$25 - $50 Wine

Winemaker Description

A dark, rich purple in color, this wine is from vines grown in ancient Cambrian earth, formed from Cambrian rocks that are over 500 million years old. A limited edition Shiraz dedicated to the first born children of the founders, this wine boasts aromas of cassis and blackberry. The palate is full-bodied yet refined with perfect integration of French oak and decadent notes of dark fruits, tobacco, and mocha. The finish is long with black pepper overtones, red chili and soft tannins, which give this wine a finish that lingers long after it's been enjoyed. 

Pair with a roast leg of lamb, barbecue, and aged hard cheese.

Winemaker Description

100% hand-harvested Pinot Noir from the cool Spanish Springs Vineyard of San Luis Obispo County. Aged eight months in French oak, this silky, aromatic wine is layered with red currant, pomegranate, rhubarb, spice cake, and cedar. Complex with great tension and energy. Sustainable farming.

What are we up to? In Decideret we make wild fermented ciders and fruit pét-nats. We use surplus garden apples and organic fruit from the best orchards in Denmark.  We make highly enjoyable vinous ciders with little intervention. At the same time we aim to push the boundaries for what cider can be. It is time for a real cider culture Our ciders are quite vinous, dry but at the same time juicy like a pét-nat.

They can be quite different from what is normally perceived as cider. We are working to prove that a cider can be every bit as quenchy as beer, as complex as wine, as sour as lambic, and as fruitful as freshly pressed juice.  We crush and press apples, ferment juice into cider, and bottle it by hand in small and big bottles – cider can be kept well in both a wine cellar and in a breast pocket. Some ciders are to be drunk young and fresh with a full throttle fruity flavour. Other ciders release their potential when aged in oak or with a long maceration.

Winemaker Desription

Ugo Contini Bonacossi is a natural wine producer located in a small village in the heart of Tuscany, Roccalbegna. The labels I’ve designed are all about dreamy and fantastic illustrations that take inspiration from the icon of Bonacossi: the hedgehog. From the characterization of the hedgehog as the main character, I’ve illustrated dreamy tales around him and Roccalbegna’s environment.

In Ughetto, a red wine, Ugo – the owner of the business and winemaker – and his hedgehog alter ego are staring at the moon/sun in a dichotomy between day and night. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2020

Tim Atkin,MW 96 points 96 Points | One of the great Chardonnays of South America - and, indeed, the southern hemisphere - this owes as much to the wines of Jura and Jerez as it does to those of Burgundy. Waxy, leesy and very lightly wooded, with notes of fresh bread and rock salt, some tannic grip from skin contact and layers of citrus peel and grapefruit." 94 points Descorchados "A combination of the two vineyards that Ventisquero has in Huasco, Loncomilla and Nicolasa, both strongly influenced by the presence of the sea breezes, the "camanchaca" fog that spreads out into the valley, providing humidity in a desert landscape. This has the minerality of the place, the way in which the acidity moves through the palate, accompanied by ripe white fruits and earthy, mineral tones that give it a touch of complexity. A chardonnay strongly influenced by its place.

 

Winemaker Description 

Originating from wild vines, Orangetraube was first selected as a recognized varietal in 1840 and has been a part of the Zahel family's field blends (Gemischter Satz) since the winery began in 1930, but only produced as a monovarietal white since 1954.

Two generations later, Alexander Zahel is the last remaining producer of this unique treasure of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 

This unique historic variety from Vienna's vineyards is fresh, complex, and edgy, with under ripe stone fruit and zippy acidity. 

Winemaker Description 

Maçanita’s Douro Branco exemplifies the confluence of richness and elegant minerality that is the hallmark of Douro whites. The indigenous Viosinho provides the backbone to this mineral driven wine, showcasing the slate soil and high altitude plantings that fuel this project. Fermented and aged all in stainless steel, Antonio and Joana very capably maintain the freshness and acidity in this wine, yielding a wine of purity and balance.

Stunning Pinot from the cool, high-altitude Colchagua Valley. Grown on volcanic soils and aged in concrete egg and neutral oak. Light, bright color with high aromatic intensity of fresh strawberries and red fruit such as currants and raspberry. On the palate, mineral with high acidity, along with ripe, soft and persistent tannins. 

Very aromatic with bright, structured strawberry and raspberry fruit, wet leaves, and stoney minerality. Sustainably farmed. Winemaker Description.

Winemaker Description 

Very intense, with lots of haybales and chalk, but also big hints of chamomile and rounder pastry notes. Roasted almonds, old apples and grapefruits peels too. It’s dry, zingy and punchy, with a lot of flor influence and maturity. The warming intensity even hints at a Fino sherry at times.

Founded in Mexico City by Hillhamn Salome, Flor De Luna Distillery is one of Mexico's only female owned and operated distilleries. This complex liquor with a base of high-quality mezcal is named for the Zapotec word for women, "XILA" and contains seven distinct flavor ingredients that work to create the uniquely delicious profile: caramelized pineapple, lavender, ancho chile, hibiscus flower, clove, cinnamon, and black pepper. The mezcal is sourced from Mazatlan, Sinaloa Mexico. It's made in the artisanal method from agave espadin by mezcalero Edilberto Bautista.

Expert Rating

93 Points Wine Enthusiast | This textbook Petite Sirah aged in neutral oak barrels shows the LangeTwins at their best. The wine reveals all the grape variety's inky color, intense black-fruit flavors and grippy tannins. Yet it also adds subtleties of dark chocolate, anise and red roses that emerge with repeated sipping. Best from 2025–2035. (2019).

Winemaker Description

Intense color, rich aromas of pepper jelly, dried cranberry, and black tea.

Situated in the heart of the Lodi AVA, our 100 vineyard produces concentrated fruit, making it the perfect place to plant our Petite Sirah. Matching its intense color, this wine is packed with rich aromas of pepper jelly and dried cranberries, as well as undertones of black tea. This combination of fruit and spice harmonizes on the palate and is supported by warm tannins influenced by 15 months of neutral oak aging.

Certified Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing

 

Winemaker Description

Rose of Grenache. On the Fresh berries, Chalky, Wet Pavement. Ripe currants, strawberries, rhubarb, minerals.

Organically grown grapes. 

Kings Carey entails boutique, small-production wines crafted by winemaker, James Sparks.

At Kings Carey, we keep it simple: single varietal and single vineyard. Carefully-curated grapes and pick times. Little-to-no manipulation. We let the region tell its story, and help the fruit fulfill its destiny.

Winemaker Description 

Still family owned, D’Oliveira date back to 1850, working with cellars built in 1619, so they know a fair bit about making madeira.

The wine has an average age of five years, leading to an inviting, nutty, slightly toasty nose, with flavours of grapefruit, lime, hazelnuts, and orange peel.

The high acidity makes the wine taste dry on the palate, with a smooth, long, and memorable finish. 

Winemaker Description 

An elegant and feminine Riesling with fine fruit of ripe lemon, apricot and pineapple. Juicy and harmonious on the palate, with charming acidity and a fine floral finish. 

Winemaker Description 

Pale yellow. Anised notes. Fine and flexible, fresh in the final. Fresh citrus fruit and herbs on the nose, powerful and mineral on the palate. 

Pair with shellfish, whitefish, sauerkraut. 

Producer Description 

Kawatsuru translates to “river crane” and comes from the sighting of a crane in the river behind the brewery. Crane of Paradise is described as “umakuchi,” a combination between sweet, dry and umami flavors. The perfect summertime sip!

Juicy notes of grapefruit and freshly cut grass, with a hint of salted pineapple. Crisp, dry finish with an almost effervescent energy behind it.

Try with Pizza with prosciutto/speck or smoked salmon with cream cheese. 

Winemaker Description

Syrah Laide translates loosely to Pretty-Ugly, a French term of endearment to describe something that is unconventionally beautiful, a dogma that is applied to each cuvée. "Hawks Butte adds slightly more density and fruit while still wildly fresh with lithe tannin and Halcon compliments with brooding structure. Violet, camphor, white pepper and cedar" - Jolie-Laide 100% Syrah, grapes were planted on two vineyards (Halcon and Hawkes Butte) both at high elevation. 

Grapes are left on stems, crushed by foot and fermented with very light punch downs. The juice is then placed into neutral oak for 10 months. 12-25ppm added SO2 depending on vintage and cuvée. 

Winemaker Descrption

Nestled high in the granite and limestone soils of the Gabilan Mountain Range in the Chalone appellation of Monterey County. Coastal Marine influence of the nearby Monterey Bay combined with high elevations create large diurnal swings that experience much less fog than the valley below make for low yielding fruit with complex concentration and purity.

Foot crushed and fermented whole cluster and aged in neutral barrique.

Dusty red strawberry and cherry complimented by notes of orange zest and spice flow into soft tannin with fresh juicy acid. 

Expert Reviews- Vintage 2018 

Jesica Vargas of the Wine Enthusiast 91 Points | This elegant wine has delicate cocoa powder, black pepper and red-fruit aromas with a dash of espresso and a subtle oaky note. The palate presents firm tannins and nice juicy acidity. It's flavorful with cherry and raspberry blended with coffee bean and spice. It has a lingering fresh finish.

Vinous 90 Points | The 2018 Pinot Noir Herú from Casablanca was made with 30% whole bunches and aged in casks and eggs. Cherry red in hue. The nose features strawberry, herbs and damp earth against an oaky backdrop. Terse and refreshing with a silky, grippy flow; the finish is fruity. A ripely expressive wine.

Decanter 88 Points |  Quite perfumed, raspberry liqueur nose. Rounded and light, with polished tannins and mellow acidity.

91 Points Wine Spectator | Rich and full, this intensely savory rosé is texturally very pure and integrated, with a beguiling mix of sea salt–coated pink grapefruit, rose petal and tangerine notes. Notes of chamomile tea and a green herbal thread add complexity through the succulent, penetrating finish. Tibouren and Grenache. Drink now.

Clos Cibonne’s iconic Cuvée Tradition stands uniquely apart from other Rosés as a classic, one-of-a-kind Côtes de Provence rosé featuring the tibouren grape in the lead role. Cuvée Tradition is legendary amongst experienced French wine collectors for its texture, substance, and ability to age gracefully for a decade or more.

The wine has a salmon-orange color. The nose is enchanting, warm and matures into smooth spicy aromas. Winy, mellow and surprisingly mineral on the palate. Winemaker Description.

The world’s first and only vermouth made with 100% Hondarrabi Zuri Getariako Txakoli Wine. The underlying wine is produced by the fifth-generation of winemakers from the famed Eizaguirre family, from old vines grown high on breathtaking rolling hills just above and overlooking the beautiful Bay of Biscay in Zarautz, Spain.

They pioneered the use of local "Integrated Production" since the climate in the area is too wet for certified organic or biodynamic production methods. Instead of spraying, they bring sheep from a farm next door to eat the dead vine leaves, grass, and pests that would otherwise lead to rot, leaving only the living grapes which fight through rough conditions to produce the wine.

The wild wine made here is famous for its freshness and complexity and this vermouth uses a double maceration technique to highlight it's best qualities. More than 80 mostly local aromatic herbs from all around the Basque Country are extracted in a base spirit of Orujo — a pomace brandy similar to eau de vie. This concoction is aged for several months in old French oak barrels before being blended with the txakoli wine and adjusted to 15% ABV.

The liquid is a bright straw yellow color, with a slight herbaceously green tint. The nose is complex with peach, lemon, spice, and floral notes, and the mouth feel is very much like its underlying txakoli wine — filled with bright acidity, mineral, salinity, and a dry, velvety finish. Producer Description. 

Winemaker Description 

The treasures of El Maestro Sierra are many. From the back of their building they have a clear view of the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1832 the master carpenter José Antonio Sierra founded El Maestro Sierra. As one of the top coopers in the area, José Antonio was the person who made the barrels for all of the big Sherry houses. After years of making barrels for everyone else, he came to the conclusion that he could produce Sherries that were better than what the big Sherry houses were cranking out, so he went about opening up his own little winery.

This little up-start Sherry producer was not welcomed in the world of nobility-owned Sherry houses and so the local gentry did everything they could to stop him. Fortunately the quality of his sherry prevailed over their efforts and José Antonio Sierra became one of the top Almacenistas (stockholders) of high-quality Sherries. Poking fun at his struggle, the label depicts an allegorical fox hunt with the nobles hunting El Maestro Sierra’s fox.

This Amontillado is aged for a total of 12 years under flor and oxidatively in American oak casks. Very explosive aromas of salts and almonds. The palate offers similar flavors in a very elegant framework.

 

The Cidrerie du Vulcain has produced terroir ciders in the canton of Fribourg, in Switzerland, since 2006. Jacques Perritaz, after meeting Eric Bordelet in Normandy, decides to use "forgotten" fruits from isolated and untreated old orchards from the Pays de Fribourg, with a custom press to make natural ciders. Since 2013, he has started planting an orchard of 4 hectares in old varieties with juice, cider, perry and calva called Les Vergers du Vulcains. His orchard is cultivated in organic farming.

The Trois Pépins Dry Cider is made from apples, pears and quince partially fermented using the "guillage" (“foaming”) technique (fermentation of the juice recently funneled, which pushes the foam called yeast out of the barrel). It’s a Pure Juice Cider; fermented with its native yeasts and coarsely filtered. Winemaker Description.

Winemaker Description 

Kurokame Is A Surprising Imo Shochu Made With 'Purple' Satsuma Sweet Potatoes. These Potatoes Have A Robust Reddish Purple Skin, But Are A Pale Yellow Inside. It Is Distilled Traditionally In Earthen Pots (Kame) Using Black Koji (Kuro Koji). Thus The Name, Kurokame ? 

Or Black Stone Pot.

Kurokame Has A Surprisingly Neutral Nose. Imos Tend To Smell Like Fresh Dirt In A Good Way. This Imo Smells More Subtle. Almost A Roasted Essence. The Initial Palate Is Spicy With A Rich Sweetness. And Then The Roast Hits. A Roasted Wheat Flavor. The Roast Holds Along With A Hint Of Sweet Spiciness Throughout the Finish.

Winemaker Description

From the ever-creative and driven Julien Sunier comes this "anytime red", as he fondly refers to it. Wild Soul, like most of Sunier's fruit, is farmed and harvested at high altitude (400m), resulting in freshness, aromatic vibrancy, a lythe presence on the palate, and endless pleasure. 

Winemaker Description 

This wine is a gorgeous lemon yellow with a hint of gold. Your glass is filled lush fruit and soft lily florals. On the nose, there’s fresh pear, pineapple and ripe melon. Following you into the palate, there is juicy pear with crisp apple, white peach and bright citrus. The finish is refreshing and lingering, making this the perfect wine to pair with a savory cheese board or your favorite brunch dishes. 

Winemaker Description

Israel. Alma is a dark full-bodied lively wine showing generous aromas of cherries, plums and sweet dark fruits with a buttery palate offering essences of vanilla, cloves and green tea.

The grapes for this wine were picked and fermented in separate batches. 

The wine was pressed out just before completing fermentation and Malolactic fermentation was encouraged, once completed the wine was racked into French oak barrels for 12 months, after which each parcel was individually tasted, the final blend was made and allowed to age for a further six months in small French barriques.

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | We think of this as Israeli Chateauneuf-du-Pape, tasted blind it will fool you! Mike DeSimone writes:  Blackberry, cassis and toasted nut aromas emanate from the glass. There is a nice bright note of pomegranate underlying Mission fig, eucalyptus, dark chocolate, orange zest and caramel flavors. Luxurious tannins and well-balanced acidity stroll hand in hand into a lengthy finish.

Winemaker Descrption 

Milan Nestarec Youngster Red is a red natural wine made from a blend of Zweigelt, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Dornfelder. The grapes are hand-harvested and destemmed. The juice ferments in 2000-liter stainless steel tanks. The wine ferments for about 2 months, with occasional pigeage and indigenous yeast fermentation. Elevage takes place in the same tanks for about 2 months. The wine is bottled unfiltered, unfined, and with zero sulfur added.

Winemaker Description 

The largest single component comes from the old vines at Bedrock, followed by the perfumed goodness of Esola, the softer but fresh Schmiedt, and the peppery, dark-fruited Nervo Ranch.

As usual, almost all of the wine consists of declassified barrels from vineyard-designated wines, so it offers serious bang for the buck. 85% Zinfandel with the balance a blend of Carignan, Mataro, Grenache, and Alicante Bouschet, along with esoteric creatures like Aubun, Abouriou, and many more. 

Winemaker Description

Lush and powerful, the 2020 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir showcases this valley’s great fruit. The wine presents vivid aromas of amarena cherry, marionberry, lilac, and baking spices. Subtle notes of rhubarb, currant, rosemary, and earth add depth and complexity. Lively and youthful, the wine delivers excellent balance, purity of fruit, and sustained richness with a velvety texture, and it is sure to develop beautifully in the cellar.

This dinner table classic pairs exceptionally with coq au vin, mushroom ravioli, roasted pecans and walnuts, grilled vegetables, or creamy cheeses. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2020 

Wine Spectator 90 Points | This has nice, subtle energy, with rippling rooibos tea, blood orange and red currant notes that meld steadily through a savory finish. 

Winemaker Description

Impenetrable garnet ruby red. Very elegant to the nose, it reminds of marasca with spicy and liquorice notes. Rich, full with remarkable cherry notes and a marasca ending lightly spiced. Tannins are soft and pleasant.

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | Rich aromas of cocoa powder and carob ride over the dense dark-berry core on the nose. Wild-berry flavors are wrapped in cinnamon and clove accents on the palate, with integrated tannins and fresh acidity lending support. It's accessible now and should hold well through 2025. — Alexander Peartree

Winemaker Description

The wine presents a deep ruby red color with evident shades of violet. The nose is remarkable for a delicate and characteristic, in- tense and aromatic vinous aroma, suggestive of roses, violets and brushwood.

Flavor dry and warm, with clear and pungent but not rasping tannins. Soft and fairly rounded, and also with good body and persistence.
 
This wine is traditionally matched with typical local charcuterie such as Lardellato di Fabriano or Ciavuscolo salami, first courses based on Salsa Rossa and meat sauce, and second courses based on white meats. It can also be accompanied by antipasti of blue fish, marinaded or soused in the same wine, and some types of fish soup. It is also excellent with medium-hard cheeses.

Goblet of medium size and roughly spherical shape, to allow the wine to oxygenate properly and for the aromas to open up completely.