$25 - $50 Wine

Expert Ratings

Audrey Frick 89-91 Points | Also tasted from tank, the medium ruby 2023 Langhe Nebbiolo is bright and spicy with candied cranberries, orange peel and spice. It has good structure and a note of fresh apricot through the finish. Drink over the next few years.  

Jancis Robinson 16/20 Points | Gentle expression of the pure fruit of Nebbiolo. With just a little tarriness on the end. This could be a teaching aid!  

Winemaker Description

This unoaked, fruity and drinkable Nebbiolo is meant to be an easy (yet not trivial) wine to share with friends during a nice and funny chat.

Drink it slightly cold, maybe while sharing a platter of mixed charcuterie or with some lovely tajarin al ragù.

Winemaker Description

In clay-chalk soil, the vine is grown biodynamically in order for the terroir to fully express itself. The nose is particularly complex and fruity. Whilst the absence of sulphur during vinification is evident, it remains precise. On the palate, fruits and spices are the notes that dominate. Its supple mouthfeel is supported by unctuous tannins. A wine that pairs well with either white or red meat.

The domain might still carry the name of his parents, but Stéphane Tissot (and his wife Bénédicte) took over the family business over 20 years ago. In 1995, Stéphane began to reduce the amount of fertiliser so as to pave the way for organic viticulture. Around this time he also stopped using chemical herbicides altogether. In 1999, the then 28 hectares (now 46 hectares) became entirely organic and, after a few years, the whole domain became biodynamic in 2004 (Demeter certification). Stéphane's hard work has transformed the quality of the grapes. With such good quality fruit, vinifications are relatively easy and require very little intervention. Natural yeasts are used in fermentation and a very small amount of sulphites are added, nothing else. The end result is an excellent expression of terroir with intense aromas. Stéphane's quest to convey his many different terroirs has led him to produce nearly 50 different cuvées from many different grape varieties using various vinification methods. For example, for the Savagnin, a variety typical of the Jura, the property produces wines with and without oxidation (i.e. topping up of the barrels) and vin jaune. This domain is at its zenith and is one of the Jura's (and iDealwine's) best kept secrets.

Winemaker Description

Being a classic modern vintage, this year is abundant in character. Golden apple and Anjou pear flavors influenced by Knudsen Vineyard fruit add to the natural weight and brightness, while vanilla and toasted cake crust sneak into the flavor mix, adding to the opulence of this blend.

Expert Rating

90 Points James Suckling | Fresh and floral nose with white stone fruit and lemony undertones. Medium-bodied with a foamy mousse and vivid acidity. Easy and refreshing. (2019). 

Wnemaker Description

Lieb Cellars' signature wine is produced from some of the oldest vines on the North Fork. Fermented entirely in stainless steel tanks, this wine is vibrant and crisp with notes of lemongrass, rose petals, and sugared lemon peels. After a finish of star fruit and green apple, there is a touch of sea spray."

Winemaker Description

The palate has mouthwatering white peach and nectarine flavours intertwined with walnut and pistachio characters and touches of minerality weaving its way through.

Winemaker Description

A decadent golden green color, this wine charms with delicate aromas of orange peel and spice. The palate is mineral-driven—full bodied, rich and round with notes of hazelnut and white flower. Hints of pepper linger on the lengthy finish.

Expert Rating

94 Points Wine Spectator | Creamy in texture, this white evokes peach, floral and pastry aromas and flavors. Beautifully balanced, unfolding gracefully to a long citrus- and mineral-infused aftertaste. Very approachable now, but should develop over the next decade, too. Drink now.

Winemaker Description

Ripe cranberry and cassis on the nose. Focused dark bramble fruit on the palate, layered with cocoa and clove. Vibrant acidity balances beautifully with opulent fruit and carries through to a long and elegant finish.

Blend: 69% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Mataro

Expert Ratings

96 Points Decanter | Enormously complex and full of personality. Lots of juiciness and briaryness, with notes of espresso, soy sauce and gaminess. Very rich, impressive and structured, 2020 was Ridge’s 55th consecutive vintage of Geyserville, a wine that many Ridge collectors consider the winery’s best Zinfandel blend. Its pedigree is uncontested. Made from old vines, some of which are more than 125 years old and 60% of which are 50 years old or older, leading of course to tiny yields. A historic field blend of approximately 69% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mataro (the old name used in California for Mourvedre). The grapes are grown in three adjoining vineyards, all of which are defined by an ancient washout of the Russian River that carried and deposited gravel and river stones to the site.

95 Points Points Wine & Spirits |  The founding partners at Ridge purchased the MonteBello Winery from Leo and Evelyn Trentadue, who also farmed some of the oldest surviving vines in Sonoma County at their ranch on the Alexander Valley floor near Geyserville. The Old Patch, planted in the 1880s, has provided the base of the blend for Ridge’s single-vineyard wine since 1966. In 2020, it was harvested just as the first fires brokeout generations of vines at the Trentadue’s ranch provided 28 different lots, with John Olney selecting 20 for this wine. He finds that carignan, which makes up 20 percent of the mixed planting (along with small amounts of petite sirah, alicante bouschet and mataro), provides the acidity to refresh the zinfandel, which accounts for 69 percent of the vines. The early harvest produced a ripe, rich Geyserville with racy energy. The dark blueberry flavors are layered with red cherry, their seemingly weightless concentration sustained in a sleek, clean and graceful impression that lasts. A great 2020

Tasting Panel 95 Points | An opulent, charming blend of 69% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, and 1% Mataro. Ultra-smooth and seamless, with rich flavors of plum and blackberry. Stunning and long, it’s a triumph of winemaking skill.

Wine Spectator 92 Points | Deeply structured and briary, with a mix of red and black fruit accented by licorice, dill and savory underbrush flavors. Finishes with medium-grained tannins. Zinfandel, Carignan, Petite Syrah, Alicante Bouschet and Mataro.

Winemaker Description

The name of this cuvée "ES-56" stands for Eocene Flint 56 million years ago. The "ES-56" white Sancerre offers incomparable balance and concentration. Its nose, with notes of gun flint and spices, is also reminiscent of Sauvignon flower and its sap. A proud, intense cuvée that will reveal all its elegance and finesse over the years.

ES-56 white Sancerre offers elegance and freshness that will match perfectly with white meats and poultry.

Expert Rating

93 Points James Suckling | A solid, precise and lively Sancerre with so much mineral character. Aromas of leaves, flint, gunpowder, mild spices and dried lemons dominate on the nose. It’s medium-bodied yet so intense, full of verve and drive. There is a bright acidity driving the vertical dimension in the long, focused, stony finish. (2022). 

Winemaker Description

Most white Sancerre should be enjoyed young and fresh; but a handful of growers believe that more complex, rich wines are possible. 

The ‘Grande Cuvée’ is aged for 15 months in large, 600-litre oak barrels. The rest stays in stainless steel tanks. The fruit is beautifully integrated and is of the ripe grapefruit sort and blends harmoniously with the slightly spicy flavours of the oak.

Winemaker Description

My first harvest job was picking grapes and running trucks full of grape bins to wineries throughout Oregon.  It was a crash course in "the wine life".  Alberto was the first guy to show me how to identify grapes on the vine, the first guy to show me how to pick grapes (I did, ok), the first guy to show me how to strap down bins, and how to not ride the brakes. This wine is named after him.

An aromatic co-fermentation of Tempranillo, Syrah, Grenache, and Alvarinho, all from the northern edge of the Willamette Valley.  This wine was native fermented in old French oak. It is unfiltered and unfined (vegan).  

Black raspberry fruit is balanced by savory meat characteristics. Fine and abundant tannins are starting to soften and the wine will continue to improve for several years.

Winemaker Description

This unusual wine marries the peppery spicy red-fruit flavors of the grape with terroir-driven components mixing rock, root and soil. 

Producer Description

Dreamy Clouds is quite special because its milling rate of 59% technically qualifies it as Junmai Ginjo grade - a rare quality level for a nigori (cloudy) sake. It presents an opportunity to move Nigori drinkers forward to new styles of sake.

Bright and lean in the mouth, unlike many Nigori, and the impact is chewy with sweet rice flavors intermingling with the nutty and slightly fruity characteristics of the sake.

Pair with spicy noodle dishes, risotto, or white fish.

Our Professional Review

Nutty, dark plum, tangy and citrus tinged finish.

Winemaker Description

A blend made from vines with limited grape production. This wine expresses the astonishing diversity of the country's viticulture through the talent of our chief winemaker. The result is a blend of incomparable quality that reflects the essence of both the grape and the origin, articulating a unique character for each vintage.

Expert Rating

93 Points James Suckling | A juicy red with lots of berries, olives and spices that mingle impressively well together in the succulent, medium-bodied palate that’s framed by silky, polished tannins. Quite effortless and bright, with excellent drinkability and a long finish. Delicious now, so why hold?

Expert Rating

93 Points Wine Spectator | A wine that suggests a sense of place, this is refined and just a hint rustic, which adds to the authenticity. Notes of cherry and pomegranate are laced with hints of white pepper and bay leaf. Drink now.

Winemaker Description

Located at 1000 to 1200 ft., the vineyard overlooks upper Chiles Canyon and remnant walls of the grist wills built by pioneer J.B. Chiles. Brooding dark purple plum raspberry flavors dotted with sage and black peppercorns.

Winemaker Description

Old vines located at the foot of the two mountain ranges that frame the Ebro River valley, where the grapes provide greater fruit character. 35% Tempranillo from the highest area of Samaniego near the Sierra Cantabria mountains and 65% Garnacha from Alto Najerilla, in the triangle formed by the towns of Badarán, Cordovín and Cárdenas, in the Sierra Demanda mountains.

Tempranillo and Garnacha are fermented separately. 100% destemmed, but without crushing. Cold fermentation with native yeast and a short maceration. Subsequently, the two wines are blended and refined in concrete for approximately 5 months. 

Winemaker Deswcription

Jean-Marc Boillot was one of the younger generation in Burgundy who was determined to improve his family’s wines. In 1984, after vinifying 13 vintages at the family’s domaine, Henri Boillot, Jean-Marc walked out in protest, intent on producing highly concentrated, rich, and ripe wines. He became the winemaker for Olivier Leflaive for the next four years and at the same time produced wines from 5-acres of vineyards, bottled under his own label. The wines impressed Boillot’s grandfather, who bequest half his vineyard to Jean-Marc. Boillot runs his domaine from his grandfather Henri Boillot’s house and cellars in the village of Pommard. Jean-Marc’s maternal grandfather was the late Etienne Sauzet, from whom he also inherited exceptional vineyards.

The 2021 Macon-Villages has a clear and brilliant appearance with a silver luster and green reflections. The bouquet is a range of delicate and generous fruits. In the mouth the wine shows a creamy texture with a beautiful balance between refreshing sweet fruit flavors and juicy, mouthwatering acidity. A wine to be enjoyed immediately. 

Straw yellow in color. The aromas are very subtle and elegant, with hints of pear, apple and plum fruit, of vanilla and with floral notes of acacia and jasmine. Dry, full-bodied with very well-balanced acidity and refined minerality; it shows notes of grace and elegance, remarkable character and unique personality. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description

This full-bodied Syrah shows robust and pronounced aromas of blackberry, black currant, violets, black peppercorn, Herbes de Provence, and licorice. Spiced dark fruit flavors reveal themselves on the palate finishing with a mouth-filling, savory richness.

Expert Reviews 

92 Points James Suckling | Attractive nose of grilled herbs, blackberries, olives, chicory root and peppercorns. Savory and gently chewy with medium to full body, grainy tannins and an inky finish. (2020).

91 Points Jeb Dunnuck | Coming from a mix of sites, the 2020 Syrah Columbia Valley is an up-front, fruit-loaded, charming Syrah revealing tons of darker berry fruits, some peppery, meaty notes, medium to full body, plenty of creamy background oak, and a great finish. It's a good value and will put a smile on your face any time over the coming 5-7 years.

90 Points Robert Parker | Displaying herbal notes of sage and a soft, meaty essence, the 2020 Columbia Valley Syrah presents a nose filled with notes of spiced plum and dusty cherries. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers a fresh, spicy sensation with a kiss of oak over the peppery finish. 

90 Points Decanter | A blend of Syrah from four different Washington vineyards throughout the larger Columbia Valley AVA. Aromatics of rich dark fruits mingle with notes of pepper and clove. The palate is intensely ripe, with kirsch, black cherry and black plums. There are notes of white and black pepper spice and savoury anise notes to finish. (2020) 

90 Points Vinous | The 2020 Syrah opens with a delicate blend of fresh sage and plum sauce forming its bouquet. This is softly textured and lifted in feel, with crisp red and black fruits complemented by sweet spice. It finishes youthfully grippy yet lively, leaving hints of citrus and a bitter balsamic twang. The 2020 is beautifully balanced and eager to please.

Our Professional Review

David of 67Wine.com |  If you are looking for a natural style wine this is fabulous. You may say to yourself this is so different in the tradition of a wine from old world France in the bard yard style. Its power immediately comes at you. If you prefer modern style California Zinfandel, then this wine is not for you. If you are an explorer, with a skydiver personality, I highly recommend this wine.

Expert Rating

92 Points Wine & Spirits | Organically farmed fruit from the Russian River Valley, neutral oak aging and the talents of Eric Sussman and his team at RadioCoteau combine to make this a pretty great zin for the price. It’s bursting with fresh wildblueberry flavor, rustic and harmonious in its barnyard-scented tannins. This is ready to decant for grilled vegetables or meats. (2020). 

Winemaker Description

The 2020 County Line Zinfandel is characterized by powerful fruit and spice aromas balanced by refreshing acidity and herbal complexity. It speaks to both the robust essence of the grape and the nuances of its Sonoma Coast terroir. The wine is vibrant, with scents of nutmeg-spiced blackberry pie and sun-warmed strawberry, elevated by floral earl grey tea. These rich, fruity notes are followed by earthy briar and flint on the palate, with a lively, savory finish. Lingering flavors of cacao nib and rugged leather make for a sophisticated compliment to the voluptuous fruit in the nose. Immediately approachable, this Zinfandel also has depth and layers to entice thoughtful sipping. An ideal pizza pairing, savor a bottle alongside a hearty salsiccia, or a white pizza with roasted zucchini flowers. Winemaker Description. 

Our Professional Review

David of 67wine.com | Wow! The fruit really comes alive on your palet. If you drink New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc elevate your experience with this California alternative. What an enjoyable experience where you can taste the art of a great winemaker. 

Winemaker Description 

The grapes for this wine are sourced from Block 1 on Purisima Mountain Vineyard, which tends to ripen slower than most of the Sauvignon Blanc in the region. The added hang-time adds to the flavor and textural development of the finished wine while the limestone soils ensure great acidity.

Incorporating skin contact prior to pressing brought another level of texture and roundness to the vintage; the wine is kept fresh by fermenting and aging in stainless steel, showcasing vibrant tropical and citrus fruit aromas and flavors. 

Our Professional Review

David of 67Wine.com |  If you read my review of Beckman Sauvignon Blanc, this wine while the same grape and also from California is a world apart.  Hall is in effect opposite of Beckman.  This wine shows beautiful balance, where its mineral front and a level of softness on the palate is remarkable.  Hall is a great dinner wine where you get the best of both worlds, excellent wine that will not overwhelm your cuisine.  

Winemaker Description 

The 2022 vintage of Hall Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc is refreshing and vibrant with effusive aromas of citrus zest, honeysuckle and lemon grass. The bright, lively acidity on the palate is balanced with flinty minerality and mid-palate richness driven by sur-lie aging. 

Winemaker Description

To create Oberon Merlot, the winemaker sourced grapes from Napa Valley’s renowned Oakville district. The deeper alluvial soils along with the perfect balance of cool mornings and afternoons make this are the perfect location for growing Bordeaux varietals. The winemaker sources Syrah and Zinfandel in small lots specifically for this blend as they marry beautifully with this Merlot and bring out the rich character of this delicious expressive Oakville fruit.

Winemaker Description

Lovely deep, concentrated appearance to this rich and complex wine. Elegant on the nose, where intense, dark berry fruit aromas intermingle with spice and liquorice. Initially delicate on the palate, gaining rapidly in intensity to reveal rich and flavoursome mouthfeel, underpinned by fine-grained, silky tannins. The wine culminates in a long, lingering and racy finish, defined by freshness and spice. 

Expert Reviews

93 Points James Suckling | A dense and layered red with wet earth and blue fruits. Sweet tobacco, too. Soft tannins give this full-bodied wine a juicy richness and decadence. Plump mouthfeel. So good now but better in two or three years. (2015). 

93 Wine Enthusiast | This is packed with dusty tannins that are supported by intense acidity. The texture, initially dry, then reveals layers of black fruits and vibrant acidity. The finish is dry and lingering, with good tannic grip.

91 Points Decanter | Smoky, brambly undergrowth is the dominant impression here, a lovely autumnal feeling. It is a well made wine with clear grip on the attack, but is lacking a little pep towards the finish where the tannins get just a touch dry - give it a few years to allow them to soften. This was the first year that Belgrave used an optical sorting machine.

90 Points Robert Parker | Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Belgrave has a nose of crushed black currant, chocolate-covered cherries, warm plums and lilacs with touches of garrigue and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied with firm, ripe, grainy tannins and wonderfully pure black fruits with lovely floral accents, it finishes long and perfumed.

Inviting, almost flirtatious aromas of earthy red fruits - cherries and raspberries, with subtle notes of violets and rose petals accented by aromatic savory spices. Beautifully balanced and elegantly sophisticated, perfectly suited to accompany fine dining wine pairings.
Bart Hopkins

Winemaker Description

Francois Labet Bourgogne Pinot Noir is a medium ruby color. Focused aromas of deep red fruit with earthy notes. A fresh, bright and ripe nose combines a variety of plum and dark berry aromas but in particular cherry, with those of earth and lavender.

There is a lovely sense of energy to the well-detailed, punchy and delicious flavors that display really lovely persistence on the solidly complex and well-balanced finish.

Winemaker Description

This Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon offers notes of blackberry, cassis, anise, fig, cardamom, fresh leather, graphite, dried herbs, and dusty cocoa. It is lush, rich, and round on the palate. A tense, dry wine with long finish.

Expert Review

93 Points James Suckling | Dense and dark, with aromas of cedar, cinnamon and black plums, then tight on the palate as bitter chocolate and black cherries are coated in firm, sandy tannins. Char and graphite accents build and linger on the finish. (2021). 

Iconoclast Cabernet Sauvignon is artisanally crafted with bold, bright dark fruit flavors and hints of baking spice from 20 months of French oak aging. The wine expresses a lush texture with a long, smooth finish. Iconoclast Cabernet is a wine that epitomizes Napa Valley Cabernets.

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep ruby red with purple hues on the rim. On the nose, aromas of ripe plums and cherries, powdered cocoa and a hint of mint and tobacco leaf. On the palate it is medium bodied with rich fruit on the front palate and lots freshness, bright acidity and a smooth and long satisfying finish.

Winemaker Description

This is a medium-bodied Merlot, displaying aromas of English toffee, vanilla, star anise, Santa Rosa plum, and leather.The palate is velvety smooth with notes of ripe plum, dried raspberry, nougat, and mocha on the finish.

The fruit forward, easy-drinking qualities of this Merlot make it the perfect wine to pair with any red meat course, Italian entrées and fragrantly-spiced roasted or grilled poultry dishes. 

Expert Review

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | Aromas of red cherries, black currants and cinnamon offer plenty to like in this velvety wine, while cocoa and vanilla join in on the palate, framed by moderate tannins. The wine is full in body, rich in oak and fruit flavors.

Winemaker Description

Château Sainte Roseline, Lampe de Méduse, with its unique shape, is the iconic and historic cuvée of the estate. Since 1950, it has been the heart of the production of this famous Cru Classé vineyard.

Famous as a historic site but also for its premium Rosés, Château Sainte Roseline is a Provence icon.

Its pale color is slightly salmony. The complex and intense nose reveals fine notes of peaches and mangos. The beautiful liveliness and persistence of the aromatic notes at the end of the palate make this a very crunchy wine. A minty finish sublimates its beautiful freshness.

Expert Reviews

Billy Norris of Vinous writes | The 2023 Rosé Lampe de Meduse is dark and alluring on the nose, displaying watermelon, red berry fruit and orange peel aromas. Rounded and honeyed on the palate, there's just enough acidity to propel this past the finish line. Rosemary and thyme hints hang around after the close, kicking this wine more into the savory spectrum than I expected. This is interesting and characterful.  Drinking 2024 - 2025.

Jancis Robinson writes 16 Points | Drier and more substantial than their Prestige 2023 bottling. Lots of fruit with a (just) sufficiently dry finish. Some intrigue. 

Expert Review

Yohan Castaing of the Wine Advociate writes 90 Points | A blend of 41% Grenache, 31% Cinsault, 12% Mourvèdre, 8% Tibouren, 5% Syrah and 3% Carignan, the 2022 Cotes de Provence Rose Lampe de Meduse possesses a fresh, fruit-driven bouquet with aromas of citrus, lemon oil, red berries, wild strawberry and menthol. Crunchy, juicy and perfectly balanced with a medium-bodied palate, it’s long and penetrating with lively acids, an iodine-salty finish and a clean and mouthwatering texture.  Drinking 2023 - 2025. (2022).

Critic Notes

Bruce Sanderson writes:  Butterscotch, almond, peach and spice flavors lead off and then subside as this soft white dissipates on the palate. Moderate length. Drink now. 

Winery Notes

Clean pale yellow color and green reflections. A nice brilliance. The nose is fresh and fruity, ripe and round with discrete vanilla and brioche scents. On the mouth, the wine is dense and rich, fresh and subtle with a good length and finesse. Overall, the wine is nicely balanced, fresh, elegant and with a long finish. Winemaker Description. 

88 Points Wine Spectator | Features flint and gooseberry aromas and flavors that suggest Chablis, along with the delicate profile and lemon notes. Vibrant and charming, with moderate length. Drink now. 1,000 cases imported.

2018 was a year marked by a spell of frost in April, reminiscent of the frost experienced in 2017 and followed in quick succession by an episode of hail on the 26th of May. The year was also marked by heavy downpours in Spring (113mm in the month of March alone!) and by a particularly hot and dry summer. Despite the attack of mildew at the beginning of the summer in certain parcels of red vines, the sunny period from July through to the beginning of October (with record temperatures in July and September) trully saved the vintage and guaranteed a good ripening of the grapes. The harvest began on the 28th of August with the whites and finished on the 13th of September.

The 2018 Lacroix-Martillac White is pale yellow. The nose is complex and fruity, with notes of citrus, peach and verbena. In the mouth, the wine is soft, round and fleshy. The finish is both fresh and delightfully flavoured. Winemaker Description.