A Set of Blockbuster Reds That Are Perfect for Memorial Day Grilling 

Dynamic Cab values, flat-out delicious Zins, remarkable Rhône blends... Monday May 24th, 2021 [View in Browser]( [KL-emailheader.gif]( A Lineup That’s Sure to Please this Memorial Day Weekend: Domestic Reds That are Perfect With BBQ Our Top Value Selections for Rhône Blends, Zins, and Cali Cabs --------------------------------------------------------------- Memorial Day is upon us, kicking off the unofficial start of grilling season. We’ve pored through our inventory, looking for the perfect wines to pop open at your next BBQ. These domestic reds all retail for $50 or less (in some cases far less), making them ideal for the outdoor gatherings that are a staple of summer. Names like Drew, Carlisle, and Turnbull populate this list of California winemaking stars, which makes the pricing we have here even more compelling. Load up now, as all indicators point to a summer that will give us a lot of reasons to celebrate. [BBQ] --------------------------------------------------------------- Rhône Blends Wines that are based on Syrah and Grenache are classics for grilling, with their lush aromatics and meaty characteristics. The 2018 Kunin "Pape Star" is "is a terrific value in artisan wine," according to Antonio Galloni of Vinous, while the 2018 Drew "The Field Blend - GSM" is what Jim Gordon of Wine Enthusiast calls a "quietly impressive wine...that’s hard to resist." And Liminal's 2018 "WeatherEye Vineyard" Columbia Valley Rhône Blend notched a huge 96-point score from Sean Sullivan, who says "[i]t's a new benchmark for Rhône-style blends in Washington." Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2018 Kunin "Pape Star" Santa Ynez Valley Rhône Blend 94 $24.95 [View]( 2018 Drew "The Field Blend - GSM" Mendocino Ridge Rhône Blend 95 $29.95 [View]( 2018 Liminal "WeatherEye Vineyard" Columbia Valley Rhône Blend 96 $59.95 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [2018 Kunin "Pape Star" Santa Ynez Valley Rhône Blend]( Kunin "Pape Star" Santa Ynez Valley Rhône Blend]( ($24.95) 94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2018 Pape Star is a blend of 37% Grenache, 34% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah and 4% Carignane. It has a medium ruby-purple color and luscious perfume of crushed red and black berries with touches of blueberries, mint leaves, blood orange peel, turned earth and aniseed. Medium-bodied, it's silky and juicy, packed with sweet berry fruits and finishing long and perfumed. (EB)" (10/2020) 92 points Vinous: "The 2018 Pape Star, Kunin's Rhône blend, is fabulous. Bright red Grenache fruit and aromatics pulse through the 2018, adding a sense of freshness that is so attractive. Best of all, the 2018 is a terrific value in artisan wine. (AG)" (08/2020) --------------------------------------------------------------- [2018 Drew "The Field Blend - GSM" Mendocino Ridge Rhône Blend]( Drew "The Field Blend - GSM" Mendocino Ridge Rhône Blend]( ($29.95) 95 points Wine Enthusiast: "This quietly impressive wine wraps superfine tannins around deep, haunting flavors that range from ginger-spice cookies to cooked blueberries, new leather and dark chocolate. It's big in terms of flavor impact, but the wine itself is just medium to full bodied, and offers a silky, polished texture that's hard to resist. *Editors' Choice* (JG)" (06/2021) 93 points Vinous: "The 2018 Field Blend is dark, fleshy and wonderfully inviting. Black cherry, chocolate, licorice, spice, menthol and leather all flesh out in a succulent, bold red that will drink well right out of the gate. Expressive floral and savory overtones add brightness and perfume. This is very nicely done. (AG)" (04/2020) --------------------------------------------------------------- [2018 Liminal "WeatherEye Vineyard" Columbia Valley Rhône Blend]( [2018 Liminal "WeatherEye Vineyard" Columbia Valley Rhône Blend]( ($59.95) 96 points Wine Enthusiast: "Fruit for this inaugural wine comes from a new site up and over the top of Red Mountain and down onto the north side. Grenache makes up 42%, followed by Mourvèdre (38%) and Syrah. The aromas bring notes of pomegranate, mulberry, crushed rock, savory herb and black pepper. It's a big mouthful of a wine, rich, layered and intense, with earthshaking intensity and plenty of tension. There's impressive tannin and an abundance of acidity to enliven it all. The fruit-filled finish seems near endless. It's a new benchmark for Rhône-style blends in Washington. *Cellar Selection* (SS)" (12/2020) 94 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2018 GSM WeatherEye Vineyard offers up an incredibly complex nose that includes lots of red and blue fruits, white pepper, and sandalwood as well as a medium to full-bodied, supple, seamless style on the palate. A blend of 42% Grenache, 38% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre, brought up in neutral oak, it would stand up to any top Châteauneuf du Pape out there." (05/2021) --------------------------------------------------------------- Zinfandel Zinfandel is another grilling classic, particularly with BBQ, and this trio will be the perfect foil. Easton's 2014 "Rinaldi Vineyard Old Vine" was one of Wine Enthusiast's Top Ten Wines of 2017, and the few more years of bottle age have only added depth and complexity to this already outstanding wine. Meanwhile, the 2018 Robert Biale "Black Chicken" is a full-bodied classic year in and year out, with Antonio Galloni calling it "an especially potent, brooding Zinfandel, with all of its elements in total harmony." And for what Jeb Dunnuck calls a "bigger, richer effort [that's] beautifully done," turn to the 2018 Carlisle "Papera Ranch Vineyard" — it won't disappoint. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2014 Easton "Rinaldi Vineyard Old Vine" Fiddletown Zinfandel 95 $29.99 [View]( 2018 Robert Biale "Black Chicken" Napa Valley Zinfandel 95 $44.95 [View]( 2018 Carlisle "Papera Ranch Vineyard" Russian River Valley Zinfandel 96 $49.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [2014 Easton "Rinaldi Vineyard Old Vine" Fiddletown Zinfandel]( Easton "Rinaldi Vineyard Old Vine" Fiddletown Zinfandel]( ($29.99) 95 points Wine Enthusiast: "A gorgeous aroma like roses and blackberries meets richly concentrated and ripe black-fruit flavors in this full-bodied, luxuriously textured wine. While extremely ripe and bold, the wine is also smooth and voluptuous, balanced out by silky tannins that keep the mouthfeel lively and fresh sip after sip. *#10 in Top 100 Wines of 2017* (JG)" (09/2017) 91 points Wine Spectator: "A racy red, with huckleberry and smoky pepper aromas and briary black cherry and licorice flavors that finish with zesty tannins. (TF)" (11/2018) K&L Notes: An incredible old vine Zinfandel from some of the oldest vines in the nation planted in 1865. Yes, that's 156 years ago! --------------------------------------------------------------- [2018 Robert Biale "Black Chicken" Napa Valley Zinfandel]( Robert Biale "Black Chicken" Napa Valley Zinfandel]( ($44.95) 95 points Vinous: "The 2018 Zinfandel Black Chicken is dense and explosive in the glass. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, cloves, new leather, licorice and earthy notes abound. This is an especially potent, brooding Zinfandel, with all of its elements in total harmony. (AG)" (03/2021) 94 points Wine Enthusiast: "The producers marquee wine and a nod to its long-standing ties to farming, this is fresh and earthy in notes of crushed rock, slate, dried herb and black pepper. The fruit is layered and sumptuous in flavors of raspberry and black cherry, while supple tannins and a hint of toasted oak provide framing. *Editors' Choice* (VB)" (11/2020) K&L Notes: Black Chicken is back! Robert Biale knows Zin. Since 1937, the Biale family has grown Zinfandel along with assorted other varieties on their farm just outside the town of Napa. Their Zins are famous for a certain breed of intensity and power - the kind you get when you restrict yields to only the best, most concentrated, fully ripe fruit each vintage. "Black Chicken" gets its name from Aldo Biale, who used the name as a code word when he started making the wine on the sly in the '40s and didn't want other members of his family to know. Black Chicken is primarily sourced from Biale's Oak Knoll District ranch estate. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2018 Carlisle "Papera Ranch Vineyard" Russian River Valley Zinfandel]( Carlisle "Papera Ranch Vineyard" Russian River Valley Zinfandel]( ($49.99) 96 points Jeb Dunnuck: "A bigger, richer effort based on 96% Zinfandel and 4% Carignan from a site in the Russian River, the 2018 Zinfandel Papera Ranch offers a meaty, powerful bouquet of black cherries, red plums, Asian spices, and chocolate. This carries to a full-bodied, beautifully textured, opulent Zinfandel that has ripe tannins as well as the seamless, silky style of the vintage. It's beautifully done." (05/2020) 95 points Vinous: "The 2018 Zinfandel Papera Ranch captures all the exuberance of Russian River Valley. Succulent dark cherry, plum, spice, new leather and cedar build in a sumptuous, creamy Zinfandel that is showing so well today. Bright red toned fruit and sweet floral notes saturate the finish effortlessly. Best of all, the 2018 will drink well with minimal cellaring. (VN)" (01/2021) 94 points Wine Spectator: "Balances harmony and subtle torque with compelling raspberry and blueberry flavors that are laced with orange peel and smoky pepper notes, taking on richness toward the supple finish. (TF)" (02/2021) --------------------------------------------------------------- Cabernet Sauvignon The king of grapes will always make an impressive showing at your next outdoor gathering. Domaine Eden's 2016 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet is a screaming deal on a cellar-worthy red with "great intensity," while the 2017 Luna Napa Valley is an unbelievable 60% off its previous pricing. Finally, Virginia Boone of Wine Enthusiast thinks you should "buy caseloads" of the 2018 Turnbull Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, while also calling it a "blockbuster of a wine, especially at the price." Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2016 Domaine Eden Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $50) 92 $29.99 [View]( 2017 Luna Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Previously $75) 93 $29.99 [View]( 2018 Turnbull Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 95 $40.00 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [2016 Domaine Eden Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $50)]( Domaine Eden Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (Elsewhere $50)]( ($29.99) 92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Medium to deep ruby, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon has a very minerally nose of crushed stone, dusty earth, warm red cherries, woodsmoke and savory/herbal hints with notions of charcuterie, warm blackberries, cherries and bitter chocolate. Medium-bodied, it offers great intensity in the mouth with finely grained, ripe tannins and great freshness, finishing long and layered. (EB)" (02/2020) 92 points Wine Enthusiast: "The more affordable little sister of Mount Eden, this wine, which is bolstered by 15% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec, offers black plum, wet river stones, dusty herbs and wood spice on the nose. The palate focuses on minerality, structure and savory flavors, including subtle lavender and black plum. The structure will last for ages. *Cellar Selection* (MK)" (10/2019) [ryanwoodhouse.gif]( Woodhouse]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 30, 2021 Yes, you read that right! This might just be the only time you can get your hands on a wine like this for such a modest price point. We hammered out this incredible one-time deal to bring you a hugely discounted price on this utterly delicious and critically acclaimed mountain-grown Cabernet. An iconic producer in the Santa Cruz Mountains and an historic property that played a highly influential role in the wider story of California wine as a whole, Mount Eden needs little to no introduction. Domaine Eden is a sister property that lies on an adjacent mountain ridge just a mile or so south of Mount Eden proper. The vines are largely planted to heritage clones taken from Mount Eden and are farmed in the same fashion, and the wines are all made by the inimitable Jeffrey Patterson. This is absolutely classic Santa Cruz Mountain Cabernet. It embraces the wonderfully complex, earthy, savory components of the varietal as much as the big fruit and power. Briary tones, blackberry, damson plum, black raspberry, forest floor, cedar, and pipe tobacco issue forth. Savory spices and leather are in here too. The wine is medium-plus bodied, with nice fine tannins and lovely acidity giving excellent length on the palate. Quite Bordeaux-like with its savory mélange of flavors interwoven with muscular mountain fruit. Phenomenal value for the money and a wine with a beautifully broad drinking window. Enjoy it anytime over the next 15+ years. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2017 Luna Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Previously $75)]( Luna Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Previously $75)]( ($29.99) 93 points Vinous: "The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label is a big, powerful wine. Inky and voluptuous in the glass with generous jammy fruit, sweet oak and spice notes. The flamboyant style will naturally appeal most to readers who like big, full-throttle Cabernets. All the elements just fall into place effortlessly. (AG)" (01/2020) 92 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Including 5% Merlot, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label offers a spicy bouquet of blackcurrants, new leather, dried flowers, and chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, nicely textured, and balanced on the palate, it's going to keep for 15-20 years." (01/2020) K&L Notes: An incredible value in Napa Cabernet. This has all the elememts folks seek in much more expensive cult Cabs, but at our massively discounted price. Loads of rich, bold, lush fruit. Loamy earth, dark chocolate, graphite. Full-bodied, powerful and wonderfully polished. [ryanwoodhouse.gif]( Woodhouse]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 30, 2021 I tasted this wine alongside the (now sold out) 2016 bottling and was very impressed with how well it showed. To be completely honest, I thought it was the stronger wine, especially for drinking in the near term. Because of the devastating fires in late 2017 many folks, myself included, have approached the vintage with caution, the specter of smoke taint looming ominously. However, as I wrote extensively in an earlier K&L Newsletter, there are plenty of Napa Valley wines from the 2017 vintage that are downright delicious, and they're typically much more approachable (and enjoyable) in the short term than either the 2016 or 2018 wines. This is one such wine. Big, bold, with succulent dark fruit, plum, cassis, and liquored cherry. Plenty of exotic notes from the oak in the form of chocolate truffle, subtle cigar box, loamy earth, and graphite. On the palate, the wine is lush and voluptuous; ripe, round tannins mean you can pop-n-pour. The wine is open and delicious from the first sip. Despite being fruit forward and open knit, it still has plenty of structure and definition to stand up to a substantial cut of red meat and will no doubt keep 10+ years in the cellar. If you're looking for a powerful, rich, easy-drinking Cab for tonight, or anytime over the next decade, this is very hard to beat for the money. Our last deeply discounted Luna Cab offer sold out in 48 hours, so jump on this if it appeals to you. --------------------------------------------------------------- [2018 Turnbull Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon]( Turnbull Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon]( ($40.00) 95 points Wine Enthusiast: "This is a blockbuster of a wine, especially at the price, opening in violet aromas and moderate grip. Beautiful black- and red-cherry, currant and baking-spice elements combine around a core of classic elegance and length, finishing in cigar box. The fruit is from four estate sites. Consider buying caseloads. *Editors' Choice* (VB)" (04/2021) 93 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The appellation 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley would be a great buy for those looking for a terrific value in classic, impeccably made, age-worthy Cabernet under $100. Deep purple, with oustanding notes of blackcurrants, cedarwood, graphite, and leafy herbs, this medium-bodied, elegant 2018 has plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It's going to deliver loads of pleasure over the coming 15 years." (01/2021) K&L Notes: Made from all estate fruit from the Fortuna, Leopoldina, and Amoenus Vineyards, this Napa Valley Cab is a great introduction to the Turnbull Winery. Robert Parker notes, "These are some of the most compelling wines being made in Northern California. Readers should take that to heart." [ryanwoodhouse.gif]( Woodhouse]( | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 04, 2021 Year in and year out, this is probably the finest value in Napa Cabernet. Jeb Dunnuck calls it "a terrific value in classic, impeccably made, age-worthy Cabernet under $100." Under $100?! How about $40 on the nose! This big, muscular, powerful Cab comes entirely from Turnbull's three estate vineyards in Oakville, and one estate planting in Calistoga. Yep, 95-point, 100% estate grown, predominantly Oakville (70%) Cabernet for $40. It's unbeatable. Chockfull of blackberry, cassis, scorched earth, new leather, and briary notes. Beautifully ripe fruit encases a solid core of gravelly mineral notes and firm yet fine tannin. Exotic oak tones are woven throughout but never overpower the purity of fruit. Quite focused and taught, in the style of the vintage, this is no doubt only going to get better and better for the next 5-10 years and likely see 20 years of age without faltering. It's a remarkable bottle of wine that shows both the strength of the 2018 vintage and the pedigree of the producer. It allows you to drink top quality, estate grown Napa Cab without breaking the bank. Simply put, there are very few, if any, wines more worthy of your money than this. --------------------------------------------------------------- [New Feed]( [Auction]( [Local]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [On the Trail (K&L Blog)]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [BORDEAUX]( | [NAPA]( | [BURGUNDY]( | [CHAMPAGNE]( | [ITALY]( | [RHÔNE]( | [SPIRITS]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [My Account]( | [Wine Clubs]( | [Events]( |[Gift Cards]( | [Accessories]( | [Delivery]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Missed an offer? Check out recent opportunities at our [Email Archive]( page. 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