($20, Winebow): The Vermentino grape produces the best wine when, as the saying goes, its vines “can see the sea,” which is why it is an important grape on the island of Sardinia. Argiolas, a family-run winery dating to 1938, selects its oldest vines for Is Argiolas. … Read more
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Fontezoppa, Falerio DOC (Marche, Italy) Pecorino “Citanò” 2018
($20): This is a quintessential Pecorino, displaying verve, salinity and pleasant hint of lemon or a grapefruit rind bitterness in the finish. This lively and energetic wine is great for balancing the pepperoncini that finds its way into the linguine and clam sauce.… Read more
Ballabio, Vino Spumante di Qualità (Oltrepo Pavese, Lombardy, Italy) “Farfalla” Noir Collection, Zero Dosage NV
($22): Consumers tend to forget that Italy makes a host of sparkling wines in addition to Prosecco. And though I have nothing against Prosecco, many of Italy’s other bubblies, such as this one, provide a lot more interest. This one is positively riveting. … Read more
New and Entirely Different by Michael Apstein for Quench Magazine
Castello di Spessa, Collio DOC (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy) Friulano 2017
($21): Consumers can be excused if they are confused regarding the name of this grape. Formerly it was called Tocai Friulano, but the Hungarians objected that this dry white wine might be confused with their legendary sweet wine, Tokay (Tokaji), so they won a regulatory ruling that forced the Italians to change the name. … Read more
Ponte, Prosecco Superiore Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG (Veneto, Italy) Extra Dry NV
($12): Though Prosecco has become — for some — the generic word for any wine with bubbles, this one actually is one from the mandated area in the northeastern Italy. Extra Dry, in this case, and, as with all sparkling wines, actually means a hint of sweetness. … Read more
Badia a Coltibuono, Chianti Classico DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) 2016
($20): The quality of this wine and the enjoyment from it should come as no surprise. The 2016 vintage in Chianti Classico was fabulous, producing ripe but racy wines. Badia a Coltibuono is consistently among the top producers. The surprise here is finding a wine of this caliber for an average price of $20, though I’ve seen it for much less. … Read more
Agriverde, Terre di Chieti IGP (Abruzzo, Italy) Pecorino “Riseis” 2018
($11): Pecorino, the grape and the wine made from it, is a name to remember. Its home is in the middle of the east coast of Italy in the regions of Le Marche and Abruzzo. As with all wine, there is a range of style of Pecorino from zippy and cutting to softer and creamier. … Read more
Cirelli La Collina Biologica, Colline Pescaresi IGT (Abruzzo, Italy) Pecorino 2018
($21): Pecorino, both the wine and the cheese, typically have an attractive bite to them. This one, an organic wine from the organically-focused producer whose name is, literally, “the organic hill,” has a creamy texture that mutes the bite. It is still there, but overall the wine’s less energetic, but more suave, showing that Pecorino can have a broader profile.… Read more
A Star on Long Island
Recently, I happened to mention to my friend, Howard Goldberg, the longtime The New York Times wine writer, that I was writing a column about Loire wines made from Chenin Blanc. Howard suggested that I visit Paumanok on Long Island’s North Fork because, he said, they made great Chenin Blanc. … Read more
William Fevre, Saint-Bris (Burgundy, France) 2018
($25, Maison Marques et Domaines): Saint-Bris, formerly known as Sauvignon de Saint Bris before it was elevated to appellation d’origine controllée (AOC) status, is curious and unique in Burgundy. Located in the far north, near Chablis and covering a mere 200 acres, it requires the use of Sauvignon Blanc, not Chardonnay, for its wines. … Read more
Maison Louis Latour, Côteaux Bourguignons (Burgundy, France) Pinot Noir “Les Pierres Dorées” 2017
($26, Louis Latour, USA): Côteaux Bourguignons is a relatively new appellation, replacing Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire, an appellation I’ve never seen in the U.S., perhaps because a “grand ordinary” wine is hard to sell. Grapes for this appellation can come from anywhere in Burgundy, from Beaujolais in the south to Irancy in the north. … Read more
Domaine P-L & J-F Bersan, Cuvée Marianne, Irancy, 2019

Domaine de Mauperthuis, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019

Clotilde Davenne, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019

Domaine Colinot, Veaupessiot, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019

Domaine Colinot, Palotte, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019

Christophe Ferrari Domaine St. Germain, Irancy, Burgundy 2019

Maison de la Chapelle, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019

Maison de la Chapelle, Les Bâtardes, Irancy, Burgundy, 2019
Isabelle & Denis Pommier, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019

Domaine Verret, Fût de Chêne, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019

Domaine Ternynck, Palotte, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019
Domaine Ternynck, Mazelot, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019

Domaine Colinot, Cuvée Soufflot, Irancy, Burgundy, 2019

Domaine Céline & Frédéric Gueguen, Les Mazelots, Irancy, Burgundy, 2019

Clotilde Davenne, Paradis, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019

Stéphan & Marie Podor, Les Mazelots, Irancy, Burgundy, 2015

Simonnet-Febvre, Paradis, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2018

Domaine Verret, Palotte, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019

Domaine Colinot, Les Mazelots, Irancy, Burgundy, 2012

Domaine Benôit Cantin, Cuvée Emeline, Irancy, 2015
Dampt Freres, Irancy, Burgundy, France, 2019
Jean Hugues & Guilhem Goisot, Les Mazelots, Irancy, 2017

Mastrojanni, Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany, Italy) Vigna Loreto 2011
($86): Though not the current release, Mastrojanni’s 2011 single vineyard, Loreto, is still available on the retail market and those who want to know why Brunello is such a revered wine should try it. The only problem with the 2011 vintage in Brunello is that it followed 2010, a great one. … Read more
Château Yvonne, Saumur Blanc (Loire Valley, France) 2017
($52, Oz Wine Company): Most of the wine made from Chenin Blanc, the primary white grape in Saumur, went into sparkling wine or non-distinguished still wine. That has changed over the last couple of decades, with talented and focused producers, such as Château Yvonne, and others. … Read more
Domaine Guiberteau, Saumur Blanc (Loire Valley, France) Clos de Guichaux 2016
($41, Becky Wasserman & Co.): Domaine Guiberteau is one of Saumur’s top producers. As much as I hate to say it because it diminishes my role as a critic, I will: It’s hard to go wrong just picking their wines blindly. … Read more
An Amber Standout from Georgia
Mosmieri (Kakheti, Georgia) “Kakhuri” 2017 ($20, Corus Imports): Georgian wines seem to be the rage these days, and there are plenty of possible reasons for that. Consumers are intrigued that archeologists have figured out that wine has been made in that Caucasus-region country for 8,000 years, putting it among the oldest wine producing areas in the world. … Read more
Paumanok Vineyards, North Fork of Long Island (New York) Chenin Blanc 2018
($25): Under the leadership of winemaker Kareem Massoud and his father Charles, before for him, Paumanok Vineyards has made consistently stunning dry Chenin Blanc. The emphasis is on dry, because consumers often avoid Chenin Blanc because they can’t predict what’s in the bottle since the grapes can make a diverse range of wines from dry to gloriously sweet. … Read more
Comm. G.B. Burlotto, Verduno Pelaverga DOC (Piedmont, Italy) 2017
($25, Vineyard Brands): A historic estate founded in the mid-18th century by Giovan Battista Burlotto, Comm. G. B. Burlotto remains one of Piedmont’s top and most reliable producers. (The Comm. stands for il Commandatore.) The grape is Pelaverga Piccolo (a.k.a. Pelaverga di Verduno) because it is almost exclusive to the commune of Verduno, according to Ian D’Agata (Native Wine Grapes of Italy, University of California Press, 2014).… Read more
Foradori, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT (Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy) Manzoni Bianco “Fontanasanta” 2017
($38, Louis Dressner Selections): Manzoni Bianco is one of Italy’s botanical “crosses,” in this case a cross of Riesling and Chardonnay, made by Luigi Manzoni in the 1920s and 30s, according to Ian D’Agata (Native Wine Grapes of Italy, University of California Press, 2014). … Read more
Moser, Trento DOC (Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy) “51,151″ Brut NV
($23, Divino International Wine and Spirit): The name of the wine, “51,151”, refers to a cycling record that Francesco Moser set in Mexico City in 1984, according to their website. This 100 percent Chardonnay base bubbly is, indeed, racy (pun intended), but the elegance imparted by that grape shows, making for a lovely balance. … Read more
Cantine Leonardo da Vinci, Pignoletto Spumante DOC (Emilia-Romagna, Italy) “1502″ 2018
($20): Cantine Leonardo da Vinci, a large Tuscan-based cooperative, makes this delightful sparkling wine from the Pignoletto grape, not one that is widely known outside of central Italy. Its inherently high acidity makes it a good choice for bubbly because growers can let it ripen, allowing its exuberant floral and fruity character to shine, without it becoming sappy or flabby. … Read more
William Fevre, Saint-Bris (Burgundy, France) 2018
($25, Maison Marques et Domaines): Saint-Bris, formerly known as Sauvignon de Saint Bris before it was elevated to appellation d’origine controllée (AOC) status, is curious and unique in Burgundy. Located in the far north, near Chablis and covering a mere 200 acres, it requires the use of Sauvignon Blanc, not Chardonnay, for its wines. … Read more
Maison Louis Latour, Côteaux Bourguignons (Burgundy, France) Pinot Noir “Les Pierres Dorées” 2017
($26, Louis Latour, USA): Côteaux Bourguignons is a relatively new appellation, replacing Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire, an appellation I’ve never seen in the U.S., perhaps because a “grand ordinary” wine is hard to sell. Grapes for this appellation can come from anywhere in Burgundy, from Beaujolais in the south to Irancy in the north. … Read more
Saumur: Home to Fabulous Dry Chenin Blanc
The Chenin Blanc grape can be transformed into fabulous wine. It makes sensationally riveting dry wines and lusciously sweet ones. In this column, I want to focus on the dry ones. They are exceptionally versatile, equally well suited to stand-alone as an aperitif or with a meal, especially with those foods that can pose a challenge for matching with wine, such as sushi, spicy Asian fare or roast pork. … Read more
Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley (Mendocino County, California) Brut NV
($24): Although I’ve not sampled every sparkling wine from California, Roederer Estate’s is my favorite. Part of the reason their wines are so good is, of course, the talent of Roederer, the French Champagne producer that owns it. But another important reason for their quality is that all of the grapes for their sparkling wines come from their vineyards, which means they have total control over the entire process from vineyard to winemaking to aging. … Read more
Jean Milan, Champagne (France) Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs NV
($42): It’s unusual to see non-vintage Blanc de Blancs Champagne in which all the grapes come from villages classified as Grand Cru and especially at this price. Though quite intense, the elegance of Chardonnay comes through. The spine of acidity keeps it fresh. … Read more
Pierre Gimonnet et Fils, Champagne (France) 1er Cru, Brut, Blanc de Blancs “Cuvée Cuis” NV
($55, Terry Thiese Estate Selection): Blanc de Blancs (literally, white from whites) has no legal meaning except in Champagne where it means that only Chardonnay, a white grape, can be used. The expectation, which is fulfilled dramatically with this wine, is a Champagne of purity and elegance. … Read more
Simonnet-Febvre, Saint-Bris (Burgundy, France) 2017
($20): Simonnet-Febvre, another superb Chablis producer, crafts a consistently balanced Saint-Bris. The initial whiff screams Sauvignon Blanc, but amazingly, within minutes, aromas and then flavors of wet stone appear. Clean and cutting, this edgy wine displays plenty of depth. Where are the steamed clams?… Read more