Tag: wine bargains

A Year End Clearance Sale Not to be Missed

winespies.com has a wine sale unlike any other in my experience.

What a great opportunity to stock up on wines and wonderful way to ring in the New Year!!

The clearance consists of well-established, big names and recent cult-wine candidates like my most recent discovery, Giornata in Paso Robles.

There’s an added wrinkle as in each day the discounts are deeper, but the wines may disappear If you hesitate.

So, first go to the website, study the procedure for its “top secret Clearance” and go through the list to see what appeals to you.

Meanwhile, here’s the list with my suggestions highlighted in bold.

Excellent selection of Napa Cabs and Chateauneuf-du-Pape!!

I could say more, but time is critical.

The list:

Bodegas Corral 2017 ‘Altos’ Single Estate Crianza Rioja
Bodegas Orán 2017 ‘Soleá’ Valdebebas Rioja
The Vice 2020 ‘Carbone’ Single Vineyard Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon
Paolo Manzone 2020 ‘Mirinè’ Nebbiolo d’Alba
Château Grand Moulin 2017 ‘Réserve Elysée’ Corbières
BoutenacXavier Vignon 2020 ‘Cuvée Anonyme’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Mazzei 2019 ‘Philip’ Toscana IGT Cabernet Sauvignon
Domaine du Grand Tinel 2019 ‘Classique’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Bodegas Manzanos 2001 ‘Vino de Autor’ Voché Rioja
The Vice 2020 ‘The Hostage’ Single Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Viñedos de Páganos 2007 El Puntido Gran Reserva Rioja
Empress Vineyards 2019 Los Carneros Reserve Pinot Noir
Cuvée Wine Cellars 2014 Carneros Merlot
ALTA 2018 ‘NorCal’ Atlas Peak Napa Valley Cabernet Blend
Luca Bosio 2018 BaroloAveraen 2019 ‘Flood Line’
Chehalem Mountains Chardonnay
CVNE 2015 ‘Viña Real’ Gran Reserva Rioja
Giornata 2019 ‘Gemellaia’ Paso Robles Proprietary Red
Esk Valley 2016 ‘The Terraces’ Hawke’s Bay Proprietary Red
Kendric Vineyards 2018 Petaluma Gap Estate Pinot Noir
Château Magrez Fombrauge 2011 St.-Émilion Grand Cru
Bodegas Manzanos 2009 ‘125 Aniversario’ Reserva Rioja
Gorman Winery 2018 ‘The Devil You Don’t Know’ Columbia Valley Red
Palladian 2018 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Diego Conterno 2017 BaroloTeso
la Monja 2018 ‘Victorino’ Toro
Domaine de Rosiers 2019 ‘Cuvée Drevon’ Côte-Rôtie
Château Lafleur du Roy 2019 ‘Les Lavandières’ Pomerol
Maison Champy 2017 Beaune 1er Cru
Luigi Vico 2017 Prapò Barolo
Galerie 2017 ‘Pleinair’ Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Le Clos du Caillou 2020 ‘Les Quartz’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine Chanson 2018 Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge 1er Cru
Château de Vaudieu 2019 ‘L’Avenue’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Xavier Vignon 2012 ‘Cuvée Anonyme’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Grattamacco 2018 ‘Grattamacco’ Bolgheri Superiore
Elvio Cogno 2017 Ravera Barolo
Shannon Family 2020 ‘Devil’s Well’ Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Bodegas Viyuela 2017 White Label Crianza Ribera del Duero
La Pitchoune 2019 Holder Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
Rocca di Montegrossi 2016 ‘San Marcellino’ Gran Selezione
Charles Smith 2017 Substance ‘Cs’ Stoneridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Frisson 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Domaine Chanson 2018 Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc 1er Cru
Bodegas Breca 2018 ‘Brega’ Calatayud
Château Montlandrie 2012 Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
GrapeHeart Vineyards 2016 ‘GHV’ Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Caiarossa 2015 ‘Caiarossa’ IGT Toscana
Château Jean Faure 2019 St.-Émilion Grand Cru
Cantina di Negrar 2019 ‘Le Preare’ Ripasso della Valpolicella Superiore
Beau Vigne 2019 ‘Juliet’ Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon
Roberto Cavalli 2018 Tenuta degli Dei Toscana IGT
Talley Vineyards 2019 Rincon Vineyard Estate Grenache
Domaine Bertagna 2016 Les Plantes Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Domaine Bertagna 2016 Clos de la Perrière Monopole Vougeot 1er Cru
Domaine Raymond Usseglio 2019 ‘Cuvée Impériale’ Vignes CentenairesChâteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine Chanson 2018 Corton-Vergennes Blanc Grand Cru
Tenet 2015 ‘GSM’ Columbia Valley Red
Shannon Family 2019 Giannecchini Vineyard Cabernet Blend
Wine Guerrilla 2018 Hemar Vineyard Alexander Valley Zinfandel
Saddleback Cellars 2017 Napa Valley Merlot
Markus Molitor 2019 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Mosel Riesling GKA***
Domaine du Grand Tinel 2019 ‘Alexis Establet’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Warwick Estate 2018 ‘The Blue Lady’ Stellenbosch Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Sanford 2015 ‘Fountain Hills’ Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
Bibi Graetz 2019 ‘Testamatta 20 Anniversario’ Toscana IGT
Montevetrano 2018 Colli di Salerno IGT Cabernet Blend
Salvatore Molettieri 2012 ‘Vigna Cinque Querce’ Taurasi
Viñedos del Contino 2016 ‘Contino’ Reserva Rioja
Maison Passot Les Rampaux 2020 Régnié Cru Beaujolais
Gagliole 2018 ‘Valetta’ Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT
DAOU 2019 ‘Patrimony’ Adelaida District Cabernet Sauvignon
GAJA 2015 ‘Sorì San Lorenzo’ Barbaresco
Larkmead 2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Ad Vivum 2018 Sleeping Lady Vineyard Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon
Apsara Cellars 2015 Amoenus Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Maison Champy 2018 Chassagne-Montrachet

More on Labor Day Wine Sales

 Labor Day Wine Shopping

As predicted the deals are heating up. 

Just was notified that the 2013 Alexander’s Crown Rodney Strong Cabernet is a special

Holiday offer direct from the winery for $80.

Given the hyper online wine world, $80 seems sane.

Back to that world, here are my top 7 websites and the reasons for their high ratings.

#1 lastbottlewines.com

Based in Napa and having an importer’s license, these folks somehow manage to secure a wide range of wines in all price brackets. 

Discounts are some of the deepest. 50% off is common.

Their strength is California wine, but also amazingly strong in France and Italy.

They also source often hard to find wines.

They don’t solely rely on critics’ scores, and their comments are often amusing.

Frequent all day marathon sales are great buying opportunities.

Best recent offer: Luna Sangiovese Reserve, Napa  2019  $20 (normally $62)

#2 napacabs.com

A major retailer, this site offers much more than Napa Cabs and often comes up with unbeatable case prices on Fridays. 

The wine selection is large and includes all types and all regions. 

But the place to look is its list for free shipping by the case and also by 6 bottles. 

The list of 90+ point wines now exceeds 1000. 

Excellent deals on wines for everyday enjoyment, especially Chile’s and Argentina’s favorite producers.

Free shipping on case orders.

Often the lowest prices online for major brands.

Recent deals: 6 bottles of 2018 Silver Oak Cab Alexander Valley

Sean Minor Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2019 $19.97

2018 D.V. Catena Tinto Historico  $15.97

#3 invino.com

“Curated” is overused by so many others, but it applies perfectly to the wines at this site. Based in the town of Napa, it lists around 100 wines at any one time. But they reflect excellent choices that are not available elsewhere. 

Strengths are in wines from Spain, France, and Argentina with frequent surprises from California.

No crazy BS write ups about the latest cult wine from rockstar winemakers

And, best of all, discounts of 50%-60% 

Shipping rates are usually free for orders of 6 or more. Free for 3 on pricey wines. 

Best Recent Super Deal: Campo alle Comete Bolgheri Stupore 2016 $24.95 (50% off)

#4 winelibrary.com

Headquartered in New Jersey, winelibrary is a major wine retailer. Its current inventory is around 2,000 wines, with 500 selling for under $20 a bottle. It offers online daily wine deals on its cinderellawine.com website. Gary Vee, a techie revered by  some people, is part of the team and works with the monthly wine club program. He also rates wines for the site.

Excellent range of good values: My go-to Bubbly, Segura Viudas is only $9.09 here.

Heavy into French wines, especially Rhone and Southern France.

Free shipping on orders of 3 or more.

Best Recent Deals:

2017 Crystal Basin Cellars Reserve Zinfandel, El Dorado $19.99

2018 Molino Della Suga Rosso Di Montalcino $15.44

#5 reversewinesnob.com

Each day brings a new deal accompanied by a detailed, informative background.

Discounts are attractive (30%-50%) and the overall quality of the wines is high.

The way it works is to order a minimum of 6 bottles, but for the six there is a flat shipping fee of $5. 

3-bottle packs are sometimes offered. 

The offerings truly are for the non-snob. The site also reviews wines from Costco and Trader Joe’s.

Mostly West Coast wines are presented  but even the imports are often unusual in that few other sites have access to them. 

Best Recent Deal: 

Two Jakes 2017 Petite Sirah, Lake County $18.00

Scott Harvey Zinfandel Amador County 2019 $17.

#6 wineaccess.com

Wines direct from the source” is the slogan.  

The mantra is that fine wines are made in small quantities.

To shop for the best deals, we suggest going to the “Under $30” list, or see what the daily deal is.  The deals are available for 3 days or until the wine is sold out.

Shipping is free for 6 bottles or orders of $120.

Strong in Napa wines, its lists include Vermillion, Vine Cliff, Grgich Hills, Dalla Valle and Bevan Cellars.  From other places, there is Foxen Pinot Noir, Bedrock Zinfandel, Meyer Family Syrah, and County Line Rose from Anderson Valley.

Best recent Deal: 2019 Chad Merlot Incline 18 Sonoma Mountain $23.95

#7 wiredforwine.com

A recent end of summer sale of white and rose wines clinched it for me. The 172 whites offered with an additional 10% discount were a wide range of quality imports and US wines.

The website lists unusual and many of the best-known, proven brands at discounts ranging from 12% to 25%. 

Excellent selection of Sauvignon Blancs from around the globe.

80 Cabernets start at $15 and show careful curation

Free shipping of 6 bottle orders.

Best recent examples: 

Talley Estate Pinot Noir 2019 $34.99

Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2020 $16.99

Top 7 Wineries to Follow for Holiday Wine Sales

Now that Black Friday, Cyber Monday and sales before and after have finally ended, let’s review what happened. And, better yet, let’s apply what we learned to improve our savvy shopping skills.

Now, more than before, I encourage people to buy direct from smaller wineries rather than from online retailers, supermarkets and subscription box companies. But of course, that is a real option only when prices are attractive and shipping costs are sometimes cheaper than a gallon of gas. Happy to note many wineries are working hard to make that happen.

5 Reasons for Going Winery Direct for Holiday Sales

First, and this is big: you don’t have to join a club. No contracts!  Offers for non-members are usually at a slightly lower discount. But not always.

Shipping costs are attractive, ranging from $1 a case to $20. (A case normally ships for $40-ish)

Discounts often start at 20% and range up to 50% and higher

The wines are authentic, not custom made, cutesy labeled stuff from virtual wineries.

Many of these wines are not widely available, not supermarket wines from a giant corporation. Better yet, they are new releases, not old wines stored in some warehouse collecting dust and getting old.

The following real example beautifully demonstrates all 5 key points. Last November, Navarro Vineyards in the Anderson Valley made a special, timed sales offer. Here it is: “Navarro’s six-bottle Black Friday Sampler is only available through Monday, November 29, or until the sampler is sold out. 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. 

 For those unfamiliar with Navarro wines, you need only to look over its reviews in the winereviewonline.com database. There, you’ll see the many high (94+) ratings from numerous critics, and notice that even its Roses have been rated in the mid-90s!

Another reason for mentioning Navarro first is that it was, along with Ridge Vineyards, offering wines direct to customers on a mailing list in the 1980s. It served as the model when other wineries ventured into direct sales.

Wineries willing to offer free shipping as part of a special sale or an attractive flat rate opened the door wider to buying wines direct. And, many like the folks at Tank Garage in Napa Valley,  make it easy: “Need to get your hands on cool wines from Tank Garage Winery? Whether you’re shopping gifts for the season or stocking your cellar for days to come, we’ve got you covered with $1 shipping on any order, all weekend long. No code is necessary, this rad deal applies automatically at checkout.”

Even a flat rate of $10 for 6 bottles or $5 for a case is attractive when you remember a case of wine normally ships for around $40.

Top 10 Wineries to Follow for Holiday Wine Sales

Rather than suggesting everyone now randomly subscribe to a bunch of wineries, I will list a few that have a proven track record and are known to offer special holiday deals during the year.

Navarro Vineyards: See the example above. A great source of Pinot Noir and also a wide range of small batch wines.  www.navarrovineyards.com

Clos LaChance: This family owned beautiful Santa Clara winery often offers super deals (like 50% off) of its Sauvignon Blanc, Pirates blend Rhone, and Meritage. It also makes a fine Cabernet Sauvignon. Good shipping deals.  www.clos.com

Trentadue Vineyards: Rock solid winery in Alexander Valley frequently offers one day Holiday sales. Look for “La Storia” wines, its high end line. But also  don’t pass by its Zinfandel or Sauvignon Blanc. Trentadue makes one of the finest Petite Sirahs. Good shipping rates. www.trentadue.com

Fritz Winery, also in the Alexander Valley, often offers a case of Fritz wines with $1 case shipping. The 2018 Estate Dry Creek Zin and 2019 Russian River Chardonnay are its top rated wines. http://www.fritzwinery.com

Testarossa Vineyards: The best kept secret for fabulous Pinot Noir. Look for discounted prices and free shipping on 3 or more bottles. Also the Chardonnays are exceptional. http://www.testarossa.com

Tooth & Nail Winery: Looking for something totally different and unconventional? With Tooth & Nail, one of my recent favorite discoveries, signing up for email alerts gets you a 15% discount. Frequent holiday specials are at 20% off with free shipping on orders of $50 or more. This Paso Robles winery offers wildly creative reds and whites and  all have rated in the 90s. Great Rose, Rhone blends, and Cabernets with labels that literally sing for you. But that’s another story.

www.toothandnailwine.com

Ponzi Vineyards: This proven Willamette Valley pioneer caught my attention with its major sale of a Pinot Noir Rose…and free shipping on 6 or more bottles. Key an eye on this site www.ponzivineyards.com

Wine Steal of the Day

2019 Omen Syrah-Viognier Element 79 Single Vineyard Limited Edition Fairplay El Dorado

Offered by http://www.wineaccess.com

2019 Element 79 Omen Syrah-Viognier, El Dorado $19.99

Lovers of Syrah and Rhone wines should take advantage of this great offer. Omen is a label of Atlas Wine Company, and this wine was made by Alex Remy.

Alex is one of California’s rising star winemakers.

He has been working with grapes grown by Element 79 over the last several vintages.

Element 79 Vineyards, family owned, has also been making outstanding Rhone wines in recent vintages.

This is a classic Rhone red, made from 82% Syrah, 18% Viognier.

The vineyard sits at high elevation in El Dorado, part of the Sierra Foothills. 

The site is ideal for Syrah and other Rhones.

I absolutely love Element 79’s 2017 Syrah. See my detailed review and rating at winereviewonline.com

While there, read the article about El Dorado wines.

Wineaccess.com is offering it at $19.99, half off. 60% off by the case.

I’ve reviewed wineaccess and purchased from them.

 They are reliable. But they tend to over-hype. 

But this wine deserves all the accolades.

For the Record: I’m doing this for fun. 

Nobody’s paying or bribing me.

Act fast and

Thank me later.

also check out the winery at

http://www.element79vineyards.com

Special Spring Sales Alert

A truly exciting winery is having a sale now until this Sunday.

You can buy wines at prices that are normally “members only” so you can first select some exciting wines to sample. And then also through these wines, consider joining the club.

And THE winery is: Tooth & Nail Winery

www.toothandnailwine.com

Based in Paso Robles, this oddly named winery offers several types of wines under 4 different brand names:

Tooth & Nail: Creative, unconventional wines with unusual names and stunning labels. For example, “The Fragrant Snare” brings together Chardonnay, Albarino, and Viognier.

Amor Fati: Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, all from cool climates.

For me, these 4 were love at first taste. All scored 92 points or higher. See reviews at 

http://www.winereviewonline.com

 Stasis: Pinot Noir from Santa Maria and a Viognier. Both excellent.

Destinata: Drink now, no fanfare Chenin Blanc, Riesling, and Syrah. All good. All fun. Especially the drink-now style Syrah. The dry Riesling and Chenin will surprise you.

Bundles: special packages at 20% off prices. 

There’s a Pure Bliss” bundle and a” Once in A Lifetime” bundle you should check out.

BTW: the labels are so artsy, so creative, and so collectible!

You can see my wine reviews at winereviewonline.com and better understand my enthusiasm.

Who’s Behind these Wines?

Rob Murray is the owner. After making Rabble Wine a raving success, he sold it to start Tooth & Nail. With Rabble, he was the first to use augmented reality technology in wine labeling, thereby injecting a sense of movement and play onto a bottle of wine. When it comes to label artwork and design, he is far ahead of everyone.

Winemaker Jeremy Leffert’s motto is: “Pour now. Live for today.” He has a degree in Environmental Science and later studied at Cal Poly. At Tooth & Nail, Jeremy leans toward the philosophical and is ever alert to avoid “the dominance of the winemaker’s hand.” With that in mind, he views himself as a shepherd as much as a maker.

Wait! A winemaker without a BIG ego? Not puffed up about high scores, not an icon or living legend? Just a highly skilled professional.

As a wine club, Tooth & Nail not only meets but nails it by exceeding my 4 very demanding standards:

1.High quality wines

2. Wide variety of wines, unusual wines, and wines at all price points

3. Membership has real value, VIP, being part of cutting edge thinking, something trending

4. Fun

Well, the “fun” requirement eliminates about 90% of all winery wine clubs, the snobby places with way over the top prices.

Also those wineries where members feel pressure to buy or else get dropped. And those with the weekend traffic and the crowds? 

So  hello Paso Robles, the home to high quality wineries owned by crazy, gifted, fun loving, creative, enthusiastic and, well, nice people.

And one more major thing, this winery is within reach of TinCity, home to dozens of other wineries, a few artisan breweries, and a food vendor or two. Yes, part of a wine destination!!

Best Websites for Savvy Wine Shoppers in 2022

Let the Countdown Begin

Now that Spring has arrived and we can look back on all those wild sales from Thanksgiving to St. Patrick’s Day, this an ideal time to review what has happened over the last year in the fast-changing world of online wine sellers. 

It’s also Academy Awards time, with its ongoing chatter and debate about the best of this and that sets the tone for this post. I’ll be shining the spotlight on several wine webites that stood out and performed well over the last year.

As most of you know, I’m not a fan of subscription boxes since you can find better wines at better prices if you do a little research. Nakedwine, Vinesse, and Firstleaf seem to make many people content. But those are not my kind of  wine-loving people.

Much like the selections for best movies, actors, and whatever, selecting the best sites for serious wine shopping also has to be broken down into categories. 

For one stop shopping, the big retail guys like wine.com, wineExpress.com and cinderellawines.com maintained their positions over the last year as reliable and only occasionally exciting. 

Taking our cue from the Oscars, we are spotlighting the best websites in specific categories.

In the Best of “Curated Selection” category, the nomination for the best website for red wines is invino.com. Since the present partners took over in 2019, it is often my go to place for red wines. 

www.invino.com 

“Curated” is overused by so many others, but it applies perfectly to the wines offered at this site. Based in the town of Napa, it lists around 100 wines at any one time. But they reflect excellent choices that are not available elsewhere.  

If you prefer red wines, then this is the site for you. It is particularly good with Napa reds and carries such proven Cabernet wineries as Luna, Von Strasser, and Clark-Claudon. From Bordeaux, it now has very attractive red Graves for around $20 and a lovely 2018 Bordeaux for $9.95. Then there’s the rarely seen red wines from Betz Family, Ken Wright and School House Vineyard. The selections from Argentina, Spain, and Italy are also inviting and unusual.

An exciting list of red blends confirm these guys work hard to offer values, and many good deals are priced below $25 a bottle. A highly rated Dolum Estate Napa Cabernet was offered recently at 60% off and a Sonoma Coast Pinot for $23.95.  

If you buy wines based on ratings, then even here you can look over a collection of 94+ rated wines under $40. Many exciting wines and several are deeply discounted, such as a first rate 2016 Chateauneuf-du-Pape and 2016 Pomerol Château Croix-des-Rouzes. 

While a few other sites have recently offered Frisson Napa Cabernet, invino.com came up with a special deal on Frisson magnums at 50% off and free shipping on orders of 2 or more.

Pros:

Authentic wines, not custom made, private labels

Strengths are in wines from Napa, Spain, France, and Argentina with frequent surprises from other California regions..

No crazy BS write ups about the latest cult wine from icons and  rockstar winemakers

And, best of all, discounts of 50%-60%

 Shipping rates vary but always seem fair and based upon sales price.

Cons:

Not really a negative, but it is somewhat limited by appealing primarily to serious, well-informed, and somewhat adventurous wine lovers.

16 Wines Under $16: Deal of the Day

http://www.cawineclub.com  just announced a real serious sales. Here’s what you should know.

Specializing in small, family owned producers, this wine club is one of the oldest and is time proven, rock solid reliable.

Headquartered in California’s Central Coast, it is a website to follow if you are a fan of wines from Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo. But it is also good at selecting wines from Sonoma, Napa, Lodi and other prime regions.

It is not flashy, and avoids the razzle-dazzle over hyped sales pitches so common with other sites. Dare I say “professional”?

Right now, it is offering $1 case shipping  and has organized the sale as 16 wines for less than $16 a bottle.

Proven names are part of the deal such as Fess Parker (Grenache Blanc), Pedroncelli (Zinfandel) and 3 excellent wines from one of my favorite wineries, Clos LaChance. 

I am a fan of the Clos LaChance Sauvignon Blanc ($14.99) and 2019 Estate Meritage ($14.99). 

Dancing Coyote, based in Lodi,  also makes one of the finest Chenin Blancs, offered for $15.99  

Chardonnays lovers can check out the 7 different ones in this sale. I suggest the 2020 Rancheria Cellars, on sale for $12.99.

With $1 case shipping and 16 discounted wines to consider, you can build a case that will make you proud of being a savvy wine shopper. See it at http://www.cawineclub.com

the details: $1 Shipping Wine Sale ends on March 31, 2022. Prices listed online are per bottle.  Half, full, and/or mixed cases all ship via ground for $1 to most states. Final order must be in increments of 6 or 12 bottles. Some restrictions may apply. Must be 21+ to order.

A Heads Up: Major Wine Sale Starts Tuesday

Vintage Wine Estates is running a serious sale with heavy (50-70%) discounts. 

While its portfolio of wineries runs the gamut, there are a few wineries you

might check out. You might pass on the Cherry Pie and Layer Cake, 

but there are some real fine brands represented.

Here are two examples of real deals:

Kunde Family Estate: the 2018 Zinfandel is on sale for $12.10 a bottle

Swanson Vineyards 2019 Pinot Grigio, San Benito $13.80 a bottle

Also, on Tuesday when the sales begins, see what is offered from these established wineries: 

Qupe, one of the most reliable Rhone wine producers 

Laetitia  is good for its cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

 Clos Pegase is one of Napa’s big names. Look for its Chardonnay

B.R. Cohn has a great Zinfandel from Moon Mountain and several Cabernets

Here’s where to begin:

www.vwecellarevent.com

Shipping is 1 cent for a case

You can thank me later

Best Winery Direct Holiday Sale

Winery Direct Holiday Sale

The Clos LaChance End of the Year Sale is HERE! Enjoy amazing prices on delicious wines – no coupon code required, simply shop online, or visit the Tasting Room. Supplies are limited, so don’t wait to take advantage of these great deals!

Truly, this is an amazing opportunity to stock up on wines for the holidays.

Check this out: 50% off of solid, high quality wines.

The deal is on for the month of December.

I’ve visited the winery on numerous occasions when living in the area.

It is family owned and managed. No corporate bs.

Authentic wines made from their own vineyards. Not private labels.

My favs are the Sauvignon Blanc and the Cabernet.

Clos LaChance has vineyards in the Santa Clara Valley, and Cabernet Sauvignon has thrived here for decades. Insider truth: the Cabs are every bit as good as Napa Valley’s. Honest!

Clos LaChance is a favorite hangout of the Silicon Valley crowd. 

Here’s a little more background:

Clos LaChance Vineyards

www.clos.com

Family owned, now in the hands of the second Murphy generation. Clos LaChance began in 1982. The family vineyard gradually grew to its current 150 acres. Today, it is a vastly popular wine destination with a very active and loyal wine club membership. The tasting room overlooks the valley and a private golf course, and has a well deserved reputation for both its food and its many musical events. 

Cabernet and Chardonnay are the mainstays, but I’m also a big fan of the Sauvignon Blanc and the red blend, Pirates 22.

Dont hesitate.

You can thank me later.

Black Friday & Red WinesThrough Cyber Monday

Red wines & Holiday Discounts: My Favorite Pairing

“Red Friday” was announced by wineexpress.com. 

That’s a cute way to offer a wide range of

Red wines from around the world.

A few are deeply discounted. 

Most are discounted 10% to 30%.

Several of the better deals are decent Bordeaux such as Château Le Grand Verdus and

Chateau Landreau. Not big names. But reliable and authentic.

Here’s one that is also hard to beat for less than $16:Elyse 2017 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

Also offered are two of my fav reds reviewed at winereviewonline.com

2018 Marietta Cellars Christo Estate Red at $24.97

2019 Silk & Spice from Portugal ar $14.47

Both of these are excellent values.

Check out the extensive list of red wines at http://www.wineexpress.com

Direct from wineries:

Navarro Vineyards, one of the time proven, excellent family wineries, has a fantastic holiday offer.

Navarro’s six-bottle Black Friday Sampler is only available through Monday, November 29, or until the sampler is sold out. The six bottles of 2017 Méthode à l’Ancienne Pinot Noir in this sampler—three of them unfiltered—are being offered for $108.00, a savings of $108.00! 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.

Yes, you can buy this Pinot Noir at half-price:

2017 Navarro Pinot Noir, Méthode à l’Ancienne. Double Gold Medal. 93 points.

Half off case sale at Byington Vineyards:

Here’s the pitch:

NO GIMMICKS EVER! Wonderful Wines at INCREDIBLE PRICES!BARBERA Case: $329.94 vs. $659.88 (SAVE $329.94)CHARDONNAY Case: $197.94 vs. $395.88 (SAVE $197.94)BLANC DE BLANCS Case: $419.92 vs. $599.88 (SAVE $179.96)

The 2015 Chardonnay is from Alexander Valley and is a super deal at this case price.

Yes, there’s one little hitch: the sale is direct from the Los Altos winery, so must be picked up.

Testarossa Vineyards (not far from Byington) has a special holiday offer:

Black Friday

10% for non members and Ground Shipping Included

on orders of 3+ bottles

Testarossa is the best kept secret among Pinot Noir lovers and currently offers a full roster of site specific, special vineyard designated Pinots from fabled vineyards.

2. Check out the specials at Tank Garage Winery.

$1 Shipping All Weekend Long

Need to get your hands on cool wines from Tank Garage Winery? Whether you’re shopping gifts for the season or stocking your cellar for days to come, we’ve got you covered with $1 shipping on any order, all weekend long. No code is necessary, this rad deal applies automatically at checkout through midnight on Sunday,  November 28th.

tankgaragewinery.com

also, there’s this fun offer:

Black Friday Garage Giveaway!! 🎉

‘Tis the season! Now through November 28th, enter once per day for a chance to win:

– (1) $250 Virtual Gift Card to Tank Garage Winery

-(4) Stemless Shatterproof Glasses

-(1) 750 mL Decanter

-(1) Fuck Off Gold Wine Key

-(1) Vinyl Record Coaster Set

The winner will be drawn on November 29th and will be contacted via email.

Looking ahead, http://www.wtso.com has a magnum marathon set for Monday, November 29, 8am-9pm Eastern time

Search this blog for my detailed review of wtso and its marathon sales.