Best Case Wines

05/31/2026

WHAT I'M DRINKING TONIGHT. Robert here on this lovely evening, grilling lamb kefta and asparagus. Two recent arrivals in our glasses: the 2025 Maison Millet Sancerre Rosé and the 2023 Domaine Pierre Clavel Pic Saint Loup "Bonne Pioche." We are thrilled with the return this year of Betty & Franck Millet's 100% Pinot Noir rosé, with its alluring salmon hue and berry/peach fruit notes, with a crisp, lip-smacking finish. The organic Syrah/Mourvèdre/Grenache red from our friends Estelle & Pierre Clavel -- offering red & black berry fruit, spice, and a lithe, graceful balance -- has been a staple item for all of the 15 years we have been in business. We love these families and their wines. Cheers!

05/13/2026

Hooray! We are proud to support the work of these local heroes. 🙂

Our friends at have singlehandedly helped T2T recover 285,000 lbs. of food since they began giving through the several years ago, and we could not be more thankful!🫶

If you want to learn more about how this global network with thousands of incredible businesses and environmental organizations supports people and the planet, visit: https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/ and consider getting involved to begin making a difference today!🌍

05/13/2026

WHAT I'M DRINKING TONIGHT. Robert here. If you know me at all, you know I am nutty for asparagus in season. Tonight's dinner is a very simple NYT recipe for Lemon Chicken with Asparagus. The white is the 2023 Domaine Charles Baur Riesling "Cuvée Charles." The winery bottles this cuvée every year as the most representative expression of the grape and the vintage. We at Best Case are Riesling enthusiasts, and this most economical option is graceful and lovely: citrussy and lithe, it beautifully pairs not only with the chicken (duh) but also with the notoriously wine-cantankerous asparagus. For the red, we turn to the 2023 Sancerre Rouge, a varietal Pinot Noir from our friends at Maison Millet. I love this lacy-textured style of cool-climate Pinot: low in alcohol, fresh and lively with red cherry fruit and earth. Happy Spring, all.

05/01/2026

WHAT I'M DRINKING TONIGHT. Robert here, with a seasonally appropriate NYT recipe--Polenta with Asparagus, Peas, and Mint--made by my Better Half. The wines: just-restocked 2024 Seguin-Manuel Bourgogne Aligoté for white and 2024 Domaines Laurent Perrachon et Fils Saint Amour for red. The white, from Burgundy's "other" white grape, offers citrus and apple notes, with honeyed and almondy overtones. As for the red, I always think of good Beaujolais wines as "pleasure in a glass." The wines are effusively fruity, but especially with the named Crus, they also offer sturdy tannins and spice, including white pepper. Lovely wines to welcome the spring. Cheers!

04/26/2026

Here's something interesting from the issue of the Wine Enthusiast that landed in my mailbox today:
https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/travel/abbey-st-hilaire-sparkling/
Limoux, in the Languedoc, south of France, is indeed the birthplace of intentional sparkling wine. But contrary to the magazine article's claim, your friends at Best Case Wines imported 648 bottles of Blanquette Ancestrale in 2024 -- and some of those bottles remain available to you! Lightly sweet and naturally low in alcohol, the Antech "Esprit de Bulles," made entirely of the Mauzac grape, is a delicious way to start, or to finish, your meal -- and to experience a taste of history. Cheers!

04/10/2026

Hyah! Much deserved national kudos for our friends at Illahe Vineyards.

04/06/2026

WHAT I’M DRINKING NOW: Drew here wishing you a Happy Easter! Today, to mark the occasion, I tried my first pass at grilling a leg of lamb—along with some asparagus & fingerling potatoes. In the glass, a perfect pairing no matter which way you go.

First off, Cap Fizz from our friends at Illahe Vineyards is the only grilling beverage that made sense today. The label is Spring personified, and the style is perfect for a grilling beverage any time of year. Pierre Amadieu “Romane Machotte” Gigondas was used in the marinating process, and its savory herb & beautifully accessible red berry fruit proved a worthy companion. As a second table pairing, Eyrie Vineyards “Sisters Vineyard” Pinot Noir complimented the meat perfectly. This Pinot is delicious now, but we definitely think it will only improve with age. A rustic, savory, high-tone cherry note drives the aromatics; while a light body & great acidity complete the palate. Cheers! 💜🍷

03/25/2026

WHAT I'M DRINKING TONIGHT. Robert here, with a NYT recipe for Kefte Tagine with Jalapeño Yogurt Sauce (and hummus from Oasis Street Food & Oasis Falafel Restaurant). The wine? The 2023 Jean Perrier et Fils Vins de Savoie Mondeuse "Vielles Vignes." Especially as we turn from winter to spring, I am loving these cool-climate lower-alcohol reds (here, 12%). High-tone red and blue fruits chime with white pepper notes and a lithe mouthfeel, all of which marry nicely with the spicy elements on the plate. Happy spring!

03/18/2026

WHAT I'M DRINKING TONIGHT. Robert here, eating corned beef & cabbage (with pickled green beans from last summer's harvest of our garden) on St Pat's Day at the home of my mother-in-law. The wines: 2024 Illahe Vineyards Viognier for the white; 2023 Seguin-Manuel Savigny-les-Beaunes "Vieilles Vignes." Our recent market visit with Illahe winegrower Brad Ford reminded us just how much we love this cool-climate Viognier, with lower alcohol, higher acidity, and the ample aromatics you expect from this grape; and 2024 was an exceptional vintage in Oregon's Willamette Valley. As for the red, this old-vine Pinot Noir was one of the wines that, when we tasted it a year ago at a Burgundy-wines trade show in Chicago, stole our hearts and convinced us to work with this 200-year-old winery, our newest Burgundy partner. This is classic Burgundian Pinot, with ample red-berry fruit, supple texture, grace and balance.

03/06/2026

What a special start to March! Earlier this week, we had the pleasure of hosting our friend Brad Ford, owner of Illahe Vineyards.

We are proud to represent their conscientiously crafted wines, and we were especially grateful for the opportunity to share them with all who could attend events in both Des Moines & Cedar Rapids in his company.

Special thanks to The Cheese Shop of Des Moines for a fun, informative Master Class on Monday night; and to the talented team at Cobble Hill in Cedar Rapids for a wonderful Tuesday evening dinner. From cheese pairings to carefully crafted courses, we cannot thank our restaraunt partners enough. We also need to thank every one of YOU who attended those events and made them a roaring success—and those who enjoy their wines every day of the year.

Illahe wine lovers of Iowa, you rock!
Thanks & Cheers! 🍷