The mid-weight 2019 Château Noaillac, a classic example of why Bordeaux remains popular, delivers a harmonious mixture of red and black fruit notes with subtle, non-fruity savory elements. Mild, fine-grained tannins lend an ideal amount of structure without intruding, making this 2019 surprisingly ready to drink now.… Read more
Category Archives: WRO Reviews
Vignamaggio, Chianti Classico DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “Terre di Prenzano” 2021 ($45)
The location of the Sangiovese vineyards used for Vignamaggio’s Prenzano sit at the estate’s highest elevation in Greve, which helps explain the vivacity of this gorgeous 2021 Chianti Classico. Bright and fresh, this Chianti Classico delivers plenty of red cherry-like fruitiness accompanied by good depth, without any heaviness.… Read more
Vignamaggio, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione (Tuscany, Italy) “Monna Lisa” 2017 ($74)
The 2017 vintage in Chianti Classico was generally abysmal. Be warned that when you generalize about a vintage, you can miss the pearls, like Vignamaggio’s 2017 Gran Selezione. Remember, Gran Selezione sits at the apex of the Chianti Classico quality pyramid above Reserva.… Read more
Willamette Valley Vineyards, Willamette Valley (Oregon) Pinot Noir “Whole Cluster” 2023 ($29)
I won’t get into the winemaking concept of using whole clusters instead of destemming the grapes before fermentation because that’s too geeky for a review. Let’s just say that some very well-known Burgundy producers embrace it while other very well-known Burgundy producers avoid it.… Read more
Alain Robert, Vouvray (Loire Valley, France) “Troglodyte” Brut NV ($23)
Vouvray, the famous appellation in the Loire, makes lovely sparkling wines from Chenin Blanc in addition to their still wines. Alain Robert’s refreshing one combines a delicate and restrained fruitiness — Chenin Blanc speaking — with a firm minerality that comes from the terroir.… Read more
Cavazza, Gambellara Classico DOC (Veneto, Italy) “Bocara” 2024 ($26)
Think of Gambellara as the epitome of Soave. Gambellara lies about 15 miles northeast of Soave, usually mostly the same grape, Garganega, and has similar volcanic terroir. But while much of Soave vineyards lie on the plains, most of Gambellara’s have better exposures, on hillsides.… Read more
Château Ramafort, Médoc (Bordeaux, France) 2016 ($25)
Wines, like this one, classified as Cru Bourgeois (a level of classification just below the more exalted Cru Classé) offer terrific value. At nearly a decade of age, the sturdy and mature 2016 Château Ramafort delivers a seamless combination of black fruit and savory olive-like nuances.… Read more
Château Peyrabon, Haut-Médoc (Bordeaux, France) 2016 ($23)
I am pleasantly surprised to find this bargain-priced and ready-to-drink beauty still available. This lovely mid-weight — 13 percent stated-alcohol — Bordeaux displays impeccable balance of dark fruit accented by a haunting mineral-like quality, all sitting atop a suave texture. The empty glass of this finesse-filled beauty smells good!… Read more
Château Patache d’Aux, Médoc (Bordeaux, France) 2018 ($39)
Château Patache d’Aux, another overachiever, gained Cru Bourgeois Supérieur status, a step up from Cru Bourgeois, with the 2025 classification. The youthful 2018 delivers great aromatics followed by an attractive dark, slightly tarry mineral underpinning. I would open and decant this beauty a few hours before serving or, alternatively, keep it in the cellar for another couple of years.… Read more
Château du Taillan, Haut-Médoc (Bordeaux, France) 2018 ($25)
Château du Taillan has always been one of my favorite Cru Bourgeois wines. One of the benefits to consumers of the Cru Bourgeois Classification is that the wine authorities re-visit the hierarchy every five years, forcing producers to keep on their toes.… Read more
Château Castera, Médoc (Bordeaux, France) 2016 ($23)
With the newly revised 2025 Cru Bourgeois classification, the Syndicat de l’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois (the governing body) elevated Château Castera to Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, the highest tier of the classification. As the stellar 2016 shows, their talents were evident almost a decade earlier.… Read more
Domaine Pavelot, Bourgogne Rouge (Burgundy, France) 2023 ($30, Vineyard Road)
Based in Savigny-lès-Beaune, Domaine Pavelot’s Bourgogne Rouge comes from plots in that village plus the villages of Pernand-Vergelesses and Alox-Corton, but obviously outside of those village appellation boundaries, so it is reflective of the Côte de Beaune. This well-priced 2023 has good weight and a marvelous combination of berry fruit and savory non-fruit nuances that make Burgundy unique.… Read more
Jean-Philippe Fichet, Bourgogne Aligoté (Burgundy, France) 2023 ($34, Vineyard Road)
Aligoté, Burgundy’s other white grape, accounts for only about five percent of all plantings in the region, which explains why it’s not very well-known. Regulations for the Bouzeron appellation mandate its use there, but otherwise it’s Burgundy’s only appellation that uses a grape name instead of a geographic one.… Read more
Domaine Jean-Marc Bouley, Hautes-Côtes de Beaune (Burgundy, France) “Vibrations” 2022 ($80, Vineyard Road)
Domaine Jean-Marc Bouley has embraced a “modern” label, displaying a proprietary name prominently while relegating the appellation to the back label. The wine itself is quite traditional—and stunning. The roughly 2.5-acre plot from which the Pinot Noir for this wine comes is located on a slope just above Volnay with excellent southern exposure.… Read more
Domaine Pierre Boisson, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune (Burgundy, France) 2022 ($50 , Vineyard Road)
With prices for many Côte d’Or wines approaching triple digits, it a treat to find authentic Burgundy with a more affordable price tag. Climate change has helped the wines from the Hautes-Côtes, the areas above the Côte de Nuits, or in this case, the Côte de Beaune, which in the past produced coarse wines because of unripe tannins.… Read more
Sylvain Pataille, Marsannay (Burgundy, France) Les Longeroies 2022 ($82, Vineyard Road)
The wines from Marsannay, the northernmost outpost of the Côte de Nuits, almost a suburb of Dijon, has flown under the radar for decades. Indeed, it gained its legally recognized Village appellation status only in 1987. Prior to that time, its wines could only carry the regional appellation of Bourgogne rouge.… Read more
Antonelli, Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino DOC (Umbria, Italy) “Vigna Tonda” 2023 ($31)
Antonelli, a longtime leading name in the Montefalco region, makes two wines under the Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino DOC, one without skin contact, and this one, with skin contact. Antonelli’s Vigna Tonda displays a delicate orange wine-quality while still maintaining its peppery raciness.… Read more
Domaine de Montille, Bourgogne Rouge (Burgundy, France) Pinot Noir 2022 ($46, DeMeine Estates)
Domaine de Montille, one of Burgundy’s leading producers, has been organic since 1995 and biodynamic since 2005. They have a stunning array of wines that focus on finesse rather than power. With grapes coming come exclusively from their home base in Volnay and plots in Puligny-Montrachet, this refined Bourgogne Rouge is a fine introduction to their style.… Read more
Domaine de Montille, Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves (Burgundy, France) 2021 ($123, DeMeine Estates)
One of the wonderful delights of Montille’s wines is how they express their terroir. That is, how they differ one from the other despite using the same grape, Pinot Noir, grown in the same region, only a few miles apart. This beautiful Beaune, from one of that village’s top premier cru vineyards, delivers an earthier and weightier profile compared to Montille’s more aromatic and suavely textured Volnay Taillepieds.… Read more
Domaine de Montille, Volnay 1er Cru Les Taillepieds (Burgundy, France) 2021 ($196, DeMeine Estates)
Domaine de Montille owns just over 20 percent of Les Taillepieds, one of the finest vineyards in Volnay. So, it is not surprising that it is one of Domaine’s flagship wines. The stunning 2021 grabs you immediately with gorgeous aromatics that leap from the glass.… Read more
Alessandro di Camporeale, Sicilia DOC (Sicily, Italy) Catarratto “Benedè” 2024 ($20)
Carricante seems to get the spotlight when discussing white grapes/wine from Sicily. But consumers should not overlook Catarratto, which turns out to be Sicily’s most planted grape. Mostly it makes less distinctive wine compared to Carricante. But not always. Take this organic mid-weight one from Camporeale.… Read more
Brassfield Estate, High Valley (Lake County, California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($35)
Unsurprisingly, the High Valley AVA takes its name from its 1,600 to 3,000 feet above sea level location. The mountains here run east-west, unlike most of the California ranges, and allow the grapes to be cooled by Pacific Ocean breezes. Despite those cooling breezes and the coolness of the elevation, Brassfield manages to get its grapes quite ripe, which results in this powerhouse Cabernet with15.4 percent stated alcohol.… Read more
Antonelli, Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino DOC (Umbria, Italy) “Vigna Tonda” 2023 ($31)
Antonelli, a longtime leading name in the Montefalco region, makes two wines under the Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino DOC, one without skin contact, and this one, with skin contact. Antonelli’s Vigna Tonda displays a delicate orange wine-quality while still maintaining its peppery raciness.… Read more
Tenuta Bellafonte, Montefalco Bianco (Umbria, Italy) “Sperella” 2024 ($24)
Tenuta Bellafonte prefers to take advantage of the Montefalco name by using the Montefalco Bianco DOC for their wine made entirely from Trebbiano Spoletino, an under-the-radar grape that deserves recognition because of its captivating character. Their mid-weight 2024 Sperella marries richness with an appealing and intriguing white pepper-like spiciness that I find characteristic of Trebbiano Spoletino, which, by the way, is unrelated to the more pedestrian Trebbiano Toscana or Trebbiano d’Abruzzo.… Read more
Perticaia, Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino DOC (Umbria, Italy) 2024 ($23)
Perticaia, another top producer in Montefalco, like many producers in this relatively unknown DOC, is trying techniques in the cellar to expand the spectrum of this underappreciated grape. This wine, labeled simply with the grape name, spends a three to six months on the lees after undergoing a few days of skin contact during fermentation.… Read more
Estival, Horse Heaven Hills (Washington) Sauvignon Blanc 2024 ($19)
Estival is a new label launched by the very talented and well-regarded Ste. Michelle Wine Estates whose extensive portfolio focuses on the Pacific Northwest. Given their track record and experience, you’d expect quality and that’s what you get. This pure and crisp Sauvignon Blanc delivers lively and welcoming palate-awakening prickliness and pungency without aggressiveness.… Read more
Cecchi, Chianti Classico DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “Storia di Famiglia” 2023 ($23, Terlato)
Cecchi, a top Tuscan producer, fashioned this beefier style of Chianti Classico. Fine tannins make it easy to enjoy its combination of black fruit intertwined with subtle earthiness now. Enlivening acidity keeps it fresh throughout a meal. It is an easy choice for anything from burgers to grilled steak.… Read more
Brassfield Estate, High Valley (Lake County, California) Volcano Ridge Vineyard “Eruption” 2021 ($28)
The High Valley AVA lies in eastern Lake County at roughly 1,600 to 3,000 feet above sea level. Its east-west mountain orientation, like that in Sta. Rita Valley in Santa Barbara County, is unusual in California and allows for cooling breezes off the Pacific Ocean.… Read more
Tenuta Alzatura, Montefalco Bianco DOC (Umbria, Italy) “Cortili” 2024 ($35)
Tenuta Alzatura could label their Cortili as DOC Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino since it is made entirely from Trebbiano Spoletino, a unique grape that makes fare more distinctive wines than the more pedestrian Trebbiano Toscana. Instead, they opt to use Montefalco Bianco DOC because of Montefalco’s name recognition.… Read more
Tenuta Alzatura, Montefalco Bianco DOC (Umbria, Italy) “Aria di Casa” 2022 ($54)
In addition to their Cortili, Tenuta Alzatura also ferments and ages Trebbiano Spoletino in 500-liter new oak barrels, which adds an extra dimension to their Aria de Casa. The subtle oak exposure imparts an alluring layer of complexity to the still fresh and balanced 2022 Aria di Casa without losing any of the grape’s energy.… Read more
Tenuta Perano, Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy) 2021 ($24, Vintus)
Even a quick look at the label tells you that you have a winner with this wine. Frescobaldi is one of Italy’s top producers. Chianti Classico is as reliable a DOCG as you will find. And 2021 produced racy and balanced wines in throughout Tuscany.… Read more
Domaine de la Guilloterie, Saumur Blanc (Loire Valley, France) “Elegance Brézé” 2023 ($28)
White wines from Saumur are typically dry even though they are made from Chenin Blanc, a grape many people associate with sweet wine. Inexplicably, these racy white Saumur fly under the radar. I call them the Chablis of the Loire for their crisp and stoney signature.… Read more
Tedeschi, Valpolicella DOC (Veneto, Italy) “Lucchine” 2024 ($18)
Tedeschi, a well-established family-owned producer in Valpolicella, makes a lovely range of wines from that DOC. Take this refreshing light-bodied 2024 Lucchine, for example. With its pale color, it could almost pass for a rosé. But one sip of its bright, cherry-like flavors accented by the barest hint of spice tells you it’s not.… Read more
Tedeschi, Valpolicella Superiore (Veneto, Italy) “Nicalò” 2022 ($26)
Although Tedeschi’s Valpolicella Superiore is marginally darker and more powerful than their enticing Valpolicella Lucchine, the major difference is how a subtle, yet apparent, hint of savory earthiness balances its dark fruitiness. Tedeschi signature suave texture makes it lovely to drink now.… Read more
Tedeschi, Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso (Veneto, Italy) “Capitel San Rocco” 2021 ($31)
Tedeschi shows the potential for Valpolicella by making one for all seasons. Their Lucchine is perfect for sipping in the summer while Nicalò’s power makes it ideal for the fall. And this one, the more muscular Capitel San Rocco, weighing at a higher, 14.5 percent, stated alcohol, will warm you in the winter.… Read more
Bodega Lanzaga, Rioja (La Rioja, Spain) “Lanzaga” 2020 ($42, The Rare Wine Company)
Telmo Rodriguez, owner of Bodega Lanzaga and one of Spain’s most important and dynamic producers, is trying to reinvent the wines of Rioja. He focuses on terroir as opposed to the traditional emphasis on brand name and classifying wines by how long they age prior to release.… Read more
Delas, Côtes du Rhône (Rhône Valley, France) “Saint-Esprit” 2023 ($16, Maisons Marques et Domaines)
Côtes du Rhône, a vast appellation encompassing vineyards both in the southern and northern Rhône, produces a range of wines from ordinary to superb. Since Delas is a noted producer in the Rhône, it comes as no surprise that their Saint-Esprit is consistently enjoyable despite being a relatively large production wine they produce by utilizing fruit under contract from other growers as well.… Read more
Tenute Lunelli, Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG (Umbria, Italy) “Carapace” 2021 ($54, Taub Family Selections)
The DOCG of Montefalco Sagrantino has a well-deserved reputation for producing robust red wines replete with tannins and alcohol. What immediately stands out in Lunelli’s youthful 2021 Carapace and grabs your attention is its suave tannins and texture. Lunelli’s winemaker, Luca Capaldini, quips, “grapes that grow in the darkness hold onto tannins,” so they remove leaves during the growing season to let the grapes see the sun.… Read more
San Felice, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione (Tuscany, Italy) “Poggio Rosso” 2020 ($85, Total Beverage Solutions)
New regulations for Gran Selezione, Chianti Classico’s top tier, permit the producer to put the Chianti Classico subzone on the label (in this case, Castelnuovo Berardenga, the southernmost subzone which typically produces the ripest fruit of the Chianti Classico districts). San Felice, one of Tuscany’s top producers, has fashioned a ripe wine with a wonderfully paradoxical restraint and complexity.… Read more
Antonelli, Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino DOC (Umbria, Italy) “Vigna Tonda” 2024 ($32)
Antonelli ferments their Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino labeled Vigna Tonda with a few days of skin contact, which imparts a delicate orange wine-like character without overwhelming its raciness. It too, like their Trebium, has good weight and a spicy component that is very alluring.… Read more
Antonelli, Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino DO (Umbria, Italy) “Trebium” 2024 ($23)
Let me unravel the name of this DOC since it’s confusing with both a geographic name, Spoleto, and a grape name, Trebbiano Spoletino. Spoleto is a well-known (at least to music lovers) town in Umbria. Trebbiano Spoletino is an ancient Umbrian variety that is distinct from, and makes far more interesting wine than, the more common Trebbiano Toscano or Trebbiano Abruzzo.… Read more
Ken Forrester, Stellenbosch South Africa Chenin Blanc Old Vine Reserve 2024 ($19)
South Africa is justifiably known for Chenin Blanc, its signature grape, because of the quality of the wines made from it. And for reasons I don’t understand, Chenin Blanc wines from South Africa, like this one, are underappreciated — and underpriced — for what they deliver.… Read more
Iron Horse, Green Valley of Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir Winery Block 2020 ($87)
Unsurprisingly, Iron Horse, a leader in sparkling wine made from the traditional grapes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, knows something about Pinot Noir, as this rendition shows. This ripe, mid-weight Pinot Noir focuses on the bright Green Valley fruit for which the sub-region is known.… Read more
Domaine des Baumard, Savennières (Loire Valley, France) Clos du Papillon 2021 ($60, Vintus)
Savennières, a small appellation just west of Angers in the Loire Valley, produces the most prized dry wines made from Chenin Blanc. Clos du Papillon is one of the top vineyards in the appellation. Add to that Baumard, one of the best producers in the region, and it’s no surprise that you wind up with a sensational bottle of wine.… Read more
Alheit Vineyards, Paardeberg (Swartland, South Africa) Chenin Blanc “Fire by Night” 2024 ($77)
Alheit Vineyards shows that South Africa can produce stunning Chenin Blanc, and at a modest level of alcohol. Their glossy and vibrant 2024 Fire by Night, from 40- to 50-year-old vines, delivers mouth-coating richness without heaviness. The 12.5 percent stated alcohol shows that richness and depth can be attained with excessive ripeness.… Read more
Arnaud Lambert, Saumur (Loire Valley, France) “Midi” 2023 ($26)
Though not an officially delimited area, Brézé is the unofficial “grand cru” area of Saumur. Saumur is an outlier in the Loire because it makes dry wines from Chenin Blanc, the region’s signature grape. One of the beautiful aspects of Chenin Blanc is that it can make both enticingly dry and voluptuously sweet wines, which, of course, presents a question for the consumer: How do you know what you’re getting?… Read more
Kaltern, Alto Adige/Sudtirol (Italy) Blauburgunder / Pinot Nero 2024 ($23)
Since the Alto Adige region was formerly a part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire until Italy annexed it in 1919 after World War I, it retains a Germanic cultural presence. Hence, the wine labels are both in German and Italian. Kaltern, a highly regarded cooperative in the region, makes a range of wines, including this lively Pinot Noir (also known as Blauburgunder in German).… Read more
Kaltern, Kalterersee Classico Superiore DOC (Alto Adige / Sudtirol, Italy) “Quintessenz” 2023 ($35)
Savory herbal notes add intrigue to this refined mid-weight red made from the Schiava grape. While having similarly mild tannins that allow for chilling this summer, it displays more black fruit when compared to Kaltern’s red-fruited Pinot Nero. A smooth texture adds to its overall sense of elegance.… Read more
Michael Shaps, Virginia Wild Meadow Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 ($28)
Michael Shaps studied viticulture and winemaking at the Lycée Viticole de Beaune, a prestigious school in the heart of Burgundy. About a decade later, he started making wine in Virginia under the Michael Shaps label. He also has a small winery in Meursault under the Maison Shaps label.… Read more
Cavazza, Colli Berici DOC (Veneto, Italy) “Fornetto” 2023 ($32)
Cavazza achieves balance and complexity by adding Tocai Rosso, a local grape, and Syrah to this Merlot-dominant blend. Plumy red fruit combined with spicy elements results in a lush and succulent, but not heavy, red. Mild tannins allow for current enjoyment.… Read more