$25 - $50 Wine

Winemaker Description 

Pale yellow color with hints of green. You get on the nose a touch of oak, lots of finesse and minerality with white flowers, lemon and apple scents. On the mouth, the wine is fresh, round and fruity with aromas of melon, kiwi, peaches and apricot and a nice minerality. Overall, the wine is nicely balanced and fresh with a great length. 

Benoit Chauveau Pouilly-Fume is an exuberant expression of Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc that is pure pleasure in the glass! A lively bouquet of citrus fruits and lemony blossoms develop into refreshing flavors of tangerine, mango and lime leaf with an elegant crispness and delightfully long finish. Drink it as an aperitif or with sushi, light seafood and poultry dishes as well as spicy stir fry. 

- Bart, 67 Wine Buyer

90 Points, Gold Medal Los Angeles Invitational Wine Challenge, 2025

Gold Medal San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, 2025

Gold Medal Pacific Rim Int'l Wine Competition, 2025

Tasting Notes

The 2023 vintage presented ideal growing conditions for our Chardonnay, resulting in an exceptional expression of this varietal. A long, mild growing season allowed the grapes to reach optimal ripeness while maintaining vibrant acidity. This was a great year for ZD’s 55th harvest producing world class wines!

Organically certified grapes from three core appellations (Napa and Sonoma Carneros, and Monterey) were hand harvested at night and 100% barrel fermented in our custom-designed cellar room at a cool 48°F. This long, cool fermentation ensures optimal lees contact for richness and depth, and helps to prevent malolactic fermentation, thus preserving the bright natural acidity from our coastal vineyard sites. The wine rested for 10 months in 100% American Oak barrels which contributes to a heightened complexity.

This Chardonnay displays a pale-yellow hue hinting at a delight for your senses. Aromas bursting of ripe Asian pear, green apple, honeydew melon, and pink grapefruit mingled with nectarine notes. The palate follows through with a distinct richness of lemon curd and balanced flavors of guava with white peach. The acidity in this wine is mouthwatering. In ZD’s signature California Chardonnay style, the wine is vibrant, complex, and finishes with flavors reminiscent of crème brûlée and vanillin notes, resulting in a long-lasting mouthfeel.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 91 Points | Perfumed aromas of wild blackberries, violets and and tobacco leaves. The palate is full-bodied with firm tannins and acidity, giving notes of blackcurrants, cedar and dried herbs. Needs time for the tannins to soften. Drinkable now, but best from 2028.

Wine Advocate 90 Points | Truchard's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is the best I can recall from this reliable Carneros producer. Black cherries and cassis are joined by hints of vanilla and violets on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is streamlined and smooth—a linear style with ample concentration and length, focused and fresh, with some slightly herbal notes on the finish.

Winemaker Description 

Luscious aromas of raspberry, plum and cassis fill your senses with a touch of cedar and vanilla. Layers of ripe cherries, red currants and berry jam provide a rich mouth feel. Ripe tannins focus the palate and provide a lengthy finish of spice and deep red fruit. 

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 92 Points | Attractive aromas of white peach, dried orange, blanched almond and brioche with subtle hints of dried raspberries and crushed stones. Medium- to full-bodied palate with a creamy texture and delicate mousse. Long and even. A blend of 80% pinot noir, 15% chardonnay and 5% pinot meunier. Dosage 6.5g/L. 

The Wine Advocate 91 Points | As always, the NV Brut Carte d'Or is a classic, well-executed and perfumed Champagne. It evokes aromas of white peach, ripe orchard fruits, pastry and spices. Medium-bodied, round and enrobing, it's delicately vinous and framed by an elegant mousse, with a lovely, mouthwatering, ripe orchard fruits-inflected finish. This blend of 80% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Meunier was disgorged with 6.5 grams per liter dosage.

The Wine Spectator 90 Points | A bright Champagne in an aperitif style, with a pleasing range of ripe currant and raspberry, lime blossoms and orange peel set on a zesty bead. Creamy finish. Drink now. 

Winemaker Description 

The Carte d'Or cuvée is the very expression of the Drappier style. With its very high proportion of Pinot Noir, one is almost tasting a Blanc de Noirs. Champagne with a fine aromatic richness, it opens with aromas of stoned fruits such as white vineyard peach. A spicy hint announces a powerful complex palate. A vinous Champagne of lovely complexity with a characteristic note of quince jelly.

Ideal as an apertif. At the table, it goes with white meats, rolled fish fillets, Chaource cheese.

Blend: 75% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay, 10% Meunier

Winemaker Description

70% Frappato/30% Nero d'Avola. From organically and Biodynamically farmed estate vines, averaging 20+ years old and planted on chalky, sandy soils. The bunches are harvested by hand, destemmed and co-fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in concrete tanks. Maceration lasts approximately two weeks. The wine is aged in concrete tanks for 6 months and bottled unfiltered. Sulfur use is modest. "SP68" is the Strada Provinciale 68, the country road on which the Occhipinti winery and home vineyard lie.

SP68 is a road but also a young wine. Fresh and pleasant, with a delicate taste that brings with it the taste of the sun and the freshness of this land. Juicy flavors of strawberry, raspberry and wild herbs complimented by refreshing acidity and soft tannins.

Winemaker Description 

Montesecondo represents the purest expression of the Sangiovese grape that this earth produces. The aging process occurs in cement tanks, allowing the grapes tannin to soften, leaving space for the fruit to express itself and giving light to the wine. The grapes, 100% Sangiovese, come from our younger vines with a planting density of 6250 plants per hectare.

Producer Description 

Vermouth di Torino GI, features only Italian wines enriched with a botanical bouquet featuring Artemisia (wormwood) from Piedmont.

Colour Reddish brown with amber reflections

Nose Complex spiced, wood, and root notes open to smooth vanilla, dried fruit (especially, fig) and floral wormwood signature.

Taste On the palate, dried fig opens to spiced (cloves, nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon) and wood (roots & barks such as liquorice), rounded with vanilla and Alpine flowers. Mouth-warming, with long bittersweet finish, typical of Piedmont wormwood, and amber resin memories. 

Winemaker Description 

Pale lemon color. On the nose, citrus, tropical and flower blossom notes. Flavors of citrus fruits, peach and mango while emerging hints of white flowers.

Pairs with fish, sea-food, salads, white meat, and fruits. 

The remains of an ancient volcano that erupted around 1600 BC, Santorini is one of the southern Cyclades islands and is most recognized for its white wines made from the fruity and mineral-rich, ASSYRTIKO. 

92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
As with the Juvenile bottling, the 2022 Zinfandel Old Vines punches above its weight in this vintage. The nose is considerably deeper, fuller and more polished, opening with aromas of crushed plums, wild berry preserves, tobacco leaves and similar autumnal accents to its younger sibling. The palate is light- to medium-bodied, carrying through the polished quality of the nose and melds it with a subtly dusty tannin structure and bright acidity. The finish is straightforward and easy to drink, offering generous layers of fruit, spice and floral notes.

Winemaker Description

Dark brambly fruits, such as dark berry and fruitcake, dominate the palate. Notes of gingerbread, black pepper, and cinnamon add a beautifully spiced complexity. Hints of Herbs de Provence and a slight herbal quality are present.

Old Vines is composed of a variety of old sites from California that are either too small to be made into a vineyard designate wine or are “new” to the Turley family (and way of farming). Vines are anywhere from 50 to 130 years old, and a true representation of California old vine Zinfandel, hailing from vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lodi, Contra Costa, Amador and Paso Robles. There is no better way to gauge the classic character of old vine Zinfandel in California than through this wine.

Our Professional Review

Bart of 67Wine.com writes | Starmont was created by Napa Valley winery Merryvale Vineyards in 1989, with the purpose of crafting wines from grapes sourced from selected cool climate vineyards located in northern and central California.Their 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon shows off the fruits of their efforts with terrific fanfare. There is a lovely essence of black fruits on the nose with layers of earthy spice and herbal complexity. Full bodied and concentrated with generous flavors coating the palate showcasing velvety richness and elegant tannins that flow effortlessly into the long lasting finish. This is a Cabernet lover’s Cabernet! Serve it with hearty bean and vegetable dishes, strong cheeses and anything off the grill.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | This opulent, concentrated wine offers red and black currant, blackberry and huckleberry woven together with green bell pepper, black licorice, tobacco leaf, blueberry compote and lemon zest. The midpalate brings the smouldering spice and fruit together seemlessly. Enjoy with fajitas, prime rib and any kind of burger.

James Suckling 90 Points | Ripe black fruit with notes of baking spices, pine cones, cedar and bark. Medium- to full-bodied with creamy tannins. Succulent and fruit-forward yet a little fluid in the finish. Lots of spices and hints of sandalwood at the end.

Winemaker Description 

The goal for Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon is richness and balance, with just the right amount of restraint to achieve a fresh, elegant example of Cabernet Sauvignon from California’s North Coast winegrowing region. On the nose, blackberry and boysenberry leap out of the glass with graphite and cedar adding complexity, while hints of sage and juniper maintain a fresh element. A focused entry with a generous mid-palate leads into a structured finish that lingers pleasantly.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 93 Points | A fresh and crunchy white with light lemons, mangoes and bitter limes. It’s medium- to full-bodied with lots of fruit. The hot growing season comes through, but it remains fresh at the end.

The Wine Advocate Points | The Bruno Giacosa 2023 Roero Arneis will be a smaller release due to fruit that was damaged during a hailstorm the first week of July. Nonetheless, this wine remains salty, mineral-driven and bright with citrus and white peach. It is executed in stainless steel only. Perhaps this vintage is a little thinner in terms of mouthfeel, but it draws to a close with lingering acidity.

Winemaker Description 

Intense straw colored with greenish glints. The nose presents lemon, pineapple, peach and apricot notes with floral hints. On the palate, it is fresh, full-bodied, with mineral notes and a persistent finish.

Winemaker Description

Gentle and refreshing on the palate, it boasts a delightful balance of stony minerality with luscious, almost honeyed fruit and flowery notes. The combination of freshness and delicate fragrances allows it to be served with grilled white fish and meats, shellfish, roasted vegetables and Japanese cuisine. Also, makes an ideal aperitif.  Céline Champalou’s Vouvray is always a joy to drink. The wine seems so pure, as if it bubbled up out of the limestone into a cool, limpid pool tended by nymphs and satyrs who pour it into the mouths of weary souls. That’s what I feel, anyway, when I grab a bottle from the fridge."

—Dustin Soiseth

Our Professional Review

A blend of Tempranillo, Mazuelo, and Garnacha. Aged 22 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels. This Reserva (2019) is my go-to Reserva to drink right now, although the wine has the potential for further aging in the bottle. Beautiful bouquet of red fruit: strawberries, raspberries, and red currants with hints of warm spices coming from the oak. Medium-bodied with round and well-integrated tannins, supple mouthfeel, and elegant finish with notes of tobacco, toasted nuts, and crisp, enticing red fruit. Drink now, or save a few bottles. - Oscar Garcia Moncada, 67Wine Buyer

Winemaker Description 

Fruit aromas forest, raspberry, strawberries, liquorice witht silky tannins.

Expert Reviews 

Erin Brooks writes of the Wine Advocate 90 Points | The NV Mirabelle Brut features baked yellow apples, toasted brioche, beeswax and floral aromas on the nose. Medium-bodied and dry, it has vigorous mousse and a gentle roundness to its texture. It balances savory and toasty flavors with youthful fruit and has a long, crisp finish.  Drinking 2022 - 2027.  

Tim Fish of the Wine Spectator 91 Points |  Plush and generous, with refined pear and cherry flavors accented with yeast roll and hazelnut as this glides on the silky finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now.   

Winemaker Description 

A sparkling wine with great body. Just a touch of biscuit notes on the body, almost a touch of a savory quality, solid acidity. Can be enjoyed with or without food. Traditional method. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description 

Gilgal wines are premium, quality aged varietal wines from Golan Heights Winery in Israel which are fruit forward and expressive. They are produced with the same care and attention to quality as Yarden wines. Recent excavations represented by the coin on the label, tell an exciting and heroic story.

Flavors of blackberry, plum and raspberry, along with notes of black tea and cocoa, and hints of fresh herbs and French oak.

Kosher for Passover.

Winemaker Description

An exceptionally fine old tawny blend, aged for 10 years in oak casks. Elegant and smooth, combining delicate wood notes and rich mellow fruit, it is bottled for immediate drinking. A superb dessert wine, particularly with dishes made with chocolate, coffee or almonds, Taylor's 10 Year Old Tawny may also be served at the end of the meal in the same way as Vintage Port.

Expert Ratings

93 Points Robert Parker | It is my opinion that Taylor's tawny ports are the best of their type. When tasted against other tawnys, they all exhibit more aromatic personalities, greater fruit and ripeness, and a wonderful sweetness and length. The Ten Year Old Tawny is a personal favorite, as well as the best bargain among these ports.

93 Points James Suckling | Beautiful sweet berries with walnut, toffee and caramel undertones on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with medium sweetness and a chocolate and toffee aftertaste. A richer style of 10-year-old and delicious. Drink now.

91 Points Wine Spectator | This has a nice racy edge to the mix of slightly dried red cherry and raspberry fruit, backed by red tea and singed vanilla. Shows good tension from start to finish. Drink now. 500 cases imported.

90 Points Wine Enthusiast | This ivery complete aged tawny has all the right nuts and fruit characters that show a Port that still looks back to its fruity origins. The style is ripe, full and sweet, a mellow wine that only hints at the spirit behind it.

Winemaker Description

Before you wonder what Lebanon has to do with wine, just consider that it has been producing wine for perhaps millennia more than any other part of the world.

A deep ruby colored wine, Chateau Kefraya Comte de M 2018 is clear and brilliant with garnet-colored reflections.The first nose is remarkably powerful and emphasized by its volume and elegance.

The wine is an harmonious blend of fresh red fruits, spicy and floral notes, as well as woody, roasted and toasted notes. The second nose reveals notes of cigar box, menthol, licorice, spices and garrigue through a palette of ripe and slightly candied red fruits.

Winemaker Description

This is a delicious Pinot Noir, with fleshy black plum, layers of cherry and sweet berries that play on the palate and dance with hints of violet and savory notes. Drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. Grown with love, made with care.

Expert Rating

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Presents pretty clove, nutmeg and cardamom details that are a lovely complement to the sleek maraschino cherry, raspberry and cranberry flavors at the core. A touch of malty Assam tea lingers on the finish, adding a firm note. Drink now through 2035. (2021).

Winemaker Description 

This delicately hued rosé embodies true coastal character with its freshness, vibrancy and marine minerality. Lifted aromas of wild strawberry and rose petal give way to a trio of fresh, sweet and candied ruby grapefruit, underscored with a layer of wet stone minerality.

A welcoming and supple entry reveals hallmark flavors of red grapefruit and a hint of vine-ripened watermelon which echo the wine's charmingly complex aromatics. The palate is taut, neatly framing a latticework of texture and acidity that supports a persistent and mouth-watering finish.

Winemaker Description

Cooper & Thief’s bourbon barrel-aged Red Blend offers notes of warm toasty vanilla, with dark fruit and a gentle hint of classic bourbon spice. Blackberry and jammy dark currants lead to a rich finish, with the elegance of a fine-sipping bourbon.

Monterey International Wine & Spirits Competition Platinum Award Won the Director's Award for Best Spirits Barrel Aged Wine in 2023.

Cooper and Thief Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Wine Blend is aged in bourbon whiskey barrels for three months, giving it a velvety mouthfeel with subtle heat. Merlot, syrah, zinfandel, petite sirah and cabernet sauvignon collide in one bourbon barrel to create this dark and jammy wine, which features true bourbon flavor. Crafted by Cellarmaster Jeff Kasavan, each taste of this California red wine gives way to aromatic hints of fruit and toasty vanilla.

This dark red wine garners its unique taste thanks to varietals found all across California's prime winegrowing regions. Bring this red blend along on your next picnic and enjoy it on its own, or stack this rich, bold taste up against lamb or poultry. The bourbon barrel aging gives this wine soft tannins that deliver a full-bodied and lingering finish in each sip. For a devilishly good taste, keep this red wine blend stored at room temperature, and chill it before serving. Born from mischief, Cooper and Thief Wine celebrates doing things differently. 

Winemaker Description

This refreshing, yet rich and textured Chenin Blanc, hails from one of South Africa’s premier wineries, and the first to be founded by woman. Fermented on skins for 5 days, the finished wine opens with hints of honeybush tea, with dried lemon, white peach, and chamomile on the nose. The palate is generous, with just the right amount of tannic structure. Notes of citrus, yellow pear, honeysuckle, and stone fruit blend with top notes of sea spray. A gorgeous partner for bloomy rind goat cheeses, vegetable gratin, and poultry. 

Champagne Charles Le Bel “1818” Brut is the second label of Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve NV.  Charles Le Bel “1818” Brut NV is a delicious, classic champagne with aromas of brioche, almonds and pears. An excellent quality/price ratio and an exceptional opportunity to get this champagne for parties and grandiose evenings.

Blend: Chardonnay 37%, Pinot Meunier 30%, Pinot Noir 33% (Reserve wine 70%)

Winemaker Description 

Sparkling and crystalline with fine and plentiful bubbles.Aroma: A blooming nose with harmonious notes of butter, white flesh fruits as well as Mirabelleplums and dried fruits.

A well balanced mouth, structured thanks to the greatness of the Pinots Noirs, with flavours of white flesh fruits. The Chardonnays bring to this wine a refreshing finish with notes of citrus fruits and pepper. Chardonnay 37%, Pinot Meunier 30%, Pinot Noir 33%Reserve wine 70%, Dosage 9g/l.

Winemaker Description

The Chianti Classico Riserva La Selvanella has a clear, dark, ruby color and full, complex bouquet with strong notes of red fruits, irises, and hints of vanilla. The flavor is full, generous, warm and savory with an elegant aftertaste of woodland undergrowth and toasted almonds.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

James Suckling 93 Points: A fragrant red with a timid nose of blue fruit, dried herbs and some crushed stones and raspberries. Tightly wound and medium- to full-bodied with tender red fruit. Very compact, with an elegant rigidity that is very appealing. Pure Sangiovese from a single vineyard in Radda in Chianti, which is one of the highest villages in Chianti Classico. This is already drinkable, but I would love to revisit it in a couple of years.

The Wine Spectator 89 Points | Balsamic aromas and flavors of tomato leaf and eucalyptus frame the cherry and berry fruit in this dense, solidly built red. Though perhaps just closed now, overall this falls a little short on the earthy finish. Best from 2026 through 2038. 7,500 cases made, 325 cases imported. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 94 Points |  Fresh strawberries and cherries with some orange peel and flowers. Cedar, black olive and violet undertones. Medium-bodied with firm and racy tannins that give energy and focus. Tangy and fresh with slightly bitter citrus on the palate at the end. 90% sangiovese and 10% merlot. Drink or hold.

Monica Larner of The Wine Advocate 92 Points | The organic Tenuta Sette Ponti 2022 Crognolo is a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot. The wine has a core of blackened fruit with plum and cooked blackberry, but it also shows varietal hints of Sangiovese, with pressed rose and sweet potting soil. It finishes with medium texture, some fruity freshness and more black fruit flavors. This wine (with 150,000 bottles made) represents a selection of fruit from a historic clone of Sangiovese found here. 

Antonio Galloni of Vinous 92 Points | The 2022 Crognolo is a fine entry-level offering from Sette Ponti. Dark, vibrant and persistent, the 2022 races across the palate with dark-fleshed fruit, chocolate, licorice, cloves, menthol and licorice. I especially admire its energy. Grippy tannins support the finish nicely. 

The Wine Spectator 91 Points |  Black cherry, blackberry, lavender and spice aromas and flavors signal this dense red, which is tight and compact, yet has plenty of fruit and a well-integrated structure. Fine length. Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2038.

Bodegas Señorío de Líbano Castillo de Sajazarra Rioja Reserva 2019 750ml The headquarters of this winery is nestled in the picturesque village of Sajazarra, a true gem of a town in La Rioja, Spain. This Reserva blends Tempranillo, Graciano, and Garnacha. Aged 24 months in French and American oak barrels and further aged for 12 months in the bottle. In my opinion, this Reserva drinks more like a Gran Reserva with a nose that opens up with a combination of secondary and tertiary aromas: leather, smoke, mushrooms, and perfectly matured red fruit. The oak adds to the mouthfeel, and its well-integrated tannins serve as proof of why Rioja Reservas are always ready to drink without hesitation. Grab this Reserva and serve with a grilled churrasco. 

- Oscar Garcia Moncada, 67 Wine Buyer

Winemaker Description

Attractive color,colored, pillory red with violet reflects. Very fruity on the nose, hazelnut and  vanilla notes. Unctuous on mouth solid structure, mature tannins and sweets, armonious and long.

Our Professional Review 

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com writes | A lovely expression of Syrah, savory and darkly fruited with a sensuous mouthfeel and luscious textures. The fruit is rich and focused with velvety tannins and a mineral rich, long delicious finish. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2020 

John Gilman 91 Points | The 2020 Saint-Julien en Saint-Alban from Éric Texier is a fine bottle of young syrah. The bouquet is deep, precise and beautifully black fruity in personality, wafting from the glass in a mix of cassis, pepper, expresso, grilled venison, a nice touch of black olive, granite soil tones and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, ripe and very well balanced, with a fine core of fruit, lovely soil inflection and grip, fine-grained tannins and a long, complex and seamlessly balanced finish. This is still a puppy and quite primary in personality today, but also quite easy to drink. It is not a crime to be opening bottles today, but more complexity will certainly emerge with just a modicum of patience."

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

Bruce Sanderson of The Wine Spectator writes 95 Points | There's bright cherry and strawberry fruit in this elegant red, along with rose, mineral and wild herb notes, plus a hint of black pepper. Harmonious and vibrant, this is fluid while cruising to the long, detailed aftertaste.

James Suckling 93 Points | A crisp and fruity Brunello for this hot vintage, with vivid acidity and fine tannins. Medium-bodied, integrated and focused. Yet, it needs another two or three years to come together.

Audrey Frick of Jeb Dunnuck writes 92 Points | The 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino is a transparent bright red color and is ripe with aromas of strawberry preserve, candied flowers, sweet herbs, and mossy earth. Medium-framed, it's vibrant on the palate, with a linear feel, fine tannins, and bright acidity, leading with notes of orange citrus through a rather long finish and a touch of warmth. It retains good purity and energy and is very well balanced.

Winemaker Description 

Camigliano is one of the most historic estates in Montalcino. Acquired in 1957 by entrepreneur Walter Ghezzi, Camigliano was converted over time to the production of high quality wines, in particular of Brunello di Montalcino. The 1,300 acre estate is planted with over 220 acres of vineyards, 200 of which are Sangiovese vineyards.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 96 Points | One of the best ever with super currants, mint, mineral and iodine. Crushed stones. Medium- to full-bodied, it has wonderful caressing tannins that run the length of the wine. A real Potensac, cabernet-driven, that goes on for minutes. 43% cabernet sauvignon, 36.5% merlot, 19.5% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.

Decanter 93 Points | Fragranced, black bramble fruit, so scented and aromatic. Crystalline pure fruit, blackcurrants, cherries and plums, with grippy, but super fine and fresh tannins and balanced acidity. You get the structure - wide, firm, so refined in terms of tannic impression, they're at the fore but so discerning and integrated, really supportive and help to focus the wine from start to finish. Precise and sleek, agile yet concentrated with a lovely cool and juicy core alongside graphite and pencil lead touches. Powerful but polished and ageable. A great buy. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | The 2022 Château Potensac is darker and more concentrated, featuring currants, spring flowers, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, with layered depth, balanced structure, and beautiful tannins, it’s a serious, structured Potensac.

The Wine Advocate 91+ Points | One of the sleepers of the vintage is the 2022 Potensac, a dense, concentrated wine redolent of crème de cassis, cigar wrapper and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, layered and youthfully structured. 

Expert Review

Wine Spectator 88 Points | Juicy and direct, with plum and blackberry fruit leading the way, while light anise and applewood notes add energy through the finish. Accessible now. Drink now through 2025. 4,200 cases made, 400 cases imported. 

Winemaker Description

Dark red in color with aromas of cherry, cocoa, black olive and toasted hazelnut on the nose. On the palate, mellow tannins with a spicy vanilla and chocolate finish.

Our Professional Review

Oscar Garcia 67Wine.com | Only indigenous yeast from the vineyard is used for fermentation.  It is important to take note that Marques de Vargas is aiming to preserve the varietal correctness over the long extended ageing that is typical for the Gran Reservas of the region.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2017

The Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | This deep-ruby-colored wine offers aromas of black cherry, caramel and thyme. Flavors of blackberry, raspberry, licorice, dark chocolate and orange zest are wrapped up in feathery tannins and a soft sheath of acidity. There is a nice floral note on the bright finish. 

The Wine Advocate 91 Points | The 2017 Reserva is surprisingly clean and fresh for such a year; perhaps it is the beginning of a change, as the 2018 also showed a similar profile, different from the wines from previous vintages. It's peppery and spicy, with some toasty notes. It's 70% Tempranillo, 17% Garnacha and 13% Mazuelo that matured in 225- and 500-liter (5%) French oak barrels for 23 months.

James Suckling 91 Points | Delicate creaminess and sweet spices to the blackberries and dark plums. Medium to full body filled with lots of dusty tannins. Subtle finish with some creamy, spiced cherries. Drink or hold.

Producer Description 

The delicate La Marca Prosecco has a pale, golden straw color and sparkles with lively effervescence. Opening with aromas of fresh-picked citrus and honeysuckle blossoms, the crisp, clean palate brings fruity flavors of green apple, juicy peach and ripe lemon, framed by hints of minerality. 

The finish is light and refreshing with a tantalizing hint of sweetness.
Always serve La Marca Prosecco chilled between 46-50°F. 

A versatile Italian Sparkling wine, La Marca Prosecco can be served in sparkling flutes or white wine glasses. A full bottle serves approximately 5-7 glasses. After pouring the first round, seal the opened bottle with a bottle stopper to keep remaining wine fresh and effervescent and keep the wine chilled to 46-50°F. An opened bottle should last about 3-4 hours with the bottle closure.

La Marca Prosecco has the charm to stand alone as an aperitif, but it also has the body and the acidity to pair well with a range of foods, from seafood and mild cheeses to rich pasta dishes and decadent desserts. 

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com writes | Chenin Blanc is a grape that generally flies under the radar screen, which to me is baffling given its charming character and pleasant drinkability. Father and son Francois and Julien Pinon work exclusively with Chenin Blanc on their 15 hectare estate in the Vallée de Cousse. Their work in the vineyard is in complete in harmony with natural and they have been certified organic by Ecocert since 2003. 

The 2022 Vouvray Buvez du Bon Pinon sports a gorgeous bouquet reminiscent of a walk through an orchard field during spring blossom. Aromas of white stone fruits, peaches, pears, wildflower honey and quince emerge from the glass with lively fanfare. Energetic and effortless in the mouth with refreshing lift and well balanced vibrant acidity, with a long and tangy delicious finish. 

This is a wine that will add cheerful accompaniment to chicken, seafood, salads and vegetable dishes.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022 

John Gilman - The View From The Cellar writes 94 Points | The special old vine bottling of Vouvray Sec, “Buvez du Bon Pinon”, made its debut in the 2020 vintage. Readers may remember that Julien Pinon made this wine in hommage to his greatgrandfather, Camille Pinon, and the wine is made from vines planted by Camille in the immediate aftermath of World War II in 1945, in a parcel of Silex Noir soils. The wine is barrel-fermented and raised in the same old casks, which happen to be the oldest that the family still owns. The 2022 follow-up to the brilliant 2020 version is also outstanding, offering up a deep and complex bouquet of apple, quince, beeswax, flinty soil tones, white lilies, iris blossoms and a touch of citrus peel in the upper register. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, young and complex, with a rock solid core of fruit from these ancient vines, great soil signature, zesty acids and superb balance on the long, vibrant and very promising finish. The 2022 version is a touch more reticent out of the blocks than the 2020, which wore its heart on its sleeve upon release, and tucking this beautiful bottle of Vouvray in the cellars for a handful of years before pulling corks would be well rewarded.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Clive Pursehouse writes:  Savoury, dark and brooding, this wine is a blend of vineyard sites with thin top soils over fractured basalt—a fascinating study in variety and terroir. The rocky soils lend the wine structure and ample texture alongside its dark fruited core—Aromatics of Damson plums and Mission figs accented by a touch of spearmint. The palate is rich with baking chocolate, ripe pluots, red apple skin and blood orange.  Drinking 2023 to 2030.  - Decanter 93

James Suckling writes:  Attractively savory nose of mushrooms, sea urchins, cherries, slate and green strawberries. It’s sleek, savory and mineral, with a medium body, fine-grained tannins and a more stony finish. Unfiltered. Drink now or hold.  - James Suckling 92

Tim Fish writes:  Gracefully structured, with a vibrant beam of cherry and raspberry flavors accented by stony minerality and dusky spices. Builds richness toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2030.   - Wine Spectator 93

Winemaker Description 

The Basalte Pinot Noir is our bedrock bottling from the Willamette Valley. It is sourced from vineyards that have fairly thin volcanic clay topsoil over fractured basalt. This type of very rocky soil lends itself to muscular, firmly structured wines, with persistent length. The Basalte captures this expressive character of the soil, with deep red fruit and a fine tannic structure that maintains elegant style.

.Eric Asimov writes:  (Reviewed December 27, 2022) Most cooperatives in Champagne make large amounts of routine wines, primarily for supermarkets. Chavost is an anomaly. It’s a small cooperative that produces natural wines, made without commercial yeasts or any additions, even sulfur dioxide, the widely used stabilizer and antioxidant. It’s a risky approach, but the results are excellent. This cuvée is primarily chardonnay, with 20 percent pinot meunier and 3 percent pinot noir. It’s bone-dry and chalky, well-balanced and deliciously refreshing.   - The New York Times