93 points Wine Spectator Insider 8/9/2023: "Gracefully structured, with a vibrant beam of cherry and raspberry flavors accented by stony minerality and dusky spices. Builds richness toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2030."

Pinot fans who prize bang for the buck: stop what you're doing and order this wine. We are neither joking nor exaggerating—J. Christopher Basalte 2019 is such a world-rocking value in silky, so-deliciously-ready-to-drink Willamette Valley Pinot noir that we were stopped in our tracks upon tasting it and did a triple-take on the price. We're confident you'll feel the same way the first time you pour yourself a glass. 93 is a whopper of a score from Wine Spectator for a sub-$30 Willamette Valley Pinot; forget the accolades if you want and just read our note. An astounding Pinot deal that—just stop reading and start ordering!—has such wonderful silky flavor that it lingers for minutes.

Us: Daaaaaamn this is tasty—so pretty and aromatic with such a big beautiful cherry heart. The extra time in bottle before release has made this as silky as sub-$30 Pinot gets, with remarkable flavor lingering through the finish. For real! Like we said, stop what you're doing and grab some now!

We have a major "insider" Pinot noir deal for you—a single-vineyard wine from one of the Willamette Valley's most famous neighborhoods, made by a celebrated winemaker—with a fun name, label, and price. Oh, and it's fantastic, too!

Introducing J.C. Somers Joie de Chien Dundee Hills 2021, made by Jay Somers who after a stint at Cameron launched his J. Christopher winery. Jay's newest project is J.C. Somers, one which sees him rely on deep relationships with top-notch growers. Part of the "insider" info: Jay's '21 Joie de Chien is 100% Nicholas Family Vineyard, formerly Bella Vida, a mere driveway from the legendary Maresh Vineyard. Mostly Pommard clone and a little Wadenswil clone Pinot noir from vines nearing 25 years-old, it has outsized character for its humble price.

The name Joie de Chien—joy of dog—references Jay's love of dogs and specifically German Shepherds which have long been integral members of his family. You don't have to be a dog-lover to love this wine; all you need is an appreciation for outstanding and authentic Pinot noir at a great price. Last piece of critical info for such a tasty deal: tiny production means you should pounce on it like a dog on dinner!

I've been sipping on a bottle since Monday evening and I know what fantastic Willamette Valley Pinot smells and tastes like, and this is it! The depth and texture of single-vineyard Pinot noir without the price, this is a joy to open and sip any night of the week and impressive enough for special occasions. I like it so much I threw out the usual flavor descriptors—it's an amazing mouthful of Dundee Hills deep red fruits with elegance to spare. Hurray and grab some while you can! -Marcus

97+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "The flagship from this great estate is the 2018 Sorella, a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend (8% each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot and the 4% Petit Verdot) that spent the same 22 months in 35% new French oak. Gorgeous crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, lead pencil, and chocolate define the bouquet, and it's medium to full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, and has a great, great finish. A classically styled, structured, age-worthy beauty, it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and have 2-3 decades of overall longevity. Trust me, this will pass undetected in a blind lineup of top Bordeaux." 

96+ points Wine Advocate: "Juicy, dusty and spicy aromas waft from the glass with succulent, floral notes that capture the nose. Spiced red cherries, potpourri and dusty black raspberry essences cartwheel with notions of lavender and rose hip before offering up delicate baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is initially subdued and grows in amplitude while offering a balanced structure with succulent tannins. The longer the wine sits on the palate, it increases in spiciness under the ripe, juicy dark red fruit tones. The Sorella continues to evolve in the mouth with persistence, lingering long, leaving behind flavors graphite, crème de cassis and black cherry skin. Just under 8,000 bottles were filled after the wine rested for 22 months in all French oak, 35% new. Set your calendar and put this on your shopping list for when it’s released. Bravo, another stunning vintage of Sorella on the books."

Of course there's power—it is Washington Cabernet—yet Sorella's strength is its suave, sophisticated delivery of simply amazing Cabernet fruit from legendary vines. The 2018 opens plushly, immediately captivating thanks to beautiful aromas (it makes me think of a perfect, still warm black cherry pastry) which pull you into the purple-blue-black velvet robe of magnificent Champoux fruit. Exceptional balance carries the day—it feels buoyant and silky while gradually unveiling its structure with successive sips. I would open one now for the pure pleasure of it, knowing that any bottles you cellar are guaranteed to shine for many (many) years to come. -Marcus

For many years we've called Andrew Will Sorella one of the country's great Cabernets and now, after reading one of 2018 Sorella's reviews, perhaps we have to change "country's" to "world's."

Our enormous fondness for Sorella is echoed by critics. Whether it's "Trust me, this will pass undetected in a blind lineup of top Bordeaux" or "Set your calendar and put this on your shopping list for when it’s released," it is clear that Sorella is one of the true cornerstones of a Washington red wine collection. Oh, did we mention it is built on a foundation of the legendary 1972-planted Block 1 of Champoux Vineyard, Washington's most famous Cabernet vineyard and source of multiple 100-point Cabernets from a winery with the initials QC.

No need to set your calendar because today is the day: Sorella 2018 is here and ready for you!