White Wine

Buehler Vineyards Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2022

A family-owned estate established in 1978, Buehler Vineyards has quietly built one of California’s most respected reputations for quality and value — wines that consistently overdeliver at their price points, vintage after vintage. Their Russian River Valley Chardonnay is a standout expression of cool-climate winemaking from one of Sonoma’s most celebrated appellations, where the influence of the Pacific Ocean and morning fog creates ideal conditions for Chardonnay of genuine elegance and complexity.

Crafted from two exceptional vineyard sources — Wood Vineyard on River Road and River Vineyard on East Side Road — the blend brings together the floral, mineral, and lime character of River Vineyard with the lush peach and apricot richness of Wood Vineyard. Sur-lie aging adds toasty brioche and graham cracker notes with a creamy, velvet-textured mouthfeel that elevates the wine well above its price point.

Abundant floral and stone fruit aromas on the nose. The palate is plush and smooth — lemon meringue, peach preserves, grilled pineapple, and subtle spice — with toasty brioche richness, bright natural acidity, and a long, clean finish with marmalade and spice accents.

Wine Spectator — 88 Points

“Lemon meringue, peach preserves and grilled pineapple mingle with spice, toasted brioche and marmalade notes on a plump and smooth frame.”

Food Pairings

Roasted chicken, lobster with butter, grilled halibut, creamy pasta, and soft-ripened cheeses.

Varietal: Chardonnay
Appellation: Russian River Valley AVA, Sonoma County, California
Vintage: 2022
Aging: Sur-lie
Format: 750ml
Score: 88 pts Wine Spectator

Aveleda · Minho · Vinho Verde DOC · Minho · Portugal · 2024

Aveleda is one of Portugal’s most celebrated wine estates — a historic quinta in the Minho region that has been producing Vinho Verde for generations. The Minho is Aveleda’s flagship expression of the appellation: a proprietary white blend crafted to capture everything that makes Vinho Verde irresistible — pale, slightly fizzy, vibrantly fresh, and built for the moment. At $12.99, it is one of the great value whites in the world. Vegan. Screwcap. 90 points from James Suckling.

Clear pale yellow in the glass, the 2024 opens with an elegant, crisp bouquet of green apple, lime, lemon, and peach with a whisper of seashell minerality. On the palate, it is medium-bodied and refreshing — slightly fizzy, saline, and vibrant, with a clean citrus finish that makes every sip feel like the first. Versatile and effortless, it is perfect for the simplest moments in life.

“This saline white has aromas of lemons, peaches and seashells. It’s medium-bodied and simple but refreshing. Vegan.”
— James Suckling · 90 Points. (Vintage 2024). 

• Producer: Aveleda, Quinta de Aveleda, Minho, Portugal
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Vinho Verde DOC, Minho, Portugal
• Blend: Proprietary white blend
• Style: Dry white — slightly fizzy, saline, citrus-fresh
• Closure: Screwcap
• Vegan: Yes
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Green apple, lime, lemon, peach, seashell minerality, slight spritz, saline finish
• Pairings: Cod fish cakes, marinated olives, empanadas, grilled fish and vegetables, seafood, aperitif

JS:90 · Vinho Verde DOC — saline, slightly fizzy, and endlessly refreshing from one of Portugal’s great historic estates. One of the world’s best value whites.

Matchbook Wine Company | Chardonnay Estate Bottled | Dunnigan Hills | 2023

Dunnigan Hills is one of California's best-kept secrets — a warm, inland appellation in Yolo County where Matchbook has farmed estate vineyards for decades. The combination of hot days, cool nights, and well-drained soils produces Chardonnay with a distinctive personality: tropical fruit richness balanced by genuine freshness. This estate-bottled 2023 is a signature expression of that terroir, blended with a small addition of Verdejo that lifts the wine with a bright thread of minerality. In the cellar, 60% malolactic fermentation adds a creamy, supple texture and a whisper of butterscotch, while careful oak aging layers in vanilla without overwhelming the fruit. The result is a plump, satisfying Chardonnay with a crisp, lingering finish — classic California golden straw in the glass, and a mouthful of pineapple, mango, and melon on the palate.

• Appellation: Dunnigan Hills, Yolo County, California
• Varietal: Chardonnay with a touch of Verdejo
• Vintage: 2023
• Format: 750ml
• MLF: 60% malolactic fermentation
• Style: Tropical, creamy, fruit-forward with a crisp finish

Critical Acclaim

Wine Enthusiast — Tonya Pitts | 89 Points: Lush, with aromas of white peach, nectarine, Golden Delicious apple, pineapple, creamy vanilla, and clove, and supple mineral notes on the finish.

Tasting Notes

Pineapple, mango, melon, white peach, and nectarine on the nose. Creamy mid-palate with butterscotch and vanilla from oak aging, brightened by a lift of minerality from the Verdejo. Plump mouthfeel with a crisp, fresh fruit finish.

Pairing Suggestions

• Poultry: Roast chicken with herb butter, turkey, or creamy pasta dishes.
• Seafood: Grilled lobster, shrimp scampi, or pan-seared halibut.
• Cheese: Brie, Gruyère, or a mild aged cheddar.

Winemaker Description 

With light refreshing flavors of citrus and green apple, it’s no surprise that it comes from the #1 Italian Wine in America.

Clos Henri · Estate Sauvignon Blanc · Marlborough · New Zealand · 2025

Clos Henri is the Marlborough outpost of the legendary Bourgeois family of Sancerre — and it shows in every glass. Planted at high density on a single estate in the Central Wairau Valley, where Otiran and Waimaungan glacial soils converge into three distinct terroirs — Wither Clay, Broadbridge Clay, and Greywacke Stones — this is organic Sauvignon Blanc with a French soul and a New Zealand heartbeat. The 2025 Estate earned 94 points from James Suckling and 93 from Wine Advocate, cementing its place among Marlborough’s most sophisticated whites.

The 2025 vintage was shaped by a cool, slow ripening season — overcast skies and lower temperatures through February and March — that delivered exceptional density and focus. The wine bursts with bright citrus: mandarin, yuzu blossom, meyer lemon zest, and pineapple, layered over acacia, hay, and a flinty, graphite-driven minerality. The palate is textural and round, with firm acidity, chalky structure, and a bone-dry, lingering mineral finish. Restrained, classy, and built to reward patience.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2025 

“Very elegant, superfloral and perfumed, with some flinty reduction, offering acacia blossoms, hay, fleshy lemons and a touch of elderberries. Medium-bodied with firm acidity giving structure and length. Attractive bitter-lemon note in the finish. Mineral and detailed with real focus. From organically grown grapes.”
— James Suckling · 94 Points

“The 2025 Sauvignon Blanc leads with graphite and cold tea, chalky tannins and dried grasses on the palate. The wine is far more subtle and restrained than many other Sauvignon Blancs tasted for this report, and this does fit with the assessment I hold for this producer over time. These are classy wines. This is a classy wine. Clos Henri is owned by the Bourgeois family of Sancerre (Domaine Henri Bourgeois), and it is clear that the sensibilities of their estate there are continued by their winemaker Damien Yvon here in Marlborough. This is an estate to put on your list. Clos Henri is a member of the Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) group. 13.5% alcohol.”
— Wine Advocate · 93 Points

“Quite restrained with subtle aromas of earth, green olive, green pineapple and a hint of gorse flowers. The palate harbours density and depth under the shell of acidity and phenolics. Gravel, hessian and wet stone complexity rise alongside a touch of dried spice on the bone-dry finish. Accessible and expressive, this mid-weight sauvignon oozes with sophistication.”
— The Real Review · 93 Points · Stephen Wong

• Producer: Clos Henri (Bourgeois Family)
• Vintage: 2025
• Appellation: Marlborough, New Zealand
• Sub-Region: Central Wairau Valley (AMW)
• Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• Farming: Certified Organic
• Style: Dry white — mineral, textural, flinty
• Alcohol: 13.5% | Residual Sugar: <1 g/L
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Mandarin, yuzu blossom, pineapple, meyer lemon, acacia, hay, graphite, chalky mineral finish
• Pairings: Line-caught blue cod, ceviche, Thai green curry, goat’s cheese tart, tomato salads
• Cellar: Drink now through 2030

94 JS · 93 WA · 93 TRR · Marlborough — organic Sancerre-inspired Sauvignon Blanc with glacial-soil precision and Bourgeois family pedigree.

Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2025 750ml is a vibrant, fruit-driven white wine from one of New Zealand's most iconic producers. Sourced from Marlborough's South Island vineyards, it delivers the zesty, aromatic character that has made the region synonymous with world-class Sauvignon Blanc.

The wine pours a pale straw color with green highlights. Zesty aromas of pink grapefruit, melon, and gooseberry jump from the glass. On the palate, flavors of grapefruit, honeydew melon, and passionfruit deliver ripe fruit sweetness balanced by a tight, fresh acidity. Beautifully balanced with a clean, refreshing finish.

Pairs well with fresh seafood, sushi, goat cheese, green salads, and light vegetable dishes.

"This leans into the greener garden veg and dried herb elements of Savvy B, highlighted by some reduction, which tempers the brighter passionfruit notes. There's a bit of sugar that sticks out above the ping of acidity, but overall it's a refreshing drop."
— Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast, 87 Points (Vintage 2025)

• Producer: Brancott Estate
• Appellation: Marlborough, New Zealand
• Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
• Vintage: 2025
• Style: Crisp, zesty, fruit-forward Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
• Closure: Screwcap
• Format: 750ml
• Country: New Zealand

There's a California warmth to this Chardonnay that feels effortless — ripe pear, pineapple, and mango layered over crisp Granny Smith apple and a whisper of citrus zest. Ron barrel-fermented 70% of the wine in French and American oak (20% new) for eight months, drawing out notes of vanilla, caramel, and nutmeg, while the remaining 30% aged in stainless steel to keep things fresh and bright. The result is a wine that's both generous and clean — a classically round mouthfeel with enough acidity to keep every sip lively. Great alone, better at the table.

• Grape: Chardonnay
• Region: California, USA
• Vintage: 2023
• Format: 750ml
• Aging: 70% French & American oak (20% new, 8 months) / 30% stainless steel

Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc — Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2025

Grove Mill is one of Marlborough’s most committed sustainable producers, nestled among their own vineyards in the Wairau Valley — the heart of the region. Their winery runs on solar energy, their wetlands are among the best quality in New Zealand, and their shallow, stony, fast-draining soils produce wines with a distinct and flavourful Wairau Valley character. This is Sauvignon Blanc with a conscience and a sense of place. The 2025 earned a Double Gold at the New Zealand International Wine Show.

The nose is intense and punchy: tropical fruit aromas with a fresh green edge that signals classic Marlborough DNA. On the palate, it is juicy and vibrant — crisp citrus acidity drives a focused, modern style with a long, clean finish. Unapologetically fruit-forward and built for the table.

🇳🇿 Double Gold — New Zealand International Wine Show 2025.

• Producer: Grove Mill, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand
• Vintage: 2025
• Appellation: Marlborough, Wairau Valley
• Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
• Sustainability: Solar-powered winery, certified sustainable, award-winning wetlands program
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Tropical fruit, fresh green edge, crisp citrus acidity, juicy palate, long focused finish
• Best Paired With: Fresh seafood, creamy pasta, summer barbecues, goat cheese

Punchy, vibrant, and rooted in place — Grove Mill’s Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc is Marlborough with a purpose.

Winemaker Description – Vintage 2025

The Roc de l’Abbaye Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire 2025 is crafted by winemaker Florian from carefully selected vineyards in Oisly, close to the Cher River in the Val de Loire. This wine receives the same rigorous selection, vinification, and maturation as prestigious Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé — at a fraction of the price. The result is a crisp, mineral-driven Sauvignon Blanc with intense aromatics and exceptional freshness that captures the essence of Loire Valley terroir.

The nose opens with green apple, field grass, white peach, and bosc pear, complemented by bright citrus and grapefruit. On the palate, a steely texture and chalky minerality ride above lively acidity, finishing clean with lemon zest.

Pairing Suggestions

• Classic Loire: Fresh goat cheese (chèvre) or a warm crottin de Chavignol.
• Seafood: Oysters, grilled white fish, fried calamari, or shrimp ceviche.
• Light dishes: Fresh salads, asparagus, zucchini, or light pasta with herbs.

Louis Latour Pouilly-Fuisse — Maconnais 2024

Maison Louis Latour has been one of Burgundy’s most storied negociants since 1797, and their Pouilly-Fuisse is a benchmark expression of the Maconnais appellation. The vineyards sit within a breathtaking limestone and heavy clay landscape — a terroir that gives Pouilly-Fuisse its distinctive richness and mineral backbone. Fermented in stainless steel with complete malolactic fermentation and aged 8 to 10 months on lees, this is a Chardonnay of genuine generosity and finesse.

The nose is bright and floral: honeysuckle, lime blossom, and a delicate citrus lift. On the palate, it is full-bodied and generous, with notes of fresh almonds and brioche underpinned by a clean, mineral thread. The finish is long, elegant, and unmistakably Burgundian.

🇫🇷 Burgundy Report (Bill Nanson) — Pouilly-Fuisse 2024, January 2026.

• Producer: Maison Louis Latour, Beaune, Burgundy, France
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Pouilly-Fuisse AOC, Maconnais, Burgundy
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Vinification: Stainless steel fermentation, full malolactic; aged 8-10 months in stainless steel
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Honeysuckle, lime blossom, fresh almonds, brioche, long mineral finish
• Best Paired With: Shellfish, charcuterie, skate, Reblochon cheese, roasted chicken

Generous, floral, and classically Burgundian — Louis Latour’s Pouilly-Fuisse is the Maconnais at its most elegant.

Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc — Marlborough, New Zealand 2024

Marlborough is the spiritual home of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc — and Monkey Bay is one of its most reliably delicious ambassadors. Sourced from the sun-drenched vineyards of Marlborough's famous Wairau Valley, where cool nights and long sunny days create the ideal conditions for vibrant, aromatic whites, Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc is everything the region does best: clean, fresh, expressive, and effortlessly drinkable. It is distinctively New Zealand in character — unapologetically aromatic, fruit-forward, and made for the table.

The nose is bright and inviting with lifted aromas of passionfruit, grapefruit, fresh-cut grass, and white peach. On the palate, it is clean and refreshing with lovely tropical fruit flavors — passionfruit, citrus, and a hint of gooseberry — balanced by crisp, mouthwatering acidity and a clean, mineral-tinged finish. Light-bodied and easy drinking, it is the kind of wine that disappears from the glass before you know it.

"Distinctively New Zealand — clean, fresh, and easy drinking, with lovely tropical fruit flavors." — Monkey Bay Winemaker

• Producer: Monkey Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Marlborough, New Zealand
• Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Passionfruit, grapefruit, white peach, gooseberry, fresh-cut grass, crisp finish
• Style: Light-bodied, vibrant acidity, aromatic
• Drink: Now through 2026
• Best Paired With: Grilled chicken, seafood, oysters, goat cheese, green salads, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at its most approachable — Monkey Bay is fresh, tropical, and made to be enjoyed.

Réserve du Naufraget | Vouvray AOC | Loire Valley, France | 2024

From Maison Pierre Chainier, a family-owned négociant based in Amboise on the banks of the Loire, this Vouvray is a textbook expression of Chenin Blanc from one of France's most storied appellations. Grown on the chalky Tuffeau soils upstream from Tours, the grapes are handpicked in October — some with a touch of noble rot (botrytis) that concentrates natural sugars and adds aromatic complexity. A slow, month-long fermentation yields a beautifully off-dry style: a sweet, generous entry that resolves into a clean, refreshing finish.

Rich and aromatic on the nose with orange peel, honeysuckle, ripe quince, and a whisper of beeswax. The palate is round and textured, with flavors of honey, poached pear, and candied citrus carried by bright Chenin acidity. The finish lingers with a gentle honeyed note. One of the most food-versatile whites available at this price.

• Producer: Maison Pierre Chainier
• Appellation: Vouvray AOC, Loire Valley, France
• Grape: 100% Chenin Blanc
• Style: Off-Dry
• Vintage: 2024
• Closure: Screwcap
• Serve: 46–50°F
• Pairings: Thai green curry, Szechuan dishes, spicy tuna rolls, pork with apple sauce, honey-glazed ham, fruit tarts, almond pastries
• Size: 750ml

Cavit | Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC | 2024 | 1.50L Magnum

Crafted by Cavit, the cooperative that has defined Italian Pinot Grigio for American palates, this 1.5L Magnum delivers the variety's signature freshness at a generous scale. The 2024 vintage from the Venezie DOC — spanning Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, and Friuli — brings bright citrus, crisp green apple, and a clean, mineral-driven finish. Light-bodied and refreshing, it is equally at home as an aperitif or alongside pasta in cream sauce, risotto, veal, chicken, and fresh seafood. The Magnum format ensures every pour is as lively as the first.

Grape: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: Venezie DOC, Italy
Vintage: 2024
Format: 1.50L Magnum

Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc — Marlborough 2025

Allan Scott Family Winemakers is one of Marlborough’s pioneering estates, and their Sauvignon Blanc has long been a benchmark for the region. The 2025 vintage is a textbook expression of what makes this corner of New Zealand so compelling — bright, fruit-driven, and unmistakably fresh, with enough texture and minerality to keep things interesting. James Suckling awarded it 91 points; Wine Spectator followed with 90, calling it “sleek and juicy.”

The nose is lively and aromatic: white berries, currant leaves, white roses, and hints of crushed stone with a spicy green edge. On the palate, it is light to medium-bodied — crunchy, fresh, and juicy, with tropical fruit and zesty passionfruit balanced by a tense, minerally finish. Clean, dry, and built for the table.

🇳🇿 James Suckling 91 • Wine Spectator 90 — “An elegant style, with lime sorbet, quince, Fuji apple and lemon zest, all on a sleek and juicy frame that lingers.” (Vintage 2025). 

• Producer: Allan Scott Family Winemakers, Marlborough, New Zealand
• Vintage: 2025
• Appellation: Marlborough
• Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
• Closure: Screw cap
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: White berries, currant leaf, white rose, lime sorbet, passionfruit, crushed stone, minerally finish
• Best Paired With: Fresh oysters, grilled white fish, shrimp scampi, goat cheese salads, fresh herb dishes

Crisp, vibrant, and true to its terroir — Allan Scott’s Sauvignon Blanc is the benchmark for what Marlborough does best.

Alois Lageder is one of Alto Adige’s most respected names — a producer with a long and principled commitment to organic and biodynamic farming at a time when such things were far from fashionable. Riff is their answer to a simple question: what does a thoughtfully farmed, honestly made Italian white wine taste like at an accessible price? The answer, vintage after vintage, is this.

The 2024 Pinot Grigio is sourced from certified organic vineyards in the Delle Venezie DOC — the broad, sun-drenched sweep of northeast Italy that stretches across Veneto, Friuli, and Trentino. The variety here is Pinot Grigio at its most expressive and least complicated: a grape that, in the right hands, delivers clarity, energy, and effortless drinkability without asking much in return.

In the glass: brilliant straw-yellow with a green-tinged rim. The nose is fresh and inviting — light stone fruit, white pear, and a clean varietal brightness. On the palate it is lively and precise, medium-bodied with a mouthwatering, bone-dry finish and just enough texture to hold its own at the table. Sealed with a screwcap for freshness.

• Producer: Riff by Alois Lageder
• Appellation: Delle Venezie DOC, Veneto, Italy
• Grape: Pinot Grigio
• Farming: Certified Organic
• Closure: Screwcap
• Vintage: 2024
• Format: 750ml

Food Pairings: Starters, grilled fish, poultry, white meats, pasta with cream or light sauces, and soft cheeses. An easy choice for the table.

Nigl Grüner Veltliner Freiheit — Kremstal, Austria 2025

Martin Nigl is one of Austria's most respected winemakers, farming steep hillside vineyards above the city of Krems in the Kremstal — a region celebrated for Grüner Veltliner and Riesling of exceptional precision and mineral character. The Freiheit — German for "freedom" — takes its name from a remarkable piece of history: this land is believed to be among the first privately owned vineyard land in the valley not controlled by the Church or a feudal estate. It is, quite literally, a wine of liberation. Sourced from four different vineyards in the hills above Krems, the soils are primarily löss, and the steep elevation moderates temperature to preserve freshness and aromatic lift. Fermentation and élevage occur entirely in stainless steel, and in a detail that speaks to Martin's obsessive attention to freshness, the wine is bottled at night — when the cellars are at their coolest.

The 2025 pours a pale, luminous straw. The nose is clean and expressive — citrus, green apple, white pepper, and a subtle mineral lift from the löss soils. On the palate, it's precise and refreshing with lively acidity, a focused mid-palate, and a crisp, dry, lingering finish. Everything Kremstal Grüner should be: pure, food-friendly, and built with care.

"Freiheit — freedom — believed to be some of the first privately owned vineyard land in the valley not controlled by the Church or a feudal estate. Bottled at night when the cellars are at their coolest." — Martin Nigl

• Producer: Weingut Nigl, Kremstal, Austria
• Vintage: 2025
• Appellation: Kremstal DAC
• Varietal: Grüner Veltliner
• Vineyard: Four sites above Krems; löss soils; steep elevation
• Vinification: Stainless steel fermentation and élevage; night bottling
• Closure: Screwcap
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Citrus, green apple, white pepper, löss minerality, crisp dry finish
• Best Paired With: Wiener Schnitzel, grilled fish, sushi, asparagus, Thai cuisine, fresh goat cheese

A wine of freedom — Kremstal Grüner Veltliner from Austria's most historically significant privately owned vineyard land, bottled at night for maximum freshness.

CrossBarn by Paul Hobbs Sonoma Coast Chardonnay — Sonoma County 2024

CrossBarn is Paul Hobbs’s second label — and one of California’s most compelling values in cool-climate Chardonnay. Drawing on 81% estate fruit from Sonoma Coast vineyards, CrossBarn channels the same winemaking philosophy that has made Paul Hobbs one of Napa and Sonoma’s most celebrated names: minimal intervention, site transparency, and a relentless focus on freshness. The Sonoma Coast appellation is defined by its proximity to the Pacific — cold ocean winds and morning fog that slow ripening and preserve the natural acidity that makes this style so compelling. Partial malolactic conversion in stainless steel adds a subtle creamy texture without sacrificing the wine’s essential brightness and drive. The 2024 vintage is a textbook expression of the appellation.

The color is a luminous pale gold. The nose is fresh, pure, and immediately inviting: green apple, baked apple, ripe pear, lemon peel, and a whisper of bread dough and warm spice. On the palate, it is medium-bodied and easygoing — generous and juicy, with vibrant acidity, a subtle creamy mid-palate from partial malo, and a long, mineral-driven finish. Crisp, refreshing, and built for the table.

James Suckling 93 • Wine Advocate 90 — “Fresh, fruity, juicy, crisp — generous in green apples, baked apples and minerals. Subtle cream and butter from partial malolactic conversion.” (Vintage 2024). 

• Producer: CrossBarn by Paul Hobbs, Sonoma County, California
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Sonoma Coast
• Varietal: Chardonnay
• Estate Fruit: 81%
• Vinification: Partial malolactic conversion, stainless steel maturation
• Style: Bright, fresh, cool-climate Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Green apple, baked apple, pear, lemon peel, bread dough, warm spice, mineral finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now or cellar 3–5 years
• Best Paired With: Crab Louie, grilled shrimp, oysters, roast chicken, mushroom risotto, creamy pasta

Paul Hobbs’s vision for Sonoma Coast Chardonnay — CrossBarn delivers serious winemaking at an honest price.

Fattoria La Valentina | Pecorino Biologico | Colline Pescaresi IGT | Abruzzo, Italy | 2024

Fattoria La Valentina is one of Abruzzo’s most respected organic estates, farming the sun-drenched hills of Pescara with a commitment to minimal intervention and expressive terroir. Pecorino — an ancient indigenous variety long thought extinct, rediscovered in the Apennine foothills — has found one of its finest homes here. La Valentina’s version is 100% Pecorino from the Colline Pescaresi, with a period of lees aging that adds texture and complexity to the variety’s naturally vivid character.

The nose opens fresh and citrusy with lemon, lime, crushed minerals, and saltwater, then turns floral with white flowers and fresh grass. On the palate, bright citrus and tangy acidity carry through to a finish where salinity swells and lingers — saline, precise, and deeply refreshing. A wine that punches well above its price and rewards those who seek out Italy’s most exciting indigenous whites.

• Producer: Fattoria La Valentina
• Appellation: Colline Pescaresi IGT, Abruzzo, Italy
• Grape: 100% Pecorino (Organic)
• Vintage: 2024
• Aging: Sur lie
• Serve: 46–50°F
• Pairings: Clams, mussels, shellfish, Adriatic fish dishes, seafood pasta, aperitivo
• Size: 750ml

Critical Acclaim - Vintage 2024

• Wine Enthusiast — 90 pts (Danielle Callegari): Fresh and citrusy with lemon, lime, minerals and saltwater, then floral with white flowers and grass. Tangy and citrus on the palate; salinity swells on the finish on the back of fierce acidity.

Vietti · Roero Arneis · 2025

Vietti has a special place in the story of Arneis: the winery first bottled Roero Arneis on its own in 1967. From Piedmont’s Roero appellation, this 2025 white balances fresh fruit and floral character with the brisk acidity that makes it easy to bring to the table.

Winemaker Description

Pale straw yellow color with fresh floral, citrus and melon aromas with almond hints. An unoaked, dry, medium bodied white wine with crisp acidity, the Arneis is a well-balanced, elegant wine with good complexity and a lingering finish.

Great as an aperitif with light hors d’oeuvres, crudités, seafood, salads, light soups, simply prepared veal, pork, chicken and creamy cheese.

Vietti · Winemaker Description

Expert Review · 2025 Vintage

Just bottled, the 2025 Roero Arneis pours a pale straw/platinum hue and offers an early look at a beautifully balanced growing season. The nose is bright and focused, with flinty reduction and white pepper lifting from the glass alongside white peach, melon, lemon-lime rind, and chive. Medium-bodied, it shows excellent tension and energy, with brisk acidity and a vibrant, electric feel across the palate that keeps it refreshing and precise. It should be ready to drink on release. 70,000 bottles were produced. Drink 2026-2032.

Jeb Dunnuck · 90 points

About Vietti

Founded in Castiglione Falletto in the late 1800s, Vietti has carried generations of Piedmont winemaking forward. The family’s work with Roero Arneis and its artist-label tradition are part of the estate’s history; the Krause family purchased the winery in 2016.

At a Glance

• Producer: Vietti
• Vintage: 2025
• Appellation: Roero, Piedmont, Italy
• Grape: Arneis
• Style: Dry white wine
• Size: 750ml

In 1968, Miljenko “Mike” Grgich went to work for Robert Mondavi as chief enologist, crafting the inaugural release of “Fumé Blanc” — an elegant, dry, oak-aged style of Sauvignon Blanc that Mondavi named after the French word for smoke. A decade later, Mike's 1973 Chardonnay famously won the Judgment of Paris, putting California wine on the world map. He went on to found Grgich Hills Estate in 1977, where he continued to champion the Fumé Blanc style as a tribute to his mentor and friend.

The Grgich Hills Fumé Blanc Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2023 Organic 750ml is sourced from the estate's five certified organic Napa Valley vineyards and opens with striking aromas of fresh lime, lemon verbena, gooseberry, and honeysuckle. On the palate, bright citrus, tangy star fruit, and a hint of green mango are framed by deft oak and a long, chiseled finish of lasting slate minerality. Vibrant, precise, and unmistakably Grgich.

Expert Review

Elaine Chukan Brown, Wine Enthusiast — 91 Points: "Vibrant aromatics and bright acidity join texture and intensity for a memorable wine. Sauvignon Blanc aged with deft use of oak delivers pert and sweet citrus, lemon grass, and a sprinkle of sea salt. The finish is lengthy and palate stimulating. Refreshing and ideal for the start of a meal."

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Fresh lime, lemon verbena, gooseberry, and honeysuckle
• Palate: Bright citrus, star fruit, green mango, and lemongrass with deft oak
• Finish: Long, chiseled, and mineral with lasting slate and juicy citrus

Wine Details

• 100% Sauvignon Blanc — Fumé Blanc style
• Certified Organic — five estate vineyards
• Napa Valley, California
• Vintage: 2023 | 750ml

Otto's Constant Dream · Marlborough, New Zealand · 2025 · 750ml

Otto's Constant Dream Sauvignon Blanc is estate grown by Hunter's Estate and sustainably farmed from vines planted in the 1980s and 1990s. Fruit comes from two corners of Marlborough: Rapaura, where free-draining soils produce very pretty wines, and Omaka, where higher clay content gives more power on the palate.

Every block is fermented separately, mostly in stainless steel with a very small percentage in French oak for a layer of texture. Skin contact is avoided, and the wine rests on lees for about 6 weeks before being lightly fined and filtered.

Tasting Notes

Behind the pale green-yellow color lurks a vivid bouquet with a smidgen of grass that puts your palate on notice. Fresh sage, blackcurrant, passion fruit and a jolt of lemon-lime lead the way, with citrus, minerals and a hint of the nearby sea giving the wine a bracing, thirst-quenching finish.

Winemaker Description

Zesty and aromatic, Marlborough Sauvignons Blancs are fantastic with crisp and tangy flavors. Delightful with a Meyer lemon risotto, seared tuna tacos with pickled red onions or a goat cheese quiche. Estate grown and sustainably farmed. Fermentation vessels are predominantly stainless steel, with a very small percentage in French Oak, to contribute a layer of texture.

Hunter's Estate

Pairings & Serving

Serve well chilled at 45–50°F. Try it with Meyer lemon risotto, seared tuna tacos with pickled red onions, goat cheese quiche, oysters or a summer salad.

Specs

• Producer: Hunter's Estate
• Vintage: 2025
• Region: Marlborough (Rapaura & Omaka), New Zealand
• Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
• Farming: Estate grown, sustainably farmed
• Winemaking: Mostly stainless steel, small portion French oak, 6 weeks on lees
• Closure: Screw cap
• Size: 750ml

Classic Marlborough zing with a savory, coastal edge.

Forstreiter Grüner Veltliner Kogl — Kremstal, Austria 2024

Weingut Forstreiter is one of the Kremstal's most respected family estates — farming some of the most beautiful vineyard sites in this prized Austrian wine region, where the Danube carves through ancient terraced hillsides of loess, primary rock, and crystalline soils. The Kremstal is one of Austria's premier Grüner Veltliner appellations, producing wines of distinctive mineral precision, elegant spice, and vibrant acidity that set them apart from the broader Niederösterreich style. The Kogl is Forstreiter's single-vineyard expression from the estate's finest sites — a wine of genuine character, finesse, and typicity that showcases everything that makes Kremstal Grüner Veltliner so compelling. Farmed sustainably.

The nose is fine and expressive: fresh apple, gooseberry, cassis leaf, and aromatic herbs, with a merest touch of flinty reduction that dissipates on the first sniff to reveal a hint of yeasty concentration beneath. On the palate, it continues with citrus, herbs, and a juicy tone of Mirabelle — finely woven, medium-weight, and distinguished, with a pinch of the white pepper spice that is the hallmark of great Grüner Veltliner. Straightforward, uncomplicated drinking pleasure at its most elegant.

"Fine spice, fresh apple fruit, and typical of the variety on the nose. On the palate, citrus and herbs. Finely woven, distinguished and medium-weight — a drinkable Grüner Veltliner. A juicy tone of Mirabelle arises, making for a wonderful and compelling combination." — Forstreiter, Winemaker

• Producer: Weingut Forstreiter, Kremstal, Niederösterreich, Austria
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Kremstal DAC
• Vineyard: Kogl
• Varietal: 100% Grüner Veltliner
• Farming: Sustainable
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Fresh apple, gooseberry, cassis leaf, citrus, herbs, Mirabelle, flinty mineral, white pepper spice, elegant finish
• Style: Medium-bodied, crisp, mineral, food-friendly
• Drink: Now through 2028
• Best Paired With: Wiener Schnitzel, roasted pork, cold cuts, asparagus, mushroom risotto, goat cheese salads, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, spicy sushi

Kremstal Grüner Veltliner at its most elegant — Forstreiter Kogl 2024 is mineral, precise, and one of Austria's great food wines.

Hugel Classic Riesling — Alsace, France 2024

Famille Hugel is one of Alsace's most storied and respected wine dynasties — founded in Riquewihr in 1639 and now in its fourteenth generation of family ownership, making it one of the oldest continuously operating wine estates in the world. From their base in the medieval village of Riquewihr at the heart of the Alsace wine route, the Hugel family has been a defining force in establishing Alsace Riesling as one of the world's great white wine styles: dry, mineral, precise, and built for the table. The Classic Riesling is the family's signature expression — sourced from around half estate-grown fruit from Riquewihr, supplemented by select villages to the north and south, and crafted to showcase the finesse, frankness, and electric minerality that define Hugel's house style. It is their most demanding variety, as Riesling is also the latest ripening — expressing itself best on the steepest slopes with the most complex minerality.

The nose is unusually expressive for a Classic: a kiss of crushed fennel seed rises above pear and lemon — aromatic, precise, and inviting. On the palate, it is super slender and vividly bright, almost sylph-like, with exquisite lemony charm and lemon pithiness. Electric, vivid, and bone-dry, with a lip-smacking finish that is a tonic on any occasion. Wonderful balance and elegance — the ideal partner to fish and seafood.

Vinous 89 — "The palate is super slender and vividly bright, almost sylph-like but with exquisite lemony charm and lemon pithiness. This is an electric, vivid little Riesling; the finish is bone-dry and lip-smacking and should be a tonic on a hot day." (Vintage 2024). 

• Producer: Famille Hugel, Riquewihr, Alsace, France (est. 1639)
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Alsace AOC
• Varietal: 100% Riesling
• Style: Bone-dry
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Crushed fennel seed, pear, lemon, lemon pith, electric acidity, mineral, bone-dry lip-smacking finish
• Drink: Now through 2030
• Best Paired With: Grilled fish, oysters, sushi, scallops, lobster, Alsatian choucroute, soft cheeses, asparagus

Fourteen generations of Alsace Riesling mastery — Hugel Classic 2024 is electric, bone-dry, and one of France's most reliably brilliant white wine values.

Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc — Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2024

Vavasour is the founding winery of Marlborough’s Awatere Valley — a cooler, more dramatic sub-region that was once considered too extreme for vines. In 1986, Vavasour planted the first vines in this windswept southern pocket, and the gamble paid off spectacularly. Today, with the oldest vines in the valley and an intimate understanding of this unforgiving landscape, Vavasour produces Sauvignon Blanc of extraordinary elegance, perfume, and texture. Decanter awarded the 2024 vintage 91 points.

The nose is serious and expressive: fresh herbs, gooseberry, nettle, tropical fruit, and bright citrus with a rocky, salty mineral edge that speaks unmistakably of Awatere. On the palate, it is concentrated and focused — ripe stone fruit and a distinct minerality that holds up beautifully to rich, spicy foods. Vibrant, varietal, and rooted in place.

🇳🇿 Decanter 91 — “Fruity, vibrant and varietal, but also speaks of Awatere, with a rocky, salty herb quality with gooseberry and nettle notes.”

• Producer: Vavasour, Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Awatere Valley, Marlborough
• Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Fresh herbs, gooseberry, nettle, tropical fruit, citrus, ripe stone fruit, rocky mineral finish
• Best Paired With: Oysters, grilled fish, herb-crusted chicken, goat cheese, rich spicy dishes

The original Awatere Sauvignon Blanc — Vavasour is the wine that put this dramatic valley on the map.

Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc — Russian River Valley 2024

Merry Edwards is one of Sonoma County's most celebrated producers, and their Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc has been a benchmark bottling since its debut in 2001. The 2024 vintage is a lush, aromatic expression fermented in French oak barrels with twice-weekly lees stirring — a meticulous protocol that builds the characteristic creamy texture and rich body the wine is known for. Sourced from a specific blend of Shenandoah (Clone 1) and Sauvignon Musqué clones, the wine brims with tropical and floral character with a bright citrus core.

The nose is fragrant and inviting: white pineapple, passionfruit, mango, guava, and plumeria with hints of lemon curd and lime zest. On the palate, apricot, peach, and slate give way to ruby red grapefruit, honeysuckle, and ripe melon, with a silky, rounded texture and a burst of crisp, refreshing acidity on the finish. Vinous gave it 92 points; Jeb Dunnuck matched that score, calling it "charming and well-detailed."

"Bright yellow/silver in color, with aromas of white peach, grapefruit pith, tropical flowers, guava, and elegant spice. Medium-bodied with a silky, rounded texture and ripe fruit filling the palate. Guava and tropical tones linger through a charming, lush finish. Drink 2026–2033." — Jeb Dunnuck, 92 pts. (Vintage 2024). 

• Producer: Merry Edwards Winery, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California
• Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc — Shenandoah Clone 1 & Sauvignon Musqué
• Winemaker: Heidi von der Mehden
• Fermentation: French oak barrels, twice-weekly lees stirring
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: White pineapple, passionfruit, mango, guava, lemon curd, grapefruit, honeysuckle, creamy finish
• Best Paired With: Oysters, grilled halibut, goat cheese, lemon risotto, Thai seafood dishes

One of California's most sought-after Sauvignon Blancs — Merry Edwards delivers tropical richness and creamy texture with a precision that sets it apart from the crowd.

Critical Acclaim - Vintage 2025

• Wine Spectator – 92 Points | “Vibrant, juicy and wonderfully intense, showing off fleshy notes of passion fruit, mango and citrus, with mouthwatering acidity and a touch of saline and lemongrass on the finish. Drink now.”

Tasting Notes

A veritable fruit basket of tropical proportions — kiwi, pineapple, spearmint, and crunchy apple — with the vibrant, mouthwatering acidity that defines great Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Beautifully balanced and intensely expressive.

About the Wine

Originally Australian, winemaker Anthony ‘Ant’ Moore moved to Marlborough on New Zealand’s South Island in the early 2000s and never looked back. His signature approach — old oak barrels and extended lees aging — tempers the searing acidity and typical greenness of NZ Sauvignon Blanc, resulting in a wine with greater texture, complexity, and tropical fruit depth than most in its class.

Food Pairing

Pairs beautifully with grilled fish, goat cheese, crunchy salads, and light seafood dishes. Perfect for any sunny moment.

Product Details

• Appellation: Marlborough, New Zealand
• Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
• Vintage: 2025
• Format: 750ml
• Producer: Ant Moore Wines

Santa Marina Pinot Grigio — Italy 2024 — 1.5L Magnum

Santa Marina Pinot Grigio is a perennial crowd-pleaser from Italy — fresh, honest, and endlessly versatile. The 2024 vintage arrives in a generous 1.5L Magnum format, making it the perfect pour for al fresco dinners, summer gatherings, and any occasion where one bottle is never quite enough. Two bottles in one, at a price that makes the decision easy.

Delicate gold with hints of straw. The nose opens with ripe pear, citrus zest, and almond blossom — clean, inviting, and classically Italian. On the palate, the wine is light to medium-bodied with soft, clean fruit, bright acidity, and a crisp, dry finish that keeps you coming back for another glass. Chill well and pour freely.

Crisp, dry, and effortlessly food-friendly — Santa Marina Pinot Grigio in a generous 1.5L Magnum. Two bottles, one great price.

• Producer: Santa Marina, Italy
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Italy
• Varietal: Pinot Grigio
• Style: White Wine — Dry, Crisp, Light-Bodied
• Format: 1.5L Magnum (equivalent to 2 standard bottles)
• Size: 1.5L
• Tasting Notes: Ripe pear, citrus zest, almond blossom, soft clean fruit, crisp dry finish
• Best Paired With: Grilled seafood, light pasta, bruschetta, fresh mozzarella, antipasto, summer picnics, aperitivo

Two bottles, one honest price — Santa Marina Pinot Grigio Magnum is the benchmark for effortless Italian white wine built for sharing.

Our Professional Review

Rand Sieger, 67 Wine Buyer: A fresh, bright Bordeaux Blanc with aromas of citrus and white stone fruits backed by subtle herbs and bracing minerality. Incredible complexity for an amazing price!

About the Wine Château La Rame is among the oldest and most renowned properties in the Sainte-Croix-du-Mont appellation, situated on a hill overlooking the Garonne River, 25 miles southeast of Bordeaux. While the estate is world-famous for its sweet wines, this "Sec" (dry) bottling is a sommelier favorite for its oyster-shell minerality and electric freshness.

95% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon from hillside clay-limestone soils blessed with an exceptional substratum — a bed of fossilized oysters dating from the Tertiary era. Vines average 25 years old. Manual harvest, fermented in temperature-controlled vats, and aged 6 months on fine lees.

Tasting & Pairings

Citrus, white stone fruit, subtle herbs, and bracing oyster-shell minerality. Crisp, vibrant, and electric with impressive complexity for the price.

• Fresh oysters, mussels, or moules frites — the fossilized oyster terroir meets actual oysters. A perfect match.
• Grilled white fish with lemon and sea salt — the classic Bordeaux Blanc pairing.
• Goat cheese (chèvre) — the acidity and minerality cut through creamy cheese beautifully.

Granbazán Albariño Etiqueta Ámbar — Rías Baixas, Galicia 2024

Granbazán is one of the founding estates of modern Rías Baixas, pioneering the region's reputation for world-class Albariño since the late 1980s. The Etiqueta Ámbar — the Amber Label — is their most celebrated wine, famously served by the glass at El Bulli for many years and the wine that put Granbazán on the international map in the 1990s. Sourced from a blend of estate fruit and grapes from long-established family growers in the Salnés Valley, it receives more active bâtonnage and extended lees aging than most Albariños, adding a richness and textural depth that sets it apart from the category. Winemaker Diego Ríos, who trained in the Mosel Valley working with Riesling, brings a precision and mineral focus that is unmistakably his own.

The nose is classic and inviting: ripe peach, citrus, and white blossom with a signature salty, briny minerality that speaks directly to the Atlantic coast. On the palate, it is medium-bodied and sappy with beautiful lees-derived texture, layered fruit, and a long, tapering finish of saline freshness. A wine with genuine aging potential — and the structure to prove it.

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points — "The most famous of this estate's wines, served by the glass at El Bulli for many years. It has richness and length in the form of medium-bodied peach and salty brine and should do well in the bottle another 5-7 years." (Vintage 2024).

Tim Atkin 93 Points — "A classic, salty, lip-smacking Val do Salnés Albariño. Sappy, layered and refreshing, it has some texture from lees-ageing and a tapering finish. 2025–29." (Vintage 2024). 

• Producer: Granbazán, Salnés Valley, Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Rías Baixas DO (Val do Salnés)
• Varietal: 100% Albariño
• Sourcing: Estate fruit + long-established family growers, Cambados & Meaño
• Vinification: De-stemmed, cold maceration, free-run juice only; fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel; 8 months on lees with active bâtonnage
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Ripe peach, citrus, white blossom, salty brine, lees richness, long saline finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now through 2031
• Best Paired With: Oysters, grilled turbot, seafood rice, roasted artichokes, goat cheese, ceviche
• Serve: Well chilled, 45–50°F

93 points from both Jeb Dunnuck and Tim Atkin — Granbazán Ámbar is the Albariño that made Rías Baixas famous, and it has never been better.

Ravines Dry Riesling — Finger Lakes, New York 2022

Ravines Wine Cellars is one of the Finger Lakes' most celebrated producers, and their Dry Riesling is the wine that put them on the national map. The 2022 is a blend of fruit from two estate sites — 71% from Limestone Springs Vineyard and 29% from Sixteen Falls Vineyard on the eastern side of Seneca Lake — a vintage shaped by a polar vortex winter that dramatically reduced yields and concentrated the fruit. The result earned a remarkable five 91+ point scores across the major critics and landed at #36 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2025.

The wine pours a vibrant golden hue. The nose is classically Finger Lakes: lemon sorbet, Asian pear, white peach, soft blossom, and a delicate current of flint and minerality. On the palate, it's dry and precise — surprisingly plump and rounded yet with a long, vibrant, linear finish. Finished at just 3 grams per liter of residual sugar, this is Riesling that earns its "dry" designation completely.

"Somehow curvy but linear at the same time — and a total bargain for the quality. Editor's Choice." — Wine Enthusiast, 92 Points

• Producer: Ravines Wine Cellars, Finger Lakes, New York
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Finger Lakes AVA
• Vineyards: Limestone Springs (71%) & Sixteen Falls (29%), Seneca Lake
• Varietal: Riesling
• Style: Dry (3 g/L RS)
• Size: 750ml
• Accolades: #36 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2025 | JS 92 | WE 92 | Vinous 91 | WA 91 | WS 91
• Tasting Notes: Lemon sorbet, Asian pear, white peach, flint, minerality, vibrant finish
• Best Paired With: Oysters, grilled trout, Thai cuisine, aged goat cheese, roast pork

Five 91+ point scores and a Wine Spectator Top 100 ranking — Ravines Dry Riesling is the definitive argument for Finger Lakes as one of America's great white wine regions.

Weingut Petri Riesling Kabinett Herxheimer Honigsack Trocken — Pfalz, Germany 2023

The Honigsack vineyard in Herxheim am Berg is one of the Pfalz’s quietly revered single-vineyard sites — a place where Riesling finds its most precise, mineral expression. Weingut Petri has long understood this terroir, farming with care and bottling with restraint to let the vineyard speak for itself. The 2023 Kabinett Trocken is a dry Kabinett that delivers everything the Pfalz does best: crisp, focused fruit, lively acidity, and a stony mineral backbone that carries through to a long, clean finish. “Kabinett” designates the lightest and most delicate ripeness level in German Prädikat wine; “Trocken” means fully dry. The result is a wine of real complexity and precision at a price that makes it an everyday pleasure. Rand Sieger, 67Wine Buyer, calls it “great value and complexity at its price point.” At under $14, he is right.

The nose is fresh and inviting: green apple, citrus zest, and wet stone. On the palate, it is crisp, vibrant, and mineral-driven, with refreshing acidity and a long, clean, precise finish with a delightful apple core character. Just off-dry in feel, it balances fruit and minerality with effortless precision.

Rand Sieger, Wine Buyer, 67Wine — “Just off-dry with delightful green apple aromas and edgy minerality. Ends in a long, delicious apple core finish. Great value and complexity at its price point.”

• Producer: Weingut Petri, Herxheim am Berg, Pfalz, Germany
• Vintage: 2023
• Vineyard: Herxheimer Honigsack — single vineyard, Pfalz
• Classification: Kabinett Trocken (dry)
• Varietal: 100% Riesling
• Closure: Screwcap
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Green apple, citrus zest, wet stone, mineral-driven, long apple core finish
• Best Paired With: Light seafood, sushi, oysters, fresh goat cheese, Asian cuisine, summer salads

A single-vineyard Pfalz Kabinett Trocken at an honest price — Petri Honigsack is the benchmark for what dry German Riesling can be.

Flowers Vineyard & Winery | Chardonnay | Sonoma Coast AVA | California | 2024

Flowers Vineyard & Winery is a pioneer of the Far Sonoma Coast — one of California's most extreme and celebrated cool-climate wine regions. Perched on rugged coastal ridges just miles from the Pacific Ocean, Flowers has built its reputation on wines of exceptional tension, purity, and precision. Where most of California basks in warmth, the Far Sonoma Coast is defined by cold Pacific fog, relentless ocean winds, and a growing season that pushes Chardonnay to its limits — producing wines of remarkable focus, minerality, and longevity.

The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay captures the signature interplay between cool Pacific influence and bright California sun that defines this remarkable terroir. Energetic and bright, it balances mouthwatering acidity, fresh citrus, and an elegant, finely-woven texture with exceptional purity and precision.

Meyer lemon and just-ripe mandarin orange mingle with pithy herbaceous notes and a fine mist of green citrus oil. On the palate, savory preserved lemon and a hint of spice are supported by a backbone of persistent acidity. Briny ocean spray minerality lifts the tightly-knit texture, which expands across the mouth for a vibrant, lingering finish. Drink now through 2036.

A natural match for fresh oysters, Dungeness crab, grilled halibut, roasted chicken with lemon and thyme, and dishes with bright citrus or herb-driven sauces.

• Producer: Flowers Vineyard & Winery
• Appellation: Sonoma Coast AVA (Far Sonoma Coast), California, USA
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Vintage: 2024
• Style: Dry, crisp & mineral white
• Drink: Now through 2036
• Bottle Size: 750ml

Critical Acclaim — Vintage 2024

• Wine Enthusiast — 95 pts | Editor's Choice: Zesty lemon, lime, and green herb aromas mingle with citrus blossoms and cinnamon. The palate delivers a surge of vibrant acidity and pithy texture, with flavors of green apple, Meyer lemon, toasted hazelnut, and chopped lemon balm echoing for over a minute.
• Wine Spectator — 93 pts: Lemon sorbet and orange sherbet, plus lemongrass, lemon verbena, and fresh and dried ginger notes, with touches of saline and white tea on the long, detailed finish. Plenty of intensity and sleek, mouthwatering acidity. Drink now through 2036.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2024

Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux) 91 Points | Crisp citrus, white pear, a ton of peach juice, slate, cloves, this is unfussy, easy drinking, and great value. Pierre Lurton home estate.

James Suckling 91 Points | Light, crispy stone fruit with gooseberries and guava. Dry, this has light to medium body and good acidity. Medium finish.

Vinous (Antonio Galloni/Neal Martin) 90 Points | Just bottled, the 2024 Marjosse is pretty hard to beat for its quality and price. Brisk, dry and inviting... White flowers, citrus peel, mint and almond linger."

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Buttery Chardonnay — 1.5L Magnum

Woodbridge is Robert Mondavi’s everyday California label — built on the same philosophy as the flagship, just scaled for the table rather than the cellar. The Buttery Chardonnay is exactly what it promises: rich, creamy, and unapologetically California in style. Fermented in stainless steel with a portion aged on oak, it delivers the full-bodied, smooth mouthfeel that made this style a perennial crowd-pleaser — without the weight of a heavily oaked wine.

Toasty vanilla and warm brown spice on the nose give way to Golden Delicious apple and ripe tropical fruit on the palate, finishing long and smooth. The 1.5L magnum format — equivalent to two standard bottles — makes it the natural choice for dinner parties, gatherings, or anyone who simply doesn’t want to open a second bottle.

Tasting Notes

Toasty vanilla and brown spice on the nose. Golden Delicious apple and tropical fruit on the palate with a full, creamy mouthfeel and a long, smooth finish.

Food Pairings

• Grilled salmon, shrimp scampi, or buttery lobster
• Fettuccine carbonara, creamy mushroom pasta, or chicken alfredo
• Roast chicken, soft cheeses, or a relaxed dinner with friends

Varietal: Chardonnay
Appellation: California
Producer: Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi
Style: Buttery, creamy, lightly oaked
Format: 1.5L Magnum (= 2 standard bottles)

Mora & Memo "Tino" Vermentino di Sardegna — Sardinia, Italy 2024

Mora & Memo is the project of Elisabetta Pala, one of Sardinia's most celebrated winemakers, working from her family estate in Serdiana in the southeastern corner of the island. The winery is instantly recognizable by its iconic "Bandida" label — a stylized woman in traditional Sardinian dress — a symbol of the estate's balance between deep-rooted heritage and contemporary winemaking vision. Their Vermentino di Sardegna is a striking, modern expression of Sardinia's signature white grape: aromatic, textured, and mineral, with the kind of island freshness that makes it one of the most compelling Italian whites at any price. James Suckling awarded it 94 points.

The nose is clean and intensely aromatic: sliced lemon, green apple, white flowers, rosemary, thyme, and sage, with a delicate mineral underpinning from the island's ancient soils. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied and beautifully textured — juicy acidity, a warm, full mouthfeel, and a long, mineral-laced finish with persistent vegetal and herbal notes. It is everything a great Sardinian Vermentino should be: vibrant, complex, and deeply satisfying.

James Suckling 94 — "A clean floral nose of sliced lemons, apples and white flowers with mineral nuances. The medium-bodied palate is textured and nicely framed, with juicy acidity and a mineral-laced finish."

• Producer: Mora & Memo (Elisabetta Pala), Serdiana, Sardinia, Italy
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Vermentino di Sardegna DOC
• Region: Sardinia, Italy
• Varietal: 100% Vermentino
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Lemon, green apple, white flowers, rosemary, thyme, sage, mineral, juicy acidity, long herbal finish
• Best Paired With: Fritto misto, grilled sea bass, pasta with clams and bottarga, pesto, herb-heavy dishes, creamy vegetable soups

A 94-point Sardinian Vermentino from one of the island's most distinctive estates — Mora & Memo is the benchmark for what modern, terroir-driven Vermentino di Sardegna can deliver.

Cupcake Vineyards · Marlborough · New Zealand · 2025

Marlborough is Sauvignon Blanc country — a place where the long, sun-drenched days and cool nights of New Zealand’s South Island coax every last bit of aromatic intensity from the grape. Cupcake Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is a textbook expression of why this corner of the world has become one of the most exciting white wine regions on earth: vibrant, precise, and impossible to put down.

The nose is bright and expressive, leading with Meyer lemon, white nectarine, and key lime, then opening into hints of grapefruit, gooseberry, and fresh citrus blossom. On the palate it’s crisp and lively, with a clean, balanced finish that lingers just long enough to make you reach for another sip.

• Producer: Cupcake Vineyards
• Vintage: 2025
• Appellation: Marlborough, New Zealand
• Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Meyer lemon, white nectarine, key lime, grapefruit, gooseberry, citrus blossom
• Pairings: Oysters on the half shell, creamy lobster risotto, grilled fish, goat cheese, light salads

Bright, fresh, and endlessly drinkable — New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at its most approachable.