Is this week’s list a little pricier than our usual budget friendly picks?
Yes.
Are these wines unrealistically good and completely worth the extra bones?
Double yes.
In fact, these wines are so good, it’s almost upsetting to think anyone other than us is depleting the supply. But because we love you, we’ll let it slide.
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In just a few, sweet, sweet moments we’ll get to our recommendations, but a quick preview of what’s coming up:
Next week, Isaac and Zach will be in the same state (physically, not just emotionally or inebriationally) for Isaac’s wedding 🥳 which means lots of wines will be tasted.
It also means a special issue on how to pick wine for a wedding (AKA budget friendly wines that don’t suck for large groups of people) is coming soon to a Tannic Panic post near you.
Got requests for future posts? Drop em in the comments.
Beautiful deep purple color, pronounced aromatics of ripe dark berries and fruit, floral and spice notes. This wine is unbelievable for the price, it’s elegantly structured, beautifully balanced with super concentrated flavors and a finish so long you’ll forget there’s a glass in your hand (could just be the wine).
Outstanding!!
95+ points.
About the wine: This Spanish beauty produced by La Conreria (winemaker Jordi Vidal) comes from the region of Priorat DOQ in north-eastern Spain, which is famed for its concentrated blends using primarily Garnacha (Grenache) and Cariñena (Carignan). Unlike French Grenache, Spanish Garnacha (particularly those from the low yielding old vines of Priorat) is highly concentrated and more deeply colored. Priorat wines can be difficult to find at a bargain as the low yields and extremely steep slopes that the vineyards are typically planted on make the cost of production quite high. When you find a good deal on a bottle this good, jump on it.
Profile: Cola, black cherry, blackberry, black pepper (on the palate), pomegranate, chocolate, licorice, mint, copper penny, graphite, leather
Palate: Dry, high tannin, med+ acid, full body, long finish
This beautiful wine is an all time favorite of mine at the $40 price point. I previously reviewed the 2019 vintage, and in my EXTREMELY humble opinion, the 2020 is even better. It’s silky smooth and extremely well balanced with a long finish. The aromatics and flavors just continue to develop as the wine opens up. Tons of layers to this wine, you’ll enjoy every goddamn sip.
94+ points.
About the wine: This Super Tuscan blend from Bacci Wines showcases the standard of quality they achieve at a bargain. Re di Renieri comes from the Renieri estate in Montalcino, where the vineyards are at an altitude of 400 meters above sea level, with plantings of Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot, Cab Sauv, and Petit Verdot.
“A bottle of wine is like one meter. One meter is 1000 millimeters, and every millimeter is a special detail. And we try to get close to perfection for any details that are important to us.” - Marco Bacci
Profile: Blackcurrant, blackberry, blueberry, violets, cedar, mint, red beets, forest floor, wet rock, chocolate, tobacco
Palate: Dry, high tannin, high acidity, full body, long finish
Blend: 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 30% new French oak
Complex and structured Saint Julien from the legendary 2016 Bordeaux vintage. The wine has a wonderful balance of adequately ripe, rich black fruits without being overripe or jammy (note that this is “only” 13.6% ABV), combined with earthy notes, oak spice, herbaceous character and minerality (THE GOOD KIND!) along with a velvety “mouth feel.”
95 Points.
About the wine: Château Lalande-Borie is a wine estate located in the Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux, France and covers 25 hectares of vineyards planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc.
Château Lalande-Borie was founded in 1970 by Jean Eugène Borie, who purchased a 25-hectare plot in the Saint-Julien appellation and named the estate after the Lalande terroir. The estate is currently owned and managed by Jean Eugène Borie's son Bruno Borie, who is also known for “owning” the “highly renowned” Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, among other properties in Saint-Julien and Haut-Médoc.
[NOTE: Link is to store where the bottle for review was purchased, but bottles can be found at a variety of stores across the country, in many cases cheaper than the one at Bottle Republic, so check to see where it’s available near you!]
Palate: Dry, high tannin, high acidity, medium+ body, long finish
This is an “elegant” yet structured Barolo driven by dried red fruits, floral notes, spice and minerality showing the more “feminine” style of Barolo.
94 points.
About the wine: Fontanafredda is a benchmark producer of Barolo and Barbera wines, with a long and noble history dating back to 1858 when the estate was founded by King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy. The Fontanafredda estate in Serralunga d'Alba is the single largest contiguous wine estate in the Barolo region, covering 250 acres with 247 acres of vineyards (To put it in perspective, that’s more than 246 acres of vineyards!)
Under the leadership of owner Oscar Farinetti, Fontanafredda has become the largest certified organic winery in Piedmont. And to further tout the “wholesomeness factor” of this wine, it’s “VEGAN FRIENDLY!”
Profile: Black cherry, blackberry, prune, cedar, balsamic, crushed sea shells, leather, licorice, chocolate, orange peel, cinnamon, bay leaf, tobacco
Palate: Dry, high tannin, high acidity, full body, long finish
This is a concentrated and structured Brunello from the wonderful 2016 vintage in Tuscany. This wine has a nearly impeccable balance of black fruits, oak spice, minerality and tertiary aromatics from bottle age and it keeps improving with time open (best on day 2). Highly recommended.
96 points!
About the wine: Collosorbo is a well-regarded, family-owned producer of classic, high-end Brunello di Montalcino wines from the renowned Montalcino region of Tuscany. The Collosorbo Brunello wines are made from the region's most expressive terroirs (LIKE ME!), with manual harvesting of the Sangiovese Grosso grapes (the Sangiovese clone used in Brunello) with long macerations on the skins, contributing to the ample extraction of tannin, color and flavor found in this brilliant little wine. The wine was aged in a combination of Slavonian and French oak barrels for at least 3 years, followed by at least 8 months of additional bottle aging before release.
Notably, Wine Enthusiast also awarded this wine 96 points, considering it "the pinnacle of quality.”
[NOTE: We found this for $50, it sells for more at many locations, but at least one seller on Wine Searcher has it at the $50 mark. See if you can get a better deal near you!]
Winos dearest, thank you for joining us on our journey thus far. We love doing what we do, and the cherry on top is we get to share it with you. 🤭
We hope you’ll treat yourself to every single one of the bottles we’ve recommended today and guzzle accordingly.
Huge congratulations on reaching 50 issues and for the wedding - looking forward to your post on wedding wines (and hopefully a list of what you drank on the day!) some great picks here - the 16 lalande borie is superb value and a big hit with our clients (and my colleagues!)
Huge congratulations on reaching 50 issues and for the wedding - looking forward to your post on wedding wines (and hopefully a list of what you drank on the day!) some great picks here - the 16 lalande borie is superb value and a big hit with our clients (and my colleagues!)