Our team chose their favorite wines to share with you
Usually, we’re not in the business of playing favorites. After all, our job is to connect you to as many great wines as possible. That’s why we stock our shelves and online shop with bottles from small producers across the country, and the world.
But sometimes, we can’t help ourselves. We have opinions, and we love to share them. So we polled our team of experts on what their favorite wines of 2022 are. You could call them our “best” wines. We call them great. Some offer stellar value. Others give us a taste of iconic producers. And all of them transport us with every sip.
Shop our team’s favorite wines of 2022
Read on to learn why each wine was chosen.
1. Gardette Champagne Brut Grand Cru NV
Our exclusive Champagne, made in partnership with Petit LeBrun and Paris Wine Company, was by far the winner of this year’s poll: 94% of our team named it in their top 10. Gardette is a jewel in our collection of small-production, artisanal Champagne. We love it for how great it tastes, but also for the story it tells. This Grand Cru Champagne is an electric message bubbling in your glass, whispering how the greatest wines come not from grand houses or well-financed corporations, but from small families working together to craft something beautiful.
“Our Gardette Champagne is a remarkable value for an estate grown bottle. It makes me want to celebrate EVERY occasion with something special so that I can constantly revisit its beautiful profile, I make sure to always keep a case on hand” — Colin Nohl, General Manager, Dedalus Stowe
“Gardette is just an unbeatable value in Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne for the price–a real sleeper.” — Chris LaBranche, Wine Buyer & Product Manager
2. Jean Marc Vincent Bourgogne Blanc 2021
“If you've spent some time thinking about or drinking Burgundy at Dedalus, you probably know about Jean-Marc's wines. I adore them, and I have long said that if Jean-Marc set up shop in a more fashionable zip code like Meursault, his wines would be on par with those of Jean-Marc Roulot and Dominique Lafon.
One of the most underrated vignerons in Burgundy, bar none, Jean-Marc's wines are surely the best in the Côte d'Or that most Burgundy lovers have never heard of. And they’re also some of the best values.” — Chris LaBranche, Wine Buyer & Product Manager
“Jean-Marc Vincent is one of the best in the Burgundy biz, and his Bourgogne Blanc is just plain pretty. Possibly the best value when it comes to white Burgundy.” — Anna Walsh, Assistant Retail Manager, Dedalus Stowe
3. Abbatucci Faustine Blanc 2022 and 2021
“The wines of Jean-Charles Abbatucci are electric, like a white-hot bolt of lightning illuminating the ocean. Their energy is both untamable and elegant. They blaze with aromas unique to the island of Corsica: a saline tingle and the scent of sagebrush and wild herbs. This old-vine Vermintinu grown in southern Corsica gives a wild peach-meets-the-ocean aroma that makes it perfect for an afternoon aperitif or the beginning of a Mediterranean dinner.” — Sadie Williams, Copywriter
4. Guy Breton Chiroubles 2021
As much fun to drink as it is to say, Chiroubles (SHI-roob) is a serious underdog Cru in Beaujolais. Chiroubles stands out because it contains some of the highest elevation plots in all of Beaujolais, which translates to cooler nighttime temps and a freshness of flavor unmatched in the region. This 2021 from Guy Breton is bright and quaffable.
Guy’s friends may call him “Petit Max”, but in the world of wine, he is quite the contrary. Breton has been a major force in restoring the honor of Gamay in Beaujolais — he’s one fourth of the Gang of Four, a group of four vigneron named as such by Kermit Lynch. Together, the Gang of Four have had a profound influence on the world of wine with their commitment to no chemicals in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar.
5. Sang des Cailloux Vacqueras 2020
There’s something wild, almost primal, about the wines of Sang Des Cailloux. That’s not to say that Serge Férigoule isn’t a gifted winemaker; he definitely is. The man is responsible for injecting Vacqueyras into the collective consciousness of wine nerds worldwide. But Vacqueyras is like a wolf. You can put a leash on it and parade it around for all of your friends to see, but deep inside there’s still a dark, savage, heart.
This wine is wild, intense, and bursting with the energy of the place. The nervous streak of acidity that rips through it makes it feel alive in the glass. Wild rosemary and lavender, the smoke of a distant campfire, struck flint, cracked black pepper, just ripe red cherry, and plum — the depth is always a surprise.
Shop our Favorite Vacqueras of 2020
6. Guido Porro Barolo Lazzairasco
“I tend to be hesitant around big Northern Italian reds (I always expect loads of smoke and vicious tannin), but Guido Porro's Barolos have been a real "aha" moment for me. They're robust and textural, deeply complex, with a tannin presence that adds to the experience in the glass. The Lazzairasco vineyard site is my favorite among what we've opened from Porro this year.” — Dana Pellicore, Director of Market Operations
7. Scar of the Sea x Dedalus Chardonnay
Mikey and Gina Giugni’s wines thread the needle between bonafide natural wine and classic Burgundy. For California wine, the quality is unmatched. And because we went straight to the source for this exclusive bottles, you get an unbeatable price.
“I love this wine, it’s so far removed from what everyone’s impression of what Cali Chardonnay is — butterballs and heavy oak. It’s so refreshing to have a Chardonnay like this on our shelf that we can call our own, that has such purity of fruit, and a sense of place. — Amelia Lammann, General Manager, Dedalus Boulder
Shop Dedalus Exclusives Collection
8. Faury Saint Joseph Rouge 2020
“Lionel is a fantastic, admired producer who makes wines that are emblematic of the Northern Rhône. But for being so esteemed and so emblematic, his Saint Joseph is incredibly well-priced. Nobody else in the region delivers this quality at this value.
I drank this wine with a meaty ragú I improvised from assorted leftovers, pantry staples, and a handful of shattered golden lasagna sheets. Lionel’s wine turned a humble pantry pasta into a luxurious, satisfying meal.” — Sadie Williams, Copywriter
9. Monteraponi Chianti Classico 2020
“One of our best-selling Chiantis. Monteraponi is one of the premier estates in the Classico zone, especially for those who prefer old-school Chianti à la Montevertine.” — Chris LaBranche, Wine Buyer & Product Manager
“Monteraponi just never, ever misses. If I don't know what I'm in the mood for, I'll grab their Chianti and I'm never disappointed.” — Kate Angus, Retail Manager, Dedalus Burlington
10. Catherine & Pierre Breton Chinon Beaux Monts 2019
“Beaux Monts is a masterpiece. It is a delicious study of the terroir of Chinon built to bring pleasure to anybody lucky enough to be drinking it at any point in time over the next 10 years. Fleshy plum and blackberry, forest floor, a little bit of that deciduous complexity that ties it to the Loire Valley. This wine is a must-buy for anybody who loves —or wants to love — Loire Cabernet Franc.” — Jason Zuliani, Founder and CEO
Shop the Wines of Domaine Breton
