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.
Red Wine
Legit Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Tuscany I.G.T., Italy: Legit Cabernet Sauvignon Tuscany I.G.T. is a dry, full-bodied Super Tuscan crafted from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the San Giovanni vineyard in Castelnuovo Berardenga, opening with a dense and commanding nose of crushed cassis, iron-rich earth, dried sage, cigar box, and a thread of green pepper and graphite that gives the wine an unmistakably Tuscan soul. On the palate it is muscular yet fluid, with broad, ripe tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, oak-tinged finish of espresso, tar, and bitter cherry that signals serious aging potential. Decant for at least two hours and enjoy from 2026 through 2036. The Tolaini winemaking team, working with legendary Bordeaux enologist Michel Rolland and agronomist Ruggero Mazzilli, ferments the wine in open-top French oak fermenters before aging in 70% new oak for two full years, a process that builds the wine's remarkable depth and structure. The estate itself was brought to life by Pierluigi Tolaini, who emigrated from Tuscany to Canada at 19 with a dream of returning one day to make great wine, and 45 years later did exactly that, purchasing premier land in Castelnuovo Berardenga in 1998. The LEGIT label features an iconic photograph from the 1961 album cover of "Thelonious Monk in Italy," and the Monk family's blessing was secured after a collaboration that turned a business conversation into a genuine creative partnership, earning the wine a remarkable back-to-back placement in Wine Spectator's Top 100. Pair it with a thick-cut sirloin with a black peppercorn crust and bone marrow butter, where the wine's dark intensity and firm tannins will meet the richness of the meat head on, or try it with a rack of slow-smoked ribs, letting the wine's iron and earth notes wind through every smoky, caramelized bite. Cabernet Sauvignon food pairings: burgers, ribs, sirloin steak. Drink: 2026 - 2036 17685 14% XD 750 mL $49.95 Score: 93/100. April 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
White Wine
Sommer Schiefer Leithaberg Grüner Veltliner 2024, Burgenland D.A.C., Austria: Sommer Schiefer Leithaberg Grüner Veltliner from Burgenland D.A.C. is a beautifully focused, medium-bodied organic white grown on the distinctive slate and limestone soils of the Leithaberg ridge, spending six months on its fine lees to build a silky, textured mid-palate that frames aromas of white currant, snap pea, yuzu, and a lively whisper of passionfruit that opens and broadens with time in the glass. The palate is dry and precise, with a fine saline thread running through to a long, peppery finish that is the hallmark of great Grüner Veltliner from this region. Serve it just below room temperature and cellar with confidence through 2032. Winemaker Leo Sommer, widely nicknamed "Mister Grüner Veltliner of Burgenland," took charge of the family estate in 2015 and has elevated it to international acclaim, with James Suckling awarding two of his wines places in his Top 100 Wines in the World. Remarkably, the Sommer family has been farming these Leithaberg slopes since 1698, making this one of Austria's oldest continuously operating wine estates and a living testament to the unique potential of Burgenland for world-class white wine. Grüner Veltliner food pairings: pan-fried veal schnitzel with a lemon wedge and warm potato salad, roasted cod with herb butter and steamed asparagus, creamy pasta with mushrooms and fresh thyme. Drink: 2026 - 2032 43507 13% XD 750 mL $21.95 Score: 91/100. April 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart