Winemaker Notes
This Cabernet is set each vintage as a Bordeaux blend, with soft and silky tannins and a plush, full mouth-feel setting it up for immediate enjoyment, although it's built to age and develop further complexity. Aromas of dried herbs, cedar, clove and lavender join flavors of dark red fruit led by figs, black cherry, currants, boysenberry, huckleberry, raspberry, and evident oak spice are joined with more traditional Knights Valley tones of black olive, wild sage and mocha chocolate. Fine acidity and balance with an elegant structure lead to a lingering, memorable finish.
About Winery
No winery or vineyard more thoroughly embodies the timeless appeal and seductive flavor of Napa Valley than Beringer Vineyards, Napa's benchmark producer since the establishment of the vineyard in 1876.
Now in its third century of crafting classic wines from Napa's finest appellations and vineyards, Beringer today is guided by the inspired partnership of celebrated Winemaster Emeritus Ed Sbragia and Winemaker Laurie Hook. Together, they craft Napa Valley wines that speak eloquently of the rich heritage of the Beringer Vineyard, while offering cutting-edge quality and contemporary elegance. The exquisite wines crafted at the Beringer Vineyards display a single minded dedication and pursuit of excellence instilled by its founder, Jacob Beringer.
Winemaker Notes
"Savory varietal notes of Cabernet Sauvignon are layered with the dark fruit character of Petite Sirah. The bouquet of cocoa powder, caramel, and anise works in harmony with the black cherry fruit signature of this wine. Bright and focused on the palate, with a firm and appetizing finish."
Serve with Santa Maria-style grilled tri-tip seasoned with a simple garlic, salt, and pepper rub, along with grilled French bread, fresh salsa, and stewed pinquito beans for a classic coastal California feast.
THE J LOHR STORY
Fifty years ago, Jerry Lohr embarked on a career change. What followed would reshape the landscape of the California wine industry and create one of the country’s most popular wine brands.
In the late 1960s, Jerry Lohr began an extensive investigation of California grape growing regions – searching for the ideal location for his first vineyard. Jerry was raised on a South Dakota farm; his agricultural roots armed him with an innate sense for the relationship between climate, soil, and location. His research and instincts led him to the Central Coast, an area just beginning to explore its potential for winegrowing.
Four decades ago, the California Central Coast had not yet emerged as one of North America’s world-class winegrowing regions. With little history or viticultural precedent, planting on the Central Coast was a gamble. One of a handful of early pioneers, Jerry Lohr was among the first to realize the inherent potential of Monterey and Paso Robles for producing high quality grapes and superb wines.
PIONEERING MONTEREY AND PASO ROBLES -JERRY LOHR LEGACY-It’s no coincidence that the Central Coast’s emergence as a world class winegrowing region runs parallel with the establishment and growth of J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery. Founder Jerry Lohr is one of the region’s pioneers and has played a larger-than-life role in bringing the area to prominence.
Jerry’s instincts led him to two regions located about 75 miles apart. In the early 1970s, he chose Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco district for its cool, windy climate and rocky soils as ideal for Chardonnay. In the 1980s, he recognized the potential of Paso Robles for growing Bordeaux varietals, especially Cabernet Sauvignon – given the area’s rich soils and dramatic diurnal temperature swings between warm days and cool nights.
After Jerry Lohr’s nearly decade-long search for the right place to plant his first vineyard, he chose a site in Monterey County that was to become the heart of the Arroyo Seco appellation. Jerry originally planted 280 acres in 1972 and 1973 near Greenfield. Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco appellation has proved ideal for growing layered, complex Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Brisk winds and fog off Monterey Bay, stony, well-drained soils, and a lack of damaging fall rains all combine to produce grapes with trademark fruit intensity and balancing acidity. In 1974, Jerry unveiled the first J. Lohr winery in San Jose.
In the early 1980s, Jerry Lohr saw the potential for great Cabernet Sauvignon further south. Borrowing a lesson from the French—that great Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon excel in very different growing conditions—Jerry began planting Cabernet Sauvignon and other red varieties in San Luis Obispo County’s little-known Paso Robles region in 1986. With the hands-on devotion of an artisan farmer, Jerry tended to the vines while diligently working toward the creation and development of an adjacent winery and barreling cellars; J. Lohr’s Paso Robles production facility was opened in 1988.
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About Winery
Domaine Éric Forest is a small, family-run winery in Vergisson, Burgundy, rooted in eight generations of winemaking tradition and known for its meticulous, biodynamic approach.
Eric Forest inherited his vineyards—planted between 1930 and 1979—from his family in Vergisson, a village in the Mâconnais region of Burgundy. Deeply influenced by his grandfather’s knowledge of nature and biodynamics, Forest emphasizes manual vineyard work, careful pruning for ventilation, and minimal use of chemicals to preserve the health of the vines. He trained under Jean-Marie Guffens, a renowned local winemaker, before establishing his own domaine in the early 2000s. Today, he cultivates about six hectares of old vines on limestone-rich soils, producing acclaimed Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, and Mâcon-Vergisson wines. His philosophy centers on precision, terroir expression, and sustainability: grapes are hand-harvested, fermented, and aged for 10–15 months in oak barrels, then bottled by hand, often unfiltered. This artisanal approach has earned him recognition as one of the leading vignerons in Vergisson, with wines celebrated for their minerality, energy, and authenticity.
Winemaker Notes
The 2017 Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River Stones Malbec is floral, exuberant, lengthy smooth tannins, metallic. Malbec is the ideal partner to a grilled meat dish or platter.
About Winery
Bodega Catena Zapata is one of Argentina's high-altitude Malbec pioneers. The Catena family began making wine in Mendoza in 1902. Nicolas Catena, third generation family vintner, was one of the first to see the potential of Mendoza's mountain vineyards for producing high quality Malbec. In 1994, he became the first Argentine to export a world-class bottling of Malbec under the Catena label. Nicolas is joined by his daughter, Dr. Laura Catena, in their relentless pursuit of world-class quality from the family's high-altitude vineyards. Laura has done extensive work in introducing Malbec and other varietal plant selections, soil and climate analysis, and sustainable practices throughout Mendoza. Head winemaker, Alejandro Vigil, has been at Catena Zapata since 2002 and works with Laura and Nicolas to make wines that express the family's vineyards and palate.
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2017 | V 93
It features notes of red fruit, raspberry, and licorice, offering a soft, polished texture with good, refreshing acidity. It is a strong, medium-bodied option from the 2017 vintage
2018 | JD 93
Deep garnet-purple with a bouquet of blueberries, cooked plums, forest floor, balsamic, and crushed rocks.
2019 | V 94
Complex and rich, featuring black fruits, smoke, and fine tannins.
2020 | V 94
The 2020 vintage (a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec) shows intense, dark ruby color with notes of baked blackberries, plum preserves, truffles, and iron ore. It is characterized as a "savory and classic" Pomerol with fine, structural tannins and a long, energetic finish.
2021 | V 93
Savory, classic, and elegant, with a delicate nature typical of the 2021, according to analysis.
About Winery
Clos René is an established Pomerol estate with roots tracing back to the mid-18th century, known as "Reney" at its inception. The estate is co-owned by the Garde and Lasserre families, with Jean-Marie Garde managing operations. The winery is particularly notable for its relatively late adoption of bottling wines at the estate, a practice that was common among Pomerol producers until the late 1970s.
Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Insignia opens with beautifully perfumed floral, dark fruit, anise and cigar box aromatics. A wine of depth, elegance and finesse, the palate is fresh and focused with creamy texture and layers of blackberry, mocha and black cherry. The seamless tannin structure and balance culminate in an uplifting, lengthy finish.
About Winery
Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned and operated wine estate with vineyards and wineries in Napa Valley and on the western Sonoma Coast. The winery was founded in 1973 by Joseph Phelps, a successful construction executive and entrepreneur whose early interest in wine led him to establish vineyards on a 670-acre former cattle ranch in Napa Valley. Over the next 42 years Joe became one of the most respected figures in the California wine industry, building Joseph Phelps Vineyards into a critically-acclaimed winery internationally known for its iconic wines and unwavering commitment to quality.
Joe’s son, Bill Phelps, joined the family business in 1998 after a successful career in law, and as Executive Chairman now oversees Joseph Phelps Vineyards with a continued dedication to excellence.
Family owns and farms 425 acres of vines in Napa Valley on nine estate vineyards in St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, Stags Leap District, Oak Knoll District, South Napa and Carneros, as well as 100 acres over two vineyards on the western Sonoma Coast. Strategically chosen over many decades, each vineyard has its own personality and brings a different characteristic to our wines. Our commitment to an estate-based model is our way of ensuring consistency and the highest quality we can possibly achieve. Our estate vineyards, paired with select long-term grower relationships, give our winemaking teams unparalleled depth and diversity when it comes to producing Joseph Phelps wines.
Winemaker Notes
The 2019 Valserrano Reserva red wine has an intense and elegant aroma with hints of ripe red fruit, mineral notes, and toasted oak. On the palate, it is potent and appetizing, offering flavors of red fruits and toasted notes with a balanced oak influence. Made primarily from Tempranillo and Graciano grapes from the Rioja Alavesa region, the wine is characterized by its good structure and intense color, reflecting the "Excellent" 2019 vintage in Rioja.
About Winery
Valserrano, also known as Viñedos y Bodegas de la Marquesa, is a family-owned winery with a long history in Rioja Alavesa. Founded in 1880, it has been continuously managed by the same family for five generations. The winery's roots trace back to Francisco Javier Solano y Eulate, Marqués de la Solana, who, inspired by French winemaking techniques, began producing Médoc-style wines in the late 19th century. Today, Juan Pablo de Simón, his great-grandson, leads the winery, and his children are actively involved in the business.
2018 | V 98
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve is fabulous. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2018 is a fine addition to the lineage of one of Napa Valley's most historic wines. Inky red fruit, chocolate, leather and licorice all open in the glass. Aeration brings out floral top notes, raspberry and a hint of blood orange. There is plenty of depth, but the tannins are finer than they were a few years ago. Shorter time on the skins and a reduction in barrel fermentations really allow the pedigree of these Rutherford sites to come through. The 2018 is sensational.
About Winery
For more than 100 years, Beaulieu Vineyard has been setting the standard for rich, classic Napa Valley wines. Our legacy honors the marriage between state-of-the-art technology and gentle, traditional winemaking methods, a combination that enhances the expression of our remarkable vineyard terroir. From Calistoga in the north, to Carneros in the south, our Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Valley wines reflect this region's diverse terroir with classic varietal character.
Tasting Notes
The 1983 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is remembered as a surprisingly successful wine from a challenging vintage, showing sweet cherry fruit, cedar, tobacco, vanilla, and anise, with balanced tannins and a long finish when well-stored, though bottles today are highly variable depending on format and provenance.
About Winery
Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned and operated wine estate with vineyards and wineries in Napa Valley and on the western Sonoma Coast. The winery was founded in 1973 by Joseph Phelps, a successful construction executive and entrepreneur whose early interest in wine led him to establish vineyards on a 670-acre former cattle ranch in Napa Valley. Over the next 42 years Joe became one of the most respected figures in the California wine industry, building Joseph Phelps Vineyards into a critically-acclaimed winery internationally known for its iconic wines and unwavering commitment to quality.
Joe’s son, Bill Phelps, joined the family business in 1998 after a successful career in law, and as Executive Chairman now oversees Joseph Phelps Vineyards with a continued dedication to excellence.
Family owns and farms 425 acres of vines in Napa Valley on nine estate vineyards in St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, Stags Leap District, Oak Knoll District, South Napa and Carneros, as well as 100 acres over two vineyards on the western Sonoma Coast. Strategically chosen over many decades, each vineyard has its own personality and brings a different characteristic to our wines. Our commitment to an estate-based model is our way of ensuring consistency and the highest quality we can possibly achieve. Our estate vineyards, paired with select long-term grower relationships, give our winemaking teams unparalleled depth and diversity when it comes to producing Joseph Phelps wines.
Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Cypress Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon features a deep red color, with aromas of black plum and dark chocolate. The palate is medium in weight with a juicy and soft finish. Serious enough for the connoisseur and friendly enough for the casual wine drinker, this wine will pair well with a range of dining options, from marinated beef kabobs to pasta. Enjoy in its youth, or cellar for up to three years for added complexity
THE J LOHR STORY
Fifty years ago, Jerry Lohr embarked on a career change. What followed would reshape the landscape of the California wine industry and create one of the country’s most popular wine brands.
In the late 1960s, Jerry Lohr began an extensive investigation of California grape growing regions – searching for the ideal location for his first vineyard. Jerry was raised on a South Dakota farm; his agricultural roots armed him with an innate sense for the relationship between climate, soil, and location. His research and instincts led him to the Central Coast, an area just beginning to explore its potential for winegrowing.
Four decades ago, the California Central Coast had not yet emerged as one of North America’s world-class winegrowing regions. With little history or viticultural precedent, planting on the Central Coast was a gamble. One of a handful of early pioneers, Jerry Lohr was among the first to realize the inherent potential of Monterey and Paso Robles for producing high quality grapes and superb wines.
PIONEERING MONTEREY AND PASO ROBLES -JERRY LOHR LEGACY-It’s no coincidence that the Central Coast’s emergence as a world class winegrowing region runs parallel with the establishment and growth of J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery. Founder Jerry Lohr is one of the region’s pioneers and has played a larger-than-life role in bringing the area to prominence.
Jerry’s instincts led him to two regions located about 75 miles apart. In the early 1970s, he chose Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco district for its cool, windy climate and rocky soils as ideal for Chardonnay. In the 1980s, he recognized the potential of Paso Robles for growing Bordeaux varietals, especially Cabernet Sauvignon – given the area’s rich soils and dramatic diurnal temperature swings between warm days and cool nights.
After Jerry Lohr’s nearly decade-long search for the right place to plant his first vineyard, he chose a site in Monterey County that was to become the heart of the Arroyo Seco appellation. Jerry originally planted 280 acres in 1972 and 1973 near Greenfield. Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco appellation has proved ideal for growing layered, complex Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Brisk winds and fog off Monterey Bay, stony, well-drained soils, and a lack of damaging fall rains all combine to produce grapes with trademark fruit intensity and balancing acidity. In 1974, Jerry unveiled the first J. Lohr winery in San Jose.
In the early 1980s, Jerry Lohr saw the potential for great Cabernet Sauvignon further south. Borrowing a lesson from the French—that great Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon excel in very different growing conditions—Jerry began planting Cabernet Sauvignon and other red varieties in San Luis Obispo County’s little-known Paso Robles region in 1986. With the hands-on devotion of an artisan farmer, Jerry tended to the vines while diligently working toward the creation and development of an adjacent winery and barreling cellars; J. Lohr’s Paso Robles production facility was opened in 1988.
Winemaker Notes
The 2020 Mayacamas Merlot offers a pure, serious expression of Merlot with lifted aromatics of violet and cacao leading to a palate of raspberry, plum, and wild blueberry, complemented by savory notes of dried tobacco, thyme, and graphite. The wine is characterized by a full-bodied frame, bright acidity, fine-grained tannins, and a long, persistent finish of berry fruit, cedar, and black tea. This energetic, structured wine, blended with 25% Cabernet Franc, has excellent concentration and can be held for several years to further develop its complexity.
About Winery
Mayacamas Vineyards was founded as Fisher & Sons in 1889 by German immigrant John Henry Fisher, who built the winery on Mount Veeder in Napa Valley. After the devastating 1906 earthquake, the winery was sold at auction and fell into disrepair for several years. In 1941, Jack and Mary Taylor purchased the property, renamed it Mayacamas, and established the winery's classic label and iconography. Ownership changed again in 1968 to Robert and Elinor Travers, followed by a partnership between Charles and Ali Banks and Jay and Joey Schottenstein in 2013, who have worked to restore the estate while upholding its traditional methods.
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About Winery
Domaine Coche-Dury, based in Meursault, Burgundy, is one of the most revered producers of white Burgundy. The estate was founded in the 1920s by Léon Coche, who purchased vineyard plots and initially sold grapes to négociants while bottling a small amount himself. In 1964, his son Georges Coche took over his share of the vineyards, expanding holdings and strengthening the domaine. Georges’s son Jean-François Coche assumed control in 1973, and with his wife (whose surname, Dury, was added to the domaine’s name), he transformed Coche-Dury into a cult estate. Known for meticulous vineyard work, low yields, and precise winemaking, Jean-François elevated the domaine’s reputation to global acclaim, especially for its Chardonnay from Meursault, Corton-Charlemagne, and other Côte de Beaune sites. In 1999, the domaine suffered a notable setback when a helicopter crash damaged part of its Corton-Charlemagne vines, but it continued to thrive. Today, Jean-François’s son Raphaël Coche has joined the estate, ensuring continuity of its legendary style and status as one of Burgundy’s most sought-after producers.
