romo

9.2

Calibrate your palate before tasting. More versatile than Beas other bucce but requires some thought and patience. — 25 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Dubourdieu – Liaison 2022
Sauternes, Bordeaux – France 🇫🇷

Overview
This 2022 Sauternes is a blend of 99% Sémillon and 1% Sauvignon Blanc, offering an affordable yet authentic taste of botrytis-affected wines (noble rot) from this iconic region. Crafted under the influence of the Dubourdieu family legacy, it reflects both pedigree and accessibility.

Aromas & Flavors
Candied apricot, dried peach, and orange zest dominate, with layers of honey, cream, and subtle spice. A touch of citrus lift keeps it bright.

Mouthfeel
Lush, creamy, and medium-sweet with balancing acidity. Not cloying — instead, elegant and smooth with a long, harmonious finish.

Food Pairings
Equally versatile as an apéritif or dessert wine. Pair with blue cheese, foie gras, nut tarts, or simply enjoy with stone-fruit desserts. Also shines on its own as a liquid treat.

Verdict
A crazy delicious and overdelivering Sauternes at its price point. Balanced, expressive, and approachable — it won’t disappoint anyone seeking a classic noble rot experience. 🍯🍑 cheers!

Did You Know?
The late Denis Dubourdieu, known as the “pope of white wine”, was not only a legendary enologist but also a professor and educator who revolutionized Bordeaux whites and sweet wines, leaving a lasting mark on the region. — 4 months ago

Chris MacLean

9.1

A little more fruity than 2022. Still very versatile! — a year ago

with Sarah

Jay Kline

9.0

If I haven’t mentioned it before, I love these Red Table Wines produced by Sandlands. They’re not fussy and deliver the goods when you need a versatile red wine to pair with a variety of meals. The only trouble is, I can never seem to get my hands on enough of them! Some quick notes over dinner: Popped and poured, bright and fresh bramble fruits on the nose with medium+ intensity. On the palate, a mixed fruits set with blue, black and red fruits all playing nicely together. Medium tannin and medium acid. Finish is also medium. Worked well with chicken wings and corn on the cob. — 4 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Château Cantemerle 2023 – Haut-Médoc, BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A beautifully expressive Left Bank blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 71%, Merlot 18%, Petit Verdot 7%, and Cabernet Franc 4% that delivers immediate charm while retaining classic Haut-Médoc structure and aging potential. The wine shows vibrant fruit purity, polished tannins, and a well-judged touch of oak, making it approachable young yet capable of evolving gracefully over the coming decade.

Aromas & Flavors
Ripe blackberry, black cherry, cassis, and plum layered with subtle cedar, vanilla spice, graphite, and a gentle floral lift. Fresh berry brightness carries through the palate, framed by light savory notes and a refined oak accent that enhances rather than dominates.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with supple texture and finely integrated tannins. Juicy, energetic entry with excellent balance between fruit concentration and freshness. Smooth mid-palate flow and a clean, persistent finish that stays lively and inviting.

Food Pairings
Grilled steak, roast chicken, lamb chops, mushroom risotto, charcuterie boards, aged Gruyère or Comté, and classic bistro fare. A versatile table wine that shines across a wide range of savory dishes.

🍷 Personal Pick
Cantemerle never disappoints, this is pure drinking pleasure wrapped in Bordeaux elegance. Juicy, polished, and instantly enjoyable, yet grounded with just enough structure to remind you why Haut-Médoc remains timeless. A perfect bottle when you want serious pedigree without serious effort.

Did You Know?
Château Cantemerle is classified as a Fifth Growth in the historic 1855 Bordeaux Classification and is known for producing some of the most consistently approachable and age-worthy wines of the Médoc, often offering outstanding value relative to its pedigree. — 11 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.1

🍇 100% Arneis | Roero DOCG, Piedmont, Italy

A classic Northern Italian white, crafted from Arneis grapes sourced across the villages of Vezza d’Alba, Piobesi, and Monteu Roero, all part of the heartland of the Roero appellation.

On the nose:
Fragrant and inviting, with aromas of white flowers, ripe pear, and a citrus lift. A gentle thread of mineral elegance keeps it grounded and regionally expressive.

On the palate:
Dry, crisp, and clean, with a smooth texture, refreshing acidity, and a subtle, pleasantly bitter almond note on the finish — a signature Arneis trait. Light-bodied yet structured, it’s harmonious and polished, with more personality than your average summer white.

Food pairing:
Versatile and food-friendly, perfect with seafood, light pasta dishes, grilled veggies, and fresh cheeses like burrata or robiola.

A true gem from Piedmont expressive, regional, and quietly elegant.
Cheers to Arneis done right! 🍐🍋🌸
— 7 months ago

Lyn Farmer

9.0

This is a lovely and under appreciated wine that, for roughly $20, gives an enormous amount of pleasure. It has a silky texture with high acidity and well-balanced flavors of golden apple, lemon, pear, hay, chamomile and enough stony minerality to give a saline impression on the finish. It’s flavors are intense enough it can match up not only with light dishes like sushi or shrimp, but more pronounced flavors of grilled fish or chicken, and especially pastas like cacio e pepe or fettuccine Alfredo. Versatile as well as delicious — 4 years ago

ESF

9.1

very pleasant, elegant, all kinds of cherry, raspberry and red currant on nose, some red florals, spice and an herbal note. great varietal typicity w/out carbonics - legit, classic style, has many more years ahead, mild tannins and decent acidity make this versatile for food options — 4 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Chapellet Mountain Cuvée Proprietor’s Blend 2023
Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A vibrant Bordeaux-style blend from Chapellet, a pioneering family-owned estate high on Pritchard Hill since 1967. Known for its rocky, elevated vineyards and bold mountain-grown fruit, Chapellet crafts this approachable yet terroir-rich blend for both immediate enjoyment and graceful aging.

Blend Composition
• 51% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 24% Merlot
• 10% Petit Verdot
• 8% Malbec
• 7% Cabernet Franc 

Aromas & Flavors
Effusively aromatic with dark cherries, blackberries, and plums, framed by spicy oak notes of clove, cardamom, cedar, plus touches of black pepper and savory herbs. The palate mirrors this with plush ripe berry layers, framed by fine-grained tannins, and finishes with lingering dark chocolate and anise.  

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with a luxuriously textured core. The fine-grained tannins wrap the fruit beautifully, balanced by inherent freshness—creating a long, silky, and satisfying finish.  

Winemaking Notes
Crafted under the guidance of Winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus, the 2023 vintage benefitted from a cool growing season and carefully managed canopy work to preserve freshness and reduce yields. Fermented and aged to deliver immediate appeal without compromising structure. 

Food Pairing
A versatile pairing wine—ideal with grilled ribeye, slow-braised short ribs, or herbed lamb chops. It also complements rich pasta sauces and grilled mushrooms—luxurious yet approachable.

Verdict
Mountain Cuvée 2023 is a powerful yet elegant Napa blend, showcasing depth, freshness, and mountain intensity. It’s a beautifully balanced wine that offers a compelling mix of immediate pleasure and layered complexity. A benchmark for mountain-grown Bordeaux blends. — 5 months ago

Scott Arnold

9.1

Delicious smooth medium-light body, versatile food wine. Nice Pinot noir alternative. — 3 years ago