2020 Domaine Babass Groll N’Roll ($30)
French musician turned natural winemaker Sebastien “Babass” Dervieux makes this sulfur-free violet- and cherry-scented red from old vine grolleau grapes in the Loire Valley.
2019 Dirty & Rowdy Winery California Mourvedre Familiar ($30)
There’s a global geek following for this startup with a silly name (winemaker Hardy Wallace’s nickname is Dirty; his partner’s is Rowdy) that reflects the kind of wines it makes. This entry-level red is punchy, juicy, lip-smacking.
2020 Wildman Astro Bunny Pet Nat ($36)
One of Wildman’s two petillant naturel wines, this ultimate beach blend of three white grapes and red nero d’avola has aromas of strawberries and a watermelon-like freshness.
2018 Yetti and the Kokonut Mt. Savagnin ($40)
Made from a grape popular in the Jura, this skin-contact white is not one of those polarizing orange wines. It tastes of tropical fruit and nuts, with a zing of acidity and rich texture.
2017 Frog’s Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon ($55)
This is one of Napa’s under-sung classic cabernets. Made from organic grapes, it has aromas of mint and dark berry fruit, flavor notes of cassis, and a succulent, silky texture.
2018 Sailor Seeks Horse Pinot Noir ($55)
There’s a funny story behind this name. According to the winemaker in Tasmania, the moral of the tale is not to let yourself be pigeonholed in life. The wine is lively, light, elegant, and perfumed. In Aussie lingo: smashable.
2017 D’Arenberg the Dead Arm Shiraz ($57)
Only Chester Osborn would name his earthy, deep-fruited, opulent, and concentrated icon wine after a disease. When a wood fungus kills off parts of an old vine, it leaves a “dead arm” or branch, reducing the yield and intensifying the wine’s flavor.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.