The Next Level Case: With the holidays coming fast it’s a time we all deserve a little treat to make sure we’re properly focused. And if no one else does, at least we can get ourselves what we richly deserve! And we certainly deserve something in our glass that reminds us that we are all so very fortunate and most (but granted, not all) of our problems are decidedly first world in nature. So below you’ll find twelve wines that can be bought individually or snugly tucked into a case that 
step it up from the usual. Taking your wine drinking “Next Level” doesn’t have to be crushingly expensive as these wines amply demonstrate. Read to the bottom to check out the “Next Level Case” offer!
2022 FEUDO MONTONI Grillo* “Timpa”
$25.95 bottle/ $249.00 case
I first discovered this hidden gem from Montoni, an organic/biodynamic winery situated high in the mountains of central Sicily, with their incredible 2020 vintage (I had my last bottle recently and it was incredible). Then the ’21 was released and it was…okay. A bit let down I eagerly anticipated the new 2022 with expectations slightly dampened.Well, one taste in and I knew they were totally back on their game. Possibly possessing even more energy and intensity than the ’20, this is a stunning Italian white. Layers and layers of rich fruit come rushing from the glass in the aromas and flavors, all wrapped up with a laser sharp, mineral driven finish that pops with fresh acids. This is fabulous!
>> 90 pts- Vinous: “Lifts from the glass with a minty freshness, blending green melon and lime suggestions. Enveloping, with brisk acidity ushering in citrus-tinged orchard fruits and saline minerals that add a crunchy sensation. The 2022 finishes wickedly fresh and the mouth is left watering.”
>> 90 pts- Wine Spectator: “A zesty white, with vibrant acidity buoying an exuberant range of tangerine, kiwi fruit, pink grapefruit granita and lime blossom notes. Sleek and well-knit, with spice and mineral accents on the finish.”
2020 RESERVE SAINT DOMINIQUE Gigondas
$25.95 bottle/ $249.00 case
A totally unexpected Rhone Valley that just fell into my grateful lap this week! Y’all know I love the wines from Gigondas in France’s Rhone Valley. I just have a hard time rationalizing $35-$40 bottles for regular drinking. That’s why I jumped on this beauty that’ll run you 30%-50% less than most examples and delivers all the gloriously hedonistic fruit you could ask for. This deal is super limited and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
>> 92 pts- Vinous: “Lively, spice-tinged red fruit and floral aromas show fine definition and a hint of white pepper. Juicy and focused on the palate, the appealingly sweet raspberry, cherry and lavender flavors show firm tension and cut. Fine-grained tannins add a subtile grip to a persistent finish that echoes the floral note. Raised in concrete and stainless steel tanks.”
>> 93 pts- Jeb Dunnuck: “The 2020 Gigondas offers a medium-bodied, balanced style as well as more complex, perfumed aromatics of blue fruits, violets, and orange blossom. I love its balance, its tannins are spot on, and it has a great finish.”
Two new wines from David O’Reilly that sell for ridiculously great prices considering the quality Washington juice they’re made from, have very attractive labels, and really struck a chord (i.e.- we sold out!) with the weekend crowd at VINO this past weekend….
2022 ROCKS OF BAWN Columbia Valley White “Shafts and Furrow” White Wine
$19.95 bottle/ $172.00 case
A brilliant fresh 84% sauvignon blanc/16% semillon that David conjured up that was inspired by the great white wines of Bordeaux. Citrus zest, crisp fall apples, wet stone, and freshly mown hay all come through on the nose and palate. This sees zero oak so every drop of the bright flavors are preserved. it’ll set your tastebuds buzzing and the mouthwatering, perfectly balanced will have you coming back for more. A great choice for fresh seafood and shellfish, not to mention a terrific wine to share this holiday season!
2020 ROCKS OF BAWN Columbia Valley Red “Shafts and Furrow”
$19.95 bottle/ $172 case
A rich, ripe, and super crowd pleasing cab/merlot based blend that way over delivers for under-$20 compared to most similarly priced Washington reds. Bursts with blackberries, bittersweet cocoa, espresso, and spice notes that expand and amplify the longer its open. Medium to full-bodied with great texture, it never comes across as heavy or overdone, and the tannins are so well integrated. It finishes with a nice snap and those spiced dark fruit flavors really linger. This is great stuff, a perfect cool weather red, and definitely a bottle that will please everyone and stand up to the array of edibles on your holiday table!
2021 PECCHENINO Dogliani San Luigi
$22.95 bottle/ $219.00 case
I’ve been drinking this 100% dolcetto from Pecchenino for years and have almost always found it to be so well done. From those experiences I can confidently say that this newly released 2021 vintage is one of the best I’ve ever had. It possesses copious amounts of the dolcetto grape’s inherent juicy, bright red fruits and fresh acids, but this has an added depth and richness that really works so well. A darker colored dolcetto, as most Dogliani-based versions are, this is superbly food friendly and will work with almost anything you have an urge to serve. Such a fun wine to explore!
>> 92 pts Vinous: “The 2021 San Luigi is vibrant and alluring right out of the gate. Vibrant acids perk up a core of red/purplish fruits, lavender, and rose petal. The purity of fruit is remarkable. This is a fabulous showing for San Luigi and the 2021 is an absolute delight.”
>> 93 pts- Wine Spectator: “Bright cherry, kirsch, raspberry and floral aromas and flavors are the hallmarks of this rich, vibrant and harmonious Dolcetto, which has plenty of structure, building to a long, complex aftertaste of fruit and mineral. Drink now through 2028.”
2020 PLANETA Cerasuolo di Vittoria
$24.95 bottle/ $239.00 case
Another great wine that only increases my appreciation of all things Sicilian and grape-based. You don’t see a whole lot of Cerasuolo, a traditional blend of the grapes Frappato and Nero d’Avola. When well made they offer the best of both components. Frappatto’s inherent lift and spicy juiciness combined with Nero’s darker, more rustic character. Planeta always makes one of the best and this 2020 vintage is extraordinary! Here’s a couple raves to ponder…
>> 92 pts- Wine Spectator: “Lightly toasty on the nose, less so on the palate, with a pure beam of raspberry coulis fruit flavors layered with a minerally underpinning of smoke and graphite, plus rich notes of fig cake, wild sage, ground coffee and red licorice. A fresh, classy version, with lightly chalky tannins emerging to firm the finish. Nero d’Avola and Frappato.”
>> 90 pts- Vinous: “Dark and smoky with black currants and crushed blueberries. A soft and pure yet energetic expression, with a mix of wild cherries and citrus adding tension. It tapers of long and floral with a pleasing inner sweetness and a staining of salty miners. This is so incredibly fresh!”
>> 90 pts- Wine Advocate: “The 2020 Cerasuolo di Vittoria shows bright cassis and wild cherry with background hints of black olive and scorched earth. That this was a hot vintage is apparent on the bouquet as the aromas push a bit more in terms of intensity.”
2020 DOMAINE BERTHET RAYNE Cairanne “Vieilles Vignes”
$19.95 bottle/ $192.00 case
So much character and southern French soul in this rustic, rambunctious grenache/syrah/carignan blend. This always works so well. Interesting, ripe, and complex, yet so easy to drink and excessively slurpable. This is a perfect bottle to pop with those coming winter braises!
>> 91 pts- Wine Advocate: “For only $5 more than the basic Cotes du Rhone, the 2019 Cairanne Vieilles Vignes is a wine to seek out. This medium to full-bodied effort reveals sexy notes of flowering garrigue on the nose, paired with mixed raspberry and blackberry fruit. The tannins are fine-grained, yielding an almost creamy texture on the midpalate, then add an elegant, silky edge to the long finish. Lovely stuff.”
>> 91 pts- Vinous: “Unoaked and resplendent in fruit, this full-bodied, vibrant red highlights pristine blackberry and raspberry flavors cut by firm strikes of granite and a dazzling acidic backbone. A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 20% Carignan, it’s thirst-quenching when young but should maintain its vitality through 2024.”
2022 STOLPMAN “La Cuadrilla” Ballard Canyon Red
$25.95 bottle/ $249.00 case
I so look forward to each release of fabulous reds from this under-the-radar Santa Barbara area producer. Their wines perennially offer so much value for California red of this extraordinary quality, which is getting harder and harder to find. This is such a crowd pleaser, rich yet not heavy, and always so well balanced. It’d be a challenge to find someone who wouldn’t love this wine!
>> 93 pts- Wine Enthusiast: “This blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, and 10% Sangiovese is succeeds on so many hedonistic levels. Dark and penetrating aromas of hickory, blackberry, soy, pepper and chocolate-chip cookie on the nose lead into a rich and ripe palate of black cherry, cassis and violet. Feathery tannins hold it together.”
>> 92 pts- Wine Advocate: “The La Cuadrilla has a medium ruby-purple color and scents of cassis, blueberry preserves, violet, earth and autumn leaves. The medium-bodied palate is concentrated yet light on its feet with bright acidity, dusty tannins and a long, spicy finish. Profits of the Caudrilla go to Stolpman’s full-time crew of 30 employees.”
>> 92 pts- Vinous: “La Cuadrilla is another stellar wine in this range from Stolpman. It’s also a ridiculous value. Bright and punchy, with gorgeous red-fleshed fruit, this Syrah/Grenache/Sangiovese blend delivers the goods. Floral and spice notes round the supple finish. The 2022 is a total charmer.”
2019 CHATEAU SAINT ANDRE CORBIN St.-Georges St. Emilion
$20.95 bottle/ $201.00 case
A sweet five dollar a bottle price drop on this dark, full flavored Bordeaux is all I needed to immediately throw it in this week’s email offer! The classic wines from Bordeaux tend to somehow get overlooked by people in the wine business, especially by the creators of wine lists who seem to drawn like moths to the flame to the new, supposed “natural” wines that offer wildly varying degrees of quality and too often unpleasant drinking experiences. Meanwhile the great Chateau of Bordeaux just keep on keeping on, making elegant, textured, and extremely delicious that will enhance your meals rather than ruin them. The Corbin is always so good (and organic, btw!), and every time I’ve served it here everyone goes a wee bit gaga. Mainly merlot from the right bank, this brims with blackberry, cassis, violets, cocoa and spice, it’s textured and velvety, with a spellbinding finish that goes on and on. This may be the best $20 Bordeaux you’ll ever taste!!
2019 CASTELLO DI MELETO Chianti Classico Riserva
$24.95 bottle/ $239.00 case
Amazing! You can find this brilliantly rendered Chianti from a very highly thought of producer scattered across the interwebs for $35+ a bottle. When I was offered an almost unbelievable discount where I can save you ten bucks+ I was “the boy who couldn’t say no!” I’ll let the reviews say it all, but this is a tremendous opportunity to drink world class sangiovese!
>> 93 pts- Wine Spectator: “This rich red is signaled by earth and tar aromas, with flavors of black cherry, plum and iron standing up to a dense matrix of tannins. Shows breadth and power, with an aftertaste of dark fruit, earth and soy.”
>> 92 pts- Wine Advocate: “Boasts sleek new packaging. With 80,000 bottles produced, this delicate wine shows an easy and transparent quality of fruit with fresh cherry, cassis, earth and spice. This Riserva also shows elegant floral tones over a mid-weight close.”
>> 92 pts.- Vinous: “A gorgeous, mid-weight wine. Dark cherries, plum, tobacco, dried herbs, and incense play off a core of dark fleshed fruit in a Riserva that is both powerful and finessed.”
2021 NORTH VALLEY Pinot Noir “Willamette Valley”
$21.95 bottle/ $209.00 case
This is winemaker Tony Soter’s second label, a way to make his terrifically satisfying pinots more accessible. This 2021 is lovely, with all of that vintage’s inherent drinkability and richness, yet with a seriously complex side to it that makes it so intriguing, not to mention delicious, to explore. I love all of Soter’s wines, and to be able to drink something this good for this price and experience his skill set, all at a bit over twenty bucks is not to go unappreciated. Or undrunk! This is littered across the interweb at $25+ and I was able to make a deal to save all you deserving pinot lovers a few of your hard earned dollars!
2014 SENORIO DE LA ERALTA Rioja Reserva
$18.95 bottle/ $182.00 case
Wow, nothing like buying pre-aged 100% tempranillo that’s a velvety smooth sipper for under twenty bucks a pop! It’s made by a a family run winery that’s been doing their thing for 30 years, and doing it quite well. I just tried this little gem Tuesday and could hardly believe the price. It has those classic Rioja aromas and flavors of ripe blackberry, saddle leather, dusty earth, wild herbs, and camp smoke, allied with a smoothly textured palate and perfectly integrated tannins. The finish is silky and long, and the whole package would provide immense pleasure with a platter of jamon, cheese, nuts and dried fruit. Or if you have a smoky paella coming up, this just might do the trick, too!
The Next Level Case: As mentioned in the open, those twelve enticements about can all be carefully placed into a 12 bottle box by my own human hands for just $226.00 for the lot. At a below-$20 average of $18.83 per bottle, I can tell you a case of world class wine is rarely this affordable!
It’s a beautiful world we’re living in, never more so than when you’re stocked with a few of the above! If you have some decisions to make, I hope the following discounts will come in handy…
Mix 6-11 bottles save 10% off the per bottle price
Mix 12-29 bottles save 15%
Mix 30+ bottles save 20%
