$25 - $50 Wine

Winemaker Descrdiption

Guigal Crozes Hermitage is a dark and deep color. On the nose, red fruits, cherry and strawberry with delicate oak aromas. A structured tannic wine. Aromas of blackcurrant buds and vanilla. Remarkable freshness with notable and refined tannins to due long oak aging.

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 92 Points | A generous, alluring red, with red currant and cassis amped up with sweet spices, tarragon and singed cedar. Reveals cured salumi notes that add earthy, animal richness to the dense palate, firmed up by savory acidity and slightly chewy tannins. Offers a spine of iron that reins in the lushness. Drink now through 2030. (2020). 

James Suckling 91 Points | An extremely typical example of this appellation with stacks of fresh blackberry fruit, plus delicate notes of smoke and pepper. Zesty interplay of bright fruit and crisp tannins on the medium-bodied palate. From the northern part of the appellation. Most is matured in large oak foudre, and a small proportion in oak barriques. Drink or hold. (2020). 

Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | Now from bottle, the 2020 Crozes-Hermitage showed nicely, with the juicy, forward, elegant style of the vintage. Ripe blackberries, game, violets, and hints of pepper all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, has a pretty, silky, elegant mouthfeel, soft tannins, and a great finish. It's a classic, balanced, incredibly satisfying Crozes Hermitage to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years. (2020). 

Winemaker Description

Sourced from cool climate vineyards along the Sonoma Coast, which saw a relatively even growing season, the 2020 Crossbarn Pinot Noir shows deep ruby in the glass with inviting aromas of pomegranate, black cherry, and bay leaf with a touch of violet. On the palate, juicy notes of fresh raspberry compote mingle with tart cranberry and a touch of forest floor, with a hint of salinity that speaks to its coastal origins complementing a lifting acidity and refreshing finish.

Expert Reviews 

James Suckling 92 Points | Perfumed aromas of red and black cherries, red licorice, cooking spice and rose water. Medium-to full-bodied with steady acidity that helps to articulate the dark-fruit and tobacco flavors, but retains freshness throughout. Sandy, easy-going tannins. Wet-stone finish. 100% estate grown. (2020). 

Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | The 2020 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is flush with pristine fruit on the nose, including cherry candy, crushed flowers, and forest floor. The palate is fresh with red raspberry and cinnamon, and it has refreshing acidity on the finish. This is a lovely, classic wine for drinking over the next couple of years. (2020). 

Winemaker Description

The vineyards for this wine are located in Soria which is in the far Eastern portion of Ribera del Duero. This area is not the "norm" for most wines from Ribera. The vineyards in this area tend to be very old and "ungrafted".

A mixture of limestone, decomposed granite and clay. A majority of the blend is comprised of grapes grown on the granite and clay sites with some limestone used to create structure and depth.

Bertrand Sourdais, the head of the project is working with the vineyard owners to work biodynamically and organically.

15 day macerations in Inox. Temperature controlled. Spontaneous fermentation. No fining and No filtering. 6 months in used French barrique. 

Winemaker Description

La Copa Rojo is based on a Cream Sherry, a blend of 75% Palomino and 25% PX, with the addition of six botanicals; wormwood, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange peel and savory.

Intense spiced aroma, notes of clove and cinnamon stand out, with an elegant bitterness on the finish. On the palate smooth velvety slightly sweet note from the Cream base. Enjoy well chilled on its own or with soda and a slice of orange. A key ingredient in many cocktails. 

92 Points Wine Enthusiast | Brilliant in apples, vanilla, butter and pineapples, this full-bodied and silkytextured wine grabs attention with its sunny aromas. It follows up with a generous palate of fruits, mild spices and a melted texture that’s so easy to sip. (2021).

Aromatic and inviting, this Estate Chardonnay opens with the alluring aroma of freshly baked cardamom buns. The palate is fresh and complex, layering flavors of lemon zest, beeswax, and lemon verbena that delightfully linger on the palate. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description 

Israel. The Castel La Vie Blanc is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer; each varietal adds its own beauty to this crisp white wine.

The Chardonnay is the backbone lending structure and balance, the sauvignon blanc adds citrus and melon notes, while the Gewurztraminer rounds out the floral characters and contributes to the overall silky texture. This wine is a great showing from a overall great Israeli winery.

Expert Review

Kristen Bieler writes:  A flinty, fresh version, with light-to-medium weight to the crunchy nectarine and lime blossom flavors. Notes of chopped chives, green pea and wet stone add dimension. Round in feel, with modest zip holding the finish. Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Drink now.  - Wine Spectator

Winemaker Description 

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

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | Readers looking for a classic Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir that won’t break the bank should check out the 2018 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast from Patz and Hall. Revealing a translucent ruby/purple color as well as a beautiful perfume of wild strawberries, framboise, savory herbs, and earthy, crushed stone-like minerality, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a bright spine of acidity, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish.

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | This is a great representation of coastal intensity and freshness, built around a spicy, full-bodied core of dark-berry fruit, crushed rock and dried herb. Forest and tea accents underscore its wild appeal and provenance. 

Winemaker Description 

From the cool-climate charm of our Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir to our sought-after single-vineyard bottlings from the Russian River Valley, Carneros, Mendocino and the Santa Lucia Highlands, our Pinot Noir program captures the vibrant diversity of this exceptional varietal. In the winery, we craft wines that balance the depth, power and purity of Pinot Noir with elegance, structure and finesse.

Our mission at RCW is to be stewards of our tremendous vineyards while welcoming each successive generation to our wines and our culture ... without requiring a ridiculous price of entry. To that end, we are thrilled to present another vintage of this affordable and amazing introduction to the wines of The Craig, for those not familiar with what we do ... as well as a reward to our current customers.

Predominately Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, and Malbec, our 2020 edition was produced from our very best estate fruit that was declassified due to the fires and the reputation of the vintage rather than the quality of the fruit that came in early. This wine is profoundly dark and deep and presents the thrilling, racy nature of Howell Mountain minerality and sense of place. I cannot tell you what a great buy this all-estate Howell Mountain Bordeaux blend represents. Open it now and give it some air, or stash in the cellar for the brown bag victory in ten years. 2020 is a tiny but wonderful vintage in certain pockets of the Napa Valley."

Aromas of ripe green and golden apple, accented by fresh white peach and light oak notes. Across the palate, this golden wine is silken in texture with flavors of apple, citrus and pear balanced by refreshing acidity. The long finish is clean, with underlying hints of minerality, vanilla and lemon. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description

Chocolate profile with cherries and plum hints.  The wine is large to medium bodied but yet soft at the back end.  

A grand cru with great concentration and keeping freshness. Matter and elegance. 

Winemaker Description 

This area bears a name that immediately evokes the main character of the terroir: heat. Rocky outcrops increase temperatures by reflecting the sun's rays during the day and releasing heat at night. The steep slope allows the sun's rays to strike the ground perpendicularly, thus increasing the solar radiation. A good amount of soil allows the Nebbiolo to mature in terms of sugar content, but above all in terms of polyphenols.

Ruby red hue tending to garnet; pronounced, layered nose with top notes of cherry, ripe plum and sweet spice (cinnamon and cloves) and a tinge of sulphur; dry, mineral and austere but harmonious on the palate, with an elegant slightly bitter finish of roasted hazelnut. Serve with roasted red meats, lamb, game, and mature cheeses.

Expert Review

San Francisco Chronicle | Brendel likes to say that they have a secret ingredient: dirt. Their range of wines are made from some of the best sites in Napa’s most renowned regions, including the eastern side of Rutherford (the main component here), the highest elevations of Howell Mountain, two diverse sites in St. Helena, and a steep plot in Oak Knoll. Each vineyard is chosen for its quality and unique aptitude, with soil types ranging from volcanic to clay to bring out the best in each grape in their array of wines. It’s, as they put it, good dirt.

Winemaker Description 

The 2021 Brendel Cooper’s Reed Cabernet Sauvignon is a fresh and vibrant take on Napa Valley’s famed grape varietal. Harvested under moonlight, the fruit is crushed at cool temperatures and then thoughtfully monitored throughout fermentation. After a 7-10 day fermentation, the wine is gently pressed to oak casks where it is allowed to mature for 9 months prior to bottling. Fruit is sourced from prized vineyards in Napa and Sonoma, giving the wine its mouthwatering structure, and elevage in upright oak casks preserves the bright red and black fruit characteristics.
– Brittany Sherwood, Director of Winemaking

Graupert – "wild" in the local Burgenland dialect – is the name given to Meinklang Estate's orange wine. Made from Pinot Gris, it takes its shade from a 17-day skin maceration. Raised on fine lees in stainless steel tanks for 8 months, it is unfiltered and vegan.

The wine baffles by its colour, but captivates by its tension, its notes of dried apricot, candied orange zest, mandarin and flowers. The perfect bottle to accompany a poke bowl or tuna tataki.

Winemaker Description

The 2019 vintage of G d’Estournel overcame extreme weather and less rain, benefiting from the age and deep roots of its vines, enhanced ploughing, and the fresh air from the nearby Gironde Estuary. This vintage delivers a vivacious and balanced profile, combining freshness and richness with a vigorous yet discreet character. It is vibrant, with peppery notes and a long, silky finish. The nose features blackcurrant and violet, complemented by aromas of eucalyptus, thyme, and rosemary.

Expert Reviews

Critic Notes

James Suckling writes:  A vivid and crunchy pinot with lots of sea salt, strawberries and hibiscus with hints of violets and sandalwood. Notes of fresh flower stem. it’s medium-bodied with pretty fruit and a long, bright finish with plenty of energy. Drink now.  - James Suckling 94

Winemaker Description 

Lively and intense, this Sancerre is dry and classic in style with aromas and flavors of peaches, green apples, gooseberries and quince with a backbone of stony minerality. Perfectly balanced acidity makes this a perfect pairing to grilled fish, poultry and vegetable based dishes.

This vivacious and insanely refreshing wine is characterized by notes of citrus, white flowers and baked bread. The juice’s bright, salivating acidity leads to a long-lasting finish. The wine pairs perfectly with fresh cheeses, buttered popcorn and raw bar favorites. ‘La Nature’L’ is the leading cuvée at Rafflin and is the most widely produced/sold bottling at the estate.

Hervé Rafflin took over his small family winery back in 2001, though his familial roots in Champagne date back to the 1840s. The estate’s 5 hectares are situated in the heart of the Montagne de Reims in the villages of Chigny-les- Roses, Ludes, Rilly la Montagne and Taissy.

A little over half of the vines are dedicated Pinot Meunier, with the rest rounded out by Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Vines average 30-40 years in age and as of 2021 are certified organic.

The estate puts out anywhere from no more than 5,000 to 13,000 bottles annually, depending on the vintage. To say we are a small production Champagne would be an understatement. 

Delicious, unpretentious, and always reflective of the growing season and the unique terroir of the Montagne de Reims. At Rafflin, nature dictates business, not demand. 

• Grapes: 26% Pinot Meunier, 36% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir. 60% 2016 + reserve wines.
• Soil/Terroir: 1er cru Chigny les Roses - lignite clay, green marl, Bartonian limestone, Ludian limestone (Upper Eocene, between 41 and 38 million years old), Campanian chalk, colluvium, marl
and Thanetian sand.
• Farming Practices: Organic (in conversion).
• Vinification: Malolactic fermentation with exogenous yeasts and dosage limited to 1.8 g/l.
• Aging: Aged in stainless steel tanks for 8 months.
• SO2: added at harvest and before bottling.
• Alc/Vol: 12.5
• Number of bottles produced: 9000

Producer Description 

The unique traits of Wiemer’s Magdalena Vineyard are featured in this lush Riesling. A beneficial air exchange with Seneca Lake moderates the temperatures, creating a warmer and more protective site in the colder months and a cooling effect throughout the summer. The airflow keeps the vineyard dry, and deep soil provides room for spreading root growth. The lime silt loam soil that the site is celebrated for is crucial to the development of flavor intensity in the grapes. Magdalena wines are striking and powerful, and develop very well over time– whether in the glass or in the cellar.

Critic Notes 

The Wine Enthusiast by Christina Pickard writes 95 Points | Still a spring chicken, this top Riesling—if drunk now—needs a few good swirls in the glass before releasing delicate orange citrus, jasmine and honeysuckle aromas from the clutch of more reductive ones. There's richness and intensity on the dry, slippery palate, cut with citrusy acidity and a chalk dust minerality to the ultralong finish. This is a wine of complexity and class that should cellar until 2032 or longer.

The Côtes du Vivarais is an AOC situated on the western side of the Rhône in Ardèche.  This region is renowned for producing wines with high mineral content due to the limestone and clay-rich soils.  Alain Gallety, a pioneering winemaker, founded this domaine with the goal of finding the perfect soil for his wines. He is now a respected figure in the expansive Côtes du Vivarais. The entire range of wines, from the entry-level to the single vineyard cuvées, is exceptional.  Alain Gallety embarked on his viticultural journey with his father in 1974 in an area that was later designated as the Côtes du Vivarais appellation in 1999. Today, Alain and his son David-Alexandre manage the 15-hectare organic domaine.

"We love this Rhône white for its distinct weight with enhanced mineral notes, keeping the wine from being flabby. Citrus and orchard fruit are prominent flavors that make this wine versatile with many dishes."

Pairings: White fish, Roast turkey, Veal piccata, and the hen & potato stew
Grapes: 50% Grenache Blanc 40% Marsanne 10% Roussanne
Soil: Clay
Viticulture: Organic (Practicing)

• All grapes harvested by hand

• All grapes are fermented together in stainless steel tank

• Wine ages in stainless steel until bottling, 4 to 8 months after harvest

• Bottled unfined and unfiltered

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com | Classic dark fruited Dolcetto made from 50 year old vines. The bouquet is full of earthy black cherry aromas that carry through the mid-palate. Light to medium bodied yet well structured with a good balance of refreshing acidity and lifted tannins. Round, juicy and succulent, a perfect wine for tomato based dishes, sharp cheeses and vegetarian inspired recipes.

Winemaker Description

The Dolcetto for this wine is sourced from both the Paje and Carso vineyards in Barbaresco, which is part of the Asili hill. Paje is particularly rich in calcareous marl soil with a high content of active limestone. Carso sits next to the fortresses of Barbaresco, facing East, with limestone clay soil and a significant presence of sand. Hand-harvested in September. The vines for this wine have a minimum age of 45 years. Fermented lasts for ten days in large french casks with a pied de cuvee made with indigenous yeasts. Submerged cap maceration then follows for 90-100 days. The wine then ages in neutral french oak botti for approximately one year.

Winemaker Description

An appealing golden colour, with an amber rim. Elegant and complex, it shows aromas of spice, with prevailing notes of dried fruit and elegant hints of wood and honey. Smooth and round on the palate, it shows complexity amidst intense flavours of dried fruit. An excellent finish. 

Expert Review

Decanter 95 Points | Kopke is the oldest of all the Port wine houses having been established in 1638. They produce outstanding tawnies (and aged whites) at all levels, up to and including a new 50 Year Old Tawny. Pale orange -amber in colour, this is gently toasted on the nose with lovely fresh citrus and dried fruit and smooth, savoury complexity on the finish.

Tasting Notes

Aromas of lime, slate, chalk and fresh citrus fruits leap out of the glass atop a concentrated, citrus and pineapple fruit on the palate. Layers of mineral and citrus on the finish with racy acidity.

Critic Notes

Bruce Sanderson writes:  This white shows intensity, offering plenty of succulent peach and floral aromas and flavors. Clean, lemony acidity keeps the palate refreshed, with a chalky feel in the end. Drink now through 2028.  - Wine Spectator 90

Winemaker Description

This beautifully aromatic wine leaps out of the glass with concentrated notes of red currant, boysenberry, cassis, roasted coffee and dark chocolate, along with savory undertones and notions of sweet oak. On the palate it is rich and mouthcoating, with a seamless texture and supple tannins framing luxurious layers of dark berry fruit, barrel spice and fresh herbs. 

Winemaker Description

Dark scarlet red in color, with aromas of blackberry, cherry and boysenberry highlighted with layers of cocoa. A rich and opulent wine offering flavors of marionberry accented by hints of dried fig and choclate covered blueberry this wine is velvety with supple, refined tannins and a silky, lush finish.

Winemaker Description

Monte Bernardi Retromarcia Chianti Classico is a deep, ruby red with hints of purple. Intense notes of mountain herbs, aromas of cranberry, wild cherry and red plums, anise, spice, and orange peel. Fresh and fruity, medium-bodied, well balanced, with a nice structure, juicy acidity and a long finish.

Expert Review

Decanter 91 Points | A lovely vintage for Retromarcia, this smells of place: scents of bergamot and lavender meet fresh herbs and wild red berries. The midweight, buoyant palate is juicy with ripe red cherry and raspberry enfolded in layers of fine, well-structured tannins. A subtle earthiness adds appeal. As with the Sangió, this sees a spontaneous fermentation with native yeast, and is unfiltered and carries low total sulphur (less than 25mg/L). It hails from the estate’s younger vines (less than 20 years old) from varying aspects, elevations and soils. (2021)

 Winemaker Description

With the Classic, it is a fresh and fruity wine that expresses itself. 

The combination of freshness and delicate fragrances allows it to be served with grilled white fish and meats, shellfish, vegetable tians and Japanese dishes. Also, ideal for an aperitif. 

Winemaker Description

This wine is made in accordance with Georgia’s ancient winemaking traditions. Organic farming and fermented in a set of Qvevri’s (aka Kvevri’s) designed for fermentation and another set of Qvevri’s designed for aging. Bottled with minimal to no sulfur and no filtering or fining. Result is clean, concentrated and balanced. 6 months on skins. Dry, deep amber, nose of honey, fruit, nuts. Bold depth and slight minerality.

Winemaker Description

Karine Lauverjat's top-selling Sancerre: unbeatable quality for the price. From thirty year-old vines grown in a clay-limestone soil predominantly in Sury-en-Vaux. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, spending a total of three months on the lees. 

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.