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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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