($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
Category Archives: Reviews
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
Illuminati, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Abruzzo, Italy) “Spiano” 2015
($15, Montcalm Wine Importers): 
Here is a wine that provides more enjoyment than the price suggests. Wines, especially those made from the Montepulciano grape and especially from Abruzzo, the region east of Rome on the Adriatic coast, have little or no prestige, which keeps their prices depressed. … Read more
Domaine Drouhin Oregon, Eola-Amity Hills (Willamette Valley, Oregon) Pinot Noir Roserock Vineyard “Zéphirine” 2014
($60): 
Not surprisingly, Domaine Drouhin Oregon is following the Burgundy tradition of terroir: simply put, where the grapes grow influences the taste and character of the wine. In addition to their “home” vineyard in the Dundee Hills of the Willamette Valley, DDO has acquired an additional vineyard, Roserock, in the Eola-Amity Hills subzone of the Willamette. … Read more
Domaine Drouhin Oregon, Dundee Hills (Willamette Valley, Oregon) Pinot Noir 2014
($42): 
The Drouhin family, with their rich traditions and deep roots in Burgundy, made history in Oregon — and quite a stir back in Beaune — by creating Domaine Drouhin Oregon thirty years ago. Since then, other Burgundy producers have followed, but Drouhin was the first of the French to recognize the extraordinary potential in Oregon for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. … Read more
Domaine Drouhin Oregon, Dundee Hills (Willamette Valley, Oregon) Pinot Noir “Laurène” 2013
($70): 
The Laurène bottling is Domaine Drouhin Oregon’s (a.k.a. DDO) reserve wine. As such, it is deeper and more concentrated, but without sacrificing refinement and elegance. While their “regular” bottling highlights the fruitiness found in Oregon, the Laurène emphasizes the gorgeous earthy leafy aspect of Oregon Pinot Noir. … Read more
Duckhorn, Napa Valley (California) Sauvignon Blanc 2016
($30): 
Though Duckhorn Vineyards may be known, rightly so, for their Merlot-based wines, they also make a strikingly good Sauvignon Blanc. Their 2016 marries fruitiness and pungency without the former being tropical or overblown and without the latter being shrill. A suave creaminess likely comes from a touch of Semillon in the blend and the judicious use of oak. … Read more
Silvio Nardi, Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany, Italy) Manachiara 2012
($92, Kobrand): 
Silvio Nardi, one of my favorite Brunello producers, consistently makes a stunning wine from their Manachiara vineyard, some of whose vines date back to the 1960s. Located on the east side of Montalcino, the vineyard has a mixture of clay and sand in the soil, which helps account for the wine’s seemingly paradoxical combination of power and elegance. … Read more
Michele Chiarlo, Barbera d’Asti Superiore, Nizza DOC (Piedmont, Italy) La Court 2013
($42, Kobrand): 
In addition to making noteworthy Barolo, Chiarlo, a top producer in Piedmont, also makes excellent wine from lesser known areas, such as Nizza. Starting with the 2014 vintage, this wine will be labeled simply Nizza Riserva DOCG, since this small subzone of the Barbera d’Asti region was recently awarded DOCG status. … Read more
Les Vignerons d’Estézargues, Côtes du Rhône-Villages (Rhône Valley, France) “Domaine Grès St. Vincent” 2015
($15, Jenny & François Selections): 
This fine co-op, Les Vignerons d’Estézargues, bottles wine from individual members by using a domaine label, such as this one, Domaine Grès St. Vincent. The usual Mediterranean blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan, produces an unusually fine wine. … Read more
Les Vignerons d’Estézargues, Côtes du Rhône-Villages (Rhône Valley, France) “Domaine Les Genestas” 2016
($15, Jenny & François Selections): 
This single grower wine, Domaine Les Genestas, from the top-notch co-op on the “other” (western) side of the Rhone delivers power without sacrificing refinement. Made entirely from Syrah, it combines pepper-like spike with plum-like flavors wrapped in smooth tannins. … Read more
Les Vignerons d’Estézargues, Côtes du Rhône (Rhône Valley, France) “Les Grandes Vignes” 2016
($15, Jenny & François Selections): 
I know this producer, a co-operative, well, having rented a summer vacation house fifteen minutes down the road every year for a decade. They have many bottlings and many labels, but one thing that is constant is the quality of their wines and the value they deliver. … Read more
Jean-Claude Mas, Crémant de Limoux (Languedoc, France) “Côté Mas M” Brut NV
($16, EDV Esprit du Vin): 
Everyone I know is always looking for affordable non-Champagne sparkling wine. Crémant from France is a good place to look. Crémant, which literally means creamy, has slightly less pressure than Champagne and is made in many wine-producing areas, such as Crémant de Bourgogne, Crémant d’Alsace, and this one, a Crémant de Limoux from the southwestern part of the country. … Read more
Boccadigabbia, Colli Maceratesi DOC (Marche, Italy) Ribona “Le Grane” 2016
($16): 
So you’re not familiar with the Colli Maceratesi DOC or the Ribona grape? Join the club. Ribona, more commonly known as Maceratino Bianco, takes its name from the city (Macerata) in the western part of the Marche region. The Colli Maceratesi DOC, comprising only about 600 acres, does not produce a lot of wine, which explains why we in the U.S.… Read more
Didier Montchovet, Hautes Côtes de Beaune (Burgundy, France) 2014
($29, Jenny & François Selections): 
Since the prices for Côte d’Or Burgundy have gone through the roof, Burgundy lovers must look elsewhere. The Hautes Côtes de Beaune, the hinterland really off the beaten track, is a good starting point if you can find a producer who can tame the inherent rusticity in wines from this appellation.… Read more
Domaine Oudin, Chablis Premier Cru (Burgundy, France) Vaugiraut 2014
($35, Jenny & François Selections): 
Chablis remains one of the best values in white wine. Where else can you find a Chardonnay-based wine, a premier cru no less, with such character for the price? Nowhere. Domaine Oudin uses no oak aging, enhancing the complexity and body of this wine by stirring the lees. … Read more
Didier Montchovet, Hautes Côtes de Beaune (Burgundy, France) 2014
($28, Jenny & François Selections): 
Didier Montchovet tames the coarseness found in many wines from the “Hautes Côtes.” In this Pinot Noir-based example, he has fashioned a charmingly rustic Burgundy than marries earthy and fruity qualities. Montchovet must be talented, indeed, to produce a red like this from the Hautes Côtes in 2014, a difficult year for Pinot Noir in that appellation. … Read more
Valdo Spumanti, Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG (Veneto, Italy) “Oro Puro” Brut NV
($15, EDV Esprit du Vin): Often the line between DOC and DOCG — and IGT, for that matter — is blurred as far as quality is concerned. Not this time. For Prosecco that is a cut above the others, reach for the DOCG because it encompasses the original zone where the grapes are grown on less-fertile hillsides, which translates to better wine. … Read more
Valdo Spumanti, Prosecco DOC (Veneto, Italy) Brut NV
($10, EDV Esprit du Vin): There is a lot of inexpensive Prosecco on the market, most of it giving the category a bad name. Not this one. Tasted side-by-side with Valdo’s stable mate release from the Veneto’s prime region, Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG (also reviewed this week), it pales in comparison. … Read more
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara, Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) “Selvabianca” 2016
($20, Artisanal Cellars): 
Despite being Italy’s first DOC, Vernaccia di San Gimignano (yes, you read that correctly) rarely receives the accolades it deserves, which is a boon for consumers because its low visibility keeps the prices down. Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara is one of the region’s top producers, so their wines are a good place to start for consumers who want to know what Vernaccia di San Gimignano should taste like. … Read more