90+ Points | Critical Acclaim | Wine & Sparkling Wine

Expert Review — Vintage 2021

Vinous 97 Points | Pure Chardonnay from the oldest vines of the estate, planted in 1959. Smoothness dominates the nose — almost salty hints of lanolin, a touch of Mirabelle and a lovely note of straw. The palate is intense, concentrated and pervasive, with uncompromising nakedness, dynamism and drive, dripping with lemon brightness, all bound up in earthiness reminiscent of fresh cep mushroom and profound, cooling limestone. Clarity is everything here. The finish is long, serene, touching and memorable. Bone-dry.

About the Wine

Velich Tiglat is the crown jewel of the Velich lineup — sourced from the estate’s original plantings from 1959 in Burgenland, Austria. The wine is fermented naturally and kept on full lees for at least 24 months, building extraordinary texture and complexity without compromising the bone-dry purity that defines the house style.

This is the pinnacle of the Velich range: Tó (young vines) → Darscho (35–50 year vines) → Tiglat (1959 vines). Each step up brings greater concentration, minerality, and aging potential.

Tasting & Pairings

Lanolin, Mirabelle, straw, lemon brightness, fresh cep mushroom, cooling limestone, and salt. Intense and concentrated yet profoundly clear. The finish is long, serene, and memorable. Serve lightly chilled — this demands time and attention in the glass.

• Lobster or scallops with brown butter — the wine’s concentration and lemon brightness elevate luxurious shellfish.
• Roasted turbot or Dover sole — noble white fish for a noble Chardonnay.
• Aged Comté (24+ months) — the depth and salinity of both are a stunning match.

Expert Review — Vintage 2021

Vinous 94 Points | Pure Chardonnay from vines around 25 years old. The bright energy hits you with the first sniff — lift, brightness, and something immensely citric and pervasive. Exquisite shape: it glides and moves with agility, like a drop of liquid rolling across plumage — always entire, rounded, shining, smooth and mobile. The finish sinks into soil, draws you in, seasons the tongue with saltiness and floors you with incredible equanimity. Endless, profound, and ineffable. Bone-dry.

About the Wine

Velich Darscho is named after a smaller lake in the village near the estate in Burgenland, Austria. The fruit comes from vineyards that are 35–50 years old — significantly older than the Vinous note suggests (which references 25-year-old vines), reflecting the depth and complexity in the glass. This is Velich’s step up from the Tó cuvée, showing greater concentration, minerality, and aging potential.

Tasting & Pairings

Bright citrus energy, saltiness, soil-driven minerality, and an ineffably long finish. Bone-dry with exquisite shape and agility. Serve lightly chilled — this rewards patience in the glass as it opens.

• Roasted lobster or langoustines with brown butter — the wine’s richness and salinity are a perfect match.
• Roasted chicken with tarragon and crème fraîche — classic Chardonnay territory elevated by the wine’s minerality.
• Aged Comté or Gruyère — nutty, hard cheeses complement the wine’s depth and saline finish.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2024

James Suckling 90 Points | A flattering version, with star fruit, white peach and verbena notes backed by a rounded, shortbread-accented finish. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Memo Summary Notes

Château Haut Selve Graves Blanc 2024 is the newest release of this high-performing white Bordeaux. The 2024 vintage in Graves is characterized by vibrant acidity and intense aromatic profiles, as the cooler-than-average spring followed by a warm summer allowed for excellent "aromatic snap" in Sauvignon Blanc.

Varietals - Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Semillon

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

James Suckling 94 Points | This exhibits violets and tar, as well as underbrush and a distant bitter-chocolate note. The palate is angular and incisive, well-constructed with a harmonious interplay between the focused acidity, fine grained tannins and delineated, fleshy fruit. Precise. Best ever from here. Better in 2028.

The Wine Spectator by Bruce Sanderson 94 Points | A sleek, elegant red, silky in texture and linear in profile. Rose, macerated cherry, strawberry, mineral and spice flavors abound, while a line of energetic tannins shows up on the long finish. This wine's purity and structure show the potential of the vintage.

Jeb Dunnuck by Audrey Frick 93 Points |  One of the overachievers of the vintage for a regional Barolo and a strong contender for top of the year lists, the 2021 Barolo Ludo pours a reflective brick red color and is attractive on the nose with notes of cinnamon sticks, fresh cherries, mossy earth, and anise. The palate offers a good balance of richness in the structure of its medium-bodied frame, with ripe tannins, lovely clarity of fruit, and refreshing ripe acidity. A gorgeous entry-level Barolo, it’s stunning now and has the potential to age with ease over the next 12-15 years.

Memo Summary Notes

The Poderi Luigi Einaudi Barolo "Ludo" 2021 is a significant release, as 2021 is being hailed as an exceptional, "best-ever" vintage for this specific bottling. Unlike Einaudi’s single-vineyard crus (like Cannubi or Bussia), Ludo is a blend of Nebbiolo from younger vines across those famous sites, designed to be more approachable in its youth.

Why "Ludo"? The name comes from the Latin ludus, meaning "playful."

Pair with Wild mushroom risotto or tajarin pasta with truffles.

Meats: Braised beef short ribs or herb-crusted lamb chops.

Cheese: Aged Grana Padano or Castelmagno.

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir That Delivers Oregon Elegance at an Everyday Price

Wine By Joe is the approachable label from Joe Dobbes, one of Oregon’s most experienced and celebrated winemakers. Sourced from Willamette Valley vineyards, the 2022 Pinot Noir is a textbook expression of what makes Oregon Pinot so compelling: fragrant, silky, and fruit-driven, with the lively acidity and balanced structure that make it equally at home at a weeknight dinner or a special occasion. A Wine Enthusiast 90-point Best Buy.

Expert Reviews

• Wine Enthusiast — 90 pts (Best Buy): "This is the kind of wine you want to find when you’re looking for the perfect porch or picnic pour. Lively acidity, a crisp mouthfeel, and all the fruit you can handle. Aromas and flavors of blackberries, lemon sorbet and a touch of cedar are framed by velvety tannins. Great value here."

Winemaker Notes

Fragrant and floral aromas of hibiscus and dried rose petal combined with bright cherry, dried cranberry, and a hint of black licorice. A medium-bodied entry leads to a silky mid-palate of dried Bing cherry, black tea, light sandalwood, and cedar. Well-balanced with youthful yet integrated tannins and moderate acidity that lingers into a medium-long finish.

Vineyard & Provenance

• Grape: Pinot Noir
• Appellation: Willamette Valley, Oregon
• Producer: Wine By Joe / Joe Dobbes
• Vintage: 2022
• Closure: Screwcap
• Size: 750ml

Food Pairings

Highly versatile — exceptional with roasted salmon, grilled chicken, mushroom dishes, pizza, burgers, and casual weeknight meals.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018

The Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | This dark ruby-colored wine offers aromas of Luxardo cherry and toasted baking spices. It is very spicy at first sip as flavors of clove and mint leaf with a touch of black pepper hit the taste buds, followed by blackberry, cherry and raspberry flavors. Muscular tannins are balanced out by well-integrated acidity that stays around for a while. 

James Suckling 92 Points | Juicy and expressive Rioja with some dark spices, black earth and a hint of peppercorn to the cherries and plums. Fresh and bright on the palate with a medium body rounded by fine-grained tannins. Succulent and long. Consistent quality. The first year that there is some maturana in the blend. Drink now, but can hold well, too.

Memo Summary Notes

Food Pairings: Highly versatile. Pairs perfectly with grilled meats, roasted lamb, hearty stews, mushrooms, cured ham (Jamón Ibérico), and medium-aged cheeses.

VINOUS 93 Points

The NV Extra Brut Rosé ADN de Meunier is a classic-layered and supple with rose petals, mint, dried cherry, mint, spice and orange peel. Assembled with the inclusion of 10% still red Meunier, the Rosé is exquisitely nuanced and super expressive, offering great depth and tons of personality.

Les Hauts de Lagarde Bordeaux Rouge Organic — Bordeaux 2022

Les Hauts de Lagarde is a certified organic estate in the heart of Bordeaux, producing wines that honor the region's classic character through sustainable viticulture. The 2022 vintage delivered exceptional ripeness and balance — and this Bordeaux Rouge is the estate's most compelling expression yet. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, it earned 90 points from James Suckling, who praised its "velvety texture and core of succulent fruit." At this price, it is one of the most exciting organic values in all of Bordeaux.

The nose opens with generous aromas of blackcurrant, blackberries, warm spices, chocolate, and walnuts. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied with a round, velvety texture, a succulent dark fruit core, and a soft, smooth finish. The structure is elegant — ripe tannins with just enough grip to reward short-term cellaring.

James Suckling 90 — "Chocolate, walnuts and ripe, dark-fruited character on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied with a velvety texture and a core of succulent fruit. The finish is soft and smooth." (Vintage 2022).

• Producer: Les Hauts de Lagarde, Bordeaux, France
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Bordeaux Rouge AOC
• Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
• Certification: Certified Organic
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Blackcurrant, blackberry, spice, chocolate, walnuts, velvety finish
• Best Paired With: Pork roasts, red meat, poultry, pasta dishes, aged cheese

A 90-point certified organic Bordeaux at an honest price — Les Hauts de Lagarde is the benchmark for what everyday Bordeaux can be.

Vilmart & Cie Cuvée Rubis Brut Rosé 1er Cru — Champagne NV

Vilmart & Cie is one of Champagne's most celebrated grower estates, farming Premier Cru vineyards in Rilly-la-Montagne and Villers-Allerand with a practicing organic approach and a commitment to traditional winemaking. The Cuvée Rubis is their signature rosé — a Pinot Noir-dominant blend of 90% Pinot Noir (including 15% red wine addition) and 10% Chardonnay, drawn from 35+ year old vines on clay and limestone soils. Fermented and aged entirely in large foudre with no malolactic fermentation, the wine is built for texture, depth, and longevity. Thirty-plus months on the lees and a 8 g/L dosage complete a cuvée that consistently earns scores of 90–93 points across the major critics.

Generous and expressive on the nose: red berries, plum, blood orange, and dried flowers with a lovely yeasty undercurrent. The palate is fleshy and enveloping — pureed raspberry, blood orange granita, lime peel, and biscuit — carried by a pillowy mousse and a spine of chiseled acidity. The finish is lively, delicately phenolic, and notably dry for the style. Already drinking beautifully, with the structure to evolve through 2030 and beyond.

Wine Spectator 93 • Wine Advocate 92 • Burghound 91 • Jeb Dunnuck 90 — "Fine and harmonious… concentrated yet ethereal." — Wine Spectator

• Producer: Vilmart & Cie, Rilly-la-Montagne, Champagne, France
• Appellation: Champagne Premier Cru
• Vineyards: Rilly-la-Montagne 1er Cru & Villers-Allerand 1er Cru
• Blend: 90% Pinot Noir (incl. 15% red wine), 10% Chardonnay
• Vine Age: 35+ years
• Soil: Clay and limestone
• Farming: Practicing organic
• Vinification: Fermented and aged in large foudre; no malolactic fermentation
• Lees Aging: 30+ months
• Dosage: 8 g/L
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Red berries, plum, blood orange, dried flowers, raspberry, lime peel, biscuit, pillowy mousse, chiseled acidity
• Best Paired With: Salmon, duck breast, charcuterie, soft-ripened cheeses, roast poultry, berry desserts

93 points from Wine Spectator. 30+ months on the lees. Foudre-aged with no malo. Vilmart's Cuvée Rubis is Premier Cru rosé Champagne at its most serious and rewarding.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Decanter 94 Points | Gorgeous Cabernet aromas, clear and crystalline, some herbal notes with a cool blueberry and chalky element. Rose scents, dark cherries and cinnamon bark. Full and expressive, warming tones but great acidity that gives such lift. Lovely purity and drive, this has a great sense of confidence - nothing overdone, really pristine and finessed. If anything it’s not super heavy, but it’s the better for it. You get the Napa richness in the fruit concentration but it’s so well defined and still with a graceful power. Yum. 0.5% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

Winemaker Description

Since 1993, Overture has been an expression of place across time. In keeping with an internal desire to underscore the importance of the growing season, Opus One has taken the necessary steps for Overture to become a vintage-dated wine. In doing so, Opus One intends to emphasize the diversity of our estate with a renewed focus.

Over the years our winemaker, Michael Silacci, and his team have come to deeply understand the individual blocks within the vineyards. Farming practices may then be adjusted at the block level to enable the vines to fully capture the quality of the estate.  The majority of our vineyards are planted in alluvial soils in the extreme western part of the Oakville, AVA, at the foot of the Mayacamas mountains. 

The fruit is harvested and vinified with the same care, precision, and attention to detail as Opus One. Unique aromatics, flavors, and textures are recognized as ideal for Overture — more red fruit, herbal characteristics, soft tannins, and creamy texture. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 92 Points | A deliciously dark-fruited tempranillo that has aromas and flavors of grilled herbs, charcoal and black plums. Hints of soy, too. It’s full-bodied with ripe, mellow tannins.

Winemaker Description

Intense purple color. Aromas of tobacco, licorice and blackcurrants. Full-bodied with hints of toast and mature fruit. Long balanced finish.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

The Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | This is the flagship Chardonnay produced by Domaine Anderson. It is a glimpse into the winemaking style of the house, highlighting the cool climate, sunshine and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The nose conveys pithy apple, youthful nectarine and butterscotch candy. The palate intensifies these notes, along with high acidity, minerals, cinnamon and a mouthwatering finish.

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | Made from estate-grown, certified organic vineyards, including three single-vineyard designates (Navarro-Fairhills, Walraven, and Dach), the 2021 Chardonnay Estate is a light-bodied white that is tangy in acidity and fresh citrus notes, expertly showcasing both the cool-climate region and coolness of the vintage, one of the earliest harvests on record in the Anderson Valley. Meyer lemon and a twist of lime highlight the aromatic profile, with more lemon developing on the palate as a nice complement to the green and Golden Delicious apple flavors.

The Wine Spectator 91 Points | With sleek notes of lemon, pear and yuzu alongside racy acidity, this pops out of the glass, finding wonderful harmony with the grace notes of white pepper and vanilla custard, plus a hint of salted butter shortbread on the finish. Drink now. 1,000 cases made.

Winemaker Description 

Central Otago's Most Exciting Pinot Noir — Moonlight Race by Burn Cottage

Burn Cottage is one of Central Otago's most celebrated biodynamic estates, and the Moonlight Race Pinot Noir is their benchmark expression of this breathtaking South Island appellation. Sourced from three exceptional vineyards — Burn Cottage, Sauvage, and Luna — the 2023 vintage is a wine of extraordinary energy and precision. Crunchy, lively, and deeply satisfying, it captures everything that makes Central Otago Pinot Noir so compelling: vivid fruit, electric acidity, and a silky, fine-grained texture that is impossible to put down.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

• James Suckling — 96 pts: "I really like the crunchy character to this, with ripe, al dente pinot noir character highlighting the strawberry and lemon notes. Medium-bodied, lively and energetic with citrus and crushed stone undertones. This is so satisfying and fresh."
• Wine Spectator — 95 pts: "Stalky, spicy and bright, with notes of Campari/blood orange that mingle alongside dark chocolate, coffee, blood plum and star anise. The tannins and acidity work together as one, making this wine feel integrated, serious, and fun, all at once. Very fine."
• Wine Advocate — 94 pts: "Supple and spicy, with pink peppercorn, cherry blossom, red apple skins, a hint of blond tobacco and white pepper. The tannins are totally fresh and fine — finely milled and like poudre. Superb, silky, totally satisfying and enlivening."

Winemaker Notes

Burn Cottage Pinot Noir Moonlight Race Central Otago 2023 750ml

A blend of 56% Burn Cottage Vineyard, 22% Sauvage Vineyard, and 22% Luna Vineyard fruit. Seven percent whole bunch was included in the ferment with 17 days on skins. Aged in 22% new French oak. The result is a wine of remarkable freshness and complexity — bright red fruit, floral lift, spice, and a long, mineral-driven finish that is quintessentially Central Otago.

Vineyard & Provenance

• Grape: Pinot Noir
• Appellation: Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand
• Producer: Burn Cottage
• Vintage: 2023
• Farming: Biodynamic
• Closure: Screwcap
• Size: 750ml

Food Pairings

Incredibly versatile — exceptional with roasted duck, salmon, mushroom risotto, lamb rack, soft cheeses, and charcuterie boards.

Expert Reviews

The Wine Advocate 90 Points | The NV 10 Year Old Tawny was bottled in 2013 with a bar top cork. It comes in at 106.7 grams per liter of residual sugar. Some Ports emphasize flavor, others emphasize structure. This starts out with perfect focus, elegant but increasingly intense on the tight finish. Early on, it was all about the structure, with a haze of velvet. The flavors were a bit muted initially, but it unfolded into an elegant and graceful whole with a flavorful finish. Its bright, clean feel always remains as it fleshes out and puts on weight. 

The Wine Spectator 90 Points | Refined, with bright flavors of dried berry, plum compote and cherry tart that are long and lush. Very creamy on the finish, which features chocolate mousse.

The Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | In the full Fonseca style, this aged tawny shows both rich fruit and a more serious wood-aged character. Good acidity follows the sweet initial taste, broadening into ripe flavors of nut, plum jelly, and a final crisp acidity.

Winemaker Description 

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

James Suckling 90 Points | Fresh and floral with candied lemons, quince, fine herbs and spices on the nose. Medium-bodied, polished and sleek, with mouthwatering acidity. Flavorful and refreshing aftertaste. 

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

James Suckling 92 Points | An elegant wine that’s dry and fruity, with a lovely creamy texture and suppleness on the palate. Fresh and poised, with a medium-long finish. A very good rosé made from 46% cinsault, 37% grenache, 13% syrah and 4% mourvedre.

Barolo's Most Elegant Single Cru — Monvigliero by Paolo Scavino

Paolo Scavino is one of Barolo's most revered producers, and the Monvigliero is the crown jewel of their single-vineyard lineup. Sourced from the stately Monvigliero vineyard in Verduno — widely regarded as the grand cru of the village — this cru was first bottled as a single vineyard wine in 2007 after the Scavino family purchased the site. Monvigliero is celebrated for its distinctly feminine character: floral, spicy, balsamic, and precise, with a finesse and aromatic complexity that sets it apart from the more powerful expressions of Barolo.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

• Jeb Dunnuck — 95 pts: "Moving north to Verduno, the 2022 Barolo Monvigliero pours a bright ruby hue and remains slightly reserved at this stage, revealing aromas of preserved cranberries, white peach, candied orange, baking spice, ripe apricot, and dried earth. Medium-bodied, it has a more linear feel, with focused acidity and well-defined tannins. Citrus notes lift the palate and carry through a refined finish."  Rating: 95+                                                                                                     
• James Suckling — 95 pts: "This wine shines with freshness and transparency, full of red currants, red cherries and intense violets against a meaty background. Lightly extracted and medium-bodied, showing crisp, brilliant acidity and velvety tannins. A touch of sternness in the tense, fragrant finish. Drinkable now but best from 2027."

Winemaker Notes

Paolo Scavino Barolo Monvigliero 2022 750ml

Great finesse and aromatic complexity, distinctly floral spicy, savory, balsamic in its expression. The nose is vivid and compound. The texture is focused. An extremely elegant cru, feminine and full of character. 

Vineyard & Provenance

• Grape: Nebbiolo
• Appellation: Barolo DOCG, Piedmont
• Vineyard: Monvigliero, Verduno
• Producer: Paolo Scavino
• Vintage: 2021
• Size: 750ml

Food Pairings

A classic Piedmontese pairing — exceptional with braised beef, osso buco, white truffle dishes, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, wild boar ragù, and roasted lamb.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Vinous 94 Points | The 2022 Chardonnay Alta Historic Rows originates from Gualtallary and Villa Bastías, Uco Valley vineyards. It was aged up to 14 months in a combination of new and used barrels. Yellow in hue with a golden sheen. The floral nose presents appealing green apple, cedar, and nut aromas with hints of fennel and quince in the background. On the palate, it has a creamy, chalky texture and tart acidity resulting in a taut, refreshing mouthfeel. A well-crafted Chardonnay that sums up the advantages of high-altitude vineyards. 

James Suckling 94 Points |  Pie crust, smoked pineapple, lemon curd and zesty citrus on the palate. Medium-bodied, showing fresh, creamy fruit and a lengthy finish. Drink or hold.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Luis Guitierez of The Wine Advocate writes 93+ Points | They haven't produced this wine since 2019, and there are substantial changes. There's no Treixadura in the 2022 Viño Branco Dos Canotos; they didn't do any skin contact; and it didn't go through malolactic, because it has a low pH (3.0) and high acidity. It matured in chestnut cask with full less until bottling in May 2023, quite early. The wine is dominated by the Albariño (around 40%, the rest, Lado, Caíño Branco and Loureira) in the aromatics, floral and herbal. It has around 11.7% alcohol, a very tasty and vibrant palate with pungent flavors, and very good persistence and length. There are only 910 bottles.

Winemaker Description 

Lovely lemon and peach aromas with hints of honeysuckle and white pepper, super fresh, light-bodied, airy, silky on the palate.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Mike DeSimone of the Wine Enthusiast writes 91 Points | Pale yellow in color, this wine offers a bouquet of Gala apple and honeysuckle. Valencia orange, bergamot and dried-thyme flavors fade into a finish marked with touch of lemon grass. 

Winemaker Description 

Moderately deep soils except for Marges which brings its characteristic freshness and youth. The Rigolet y Baja, terroirs which add the concentration are terroirs of Miocene marl earth which allows the vine to absorb only the quantity of water necessary for adequate growth.

Sabate i Coca Castellroig Xarello 'So Blanc'

Fruity and creamy with apple aromas, pineapple, fennel, dried fruits and pine nuts. Intense in the mouth, dense and with a bitter edge that is highly distinctive and pleasant, preserving the freshness of the wine, and with a lightly sweet sensation at the end.

Donnafugata Sul Vulcano Etna Rosso DOC — Sicily 2022

Donnafugata is one of Sicily’s most celebrated wine families, and Sul Vulcano is their love letter to Etna — the ancient, still-active volcano on Sicily’s northeastern coast that has become one of Italy’s most exciting wine regions. The volcanic soils of Etna are unlike anything else in Italy: rich in minerals, free-draining, and home to old-vine Nerello Mascalese that produces wines of extraordinary finesse, energy, and terroir expression. Sul Vulcano (“on the volcano”) captures the essence of this singular place — a wine that is simultaneously fun and serious, as Vinous put it, earning 91 points. Wine Spectator awarded it 90.

The nose lifts with floral perfumes complicated by blood orange, crushed wild berries, Asian spices (cardamom and star anise), and fresh balsamic hints. On the palate, the wine is juicy and energetic — crisp red fruits swirling across a crunchy mineral core, with silky tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, elegant finish of blackcurrant and iron. Light ruby in color, light-bodied in feel, but serious in character.

Vinous 91 — “Juicy and energetic with crisp red fruits that swirl across a crunchy mineral core. Long and gently tannic… I love how the Sul Vulcano is both fun and serious.” (Vintage 2022). 

Wine Spectator 90 — “A creamy red, with dried cherry and strawberry fruit flavors and hints of rooibos tea, vanilla and blood orange peel underscored by subtle notes of loamy earth and iron. Fresh and balanced, with light, chalky tannins.” (Vintage 2022). 

• Producer: Donnafugata, Sicily, Italy
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Etna Rosso DOC
• Varietal: Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio
• Terroir: Volcanic soils, Mount Etna, northeastern Sicily
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Blood orange, wild berries, cardamom, star anise, dried cherry, strawberry, iron, chalky mineral finish
• Best Paired With: Roast or stewed meats, grilled fish, aubergine dishes, mushrooms, Mediterranean cuisine, Tex-Mex

A 91-point volcanic Nerello Mascalese from one of Sicily’s great estates — Sul Vulcano is the Etna Rosso that is both fun and serious.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Vinous 92 Points Eric Guido | More savory than sweet and wonderfully complex, the 2019 Brut Rosé North Coast bursts from the glass with toasty notes of fresh baguette and almonds, giving way to crushed apples and gingery spice. This rushes the palate with an elegant bead of silken bubbles. It is creamy yet energetic, and mineral-tinged orchard fruits add further tension. The 2019 leaves the senses wonderfully refreshed through the long, crunchy finale, as white strawberry and spice cookie notes fade. The Brut Rosé is a pleasure bomb, yet it’s wonderfully balanced throughout.  Drinking 2023 to 2027.    

Wine Spectator 92 Points | A delicate, graceful rosé, with refined strawberry, fresh ginger and yeast roll tones that glide on the supple finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now.  

Chateau Montelena · Chardonnay · Napa Valley · California · 2023 · 750ml

On May 24, 1976, Chateau Montelena's Chardonnay changed the wine world forever. In a blind tasting judged by a who’s-who of French food and wine critics — now known as the Judgment of Paris — it took first place over Burgundy’s most celebrated whites, announcing California as a serious fine wine region to a skeptical world. Nearly fifty years later, the Montelena Chardonnay remains the benchmark: a wine of extraordinary precision, minerality, and longevity that has never chased trends or compromised its identity. Winemaker Matt Crafton has described the 2023 vintage as one of the best in the last decade — a cool, mild growing season that produced wines of exceptional tension, acidity, and aging potential. At $69.99, this is a piece of California wine history in every bottle.

Brilliant pale gold in the glass with a vivid, pure nose of Meyer lemon, citrus blossom, white peach, and oyster shell minerality — linear, precise, and utterly compelling. On the palate: lush pear, lime leaf, orange blossom, and flinty minerals, with bright, racy acidity that gives the wine extraordinary shape and drive. Marcona almond notes add depth and texture through a long, elegant finish. Decanter called it “vivid, pure citrus expression with a mineral character… crisp, crunchy acidity provides shape and drive.” Winemaker Matt Crafton notes the mouthfeel is “just gorgeous with more gravitas and weight than I would have expected.” Drink now through 2035+, or cellar for a decade to watch it fully unfold. Pair with lobster, roast halibut, Dover sole, or aged Comté.

• Producer: Chateau Montelena · Winemaker Matt Crafton
• Wine: Chardonnay · Napa Valley
• Vintage: 2023
• Origin: Napa Valley, California
• Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
• Style: Precise, mineral, age-worthy Napa Chardonnay
• Certifications: Sustainable
• Notable: 1976 Judgment of Paris — 1st Place
• Press: Decanter — “Vivid, pure citrus expression with a mineral character”
• Drinking Window: Now–2035+
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Meyer lemon, citrus blossom, pear, lime leaf, orange blossom, flinty minerals, Marcona almond, long elegant finish
• Pair With: Lobster · Roast halibut · Dover sole · Aged Comté

The wine that won the Judgment of Paris — Napa Chardonnay at its most precise and enduring.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

Luis Gutierrez writes:  The white 2020 Blanco is a little closed, young, clean and tender with subtle oak. They produced a little bit more in 2020, and the wine has less oak and less buttery sensations, a change that started with the 2017 vintage, which seems to have found its style harvesting earlier to retain freshness; it has 13.04% alcohol and a pH @ 3.23 and matured in larger oak containers, 500-liter oak barrels and some concrete for 12 months. It's floral and expressive, a blend of Viura with 20% Garnacha Blanca that they still consider work in progress but moving in the direction they want to go. 16,200 bottles and 100 magnums were filled in March 2022.  Drinking 2022 to 2028.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 93

James Suckling writes:  A delicious, creamy white with aromas of apricots, baked peaches, hazelnuts, white chocolate and nougat. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a ripe and creamy palate. Lovely buttery pastry and nougat character, with a fresh finish. Drink now  - James Suckling 93

Pedro Ballesteros MW, Sarah Jane Evans MW, Pierre Monsour write:  Round and warm on the nose, with fine notes of smoke. A mouth-filling wine that's fresh and expressive.  Drinking 2024 to 2027.  - Decanter 90

Winemaker Notes

Contino Blanco 2020 shows a very intense nose, marked by its aging in barrel. It is fresh and fruity wine, a true reflection of the identity of our vineyard. San Gregorio offers a Garnacha Blanca with great complexity and volume. The soils are clayey-calcareous, with medium stoniness, key for good drainage.

Blend: 80% Viura, 20% Garnacha Blanca

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

The Wine Advocate 95 Points | The San Felice 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Il Grigio (made with 80% Sangiovese and 20% complementary indigenous grapes) stands out due to its velvety richness and expressive flavor profile. The wine delivers measured intensity with bright purple and black fruits, a good sense of energy and drive, and some lingering spiciness on the close. It is rich but not heavy.

James Suckling 93 Points | This is spiced and racy with dark cherries, currants, savory herbs, walnuts and sandalwood. Medium- to full-bodied with ripe, powdery tannins, juicy acidity and a mineral backbone on the palate. Bright and fruit-forward in the finish. Drink or hold.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

Erin Brooks of The Wine Advocate 95 Points | I tasted the 2021 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley about a month after it was bottled, but it doesn't seem to matter—it bursts from the glass with generous pomegranate, cranberry and raspberry preserves aromas and accents of orange peel, aniseed and tea leaves. The palate is stunning: it strikes a balance between highly concentrated, nuanced fruit and an uplifted, silky structure, and it has a particularly elegant finish. 

James Suckling 94 Points | Wild and vibrant nose of rosemary, cherry stones, small strawberries, violets and seaweed. So fresh, with a medium body and powdery tannins. I like the persistent fine, chalky texture. Unfined and unfiltered. Drink or hold.

Wine Spectator 94 Points |  Sleek, graceful and elegantly proportioned, with expressive violet, raspberry, guava and black tea flavors that jump out of the glass and gather richness toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2032.

Decanter 93 Points | Sourced from 13 vineyards throughout the Valley, though predominantly Star Morring and Doration vineyards. Aromas of violets and crushed stone hint at edginess. The palate offers sappy blackberries and bright, fresh fruits backed by spearmint. There is an excellent lingering juiciness and a finish that goes on for minutes.

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | Deep ruby with a purple tinge, the 2021 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is generous and attractive, with a pure and spicy perfume of pressed flowers, wild raspberry preserve, and brambly herbs. Approachable and drinking well out of the gate, this medium to full-bodied red is ripe with juicy fruit, good structure, ripe tannins, and pithy texture, as well as a touch of warming spice on a long finish. It’s a solid appellation wine that casts a very large net for appeal. Drink 2024-2030. - Audrey Frick

Vinous 91 Points |  The 2021 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is lifted and pure with a cool-toned bouquet of dusty florals, lavender and spice-dusted blackberries. Soft and round, it casts violet inner florals and wild berries across the palate, taking on a saline tinge and hints of licorice toward the close. The 2021 finishes remarkably fresh and with a pleasantly chewy sensation, leaving slowly fading inner rose tones. -- Eric Guido

Discover Domaine Leflaive's Exquisite Biodynamic Wines

Discover the exquisite quality of Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Biodynamic 2023, the crown jewel from one of Burgundy's most prestigious estates. Established in the heart of Burgundy, this family-owned domaine has gained international acclaim for producing some of the finest white wines in the world. With a thoughtful approach to sustainability and commitment to biodynamic farming, Domaine Leflaive effortlessly blends tradition with innovation, ensuring every bottle is a true representation of the unique terroir of Puligny-Montrachet.

Expert Recognition

Wine Spectator - 92 Points
"Pure and silky in texture, revealing lemon, apple, mineral and oak spice flavors. Seamless and balanced, with lively acidity guiding the lingering aftertaste of citrus, orchard fruit and spices. Drink now through 2030."

2,715 cases made, 543 cases imported

Tasting Profile

This exceptional wine presents a brilliant golden hue that hints at the richness within. Pure and silky in texture, the palate reveals seamless flavors of lemon, apple, mineral, and oak spice. The wine bursts with ripe peach, zesty citrus, and subtle floral notes, complemented by a delicate minerality that typifies this celebrated region. Lively acidity guides the experience, creating a refreshing brightness while the oak barrels add complexity and sophistication. The finish is lingering and memorable, with citrus, orchard fruit, and spices that beckon for another taste. It's an elegant expression of biodynamic heritage and Burgundian excellence.

Biodynamic Excellence

Domaine Leflaive is renowned for its pioneering biodynamic practices, supporting environmental stewardship while enhancing the flavor profile of their wines. This thoughtful approach to organic farming not only respects the land but creates wines with greater complexity, purity, and authentic expression of terroir. The 2023 vintage showcases the harmonious balance achieved through these sustainable methods, making it a must-try for any avid wine enthusiast who values both quality and environmental responsibility.

Food Pairing Suggestions

This wine's bright acidity and intricate flavors make it ideal for pairing with:

• Grilled scallops or pan-seared sole
• Fresh oysters and shellfish
• Roasted chicken or poultry
• Creamy cheeses like Brie or Comté
• Herbaceous salads with citrus vinaigrette
• Sautéed vegetables with butter

Serving & Cellaring

Serve slightly chilled (10-12°C / 50-54°F) to fully appreciate its complexity and allow the aromas and characteristics to emerge. Drink now through 2030 for optimal enjoyment. Whether for a special occasion or an elevated dining experience, this exquisite white wine from Domaine Leflaive is sure to impress connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike.

Laherte Frères Ultradition Brut NV — Champagne

Laherte Frères is a benchmark grower-producer in Chavot, farming biodynamically and organically across 10 hectares in the Côte des Blancs and Vallée de la Marne. The Ultradition is their signature cuvée — a multi-vintage blend anchored by old-vine Pinot Meunier, built to express terroir transparency and minimal intervention. Wine Spectator awarded it 92 points, calling it “vivid” and “clean-cut and minerally on the finish.” John Gilman added 92+ points, praising its “superb soil signature, refined mousse, and a very long, complex, dancing finish.” At this price, it is one of the most compelling values in grower Champagne.

The nose opens with white peach, spring flowers, chalky soil tones, gentle smokiness, and a dollop of brioche. On the palate it is full-bodied and extremely elegant — pure, with a fine core, refined mousse, and a long, dancing finish of citrus and mineral. Pinot Meunier at its most expressive.

Wine Spectator 92 • Vinous 92 • John Gilman 92+ — “Pure, full-bodied, and extremely elegant, with a very long, complex and dancing finish.”

• Producer: Laherte Frères, Chavot, Champagne, France
• Style: Brut NV
• Blend: 60% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir
• Appellation: Champagne AOC
• Dosage: 6–8 g/L
• Farming: Biodynamic, Organic
• Format: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: White peach, spring flowers, chalk, brioche, citrus, mineral finish
• Best Paired With: Oysters, lobster, sushi, aged Comté, roast chicken, caviar

A 92-point biodynamic grower Champagne at an honest price — Laherte Frères’ Ultradition is the benchmark for what Pinot Meunier-driven Champagne can be.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

The Australian Wine Companion 91 Points | Yalumba continues to grace us with a range of wines made from viognier, from entry-level to aspirational, that convey a deep understanding of both the variety and site. Pale straw with green flashes and aromas of lemon, grapefruit and apricot along with hints of lemon sorbet, wildflowers, a liminal whiff of white pepper and stone. Flecks of dried herbs join in on the palate, which is stony and savoury, lingering nicely as it fades away. A great introduction to the variety. 

James Suckling 91 Points | A fresh, juicy and precise viognier with aroma of peaches, apricots and fresh flowers. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity. Vivid and playful, with a refreshing finish.

Producer Description 

With 175 years of unbroken independence, Yalumba continues to make wine at its founder's home estate under the direction of the same family today. Samuel's Collection honors Yalumba's founder Samuel Smith, his spirit of independence and conviction to invest in the land and make great wine.

Pure aromas reminiscent of fresh apricots, lifted ginger, saffron and fresh white flowers. The palate is long, rich, and luscious, with intense and expressive stone fruit flavors finishing with an alluring freshness. This wine will continue to grow and develop in the bottle, firstly showing enhanced apricots and spice, then honey flavors and toast complexity.

Enjoy with a Moroccan tagine and couscous, or baba ghanoush.

Winemaker Description

Plenty of chocolate, tobacco and blackcurrant character on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and present. Long and intense. This is rather tight and mouth-puckering. Give it time to soften. Very structured. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2025.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Vinous 95 Points | The 2019 La Lagune offers exquisite transparency on the nose - one of the most terroir-expressive Pessac-Léognan wines this vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, taut and fresh, quite saline with a very integrated and poised finish that lingers in the mouth. Wonderful - could this be the best La Lagune in years? Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

James Suckling 95 Points | Plenty of chocolate, tobacco and blackcurrant character on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and present. Long and intense. This is rather tight and mouth-puckering. Give it time to soften. Very structured. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2025.

Winemaker Description

Appealing and elegant ruby robe. Delicate red fruit aromas. A subtle overtone of wood reveals its spicy bouquet. Remarkable balance with round and ripe tannins. Elegant and silky on the palate, it finishes with a delectable touch offemininity. This is a great wine to sip on the patio on a hot summer’s day or as a cocktail. The wine goes well with shell fish, white fish, sushi and curry, as well as white-meat dishes.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | Still young and juicy, the wine is full of bright black-currant fruits. It also has a firm structure that will allow it age. Drink this succulent wine from 2025.

90 Points James Suckling | Plums, berry fruit and crushed stones on the nose. It’s juicy and mineral with a medium body, lightly chalky tannins and a soft finish. Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot. From organically grown grapes.

90 Points Decanter | Concentrated and scented on the nose. Smooth and oh so succulent, this is juicy and bright with tons of energy and a subtle vibrancy to the blackcurrant, black cherry and plum fruit that is edged with liquorice, graphite and crushed stone elements. Nicely compacted right now, there is a core of cool and creamy blue fruit and a drive of freshness and life that goes all the way through. Touches of minerality come back on the finish that is long and sustained. Excellent potential here with intensity, acidity and structure. Darkly charming and will improve more over ageing.

Expert Reviews – Vintage 2022

Decanter 97 Points: Compelling from the first sip, this has excellent balance delivering freshness and lift as well as depth and breadth. Lovely licks of bitterness and salty stones join ripe blackcurrants and juicy plums. The power is undeniable but it’s tempered by a silky frame, making this rich but utterly charming. A great Gruaud at 13.5% ABV.

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points: An inky-hued 2022 with a killer nose of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, liquid violets, and crushed stone minerality. Powerful and full-bodied with plenty of mid-palate depth, fine polished tannins, and a great finish. As good as the 2018 and one of the absolute classics from this château. Best hidden in the cellar for a decade if possible.

The Wine Advocate 96 Points: Bottled May 2024. Dark berries, violets, vine smoke, pen ink and tar on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, dense and layered with terrific depth, sweet structuring tannins, and a long expansive finish. The estate’s first organic-certified vintage. 13.6% alcohol.

James Suckling 96 Points: Discreet nose of dark fruit and minerals with excellent depth. Uncoiled power and intensity, full body, firm but polished tannins that dissolve into a long, close-knit finish lasting almost a minute. Try from 2028.

Winemaker Description

The Château Gruaud Larose Saint-Julien 2022 is a landmark vintage for this historic Saint-Julien Second Growth — marking the estate’s first official vintage with organic certification. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (14%), and Cabernet Franc (3%), aged in 95% new French oak barrels. The 2022 has been hailed as a return to the Saint-Julien elite, with critics comparing its quality to legendary vintages like 1982 and 1961.

Pairing Suggestions

• Classic: Rack of lamb with rosemary and garlic or a prime rib roast.
• Savory: Braised short ribs, duck confit, or a truffle-infused beef tenderloin.
• Cheese: Aged Comté, Manchego, or a firm Pecorino.

Expert Reviews 

94 Points Jeb Dunnuck | The NV Champagne Brut Rose is an attractive pale salmon hue, with a fresh perfume of wild strawberry, ripe peach, white and red flowers, a hint of tropical fruit, and grapefruit. The palate is rounded, with fruit up front and through the mid-palate, and it has a silky and fresh lift. There is a wonderful ease and drinkability to this wine, which delivers balance and finesse. Best after 2022.

93 Points James Suckling | Attractive salmon color with aromas of dried strawberries and lemons, as well as hints of flowers. Full-bodied with tight tension from the fine phenolics that run through the palate. Hints of white pepper, peaches and sliced green strawberries with some candied lemons, too. Always an excellent bottle. 40% chardonnay, 30% pinot noir and 30% pinot meunier. Drink now.

91 Points Decanter | Currently based on the 2016 harvest, this is floral and citrussy, showing a lithe, graceful balance. It’s a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Meunier, with about 40% of reserve wine, and red wine accounts for 7% of the blend. Its delicate, subtly expansive flavours of raspberry and strawberry are enlivened by a tangerine-like acidity, and while it feels ripe and full in flavour on the palate, it never loses its sense of refinement and poise, finishing with detailed length and depth.

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | A fine composition of red fruits and taut citrus, this Champagne is poised and fragrant with acidity and light tannins.

90 Points Wine Spectator | Delicate notes of yellow plum, marzipan, verbena and fleur de sel are set in this firm and finely meshed rosé Champagne. Creamy finish. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Drink now.

Persistent mousse, with fine bubbles rising slowly. Pale salmon pink in color, with a shade of gold. A nose of red fruits and fresh pear. Delicate fruit on the palate, elegant, and showing great finesse. Winemaker Description.