In May, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is pleased to offer four exciting and unique wines from Portugal and South Africa, beginning with the thoroughly gratifying 2020 S. Sebastião Vinho Regional Lisboa Syrah/Touriga Nacional Reserva. This exciting blend of Syrah and Portugal’s special variety Touriga Nacional offers an inviting, deeply colored robe, an engaging set of aromatics, and plenty of smooth, satisfying red and black fruit flavors. Black cherry and woodland berry flavors infused with hints of exotic spices and a refreshing minerality delight the nose and palate. Smooth, polished tannins hold this tasty red blend in perfect stead from start to finish. In fact, the 2020 S. Sebastião Syrah/Touriga Nacional Reserva slips ever so gracefully down the throat to the point that you may find yourself consuming it with abandon. Enjoy!

Our next Premier Series feature is the beautiful 2022 Protea Chenin Blanc from the Anthonij Rupert Wyne estate on South Africa’s Western Cape. As any serious wine drinker knows, one can’t drink a label, nor should one purchase wine based on the attractiveness of a label. With that said, the label on Protea’s 2022 Chenin Blanc may be the world’s most attractive, as it captures the pure beauty of South Africa’s national flower as well as South Africa’s gorgeous wine lands. Moreover, the 2022 Protea Chenin Blanc is pure, beautiful Chenin Blanc, offering a fresh, in-your-face, fruit-driven nose, with a delightful mélange of apricot, nectarine, and quince, all of which made us want to dive right in. In the mouth, the wine’s aromatic fruit flavors re-emerge with added touches of grapefruit and lime. A hint of dried honey lends texture to the wine’s succulent fruit, while vibrant acidity makes the dry 2022 Protea Chenin Blanc dazzle straight through to the finish. So refreshing and fun to drink, we found it hard to put this wine down.

May’s next exceptional offering is the delicious 2020 Protea Cabernet Sauvignon. Like its paler sibling, Chenin Blanc, it also wears what is arguably the wine world’s most attractive label, but one can’t drink a label. Fortunately, what is inside the package is equally pleasing. Deep in color and resplendent in aroma and flavor, the 2020 Protea Cabernet Sauvignon offers instant gratification. Savory dark fruits in the form of black currant, cherry, and plum, which are deftly infused with hints of Christmas spices and wood smoke, greet the nose and grace the palate. Big in flavor but supple in texture, Protea’s 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon comes across as both succulent and beautifully framed as the wine’s tannins provide plenty of backbone without a tannic bite.

Completing May’s Premier Series offerings is the much heralded 2021 Rustenberg Stellenbosch Chardonnay (94 Points – International Wine & Spirits Competition, 92 Points – Decanter World Wine Awards, and more). This meticulously crafted Chardonnay combines the best of the Old World and New World to form a racy, complex, world-class Chardonnay. This balanced and nuanced Chardonnay sports a brilliant sun-struck color and offers enticing aromas of yellow apple, apricot, coconut, and orange peel, all imbued with a hint of spicy oak. In the mouth, Rustenberg’s 2021 Chardonnay is equally gratifying as it expands on the palate to satisfy the senses with a delicious mélange of fruit, spice, and minerals, which are carried on racy, refreshing acidity. Balanced, refined, and full of flavor, this classic Chardonnay makes many big name New World Chardonnays look awkward and flabby and an equal number of French white burgundies seem insipid and underendowed. The classic 2021 Rustenberg Stellenbosch Chardonnay deserves the many accolades it has received. Enjoy!

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is thrilled to offer in May three world-class wines from around the world, beginning with the exceptional 2019 Obsidian Ridge Estate Red Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (93 Points – Wine Enthusiast). Although drought can be a curse to farmers, it can also be a boon to the quality of a wine as drought has the propensity to limit the quantity but raise the quality. Such was the case in 2019 in Northern California as the concentrated and bold-flavored 2019 Obsidian Ridge Estate Red Hills Cabernet Sauvignon aptly attests. From this deep purple potion springs entrancing aromas of blackberry, black currant, mulberry, and a trove of spices – cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla. In the mouth, a deep draught of black fruits, dark chocolate, graphite, and exotic spices explodes in the mouth, thoroughly captivating the palate. Brimming with flavor as well as firm, ripe tannins, the 2019 Obsidian Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon reveals its class as well as its power, all of which make for delicious drinking now and for years to come. Enjoy!

Our next May Collectors Series offering hails from France’s Alsace, Emile Beyer’s 2020 Grand Cru Eichberg Riesling. Emile Beyer’s 2020 Grand Cru Eichberg Alsace is a dry, bold, mouthwatering wine with a captivating bouquet of orchard fruits, rich deep-down fruit flavors, and laser-like minerality, which completely captivate the nose and palate. In the mouth, bracing acidity gives way to a rich mid palate of pineapple and exotic fruit flavors before finishing with a flourish. The youthful 2020 Emile Beyer Grand Cru Eichberg Riesling is a joy to drink now, but it is no wilting flower. Additional time in the bottle will only increase its depth and breadth, but there is no need to wait: this is Riesling at its finest. Enjoy!

Rounding out this month’s Collectors Series is the highly regarded 2019 Herdade Aldeia de Cima Serra do Mendro Alentejo Reserva Tinto (92 Points – Wine Enthusiast) from Portugal’s Alentejo. Superbly crafted from four traditional Portuguese varietals, the 2019 Herdade Aldeia de Cima Serra do Mendro Alentejo Reserva Tinto cuts a fine figure with its brilliant deep ruby and purple color, heavenly aromatics, and pure silky flavors. Scents of ripe summer cherries and deep forest berries infused with vanilla oak waft from the glass. In the mouth, Herdade Aldeia de Cima’s 2019 Serra do Mendro Alentejo Reserva Tinto caresses the palate with pure fruit flavors imbued with deft touches of vanilla and aromatic spices, all of which are carried on silky smooth tannins, lending a creaminess to this medium-bodied wine as it makes its exit. Elegant, flavor-filled, and utterly distinguished, the youthful 2019 Herdade Aldeia de Cima Reserva Tinto exudes class and a real sense of purpose on the part of the winery. Santé!

In April, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is pleased to offer our members four outstanding wines from three continents, beginning with the 2020 Shofer Vayots Dzor Areni Dry Red Wine from 120-year old un-grafted vines. Sporting a radiant red and violet robe and offering an enticing aroma of freshly picked strawberries, cherries, and plums, the 2020 Shofer Vayots Dzor Areni Dry Red Wine had us at first sight and sip. Smooth and charming on the palate, the wine’s beautiful fruit flavors re-emerge in the mouth, interwoven with a fine, graceful texture from Vayots Dzor’s ancient volcanic soil… all beautifully rendered on a bed of soft, succulent tannins. Shofer’s 2020 Vayots Dzor Dry Red Wine from 100% Areni grapes is pure delight. It is neither big nor brawny, yet it packs plenty of flavor and charm into its medium body, not unlike a fine Cru Beaujolais from Saint Amour or Fleurie. Enjoy this unique, very satisfying red wine now and often over the next few years at cool room temperature (58°-62° F). For a special treat, consider pairing Shofer’s Vayots Areni Dry Red with Braised Harissa Chicken, a recipe designed to accompany Shofer’s Areni Dry Red Wine and Dry White Wine by Alex Gatter of the Ruffled Apron: https://www.ruffledapronblog.com//braised-harissa-chicken/. Enjoy!

Our next Premier Series feature is the vivacious and utterly satisfying 2021 Fournier Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire, another great success from this iconic Sancerre producer and arguably the best bargain in French Sauvignon Blanc on the market today. It easily rivals many expensive Sancerres from well-known estates. The 2021 Fournier Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire offers up a heady aroma of gooseberry, mineral, melon, and herb. It delights the palate with a combination of mouth-watering Sauvignon Blanc fruit, laser-like precision, and pinpoint minerality to assure a crisp, vivacious finish. The 2021 Fournier Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire imparts a freshness and purity rarely seen at this level and plenty of palate pleasing pleasure, too. Accessible and gratifying all at the same time, it’s hard to imagine a more classic Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc than Fournier’s 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire. Santé!  

April’s next exceptional offering is the delicious 2019 Nugan Estate Scruffy’s Shiraz Single Vineyard Riverina, a wine that is anything but scruffy and with nary an edge. Named for Nugan’s Shiraz vineyard manager, the 2019 Scruffy’s Shiraz offers dense black fruit flavors and a delightfully big mouthful of wine. This is a deep purple potion that offers spicy blackberry, cherry, and plum aromas infused with hints of violet flowers and chocolate. The wine’s beautiful olfactory carries through on the palate, where it offers a mélange of succulent blackberry and plum flavors, dried flowers, and subtle spice tones. Plush in the mouth but never flabby, this Shiraz exhibits just the right amount of ripe tannins to carry its prodigious fruit and spice flavors. The 2019 Scruffy’s Shiraz over-delivers in every respect, offering the class and style one normally associates with the more expensive Shiraz/Syrah offerings from Australia’s Barossa or France’s Rhône Valley. Cheers!

Completing April’s Premier Series offerings is another Armenian classic, the 2020 Shofer Vayots Dzor Voskehat Dry White Wine, which is sourced from a century-old high elevation vineyard of un-grafted vines. The 2020 Shofer Vayots Dzor Voskehat Dry White Wine emits a heavenly perfume resplendent with the enticing scents of spring flowers, pear, melon, and chamomile. Delicate and elegant on the palate, Shofer’s 2020 Voskehat elicits a soft, sensuous appeal as the wine’s ethereal fruit and floral flavors waft gently over the tongue and ingratiate themselves to the mouth and thirsty throat. A gentle twist of acidity freshens the palate as the wine gracefully exits with charm and precision. No smoke, no mirrors, no oak, just a rare and unique natural tasting white wine to make you wonder why more wines aren’t as pure and natural tasting as Shofer’s 2020 Vayots Dzor Voskehat Dry White Wine. For a special treat, consider pairing Shofer’s Voskehat with Braised Harissa Chicken, a recipe designed to accompany Shofer’s Areni Dry Red Wine and Voskehat Dry White Wine by Alex Gatter of the Ruffled Apron: https://www.ruffledapronblog.com//braised-harissa-chicken/. Enjoy!

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is thrilled to offer three special collectable wines in April, beginning with the rare and exceptional 2019 Taboadella Reserva Jaen Dão, a delightfully dense, full-bodied red wine that pays testimony to the quality and uniqueness of the Jaen grape as well the Amorim family’s Midas touch with this indigenous variety. Taboadella’s 2019 Reserva Jaen sports a deep purple color and offers an intoxicating perfume of savory dark fruits. Endowed with layers of black fruits, forest berries, and allspice, the 2019 Taboadella Reserva Jaen explodes in the mouth. The wine’s spicy, rich fruit and understated earth tones are carried on rich, heady tannins, assuring a long and mouthwatering finish as well a decade or more of drinking pleasure. This rare and unique offering is not to be missed. Enjoy!

Our next April Collectors Series offering is Herdade Aldeia de Cima’s 2020 Serra do Mendro Alentejo Reserva Branco. There is nothing ordinary about this wine nor its deliciously fruity tropical flavors, which immediately greet the nose. Think lime and pineapple with hints of mango and apricot. In the mouth, the 2020 Herdade Aldeia de Cima 2020 Serra do Mendro Alentejo Reserva Branco truly bursts with flavor. Gorgeous fruit carried with laser-like precision on a bed of fresh juicy acidity enlivens the palate and titillates the taste buds. Fresh, yet subtly complex from a touch of oak from a short stay in barrel, this Branco exhibits elegance, precision, plenty of flavor, and a long thirst quenching finish. The Herdade Aldeia de Cima 2020 Serra do Mendro Alentejo Reserva Branco is a match for the finest white wines made anywhere in Portugal, and it emanates from three of Portugal’s finest and most important white grape varieties. Enjoy!

Rounding out this month’s Collectors Series is the 2019 Château Sainte Eulalie Minervois La Livinière La Cantilène, a sophisticated mouth-filling Cru de Languedoc. From the moment it exits the bottle, the wine’s deep impenetrable color beckons the taster. Seductive aromatics grace the nose, while savory flavors of blackberry, cherry, ripe plums, and vanilla ingratiate themselves to the eager palate. However, the best is yet to come, as the 2019 Château Sainte Eulalie La Cantilène will unfold over time in the glass, almost surreptitiously, revealing hints of dark chocolate, forest berries, and wild herbs on a flow of rich tannins. Bold but not brazen, the Coustals’ 2019 La Cantilène is already seductive in its youth, yet it will continue to develop further in the bottle for those patient enough to lay a bottle or two down. Santé!

In February, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is excited to feature four exciting world-class wines from around the world, beginning with the 2020 David Finlayson CAB et al. This delicious red pays tribute to the preeminence of Cabernet Sauvignon in the finest Left Bank wines of Bordeaux’s fabled Médoc. A plush blend of Stellenbosch and Paarl grapes, the 2020 CAB et al. seamlessly combines Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, resulting in a riot of aromas and flavors. Juicy blackberry flavors meld with cassis, red currant, graphite, and a welcome hint of forest floor, much to the delight of the nose and palate. David Finlayson set out to create the ultimate South African Cabernet blend, and he has succeeded admirably. In this wine, he has also fashioned a superb Left Bank Bordeaux blend, often known as a Meritage. No smoke or mirrors here, just one very flavorful, easy-drinking Cabernet blend from low yields, superior vinicultural practices, and maturation in a combination of 95% French oak and 5% American oak in the hands of “The King of South African Cabernet.” Enjoy!

Our next feature this month is the racy, pure 2021 Emile Beyer 2021 Les Traditions Pinot Blanc, a wine that pays tribute to Alsace’s traditional white grape and the region’s unique terroir. As a consummate producer of Alsace Pinot Blanc, Christian Beyer utilizes two of the appellation’s traditional grape varieties (Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc) for his Les Traditions Pinot Blanc. Curious as this may sound, in Alsace a blend of both permitted varieties is often simply labeled as Pinot Blanc. The 2021 vintage embodies the classic characteristics of Pinot Blanc as Beyer’s 2021 Les Traditions Pinot Blanc opens with an enticing aroma, redolent with the scents of orchard fruits: apple, apricot, white peach, and pear grace the nose along with a refreshing underlying minerality. In the mouth, a succulent mélange of orchard fruits flows on a vein of juicy acidity to enliven the palate. Not surprisingly, Christian Beyer’s organically certified 2021 Les Traditions Pinot Blanc stands head and shoulders above the competition as Beyer treats his Les Traditions with the same careful attention that he affords his Grand Cru offerings. Enjoy!

This month’s next red feature is the rare and highly allocated 2020 Artesana Devoción. A blend of Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, it is Artesana’s premier offering and an International Wine of the Month Club exclusive. Analía Lazaneo and Valentina Gatti, Artesana’s two highly skilled winemakers, have fashioned a truly exceptional wine in the 2020 Devoción. Deep purple and nearly impenetrable in color, one could easily expect a robust offering, but there is so much more to this wine than power. The 2020 Devoción is imbued with a deep, complex aroma and dark berry flavors. Blueberry, black cherry, and pomegranate greet the nose. The wine’s pronounced black fruits re-emerge in the mouth displaying hints of cedar, thyme, mint, and bergamot. While the palate is intense, the 2020 Devoción is also impeccably balanced and refreshing, with great volume and a long lingering aftertaste. Enjoy!

Rounding out this month’s Premier Series is another rare, highly allocated wine in the 2021 Domaine Dyckerhoff Reuilly Petit Gris. This very traditional Vin Gris emanates from a tiny 1.25-acre parcel. Although it is a white grape, Pinot Gris is the rare white grape variety with a slight gray or pink hue to its skin; hence, the moniker Vin Gris. And, in Reuilly, Pinot Gris must by law exhibit a slight hint of rose as does Domaine Dyckerhoff’s eye-catching 2021 Reuilly Petit Gris. Imbued with the palest salmon or rose hue, Christian Dyckerhoff’s 2021 Petit Gris not only delights the eye, it also ingratiates the nose and palate with its high-toned aromatics. Soft scents of wild strawberries, white peaches, and apple blossoms greet the nose and become suffused in the flavor profile of this wine. Textured, yet bright and energetic, the wine’s enchanting fruit components complement Reuilly’s natural acidity and mineral-rich terroir. Enjoy!

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is again proud to offer three exceptional wines from three world-renowned estates and appellations, beginning with the stylish, superbly crafted, and highly rated 2019 Château La Révérence Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (94 Points: James Suckling & 93 Points: Wine Enthusiast). This exceptional offering hails from a tiny 7-acre vineyard just north of the village of Saint-Émilion. It is a young, full-bodied Saint Émilion Grand Cru from 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot that already shows its class and promises even more over the long haul. It offers layers of dark berries and black fruits, hints of fennel, and plenty of firm ripe tannins, which will serve it well for a decade or more. Elegant and complex, too, the 2019 Château La Révérence Saint-Émilion Grand Cru graces the palate with fresh blackberry, blueberry, currant, and plum flavors infused with deft touches of cinnamon and exotic spices for added complexity. Beautifully textured and bursting with energy on the finish with fresh black pepper and heady tannins, the 2019 Château La Révérence Saint-Émilion Grand Cru makes a bold, beautiful statement.

Next up is the superlative 2019 Francine Bachelier Fourchaume Premier Cru Chablis, which highlights Fourchaume’s renowned terroir and Francine Bachelier’s acumen in fashioning exceptional Premier Cru Chablis. The scion of a warmer than average vintage, Bachelier’s 2019 Fourchaume Premier Cru seamlessly weds pure ripe fruit with Chablis’s telltale flint and chalky minerality. In the mouth, this racy, crowd-pleasing Premier Cru Chablis is both subtly complex and quietly seductive, offering a fine layer of acacia and orchard fruit flavors infused with a satiny texture and a ribbon of fresh minerality, which left our palates begging for more. Bachelier’s 2019 Fourchaume Premier Cru Chablis is a wine that you will not want to put down and will want to drink often now and over the next several years. Although it goes down easily, taking time to sip and savor this superb Premier Cru Chablis will handsomely reward the patient partaker. Enjoy!

Completing this month’s Collectors Series is the ripe, expansive, and juicy 2018 Quinta do Noval Cedro do Noval Tinto, a wine that beckons with each sip. Deeper and more complex than in previous vintages, the 2018 Cedro do Noval Tinto offers a delicious combination of red and black fruits, vanilla, spice, and black pepper. Blackberry, blueberry, cherry, and plum all make their appearance in this Tinto’s aroma and flavor. In the mouth, the wine’s savory spice notes come to fore, melding with the wine’s fruit and tea-like tannins. Provide the flavorful 2018 Cedro do Noval Tinto 20 minutes or more of aeration and enjoy how it expands in the glass, its tannins smooth, and a warm pleasant finish has you begging for more.

In January, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is delighted to offer four exciting world-class wines from France and Italy, beginning with the 2019 Château Lescalle Cuvée Emmanuel Tessandier Bordeaux Supérieur, an expressive, ripe, round, and utterly satisfying red Bordeaux. Its regal purple robe underscores the authority of the 2019 vintage and the particular success of Château Lescalle in what is certainly one of the finest and most consistent Bordeaux vintages. Moreover, the comely Château Lescalle Cuvée Emmanuel Tessandier offers up decadent aromas and flavors of ripe blackberry and plum, cedar, and rain washed forest floor. Its supple fruit flavors and well-integrated tannins provide flesh and bone to the wine’s youthful exuberance at the same time that they endow this handsomely wrought Bordeaux with the promise of years of fun-filled pleasure. Enjoy!

Our next feature this month is the 2021 Domaine de la Racauderie Vouvray Sec, a classic Vouvray, offering up a delicate perfume of stone fruits, crisp fall apples, and Bosc pears. In the mouth, the Vouvray’s vivacious minerality born of the appellation’s limestone rich tufa soil melds with fresh and clean stone fruit flavors to delight the palate. Racy, balanced, and with laser-like precision, the sensuous, juicy 2021 Domaine de la Racauderie Vouvray Sec exhibits all of Chenin Blanc’s finest attributes, including a satin-like underpinning and a long distinctive finish for which Vouvray is renowned. In France, it is said that dirt is destiny, but weather ultimately determines the vintage quality as well as the quantity: the 2021 vintage in Vouvray delivered on all fronts in Domaine de la Racauderie’s 2021 Vouvray Sec.

This month’s next special red wine is the elegant, charming 2020 Carpineto Dogajolo Toscano Rosso IGT from one of Vino Nobile’s most accomplished producers. Grown on hillside vineyards in central Tuscany, the 2020 Carpineto Dogajolo Toscano Rosso IGT exhibits a deep purple robe as well as beguiling aromatics in the form of freshly picked berries, cherries, rose hips, and violets. Juicy and equally seductive in the mouth, the 2020 Dogajolo offers up layers of lovely fruit, loamy earth, and hints of vanilla and spice from 6 months in French and American oak barrels. Rare is the Tuscan red that offers as much flavor and charm as Carpineto’s 2020 Dogajolo “Baby Super Tuscan” – a very fine red wine ready to drink from the moment it is poured.

Rounding out this month’s Premier Series is Carpineto’s 2021 Dogajolo Bianco IGT, a lovely white wine that mirrors the beauty and timeless charm of Tuscany. Grown on hillside vineyards under the central Tuscany sun, the 2021 Carpineto Dogajolo Toscano Bianco embodies the terroir from which it sprung, beginning with a glint and bright straw color. Ethereal and hauntingly beautiful aromatics beckon the eager taster to dive right in. Fresh and lively in the mouth, subtle apple and pear tones quickly emerge, followed by hints of melon and citrus, all of which are underlined by a pure racy minerality, the hallmark of the finest white wines of Tuscany. No smoke or mirrors, ponderous oak tones, or chemical stabilizations appear in Carpineto’s 2021 Dogajolo Toscano Bianco. This is a wine that embodies the simple elegance and timeless beauty of Tuscany. Enjoy!

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is proud to offer three exceptional wines from three world-renowned estates and appellations. This month’s odyssey begins with the 2018 Capezzana Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG from one of Tuscany’s oldest and smallest DOCG’s. The 2018 Villa di Capezzana Carmignano captures the exceptional beauty and allure of Tuscany and wholly captivates the senses. With a deep ruby robe flashed with violet, a sensuous bouquet redolent with the scents of roses and violets, and silky tannins that embody a delicious mélange of woodland berries and clean forest floor, the beguiling 2018 Villa di Capezzana Carmignano is downright seductive. Elegant, yet so rich in flavor, the 2018 Villa di Capezzana Carmignano sings from the glass almost from the moment it is poured. This is another Capezzana award winning Carmignano, which harmoniously blends fruit, earth, mineral and spice into one “sexy” wine. Enjoy this Tuscan treasure now and over the next 8-10 years!

Next up is the recently released 2020 Domaine Gilles Noblet Les Champs Pouilly-Fuissé, a noble Burgundian white wine that sports a bright yellow robe that’s the color of the noonday sun. Even more satisfying are the aromatic scents of soft ripe fruit, acacia flower, forsythia, and deft touches of vanilla which waft from the glass. This singular Les Champs Pouilly-Fuissé handsomely rewards in the mouth, too, where it graces the palate with heightened fruit and floral flavors in the form of acacia, forsythia, and tropical fruits, all gently bathed in a highly refined patina of sweet butter, creamy oak, and Pouilly-Fuissé’s renowned limestone-rich minerality. Moreover, the noble 2020 Domaine Gilles Noblet Les Champs Pouilly-Fuissé retains the finest attributes of the appellation, though it could easily be mistaken for a village Puligny-Montrachet or Chassagne-Montrachet. Similar to those wines, the 2020 Domaine Gilles Noblet Les Champs will continue to evolve and mature in bottle for several more years. Enjoy!

Completing this month’s Collectors Series is the exceptional and highly acclaimed (94 Points – Jeb Dunnuck) 2019 Domaine Raspail-Ay Gigondas. The 2019 Domaine Raspail-Ay Gigondas captures the Ay family’s consummate craftsmanship, which balances elegance and texture with power and depth of flavor. The 2019 Raspail-Ay Gigondas is aromatic, textured, and bold in flavor, all while keeping its equilibrium as one would never know it tops out at 15% ABV. Savory scents and flavors of black raspberry, kirsch, and garrigue mingle with exotic spices and subtle hints of violet and rose to deliver a complex, intriguing, thoroughly captivating Gigondas, and unabashedly one of the Rhône Valley’s finest wines. The wine’s ripe tannins make their appearance, too, to frame the wine’s delightful mélange of flavors and deliver a vibrant finish, assuring a long, happy life and a decade or more of drinking pleasure. Enjoy!

In December, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series offers four special wines from four countries. The ripe and seductive 2020 La Posta Pizzella Mendoza Malbec is once again the critics’ choice and the recipient of high acclaim (92 Points – James Suckling). Bold in flavor, yet smooth and juicy, the 2020 La Posta Pizzella Malbec offers tantalizing aromas and flavors of freshly picked blackberries, currants, and raspberries, along with a delicate hint of wild violets that adds to its allure. In the mouth, the 2020 La Posta Pizzella Malbec graces the palate with a seductive blend of black and red fruits, all suffused with deft touches of sandalwood and exotic spices. Fine, ripe tannins complement the wine’s plush, fleshy mid-palate, assuring freshness and a delightfully long and satisfying finish. The 2020 La Posta Pizzella Malbec is neither brawny nor brazen; it is a balanced and complex Malbec that delivers its largesse with grace and purity. Enjoy!

Paired this month with the sensuous 2020 La Posta Pizzella Malbec is the 2021 Aia Vecchia Toscana Vermentino, a unique and sophisticated blend of 95% Vermentino and 5% Viognier, which offers a bright sun-splashed color that radiates from the glass like the Tuscan sun. Even more gratifying is the wine’s amplifying aromatics and explosive mouth-filling flavors, which suggest ripe peaches, tangy citrus, and haunting floral tones reminiscent of acacia and spring flowers – all of which are sprinkled with a welcome touch of sea spray from the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea for added freshness and precision. In the mouth, Aia Vecchia’s 2021 Toscana Vermentino dances across the tongue with a vivacity that leaves the mouth clean and the senses begging for more. The 2021 Aia Vecchia works its magic with precision, flavor, and genuine tactile appeal from the very first sip, and it truly had us all begging for more.

Next in this month’s line-up is the 2020 Taboadella Villae Dão Tinto, a splendid example of the Amorim family’s Midas touch with Portugal’s unique blend of indigenous red grape varieties. The suave 2020 Taboadella Villae Tinto sports a brilliant ruby robe, an entrancing aromatic profile, and plenty of savory fruit bolstered by bright acidity – all of which made us clamor for another glass. Cherry, plum, and ripe strawberry fruit flavors wrapped in smooth, silky tannins grace the palate. Lusty, yet bright and energetic, the 2020 Taboadella Villae Tinto brings its welcome from the first sip. Clean and generous to the finish, Taboadella’s Villae Tinto is an easy go-to red wine and much more. Enjoy!

Rounding out this month’s Premier Series is the much heralded 2017 Esterházy Leithaberg Burgenland Chardonnay (92 Points – Wine Enthusiast). This is an aristocratic Burgundian style of Chardonnay that demonstrates Esterházy’s preeminence with the world’s most treasured white grape. Blessed with a brilliant sun-struck color, intriguing aromatics, and excellent concentration, we were truly taken by this wine. An aroma replete with apple, pear, and beeswax emerges from the glass and continues to evolve as the wine opens and gradually sheds its initial chill. In the mouth, the wine’s concentration makes its appearance with a complex mélange of apple, apricot beeswax, and citrus along with a defined minerality born of Leithaberg’s (limestone) soil. Add just a touch of butter and a long, crisp, mineral-driven finish and the 2017 Esterházy Leithaberg Burgenland Chardonnay is one superb Chardonnay that is easily mistaken for an exceptional white Burgundy from France’s Côte d’Or. Enjoy!

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is proud to offer our members three very special wines this month. Our first December feature is the outstanding and highly acclaimed 2018 Aquitania Lazuli Cabernet Sauvignon (94 Points – Vinous). The 2018 Aquitania Lazuli Cabernet Sauvignon pays homage to the finest classified red wines of Bordeaux: it is elegant, sophisticated, and loaded with flavor. It also sports a brilliant purple color, seductive nose, and deep palate-pleasing flavors. Savory scents of blackberry, dark cherry, currant, and spice waft from the glass. In the mouth, silky, rich tannins carry the wine’s deep hedonistic berry flavors infused with aromatic cedar, deft touches of vanilla, and toasted oak to a long, climactic finish. With ripe, rich tannins with nary an edge, the 2018 Aquitania Lazuli Cabernet Sauvignon makes an ideal companion to drink now as well as a candidate for a decade of ageing, which will only augment this complex wine’s sophisticated flavors. Enjoy!

Our next special Collectors Series offering this month is Lhuillier Brut Tradition Champagne. This lovely non-vintage champagne was fermented in the bottle on its lees for a full 36 months, is deliciously dry, and comports itself as a classic champagne. Displaying a pale golden color and a delicate mousse of tiny bubbles, the Lhuillier Brut Tradition attracts the eye and beguiles the nose from the first sip. In the mouth, the wine’s mousse reveals delicate apricot and peach flavors along with hints of brioche and a welcome minerality, all of which leave the palate both refreshed and begging for more. For optimal enjoyment, all champagne should be well chilled prior to opening (35°-38° F) before being allowed to slowly reach a more ambient temperature in the glass. Enjoy!

Rounding out this month’s Collectors Series is the highly acclaimed 2019 Mendel Unus (93 Points – Wine Advocate), an exquisite blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. Harvested from the finest grapes from the estate’s 1928 vineyard and matured in French oak barrels for 16 months, the 2019 Mendel Unus pays tribute to Mendel’s founder as well as winemaker Robert de la Mota’s acumen in the cellar. Big, balanced, and sporting a deep purple color, the 2019 Unus also demonstrates that it’s a lot more than just show with an aroma redolent with dark cherries, plums, cacao, and toasty vanilla. It’s equally adept in the mouth. Full-bodied and laden with layers of ripe gorgeous fruit mingled with hints of dark chocolate, wild herbs, and wood smoke, the 2019 Mendel Unus dazzles the palate. Rich, ripe tannins add vigor and verve, a long satisfying finish, and the promise of great drinking now and for the next decade, but why wait? Enjoy!