Celebrate the last warm week of the year with a glass of Chardonnay at VRW for $20. (You can also taste the two wines for $10)

2021 Lewis Sonoma Russian River Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes: A soaring, sensational wine the 2021 Sonoma Russian River Chardonnay is our best in years. Shot-through with citrus and tropical fruits, blossoms and exotic spices the fragrance is sublime. Casting a wide arc of vibrant fruit, mineral intrigue and vivid detail the wine comes full circle with a superb succulent finish. $65 Our Price $58.99

2021 Staglin Family Salus Napa Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes: The 2021 Salus Chardonnay provides an adventure for the senses. It welcomes with perfectly ripened citrus, delicate florals, and limestone minerality. The expressive aromas deliver baked pear tart, a hint of fresh nutmeg and twist of Meyer lemon. The palate showcases juicy apricot, brûléed white grapefruit drizzled with fir honey, and the surprising texture of silky mango. The richness of sun warmed fruit is beautifully balanced by acidity focusing the entire experience. Each sip induces a longing for another. $60

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Taste 2018 Tolaini Al Passo Red and 2019 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Tuesday, October 18th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

James Suckling 95 Points
2018 Tolaini Al Passo Toscana

This is a fantastic red with so much cherry, currant, ash, tobacco, earth and walnut aromas. It’s full and layered with firm tannins that provide form, texture and structure. Linear and long. Really excellent for the vintage. Give it two or three years to come together, but already a beauty. Try after 2024. $30

Wine Advocate 99 Points
2019 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

Flirting with perfection, instantly impressive and marked with impeccable shine and polish, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon from Champoux vineyard (90%) and Mach One vineyard (10%). The Cabernet explodes out of a glass with exuberance and power, prancing with layers of juicy black fruit, plum compote, black raspberry jus and hints of cinnamon-spiced black cherries. Full-bodied and with a ripe attack, velvety tannins sway with a glossy mouthfeel that is seductive and hedonistic, and the wine displays a balanced structure with a generous frame. It somersaults to an ever-evolving finish that bursts with layers of complexity, finesse and richness. What a stunning bottle! Bravo! Two thumbs up! Only 4,125 cases were made for the world. Internet Price $225

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Taste Billecart Salmon Brut Nature, Alfred Gratien Brut and Billecart Salmon Brut Rose at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Wednesday, October 19th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

James Suckling 94 Points
Billecart Salmon Brut Nature

A dense, layered Champagne with a full body and lots of creamy texture. Lovely cooked apple and pie crust. 40% pinot meunier, 30% chardonnay and 30% pinot noir. The base was 2015, but in total it contains 10 harvests. It was bottled at the beginning of 2016 and disgorged in March 2020. Four years on lees. Fantastic release. Drink or hold. $70 Our Price $59.99

Wine Spectator 93 points
ALFRED GRATIEN Brut Champagne NV

Delicate verbena and spice notes of ground anise and cardamom accent rich flavors of ripe yellow peach and raspberry fruit, with notes of chopped hazelnut, pickled ginger and preserved lemon. Firmed by chiseled acidity, this is finely meshed and mouthwatering, with a satiny mousse and creamy finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. Drink now through 2025. 25,000 cases made, 2,500 cases imported.—A.N. $60 Our Price $49.99

Wine Spectator 90 Points
BILLECART-SALMON Brut Rosé Champagne NV

Delicate notes of yellow plum, marzipan, verbena and fleur de sel are set in this firm and finely meshed rosé Champagne. Creamy finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Drink now. — AN $90 Our Price $84.99

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Taste 2020 Crossbarn Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, 2018 Martin and Croshaw St. Helena Cabernet and 2019 Riverain Tench Napa Cabernet at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Thursday, October 20th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Advocate 93 Points
2020 Crossbarn Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

The 2020 Chardonnay has a detailed, pretty perfume of white peaches and quince, with touches of lemongrass, green herbs and white flowers. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and fragrant, with a supporting streak of fresh acidity, and there's a touch of phenolic texture that draws out the long finish. $30

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

Jeb Dunnuck 95+
2019 Riverain Tench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

I was able to taste two wines from Riverain, both from the Tench Vineyard in Oakville. The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard is rock-solid, with classic red, blue, and black fruits as well as notes of iron, rosemary, and leather. It's focused, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and nicely structured on the palate. I like it today, but the cellar is going to be your friend as well. $150

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Sommariva Prosecco Superiore di Conegliano-Valdobbiane Brut DOCG NV

Winemaker Notes: Fragrant floral tones and drying mineral notes characterize this luminous Prosecco Brut. The sparkling wine delivers frothy peach, herbal accents and a steady dose of citrus zest. $17 Our Price $13.99 (Arrives GT 10/20/22)

Wine Enthusiast 95–97 Points (Barrel Sample)
2019 Chateau Kirwan Margaux

With its new cellars, the estate is performing at top speed and this vintage keeps up the fine track record. Firm tannins and beautifully perfumed fruit are blending together to give a wine that has style as well as structured fruitiness, with all the elegance of great Margaux. Think long-term aging for this wine. ROGER VOSS. $60 (Back in stock GT 10/19/22)

2021 TEETER-TOTTER Napa CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Winemaker Notes: You may have heard that we didn’t make a 2020 vintage of Teeter-Totter Cabernet because of the wildfire smoke situation in Napa Valley. Instead of sitting around twiddling his thumbs, Benoit poured all that extra time into getting the 2021 ready ahead of schedule. The vintage is powerful, well-balanced, and carries beautiful aromatics. Fresh raspberries, blackcurrants, floral notes and spice get swaddled in ripe, polished tannins for some rich and full-bodied satisfaction. Balanced acid gives it incredible length and a killer finish. The perfect plus one for any occasion. This is a phenomenal vintage, don’t wait - open it up...now! $65 (Back in stock GT and VRW 10/20/22)

2019 Staglin Family Salus Napa Cabernet

Winemaker Notes: Welcome to High Definition Cabernet – the 2019 Salus is a generous and deliciously detailed display of exuberant dark fruits dynamically supported by a range of floral, earthy and herbaceous characters. Lifted floral notes slide into resinous rosemary underlain by tilled earth and powdered porcini mushrooms complexed with a puff of gunpowder, graphite and criollo cigar wrapper. Bursting blackcurrant and ripe raspberry deepened by crushed cacao nibs and fresh licorice root envelop the palate before sliding silkily through a delightfully delineated and lengthy exit. The hint of grip and grit on the finish portends a rewarding and delicious life for this wine. $115 (Back in stock GT)

Wine Spectator 94 Points
Groth Oakcross Proprietary Red Oakville 2019

A dynamic blend, combining deep structure with finesse and polish, this features black cherry and cassis flavors laced with toasty spice, red licorice and a hint of dusty herbs as it builds tension toward refined tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 1,150 cases made. $99 Our Price $85.99 (Back in stock GT and VRW this afternoon)

2019 Tempier Bandol Rouge

Winemaker Notes: There is something about the dark, inky Mourvèdre, plus the salty sea air caressing the vines every night, that typifies classic Bandol. This wine is complete, and ready to serve cooled down a touch. Blend: 75% Mourvèdre, 14% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 2% Carignan. $70 Our Price $59.99 (Back in stock GT 10/21/22)

Wine Advocate 93 Points
2021 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose

Not included in the blind tasting at the local syndicat, Tempier's 2021 Bandol Rose nevertheless looked good when I tasted it at the estate. It's a very fine, elegant example of Bandol rosé, with notes of passion fruit and pink grapefruit leading the way in a tightly knit, medium-bodied package that adds promising hints of white peach and anise on the lingering finish. $60 (Available GT and VRW) Limited

Wine Spectator 95 Points
BAKER & HAMILTON Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2019

This is packed with vivid boysenberry, mulberry and black currant fruit that bursts forth with energy, while being held in check by graphite, anise and apple wood notes that lend good underlying tension. Features bramble and warm stone accents on the finish, as the fruit races through. Best from 2023 through 2038. —J.M. 789 cases made. $125 (Available GT)

Wine Spectator 94 Points
DETERT Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2019

Purely rendered, with a gorgeous beam of cassis and plum fruit driving from start to finish. Features flashes of violet, anise and black tea as well as an underpinning of warm earth, all allied to nicely coiled energy. The beautiful fruit takes a two-song encore as a final statement. Best from 2023 through 2036. —J.M. $100 (Available GT and VRW)

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Taste 2019 Theorize Napa Cabernet, 2019 Titus Napa Cabernet and 2018 Dana Vaso Napa Cabernet at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, October 21st. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2019 Theorize Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark ruby with touches of royal red and garnet. A beautiful balance of spices like nutmeg, thyme with cherry pie, cedar, vanilla bean, touches of coconut and molasses, gingerbread. Fresh but lush entrance evolving on ripe sweet fruit like cherry preserve macerated strawberries lingering on tannins and cinnamon. $50

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points
2019 Titus Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a terrific value and has a classic Napa style in its ripe plum and mulberry fruits as well as toasty oak and chocolate-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe, supple tannins and the classic forward, delicious style of the vintage. Drink it over the coming 10-12 years as well. $50

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
2018 Dana Estates Vaso Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Vaso is cut from the same cloth, offering beautiful purity and richness. It’s slightly more pure and darker than the spicier 2017 and has notes of cassis, redcurrants, dark chocolate, tobacco, and violets. Full-bodied on the palate, it has silky tannins, terrific overall balance, and just loads of character and charm. It’s in the running for the greatest Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon under $100

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Taste 2019 Crossbarn Sonoma Coast Pinot, 2021 Teeter Totter Napa Cabernet and 2019 McGah Scarlett Rutherford Cabernet at (VRW) for $15 per person.
Saturday, October 22nd. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

Wine Advocate 94 Points
2019 Crossbarn Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

The 2019 Pinot Noir has a medium ruby-purple color and lush scents of dried blueberries and cranberries, with nuances of blood orange, forest floor and violet. The medium-bodied palate has grainy tannins and rounded acidity to support its layered fruits, and it finishes long and flavorful. $38

2021 TEETER-TOTTER Napa CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Winemaker Notes: You may have heard that we didn’t make a 2020 vintage of Teeter-Totter Cabernet because of the wildfire smoke situation in Napa Valley. Instead of sitting around twiddling his thumbs, Benoit poured all that extra time into getting the 2021 ready ahead of schedule. The vintage is powerful, well-balanced, and carries beautiful aromatics. Fresh raspberries, blackcurrants, floral notes and spice get swaddled in ripe, polished tannins for some rich and full-bodied satisfaction. Balanced acid gives it incredible length and a killer finish. The perfect plus one for any occasion. This is a phenomenal vintage, don’t wait - open it up...now! $65

Jeb Dunnuck 93-95 Points
2019 McGah Scarlett Rutherford Cabernet

Beautiful, sweet cassis and blue fruits as well as lots of violet and floral notions emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, a full-bodied, rich, concentrated barrel sample with wonderful purity of fruit, a good sense of freshness, and serious length on the finish. This promising, elegant yet powerful wine is going to shine with short-term bottle age and keep for two decades. $70

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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