The Palace Thief #4

The Pessimist

When the Daou Brothers took their tech dollars a-shopping in Paso Robles they only bought the best: the old Hoffman Mountain Ranch. Founded by Dr. Stanley Hoffman in 1964, this was the site of some legendary wine. I can tell you about the 1976 and 1977 HMR Cabernet, but then that would be rude bragging. Let’s just say that Daou wines have an excellent and established pedigree; this one is a powerful Syrah blend.

The Prisoner

You may know that The Prisoner is a very lush blend of Zin, Cab, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Charbono, and Grenache. You may not know is that this is what your friends called you when you were dating your ex.

Unshackled Cabernet

Veteran winemaker, Chrissy Wittmann, says that there is “something special in Unshackled, which blends together familiar varietals from California’s premier wine regions to create a distinct collection with a personality all its own…” How is it that the Prisoner is so successful? It must be something about the wines because they continue to grow in leaps and bounds attracting not one-time buyers, but upon people who come back and buy it again.

Vineyard 29 CRU

an early cult favorite, Vineyard 29 was founded in 1989 with the planting of a 3-acre vineyard by David Abreu and cuttings from neighboring Grace Family Vineyards. In 2000, owners Chuck and Anne McMinn bought the historic Aida vineyard to add to the winery’s portfolio. The 2021 Cru blends the estate vineyard, from a hillside just at the “pinch” of Napa Valley’s hourglass shape, with Aida Vineyard fruit, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20 months in French oak. This is sexy, sexy stuff.

Virely-Rougeot Bourgogne Rouge

Waccamaw Proprietary Red

Put together a bunch of passionate kids (some with backgrounds selling wines for legends such as Eric Solomon and Martine Saunier) deeply immersed in the California biz and you can find some pretty tasty wines. That's what they did and that's what we have here.

White and Sea

It’s surprising that grapes like Sauvignon Blanc aren’t more widely planted in southern France, as they can be harvested fairly early to retain bright and citrusy acidity without really losing character or even complexity. Maybe wines like this will encourage more winemakers to try working with crisp and aromatic white grapes in Languedoc-Roussillon.

Willowlake Cabernet

Another completely unique Cabernet opportunity brought to you by some of the best wine brokers in the business. Declassified Cabernet from one of the biggest names in Stag's Leap District. We just can't tell you who :)

Willowlake Pinot Noir

Finally! A wine that rivals Belle Glos at a much friendlier price point. Pinot lovers unite!

Wunsch et Mann Cremant d'Alsace

Legend says the monk who invented Champagne cried 'I am tasting the stars!' The Mann family's been growing grapes on these Wettolsheim hillsides since 1793 — four generations later, they've got their own stars to offer. Pour it anytime you want to see stars — no concussion required.

Wunsch et Mann Pinot Blanc

Wunsch and Mann planted their flag in 1948, the same year the Marshall Plan started rebuilding Europe. Their vines were damaged and the land was depleted, but two families decided to get to work anyway. Four generations later, this organic Pinot Blanc from Wettolsheim is what that stubbornness looks like: floral, crisp, and fresh in the way that only Alsace seems to pull off.