Vinous Favorites

92 points ($25)

The 2024 Albariño is zippy and zesty. Punchy, cheek-puckering acids join super-salty minerality and tropical key lime/guava inflections in this refreshing, vibrant, energetic white. You can really feel the California sunshine in the glass. (BN)

91 points ($25)

The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc is far from the wham-bam mass-produced Marlborough style. Relatively restrained and textural, it reveals lemon, lime and tangy green nettle, exuding a sense of calm in the mouth, with an attractive grippy texture on the refreshing finish. Balanced and seamless. (RG)

90 points ($20)

The highly expressive 2023 Soave Classico pumps out tons of white flowers, candied lime and crushed green apples. It’s energetic yet supple with depths of saline-infused white pit fruits. The 2023 tapers off with a spicy, savory edge, remaining wonderfully fresh. (EG)

92 points ($25)

The 2022 Colline Novaresi Agamium, 100% Nebbiolo, is a terrific entry-level wine. Bright acids cut through a core of red berry fruit, chalk, white pepper, mint and pine. This mid-weight Nebbiolo is an absolute gem. (AG)

90 points ($24)

The 2023 Buio has a rich bouquet of autumnal spice, grilled citrus and crushed black cherries. It boasts notable weight but remains graceful and poised. The 2023 tapers off classically dry and refined. Fine-grained tannins frame the finish without getting in the way. (EG)

91 points ($22)

The 2023 Riesling Dry offers a perfumed nose that slinks from the glass with sweet jasmine, honeysuckle, orange peel and white pepper. This is a wine built more on round, ripe fruit than varietal acidity, making it very approachable and, dare I say, crushable. At $22, it's hard to go wrong. (BN)

92 points ($10)

Made without sulfites, the 2023 Tempranillo opens with an appealingly pure nose of fresh red fruit and a touch of strawberry jam. Clingy in texture and full of character, this is a flavorful, very well-made natural wine at the price of a conventional supermarket bottle. A delicious bargain. (JH)

92 points ($22)

The 2023 Gricos opens with a spellbinding bouquet of wild strawberries, rhubarb and mint. Juicy to the core, it splashes across the palate with a savory herbal thrust, leaving a crunch of sweet tannins on the close. Gricos may be the best deal in Vulture Aglianico today. (EG)

93 points ($20)

The 2022 Malbec Golden Reserve embodies the classic profile of Luján de Cuyo: dried and fresh plums, a touch of pepper, fine oak and subtle violets. A gentle grip enhances its velvety feel. This is an excellent vintage for the Golden Reserve, one of Argentina's best offerings at this price. (JH)

90 points ($20)

The 2023 Dolcetto d'Alba offers up a classic profile of blue/purplish fruit, lavender, cloves and licorice. Medium in body and vibrant, the 2023 is seriously beautiful. This is what Dolcetto should be. (AG)

91 points ($18)

The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc offers green apple, crushed stone and light grass clipping scents. The palate is excellently balanced with ample weight, lovely peppery notes and admirable purity toward the finish. Klein Constantia put a lot of effort into this flagship Sauvignon Blanc, and it shows. (NM)

91 points ($22)

The 2023 Chardonnay is fabulous. Rich, creamy and layered, the 2023 is a hugely overachieving, delicious offering from Valravn. Tangerine peel, white flowers, spice and a kiss of French oak fill out the layers effortlessly. Readers will have a very hard time finding a better value. (AG)

91 points ($22)

The 2023 Cabernet Franc Q, from Paraje Altamira and San Pablo in the Uco Valley, presents notes of ash and plum with notable aromatic intensity. Smooth and juicy on the palate, the 2023 is an honest, precise expression of Argentinian Franc. (JH)

90 points ($22)

The 2023 Zinfandel Juvenile is bold, juicy and super-expressive, all of which make it a fine choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Bright red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and new leather build nicely in this tasty, mid-weight offering from Turley. (AG)

92 points ($20)

The 2023 Brut Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore is airy and savory, with a bouquet of stone dust, chamomile and golden apple. Zesty and fresh, the 2023 calls the taster back to the glass as it tapers off long and clean. A hint of chlorophyll makes for an intriguing finish. (EG)

91 points ($15)

The 2022 Red Blend Rb is dark and brooding, wafting up with a blend of mentholated herbs, incense and citrus-laced blackberries. Soft and supple on the palate, with a zesty acidic core, it finishes with tremendous length and concentration. Beautifully done. (EG)

93 points ($25)

The 2022 Syrah (Santa Lucia Highlands) is notably red-fruited. Bright, tart acids and a heady air of menthol lift a base of strawberry, blood orange, black olive and sassafras. Lacking the typical tannic heft of the AVA, this is a great candidate for drinking over the near and medium term. (BN)

91 points ($22)

The 2022 Chianti Classico is a gorgeous, vibrant wine. Bright acids and clean mineral notes run through this juicy, inviting offering from Capraia. Pomegranate, blood orange, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco add plenty of intrigue. This is a terrific offering in its peer group. (AG)

91 points ($25)

The 2022 Embruix blends Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cariñena and Garnatxa. The nose features ripe cherry aromas and sour cherry notes. Dry and compact, it has reactive tannins and a taut mouthfeel, lending an intense character. This is an accessible and affordable expression of Priorat. (JH)

92 points ($25)

The 2023 Pinot Noir California Alpine Wine buzzes with lively, bright notes of dusty red/blue berry fruit, blood orange, lavender and spice. Hands-off winemaking yielded a vivid, pure-fruited Pinot that's almost carbonic in feel. (BN)

92 points ($22)

The 2022 3055 is an equal-parts blend of Petit Verdot and Merlot. Purple in hue, it features mint, white pepper, spice and ripe blackberry. Dry and juicy with a rich mouthfeel, it lingers with pure fruit tones. The 2023 offers a clever integration of flavors, resulting in harmonious balance. (JH)

90 points ($20)

The fruit-forward and charming 2022 Shiraz Mother's Milk offers up a wild ride of dark cherry and coffee bean aromas with a dark, earthy tinge. It's well-pitched, fresh and vibrant, with a supple core of tannins that fits the overall package of red berry flavor well before the gentle finish. (AH)

93 points ($20)

The 2020 Rubesco, 90% Sangiovese and 10% Colorino, is darkly floral with spiced black cherries, red plums, dusty rose and balsamic spice. Depths of ripe red and blue fruits swirl beneath an air of violet inner florals, taking on an iron-borne minerality toward the round, pliant close. (EG)

90 points ($15)

The 2022 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo opens with wild herbs, cedar shavings and dried black cherries. It impresses with its silken textures, while zesty acidity elevates tart wild berry fruits. Violet inner florals combine with blood orange as the 2022 finishes long, gently tannic, yet still fresh. (EG)

91 points ($14)

The 2023 Ot de Vins el Cep is a tasty, cosmopolitan red that blends Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah from Penedès. Expressive fruit-forward aromas include cherry, sour cherry and blood orange. Dry and grippy on the palate, it flows with gentle, mildly juicy textures. (JH)