Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux "Pentimento", Michele D'Aprix 2016 (Bordeaux, France)

This is a longtime shop favorite and we have been lucky to have Michele pour her wines here a few times over the last couple of years. For those who aren't familiar, Michele lives in NYC, but makes wine in a handful of places from Bordeaux to Catalonia, but Pentimento is her baby. This is 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc from a single organic vineyard in Castillon, on the right bank, destemmed and fermented with native yeast in steel, then aged for a year in barrel and bottled with minimal sulfur. Silky dark berry fruit, black pepper and earthy truffle notes all in beautiful balance thanks to this stellar vintage. This wine is a bottled holiday hug.