K&L Wine Merchants - Staff Favorites

2022 De Conciliis "Bacioilcielo" Paestum Rosso IGP Campania Aglianico

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 11/18/2025 | Send Email

De Conciliis “Bacio al Cielo” is a juicy and delicious Aglianico wine. This showcases the grape’s more approachable side, although Aglianico is often known for its outstanding structure and potency. But this wine has a softer, fruitier character. This makes it the perfect match for casual gatherings and barbecues. On the nose, “Bacio al Cielo” greets you with aromas of ripe red and black fruits. Think blackberries, cherries and plums, with subtle herbal and spice notes. The taste of the wine is fresh and lively, with juicy fruit flavors and balanced acidity that make the wine bright and easy to pour. Although they have the tight tannins typical of Aglianico, they are softened by the wine’s natural juiciness. This makes the wine incredibly versatile and food-friendly… Located in the Cilento region of Campania, De Conciliis is known for their commitment to organic viticulture and producing wines that reflect the warmth and vibrancy of their terroir. “Bacio al Cielo” is a perfect example of this. It offers a more relaxed and approachable Aglianico style. than the variety but still retains its signature sophistication. This wine is the ideal choice for barbecues, grilled meats or even pizza nights. Due to its juicy nature and being liked by people. It is also a good introduction to Aglianico for those who might find its more powerful expressions too harsh. For anyone looking for a fun, juicy, deep and unique red, De Conciliis “Bacio al Cielo” is a great choice that will elevate any casual meal.

Price: $16.99

2020 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 11/18/2025 | Send Email

Léoville-Barton's 2020 has all the components to be one of its all-time greats, which speaks volumes, considering the property's reputation. The vintage itself works perfectly with everything that makes the wine so distinctive, providing terrific concentration, structure, and remarkable depth. It wouldn't be a surprise to see this one going strong for decades. Aromatically, the wine delivers a traditional St-Julien profile, with Cabernet-driven notes of cassis, tobacco, and florals. On the palate, it is pure class—concentrated, layered, yet refined—offering that sense of old-school claret with structure. The tannins are extremely well-managed, and the texture gives it a luxurious edge. Léoville-Barton is one of the greats, a wine that always retains its character and could be from nowhere else. Trends come and go, but they are as dependable as it gets. Add the 2020 vintage, however, and it's on another level altogether. To be able to get it direct from Bordeaux at this kind of pricing makes it, once again, one of the best collectible values in the region.

Price: $109.99

2014 Benrinnes 11 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Single Cask Strength 1st Fill Sherry Butt Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 11/17/2025 | Send Email

The nose on this is meaty and reflective of the style produced by this nearly 200-year-old distillery. As one of only twenty that still use a worm-tub condenser, it tends to have a heavier body, which is fully reflected in this single-cask offering. Oily and rich, the sherry butt makes itself known immediately with notes of leather, spice, molasses, golden raisins, and figs. The sip is dense, and the waxiness shines through, carrying blackberry jam, anise, roasted malt, pepper, and more dried fruits. As it finishes, the oily texture remains, leaving a leathery and earthy final impression. This one is certainly for the sherry-cask lovers who want a little more nuance than some of the other one-note raisin bombs.

Price: Hidden

2019 Terroir al Limit Terroir Históric Negre Priorat

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 11/17/2025 | Send Email

Priorat has been undergoing something of a renaissance in recent years. For several decades, the wines of Priorat turned up the dial regarding alcohol, extraction and oak, often including international varieties in the mix, too. As a result, the wines were often big and rich but lacking in regional character. The 2019 Terroir Històric Priorat Negre, however, is a fresh and modern take on Priorat, crafted by up-and-coming producer Terroir al Límit, a wine project founded by Dominik Huber (with early input from Eben Sadie) that seeks to revive small family-owned vineyards across Priorat’s nine historic villages. Unlike the Terroir al Limit single vineyard wines, the Terroir Historic wines are sourced from multiple small, family-owned plots in a quest to express the overall terroir and character of the region. This wine is a traditional blend of 75% Garnatxa Negra and 25% Carinyena, fermented in tank with partial whole clusters. The wine is then aged for six months in large, neutral concrete tanks — no oak, no additional extraction — allowing for a pure and mineral-driven expression. Now with 6 years of age, the wine balances ripe red and black fruit notes (pomegranate, black plum) with classic Priorat wild herbs and slate minerality on the palate. The wine is generous yet precise, following up with a hint of black pepper on the finish, and nicely integrated tannins. Despite its firm structure, the wine feels elegant and fresh, with a core of savory, earthy notes. This is a wine that beautifully expresses both the spirit of its makers — minimalist, terroir-focused, community-oriented — and the rugged, rocky landscape of Priorat.

Price: $34.99

JS: 93

RP: 92

2019 Terroir al Limit Terroir Históric Negre Priorat

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/17/2025 | Send Email

I've always been a huge Rioja fan but, Priorat is a super close second. Especially affordable priced ones! The nose of this Terroir Al Limit is a bit more traditional with bright cherry fruit (with a light chalk note), dried orange peel and savory herbs. In the mouth, there are very fresh clean tannins, tongue coating riper cherries, minerals, and a light touch of sage. While the mid-palate coats, the finish zips and tingles the palate with brightness and length. A nice representation of different styles all rolled up into one wine that has an excellent price.

Price: $34.99

JS: 93

RP: 92

2022 Giscours, Margaux 6-Pack in OWC

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 11/14/2025 | Send Email

One of the most deserving properties in Bordeaux just received Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of the Year: 2022 Giscours. A long-time K&L favorite, the team there has always produced one of the most classic and rewarding wines of Margaux, but recent vintages have taken it to another level. The 2022 is the perfect example of that ideal balance you find at this estate; from a rich vintage they were able to craft a wine that's full of Margaux character, retains a modest 13.5% abv, and delivers a classically proportioned wine that shows both the property's terroir and the transparency of traditional Bordeaux. Its ability to occupy both worlds is one of Giscours' many charms. It is also a wine that is remarkably well priced for what it delivers on the scale of classified growths. And while it's not the flashiest wine (perhaps all the better for it), it is one of those bottles that always leaves us marveling when tasting, inspiring that "why don't we buy more Giscours?!" energy. With this new Wine of the Year acclaim, that may soon be a thing of the past. I can imagine the 2022 Giscours becoming an all-time best seller for us, and I think the wine deserves all the acclaim it's getting now, and will continue to receive in the future. Congratulations to Alexander van Beek and the remarkable team at Giscours on their landmark 2022.

Price: $595.00

2022 Giscours, Margaux

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 11/14/2025 | Send Email

One of the most deserving properties in Bordeaux just received Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of the Year: 2022 Giscours. A long-time K&L favorite, the team there has always produced one of the most classic and rewarding wines of Margaux, but recent vintages have taken it to another level. The 2022 is the perfect example of that ideal balance you find at this estate; from a rich vintage they were able to craft a wine that's full of Margaux character, retains a modest 13.5% abv, and delivers a classically proportioned wine that shows both the property's terroir and the transparency of traditional Bordeaux. Its ability to occupy both worlds is one of Giscours' many charms. It is also a wine that is remarkably well priced for what it delivers on the scale of classified growths. And while it's not the flashiest wine (perhaps all the better for it), it is one of those bottles that always leaves us marveling when tasting, inspiring that "why don't we buy more Giscours?!" energy. With this new Wine of the Year acclaim, that may soon be a thing of the past. I can imagine the 2022 Giscours becoming an all-time best seller for us, and I think the wine deserves all the acclaim it's getting now, and will continue to receive in the future. Congratulations to Alexander van Beek and the remarkable team at Giscours on their landmark 2022.

Price: $99.99

2024 Cullen "Dancing in the Sun" Sauvignon Blanc Blend Margaret River Western Australia

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 11/13/2025 | Send Email

The 2024 Cullne “Dancing in the Sun” is a lively, youthful blend of 53% Sauvignon Blanc, 28% Semillon, 14% Chenin Blanc, 4% Chardonnay and 1% Verdelho. The 2024 season was the hottest, driest and earliest harvest on record for Cullen, with minimal rainfall from September through to May, resulting in small yields and concentrated fruit. As a result, the fruit for this wine was harvested early (between January 11 and February 11) to maintain freshness. The resulting wine is crisp and inviting, bursting with notes of freshly cut grass, grapefruit zest and Granny Smith apple. There is a subtle waxy texture on the palate, and the finish is persistent, with lingering citrus pith and faint salinity. This is a bright, modern take on a Sauvignon/Semillon blend imbued with surprising structure and concentration from the warm 2024 vintage.

Price: $17.99

JS: 93

JH: 92

2019 Gulfi "NeroBufaleffj" Nero d'Avola Sicilia

By: Mariah Mier | Review Date: 11/13/2025 | Send Email

I cannot get over how much this wine reminds me of freshly picked wild blackberries. Tart, aromatic, with finely knit tannins that draw you inter another sip... and another, and another. Brings back memories of gorging myself with the fruit when I discovered a hidden patch of them at the park in late summer. Thankfully, I don't have to watch out for any thorns to enjoy this!

Price: $44.99

VN: 96

JS: 93

2022 Nga Waka Pinot Noir Martinborough

By: Mariah Mier | Review Date: 11/13/2025 | Send Email

This earthy, savory Pinot Noir is a perfect match for anyone looking to explore the unique terroir of Martinborough. There's an oxidized dry-aged meat quality to it, almost gamey, with notes of dry herbs that reminds me of Pu'er tea.

Price: Hidden

SK: 94

2023 Anonymous Wine Collective "Pagani Ranch - Ancient Vine" Sonoma Valley Zinfandel

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/13/2025 | Send Email

An absolute classic rendition of Zinfandel this legendary, historic site. There tons of rich, brambly fruit from the old vine Zin, but also real substance and complexity from the inclusion of Alicante Bouchet and a Primitivo clone brought here by Italian immigrants over a century ago. The wine shows a real sense of place with a crushed rock and ferrous mineral tone from red iron-rich loam and volcanic cobblestones that define the soils of the site. The picture perfect growing season in 2023 gave this wine lots of vibrancy and focus to balance all that old vine concentration and potency. The subtle use of both French and American oak is a well known signature when combined with this beautiful fruit. The value here, as with all the Anonymous wines is simply outstanding! Enjoy!

Price: Hidden

2024 Bodega Chacra "Barda" Pinot Noir Rio Negro Patagonia

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 11/13/2025 | Send Email

The 2024 Bodega Chacra “Barda” Pinot Noir is an approachable, food-friendly expression of Patagonian Pinot. Bright notes of cranberry, wild strawberry, and hibiscus weave together with subtle undertones of baking spices and a freshly rolled cigar. The palate is supple yet energetic, carrying its fruit with effortless grace and a whisper of savoriness. It’s a versatile Pinot that would elevate a quiet dinner at home with a roast chicken or serve alongside a more refined meal. It's unpretentious, elegant, and simply delicious.

Price: $34.99

Jansz "Premium Rosé" Brut Tasmania

By: Kerry Kennell | Review Date: 11/13/2025 | Send Email

At first taste, the Jansz “Premium Rosé” Brut elicits an instant WHAT?! It’s a delightful surprise how good it is for the price! This sparkling overachiever hits that sweet spot for value-driven bubble enthusiasts (like myself) who still crave finesse in their glass. The color is a charming blush, like your cheeks after a complement from your crush, while a fine bead of soft bubbles delivers clean and delicate notes of fresh raspberry, rose Turkish delight, and white nectarine, all laced with a whisper of white-chocolate creaminess. These confectionary impressions are neither sweet nor cloying, but effortlessly balanced and deeply satisfying. This is something I definitely want around for entertaining or sipping as a refreshing reward after a long day of tasting other wines.

Price: $21.99

Mars Shinshu Iwai Rye Style Blended Japanese Whisky (750ml)

By: Josh Gelfand | Review Date: 11/12/2025 | Send Email

“Hey, can I get some of that Japanese scotch?” they’d often ask, sitting down at my bar. Hiding my deep-seated instinct to snark them into oblivion, I’d choose the hospitality route, which was one of information delivered through kindness. “Scotch,” I’d reply, “is simply whisky made in Scotland. This is Japanese whisky, which just means it was made in Japan, though it does emulate the Scottish style in many ways.” Since its inception more than a century ago, Japanese whisky has been directly associated with and compared to Scotch for understandable reasons. Malt whisky and grain whisky made in the style Masataka Taketsuru first learned in Scotland in the early 1900s resemble the Scotch we know and love in countless ways, even with some wonderful Japanese innovations and variations. And while they’ve experimented with other grains like rice, one thing the Japanese have done extremely well is blend whiskies from around the world in their own elegant style. Rye whiskey, on the other hand, has never really been thought of as elegant in the traditional sense. It’s the rugged, pre-Prohibition, spicy northern style of whiskey that early American settlers first made. But now our friends at Mars have decided to create a fun new counterpart to their bourbon-forward Iwai 45, blending their own classic 70% corn and 30% pot-stilled unmalted barley whisky aged in ex-bourbon barrels with some 95/5 rye aged in new charred oak and imported from Tennessee. The result brings lovely grain and spice, cherry and cocoa, nutty and herbal notes, plus berries and tea to the glass in a style that’s ready for your favorite cocktail or highball. And the price is perfect for mixing. But to be clear, this is not a rye whisky made in Japan, in the same way traditional Japanese whiskies aren’t Scotches. It’s an easy-drinking, supremely mixable rye-style whisky from blenders who’ve made a name for themselves combining liquid gold from around the world into a final product as unique and inviting as Japan itself.

Price: Hidden

Dérot-Delugny "Retour en Avant" Brut

By: Craig Morris | Review Date: 11/12/2025 | Send Email

"Retour en avant" literally translates to "return forward," as in, going back to your roots. What roots, you say? Well, this Champagne is made from 100% Pinot Gris. Yes, they are allowed to grow Pinot Gris in Champagne, but it is uncommon nowadays and near-extinct in the region. The founding family of Derot-Delugny were big fans of Alsatian wine, particularly Pinot Gris, so over 30 years ago they planted a small plot and that's where this comes from. So, yes, it is an oddity, but it is also delicious! I was genuinely impressed. Full of brioche with great acidity, and just a touch more fruit than a blanc de blanc, but still elegant. Also, full of minerality! Pinot Gris is tricky to grow in Champagne, and so they do not make this bottling every year, so pick it up while you have the chance. I could not stop revisiting this bottle all evening!

Price: $49.99

2021 Castello di Ama "L'Apparita" Toscana

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/11/2025 | Send Email

A benchmark wine that lives up to the hype. Castello di Ama’s "L'Apparita," Tuscany's first 100% Merlot, sets a high bar. This is a profound, structured, and complex wine from high-altitude terroir. The nose is just a fantastic deep, inky, and compelling, with black cherry, cassis, and dark plum woven with graphite, new leather, sweet tobacco, espresso, and that crushed rock minerality. The palate follows with concentration and a velvety texture, but what’s remarkable is the freshness. A super fresh palate with a vibrant line of acidity keeps the wine energetic and poised, not heavy. The tannins are serious—polished, fine-grained, and powerful—framing a dense core of dark fruit and savory spice. The finish is exceptionally long, echoing dark chocolate, licorice, and that yummy stony minerality. This is a monumental wine, plain and simple. Just stunning.

Price: Hidden

2023 Charles Père et Fille Volnay 1er Cru “Fremiets"

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/11/2025 | Send Email

Rich and seductive nose that started at me with ripe raspberry, cherry candy, craisins, and just a little touch of barrel spice. This is definitely a more plush and lush style of Pinot Noir. The palate is fairly rich and medium bodied, there's a gentle line of acidity running through but nothing crazy or puckering, as a result the fruit is fairly ripe on the palate, ripe raspberry, a little stewed strawberry, a little touch of cherry compote. This is something I could absolutely see being on the table this season, or even into the next, a pretty gentle and accessible bottle of Pinot Noir with a little more elegance than you can find elsewhere in this style.

Price: $69.99

2021 Petra Toscana Rosso

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/11/2025 | Send Email

To someone who is an Italian wine enthusiast, but perhaps not fully knowledgeable, this seems like a fairly standard Bordeaux styled Super Tuscan. Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc. What could go wrong? Well, historically I would tell you a lot, but here absolutely nothing has gone wrong. This wine is super inviting and lush, but it still feels Italian somehow, maybe it's this hint of tomato leaf on the nose. The rest of the nose is rich and full, there's a rich and ripe black cherry, some bramble-fruit, some gratings of cranberry skin, and then it goes into barrel spices and a bit of toast. The palate is a little bit lighter than the nose would imply, but it's still medium plus with really refined and integrated tannins, super fine on the palate, the intensity of the barrel coming through on the finish. There's really nice acidity that outweighs the tannins by a bit, and a little creamy note mid-palate. This is just a delicious and super approachable bottle of wine, and I feel that it outdrinks the price by more than just a little bit. If you're looking for something super approachable and super drinkable from Italy, and you're into Super Tuscans you shouldn't even hesitate. This is a great bottle to have on your table this season, and it probably makes a nice gift too. I like gifts.

Price: Hidden

JS: 95

2020 Ca' Del Bosco "Bosco Selva della Tesa" Chardonnay Lombardia

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 11/11/2025 | Send Email

When people hear Ca' del Bosco, they think of their legendary Franciacorta, but for me, the true insider's wine is this Chardonnay. The "Bosco Selva della Tesa" is their "Burgundian" expression—a profound, serious, and complex white that shatters expectations. The 2020 is a stunning example of their craft. Sourced from 35-year-old vines and aged in French oak, this is a wine of incredible structure and depth. The nose is a captivating mix of golden apple and toasted hazelnut, leading to a full-bodied and rich palate that the winery rightly compares to the structure of a red wine. It’s a sophisticated, gastronomic Chardonnay, perfect for roasted chicken or veal. An exceptional and powerful white from a master of the craft.

Price: $79.99

2016 Ca' del Bosco "AnnaMaria Clementi" Cuvée Franciacorta Rose Riserva

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 11/11/2025 | Send Email

Everything that makes the Annamaria Clementi legendary, but in Rosé form. This is 100% Pinot Nero from three specific old-vine parcels, with the color coming from a brief skin maceration. It, too, spends years on the lees, developing a stunning spectrum of wild strawberry, pomegranate, blood orange, and smoky, savory spice. It’s one of the most serious, structured, and gastronomic sparkling rosés made anywhere in the world.

Price: $119.99

JS: 97

VN: 94

2023 Anonymous Wine Collective Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

By: Cary Herrman | Review Date: 11/6/2025 | Send Email

This bottle feels like a secret worth sharing. It channels a Burgundian spirit with quiet confidence - cool minerals, poised structure, and a graceful sense of balance that never slips into excess. There's a gentle richness that stays composed rather than loud, framed by a coastal energy that keeps each sip lifted and refreshing. A subtle nuttiness and lemony elegance linger, making this a dream for French Chardonnay devotees who appreciate California with a clever disguise. Unique, expressive, and undeniably delicious.

Price: Hidden

Heidrun "Oregon Radish Blossom" Sparkling Mead, California (750ml)

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/6/2025 | Send Email

No, this does not taste like the usual radish that you find in a salad or eat raw. Though I do like radishes and their spiciness! This Mead is light and dry with very nice citrus fruits coming through. Like the rest of the Heidrun line, it has fine acidity and a very lovely floral smell and taste. Because it is bubbly, you also get an added dimension of interest and upper palate flavors. Like the orange blossom version, it is very Springlike and can be thoroughly enjoyed on its own or with picnic style foods or anything fried! Fried Calamari with French fries!

Price: $24.99

Heidrun "Hawaiian Christmas Berry" Sparkling Mead, California (750ml)

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/6/2025 | Send Email

While the Orange Blossom Mead from Heidrun reminds me of Spring and Summer, this upcoming release reminds me of Winter. In Sweden. Not that I actually like snow. It makes me go fetal. I see this with red potatoes in sour cream, herring, and my grams stuffed pancakes. This marvelous sparkling Mead is delicate and like the others in this line, has a very fine acidity and lingering finish. The flavors are lightly spicy with pretty berry flavors, blossoms and, of course, a background of fresh and pure honey. Whatever you think of Mead, throw it out the window. The Heidrun versions are head and shoulders above what most people think of Mead. Plus, they have bubbles! This will be present when we put out our straw Christmas goat for the holidays! Look for it in our holiday section at the SF store.

Price: Hidden

Heidrun "California Orange Blossom" Sparkling Mead, California (750ml)

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/6/2025 | Send Email

This line of Mead, for me, are up at the top tier of the best that I've ever had, including those I sampled in the UK. Unfortunately, my first tasting of Mead took place at a number of RenFaire's years ago. Those were really, really bad but, fit the bill at the time. We weren't too picky while dressed in velvet and high boots. Those times definitely changed for the better when I had Mead such as the ones produced by Heidrun. They key is the wonderful acidity and floral (and juicy) delicate orange flavors. The Mead begs to be enjoyed on a sunny afternoon with fresh crisp veggies, fried chicken or even a nice pork chop. Of course, it is perfectly fun and delicious on its own!

Price: $27.99

2023 Ridge Vineyards "Geyserville" Alexander Valley Zinfandel

By: Mariah Mier | Review Date: 11/6/2025 | Send Email

This wine is a bit tight at first when you pop the cork, but it opens up beautifully after decanting and swirling in the glass. Pomegranate on the nose with hints of cranberry and elderberry on the palate with a whiff of bouquet garni on the finish. Structured yet approachable. This one is a crowd pleaser!

Price: Hidden

2023 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

By: Mariah Mier | Review Date: 11/6/2025 | Send Email

This structured and layered zinfandel is one of those gorgeous wines that manage to be harmonious while each type of grape contributes a recognizable individual character to the blend. The craftsmanship and expertise that is showcased here is unmistakable. This is an iconic wine for someone who wants a fruit-forward red that is not overdone.

Price: $49.95

JD: 98

DC: 96

WS: 95

2020 Ca' Del Bosco Maurizio Zanella Rosso del Sebino IGT

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 11/6/2025 | Send Email

Zanella’s original dream was also inspired by Bordeaux. This is his personal red wine, a "Super-Franciacorta" blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. It’s a rich, polished, and powerful still wine that proves the estate’s commitment to quality isn't limited to bubbles. With dark cassis fruit, graphite, and fine-grained tannins, it’s a cellar-worthy red that shows the "other side" of this remarkable terroir.

Price: Hidden

2015 Ca' del Bosco "AnnaMaria Clementi" Cuvée Franciacorta Riserva

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 11/6/2025 | Send Email

This is the pinnacle. Named for Maurizio Zanella’s mother, Annamaria Clementi is the "tête de cuvée," the estate's monumental, no-compromise wine. It’s sourced only from the oldest, finest estate vineyards and is fermented entirely in small oak casks. It then spends an incredible nine years aging on its lees, building unparalleled complexity. The 2015 is a powerhouse, a wine that transcends "sparkling" and enters the realm of "profound." Expect deep notes of toasted nuts, honey, spice, and a chalky, mineral core. The magnum is a true collector's piece.

Price: $109.99

JS: 95

WS: 94

Ca' Del Bosco "Cuvée Prestige" Franciacorta

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 11/6/2025 | Send Email

This is the wine that defines the house and, for many, the entire region. It's not a non-vintage, but a "multi-vintage" cuvée, a complex blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, and Pinot Bianco from over 130 different vineyard plots, blended with 20-30% of reserve wines. Aged for over two years on the lees, this is a masterclass in balance. It’s toasty, citrusy, and creamy, with a fine, persistent mousse. It’s the ultimate calling card for Franciacorta's polished style.

Price: $46.99

2023 Anonymous Wine Collective Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

By: Ryan Woodhouse | Review Date: 11/6/2025 | Send Email

I'm beyond excited to bring these next Anonymous releases to you! I have huge ambitions for what we can achieve with this project, and this duo of Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay and Pinot Noir represent the next leap forward in the plan. I think these wines are probably the most exciting bottlings yet under Anonymous especially since I know the caliber of the producer that we partnered with! Again, we're sworn to secrecy here but what I can tell you is that this Chardonnay is entirely estate-grown and produced in the Santa Cruz Mountains by one of the most highly revered producers in the region. The vineyards are farmed according to organic and biodynamic protocols, with a big focus on heritage clonal material and high-density hillside plantings. The wine is fermented in French oak with native yeast. The barrels are mostly neutral with just 15% new oak. This is a stunningly focused, mineral driven Chardonnay with ethereal concentration of flavor and vibrancy. White meadow flowers soaked in morning dew. Bright, juicy citrus grove fruit, some hints of Golden Delicious apple, toasted almond, chalky minerals, resonating saline minerals are so long and salivating on the palate. The team behind this wine is focused on small-lot, artisanal winemaking. This wine is simply a barrel selection we put together with them specifically for the Anonymous Wine Collective project. I'm lucky enough to have a long, personal relationship with this producer, and I'm absolutely thrilled they chose to partner with us on these wines. At half the price of the regular bottling, for the exact same quality and pedigree the value here is simply astounding. Unbeatable QPR and a wine that I'd happily put into to a blind tasting with Chardonnay from anywhere in the world at 3-4 times the price and be confident that it would more than hold its own. Don't miss this stunner! Cheers!

Price: Hidden

2022 Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac

By: Ryan Moses | Review Date: 11/5/2025 | Send Email

I’m not sure how to say this delicately, so I’ll just say it: Lafite is better than ever. It may seem strange to describe a hallowed estate like Lafite-Rothschild as being on an upward trajectory—after all, how much higher can one of the world’s most celebrated names climb? Yet the precision, transparency, and refinement emerging from this address just keep getting dialed in, bit by bit. Everything comes into focus with their 2022, a wine that’s been thrilling since En Primeur and has delivered on every promise since. Somehow, it’s managed to stay slightly under the radar—not the headline act of the vintage, but quietly speaking for itself while collecting one perfect score after another in what has become one of the region’s signature years. It’s increasingly clear that Lafite managed the growing season brilliantly, crafting one of the most generous and dynamic wines of their modern era. The 2022 Lafite takes the wine’s innate regal character and amplifies it—not in volume, but in harmony. What stands out is the texture: tannins so fine they’re almost invisible, layers of concentration wrapped in extraordinary elegance, and a seamless focus on the pure essence of Cabernet. This is what defines the greatest 2022s, and what makes Lafite so profound. It’s all here in this Grand Vin—a wine around which one could easily build a cellar. For a First Growth firing on all cylinders, don’t miss Lafite-Rothschild’s remarkable 2022.

Price: $774.99

2023 Anonymous Wine Collective Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/5/2025 | Send Email

This brand spanking new release from our Anonymous label is grown in the coolest AVA in the state and it the subtlety of the slow ripening fruit. A charming nose of fragrant honeysuckle, citrus, stone fruit and raw almond. In the mouth, it is quite mouth-coating, with perfectly ripened apple fruit, clean oak and mango. It finishes clean, with citrus and clean nut flavors. Quite outstanding!

Price: Hidden

2020 Anonymous Wine Collective "Manchester Ridge Vineyard" Mendocino Ridge Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/5/2025 | Send Email

There is an extremely lovely nose on this very Champagne-like bubbly. All Honey Crisp and Granny Smith apple with a nice dose of lemon meringue and limestone. On the palate, despite being Brut Nature, it has a very nice creaminess and a very fine bead. The tart apple flavors are at the forefront with a light saltiness. In the background, there is a little shaved ginger, cream puff pastry and lemon juice. Just marvelous! It tastes far more expensive than it is.

Price: Hidden

2017 Señorio de Sarría Reserva Especial Navarra

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 11/5/2025 | Send Email

The 2017 Señorío de Sarría Reserva Especial is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with a small amount of Graciano, sourced from estate vineyards in the foothills of the Sierra de Lóquiz, on clay-limestone soils. This combination of varieties is not uncommon for Navarra, once an independent kingdom with historic close ties to France – in this part of Spain, Bordeaux varieties are common, as are French oak barrels. The overall impression of the wine however, is 100% Spanish, with dried mushroom notes and a savory dried green herb undercurrent. Full-bodied and very structured, the wine is really well-balanced by fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity that carry into a long, lingering finish. It is matured for 12 months in new French oak barrels followed by extended bottle maturation, offering up aromas of ripe blackberry and cassis, woven together with vanilla, cocoa, and toasted hazelnut. Now with several years of bottle age, this is a powerful yet polished Navarra wine, only just beginning to fully unveil its full character. It’s only made in what the winery deems as exceptional vintages, and this is clearly one of those vintages.

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TA: 93

JS: 92

2019 Señorio de Sarría "Viñedo Uno" Garnacha Crianza Navarra

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 11/5/2025 | Send Email

Grenache is a true chameleon of a variety — sometimes ethereal and pale in the glass and sometimes bold and richly concentrated. And while I love both styles, the 2019 Viñedo Uno from Navarra is a standout for its balance of both: old vine concentration, framed by French oak, and elegant, firm structure with a polished finish. This part of Spain is not far from Aragon, where Garnacha is thought to originate from, and yet unlike most Garnacha from Aragon, the usage of French oak barrels for maturation is true to the style of Navarra. In the glass, juicy red plum and berry notes mingle with savory toasted almond, vanilla bean and cocoa nib. Made from 100% Garnacha from 60+ year old bush vines and aged for 9 months in one-year-old French oak barrels, this wine delivers the charm and vibrancy of Garnacha from old vines, but with serious composure and a long finish.

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JS: 93

2023 Domaine Delhome "Alt 330" Crozes-Hermitage Rouge

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 11/5/2025 | Send Email

From the winery's highest vineyards in the kaolin soils of Larnage, this is a lusty and compelling Syrah. Filled with rich blackberry and black cherry fruit, there is a crossover appeal that should delight fans of new world styles but the wine is firmly rooted in the old world. Those savory notes round out the edges and give this focus while that rich fruit brings the charm.

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JD: 94

2022 Domaine de Verquière Rasteau

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 11/5/2025 | Send Email

I often think of Rasteau as the “poor man’s Châteauneuf.” With its clay soils strewn with large galet stones and sun-drenched slopes, it produces reds that are rich, powerful, and full of southern Rhône warmth. Originally known for its sweet fortified wines, Rasteau was first recognized as a cru for those styles before earning acclaim for its dry reds. Vigneron Thibaud Chamfort crafts one of the finest examples from his top Rasteau site. The wine brims with blue and black fruit—boysenberry, fig jam, and a hint of Asian spice. Full-bodied and deeply textured, it’s an ideal red for the cooler seasons and pairs beautifully with braised meats. My current favorite? Beef cheeks—their unctuous richness is a perfect match for the bold, savory depth of this wine.

Price: $17.99

WE: 93

2024 Domaine de Verquière Côtes-du-Rhône

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 11/5/2025 | Send Email

Verquière’s Côtes du Rhône remains one of the best values in the Rhône category. Bursting with juicy strawberry, cherry, and fig, it captures all the charm and flavor of southern France. Subtle notes of tobacco and pepper add complexity, while its medium-bodied frame makes it the perfect weeknight pour. Year after year, this wine is a customer favorite—and once it’s in your glass, it’s easy to see why.

Price: $13.99

WE: 91

Jansz "Premium Rosé" Brut Tasmania

By: Rachael Ryan | Review Date: 11/4/2025 | Send Email

This is one of Australia’s most popular sparkling wines, and a favorite of mine, too! It’s such an incredibly lovely, lively wine, with an exuberant nose of fresh strawberry, apple blossom and Meyer lemon zest. On the palate, it’s focused and mineral-driven, however. Made from 94% Pinot Noir, 4% Chardonnay and 2% Pinot Meunier, all sourced from cool vineyard sites in Tasmania, including Pipers River and the Tamar Valley in the north of the island, and the Coal River Valley in the south, this pale salmon-colored sparkling wine is so easy to drink, yet has a serious side. It’s made in the traditional Champagne method and is aged in bottle on the lees for 24 months before disgorgement, which adds a creamy texture and subtle aromas of brioche and almond. Dosage is 7.4 g/L, placing it firmly in the Brut category, though the wine feels bone dry on the palate, thanks to the zippy line of acidity reflective of the marginal climate in this southerly region. This wine is a crowd pleaser that will pair well with so many foods – I can’t think of a good reason to not like this wine! It’s the perfect bubbly to have on hand for celebrations, and at just over $20, really overdelivers compared to many other regions in the world.

Price: $21.99

Jansz "Premium Rosé" Brut Tasmania

By: Scott Beckerley | Review Date: 11/4/2025 | Send Email

Here's your bargain Rose bubbly for the rest of the year! I've been enjoying this sparkler for many years, and it has not ever varied away from an excellent quality to price ratio. The delicate nose is full of rose hip, orange, raspberry and tart strawberry. On the palate, a super creamy mousse with very fine bubbles. On the palate, fresh raspberry, juicy orange, vanilla almond and minerals. There is a wonderful "crunch" at the back of the throat. The finish is long and clean and invigorating. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Wednesday's, movie night, picnics....this bubble goes with all of them! It does the memory of Errol Flynn proud.

Price: $21.99

2020 Anonymous Wine Collective "Manchester Ridge Vineyard" Mendocino Ridge Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/4/2025 | Send Email

Yet another arrow in the quiver of the Anonymous Wine Collective, and what a pretty and flashy arrow it is. Vineyard specific Blanc de Blanc for just $30 is pretty cool, but what's even better is they went about the right way. This spent one year on the lees on neutral oak and then four years on tirage, being hand-riddled by one of the best in the California sparkling business. This is serious bubbles, with a lovely toasty brioche nose, green and red apples, and touches of lemon curd. The palate has a lot of fruit, but by now you know I like that. It's really bright and juicy fruit, barely ripe apple, lemon juice, and then more baguette on the finish. This is just delicious, and a very compelling bottle at the price. I took a couple of bottles home over my weekend, and can guarantee you it goes with creamy pasta and makes one hell of a mimosa. It's good, folks. It's good.

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2023 Brick & Mortar Sonoma Coast Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/4/2025 | Send Email

Pretty little nose with some light and bright red notes, like pie cherry and underripe raspberry, with this little hint of Amarena cherry in the middle of the bouquet, then followed by a soft doughy note. The palate is bright and crisp, the Amarena in the background playing a bigger role overall, the finish is super clean and the acidity is incredibly refreshing. This is like the perfect bottle for when you want to take bubbles but you aren't sure if it's getting opened or not and you want to bring something you want a glass of, but you want it priced so if you just leave it that's fine too.

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JS: 95

2023 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/4/2025 | Send Email

So very interesting, I love having wines from the same winemaker, same grape back to back and have them be super different. It just shows me it's less about a house style and more about taking what the earth gives and making the best thing you can from it. The fruit here is a bit more high toned, with red cherry and cranberry skin, then slowly giving way to darker fruits, cherries, blackberry compote, and plum skin. The palate has a great density of fruit, stewed cherries, bramblefruit, and a little overripe strawberry, but then it goes into something a bit earthy and dusty before succumbing to a little bit of barrel spice on the very finish, mingling and twining with the fruit.

Price: $49.95

JD: 98

DC: 96

WS: 95

2023 Ridge Vineyards "Geyserville" Alexander Valley Zinfandel

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/4/2025 | Send Email

Who doesn't love Ridge? To many people, myself included, they're part of California Winery Royalty, and anything I'm able to try from them, I typically like it. This is no different, it's a slightly restrained nose, but undeniably Zinfandel with ripe berries, rich mid-notes, and a follow up kind of stewed/ripe fruit finish. The palate has a bright pop of fruit at the front, followed by drying tannins before the acidity then kicks in. This is quintessential California Zinfandel, it's got everything you want but also has some structure that will make this a great wine to pair with whatever you've got on the grill today. It's such an easy choice.

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2021 Hendry "Estate" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/4/2025 | Send Email

We were fortunate enough to have a tour of the Hendry vineyard with Mike Hendry, and he even let us prune some of his vines. It was incredibly cool. They have everything broken down by blocks and have an idea of where those blocks are going to each year. There are 5 different blocks that go into this Cabernet Sauvignon, and if you go onto their site they have a map of the whole vineyard and you can see what each of those blocks grow and what year they were planted. It's just very nerdy cool. The wine? Oh yeah. The nose has a pretty kind of lushness on the nose, a lot of rich and slightly creamy fruit, along with just a touch of that barrel spice. It's all very dark with just little flecks of brighter red fruit showing through, the palate is no different with a heavy richness of fruit, but also a classic structured grip of tannin and fat line of acidity running through the whole thing. This is absolutely a fat potato and rich steak candidate, but it would stand up to BBQ as well, or a really hearty and rich mushroom ragout could be killer. This is a great bottle of Napa Cabernet made by incredibly nice people and it deserves your monetary vote.

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WE: 93

2021 Far Mountain "Fission" Moon Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/4/2025 | Send Email

The nose on this is almost intoxicating, it's super dark and alluring with ripe blackberries, black cherry, plum skin, purple flowers, and then a firm hit of barrel spice towards the end. It's just tall got that whole tall, dark-haired and handsome vibe going on, and I think I felt it wink at me. There's a sweetness and generosity of fruit on the nose, and then the palate is much darker and more brooding, with the same fruits but they're all dustier and a little inky, with a reasonable acidity and a long finish that fades from fruit to toast and barrel spice. This is an absolutely delicious and polished bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for someone who really does want something dense and chewy in the best of ways. There's an inky core of this that just slowly unfolds in the glass, it's really fun to drink.

Price: $49.99

DC: 94

JD: 94

2023 Farm Cottage "Bates Ranch" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

By: Aaron Hughes | Review Date: 11/4/2025 | Send Email

This wine is just slightly bonkers, but in the best of ways. During this morning's tasting someone said that this is what you get when you have a Pinot Noir winemaker make a Cabernet Sauvignon - and it totally fits, this is Cabernet with Pinot sensibilities. There's a lightness to the whole thing, and a crunchiness to the fruit that carries through the whole wine, and it's just outstanding. The nose is so pretty with bright red fruits, raspberries, a little stewed strawberry, bright cherry, rhubarb, and then a little barrel spice at the end along with a touch of creamy. The palate is bright and crunchy, with cranberry, pie cherry, and underripe raspberry standing out before it slowly transitions towards the cedary barrel spice at the finish, the whole time a fat line of acid runs through the whole wine. This is just outstanding and is absolutely going to be at my Thanksgiving table, and probably my Christmas table as well - super drinkable and approachable Cabernet Sauvignon is one of my most favorite things and this is just such a friendly weirdo of a wine, it's just perfect.

Price: $59.95

JS: 97

2021 Petra Toscana Rosso

By: Orazio Campoli | Review Date: 11/4/2025 | Send Email

I wish I could attach a picture to this review. Petra, with its jaw-dropping modern cellar designed by Mario Botta and carved directly into the rocky hills of Suvereto, is a true architectural marvel. I have never seen such an ambitious building. A Google search is worth your time. What we have here is their flagship Bordeaux-style blend, sourced from the iron-rich, stony soils of the Val di Cornia in Maremma. The nose here is powerful; classic dark cassis, blackberry, and plum, lifted with notes of graphite, cedar, and the signature macchia mediterranea (Mediterranean scrub) that defines the coast. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, dense, and concentrated, but it’s not just a fruit bomb. The finish is long and savory, echoing with notes of dark chocolate and herbs. A focused wine that will make Napa and Bordeaux aficionados happy. This is my type of Super Tuscan; powerful, yes, but really Italian. A true benchmark for the region.

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JS: 95

2023 Domaine Delhome "Boreal" Crozes-Hermitage Rouge

By: Keith Mabry | Review Date: 11/3/2025 | Send Email

The Boreal comes from the granitic slopes. It has the meaty density that inspires Syrah drinkers around the world. Brambly black fruit, roasted cherries and meaty tones all lead to a rich and saturated red that superbly reflects the granite terroir of the Northern Rhone. One of my favorite new finds!

Price: Hidden

JD: 92

2023 Anonymous Wine Collective Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

By: Simon Li | Review Date: 11/2/2025 | Send Email

This wine opens with a energetic nose of struck match, oyster shell, and sharp lemon zest, which only reluctantly reveals hints of white peach and toasted almond. The palate is defined by its tense, high-wire acidity, a hallmark of the cool vintage, creating a framework that is both linear and intensely focused. The finish is long and bracing, leaving a vibrant, mouthwatering echo of citrus oil and crushed stones.

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