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Hi friends,
It's your 'wine guy' James. Yes, this is the real deal. TLDR is this:
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Costco heir David Sinegal intentionally offering Cult-caliber wine at pedestrian prices... That's the most Costco thing, if I ever saw it.
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He definitely proves this isn't the stereotypical Napa luxury startup, better explained in this Bloomberg article — also summarized down below
- About 10,000 cases of each are made. Even so, our allocation is not limitless!
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Their founding winemaker was Tony Biagi (Hourglass, Cade, Plumpjack, Odette, Clos du Val & more)
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Now it's Ryan Knoth (who worked under David Abreu, Michel Rolland, and Fredrik Johansson at Staglin + under Jim Barbour & Philippe Melka at Gandona)
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More Background:
This place has got a long history: the 30-acre property originally known as the Inglewood Estate was first planted to vines in 1881. It has continued as a place to grow amazing grapes since that time until the present; the Sinegal family purchased the St. Helena property in 2013. Over the generations, the estate has passed through four separate families prior to the Sinegals. The skeleton key on every label of Sinegal wines represents the importance of legacy and preserving the heritage of these families, as it is representative of the original key that was passed down to the Sinegals when they acquired the estate.
Producing true Bordeaux-style wines is winemaker Ryan Knoth. Ryan’s previous life was in biotech, with a degree in biology and chemistry. Understanding intensity and precision as a biochemist led him into the art of winemaking. Since joining the wine industry, Ryan has worked under the expert tutelage of David Abreu, Michel Rolland, and Fredrik Johansson at Staglin Family Vineyard and Jim Barbour and Philippe Melka at Gandona Winery. Ryan joined Sinegal Estate in its infancy and is excited to be applying his background of science and winemaking to crafting distinct and elegant wines from this historic estate.
In addition, they have also made a second label, "Details" since as we all know it's the details that make the wine! And the image on the label for this line comes from the saying “the Devil is in the Details.” Sinegal started their 'Details' releases in order to offer their customers a number of great wines at a much lower price point. The majority of the fruit comes from Sonoma Valley and is sourced from the incredible Wildwood Vineyard that was first planted back in the late 1800s.
About the 2021 Vintage:
Wine Advocate gave the vintage 93-96 points while Wine Spectator gave it 93-97; Vinous Media went even higher, rating the vintage 95-98 points), with Antonio Galloni saying
"The Two thousand twenty-one is a fabulous vintage in Napa Valley. That’s the good news. The not so good news is that production is down sharply, 30-50% in many cases. A combination of sustained heat and drought, plus the accumulated shocks of 2020, contributed to paltry yields. It was another very early harvest, and yet the wines have tremendous energy as well as finesse."
These wines have it all: winemaking, terroir and vintage all lined up to deliver exceptional power, class, and beauty; all hallmarks of Sinegal’s signature style. All this wrapped up in an under $100 package for Napa Cab and under $xx for an excellent Sauv Blanc?! No wonder our allocation is so small - these won't last long, so please place your order promptly!
Cheers,
James
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2021 Sinegal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
St. Helena, Napa Valley
94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Moving to Napa, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec, and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc, all of which spent 20 months in 80% new French. Currants, smoked herbs, graphite, chocolaty oak, and some spring flower notes all give way to a rich, full-bodied, plush, layered wine that has terrific underlying structure. It's a gorgeous base cuv e that has so much to love. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years." (Dec 2023)
92 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is sleek, polished and super-expressive. Dark red cherry/red plum, spice, menthol, licorice, tobacco and violet are all dialed up in this juicy, dense Cabernet Sauvignon. There's a bit of tannin that needs to soften, but this is impressive just the same. Dollops of Petit Verdot, Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc round out the blend." - Antonio Galloni (Dec 2023)
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Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, 2% Merlot
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Aging: 20 months in 80% new French oak
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2021 Sinegal Details Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma County
93 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
“Coming from Sonoma and based on 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and smaller amounts of Petit Verdot, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Details is a smoking bottle of wine, as well as an incredible value. Darker berries, currants, scorched earth, lead pencil, and hints of chocolate all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a plush, layered mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It's from Sonoma but will stand toe to toe with any number of Napa Cabernet Sauvignons that run two to three times the price.” (Dec 2023)
91 Points - Vinous Media:
“The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Details is packed with dark red/purplish fruit, graphite, lavender, menthol and cloves. Dense and full-bodied to the core, the 2021 delivers tons of complexity and nuance, especially for the money. In this vintage, the 2021 Details is a bit more fruit-forward and less intensely savory than the first vintages.” – Antonio Galloni (Dec 2023)
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Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 4% Petite Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec
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2021 Sinegal Estate Sauvignon Blanc
St. Helena, Napa Valley
93 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Coming from multiple sites in Sonoma and brought up in 30% new wood, the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is terrific, with pure, classic Sauvignon notes of bright citrus, honeyed limes, and ripe grapefruit as well as some subtle toast and spice. Medium-bodied, vibrant, and lively on the palate, it's impeccably made. Drink bottles over the coming couple of years." (Feb 2023)
91 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of fruit from both Napa and Sonoma. Bright, floral and finely cut, the 2021 bristles with energy. Lemon peel, white flowers, sag and white pepper lend aromatic brilliance throughout. A dollop of Musque clone adds lovely aromatic presence." - Antonio Galloni (Feb 2023)
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Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Sauvignon Musque clone
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Aging: 11 months sur lie in 35% new French oak
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2022 Sinegal Details Sauvignon Blanc
Sonoma County
Tasting Notes:
On the nose there are aromas of lemon zest, white flowers, honeycomb. There are flavors of apricots, white grapefruit, melon, refreshing acidity and minerality.
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