In August, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is proud to offer four exceptional wines, beginning with the 2015 Graffito Mendoza Malbec (92 Points – James Suckling). Jimena Lopez has fashioned a rich, flavorful wine in her 2015 Graffito Mendoza Malbec. Perhaps, even more impressive is how she has imbued her Malbec with as much charm and grace as she has flavor and structure. Made from 100 year old vines emanating from Mendoza’s famed Uco Valley, the 2015 Graffito Malbec displays an enviable cachet the likes of well-made Bordeaux: a deep inviting color, aromas of ripe fresh blackberries infused with hints of rose petal, incense and spice, along with juicy berry flavors imbued with dark chocolate and espresso tones. Medium-bodied but full of flavor, there is everything to like about Jimena Lopez’s 2015 Graffito Malbec.

Our next Premier Series feature is the 2017 Areyna Valle de Cafayate Torrontes, a wine that marks a new chapter for the award winning Casarena winery and sheds a whole new light on the Torrontes varietal. Sporting a snappy golden color with fresh green highlights as well as a wickedly aromatic bouquet, it is obvious that Casarena’s young and innovative winemaker Mariano Quiroga Adamo has mastered the Torrontes varietal. Fresh intoxicating scents of spring flowers, lychee fruit, and citrus waft from the glass to set the stage for the wine’s marvelous, almost explosive flavors, which emerge on the palate. Energetic and invigorating in the mouth, Aryena’s 2017 Valle de Cafayate Torrontes not only transfers its highly charged aromatics onto the palate to great appeal, it balances the wine’s floral and fruit tones with refreshing acidity and delightful tension.

Next in this month’s exciting quartet is a wine made from an heirloom grape varietal known as Mission or Pais. J. Bouchon’s 2017 Pais Viejo (92 Points – Descorchado) emanates from 100 year old dry farmed vines from Chile’s Maule Valley. These head-trained Pais vines were 100% naturally-vinified using century-old winemaking techniques, including the use of the zaranda (a structure made of sticks to destem the grape clusters). All of the grapes were hand harvested and fermented with native yeasts in concrete tanks to preserve the wine’s fruit and an authentic expression of terroir. One whiff of this light fresh wine is all one needs to know that this is no ordinary, cookie cutter varietal from the shelf of a big box store. Aromas of ripe fresh strawberry, raspberry, and wild cherry mingled with the first scent of spring flowers quickly greet the nose and alert the palate that something good and very different is about to happen. In the mouth, juicy berry flavors fill the mouth and glide gleefully down the throat on a bed of soft tannins with just the right amount of refreshing acidity. Bouchon’s Pais Viejo is a wine to enjoy with abandon or simply linger over as it slowly reveals charming hints of exotica.

Completing this month’s Premier Series portfolio is the 2016 Green Eyes Grüner Veltliner, a white wine from Austria that is “Light, lovely, and ohhh so drinkable.” Light in color, crisp and refreshing, Hermann Moser’s 2016 Green Eyes Grüner Veltliner leads with an appealing bouquet of freshly picked pears mingled with a hint of spice for which Grüner Veltliner is renowned. Appetizing and lively in the mouth, Moser’s Green Eyes goes down easily but not before treating the taste buds to an appetizing burst of citrus and clean mineral flavors that leave the mouth begging for more. Dry and engaging, Herman Moser’s dry Green Eyes Grüner Veltliner is just plain fun to drink from start to finish. Prost!

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is proud to offer in August three exceptional wines from three continents. Beginning this month’s Collectors Series is the 2012 Penny’s Hill Footprint McLaren Vale Shiraz (93 Points – Stephen Tanzer), which proudly comes across as the estate’s ultimate luxury offering. Rich, powerful and highly aromatic, the still youthful 2012 Footprint offers a heady bouquet that fills a room with its breath. Pure blackberry fruit along with a complex mélange of cocoa, spice, vanilla and a touch of eucalyptus thoroughly captivate the nose. In the mouth, this “Footprint” leaves an even greater impression. Rich, bold and beautiful, the 2012 Penny’s Hill Footprint graces the palate with juicy fruit, dark chocolate and spice tones, textured tannins, and impressive structure. Yet, with all of this wine’s flavor and power (14.9% alcohol), it retains great length and a polished patina.

Our next August Collectors Series offering is the 2016 Amayna Leyda Valley Sauvignon Blanc, a wine that convinced us of just how far Leyda Valley has come in producing world-class wine. Although it sparkles and cuts a fine figure in the glass with flashes of sunshine and a gentle green glint, it is this wine’s intense aromatic profile and bright snappy flavors that sealed the deal for us. Mango, pineapple and passionfruit scents and flavors mingle with touches of citrus, ginger, and well-integrated minerals, all of which add complexity and a delicious mouthwatering snap to this wine, making it hard to beat, with or without food.

Completing this month’s Collectors Series is an exceptional Provençal classic in the 2015 Château Margüi Côteaux Varois Rouge. Elegance and purity wed to power characterize this certified organic offering. From the moment the wine is poured, it tantalizes the senses. The wine’s brilliant ruby/purple robe captivates the eye, while an enchanting bouquet of floral scents, dark cherries, exotic spices, and well-integrated oak tones entertain the nose. Moreover, the wine’s pleasing aromas have happily seeped into the marrow of the wine, filling the mouth with an explosion of black cherry fruit, spice and racy tannins. The wine’s polished tannins lend structure to the wine, promising a long illustrious life and even greater rewards to come. Enjoy!

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is pleased to offer four exceptional wines in July from three continents. Leading this month’s features is the 2017 Barista Pinotage, a premium South African specialty. Named after the coffee machine and the attendant who brews and dispenses espresso and lattes, Val de Vie’s 2017 Barista Pinotage is uniquely delicious with its bold smoky aromas and flavors that waft from the glass the moment it is poured. Roasted coffee, dark chocolate and deep dark fruit flavors explode in the mouth. Hints of mulberry and pomegranate join a smorgasbord of savory sizzling bacon scents and slow roasted barbeque flavors to delight the palate. Long, dry and profound on the finish, the 2017 Barista Pinotage flows gracefully down the throat on a stream of fine grained tannins. Taste and see why Pinotage is now all the rage.

Our next Premier Series feature is the strikingly beautiful 2017 Domaine des Blaïs Côtes de Provence Rosé, a wine that truly captures the beauty, scent, and warmth of the sun-drenched Provençal countryside and elicits memories of the region’s rarified air and illuminated landscapes, all of which shimmer beside the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. That it is bottled in a strikingly elegant flute bottle known as a “flute à corset,” a distinctive sensual Provençal bottle that recalls the region’s fecundity, colorful outdoor cafés, and fun in the sun, only adds to the wine’s attraction. Delicate in color, much like old-fashioned pink roses, the 2017 Domaine des Blaïs Rosé enchants the eye as well as the nose and palate. Delicate scents of cherry blossom, rose petal, and apricot delight the nose before seeping surreptitiously into the wine’s sensual core. Domaine des Blaïs is a dry, scented, savory rosé whose delicacy and evanescence render it unabashedly attractive. Not unlike the Provençal countryside, there is a fleeting, yet timeless quality about this rosé.

Next in this month’s exciting quartet is the 2016 La Posta Pizzella Family Mendoza Malbec, which captivates with rich berry aromas, refined complex flavors, and silky smooth tannins – attributes rarely seen in the vast majority of lesser Malbecs. If one is accustomed to brawny simplistic Malbec, La Posta’s Pizzella Malbec will come as a revelation. This Pizzella Family Malbec delights the palate with cherry, dark berry, and plum flavors infused with savory notes of chocolate, sandalwood, tea, and violets. Medium to full-bodied, this textured Malbec delivers its largesse with precision and polish before finishing with charm and verve.

Rounding out July’s Premier Series portfolio is the 2016 Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau Vouvray Sec, a dry Chenin Blanc from France’s lovely Loire Valley. It first captures the eye with its sun-kissed color and follows with a heady bouquet that offers seductive scents of acacia flower, pineapple, and quince. Although from the aroma one may think that this Vouvray is sweet, Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau’s 2016 Vouvray Sec (sec means dry) actually retains little residual sugar. It does, however, offer wonderfully ripe tropical fruit flavors on a bed of minerals and balanced acidity, which play nicely off of the wine’s floral tones and physiological ripeness. In the mouth, delicate hints of papaya, pineapple and quince take up residence with a touch of dried honey and a nice dash of crisp acidity that allows the wine to finish refreshingly dry.

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is proud to offer three exceptional wines again in July, beginning with the 2014 Wildberry Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine scored 95 points from James Halliday and 92 points from Wine Advocate and will convince any wine lover of Margaret River’s supremacy as Australia’s top viticultural region. Not surprisingly, scientists and viticulturists have identified Margaret River as the finest place on earth to grow grapes. Wildberry’s Reserve Cabernet adds further testament to that finding. The 2014 Wildberry Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is elegant, ripe, lush and beautifully arrayed in a purple robe. Enticing blackberry and cassis aromas infused with cedar and oak waft from the glass. In the mouth, bold fruit and herb flavors flow across the tongue to caress the palate. Medium to full-bodied with smooth, polished tannins, the 2014 Wildberry Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon provides superb concentration and length without hard, mouth-searing tannins.

Our next July Collectors Series offering is the 2013 Robertson Constitution Road Chardonnay, Robertson’s flagship white wine. From the moment this sun-kissed wine flowed into our glasses, it captivated the entire tasting panel. This world class Chardonnay offers an enchanting set of aromatics, full round flavors, impeccable balance, and a long satisfying finish. According to Jacques Roux, specialty winemaker at Robertson Winery, the 2013 Robertson Constitution Road Chardonnay is “deliciously rounded and deeply satisfying… it has so many dimensions and layers from apricot, peach and pineapple to some nuttiness, a hint of vanilla from the wood and a whiff of coffee.” All true! Simply put, this Chardonnay has it all.

Completing this month’s Collectors Series is the exceptional, deeply colored 2015 Casarena Owen’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Garnering 94 points from Luis Gutierrez and Wine Advocate, the 2015 Owen’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon hails from old vines, which imbue it with New World vivacity and Old World charm. A striking aroma redolent with the savory scents of currants, dark cherries, cedar and coffee makes for a striking first impression. In the mouth, this young Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t disappoint, either, offering up a complex blend of berry fruit, tobacco leaf and subtle spices, all of which are carried on a stream of balanced, well-integrated tannins. Casarena’s 2015 Owen’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon finishes with considerable authority and length, further confirming favorable first impressions. Enjoy!

In June, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is pleased to offer four more exciting wines, beginning with the 2016 Diaz Bayo Ribera del Duero Roble from Spain’s iconic Tempranillo D.O. Produced from 100% Tempranillo vines from a single 30 year old parcel of vines, which lies high above the mighty Duero River, Diaz Bayo’s 2016 Roble offers seductive aromas of cherry and mulberry mingled with hints of spice and a gentle infusion of mineral for added complexity. Expansive on the palate, the 2016 Diaz Bayo Roble unfolds to reveal rich fruit flavors, subtle spice tones and light tannins that accentuate the wine’s lovely fruit and seductive texture. Although traditional in style and capable of ageing for several more years, the youthful 2016 Diaz Bayo Roble drinks beautifully from the moment it splashes into the glass.

Our next Premier Series feature is the lively fresh 2017 Rustenberg Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc. Rustenberg’s 2017 Chenin Blanc marks this estate’s maiden vintage with Chenin Blanc. Sourced from 4 individual bush vine blocks, 20-35 years of age, the 2017 Rustenberg Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc is Rustenberg’s take on South Africa’s premier grape variety, and it is a very good take indeed. Blessed with a bright sunlit color and a lively bouquet of pineapple, pear and citrus oil, this wine intrigued us from the moment we poured it. Crisp fresh fruit and mineral flavors pervade the wine’s flavor profile and allow the wine to slip surreptitiously down the eager gullet, prompting a number of our tasting panel members to beg for more. There’s nothing weighty or complex about Rustenberg’s youthful 2017 Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc, but this initial offering from Rustenberg possesses superb balance, wonderful flavor, and all the ingredients it needs to mature in bottle for at least another 5 years.

Next in this month’s exciting quartet is the sensual, seductive 2015 Tierra Y Mar La Riviere Russian River Pinot Noir, a wine that combines the best attributes of the New and Old Worlds. In deference to Burgundy, the 2015 Tierra Y Mar La Riviere offers up juicy scents of raspberry and strawberry that evoke memories of the savory Pinots of Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune. From California’s Russian River AVA, Tierra Y Mar La Riviere’s Pinot Noir inherits a clean, well-toned body and flavorful hints of cinnamon and Christmas spices. Exuding elegance, flavor, and a suavity usually found in much pricier Pinot Noirs, the 2015 Tierra Y Mar La Riviere Pinot Noir is not only a bargain, it’s delicious.

Rounding out this month’s Premier Series portfolio is the 2016 Maison Gilles Noblet Mâcon-Fuissé, the progeny of another excellent vintage in Burgundy. It is ripe, round, and in possession of the elegance and mineral driven precision that Noblet always seems to impart to his wines. From its bright sun-splashed robe, which recalls the rows of golden clusters of Chardonnay grapes that mature slowly under the Mâconnais sun, to light savory notes of acacia flowers, sliced apples, white peaches, and freshly baked bread that waft from the glass, the 2016 Maison Gilles Noblet Mâcon-Fuissé is a real crowd pleaser. Fresh, nuanced and eminently drinkable, Maison Gilles Noblet’s 2016 Mâcon-Fuissé delights but will continue to develop in bottle and offer exceptional drinking pleasure through 2019 and beyond.

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is proud to offer three exceptional wines again in June. Leading this month’s portfolio is the sophisticated 2013 Tikal Júbilo, an artful blend of Malbec (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) that integrates the best characteristics of each of the wine’s grape varieties into a delicious seamless red that puts many high-priced red Bordeaux and New World varietal bottlings of Cabernet and Malbec to shame. Moreover, it aptly represents Argentina’s finest oenological endeavor: the successful marriage of two of the world’s most revered red grape varieties, resulting in a wine greater and more sophisticated than the sum of its parts. The 2013 Júbilo offers an enchanting bouquet redolent with the savory scents of blackberry, red currant, and plum. On the palate, layers of blackberry, currant, cherry liqueur, black tea, and woodland flavors unfold slowly, bolstered by fresh, vibrant tannins that add structure and depth. Bold, rich flavors wedded to a firm medium body ensure pleasurable drinking now and for years to come.

Our next June Collectors Series offering is the 2014 Garofoli Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Podium (90 points Wine Spectator), which has been called “elegant, creamy, and a profound example of Verdicchio.” We found the 2014 Podium to be all that and more, but make no mistake, Verdicchio is a delicate grape whose charm is born of elegance, minerality and pinpoint precision. No butter, no oak, no tropical fruit flavors are to be found in the 2014 Podium. Instead, this sleek mouthwatering Podium offers clean fruit aromas, gentle minerality, and faint hints of exotic spices. In the mouth, Podium’s gentle citrus and pear fruit flavors mingle with touches of almond and ginger, all of which are held together with sleek acidity. Long and lovely on the finish, we would be hard pressed to find a better example of Verdicchio than Garofoli’s luxurious Podium.

Completing this month’s Collectors Series is the exceptional, highly allocated 2015 Mendel Malbec (93 points Tim Atkins, 93 points James Suckling), which testifies to winemaker Robert de la Mota’s deft hand with Malbec. Wearing a deep purple, nearly opaque, robe as good Malbec should and exhibiting an aroma redolent with dark cherry, currant, and plum, Mendel’s 2015 Malbec begins to sing from the glass the moment it is poured. Full-bodied and densely packed, this Malbec fills the mouth with concentrated kirsch and plum fruit flavors mingled with hints of dark chocolate, cedar and mint. Known as the “Godfather of Malbec,” Robert de la Mota has imbued the 2015 Mendel Malbec with plenty of energy, flavor and backbone to provide pleasurable drinking now through 2022 and beyond.

In May, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is proud to offer four superlative wines from four countries on three continents. The first in this superlative series is the 2014 Fore Family Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot from the Meister Vineyard. With Fore Family’s Merlot, put aside any preconceived notions about Merlot being a light, less than stalwart companion to Cabernet. In Fore Family’s 2014 Meister Vineyard Merlot, a deep, nearly impenetrable color underscores the wine’s hearty structure and extroverted personality. Ripe firm tannins underpin layers of rich cassis fruit, hints of tobacco leaf, and cacao in the nose and flavor profile of this wine, calling to mind the finest Merlot based wines of Bordeaux’s legendary St. Emilion appellation. This is a wine destined to age well for up to a decade or more.

Our next Premier Series feature is the 2016 Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano from the great Simone Santini, who always fashions pure, exemplary Vernaccia di San Gimignano from organic grapes. It appears that Santini’s 2016 Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano is not only truly exceptional, it is the finest Le Calcinaie he has produced to date – no mean feat considering the previous vintage, the delicious 2015 Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano, made Wine Spectator’s Top 100 List. Nevertheless, in 2016, Santini has again raised the bar on Vernaccia, Tuscany’s emblematic white grape variety. Rare among Tuscan white wines for its flavor, freshness, and longevity, Vernaccia di San Gimignano owes its 800 year reign as the region’s most lauded white wine to the predominance of the relatively rare Vernaccia clones that thrive in the environs of San Gimignano. The 2016 Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano, produced from 100% Vernaccia di San Gimignano from Simone Santini’s estate, cuts a fine figure in the glass; a glint of gold, a hint of the soft green of the magical Tuscan landscape, and a golden yellow glow reminiscent of the Tuscan sun give this wine real eye appeal. Better still, this wine is pure, aromatic, and seductive on the palate. The 2016 Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano offers up a refreshing draught of fruit, soft scents of almond blossom, subtle mineral tones, and twists of ripe citrus and raw almond that add length and vibrancy from the first sip until the last.

Next in this month’s exciting quartet is Ernesto Catena’s biodynamically produced 2014 Tikal Natural from organic grapes, a masterful blend of Malbec (60%) and Syrah (40%). Tikal’s 2014 Natural from a vineyard in Mendoza’s renowned Vista Flores region adds further evidence to Argentina’s ability to craft world-class red wines that do not require bank loans to enjoy. A more natural, plush, and thoroughly satisfying red wine will be hard to find as the 2014 Tikal Natural captures the essence of biodynamic farming. It offers a stunning pomegranate color, fresh cherry and wild raspberry aromas as well as a hedonistic array of fruit, spice, mocha and vanilla flavors to tantalize the palate. Bold-flavored, smooth and immensely satisfying, it may be difficult to drink other red wines after tasting the 2014 Tikal Natural.

Rounding out this month’s diverse offerings is the newly released 2016 Château Ducasse Graves Blanc, a traditional style white Bordeaux that underscores the success of white Graves in the superb 2016 Bordeaux vintage. This youthful white wine displays a brilliant crystalline color with a flash of green along with a delightful array of floral and fruit aromas to entice the nose. Dry, yet rich in flavor and texture, thanks to the preponderance of Semillon in the blend, the 2016 Château Ducasse Graves Blanc underscores the charm of Bordeaux’s most revered white wine. With Semillon the leading player and Sauvignon Blanc playing a strong supporting role, the 2016 Château Ducasse Graves Blanc captures the inherent beauty of white Graves: delicacy, minerality, and light, refreshing fruit flavors reminiscent of honeydew melon and pomelo. In true Graves fashion, the 2016 Château Ducasse Graves Blanc drinks well now but will continue to improve in bottle for several more years.

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is proud to offer three exceptional wines again in May, beginning with the 2015 Losada Altos de Losada Bierzo Mencia. Thanks to ideal weather in 2015 and Amancio Fernández’s deft hand, the 2015 Losada Altos de Losada Bierzo Mencia ranks as another great success from this superb property. The 2015 Altos de Losada offers a deep purple robe and an alluring set of aromatics. Savory notes of blueberry, black cherry, purple plum, and Asian spices caress the nose and grace the palate. Bold but balanced, Amancio Fernández’s 2015 Mencia offers lush flavors, profound depth, and true elegance from the first sip until the last. The wine’s pure, concentrated fruit flavors seem to sink into the very marrow of this wine, while intriguing spice tones and a subtle minerality are carried gracefully by the wine’s fine grained tannins. Although deceptively drinkable now, the 2015 Losada Altos de Losada is capable of improving in bottle for a decade or more. The recipient of many well-deserved 90+ ratings from James Suckling, Wine Advocate, and Wine Enthusiast among others, the 2015 Losada Altos de Losada deserves a special place at table as well as in the cellar.

Our next May Collectors Series offering, the 2015 Morgan Highlands Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay, is a focused, elegant wine that combines the finest attributes of New and Old World winemaking, or as one panel member quipped, “Morgan has put the best of Burgundy and California all in the same glass.” The 2015 Highlands Chardonnay includes 67% fruit from the Double L Vineyard and the balance from outstanding neighboring estates in the Santa Lucia Highlands, including McIntyre and Tondre. It offers a heady aroma of ripe apple fruit, buttered brioche and lemon curd to caress the nose. And in the mouth, the wine’s ripe pure fruit flavors are enhanced by buttery caramel flavors, a touch of ginger, and a racy minerality that provides balance and focus.

Completing this month’s Collectors Series is the rare 2012 Pasanau Finca La Planeta from the serious, warm-hearted Albert Pasanau. Pasanau has fashioned an exceptional and complex Priorat in his 2012 Finca La Planeta, a wine that has earned 94 Points from Wine Enthusiast. Exhibiting a deep, nearly impenetrable color from predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2012 Pasanau Finca La Planeta appears at first glance to be more like young classified Bordeaux than typical Priorat. Adding to the intrigue is the wine’s bouquet, which is more than slightly reminiscent of Château Lafite, with deep, brooding black fruit flavors and hints of graphite. In true Pasanau fashion and not unlike great Bordeaux, the 2012 Finca La Planeta is bold and beautiful, yet a bit reticent upon first emerging from the bottle. Afford it time to breathe and the wine’s deep berry, spicy plum, graphite, thyme, and crushed black pepper flavors will come front and center, unfolding slowly, almost imperceptibly, to fill the mouth with seductive notes. Full-bodied, intense, and endowed with an iron core, Finca La Planeta is a combination of Bordeaux hauteur and Spanish warmth, a wine that will drink well now through 2025.

In March, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is proud to offer members four special wines from iconic producers on three continents. The 2014 Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel begins this month’s venture. Pedroncelli’s Mother Clone Zinfandel exemplifies the winery’s gracious, balanced style of Zinfandel. A Wine Spectator Recommended Wine and the recipient of multiple gold medals in California wine competitions, including 93 Points and a Gold Medal at the 2017 North of the Gate Wine Competition, the 2014 Mother Clone Zinfandel is a traditional blend of 90% Zinfandel and 10% Petite Sirah. Tangy blackberry and dried cherry fruit, anise, bramble, and hints of black pepper and chocolate permeate the nose and flavor of this zesty Zinfandel. Although it weighs in at 14.9% alcohol, one would never guess that from the wine’s balance, well-integrated tannins, and long, refreshing finish. The 2014 Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel is a true California Classic!

Our next feature this month, the 2016 Can Feixes Blanc Selecció, hails from Spain and the iconic Huguet brothers. Exceptional weather conditions in 2016 combined with the meticulous care the Huguet brothers afford their organic grapes has yielded a splendid 2016 Can Feixes Blanc Selecció. A recipient of 90 points from Wine Enthusiast and a Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Best Buy Wines for 2017, the 2016 Can Feixes Blanc Selecció comes across as pure, racy, and suave. A beautiful bouquet of apple, citrus blossoms, and melon, imbued with a gentle mineral underpinning, greets the nose. In the mouth, this rare Parellada-based wine seduces with subtlety and charm. Medium-bodied and devoid of oak, the organically grown 2016 Can Feixes Blanc Selecció preserves its natural fruit and mineral flavors to exude balance, elegance, and a true sense of place. Moreover, there are no hard edges to this wine, only a pleasant, refreshing finish.

This month’s next feature is the 2015 Casas del Bosque Gran Reserva, the recipient of Best of Show at the Wines of Chile Awards 2017. Today world class Syrah flows from many wine regions around the world, but few can match Casas del Bosque’s 2015 Gran Reserva Syrah from Casablanca Valley for quality and value. Imbued with a vivid purple color, deep, juicy blackberry and cassis flavors, and delightful hints of smoke, spice and violet, the 2015 Casas del Bosque Gran Reserva Syrah positively sings from the glass. Powerful, sappy, yet wonderfully smooth with ripe, well-integrated tannins, this award-winning Syrah provides superb drinking pleasure now but should continue to improve in bottle for several years to come. Enjoy!

Rounding out this month’s Premier Series selections is the award winning 2016 Casas del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, the recipient of 90 points from both James Suckling and Descorchados. It is also a Wine Spectator Recommended Selection. Casas del Bosque’s 2016 Reserva Sauvignon Blanc continues Casas del Bosque’s “hot hand” with Sauvignon Blanc and adds further testimony to the superiority of Chile’s Casablanca Valley for growing cool climate grapes. The 2016 Casas del Bosque Casablanca Reserva Sauvignon Blanc offers the crispness of French Sancerre, the juicy citrus flavors of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and beautiful fig and melon flavors along with an aromatic intensity that only Chile seems to impart to Sauvignon Blanc: a delightful mélange of citrus, melon, and herb that intensifies as the wine rests in the glass. Bright in color, captivating in aroma, and delicious in flavor, the exuberant 2016 Casas del Bosque Casablanca Reserva Sauvignon Blanc is even more alluring than the winery’s award winning 2015 Reserva Sauvignon Blanc.

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is proud to deliver three truly exceptional wines from three of the planet’s most renowned winemakers. The 2015 Ben Glaetzer Bishop Barossa Shiraz provides ample evidence of Ben Glaetzer’s acumen as a winemaker and Australia’s Barossa as the spiritual home of old vine Shiraz. Ben Glaetzer’s Bishop Barossa Shiraz displays an inviting royal purple robe, bold textured flavors, and wonderful purity – a full-bodied, take-no-prisoners style of wine. Awarded multiple 90+ point ratings, including 95 points from James Halliday and the Wine Companion, the 2015 Glaetzer Bishop offers a sensual bouquet of blackberry, mulberry, violets and spice as its invocation. The wine’s visual appeal is followed by enticing flavors of cassis, mulberry, plum, dark chocolate and clove. In the mouth, the 2015 Bishop offers not only beautiful fruit flavors, complex spice tones and well-integrated touches of oak; it carries this cornucopia of flavors on a bed of smooth textured tannins and a 15% alcohol level that is nearly imperceptible. Given the wine’s 15% alcohol level, one would expect the 2015 Bishop to be portly, but Ben Glaetzer’s 2015 Bishop is light on the palate in every way but flavor. Surprisingly easy to drink, this youthful Barossa Shiraz, which bears Ben’s mother’s name of Bishop, never loses its grace or charm. Moreover, its fine-grained tannins add structure and are seamlessly integrated into the wine’s fruit. Enjoy this expertly crafted Shiraz now through 2030.

Next up is the exceptional and rare 2015 Domaine des Baumard Savennières. The 2015 vintage in the Loire Valley may prove to be the finest in decades. In 2015 Florent Baumard has transformed the sensual, though sometimes mercurial, Chenin Blanc varietal into a bevy of truly outstanding wines. In the case of Baumard’s 2015 Savennières, we are looking at a refreshingly dry Chenin Blanc that offers the ideal tension between voluptuous fruit and bright acidity. Awarded 94 points by Wine Spectator and top billing as a Wine Spectator Smart Buy, Domaine des Baumard’s 2015 Savennières should not be missed. It opens with an alluring aroma of quince, poached pear, and verbena with an underpinning of racy minerality. In the mouth the wine displays a firm structure, an overlay of creamy fruit, touches of quinine, and a long, bright mineral driven finish born of Savennières’ limestone-rich soil. In its absolute infancy, this wine is already beautiful, but in true Baumard fashion the 2015 Savennières is built for the long haul and will easily improve for a decade or more.

Completing this month’s Collectors Series is the 2015 Bergström Cumberland Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. A blend from some of the finest barrels from each of the estate’s five vineyards, Bergström’s 2015 Cumberland Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is the epitome of the Bergström style and the quintessential Oregon Pinot Noir. In 2015 Bergström’s Cumberland Reserve rises to the top, providing additional evidence of Oregon’s acumen for fashioning world-class wine from the world’s most complex grape. Brooding, deep and dark in color, the 2015 Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir offers up savory notes of black cherry, woodland berries, and pleasing scents of exotic spices. Although recently released and still in the throes of its youth, the 2015 Cumberland Reserve already displays a wonderfully smooth texture and mouth-feel along with a deep down collection of complex flavors. Ripe berries, exotic spices and wood smoke all make their appearance on the palate in this balanced, textured Pinot Noir that slowly unfolds in the glass for hours. Weighing in at a respectable 13.6% alcohol, the 2015 Bergström Cumberland Reserve is neither thin nor flabby, which highlights Oregon’s special style of American Pinot Noir. Already delicious and nicely polished, Bergström’s 2015 Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir may be one of the finest Cumberland Reserves ever produced. Enjoy!