Future Arrival
2021 Vice Versa, Spinning Plates Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
Vintage production: 1,500 cases
The Cabernet Sauvignons of Vice Versa have become a phenomenon, selling out in just a few... days at release each year. Spinning Plates is a the gateway to these remarkable wines, and is a true modern Napa classic.
Spinning Plates is a masterful blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from some exceptional sites: the Ecotone Vineyard (formerly Abreu's Thorevilos) on the slopes of Howell Mountain above St. Helena, and the Estate Vineyard in the far north of Calistoga. These are combined with Cabernet from a handful of 'top-secret' vineyards that remain a closely guarded secret! A dash of Cabernet Franc comes from the prized vines of the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard.
Each release is wrapped in a stunning, unique label that was specially commissioned by owner Patrice Breton, adding to Vice Versa's striking blend of art and wine. For the 2021, the commission went to Montreal street artist “Tone”. Iinspired by Patrice’s passion for music, modern art, culture, and history, the 2021 label artwork is a retro-modern collage poster.
Napa Cabs of this pedigree for under £150 are like gold dust. Patrice's characteristic, hyper-refined style has garnered multiple 100-point scores to date, and Spinning Plates is an essential for the vintage.
Patrice Breton, Winemaker & Proprietor:
"Our 2021 Spinning Plates offers a stunning bouquet of ripe blue and black berries, graphite, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, and herbs. Complex and concentrated with abundant fine tannins, this full bodied wine showcases extraordinary balance, fine ripe structure, pliancy, and a long mineral and
juicy finish. Delicious."
£970 / Case£161.67 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,183.22 / Case, £197.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2020 Fingers Crossed, Assortment Case 6x75cl
'Head Held High' Case contains: 2x75cl White 2020, 2x75cl Syrah 2020, 2x75cl Grenache 2020
£1,575 / Case£262.50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,909.22 / Case, £318.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2019 OVID, Red Wine, Napa Valley 3x75cl
Blend: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot
Production: 925 cases
OVID is located on the western boundary of Pritchard Hill, a stone’s throw from Colgin IX Estate and Realm’s... Houyi Vineyard. It’s an incredibly consistent site, yet 2019 may be the best yet with their flagship Cabernet Sauvignon-based OVID Napa Valley and Cabernet Franc-dominated Hexameter both hitting the perfect 100 point score with Jeb Dunnuck.
£1,140 / Case£380 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,379.38 / Case, £459.79 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 Myriad, Beckstoffer Georges III ‘Empyrean’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 6x75cl
£1,200 / Case£200 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,463.18 / Case, £243.86 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 Myriad, Beckstoffer Georges III ‘Empyrean’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 1x75cl
£202 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £246.26 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 Myriad, Beckstoffer Georges III ‘Empyrean’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 12x75cl
£2,400 / Case£200 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £2,926.37 / Case, £243.86 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 Myriad, Beckstoffer Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 6x75cl
£1,170 / Case£195 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,427.18 / Case, £237.86 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2019 The Mascot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: 8,000 cases
The Mascot offers a stunning expression of the Harlan Family's entire portfolio of world-class vineyards, in a truly exceptional... vintage. The fruit is hand selected and vinified from the younger vines at Harlan Estate, BOND and Promontory, making The Mascot a sensational glimpse into three of the most revered Estates in the World.
The Mascot began as a personal project by Will Harlan, who persuaded his family to allow him to select barrels of the 'Grand Cru' estates so he could create a wine to share at his own table. The Harlan winemaking team took some convincing at first, but eventually Cory Empting and his crew began to set aside certain barrels an annual basis to produce a special wine, according to Will’s selection.
This intimate bottling has a deliberate identity all of its own, its terroir lying not only in the origins of the fruit, which already has eyepopping pedigree, but also in the careful selection of barrels made by Will, Cory and the Mascot team.
Blended with the same level of precision as the 'Grand Vins', The Mascot is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet expression, giving huge pleasure on release, while built to last.
£858 / Case£143 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,048.82 / Case, £174.80 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2019 Cliff Lede, Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 6x75cl
Blend: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot
Vintage production: 1,471 cases
Cliff Lede's Poetry Vineyard sits in the foothills of the Vaca Mountains in Napa's Stags... Leap District AVA, and this iconic cuvée has been described by Robert Parker as "The quintessential Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon that is Napa Valley’s version of Château Margaux." Having averaged a breath-taking 99 points with Dunnuck and The Wine Advocate since head winemaker Christopher Tynan joined in 2012, it more than deserves this comparison.
Poetry draws its uniqueness from shallow, volcanic soils atop fractured shale. Due to the stressful nature of the site, planted with high vine density and farmed to very low yields, the vines develop slowly and produce small flavourful berries. The vineyard is planted to legendary, proprietary heritage selections of Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2019 stands as one of the finest vintages to date with a perfect 100 points from Lisa Perrotti-Brown (TWA) who describes it as "Finishing epically long and staggeringly gorgeous. WOW!"
£1,485 / Case£247.50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,801.22 / Case, £300.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2019 Dana Estates, VASO Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot, 1% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc
Vintage production: 6647 Cases
VASO is to Dana Estates what The Mascot is to Harlan Estate, BOND and... Promontory. Dana Estates' vineyards are ranked as “Some of the best sites in Napa Valley” by Robert Parker, and VASO is built around the younger vines and hand-picked barrels that really show-off the incredible range of flavours and aromatics at winemaker Chris Cooney’s disposal. Like the single-vineyard Cabs, only the precious free-run juice is used and there is as little intervention as possible by the team, allowing the terroir to shine through.
The core of the VASO 2019 is from the Estate's Hershey Vineyard, just a stone's throw from Abreu's Las Posadas on Howell Mountain, complemented by fruit from their regal Lotus Vineyard – “Their First Growth terroir” (RP) – and historic Helms Vineyard which surrounds the winery in western Rutherford.
The VASO is released with the optimum bottle age so it’s absolutely gorgeous to pop open straight away, while holding plenty of cellaring potential. We cannot recommend this showstopper of a Napa Cab highly enough.
£450 / Case£75 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £563.54 / Case, £93.92 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 Myriad, Beckstoffer Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford 12x75cl
£2,340 / Case£195 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £2,854.37 / Case, £237.86 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2019 Unwritten, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: 136 cases
Unwritten is a true insider's secret, known only to those with an inside track, this gorgeous Cabernet is a unique marriage of Oakville... and Howell Mountain 'Grand Cru' Vineyards.
The inaugural 2014 vintage was an instant sell-out, taking pride of place on the lists of two Napa culinary institutions: The French Laundry, and Press. It has since become one of the hottest tickets in Napa. The fruit for this remarkable Cabernet comes from the historic Lewelling Vineyard in the western foothills of Napa's famed Saint Helena AVA, a stones throw from the Beckstoffer Dr Crane, Spottswoode and Abreu Madrona Ranch vineyards - the A-list neighbourhood.
This is a Cabernet that ticks all the boxes: perfect bottle age from an epic vintage, drinking beautifully now, rare as hen's teeth, poured at one of the greatest 3* restaurants in the world.
Four Corners Wine: "This 100& Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautifully structured and more savoury expression of the flamboyant 2019 vintage. The nose is full of inviting aromas of fresh bay leaves, a hint of star anise, lovely dark berries, framed by a lifted floral note of Spring flowers. There's a fantastic richness on the palate which is wonderfully fresh and energetic. It's the depth and structure of the tannins that really shines here, promising a brilliant evolution. The intense fruit of Oakville is married perfectly to the minerality and vibrancy of Howell Mountain."
£1,740 / Case£145 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £2,133.79 / Case, £177.82 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2019 OVID, Hexameter Red, Napa Valley 3x75cl
Blend: 55% Cabernet Franc, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
Production: 515 cases
OVID is located on the western boundary of Pritchard Hill, a stone’s throw from Colgin IX Estate... and Realm’s Houyi Vineyard. It’s an incredibly consistent site, yet 2019 may be the best yet with their flagship Cabernet Sauvignon-based OVID Napa Valley and Cabernet Franc-dominated Hexameter both hitting the perfect 100 point score with Jeb Dunnuck.
£1,195 / Case£398.33 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,445.38 / Case, £481.79 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2020 My Favorite Neighbor, Cabernet Sauvignon , Central Coast 6x75cl
Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Syrah, 4% Petite Sirah, 4% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot
Vintage production: TBC
Sourced from exceptional vineyard sites around Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and south to... Edna Valley, this wine is cultivated meticulously by the farmers who have become Eric Jensen's Favorite Neighbors. With their dedication to the land, he is able to craft a world class wine without any shortcuts or compromises.
£330 / Case£55 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £418.75 / Case, £69.79 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2014 Scarecrow, M. Etain Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot
Vintage production: 1,500 cases
M. Etain is the uber-rare second wine of Napa legend, Scarecrow, named after the Tin Man character in the Wizard of Oz - the original wooden case even has a metal lid, making M. Etain a real collector's item.
£220 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £267.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 Sine Qua Non, Distenta III Syrah, California 6x75cl
Blend: 81.7% Syrah, 11.3% Grenache, 3.3% Mourvedre, 2.1% Petite Sirah, 0.7% Gelber Muskatelle, 0.9% Petit Manseng
Vintage production: n/a
The brand-new Sine Qua Non Distenta III Syrah and Grenache... 2021s from winemaking legend Manfred Krankl have just been released to great fanfare.
Last year's Distenta II 2020s were lauded by the critics - the Syrah scored 97-99 JD / 99 WA / 97-99 TWI, and the Grenache scored 97-100 JD / 97 WA / 98-100 TWI - and with the early impressions pointing to an amazing vintage in 2021 the numbers are going to be BIG when published later in the year.
Do NOT miss the chance to secure an allocation now, as by the time the reviews are out it'll be too late!
2021 is a fantastic vintage for the Central Coast. Manfred has this to say: “My favorite growing conditions are mild weather, by California standards, with consistent sunshine, but not too much extreme heat. That is what we received in 2021. We have had only one single day where temperatures reached 100° and only at one of our four vineyard sites. As a result, we received fruit and wines that are reminiscent of 2019. Perhaps with slightly more richness, but there is a distinct resemblance. Lots of elegance, lots of character, lots of alertness and a good amount of playful spiciness with many layers and nuances. Nothing boring or predictable.”
Sine Qua Non is famed for the unique names and artwork given to the wines in each vintage. However, in 2019 Manfred chose a new ongoing name for his Estate blends: Distenta, meaning 'unlabelled' in Latin. The 2019s were 'Distenta I', the 2020s were Distenta II, the new 2021s are 'Distenta III', and so on for future releases. He couldn't resist making a new artwork for each label though!
Manfred Krankl:
"Great, great color. Quite dark – no surprise I guess, but still a warm feeling to stare at it. A lot of work…for a long time…to get to appreciate it in a glass. Color is clearly not the most important aspect to the wine – to ANY wine – but it is some indicator of something good. In the nose there are tones of coffee grounds, rhubarb, red plums, toffee, boysenberry, mashed up strawberry skins (a little over the top…I know), cigar-box and even some chalk and dusty cookie crumbs. The mouth, the palate, is super soft, but not flabby, but rather still structured and very fanned out. Sort of like 2019 (if memory serves correctly), but with a touch more sexy flesh. There are plenty of tannins, but they are broad and satiny!!! We also got some mild Asian spices. The wine gets more and more lush the longer it sits in the glass. More palate enveloping too. Yahoo!!!"
£1,500 / Case£250 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,823.04 / Case, £303.84 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 Sine Qua Non, Distenta III Grenache, California 6x75cl
Blend: 79.0% Grenache, 8.4% Syrah, 7.4% Mourvedre, 3.2% Petite Sirah, 0.4% Gelber Muskateller, 1.6% Petit Manseng
Vintage production: n/a
The brand-new Sine Qua Non Distenta III Syrah and Grenache... 2021s from winemaking legend Manfred Krankl have just been released to great fanfare.
Last year's Distenta II 2020s were lauded by the critics - the Syrah scored 97-99 JD / 99 WA / 97-99 TWI, and the Grenache scored 97-100 JD / 97 WA / 98-100 TWI - and with the early impressions pointing to an amazing vintage in 2021 the numbers are going to be BIG when published later in the year.
Do NOT miss the chance to secure an allocation now, as by the time the reviews are out it'll be too late!
2021 is a fantastic vintage for the Central Coast. Manfred has this to say: “My favorite growing conditions are mild weather, by California standards, with consistent sunshine, but not too much extreme heat. That is what we received in 2021. We have had only one single day where temperatures reached 100° and only at one of our four vineyard sites. As a result, we received fruit and wines that are reminiscent of 2019. Perhaps with slightly more richness, but there is a distinct resemblance. Lots of elegance, lots of character, lots of alertness and a good amount of playful spiciness with many layers and nuances. Nothing boring or predictable.”
Sine Qua Non is famed for the unique names and artwork given to the wines in each vintage. However, in 2019 Manfred chose a new ongoing name for his Estate blends: Distenta, meaning 'unlabelled' in Latin. The 2019s were 'Distenta I', the 2020s were Distenta II, the new 2021s are 'Distenta III', and so on for future releases. He couldn't resist making a new artwork for each label though!
Manfred Krankl:
"Truly gorgeous dark burgundy color. A very pretty tone, one that is brilliant and shining. The nose is rich and super vibrant with notes of fresh currants, cranberries, pomegranate juice, freshly picked blackberries, cherries and rose. Also, some dried herbs and light black pepper kernels. The mouth is extremely smooth, yet there is a playful tension, but with a giving and enveloping palate. It is dense, but simultaneously tender on its feet. The tannins are silky and the wine finishes long, long, long and seemingly sweet (not literally) with a pie crust characteristic. The more air the wine gets, the more it opens up with more layers and a very pretty saline ocean air quality and some restrained citrus blossom too. It goes to the edge and then past it. An absolutely gorgeous wine. Just beautiful."
£1,500 / Case£250 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,823.04 / Case, £303.84 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2019 Blankiet Estate, Mythicus Paradise Hills, Napa Valley 3x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: 175 cases
The Mythicvs represents the crème de la crème of the Estate Vineyard, combining a dedicated block of Cabernet just above the winery... with the very best lots from throughout the Estate. It is quite simply the pinnacle of Napa Cabernet, with five perfect 100-point scores in just seven vintages.
As Jeb Dunnuck says of the 2019: “This wine absolutely stopped me in my tracks… it’s a legendary Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon.”
£950 / Case£316.67 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,149.61 / Case, £383.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2016 Blankiet Estate, Mythicus Paradise Hills, Napa Valley 3x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: 148 cases
The Mythicvs represents the crème de la crème of the Estate Vineyard, combining a dedicated block of Cabernet just above the winery... with the very best lots from throughout the Estate. It is quite simply the pinnacle of Napa Cabernet, with five perfect 100-point scores in just seven vintages.
As Antonio Galloni says: "The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mythicus Paradise Hills Vineyard is a total stunner and one of the great wines of the vintage"
£995 / Case£331.67 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,203.61 / Case, £401.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2019 SLOAN ESTATE, SLOAN Proprietary Red, Rutherford 3x75cl
Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Vintage production: 700 cases
The Estate’s flagship wine since its inaugural 2000 vintage, SLOAN Proprietary Red is a blend of... Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. It has a unique character that stems from the Sacrashe Vineyard high above Rutherford. Layered with remarkable complexity and intensity of flavours and aromas, SLOAN exhibits a gorgeous tension between elements of grace and power, restraint and opulence. Crafted with meticulous care from vine to bottle and exacting standards for achieving the highest quality, this uninhibitedly rich and extraordinarily pure wine is a beautiful, raw expression of the terroir.
£1,500 / Case£500 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,812.13 / Case, £604.04 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2019 Heimark Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 3x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: 563 cases
£435 / Case£145 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £533.38 / Case, £177.79 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2017 Harlan Estate, Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 3x75cl
£3,050 / Case£1,016.67 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £3,669.61 / Case, £1,223.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 My Favorite Neighbor Blanc, Paso Robles 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Sourced from exceptional vineyard sites around Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and south to Edna Valley, this wine is cultivated meticulously by the farmers who have become... Eric's 'Favorite Neighbors'. With their dedication to the land, Eric is able to craft a world class wine without any shortcuts or compromises.
The wine spends 8 months in 225L French oak barrels (50% new).
£330 / Case£55 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £415.22 / Case, £69.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2019 Booker, Fracture Syrah, Paso Robles 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Syrah
Vintage production: TBC
Often described as a Booker flagship, Fracture is one of the world’s great Syrahs. Only the softest Syrah in barrel makes the cut for this dense and... powerful wine. The namesake pays homage to the calcareous soil in the Booker Vineyard, which limestone causes to ‘fracture’. The 2019 was aged for 18months in 70% new and 30% neutral French oak.
£480 / Case£80 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £598.46 / Case, £99.74 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more