Tasting Notes

A Must Have Pinot Noir!

Posted on by Frank Melis
This highly coveted vineyard sits high above the Anderson Valley floor – this rocky, wind and fog-swept source continues to impress. The warmer 2012 vintage created a more playful and approachable version than its colder 2011 counterpart (which is just now coming around). While each vintage is unique, there is a common style that is undeniably Cerise — a structured elegance that unfolds and reveals itself beautifully over time.

Chronicle  2012 Pinot Noir “Cerise” Anderson Valley
Retail 55.00 – GGWC 51.99 FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use code CHRON12PN upon checkout

The steady and bountiful 2012 growing season produced a bigger crop and larger clusters and berries. This wine, while quite young, exhibits aromas of cherry, strawberry, hard candy, green tea and sage, coupled with floral notes of rose petal and sweet alyssum. The fine tannins and lifted acids provide the architecture to support the wine’s dense and intricate finish.

Click here or on the links above or call me at 415-337-4083 to order

Tasting Notes

94 Point Grenache Shocker ~ Only 200 cases Produced

Posted on by Frank Melis
Herman Story is the “story” of tall tales, Wrangler Jeans, and bold wines crafted by Russell P. From. This winery has become a real head-turner since it was created just a decade ago. Russell is a real “Rhone Ranger” and that has not escaped the notice of numerous publications. Herman Story regularly scores 93 – 95 points form Parker and Spectator and has an amazing “cult” following with thousands of people trying to get on his mailing list. The 2013 vintage Spring releases are spectacular but very limited!
Herman Story 2013  “On The Road” Grenache – 94 Points!
Retail 53.00 – GGWC 48.99 ~ FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use coupon code HERMAN during checkout
Can mix and match with other Herman Story Wines!
More than any other varietal I work with Grenache reminds me of myself. It can be elegant and refined, or just as easily it can be a raucous party animal. Some people try to make it one or the other, but I think it’s best when you can get it to have a little of each. This year’s On the Road is just that, it’s got class and will doff its cap for the ladies, but won’t hesitate to start a brawl if needed. The wine’s got some serious muscle under that tucked in cowboy shirt. Smells like a fourth of July party by the pool: raspberry sorbet, fresh orange zest, licorice, fresh rubber rafts, chocolate brownie batter and vanilla whipped cream. On the palate the 2013 On the Road does a cannonball off the high dive, bringing an explosion of brambly blackberry, pomegranate, oiled leather, cherry cola and charcoal briquettes all with teeth staining color, it’ll leave you soaked and smiling.

Anthony Galloni 94 Points: “The Herman Story Grenache On the Road is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Fresh, vibrant and chiseled, the OTR is laced with bright red cherries, plums, crushed rocks, mint and cinnamon. The flavors are a bit on the dark side for Grenache, but all the elements are in the right place. Sweet floral notes, cinnamon and mint add nuance on the seriously beautiful, vivid finish. The OTR is a great example of winemaker Russell From’s very personal approach”

Make sure to check out the other AMAZING:
HERMAN STORY 2013 “NUTS AND BOLTS” SYRAH – 95 POINTS
HERMAN STORY 2012 “CASUAL ENCOUNTER” GSM

Click here or on the links above or call me at 415-337-4083 to order!

Tasting Notes

96 Point Petite Sirah – 4 barrels produced, Only 5 cases allocated!

Posted on by Frank Melis
Alta Colina is slowly but surely becoming a real player in the “Rhone Ranger” field.  Since the 1970’s, Bob Tillman has looked for the site where he could plant a world-class vineyard. He didn’t find that property until he moved to the Central Coast of California and tasted Paso Robles wines. Finally, he and his wife Lynn knew they were in the place where they could produce the kind of wines they love to drink.  In 2000 they located this awesome hilltop property and the rest as they say is history!  We have had five vintages and had great success among our customers
Alta Colina 2012 Petite Sirah “Ann’s Block” Estate Paso Robles 
Retail $62.00 GGWC $57.99 – FREE SHIPPING on six
Use code AC12PS upon checkout.Only 4 barrels of this gentle giant were produced!  Stunning color and breath taking aromas jump out of the glass – aromas of blue and blackberry intertwined with hints of pepper, spice and a touch of meatiness. On the palate, this full-bodied, enormous yet elegantly structure estate “Ann’s Block 2012 Petite Sirah will wow you from start to finish!  This wine is loaded will bold, forward fruit, that is lush yet silky, bold yet elegant and concentrated yet approachable.  It has an amazingly long but silky finish.  This is the real McCoy!

Click here or on the links above or call me at 415-337-4083 to order!

Tasting Notes

96 Point Rated Napa Cab Stunner

Posted on by Frank Melis

When you have two of the best people in industry at the helm, you can only expect the best of the best.  Philippe Melka (winemaker) and Jim Barbour (vineyard manager extraordinaire) have turned the old Long Vineyards (remember this great vineyard site from days past?).  Gandona is rooted in tradition and a passion for transforming land into something extraordinary. It’s born from an estate that rests upon a sloping hillside high above the beauty of Napa Valley and Lake Hennessey – its vineyards, carved from the steep terrain and planted in four blocks, each possess their own distinct personality.

The site of Gandona Estate had its beginnings just a few years earlier, when in 1862 Daniel K. Dille homesteaded the property, located just downhill from Pritchard’s future home. California had just experienced the silver rush and Napa County had recently been formed. Here, Dille worked as a laborer and maintained the land. The property sold several times throughout the years until the Bob Long family purchased it in 1966 and planted the site’s first vineyard.In 1977, they entered the wine business in earnest and founded a small winery called Long Vineyards. Sandi Belcher (Arns) produced great Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a late harvest Johannisberg Riesling.

Gandona 2012 “Estate” Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill Napa Valley
GGWC 225.00 – FREE SHIPPING on 3+
Use code GAND12EST upon checkout

Robert Parker 96 Points: “Living up to the potential predicted last year, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is fabulous. One hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon aged 22 months in 80% new French oak, there are 500 cases of this terrific wine. With its inky purple color, a glorious nose of blackberry and blueberry liqueur, full-bodied mouthfeel, dense, pure notes interwoven with camphor, charcoal embers and spring flowers, this is stunning stuff and a great example of the Estate’s potential. Drink now-2025+.”

Also check out their other amazing wines:

GANDONA 2012 “ENCOSTA” CABERNET SAUVIGNON NAPA VALLEY (94 Parker)

GANDONA 2011 “ESTATE” CABERNET SAUVIGNON 750 ML – 95 POINTS ANTHONY GALLONI

GANDONA 2011 “ENCOSTA” CABERNET SAUVIGNON ETCHED MAGNUM

Click here or on the links above or call me at 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

The Pinot Noir of the Month

Posted on by Frank Melis
Gavin Chanin, who was named one of FORBES’ “30 under 30” in Food and Wine and a “Winemaker to Watch” by San Francisco Chronicle, began his winemaking career as a harvest intern at Au Bon Climat and Qupé, under the tutelage of winemakers Jim Clendenen and Bob Lindquist, working his way up to assistant winemaker at both labels. Taking fall quarter off each year from his studies at UCLA to work harvest in California, Gavin also worked harvest in South Africa and New Zealand. He then the traveled extensively in Burgundy and Italy before returning to launch Chanin Wine Co. in 2007. The rest….is history!Chanin 2013 Pinot Noir “Los Alamos” Santa Maria
Retail 58.00 – GGWC 54.99 ~ FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use code CHAN13PN upon checkout

Stunning aromas of crushed red fruit, raspberry and ripe strawberries jump out of the glass on impact.  The wine is medium to full in body laced with beautifully balanced flavors of red fruits with a touch of cinnamon and earthiness (from the darker clonal seletions).  Refreshing, energetic mouthfeel with a long, graceful silky finish that screams of lush Pinot fruit with a touch a spiciness.  This wine will be a good ager! (Alc. 13.4%)

Click here or on the links above or call me at 415-337-4083 to order!
Spotlights, Tasting Notes

98 POINT EXCLUSIVE, ONE-OF-A-KIND “Premiere Napa Valley Auction Lot” CABERNET

Posted on by Frank Melis

(koo dah foo drah) – The moment when “lightning strikes” or something unforgettable occurs that you want to capture forever.

This amazing 2012 Cabernet was specially crafted for the 2014 Premiere Napa Valley Wine Auction, and Golden Gate Wine Cellars is the EXCLUSIVE OWNER of this one-of-a-kind offering!  Only 60 bottles of this uniquely crafted wine were produced, and you can own some of them if you jump on our offer.

Coup de Foudre 2012 “Lightning Bolt” Cabernet
“Premiere Napa Valley Auction Lot”* 
Retail 375.00 – GGWC 325.00
FREE SHIPPING on 3+
Use code CDF12PNV upon checkout

The wine was sourced from the Coup de Foudre Estate Vineyard in Calistoga.  This is truly an amazing quality wine. Although still young this one will turn heads!  Only a very small amount of this wine is available. This wine is bottled and labeled under the exclusive label of Premiere Napa Valley. Each bottle is numbered and signed by the owner.  The wine offers stunning aromatics and an amazing flavor laced palate and stunning body and depth.   Bright black stone aromas jump out of the glass on impact.  This full-bodied, concentrated, yet well-balanced youngster offers great structure, lush fruit and the right touch of acidity.  The wine ends with fine grained, silky tannins.  This is a wine that will cellar nicely. If you decide to drink a bottle now, I suggest decanting it a good 2 hours in advance.

*THIS WINE IS A 100% GOLDEN GATE WINE CELLARS EXCLUSIVE!

Click here or on the links above or call me at 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

Outrageous 140 cases produced Prop Red

Posted on by Frank Melis
Matthias Pippig is not your everyday mainstream winemaker. He’s an “artist” in the true sense of the worth.  A creator, a dreamer, a visionary, a poet, a chef, a scientist.  Mix this all together and you have Sanguis.  Matthias moved here from Germany some 30 years ago with plans to make it big in the Rock & Roll scene.  Life took a different turn, as he had to make a living and  he eventually stumbled onto the L.A. food scene.  He worked as a waiter, and in time met Manfred Krankl, of La Brea Bakery fame, which whom he’d partner and work for several years.  Krankl, created the infamous Sine Qua Non label and that inspired Matthias to go a similar route and the rest is history.  Sanguis is not a quaffing wine, but complex and sophisticated.Sanguis 2012 Luminous Flux Proprietary Red 
Retail 75.00 – GGWC 71.99 ~ FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Mix & match with Sanguis/Loner wines
Use code SANGUIS upon checkout

This amazingly complex wine offers up stunning aromatics and flavors that jump out of the glass!  This wine offers up classic Cab Franc aromatics and spice notes on the nose. On the palate this youngster is loaded with bright complex black stone fruit, a touch anise and spice.  Full in body, this wine is amazingly well-balanced with the right touch of acidity.  Lush, bold, complex and in-your-face this wine shows well after breathing for about 90 minutes.  The 2012 Luminous Flux is a blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Grenache.  Sadly, only 140 cases were produced and only 48 bottles were allocated to me!

Serve this wine with a roast rack of lamb with roasted root vegetables; braised pork belly over  herbed beans and sautéed kale would be another choice and of course if you are vegetarian and stew of eggplant and root veggies would go well with this puppy too.
Make sure to check out their strikingly good white “Floral Study #2” which is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Roussanne.

Sanguis 2012 Floral Study # 2 
Retail 55.00 – GGWC 51.99 ~ FREE SHIPPING on 6+
(only 36 bottles allocated)
Mix & match with Sanguis/Loner wines
Use code SANGUIS upon checkout

This 125 case production wine offers up vibrant aromatics of honeysuckle, pear, apple and lemon that leap out of the glass. On the palate this blend of Chardonnay and Roussanne balance each other very nicely.  Medium to full in body, this beauty is dense, rich and opulent yet extremely well-balanced and a touch delicate. The palate is laced with white peach, spring flowers some white currant and butterscotch.   The finish is gorgeous, complex and long.

Also, don’t miss:

Loner by Sanguis 2012 Pinot Noir r12b 
Mix & match with Sanguis/Loner wines
Use code SANGUIS upon checkout

Crafted from the great John Sebastiano vineyard (Paul Lato, etc.) The wine is equal parts animal and purity of fruit, there is a nervy quality to this one and the freshness of a crisp ocean breeze.  In coming years, more elegance will take the place of current spry youthfulness (read: give it some time, I love it now but will love it more later).  Vibrant red currant and dark blueberry aromas and flavors are joined with a touch a real Burgundian (Pommard) like flavors and qualities.  The wine is full, yet extremely well-balanced with the right amounts of fruit and acid intertwined.   This is a Pinot that screams for food – Lamb, beef, hearty stew.  Only 5 barrels produced!

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

Bubbly Blind Tasting Winner

Posted on by Frank Melis
We had never done a blind Champagne tasting before, and to “celebrate” my return from surgery, my group wanted to do it with some “sparkle”. We lined up some well-regarded bubblies, among them:
The winner – Pierre Morlet “Grande Reserve” Champagne

FYI: Pierre Morlet is the father of Luc Morlet, Napa winemaker extraordinaire!

Pierre Morlet “Grande Reserve” Champagne 
Retail 56.00 – GGWC 52.99  Free Shipping on 6+
Use code PMCHAM upon checkout

The Grande Réserve blend is modeled after the classic base of the Cuvée Suivie, also representing all of the Morlet familyʼs terroirs of Premiers Crus Avenay-Val-dʼOr, Bisseuil and Mutigny and of Grand Cru Aÿ. Partially fermented in French oak “Demi-Muids” barrels – a rarity in Champagne – the Grande Réserve also aged one additional year in their caves. More mature flavors and aromas characterized the Grande Réserve which has built the Pierre Morlet reputation. Amazing perfumed aroma (this wine is a blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay) jumps out of the glass on impact. Very elegant, crisp fruit dances on the palate and lingers on the gorgeously long finish.

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

300 case Producer wins blind tasting

Posted on by Frank Melis
In a recent blind tasting of 2012 Pinot Noirs, a small 300 case producer turned some heads!  Our line-up incluced:
  • AP Vin “Rosella” (94 Parker)
  • Rhys “Skyline” (95 Galloni)
  • Ojai “Fe Ciega” (94 Galloni)
  • Argot (94 Parker)
  • The Hilt (94 Galloni)
  • Pisoni “Estate” (96 Parker)
  • Melville “Estate” (94 Galloni)
  • North by Alban (94+ Galloni)
  • Talley “Rincon” (94 Galloni)
  • Auteur “Sonoma Coast”
The WINNER – Auteur 2012

The 2012 Auteur Sonoma Coast Pinot is a blend of the fine distinctions of the Sonoma Coast influences from Green Valley’s Dutton Hallberg Vineyard (Dijon 667) & Labrinth Vineyard (Pommard & Dijon 115)

Auteur 2012 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 
Retail 50.00 – GGWC 46.99
FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use code AUT12PNSC upon checkout

Alluring and intoxicating aromas of vibrant black cherry, pomegranate, cardamom, steel, savory garrigue undertones. Perfumed with black cracked peppercorn, deep rose, dark chocolate powder, kirsch and sandalwood. Beautiful and vibrant, fresh layers of sultry fresh blueberry, rich dark plum skin, cinnamon with a savory underbrush.

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

Screaming Eagle Winemaker’s Merlot wins blind tasting

Posted on by Frank Melis
In a recent blind tasting of top-flight Merlots, a small 300 case production winery stunned our group of 16 wine professionals.  The line-up for the 2012 Merlot tasting included:
  • Blankiet Rive Droite (96 WA)
  • Keenan“Reserve” (94 WA)
  • Venge “Estate”(94 WA)
  • Pott “La Carte” (95 WA)
  • Pahlmeyer (95 Galloni)
  • Abeja (93 Galloni)
  • La Jota (96 WA)
  • Constant (94 Galloni)
  • Leonetti (94 WA)
  • Hourglass (92 Galloni)
  • Plumpjack (92 Galloni)
  • Farella “Estate”

Farella Vineyards has been growing premium grapes in Coombsville since 1977. Tom Farella has an impressive list of long-standing clients (Realm, Far Niente, Pahlmeyer, Zeitgeist, Keenan, Relic, Lail etc.) and has produced exceptional Cabernet, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Malbec under his own label since 1985. Tom and Winemaker Massimo DiCostanzo (Assistant Winemaker at Screaming Eagle) work closely to showcase the exceptional terroir of Coombsville and do it very well.

Farella 2012 Merlot, Estate, Coombsville Napa Valley 
Retail 44.00 – GGWC 39.99 FREE SHIPPING on SIX
Use discount shipping code FAR12M during check out

This is a very intense well-made gem from this small producer, nestled in hills of Coombsville.   The wine offers a deep purple color followed by intense aromas.  The nose is full of blackberries, dark chocolate and lovely floral notes.  Very well structured youngster.  This wine is smooth and rich on the palate, loaded with bright  flavors of pure and lush black fruits, with a long, smooth, spice-driven finish.

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

Pritchard Hill under $65 GEM ~ Only 300 cases produced!

Posted on by Frank Melis
Kale Anderson is the day-to-day “red wine” winemaker at Pahlmeyer.  In his spare time he moonlights to craft his own “Kale” label.  The Kale “Broken Axle” is a Syrah, Grenache blend from the infamous Stagecoach vineyard in the Pritchard Hill region of the property at 1500’ elevation.  Only 300 cases of this little gem were produced!

Stagecoach Vineyard is the largest contiguous vineyard in the Napa Valley spanning multiple AVAs, and four distinct regions. With planting started in 1995, Jan Krupp has removed billions of pounds of volcanic rock. Heavy mining equipment is used to prepare the soil before planting. There are behemoth dump trucks that have lived and died on the property inspiring the name “Broken Axle.”

The “Kale” blocks of Syrah (Alban clone) and Grenache (Alban clone) are located in the Pritchard Hill region of the property at 1500’ elevation. The soils are red Hambright complexes and with Guenoc outcroppings. Dynamite was used to clear this well-exposed southwest slope. The soils are de-vigorating to the vines due to great drainage and sparse nutrients. The vines produce light crops of extremely small black berries transforming into intense, powerful wines.
Kale 2012 Broken Axle “Stagecoach Vineyard” Pritchard Hill Region Napa Valley
Retail 70.00 – GGWC 64.99 – FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use code KALE upon checkout

The 2012 Broken Axle is a blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache.  The wine offers a dark purple/violet hue. The aroma matches the color with asphalt, fresh blueberry, and gravel. This is Kale’s richest and silkiest wine to date. The intense southern exposure at 1500’ on Pritchard Hill smooths the tannins into a cacao-like texture. A wide mid-palate gains momentum through the finish. Nuance of white pepper minerality holds together the tight core of this wine suggesting age-ability like the other wines from this region.
Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

A California wine with Basque roots

Posted on by Frank Melis
Tannat is not a household name, but it is a real beauty and a great value.  The “forgotten” varietal from the France I call it.  Tannat’s roots reach through the same French countryside as Yannick’s. As one of the Southwest of France’s hallmark red  beauties, it hails from the Madiran region near the Pyrénées mountains.

Rousseau 2012 Tannat, Saralee Vineyard Russian River Valley
Retail 38.00 – GGWC 34.99 FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use code ROUS12T upon checkout

The Rousseau 2012 Tannat is a real stunner. Dark purple to black hues. An enticing, complex nose develops into quite expressive aromas of black cherry and blueberry pie, cassis, licorice and violet.  Full in body, this wine is lush and densely concentrated, yet extremely silky and elegant on the mid-palate.  Loaded with bright red stone fruit (ripe cherries and plums) laced with a touch of violet, anise and a touch of spice.  This is an incredibly well-crafted wine with a stunning balance and seemingly long finish.  This Tannat can be paired with a bunch of great foods like a Hanger Steak, Beef Bourguignon, Game and Chocolate dessert. Only 200 cases produced.

Also check out –

ROUSSEAU 2012 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, LE ROI SOLEIL. MOUNT VEEDER, NAPA VALLEY
ROUSSEAU 2012 CHARDONAY “MILADY” MOUNT VEEDER, NAPA VALLEY
ROUSSEAU 2012 MERLOT CAVEDALE VINEYARD “PEPE” – MOON MO0UNTAIN

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

100 Point winemaker’ sensational Napa Cab

Posted on by Frank Melis
Father and son McSharry both had a love for wine.  Gerry McSharry developed a love of fine wine though a lifetime working in Media.   He created one of the world’s leading media companies with offices in fifteen countries around the globe.  When his son Paul, who had started a wine import business, met Mark Herold in 2009 and immediate “love affair” developed and it didn’t take Paul long to persuade this father to bankroll what would become the Maze venture.

Maze 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 
Retail 80.00 – GGWC 74.99  FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use code MAZE upon checkout.

The 2012 Maze Cabernet is very impressive from start to finish.  Mark Herold pulled out all the stops for this one.  He sourced from some of Napa’s most amazing vineyards to craft this puppy.  The color is very intense and it shows on the nose. Powerful notes of crème de cassis, anise, chocolate and a touch of espresso jump out of the glass of this full-bodied wine. On the palate this rubenesque wine is complex, lush and flavorful, typical Mark Herold, yet extremely well-balanced and sophisticated.   The bold mid-palate of lush black current, chocolate and a touch of valley floor lead into a long finish with long grained, but silky tannins.  Robert Parker rated this wine 94 Points!

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

Exquisite Napa White under $24

Posted on by Frank Melis
Kenefick Ranch Vineyards is owned by retired San Francisco neurosurgeon Dr. Thomas P. Kenefick, and his two children Caitlin and Chris Kenefick. In 1978 Dr. Kenefick acquired a 125-acre vineyard property next door to the Eisele Estate (Araujo). This vineyard was head pruned and dry farmed with old Italian varietals. Over the next 20 years these were replaced with Bordeaux varietals on vertical shoot positioning and drip irrigating for higher quality grapes. 95% of the grapes are sold to various wineries and only small quantities are produced from the estate.
Kenefick Ranch 2013 “Estate” Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
Retail 27.00 GGWC 23.99  FREE SHIPPING on 12+
Use code KEN13SB upon checkout
One of the most remarkable Sauvignon Blancs I have tasted the past couple of years. The wine is absolutely gorgeous from start to finish.  Stunning aromas of honeysuckle, bright orchard fruit, white flowers and a touch of spice jump out of the glass.  The wine is amazingly intense  with terrific acidity and bright fruit offered up in a great body that is rich, yet extremely well-balanced.  Stunning mouthfeel and a lengthy finish make for a picture perfect SB!
Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

Top Notch under $44 Napa Cab

Posted on by Frank Melis

Le Pich is the culmination of several seasoned and determined wine professionals’ efforts to produce the finest Cabernet Sauvignon possible from the best estate vineyards in Napa Valley including Pritchard Hill all under the guidance of winemaker Julien Fayard (assistant winemaker at Lafite Rothschild, Dalla and Philippe Melka’s projects) and ace viticulturist Steve Matthiasson.  The production is minimal, so it will not be around for a long time!

Purlieu “Le Pich” 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 
Retail 48.00 – GGWC 43.99 FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use CODE LEPICH upon checkout

This might be “FIND” of the month! Sourced from the To-Kalon, Pritchard Hill & Teucer vineyards.  Tthis wine offers a deep, rich purple color and amazing aroma and body.  A gorgeous nose of black currants and chocolate jump out of the glass.  The mouthfeel is rich and creamy with stunning flavors of dark fruits, black plum, espresso and chocolate that leads to an explosive finish.  The wine arouses you on impact with sweet subtleties that tickle your palate.  The wine, full in body, is very elegant yet explosive without being a tannic monster, although I would suggest to decant this for an hour or two, this wine will age gracefully for a good 15 years!
 

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

Must have 2012 Syrah under $25

Posted on by Frank Melis

Karen Culler has been crafting great wines for 2+ decades now (Wolf, Culler, etc).  Her “value” label Casaeda has been lots of fun to work with.  She sourced this 2012 from two stellar vineyards (Dehlinger and Sawi).    Sawi is located at 1450 feet elevation and planted 15+ years ago to the Cote Rotie seletion of Syrah.  This is a late ripening vineyard, producing amazing fruit intensity, concentration due to its small berry size.  Dehlinger is somewhat the “First Growth” of the Russian River Valley (only 3 acres planted).

Casaeda 2012 Syrah Russian River Valley
GGWC 23.99 FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use code CAS12SYR upon checkout

A real crowd pleaser, this “Value” wine from Karen Culler.  Very classy wine!  This youngster offers great complexity and an abundance of fruit and flavors.   Floral, licorice,  peppery aromas jump out of the glass on impact.  A touch of bacon fat underlines this great clonal selection.   The wine is full in body with the right touch of acidity, a hint of sweet black stone fruit and savory touches make for a hard-to-resist wine.  Small production!

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

Take Note $45.00 Napa Cab from “First Growth Vineyard”

Posted on by Frank Melis

Alondra is Spanish for Skylark, the wine company established by my longtime friends John Lancaster and Robert Perkins, who run the wine program at Boulevard Restaurant in San Francisco.

During his tenure at Boulevard, John has traveled extensively throughout the world’s wine regions studying wine production and is also a professional wine judge and consultant. John and I were co-judges at many SF International Wine Competitions.

Robert has been a wine consultant for several Bay Area restaurants. He has also worked hands-on in production at several small wineries including Nalle, Scherrer and Sean Thackrey. For the past 15 years he has been a sommelier at Greens in San Francisco, Willowside Café in Sonoma and Boulevard Restaurant.

The Napa vineyard source is secret, but I can tell you that its owner was very successful in the NFL…

Alondra 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Retail 48.00 – GGWC 44.99 FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use code ALONDRA12 upon checkout

The 2012 Alondra Cabernet will please both palate as well as your wallet!  The wine is opaque in the glass. Definitely a fruit driven wine, but the aromatic complexities of the varietal really shine. Dark berry fruits of cassis and plum are enhanced by the secondary notes of black olive, cedar, tobacco and rich earth. The palate is dense and polished, while still refined with the fine grained tannins wrapped in a seamless balance of fruit and earth. The palate staining finish leaves the impression of textured fruit, barrel spice and ripe tannin in complete harmony.

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

A 95 Point rated “Kistler” at half the price

Posted on by Frank Melis

The Durrell vineyard could easily carry the “Premier Cru” tag if it was located in Burgundy!  It has been the source of success for many wineries alike.  Kistler, DuMol, etc.  The “Ranch House Block” of the Durrell Vineyard is the “top notch” site of this estate! With winemaker Kenneth Juhasz (Auteur) at the helm, one cannot go wrong and expect only the best-of-the best, and the 2012 is just that, an amazing wine!  Ellie Phipps Price purchased the Durrell vineyard in 1998 from founder Ed Durrell, who had purchased the ranch in 1977 with the intend of turning into a cattle ranch, but decided to plant grapes instead, or we would have never experienced great grapes from this stunning vineyard! Instead we might have seen “Durrell Beef” in the stores instead J!

Dunstan 2012 Chardonnay “Durrell” Sonoma Coast
Retail 49.00- GGWC 46.99 FREE SHIPPING on 6+
Use code DUN12CHD upon checkout.

Amazing color and aroma!  The nose offers up a bouquet with plentiful bright tropical fruit, fresh flowers, and hints of mango and peach.  A very subtle touch of toasty vanilla lingers throughout but is not overpowering at all!  On the palate this wine offers up gobs of stunning fruit flavors, laced with a touch of hazelnut.  The wines is rich and full-bodied, yet extremely delicate and elegant from start to finish. This is amazing quality and value in a bottle and truly a very good Cal-Burgundy example.  Very small production!

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

Philippe Melka’s 96 Point Cab-vaganza

Posted on by Frank Melis

When you have two of the best people in industry at the helm, you can only expect the best of the best.  Philippe Melka (winemaker) and Jim Barbour (vineyard manager extraordinaire) have turned the old Long Vineyards (remember this great vineyard site from some years ago?) into a top notch Cabernet producer.  Gandona (humble man in Portuguese) is rooted in tradition and a passion for transforming land into something extraordinary. It’s born from an estate that rests upon a sloping hillside high above the beauty of Napa Valley and Lake Hennessey – its vineyards, carved from the steep terrain and planted in four blocks, each possess their own distinct personality.

The site of Gandona Estate had its beginnings (just) a few years earlier, when in 1862 Daniel K. Dille homesteaded the property, located just downhill from Pritchard’s future home. California had just experienced the silver rush and Napa County had recently been formed. Here, Dille worked as a laborer and maintained the land. The property sold several times throughout the years until the Bob Long family purchased it in 1966 and planted the site’s first vineyard. In 1977, they entered the wine business in earnest and founded a small winery called Long Vineyards.  Sandi Belcher (Arns) produced great Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a late harvest Johannesburg Riesling from the estate.

Gandona 2012 “Encosta” Cabernet Sauvignon
Retail 98.00 – GGWC 94.99
FREE SHIPPING on 4+ BOTTLES
Use shipping code ENCOSTA12 upon checkout

Encosta (“slope”) Cabernet Sauvignon originates from the steeply terraced hillsides of Gandona Estate and its terra cotta-colored, volcanic soil.  The 2012 vintage is a wine celebrating the very soul of hillside fruit capturing the essence of the vine’s interaction with earth and sun. It opens with aromas of bright red cherry and cranberry with underlying notes of cassis and tobacco.  On the palate, the wine shows a juicy, full mouth feel reminiscent of fresh black and ripe cherries. Rounding out the mid-palate are finely grained, sweet mountain tannins that reveal a beautiful marriage between them and well integrated oak.  The lingering finish is laced with nuances of rich cocoa powder and supported by a strong acid backbone demonstrating a wine worthy of aging.

Robert Parker 94-96 Points: “The finest wine to date appears to be the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill, a sensational example of Pritchard Hill Cabernet. Its opaque purple color is followed by notes of pen ink, camphor, charcoal, blackberries and black currants. Dense, rich and built like a skyscraper with a terrific mouthfeel and purity as well as a full-bodied, moderately tannic, exuberant and convincing finish, it should age effortlessly for 20-30 years”

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!
Tasting Notes

Remarkable 53 case production Pinot Noir

Posted on by Frank Melis

Another limited production release crafted by Paul Hobbs for Harry Walker’s Walker Station winery.

Only 2 barrels of this limited produced wine will see the light of day!  Sourced from the stunning Walker Station Ranch, this limited produced wine is a commemoration to Harry Walker’s Grandmother Bertha J. who played an integral role in Harry’s life.  A little more refined compared to the Leslie bottling, this limited produced 53 case bottling will sell out in no time.

Walker Station 2012 Pinot Noir “Bertha J”
Retail 90.00 – GGWC 84.99 FREE SHIPPING on 6 or more
Use code WS12PNBJ upon checkout
OK to mix with other Walker Station wines

Gorgeous ruby-red color and stunning aromas of boysenberries, chocolate and a touch of minearlity jump out of the glass on impact.  This single-vineyard (special block within the Walker Station Estate) offers up bold and complex, yet very refined flavors and amazing complexity and concentration.  The wine is loaded with flavors of bright red cherries, boysenberries, plum, rose petals and a whiff of very pleasant earthiness. Vibrancy dictates this wine from its first sip. The wine finishes long with silky tannins.  Only 53 cases produced, so this will go very fast!

Also check out these outstanding & very limited produced Walker Station wines
WALKER STATION 2012 “JOHN DORY” CHARDONNAY ~ RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
WALKER STATION 2012 “LESLIE” PINOT NOIR , RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

Click here or on the links above or call 415-337-4083 to order!