Every wine we feature here . . .
and in our Wine Shop must undergo — and pass with flying colors—a rigorous evaluation by a select panel of experts: wine makers, sommeliers, restaurant owners, wholesalers, retailers, and valued friends who share our passion for outstanding wines.
In addition to traditional indicators like texture, aroma, and flavor, the panel also considers factors such as rarity, complexity, and value.
Basically, if our panel won’t be thrilled to uncork a given wine for a special event with friends and family, you won’t find it recommended it here.
Featured Wine: Bergevin Lane Vineyards Intuition 2005
This wine is full bodied, has an excellent nose, and features great backbone and structure that will only continue to improve with time.
Our panel agreed with Robert Parker: This wine offers exceptional quality and value.
Varietal
Bordeaux Blend
• 60% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 10 % Merlot
• 10 % Cabernet Franc
• 20 % PetiteVerdot
Appellation
Columbia Valley
Year
2005
Cases Produced
233
Retail Cost Per Bottle
$55 (as of February 2008)
- Maureen Moriarty, Panelist: “Among this wine’s peers, Intuition is simply a standout. I continue to be impressed with the quality of wines coming out of the Walla Walla area, and this selection is currently one of my favorites. With great fruit, a nice approach, and a super finish, this is a wine I am proud to recommend to all my friends. Congratulations to the ladies and other members of the Bergevin Lane team: What you are doing is not only working, it’s exceptional!”
- Tim Bergman, Panelist: “Robert Parker was right: These ladies are producing outstanding wines—and doing so consistently. This selection has a great reputation and is a great, full-bodied wine that will continue to mature. The wine is plush, fruit forward, and has extraordinary complexity and balance, making it an excellent addition to both kitchen wine rack and the cellar.”
- Amber Lane, Wine Maker: “Intuition is a culmination of our passion, art, and science, and we proudly call it our ‘Fat-Bottomed Lady. This selection (as well as our others) is produced from grapes grown in what we believe to be the best vineyards in Washington State. Our goal has been to produce exceptional, complex, and structured Bordeaux-style blends that will prove to please—every time, every bottle—and we are proud to recommend this selection.”
Featured Wine: Orin Swift Papillon 2005
This wine hasn’t been discovered by the critics. Grab it before they figure it out! Out of a possible 100 points, our panelists gave this wine 96. It’s simply an outstanding wine—and at this price point is a great value that will only increase in value over time.
Varietal
Bordeaux Blend
• 63% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 19% Merlot
• 9% Cabernet Franc
• 7% Malbec
• 2% Petite Verdot
Appellation
Napa
Year
2005
Cases Produced
Over 2000
Retail Cost Per Bottle
$60 (as of January 2008)
- Maureen Moriarty, Panelist: “I’m a big devotee of this wine. Not an overpowering “fruit bomb” Napa Cab, this one has great texture and complexity. Let this one open up at least 30 minutes. It’s young and will only improve!”
- Tim Bergman, Panelist: “I’ve been excited about this wine from the first time I tried it, and I keep coming back to it as a favorite. It’s big, full-bodied, and grabs your attention. It has tremendous complexity, with balanced tannins and dark fruits. This is an outstanding wine today that will continue to improve for those lucky enough to have it in their cellar. While many find the label controversial, I love it! Each time I see it I want to rent the movie and watch it with friends while enjoying a bottle of this great wine!”
