Page 2 - Staff Tastings

It’s not summer without a backyard BBQ, and Dave Sokolin is here to share five of his go-to red wines that pair well with summer BBQs. "When I barbecue, I look for something bold that can handle big fire and sauces from being on the grill. I also look for wines with style and subtleties that can shine through. Here are my five picks that I will be barbecuing with this summer, with prices starting at only $31.95." - Dave Sokolin

2019 Alex Foillard Brouilly - $31.95 | 93 VM - "The king of Beaujolais makes ethereal styled wines." - Dave Sokolin

2016 Michele Chiarlo Barbaresco Reyna - $37.99 | 94 WE - "This refined Piedmont from the legendary 2016 vintage pairs well with most BBQ ideas." - Dave Sokolin

2015 Barde Haut - $44.99 | 96 JD – “A classic, 96 point Saint Emilion that drinks great today

It’s Chardonnay season! Spring and summer call for a delicious bottle of Chardonnay. There are so many of them out there that we do a lot of research on finding the best ones and have a great time doing it. These three California Chardonnays are all from terrific producers and are all under $21 / bottle. Don’t miss these satisfying and appealing wines that offer so much bang for the buck! They come highly recommended.

2019 Fess Parker Chardonnay Santa Barbara County

Fess Parker produces an award winning collection of wines and has a long history in Santa Barabara County. Their 2019 Chardonnay is a mega deal when it comes to California Chardonnay at

Calling all Beaujolais lovers! Spring is a great time to enjoy Beaujolais, and we have a delicious, new Beaujolais that just checked into stock that over-delivers for the price – 2020 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie Poncie. This 94 pointer comes from a masterful, 5^th generation grower who maintains strict traditions of his ancestors and of the region and uses techniques that award the Domaine France’s highest environmental certification HVE3. And as one hopes, the process promotes the perfect product. At only $26.99, this wine is one to pick up today! It’s drinking well now – 2035.

“Jean-Étienne Chermette has one again produced a superb range of wines at this southern Beaujolais reference point… To my palate, some of the cuvées reviewed here number among the finest values that can be found in French

Warm weather isn’t the only thing arriving lately – we’ve got a terrific inventory of new Rosés that just checked into stock that you don’t want to miss! Rosé continues to be an in-demand category in the world of wine – it’s delicious, food-friendly and very affordable.

Below, we’re sharing a select handful of stylish pink wines that we love and that our customers love. These five wines are all from Provence, the Rosé capital of the world. Chances are, if you’ve been drinking Rosé, you’ve likely had one from Provence. The Rosés from this region are crisp and light and not too fruity or big. Not only are these selections delicious and drinking well now, they are all affordably priced and under $27!

2021 Clos Beylesse Rosé Cotes de Provence - $26.99

This gorgeous, royal blue glass bottle may just be the most recognized Rosé bottle on the market! It’s a crown jewel, and we’re always a fan of

Rosé pairs well with a side of sunshine, and with spring here, and summer quickly approaching, we’d like to share the newest vintage of one of our best-selling Rosés that we love and our customers love – D’Esclans Whispering Angel Rosé.

The new 2021 vintage has arrived (92 points), and it’s delicious! Produced in Provence, the Rosé capital of the world, Whispering Angel is one of the most famous Rosés of the region and a benchmark Rosé that’s consistently sought-after by wine lovers every year. It’s also been a Sokolin best-seller for years, and it’s easy to understand why - it’s delicious, pairs well with so many foods and is affordably priced

La Ca' Nova is the rockstar of Barbaresco, priced to be so fun, and yet they are so SERIOUS! This estate has been on fire in the wine world - the combination of points, price and pedigree within this estate makes this the next big deal in Piedmont at ridiculously low prices!

"La Ca' Nova is the hottest estate in Barbaresco right now. Readers will not want to miss these magnificent, utterly thrilling wines." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Below, we’re sharing five Barbarescos, rated 93 - 97 points, starting at only $43.99 / bottle, drinking now.
 
***Scoring in line with Gaja, but costing $300 - $400 less / bottle!

We have a very small allocation of these amazing wines, so if La Ca’ Nova happens to be a favorite of yours, or if this estate is new to you, act quickly before these are gone for good!

2016 La Ca' Nova Barbaresco Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina - $64.99 / btl | 95+ points AG

2016

If you're a fan of German wines, you'll want to keep reading as we're sharing the #3 German Wine of the Year – 2020 Schloss Johannisberg Grünlack Riesling Spätlese – 99 points and under $50!

If you're a fan of German wines, you'll want to keep reading as we're sharing the #3 German Wine of the Year – 2020 Schloss Johannisberg Grünlack Riesling Spätlese – 99 points and under $50!

Wine has been cultivated at Schloss Johannisberg for 1,200 years, exclusively Riesling since 1720, making the 2020 vintage at Schloss Johannisberg formally its 300th vintage.

They consider the Grünlack Spätlese their "great classic" as it's been in their portfolio since 1775 delivering a "taste explosion in your mouth!"

2020 is the 3rd solid vintage in a row, producing "wonderfully clear, precise, finely fruity and spicy Kabinett and Spätlese Rieslings."

And Schloss Johannisberg appears to have delivered again following the 100 point 2019 with a 99 point 2020 Grünlack Spätlese and James Suckling's #3 German Wine of the Year.

It's SOLD OUT

If you’re looking for a wine that over-delivers for the price, we have the bottle for you! Our expert team searches high and low to locate top quality wines at every price level, and 2016 The Paring Red Wine is a gem that shouldn’t be missed.

From the owner of the legendary Screaming Eagle, comes this incredible, 93 point, Bordeaux blend that you'll be excited about! The blend is made up of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc & 10% Petit Verdot. Not only is this wine absolutely delicious, but it’s priced at only $22.99!

The winemaker’s notes are as follows: “Utterly fascinating nose mixing lifted black fruit, savory green herbs and dark notes of grilled bread, espresso and anise. Fills the palate with bright red fruit and black plum. A constant play between sweet

Many of you are already familiar with Waterstone Cabernet Sauvignon. Over the past decade, Waterstone Winery has built a reputation for its top quality Napa Valley Cabernets. Part of what makes Waterstone so special is that its wines taste like Cali-Cult wines without the Cali-Cult prices, impressing wine aficionados as well as those just discovering the world of wine. We were first introduced to this winery two decades ago, and 2001 was the first vintage we sold. Waterstone has been a best-selling wine at Sokolin, year after year.

The 95 point, 2018 vintage of Waterstone is here, and it's the BEST vintage we've tasted since their initial release in 2001! The brilliance and magic of winemaker Laurie Hook (formerly of Beringer and their high scoring luxury

2013 Barolos are fantastic! This is the vintage we've been waiting for - the best vintage in years. "Readers will find a number of thrilling, utterly captivating wines that speak to the pedigree and class that are signatures of the best Barolo vintages... Overall, the 2013s are Barolos that speak to finesse above all else." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Back in 2017, Antonio Galloni released his much anticipated reviews of the late releases from Barolo, and 2013 Gaja Sperss Barolo was “tee’d up”, being awarded a whopping 97 points! THE ONLY other vintage to score higher was the 1997, which sells for $400+ - if you can find it. In addition to scoring 97 points from Antonio Galloni, 2013 Gaja Sperss Barolo received a 97 point score from Jeb Dunnuck and a 96 point score from The Wine Advocate.