2021

Organic/Bio In the past, Passiflora was the Antiquum Farm wine that made Willamette Valley Pinot Noir fans scratch their heads and mutter, Wait - what? There’s some of that in the 2021 edition, but just a touch more restrained,... Read More

Lower ABV Master of Wine Andreas Kubach and his partners tend their 300 small parcels of old-vines in the Basque highlands of Rioja Alavesa with a simple goal: to capture the character of the region, villages in the region, and... Read More

If you’re looking for something to drink with a burger, stew or meat-laden pizza, give this a whirl. It’s 100% Monastrell (Mourvedre in France) from a hot place and cool vintage. The combination is terrific. The ripe... Read More

You'd expect Toro Tempranillo to be dark, super-ripe, and full of chewy tannins, but here Toro has been tamed a bit! Plenty of rich fruit that stays fresh and an easy, silky, texture that flows nicely. As Wine Enthusiast says,... Read More

Lake County Cabernet has been slow to establish it's own identity with consumers, if only because so much of it's fruit ends up in wines labeled Napa and selling for big bucks. Brassfield is breaking out of that with some... Read More

Eruption is both the wine name and a warning of what to expect - because this bold, rich, blend of Malbec, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah truly erupts with flavor! As the winery writes of the Volcano Ridge Vyd, It only makes... Read More

In this very short harvest, there's a little more oak influence to Sylvain's village Puligny (not more new wood, but more second and third use barrels that needed to be kept full!). It just makes this lovely Chardonnay... Read More

From the masters of Alto Adige’s traditional “Terlaner” blend – Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and a little Sauvignon Blanc – this is one of Italy’s benchmark whites. It’s from the co-op’s... Read More

A juicy, fruit-filled, fun red for parties, sipping, cookouts, whatever. It's from Alentejo,Portugal,and blends Aragonez (35%), Trincadeira (20%), Alicante Bouschet (20%), Syrah (15%) and Castelão, all fermented and... Read More

Organic/Bio We love cool wines from hot places, especially when they come from a grower like José Maria Vincente who are resurrecting abandoned vineyards to create something new. Here it's 100% Garnacha from a region... Read More

West of Montalcino, Monteccuco balances inland Tuscany warmth with altitudes of more than 1,000 feet. That balance of sunny ripeness with freshness shows nicely here in this blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Ciliegiolo and 15% Montepulciano... Read More

Organic/Bio A lovely example of Right Bank Bordeaux that punches well above its modest price point. Attractive redcurrant and raspberry coulee fruit at the core with generous notes of graphite, sage, and fresh tobacco for savory... Read More

Organic/Bio This 100% Malbec from Mendoza is always a lush, plush, value and never more so than in 2021. Balancing the natural richness of high-altitude Malbec with modern winemaking techniques that emphasize terroir and freshness,... Read More

Antonio Galloni's 95 point review in Vinous is accurate enough for where this beauty was when he tasted it last summer: The 2021s were brought in from late September to early October, a pretty classic time frame by today's... Read More

A big, bold, super-rich, Cab that's very fun to drink. As Wine Advocate says in the 92 point review, The Crane Assembly's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Disciples is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from an unnamed vineyard in Saint Helena... Read More

If ever there was a perfect marriage between a winemaker’s desire and what a site has to give, it happens here between Costanzo and Caldwell Vyd. It’s a stunning site, perched on the rim of Coombsville looking north... Read More

From anywhere in Napa Valley between Napa and Calistoga, head west and up the Mayacamas mountains. Crest the peak and look down over the red-to-purple volcanic rocks and soil towards Sonoma. See those vines at 2,200 feet down... Read More

Napa Cabernet grown to full ripeness and flavor but slowly enough and in a cool enough site to retain vivacity, purity and style. Then turned into Cabernet by an Italian-American winemaker who combines our USA preference for generous... Read More

Lovely, vibrant, 1er Cru white Burgundy from a cool site in Saint Aubin, just behind Puligny-Montrachet. White peach, nectarine, toasted nut and light butter notes show on the nose with a push of chalky minerality, crisp citric... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV Take the wild and delicious character of the Brana Ilori, source the grapes from older vines and age 30% in barrel and you get this – what Chablis would taste like if a bunch of Basque wine-people grew... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV It's not surprising that this racy Gamay comes from a former bicycle racer, Vincent Canard. After retiring from racing in 2015, Vincent joined his father, Marc, to take the old family domaine in Beaujolais... Read More

Lower ABV As Burghound says, “If you're unfamiliar with the Thibert wines you owe it to yourself to try one of two examples as the best are excellent.” Here’s the place to start with a wine that draws on... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV We have two vintages of this wine and you NEED them both! From ungrafted vines on red slate with super high acidity (9.3 g/l) balanced by 64 g/l RS. As Wine Advocate says in the 94+ point review, it “opens... Read More

Randy Dunn makes timeless, nearly ageless, benchmark Howell Mountain Cabernet. Here he's showing off his skill and style in a more open, ready to love now, way. It's 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Cabernet Franc done in... Read More

This 15 acre vineyard was planted in 2001 and purchased by Joe and Pat Campbell in 2009 where they built a home – and a clay tennis court. The east-facing Pommard and Dijon 115 vines give a terrific blend of rich red fruit... Read More