If I Could Buy Only One – June 20th Vintages Release
We asked our writers,“If you could buy only one wine from the June 20th, which one would it be and why?”
Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2024, South Africa
$24.95, Connexion Oenophilia
David Lawrason – Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t leap to mind as a South African specialty, but I have had many terrific, world class, or better, examples from the coast hugging appellations of Constantia, the eastern slopes of Stellenbosch, Elgin and Walker Bay. This favourite is from the lower Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in the Walker Bay area. It is produced by Hamilton-Russell, but sold as Southern Right (named for the local whale species) to differentiate from the Hamilton Russell focus on chardonnay and pinot noir. It is a quite firm, sturdy and complete sauvignon with lifted aromas of lemon/grapefruit citrus, fine nettle/evergreen, guava and dried flowers. It is medium bodied with more weight and density than many, making it appropriate as a serious dinner wine. It shows very good flavour intensity, weight and balance, with excellent length.
Megha Jandhyala – My “only one” this week is the 2024 Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc. A blend of fruit from Hemel-en-Aarde, Walker Bay, and Elgin, it is a distinctively coastal expression of the variety that also reflects the relative warmth of the vintage (as compared to 2023). I was especially taken with how this wine feels in terms of texture – it is gently rounded and fleshy with waves of acidity and salinity washing over one’s palate. I also like its poised and graceful yet concentrated flavour profile, which includes an enchanting perfume of jasmine blossoms and perfectly ripe citrus and orchard fruit. Given it is priced at under $25, I would grab a half a dozen bottles of this wine for my cellar!
Muga Rosé 2025, Rioja, Spain
$17.95, Vinexx
Sara d’Amato – I am looking forward to an easy, uncomplicated July, and when summer hits, my southern French heart is perfectly content sticking to one colour in the glass: rosé. This is exactly the kind of bottle I reach for. Fresh, clean, and effortlessly charming, it’s ideal for lazy afternoons, weekend sipping, or even a chilled “piscine” (rosé over a frosty cube or two). Made from a complementary blend of garnacha, viura, and tempranillo, this Rioja rosé is ready to chill and crack. Simple, relaxed, and made for sunshine. Happy summer.
Megalomaniac Narcissist Riesling 2023, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
$19.95, John Howard Cellars of Distinction
Michael Godel – A Gold Medal winning wine at the 2025 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada, Megalomaniac Narcissist Riesling 2023, VQA Niagara Peninsula is also as great a value as you will find in Ontario white wine. Proper riesling aromas upon entry split between aerosol citrus and floral perfumes, along with the phenolic sapidity of fine varietal wines. Not all that dry but also not all that sweet, namely because acidity strides side by side with high quality fruit. A truly balanced riesling and because it activates a near dry style so beautifully there is great potential from what is essentially varietal Canadian gravitas.
Stratus Cabernet Franc Rose 2025, Ontario, Canada
$32.20, Stratus Vineyards
John Szabo – I’m staying close to home with Canada Day on the horizon for my only one this week: Stratus Cabernet Franc Rose 2025. It fits the ‘summergeist” beautifully, pouring somewhere between a deep rosé and a light red, designed to be chilled not iced. It’s a full-flavoured, well-balanced wine best at the summer table, whatever colour you prefer to call it.
Use these quick links for access to all of our June 20th Top Picks in the New Release. Non-premium members can select from all release dates 60 days prior.
John’s Top Picks – June 20th
Lawrason’s Take – June 20th
Megha’s Picks – June 20th
Michael’s Mix – June 20th
Sara’s Selections – June 20th
