Taste of Wine Access

Actor, writer, ghostbuster, Dan Aykroyd said it best: “Wine represents to me sharing and good times and a celebration of life.” We agree. Wine has the power to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. The right bottle can elevate a meal, can imprint a permanent happy and lasting impression. But we know that unlike beer or spirits, the task of choosing the right wine can be confusing, even overwhelming.

Well, hello: This is Wine Access. We’re here to take all the confusion out of wine, and to introduce you to the bottles that will change your life. Nice to meet you.

For over 25 years, we have traveled the globe’s wine trails in search of the world’s finest wines. And we share our experiences with our members, enabling them to tell the stories behind the wines they serve to family and friends. We know that the world’s best wines are made in small quantities and offer quality per dollar spent that is simply unmatched by the wines in many liquor and grocery stores. Finding these wines is the hard part, but that’s what we do best.

Every wine we offer must be approved by an impressive team that includes a Master Sommelier and Master of Wine candidates. These five wines consist of our new member favorites and our best sellers—this is just a taste of what is to come when you join the Wine Access family.

 

Wine Set Includes:

2014 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Once you’ve discovered Châteauneuf-du-Pape, you never go back. The crown-jewel Cru appellation of the Southern Rhône Valley, it is an area known for producing iconic red blends from a handful of local Rhône varieties. This Le Vieux Donjon is one of our all-time favorite discoveries. Produced by Claire Fabre who interned at Napa’s Harlan Estate! Claire poured everything she learned about making world-class wine. Grapes harvested from 50- to 100-year-old vines result in a vibrant, concentrated expression of Châteauneuf teeming with richness and layers of red fruit, dried herb and savory flavors.

2015 Matthiasson White Blend

Michelin-3-starred The French Laundry. Gramercy Tavern. Marea. Each of these titans of the restaurant world makes sure its wine list has room for Steve Matthiasson’s coveted Napa Valley White. With his 2015 Matthiasson White Blend, the San Francisco Chronicle “Winemaker of the Year” has given ample reason why such room is made. But this rich, vivacious white is near-impossible to find—especially since a 2008 vintage that caused critic Robert Parker to wonder, “Why are there not more California white wines such as this?” Thanks to our relationship with Steve and his wife Jill, your search is over. Piercing aromas of citrus, honey, white flowers, and spice. Rich, creamy and loaded with juicy white peach, candied lemon, and tropical fruit notes, underscored by a riveting current of sea salt and wet-stone minerality, with excellent energy and a long Burgundy-spice finish.

2016 Scribe Estate Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir

We get plenty of leads on wineries to check out, but some places break through the clutter—the buzz about Scribe Winery’s cult Pinot Noirs from Sonoma Valley is unparalleled. Scribe has graced glossy magazine spreads in Travel + Leisure (“game-changing”), Food & Wine, GQ (“The Coolest Hundred Acres in Wine Country”) and made countless appearances on wine lists at the Bay Area’s best restaurants from Chez Panisse to The Restaurant at Meadowood. This 2016 Scribe is a gorgeous and ethereal wine, infused with a juicy mix of cherry, plum, cranberry, and spice.

2013 Nicholson Jones Selection Chardonnay Dolly Hill​

Julien Fayard’s Nicholson Jones Dolly Hill Chardonnay from Parker’s “vintage of a lifetime” has the luscious texture of Napa Carneros Chardonnay, balanced by the freshness of a terrific Fumé Blanc. “The French say ‘aerien,’” Fayard told Wine Access, which translates to “elevated and pure.” That’s this wine in a nutshell. There are only two places to acquire it: from the winery mailing list, or here on Wine Access.

2010 Tenuta di Burchino “Il Burchino” Toscana IGT​

We met Piergiorgio Castellani in NYC earlier this year, and as a result offered his Chianti Classico Riserva, which sold out in a matter of hours. Piergiorgio was overjoyed, and has graciously offered us this 2010 Tenuta di Burchino “Il Burchino”—a perfectly-aged estate-grown Super Tuscan that combines 50% Sangiovese, fleshed out with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Wine Enthusiast has contended that, under Piergiorgio’s guidance, Castellani is “jockeying for a position as one of the top producers of Italy.” With nearly 2,500 acres of vines under their care, wines bearing the Castellani name show off the diverse producing areas of Tuscany.