Spring Wine Club Shipment 🍷

Spring 2021 Wine Club Release of Judge Palmer & Domenica Amato

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Dear Wine Club Family,

For generations, American winemakers have looked to the old world for inspiration, not only for winemaking techniques but also for the overall philosophy of the winery. Traditionally in Bordeaux, the estate model has been dominant - make the best possible wine from one single property. Burgundy has always favored the négociant mindset - source grapes from a variety of unique vineyards to produce a great number of distinct and high quality wines.

Since 2015 we have worked with a mix of estate and sourced fruit, aiming to elevate the wines from our property with each vintage while leaving no stoned unturned to find the best vineyard sites throughout California to round out our offerings. The spring wine club release illustrates some of the excitement and challenges of working under each approach.

From the estate vineyard, we have the tried and true Estate Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon from a unique hillside block, as well as a brand new expression of our terroir, the Gusto Rosso red blend. Featuring all three grapes grown on the property - Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah - Gusto Rosso is a unique blend with old world soul and new world fruit that has fascinated us from vine to bottle.

From other sources, this shipment features our final releases of both the Blau Vineyard Malbec and Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet. When buying grapes from other growers there is the always the risk of losing the source at the conclusion of a contract; we've had vineyards sold to corporate conglomerates, replanted with other grapes, or leased in their entirety to larger wineries. Thankfully there is no shortage of exceptional vineyards in our neck of the woods, and we look forward to sharing more of our recent discoveries with you in the coming years.

With the world moving back towards normal, we hope to see you all again at the winery very soon, and as always, we thank you so much for your support.

Best Wishes,
Palmer Emmitt & Michael Scorsone

Shipment Details

You're always welcome to customize your shipment, but if you'd like to make any adjustments, please respond by 9am on Friday, March 19th.
Wines will ship beginning on March 24th and tracking numbers will be e-mailed to your address on file.
Be sure to notify us if your shipping address or credit card information has changed.
Standard shipment is one bottle each of the wines listed below (double that for 12-bottle members).
Red-only members will receive the following unless you choose to customize:

6-bottle red-only members:

2 bottles: Gusto Rosso
2 bottles: Malbec
1 bottle: Estate Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon
1 bottle: Stagecoach Cabernet Sauvignon

12-bottle red-only members:

4 bottles: Gusto Rosso
3 bottles: Malbec
3 bottles: Estate Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon
2 bottles: Stagecoach Cabernet Sauvignon

New Releases In Your Shipment

Judge Palmer 2019 Sauvignon Blanc

Ellis Alden Vineyard, Alexander Valley
$30 ($24 on 12-bottle shipments)

This Sauvignon Blanc expresses the unique character of the mountain vineyard where it is grown, balancing layers of bright tropical fruit with fresh, crisp acidity. Fermenting and aging in 45% neutral French oak and 55% stainless steel give it just the right amount of weight and complexity. This vintage features a small amount of Viognier in the blend to give it some aromatic lift. Only 96 cases produced.

Domenica Amato 2019 Fiano
"Che Fico," Clarksburg
$29 ($23.20 on 12-bottle shipments)

Our second release of Fiano from a riverside vineyard in unheradled Clarksburg, this wine continues to exceed our expectations in every way, expressing luscious lemon character and showing rich texture from fermentation and aging in our clay amphorae. Only 93 cases produced.

Domenica Amato 2018 Gusto Rosso
Estate Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley
$36 for club members (regularly $45)

This fruit-forward wine is a unique animal - we use the three grape varieties growing on the estate vineyard to create an atypical red blend that fully expresses our terroir. Co-fermenting Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah together in one tank allows for seamless integration and smooth tannins, making it a food-friendly and crowd pleasing wine - you won't find anything else like it anywhere. Only 179 cases produced.

Judge Palmer 2016 Malbec
Blau Vineyard, Knights Valley
$44 for club members (regularly $55)

Blau vineyard produces Malbec with special character - deep, dark, bold, and yet impeccably balanced. It has been one of our favorite wines to barrel taste in the cellar since it was first crushed and has developed beautifully with extra time in the bottle before release. If you enjoyed our past few vintages of this wine, we're confident you'll love this wine as well, our final from Blau. Only 70 cases produced.

Judge Palmer 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon
Estate Terrace, Sonoma County

$60 for club members (regularly $75)

When we first laid eyes on the terrace block at our estate vineyard we knew this steep hillside was special. The porous soils and intense afternoon sun force the vines to struggle, resulting in a luxuriously flavored, full-bodied wine with classic California Cabernet character. Only 75 cases produced.

Judge Palmer 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon
Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley

$100 for club members (regularly $125)

A mountain vineyard in the Atlas Peak area of Napa Valley, Stagecoach is known to produce some of the most powerful and age-worthy Cabernets in California. It can be enjoyed now after an hour in the decanter alongside a ribeye steak or cellared for decades. Only 73 cases produced.

Judge Palmer

Domenica Amato

Judge Palmer