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- David Othenin-Girard (339)
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- Eric Goldstein (1)
- Gary Westby (541)
- Jacques Moreira (703)
- John Majeski (296)
- John Downing (80)
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- Jonathan Parnell (3)
- Kai Pedreno (3)
- Kate Soto (11)
- Keith Mabry (433)
- Kerry Kennell (1)
- Kirk Walker (276)
- Lilia McIntosh (44)
- Matthew Landau Hassan (5)
- Michael Benoit (7)
- Michael Pires (14)
- Orazio Campoli (5)
- Rachael Ryan (2)
- Ralph Sands (222)
- Ryan Woodhouse (900)
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- Simon Li (3)
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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
2022 Aperture "Soil Specific" Sonoma County Bordeaux Blend
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 4/21/2026 | Send Email
Beyond the massive critical acclaim and dazzling résumé of Aperture winemaker Jesse Katz, I’m not sure how much more I can add to the conversation, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. The hype around Jesse’s Aperture wines is absolutely legit. These are some of the purest, most polished, and most downright delicious wines you’ll find in California. The combination of estate-grown fruit and top-tier sourcing from some of the region’s best vineyards means they over-deliver time and again.
They are modern, rich, powerful, fruit-driven wines, but they also have lift, freshness, and more than enough structure to shine at the dinner table. We have exceptional pricing on these wines right now, taking them from best-in-class on a normal day to outright must-buys. Through our Insider’s Advantage program, we have the best pricing in the country. So whether you’re already a fan of these blockbuster wines or just hearing about them for the first time, don’t miss the chance to stock up at these ludicrous prices.
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.
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 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" 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
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.
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.
Price:
Hidden
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
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 Alsace Grand Cru
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!
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
Port Charlotte 18 Year Old "Heavily Peated" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/10/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/10/2026 | Send Email
Wow! Look no further for a special Islay whisky for you or your favorite Scotch drinker. This one absolutely delivers the peat but is perfectly balanced. Some notes from the sherry-finished portion peek through on the nose. Cigar box and pleasant smoke waft your way, as well. The palate is elegant and does not overwhelm. Great structure and just enough finish. Superb!
Price:
$199.99
Old Louisville 8 Year Old "The Kentucky Series" Non-Chill Filtered Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/10/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/10/2026 | Send Email
Light amber color. Fantastic spice on the nose. Layers of caramel and nougat swirling around here. Good structure and body delivers an earthy palate. This bottle delivers a lot of whiskey for the price! Kudos to the buyers on this one.
Price:
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Scarlet "Verde" Amaro (700ml)
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/10/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/10/2026 | Send Email
I expected a Chartreuse substitute but instead encountered a sophisticated, balanced palate pleaser. Delightfully herbaceous but not sharp, all amari from this producer enrobe but do not overwhelm the palate. Fantastic!
Price:
$69.99
K&L's "Faultline" 100 Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/10/2026 | Send Email
By: Jonathan Parnell | Review Date: 4/10/2026 | Send Email
Beautiful amber color. Nose of earth, grain and caramelized peaches. Great texture and body. Presents beautifully at 100 proof. A steal for the price!
Price:
$39.99
Launois "Veuve Clemence" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
Launois Veuve Clémence Grand Cru Champagne exemplifies incredible quality that easily outshines Champagnes at more than double the price point. Textures from an impossibly fine perlage and seductively silky mousse caress the plate upon entry. It presents on the dry side of Brut with crisp green apple, lightly toasted hazelnuts, and chalky minerals that delight and set the mind ticking away trying to parse out the how and why this wine is so fantastic. The lingering honeyed finish inspires a yearning thirst for more. Like all top-tier bubbly, don't drink this too cold. It will come off as steely and the richly rewarding mid-palate will be muted. This is an exquisite example of why the Champagne category shares a chamber in my heart with my most treasured epicurean delights. Whenever we get a shipment from Launois, a family-owned and -operated, grower-producer Champagne house that was established in 1872, I buy a bottle of everything they make without question. I would’ve bought an entire case of Veuve Clémence but I didn't want to be greedy as we get such limited quantities.
Price:
$44.99
Dérot-Delugny "Milieu Naturel" Blanc de Noirs Brut
By: Alex Leonardini | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: Alex Leonardini | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
The Derot Delugny Milieu Naturel Blanc de Noirs is more about its pinpoint-perfect texture than it is about any individual flavor profile. 100% Meunier from the oldest grower-producer in this region, the wine is seductively silky, with fine, shiny bubbles and a broad, mouth-filling texture. Neither rich and heavy nor lean and acid-driven, it is layered with juicy pear, golden apple, and French baguette with a hint of raspberry trailing into the silky, creamy finish. This may be one of the most texturally appealing Champagnes I've ever had the pleasure of tasting, and I can't wait to have more.
Price:
$39.99
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Les Amoureux" Pinot Blanc Champagne
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: Lilia McIntosh | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
This is so exciting to have this wonderful Champagne finally back in stock! I love it's luxurious texture with depth and multi dimension brought by excellent balanced minerality that adds brightness to rich citrus on the palate similar to lemon curd. Great champagne to enjoy on its own or pair with heavier sea food dishes. Lobster bisque?! For sure! As a white burgundy lover I find this Champagne very similar to it and it's just a pure magic. It's one of a kind Champagne that should not be missed.
Price:
$49.99
Jean-Jacques Lamoureux "Les Amoureux" Pinot Blanc Champagne
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
Ever since tasting the champagnes of Jean Jacques Lamoureux, many years ago, I fell in love with them. This brand spanking new release is not only delicious, but it is also extremely unique in that it is 100% Pinot Blanc and we receive very, very few Champagnes made with this varietal. It has a very pretty nose of white flowers, honeysuckle, cream, and white stone fruits. On the palate, it starts out rather delicately, with lychee and tangerine. After that, lush with cream, like a cross between homemade whipped cream and a tart lemon meringue. Delicious! It finishes with bright minerals and key lime. So very interesting and unique. This is one to sip slowly and enjoy! Such a nice surprise from winemaker Vivien Lamoureux.
Price:
$49.99
Launois "Veuve Clemence" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
Hello, my pretty! That's because this is just what this champagne is, very, very pretty. Loads of cream, with muted citrus fruits and white stone fruits. Hints of mandarin and blood orange. Like our other Launois champagnes, the quality is there, along with their signature creamy mousse. Also, like other Launois champagnes, it is a sure bet that it will sell out quickly!
Price:
$44.99
ArteNOM "Seleccion 1146" Añejo Tequila (750ml)
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: David Othenin-Girard | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
It's hard to appreciate just what a stupendous value this tequila is until 1) you know who made it 2) you realize who bottled it 3) you actually taste it! Both are two of the tequila industry's finest gentlemen. They know they've got some really special stuff here and many of this distillery's bottlings of equivalent quality sell for WELL above this price point. Whether it's the result of a long friendship or some serious business cajones, Artenom has managed to get this magnificently packaged Anejo on the shelf for less than $100. The perfect gift for a real aficionado who isn't swayed by pricey add campaigns or marketing, but simply wants the best agave, distilled by the best tequilero, for a reasonable price. It is indeed, all those things and much much more.
Price:
$89.99
2021 Doren "Reserve" Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: Philip Roufail | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
Another great deal from domestic buyer Ryan Woodhouse! Everything about the limited production (only 85 cases!) Doren Reserve Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is dark - dark cherry, dark plum, dark chocolate, dark roast espresso, and black pepper. Notes of cedar, garrigue, and black raspberry. Velvety on the palate. Bottled unfined and unfiltered after barrel aging for over 3 years. Great steak wine!
Krug "Grande Cuvée" 173ème Édition Brut Champagne
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
When I tasted this edition at Krug, it immediately reminded me of one of my favorites when it was young—the 160th, with the youngest element being 2004. With a white gold color, this wine has a fantastic bouquet of drawn butter, black truffle, and Pulingy-Montrachet like lime- the last element almost certainly due the fantastic quality of the youngest vintage in the blend, 2017. The combination of richness and lively acidity, decadence, and chalk are unique to Grande Cuvée- I believe this is one of the great wines of the world!
2022 Idda Etna Rosso
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
Spicy and warm, this red offers aromas of Mediterranean herbs, cherry blossoms, and terra cotta. It is a balanced, "enveloping" wine with intense notes of graphite and black pepper.
Izarra Verte (Green Chartreuse Substitute) Basque Liqueur (700ml)
By: Lesley Jacobs Solmonson | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: Lesley Jacobs Solmonson | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
The soft, green color of this Basque liqueur belies its robust nature. That minty note gives way to a clean, almost candy cane flavor, courtesy of the balsam herb's spearminty-tasting leaves. A hint of cardamom adds a gentle aroma and soft, warm spice backbone, while the celery is clearly noticeable in all its slightly bitter, chlorophyl-like glory. Izarra shares a similar flavor profile to the more muscular and viscous Chartreuse, thanks to many similar herbs and spices. But it certainly asserts its own identity, bringing a softer profile to cocktails like the Bijou, the Last Word, and the Alaska when used in place of Chartreuse. Drink it as a post-prandial digestif, add a dash to a gin and tonic, or let it add some zing to a swizzle.
Price:
$59.99
Dérot-Delugny "Milieu Naturel" Blanc de Noirs Brut
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
By: Gary Westby | Review Date: 4/9/2026 | Send Email
This is an outstanding value in grower champagne and was the number one seller at our "Misunderstood Meunier" tasting! The natural environment for the meunier grape is the western valley of the Marne, so this Derot Delugny Milieu Naturel Blanc De Noirs Brut is aptly named. The Derot family is the oldest grower producer in this sub-region of Champagne, and has been making their own wines for a 100 years. This has given them a lot of patience, and this wine is given a full year in tank before being bottled, then aged for at least three years on the lees before disgorgement. I love the super clean tarte tatin aromas, the delicate pearl of bubbles in the mouth and the fresh finish. What a good bottle of champagne- what a great deal!
Price:
$39.99