($24, Matchvino): 
Jan Novak, the knowledgeable sommelier at Il Capriccio, one of Boston top Italian restaurants, recommended this wine to me. Jan has not only forgotten more about Italian wine than most people know, she has an incredible palate for discovery lesser-known wines. … Read more
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Malgrà, Nizza Riserva DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) Mora di Sassi 2017
($37, Erie Beverage Solutions): 
This is the big brother to Malgrà’s Giaina. Far weightier, with more apparent tannins at this stage, it weighs in at 15 percent stated alcohol. It still conveys an attractive dark mineral component and has an alluring hint of bitterness in the finish. … Read more
Malgrà, Nizza DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) Gaiana 2017
($19, Erie Beverage Solutions): 
Italian wine authorities promoted Nizza, formerly a part of Barbera d’Asti DOC, to DOCG status in 2014 because it was clear the wines had the capability of being unique. Malgrà’s Gaiana shows the wisdom of that decision. … Read more
Tenuta Carretta, Langhe Nebbiolo DOC (Piedmont, Italy) Podio 2018
($19, Consortium Wine and Spirits Imports): 
The regulations for Langhe Nebbiolo do not require exclusive use of Nebbiolo. Growers are permitted to include a small amount, up to 15 percent, of some other varieties. Indeed, the famed Angelo Gaja felt that adding a bit of Barbera to Nebbiolo improved the wine and when he did so was forced to re-classify what he formerly labeled Barbaresco and Barolo to Langhe Nebbiolo. … Read more
Caposaldo, Prosecco Rosé DOC (Veneto, Italy) Brut 2020
($14, Kobrand Wine & Spirits): 
It may sound like a brilliant marketing ploy, but Prosecco Rosé is a new recognized category with its own DOC. As with all Prosecco — and wine in general, for that matter — there will be an enormous range of quality and style. … Read more
Viña Tarapaca, Valle del Maipo (Chile) Gran Reserva, Organic Wine 2018
($18, Vinecrest Co): 
Made with organically grown grapes, this is a hearty and well-balanced blend of Cabernet Franc (31%), Syrah (26%) and Carmenere (22%), with the balance filled out by equal amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a powerhouse, to be sure, but thankfully it is not over the top. … Read more
Emiliana, Valle de Colchagua (Chile) “Coyam” 2018
($39): 
This robust blend of mostly Syrah (42%) and Carmenere (39%) works beautifully. For those who are interested in things like this, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Malbec, Carignan, Tempranillo, and Mourvèdre fill out the blend. There’s red and black fruit flavors, spice, and herbal notes, all wrapped in silky tannins. … Read more
Rosé-Nothing but Rosé
Readers may find it odd that I, who am generally unenthusiastic about rosé, should be writing about that category. And enthusiastically at that. However surprising that may be (even to me), I stumbled across a category of rosé, Bardolino Chiaretto DOC, that is stunning. … Read more
Quinta dos Roques, Dão (Portugal) Reserva, Tinto 2011
($35): 
The Dão region, located in north central Portugal, is among the first to receive official delineation, in 1908. The quality of the wines suffered under the Salazar dictatorship, but quality and distinctiveness has improved notably over the last three decades. … Read more
Herdade do Rocim, Alentejo DOC (Portugal) “Amphora” 2019
($18, Shiverick Imports): 
Portugal remains the source of beautifully priced reds and whites, as this mid-weight red shows. It’s a blend of autochthonous grapes whose names are unfamiliar to most, Moreto, Tinta Grossa, Triccadeira and Aragonez, so unsurprisingly, the flavors that emerge from the glass are unique. … Read more
Herdade de São Miguel, Alentejo DOC (Portugal) Alicante Bouschet 2014
($20): 
Unlike almost all other red grapes whose juice is clear and whose color comes exclusively from the skins, the juice from Alicante Bouschet is red. That likely explains why that grape makes deeply colored wines, which predicts its flavor profile, as it does here. … Read more
Ferraris, Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) “Clàsic” 2020
($20): 
Those looking for bold fruitiness should go elsewhere. Here, the focus is on an alluring Middle Eastern spice box of aromas and flavors — cinnamon and cloves — and dried flowers. Light on the palate, the flavors in this lively wine nonetheless persist. … Read more
Ferraris, Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) “Opera Prima” Riserva 2017
($40): 
Luca Ferraris bottled this wine in honor of his nonno, (grandfather) Martino, the founder of the winery. Altogether different from Ferraris’ other two renditions of Ruché, Opera Prima, with its chocolatey nuances, has an Amarone-like sensibility to it. The fine tannins that are a hallmark of Ferraris’ wines together with a suave texture hold it all together. … Read more
Ferraris, Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) “Vigna del Parroco” 2019
($23): 
Ferraris acquired priest Don Giacomo Cauda’s Ruchè del Parroco in 2016 and renamed it “Vigna del Parroco.” It remains the only officially recognized cru in the entire DOCG. A gorgeous wine that still retains the savory focus, it is also more refined and complex than the Clàsic. … Read more
What Am I Drinking Now? Ridge Vineyards 1994 Monte Bello
A word from the Editor-in-Chief
Please join me in giving a BIG welcome to Michael Apstein, one of the most passionate and nicest people in wine, not to mention erudite. I do not use the word “erudite” lightly: believe me, no other word could be more apt (in fact, in this case, you might even say “Apst” ): for Apstein, Michael, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and one heck of a good doctor and teacher (trust me, I know); but one with over 300 wine columns under his belt for the Boston Globe daily.… Read more
Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato: An Overlooked Gem in Piedmont
Granted, Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato is not the first wine people think of when they think of Piedmont. Well, Agricola Ferraris shows us why it’s time to broaden our horizons.
First, let’s untangle the nomenclature. Ruché (spelled Ruchè in Italian and pronounced roo-kay) is an aromatic red grape with excellent levels of malic acid that accounts for the wines’ freshness and vivacity. … Read more
Sosie, Sonoma Valley (Sonoma County, California) Rossi Ranch Red Blend 2019
($43): 
This mid-weight blend of Grenache (51%), Mourvèdre (34%) and Syrah brings together strawberry-like fruitiness, some spice and earthy notes. Its angular acidity, likely secondary to a touch of added tartaric acid (gleaned from ingredient labeling) prevents it from being jammy or coming across as sweet. … Read more
Bodegas Muriel, Rioja DOC Reserva (Spain) “Fincas de la Villa” 2016
($17, Quintessential Wines): 
This mid-weight wine demonstrates clearly why Rioja is so popular. This red brings a bit of everything, a bright savory combination of red fruits and spice, to the table. Pleasantly drying tannins lend support without being intrusive. Despite its mid-weight body, this energetic wine commands a serious presence and calls for red meats or hearty tapas.… Read more
Bodegas Muriel, Rioja DOC Gran Reserva (Spain) Viñas Viejas 2011
($26, Quintessential Wines): 
Rioja is one of the very few regions of the world where consumers can find well-aged wines at reasonable prices, and sometimes, like this one, ridiculously low ones. Where else could you find a decade old red at this price? … Read more
Viu Manent, Valle de Colchagua (Chile) Malbec “Secreto de Viu Manent” 2019
($14, Baystate Imports): 
Though considered Argentina’s signature red, Malbec is grown all over the world. This rendition, from neighboring Chile, is a lighter style of Malbec, weighing in at a modest 13.5 % stated-alcohol. A hint of earthy nuances balances its fruitiness. … Read more
Tablas Creek Vineyard, Adelaida District, Paso Robles (Central Coast, California) Vermentino 2020
($27): 
Tablas Creek Vineyard needs no introduction to wine lovers. This property, founded in 1989 by the Perrin family of Château Beaucastel (an iconic Châteauneuf-du-Pape producer) in partnership with wine importer Robert Hass of Vineyard Brands, was a pioneer and leading force in what is now California’s success with Rhone-type varieties. … Read more
Vila Nova, Douro DOC (Portugal) Red Blend 2018
($12, Quintessential Wines): 
Portugal has always been the place to find value-packed reds and whites. Here is another example of one that over delivers for the price. This big red, made from a blend of traditional Portuguese grapes, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (40 percent each) and Touriga Franca, is a good choice for food coming off the grill this summer. … Read more
Quinta do Crasto, Douro DOC (Portugal) “Superior” 2016
($25, Folio Fine Wine Partners): 
Lenor and Jorge Roquette represent the fourth generation of family ownership of Quinta do Crasto after assuming majority ownership in 1981. They expanded from making Port to making dry red wine, which is more and more common now along the steep banks of the Douro River. … Read more
Quinta do Crasto, Douro DOC (Portugal) Vinhas Velhas 2016
($42, Folio Fine Wine Partners): 
Grapes from a mix of 25 to 30 varieties grown on vines averaging 70 years of age were the source for this hefty, well-structured wine. There’s more complexity here than this producer’s refined Touriga Nacional, which I suspect comes from the blend and the age of the vines, but less elegance at this stage of its development. … Read more
Quinta do Crasto, Douro DOC (Portugal) Touriga Nacional 2016
($78, Folio Fine Wine Partners): 
Quinta do Crasto has produced this wine made exclusively from Touriga Nacional, the Douro’s most prestigious grape, only a dozen times this century. Though bigger and bolder than their Douro Superior, it is far more elegant with suave, silky tannins. … Read more
Casa da Tapada, Vinho Verde DOC (Portugal) Loureiro “Grande Escolha” 2018
($25): 
In the past, Vinho Verde, literally “green wine,” frequently delivered little more than enamel clearing acidity. That has changed, as Casa da Tapada’s rendition shows. It maintains the fresh and crisp signature for which the area is known, but adds an engaging floral and fruity component. … Read more
Firriato, Etna Bianco DOC (Sicily, Italy) “Le Sabbie Dell’Etna” 2019
($21): 
The regulations for Etna Bianco require at least 60 percent Carricante in the blend. Firriato opts to blend another autochthonous grape, Catarratto, with Carricante for this Etna Bianco. The result is a fruitier, somewhat richer, Etna Bianco with less of the cutting saline-minerality for which Carricante is known. … Read more
Luca Bosio, Langhe DOC (Piedmont, Italy) Arneis 2020
($19, Quintessential Wines): 
Arneis, a grape found nowhere in Italy except Piedmont, makes one of that country’s overlooked white wines. The Oxford Companion to Wine informs us that is used to be blended with Nebbiolo to soften Barolo and gained the informal local tag of “Barolo Bianco.” … Read more
Caves de Beblenheim, Crémant d’Alsace (France) Heimberger Blanc de Noirs NV
($18, Votto Vines Importing): 
A Crémant d’Alsace Rosé is as safe a bet as you can get for a well-priced pink bubbly because regulations require it be made entirely from Pinot Noir. Moreover, believe it or not, Pinot Noir does well in Alsace, especially now with the enhanced ripening due to climate change. … Read more
Concha y Toro, Marchigüe (Colchagua Valley, Chile) Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva “Serie Riberas” 2019
($17, Eagle Peak Estates): 
The heart of Chile’s Colchagua Valley, one of the prime areas for growing red varieties, lies 30 miles or so inland, east of the Pacific Ocean. Marchigüe, a lesser-known area with the Colchagua Valley, sits on the cooler coast. … Read more
Costières de Nîmes: Overlooked Southern Rhône Gem
Even those who know little about wine recognize the name Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Wine enthusiasts can name other important appellations in France’s southern Rhône Valley, such as Gigondas, maybe even Vacqueryas. Really savvy consumers know that Vinsorbres, Rasteau and Cairanne, previously included under the Côtes du Rhône-Villages umbrella, have achieved their own appellations, and that Sablet and Seguret are two of the 21 named villages that remain under that umbrella. … Read more
Look to Collio for White Wines for Summer
Regardless of what you’re eating this summer, a white wine from Collio will fit the bill. This small region with fewer than 4,000 acres makes a broad range of white white wines extending from lively and fresh examples to ones substantial enough to stand up to a steak. … Read more
Russiz Superiore, Collio DOC (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy) Friulano 2019
($27, Dalla Terra Winery Direct): 
Marco Felluga, the man in charge at Russiz Superiore, is a good name to remember for top-notch wines. In addition to a seductive texture, this 2019 Friulano has good power without a trace of heaviness. Nuances of orange-rind poke through and complement its fruitiness and spice. … Read more
Colmello di Grotta, Collio DOC (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy) Ribolla Gialla 2018
($17): 
Ribolla Gialla, a late ripening variety, is typically the last white grape harvested, sometimes even after the first of the reds are ripe. Despite that, it holds its acidity exceptionally well. It’s a misunderstood variety because it can be transformed into two very different styles of wine. … Read more
Look to Collio for White Wines for Summer
Regardless of what you’re eating this summer, a white wine from Collio will fit the bill. This small region with fewer than 4,000 acres makes a broad range of white white wines extending from lively and fresh examples to ones substantial enough to stand up to a steak. … Read more
Dry Creek Vineyard, Clarksburg (California) Dry Chenin Blanc 2018
($16): 
Dry Creek Vineyard has been making a dry Chenin Blanc for since their founding, almost 50 years ago because David Stare, Dry Creek’s founder, fell in love with wines from the Loire Valley — where Chenin Blanc is king. Dry Creek’s 2018 continues its streak as a consistently delightful wine. … Read more
Livon, Collio DOC (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy) Pinot Bianco “Cavezzo” 2018
($40): 
Pinot Bianco often makes light, innocuous wines. Not this one. Livon’s 2018 Cavezzo has weight and an alluring texture. A hint of grapefruit-rind bitterness in a lively finish enhances its appeal. This stylish Pinot Bianco has surprising complexity and could redefine the category for you. … Read more
Russiz Superiore, Collio DOC (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy) Friulano 2019
($27, Dalla Terra Winery Direct): Marco Felluga, the man in charge at Russiz Superiore, is a good name to remember for top-notch wines. In addition to a seductive texture, this 2019 Friulano has good power without a trace of heaviness. Nuances of orange-rind poke through and complement its fruitiness and spice. … Read more
Colmello di Grotta, Collio DOC (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy) Ribolla Gialla 2018
($17): Ribolla Gialla, a late ripening variety, is typically the last white grape harvested, sometimes even after the first of the reds are ripe. Despite that, it holds its acidity exceptionally well. It’s a misunderstood variety because it can be transformed into two very different styles of wine. … Read more
Geografico, Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “Borgo alla Terra” 2020
($12): 
This is a great example of the straightforward — fruity and fragrant — style of Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Its youthful crispness is emphasized by a delightful salty rather than lemony acidity, which keeps it fresh and lively. Daniele Cernilli, one of Italy’s top wine authorities explains that the salty acidity comes from an abundance of tartaric rather than malic acid characteristic of Mediterranean wines. … Read more
Teruzzi, Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “Isola Bianca” 2020
($16, Taub Family Selections): 
The name of the wine, which transliterates into English as “white island” refers to Vernaccia di San Gimignano’s situation as the sole white DOCG in a sea of Tuscany red wine. Teruzzi, formerly named Teruzzi & Puthod, remains one of the region’s top producers despite the name change. … Read more
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara, Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “Campo della Pieve” 2018
($28): 
Campo della Pieve is one of Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara’s top cuvées of Vernaccia di San Gimignano. It is distinguished from their easy-to-recommend regular bottling, labeled Selvabianca, by extended lees aging, which occurs for about 18 months in concrete tanks. … Read more
Gustave Lorentz, Crémant d’Alsace (France) Brut NV
($30, Quintessential Wines): 
Founded in 1836, Gustave Lorentz’s roots go back to the mid 17th century when the family was involved in barrel making and brokering wine. Today, they are recognized as one of Alsace’s top producers. Their Riesling from the Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim vineyard — they own a third of the vineyard — is always a sensational wine. … Read more
Gustave Lorentz, Crémant d’Alsace (France) Brut Rosé NV
($30, Quintessential Wines): 
All Crémant d’Alsace is made by the traditional Champagne method, that is, the secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle. What’s unique about Crémant d’Alsace Rosé, unlike other Crémant Rosé, such as Crémant de Bourgogne, for example, is that it must be made entirely from Pinot Noir. … Read more
Dry Creek Vineyard, Clarksburg (California) Dry Chenin Blanc 2018
($16): Dry Creek Vineyard has been making a dry Chenin Blanc for since their founding, almost 50 years ago because David Stare, Dry Creek’s founder, fell in love with wines from the Loire Valley — where Chenin Blanc is king. Dry Creek’s 2018 continues its streak as a consistently delightful wine. … Read more
Saracina, Redwood Valley (Mendocino County, California) “Winter’s Edge” 2018
($30): 
Why is this wine so captivating? Maybe it’s because the grapes came from dry-farmed organic vineyards. Or maybe because they came from old vines. Or maybe it’s the unique field blend of Carignan and French Colombard, which is then blended with Grenache. … Read more
Donnafugata, Etna Bianco DOC (Sicily, Italy) “Sul Vulcano” 2018
($40, Folio Fine Wine Partners): 
Made entirely from Carricante, Donnafugata’s Etna Bianco displays an immediately engaging floral component. A crisp and chiseled wine, it captures the best elements of that grape. This paradoxically vibrant, yet restrained, wine starts to blossom after 30 minutes in the glass. … Read more
Donnafugata, Etna Rosso DOC (Sicily, Italy) “Sul Vulcano” 2017
($35, Folio Fine Wine Partners): 
Donnafugata’s Etna Rosso, a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Cappuccio, is a seductive mid-weight red that marries red fruit flavors with a distinct lava-like minerality. Not an opulent wine, it has a lovely austerity without being hard or astringent. … Read more
Donnafugata, Etna Rosso DOC (Sicily, Italy) “Fragore” 2017
($85, Folio Fine Wine Partners): 
The grapes for Donnafugata’s Fragore hail from the Contrada Montelaguardia. Made entirely from Nerello Mascalese, it is denser than Sul Vulcano Rosso, but paradoxically, still displays a wonderful austerity. This is no fruit bomb. Indeed, the power and concentration have a lava-tinged savory character. … Read more
Gustave Lorentz, Crémant d’Alsace (France) Brut NV
($30, Quintessential Wines): 
Founded in 1836, Gustave Lorentz’s roots go back to the mid 17th century when the family was involved in barrel making and brokering wine. Today, they are recognized as one of Alsace’s top producers. Their Riesling from the Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim vineyard — they own a third of the vineyard — is always a sensational wine. … Read more