Cart The best of the best, as determined by users like you.
We're not the only ones who know our wine. We rely on our users to let us know what they like and what we don't like, so that we can do an even better job of selecting wines that we know you'll like. These four wines have all been the subject of raves over the last year, and we're not at all surprised.
2007 Dutton-Goldfield "Dutton Ranch" Chardonnay
The cooler, foggy climate of the Russian River Valley, has proven especially successful for the cultivation of the two classic Burgundian varietals: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We've long been huge fans of Dan Goldfield's Dutton Ranch Chardonnay bottlings from the Russian River, but the 2007 was the first time we'd ever tasted it so ready upon release. Why? 2007 was a vintage that will no doubt go down as one of the most luscious of the last decade in the Valley. In fact, there's no better word than "luscious" for this Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, a wine with a deep, rich kernel of ripe pear fruit, the spice that comes only from the old Wente clone, and the length that is just pure Dutton Ranch.
2005 Crane Brothers Brodatious Crane Ranch Vineyard Napa Valley
It was the night they figured out the final blend. Also the night they came up with the crazy name. But after hours doing micro-assemblages of tiny lots of estate-bottled Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, finally even a touch of amazing Syrah, the Crane brothers came up with a bit of magic. The 2004 release drew raves from Parker. The 2005 just won the San Francisco Chronicle Gold Medal. The wine was named "Brodatious," a combination of "brother" and "bodacious" -- and maybe just one glass too many of a deep purple, sumptuous Napa Valley red wine that you can't quite put down.
2005 Laurel Glen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Counterpoint Sonoma Mountain
Patrick Campbell's Sonoma Mountain wines are astonishing for their density, chunkiness and ageworthiness. Particularly when growing seasons are stretched out, this high-elevation vineyard puts out amazingly rich, muscled Cabernet that is as close as these mountains of Napa and Sonoma get to Pauillac. Like fine Left Bank wines, Sonoma Mountain bottles are never "obvious," and unlike most of today's Napa Cabernets, Patrick's Cabs reward the patient. This sensational bottle of mountain Cabernet is just beginning to hit its stride: it's full-bodied and velour-like now, with a decade of high-tone life in front of it.
2006 Domaine de la Ville Rouge Crozes-Hermitage Inspiration
Sebastien Girard has a luxury that most young winemakers don't. When he returned to his family's estate in Crozes-Hermitage, the investment had already been made and paid off. His family's precious Syrah vineyards, from the most pristine portion of Crozes-Hermitage, were mature, and there was no shortage of buyers for the fruit. A quick call to Guigal and Chapoutier and poof-- it was gone. But that wasn't enough for Sebastien. After he got back from his winemaking stint with the Courbis brothers in St. Joseph, the family made a little wine. Not much -- only 800 cases -- and only the best.This 2006 is deep purple, muscular, wonderfully rich and brooding -- and clean as a whistle.
