A bit over 50 years ago, José Chaves planted an eight hectare parcel of vines in a rock and sand soiled site in the Cabanelas region of Rías Baixes. Today, we bring you the wine that his grandchildren make from these vines.

This just-released 2024 bottling is the second vintage of the Chaves family's Ponte da Barca Albariño we've featured, and we are big fans.

As is the case with many classic European whites, prices of quality Albariño have crept up over the past few years, with many bottlings regularly cresting the twenty dollar mark. Today, we bring you this family-made treat for just fifteen bucks. Given its classic flavors and mineral crunch, we think it’s the best Albariño value we’ve tasted all year.

Read on for our tasting notes, and for a dark-fruited $13.99 Chilean red that was intended to sell for $20, then click the Big Green Button to stock up!

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2024 Bodegas Chaves "Ponte da Barca" Albariño
Rías Baixas, Spain
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Yummy, with a sneaky saline-kissed white rock complexity, this mineral-laced white boasts pure notes of peach, orange slices, bay leaf and macadamia. With a citrus tinge, the finish is clean and balanced.

If you’re someone that enjoys Sancerre, Vouvray, Pinot Gris or Grüner Veltliner, you’ll probably love this one. Delicious on its own and incredibly friendly at the dinner table, it earns an enthusiatic 90+ points from our team.

The first to review this new release, James Suckling really nails the essence of this wine with his tasting notes...

“Vivid aromas of briny seashells, nectarines and white blossoms. Fresh and lively, with a medium body and a crisp, medium-length finish. Peachy at the end, with restrained salinity that’s spot-on. Drink now.”
          - 90 Points, James Suckling (6/11/2025) 

Looking online we found just two listings for an indeterminate vintage of this wine, at $18 and $20. While that is about what good Albariño goes for these days, we've worked our magic and are able to bring this new vintage to you for quite a bit less. Grab a few bottles for late summer parties!

Vin Chicago Price: 14.99

Special $13.99 Price on Chilean Carmenére!

2019 Miguel Torres "Cordillera" Carmenére
Peumo, Cachapoal Valley, Chile
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In 1979, the pioneering Torres family of Spain began making wine in Chile. Today, they continue to bottle super traditional wines that give the ripe deliciousness of South America with a European accent. 

The wine we bring you here is made from Carmenére, a little-known Bordeaux grape that is widely planted throughout Chile, especially in the Rapel Valley. Featured in some of Chile’s most collectible wines, including Almaviva, Seña and Clos Apalta, it produces deliciously and wildly distinctive red wines that taste like nothing else.

Raised in a combination of new and used French and Austrian oak barrels, this deep ruby colored Carmenére explodes from the glass, revealing cassis, blackberry and smoky raspberry fruits. With hints of mint, tobacco, bell pepper and cured meats, there’s a savory, feral core that we adore. Rich in the mouth with a distinctive grip and a bright finish, it’s a serious wine, far more so than our special distributor closeout price suggests!

“The 2019 Carmenere Reserva Especial Cordillera de Los Andes is purple in color with a well-organized, nuanced nose of roasted red pepper, jalapeno, ash and ripe plum. Juicy and light on its feet, with flow defined by a slightly tartaric freshness that underlines the bold finish. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2029.”
          - 91 Points, Vinous - Joaquin Hidalgo (6/2022) 

“Aromas of dark berries, dried herbs, baking spices, bell peppers and earth. Medium-to full-bodied with fine tannins. Vibrant, balanced and creamy. Lots of layers of fresh dark fruit and herbs lead to a flavorful finish. Unfiltered. Drink or hold.”
          - 92 Points, James Suckling (7/4/2022) 

Typical retail is in the $20 to $22 range. We bought a small supply of this delicious red on closeout and offer the last few cases at a majorly discounted price. Try with sausages and bell peppers at your next backyard dinner!

Vin Chicago Price: 13.99