IntoWine Founder Brad Prescott's weekly wine recommendations.

MacRostie 2021 Nightwing Chardonnay

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$52.00USD

MacRostie has long preferred high elevation vineyards where the vines are totally exposed. In this case, Nightwing vineyard sits at 1,200 feet, open to long sunny days and cool ocean breezes. This Chardonnay is in the vein of classic California Chardonnays - a wine that straddles all the elements of excellent fruit, malo-lactic, oak aging, stainless steel fermentation, and proper acidity. All these things come together seamlessly, which allows this to be an ideal expression of how good Chardonnay can be.

Quivera 2019 Black Boar Zinfandel

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$55.00USD

Though Zinfandel is California’s signature grape, much of what is made is simplistic, jammy and average. Good thing the folks at Quivera have always taken Zin seriously. Comprised of all Zin with 15% Petite Sirah, the Black Boar offers complex flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, bay leaf, current marmalade, with light green tea notes, rhubarb, smoked vanilla and subtle charred campfire. The overtness of the fruit is kept in check with moderate tannins and a smart oak program, which included French, American and Hungarian oak, for a total of just 18 months in barrel.

Brandlin Estate 2021 Sauvignon Blanc

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

Located on Mount Veeder, Brandlin is the sister winery of Cuvaison. In the very capable hands of winemaker Steve Rogstad, his 2021 offers classic notes of light kiwi, lemon-lime zest, gooseberry, light resin, tart green apple and a whisper of butterscotch. This expresses what people want in Sauvignon Blanc – something light, crisp, and fresh. But Brandlin adds a bit of texture to the wine due to fermenting in large French oak barrels, then aging 11 months in oak (just half the barrels were new) to add a noticeable viscosity.

Carpineto 2020 Dogajolo Red

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$14.99USD

The idea of a Super Tuscan wine has been around for decades, but they tend to be a higher price point. So in 1993 Carpineto launch they value version, Dogajolo. This wine offers good tannic structure and acidity. This leads to notes of blackberry, black cherry, light blueberry with soft strawberry, pomegranate and huckleberry. These fruits are muted though, not overt and jammy - the fruit is balanced with the oak, acids and tannins so the wine is ideal for food.

Duckhorn 2020 Three Palms Merlot

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$125.00USD

Though this has become an iconic wine, the beauty of this wine and many others is vintage variation, which produces subtle changes, depending on weather patterns and how the fruit is grown. This is Duckhorn’s most dense and deeply rich Merlot of the past few years, and in fact this is a Merlot dominant iteration (98% Merlot, 2% Malbec). More dark and brooding than previous vintages this one has a beautiful depth to it - deep and rich, blackberry pie, Huckleberry compote, blueberry jam, and light strawberry.

Quinta da Fonte Souto 2018 Alicante Bouschet

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$43.00USD

In France and Portugal, you’ll find Alicante Bouschet. But few other countries make it. So to find a stand-alone bottling from the Symington family (best know for their Ports), my interest was piqued. Soft tannins and mild acidity give way to blackberry, blueberry, ripe black cherry, a hint of huckleberry jam, and back notes of sage, wildflower and rose water. Unique unto itself, this is definitely a wine worth seeking out, if for no other reason than you won’t find this grape bottled very often.

2020 Paraduxx Proprietary Red Wine

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$56.00USD

Paraduxx was started in 1994 with the sole purpose of offerings blended wines to the public. Whereas many wineries espouse 100% varietal, the blend is, and always has been, the ability to craft a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts. Though this is 60% Cabernet, there are six other grapes playing a part, including Zinfandel, Grenache and Malbec. This is a soft wine that offers noticeable fruit: black cherry, huckleberry, blueberry and blackberry along with light vanilla, green tea and baked apricot. The tannins help to solidify the structure, being potent but not aggressive.

La Follette 2019 Pinot Noir, Heintz Vineyard

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$65.00USD

With fruit coming from Heintz Ranch, which has been operational since 1912, this wine offers soft and delicate fruit, it does not pretend to be overt. There is noticeable, black cherry, strawberry, huckleberry, with earthy under notes and light green tea. Whereas the acidity is in check, there is a velvety quality to this, a tactile, drinking experience. 186 cases. The judicious use of oak aging allows for purity of fruit. ORIGIN: Russian River Valley, Sonoma. ALCOHOL: 13.5%.

Goldeneye 2020 Pinot Noir Gowen Creek

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$90.00USD

I have reviewed, favorably, the Pinot Noir from Gowen Creek for years. When you find a wine that offers such consistency, you stick with it. What Gowen offers is a sublime melding of fruit like black cherry, red raspberry, boysenberry, blackberry acidity, minerality and judicious use of oak. This wine has those in spades. Though the word “balance” is tossed around a lot in the wine industry, when you taste one, you know. Not only is this wine balanced, it is simply enjoyable to drink.

Decoy Unlimited 2021 Alexander Valley Merlot

Vintage: 
2023
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This offers nicely balanced red fruit with minimal oak, solid acidity and decent tannic structure. Not an easy thing to find in a Merlot, and a Merlot at this price. Black cherry, black berry, huckleberry, red currant, light cedar and vanilla notes dominate and this is a very comprehensive wine. Mainly Merlot, there are small percentages of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Malbec. It was aged for 14 months in French oak, only 40% of which was new, hence the light wood touch. What this ultimately offers is a robust Merlot that is well worth the price.

Pages