Staff Picks: 2021

This is one of the most reliable malbec producers in the Mendoza region of Argentina, with wines that are always balanced and tapered rather than sweetly fruity. Intended to express the character of the high-altitude Uco Valley,... Read More

The 2021 Chianti Classico RS Cultusboni is rich, boisterous and quite appealing. I would open it in advance to allow some of the youthful brawn to soften. A burst of red-toned fruit, pipe tobacco, cedar and sweet spice makes a... Read More

The Caloz family established their domaine in 1960, setting up their home and cellar in the village of Miege which is at the southern end of the Valais. Heida-Paien is the Swiss version of the famous Savagnin grape however it... Read More

Mouthwatering and vibrant, zingy and intense on the palate with the shot of lemon and lime juice, creamy peach and apricot and touch of spiced vanilla on the finish. Long and satisfying still with energy and precision all the... Read More

From a small biodynamic winery nestled between the Adriatic Sea and the Gran Sasso Mountains, this is an elegant, pristine example of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo fermented spontaneously and matured in concrete. Bright, juicy... Read More

The 2021 Beaune Les Cents Vignes 1er Cru, which includes some rows without hedging and others trimmed, has an understated bouquet with slightly tertiary red fruit. The palate is where the action is, consisting of very fine tannins... Read More

Domaine Joseph Roty is one of Gevrey-Chambertin's oldest winemaking families, with a heritage dating back over 300 years. Their “Cuvee Pressonnier” is sourced from vines over 45 years old and aged in 25% new oak,... Read More

Aromas of raspberries and red cherries with a peppery palate and pleasant tannins. Elegant and smooth, we recommend drinking this with a slight chill. A great wine to pair with cheese and charcuterie!

The ruby-hued 2021 Barbaresco is savory and ripe with aromas of medicinal herbs, cherry lozenge, sour cherries, salty earth, menthol, and licorice. Medium-bodied, it’s rich through the palate, with ripe tannins and notes... Read More

This concentrated blend of Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional, and Touriga Franca from Alentejo exemplifies Portugal's evolution in unfortified wines. Aged for 9 months in French oak, it offers a fresh and structured profile... Read More

This light-bodied blend of pinot noir and gamay from the Mâconnais region of southern Burgundy, another Communal Brands box, is an ideal thirst-quenching red. It’s fresh, lightly fruity, deliciously refreshing and... Read More

A full-bodied and waxy amber wine with yellow peach, lemon, and walnut notes. The tannins are sleek and the finish is long. The closest thing in our cannon would be aged Marsanne-Roussane from the Northern Rhone, but even this... Read More

From Italy's smallest wine region comes this fascinating, authentic red based on the local clone of Nebbiolo (called Picotendro), along with other local varieties (Gros Vien, Neyret, Cornalin and Fumin). This elegant, lithe... Read More

Le Puy’s main wine “Emilien” is comprised of 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Carmenère. After spontaneous fermentation in cement vats, it is transferred to 50-hectoliter foudres for one year,... Read More

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Gala Vineyard is fabulous. It emerges from a terraced vineyard at 1,800 feet in elevation in Napa Valley, just above the Coombsville AVA. Rich, dark and beautifully structured, the 2021 possesses notable... Read More

A rich red, the 2021 GMS is ripe with floral and spice aromas of smoked meat, lavender, and resinous earth. Full-bodied with ripe tannins, a mineral texture, and notes of gravelly earth and fresh pepper, it reminds me of a great... Read More

The 2021 Paysan Cabernet Sauvignon, crafted by Ian Brand—named San Francisco Chronicle's Winemaker of the Year in 2018—captures the essence of classic 1970s California Cabernets. It opens with aromas of blackcurrant,... Read More

75% Grenache and 25% Syrah, from sand, clay and silt soil. 25-year-old vines. The wine is replete with black fruits and pepper and has a pleasant smoothness on the palate and finish that belies its underlying rusticity. Would... Read More

Beautiful intense garnet color. An engaging aroma with notes of morello cherry, blueberry, hints of jam, and smoke, offering a complex aromatic palette. Juicy, clean, and punchy on a vegetal background. A supple and balanced wine,... Read More

Our Lake County mountain vineyard estate is situated at an altitude of 2,200 feet above sea level in the mountains of the North Coast of California. This rugged terrain is characterized by ancient volcanic soils, steep elevation... Read More

The native grape of Somló is Juhfark, a thin-skinned white varietal that produces wines with great tension and power. Tamás Kis' 100% Juhfark is fermented with native yeasts in old Hungarian oak barrels and aged... Read More

Benitoite is the state gem of California and found only in one remote mine in San Benito County hence the gem name. It is extremely rare, much like the iconic grape variety Cabernet Pfeffer is grown only in San Benito county vineyards.... Read More

Babić is a grape that thrives on hardship, and Vinas Mora have found just such sites for their Kaamen cuvée. 30-50 year old vineyards from rocky and wind-swept villages in the Primošten hinterland. The remarkable... Read More