Craig scored this wine: 88/100

This 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is part of Bread & Butter’s “everyday wines” collection. This collection is the ground floor of Bread & Butter’s four tiers of wines. The levels above it are “Reserve wines”, followed by the “Napa collection”, and then the “Cellar collection”. To my sense, this Cab's heart and soul is dark jammy fruit nuanced with sweet vanilla. It feels proudly round, plush, dry, and tilts toward full bodied. PS - This Californian is easy drinking and crowd pleasing according to the reception it received at the comfort food focussed potluck dinner I attended last night. Enjoy.

Craig scored this wine: 89/100

The beauty of this bottle from Italy’s Chianti DOCG wine region is its attention to simplicity. Featuring the Sangiovese grape variety, the 2022 Cecchi’s focus is fresh red cherries and subtle savoury spices. And, to my senses, it is juicy, velvety, super dry, round, and fresh. The bottom line: this DOCG Chianti is appealing, approachable, food versatile, and well-priced. Enjoy.

Craig scored this wine: 91/100

Bottle aging has its benefits sometimes. I experienced one of those times when I opened the 2017 vintage of this Pinot Gris in February 2024, finding beauty alive and well inside. The vineyards for this 2017 vintage reside in the Skaha Bench in British Columbia. The Skaha Bench is a viticultural area in the Okanagan Valley, near the city of Penticton and the eastern shore of Skaha Lake. Approaching its seventh birthday when I opened it, this Pinot Gris has a pleasingly modest zippy freshness despite the passage of time and an off-dry style. Its aromatic appeal is complex and compelling in my opinion, evoking bees wax, almonds, honeyed green apples, tropical fruit, and chalk. Another sensory highlight is the way this sweet tropical fruit flavoured liquid feels slightly oily in my mouth. The flavours linger rather than flee as a result. Overall, a delicious tasting experience. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for older and current vintages from Pentage.

Craig scored this wine: 89/100

This Pinot Noir is part of Bread & Butter’s “everyday wines” collection. This collection is the ground floor of Bread & Butter’s four tiers of wines. Next up is “reserve wines”, followed by the “Napa collection” and then the “Cellar collection”. For me, the aromas are the beauty-centre of this medium bodied, super dry, velvety Pinot Noir. They evoke a pleasing parade candied red cherries, dried herbs, and vanilla. I’ll pair this red from California's Napa Valley with grilled, plant-based burgers. Enjoy.

Craig scored this wine: 91/100

Goodness lives inside this bottle from the Uco Valley, one of Argentine’s wine regions within the well-known Mendoza wine region. It is mostly made from Malbec, but this red features five other grape varieties, too. So that’s six in total. And the percentage breakdown isn’t the same every year, so this 2018 will certainly come across my senses differently than the 2019 and so on. PS - the percentage breakdown is at the tail end of this note. In my glass, there are plenty of pretty scents like ripe dark fruit, pressed flowers, potting soil, and green herbs. All delicate in scale. There’s mouth feel appeal that’s textured, super dry, velvety, and has some grip. And, it tastes comforting and delicious to my senses, headlined by ripe dark berries and cherries plus micro doses of grilled herbs. I like that the finish lingers, extending the beautiful experience that's in my glass. 55% Malbec, 19% Merlot, 12% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc.