2025 HAUT-RIAN
BORDEAUX BLANC
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE

For nearly three decades, The Cellar Door has been an ardent believer in Chateau Haut-Rian. Sometimes that passion makes us overly serious and cerebral when describing the wine, causing us to overlook its true je ne sais quoi. Don’t overthink—just drink!

Just arrived, the 2025 Haut Rian is an oracle of deliciousness live and direct from Wine Nirvana. Ultra-fragrant, it bursts with grapefruit, melon, and lime, elevated by signature mineral tones. On the palate, its generous attack is energetic and brisk—clean, lively, and substantial thanks to very old vines. Don’t pass up this overachiever; order it by the trunkload and make it a bottle-after-bottle favorite.

2022 HAUT-RIAN CADILLAC
COTES-DE BORDEAUX ROUGE
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE

Beginning with the 2019 vintage, Pauline Dietrich Lapierre began labeling this red wine under its proper appellation, bringing its Cadillac origins clearly to the forefront. This matters because many young producers eligible to use the designation have formed a consortium and are eager to promote appellation status for these red wines, which represent a step above the broader Bordeaux Rouge category.

Lush raspberry and blueberry fruit lead, accented by herbs, spice, pekoe, dark chocolate, and turned earth. The palate is supple and inviting, with vivid mineral-earth detail, while red and black cherry extend through a fine, resonant finish. Haut-Rian’s Cadillac Côtes-de-Bordeaux is impressively versatile at the table—I’ve enjoyed it with cheeseburgers, penne Bolognese, pho, and beef tenderloin with mushroom reduction, while others recommend it with salmon or fried chicken. In short, this red offers serious value and pure, lip-smacking pleasure.

2025 HAUT-RIAN
BORDEAUX ROSÉ
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE

Still the under-fifteen Rosé champion that knocks the merde out of any Provençal version at this price (and probably some at higher prices.

Cool, kindhearted, and packed with pink pleasure, it offers aromas of lime, cranberry, blueberry, fine herbs, and a touch of peat smoke. This neon-electric rosé is brilliant and zesty, with a light-footed texture that keeps you coming back. It also has so much finish that I’ve deviously dubbed it as the sneak attack from the back and the grind from behind! Consider it a call-and-response wine: order, drink, repeat.

2021 OWEN ROE YAKIMA RED
$26.99 BTL./$323.88 CASE

David O’Reilly’s Right Bank–inspired Yakima Red has become one of Washington’s standout values. Sourced from Owen Roe’s Yakima estate sites, with fruit from Dubrul and Red Willow Vineyards, it blends 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 32% Merlot, and 1% Malbec.

Full yet velvety, it balances richness with brightness, showing dark plum, raspberry, warm spice, and chocolate-covered cherry through a long finish. Pair with braised short ribs, slow-roasted lamb, or beef tenderloin. Drink now through 2032.

2023 PIAGGIA 'PIETRANERA'
TOSCANA ROSSO
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE

Piaggia is among the leading estates in Tuscany’s Carmignano region, and this marks our first offering of its savory, approachable entry-level wine, Pietranera.

Made from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Franc, this distinctive wine confidently reflects Tuscany and its galestro soils. Wild cherry and berry lead, followed by smoke, sage, balsamico, and sandalwood. Lush yet finely balanced, it is succulent, flavorful, and impressively long for the price. Enjoy it over the next decade with penne Bolognese, rosemary-, sage-, and garlic-brined pork chops, or grilled ribeye.

2024 ADEGA ALGUEIRA
RIBERA SACRA BLANCO GODELLO
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE

From Galicia’s Ribera Sacra—one of Spain’s most stunning landscapes, with Roman-era terraces still visible today—this wine highlights Godello, the region’s leading white grape.
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Made from 30- to 80-year-old vines, this cuvee is a terrific white-wine value and a pure palate-pleaser. Lemon, pear, blossom, and flinty aromas open the show. On the palate, crisp energy, medium body, and a velvety mouthfeel frame lemon and apple flavors, accented by subtle rocky notes that carry through the long, persistent finish.

2023 QUINTA ROMANIERO
DURIENSE TINTO 'R'
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE

Wine often stirs a mix of emotions, ideas, and emphatic reactions that shape whether we love or dislike what is in the glass. While tasting this Portuguese red last week, my ever-turning mind returned to a belief I have long held: wine is meant to be shared and enjoyed, not hoarded or overanalyzed. Yet when a truly great wine is in front of you, all that remains is semantics—and pure pleasure.

This Portuguese red from a respected Port producer carries the Duriense designation thanks to Syrah blended with native grapes. Notes of strawberry jam, brown sugar, coriander, and earth lead to a full, lacy palate with depth and personality. As it opens, red and black berries persist through a suave, poised finish with impressive length for the price. Drink with lamb.

2024 KEN WRIGHT PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
$26.99 BTL./$323.88 CASE

Blended from several of Ken Wright’s excellent single vineyards and intended for earlier drinking, the ever-popular Ken Wright Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is a bold, full-flavored charmer that balances Oregon Pinot Noir’s darker side with vibrant freshness.

Aromas of crushed blackberry, blossom, and cinnamon shine from the glass. Stylish and fruit-driven, with subtle structure, it finishes warm and crowd-pleasing, with hints of allspice and cocoa. A delightful Pinot to pair with veal chops, roasted poultry, or pan-seared steak. Drink over the next 5–7 years.

2024 DECUGNANO DEI BARBI
ORVIETO 'MARE ANTICO'
$26.99 BTL./$323.88 CASE

Italians use many hand gestures when speaking, and Orvieto inspires its own range of reactions. Lighter, easygoing versions of these white wines may earn only a small gesture, while lesser examples might get a less polite response. Decugnano’s wines, though, call for open arms and hands in the air—pure excitement. Labeled Superiore, Orvieto’s gold-standard classification, Mare Antico comes from lower yields and offers more depth than classic versions.

Built around Grecanico, it takes its name from the ancient sea that once covered the region. Cynar-like herbs, creamy tones, mineral salinity, honey, lime, white flowers, and chamomile thread through the wine. It glides across the palate, with the salty notes shining through and a long, subtly spicy finish. Sappy, lively, and wonderfully snappy—delicious now and a terrific value. Best with richer fish, especially salmon.

2024 ALTOS LAS HORMIGAS
MALBEC 'CLASICO'
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE

In South America, fútbol is life, and when Argentina faces Chile, the result usually favors Argentina. The same could be said of the wines, where Argentina is doing more than squeaking by—it thoroughly throttles Chile. In Mendoza, Malbec is the name of the game, and high elevation plus low yields are a proven recipe for success. Right now, the region is delivering ultra-delicious reds like this one.

Bold licorice, marionberry, and hints of vanilla bean lead into a creamy, full-flavored, rounded texture, with enough lift on the back end to keep this excellent-value BBQ wine beautifully balanced.

2022 VOGE CORNAS
VIEILLES VIGNES
SPECIAL - $65.99 BTL./$395.94 - 6 PK

[reg. $92.00]...Even at full price, Domaine Voge’s Cornas Vieilles Vignes earns an “HFS” on the ever-naughty Cellar Door rating scale—and if you know the scale, you know it is far from PG-13.

Despite the vintage’s drought conditions, the nose shows remarkable nobility, weaving together red cherry, purple fruits, blackcurrant, smoked game, granitic spice, ironstone, and a touch of leather, with more aromatics emerging as it opens. The texture is rich and flowing, combining power, finesse, and striking verticality. Its muscular, tannic frame gradually unfolds into a silky, measured, lengthy finish. The tannins remain compact and youthful, but its aristocratic character will emerge with cellar time. A Grand Cru-level Cornas from an apex vintage. Drink late 2028–2045+. If you have a child, grandchild, or anniversary from 2022 and want a bottle for the future, this is the one.

2024 FICHET BOURGOGNE BLANC
CÔTE D'OR VIEILLES VIGNES
$46.99 BTL./$281.94 - SIX PACK

Jean-Philippe Fichet has a rare touch with Meursault. When I visited him in 1999, it was immediately clear that he is an understated superstar. Production at his estate is very small, but the quality is impressive from top to bottom.
The Old Vine Bourgogne Blanc Côte d’Or is undoubtedly a Mini-Meursault. It comes from two plots: Les Pellands, just across from Meursault Charmes, and Les Millerandes, on the edge of Meursault village, with vines ranging from forty to eighty years old.

Fichet’s version is an overachiever: lemon, almond, and pure mineral notes mingle with subtle grain and spice. It offers impressive depth and briskness, with the cushion and breadth of Meursault clearly present. Though accessible right out of the gate, it often shows beautifully six to ten years from vintage, especially in a focused, great white wine year like 2024. Pair it with sautéed scallops in beurre blanc, roasted chicken, or fresh crab.

2024 FICHET RULLY BLANC
$46.99 BTL./$281.94 - SIX PACK

Rully offers a completely different experience from the Bourgogne, even though it sits just 15 minutes, or 11 km, from Chassagne-Montrachet. The region delivers excellent value in Burgundy, with its own terrain and exposures, along with a wealth of under the radar producers.

Expect the creaminess of the Côte d’Or combined with the electricity of Chablis. Pear, mineral, rum-butter, anise, orange, and crème brûlée aromas carry through to a rich, exciting texture, balanced by bright citrus tones. The finish is electric, with impressive viscosity and length. This is a wine of immediate pleasure, yet its crisp, gripping core should also allow it to age well. Like the previous wine, it offers a true white Burgundy experience without straining the budget.

2024 DUPRÉ BOURGOGNE
CHARDONNAY
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

Domaine Dupré consistently overdelivers. Given tariffs, the weaker dollar, and the estate’s commitment to low yields and sustainable farming, it is remarkable to offer a wine of this quality for just twenty dollars.

This Bourgogne Chardonnay comes from white marl soils in Mancey and Royer, within the Mâcon region. Fermented and aged in 300-liter barrels with a small portion of new oak, along with stainless steel, it delivers both substance and lift. Steely minerality leads, framed by lemon and apple notes. Energetic and authentic, with pleasing structure and a long finish. Enjoy it with fresh trout, halibut, or chicken.