Blog

$500 Case Of Wine Giveaway

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:28:00 GMT

We'll admit it - at CellarThief, we're not that great at self-promotion - I guess we're just so busy finding great wines at stellar prices. So, we're asking for your help in spreading the CellarThief love and are making it super simple and rewarding to do so. Simply click through the widget above and we'll enter you in a chance to win a $500 case of wine.

We feature one wine per day at a ridiculous price - all wines are massively rated, tasty and guaranteed to please the palate. We send out offers five days per week (Monday-Friday) at 7:00am PT and this can often incite a stampede - we run that wine for 24 hours or until it is sold out. For every bottle of wine we sell, we also donate 100 days of clean drinking water to those in need - drink well and do well...it's as simple as that!

Signing Up To Receive Deals
To sign up to receive daily deals on great wines at stellar prices, simply enter your email address below:

About The Prize
We are giving away a $500 cellar of delicious and massively rated wines. You can enter to win up through 11:59pm West Coast Time on June 30th. We will notify the winner via Facebook within two weeks after the closing of the entry period.

Thanks for helping to spread the love and good luck!

Cheers,

Team CellarThief

CellarThief talks to Trinitas Cellars

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:51:00 GMT

Winery Wednesday: Introducing Kastania Vineyards

Wed, 12 May 2010 04:56:00 GMT

CellarThief.com Introduces Kastania Vineyards from CellarThief on Vimeo.

www.cellarthief.com introduces the great wines of Kastania Vineyards.

Introducing Gauchezco

Thu, 06 May 2010 06:20:00 GMT

CellarThief.com Introduces Gauchezco Winery from CellarThief on Vimeo.

We at www.cellarthief.com are proud and excited to introduce the wonderful wines of Gauchezco Winery.

Winery Wednesday: Destino Wines

Wed, 05 May 2010 03:54:00 GMT

CellarThief.com Winery Wednesday With Destino Wines from CellarThief on Vimeo.

www.cellarthief.com profiles the great juice from Destino Wines for today's Winery Wednesday.

Winery Wednesday: Emerson Brown

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:26:00 GMT

CellarThief.com Talks With Emerson Brown Winery from CellarThief on Vimeo.

www.CellarThief.com features Emerson Brown from Napa Valley as Winery Wednesday this week.

Hill Family Estate 2008 Carly's Cuvee Chardonnay

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 05:28:00 GMT

About Hill Family Estate

Hill Family Estate creates wines as rich in character and complexity as the skill and expertise of the vintner. Doug Hill's passion has been to create a wine that captivates the palate, and is as impressive as the quality vineyards of the Napa Valley he has grown to appreciate over the last twenty-five years. Doug's vast vineyard management experience provides an in-depth appreciation for the patience required to harvest excellence. Doug's patience has resulted in the opportune time for the release of Hill Family Estate wines.

Doug and Darci's children now bring a growing passion for quality wines which have been a part of the Hill Family heritage. Ryan brings an enthusiasm for food and wine and the experience he has gained working in restaurants which gives him a better understanding of consumer expectations.

In 1984, Doug Hill planted his first vineyards in the Napa Valley; 13 acres in Carneros that would be named, Beau Terre Vineyard (“beautiful land”). Recognizing the exceptional nature of the soil, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were initially planted and today continue to be produced for wineries including the esteemed, Mumm.

Over the last three decades, the Estate vineyards have expanded to a total of 11 unique vineyards, totaling over 250 acres. Each with its own distinctive qualities, the one common element shared across the vineyards is a commitment to unfailing exploration and experimentation. From the mountain vineyards where the winery produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese for honored wineries like Silver Oak, Stags Leap and Duckhorn, to those across the Valley floor where we grow sought after Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino, Muscat Cannelli, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, our pursuit for perfection is what makes our profession our true passion.

Hill Family Estate Winemaker

Alison Green Doran is winemaker for Hill Family Estate. Her patient attitude and multitude of experience allows the best characteristics of the grapes the winery produces to be encapsulated in the bottle. Raised in Palos Verdes with plenty of horses and surfing, Alison was drawn into winemaking in 1973. Her father, an oil man and long time Alexander Valley vineyard owner Russell Green, had bought the Simi Winery in 1969 and brought in Andre Tchelistcheff as a consultant soon after.

By working as a harvest intern beside Andre for 6 months at Simi in 1973, Alison found both her life's work and her mentor. Andre found her a 5 month Stagaire position in Alsace for the crush of 1975 and then an enologist position with start-up Hoffman Mountain Ranch in Paso Robles.

After finishing her Fermentation Science degree at UC Davis, she began working for the Firestone Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley in 1976. Starting as lab tech, she worked her way to bottling supervisor and then to cellar master and then in 1981, to winemaker. With the pioneering spirit of the Firestone Family, their commitment to quality and the ideal climate and soils around the vineyard, many award winning wines were made. The Firestones' generosity and balanced life style made for a special and stable platform for understanding the long term influences of vineyard management on winemaking. Alison became well acquanited with how to pull maximum potential for wine quality from a vineyard site.

Alison married Mark Doran in 1994 and now has two young sons. She left the Firestone Vineyard in 2000, moving back to the family ranch and vineyard in Alexander Valley. She now has several select clients who want to approach site specific winemaking with exuberance and intensity.

Hill Family Estate Barrel Blend Tasting Notes

Winery: The 2008 Hill Family Estate Chardonnay, Carly’s Cuvee, came from a selection of vineyards in the southern end of the Napa Valley and included hillside fruit from the Atlas Peak Appellation. Blended with 4% Viognier, the wine is rich and aromatic, with distinct pear and pineapple flavor, and a healthy dose of spicy oak in the finish.

CellarThief Translation: You should know by now - we dig wines that have character. Yep, there are a lot of Chardonnays out there, so we like to seek out those that have something a bit unique, something a bit different, something that....makes you go "holy hot dang" in the middle of a crowded restaurant and turns your date a bright shade of embarrassed red. This Hill Family fits the bill - it is definitely a Chardonnay, but the fruit is a bit more exotic and the oak is strong and deliciously spicy. The wine bursts out of the glass from start to finish and will leave you beggin' for more.

Hill Family Estate Location
Hill Family Estate is located in the heart of Napa Valley with its tasting room located just off of Highway 29 in Yountville.

Hill Family Estate Website

http://www.hillfamilyestate.com

Hill Family Estate 2007 Barrel Blend

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 05:23:00 GMT

About Hill Family Estate

Hill Family Estate Barrel Blend Tasting Notes

Winery: A combination of different vineyards. We utilized mountain Cabernet from Soda Canyon and Bianchini along with valley floor Merlot and Cabernet from Beau Terre, Stewart and Red Door Vineyards. The nose has a great Wow factor with an earthy blackberry and vanilla appeal that really makes you want to take a sip.

CellarThief Translation: I'm easy - make an incredible wine, let it age in the bottle enough to let the flavors really pop and then package it with a label showing a perfect curling wave. Okay, I know - you shouldn't buy a wine just because of the label but you should buy a wine because it has a great label while also having character, intrigue, rich flavors of over-ripe blackberries and a finish that lasts as long as it takes to peel down a perfect wave until it re-connects on the inside.

Hill Family Estate Location
Hill Family Estate is located in the heart of Napa Valley with its tasting room located just off of Highway 29 in Yountville.

Hill Family Estate Website

http://www.hillfamilyestate.com

HIll Family Estate 2009 Sauvignon Blanc

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 05:17:00 GMT

About Hill Family Estate

In 1984, Doug Hill planted his first vineyards in the Napa Valley; 13 acres in Carneros that would be named, Beau Terre Vineyard (“beautiful land”). Recognizing the exceptional nature of the soil, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were initially planted and today continue to be produced for wineries including the esteemed, Mumm.

Over the last three decades, our Estate vineyards have expanded to a total of 11 unique vineyards, totaling over 250 acres. Each with its own distinctive qualities, the one common element shared across our vineyards is our commitment to unfailing exploration and experimentation. From our mountain vineyards where we produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese for honored wineries like Silver Oak, Stags Leap and Duckhorn, to those across the Valley floor where we grow sought after Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino, Muscat Cannelli, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, our pursuit for perfection is what makes our profession our true passion.

Hill Family Estate Winemaker

Hill Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc Tasting Notes

Winery: Nose has a light vanilla character, spiked with celery from the Semillon. Also wafting through are elder flower and pink grapefruit notes. Palate is full and rich, with savory texture and a classic musque nectarine flavor. Finish is remarkably smooth for such a young wine. The wine should continue to grow and coalesce, as this tasting is only 3 weeks after bottling.

CellarThief Translation: You can't beat a patio on a spring evening - the mosquitoes haven't hit yet and it isn't hot enough that you have to peel your legs off your sweaty plastic chairs. But, there is another reason why you can't beat a patio on a spring evening - because sitting outside is a perfect pairing to a top-notch Sauvignon Blanc and some simple and fresh nibbles. This wine will be a great friend to your spring evenings - it is hefty while still being lively, has those big aromas that make you want to sip and savor and finishes with a pop that gets your appetite rolling.

Hill Family Estate Location
Hill Family Estate is located in the heart of Napa Valley with its tasting room located just off of Highway 29 in Yountville.

Hill Family Estate Website

http://www.hillfamilyestate.com

Winery Wednesday: Hill Family Estate

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:49:00 GMT

CellarThief.com: Winery Wednesday - Hill Family Estate from CellarThief on Vimeo.

http://www.cellarthief.com visits with Ryan Hill of Hill Family Estate to learn about the winery and taste some great wines.

Note: Music by Tryad.

Winery Wednesday: Iron Horse Winery

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 01:55:00 GMT

Iron Horse from Monica Bettencourt on Vimeo.

Winery Wednesday: Melanson Vineyard

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 03:40:00 GMT

Winery Wednesday: Melanson Vineyards from CellarThief on Vimeo.

Tasting the spectacular wines of Melanson Vineyards - a tiny producer in Napa Valley.

Winery Wednesday: Mutt Lynch Winery

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:33:00 GMT

Winery Wednesday: Mutt Lynch from CellarThief on Vimeo.

Great wines from Mutt Lynch Winery.

Winery Wednesday: Pedroncelli

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:04:00 GMT

Winery Wednesday: Pedroncelli from CellarThief on Vimeo.

Learn about one of the original Sonoma wineries, Pedroncelli Winery.

Oscar Wines

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:05:00 GMT

So, here is our selection for the top wines for the Oscar celebrations. But, be careful to put down your plate of cheese puffs and finger sandwiches before pouring these into your glass or you will have your own red (or white) carpet...

"Best Actor" Wine: George Wine ry - Will look dashing on the red carpet all tuxed up.
"Best Actress" Wine: Meerlust Estate  - Looks smashing in a Versace red number, showing off its long legs.
"Best Director" Wine: Francis Ford Coppola Winery - And 3 and 2 and 1 and...Action!
"Best Costume" Wine: The Wine Case Lamp by Ciclus - A wine package that looks like...a lamp!
"Best Action" Wine: Goldeneye Winery - Currently releasing a stelllar line-up from the (2)007 vintage
"Best Short" Wine: Sofia Mini Blanc de Blanc (187ml) - short, bubbly and full of personality
"Best Horror" Wine: Vampire Wines "The Blood of the Vine" - I smell blood...wait...that's merlot
"Best Producer" Wine: Hollywood and Vine Winery - A smaller production more at home at Sundance

And, for "Best Picture" Wine for this year's big event:

Fat (Inglorious) Basta(e)rd: A wine to sip while trying to figure out Tarantino's acceptance speech.

Cheers (and may the best movie wine)!

flickr photo by Alan Light