Natural From organically farmed vines growing in a forest clearing on the lower slopes of Mount Ventoux, this serves up easygoing flavors of cherry and raspberry with a dash of spice and savory underbrush and garrigue notes. It’s... Read More
Organic/Bio From deep Southern Italy comes this delicious, gutsy, but still nicely fresh take on Primitivo, the Italian cousin to Zinfandel. There’s plenty of dark black plum and blackberry preserve fruit at the core with... Read More
It's hard to make Garnacha Blanca with verve, freshness and minerality, but Anna Espelt does just that here with 20% Garnacha Gris and vines near the Catalonian coast. Subtle stone fruit and citrus notes are cloaked in notes... Read More
Lower ABV A different kind of pink – the label alone tells you that! – that gets to the perfect level of rosé refreshment via a different route. It’s Gaglioppo, the descendent of Sangiovese and sibling... Read More
This is terrific, with dark, plummy, fruit and mocha notes building through a firm, dry, finish. Ready to go with lamb or beef roast now and just getting better with air or time in cellar. High-impact Tempranillo that James Suckling... Read More
It was only after the Cowley family purchased their 65 acre vineyard in 1998 that they discovered that it had been the site of the first vinifera grape plantings in all of New Zealand. There's even a tiny winery cellar remaining... Read More
A big snoot- and mouth-ful of crushed berries and cherries with some cocoa dust, a touch of acidic/tannic bite, and a “I dare you to stop drinking me” finish that keeps you coming back for more. Like an Italian Chianti... Read More
Pinot Blanc is often the overlooked grape in Alsace, but – especially in these warming times – its ability to hold onto crisp, refreshing, acidity is prized! Done all in tank, this shows pretty scents and flavors of... Read More
One of the most deliciously savory Proseccos we've ever tasted comes from the very best subzone of the region and brother/sister team making benchmark wines for the past 20 years. The Vinous 91 point review describes it well:... Read More
Bideona's Mayela wine reinterprets Rioja Alavesa's cosechero (grower) wine tradition to allow the character of Alavesa Tempranillo to shine through. Traditionally, grapes from multiple cosechero were tossed into a vat... Read More
Bideona is a large winery with a small producer ethos, focusing on making Rioja that speaks to individual villages and vineyards. This is their younger vines bottling from across Rioja Alavesa, showcasing the freshness and brightness... Read More
One of the longest-running high-quality “value” Pinots we know of. As Robert Parker said of the 2013 edition: An authentic tasting Pinot Noir that sells for a song. Aromas of sweet red and black cherry fruit intermixed... 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
A young Sherry from a house that specializes in very old wines. Serious, unfiltered, Fino that matches a creamy texture to piercing, salty, minerality. Breathtaking stuff to serve with sushi, olives, nuts, and fine cheeses. Bottled... Read More
The winery describes this as “Freshness, joy and youth in your glass of wine,” and that pretty much sums up this wine. Perfect for weeknights when you want to enjoy a bottle over a couple of nights. The vibrancy is... Read More
This isn’t fancy pants Rioja, but one whiff and you’ll be glad you took it home. Fragrant red fruit with a piercing freshness is consistent throughout your sipping journey. Not too big and not too lean, this sits right... Read More
A unique aromatized “wine” that starts with Mistelle – fortified grape must – and is infused with gentian and cinchona (quinine) for bitterness and then with wild herbs and plants first collected by Dr.... Read More
“Gulpable” Chianti Classico isn’t really a thing, but maybe it should be? This blend of 90% Sangiovese plus Merlot and Colorino aged in big Slavonian oak casks would be a fine example. It’s bursting with... Read More
Just what you’d hope for in $20 Prosecco, but for less! This is crisp, clear and very fresh with pretty apple and yellow pear fruit accented by notes of thyme and wild herb. The tiny bubbles give the wine a creamy feel that’s... Read More
If you love California Cab’s rich blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, dash of chocolate, sweet spice, full body and fine and firm tannins that are ready to party with a steak, then you’ll definitely enjoy drinking this.... Read More
Unless you taste a lot of California Chardonnay, it can be hard to realize how big an accomplishment Bartholomew Broadbent has pulled off here. It's 100% Chardonnay, picked ripe and full of pear and stone fruit flavors perfectly... Read More
A delightfully plump and easy Grenache/Syrah blend from this value-oriented Chateauneuf du Pape estate. Done all in tank, the fruit comes first here with enough earthy complexity to hold your interest. As Wine Spectator said of... Read More
Lower ABV In the 1970's, Arneis almost went extinct despite being the most important white grape in the Langhe. Luckily for us, a resurgence in interest for Piemonte whites saved Arneis and we get this expression from Ca'Viola.... Read More
Cuatro Rayas was founded in 1935 to do one thing - make terrific Verdejo. Back in the beginning, that meant a wine that would seem really...let's say exotic...to us, a white wine aged in glass demijohns in the hot Spanish... Read More
Natural Not “really” a Pet-Nat, but definitely that vibe is in play here in this wild and frothy blend of New Zealand Chardonnay (70%) and Pinot Noir. The base wines are made separately and then blended, bottled, given... Read More
