$25 - $50 Wine

Expert Review

91 Points Wine Enthusiast | Fruit of the forest compote notes shine with subtle vanilla on the inviting nose. The palate adds cinnamon spice to these notions and comes in with both concentration and slenderness. Bright freshness gives focus and makes for a mouthwatering finish. An elegant but still fruit-driven Zweigelt.

Winemaker Description 

Chateau Lamarche Canon is a red wine from the brand Jean Yves Millaire. This wine offers a smooth and rich flavor profile, with notes of dark fruits and a hint of spice. It pairs well with grilled meats and hearty dishes. Enjoy the complex aromas and velvety texture of this red wine.

Winemaker Description

Delicate, micro-production & precise øø wines from Baden, Germany, rapturously referred to as the hot-bed of classic Burgundy-indebted Pinot Noir. (and, of course, Riesling)

Philipp Reiß is currently in the process of converting his family estate from grape growers to wine producers, and these are the first, errr - fruits of that labor to make it stateside. 

A profound expression of Riesling that, despite having zero additives, sure calls for a decant and some hours for it to truly unfurl its majestic crystalline reach.

Winemaker Description

Classic Purisima Mountain Vineyard Syrah aromas and flavors of black fruits, chocolate, game, pepper, and smoke are ripe and intense in the 2020 vintage. Very ripe, fine tannins frame the bold flavors and rounded texture. Somehow through all the heat, our fruit retained beautiful acidity which balances out the bold and rich flavors creating an awesome vintage of Purisima Mountain Vineyard Syrah with classic texture and structure.

Expert Rating 

92 Points Jeb Dunnuck | Blueberries, mulberries, peppery herbs, and some flower notes all emerge from the 2020 Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard, a medium to full-bodied, fruit-forward, plush, sexy little gem of a Syrah that will offer loads of pleasure over the coming 4-6 years or more. This was completely destemmed and brought up in 35% new French oak. (2020). 

Winemaker Description

Hugonis with its powerful and austere style is the most prized product of Tenuta Rapitalà, the legacy wine. The seal of Hugonis Bernardi – a knight in armor with two leopards – which appears on the label, is the coat-of-arms of the family of Hugues Bernard de la Gatinais and his son, Laurent.

100% estate-grown fruit is sourced from Nero d’Avola and Cabernet Sauvignon plots situated between 1,000 and 1,300 feet above sea level on rich, clay soils. Guyot-trained vines have limited yields of 28 quintals per acre.

Expert Reviews

92 Points Wine Advocate | The top shelf wine released by Tenuta Rapital is the 2013 Hugonis. The wine represents a bold blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d'Avola from the southwest corner of Sicily. This wine is teaming with rich fruit flavors and backing spice. Cola, balsam herb and licorice add to the overall complexity. Hugonis closes with a sweet cherry note and offers thick textural richness. (2013).

90 Points Wine Spectator | Rich notes of black currant, bay leaf and anise are set in an elegant, medium- to full-bodied frame that is well-knit, with supple tannins. Creamy, showing hints of smoke and spicy mineral on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d'Avola. Drink now through 2023. (2013). 

 Winemaker Description

Powerful yet weightless, it presents a beguiling interplay between the aromatic lift of Sangiovese and the darker flavors of the Cabernet Sauvignon. With polished tannins, great persistence, and a lush texture. 

Expert Review

91 Points James Suckling | So much crushed-stone and oyster-shell character to the blue-fruit aromas. Medium body with firm tannins and a minerally finish. From organically grown grapes. Chewy and slightly austere now, so give it time to soften. (2017)

Expert Rating

94 Points Wine Spectator | Bruised apple and persimmon give this a beautiful earthy dimension, while racy, pithy acidity powers the energy. The rich fruit and ripeness is well-matched by the notes of fleur de sel and crushed stone. Shows impressive depth, acid verve and coiled energy, which carries the off-dry profile.

Winemaker Description

Taking its roots deep into the chalk soils of Vouvray, this off-dry wine resonates beautifully in the mouth. Its natural sugar and refreshing acidity blend harmoniously. Aerial and complex, this fruity wine is to be appreciated young, but can reveal itself graciously to the ones who wait. Winemaker Description. 

92 Points Vinous | The 2022 Le Haut-Lieu Sec is a lithe, reductive style with floral character and talcum powder. Full of phenolic, lip-smacking texture woven through its core, lending a sense of satisfying grunt to this dry yet balanced style. Clarity, precision and harmony are keywords in this wine's execution. A little more fleeting on the finish than ideal. (5.5g/L).

The original Huët vineyard is nearly 9 hA. It has the richest soils of the domaine’s three crus - a deep limestone-clay - and the wines are generally the estate’s most approachable. In some vintages, small quantities from nearby estate parcels may be added to Le Haut-Lieu. Winemaker Description.

This Napa Valley Merlot is sourced from a combination of high elevation mountain sites as well as wonderful benchland vineyards around the valley. Freemark Abbey blends in a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon for structure and balance. The wine opens with aromas of ripe plum, blueberry, milk chocolate and cedar. The palate is met with flavors of wild raspberry, bramble fruits, allspice, cinnamon, dry herbs, and oak spice.

The textures are supple yet vibrant with well-integrated tannins that drink beautifully now on its own or paired with a wide range of dishes.

Winemaker Description

The nose is highly perfumed, showing aromas of black cherry, cassis, plum, desert sage, sandalwood and dusty minerality. Secondary aromas reveal notes of cigar box, leather, bay leaf and black olive.

The palate is rich and weighty, offering generous flavors of black raspberry, spicy currant and blueberry compote with impressions of Bing cherry, boysenberry, fig and baking spices. Ripe, fine-grained tannins carry into a structured finish with lingering accents of cherry, espresso and vanilla. 

Winemaker Description

Kishor Winery was established in 2010. It is in the Kibutz Kishorit, a home for adults with special needs. In this community, the members are active contributors, enjoying important work and activities. The winery, Kishor, is an integral part of the community, employing five permanent workers from the Kibutz year-round and hiring more for the intense harvest season. 

Medium-bodied, round, and balanced with a full mouth and rich, crisp acidity. Flavors of grapefruit, lemon, lime, floral, herbal, and mineral, with a touch of oak come across the palate. It has an exceptionally smooth finish. Nice with roasted fish.

Winemaker Description

Aged 6 months in old barrels. 

Aromas of reddish fruit and greenish herbs. Young and vigorous fruit flavors. Medium body with a long residual taste. 

Israel. Kosher for Passover. 

Winemaker Description

Winemaker Description

100% Cabernet Franc from Halutza Vineyard

Dry red wine . The wine has a full body and soft tannins. Aroma of cherries, plums and red berry fruits alongside mild notes of green pepper and dry herbs coming together nicely and leading to a long finish. The deep, bold purple-red color is reached by roughly filtering the wine, stabilizing and closely supervising that it doesn´t get damaged by oxygen

It will go wonderfully with low-fat meat dishes such as sirloin and filet. In addition, it will go wonderfully with Sainte-Maure cheese or ripe Camembert. 

Winemaker Description 

Curious, adventurous and outgoing, Sagittarius enjoy meeting new people, telling stories, and connecting deeply with those around them. Playful and brave, this Fire sign enjoys trying new things and bringing light and humor to the mundane. Cabernet Franc is bold and refreshing with an aroma of eucalyptus that matches a Sagittarius’ honest and inquisitive personality. This wine is smoky and earthy with accents of cherry, raspberry and black pepper. Like the long finish of the Cabernet Franc, Sagittarians leave a lasting impact. As a mutable sign, they love to travel and see new sights, like this grape, which grows across the globe.

Winemaker Description

The Judean Hills, where Tzora Vineyards resides, rise sharply from the coastal plain, and exhibit ideal conditions for growing wine grapes. Terraces cling to this rugged area in a multitude of directions as they follow the contours of the steep slopes. Cold winters, sharp temperature drops during the short summer nights and early morning summer mists, as well as variations in soils from rocky limestone outcrops to ones rich in minerals, all contribute to the character, the balance, and the great longevity of the wines. The wines of Tzora reflect the Judean Hills’ unique terroir. In order to achieve this goal, they make wine only from their estate’s fruit, grown in three vineyards, Giv’at Hachalukim, Shoresh and Neve Ilan, each with varying soils and meso-climates. 

The Tzora Shoresh Blanc is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Chardonnay from grapes grown on old terraces of terra-rosa soils with limestone subsoils. The wine is aged sur-lie for 6 months in French oak barriques. Expressive on the nose with aromas of vanilla, tropical fruit and toast. The palate shows a fine sheen layer of spice to complement the exotic fruit notes that are balanced by a round, creamy mouthfeel and lively acidity. 

Expert Review

93 Points James Suckling (2022) | Very aromatic with a wide spectrum of fresh fruit salad aromas (plenty of citrus), plus notes of ripe gooseberry and honeysuckle. Wonderfully fresh and vibrant on the medium-bodied palate with zesty and animating acidity. Stacks of fresh herb and citrus zest at the long finish, plus a whiff of smoke.

Winemaker Description

The wine, crafted from Grenache, Cinsault, and Vermentino, is aged in concrete and stainless steel tanks to preserve its freshness and purity.

Tasting Notes: This rosé exudes a brilliant sunset pink hue. On the nose, it presents an enticing aromatic bouquet of fresh red berries such as wild strawberries, raspberries, and red currants, with a hint of citrus elements like lime peel in the background. On the palate, there are abundant strawberries and raspberries accompanied by refreshingly dry acidity. The finish is dry and very clean, leaving no aftertaste except for a thirst that entices one to keep sipping.

A bright antique gold wine. The bouquet is complex and inviting with notes of baked apple, quince jelly, biscuit crumb, spice and orange zest. To taste, there’s great intensity and lovely refreshing acid balance, with touches of stone fruit, peach and orange zest enhanced by a hint of sweet spice and a sapid, saline finish that lingers. A definite step-up in complexity and structure thanks to tiny yields and old vines.

Pair with meat or soup as starters, main dishes with truffles, grilled fish and poultry.

Winemaker Description

Israel. A fresh, zesty, bright red blend made from Mourvedre and Grenache Noir with a little Counoise and Syrah. This was the first use of Counoise in Israel. The wine is named after Samuel, Jacques Capsouto’s grandfather and brother. This is a blend exhibiting bright cherry, berry aromas. It has a chewy, mouth filling flavor and a good refreshing acidity on the finish.

Winemaker Description

Sea Sun Pinot Noir has aromas of cherry, light toasted wood, dry earth, clove and a hint of s'mores. The flavors echo the cherry on the nose, with raspberry on the finish. Bright and fruit-driven, with lush cherries and a strikingly soft texture. 

Winemaker Descrption

J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon is dark and dense in color to the rim of the glass. Layered aromas of black cherry, currant and blueberry are accented by an authentic barrel-aged bouquet of dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and roasted coffee.

The palate peaks with high-toned red berry fruit, and follows with bright acidity and a full structure that is both dense and soft at once. 

Winemaker Description

Rico Nuevo is a relatively new player in the Spanish wine scene, but they’re already making plenty of waves. The winery is right near Leon in the heralded Gredos Region. All eight wines they submitted to Parker’s Wine Advocate got at least a 90-point score. 

The key to success here is the region of Gredos itself as well as the 77-year old Garnacha vines that the winery taps into. The region is known for making a more savory, higher toned expression of Garnacha, but Rico Nuevo really epitomizes that elegance.

They divide their own property with 40 micro parcels, all along the highest elevations of the north side of the Gredos Mountains. Here everything is organic and biodynamic and they’re very hands off in the vineyard, letting the gnarly old-vines do all the talking. It works so well.

Tasting Notes: Beautiful red fruit - cherry, cranberry, raspberry. Floral notes and Mediterranean herbs. 

Winemaker Description

Matošević Grimalda Red is a complex and full-bodied red wine from Istria, Croatia. This intense wine is made from the indigenous Teran grape, which is known for its deep ruby color and high acidity. 

The nose is filled with aromas of red fruit, blackberries, and hints of vanilla. On the palate, the wine is bold and robust, with flavors of dark cherries and plums, intertwined with earthy undertones and spicy notes.

This wine is aged for a minimum of 12 months in oak barrels, which gives it additional depth and complexity. Matošević Grimalda Red is the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats, stews, and hearty pasta dishes.

Winemaker Description

Valduero has a clear purpose: to elaborate Reservas and Gran Reservas. Valduero 2 Maderas ages for three years. Intense, lively garnet with a high colored. Fruity aromas and balsamic notes, with details of cumin, cloves and nutmeg. A very well structured wine. Important aftertaste. 

Expert Review

92 Points Decanter | Deftly made wine, with intense fruit and smart oak ageing, redolent of Ribera typicity, with a modern and easygoing style. Very clean, well defined, dry and smooth in mouth, remarkably fresh. Persistent and fruity finish, if not particularly complex. An excellent entry point to Valduero's stable of great wines, which is one of the most notable in the whole region.

This annotated anthology presents a new perspective about the world-famous Madeira Wine, once widely praised and consumed in the United States of America. It produces the result of an in-depth research in primary 19th century American sources, through which one can see the paramount importance this wine once had in American society, from early Colonial days until the mid 1800's, when its sales started to decline due to the disease that destroyed the island's vineyards in 1852.

This book aims at reviving to the present generation a wide variety of forgotten facts and narratives concerning this product of excellence which is still made at the far-off Madeira island, and still reaches the American shores.

 (Winemaker Description

Like every wine at Lichtenberger González, this rosé cuvée of Pinot Noir, Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt is given a whole year to develop. 

Intensely bright and highly animating, the Muschelkalk Rosé 2020 is spontaneously fermented and matured in large wooden barrels. It is bottled shortly before the next harvest.

All handcrafted with great care and patience, Adriana and Martin clearly demonstrate the signature of their winery. This is what the new Burgenland tastes like! 

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | This is not your poolside rosé, as it actually has substance, yet it can be just as vibrant and refreshing. It features notes of smoke, rose water and hibiscus tea, with a faint cherry note marking the finish. It's silky smooth.  Aleks Zecevic. (2020). 

Dessert wine made from particularly sweet and aromatic grapes. Notes of peach, citrus and honey. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description

Romain Guiberteau is a protégé of Clos Rougeard, one of France's most innovative and sought after wineries. Run by Nady Foucault and his late brother Charly, Clos Rougeard helped redefine the Saumur region - specifically Brézé - through biodynamic farming methods and a low intervention mindset.

It was this philosophy, and attention to detail, that Romain Guiberteau applied to his own Domaine in 1996. Since then, his wines have skyrocketed to a similar level of acclaim to Clos Rougeard and deservedly so. 

Energetic and lively with lifted red fruit complexity complimented with earthy spice and refreshing acidity. A wine of purity and harmony providing excellent drinking pleasure. 

Deep dark-purple colour with a vibrant and intense ruby rim. Aromas of ripe wild berries on the nose, combined with notes of violet, black pepper and hints of eucalyptus leaf. In the mouth the rm tannins stand out, together with a vibrant and crisp acidity.

All aromas are perfectly combined, with aftertaste favours of raspberry, blackberry and apricot, ending in a long and enduring finish, so characteristic of Kopke. Winemaker Desrcription.

Super fresh with beautiful peach skin and white cherry aromas and flavors. Subtle herbal, white flower, and stony mineral notes. Mouth-filling, clean, fresh, absolutely delectable.

Grapes of beautiful intensity, perfect for making a macerated wine. White floral and citrus aromatics with hints of spice and fresh tobacco, really elegant tannins and a long dry finish. Producer Description.