April is usually a pretty crappy month for business since you send money to the government instead of to Groezingers.  This year, April was like a good old fashioned bed shitting. I want to send a special “thank you” out to the 34 people that did call and order wine during the month of April. You all rocked the house, and thanks so much for your support. As for the other 1,966 of you that did not call, or have not called recently, I want to notify you of a change in policy. Groezingers is starting a wine club, and you’re part of it! By signing up for the newsletter, you have signed up for the wine club (this was Justin’s idea). You will receive a shipment of assorted wines each month that have been selected for you by me. There are two ways to opt out of the wine club. You can call and order a case of wine of your choosing during the month of May, and/or call and specifically ask not to be on the wine club. This will assure that you don’t get any of the incredible Gewurztraminer from Sineann, or the badass Viognier from Renard, or the simply-freaking-awesome Artist Series Cabernet from Woodward Canyon. And don’t even bother trying to unsubscribe, that option has been disabled. My genius hackers in India have procured your credit card info and billing/shipping addresses. Resistance is futile. If you don’t think this is very funny, you should call me and buy some wine to mellow out with, or just call and tell me my humor sucks and to shove it up my ass.  I don’t know what kind of wine you are buying, but this not calling me crap has got to end.  To make this as painless as possible, I am offering half price shipping on three case orders from May 9^th thru June 9^th.  I will do my best to give a shipping discount on any order, providing I don’t lose money on the deal.

***FYI…For those of you not familiar with Groezinger’s “humor”, I do not have Indian hackers, nor do I have your credit card number unless you know I do, and chances are that I won’t send you wine without hearing from or calling you…probably.  If you are concerned, call the Po-Po, their number is 911.  Don’t be paranoid, although being paranoid isn’t always a bad thing. Remember, “Just because you’re not paranoid, doesn’t mean they’re not after you.”

UPS is available to most states, but we can send it anywhere since we are also bootleggers.   $25 ships a case of wine in the state of California and on the west coast, $40-$55 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, just call us at 800-356-3970 and we’ll give you an exact quote for shipping wine to your zip code.  That’s 800-356-3970

FREE SUMMER STORAGE IS ROLLING. BUY IT NOW AND I’LL KEEP IT COOL UNTIL YOU’RE COOL.

There’s a few repeats this month since last month’s letter was sooo good, and your response was well, not acceptable.

1.)  2009 KOBALT, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley—reg.$90…for you–$81.00 Quit playing with yourself and get some Kobalt. This shit is bad to the bone and makes most Cabernets taste like watered down Merlot.  93 points WA.

2.)  2008 RAMEY, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pedrigal Vineyard, Oakville, Napa Valley—reg.$170-200…for you $150.00 This killer jug got a 96+ rating from the Wine Advocate. Built to go the distance, this is one of Napa’s finest Cabernets.  Seriously stunning Cabernet, it’s $200 from the winery. That’s a $50 savings. Not cheap but a real straight deal.

3.)  2007 WHITE ROCK, Claret, Napa Valley–$34.00 One of the Napa’s best reds for the dough. Not for rookies. If you don’t like structured wines with purity and integrity that are drinkable AND age-worthy, definitely do not get this wine. Get some of that stuff with a big yellow smiley face on it at Trader Joes, or get some Prisoner for $40. That’s right. WHAT??

4.)  2009 PHILIP TOGNI, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mtn. Dist., Napa Valley—reg.$95…for you $85.00 Truly legendary Cabernet, as age-worthy as any Napa Cabernet, 95+ from the Parker team, get some for your kids to enjoy after you’re gone, and don’t forget about Togni’s 2008 TANBARK HILL, Cabernet Sauv., S.M.D., Napa…reg-$45..you-$36

Again, if you prefer drinking overpriced “beverages” instead of REAL wine, don’t get these. Go ahead, puss out. Waaaah.

5.)  2009 VINEYARD 7 & 8,  “7” Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain District—reg.$80…for you–$65 They asked me not to discount this kick-ass Spring Mtn. Cabernet, but, when nobody called for it, I had no choice…Enjoy the killer deal.

6.)  2009 LEWIS CELLARS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley-$90.00 Wicked good, full throttle, massive Cabernet.

7.)  2009 LA GRANDE ROCHE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley—reg.$35…for you–$31.00 I have 1.5 cases left.

8.)  2008 LEVIATHAN, California Red Wine-reg.-$50…for you–$44.00 28%SY, 26%ML, 25%CS, 21%CF  Leviathan means “something unusually large or formidable.”  I went to school with a guy named Odel who called his dick Leviathan. Now, I get it. And you should get some of this wine. It’ll make your party way more fun without the use of creams or drugs. I think I just realized what those things that suck the air out of a bottle of wine are really for because they don’t preserve wine.               9.)  2009 PEIRSON MEYER, “MAQUETTE”, Napa Valley—reg.$55…for you–$49.50       (175 cases produced)

2009 HILLIARD BRUCE, Pinot Noir, “MOON”, Santa Rita Hills—reg.-$80.00…for you, this month–$70.00

There is California Pinot Noir, and then, there are a very few domestic Pinots that are more like an American version of Grand Cru Burgundy. This is one of the few and the proud. This Pinot is absolutely dazzling and mind bending. Other than Schoolhouse, I would say this is the best domestic Pinot Noir that I’ve had in a very long time. Six different Pinot clones (Calera, Pommard, 115, 667, 777, & 828) are grown on 17.5 acres of sandy silt soil with 6’ by 3’ spacing. The yields are less than two tons per acre and less than 1.65 pounds of fruit per vine. What does that mean? It means this stuff is highly potent with complex flavors, incredible structure, and has a gorgeous finish that just goes on and on and on and on. This is not a bottle for people that are looking for an expensive beverage, this is the real shit. The H.B. “Moon” is just coming into its drinking window, which should last for a good eight years or more. Flavors of cherry cola, baking spice, clove, cinnamon, red raspberry, black tea, and red magic are seamlessly sewn together in this wine that is sure to have you cursing with joyful profanities. For some of you who I know love great Pinot Noir, if I don’t hear from you, you will hear from me. As they rarely say on Antiques Road Show, “Sir, you have a national treasure.”  This is a national treasure in liquid form. If you have the money, which I think you do, you should get all over this like a fat kid on a chocolate cake.

2009 SNOWDEN, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley—regular..$85…for you my friend–$76.50

This is the best wine Snowden has produced. It is undeniably infuckingcredible. DO NOT SKIP OVER THIS ONE!!                                 When I tasted this wine, I was seriously blown away with the intensity, structure, power, balance, and purity. It is a perfectly grown and crafted wine that represents the specific reasons why we drink Napa Valley Cabernets. The greatest thing about this wine (other than the wine) is that it’s not $150 or $250 while there are many inferior wines that are that expensive. The thing that sucks about trying to sell you this wine through a piece of paper or an email is that I can’t pour it for you. I promise you and swear on my soul that you will love this truly remarkable hillside Cabernet. If you could taste it, you would definitely buy it. The Wine Advocate score of 94+ is a few points low in my opinion as I think this is a perfect Cabernet in every way. The darkest of red fruits, bordering on black fruits are accented with bold nuances of tobacco, mint, tar, and spice. Any flavors of oak are chewed up and integrated into this powerful and intense wine. The finish is long, persistent, and mouth staining. It is hard for me to say that if there is one Cabernet in this newsletter you should buy, this would be it. But more than likely, this would be it. It is a ridiculously great wine.

2009 WOODWARD CANYON, “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State—reg.$54..for you–$46.00

I LOVE this wine. In past vintages of this production, the use of oak has sometimes been heavy handed to say the least. With the 2009 vintage, things have changed a bit.  As vineyards used for this Cab have grown older, the vines have dug deeper into the ground, bringing out darker, more complex, intense, and earthy flavors. With that, the oak regiment was dialed back, allowing the powerful, deep, black fruit to shine through as never before. The fruit comes from several of Washington’s finest vineyards, and when blended together, the result is mind blowing. Black fruit and cassis are the primary flavors with hints of black pepper, cedar, tobacco, and a mere suggestion of oak.  If this wine was from Napa, it would sell for a hundred bucks. Last month, one very smart person named Lou bought three bottles of this. I should rip off your arm and beat you with the wet end for not getting some of this. Get over it and just pretend it’s from Napa. Seriously, one dude?  Out of 2000?

2009 ROWLAND TEBB, Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Sears Vineyard, Howell Mtn., Napa Valley-reg.$72..you-$65

Only a few highly intelligent and sophisticated customers picked up this TRULY WONDERFUL wine. I mean, who doesn’t love a great Howell Mountain Cab?  Answer: White trash cranksters, chicks that love cougar juice (disgustingly buttery Chards), and most children under the age of seven.  If you don’t fall into those categories, you will be failing at life by not having this wine. Upon first sip, you’ll see the power and grace this wine has. Classic Howell Mountain terroir is brought to a new level here with Steven Tebb’s winemaking, a masterful use of very nice French oak, and the assistance of a great vintage.  The color is somewhere between dark purple and deep maroon with a luminescent, bright purple rim.  The flavors are uplifting and enlightening with concentrated black plum, blueberry, blackberry, and cocoa-dosed cherry that’ll  have you calling back for more. Less than 100 cases were produced, you can’t buy it anywhere but here, and that’s a great price for an awesome single vineyard Howell Mountain Cab. Do your tongue a favor and get some Rowland Tebb.

2005 RUDD, ESTATE, Oakville Estate Red Wine, Napa Valley–$115.00 (77%CS, 11%CF, 4%PV, 4%ML, 4%MB)

This is a re-release from the cellar of Rudd Estate. Not only is this a bad-ass Cabernet blend, it has some bottle age that puts it into its perfect drinking window with plenty of years to go. In addition to that, it’s a great price considering their current release retails for $193. When this Wine hits your tongue, it’s like a party in your mouth. Better than a birthday party, hooker party, or house warming party, this is like an “I just died and went to heaven party.”  It is everything you could hope for in a Napa Valley red. It’s like Bacchus greeting you at the pearly gates with a big Riedel full of Rudd. I know this sounds unlikely since Leslie Rudd is Jewish, and Bacchus is Pagan, but that’s how this story is, and I’m sticking to it. Jesus was Jewish and made wine, not to mention that he hung out with a hooker, and Bacchus also wore plants on his head, so just go with it. Approaching seven years of age with five years in the bottle, this Wine is a gem. 2005 was a perfect growing season that allowed these Grapes to be harvested from Sept. 22 until Oct. 31, resulting in perfect ripeness with each varietal that went into this Blend. Flavors of black currant and blackberry are followed with heavenly nuances of dark chocolate, coffee bean, and cedar. This Wine is so good that without it in your cellar and in your life, your chances of redemption might be diminished. Christians, Pagans, Jews, and Buddhists all agree that this Wine is one hell of an offering.

2009 VINE HILL RANCH, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley–$150.00

At the most recent “Taste of Oakville,” a trade tasting of the appellation’s most prestigious producers, this wine was the star of the show. That is, while being alongside the likes of Harlan, Bond, Screaming Eagle, Futo, Dalla Valle, and dozens of other epic Oakville Cabernets. The seven blocks of Vine Hill Ranch’s vineyards are located between Harlan and Dominus and have been farmed since the late 1800’s while the Phillips have owned the property since 1959. The Phillips family was just named the “Napa Valley Grower of the Year” by the NVG (Napa Valley Growers). The seven vineyard blocks provide a mix of old and younger vines in a variety of soils producing grapes with distinctively different characteristics that when blended together create something very, very special. If you hunt for the best and forget the rest, this is a wine you must not overlook. I am sure that sooner than later the VHR Cabernet will be awarded the coveted 100 point rating and become one of the practically unattainable unicorns of Napa Valley. The recently released 2008 vintage is already sold out while their 2009 will surely vanish soon considering the substantial press the deserving wine has received.

Very complex from the nose through to the finish, it shows a full spectrum of flavor from bright red fruit to the deepest of black/purple flavors and earthy nuances. The balance and structure are perfect, and the wine should develop for at least ten more years and live for a good fifteen years after that. At $150, this represents a true bargain when lined up with its neighbors and other Oakville producers in the $250-$1500 a bottle range. I’m lucky to get any of this wine, and you’ll be lucky if I have some left. I can only hope they will give me enough juice to supply my enthusiasm.

Some of these whites are from last month because I didn’t find any white wines that were better, and you must have been drinking tequila and Pacifico while on spring break. If y’all don’t grab some of the Navaherreros Blanco de Bernabeleva, I will be making a lot of thirsty girls happy this summer. Then, I’ll have to drive them around, feed them, and clean up the wreckage in the morning. So help me out here and take some of this summer fun away from me. And, there’s short list of some excellent wines that are sure to make your summer way mo-betta.

2009 NAVAHERREROS, Blanco de BERNABELEVA, Abillo (a very rare varietal), San Martin de Valdeiglesias, Vinos de Madrid D. O.–reg.$21.00….case–$19.00

If I were going to drink one white wine all summer, this would be the one. First of all, the wine is incredible, and I’ll tell you all about it. Secondly, the price for the quality of this is just insane. I know you don’t buy much white wine from me and buy even less Spanish wine, but this deserves an exception. I have NEVER had a better white wine for under twenty bucks, and I’ve drank A LOT of wine for a LONG time. Here is the short version of this incredible wine’s story…….

Bernabeleva. Here, on the eastern edge of Spain’s Sierra de Gredos mountains, a renowned Madrid doctor named Vincente Alvarez-Villamil purchased land in 1923. The site, which at that time was a full day’s travel from Madrid, spoke of its Celtic past, with ancient bears carved from boulders to mark forests dedicated to the hunt goddess. But the estate, which Vincente named Bernabeleva (“the bear’s forest”), held more than just an ancient history—it was, he believed, a special place to plant the noble Garnacha (Grenache) and Abillo—a place whose wines might exhibit profound character. But, the next decade brought increased political instability to Spain, and the Civil War that erupted in 1936 devastated the country. Though the family held onto the land, Vincente’s dream of making wine ended … for the time being……But in 2006, two of Vincente’s great-grandchildren, Juan Diez Bulnes and Santiago Matallana Bulnes, vowed to fulfill their ancestor’s dream. The estate’s vineyards were now 80-years-old, and there were Granacha vineyards to purchase from neighboring properties as well. Rejecting current fashions in Spanish wine, the cousins resolved to make wines of purity and expressiveness that were in harmony with the beauty of their ancestral land. Juan and Santiago’s ambitions were well supported by the terroir. The vineyards are more than a half mile above sea level, with warm days but cool nights, and with poor, sandy soils. The resulting wines have ample ripeness, but also astounding buoyancy and freshness.

When drinking this the other evening, a good friend of mine with an excellent palate who is studying for her Master Sommelier certification, asked with joy, “What is this? Is it a white Burgundy?”  Similar in many ways to a modern Burgundian Chardonnay, this baby is an unbelievable wine for the money. The vines are 80 years old!! That alone makes possible a minerally, complex, concentrated, sophisticated, delicious, world class wine. Combine that with the 900 meter elevation, cool climate, sandy granitic soils, organic farming and non-interventional winemaking, and you have a wine that is the perfect storm, firing on all cylinders, and achieving the magic that so many wineries strive for but fall short of because one of the elements is compromised or missing. This wine is a rare and special thing, and I am blown away every time I taste it. It is creamy and mouth-coating, with ecstatic acidity, and a finish equivalent to nirvana. Perfectly balanced flavors of white peach, almond dust, white flowers, bright citrus, delicate wild herbs, lemon crème brulee, and minerality effortlessly harmonize. The wine was aged in 2-3 year old barrels that give a glycerol texture while not imparting flavors of oak into this PERFECT and magnificent white wine.  I can’t remember EVER being this exited about a $20 bottle of wine.

2010 FORMAN, Chardonnay, Napa Valley—reg.$42-45…for you–$38.50

Forman’s Chardonnay has been a darling of mine and many others for years and the 2010 is a real doozie. This is as pure as Chardonnay gets in this hemisphere, and for under forty bucks, it’s a real deal for a wine of this quality. It is minerally and perfectly balanced with a divine texture. Overtones of ripe pear and tart apple are accented with nuances of slate with no interference of oak. The absence of malolactic fermentation keeps it racy on the palate and makes the finish linger for a short minute, only to draw you helplessly back like a bad habit. If you like real Chardonnay, you MUST check this out. While 2010 was a tough year for producing big red wines, we are seeing a lot of incredible whites from this cool growing season. Due to a lot of good press, this wine will probably be in short supply pretty soon.

2011 SINEANN, Gewurztraminer, Resonance Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton, Oregon—reg.$21…for you–$19.00

This is, by far, the best domestic Gewurztraminer I had in twenty-three years of tasting and selling wine. Again, I am not BS-ing you to sell you a nineteen dollar bottle of wine. Upon first sip, you may suspect for one second that it might be too sweet. It is then, at exactly one second, that it pulls the zipper up your wiener and wakes up every nerve in your body with tingling acidity. This is the ultimate wine to go with Indian, Chinese, or any kind of semi-exotic cuisine with a spicy kick that might need a little cooling down. Overtones of white peach are followed with classic Gewurztraminer spice and a texture that is nothing but orgasmic. And that’s saying a lot, especially after you just got your weenie zippered.

2009 POINT CONCEPTION, Caperona Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County—reg.$20…for you–$18.00

These grapes came from the awesome Sierra Madre Vineyard in Santa Maria. The fruit was whole cluster pressed, then split into two separate lots and fermented in two distinctively different ways. Half was fermented at 48° Fahrenheit for 38 days to dryness, and racked into neutral oak. The other half was fermented in neutral French oak with a yeast known for adding a leesy richness in barrel fermented Chardonnay. The lees were stirred daily during primary fermentation.  The two separate wines were then blended together and aged in barrel for a short period without stirring the lees. This is the best Chardonnay you could hope to find for under $20. It has much pricier flavors of spicy apple, crème brulee´, nuances of honey, and delicate tropical flavors and aromas.

2008 RENARD, Viognier, Kick Ranch, Sonoma County—reg.$24…for you–$21.75 (150 cases produced)

2009 STOLPMAN VINEYARDS, La Coppa Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley–$20….reg.-$25 70%Roussanne, 30%Viognier

2011 CEP (Peay Vineyards), Sauvignon Blanc, “Hopkins Ranch”, Russian River Valley—reg.$24…for you–$21.00

2010 PICAYUNE, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley–$21.00

2005 FORT ROSS, Reserve Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast–$30.00  reg.-$40 Magnificent coastal Chard, young and alive

2009 SCHOOLHOUSE, Chardonnay, Spring Mtn. District, Napa Valley–$50.00 Bright, minerally, rare, and beautiful

2010 KISTLER, Sonoma Mountain, Chardonnay–$60…regular price..$70

2010 MARGERUM, Chenin Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley—reg.$21…for you–$19.00 Check last month’s review, yummy

MERCAT, Cava-El Xamfra-Brut–$15 You’d be hard pressed to find a better bubbly for under $25. It is delicious.

2004 RICHARD GRANT, Reserve Napa Valley Sparkling Wine, Wrotham Clone, Pinot Noir–$36…reg.-$40

2008 CRISTOM, Syrah, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon–$28 So Rhone-like, it’s hard to believe it came from the U.S. of A.

2009 GAMBA, Old Vine Zinfandel, Estate, Russian River Valley–$36….reg.-$45 BIG!! 16.4% Alc., 105 yr. old vines

2009 PETER FRANUS, Brandlin Vineyards Zonfandel, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$33…reg.$37

2010 CASTALIA, Rochioli Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley–$54…reg.$60 Super-killer Pinot Noir

2008 HONRAMA, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley(Rutherford)–$25….reg.-$48 The best Cab available for $25

2007 VOLKER EISELE Family Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley—reg.-$50…for y’all–$45

2009 MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS, Estate Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains—reg..$55…to you–$49.50

2009 MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains—reg.-$55…to you–$49.50

2009 MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS, Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains—reg.-$55…to you–$49.50

The Mount Eden wines are some of California’s biggest sleepers year after year. For the modest price of fifty clams these wines over-deliver and hang tough with much pricier Burgundy and Bordeaux offerings. It seems like lengthy reviews cannot convince most folks to check out Mount Eden’s wines while the same customers come back every year for these wines because they know how bad-ass they are. They usually score between 92 and 96 points from a variety of reviewers and are one of my favorite California wineries. The Chard and Pinot are two of the most truly Burgundian styled wines in the state and the Cabernet definitely has Bordeaux-like characteristics. Call me if you want some, you’ll be glad you did.

APRIL 2012 1-800-356-3970

Dear All Y’all,

I have some really great news about a true story that is happening right now with a good friend of mine and his mother.

The mother of my close friend in Pasadena California has had Alzheimer’s for the past four and a half years. She’s been confined to a wheelchair, unable to speak, and in need of constant supervision and care in every way. Recently, Carlos started giving his mother four tablespoons of pure coconut oil each day, in one ounce servings throughout the day. Two and a half weeks after starting the coconut oil doses, she was able to walk around (with assistance), speaking in full sentences, and continues to make remarkable progress.  If you go online, there are others who have had similar successes.  They have been using “pure” coconut oil that is available on the interwebs and in health food stores.

I am certainly not a doctor (thank God for humanity) and am not making any medical claims or promises that this works in all cases, but,  if you know of someone who could potentially use this information, please, pass it on to them or their family. It has certainly helped my good friend’s mother immensely.

I’ll probably get on the coconut oil just to be on the safe side since I’m a little wacked out and forgetful as it is. Maybe then, I can get rid of that jar of pills that’s labeled, “If you can’t remember what these are for, take them all.” And don’t forget that wine is heart healthy and good for the mind, body, and spirit when consumed in proper amounts. That amount can vary between individuals, so it’s best to have a bunch on hand in case of an emergency.

UPS is available to most states, but we can send it anywhere with the help of the mob.  Oh, right, I forgot…there is no mob.  $25 ships a case of wine in the state of California and on the west coast, $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.

Nor am I a meteorologist, but, I can assure you that summer is coming and it will be warm to hot in another month or two.  We offer summer storage, but, now is a great time to get some juice for summer enjoyment.

1.)  2009 KOBALT, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley—reg.$90…for you–$81.00 An amazing Cabernet from Coombsville made by consulting winemaker, Mark Herold. This wine rocks the house with deep black fruit, hints of smoky char, spice, red fruit, and a long finish with firm tannins.  If you like the big, super-hedonistic Cabs, you will love this wine.

2.)  2008 RAMEY, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pedrigal Vineyard, Oakville, Napa Valley—reg.$170…for you $150.00

3.)  2008 PARADIGM, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley—reg.$62.25…for you $56.00 This is the heaviest Paradigm Cabernet in many years. Much thicker and more intense than usual, their 2008 is f-ing GREAT.

4.)  2009 PHILIP TOGNI, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mtn. Dist., Napa Valley—reg.$95…for you $85.00 Truly legendary Cabernet, as age-worthy as any Napa Cabernet, 95+ from the Parker team, get some for your kids to enjoy after you’re gone, and don’t forget about Togni’s 2008 TANBARK HILL, Cabernet Sauv., S.M.D., Napa…reg-$45..you-$36

5.)  2009 VINEYARD 7 & 8,  “7” Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain District—reg.$80…for you–$72.00

Giant, full blown, balls to the wall, mountain Cabernet Sauvignon that shoots first and asks questions later.  Made by Luc Morlet with tannin management in mind, you can drink this dark Spring Mountain Cab now or cellar it away for 6-8 years.

6.)  2009 LEWIS CELLARS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$90.00 Thick and structured, with a complex band of red and black fruits, a hint of cocoa, and a nice layer of oak that’s one of the signature trademarks of the Lewis portfolio.

7.)  2008 DARMS LANE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bon Passe Vineyard, Napa Valley—reg.$60…for you–$54.00

A beautiful example of the under-hyped and fabulous ’08 vintage. This 500 case production from the western end of Oak Knoll delivers the truth. It’s vibrant and intense with impeccable balance and distinctive terroir. It should age for many years.

8.)  2008 LEVIATHAN, California Red Wine-reg.-$50…for you–$44.00 28%SY, 26%ML, 25%CS, 21%CF  Leviathan means “something unusually large or formidable”, which this wine is. It’s made by winemaking superstar, Andy Erickson, of Screaming Eagle. Big, round, and solid, this beast is ready for immediate consumption. Don’t be scared.

9.)  2009 TALLEY, Estate Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley-reg.$36..for you–$32.50 I featured this wine last month, and for a wine of this quality at this sweet price, y’all didn’t pick up what I was throwing down.  Go ahead and pick it up.

10.) 2010 ROWLAND TEBB, Pinot Noir, Durell Vineyard, Sonoma Coast—reg.$42…for you–$38.00 Usually Pinots from Durrell Vineyard are much more expensive than this. Full bodied, bold red fruit, zippy acidity, and soft fuzzy tannins.

2009 WOODWARD CANYON, “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State—reg.$54..for you–$46.00

I love this wine. In past vintages of this production, the use of oak has sometimes been heavy handed to be nice. Even with strong oak nuances, this wine was usually incredible and a relative bargain compared to some of Napa’s offerings. With the 2009 vintage, things have changed a bit.  As vineyards used for this Cab have grown older, the vines have dug deeper into the ground, bringing on more complex, intense, and earthy flavors, reminiscent of a left bank Bordeaux. With that, the oak regiment was dialed back, allowing the powerful, deep, black fruit to shine through as never before. The fruit comes from several of Washington’s finest vineyards, and when blended together, the result is magnificent. Black fruit and cassis are the primary flavors with hints of black pepper, cedar, tobacco, and a mere suggestion of oak.  It is absolutely fabulous now and should continue to improve for at least ten years. A wine of this magnitude from other areas of the world could easily cost twice as much. I cannot urge you strongly enough to get over any phobia or reservation you might have toward Washington Cabernet and get some of this in your arsenal. You will be surprised and amazed.

2009 LA GRANDE ROCHE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley—reg.$35…for you–$31.00

Don’t be too upset if I’m out of this wine when you call since we only received 7.5 cases of this super bitchin’ Cabernet from Rick Forman’s estate on Howell Mountain. Rick’s 2009 estate Cabernet received a 97 point rating from the Parker crew, and this wine is what didn’t quite make the $90 cut. At one third the price, this wine is two thirds as good as the “estate” offering while being the best Cab under $35 I’ve tasted this year. It is serious stuff with a not so serious price. The depth and complexity are impressive to say the least, and the wine will fair well in your cellar along side pricier treasures. If you need to pad your cellar, this is the one that’ll do it with style. Intense and vibrant in the nose and on the palate, you’ll detect loamy black fruits, bright red fruit, spice, herb, and a hint of black licorice. I think this wine will evolve into a very sexy beast with just a couple years of cellaring. Don’t wait or hesitate or you’ll be too late.

2009 ROWLAND TEBB, Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Sears Vineyard, Howell Mtn., Napa Valley-reg.$72..you-$63

I featured this wicked good Cab before the 2009 vintage was en vogue and when this wine was very young. Now that the word on the street is all good about the 2009’s, I am not alone in my claims. The ’09 vintage is like a combination of the 2007 and 2008. I’ve been finding most Napa Cabernets have very forward, ripe, and accessible flavors, while showing nice structure, acidity, and balance. In my humble opinion, the 2009’s should be rated higher than the heavily touted, very ripe, and sometimes rasin-ish 2007’s. Remember how many of the ‘97’s went past their prime way too soon?  It just might happen with the 2007’s….we will see.  That’s one of many reasons you should have some of this kick-butt, micro production, nicely priced, 2009 Howell Mountain Cab made by Steven Tebb. He’s Robert Craig’s winemaker.  Upon first sip, you’ll see the power and grace this wine has. Classic Howell Mountain terroir is brought to a new level here with Tebb’s winemaking, a masterful use of very nice French oak, and the assistance of a potentially great vintage.  The color is somewhere between dark purple and deep maroon with a luminescent, bright purple rim.  The flavors are uplifting and enlightening, only to humble you like a strong hallucinogen. It is a small journey from the top to the bottom of this bottle. Concentrated flavors of black plum, blueberry, blackberry, and cocoa-dosed cherry will have your head spinning and extremities tingling. I know this sounds far fetched, but it is true. This stuff is the shizzle for rizzle. Under 100 cases were produced, you can’t buy it anywhere but here, and that’s a great price for a great single vineyard Howell Mountain Cab.

2009 PETER FRANUS, Brandlin Vineyard Zinfandel, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley—reg.$36.50…for you–$33.00

The Brandlin Vineyard was planted in the 1920’s, making these vines possibly the oldest on Mount Veeder. It’s a dry farmed, head trained vineyard that’s 1200 feet above the Valley floor. This wine is consistently wonderful every year, and this vintage is one of my favorites. The 2008 was named “best Zin of the year” by Wine and Spirits magazine out of 200 Zinfandels. I think this wine is every bit as good as the ’08, and maybe a bit softer and more generous. The juice was aged in Burgundian French oak barrels to add complexity and elegant refinement. Quite dark in color, the flavors of bright blackberry are accented with minerality, pepper, clove, anise, and a soft earthiness from the significant age of the vines. All in all, this is a spectacular Zinfandel that is boosted with an 8% bend of Charbono that puts it over the top. There are plenty of good Zins on the market, but few posses the terroir and personality of this rock star wine. The new generation Peter Franus package has the bold PF on the label and I think it they should add an S so it could imply, Pretty F’ing Spectacular.

2009 CARGASACCHI, Pinot Noir, Cargasacchi Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills—reg.$40..for you–$36.50

Peter Cargasacchi came in the other day with his wines and, lemmee tell ya, I was impressed. Not only is he the funniest person I’ve met in years, his wines are purely spectacular. As I’ve come to find out, Peter is kind of a big deal in the world of California Pinot Noir. He’s a cutting edge grower with an incredible palate and a deep knowledge of everything related to making world class Pinot Noir. The 2009 growing season was a dry year with only 12 inches of rain, making for small yields, small clusters, and tiny berries. This made for a greater skin to juice ratio and a dark, complex wine. I’ll slightly plagiarize his tasting notes since he knows more about this than I do. Raspberry, smoked cranberry, and sage on the nose. The wine has a thick mouthfeel and a sensual texture with flavors of concentrated cherries, zesty red plums, wild berries, and a wide range of soft spices. Peter’s use of different rootstocks on the same clones gives a natural complexity rarely found in California wines. This is serious Pinot Noir that will cellar up nice while being delicious in its youth.

2008 LAIL, J. Daniel Cuvee, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley—reg.$140…for you, this month–$120.00

Lail’s J. Daniel Cuvee is consistently one of my favorite wines from Napa year after year. Many wines in the “cool kid’s club” may receive higher scores from the press, but few deliver the purity and sheer quality of this production. Philippe Melka made 509 cases of J. Daniel this vintage from vineyards in Calistoga, Oakville, and Howell Mountain. That’s where the “cuvee” comes in on this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Like discussed before, the 2008 vintage may not have received the immediate praise that 2007 did, but is now starting to shine and get the recognition it deserves. It’s like that skinny, kind of nerdy girl in high school that got her teeth fixed, lost the spectacles, went to the gym, and got a $15,000 boob job that she paid for herself with her own money from her kick ass job. It’ll make you wish you’d been nicer to her back in the day.  So, be nice today so that you can enjoy the voluptuous, sexy flavors and fleshy curves this sweetheart will soon have. Robert Parker is kind of like a wine pedophile, while I prefer nailing them when they’re a little older and know how to please a whole table full of men….or women for that matter.  Aromas and flavors of currant, blackberry, black tobacco leaf, deep red fruit, and a mild influence of French oak will bring out the wine nerd in the studliest of connoisseurs.

2009 PEIRSON MEYER, “MAQUETTE”, Napa Valley—reg.$55…for you–$49.50       (175 cases produced)

I’ll admit this month’s letter is a little Cabernet Sauvignon heavy.  Here’s a bend of 50% Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Oak Knoll Merlot. The marriage of these two varietals and two vineyards is pure drinking enjoyment. Powerful, bold, and structured mountain fruit is hooked up with supple and juicy Valley floor Merlot, resulting in a straight up yummy blend that is sweetly priced considering the Pritchard Hill fruit is very, very expensive. This is serious wine with a very friendly texture and loads of complex flavors.  Dark, black, earthy flavors are mellowed out with soft, red, juicy fruit and a very mild influence of French oak. Winemaker, Robbie Meyer, doesn’t miss a beat or a note and has never made a wine that I have ever disapproved of.  “Maquette” means artistic works in progress that lead to a final masterpiece.

2009 ARIETTA, “Quartet”, Napa Valley—reg.$55…for you–$50.00    (60%CS, 17%CF, 17%ML, 4%PV)

One more spledo-blendo from winemaker, Andy Erickson. This dark and complex blend is immediately accessible and/or cellar worthy for five to ten years from vintage date.  Grapes are sourced mostly (70%) from Coombsville in southeast Napa, with the remainder coming from Carneros and Calistoga. This sourcing, along with many hours of blending trials, has created a great wine that’s quite versatile. The wine is medium to full bodied with flavors of red currant, dark wild berries, blackberry, a hint of anise, and sweet toasted oak. It’s complex and totally satisfying in many ways. The main vineyard source in Coombsville was planted by vine-master David Abreu in 2003. This is the fist vintage of Quartet to incorporate these Abreu grapes and seems to have made a big difference in elevating the wine’s already very high quality.

SUPER ROCKING WHITE WINES, SOME RIDICULOUSLY INEXPENSIVE

2010 FORMAN, Chardonnay, Napa Valley—reg.$42-45…for you–$38.50

Forman’s Chardonnay has been a darling of mine for many years and the 2010 is a doozie. This is as pure as Chardonnay gets in this hemisphere, and for under forty bucks, it’s a real bargain for a wine of this quality. Minerally and perfectly balanced with a divine texture, flavors of crisp pear and tart apple and are accented with nuances of slate with no interference of oak. The absence of malolactic fermentation keeps it racy on the palate and makes the finish linger for a short minute, only to draw you helplessly back like a bad habit. If you like real Chardonnay, you MUST check this out. While 2010 was a tough year for producing big red wines, we are seeing a lot of incredible whites from this cool growing season. Due to a lot of good press, this wine will probably be in short supply pretty soon.

2010 MARGERUM, Chenin Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley—reg.$21…for you–$19.00         (131 cases produced)

This wine is just stupid good. That means it’s so good, you’d be stupid not to get some. Okay, I know Chenin Blanc isn’t the first thing on your mind most of the time, but after I tasted this, I think about it a lot.  The fruit comes from old vines planted in the 1970’s in the Firestone family’s vineyard. Harvested at exactly the right minute, these perfectly ripe, tight clustered grapes were 25% barrel fermented and 75% stainless fermented, then aged for six months in oak prior to bottling. I am not f**king kidding around here, even the winery says they are “giddy about this wine”, and, “if they were right wing Republicans, this would be their Sarah Palin.” This wine is hard to describe because I’ve never had anything quite like it. It tastes like the most incredible dry grape juice ever, with a hint of nectarine, minerality, and magically integrated oak that doesn’t even taste like oak. I can’t beg you enough to get off whatever white wine train you are riding and get on some of this. At $19, it’s not like I’m making much money on the deal, I’m just doing my job and hooking you up with the goods.

2011 SINEANN, Gewurztraminer, Resonance Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton, Oregon—reg.$21…for you–$19.00

I must say that I am pretty impressed with my wines this month. This is, by far, the best domestic Gewurztraminer I have ever had in twenty three years of tasting and selling wine. Again, I am not BS-ing you to sell you a nineteen dollar bottle of wine. Upon first sip, you may suspect for one second that it might be too sweet and cloying. It is then, at exactly one second, that it pulls the zipper up your wiener and wakes up every nerve in your body with tingling acidity. This is the ultimate wine to go with Indian, Chinese, or any kind of semi-exotic cuisine with a spicy kick that might need a little cooling down. Overtones of white peach are followed with classic Gewurztraminer spice and a texture that is nothing but orgasmic. And that’s saying a lot, especially after you just got your weenie zippered.

2008 RENARD, Viognier, Kick Ranch, Sonoma County—reg.$24…for you–$21.75        (150 cases produced)

Here’s yet another spectacular wine that isn’t the best financial move for this business, but is really good news for you as a consumer. This is a perfect and beautiful expression of serious Viognier at a very nice price. It was fermented without undergoing malolactic fermentation and aged in neutral oak to preserve the varietal character and bright fruit. Flavors of ripe peach and jasmine are followed with hints of mandarin orange, minerality, and an awesome palate presence. The wine is floral on the nose and just delicious. There are many Viogniers selling at twice this price that aren’t half as good. It’s a perfect wine for many foods, but would also be outstanding by the pool on a scorching day with nothing on….the table.

2011 CEP (Peay Vineyards), Sauvignon Blanc, “Hopkins Ranch”, Russian River Valley—reg.$24…for you–$21.00

Andy Peay came by a couple weeks ago and left me a bottle of this that was roughly 2/3 full. We tasted it each day for about six days, and noticed very little to no deterioration in the wine. Very impressive for any wine, especially at this price. The fruit is sourced from the Hopkins Ranch in the R.R.V., not from their estate vineyards near Annapolis on the Sonoma Coast.  It has blazing and balanced acidity with a nice mouthfeel and plenty of fruit. It has super bright flavors of lemon-lime citrus and slate-like minerality with a great crisp finish. It’s a perfect wine to pair with summer foods from the garden, seafood, shellfish, and will also make a great refresher on hot summer days and warm evenings.  When you drink it, mosquitoes won’t bite you, you’ll catch more fish, and it seems to improve your golf game. All this for $21. Amazing!

2010 LEWIS, Chardonnay, Sonoma County–$50.00

Maybe you’re the type that doesn’t like steely, linear, crisp wines. You want meat on the bone. Here is a Chard that could be classified as “the other white meat”. Lewis makes them big and bold, rich and thick, mouth coating and full of intense flavor. The cool growing season of 2010 made for a later harvest with bright fruit and great acid balance, giving this full bodied Chardonnay killer structure while putting a lot of complex flavors in the bottle. Fruit comes from some of the oldest planting s in the Russian River Valley’s Dutton Ranch.  Flavors of lemon, tangerine, spiced honey, and subtle orange zest are melted together with malolactic fermentation and sweet oak. Like mentioned in the Forman review, the cool 2010 vintage is kicking out some of the best white wines northern California has seen in years.

2009 POINT CONCEPTION, Caperona Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County—reg.$20…for you–$18.00

This is Peter Cargasacchi’s “second label.” Like I said before, Peter is one of the funniest people I’ve met in years. He said they paired this wine with baby penguin at a winemaker dinner recently because adult penguins are too difficult to defeather.  He told us that he got penguin eggs from the zoo since they couldn’t possibly hatch all the eggs, for then they would then have too many penguins. Peter said he incubated the eggs until they hatched and then fed the little guys with wet cat food until they were almost one foot tall. All that without cracking a smile. I was on the floor. He is my brother from another mother. These grapes came from the awesome Sierra Madre Vineyard in Santa Maria. The fruit was whole cluster pressed, then split into two separate lots and fermented in two distinctively different ways. Half was fermented at 48° Fahrenheit for 38 days to dryness, then racked into neutral oak. The other half was fermented in neutral French oak  with a yeast known for adding a leesy richness in barrel fermented Chardonnay. The lees were stirred daily during primary fermentation.  The two separate wines were then blended together and aged in barrel for a short period without stirring the lees. This is the best Chardonnay you could ever hope to find for under $20. It has much pricier flavors of spicy apple, crème brulee´, nuances of honey, and delicate tropical flavors and aromas.  And, it pairs well with baby penguin.

You must have been getting very busy with your Valentine in February because we didn’t hear from enough of you. Maybe it was the pink paper or the predictable endless stream of tasteless humor. Whatever the case, we are switching things up a little. You are now being charged $12 a year to receive this. We appreciate your support as this should help pay the rent and keep the lights on. We figure a dollar a month is a small price to pay to belong to one of the most elite and unique wine programs in the country.  Of course, you could always call and buy some juice to get your subscription fee waived for the next year……it’s a great way to save twelve bucks.  And if yer living in the southern reaches of our country, remember how hot it gets in the summer and how cool it is right now.  Load in some summer whites or stock up on big reds before the 2010’s and 2011’s hit the market.

Did you hear?? The Paper Airplane Distance Record was shattered by 19 feet. Twenty seven year old, former Cal quarterback, Joe Ayoob, threw the record breaking plane 226 feet, 10 inches. To hell with the scary campaign, now that’s REAL news! With times a changing, with eras ending, and with major aeronautical breakthroughs, we are often asked…“Does Groezinger’s still have that incredible three case shipping special?”   You bet your Guiness Book of World Records we do………

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.

Yo! Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Mississippi.  Ship it now before the summer heat comes.

1.)  2008 RAMEY, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$45.00 95 points from Wine Advocate/Galloni

2.)  2007 PETER FRANUS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$36.00 A real sleeper. Drinkable, age-worthy, delicious.

3.)  2008 DOMINUS ESTate, Napa Valley–$173.00 A straight up, hard core, 99 pointer. It will only appreciate.

4.)  2008 Cade, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$65.00

5.)  2008 REVANA FAMILY VINEYARDS, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley–$125.00

6.)  2006 PALLADIAN, Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helana, Napa Valley–$33.00 Balanced, Bordeaux-like, 13.9%alcohol.

7.)  2007 WHITE ROCK, Claret, Napa Valley–$33.00 An estate grown blend of CS, CF, ML, & PV. Very cellarable.

8.) 2008 PARADIGM, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley–$56.00

This is one of Paradigm’s biggest and most full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon in a few years. If you like Paradigm, you are gonna love this vintage. It’s thick and heavy on the palate with dark black fruits and a sweet dose of  nice oak.

9.)  2008 DETERT, Cabernet Franc, Oakville, Napa Valley–$60.00 One of Napa’s top three Cabernet Francs.

10.)  2008 MCKENZIE-MUELLER, Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley–$33.00 Just in case you wanted your Franc in the 30’s

11.)  2009 CHESTER’S ANVIL, Hattori Hanzo, Napa Valley–$32.00 CS, CF, ML, PV, and Syrah.  Everyone who tastes this wine buys it.  It’s a beautiful blend of high-pedigree fruit that’s drastically underpriced.  Held over by popular demand.

12.) 2007 MINER FAMILY, Merlot, Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley–$35.00 It’s been eight years since Miles killed the Merlot industry.  It’s time to move on.  In fact, what most people don’t realize is that the varietal is back in vogue now that all of the inferior Merlot vineyards have been ripped out and replanted.  And remember, Paul Giamatti, who played Miles in Sideways, is an actor, not a wine critic. And no, I wouldn’t drink Merlot from Santa Barbara either.

13.)  2009 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN, Zinfandel, Mayacamas Range, Napa Valley–$32.50

14.)  2009 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN, Zinfandel, Eastern Exposures, Napa Valley–$43.50 96 pts, Connoisseurs’ Guide

15.)  2007 ELYSE, Zinfandel, Korte Ranch, Napa Valley–$32.00 Do you remember Schuetz Oles Zin?  Maybe you’re a little young. This is the vineyard. Vibrant red raspberry, briar, blackberry, spice, and jam. 4 ½ years old and drinking great.

16.)  2009 ST. INNOCENT, Pinot Noir, Temperance Hill, Willamette Valley–$30.00

17.)  2005 CAMPION, Pinot Noir, Carneros–$22.00 Awesome Pinot at an equally awesome price. Still young at 6 years.

This is a beautiful wine that has a bit of age on it, yet still drinks like a very vibrant and young wine. While many Carneros Pinots are predictable to say the least, this is unlike most of them with structure, terroir, and Burgundain nuances.

18.)  2009 CALERA, Pinot Noir, de VILLIERS Vineyard, Mount Harlan–$34.50 This is the most recent addition to the family of Calera single vineyard wines from Mount Harlan. We’ve got a lot of fantastic feedback on this wine. Check it out.

19.)  2008 LAFOLLETTE, Chardonnay, Manchester Ridge, Mendocino Ridge–$45.00

The close proximity to the Pacific Ocean gives this heavyweight Chardonnay bright fruit and racing acidity. Awesome wine!

2008 HONRAMA, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa Valley–$25.00                    600 cases produced

Alright, folks. Pay close attention.  This is a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford that usually sells for about $50.  It was aged in 50% new French Oak and 50% one year old French oak barrels. It’s deep red in color with aromas that will make you question your $60 bottles. All traces of Rutherford dust have been swept away with deep, concentrated flavors and a sweet layer of integrated oak.  You’ll drive past this vineyard as you cross the railroad tracks by Franciscan.  About 600 cases were produced and most of it will stay here in Napa…..that is unless you help a few cases find a new home.  This is one of those deals that will make you question the price of many wines you know and love. After you taste this great Cabernet at this ridiculously low price, you’ll realize that most wineries are just getting rich from our habit while great wine can be made and sold for a fraction of what we pay for it. Personally, I’m going to stash ten cases of this stuff for when I’m ready to get the party started. With bulk juice prices going through the roof and questionable vintages in the barrel, there will be no better time than now to stock up on some high grade Cabernet at a sweet low price. On the palate, you’ll get a lot of deep cherry and blackberry with nuances of espresso and cocoa. This is a meaty Cabernet that will cellar up nice for another six years with ease. A deal like this doesn’t come around very often. Load up now while it’s still available.

2007 SEPS ESTATE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$49.00

Very few people even know about this estate grown Cabernet from the rugged hillside vineyards of Storybook Mountain, just north of Calistoga. Generally sold only at the winery and for $65, this is a great opportunity to taste Jerry Seps’ masterful winemaking skills applied to Cabernet instead of Zinfandel while saving sixteen bucks a bottle. Like all of the Storybook wines, this will age effortlessly in your cellar, which is obvious from the bold, young, dark colors and flavors of this wine.  This is a beautiful expression of Napa Valley hillside Cabernet Sauvignon with a distinct terroir particularly specific to this vineyard site in the northwestern reaches of the Valley. Naturally infused nuances of loam and forest floor harmonize with the deep, spicy mountain fruit, making this a memorable wine that will linger on your palate and your mind for a long time.

2007 McKenzie Mueller, Real McCoy, “THE SPAGHETTI WESTERN”, Napa Valley–$50.00        318 cases produced

In a discussion with an old friend the other day, we came to the realization that there are three different types of people in the Napa Valley wine business. First is the person that has massive amounts of money and is doing all kinds of new weird shit to wine get some points and make a name for their wine and money.  The second type is the person that sucks up to and kisses the ring of the first person with high hopes of being accepted by them and getting an allocation of their precious juice.  The third kind is the person is one who doesn’t give a damn about the first two types and just tries to make and/or buy the best wines possible without the interference or influence of popular trends. McKenzie Mueller and Groezingers are type three establishments. If you want to drink image driven wines, stop reading. If you want the Real McCoy, give us a call and we will hook you up. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot is built to age for a long time yet is quite approachable in its youth. An image of the original Marlboro man from the 1950’s graces the label. He was Steven Butin from Sonoma County. While this wine still has a warning label on the bottle, it will kill you a lot slower than a pack of fags.  I’m talking about cigarettes, not a gang of biker-bears in the Castro on a Friday night. This wine spent 38 months in French and Hungarian oak, although you’d never guess it due to the powerful and untainted flavors in this wine.  With over forty years of winemaking experience, Bob Mueller is making awesome wines that are built to beat the test of time.

2007 VOLKER EISELE, “TERZETTO”, Napa Valley–$68.00                         501 cases produced

Once again, this is hard hitting, no nonsense wine that comes from type three Napa winery people. Equal parts of organically farmed, estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot are blended to create a complex expression of this remarkable vineyard.  Parker said this wine has “unmistakable elegance and impeccable balance.” Wine & Spirits called this “one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons and blends of 2011.” Every time I’ve tasted this wine, it has blown me away. The balance, attack, and persistence of the fruit in this wine are remarkable and rare. Why haven’t we been drinking and cellaring Terzetto for years?  Probably because we’re on some dumb mailing list at a glitzy winery that got some press three years ago and made us a sandwich. Or because we like label recognition and aren’t into wines that have obscure names like Terzetto. Or maybe it’s because we are thoroughly confused about Arajou Eisele and Volker Eisele and who is a type one or type three and god forbid being a type two wino. You wouldn’t guess the Terzetto was aged in 70% new French oak as the wood is masked by powerful and intense fruit.  Arousing red and black fruit is accented with solid, integrated tannins, and fluffed with French oak. This wine begs to be cellared and consumed with 8 or more years of age but is guaranteed to get you chubbin’ today.

2010 BEDROCK, Syrah, Sonoma Coast–$25.00

2009 BEDROCK, Syrah, Old Lakeville Vineyard, Sonoma Coast–$33.00

2008 PETERSON, Syrah, Bradford Mountain Vineyard, Gravity Flow Block, Dry Creek Valley–$41.00

2008 CRISTOM, Syrah, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon–$27.50

Here are the new Syrahs from Bedrock, Peterson’s finest offering, and one that is impossible to beat. The Bedrock wines are approachable and enjoyable upon release, the Old Lakeville being a bit heavier and more complex with site specific flavors. The Peterson is heavy, gripping, and complex with a wallop of flavor and a bright future in the cellar. It’s one of Sonoma’s finest Syrahs. And the Cristom….This wine has a special place in my heart and in my cellar.  Deep in my heart and on the outskirts of my cellar and easy to get at.  Flavors of white pepper, very rare meat, spice, oak, and earth are captured in this wine. Made only in years where ripeness is achieved, this Syrah perfectly mixes new world and old world styles together resulting in a wine that is timeless and worldly in every aspect. I truly feel bad for those of you without the Cristom.

2004 SALEXIS, Merlot, Napa Valley–$30.00                            288 cases produced

This isn’t your typical insipid and uneventful Merlot. The grapes for this beast are from the Snowden Estate in the rugged hillsides just east of Rutherford. The juice spent a whopping 37 days on the skins before being pressed into 2/3 new French oak where it spent 18 months.  While some folks are cracking into their 2007’s, 2008’s, and 2009’s, we’ve been enjoying the mellowed texture and seamless flavors of this vibrant 2004 Merlot.  John Gibson is the man behind these wines. He’s a Napa veteran who has proudly served at Chappellet, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Vine Cliff, and Snowden while consulting for numerous wineries in California over the years. Flavors of toasted crème-cherry are complimented by spice, earth, and integrated oak.  This is a big-ole Merlot that’ll show most Napa Cabs what’s the what and who’s the who.

2009 HILLIARD BRUCE, “Sun” Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills–$50.00

Introducing one of the hottest new wineries in California and the most exciting Pinot Noir project since Seasmoke.  Pinot-genius, Paul Lato, is the consulting enologist for these masterfully crafted wines.  Antonio Galloni from the Wine Advocate said these are striking wines for such a new property, and I must agree.  The texture of this wine is thick, smooth, and bright all at the same time. The flavors are balanced and persistent with a purity rarely found in wine, anywhere on the planet.  You can expect this winery to be in the press over the next few years and for their wines to be harder to find as time goes on.  A massive blast of delicately spiced cherry leads into flavors of poached strawberry, earth, sunshine, clove, and cinnamon. If you enjoy great Pinot Noir as much as you like breathing, missing out on this wine would be like choking yourself out.  And I’m not talking about choking your chicken, I mean you would die if you knew how good this was.  There, you’ve been told.

2009 HILLIARD BRUCE, Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills–$41.00

And then there’s the Chardonnay. Mmmmmmmmm. This stuff is almost as good as the Pinot.  After years of drinking California Chardonnay and not killing myself, comes this wonderful offering of the bastardized varietal. I think a lot of wineries that make Chardonnay forget what the varietal is supposed to taste like. It happens often in America to a lot of products like pizza, tobacco, candy, Mexican food, French food, coffee, bread, and wine. While Chardonnay got its personality and style from Burgundy, recent domestic efforts leave room for discussion as to what the fuck exactly happened along the way. Well, this wine will put that discussion to rest with beautiful, bright, Burgundian flavors of white peach, lemon, orange rind, mineral, and only nuances of tight grained French oak. If you like Chardonnay but can’t stand what people do to it, this will renew your faith in the varietal as it washes away the sins of hundreds of Australian and Californian winemakers.

2008 HEIBEL RANCH VINEYARDS, “LOPPA’S”, Napa Valley–$30.00                 150 cases produced

This wine is composed of 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Cabernet Franc, 17% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, and 7% Syrah.

It reminds me of a wine that came through the doors a good 11 or 12 years ago. That wine was the first vintage of The Prisoner when the production was 250 cases, and the wine freaking rocked the house for $25.  Over the years, that wine has turned into a 50,000+ case brand that doesn’t have much in common with the vintages that made it famous in the first place.

Which brings us back to why you should have some of this wine, it’s big and juicy with solid mountain structure, has flavors of black fruit, black currant, and cocoa with soft tannins and light shadings of oak. The grapes are from a single vineyard in Aetna Springs on the backside of Howell Mountain which gives this wine a personality and identity never found in larger production wines. If you had the 2007 Loppa’s, this vintage is even bigger, better, and more concentrated.

2009 TALLEY VINEYARDS, Estate Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley–$32.50

I recently tasted the entire lineup of Talley’s wines with Brian Talley in the shop the other day.  I’ve always loved these wines because they are superbly farmed and made with the utmost care and concern for a true expression of the vineyards. But let me tell you, the current releases from Talley rival anything they have produced in the past. I don’t know if it’s because the vines are getting older or if the Talley’s have harnessed the vineyards and can make them do what they want them to do.  This Pinot is stunning, especially at $32. I would challenge you to find a better Pinot Noir for $32, and if you do find one, could you please call and tip me off? This Pinot has a mouthload of deep red fruit, pomegranate, cherry, black cherry, red cherry, and cherry pie, with medium spice and a delicate earthiness that perfectly showcases this vineyard site in a liquid form.

2009 TALLEY VINEYARDS, Pinot Noir, Stone Corral Vineyard, Edna Valley–$45.00

The 2008 Stone Corral Pinot got a 94 point rating from the Wine Advocate, and this vintage could easily garner another point or two. It’s full bodied and luscious with a powerful core of deep, bold, bright fruit and long complex, tantalizing finish of spice, almond, mineral, and dried cherry. This fruit comes from Edna Valley, just north of the Talley Estate next to Oliver’s Vineyard that provides fruit for the sensational “Oliver’s” Chardonnay that you’ll read about in a minute.  These single vineyard wines are built to age too. Close proximity to the Pacific Ocean creates good acidity and with the assistance of velvety tannins, these Pinots will age and develop for many years to come. Bob Parker said these wines “are among the finest values for world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that exist.”  I have to agree, Bob.  To sum this up, if you want some of the finest Pinot in the country but don’t want to pay $85-$125 a bottle, get some Talley. You’ll thank yourself later.

2010 CASTALIA, Pinot Noir, Rochioli Vineyard, Russian River Valley–$60.00          300 cases produced

Here’s a great way to get some of Rochioli’s finest grapes at a fraction of what they charge for it.  Terry Bering is Rochioli’s cellarmaster, and every year, he steals some grapes and makes this wine. I’m sure some day the bosses will catch on, but for now, you can get this superb Rochioli Vineyard Pinot at a super-honest price.  If you’re picky-picky and only like the finest Pinots from Russian River Valley, you should get all over this like ugly on an ape. I don’t know why I even write up this wine because the same few people call every year and buy a case each, which pretty much takes care of my allocation.

2010 TALLEY, Estate Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley–$23.50

Definitely one of the best deals on high grade Chardonnay in the world.  I was checking out other wine shops, the wine isle at Whole Foods, and some other places too.  I was nauseated at how much bulk plunk is being sold for the same price or more than this estate grown gem. Like their 2010 Estate Pinot, if you can find a better Chard for $23, please let me know.  This super clean Chardonnay has flavors of pear, white peach, baked apple, plum blossom, and citrus zest with a lightly creamy yet brilliant finish. This is a mix of Rincon and Rosemary’s vineyards. That means, this $23 Chardonnay is made from two of the best vineyards in the country and some of the best grapes in the western hemisphere.  It’s like getting a Ferrari at a Ford price.

2009 TALLEY, OLIVER’S Vineyard Chardonnay, Edna Valley–$29.00

The Oliver’s Vineyard Chardonnay is bigger and more minerally than the Talley Estate Chard.  The Oliver’s Chardonnay is moving up the ranks at Talley as the vines get older and produce more complex flavors with a greater depth of fruit.  On the palate, the wine gives up flavors of green apple, citrus, and lots of minerality with a smooth and creamy finish. On the nose, you can find whiffs of tropical fruit, coconut, and flint.  Like their Estate Chard, this wine drastically over performs for $29.

2011 AZUR, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley–$23.50

Waiter: “Would monsieur care for another bottle of Chateau Latour?” Navin: “Ah yes, but no more 1966. Let’s splurge! Bring us some fresh wine! The freshest you’ve got – this year! No more of this old stuff.” Waiter: “Oui monsieur.” Navin: “He doesn’t realize he’s dealing with sophisticated people here.”      So you want some fresh wine. Here is the freshest wine we have, and it’s definitely made for sophisticated people. Whether you’re from old money or nouveau riche, this wine will put some class in your glass without annoying flavors of grass and cat ass.  This wine has become a darling of Napa Valley restaurants and appears on most wine lists out here.  It has super-bright fruit with citrus flavors, lemon, honeysuckle, and quince.  The Azur SB will pair with many foods and also makes a perfect cocktail if you’re like me and can’t stand hors d’oeuvres. And yes, I am aware that a lemon is a citrus. Thanks for the concern.

2011 AZUR, Rose, California–$23.50

Q: What would you call it if you have two people enjoying Azur Rose while one person tried to drink a corked bottle of Rudd SB? That would be called “two in the pink and one in the stink.”  The majority of this wine is surprisingly Syrah with a small blend of Semillon for additional mouthfeel. This is a superb food wine that will surprise you with how many foods it pairs with.  A medium rare steak , strawberry ice cream, ham, some cupcakes, and ambrosia salad are all pink. Aside from visual parings, this rose’s flavors will go with many salads, Mexican food, gazpacho, salmon (also pink), and goes really well with unbuttered popcorn while buttered popcorn should really go with Champagne. Azur Rose and unbuttered popcorn; not only is it delicious, it’s a great way to stay in shape. Pick up some of this Provence-styled rose for the warm spring and summer months that are just around the corner.  The ultimate pairing—Azur Rose by a pool with a big bowl of your favorite produce.

Have ya been searching for cheese boards made out of wine boxes? We thought so. That’s why Mamie started a new business called Board in Wine Country. It’s a small wood shop crafting one-of-a-kind items from wooden wine boxes. Items can be purchased directly through Groezinger’s or on her Etsy site. She’s adding many items to her site this weekend so be sure to check it out next week.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BoardinWineCountry

Over the years our love has withstood the trails of economic hardships, massive alcohol abuse, foul and tasteless wine reviews, tired and repetitive jokes, and a complete disregard for any proper literary structure.  With the recent developments of Proposition 8, Justin and I might settle down and start a family.  We’ve talked about adopting Mamie for years but were hesitant because of what people might think.  Now the time seems right.  Late winter and spring are kind of like a second holiday season with Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, the beginning of festival season, St. Patrick’s Day, The Daytona 500 (hell yeah), President’s Day, and April Fools Day. They should probably move President’s Day to April 1^st.   PARAS CAB CONTEST RESULTS: Fist of all, to win, you must enter.  Out of 2000 customers, I received three entries.  The chances of winning were pretty good.  John (asked to be kept) Anonymous from Pittsburg was the winner with this entry.  I asked for reasons why you didn’t buy the 2007 Paras Cabernet Sauvignon in December.  John wrote…….We currently live in Pittsburgh.  My wife and I often laugh with other Pittsburgh transplants when we hear some good “still mill” dialect.  For example, this weekend I offered neighbor a glass of the Bell Cabernet he replied, “No, I don’t want any of that shit like that there.”  My wife spit a spray of red across the room because she thought he said, “I don’t want to shit like a deer.”   Well, we know the Bell Cab doesn’t make a person shit like a deer, but my wife is concerned with PARAS- In Pittsburgh, we pronounce that “up her ass”.  Consequently, Rick, my wife thinks she has a pretty good reason for not trying this one. ……Congrats John Anonymous.  You’ve won 3 bottles of 2007 Paras Cabernet Sauvignon, a $200 value.  Our runner up, Jeff Edmunds, said he doesn’t want a wine with black tobacco, scorched earth, and toasted oak.  He said from the descriptors the wine sounded like an interlacing of Copenhagen, napalm, and pencil. He also said his wife would be suspicious if he only got three bottles of wine from Groezingers, thinking he was spending his money on less wholesome pursuits………..Jeff, we don’t want to get you in trouble, but you should go to www.toutsuite.com and check out the “2-6-12 Tasting in the Dark” where the 2007 Paras Cabernet Sauvignon stomps the competition.

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.

1.) 2009 CHAPPELLET, “Pritchard Hill” Cabernet Sauvignon, Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley–$126.00

2.) 2008 DOMINUS ESTATE, Napa Valley–$173.00 **99 big assed points from Robert Parker**

3.) 2009 PHILIP TOGNI, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mtn. District, Napa Valley–$86.00 **95+ Galloni**

4.) 2007 PARAS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$42.00 **the best you can do fer forty two**

5.) 2009 STELLARESE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$32.00 **the best you can do fer thirty two**

6.) 2009 ROBERT CRAIG, Affinity, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$43.50 **92 points from Galloni/Parker**

7.) 2007 BELL CELLARS, Clone 6, Cabernet Sauvignon, Georges III Vineyard, Rutherford, Napa Valley–$65.00

8.) 2008 DAVID FULTON, Estate Petite Sirah, St. Helena, Napa Valley–$40.00

9.) 2009 FOUR CAIRN, Syrah, St. Helena, Napa Valley–$34.50 **ass kicking small production Syrah**

10.) 2009 BARBED OAK, Pinot Noir, Zara’s Block, Bennett Valley, Sonoma County–$27.00

11.) 2010 CADE, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley–$23.50 **perfect balance, bright and vibrant with a big mouthfeel**

12.) 2010 MAZE, Sauvignon Blanc, Knights Valley–$25.50 **like a stylistic blend of white Bordeaux, New Zealand SB**

13.) 2010 PIERSON MEYER, Sauvignon Blanc, Ryan’s Vineyard, Napa Valley–$26.50 **our house favorite**

14.) 2010 PLUMP JACK, Reserve Chardonnay, Napa Valley–$41.00 **big, rich, thick, and creamy with a zip**

15.) 2009 EL MOLINO, Chardonnay, Rutherford, Napa Valley–$45.00 **as fine as Napa Chardonnay can be**

I usually don’t sell wines from larger producers like Cakebread because they already have established national distribution.  But when the opportunity came to sell their winery exclusive wines, I had no choice.  Check it out…..

2009 CAKEBREAD CELLARS, Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley–$51.50

2009 CAKEBREAD CELLARS, Syrah, Napa Valley–$50.00

2009 CAKEBREAD CELLARS, Zinfandel, Lake County–$31.00 –and just in case you wanted some……

2008 CAKEBREAD CELLARS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$66.00

FEATURED RED WINES

If you live in the Southern (hot) states, now is a perfect time to load in some wine from Groezingers before the heat returns. We are always happy to store your summer purchases but really want to sell you some wine right now.

2009 CHESTER’S ANVIL, Hattori Hanzo, Napa Valley–$32.00        Only 150 cases produced….call soon if you want it.

This is a wine that thoroughly impressed me upon first sip.  Not only is the wine masterfully crafted and blended, it’s named after one of the greatest and most famed warriors of all time.  If you love excellent wine and are a Japanese history buff, or if you like the Kill Bill movies, this needs to be in your stash.  It’s a perfectly balanced, seamless blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot, and Syrah. This project is a collaboration of the Lagier-Meredith team and Aaron Pott.  It is of unparalleled quality for a wine that’s under $35 and appears on the wine list of Morimoto (no surprise) and The French Fucking Laundry (surprise) for $195.  If my margins were that sweet I could take all y’all to lunch at TFFL every time you came to visit.  The Bordeaux varietals are from several appellations around Napa while the Syrah is from the Lagier-Meredith estate on top of Mt. Veeder. This awesome, rare, and affordable wine has a great palate presence with ultra-pure flavors of silky black and red fruit, a very light earthy nuance, and just a hint of integrated French oak. The Syrah is noticeable but not overbearing in this wine, giving it a blast of power and complexity hardly ever found in a $32 wine.  Most of my wine-geek buddies who have tasted this wine are surprised it doesn’t sell for $50 or $60. You’re gonna love this stuff.

2008 BLACK CORDON, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$58.00

Only 285 cases of this Cabernet were produced, and there are only few boxes left now.  This is big, massive, balls-to-the-wall Cab that’s made by one of California’s top winemakers, Paul Hobbs.  The Paul Hobbs Napa Cabernet Sauvignon sells for $85 a bottle and this wine is clearly a far bigger and better wine than that. That’s gotta be a tough gig…. “Let me make your kick ass estate grown wine that’s gonna make me look like a crook with my purchased Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from one of Napa’s top bio-hazards, the Stagecoach Vineyard”. Did I actually write that? Whoops.  The Black Cordon vineyard is situated at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains just west of the Oak Knoll District (southwest Napa Valley). There’s a blend of 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Verdot in this very dark and full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Black-purple in color, this wine is opaque with BIG flavors built to match the intimidating color. If you have the patience, this wine will be a superstar with a few years of age. Flavors of black cherry with black currant, cassis, herb, spice, graphite, and smoky toast will tell you exactly what Willis was talking about with a wallop of flavor and a finish that lingers for a long, heavy minute.

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

Sometimes we feature a truly great wine in this thing and receive a real shitty response to it. That’s when we stick it in here again and call you names for fucking up your cellar.  Jackass, palate-less pudd-whacker, Yellowtail chugger, Popov-lover, funnel cake fanatic, you like Slim Jims and chicken nuggets and J. Lohr Cabernet, your kids drink better than you do, you started drinking wine because you are the biggest April Wine fan in the world, you’ve given up on life and wear sweats all the time, duca-licker, backwasher, Libby-glassware-owner, McRibaficionado,  you dry out Skoal in the microwave and roll it up when you are out of Kools.  If that’s not enough to convince you to buy this wine then you are a smelly booger-eater.

This is Pierson Meyer’s crown jewel, it’s the best wine they’ve ever made, and is drastically underpriced at $77. I’ll repeat…. It’s polished, concentrated, weighty, balanced, and has a long, bright future in the cellar. On the palate you’ll get blackberry, currant, anise, vanilla, and cocoa.  This is one of Napa’s great Cabernets that doesn’t make it to the pages of the Spectator or Advocate. Be original, buy cool wine, support the little guy, drink Pierson Meyer wines, and don’t be a booger eater.

2009 DELILLE CELLARS, “D2”,  Columbia Valley, Washington–$36.00

This is my best selling wine from Washington. For years, the resistance was discouraging. I heard stuff like, “We don’t drink Washington wines-” or “I just buy Napa-” or  “What, like Columbia Crest?” or “I don’t think so, we’re in Napa-” or “Washington? Like where they grow apples?” or “Do you have Opus One?” or “Can I hold the Screaming Eagle?”

At the end of the day, it’s great to know that I have open minded customers that trust their own palates and don’t care where a vine is farmed, as long as the wine is kick ass. This newly released D2 is a blend of 55% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petite Verdot. It’s very dark in color and weighty on the palate with a complex band of flavors. Here are the flavors the winery believes to be in this wine. I noticed many, but not all of these. Call me a novice. Aromas: fresh cherries, cinnamon, plum brandy, mocha chocolate, fennel seed, and cigar box.  Flavors: Bordeaux blend flavors, black currants, black cherries, blueberries, mint, black pepper, brown butter, & toasty oak.  The 2009 D2 will age for a good ten years, drinks great right now, and promises to develop into a sweetly priced cellar treasure.

2010 SEXUAL CHOCOLATE, California Red Wine–$18.50 (75% Old Vine Howell Mtn. Zin., 25% Santa Barbara Syrah)

Here’s a wine that’s ready, willing, and able. It’s never been more affordable to let your loved one know that you are ready to get at it. Whether “getting at it” means cleaning out the garage or oiling up that back door that’s been locked all winter depends on the household. But when you’re chowing down on the brown butter or marinating the tube steak, it’s always good to have the Sexual Chocolate within arms reach. This is a great Tuesday night wine that goes great with pizza, pasta, steaks, burgers, hot sweaty sex, meatballs, quiche, and carnitas tacos. When you whip out your Sexual Chocolate, the mood is set, and it’s difficult to think about anything other than the obvious. You are no longer white, you be a brother for the next three hours.

Puh-Puh-PINOT CRAZY!@#$%

2008 SCHOOL HOUSE, 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 School House.  This is their 51^st vintage of producing Pinot Noir.

2008 SCHOOL HOUSE, Mescolonza, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$40.00

Maybe y’all waited to get this because you knew it wasn’t released until 2/14. Well, it’s released and ready to go. See ya soon.

2009 KNEZ, Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley–$27.00                                Mmmmmmmmyummy

The 2009 vintage was an exceptional in the Anderson Valley and this wine will verify that. The Knez Pinot has super bright red fruit, wonderful high notes, and a big, rich palate presence. I love this wine so much, it would be very easy to down a full jug myself. Even though you’ll only pay $27 for it, you will refrain from sharing it with your buddies because you’ll want to put the whole bottle straight to your dome. Cherry, strawberry cream, pomegranate, and light clove will have you down on your kneez jonesing for spilled drops after the bottle is gone.  It should age for a good five more years, but not around our house as we can’t stay outta the goods.  Pick up a few jugs of this and see how strong your will power is.

2009 ELK COVE, “Roosevelt” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley–$61.50

The 2009 Roosevelt Pinot will go down in the books as a classic.  Like a ’65 GTO or a ’68 Camaro, this wine is of hot rod status. And yes, it will help you impress the ladies or lady in your life.  Congruent with most classic things, it won’t really become classic until you give it a few years in the garage.  And who knows, in ten more years, this stuff could be $100 a bottle at release.  So take it easy, James Dean, don’t be in a hurry to floor it, this is a marathon, not a sprint.  The 2009 Roosevelt Pinot is delicious today but will continue to develop for many years to come. In this heavenly liquid, you can find flavors of deep cherry, clove, cola, sassafras, and exotic spice.  If you want some of Oregon’s finest Pinot, look no further. To get something better, you’ll need to cough up more than $100 for some Elk Cove Reserve, Grace Vineyard, or Sitar.

2009 LA FOLLETTE, Pinot Noir, Manchester Ridge Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge–$45.00

Okay, so I’m going a little Pinot crazy this month. But isn’t that what every girl wants in February? A bunch of different Pinots temptingly dangled in front of her face, all so delicious that it doesn’t really matter which one she grabs and devours first. Seriously though, these Pinots are all individually fantastic and distinctively different.  Mendocino Ridge, Napa, Oregon, Anderson Valley, Russian River Valley…..Do you have any idea how long I had to drive to get these wines? How many tweakers I sped by?  How many pot farms I drove through? How many coastal switchbacks I almost drove off? How many micro-breweries I had to stop at? This vineyard is 2000 feet above the Pacific Ocean on the Manchester Plain. Like Fort Ross, this is truly coastal farming with mild winters, early bud break, slower growth, and long hang time. Juicy, mouth-filling red fruits are met with granite-like minerality, pork fat, brown spices, and cocoa. The flavors are mouthwateringly intense and lengthy. Only 494 cases were produced, and Pinot Noirs this good never stick around for too long.

2008 L’ ANGEVIN, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley–$41.00

It’s probably becoming obvious that I love all the L’Angevin and Pierson Meyer wines. My other Pinots are getting jealous and threatening to find another cellar and a drinker that’s completely infatuated with them.  I’m trying my best to convince my Pinots that it’s not cheating, it’s studying.  One of my Mount Eden Pinots said to me, “If you’re just studying, why don’t you study with a magnum?” I replied, “If I’m gonna learn something new it’s going to be with two little ones, not one big fat one.”

Obviously, I’ve studied big jugs before. But, the little ones are so much easier to handle and way easier to hide in case of a shakedown…….This wine, forever this wine, only this wine has these flavors in this order….Black cherry, bergamot, black tea, spice, sandalwood, forest floor, and white chocolate.  With the 2008 vintage being surrounded by the heavily hyped 2007 and 2009 vintages, some of the great 2008’s were overlooked and put in the corner.  NOBODY PUTS BABY IN THE CORNER!!!!  This wine spent as much time in the barrel as many Cabernets, 19 months. Overoaked?  Hell no. This baby has so much fruit and flavor that it could take all the wood you could give it, only to come up with a smile and ask for more. Like a famous winemaker once said, “A wine can’t be over-oaked, it can just be under-wined.” There is no under-wining here.  Pick up on some of this and you’ll be studying what real Russian River Pinot is all about. But be careful when you sneak these bottles into your cellar and be sure to wipe off your corkscrew before approaching your other jugs.

2009 FOUR CAIRN, Syrah, Napa Valley–$34.50

What would this newsletter be without a really kick-ass Syrah? Even shittier.  What would you drink with the grilled lamb? Who in their right mind wouldn’t have a good stash of Four Cairn?  I love this wine, but sometimes that doesn’t matter. Check out what the Rhone Report wrote about this Syrah. I couldn’t have stated it better……..“2009 Four Cairn Syrah (USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena) $38 A serious and very well done Syrah, the 2009 Four Cairn Syrah, 100% Syrah aged for 16 months in 45% new French oak, delivers a straight up fantastic array of cassis, smoked bacon, pepper, game, and violets on the nose. Both rich and yet fresh at the same time, this medium to full-bodied Syrah is perfectly balanced, possessing good concentration, a pure, seamless texture, and a classic, focused finish. I’m a fan and this has a northern Rhône-like complexity paired with California fruit. It should continue to impress for 12-15 years. (93 pts.)” The winery is technically sold out of this wine but has reserved a few cases for Groezinger’s customers. That’s you. This wine is for you. Hook yourself up. Come on.

FEATURED WHITE WINES

2009 OAKVILLE RANCH, Estate Chardonnay, Oakville, Napa Valley–$33.00

For over 20 years, Oakville Ranch has been dishing out this stellar Chardonnay that’s anything but ordinary. Only 178 cases were produced from a single block of the Oakville Ranch Estate 1400 feet above the Valley floor. The ranch’s very red and rocky volcanic soil gives this Chard minerality that’s unlike almost anything from California. Flavors of pineapple, orange zest, peaches, and green apple are married with a dose of nice French oak.  It’s also one of those mysteriously cool deals. The winery sells this for $45 on their website, and for the time being we can sell it to you for just $33.

2009 L’ANGEVIN, Chardonnay, Laughlin Vineyard, Russian River Valley–$41.00

Here’s a Chardonnay that’ll make you give up on that $20 shit you get at the Super-Biggie-Cost-Saver store. This is Russian River Chard at its perfection and from a great growing season. They pull out all the tricks for this wine by using wild yeasts for fermentation, stirring the lees on a weekly basis, aging in barrel for 16 months, doing 100% malolactic fermentation, and bottling unfined and unfiltered.  When you devour this wine you might notice flavors of lemon meringue, cinnamon, fig, and stony granite. What stood out to me the most was this wines incredible mouthfeel and texture. It’s thick and creamy all the way through with great acidity on the finish to keep things straight. Summed up, this is a textbook perfect Russian River Chardonnay with some extra bells and whistles for the serious and critical connoisseur.

2009 PIERSON MEYER, Chardonnay, Charles Heintz Vineyard, Sonoma Coast–$50.00

Let’s assume you are a very serious and critical connoisseur that wants more bells and whistles. Well, this Chard has more bells and whistles than the Winter Olympics. It’s like a souped up version of the L’Angevin Chardonnay with more, more, more of everything. The difference starts with the 40 year old vines, their close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, and the elevation of the vineyard that keeps the whole show above the fog line. This makes for incredibly complex wine with brilliant acidity and ripe, full throttle flavors. Along with the classic white pear and golden apple flavors come nuances of orange, apricot, orange blossom, slate, flint, and minerality. I can get down the mountain pretty fast when there’s a bottle of Pierson Meyer at the lodge. As the skier said to the snowboarder, “I shredded the gnar through the Sierra cement and bonked on a bombhole. Dude, my disco sticks were chattering as I left a snotsicle on that knuckle dragger. Let’s go take some kickers and put the hurt on that Pierson Meyer Chard, Bro.”

2010 MATTHIASSON, Napa Valley White Wine–$32.00

For a while now, I have been wondering how the hell I’m gonna convince you that you should buy this wine. That was until I was at a tasting where Steve Matthiasson simply said to someone, “It’s Conundrum for wine geeks.” That’s exactly what this is. A blend of 59% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Ribolla, 14% Semillon, and 7% Tocai Friulano will have you remembering those childhood days when you first started drinking and Mom always gave you Conundrum in your sippy cup. You thought it was great until you were thirteen and blew your guts out from the residual sugar right in front of your gal. This bright and complex wine is fermented dry and not made for kids.  The Sauvignon Blanc brings a clean, fresh, citrusy acidity and some tropical character. The Ribolla Gialla brings seashell minerality, nuttiness, and structure to the blend. The Semillon contributes viscosity and a ripe fig and beeswax character that adds gravity and weight. The Tocai Friulano adds spicy aromatic notes. The acidity and fruit expression is balanced by a rich lees character and a backdrop of sweet oak. This is like Conundrum for wine geeks. This is wine for sophisticated adult palates. Branch out, go out on a limb, or just fall out of the tree and leave the mainstream behind with this very complex and unique white blend.

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.

Dear Groezinger Customer,

Recent studies show that music is good for your health and can also help people with severe illnesses. It can lower pain levels, cheer a person’s mood, improve vital signs, and compliment medication. Independent studies show music works even better when you listen to it with a couple glasses of wine, a Percocet, and some medical marijuana. While we can’t sell you drugs or buds, this newsletter is packed with ultra high grade wines that are guaranteed to heal what ails you. These are medicinal quality wines without the medicinal taste of Fernet Branca or a peaty Scotch whiskey. And if you drink enough of these wines and take the above listed medications while listening to some good tunes, all those stupid politicians will disappear for at least a few hours, and maybe a few days if you’re on a real binge of a bender. Speaking of binges, the holidays will be here in no time with the first one, Labor Day, less than three weeks away. Be sure to get stocked up for football season with some of these big reds, purple people eaters, and crimson tides. Things are cooling off a little for fall shipping and coincidentally, one of the most frequently asked questions we hear is, “Does Groezinger’s still have summer storage and that incredible three case shipping deal?” Hell, yes we do! Another question we hear a lot is, “Where the f**k is Justin?”  Answer: in a small jail cell in Tijuana.

Yes, summer storage is still available at Groezingers. So if you want some of these great wines, but don’t want to ship now, I’ll keep them cool for you until this fall at no charge. It’s also a great way to take advantage of the three case shipping special. You can buy a case a month, have them stored for free, and then ship ‘em at the same time for about $100.  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.

DON’T HESITATE TO MEDICATE YOURSELF WITH SOME OF THESE MIND ALTERING SELECTIONS.

1.)  2008 LAIL, J. Daniel Cuvee, Napa Valley–$126.00 100% Cab Sauvignon this year. Ultra pure and concentrated.

2.)  2008 BLACK SEARS, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$73.00 Oh my God, it’s the bomb. It’s made by Thomas Brown and the fruit is the finest on Howell Mountain. Don’t hesitate, it’ll be gone in a second.

3.)  2008 SNOWDEN, “The Ranch”, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$39.00 Great Cab at a great price.

4.)  2007 ROBINSON FAMILY, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag’s Leap District, Napa Valley–$50.00 Estate grown from a vineyard between Shafer and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. It’s an incredible deal for wine from this pricey appellation.

5.)  2006 ROBINSON FAMILY, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag’s Leap District, Napa Valley–$90.00 170 cases.

Many people compare this wine to the Shafer Hillside Select. The difference is it’s bigger and $160 cheaper.  As far as I know, Groezingers is the only retail store in the world to sell this awesome Stag’s Leap Cabernet.

6.)  2007 ILSLEY, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag’s Leap District, Napa Valley–$54.00 Yet another incredible SLD wine.

7.)  2008 LARKIN, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley–$55.00 Big, concentrated, age-worthy Cab with sweet scores.

8.)  2008 LARKIN, Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley–$55.00 Larkin’s best Cab Franc so far. 94 points from Robba Pakka.

9.)  2007 CADE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$65.00 One of Cade’s best wines so far. We had this in the March newsletter and it sold out. Recently, our supplier just came up with a few more cases. Enjoy.

10.)  2005 VEEDERCREST, Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast–$12.00 Here’s some good stuff for those pesky friends that show up with a bottle of Folie a Deux Menage a Trios from Costco. A total sleeper and an incredible deal.

11.)  2009 EVENING LAND, Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills–$36.50 A killer Pinot from a flawless winery. Big and dark.

12.)  2004 CAMPION, Pinot Noir, Carneros–$22.00 This wine was built to age and believe it or not, this is the current release. Campion has character, depth, complexity, and the ability to pair with many foods. A sweet price too.

13.) 2008 STANTON, Petite Sirah, St. Helena, Napa Valley–$41.00 Big, thick, rich, and meaty. Made by Dave Finney.

14.) 2009 FOUR CAIRN, Syrah, Napa Valley–$34.50 Holy shit, this stuff is incredible. It’s a massive Syrah that’ll give any Cabernet a run for its money. Plus, it actually pairs with big foods and will blow you………….right off of your chair.

15.) 2009 WINE GUERILLA, Zinfandel, Coffaro Old Vine, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma–$35.00 You’ll go ape-shit over this beast of a Zinfandel. It’s big enough for King Kong, but smooth enough for Fay Wray, although it would have made her scream. Don’t monkey around, pick up the phone and go bananas with one of California’s best old vine Zins.

FEATURED RED WINES

2009 ROWLAND TEBB, Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Sears Vineyard, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley–$65.00

As it has happened many times in the past, Groezingers is the first store and one of two places where you can get this palate coating, mountain grown Cabernet. Upon first sip, you’ll know you got more than your money’s worth when this stuff wraps and slaps your tongue. It’s their first release, and if I could make a prediction, I’d say this brand is going to be one you wish you would have bought. Of course, you could avoid those sorrowful feelings by snatching up some of this MICRO PRODUCTON Cabernet right now. It’s made by Kevin Rowland and Stephen Tebb, who is the winemaker for Robert Craig.  They fermented the wine in oak vats to soften the rugged tannin of Howell Mountain and give the wine its voluptuous texture and slickery mouthfeel. When you taste it, the tannins are so integrated you need to rub your tongue on the roof of your mouth to feel them. But believe me, they are there and in force. The color is an inky black-red and the nose is explosive. Gushing with flavors that’ll make you drool (literally), you’ll get blackberry, earth, clove, and jammy cassis accented by barely noticeable, sweet French oak. Under 100 cases of this magnificent wine were born, so the supply is short and stubby while the wine is very well endowed, girthy, and fun to put in your mouth.

2008 REVIVAL, Cabernet Sauvignon, (Karios Vineyard) Napa Valley–$125.00

Here’s another freaking awesome Cabernet that you’ll only find here and at the winery. Only 96 cases of this seductive and succulent wine were made, so don’t think about getting it in a few months. Lindsay Garvey came by Groezingers this morning (8/12), and we opened this bottle. It was delicious and complex with layers of smooth, dark fruits, a light nuance of oak, and a long enticing finish. It’s now 4:45 pm, and this stuff has opened up and is in-fucking-credible. The balance is spectacular, the fruit is relentless, and the wine is ultra pure and refined while still retaining a core of raw and unmanipulated fruit. The younger Garvey’s, Sean and Lindsay, whose parents own Flora Springs and Buehler Vineyards, fermented 40% of this wine in barrels with one end popped off. Three of their four barrels were new French Oak and the other one was neutral. From a thirty one year old vineyard just south of Stag’s Leap District on the same hill that Groezinger’s previous owner, Martin Blumberg, has a vineyard, this Cabernet exhibits a true sense of place while showcasing many subtle nuances and characteristics that are only achievable with mature vines. Julie Garvey named the vineyard “Karios” after the Greek descriptor for the indefinite moments in time when something special happens. Something special has definitely happened here, and it’s in these bottles. You’ll taste candied black fruits with nuances of licorice and cedar followed by cherry, spice, and a delicate earthiness. The finish lasts for minutes. This is awesome Cabernet from a great vineyard with a super cool package.  On Monday 8/15, it’s still drinking great.

2008 BIG BASIN VINEYARDS, Pinot Noir, Alfaro Family Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains–$40.00

With a name like Big Basin, you might think this wine had something to do with Richard Pryor or Whitney Houston. Nope. But, this wine is so awesome that at forty bucks it’s almost like free Basin. There are Pinots at more than twice this price that aren’t half as good. I can’t emphasize enough how much you need to get your glass and take a big, slow drag of this stuff.  Proprietor and winemaker, Bradley Brown has enlisted the help of William Selyum’s former enogolist, Lindsey Otis, who must have some magical method or recipe for making incredible Pinot Noir because this is one of the best I’ve tasted all year. It has super vibrant red fruits and a giant palate presence. Flavors of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, and spice are elevated with brilliant acidity and a firm structure. It is seductive to say the least and highly addictive. Like freebase, one of the downsides is that you need to drink some about every three minutes or else you’ll freak out. That’s about how long the finish lasts.  I’d recommend getting a bunch so you don’t lose it when you blow through the first bottle. Another downside is that your friends or company just won’t leave when they know you have more, so stash it good. Less than 125 cases were produced, so get crackin’ and call me immediately.

2009 STOLPMAN VINEYARDS, Estate Grown Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley–$27.00

These dudes have produced one of the best and most food friendly Syrahs in the country. That is, if you’re eating brined and cold smoked porterhouse pork chops from the Fatted Calf in Napa. Or you could just drink this with a giant pile of bacon.  We had this with my chef buddy, Ryder, a few weeks ago and he loved the wine, saying he found aromas and flavors of Skoal and Slim Jims. Translated, that would be dark black fruits, black tobacco, mint (eucalyptus), spice, and meatiness. It’s a huge wine that brilliantly opens up with about an hour of air. Many wineries have made wines with large scores from this vineyard at much higher prices. Now you can get the real deal right from the teat on the cheap.

2007 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS, “Antaeus”, Estate, Napa Valley–$32.00

Normally $40, this is a sweet deal on this wine. Jerry Seps gave me a break on the price so I’m just passing it on to you instead of putting it in the register. Antaeus is an estate grown blend of 50% Zinfandel, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 4% Petite Verdot. At first sip, the wine tastes like a big Zin, then out of nowhere come the Bordeaux-esque flavors that carry on into the long and complex finish.  This inmate is kind of like the Prisoner except it’ll kick the Prisoner’s ass.  It’s way bigger, way badder, has more structure, is a very small estate grown production, and will probably age for ten years from the vintage date. Plus at this price, it’s cheaper too. Vibrant Zinfandel flavors of black raspberry and wild blackberry are followed by structured black cherry, cocoa, spice, and just a hint of oak.  Get paroled from the confines of typical and predictable wines with this steal of a deal. It’s so good you’ll feel like you robbed me.

2009 ENKIDU, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County (Bedrock Vineyard)–$21.00

Who doesn’t love a good deal on great Cabernet?  This stuff is $45 from the winery, and for some reason, I can get it to you for $21.00. At this price, you’d be crazy and/or just plain stupid not to load in a case of this.  It’s serious hard hittin’ Cabernet from the mountains of Sonoma Valley and the 125 year old Bedrock Vineyard. With the holidays coming up, you’ll probably need some wine to pour for the masses, and how can you beat a half price deal? The coolest thing about this is that it actually tastes like $45.  A core of black cherry is backed up with flavors of blackberry, lavender, violet, chocolate, and toasty oak. This Cabernet will age and develop for many years to come and takes about an hour to fully open up. Phillip Staehle, Enkidu’s owner and winemaker, has never made anything but top notch wines. If you haven’t  had Enkidu wines, you owe it to your palate to give them a swirl.

2003 PARADOR, Reserva, Napa Valley Red Wine–$46.00 (Tempranillo & Cabernet Sauvignon)

Many of you thoroughly enjoyed the 2002 Parador Tempranillo Reserva. That’s sold out now and has brought the 2003 Reserva to the table. With a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, this is bigger and a bit meatier than the 2002 Tempranillo. The Cabernet comes from the superb Hossfeld Vineyard in Soda Canyon, located at the base of Atlas Peak. The Tempranillo comes from the legendary Rancho Chimiles Vineyard planted with the true Ribera del Duero clone. After fermentation, the wine was aged for three years in barrels and then an additional three years in bottle prior to release. The finished product is bright, lively, dense, and intense. It compliments food better than most wines from California and will age for a long time. The nose is dark and seducing with hints of herb, tobacco, and spice.  Once on the tongue, it shows the full tilt cherry, bittersweet chocolate, and concentrated plum flavors. Delicious.  Only six barrels (150 cases)

were produced almost eight years ago. While some 2003’s are starting to mature with bottle age, this youngster is just starting to party.  Get those pork chops and rib eyes on the grill and crack a jug of this. Your taste buds will thank you.

FEATURED WHITE WINES

2010 ROWLAND TEBB, Chardonnay, Michael Mara Vineyard, Sonoma Coast–$29.00

Only 210 cases were made from this great vineyard located just inside the Sonoma Coast Appellation. This is a beautiful expression of Chardonnay, unlike most on the market. The focus here is the bright and uplifting white fruit, leaving behind the cream, toast, and butter typically found in California Chards. Undeniably delicious upon first sip, it’ll bring you back gulp after tasty gulp. I think the perfect food pairing would be a piece of grilled halibut with a cucumber/ginger sauce or baked sea bass with soy-ginger-sesame glaze. Flavors of white peach, pineapple, Granny Smith apple, and minerality are supported by a taught structure of firm acidity. It’s bright and lively and delicious.

2009 PEAY, Estate Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast–$51.00

Last week, we spent a night out at Peay’s Vineyard, just four miles from the ocean. We tried their upcoming releases, and this wine, in particular, was absolutely stunning. It’s the best Chard I’ve had from Peay, and while it’s not officially released until September 1^st, you should get your order in now to secure the goods. Rich, complex golden fruit is souped up with racy (vroom-vroom) acidity and coastal influence. Co-owner and winemaker, Vanessa Wong, learned how to make kick-ass Chardonnay at Peter Michael winery and left in 2001 to start Peay Vineyards. You’ll find stylistic similarities due to the winemaking and delicious differences from the vineyard location. This wine dishes out layer after layer of ripe pear, golden apple, dried pineapple, and baked pie crust with minerality and a hint of lemon zest.

2010 PIERSON MEYER, Sauvignon Blanc, Ryan’s Vineyard, Napa Valley–$26.00

This S.B. has become an annual favorite amongst our customers. Unfortunately, the supply doesn’t last but a fraction of the year.  Robbie Meyer rounds out the super clean and grass-less fruit with neutral oak barrels and a bit of lees stirring to build up the mid palate. Malolactic fermentation is bypassed to preserve the bright fruit and make this food friendly and tantalizing. The wine is clean and bright with flavors of melon and green apple, floral notes, and a barely noticeable kiss of oak. Only 190 cases were produced so step to it before they go through it.

2010 VOGELZANG, “Birdsong” Sauvignon Blanc, Happy Canyon, Santa Ynez Valley–$16.50

Yet another great Sauvignon Blanc made by Robbie Meyer. This is stylistically very similar to the Pierson Meyer S.B. with nuances of melon, super light shadings of oak, a good palate presence, bright fruit, and zippy acidity. The sweet part about this wine is its sweet price. At $16.50, you and your friends can drink this wine till the birds start chirping.

BRICELAND VINEYARDS, Humboldt County, Sparkling Wine, Methode Champenoise–$32.00

Recently at the California State fair this wine was awarded a double gold medal, won the best of California, and the best of class for North Coast appellations in the sparkling wine category. It was scored 98 out of 100 points and judged the best sparkler in California. It’s a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from small, family owned vineyards in Humboldt County. Like the best French Champagnes, it’s fermented in the bottle and given three years of bottle age before being released. Want to see something funny? Go to http://youtu.be/VFevH5vP32s and check out Orson Wells on Paul Masson. But do that after you call 800-356-3970 and get some of the best bubbly in the country. It’s crisp, bright, and dry, with flavors of lemon ice, pear, yeast, toast, and lime with a long, tantalizing finish that’s fit for a king or queen.

FEATURED WINERY— FORT ROSS VINEYARD AND WINERY

I’ve sold Fort Ross for many years but hadn’t visited the vineyard until last week. After being at Peay’s sleepover, we drove down the coast on Highway 1 and made our way to Fort Ross for a vineyard tour, lunch, and a tasting of all their wines. The vineyards are so coastal that you can see about 150 degrees of coastline from the top of the site. These vineyards are cut into the coastal hillsides on very steep inclines that couldn’t be planted by obeying today’s laws and regulations.  Lester and Linda Schwartz and their crew work their asses off to make these world class Pinots and Chards. Oh, and they make the best Pinotage on the planet. Many vineyards in the Sonoma Coast Appellation aren’t really on or very near the Sonoma Coast. If you look at aerial photos of these vineyards, you will understand what coastal grape farming really is. The structure and flavor profile of these wines is unsurpassed by other California wineries and by few in the world. All of their wines are spectacular with the reserve Chardonnay and Pinot Noir being  absolutely outta sight. I can’t emphasize enough how much you should have these wines, especially if you don’t already know them.

2005 FORT ROSS, Reserve Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast–$30.00

This explosive and truly reserve Chardonnay is a rare treat. Wineries hardly ever hold back their wines until they are five years old. Tiny yields, smaller berries, and higher acidity from the rugged Sonoma Coast make this possible.

Only a half ton per acre was brought in from the 2005 vintage while smaller berry size increased the skin to juice ratio making for a very intense and age-worthy wine. The grapes were harvested into 5 gallon buckets and hand sorted prior to whole cluster pressing. It was given full malolactic fermentation and aged in 30% new French oak. This wine is spectacular and gushes with white peach, citrus, apricot, and hazelnut flavors. The finish is long and tantalizing and while you might think this wine is reaching maturity, it is still a youngster and will drink great for years to come.

2007 FORT ROSS, Pinot Noir, “Symposium”, Sonoma Coast–$25.00

Many of you enjoyed the 2007 Fort Ross Pinot Noir that we sold last year. The “Symposium” Pinot Noir, with a 4% blend of Pinotage, is drinking fabulously and is extremely comparable to their standard issue 2007 Pinot. With an additional year of bottle age, this is smooth and curvy in all the right places, soft in the middle, bright, sophisticated,  and won’t mind one bit if you want to lay it down or rip its top off.  If you are half as sexy and possess a fraction of this wine’s intelligence, when you whip out your corkscrew it should be a match made in heaven.  The grapes were harvested in the middle of the night, punched down only 1-2 times a day during fermentation, and aged in French oak that was 25% new and 75% neutral.  This wine is the best deal going on California Pinot Noir right now.  Do not think you can find a better and more sophisticated Pinot Noir. And, it’s a perfect wine for Thanksgiving & the holidaze.

2007 FORT ROSS, “Reserve” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast–$44.00

Most idiots know that 2007 was an incredible vintage for Pinot Noir in Sonoma. But only the real smart kids know how amazing the ’07 vintage was on the “true” Sonoma Coast.  This Pinot is everything you could hope for plus a bag of chips. Most Pinot producers are selling their ’09 vintage while Linda and Lester have been holding their 2007 reserve until the perfect moment. They will sell no Pinot before it’s time. This is an amplified version of their 2007 “Sonoma Coast” that really dishes out the flavor with wonderful balance, intensity, and structure.  You should be thrown down the bunny hole if you don’t get this wine in your cellar. The nose is like the most sophisticated cherry cola with a morel mushroom as a garnish. Kind of like Roy Rogers meets Alice in Wonderland. On the palate, you can find flavors of raspberry, black raspberry, orange zest, cherry, minerality, and yes, Alice, more mushrooms.  This is a great food wine that’ll compliment almost anything you dish out. It should age for another six years at the very least and will probably live a lot longer than that judging from its youthfulness at four years old.

800-356-3970
Dear Groezinger Customer,

As I sit here behind my desk watching the rain pour down in late June I wonder where the f-hell all the wine buying tourists are and think about those poor, little, soggy grapes that are but the size of  small peas, far behind schedule due to exceptionally lame weather patterns. As you’ve probably heard, 2010 was a hit and miss vintage for the big reds although the white wines have been exceptional. There will some very good Cabs from 2010, but probably not too many. Nobody likes to say it out here since our livelihood depends on good wine, but, this looks like another mediocre year unless something turns around soon. With this in mind, I can’t encourage you enough to stock up on the great vintages currently available in this letter. Unless you’re taking pictures of your junk with your phone or sexting sweet nothings, you should call me and get hooked up with some of these great wines from 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. The response to the past couple newsletters has been as exciting as a rerun of the Lawrence Welk Show followed by an episode of Matlock. I have a hungry fiancé at home that I need to feed every two hours like a baby, and while she’s far from chubby, she does require some of the finer cuisine from Napa. So with a single phone call you can enjoy a cornucopia of great wines while helping me avoid the Hamburger Helper and Ramen noodles.  And don’t give me this “it’s too hot to ship it” routine because everybody knows…….Summer Storage is available at Groezingers.  So if you want some of these great wines, but don’t want to ship now, I’ll keep them cool for you until this fall at no charge. It’s also a great way to take advantage of the three case shipping special. You can buy a case a month, have them stored for free, and then ship ‘em at the same time for about $100.  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.

AS USUAL, A FEW FROM LAST MONTH THAT YOU MISSED AND SOME HOT NEW RELEASES.  800-356-3970

1.)  2007 DeLILLE, Grand Ciel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain–$135.00 94 points from Parker.

2.)  2008 DOMINUS, Napa Valley–$250.00 Huge scores & tiny allocations, call soon if you want some.  99 points WA.

3.)  2007 SWANSON, “Alexis”, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley–$69.00 Syrah has been eliminated from the previous Alexis recipe making this a hardcore Cabernet Sauvignon that can hang with the big boys.

4.) 2008 KNIGHTS BRIDGE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, Napa Valley–$99.00

5.) 2008 KNIGHTS BRIDGE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dr. Crane Vineyard, Napa Valley–$99.00 If you’re on the quest for the Holy Grail of Cabernet, look no further. These Cabs will get you across the bridge without any flesh wounds. Superb vineyards and masterful elevage make these wines worth fighting for. Other Cabs shall not pass.

6.) 2007 DeSANTE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville Terraces, Napa Valley–$65.00 Silky, rich, smooth, and plump.

7.) 2007 MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains–$46.00

8.) 2007 MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS, Estate Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains–$48.50 Both of these Mount Eden wines are available in miniscule quantities. The Chard got 96 points from the Wine Advocate and the Cab isn’t rated yet

9.) 2005 SAGE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley-$38.00 This is the Cabernet, NOT the Veedercrest. It used to be $65. This is almost half off the original price, so get it while the getting’s still good.

10.) 2007 LAGIER MEREDITH, Syrah, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$41.00 I hate to rely on Parker’s points to sell wine, but it seems like y’all sometimes don’t believe me when I tell you that a wine is incredible. Why wouldn’t one person out of 2000 buy this? Maybe because the joke is true. Q: What’s the difference between gonorrhea and Syrah?         Answ: You can get rid of gonorrhea! Big Bobby Parker gave this a 94+. Check last months review and give me a ring.

11.) 2007 HENDRY, Block 28 Zinfandel, Napa Valley–$32.00 Just because I reviewed it with a rap doesn’t mean it’s crap, you should be slapped. Who doesn’t like Hendry Zin? Evidently it’s people who don’t like Syrah. Diversity!@#$%

12.) 2009 SOTER, Pinot Noir, Mineral Springs, Willamette Valley, Oregon–$60.00 Oregon’s finest. Truly awesome.

13.) 2009 CASTALIA, Pinot Noir, Rochioli Vineyard, Russian River Valley–$55.00 I won’t be upset if you don’t buy this one. I only get a few cases and it’s so good that I’ll drink it if you don’t. From Rochioli’s cellar master, from some of Rochioli’s finest vineyard blocks, from a great vintage.  6 bottle limit. This will be gone in a flash. 800-356-3970

FEATURED RED WINES

If you actually read this paper/cyber cut bleeding middle finger of Napa Valley and don’t hook up with some of these featured wines, yer freakin’ crazy. Oakville Ranch, Bell, Craig, Valance, Gamba, Grant, Semper. Don’t miss ‘em.

2007 BELL WINE CELLARS, Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa Valley–$65.00        646 cases

This is one of three exclusively designated clone 6 Cabernets in the country. This clone six vineyard was originally planted by Georges de Latour of BV in 1928 and replanted by Andy Beckstoffer in 1991.  The budwood for these vines came from BV’s block 4 which has some of the oldest Cabernet vines in the Valley. This wine is a piece of history, crafted and bottled with the lineage of years gone by. It’s as real as real gets and it’s finer than a new set of snow tires in Montana in January with a free alignment. It’s what you need in your cellar if you love Cabernet and claim to know anything about it. It’s twenty five bucks cheaper than the winery’s price and worth every penny and then some. It is one of very few Cabernets that has spun my head, kicked my jaw, and reinvigorated my enthusiasm for Napa Valley Cabernets. Prior to fermentation, the grapes were cold soaked for two days.  Juice was drained and pumped back over the skins for maximum color and flavor extraction.  The wine was aged for 22 months in thin staved French oak barrels being racked every two months. This frequent racking softens the tannins and naturally clarifies the wine so that it can be bottled completely unfined and unfiltered. With two years of bottle age, this wine is drinking spectacularly and will age for many years to come.  The 2007 growing season provided perfect conditions that assisted Anthony Bell in producing one of his best wines ever.  The flavors are everything you could hope for in a Cabernet. Black cherry, currant, and blackberry are kissed with nuances of cocoa, pepper, coffee, and cedary French Oak, The wine is deep and complex with a salivating mouthfeel and a finish that goes on and on.  This Cabernet exhibits true Bordeaux characteristics with the influence of California sunshine and beautiful, lush, ripe fruit.  Only 646 cases were produced so don’t wait or hesitate to get some of this incredible Napa Cabernet Sauvignon in your cellar and into your glass.

2008 OAKVILLE RANCH, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley–$55.00      350 cases

The vineyard that is above them all is back on top. This beautiful site sits atop the Oakville appellation at 1400 feet on the eastern side of Napa.  Rocky, red, volcanic soils and organic farming practices are producing grapes and wines unsurpassed by most Napa wineries. Not to mention the spring frost of 2008 that cut the crop in half, intensifying and concentrating flavors as if Mother Nature herself dropped half the harvest.  Mr. Parker gave up 94 points for this intense and extracted mountain grown Cabernet.  Back in 1997 I made the legendary “cult killer”, Screaming Gopher, with no previous winemaking experience with grapes from this world class vineyard.  Now, if that’s possible, just think what experienced winemakers can do with this incredible fruit. Oakville Ranch used to be the backbone of the Lewis Reserve Cabernet and helped put Miner Family on the map. Only 350 cases were squeezed from the tiny crop this vineyard gave up.  As soon as this wine lands in your glass or decanter you’ll be captivated by the dark purple and nearly black color. It should age effortlessly for at least ten years if you can keep your mitts off the goods. You’ll get flavors of cassis, black raspberry, black plum, earth, herb, spice, and tobacco. Cassis is the dominate flavor in the wine and if you’ve ever wondered what cassis tastes like you should drink some of this. I’ve been selling this wine since the 1991 vintage and the 2008 is one of their best wines ever. This bitchin’ Cabernet also points out what a great vintage 2008 was and will give some insight to some of the other spectacular wines that you should be keeping an eye on.

2009 ROBERT CRAIG, Mount George Cuvee, Napa Valley–$26.00    (64%CS, 25%CF, 9%ML, 2%PV)  462 cases

Here is one of the best deals you could hope to find on Napa Valley Cabernet. Fashioned after a right bank Bordeaux blend, it delivers a wallop of flavor without kicking your wallet’s ass. The fruit comes from the foothills of Mount George, just south of the Stag’s Leap District. This wine is basically the little brother of the highly touted Affinity which usually gets scores in the mid 90’s and is always delicious. The Affinity comes from this same vineyard and the Mount George Cuvee is composed of lots that weren’t included in the Affinity’s final blend. On the nose the wine has aromas of perfumed red fruits, espresso, and vanilla. The palate is full of concentrated cherry and black fruits with hints of spice and barely noticeable oak,  The winery dishes this out for thirty bucks, so as usual I’m trying to eliminate any reason why you wouldn’t call me and order some of this hard rocking, sweetly priced, small production, splendo-blendo.

2007 SEMPER, Goldridge Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley–$78.00            192 cases

Do you like full bodied Pinot? If so, you need some 2007 Semper.  Special ops flavors of black cherry, cherry liqueur, bacon fat, spice, currant, and blackberry will invade, dominate, and occupy your entire palate.  This Pinot graced the March 2010 cover of Wine Enthusiast magazine along with some William Selyum Pinot and received a 97 point rating.  It is a big, bad, mo’-fo’ of a Pinot Noir.  At four years of age, this wine shows no signs of aging and should cellar gracefully for at least six more years.  The Goldridge Vineyard is near Graton in Sonoma County, close to Sebastopol in a cool coastal climate with morning fogs that sometime last into the early afternoon.  The cool weather patterns create brilliant acidity that supports the massive structure and bold fruit in this heavyweight Pinot. This wine is so limited and allocated they sell it in three pack wooden cases. I love a big, thick, dark Pinot that gives me wood.  All kidding aside, this is killer Pinot Noir in a style that is rarely pulled off outside of Burgundy. Winemaker Kenneth Juhasz and Tuck Beckstoffer (Andy’s son) have succeeded in cramming the flavor of four bottles of wine into one 750ml bottle. Amazing!

2009 GAMBA, Estate Old Vine Zinfandel, Russian River Valley–$36.00

When I think about great old vine Zinfandel, Gamba is the first winery that comes to mind. The vines are now 110 years old and have always been organically farmed without irrigation, herbicides, or pesticides.  Today the average yield from the 27.5 acre vineyard is about ½ ton per acre. As old vine vineyards vanish one by one for economic reasons, the Gamba family cares for and preserves this piece of enological history. Tearing out an old vine vineyard that still produces fruit is like killing your grandpa because he’s retired.  Drinking Gamba Old Vine Zinfandel is like going on a date with Betty White. She might be old, but you know it’s gonna be hot and dirty. That gives a whole new meaning to dry farming.   Sorry, I couldn’t help it.  When you rip the control top off the Gamba and pop the cork you’ll receive a century’s worth of flavors such as cherry, raspberry, blueberry, mocha, blackberry, black cherry, nutmeg, boysenberry, clove, cardamom, toast, and allspice. Now that’s complexity. If you dig super premium old vine Zinfandel you’d be senile to miss this one. Especially since the winery sells it for $45. That’s just a good old fashioned great deal. We’ve been drinking this wine with friends and customers and everyone loves it and can’t believe it’s only $36. Seriously and honestly, Zinfandel just doesn’t get any better than this. The 2009 is one of Gamba’s best wines ever.

2007 VALANCE, Cabernet Sauvignon, (Howell Mountain), Napa Valley–$75.00

Not too many people know about this rare and awesome mountain Cabernet. Howell Mountain doesn’t appear on the label because Michael Raymor’s vineyard is 800 feet up the mountain, not quite high enough to print it on the tag even though it is obviously on Howell Mountain. Fortunately Michael is high enough and the vineyard is far enough up the hill to make beautiful Cabernet that showcases all the qualities of the famous appellation.  This perfectly balanced wine has flavors of lush red fruit, black cherry, earthy loam, and lightly toasted oak. Less than a hundred cases are produced each year from this 3 acre vineyard that’s nestled into a corner of the well known Herb Lamb Vineyard. Valance will age gracefully for many years while it also drinks beautifully in its youth. This is one of my favorite Cabernets from Howell Mountain and I seriously recommend that you check it out. It could easily become one of your favorites too. Their warning label used to read “may increase risk of pregnancy” before the winery was officially bonded. $75 is a sweet price considering the winery sells it for $90. And remember, I’ll store it for you until it’s nice and cool this fall.

2007 JEMROSE, Syrah, Cardiac Hill Vineyard, Bennett Valley, Sonoma County–$38.00

This is probably the best new Syrah that I’ve tasted in the last six months or more and I’m being as serious as a heart attack. Remember how red wine is good for your cardiovascular health? This wine is really good for you….especially if you pair it with a braised lamb shank or a big ole’ greasy bone in rib eye. And speaking of a big ole’ greasy bone in, I’ve found that this very masculine Syrah also appeals to most women. There’s nothing like some really great Syrah to help clean out the pipes. It’s made by Michael Browne of Kosta Browne fame and a mere 550 cases were produced from this very steep hillside vineyard (thus the name) in Bennett Valley. The wine is a beautiful hue of dark purple with a nose of blackberry, grilled meat, and perfumed violet. The palate is explosive and fulfilling, reminiscent of a Cote-Rotie with flavors of earthy spice, dark fleshy fruit, pencil lead, and minerality. In a world where it seems no one really gives a rat’s ass about Syrah, this is one wine you should get hip to.

2007 RICHARD GRANT, Wrotham Clone, Pinot Noir, Napa Valley–$27.00

Richard Grant Peterson, PhD is one of the coolest, most knowledgeable, and experienced people I’ve ever met in the wine business. He’s been making wine for over sixty years, working as winemaker and/or president for BV, The Monterey Vineyard, Atlas Peak, and chairman of Folie a Deux. He designed the steel barrel palate used by almost every winery in the world today, designed and oversaw the digging and construction of a 40,000 square foot cave, developed 450 acres of Sangiovese for Atlas Peak, and fathered one Heidi Peterson (Barrett). Basically, he is the MAN. Then in 1980 he imported the Wrotham Clone to the U.S. from England where it had been growing for over 2000 years, from when the Romans brought it to the island. Over the last 2000 years the vine mutated to where it is completely resistant to powdery mildew, therefore never needing to be sprayed with sulfur. That, combined with the absence of pesticides or herbicides, creates a completely organic environment for the only two acre vineyard of Wrotham Pinot in the U.S.  It is unlike any other domestic Pinot with wonderfully unique flavors of cardamom, cherry, and spice. It truly pairs with many foods and is more Burgundian than almost any other Pinot noir in the country. This is one of those rare treats that very rarely comes around and makes me feel good about sitting in a retail wine store for 22 years of my life.

2004 RICHARD GRANT, Wrotham Clone, Blanc de Noir, Napa Valley Sparkling Wine–$36.00

You should really get on Richard’s website to read all about this because there’s just too much great stuff behind this story for me to fit into this review. Now, let me be clear, you should still buy it from me, m’kay? This beautiful rose bubbly just puts the hurt on other California sparkling wines. The color is a beautiful pink-salmon-peach and the bubbles are ultra-fine, unlike most of the frog-eyed California sparklers. On the palate, it’s bright and fuzzy with flavors of citrus, kiwi, strawberry, and bright green apple. If you drink domestic sparkling wine you’ll be doing yourself a disservice by not getting some of this kick ass wine in your flute.                      Let’s review:  Like Richard Peterson says,

“It took an army and 2000 years to create these wines.” The Wrotham Clone was found growing along a stone wall in the town of Wrotham, England and that ONE vine was probably 200 years old in 1950. The odds of these wines even existing is microscopically minimal, and the fact that you can get some of this ultra rare and incredibly fine juice is a small miracle granted by God Himself, the Romans, and legendary wine prophet Richard Grant Peterson.

FEATURED WHITE WINES

2009 DR. H. THANISCH, Berncasteler Doctor, Riesling Kabinett, Mosel–$41.00 If you want the some of the finest Riesling on the planet you should check this out. For those of you that are connoisseurs of the varietal, you probably know this wine.  And, if you don’t usually drink Riesling, there is no way you could not love this wine. This tiny 8.1 acre vineyard above the town of Berncastel is considered one of the Grand Cru vineyards of Germany. It is on an extremely steep, southwest facing slope that gets a direct shot of afternoon sun which produces super intensely flavored grapes. How the vineyard got its name, “Berncasteler Doctor”, is a great story. In the mid thirteen hundreds the Archbishop of Trier, Bishop Boemond II, fell deathly ill, which at that time could be a major concern considering the black plague had just torn up Europe a few years before. He drank wine from this vineyard and was miraculously healed. He named it and proclaimed it the Berncasteler Doctor.  You too can heal what ails you and enjoy beautiful flavors of pear, peach, mango, apricot, honeydew melon, and slate.  This wine will pair perfectly with Thai food, authentic Indian cuisine, almost anything spicy, and is a beautiful wine to have for breakfast.

2010 JERICHO CANYON, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley–$27.50 Yet another amazing wine made by Robbie Meyer! It is definitely Sauvignon Blanc season, and if you want one of the finest SB’s in the land to help chill out your sweltering summer, here it is. Half of this wine was fermented in French oak barrels with the other half being fermented in stainless steel. The result is gorgeous and juicy wine with bright flavors of tropical citrus, pineapple, wet stone, papaya, and lime. When you drink this by the pool you’ll wanna trade in those old swimming trunks for a brand new Speedo because this stuff is downright sexy and built to please. It’ll have the guys doing the helicopter while the ladies will be flossin’ the Clausen while floating and sunning the sweater cows.

2009 CARTHA, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast–$22.50 Here’s a no BS project from a couple guys who have set out to make incredible wines at incredibly reasonable prices. Winemaker John Raytek of Copain and vineyard manager Glen Alexander became annoyed by individuals and wineries buying bulk juice, slapping it in a bottle with a pretty label, and calling it their own while charging a pretty penny for it. This Chardonnay is from organic vineyards in the Sonoma Coast appellation, fermented, barreled, and bottled buy these dudes, using techniques that produce much more expensive wines. I don’t know the technical details although I’m pretty sure it was aged on the lees with some stirring and probably bottled unfiltered. It has great flavors of bright pear, lychee, and baked apple. The palate is thick and satisfying while retaining great structure and bright acidity. It tastes like it should be $40 and is the best deal I’ve tasted on a Chard in this style in quite a while.

2010 PICAYUNE, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley–$21.50 Don’t worry, this wine wasn’t born in the rain on the Ponchartrain. But, if you live down in the hot, sweaty South, y’alls might want some of this great SB. And if you don’t ice it down and drink it this summer, it makes a perfect wine for the duck blind. It was made by two real cute girls, Jennifer and Claire, who are both married to well known winemakers from Spottswoode and Arnot-Roberts. This wine is slightly kinky and had a three way during fermentation.  It was fermented in stainless steel barrels, cement egg, and neutral French oak barrels.  The combination of these three fermenting environments gives a beautiful texture to the wine while preserving the natural, brilliant acidity. With less (barely any) oak influence than the Jericho Canyon, this baby screams on the palate with racy flavors of lemon zest, crisp pear, minerality, and white peach.  It’s currently the favorite SB among my posse of picky and highly opinionated tasting associates from various wineries and distribution companies.  I promise you’re gonna love this stuff.

If everything works right, we should have some fairly entertaining podcasts online in a few weeks for your listening pleasure. Check our website for those.  I hope you’re all having a great summer.  Now, call me and order some wine.

Thanks a whole bunch.

HERE’S A FEW FOREMENTIONED WINES FROM LAST MONTH SINCE A LOT OF YOU WERE SNOOZING.

1.)  2008 COHO, Headwaters, Napa Valley Red Wine–$39.00 Cab, merlot, and cab franc. This wine is stunning, and although it hasn’t received press yet, it’s as good or better than the highly rated 2007. Complex, smooth, and rich.
2.)  2007 (Philip Togni) Tanbark Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mtn., Napa Valley–$37.00 Sofa-king great. I’m still searching for a better Cabernet under $40 and there just aren’t any that are better than this. Tastes like $90.
3.)  2005 SAGE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley-$38.00 Down from $65, it’s a real sweet deal.
This is not the “Veedercrest” blend, this is their straight cabernet sauvignon….bigger, badder, darker, & at a great price.
4.)  2008 CRISTOM, Syrah, Eola Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon–$28.00 How can 2000 people say “no” to one of the best syrahs in America? Get some of this so you don’t have to have cabernet with your lamb chops.
5.)  2007 PARADIGM, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley–$56.00 Here’s the brand spankin’ new release of one of the best deals from Napa. While it might not be $20, this estate cabernet effortlessly hangs with the big ticket wines from Napa.  2007 is one of their best, drinks great now, and will develop for many years to come.
6.)  2005 PARADOR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Hossfeld Vineyard, Napa Valley–$50.00 This baby used to be $75.  It’s one of the most distinctive single vineyard cabs from Napa. The vineyard is on the lower reaches of Atlas Peak giving this wine mountain terroir with silky elegance and lots of subtle nuances. Very age-worthy or delicious today.
7.)  2007 KNIGHTS BRIDGE, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley–$81.00 I’m on my last case and figured I’d blow it out for $81.  A great cabernet from a 17 year old vineyard next to Peter Michael Winery. Very kick ass wine.
8.)  2009 PEAY, Estate Pinot Noir, Pomarium, Sonoma Coast–$52.00 This wine is probably the best Pinot that Peay has made so far. The vineyard is just four miles from the Pacific and produces bright, elegant, pure, and delicious pinot.
9.)  2009 CHEHALEM, 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon–$23.00 This is one of Oregon’s best deals on high-grade pinot. I was amazed when I tasted this stuff, especially with the price. Big mouthfeel, thick texture, big flavors of cherry, strawberry, clove, and spice. All this for under $25. That makes getting drunk tasty and affordable.
10.)  2009 STRAIGHT LINE, Syrah, Santa Barbara County–$23.00 Yet another wine that thoroughly impresses for a sweet price. Made by John Grant of Turley Cellars and Coulior Wines, this is great syrah that won’t set you back. You’ll be thrilled with its big presence on the palate, the earthy fruit, and the varietal correctness. Plus, when you want wine to truly compliment your food, you might not want cabernet sauvignon……unless you eat steak every night.

FEATURED RED WINES

2008 HEDGES Family Estate, “Red Mountain”–$23.50  (a blend of cab sauv, merlot, syrah, cab franc, & malbec)
We sold a shitload of the 2007 Hedges Red Mountain, and I was hoping the 2008 would be as good.  I am happy to report that this wine is every bit as good as the 2007 and will continue to develop for years to come. You can drink this stuff right now if you’re impatient and in need of instant gratification. But, if you stick this wine in your cold, dark basement for a few months, it’ll probably get Stockholm syndrome and love you more than anything.  Like a hostage in your cellar, the Hedges will show kindness and love for you in exchange for not killing it. As time goes on, it will even defend you against more expensive, less satisfying hostages in your basement.  This complex blend is entirely estate grown on Red Mountain and very expressive of the most up-and-coming appellation in the country. Minerally black fruit is complimented by subtle oak, ripe cherry, and black tobacco. If you are truly a kind captor or want to appear as one, take a bunch of these bottles hostage so they can keep each other company as you kill them one by one. I love going into my cellar and screaming, “I’M GONNA TEAR YOUR SCALP OFF AND RIP YOUR F-ING CORK OUT. WHO WANTS TO DIE?!!”  Call me crazy or unsympathetic, but I know a good hostage when I taste one.

2007 DESANTE, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville Terraces, Oakville, Napa Valley–$65.00
The grapes for this wine came from the masterfully farmed Tierra Roja vineyard on the eastern slopes of Oakville. The hillside is steep and well drained, the soil is red and rocky, and the fruit is magnificent. And leave it up to Dave DeSante not to screw things up. David doesn’t nail the maid, he doesn’t have “goddesses”, and he doesn’t even take hostages. He’s the straightest shooting, nicest, most honest dude in the Valley. Those are good reasons to buy this wine, but the real reason is because the wine is super bad-ass.  Not bad (awful) ass like Arnie’s maid but super killer hillside Oakville cabernet.  It’s so good and satisfying that you won’t feel the need to lie, cheat, steal, or do anything bad.  This wine will actually make you a better person. It’s silky, thick, mouth-filling, smooth, and full. Classic cabernet flavors of blackberry, plum, currant, and spice are elevated with subtle nuances of sweet French oak. The “other wine” from this vineyard sells for $110+ and isn’t one bit better than this. Only 85 cases were produced, so call soon and make yourself a better person.

2009 MASUT Vineyard and Winery, Pinot Noir, Mendocino County–$38.00
Some of my favorite things come from Mendocino County. Like cool ocean breezes, redwood trees, Anderson Valley Brewing Company’s oatmeal stout, the Skunk Train, cripplingly good oregano, and Masut Pinot Noir. This is a wine conceived with epic talent, love, and heritage, sparing no expense for quality. Bobby Fetzer, the Mondavi of Mendocino, sold Fetzer back in 1992 to the wine monster, Brown Forman. Shortly after that he bought 26 acres in western Mendocino and planted three clones of Pinot Noir; 113,115, & 777.  Using organic farming methods, he and his two boys, Ben and Jake, farmed these vines in gravelly & loamy soils just 26 miles in from the Pacific Ocean. In 2006, the boys lost their dad in a river rafting accident. Carrying on the family tradition and the spirit of their dad, the viniferous royal brothers of Mendocino have made one of the best Pinots in California from their 12 year old vineyard.  Super bright cherry, dark strawberry, and spicy earth are complexed with just a kiss of oak and brilliant Mendocino acidity. While you probably haven’t had a bottle of Fetzer Gewürztraminer in a long time, you should check out what the next generation is doing these days.  Only 850 cases were produced, so you probably won’t find it next to the Fetzer.

2007 RITCHIE CREEK, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley–$34.00
This incredible vineyard that you probably don’t know about was planted back in 1967 on St. George rootstock.  The four acres of cabernet produce about 2 ½ tons each which makes roughly 800 cases of deep, dark, heady wine.  This is a piece of Napa’s history and heritage.  The name comes from the creek which originates on the property and eventually collides with the Napa River.  Now, why would you pay a hundred or two hundred bucks for a cabernet from a young vineyard on the Valley floor with some mysteriously large score when you could have the real deal?  That would be like pigging and impregnating your crusty maid and having to pay for the spawn’s everything when you don’t even get to take him fishing or go to a single one of his soccer games…..or like calling your special someone a goddess when they’re really just a crank whore stripper. Seems pointless. That’s why we should all drink some of the truth.  You’ll fall in love with the blackest of black cherry, currant, herb, earth, tobacco, and briar flavors of this wine when you terminate it.  It’ll age for many years in the cellar, and when you check it, you won’t believe you paid less than $35 for it.

2007 LAGIER MEREDITH, Estate Syrah, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley–$43.00
So, ya know how 2007 produced incredibly forward and accessible wines with loads of flavor? Well combine those vintage characteristics with a wine that is always overly structured, mountainous, in need of cellaring, and sometimes nearly austere. The result is this ass-whipping Syrah from the very top of Mount Veeder. If you’re not too much of a pussy, you can probably handle it. If your nick-name is puss-light, flip the page. This 2007 packs a punch of poached black fruits, meaty spice, dried rose petal, and what we call whoop-ass; a combination of fear, copper, and blood.  The 2000 Lagier Meredith syrah is still drinking youthfully, so I know this vintage will go the distance.  I tasted this with sixty other very good wines the other day, and it stood out as the best of the bunch. Impressive! If you’re not too much of a girly-man and want a wine to pump you up, check out this powerhouse syrah from Lagier Meredith.

2007 HENDRY, Estate Zinfandel, Block 28, Napa Valley–$32.00 Start the beats and read it like a rap, yo.
Ya know George Hendry, he’s a real bad ass, he don’t snort nuthin’ and he won’t smoke grass… But when he makes the Zin, you know he’s in it to win it, his wine can wreck you in a fraction of a minute.…Cuz it’s got 15.3 if you know what I mean, at thirty two bucks this juice is almost free….When you chuggin’ George’s wine you’ll be chugging it fast, you’ll have a damn good time and prolly’ get some ass….It’s big and bad, it’s freaky and rad, it’s the best dang zin you ever, ever had….Only five years old it’s almost statutory, if you drink it and die you’ll go to purgatory…. Cuz it’s all the way good, and halfway perverted, a pimpin’ good time just can’t be averted….So get out the glasses and get your hands on some asses, you’ll be chuggin’ it back, it’s as thick as molasses…..It’s not the number 7, it’s the big 28, if you ain’t got the ladies then you’re bound to masturbate….But don’t feel bad even if you have to whack it, just buy enough Zin so that you need to stack it….don’t be sad and don’t call your mom, ring me on the telly’ and I’ll send you the bomb.
Seriously though, this is bad-ass zinfandel. It’s estate grown by a genius in the southwest corner of Napa Valley at the base of Mount Veeder, influenced by cool breezes from the San Pablo Bay, and released not a minute too early. It’s drinking great and is sure to age and develop for many years.  Yo, pick up the telly’ and ring my celly.
2007 HENDRY, Zinfandel, Block 7 & 22, Napa Valley–$27.50
Here’s the other side of the penny, and I’m not talking about getting some head or getting some tail. I’m talking about the softer, kinder, gentler Zinfandel from Hendry. More subtle and less assaulting than the Block 28, this wine still packs a punch but won’t give you a bloody nose. Smooth and rich with mild tannins and sophisticated berry nuances.

2004 VINATIERI, Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville Appellation, Napa Valley–$68.00
This wine nails it right through the uprights. What I mean is that this is a real kick to drink, especially on Sundays in the fall. On the odd chance that the NFL is on strike this season, you’ll probably want something to remember it with.  Since there’s not a Roethlisberger Riesling or a Manning Merlot or a Vick Viognier, I figured I’d drop kick you some Vinatieri Cabernet Sauvignon from about a mile south of Yountville. Pat Vinatieri makes this super small production Cabernet from his two acre vineyard. He blends in estate merlot, malbec, petit verdot, and cabernet franc from his super tightly spaced north and south running vines at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains.  At seven years of age, this wine is drinking super silky smooth with luscious red fruit and earthy nuances. This isn’t an idiot drunk kicker’s wine. This is professional grade, ultra high pedigree, precision crafted juice, perfectly cellared and ready to chug.  While Pat doesn’t play pro football, he is Adam Vinatieri’s cousin (the kicker for the Colts).  So if you’re a fan of semi mature Cabernet, the Colts, Vinatieri, the NFL, Yountville, or thick bottles and deep punts, this wine is for you.

2007 DeLILLE CELLARS, Grand Ciel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain–$135.00
Last year this was my best selling high end cabernet. That’s incredible since I’m in Napa, and it’s from Washington. It’s a testament to the unparalleled intensity and quality of this wine. 2007 was a stellar vintage in Washington and this is possibly the best Grand Ciel ever produced. Parker threw it a 94, and if it was from Napa, he probably would’ve added three or four more points. The wine is blackish purple in color. It has a Pinocchio sized nose of blackberry, cassis, bittersweet chocolate, and mint….and that’s no lie. The palate is broad and weighty with flavors of plum, cassis, espresso, and a dope-like herbaceousness.  The 2006 Grand Ciel slaughtered ’07 Napa cabs last year, and this wine will eat and consume those chopped up wines. It’s built to age for a long time, but with a good decanting you can enjoy this monster in the near future. Like I said last year, this is why we drink wine and why we work to make the money to pay for it. This is one of the finest wines ever made on this continent. It will probably be sold out by autumn, so remember, I’ll store it for you and ship it when it’s nice and cool again.

2008 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN, Zinfandel, Mayacamas Range, Napa Valley–$32.00
Maybe you really like Zinfandel but just can’t stand rap. Considering the long track record of Storybook Mountain and the age of their vines and caves, this is classical in many ways.  Jerry Seps has over thirty vintages under his belt, so we can assume he knows how to jam on the zinfandel piano. Even though he lost a finger in the crusher a few years ago, he doesn’t miss a note. This zinfandel is expressive of the great 2008 vintage with firm structure and a bit less jam and fluff than the 2007. It’s got a wallop of flavor and a mean streak up the middle. Flavors of black and red raspberry, spicy blackberry jam, pepper, and blueberry amplify this classically styled zinfandel. You can crank up the volume with a decanting if you need it louder sooner.  As always, it’ll age for a long time and pair with a multitude of foods. The other night we had a wonderful Indian meal with some good friends, and the Storybook zin was phenomenal with their spicy lamb dish.

2009 CORVIDAE, The Keeper, Caberent Franc, Washington–$17.00  (from Owen Roe)
Cabernet franc is a great varietal, especially with food. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be green and under ripe, and more often, it can be just too damn expensive.  This wine is beating all the odds. It’s downright cheap, delicious, plump and ripe, with all the bells and whistles. It’s plush and flavorful with aromas of black tea, blackberry, spice, and herb.  The palate is lush, full bodied, and velvety, with a core of solid fruit that dishes up the flavor like wines that are way, way, more expensive.  Like it says on the label, this wine is a keeper. Keep it in your cellar, keep it in your kitchen, keep it under your bed, and keep it in your mouth. But most importantly keep it in your heart.

FEATURED WHITE WINES

2010 VOGELZANG, Sauvignon Blanc, Birdsong Vineyard, Happy Canyon, Santa Ynez Valley–$16.50
This bitchin’ sauvignon blanc is made by Robbie Meyer of the Pierson Meyer team who also made the Sage wines.  Volgelzang also makes a sauvignon blanc that sells for $28, and I think they may have made a marketing error somewhere along the way. This wine is as good as their expensive stuff and almost half the price. It has gorgeous fruit that is classily complimented with a touch of barrel aging, which rounds out the brilliant tropical fruit and takes the finish to the next level. I was thoroughly impressed with this wine and even more thrilled by the sweet price.

2009 JEMROSE, Viognier, Egret Pond Vineyard, Bennett Valley, Sonoma County—$32.00
So let’s say you really like viognier, but are somewhat underwhelmed with what’s available. It can be as discouraging as trying to buy high grade weed in a rural town in Iowa. Well, I just scored the mother load of the best new viognier in the country. From Bennett Valley in Sonoma, this is a beautifully crafted wine, giving up flavors of pear, honeydew, mineral, white peach, and spice.  It’ll make you say something like, “Wow, this stuff is really good, Rick actually knows what he’s talking about,” or “Holy crap, that idiot was right!”  Whatever your opinion, you’ll be bordering on idiocy if you need high grade summer white, and don’t hook up with this ultra kind, one of a kind, blow your mind viognier.

2009 LETO, Chardonnay, Old Vine, Varozza Vineyard, St. Helena–$25.00
So many chardonnays are just too predictable these days. They’re either big, buttery, and oaky, or lean and crisp. Some winemakers are making chards with no oak at all, which is usually kind of boring. And rarely, do we see chardonnay from older vineyards. And if, by chance, there is an old vine chard, it’s usually pretty expensive. This wine has so many rare attributes with one of its best qualities being the sweet price. It’s from a forty year old vineyard in St. Helena that only gives up about two tons per acre. That means that the fruit is bright, intense, focused, and flinty. It’s made by the nicest guy in the Valley, Dave DeSante, and the production is a mere 125 cases, making this a rare and unique treat. It’s aged in two year old oak, so the fruit shines through like bottled sunshine. It’s the ultimate summertime refresher, and at $25 you can refresh over and over again without worrying about how expensive gasoline is gonna be in August. The beautiful structure, depth, and bright flavors make this a great food wine, able to pair with a magnitude of dishes such as fish tacos, grilled pork, barbecued chicken, Asian persuasions, and salads. You can drink it before dinner, too.

2009 SANS LIEGE, Coates du Coast, Paso Robles–$22.00  (43% Viognier, 39% Rousanne, 18% Marsanne)
Personally, I love this stuff. It’s one of my favorite white wines in California, and last year, I almost needed therapy when it sold out. It’s a great alternative to the norm and over-satisfies in many ways. Plus, it compliments a wide variety of foods and appeals to almost everyone.  It’s uber-bright even though it went through full malo-lactic fermentation. The palate is full and intricate with an oily middle and a multitude of flavors that’ll keep you coming back to the glass for more. It has flavors of orange blossom, kiwi, spiced nuts, and minerality, all kissed with just a touch of French oak. Put down the chard and live outside of the box. You know…..variety. It’s the spice of life.