On deck for wine tasting next week at VRW:

Wine Advocate 94 Points
2021 Desparada Soothsayer

The 2021 Soothsayer is a blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Tempranillo, 15% Barbera, 10% Sangiovese, 10% Alicante Bouschet and 10% Cabernet Franc matured for 21 months in about one-third new French oak. Its tricolored fruit—blackcurrant, red cherry and boysenberry—is complemented by accents of vanilla, charcuterie, licorice and earth. The full-bodied palate offers ripe yet not over-the-top flavors. It has supple, approachable tannins, mouthwatering acidity and a long, nuanced finish laced with floral and spice tones. 495 cases were made. $65

Wine Spectator 92 Points
Boscarelli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2020

Pure, this red boasts aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, iron, leather and tobacco. Rich yet firmly structured, displaying refined tannins and lively acidity. Offers fine overall balance and length. Drink now through 2030. 4,100 cases made, 50 cases imported. $44

Antonio Galloni, Vinous 98 Points
Les Carmes Haut Brion Pessac Leognan 2021

The 2021 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is very possibly the wine of the vintage. Vertical and explosive, the 2021 possesses mind-blowing intensity and dynamic energy to burn. The 2021 is a heady, racy wine that captivates all the senses. Tobacco, mocha, cedar, leather, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and plum saturate the palate in a wine that dazzles from start to finish. The 2021 was bottled in late September 2023, much later than most wines, yet it is so expressive today. It was magnificent from barrel, and it is every bit as breathtaking today. Quite simply, Les Carmes is on another level. Bravo! $150

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Taste 2020 Royal Nonesuch Farm York Mountain Rhône Blend and 2022 CHÂTEAU DE ST.-COSME Gigondas Le Poste at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $20 per person. (Limited: We will open one bottle of each wine for this tasting)
Tuesday, November 19th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Vinous Media 94 Points
2020 Royal Nonesuch Farm York Mountain Rhône Blend

The 2020 Red from Royal Nonesuch Farm is savory and intense, blending dried black cherries with peppery rose and lavender. It flows easily across the palate, pleasantly sweet yet wonderfully balanced, with a stern mineral core to contrast. It lingers incredibly long and is full of primary concentration. A coating of fine-grained tannins frames the experience nicely. The Red is a co-fermented blend of 73% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 5% Graciano and 2% Clairette Blanche. (EG) $65

Wine Spectator 96 Points
CHÂTEAU DE ST.-COSME Gigondas Le Poste 2022

A massive wine, this starts out with a voluptuous, generous well of black cherry, anise and plum puree that soon reveals a simmering layer of molten iron. Serious and brooding, with savory, smoky power and bitterness, yet this shows finesse and beautiful integration. The powerful black tea tannins are built to go the distance and need a bit of time to mellow out. A blockbuster. Best from 2026 through 2040. —K.B. 30 cases imported. Published Price $75. Actual Retail Price $160

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Taste 2019 Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon Franschhoek and 2021 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Mendoza Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $20 per person. (Limited: We will open one bottle of each wine for this tasting)
Wednesday, November 20th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Spectator 93 Points
Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon Franschhoek 2019

Long and harmonious, this full-bodied red is concentrated and well-meshed, delivering creamy tannins that serve as a fine frame for flavors of crème de cassis, mocha, macerated raspberry and herbes de Provence, layered with a subtle underpinning of fresh, loamy earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2029. 1,085 cases made, 50 cases imported. $69

Wine Spectator 95 Points
Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Mendoza Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae 2021

Elegant, fresh and inviting at the onset, with violet, hibiscus and blood orange notes that join a smooth-textured palate of raspberry coulis and red currant, melding into richer tiers of dark chocolate and graphite that linger around fine tannins, echoing back to the core flavors. Drink now through 2035. 458 cases made, 150 cases imported. $140

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Taste 2022 CHÂTEAU DE ST.-COSME Gigondas and 2022 Aubert Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast UV Vineyard at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $25 per person. (Limited: We will open one bottle of each wine for this tasting)
Thursday, November 21st. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Spectator 94 Points
CHÂTEAU DE ST.-COSME Gigondas 2022

Expressive notes of pomegranate and raspberry show pretty lavender perfume alongside wafts of apple wood smoke and black pepper. Fine yet substantial tannins hold a firm grip, with graphite power building. Concentrated and firmly structured on a sleek, powerful frame. Tightly wound, this will be even better with a few years in the cellar. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault. Best from 2026 through 2037. —K.B. $65

Wine Spectator 95 Points
Aubert Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast UV Vineyard 2022

Ripe and defined, offering a mix of raspberry, black cherry and boysenberry reduction notes scored with bramble, warm earth, menthol and sweet spice details. This impressive, well-structured version is holding back for now, with underlying energy and a solid finishing kick of fruit that should allow this to unfurl slowly in the cellar. Best from 2027 through 2035. 874 cases made. CA Market Price $165-$200

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2022 Luli SLH Pinot Noir

Winemaker Notes: The 2022 Luli Pinot Noir embodies the combination of elegance and richness. This wine possesses a deep ruby hue and a mélange of exuberant aromas. Notes of Bing cherry and wild raspberry mingle with hints of cedar spice and delicate violets creating an enticing bouquet. The palate displays the broad textual notes common from these rugged hillsides of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Decomposed granite soils stressed the vines and 2022 was a particularly low yielding year. Vibrant flavors of juicy plum dance alongside muddled raspberries and layered tannins. This Pinot Noir wonderfully captures the cool, foggy weather of the Santa Lucia Highlands. $26 Our Price $22.99 (Available GT and VRW)

Decanter Journal 96 Points
NV Henri Champliau Authentique Brut Cremant de Bourgogne France

Intense citrus, peach, custard apple and toasted brioche aromas with a lush, creamy textured mousse and a mouthwateringly vibrant acidity. Long, crisp, zesty and luxurious. $30 Our Price $24.99 (Back in stock GT 11/21/24)

Decanter Journal 92 Points
2021 Kenefick Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Chris's Cuvée

Excellent winemaking shows here in fresh aromatics and perfectly ripe fruit on the palate. Ripe cherries and mulberry fruit, along with integrated cedarwood spices, fuel a full-bodied red with ripe tannins and juicy blood orange notes through a lengthy finish." 82% Cabernet Sauvignon 12% Petit Verdot 6% Cabernet Franc. $80 (Back in stock GT this afternoon)

Wine Spectator 90 Points
Louis Michel & Fils Chablis 2022

Bright and succulent, this open and enjoyable white exhibits peach, melon, thyme and flint notes, offering fine balance and a persistent finish. Drink now through 2027. 1,650 cases imported. $44 Our Price $34.95 (Back in stock GT 11/20/24)

2022 Thread Feathers Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: Aromas of dusty graphite, crushed rock and dried herb linger with cocoa powder and coffee bean in this intensely concentrated, powerful, mountain-grown wine. Seamless, complex and structured, the palate offers a dense array of red and dark fruit flavors highlighted by cassis and tobacco leaf with hints of leather and blackberry compote. Soft, rich, and round, it delivers well-integrated, resolved tannin buoyed by a lively palate of bright acidity and a long-lasting finish. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. $49 Our Price $36.99 (Back in stock GT 11/19/24)

Wine Advocate 94 Points
2014 Staglin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate has a very pretty nose of fragrant earth, red and black currants, black plums and underbrush with hints of cigar box and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with expressive earth and black fruit flavors, supported by a seamless backbone of ripe tannins and great freshness, finishing long. $320 (Available GT and VRW)

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 (Available GT and VRW)

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Taste 2022 Mer Soleil Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay, 2022 Skylark Alondra Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and 2021 M by Michael Mondavi Napa Cabernet at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Friday, November 22nd. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

2022 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, Monterey county 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. $25

2022 Skylark Alondra Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: Opaque. Aromatics of cassis, blackberry and black plum with a dusting of cocoa powder. The palate exudes the density and depth of Napa Cabernet, with the plush and textural black fruits coating the palate with fruit viscosity. The tannins are fine-grained and yet evident, providing structure and balance for the ripe fruit profile. There is a graceful character to this 2022 Cabernet while showing the power and layers of fruit that make Napa Cabernet so special. 90 cases produced $30

2021 M by Michael Mondavi Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (Tasting notes for 2021 vintage available 11/27/24)

Winemaker Notes for the 2019 Vintage: Deep, iridescent ruby followed by aromas of rose, cherry blossom, violets, and currant leaf, with notes of black cherry, roasted chestnuts, vanilla, and cocoa. On the palate, flavors of rhubarb, currant, fig, and marzipan with toasty oak notes and, well-integrated tannins. $210

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Taste 2022 Alpha Omega Two Squared Arroyo Seco Chardonnay, 2022 Turnbull Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and 2021 Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person
Saturday, November 23rd. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
2022 Alpha Omega Two Squared Arroyo Seco Chardonnay

This label for Alpha Omega Collective presents a very satisfying take on Chardonnay in this bottling, starting with melon, ripe pear and struck stone aromas. The palate is tightly wound and bouncy with citrusy energy, as stonefruit and light pineapple flavors add depth. — Matt Kettmann $32

2022 Turnbull Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot & 2% Malbec this 2022 shows surprising freshness and accessibility at such a young age and reveals a core of sweet plum tinged fruit along with already nicely integrated, yet structured tannins. $48

Wine Spectator 94 Points, 2024 Top 100 #6
Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District 2021

Super lush and polished in feel, with creamy-textured açaí, mulberry and cassis notes gliding through slowly. Laced with alluring hints of violet, iris and anise, this offers a melted licorice note on the finish, but the fruit wins out easily. Drink now through 2037. 13,363 cases made. $120

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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