On deck for wine tasting next week at VRW:

James Suckling 93 Points
2021 Merry Edwards Russian River Pinot

Lots of focused tannins and dark fruits such as cherries and strawberries. Hibiscus. Very clear and precise. Full to medium body. Very fine and clean tannins. Orange peel. Linear and racy finish. $56

Wine Spectator 95 Points
Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley 2022

A stunning white, this leaps out of the glass with aromatic mango, orange blossom and salted ripe melon flavors. Gains complexity from grilled peach, lemon oil, savory litsea oil and toasted herb elements, with a fleshy, creamy texture and fresh acidity. Drink now through 2029. 15,000 cases made.—M.W. $50

2019 Iconoclast Russian River Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes: Iconoclast Chardonnay is thoughtfully crafted. Nine months of aging in French oak reveal hints of apple pie spice. With crisp acidity, a great mid-palate and perfect balance all of which epitomize the high quality of Russian River Chardonnay. $30

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Taste 2021 Pinot Noir: The Calling Monterey County, Hartford Court Russian River and Pisoni Estate Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Thursday, February 15th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2021 The Calling Monterey County Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: Rich with hints of tart cherry, rhubarb, dried red plum, cranberry and earthy aromatics on the nose. The palate consists of strawberry and rhubarb pie, dried cranberry, muddled cherry and red plum with juicy acidity. $32

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points
2021 Hartford Court Russian River Pinot

A youthful and saturated ruby hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is ripe and spicy, with aromas of fresh pine, cherry liqueur, and fresh wildflowers. Medium to full-bodied, with ample richness on the palate, it reveals notes of ripe berries, turned forest floor, and toasted baking spice, and it has a classic feel, with good structure and a long finish. Drink it over the next few years. 15,000 cases were produced. $42

Jeb Dunnuck 96+ Points
2021 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir

The 2021 Pinot Noir comes entirely from the Pisoni Vineyard in the southern portion of the Santa Lucia Highlands. It was only partially destemmed and was raised in 68% new French oak. It's a truly gorgeous effort offering serious aromatics of cassis, darker raspberries, spicy oak, graphite, and crushed stone. Incredibly pure, vibrant, and precise aromatically, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a stacked mid-palate, lots of building tannins, and a great finish. This concentrated, focused, age-worthy beauty needs at least 2-3 years to integrate its structure and tannins and will evolve brilliantly over the following decade. Bravo! $110

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Vinous 94 Points
2021 Walter Hansel Cahill Lane Pinot Noir

The 2021 Pinot Noir Cahill Lane Vineyard is a nuanced, sensual wine. Bright red/purplish fruit, blood orange, spice, mint and hard candy infuse the 2021 with lovely depth. This mid-weight, pliant Pinot is a real charmer. Bright acids and sweet floral accents are wonderful complements to a core of Russian River fruit. $46 (Arrives GT 2/16/24)

Wine Spectator 91 Points
Gaston Chiquet Brut Rosé Champagne NV

(2023 Review)

Boasts bright acidity and a zesty mousse, which create a vivacious frame for flavors of crushed blackberry and boysenberry, whole-grain toast and crystallized honey. Well-balanced and integrated, with a spiced finish. Disgorged March 2022. Drink now. 450 boxes imported. $60 Our Price $49.99 (Available GT and VRW)

2021 Masseria Li Veli Passamante

Winemaker Notes: Beautiful ruby red in colour, with distinctive aromas of ripe plum, blackberry, blackcurrant but also leather and sweet violet. Full-bodied in the mouth but never tiring, silky tannin and lingering taste reminiscent of licorice and coffee. $20 Our Price $14.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Spectator 95 Points
Clos St.-Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Vieilles Vignes 2021

This has good concentration and energy to the dense core of dark fruit and bitter cherry, with great poise and elegance despite its ripeness (an impressive feat for the vintage). Guided by finely crushed mineral accents and tannins, this reveals pretty high-toned floral notes and leafy tobacco. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Vaccarèse and Muscardin. Drink now through 2032. 900 cases made. $68 Our Price $49.99 (Back in stock GT)

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
2019 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

The base 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is terrific, and while I don’t know the price, I suspect it’s a great value. Deep purple-hued, with terrific mulled currant and blackberry fruits, it has lots of ripe herbal, chocolaty spice notes, full-bodied richness, sweet tannins, and a great finish. This is pure Napa Valley goodness to drink over the coming 10-15 years. $85 (Available GT and VRW)

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 Our Price $59.99 (Back in stock GT)

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
2021 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir Cuvee Alyce

Dark and enveloping, the 2021 Pinot Noir Cuvee Alyce is the richest offering in this lineup. Pouring a deep red/purple, it’s saturated with aromas of boysenberry liqueur, lavender, cedar, and licorice. Ample and full-bodied, it remains light on its feet, with mouthwatering lift, well-integrated, ripe tannins, and smoky incense on the back palate. Give it another year or two to shed its considerable baby fat and drink 2025-2035. $50 (Back in stock GT 2/16/24)

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Taste 2021 THE HESS COLLECTION Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Allomi, 2021 Coho Headwaters Proprietary Red and 2019 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Napa Valley at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, February 16th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Spectator 93 Points
THE HESS COLLECTION Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Allomi 2021

Boysenberry and açaí berry fruit gives this a slightly exotic profile, but it's finely stitched with apple wood, sassafras and singed anise notes to keep it honest. The polished finish lets a chaparral note chime through the flashy fruit. This should have fans for sure. Drink now through 2036. 66,186 cases made.—James Molesworth. $40

2021 Coho Headwaters Proprietary Red

Winemaker Notes: The 2021 COHO Headwaters Napa Valley Red Wine boasts rich red and black fruit flavors of Bing cherries and black plums accompanied by hints of mocha and subtle graphite characters. This approachable yet complex wine shows a vitality from its natural acidity supported by a supple tannin profile that promises enjoyment for years to come. $45

Wine Spectator 92 Points
Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Napa Valley 2019

A nice, plush style, with cassis and cherry compote notes rolling through, laced with singed vanilla and licorice. Reveals good underlying freshness, with an echo of violet through the finish as the fruit plays out. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032. 20,877 cases made. $65

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Taste 2018 Riverbench Brut Rosé Santa Maria Valley, Taittinger Brut Champagne Prélude Grands Crus and 2014 Franck Bonville Les Belles Voyes Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $20 per person.
Saturday, February 17th. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
2018 Riverbench Brut Rosé Santa Maria Valley

Sparkling A slightly rusty shade of pink in the glass, this is a dynamic rosé bubbly. It starts with aromas of fermented watermelon, tangerine peel and rose hips, with a lingering sense of herb. The palate combines pink-fruit flavors with orange rind, proving easy-to-enjoy yet thought-provoking all at once. — Matt Kettmann $48

James Suckling 93 Points
Taittinger Brut Champagne Prélude Grands Crus NV

This has attractive notes of hazelnuts, pastries, honey, figs and apple tart. Lots of flavor with a medium body and fine bubbles. Deliciously layered. I like the praline and honeycomb notes. 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot noir from Grand Cru vineyards, with at least 5 years on the lees. Drink now. $90

2014 Franck Bonville Les Belles Voyes Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne

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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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