Frank and I swirled, smelled and savored another outstanding year of wine. This year was especially meaningful as we celebrated 20 years of writing and our 1,000th column. We are deeply grateful to our famiglia of loyal readers, wineries, winemakers, restaurateurs, chefs and restaurants that continue to welcome us to the table.
I am also grateful for the continued assistance of founder Frank Mangio, who assists with column proofs and helps shape ideas. This year, Frank’s top three reds join my top seven, six reds and a chardonnay, in our 2025 Top 10 list.
CIRQ Pinot Noir Russian River Valley CA 2021. $225.
The sale of Kosta Browne to Duckhorn Vineyards in 2018 made perfect sense, with its Pinot Noir joining the ranks of Goldeneye. I was excited to see winemaker Michael Browne back in the saddle with his CIRQ and CHEV labels. I savored the 2021 CIRQ Pinot at this year’s Del Mar Wine & Food Festival, offering dark cherry flavors accented by cranberry and cinnamon spice, with notes of chocolate and strawberry on the nose, and silky, polished tannins. cirq.com.
DAOU Bodyguard Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley CA 2022. $45.
Winemaker Daniel Daou, best known for luscious reds, also crafts impressive whites. The 2022 Bodyguard Chardonnay is a perfect example, showing a bright golden hue in the glass. Floral aromas of jasmine and lemon blossom are layered with green apple and pear. The round, supple palate reveals peach, tropical fruit, Fuji apple and vanilla bean, underscored by hints of butterscotch, maple and baking spice imparted by partial American oak aging. daouvineyards.com.
Gianni Buonomo Reserve Charbono Sierra Foothills CA 2018. $79.
Gianni Buonomo Vintners is one of my favorite San Diego urban wineries, and I suspected the Charbono Reserve would land among my top wines while enjoying it this summer with homemade pizzas. The 2018 Charbono delivers ripe black currant and blackberry with hints of pencil shavings, creating a layered wine from a varietal planted on just 70 to 80 acres nationwide. Winemaker Keith Rolle crafts other excellent Italian varietals across the portfolio as well. gbvintners.com.
Mazzei Castello Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione IT 2022. $140.
This 100% sangiovese cru is sourced from top parcels surrounding the Fonterutoli hamlet in Castellina in Chianti. Six clones and eight estate massal selections shape this medium-bodied DOCG wine, aged 18 months in 50% new oak and finished in concrete for four months. The palate offers cherry and raspberry layered with earthy hints of tobacco. Balanced tannins and acidity make this an ideal pairing for your favorite Italian dish. Mangia! us.mazzei.it.
Joseph Phelps 2022 Bordeaux Red Napa Valley CA 2022. $365.
Insignia was easily my best, and most expensive, sip of 2025. First produced 50 years ago, Insignia stands as Napa Valley’s original proprietary Bordeaux-style blend, led by cabernet sauvignon (92%) and supported by petit verdot (4%), cabernet franc (2%) and malbec (2%) blending for the 2022 vintage. Sourced from the estate’s top vineyard blocks and aged 24 months in 100% new French oak, the wine delivered power, polish, and precision. This was an exceptional Napa Valley wine! josephphelps.com.
Board Track Racer Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley WA 2022. $25.
I discovered this value gem at North County Wine Company, recommended by owner Jim Tobin. The Board Track Racer project, launched in 2007 with The Vincent Red label, was created by Mark Ryan to deliver wallet-friendly wines ready to drink on release without sacrificing quality. The nose exuded blackberry, cassis and black plum aromas. A rich palate of black cherry, mocha and spice had a long and juicy, fruit-forward finish. Consistent 90-plus point accolades from Wine Enthusiast, Wine & Spirits, and Wine Spectator are well deserved. markryanwinery.com.
Ruffino Greppone Mazzi Brunello di Montalcino IT 2022. $75.
Ruffino Brunello DOCG, embodying centuries-old winemaking wisdom and meticulous craftsmanship, was another standout I enjoyed at the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival. Made from 100% sangiovese grosso, the wine displayed an intense ruby color with garnet hues. Aromas of plum, black currant and cherry lead to an opulent palate of red fruit accented by tobacco, chocolate and spice. Being aged 36 months in large casks and finished in stainless steel created plush tannins and an elegant, enduring finish. ruffino.it.
Frank’s Picks
Rico and I discovered the very best wines for you in 2025. We hope you will enjoy them as much as we did. Let’s get to my three reds.
Antinori Tenuta Guado Al Tasso “Il Bruciato” Bolgheri IT 2023. $32.
Piero Antinori, the most legendary master winemaker in Italian wine history and battle-tested for decades with his Super Tuscans and Tignanello, has brought it home with his Guado Il Tasso, a comfort wine with generous amounts of cabernet sauvignon, cab franc, merlot, and accents of syrah and petite verdot…a super team of winners. The super-secret is supple ripe tannins with a fleshy sensation through the finish. Perfetto! antinori.it/en.
Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Sonoma CA 2022. $30.
Building on a rich wine heritage, Duckhorn has gone over the top with its Decoy value package, a limited-edition Decoy wine experience, using grapes from some of the most acclaimed California vineyard sources, including their own estate properties. Once discovered, you will be captive to soft tannins and a powerful, full-bodied structure with juicy boysenberry and blackberry flavors. decoywines.com.
Kirkland Signature (Costco) Margaux Bordeaux Left Bank FR 2023, $20.
Costco is crushing it again, this time winning over wine connoisseurs who once swore they would never shop there. With impeccable timing, the warehouse giant has shattered the notion that pizza, rotisserie chicken and paper towels cannot coexist with documented, world-class wines from Napa Valley, France and Italy. Even more surprising are wine prices up to 200% less than expected. Costco even recommends decanting or cellaring select bottles for added complexity. Readers…we have entered a new world of wine.
Rico Cassoni is executive producer for Taste of Wine and Food. He and founder/advisor Frank Mangio, a renowned wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator, are two of the leading reviewers on the web. Reach them at [email protected].
