Please note that our reviews are based on a variety of sources: samples sent to our team, those we purchase in store, tasting events, those tasted in restaurants and while traveling domestically and internationally.
White Wine
Marqués de Cáceres Verdejo 2023, Rueda D.O., Spain: Marqués de Cáceres' Verdejo from Rueda is a crisp, medium-bodied white wine offering notes of apple, pear, tropical fruit and ginger. This dry wine displays focused acidity and perfectly tuned bitterness that make it wonderfully food-friendly. Serve it well chilled with grilled halibut as the wine's bright character complements the delicate fish, or pair it with lemon sole in white wine sauce where the wine's citrus notes enhance the buttery preparation. Winemaker María Larrea crafts this enjoyable Verdejo with leesy character to add texture and complexity while preserving the grape's signature freshness and aromatic profile. Marqués de Cáceres has been producing exceptional Spanish wines since 1970, when Enrique Forner pioneered modern winemaking techniques in Rioja, and the estate has since expanded to showcase indigenous varieties like Verdejo from Rueda. This pleasing white represents excellent value and will drink beautifully through 2029. Verdejo food pairings: grilled halibut steaks, lemon sole in white sauce. Drink: 2026 - 2029 461400 13% XD 750 mL $14.95 Score: 88/100. January 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Red Wine
Ophir Bridge Pinot Noir 2023, Central Otago, New Zealand: Ophir Bridge Pinot Noir from Central Otago opens with enticing aromas of bright cherry, wild strawberry, hints of sweet vanilla, and dried leather with whispers of violet and forest floor. Dry and medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, it flows across the palate with vibrant red berry fruit and closes with a fresh, mineral-edged finish. Serve it slightly below room temperature or cellar it through 2030. The winemaking team crafts this elegant Pinot from fruit grown in the dramatic continental climate of Central Otago, where the region's unique daytime-nighttime temperature oscillation creates ideal ripening conditions for this fussy variety. Named for the historic Daniel O'Connell suspension bridge built between 1879 and 1880 over the Manuherikia River at Ophir, this landmark was once New Zealand's largest suspension bridge and remains one of the region's most photographed structures, honoring the many Irish gold miners who settled the area during the 1860s gold rush. Pair this graceful red with roasted duck breast where the wine's earthy notes enhance the rich, gamey flavors, or enjoy it with mushroom and Gruyère pasta as the silky tannins complement the creamy, umami-rich sauce. Pinot Noir food pairings: roasted duck breast, mushroom and Gruyère pasta, grilled lamb chops. Drink: 2026 - 2030 47895 13.5% XD 750 mL $19.95 Score: 90/100. January 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart