February’s Collector Series Top Pick gives me as many palpitations as February’s Premier Series Top Pick.  How do I choose just one wine and not feel like I deserve to be tried for treason?  I could honestly claim that, “I was just following orders,” but that would carry no vindication.  Plainly stated, Jacques Girardin is one of Burgundy’s top winemakers, and his 2012 Terrasses de Bievaux Santenay is a delicious white Burgundy and another personal favorite.  Losada’s Altos de Losada’s Bierzo Mencia ranks as the finest Mencia I have tasted in a long time and will likely evolve into one of the region’s true classics.  Nevertheless, neither wine will be able to lay claim to this month’s Top Pick.  Why?  I have always been enamored of the wines of Bandol, and for many years, I have searched for a Bandol that reflects the greatness of the Mourvèdre varietal, offers all the charm of Provence, and is able to be enjoyed relatively young.  Enter Domaine Bunan’s 2011 Moulin des Costes Bandol, a wine that embodies the strength and vigor of Mourvèdre while capturing all the warmth and vitality of Provence.  The 2011 Domaine Bunan Moulin des Costes is a wine that enlivens the senses and wards off the chill of a cold winter’s night.  For these reasons it gets my vote  as this month’s Top Pick.  Try this rare, unique Bandol, and enjoy!

Don

This February is one of the months where choosing one single Top Pick becomes akin to “Sophie’s Choice.”  How can I pass up Bodegas Amezola de la Mora’s exceptional, full-bodied 2010 Rioja or Château de Fontenille’s bright, delightfully quaffable 2013 Entre-Deux- Mers Blanc?  And, then there is Gilles Noblet’s 2013 Macon- Fuissé, a personal favorite that never fails to deliver plenty of palate-pleasing Chardonnay flavors, complete with purity of fruit and complex mineral tones without a preponderance of oak.  It is hard to slight a new friend, let alone an old friend, but no malice is intended.  Despite the merits of each of these wines, I have to throw my weight to the 2012 Rustenberg Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon as this month’s Top Pick.  Rustenberg has turned in a truly first-rate performance and a real crowd pleaser in their 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon.  What is even more impressive is that this is the first release in the United States of Rustenberg’s Stellenbosch Cabernet.  What were they waiting for?  Moreover, California is hard pressed to come up with a Cabernet Sauvignon this good for under $25.00 or $30.00 a bottle.  Enjoy!

Salud!
Don

Whether it is Domaine Fournier’s super premium 2012 Cuvée Silex Sancerre or any number of the month’s exceptional reds, all of January’s Collectors Series features should please the most discerning of palates. We had an unusually high level of interest from our membership in this month’s Primary Collectors Series red wines, which necessitated us choosing two outstanding Italian wines for the same category: the 2008 Il Palazzino Bertinga and the 2010 Revello Barolo. Each expresses the essence of its respective region. The 2008 Bertinga hails from one of Tuscany’s most renowned vineyards and producers, and it epitomizes the greatness of Cabernet, Merlot, and Petit Verdot in Tuscany. Revello’s 2010 Barolo emanates from several choice vineyards in La Morra, Barolo’s most renowned commune. Moreover, Revello’s Barolo captures both the elegance and power of Barolo, and this is particularly true in the outstanding 2010 vintage. For these reasons, the 2008 Il Palazzino Bertinga and 2010 Revello Barolo share this month’s Top Pick.

Enjoy!
Don

The January 2015 Premier Series offers an exceptional lineup of wines from three different countries. It took an unusual amount of searching and tasting to come up with the four wines we ultimately chose for this month. With that said, Massone’s Vigneto Masera Gavi has always been a personal favorite. And who makes better Cru Beaujolais than Château Pizay? Beautiful, balanced Viognier is very hard to come by, too, but Château du Trignon nailed it with their 2013 Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc. Yet, this month’s Top Pick goes to the 2013 Bellingham Ancient Earth Pinotage/Shiraz, a smooth, satisfying red wine that simply blew us away. There is plenty to like about this wine’s savory aroma and lively black cherry and mulberry flavors, all which come wrapped in ripe tannins with nary an edge. In fact, our two tasting panels for the 2013 Ancient Earth Pinotage Shiraz enjoyed this wine so much that they immediately stopped spitting and began drinking – always a good sign for the wine, but a bad omen for the wines to follow. One sip of the 2013 Bellingham Ancient Earth Pinotage/ Shiraz and you’ll see why we stopped spitting. In addition, this excellent wine is an International Wine of the Month Club exclusive.

Enjoy!
Don

Let’s just put November’s Collector Series Top Pick right out front. This month’s Top Pick goes to Magenta Cuvée Supérieure Brut Champagne N.V. It’s the perfect Champagne for Thanksgiving dinner or the ideal any-time elixir, and can turn any dinner or occasion into a cause for celebration.

Magenta’s eye popping appeal, persistent streamers of tiny pinpoint bubbles, and soft round flavors make all the case that Magenta needs to be Top Pick this month. As a flavorful, easy to drink, subtly complex Champagne, Magenta Brut comes across as a real crowd pleaser. Enjoy now and as often as you can!

Don

Although each November feature is truly a contender for this month’s Top Pick, the choice comes down to two personal palate pleasers: Boschendal S&M (Shiraz Mourvèdre) 2012, a gorgeous, hedonistic Shiraz Mourvèdre blend, and Mont Marçal’s delicate, tasty vintage Reserve Cava, a sparkling wine that’s ideal to kick off any occasion.

Previous vintages of Mont Marçal have enjoyed plenty of well-deserved accolades, as does the 2011 Mont Marçal Brut. However, I have to go with the Boschendal S&M (Shiraz Mourvèdre) 2012, a smooth, flavor-filled blend which recently made its North American debut.

Consequently, Boschendal’s 2012 S&M earns the Rookie of the Month Award and this month’s Top Pick. Enjoy!

Don