($40, Quintessential): 
I still remember my low expectations were the first time I tasted an Australian Riesling decades ago. How could a hot climate produce a racy Riesling? Well, it most certainly can. Firstly, the whole continent is not hot, especially if the vineyards are planted in the hills or near ocean influences. … Read more
Category Archives: Reviews
Merry Edwards, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay Olivet Lane Vineyard 2014
($60): 
Although Merry Edwards is known best for her sensational Pinot Noir, she also produces exceptional Chardonnay. That should come as no surprise given her history. In the mid 1980s one of her ventures, Merry Vintners, was dedicated solely to Chardonnay production, according to her website.… Read more
Tongue Dancer, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay Bacigalupi Vineyard 2015
($50): 
Here is a full-bodied, “roasty-toasty” California Chardonnay that will appeal to those who love that style. Plenty ripe, weighing in at a stated 14.5 percent alcohol, this big bold wine has bracing, palate-awakening acidity. Oak influences and a seductive creaminess amplify its richness.… Read more
Simonsig Wine Estate, Western Cape (South Africa) “Kaapse Vonkel” Brut Rosé 2015
($25, Quintessential): 
Winemakers can have difficulty taming Pinotage, a grape created by a genetic crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, when transforming it into red wine. Simonsig has done a fabulous job using the grape in this rosé sparkling wine. A blend Pinot Noir (63%), Pinotage (35%) and Pinot Meunier, this bubbly delivers subtle red fruit notes with exotic accents — which seem attributable to Pinotage’s contributions. … Read more
Brancaia, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “TRE” 2014
($23): 
The three-grape blend, Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, give rise to the name, TRE. This mid-weight wine (13.5% stated alcohol) delivers an array of red and black fruit notes surrounded by mild tannins. Bright and lively, it has good density and surprising complexity and polish for the price. … Read more
Caiarossa, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “Pergolaia” 2013
($23): 
Though technically, the “third” wine from Caiarossa, the Pergolaia would finish first in a line-up of similarly priced Tuscan wines. Of the seven red grape varieties planted at Caiarossa, the Pergolaia relies on the three most usually found in Super Tuscans: Sangiovese (88%), Cabernet Sauvignon (8%) and Merlot. … Read more
Brancaia, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “Ilatraia” 2012
($70): 
Brancaia has fashioned a “bigger” more modern style of Super Tuscan by blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Although these are grapes known as Bordeaux varieties, Brancaia’s Ilatraia has clear roots in Tuscany as manifested by its terrific enlivening and refreshing acidity. … Read more
Caiarossa, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) “Aria di Caiarossa” 2013
($40): 
With an unusual blend, this “second” wine from Caiarossa is an outstanding value. The team uses five of the seven red varieties planted on the estate, Syrah (28%), Cabernet Franc (22%), Merlot (21%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%), and Alicante, for this robust, yet balanced wine. … Read more
Caiarossa, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) 2013
($51): 
Caiarossa, a relatively new entry into the Super Tuscan world (2004 was their first vintage), is headed towards the top of that illustrious group. In addition to four of the traditional Bordeaux varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot), they planted and use in this, their flagship wine, Syrah, Sangiovese, and Alicante. … Read more
Donnafugata, Terre Siciliane Rosso IGT (Sicily, Italy) “Tancredi” 2012
($40, Folio Fine Wine Partners): 
It’s hard to go wrong with any wine from Donnafugata, one of Sicily’s — and Italy’s — iconic producers. With Tancredi, Donnafugata has married Nero d’Avola, an indigenous Sicilian grape, with Cabernet Sauvignon and a pinch of Tannat to produce a dense and concentrated, but balanced, wine. … Read more
Donnafugata, Terre Siciliane Rosso IGT (Sicily, Italy) “Mille e una Notte” 2012
($80, Folio Fine Wine Partners): 
Mille e una Notte, Donnafugata’s flagship wine, is a tribute to Sicilian grape growing and winemaking. The 2012 is simply gorgeous. A masterful blend of Old World (Nero d’Avola) and New (Petit Verdot and Syrah) it conveys power and sophistication. … Read more
Canvasback, Red Mountain (Washington) Cabernet Sauvignon “Grand Passage” 2014
($80): Canvasback, Duckhorn’s outpost in Washington State, has turned out a masterful Cabernet from the 2014 vintage. It’s a “big” Cabernet, to be sure, but not overblown, hot, or out of balance. Indeed, it is precisely the combination of expressiveness and elegance with its density that is so awesome. … Read more
Cadaretta, Columbia Valley (Washington) Syrah 2014
($35): A meaty, almost chewy, style of Syrah, it is certainly bold — 14.4 percent stated alcohol — but by no means overdone. Freshness in the finish keeps it alive and keeps you coming back for another sip. Toasty nuances complemented by a hint of bacon fat and suave tannins make it a good choice for hearty beef dishes this winter.… Read more
Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma County (California) Sauvignon Blanc “Fumé Blanc” 2016
($15): The vision of David Stare, founder of Dry Creek Vineyard in the early 1970s, was to make world-class Sauvignon Blanc just as the French did in the Loire Valley. Well, he and now his family, have continued that effort even after making headline with their other excellent varietal and blended wines. … Read more
Merry Edwards, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Sauvignon Blanc 2016
($36): 
Merry Edwards is a genius of a winemaker. She makes fabulous Pinot Noir as well as this under-the-radar Sauvignon Blanc. Well, it won’t be under the radar for long because she’s been excelling at this variety for years — and the 2016 continues her streak, as far as I’m concerned. … Read more
Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley (California) Chardonnay Estate Grown 2014
($43): 
Grgich Hills Estate is a master at Chardonnay, continuing “Mike” Grgich’s tradition. He made a truly world-stunning Chardonnay for another Napa producer, Château Montelena, which shocked the world when, in 1976, it came in first in a blind tasting that included top French white Burgundies. … Read more
Alexandre Relvas, Alentejano (Portugal) Herdade de São Miguel “Art.Terra Amphora” 2016
($23, Quintessential): Consumers should not be put off by the incredibly confusing label because the wine is, in a word, delicious. (The name of the producer, perhaps the single most important piece of information, is relegated to small type on the back label.) … Read more
La Mannella, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) 2013
($72, Quintessential): Though the wines are bottled and in distribution to wholesalers, the official release date of the 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is the beginning of 2018. The growing season was cooler than 2012, which suggests the wines might be more elegant than powerful, but generalizations can’t be made, if at all, until tasting a full range of them. … Read more
Luca Bosio Vineyards, Barbera d’Asti DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) 2013
($15, Quintessential): 
Though the Piemontese speak of Barolo and Barbaresco with reverence, they all drink Barbera d’Asti with gusto. And this wine shows why. Its bright red fruit flavors mingle nicely with a spiced herb component. The naturally high acidity balances good concentration, making it energetic and lively. … Read more
Laudun Chusclan Vignerons, Côtes du Rhône (Rhône Valley, France) “Esprit du Rhône” 2015
($17, Quintessential): 
Laudun and Chusclan are two villages, practically adjacent to one another, on the right bank of the Rhône, across the river from Orange and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Although both villages are included in the umbrella appellation of Côte du Rhône-Villages, the members of the very good co-operative there, Laudun Chusclan Vignerons, also make straight Côtes du Rhône from vineyards that lie outside the strict borders of the two villages. … Read more
Maison Joseph Drouhin, Pouilly-Vinzelles (Mâconnais, Burgundy, France) 2015
($20, Dreyfus Ashby): 
The 2015 vintage in Burgundy delivered outstanding reds and whites. It’s a rare vintage that is successful for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but 2015 was. The reds, for the most part, though engaging now, are best put in the cellar. … Read more
Mercer Wine Estates, Horse Heaven Hills (Columbia Valley) “Sharp Sisters” 2015
($25): This red blend, comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon (29%), Syrah (27%), Merlot (18%), Petit Verdot (14%), Grenache (10%) and Carignan, has the power you’d expect from those varieties. This big, bold, New World-styled wine shows a hint of “not just fruit” elements in the finish.… Read more
Cadaretta, Columbia Valley (Washington) “Windthrow” 2014
($50): This Rhône blend — Syrah (76%), Mourvèdre (15%), and Grenache — delivers both power and elegance. Layers of flavors emerge with each sip, which harmonize and complement each other. The earthy, almost animal-like nuances, offset the ripe black fruit qualities. … Read more
Macari, North Fork, Long Island (New York) Sauvignon Blanc “Katherine’s Field” 2015
($24): It’s a delight to taste Sauvignon Blanc with this kind of balance. Bright and clean, it delivers a pleasant pungency. It has energy without a teeth-rattling aggressiveness common to many producers’ Sauvignon Blanc. There’s a refreshing grapefruit-like bitterness in the finish. … Read more
Lyndenhurst, Napa Valley (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
($80): 
Grapes for Lyndenhurst, an alternate label from Spottswoode Estate Vineyard and Winery, come from Spottswoode’s vineyards supplemental by fruit from a handful of other growers. Weighing in at a stated 13.9 percent alcohol, it’s a gorgeous Napa Valley Cabernet, displaying concentration and elegance. … Read more
Feudi di San Gregorio, Greco di Tufo DOCG (Campania, Italy) 2015
($18, Terlato Wines International): 
Feudi di San Gregorio’s Greco di Tufo is less floral and more mineral-tinged than their Fiano d’Avellino (also reviewed this week), but has a similar refreshing edginess to it. A more “serious” wine, it has an engaging firmness and more of a presence on the table. … Read more
Feudi di San Gregorio, Fiano d’Avellino DOCG (Campania, Italy) 2016
($18, Terlato Wines International): 
Floral and clean, like fresh fruit blossoms, Feudi di San Gregorio’s 2016 Fiano conveys a lacey delicacy. Combine that with its lip-smacking acidity and you have a refreshing choice for simply sautéed — or if your grill is still functioning — grilled fish. … Read more
Domaine Long-Depaquit, Chablis (Burgundy, France) 2014
($20): Domaine Long-Depaquit, owned by the top-notch Beaune-based négociant, Albert Bichot, is one of the best estates in Chablis. Domaine Long-Depaquit is the sole owner of an icon of Chablis, La Moutonne, a unique Grand Cru that encompasses vines in both the vineyards of Vaudésir and Les Preuses. … Read more
Maison Joseph Drouhin, Santenay (Burgundy, France) 2015
($29, Dreyfus Ashby): 
Drouhin’s elegant and lacey style is a perfect fit for the ripe red wines of 2015. The reds from Santenay, a low-keyed village at the southern end of the Côte de Beaune bordering Chassagne-Montrachet, can have a rustic edge to them. … Read more
Maison Joseph Drouhin, Chorey-lès-Beaune (Burgundy, France) 2015
($26, Dreyfus Ashby): 
The solution to finding affordable Burgundy in the era of the region’s explosive popularity — and rising prices — is embracing village wines from top producers in great years, such as this one. The 2015 red Burgundies are spectacular. … Read more
Château Rollan de By, Médoc (Bordeaux, France) 2012
($40): 
A Merlot-dominant blend, the Château Rollan de By has been classified as a Cru Bourgeois, a group of 200+ properties lumped just below the Cru Classé level, Bordeaux’s top strata. For me, the wines from these estates, such as Château Rollan de By, offer Bordeaux’s greatest value.… Read more
JM da Fonseca, Douro DOC (Portugal) “Domini” 2014
($16, Palm Bay International): 
More and more, the Douro Valley, home to Port wine production, is turning out some excellent dry red wines. This fragrant red, a blend of Touriga Nacional (50%), Tinto Roriz (32%), and Touriga Francesca, delivers a combination of red and black fruit flavors wrapped in mild tannins. … Read more
Grgich Hills Estate, Carneros (Napa Valley, California) Chardonnay “Miljenko’s Selection” 2015
($60): 
It should come as no surprise that Grgich Hills makes a spectacular Chardonnay since it was “Mike” Grgich who made the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that stunned the world at the tasting, dubbed, “The Judgement of Paris” in 1976. Their 2015 Miljenko’s Selection is a gorgeous wine: rich, yet not overdone, with bright lemony acidity.… Read more
Gruet, American (United States) “Sauvage” Sparkling Wine NV
($20): 
Consumers are invariably surprised when they are told that this “Champagne” is from New Mexico. To Gruet’s credit, in addition to stunningly good wines, they label them Sparkling Wine, not Champagne. This one, a Blanc de Blancs, which means they used only Chardonnay, is also labeled “zero dosage,” which means no sugar was added just prior to bottling. … Read more
Poderi e Cantine Oddero, Barolo Riserva (Piedmont, Italy) “Vigna Rionda” 2007
($160): 
From Vigna Rionda, an acclaimed vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba, Oddero has fashioned this still — at 10 years — a youthful wine. Oddero started to label wine from this vineyard as a Riserva with the 2006 vintage and released it after 10 years of aging, five of which were in barrel. … Read more
Poderi e Cantine Oddero, Barolo (Piedmont, Italy) “Rocche di Castiglione” 2013
($74): Oddero is one of Barolo’s top producers, Rocche di Castiglione is a top site in Castiglione Falletto, and 2013 was an excellent year for Barolo, so this wine’s stature is no surprise. Floral and pretty, it emphasizes elegance over power, although it still packs plenty of the latter. … Read more
Moutard, Champagne (France) “Grand Cuvée” Brut NV
($37, Polaner Selections): 
It’s always a pleasure to find real Champagne at under $40 a bottle. This one, made entirely from Pinot Noir, delivers substantial power offset by uncanny gracefulness. It has a roundness and gentleness, despite its intensity, without being soft. … Read more
Maison Louis Latour, Santenay (Burgundy, France) 2015
($25): With the current market and demand for Burgundy pushing prices into the stratosphere, it’s rewarding to fine a wine like Latour’s Santenay. For those who believe that authentic Burgundy is always expensive, I suggest you try this one. Nature was kind to Burgundy in 2015, providing a touch of extra ripeness and perfectly healthy grapes. … Read more
Maison Louis Latour, Mercurey (Burgundy, France) 2015
($26, Louis Latour USA): Here’s another example of a well-priced Burgundy from the exceptional 2015 vintage. Mercurey, a village in the Côte Chalonnaise, is home to fine Pinot Noir-based Burgundy. Latour’s delivers bright cherry-like fruitiness buttressed by a firm mineral edge characteristic of the wines from Mercurey. … Read more
Domaine Louis Latour, Corton (Burgundy, France) Château Corton Grancey 2015
($132, Louis Latour USA): 
Although Latour owns portions of Romanée St. Vivant and Chambertin, Grand Cru vineyards in the Côte de Nuits, I consider this Grand Cru from the Côte de Beaune to be their flagship red wine. Latour has always felt that blending wines from different Grand Cru parcels on the Corton hill, a practice the Domaine de la Romanée Conti has embraced now that they have vineyards in Corton, produces the most compete expression of Corton.… Read more
Château du Basty, Régnié (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France) 2015
($16, Jeanne Marie de Champs Selection): 
The wines from Régnié, the last of the 10 villages in Beaujolais to achieve cru status, have a tendency to be hard and rustic. Not this one. This Régnié from the Château du Basty shows great refinement. … Read more
Castello di Radda, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) 2012
($42): 
Befitting a Riserva, Castello di Radda’s 2012 has depth balanced by a gutsy firmness. Even with its youthful vigor, the balance of dark fruit and savory notes is apparent. An appealing hint of bitterness in the finish reminds you this is a wine meant for the dinner table. … Read more
Castello di Radda, Chianti Classico DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) 2015
($22): 
In a word, delicious. It’s just what you’d expect from Chianti Classico: a wonderful combination of dark cherry-like fruit and herbal qualities. Not all gussied up with oak, the alluring earthiness of Chianti Classico comes through. Polished tannins in this mid-weight wine impart a suave texture.… Read more
Castello di Radda, Chianti Classico DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “Gran Selezione” 2012
($49): 
As much as I liked Castello di Radda’s 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva, I must admit, their Gran Selezione from the same vintage is just better. With stricter production standards, Gran Selezione, a relatively new category for Chianti Classico, is supposed to highlight a producer’s top wine. … Read more
Michele Chiarlo, Gavi DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) “Le Marne” 2016
($18, Kobrand): 
One tends to forget about Chiarlo’s white wines since they make such stunning reds. Here’s one that should not be forgotten. Not an opulent wine, this Gavi still has good depth and is piercing, mineral-y and refined. It is cutting and stony, a perfect foil for a tomato-based seafood dish, such as swordfish in a tomato-caper.… Read more
Michele Chiarlo, Barolo DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) Cerequio 2013
($102, Kobrand): 
Chiarlo was largely responsible for the resurrection of this iconic vineyard in La Morra, that, according to Kerin O’Keefe, a world’s expert on Italian wine in general and Barolo in particular, laid abandoned until the 1950s even though it had been listed as a top spot in an authoritative 19th century classification of Barolo’s vineyards. … Read more
Michele Chiarlo, Barolo (Piedmont, Italy) Cannubi 2012
($86, Kobrand): 
Chiarlo owns about 3-acres of vines in the heart of Cannubi, arguably Barolo’s most famous vineyard. From it, they make a sensational wine. Their 2012 Cannubi combines power and elegance, just as the textbooks say. Its wonderful aromatics and intriguing tar-like character make for an unusual pairing, but the combination is captivating and keeps you coming back for another look. … Read more
Cantine Sant’Agata, Barbera d’Asti DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) “Baby” 2016
($11, Montcalm Wine Importers): 
This juicy mid-weight wine is an example of why Barbera d’Asti is so popular. Lip-smacking, cherry-like acidity enlivens the briary, spicy character of the wine’s fruitiness. Mild tannins make it perfect for current consumption. This is not an “important” wine, but rather one you could open on the spur of the moment — it has a screw cap, so you don’t even need a corkscrew — when a take-out pizza arrives at your door. … Read more
Bricco dei Guazzi, Barbera d’Asti DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) 2013
($13, Montcalm Wine Importers): 
A more robust, richer style of Barbera, Bricco dei Guazzi’s 2013 still maintains the grape’s hallmark juicy acidity and low-ish level of tannins that makes it hard to resist. Darker in color with a whiff of oak flavors, it a seductive, suavely textured wine that has a black, rather than red, fruit profile. … Read more
Feudi di San Gregorio, Taurasi Riserva DOCG (Campania, Italy) Piano di Montevergine 2011
($75, Terlato Wines International): 
I hate to say that an almost $75 a bottle of wine is a bargain, but, if you have 75 bucks to spend on a wine, here it is. Although Taurasi justifiably carries the DOCG accolade, it still lacks the prestige — and price — of the Tuscan or Piedmont DOCGs. … Read more