90+ Points | Critical Acclaim | Wine & Sparkling Wine

There is nothing quite like a Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva. Bright golden, almost fluorescent in the glass, it opens with a complex, layered nose of toast, smoke, mushroom, earth, pollen, and herbal tea — aromas drawn from years spent deep in López de Heredia's ancient underground caves. On the palate it is medium-bodied yet mouth-filling, with pungent, ethereal flavors, searing acidity, and a long, dry finish that ends with a distinctly salty, umami quality. Still young. Built to age effortlessly for decades.

Blend: ~90% Viura / 10% Malvasía Riojana (avg. vine age: 63 years)
Appellation: Rioja Alta, Spain
Vintage: 2014 — bottled December 2022
Aging: Fermented in ancient oak vats with indigenous yeasts; 6+ years in neutral American oak in underground caves
ABV: 12.5% | pH 3.3 | Acidity 6.6 g/L
Format: 750ml

Founded in 1877, Bodegas López de Heredia is one of the last truly traditional Rioja producers — a family estate that has never compromised its methods. Their wines are aged longer than almost any other producer in Spain, and the caves beneath the winery shape every bottle in ways no modern cellar can replicate. Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva stands apart in the world of white wine: it mimics the complexity of aged Sherry and white Burgundy while remaining unmistakably, defiantly Rioja.

"Fills your mouth with pungent flavors, despite being medium-bodied and having an ethereal quality about it — very long and tasty, finishing almost salty, with an umami feeling, dry and chalky. Delicious, clean and still young, it should age effortlessly." — The Wine Advocate, 96 pts

Gramona Imperial — Corpinnat, Catalonia 2018

Gramona is the crown jewel of Corpinnat — the prestigious breakaway appellation of the Penèdes committed to the highest standards of traditional-method sparkling wine production in Spain. Founded in 1881 and farming biodynamically for decades, Gramona produces wines of extraordinary depth, precision, and longevity that stand comfortably alongside the finest Champagnes in the world. The Imperial is Gramona's flagship expression: a vintage-dated Brut aged on the lees for a minimum of five years, crafted from a blend of the great indigenous Catalan varieties led by Xarel·lo. The 2018 vintage is particularly notable — a cooler, wetter year that produced a wine of exceptional freshness and fine-boned structure, with the kind of calibrated acidity that will reward further cellaring.

The bouquet is elegant and complex after 60 months on the lees: lime and lemon pie lead, complemented by a delicate array of fine herbs, brioche, and a subtle autolytic creaminess. On the palate, it is dry and creamy with an ethereal, flowing texture enlivened by calibrated acidity. Refreshing and joyful, with a long, mineral-driven finish — this is sparkling wine of genuine distinction.

🏆 Vinous 91 Points — "The bouquet features aromas of lime and lemon pie, complemented by a delicate array of fine herbs. Dry and creamy on the palate, the ethereal flow is enlivened by calibrated acidity. Refreshing and joyful, this sparkling wine is a delight."

• Producer: Gramona, Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Penèdes, Catalonia, Spain
• Vintage: 2018
• Appellation: Corpinnat
• Method: Mètode Tradicional (Traditional Method)
• Blend: 56% Xarel·lo, 30% Macabeo, 10% Parellada, 4% Chardonnay
• Aging: 60 months on the lees
• Style: Brut
• Size: 750ml
• Vintage Note: Cooler, wetter year — exceptional freshness and fine-boned structure
• Tasting Notes: Lime, lemon pie, fine herbs, brioche, creamy texture, calibrated acidity, mineral finish
• Drink: Now through 2030
• Best Paired With: Grilled monkfish, scallops, lobster, roast poultry, Ibérico ham, mature Manchego, Comté

Five years on the lees, one of Spain's greatest sparkling wine houses — Gramona Imperial 2018 is a Corpinnat benchmark of rare elegance and freshness.

Expert Reviews

Decanter Magazine by Simon Field MW writes 93 Points |  Made up, half and half, of base wine from the sunny 2018 harvest, and reserve wine from Rodolphe’s Perpetual Reserve which goes back to 1988, this is one of the most consistently excellent NV wines on the market. Its current iteration is especially impressive, floral, chalky, upstanding, and very complex; the palate sharing notes of dried apricot, plum and lemon pith with more developed intimations of sour honey and patisserie. An exemplary wine with real purity and precision on the finish. 

The Wine Spectator by Alison Napjus writes 91 Points | Sleek and mouthwatering, with a fine, satiny mousse and a fresh panoply of crunchy pear, grapefruit sorbet, pickled ginger and spring blossom notes. Bright and finely knit, with rich hints of toast and mineral echoing on the finish. Disgorged November 2019. Drink now through 2025.

Winemaker Descriptions

Discover the elegance and purity of Pierre Peters Cuvée de Réserve Blanc de Blancs, a non-vintage Champagne crafted exclusively from Chardonnay grapes. This refined Champagne offers delicate aromas of citrus, white flowers, and brioche, with a crisp acidity and a long, elegant finish.

Memo Summary Notes

Produced by Rodolphe Péters, this wine is celebrated for its precision, chalky minerality, and the unique use of a "perpetual reserve" system that dates back to 1988.

Its high acidity and saline finish make it a perfect match for raw oysters, sushi, or creamy risotto.

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf | Ruppertsberg Riesling Trocken 2023 | Pfalz, Germany

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf is one of Germany's most storied biodynamic estates, farming the Pfalz with meticulous precision. Their Ruppertsberg Ortswein (village-level wine) is an open secret among Riesling lovers: sourced primarily from the estate's exclusively owned Gaisböhl Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) vineyard, it delivers Grand Cru-quality fruit at a village-level price. Certified biodynamic, vegan, and sealed with a screwcap for pristine freshness.

The 2023 vintage in the Pfalz produced wines of remarkable juiciness and precision. This bottling opens with a coolish, pure bouquet of star fruit, ripe citrus, and smoky mineral notes. The palate is mouth-filling yet elegant — creamy on entry, then salty minerality and electric acidity drive the finish long. Bone-dry, clean, and built to reward a few years of cellaring.

Tasting Notes - Vintage 2023 

James Suckling — 94 Points: What a stunning village wine. The mouth-filling juiciness (think star fruit and the ripest citrus) is backed up with ample power. Creamy front palate, then the salty minerality and animating acidity kick in and push the finish way out there. A cuvée based on the Gaisböhl GG site of Ruppertsberg. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate — 92 Points: Opens with a remarkably coolish, pure and refined bouquet with bright, elegant fruit and smoky aromas. Lean and elegant on the palate yet with ripe and juicy fruit — a very fine, elegant-finishing Riesling whose savory grip and tension will be better integrated after a few years of bottle age.

Vinous — 90 Points: A lovely flicker of reduction on the nose leads to an immensely juicy, rounded palate. Lemon-fresh Reine Claude plums with a lovely undertow of yeast. Absolutely bone-dry and clean on the bright finish.

Technical Details

Variety: Riesling  |  Vineyard: Gaisböhl (Grosse Lage), Ruppertsberg  |  Region: Pfalz, Germany  |  Farming: Biodynamic  |  Closure: Screwcap  |  Size: 750ml

At the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains, on a benchland first planted to vines in 1838, the Napanook Vineyard has been producing wine of uncommon grace for nearly two centuries. Fed by underground springs threading through ancient riverbeds, the vines here push deep roots into fertile soils that express themselves with quiet authority.

Christian Moueix, whose family has shepherded Pétrus and the great estates of Bordeaux's Right Bank for generations, began crafting Dominus from this historic ground in 1983. Four decades on, Napanook stands as the estate's second wine — second in name only. The 2023 is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, drawn from the middle portion of the vineyard and aged 20 months in 20% new French oak. Every grape is certified organic.

In the glass, the 2023 Napanook opens with aromas of blueberry, black cherry, lavender, dried herbs, and graphite — subtle and refined, with a cedary backbone and whispers of nutmeg and orange peel. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with a lush, silky texture, polished tannins, and a seamless, long finish graced by black olive, black tea, and cassis. Already generous and open, it will reward patience through 2040.

• Appellation: Napa Valley — Yountville
• Blend: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot
• Farming: Certified Organic
• Aging: 20 months, 20% new French oak
• Drink: 2025–2040

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023:

97 James Suckling — "Lovely soft and silky texture with a long finish. Enchanting and delicious."

94 Wine Advocate — "Lush, with a seductive swell of fruit and tannins that flows seamlessly into a long finish."

93 Vinous — "Deep, bold and luscious right out of the gate."

92 Jeb Dunnuck — "Classic, classy Cabernet... will keep for 10–15 years."

Food Pairings: Grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, roasted lamb, aged hard cheeses.

Finca Valpiedra is one of Rioja's most distinctive single-estate wineries, situated on a meander of the Ebro River in the Cenicero area of Rioja Alta. The estate takes its name from the pebble stones and limestone that define its soils — valpiedra meaning "valley of stones" — and it is these soils that give the wines their signature freshness, minerality, and cool-climate precision.

The Finca Valpiedra Cantos de Valpiedra Rioja 2020 750ml is 100% Tempranillo sourced from a single vineyard on the Ebro riverbank, harvested in mid-September and fermented in stainless steel with a 16-day maceration before aging 12 months in French and American oak. Intense purple with violet glints, it opens with black fruit, ripe sloe, and minerality, layered with vanilla, spice, and tobacco from the barrel. On the palate it is oily, rich, and intense with great finesse — velvety, fruit-driven, and juicy, with a long, cool, mineral finish and the characteristic Valpiedra freshness. Drink now through 2030.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020

• Vinous — 92 Points: "Aromas of sour cherry, sweet cherry and fresh plums over an herbal bed. Dry and taut with a granular, reactive texture. Pure in flavors — will settle and evolve with time."
• Wine Advocate — 91 Points: "Aromatic, fruit-driven and juicy. Velvety, clean and modern with a balanced and tasty palate, contained ripeness and good freshness. Develops an acute note of licorice with time."
• James Suckling — 91 Points: "Vibrant spiced cherries, red plums and stones. Succulent and firm, with fresh and fine-boned tannins and a juicy, exuberant finish. Very well made."

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Black fruit, ripe sloe, minerality, vanilla, spice, and tobacco
• Palate: Oily, rich, and velvety with cherry, licorice, and great finesse
• Finish: Long, cool, and mineral with characteristic Valpiedra freshness

Wine Details

• 100% Tempranillo — single vineyard, Ebro riverbank
• Rioja Alta DOCa, Cenicero, Spain
• 16-day maceration; aged 12 months in French & American oak
• Vintage: 2020 | Drink now–2030 | 750ml

Expert Reviews 

The Tastting Panel 91 Points | Smooth with generous fruit and fine bubbles: fresh, juicy, and clean with a tangy style; a delightful wine and an amazing value. 

The Wine Spectator 91 Points | This sleek sparkler is expressive with its floral apple and toasty cinnamon aromas and crisp, layered flavors of lime and mineral.

Memo Summary Notes

The Gruet Brut Gold Label is a legendary value in the American sparkling wine world. While the winery is located in New Mexico, the Gruet family originally hailed from Champagne, France, and they use the strict Méthode Champenoise (secondary fermentation in the bottle) to produce this wine.

Pair with

• Casual: Salty appetizers like popcorn, potato chips, or fried calamari.

• Sophisticated: Oysters on the half shell or a classic Shrimp Cocktail.

• Main: Fried chicken (the acidity cuts right through the richness).

   

   

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

Vinous 93 Points | The first of the two white wines, the 2024 Versante Nord is a blend of varieties sourced from six different vineyards at varying altitudes from the north side of the valley, which receives more sunlight during the day. This wine offers a wealth of power, with notes of salted pineapples, fresh sage, smoky earth, and saline. It’s bright with acidity, salinity, and a light wild side, though very well-managed. It had been bottled just three weeks earlier, so this tasting was a preview prior to its release. Drink over the coming 8-10 years.

Winemaker Description 

This wine offers a strikingly pure expression of Mt. Etna’s eastern slopes. Grown on volcanic soils at high elevation, this white blend is taut, mineral, and refreshingly saline, with notes of citrus zest, herbs, and crushed rock. A brilliant new bottling from one of Etna’s most exciting voices—available now on pre-sale in limited quantities.

Eric Guido also last year assigned 91 Points to this plot- and said as follows of the 2023 vintage - Crushed rocks, dried flowers, raw almonds and freshly sliced nectarines form a savory bouquet as the 2023 Carricante Versante Est opens in the glass. Nearly salty in character, it washes across the palate with ease, showing tart orchard fruits and hints of lemony custard. The 2023 finishes with medium length, leaving a pleasant chamomile air to linger.

Peter Michael La Carrière Chardonnay — Knights Valley, Sonoma County 2024

Peter Michael Winery is one of California’s most celebrated and collectible producers, farming over 200 acres across three distinct estates — Knights Valley, the Sonoma Coast, and the Oakville bench — within a 1,200-acre preserve alive with forests, wildlife, and cold mountain creeks. La Carrière, named after the ancient quarry on the Knights Valley estate, is widely regarded as the pinnacle of the Peter Michael Chardonnay lineup — a wine of extraordinary minerality, tension, and precision that draws comparisons to the finest white Burgundy. The 2024 vintage arrives with a remarkable sweep of near-perfect scores.

The nose is ethereal and layered: citrus peel, jasmine, oyster shell, passionfruit, and tangerine, with a perfumed wisteria lift and a stony, briny undercurrent that sets this wine apart from virtually every other California Chardonnay. On the palate, it is full-bodied yet weightless — raw honey, melon, nectarine, and lemon curd balanced by focused, driving acidity and a crystalline minerality that carries through the very long, salty finish. It is beautiful now and built to evolve over the next decade.

“True to its name, La Carrière is full of stony, briny nuances. Citrus peel, jasmine, oyster shell and tangerine peel are all wonderfully vivid in the glass. Airy and translucent — all about crystalline transparency. I especially admire its energy, tension and poise. La Carrière is my personal favorite because of its intense minerality and energy.” — Vinous, 97 pts. (Vintage 2024). 

“Tropical and perfumed with highly floral wisteria and jasmine, as well as notes of passionfruit and lemon-lime meringue. Full-bodied but light on its feet, offering notes of raw honey, melon, and a pleasing salty lift on the close. Can drink well now or over the coming 10 years.” — Jeb Dunnuck, 96 pts. (Vintage 2024). 

“Alluring, layered aromas of nectarine, mango, panna cotta, lime peel and seamlessly integrated, spicy oak. The full-bodied palate has a satiny texture, a dynamic interplay of ripe, expressive fruit with focused, driving acidity and a very long finish.” — Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 96 pts. (Vintage 2024). 

“Plenty of focus and drive, with a backbone of crushed rock and sea salt minerality. Fragrant white flowers including jasmine and alyssum add a perfumed thread, and the core notes of crunchy star fruit, pear and lemon curd are equally juicy and precise.” — Wine Spectator, 94 pts. (Vintage 2024).

• Producer: Peter Michael Winery, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California
• Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
• Size: 750ml
• Accolades: #13 Top 100 Wines of the USA, 2025
• Tasting Notes: Citrus peel, jasmine, oyster shell, passionfruit, tangerine, raw honey, melon, lemon curd, stony minerality, long salty finish
• Best Paired With: Dungeness crab, butter-poached lobster, scallops, turbot, whole roasted chicken, aged Comté

California’s most celebrated single-vineyard Chardonnay — Peter Michael La Carrière 2024 is a wine of extraordinary minerality, tension, and precision that belongs in any serious cellar.

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

The Wine Advocate 90 Points | Under screw cap, the De Wetshof Estate 2024 Robertson Limestone Hill Chardonnay offers a simple delivery of citrus, pomelo and wild sage. The wine focuses on brightness and is extremely drinkable, but perhaps it's a little less complex compared to all the other very different Chardonnays in this portfolio. You get a pretty note of latex or natural rubber, which I really like. This wine is unoaked, and that's what sets it apart.

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

James Suckling 93 Points | Attractive notes of slice pears and peaches with hints of fresh herbs and lemon peel. Medium-bodied, tangy and zesty on the palate with vibrant acidity coming through.

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

The Wine Enthusiast 95 Points | Vasse Felix's self-titled middle range often represents the best value for money, in this reviewer's opinion. This is both an excellent example of the range's quality as well as of Margaret River's distinctive Cab style. Layered aromas of tangy redcurrant, raspberry and cranberry are woven with pencil lead, new pavement and tobacco leaf. There's a wonderful lift of crunchy currant fruit on the palate, which counterbalances the big smudgy, savory tannins.

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

Wine Enthusiast 91 Points | Juicy ripe fruits and a blend of baking spices are carried by this full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. The tannins are ample and palate coating with a moderate finish. — Elaine Chukan Brown 

James Suckling 90 Points | The nose expresses notes of red berries, roasted meat and raw chocolate. It’s medium-bodied with chalky tannins. Rather light center palate with a dense berry- and chocolate-packed finish.

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

James Suckling 90 Points | Ripe black cherries, dark plums, mocha and a hint of toasted almonds on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied and quite tight, yet smooth in texture. Polished finish with hints of cocoa and subtle spice.

Expert Review

Sylvia Wu of Decanter 92 Points | The base wine went through malolactic fermentation with battonage. Yeasty on the nose with citrus blossom, salted nuts and yellow apple. Generous mousse opens up to a full-on palate of brioche, citrus, green fruit acidity and depth of spiced red berries. Satisfying and long. The latest release is based on the 2018 vintage. Drink 2023 - 2028

Winemaker Description 

Our signature Hambledon Classic Cuvée is produced exclusively from our own estate on the South East facing chalk slopes of Windmill Down, in the historic village of Hambledon.

Our Hambledon Classic Cuvée is a well-balanced blend of all 3 traditional grapes, handpicked on our own estate. Aged at least 35 months, it is vibrant, with structured yet ripe acidity. Tasting will elegantly unfold to reveal layers of floral and stone fruit aromas.

Our Hambledon Classic Cuvée is a well-balanced blend of all 3 traditional grapes, handpicked on our own estate. Aged at least 35 months, it is vibrant, with structured yet ripe acidity. Tasting will elegantly unfold to reveal layers of floral and stone fruit aromas.

Santi Santico Amarone della Valpolicella Classico — Veneto 2020

Santi is one of the Valpolicella Classico’s most historic producers, with roots stretching back to 1843 and vineyards in the heart of the original Classico zone — the hillside communes of Fumane, Marano, and Negrar where the finest Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes have been grown for centuries. Amarone is the pinnacle of the Valpolicella tradition: grapes are harvested in late September, then laid on bamboo racks in the estate’s lofts to dry for 90–120 days — a process called appassimento — concentrating sugars, flavors, and structure to extraordinary levels before fermentation. The Santico is Santi’s flagship Amarone — a wine of power, elegance, and remarkable value for the appellation. The 2020 vintage delivered exceptional ripeness and concentration in the Classico zone.

The color is a deep, concentrated dark red. The nose is fragrant and complex: cherry jam, cranberry, plum, dried fig, cocoa, and a whisper of spice — the unmistakable aromatic richness of appassimento. On the palate, it is full-bodied and round, with velvety tannins, a pleasantly tangy backbone of acidity, and a long, alluring finish of red berries and dark fruit. This is Amarone as it should be: powerful yet balanced, concentrated yet elegant, built for the table and the cellar alike.

“Dark red hue; concentrated, fragrant nose with top notes of cherry jam and cranberries, followed by hints of plum, dried fruit and cocoa. Full, round, with velvety tannins — pleasantly tangy with a long finish.” — Santi Winemaker

• Producer: Santi, Valpolicella Classico, Veneto, Italy
• Vintage: 2020
• Appellation: Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG
• Blend: Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara
• Method: Appassimento — grapes dried 90–120 days before fermentation
• Style: Full-bodied, velvety, concentrated Amarone Classico
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Cherry jam, cranberry, plum, dried fig, cocoa, spice, velvety tannins, long finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now or cellar 10–15 years
• Best Paired With: Braised short ribs, osso buco, roast lamb, game, aged Parmigiano, hard cheeses

Valpolicella Classico Amarone at an honest price — Santi Santico is the benchmark for what this great appellation can deliver.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 92 Points | Delicate peachy fruit and racy acidity are beautifully balanced on the sleek, medium-bodied palate. Excellent mountain freshness and wet-stone minerality at the super-clean and straight finish. Sustainable. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Expert Review - Vintage 2020

Antonio Galloni writes:  The 2020 Cepparello is a total stunner, just as it was last year. Deeply colored, layered and explosive in the glass, the 2020 possesses striking textural richness and overall intensity. Black cherry, graphite, plum, spice and lavender flesh out effortlessly. There's tremendous pedigree and sheer stature here. Cepparello is surely one of the wines of the year.  Drinking 2027 to 2045.  - Vinous 98

The Wine Advocate, Monica Larner, 96 Points | Supple and smooth, the 2020 Cepparello brings Sangiovese to soaring heights in a manner only Paolo De Marchi can manage. This is his second to last vintage before he would retire and sell this historic estate. The wine opens to medium to full-bodied concentration with dark plum and redcurrant. Those cede to sweet spice, earth, crushed stone, rusty nail and candied orange peel. Give the wine more time to flesh out with cellar age.

The Wine Spectator 96 Points | Expressive and sumptuous from the get-go, this red features cherry, strawberry, rose, orange peel, mineral and Tuscan herb aromas and flavors. Sangiovese. Best from 2025 through 2045.

James Suckling 94 Points | Attractive red and dark berries with dried flowers, nutmeg and cocoa powder. Dried orange peel and wet earth, too. Medium- to full-bodied, toned and steady with fine-grained tannins that are slightly chalky. Polished and even with a lingering finish. Try after 2026.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

James Suckling 95 Points | Some blue fruit with iron and lavender character. Very perfumed. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a bright finish. Linear and tight. Hibiscus at the end. A blend of declassified barrels from the single-vineyard wines. Drink or hold.

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points | The ripe ruby-colored 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley saw the small addition of about 10% whole cluster. The nose opens to a just gorgeous perfume of red and blue fruit as well as fresh violets and cherry candies. Very tasty indeed, the palate is inviting and medium-bodied, and it has a supple, silky texture, with a long, fresh, pure finish. This inviting red is going to have a wide drinking window over the next 6-8 years.

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | The 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is a blend of fruit from Arista’s seven vineyard-designate wines. It has pretty aromas of blackberry, blueberry, plum, licorice and turned earth. The medium-bodied palate offers layered, spicy flavors structured by finely astringent tannins and bright acidity, and it has a long, fragrant finish. 

The Wine Spectator 92 Points | Bright and punchy, offering energetic pomegranate, cherry and loganberry fruit infused with sassafras and hibiscus notes, while fresh and slightly high-pitched acidity gives the finish a racy edge. Drink now through 2031.

Winemaker Description 

The core principle of the winemaking philosophy at Arista is to capture and express the true character and potential of each vineyard. They work with a very carefully chosen handful of grand-cru level Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards, and are uncompromising in their efforts to maximize the full potential of the wines crafted from these special sites.

The 2021 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir blends several vineyards from across the storied Russian River appellation, which makes it a prime snapshot of our home region as a whole in each vintage. In 2021, conditions for Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley were exceptional, leading to deeply colored, intensely aromatic, wonderfully vibrant wines.

This ruby-hued wine shows classic Pinot Noir aromas of black plum, tart cherry, and cola. Across the palate, similar ripe fruit notes are abundant and buttressed by the tangy acidity. The firm tannins, which are a hallmark of the 2021 vintage, round out the long finish on this quintessential Sonoma Pinot Noir.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022 

Charles Curtis, MW of Decanter 94 Points | This village-level wine is a reliable benchmark for the commune. It reflects the sunny character of the vintage with its ripe stone fruit and citrus notes, yet offers depth and complexity as well, with saline hints, flint and fresh white flowers. The texture is silky and approachable. It’s drinking now, but with enough substance to hold for five to 10 years.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Village has a nicely detailed bouquet of green apples. It's a touch spicier than the Bourgogne Blanc with a trace of walnut coming through with aeration. The palate is nicely balanced with a keen line of acidity sour lemon hints and again that spice that lingers on the aftertaste.

Allen Meadows of Burghound 90-92 Points | A markedly more floral-suffused nose features notes of cool Granny Smith apple citrus and a touch of mineral reduction. The caressing delicious and plump but agreeably energetic medium-bodied flavors possess solid depth and persistence on the balanced firm and highly refreshing finale. This is also excellent for its level and a wine that should drink well after only 3 to 4 years of keeping but age gracefully for a decade. Recommended.

Luis Perez El Muelle de Olaso Blanco VdT Cadiz 2023 750ml

Willy Pérez is one of the most exciting winemakers working in the Sherry region today — and El Muelle de Olaso is the wine that proves it. Made from 100% Palomino Fino sourced from 40- to 50-year-old vines on the legendary albariza marl soils of Macharnudo and Carrascal, this is a Vino de Pasto in the old tradition: a dry, still table wine from Jerez that has nothing to do with Sherry and everything to do with terroir. Fermented mostly in stainless steel with a touch of bota aging and brief contact with flor, El Muelle is a wine of extraordinary finesse and minerality.

The 2023 vintage is a year of nuance and detail — less concentrated than 2022 but more balanced, with a fine thread of tension running through the palate and a long, clean, and deeply satisfying finish. This is Palomino as it was always meant to taste.

"The claim that Palomino is a neutral-flavor grape is proven wrong with El Muelle — a wine with citrussy and tropical fruit flavors, lively chalky minerality, and a touch of herbal tanginess from its short contact with flor."

• Producer: Luis Pérez, Jerez, Cádiz, Spain
• Appellation: Vinos de la Tierra de Cádiz
• Grape: 100% Palomino Fino
• Vintage: 2023
• Vineyards: Macharnudo & Carrascal — 40–50 yr old vines on albariza marl
• Vinification: 80% stainless steel, 20% bota — brief flor contact — 6 months aging
• Tasting Notes: Dried pineapple, citrus, apple, light caramel, honey, cedar, chalky minerality, herbal tanginess, long clean finish
• Best Paired With: Grilled seafood, oysters, jamón ibérico, fried fish, or goat cheese

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

James Suckling — 93 Points
Aromas of dried pineapple, apple and light caramel. Medium to full body. Light honey and cedar flavors. Made mostly in stainless with some natural fino in the blend. This is blended from two top vineyards of Jerez: Macharnudo and Carrascal.

Wine Advocate — 93 Points
The 2023 El Muelle de Olaso comes from a warm year but less warm than 2022 and more balanced. It was produced with Palomino grapes from 40- to 50-year-old vines on "barajuela" laminar albariza marl soils fermented mostly in stainless steel (80%) and only 20% in bota. It matured in stainless steel for six months. Pérez confessed that the wine has a little more Macharnudo wine this vintage. The wine is still a baby, primary and undeveloped but with a lot of finesse; it’s a year of less concentration, and it has nuance and detail, a fine thread and a long, clean and tasty finish.

A wine that rewrites what Palomino can be — El Muelle de Olaso is essential drinking for anyone who loves mineral-driven whites with soul.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2006

Wine Spectator 96 Points | This has lovely flavors of apricot, dried tangerine, pineapple and papaya rushing along, supported by hazelnut, frangipane and coconut notes. Despite the depth, it's very, very pure, with filigreed acidity carrying the long, long finish. Drink now through 2037. 7,500 cases made. 

Wine Advocate 95 Points | Served from an ex-chateau bottle. The 2006 Chateau d Yquem has a slightly reticent bouquet at first that unfolds in the glass. There aromas are well-behaved at first, but then start having some fun with lovely scents of dried honey, dried quince, marzipan and beeswax. Delving further into the aromatics there is a hint of spice and white pepper. The palate is extremely well-balanced with a viscous opening. There is great harmony and composure here - certainly not as voluminous or ravishing as the 2009 - but a controlled and very focused Yquem with a slight saltiness coming through toward the finish. The edginess is absorbing and it should play out nicely with bottle age. This could be the dark horse between the 2001 and 2009. Drink now-2050. Tasted March 2014. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2014

Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate writes 94+ Points | The 2014 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is highly complex on the clear, intense and smoky, lemony nose. Clear, fresh, straight and very mineral on the nose, this is a pure but complex, intense, stony Riesling that is pretty austere at the moment. Provided with racy acidity, but concentrated and mineral on the palate, this is exceptional dry Riesling with great tension. To be served in 10, 20 and even in 30 years.  Drinking 2025 to 2040. 

Ian D’Agata of Vinous writes 94+ Points | Vivid straw-green. Delicate nuances of jasmine and lemon verbena complicate aromas of green apple, lime and minerals. Pure and penetrating on the palate, boasting superb definition to the flavors of gin, mint, minerals, violet and lemon zest. The finish is remarkably crystalline and long. This Frédéric Emile is currently dominated by its Osterberg component (the cuvée is a blend of Osterberg and Geisberg grand cru grapes), which brings chiseled acidity, as opposed to the Geisberg’s ripe fruit personality and licorice quality. Despite the difficult year, this is likely to become a memorable Frédéric Emile. So much so, in fact, that it’s currently impossible to choose between it and the more famous Clos Sainte Hune.  Drinking 2022 to 2045.

James Suckling writes 96 Points | So much mineral and sliced apple character with hints of orange and apple peel. Turns to steely character. Full-bodied, racy and bright. So lively. Great finish. Drink or hold on release. 

Jeb Dunnuck writes 92+ Points | Coming close to a decade after the vintage, the 2014 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is still vivid and racy, with a taut, focused, almost austere style in its ripe citrus, crushed stone, hazelnut, and smoky mineral-driven aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied and nicely concentrated, with high yet integrated acidity, this needs another 4-5 years of bottle age, as it's currently austere, firm, and inward. It will be an incredibly long-lived Riesling, but how much pleasure it will ultimately deliver might be questionable.  Drinking after 2027. 

Alison Napjus of the Wine Spectator writes 95 Points | A bone-dry, racy white, with a lovely entry point of slate, petrol and brine aromas on the nose, plus a minerally profile that underscores notes of crunchy nectarine, kiwifruit, cherry blossoms, pink grapefruit pith and fresh thyme. Firm and linear, this graceful version exhibits seamless knit and definition. Drink now through 2039.  - Wine Spectator 95

Jancis Robinson writes 17.5+ Points | To be released around 2022 or 2023. Razor-sharp nose and very tight. Lots to chew on. They could release this and no one would object but I can see why they want it to unfurl a bit.  Drinking 2022 to 2035.  - Jancis Robinson 17.5+

Winemaker Description 

Expert Review - Vintage 2008

97 Points Wine Spectator:  Like a stallion out of the gate, this shows an initial explosion of power, in the form of mouthwatering flavors and fine texture, before quickly settling into an elegant gait. The racy acidity is seamlessly knit, buoying the lacy mousse and flavors of cassis, toasted brioche and tangerine, with accents of candied ginger, hazelnut and fleur de sel lingering on the long, creamy finish. Drink now through 2035.

96 Points Wine Enthusiast:  The new release of this producer's prestige cuvée comes in its usual beautifully sculpted bottle. The Champagne, from a great vintage in the region, is just approaching maturity still showing minerality from the high amount of Chardonnay in the blend. Nutty flavors are creeping in, keeping the great texture adding complexity. Drink this very fine wine now although it will also age further.

96 Points Decanter: Rare Champagne boasts an illustrious past, with its first vintage having been presented to Marie Antoinette in 1785. The wine is produced in very limited quantities and is restricted to exceptional years, with only 11 vintages being declared over the past four decades of production. 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir from selected grand cru vineyards. Simon Field MW: Gentle bead, lovely evolved notes of hazelnut, even a hint of praline, enrobed and ennobled by firm acidity and a persuasive finish. Alan Bednarski: Great, pure wine with still-fresh zesty flavours, delicate palate and sweet yeast notes, with a long flavourful finish of ripe melon. Tim Hall: A challenging, pressing start, wanting to overwhelm with shimmering and sharp attack, but shows intensity on the palate to match. Lovely lemon-apple notes and tempered texture.

96 Points Jeb Dunnuck: The 2008 Champagne Rare is luxurious with aromas of graham cracker, honeysuckle, quince, and orange zest. It is round and opulent, with a fine and pillowy mousse, and retains freshness throughout, with apricot and yellow flowers. It is impressive and long, and fully luxurious. Drinking well now, it is sure to hold its own for years to come. Drink 2022-2044.

93 Points Wine Advocate:  The newly released 2008 Brut Cuvée Rare is very promising, unwinding in the glass with a youthfully reserved nose of citrus oil, crisp green apple, freshly baked bread, iodine and oyster shell, as well as some rather herbaceous characteristics that depress my score a little, even if I suspect that they will resolve with a bit more bottle age. Medium to full-bodied, incisive and tightly wound, if the 2006 vintage was gourmand and demonstrative, the 2008 is slower to show all its cards. Built around racy acids and complemented by a pillowy mousse, this rendition of Cuvée Rare will reward a few years more on cork.

Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut NV — Half Bottle (375ml)

Moët & Chandon is the world’s most celebrated Champagne house, founded in 1743 and today the benchmark by which all non-vintage Brut Champagne is measured. Impérial is the house’s signature expression — a wine of extraordinary consistency and elegance, crafted from a blend of roughly equal parts Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier with a slightly smaller proportion of Chardonnay, aged a minimum of 24 months on the lees. It is the Champagne of celebrations, of milestones, of moments that deserve to be marked with something exceptional. Now available in a 375ml half-bottle — perfect for a solo celebration, a romantic dinner, or a beautifully considered gift.

Elegant golden straw yellow with amber highlights. The nose is radiant and complex — bright yellow-fleshed fruits (apple, pear, yellow peach), honey, lime blossom, brioche, and fresh nuts. The palate is seductive and richly flavored, combining generosity and subtlety, fullness and vigor, with a delicately fresh crispiness and the magical balance that defines great Champagne.

The Somm Journal — 93 points

“When it comes to finesse, this classic doesn’t miss. Biscuit and almond aromas, ripe golden apple on the nose turns to green on the palate, where citrus cycles through high-flying acidity even as luscious pear adds weight and chalk conveys elegance through the finish.”

Wine Spectator — 92 points

“An elegant version, fine and creamy in texture and backed by lively, orange peel acidity. A streak of smoke-tinged minerality underscores flavors of almond madeleine, poached pear, anise and preserved lemon.”

James Suckling — 91 points

“Aromas of apricots, grapefruit, pears and short crust. Medium-bodied, with soft bubbles and tasty nut and pie crust notes at the end. 24 months on the lees.”

Food Pairings

Oysters, smoked salmon, sushi, soft cheeses, light appetizers, and fried chicken. Perfect as an aperitif or to mark any occasion worth celebrating.

Blend: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Appellation: Champagne AOC, France
Style: Brut NV, aged 24+ months on lees
Format: 375ml (Half Bottle)
Scores: 93 pts The Somm Journal | 92 pts Wine Spectator | 91 pts James Suckling

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

96 Points James Suckling: A very balanced, refined Duhart with ever so fine tannins and currant, tobacco and cedar aromas and flavors. Medium to fine tannins. It’s extremely long and polished. Direct. You already want to drink this.
Barrel Sample:95-96

94 Points  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2019 Duhart-Milon is showing beautifully, mingling aromas of cassis and wild berries with notions of violets, cedar wood, orange rind, licorice and spice box in a perfumed bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, it's charming and refined, with a deep core of fruit, powdery tannins and succulent acids. This château is going from strength to strength. Best after 2025.

94 Points Decanter: This one might sneak up on you, confirming the rise of this wine in recent years. Clear depth of fruit, and above all clear Pauillac character. This feels strict and confident, with beautiful balance and restraint. Duhart is one of the later-ripening and cooler Pauillac terroirs which is why in the past it could be overly austere when young, but it is benefitting from recent hot summers in terms of its fruit ripeness. Pencil lead is prominent here, along with cassis and bilberry. Very precise, very elegant, with a creaminess to the fruit through the mid palate, and overall this is an excellent Duhart.
Barrel Sample:94

94 Wine Spectator: Racy and mineral-driven, with a chalky thread that runs from start to finish, adding a perfumed elegance to a core of steeped black currant and blackberry fruit flavors. This has a lushness to the fruit, with dark tobacco, steeped black tea and singed alder notes, but there's plenty of range, detail and textural nuance as well. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024

Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot

Big Table Farm Pinot Noir — Willamette Valley, Oregon 2023

Big Table Farm is one of Willamette Valley's most beloved small producers — a genuine farm winery run by Brian and Clare Carver, who raise animals, grow vegetables, and make wine with the same hands-on, unhurried philosophy. Their Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is sourced from a network of trusted growers across the valley, blended to capture the region's signature elegance: bright red fruit, floral lift, and the kind of fine-grained structure that makes Oregon Pinot so compelling at the table. The 2023 vintage produced just 2,154 cases.

The wine pours a translucent ruby. The nose is supple and elegantly complex — delicate raspberry, cherry, rose petal, orange peel, and dusky spices. On the palate, it's bright and energetic with crunchy tannins and focused acidity, delivering red apple, blood orange, and raspberry with a lovely balance of fruit and savory undertones. Fine-grained tannins carry it through a long, polished finish. Drink now through 2033.

"Supple and elegantly complex, with delicate raspberry and cherry flavors laced with rose petal, orange peel and dusky spices as this glides toward fine-grained tannins." — Wine Spectator, 93 Points

• Producer: Big Table Farm, Willamette Valley, Oregon
• Vintage: 2023
• Appellation: Willamette Valley AVA
• Varietal: Pinot Noir
• Production: 2,154 cases
• Size: 750ml
• Accolades: Wine Spectator 93 | James Suckling 93
• Drink: Now through 2033
• Tasting Notes: Raspberry, cherry, rose petal, orange peel, blood orange, dusky spices, fine-grained tannins
• Best Paired With: Roasted duck, mushroom risotto, truffled dishes, lean pork or veal, brie, goat cheese

A dual 93-point Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from one of Oregon's most authentic farm wineries — elegant, precise, and built for the table.

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

Mike DeSimone of the Wine Enthusiast writes 95 Points | Dark ruby in color, this wine has a nose of black cherry, cedar chest and violet candy. A pleasant floral note is a constant companion to blackberry, anisette, clove and dark-chocolate flavors that are enclosed in a shell of muscular tannins. A soft note of pomegranate permeates the grippy finish. Drink through 2035. 

Winemaker Description 

A 1er Cru RBD from Yolanda and Carolina García Viadero whose mission is to place the Tinto Fino varietal among the world’s best.  Bursts of blackberry and cassis, relaxed opulence and richness.

Expert Reviews 

Alison Napjus of the Wine Spectator writes 92 Points | The fine and creamy bead of this elegant rosé carries an attractive mix of white cherry, peach, blood orange granita and biscuit flavors, enlivened by a firm frame of mouthwatering acidity.

Audrey Frick of Jeb Dunnuck writes 90 Points | The NV Champagne Grand Brut Rosé pours a medium salmon hue and is equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (8% of which is red wine). It is juicy with ripe raspberry, crushed flowers, and sweet citrus. The palate is ripe with apricot, sweet tangerine, and a soft texture. It is ready to drink now or over the next 6-8 years.

Winemaker Description 

This Grand Rosé has a high percentage of Chardonnay, which creates freshness and precision, complemented by Pinot Noir with delivers very fine and crunchy fruit. With 4 years minimum ageing in the cellars, this Rosé balances between freshness and fruit without masking the wine’s character and purity. The nose reveals aromas of citrus and strawberries with subtle notes of red berries and spice. The palate is well-built with a constant balance between the tension of the acidity and the smoothness of the fruit, while the finish shows a nice roundness and lovely minerality.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022 

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points | The 2022 Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais comes from the oldest vines on the property, planted in 1995 with all Dijon clones. Bottled in late January of this year, the wine sports a vibrant ruby hue and shows off notes of wild raspberries, mixed berries, a hint of fresh violets, clove spice, forest herbs, and brambly earth. It’s chiseled in its structure, with coiled tannins and a good deal of youthful tension, and also offers mineral persistence, with wonderful salinity and dark undertones of earth. It demands another few years in cool cellars to soften and expand as it evolves and will drink well over the long haul. Drink 2026-2040. 590 cases were produced.

Winemaker Description 

Planted in 1995, the Dijon block is now in its prime, delivering the complexity and elegance one expects from carefully tended twenty-six-year-old vines. The 2021 “DJ,” as it is known in-house, shows characteristic black raspberry and rose hip notes. Consistent with previous vintages, it displays Asian five spice, briar and even hints of blood orange coupled with a refreshing acidity and persistent finish. It is a superior vintage, one of the best of the decade. While the 2021 Les Dijonnais Pinot Noir is delicious right now, it will reward patience after a few years in a cool cellar.  Winemaker Description.

Producer Description 

A blend of five of our favorite Russian River Valley vineyard sites, this Chardonnay captures the fantastic character of the 2021 vintage. Fusing fresh lemon and white floral aromas with a throughline of minerality, this versatile Chardonnay is simultaneously easygoing and complex.  

Peak Drinking Window: 2023 – 2029. 

98 Points, James Suckling
94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck 
90 Points, Wine Spectator

Expert Review

James Suckling 98 Points | Extremely focused and energetic nose of sliced limes and Meyer lemons with lemongrass. Some stone and hints of flint. Full-bodied with superb density and structure and phenolics that you can feel. It goes on for minutes. Slightly chewy at the end. From Wente clones planted in 1974. (v.2021). 

Producer Description 

The wine is a crimson-hued garnet red. Elegant and refined, the nose exudes floral aromas, going on with airing to develop notes of blackcurrant and licorice root. The full and smooth attack reveals an alluring and complex array of flavors in which ripe fruit is magnificently set off by notes of toasted cereals and violet. The mid-palate is underpinned by high-quality close-knit and creamy tannins, leading into a saline and slightly minty finish which lingers on hints of chocolates.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 96 Points | Aromas of crushed stone, blackcurrants and blackberries. Full-bodied with extremely well-crafted tannins that are chewy and layered, yet polished and fantastic. Love the finish. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 25% petit verdot, 22% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. (v.2019).

Wine Enthusiast 94-96 Points | Dense and rich, with a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, this is another great vintage from the estate. Its black fruits ooze concentration alongside firm tannins that promise a potential for long aging. The aftertaste has opulent black currant richness. (v.2019). 

The Wine Advocate 95 Points | The 2019 Clerc Milon is a real success. At more than 70%, this blend contains one of the highest proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon in the property's recent history, and the result is a wine of real nobility. Offering up aromas of violets, wild berries, licorice, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with notable depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. From clay-limestone soils rather than the sandy gravels that characterize d'Armailhac, this is by some margin the more structured and serious of Mouton-Rothschild's two Pauillac stablemates.(v.2019).

Decanter 95 Points | The wine has the highest levels of Cabernet Sauvignon since the 1980s, and even on the nose you can feel its impact in terms of the depth of tight black fruit. Extremely good quality with fine tannins that build, build, build over the palate, and grip on, forcing you to slow down and pay attention. Beautiful spice with menthol, slate, pencil lead, blackberry and blackcurrant. An exciting wine with real energy and forward motion, helped to withstand the summer heat by its position by the river, and the fact that the average age of the vines at Clerc Milon is almost 50 years. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Jean Emmanuel Danjoy's last outing doing the full vintage at Clerc Milon before he heads over to Mouton as technical director. (v.2019).

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Presents a very fresh core of cassis, red cherry and damson plum fruit flavors that meld nicely with a racy iron streak, while light savory and floral details run along the edges. A very pure and bright version that should age well. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. (v.2019).

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | Another beautiful effort from this team, the 2019 Château Clerc Milon is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, from vines just across the street from Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild. Brought up in a mix of new and used barrels, it has a healthy ruby/plum color to go with a great nose of ripe red and black fruits supported by some classic Pauillac lead pencil, tobacco, and spice box notes. I love its overall balance, it's medium-bodied, has silky tannins, and the fresher, elegant style of the vintage. I wouldn't call it mid-weight, but I compared this to the 2014 on release, and I still think that comparison holds, although there's a touch more length and intensity in the 2019. This will drink well today with a decant (I followed this bottle for two days) and will shine for a good two decades.(v.2019).

Schramsberg Vineyards Brut Rosé — North Coast, California 2020

Schramsberg Vineyards has been crafting California’s finest Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling wines since 1965, and their Brut Rosé is one of the most celebrated bottles in the American sparkling canon — a wine served at White House state dinners and beloved by sommeliers and collectors alike. The 2020 is a blend of 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay, sourced from coastal vineyards stretching from southern Mendocino to northern Marin County. A portion of the Pinot Noir is fermented on its skins to add depth and subtle color, before the finished blend undergoes a second fermentation in bottle and approximately two years of aging on its yeast lees.

The result is a sparkling wine of real generosity and precision: fragrant, vibrant, and steely at the core. The nose offers raspberry, rose petal, and gingerbread, with fine, persistent bubbles and a fresh aromatic lift. On the palate, the wine is rich and complex — bright red fruit and spice from the Pinot Noir, structure and length from the Chardonnay — finishing long, zesty, and beautifully balanced. It is versatile enough for any occasion, from the dinner table to a backyard celebration.

“Generous yet steely at the core, with fragrant raspberry, rose petal and gingerbread accents that dance on the long, zesty finish.” — Wine Spectator, 93 pts

• Producer: Schramsberg Vineyards, Calistoga, Napa Valley, California
• Vintage: 2020
• Appellation: North Coast, California
• Blend: 66% Pinot Noir, 34% Chardonnay
• Method: Méthode Traditionnelle, ~2 years on lees
• Style: Brut Rosé (Dry)
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Raspberry, rose petal, gingerbread, bright red fruit, spice, zesty finish
• Best Paired With: Sushi, salmon, rock shrimp, roast chicken, pizza, caprese salad, charcuterie, red berry tarts

California’s most iconic Brut Rosé — Schramsberg delivers over 50 years of Méthode Traditionnelle mastery in a wine that is equally at home at a state dinner or a backyard barbecue.

Argyle Winery | Vintage Brut | Willamette Valley | 2022

Oregon is not the first place most people think of for serious sparkling wine — but it should be. Argyle has been making the case since 1987, and the Willamette Valley’s cool, maritime-influenced climate turns out to be near-ideal for the traditional method: long growing seasons, natural acidity, and Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that ripen slowly and retain the tension that great sparkling wine demands. The 2022 Vintage Brut draws heavily on fruit from the legendary Knudsen Vineyard, one of the oldest and most respected sites in the valley, which contributes natural weight, brightness, and a distinctive character that sets this wine apart from its non-vintage counterparts. Golden apple and Anjou pear lead the nose, layered with vanilla and toasted cake crust — opulent without being heavy. On the palate, apple, cherry blossom, and spiced cinnamon flavors linger at length, carried by a foamy mousse and vivid acidity. A classic modern vintage from one of America’s most important sparkling wine producers.

• Appellation: Willamette Valley, Oregon
• Blend: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
• Method: Traditional method (Méthode Classique)
• Key Vineyard: Knudsen Vineyard
• Dosage: Brut
• Vintage: 2022
• Format: 750ml
• Farming: Sustainable

Critical Acclaim — Vintage 2022

Wine Spectator | 90 Points: Appealing for its easygoing flavors of apple, cherry blossoms and spiced cinnamon that linger at length.

Pairing Suggestions

• Celebration: A versatile aperitif for any occasion that calls for bubbles.
• Seafood: Oysters, Dungeness crab, grilled salmon, or smoked fish.
• Casual: Fried chicken, soft cheeses, charcuterie, or brunch dishes.