fell in love with the crystalline wines of Franck Peillot many years ago while working in the cellars of Balthazar, and have been hunting them down with zeal ever since. My relentless pursuit has finally paid off and I'm thrilled to offer his wines for the FIRST time today. Just in time to stock up for the holidays, this is your perfect bubbly for toasting with family and friends.

David and Marco are two childhood friends that grew up together in Abruzzo. Lammidia is their small biodynamic winery within sight of the Adriatic. With a purist attitude, their non-interventionist approach starts in the vineyard, carries through to the cellar and then culminates in each bottle. After ten years of working together, they have nearly 60 labels under their belts, each carrying their motto: 'uva e basta!' (grapes and that’s it!) — no modern technology, no chemicals, no bells or whistles; just grapes and a couple friends getting into the soil they grew up on. Their wines are ALIVE! You feel the energy in every sip.

For the last several years, whenever I'm asked what wine I'm most excited about, the answer has consistently been anything made by Envínate. These wines continue to push boundaries while still being rooted in tradition. Four friends changing the Spanish wine landscape, their story only eclipsed by the quality of their wines. What do I do when I taste a brand new, never before produced Envínate wine? I fall in love all over again, and buy up every drop I can possibly get my hands on.

The opportunity to drink and share wines of such stature is a rare and special opportunity. As the demand for these famous labels have soared, so have their prices. What is one to do? Lean on me. If you dig a little deeper, there are still tremendous wines being made in close proximity to these great estates. For reasons unknown, these neighboring wineries haven't garnered the spotlight (or price for that matter) of their more famous neighbors.

What is the best wine you've ever had?' It's a question I get asked frequently but one I never really know how to answer. There are just too many factors involved; setting, company, food, etc. all play a part in making a wine perfect. Sometimes a simple wine on the deck with my wife does the trick, while other times, an expertly decanted bottle enjoyed at a fine restaurant makes the evening. There is one wine however, that has stood out among the thousands I've tasted over the years. A wine so beautiful, so fragrant, so silken, that I became emotional while drinking it. It was the first time I realized wine could touch my soul the way music or film is able to.

This wine is a disco in your mouth. A novel California co-ferment, it has reignited my desire to explore the depths of our booming natural wine movement here in the USA. Dazzling, fresh and invigorating, it feels like fireworks in your mouth! It's singular and unconventional in the best ways possible. This week's pick is the perfect bottle to chill and celebrate your weekend (or any day of the week!). Expand your palate, open your mind, let the fun commence.

I was a young buck hauling cases for pennies in the cavernous basement cellars of NYC's Balthazar. As supplementary compensation for that grunt-work, the wine director (and my mentor) allowed me to sit in on all tastings. Every day we would taste dozens of French wines, each vying for a spot on the restaurant's coveted list. I was enjoying wine and starting to really understand it, but I had yet to experience that AH-HA moment; the taste that stops time and puts everything in perspective.

The truly great wines of the world take time. They need years and years of bottle age to clearly express their magnificence. While true, these statements neglect the full picture, and today's offer is a shining example of a top-notch wine you can drink TONIGHT. As I've said before, one of my great joys is seeking out the lesser known, the smaller production "secret" wines that over deliver. This may be my best discovery yet.

Keeping an open mind while tasting is something I pride myself on. But in all honestly, old-world wines made from grapes not native to the region continue to rub me the wrong way. Why throw out deeply rooted tradition in favor of market fads? Today's wine proved these preconceived notions completely wrong. Deeply flavored, dark fruited, and distinctly Tuscan, this Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the heart of Chianti Classico was a revelation.

My quest for 'the perfect red' has ended. Seriously. It even says as much on the label, albeit in Portuguese! Maybe it's the summer heat (or my endless desire for ocean waves) that has me crushing on wines from Portugal, but it could also be Portuguese winemakers putting out some of the most intriguing and drinkable wines of the year. This bottle is no exception.

If I lived in France, Lilian Duplessis's wines would never make it to the United States. I would commit myself to consuming his entire production each vintage...THAT'S how much I love the wines of his domaine, Gérard Duplessis. If I need to impress someone, enlighten someone, or enliven a meal, I bring these wines.

As much as I gravitate towards lighter bodied wines of finesse and elegance, sometimes only a rich, muscular and powerful wine will do. When I'm pulling a perfectly cooked rib-eye off the grill, a lighter Beaujolais simply doesn't cut it. There's just something so soul satisfying about drinking a heady, earthy red, especially when paired with an equally robust roast or grilled leg of lamb. In these instances, accept no substitute!

It doesn't make sense, and seems counter-intuitive, but I love Syrah in the summertime. Only certain Syrahs will do, however. I'm talking about the fresh, savory examples that hail from the variety's homeland, the Northern Rhône. People often ask me what I like doing on my off-days. The answer: firing-up the grill and watching my kids play in the backyard, while sipping a cool glass of Éric Texier's 'Brezeme'.

In the right hands, Pineau d'Aunis is fresh, bright and filled with tart red fruits, but it is the underlying savory and peppery quality to these wines that really move me. They manage to transmit the cool, wet Loire Valley in a way I have never experienced. Today's wine is perhaps the greatest example of this fascinating grape I have tasted, and it couldn't have arrived at a better time. Its exuberance and punch allow the wine to show elegance and complexity, while still being refreshing and oh-so-fun to drink. This is my ULTIMATE summer red.

I first tasted today's wine a couple of years ago, at the importer Selection Massale's trade tasting in New York. There were hundreds of wines on display and they were all French, the only exception being this wine. I couldn't believe what I was tasting: a champagne-method sparkling wine made in Southern Germany of all places. I remember the moment like it was yesterday; the flavors, aromas and textures. It was as if I were tasting one of the world's finest Champagnes, only with more vigor and energy, and I quickly deemed the bottle the standout wine of the event.