Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right. F. Scott may as well have been writing about the historic French house of Ayala, because this is a non-vintage sparkler to stock by the case. You know, just in case you need a Champagne tower. On a Tuesday. Scoring #77 out of Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2011, this is a super-solid sparkler suitable for any and every occasion. It's light and fresh, driven by Chardonnay with hints of green fruit and almonds. Uncage that cork on your first NYE together or just your first morning as a married couple, we won't tell. Champagne secrets and all.
If you want to rose all day like a true grand dame of California wine country, then this dry, Pinot Noir-driven rose is your picnic basket bestie. Named for the matriarch of the Wagner family, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner, the latest label in the storied Napa Valley wine empire (makers of Caymus and Conundrum, among many others) is quickly becoming known for its Pinot Noir. Oeil De Perdrix means "eye of the partridge" in French, and is also the term they use in France for pale-copper-colored rose wines like this one from the Wagner family's newer vineyards. This refreshing, summery wine isn't produced every vintage, and was only made in very limited quantities, so stock up now before the sun sets on it forever like the last day of summer vacay.
Global impact is important to you, including knowing who made your spirits and how they were made. Belvedere, literally "beautiful to see" in Polish, is made from only locally sourced raw ingredients — Dankowskie Rye from the Mazovian plains and proprietary well water — through rigorous regulation and a character commitment to both the environment and humanitarian causes. There's a reason that deep-thinking celebrities like Bono and John Legend have flocked to partner with this premium vodka. Stock this socially responsible spirit in your bar for each and every occasion to drink while doing good, whether you're mixing up batches of something classic but ready to party, like a pitcher of Cape Codders, Bloody Mary's, Sea Breezes, or Sex on the Beach on a sunny summer day, or just a simple vodka martini at the end of a long day of hard work and volunteering.
Whether the reason is simply Hump Day or it's becoming crystal clear you need a beach getaway more than most, mix up a pitcher of frozen margaritas and set sail for that staycation. This triple-distilled, handcrafted 100% blue agave tequila has a clean and crisp finish, vibrant and smooth and perfect for sipping with a simple squeeze of lime or blended into cocktails. Named Nectar after the mystical connection to ancient rituals that used a fermented drink made from agave, this is the Silver tequila you want stocked in your home bar for everyday otherworldly experiences.
When you're feeling like royalty but your bank account is feeling more like a pauper, drink this big-bang-for-your-bucks Italian red made at a real life castle. Critics say it's one of few wines in the world that offer this level of quality for the money. Bianchi is one of the first Italian producers to take white grapes out of his Chianti, making this vintage a celebration of all that red fruit in what critic Antonio Galloni called "a regal expression of sangiovese." Stock up by the case when times are flush to enjoy when they're not so much — for richer or for poorer, right?
Every wine lover needs bottles in their collection that are versatile and a pleasure to drink while you wait for your prime bottles to age to perfection. Chappellet's affordable red blend from the Pritchard Hill region of Napa Valley, legendary for Cab-based blends, is that bottle. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it's a smooth, supple, textured red with a complex array of aromas and flavors that go perfectly with everything from Asian takeout to burgers and fries, classic roasted dishes and pasta to BBQ and stews.
The icon that is Cristal is a bottle truly fit for a king...or a Tsar to be exact. The origins of this famous sparkling wonder started in 1876 when Tsar Alexander II asked Champagne Louis Roederer to essentially "up their game" and make something fitting of his stature. They proceeded to create a wine so luxurious and of such high quality that its reputation still precedes itself nearly a century and a half later. The 2009 vintage is no different with nearly unanimous 95+ point critical applause. Its great depth and richness, along with a beautiful balance of ripe fruit and crisp texture, are something to truly behold and treasure.
Ratings:
97 Points, CELLAR SELECTION Wine Enthusiast
97 Points Jeb Dunnuck
96+ Points Vinous
97 Points James Suckling
Dom Pérignon Rosé is a tribute to Pinot Noir. To work with Pinot Noir continually requires excellence and humility. In that regard, Dom Pérignon Rosé is a paradox to the point of contradiction as it is the perfect balance of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Although it took over ten years to reach the light of day, the color of Dom Pérignon Rosé dares to express all the tension between youth and maturity, between exhibition and restraint. Dom Pérignon Rosé keeps the Pinot Noir promise by making it sing out loud, on a clear, vibrant and fragile note.
It's important to stop and celebrate life's milestones, big and small. Named one of the Richest Pours of 2016 by Forbes, this is an extra-aged tequila created to mark the 60th anniversary of Don Julio's first distillery in Jalisco, La Primavera. Produced in small batches, Don Julio 1942 is one of the most highly sought-after and exquisite Mexican tequilas. The process begins by hand-selecting Agave plants that take seven to ten years to mature. The Agave is then slowly roasted for 70 hours in traditional masonry ovens and double distilled in a special alambique. This limited edition Tequila is crafted from the finest Agave and aged until it reaches the most extraordinary levels of flavor and character - a tribute to Don Julio Gonzalez's epic journey and a fitting way to commemorate yours, at each step of the way.
Whenever you're suffering from a case of early onset nostalgia, Don Julio has your back. Spanish for "aged," anejo is the golden elixir that gives top shelf margaritas their depth of flavor. Matured in smaller batches for 18 months in American white-oak barrels, Don Julio Añejo is a rich, distinctive and wonderfully complex tequila, with flavors balanced perfectly between agave, wood, and hints of vanilla. Pour a few fingers and relive the glory days with dear friends, or go for something completely different with a twist on the throwback Manhattan by substituting anejo tequila for whiskey.
Hey girl. Sorry you had a bad day - let me make you a luxury skinny margarita and you can tell me all about it. If you're lucky enough to be married to a smooth Baby Goose all your own, you've got it made - and if he's still learning the ropes, help him on his way to making simple, everyday things mean more starting with this top-shelf bottle of silver tequila in your home bar. Using the finest raw agave and a time honored distillation process, Don Julio Blanco has crisp, clean grapefruit and citrus flavors with subtle hints of pepper and grass - perfect over ice with just a little simple syrup and lime juice, maybe a rim of spicy salt. Tequila cocktails first, offering to help you make all your Pinterest project come true is next.
It's the first perfect spring day, and you're on cloud wine. Don't let soggy bottles rain on your parade. A wall of air will keep your whites just right for up to 3 hours, no melting ice required.
Forget everything you heard in Sideways. At Duckhorn, merlot is — and always has been — king. Back in 1976, Dan Duckhorn was a true visionary when he became the first Napa winemaker to see the potential for Merlot as not just something to blend with Cabernet but as a worthy grape on its own. Now, 40 years later, Duckhorn is still synonymous with luxury, estate-grown Merlot, an iconic label that's a must-have in any proud wine collector's cellar — quickly snapped up each year by an army of superfans. The Three Palms is probably the most famous of all the Merlot that Duckhorn makes, named for the single-vineyard estate of the late Lily Hitchock Coit (of San Francisco's Coit Tower fame) on which the grapes are grown. Open this layered, complex, plump red on your 10-year anniversary while reminiscing stories dating back to when you first met. As a wine connoisseur once wrote, "It's friendly stuff now and will grow with time...a few years of waiting can be counted upon to make a very good thing even better." Just like your marriage! (Magnum, 1.5)
And now, your adventure begins. Long before the Roman empire, the proud and free Picts ruled the part of Scotland where Glenmorangie Distillery now sits, cultivating the sweeping beauty and natural bounty of the environment and celebrating it through art. The Signet pays special homage to that sacred Highland heritage by recreating the treasured Pictish Cadboll Stone — one of the most significant pieces of early European sculpture — for its label. As hushed and journeyman as an ancient ceremony, Glenmorangie whisky has no manual or recipe: it's passed from generation to generation by the Men of Tain, who craft the spirits by hand, eye, knack, and feel, slogging up Morangie hill to gather a secret mix of heather and juniper designed to remove the sharpness of the copper stills. A blend of Glenmorangie's oldest whisky — distilled over thirty years ago when malting still occurred on site — and spirit matured in a selection of the world's finest casks, this undoubtedly is the richest whisky in their Prestige Range.
Having a million dollars isn't cool. You know what's cool? A billion dollars. High rollers everywhere know this is the real deal, true blue Scotch for times that call for celebrating: startup wins, exits, IPOs, red carpets, and just generally being an everyday baller. A self-made man himself, Johnnie Walker took his $417 inheritance when his father died in 1820 and turned it into the High Street store that became the pinnacle of whisky blending innovation. Blue Label is the top shelf blend personally created by master distiller James Beveridge to celebrate the 19th century style of whiskies produced by Johnnie and his son Alexander Walker that originally made the House of Walker famous around the world. Smooth, gold medal winning, subtly sweet and an absolute game-changer in your whisky drinking experience. Plus, you know, for luck: something new, something old, something borrowed, something BLUE.
Just like Ron Swanson, you know Lagavulin by it's official name: "Mother's Milk." One of the most awarded and critically acclaimed Single Malts of all time, Lagavulin has been known for its slow distillation and pear-shaped pot stills since 1816. Sitting on the coast of Kidalton, "in the hollow by the mill" as it translates in Gaelic, Lagavulin is known for being less peaty than neighbors like Laphroaig — partly because it's aged in bourbon barrels, so it has more of that vanilla, honey, and fruit. Offered by Diageo and part of its Classic Malts lineup, the 16-year is Lagavulin's entry level bottle and a collector's favorite. Do like they do on the floor of the malting room every September and open this bottle while listening to some live music, gently dancing the night away and singing right along.
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