May 23rd 2024 Newsletter - The Grape Tray

May 23rd 2024 Newsletter

Back in stock GT and VRW
WOW-71% Off! 2019 Callaway Cellars Ely Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: Dark ruby in color, with aromas of classic Paso Robles blackberry and spice. Mouth-filling flavors of ripe plum, vanilla oak and cola with a robust finish. $17 Our Price $4.95

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On Deck for wine tasting next week at VRW:

2021 Peju Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Our 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon exudes a captivating blend of ripe fruit aromas, accompanied by subtle spicy undertones and delicate hints of blue fruit and cocoa. On the palate, it unfolds with a velvety texture, revealing layers of juicy plum preserve and red fruit flavors, intertwined with nuances of cedar box shavings. This wine strikes a harmonious balance, offering a creamy mouthfeel and well-integrated silky tannins that lead to a smooth and lingering finish. $75

2021 Kenefick Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Chris's Cuvée

Winemaker Notes: Focused dark fruit makes way for some brightness on the aromatics and palate. Well integrated tannins and oak play the role of extending the finish. $80

Wine Advocate 92 Points
2019 Kenefick Ranch Winery Cabernet Franc Caitlin's Select

Cherries lead the way on the nose of the 2019 Cabernet Franc Caitlin's Select, joined by just a hint of leafiness and some attractive milk chocolate shadings. Full-bodied, creamy and lush, this wine offers a lot of up front, with hedonistic appeal and a lingering, nuanced finish at a reasonable price. $50

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Taste Zinfandel: 2022 TURLEY California Juvenile, 2021 TURLEY California Old Vines and 2022 CARLISLE Russian River Valley Mancini Ranch at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Thursday, May 23rd. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Spectator 93 Points
TURLEY Zinfandel California Juvenile 2022

A jammy bomb of fruit, offering cherry pie and ripe raspberry flavors accented with toasty spice and briar notes as this energetic Zin zips along the zesty finish. Drink now through 2032. —T.F. $27

Wine Spectator 93 Points
TURLEY Zinfandel California Old Vines 2021

Bold and jammy but balanced, with blackberry cobbler, licorice and savory pepper flavors building tension toward briary tannins. Drink now through 2032. —T.F. $28

Wine Spectator 94 Points
CARLISLE Zinfandel Russian River Valley Mancini Ranch 2022

Rich and multilayered yet light on its feet, this Zin is vibrant. Offers cherry and blueberry flavors accented by pepper and sage as this zips along the lively, crisp finish. Drink now through 2033. 377 cases made —T.F. $56

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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 (Available GT and VRW)

2022 Merry Edwards Russian River Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: We first notice the beautiful garnet color followed by fragrances of vanilla cola, black raspberry, fresh thyme and plum compote. On entry, the mouthfeel is soft and lush, with notes of black cherry, plum, cassis and milk chocolate. Juicy acidity bonds with structured tannins and lifts the long, spicy finish. $60 (Available GT)

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 Our Price $24.99 (Available GT and VRW)

2022 Alma Cattleya Sonoma Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: Harnessed within its medium ruby core, this Pinot Noir packs pure aromas of berry pie, pomegranate, and spicy sandalwood. Rich and textured on the palate, the senses are dazzled with fruit driven flavors of macerated blackberry and mulberry that pair seamlessly with more savory notes of dried herbs and hints of fresh earth. The youthful acidity and fine-grained tannin offer an exciting and approachable finish to this luscious wine. $30 (Available GT and VRW)

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 (Back in stock GT this afternoon)

2022 Fait Main Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Cabernet

Winemaker Notes: Located west of Highway 29, this site has deep gravel soils ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon. We source from two blocks located in the southwestern portion near Vine Hill Ranch, where soils are especially deep and well-draining. Prized for their ultra-silky tannins and luminous fruit, Missouri Hopper wines deliver opulence and energy in equal measure. $175 (Available GT and VRW)

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Taste 2022 Miner Napa Chardonnay, 2020 Bookwalter Protagonist Conner Lee Vineyard
and 2020 The Setting Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, May 24th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2022 Miner Napa Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes: Sourced from select low-yielding vineyards in Napa Valley, Miner Family Chardonnay is characterized by crisp apple, ripe melon and citrus flavors, gently balanced with toasty French oak. Their winemaker uses malolactic fermentation in moderation to retain the wine's bright acidity. More than a decade after this Chardonnay put Miner on the map, this wine remains a classic. $44

Wine Advocate 94 Points
2020 Bookwalter Protagonist Conner Lee Vineyard

Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Syrah and Petit Verdot, the 2020 Protagonist Conner Lee Vineyard bursts from the glass with a plushy frame of fresh plums, oak and freshly opened flowers. Full-bodied, the wine achieves a beautiful harmony, exhibiting freshness and juiciness within a structured and balanced framework. Concluding with elegance and power, this gorgeous wine glides to a beautiful and succulent finish that has me craving flame-kissed chops and steaks from the grill. Just under 25,000 bottles were produced. $68

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
2020 The Setting Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley is a saturated red with a ruby hue and has a forward, floral perfume of juicy mixed black and red fruit, candied violets, plums, and fresh herbs. Full-bodied and gushing with primary fruit up front, it has fine tannins and a supple, rounded mouthfeel, offering loads of blackberries and flowers before revealing slightly more earthy tones of mossy earth and tea leaf. Drink 2025-2040. $95

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Taste 2022 Bernardus Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, 2022 Bacchant Luli Monte Linda Vineyard Pinot Noir and 2019 Pride Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Saturday, May 25th. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

2022 Bernardus Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: Our 2022 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir exhibits ripe plum aromas along with subtle spice notes. The palate is very rich and full-bodied, with deep black cherry and boysenberry flavors supported by a long soft finish. A superb example of Pinot Noir from the Highlands! $45

2022 Bacchant Luli Monte Linda Vineyard Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: The 2022 Vintage of Luli Monte Linda Pinot Noir is dark and concentrated, displaying the effects of mountain-grown Pinot Noir in a dry year. Explosive notes of raspberry, spiced plum, sage and high-toned notes of rose petal fill the glass of this wine. On the palate, the Monte Linda Pinot Noir brings firm tannins and layered structure that gives an extremely long finish. $40

Antonio Galloni, Vinous 93 Points
2019 Pride Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Pride wine. Effusive aromatics meld into a core of dark blue/purplish fruit. Medium in body, but with terrific depth, 2019 has a lot going on. This is an especially refined vintage for the Cabernet Sauvignon. All the elements are so nicely balanced. Cedar, tobacco, licorice and dried herbs linger. $78

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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


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