2022 Fattoria Nittardi Ad Astra | Maremma Toscana Red Blend

The Moment

Some Tuscan reds are built around polish.
Others are built around movement.

The 2022 Fattoria Nittardi Ad Astra feels like the kind of bottle that lands beautifully in that second lane — layered, savory, and full of fruit, but with enough energy and structure to keep it feeling alive. A warm vintage that still delivered balance, with the finished wine showing plums, berries, and a hint of licorice, with lavender, chocolate, menthol, spiced cedar, and dried citrus peel.

This is a modern Tuscan blend with real shape. The blend is 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, while the wine is fermented in stainless steel and then aged for 14 months in French oak barriques and tonneaux, followed by time in concrete and bottle before release. That combination helps explain why the wine is both generous and composed — dark and red fruit up front, then spice, herbs, and structure underneath.

What It Feels Like

Think grilled steak, rosemary in the air, and a bottle that gets a little more interesting every ten minutes it is open.

What makes this wine work is the tension between fruit and savor. Plums, berries, licorice, lavender, menthol, chocolate, and cedar, which is exactly the kind of mix that makes a Tuscan blend feel dinner-ready. It has enough fruit to feel generous, but the spice, herbs, and tannic grip keep it from ever going soft.

In the Glass

Aromatics
Plums, berries, licorice, lavender, cedar, dried citrus peel, and a little chocolate.

Palate
Generous and layered, with red and black fruit, subtle spice, menthol lift, and firm structure.

Texture
Medium- to full-bodied, polished, and tense, with fine but firm tannins.

Finish
Fresh, spiced, and cedary, with a long, persistent close.

Why We Love This Bottle

A Tuscan Blend With Lift
This is not just ripe fruit and oak. Freshness, tension, and energy, which is what keeps the wine feeling serious.

Sangiovese Still Leads The Story
Even with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in the blend, Sangiovese still gives the wine its Tuscan line and brightness. 

A Strong Food Red
The wine is suited to fish variations and appetizers, while broader market notes and the structure of the wine make it a very natural fit for grilled meat, pasta, and richer savory dishes too. 

Pair It With

• Grilled steak
• Lamb
• Pasta with ragù
• Mushroom dishes
• Aged pecorino

Technical Notes

Producer: Fattoria Nittardi
Wine: Ad Astra
Vintage: 2022
Region: Maremma Toscana, Tuscany, Italy
Blend: 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc.

Winemaking:
Fermented in 5- and 10.5-ton stainless steel tanks, then aged 14 months in French oak barrique and tonneaux, followed by a few months in concrete and 6 months in bottle.

Alcohol: 13.5% ABV.

Body: Medium-Full
Structure: Firm tannins · fresh energy · spiced finish · layered fruit

Flavor Profile
Plum · Dark Berries · Licorice · Lavender · Chocolate · Menthol · Spiced Cedar

Drink Window
2024–2032

2023 M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône Belleruche Rouge, Rhône, France 🇫🇷

The Moment

Some Côtes du Rhône are built around softness.
Others are built around spice and momentum.

The 2023 M. Chapoutier Belleruche Rouge feels like the kind of bottle that does exactly what a good southern Rhône should do — dark-fruited, peppery, and generous, but still polished enough to keep the whole thing moving. Blackcurrant and raspberry on the nose, complemented by white pepper, with a palate that is powerful and fruity with lovely roasted notes and silky, delicate tannins. A blend of 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and 5% Marselan, with black raspberry, peppery, violet, and spice notes and a rounded, medium-bodied, beautifully structured style. 

What It Feels Like

Think grilled lamb, roasted vegetables, and a red that feels open from the first pour but still has enough southern Rhône spice to hold the table’s attention.

What makes this wine work is the balance between fruit and savor. Blackcurrant, raspberry, pepper, violet, and roasted notes is exactly the kind of mix that makes Côtes du Rhône so useful: enough fruit to feel welcoming, enough spice to feel like dinner wine. 

In the Glass

Aromatics
Blackcurrant, raspberry, white pepper, violet, and spice.

Palate
Juicy and medium-bodied, with dark and red fruit, roasted notes, and a rounded Rhône shape.

Texture
Silky and approachable, with delicate tannins that keep the wine easy to drink.

Finish
Spiced, fruity, and persistent, with roasted notes carrying through the close. 

Why We Love This Bottle

A Southern Rhône Red That Knows Its Lane
This sounds exactly like what many people want from Côtes du Rhône: ripe fruit, pepper, roasted savor, and enough polish to make it easy to open on a weeknight.

Grenache-Led, But Not Soft
Jeb Dunnuck’s 2023 note makes the blend and personality especially clear: mostly Grenache, but with Syrah and Marselan adding structure, spice, and color. That helps explain why the wine feels rounded without becoming plush.

A Great Grill Red
Chapoutier’s own food-pairing note for the current Belleruche red recommends young milk-fed lamb, and the winery’s broader Rhône food-pairing page points to dishes like quesadillas for Belleruche red. That matches the wine’s peppery, roasted-fruit style very well.

Pair It With

• Lamb
• Burgers
• Roasted vegetables
• Quesadillas
• Sausages off the grill

Technical Notes

Producer: M. Chapoutier
Wine: Côtes du Rhône Belleruche Rouge
Vintage: 2023
Region: Rhône, France
Blend: 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Marselan

Body: Medium
Structure: Silky tannins · juicy fruit · peppery spice · roasted finish

Flavor Profile
Blackcurrant · Raspberry · White Pepper · Violet · Spice · Roasted Notes

Drink Window
Now–2028

2025 Bodega Colomé Estate Torrontés, Calchaquí Valley, Argentina 🇦🇷

The Moment

Some aromatic whites are built around perfume.
Others are built around perfume with purpose.

The 2025 Bodega Colomé Estate Torrontés feels like the kind of bottle that reminds people why Torrontés can be so compelling when it is done well — floral and expressive, yes, but also fresh, dry, and clean enough to keep the whole thing lifted. A wine with the floral notes of roses, the citrus aroma of grapefruit, and a spicy hint, with a palate described as fresh, round, and well-bodied with a long, elegant finish.

Wines have been made at Colomé in the Upper Calchaquí Valley in Salta since 1831, and describes Torrontés as Argentina’s flagship native white grape that reaches one of its highest expressions in this region.

What It Feels Like

Think ceviche, spicy food, and a white that starts with flowers but finishes cleaner and more composed than people expect.

What makes this wine work is the balance between expressiveness and restraint. Roses, grapefruit, and spice give it that unmistakable Torrontés identity, but also freshness, roundness, and elegance rather than heaviness. It feels like the kind of white that can charm people on the first sniff, then keep them at the table because the finish stays bright. 

In the Glass

Aromatics
Roses, grapefruit, and a lightly spicy aromatic lift.

Palate
Fresh, round, and well-bodied, with citrus-driven fruit and a long, elegant finish.

Texture
Supple and rounded through the middle, but still dry and lifted. 

Finish
Long, floral-citrus, and clean, with freshness carrying through the close. 

Why We Love This Bottle

Aromatic Without Losing Shape
The strongest thing in the current notes is that the wine is not just floral. It also sounds fresh, round, and elegant, which is exactly what keeps Torrontés from feeling one-dimensional.

High-Altitude Fruit Matters
The Calchaquí Valley’s altitude, sunlight, and diurnal swing are part of why this wine can hold both perfume and freshness so well.

A Great Bottle For Spicy And Bright Food
Vegetarian dishes, spicy food, and aperitif drinking, which fits the wine’s aromatic-citrus profile very naturally.

Pair It With

• Spicy dishes
• Ceviche
• Fish tacos
• Vegetarian dishes
• Aperitif snacks

Technical Notes

Producer: Bodega Colomé
Wine: Estate Torrontés
Vintage: 2025
Region: Calchaquí Valley / Salta, Argentina
Grape: Torrontés.

Alcohol: 13% ABV
pH: 3.4
Acidity: 6.15 g/L
Residual Sugar: 2 g/L.

Body: Medium
Structure: Floral lift · citrus freshness · rounded mid-palate · elegant finish

Flavor Profile
Rose · Grapefruit · Spice · Citrus

Drink Window
Now–2027

2016 Descendant Cellars ‘Sibling Revelry’, Washington, USA

The Moment

Some Rhône-style reds are built around weight.
Others are built around movement.

The 2016 Descendant Cellars “Sibling Revelry” feels like the kind of bottle that lands beautifully in that second lane — bright, savory, and just a little off-center in the best way. A wine that flips the classic GSM blend on its head, built as a mostly Mourvèdre “MSG” blend, with cranberry and flint on the nose and red and black fruits across the palate. That already tells you this is not a soft, jammy Rhône imitation. It’s more lifted, more savory, and more food-first. The wine has a slightly darker, earthier, more savory frame than a Grenache-led blend would.

What It Feels Like

Think grilled meats, something rustic on the table, and a red that feels relaxed but never boring.

What makes this wine appealing is the balance between brighter red-fruit notes and the more stony, savory side implied by the cranberry and flint description. Open enough to be inviting, while the Mourvèdre-heavy framing means a wine that is a little more earthy, herbal, or game-adjacent depth underneath.

In the Glass

Aromatics
Cranberry, flint, and likely savory Rhône-style lift.

Palate
Red and black fruits with a savory, food-friendly shape.

Texture
Likely medium-bodied, with enough structure from Mourvèdre to feel grounded but enough fruit to stay easygoing.

Finish
Fresh, lightly stony, and savory, with red and black fruit lingering through the close. 

Why We Love This Bottle

A Rhône Blend With Its Own Angle
The most interesting thing here is that the 2016 is not presented as a standard GSM. The fact that it is mostly Mourvèdre gives it a little more intrigue and a likely savory edge right away.

Easy To Open, Not Simple
Descendant’s current lineup language around Sibling Revelry as the “little sister” Rhône-style wine suggests it is meant to be approachable, but the 2016 tasting note clearly adds more personality than a simple everyday red.

Very Food-Friendly
The 2016 note specifically recommends it with grilled meats, slow-cooked beef ribs, cassoulet, or ratatouille, which is exactly the kind of pairing range that makes a bottle like this useful in the shop.

Pair It With

• Grilled meats
• Slow-cooked beef ribs
• Cassoulet
• Ratatouille
• Roast chicken with herbs

Technical Notes

Producer: Descendant Cellars
Wine: Sibling Revelry
Vintage: 2016
Region: Washington, USA
Style: Rhône-style red blend. 

Body: Medium
Structure: Bright red fruit · savory/stony edge · likely Mourvèdre-driven depth

Flavor Profile
Cranberry · Flint · Red Fruit · Black Fruit

Drink Window
Now

2022 Château Fonsalade Saint-Chinian “F,” Languedoc-Roussillon, France 🇫🇷

The Moment

Some southern French reds are built around weight.
Others are built around appetite.

The 2022 Château Fonsalade “F” feels like the kind of bottle that lands in that second lane — savory, spicy, and fresh enough to keep dinner moving. A full introduction to Saint-Chinian, made from young Grenache and Syrah vines, and says the wine is indulgent, spicy, and very fresh, with a mouth-filling shape and attractive red-fruit notes. Raised in concrete vats, which fits the wine’s brighter, less oaky personality.

That style makes a lot of sense for this estate. Château Fonsalade sits in Saint-Chinian, where the domaine says it farms across both limestone-influenced soils and schist soils, a combination that helps produce wines with structure, fruit, and supple tannins.

What It Feels Like

Think duck breast, lamb, couscous on the table, and a red that brings spice and energy instead of heaviness.

What makes this wine work is the balance between fruit and savory lift. The estate’s own note gives you the key cues right away: spicy, fresh, mouth-filling, and red-fruited. That usually translates into a red that is immediately likable, but still clearly southern French in the best way — a little herbal, a little earthy, and very food-friendly.

In the Glass

Aromatics
Red fruit, spice, and a lifted southern-French profile. 

Palate
Nicely mouth-filling, fresh, and indulgent, with red fruit carried by a savory-spiced frame.

Texture
Supple and open, with enough depth to feel complete but no heavy oak shaping. 

Finish
Fresh, spicy, and food-friendly, with red-fruit energy lingering through the close. 

Why We Love This Bottle

A Great Saint-Chinian Entry Point
The estate literally frames Cuvée F as a “full-blown introduction” to Saint-Chinian, which makes it a very easy hand-sell for people who want to explore the region without stepping into something too serious or expensive.

Concrete Keeps It Honest
Because the wine is raised in concrete vats, the style is more about fruit, spice, and freshness than obvious oak. That suits a bottle like this very well.

Built For Real Food
The estate specifically recommends it with duck breast, lamb, lasagna, and couscous, which tells you exactly where this wine wants to live.

Pair It With

• Duck breast
• Lamb
• Lasagna
• Couscous
• Grilled sausages

Technical Notes

Producer: Château Fonsalade
Wine: Cuvée F
Vintage: 2022
Appellation: Saint-Chinian AOC
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Blend: 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah

Vineyard Notes:
Cuvée F is blended from young Grenache and Syrah vines and lists the average vine age at 6 years on the wine page.

Élevage:
Raised in concrete vats.

Body: Medium-Full
Structure: Fresh fruit · savory spice · concrete-aged purity

Flavor Profile
Red Fruit · Spice · Savory Herbs

Drink Window
Now–2028

2024 Galactica Sauvignon Blanc, Central Valley, Chile 🇨🇱

The Moment

Some Sauvignon Blancs are built around sharpness.
Others are built around lift.

The 2024 Galactica Sauvignon Blanc feels like the kind of bottle that lives right in that sweet spot — bright, crisp, and easy to reach for, but with enough floral detail and minerality to make it feel more interesting than a simple porch white. A wine with lemon, gooseberry, mint, lavender, chamomile, sweet pea, and mineral notes, in a lighter style that is crisp and well balanced.

There is good vineyard detail behind that freshness too. The fruit comes from two vineyards in Chile’s Central Valley: 80% from Yerbas Buenas in the Maule foothills of the Andes and 20% from Los Alamos in Curicó, with both vineyards and the winery described as certified sustainable. The wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel, which fits the wine’s clean, mineral, fruit-forward style very well.

What It Feels Like

Think grilled shrimp, goat cheese, and a white that feels cold, bright, and immediately useful from the first sip.

What makes this bottle work is the balance between classic Sauvignon Blanc markers and just enough softness to keep it easy. Lemon zest, gooseberry, and mint give it that familiar snap, while lavender, chamomile, and sweet pea make it feel a little more lifted and expressive. The mineral finish keeps it from getting too floral, which is a big part of why it drinks so cleanly. 

In the Glass

Aromatics
Lemon, gooseberry, fresh mint, lavender, chamomile, and sweet pea.

Palate
Crisp, light-bodied, and well balanced, with citrusy freshness and a mineral-driven finish.

Texture
Light and lively, with freshness and minerality emphasized over weight or richness. 

Finish
Clean, elegant, and mineral, with lemon and gooseberry carrying through the close. 

Why We Love This Bottle

A Sauvignon Blanc That Stays Bright
The strongest throughline here is freshness: citrus, herbs, floral lift, and a mineral finish. The kind of white that makes sense to chill hard and pour often.

Cooler-Site Fruit Matters
The Maule foothills and Curicó sourcing, plus the note about cool microclimates and large day-night temperature swings, help explain why this wine sounds so lifted and balanced rather than broad or tropical.

A Very Useful Food White
Because the wine is lighter in style, crisp, and mineral-driven, it looks like a great match for seafood, salads, goat cheese, and salty snacks. 

Pair It With

• Grilled shrimp
• Goat cheese
• Herbed chicken
• Salads with citrus vinaigrette
• Chips, olives, and salty snacks

Technical Notes

Producer: Galactica
Wine: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2024
Region: Central Valley, Chile
Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol: 12.5% ABV
Case Production: 22,000 12-pack cases.

Vineyard Notes:
Fruit is sourced from Yerbas Buenas in Maule and Los Alamos in Curicó. Sustainably farmed, with mostly alluvial soils plus sandy loam and clay.

Winemaking:
The grapes are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks for about 2 months on the lees, then aged an additional 4–6 months in tank. No oak is used.

Body: Light
Structure: Bright acidity · mineral line · refreshing finish

Flavor Profile
Lemon · Gooseberry · Mint · Lavender · Chamomile · Sweet Pea · Mineral

Drink Window
Now–2027