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
Wending Home Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2021, Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada: Wending Home's Estate Vineyard Chardonnay from Creek Shores on the Niagara Peninsula is a beautifully crafted, full-bodied white with an assured, elegant character, offering an expressive bouquet of roasted cashew, quince, Meyer lemon blossom, warm honeycomb, and a distinctive streak of flinty, chalky minerality that sets it apart from more overtly oaked expressions of the variety. It's dry and generously textured, with a creamy, broad mouthfeel and a long, lifted finish that speaks to the careful aging of 8 to 9 months in a thoughtful combination of French oak barriques and puncheons, with just 20% new oak keeping the wine's natural vitality firmly intact. Creek Shores is one of Niagara's most prized and distinctive sub-appellations, its unique microclimate shaped by the moderating influence of Lake Ontario, which allows Chardonnay to ripen with exceptional balance and complexity. Wending Home is a small, dedicated estate producer whose commitment to minimal intervention winemaking allows the true personality of this remarkable vineyard site to speak clearly in every vintage. Serve it slightly below room temperature alongside pan-fried lemon sole with a brown butter and caper sauce, where the wine's flinty minerality and creamy depth are a seamless match, or pair it with scallop linguini in a light cream and tarragon sauce, which echoes the wine's richness and refined spice beautifully. It will reward cellaring through 2029. Chardonnay food pairings: pan-fried lemon sole, grilled chicken breasts, scallop linguini. Drink: 2026 - 2029 44853 13.8% XD 750 mL $34.95 Score: 92/100. May 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
Red Wine
Mazzei Philip 2021, Tuscany I.G.T., Italy: Mazzei Philip 2021 unfurls clove-tinged dark fruit and leather notes, backed by espresso-ground bitterness and blond-tobacco spice; firm, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity give this full-bodied Cabernet a long, structured finish. Try it with braised short ribs or aged Pecorino. Food pairings: roast turkey, veal Porterhouse, roast goose, grilled game sausages. Drink: 2026 - 2031 32121 14% XD 750 mL $45.95 Score: 96/100. May 2026. Top Rated Red Wine Full Review Add to Shopping Cart