Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

I can’t believe we are already into March! I’ve been finding some Spec-tacular wines for you all to get into your baskets this Spring! I’ve been extremely fortunate to guide you all and now all of Spec’s stores with excellent wines that you will be proud to enjoy in your homes. Cheers and Enjoy!

Sullivan Estate ‘Coeur De Vigne’ Red Blend 2020

Rutherford, California

Cash Price $79.79 but a $20 Spec’s Key for a limited time

Only $59.79

Sullivan winery has become one of our Premier Rutherford AVA wineries. This wine is a 68% Merlot/27% Cabernet Sauvignon/3% Cab Franc/2% Petit Verdot blend that received 96 Points from Wine Enthusiast. It is a limited release wine that I was able to get a startlingly great deal on! Usually this wine sells for $80+ but I was able to procure a deal that I’m going to pass on to you for savings and will be able to sell for ONLY $59.97! The wine is Merlot driven but has plenty of structure that gives the wine a Cabernet-esque feel with a soft round opulence that only Merlot can give. Succulent flavors of black currant and plum flow into medium intensity with a silky plush core of dark fruit that sits beautifully on the palate. Coeur De Vigne shows the classic minerality of Rutherford dust with a hint of old world feel while delivering deliciously ripe fruit throughout the mouthfeel. Get this GEM while you can!!! BARLOW SCORE: 96 POINTS

Woodward Canyon ‘Artist Series’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Walla Walla Valley, Washington State

Cash Price $59.84

Woodward Canyon is one of the original wineries that help put Walla Walla Valley on the the map in Washington State. They completely ‘WOW’ed me when I tried them at the ‘TASTE WASHINGTON STATE’ wine convention this past year. I tasted 300-400 different wines while I was there and this winery really stood out in the crowd, so we are now proudly offering them at Spec’s! This wine offfers an excellent bouquet of violets and dark fruit on the nose. Robust flavors of dark currant and black cherry sing on the palate with medium plus intensity. Dusty tannins show throughout the palate, but integrate beautifully into a harmonic balance of fruit and structure. The mid palate shows a creamy core with hints of dark framboise, leather, and exotic clove. The finish is long and seductive with notes of toasted oak, creme brulee, and just a hint of smoked tea leaf. Stunning! BARLOW SCORE: 95 POINTS

Smith Madrone Dry Riesling 2018

Spring Mountain, California

Cash Price $34.99

I recently joined Stu Smith of Smith Madrone Winery at the Houston Rodeo Livestock Wine Auction where his Lot of Reserve Grand Champion Riesling went for an ASTONISHING Record $220K to Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson! THIS IS THAT WINE! This award shows that deliciously DRY Riesling can find a home in Texas. Their Riesling is the best produced in the United States (in my humble opinion). The grapes come from the steep hillsides of Spring Mountain. This classic 100% Riesling is produced from the same vineyards, in the same way every year, yet the wines continually offer new characteristics every vintage. This Riesling has a light straw core with light legs. The nose offers wet rocks, white flowers, cream and whiffs of petrol. The palate has medium intensity with flavors of Granny Smith apples, orange blossoms, and Bosc pear that jump into medium plus acidity and tinges of grapefruit and honeysuckle.  The finish is balanced and lip smacking with touches of lime custard, minerals, and petrol. A classically beautiful Riesling. WOW! BARLOW SCORE: 95 POINTS

Devil’s Candy Red Blend 2018

California

Cash Price $29.99

This wine has been scorching hot in our portfolio. The blend is primarily Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon with a smidge of Petite Sirah, Syrah and Charbono sourced mainly from Oakville and Calistoga. The wine is nearly opaque in the glass. Rich, hedonistic flavors of blueberry and bramble pound into the palate with medium intensity. Neon purple fruit round into the mid palate with hints of exotic spice. The finish is thick and rich with plenty of blackberry and touches of cedar and vanilla. BARLOW SCORE: 90 POINTS

DNA Pinot Noir 2021

Russian River Valley, California

Cash Price $24.99

I recently hosted Andrea (Owner of DNA Vineyards) and was able to taste through her entire dynamic portfolio. I am always on the hunt for terroir driven Russian River Pinot Noir that shows wonderful fruit while staying true to the varietal and soil. This wine exudes this thought process from start to finish. DNA Pinot Noir offers a rich bouquet of raspberry, cocoa, and forest floor with aromatic complexity increasing with time in the glass. Silky textured with a core of red and black fruits balanced with fresh acidity. Fine tannins sinew into the palate to a offer a long, savory finish. BARLOW SCORE: 91 POINTS

Trione River Ranch Road Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Russian River Valley, California

Cash Price $26.99

Trione is a winery that I found by happenstance while I was driving through Alexander Valley with my Spec’s Crew a couple of years ago. We all tried through the portfolio and were duly impressed with what was in the glass. I particularly was impressed with their Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Lo and Behold, we are now partnering with this winery and are proudly carrying their wines. This boutique Blanc hails from the Russian River Valley all from their estate vineyard River Road Ranch. The wine is delicously sumptuous, offering flavors of apricot, spiced pears, and grapefruit that flow into the palate with medium intensity. The wine is aged on neutral French oak for four months which gives Trione notes of lemon pie that lead into a nice creamy textured profile and a clean, zesty finish. This wine has a definitive Bordeaux Blanc-esque feel to it. WOW!! BARLOW SCORE: 93 POINTS

Altruria Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Alexander Valley, California

Cash Price $26.99

Altruria has proven to be quite the addition to our portfolio has it’s sales have skyrocketed from the beginning! The wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley. The 2021 vintage was gorgeous for Alexander Valley and the ensuing wine really shows it. This small production Cabernet was aged for 18 months in new and used French oak. Ripe flavors of dark cherries, cassis, and blackberry pop into the palate with medium plus intensity. Notes of soft cocoa, smoked game, and violets sink through the mid palate. The finish is long and enticing with whiffs of black tea, tobacco and cedar. BARLOW SCORE: 91 POINTS

Single Lot #01 Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Alexander Valley, California

Cash Price $15.99

Single Lot is a new release for us and is considered the ‘BABY’ Block Estate Vineyard wines. The Block Estate wines have been a tremendous hit for Spec’s for well over a decade. We are now offering This LIMITED RELEASE Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley that is an ABSOLUTE STEAL! It darn near impossible to find quality single appellated Cabernet Sauvignon at this price right now, but we’ve done it and knocked this gem out of the park! Single Lot offers a robust bouquet of dark fruit and floral tones. Thick and richly textured flavors of blackberry, currant, and hints of blueberry pop into medium intensity. The mid palate softens into a lush core offering more dark fruits. The finish is long and enticing with notes of toasted oak, vanilla bean and a velvety cream finish! GET THIS WHILE IT LASTS! BARLOW SCORE: 92 POINTS

Kiona Old Vine Chardonnay 2022

Columbia Valley, Washington State

Cash Price $19.94

Kiona Winery has been on fire since I brought them into the portfolio last year! They are the original winery on the famed Red Mountain AVA in Washington State. They are family owned and 3rd generation farmers. Although this wine is labeled Columbia Valley, it is 100% Estate Red Mountain fruit from the oldest plantings in the AVA. The wine is beautifully textured and offers delicious flavors of pineapple, melon, and lemon meringue with medium intensity. The mid palate is plush, offering ripe tree fruits that meld into a soft creamy core. The finish is soft and enticing with hints of hazelnuts, toasted oak, and wet stones. There is a real sense of place to this wine. Yummy! BARLOW SCORE: 92 POINTS

Bordeaux Rouge Lafite Rothschild vineyard Reserve DBR 2020

Bordeaux, France

Cash Price $14.99

This value Merlot based Bordeaux blend has been a ‘go-to’ in my home for many years. It has shown consistent quality for under $15 year in and year out. The 2020 vintage was absolutely stellar in Bordeaux, so you can get amazing value throughout. Dark flavors of black cherry and currant flow easily into the palate with tinges of red fruit dancing through medium intensity. Fresh and buoyant notes of black pomegranate meld with nice tannin structure. The finish offers tobacco leaf, cigar box, and just a touch of graphite. BARLOW SCORE: 90 POINTS

Barnard Griffin ‘Rob’s Blend’ Red 2021

Columbia Valley, Washington State

Cash Price $14.99

Our Pacific Northwest portfolio has been on fire the last two years and this winery is one of the main reasons for the resurgence in Washington State wine sales at Spec’s. This is one of the original winery’s in Washington State. Rob Griffin started in Washington State in 1977. He and his wife, Deborah Barnard, started the iconic winery in 1983. The winery is still family owned and run with their daughter, Megan Hughes at the helm as head winemaker. The wines are still value based and really over deliver for the price! Barnard Griffin Rob’s Red is a Cabernet Sauvignon based red blend that is harvested from 6 unique vineyards and aged for 16 months in oak. Ripe flavors of racy cherry and red currant pop into the palate with medium intensity. The core of the wine is quite juicy with plenty of fresh red fruit on the palate with nice acidity and tannins. The finish shows a medley of toasted oak, vanilla, and exotic spices which sits on a palate for a beautifully long time. BARLOW SCORE: 90 POINTS

Shannon Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Lake County, California

Cash Price $14.99

Sauvignon Blanc is on FIRE! Many consumers are now experimenting with this delicious variety over Chardonnay due to its easy accessibility and crushable nature. Lake County is making some of the best priced Sauvignon Blancs in the entire United States. This Sauvignon Blanc is jam packed full of citrus fruits.  Perky and fresh flavors of lemongrass and gooseberry tingle into medium intensity and tickles of exotic fruits.  The mid palate is mouth watering with tangerine and orange blossom flowing into a crispy finish of papaya and grass.  Delightfully refreshing. BARLOW SCORE: 90 POINTS

Nine Canyon Pinot Gris 2022

Columbia Valley, Washington State

Cash Price $9.99

I’ve been on the hunt for a GREAT VALUE Pinot Gris from the Pacific Northwest and I have absolutely found it! This Delicious Pinot Gris usually sells for $20, but we were able to get a SPECtacular deal! The wine is single vineyard from the famous McNary Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA in Washington State. The nose offers a medley of meadow and white flowers that exude a playfully vibrant tone. Succulent flavors of pear, lemon, and honeysuckle pop into the palate with medium intensity and lip smacking acidity. Notes of zesty grapefruit apricot zing palate that finishes into what feels like bursts of sunshine! BARLOW SCORE: 90 POINTS

Thank You,

James C. Barlow, CWE, CSS

Spec’s Fine Wine Buyer