Other Featured Wines

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

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

Organic/Bio There’s something wild going on in Stephen Hagen’s Willamette Valley vineyard, and the 2023 Juel Pinot Noir is a great way to get a taste of what grazing based viticulture delivers. Stephen replaces herbicides,... Read More

Organic/Bio Organic farming, wonderfully ripe Sangiovese (80%) and other local grapes, and super-clean, low-intervention, winemaking come together here in a great all-purpose Italian red that will move from party to pizza to Turkey... 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

This wine is terrific both as a genuinely delicious and impeccably balanced expression of New World Cabernet Franc and just as a compelling bottle of red wine. In general, Cabernet Franc is most interesting when it’s grown... Read More

Lower ABV More or less wrapping around Pouilly Fuisse, Saint Veran is the southernmost extension of Burgundy – any further south and you’re in Beaujolais. The mixture of southerly warmth and clay-limestone soils gives... Read More

Chateauneuf du Pape, the greatest red of France’s Southern Rhone Valley, can be a bit TOO “great” – too rich, too alcoholic and too expensive. Not here, where a gutsy 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah delivers... Read More

From 30-50 year old vines from one of the Wagram’s most important vineyards, Ried Rosenberg. Like Joe, Florian picks this rich, ripe, fruit later in the harvest and ferments most cool in stainless steel. But he’s also... Read More

Perrine Fresne’s second NV Champagne matches the quality of the first, but is definitely a different wine. In the cooler 2021 harvest, she leaned into the quality of her Chardonnay (42% of the blend) with her best plots... Read More

Sometimes a wine really announces itself, which is what happens here as the first sniff says, Gevrey Chambertin with authority. Autumnal underbrush and iron ore minerality surround the fresh black cherry and berry fruit. On the... Read More

Lower ABV One of the most beautifully delicious Bourgogne Rouge we’ve carried in years, this opens with pretty scents of black and red cherry, fresh raspberry with hints of fresh cranberry and floral potpourri. In the mouth,... Read More

Organic/Bio The Labor Day weekend headline in the Washington Post: “This thrilling Spanish red wine delivers impressive value for $19.” Even more impressive value at these prices! From the high, hot, plains of Alicante,... Read More

Flat out one of the most delicious and versatile Italian reds in the shop right now – the kind of wine you can enjoy with casual pizza/pasta nights or break out to share with Cabernet fans and a grilled steak. It’s... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV Checks all the “geek” boxes: new winery, obscure growing region, unusual grape, biodynamic farming, and very low alcohol (just 11.5%). Even a charming label! But this is actually a wine for the... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABVThe small vineyard Laurent Charrier calls “The Wind in the Willows” were well known for giving good wine in the 19th century, so when Laurent’s grandfather was able to buy the abandoned... Read More

I believe the technical tasting note for this wine, as approved by all the most serious wine writers, is: Hubba Hubba. There’s this thing white Burgundy winemakers do where they let the wine sit in the barrel on what’s... Read More

Smells great, tastes even better, crazy good price for high quality white Burgundy. That’s really what you need to know here, but we’ll try to give you a little more. It’s from three vineyards on the Puligny... Read More

Bordeaux’s 2019 vintage was a stunner, giving wines with plenty of luscious fruit and also a distinct minerality and sense of sleekness and verve. Thierry Gaudrie captured the quality of the vintage perfectly in this blend... Read More

Organic/Bio Greco di Tufo came to Italy’s Campania before the rise of Rome, brought by colonizing Pelasgians, an ancient people from Thessaly in Greece. For a few thousand years now, it’s been recognized as one of... Read More

Organic/Bio As Wine Advocate wrote a few years ago, “Quintodecimo Irpinia Falanghina Via del Campo is the result of 20 years of research and experimentation, I am told.” Like Greco and Fiano, Falanghina came to Italy... Read More

The southern part of Montalcino is known for bigger, more muscular, Brunello but here ridgetop vineyards open to cooling breezes break the mold. Give it a little air to wake up and you’ll be greeted with beautifully fresh... Read More

From the only producer with 100% of their vines in the Grand Cru of Montosoli and one of the original 13 Brunello estates, a wine tempting now and drinking through 2040. As Wine Advocate says, Baricci's wines are some of the... Read More

The race for best value California Cabernet Sauvignon of the year is over: this is the winner going away. If you love California Cab’s rich blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, dash of chocolate, sweet spice, full body and... Read More

Lower ABV This is the current release of Les Lys from Defaix, and that alone should tell you that you’re in for something a little different than the “typical” Chablis. Daniel is the 14th generation of the Defaix... Read More

As always, an utterly delicious blend of Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and a splash of Sauvignon Blanc delivers a compelling blend of richness and vivacity, fruit and minerality, and purity and power. Slow fermentation in cool stainless... Read More

Organic/Bio Whether you’re dipping your toes into the “Natural Wine” pond or just after a delicious, classically styled and satisfying bottle of Bordeaux, the 2019 Les Helices is a terrific wine and outstanding... Read More

Lower ABV Our first thought on tasting this was, “Wow – kind of like a darker and more playful Marcillac!” A better way to say it is that this deliciously captivating red is at once plump, ripe and full of dark... Read More

Lower ABV Mathias Ruttenstock is one of the masters of Röschitz, the coolest portion of Austria’s Weinviertel, the world’s best GV growing area that also includes Kamptal, Wagram and Wachau. Mathias is a 4th generation... Read More

Pinot Bianco (also called Weissburgunder) made the trip from Burgundy and today thrives in the high-altitude vineyards near Appiano, just south of Bolzano. A naturally high-acid grape that turns even more crisp at altitude, Pinot... Read More

Lower ABV This is the kind of wine that comes about when a crazy talented young winemaker decides to have fun with leftovers. The wine starts with Anaïs Ricome’s savory Syrah Cerise made from grapes grown in cool, high-altitude,... Read More

Organic/Bio Wine Advocate (93 points) called this “great value” at $21 – it’s even better at this deal! It’s from the high, hot, plains of Jumilla in southern Spain where Monestrell (called Mourvedre... Read More

Lower ABV Since 1949, the Picollo family has grown grapes in just one place - the Piemonte's Gavi region - and made just three wines: Gavi, Gavi di Gavi, and a barrel-aged Gavi di Gavi. With that much practice and focus, it's... Read More

Organic/Bio Here’s a beautiful expression of Barolo from the important commune of Serralunga d’Alba that is already deliciously expressive with a bit of air and will keep on improving for 15 years. Even this young,... Read More

In 1994, the great-great-granddaughter of the inventor of Grand Marnier, Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, arrived in Chile and discovered a plot of vines planted in the early 1900s on the old, dry, soils of Chile’s Apalta Valley.... Read More

Organic/Bio Crest the top of the warm and sunny Casot hill and you find yourself at the top of Marcarini. With it's northeast aspect, Marcarini gets loads of morning sun but then less of the late afternoon heat. From old vines... Read More

Always one of our favorite Pinot Grigio’s has and even more compelling blend of depth, richness, vibrancy and cut in 2023. It’s grown by the 143 member/farmers of the Terlano cooperative winery (founded 1893!), each... Read More

Organic/Bio Who knew Primitivo could be this…well, good? Wines from the Italian cousin of California’s Zinfandel are usually pruny, loaded with nail polish remover volatile acidity, and/or bursting with leather/horse... Read More

Organic/Bio Just a really good, all-purpose, house red here with an easy-access screwtop closure and easy on the wallet savings price. The quality here is unsurprising, because the Jaume family consistently puts their name on... Read More

Montalcino’s 2018 vintage was a tough one, with unusually cool weather limiting ripeness and lower than usual concentration meaning “normal’ oak and aging programs risked wiping out the wines. Which made it a... 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

Organic/Bio This is probably the single best Bordeaux value in the shop right now, mainly because the vintage is brilliant and the estate sells all they make without participating in the Bordeaux critics’ circus. From a... 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

Organic/Bio Lower ABV If Thibert's 2020 Macon-Verze is full of boundless energy and confidence, his Pouilly-Vinzelles (from next door to Fuisse) has all the same energy but starts off a bit gawky and unsure. Give it a splash... Read More

Organic/Bio With a unique combination of freshness and richness, this wine has been our go-to Thanksgiving white recommendation for 12 consecutive years. And the 2022 release is so very, very, delicious that you’ll want... Read More

Trebbiano Spoletino is NOT the “Trebbiano” found in the rest of Italy. It’s a distinctive Umbrian varietal that emerged in the 18th century and thrived for years growing up into and in between maple trees. Largely... Read More

Organic/Bio Gregorio Dell’Adami de Tarczal retired from the life of multinational marketing executive in 1988 and purchased the Il Civettaio farm to get closer to the land. It’s located in Tuscany Maremma district,... Read More

Organic/Bio With just 1HA of vines on the 2,800 foot elevation, lava-covered, Contrada Sciaranuova, Passopisciaro made only 165 cases or so of this in 2021. The name translates to new lava flow which covered the site in the 1600s... Read More

I never met Andrea Franchetti, who died in December 2021 at the age of 72. But this wine sums up everything I’ve read and heard from his partners at Passopisciaro. “Poetic” and “wildly visionary”... Read More

Organic/Bio At just 1,800 feet elevation, the lowest of Passopisciaro’s Contrada vines grow on the last edges of Mount Etna lava. The vines push through the lava to limestone and develop more rich, round, textures than the... Read More

Organic/Bio While Stephen Hagen and his team are fine winemakers, the real story here is winegrowing. Stephen’s unique “grazing based viticulture” replaces herbicides, mowing, plowing and fertilizers with something... Read More

Very quietly, Two Birds One Stone Rouge has been building an impressive track-record as a terrific all-purpose value red. Selling for $11-$14, vintages 2016-2020 all earned respectable 87-89 point ratings from Wine Enthusiast... Read More

Vines were already planted here in 1466 when Jehan de Las Symas purchased them from a neighbor based in Saint Emilion (just a few miles away). Today Jean de Boigne continues his family's 160+ year stewardship of the grapes... Read More

Stags Leap is the smallest AVA in Napa but has loomed large in wine-lovers’ minds ever since Warren Winiarski’s Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 1973 shocked the wine world by beating out the best of Bordeaux... Read More

Organic/Bio Over the years, wine Robert Parker has called the Cotes du Rhone Champauvins a baby Chateauneuf du Pape, a poor person's Chateauneuf, and a serious effort that could easily be mistaken for a Chateauneuf du Pape.... Read More

Lower ABV Pascal Maillard’s 2022 Bourgogne Blanc from vines outside Chorey-les-Beaune and Ladoix is definitely white Burgundy in class, style and quality. But it’s Burgundy Chardonnay with the extra richness and exuberance... 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

Organic/Bio Lower ABV Terroir du Domaine refers to the location of the vines that dominate this cuvee - essentially surrounding the winery. Pierre Seguin planted this 1.8 acres of vines around 1950 and his family has farmed it... Read More

By FAR the best vintage yet of 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,... Read More

Valensac is a thoroughly modern Languedoc winery focused on making rock-solid, all purpose, great value wines from varietals traditional (Grenache, Syrah) and more modern for the region (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet,... Read More

Organic/Bio Curra is also in Neive, but this uniques site produces a remarkably different wine. As Vinous says, A firm, wiry expression of structure and floral aromatics define the mid-weight Barbarescos of Currà. There... Read More

Organic/Bio From 45 year-old vines just outside the town of Neive on clay/sand soils, Fausoni is always the most darkly fruited wine from Sottimano. But dark doesn't equal heavy or overpowered here. Something like darkly elegant... Read More

Organic/Bio Rino Sottimano's first vineyard, purchased in the late 1960s, It's planted to vines 50-70 years old and has been farmed without chemicals since Rino bought it. It's between the Neive and Barbaresco areas,... Read More

Organic/Bio In Treiso, well to the south of most other famed Barbaresco Crus, Pajore balances the zone's cooler, fresher, climate with a steep southerly exposure and the intensity of 50-70 year-old vines. Very, very, Barbaresco... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV The old vines planted by Amandine and Richard’s grandfather handled the tough 2021 season with aplomb. As usual, Montmains is the most open and generous of the Malandes 1er Crus with a touch of pear... Read More

The vines Jim Maresh planted on their own roots back in 1970 is today arguably the best, and certainly one of the most important, vineyards in the Dundee Hills. Jim’s grandson uses almost all the fruit for his Arterberry... Read More

Not sure whether this is rose or orange wine, but it's wild and wildly delicious! The Early Muscat, Riesling and Petit Blanc were pressed as whole clusters very slowly, extracting a touch of color. The Pinot Gris was destemmed,... 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

Sometimes it's all about the feel. This is 100% Tempranillo from the famed vineyards of Ribera del Duero (think Pesquera, Vega Sicilia, etc.). Ripe fruit grown at altitude (3,000 feet) shows classic Tempranillo notes of blackberry,... Read More

Organic/Bio This wine really should come with a warning label: Caution: Dangerously delicious. Maintain at least two bottles on hand at all time. Recommend at least one bottle per guest to avoid bottle wrestling over the dinner... Read More

Lower ABV

Like the Grand Cru hill of Corton that overlooks its vineyards, most Ladoix is red. But about 20% of both the region’s and Ravaut’s vines grow on cooler, more limestone-rich, sites that cry out for Chardonnay.... Read More

Ken’s signature wine and, arguably, Willamette Valley’s signature vineyard. Wine Advocate has suggested that Shea is the Willamette Valley’s one potential “superstar” vineyard and Ken makes the benchmark... Read More

The winery makes multiple bottlings from the second-oldest vineyard in Ribbon Ridge, one that has 365 degree exposures as it slopes down the hill from its crown and is uniquely warm and calm for the AVA. This is one of two Estate... Read More

Blending 70% Pinot Meunier, 15% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir, winemaker Gilles Lancelot achieves “major agreement” between Champagne's most important grapes coming from 40 parcels and vines averaging 50 years... Read More

If Sylvain’s other white Burgundies are seriously good, his sparkling Cremant de Bourgogne is seriously fun. It’s a wine Sylvain makes to welcome friends to his home, to celebrate bud break, successful flowering, and... Read More

Organic/Bio As Vinous says, 2018 in Tuscany was a grower's year, meaning the conditions were right for terrific wine given hard and continuous work in the vineyard. Which is what the team at Tolaini is all about, matching... Read More

If all you know about Amontillado is that it’s mentioned in an Edgar Allan Poe short story, it’s time to experience the real stuff. And this is it. Amontillado starts its journey as a “Fino” Sherry, made... Read More

Simply the most delicious Prosecco we’ve tasted in years – although nothing about this wine is “simple.” Unlike most mass-produced Prosecco, this is made from 100% organic, estate-grown, fruit from vines... Read More

Lower ABV Leo Hillinger created Secco after an employee discovered she was battling breast cancer, and even today - more than 10 years later - a portion of the proceeds of his Secco sales go to breast cancer research. It's... Read More

For the past six years, this has been a terrific Brut Champagne at a crazy good price. It comes from a co-op founded in 1959 to help grape growers in Aube, the southern part of Champagne, get a little better deal from the big... Read More