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Staff Favorites

If you’re going to have Robert Parker or Stephen Tanzer over for dinner, selecting a wine they’ve rated highly will be a nice choice. However, when you’re buying wines for yourself, we’d love to see you find wines that match up your unique palate and pocketbook. We have a large staff of friendly and knowledgeable wine professionals that taste hundreds of wines each week. They can put you in touch with bottles that you are likely to love, often at a much lower cost than the highly-rated gems that often see a run-up in price and frequent availability issues. Like any great group of opinionated professionals, our staff has varied tastes themselves. Often our customers will find a particular staff member with a style that corresponds to their own. That concept works extremely well in our retail stores, and this section is our effort to bring you the same online. Don’t get us wrong, we love the highly rated wines from the press and will continue to offer them, but we think you’re missing out if you’re not augmenting those selections with picks from our excellent staff. Here are their favorites. (Click on a name to see their other selections - or to drop them a line.) Cheers!


Reviews

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2007 La Nevera Garnacha Navarra
 By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 11/20/2009 | Send Email
  I try to minimize reviews of wines which are in my department (Spain,Portugal, South America) but sometimes I cannot help myself. This cool climate (well, cool climate for Spain!) garnacha from Navarra has a lot of snap, freshness and mouth watering, crunchy red fruit. Drink this at cool cellar temperature to highlight the fresh, engaging qualities of this wonderful red.
Top Value!
Price: $11.99 Add To Cart
2006 Beronia Tempranillo Rioja
 By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/19/2009 | Send Email
  This is a terrific everyday Rioja. Dark fruits, medium bodied and a touch of earthiness. This is a wine that you'll want to buy more than a couple bottles of, it is so food friendly that you'll end up reaching for it a couple times a week if you are not careful.
Price: $12.99 Add To Cart
2008 Domaine Renaud Mâcon-Charnay
 By: Mike Parres | Review Date: 11/19/2009 | Send Email
  I find this to be one our Best Value's from Burgundy and a great wine to searve for holidays.Focused and solid, with good minerality and a nice finsh.. Very well-made Macon, rising above the usual level by a substantial amount.
Price: $12.99 Add To Cart
2006 Penfolds "Thomas Hyland" Chardonnay
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 11/19/2009 | Send Email
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  A great chardonnay for the price- clean, crisp, refreshing, and only 7 bucks!
Top Value! Drink from 2009 to 2010
Price: $6.99 Add To Cart
2007 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Zinfandel
 By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/19/2009 | Send Email
  This is one heck of a Zinfandel! the rumor has it that the 07 vintage is the best Zinfandel vintage since the early 80's. This is a wine full of vibrant fruits and intense spiciness. This wine possess great structure, it was so good I couldn't resist a second glass!
Price: $29.99 Add To Cart
2004 Talenti Brunello di Montalcino
 By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/19/2009 | Send Email
  Dark, full, rich and intense. Need I say more? How about an hours worth of decanting and this is the ultimate 04 Brunello for you to be drinking right now. You can cellar it for 5 to 7 years if you want to, if you can!
Price: $44.99 Add To Cart RP 93 WS 92
2004 Tenuta di Sesta Brunello di Montalcino
 By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/19/2009 | Send Email
  This is the first vintage that I have tried from this producer, and wow! This is the real deal at a great price. Dark pure fruits that are supported by great tannins and acid. The finish build with the classic sotto bosco that you would expect from Brunello. Good now with a rich meal but will get better with a few more years in bottle.
Price: $34.99 Add To Cart WE 90
2004 Bodegas Casa Juan Señor de Lesmos Rioja Crianza
 By: Susan Thornett | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
  A vibrant, traditionally inclined Rioja with beautiful cherry fruit, a little nutmeg spice and gorgeous layered texture.
Price: $15.99 Add To Cart
2007 Château de Montfaucon Côtes du Rhône
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
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  This is a ridiculous deal- a serious rhone red for just over 10 bucks! The wine has a deep mid palate of dark cherry and cassis, with cedar spices and firm tannins. Wines of this complexity are definitely rare in this price range.
Top Value! Drink from 2009 to 2012
Price: $10.99 Add To Cart
2008 Domaine Renaud Mâcon-Solutré
 By: Kirk Walker | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
  One of my favorite direct import Macons. This always exhibits the best minerality and great finish. This is a great everyday white burgundy!
Price: $12.99 Add To Cart
Equipo Navazos La Bota de Fino #15
 By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
  This is connoisseur sherry, pure and simple. Equipos Navazos finds the best soleras in family bodegas, and bottles them under their name. La Bota no. 15, the current fino, is from the storied Valdespino winery, produced from grapes grown on the famed Macharnudo Alta vineyard in Jerez. Only 20 butts were used for this bottling (compare with 150 or more for many other sherries, even the nicer ones). Like their other bottlings, there is an added element of purity, mouthfilling richness and elegance that makes this a world class example of the style, writ large. Highly recommended while it lasts.
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart W&S 96
2008 Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
 By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
  This will sell out before Christmas, so if you're looking for good Oregon pinot noir, with subtlety, grace, and wonderful Williamette Valley typicity: tangy fruit, a bit of beet root, a touch of a floral aspect, then have it. I know I will.
Price: $17.99 Add To Cart
2007 Ferreira "Preston Estate " Russian River Pinot Noir
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
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  Light, elegant, and full of racy red fruit flavors, this is a great release from this small producer. True to 2007 (a wonderful vintage in russian river), the wine has wonderful acidity, a balanced and elegant structure, and earthy strawberry notes. This is a great pinot at a great price, perfect for turkey dinner!
Top Value! Drink from 2009 to 2012
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
Germain-Robin Absinthe Superieure 375ml
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
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  I love this absinthe- it's perfect for mixed drinks or just by itself and the price and quantity of the half bottle is great. It's an absinthe blanche (no herb maceration for color- just clear), apple brandy based, and absolutely delicious with more floral notes and balance you find with most of our absinthes.
Top Value! Drink from 2009 to 3009
Price: $35.99 Add To Cart
2007 La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
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  La Fortuna keeps surprising me with their new releases. This rosso is one of the best in our store- a real sangiovese with full cherry notes, dusty earth spices, and a fresh acidity that leaves quite a long impression on the tongue. Perfect for pastas, pizzas, or anything italian.
Top Value! Drink from 2009 to 2012
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
2003 La Lagune, Haut-Médoc
 By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
  Soft, sweet cherry fruit with delicate inner mouth floral aromas and very good balance, especially for the vintage. Useful wine reminder - you can't always pre-judge a wine based on its vintage! While this is ripe, it is still quite balanced and possessing enough of interest to keep this intrepid drinker in to this bottle.
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart RP 90 WE 90
2004 Philippe Gonet Cuvee Belemnita Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne
 By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
  If I'm going to review a tete de cuvee champagne that is well north of $100, you best believe that I'm going to really think highly of it! The Belemnita has the clearest, most precise and mineral expression of cotes de blancs chardonnay that I've tasted since 1996 Salon. There it is. Bold statement, but I stand behind my words. If you can afford it, then try it, gift it, whatever you're fancy. Whoever drinks or cellars the wine will not be disappointed.
Price: $129.00 Add To Cart
2007 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Zinfandel
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
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  This is almost as good as zinfandel gets. Ridge is one of those wineries who has gotten big and is very well known, but the quality of their wine has not suffered because of it. Lush tannins, slight peppery finish, and rich strawberry flavors - that is what California's native grape is all about.
Drink from 2009 to 2016
Price: $29.99 Add To Cart
Tarlant Brut Reserve Champagne
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
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  Tarlant is a great producer of real, old style champagne. This is their basic bottling, but the price is unbelievable for the quality of champagne. A classic blend of all three champagne varietals, the wine is layered and complex, with crisp pear and apple flavors leading the way for a slightly bready and long lasting finish. Simply wonderful!
Top Value! Drink from 2009 to 2016
Price: $34.99 Add To Cart
2008 Tessier Cheverny Rouge
 By: Joe Manekin | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
  What an enjoyble wine! Bright red fruit, light in the mouth, energetic and vibrant. It's the perfect red for sipping with friends, or perhaps pairing with a roasted chicken, even braised meat if you're in the mood for something lighter and brighter to contrast with the dish. Tessier's wines are amongst my favorite Loire direct imports in the store, and this delightful red really brings the goods this vintage.
Price: $13.99 Add To Cart
Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka from Poland 750ml
 By: Mike Barber | Review Date: 11/18/2009 | Send Email
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  A delicious vodka- the slight flavoring from the blade of bison grass that floats inside works to accentuate the bready and full qualities of the spirit instead of over power them. This is a wonderful sipping vodka (and it works perfect in vodka sours as well).
Top Value! Drink from 2009 to 3009
Price: $26.99 Add To Cart WE 90-  95
2008 Cazar Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
 By: Doug Davidson | Review Date: 11/17/2009 | Send Email
  A great Russian River pinot at a remarkable price. Lots of lush cherry cola fruit and silky texture, with a long finish pie spice. Great winemaking at a great price.
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
2008 Domaine Renaud Mâcon-Solutré
 By: Steve Greer | Review Date: 11/17/2009 | Send Email
  There are some wines that we direct import which have a following. This is one of those wines. The wine is from a small producer in the Macon. The wine displays beautiful minerality and a wonderful crisp mouthfeel. This wine usually doesn't last long.
Price: $12.99 Add To Cart
2007 Efeste Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc
 By: Doug Davidson | Review Date: 11/17/2009 | Send Email
  A really complex and wonderful sauvignon blanc from a great new Washington producer. Flavors of candied lemon peel and ginger, with a long finish. Delicious!
Price: $15.99 Add To Cart ST 90
2007 Fonty's Pool "Single Vineyard" Pinot Noir Pemberton Western Australia
 By: Steve Greer | Review Date: 11/17/2009 | Send Email
  I know what you are thinking. Australian Pinot Noir. But this is Western Australian Pinot so a bit cooler climate that produces a lighter style Pinot. Lots of red fruit and cherry on the nose and palate with a wonderful soft texture. A great expression of Pinot closer to a New Zealand style for only $13.99.
Price: $13.99 Add To Cart
Marguet Pere et Fils "Cuvee Reserve" Brut Champagne
 By: Jim Barr | Review Date: 11/17/2009 | Send Email
  One of the richest, more powerful multi-vintage (40% 2005 with the balance coming from the 2004 and 2003 vintages) Champagnes that I can recall tasting in a wee bit of time is the Marguet Pere et Fils, “Cuveé Reserve,” Brut, with its brilliant structure, strength and muscle coming from pinot noir (65% with the balance being chardonnay) and showing a fairly intense yeasty/doughy to toasty to almond-like set of flavors. Produced from all Grand Cru vineyard fruit, it is remarkable Champagne for the price. Anderson has informed me that this will be our house sparkler for as long as it is available (which will not be long), and our Spanish/Chilean/Argentine wine buyer, Joe Manekin, informed me, “Such hyperbole from you; all you have to say is that the Marguet is a great Champagne.” [Jim Barr]
Price: $36.99 Add To Cart
Tarlant Brut Reserve Champagne
 By: Doug Davidson | Review Date: 11/17/2009 | Send Email
  A delicious and classic brut Champagne, with nice toasty notes and a rich creamy texture, finishing with refreshing acidity. A great all-around Champagne for the holiday season!
Price: $34.99 Add To Cart
2007 Tenuta di Sesta Rosso di Montalcino
 By: Doug Davidson | Review Date: 11/17/2009 | Send Email
  Another great value in '07 Rosso di Montalcino. Bright cherry and spice flavors with great balance make this a great food wine to have on hand for any occasion
Price: $16.99 Add To Cart ST 91
2006 Attila Gere Villany "KOPAR"
 By: Michael Jordan | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
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  Who new that one of the Best bordeaux blends I would try all year would be from Hungary. This wine is made up of 52% Cabernet Franc, 46% Merlot and only 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is bright, structured with great balance. Black and blue fruit with hints of spice, cedar, cinnamon and chocolate. The finish is long and smooth. I would put this wine up with almost any Bordeaux blend in the world. Take a chance, try it. You will not regret it.
Price: $51.99 Add To Cart
2007 Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara Pinot Noir
 By: Jeff Garneau | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Given the rise in prices for Pinot Noir grapes over the past few years, it has become virtually impossible to find a great wine for under $20. Look no further. This 2007 Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir has everything you could want. Tangy red fruits and spice - raspberry, cranberry, and cinnamon. Lovely character and length. A perfect companion for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
2005 Bad Boy Bordeaux
 By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  It’s back and superb as usual!
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
2007 Benanti Bianco di Caselle
 By: Elisabeth Schriber | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Benanti is a frequent 3 Glass award winner from the Gambero Rosso. The 2007 Benanti Bianco di Caselle is 100% carricante, one of Mt. Etna’s native grapes. The aromas and flavors point to about a hundred different apple varieties, and the palate is long and crisply acidic. Try this Bianco alongside anything from the sea, especially fresh sardines.
Price: $16.99 Add To Cart
2006 Benanti Rosso di Verzella
 By: Elisabeth Schriber | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  The 2005 Benanti Rosso di Verzella is a different take on Nerello Mascalese, only this time in 40-year-old-vine form, which brings out a more minerally black fruit component. The ideal red for meatballs.
Price: $16.99 Add To Cart
2004 Benanti Rovittello
 By: Elisabeth Schriber | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  The 2004 Benanti Rovittello combines 80-year-old Nerello Mascalese with small amounts of equally old Nerello Cappuccio, another Mt. Etna original, to form this rich and full-of-backbone red. Gamey, rustic, pretty and ripe, it tastes like nothing else on the planet, and it deserves star treatment at your dinner table. Break out the strip sirloin and enjoy!
Price: $34.99 Add To Cart RP 90 WE 90
Bollinger Rosé Champagne
 By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  The Mark Hopkins was the venue for the inaugural San Francisco stop of the Tour de Champagne this past October, and this fantastic Champagne was my favorite discovery at the event. This spectacular bottle delivers the vinous power that one would expect from Bollinger, but with elegant panache. It is one of the best rosés available at any price.
Price: $89.00 Add To Cart
2007 Bon Anno Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
 By: Jeremy Bohrer | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  When I taste a Napa Cabernet the most important factor that I look for is balance. All cabs have fruit, all cabs have tannins (integrated or not) and all cabs have body, but it's balance that makes a good one. The 2007 Bon Anno has wonderful balance of fruit, body, structure and herbaciousness. A real steal for under $20 IMHO. (That's text talk for "in my humble opinion".)
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart
2006 Branaire-Ducru, St-Julien (Was $52.99)
 By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Black cherry aromas and red fruit flavors. Round tannins; rich wine. Elegant, fine. Integrated tannins. (92-94 points RP).
Price: $39.99 Add To Cart ST 91 RP 90 WS 90
2005 Carignan Prima, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux (was $29.99)
 By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Not very well known, but one for your cellar. Rich and round with fine structure. 90 points Robert Parker.
Price: $19.99 Add To Cart WS 90
2006 Caronne Ste-Gemme, Haut-Médoc
 By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Delicious and great value!
Price: $15.99 Add To Cart
2006 Clos La Madeleine, St-Emilion
 By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Minerals on the nose and palate. Spicy, balanced. Quite good—a property to watch in the future.
Price: $29.99 Add To Cart
2007 Corbera "Isola d'Oro" Inzolia IGT
 By: Elisabeth Schriber | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Native fruit is where it’s at on Mt. Etna, and though the names of the grapes will be unfamiliar to you, the value of Corbera’s red and white wines will more than make up for their obscurity. The 2007 Corbera “Isola d’Oro” Inzolia IGT shows off the fresh and vibrant side of this local white.
Price: $8.99 Add To Cart
2007 Corbera "Isola d'Oro" Nerello Mascalese
 By: Elisabeth Schriber | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  The value of Corbera’s red and white wines will more than make up for their obscurity. The 2007 Corbera “Isola d’Oro” Nerello Mascalese IGT is spicy and full of structure, though light in the tannin department— a feisty little number that belies its price. It's made for the table, especially if the table is offering up one of Sicily’s great additions to the world of pasta.
Price: $9.99 Add To Cart
2005 Domaine du Bouscat, Bordeaux Superior
 By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  A remarkable value, this is Bordeaux for everyday drinking. Enjoy it with hearty stews or a juicy burger. 91 points from Clyde.
Price: $14.99 Add To Cart
2005 Dubourg, St-Emilion
 By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Back in and lovely as ever. Lots of bright red and dark fruit with good acidity and a bit of grip. The tannins are fairly well integrated but this wine will no doubt improve with a bit of bottle age.
Price: $17.99 Add To Cart
1995 Fleury Brut Vintage Champagne
 By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Bruno Lemoine of Fleury packed this in, along with his Doux and regular brut of the same vintage for our two-city Champagne tasting event. Tasting three vintage Champagnes, identical except for the dosage, is a rare treat for me and a first for many that came to our tastings. Fantastically fullbodied, bone dry at only 3.5 grams of sugar per liter and contrasting flavors of mushroom and chalk, I thought this wine had it all.
Price: $79.99 Add To Cart
2006 Hanzell Sonoma Valley Chardonnay
 By: Susan Thornett | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Totally unctuous, delicious wine, this is buttery but not greasy, very dry and wholly satisfying.
Price: $54.99 Add To Cart WS 92
2006 Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan
 By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Black fruit nose. Tons of minerality. Deep and long. Powerful wine. Superb! Very spicy, cinnamon aromas and flavors. Bright and lively. Very silky and long on palate. More classic style than the very opulent 2005 and almost as good. (92- 94 points WS)
Price: $64.99 Add To Cart RP 95 WS 92 ST 91
1995 Krug Clos Ambonnay Champagne
 By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  Tasting this Champagne with the Krug family in the vineyard where it was grown was an experience I will never forget. It is an all Pinot Noir statement from one walled vineyard. Only 3,000 bottles were made of this inaugural vintage! Singular, inimitable, great Champagne for the collector.
Price: $3,500.00 Add To Cart
2005 La Dauphine, Fronsac (was $29.99)
 By: Clyde Beffa Jr. | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
  90% merlot, 10% cab franc. Very spicy nose that follows to palate. Decant it. 90 points RP.
Price: $24.99 Add To Cart RP 90
2006 Les Clos Perdus "Prioundo" Corbières
 By: John Majeski | Review Date: 11/16/2009 | Send Email
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  'In wildness is the preservation of the vine', to paraphrase Thoreau as my response to the utterly compelling wines of Les Clos Perdus (The Lost Vineyards), a tiny winery born from the beautiful, perfumed scrubland and poor, stony soils of Corbieres and Rousillon in Southwestern France. Resurrecting singularly-unique, isolated or neglected parcels of vines scattered throughout the rugged hillsides is no small effort, and winemaker Paul Olds, a former professional touring dancer, has since 2003 followed his 'other' passion by fully embracing and immersing himself in biodynamic principles of winemaking. The rich result, I'm happy to report, are distinctive wines of grace, complexity and above all, terroir. The 2006 Prioundo, made from 70% old vine Grenache and 30% Cinsaut, is scented with dried roses, violets, black tea, earth and tinges of lavender, leading to an expressive palate of ripe red fruits, supple, powdered tannins and a caressive, lingering finish. A very memorable wine to enjoy with most Mediterranean-inspired or Provencal dishes.
Price: $15.99 Add To Cart
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