JANUARY/FEBRUARY CASE OF THE MONTH - $140

Our Best of 2025 Favorites plus a few new wines of note

Château Tour du Haut Moulin Haut-Médoc 2019
This was slated for December but didn’t arrive in time; it’s worth the wait.  Another deal scored out of Bordeaux, my intro comments sound a lot like something I wrote last January for a 2018 Médoc. Offering traditional Bordeaux character, depth and complexity, this is a more serious wine than the price suggests; giving it plenty of air will help it come alive. Savory, woodsy and winey, it jumbles together floral rose, strawberry, mint and balsamic-tinged blackcurrant, all dusted with a light earthiness and fine-grained tannins. Great value for a five-year old legit Bordeaux. $15.99

Campuget Gard Rouge 2022
This perennial southern French favorite wasn’t actually in any 2025 case but it’s standing in for a slew of now sold-out Rhône favorites.
A 70%Syrah/30% Grenache blend from just outside of Nîmes, this drinks like a darker, spicier version of a classic Côtes du Rhône. Dark plum and concentrated blackberry are layered with peppery herb and mineral notes, dark spicy flavors that remain lively and juicy. $11.99

Ruta 22 Cabernet Sauvignon Uco Valley 2021
With true-to-varietal Cab Sauv flavors and surprising complexity this was a solid buy even at its original price of $15. Thanks to an oops-wrong-shipment deal, $9.99 is even better! The aromatics are high-toned and mildly exotic, an airy blend of fresh mint, toasted nut, cigar box and dark fruits. The texture is silky and medium-bodied with black cherry and currant floating above an aromatic bass line of sandalwood, incense and cocoa powder while light tannins on the finish add texture and punch. Normally $15, now $9.99.

Umani Ronchi Villa Bianchi Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 2024
An invigorating mash-up of poached pear, lime zest, toasted almond and saltwater taffy, this offers a spirited personality with flavors that start electric, soften and lengthen slightly mid-palate before racing off again on the finish. $13.99

Monte Velho Tinto Alentejano 2023
From a hot, dry eastern region better known for its cork production comes this great Portuguese value, a blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional and a wee bit of Syrah. Dark in profile yet with a perky upbeat feel, the cocoa, graham cracker fig aromas lead to tangy pops of dried raspberry in a pool of blackberry coulis, balanced flavors that remain juicy and open-knit through the lightly peppery finish. $12.99

Aramis Shiraz McLaren Vale 2021 -  Crikey!, it’s been a while since an Aussie Shiraz was in the case but, in the words of one eloquent taster, this is classy-a** stuff. The McLaren Vale region is prized for producing more moderately endowed reds compared to many other Australian regions, as many vineyards benefit from the cooling breezes of the nearby Gulf St Vincent.

The Aramis Estate vineyard in particular is among the coolest in the appellation, sitting just a few kilometers inland from the sea. That said, this is still classic Shiraz – inky dark and opaque with dark aromas of Mission fig, blackberry, coffee and cracked pepper edged with a balancing lemony lift. Full-bodied and lush, the flavors are saturated but not overly fruity, while an underlying structure and light tannins keep the richness in check. Normally $16, now just $10.99.

Lan Rioja Crianza 2021
Thanks to a label redesign and accompanying marketing campaign this already good value is even better, delivering classic Rioja Tempranillo flavors in an expressive, generous style. The plummy, figgy black fruit is accented with warm tones of incense, toasted wood and sarsaparilla enlivened by a background thrum of orange peel and spicy pimentón. Normally $18, here $13.99

Rippa Dorii Rueda Verdejo 2022
100% Verdejo from organic limestone soils, the pluot, white peach and tropical flavors are broad and palate-enveloping, balanced by zestier notes of lemon oil, smoky flint and fragrant aniseed. $11.99

Palamà Archangelo Salice Salentino 2021
This 100% Negroamaro is aged in neutral oak giving it a denser, more powerful feel compared to their unoaked ‘Negroamaro’ bottling, a nice alternative for colder weather. The fruit leans dark, blackberry and cherry, balanced by a thread of brighter strawberry, all laced nicely with aromas of warm Christmas-y spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.  $14.99

Domaine des Schistes Illico Rouge Côtes Catalanes 2022
Medium-weight and somewhat Pinot Noir-like, this red from the French/Spanish border sports an uncommonly high percentage of Cinsault (60%) giving it an aromatically expressive nose and supple, fine-boned texture. Floral violet, black tea and a potpourri-like spiciness leads to nuggets of dried currant and blueberry with dustings of white pepper on the crisp finish. $13.99 

Castillo de Jumilla Monastrell 2023
A little powerhouse of a wine, this comes from a rugged high plateau in southeastern Spain. Offering a great combination of bright, spicy, fine-boned red fruits and dark meatier black ones, it expands with air to subtly showcase Monastrell’s (Mourvèdre’s) naturally wild side – a smoky, scorched earth, olive tapenade umami vibe that adds interest and gravitas to its otherwise cheery, juicy fruit persona. It packs a lot in for just $12.99.

Altano Douro White 2024
Altano is owned by the Symington family, one of the most respected names in region. A blend of 50% Malvasia Fina, 25% Viosinho, 15% Moscatel Galego Branco and 10% Arinto, it offers an electric personality with a range of bouncy flavors that somehow remain balanced and integrated. Its lemon-lime refreshing crispness cuts through the floral orange perfume and the underpinning of minerality adds focus to the rolling smooth texture. Add in notes of white pepper, fresh thyme, sea salt, white peach and dried pineapple and you’ve got quite the party going. $11.99

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