JD-96
2016 he-li-an-thus, Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc
Vintage production: 255 cases
Vintner Tom Futo and his winemaker Jason Exposto have a nose for 'Grand Cru' terroir,... with FUTO's Oakville Estate and 5500 Stags Leap District Estate Vineyards renowned for producing stunning Cabernet-blends. There is a third site, the Red Head Vineyard, dedicated to their rarest label, He-li-an-thus. This miniscule production is reserved for the winery's mailing list, making it the hardest of Tom and Jason's wines to find. The reward is more than worth it!
It bears all the hallmarks of FUTO - elegance, purity, intensity and finesse. It stands apart for its expression of the rocky, cooler-climate site in Soda Canyon at the base of Atlas Peak, boasting some of the most alluring aromatics we've ever experienced. In the winery, Jason uses a combination of custom-made large oak barrels and clay amphorae.
£840 / Case£140 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,027.22 / Case, £171.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2016 he-li-an-thus, Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc
Vintage production: 255 cases
Vintner Tom Futo and his winemaker Jason Exposto have a nose for 'Grand Cru' terroir,... with FUTO's Oakville Estate and 5500 Stags Leap District Estate Vineyards renowned for producing stunning Cabernet-blends. There is a third site, the Red Head Vineyard, dedicated to their rarest label, He-li-an-thus. This miniscule production is reserved for the winery's mailing list, making it the hardest of Tom and Jason's wines to find. The reward is more than worth it!
It bears all the hallmarks of FUTO - elegance, purity, intensity and finesse. It stands apart for its expression of the rocky, cooler-climate site in Soda Canyon at the base of Atlas Peak, boasting some of the most alluring aromatics we've ever experienced. In the winery, Jason uses a combination of custom-made large oak barrels and clay amphorae.
£140 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £171.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Lerner Project, Napa Valley Project 18 Cabernet Sauvignon 12x75cl
Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
Vintage production: 1,200 cases
The Project 18 is a unique blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Tench Vineyard in Oakville, right next... to Screaming Eagle, with Cabernet Franc and Merlot from the cool-climate Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. Many of winemaker Russell Bevan's previous wines from Sugarloaf have been likened in style to Château Cheval Blanc, so this is truly a mouth-watering prospect!
£855 / Case£71.25 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,072.66 / Case, £89.39 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2020 Aperture, Red Blend, Alexander Valley 12x75cl
Blend: 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc
Cases: 2,189
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.
The Red Blend is remarkable wine featuring the classic Bordeaux varietals - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot - yet it stands apart for the 40% of Malbec in the blend. This fruit is truly special, coming from the Farrow Ranch and Rockpile Ridge Vineyards that Jesse champions with his multiple 100-point Devil Proof Malbecs.
£600 / Case£50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £758.45 / Case, £63.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2020 Aperture, Red Blend, Alexander Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc
Cases: 2,189
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.
The Red Blend is remarkable wine featuring the classic Bordeaux varietals - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot - yet it stands apart for the 40% of Malbec in the blend. This fruit is truly special, coming from the Farrow Ranch and Rockpile Ridge Vineyards that Jesse champions with his multiple 100-point Devil Proof Malbecs.
£52 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £65.60 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Linne Calodo, Sticks and Stones, Paso Robles 1x75cl
Blend: 71% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 7% Mourvèdre
Vintage production: 900 cases
In the words of winemaker, Matt Trevisan:
“Sticks and Stones is our ballad to Grenache, and to our mindset as a blending... house. It’s the idea of taking the bright flavors and luscious acidity of our best Grenache barrels, then lengthening them out with complements of Syrah and Mourvèdre. It blurs the dividing line between a varietal wine and a showcase blend—essentially a Grenache done the Linne Calodo way."
£71 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £89.24 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Linne Calodo, Sticks and Stones, Paso Robles 12x75cl
Blend: 71% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 7% Mourvèdre
Vintage production: 900 cases
In the words of winemaker, Matt Trevisan:
“Sticks and Stones is our ballad to Grenache, and to our mindset as a blending... house. It’s the idea of taking the bright flavors and luscious acidity of our best Grenache barrels, then lengthening them out with complements of Syrah and Mourvèdre. It blurs the dividing line between a varietal wine and a showcase blend—essentially a Grenache done the Linne Calodo way."
£845 / Case£70.42 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,062.53 / Case, £88.54 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Peake Ranch, Sierra Madre Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage production: 251 cases
A single-vineyard Chardonnay from one of the hottest producers on the West Coast... Only 251 cases produced... Scores of 96+ WA and 96 JD...... This already sounds like a serious prospect, and with an incredible price the Peake Ranch Sierra Madre Vineyard Chardonnay 2019 is an unbelievable buy.
Winemaker Wynn Solomon has produced a wine that showcases the pedigree of this vineyard in northern Santa Barbara County, and why Peake Ranch is held in the very highest regard.
The Wine Advocate's Erin Brooks picked up on the Sierra Madre 2019s "Tangy acidity and shimmery mineral character", which is textbook for the vineyard. The cold Pacific breezes and fog drawn inland from the nearby coast, and terroir dominated by chalky/sandy ancient seabed, come together gloriously.
Jeb Dunnuck talked about how it is "Delivering California fruit in a Burgundian style" (i.e. richness and bags of tension), yet a Chardonnay of the same class from the Côte d'Or would be double the price if not more.
The Sierra Madre 2019 is a tremendous wine to savour now and anytime over the coming 10 years.
£550 / Case£45.83 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £698.45 / Case, £58.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Epoch Estate, Veracity, Paso Robles 1x75cl
Blend: 47% Mourvèdre, 34% Grenache, 19% Syrah
Vintage production: 870 cases
£53 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £67.55 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Epoch Estate, Veracity, Paso Robles 6x75cl
Blend: 47% Mourvèdre, 34% Grenache, 19% Syrah
Vintage production: 870 cases
£315 / Case£52.50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £401.69 / Case, £66.95 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Lail Vineyards, Georgia Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage production: 451 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
2019 Lail Vineyards, Georgia Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage production: 451 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.
£780 / Case£130 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £955.22 / Case, £159.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Blankiet Estate, Paradise Hills Vineyard Rive Droite, Napa Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 96% Merlot,4% Cabernet Franc
Vintage production: 304 cases
Blankiet Estate is nestled above Yountville on the western foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. The Paradise Hills... Vineyard is carved on steep hillsides just above the famed Dominus Estate Napanook parcel that was originally planted in 1838 by Yountville’s founder, George C. Yount.
With an ideal eastern exposure, the land is bathed with morning sun and benefits from natural shade in the hot afternoons, and cool breezes from the San Pablo Bay flow constantly across the land. It's located on three volcanic knolls where soil profiles vary from deeply fractured rocks and volcanic ash, to thick clay deposits, meaning each parcel is distinguished by a unique subsoil and microclimate.
At just 6.5 hectares in size it's a remarkably small site, yet the incredible complexity of the terroir allows for three distinct wines, each of a singular style. This is an Estate at the top of its game. Combined with the very talented winemaker Graeme MacDonald and owner Claude Blankiet's attention to detail, is truly worthy of an exploration.
£218 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £264.80 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Blankiet Estate, Paradise Hills Vineyard Rive Droite, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 96% Merlot,4% Cabernet Franc
Vintage production: 304 cases
Blankiet Estate is nestled above Yountville on the western foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. The Paradise Hills... Vineyard is carved on steep hillsides just above the famed Dominus Estate Napanook parcel that was originally planted in 1838 by Yountville’s founder, George C. Yount.
With an ideal eastern exposure, the land is bathed with morning sun and benefits from natural shade in the hot afternoons, and cool breezes from the San Pablo Bay flow constantly across the land. It's located on three volcanic knolls where soil profiles vary from deeply fractured rocks and volcanic ash, to thick clay deposits, meaning each parcel is distinguished by a unique subsoil and microclimate.
At just 6.5 hectares in size it's a remarkably small site, yet the incredible complexity of the terroir allows for three distinct wines, each of a singular style. This is an Estate at the top of its game. Combined with the very talented winemaker Graeme MacDonald and owner Claude Blankiet's attention to detail, is truly worthy of an exploration.
£1,305 / Case£217.50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,585.22 / Case, £264.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 O’Shaughnessy Estate, Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa 1x75cl
£108 / BottleDuty Status: Duty PaidAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2016 he-li-an-thus, Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 1x150cl
Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc
Vintage production: 255 cases
Vintner Tom Futo and his winemaker Jason Exposto have a nose for 'Grand Cru' terroir,... with FUTO's Oakville Estate and 5500 Stags Leap District Estate Vineyards renowned for producing stunning Cabernet-blends. There is a third site, the Red Head Vineyard, dedicated to their rarest label, He-li-an-thus. This miniscule production is reserved for the winery's mailing list, making it the hardest of Tom and Jason's wines to find. The reward is more than worth it!
It bears all the hallmarks of FUTO - elegance, purity, intensity and finesse. It stands apart for its expression of the rocky, cooler-climate site in Soda Canyon at the base of Atlas Peak, boasting some of the most alluring aromatics we've ever experienced. In the winery, Jason uses a combination of custom-made large oak barrels and clay amphorae.
£280 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £342.41 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2015 SLOAN ESTATE, ASTERISK Proprietary Red, rutherford 6x75cl
Blend: c.55% Merlot, c.30% Cabernet Sauvignon, c.15% Cabernet Franc
Vintage production: <500 cases
£1,200 / Case£200 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,463.69 / Case, £243.95 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2014 SLOAN ESTATE, ASTERISK Proprietary Red, rutherford 6x75cl
Blend: c.55% Merlot, c.30% Cabernet Sauvignon, c.15% Cabernet Franc
Vintage production: 500 cases
£1,200 / Case£200 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,463.69 / Case, £243.95 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 Bevan Cellars, Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: 235 cases
The Wildfoote Vineyard is located in the narrowest part of the Stags Leap District AVA, roughly halfway between Cliff Lede Vineyards and... Realm Cellars.
This 114 acre wild protected wooded knoll in the heart of Stags Leap District is surrounded by 22 acres (9 ha) of foothill vineyards. The land was first developed by Si and June Foote, founders of the Napa Valley Land Trust. The property was purchased in 2011 by Jean Phillips, who renamed the vineyard to reflect its roots. She replanted and redeveloped the blocks, naming them after the area's wild animals. It is planted primarily in Cabernet Sauvignon with small blocks of Merlot, Petite Verdot, and Cabernet Franc for blending very special wines.
Russell Bevan utilises the best fruit from the Vixen Block for this sensational Cabernet Sauvignon. The classic elegance of Stags Leap District shine through with this aromatic yet finesses Cabernet. The aromatics are typically of floral and blue fruits; the palate is all about the simply incredible texture and purity.
£2,100 / Case£175 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £2,564.93 / Case, £213.74 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2016 Chappellet, Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 12x75cl
£720 / Case£60 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £902.45 / Case, £75.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 PharaohMoans, Grenache, Paso Robles 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Grenache
Vintage production: 50 cases
£59 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £74.84 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2017 PharaohMoans, Grenache, Paso Robles 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Grenache
Vintage production: 50 cases
£350 / Case£58.33 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £444.26 / Case, £74.04 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Peake Ranch, Sierra Madre Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage production: 251 cases
A single-vineyard Chardonnay from one of the hottest producers on the West Coast... Only 251 cases produced... Scores of 96+ WA and 96 JD...... This already sounds like a serious prospect, and with an incredible price the Peake Ranch Sierra Madre Vineyard Chardonnay 2019 is an unbelievable buy.
Winemaker Wynn Solomon has produced a wine that showcases the pedigree of this vineyard in northern Santa Barbara County, and why Peake Ranch is held in the very highest regard.
The Wine Advocate's Erin Brooks picked up on the Sierra Madre 2019s "Tangy acidity and shimmery mineral character", which is textbook for the vineyard. The cold Pacific breezes and fog drawn inland from the nearby coast, and terroir dominated by chalky/sandy ancient seabed, come together gloriously.
Jeb Dunnuck talked about how it is "Delivering California fruit in a Burgundian style" (i.e. richness and bags of tension), yet a Chardonnay of the same class from the Côte d'Or would be double the price if not more.
The Sierra Madre 2019 is a tremendous wine to savour now and anytime over the coming 10 years.
£46 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £58.40 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Clos Solene, Fleur Solene, Paso Robles 1x75cl
Blend: 54% Syrah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Grenache
Vintage production: 450 cases
Made by Guillaume Fabre for his wife and muse, Solène. One of her wishes for their Clos Solène portfolio was... for a wine that tastes great from the moment it is bottled and could age potentially for a decade: the Fleur de Solène!
Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon are selected from a handful of the top sites in Paso Roble's Westside, and masterfully blended by Guillaume. Aging is for 16 months in 30% new French oak of 225L & 400L barrels. The Cabernet Sauvignon fermented in concrete tanks.
£55 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £69.84 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days