JD-95
2017 Downstream Box Set (3x75cl + 1x150cl), Paso Robles 5x75cl
Blend: 60% Zinfandel, 15% Mourvèdre, 9% Grenache, 7% Petite Sirah, 6% Syrah, 2% Tannat, 1% Viognier
Production: 560 cases
Founded in 2016, Downstream Wines is the collective brainchild of Saxum... Vineyards owner and winemaker Justin Smith, the late-great oenologist Philippe Cambie, and their mutual friend, the visionary Sasha Verhage. Together, they crafted a wine that will be remembered forever as watershed moment in Paso Robles, and California as a whole.
When it comes to pushing the boundaries of greatness, their jaw-dropping Downstream is a magical wine. In the running as the greatest expression of Zinfandel ever produced, it's a peerless example of Cambie's unrivalled blending skills and Smith's rockstar winemaking. It also carries a real poignance as to honour the legacy of Cambie, following his passing in 2021, production was ended.
Cambie's work in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is legendary, none more so than his multiple 100-point scores at Clos St. Jean. He had long desired to work with Justin in Paso Robles, focusing on 'heritage' Zinfandel. They chose the old vines of the Dusi Vineyard, planted in 1945, complimenting them with a carefully selected blend of varietals from sites including Saxum's own James Berry Vineyard.
The result is a taste and style that can only come from California: rich, intense, hedonistic, with an underlying elegance and energy. It's indicative of the forward thinking and ground breaking approach that's at its strongest in Paso Robles.
Downstream is already a highly desirable and ultra-rare gem, and will be a treasured prize among collectors of California's finest wines who are lucky enough to find some.
£1,100 / Case£220 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,340.64 / Case, £268.13 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
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
2016 Dana Estates, ONDA Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
Vintage production: 1,275 cases
£157 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £192.53 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2016 Dana Estates, ONDA Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
Vintage production: 1,275 cases
£940 / Case£156.67 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,152.77 / Case, £192.13 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 SLOAN ESTATE, ASTERISK Proprietary Red, Rutherford 6x75cl
Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Vintage production: 500 cases
Since its debut with the 2004 vintage, ASTERISK Proprietary Red represents an alternate, elegant and... compelling expression of the terroir. Charming and bold, it is made from mostly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Produced under the same obsessive attention to detail and unyielding standards as SLOAN, ASTERISK is driven and intense, offering an explosion of complex aromas and flavours. While it holds the promise of aging potential, it's almost impossible to resist from release.
£1,045 / Case£174.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,278.12 / Case, £213.02 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2014 The Debate, Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 1x75cl
£145 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £177.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2014 Epoch Estate, Ingenuity, Paso Robles 6x75cl
Blend: 51% Syrah, 28% Mourvèdre, 14 % Petite Sirah, 7% Grenache
Vintage production: 1,128 cases
£350 / Case£58.33 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £444.12 / Case, £74.02 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2020 Dragonette, Rita’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage Production: 235 cases
One of the producers at the forefront of Sta. Rita's Hills' success is Dragonette Cellars. Winemaker Brandon Sparks-Gills, and brothers Steve and... John Dragonette, select the region's elite vineyards to make Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays of utter refinement and distinction.
Rita’s Crown vineyard is located at one of the highest points in the Sta. Rita Hills, adjacent to such famous sites as Mt Carmel and Sea Smoke. The soils are a mix of sandy and clay loams with a good amount of diatomaceous earth. Dragonette's Chardonnay comes from two parcels: block 16, (clone 76) lies at 800-950 feet on a steep, west-southwest facing hillside above the monastery, and block 12 (clone 95), a steep south facing hillside just below and to the west.
These higher elevation blocks are exposed to fog and clouds most mornings and high winds most afternoons, cooling the vineyard. The climate and the low vigour soils produce a small canopy, small yields and a long, slow growing season. The wines here typically show beautiful, ripe tropical fruit flavours, balanced by remarkable acidity and strong notes of chalky minerals.
£58 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £72.80 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2020 Dragonette, Rita’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage Production: 235 cases
One of the producers at the forefront of Sta. Rita's Hills' success is Dragonette Cellars. Winemaker Brandon Sparks-Gills, and brothers Steve and... John Dragonette, select the region's elite vineyards to make Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays of utter refinement and distinction.
Rita’s Crown vineyard is located at one of the highest points in the Sta. Rita Hills, adjacent to such famous sites as Mt Carmel and Sea Smoke. The soils are a mix of sandy and clay loams with a good amount of diatomaceous earth. Dragonette's Chardonnay comes from two parcels: block 16, (clone 76) lies at 800-950 feet on a steep, west-southwest facing hillside above the monastery, and block 12 (clone 95), a steep south facing hillside just below and to the west.
These higher elevation blocks are exposed to fog and clouds most mornings and high winds most afternoons, cooling the vineyard. The climate and the low vigour soils produce a small canopy, small yields and a long, slow growing season. The wines here typically show beautiful, ripe tropical fruit flavours, balanced by remarkable acidity and strong notes of chalky minerals.
£685 / Case£57.08 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £860.45 / Case, £71.70 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Epoch Estate, Estate Blend, Paso Robles 1x75cl
Blend: 36% Syrah, 21% Grenache, 17% Mourvèdre,14% Tempranillo, 8% Zinfandel, 4% Carignan
Vintage production: 1,663 cases
£46 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £59.06 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Epoch Estate, Ingenuity, Paso Robles 1x75cl
Blend: 56% Petite Sirah, 16% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 13% Grenache
Vintage production: 667 cases
£58 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £73.57 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Epoch Estate, Estate Blend, Paso Robles 6x75cl
Blend: 36% Syrah, 21% Grenache, 17% Mourvèdre,14% Tempranillo, 8% Zinfandel, 4% Carignan
Vintage production: 1,663 cases
£270 / Case£45 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £347.18 / Case, £57.86 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Epoch Estate, Ingenuity, Paso Robles 6x75cl
Blend: 56% Petite Sirah, 16% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 13% Grenache
Vintage production: 667 cases
£345 / Case£57.50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £437.83 / Case, £72.97 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Arista, UV El Diablo Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage production: 308 cases
Arista's most distinctive wine is the El Diablo Vineyard Chardonnay. The site rests on a ridgeline in the heart of the Russian River Valley AVA... that's cooled by the morning and evening coastal mists, yet bathed in glorious California sunshine for a few hours each day. Arista's vines are composed of Old Wente and Montrachet clones, on the vital Goldridge soils - a recipe that produces the most classical of wines: rich, intense, earthy, and loaded with fruit and spice, all balanced by a minerality and energy that showcases winemaker Matt Courtney's contemporary approach.
£440 / Case£73.33 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £547.22 / Case, £91.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Arista, UV El Diablo Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage production: 308 cases
Arista's most distinctive wine is the El Diablo Vineyard Chardonnay. The site rests on a ridgeline in the heart of the Russian River Valley AVA... that's cooled by the morning and evening coastal mists, yet bathed in glorious California sunshine for a few hours each day. Arista's vines are composed of Old Wente and Montrachet clones, on the vital Goldridge soils - a recipe that produces the most classical of wines: rich, intense, earthy, and loaded with fruit and spice, all balanced by a minerality and energy that showcases winemaker Matt Courtney's contemporary approach.
£74 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £92.00 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Lail Vineyards, Georgia Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage production: 461 cases
Following it's inaugural 2002 vintage release, Robin Lail's Georgia single-handedly revolutionised Sauvignon Blanc in California.
Georgia... was inspired by her winemaker Philippe Melka’s time working at Château Haut Brion, where he fell in love with Haut Brion Blanc. They were among the first to use the same winemaking approach in Napa to produce a Sauvignon Blanc of the same exceptional quality and ageworthy style, as good as any other in the world.
When Robert Parker famously described the Georgia as "California's most complex and multi-dimensional Sauvignon Blanc" Robin and Philippe's instincts were proved right.
This is a wine characterised by energy, richness and remarkable depth, always differentiated by the nuances of each vintage.
£130 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £159.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2015 Favia, Cerro Sur, Napa Valley 3x75cl
£450 / Case£150 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £551.38 / Case, £183.79 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Realm Cellars, Houyi Vineyard, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
£1,350 / Case£225 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,639.22 / Case, £273.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Clos Solene, Harmonie, Paso Robles 1x75cl
Blend: 70% Grenache, 16% Syrah, 14% Mourvèdre
Vintage production: 400 cases
£66 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £83.04 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Aperture, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 12x75cl
Blend: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 1% Malbec
Vintage production: c.2,800 cases
Few wines can boast such a balance of complexity and depth with a style that is guaranteed to put a huge smile... on the faces of everyone who drinks them. You can lay back and enjoy the experience just as much as you can admire the craftsmanship that went into making them.
Fruit for the Cabernet comes from the Del Rio, Oliver Ranch, SJ Ranch, and 1912 Estate Vineyards. They are celebrated in their own rights with Aperture's single-vineyard programme, but come together irresistibly in the Cabernet Sauvignon 2019.
£750 / Case£62.50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £946.08 / Case, £78.84 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Peake Ranch, John Sebastiano Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage production: 265 cases
This highly regarded Pinot Noir showcases perfectly why the top wines of the cool-climate Sta. Rita Hills AVA are regularly likened to the... greats of Burgundy, while standing apart for their distinctive depth of fruit and wonderful aromatics. The hallmarks of the vineyard's raised elevation and increased exposure of the steep vineyard blocks to the cold Pacific breezes.
Now part of the Peake Ranch Estate, John Sebastiano Vineyard was developed by John Peake and his family friend Sebastiano Sterpa in 2008, and became established as one of Santa Barbara County's 'Grand Crus' in an incredibly short space of time. It is now a prized source for the region's top names including Paul Lato, Foxen, Siduri and Dragonette.
£55 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £69.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Schrader, Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: n/a
£75 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £93.77 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Arkenstone, Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Howell Mountain 1x75cl
Blend: 94% Sauvignon Blanc, 6% Semillon
Vintage production: 380 cases
£74 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £92.00 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2016 Epoch Estate, Estate Blend, Paso Robles 6x75cl
Blend: 58% Syrah, 19% Mourvèdre, 17% Grenache, 6% Tempranillo
Vintage production: 1,204 cases
£280 / Case£46.67 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £359.98 / Case, £60.00 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days