With 2024 peeking its head around the corner, we're taking a minute to look back and appreciate the beautiful wines we drank in 2023. The bottles that took us by surprise. That we wish we had more of — or we were smart enough to squirrel away in our cellars. We shared them with friends and family and paired them with everything from pizza to perfectly roasted chicken.
Take a look at the wines that leaped over the bar in 2023.
Duline Pinot Nero Ronco Pitotti 2016
"When I opened this Pinot Noir from Lorenzo Macchiuti and Federica Magrini in Friuli, I was floored. Out of the gate, it was just this gorgeous tapestry of cherry and damp earth with the structure and whispery tannins to hold it all together. I felt like I was drinking Premier Cru red Burg. This isn’t surprising, given that when I interviewed Lorenzo and Federica a few years back, they mentioned that Burgundy has been a source of inspiration for them. Plus, 2016 in northern Italy was a good vintage with near-perfect weather. I wish I still had a bottle of this to open on Christmas — you better believe that if I see it again I won’t think twice."
— Sadie Williams, Copywriter
Duband Gevrey Chambertin 2017
"While I may be veering into the land of Burgundy nerd, this bottle from David Duband hit all the marks I knew I'd love and it still blew me away. One of my favorite recent vintages? Check. One of my favorite Red Burgundy crus? Check. It's got the ethereal quality of concentrated red fruits, mineral earthiness, and elegant finesse, that only get more complex as it sits in the glass. If it hadn't been the last bottle when I bought it, I definitely would have taken home a few more."
— Nicole Bull, Marketing
Tertre de la Mouleyre Saint Émilion 2020
"In the age-old rivalry between Burgundy and Bordeaux, my loyalties have always landed somewhere within the boundaries of the Côte d'Or. And, when push comes to shove, they still do. However, I have to admit that tasting the recent releases from this truly microscopic Bordeaux estate has forced me to at least challenge that predisposition. Tertre de la Mouleyre makes a few hundred cases(!) of Saint Émilion–and Saint Émilion only–each year and their wine is every bit as powerful of a testament to terroir as anything from Gevrey or Vosne or Meursault. We are incredibly lucky to get our hands on a few cases each year, and I'll be pouring their 2020 with this year's Christmas dinner."
— Chris LeBranche, Wine Buyer
Roches Nueves Saumur Champigny Cuvée Domaine 2020
“If I could be “of” another place, it would be the Loire Valley. But until this summer, my love of the Loire did not extend to Cabernet Franc. It seemed too serious and savory. That changed when I hosted a dinner with a local farm; the main course featured their pork chops prepared on our wood-fired grill with peaches and wine pairings from Dedalus. It was amazing, save for a monumental lightning storm and relentless rain that let up for just 30 minutes during the main course. Our team took that moment to enjoy a sip of this wine… and forgot about our problems as we reveled in it. It’s pretty. Fresh, dark fruited, pure, and feminine. It will convert any Cab Franc skeptic and it happens to pair perfectly with a rainy summer evening and food from the grill.”
— Lena Miller, Social Media Manager
