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Bounty Hunter Wine & Spirits in Napa Valley has made it our business to track down the hottest wines the world has to offer and serve them via our catalog, our Wine Bar & Smokin' BBQ in downtown Napa and on our website. Our blog provides a unique, insider's view into what we do every day...taste wine, visit our winemaker friends, tour wineries, attend events and of course, stop to enjoy the simple things in life...food, friends and wine.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Marvelous Melka Wines
As one of Napa Valley's most lauded winemaking consultants, Philippe Melka's services are employed by a high-flying
group of wineries. His French training at such legendary houses as
Château Haut-Brion and Château Petrus gave him an early entrée into the
cellars at Seavey and Dominus, and his star quickly rose from there. Now
working his magic for a number of marquee clients, he ranks among the elite
craftsmen of Bordeaux-inspired blends in California. We've assembled a few of
his latest gems for you to enjoy, and we know you'll find that
Monsieur Melka's reputation for quality is well-deserved. Pull a few
corks from this lineup and taste for yourself.
Click here to shop our entire line of wines produced by Philippe Melka
Friday, March 1, 2013
Premiere Napa Valley 2013
Another February, another Napa Valley Premiere auction… it has become arguably the most anticipated week
of the entire year in the Napa wine trade for locals and visitors alike. What
was once a (relatively) low-key day of a barrel tasting and live auction has
morphed into a full-blown four days and nights of mayhem with nearly every
winery in the Valley participating in some way. After the auction wraps-up on
Saturday and the final round of celebrations begin, one can easily debate
whether it’s hitting the finish line or hitting a wall. Not that we’re looking
for much sympathy, of course. It’s just a long damn party.
The best way to really get a handle on the auction lots
being offered is to attend the tastings on the days leading up to the event.
Keep in mind that everything – even the white wines – are barrel samples. If you've never tasted multiple barrel samples in succession, especially young
Cabernet, let’s just say that the taste buds start to fade quickly in the race.
So by staggering it across several sessions throughout the day, with meals (and
the occasional cleansing Pilsner) in between, we’re able to get a much more
precise read on what’s happening in the glass. Whether it’s a smaller,
winemaker-specific gig for guys like Bob Foley or Philippe Melka, or the
full-blown cave experiences of Spring Mountain , Oakville
or the Stags Leap District, small sips are a lot more manageable than trying to
hit the 200+ tables pouring the morning of Premiere.
There was a bit of nervous anticipation this year as many of
the lots were from the 2011 vintage. You may have heard that this was not a
year for amateurs in the vineyard or cellar. Mother Nature was hot and bothered
and she took it out on all of us. That said, we were very pleasantly surprised
at the life and vibrancy that most of the wines displayed, offering a sort of
freshness and pop that’s often lacking in warmer vintages. I tried a Cabernet
that was 12.8% alcohol with plenty of expressive fruit, length and fantastic
weight. That sort of combination hasn't been seen around these parts in a long,
long time. Maybe we should have a “challenging” vintage a little more often…
When the final hammer dropped, we picked up five lots that
made us feel very good about the weekend’s effort from Beringer, Heitz,
Signorello, Spoto and a joint effort between Robert Foley and Switchback Ridge.
They’ll be trickling into our warehouse starting next year, but we have no
doubt that our fans of the rarest wines Napa Valley
Stag's Leap Wine
Cellars 2010 'XL' Cabernet Sauvignon Premiere Napa Valley
2010 Cliff Lede
'Dream Hill' Cabernet Premiere Napa Valley
2009 Rombauer
'Stice Lane Reserve' Cabernet Sauvignon Premiere Napa Valley
2009 Terlato
Tete de Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley PNV
2009 Beringer
Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley PNV
2010 Martin Est. 'Puerta Dorada' Cab
PNV
Wine Director
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Opening Weekend with the San Francisco Giants
Can you believe the season our
beloved Orange St.
Louis AT&T Park
Our event will include more
of everything; we'll have our
own VIP entrance at Triples Alley, where
Caymus
Vineyards will again join
us, along with food, great wine and quality cocktails before the game. We'll
also be on the field during the pregame ceremony. Triples Alley is located
between right and center field below the bleachers, where the fences are pushed
in, and we actually watch the
pregame ceremony where Buster Posey will receive his 2012 NL MVP Award from the
field. Your feet will be in
the outfield dirt! After the pregame ceremony, we'll be escorted along the
field to our seats in Lower Box 103. Make sure to bring your glove – it's foul
ball territory.
Along with this incredible Giants
game experience, you'll receive a
limited-edition commemorative etched bottle of 2010 Caymus
Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon ($125 value) delivered with your game
tickets, as well as the
Limited Edition Buster Posey 2012 NL MVP Bobblehead. Give us a call today and
secure your San Francisco Giants opening weekend tickets at 800-943-9463.
You’ll be glad you did!Monday, January 14, 2013
Some of our hottest sellers of 2012!
Napa Valley meets the Walking Dead.
Price: $34.95 btl.
$31.45 btl./mixed case
Tasted blind, we guessed this would be in the $40-$50 range.
Price: $19.95 btl.
$17.95 btl./mixed case
You're going to do back flips over this vintage.
92-points Wine Spectator
Price: $69.95 btl.
Net item - no discounts apply
White Burgundy fans take notice!
Price: $39.95 btl.
$35.95 btl./mixed case
Piero Antinori's global vision reigns supreme!
94 points Wine Enthusiast
Regular Price: $79.95 btl. / Sale Price: $39.95 btl.
Net item - no discounts apply
Save 50%
The absolute elite of Pinot Noir values.
92 points Wine Spectator
Price: $17.95 btl.
$16.15 btl./mixed case
One taste was all it took...
92-points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Regular Price: $65.95 btl. / Sale Price: $32.95 btl.
Net item - no discounts apply
Save 50%
You'll find your happy place here.
Price: $17.95 btl.
$16.15 btl./mixed case
A Napa Valley legend is now re-released!
95-points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Price: $174.95
Net item - no discounts apply
A go-to selection for top steakhouse wine lists.
Regular Price: $49.95 / Sale Price: $29.95 btl.
Net item - no discounts apply
Save 40%
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Justice has been served... with a couple of 95-point scores!
Justice has officially been served with a trio of eye-popping scores! Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate slammed down a pair of 95-point ratings (and a 94-pointer) and wrote, "Winemaker Timothy Milos delivers the goods with these fabulous 2009s and 2010s. The top wines, which are made from To Kalon and Dr. Crane fruit, are aged in 100% new oak barrels. From top to bottom, this is an impressive set of wines that deserves serious attention." We are officially down to tiny amounts left, and this will certainly be our last offering. If you want in, the time is now.
$399.95/trio Net item - no discounts apply
From the first vintage back in '04, we knew we had a tiger on our hands. Then our customers started trying them and were not shy about sharing their enthusiasm. Utilizing fruit from two of Napa Valley's most heralded vineyards – Andy Beckstoffer's To Kalon and Dr. Crane properties – and working with the undeniable talents of Tim Milos in the cellar, the Justice Series wines are three individual expressions of the finest fruit Napa can deliver. The jury has come back, the verdict is in and Justice is served!
In addition to our Justice scores, 2010 Pursuit is on fire!
For our Pursuit label, we tap into our deep connections in the wine business and source incredible juice from top houses. We start early in the process so that we can guide the finished product and ensure that it's up to our exacting standards. While confidentiality agreements are involved, we can assure you that the vineyard sources at our disposal are some of the absolute best in California (it's good to have friends). You probably wouldn't believe where this stuff was born, even if we could tell you. This lineup is the result of countless hours of tasting, blending, haggling and arm wrestling... in that order. We have delivered what we know to be substantial "taste-per-dollar" by aggressively chasing select lots from growers and producers whose track records are beyond reproach. You don't have to pay major league money to play with this lineup. The wines just taste really expensive...
2010 Pursuit Syrah Napa Valley
$32.95 btl.
$29.65 btl./mixed case
93-points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Our notes: It's good to have incriminating photos, or there's no way this wine ever happens. A mere six barrels of a "you owe me one" favor, it's what you want on the table when the weather gets chilly. Black fruits, hickory wood, smoked bacon and black pepper...yep, it tastes Syrah!
$399.95/trio Net item - no discounts apply
From the first vintage back in '04, we knew we had a tiger on our hands. Then our customers started trying them and were not shy about sharing their enthusiasm. Utilizing fruit from two of Napa Valley's most heralded vineyards – Andy Beckstoffer's To Kalon and Dr. Crane properties – and working with the undeniable talents of Tim Milos in the cellar, the Justice Series wines are three individual expressions of the finest fruit Napa can deliver. The jury has come back, the verdict is in and Justice is served!
 |
| Justice Cellars 2009 Trio - Rated 94+ Points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate |
In addition to our Justice scores, 2010 Pursuit is on fire!
For our Pursuit label, we tap into our deep connections in the wine business and source incredible juice from top houses. We start early in the process so that we can guide the finished product and ensure that it's up to our exacting standards. While confidentiality agreements are involved, we can assure you that the vineyard sources at our disposal are some of the absolute best in California (it's good to have friends). You probably wouldn't believe where this stuff was born, even if we could tell you. This lineup is the result of countless hours of tasting, blending, haggling and arm wrestling... in that order. We have delivered what we know to be substantial "taste-per-dollar" by aggressively chasing select lots from growers and producers whose track records are beyond reproach. You don't have to pay major league money to play with this lineup. The wines just taste really expensive...
 |
| Pursuit 2010 Napa Valley Syrah - Rated 93 Points, Wine Advocate |
2010 Pursuit Syrah Napa Valley
$32.95 btl.
$29.65 btl./mixed case
93-points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Our notes: It's good to have incriminating photos, or there's no way this wine ever happens. A mere six barrels of a "you owe me one" favor, it's what you want on the table when the weather gets chilly. Black fruits, hickory wood, smoked bacon and black pepper...yep, it tastes Syrah!
Monday, November 5, 2012
In the Cellar
A cellar rat, if you don’t already know, is a person who toils away in the cellar. These are the people who make all those delicious wines possible. They receive the fruit at the winery, sort and de-stem it, crush and press it, pump or press the juice over the cap to extract flavor and color and then barrel it down to its intended storage vessel. Then they babysit it; stirring, topping, and generally keeping it from getting messed up all year round. If there is a manual labor job to be performed, it’s likely that these folks are doing it. A winemaker is only as good as his or her team and these are the All-Star players.
It’s a labor of love. And while there’s little room for romance this time of year, there is a lot of passion. Passionate people working towards the same goal of making great wine – no matter the sacrifice, whatever it takes. We give a bit of ourselves so that each bottle is a little bit better and of course we sleep well, knowing that we gave it our all.
--Katy Long
Content Manager
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving
My mother called me up and asked me to pick out a case of wine to send back East for Thanksgiving, and it put me in a bit of a quandary. While most of my family will enthusiastically guzzle whatever is placed in front of them, a few are a bit more sophisticated in their wine appreciation. I suspect this not an unusual circumstance as families gather around the country for the ultimate hedonist’s holiday. For every uncle with a serious wine collection, there’s a cousin or three who are more interested in taking the edge off their losing wager on the Lions’ game. Then there’s the meal itself, no small wine pairing feat given the sheer array of flavors on the table. Alas, this is why my family turns to me for guidance.
To my thinking, the selection process can be broken down into three basic camps: crowd pleasers, food pairings and wine geek specials.
Crowd Pleasers: Cabernet and Chardonnay are the two most popular varietals for a reason. For a lot of wine lovers, they get the job done. Chardonnay is certainly a little more natural dancing partner with turkey, whether you go the full, rich and tropical route à la Mer Soleil or opt for something with a little more pop and acidity like the gorgeous Etude, you’ll be in great shape. If you have your heels dug in on Cabernet, it’s important to have something with at least a year or two in bottle so the tannins don’t completely overwhelm the meal. Either something lush and sophisticated like the ’09 Chappellet or an inexpensive quaffer like the ’09 Ridge Runner would fit the bill.
Food Pairings: Forget the Pilgrims and Indians… it’s about food and wine! This is the holiday where Pinot Noir shows its true versatility on the table, able to handle everything from deep-fried bird to sweet potato casserole. A bright and lively selection like the ’10 Alta Maria or one packing serious Burgundian pedigree like the ’09 Louis Jadot Pommard is in order. In the world of whites, something crisp and complex like the ultra-rare ’10 Caravaglio Bianco from the Aeolian Islands or a basso profundo white Burgundy from Marius Delarche in the form of Corton-Charlemagne will play just fine.
The Geek Squad: The stuff that the pros drink based on versatility and sheer enjoyment for the world-weary palate. A couple of the wines I include in the care package for my own consumption included the Durdilly Beaujolais from the legendary ’09 vintage and the laser-like Wachau Grüner-Veltliner Federspiel. Tell your favorite sommelier that those were on your Thanksgiving table, and you’re guaranteed to be treated a little better on your next restaurant visit. There you have it… a user’s guide to a very broad range of styles, at least one of which is going to hit the mark for every wine lover in the room. Cheers to Thanksgiving 2012!
--Rhett Gadke
Wine Director
To my thinking, the selection process can be broken down into three basic camps: crowd pleasers, food pairings and wine geek specials.
Crowd Pleasers: Cabernet and Chardonnay are the two most popular varietals for a reason. For a lot of wine lovers, they get the job done. Chardonnay is certainly a little more natural dancing partner with turkey, whether you go the full, rich and tropical route à la Mer Soleil or opt for something with a little more pop and acidity like the gorgeous Etude, you’ll be in great shape. If you have your heels dug in on Cabernet, it’s important to have something with at least a year or two in bottle so the tannins don’t completely overwhelm the meal. Either something lush and sophisticated like the ’09 Chappellet or an inexpensive quaffer like the ’09 Ridge Runner would fit the bill.
Food Pairings: Forget the Pilgrims and Indians… it’s about food and wine! This is the holiday where Pinot Noir shows its true versatility on the table, able to handle everything from deep-fried bird to sweet potato casserole. A bright and lively selection like the ’10 Alta Maria or one packing serious Burgundian pedigree like the ’09 Louis Jadot Pommard is in order. In the world of whites, something crisp and complex like the ultra-rare ’10 Caravaglio Bianco from the Aeolian Islands or a basso profundo white Burgundy from Marius Delarche in the form of Corton-Charlemagne will play just fine.
The Geek Squad: The stuff that the pros drink based on versatility and sheer enjoyment for the world-weary palate. A couple of the wines I include in the care package for my own consumption included the Durdilly Beaujolais from the legendary ’09 vintage and the laser-like Wachau Grüner-Veltliner Federspiel. Tell your favorite sommelier that those were on your Thanksgiving table, and you’re guaranteed to be treated a little better on your next restaurant visit. There you have it… a user’s guide to a very broad range of styles, at least one of which is going to hit the mark for every wine lover in the room. Cheers to Thanksgiving 2012!
--Rhett Gadke
Wine Director
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