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
Château de Montfaucon Baron Louis 2020, Lirac, Rhône A.O.P., France: Château de Montfaucon's Baron Louis from Lirac, Rhône is a richly layered, full-bodied red wine blending Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault with notes of obsidian plum, iris, charred minerals and damson. This dry wine displays supple, shapely tannins and succulent texture that will continue to develop over the next four years and beyond. Serve it at room temperature with rack of lamb as the wine's meaty character complements the roasted meat, or pair it with roasted root vegetable stew where the wine's infectious complexity enhances the earthy flavors. Winemaker Rodolphe de Pins, a U.C. Davis graduate and former member of the team at Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, hand-harvests and destems the grapes, aging eighty percent of the wine up to two years in neutral French oak barrels. Baron Louis was a seminal figure who restored the château in the 19th century, and this wine honors his legacy. This beautifully-crafted blend earned 95 points at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards and will purr contentedly through 2030 and into the early 2030s. Food pairings: meat-lover's pizza, roasted root vegetable stew, roast pork, sauteed beef tenderloin, rack of lamb. Drink: 2026 - 2030 13438 14.5% XD 750 mL $35.95 Score: 93/100. February 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart
White Wine
Marieta Albariño 2024, Rias Baixas D.O., Spain: Marieta Albariño from Rías Baixas is a vibrant, medium-bodied white wine offering notes of Granny Smith apple, Bartlett pear, golden apricot and honeydew melon. This dry wine displays high-toned floral character and well-defined fruit that will continue to integrate over the next three years. Serve it well chilled with calamari as the wine's crisp acidity complements the tender seafood, or pair it with spaghetti alle vongole where the wine's citrus brightness enhances the briny clams. Winemaker Luciano Amoedo crafts this fun wine for Martín Códax, the largest cooperative in Galicia and renowned for producing the finest Albariño in the region. The wine's yellow peach and tangerine complexity make it built for seafood or vegetarian sushi. This bright, food-friendly Albariño represents excellent quality and will drink beautifully through 2029. Food pairings: calamari, fish tacos, spaghetti alla vongole, seafood salad. Drink: 2026 - 2029 22498 11.5% D 750 mL $19.95 Score: 90/100. February 2026. Full Review Add to Shopping Cart