Château Tour Bayard is a recent addition to the Milhade portfolio, coming into the family through marriage. This 25 acre property in the St.-Émilion Satellite Montagne-St.-Émilion has been run by the Richard family since 1956, and is now regarded as one of the top estates in the appellation.

Purchased in 1996, the Milhade family have invested enormously in the vineyards and facilities at Boutisse and, above all, with their energy. Today Boutisse is no longer a surprise – dynamic young winemaker Marc Milhade has transformed this estate into an outstanding Saint-Emilion, with ripe, structured and engaging character.

Huge investments have been made into the vineyards since 1996, with several parcels of vines being completely replanted. When the soil was ripped and prepared for planting, large chunks of the recherché limestone were visible under the chalky clay topsoil. The vineyards enjoy an excellent southern exposure.

The world of rosé has expanded at extraordinary speed in recent years. That development is wonderful, as it has brought wine to the porch, the pool and the table in ways never before seen in the United States. And it’s great for rosé to be direct and refreshing, that’s a wonderful quality. We do believe a quality line needs to be drawn, however, and this rosato is a great demarcation. It is a fresh, completely delightful, and extremely affordable wine; but it is also a product with a historical context and culture, with a grape – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – that is perfectly adapted to the climate and soils to create quality rosé.  Abruzzo is one of the few regions in Italy to have an appellation entirely dedicated to rosé, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, with examples that can last many years. This rosato is simpler, but has substance below the surface.

Just as Masciarelli made a name for Abruzzo’s Montepulciano grape, they also elevated the quality and reputation of the Trebbiano grape. The particular Trebbiano in Abruzzo is a relative of the grape planted in many other areas of Italy, but in the climate and soils of Abruzzo when farmed for quality it produces a wine with fantastically expressive fruit and a gorgeous balance of round concentration and mineral freshness.

Perhaps the finest rosé production area in Italy, and one of the few appellations dedicated only to rosé, Cerasuolo has a long history of producing serious rosé, and showcasing how well the Montepulciano grape is adapted to rosé. Masciarelli first produced this wine in 1986, only 5 years after the winery was founded. With deep fruit and structure but no shortage of pleasure, it is a rosé you can take to the dinner table.

Villa Gemma Montepulciano Riserva is the wine that put Abruzzo on the map, becoming the iconic benchmark for the region’s potential. In 2000, this wine was awarded “Best Wine in Italy” by Gambero Rosso, marking the first time a Montepulciano had received this distinction, and it has also earned 14 consecutive Tre Bicchieri awards. Villa Gemma showcases the extraordinary depth and complexity of Montepulciano from this area. Rich, ripe fruit is complemented by layers of black and dried fruits, spices, and mineral notes. In a word, this wine is legendary.

Givry is one of the smallest but most famous of the 5 villages in the heart of the Côte Chalonnaise, in the southern part of Burgundy. Whole bunch maceration really helps this wine to deliver. It brings structure, matter and a touch of spiciness and freshness.

James Healy and Ivan Sutherland will tell you that it’s hard for them to grow much Chardonnay at the extremely high quality level they want for this wine. As with their Section 94 and Pinot Noir, the wine is distinctive due to extraordinary vineyard holdings, intense vineyard management geared towards low yields and hand-picked fruit, and long, low touch winemaking. The effect this work has on the Chardonnay, by nature the least expressive of these three grape varieties, is wild – the wine is intensely expressive, with loads of fruit, leesy character, and chalky minerality that is almost textural. As with all the wines they produce, it is considered a national standard bearer of a different shade.

Dog Point’s Pinot Noir is a head-turner because of the immense reputation they have as a Sauvignon Blanc producer. Their Pinot is not just good – it’s one of the very best in New Zealand, and truly world class. The intensive vineyard work they carry out to produce distinctive Sauvignon Blanc results in fantastically complex Pinot fruit when carried out in clay hillsides of Marlborough. And, in turn, their use of wild yeasts and long aging gives the wine a generosity and integration that provide both easy and intellectual pleasure.

Masciarelli is such an extraordinary story because, as few producers have managed to do, they have succeeded at the very top in creating a global icon, while also creating something special for the everyday consumer, a wine so much better than it needs to be, an ambassador for the region.  This wine for so many people is their introduction to the Montepulciano grape and the Abruzzo region, and the quality and care shown in producing this 100% estate but widely available wine result in an enormously positive impression.

The Trebbiano Riserva Marina Cvetic represents the ultimate expression of one of Abruzzo’s historic vines. Like Montepulciano, Trebbiano was once considered a workhorse grape without real potential. This wine changed that view completely, offering an original, full-bodied, and elegant interpretation with its own character. Marina Cvetic wines are known as a “lone voice” for the most demanding and technical experts. Explosive, concentrated golden fruit leads to a rich, floral, and spicy palate. This wine represents a true revolution for Trebbiano and Italian whites.

N° 14 is the third opus from the “COLLECTION AYALA,” a set of cuvees produced in limited quantities,

N° 14 is the third opus from the “COLLECTION AYALA,” a set of cuvees produced in limited quantities, unveiled only as they approach their peak level of drinkability. This ephemeral cuvee is 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir — including Grand Cru Aÿ red wine.

Thanks to its extended ageing in the cellar and a low dosage of 5.3 grams/liter, N° 14 expertise, the ephemeral cuvée N°14 is composed of the five emblematic Grands Crus that form the backbone of the House’s blends. Caroline Latrive wanted to work the crus in equal proportions, exclusively from the 2014 vintage and for the first time in a rosé version.

Chanson’s regional wine, Viré Clessé is one of the best white wines of the region, combining suppleness and minerality. The appellation lies in the heart of the Mâcon appellation in the south of Burgundy. The two villages, Viré and Clessé form a unique terroir on south-east facing slopes. In Viré, the soil is chalky with large layers of clay. In Clessé, the soil structure is slightly different, with a combination of chalk and clay mixed with liasic marls combined with oyster-fossils, giving the wine an underlying minerality. It’s produced from a combination of Chardonnay and Chardonnay Muscaté grapes. 

The Guigal family lives and works just 45 minutes north of Saint-Joseph, but it was circumstance in 1999 that brought them to several extraordinary sites in Saint-Joseph they eventually purchased. They are not only converts, but among the most vocal advocates about the extraordinary depth and complexity that wines from the great sites of Saint-Joseph can display. The wines can share some of the same smoldering black fruit and spice character as their neighbors across the river in Hermitage, but they are less brooding, more composed when young, and in general wines of finesse rather than power.

Colheita is a Vintage Tawny Port. Whereas Tawnies with an indication of age show the House style, Vintage Tawnies show the personality of the vintage year. Colheita spends its entire life in barrel until the moment of bottling. On the nose they are fresh, powerful and fruit-forward with balanced acidity. On the palate they have a nutty, oxidized character with a seductively smooth finish.

Ponzi’s Laurelwood Chardonnay is crafted from fruit sourced from the family’s original 1970 plantings and other estate vineyards within the Laurelwood District AVA. Situated in Oregon’s Chehalem Mountains, the vineyard soils are characterized by the Laurelwood soil series—windblown loess atop ancient basalt bedrock. This unique soil composition imparts wines with great elegance, complexity, and abundant spice notes of white pepper, cardamom, and cola. Ponzi’s vineyards, sustainably farmed and LIVE Certified, highlight the region’s influence, where soil depth and elevation shape the wine’s character, from red fruit in younger vines to darker, richer flavors with age.

Ponzi’s Pinot Noir Reserve comes exclusively from estate fruit, including from some of Oregon’s oldest vines. As Wine Spectator once wrote, “All Oregon Pinot Noirs are measured against the Ponzi yardstick”. That has been true for over 50 years, while the Ponzi family has farmed 140 acres of certified sustainable vineyards all planted on Laurelwood soils. During their tenure, the Ponzis have observed the unique characteristics as their vines penetrated the earth and evolved. Bright red fruit character in their youth gave way to dark berry and brambly spice as the vines reached into the volcanic layers. The character of this soil has defined the Ponzis’ wines and served as a guide for generations of winemakers in the Willamette Valley. The Pinot Noir Reserve’s brooding dark fruit and exotic spice has rendered it one of the ultimate examples of artisanal, site-expressive Pinot Noir in the United States today, year after year epitomizing a character of restrained power.

Barbera is a delicate and demanding grape varietal. A meticulous search throughout the area for the very best soils, agronomical decisions and particular attention to vinification enable Sandrone to reveal the very best qualities of this wine. Barbera d’Alba is made to be a medium-weight wine that will drink well for a decade. It shows delicious and plump berry and black fruits. As Barbera possesses almost no natural tannins, the use of tonneaux gives the wine some much-needed structure. It is a perfect match with rich winter dishes as the bright acidity keeps it from being too heavy.

Guigal’s Côtes du Rhône Blanc both sets and steps outside the standard for the appellation and showcases one of the great secrets of the Guigal family: their specialization in the great white Rhône varieties. While only 8% of the Rhône’s production is white, a full 25% of Guigal’s production is white and they are today the single largest producer of whites in the Rhône Valley. It is a beautiful, seamless wine that represents unbelievable value.