2020 Wine

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

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

As always, a benchmark in Virginia wine for both immediate enjoyment with food and many years in cellar to come. In 2020, a blend of Merlot 62%, Cabernet Franc 34%, Petit Verdot 4% with the Cab Franc giving extra lift.... Read More

Organic/Bio Until recently, Comando G’s Fernando Garcia’s day job was running this very high-quality estate in Spain’s Sierra de Gredos, one of the most exciting regions for Grenache-based reds in the world today.... Read More

Another fine vintage for this always wildly over-performing, huge value, oak-aged Rioja Crianza. As always, it's a blend of 90% Temparnillo and 10% Graciano aged 12 months in used American oak casks. More ripe, dark, juicy,... Read More

This is old-school Barolo at it's best. Fruit from across Barolo, 30 days on the skins and 24 months in large oak cask gives a wine of outstanding intensity and grip. As James Suckling says in the 95 point review, A structured... Read More

The 3rd wine of this 2nd growth estate comes from younger vines and is mainly Merlot with just a touch of new French oak. Lovely aromas of red fruit and spice with a silky mid-palate and velvet finish that sustains nicely. Ready... Read More

Organic/Bio The owners of Ch Saint Cosme in Gigondas do an equally brilliant job down the hill in Vinsobre. In 2020, it's the perfect blend of smooth richness and lip-smacking freshness. A terrific cookout and stew/roast wine.... Read More

Lower ABV Just straight-ahead, classic, bone dry, Melon de Bourgogne with a touch of amplitude and texture from time spent “sur lee” after fermentation. Granny Smith apple, green melon and lime zest aromas and flavors... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV The most common reason today for not drinking white Bordeaux is just not knowing what the heck it is. This lovely, no oak, example will fix that. From Graves, south of the city of Bordeaux, and the best white... Read More

Here’s a terrific, hand-crafted, Bordeaux with big fruit, a velvet mouthfeel, and wide-open personality that invites enjoyment with summer cookouts and more elegant dinners, too. It’s about 85% Merlot plus Cabernet... Read More

Danielle Meunier's great-grandfather purchased this estate around 1860 and was winning awards in Paris by 1912. In 1959 her parents began bottling all of the production which Danielle continued on taking over in 1972. Although... Read More

A classic “burger Bordeaux” built to make everyday sipping just a touch more special. It’s around 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet and delivers classic Bordeaux aromas and flavors of black and redcurrant fruit with... Read More

Christophe Pinard took a different path to crafting this plump and easy-drinking Bordeaux Merlot. From a family of Cognac winegrowers, he came to Bordeaux in 1991, purchased 30 acres of land, and built himself barns, cellars and... Read More

A rich take on Bordeaux from 90% Merlot and 10% Caberent grown just outside the Right Bank's St Emilion plateau. In half-bottle especially, this is developing nicely and is wide-open to enjoy. As James Suckling says in the... Read More

Moulinat is a true family estate in Entre Deux Mers, currently run by the 5th generation of the Sage family who have owned the property since the early 1800s. The vineyard is first rate, with calcareous limestone soils leavened... Read More

If you know the Tannat grape or the French wine region Madiran, you probably expect this to be a big, darkly fruited, super-rich, and VERY firmly tannic red. Nope. Peyros makes this one fresh and juicy, with plenty of black olive... Read More

A fine value from next-door to more famous Saint Emilion in a generous 90% Merlot plus Cabernet Sauvignon red done all in steel and cement. A pleasing Bordeaux funk on the nose resolves to reveal fresh red and blackcurrant fruit... Read More

Fronsac on the Right Bank shares soil type with St Estephe on the Left Bank and displays some of the same power and grip as well. In a warm, rich, vintage, here that structure is matched with terrific dark fruit. As Suckling says... Read More

Not left bank or right bank, but instead Entre-deux-Mers terroir in your glass. In English it translates into between two seas, which is the geographical area situated between the rivers Garonne and Dordogne in Bordeaux. With... Read More

From the finest Fiano producer in Campania, a perhaps even more impressive Taurasi red. The Wine Advocate's 94+ review of the 2019 gives you a good idea of what to expect: Impeccable with generous ripeness that never feels... Read More

A long-time Rioja classic, the Cune Crianza adds a lovely depth of ripe fruit to Rioja’s classic notes of tobacco, herb, and spice. Lovely with lamb or even solo. As James Suckling says in the 90 point review, A fruity and... Read More

Always built to show well on the early side, the 2020 Barolo Lecinquevigne benefits from Damilano's plump and nicely fruit-filled house style. As Wine Spectator says in their 94 point review, Stitched with pure cherry and... Read More

Mendoza Malbec is a bit all over the place stylistically right now, so it’s a bit of a delight to taste this – what we’d call a “right down the middle” Malbec pretty much anyone can enjoy. The vines... Read More

Organic/Bio A fun party and cookout Malbec (80%) with a touch of Syrah spice (20%) and a bit of spice and softening from 8 months in French oak. Good dark fruit, nicely fleshy in feel, with generous blackberry, red plum and dark... Read More