{"title":"Top 5 Wines of 2019","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0959\/3826\/files\/slideshow_2019-01.png?v=1580160198\" alt=\"\" style=\"float: none; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"immortal-estate-impassable-mountain-cabernet-sauvignon-sonoma-county","title":"Immortal Estate 2019 \"Impassable Mountain\" Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col-xs-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"tasting-note-content\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003e99 Points - limited\u003c\/span\u003e                                                                             \u003c\/span\u003e           \u003cbr\u003eNew release from the former Hidden Ridge winery re-baptised Immortal Estate! Winemaker Tim Milos and proprietor Tim Martin, owner of Tusk Estates.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e99+ Points Jeb Dunnuck: \u003c\/strong\u003e\"Polished and exceptionally balanced, the Immortal Estate 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Impassable Mountain is entirely produced from Cabernet Sauvignon. It was raised in 75% new French oak for 18 months and is a blend of the top barrel selections from the Immortal Estate Vineyard. Taking on a nuanced and refined approach, with a cascading perfume of lavender oil, pine needles, sage, cassis, tobacco, and blackberry liqueur, it opens immediately with outstanding purity of fruit on the palate, which is full-bodied, plush, and silky in texture. It has energetic and seamless acidity and a distilled core of red and black fruits that lasts for ages. It is showing beautifully already, but it will undoubtedly reap the rewards of cellar time and last over the coming 2-3 decades. Having tasted the 2016 at the vineyard, this one comes very close to matching that in quality and complexity and may well prove to do so with another year.\u003cstrong\u003e It’s truly exceptional.\u003c\/strong\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eprevious vintage\u003c\/em\u003e 95 Points Robert Parker:\u003c\/strong\u003e \"The Immortal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Impassable Mountain (from the Hidden Ridge vineyard) is deep garnet-purple colored and scented of crème de cassis, plum preserves and wild blueberries with hints of cigar box, yeast extract, beef drippings and fertile loam. Full-bodied and chock-full of fragrant black fruits, it has a solid frame of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and savory. 342 cases produced....\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"producer-note-content\"\u003e...When I first started doing my centralized tastings of the many wineries that I could not possibly have time to visit, one of the remarkable standouts for Cabernet Sauvignon was Hidden Ridge (renamed Immortal Estate). \u003cstrong\u003eThese are clearly world-class Cabernet Sauvignons and should be considered by any serious collector for their cellars.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Brix26","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31914303062098,"sku":"4506439549010","price":319.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0959\/3826\/products\/Immortal_impassable.jpg?v=1771365163"},{"product_id":"immortal-estate-slope-cabernet-sauvignon-sonoma-county","title":"Immortal Estate 2019 Slope Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col-xs-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"wine-review\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #f3f3f3;\"\u003e95 Points Parker      \u003c\/span\u003e                                          \u003cbr\u003eNew release from the former Hidden Ridge winery re-baptised Immortal Estate! Winemaker Tim Milos and proprietor Tim Martin, owner of Tusk Estates.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e95 Points Jeb Dunnuck:\u003c\/strong\u003e \"Bold and muscular, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Slope comes from the Immortal Estate Vineyard, which sits on the red volcanic soils on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas mountains. Including 2% Petit Verdot and pouring an opaque black, potent and layered aromas lift from the glass, with menthol, cassis, toasted cedar, and vanilla. Fleshy and very full-bodied, its velvety sweet tannins and plummy fruit coat the palate, with fresh acidity and a long, toasty finish. A seductive wine, it will take time to lose some of its baby fat and reveal its more savory complexity. Drink 2025-2040.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"wine-review\"\u003e...Immortal Estate is a project of Tim Martin of Tusk in Napa, Randy Nichols, and winemaker Timothy Milos. Tim was drawn to the diversity of Sonoma and wanted to make a truly luxury wine on the other side of the mountain. Immortal is located just on the other side of Spring Mountain and is a terraced vineyard site on 55-degree slopes. The estate was officially rebranded in 2014. In 2020, they lost 30% of the vineyard to the Glass Fire, and no wine was produced that year due to the inability to farm the land safely. The 2018 vintage, however, was a year with very few heat spikes and allowed for even and long maturation.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Brix26","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39259394441298,"sku":"6542790459474","price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0959\/3826\/products\/Immortal_slope.jpg?v=1771365173"},{"product_id":"groth-2021-reserve-cabernet-sauvignon-napa-valley","title":"Groth 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e★ 95 Points                                     \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne of the top Napa Cabernets of the vintage, the Groth Reserve Cab is a classic. Delicious now but a great cellar candidate as well.  \u003ci\u003eLimited\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e95 Points Robert Parker: \u003c\/strong\u003e\"A selection of the best lots from the winery's Oakville estate, aged in 100% new oak, Groth's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a great wine at a realistic—for Napa Valley—price. Textbook notes of cedar and vanilla gently cosset black cherries and hints of dried herbs. It's full-bodied, creamy and lush in texture, showing more concentration, tannin and length than the winery's regular Oakville Cabernet.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e95 Points Wine Spectator: \u003c\/strong\u003e\"Ripe and with a bit of flash thanks to its glossy toast, this red delivers a violet-accented core of cassis and plum reduction, with black licorice, sweet tobacco and singed alder notes. Solid and steady through the lengthy, polished finish, with a hint of flinty minerality lurking in the background. Drink now through 2040.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWine Spectator #4 wine of 2019!  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0959\/3826\/files\/Top_100_f4ea3886-0a75-4872-9217-066366f165a2_480x480.jpg?v=1511434895\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Groth","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41307611955282,"sku":"7414503800914","price":169.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0959\/3826\/files\/Groth_2021_Reserve_Cab.webp?v=1771365229"},{"product_id":"martinelli-2022-bella-vigna-pinot-noir-sonoma-coast","title":"Martinelli 2022 \"Bella Vigna\" Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003e      \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRare new release from Martinelli! The Bella Vigna Pinot Noir is sure to become your go-to wine. This approachable wine is bright and fresh, with wonderful aromas of plum, red apple and hibiscus tea. Flavors include juicy cherry pie, currants and hints of cinnamon and vanilla.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bella Vigna vineyard was planted to former winemaker \u003cstrong\u003eHelen Turley's\u003c\/strong\u003e specifications and yields only 2-3 pounds of fruit, compared to the average vine that yields 20-30 pounds of fruit, creating more intense flavor, color, and uniformity. They are harvested only after current winemaker Brian Kvame tastes the fruit and is satisfied. The juice is fermented using indigenous yeasts and aged for 10 months in French oak barrels.The result is a dark burgundy\/garnet-colored wine with aromas of almonds, cherries, spice and forest floor. This is not \"old school\" Pinot, as the rich flavors of black cherries and blueberries follow suit and lead to a long finish with supple tannins, gorgeous purity and a seamless texture.\u003cstrong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRobert Parker:  \"...\u003c\/strong\u003eOne of the great families of Northern California, and of course, one of the highest quality producers, the Martinellis – and rather remarkably so – only estate-bottle 15% of their production from over 300 acres of beautifully situated vineyards in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. No doubt \u003cstrong\u003eHelen Turley,\u003c\/strong\u003e who worked at Martinelli and mentored its winemaking team, left a profound influence on the quality of the Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Syrahs and Zinfandels, a fact that can’t be overstated. The Chardonnays all go through full malolactic fermentation and tend to see about 50% new oak. The Pinot Noirs are always 100% destemmed and largely spend no longer than ten months in about 60% new French oak...As good as 2013 is for Pinot Noir in Sonoma, 2014 actually eclipses it.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Martinelli","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41319216775250,"sku":"7417578586194","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0959\/3826\/products\/Martinelli-Pinot_893513a8-fbd3-4c4e-be6a-983379e216dd.jpg?v=1771365229"},{"product_id":"the-crane-assembly-2021-disciples-red-napa-valley","title":"The Crane Assembly 2021 'Disciples' Red, Napa Valley","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eNew release!\u003c\/span\u003e                                       \u003c\/span\u003e                 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe new vintage of Dave Phinney's Disciples Red under the Crane Assembly label has arrived.  The \"new Prisoner!\"  Limited.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eprevious vintage 93 Points Robert Parker: \u003c\/b\u003e \"A blend of 76% Zinfandel, 13% Charbono, 6% Grenache and 5% Petite Sirah, the Disciples Red is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with gorgeous notions of hoisin, Black Forest cake, prunes and potpourri with hints of black pepper, unsmoked cigars and cloves. Full-bodied, rich, opulent and oh-so-spicy, it fills the palate with decadent fruit and a plush texture, finishing with a lively lift.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the new winery \u003cb\u003eThe Crane Assembly, \u003c\/b\u003ethe Disciples Red has quite a back story.  In August of 2012, four friends (Dave Phinney, Darryl Browman, Kevin A. Fox and Bryan D. Sandoli) stood in the middle of a block of hundred year old Zinfandel. The vineyard was planted by George Beldon Crane in the late nineteenth century and is one of the icons of the Napa Valley. Hours earlier they had signed the paperwork to buy the vineyard and it was just in the nick of time...they picked the grapes the next morning.  Since that first year wines were made from our G.B. Crane Vineyard under the el Coco label and the GB Crane label. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Orin Swift Cellars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42109931716690,"sku":"7474731188306","price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0959\/3826\/products\/disciples_14_red.png?v=1771365244"},{"product_id":"groth-2022-reserve-cabernet-sauvignon-napa-valley","title":"Groth 2022 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e★ 95 Points                                     \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne of the top Napa Cabernets of the vintage, the Groth Reserve Cab is a classic. Delicious now but a great cellar candidate as well.  \u003ci\u003eLimited\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e96 Points Robert Parker: \u003c\/strong\u003e\"A selection of the best lots from the winery's Oakville estate, aged in 100% new oak, \u003cstrong\u003eGroth's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve looks to be even better than the terrific 2021\u003c\/strong\u003e. Black cherries and loamy earth are cosseted amidst loads of almost buttery new oak, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is plush and expansive without going over the top. Long and velvety on the finish, this is a strong effort that should provide plenty of pleasure over the next couple decades.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWine Spectator #4 wine of 2019!  \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0959\/3826\/files\/Top_100_f4ea3886-0a75-4872-9217-066366f165a2_480x480.jpg?v=1511434895\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Groth","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42372314955858,"sku":"7570859393106","price":169.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0959\/3826\/files\/Groth_2021_Reserve_Cab.webp?v=1771365229"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0959\/3826\/collections\/top52018.png?v=1580160279","url":"https:\/\/brix26.shop\/collections\/top-5-wines-of-2019.oembed","provider":"Brix26","version":"1.0","type":"link"}