On deck for wine tasting next week at VRW:

Wine Spectator 93 Points
Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuveé Carneros 2015

An opulent, decadent style, with raspberry, poached pear, roasted nut and yeast roll flavors that build richness on the spicy finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now. $60

Wine Spectator 94 Points, Top 100 #10
2022 Ramey Russian River Chardonnay

Oozing with character, this succulent and mouthwatering white offers a fleshy, juicy mix of perfectly ripe peach, mango and lemon bar flavors, with fresh herbal accents of lemon verbena and vetiver. Offers accents of freshly grated ginger, tangerine and crunchy sea salt on the finish. Drink now through 2036.—MaryAnn Worobiec $50

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Taste 2022 Pinot Noir: Roar Garys’ Santa Lucia Highlands and Aubert CIX Estate Sonoma Coast at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $25 per person. (Limited: We will open one bottle of each wine for this tasting)
Tuesday, December 3rd. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Enthusiast 97 Points
2022 Roar Garys’ Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

From a vineyard named after the region’s pionering pair of Garys, this utterly satisfying bottling begins with aromas that blend umami-focused hints of soy, shiitake and smoke with fresh fruit and flower scents. Solidly chalky in texture, the palate delivers Bing cherry and pure blackberry flavors cut by steady acidity. $80

James Suckling 99 Points
2022 Aubert CIX Estate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Aromas of blackberries, black cherries, lavender, lemon peel and dark tobacco, with hints of oyster shells, dried seaweed and iodine. Full yet nicely hemmed with ripe tuna belly and seaweed character. It’s decadent with notes of umami. Love this. Give this three to four years to mellow slightly, but so fascinating to drink now. CA Market Price $180-$230.

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Taste 2022 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre La Cote Des Monts Damnes and 2021 Les Carmes Haut Brion Pessac Leognan at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $25 per person. (Limited: We will open one bottle of each wine for this tasting)
Wednesday, December 4th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Vinous Media 93 Points
2022 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre La Cote Des Mont Damnes

The 2022 La Cotes des Monts Damnés is a ripe, full-bodied style with power and weight. It is pure, fragrant and attractive even in youth, with floral and richly fruity characters - all nectarine and pineapple flavors. Expect a concentrated, intense wine that retains a sense of purpose and a lightly chalky texture. One for the long haul. Drink 2024-2033 $45

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 2022 Walter Hansel North Slope Pinot Noir and 2021 O’Shaughnessy Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person.
Thursday, December 5th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Vinous Media 92 Points
2022 Walter Hansel North Slope Pinot Noir

The 2022 Pinot Noir The North Slope Vineyard is quite dark and brooding in feel. Black cherry, plum, spice, leather, lavender, game and mocha add to an impression of somber intensity. Give this a year or two to soften. Clone 777 Pinot yields a wine of notable breadth here. $47

Antonio Galloni 96 Points
2021 O’Shaughnessy Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is another impressive wine from O'Shaughnessy Estate Winery. Bright acids and beams of tannin run through a core of dark red/purplish Howell Mountain fruit. Potent yet refined, the 2021 is a fine effort. Blueberry jam, plum, lavender, chocolate and graphite all build into the huge, vibrant finish. $120

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Vinous Media 93 Points
2022 Capiaux Starscape Russian River Pinot Noir

The 2022 Pinot Noir Starscape handled the rigors of the growing season admirably. Potent and deep, with notable resonance, the 2022 offers up an exotic mélange of dark cherry, plum, spice, lavender, new leather, licorice and gravel. The darker side of Martini clone Pinot comes through in this resonant, super-expressive offering." Drinking Window: 2023 – 2032 $56 (Arrives GT 12/4/24)

Vinous Media 92 Points
2022 Capiaux Pisoni Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

The 2022 Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard is a rich, bombastic wine. Dark plum, chocolate, licorice and spice are all amplified in this dense, full-bodied Pinot. The 2022 is a classic Pisoni Pinot built on textural richness and body Drinking Window: 2023 – 2032. $65 (Arrives GT 12/4/24)

James Suckling 92 Points
2022 Olema Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon

Polished but bold and textured, this deeply flavored wine offers black cherry, blueberry and raspberry accents, along with spicy, savory elements from small amounts of malbec, petite sirah and merlot. Moderate tannins lend a light snap to the texture. $25 (Arrives GT 12/5/24)

James Suckling 92 Points
Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Riesling Trocken 2022

Deep nose with stacks of spice plus flinty and leesy complexity. The ripe stone fruit character emerges more and more with each swirl of the glass. A generous mouthful of extremely harmonious dry riesling. A touch of fine tannin deftly supports the finish. A good two-thirds fermented in stainless steel, the remainder in large neutral oak. From biodynamically grown grapes. Vegan. $22 Our Price $17.99 (Back in stock GT 12/5/24)

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points
Delamotte Le Mesnil sur Oger depuis Brut

Based on the 2018 vintage, the NV Champagne Brut is 60% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, and 5% Meunier. Fresh and inviting aromas of white flowers, ripe pear, and quince are followed by a ripe, medium-bodied wine on the palate. Juicy up front and through the long finish, it delivers wonderfully ripe fruit and purity without feeling harsh. It’s ready to drink now or over the next 5-7 years. They have been gradually increasing the proportion of Chardonnay in the blend and decreasing the Meunier. 8 grams per liter of dosage. $75 Our Price $61.95 (Available GT and VRW)

James Suckling 97 Points
Krug Grande Cuvee 172nd Edition Brut NV

Beautiful notes of dried citrus fruit, lemon curd and dried apples with hints of spices, dried flowers and subtle brioche. I like the polished and caressing texture and steady, refreshing acidity. It’s fresh and even austere, with notes of ground spices. So vertical and firm. Structured and long. $300 Our Price $255 (Available GT and VRW)

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Taste 2022 DAOU Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 2021 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve and 2021 O’Shaughnessy Napa Cabernet Sauvignon at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $20 per person.
Friday, December 6th. Available 12:00 noon -5:45 PM

Wine Advocate 92-94 Points
2022 DAOU Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a barrel sample of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Petit Verdot maturing for 16 months in 50% new French oak and is due to be bottled in the spring of 2024. The nose offers wild berry fruit streaked with graphite and nuances of truffle, forest floor and oak spices. The full-bodied palate is highly concentrated and floral, with approachable, clay-textured tannins, satisfying bursts of acidity and a long, perfumed finish. $55

James Suckling 96 Points
2021 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve

A layered and lightly chewy red with currant, orange peel and hints of hazelnut. Fine tannins. Some pine, cedar, graphite, black currant and iodine. Perfumed. Tannins turn fine and bright. Excellent length and serious tension. One of the best I have had. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 15% petit verdot, 11% cabernet franc, 9% malbec and 5% merlot. Drinkable but will age nicely. Best in two or three years. $65

2021 O’Shaughnessy Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes: Blended from our three Estate vineyards in arguably the three best appellations within the Napa Valley: Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder and Oakville. Howell Mountain gives us structure and ripe red fruit, while Mt. Veeder adds an extra punch of tannins along with savory mineral driven qualities, Oakville balances out the mountains with its silky texture and pure fruit. This Cabernet Sauvignon is ruby red with an opaque center. A sweet entry of milk chocolate and fresh caramel greets the nose. The palate is lush and rich with black cherry, plum, and blueberry. Fine-grained tannins are integrated seamlessly, making this an approachable wine with a long finish that can be enjoyed now or cellared for years to come. $85

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Taste 2022 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir The South Slope Vineyard, 2021 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley and 2019 Scarlett Rutherford Napa Cabernet at Vintage Reserve Wine (VRW) for $15 per person
Saturday, December 7th. Available 12:00 noon -3:45 PM

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
2022 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir The South Slope Vineyard

The 2022 Pinot Noir The South Slope Vineyard is made entirely from the Dijon clone 777 and pours a deep magenta hue. In the glass, it gives off a more floral perfume, with notes of violets, black raspberry coulis, sweet cedar, and mossy forest floor, and brighter fresh red fruit comes through on the palate. Medium-bodied, it reveals more focus on the palate, with a mouthwatering feel, and it has fine tannins and a light, salty finish. A very lovely wine, it’s going to reach its tenth birthday with ease if stored properly. 405 cases were produced. $47

Wine Spectator 94 Points, Top 100 #4
Faust Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2021

Packed and broad in feel, with a ganache note draped over black currant, blackberry and steeped cherry. Licorice root and alder smoke flavors check in on the finish as the fruit pumps through, ending with a flash of violet. Hard to resist now, but this has some development ahead. Drink now through 2036. 50,000 cases made. $65

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
2019 Scarlett Rutherford Napa Cabernet

Beautiful, sweet cassis and blue fruits, as well as lots of violet and floral notions, emerge from the Scarlett 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, a full-bodied, rich, concentrated barrel sample with wonderful purity of fruit, a good sense of freshness, and serious length on the finish. This promising, elegant yet powerful wine is going to shine with short-term bottle age and keep for two decades. $79

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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