Dear Beloved Groezinger Customer,

For some of us, it’s nice to have 2011 in the rear view mirror. Like Lindsay Lohan…hopefully the days in jail are over, and kudos to that brilliant airbrush artist. Have you seen the before and after shots? Wow. I predict a big 2012 come back for her… come back to jail, that is. Kim Jong Il, no coming back from death. At least he won’t be so ronery and all arone anymore.  And how about the Cubs?  Don’t hold your breath, although I’d love to see them win the Pennant. Charlie Sheen sure deserves a comeback. Come back to rehab. Maybe they could put him in a new sitcom called Three and a Half Grams. And who needs a comeback more than anyone?  Groezingers does. And with cool weather across the country and end of year bonuses in your pockets, now is the perfect time for you to make a difference. We usually send out two semi-desperte letters a year. One in January since our business comes to a screeching halt around December 15, and one in May after tax season. It’s a curse for most businesses that ship wine and while we are accustomed to the pattern, it’s not nearly as much fun as an enema. So this month, remember who loves you and needs you (other than your family). A world without Groezingers would be a sad place. And for those who live in the sweet South, this is the perfect time of year to be shipping your wine while the weather is nice and cool. Our January wine sale is on the last page, so check it for some incredible deals on a few items.  This month’s features are delicious and I’ll apologize in advance for screaming at you for not buying any Paras Cabernet last year. What were you thinking? And no Riesling? Really?

UPS is available to most states, but we can send it anywhere with the help of the mob.  $25 ships a case of wine in the state of California, $40-$50 ships a case almost anywhere else, $60 ships a box to difficult states, and $110 will ship three cases almost anywhere in the continental U.S.  If this is all too confusing call 800-356-3970 and we’ll give you an exact quote for shipping wine to your zip code.

IF YER LOOKIN’ FER A WINE NOT LISTED, GIVE US A BUZZ AND WE’LL DO OUR BEST TO GET IT.

1.) 2009 DIAMOND CREEK, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Rock Terrace, Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley–$155.00

2.) 2009 DIAMOND CREEK, Cabernet Sauvignon, Volcanic Hill, Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley–$155.00

3.) 2009 DIAMOND CREEK, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gravelly Meadow, Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley–$155.00

4.) 2009 ROBERT FOLEY VINEYARDS, Merlot, Napa Valley–$50.00

5.) 2008 LAGIER MEREDITH, Estate Syrah, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$43.00  (95 points, Wine Advocate)

6.) 2009 COHO, Headwaters, Napa Valley–$38.50    (66%CS, 32%ML, 2%PV)

7.) 2009 COHO, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir–$38.00

8.) 2008 JACK QUINN, Cabernet Sauvignon, Agave Rose Vineyard, Rutherford, Napa Valley–$70.00

9.) 2008 BLANKIET, Napa Valley–$185.00  (82% Cab Sauv, 16% Malbec, 1%Petite Verdot, 1%Cab Franc)

10.) 2009 TITUS, Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley–$34.00

11.) 2008 CADE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$65.00

12.) 2008 BLACK SEARS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$72.00  I never expected this wine to still be available. If you love Howell Mtn. Cabernet, you are just being silly and/or stubborn not to get some of this.

13.) 2009 BLACK SEARS, Zinfandel, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$40.50 Winemaker, Thomas Brown, says this Zin is like the 2008 times two. It’s a big, earthy, meaty, spicy, and distinctively Howell Mountain from a great vintage.

14.) 2007 PETER FRANUS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$36.00  A few years ago we featured the 2002 vintage of this wine to be overwhelmed with the positive feedback and repeat orders.  This wine is very similar to the 2002, will age great, and deserves a taste before you skip over it. We recently drank a 2001 Franus Cab and it was magnificent.

15.) 2010 OWEN ROE, Pinot Noir, “The Kilmore”, Yamhill/Carlton, Oregon–$38.00

This wine was in our December letter, but apparently I lost y’all in translation. Let’s keep it simple…. Incredibly delicious. Thick texture. Beautiful color. Awesome producer. Limited quantity. Immediately drinkable. Cellarable. Cool label.  Great price.  If you would like more details, please call. Or if you want to order some wine, call now. Operators are standing by.

****We are happy to send 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 packs of wine if you want to try a bottle or two before you commit to a full case. Whatever we can do to help make buying wine fun and easy, let us know. We’ll tell you a joke or email you some weird stuff if that inspires you to get a few bottles.

2007 DOMAINE EDEN, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains–$32.00

This wine was in last month’s letter with a very light response. I guess I failed to mention that the grapes in this wine are from Mount Eden Estate and Ridge’s famed Monte Bello Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is Mount Eden’s second label and is quite similar to their estate Cabernet in many ways. If you like Mount Eden’s pureness, elegance, and classic styling, you can save some dough here and get some high grade mountain Cabernet from a real nice vintage.

2007 PARAS VINEYARDS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$42.00

This wine is the reason why you read this letter and pay the $25 yearly subscription fee. This full bodied and cellar-worthy Mount Veeder Cabernet used to be $75. A deal like this hasn’t come along since the 2005 Charbay Cabernet Sauvignon, and this is by far the best Cabernet in the store for under $45. Now, reasons why you didn’t buy this wine in December; a) You quit drinking for the holidays.  b) The economy isn’t as good as the news says it is.   c) You’re not into Cabernet anymore. Your new thing is Tokaji.  d) You really hate a great deal and enjoy paying full price.  e) You are suspicious of a wine called Paras that’s not French.   f) You realized Yellowtail is almost drinkable if you plug your nose while you slam it.  These are all far fetched reasons not to but this wine, just like the reason why you didn’t get this last month. So….if you think you don’t want this wine, call and tell us your reason. We will give three bottles of this wine to the person with the best reason for not wanting it and will publish that reason in our February 2011 letter, so let’s hear your best bullshit.  It’s big, dark, and full bodied with HUGE MOUNTAIN structure. Flavors of black tobacco, blackberry, black cherry concentrate, blueberry, toasted oak, and scorched earth will make you curse in satisfaction and hope you have some more. This Mount Veeder Cabernet will age for at least another ten years while remaining quite drinkable today if you don’t have the patience.

2007 MONTAGNA, Tre Vignetti, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Pritchard Hill)–$45.00

Here’s one more great wine most of you didn’t pick up on last month. From the family that ignited the whole Pritchard Hill craze, comes this kick ass new brand with old school flair. Owner, Bob Long, is also partners in the well known David Arthur Winery, also on Pritchard Hill.  When I tasted this wine, I thought, “Great, another $100 Cab from one of Napa’s old school legends.” Then, I was informed that it retails for fifty bucks, so I thought, “That’s a screaming good deal on one of the finest new productions from Napa.” I also figured that if fifty bucks is a great price, then forty five would be even better. Other wines from the Pritchard Hill neighborhood start at a hundred bucks and go up to $450 pretty fast. This beautiful mountain Cabernet has bold new-world flavors complimented by old world structure and what is known as unmessedwithness. Winemaker, Nile Zacherle (David Arthur Vineyards), lets the three vineyard bocks (Tre Vignetti) do the flavor blending on their own. Firm mountain tannin is hidden by heavy layers of dark, ripe fruit, and a polishing of sweet oak. Flavors of black plum, cherry compote, briar, earthy loam, candied cassis, and mocha will explain to you why this wine is such a good deal.  Customers that taste this wine in the store buy it without thinking twice. Convincing you through the U.S. Mail or the interwebs isn’t as easy.  Now, don’t be a skeptical doubter, just remember we taste a lot of wines to find the best.

2008 DAVID FULTON, Estate Petite Sirah, Old Vines, St. Helana, Napa Valley–$40.00    (300 cases)

Do you know what heritage tastes like? It tastes like David Fulton Petite Sirah. This vineyard has been continuously farmed by the same family since the mid 1800’s. It’s the longest continuously owned and farmed vineyard in California. Currently, the vines are seventy five years old, dry farmed, and organically grown.  The color is as dark as the clear night sky, the flavors are saturating and satiating, and the 2008 is one of their best wines so far. That says a lot since they’ve been making wine for about 150 years now.  Because of a very dry and frosty spring, the 2008 crop set was much lower than usual resulting in a tiny 300 case production. This smaller harvest was more intense and concentrated than most vintages from David Fulton making the 2008 a must have for those of you who have enjoyed the Fulton wines in the past.  Dark aromas of poached black and red fruits are fluffed with a coddling of French oak.  The flavors are deep, long, and broad.  Black cherry, black raspberry, currant, spice, earth, and toasted oak will take you back to a time before Wine Spectators, Advocates, points, and ass kissing for sales.

If you even remotely like Petite Sirah and don’t pick up some ’08 David Fulton, you will have missed something quite special.

2008 PIERSON MEYER, Cabernet Sauvignon, Versant Vineyard, Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley–$77.00  (300 cases)

The Versant Vineyard is one of Pritchard Hill’s finest and was recently sold to the Mondavi family to go into their next attempt at something drastically overpriced; Continuum. 2009 was the last year the Pierson Meyer team received Versant fruit, so this is a good opportunity to save yourself seventy bucks and get some of this before it’s gone or before it morphs into a $150 bottle of Newpus Two.  This is Robbie Meyer’s favorite of all the P.M. Cabernets. It’s more refined than the 2006 and not as ripe as the 2007. It’s polished, concentrated, weighty, balanced, and has a bright future in the cellar. On the palate you’ll get blackberry, currant, anise, vanilla, and chocolate.  This is one of Napa’s great Cabernets that doesn’t make it to the pages of the Spectator or Advocate. Be original, drink cool wine, support the little guy, and drink Pierson Meyer.

2009 STELLAREESE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$32.50    (300 cases)

This wine just came through the front door and kicked our asses. Much more New World/Californian in style than the Domaine Eden, it has bold, ripe flavors that spill from the glass and coat your palate. Hailing from a vineyard just north of Calistoga near the legendary Duffy’s rehab, this wine is so good it will bring a quick end to anyone’s sobriety. Dark, ripe, black, and purple fruit gushes from every sip. It is a crowd pleaser of a Cabernet and will most definitely appeal to everyone who doesn’t hate wine. It should be easy for you to figure out….. it has “Stellar” in the name. Duh!!?!

2009 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN, Zinfandel, Eastern Exposures, Napa Estate–$41.00

2008 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN, Estate Reserve Zinfandel, Napa Valley–$50.00

Maybe you’ve noticed the Storybook Mountain wines are in this newsletter quite a bit. Compare that to the frequent mention of God in the bible. The Bible is about God, this is about great wine. Of course we’re gonna mention it a lot!  We’ll also mention how easy it is to wind up sober, thirsty, and wishing you had Storybook Mountain Zins in your life. Seriously though, all it takes to be partying down with angels and cherubs is a small contribution to the Bleeding Heart Church of Groezingers in Yountville, CA.  Another reason why Storybook graces these pages so often is that there really aren’t better Zins than these. Sure you could find Zins that are different or from somewhere else, but will they actually be better?  Probably not.  The 2009 Eastern Exposures Zinfandel is winemaking perfection combined with unsurpassable fruit.  It has brilliant high notes with ripe berry, subtly firm tannin, and corralling acidity. The persistent flavors of blackberry, sweet oak, raspberry, briar, and espresso are stretched to extremes and evolve into a big finish.  The 2008 Estate Reserve Zinfandel is so good, its absence could actually lower the value of your other wines. Keep your property value up with a rack of Storybook Reserve. Overtones of mountain-grown raspberry, cherry, and blackberry might just encourage you to cook with your other Zins. Along with the very full bodied characteristics, this Zin comes with a soft and sensual side too. The combination of big & bad with soft & mellow will get you in touch with your innermost feelings for the varietal no matter what team you play for.

2008 SCHOOLHOUSE, Estate Pinot Noir, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$85.00

This gets released on Valentine’s Day, and if you want some, you should call soon to reserve yours.  2008 was a frost vintage so allocations will be smaller than usual. On years with lighter yields the flavors usually are concentrated and amplified, so look for this to be a very memorable wine from Schoolhouse.  This is their 51st vintage of producing Pinot Noir.

2008 SCHOOLHOUSE, Mescolonza, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$40.00

Maybe things are getting a little predictable downstairs in that special place you only let your closest friends go.  Does it seem like every time you open it up the same old juice comes out?  Are you forty-something and looking to try something new? Something you’ve never done before? Let the Mescolonza help you mix things up a little bit. Peel off that tight red foil, carefully stick your instrument in and pull gently as you steadily rotate. Okay, now you’re ready to put it in your mouth. Or share it with your friends if you want to. This is a kinky blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and old Rhone varietals like Carignane, Alicante Bouchet, and Grand Noir. Like a Zinfandel with a schizophrenic personality, this wine will pair with anything off the grill, it’ll age great for the next 5-7 years, and will make you feel sexy for trying something new.

2007 HUGE BEAR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$50.00   (100 cases)

Alright, check this out. This wine is actually declassified Knights Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a one time production made with fruit from the famous and very expensive Dr. Crane and To-Kalon vineyards. Most wines from these vineyards start at $110 and go up from there. This is a kick ass, one time deal that’ll be gone in a New York minute.  If you have actually read this far and don’t buy this wine, then I would like to mention what a great fire starter the paper version of this letter is. I will barely touch on what a fantastic vintage 2007 was since the press has already done a fine job. And with the 2010’s and 2011’s on the way, this is a great opportunity to stock up on some high grade wine before we weather the storm. Black cherry, bing cherry, currant, spice, and black tobacco will get your rocks off like the expensive stuff for a fraction of the price. It’s like paying for Swisher Sweets and smoking Cohibas. It’s like paying for bathtub crank and doing blue Peruvian. It’s like buying a Big Mac and waking up at the French Laundry with your face in a bowl of oysters and caviar.

2009 PHILIP TOGNI, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$86.00

Here is the new 95+ rated estate Cab from the most legendary producer in Napa. The reason we feature this wine every year is that there isn’t a better producer with a more consistent track record of making age worthy and world class wines. This ’09 is accessible now and will probably age for another 20 years in a good cellar. Antonio Galloni from the Wine Advocate called these wines, stunning, breathtaking, and seductive. A lot of people call us looking for age-worthy wines from a certain year to celebrate a marriage or a birth of a child. This is the wine to do it with, so I hope you did something in 2009 that you want to continue celebrating.  Even if you had a shitty 2009, you should get some of this to make it better. The tightly knit flavors of super dark red fruit, eucalyptus, briar, and herb will make you feel at least two and a half years younger while letting you know you are wise beyond your years.  Forget the hype and fluff of Napa’s “cults” and get some of the original gangsta.

2010 CALERA, Chardonnay, Mount Harlan–$31.00

The last few vintages of Calera’s Mt. Harlan Chard have been stunning to say the least. Chalky minerality has always been a key component in the flavor profile of this Chardonnay, and this vintage is no exception.  Tropical fruit is on the forefront here with nuances of quince and pear.  These vineyards were planted tin the early eighties and at roughly 25 years of age, they are producing some of the best fruit in the country. This is a wine that takes you far away from the mainstream style of domestic Chardonnay production while maintaining super high quality and purity.

2009 WHITE ROCK VINEYARDS, Chardonnay, Napa Valley–$27.00

Announcing the new release of Groezinger’s best selling Chardonnay.  This beautiful Chard is entirely estate grown, organically farmed, barrel fermented in mostly neutral oak, undergoes only partial malolactic fermentation, and will cellar for a good 6 to 10 years.  The vineyard is at the base of Atlas Peak, just outside of Stag’s Leap District and Oak Knoll. This is a superior site for growing grapes, influenced by the cool San Pablo Bay while still getting lots of sunlight and heat.

GROEZINGER’S 2010 JANUARY WINE SALE

We only have a few bottles of each of these wines so don’t expect much quantity on any of these items at these prices. This is intended to make some room for this year’s new items, not to detour you from this month’s featured wines.  Sadly, this month’s featured wines will never make it to the sale page. A few do have massive reductions from their original price.

1. 2008 SNOWDEN, Cabernet Sauvignon, “The Ranch”, Napa Valley–$44.00      sale price $35.00

2. 2006 SMITH WOOTON, Cabernet Franc, Gallagher’s Vineyard, Napa Valley–$35.00    sale price $20.00

3. 2006 SURH LUCHTEL, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley–$50.00   sale price $30.00

4. 2008 HEDGES FAMILY ESTATE, Red Mountain, Washington–$28.00   sale price $20.00

5. 2007 VIRAGE, Napa Valley (CF, ML)–$48.00   sale price $30.00

6. 2006 PARADIGM, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley–$65.00   sale price $50.00

7. 2005 MAYACAMAS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$65.00 sale price $52.00

8. 2008 KOBALT, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$90.00   sale price $75.00

9. 2007 PAGE, “The Stash”, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$100.00   sale price $60.00

10. 2008 RAMEY, Claret, Napa Valley–$39.00   sale price $30.00

11. 2009 ROUND POND, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$30.00    sale price   $21.00

12. 2007 LONG MEADOW RANCH, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Rutherford)–$50.00    sale price   $38.00

13. 2008 SURROUND, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County–$30.00   sale price $22.00

14. 2006 GRGICH HILLS, Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$60.00   sale price $45.00

15. 2008 DESANTE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley–$60.00      sale price   $45.00

16. 2006 KNIGHTS BRIDGE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley–$90.00    sale price $70.00

17. 2007 VIN ROC, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Atlas Peak)–$90.00    sale price   $70.00

18. 2008 VINEYARD SEVEN & EIGHT, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain District–$80.00    sale price $60.00

19. 2006 VERISMO, Malbec, Napa Valley–$50.00   sale price $20.00

20. 2005 HOPPER CREEK, Estate Merlot, Yountville, Napa Valley–$30.00   sale price $15.00

21. 2005 TEDESCHI, Merlot, Napa Valley–$25.00    sale price $13.00

22. 2008 RIDGE, “Geyserville”–$35.00   sale price $29.00

23. 2007 HEIBEL RANCH VINEYARDS, “Loppa’s”, Napa Valley–$32.00   sale price $24.00

24. 2005 CORTE RIVA, Petite Sirah, Lake & Napa County–$50.00    sale price $20.00

25. 2006 SHOWKET, Asante Sana, Napa Valley–$50.00   sale price $30.00

26. 2009 SANS LIEGE, “The Offering”, Paso Robles, G.S.M.V.–$28.00     sale price $22.00

27. 2010 BEDROCK WINE CO., “The Bedrock Heirloom”, Sonoma Valley–$35.00   sale price $26.00

28. 2010 GROUNDWORK, Grenache Rose, Santa Barbara County–$13.00   sale price $8.00

29. 2010 BIG BASIN VINEYARDS, GSM Rose, California–$18.00   sale price $13.00

30. 2010 EMERY ESTATE, Viognier, Sierra Foothills–$21.00    sale price $16.00

31. 2009 SIX SIGMA, Pinot Noir, Christian’s Vineyard, Lake County–$29.00    sale price $22.00

32. 2007 SIX SIGMA, Tempranillo, Lake County–$42.00   sale price $30.00

33. 2008 ADASTRA, Pinot Noir, Carneros–$40.00    sale price $32.00

34. 2009 EXPRESSION 44°, Pinot Noir, Oregon, Eola Amity Hills–$30.00     sale price $22.00

35. BRICELAND, Rose of Pinot Noir, Humboldt County–$17.00    sale price $11.00

36. 2009 JACQUELYNN, Cuvee Blanc, Sonoma County–$45.00   sale price $35.00

37. 2010 PEY-MARIN, Riesling, The Shell Mound, Marin County–$26.00   sale price $21.00

Dear Groezinger Customer,

Gobble-gobble-gobble-hack-hack-splat! No, this is not the name of a previously undiscovered demo tape from the Ramones or a new taunt college football fans yell at the South Carolina Gamecocks. It is the sound of of good ol’ ‘Merica gearing up for the biggest celebration of gluttony and turkey’s least favorite day of the year. And unless you just took way too much Xanax so you can deal with your insane-ass Aunt Sally or you just got out of court mandated 28 day rehab, you are definitely going to need to stock up on some of that good stuff from your pals at Groezingers for your holiday festivities. Wine is as all-American as apple pie and corn bread stuffin’, and you can bet that the Founding Fathers chugged quite a bit of it back in the day. Even at the first Thanksgiving, many Puritans snuck out behind the old red barn to take a quick nip or two. Luckily, American wine making has come a long way since the those first few bottles of Scuppernong vinified in Jacksonville Florida in 1562, and we’ve got a little bit of everything for you this month, from the finest gems for your cellar to the killer cheap bottles that taste great and won’t pain you to watch Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Sally go through half a case before dinner. As you sit on the couch stuffed to the gills in a tryptophan and Topaz Late Harvest induced haze, you may find yourself pondering the great questions of the season, things like “What was I thinking? Why the hell didn’t I order more wine from Groezingers?” or “Where the f*** did Justin run off to now?” or “Is it really true that Rick is an albino black guy? (ask Mamie)” But the one question you won’t have to worry about is . . . “Does Groezingers still have that sweet three case shipping deal?” You bet your Turducken we do. Groezinger’s ships anywhere. UPS is available to most states, and if you live some place where they still burn witches or allow polygamy, we’ll have the mafia bring it to you.  $25 ships a case of wine in the state of California, $40-$50 ships a case almost anywhere else, $60 ships a box to difficult states, and $110 will ship three cases almost anywhere in the continental U.S.  If this is all too confusing, put down your wine glass, pick up the phone, and call 800-356-3970. I’ll give you an exact quote for shipping wine to your zip code.

IT’S COOL ACROSS THE COUNTRY! PICK UP A FEW CASES AND HAVE YOUR STORAGE WINE SHIPPED!

1.) 2008 TIERRA ROJA, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley-$125.00 IT’S HERE!!!

Grown in earth so red it makes the Cornhuskers uniforms look orange. Don’t waste your time or money on the other so-called cult Cabs from this region. By far the most broad-shouldered Tierra Roja to date, this is a seamless display of power and elegance. Only 250 cases made, so call soon to get some.  If you want something undeniably badass that’ll impress your boss, partner, doctor, lawyer, wife, or anyone lucky enough to lay their lips on it, this is the one.

2.) 2007 KEENAN, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley-$90.00 (94+ Parker!)

Mike Keenan rolled by a few weeks back with this and the next few wines and rocked our balls off. Check them out!!

3.) 2008 KEENAN, Cabernet Franc, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley-$55.00 (Another 94 Parker pointer!)

4.) 2007 KEENAN, Merlot, Spring Mountain, Napa-$33.00 This will make you a believer in Merlot again. Burly!!

5.) 2009 CHAPPELLET, Cabernet Sauvignon, “Signature”, Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley-$46.00 This sells out fast….

6.) 2008 RAMEY, Claret, (70%Cab/13%Merlot/12%Syrah/4%Verdot/1%Franc) Napa Valley-$32.00 Normally about $39, this is a screaming good deal on a wine that is serious yet ready to drink now. The flavors are plush and the texture is velvety, like going down on a . . . fuzzy peach or something. It shows sexy notes of ripe plum, bitter cherry, mocha, and integrated sweet French-vanilla oak. For those who insist on Cabernet for Thanksgiving, this is your wine!!

7.) 2010 BEDROCK, Old Vine Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley-$28.00 Possibly the most allocated wine under thirty bucks.

8.) 2010 BEDROCK, Bedrock Heirloom (mixed black field blend), Bedrock Vineyard, Sonoma-$35.00 This and the above wine were made by Morgan Twain-Peterson, heir of the Raven’s Wood legacy. He is now making the most non-wimpy Zinfandels in all the land. We get two cases each of these behemoth wines. Call now or they will be gone.

9.)  2010 BEDROCK, Zinfandel, Monte Rosso, Sonoma Valley–$45.00 125 year old vines. We have a whopping 12 btls.

10.) 2009 PEAY, Estate Pinot Noir, “Scallop Shelf”, Sonoma Coast-$54.00 The Peay brothers and former Peter Michael wine-maker Vanessa Wong are crafting the finest Sonoma Coast Pinots on the market right now. They are so good it’s a wonder how they are even available. The “Pomarium” Pinot sold out in a quick minute, so don’t wait too long to call and get some of this. Drinkable now and cellar-worthy, the flavors are fit for a king, & the finish is as long as summer days in Alaska.

11.)  2009 PEAY, Estate Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast–$51.00 Bomb, bomb, bomb. This is as fine as it gets. Bright fruit, thick texture, heavenly flavors, and a finish that’ll bring you back till it’s gone. God must have been smiling on the Peay Vineyards in 2009 because these are the best wines they’ve ever made. You’d be seriously insane to miss these. INSANE!!

12.)  2009 BECKMAN VINEYARDS, Syrah, Clone #1, Purisima Mountain Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley–$41.00

Parker gave this 94 points, and if you like killer Syrah, you’d be Cornas-holing it by skipping this big assed Syrah. .

FEATURED WINES

2006 NEIMAN, Red Wine (47%Cabernet/47%Merlot/6%Petit Verdot), Napa Valley-$90.00 (158 cases made)

Leave it to Drew Neiman to bring the sexy back: this stuff is so damn good, you might just piss your pants when you taste it. Drew Neiman is the guy Dos Equis patterned their “Most Interesting Man in the World” ad campaign after, and when he’s not circumnavigating the globe in Wonder Woman’s invisible jet plane which he recently bought off E-bay or saddle-breaking Ostriches in Australia, he usually can be found at the Playboy Mansion hanging out with the likes of John Kongsgaard, David Abreu, John Caldwell, and the Hef. The fruit that created this uber-delicious and extremely interesting wine came from choice blocks of the famed Thorevilos Vineyard, farmed by David Abreu himself, a site Bob Parker recently called one of Napa’s greatest vineyards. After harvest, no one touches the stuff except Drew, because as he says, “If anyone is going to fuck this stuff up, it’s gonna be me.” It’s okay Drew, we know what you meant. Drew absolutely nailed this one, his red showing huge amounts of extract and concentration, absolutely lubing your palate with intense flavors of red and black currant, ripe black plum, cherry compote, and very Bordeaux-like nuances of pencil lead, spice box, and mushroomy earth. This beauty is barely entering its window of drinkability and will continue to drink well through 2025. Abreu’s version of this wine got 98 points from Parker, and this one is just as good or better and retails at 1/3 the price. If you buy a bunch of this maybe you can get…..

2006 NEIMAN, “N”, (50%Cabernet/50%Petit Verdot), Thorevilos Vineyard, Napa Valley-$225.00 (23 cases)

2006 NEIMAN, Cabernet Sauvignon, Thorevilos Vineyard, Napa Valley-$225.00 (23 cases made) Drew made only one barrel each of these unbelievable wines. If you are real nice we may sell you a bottle or two. Be careful, if the Neiman Red causes minor accidents, these two wines might make you blast your shorts. Seriously, some of the best we’ve tasted in years.

2009 NEIMAN, Chardonnay, Napa Valley–$65.00

So you’re really fussy about what Chardonnays you will or won’t drink.  Some are thin and insipid, some are fat and over oaked, and some are sorry examples of what the varietal should taste like.  This is none of the above. This is Chardonnay perfection.  Drew Neiman says that Chardonnays can’t be over-oaked, they can just be under-wined. This 2009 is most definitely not under-wined. The fruit for this beaut’ comes from the same vineyard that John Konsgard sourced to make the legendary Newton “Unfiltered” Chardonnays way back in the day. Forty two year old vines of Wente Clone grown in Coombsville (southeast Napa) give this wine unparalleled quality compared to other California Chards. Extensive minerality, creamy pear, toast, sweet lemon rind, and baked apple are blessed with 100% new oak that is seamlessly integrated. It is an undeniably great Chardonnay that rivals anything from California or Burgundy. Very arousing, it’ll make you hard for Chard.

2009 PALOMA, Estate Merlot, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$50.00

As the 2009’s are being released, we are seeing that the vintage is a great one and has produced some of the best wines of this century’s first decade.  Paloma’s 2009 is in line with their stellar 2006 and could possibly overshadow it with some time in the bottle. If you think you don’t like Merlot, then you probably haven’t had Paloma. And if you don’t like Paloma, then you probably don’t like wine. That would make it a mystery as to why you are reading this, or why you aren’t calling us to get some ’09 Paloma. This juicy mo-fo has a texture just a bit thinner than 10-40 weight and carries sweet tannins with solid mountain structure. Flavors of blueberry, black plum, cherry, and mocha will take you to the top of Spring Mountain and put tablets in your hands. Thou shall have no other Merlots in front of Paloma. Thou shall honor Jim and Barbara Richards.  Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s Paloma. Stop wandering around in the valley and make yourself holy with some Paloma.

2007 HENDRY, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$50.00

Ahhh. At last, the 2007 has finally been released.  Just think about how many shitty white boy raps you had to suffer through to get to the 2007.  That alone would make me want to rush to the phone and call just on the chance that it could all start up again before the end of this review.  I’ll make you a deal. I’ll put the rapper flapper away if you bust a move and break it over to the telephone. This is the estate Hendry Cabernet that used to be labeled Block 8. The only reason it’s not called Block 8 is because the Superfly Mack, George Hendry, is blending in some of the other vineyard blocks to make it hit even harder than before. I recently had the extreme pleasure of drinking a 2001 Hendry Cab from my cellar. At ten years of age, it was simply spectacular. This ’07 Hendry is quite similar to what the ’01 was like in its youth, so it’ll cellar up nice and drink great for at least another 6 to 7+ years. Big and just a little raw around the edges, it has power and purity with lots of black fruit, an earthy undertone with classic Napa spice, and great structure. At four years of age, you can enjoy it now or cellar it. It’s got layers of flava’ and perfect behavior, that will satisfy, edify, make you cry, save you dough, so you can invest in some mo’. Wassup?

2008 PHILIP TOGNI, “TANBARK HILL”, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain Dist., Napa Valley–$38.00

For under forty bucks, the only thing that’s as good as this is a two song lap dance with a phat tip, so to speak. This too will have you dancing in your seat and is bound to last a lot longer than ten minutes. It could last for ten years if you can keep your sweaty paws off the merchandise. And like the lap grind, you might have a hard time standing up after a few glasses. We suspect but can’t confirm that Philip plays “Superfreak” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me” in the winery; although, we do know he doesn’t chapatalize. Philip Togni crushes and punches these estate grapes like they owe him money, which they do. This wine is made from the same estate grapes that go into the $90 “main label”. The only difference is that this is all free run juice instead of being a combination of pressed and free run. Luscious flavors of red and black cherry, plum, briar, herb, and mountain spice are held together by a taught g-string of tannin that is easily slid to the side with a decanting or a few years of cellaring. Even though this darling dances on the side stage, she’s well worth getting a good seat for. Bowm-chika-bowm-wow.

2009 CHRONICLE, Pinot Noir, Cerise Vineyard, Anderson Valley–$54.00  (132 cases produced)

Many of you have enjoyed partaking in the consumption of the chronic quality wines from Chronicle over the past few years. This would be a bad time to try and reel in your habit because the 2009’s are the biggest and the meanest Pinots Chronicle has produced. The Cerise vineyard is roughly a thousand feet above the Valley floor in sandstone and fractured shale forcing the vines struggle to produce a meager two tons per acre. This wine is the finest Chronicle has produced so far making it a must have for connoisseurs of the chronic. The fruit was cold soaked for five days before fermentation, punched down 2-3 times per day, and aged in 35% new French oak for 16 months. Previous vintages of the Cerise Pinot have had a more creamy texture to them with an immediately soft and friendly greeting. The 2009 answers the door with a glare, tattoos on its face, and a gun in its hand. It’s very full bodied, with ripped muscles, spice, firm acidity, and age-worthy tannins. Delicious full throttle flavors of black cherry, pomegranate, and cola are sure to turn any vicious pit bull into a whimpering puppy. The wine should age and mature for the life span of any healthy attack dog providing you keep it in a locked kennel and out of the sunlight.

2009 CHRONICLE, Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley–$37.00  (161 cases produced)

This Pinot is similar in many ways to the Cerise except it packs a Daisy ten pump pellet gun and has henna tattoos. It’ll still hurt when you get shot, but the odds of surviving are way better, and you won’t need to worry about an ugly exit wound.

2009 SANS LIEGE, “THE OFFERING”, Paso Robles-$25.00 (42%Grenache,31%Syrah,25%Mouvedre,2%Viognier)

We humbly offer you the most recent offering of “The Offering”. As usual, this beating heart has just been ripped out and should have a couple hours in your Choc Mool (decanter) before you burn through it and throw the bottle down your steps. Raise your glass to Tlaloc (the Aztec god of rain and fertility) and maybe you’ll get some sweet lovin’ out in the pouring rain. Whatever kind of ritual you like to do on a Tuesday night this is a great captive to have at your disposal. It is incredibly complex once you give it two hours of its last air, and shows flavors encompassing the Rhone Valley from north to south. Raspberry, peppered meat, espresso, hazelnut, anise, spice, burnt sugar, and leather all appear during the sacrifice. The older your victim is, the more flavor you’ll get when you share it with your tribe. Only 1650 cases were produced. I don’t know what you do or don’t believe, but I would recommend getting some of this before 2012 just to be on the safe side.

2009 PALAZZO, Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley–$70.00

Undeniably one of the best Cab Francs in the country, this new release will be gone in a flash due to the light crop. Only 400 six packs were produced. The grapes come from the famed Truchard Vineyard in south Napa and Peter Franus put the Midas touch on the juice. Aromas of perfumed violet and cherry concentrate are followed by flavors of raspberry, cassis, chocolate, and currant. If you’ve been turned off by Francs that smell like a green pepper farm, don’t worry, this is tight and right, ripe and round, ooey-gooey-rich-and-chewy, and has a mouthfeel so big it challenges Steven Tyler and Big Mouth Billy Bass.

2008 SCHULZ, Zinfandel, Lampyridae Vineyard, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$33.00    (50 cases produced)

On the very top of Mount Veeder, 2000 feet up, sits the Lampyridae vineyard. Lampyridae is the family of beetles referred to as fireflies or lightening bugs. This is somewhat ironic because there usually aren’t any lighting bugs in California. Some of you may remember the horrific story of the feud between the Brandlin and Meridith clans way back in the day, and how the families ended up killing each other, every last member of both families. Following this, their caged dogs escaped and bred, spawning gruesome and hostile hellhounds that ended up preying on hundreds of hunters, hikers, and children. A posse was formed and the angry men tracked and eventually killed the rabid animals. Now, each year lighting bugs hatch and appear one night every summer in the vineyard. Old timers say each firefly represents the soul of one person killed by the abominations. On a lighter note, this Zin is beautiful, with dark blackberry overtones, blueberry, spiced raspberry, clove, licorice, sweet oak, and a thick palate presence. The finish lasts for roughly a minute and will make you howl at the moon. Usually $40.

2009 BARBED OAK VINEYARD, Estate Pinot Noir, Zara’s Block, Bennett Valley, Sonoma–$29.00    (246 cases prod.)

Here is where you really need to pay attention. I haven’t tasted a Pinot this good for under $50 in years. It was so long ago that a $50 Pinot then is probably $75 today. If you are looking for moderately priced, extremely high quality Pinot and Chardonnay, you MUST check out these Barbed Oak Wines. Passing up an opportunity like this would be like burning five hundred bucks. If you are smart and lucky enough to get some of these, you will understand what I’m talking about. The Pinot is dark and luscious with a thick mouthfeel and sweet, heady aromas. Earthy nuances are meshed with the deep core of dank red fruits and a complex array of high tones. I just had my first customers taste this wine a few minutes ago on 10/27 at 11:30 am. One sip and they bought a case. I would recommend following their very wise buying decision. I’m scheduled to get only ten cases of this wine, so like Blondie says, “Call Me!” Sometimes this piece of “literature” can be challenging to take seriously, so stop laughing about strip clubs, Aztecs, hellhounds, thugs, Moses, etc., and call us to get hooked up

2009 BARBED OAK VINEYARD, EstateChardonnay, Bennett Valley, Sonoma–$22.00  (379 cases produced)

Equally as awesome as their bodacious Pinot Noir, this Burgundy-esque Chardonnay will make French babes ride the tube. I am talking about surfing, pervert.  Greg Bjornstad and John Raytek, who have made some of Sonoma’s best Pinots and Chards, crafted these delectable and beautifully priced wines. I think winery owner, Ed Pascoe, must have plenty of money since he took this vineyard from producing five tons an acre down to two tons per acre and only charges a mere tuppance for his wines. This slamming good Chardonnay tastes like forty bucks. Classic flavors of Bartlett pear, green apple, slate, and orange peel are French kissed with super clean oak. A rich texture is elevated and glorified by great structure and bright acidity. As the holidays approach, we will need lots of wine to appease the crowds that descend onto our cellars like thirsty, alcoholic vultures. These wines will save you some dough & thoroughly impress your flock, no matter where they fly in from.

2007 WHITE ROCK VINEYARDS, Claret, Napa Valley–$33.00

Just released, this is one of our favorite and best selling wines from Napa. The organically farmed vineyard is at the base of Atlas Peak, just outside of Stags Leap District. This location provides fruit that has mountain qualities combined with a soft, velvety texture. This wine is built to age for up to twenty years if you have that kind of restraint, but is enjoyable today by using a decanter. It’s as tight as a nun upon first sip but opens up like a mall on November 25^th with about an hour of air. The wine has gorgeous Bordeaux-like aromas on the nose followed by whiffs of California’s sweet fruit. You’ll find flavors of (not necessarily in this order) black currant, black cherry, cocoa, herb, cedar, tobacco, and grilled fat. I recently drank a 1988 White Rock Claret that was surviving time like the great pyramids. If you want serious wine in your cellar that will truly age and develop but aren’t into paying hundreds of dollars for it, get some of this to drink now or whenever you get around to it.

2009 PICKET FENCE, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley–$17.00

Rarely, hardy ever, do we find really good Pinot for under twenty bucks. These days, it’s actually hard to find anything good for under twenty smackers. I couldn’t believe how delicious this very inexpensive Pinot was when I tasted it. Then, when Mr. Wine Rep told me the price, I flailed on the floor and started speaking in tongues as if I was in some weird church where they dance with snakes. It comes from a vineyard on Westside Road, which is in the Beverly Hills of the Russian River Valley where $60-$100 Pinots are the norm. I bet the rock walled neighbors of Picket Fence are furious for making them look like crooks and threatening their property value. You’ll feel highly intelligent and a little bit richer when you break into a case of this textbook perfect example of Russain River Pinot. This is the real deal with strawberry, cherry, minerality, cranberry, mushroom, and a long, salivating finish. It’s everything you could hope for in a Pinot and MUCH MORE than you would ever expect for seventeen bucks. It’s perfect for football games, breakfast, lunch, bedtime, and to leave with Santa’s cookies.

2008 MAURITSON, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County–$23.50

I almost forgot to put in a screaming good Cabernet for under $25. The winery sells this for $35, and we can get it to you for $23.50. How? Who the hell cares? How is Brittney Spears still successful? How is Keith Richards still alive? Why do people pay attention to Snooki and/or the Kardashians? What is important is that this wine is serious juice that could save you some serious dough while not short changing your taste buds. Merlot is blended in to soften the texture and round out the intense fruit. 2008 provided long hang time for the grapes, so the flavors are full and lengthy on the palate. Very dark in color and flavor, you’ll taste satiating black fruits, tobacco, and sweet oak. It pairs very well with thirsty holiday guests.

Best Sellers and Favorites

These are some best sellers and favorites from the past year that you may have missed or want to restock on.

2005 FORT ROSS, Reserve Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast–$30

2007 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN, Antaeus, Napa Valley–$32.00

2008 DEHILINGER, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley–$34.50             2009 OUTPOST, Zinfandel, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$60

2008 WHITE ROCK, Chardonnay, Napa Valley–$27.00

2009 GAMBA, Zinfandel, Russian River Valley–$36.00

2008 MOUNT EDEN, Estate Chardonnay, Sta.Cruz.Mtns-$50.00           2009 VERDE SOLE, Zinfandel, Sierra Foothills–$18.00

2008 DESANTE, Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley-$30.00           2007 LAGIER MEREDITH, Syrah, Mount Veeder, Napa–$43.00

2010 PICAYUNE, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley–$21.00                     2009 STRAIGHT LINE, Syrah, Santa Barbara County–$23.50

2009 EVENING LAND, Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills–$36.00                    2009 STRAIGHT LINE, Syrah, Santa Barbara County–$23.50

2009 BRICELAND, Pinot Noir, Humboldt County–$27.00                   2009 FOUR CAIRN, Syrah, Napa Valley–$35.00

2009 STRAIGHT LINE, Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County–$27.00

2007 JEMROSE, Syrah, Cardiac Hill, Bennett Val., Sonoma–$38

2009 TRISAETUM, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley–$51.00                     2010 PHOENIX RANCH, Cinsault, Becthold Vin., Lodi–$18.00

2008 SINOR-LA VALLEE, Pinot Noir, Talley Rincon–$40.00                 2006 BARLOW, Merlot, Napa Valley–$29.00

2008 ST. INNOCENT, Pinot Noir, Momtazi Vin, Willamette–$36.00

2007 BELL CELLARS, Clone 6, Cabernet Sauv, Rutherford-$65

Groezingers would love to be of assistance with your holiday gift giving.  We also do corporate gifts and can ship any quantity of wine; a single bottle, three pack, six or nine pack, and always love to ship cases. If you want your own cards enclosed, send them to us, and we’ll make it happen. We have standard holiday cards, funny cards, and downright raunchy ones too. We also have hundreds of wines not mentioned in this letter/email, so if you’re looking for something you don’t see, please call. 800-356-3970

Dear Groezinger Customer,

Are you scared yet? Just when you thought it was safe to go to your mailbox, we’re back with our October issue.  With All Hallows Eve looming ominously on the horizon, we are forced to face our deepest fears and accept with bitter agony that once the pumpkin cuttin’ is over with, it’ll soon be turkey stuffin’ time, then stocking stuffin’ season, and then yet another year in the can.  And if all that isn’t scary enough, Justin is back for a special guest appearance. Justin is the Man; he’s given more farewell performances around here than The Who only to be put back on the menu more times than the McRib. For all of you that missed him, give a call soon to say hi and buy some bottles from him because you just never know when he’s gonna tip his hat and ride off onto the sunset again. For the time being, we’re reunited, and it feels so good, especially since we’ve had the pleasure of putting together the phenomenal wines you’ll find in this month’s newsletter.  We have plenty of juice from old friends, extended family, a few surprising new comers, and, as usual, a few items from last month that you clearly overlooked. The dog day afternoons of summer are behind us, and it is once again safe to ship just about anywhere, which brings us back to our most commonly asked question . . . “Does Groezingers still have that bitchin’ three case shipping deal?” You bet Justin’s ass we do!  Groezinger’s ships anywhere. UPS is available to most states, and if you live some place where they still burn witches or allow polygamy, we’ll have the mafia bring it to you.  $25 ships a case of wine in the state of California, $40-$50 ships a case almost anywhere else, $60 ships a box to difficult states, and $100 will ship three cases almost anywhere in the continental U.S.  If this is too confusing, just call 800-356-3970, and I’ll give you an exact quote for shipping wine to your zip code.

Summer storage season is drawing to a close, so it would probably be wise to have your wine shipped before we start drinking it. If we’ve been sitting on your stash, don’t worry, it is safe and sound, but you’d be a fool not to buy a few more cases to take advantage of our three case shipping deal.  And if you already have three cases, you’d be down right crazy not to pick up a few more, because the holidays will be here before you know it!

CALL US TO HOOK YOURSELF UP ON SOME HALLOWEEN SWEETS! ALL TREATS, NO TRICKS, WE PROMISE!!

1.) 2008 TIERRA ROJA, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville Estate, Napa Valley-$125.00 PRESALE!! SHIPS IN NOV.! This is the finest vintage yet of what we firmly believe to be the ultimate example of Oakville Cabernet. Perfection!

2.) 2008 FORMAN, Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate, Napa Valley-$80.00 Absolute dynamite brand new release! 92 ST.

3.) 2008 REVIVAL, Cabernet Sauvignon, Karios Vineyard, Napa Valley-$115.00 A Groezinger exclusive.  Stunning.

4.) 2006 ROBINSON FAMILY, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley-$90.00 Big and bad!

5.) 2008 ROWLAND TEBB, Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Sears Vineyard, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley-$65.00 Items 2,3, and 4 were featured last month, and frankly, many of you overlooked them. Justin was so pissed he flew all the way from the Himalayas just to yell at you. These are some very serious wines that you can only get from us. Call us!

6.) 2008 ROBERT CRAIG, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley-$72.00 Tight and right.

7.) 2008 ROBERT CRAIG, Cabertnet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley-80.00 It is no secret that Robert Craig has been on quite a roll over the past few years and these wines are no exception. Big mountain Cab at it’s best!

8.) 2007 HENDRY, “HRW” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley-$23.00 This is probably the best deal going on Napa Cab. It seriously makes us wonder if George accidentally put his expensive stuff in the wrong bottle and then just said “screw it”. Multi-layered and textured with gobs of lush black fruit, expansive ripe tannins, and the right touch of oak.

9.) 2008 WOODWARD CANYON, “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington-$40.00 What a steal! 93+ from Wine Advocate, normally fifty bucks, with fruit coming primarily from Washington’s oldest Cabernet vines (Champoux Vineyard), this is a big and balanced wine with a Bordeaux like structure and personality.

10,) 2007 FORT ROSS, Reserve, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast-$44.00 Another gem from last month too good to miss.

10.) 2008 BOHEME, Pinot Noir, Taylor Ridge, Sonoma Coast-$41.00 Brilliant depth and complexity, ultra polished, this is a gorgeous wine made with minimal intervention, although you may need an intervention after you taste it.

11.) 2009 BIG BASIN, “Homestead”, (49%Grenache/43%Syrah/11%Cabernet), Santa Cruz Mountains-$30.00 Another stellar wine from Big Basin, this is a dark and concentrated wine redolent of crushed violets, black currants, spice box, crushed rock, and whoop-ass. The only problem with Big Basin is you always seem to run out of it too fast . . .

FEATURED RED WINES

2008 DESANTE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley-$55.00

It has long been said up and down the Valley what a nice guy David DeSante is, which makes it ironic that he makes this wine. That is because this when you merely sniff this wine, it smacks you in the face, grabs you by the crotch, looks you straight in the eye, and calmly informs you that it is about to kick your ass. The fruit for this wine comes from a chosen few immaculately farmed vineyards in Oakville, a few of which we are not allowed to tell you the name of, in an area of east Oakville surrounded by cult wineries with long driveways, locked gates, and very expensive mailboxes. Bizarre late frosts and record high temperatures made 2008 an extremely difficult vintage for most wineries, but DeSante and his colleagues found ways to harmonize with Mother Nature’s tough love. The tiny yields of extremely ripe grapes resulted in a wine of incredible weight, depth, and intensity, surpassing even his potent 2007 vintage. This mean S.O.B. packs punch after jaw shattering punch of black cherry, wild blackberry, fig jam, plum tart, dark cocoa bibs, and the signature hints of Oakville red earth and wild mint, all delivered in a rich velvety cascade of fine grain tannins and French-vanillin Oak. This wine is approachable now with an hour or two in the decanter.  However, in another couple of years, this bruiser will unleash it’s deepest unrestrained fury and will certainly hold together for at least another decade. This is one Cab you shouldn’t miss, and as many of you remember from last year, this tiny production sells out fast. Incidentally, Dave also makes the insanely good 2008 Tierra Roja Oakville Cabernet, listed on the front page.

2007 OLIVIA BRION, Red Blend (69%Cabernet Sauv/31%Cabernet Franc), Napa Valley-$75.00

One of the great things about being a long time wine consultant in the Napa Valley is that it gives you access to some of the best fruit from the best vineyards for your solo projects. Dave Mahaffey is one such fellow. One of the great things about having a wine shop in Yountville with long established relationships with such fellows as Dave Mahaffey is that you can get their wine when no one else can. Groezinger’s is one such wine shop. Dave bottled a miniscule 50 cases of this wine for Olivia Brion, a blend of ultra plush Cab Franc from the famed Stagecoach vineyard, and Cabernet grapes hailing from such legendary sites as Beckstoffer X in Rutherford, Ink Grade on the slopes of Howell Mountain, and Palladian in St. Helena. Even though the Cab Franc is only 31% percent of the blend, it drives this train like the bruthas on the TCU football team, bringing crushed red and black stone fruit to the field and a whiff off crushed rose petal, backed by Cab Sauv, notes of Rutherford dust, Howell mountain spice and mineral, and pure crème de cassis from up valley. The amount of pedigree evident in this bottle is obvious in the nose, palate, and finish, which is why you should pick up as much of this as you can. After all, one of the best things about being a Groezinger’s customer is that you have access to some of the most magnificent and unique wines available from California, and you are one such lucky person.

2007 STONE EDGE FARMS, “SURROUND”, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County-$23.00 (780 cases made)

Maybe you need a case or two to stack up in front of your DeSante and Olivia Brion Cabs. Maybe you are tired of your drunk neighbor cracking open your last few ’95 Shafer Hillsides at 3:00 a.m. on a Wednesday. Or maybe you are a fan of late night cable news, an insomniac, or a member of the long-term unemployed, and sick of hearing the kid on t.v. saying “Before GameFly, I couldn’t play all the games I wanted to, because I couldn’t afford it!!” If you suffer from these or any related conditions, this is your cure. The 2007 Surround is a succulent blend of 86% Cabernet and 14% Merlot containing more extract and complexity than most Napa Cabs we’ve tasted this month at twice the price! Aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate covered espresso bean, and cigar box waft from the glass, and this wine is equally appropriate to drink whether it’s from your finest Reidel crystal or the sturdy cup holder on your Hoveround. This is an absolutely screaming deal not available in stores! Call Now! Operators are standing by! Then, get some sleep.

2009 MIKE & MOLLY HENDRY, Heritage Zinfandel, R.W. Moore Vineyard, Napa Valley-$34.00 (292 cases made)

Talk about a match made in heaven and some serious Napa Valley lineage! Mike is the nephew of Napa’s own Super-Fly Mac and master winemaker George Hendry, and his wife Molly is the daughter of Bill Moore, curator of one of North America’s most historic vineyards-the 100+ year old Moore Vineyard. It was only a matter of time before chocolate and peanut butter collided to produce this amazing wine. A perfect rendition of Heritage Clone Zinfandel, this bottling expresses all that is unique to California’s oldest vines: rich black and blue fruit, roasted pepper, dried herbs, lavender, smoked meat and mineral, all wrapped up by dusty tannins and the slightest hint of white pepper on the finish. Many of you will recognize this vineyard as the source for Turley’s “Earthquake” Zin, but should also note that this offering is slightly Moore restrained, Moore structured, Moore food friendly, and, oh, half the price, so you can buy even Moore!!!

2010 PHEONIX RANCH, Cinsault, Bechthold Vineyard, Lodi-$18.00

The vines which produced this wine are over 130 years old, though recent research suggest the Bechthold vineyard was originally established by French Neanderthals, who crossed over the Bering Strait Land Bridge near the end of the Pleistocene ice ages. Even cave men knew their precious Cinsault would never fully ripen in their native Rhone Valley, so they sought out the sun baked wastes of Lodi, where these grapes can express their true selves.  Think raspberries, rhubarb, blueberries, cigar box and baking spice, and you’ll have a good idea of what this wine tastes like. And at $18, this wine is an absolute no brainer! Best to buy a case of this lip smacker and drink it over the next 3-5 years!!

MORE GREAT WINES YOU CAN’T WAIT TO TRY

SEAN THACKERY, Pleiades XXI, Old Vine Red, California, (Non-Vintage Field Blend)-$24.00

To call Sean Thackery a slightly eccentric winemaker would be an understatement akin to stating that Charlie Sheen is an actor with a minor substance abuse problem, the main difference being that Mr. Thackery has spent the last two decades offering us interesting to profound gifts of the table, while Charlie has left us nothing but “Hot Shots: Part Deux”, the dumbest Comedy Central Roast ever, and multiple strains of medication resistant STDs. Sean spends a lot of his time pouring over and translating arcane texts with the same voracity that an occultist from an H.P. Lovecraft story would in hopes of raising Great Cthulhu from the Sunken City of R’yleh. Luckily, Sean has more benevolent goals, or we’d probably all be dead by now. Thackery’s knowledge and use of ancient wine making techniques result in some of the most unique wines on the planet. For instance, Pleiades, his vin de table if you will, is a medium bodied non-vintage blend of Sangiovese, Syrah, Petit Sirah, Pinot Noir, Cinsault, and Viognier, among others, and shows wildly complex flavors of baked plum, red currant, cedar, mint, pipe smoke, Turkish hash, anise, fennel seed, herbes du Provence, and bacon fat, with dusty tannins and cracked szechuan pepper corns on the long, slow finish, making this a wine that pairs well with, well, just about anything (making it the ultimate Thanksgiving wine, btw). Resistance is futile. Call us now.

2010 FAILLA, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast-$33.00

We’ve been waiting years for this, and now the time has arrived that we can offer you Pinot Noir from our old buddy, Ehren Jordan. See, it used to be the production of Failla was so small we’d only get a case or two of each of his single vineyard bottlings, and they’d be gone as soon as they hit the shelf. Back in ’09 he was able to contract with a new vineyard and bump up the production of the Sonoma Coast Pinot by a few hundred cases. As with all the Failla wines, there is a nod to his European mentors evident-slightly lower in alcohol and higher in acidity, tightly wound when you first open it up, but the fruit is pure Sonoma Coast. With a little air, the flavors and aromas shift and expand, bouncing from black cherry, spice, pine needle, violet perfume, and back to raspberry and cherry. I know this review seems a little tame and ass kissing for a Groezinger review, but it’s true, this wine is like that, like a lovely mademoiselle, like a fragile green caterpillar on a green stem, about to build a silken cocoon in your cellar, only to re-emerge a few years later as a beautiful butterfly, a blushing bride. After a few more years living at your house, she will turn into a sex crazed cougar milf looking to run out to the bar at Bouchon and bang anything that moves. Protect your stash.

2007 ELYSE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford–$32.00

The other day, we were discussing how there aren’t many good cabs in the $30-$40 price range that are worth a shit. A few minutes later, in walks Santa, er, Ray Corison with this badass Cab. He must have ESPN. With some substances, you’re lucky to only get a few grams for $32, but with this magical elixir, you get around 25 oz. Fruit harmonizes on your palate with a balance of acid, oak, and tannin, with wild raspberries, blackberries, and cassis all wrapped in a layer of creamy oak and mushroomy earthiness that might make you become an addict. Not only is Ray an awesome winemaker, he is also my favorite person to hang out with at Redd. So don’t bother callin’ Debo or O-Dawg to hook you up with this kickass juice. Call your dealer at Groezingers, and if we don’t answer, call Redd and ask for J-Boogie.

Note to you our customer: not finding what you are looking for? CALL US! We have wines available for every palate and every budget. Stumped? CALL US! Let us help you out. In short, CALL US! 1-800-356-3970

FEATURED WHITE WINES

2010 FAILLA, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast-$33.00

Yet another wine we’ve been dying to sell you for quite a while. Have you ever hooked up with someone and realized midway that it was all way too easy? I mean, it seemed to make sense at the time, she/he had a great package, was all dressed up, talked a good game, smelled okay, made you really think you wanted it, and they clearly weren’t going to make you wait . . . but then, after bailing on the first round of appetizers or the first twenty minutes of the movie, you are naked in some strange apartment, sampling the goods, and you wonder to yourself, “what the f**k am I doing here?!?” That is exactly what drinking most California Chardonnay is like. They’re just skanky sluts. Not so with this mysterious stranger. This is the kind of wine that captivates you from the first encounter, entices you with it’s perfume, seduces you with it’s lithe and sensuous form, commands all of your attention, and makes you wait a bit. Then the stuff is down right kinky. In short, this isn’t a tramp stamp and g-string wine. This is Victorian lingerie and garter belt wine.  Fermented in a concrete egg and neutral oak, this wine will make you swoon with it’s purity and nuanced flavors of lemon zest, jasmine, honeysuckle, flint, and papaya seed. You’ll just want to lie in bed all day pounding on this one.

2009 DESANTE, “L’ATELIER”, Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, Napa Valley-$25.00

“L’Atelier” means artist’s studio, and we all know how much sex artists have in their studios. You will need a few bottles of this to drink before you get into the DeSante Cab. White peach, honey suckle, mandarin orange and melon will strip the panties off of your still life model without waking up your wife or husband. Straight, gay, or switch, this is the perfect addition to your arsenal of mass seduction. Old vines, native yeast fermentation, what else do you want?

A FEW MORE THINGS TO CONSIDER

2010 MAZE, Sauvignon Blanc, Blau Vineyard, Knights Valley–$25.00

When you find your way out of the maze of boring and insipid Sauvignon Blancs, you can set yourself loose yourself in this complex labyrinth of flavors.  It will attack you like the Minotaur, but when you are done pouring the last drops on to your Bacchanalian tongue, that’ll make you Theseus, and who doesn’t want to feel like an Athenian hero when they are buzzed? Answer-no one! Okay, enough with the Mythos. This delectable wine was crafted by one Shawn Johnson, and while we suspect he isn’t Greek, he has been involved in some serious Dionysian cults: Merus, Kobalt, and Caldwell. Only 80 cases were cracked out of cement egg fermentators to produce a wine laden with bright citrus and floral aromas and weighty mineral undertones. Fly like Icarus, buy a case, and behold the birth of a legend!

2010 BODEGA RANCHO, Viognier, Santa Lucia Highlands–$22.50

Does he like football?   Is he a fan of Divas? Does he dress well? Does he like musical comedies? Has he ever been in a fight?  Does he drink Viognier? These are just a few of the many questions on Android’s new app “Is my son gay?” Don’t be scared to show your feminine side. This fruity gem is sourced from Caymus’s “Mer et Soleil” vineyard in Monterey’s Santa Lucia Highlands and is made by one of our favorite winemakers, Kurt Beitler, of Boheme fame (check the front page for his intervention inducing Pinot Noir!). On the nose, you’ll get tropical fruits, pear, mango, and lychee. Pink grapefruit, tangy citrus, white peach, and stone fruit flavors pair with crisp acidity and minerality making this metro wine easy to chug on it’s own or paired with any sea faring cuisine. Only 125 cases of this rijpma were produced.  Take it from Mamie, homophobia is out, Viognier is in, and you couldn’t get laid in Napa without some Bodega Rancho.

WINE MAKER MINI-FEATURE

Kenneth Juhasz has been a friend of Groezinger’s for years, and has made many of our favorite Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays for Robert Stemmler and our beloved Donum Estate. Here’s what he makes on his own time . . .

2009 AUTEUR, Chardonnay, Hyde Vineyard, Sonoma Valley-$42.00 It seems impossible that a wine could have so much raciness and weight at the same time. Last years model got huge scores from everyone, and so will this one. An assault of white peach, citrus, and pear skin with a nervous acidity characteristic of the renowned Hyde vineyard. This wine is so super sexy you are going to want to take it to bed with you and have a ménage a trios with your Failla Chard.

2009 AUTEUR, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Stage Vineyard, Sonoma Valley-$60.00 Touted as one of the greatest vintages on record for Sonoma Pinot Noir, this is a behemoth of a wine without loosing any varietal character. Brooding aromas of deep black and red fruit, dried rose petal and morel mushroom on the nose lead to a rich mouth full of black cherry, raspberry jam, sliced plum, toasted spice, and earthy undertones. 93 points from the Spectator but deserved a few more in our humble opinion. This is a killer wine from a phenomenal vintage and belongs in any Pinot lovers cellar.

AFTER A BRIEF HIATIUS & SOME TRAVELING, GROEZINGER’S IS BACK IN BLACK AND READY TO PACK
I recently tasted the entire lineup of Coho wines and was incredibly impressed, almost fell off my chair, and had to reattach my jaw after it fell off my face.  While most people know Coho for the Headwaters Red, Gary Lipp makes these other wines that are even better than that. Gorgeous, seductive Pinot Noirs and balls to the wall Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon will impress the most critical and knowledgeable connoisseurs.
2008 COHO, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley–$39.00 Super aromatic with a complex nose and perfect balance on the palate, it’s not as full bodied as the Stanley Ranch, but by no means is it a light wine.  It has flavors of black cherry, cranberry, and dried rose petal with bright acidity and long, complex finish.
2008 COHO, Pinot Noir, Stanly Ranch, Carneros–$39.00 This is as explosive as a 2000 pound bunker buster, except it won’t kill you unless you get drunk and fall off a cliff.  Stanley Ranch is in the eastern most part of Carneros, directly south of Napa Valley.   A bit more full bodied than the RRV, this wine is the bomb and will take out Pinots from all over the state.  Spicy, big, and nearly violent, it’s the pride of Carneros.
2007 COHO, Merlot, Michael Black Vineyard, Napa Valley–$47.00 Introducing a Merlot for the Cabernet lover. The vines were planted in 1987, trained in Coombsville, and produce flavors similar to the great wines from Pomerol.   Deep, earthy, black fruit flavors are coddled by sweet French oak, producing one of the best Merlots from our terrorist slaying country.  This Merlot is special-opps all the way.
2007 COHO, Cabernet Sauvignon, SummitVine Ranch, Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley–$47.00 Whompa, whompa, bang, bang. Technically speaking, this Cabernet is among the finest from Diamond Mountain. From a northwest facing site on top of the mountain, this bitchin’ Cab dishes out aromas and flavors of black olive, black cherry, and currant.  It’s far better than many pricier mountain Cabs and really deserves your consideration.  It’s not hiding in a cave and is easy to find at Groezingers.  800-356-3970

2007 PALLADIAN, Cabernet Sauvignon, Meadowood Lane Vineyard, Saint Helena, Napa Valley–$33
When I think of all the Cabs in Napa, and then think about all the Cabs from Napa that I truly love and want to drink, this falls into the latter. Many Cabs tend to be overbearing, monolithic, and non-directional.  Not to mention overpriced. The Palladian, similar in style to a second growth Bordeaux, has complexity, focus, and a great future ahead of it. The vineyard is next to Meadowood Resort and the famous Napa Reserve vineyard.   The grapes are cold soaked, fermented cool, gently pressed into French oak, then aged for two years, then aged for two more years in the bottle before release. On the nose, you’ll find cherry, currant, and tobacco cedar.  On the palate, it’s cassis, kirsch, cocoa powder, and exotic spice.  When you taste this at $33, you’ll be certain winemaker, Dave Mahaffey, must be losing money like it was 2009.  Dave is into it for the art and the craft, not for getting rich from your loss. Lord knows I’m not into it for getting rich either.
2008 OLIVIA BRION, Pinot Noir, Heron Lake Vineyard, Wild Horse Valley–$33
This stuff is legendary in small circles, and the 2008 is one of Olivia’s best Pinots ever. You might remember it as the Pinot with the dog racing the train on the label, but I consider it something way more serious.  The grapes are destemmed, fermented in small bins, and punched down by hand. After a gentle pressing, the juice is put into barrels without the use of pumps. For you aspiring engineers, that’s called gravity fed.  It’s like foreplay for the wine before the plump, young cork gets shoved in its glass. This gentle handling preserves the fruit, complexity, and texture.  Small fermentation bins and hand punch downs blow off some alcohol to a reasonable level of 13.9%.  The wine is intricate and truly Burgundian in many ways, giving up flavors of plum, baked cherry, clove, tea, and minerality.
2008 LA GRAND ROCHE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$29.00
Winemaking legend, Rick Forman, makes this wine entirely from his estate grapes on Howell Mountain. The Forman “main label” Cabernet sells for $85. This is 1/3 the price of that and comes from the same vineyard making this 500 case production a must have if you like Forman wines, Howell Mountain Cabs, and if you don’t want to pay big money for great Cabernet.  The other day someone asked me if there was a Cab from Howell Mountain for thirty bucks, and I drew a blank stare and couldn’t come up with one.  A few days later, I came across this wine.  The flavors are full bodied with ripe berry and cocoa. It will develop for many years to come, and when you taste it, you’ll probably think Mr. Forman is wack to make it his second label instead of throwing it into the $85 stuff.
2008 CRISTOM, Syrah, Eola Amity Hills, Willamette Valley–$28.00
I recently sold out of the ’06 Cristom Syrah and went into severe depression. They didn’t make a 2007 due to the cool climate vintage. This new 2008 release will probably outshine the ’06 with a year of bottle age and is an absolute must have for anyone who remotely likes Syrah. The black-red color is the first indicator that this wine is a killa’.  Blood red, meaty, earthy flavors are complimented with nuances of white pepper, whoop ass, and reduced blackberry.  From a great vintage, this wine will age for many years to come.  Cristom, most famous for their Pinots, is crafting one of the best Syrahs in this country. The cooler climate of Oregon provides weather necessary for a more authentically Rhone styled wine, while Steve Doerner, winemaking genius, optimizes what the vineyard produces with his French heritage. I frickin’ love this wine.
2007 MARSTON FAMILY VINEYARD, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$90
Marston has quietly been producing one of the best Cabs from Spring Mountain for the past ten years with the winemaking talent of Philippe Melka. The ’07 is one of their best to date and will live at least another ten years plus. Black mountain fruits leap out of the glass and firmly affix to your tongue. The aromas are heady and inviting with sweet oak hiding behind the massive wall of fruit. Below the black fruit, you’ll get earth, anise, light herb, and sweet tannin, with a special finish that will curl your toes and give you oral pleasure.
All joking aside, this is undeniably, nearly orgasmic, great Cabernet that rocks out with its cork out.
2005 SAGE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$38.00
The Sage brand and vineyards were sold to Darioush a few years ago so there won’t be any more Sage coming down the pipe. This stuff used to be $65 and now the Pierson Meyer team that made it is getting rid of it at about half of what it used to sell for. All estate grown on Mount Veeder, this thick and meaty Cab is the big brother to the Sage Veedercrest that y’all swallowed up like it was the last bag of MDMA on the planet. You’ll be rolling your face off when you taste the deep black fruits, thick mouthfeel, and almost four years of bottle age in this sweetly priced mountain grown Cabernet Sauvignon.
2007 VINOCE, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$51.00      (60%Cab Franc,25%Cab Sauv,15%Merlot)
Coming from 17 year old vines, this exquisite blend is the best Vinoce to date. Dark, rich, black raspberry dominates the palate with sweet oak in the background. The finish is long and sensational.  Don’t think you don’t like Cabernet Franc until you’ve tasted this stuff. And if you’re into Cabernet Franc, this is one of the best Franc dominated wines in the world and an absolutely necessary procurement for you.  Few wineries could even hope to nail a wine like Vinoce did this one.  With so many things going wrong with our country (have you checked the 2012 presidential candidates?), this wine is one thing that is going right.  Grapes are harvested from the steep, rocky, and rugged vineyards in multiple lots for perfect ripeness. Masterful grape farming, winemaking, and blending have produced one of Mount Veeder’s finest wines ever.
2007 STONE EDGE FARM, “SURROUND”, Sonoma County–$23.00
Maybe you like expensive wine but hate paying for it.  If that’s the case, then I have something for you. This wine usually sells for $30 and is a screaming good deal even at that price.  For $23, it’s like getting a few free bottles in a case. A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot from four different vineyards, it’s got all the cherry, cedar, and black fruits of way more expensive wines, a cool package, and a giveaway price.  This wine is a perfect opportunity for you to get some wine to serve to those pesky friends that love drinking your wine but never bring over anything except some crap they found at Costco for eight bucks.
2006 BARLOW VINEYARDS, Merlot, Napa Valley–$29.50
Nearly seven years after the great Merlot catastrophe stemming from geeky Miles in the movie Sideways, the varietal is back in fashion and practically retro in style. Barlow has never given up on the grape. Bar Smith still wears Flashdance styled legwarmers on cool evenings and sometimes sports a striped tube top in the vineyard during the hot days. That’s cuz he doesn’t care what people think, that’s why he didn’t rip out, bud over, or bulk out his kick ass Merlot. It’s one of the best Merlots in Napa and is about half the price of anything else that compares, so his local followers are quite loyal. This is a wine that doesn’t stay on the shelf long. Deep black fruit, a thick mouthfeel, earthy spice, and a Cabernet-like finish will satiate almost any palate.  When we drink this wine, we call it getting a Barlow job. Call me and I’ll give you a BJ for only $29.50.
2007 PORTER BASS, Zinfandel, Dot’s Garden, Russian River Valley-$35.00 (only 150 cases produced)
Dot’s garden is the oldest portion of the Porter Bass vineyards with Zinfandel vines over 100 years old.  The yields are tiny, and they only make this wine on exceptional vintages.  Flavors of raspberry, blueberry, spice, and earth are wrapped up in mostly new French oak.  The wine drinks great now, but should improve with a few years of bottle age.  But, with Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China being pretty pissed off, the Middle East practically exploding, and 2012 just around the corner, I would recommend drinking this wine before the end of the year, just to be on the safe side.  Call soon, this wine will be sold out in a just a few weeks.
2008 ADASTRA, Pinot Noir, Carneros–$36.50
Adastra usually makes two Pinots each year, the “Carneros”, and the “Proximus”.  For the 2008 vintage, they didn’t produce the $60 Proximus and put all of that juice into the Carneros production.  This boosted the quality of this wine to the stars, so to speak. Their vineyard is certified organic, and the fruit is lovingly farmed, handled, and crafted, producing an ultra-pure expression of this varietal. The Proximus fruit used to be sold to Etude for their $90 “Heirloom” Pinot Noir before the Proximus came into production.  This wine has a thick mouthfeel with flavors of plum, cherry, and cola, backed up with a solid backbone of integrated acidity, supple tannins, and nuances of earthy spice and subtle minerality.  It’s a beautiful Pinot Noir.
2008 SNOWDEN, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$77.00
If you want to get your palate laid and increase your chances at the same time, you would be wise to get this aphrodisiac-like wine in your cellar.  Grown on the steep hillsides of eastern Napa, these vines struggle in dry, rocky soil and produce fruit with incredible intensity, flavor, and color.  This vivacious Cab will show you what a great vintage 2008 was with its ultra concentrated flavors of black cherry, blackberry, tar, black Cuban tobacco, and currant. This will also cellar for another 10 years easy and is accessible to drink now.
2008 PAUL HOBBS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$75.00
From 4 stellar Napa vineyards, this wine needs no review.  Hobbs is synonymous to great Cabernet. When I tasted this, it was just undeniably great Cabernet. I didn’t want to love it, but I did.  Go ahead and love it too.
2008 RIDGE VINEYARDS, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Monte Bello Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mtns.-$36.50
This is Cabernet Sauvignon is from blocks of the Monte Bello Vineyard that don’t go into the $150 Ridge Monte Bello.  Mountain grown fruit from this legendary, world class vineyard is producing one of the best deals when it comes to California Cabernet.  It’s a blend of 75%Cab Sauv, 20%Merlot, 3%Petit Verdot, and 2%Cab Franc making it similar in many ways to it’s big brother. The main difference is that this is way more accessible upon release while it’ll still age for a good ten or more years if you choose.  For those who like American oak, this is your ticket. They use 100% American oak that gets chewed up and integrated by the intense fruit, creating flavors of blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, fennel, and minerality. The oldest vines in this vineyard were planted in 1949. Sixty year old Cab Vines! Try finding that in Napa for under forty bucks.
2009 FOXEN, Tinaquaic Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, Chardonnay–$31.50
The mouthfeel is lean and clean with an oily mid-palate that really cranks up the volume of this wine. My review of the 2008 Block U.U. (Oct.-Nov. 2010) is a bit more perverse than this one talking about whacking it and so on. This wine is every bit as good, and I’m just getting more humble in my years. Flavors of white peach, granny smith apple, and unbaked dough are elevated by a thicker texture, bright acidity, and sweet oak. It’s so delicious and smells so good that you could get your lover’s attention by soaking your drawers in it. I’m sitting in a puddle of it now, waiting to see what Mamie thinks when she gets home.
2008 WHITE ROCK, Chardonnay, Napa Valley–$27.00
I stopped by White Rock the other day and tasted their ‘08 Chard.  As many of you know, I love this stuff, but let me tell you, the 2008 is off the chain. I mean freaking great. How everyone doesn’t drink this stuff is a mystery to me?  They get the fruit nice and ripe (25°Brix), whole cluster press it, and then spare it the misery of malo-lactic fermentation to preserve the greatness that needs no enhancement. Only a small percentage of the barrels are new so the resulting wine is pure, bright, and untainted.  It drinks great today and has all the right stuff to age and develop for a good long while. It’s a fantastic food wine and is thoroughly enjoyable on its own. Ripe pear, baked apple, honey, and kiwi are a few of the flavors you might find in this estate grown and produced Chardonnay. Henry said they make wine like this because it’s what they like to drink with their meals. You can certainly buy more expensive Chards, but you can’t get it much better than this.
2008 LA DILIGENCE, Marsanne, Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley–$35.00
I was riding my bicycle by Miner Family Winery the other day after going to the dentist and inhaling a huge amount of nitrous-oxide (wah,wah,wah), and well, pedaling was less than enjoyable. It looked like a good spot to stop, and after resting a moment, it occurred to me that there’s a tasting room up the steps. I hobbled up the steps and was greeted with a pour of this most incredibly awesome Marsanne. It was refreshingly intense, bright, lively, and full bodied, while still being true to its varietal character. If you want great white wine and don’t require that it’s Chard or S.B., this should be in your box. Orange rind, earthy apricot, pear, and mineral will sway you away from the addiction of commonly distributed drugs such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay while enhancing your edification of more obscure varietals. I promise you’ll love it.
2010 AZUR, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley–$23.75
If you’re looking for great SB, look no further. Azur is awesome with its flavors of grapefruit, key lime, honeysuckle, and a hint of gooseberry.  If you’ve had it before, you know. If you haven’t, you should.

As holiday gift orders are coming in much faster than the past three years, Mrs. Claus said the most commonly asked question by concerned parents is, ”Does Groezinger’s still have that fabulous three case shipping deal?” You bet your good time credits and ramen noodles we do.  We’ll ship anywhere, even if we’re breaking the law…… $100 ships three cases anywhere in the continental United States!!! $25 per case ships to our good neighbors in CA, OR, WA and NV.  $35-$50 ships one case via UPS to most other states, and, if you live in a state still suffering from prohibition era restrictions, we’ll bootleg it to you for $60 for one case, $90 for two, and $100 for three cases! These prices make it CHEAP and EASY to get great wines no matter where you reside.  Out of state orders are tax free, saving you a big chunk of dough to spend on great wine.   800-356-3970

HOPE YOU HAVE SAFE & HAPPY HOLIDAYS. THANKS A BUNCH, AND GIMME A CALL FOR SOME  JUICE.
1.) 2008 RIDGE, Zinfandel, York Creek Vineyard, Spring Mountain District–$28.00 (79% Zin, 21% Petite Sirah)
2.) 2007 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS, Estate Reserve Zinfandel, Napa Valley–$50.00
3.) 2007 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS, Eastern Exposure, Zinfandel, Napa Valley–$41.00
4.) 2007 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS, Mayacamas Range, Zinfandel, Napa Valley–$32.00
5.) 2006 DAVID FULTON, Petite Sirah, St. Helena, Napa Valley–$41.00 We also can get the newly released 2007
6.) 2007 and/or 2008 PALOMA, Estate Merlot, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$49.00 Napa’s finest Merlots.
7.) 2007 SIDURI, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley-$28.50 Deluscious, juicy, big, plump & rich, with structure and style. Yum!
8.) 2007 McCREA, Mouvedre, Yakima Valley, Washington–$26.00 Ultra cool, complex, unique, and super flavorful.
9.) 2007 RAMEY, Syrah, Sonoma Coast–$28.00 This is BIG SYRAH, a combination of Ramey’s two single vineyard Syrahs that used to be double this price. A smart economic move on his part and a brilliant choice for your holiday feasts. Superb Syrah.
10.) 2008 RAMEY, Chardonnay, RRV, Sonoma–$27.50 Great Chardonnay that delivers lots o’flava and will please them all.
11.) 2008 SEBELLA (HANZELL),  EstateChardonnay, Sonoma Valley–$35.00 This is Hanzell’s “second label” which is SO similar to their $70 Chardonnay you’d swear they just put the expensive stuff in a different bottle. I think that’s what they did.
12.) 2007 KOBALT, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$90.00 Last call for this 95 point rated rocker. Just a few bottles left.
13.) 2008 CHANIN, Pinot Noir, Le Bon Climat, Santa MariaValley-$42.00 5 barrels were produced of this perfectly balanced,
13% alcohol, lush & structured, drinkable & cellarable, downright gorgeous Pinot from one of California’s best Pinot vineyards.

2006 MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS, Cabernet Sauvignon (estate bottled), Santa Cruz Mountains–$36.50
This stuff is the legendary unsung king of mountain grown Cabernets. Farmed and crafted on the Chaine d’Or in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the same range as the coveted Ridge Monte Bello, this is one of the greatest values of Cabernet Sauvignon in the new world. Drinkable now with a good decanting, it promises to live for at least 15 years or more from vintage date, so you have a good ten to fifteen years to think about drinking it while you probably have about thirty days before this vintage is sold out due to the limited supply and high scores. Both Parker and Tanzer gave it 93 points without being served lavish, celebrity studded dinners, or being flown to tropical paradises on private jets.  As far as everyone’s infatuation with Napa Cabernets and how they are the best, and “I didn’t come to Napa to buy Santa Cruz Cabernet”, well, they can go stick it. Watching customers pass up or overlook this killer Cabernet is as painful to me as sticking my junk in a meat grinder and makes me equally as furious. For $36.50 you can have it all….classic Bordeaux flavors of cassis, black cherry, blueberry, lead pencil, minerality, earthy goodness, and shadings of beautiful French oak. I realize that every month I go off on how great this or that wine is and how you shouldn’t pass it up, but if you don’t get some of this incredibly affordable world class Cabernet in your cellar, it’s gonna be your wiener going through the meat grinder while others bask in the glory of this wine with their wood fully in tact and standing at attention.

2007 O’SHAUGHNESSY, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$70.00
If you’ve loved this Cabernet in the past, you’ll flip out when you taste the 2007. Most definitely their finest effort yet, it has everything could hope for in a bottle of Howell Mountain Cabernet. It boasts powerful black fruit with a huge mouthfeel that would challenge Steven Tyler, and flavors that could make Dick Cheney a kind, gentle, loving humanitarian. Remember, money was of no concern in the process of setting up this winery, and no expense is spared in farming the grapes or making the wine.  The best thing about kind hearted, multi-billionaire, Betty O’Shaughnessy, is she doesn’t need your money and won’t charge you $300 to $700 for a bottle of incredible Cabernet like some of her poorer friends do. Flavors of black fruits, loamy earth, subtle French oak, cherry, tobacco, and cassis will transport you to Fantasy Island without the fear of another Cordoba commercial or a scary, flight announcing French midget. Seriously though, this is the best O’Shaughnessy Cabernet yet, and you’d be missing the Love Boat by not getting on board with this. Parker gave it 95 points if that matters to ya’, or if you don’t believe my BS.

2005 WHITE ROCK, “Laureate”, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$41.00
2006 WHITE ROCK, Claret, Napa Valley–$32.50           (70%CS,23%ML,1%PV,6%CF)
2008 WHITE ROCK, Chardonnay, Napa Valley–$27.00
This is the only winery in Napa that truly cave ages their red wines for a full two years before releasing them. Very cool. The 2005 Laureate Cabernet Sauvignon is powerful, yet drinkable today and will age for twenty years if you’re planning your future.  I recently drank a 1988 White Rock Claret and was amazed and blown away at its vibrancy and youth (considering it’s 22 years old from a mediocre vintage and the bottle was in a flood).  Many wineries claim their Cabs will age for 20 years, but we all know most California Cabs won’t make it 10 years.  91% Cab, 9% Cab Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot make it complex and bad to the bone.  Don’t forget the greatness of the ‘05’s with all the hype on the ‘07’s right now.  This estate is located between Stag’s Leap District and Atlas Peak, giving it velvety red fruit combined with mountain grown structure and power.  It’s the best of both worlds with a price that will make you ponder the $75 quality in this $41 bottling.  The 2006 White Rock Claret is more accessible and a bit softer and friendlier today…if you don’t want to get your ass kicked by its big brother. It’ll age till your balls are two inches longer, and in ten years, your wife will actually enjoy putting this in her mouth. It’s so good she’ll even swallow it and ask you if you have more. It’s very complex for a modestly priced blend and blows the doors off overpriced wines like Blopus, Quintessa, Rubicon, Blowfile, and Blowetry. The 2008 White Rock Chardonnay is truly one of my favorites from Napa.  It has beautiful flavors and displays terroir with one of the best house styles of any winery in Napa.  It’s a Chard that really compliments food and appeals to everyone I share it with.  If they taste it, they buy it. The second you smell it, the purity and complexity will make you a believer.  If you don’t like this Chard, then you might have a dysfunctional palate.  Therapy through Groezingers can cure you of this affliction, and I will give counseling for 27 bucks to anyone who calls.  Aged in French oak, no more than 10% new, the fruit is untainted and will make your palate feel like it’s on two hits of pure MDMA.  It’s not buttery because wine isn’t supposed to be buttery. Popcorn and Paul Dean are buttery.  Estate grown, estate bottled, and priced so honestly, you’d be ripping yourself off by not buying it. You’ll taste flavors of vibrant pear, apple, white peach, minerality, and just a suspicion of oak.  With the “in vogue” style of Chard rebounding from the days of when you could use it in place of margarine or Astroglide, this wine will give your palate multiple orgasms without getting it sloppy or sticky.

2007 ROBERT KEENAN, Cabernet Franc, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$55.00
Who would have thought a Cab Franc could deliver like the finest of Cabernet Sauvignons?  This stuff is like Cab Frankenstein.  It’s a monster of a wine, grown and assembled by the mad scientists at Castle Keenan or Spring Mountain.  Halloween is over, so don’t be scared to put this treat in your box of tricks.  Even Parker gave it 94 points.  It has incredible finesse and power, with a finish that goes on and on and on.  Many Cab Francs can be a bit green like Frankenstein, but this freaky Franc is blood red all the way.  Barely herbaceous, it screams Spring Mountain with a plush mouthfeel, a rich, thick mid-palate, and a structure that rivals almost any Cabernet Sauvignon.  Spicy red fruit is followed by a core of black fruit flavors like currant, black olive, cassis, cocoa bean, and mocha, with a sweet coating of integrated oak.  This is one of Keenan’s best wines, comparable to their finest reserve Cabernets.  It is a must have for fans of Cabernet Franc, and if you haven’t delved into the world of the “other Cabernet”, frankly, my dear, this is the one to give a damn about.  And just a hint to my dear customers, you might want to ask me about the………

Correction from a misprint in last month’s newsletter:  Brett Favre still kicks ass and is badass for an old fart. Go Vikes!
2007 DESANTE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa–$50.00

You like Oakville Cabernet??  Me too.  You think most of it is overpriced??  Me too.  David & Catherine DeSante dropped off a jug of this stuff the other day, and when we tasted it, I was calling him within minutes to reserve a chunk of their tiny production. This is what Oakville Cabernet is supposed to taste like and what it SHOULD sell for.  I recently saw a website for a new Oakville winery with a $90 first release Cabernet with Jim Barbour, David Abreu, and some hot shot wine maker on the “team”.  They used the word “luminescent” twice in their description of their Cabernet.  Wouldn’t that make you think that it is light in color or that light shines through it??  What a bunch of B.S.  This is the real deal Holyfield.  No light shineth through this bruiser.  It truly floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee.  Silky smooth with a solid punch that will back you up against the ropes and make you scream for Adrianne or whoever your lover is. Cherry, black cherry, plum, blackberry, tobacco, clove and spice are seamlessly held together with an uppercut of sweet oak.  This prize fighter could easily go the distance, but you’ll probably knock it out in the first few rounds after you pound down your first jug. And don’t ever forget about DeSante’s “great white hope”, the…
2007 DESANTE, Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley–$29.00 My favorite SB. 45 year old vines, truly awesome wine.

2008 TAFT STREET, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma–$17.00
2007 TAFT STREET, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast–$18.00
These great deals if you need some high quality, low priced juice to pour for your big holiday gatherings. They’ll drink it fast, and your cellar won’t get wounded in the battle if you have a barricade of Taft Street to keep your top officials in the “Green Zone”.  These are small production wines from great vineyards in Sonoma that deliver a big bang for the buck. Give me a call so I can send in the reinforcements before you get ambushed.

2009 BEDROCK, Syrah, Sonoma Coast –$23.00
2009 BEDROCK, Heirloom Red, Dolinsek Ranch, Russian River Valley–$35.00 Call me quick B4 it’s gone like last time.
2009 BEDROCK, Chardonnay, Brosseau Vineyard, Chalone–$30.00
2009 BEDROCK, Pinot Noir, Rebecca’s Vineyard, Russian River Valley–$42.00
This brand is so hot that you’re lucky your mailbox or computer isn’t on fire.  This wine will be gone in a flash, so call me right now if you want it because I don’t get much.  Rebecca’s Vineyard was planted with DRC cuttings, making it one of the finest Pinot Noir vineyards in the country.  This Pinot takes 24 hours to open up to its full potential and should age for a good ten years.  Only a few of you got the 2008’s, and I bet even fewer of you will get a crack at the 2009’s. Good luck. Talk to you soon.

2003 TOPAZ, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 66%/Semillon 34%–$35.00
Not having this wine with your holiday dessert is like going to see the “Dead” without Jerry Garcia.  Or like having a chocolate birthday cake with no frosting or candles.  It would be like watching Star Wars and turning it off right before Luke blows up the Death Star, or like having the best sex of your life and then stopping right before you……….Be sure to get the best dessert wine this side of Chateau d’Yquem to finish your holiday meals in style, with class, with the flavor that will make your guests remember your dinner forever.  It is a tradition with me, my family, my fiancé’s family, my friends, and it happens to be a tradition at the French Laundry too.  So if you think I’m shooting a photon missile up your ass, think again about that cold and lonely feeling you’ll have without your sweet, beautiful, baby kissing you after your almost perfect holiday dinner.  Just because Santa Claus won’t have any Topaz this Christmas doesn’t mean you can’t. And if you really want to get your rocks off, get some.

2002 TOPAZ, “DLX”, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 65%/ Semillon 35%–$77.00 Harvested at over 40 brix. Sweet insanity.
2009 ST. INNOCENT, Pinot Blanc, Freedom Hills–$20.00
You want some mind blowing white wine to serve for your holiday meals that actually compliments almost any food?  This is the one.  With fruit and acidity that dance on your palate like a mini Michael Jackson (he was white, too), this wine will pop your dinner into high gear.  Mark Vlossak crafts some of Oregon’s finest Pinot Noir and by far the best Pinot Blanc that I’ve had from America.  Blazingly bright fruit is rounded out by the wine being partially (31%) fermented in French oak with the remainder fermented in stainless steel.  The result is stunning, complex, vibrant, and refreshingly unique, comparable to the finest of Alsatian Pinot Blanc.  Crisp flavors of melon, kiwi, citrus, and honeysuckle are enhanced by an almost oily mid-palate that makes this wine anything but light.  Cabernet doesn’t really pair with turkey or ham, so if you fancy yourself a culinary expert or just want some badass white wine, you should be put on the “naughty kids” list for not having this in your arsenal of holiday wines.

2008, SANS LIEGE, “The Offering,” Paso Robles, GSM–$23.00  (41%GR, 30%SY, 27%MV, 2%Viognier)
We had a great run with the 2006 Offering and after tasting this vintage, it is right on line with the 2006.  Just bottled this summer, it is improving daily in the bottle, getting richer, fuller, and more flavorful every day.  It’s refreshing to get such a nice wine at such a nice price and the label is so cool I’d buy it even if the wine sucked. It’s complex and satiating, offering rowdy  Rhone flavors of cherry, dried rose petal, pepper, cinnamon, spice, black raspberry, a little oak, and a streak of earthy minerality without being dirty like this filthy newsletter. Don’t pass up this Offering of great wine at a Tony the Tiger, “GRRREAT” price.

2007 KAPCSANDY FAMILY WINERY, Estate Cuvee, State Lane Vineyard, Napa Valley–$115.00
I’ve had quite a few requests for this wine over the last year so here it is. It got a big 96 pointer from Parker and is thick, rich, and phat. I agree with what Bobby-P said about the wine but wouldn’t bank on it aging for 25 years…let’s say 12 years….. just to be realistic.
Now…If you want the super high end, ultra-Californian, masterfully crafted, TRULY cult, extremely flashy, uber-limited goods that sell out quicker than a new X-Box or Tickle-Me-Elmo…..this is the stuff for you.

The new 2008 releases from Luke Morlet—
2008 MORLET FAMILY VINEYARDS, Cabernet Sauvignon, ‘Coeur de Vallee’-Beckstoffer-Tokalon, Napa Valley–$157
2008 MORLET FAMILY VINEYARDS, Cabernet Sauvignon, ‘Mon Chevalier’-Knights Valley–$140
2008 MORLET FAMILY VINEYARDS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Passionnement’-Oakville, Napa Valley–$200
I gotta tell ya’, as a hater of overpriced, over-hyped, fluffy, expensive, no-track-record-havin’, BS from Napa, I was set back in my chair and put in my place with these new releases from Luke Morlet, Peter Michael Winery’s former winemaker. These 2008’s display the greatness of Mr. Morlet’s winemaking, the power and grace of the vintage, and the maximum potential of flavor that can be harnessed from some of California’s finest Cabernet. Monstrous flavors were captured, caged and bottled. Sort of like King Kong in a bottle although technically speaking, it would be more like Grape Ape on top of the Empire State Building with Lindsay Lohan as his hostage. I read the Parker reviews and they all say basically the same stuff about each of these wines and he said, “the Mon Chevalier opens up after a few years of cellaring”. Now, duh. Who needs to be told that, and how does he know what this wine is gonna do when he’s the same guy that said the 1997’s were gonna live for 25 years. Anyway, these wines will cellar and develop for a good ten years or more, probably not decades, and are absolutely delicious now with a few hours of air. The flavors are brilliant, concentrated and focused, with big, creamy loads of luscious, lavish French oak. These wines are for the true lover of hedonistic, full throttle, fruit driven, oak coated, balls out California Cabernet Sauvignon.

2009 EVESHAM WOOD, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon–$17.50
Thought I should offer up some great Pinot Noir for the guests to chug at your holiday gatherings that won’t set you back too much. We all know how quickly wine gets chugged when people don’t have to pay for it…..especially when they’re accustomed to drinking it from a box. “Wow, this stuff is really good.” Glug, glug, glug, gone. You know how it goes. That’s why you’ll need this super tasty, immediately drinkable, and most importantly….affordable Pinot Noir so you don’t look at your guests like the Grinch when they drain your Grand Cru Burgundy after realizing how good it is.

2008 DELILLE CELLARS, “D2”, Columbia Valley, Washington–$39.00   (55%ML, 39%CF, 4%CF, 2%PV)
I just tasted this on 11/11/10 and had to put it in here as a last minute addition. If this wine was from Napa it would sell for $60 or more. It’s a beautiful blend and will cellar for a good long while. A few of you called for the 2007 D2 after it was gone, butt, this D2 is just as wonderful, a year younger, a bit tighter, and in need of some coaxing before she gives it all up and lets you stick your ‘screw in that soft, snug, tender seal.  This will also be in the January letter with more details, but you can bring her home today.

Here’s a few DRC’s if you wanted to get something special for that special someone, or for yourself.
1999 DOMAINE ROMANEE CONTI, Echezeaux, Vosne-Romanee, (Cote-D’Or) France–$1100.00
1999 DOMAINE ROMANEE CONTI, Richebourg, Vosne-Romanee, (Cote-D’Or) France–$3500.00
2000 DOMAINE ROMANEE CONTI, Echezeaux, Vosne-Romanee, (Cote-D’Or) France–$750.00
2000 DOMAINE ROMANEE CONTI, Richebourg, Vosne-Romanee, (Cote-D’Or) France–$1000.00
Lastly, I would like to say, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your business and support through these goofy economic times. I REALLY appreciate it and am truly grateful for my relationships/friendships with all of you. It’s a true pleasure having you as customers through thick and thin….and, the fact that you like reading my sick and warped views on wines and the wine industry makes me the happiest dude in any wine shop I’ve ever seen. So, thanks, happy holidays, and God bless all of you.”

2007 RIDGE, MONTE BELLO, California(Santa Cruz Mountains), 79%CS, 10%ML, 9%PV, 2%CF–$110.00
Usually $145, until October 25th I can sell you this for $110, but you gotta call me NOW so I can get the order in before they stop the sweet deal. After that, it’ll be $130. This legendary wine is America’s pride and joy when it comes to wines that compete on an international level. The Monte Bello is first growth quality all the way, expressive of its vineyard site and seriously built to age better than almost any other wine made in this hemisphere. The Santa Cruz Mountain appellation is quite different from Napa so this 2007 offering is going to outlive almost every 2007 Cabernet from Napa Valley by a good ten years. It spent two weeks fermenting before being pressed and barreled. Winemaker Eric Baugher says a vintage this great occurs about once every ten years making this an epic wine and a must have for any serious collector. The color is dark purple with a glimpse of the darkest shade of red. You’ll get flavors of cassis, black currant, licorice, black olive, mineral, exotic spice, and American oak that is all but buried by the fruit. The tannins are solid and integrated with lively acidity that holds this thing together like the bolts that hold down the 16 inch diameter cannons on a battleship. This is not for the faint of heart or the impatient lover of sweet, soft, sappy Cabernet. This is balls out, pedal to the metal, rip, slash, kill everyone wine. To put this into perspective, the 1991 vintage is drinking perfectly right now, singing in the glass and screaming on the palate. The 2007 Monte Bello should age similarly to that. The 2000 Monte Bello recently won the “re-creation of the 1976 Paris tasting” while competing with first growth Bordeaux and California’s best Cabernets. As you ponder your buying decisions and wonder which of the hundreds of California Cabernets are REALLY going to age and be TRULY great in the future, the answer is easy and is right here. And if you want to impress someone with a gift of prestige, quality, and unsurpassed pedigree, this is like buying them a brand new black on black on black Rolls Royce Phantom in a bottle.

2007 DIAMOND CREEK, Red Rock Terrace, Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley–$155.00
2007 DIAMOND CREEK, Volcanic Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley–$155.00
2007 DIAMOND CREEK, Gravelly Meadow, Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley–$155.00
This “truly cult” winery kick started the single vineyard, site specific, limited quantity craze that we all trip on these days.  While the 2007 vintage is forward and friendly, these Diamond Creeks will be drinkable sooner than most vintages, not requiring ten years of bottle age like most of their offerings. I’m not gonna go into details because if you know, you know, and if you don’t, you won’t.

2007 TANBARK HILL (Philip Togni), Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$37.00
If you want a 2007 Napa Cab to consume sooner than later, I could not emphasize strongly enough how this is the best choice of anything from Napa. Philip Togni makes some of the finest Cabernet in Napa, this wine being his “second label” while it is far better than most winery’s primary efforts. It’s composed of estate grown juice that didn’t go into the spectacular “2007 Philip Togni Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.”  If you check out Togni’s track record you’ll find it to be one of the most consistently highly rated wineries in the world. Their $90 Cabernets will age for over twenty years and the Tanbark Hill is always god for at least ten years. This is seriously bad-ass Cabernet for a seriously bad-ass price. Some of you know this awesome wine, and the rest of you should find out why I’m so adamant about force feeding this to you. Either way, you should call me. It possesses the most succulent mountain grown flavors of black cherry, bing cherry, candied spice, earthy minerality, cassis, black berry, cocoa, and tobacco. Philip Togni is the current grandfather of Napa Valley Cab, is Andre Tchelistcheff’s living brother from another mother, and out of sheer age and experience has about 30 years more knowledge than most winemakers in California. If you’ve ever been to the Togni winery you know it is all about the wine. No B.S., no glitz, glam, no ass kissing, no stupid imported palm trees. There’s a padlock on the gate and no sign to keep rookies out, but you can get hooked up right now by calling me. Pick up dat phone and give me a buzz. 800-356-3970.

2007 PHILIP TOGNI, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$81.00
Philip asked me to sell this for the full retail price of $90 but we all know that doesn’t fly these days. Plus you are too smart for that. If you are out of state, without tax this price is $17 bucks cheaper than at the winery. That’s a sweet deal. I will say that Mr. Parker has accurately scored this wine with a 95 point rating. It’s maybe a point or two low, but that’s okay. Take the Tanbark hill tasting notes, turn up the volume, add some more tannin, another fifteen years of age-ability, and you have an accurate description of this wine. Like the Ridge Monte Bello, this wine is California first growth all the way. If you collect and cellar California Cabernet and don’t have Philip Togni’s wines in there, you are probably making a bad play call.  Philip says the Tanbark Hill is for lunch and the “main label” is for dinner. He must eat steak for lunch.

2006 DELILLE CELLARS, GRAND CIEL, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, Washington–$135.00
This wine was on the front page last month and most of you didn’t bite, so I’m giving you one more chance. I recently had the opportunity to drink the ’06 Grand Ciel along side the ’07 Lail J. Daniel Cuvee (97+ Parker), and the Grand Ciel BLEW IT AWAY like the big, bad, badass wolf. Clearly a better wine. I would score it a 99-100. They rated it 95 points and must not have tasted the Lail on the same day. While researching this wine of biblical proportions, I found that the vineyard was planted entirely with French clones and laid out using Guyot-trellising with super tight spacing in a manner to follow the sun while allowing the fruit to ripen slowly with additional hang-time.  I know when you call me here in Napa, you’re often thinking about Napa Cabs, but we can start changing our assumptions about Washington wines. Last month I featured the fantastic 2007 DeLille D2 red blend to embarrassingly sell only one twelve bottle case to over 1500 customers, six of those bottles to one person. So if you want to eat pepperoni pizza for every meal for the rest of your life, go ahead and choke on the cheese, but you’re the one that’s gonna have a hard time taking a crap. Take my word on this one. IT IS WHY WE DRINK WINE AND SPEND MONEY ON IT, TO TASTE WHAT GODS DRINK. Am I making myself clear? THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST WINES EVER MADE ON THIS SIDE OF THE PLANET.

2008 COHO, HEADWATERS RED, Napa Valley–$39.00      (62%CS, 32%ML, 4%PV, 2%CS)
This wine showcases the potential greatness of the 2008 vintage in a blend that is immediately accessible and drinkable without compromising structure and balance. Coho has become a darling of the press over the past years and always sells out quickly. This year, if you call soon, you can probably get as much as you want before the reviews come out and before the wine vanishes. The ’08 Headwaters Red is my favorite one so far. It’s unique, sexy, versatile, and fun to party with, kind of like the “most interesting man in the world” on the Dos Equis commercials. When I’m not skydiving, yacht racing, or climbing Mt. Everest, I drink Coho Headwaters. The wine is incredibly complex,  sophisticated and able to satisfy the most finicky of connoisseurs with ease. 90% of the grapes are from Coombsville in south Napa, with the remaining 10% coming off Diamond Mountain. The color is vibrant dark red with hues of deep purple, a bit darker than Justin’s nose will be in another five years. The aromas alone will clue you in to the complexity of this blend. You don’t even need to taste it to enjoy it although that would be a waste of good wine. The palate offers up a buffet of wonderful flavors like spice infused black cherry, loamy minerality from Diamond Mountain, black fruits, cigar box, cinnamon, and light influences of integrated oak complimented by fuzzy tannins. For a mid-priced wine that delivers expensive flavors with instant gratification, this is a great pick. The wine will be available starting the last week of October so call now to secure your allocation.

2005 SAGE, VEEDERCREST, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$30.00  (40%CS, 30%ML, 30%CF)   *!#@%&*!*!!!*
We’ve been selling this for a while, but after revisiting it, I thought it deserved another mention. With a few years of bottle age, this formerly $45 wine is kicking ass and taking names. We’ve drank this next to MUCH more expensive wines, and I can’t find a better $30 wine from Napa. It’s BIG, bold, and complex with dark mountain flavors and was made by the Pierson Meyer team from Peter Michael winery (lots of talent).  EVERYONE who tastes this wine in the store buys it because you just can’t do better for $30.

2008 CHAPPELLET, “Signature” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Pritchard Hill)–$45.00
Here’s another look into the crystal ball to see what’s in store for the GREAT ’08 vintage. This always impressive Cabernet comes from the esteemed Pritchard Hill appellation and in most cases will out age their pricier “Pritchard Hill Cabernet” due to its slightly more tannic structure and slightly higher acidity….for 1/3 the price! Yes tannin and structure are back in fashion after 15 years of pussed out, free run, low tannin, high PH wines that were made for teething babies and impatient consumers without cellars. Deep flavors of blackberry, black cherry, espresso bean, cinnamon, clove, and licorice will prove my predictions of the underpublicized and not yet rated 2008 vintage. Call me to get your palate red and to let me predict your good fortune with this geee-rate ’08.

Unlike sacked & intercepted Mr. Favre, at 42 I’m still playing at the top of my game and am always ready for a super bowl.

2005 VALANCE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Howell Mountain)–$75.00     This stuff is infrikkincredible….
This tiny three acre vineyard is nestled into a corner of the famous Herb Lamb vineyard on the lower reaches of Howell Mountain. Under 100 cases are produced each year by 30 year winemaking veteran, Michael Raymor. He stopped by the store the other day and we tasted the ’04, ’05, and ’06 vintages, with the 2005 being the shining superstar of the bunch. I will try hard to describe the incredible seamlessness, complexity, and balance of this world class Cabernet although words just can’t do it justice. It’s so damn sexy that the government warning label should read, “May increase risk of pregnancy.”  The wine is site specific and displays the subtle, earthy nuances we all know and love from Howell Mountain. Deep red fruit flavors of currant, cherry, and subtle tones of cassis and plum are complimented by expensive French oak while tannins are smooth and silky from a few years of bottle age. This is the current release from Valance while most folks are pushing the ‘07’s on you because they’re in it for the money as opposed to being in it for the passion and true art of the craft. So when you wonder, “Why should I order wine from Groezinger’s when I can buy wine anywhere?”, please realize this wine is one of the reasons. Other reasons are (a) you can’t get this Cabernet anywhere else (b) it’s $90 from the winery (c) I literally taste thousands of wines to pick just a few for you (d) this stuff is f**king incredible and (e) unlike most wine stores that are in it just for the money, I’m in it for the passion and true love of what’s in the bottle, not for the price tag, points, label, or image. Once again, this wine is a reminder of why we drink wine in the first place.

2007 HEDGES FAMILY ESTATE, Red Mountain, Washington–$22.00
Ya’ know how Napa wines usually cost more because they say “Napa” on the label? Since you are smart and hopefully don’t believe the price tag always equals the quality here in the valley of fairy tails, oak bombs, high alcohols, and foof, you should investigate this spectacular Washington wine that way over performs for the money. And if you want something that looks, tastes, and feels like a $40 Napa wine for half the price, you should keep reading. The 2007 vintage was spectacular in Washington, creating the potential for great wines, and this is one of them. While it is not the Grand Ciel, this wine is equally incredible for it’s super high quality and dirty low price. I flipped out when I heard the price. It has a blend of 56%ML, 30%CS, 8% Syrah, 6% CF with 13.6% alcohol and a perfect ph of 3.68. Those numbers combined with a GREAT vintage have produced an estate grown wine of unsurpassed quality for $22. The nose is full of fruit with cherry, blackberry, cassis, cocoa, and spice while the palate delivers black cherry, anise, mocha, toasty oak, caramel, and earthy nuances. The wine is freaking awesome with an hour of decanting and will continue to improve for another five to seven years. Try getting that from Napa for $22. I don’t mean to throw my neighbors and suppliers under the bus, but I mean, f**k, come on. I have Napa winemakers buying this wine from me because it’s so dang good. AND, this wine is a perfect selection for the holidays, very impressive and sweetly priced in a fat bottle with a classy label.

2007 ALYSIAN, Pinot Noir, “Russian River Selections”, Russian River Valley–$37.00
This is the “new Gary Farrell” after he sold his namesake brand for some irresistible amount of money. Grapes for this beautiful Pinot come from famous Russian River Valley vineyards like Rochioli, Allen, Floodgate, and Starr Ridge, resulting in a stunning Pinot Noir reminiscent of the good ole’ Gary Farrel wines of long ago. 2007 was one of the finest vintages for RRV Pinot in the last twenty years, and this wine shines with lower alcohol, great acidity, and vibrant flavors of pomegranate, plum, blueberry, and dark red berry. This small production (1500 cases) is soon to be gone as Mr. Farrell has a huge fan base that has been Farrelless for a few good years now. Drinkable now and built for the cellar, this is beautiful Pinot from a legendary and masterful winemaker.

2007 COULIOR, Pinot Noir, Roma’s Vineyard, Anderson Valley, Mendocino–$38.00 (200 cases, normally $45.00)
Pronounced (cool-war). You would be downright foolish, maybe stupid, to pass this up if you love truly great Pinot Noirs. I personally love this stuff and so does the French Laundry, if you don’t trust my opinion. This wine was made with a labor of love by my good friend, John Grant, who is Turley’s muscle, serving as assistant winmaker. When not crafting mammoth Zinfandels he makes one of the finest Pinots in the land. A phenomenal ’07 Pinot from a truly great Pinot Noir vintage, this eight barrel production makes sweet love to your palate with black and red cherry, red plum, cocoa, minerality, a hint of sweet mint, and a superb alcohol level of only 13.5%. It is the KIND. There’s only 20 cases left of one of the best Pinots in California, and you won’t find it anywhere else but here.

2006 WATERMARK, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$40.00
“Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I’m a woman’s man no time to talk!” Ohhhhh, yeaaaaahhhh!!!! I know you’re gonna boogie your disco lovin’ ass over to your sexy telephone and tickle those buttons with my numba. “Call me on the line. Call me, call me any time! Call me my love, you can call me, call me any day or night, CALL ME!” That’s right, the mirror ball is spinning again, and I’m bringing the boogie woogie back except this time it’s in a bottle instead of a bindle. Don’t worry, you’ll still get laid, AND you don’t even need to break the law……..Well, you might have to depending on what state you live in, but as your dealer I will get this party to you one way or another. Quite possibly the best selling wine I’ve ever sold, and recently I’ve noticed you guys are jonesing for some more of this Peruvin blue quality Cabernet. Diamond Creek’s winemaker, Phil Steinschriber, makes this wine from mysterious vineyard sources near Calistoga. It’s thick, big, dark, and rich like Oprah except it won’t get flabby or lose weight with age. The main difference is you actually want this in your house and will enjoy it when you put it in your mouth. Back to the dance floor. Flavors of cassis, black cherry, blackberry, crushed rock, earthy goodness, and a phat mouthfeel will spin, cut, and do the splits on your palate, popping right back up for some more sexy moves as the finish can dance all night long. Phil didn’t make an ’07 or ‘08 Watermark Napa Valley Cab, so if you’re out and want to start the party and keep it going, you should go big the next time you score some from me. This vintage has a bit more oak (100% new) than the 2005 and benefits from a splashy decanting and drinks great for a couple days after being opened. In addition to this, Phil also makes a Howell Mountain Cab for $65, but you can get it from me for…..

2006 WATERMARK, Cabernet Sauvignon, Blue Hall Vineyard, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$50.00        (800-356-3970)

2008 KISTLER, Chardonnay, Les Noisetiers, Sonoma Mountain–$70.00
As far as I can remember, Kistler hasn’t given me an allocation in the last 20 years and I’m not counting on one in the near future, so if you want the “King of Chards” in your glass or cellar, you better tell me quick because I don’t know how long this good fortune will last. This vineyard is one of the oldest Chardonnay vineyards in the country. It’s east facing and terraced in chalky, red, volcanic soil. This exquisite Chardonnay has minerality throughout, with bright, vibrant fruit and uplifting aromas and flavors that will have you dancing on the ceiling like Lionel Richie. The grapes were whole cluster pressed, underwent 100% malolactic fermentation, were Sur Lie aged for 11 months in French oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It’s one of the greatest California Chardonnays made in the spirit of Grand Cru Chablis. You’ll discover flavors of citrus, tangerine, flinty minerality, and a slick, thick, coating mouthfeel.

2008 FOXEN, Chardonnay, Block UU, Santa Maria Valley–$32.00      (92 points from Parker, if you care)
So you want some awesome Chard but you’re not gonna pay $70 for the Kistler.  If so, then this is the treat of tricks for your holidays and your sophisticated palate. I’m drinking this wine as I write and I may need to go whack it because this wine so dang good and just downright foxy.  I didn’t do that, but I am still drinking it. It has loads (poor choice of words) of flavor and keeps coming and coming (whoops) with balance, texture, complexity, and a long finish. Flavors of, pear, grapefruit, mineral, and bright apple dance and boogie on your palate before bringing you home and giving you what you really want—A finish that lasts, “All night long, all night, all night…..all night long.” Gotta love Lionel. You’re gonna love this Chardonnay  and it’s gonna love you right back. It smells good too.

2009 AZUR, Sauvignon Blanc, Rutherford, Napa Valley–$22.00
What a refreshing diversion to the same old, same old, Sauvignon Blanc we usually come across. This truly French styled SB tastes like a cross of  Loire Valley and Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc. It is super clean, bright and refreshing, with ultra-pure citrus flavors and a finish that screams for another sip. Not grassy at all, this is a compliment to many dishes and wonderful glass of wine on its own.
2009 AZUR, Dry Rose, 60% Napa, 40%Sierra Foothills–$22.00
If you like truly great rose, you must try some of this. I wish you could see the beautiful light salmon color of this authentically Provencal styled California rose. It’s the best rose I can remember ever tasting from this country. And it isn’t f**king pink wine! While most of you don’t call me for rose wines, this deserves a spot in everyone’s arsenal because you don’t really want to pair Cabernet with seafood, salads, or dishes with Asian persuasion. It’s a fantastic food wine, it’s totally dry, and therefore, won’t compromise your manliness. The only problem is that you can’t serve it to bimbos because it’s too complex and finishes nice and dry.

2007 O’SHAUGHNESSY, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$70.00
If you’ve loved this Cabernet in the past, you’ll flip out when you taste the 2007. Most definitely their finest effort yet, this has everything could hope for in a bottle of Howell Mountain Cabernet. Of course, it doesn’t have the extra two years bottle age like the 2005 Valance (featured above), but you can do that yourself if you want to. It boasts powerful black fruit with a mouthfeel that would challenge Carly Simon and flavors that could make Dick Chaney a kind, gentle, loving humanitarian. Remember, money was of no concern in the process of setting up this winery and no expense is spared in growing the grapes or making the wine.  The best thing about kind hearted multi-billionaires is they don’t need your money and won’t charge you $300 to $700 for a bottle of incredible Caberent like some of Betty O’Shaughnessy’s neighbors do. Flavors of black fruits, loamy earth, subtle French oak, cherry, tobacco, and cassis will transport you to Fantasy Island without the fear of another Cordoba commercial or a flight announcing French midget.
Seriously though, this is the best O’Shaughnessy Cabernet yet, and you’d be missing the Love Boat by not getting on board with this.

This is a list of items you may have missed but should really consider for the upcoming holidays or for your cellar stash.
2008 SEBELA, Chardonnay, Sonoma County–$35.00 This is Hanzell’s “second label” and tastes like the expensive stuff.
2007 FOG CREST, Chardonnay, Estate Bottled, Russian River Valley–$30.00 Rich, smooth, thick and delicious. Usually $45.00
2008 SHAFER, Red Shoulder Ranch, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Carneros–$45.00 BIG and THICK. You know this one.
2008 TOMERO, Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina–$13.00 Minerally, bold, lively, delicious, super chuggable, and CHEAP.
2007 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN, Zinfandel, Mayacamas Range, Napa Estate–$32.00 Why drink other inferior Zins??
2006 PALOMA, Estate Merlot, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$49.00 If you drink Merlot you should drink the best.
2007 PALOMA, Estate Merlot, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$49.00 Just in case you wanted options for Merlot.
2006 DAVID FULTON, Petite Sirah, St. Helena, Napa–$41.00 From 75 year old, dry farmed, head pruned vines. My favorite Petite.
2009 PHOENIX RANCH, Cinsault, Bechtold Vineyard, Lodi California–$17.00 130 year old vines. Complex and very satisfying.
2006 SCHOOLHOUSE, Mescolonza, Spring Mountain Dist.–$36.00 Zinfandel, Petite Sirah & 100+ year old vine Rhone varietals.
2007 ROUND POND, Cabernet Sauvignion, Rutherford, Napa Valley–$50.00 Big Cab with big scores. Some of Rutherford’s best.
2006 PIERSON MEYER, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$77.00 A personal favorite from Pritchard Hill, very cellar worthy.
2007 LAIL VINEYARDS, J. Daniel Cuvee, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$115.00 97+ from Robert Parker, freaking awesome.
2006 ILSLEY, Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley-$51.00 Better than Shafer One Point Five for $20 less.
2002 PARADOR, Tempranillo Reserva, Rancho Chimiles Vineyard, Napa Valley–$35.00 The best Spanish varietal wine in the U.S.
2007 PALAZZO, Napa Valley Red Wine–$50.00 A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon in that order. Yum.
2007 FORT ROSS, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast–$25.00 By far my best deal on Pinot. Bright and lively with a thick mid-palate.

FEATURED WINES
Don’t miss out on these new releases. Call soon due to limited supply, high scores, and thirsty wine addicts.

2007 LAIL VINEYARDS, J. Daniel Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$115.00
The J. Daniel cuvee has become a benchmark of Napa cult wines over the past ten years. The 2007 vintage received a 96+ rating from Parker. That’s basically the same score Eagle, Harlan, Schrader, Bond, and 100 Acre get except Lail doesn’t rip your anus in half when they sell you the wine. They also won’t laugh at you for buying them another yellow Ferrari or a new Palm Tree. This wine is dense, dark, focused, and concentrated, delivering a truly world class California Cabernet that would make Chateau Margaux proud. Parker said, and I quote………
“Lail’s flagship wine is the J. Daniel Cuvee. The 2007 is living up to all of its promise when tasted last year from barrel. There are 850 cases of this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from four separate sites in Napa (in Calistoga, Howell Mountain, Coombsville, and Rutherford). A dense purple color is accompanied by notes of graphite, licorice, black cherry liqueur, black currants, crushed rocks, spice box, and cedar. With Pauillac-like aromatic and flavor profiles, this opulent, full-bodied, rich 2007 reveals superb purity as well as definition. It may even grow in stature over the next five years, and is capable of lasting 20-25+ years”………..I couldn’t have said it better myself. We’re one of the first retailers in the country to have this so call us and get it while the getting’s good.

2009 PHOENIX RANCH, Cinsault, Bechthold Vineyard, Lodi California–$17.00   pronounced (sin-so)
Usually Cinsault is a blending grape used in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and ironically there is more Cinsault planted in France than there is Cabernet Sauvignon. This modestly priced wine delivers loads of satisfaction and a wallop of flavor. Simply put, this is highly enjoyable and very entertaining to drink with a unique flavor and an equally unique price. And don’t give me this shit about “I don’t know if I like Cinsault” or “Maybe I’ll try one and see if I like it” or “We don’t drink Cinsault”. Because when you try this you will know that you like Cinsault and therefore you will be a Cinsault drinker. It tastes like a blend of Syrah, Petit Sirah, and Grenache with a super friendly texture and a plump mouthfeel. These Cinsault vines were planted by Mike Grgich when he was a child and are now 130 years old offering up complex flavors, smooth tannin, and a complexity hardly ever found in $17 wines. This is one of those wines you buy a case of and enjoy the hell out of while your Cabernets age & mature.

2007 DeLILLE CELLARS, “D2”, Columbia Valley, Washington–$40.00 (51%ML, 40%CS, 7%CF, 2%PV)
“D2” refers to the “second label” from DeLille Cellars although it’s hardly reminiscent of second labels from Napa wineries which are usually compromised versions of their more expensive stuff. “D2” is also the name of the grand route du vin, the wine road that goes through the chateau region of Bordeaux. I know this sounds sac religious, but I think this wine is better than any $40 wine from Napa. This stuff is INTENSE and has
truly authentic Bordeaux qualities rarely found in Napa wines other than Lail. Dark purple in color, the D2’s aromas fly outta the glass, notifying you that you just bought some bad-ass wine. The D2 is seamless with flavors of plum, black cherry, currant, tobacco, caramel, mocha, and spice, all sewn together with 100% new French oak. The new oak is chewed up and perfectly integrated by the powerful black fruit in this world class wine. And seriously, don’t even start up with this, “I don’t like Washington wines” stuff, or “We just drink California reds” or, “Oh no, not Washington”. In fact, if you don’t buy this wine I should sell your information to some telemarketers and close the store, maybe burn it, and leave the wine business forever because nobody really cares about the GREAT wines I find unless they come from this mostly homogenized valley, the home of free run juice.

2007 ROUND POND ESTATE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa Valley–$50.00
Let’s pretend you don’t like Washington or Oregon wines and you can’t stand or stomach wines from Mendocino or Santa Cruz and the only wines you really enjoy are Napa Valley Cabernets. If that is the case, then this is your wine. Round Pond’s winemaker, Brian Brown, trained in Australia and then in Napa where he worked as assistant winemaker at Vineyard 29. There he worked with Phillippe Melka and Ceila Masyczek where he learned cutting edge techniques that guarantee a minimum score of 94 points on every vintage, no matter what. Because of that experience the Round Pond Cabernet has the same luscious, intense, thick, rich qualities of much more expensive wines. The typical “Rutherford dust” in this wine is covered and coated with dark, dank flavors and a huge, rich presence on the palate. Nothing dusty about it. Notes of black cherry, cherry, earthy cassis, French oak, cocoa, and blackberry will sing to your senses and curl your toes. Check out this awesome 2007 Cabernet from one of the new kids on the block. This Cab is big, forward, and balanced and will satiate the most critical of aficionados.
THIS IS A SUPER SECRET DEAL ON A CABERNET YOU CAN GET ONLY IF I KNOW YOU–$25.00
This winery would cut my balls off if they new I was doing this, so only good customers who I know well will get a chance at this. Don’t have your friend call because I don’t sell dope to strangers. That way if associates of this winery try to bust me on cheaping out this AWESOME Cabernet I can tell them I have no idea what the hell they are talking about. The wine is mountain Cabernet from a very famous appellation, received real good scores, drinks great now and will improve for 4-5 more years. It’s dark and concentrated with black fruits, earthy goodness, and a $25 price tag. This is basically my next Charbay type deal except the supply is WAY smaller. Please identify yourself before asking about this wine so I’m not a dick to you when you inquire. The price is $25.00 and is normally about $45-50 making this a half price deal. It’s like two for one, buy one get one free, an unexpected threesome, or if you bought a new car and they just gave you another one for free just because they like you. $25.00–You need to call me to find out what this is all about so pick it up and dial 800-356-3970.  $25

2006 SCHOOLHOUSE, Estate Pinot Noir, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$85.00
I have about 2 cases left of the greatest Pinot outside of Burgundy. Not that you want to drink this when you are 95, but this Pinot can age and develop for up to 40 years. Seriously. Tell me one other wine from California that can do that and I’ll tell you that you are full of crap. Ever drank a 1963 California Pinot that tastes like DRC? Probably not. But, at least you can get a 2006 California Pinot reminiscent of the finest Burgundy in the word.

2007 FORT ROSS, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast–$25.00
If you don’t want $85 Pinot Noir but still want to get your world rocked you should jump on this. It is, by far, the best deal I have on Pinot. Some of you have bought it but most of you are staring at the wall or peeing down your leg. I’m not selling you cheap wine, I’m selling you a kick ass $40 Pinot for $25. This has been in our last couple letters, but y’all are missing the boat. Don’t hesitate to wrap you lips around this very well endowed Pinot.

2008 PEAY, “LA BRUMA”, Estate Syrah, Sonoma Coast–$41.00
Need something to go with your lamb chops? This is it. Peay grows incredible fruit on the Sonoma Coast. Cool climate creates perfect structure with supple and forward flavors of blackberries, boysenberry, lead pencil, and sweet smoky bacon fat. This wine is ultra-enjoyable with silky smooth fine tannins. Get the best, forget the rest.

FEATURED WHITE WINES

2009 BREGGO, Pinot Gris, Anderson Valley, Mendocino–$24.00
Judging from the last two newsletters it seems that nobody is really interested in Chardonnay anymore. Sooooo, here’s a kick ass white wine that doesn’t rhyme with ‘tard. This juice is jumpin’, jammin’ and built for slammin’.
Mendocino is famous for its crippling marijuana and now Breggo has put them on the map for medicinal quality Pinot Gris. This will heal your craving for something other than Chard with a nose full of nectarine, honeydew melon, and Mandarin orange followed by flavors of key lime, white peach, honey, and white pepper. Crisp acidity makes this an excellent food wine and a refreshing diversion to Chardonnay, which seems to be out of fashion.

2009 CROCKER STARR, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley–$26.00
Winemaker Pam Starr has nailed another perfect SB. Coming from north and south valley vineyards with grapes being harvested over a 45 day period, this wine is complex and exhibits the finest qualities of SB and leaves the grassy cat piss flavors out in the barn for the Kiwi’s and the rats to enjoy. Flavors of pear, guava, peach, and citrus infused minerality carry through to the long, lively, zippy finish. 95% of the wine was fermented in stainless steel barrels and 5% was done in new French oak for a crisp finish with a nice presence on the palate.

FEATURED WINE STORE FOR SALE
Groezinger Wine Company is for sale. After 22 years of retailing fine wines I’m changing things up and pursuing less intoxicating avenues of the wine business. If y’all know anyone who is extremely knowledgeable about retailing wine and wants one hell of an opportunity in Napa, please have them contact me. And don’t call me to bullshit about this unless you’re buying the store or at least buying some wine because I’m still busy selling wine and packing boxes. The ability to operate a tape gun at a rapid rate of speed is a valuable asset for this position.

GROEZINGER CUSTOMER, Congratulations! If you are holding this Newsletter in your hands, it means that you survived last month’s mailing list purge. You’ve either been a solid, supportive customer over the past couple years, or we just really like you. If you are reading this on your computer you are either a far sighted and environmentally conscious wine aficionado, or you haven’t been buying much from us as of late. Whatever your status, we hope you can step up and represent this month, especially since there will be no wine made in Napa for at least the next five years due to complete devastation of every vine in the valley by the European grapevine moth. The valley floor is quarantined, (162 square miles in Napa, Sonoma, and Solano counties) forcing masses of tourists to appointment only mountain wineries causing havoc among overrun tasting rooms and their uppity staffs. The massive hordes of wine tasters have been stumbling drunk and reckless out of said tasting rooms, trampling the younger vines and rolling their rental cars through established sites, causing further degradation to vineyards and reducing overall yields by at least a third. So we recommend you stock your cellars now with case upon case of Napa and Sonoma wine to drink and sell to your neighbors at greatly inflated prices. Even if these dire predictions turn out to be a little exaggerated, you should stock up, just to be on the safe side. To help you out in that endeavor, check inside for the Great Groezinger Wine Sale of 2010!! We’ve gutted some of our already low prices and we hope you take advantage of our ankle-grabbing, bent-over posture.
WE SHIP ANYWHERE (except Utah). $90 ships three cases anywhere in the continental United States!!!
$20 per case ships to our good neighbors in CA, OR, and WA.  $30-$45 ships one case via UPS to most other states, and if you live in a state still suffering from Prohibition era restrictions we’ll bootleg it to you for $60 for one case, $90 for two, and $100 for three! These prices make it CHEAP and EASY to get great wines where ever you reside.
TOO HOT TO SHIP? WE’LL STORE YOUR  PURCHASE FOR FREE UNTIL IT’S COOL ENOUGH TO SHIP

1.) 2006 PIERSON MEYER, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$77.00 Due to the vile nature of this publication many people don’t make it to the back page, so this month we’re putting this wine out in front. You can read last month’s review for the details and if you want lots of points, watch basketball. This is ultra-badass Cab that makes cult members commit suicide. Why would you buy three bottles of bullshit for $1500 when you can get 12 bottles of the truth for $924?
2.) 2007 CHAPPELLET, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley–$120.00 Here’s a wine that got lots of points, I don’t know how many because I don’t read that crap, but it’s got points. Chappellet’s pride and joy is exclusively from vineyards on Pritchard Hill, the home to some of the best Cabernet in Napa Valley, like this one and Pierson Meyer.
3.) 2007 GHOST BLOCK, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley–$55.00 A wine of  “Biblical proportions!”
3.) 2006 SCHOOLHOUSE, Pinot Noir, Spring Mountain, Napa Valley–$80.00    We were able to procure about five more cases of the most incredible, most ageable, and most impossible to find Pinot from…..Napa? This stuff is so good we’ll be happy even if you don’t buy it because then WE will have plenty of Pinot that is way better than the stuff you’re drinking which means that without this wine you’ll be having less fun than you could have. Life is short. Go balls out.
4.) 2007 FORT ROSS, Estate Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast–$25.00 Fort Ross doesn’t want us to discount this wine but they haven’t bitched about our $20 price on their $30 Chard so I guess they’re cool. This is $37 in the real world, but if you call me now, before they catch wind of this, you will get the best fucking deal you’ve ever tasted from the Sonoma Coast. This wine is on par with Flowers, Peay, Gary Farrell and many other pricier Pinots for about half the price. So for $300 you can get a case that is normally $444 and is currently on sale at the winery for $360. We’ll ship it to you cheaper than they will or store it for you at no cost until fall. Can a Pinot lover/drinker really afford to miss this deal? Not really.
5.) 2007 DEHLINGER, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley–$44.50 This is a classic. You’ve probably had it and loved it, maybe even searched for it because it’s allocated and usually hard to find. Now, it’s extremely easy to get with just one phone call. Ring us up and taste what put the Russian River Valley on the map. (along with the Russians and Rochioli)
6.) 2007 DEHLINGER, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley–$35.00 A brilliant wine with perfectly balanced richness, acidity, and alcohol.  Flavors of pear, baked apple, lemon crème, buttered pound cake and a light minerality make this a complex wine that outperforms most $35 Chards and rivals many that are $20-30 more.  Perfect with potatoes or caviar.
7.) 2007 FORT ROSS, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast–$20.00 Still the best $20 Chard from California. That’s because it’s $30 at the winery and is a great deal even at that price. It is so coastal, you can see the ocean from the vineyard. Ultra bright fruit is rounded out with French oak and malolactic fermentation. Great for summertime chugging.

FEATURED RED WINES

2006 MEDLOCK-AMES, Bell Mountain Ranch, Red Table Wine, Alexander Valley, Sonoma-$25.00
Chris Medlock James and Ames Morison are the kind of people who continue to give us faith in an industry, craft and art form that has become so polluted with fakes and hucksters that it makes it hard to find even an honest wine in this part of the world anymore. They also offer the California wine lover hope for the future, being two young guys who own their own estate, farm organically and sustainably, treat their employees with dignity and respect, and still crank out truly fine wines that people can actually afford to drink. A case in point is this delicious, structured, and food friendly claret fashioned from equal parts estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Generously fruity with plenty of backbone, this wine offers up loads of ripe plum, red currant, wild blackberry, baking spice, and a dusting of cocoa powder, all wrapped in the plush fine grained tannins that are the signature of Sonoma county reds. We’ve been selling these wines since their inaugural release of Merlot, and they just keep getting better every year. In this time of rampant consolidation, degradation, and homogenization in the wine industry, you owe it to yourself and beverage you love to support the little guys; young winemakers trying to build the future and tiny wine shops that refuse to sell you over priced schlock. Or you could go to Safeway and buy a bottle from a hundred thousand case production of Gallo red at the same price and then take it home and pound it as you watch your stock shares of BP plummet. The future is in your hands. 685 cases made.

2004 MAYACAMAS VINEYARDS, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder, Napa-$60.00
Mayacamas Cabernet has long been one of the reasons you keep a wine cellar, as they are one of the very few wineries left still producing wine in the old-school California style. Have you ever wondered what the great California Cabs of the ‘70s tasted like? You know, the ones that thrashed Bordeaux in the 1976 Paris tasting? They probably tasted very much like this one; lower in alcohol, judiciously oaked, with a substantial backbone of tannin and acidity. Fortunately, Bob Travers remains true to his roots, crafting his wines exactly as he has since 1968, first mercilessly thinning his crops and then patiently elevating his juice in used American casks and new French oak. Mayacamas is one of the only wineries that cellars their wine before release, a practice almost unheard-of these days. His 2004 is a blockbuster, showing incredible ripeness (evident in the whopping 13.75% alcohol level) and a dense core of black cherry, cassis, soil-stone, mint and Mt. Veeder bramble, which will evolve gracefully into cigar-tobacco nuance with a few more years in the bottle. If you don’t want to wait until 2025 to drink this then you’re in luck, because this Cab is highly expressive and complex now and should remain so through its lifetime. Pick up a few of these to cellar and a couple to drink and give thanks that there are still a few people in this world who cherish tradition, rebuke fashion, and deliver exceptional quality at an honest price.

2008 BEDROCK WINE COMPANY, Pinot Noir, Rebecca’s Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma-$40.00
Staying on the new-old school theme, it’s time to speak once again of second generation wine guy Morgan Twain-Peterson, son of Joel Peterson, who founded a little winery no one has ever heard of called RavensWood. Morgan has been making wine since he was six years old (no shit), and his first wine was a Pinot Noir. Even though his mainstay these days is old vine mixed black varietals, his 2008 Rebecca’s Pinot is undoubtedly one of the best wines he’s come up with. In all un-funniness and all Flintstones related humor aside, this is one of the most striking and profound Pinots we’ve come across in a long time, and if you love Pinot, you are frankly screwing yourself if you don’t buy some. Rumor has it (because we can’t put it definitively in print) that Rebecca’s is planted with heisted Domaine de la Romanée Conti clones, the resulting wine combines the pedigree of the vines with the distinct terroir of Russian River Valley’s cool climate and loamy soil. Ultra-concentrated and precisely balanced, this tightly wound wine shows layers of cherry and raspberry preserve, blood orange, black tea, rose petal, asian spice and earth after a lengthy decanting. This stuff will definitely benefit from a few years in the cellar and should keep for well over a decade. Simply stunning! 189 cases made.

2006 LAGIER MEREDITH, Estate Syrah, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$41.00
Without too much debate or tasting, this is probably the best Syrah in Napa and maybe in the Western Hemisphere. If y’all want to tell me I’m wrong and you know one that ages better, tastes better, and pairs with food better, then give me a call and educate me. Otherwise, I would highly recommend you still call me and order some of this incredible wine so that you have something that actually compliments your spice rubbed grilled lamb chops. I could go blue in the face telling you how great this stuff is but that would be like someone telling you about how good the sex is with someone you really want to but haven’t boinked yet. And for $41 bucks, at least your tongue can get laid and you can get drunk. Lagier & Meredith are wine legends. Carol Meredith discovered the origins of Zinfandel among other things, and Steve Lagier is a basketball dunkin’-Seven Eleven vigilante-mountain top farming-four wheeling maniac. Their Syrah has great ageability and structure, shows authentic varietal correctness, and is true to its Rhone roots. The black and blue color is just a warning of the inescapable ass whooping this stuff dishes out. Seamlessly sewn flavors of blackberry, blueberry, spice, minerality, clove, and dried rose petal give an almost French essence to this very California Syrah.

FEATURED WHITE WINES

2008 SANS LIEGE WINES, Cotes-du-Coast, Paso Robles–$23 (41% Viognier, 40% Rousanne, 19%Marsanne)
Here’s something to help wash down your Syrah– A delightful, bright and uplifting white with crisp acidity and a fat mouthfeel. You might remember the OFFERING. This is an equally badass wine except it’s white. Like Rocky. Hurry up and get this before summer is over because it is so good it makes the hottest weather feel like crisp mountain air and will temporarily make you forget about the oil spill in the gulf and how you really shouldn’t eat shrimp because they’re not from the gulf anymore and shrimp farming is an environmental tragedy even though this wine pairs so well with schrimpseses. Scallops, seabass, salmon, lobster, and abalone will also match up perfectly. Flavors of ripe pear, melon, and orange rind are thickened and erected with a kiss of oak and a little pumping from winemaker, Curt Schalchlin. This winery is kicking ass and taking names. Call soon as supplies are limited.

2007 WHITE ROCK VINEYARDS, Estate Chardonnay, Napa Valley–$27.50
Rarely, almost never, does a Chardonnay of this purity come from California. We visited this incredible example of what a winery should be a few weeks ago and were floored by this stunning Chard. From first whiff you can tell that something awesome is about to happen. The color is light straw with a brilliant yellow tinge. You’ll pick up delightful flavors of granny smith apple, crisp white pear, nectarine, white grape, and you might be able to detect a slight nuance of very neutral, un-invasive French Oak. This winery puts ALL of their focus on the wine, not on a fancy driveway, expensive stationary, a vineyard manager, a winemaker, a yellow Hummer, or a castle.  Get a taste of what Chardonnay is supposed to be instead of accepting and tolerating what it has become. More of the truth!

THE GREAT WINE SALE OF 2010

Continued economic diarrhea and consumers fearing the end of humanity(2012) have convinced us to give away our inventory. Has anyone else thought,” what if the Gulf of Mexico turns into a huge oil slick and catches on fire consuming the western hemisphere and killing everything on the face of the planet?” I never think about that kind of stuff. Let’s hope the Mayan’s were wrong about 2012. If they were right, the end of the world is one big reason to party. Be sure to have plenty of wine on hand when your homeless and displaced friends come over to seek refuge at your house. Check out these insane prices and give us a call before these wines are gone. Limited quantities.

2004 Barlow Cab-$33.00                        2008 Brown Zin-$27.00                              2005 Corte Riva Petit Sirah-$30.00
2005 Barlow Barrouge-$30.00              2005 Chase Hayne Zin-$27.00                   2004 Dry River Syrah NZ-$45.00
2006 Cakebread Cab-$45.00                  2006 D-Cubed Zin-$25.00                          2007 Stanton Petite Sirah-$35.00
2006 Carp Diem Cab-$20.00                 2006 Edmeads Sham.Zin-24.00                 2005 Smith Wooton Syrah-$25.00
2006 Chareau Smith Cab-$10.00          2005 Hartford Court Highwire-$40          2005 Schoolhouse Mescolonza-$35
2006 Etude GBR-$35.00                         2004 Highlands HM Zin-$15.00                2006 Retro Petit Sirah HM-$37
2006 Grace Family BLANK-$110.00     2005 Mansfield Zin-$24.00                        Dutschke 20 yr, the TAWNY-$30.00
2005 Igneous Cab-$65.00                       2006 Paraduxx-$30.00                                2006 Adastra Proximus Pinot -$45
2005 Ilsley Cab-$40.00                            2006 Franus Brandlin Zin-$27.00            2008 Castalia Pinot Noir-$35.00
2006 Ladera Cab-$33.00                          2005 Schoolhouse Mescolonza-$33         2007 Dierberg Pinot Noir-$33.00
2006 Mario Pirelli Mineti-$15.00           2008 Sineaan OV Zin-$30.00                   2007 Harrington Chalone Pinot-$30
2005 Oakville Ranch Cab-$40.00          2006 Storybook Mtn Antaeus-30.00        2006 La Fenetre Pinot Noir-$35.00
2006 One Acre Cab-$30.00                     2006 Valdez Rockpile Zin-$30.00             2006 Soter North Valley Pinot-$23
2005 Paradigm Cab-$45.00                     2007 Venge Scouts Honor-$30.00            2008 Ramspeck Pinot Noir-$13
2006 Parallel Cab-$45.00                         2007 Venge Sangiovese-$24.00                 2007 Peay Estate Pinot-$35
2006 Petite Vice Cab-$40.00                   2006 Vineyard 1869 Zin-$27.00                2007 Zepaltas Suacci Pinot-$35.00
2006 Ramey Claret-$25.00                      2007 Desante Sauv Blanc-$14.00               2006 Donum Carneros Pinot-$45
2006 Redmon Cab-$35.00                       2008 Ehert Sauv Blanc-$11.00                    2008 Ramspeck Merlot-$15.00
2006 Pedras Cab-$45.00                          2008 Egelhoff Riesling-$25.00                   2005 Obrien Merlot-$25.00
2007 Layer Cake Cab-$20.00                   2007 Harts Desire Sauv Blanc-$10             2002 Del Dotto Cab Franc-$40.00
2006 Smith Wooton Cab Franc-$27       2007 Sawyer Sauv Blanc-$10.00                 2001 Del Dotto “David”-$50.00
2006 Spottswoode Cab-$100.00              2008 Jus Soli Sauv Blanc-$12.00               2002 Del Dotto Con.Seir.Cab-$50.00

ORDER NOW BEFORE IT’S HOT, HOT, HOTTER THAN HELL. OR WE COULD STORE IT FOR YOU.

1.) 2007 DOMINUS ESTATE, Napanook Vineyard, Yountville, Napa Valley–$130.00

2.) 2006 GEMSTONE, Proprietary Red, Yountville, Napa Valley–$150.00 This stuff is big, dark, fat and rich, with a 2% blend of Petite Verdot for color. If you weren’t in the mood to spend $150 they also offer a wine ½ the price an ¾ the quality called….

3.) 2007 GEMSTONE, “Facets”, Estate Red Blend, Yountville, Napa Valley–$75.00 This blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petite Verdot rivals the BIG Gem$tone for half the price. Boasting brighter fruit and some fuzzy tannins, I almost like this wine more. The blend gives the wine nuances and complexity not present in the big dog.  On #2 & #3 only, you will receive a 10% discount when you purchase a mixed case. All the other wines here are already discounted.

4.) 2007 GHOST BLOCK, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley-$65.00 Haunting the cult wines. 3btl. lmt.

5.) 2007 PAUL HOBBS, Cabernet Sauvignon “Crossbarn”, Napa Valley–$36.00 Down from fifty bucks. Sweet price.

6.) 2007 VICE VERSA, “LE PETIT VICE”, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$54.00 Everyone needs a little vice.

7.) 2006 MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains–$36.00 There’s a lot of wineries out here that make wine as a “beverage” that won’t really age and has no apparent tannin or anything abrasive because they barely pressed it and made it to taste finished when opened upon release. Those wines are finished. Done. Gone before they got there.
M.E.V. makes real wines that really develop as they age. This is awesome cellar worthy Cabernet for people who dig REAL wines.
I also have a small amount of 2006 Mt. Eden Vin., Estate Chardonnay and 2007 Mt. Eden Vin., Estate Pinot Noir for $44 each.

8.)  2005 WHITE ROCK, “Laureate” Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$43.00 This brand new release is the  epitome of “real wine”. Already aged for two years in their cave (not some warehouse in Vallejo) this ’05 Cab is just approaching its drinking window and promises to live for a long time. The complexity and balance of this wine is enough to confuse you and make you fall down. The flavors seem to be a cross of California, Bordeaux, Stag’s Leap District, and Atlas Peak. It’s bold, balanced, big and badass, earthy, minerally, forward, site-specific, unmanipulated, pure, fragrant, flavorful, and is one of my personal favorites.
If you’ve never visited this winery, you are really screwing the pooch. We also have 2005 White Rock, Estate Claret, Napa-$34.50

9.) 2007 PALOMA, Estate Merlot, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$49.00 Here’s one most of you missed. The greatest Merlot in Napa and the greatest bestest wine in the whole world from the 2001 vintage. Get on the stick kids. Pafuckingloma!

10.) 2006 LYNMAR ESTATE, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley–$28.00 How could you have missed this one?  Probably the cheapest Pinot Noir Paul Hobbs makes, this is big, full bodied, estate grown wine and is insanely good for $28. Formerly $45.

11.) 2008 CALERA, Estate Chardonnay, Mt. Harlan–$31.00 Truly Burgundian styled with a great price<quality ratio.

FEATURED WINES

2006 KNIGHTS BRIDGE, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley–$85.00 (250 cases produced)
I’ve always had a hard time at sleeping at night after I let someone screw themselves over by selling them a case of expensive, crappy Cabernet they asked for and think is good. I get over it when the processing company kicks me the money two days later, but it still makes me feel dirty. Not like “I-screwed-Quagmire’s-dad-dirty”, just good old fashioned “I-can’t-believe-I-just-did-that-dirty.” That is not the case here. You should feel like a dirty lowlife if you have the money and don’t buy this wine. This is, in my humble opinion, the best new winery in California, showing GREATNESS in ALL of their wines. This property is next to the legendary Peter Michael Vineyards which you won’t see wines from unless you’re on their mailing list or in some expensive dining establishment. This spot in Knights Valley is magical and produces wines of incredible quality. These guys aren’t interested in making a lot of wine, just the best wines possible.  While there’s a lot of hype on the 2007 vintage, this uncommonly great 2006 is so damn awesome I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t tell you about it. The grapes are grown in three different types of volcanic soils producing fruit with great concentration and complexity when blended together. The wine is an awesome color of purple-rimmed-ruby-red with a nose of violet, cassis, black cherry, tobacco, bittersweet chocolate, and a reminiscent whiff of the rocks where the stressed vines reside. Like all great wines, the flavors on the palate are a more amplified version of the bouquet delivering the same nuances from beginning to end which can take a while because of the very long and expansive finish. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% new French oak barrels, with a reasonable alcohol level of 14.5%, and I guarantee, 100% completely awesome.

2007 KNIGHTS BRIDGE, Chardonnay, Alder Springs Vineyard, Mendocino–$59.00 (100 cases produced)
Rarely in the history of California winemaking have people achieved perfection with white wines. Stony Hill, Hanzell, and Mount Eden Vineyards are a few that have nailed it in some years making Chardonnays that would make your grail holy. Knights Bridge could be joining the club with this one. Alder Springs is an anomaly of a vineyard, cut into the rugged hillsides of Mendocino with a microclimate all of its own. Only two wineries get Chardonnay grapes from this vineyard and the other one usually oaks fucks it up somehow.  This Chardonnay has truly Burgundian qualities of minerality, acidity, and unparalleled flavors that come from only the greatest vineyards in the world. The purity, intensity, and balance of this wine has rarely been captured in California Chardonnays.  Grapes from thirteen year old vines were whole cluster pressed, fermented for four weeks at 58 degrees in new French oak, and then barrel aged with the lees being stirred every two weeks. It has nearly assaulting flavors of pear, white peach, apple, and minerality with a light nutty nuance. The finish is vibrant, long, and intense. It should age well and develop for another 5-7 years, at least.

2008 PONT DE CHEVALIER, Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Knights Valley–$36.00 (250 cases produced)
There are a few wineries out here that charge $100 for Sauvignon Blanc while believing they have a world class wine because they put it in brand new oak barrels and have a fancy winery that makes you feel like you’re getting blown when you pull up and park in the pristinely manicured parking lot and gardens. Hailing from their estate vineyard in Knights Valley, this no bullshit, super-extra-ultra-premium Sauvignon Blanc has the soul of a crisp, minerally, flinty, white Bordeaux with intense fruit and ripeness from our blazing California sun. The pressed juice was fermented in stainless steel and transferred to two year old neutral oak barrels where it remained in contact with the lees while aging. I think everyone would drink more Sauvignon Blanc if more Sauvignon Blanc tasted like this. You’ll find nuances of melon, lemon, kiwi, crisp pear, and a light spice, barely accented by a touch of French oak. This superb wine will pair with foods far better than the usual suspects, and with its brilliant acidity and loads of fruit, you could drink it with a steak.

2002 PARADOR, Tempranillo Reserva, Rancho Chimiles Vineyard, Napa Valley–$35.00 (175 cases prod.)
Introducing the ONLY domestic Tempranillo on the wine list of the French Laundry. That’s impressive because it is so cheap for their very pricy wine list. They charge $110 because when they give you the famous French Laundry reach around, it’s still a great deal, especially if you can get Chris Hoel as your sommelier. This is the finest Tempranillo ever produced in California and if you want a wine that REALLY pairs with food, this is it. Being a new release at seven and a half years of age, this shows no apparent oxidation or deterioration. It’s fresh, red, spicy, and built to last. The barrel and bottle age have merely resolved the wine to where it’s incredibly enjoyable, satisfying, and gives instant gratification to those of us who have a hard time cellaring. It is by no means on the way down, it has a long life ahead of it and promises to deliver for many years. Flavors of spice dried strawberries, pomegranate, cherry, light herbs, and nuances of oak and earth are seamlessly knit together with a few years of age that they don’t charge you for. We taste A LOT of California wines and this is one of the most unique, classy, complex, and true to varietal character wines we’ve ever seen.

2007 KOBALT, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$90.00 (681 cases produced)
Here’s a wine from Kevin Carriker and winemaking guru Mark Herold of Merus fame. This stuff is as fearless and crazy as the miners that chew cocoa leaves and charcoal in search of the rare blue mineral. There’s a crazy bucking hose on the label warning the drinker to ride another horse and give this wild one some time (2-3 years) to calm down or you might get bucked. The wine is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec from the Coombsville area of Napa Valley. It gets big scores from Parker and the boys and has a great seven vintage track record. The wine is big and dark with colors of black, purple, and blue. Flavors of currant, blueberry, mocha, and black plum are accentuated with nuances of herbs, leather, and oak, all bound to melt together with a few years in the corral…This horse has a big brother that can’t be roped, tamed, or saddled. The only thing that calms it down is…..

2007 KOBALT, SPECIAL K, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$125.00 (185 cases produced)
Over the years people have used Special-K for many purposes such as dieting, breading chicken, knocking out your horse, or to enhance a fun experience and/or take a break from the hectic traumas of everyday life. Bigger and badder than a drunken Clydesdale on a quarter pound of meth, this very “special” wine is composed of their finest barrels of the vintage. The wine is extremely complex showing all the above mentioned flavors with even brighter notes of raspberry, black cherry, cocoa, and a hint of sweet vanilla. When you’re trying to break this beast, decant it for up to five hours or keep it in your wine barn or for 7-10 years from vintage date.

2006 PIERSON MEYER, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$77.00 (180 cases produced)
This is a real cool and quick story. For twenty years Alan Pierson was the estate manager and helped build Peter Michael winery to what it is today. Robbie Meyer was the winemaker there for five years.  They met and formed this partnership while also starting the Sage label which you are probably familiar with. The Sage wines were so good, Darioush bought the whole project including the vineyards on Mt. Veeder which in result freed these guys up to make the Pierson Meyer and L’Angevin wines full time. These Pierson Meyer offerings are outrageously great and thrilling wines from some of the best vineyards in northern California made by a couple of the most talented vino-eno-viti-gritty people in the world…..Coming from the Versant Vineyard on Pritchard Hill, this dense and extracted wine is a blast of blackberry, mocha, tobacco, and spice ready to drink now if you eat bolts but built to age for a while if you’re not into getting your ass kicked today.  They were nice enough to use only 70% new oak, letting the fruit shine through with only an accent of wood. We had these guys visit our store who have a wine shop in NYC and they couldn’t believe that we even HAD Pierson Meyer Cabernet. They said they thought it was the greatest thing since fake boobs and they charged $150 for it at their shop. There are a lot of wines out there that we’ve all bought for $150+ that are crap compared to this Cab.  And just in time for summer…..

2009 PIERSON MEYER, Sauvignon Blanc, Ryan’s Vineyard, Napa Valley–$24.00 (150 cases produced)
I can’t remember the last time I was so jacked up over a Sauvignon Blanc except for the Knights Bridge. The 2008 Pierson Meyer was one of the best S.B.’s in the store a few months ago. We had some wine reps in here who sell one of the ass raping $100 Sauvignon Blancs we previously discussed. They were truly alarmed and ashamed when they realized this very reasonably priced wine kicked the crap out of their sadly overpriced, one hundred dollar, oak bomb, Sauvignon Blanc. This perfect S.B. was fermented in NEUTRAL oak barrels to enhance the wine’s mouthfeel without ruining the wine with woody flavors. The wine is incredible on the palate with flavors of pear, apple, melon, bright flowery nuances, and a silky, weighty, almost oily mouthfeel. Last year this was $28.  This year it’s even less for the same awesome quality. I can’t recommend a Sauvignon Blanc more than this. Especially for the money.

2007 BRICELAND VINEYARDS, Pinot Noir, La Chien Blanc Vineyard, Humboldt County–$30.00
You won’t find this at your local shop. From deep within the coveted Emerald Triangle of Humboldt County, only Groezinger’s has the hook up on this rare and unique Pinot Noir. You might be wondering, ”Where exactly is Humboldt County?” That probably means you’re not a big stoner because Humboldt County is where they grow weed and redwoods, north of Mendocino and south of Oregon. While not a California A.V.A., Humboldt County has microclimates that mimic those of Mendocino and Willamette Valley. The palate seems to be a cross of Oregon and California Pinot flavors displaying super bright cherry notes with more subtle flavors of forest floor, pomegranate, strawberry, and delicate spice.  The color is unlike most California Pinot with a bright, fuscha, ruby red hue.

2008 THE LINE WINES, Pinot Noir, “The Racing Line”, Sonoma Coast–$28.00    (150 cases produced)
This wine is a direct result of speed and insanity combined with extensive physical injury and the desire to survive. Winemaker Neil Koch was a semi-pro motorcycle racer until he had a few crashes and fucked himself up pretty good.  Don’t send him flowers or a get well card because he’s fine enough to make wine and still ride motorcycles, just a little slower now.  In order to eat and still attract women, he started this less dangerous Pinot Noir project with some very good fruit sources from Sonoma. The grapes in this wine came from the Gap’s Crown Vineyard on the west side of Sonoma Mountain. Many other wineries charge way more for wines from this vineyard, but Neil needs money now to fix his scooter so he priced it to move. It’s deep, rich and expansive, showing black cherry and strawberry, accented with a hint of oak. Enjoy the power of some twin turbo high performance Pinot Noir at a Yamahopper price.

2007 HANZELL VINEYARDS, Estate Chardonnay, Sonoma County–$48.00 (regularly $70.00)   $23 discount
Yes, one of the greats, the legends, the things dreams and priceless memories come from. Ahhh…..Hanzell Chardonnay. And now with Groezinger’s massive buying power and complete disregard for the winery’s requested and suggested price, I’m gonna piss them off and make you real happy at the same time. For $48 bucks you can land one of the finest Chards in the land. Hanzell is serious Chard that’s built to age and develop and tastes like it was smuggled over from Burgundy.  One third of the wine was fermented in new French oak and underwent malo-lactic fermentation. The remaining two thirds was fermented in stainless steel without malo-lactic fermentation, then transferred to 2 and 3 year old oak barrels for eleven months. The finished wine is one of Hanzell’s finest Chardonnays ever with flavors of lemon, pear, almond, and hazelnut, seamlessly knit together with crisp acidity and a hint of oak.

2007 RAMEY WINE CELLARS, Chardonnay, Hyde Vineyard, Napa Valley Carneros–$56.00
Maybe you don’t want to wait five more years to drink your Chard and maybe you like a big, fat, buttery, ooey-gooey-rich-and-chewy Chardonnay as opposed to something like the Hanzell. If your wife, girlfriend, or metro-sexual boyfriend or husband loves fat Chard that pairs well with nothing except techno music and ecstasy then this will make them jump up and down and go, “Oh my GAWD! I love you!” As much as I don’t like buttery Chardonnay I must admit this stuff is really, really good. When this sexy wine spreads its legs in your glass, you’ll be blown by aromas and flavors of ripe pear, baked apple, vanilla custard, lemon syrup, and sweet butter.

2009 PARADOR CELLARS, Tempranillo Rose, Napa Valley–$18.50
2009 LAGIER MEREDITH, Rose of Syrah, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$18.50
2009 PETER FRANUS, Albarino, Carneros, Napa Valley–$20.00
2007 DESANTE, Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley–$30.00
2008 LIOCO, Chardonnay, Sonoma County–$18.00
2007 FORT ROSS, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast–$20.00

1.) 2005 PARADOR, Red Table Wine, (53%Cab/47%Temperanillo) Napa Valley-$39.00 Your first bad mistake of 2010 was not picking up some of this Ribera del Duero style wine from our friend Steve Ventrello. Deeply concentrated, wildly complex, food friendly, and age-worthy for years to come, this is a block buster that you cannot afford to miss!! Redeem yourself with a case order. We can’t say enough about this great wine. Call us up and we’ll talk your ear off.
2.) 2005 PARAS VINEYARDS, Merlot, Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley-$29.00 Your second bad mistake of 2010 was not picking up any of this amazing and ridiculously well priced Merlot that kicks the hell out of most Cabs at twice the cost.
Explosive, extracted, jammy, yet incredibly balanced and structured, this is another one we simply must insist you try.
3.) 2005 BARREL 27, “Head Honcho”, Syrah, Santa Barbara County-$25.00 Can you see where we’re going here? This is pound for pound every bit as good if not better than the Charbay Cab at the same price. Don’t say you don’t drink Syrah! This is a massive red wine that puts many more expensive wines to shame. Shame on you if you don’t try some!
4.) 2004 SPELLETICH CELLARS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley-$25.00 A solid producer of great Cabernet. A great vintage. Five plus years of bottle age. Used to be $50, now only $25. What more could you possibly ask for? .!
7.) 2006 LADERA, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley-$36.00 Declassified Howell Mtn. and Lone Canyon fruit. . .
8.) 2006 LE PETIT VICE, Cabernet Sauvignon, (Stage Coach & To Kalon Vineyards) Napa Valley-$45.00
Everyone needs a vice, and this one is a relative bargain when compared to crack, heroin, hookers, or gambling, and leaves your breath fresher than cigarettes. Paul Hobbs squeezed layers of deep black fruit, cocoa bean, and smoldering cedar into 245 cases worth of this spectacular Cab. Warning-this particular Vice is extremely addictive. Get a stash.
9.) 2006 ILSLEY, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag’s Leap District, Napa Valley-$50.00 By now this wine needs no introduction, as we’ve been selling it to you from the get go. In case you’re a newbie or have amnesia, we call this “smart man’s Hillside Select” due to its proximity and similarity to Shafer’s flagship. The 2006 is in need of a long decanting or a few more years in the cellar, but shows all of the power and expansiveness of both the vineyard and the vintage.
10.) 2007 STANTON, Petit Sirah, St. Helena, Napa Valley-$41.00 There ain’t nothing Petit about it. Doug’s best effort to date proves (to even the biggest skeptic) that this varietal is as serious as any grown in the Valley. Find out for yourself.
11.) 2006 HARRINGTON, Pinot Noir, Brosseau Vineyard, Chalone AVA-$33.00 A very serious Pinot from a true garagiste, this strikes the perfect chord between Old and New world style vino. Call us and we’ll tell you all about it . . .

FEATURED RED WINES

2005 WATERMARK, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$30.00
You may be asking yourself, “Why is this so cheap?” or “What’s wrong with this?” or “Why are these guys giving this wine away?” If you are then you might be the kind of person that turns down blowjobs, hates paid vacation, never skips work, enjoys hangnails, feels it’s wasteful to buy new pillows, and thinks warts aren’t worth a doctor’s visit. Hopefully you aren’t like that, and hopefully you’re calling us and ordering some Watermark at this ridiculously low price. Don’t be scared. We can’t go down on you over the phone…but we will talk dirty to you. Where else can you get a fluff job and world class, mountain grown, ultra-high pedigree Napa Cabernet for thirty bucks? Nowhere but here. Here’s the deal. We bought the last 40 cases of this at a sweet price and when it’s gone, there’s no more 2005. You’ve had it and you know it’s great. Now it’s $30 instead of $45 so quit tugging on your hangnail and stimulate the California wine business. Haven’t you heard that Napa Valley is taking it in the ass harder than Joslyn James on PGA tour? So throw us a bone and we’ll give it right back to ya. You’ll feel like you’re overdosing on Viagra when you taste this and realize you only paid $30. In fact, it’s so good that you’ll probably whip it out and show it to all of your friends and make them taste it. I guess by now it doesn’t matter what we say so we’ll tell you this fruit comes from a place where Diamond Creek’s winemaker works. It possesses power and finesse, delivers a wallop of a punch, and will make you wonder why the hell you’ve been sending your money to those people with fancy stationary, quarter mile long driveways, and G-5’s.
Tasting notes: it tastes just like Diamond Creek, not quite as hard, a lot friendlier, and $145 cheaper.

2006 SCHOOLHOUSE, Estate Pinot Noir, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$85.00
John and Nancy at Schoolhouse Vineyards release this wine on Valentine’s Day every year. Why on Valentine’s Day and not a few days before so you can actually have it on Valentine’s Day? The answer is simple. This stuff is so good, they want to make sure you don’t drink it with someone you’re just trying to bang only to find out they’re a complete and utter palateless idiot that wouldn’t understand what good Pinot is even if they had every orifice filled with DRC. Speaking of DRC, that is where this legend started back in the 1940’s. Inglenook (currently Rubicon) acquired cuttings from Domaine Romanee-Conti in the 1940’s and planted them in Rutherford. Andre Tchelistcheff said it was too hot for Pinot in Rutherford and told them to plant Cabernet and get that Pinot outta there. The Pinot cuttings were taken and planted on Spring Mountain in a magical microclimate that produces the best and most ageable Pinot Noir in this hemisphere. We had the 1963, 1966, 1972 and 1974 Schoolhouse Pinots in recent years to be left in awe by their unbelievable youth. Try that with your “cult” wines. This Pinot boasts the most Burgundian flavors of cherry cola, clove, mineral, spice, strawberry and tobacco leaf seamlessly meshed together making for a wine unsurpassed by very few Frenchmen in the history of winemaking. Before sharing this, make sure your friend, lover, partner, or spouse plans on being extra nice and is aware that Burgundy is a place in France in addition to being a popular flavor of box wines.

2006 SCHOOLHOUSE, Mescolonza, Venerable Red Wine, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$40.00
Yet another practically unobtainable wine from the winery that is way beyond cult. Schoolhouse followers are in a secret society that is so protective of these wines that their wines are rarely shared with others. We call this the Chateauneuf-du-Pape of Spring Mountain due to the blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and a bunch of ancient Rhone varietals like Alicante Bousche, Grand Noir, Cinsault, and some other stuff nobody remembers because the vines are so old. The wine is field blended prior to fermentation producing a wine unique from anything else in Napa. This is a great food wine that is versatile, intense, eloquent, and unique giving you a thrilling diversion from Cab, Cab, and more Cab. Raspberry, blackberry, rose petal, spice, and mushroom float on a fat mid-palate and are stretched and extended for you with firm acidity and fuzzy tannin. This wine is like Burning Man, Grateful Dead tour, the Monet Museum on ‘shrooms, smoking salvia, or being abducted by aliens. You just won’t understand it unless you try it.

2006 STONE EDGE FARM, “Surround”, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County–$23.50     900 cases produced
Did you see Sarah Palin give herself the stranger on T.V.? Instead of sitting on her hand and rubbing one out, she writes on her hand and pretends to be someone who can remember stuff. “Energy, tax cut, and lift American spirit”. What she meant was, if you still have the energy to pick up your phone, call Groezinger’s and order some tax free wine and we’ll throw in a pack of smokes. Something like that. This stuff is holistically and organically farmed which I’m pretty sure means that hippies can drink it in church. 76% Cabernet and 24%Merlot from four separate vineyards make this wine complex, supple, immediately drinkable, ageworthy, extremely intense, and very sophisticated for a wine of this modest price. In a pre-recession world this would’ve been over $50. Who wants a new Cabernet for $55? Nobody. Who wants a new Cab for $23.50? That’s realistic. You’ll love the full throttle flavors of black cherry, velvety cedar, cassis, herb, and mushroom all wrapped up in 65% new French oak. Getting this wine is like giving yourself the Lee-Press-On-reach-around-stranger with a red wig on. You’ll find it hard to believe it’s your $24 wine and not somebody’s $60 Cab in your hand when you finally pop it. This wine will actually give you energy, save you money, and lift your spirits.

MORE INCREDIBLY COOL STUFF

VERTICAL of SHAFER, Hillside Select, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag’s Leap Dist., Napa Valley, in 3 Liter Bottles
One ea. of 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 signed & in original wood boxes
Originally I was planning on buying a house or something real fast with this vertical. Now that the time has come to take this twelve vintage and one-of-a-kind vertical to market, the economy couldn’t be worse. That means if you’re one of the few and the proud that actually buys something like this, you’ll be getting an incredibly good deal. The only recorded sale of a vertical of Shafer Hillside in 3 liters was for a six vintage vertical that sold for $130,000 at the Napa Valley Wine Auction. Granted they threw in lunch for six and it was a charity but I think you can get an idea of how rare and expensive a lot like this could/used to sell for. Instead of six vintages there’s twelve, a case of three liters. As far as I know, this is the only twelve vintage vertical of Hillside three liters outside of Shafer’s caves, unspeakably rare. This is an incredible run of highly rated vintages from Elias Fernandez and the Shafers worth every penny–$30,000.00
If you purchase this set we will prepare for you and five others an incredible meal during your next visit to Napa.

2006 TOFANELLI, Estate Zinfandel, Napa Valley–$26.00      627 cases produced
Once upon a time this was about $40 a bottle and well worth it. Now we can get it to ya for a lot less which makes chugging this Zinfandel even more fun than before. Now that’s fun! Old, dry farmed, head trained vines pull flavor from deep within the gravelly loam soil giving the finished juice qualities and complexities rarely found in a $26 bottle of wine. You’ll get flavors of raspberry jam, black cherry, candied orange rind, cola, black tea, cigar box, spice and earth in this Zinfandel making this one of the most complex Zins from Napa. Vine age, dry farming, and a light use of new oak allow the fruit to show its true colors unlike many over manipulated, over oaked, over-everythinged Zinfandels. Plus, the label is a picture of Vince Tofanelli’s grandma, Irene DalPorto, on a motorcycle. All that for $26. Who Dat?!?

2006 TOFANELLI, Estate Charbono, Napa Valley-$26.00     268 cases produced
We used to sell this one for $40 a bottle too. Now we can sell it to you for less than we used to pay for it. Charbono, like Petit Sirah, is one of those grapes that has long been endangered by the California Cab craze, despite it’s ability to produce one of the most unique, powerful, and age worthy wines in the New World. In fact, there are less than 40 acres of Charbono left in the Valley. What can be done about this? You can support Vince Tofanelli’s Charbono preservation society by purchasing a few bottles of this wine. Almost black in the glass, exotic flavors and aromas of boysenberry and blueberry, pipe tobacco, Turkish hash, crushed rock, and bondage leather seduce the palate, frazzle the senses, and electrify the evening, all in a classy and more or less legal format. You can drink this now with a fat steak or gorgonzola or lay it on it’s side for 10+ years. This is not a $26 wine. It’s a $40 wine you can get for $26. What are you waiting for?

FEATURED WHITE WINES

2006 FORT ROSS, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast-$20.00
It seems that crazy screaming deals are the theme this month. The good folks at Fort Ross are moving into their 2007s, had a few extra cases of the 2006 laying around, and since we keep their wines on our shelves all year round, they cut us a smokin’ deal on what they had left. Not being too greedy or too smart, we’re passing the savings onto you. Now you can drink top notch Sonoma Coast Chard at the same price as Napa Sauvignon Blanc. Rich and creamy without the least bit of flabbiness, layers of poached pear, green apple skin, lemon tart, jasmine flower and mineral might just fool ya into believing that you are drinking an $80 Burgundy, except when you finish off the bottle you’ll realize you have three more left. How cool is that? Deals like this are simply too good to pass up, even when times are tough. Call us.

2008 TALLULAH, “Como”, White Table Wine (Marsanne Blend), Stage Coach Vineyard, Napa Valley-$24.00
Mike Drash liked the name Tallulah so much he bought the company. After years of making wine for other people, at De Loach, Far Niente, and most recently Luna, Mike bought Tallulah and its flawless reputation for finely crafted Rhone varietals. Tallulah’s first release under his stewardship is this utterly slammable blend of 52% Marsanne, 37% Chardonnay, and 11% Viognier, which promises great things to come from this brand. A microscopic 160 cases of this wine were produced from the coveted and immaculately farmed Stagecoach vineyard. Spiced pear, sliced white peach, honeysuckle, and wet rock flavors are the perfect accompaniment for up coming Springtime activities, like cleaning, visits to the tanning salon, power-raking your lawn, trying to restring that piece-of-shit weed-whacker that won’t run because of the gummed up two stroke gas/oil mixture you forgot to drain out last fall, counting bloated rats in the deep end of your pool, or fixing sprinkler heads the redneck snow removal guys scraped out of your dead, un-aerated lawn. It also pairs well with Easter egg hunts, new crop garlic, line caught trout, baby salad greens, braised rabbit, and sex, sex, and more sex. Seriously though, this is great with sex. Even if you’re alone. Still. Again. About ready to buy it. Haven’t had it since November. 2008. Seriously though, you should really check out this wine which is far classier, eloquent, precise, sexier than this review would imply. The finish is incredible and it’s really, really tasty. 800 356 3970. Call us!