Sommelier Selection
Your “I drink well” baseline – perfect for dinner parties and weeknights that accidentally go late.
Choose Red-focused, White-focused, or Mixed at signup. We keep the mix within that lane.
Expect each month:
- Benchmark regions: Rioja, Chianti, Willamette, Montalcino, Wachau, Loire.
- Serious bottles in the $40–$80 retail band that taste “inside baseball.”
- At least 2 “open anytime” bottles that are stupidly good for the price.
Sommelier Selection is built for people who want every bottle on the rack to be “safe to open” and occasionally shock a wine friend with how dialed in your buying is.
10-Bottle List Tap to expand
These are sample lineups to show the style + density of notes you’ll see. Exact bottles vary by availability, but we keep quality and intent consistent.
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La Rioja Alta — Viña Alberdi Crianza — Rioja (Tempranillo) Open Tonight
Bright cherry, dried orange peel, vanilla-cedar grip. The “benchmark Rioja” that reads expensive without being loud.
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Fontodi — Chianti Classico — Tuscany (Sangiovese) Open Tonight
Sour cherry + savory herbs, tannins that behave at the table. Turns pasta night into a private trattoria moment.
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Domaine Drouhin Oregon — Pinot Noir — Willamette Valley (Pinot Noir) Open Tonight
Cranberry, forest floor, soft spice. Silky enough for anyone; precise enough to impress the wine friend.
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Il Poggione — Rosso di Montalcino — Tuscany (Sangiovese)
Montalcino structure without the Brunello wait: red plum, tobacco, dusty tannin. Opens now, improves with air.
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Bernard Baudry — Chinon — Loire (Cabernet Franc) Open Tonight
Raspberry + pencil shaving + green peppercorn (in a good way). Chill 15 minutes and it becomes dangerously drinkable.
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Saint Cosme — Côtes du Rhône — Rhône (Grenache/Syrah) Open Tonight
Dark berries, cracked pepper, “steakhouse air.” Reliable, bold, never basic.
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Domaine Huet — Vouvray Sec — Loire (Chenin Blanc)
Waxed lemon, quince, mineral snap. Crisp now, quietly age-worthy if you forget it on purpose.
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Weingut Knoll — Grüner Veltliner Federspiel — Wachau (Grüner) Open Tonight
White pepper, lime zest, green apple crunch. Seafood-friendly and unnervingly clean.
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Domaine de la Pépière — Muscadet Sèvre et Maine — Loire (Melon de Bourgogne) Open Tonight
Salty citrus + oyster-shell minerality. The “why is this so good?” bottle that keeps reappearing in your fridge.
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Langlois-Château — Crémant de Loire Brut — Loire (Traditional Method) Open Tonight
Fine bubbles, brioche edge, bright orchard fruit. Celebration energy without the Champagne tax.
- Rioja Crianza (classic house selection) Open Tonight
Cherry + cedar + soft vanilla spice; a bottle that makes you look “well-stocked” immediately.
- Chianti Classico (estate Sangiovese) Open Tonight
Sour cherry, herbs, clean tannin—built for food and second pours.
- Willamette Pinot Noir (precision producer)
Bright red fruit + forest floor; elegant enough for guests, honest enough for weeknights.
- Rosso di Montalcino (Brunello-adjacent)
Dusty cherry, tobacco, steady structure—drinks now with air, rewards 1–3 years.
- Loire Cabernet Franc (Chinon/Bourgueil) Open Tonight
Raspberry + savory edge; the “bistro red” that disappears first.
- Côtes du Rhône (serious blend) Open Tonight
Dark berries + pepper; your dependable steak / burger / roast ally.
- Spanish Garnacha (old-vine value)
Juicy plum, warm spice, soft grip—crowd-pleasing but not cartoonish.
- Southern French Syrah blend
Blackberry, violets, smoked meat hint—tastes “more expensive than it is.”
- Northern Italian red (Langhe/Dolcetto/Barbera)
Bright acidity, dark fruit, easy pairing—pizza, charcuterie, everything.
- “Inside baseball” wild card (producer you haven’t heard of) Surprise
The bottle that makes a wine friend ask for the label photo.
- Loire Chenin Blanc (Vouvray/Savennières lane)
Lemon wax, quince, mineral snap; crisp now, quietly age-worthy.
- Wachau Grüner Veltliner Open Tonight
White pepper + lime; the most “clean” white you’ll pour all month.
- Muscadet sur lie Open Tonight
Salty citrus, oyster-shell minerality—seafood in a glass.
- Alsace Riesling (dry)
Lime, stone, and a crisp finish that refuses to be boring.
- Austrian Riesling (precision)
Tight, mineral, focused—one for people who like their whites serious.
- White Burgundy-inspired Chardonnay (cool climate)
Lemon curd + subtle toast; feels expensive without being heavy.
- Spanish white (Rías Baixas/Albariño lane) Open Tonight
Citrus, salt, and a clean snap—perfect with sushi.
- Italian white (Verdicchio/Soave lane)
Almond, stone fruit, freshness—quietly addictive.
- Crémant / Traditional method sparkling Open Tonight
Fine bubbles + brioche edge—your “Tuesday Champagne” energy.
- Sommelier curveball (skin-contact / alpine white) Surprise
A bottle with a story—still friendly, just more interesting.