{"title":"MEGA Napa Valley 2026","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"plinth-sauvignon-blanc-napa-valley-california-2023","title":"Plinth, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California, 2024","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOverview of the Wine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ePlinth Wine began as a love letter from Flora and Jason Chang to their cherished Houyi Vineyard sitting atop Pritchard Hill. Like any good story, we must venture to the beginning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eAfter arriving in California in 2010, a majestic plot of land enchanted the Changs. It was there that they planted their entrepreneurial wine roots, founding Nine Suns Winery and Houyi Vineyard. The wine brand grew under their passionate direction, as did Houyi’s reputation among wine-lovers and winegrowers within—and far beyond—the rolling hills of Napa Valley.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eIn 2022, the Changs passed stewardship of the winery and vineyard to their longtime partners and friends, Realm Cellars. Their wine journey, though, was far from over. During those 12 years with Nine Suns, a budding interest in wine blossomed into a great reverence for wine's distinct ‘somewhere-ness’ and the occasions and people that give wine its meaningful relevance. This perspective on the meaning of a wine’s plinth inspired a brand devoted to both the land it grows from and the experiences over which it is shared.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eUnder the winemaking direction of Philippe Melka and continued relationship with Realm Cellars, Plinth produces its own expression of Pritchard Hill with a very limited batch of Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard wines and choreographs Bordeaux blends and white varietals that celebrate wine as a foundational element of a life well-lived.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinemaker\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ePhilippe Melka (Master of his craft)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGrape \/ Blend\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eSauvignon Blanc\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrigin\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eNapa Valley, California\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinemaker's Tasting Notes\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eA Sauvignon Blanc of bold presence, balancing bright acidity with a rounded, supple texture. The wine is vibrant upon opening, unfolds with energy and marks an elegant, long finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(This wine is the enduring legacy of the Nine Suns Sauvignon Blanc)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct Size: 750mL\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"KJS","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50542036517169,"sku":null,"price":91.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/0441\/0666\/files\/Plinth_Sauvignon_Blanc_Napa_Valley_California_2023.jpg?v=1736198340"},{"product_id":"s-r-tonella-cellars-rutherford-cabernet-sauvignon-napa-valley-california-2022","title":"S. R. Tonella Cellars, Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, 2022","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eOverview of the Wine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eIt all started with an earthquake. In 1906 after the great San Francisco earthquake, a huge demand for workers to rebuild the city brought Joseph Ponti, Steve’s great uncle, from Italy to San Francisco. Shortly thereafter, Ponti became the superintendent and initial winemaker at the iconic Beaulieu Vineyards in Rutherford, where he stayed for 43 years. He made the first internationally recognized Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. In 1939 it won a gold medal at the Golden Gate International Exposition for his 1936 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Since that time, Cabernet Sauvignon has become synonymous with Rutherford and Napa Valley. Ponti’s nephew, Steve’s grandfather, Louis Tonella, joined his uncle at Beaulieu when he was just 17 and worked there for several years. Louis inherited from Ponti vineyards located in the Rutherford viticulture region and the tradition continues to today. Grape growing and wine production have been a part of Steve’s life and family history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBringing us to the present, we endeavor to continue this heritage and spirit with S. R. Tonella Cellars. Our purpose is simply to make history by crafting the best premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals that represent the best of Rutherford and Napa Valley. S. R. Tonella Cellar’s aspiration is that our wine is shared to create some small but memorable piece of history with everyone who crosses paths with us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eWinemaker\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSteve Tonella\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eGrape \/ Blend\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCabernet Sauvignon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cu\u003eOrigin\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eNapa Valley, California\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eWinemaker's Tasting Notes \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eInviting aromas of cassis, bramble, dried herbs, dark chocolate, and baking spices. The palate is full-bodied and well-structured, featuring fine, rounded tannins and balanced acidity. Layers of dark fruit and spice unfold with richness and depth, leading to a long, luxurious finish.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e94 Points - The Wine Palate\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, notes of baked plums and blackberry preserves lead to hints of menthol and lavender. The full-bodied palate is packed with expressive black fruit with fine-grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing with a minty lift.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct size: 750ml\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"KJS","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52359402651953,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/0441\/0666\/files\/S._R._Tonella_Cellars_Rutherford_Cabernet_Sauvignon_Napa_Valley_California_2022.jpg?v=1768422226"},{"product_id":"hobel-wines-cabernet-sauvignon-the-joist-napa-valley-california-2022","title":"Hobel Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon \"The Joist\" Napa Valley, California, 2022","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOverview of the Wine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThe story of Hobel Wines began in 1998, when Cameron first met friend and winemaker Thomas Brown in Napa. Cameron was working as the Director of Business Development at Winebid.com and Thomas was working as Assistant Winemaker at Turley Wine Cellars. Their mutual love of great wine led to many shared dinners and glasses of wine, where they discussed the prospect of finding a project that would allow them to work together in producing a world-class wine. The opportunity finally arose eleven years later, with the 2009 Hobel Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHobel, our family name, is also a traditional woodworking plane that has been used for centuries by skilled craftsmen to smooth, balance and finish wood surfaces. The \"hobel\" depicted on our label is a modern twist on this classic woodworking tool and each vintage of Hobel has a different species of custom-crafted wood that is hand applied to the neck of each bottle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv itemprop=\"description\" class=\"pipWinery_copy viewMoreModule\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"viewMoreModule_text\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinemaker\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThomas Rivers Brown\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrape \/ Blend\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e100% Cabernet Sauvignon\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNapa Valley, California\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinemaker Tasting Notes\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"maincontent\"\u003eThe 2022 growing season was a test of both patience and vineyard management. Early in the season, Calistoga, like much of Napa, enjoyed near-perfect weather, with warm days and cool nights—ideal for the slow, even ripening that Cabernet Sauvignon demands. However, the September heatwave posed significant challenges for winemakers across the Valley.  After tasting through the wines, we decided that blending the three vineyard sites would result in the best wine for the 2022 Hobel vintage.  The resulting blend, The Joist, is a symphony of each vineyard's most expressive elements and epitomizes our winemaking philosophy to put the best wine possible in the bottle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e92 Points - Ian Blackburn\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eThe voluminous and voluptuous nose of blue fruits gets your attention, the mouth is dense, and delicious.  There is a generous and ready to enjoy sense about this wine.  I think the price and quality put forward here is outstanding.  Thomas Rivers Brown has parented a huge number of stars... Schrader, Outpost, Rivers Marie, Senses, and now Hobel ... just to name a few.   I think this is a fun grab for under $100 - its bold and juicy and very people pleasing.  15+23+23+32 = 92 points \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e90 Points - Jeb Dunnuck\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBased on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a blend of the Larkmead, Winfield, and Pozzan vineyards and aged 20 months in 75% new French oak, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon The Joist offers juicy blue fruits, cedary herbs, violets, and hints of orange. It's medium to full-bodied, ripe, and charming on the palate, with soft tannins and a front-loaded style. With roughly 200 cases produced, it should drink well over the coming 5-7 years. Drink 2025-2032.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct size: 750ml\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"KJS","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54416827580721,"sku":null,"price":89.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/0441\/0666\/files\/HobelWines_CabernetSauvignon_TheJoist_NapaValley_California_2022.jpg?v=1788951170"}],"url":"https:\/\/marchantofwine.com\/collections\/mega-napa-valley-holiday.oembed","provider":"Merchant of Wine","version":"1.0","type":"link"}