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Barbaresco Crown-Jewel:
2016 Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Rabajà

Rabajà is one of Barbaresco's crown jewels.

It is a dazzling wine. The site produces wines of impressive power, but that's only part of the story. Rabajà is above all about completeness and elegance.

"A wonderfully complete wine that impresses for its exceptional balance"
2017 Moreau-Naudet Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

We have been beating the drum for Moreau-Naudet for the past five years. Still, the dazzling quality of the 2017s shocked us. This is a break out vintage that places them among the best of Chablis.

One Hundred-Year-Old Vines, Lapierre On Tiptoe:
2019 Lapierre Morgon Cuvée Marcel Lapierre

The first vintage of cuvée Marcel Lapierre was around a decade ago, and it wowed Beaujolais fans from the start.

Lapierre's Morgon is one of Beaujolais' most wines. The cuvée Marcel takes their work to a much different level of depth and seriousness. 

Côte-Rôtie's Master:
2017 Jamet Côte-Rôtie

Jamet's Côte-Rôties are long-standing benchmarks of the northern Rhône.

The heights that Jamet's Côte-Rôties reach have few peers in the entire northern Rhône.

Indescribable Magic:
2017 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Auslese Half-Bottles & 750s

Line up the top wines of the world, toss an Egon Müller into the mix and watch people's eyes light up when the Müller comes around the table.

Jouan, The Smart Buy:
2018 Jouan Morey St. Denis

Jouan produces an outstanding lineup of wines, but we find ourselves reaching most often for his village-level wines.

Red Burgundy Masterpieces:
2010 D'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans & 2005 Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée

This is a blatantly idiosyncratic coupling of Burgundies. The only reasoning is that these are two Burgundies that I love to drink.

They offer purity, incredible finesse, and structures that will allow them to age wonderfully and develop the haunting nuance that makes Burgundy so special.

The Loire's King of Fizz, Part II:
2019 Les Capriades “Piège à Filles” Rosé

Les Capriades are absolute masters of pét-nat. When I taste their examples alongside many of their peers, it seems like they know something no one else does.

2018 Coche-Dury Meursault

I'll keep this quick. Coche-Dury's wines possess a singular magic that's obvious.

They are intense, incredibly refined, and are insanely well balanced. The wines offer up an improbable combination of depth, verve, and power. 

Brilliant Equilibrium:
2018 Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot Cuvée Clement et Emma

Pierre-Yves Colin is one of the masters of white Burgundy; he's right up there with Roulot and Coche. He also has a magic touch with Chassagne, and the Abbaye de Morgeot Clement et Emma is a prime place to witness it. 

Piedmont Elite, Rosé Edition:
2019 Nervi-Conterno Il Rosato

Roberto Conterno is simply a force of nature and one of the most talented people working in wine today.

As the summer heat rages here, I'm happy to offer Conterno's incredibly refreshing and expertly crafted rosé.

"Readers who can find the 2012 should not hesitate, as it is truly magical"
2012 Roederer Cristal Rosé

For me, any vintage of Cristal Rosé is one of Champagne's greatest wines. The 2012 is simply brilliant.

It is an utterly beautiful wine delivering finesse, length, and delicacy. 

Bulletproof Chambolle:
2016 Barthod Chambolle-Musigny

There are few Burgundy producers that are as time-tested and have as loyal of a following as Barthod.

Barthod seems to always hit the mark, and as the wines age, it only becomes more obvious. 

The Don't Miss 2016 Barolo:
2016 Oddero Barolo Villero

I tasted the 2016 Villero during my visit to Piedmont last fall and was blown away. Tasting through the 2016 Barolos and Barbarescos really drove home what an important vintage it is. Even in the context of a great vintage, Oddero's Villero left a deep impression. 

Grand Cru Benchmark:
2018 Bachelet Charmes-Chambertin

Bachelet's Charmes is among the rarest treasures of Burgundy.

Bachelet has a mere 0.44ha in Charmes. The vines are 100-years old. In any given vintage, somewhere around 180 cases are produced. 

2019 Lapierre Morgon Magnums

For many wine lovers, having a healthy supply of Lapierre is essential. Having magnums around is even better.

"One of the finest grower-producers"
Marie-Noëlle Ledru Brut Grand Cru

Ledru produces some of the most lovingly made and terroir-expressive Champagnes around.

"It's no secret that Lamy has been on a roll... "
2017 Lamy Chassagne-Montrachet "Le Concis du Champs"

It's clear that Olivier Lamy is at the top of his game.

Every time that I taste one of Lamy's wines, what's in my glass is thoroughly exciting. They are grandly sculpted wines with eye-opening rigor.

"My answer is: Carema" Part II:
2016 Ferrando Carema Etichetta Nera

Earlier this week, we offered Ferrando's 2016 Etichetta Bianca. Today, we return with the much more limited Etichetta Nera.

Compared to Etichetta Bianca, Etichetta Nera is richer, denser, more masculine, and intense. It’s a powerhouse wine, but with breathtaking finesse.

2017 Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny

I don't get to offer Mugnier very often, and this is the first time that I've been able to offer Mugnier's Chambolle.

Mugnier is one of Burgundy's elite. Few producers hit the level of transparency, fineness, and regal elegance that Mugnier does.

Noteworthy Loire - Unmediated Purity
2018 Domaine de Montrieux: Gaga de Toi Gamay & Picrochole Pineau d'Aunis

Domaine de Montrieux are wines that I want to drink often.

I admire their simplicity, their purity, and how they present a combination of unmediated honesty with a dose of sophistication and polish. When it comes to the Pineau d'Aunis bottlings, I'm in awe of how masterfully the grape is handled.

Bartolo Mascarello:
From Freisa to Barolo in Magnum

The Mascarello estate makes some of the most soulful and compelling wines anywhere.

Today, we're happy to pay tribute to Mascarello with an offer that covers three vintages of their Barolo, including 2010 and 2013, and their Freisa, Dolcetto, and Barbera. 

Threading The Needle, Part II:
2019 Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Kabinett

Last week, we offered a wide range of Daniel Vollenweider's incredible 2019s. 

His 2019 Goldgrube Kabinett demanded its own email. 

A Magical Combination - Value and Refinement:
2018 Fornerol Côte de Nuits - Villages Rouge

We buy every bottle of Fornerol's Côte de Nuits that we can get our hands on.

Very few Burgundies hit a combination of seriousness, drinkability, and affordability the way that Fornerol's Côte de Nuits Rouge does. It simply nails it.