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When John Rivenburgh worked for Bending Branch, he pioneered the planting of Vermentino in Texas, establishing it in the High Plains around 2009. This 100% Vermentino is sourced from Canted County Vineyards, co-owned by the Morland and Holiday families. With approximately 1,000 acres under vine, this site has become a vital operation in the Texas wine scene. John champions Vermentino for its resilience in Texas’s climate, its suitability for machine harvesting—essential in the region—and its similarity to Sicilian whites, a personal favorite of his. Crafted similarly to his Picpoul Blanc, the grapes are pressed at the winery in Kerrville, fermented, and aged in neutral vessels for about six months before bottling. This Vermentino is lean, focused, and brimming with high acidity—a real “acid trip.” It delivers a bright squeeze of lemon-lime and lime zest, accented by white flowers, acacia, a hint of Marcona almonds, and Texas purple sage. The zippy, zingy acidity forms a solid foundation for the citrus-driven palate, leading to a long, mineral-driven finish with cool, wet granite character. All too easy to drink.
This release of Robert Clay’s Chardonnay, sourced from Mason County in the Texas Hill Country AVA, is sourced from vines rooted in the deep, fine Hickory sands that sit atop the expansive Hickory Aquifer. Barrel-aged for 12 months in neutral oak, this wine showcases a ripe, full-throttle character. It opens with vibrant citrus fruit, white pepper, and a subtle hint of savory prairie grass, intertwined with sweet cedarwood spices. Medium-bodied, the palate is surprisingly leaner than the nose suggests, offering bright acidity and balanced tension. A crowd-pleaser with excellent structure, it’s one of the most food-friendly Chardonnays from Texas. Notably, this “B 21 02 RCV CHA” is an unfiltered expression of Chardonnay (their “B 21 03 RCV CHA” offers a filtered version).
Barrel-aged for 12 months in neutral oak, this Robert Clay Chardonnay is sourced from Mason County in the Texas Hill Country, an hour west of Stonewall. Here, vines thrive in hickory sands—deep, fine soils that rest above the large Hickory Aquifer. This “B 21 03 RCV CHA” label represents the filtered expression of their Chardonnay, offering a leaner, more focused profile compared to their unfiltered “B 21 02 RCV CHA.” It showcases white pepper-infused citrus and orchard fruit, accented by savory cedarwood spices. Medium-bodied with precise acidity and heightened tension, this wine finishes with a distinctive cool, wet granite minerality.
This is the 2021 Winzer Select Edel Süss Riesling from the Finger Lakes, made from grapes grown in limestone soils near Genga on the northern end of Seneca Lake. With 10% ABV and around 90 g/L of residual sugar, it’s gorgeously tense, balancing sweetness with precision. The mid-palate shows satiny richness with notes of candied apricot and pressed wildflowers, leading into an epically long, building finish.
From Musqué clones of Sauvignon Blanc, this wine was aged six months sur lie in barrel. It’s lean and focused, bursting with lemon and lime brightness, white floral lift, and a fine beam of flinty, stony minerality that carries from the aromatics through the long finish. The mid-palate brings a fleshy, green melon-like generosity that softens the wine’s taut frame, adding balance and depth. There’s excellent tension and energy throughout, putting a fine point on this expressive Sauvignon Blanc.
This Chardonnay, sourced from the Texas Hill Vineyard in Blanco County within the Texas Hill Country AVA, is a standout expression of the variety. It shines with bright lemon oil character, honey-laced wildflowers, and a subtle kiss of vanilla, all elegantly intertwined with cedarwood notes that add depth to its medium-bodied profile. Beneath its rich layers lies a firm backbone of racy, spicy acidity that builds with intensity. The finish is long and memorable, marked by nuances of cardamom cream and candied lemon peel.
From the Egan Vineyard, this 2022 Viognier is a stunning wine, offering lifted aromas of honeysuckle and jasmine, salted Marcona almonds, and a burst of expressive lemon-lime citrus, poached apple, and pear. There’s impressive mid-palate weight and fruit density, all balanced by zippy acid tension.
Tension, tension, tension. This is one of the finest Chardonnays I’ve tasted from this winery—elegant yet electric. Refined aromas of lemon, apricot, and nougat rise gently from the glass, leading into a satiny-textured palate layered with juicy, plump white peach. Slate-stone minerality and sea spray acidity frame the wine with precision, driving a long, mouthwatering finish that hums with energy and finesse.
This Pinot Gris, like the stainless steel version, is sourced from the winery’s Nutt Road Vineyard, where silty loam soils are threaded with limestone and shale. Fermented in large-format 500-liter oak barrels and aged on the lees for up to seven months without malolactic conversion, it gains a lovely mid-palate richness without the need for residual sugar to offset the racy acidity. Light to nearly medium-bodied, it offers crunchy early-season pear and apple fruit that drive the long, mineral-laced finish. A thirst-quencher with layered texture and purity of fruit.
A classic Finger Lakes Riesling viewed through the lens of an acid trip—bright, edgy, and wildly expressive. It opens with flinty minerality and a spray of lime zest before unfurling into crunchy pear and a touch of orange marmalade on the mid-palate. The finish is long and coiled, driven by wet stone and electric tension. Balanced, vibrant, and an absolute joy to drink.
This Le Rayon Vert is a Barrel Select Cuvée that undergoes an extended élevage, spending six months in stainless steel following its time in oak prior to bottling. The nose is strikingly flinty and toasty, with layers of nectarine, kumquat, and orange peel with spicy ginger. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, it offers intense grip and saline-acid tension that energizes the structure. The finish is long and warming, with a lingering note of apple pie spice that rounds out the wine’s vibrant core.
The Simpatico Ranch Chardonnay is a study in elegance and aromatic complexity. Winemaker Justin Harmon has worked with this site since 2009, and the depth of familiarity shows in the wine’s finesse. It opens with captivating notes of black licorice, wild fennel, and tarragon, layered over salty citrus fruit and delicate apple blossom. There’s a distinctive herbal lift—like cold chamomile tea—that interplays beautifully with high-toned orchard fruit and expressive baking spices. The palate shows excellent concentration, anchored by a firm bed of juicy, crunchy acidity that carries through a long, vibrant finish.
To fully appreciate this wine, you need the backstory, as laid out on the back label: “First there was Nuits Blanches, a blue label Chardonnay born from the frustration Jim Clendenen felt toward the critical response for his Chardonnays. It was bold, brash, obvious, and overwhelming. The 2000 vintage XXth Anniversary Chardonnay marked a style reconciliation. The richness and aggressiveness of the Nuits Blanches style would be tempered with the balance, acidity, and complexity of the Au Bon Climat ‘Bouge’ style. Power and elegance. Big entry and persistent finish. This bottling comes from ABC’s Bien Nacido ‘K’ Block Estate, and the Le Bon Climat Estate Vineyard across from the Santa Maria River. Now [the late] Jim can have his toast, and eat with it, too!” And on that note, this toasty, gorgeously focused Chardonnay opens like a morning walk on the beach, sea spray minerality weaving through the air like the scent of just-baked croissants. Lush and supple—like the underbelly of a crashing wave laced with lemon juice and lime zest—it delivers a cascade of white flowers and salted Marcona almonds. There’s a squeeze of tangerine, the bite of kumquat, and a whisper of butterscotch that lingers with subtle, enticing richness. Jim would be proud.
A gorgeously focused Chardonnay, exhibiting remarkable restraint and precision. Lime-bright acidity drives its linear profile, while oyster shell minerality, quince, and ginger weave through with layered nuance. Despite its taut structure, the wine reveals impressive mid-palate density and salinity, delivering both width and depth. It manages the rare feat of combining gravitas with sheer levity.
Made in the Charmat method, with grapes picked around 19 brix. The base wine spent 24 months on the lees in neutral French oak barrels before being racked to tank for secondary fermentation with yeast. Dosage is 12g/L. Composed mostly of Counoise with a splash of Gewürztraminer, which lifts the aromatics with high-toned white flowers and a hint of guava that also brightens the palate. The mousse is creamy and vibrant, building energy through a lengthy, mineral-rich finish. Nicely balanced, with plenty of acid tension that carries the dosage seamlessly.
Sourced from the Six Harts Vineyard, owned by Jeter Wilmeth near Tokio and Brownfield in the Texas High Plains, this Reserve Viognier represents a barrel selection of exceptional craftsmanship. The wine bursts with aromas of stone fruit, apricots, and delicate white flowers, all beautifully highlighted by notes of honeysuckle.On the palate, it offers a granular texture, enhanced by a distinctive thread of salty minerality and a chalky character that extends seamlessly through the long, elegant finish. Aged for 16 months in mostly neutral French oak, this Viognier achieves a perfect balance of complexity and approachability. Crafted with precision by Jon Leahy, it is both refined and utterly delicious.
Aromatically, this white leads with candied Meyer lemon peel, lime blossoms, and a burst of apricot and pear. The palate of this white is racy and vibrant, yet layered and textural, with a deeply expressive core of citrus-driven fruit. Soaring acidity propels the wine into a very long finish marked by crushed stone minerality and exotic baking spices.
A classic, vivid, and multilayered expression of Pinot Noir from the legendary Bien Nacido Estate and its equally iconic vineyard. Gorgeous red berry fruit mingles with brown baking spice, unfolding across a lush, satiny palate with velvety tannins. Notes of espresso bean, blood orange, cocoa powder, and smoked paprika add depth and intrigue. Round, rich, and inviting, the wine is framed by mouthwatering, crunchy acidity that brings energy and lift to the long finish.
This 2022 Viognier from Newburg Vineyard in Comanche County is sourced from a west-facing slope on sandy loam soils with excellent drainage, contributing to the wine’s great concentration. Aromas of candied lemon peel and lemon oil burst from the glass, tinged with a drizzle of honey, creating an inviting and aromatic profile. Medium-bodied, it displays nice mid-palate tension, with a long finish marked by the subtle richness of crushed, salted Marcona almonds.
This Muscat Ottonel opens with bright aromatics of orange blossom, chamomile, and white flowers, layered with hints of autumn leaves. The palate builds in richness with notes of citrus, mango, green papaya, and underripe pineapple, accented by a twist of lime zest. Crunchy acidity underscores the frothy, refreshing texture of this pét-nat.
Mosaico is an exotic field blend from a complanted block in the Sylvanus Vineyard on our home farm in Bridgehampton. The 2022 vintage is composed of 32% Pinot Grigio, 29% Chardonnay, 14% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Muscat Ottonel, 8% Gewürztraminer, and 7% Tocai Friulano. All varieties were grown, harvested, pressed, and wild-fermented together in stainless steel. This is a wild beast of a wine—in the best way—bursting with orange oil, tangerine zest, and mouth-puckering acidity. There’s a focused squeeze of lime, lemon, and grapefruit on the palate that makes it incredibly vivid and energetic. An absoulte must with food.
Woody spice, bright lemony lift, and heady floral notes define the seductive nose of this Chardonnay. The medium-bodied palate unfolds with layers of biscuit and toast, complemented by a medley of melon flavors. -JR
Sourced from Triska Vineyard, the Pinot Noir for this sparkling wine grows on north-facing slopes under shade cloth, and was picked early—around August 9. Winemaker Julian Halasz partners with a sparkling house in Lodi for aging. The wine spent 19 months on the lees and was finished with a dosage of 8 g/L. It opens with a lovely biscuity nose of lemony brioche and fresh pastry. The mousse is rich and creamy, with a finish marked by crushed Marcona almonds and a hint of vanilla bean. Baked orchard fruit fills in the mid-palate, making this a thoroughly delicious sparkler.
All you really need to know about this Rita’s Crown Chardonnay is that one glass will never be enough. You’ll swirl, sniff, sip—and suddenly want to chase its magic for days. It holds the energy of a late afternoon thunderstorm, with a moody edge and an electrically zesty palate, like a raincloud squeezing out lemon juice, shifting to lemon oil, then unleashing waves of fresh and candied ginger. It splashes across the palate like rain on slick slate—slightly smoky from the first drops hitting warm stone. Irresistible, complex, and utterly compelling. You just can’t get enough of this structured, dynamic, and gorgeous Chardonnay. It lives on the far side of “delicious”—a word we haven’t invented yet, but one that would mean delicious multiplied by infinity.
This intriguing sparkling wine, crafted from Trebbiano, offers a bright, rich, and creamy mousse that immediately captivates. Nutty undertones and notes of baking spices are complemented by a hint of honey and pressed wildflowers, adding depth and elegance. A firm backbone of juicy acidity braces the palate, making this sparkling wine refreshingly vibrant and incredibly easy to enjoy. Effortlessly crushable and full of character.
A long, cool fermentation followed by eight months of aging on gross lees lends this wine uninhibited aromatics and vivid concentration, balanced by precise, zesty acidity. Stony minerality and lime zest leap from the glass alongside candied green apple, while the medium-bodied palate builds with smoky mineral tones and apple skin tannins that gradually soften. The finish unfolds with creamy apricot, crushed almonds, and lingering intrigue. A shape-shifter of a wine—complex, expressive, and constantly evolving its flavors in the glass.
This 2023 Pét-Nat of Seyval Blanc is sourced entirely from Glenora Farms on the lake’s west side. A “salty dog” of a sparkler, this bone-dry wine bursts with zesty lemon and lime, kiwi fruit, white flowers, and a touch of Marcona almond on the mineral-driven finish. Crisp, crunchy, and just salty enough, it’s a vibrant companion to a wide range of dishes—spicy or otherwise.
A lean, mean Riesling machine, bristling with vivid, savoury saline-acid tension that frames delicate orchard fruit and floral aromatics. Fermented and aged in Austrian oak foudres, it’s utterly delicious—every flavour and aroma in perfect harmony, elevated by remarkable texture and depth that begs further exploration. This purity and precision is a direct reflection of the shale soils and Biodynamic farming at this Demeter-certified estate.
This single-vineyard Riesling from the Magdalena site benefits from the moderating effect of Seneca Lake, allowing for extended hang time and greater ripeness. Multiple selective harvest passes through the same blocks build aromatic intensity and palate weight while preserving balance. It shows generous orchard fruit and citrus zest, underpinned by a deep vein of saline minerality and smoky, stony tension. There’s a sense of drive and energy here, with remarkable length and purity that carries on for minutes. A stunning wine.
The 2022 vintage is a bit richer and broader on the palate than the 2021, delivering consistent aromas and flavors of wet slate minerality, a panoply of white and yellow wildflowers, a touch of honeycomb or beeswax, and an expressive kumquat character. Salty-savory acidity and a stark mineral drive frame the wine, while the floral notes shine brightly on the extended finish. Bone-dry, electric, and a real joy to sip.
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Wow—this is spectacular. The palate is seamless and deeply impressionable, with an ultra-creamy, fine-beaded mousse that feels both focused and energized. The mid-palate richness is off the charts—pure baked orchard fruit layered with oyster shell minerality driving the long, tensile finish. There’s superb expressiveness and a clarity of flavour that makes this a standout. Sparkling Pointe wines are sustainably grown across three estate vineyard sites comprising forty acres within the North Fork of Long Island AVA. Completed in 2010, the winery is dedicated exclusively to the production of Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines and features a bladder press for gentle whole-cluster pressing, a 30,000-gallon tank room for temperature-controlled fermentations, a 3,000 bottle-per-hour bottling line, a 2,000 bottle gyro-pallet riddling machine, an automated disgorging line, and an on-site laboratory for daily wine analysis. A reserve room holds 1,700 gallons of base wines, aged in French oak and stored in stainless steel drums.
Head winemaker Gilles Martin was born near Champagne and trained at Champagne Deutz before serving as assistant winemaker at the acclaimed Roederer Estate in California from 1990 to 1996. Disgorged on 5.13.23 and again on 10.24.24 after three years sur lie, this Brut with 6 g/L dosage has impressive drive and energy. The mid-palate shows excellent chalky minerality and citrus-laced orchard fruit, underpinned by a savoury-saline tension and nutty richness. The finish is long, bone dry, and laced with lingering French pastry notes and wet stone precision.
Sustainably grown across three vineyard sites totaling forty acres on the North Fork of Long Island. This sparkling wine showcases rich cherry fruit layered with generous baking spice character and a fabulously creamy mousse that lingers beautifully on the midpalate. A lovely chalky mineral streak provides lift and structure to the luxurious texture.
A super frothy, expressive, and layered sparkling wine with savory notes of dried herbs and strawgrass layered over creamy citrus and baked orchard fruit. Everything builds beautifully on the medium-bodied palate, where hints of toasted almonds and French pastry add depth and texture to the long, elegant finish. The 2019 growing season was ideal for sparkling wine production—a cooler year that allowed Chardonnay to ripen slowly and evenly. Made using the méthode traditionnelle, the fruit was hand-picked and whole cluster pressed. Fermentation lasted 20 days at 51°F, followed by cold settling, cold stabilization, racking, and filtration.
100% Dry Berry Selection TBA from handpicked fruit at Martini Family Vineyards. Intensely aromatic with lifted apricot, prickly pear, golden raisins, and lush dates, unfolding into layers of candied orange peel and dried apricot. The palate is rich yet remarkably bright, carried by a fine thread of acidity that balances the sweetness beautifully. A long, slightly salty finish underscores the wine’s tension and elegance.
Becker’s Reserve Chardonnay is crafted from grapes sourced from Canada Family Vineyards in Plains, Texas, near the New Mexico border, and Drew Tallent of Tallent Vineyards in Mason, within the Texas Hill Country AVA. Aged for 20 months in 30% new French oak, it displays both richness and freshness. The oak imparts a subtle sweetness, with hints of caramel and toffee spices seamlessly woven into the aromas of rich citrus and orchard fruits. Full-bodied on the palate, it offers flavors reminiscent of apple pie and warm baking spices. Its lush texture is counterbalanced by a vibrant spine of juicy acidity, creating a wine that is both indulgent and refreshing.
A blend of 95% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier with 8 g/L dosage. Delicate cherry and pomegranate fruit build through a vibrant, frothy mousse, anchored by racy saline-acid tension. The finish is long, juicy, and bright, with lively fruit balancing the grippy, mouthwatering structure.
A méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay, riddled and disgorged by hand after 41 months en tirage with zero dosage. It opens with tart green apple and builds a vinous character on the mid-palate, lifted by a creamy mousse and finishing with bright mineral tension.
Hand-picked Pinot Noir grapes from 12-year-old vines grown on their 4.5-acre estate vineyard, only free-run juice is used to craft this méthode champenoise style bubbly, which sees a minimum of 3 years of bottle aging. On the palate, baked orchard fruit and kumquat notes mingle with a gentle sweetness reminiscent of French pastry and toasted Marcona almonds, layered with nutty undertones. A vivid steely, saline minerality frames the frothy mousse.
Fruit was sourced from Glenora Farms, located five miles north of Lakewood Vineyards on the west side of Seneca Lake. Crafted entirely from free-run juice, the wine underwent primary fermentation in stainless steel. Bottled in May 2021 and disgorged in November 2024, this is a full-bodied and richly decadent sparkler. Baked orchard fruit, cherry pie, and cherry pit notes mingle with creamy apricot and honeyed almonds, all framed by a frothy, opulent mousse. The finish is bone-dry and crisp.
Made entirely from Pinot Noir, this spent 42 months en tirage and was disgorged on September 4, 2024. Whole clusters were gently pressed and fermented slowly and coolly over five weeks, then aged in tank for nine months before bottling. The result is a sparkling wine with a gorgeously frothy, creamy mousse and elegant red berry fruit. Medium-bodied, bright, and expressive, it finishes with a fantastic rush of saline minerality that adds precision and lift to all that supple texture and energy.
Produced in the Méthode Champenoise style, this sparkling wine opens with lifted notes of lemon and biscuit, building on the palate with a frothy, assertive mousse that quickly resolves. What lingers is a bright core of lemon-lime citrus, French pastry nuances, and oyster shell minerality on a long, refined finish.
Matt Dees says they get great fruit richness with low sugars, so there’s no need to add dosage—this is a zero-dosage wine. It’s incredibly bright, with oyster shell minerality. They’re using low sulfur and fine-tuning both their barrel timing and how they handle press wines, increasingly putting them through malolactic fermentation to add density, richness, and flesh. The mousse is beautifully balanced—not too assertive—with a lovely baking spice richness and an unbelievable saline-acid tension. It’s long and savory, with layers of white flowers, almonds, lime blossoms, and cherry pit. 60% Pinot Noir from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (cl. Mt Eden), 25% Chardonnay from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (cl. Mt Eden), and 15% Chardonnay from Bentrock Vineyard (cl. 76 and 95). Fermented in used French oak and aged for 7 months, followed by tirage for 38 months.
The 2020 Noble Select Riesling from Weis Vineyards is absolutely riveting. This wine opens with honeycomb and a hint of hibiscus, followed by luscious layers of candied apricot and orange oil. The palate is lush, silky, and full-bodied, culminating in a masterful finish with notes of chamomile and a return of that deep, honeyed richness.
The Roussanne Estate Reserve from Bingham Family Vineyards, sourced from their High Plains vineyards, kicks off with fragrant notes of prairie grass, chamomile tea, and honeycomb. Medium-bodied on the palate, it offers a creamy richness that builds with layers of coriander cream, peach cobbler, and a touch of salted caramel cream. Despite its depth, the wine retains a bright and refreshing character, finishing strong with an excellent balance of richness and vibrancy.
Diamond is a historic American hybrid white grape, once prized over a century ago for sparkling wine production. This bottling channels that legacy with a vinous, green apple character layered with hints of honeydew melon and wildflower honey. The palate bursts with a full squeeze of lime juice—bright, grippy, and crunchy—with a tactile, super-expressive finish. Fascinating and distinctive. Just 168 cases made.

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