On deck for wine tasting next week at VRW:

Wine Spectator 94 Points
Résonance Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2022

Fragrant raspberry and fresh violet aromas lead to elegantly layered cherry, mineral and savory tea flavors, with a silky mouthfeel that slowly builds tension on the polished finish. Drink now through 2033. 15,299 cases made. $40

Wine Advocate 91 Points
2022 Whitehall Lane Rutherford Napa Sauvignon Blanc

The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc—it includes 20% Sémillon—was mostly fermented and aged in stainless steel, with 25% going into oak. The result is a gently grassy-herbal wine loaded with grapefruit and nectarine-tinged fruit, plus hints of fig and melon. It's medium-bodied, plump and creamy on the mid-palate, then long and silky on the finish. It's nicely complex and composed. $32

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
2022 Lucia Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard

The 2022 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard is one of the darker, more masculine style Pinots in the lineup. Ripe black cherries, iron, roasted herbs, leather, and violet notes all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a concentrated, focused mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. It needs a decant if drinking any time soon, and it should have an easy decade of prime drinking going forward. It's impressive. $80

Jeb Dunnuck 96+
2021 Favia Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville

 The Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville is all varietal that, like all these latest 2021s, was brought up in 50% new French oak. It has more blue fruit as well as a full-bodied, incredibly layered style in its full-bodied aromas and flavors of graphite, scorched earth, tobacco, and obvious minerality. It's a big, concentrated 2021, but it nevertheless holds onto a beautiful sense of freshness and balance, which is what I think sets this vintage apart. As with the La Magdalena, it's not for the instant gratification crowd, since it probably won't hit full maturity until a decade after the vintage, but I'd be shocked if it didn't have 30 years of overall longevity. $280

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Taste 2022 Pinot Noir: Morgan Twelve Clones Santa Lucia, Sandhi Sta. Rita Hills and Domaine de la Côte Sta. Rita Hills Bloom's Field at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $20 per person.
Thursday, September 19th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
2022 Morgan Twelve Clones Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

Focused and well integrated aromas of dark plum, raspberry, scarlet red rose and all of the baking spices make for a very elegant and appealing nose on this bottling. Baked boysenberry and Luxardo cherry flavors are cut by creamy chai spices on the palate. —M.K. $39

Wine Advocate 94 Points
2022 Sandhi Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

The 2022 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills comes from declassified fruit grown at Domaine de la Côte, plus purchased fruit from three other vineyards, including La Rinconada. It's a particularly complex and expressive iteration of Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir from Sandhi. It has an alluring perfume of raspberry, strawberry, tea leaves, tobacco, potpourri and gravel dust, and it reveals botanical undertones as it spends time in the glass. The light-bodied palate has a deep core of spicy, herbal fruit, a frame of chalky tannins, energetic acidity and a long, layered finish. $48

Wine Spectator 95 Points
Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Bloom's Field 2022

A juicy, well-built red, with a structured core of dark cherry and boysenberry fruit harnessed by streaks of wet stone, savory and tobacco, while bay and sandalwood hints peek in on the finish. This is still tight, coiled and steely, but the energy is there for unfurling in the cellar. Best from 2025 through 2038. 925 cases made. $105

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James Suckling 92 Points
2021 Frank Family Carneros Pinot

A fresh and bright pinot with sliced-strawberry, raspberry and orange-peel aromas and flavors. Medium body with fine, racy tannins and a bright and energetic finish. Drink or hold. $45 Our Price $32.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
2022 Calera Central Coast Pinot Noir

This priced-to-sell appellation blend gives hints of what the single-vineyard expressions can do in a more accessible manner. Aromas of pomegranate, green peppercorn and oregano decorate the nose. The palate shows baked plum and strawberry flavors as well as Calera's telltale showing of terpene-laden herbs like bay leaf and marjoram. $32 Our Price $23.99 (Available GT)

Wine Spectator 92 Points
SEAN MINOR Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Signature Series 2022

A nice streamlined, mineral-tinged version, with racy acidity running underneath blood orange and raspberry coulis flavors, while savory and hibiscus hints chime in on the finish, where the fruit lingers prettily. Drink now through 2028. 3,000 cases made. From California.—James Molesworth $28 Our Price $19.99 (Back in stock GT and VRW)

2022 Robert Sinskey Vin Gris of Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: A rosé for all seasons - this organically farmed, whole cluster pressed Vin Gris of Pinot Noir deserves attention year ‘round. The glimmering salmon color provides a clue that this wine is a pure, vibrant, well-crafted beverage. Bright, spring strawberry leads into summer raspberry, guava and peach, contrasted by notes of juicy winter citrus like orange and Meyer lemon. High tone rose petal and lavender add to the allure. $39 Our Price $34.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
2021 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst

The second wine of this incredible estate, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst reveals a deep purple hue as well as a great nose of assorted currants, black cherries, tobacco, and lead pencil. It's beautifully concentrated, has medium to full-bodied richness, and ripe tannins, all making for an undeniably delicious, classic, balanced Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the coming 10-15 years. $110 (Available GT and VRW)

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
2022 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir

The 2022 Pinot Noir is gorgeous, and a match for any number of Grand Cru Red Burgundies, which is certainly what it brings to mind when tasting it. Sporting a deeper ruby/garnet hue as well as a stunning nose of black raspberries, darker strawberries, spring flowers, and baking spices, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. Coming from a challenging year that saw a significant Labor Day heatwave, this nevertheless does everything right. I love it today, yet it will evolve gracefully over the coming 10-15 years. $110 (Arrives GT this afternoon)

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Taste 2021 My Favorite Neighbor Harvey and Harriet Red, 2021 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon and 2020 Booker Vertigo
at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, September 20th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points
2021 My Favorite Neighbor Harvey and Harriet Red

The 2021 Red Blend comes all from purchased fruit (mostly from Paso Robles) and it's a smoking good blend based on Bordeaux varieties that tastes like it costs three times the price. Cassis, graphite, violets, and classy oak define the aromatics, and it's beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, has a ripe, layered mouthfeel, and a great finish. Don't miss this crazy value in Bordeaux blends from California! $30

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
2021 My Favorite Neighbor Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is smoking good, with a full-bodied, rich, opulent wine that has classic cassis and darker blue fruits as well as leafy tobacco, baking spice, and bouquet garni notes. This textured, ripe, sexy wine stays nicely balanced, has ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's another awesome value. $50

2020 Booker Vertigo Syrah Blend

Winemaker Notes: Vertigo is our Syrah-based blend, showcasing some new varietals this vintage! It is spicy, structured, and always performs. The name is a nod to the steepness of the hillside on our estate where we grow the fruit for this wine. Debuting a blend with just a bit of Petite Sirah and Tannat from the estate, it is also the only Booker wine from the 2020 vintage to be crafted from a whole cluster fermentation. Aromas of dark chocolate, dark berries and a hint of smoked meats are sure to blow your mind. The palate offers plum, cinnamon and black pepper that gives way to a long and exciting finish. 47% Syrah, 32% Mourverde, 9% Grenache, 7% Petite Syrah, 5% Tannat $75

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Taste Roar Rosella’s Chardonnay and Roar Rosella’s Pinot Noir at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $20 per person.
Saturday, September 21st. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points
2022 Roar Rosella’s Chardonnay

From the coolest site this team works with, the 2022 Chardonnay Rosella's Vineyard reveals a medium gold hue as well as a classy nose of ripe stone fruits, honeyed lemons, minty herbs, and some subtle tropical flowers. With medium-bodied richness, it builds nicely with time in the glass and has beautifully integrated oak, a layered mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's another gorgeous Chardonnay from this team, and it's closer in style to the Sierra Mar than the richer Soberanes release. $66

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
2021 Roar Rosella’s Pinot Noir

The 2021 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard brings a more concentrated, serious feel and offers ripe mulberry and cherry fruit as well as scorched earth, graphite, and minerality, with nicely integrated oak. It's medium-bodied, concentrated, and focused, with a beautiful mouthfeel. It needs 2-3 years in the cellar (you'd be forgiven for enjoying a bottle today) and will evolve nicely over the following decade. $80

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points
2022 Roar Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard

From a cooler site in the middle of the Santa Cruz Mountain appellation, the 2022 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard offers more mulberry and wild strawberry fruit as well as a beautiful core of sappy flowers, violets, and underbrush. I love its overall purity and precision, and it's medium-bodied, has ripe, polished tannins, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's up with the creme de la creme of the appellation, and it's going to have at least 10-12 years of prime drinking. It benefits from air if drinking any time soon. $80

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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