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Shawn Reynolds
2007 Chappellet Mt. Cuvee (Napa)
2007 Chappellet Mt. Cuvee (Napa) 21.99
The folks at Chappellet are famous for delivering quality wines at great prices and their 2007 Mountain Cuvee is one of California’s biggest steals. A blend of 51% Cab, 46% Merlot, rounded out with Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, this wine brims with complex and vivid fruit flavors…plum, fig, and cherry cola with a lingering strawberry essence on the finish. Wine Spectator’s Tim Fish calls the Cuvee “rich and seamlessly mouthfilling, yet complex and beautifully structured.” We all love this wine.
92 Points, Shawn Reynolds
Staff Selection, July 2010
Additional Staff Scores: 91+RB, 90 RAS, 90SR
2008 Ferrari-Carano Siena (Sonoma, California)
2008 Ferrari-Carano Siena (Sonoma) $16.99
“Ferrari-Carano’s Siena proves a fairly unique turn for an American winery. A blend of 74% Sangiovese and 26% Malbec, Siena represents a nod to Don Carano’s Italian roots. Ribbons of ripe, red fruit and a touch of caramel ascend from the glass. Fleshy, crimson juices carry through to the palate, beginning as cherry or strawberry, but soon the distinct zest of fresh raspberries takes over. Grip is light, with tannins playing but a supporting role. As the Siena blooms, it becomes juicier and semi-sweet, fruit thundering in almost Zinfandel-like, but without the brambly edge. This blend is an interesting departure from everyday domestic varietals. Lightly chill a bottle for a lazy Sunday on the patio.”
90 Points, Shawn Reynolds
Staff Selection, June 2010
2005 Giadomella Zinfandel (Russian River, California)
2005 Gia Domella Zinfandel (Russian River) $24.99
“Crimson tartrate crystals coat the inside of the cork, lending a sort of Xmas cookie appearance. Like a slowly loping cat, curiosity leads me to lick my finger, dab it on the crystals, and return the finger, replete with its new passengers, to my mouth…nothing. I’m not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t the complete absence of flavor. Disinterested in the sparkly cork I splash some wine into my glass. The nose offers a bushel of fleshy red fruit, spice and rhubarb accompanied by a gentle whiff of alcohol. Ample body and loads of berry on the palate, a pleasant bitter edge balances out near-sweet tropical punch notes. Albeit brief, the finish is smooth and tasty. For those who still enjoy a nice Zinfandel, and I remain in this constituency, this is a really fun wine.”
93 Points, Steve Rayman (B-21’s Director of Wine) & 90 Points Wine Enthusiast
91 Points, Shawn Reynolds
Staff Selection, May 2010
2006 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa, California)
2006 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) $29.99
“I first tasted Sequoia Grove’s 2004 Reserve Cabernet at Mark Stitt’s going away party; a staff favorite that night, it was quick to disappear. Recently I ventured into the winery’s entry level 2006 Cabernet and discovered a subtle yet complex, incredibly smooth and finely-tuned wine. Near-perfect tannins carry intense plum and blackberry, cracked peppercorns and a dash of cinnamon, drifting off into a soft, elegant finish. This well-built Cab slowly unwound over an hour or so, respiring gracefully without becoming at all jammy or syrupy. Sequoia Grove crushes berries from its Rutherford Bench estate vineyards as well as those of highly-regarded Napa growers from St. Helena to Atlas Peak Hills. This union of hand-selected grapes from the reaches of Napa Valley lavishes us with one of the best $30 California Cabs on the market.”
92+ Points, Shawn Reynolds
Staff Selection, April 2010
2007 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
2007 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley (Reg: 19.99 On sale for limited time: $15.99)
Founded in 1875, St. Helena’s Beringer Vineyards is the oldest continuously operating winery in Napa Valley and a member of the National Register for Historic Places. “As you drive over the mountain from St. Helena,” winemaker Laurie Hook begins, “the valley opens up before your eyes and you immediately feel transported to another time, where things are slower and more rustic.” In an effort to preserve the nuances of particular areas of Knights Valley, Hook vinifies and ages each group of berries individually. She then extends the maceration period, providing a lushness on the palate supported by enhanced tannins. This lengthened maceration also accounts for the wine’s insanely deep purple hue and chunky nose of dark fruit and candied apples. Hook ages her wines in French Nevers oak for 13 months before blending with a touch of Merlot and Cab Franc to lift the mid-palate and refine the finish. Her efforts pay off in a flawless Cabernet bursting with dark berries and leather as a touch of smoke gently wafts over the top. The quality of this wine and the fact that we are nearly $6 below the national average makes this incredible California value a no brainer.
90 Points, Shawn Reynolds
Staff Selection, March 2010
2005 Marietta Angeli Cuvee (Alexander Valley, California)
2005 Marietta Angeli Cuvee (Alexander Valley) - 24.99
“A proprietary blend of Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, and Carignane, Marietta’s Angeli Cuvee is a fruit lover’s dream. Out of the bottle it’s nearly pitch black and crazy dense, so much that you might consider eating it with a fork. The Cuvee’s near 16% alcohol content is ideal soul kindling for a chilly February evening. Though not at all sweet, it opens up with a hail of intense fruit. The experience is reminiscent of childhood, tiny fingers stained red from tearing through a bowl of perfectly ripe Bing cherries. Over the course of a couple hours it evolves on the palate, unwinding into one of the juiciest stand-alone reds of recent memory. Absolutely delicious…”
93 Points, Shawn Reynolds
February 2010
2007 Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma)
2007 Louis Martini Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon ($11.99)
A seamless amalgamation of Martini’s various Sonoma vineyards, the 2007 Louis Martini Sonoma Cabernet exemplifies balance and grace. As purple swirled around my glass, ripe, dark berries, fresh asparagus, mint and toasted oak rushed to my nose. On the palate, a mildly tannic, surprisingly complex and balanced Cabernet had the cajones to stand up to wines considerably more expensive. I leaned back into my chair to hear other opinions. Bob jabbed at a broiled crab cake and gruffly muttered the word “pedigree” over and over. I couldn’t agree more. This is another shining example of the stellar 2007 California Cabernets coming down the pike, but with one distinct difference: it’s only $12… We finished the bottle – a rarity at a tasting – and all agreed that this wine is special…the little engine that could. In a world of 90+ Cabernets that start at $25 and accelerate well into the hundreds, this is truly a white tiger. Go ahead and prove us wrong. At this price you can’t afford NOT to.
90+ Points, Shawn Reynolds
January 2010
2005 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Landslide (Alexander Valley, California)
“Founded in 1876 by Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Pietro Simi, the Simi Winery was one of the few in California tenacious enough to survive the suffocating grasp of Prohibition. This well-balanced Cabernet begins its life in Simi’s Landslide Vineyard, the product of a prehistoric volcanic landslide. Visually it’s a deep garnet with a rosy fringe. Rich current and plum notes comingle with cocoa and a touch of mocha. The tannins don’t overpower as it slowly drifts off. Overall this is a very smooth Cabernet that should continue to impress over the next few years.”
2005 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Landslide Alexander Valley ($24.99)
- 91+ Points, Shawn Reynolds, Email: Shawn@b-21.com, Direct #: (727) 722-9108