2021
2021 Carter, Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon The O.G., Oakville 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: n/a
With low yields and intense concentration, 2021 turns out to be very good year for the ‘O.G.’ block of Beckstoffer To Kalon. This is a... dense and ethereal Napa Cabernet Sauvignon revealing gorgeous notes of black and blue berry, complex floral and earth undertones matched with an inky deep purple color. Sweet firm tannins integrate with a plush, persistent and prodigious palate that has both weight and richness. As with prior tannic vintages of this wine, the structure and power of the clone 337 from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard lends itself well to an extended decant or several years of bottle age to really spread its wings. This wine should hit its prime in 5 to 10 years and continue to age and become more complex for decades.
£1,575 / Case£262.50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,913.33 / Case, £318.89 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Carter Cellars, Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: n/a
From a great valley floor site in Oakville that lies just south of Beckstoffer To Kalon, this wine shows a deep and profound purple colour.... Notes of lively blue fruits, allspice, graphite and toasty oak all leap from the glass. An opulent and full-bodied wine, it shows ideal balance on the palate - a mixture of great fruit, rounded tannins and natural acidity that results in a lengthy finish with a savoury quality.
£1,135 / Case£189.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,385.33 / Case, £230.89 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Vice Versa, Beckstoffer Las Piedras Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: n/a
Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is the even rockier neighbour of Dr. Crane, nestled at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains. Large rocks and... pebbles sit on the surface and continue below to create a tough environment for the vines, encouraging them to produce exceptional fruit. We’ve heard many a winemaker cite this as their favourite vineyard, and it’s not hard to see why with the big scores quickly racking up.
Four Corners Wine
“What – a – nose! Brilliant, just gorgeous, with lots of hot gravel, a lovely hint of reduction, a really intense fruit core dominated by pure blackcurrant. The palate is gorgeous, sublime, a brilliant Las Piedras. Bags of minerality and energy surround the most amazing dark fruit, with oh-so juicy tannins. It’s a big Cabernet, and an absolutely phenomenal one.” (Sep. 2023)
£1,495 / Case£249.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,813.22 / Case, £302.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 Vice Versa, Beckstoffer To Kalon, Oakville 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage production: n/a
Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard may be the most famous and revered of Napa's great sites. Sitting on the alluvial fan washed down from the... Mayacamas Mountains centuries before, it’s produced a plethora of iconic wines at the hands of the exclusive group of winemakers granted access.
Four Corners Wine
“Dense, so rich and seriously dense with a big core and bags of concentration, frames by some sweet spices and a peppery/savoury edge. That palate is fantastic, so rich and an ultra-classic To Kalon that’s all about the tannins and epic structure. An utterly brilliant Cabernet with a very long life ahead of it.” (Sep. 2023)
£1,495 / Case£249.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,813.22 / Case, £302.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 Coup de Foudre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
Vintage production: 750 cases
Coup de Foudre ('Lightning Strike' in French) is the brainchild of vintner John Schwartz,... affectionately known in the Valley as 'The Mayor of Napa', and winemaker Kent Jarman.
Their combined knowledge and experience gives them access to a portfolio of exceptional vineyards in Napa, with particular focus on the northern enclave of Calistoga.
Coup de Foudre's flagship Cabernet Sauvignon is always a thing of beauty, unashamed in its modern, rich, and vibrant expression of Napa.
Four Corners Wine
"What a nose! Beautiful aromatics with so many layers of fresh dark berries, loads of drive, energy and opulence. Great tension and verve on the palate. The fruit is so vivacious, and there's complexity in spades with fantastic tannins and a great finish. Delicious now, with 15+ years of cellaring potential." (Sep. 2023)
£620 / Case£103.33 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £766.75 / Case, £127.79 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Coup de Foudre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
Vintage production: 750 cases
Coup de Foudre ('Lightning Strike' in French) is the brainchild of vintner John Schwartz,... affectionately known in the Valley as 'The Mayor of Napa', and winemaker Kent Jarman.
Their combined knowledge and experience gives them access to a portfolio of exceptional vineyards in Napa, with particular focus on the northern enclave of Calistoga.
Coup de Foudre's flagship Cabernet Sauvignon is always a thing of beauty, unashamed in its modern, rich, and vibrant expression of Napa.
Four Corners Wine
"What a nose! Beautiful aromatics with so many layers of fresh dark berries, loads of drive, energy and opulence. Great tension and verve on the palate. The fruit is so vivacious, and there's complexity in spades with fantastic tannins and a great finish. Delicious now, with 15+ years of cellaring potential." (Sep. 2023)
£105 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £129.79 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Lail Vineyards, Blueprint Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon-based
Vintage production: 2,815 cases
While Lail's J. Daniel Cuvée is one of Napa's elite Cabs, their most complete expression of the Valley is the Blueprint Cabernet... Sauvignon. This is a refined, inviting, and highly complex wine that will never fail to impress.
Like the J. Daniel, the fruit is sourced from a hand-picked selection of Vineyards, combining their favourite sites from Diamond Creek in the north to Coombsville in the south. It is a highly personal look at what 'Napa Cabernet' means to Robin and Philippe, and demonstrates why it is one of the most exciting regions in the world.
£435 / Case£72.50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £545.04 / Case, £90.84 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Lail Vineyards, Blueprint Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 1x75cl
Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon-based
Vintage production: 2,815 cases
While Lail's J. Daniel Cuvée is one of Napa's elite Cabs, their most complete expression of the Valley is the Blueprint Cabernet... Sauvignon. This is a refined, inviting, and highly complex wine that will never fail to impress.
Like the J. Daniel, the fruit is sourced from a hand-picked selection of Vineyards, combining their favourite sites from Diamond Creek in the north to Coombsville in the south. It is a highly personal look at what 'Napa Cabernet' means to Robin and Philippe, and demonstrates why it is one of the most exciting regions in the world.
£74 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £92.64 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Maybach, Irmgard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage production: 280 cases
Maybach's Irmgard Vineyard is at the far reaches of the Sonoma Coast, where the best sites tend to produce wines with distinctive notes driven by... the unyielding conditions of their locale. From this vineyard you can see the Pacific Ocean, which puts the vineyard near the fringe of where it is possible for nature to allow the cultivation of wine grapes. It was planted by the team in 2007, and both Chris Maybach and winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown feels the 2021 is their finest vintage to date.
£71 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £88.40 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
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."
£790 / Case£131.67 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £967.22 / Case, £161.20 / BottleAvailability: Future Arrival ⋅ Please contact us to know more
2021 Lail Vineyards, Georgia Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage production: 416 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.
£825 / Case£137.50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,009.22 / Case, £168.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
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 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
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
2021 Aperture, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillon
Production: 1,808 cases
Aperture's Sauvignon Blanc was originally inspired by winemaker Jesse Katz’s experience working at Bordeaux First-Growth, Château... Haut-Brion in Bordeaux. His unique barrel program provides the wine with a distinct complexity and a subtle weight on the palate.
The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is the first vintage to include Estate-grown Sémillion and Sauvignon Musqué, planted on the Aperture property in 2019. These two estate blocks were hand-harvested in early September while fruit from Dry Stack Vineyard in the Bennett Valley AVA was brought in
in early October, consistent with this vineyard’s unique late-ripening characteristics.
1/3 New French oak, 1/3 once used French Oak, and the remaining neutral French oak was selected for this vintage’s barrel program. Once transferred to barrel, the wine was placed in a cold barrel room to keep fermentation cool and slow to intentionally preserve the bright aromatics and fresh quality. As the wine slowly fermented for an additional 3 weeks in barrel, it was topped and stirred weekly. The wine stayed in those same barrels for 6 months. At that point, Jesse stopped the fermentation in order to maintain the wine’s natural bright acidity.
£505 / Case£42.08 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £644.45 / Case, £53.70 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Aperture, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillon
Production: 1,808 cases
Aperture's Sauvignon Blanc was originally inspired by winemaker Jesse Katz’s experience working at Bordeaux First-Growth, Château... Haut-Brion in Bordeaux. His unique barrel program provides the wine with a distinct complexity and a subtle weight on the palate.
The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is the first vintage to include Estate-grown Sémillion and Sauvignon Musqué, planted on the Aperture property in 2019. These two estate blocks were hand-harvested in early September while fruit from Dry Stack Vineyard in the Bennett Valley AVA was brought in
in early October, consistent with this vineyard’s unique late-ripening characteristics.
1/3 New French oak, 1/3 once used French Oak, and the remaining neutral French oak was selected for this vintage’s barrel program. Once transferred to barrel, the wine was placed in a cold barrel room to keep fermentation cool and slow to intentionally preserve the bright aromatics and fresh quality. As the wine slowly fermented for an additional 3 weeks in barrel, it was topped and stirred weekly. The wine stayed in those same barrels for 6 months. At that point, Jesse stopped the fermentation in order to maintain the wine’s natural bright acidity.
£43 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £54.80 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Fait Main, Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard, Napa Valley 6x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production: 325 cases
The Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard traces its roots back to 1877 when it was first planted with vines by George Hopper. In the 1960s it was... purchased by Bruce Kelham and became part of the historic Vine Hill Ranch, until legendary vintner Andy Beckstoffer added it to his Heritage Vineyard programme in 1996.
The Bale clay loam and sediment that predominate here were washed down the slopes of the Mayacamas mountains to the west, creating optimal drainage conditions that encourage vines to root deeply in search of water.
Fait-Main sources from two blocks located in the southwestern portion near Vine Hill Ranch, where soils are especially deep and well-draining. Prized for their ultra-silky tannins and luminous fruit, these wines deliver opulence and energy in equal measure.
£870 / Case£145 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,066.75 / Case, £177.79 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Fait Main, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production: 500 cases
Fait-Main’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is assembled with fruit from all of Benoit’s acclaimed single-vineyard sources, in addition to... several other esteemed and up-and-coming sites that may become single-vineyard Cabernets themselves in time. This is Benoit's snapshot of Napa Valley, capturing his personal view of the appellation from valley floor to hillside heights.
£107 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £131.60 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Fait Main, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production: 500 cases
Fait-Main’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is assembled with fruit from all of Benoit’s acclaimed single-vineyard sources, in addition to... several other esteemed and up-and-coming sites that may become single-vineyard Cabernets themselves in time. This is Benoit's snapshot of Napa Valley, capturing his personal view of the appellation from valley floor to hillside heights.
£1,260 / Case£105 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,550.45 / Case, £129.20 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
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
2021 Mauritson Wines, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel, Rockpile 12x75cl
Blend: 95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah
Vintage production: 1,057 cases
Straddling the ridge between the two arms of Lake Sonoma is the Rockpile AVA. One of the newest appellations in California,... Rockpile's location and history can be described in one word: dramatic!
S.P. Hallengren, great-great-great grandfather of Founder & Owner Clay Mauritson, first planted vines on the Rockpile valley floor in 1884, shipping every ounce of his wine back to Sweden. The Family's Rockpile homestead and ranch grew to 1,600 hectares by the early 1960s, when all but 280 ridgetop hectares were taken by the Army Corps of Engineers in order to develop Lake Sonoma. The vineyards shown in many of the historic family photos are now under water.
It was not until the early 1990s that the first acres of modern-era vines were planted and thrived, once it was discovered that Rockpile held great potential for ultra-premium mountain fruit.
What makes Rockpile so unique? The AVA is located at the Northwest edge of Dry Creek Valley where the two regions actually overlap. All the vineyards within the Rockpile AVA range from between 240-600m in elevation. Although Rockpile is located just 13 miles from the coast, Lake Sonoma provides an inversion layer that prevents the heavier fog that typically blankets other Northern California appellations, allowing for longer, more consistent sun exposure.
Moisture and daytime temperatures are regulated by howling coastal breezes and, in many cases, the steep slopes and rocky terrain require non-motorised vine management. Running through Mauritson's Rockpile Ridge Vineyards is the Healdsburg–Rogers Creek Fault, a dominant earthquake fault in Northern California, and you can see why the story of Rockpile is pure geo-political drama.
Four Corners Wine: "This is a seriously impressive Zinfandel from the outset. There's huge depth to this highly layered nose. A core of almost salted/cured charcuterie and dried fennel seed is wrapped in aromas of crushed black rock with a lift of fresh, energetic fruit. The palate has fantastic texture and is really well structured. it's a measured style with a great fruit profile and long finish. this a a very good, serious style of Zinfandel, refined and complex throughout." (Dec. 2022)
£530 / Case£44.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £680.93 / Case, £56.74 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Mauritson Wines, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel, Rockpile 1x75cl
Blend: 95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah
Vintage production: 1,057 cases
Straddling the ridge between the two arms of Lake Sonoma is the Rockpile AVA. One of the newest appellations in California,... Rockpile's location and history can be described in one word: dramatic!
S.P. Hallengren, great-great-great grandfather of Founder & Owner Clay Mauritson, first planted vines on the Rockpile valley floor in 1884, shipping every ounce of his wine back to Sweden. The Family's Rockpile homestead and ranch grew to 1,600 hectares by the early 1960s, when all but 280 ridgetop hectares were taken by the Army Corps of Engineers in order to develop Lake Sonoma. The vineyards shown in many of the historic family photos are now under water.
It was not until the early 1990s that the first acres of modern-era vines were planted and thrived, once it was discovered that Rockpile held great potential for ultra-premium mountain fruit.
What makes Rockpile so unique? The AVA is located at the Northwest edge of Dry Creek Valley where the two regions actually overlap. All the vineyards within the Rockpile AVA range from between 240-600m in elevation. Although Rockpile is located just 13 miles from the coast, Lake Sonoma provides an inversion layer that prevents the heavier fog that typically blankets other Northern California appellations, allowing for longer, more consistent sun exposure.
Moisture and daytime temperatures are regulated by howling coastal breezes and, in many cases, the steep slopes and rocky terrain require non-motorised vine management. Running through Mauritson's Rockpile Ridge Vineyards is the Healdsburg–Rogers Creek Fault, a dominant earthquake fault in Northern California, and you can see why the story of Rockpile is pure geo-political drama.
Four Corners Wine: "This is a seriously impressive Zinfandel from the outset. There's huge depth to this highly layered nose. A core of almost salted/cured charcuterie and dried fennel seed is wrapped in aromas of crushed black rock with a lift of fresh, energetic fruit. The palate has fantastic texture and is really well structured. it's a measured style with a great fruit profile and long finish. this a a very good, serious style of Zinfandel, refined and complex throughout." (Dec. 2022)
£45 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £57.74 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days