Sommelier Wine Team Top Picks of 2025
Looking back at 2025, we tasted thousands of wines to bring you the most compelling wines we could find. These are a few of the stories, producers, and moments that stayed with us long after the offers closed.
Every year leaves a mark. Not in rankings or scores, but in the bottles people remember.
This is not a list of the safest choices or the loudest labels. These are the wines that sparked conversation, sold faster than expected, and quietly reset our expectations of what great wine can be. Without further ado we give you our favorite bottles of the year.
2014 Alexandra Sainz, Bouzy Grand Cru - November 17, 2205
Champagne, France
The 2014 Alexandra Sainz Bouzy Grand Cru embodies nine generations of winemaking heritage, tracing roots in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy back to 1741. Alexandra Sainz, a ninth-generation winegrower trained at the École Viticole de Champagne in Avize, carries forward her family’s legacy with precision and modern expertise. Together with her brother Jean-François Clouet, the family cultivates meticulously maintained Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards, blending tradition and innovation. Fermented with care and aged a minimum of four years on the lees in cool chalk cellars, this Champagne reveals a velvety golden hue with subtle violet highlights, offering elegance, spice, and fine mousse that reflect the character of Bouzy terroir. Serious, age-worthy, and uncompromising, it is a testament to both history and meticulous craftsmanship.
2012 Pierre Moncuit BdB GC Extra Brut (Magnum) - Dec 10, 2025
Champagne, France
Hailing from Le Mesnil‑sur‑Oger, the beating heart of Grand Cru Chardonnay, the 2012 Pierre Moncuit Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs embodies the chalky tension, minerality, and electrifying precision that define the world’s finest Blanc de Blancs. The Moncuit family has tended these old vines since the late 19th century, preserving depth and intensity rarely found even among top grower estates, allowing their wines to stand alongside village icons like Salon and Krug’s Clos du Mesnil without stratospheric pricing. The 2012 vintage began with chaos and ended in triumph, and this Extra Brut captures that duality with elegance — power intertwined with precision, structure paired with vibrancy, and a vinous intensity that rewards both immediate enjoyment and careful patience.
2002 Vincent Couche “Sensation” Brut Nature - July 25, 2025
Champagne, France
The 2002 vintage takes its place among the greatest of the 21st century, and Vincent Couche’s late-disgorged “Sensation” Brut Nature is a masterclass in age-worthy, non-interventionist Champagne. Couche, the first producer in Champagne to be certified Biodynamic in both vineyard and cellar, nurtures fruit from two exceptional sites — Buxeuil (Pinot Noir) and Montgueux (Chardonnay) — allowing natural ripeness, texture, and vibrancy to shine. Crafted entirely by gravity, fermented with native yeasts in old French barrels, and matured on the lees for over two decades, this Champagne embodies purity, energy, and dynamic complexity. Equal parts precision and power, “Sensation” is a sensory experience that continually evolves in the glass, a true magnum opus from one of the century’s most remarkable vintages.
2023 Martin Tesch Riesling “Karthäuser” - July 17, 2025
Nahe, Germany
The 2023 “Karthäuser” Trocken Riesling celebrates the Martin family’s 300th anniversary in Germany’s Nahe region, offering a masterful expression of site, history, and precision. Sourced from the southwest-facing Karthäuser vineyard above Laubenheim, the wine reflects the unique sandstone soils and generous sunlight, producing grapes of remarkable concentration and balance. Bright acidity, fine minerality, and layered exotic fruit combine to create a Riesling that is both vibrant and elegant. Long recognized for exceptional value and quality, Martin Tesch has earned acclaim from Vinous Media, Wine Advocate, and James Suckling, and this bottling confirms their stature. Named in homage to the silent devotion of medieval Carthusian monks, “Karthäuser” is a wine that marries history, terroir, and technical mastery in a single, stunning expression.
2023 Do Ferreiro “Cepas Vellas” - October 21, 2025
Galicia, Spain
The 2023 “Cepas Vellas” Albariño is a singular expression of Galicia’s Salnés Valley and a living testament to the Méndez family, pioneers who helped establish the Rías Baixas DO in 1988. Sourced from a tiny 1.5-hectare vineyard planted in 1785, these ancient pergola-trained vines yield a wine of remarkable depth, minerality, and age-worthiness. Ocean breezes and decomposed granite soils shape a precise, chiseled white that opens with golden-amber tones, wet oyster shell, underripe stone fruit, and saline notes, revealing lime zest, green mango, and pluot skin on the palate. Properly cellared, it will evolve gracefully for 10 to 20 years. Awarded 96+ points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Cepas Vellas is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Albariño — a wine that rivals the greatest whites of Burgundy and exemplifies history, place, and technical mastery in every sip.
2019 Stéphane Ogier Condrieu “La Combe de Malleval” - May 4, 2025
Northern Rhône Valley
The 2019 “La Combe de Malleval” Condrieu exemplifies Stéphane Ogier’s mastery, intellectual curiosity, and deep connection to Northern Rhône terroirs. Sourced from 25- to 38-year-old Viognier vines in two steep, granitic climats near Malleval — a township once known as a hideout for medieval bandits — this wine delivers a riot of stony minerality, floral perfume, and ripe peach notes. Bold yet balanced, it showcases the elegance and power of one of the Rhône’s most prized white wine appellations. Coveted by Michelin-starred restaurants and collectors worldwide, Ogier’s wines rarely appear outside top-tier lists, and securing a few cases of this perfect vintage reflects the dedication of the SOMM Wine Team. “La Combe de Malleval” is a full-bodied, expressive white that combines history, place, and technical precision in every glass.
2023 Arterberry Maresh “Maresh Vineyard” - June 30, 2025
Willamette Valley, Oregon
The 2023 “Maresh Vineyard” Pinot Noir represents the pinnacle of Arterberry Maresh’s craft in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Founded by Jim Maresh and Noah Arterberry, the estate has refined its approach over decades on one of Dundee Hills’ oldest vineyards with half-century-old own-rooted vines. This bottling offers lifted floral aromas, vibrant red fruit, and layered complexity with coiled elegance rarely seen outside Burgundy. Silky tannins and a long, energetic finish reflect the vineyard’s character. Critically acclaimed with 98 points from James Suckling and 96 from Vinous, it is beautiful now and will continue to evolve for a decade. The 2023 “Maresh Vineyard” is a pure expression of site-specific Willamette Pinot Noir, balancing heritage, precision, and power in every glass.
2017 Mas de Boislauzon CdP “Cuvée Tintot” - November 18th, 2025
Southern Rhone Valley France
A rare treasure from the Southern Rhône. Produced only in exceptional years, it comes from a single parcel of 70–80‑year-old vines planted by the family’s grandfather. Mas de Boislauzon is a six-generation estate now led by siblings Daniel and Christine, who preserve the domaine’s tradition while elevating its reputation. Unlike most Châteauneuf‑du‑Pape, Grenache does not dominate. Tintot highlights Mourvèdre, prized for its longevity, intense dark fruit, leather notes, and firm tannins. With only around 125 cases produced, it is one of the rarest bottlings from the region and offered here as a U.S. exclusive library release. Hailed by Jeb Dunnuck with 96+ points, it stands alongside other elite Mourvèdre-driven Châteauneufs and is a must-have for collectors and enthusiasts.
2022 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore - Novemember 13, 2025
Tuscany, Italy
One of Italy’s most iconic blends. Founded by Lodovico Antinori in 1981 and now run independently by the Frescobaldi family, the estate captures the essence of Tuscany’s Maremma through meticulous viticulture and winemaking. Each variety and parcel is harvested, vinified, and aged separately, sometimes producing as many as 80 component wines. The final blend is aged in French oak to create a wine of structure, silkiness, and elegance. Cabernet Sauvignon provides a Bordeaux-like backbone, complemented by notes of chocolate, licorice, sandalwood, graphite, and espresso. Prized by collectors for its balance of power and finesse, Ornellaia is a Super Tuscan that rivals the great First Growths of Bordeaux while expressing the unique character of the Bolgheri coast.
2019 Paolo Bea Sagrantino “Pagliaro” - December 7, 2025
Umbria, Italy
A monumental expression of Sagrantino from the Bea family’s high-altitude vineyard in Umbria at 1,300 feet. The wine undergoes a 40–50-day maceration, one year in stainless steel, two years in large Slavonian oak, and an additional year of bottle aging before release. Deep, structured, and age-worthy, it evolves beautifully over days in the glass. Opaque garnet-black in color, it reveals layers of black currant, plum, mulberry, cassis, licorice, dark chocolate, wild herbs, roasted meat, coffee, and winter spice. Intense and powerful, it combines the leathery spice of Tuscan Sangiovese, the savory depth of Northern Rhône Syrah, and the dark-fruited richness of Argentine Malbec. Critically acclaimed and highly sought after, “Pagliaro” rewards patience and contemplation and is a landmark release from one of Italy’s most uncompromising producers.
2018 Ca’ La Bionda Amarone Classico - August 24, 2025
Veneto Italy
This stunning example of traditional Valpolicella craftsmanship. Produced by the Castellani family in the heart of the Classico zone, it blends organically farmed Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara. The grapes are dried slowly using the appassimento method and aged in large Slavonian oak casks. The result is a wine of elegance, mineral restraint, and layered aromatics. This Amarone offers gliding waves of dried cherry, cocoa dust, crushed rose petals, and alpine herbs, with a long, persistent finish. Unlike many modern Amarones, it emphasizes finesse over extraction and channels Burgundian grace while staying true to its Veneto roots. It pairs beautifully with rich dishes, such as duck ragù, and stands as a rare, collectible bottling of remarkable structure and soul.
2018 Campinovi Brunello di Montalcino - 5/21/25
Tuscany, Italy
The 2018 Campinovi Brunello di Montalcino is identical to the highly acclaimed Poggio Landi, rated 94 points by Wine Advocate. Poggio Landi spans 75 hectares across Montalcino’s top sites, including Montosoli, with vineyards in both historic northern slopes and warmer southern plots in Castelnuovo dell’Abate. Acquired by Alejandro Bulgheroni in 2012, the estate was converted to organic farming and certified by 2017. Following a philosophy of minimal intervention, fermentation occurs spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, preserving each vineyard’s unique character. Winemaker Giovanni Alberio and consultant Alberto Antonini craft the final blend with precision, balancing richness, fruit, and structure. The result is a Brunello of depth, elegance, and irresistible charm. This wine combines traditional craftsmanship with modern expertise and offers exceptional value compared with far more expensive peers.
Additional Fan Favorites - Best of The Rest
2017 Chateau Musar (Gaston Hochar), Chateau Musar Rouge
Few wines occupy the space Château Musar does. The 2017 Rouge is unmistakably Musar, wild yet composed, earthy, lifted, and built for time. As Lebanon’s most influential and internationally recognized winery, Musar has defined the country’s modern wine identity for decades, earning cult status long before “cult wine” was a category. Shaped by high-altitude Bekaa Valley vineyards and a philosophy that embraces vintage variation rather than correcting it, this is a wine that refuses polish in favor of truth. It’s not just a cult producer;
2019 Katali, Coombsville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
A focused expression of Coombsville, Napa’s most quietly compelling appellation. Defined by volcanic soils, marine influence, and extended hang time, this wine favors structure and nuance over excess. Dark-fruited, savory, and built with restraint, it reflects a philosophy rooted in site transparency rather than spectacle. A reminder that Napa’s future often lives in its most diverse and least shouted corners.
2018 Cascina Baricchi Barbaresco Rose delle Casasse Riserva
From Cascina Baricchi is Barbaresco at its most uncompromising, precise, structured, and deeply rooted in place. Drawn from old vines in Neive and elevated through extended aging, this is Nebbiolo built on tension rather than generosity. Aromatic, mineral, and quietly powerful, it rewards attention and time, offering a reminder that the most compelling expressions of Barbaresco rarely announce themselves loudly and reveal themselves slowly.
1995 El Coto de Rioja, Rioja "Vino Tinto de Crianza”
The 1995 vintage takes us back in time to a defining era of classic Rioja. The El Coto de Rioja Crianza is a snapshot of how the region’s wines were built in the late 20th century, when structure, patience, and oak-driven complexity defined quality. Produced by one of Rioja’s most influential estates, El Coto helped bring this traditional style to a global audience. Today, the wine shows resolved red fruit, dried cherry, tobacco, leather, and sweet spice, with silky tannins and a savory, earthy finish shaped by extended American oak aging. More than a mature bottle, it remains a reference point for how traditionally made Rioja was meant to age and endure.
2023 Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre Blanc
The 2023 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Blanc is a masterclass in Sauvignon Blanc, exemplifying why Vacheron is revered year after year. Hailing from some of the most celebrated vineyards in Sancerre, this wine offers precision, minerality, and vibrant citrus and green fruit notes, all lifted by a distinctive chalky texture. Known for producing whites of remarkable clarity and balance, Domaine Vacheron delivers a wine that is at once elegant and expressive. It is a benchmark for the appellation and one of the most beautiful expressions of Sancerre any of us have encountered.
2025 left its mark in the glass. From Champagnes that danced with decades of precision, to whites that spoke of place and history, to reds that demanded attention and patience, this year’s favorites spanned the globe and the spectrum of style. Each wine tells a story — of heritage, terroir, and winemakers chasing excellence. Click to explore the bottles that defined our year, and join us as we look forward to discovering even greater wines in 2026.
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