The 2025 vintage of our favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is here, and it's already earned MASSIVE ratings from everyone under the sun!

Wine Advocate: 94 Points
James Halliday: 97 Points
Wine Spectator: 93 Points
James Suckling: 94 Points

When was the last time you saw a Sauvignon Blanc get scores like that, let alone one that sells for just twenty bucks!

Sophisticated in texture and classy in style, the 2025 Dog Point is anything but your average Kiwi SB. Read on for the tasting notes, and for a crack at the 2018 Bollinger "La Grande Année" Champagne, then smack down on that Big Green Button.

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2025 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, New Zealand
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Dog Point is one of a handful of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc growers whose wine transcends the category. Along with Cloudy Bay, Greywacke and Churton, the Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc has a fullness and richness that makes it extraordinarily complete and delicious. With their 2025 bottling, the score-to-price ratio is borders on ludicrous.

“The 2025 Sauvignon Blanc is textural and salty, savory and complex. I love this wine for its tether to place, but its elevation beyond it. It isn't overt in its styling, nor pungent in its aromas; it is classy—a sophisticated showing of the best attributes of the variety. 12.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink Date: 2026 - 2029."
          - 94 Points, Wine Advocate (6/11/2026)

“A wine that catches you off guard with its familiar waft of candle wax and sparkler flint. There’s a wistful white floral aroma of frangipani and freesia drawing you in. As it opens, notes of pomelo, white pear and pineapple emerge. The wine then lights up like fireworks – the soft, sparkling kind – revealing hints of lemonade, yellow melon and a glittering acidity that is carefully bridled. Nuances of celery heart and fresh ginger follow, adding complexity. It is exquisite in its balance – teetering tropical notes, the fragility of herbal suggestion and an utterly moreish finish. Drink from 2025 to 2032."
          - 97 Points, James Halliday (4/7/2026)

“Complex and highly detailed, with notes of honeysuckle and lemon oil, plus touches of saline and grilled Meyer lemon. Yuzu, pomelo and citron flavors, along with lemongrass and fresh ginger, linger effortlessly on a sleek, mouthwatering frame. Drink now through 2036."
          - 93 Points, Wine Spectator (9/30/2026)

“Aromas of grapefruit, brine, green olives and limes. Medium- to full-bodied, linear and vibrant, with definition. Restrained exuberance and a touch of salinity in the finish. 100% indigenous yeast fermentation. Impressive handmade wine considering the volume. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap."
          - 94 Points, James Suckling (3/17/2026)

If you're a fan of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, Napa or the Loire Valley, this impressive white is worth checking out. If you have any friends stuck on the usual grocery store brands, you can do them a big favor by showing them how great of a wine they can get for just a few bucks more!

Vin Chicago Price: 19.99

A "Statuesque" 2018 Release from Bollinger!

2018 Bollinger ”La Grande Année” Brut
Champagne, France
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Last week we brought you the latest batch of Bollinger's famous "Special Cuvée" non-vintage Champagne. Today, we bring you their téte de cuvée.

Earning this 97-Point rating, the 2018 La Grande Année is tied as the most highly rated bottling of Bollinger ever reviewed by Wine Spectator...

“A statuesque Champagne, with a spine of fine china–like acidity enmeshed in the plush mouthfeel of its finely detailed mousse. That’s an elegant springboard for layers of white cherry, creamed apple and brioche, with a fragrant skein of grated coconut, toasted cumin, anise, acacia blossom and mandarin orange peel accents. A push of salty roasted almond is a subtle but rich and lasting chime on the finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged March 2025. Drink now through 2046."
          - 97 Points, Wine Spectator (7/13/2026)

“Bollinger’s 2018 La Grande Année is quite pretty and delicate. Floral and citrus notes are nicely lifted in a Grande Année that offers notable sensuality and grace. Hints of orchard fruit, chamomile, mint and chalk build through the mid-palate and into the taut, chiseled finish. There’s plenty of energy and focus. More importantly, this is a fine effort in a year marked by high yields in Champagne. I would give this a few years in the cellar. The 2018 is 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay from 19 villages, 73% Grand Cru and 37% Premier Cru. The core villages are Aÿ, Verzenay and Mareuil for Pinot Noir and Avize, Chouilly and Cuis for the Chardonnay. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: March 2025. Drinking Window: 2030 - 2048."
          - 96 Points, Vinous - Antonio Galloni (5/2026)

Wine Spectator quotes $269 for this legendary Champagne. Median online retail is $215. As usual, our price is a bit less.

Vin Chicago Price: 199.99