The Friday List - 12/2/2022

It’s hard to believe that December is already here. And since things get crazy and attention gets frayed as we near year’s end, we thought we’d start this final month with a serious powerhouse offer. Today’s list is a little tighter than usual, as these wines deserve your undivided attention. They’re the best and brightest—exceptional wines that move the market.

Well-stored Bordeaux has become a hot ticket item, and thanks to our great relationships in France, we’ve been scooping up ex-Château releases. Palmer is easily among the top producers, and we have two tremendous vintages right from the cellar. Latour’s current releases are truly magical as well, and when we visited in April, it was easily the highlight of the trip. The 2014 Grand Vin is a statement, arguably the wine of the vintage. The 2016 Forts de Latour is incredible as well, a second wine that gives most any other producer’s Grand Vin a run for its money. We also have two great vintages of Canon, and the 2019 La Mission Haut-Brion, which is a serious contender for wine of the vintage.

Burgundy is very strongly represented today, headed up by two absolute icons: Mugnier’s Musigny (still in 6-pk OWC) and Cathiard’s Romanée St. Vivant (from the legendary 2005 vintage). We’re also thrilled to have received a large and diverse allocation of 2019 Lafarge, which will quickly disappear today. We’ve also got a little more 2018 Tremblay, after our previous parcels evaporated among demand. Heading north a bit, Champagne may have a small footprint in today’s offer, but it’s got serious firepower, with two selections each from Jérôme Prévost and Pierre Péters. Our lone item from the Loire is also a doozy: the 2010 Edmond Vatan Sancerre Clos la Néore, a singular wine that has garnered a reputation for transcending both variety and region.

Rounding out today’s offer is a quartet of Italy’s top producers: Bruno Giacosa, Giacomo Conterno, Sassicaia, and San Giuseppe (Stella di Campalto). And as if all this weren’t enough, we have a full case of the legendary 2005 Château Rayas, among the best of their modern vintages, from the greatest Grenache producer on Earth. Want to make a serious statement at a holiday meal? Bring one of those to the table.