On deck for wine tasting next week at VRW:

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
2018 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is based on 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 90% new French oak. It’s a beautiful wine that shows the vintage’s pure, elegant, yet concentrated style perfectly. Gorgeous crème de cassis, violets, blueberries, and cedar pencil notes emerge from the glass, and this beauty builds incrementally on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a lively, pure, layered texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It can be enjoyed any time over the coming 20-25 years. $175

Franck Bonville Les Belles Voyes Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne 2014

Importer Notes: The crown jewel of Bonville’s holdings is a 0.8-hectare parcel of 1960-planted Chardonnay in “Les Belles Voyes,” a hilltop vineyard in the grand cru Oger situated at the border of the grand cru Le Mesnil sur Oger. This cuvée—Bonville’s only wine which sees oak—spends eight months aging in used barrels before being bottled for its secondary fermentation. The chalk layer at this high point on the hillside is three to four meters deep (compared to around one meter in Avize), and this—along with the texture-enhancing barrel regimen—imparts a strikingly gripping, driving, billowing character to the palate. This release spent nearly eight years on the lees and was given a dosage of 6.7 grams per liter. $135

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Taste 2023 Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 Daou Reserve Paso Cabernet Sauvignon and 2019 Caymus Special Selection Napa Cabernet Sauvignon at Vintage Reserve Wine for $25 per person.
Tuesday, January 30th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2023 Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc

Winemaker Notes: A relatively long and slightly cooler growing season led to beautiful well balanced Sauvignon Blanc fruit with a pleasing natural acidity. The 2023 opens with lemongrass, pomelo, and kiwi berry on the nose. Emerging on the palate is grapefruit zest and passion fruit with a fine minerality on the finish. Crisp, clean, elegant and mouthwatering, the always versatile Sauvignon Blanc is prime to enjoy and share. $30

Wine Advocate 94-96 Points
2021 Daou Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is blended with 23% Petit Verdot, made entirely with free-run juice, and it will be matured for 16 months in 50% new French oak. Opaque ruby, it offers pure aromas of cassis, violet, grilled meats, desert sage and bell pepper. The full-bodied palate is powdery, energetic and detailed with a long, layered finish. $65

2019 Caymus Special Selection Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: Each year, we set aside the best barrels of our Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley to produce Special Selection. Distinguished by extremely fine, velvety tannins and enjoyable upon release or with aging. A wine of structure with intense concentration of supple flavors and dark fruits. Special Selection is the only wine in the world honored twice as Wine Spectator magazine’s “Wine of the Year. $225

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Taste 2022 Domaine de la Solitude Cotes du Rhone Blanc, 2022 St.-Cosme Côtes du Rhône Rouge and 2021 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Wednesday, January 31st. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

James Suckling 91 Points
2022 Domaine de la Solitude Cotes du Rhone Blanc

Effusive nose of ripe melon, apricot and orange blossom. Medium-bodied with ample ripeness, but a light-footed personality with lively acidity. A cuvee based on 60% Viognier. $19

Wine Spectator 90 Points
St.-Cosme Côtes du Rhône 2022

A hefty version of Côtes du Rhône, with a lot of stuffing, showing ripe black plum and black currant flavors layered with black pepper and grilled rosemary. Sturdy tannins hem in the creamy palate, with a kick of bitter mineral and graphite through the medium-length finish. Very solid. Drink now through 2028. 27,000 cases imported. $21

Wine Spectator 94 Points
Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2021

Toasty, meaty and inviting, this fresh red shows an understated, savory side, with notes of singed spices, mesquite, wet earth and fresh tobacco leaf flanking a silky range of plum and warm cherry compote flavors. This channels its terroir, with a round feel held in check by refined tannins, while the finish is lined with cool minerality and heavy iron. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Terret Blanc, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul de Pinet, Bourboulenc, Picardan and Roussanne. Drink now through 2030. 3,470 cases made. $102

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Taste 2021 Ridge Zinfandel Paso Robles Benito Dusi Ranch, 2021 CARLISLE Zinfandel Sonoma Valley Pagani Ranch and 2021 CARLISLE Zinfandel Russian River Valley Carlisle Vineyard at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Thursday, February 1st. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Spectator 94 Points
Ridge Zinfandel Paso Robles Benito Dusi Ranch 2021

Deeply structured and simmering with intensity, this Zin remains focused and refined, with blackberry, briar patch and grilled anise flavors that gather tension toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2033. —T.F. $40

Wine Spectator 94 Points
CARLISLE Zinfandel Sonoma Valley Pagani Ranch 2021

Brooding and dark, yet light on its feet, this Zinfandel overflows with flavors and aromas of blackberry and plum, licorice, black pepper and briar patch, finishing with big but smooth tannins. Drink now through 2032. —T.F. $54

Wine Spectator 94 Points
CARLISLE Zinfandel Russian River Valley Carlisle Vineyard 2021

A dynamic Zinfandel, briary but polished, with expressive raspberry and dark cherry flavors accented by dried sage, orange zest and savory pepper. Ends with zesty tannins. Drink now through 2033. —T.F. $54

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Wine Spectator 91 Points
Hahn Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands SLH 2021

Leads with mulled cherry and plum notes, with hints of warm licorice and fruitcake, plus red tea filling in on the finish. Reveals fresh underlying acidity that extends the finish nicely. Drink now through 2026. 25,000 cases made. $30 Our Price $22.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Spectator 88 Points
Talbott Pinot Noir Monterey Kali Hart 2021

Direct, with a note of cherry pâte de fruit leading off, laced with lightly singed vanilla and sandalwood along the way. Drink now through 2024. 65,000 cases made. $26 Our Price $18.49 (Available GT)

Decanter 95 Points
Bollinger Brut Champagne Special Cuvée NV

If it’s good enough for James Bond, it’s good enough for you. Bollinger Champagne has made a number of cameos in James Bond films over the year. This non-vintage Special Cuvée is an example of a classic Champagne done well. Notes of marzipan on the nose and the palate give toastiness and leesy notes, specifically sourdough. It’s classic for a reason and would only elevate any table it finds itself on.$95 Our Price $63.95 (Available GT and VRW)

2021 Ballentine Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: This is a fruit-forward wine, with dark fruit dominating the palate. Blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, and currants explode on the nose and palate. Black currant, raspberry, and cherry pair seamlessly with cigar box, leather, tobacco leaf, and subtle herbaceous. Hints of black olive, black tea, dark cocoa, and eucalyptus complement the soft tannins and keep this wine balanced. This medium-bodied wine finishes with fig preserves and baking spices. This is an elegant wine crafted to be enjoyed upon release but can easily hold up to age for another 7-10 years. $60 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Spectator 92 points
DOMAINE CHANDON Blanc De Blancs Los Carneros By The Bay Carneros Vineyard Reserve NV (2023 Review)

Unabashedly California is style, with bold and generous baked apple, Meyer lemon and yeast roll flavors that build richness on the long finish. Drink now. 15,000 cases made.—Tim Fish $32 Our Price 26.99 (Available GT and VRW)

2020 Thread Feathers Stags Leap Cabernet

Winemaker Notes: This 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning expression of the Stags Leap District growing region. Grown on an eastern facing hillside on the west side of Silverado Trail, this wine is bright and opulent with dark fruit notes of dark cherry and blueberry compote and hints of baking spice, cedar, violet and crushed stone. This wine is rich with beautiful structure, balance and polished tannins. 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. $40 Our Price $34.99 (Back in stock GT and VRW)

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Taste 2021 Talbott Sleepy Hollow Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay, 2019 Lancaster Winemaker’s Cuvee Cabernet and 2019 Robert Craig Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, February 2nd. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points
2021 Talbott Sleepy Hollow Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay

Subtle aromas of lemon peel, Asian pear and honeysuckle draw the nose into this bottling from an iconic vineyard. A bright spritz of lime and a firm tension meet with underripe pineapple and sea salt on the palate. $45

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points
2019 Lancaster Winemaker’s Cuvee Cabernet

The 2019 Winemaker's Cuvee is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 5% Malbec, and the rest Cabernet Franc and was aged for 15 months in 50% new French oak. It is rich with aromas of lavender, tobacco, and boysenberry compote and delivers ripe fruit through the mid-palate, with notes of blackcurrant, leather, and baking spice. This red has immediate appeal, but it will continue to evolve over the next 10 or more years. $105

Vinous 97 Points
2019 Robert Craig Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mountain) is another stellar wine from Robert Craig. Bright and incisive, with tons of energy, the Howell Mountain Cabernet delivers the goods, big time. A rush of inky red/purplish fruit, rose petal, lavender, menthol, spice and crushed rocks build into a crescendo of aromas and flavors that dazzles. This deep, vivid Cabernet hits all the right notes. Superb. $125

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Taste 2021 Bravium Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, 2019 St. Supery Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and 2018 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Saturday, February 3rd. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
2021 Bravium Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

This beautiful expression of Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley emits immediate aromas of bright red cherry, raspberry and red plum complemented by earthy tones of roses, violets, damp forest floor, fresh mountain air and river-rock minerality. This depth and complexity follows through onto the palate, where fine-grained tannins create a silky texture. Elevated acidity maintains a sense of freshness from start to lingering finish. $32

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

Wine Spectator 93 Points
2018 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

This is textbook Napa Cabernet—ripe, forthright and well-defined, with cassis, bitter plum and blackberry fruit driving through over a racy graphite hint and lively savory notes. Reveals an alder toast accent on the finish. Rock-solid. Drink now through 2034. 3,516 cases made. $68

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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