Labeling aside, do not miss this wine. The Domaine de Saint Cosme is a top producer of red wine, especially their extraordinary Gigondas releases from the village where they are based. They are less well-known for white wines, though Les Deux Albion, may change that.… Read more
Category Archives: Reviews
Drouhin Vaudon, Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons (Burgundy, France) 2022 ($60, Dreyfus Ashby)
Back in the 1960s, Robert Drouhin, head of the venerable Beaune-based firm of Joseph Drouhin, had the vision to buy vineyard land in Chablis when the area was in crisis. At the time, many thought he was foolish, but today it’s clear he was a visionary.… Read more
Ronchi di Manzano, Friuli Colli Orientali DOC (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy) Pinot Grigio 2022 ($20, R&B Wine Imports)
There’s insipid Pinot Grigio and then there’s the real thing, like this one from Ronchi di Manzano, which made the varietal so popular. Unlike so many industrial renditions of Pinot Grigio, this one has weight and an enticing earthy accent to its bright and lively fruity component.… Read more
Cascina Adelaide, Barbera d’Alba Superiore DOC (Piedmont, Italy) Vigna Preda 2019 ($28, R&B Wine Imports)
My familiarity with Cascina Adelaide is limited to their superb Barolo, so I jumped at the chance to taste this Barbara d’Alba. Well, based on this example, their Barbera is in the same league as their Barolo releases. Cascina Adelaide’s aromatic 2019 Barbera is a delight because it’s fruity, but not too much so, and not heavy.… Read more
Beconcini, Terre di Puscany, Italy) “Maurleo” 2020 ($18, R&B Wine Import)
The history of the family Beconcini estate is like many in Tuscany. The grandfather liberates the land from the shackles of share-cropping in the 1950s and produces a variety of agricultural products, including grapes. The next generation focuses on viticulture and winemaking, eliminating everything else.… Read more
Badia di Morrona, Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy) Vermentino “Felciaio” 2023
($20, VOS Selections): 
Badia di Morrona packs unusually good depth into their Vermentino. Saline-tinged acidity keeps it fresh and balances its weight. This Vermentino has real substance so uncork it with creatures from the sea that are swimming in a hearty sauce.… Read more
Badia di Morrona, Chianti Riserva DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “I Sodi del Paretaio” 2021
($26, VOS Selections): 
Badia di Morrona’s more substantial Chianti Riserva has the same wonderful combination of cherry-like fruit accented by spice and herbal nuances as their non-Riserva. The energy of the 2021 vintage is apparent and keeps the wine lively. Either drink it now with hearty fare or give it another year or so for the tannins to soften. … Read more
Badia di Morrona, Chianti DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “I Sodi del Paretaio” 2022
($18, VOS Selections): 
Wines from the subregions of Chianti, like Chianti Classico or Chianti Rufina, often overshadow the wines from Chianti. Well, it’s a mistake for consumers to ignore wines labeled Chianti, a broad region with its own DOCG that can be home to excellent wines. … Read more
Nicolas-Jay Estate, Willamette Valley (Oregon) Chardonnay “Affinités” 2022
($60): 
Oregon Chardonnay generally tend to be more restrained as well as less rich and flamboyant compared to those from California. Nicolas-Jay’s “Affinités” fits that pattern. Weighing in at 13-percent stated alcohol, it’s a refined wine, not boisterous, yet showing plenty of character. … Read more
Sella & Mosca, Vermentino di Gallura Superiore DOCG (Sardinia, Italy) “Monteoro” 2021
($20, Taub Family Selections / Palm Bay International): 
My colleague, Rich Cook, just reviewed the 2023 vintage of this wine highly. I want to highlight a slightly older version, still available at retail, because it shows that Vermentino, when grown on the right terroir by the right producers, benefits from a little age. … Read more
Domaine Brégeon, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson (Loire Valley, France) “La Molette” 2019
($45, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant): 
For over a decade now, Muscadet has a cru system, analogous to the Beaujolais crus. That is, identification of towns that have the potential to produce more distinctive and noteworthy wines. Wines from the Muscadet cru must have lower yields and be aged on the lees longer. … Read more
Maison Joseph Drouhin, Saint-Véran (Burgundy, France) 2022
($29, Dreyfus, Ashby & Co): 
Saint Véran, an appellation in Mâconnais, the southern part of Burgundy, abuts and surrounds Pouilly-Fuissé. Like its more famous — and expensive — neighbor, it makes only white wines and only from Chardonnay. Drouhin, one of Burgundy’s top négociants, has been making a consistently excellent Saint Véran year in and year out for decades. … Read more
Domaine William Fèvre, Chablis (Burgundy, France) 2022
($40): 
Combine William Fèvre, one of the top producers in Chablis, with an excellent vintage for that region and you get a terrific village wine. William Fèvre owns a staggering 200 acres of vineyards in Chablis, just under half of which carry either 1er Cru or Grand Cru designations, which leaves them a lot of choice for what they bottle under the village appellation. … Read more
Badia di Morrona, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “N’Antia” 2020
($38, VOS Selections): 
With N’Antia, Badia di Morrona shows that a Bordeaux blend can be successful outside of Bolgheri. Bright and floral, N’Antia conveys the same striking fruit and “not just fruit” flavor combination as the Taneto, albeit with a more graceful, less chunky profile. … Read more
Badia di Morrona, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “Taneto” 2021
($25, VOS Selections): 
I was unfamiliar with the Pisa-based producer, Badia di Morrona until their Italian public relations firm sent me samples. After tasting a trio of their wines, I’m glad I’ve been introduced! Taneto, a blend of Syrah, Sangiovese, and Merlot, delivers both dark fruit and a “not just fruit” character that makes it very appealing. … Read more
Badia di Morrona, Terre di Pisa DOC (Tuscany, Italy) Sangiovese “VignaAlta” 2019
($42, VOS Selections): 
With their N’Antia, Badia di Morrona shows how well Bordeaux varieties do in Tuscany outside of Bolgheri. With VignaAlta, they show that Sangiovese reigns supreme in Tuscany. Racy and elegant, the youthful 2019 VignaAlta is show stopping. Sure, red and dark cherries, the signature of Tuscan Sangiovese, are evident but more emerges as the wine sits in the glass. … Read more
Lionel Faury, Saint-Joseph (Rhône Valley, France) “Les Ribaudes” 2021
($41, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant): 
St. Joseph, an important but sometimes overlooked appellation in the Northern Rhône, is exceptionally long, running on the west bank of that river from Cornas in the south to Condrieu in the north. Its soils and exposures are varied, given its length, unlike its more circumscribed neighbors, Cornas, Hermitage, and Côte Rôtie, so it’s hard to generalize about the wines. … Read more
Rotem and Mounir Saouma, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Rhône Valley, France) “Arioso” 2020
($175, Vintus): 
With Arioso, and indeed all of Rotem and Mounir Saouma’s Rhône wines, the finesse and weightlessness of Burgundy meets the muscle of the Rhône. In Burgundy, the husband-and-wife team is a mini-négociant, buying small amounts of grapes or newly pressed wine from growers—typically just a few barrels—raising it, and bottling it under the Lucien Le Moine label. … Read more
Silver Oak, Alexander Valley (Sonoma County, California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
($100): 
Plush and sexy, Silver Oak’s dazzling 2020 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon delivers succulent dark fruit offset by black olive-like nuances. Polished and suave tannins provide support without being intrusive or distracting, allowing for immediate enjoyment with a steak. Good acidity keeps it bright and you coming back for another sip.… Read more
Nicolas-Jay Estate, Willamette Valley (Oregon) Pinot Noir “L’Ensemble” 2022
($75): 
Nicolas-Jay, a collaboration between Jean-Nicolas Méo, who runs the celebrated Domaine Méo-Camuzet, one of Burgundy’s top producers, and Jay Boberg, a music industry giant, is just a decade old and is already one of Oregon’s leading producers. Only the second vintage vinified in their own winery, their 2022s all have a captivating purity and elegance. … Read more
Nicolas-Jay Estate, Willamette Valley (Oregon) Pinot Noir “Own-Rooted” 2022
($95): 
The Own-Rooted bottling comprises grapes from sites in the Willamette, all of which contain vines more than 30 years old, including some grapes from their own Bishops Creek Vineyard. Grapes from Hyland Vineyard in the McMinnville AVA and from Nysa Vineyard in the Dundee Hills round out the blend. … Read more
Nicolas-Jay Estate, Dundee Hills (Willamette Valley, Oregon) Pinot Noir Nysa Vineyard 2022
($95): 
It is not surprising that Nicolas-Jay focuses on single vineyard bottlings, like this one from the acclaimed Nysa Vineyard, given the Burgundian perspective Jean-Nicolas Méo brings to the project. The iron-tinged 2022 Nysa leads with gorgeous aromatics of dark fruit and minerals. … Read more
Rocche Costamagna, Barolo Riserva (Piedmont, Italy) Rocche Dell’Annunziata “Bricco Francesco” 2016
($96): 
Costamagna’s majestic Riserva, Bricco Francesco, comes from the higher part of Rocche Dell’Annunziata, which most producers believe has better soil and exposure. At eight years of age, its bricky color suggests maturity, but don’t be fooled. At this stage, engaging floral notes are apparent, followed by mineraly and red fruit nuances. … Read more
Rocche Costamagna, Barolo (Piedmont, Italy) Rocche Dell’Annunziata 2020
($60): 
Ian D’Agata, an Italian wine authority who has forgotten more about Italian wines than I know, says in Barolo: Terroir, Grapes, Crus, People, Places (2022), “I think Rocche Dell’Annunziata is one of Barolo’s best vineyard areas, a true Grand Cru if there ever was one.” … Read more
Ayala, Champagne (France) “A/18” Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut 2018
($130, Vintus): 
Curiously, the Ayala Champagne house, founded by a Columbian, Edmond de Ayala, is located in the town of Aÿ. Paradoxically, Aÿ, a town in the Vallée de la Marne, is known for great Pinot Noir, while Ayala’s focus is on Chardonnay. … Read more
Conde Valdemar, Rioja Reserva (Spain) 2015
($30, Cru Selections): 
Regulations for the Reserva category of Rioja require at least 3 years of aging, one of which must be in barrel, before release. Many, like this beauty, are aged longer before they hit retailers’ shelves. Hint of brown mahogany in the color announces it maturity and the non-fruit panoply of flavors (coffee and even leather-like notes) on the palate confirms it. … Read more
Ornellaia, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “Le Volte dell’Ornellaia” 2022
($30, Vintus): 
Ornellaia is one of Italy’s iconic and greatest wines. They produce a second wine, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia, that is made from young vines or from grapes that just don’t make the cut to be used for Ornellaia itself. … Read more
Tenuta La Massa, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “Giorgio Primo” 2020
($110): 
With Giorgio Primo, Giampaolo Motta, the owner of La Massa, shows that Bordeaux varieties do well in Tuscany outside of Bolgheri. The sumptuous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, grown at their estate in Panzano in the heart of Chianti Classico, consistently thrills. … Read more
DiamAndes, Valle de Uco (Mendoza, Argentina) Malbec – Syrah “Perlita” 2020
($14): 
The A & M Bonnie family has expanded from their homebase at Château Malartic Lagravière, a leading estate in Bordeaux’s Pessac-Léognan appellation, to Argentina. Although Malbec was once one of the important varieties used in Bordeaux, it is rarely seen there currently. … Read more
Dr. Konstantin Frank, Finger Lakes (New York) Riesling 2023
($18): 
Not only does Dr. Konstantin Frank rank with the top Finger Lake producers, but also with the world’s top Riesling producers. Their 2023 shows why. Minerally and expansive, this dry Riesling is a delight to drink. It delivers good weight and substance without being in your face. … Read more
El Coto, Rioja Crianza (Spain) 2019
($13, Opici Wines & Spirits): 
Like so many wines from Rioja, the juicy 2019 Crianza from El Coto, delivers more than the price suggests. As a reminder, a Rioja labeled Crianza, by law, has been aged for a year in barrel and a year in bottle before release. … Read more
Domaine Mont Bessay, Juliénas (Beaujolais, France) En Bessay 2022
($60, Misa Imports): 
The team of Philippe Pascal and Guillaume Marko have set the standard for Givry with their graceful wines from Domaine du Celliers aux Moines by focusing on specific parcels within the vineyard, matching the viticulture and the winemaking to the parcel, what the French call sélection parcellaire. … Read more
Domaine Mont Bessay, Juliénas (Beaujolais, France) Quatre Cerisiers 2022
($60, Misa Imports): 
Mont Bessay’s Quatre Cerisiers bottling comes from a small, 1.75-acre, plot some distance from the winery where the soil contains blue stone. Pascal and Marko marvel at how different Gamay behaves here compared to the parcels around the winery. … Read more
Trapiche, Valle de Uco (Mendoza, Argentina) Malbec Finca Coletto “Terroir Series” 2018
($52, WX Brands): 
Trapiche has the luxury of selecting from over 200 different vineyards to produce their single vineyard wines. In 2018 the Malbec came from Finca Coletto, a high-altitude vineyard that plenty of sunlight to achieve ripeness and coolness that should preserve acidity. … Read more
Trapiche, Valle de Uco (Mendoza, Argentina) Cabernet Sauvignon Finca Laborde “Terroir Series” 2017
($46, WX Brands): 
What’s fascinating to me is how much more interesting Trapiche’s single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is compared to their Malbec. Yes, the same heavy bottle announces a big wine, but in this case a lovely fragrance pulls you in. … Read more
Dr. Konstantin Frank, Finger Lakes (New York) Grüner Veltliner 2023
($15): 
I have long felt that the Finger Lakes of northern New York makes this country’s best dry Riesling. What I didn’t realize is how well they do with Grüner Veltliner, Austria’s signature grape. It should come as no surprise since Grüner, as it’s known, requires similar growing conditions to Riesling. … Read more
Mar de Frades, Rías Baixas (Galicia, Spain) Albariño 2022
($23, Zamora Company): 
Albariño and Rías Baixas are practically synonymous. Yes, there is a little other white wine produced aside from Albariño, and of course, in neighboring Portugal, the same grape (Alvarinho in Portuguese) is used for Vinho Verde. But Albariño from Rías Baixas is hard to resist, especially in the summer because its uplifting citrus acidity refreshes and simultaneously cuts through most anything on the table, even barbecued chicken. … Read more
Ramón Bilbao, Rueda (Castilla y León, Spain) Verdejo 2022
($18, Zamora Company): 
Founded in Rioja over a hundred years ago and focused on wines from there, Ramón Bilbao expanded to Rueda and built a winey there in 2016. The talents they exhibit in their Rioja are readily apparent in this floral and fresh Rueda. … Read more
Attems, Collio DOC (Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy) Sauvignon Blanc “Cicinis” 2020
($34, Vintus): 
What a difference between varietal Sauvignon Blanc and the taste that grape imparts to the wine depending on where it is planted. Here in Collio, Attems Sauvignon Blanc speaks far more strongly to the place rather than the grape. … Read more
DiamAndes, Valle de Uco (Mendoza, Argentina) Chardonnay “Perlita” 2022
($15): 
Oh no, another South American Chardonnay. Well, it turns out that DiamAndes’ is not just another South American Chardonnay. The backstory is as fascinating as the wine is stunning. DiamAndes is a project of the A & M Bonnie family, owners of Château Malartic Lagravière, one of the leading estates in Pessac-Léognan. … Read more
Trothe, Horse Heaven Hills (Washington) Grenache “Limited” 2021
($162): 
Trothe wines come exclusively from Andrews Family Vineyards, which the family has farmed for generations, in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington State. Although only available through their website, the public should be aware of these bold wines because they have a measure of elegance despite their size. … Read more
Trothe, Horse Heaven Hills (Washington) Syrah 2021
($148): 
Like the other Trothe bottlings, their plummy Syrah is bold, delivering ripe, black fruit flavors spiced with a hint of black pepper. The velvety texture, which seems to be Trothe’s hallmark, makes the wine strikingly suave, yet with enough structure so it’s not flabby. … Read more
Trothe, Horse Heaven Hills (Washington) Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
($234): 
Weighing in at 14.5 percent stated alcohol, this massive Cabernet still maintains its identity with a panoply of black olive and other savory elements atop rich cassis-like flavors. Certainly big and bold, it nearly verves into the overdone lane, but manages to stay focused on its path. … Read more
Duca di Salaparuta, Terre Siciliane IGT (Sicily, Italy) Vermentino “Sentiero del Vento” 2021
($17): 
Duca di Salaparuta’s “Sentiero del Vento” is a fresh and breezy Vermentino perfect for cutting through August’s heat and humidity. The barest hint of bitterness in the finish of this mid-weight — not voluptuous — wine adds to its appeal. … Read more
Pellegrino, Sicilia DOC (Sicily, Italy) Grillo “Gazzerotta Senaría” 2022
($26, Caput Mundi Wine Import): 
Pellegrino does a masterful job with this light weight Grillo, a white grape indigenous to Sicily. Saline-infused acidity enhances its clean and fresh profile, while a hint of white pepper in the finish amplifies its appeal. … Read more
Domaine Barmès-Buecher, Alsace (France) Pinot Blanc “Rosenberg” 2022
($36, Petit Pois Corporation / Fleet Street Wine Merchants): 
Pinot Blanc can often be light and innocuous. Not in the hands of Barmès-Buecher. Biodynamic since 2001, family owned and run Barmès-Buecher shows how captivating Pinot Blanc can be. Vibrant acidity balances and amplifies its density and pear-like nuances. … Read more
Domaine Ostertag, Alsace (France) Pinot Noir “Les Jardins” 2021
($42, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant): 
Pinot Noir is Alsace’s overlooked variety. It accounts for only about 12 percent of the region’s planting and much of it goes into Crémant d’Alsace Rosé, which must be made exclusively from that variety. So, it is not surprising there’s not a lot of it on retailers’ shelves. … Read more
Tapiz, San Pablo, Uco Valley (Mendoza, Argentina) Malbec “Black Tears” 2019
($51, Vino del Sol): 
Jean Claude Berrouet, the former winemaker at Château Pétrus and other Moueix estates, consults at Tapiz, another Patricia Ortiz property. Berrouet’s hallmark style — subtlety and finesse — is clearly apparent in this stunning Malbec. It helps that they have selected special lots from a single vineyard located at over 4,440 feet above sea level. … Read more
Tapiz, San Pablo, Uco Valley (Mendoza, Argentina) “Retrato Por Jean Claude” 2017
($100, Vino del Sol): 
Sometimes just smelling a wine lets you know how great it will be. This is such a wine. Jean Claude Berrouet, who made over 40 vintages at Château Pétrus before retiring in 2007, consults at Tapiz, so it is not surprising that they would produce a Bordeaux blend alongside their marvelous Malbec. … Read more
Zolo, Luján de Cuyo (Mendoza, Argentina) Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Estate Grown 2021
($23, Vino del Sol): 
Patricia Ortiz, who owns Zolo, emphasizes the importance of estate grown fruit, which gives them complete control over planting, farming, and harvesting the grapes. In wry, understated manner, she adds, “When you must purchase grapes, it’s different.” … Read more