JUNE 24, 2026
1) Zonin Amarone Della Valpolicella 200 Anniversary Bottle 2014, Veneto: $48.99 Celebrate 200 years of excellence with the 2014 Zonin Amarone. This special edition wine offers an opulent bouquet of dried cherries, plums, and subtle hints of dark chocolate. On the palate, it presents rich layers of dark fruit, spice, and a velvety texture, balanced by firm tannins and a touch of oak.
2) Le Pianelle Robino Bramaterra 2018: $105.99 96 points Antoni Galloni (Vinous): “The 2018 Bramaterra is captivating from the very first taste. Sweet, perfumed and almost intoxicatingly beautiful, the 2018 possesses striking inner sweetness and huge depth, marrying power and elegance to a degree I have not seen in previous vintages. As alluring as the 2018 is today, it is most certainly a wine to put away for at least a handful of years. I especially admire its explosive energy. This is the first vintage made with stems, about 35%. Drink 2025-2036 (Nov 2022).”
Nebbiolo, Vespolina & Croatina.
3) Fattoria di Magliano Poggio Bestiale 2018, Maremma, Toscana: $56.99 Wine Advocate 92 pts. An organic blend of 35% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc, the Fattoria di Magliano 2018 Maremma Toscana Poggio Bestiale is packed with dark fruit and rich concentration. It could be the power of suggestion, but you might also recognized a gamey note of leather or cured meat that borrows from the “beast” in the wine name Bestiale. Pair this wine with a hearty plate of pappardelle with wild boar. Production is 35,000 bottles.
4) Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett VDP Grosse Lage 2024: $36.99 Vinous 95 pts. The 2024 Riesling Oberhäuser Leistenberg Kabinett was grown on shale on this cool site. Its stony verve adds a touch of lemon zest on the nose. The palate is lightness itself, gently sweet but like a summer breeze carrying notions of clover. This is breezy and stony but tender on the finish. The 2024 is almost weightless.
5) Skouras Assyrtiko Wild Ferment 2025, PGI Peloponnese: $23.99 100% Assyrtiko Whole bunch press, wild yeast fermented in stainless steel vats. Aromas of citrus, apples, mineral and saline notes. Crisp acidity, salinity and minerality. A mountain expression of the ancient variety Assyrtiko from the highlands of Peloponnese. Elevation 2034 ft.
6) La Jota Vineyard Co. Howell Mountain Merlot 2014, Napa Valley: $84.99 Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 93 pts. The 2014 Merlot is 90% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot aged in 76% new French oak. Carpenter told me that this wine emerges from a micro-terroir within the vineyard that has traditionally under-performed, but due to draconian crop-pruning and tiny yields, it has turned out to be a “rock star” in 2014. Dense purple, with a big, sweet kiss of mulberry, chocolate, mocha and coffee, the wine is luscious, fleshy, dramatic and even flamboyant, with fabulous fruit on the attack and mid-palate, silky tannin and a plush, layered mouthfeel. It is already drinking beautifully (as most 2014s are) and will continue to evolve nicely for another 12-15+ years.
7) Edi Simcic Chardonnay 2024, Goriska Brda, Slovenia: $45.99 This is very stylish with delicate white peach and pear fruit with subtle toast and spice. There’s freshness here with the oak playing a supporting role. Refined and classy with everything in its place, offering some richness but also a degree of restraint. 94/100
8) Pojer e Sandri Palai Muller Thurgau 2023, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy: $24.99 This winery was founded in 1975 by two friends, Mario Pojer and Fiorentino Sandri, with the goal of proving that an untested viticulture region, between the Adige river and the Cembra valley, was capable of producing world class wines. Young Fiorentino inherited his family’s vineyards and Mario was a budding winemaker when their first release, a 1975 Palai Müller-Thurgau, caused quite a stir in the rapidly developing Italian wine scene. At an elevation of 550-750 meters, the Palai vineyard is well-ventilated from the winds that blow north off Lake Garda creating a wine that is stone-fruited, endlessly refreshing and mineral driven.
9) A. Gere “Csillagvolgy” Villanyi Franc 2020, Hungary: $59.99 Harmony of ripe, overripe red and black fruits, delicately salty-smoky notes and coffee with a subtle and note of pepper; a distinctive quality of the varietal. Supple tannins structure and persistent finish.
10) Gitton Pere & Fils En Creux Monopole Sancerre 2023, Loire Valley: $40.99 Single-vineyard, estate-owned (monopole) Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is celebrated for its bright acidity, flinty minerality, and chalky resonance that reflect its unique hillside terroir in the Loire Valley. When used generally in tasting notes, “en creux” describes a wine that dips or softens on the mid-palate, often followed by a lingering, tangy finish. It is used to describe wines that exhibit a lighter, refreshing, or more austere profile.
11) Gitton Pere & Fils Sancerre Les Herses Silex 2023, Loire Valley: $46.99 WE 91 pts. Fruity, crisp and with good acidity, this wine is just settling into balance. Touches of the wood aging are there along with brightly herbal green-fruit flavors, The wine is rich, with acidity as well as hints of tropical fruits in the background. Drink now.
12) Aperture Chenin Blanc 2023, CA: $32.99 WE 93 pts. It is exciting to see Chenin Blanc finally getting its due in Northern California. The aromatic white grape has long been a favorite of mine. This one has aromatics that remind the senses of the rocky soils in which this grape thrives- notes of fleshy stone fruit, citrus peel, white florals, and dried herbs on the nose; the flavors on the palate are more developed because the wine has time to rest in the bottle. The white nectarine and grapefruit layered throughout the slivers of limestone make for a lip-smacking dry finish.
“Shows plenty of verve and intensity, offering yuzu, mango and lemon curd notes at the core, plus accents of hops, vetiver and lemongrass. Vibrant acidity and plenty of momentum on the finish make this a showy wine, with a hint of crunchy sea salt that lingers.” 91 pts – Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2024
13) Sine Qua Non Distenta V Syrah 2023, CA: $284.99 Vinous 98-100 Review Date: 08/2025 Tasted just before bottling, the 2023 Syrah Distenta V has all the makings of a masterpiece. Beguiling aromatics of exotic spice, violets, blueberries and crushed rocks soar from the glass, leading into a wine of staggering elegance and expressiveness. Juicy yet refined, it already shows remarkable completeness, with a suave balance that promises even greater things in bottle. The blend is 85.8% Syrah, 5.5% Grenache, 3.7% Petite Sirah, 3.3% Mourvèdre, 1.3% Petit Manseng and 0.4% Muscat, vinified with 11% whole clusters. Nearly half of the fruit comes from the Third Twin Vineyard in 2023, which imbues the Distenta V with brightness and verve.
14) Domaine Gueneau Les Terres Blanches Sancerre 2025, Loire Valley: $39.99 Comes from 25-year-old Sauvignon Blanc vines rooted mainly in the chalky clay-limestone slopes (terres blanches) of Sury-en-Vaux and Chavignol, soils that lend depth and minerality to the wine. Farmed under a sustainable culture raisonnée approach with grass cover between rows and single Guyot pruning, the grapes are hand-harvested, gently pressed in a pneumatic press, and undergo a short cold maceration before fermenting in stainless steel. The wine is then aged for about eight months on its fine lees, which adds texture and complexity while preserving the bright citrus, herbal, and flinty character that defines this terroir-driven Loire Valley Sancerre.
15) Domaine Anne Gros Echezeaux Grand Cru Les Loachausses 2022, Cote du Nuits, Cote d’Or, Burgundy: $478.99 Jasper Morris 96-98 pts. A lovely mid purple. Very perfumed and with density, I suspect with detail to follow as well. Succulent, and with amazing depth plus magical length. One or two darker fruit notes, stopping short of chocolate. But this is a profound and sensual Echezeaux from a domaine noted for its lighter style. Drink from 2030-2038.
16) Chateau Minuty Cotes de Provence M de Rose Limited Edition Elliott Routledge 2024: $23.99 This 2024 edition was created by the contemporary Australian artist, Elliott Routledge. Known for his vibrant and abstract works, he mixes colors, patterns, and textures. For this limited edition of the M bottle of Minuty Rosé, he draws inspiration from the iconic landscapes of the Saint-Tropez Peninsula. His illustration captures the essence of the French Riviera, where the omnipresent blue reflects the luminous energy of the region. The nose reveals crunchy red fruit aromas, subtly enhanced by the sweetness of peach. In the mouth, vivacity and volume harmonize, offering a delightful gourmet sensation. A perfect illustration of the elegance of the rosé from Côtes de Provence. Grenache (60%), Syrah (20%), Cinsault (15%), Tibouren (5%)
17) Volpaia Chianti Classico 2022, Tuscany: $33.99 James Suckling 93 pts. A delicious, well-rounded and velvety Chianti Classico with aromas of strawberries, raspberries and mild spices. Medium-bodied with finely grained tannins and texture. Juicy and velvety with elegance and a pure character. Fresh and delicious finish. From organically grown grapes.
18) Tate Spring Street Wolf Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, St. Helena, Napa Valley: $61.99 Special price! Average price online: $70.99! James Suckling 93 pts. Aromas of blackberries, cassis, plums, red currants, violets, cedar and licorice. The palate is full-bodied with finely integrated tannins and balanced acidity. Balanced, fresh and savory, with a persistent finish.
19) Peju Legacy Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, Napa Valley: $54.99 Jeb Dunnuck91 pts. Rock solid stuff that readers will love, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Legacy Collection offers ripe red and black currants, leather, spicy herbs, and classy oak. Aged 18 months in French and American oak with 25% new, it’s medium to full-bodied, nicely balanced, has ripe, polished tannins, and outstanding length.
20) Florian Le Capitaine Vouvray “Les Aumones” Sec 2022, Loire Valley: $25.99 WA 92 pts. A delicate, fresh bouquet of orchard fruit, apricot, spring flowers and citrus oil preface the 2022 Les Aumônes Sec, a medium- to full-bodied, seamless and fleshy wine with a satiny texture and racy acids. Crafted from Chenin Blanc in Rochecorbon, facing south, it was matured in used barrels without sulfur. This is a real success.
21) Le Dilettante Chenin 2024, Vouvray, Touraine, Loire Valley: $36.99 Complex and bone-dry, this old-vine Chenin reveals notes of grapefruit, green apple, and herbs, making it an excellent pairing with dishes such as grilled cod.
22) Cote Mas Syrah Grenache 2024, Sud de France: $13.99 James Suckling 90 pts. “This fruity and mellow blend of syrah and grenache displays blackberries, dark plums and sweet spices on the nose, following through to a medium body with creamy tannins. Juicy at its core, with a delicious finish. Drink now.”
23) Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2019, Tuscany: $242.99 Vinous 95 pts. Just a baby today, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is darkly alluring with a youthfully coy bouquet that requires coaxing as dusty earth and dried flowers slowly take on hints of incense and black cherries. It flows easily across the palate, silky and refined with building tension as brisk acidity and minerals mingle with edgy tannins toward the close. The 2019 finishes dramatically long and structured with a pleasantly bitter tinge. A resonance of salted licorice and cedar lingers on and on. Valdicava has captured the radiance of the vintage.
24) Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2009, Tuscany: $224.99 Wine Advocate 95 pts. Review Date: 02/2015 The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is an expressive and articulate wine that speaks highly of Sangiovese and the Montalcino territory. The wine offers a pristine narrative of both grape and place with crystalline aromas of cherry, blackberry, spice, leather, smoke and Mediterranean herb. The bouquet peels back one delicious layer at a time. The mouthfeel is similarly successful with deep concentration and complexity. It imparts soft layers of dried fruit and velvety tannins. Endnotes of espresso bean and toasted almond add length and momentum. There’s even spot of chewy sweetness that is typical of the warm 2009 vintage.
25) Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2020, Tuscany: $224.99 James Suckling 96 pts. Quite closed at the very first sniff, opening to reveal youthful aromas of small red fruits, intoxicating fresh violets, almost vinous character and some earthy tones. The palate is firm with medium body and velvety tannins that are a little hard on the finish now, yet balanced by refreshing acidity. Opens nicely at the end. Intense and polished style to this, yet it needs a little time for better integration.
26) Chateau Greysac Cru Bourgeois Superieur 2019, Medoc: $33.99 Decanter 96 pts. Seamless nose with plush black fruits and a hint of spice. Enticing. Fabulous fruit on palate with great balancing acidity and fine-grained tannins. Persistent finish. 65% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc.
27) Cantina Mesa Buio Carignano Del Sulcis 2023, Sardinia: $25.99 Dense, bright ruby red. Ample, sophisticated nose with hints of ripe red berries, mediterranean herbs and hot spices. Exudes nobility and richness in spite of its energetic, eager youthfulness rich in iodine and fleshy. Biting but not aggressive tannins, coupe with underlying savoriness, give momentum to the fruity and balsamic notes. Pair with intensely flavored pasta and rice dishes, chargrilled tuna and red meats, game birds, pecorino sardo chesse.
28) Giuseppe Lazzaro Russucori Rosso 2022, Terre Siciliane: $58.99 Time to meet Giuseppe Lazzaro, who worked with the natural legend Frank Cornelissen for over 20 years as his cellar master. Giuseppe’s “Russucori” is all Nerello Mascalese, with bright red and black cherry notes intertwined with hints of wild strawberries and dried herbs. Tannins are present yet well-enveloped by the wine’s fleshy core.
29) Quinta Da Pedra Milagres Alvarinho 2021, Vinho Verde, Portugal: $31.99 WE 92 pts. A delicious touch of honey illuminates this ripe wine. The Alvarinho from the Monção and Melgaço region has created a wine with a touch of spice and a tangy citrus and apple flavor that is still fresh. Drink the wine now.
30) Jolie-Laide Rose of Gamay 2025, CA: $31.99 Our 2025 rosé is made exclusively from Gamay Noir, sourced from two California vineyards with strikingly different terroirs. Barsotti Vineyard in El Dorado sits at nearly 3,000 feet—one of Northern California’s highest sites. Its elevation and proximity to the snowcapped Sierra Nevada bring warm days and cool nights, ideal for slow ripening and acid retention. Decomposed “pink” granite soils, reminiscent of northern Beaujolais, and organically farmed vines trained in a rare vertical, tree-like style contribute to the wine’s mineral intensity. The second site, a new West County planting is just coming into production. Its arid, low-lying setting allows Gamay to develop a sun-kissed California character, balancing the precision of Barsotti. Together, these vineyards provided everything we needed for this year’s rosé. Aromas of white peach, wild blossoms, and zesty grapefruit lead to flavors of tangerine, honeydew, fresh strawberry, and a subtle touch of pink Himalayan salt on the finish.
31) Ktima Palivou La Vie En Rose 2024, Ancient Nemea, Greece: $29.99 Light gray-salmon color. Youthfully fragrant wine with spring-like expressiveness of aromas. Rose petals, jasmine and lime along with fresh melon and rose Turkish delight. The mouth is light, silky and cool while remaining rosy. The acidity caresses the palate and remains until the end that lasts for a long time.
32) Frenzy Mount Richmond Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Marlborough: $18.99 Sourced exclusively from Mount Richmond Estate, located in New Zealand’s Upper Wairau Valley of Marlborough. A wine celebrated for its aromatic profile and crafted to offer a lively, refreshing experience that delights with its purity and expressive fruitiness.
33) Prandi Giovanni Barbera D’Alba 2022, Piedmont: $21.99 Alessandro Prandi produces up to 2000 cases exclusively from their small family farm in the historic town of Diano d’Alba. It’s amazing that their wines make it to the US, but we are blessed that they do. The family practices organics, ferments with native yeasts, and make their wines using minimal intervention. Just 400 cases of their Barbera d’Alba are produced each year, and the wine is bottled with little to no fining or filtration. Boasting good concentration matched with freshness along with captivating aromatics and flavors of violet, plum, blueberry, and dark cherry. It’s all about purity and total drinkability in this classic Piemonte red.