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- Aaron Hughes (10)
- Adam Winkel (96)
- Alex Pross (794)
- Alex Leonardini (54)
- Andrew Nunes (1)
- Cary Herrman (3)
- David Othenin-Girard (338)
- Dejah Overby (147)
- Gary Westby (541)
- Jacques Moreira (703)
- Jason Marwedel (73)
- Joel Nicholas (29)
- John Majeski (296)
- John Downing (80)
- John Flanigan (1)
- Jonathan Parnell (3)
- Kai Pedreno (3)
- Kate Soto (11)
- Keith Mabry (433)
- Kerry Kennell (1)
- Kirk Walker (276)
- Lilia McIntosh (44)
- Matthew Landau Hassan (4)
- Michael Benoit (7)
- Michael Pires (14)
- Michael Hulihan (1)
- Orazio Campoli (5)
- Rachael Ryan (2)
- Ralph Sands (222)
- Ryan Woodhouse (899)
- Ryan Moses (616)
- Sal Rodriguez (32)
- Scott Beckerley (306)
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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
2024 Château les Croisille "Cocori Cot" Côtes du Lôt Rouge
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
Alright my friends, I know you've been worrying about what chillable reds are you going to try this year? It's fine, I have the first for you to try. This one. That's why I typed all that, it's this wine. Pretty, bright, easy on the nose with raspberry, underripe strawberry, and bright red pie cherry. The palate is juicy with great acidity, just incredibly easy and a tasty little guy. When it was cooler there was actually some savory notes that came out more, but it's gotten more fruity and juicy as it's gotten to room temperature. I definitely recommend chilling it for 30-45 minutes in the fridge before consumption to really start and then let it warm up as you finish to bottle so you can decide how you like it best. I think it's great with that chill.
Price:
$18.99
2024 Château Sainte-Eulalie "Plaisir D'Eulalie" Minervois
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
There's this kind of raspberry yogurt thing going on in the nose, and then it's joined with some blueberry, black cherry, a little bit of laurel or sage on the edges. This is just a really easy kind of wine, the kind that you open with friends and you just enjoy it, maybe empty a couple bottles and nobody says much just a little nod after the first sip to say "Oh yeah, this is totally going to work" and at the end of the night they take one of the bottles, checks out the label and asks where you got it. It's that kind of easy and friendly wine. The palate is really kind of lush and mid+ rich, lots of ripe and slightly stewed fruits, with a little bit of leather and cocoa in the very back on the finish. Budget banger bargain bottle. 4Bs.
A.D. Coutelas "Cuvée 1809" Brut Champagne
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
Pale gold color. Aromas of jasmine, toast and brioche. The palate gives crisp green apple, yeast, orange marmalade and pear, with a kiss of honey. Fine bubbles with a long finish.
2022 Domaine de la Grange des Pères Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
Strikingly pretty nose with this really pure and bright cherry singing through everything else, so incredibly lush and ripe and then everything else comes crashing in like a wave. There's so many little nuances in the back and sides of the nose, leather, tobacco, cacao, dried herbs, brambley earth, rosehips, and a little bit of something between white flowers and violets. Striped violets. It's definitely benefitted a lot opening up over the last few hours since we had the tasting, but I loved it then too. The palate again has this super pure and singing cherry note, but it's more dried than ripe, and again around it everything else fills in the other pieces, there's definitely some barrel roundness and spice, little touches of blueberry, dusty earth, black tea, a little bit of graphite, and then a little hint of tar on the lingering finish. You really kind of want to find faults with wines that at first glance seem overpriced and then you run into a wine like this that is super beautiful and you understand why it costs what it costs. This was great, super magnificent and I think with some age it would be even more spectacular. Yes.
Price:
$179.99
Charles Heidsieck "Brut Réserve" Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
My jaw almost dropped when I learned the story of the new Charles Heidsieck from Cecile Bonnefond, the CEO of both Charles and Piper. Instead of the normal package change / price increase rationalized by “increased international demand” this wine had been improved at great cost to the producer before the price went up! The new package contains a selection of half the vineyard sites of the old one, and older reserve wines. The result is non-vintage Champagne that is better than most big house vintage wines and a stronger value now at the current price than the old Charles was at $34.99. In the years since the change, this bottling has gone from strength to strength as the average age of the reserve wines inside has increased. When we poured this at a recent in-store tasting on “House Style” it was one of the stars of the night. This Champagne has depth, combining maturity and freshness, nutty intrigue and minerality!
2022 La Ca' Növa "Montestefano" Barbaresco
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
A dark, brooding expression that defies the heat of the vintage. Expect juicy dark cherry, plum, and licorice framed by a deep, earthy core. Ready to enjoy immediately.
2022 La Ca' Növa Barbaresco
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
A mid-weight, charming blend of parcels in Ovello, Cole, and Loreto. It’s a red-toned, fruit-forward entry-level wine that offers incredible value, though its 2022 grippiness suggests it benefits from a quick decant.
2020 La Ca' Növa "Montestefano" Barbaresco
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
2020 are surprisingly good now, they are in a great window. Its formidable tannins mean there is a long-term cellar play potential here as well.
2022 La Ca' Növa "Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina" Barbaresco
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
Bright, focused, and remarkably accessible. It retains its signature salinity and chalky texture, with high-toned notes of orange peel and white pepper.
2021 La Ca' Növa "Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina" Barbaresco
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
A classic. It conveys a translucent finesse, redolent of crushed flowers, cedar, and salt.
2020 La Ca' Növa "Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina" Barbaresco
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/20/2026 | Send Email
"Dynamite" wine laced with mint and white pepper. It offers a bit more pliancy than the Montestefano, making it ready to enjoy in just a few years.
2022 Catena Alta "Historic Rows" Malbec Mendoza
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/19/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/19/2026 | Send Email
Deep and polished, this Malbec opens with aromas of blackberry, violet, and dark plum layered with cocoa, spice, and subtle oak. The palate is rich and full bodied, with concentrated dark fruit supported by firm, well-integrated tannins and balanced acidity. A touch of minerality and savory complexity adds depth, leading to a long, structured finish, A refined, high-altitude expression of Malbec that combines power, elegance, and precision.
2023 Catena "DV Catena - Tinto Histórico" Malbec Blend Mendoza
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/19/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/19/2026 | Send Email
Rich and expressive, this historic-style blend opens with aromas of blackberry, cassis, and plum, with notes of violet, spice, and subtle earth. the palate is full and structured, balancing dark fruit intensity with fresh acidity and polished tannins. A touch of savory complexity and integrated oak adds depth, leading to a long, smooth finish. A modern take on a traditional Argentine blend, offering both power and elegance with excellent approachability.
2018 Trimbach "Reserve Personnelle" Pinot Gris
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/18/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/18/2026 | Send Email
This is pretty likely to be the best Pinot Gris that I have tasted in years. Literally! It is yummy and rich with a nice zesty finish. Initially, there are citrus flavors of ripe lemon and tart lime. These quickly give way to yellow orchard fruit, dominated by juicy pear with a hint of whipping cream. The finish is zippy with citrus and crunchy minerals. Elegant, lively and mouth filling. I can't really ask for anything more from this wine!
The Glasgow Distillery 1770 5 Year Old "K&L & Delmonico's Collaboration" Single PX Sherry Hogshead Heavily Peated Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
This outrageous young hyper-peated single cask from Glasgow 1770 is one of the most exciting barrels we've come across in a long time. Their tiny stills produce a tense, powerful, peated spirit with deep, oily texture, and a complex, smoky Highland character. Add the sweet, raisinated richness of PX sherry and you're in for a treat. This isn't the salty, iodine-laced smoke you might expect from Islay, but rather a more heather-driven, barbecue-like style of smoke that feels distinctly Highland in character. This awesome collaboration with the famous Delmonico Steakhouse is every bit as exciting as it sounds. It may be the first steak whisky I fully approve of. Needless to say, this one isn't about regionality, but originality.
Let's have it. The color is a vivid auburn (1.4). The nose is clear, tight, and wound full of energy, offering huge notes of Carolina barbecue, roasted chicory, pecan pie, turbinado sugar, and roasted arabica. This is coupled with a sweet salinity that feels more vegetal than coastal. On the palate, it's oily and rich with roasted nuts pushing forward and a dark, pungent smoke running through the center. Sweet oak and vibrant, sticky wine round out the mid-palate. The finish is smoldering and sweet, full of old mesquite embers and dense, chewy dark fruit. With water, the tension is released, and a huge wave of fruit battles the roasty aromas on the nose. The palate remains a battleground of dense flavors but the tannins soften, and the grippy finish relaxes into something surprisingly approachable, all things considered. An absolutely stunning young whisky and a perfect first single cask collaboration from this fabulous little distillery and the famous steakhouse. If you want to taste before you buy, you can grab a glass at Delmonico's in Las Vegas, but it probably won't last long at either venue once they pop these bottles and start pouring. It's too good!
Price:
$79.99
2024 Anonymous Wine Collective "Envy Block" Ballard Canyon Syrah
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
Brand new from this series! The luscious nose has scents of boysenberry, red licorice, lightly savory herbs and the merest whiff of white pepper. On the palate, the tannins are supple with deep red fruits, more boysenberry and black raspberry. At the back of the throat, there is a pleasant acidity and savory "bite". The oak is very integrated and there is just enough of it. The finish has a tip of the tongue chalk. The price is too good to beat. I'm looking forward to tasting it again in a few hours to see how it progressed.
Two hours later, the fruit is quite plush with dark cherry and red cassis notes. The spice is more subdued and the tannis are smooth. Hello, barbecue!
Price:
Hidden
2024 Anonymous Wine Collective "Envy Block" Ballard Canyon Syrah
By: Jackson Kelly | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
By: Jackson Kelly | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
Ryan Woodhouse has done it again with another incredible selection for the Anonymous Wine Collective. As someone who does not typically like Syrah, this wine is excellent! Coming from a prime block of vines in Ballard Canyon, this wine has smooth, polished tannins, and notes of dark cherry, raspberry, thyme, and a touch of oak on the palate. The perfect wine to have with dinner this summer, buy before it's gone.
Price:
Hidden
2024 Clos de Luz "Azuda" Carménère Cachapoal
By: Vanessa Serrano | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
By: Vanessa Serrano | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
I'm always excited to find a wine that's going to pair well with the flavors I use at home. With notes of poblano pepper, jalapeno, and light touches of cilantro, my mind instantly went to Chile Verde, a repeat dish in my house. The body is somewhere between medium bodied and full bodied, with nice acidity and structure that makes it a great pairing for a meal. Carmenere is a grape that can lean heavily into those green pyrazine notes, but here it moves away from straight jalapeno, into something a little more interesting. If you pair it with meat dishes that are heavy on salsa or peppers, then you've got a match made in heaven!
2024 Aniello Blanco de Pinot Noir Rio Negro Patagonia
By: Vanessa Serrano | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
By: Vanessa Serrano | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
I'm a fan of white wines made from Pinot Noir, whether it's champagne, or in this case, a still white from Argentina. This is a crisp wine where the fruit takes a back seat to the pronounced minerality. And even though the fruit notes are more subtle, they're still quite pretty. Aromas of pineapple, raspberry, and a savory plantain note make this a unique and fun Pinot Noir. This will do well with or without a meal. Personally, I would opt for tacos and a picnic.
2022 Altos Las Hormigas "Reserve" Malbec Valle De Uco Mendoza
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
This is a wonderfully deep and dark Malbec with deep red fruits and ripe black cherries. It is a beautifully structured wine that also has some clean oak tannin and a surprisingly long finish that is clean with some chalk, which evens everything out. One of the best Malbec's that I have had in many months! It satisfies the traditionalist for this varietal and adds an additional touch of out-of-the ordinary complexity. Simply put, it is extremely delicious!
Pascal Doquet Mesnil Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne (1998 Base)
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
Another sparkling producer in our portfolio once used the word “oublié”—“forgotten”—for a batch of wines that had quietly over-aged on the lees after being misplaced in the cellar. When rediscovered, they far exceeded expectations.
This Doquet takes that idea even further. With a base vintage of 1998 and an extended, unintended aging, this wine is a remarkable stroke of luck. I tasted it with Gary at the importer’s office, and it was a pleasure to watch his reaction unfold in real time—though I was equally absorbed with what was in my own glass.
The nose is explosive, unfolding with layers of toasted brioche and deeply caramelized fruit. On the palate, it strikes a beautiful balance between richness and freshness—baked apple, grilled bread, and a long finish marked by candied ginger.
An extraordinary find, and easily one of the most compelling Champagnes on the shelf right now.
Price:
$109.99
2025 La Bargemone Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Rosé
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
Rosé season doesn’t truly begin until the new vintage of Bargemone arrives. Year after year, this is the Provence wine that just delivers—one of our great success stories and a bottle that overperforms in every season.
This latest release opens with an inviting nose of wild strawberry, fresh nectarine, and pink grapefruit. A subtle mineral undertone keeps the fruit in check, lending balance and lift—but let’s be honest, it’s seriously crushable.
Another clear success, and one of the most inviting Provençal rosés on the shelf at any given moment. Santé to spring—and the summer just around the corner.
2020 La Conseillante, Pomerol
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
Conseillante has long been known for its incredible terroir in the heart of Pomerol—next to Vieux Château Certan, across the street from Cheval Blanc, and near Pétrus. But what Marielle Cazaux has accomplished at the estate over the past decade is another story altogether, elevating it from a fan favorite to a wine-of-the-vintage contender year after year. Such is clearly the case with the 2020, from an especially fine Right Bank vintage—a wine that received a 100-point score from The Wine Advocate, where it was called “a Pomerol of striking purity and sophistication.” Considering its elite status and roots in some of the world’s most treasured terroir, the asking price is remarkably reasonable for Pomerol perfection.
Masuda Shoten (Masuizumi) "Rui Hachimura's Black Samurai" Toyama Sake (720ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/17/2026 | Send Email
I, like many in this industry, am deeply skeptical of celebrity backed brands. Too often the famous name is little more than a marketing vehicle, detached from the actual liquid in the bottle. But on the rare occasion when the person behind the label is genuinely invested, not just financially but creatively, there is at least a chance for something compelling. What’s far rarer is a project where that involvement extends all the way through blending and production, anchored by a real connection to place. That is exactly what makes Rui Hachimura’s collaboration with Masuda Brewery worth serious attention.
Hachimura isn’t just lending his name here, he’s working with one of Toyama’s most respected producers, a brewery long known for championing a drier, more refined house style that stands apart from the flashier, fruit driven profiles that dominate the export market. Masuda has built its reputation on precision, restraint, and clarity, and this blend reflects those values with remarkable fidelity. The aromatic profile leans subtle rather than showy, offering delicate suggestions of young mango, pear blossom, and a faint mineral edge that recalls crushed stone. It’s not about overt richness, but about purity and balance.
On the palate, the sake walks a fine line between texture and lift. There is real weight here, but it never tips into heaviness, the structure keeping everything taut and composed. The finish is clean, persistent, and quietly complex, inviting another sip rather than overwhelming the senses. It’s a style that rewards attention but remains effortlessly drinkable.
More importantly, it succeeds where so many prestige bottlings fail. This isn’t trying to impress through excess or gimmickry. It’s thoughtful, authentic, and genuinely delicious. It outclasses plenty of “luxury” sake that cost more and deliver less. We’re proud to stock our favorite Laker’s sake, not because of what he does on the court, but because this is simply excellent sake. Kanpai.
Price:
$189.99
2023 Domaine Ferret Pouilly-Fuissé "Autour de la Roche"
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/16/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/16/2026 | Send Email
Looking for a stellar Chardonnay or perhaps experimenting outside of California? This is the place to start! There is a wonderfully floral nose with scents of sea salt, nectarine and lemon cream. On the palate, quite zippy and clean. There is a nice base of white peach, yellow pear and a mid-palate that has moderate and elegant richness. The finish is quite clean but, also has depth of lingering stone fruit and orchard fruit flavors. A winner!
Price:
$49.99
2021 Bass Phillip "Estate" Pinot Noir Gippsland Victoria
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 4/16/2026 | Send Email
By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 4/16/2026 | Send Email
Bass Phillip has long had a cult-like following in Australia, but its acquisition by famed Burgundian winemaker Jean-Marie Fourrier in 2020 only has caused demand for the wines – which have always been exceedingly difficult to source – to grow even more. Located in Gippsland, a cool-climate region in Victoria to the southeast of Melbourne, Bass Phillip has consistently produced lean, elegant examples of Pinot Noir that defy expectations of the style of wine Australia can produce. This part of the country has a maritime climate, with cold winds sweeping onshore from the nearby Bass Strait, lowering ripeness potential and lending incredible tension and structure to the wines. Jean-Marie Fourrier had previously worked as a consultant at Bass Phillip, and he too was taken with the landscape and the potential of the terroir, so much so that when the opportunity arose to purchase the estate, he accepted. His intention is not to be an absentee owner, but rather work two harvests per year, so that he can maintain influence over the winemaking, blending and bottling. 2021 was the first vintage where he was fully in control of the winemaking, and the results are lovely: brooding black cherry and plum on the nose that mingles with a delicately elegant note of dried violet, all tied together with supple, fine-grained tannins and a finish that lingers. This Pinot Noir perfectly balances power with finesse, and the nod to a Burgundian sense of restraint and emphasis on terroir is clear. With the demand of these wines growing each year, this is one – also priced at a tiny fraction of what Fourrier’s Burgundies cost – to collect by the case.
2024 Laberinto "Cenizas de Laberinto" Pinot Noir Valle de Maule
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 4/16/2026 | Send Email
By: Carlo Delgado | Review Date: 4/16/2026 | Send Email
I love the aromas of this wine. You can almost smell the volcanic ash from the vineyards. Ripe pomegranates, wild strawberries, fresh cherries, touch of hibiscus, and hints of charcoal on the finish. Like a crossover between a Pinot Noir from Dundee Hills and the volcanic reds from Mount Etna, at a fraction of the price. Distinctive and delicious!
Price:
$21.99
Bonnaire "Tradition L'Espirit Du Temps" Champagne
By: Alex Leonardini | Review Date: 4/16/2026 | Send Email
By: Alex Leonardini | Review Date: 4/16/2026 | Send Email
The Bonnaire "Tradition L'Espirit du Temps" Champagne is fantastic value from a long-established producer in Cramant. The wine is composed of 50% Chardonnay from Cramant Grand Cru, 30% Pinot Noir from Bergères-les-Vertus 1er Cru and 20% Meunier from Fossoy, in the Marne Valley. The wine is rounded and creamy, with wonderful texture from an ultra-fine bead, and has notes of fresh pear, pastry dough, and crisp apple. The first time we've featured this producer in our club and an excellent addition.
Wonderous Brewing Company "Wonderous Pils" Pilsner, California (16 oz. can)
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
By: Michael Pires | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
I am a big fan of this one! Delicious and crisp German-style Pilsner that checks all the boxes of the style. Malt-forward and soft up front with a wonderful biscuit note that shifts to noble hop spice and clean bitterness on the back end.
Price:
$5.24
2024 Aniello Blanco de Pinot Noir Rio Negro Patagonia
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
By: Matthew Landau Hassan | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
Delicate yet expressive, this wine opens with aromas of white peach, citrus blossom, and subtle red apple, with a faint mineral lift. The palate is fresh and finely textured, balancing bright acidity with soft orchard fruit and a gentle creaminess. A subtle savory edge and clean minerality carry through the finish, giving the wine both lift and quiet complexity. A unique and elegant expression that highlights freshness, finesse, and Patagonia’s cool-climate precision.
Macallan 12 Year Old "Sherry Oak" 110 Proof Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
When word got out that we were finally seeing a Macallan 12 Year Old at 110 proof, the collective gasp from the Scotch community was audible. For years, we have loved the Sherry Oak 12 for its elegance, but we have always wondered what that iconic Speyside spirit would look like if it were allowed to keep its muscles. Most Macallan is dialed back to 43% ABV to stay polite, but this "Distillery Exclusive" style bottling is anything but. This is Macallan with the volume cranked up, proving that underneath all that luxury branding, there is still a powerful, oily, and intensely characterful malt.
This isn't just about the heat, though. At 55% ABV, the sherry influence isn't just a suggestion; it is a full-blown conversation. The higher proof acts as a magnifying glass for those classic European oak spices and the rich, dried fruit notes that have made this distillery a legend. It is a dense, brooding, and unapologetically bold expression that reminds me of the great "Cask Strength" bottlings of the early 2000s.
It's not just another raisin bomb either. Diving in, the nose is a massive wave of Oloroso sherry, leads with sticky medjool dates, singed orange peel, and a heavy dose of holiday spice. You do get that classic Macallan "Christmas cake" aroma, but with an added layer of espresso grounds and dark manuka honey. On the palate, the texture is incredibly viscous. It coats the tongue with layers of dark chocolate, ginger snaps, and stewed plums, while the higher proof brings a vibrant black pepper and cinnamon zing that keeps it from feeling too heavy. The finish is epic, trailing off with a dry, resinous oak and a lingering sweetness of golden raisins and clove. This is Macallan at its most raw and impressive.
Price:
$109.99
Compass Box "Brulée Royale" Blended Scotch Malt Whisky (750ml)
By: Jonathan Goldstein | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Goldstein | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
Inspired by the 17th-century creation of Crème Brûlée by Chef François Massialot at the Palace of Versailles, Brûlée Royale reflects Compass Box’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of Scotch whisky. The blend shows their expertise in crafting unique flavor profiles, with casks selected to evoke the sweetness and complexity of caramelized sugar.
This is a blended malt and not a blended scotch because there is only malt whisky in the blend and no grain whisky component. The main whiskies in Brûlée Royale are from two well-known distilleries—Clynelish in the Highlands and Benrinnes in Speyside. There is also some whisky from Speyburn and Ardbeg mixed in.
Nose: buttery, creamy, rich - a second wave brings vanilla, caramel and sweet spice. Buttered rum, apricot, apple cider, and as expected, crème brûlée, as well as candied orange peel, frosting, and lemon notes, all anchored by an appealing minerality and oak.
Palate: vanilla custard from the ex-bourbon maturation mixes with toffee flavors from custom American oak barrels, a hint of peat smoke. Honey, lemon, baking spice, custard, malt cereal, and oak. More crème brûlée, plus vanilla, orange, apricot, peach, and a dash of spice.
Finish: There’s a nice oiliness on the long finish, concluding with lemon and vanilla cream, baking spice, oak. Think Banana’s Foster - a lingering malt.
Price:
$149.99
2018 Fallet-Dart Extra Brut Champagne
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
Pale yellow color. Nose of apple cake with hints of brioche and sandalwood. Fine bubbles bring a palate of toast, almond and divinity (Turkish Delight). Nice finish. Great value!
Price:
$49.99
2022 Grand Napa Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
Over the last five years or so, we’ve had the opportunity to offer several impressive wines from Grand Napa at exceptional prices. Time and again, they’ve proven to be powerful, structured, serious Napa Cabernets that have earned a loyal following among our customers.
The 2022 Mount Veeder bottling is the perfect foil to the also-excellent Howell Mountain bottling. Whereas Howell leans into its muscular, brooding power and dark fruit profile, the Veeder bottling is strikingly aromatic, refined, detailed, and nuanced. This cooler, east-facing terroir, with vines planted in sandy, gravelly soils, has produced a wonderfully open and expressive wine. The profile here leans more red-fruited, with notes of dried red currant, spiced cherry, bramble, and bay laurel. It’s a fascinating wine, with subtle power and a real sense of mountain terroir.
As with its sibling, this is a wine you can enjoy now with a good decant, and it should continue to improve for at least the next decade in the cellar. With neighbors such as Mayacamas and Aaron Pott, this wine offers a true expression of the sub-region and shows impressive pedigree, refinement, precision winemaking.
As with the Howell Mountain wine, there is very little real competition offering this level of Mount Veeder Cabernet anywhere near this price point.
Limited availability and limited-time pricing.
2022 Grand Napa Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
Over the last five years or so, we’ve had the opportunity to offer several impressive wines from Grand Napa at exceptional prices. Time and again, they’ve proven to be powerful, structured, serious Napa Cabernets that have earned a loyal following among our customers.
The 2022 Howell Mountain bottling is a classic reflection of this famed mountain terroir. Sourced from a small vineyard perched at 1,800 feet in rocky volcanic soils, the vines produce tiny clusters that yield a deeply concentrated, intensely flavorful Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is redolent of cassis, mulberry, and plum, with notes of dryland chaparral, graphite, and cigar box. Muscular yet refined tannins give it plenty of structure and power, but it never feels abrasive or monolithic.
This is a wine you can enjoy now with a solid 30-minute decant, and it should continue to improve for at least the next decade in the cellar. At its usual $145 retail price, it sits comfortably alongside many top-class wines and more than holds its own. At our ludicrously discounted Insider’s Advantage price, nearly $100 below SRP, it simply blows the competition out of the water. Frankly, there is no real competition offering this level of Howell Mountain Cabernet at this price.
Limited availability and limited-time pricing.
2020 Buglioni "Il Bugiardo" Valpolicella Ripasso Classico
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/15/2026 | Send Email
Let’s be brutally honest: the Ripasso category is an absolute minefield. Far too much of what makes it to the US is just thin, commercial Valpolicella masked with a heavy dose of residual sugar to fake the richness of an Amarone. It's lazy, it's cloying, and it completely lacks spine. Buglioni’s "Il Bugiardo" (The Liar) is the undisputed exception of the underwhelming sea of Ripasso floading the market. It earned its name because it famously fooled seasoned experts into thinking it was a top-tier Amarone, and the 2020 vintage shows exactly why.
This wine completely bypasses the sticky, jammy traps of the appellation. The nose doesn't hit you with cheap, sweet fruit.
On the palate, it delivers massive depth and dry extract from its time on the Amarone skins, but here is the crucial difference: it absolutely refuses to be fat. It is propelled by a vertical, electric spine of acidity that keeps all that density perfectly in check. At 50% off retail price this is a wine to buy by the case. Best deal around!
Price:
$14.99
2018 Anonymous Wine Collective "Extended Tirage" Sonoma Coast Brut Sparkling Wine
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
This bubble has spent an incredible amount of time on the lees! Seven full years. Comparable to what we see from a few of our very finest small-estate Champagne producers. I really loved its balance of tartness, cream, citrus, poached pear fruit and that super-duper long and chalky finish. It went on forever! There are also some flavors of juicy stone fruits with undertones of exotic Asian spices and Granny Smith apple. I have the distinct feeling that this bottling is also cellar worthy, just like a fine Champagne. I've had bottlings of Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc that were decades old and I can see this one also having that high quality advantage.
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2021 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
This is the American equivalent of a fine Blanc de Blanc from Avize or Mesnil. It is so refreshing and bright with key lime, creamy lemon, puff pastry and juicy orange flavors. The minerality is generous and it lingers on and on! The bead is very fine, and it reminds me of the Launois Quartz, which I love. I literally jumped on the last remaining bottles that we had of Anonymous Blanc de Blancs from the previous bottling and now, I will not have to despair. Its successor is just as wonderful!
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Michel Arnould "Gènese" Verzenay Grand Cru Extra Brut Champagne
By: Graham Collis | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
By: Graham Collis | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
This bottle is a perfect example of Champagne's ability to balance power and elegance. The aromas have a crystalline purity, evoking crisp red apple, freshly baked bread, and roasted hazelnuts. With time in the glass, these fruit and yeasty aromas are peeled back, revealing tremendous saline/iodized mineral character. The palate skips straight to the mineral character that had to be searched for on the nose, and has amazing tension and concentration. I could not help but be reminded of Bollinger's special cuvee while tasting this. Would highly recommend!
Price:
$44.99
Highland Park 15 Year Old "Viking Heart" Isle of Orkney Single Malt Scotch Whisky
By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
By: Noah Schwartz | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
A rich, gentle, and well‑balanced scotch. The inviting smokiness is complemented by a touch of sweetness of dried fruit, gained through maturation in sherry casks. It's aromatic and coats the mouth with a peated, honeyed, tingly sensation. I have found the right scotch that makes me excited to begin my journey of understanding and appreciating the islands style.
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2021 Red Car Sonoma Coast Syrah
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
Syrah is such a fascinating grape. After nearly 25 years of studying wine, I still find it utterly captivating. While Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are often seen as the most transparent varieties, speaking most clearly of terroir, I would argue that Syrah can be even more expressive of its environment, a grape capable of conveying a remarkably vivid sense of place.
Today’s offering is a perfect example: Red Car’s perfumed, elegant, ultra-cool-climate Syrah from the Sonoma Coast. The fruit comes from vineyards planted within 10 miles of the ocean, where the long, slow growing season stretched into mid to late October before harvest. Fermentation included a healthy portion of whole clusters in small open-top fermenters, with daily hand punch-downs and native yeast fermentation. The wine was then aged for 15 months in 500-liter French oak puncheons, only 10% new, with the balance in well-seasoned barrels. The intent is clear: to preserve the soaring floral aromatics and savory intensity of this cool-climate Syrah without masking it with an obvious winemaking signature.
The result is a benchmark expression of both grape and place. Aromas and flavors of violets, cracked peppercorn, blackberry preserve, cured meat, cast iron, spiced citrus peel, and dried rose petal unfold beautifully in the glass. Despite its cool-climate pedigree and savory, brooding character, the wine is surprisingly approachable, with a lovely core of fruit on the mid-palate that makes it especially drinkable.
A wonderful Syrah, made even more compelling by our incredible Insider’s Advantage pricing. All this quality and pedigree for under $20? Just wow. Load up - you won’t regret it. Cheers!
Michel Arnould "Gènese" Verzenay Grand Cru Extra Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/14/2026 | Send Email
This is Verzenay grand cru Pinot Noir in its purest form. I love this wine for its intricate hazelnut aromas, its frame of warm baguette toast and electric, bracing back-end acidity. With fantastic texture and tiny bubbles from over four years of ageing on the lees, this Genese Extra Brut is dry, but not austere. I love it with sushi to go, but it has enough substance to drink on its own. What an incredible deal in grand cru champagne!
Price:
$44.99
1984 Destileria Colombiana 33 Year Old "Distinctive Spirits - Ancient Rum Series" Cask Strength Port Pipe Finished Colombian Rum (700ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/13/2026 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/13/2026 | Send Email
This expression from the wonderful line of old Colombian rums by Distinctive Spirits is a stupendous value, but also offers a uniquely contrasting character compared to the other three vintages. The most “youthful” of the group remains impressively concentrated and complex, yet carries an added layer of pungent fruit and lifted aromatics. Let’s give it a try. The color is a deep reddish auburn (1.4). The fruit-forward profile is complemented by a touch of funky rum depth, a welcome and compelling feature here. The port influence still shows with sweet red fruit on the nose, but there’s also a pronounced orchard fruit character alongside earthy herbs and spice. On the palate, dried fruits and fondant are balanced by a juicy vibrancy that gives the whole package incredible lift and invites another sip. While this may be slightly less dense and dark in flavor than the others, it certainly does not lack complexity. Taken together, the four expressions represent an incredible range of character built around this remarkable old spirit, which may never again be available at this price, or at all.
Price:
$179.99
2018 Anonymous Wine Collective "Extended Tirage" Sonoma Coast Brut Sparkling Wine
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/12/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/12/2026 | Send Email
"En tirage" is a French term to describe how long a champagne ages on its lees (the dead yeast cells that remain after the second fermentation in the bottle). In Champagne, the minimum requirement for vintage champagne is 3 years by law. In America, we do whatever we want. There are no rules, yet this Anonymous sparkling wine spends a full 7 years on the lees before disgorgement and release. 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, it is medium bodied, rich mid palate, with notes of vanilla and lemon cream, orchard fruit, pie crust, nectarine, ginger, and peaches in syrup.
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2021 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/12/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/12/2026 | Send Email
Another vintage sparkling gem from our domestic Anonymous series. From 2021, this delicate, light-bodied fruit forward Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) is all elegance. Subtle notes of lemon-lime, fresh dough, green apple, orange blossom, white flowers, with a crisp saline finish!
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2024 Alzinger "Ried Loibenberg" Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wachau
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/11/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/11/2026 | Send Email
One of the finest Gruner Veltliners that I've had so far this year. Once given a little air, it opens up with some very nice floral scents and orchard fruits. On the palate, again after airing, the palate becomes fuller though by no means oily. There are some very excellent tropical fruit flavors that combine with grapefruit and lime. There is also a nice, shaved ginger undercurrent. So appealing!
2023 Zind-Humbrecht Rangen de Thann "Clos St-Urbain" Riesling Grand Cru Alsace
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/11/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/11/2026 | Send Email
Don't let the silky aspect of this wine fool you! It also has very generous acidity with green and yellow citrus fruit. Under all of that are some fantastic flavors of ginger spice and tart white peaches. In place of petrol scents is an extremely intriguing smoky scent that is neither too strong nor overpowering. It adds to the exotic intrigue of this bottling. This baby is built for the cellar. It will only get more complex and the acidity will mellow. I'm looking forward to pouring this for our customers today (4/11) to see what they think of it!
2021 Anonymous Wine Collective Sonoma Coast Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/11/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/11/2026 | Send Email
Light yellow color. Beautiful nose of lemon and tangerine. Palate gives notes of baguette and crisp green apple. Luxurious finish. Great value!!
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2018 Anonymous Wine Collective "Extended Tirage" Sonoma Coast Brut Sparkling Wine
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/11/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/11/2026 | Send Email
Pale yellow color. Bright nose of apple and quince. Deep, luxurious palate gives brioche and pie crust. Fine bubbles. Superb value!!
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Scarlet "Fernet" Amaro (700ml)
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/10/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/10/2026 | Send Email
This might be my point of no return for the Fernet rabbit-hole. Such a consistent profile across all their amari. This one is at the digestif end of their spectrum. If you have a Fernet lover in your circle, they'll flip for it! Deep and herbaceous, slightly minty with a hint of chocolate. I will look back to this bottle from now on.
Price:
$69.99