The best Quality-Price-Ratio (QPR) California Pinot Noir we’ve tasted in years! It’s from one of the Central Coast’s very first Pinot Noir vineyards, Mission Ranch in the Salinas Valley planted in 1961. Fifty-five... Read More
New Zealand native Angela Osborne moved to California in 2006 with a simple dream: to make Grenache. Over the years, she's established herself as one of the few masters of crafting Grenache that's bursting with fruit but... Read More
A wonderfully rich and open blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon plus Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot with 18 months in mostly new French oak. Rich, darkly fruited, and nicely spiced, this is big enough for a steak and smooth... Read More
A delicious, fruit-forward, Cabernet with plenty of rich texture, a dash of chocolate, and fine tannins lifting a smoke, tobacco and black fruit finish. Excellent value.
Rioja can be lots of different things, including fresh, fruit-filled, and as easy to drink every day as a good Cru Beaujolais. While this blend of Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% white grapes aged in oak, it’s not oaky... Read More
The importer Boutinot makes a lot of their own wines, including this one from old-vine Grenache discovered growing down south between Corbieres and the Sea. Done all in steel, it’s dark, gutsy, powerful and a bit wild, with... Read More
As always, this is a darker, richer, take on Brunello that's lifted nicely by 2019's freshening acids. While it's even better to wait, no reason not to enjoy a bottle or two now!
Owned by Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini since 2003, Altesino has been one of Montalcino’s leaders since the zone exploded into international prominence in the 1970s. The wine style is traditional, with all large, Slavonian oak,... Read More
An ENORMOUS amount of wine for the money here, in 100% Malbec grown carefully at high altitude and then made to let the grape and place shine through. Black-fruited on the nose and palate with fine complexity from notes of tobacco,... Read More
One of the most consistently excellent wines in the Southern Rhone, in 2020 this soars to new heights. The balanced, soft, feel makes this too easy to drink now, but it will improve for 15 years with ease.
As the winery writes, Andrew Murray has been singularly and nearly maniacally focused on crafting Syrah for 25 years. His Everyday (in French Syrah “Tous les Jours”) Syrah from Santa Ynez gives you a good idea of how... Read More
Made by Rob Mondavi,Jr (grandson of the Napa legend), this does an outstanding job of balancing Napa's richness with a fine minerality and structure. Plenty of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, a touch of dried herb, a dash... Read More
Organic/Bio Named for Stephen’s skateboarding and sheepherding son, Juel represents this unique winery as a whole. In 2022, it’s one six-ton fermenter filled with fruit picked from all four corners of the vineyard... Read More
Organic/Bio There’s something joyfully incongruous about a bearded outdoors guy who wears flannel, farms his vineyard with horses, chickens, sheep, geese and (his own) children, and waxes on passionately about the quality... Read More
Organic/Bio There’s something joyfully incongruous about a bearded outdoors guy who wears flannel, farms his vineyard with horses, chickens, sheep, geese and (his own) children, and waxes on passionately about the quality... Read More
Organic/Bio The edges of Antiquum Farm’s “Big Field” vineyard are kind of the far edge of what Pinot Noir can do. The winemaking is simple enough – fully de-stemmed fruit, open top fermenters, a bit of... Read More
Tony Bauer is best known here for his whites, but his red wine success (in the very white wine region of Wagram) is one key reason he was Austria's Winemaker of the Year in 2017. This is sort of an Austrian Cotes du Rhone,... Read More
Graciano is the second grape of Rioja, adding deeper color to Tempranillo while also a bit softer, more easygoing texture. Here from Toledo it even darker than usual but somehow still fresh and mouthwatering, too. Blackberry and... Read More
A wonderfully dark, rich, Tempranillo nicely spiced with used and new oak to complement the dark fruit. As nice to sip as pair up with anything from burgers to lamb.
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.
As always, this is a classic Dolcetto with nice purity and the guts to handle rustic foods like salami and burgers. As Vinous said of the 2020, The Dolcetto d'Alba Bricco dell'Oriolo is a very pretty, gracious wine built... Read More
Freisa is Nebbiolo’s slightly wilder younger sibling. In youth it’s a bit brash and wild, redolent of wild strawberry and black cherry fruit, dark florals, and tannins just as firm as Nebbiolo if chunkier and more... Read More
As always, a benchmark interpretation of Virginia's most prominent red wine grape made in a rich but balanced and highly drinkable style. The 92 point review of the 2020 gives you a great idea of what to expect: Charming aromas... Read More
The 2018 Octagon was a triumph for the difficult vintage. The 2019 is just a triumph, period, one of the finest examples of this benchmark Virginia Bordeaux blend made to date.
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