Featured Wines - August 2023

Ernesto Catena’s certified biodynamic 2020 Tikal Natural (92 Points – James Suckling; 90 Points – Wine Enthusiast) from organic grapes is another masterful effort from this meticulous producer. A blend of Malbec (60%) and Syrah (40%) from a vineyard in Mendoza’s renowned Vista Flores region, the youthful 2020 Tikal Natural offers great purity, plush fruit flavors, and a superb texture – the calling cards and the very essence of authentic...

Mayu has again fashioned a crisp, mouthwatering, delightfully unique white wine in its 2022 Mayu Valle de Elqui Huanta Vineyard Pedro Ximénez. Grown in one of the highest vineyards on earth at an altitude of 6,320 feet from vines averaging 77 years of age, the 2022 Mayu Valle de Elqui Huanta Vineyard Pedro Ximénez offers a hauntingly beautiful bouquet and flavor profile redolent of tropical fruits, citrus, and minerals, all with crystalline purity. Meyer lime...

For 17 years in a row Tait’s The Ball Buster (91 Points – Josh Raynolds) has scored 90+ point ratings, and it’s the only wine in the world at its price point to receive 90 points or better from The Wine Advocate for 10 or more consecutive years. Big, bold, and beautiful, the 2019 Tait The Ball Buster (77% Shiraz, 12% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon) delivers another knockout performance. Deep, dark, and redolent with blackberry, black cherry, rose petal and savory...

The 2022 Casas del Bosque Valle de Casablanca Rosé Pinot Noir (92 Points – Descorchados; 91 Points – Vinous; 90 Points & “Best Buy” – Wine Enthusiast) first captures the eye with its brilliant rose color. It follows with an appealing set of aromatics to delight the nose in the form of cherries and freshly picked strawberries. Crisp, energetic, and delightfully refreshing in the mouth, the bone dry 2022 Casas del Bosque Rosé Pinot Noir offers savory hints of rose...

Once again, France’s Southern Rhône Valley was blessed with fine weather, resulting in a rare vintage of increased quantity in addition to a bevy of exceptional wines. Not surprisingly, the 2020 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Châteauneuf-du-Pape (92 Points – Wine Spectator) is a wine at the top of its game. Juicy, pure, and beautifully ripe, Domaine du Vieux Lazaret’s 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (67% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, 6% from the other...

As a quintessential Sauvignon Blanc, Fournier’s 2021 Pouilly-Fumé Les Deux Cailloux (90 Points – Wine Enthusiast) sports a crystalline brilliance along with the appellation’s telltale green flash. Fresh, vivacious, and totally engaging from the first snip, the 2021 Fournier Pouilly-Fumé beckons the taster with enchanting citrus, grassy, floral, and “gun flint” aromas for which Pouilly-Fumé is renowned. After all, fumé means smoke in French, and there’s just the right...

Saint-Chinian remains one of our favorite Languedoc appellations, and Lanye-Barrac shines as one of Saint-Chinian’s brightest stars. The 2018 Lanye-Barrac La Rabidote Saint-Chinian (50% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignan) offers rich flavors, superb texture, and a downright sensuous aroma, which has only accentuated with time in the bottle. Blackberry, cherry, and raspberry scents tantalize the nose. Boldly flavored but supremely smooth...