2024 Raig De Raim Garnatxa Blanca Terra Alta, Spain

2024 Raig De Raim Garnatxa Blanca Terra Alta, Spain

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtProprietary WhiteSpain

Raig De Raïm

Garnatxa Blanca
Terra Alta, Spain 2024

2024 Raig De Raim Garnatxa Blanca Terra Alta, Spain

From Terra Alta, the widely recognized birthplace of Garnatxa Blanca, Raig de Raïm stands as a definitive expression of what the grape can achieve at its highest level. Precise yet generous, it delivers energy and structure in equal measure, revealing Garnatxa Blanca’s full range with all elements in a steady balance. Its sense of completeness feels earned rather than constructed, the natural result of shaping the variety where it has always belonged.

That precision is rooted firmly in Terra Alta’s soils. Organically farmed vines, aged between 10 and 25 years, are planted in clay-chalky terrain that naturally promotes lift and definition. These conditions sharpen acidity and give the wine its architectural line, allowing fruit and structure to move together rather than with weight.

In the cellar, careful handling completes the picture. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel preserves aromatic detail and freshness, allowing the wine’s natural energy to remain intact. There is no oak to soften or distract, only a clear, focused expression that carries through to a finish defined by lift, and linear persistence.

Raig De Raïm
Garnatxa Blanca
Terra Alta, Spain 2024

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“The color of pale straw in the glass, this blend of Garnatxa blanco and Macabeo deliver fresh, youthful enticement with a combination of citrus blossoms, ripe apples, pear, and a squeeze of fresh pineapple. The acidity is well housed in a succulent palate and crisp finish.”

91 Points

2021 Casina Bric Nebbiolo Cuvee 970 Origo Ginis Brut Rose

with No Comment $30-$40Champagne/SparklingItalyKevin Vogt

Casina Bric

Nebbiolo Cuvée 970
Origo Ginis Brut Rosé
Spumante d’Alba 2021

Sparkling Nebbiolo remains one of Italy’s most compelling outliers, and Casina Bric’s Nebbiolo d’Alba Cuvée 970 Spumante Brut Rosé stands among its most convincing expressions. Drawn from the rare Nebbiolo d’Alba Spumante designation, the wine reframes expectations, showing how Nebbiolo’s structure and energy can translate into lift and finesse rather than weight.

Cuvée 970 reflects a deliberate, measured approach to sparkling winemaking. Extended time on the lees builds depth and cohesion, while careful handling preserves brightness and freshness. The result is a wine with natural composure, where texture and precision work together and elegance never comes at the expense of character.

Nebbiolo seldom appears in sparkling form, and that rarity lies at the heart of Cuvée 970’s appeal. Casina Bric resists softening the grape’s identity, instead preserving its natural tension and vitality. Freshness, structure, and lift move in concert, yielding a sparkling rosé that feels articulate and precise, carrying Nebbiolo’s unmistakable verve in a form that is both unexpected and entirely convincing.

Casina Bric
Nebbiolo Cuvée 970
Origo Ginis Brut Rosé
Spumante d’Alba 2021

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“The Cascina Bric 2021 Cuvée 970 Nebbiolo d’Alba Spumante Rosé has a fine, persistent mousse,and opens with aromas of white strawberry, ripe peach, and pink grapefruit, layered with hints of raspberry and maraschino cherry. On the palate, delicate red berry fruit takes center stage, with hints of strawberry shortcake. The fruit feels pure and is carried by just enough acidity for a crisp, refreshing finish.”

93 Points

2021 Marquis de Goulaine Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Loire Valley France

2021 Marquis de Goulaine Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Loire Valley France

with No Comment $30 and underFranceKevin VogtLoire ValleySancerreSauvignon Blanc

Marquis de Goulaine

Touraine Sauvignon Blanc
Les Landelles 2021
Loire Valley, France

2021 Marquis de Goulaine Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Loire Valley France

Marquis de Goulaine’s Les Landelles Sauvignon Blanc delivers a level of freshness, balance, and site expression that immediately sets it apart as an exceptional value. Floral aromatics and fresh herbal notes emerge with immediacy and restraint, capturing Touraine’s cool influence and mineral soils in strikingly pure form.

That purity is rooted firmly in Touraine’s geology and climate. Beneath the vines, tuffeau limestone intermingles with sands and flint clays, soils that naturally favor tension and aromatic definition. Above ground, the region’s position between Atlantic influence and a more continental rhythm allows Sauvignon Blanc to ripen slowly, preserving acidity while sharpening expression.

Les Landelles delivers its message with Loire-like precision. Bright acidity defines the structure, bringing focus to citrus and herbal notes while allowing the wine’s mineral character to surface naturally. There is no excess weight, resulting in a finish that feels both refreshing and distinctly place-driven.

Marquis de Goulaine
Touraine Sauvignon Blanc
Les Landelles 2021
Loire Valley, France

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“The Marquis de Goulaine 2021 Touraine Les Landelles is lively and expressive, with aromas of lime zest, grapefruit pith, subtle green tropical fruit notes, and freshly cut grass, white peach, and chalky soil. On the palate, the wine is sharp and focused, driven by racy acidity and flavors of citrus, green apple, and gooseberry, with a Touraine limestone minerality. The wine finishes clean and with hints of oceanic salinity and a crisp, refreshing sensation.”

94 Points

2021 Shibumi Knoll Chardonnay Rrussian River Valley

2021 Shibumi Knoll Chardonnay Russian River Valley

with No Comment $70-$80ChardonnayKevin VogtRussian River ValleySonomaUSA

Shibumi Knoll

Chardonnay 2021
Corazon del Río Vineyard
Russian River Valley

2021 Shibumi Knoll Chardonnay Rrussian River Valley

Shibumi Knoll occupies a rare place in California Chardonnay, guided by intention rather than scale and shaped by the skilled hand of Thomas Rivers Brown. The result is a wine that speaks in a higher register, focused, precise, and alive with detail, offering a clear counterpoint to the estate’s more mature expressions.

Within the renowned Buena Tierra Vineyard, one small block behaves differently. Its younger vines yield fruit with sharper edges, brighter energy, and a natural tension that demands restraint. The 2021 Corazon del Rio Chardonnay is drawn from this block and shaped to emphasize clarity and lift. What emerges is a wine with nerve and definition, alive rather than polished into submission.

Nothing here feels accidental. Time in barrel brings texture and dimension without dulling the wine’s natural edge, keeping tension at the core of the experience. The palate is persistent and finely tuned, delivering intensity through precision rather than force. It is a Chardonnay that rewards attention, unfolding gradually and revealing its depth with patience, not haste.

Shibumi Knoll
Chardonnay 2021
Corazon del Río Vineyard
Russian River Valley

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“The 2021 Chardonnay Corazon Del Rio Vineyard is another brilliant Chardonnay (these are all made by Thomas Rivers Brown) from the Russian River Valley. Bright citrus, honeyed flowers, and subtle toasty oak notes define the aromatics, and its medium-bodied, has a fresh, focused mouthfeel, terrific balance, and a great finish. I’d be thrilled with bottles in the cellar.”

95 Points

2024 Ronsard Sancerre La Pleiade Loire Valley France

2024 Ronsard Sancerre La Pleiade Loire Valley France

with No Comment $30-$40FranceKevin VogtSancerre

Ronsard

Sancerre La Pléiade
Loire Valley, France 2024

2024 Ronsard Sancerre La Pleiade Loire Valley France

The La Pléiade Sancerre opens with the pristine radiance that only the Loire’s greatest vineyards can summon. A blend drawn from celebrated plots such as Chêne Marchand, Les Monts Damnés, Chasseignes, and Les Deserts, La Pléiade captures the valley’s dual nature: the cool, stony edges of its Kimmeridgian slopes and the gentle, sunlit contours of its clay-rich parcels.

What sets La Pléiade apart is the seamless way these sites come together in the glass. The limestone parcels drive a spine of mineral energy, while the clay slopes offer a rounder, more generous register, giving the wine both tension and veiled amplitude. It’s a Sauvignon Blanc that feels both effortless and profound, showcasing its terroir with striking precision.

Ronsard’s minimalist touch in the cellar allows this interplay of soils to shine without distraction. Stainless-steel fermentation keeps the profile clean and vivid, while gentle clarification protects the wine’s natural texture. La Pléiade speaks in its own voice, delivering a purity that honors both the vineyards and the heritage of Sancerre.

Ronsard
Sancerre La Pléiade
Loire Valley, France 2024

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“The Ronsard 2024 Sancerre ‘La Pleiade’ opens with fresh aromas of pink grapefruit, lemon zest, white pepper, and a saline, flinty minerality. On the palate, the wine is pure and refreshing, with playful citrus notes, elderflower and white blossoms, crisp tension, and a linear focus. The minerality is precise, recalling wet stone and chalk, while the texture is both delicate and refined. The wine’s balance is vibrant yet harmonious, with a clean, mouthwatering essence that layers notes of crisp, mineral-driven flavors into an absolutely compelling finish.”

95 Points

2021 Sixteen by Twenty Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

2021 Sixteen by Twenty Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

with No Comment $30 and underChardonnayKevin VogtSonomaSonoma CoastUSA

Sixteen by Twenty

Chardonnay 2021
Sonoma Coast

2021 Sixteen by Twenty Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

Sixteen by Twenty represents a modern vision of California Chardonnay, one rooted in balance rather than excess. Its name reflects a philosophy borrowed from fine art, where proportion and restraint define true beauty. This mindset carries through every stage of winemaking, resulting in a wine that feels polished, thoughtful, and effortlessly refined.

The 2021 vintage showcases the Sonoma Coast at its most expressive. Sourced from two cool, windswept vineyard sites, the blend combines Old Wente’s richness and aromatic complexity with the tension and precision of Clone 6. The result is a Chardonnay that feels both generous and controlled.

Eleven months in French oak lend subtle structure and texture, enhancing the wine without dominating it. The finish is persistent and balanced, carrying the wine’s natural energy through a long, graceful close that invites another sip.

Sixteen by Twenty
Chardonnay 2021
Sonoma Coast
Retails at: $60

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“The 16X20 2021 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay introduces coastal freshness with opulent California Fruit, featuring flavors of Meyer lemon, golden apples, nectarine, crushed stone, and a subtle thread of vanilla bean and butterscotch. On the palate, the wine has a vibrant edge balanced by rich flavors of ripe orchard fruit, a saline edge, lemon curd, and hazelnut. Playful and expressive, this wine exemplifies the refinement and energy of the Sonoma Coast.”

94 Points

2022 Charly Nicolle Premier Cru Chablis Les Fourneaux Burgundy

2022 Charly Nicolle Premier Cru Chablis Les Fourneaux Burgundy

with No Comment $40-$50BurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

Charly Nicolle

Premier Cru Chablis
Les Fourneaux 2022
Burgundy, France

2022 Charly Nicolle Premier Cru Chablis Les Fourneaux Burgundy

From one of Chablis’ most compelling Premier Cru sites, Charly Nicolle’s Les Fourneaux captures the rare balance of energy and substance that defines this sun-favored hillside. Les Fourneaux is a place of natural intensity, its warmer exposition lending depth and breadth to Chardonnay while preserving the tension that makes Chablis unmistakable.

In the cellar, Nicolle favors clarity over ornament. Fermented in stainless steel with full malolactic conversion and extended lees contact, the wine gains texture and breadth without losing definition. This approach allows the vineyard’s natural authority to remain intact, shaping a Chardonnay that feels layered yet weightless, with focus drawn tightly around its mineral core.

Sourced from the Morein, La Côte, and Pégirot lieux-dits within Les Fourneaux, the fruit comes from 50-60 year old vines, rooted in classic clay and limestone soils. That maturity brings composure and depth, allowing the wine to linger with persistence rather than force. The finish feels resolved and confident, leaving an impression of harmony that reflects both the vineyard’s character and Nicolle’s restraint.

Charly Nicolle
Premier Cru Chablis
Les Fourneaux 2022
Burgundy, France

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“The Domaine Charly Nicolle 2022 Chablis 1er Cru Les Fourneaux opens with an elegant, aromatic profile with delicate white flowers, crushed sea shells, chalky minerality, crisp green and golden apples, lemon curd, and hints of grapefruit complemented by subtle nuances of fresh cream. On the palate, the wine is silky yet vibrant with bright acidity and flavors of orchard fruit and citrus zest, and a limestone-driven minerality. The finish is long and refined, and is a perfect wine for immediate pleasure, yet has a graceful aging potential.”

95 Points

2023 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay Napa Valley

2023 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay Napa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtNapaOak KnollUSA

Sequoia Grove

Chardonnay
Napa Valley 2023

2023 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay Napa Valley

In a region celebrated for its opulence, the 2023 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay stands out by choosing nuance as its compass. It’s a wine shaped by cool-climate discipline: mornings that delay ripeness, evenings that preserve acidity, and vineyards that favor elegance over indulgence. It shows a precision that feels rare for Napa, offering a Chardonnay shaped as much by restraint as by ripeness.

Much of that character comes from Carneros’ Haire Vineyard, where 30-year-old Wente and Robert Young clone vines deliver fruit with natural concentration. These old vines ripen slowly, holding onto acidity even in generous years, giving the wine its signature tension. Oak Knoll adds its own imprint, layering in structure and a subtle mineral thread that keeps the wine lifted and complete.

The winemaking team further amplifies that interplay of energy and richness. Native-yeast fermentation and extended lees contact build a creamy mid-palate, while the modest use of new French oak contributes subtle warmth rather than weight. The resulting Chardonnay is vibrant yet composed, delivering richness through texture rather than sweetness and finishing with a clarity that echoes its origins.

Sequoia Grove
Chardonnay
Napa Valley 2023
Retails at: $38

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“A nicely rich, suave and spicy white that blends luxurious poached apple and pear flavors with notes of marzipan, lemon meringue, toasted almonds, hazelnuts, brioche and butter. Full-bodied, broad in mouthfeel, well layered and plush. Drink now.”

93 Points

2024 Picayune Sauvignon Blanc Napa & Sonoma

2024 Picayune Sauvignon Blanc Napa & Sonoma

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtNapaSauvignon BlancSonomaUSA

Picayune

Sauvignon Blanc
Napa & Sonoma 2024

2024 Picayune Sauvignon Blanc Napa & Sonoma

Some wines make an entrance, while this one makes an impression. The 2024 Picayune Napa/Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t need power to command attention; it draws you in with precision. Its charm lies in contrast: clarity rather than flash, texture instead of weight. This is California fruit expressed with European poise: subtle, shimmering, and unforgettable.

Behind that calm exterior lies remarkable intent. Winemaker Claire Ducrocq Weinkauf harvests early, capturing the brightness of dawn before the valley’s heat softens the fruit. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc that thrives on energy rather than ripeness: crisp and finely tuned, with an alcohol level of just 13.1%. Every decision reflects restraint, transforming potential exuberance into elegance.

Fermentation was split between stainless steel for clarity and neutral French oak for subtle weight, a decision that defines the wine’s remarkable balance. The oak imparts no overt flavor, only a silken texture that frames its crystalline acidity. The wine feels both poised and refreshing: proof that restraint, when executed with this kind of technical precision, can be as thrilling as opulence.

Picayune
Sauvignon Blanc
Napa & Sonoma 2024

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“The Picayune 2024 Sauvignon Blanc bursts from the glass with vivid aromas of gooseberry, lime zest, and passion fruit, balanced by subtle notes of fresh-cut grass and green herbs. On the palate, the wine is pure, bright, and zesty, showcasing crisp acidity that complements flavors of tropical fruit, citrus, and green melon. A touch of minerality and a hint of grapefruit pith lend structure and lift, creating a style reminiscent of New Zealand’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, but with California’s hallmark of sun-kissed, ripe fruit. The finish is clean, refreshing, and vibrant, leaving a lingering impression.”

94 Points

2022 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Vineyard Los Carneros Sonoma

2022 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Vineyard Los Carneros Sonoma

with No Comment $30 and underCarnerosChardonnayKevin VogtSonomaUSA

Laird

Chardonnay 2022
Cold Creek Vineyard
Los Carneros, Sonoma

2022 Laird Chardonnay Cold Creek Vineyard Los Carneros Sonoma

Laird’s 2022 Cold Creek Ranch Chardonnay is not just another expression of Carneros; it displays how restraint can yield brilliance in the glass. Here, Ken Laird’s fifty years of farming mastery align with winemaker Brian Mox’s measured touch in the cellar, resulting in a wine that hums with energy and poise, shaped by the marriage of persistence and place.

The Cold Creek Ranch vineyard rests on the Sonoma side of Los Carneros, where cool marine winds and fog slow the ripening process to a patient rhythm. Planted to Burgundian Clones 15 and 95, the vines produce remarkably balanced fruit. In the cellar, partial malolactic fermentation adds a gentle creaminess, while ten months in French oak lend structure and depth.

What distinguishes this Chardonnay is its composure. Every step, from vineyard to barrel, reflects the intent and confidence that come only with experience. The 2022 Cold Creek Ranch Chardonnay offers a harmony of brightness, texture, and length that lingers gracefully on the palate. It is a wine of elegance and clarity, timeless in its refinement and distinctly Californian in spirit.

Laird
Chardonnay 2022
Cold Creek Vineyard
Los Carneros, Sonoma

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“Spiced and nutty on the nose, this offers ripe orchard fruit, sliced pineapple and honeysuckle nuances. Full and creamy with densely packed flavors and a firm, lingering finish. Long and delicious. Drink or hold.”

92 Points