B-21 Top Recommendation
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"[Ian Brand's] wines are charming, straightforward and texturally consistent..." - Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate
Ian Brand has quietly built a reputation as one of California's most avant-garde winemakers in large part due to his preference for working with hidden-gem, old-vine sites outside the usual zip codes, mostly in Monterey County. His I. Brand label has seen hit after hit among insiders and the sommelier crowd, but for years his La Marea label, focused on Iberian varietals, has flown under the radar, which helps to explain why they remain some of the sharpest values in the Golden State.
We got on board with these outstanding wild-cards last year and now we're back again. The JD95, sub-$25 2021 Grenache was sourced from three old-vine sites for an altogether singular expression that offers fantastic varietal purity to stand with any example from France or Spain but still clearly communicates its granitic terroir with the utmost clarity.
The 93-Point 2025 Albariño from the Kristy Vineyard follows this same trend, boasting a ton of classic varietal charm that we all love in the best Spanish and Portuguese expressions while showcasing the vineyard's calcareous limestone soils. "What a fabulous testament to this variety in this part of the world," exclaims Vinous' Billy Norris. "Broad-shouldered, tropical and nearly electric in feel, the 2025 delivers salty, vivacious energy with confidence and drive," and we couldn't agree more. These features are what make this one of the great hidden-gem whites in California.
If you're a seasoned connoisseur of California wine but you feel like you've been there and done that with the usual offerings from Sonoma, Napa, and the like, this pair will serve as a fantastic reminder of just how much incredible variety is ripe for discovery in the Golden State. | 
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