It’s last call for 2022’s best wines... click here to see our Best of 2022 case, based on the personal selection of the Partnership team... You’ll enjoy a limited time, special discount but you must order today.
In 2022, we sourced over 20 wines from all over the world... from rare Argentines... to powerful Spaniards... to the Bordelaise gem Barry discovered at a butcher shop while selecting boudin for dinner (we loved it so much we bought out the entire vintage).
In our penultimate issue for the year, we sit down with the Partnership team to talk their favorite wines for 2022.
More on that in a moment. But first… The holidays are the time to indulge in the finer things in life… like a little glass of something sweet and delicious, with an interesting backstory… Here are Julien Miquel’s best sweet wine recommendations:
The Team Talks Their Favorite Wines of 2022 (Continued)
Will: Arca Yaco Amar y Vivir 2018
(Hors Collection)
From his small farm at the bottom of desert gulch, Matías Etchart, scion of the Etchart family (winemakers in Cafayate since 1850) has become one of our Calchaquí Valley all-stars. We first imported his Amar y Vivir back in 2020 to big acclaim. “A personal statement... a memoir fermented and aged in oak,” we wrote at the time. While not part of a scheduled collection we felt compelled to import more for our Calchaquí superfans. Nose: wet earth, black fruit, wood. Palate: tobacco, licorice, pepper. 96 points from Tim Atkin.
Says Will: the malbec/cabernet blend is an absolute favorite. And Matías’ take is among the very best. This high altitude blend has all the hallmarks of the Calchaquí but with a high level of finesse by a passionate boutique winemaker.
Diego: Marquis de Saint-Estèphe Château Léo de Prades 2016
(French Collection)
Separated from Bordeaux’s legendary Château Lafite-Rothschild by just a small stream, the village of St-Estèphe is home to some of the Médoc’s most rewarding reds. This “old vine” blend (vines up to 70 years old) has a character and depth that feel well beyond its four years in bottle. Notes of tobacco, clove, dark fruit, and toasted coffee beans.
Says Diego: As a person that drinks a lot of Argentine wine, Léo de Prades brings to me a great variety of flavors that are hard to find in Argentina. Elegant with a long finish, it’s a wine from with lots of potential, perfect to drink now and also to keep a few in the cellar. Very easy to pair too - I call this type of wines the hungry ones - they go with any appetite I have that day!
Matt: Paco Puga L’Amitié Robusto 2019
(Calchaquí Valley Collection)
The rare Argentine wine that takes its cues more from Burgundy than Bordeaux. That’s where Francisco “Paco” Puga began his career in 1999 and two decades later he has created in L’Amitié a love letter to the region. This is the reserve version (“Robusto”) which means the grapes spent 24 months in barrel. Delicate, herbal nose, with clean red and black fruit on the palate. Only 2400 bottles made.
Says Matt: This is the 2nd time I've listed a Paco Puga wine as my favorite of the year... and with good reason! L'Amitié packs a punch. I believe Julien called it "an explosion of sensations". It appeals to my sweet tooth with plenty of chocolate and black fruit notes. I brought this over to my in-laws recently for Thanksgiving dinner and it was a huge hit!
Would you like to try these wines? Click here for 2022’s last blow out deal featuring the Partnership teams’ favorite wines...
Lucy: Dominio del Bendito Las Sabias 2019
(Hors Collection)
A rarity in Europe: wines from un-grafted, pre-phylloxera vines. Down in winemaker Antony Terryn’s “dream vineyard,” located in Toro, Spain, the sandy soil makes it hard for the bug to take hold of the roots. You can still find vines there over a century old. Those that produced this 2019 were in their 60s, organically farmed, and hand harvested. We included Las Sabias’ sister wine El Buen Rollo in our Ancient Wines collection but also imported a few cases of the former for fans of Toro’s legendary power.
Says Lucy: My favorite of the year was Dominio del Bendito's Las Sabias. The wine is super dense and dark, with warm, rich, spiced aromas and huge body. It's more powerful than I usually go for, but so fresh, refined, and elegant in its intensity that it really captivated me.
Barry: Château Vieille Tour 2018
(French Collection)
Says Barry: an undiscovered gem...which I found by accident in a butcher shop looking for some boudin for dinner. A traditional Bordeaux blend, but the really floral and fruity merlot makes it super drinkable and delicious. A very small husband and wife production. Too good a value to pass up.
Julien: Vieil Armand Rendez-Vous 2020
(Ancient Wines Collection)
Farmers have been growing grapes in the valleys between the Vosges Mountains and the Black Forest for at least 400 years. Traditionally known better for créments (French non-Champagne sparkling wines), Alsatian pinot noir is now a real contender with the Burgundians to the south.
Says Julien: I came upon Rendez-Vous while Diego and I were tasting wines in Germany. I so wanted our members to discover Alsace as a place for unsung yet extraordinary pinots. I found this to be a deep yet very playful pinot with a solid concentration of tannins from a beautiful, warm 2020 vintage. The crisp fresh cherry flavors harmonize with smoothing spices and oak.
Yours Truly: Sparkling Wines
Like Julien we were spellbound by that cool Alsatian pinot. And we still have fond memories of the Amar y Vivir (and Imaginate, too). But this year, in all truth, was a year for sparkling wines. Perhaps the summer and fall were drier than usual? Or maybe we were just eating more Chinese than usual. In any case, we ventured deep into the sparklers.
The Mascaró Cava Gran Reserva 2015 from our Ancient Wines Collection compared with some of the best $$$$ Champagne we’ve ever had. Meanwhile did you get a chance to taste that sparkling Torrontés from Bodega Tapiz (and long-time Petrus winemaker Jean Claude Berrouet)? We’ve many a Torrontés but had no idea they could spring to life like that. Truly a rarity (we’d bet you could count on one hand the number of American wine aficionados who’ve ever tried one).
Get a Case of Our Team’s Best Of 2022 Picks!
Missed any of the wines mentioned above? Already reminiscing about that great bottle?
Or maybe you’re just dreading the post-holiday blues in January?
Snap up a case of the Partnership team’s Best of 2022 Picks... available right now with a limited time discount.
Fair warning: our stock on most is very low. Don’t delay.
January here we come!
Until next time,
The Wine Explorer
P.S. You can make 2023 YOUR year of sparkling wines with our case of rare sparkling Torrontés from Bodega Tapiz. Click here to see your discount...
P.P.S. Those Best of 2022 cases are going to go fast. If you want to delve a little deeper into what drew Julien to that Alsatian pinot... or why Vieil Tour caught Barry’s taste buds at that little butcher shop... or how a powerful Toro won over Lucy... or the wine that wowed Matt’s in-laws... then click here to see your limited time discount today!
