum puree flavors, with a glint of iron on the sleek finish. Concentrated, but streamlined in feel. Drink now through 2032. 250 cases made. — JM $75

***************************

Taste 2019 El Enemigo Chardonnay, 2018 Lail Blueprint Napa Cabernet and 2018 Booker Fracture Syrah at (VRW) for $15 per person.
Saturday, July 23rd. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

James Suckling 96 Points
2019 El Enemigo Chardonnay

Cooked apple, lemon curd and light vanilla on the nose, together with stone, mineral and some dried flowers. Medium to full body with a creamy texture and beautiful fruit. Hints of vanilla and pie crust in the aftertaste. Always great quality for the price. Drink or hold. $25

WA 92- 94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2018 Lail Blueprint Napa Cabernet

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Blueprint has a deep garnet-purple color and sings of wild blueberries, Morello cherries and red and black currant jellies with touches of dried mint, chocolate box and cedar chest. Medium to full-bodied, the palate bursts with crunchy black fruits, supported by fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and lifted. A barrel sample, 2,000 cases will be made. $95

Jeb Dunnuck 98-100 Points
2018 Booker Fracture Syrah

The inky colored 2018 Fracture is another wine that’s going to push at the upper limits of the grading scale. Awesome crème de cassis, charred meats, graphite, plenty of minerality, and subtle oak nuances all flow to a powerful, full-bodied, beautifully balanced Syrah. Similar in style to the 2017 with its powerful yet elegant vibe as well as good acidity, it’s a magical Paso Robles Syrah in the making. $96 Our Price $89.95

*****************************

Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW)

1552 E. Champlain Drive, Ste 109 Fresno, CA 93720
Via Montana Center (NE Corner Shepherd and Champlain-Two doors south of Big 5) www.vintagereserve.biz 559-878-3953
Tuesday-Friday 12:00 Noon-6:00 PM
Saturday 12 Noon-4:00 PM

The Grape Tray (GT)
6023 N. Palm Avenue Fresno, CA 93704
Opus One Center (NW Corner Bullard and Palm)
www.grapetray.com 559-226-6828
Monday-Friday 10:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday 10:30 AM-4:00 PM