Cosimo de’ Medici included Pomino, along with what is now Chianti Classico, Carmignano, and Val d’Arno di Sopra, in his 1716 edict defining areas capable of producing outstanding wine. Whether Chardonnay was planted in Pomino at that time is not known.… Read more
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Tenuta Campo Maccione, Maremma Toscana Vermentino DOC (Tuscany, Italy) 2024 ($22)
The talented Chianti Classico producer, Famiglia Zingarelli of Rocca delle Macie, owns the Campo Maccione estate. Unsurprisingly, they fashioned a lovely, easy going Vermentino from organic grapes in 2024. Saline-tinged acidity keeps it bright throughout a meal. It is an excellent choice for simple seafood this summer.… Read more
Tenuta Sassoregale, Maremma Toscana Vermentino DOC (Tuscany, Italy) 2024 ($18)
The 2024 Vermentino from Tenuta Sassoregale, an estate that is part of the Santa Margherita group, blossoms in the glass, delivering subtle and engaging citrus notes accented by a touch of saline-like acidity.
90 Michael Apstein – April 30, 2025… Read more
Collemassari, Maremma Toscana Vermentino DOC (Tuscany, Italy) “Melacce” 2024 ($19)
The famed Montecucco producer, Collemassari, produced a creamy, gentle bottling of Vermentino from organic grapes in 2024. Weighing in at a modest 13 percent stated-alcohol, this Vermentino still invigorates the palate with mouth-cleansing acidity and magnifies its appeal. It is another great choice for summer sipping, either alone or with grilled fish.… Read more
Castello di Volpaia, Maremma Toscana Vermentino DOC (Tuscany, Italy) “Prelius” 2024 ($23)
It is no surprise that Castello di Volpaia, a top Tuscan producer based in Radda, fashioned a crowd-pleasing 2024 Vermentino. Their Vermentino, Prelius, has always been a hit with me. The 2024 is no exception. Made from organic grapes, it combines a touch of creaminess with an attractive and subtle white pepper-like spiciness.… Read more
Carpineto, Chianti Classico Riserva (Tuscany, Italy) 2019 ($26)
Wines like this one help explain the justified popularity of Chianti Classico. At five years of age, Carpineto’s Riserva delivers a harmonious combination of red and black fruits accented by spicy notes. It has depth without heaviness. Suave tannins lend support while providing a suave texture.… Read more
Elvio Cogno, Langhe DOC (Piedmont, Italy) Nascetta “Anas-Cëtta” 2022 ($32 Wilson Daniels)
Nascetta, historically found only in the Novello commune, is Piedmont’s only autochthonous white grape. The wine is having a revival due, in major part, to Cogno’s role in saving the grape from extinction. Unsurprisingly, they are a leading producer of this captivating white.… Read more
Jordan Winery, Alexander Valley (Sonoma County, California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($62)
Jordan, an iconic Sonoma producer, continues its track record of producing polished Cabernet Sauvignons. Their 2020 combines an alluring ripe mixture of plumy and savory notes, all atop a plush base. As usual, Jordan has created a wine with depth and power, while avoiding the temptation to go overboard.… Read more
Duval-Leroy, Champagne (France) Brut Réserve NV ($54)
Still a family run Champagne house that happens to be headed by a woman, Carol Duval-Leroy, the eponymous firm is a leading producer in the region. Their non-vintage Brut Réserve, a seamless blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, displays a pleasing fleshiness and roundness, all supported by a straight spine of acidity.… Read more
Taittinger, Champagne (France) “La Française” Brut NV ($63, Kobrand)
I have often wondered how Taittinger could make such a magnificent super premium Champagne, Comtes de Champagne, while simultaneously producing an anemic La Française, their non-vintage bottling. Something seems to have changed! Comtes de Champagne remains spectacular, still standing with any Champagne in that category, while La Française has taken on depth and complexity that balances its backbone.… Read more
Starmont Vineyards, North Coast (California) Sauvignon Blanc 2023 ($22)
Predictably, California Sauvignon Blanc delivers more melon-like, riper flavors compared with the grapefruit profile of the New Zealand version. Sufficient spice and brightness keep this one lively, while the melon-y notes add depth and balance. It, too, can serve double duty as a stand-alone sipper and an accompaniment to something from the sea.… Read more
The Federalist, Marlborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2023 ($17, Terlato Wines International)
With its racy grapefruit-like zing, the Federalist could be the poster boy for Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Happily, reasonable weight helps balance the prominent citrus character, though that note still predominates. This straightforward and cutting Sauvignon Blanc will be ideal for barbeques this summer.… Read more
San Felice, Bolgheri Bianco DOC (Tuscany, Italy) “Bell’aja” 2023 ($32, Total Beverage Solution)
It turns out that Bolgheri, well known for top red wines, also makes noteworthy whites like this one. Its captivating aromatics indicate that Vermentino is the predominant variety. Sometimes said to be a grape that does best when “it sees the sea,” Vermentino is well suited to growing on the Tuscan coast, where Bolgheri is located.… Read more
Tenuta Villanova, Friuli DOC (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy) Pinot Grigio “Cala Bennati” 2023 ($20, Park Street Imports)
Producers in Friuli, in Italy’s northeast at the base of Italian alps, note its cool climate and breezy air as the explanation for their terrific white wines. This floral Pinot Grigio, with good depth and pleasing, not mouth-puckering, acidity, will be a crowd pleaser.… Read more
Granbazán, Rías Baixas (Galicia, Spain) Albariño “Etiqueta Verde” 2024 ($27)
The cutting edginess of this electrifying wine could serve as a replacement for teeth cleaning. But its joy, and my enthusiasm for it, comes from its harmony. Plenty of depth and adequate ripeness balances the ginger-like spice and racy profile. This long and balanced beauty makes it a fine choice for a plethora of flavors in an omakase meal or hearty seafood bathed in a tomato sauce.… Read more
La Rioja Alta, Rioja Reserva (Spain) “Viña Alberdi” 2020 ($25)
La Rioja Alta, founded in 1890, remains one of Rioja’s top producers. This muscular Reserva frames black fruit and spicey notes with firm but not hard supporting tannins, making it ideal for current consumption with hearty beef dishes. A long and long explosive finish with uplifting acidity amplifies its stature.… Read more
San Felice, Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “Vigorello” 2021 ($78, Total Beverage Solution)
San Felice, a top Tuscan producer, incorporates Pugnitello, a traditional Tuscan grape, into their Super Tuscan blend with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. Wonderfully aromatic, rich dark fruit and minerals flavors emerge from this bold wine. Pleasing and invigorating acidity provides an ideal counterbalance to its rich profile.… Read more
Valdipiatta, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Tuscany, Italy) 2020 ($36)
The perfume that emanates from the glass exemplifies why Valdipiatta is a leading producer of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Their mid-weight and elegant 2019 Vino Nobile highlights the firm and minerally side of Sangiovese grown in Montepulciano. Its multifaceted profile shines because it is not heavy or overdone.… Read more
Valdipiatta, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) Vigna d’Alfiero 2019 ($45)
Valdipiatta considers Vigna d’Alfiero their most prized vineyard with a perfect balance of soils that impart depth and elegance to the wine. After tasting the wine, it’s impossible to argue with them! Enthralling floral and mineral aromatics like Valdipiatti’s normal Vino Nobile captivate.… Read more
Domaine Jean Defaix, Chablis (Burgundy, France) 2023 ($36)
Despite climate change, Chablis remains a unique expression of Chardonnay, as this stoney wine shows. It delivers an alluring combination of floral and flinty elements, all buttressed by saline-tinged acidity in the finish. Domaine Jean Defaix has crafted a terrific village wine that shows that bargains still exist in this unique part of Burgundy.… Read more
Domaine Bonnardot, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits (Burgundy, France) “l’Âge Mûre” 2023 ($37)
It turns out that Domaine Bonnardot is as talented with Pinot Noir in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits as they are with Chardonnay. With unusual refinement for a wine from the Hautes-Côtes, this mid-weight Pinot Noir combines dark fruitiness with an attractive brambly quality.… Read more
Domaine Bonnardot, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits (Burgundy, France) “Les Frangines” 2023 ($35)
The combination of soaring prices for even village wines and climate change have made the Hautes-Côtes the place to find affordable Burgundy. The Hautes-Côtes, both de Beaune and de Nuits, are the higher elevation land above the Côte d’Or. In the past, the elevation made it difficult to ripen the grapes and the wines had a rustic edge to them.… Read more
Sette Ponte, Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “Oreno” 2022 ($108, Kobrand)
Sette Ponte has modified the viticulture, winemaking, and the composition of Oreno, their Bordeaux blend. The result—a magnificent wine. Amedeo Moretti Cuseri, Sette Ponte’s CEO, explains, “We want the wine to have more finesse.” Having tasted a twenty-year vertical of Oreno last year, I can affirm that they have succeeded admirably with the 2022.… Read more
Domaine du Beauregard, Bourgogne Côtes du Couchois (Burgundy, France)“Les Grandes Plantes” 2022 ($30)
The tiny and Pinot Noir-only Bourgogne Côtes du Couchois appellation lies just south of the Côte d’Or in the Côte Chalonnaise. Though it encompasses some 1,000 acres, only 30 acres are actually declared under the appellation by a handful of producers.… Read more
Albert Bichot, Bourgogne Côte d’Or (Burgundy, France) Pinot Noir “Secret de Famille” 2022 ($42)
Bichot, one of Burgundy’s top producers, opts to use the relatively new, Bourgogne Côte d’Or, appellation that indicates all the grapes came from the Côte d’Or. None from the Mâconnais or the Côte Chalonnaise. In fact, I’m told that all the grapes came from the revered Côte de Nuits, which I wouldn’t doubt after tasting this suave and refined beauty.… Read more
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has Finally Found Itself with the 2021 Vintage
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a Tuscan Sangiovese-based DOCG, just like Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino, has never had the popularity of those other two areas. The 2021 vintage should change that.
Confusion surrounding the name might explain part of Vino Nobile’s underappreciated status.… Read more
Piaggi, Carmignano Riserva DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) 2022 ($52)
Piaggi, another of the leading producers of Carmignano, has made a positively brilliant 2022 Riserva. The legal definition of Riserva is additional aging prior to release. Practically, however, Riserva in Carmignano, and most other DOCGs, indicates a better wine made with better grapes that will improve with additional aging.… Read more
Tenuta di Capezzana, Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC (Tuscany, Italy) 2023 ($17 Dalla Terra)
Barco Reale di Carmignano fits the Italian “rosso” category, as in Rosso di Montalcino, a fruit-forward rendition of a structured age-worthy wine. Capezzana, a leading producer in Carmignano, has fashioned a fragrant and refined one, filled with red cherries counterbalanced by earthy savory notes.… Read more
Tenuta di Capezzana, Carmignano DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “Villa di Capezzana” 2015 ($67, Dalla Terra)
Capezzana opts to hold back several thousands of bottles that they then release at a decade of age because they know that Carmignano, and not even the Riserva, needs plenty of time to show its complexity. Of course, they’re correct. From a recent tasting of their Villa di Capezzana that showed wines back to their first vintage, the 1925, it was abundantly clear that Carmignano, like other great wines, needs time to develop and show their stuff.… Read more
Tenuta di Capezzana, Barco Reale di Carmignano Rosato DOC (Tuscany, Italy) “Vin Ruspo” 2024 ($23, Dalla Terra)
Vin Ruspo is, for lack of a better word, dialect for “stolen wine.” It originated during the sharecropping era in Tuscany. At the end of the day, the farmer would hold the last barrel of harvested grapes overnight before taking them to the landowner’s winery the next morning.… Read more
Fabrizio Pratesi, Carmignano Riserva DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “Il Circo Rosso” 2021 ($80)
Carmignano requires the inclusion of Cabernet, either Sauvignon or Franc, in the blend with Sangiovese, producing a substantial and structured young wine, capable of virtually unrivalled development with proper aging. Well, Fabrizio Pratesi’s 2021 Carmignano Riserva can serve as “Exhibit A.”… Read more
Lamole di Lamole, Chianti Classico DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “Duelame” 2022 ($28)
Regulators carved Lamole, the smallest of Chianti Classico’s UGAs (unità geografica aggiuntiva, additional geographic units) out of Greve because its high altitude and rock-laden soil has the potential to make unique and distinctive wines. Lamole di Lamole, by far the largest producer in the UGA with more than one-third of the total acreage, has done just that with their Duelame Chianti Classico.… Read more
Lamole di Lamole, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) Lareale 2021 ($35)
A step up from “Duelame” bottlling is Lamole di Lamole’s pure Sangiovese Riserva. From a single vineyard that sits at almost at the pinnacle of elevation at which Sangiovese can ripen (400 to 500 meters above sea level), Lareale focuses on minerality and firmness rather than fruitiness, though enticing black cherry notes are noticeable in the background.… Read more
Lamole di Lamole, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) Vigna Grospoli 2020 ($57)
Gran Selezione sits at the pinnacle of the Chianti Classico quality pyramid. The wines must be aged for 30 months, compared to 24 for Riserva, and come entirely from the producer’s own vineyards. Lamole di Lamole opts to make two Gran Selezione wines, both from single vineyards, Vigneto Campolungo and this one, Vigneto Grospoli.… Read more
Tregole, Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy) 2022 ($30)
Sophie Ginervra Conte took over the family estate, Tregole, with the 2015 vintage and has been refining the wines ever since. Her father had planted Merlot, but she decided the wines are better without it, so it is no longer included in the blend.… Read more
Tregole, Chianti Classico Riserva (Tuscany, Italy) 2022 ($40)
Tregole’s 2022 Chianti Classico Riserva, made from older vines planted in the 1980s, has more muscle and complexity than their annata without losing any elegance. It shows the value of old vines and Sophie’s talents. The Riserva captivates with similar aromatics after which the youthful profile takes over.… Read more
Tregole, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione (Tuscany, Italy) 2021 ($55)
Tregole’s Gran Selezione, made entirely from Sangiovese, comes from a single vineyard planted in the 1970s, which abuts the vineyard they use for their Riserva. Despite the proximity, the wines are very different, which also may be a result of vintage.… Read more
Monsanto, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) 2020 ($30)
Monsanto, an outstanding Chianti Classico producer and no relation to the agribusiness company, has fashioned a superb Riserva in 2020. Regulations for Chianti Classico Riserva require more extended aging (24 months versus 12 for the annata) before release. But practically, Riserva means a better wine that can benefit from additional aging.… Read more
A tribute to Peter M.F. Sichel
The whole world, and not merely the wine world, lost a giant this month when Peter M.F. Sichel died peacefully at his home in Manhattan at the age of 102 and-a-half.
Peter’s life story is well-known. Born into a family of wine merchants—his grandfather founded H.… Read more
Azienda Agricola Finocchi Diego, Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy) “L’Erta di Radda” 2022 ($25)
As this wine shows, Chianti Classico remains the “go-to” category for well-price, high-quality wines that are ready to drink. This organic beauty from Radda delivers bright herbal notes that complement its minerality. Succulent black cherry fruitiness and vibrancy complete the package.… Read more
Rocca di Montegrossi, Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy) Rosato 2024 ($24)
Those who are familiar with my preferences know that I eschew pink wine and opt for chilled light reds when the occasion calls for a rosé. Rosato of Sangiovese from a top producer, such as this one from Rocca di Montegrossi, could change my paradigm.… Read more
Il Borro, Valdarno di Sopra DOC (Tuscany, Italy) Sangiovese “Vigna Polissena” 2019 ($54)
Il Borro, one of the Ferragamo estates, is located in Valdarno di Sopra, one of the four areas delineated by Cosimo di Mèdici in 1716 as the site for fine wine, a sort of initial DOC, if you will. The aromatic and stately Vigna Polissena, Il Borro’s flagship, shows the power and elegance of Sangiovese in this, now, real DOC.… Read more
Ca’ del Bosco, Franciacorta DOCG (Lombardy, Italy) “Cuvée Prestige” Brut Extra NV ($43)
Franciacorta, a prestigious DOCG exclusively for sparkling wines, is nestled on the southern shore of Lake Iseo in Lombardy. The wine must be made using the so-called Classical Method, a secondary fermentation in the bottle. The blend includes the usual grapes for Champagne, Chardonnay and Pinot Nero, with the addition of Pinot Bianco.… Read more
Fontodi, Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy) “Filetta di Lamole” 2021 ($47)
Although based in Panzano, Fontodi, one of the top Chianti Classico producers, also makes a small amount of wine from another area of Chianti Classico, Lamole, whose higher elevation imbues wines from the locale with a different, a racier, profile. Using organically grown grapes, the gorgeous 2021 Filetta di Lamole combines dark cherry-like fruitiness with an earthy minerality.… Read more
Poggio al Tesoro, Vermentino Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy)“Solosole” 2022 ($25, Maze Row Wine Merchant)
The grapes for this Vermentino come from Bolgheri, an area on the Tuscan coast well-known of red wines made from Bordeaux varieties. Well, it turns out that Vermentino does well there too, as this wine shows. Good acidity balances the floral and subtle melon-like notes, making it a fine choice as an aperitvo as well as a good match for grilled white fish.… Read more
Guigal, Gigondas (Rhône Valley, France) 2019 ($38, Vintus)
This Gigondas shows Guigal’s talents for finding suppliers and creating a stellar wine. Unlike Côte Rôtie and Hermitage, Guigal owns no vineyards in Gigondas, so the house buys wine from local growers and blends them. A typical southern Mediterranean blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%) and Mourvèdre, this mid-weight Gigondas brings together a seamless balance of dark fruit, spice, and minerals.… Read more
San Felice, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione (Tuscany, Italy) “Il Grigio” 2020 ($55)
Castelnuovo Berardenga, the southern-most of Chianti Classico’s UGAs (Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive, or Additional Geographical Unit) is home to San Felice’s Chianti Classico property and helps explain the ripe, dense quality to this stunning Gran Selezione. What makes the wine sing and stand apart, however, is complementary herbal and mineral notes combined with fabulous and balancing enlivening acidity.… Read more
Domaine de Montille, Bourgogne (Burgundy, France) Le Clos du Château 2021 ($51, Demeine Estates)
Although Le Clos du Château, a walled vineyard that sits directly in front of the Château de Puligny Montrachet, lies within the village of Puligny-Montrachet, it lies outside of that village’s appellation. Hence, it carries the Bourgogne Blanc appellation. Who said Burgundy was simple?… Read more
Marchesi di Barolo, Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC (Piedmont, Italy) “Michet” 2021 ($42)
Although this wine is not yet available in the U.S. (the price is an estimate), I recommend it for three reasons: It is simply delicious, and should you run across it in a restaurant in Italy, snap it up. Secondly, it highlights an underappreciated category—Nebbiolo d’Alba.… Read more
Château Lascombes, Margaux (Bordeaux, France) 2022 ($93)
Alex Heinz, the man responsible for the recent ascent of Ornellaia and Masseto, became the winemaker at Château Lascombes in the summer of 2023. So, although he did not make this wine, he influenced the blend. Less of the estate’s production went into this, the grand vin, which contains a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon at the expense of Merlot compared to past vintages.… Read more