Featured Wines - May 2016

The 2015 Montinore Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Gris offers dynamic aromatics, pure fruit flavors, and supreme balance that reflect the organic, biodynamic methods employed at this exemplary estate. Captivating citrus and stone fruit aromas waft from the glass the moment Montinore’s Pinot Gris is poured. These crystalline aromas become infused with tropical fruit notes on the palate and become enveloped by crisp acidity, all of which lend...

The 2006 Kuyam Cuvee Nolan, named for Dave and Becky’s son Nolan, is a mere 270 case production. It is a blend of five red Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (45%), Cabernet Franc (25%), Merlot (26%), Petite Verdot (2%), and Malbec (2%) all from Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard. The 2006 Kuyam Cuvee Nolan offers a beautiful purple robe, a complex bouquet of forest blackberries, cassis, boxwood and unsmoked tobacco, as well as plenty of...

Gilles Noblet fashions incomparable Pouilly-Fuissé year in and year out. Born in the outstanding 2014 vintage, which yielded minute quantity but exceptional quality, the 2014 Domaine Gilles Noblet Pouilly-Fuissé comes across as remarkable in every respect. Given diminished yields and the corresponding superior concentration that characterize white Burgundies in 2014, the highly allocated 2014 Domaine Gilles Noblet Pouilly-Fuissé offers a big...

The cool, extended 2010 vintage in Carneros produced a tiny crop of balanced, highly aromatic Pinot Noirs. Although not as highly structured as the massive 2009 Fore Family Napa Carneros Pinot Noir, Fore Family’s 2010 Carneros Napa Pinot Noir presents itself as no wilting flower; it offers everything hand-crafted Pinot Noir has to offer, including superb balance and an entrancing bouquet of Morello cherries, ripe freshly picked strawberries...

The 2014 La Vis Simboli Trentino Chardonnay sparkles in the glass, offering a glint of sunshine and a bright sunny color. Lovely aromas of spring flowers, ripe mountain apples, pears, pineapple, and quince delight the nose. Fresh and lively in the mouth, the medium-bodied 2014 La Vis Chardonnay offers pure fruit flavors and a gentle minerality, much like its French counterparts from the Mâconnais in southern Burgundy. No oak, no smoke...

The 2006 Ground Around is a mere 260 case production. It is a blend of three of the California Central Coast’s most important red grape varieties: Grenache (39%) from Alta Mesa Vineyard, Tempranillo (36%) from Laetitia Vineyard, and Syrah (25%) from Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard. The 2006 Ground Around offers a deep garnet robe, an amplifying aroma of blackberry, cranberry and dried cherries, along with baking spices, fennel and dried...

In Cornerstone’s 2013 California Rocks Red, the Old World clearly meets the New World, as this wine draws inspiration from the magnificent red blends one encounters throughout France as well as California. The choice of varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Pinot Noir) is a unique mélange of California, Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. The result is a deep purple potion with smooth rich fruit and a velvety elegance. The...