On deck for wine tasting next week at VRW:

Wine Spectator 93 Points
SCHRAMSBERG Brut Rosé North Coast 2020

Generous yet steely at the core, with fragrant raspberry, rose petal and gingerbread accents that dance on the long, zesty finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now. 15,750 cases made. —Tim Fish. $50

Wine Spectator 91 Points
Delamotte Brut Champagne NV

A delicate, mineral-driven Champagne, with an underpinning of chalk, smoke and oyster shell layered with notes of poached apricot, citronella and beeswax. Lively and persistent on the finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Drink now through 2026. 6,250 cases made. $71

Wine Advocate 91-93 Points
2020 Faiveley Beaune 1er Cru Clos de l'Écu Monopole

Aromas of raspberries, cherries, sweet spices, raw cocoa and peonies preface the 2020 Beaune 1er Cru Clos de l'Écu Monopole, a medium to full-bodied, concentrated and vibrant wine with tangy acids, melting tannins and a long, saline finish. This is very promising. $125

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Taste Pinot Noir: 2022 Belle Glos Clark and Telephone Santa Maria, 2021 Ponzi Laurelwood District and 2021 DuMOL MacIntyre Vineyard Russian River Estate at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $20 per person.
Thursday, January 4th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2022 Belle Glos Clark and Telephone Santa Maria Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: Dark scarlet red in color, with aromas of blackberry, cherry and boysenberry highlighted with layers of cocoa. A rich and opulent wine offering flavors of marionberry accented by hints of dried fig and cholate covered blueberry this wine is velvety with supple, refined tannins and a silky, lush finish. $50

Wine Advocate 96 Points
2021 Ponzi Laurelwood Pinot Noir

The 2021 Pinot Noir Laurelwood District has a pale ruby-purple color and slowly unfolding aromas of cranberries, tangerine peel, pipe tobacco and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate is powerful and generous with concentrated fruit, grainy tannins, plenty of refreshing acidity and a long, spicy finish. Best after 2024. $50

Vinous Media 100 Points
DuMOL MacIntyre Vineyard Russian River Valley Estate Pinot Noir 2021

The 2021 Pinot Noir MacIntyre Estate Vineyard is magnificent. Dark, plush and exceptionally vivid, the 2021 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. The mix of Calera and Swan clones yields an unctuous, rich Pinot that does not taste like a wine from sandy soils. The 2021 is sensational. I don't think I have ever tasted a wine like this before here. A rush of dark blue/purplish fruit, gravel, spice and menthol builds into the huge, structured finish. Unforgettable. $105

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WOW-57% Off!
2019 Simi Russian River Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes: Opens with notes of baked pear, caramel, hazelnut and honeysuckle. The palate is warm and weighty with pear, citrus, butterscotch, shortbread cookie, and baking spice. $35 Liquidation Price $14.95 (Limited to stock on hand at GT and VRW)

Wine Advocate 94 Points
M. Marengo Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2018

The 2018 Barolo Bricco delle Viole (with 6,000 bottles made) opens to a medium rich appearance followed by very distinct aromas of wild rose, grilled herb, mint and freshly milled white pepper. The wine's texture is lean but fine-tuned and elegant. These qualities shape a long and polished mouthfeel. Fruit comes from a one-hectare parcel at a breezy 420 meters in elevation. $64 Our Price $46.99 (Available GT and VRW)

2020 Alban Patrina Syrah

Notes from John Alban: This wine is among my favorites for this offering yet produced. It is dark, full of black and blue berries, coco powder, and immediately pleasing and pure. It is, in our opinion, a wonderful and delicious expression of our farm and farming. $60 (Back in stock GT and VRW)

Wine Spectator 91 Points

Delamotte Brut Champagne NV

A delicate, mineral-driven Champagne, with an underpinning of chalk, smoke and oyster shell layered with notes of poached apricot, citronella and beeswax. Lively and persistent on the finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Drink now through 2026. 6,250 cases made. $71 Our Price $61.95 (Arrives GT this afternoon)

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Taste 2021 MCBRIDE SISTERS COLLECTION Central Coast Chardonnay, 2019 St. Supery Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and 2020 Dominus Napanook Proprietary Red at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, January 5th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Spectator 90 Points
MCBRIDE SISTERS COLLECTION Chardonnay Central Coast 2021

Creamy and lush, with flavors of lemon meringue, lemon curd and crème anglaise that show accents of marmalade and apricot pastry, plus fresh grace notes of tangerine, candied ginger and toasted, buttery brioche. A fresh thread of acidity keeps all the flavors in focus. —M.W. $17

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
2019 St. Supery Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Luscious and ripe black fruits ride an effortless texture in this seamless and well-balanced wine. Minutely grained tannins weave through dark plums, spearmint, cocoa and black cherries. While enticing and drinkable, the wine should have a long, more complex life ahead. Best from 2027–2040. $58

James Suckling 95 Points
2020 Dominus Napanook Proprietary Red

Aromas of currants, blackberries, fresh mushrooms and flowers. Medium-bodied with compacted fruit and integrated, fine tannins. Ripe fruit with reserve. Attractive and alluring. Excellent structure. 88% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Give it at least five years to open and soften, but very attractive now. $100

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Taste 2021 Mer Soleil Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay, 2021 Sea Smoke Southing Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir and 2019 Scarlett Wines Napa Cabernet Sauvignon at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $20 per person.
Saturday, January 6th. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

2021 Mer Soleil Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes: Taking its name from the sea and sun – the two forces of nature that shape its exotic character – this wine is as dramatic as the place where it is sourced. With morning fog, bright sunshine and gusting winds, the Santa Lucia Highlands (40 minutes south from Monterey, California) has an extended growing season. Grapes stay on the vine longer, leading to the development of intense aromas such as custard and toasted almonds, rich fruit flavors and enlivening lemon/lime. $20

2021 Sea Smoke Southing Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: Each year, our goal for Southing is to create the ideal marriage of complexity and elegance. Southing exhibits aromas of fresh strawberry, rose water, Rainier cherry and subtle baking spices. The fine tannins and minerality are enhanced by our estate vineyard’s characteristic cool climate acidity. $115

Jeb Dunnuck 93-95 Points
2019 Scarlett Wines Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

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. $75

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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
Tuesday-Friday 10:30 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday 10:30 AM-4:00 PM