Category: Best Holiday Wine

Autumn Wine Deals

3 Retailers Making A Case for Case Deals

http://www.napacabs.com

http://www.WTSO.com

http://www.reversewinesnob.com

The 3-day sale from vintage wine estates, mentioned in my last post, was just the opening salvo in what is looking like a great Autumn for hunting wine deals.

But not a bottle here, a bottle there. Let’s focus on stocking up on wine, replenishing your cellars, and preparing for a long winter by buying wines by the case.

Free shipping, or 1 cent shipping on a case is possible and is a real big deal. It saves you about $40, the normal price for shipping a case of wine.

Then factor in special discounted prices, if they are real, and you shouldn’t hesitate. 

Great deals seldom last long for obvious reasons.

As for strategy,

You don’t need to be a genius or an expert.  

Go with what you like and don’t be tempted to try something totally unfamiliar by the case.

In other words: Don’t fall for some sommelier’s suggested rare wine from Greenland or the next cult Potato wine from Idaho.

Explore the most successful online retailers (not the wine clubs with their made up brands and labels) offer real wine. 

Wines that are bottled at the winery, and not trucked in tanker trucks 100s of miles to some custom bottling cellar.

Not custom made wines, or somebody’s leftovers.

Shop for Wines from proven wineries with track records. Wines from proven places.

Let’s get specific. Every friday morning, a website named napacabs.com offers

Wines by the case at serious discounts and free shipping. 

Here’s what looked good to me at http://www.napacabs.com  from the most recent offering, and prices are for 12 bottle cases:

  • 2019 Old Vine Zinfandel, Ironstone Vyds, Lodi $139.97
  • 2019 La Playa Estate Red (Syrah, Cabernet) Colchagua, Chile $124.97
  • 2020 Malbec, Pascual Toso Estate, Mendoza $124.97
  • 2019 Malbec Finca El Origen Reserva Mendoza $144.98
  • 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Tree Fort, Paso Robles $174.97

These are fine wines selling for $12 to $15 a bottle for those of you not into math.

Ironstone, arguably, makes the best Lodi Zin and its Old Vine tops the list.

La Playa is one of Chile’s most reliable names, especially for red wines.

Both Malbecs are the real deal, and at $12 a bottle, are so much better than what’s available in supermarkets or online giants.

Cabernet from Paso Robles is a no brainer at this price.  A fellow wine writer wrote this in the Wine Enthusiast: “This is a fairly amazing wine for the price, competing with bottlings that are four times the cost.” Oh, and he rated it 92 points. 

Coming Soon:

Now that you’re curious, let’s move on to another big wine retailer, www.WTSO.com. This former flash seller now has a wide selection of wines to go along with the daily deals. 

So here’s the big news: from October 26 through the 28th, WTSO has scheduled a special case sale with wines selling for $120 a case, shipping included.

It’s worth emphasizing that WTSO also stocks real wines. Wines with a proven track record.

As I write this, it is offering several wines at extremely attractive discounted prices:

Such as

  • 2017 Handley Cellars Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
  • 2019 Los Haroldos Malbec, Mendoza 
  • 2019 Calculated Risk Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
  • 2017 Peachy Canyon Westside Zinfandel 
  • 2018 Van Duzer Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 

And this website regularly scores many fine values from Rioja, Chianti, and Bordeaux.

But I don’t know what specific wines will top the list over the 3 day sales. But each day there will be new wines in the mix.

Still hesitant to buy a case?  Okay, how about great 6 bottle deals, then?

Best site is one called reversewinesnob.com

I’ve been following this one for a long time and, overall, it gets high marks.

Shipping for 6 bottles is usually a flat $5.

Best recent example is the 2017 Canoe Ridge “The Explorer’ Cabernet from Horse Heaven vineyards for $13.33 a bottle when buying a 6-pack. 

The site also recently offered the much sought after Kukeri Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. 

There you have it.

 I rest my case.

The 2021 Marathon Wine Sale is On

August 26 and 27th

9:00 am Napa Time

At www.lastbottlewines.com

Plus, FREE GROUND SHIPPING on ALL ORDERS (contiguous states)! TRUE, UTTER MADNESS. Yup, you read it right — FREE SHIPPING ON EVERY AND ALL ORDERS, regardless of # of bottles.

That’s it – madness it is, and all first come, first served!!

This year is different & This is Awesome!!

This 2021 marathon is all about TEACHERS, supplies, and support. We’re donating $1 per order (last one was 83,000) to the Napa Valley Education Foundation to directly benefit teachers’ needs for nearly every school in Napa County, many of which are strained to the maximum post-Covid.

A Little Background

I have bought from this site, and never had a problem.

I also still enjoy the crazy, super-paced descriptions.

Based upon the flash sale model, lastbottlewines is headquartered in Napa Valley and has been gaining momentum and clients since its humble beginning in 2011. Its Three partners (Cory Wagner, Stefan Blicker and Brent Pierce) have good connections in the wine world.

If you order too late, you get an empty wine case image with the not so subtle snooze you lose message. If you happen to buy the last bottle, they give you a $25 credit. 

The comments are obviously aimed at millennials with an overuse of CAPS, preponderance of buzz words from awesome, bang, boom, wow, and references to a killer Vintage or “Rockstar winemaker.  Then you usually encounter more exclamation marks and 3 dots than your English teacher ever thought possible in one paragraph.

So many ROCKSTARS, so little time. The 2018 Ridge Lytton Springs quickly sold out.

The 2016 Luna Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford was an out and out steal.

Other recent examples of wines offered that’ll rock your world are excellent Brunello and Barolo. Recently a 2016 Douro was tempting as was a Malbec from Cahors. Yes, they have an importer’s license and can offer super discounts on imports. Sorry I missed out on a super St. Emilion, the 2016 Château Haut-Sarpe, the real deal from St. Emilion.

 I couldn’t resist the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc from  Matahiwi Estate, NZ, for $10. The 2018 Rivetto Langhe Nebbiolo for $18 was so tempting. And so on and on…

Binge-Worthy Rose Wines

Memorial Day sales brought several noteworthy wine deals.

For those ready to binge on Rose this summer, 

wine.com has one deeply discounted wine that is a terrific deal.

Here’s the absolute best Memorial Day deal from this mega-website:

Chateau La Nerthe Les Cassagnes Cotes-du-Rhone Rose 2018 for $9.99

Made from Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsault, this is super spicy and silky.

www. vivino.com

As a lover of Roussillon wines, I find this too to be a super deal from the ever-reliable Domaine Lafage:

2018 Domaine Lafage Miraflors Rosé 201 Côtes du Roussillon · France

Also, selling for $9.99 (normally $25.00)

Not on a budget?

Try this exciting new discovery, a Rose from Tempranillo, offered direct from a small winery in Southern Oregon. http://www.peterwilliamvineyard.com

2020 Peter William Vineyard Tempranillo Rose, Rogue Valley $21.00

And then too wineaccess.com has one of the most highly rated French Roses for you:

2020 Château Miraval Rosé Côtes de Provence France, $24.00

3 Big Wine Sales for President’s Day: Deal or No Deal?

Well, after a lackluster Valentine’s Day, several online wine sellers/wine clubs woke for President’s Sales.

Three made big headline splashes:

www.cawineclub.com

www.insiderwine.com

www.wineawesomeness.com

Let’s look at each, weigh the pros and cons, and decide whether it’s a deal, or no deal.

First up  wineawesomeness.com

Really tempting. For $99 you get a case of the 2014 Tedeschi Valpolicella Capitel del Nicalo

And shipping is included. The pitch says that would normally cost $240.

Assessment: I like Valpolicella, though many may not know much about it. It is a smooth, medium weight red, proudly poured throughout Venice and the region. A check of the producer and Tedeschi is indeed legit, making a range of wines and with a good reputation.

But the 2014 is kind of old for this type of wine, normally enjoyed in its youth. Makes me wonder where it has been stored for the last few years. Probably not at the winery. More likely in a warehouse on the East Coast. Now more than 6 years old, it may have lost some of its best traits.

And now let’s consider the discounted price of $99 for 12 bottles. Roughly $8-ish a bottle delivered. A check with wine searcher gives a range of prices in the US from $11.99 up to $18 or an average of $15.00.

The website estimates the total package is worth $240. With case shipping estimated at $40, the $240 somehow seems a little on the high side.

Later in the day it added a similar deal for 2019 Italia Foto Wine Co. Grillo which while a current vintage did not interest me at all. 

So back to the case of Valpolicella for $99. The price is right.

http://www.wineinsider.com

The Headline: 14 Wines for the Price of 7

The deal: “Get 7 great bottles, some traditionally priced up to. $29.99/ea. We’re sweetening the deal and adding 7 ADDITIONAL wines at no cost to you. That means you’ll get 14 wines for an exclusive price of $132.86. That’s only $9.49/bottle. Tired of all that math? The international award winners in this case can help!” 

In other words, two bottles of each and the offer is for all red, all white, or a mix. Additionally, an aerator is added to this particular deal. Okay, I use that type of aerator but mine is old and worn out, so a new one is value at $15.95, and now I’m more than curious. And the deal is sweetened still by shipping everything for free.

Let’s look at the wines: 

Preferring red wines in general and especially at this time of the year, I checked out the reds.

Turns out the California wines from Wolfson Cellars and George Phillips are available at only two places: wineinsider.com and Heartwood & Oak in LA. Same was true of the Argentinian red, finca Los Olmos. I found no reference to the French wine by Le Bosq, and while wineinsiders lists a Bordeaux from Chateau Le Redon, there is a real Chateau Redon. Oh, those French and their names. I did discover that there is a German Pinot Noir named The Modernist, but the labels didn’t match.

When you click on heartwood& oak it takes you to winesiders, so basically one and the same.

About to nix this deal, but then I noticed an offer to add 6 bottles of French red wines for $59.94 and recognized the names of the 2 other chateaux. The one in Castillon is excellent. Le Redon is part of this add-on.

Now definitely tiring of the math, I am looking at 20 bottles of red wine play a badly needed aerator shipped to my door for around $200.

Deal or no deal? 

www.cawineclub.com

“Presidents’ Day BLOWOUT” was the headline. But the sale, $1 case shipping actually extends to March 31, 20212. The announcement went on:

“SPRING WINE SALE

Save up to 61% on every bottle of handcrafted wine, plus save up to $38 in shipping on every case!

Sale ends on March 31, 2021.  Half, full, and/or mixed cases all ship via ground for $1 to most states.”

So we are talking savings and $1 shipping on 6 or more bottles. 

One of the oldest. This site has long proven itself for reliability and good service. It specializes in family owned, real wineries that it calls “artisan wineries.”  

Right away I was drawn to one example, 2018 Merlot from Lucas and Lewellen Estate for $13(regularly $32) Great price for a current vintage, not old inventory, and from a proven family winery.  

Since the shutdown, this wine club has added wines from better known, more exciting wineries such as Talley and Testarossa for Chardonnay lovers. 

Always looking for the best deals, I automatically click on deals under $25. Right away I liked the two wines from Madrona Vineyards in the Sierra Foothills: the 2020 Barbera Rose($11.99) and the 2016 Hillside Zin($12.99). Moving on I remember the home for this wine club is the Central coast so no surprise to see appealing wines from that area. Among them there’s the Le Vigne Paso Robles Malbec($13.99),  Courtney Benham Central Coast Grenache($14.99) and Testarosa’s 2016 Monterey Chardonnay ($14.99). 

From Sonoma the old vine Jeff Cohn Zinfandel is another standout, and it was also a pleasant surprise to see wines from C.C. DiAries which often fall under the radar and a Syrah from everyone’s favorite, Terre Rouge. It, like many others is not deeply discounted, but, of course, a few bottles could be included for the $1 case shipping.

The downside with this wine club is, as the name implies, it is a California specialist. But when it does reach out into Oregon, it has a beauty, Maysara Pinot Noir, half off at $26.00.

Imports are few but then the organic white Bordeaux at $17.00 is one I’d like to explore.

Among top tier wines, the Lail Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc is a collector’s wine, priced 24% below retail.

An absolute deal is Testarossa Winery 2018 Cuvée Los Gatos Monterey Pinot Noir at $17.99.

The conclusion?

First of all, it is much better if you can make your own selections. 

It is far better for many reasons, but now as the shutdown continues on, to buy wines from real wineries made by real people.

Anyway, all of this is to suggest how I approach buying wines online. 

You will have to make your own decisions.

You can thank me later.

And, I could really use a new aerator.

Four from Foursight

Foursight Wines, an Anderson Valley superstar, is offering an unbeatable 4 pack for the holidays. 

Enjoy these great wines and support a family owned winery.

https://www.foursightwines.com/2020-holiday-sampler/

 2018 Sauvignon Blanc (almost sold out!)

 2019 Vin Gris of Pinot Noir (rosé)

 2018 Zero New Oak Pinot Noir (new release)

 2018 Charles Vineyard Pinot Noir (new release)

I’m a longtime fan of the distinctive Sauvignon Blanc, loaded with flavors and beautifully balanced.

The 2018 Charles Vineyard Pinot Noir is simply one of the best from Anderson Valley.

And what a terrific opportunity to enjoy and talk about 3 styles of Pinot Noir, all from the family owned Charles Vineyard. 

Bet you never tasted a high quality but unoaked Pinot. Here’s your chance.

Act fast!

and consider joining the club.

Thank me later

Unbeatable Deal on Award Winning Wines

Top This: Great Wines at 50% Discount

Terrific opportunity to get to know Navarro Vineyards which is family owned and hauls away Gold Medals at every wine competition.

Navarro’s six-bottle Black Friday Sampler is only available through Monday, November 30, or until the sampler is sold out. The six wines in this sampler, three Chardonnay and three Pinot Noir, have earned a total of seventeen Gold or Silver medals in major wine competitions. 

The 2017 Chardonnay, Mendocino was awarded 94 points by http://www.winereviewonline.com

2016 Pinot Noir, Méthode à l’Ancienne, Unfiltered  is another winner, one of the finest examples of Anderson Valley Pinot.

The sampler is being offered for $88.50, a savings of $88.50! There is a limit of one sampler per household. However, you can also add six bottles of any Navarro wine or non-alcoholic juice of your choice and the twelve bottles will qualify for One-Cent shipping.

online at www.NavarroWine.com or you are welcome to phone us toll-free at 1-800-537-9463 or 707-895-3686 between 8-6 PST weekdays, 8-5 PST weekends. If you prefer, reach us by email at sales@NavarroWine.com 

New Online Wine Marketplace

Been researching a new online wine shop, www.cellarstash.com which is advertising on Facebook and elsewhere.  The current promo is buy one Oregon Pinot Noir for $35 and you’ll get a second bottle free.

First question: why now and what does this site offer that others dont?

I started by checking out the Pinot on promo and discovered that Angela Estate is a small, relatively new winery in Oregon owned by two couples making small lot Pinots and selling mostly local and through a mailing list. The ever reliable Prince of Pinot rates their wines in the mid 90s.

Expecting the usual list of wines and producers, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many names rarely if ever offered by third party websites.  

Here are a few other wineries that caught my attention:

Longboard…love their Syrah, Russian River Valley

Burrell School…impressive Cabernet Franc from Santa Cruz

Dos Lagos Vineyard known for small lot Cabernet from Napa’s Atlas Peak

Among the others, cellarstash listed wines from Hook & Ladder, Materra, Antham, Robert Biale, Greywacke and Pedroncelli. These are not exclusives to cellarstash, but still part of a good list.

Now for a few details.

These wines are not discounted, reflecting the producer’s price.

Wines ship free on six bottles

A case of 12 gets free shipping and a 10% discount.

It ships to all states

So what’s the big deal here? 

We all know many wineries are suffering with both tourism and restaurant sales hurting. 

I like the way cellarstash is not trying to stick it to the wineries by price gouging.

And not taking advantage during the pandemic. 

Many of the wineries included are newer ones or established wineries operated by normal people. 

We all hear news stories about Cameron Diaz and other celebrities getting into the wine business and people have been led to believe that many wineries are owned and operated by multi-millionaires enjoying their underground cellars and monuments to feed their vast egos.

Most importantly, like Angela Estate. all included by cellarstash are real wineries, family owned with a track record or trying to develop one.

Unlike so many online retail sites, the wines are not leftover wine dressed up in a fancy, cute label.

Cellarstash bills itself as a wine marketplace which it kind of is.

Looked at from another angle, cellarstash is acting like an online salesperson shared by 50 or more wineries. 

The wines remain in the producers’ cellars as cellarstash does not warehouse stacks of wines piled high under less than perfect conditions.

And it is not a wine club trying to tease people into joining with a special promo.

So, if you are looking for good to outstanding wines from wineries you’d like to support during the pandemic, now you know about http://www.cellarstash.com

As often emphasized, I am not an affiliate on a commission or an influencer getting some kind of kickback or special favor.

I enjoy doing this.

You can thank me later.

Thankfully, A Versatile Wine

Wondering about a Thanksgiving wine? Even with a trimmed down dinner list as small as two people, the wine choice remains a dilemma for most people. But no problem if you approach with the same attitude you had when dining out when everyone selects a different entree. 

You need to go with the best all purpose, versatile wine. Until recently, most experts would automatically suggest Beaujolais, the fruity light-bodied French Red. But honestly, that was a weak compromise, leaving nobody happy.

Now there’s another choice. The go-to wine for this Thanksgiving should be today’s very popular restaurant wine by the glass…Malbec. Before the recent restaurant restrictions, it had become my go-to wine by the glass.  

Malbec is versatile enough to please the red and white wine drinker and it is, or should be, reasonably priced. It is neither too tannic as some other red wines nor too acidic or sweet like many white wines. And you dont need some silly vintage chart with vintage ratings. 

A safe choice for sure.

Though originating in France and made in many countries, Malbec from Argentina has become so popular that it is practically a brand. And as its popularity continues to grow, there’s not a lot of difference between one major brand of Malbec and another. 

That’s a nice way of saying they are many decent, reliable and, well, not terribly exciting Argentinian Malbecs on the market. Still a good choice.

But recently, I’ve encountered Malbec from two wineries new to me that are the real deal and also offer some flavor excitement. And are priced well below the famous brands.

First up: Proemio

Proemio means prologue or first page in old Spanish.

2017 Proemio Red Blend, Estate Bottled, Mendoza, Argentina  $10.99

If this Red Blend is Proemio’s entry level wine, then we are at the door of a super discovery. Made from a single vineyard in Maipu, this is 50% Malbec with equal doses of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.  It is dark and opens to reveal plum and ripe blackberry fruit with lovely notes of sage and violets along with some earthiness. Lively and mouth-filling spicy flavors show smooth tannins with touches of black pepper and leather. 

Seems like the 25% Petit Verdot added some complexity and earthy, leathery notes to turn this one into something very special at this price. 

Based in Mendoza, Proemio is a family owned winery founded in 2001 that is not the typical Argentinian producer. With vineyards in three distinct regions, it features “Icon”which is a Bordeaux blend as the top of the line. Offering several Malbecs, it also bottles a Syrah-Grenache blend as well as a varietal Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Next: Siete Fincas

The name refers to vineyards in seven locations.

2019 Siete Fincas, Tupungato, Argentina $16.00

Dark, almost black in color suggesting it is not watered down, big volume stuff. With ripe plum fruit along with a black pepper edge, the aroma is also slightly floral-earthy. Medium bodied with soft edges, fine grained tannin, but nicely structured with a touch of oak and good length in the finish. Holds up well in the glass over time, a sign it can be cellared for a few years. 

Siete Fincas is also a family winery. Created in 2000 by Edgardo Stallocca to continue the viticultural tradition his grandfather, Juan Stallocca, began in Mendoza in 1904, it has vineyards in several sub regions. 

Other Malbecs:

Best reliable brands:

Norton

Domaine Bousquet

Susana Balbo

Salentein

Finca Flichman

Personal favorites worth a special search:

Zuccardi Q

Pascual Toso

A Worthy List of Cellar Worthy Wines

 Bravo Oldtimer Wine Pub

The Wine Enthusiast magazine, an oldie for sure, just released its list of the Top 100 Cellar Worthy wines. A great timely list to help re-stock your cellars.

https://www.winemag.com

These are my top ten reasons why this list is a must read for today’s non-snobby, open-minded wine drinker.

  1. The list is fascinating in its choices because the wines are not the usual predictable big names. And it is not pimping (too much) to advertisers. Only the top ranked Antinori was predictable along with Biondi-Santi Brunello and, yes, Dominus. The La Jota mention may be a bone thrown to the Jackson Family.
  2. It gets you out of the cult Cabernet rut. The number 2 most cellar worthy wine is a Syrah, not Cabernet or Bordeaux. And it was Terre Rouge’s Ascent from Sierra Foothills which, BTW, I’ve been praising for years.  Betz Family Syrah is also an excellent choice.

3. Not based on price: The list includes many nicely priced wines, about half priced below $75.

4. It reminds us white wines can age:  The selections include the Tablas Creek Esprit Blanc, a Copain Anderson Valley Chardonnay, a German Riesling, and a Pinot Gris from Alsace. Another Bravo for that daring choice.

5. It lists quite a few wines from Oregon and Washington. Kudos for including a Merlot from Walla Walla, home to some of the best Merlot around. Intriguing mention of Horsepower Syrah from Walla Walla which I’ll try to find.

6. Not Napa Valley driven: It lists very few Napa wines, but does have the Heitz Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet and a Mayacamas Chardonnay.

7. A few wines are downright discoveries and bargains such as the Buty Semillon-Sauvignon from Washington for $25 and a 2017 Cahors for $24. Biggest discovery of all may be the Halcon “Esquisto” Red Yorkville Highlands.

8. Great choices of Pinot Noir from Central Otago, Alsace, and Oregon. There’s even a German Pinot Noir.

9. Sparkling wines as age-worthy? Of course, but great to see Roederer’s Hermitage from Mendocino getting full recognition along with Bollinger and Cliquot.

10. Excellent choices of 2017 Bordeaux: the Chateau Carbonnieux is the 4th best and priced at $45. Right, no Petrus, no chateau Margaux. No hyping of the latest vintage for another bravo.

Serious Red Wines at Super Prices

On “International Chardonnay Day,” the trending story within online wine sales was….great deals in bigtime red wines.

Seeing many collectible reds quickly made me forget about Chardonnay.

Researching many, many special offerings during the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend, I discovered the time was ripe to buy serious red wines not to sip, but to savor and stash away.

The background that helps make sense is that the closure of so many restaurants and wine bars has famous reds not being re-ordered. Producers and importers have seen inventories stagnate. 

So the leading online wine sellers are being offered rare wines that normally would not be seen online at discounted prices.

It hit me when I saw Paradigm Cabernet offered way below normal at winespies.com. Paradigm, Heidi Barrett’s longtime client, normally sells for big bucks and mainly to mail list clients.

Today, another site offered the 2015 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon for $109 a pop. 

Another featured a 2010 Chateau Lascombes, a coveted Margaux for $99.

Yes, culty wines usually snapped up by collectors and high-rollers are backing up in warehouses.

 So make room in your wine cellars and wait for the home deliveries to begin arriving.

Here are 10 great examples of serious red wines that caught my eye.

The web addresses are provided and represent the best sites for finding these or similar wines over the next few days:

2010 Château Lascombes, Margaux $99 at  www.wtso.com

2015 Beringer vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $109.00 at http://www.lastbottlewines.com

2015 Robert Craig Howell Mountain Merlot, $49.00 at www.winespies.com

2017 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $36.95 at www.finalcase.com

2015 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast $40.00 at www.sommselect.com

2015 Seghesio Family Vineyards, Old Vine Zinfandel $29.00 at www.wineaccess.com

2014 Saxon Brown Zinfandel Parmelee Hill, $26.99 at www.vivino.com

2015 Domaine Du Grand Montmirail  Gigondas, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, $28.47at www. wineExpress.com

2016 Cos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $29.99 at www.vivino.com

2017 Vina Robles Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, $21.97 at www.napacabs.com

With wineries and restaurants beginning to open to some degree, the high-end red wines wont be offered at reduced prices for too long.

The window will soon be closing.

So act fast.

You can thank me later.