Rock Bottom - Crushing Sale Prices

Winemaker Description 

If you’re after Sauvignon Blanc with all the incredible crisp, tropical Marlborough flavours and less of the calories, you’ve come to the right place. We've made this Sauvy so you can enjoy it with 25% less alcohol and calories - now that's a winning combination! 9% alcohol per volume.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

The Tasting Panel 93 Points | Graphite,espresso, cedar, and black olives commingle in this savory, brooding, dramatic beast with teeth-grabbing cocoa tannins. Intense, lengthy flavors of blackberry and plum speak to the wine's inherent ripeness on the finish.

Winemaker Description 

The 2023 vintage delivers yet another bewitching blend with trademark Pessimist flair. This is a bold and powerful wine that opens with ample aromas of blueberry, boysenberry, plum, and strawberry. Smoky notes of truffle and roasted coffee are accompanied by floral notes of lavender and lilac. The palate is lush and engulfing, showing both robustness and elegance with juicy flavors of cherry, huckleberry, kirsch, and cassis. Underlying suggestions of fennel, olive, and spice bring enticing complexity to a silky, balanced finish.

Blend: 68.7% Petite Sirah, 17.9% Syrah, 11.4% Zinfandel, 2.0% Lagrein
Barrel Aged: 10 months in 50% new French oak

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

The Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | This wine has a deep, dark and tempting core of black fruits and oak spices that is surrounded by the velvety, welcoming texture expected from a Merlot. Blackberries, blueberries, toasted wood and cedar bring out complexity on the palate and linger on the finish. Best through 2030.

The Wine Spectator 88 Points | Tightly structured and focused, displaying red and black currant flavors laced with notes of cedar and herbes de Provence as this builds toward firm tannins. Best after 2024. 2,427 cases made.

Winemaker Description 

The 2021 Alexander Valley Merlot offers notes of violets, marionberries and fresh plums with hints of black cardamon pods, cedar, green tobacco and white sage. Medium-to-full bodied with silky smooth texture and supple tannins.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 95 Points | The aromas to this beautiful tawny port are saturated with burnt orange peel, caramel, candied fruit and hints of honey-coated nuts. Full-bodied, very fruity and dense with intense nut and mahogany flavors. Hints of sultanas, chocolate and coffee. Extremely creamy, long and flavorful. Delicious all the way. Better served slightly chilled.

The Wine Spectator 93 Points | Rich, with a spicy nose, this offers flavors of fig, dried apricot, mango and ginger. Complex and elegant, delivering concentrated crème brûlée and tropical fruit notes that linger on the vibrant and buttery finish. (KM)

The Wine Advocate 93 Points |  On first taste, this was simply Taylor: big, concentrated and serious. It was all that and a bag of chips, but over a couple of day it also demonstrated far more elegance. It seemed arguably better balanced than the 10 year old Tawny this issue. Simply filling the mouth on first taste, this shows fine complexity for its age and it does everything else rather brilliantly. Succulent and inviting, it finishes with waves of concentrated flavors. The fruit remains lifted and and it has a bright, transparent feel. It is hard to resist, often seeming like a bit of an overachiever. It's not the best tawny Taylor's submitted this issue, but it might be the best intersection of quality and price.

Winemaker Description 

This superb example of aged tawny Porto is made from selected grapes from the best vineyards of the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior. Taylor Fladgate is an area leader in winemaking technology, as one of only three Porto producers to pioneer the development of piston fermenter techniques, called Port Toes, that extract significantly greater flavor and aroma than conventional pump-over fermentation.

Fermentation is halted by the addition of grape spirits before all the residual sugar has been fermented, creating a sweet, fortified wine. Individual wines produced in different vintages are aged in 600-liter oak casks for years, over which time they will lose their young, dark purple-black color to gain the distinctive “tawny” hue from which the wine takes its name.

As tawnies age, the wines take on increasingly more nutty flavors and become more concentrated as the barrels lose 3% of their volume every year (the “Angels’ Share”) to evaporation. The 20 Year Old Tawny is a blend created using tawnies with an average of 20 years of aging.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 92 Points | Bright and refined with aromas of blackberries, cassis, fresh tobacco, crushed stones and dark chocolate. The palate is full-bodied and polished with fine tannins and vibrant fruit. Defined and balanced with a touch of minerality. 

Winemaker Description 

Crafted from mountain and valley-floor fruit, this voluptuous wine reveals aromas of spiced blackberry, blueberry cobbler, black currant, milk chocolate and licorice. On the palate, lively acidity adds poise and brightness to the blackberry and black raspberry flavors, with rich, chocolaty tannins and notions of black tea adding suppleness and sophistication to a long, luxurious finish.

Memo Summary Notes

The 2022 vintage highlights a blend of fruit from both the valley floor (providing plushness) and mountain vineyards (providing structure and intensity).

Pair with 

Classic: Grilled tri-tip or a ribeye steak with a garlic-herb crust. 

Savory: Stout-braised short ribs or lamb sliders with caramelized onions. 

• Hard Cheese: Aged Cheddar, Gouda, or a firm Pecorino.

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

Wine Spectator | 90 Points | #27 Top 100 Wine of 2025 | Offers a lovely mix of ripe peach, apricot and orange blossom notes that are effusive, juicy and decidedly drinkable on a plump frame. Details of ripe pear, melon and dried ginger linger on the finish effortlessly alongside a hint of white tea.

James Suckling 91 Points | Aromas of sliced pears, yellow apples, nectarines and white flowers. The palate is medium-bodied with bright acidity and a salty, crunchy finish. Simple and generous. 

Winemaker Description 

Crisp, bright, and vivacious! The Chenin aromatics bring citrus characters of tangerine, yuzu, pear, orange blossom, and honeydew melon. The Viognier aromatics tend to be a little heavier on stone fruit of peach and mango with hints of honeysuckle. The mouthfeel is clean, crisp with no oak or malolactic fermentation. The slight residual sugar and acid are in balance to add a viscous mouthfeel in the mid-palate with a crisp finish.

This versatile wine pairs well with a number of dishes, from light salads to seafood, and most notably with foods with a hint of spiciness – its subtle sweetness provides balance alongside a touch of heat.

Memo Summary Notes

Its slight hint of off-dry sweetness makes it a perfect counterpoint to heat:

• Spicy Cuisine: Thai green curry, spicy tuna rolls, or shrimp and avocado tostadas. 

• Appetizers: Goat cheese, fresh radishes with butter, or hummus and veggie boards.

  
  
  
  

   

Our Professional Review 

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com writes | A lovely expression of Syrah, savory and darkly fruited with a sensuous mouthfeel and luscious textures. The fruit is rich and focused with velvety tannins and a mineral rich, long delicious finish. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2020 

John Gilman 91 Points | The 2020 Saint-Julien en Saint-Alban from Éric Texier is a fine bottle of young syrah. The bouquet is deep, precise and beautifully black fruity in personality, wafting from the glass in a mix of cassis, pepper, expresso, grilled venison, a nice touch of black olive, granite soil tones and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, ripe and very well balanced, with a fine core of fruit, lovely soil inflection and grip, fine-grained tannins and a long, complex and seamlessly balanced finish. This is still a puppy and quite primary in personality today, but also quite easy to drink. It is not a crime to be opening bottles today, but more complexity will certainly emerge with just a modicum of patience."

Winemaker Description

The wine owes much of its complexity to its varied upbringing, unifying grapes from California's most notable winegrowing regions. Meiomi Pinot Noir brings you structure and depth seldom seen in a Pinot Noir wine, thanks to its unique and meticulous aging process.

Aged for six months in French oak barrels, this California red wine's juicy strawberry flavor and notes of dark berries and toasted mocha add complexity and depth on the palate.

Our Professional Review

A blend of 40% Pinot Gris, 35% Muscat, 25% Riesling.  This is one of my favorite Alsace whites because of its amazingly fragrant nose of flowers, that I think the Muscat and Pinot Gris brings to this wine.  It is like smelling great perfume and when it enters your mouth you taste all the complex flavors the three grape varieties bring to the wine with the acidity of the Riesling making it both lush and crisp at the same time.  There is a certain creaminess and lushness that this particular wine envelopes your mouth with that makes me just love it.  Bernie, Follow the Drinker®

Winemaker Description - Importer Notes 

"The Edelzwicker, is a rare blend (one of two produced by Boxler) and often features fruit from his grand cru parcels. Jean Boxler says, “To find the right balance for the Edelzwicker Réserve, I cannot hesitate to steal from my more prestigious cuvées.”  Think of this bottling as his musical supergroup. Its purpose is to showcase what an Alsatian white tastes like when some of the region’s best grapes—which usually shine on their own—come together and harmonize. The result is a floral, luscious, and medium-bodied masterpiece, with notes of orchard fruit and tangerine. Incredibly versatile at table, it would be a match made in heaven with Chris Lee’s soufflé or a baked fish with grilled vegetables, but it would also complement a variety of Chinese, Indian, or Thai dishes that have a little spice." - Kermit Lynch

Winemaker Description

Alamos Malbec offers layers of dark cherry and blackberry and a velvety mouthfeel. Aromas of violet intertwine with spice and vanilla, while balanced tannins create a velvety mouthfeel and expansive finish. This Malbec delivers a complex fine red wine that pairs beautifully with a wide range of cuisine and goes beyond the expected. 

Winemaker Description 

The wine has a pale-gold colour with beautiful a shine. The nose is expressive and fruity, dominated by aromas of juicy fruit. There are touches of honey, adding a warm dimension. Elegant aromas of ripe pears bring a touch of freshness. On the palate, the wine is full bodied and gourmet, with a lively and saline finish that brings freshness and beautiful length. The sweetness of the nectarine blends harmoniously with subtle notes of lilac, giving the wine a beautiful floral complexity. A balanced wine with a persistent finish.

This 2024 vintage which should stand out for its aromatic richness and its aging capacity. Varietals: Grenache blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier. 

This is a wine with an incredible freshness and great depth. It will be a wonderful match for Mediterranean dishes and fish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 91 Points | This has quite an aromatic complexity, with spicy, floral and nutty notes. Charming and medium-bodied with a very satisfying balance of juiciness and citrusy freshness that lights up the long finish. A cuvee of 30% gewurztraminer, 23.5% pinot gris, 18.7% riesling, 18% sylvaner, 6% pinot blanc and 3.8% muscat.

Winemaker Description 

A kaleidoscope of grapiness, produced exclusively from hand harvested grapes in predominantly clay and limestone vineyards, from a dozen of the most favored localities in and around Riquewihr. Gentil Hugel allies the suave, spicy flavor of Gewurztraminer, the body of Pinot Gris, the finesse of Riesling, the grapiness of Muscat and the refreshing character of both Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description - 2024

The iconic California Chardonnay! This wine will delight with its ripe fruit intensity, hints of vanilla oak, a creamy midpalate, and a buttery finish, all supported by bright acidity tying it all together. Bring this wine to a party or open on a quiet night at home- you'll never be disappointed! 

Aromas of yellow peach and ripe melon are found on the nose, interspersed with bright citrus notes. These notes continue on the palate, featuring creamy vanilla and buttery nuances on the long finish. Rombauer’s signature bright acidity is evident in each sip, balancing the softness of the midpalate.

2024 was another classic vintage with good winter rain and moderate spring, ending with warm spells in September that brought us good yields. These perfect conditions allowed optimal fruit ripeness while still preserving the signature acid and body for which Rombauer wines are known.

Sustainable farming practices used throughout the growing season were tailored to each block with the assistance of aerial photos produced using NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) technology.

Food Pairings

• Rich Classics: Lobster with drawn butter, Fettuccine Alfredo, or Crab Cakes.

• The "Joy of Cooking" Match: The Rombauer family famously authored the Joy of Cooking; they specifically recommend pairing this with their Chicken Risotto or Strawberry Shortcake.

Winemaker Description 

Looking for a creamy and sweet dessert-type beverage you can drink after a meal, eliminating the need to indulge in a heavy dessert? Our Sho Chiku Bai Nigori Silky Mild offers the perfect way to end the evening. With a blend of fruity flavor and satisfying sweetness, our Sho Chiku Bai Nigori Silky Mild is unlike any sake you've enjoyed before. Take an adventure and purchase our Nigori sake today!

Nigori Silky Mild emits the fruity aromas and flavors of ripe banana, vanilla, melon, strawberry, and creamy sweet rice custard. Slightly sweeter than Sho Chiku Bai Nigori Crème de Sake, its milky-white appearance previews the characteristically full, smooth palate of the nigori sake type.

Winemaker Description 

This crisp, fruit-forward, juicy wine has expressive aromas and flavors of ripe red berries, with nice weight in the mouth. 

If you like Beaujolais, this is one you'll want to come back to again and again. It features strawberry, raspberry, and black fruits. Chill for 20 minutes and enjoy with grilled salmon, roast chicken, lighter meats and of course most vegetarian dishes.

Expert Review

Reggie Solomon writes:  This is a good, hearty and muscular Beaujolais that would pair with grilled vegetables and meats. This wine has a nose of black plum, rosehip, strawberry and blossom. On the palate the wine is firm with red and black fruit predominating.  - Wine Enthusiast 

Our Professional Review 

Oscar Garcia Lead Wine Sommelier 67Wine.com  | One of Rioja's benchmark Crianzas. A well-rounded red that delivers a solid drinking experience. Late spring of 2017 I had the pleasure to be in Rioja and although a late frost damaged some of the buds, the quality in what survived is fairly consistent. 

Aromas of plum compote, cassis and notes of cinnamon and cloves. Medium-bodied with polished and pleasant tannins. Consistent and satisfying finish. Pair with beef-stews or any rice dishes such as Shrimp-fried rice.

Winemaker Description 

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

James Suckling 90 Points | A crunchy and easy sauvignon blanc that delivers green-melon and apple aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied, lightly sweet and crisp at the end. Nicely done.

Winemaker Description 

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and juicy with ripe, tropical flavors of passion fruit, melon, and stone fruit. Each sip of wine reveals classic Marlborough Bauvignon Blanc aromas of lifted citrus, tropical fruit, and crushed herbs, along with vibrant acidity and plenty of weight and length on the palate.

Pair with fresh oysters, asparagus, lobster, or a light salad.

Please allow 3-5 business days for this wine to ship.

Expert Review - Vintage 2025

Wineanorak - 93 Points | Highly aromatic, with elderflower, citrus, and passionfruit. Crisp, textural, and elegant green notes, calling it "benchmark Marlborough Sauvignon.

Winemaker Description 

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc put New Zealand on the map with its captivating flavor. The 2025 vintage is open and expressive on the nose, with notes of peach, elderflower, makrut lime and freshly squeezed lemon. On the palate, bright lemon notes are layered over subtle white nectarine and refreshing sea salt and dune grass aromas reminiscent of a cool sea breeze at the end of a warm day. There’s a sense of poise, with the refined mid palate balanced by a steel-cut citrus acidity and an elegant finish. 

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2025 is a natural match for almost any seafood. Some of our favorites at the winery include tempura oysters, locally-caught sashimi, and steamed mussels with garlic, citrus and parsley. It’s also a great match for green salads and goats’ cheese. A hint from us: if it goes with lemon, it goes with Sauvignon Blanc.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

The Wine Spectator 89 Points | Smooth and plump, with an appealing seamlessness to the spice, melon, lemon zest and ripe peach flavors. There's a creamy, juicy quality that makes this white appealing and stylish. Lingering finish. Drink now. 253,505 cases made.

Winemaker’s notes

La Crema Monterey Chardonnay offers aromas of grilled pineapple, citrus blossom, tangerine, and papaya. On the palate, white peach, key lime, and honeydew melon are complimented by a touch of barrel spice, and a river stone minerality.

The winery's original name, La Crema Viñera, means "best of the vine," setting the standard for all the team has done since 1979. For more than 35 years, the family-owned and operated winery has focused exclusively on cool-climate appellations, from its original home in the Russian River Valley, to Monterey and, now, the Willamette Valley. La Crema is continually exploring these very special regions—passionate in the belief that they make uniquely expressive and elegant wines. Thorough vineyard site selection and boutique winemaking techniques ensure the consistently distinct, naturally balanced wines La Crema is committed to producing.

Winemaker Description 

Beautifully integrated tropical flavors such as pineapple, mango and papaya, with citrus notes that explode in your mouth. These flavors delicately intertwine with aromas of vanilla and honey to create depth and balance throughout. A hint of toasted oak and butter rounds out the long, lingering finish. 

Memo Pairing Notes

    •    Seafood: Lobster, salmon, grilled chicken breast, fish tacos.
    •    Other: Corn on the Cob, chicken dishes, and rich, buttery foods.

Winemaker Description 

Monterey’s combination of moderate climate and marine influences from the Pacific Ocean keep the grapes balanced and able to develop fully ripe flavors. A classic Central Coast Chardonnay, this wine offers tropical aromas of grilled pineapple with a hint of star fruit and vanilla.

Nicely balanced, Hess Select Chardonnay is medium-bodied with layers of sliced peaches and golden delicious apples, finishing crisp and clean with well-balanced acid. 

Winemaker Description

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is the signature champagne of the House. Dominated by Pinot Noir, it offers the perfect balance of structure and finesse. Golden-yellow in color, with a foaming necklace of tiny bubbles. It is pleasing to the nose; initially reminiscent of yellow and white fruits, then of vanilla and later brioche. Note the fine balance between the fruity aromas coming from the grape varieties and the toasty notes, the result of the three years of bottle aging. The first sip delivers all the freshness and strength so typical of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label with a symphony of fruit following (pear, lemon). It is a true member of the Brut family, well-structured, admirably vinous. 

Expert Reviews 

James Suckling writes:  This has aromas of grapefruit, pomegranates, and biscuits. It’s honeyed and sleek with a medium body and supple bubbles. Soft and creamy finish. Majority pinot noir, with chardonnay and meunier. Around 40% reserve wines.  - James Suckling 91

Julia Sheppard writes:  Tasted in magnum, the nose offers yeasty bready aromas topped with fresh citrus, hints of stone fruit and strawberry tart. A palate of fresh croissants, red berries, green apple and lively lemon citrus, with the larger format lending lovely creaminess to the bright finish. Veuve Clicquot's iconic Yellow Label is a blend of 30% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier and 50% Pinot Noir, which provides the cuvée's signature structure. Up to 45% reserve wines in the blend ensure consistency.  Drinking 2024 to 2030.  - Decanter 91

Alison Napjus writes:  This harmonious Champagne boasts a bright streak of tangerine peel–infused acidity, with flavors of ripe green apple, pastry cream and biscuit, plus accents of crystallized honey and candied ginger, all set on the lacy mousse. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Drink now.  - Wine Spectator 90

Jeb Dunnuck writes:  Comprising 85% of production, the NV Champagne Yellow Label Brut is 40% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, and the rest Meunier, with 35-40% reserve wine. Entirely fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, it spends three years on the lees, and the wine sees 9 grams per liter of dosage, but the house does not disclose the disgorgement date. A golden straw hue, it’s ripe with aromas of yeasty bread dough, peaches, and fresh flowers. Medium-bodied on the palate, it’s ripe and juicy with rounded red berried fruit, a supple texture, a pillowy mousse, and a warming finish. Fresh and inviting, this is a solid and consistent aperitif to enjoy over the coming several years.  Drinking 2023 to 2026.  - Jeb Dunnuck 89

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

The Wine Spectator 90 Points by Kristen Bieler 90 Points | There's a pure core of fresh blackberry, crunchy plum and violet in this vibrant version, with the subtlest brushing of vanilla. Layers of graphite and fine-grained tannins provide a solid framework. Compact, with savory details emerging toward the solid, medium-bodied finish, which is grounded in salty mineral notes and a waft of alder smoke. Drink now through 2028. 27,000 cases imported. 

Winemaker Description

Château de Saint Cosme has been in the hands of the Barruol family since 1490. Louis Barruol took over from his father in 1992. Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône is produced from 100% Syrah and is from the the stony Villafranchian terraces of the Gard. The vineyards are known for their limestone sand, red clay, and pebbles, which give a freshness and intensity to the Syrah grapes. The wine is partially destemmed, fermented with natural yeasts, and vinified in concrete vats.

This Syrah grows in ideal terroirs of the southern Rhône and shows the varietal’s typical spicy notes of sandalwood, violets, and black pepper.

Syrah, with its deep flavors and firm tannins, is a natural match for grilled or smoked meat and dishes featuring herbs, roasted mushrooms, and onions.  Seared venison or beef with black pepper and thyme or a Moroccan tagine of pigeon or chicken are complimented by the spicy characteristic of Syrah.

Memo Summary Notes

Given its primary Syrah focus and spicy, dark-fruit character, it pairs well with:

• Grilled and Smoked Meats (especially beef or venison with black pepper).

• Roasted Pork and Duck.

• Dishes featuring herbs (thyme, rosemary), mushrooms, and onions.

Winemaker Descripton 

Whispering Angel is today's worldwide reference for Provence Rosé. Made from Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle (Vermentino), its pale color is pleasing to the eye and draws one in. The rewarding taste profile is full and lush while being bone dry with a smooth finish.

Highly approachable and enjoyable with a broad range of cuisine, Whispering Angel is a premium Rosé that you can drink from mid-day to midnight. 

This rose wine is delicate, clean and minerally. Pale salmon in color. Fresh peach and strawberry on the nose with plenty of red berry fruits. Full bodied and dry, with pink grapefruit and hints of peach on the palate, lively acidity and a long finish.

A beautifully made wine.

Whispering Angel Rose is made by Sacha Lichine and his team at Chateau d'Esclans, in La Motte en Provence, south France. Made from grapes grown from some of the most choice land in the surrounding region of la Motte en Provence, consisting primarily of Grenache, Rolle (Vermentino) and Cinsault.

Tasting Notes: A beautifully pale pink, which is pleasing to the eye and draws one in. Palate : Fresh red berry fruit characteristics with floral notes. Ripe and fleshy feel on the palate. Finish : Great concentration. Smooth and round finish.

Expert Review (2024 vintage)

James Suckling 92 Points: A well-rounded, focused and delicious rosé showing dried raspberries, frozen strawberries and mild spices on the nose. Medium-bodied with bright acidity. Balanced and driven, with a lively center palate and a persistent, flavorful finish.

Winemaker Description

With attractive aromas of black fruit and spice, this smooth, ready-to-drink Cabernet Sauvignon is made with the same care as the highest-quality, traditionally crafted Bordeaux-style wines. Justin Cabernet Sauvignon spends 14 months in traditional small oak barrels to impart depth and complexity. The unique climate and soils of Paso Robles add a classic Cabernet character to this wine, highlighting an exceptional balance of flavors and textures.

Bright, moderate concentration, and consistent ruby red hues to the rim. Aromatic with juicy red fruit on the nose, this wine shows red raspberry and black cherry laced with a bouquet of vanilla, soft herbs, and warming spices. On entry, this wine is dry, moderately full-bodied, supple, and bursting with bright red plum and ripe cherry. The velvety tannins are well-integrated among more nuanced elements of caramel, toasted coconut, fennel, and sage. The long finish turns pleasantly savory with floral notes and a hint of pepper. 

The 2022 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon is remarkably balanced and complex, with a fresh palate that not only invites another sip on its own, but also pairs well with a wide variety of dishes. Try this wine with grilled chicken or burgers at your next cookout or with a classic filet mignon at your favorite steakhouse.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 91 Points This full-bodied, round and buttery chardonnay has notes of baked apples, toast and brown butter. Ripe, soft and generous. 

Winemaker Description

A fresh, youthful and textured Chardonnay with flavors and aromas of pear, floral, white peach, citrus, baking spices and honey.

This versatile wine can be enjoyed as an aperitif with a triple crème or Humboldt Fog goat cheese, or to accompany entrées such as fresh seafood risotto, mussels in white wine sauce, or chicken piccata

James Suckling 90 Points | A smooth, relaxed, full-bodied wine that's soft in texture and rich in tropical fruit, butter and vanilla bean flavors. Pineapple, mango and coconut flavors spread across the palate and linger in the finish. Drink now. Screw cap.

The Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | There's a vivid tropical approach to the nose of this bottling, which is layered in jasmine, plumeria and ripe star fruit aromas. The palate is clean and balanced, offering vanilla, peach and guava flavors.

The Wine Spectator by MaryAnn Worobiec 88 Points | Firm and toasty, with notes of grilled bread and dried spices alongside a core of peach and mango. Nutmeg and cardamom details linger on the firming finish.

Winemaker Notes

Kali Hart is our most fruit-forward expression in the Talbott family of wines. In the winery, we let the grapes guide the way with minimal influence, resulting in a rich and bright wine. Aromas of vanilla and brioche rise out of the glass to greet you. Ripe and intense notes of Bosc pear, pineapple, tangerine and melon give this wine a luscious, inviting palate. This Chardonnay shines with a soft, clean finish, a hint of minerality and hard spice notes.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018 

James Suckling writes:  Some nice, floral character to the plum and berry aromas and flavors. Some leaves. Medium-bodied with medium, polished tannins and a medium finish. Drink or hold.  - James Suckling 90

Neal Martin writes:  The 2018 Greysac has a well-defined bouquet of wild strawberry and raspberry fruit laced with cigar box and smoky aromas. The finely balanced palate offers sappy red fruit laced with black pepper and tobacco. I admire the cohesion here, and there is fine weight on the finish. Definitely a cut above a lot of Cru Bourgeois Médocs, though it deserves 2–3 years in bottle.  Drinking 2023 - 2030.   - Vinous 

James Lawther MW writes:  Big and bold with plenty of dark fruit and chocolatey oak. Sweet and generous on the palate, the oak again evident but integrated and the fruit present. Perhaps more winemaking than terroir.  Drinking 2023 -2028.  - Jancis Robinson 15.5

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 93 Points | This is round and compact with vivid acidity and a light phenolic edge to it. It has a floral character with fresh orchard fruit and stones. Medium-bodied and nervy with a chalky finish. Outstanding depth. 70% semillon and 30% sauvignon.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2023 Lune d'Argent was picked from August 28 to September 21 over several passes through the vines. It comprises 70% Sémillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc. The Lune d’Argent has an open nose, a little lighter than expected, though it gains intensity with aeration. Scents of Golden Delicious apple and light grass clippings emerge from the glass. The palate is nicely balanced with a fine bead of acidity, fresh and sapid, presenting a lovely umami sensation. It has a fair bit of complexity toward the pithy finish thanks to that Sémillon. Excellent.

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | Crushed citrus, honeyed grapefruit, and a beautiful chalky, mineral character all emerge from the 2023 Clos Des Lunes Lune D'Argent Blanc, a vibrant, medium-bodied white that has good acidity, a straight, focused texture, and outstanding length.

Decanter 91 Points | Green peas and crisp green apples on the nose with citrus aromas. Juicy and alive, exotic pineapple, apricot and almost sweet lemon juice aspects, nothing too bitter or harsh at all, round with a gentle creaminess that comes in towards the mid palate while staying quiet lean and direct. Much less severe and acidic than I was thinking, really balanced and harmonious and so enjoyable to drink with a slate and mineral finish. A top value pick!

Winemaker Description 

Lune d’Argent is the heart of Clos des Lunes’ production. They firmly believe in the future of this legendary terroir and its truly original style. With a touch of French oak, the Sémillon is dense and rich, the Sauvignon Blanc refined and precise. This cuvée of dry white wine promises to convey all the magic of Sauternes. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

Danielle Callegari of the Wine Enthusiast writes 92 Points | The nose sparkles with fresh yet savory aromas of lemons, limes, herbs and a nutty cheesiness, but also has a delicate, balancing floral sweetness. The palate is dense, as stone fruit joins more citrus and floral notes, before salted nuts usher in a tangy, mineral finish. 

Falstaff 91 Points |  Pale straw yellow with light green edges. Grain fruits, thyme and some eucalyptus on the nose. Apricot aroma on the palate, white currant, harmonious with good drinkability.

Wine Spectator 90 Points | A bright, tangy white, offering a fragrant range of orange and lime blossoms, blood orange and pink grapefruit zest, and poached quince and apricot. This is lightly lip-smacking and hard to stop sipping, with a snappy, mineral-driven finish. Drink now through 2027. 

Eric Guido of Vinous 90 Points | The 2023 Grillo Timpa is airy and sweetly scented, wafting up with hints of mint leaf, green melon and confectionery spice. This smooths over the palate with fleshy textures and citrus-tinged white pit fruits as a tropical air of inner florals forms toward the close. The 2023 finishes with admirable length and freshness, closing with a youthful tension and a citrus concentration that tugs at the cheeks. Nicely done. Drink 2024-2027. 

Winemaker Description 

The 2023 vintage was marked with precipitation that was slightly lower than annual averages. The winter months were significantly drier than usual, while an abundance of rainfall was concentrated in the late spring, which accelerated the vegetable process of the vines, and delayed the flowering process. Hands-on work in the vineyard was essential to ensuring the health of the vineyard. Early summer, rather, was very dry, slowing down the vegetative process of VINEYARD the vines. Rainfall recommenced steadily in August and lasted throughout the harvest, which commenced in midSeptember and lasted until the end of October. During the summer months, cool nights offset the hot summer days, allowing for an ample acidity to form in the grapes. The quantity of grapes produced was slightly lower than the 2022 vintage, but the quality was excellent. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

The Wine Advocate 91 Points | The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc leads with the typically leafy, green-gauge nose of coriander, crushed sea shells, green apple and brine. In the mouth, the wine is intensely tropical but tempered by a maritime freshness and levity through the finish. It's a breath of fresh air, this wine. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

93 Points James Suckling: Attractive sauvignon blanc with flint, green-apple and lime aromas and flavors. Medium body with sliced melon and slate. Focused and pretty.

90 Points Vinous:  If you’re looking for a bit of all the best bits of Marlborough, Astrolabe's 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough ticks the boxes in a harmonious, let-it-be way. It offers roundness and texture with fresh, balanced acidity and bright notes of pineapple, mint, passion fruit and lemon. This is really well put together. It's clear winemaker Simon Waghorn knows what he's doing.

Winemaker Description

Pale straw color with green highlights. Powerful gooseberry, white currant, red capsicum, passionfruit and lime peel aromas. Medium-bodied, with strong flavors of makrut lime, passionfruit, lemongrass and a refreshingly smooth, dry and persistent finish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

James Suckling 93 Points | A restrained pinot grigio with aromas of green apples, white peaches, white pepper and minerals. Tight-knit structure on the palate, with subtle silkiness, super-savory flavors and a medium body. Long finish.

Winemaker Description 

This wine is all the rage right now, an international bestseller – especially as a major export to the United States and Great Britain. The grape, which actually originates from Burgundy, loves not only the climate in South Tyrol, but also the soil conditions. It has found a second homeland here, and has become the most widely planted grape variety. It is appreciated for its freshness, nice acidity and pleasant, lingering aftertaste.

August 2025, Dinners:  This is just a terrific wine.  We drank this wine with burgers, roast chicken, hanger steaks and it just worked so well.  50% Grenache and 50% Syrah, the wine fills your mouth with black fruit and cherry-like flavors and does it all in a gentle way.  Finishes absolutely clean, fresh and mouthwatering.  Everyone of our friends enjoyed drinking it.  -  Bernie & Dorothy, Paulo & Barbara, and Annie - Follow the Drinker®

Expert Review - Vintage 2022 

Wine Spectator 89 Points | Gentleness and ripeness are rendered in a lovely way in this version, which offers dusty earth and chalky mineral hints. Shows real depth, with black pepper, pretty lavender and simmering incense notes in the backdrop, anchored by a foundation of iron. Drink now through 2028. 10,000 cases made, 2,500 cases imported. 

Winemaker Description 

Ruby red, nicely bright. Fresh cherry and blackberry nose, notes of cracked pepper. Dark berry and touches of anise flavors, the quality of winemaking is evident. Touches of sweet cherries and raspberry on the palate.  A Parisian brasserie favorite.

Winemaker Notes

La Cala has aromas of fresh citrus and tropical fruit and white flowers accented by a mineral note and a hint of the surrounding Mediterranean vegetation. The wine has firm acidity with a soft, balanced palate which leads to a lingering finish.

Vermentino wines are a versatile match for a wide array of appetizers and entrees, especially shellfish and seafood dishes. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

James Suckling 91 Points | Aromas of lemon zest, white peaches, grapefruit, lemongrass and wet stones. The midweight palate shows bright acidity and a smooth, textural mouthfeel, giving freshness and balance to the finish.

Winemaker Description - 2024

From the first swirl, this Sauvignon Blanc captivates with aromas of candied pineapple and guava, layered with a delicate flourish of key lime blossom. On the palate, vibrant notes of fresh melon take center stage, balanced by a lively acidity that lends energy and precision. 

A silky texture carries the wine to a focused finish, where a hint of minerality adds intrigue and finesse. Crisp, expressive and beautifully crafted, this wine is a stunning reflection of North Coast Sauvignon Blanc.

The 2024 growing season began with abundant winter rainfall, revitalizing the vines for a strong start. Ideal weather during bud break and bloom fostered a generous crop, while above average temperatures in June and July encouraged vibrant vine growth and consistent berry ripening. Dynamic weather patterns throughout summer brought alternating warm and cool periods late into the season, with moderate September temperatures fostering balanced sugars and vibrant acidity.

Winemaker Description 

Embodying the luxurious beauty of great Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, this alluring wine draws you in with complex aromas of black cherry, ripe plum, blackberry, and sweet baking spices. On the palate, the tannins are supple and round, framing juicy layers of dark berries and chocolate, with sophisticated hints of white pepper and toasty oak emerging throughout the long, resonant finish.