WINE DEALS 3/27/23

SPECIAL DEALS

Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Paso Robles— It’s back and on sale!

The Austin Hope Cabernet displays a beautiful ruby hue. Enticing aromas of fresh black cherry, burnt sugar and a slight smokiness fill your glass. On the palate, flavors evolve with vanilla foam, ripe dark fruit, roasted coffee & nuances of spice. This full-bodied wine is rounded out with smooth supple tannins that are brightened with a touch of acidity to balance this crowd pleasing Cabernet Sauvignon.

Special deal: $32.99! (average price online $60) While supplies last!

WINE DEALS 3-27-23
  1. Goldeneye Pinot Noir 2020, Anderson Valley:  $46.99  Winemaker Notes:  Capturing the flavorful diversity of the Anderson Valley, this alluring Pinot Noir reveals aromas of fresh raspberry, black cherry and rich, blackberry pie, with hints of warm baking spices, pennyroyal and sea spray salinity. On the palate, bright, balanced acidity and supple tannins frame juicy flavors of Bing cherry and bramble berries, with notes of leather and breakfast tea adding nuance to the long, lingering finish.

  2. Champagne Ruppert-Leroy Les Cognaux Pinot Noir Brut Nature 2018:  $79.99  Les Cognaux is a 1.32 hectare south, south-east facing lieu-dit of 100% Pinot Noir located at the southeastern limit of the Côte des Bars right outside the small village of Essoyes. The parcel lies only five kilometers from the border of the Côte d’Or. The soil type is similar to that of Chablis (Kimmeridgian), all fermentation occurs in used Burgundy barriques and produced with biodynamic practices. Bottled brut nature sans soufre.

  3. Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel 2021, Napa Valley:  $54.99  Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: This wine is round and plush with a gentle grip of perfectly ripe tannins. It showcases bright aromas with a fine-grained texture exhibiting notes of red and dark fruit – raspberries, cherries, blackberries – star anise, black and white pepper, cocoa, and subtle, nuanced oak. Age worthy, compelling, and decadent, this beautifully proportioned Zinfandel is ready to enjoy now and will continue to age gracefully over the next 3 to 5 years.

  4. Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 2015:  $72.99  Winemaker notes:  Tenute Silvio Nardi’s classic Brunello is a blend of the finest grapes from the Manachiara and Casale del Bosco estates. Silvio Nardi follows the strict DOCG laws required of a classified Brunello di Montalcino. Yield is limited; only the top70% of the grapes is used to make the wine. The fruit is carefully handpicked and sorted. Fermentation and maceration takes at least 24 days (varies with parcel) at controlled temperature of less than 86°F. Aged for 12 months in new and used French oak barriques (Allier) before 18 months in large Slavonian oak barrels. Bottle aged at least 12 months before release.  Deep winy red color, with the characteristic bouquet of fresh red fruit. Great tannic structure on the palate, with an excellent acidic framework. A wine with an excellent, lingering aromatic persistency in the nose and in the mouth.

  5. Chateau Tournefeuille Grand Vin de Bordeaux 2019, Lalande-de-Pomerol:  $40.99  Winemaker notes:  Vibrant red robe. Intense nose of spices, red fruits and vanilla. Medium-bodied in the mouth with red cherries, cassis, and lightly grilled oak flavors. Silky tannins and nice long finish.  Sustainable and organic practices.  58% Merlot and 42% Cabernet Franc.

  6. Do Ferreiro Albarino 2021, Rias Baixas:  $31.99  Winemaker notes:  Aromas of sea spray lead to scents of white flowers, granny smith apples, and yellow gage plums. The finish is persistent, nervy, and satisfying.

  7. Boen Pinot Noir 2021, Russian River Valley:  $26.79  Winemaker notes:  This Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is rich in ripe fruit flavors and balanced by bright acidity and judicious hints of toasty oak.

  8. Immortal Slope Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Sonoma County:  $78.99  The 2017 is a powerful, dense wine whose immediate aromas are of black fruit and sweet spice. The wine cascades with effusive flavors of boysenberry, blackberry cordial, violets, spice cake, interwoven with sweet tobacco, brown sugar, black tea, clove, and raspberry leaf. Lusciously rich, it entices with its sweet fruit, massive palate and rich complexity. Mountainside tannins unfold with air, but carry the fruit, weight and power Accessible in its youth, it will continue to evolve for decades.

  9. Chateau Olivier Grand Cru Classe 2018, Pessac-Leognan:  $50.99  Winemaker notes:  The Sauvignon Blanc wines are very expressive and fruity, with a bouquet of peach and white flowers. They are rich, but show good acidity on the palate, along with a beautiful, pure, and deep flavor profile.  Blend: 75% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Semillon.

  10. Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Solano County/Napa County:  $19.79 Winemaker notes:  Guided by the idea that “less is more,” this wine is dry and fresh, with crisp fruit flavors and bright minerality. Starting with the 2019 vintage, these grapes come from Napa Valley and Suisun Valley, a “hidden gem” only 30 minutes from Napa that shares a similar maritime climate and produces exceptional wine. In both regions, farming practices enable us to create a wine that is not overly ripe – while also not herbaceous – featuring low alcohol and bright acidity.

  11. Champagne Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve:  $48.99  Winemaker notes:  The Maison Duval-Leroy revels in the art of blending Pinots and Chardonnays. Enriched with around fifteen crus and generous quantity of reserve wines, Duval-Leroy Brut confirms its complexity and is recognized for its consistency.  Providing a perfect balance between finesse and power, it draws out flavors of dark chocolate, cinnamon, and roasted yellow figs, expressing its subtle, melt-in-the-mouth vinosity.  Blend: 60% Pinot Noir, 30% Meunier, 10% Chardonnay  To bring out the best in this wine, try a saddle of young rabbit with new vegetables, a double veal chop, or, more unexpectedly, soft cheeses such as Brie or Camembert or perhaps Comte or Reblochon.

  12. Fortunate Son The Dreamer Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 by Hundred Acre, Napa Valley:  $131.99  Robert Parker has gushed about Jason Woodbridge’s Cabernets many times. He’s called them “Chateau Latour on steroids” and he’s awarded the winemaker with well over twenty 100-point scores.  His best summary of the character that is Jason Woodbridge is: “The genius of Jayson Woodbridge is not in dispute. A bigger than life character, he has a certain personal flamboyance and no-prisoners-taken persona, but what he and his team do in the vineyards and winery speaks for itself. These are remarkable wines, with his Cabernet Sauvignons some of the very finest in the world…”  Hundred Acre’s ‘The Dreamer’ is made from near century-old Cabernet vines, grown on the adjoining parcel to their Few and Far Between Vineyard. A stone’s throw to the left and this would be estate fruit and consequently $700 to $1,000 per bottle IF you could even find someone to sell it to you. (The current winery waitlist is almost a decade long).  Notes from proprietor Jayson Woodbridge – “This wine is dark and brooding, a wine of elegance, fine and structured tannins, and basically the wine-equivalent of a Wagner piece on a stormy night air unexpectedly making an enormous sum of money. In other words, it is pure magic with rock bloody solid complexity on a very high level.”

  13. Tenuta Luce LaVite Lucente 2020, Toscana:  $31.99  Winemaker notes:  Lucente is the result of a careful selection of the estate’s vineyards that are particularly suited for the production of a fruity and very pleasant wine. Like Luce, it is made from Sangiovese and Merlot, which prevails in the blend.  Lucente 2020 shows a brilliant ruby red color. The nose is rich in black fruits such as blueberries and blackberries, accompanied by a light balsamic and pan brioché note. The palate is soft supported by a nice freshness, with enveloping tannins and a long fruity aftertaste.

  14. BloodRoot Pinot Noir 2021, Sonoma County:  $24.99  Winemaker notes:  100% Pinot Noir from a blend of some of BloodRoot’s favorite vineyards across Sonoma County. A California Pinot through and through, this well fruited wine is balanced by its grip and acidity. It’s hard to find a better Pinot for the money than this one.

  15. Copain Tous Ensemble Syrah 2016, Mendocino County:  $28.99  Winemaker notes:  On the nose, hints of lavender, graham cracker, pie crust and wild blackberry. As the wine opens up, flavors of blueberry, anise and black cherry come forth. On the palate the wine is bright, but not too tight. An explosive entry and a plush finish make this wine perfect for early term drinking. While very much in line with the complex Syrahs in our range, this wine is the gateway to our Rhône wines. Softer, friendlier yet elegant and vivacious.  Tous Ensemble, “all together” in French, is a series of approachable wines that are perfect for every occasion, every palate, and every day of the week.  Vegan.

  16. David Arthur Proprietary Red 2018:  $75.99  Winemaker notes:  A dark cerise color offering an array of fruit and spice aromas; bright cherry, red raspberry, baked cassis, and plum followed by notes of anise, baking spices, garrigue and cherry cola. The palate is soft and plush with fine-grained tannins offering beautiful acidity and structure. The finish is long and silky with flavors of candied plum, tamarind, brown sugar and molasses.

  17. BloodRoot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Napa Valley:  $36.99  Winemaker notes:  Out of the glass aromas of dark cherry, plum, licorice, leather and espresso all swirl together. The palate is elegant and silky and echoes those aromas nicely with a nice core of blackcurrant, plum and spice.

  18. Domaine Lafage Nicolas Grenache 2020, Cotes Catalanes:  $19.99  “Bright ruby color. Ripe wine, loaded with red fruits on the nose. The mouth feel is concentrate, with soft tannins, and tastes of raspberry, cassis, blueberries and blackberries, with a great length.” —winemaker

  19. Chanson Hospices de Beaune Cuvée Guigone de Salins Beaune Premier Cru 2014:  $144.99  Of the Beaune’s, this has one of the deepest purple colours. The aromas are currently subdued, but this is often the case with this wine, which regularly shows rich structure and powerful fruit, rather than youthful charms.  It is beautifully balanced, with elegant tannins, fine acidity and impressive length.  Guigone de Salins was the wife of Nicolas Rolin, founder of the Hospices de Beaune. After his death in 1461, she moved from Autun to Beaune to take over the direction of the Hôtel-Dieu. She devoted much of her fortune to this cause, while helping to care for the sick and enfeebled, until her death aged 67. The steep slopes of Les Bressandes – planted in 1980, 1977 or the 1960s – constitute virtually half this famous Cuvée, which is one of the longest living Beaunes.

  20. Champagne A. Margaine Blanc de Blancs 2013, Villers-Marmery:  $216.99   Magnum  Villers-Marmery is an anomaly in the Montagne de Reims, an island of Chardonnay in a sea of Pinot Noir creating near Blanc de Blancs and giving the most simply delicious Champagnes in this portfolio. These can be some of the most hauntingly beautiful and original Champagnes you can drink. The clone of Chardonnay used by Margaine in Villers-Marmery is specific to this area and cannot be found in other parts of Champagne. Arnaud Margaine took over this six and a half hectare estate from his father Bernard in 1989 and is the fourth generation of his family to work these vineyards in the Montagne de Reims. The estate was founded in the 1920s and was expanded by Bernard in the 1950s. In 1977 Bernard joined the Special Club and Arnaud has continued his father’s commitment to high quality champagnes and continues to improve his raw materials in the vineyard. The majority of Margaine’s holdings are in the village of Villers-Marmery, a 95% village for Chardonnay, and the parcels here are old averaging about 32 years. Margaine also has a small parcel of Pinot Noir in the village of Verzy. The methods at this estate are not formulaic and Arnaud continues to experiment with new ideas in both the vineyard and the cellar. He prefers to make decisions in the cellar based on what he feels the wines need, rather than what was done in the previous year. Arnaud is preventing malolactic fermentation in a higher proportion of the wines, saying that he finds that non-malo wines have more freshness of fruit. “It’s not just the acidity” he says, “but the fruit as well. With the malo you lose a little of that fresh fruitiness.”

Vinous: 94 Points

This is an absolutely fabulous set of wines from Arnaud Margaine. More than anything else, what I admire most about these wines is a level of textural purity and finesse in the mousse that places them in the top tier of Champagne, whether grower or grande marque. The 2012 Special Club is particularly of note, but all the wines are terrific and well worth your time. – From Champagne – The Season’s New Releases (Nov 2018) by Antonio Galloni

Wine Advocate: 94 Points

“… wafting from the glass with aromas of crisp yellow orchard fruit, Meyer lemon, toasted macadamia nuts, bee pollen and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with brisk acids and a fine but youthfully frothy mousse, it’s charming and precise, concluding with a beautifully defined finish…”

  1. Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Adelaida District, Paso Robles:  $289.99  100% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an uber-concentrated wine that offers explosive aromas of lilac, hibiscus, thyme, and dark chocolate. Intense qualities of ripe blackberries, black currant, and blueberries accompany a beautiful harmony of flavors that begin with an impressive entry and linger for several minutes. Full-bodied and silky in texture, this wine displays immense elegance backed by a wonderful minerality, all while remaining fresh and vibrant. This wine will reward careful cellaring and bottle aging for decades to come.

Jeb Dunnuck 99 pts.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon continues to show brilliantly. (I rated it 97-100 from barrel last year.) It has a quintessential Cabernet nose of pure crème de cassis, crushed stone, lead pencil, graphite, and tobacco that gains depth and richness with time in the glass. Deep, full-bodied, rich, and incredibly textured, yet still fresh, light on its feet, and beautifully balanced, this gorgeous Cabernet shows what’s possible with the variety from Paso Robles.

 

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate  98 pts.

The 2019 Patrimony Cabernet Sauvignon was made with free-run juice and matured for 30 months in 100% new French oak. It has a deep ruby color and alluring tones of truffle, brown sugar and coffee to begin, opening with time to very pure cassis, boysenberry, tobacco, garrigue and aniseed. The palate is supple and fresh with surprisingly restrained, mineral-laced fruits and a fan of spicy accents across the long finish. This ultra sleek, elegant Cabernet evolves continually in the glass and has the harmonious structure it needs to go the distance in the cellar.

  1. Patrimony Caves des Lions 2019, Adelaida District, Paso Robles:  $287.99  A marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, one cannot but be taken by the uber-dark color of this wine. Yet when the first sip is taken, an unexpected profile emerges from the glass with elegance and freshness accompanied by a wealth of minerality. The nose explodes with aromas of cassis, cured meats, coffee, licorice, dark chocolate, and spice. Full-bodied, this flawlessly balanced wine will keep you thinking for a long time while the finish does not stop.  Blend: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Cabernet Franc.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 99 pts.  The 2019 Caves des Lions is a blend of free-run Cabernet Sauvignon (52%) and Cabernet Franc (48%) matured for 22 months in 100% new French oak and bottled in December of 2021. Opaque ruby in color, it has layered aromas of blackcurrant, lilac, graphite, fried savory herbs and game meats. The full-bodied palate is powerful yet balanced, its restrained, mineral-laced fruit complemented by mouthwatering acidity, and it boasts a long, graceful finish. Harmonious and latent, it will demand plenty of patience as it unwinds in bottle—the Patrimony wines tend to age at a glacial pace.

Jeb Dunnuck 98 pts.  More cassis, crushed stone, graphite, and chocolate emerge from the 2019 Caves Des Lions, and it’s beautifully textured, with full-bodied richness, building yet ripe, polished tannins, a gorgeous mid-palate, and one heck of a great finish. For all its richness and depth, it stays lively, fresh, and weightless, and it’s a beautiful wine.

  1. Daou Soul of a Lion 2019, Paso Robles:  $157.99  The 2019 Soul of a Lion is a blockbuster vintage that showcases how Bordeaux varieties are remarkably suited to the terroir of DAOU Mountain. This wine explodes from the glass with a kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors, including blackberry, blueberry, black currant, dark cherry, sweet tobacco and licorice. An added floral dimension imparts an integrated sense of elegance and freshness. While full-bodied with ultra-high phenolic levels, this wine maintains its evenness and poise through an extraordinarily long finish. Structured, balanced and powerful, the 2019 Soul of a Lion will reveal its full magnitude after several years of careful cellaring.

97+ Points by Robert Parker

95 Points by Wine Enthusiast

94-96+ Points by Jeb Dunnuck

Blend: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot.  Barrel Aging: 22 months in 100% new French oak

  1. San Simeon Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Paso Robles:  $61.99  The epitome of Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon: San Simeon. On the nose, you encounter the unmistakable notes of our unique selection of French oak barrels with aromas of rich black fruits mingled with violets, cocoa, caramel, and toast. As it moves across your palate, this wine expresses ripe pomegranate and boysenberry progressing into notes of oak spice, molasses, and dried lavender. Enjoy a long finish featuring full body, distinct minerality, and refined tannins.

  2. Domaine de Chevalier Grand Cru Classe de Graves 2017, Pessac-Leognan:  $120.99  GOEDHUIS, APRIL 2018, SCORE: 92-94  The Bernard family have nailed the 2017 vintage. Despite the vulnerability of their vineyards to spring frost they were protected by the neighboring woodlands. Their vines have produced a wine rich in dark fruit, with a restrained elegance. The mid-palate has ample structure and excellent freshness, and the wine’s appealing grainy tannins give an added layer of complexity on the finish. Top quality.

  3. Castellare I Sodi di S. Niccolo 40th Anniversary 2017, Toscana:  $104.99  Intense ruby red color and with a great olfactory concentration, thanks to the presence of a ripe red fruit that leads to notes of jam, spices, vanilla and licorice. In the mouth the wine is characterized by a dense and elegant texture, also supported by the important acidity of the Sangiovese, the tannins are absolutely sweet and the finish is long and of great persistence.  Pairs well with cold cuts and meat rich in flavor, cheeses with a strong and aromatic taste, in particular, Pecorino Toscano and Parmigiano.

  4. Castellare I Sodi di S. Niccolo 2018, Toscana:  $104.99  Intense red with hints of garnet. Deeply sophisticated and showcasing its full pedigree in terms of both the bouquet and palate of the wine. The fruit quality is exceptional and each individual aroma can be distinguished with total clarity, from the cherry to the spices, whose focus and integration are exceptional.  Pairs well with cold cuts and meat rich in flavor, cheeses with a strong and aromatic taste, in particular, Pecorino Toscano and Parmigiano.  Blend: 85% Sangioveto, 15% Malvasia Nera.

  5. Gundlach Bundschu Vintage Reserve Red Blend 2016, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County:  $119.99  The 2016 Vintage Reserve benefitted from a glorious growing season, resulting in another stellar example of the best of Rhinefarm. Fresh blackberry and black currant aromas are spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon bark with an underlying layer of earth and clove. Medium in body and supported structurally by fine tannins and fresh acidity, this youthful, instant classic will develop beautifully over the next 8+ years but has the finesse for immediate enjoyment.  82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.

  6. Tyler Pinot Noir 2021, Santa Rita Hills:  $36.99  Comprised predominately fruit from the Santa Rita Hills and the balance from Santa Maria Valley. Only the highest quality fruit is used from exceptional parcels around the County. Extremely mineral. Crushed rock, bright cherry, wet earth, game.

  7. Champagne Michel Gonet Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Zero Dosage:  $65.99  Champagne Gonet was founded in 1802, though the estate’s modern-day story began in 1973, when Michel took control of the domaine. The estate’s 40 hectares of vines stretch across some of Champagne’s best-known Grand Cru villages and are rooted in the region’s signature chalky soils. The (100%) Chardonnay for this wine comes from the Grand Cru of Le Mesnil sur Oger, leading to a mineral-driven wine noted with flavors of citrus, honey, & brioche.

  8. Gundlach Bundschu Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County:  $48.99  Cabernet Sauvignon grown on Rhinefarm creates wines of depth and power, well-integrated tannin structure, intense dark fruit and layers of cocoa and cassis. Our Cabernet Sauvignons age beautifully up to ten years and beyond.

  9. Rivers-Marie Joy Road Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021, Sonoma Coast:  $83.99  By Thomas Rivers Brown.  Offers lots of energy, with a burst of plum and blackberry fruit backed by bouncy anise and bramble accents, all carried by fresh, lively acidity.

  10. Burn Cottage Moonlight Race Pinot Noir 2021, Central Otago:  $50.99  Moonlight Race Pinot Noir is created by combining two unique parcels of Pinot Noir, one from the Burn Cottage Vineyard in Lowburn and the second coming off the Burn Cottage Sauvage Vineyard in Bannockburn. Burn Cottage believes it captures the essence of Central Otago Pinot Noir, with concentrated dark and red berry fruit flavors with a supple texture and fine tannins.

  11. Burn Cottage Burn Cottage Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020, Central Otago, New Zealand:  $74.99  James Suckling 94 pts.  A tight, fine pinot with aromas of cloves, licorice, dark cherries, lemons and grilled herbs. Medium-bodied with tight tannins. Spicy and savory with a precise, lengthy finish. From organically grown grapes.

  12. Berger Ried Spiegel Riesling 2021, Kremstal:  $26.99  Light greenish yellow; appealing green-fruity nose, peach skin, green apples, crawling; then a lot of citrus and a clearly mineral vein, plus a suitable, if not exactly squeamish, acid nerve.  Taut and straight modeled Riesling with pronounced varietal characteristics, the lively, bold gait together with the fine acid touch ensure a wine of mountain stream-clear freshness, dry, puristic, classic.  The ideal partner for delicately grilled or fried fish and seafood, with many starters based on fish or vegetables; also goes well with summer salads, cream cheese, fried vegetables: Or would you like it simpler? Then try it with buttered potatoes!

  13. Argiolas Costamolino Duemilaventuno Vermentino di Sardegna 2021:  $16.99  Vermentino often shows the fragrance of macchia, the mix of evergreen shrubs and herbs that typifies the Sardinian landscape. Costamolino hints at aromas of pine and mint coupled with ripe stone fruit and sweet citrus. The palate is at once vibrant and textural and finishes with lingering acidity.  Costamolino is produced with the Mediterranean table in mind. The wine’s lemony acidity will accent rock lobster or squid but carries enough weight to work with spaghetti topped with bottarga or a bowl of brothy clams and fregola. Vermentino’s herbal flavor can also highlight vegetables such as fava beans or fennel.

  14. Da Mar Prosecco DOC N.V.:  $16.99  “An approachable, ‘suitable for all four seasons’ wine made in the Charmat method, Da Mar Prosecco is perfect with Eggs Benedict in the morning, or an intimate dinner for two in the evening. Fruit forward with a structured, elegant and dry finish, this fresh and friendly Prosecco offers value and quality in a neat package.”-Winery

  15. Erste + Neue Lagrein 2020, Alto Adige:  $24.99  Lagrein is a red wine grape variety thought to be native to the Alto Adige. This medium-weight example resembles a tangy, alpine Cabernet Franc; middling-to-dark red color with violet reflections, aroma and flavor of black plums, pomegranate, pencil shavings, a hint of spice; medium weight on the palate. We drink it with red meats or substantial pastas. Fermented in stainless steel, aged in large barrels, made to drink young.

  16. Nibiru Tradition White Blend N.V., Kamptal, Austria:  $24.99  1 liter  Biodynamic. Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Frühroter Veltliner, Gelber Muskateller, Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau. A blend of almost all of Josef’s vineyard sites in small pieces, meant to be an easygoing snapshot of all the different varieties and terrain across Nibiru’s 12ha. The blend is mostly juice from 2020, with a small part of it from ’21 and ’19. About 80% of the fruit is fermented in stainless steel, with some small lots in neutral barriques.

  17. Argyle Pinot Noir Rose 2022, Willamette Valley:  $20.99  Nice and dry, this floral rosé is complex with tangy red fruit — strawberry and Bing cherry — and subtle spice. It’s balanced, buoyed by crisp acidity and finishes crisp.

  18. Michel Chapoutier Bila-Haut Rose 2021, Pays D’Oc:  $16.99  Each of the varietals in the blend offers up their unique flavors to combine a refreshing and crisp wine with “high resolution” of flavors. The Cinsault gives the red fruits and gentle floral aromas. The Grenache supplies the crisp mineral flavors with a hint of citrus in the lingering finish.

  19. Unrated Xtra Cab Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Born in Chile:  $20.99  This racy, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon offers intense aromas and flavors of dark red berries, black fruits, and sweet tannins. This wine culminates in a bold, long, and enjoyable finish.

  20. Psi Red Wine 2020, Ribera del Duero:  $35.99  Winemaker notes:  PSI is the 23rd letter in the Greek alphabet and is the name of Peter Sisseck’s (of the coveted Pingus and Flor de Pingus) utopian wine from Ribera del Duero. Peter has sought out the best independent vineyard growers in Ribera and is incentivizing them to improve viticultural practices and shun chemicals, lower yields and practice biodynamics by paying them increasingly for the fruit as they improve. The result is a “give back” to the region wine that also expresses the “soul” of Ribera.