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Brix26 Top 5 Wines of 2017
Mount Peak 2016 Gravity Red Blend, Sonoma County
$ 44.99
95 Points - New
Fantastic new discovery!
91 Points Robert Parker: "The 2016 Proprietary Red Blend Gravity is made up of 57% Petite Sirah, 33% Syrah and 10% Grenache, aged 14 months in new French (36%) and American (3%) oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, it delivers scents of kirsch, Black Forest cake and tobacco with hints of forest floor and fallen leaves plus a waft of bay leaves. Full, concentrated and jam-packed with muscular fruit, it has a firm, chewy frame and long, earthy finish. This is a killer wine at a great price for something this profound."
The story of Mount Peak Winery begins more than a century ago at the celebrated Monte Rosso Vineyard and culminates with the recent revival of the brand by Gallo. A vestige of one of California's great "ghost" wineries, the wines are a tribute to the extraordinary facility that once stood there. Originally built in 1886, Mount Peak was a marvel of innovation with its three-story, gravity-flow system built from rock directly sourced from the dry-farmed Monte Rosso vineyard. While it ultimately emerged as one of California's top producers, it was closed during Prohibition and left abandoned to the elements, laying silent for decades. Over 130 years later, Gallo has revived the site and the vineyard, perched at nearly 1,300 feet along the spine of the Mayacamas Mountains, straddling the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. The steep hillsides are set against a dramatic backdrop and the new Mount Peak label will focus on Cabernet, Zinfandel, and a red blend from the original Monte Rosso fruit. The Gravity is made from plots within the vineyard as well as fruit sourced from Frei Ranch in Dry Creek Valley and Snows Lake in Lake County. It's 33% Petite Syrah, 29% Cab, 21% Zin, 10% Syrah, 5% Grenache, and 2% Barbera.
Hestan 2015 "Stephanie" Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
$ 49.99
★ 95 Points
A blockbuster new Cabernet blend from Hestan Vineyards. Usually only available to mailing list members we have a small amount of this tiny production Cabernet while our allocation lasts!
Brix26 Inside Scoop: "Stephanie Cabernet comes from relative Napa Valley newcomer Hestan Vineyards, who are turning out some great high-end wines. The Stephanie Cabernet has quietly become one of our top-selling Cabernets over the last 3 vintages for good reason: its got all the hallmarks of a "classic" California Cabernet: plenty of rich berry fruit and that dusty tannin; not a wimpy Cab and not a giant fruit bomb. If you're a Cab-lover, Stephanie should be next on your wish list. Every time a customer calls and asks what new Cabernet we recommend, we'll send them Stephanie and 9 times out of ten they reorder a case!"
Bootleg 2016 Red Blend, Napa Valley
$ 34.99
94 Points - New Discovery
The Bootleg 2016 Red is a fantastic new wine that fans of red blends like The Prisoner will love. Highly recommended while it's still available.
94 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2016 Red Wine is a Merlot-dominated blend (there are normally small amounts of Petite Sirah, Syrah, and other varieties), this wine comes all from the Napa side of the valley. It reveals a healthy purple color as well as a terrific bouquet of sweet crème de cassis, toasted bread, Asian spices, lavender, and dried herbs. With a fabulous texture, full body, notable purity of fruit, and a rich yet graceful style on the palate, it's one seriously hedonistic yet balanced, complex red that knocks it out of the park. Drink this rocking little gem any time over the coming 4-6 years. (I wouldn't be surprised to see it keep longer.)"
Robert Parker: "Major sleeper of not only the vintage, but in its entire concept...stunningly delicious, complex, big-time, sexy style...Off-the-charts in terms of its hedonistic appeal...complex enough to satisfy the intellectual senses as well."
Hudson Vineyards 2018 Chardonnay, Carneros
$ 64.99
96+ Points
Lee Hudson's vineyard in Napa Valley's Carneros region has come to be synonymous with some of the best winegrapes grown in California, going into some of the State's top Chardonnays (Kistler, Kongsgaard, Patz & Hall, Ramey). His own wine is fantastic but super-limited production. Grab some today before this delicious vintage slips away.
93 Points Wine Spectator: "Big and rich, featuring a plush texture to the concentrated pear tart, apple pastry and dried apricot flavors. Viscous midpalate, with savory snap to the finish, which delivers minerally and toasty notes. Drink now through 2025."
previous vintage 96+ Points Robert Parker: "Produced from the “Shot Wente” heritage selection clone and all naturally fermented in French oak, 85% new, where it was aged for 12 months, the Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard reveals intense grapefruit, pineapple and honeysuckle notes with hints of brioche, ginger and shaved almonds. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is bursting with spicy, tropical fruit flavors, framed by plenty of freshness and a satiny texture, finishing with great length and depth...This famous vineyard in Carneros was first started by the Hudson family in 1981. These are some of the strongest wines I have yet tasted from them, thanks to winemaker Christopher Vandendriessche and consultant John Kongsgaard."
Noemi 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
$ 65.99
One of our favorite secret Cabs!
The Noemi 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is an awesome small-production Napa Cabernet you should try now. The grapes from this vineyard were sold to Caymus and Phelps for Insignia before they started bottling it themselves!
Eleadoro Hernandez and his wife, Noemi, came to the Napa Valley 1982. They moved to St Helena where Eleadoro began working with his Uncle, Fernando. Fernando introduced Eleadoro to John Caldwell shortly after John began planting his Vineyard there in the Coomsville area. He worked with John in the planting and development of these vineyards and eventually became the Vineyard manager. Shortly after leaving the Caldwell ranch, Eleadoro leased 25 acres of land in the Napa Valley on Big Ranch Road and began to plant a 6 or 7 acres a year. Today he has planted a total of 33 acres of Cabernet in that Oak Knoll area . He has sold grapes from this vineyard to world famous Caymus Vineyards and Phelps (for Insignia!). Rolando Herrera of Mi Sueno winery is his winemaker. His first vintage in 2006 he made just four barrels (99 cases.) In 2015 he produced 500 cases.
Mount Peak 2015 Zinfandel Rattlesnake, Sonoma County
$ 47.99
95 Points - New
Fantastic new discovery from Mount Peak. Zinfandel sourced from Rattlesnake Hill at the top of the legendary Monte Rosso vineyard.
91 Points Robert Parker: "Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the Zinfandel Rattlesnake gives up a rip-snorting nose of bramble berries, raspberry pie and dried mulberries with hints of fruitcake, charcuterie and black olives. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is plush and generous with bags of savory-laced black fruit preserves, finishing spicy. 520 cases were made."
The story of Mount Peak Winery begins more than a century ago at the celebrated Monte Rosso Vineyard and culminates with the recent revival of the brand by Gallo. A vestige of one of California's great "ghost" wineries, the wines are a tribute to the extraordinary facility that once stood there. Originally built in 1886, Mount Peak was a marvel of innovation with its three-story, gravity-flow system built from rock directly sourced from the dry-farmed Monte Rosso vineyard. While it ultimately emerged as one of California's top producers, it was closed during Prohibition and left abandoned to the elements, laying silent for decades. Over 130 years later, Gallo has revived the site and the vineyard, perched at nearly 1,300 feet along the spine of the Mayacamas Mountains, straddling the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. The steep hillsides are set against a dramatic backdrop and the new Mount Peak label will focus on Cabernet, Zinfandel, and a red blend from the original Monte Rosso fruit. The Gravity is made from plots within the vineyard as well as fruit sourced from Frei Ranch in Dry Creek Valley and Snows Lake in Lake County. It's 33% Petite Syrah, 29% Cab, 21% Zin, 10% Syrah, 5% Grenache, and 2% Barbera.
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