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The Master of Hermitage: 2012 Chave Hermitage Blanc

Chave's Hermitage is one of the great wines of the world. His red Hermitage assumes a looming presence, but his white is simply profound. Today, we pay homage to Chave's extraordinary Hermitage Blanc.

"Lovely stuff" - 2016 Bachelet Côte de Nuits - Villages

Bachelet is one of my favorite producers in all of Burgundy. For me, it's the Côte de Nuits where the greatest value is.

"Utterly thrilling" -1999 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato

For me, 1999 Monprivato is one of the most magical vintages of the wine. Mascarello’s Monprivato is one of the great monuments of Piedmont.

Without Peer: 1976 Château d'Yquem

The lifespan of d'Yquem is as shocking as the wine itself. There's an abundance of stories of Yquems that have seen their 100th birthday. Today, I'm very happy to offer one of the most profoundly deep and enveloping vintages of Château d'Yquem of the past fifty years.

"Tightly coiled and chiseled" - 2016 Heitz-Lochardet Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières

It’s rare that a new Burgundy domaine causes us to stop in awe. That’s exactly how we felt tasting Heitz-Lochardet for the first time. These are intense, focused and painstakingly refined white Burgundies. There’s a striking complexity of minerality and racy brightness with layers of citrus and flowers. The combination of depth and poise is extraordinary.

The Greatest $35 Grower Champagne?
Back Up The Truck Holiday Edition
- Bazin Champagne Blanc de Blancs l'Unanime NV

This Champagne is beyond compelling, the price is beyond belief. The fact that the bottle can come to market as low as $35 is simply absurd. It is a serious, small-grower Champagne, easily holding its own with many bubbles at $50 and above.

A Study in Grace and Understatement:
2016 Jouan Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos Sorbé

Jouan's Clos Sorbé gets to the beating heart of the domaine like no other wine in the incredibly strong lineup does. Jouan's wines are all about subtlety and a mysterious quiet depth. The Clos Sorbé captures this signature with heartbreaking beauty.

Wine of the Year Revisited:
2015 Roches Neuves Les Mémoires

In 2016, I named Roches Neuves Les Mémoires my wine of the year. The wine really made it clear that things had clicked into high gear at Roches Neuves.

“Simply one of the world’s elite wines”
Montevertine Le Pergole Torte

The wines of Montevertine reach a level of nobility, elegance and age-worthiness that's simply extraordinary. In Montevertine’s hands, the Sangiovese grape reaches an unparalleled level of incisive class. Le Pergole Torte represents the pinnacle of Montevertine's incredible lineup.

A Winter Essential: Cappellano Barolo Chinato 750ml

There are few better things to end a meal with—or simply meditate over— than Cappellano’s Chinato. For us, it’s an indispensable part of our cold weather drinking arsenal.

Firing On All Cylinders - Lowest Price:
2016 Bachelet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Corbeaux

It's been over three years since we've been able to offer Bachelet's Corbeaux. Bachelet is a tiny 4ha estate with an outsized reputation. Everything that Bachelet touches is special.

Existing In Its Own Realm
- Laberdolive Argmagnac: 1962-1986

Few spirits in the world offer such kaleidoscopic complexity and such stirring soulfulness. To find illuminating comparisons in the wine world, you'd have to reach for some combination of Gentaz-Dervieux, Pepe and DRC. Laberdolive is profound, singular and world-class.

"There is fine punch and lovely detail "
- 2016 Dujac Morey-St-Denis

Dujac never fails to astound me. One of the truly amazing things about the domaine is that Dujac respects no boundaries.

"I don't think I have tasted a more refined Monfortino than the 2008."
-2008 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva

One taste of Conterno's Monfortino makes a couple of things blatantly clear - it's one of the most profound wine experiences around, and it's a distance runner. The wine simply stops you dead in your tracks.

Wine of the Year #2:
Ian's Pick - 2013 Nervi Gattinara Molsino

There’s no doubt that 2018 marks a turning point for the northern Piedmont. The wines had been steadily assuming a place on the world stage, but Roberto Conterno’s purchase of the Nervi estate catapulted the region’s profile.

Wine of the Year #1:
Joe's Pick - 2016 Seabra Douro Xisto Cru Branco

It’s difficult to imagine tasting Luis Seabra’s 2016 Xisto Cru Branco and not undergoing a major reappraisal of all sorts of things. For starters, it’s hard to look at geography, of what fine wine is, and where it can be made the same way again.

The 2018 Holiday Catalog is Here!

The Unmistakable Magic of Alzinger:
2017 Alzinger Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd

No one does intensity and detail quite like Alzinger. This signature is always on bold display in the Loibenberg. Loibenberg produces one of the grandest and most formidable wines in all of Austria.

Single Barrel La Bota - Manzanilla Pasada "Bota NO" #83

Equipo Navazos' Manzanilla Pasadas are some of the most profound wines you'll ever encounter. A few weeks ago, we offered their Manzanilla Pasada Bota Punta #80. Today, we focus on the "Bota NO" #83.

2 Barrels Made - Loire Star:
2015 Roches Neuves Saumur Blanc Clos de l'Echelier

Lately, it's been impossible not to take notice of Roches Neuves. In recent vintages, they have simply been killing it. Today, I'm very happy to revisit their 2015 Clos de l'Echelier Blanc. When we first offered the 2015 in February 2017, it stood out as one of the vintage's best expressions of Chenin Blanc. If anything, the wine's success has come into clearer focus today.

Hitting the Bull's Eye:
2016 Domaine du Pélican Savagnin Ouillé

Domaine Pélican is placing a major emphasis on the Savagnin grape. Tasting the 2016, it's clear how much their bet on the grape is paying off.

Utterly Singular: 2017 F.X. Pichler Riesling "Unendlich"

F.X. Pichler's "Unendlich" is one of the most extraordinary bottles of Riesling out there. It's very hard to imagine a bottle of Riesling that combines intensity, clarity and tension in a similar way.

The Pinnacle - 0.36ha: 2016 Jouan Clos St-Denis

Jouan's range reaches its absolute peak with their Clos Saint- Denis. The Grand Cru Clos St. Denis is celebrated for its class, purity, feminine grace and, simultaneously, for its intensity. It’s a perfect match for Jouan.

2016 Gonon Saint-Joseph: Cult Northern Rhône

What the Gonon brothers have achieved on the steep granite slopes of Saint-Joseph is amazing. In Northern Rhône, Saint-Joseph was thought to be a distant fourth behind Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie and Cornas.