$50 - $75 Wine

#9 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2025 - this is truly one of the great wines from Tuscany you can purchase this year.  And highly sought after! 

95 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: This wine represents a selection of the best Sangiovese sourced from various plots with a tiny addition of Merlot and Malvasia Nera. The Castello di Ama 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo takes a few extra moments to open in the glass, but unlike the La Casuccia that holds back, this wine comes into full view quickly enough. The wine's flavor profile is a little meatier and fuller, and this could be linked to the warm vintage conditions. San Lorenzo is a generous wine, and it is a bottle you can enjoy in the medium or long term.

95 Points Wine Spectator : Deep, dark and densely wrought, featuring black cherry, blackberry, violet, iron and tobacco aromas and flavors. Its sinewy tannins are enhanced by the vivid acidity. Everything comes together on the crystalline aftertaste, which echoes the fruit and floral elements. Power meets finesse. Sangiovese and Merlot.

95 Points Decanter A clever bridge between the entire Castello di Ama stable, San Lorenzo is a selection of older vines from key estate vineyards. It also includes both Merlot and Malvasia Nera, which contribute to the identity of the cru bottlings. In 2021, this flagbearer is a brilliant balance of fruit and territorial expression with deftly integrated oak. Tobacco, iron and nutmeg infuse dark plum and cherry. There is great flow and length, with tangy, mouth-cleansing acidity. Articulate aromas and flavours along with finessed tannins give a sense of readiness – but that authoritative structure has the last word.

99 Points James Suckling: This is really perfumed and gorgeous, with black cherries, blackcurrants and violets. Full-bodied with totally integrated tannins and a palate presence that is pretty spectacular. Wonderful finish. Give this three or four years.

Winemaker Notes

92 Vinous: The 2018 Brut Nature Blanc de Noirs L'Arbre is such a pleasure to taste. Creamy and ample in the glass, the 2018 offers a compelling mix of Meunier richness and brighter, more saline accents that serve as an attractive counterpoint. Spice, dried pear, chamomile, dried flowers and ginger build nicely with time in the glass, leading to a vibrant, bracing finish. Disgorged: December, 2021.

Winemaker Notes

Producer Description

100% Pinot Noir

• From Cumières 1er Cru, three plots all on the midslope
• A pure expression of Pinot Noir from Cumières
• No malo
• Fermented and aged in demi-muids and barrels
• Aged 66 months on the lees
• Dosage: 3g/L
• On the nose, a complex bouquet of aromas of red fruit, baked apple and hints of dried fruit. Airy, lively and nervous on the palate. With its balance of richness and freshness, this Champagne stands out. It has the depth and complexity to accompany a gourmet meal. A fine match for roast poultry or mature cheeses.

Expert Reviews- Vintage 2020 

The Wine Enthusiast by Mike DeSimone 94 Points | This deep garnet-colored wine has a nose of black currant, sage leaf and cherry pipe tobacco. It is smooth at first sip and then bold tannins settle in and coat the tongue and gums. Blackberry, raspberry, cocoa powder, crème brûlée and orange zest flavors are accompanied by a note of butterscotch that endures on the palate.

James Suckling 92 Points | Spicy oak to the fresh blackberries with some vanilla, smoke, walnut and dried orange peel. Chewy and pretty tannic with juicy fruit on the tight, medium- to full-bodied palate. Long and grippy finish. Needs at least two years to come around. Better from 2025.

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

The Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | While this wine is currently quiet, it shows a lot of promise. Mouthwatering and long on the palate, it offers attractive citrus pith, delicate white flowers and fresh almonds.

Winemaker Description 

Daniel-Etienne Defaix's commitment to extraordinarily long aging, organic farming, and natural fermentations puts him well outside the region's mainstream, but his deeply expressive late-released wines are Chablis to their core. In generations past, long aging in Chablis was more the rule than the exception, but today Danny is virtually alone in that practice.

The Defaix family—one of the oldest winegrowing families in the region—owns thirty hectares of vines, the vast majority of which are in premier and grand cru vineyards, but Danny designates only his best lots each vintage as cru-level, declassifying the remainder as villages.

Astonishingly, he bottles these cru-level wines only after eight to ten years of aging in tanks, therein undergoing a slow natural settling which prevents the need for filtration. Long aging, however, is not the only way in which Defaix distinguishes himself. He relies exclusively on naturally occurring yeasts—a rare practice in Chablis—and his fermentations routinely last between three and six weeks (inoculating gets it done in four-to-six days), with malolactic fermentation sometimes requiring two years to finish in his frigid cellar.

Les Lys is a tiny five-hectare cru of which Defaix owns three and a half hectares, all in a southeast-facing section called Clos du Roi—effectively a monopole of the domaine. Its poor soils of pure Kimmeridgian limestone produce perhaps the most complete and distinctive wine in Defaix’s cellar. Combining some of the power of the “Vaillon” with the chalky intensity of the “Côte de Lechet,” “Les Lys” ratchets up the aromatic complexity of the previous two, yet comes across as pure and harmonious.

The palate offers ample richness, yet a sense of tension keeps it from feeling opulent, and the chiseled finish offers a strong sensation of dry extract.

Expert Review - Vintage 2018

James Suckling 92 Points | A rich, fruity red with plum, chocolate and walnut character. It’s full-bodied with lots of round tannins and a savory finish.

Monica Larner writes;  The 2018 Maremma Toscana Ornello is a blend of Sangioveto (Sangiovese), Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from the design winery of Rocca di Frassinello on the Tuscan Coast. This wine pays homage to the "butteri," or cowboys, that roam this remote and hilly terrain with their sturdy horses and leather hats. This wine shows a dark and meaty character, no doubt added by the Syrah, with some burnt ember and exotic spice. The bouquet is infused with dark fruit, dried plum and blackberry preserves. This is a full-bodied Tuscan red to pair with cowboy meals of steak and beans.  Drinking 2020 to 2028.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 92

Antonio Galloni writes:  The 2018 Rocca di Frassinello is a bold, exotic wine. Ripe red cherry, kirsch, cinnamon and rose petal are all kicked up in this flamboyant Maremma red. Plush fruit and silky tannins add to its considerable appeal. Hints of sweet pipe tobacco, cedar and mint appear over time, adding striking inner perfume and sweetness. The 2018 is a decidedly racy Rocca di Frassinello.  Drinking 2020 to 2033.  - Vinous 94

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

Deep dense intense ruby red colour, with a purple viscous rim. Intense nose with ripe blackberry, wild strawberry and spices. Powerful and expansive on the palate, with ripe tannins and great balance. Round and fresh ending, long-lasting, with aromatic persistence.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

Monica Larner of The Wine Advocate writes 93 Points | This Brunello boasts an open-knit style with textured tannins and lots of dark fruit at its core. With an ample 120,000 bottles made, the Tenute Silvio Nardi 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is a medium to full-bodied Sangiovese with a combination of dried blackberry flavors and sweetly toasted oak.

Bruce Sanderson of The Wine Spectator 93 Points | Rich and polished, featuring cherry, strawberry, earth, sanguine and tobacco flavors underscored by a wave of impenetrable tannins. Nonetheless, this red is not overly astringent, and there’s a lasting impression of ripe fruit. Just needs time.

Winemaker Description 

This full-bodied wine offers intense aromas and flavors of red berries offset by notes of leather and incense, supported by firm, elegant tannins.

Pair with thick porterhouse steak or rich fish such as sturgeon or grouper.

Tenute Silvio Nardi’s classic Brunello is a blend of the finest grapes from the Manachiara and Casale del Bosco estates. Silvio Nardi follows the strict DOCG laws required of a classified Brunello di Montalcino. Yield is limited and only the top 70% of the hand harvested grapes is used to make the wine. The fruit is carefully handpicked and sorted. The wine is aged in two types of oak and in the bottle before release.

Producer Description 

Our GOTT 2022 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas of black cherry, blackberry, black currant, and cocoa, with subtle notes of cedar and sweet tobacco. On the palate, rich dark fruit flavors lead to complex, well-structured tannins on the mid-palate and are balanced by a long, elegant finish with delicate hints of dried herbs.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2013

The Wine Advocate 93 Points | The 2013 Alghero Marchese di Villamarina is a pricey wine but it is also an ambitious one. This pure expression of Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the first wines to put Sardinia on the world wine map. It is a symbol of the soaring aspiration of island viticulture in a modern context (remember, archaeological traces of the Mediterranean's oldest wines were found here). The wine possesses a dark and richly concentrated appearance with lingering aromas of dark fruit, spice and black olive. The mouthfeel is dense and compact with a dry, mineral-driven finish. This is a great wine from a classic vintage.

James Suckling 91 Points | Blackberry, dried-blueberry, dried-herb, earth and some smoked-meat aromas. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, well integrated tannins. Savory and flavorful finish. Drink or hold.

The Wine Spectator 91 Points | Featuring trim tannins, a delicate herbal overtone and a tangy, minerally underpinning, this elegant, medium- to full-bodied red displays a more traditional side, while pure notes of ripe black currant, spice box, citrus and pomegranate provide harmony and pleasure. Drink now through 2025.

Winemaker Description 

Rich, majestic red in color. On the nose, intense and mellow with remarkable red fruit fragrances. The palate demonstrates classic flavors of Cabernet with accents of vanilla, black currant, soft grained tannins with a lingering finish.

A match for top quality steaks, red meats, and game.

Winemaker Description 

The Antique Amontillado comes from a very old Fino (8 yrs old) which is refortified from 15.5% to 18.0% ABV and introduced into a solera of Amontillado where it spends a further 12 years.

Light ambar color. Exceptionally aromatic, completely dry and long aftertaste. 

Expert Reviews

92 Points Robert Parker | The NV Antique Amontillado is amber-colored and has a subtle nose of tobacco, some iodine, pollen, beeswax and hazelnuts. The medium- to full-bodied palate shows lots of concentration and acidity, with a very intense finish. 4,000 bottles are produced yearly.

91 Points Wine Spectator | A dry, nervy style, offering balsam wood, clove, dried orange peel and Brazil nut notes that weave together through the lacy finish. Shows range, but stays delicate in feel overall.

Our Professional Review 

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com writes | Made from 50 year old organic and Biodynamically grown Nero d’Avola vines, the 2020 Contrada is a beautifully crafted, totally natural Sicilian red wine. The bouquet is deep and rich with earthy plum and dark berry and licorice aromas that mingle playfully with notes of exotic spices. In the mouth the flavors are seductive and elegant with purity, freshness and detailed complexity. An exceptionally unique expression of Nero d’Avola.
Bart Hopkins

Winemaker Description 

Appearance : Opaque red-black. Scarlet rim. Aroma: Initially closed. The wine opens to an amalgam of minerals and unctuous super-ripe berries. Palate : Deep, rich and ripe. Black fruits (cherries, plums) give way to hints of liquorice, molasses and a hint of cinnamon. Solid tannins and focused acidity with a long finish.

Tasting notes | Deep, rich, and ripe. Black fruits (cherries, plums) give way to hints of licorice, molasses, and a hint of cinnamon. Solid tannins and focused acidity with a long finish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2019

Allen Meadows of Burghound writes | Discreet wood frames earthier and more sauvage-inflected aromas of spiced plum and dark currant. There is both fine volume and concentration to the medium-bodied flavors that exhibit surprisingly good power on the serious, rustic and youthfully austere finale. This isn't a refined effort, but it offers very good quality for its level. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 93 Points |  A bright and racy pinot with lots of strawberries, raspberries, hibiscus, spices and dried lavender. Tense and agile with a medium body and a crunchy feel to its tannins. Fresh and minerally. Drink now or hold.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Plush and elegantly structured, this red unfurls raspberry and cherry flavors accented with forest floor, black tea and savory spices as this builds tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2032.

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | Crisp, mouthwatering acidity is but one of many highlights here. Pretty dried rose-petal and dark raspberry aromas are flanked by a loamy soil note. The flavors are fruit-driven, with raspberry and lemon flavors uniting with tiny bits of sugar cookie and walnut behind a curtain of silky tannins. — Michael Alberty

Winemaker Description 

The 2022 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir touts all the hallmarks of our storied appellation. It begins with hints of ripe plum skin, ocean air, baking spices, and cocoa powder dustiness on the nose. The palate is just as expressive, with fresh, juicy red fruit backed by graceful tannins, a complex brininess, and a mouth-watering acidity. Finishing with spiced oak and a mouth-coating basalt minerality, this wine is great now and will be for years to come.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | This ripe and generous wine smells like a cherry pie and tastes like warm raspberries and cherries dusted with cinnamon and ground cloves. It’s a welcoming, almost-sweet Pinot that is comfy in texture and alluring in flavor.

Wine Spectator 91 Points | Juicy and elegant, with a savory edge to the mix of gently mulled raspberry and cherry fruit flavors, revealing a sous-bois accent as they move through the finish. Drink now through 2027. 342 cases made.

Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | Pouring a deep youthful red hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir Reserve is ripe and expressive on opening, offering loads of black cherries, sweet herbs, forest floor, and cola. Medium-bodied, it retains good levity on the palate while keeping a ripe feel, with ripe tannins and a clean finish.

Winemaker Description 

Ripe cherry and plum aromas open to a complex mix of rhubarb, forest floor, creamy oak and exotic dark floral tones. The fruit flavors continue a smooth, full bodied palate with forest floor, vinous and dark cherry flavors, finishing with supple volume and balance acidity.

Enjoy this wine now with sweet and spicy Moroccan roasted carrots, truffle risotto or cellar for enjoyment over the next few years.

Winemaker Description

Plenty of chocolate, tobacco and blackcurrant character on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and present. Long and intense. This is rather tight and mouth-puckering. Give it time to soften. Very structured. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2025.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Vinous 95 Points | The 2019 La Lagune offers exquisite transparency on the nose - one of the most terroir-expressive Pessac-Léognan wines this vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, taut and fresh, quite saline with a very integrated and poised finish that lingers in the mouth. Wonderful - could this be the best La Lagune in years? Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

James Suckling 95 Points | Plenty of chocolate, tobacco and blackcurrant character on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and present. Long and intense. This is rather tight and mouth-puckering. Give it time to soften. Very structured. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2025.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

Jeb Dunnuck 91-93 Points | A ripe, opulent second wine, the 2022 Amiral De Beychevelle offers lots of black cherry, mulberry, and plum-like fruits as well as some floral, violet, and graphite nuances. It's medium to full-bodied, has elegant, silky tannins, and a great finish. It's one heck of a sexy, already hard to resist second wine that should keep for 10-12 years, if not longer.

James Suckling 91-92 Points | Very refined and pretty already with linear fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Medium body. Attractive finish. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% merlot.