($26): 
Salina is both the name of the wine and the tiny volcanic Aeolian island just north of Sicily in the Mediterranean. Barely 10 square miles in area, it has six inactive volcanos that account for its lava rich soil. Here the Malvasia di Lipari makes a riveting dry wine that electrifies the palate. … Read more
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Jermann, Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy) Pinot Grigio 2022
($25): 
If Jermann’s captivating Pinot Grigio was your first experience with Pinot Grigio, it would be easy to understand the popularity of the category. Alas, few Pinot Grigio have the character of Jermann’s. Subtly aromatic, Jermann’s refreshing 2022 Pinot Grigio has appeal that belies its lightweight density. … Read more
From Decanter Magazine: Domaine Parent: A benchmark Pommard domaine
Long-regarded as one of Burgundy’s more muscular appellations, the 2022 vintage from Domaine Parent reveal Pommard’s more refined and sensuous side.
The wines of Pommard have long suffered from a less-exalted reputation compared to the more delicate wines of neighbouring Volnay, just to the south.… Read more
Capezzana, Toscana Rosso (Tuscany, Italy) “Ugo Contini Bonacossi” 2019
($60): 
The Contini Bonacossi family owns Capezzana, Carmignano’s best producer. Ugo Contini Bonacossi, who transformed the property from the typical sharecropping agricultural endeavor of the era, into the current modern wine and olive oil producing estate, adored a particular small Sangiovese vineyard that he thought consistently produced exceptional grapes. … Read more
Frescobaldi, Chianti Rùfina Riserva (Tuscany, Italy) “Nipozzano” 2020
($18): 
Rùfina, the smallest of the Chianti subzones, is mountainous and wild. The wines, like this one, have an appealing wildness and refinement. Frescobaldi, Rùfina’s largest and most important producer, never falters, which means that this 2020 delivers more than its price suggests. … Read more
Villa Calcinaia, Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy) 2020
($21): 
The ready-to-drink 2020 Villa Calcinaia Chianti Classico shows why Chianti Classico is so popular. Lip-smacking acidity acts as the foil for its succulent black cherry-like fruitiness. Subtle spice common to Chianti Classico adds appealing complexity, preventing monotony. Mild tannins lend support without intruding. … Read more
Girolamo Russo, Etna Rosso (Sicily, Italy) “‘a Rina” 2020
($34): 
This looks like a Rosé in the glass, but fortunately it displays enormous character and complexity, so you know it’s not a rosé. Girolamo Russo, one of Etna’s top producers, makes a range of terrific wines from that mountain. This one, ‘a Rina, is a blend, and could be considered his “basic” — though there’s nothing basic about it — wine. … Read more
Domaine Buisson-Charles, Meursault (Burgundy, France) Vieilles Vignes 2021
($106, Martine’s Wines): 
Domaine Buisson-Charles, a well-regarded Meursault-based family domaine, blends grapes from six parcels to make this stellar village wine. Some are hillside parcels that provide grapes with higher acidity, and some are lower down that imbue the grapes, and subsequent wine, with more richness. … Read more
Dupont-Fahn, Bourgogne Blanc (Burgundy, France) Chaumes des Perrières 2020
($52): 
The story goes that a parcel of vines in the Merusault Perrières vineyard lost its exalted appellation classification when the owner added 10-inches or so of topsoil to replace that which had been washed away. That modification turned what is now called Chaumes des Perrières into Bourgogne Blanc — not even Meursault. … Read more
Villa Cerna, Chianti Classico Riserva (Tuscany, Italy) 2018
($32, Volio Imports): 
I reviewed this wine last year and jumped at the chance to revisit it since it is still available at the retail level. Spoiler alert — I like it just as much. As a reminder, the Cecchi family has two distinct estates in Chianti Classico, Villa Cerna and Villa Rosa, both in Castellina in Chianti. … Read more
Villa Rosa, Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy) “Ribaldoni” 2018
($33, Volio Imports): 
The Cecchi family purchased the Villa Rosa estate in 2015 because it was an ideal site for Sangiovese. The focus is to make a Gran Selezione, the category at the tip of the Chianti Classico quality pyramid. I suspect this Chianti Classico comes from grapes that did not make it into the Gran Selezione. … Read more
Villa Cerna, Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy) “Primocolle” 2020
($19, Volio Imports): 
Villa Cerna is the home, and one of the estates, of the Cecchi family, one of the top producers in Tuscany. Primocolle — literally, first hill — comes from vineyards at lower elevations on the estate. The bright and juicy 2020 Primocolle is a lovely, classically proportioned Chianti Classico filled with good depth and an impeccable combination of fruity and savory notes. … Read more
Ventisquero, Colchagua Valley (Chile) Carménère Apalta Vineyard “Obliqua” 2017
($71, Austral Wines): 
Made entirely from Carménère, arguably Chile’s signature grape, grown in the famed Apalta sub-region, this juicy bottling displays a wonderful combination of red and dark fruit with spice and other non-fruit, savory notes. Like the Vertice, the tannins are present, yet supple and not intrusive, so this hearty red is ready for mid-winter fare. … Read more
Ventisquero, Colchagua Valley (Chile) Apalta Vineyard “Vertice” 2019
($29, Austral Wines): 
This bold blend of Syrah and Carménère, combines attractive elements of each grape. Together, it’s a harmonious blend of dark fruit, leafy notes — Carménère speaking — and smokey peppery nuances of Syrah. A suave texture allows you to enjoy this weighty, yet not overdone, wine now. … Read more
The Amazing 2022 Burgundies
Let me cut directly to the chase, or rather, the bottom line: Buy as much of the 2022 Burgundies—both red and white—as your budget allows. I give this advice after having been astonished by the results of my annual tasting trip to Burgundy in November. … Read more
Estate Argyros, Santorini (Greece) Assyrtiko 2022
($45, Diamond Wine Importers): 
Argyros, an old family winery founded in 1903, has a stellar reputation on Santorini. After tasting this racy Assyrtiko, I see why. Many consider Assyrtiko, especially when grown on Santorini, to be Greece’s finest white wine. I don’t have a dog in that fight, but if they are all like Argyros’ 2022 I understand the claim. … Read more
Haritatos Vineyard, Slopes of Aenos PGI (Greece) Mavrodaphne “Mademoiselle Haritato” 2021
($34, Diamond Wine Importers): 
Jancis Robinson in her encyclopedic Wine Grapes (Harper Collins 2012) reports that Mvarodafni is likely the Greece’s most well-known grape because of the sweet, fortified wines made from it. Well, this is my first introduction to it, and Haritatos Vineyard stunning one is definitely not sweet, nor fortified. … Read more
Alpha Estate, Amyndeon PDO (Macedonia, Greece) Xinomavro Hedgehog Vineyard 2020
($27, Diamond Wine Importers): 
Fortunately, most people don’t translate the grape’s name, Xinomavro, (literally, sour back) before buying the wine. It is considered by many to be Greece’s most important and best red grape for red wine. Frequently described as powerful with significant tannins, the mid-weight and poised one from Alpha Estate, an organic producer, does not fit that profile. … Read more
Pommery & Greno, Champagne (France) Brut Rosé “Royal” NV
($64, Vranken Pommery America): 
Pommery’s luxurious Rosé reinforces the notion that Champagne stands head and shoulder above other sparkling Rosés. The delicate salmon-pink color pleases they eye, but the real pleasure comes from the first whiff and sip. It delivers an impeccable balance of subtle, but persistent, wild strawberry-like nuances and creamy citrus ones.… Read more
Albert Bichot, Crémant de Bourgogne (Burgundy, France) Brut Réserve NV
($24): 
Albert Bichot, like many of Burgundy’s top producers, owns vineyards — is a grower — and acts as a négociant, buying grapes/and or newly pressed juice from other growers. This elegant and refreshing Crémant falls into the latter category. Its tiny bubbles dance on the palate. … Read more
Villa Bucci, Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore DOC (Marche, Italy) Verdicchio “Bucci” 2022
($24, Empson USA): 
The Bucci family, farmers in the region from the 18th century, started bottling their wines only in 1983. They’ve rapidly shown themselves to be of the DOC’s top producers. Reasons why the wines are formidable is the age of the vines — mostly 40 to 50 years — and their parsimonious yields, which run about half of the quantity allowed by DOC regulations. … Read more
Villa Sandi, Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG (Veneto, Italy) La Rivetta 2021
($50): 
Cartizze is a small (roughly 260-acre) steeply sloped area of vineyards that represent the pinnacle of the Prosecco quality pyramid. And Sandi’s from their La Rivetta plot within Cartizze fits that perfectly. Oddly, though, Prosecco is nowhere to be found on the label, which is a common practice among Prosecco producers who bottle a Cartizze. … Read more
Skouras, Peloponnese PGI (Greece) Moscofilero 2021
($22, Diamond Wine Importers): 
Moscofilero is a wonderfully interesting grape. Pink or grey-skinned, like Pinot Grigio, it usually makes a floral white wine. The aromatics make you think it will be sweet, but it’s not, which is part of the reason it is a joy to drink. … Read more
Mount Langi Ghiran, Grampians (Victoria, Australia) Riesling 2023
($23): 
Mount Langi Ghiran, best known for their array of stunning Shiraz wines, makes an equally compelling Riesling. I know, isn’t Australia too hot for Riesling? Much of the country is, but Mount Langi Ghiran’s location in the cool Grampians district of Victoria is ideal for that grape — and of course, given their reputation, for Shiraz. … Read more
Lieb Cellars, North Fork of Long Island (New York) Pinot Blanc Estate 2022
($23): 
What a surprise! Pinot Blanc can often be dilute and uninspired. Not this one from Lieb Cellars, one of Long Island’s top producers. Yes, Long Island makes wine and very good wine at that, as evidenced by this Pinot Blanc. … Read more
Raventós i Blanc, Conca del Riu Anoia (Penedes, Spain) “De Nit” Sparkling Rosé 2021
($25): 
Raventós i Blanc, one of Spain’s leading producers of sparkling wines, left the Cava consortium because they felt the standards were too low. So, instead of bottling their excellent sparkling wines as Cava, they label them Conca del Riu Anoia, a new D.O. … Read more
Domaine Jean-Baptiste Ponsot, Rully 1er Cru (Burgundy, France) Molesme 2021
($65): 
Jean-Baptiste Ponsot, grandson of the founder of the estate, took it over in 2000 when he was just 20 years old. My first and only experience with their wines — it certainly will not be my last — was at a tiny restaurant in Cluny, in southern Burgundy. … Read more
Domaine Yvon and Laurent Vocoret, Chablis 1er Cru (Burgundy, France) Fourchaume 2021
($45): 
Though the crop was small in Burgundy and especially Chablis in 2021 because of severe frost, the wines, like this delight, can be excellent. Fourchaume, one of the top premier cru vineyards of Chablis, abuts the line of Grand Cru vineyards, which perhaps explains its stature. … Read more
Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, Chablis (Burgundy, France) “V. V. 46” 2022
($37): 
The back label tells us the wine made from vines planted in 1946 is a tribute to Jean-Marc’s “spiritual” father, Louis Petit, “who taught him how to make the soil speak.” With more weight and density, it is a fabulous contrast to Brocard’s Vieilles Vignes de Sainte Claire, showing the impact of vine age. … Read more
Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, Chablis (Burgundy, France) “Vieilles Vignes de Sainte Claire” 2022
($28): 
Chablis remains one bright spot in Burgundy for consumers because its wines remain underpriced, and a great value compared to those from the Côte d’Or. What they may lack it opulence compared to New World Chardonnay or the Chardonnay-based wines from the Côte d’Or, they make up for with a riveting minerality and focus. … Read more
Domaine Michel Bouzereau et Fils, Bourgogne Côte d’Or (Burgundy, France) Chardonnay 2022
($37, Jeanne-Marie de Champs): 
Jean-Baptiste Bouzereau now runs this stellar domaine based in Meursault. Bouzereau has used the new appellation, Bourgogne Côte d’Or, which indicates that all the grapes came from the Côte d’Or, the heart of Burgundy, as opposed to anywhere else in the region. … Read more
Jacques Parent et Cie, Monthelie 1er Cru (Burgundy, France) Les Champs Fulliot 2022
($65, Jeanne-Marie de Champs): 
Alongside Domaine Parent, run by Anne Parent and her sister Catherine, is a small négociant business, called Jacques Parent et Cie. The domaine is known best for their masterful array of Pommard that reflect the diversity and beauty of the appellation’s vineyards. … Read more
Château de Raousset, Chiroubles (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France) “Bel-Air” 2022
($29, Jeanne-Marie de Champs): 
Though Chiroubles, one of the ten Crus (named villages) of Beaujolais borders Fleurie, the wines are vastly different, which is what makes drinking wines from the Beaujolais Crus so fascinating. Château de Raousset, one of the region’s top producers, makes both. … Read more
Tenuta La Massa, Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “La Massa” 2020
($27): 
Giampaolo Motta acquired the 67-acre estate located in the Conca d’Oro in Panzano, the heart of Chianti Classico. Instead of making Chianti Classico, he opted to blend traditional Bordeaux grapes with the native Sangiovese. Some would call his wines Super Tuscan. … Read more
Tenuta Luce, Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “Luce” 2019
($121): 
Tenuta Luce, originally a joint venture between wine icons Robert Mondavi and Vittorio Frescobaldi, is now solely owned by the Frescobaldi family. Located in Montalcino and though it does make a Brunello, Tenuta Luce is distinct from Castelgiocondo, another Frescobaldi estate. … Read more
Tenuta La Massa, Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “Giorgio Primo” 2019
($111): 
Giampaolo Motta named this flagship wine after his grandfather and son. With more structure and less flesh that the 2020 La Massa, the stellar 2019 Grigio Primo needs considerably more time in the bottle for its true grandeur to show. … Read more
Tenuta Calimaia, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Tuscany, Italy) 2020
($20): 
Frescobaldi, a name synonymous with quality in Tuscany, has established this estate in Montepulciano. It’s really a return to Montepulciano for them since Leonardo Di Niccolò Frescobaldi was the town’s mayor in 1390. The exquisite 2020, their second vintage, is, in a word, gorgeous, melding black fruit that borders on tarriness with minerals. … Read more
San Felice, Toscana (Tuscany, Italy) Pugnitello 2020
($46, Total Beverage Solution): 
Pugnitello, a grape whose name means “little fist” based on the appearance of the bunches, is a relative newcomer to Italian wine, having been studied and developed by San Felice in the 1980s. So, it is not surprising that their rendition should be outstanding. … Read more
Produttori Vini Manduria, Primitivo di Manduria Riserva DOC (Puglia, Italy) “Elegia” 2019
($22): 
A massive bottle plus a 15 percent stated-alcohol accurately predicts the style of the wine before you pull the cork. Mild and suave tannins lend needed support to the fruity richness. The level of alcohol and the ripe dark fruit quality explains a hint of sweetness in the finish. … Read more
Domaine de L’Amandine, Côtes du Rhône Villages Séguret (Rhône Valley, France) 2021
($17, The Wine Trust): 
Séguret, a beautifully perched village in the southern Rhône valley, is one of 22 villages allowed to add their name to the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation. Rhône authority Matt Walls, refers to them as a “training camp before being elevated to Cru status.” … Read more
Gravity Exists in Burgundy
In recent memory, prices for Burgundy have seemed to defy gravity—they always rise. The prices at this year’s recently completed Hospices de Beaune auction, the 163rd, actually fell, demonstrating that gravity does exist there. The average price per barrel was €30,839 ($33,642), down 14 percent compared to 2022, but consumers may not notice any difference anytime soon because of the complexity of the market.… Read more
Remembering Mike Grgich: The Man Who Put California Wines on the Map
The wine world lost a giant last month. Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, the man who thrust California wine onto the world’s stage, died at age 100 at his home in Calistoga in the Napa Valley.
Grgich, more than anyone, is responsible for California’s reputation as a place that could make great wine when his 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay took first place at a wine competition that pitted France’s best white Burgundies against upstarts from California. … Read more
My Year in Review: 2023
Choosing the best of 2023 is easy for me—the marriage of both our daughters to men we like and admire. Of course, wine played a role in the numerous celebrations that accompanied the weddings. We uncorked and drank many birth year wines, 1988 and 1992, that I had purchased soon after the kids were born, which reminded me of important lessons that I’d like to pass on.… Read more
Biondi-Santi, Rosso di Montalcino (Tuscany, Italy) 2020
($89, Wilson Daniels): 
The label says Rosso, but the wine says Brunello. That’s Biondi-Santi for you. Firm, sleek and minerally, this mid-weight Rosso has more elegance and stature than many producers’ bottlings of Brunello. Fine tannins surround tightly coiled power and exquisite austerity. … Read more
Case Alte, Sicilia DOC (Sicily, Italy) Nero d’Avola “16 Filari” 2020
($35): 
Nero d’Avola, a grape indigenous to Sicily, makes a wide wine across a wide gamut of styles. The muscular 16 Filari, from Case Alte, lies towards the massive side of the spectrum — sort of a Nero d’Avola on steroids. … Read more
Château Lagrange : From A Diamond in the Rough to A Sparkling Gem
It’s amazing what money and dedication to a goal can do. Suntory, the Japanese multinational brewing and distilling company, purchased the neglected and run-down Château Lagrange (an estate classified as a Third Growth in the famed Médoc Classification of 1855) in 1983 for a reported 10 million U.S.… Read more
Alex Foillard, Brouilly (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France) 2021
($47, Kermit Lynch): 
First, the backstory. At a Paris bistro, I ordered a glass of 2021 Côte de Brouilly, from Thivin, one of the best producers of that cru. Out came a glass of red wine, which was alluring, mineral-y and dense, and every bit as good as I had expected. … Read more
Leyda, Valle de Leyda (Chile) Pinot Noir Costal Vineyards — Las Brisas 2020
($20, Park Street Imports): 
Lying about 50 miles west of Santiago, the Leyda Valley sits on the cool Pacific coast, which explains, in part, why this Pinot Noir is so engaging. Restrained, not overblown or over-ripe, this mid-weight red delivers a harmonious mix of savory and leafy notes intermixed with red fruit ones. … Read more
From Decanter Magazine: Domaine des Baumard’s Quarts de Chaume: World-class sweet wines
You can be forgiven if you are unfamiliar with the Quarts de Chaume appellation. After all, when I mentioned to a well-known wine-writer colleague based in San Francisco that I was writing about it, he said, ‘What’s that?’
The appellation should be on every wine lover ’s radar, because it’s home to one of the world’s greatest sweet wines.… Read more
Domaine Mont Bessay, Moulin-à-Vent (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France) Le Vieux Bourg 2021
($50, Misa Imports): 
Domaine Mont Bessay is a new project from the people who make the beautifully textured wines at Domaine du Cellier aux Moines in Givry. Just as Philippe Pascal and Guillaume Marko are drawing attention to Givry in the Côte Chalonnaise — not to be confused with Gevrey in the Côte d’Or — they will make the world think differently about Beaujolais cru wines. … Read more