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Szent Tamás Percze 3400 Palack Tokaji Száraz Furmint 2013

2013 Szent Tamás Percze 3400 Palack

With a mouthfeel that reminds me very much of a Condrieu from a top producer, perhaps with a little more weight the 2013 Szent Tamás Percze 3400 Palack Tokaji Száraz Furmintcaptivates with breathtaking aromas of blanched almonds, quince, yellow peach, spice, orange blossom, and honeycomb. Feels like it might be more voluptuous than it is, […]

Domaine Bousquet Winemaker’s Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Domaine Bousquet Winemaker’s Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

I much preferred Domaine Bousquet’s 2017 Premium Cabernet Sauvignon on the second day—aromatically speaking, it’s far more expressive with air and time—youthful primary aromas and flavors of black currant, black cherry, cassis, dark chocolate shavings and bay leaf unwind against an earthy, muscular backdrop. The tannins are fine, evenly dispersed, and there is a green […]

Producer Profile: Finca Viladellops

Finca Viladellops

Along the rocky spine of the Massif Garraf, a calcareous mountain chain that extends to the Mediterranean Sea, in the heart of the Penedès is the hamlet of Viladellops. The town is a tightly-knit group of 18 farmhouses—Viladellops’ history dates back to the year 958 when the order of the Templars flocked to the town […]

Capçanes Montsant Peraj Petita Rosat 2017

Capçanes Montsant Peraj Petita Rosat 2017

Rose petal pink in the glass, the Capçanes Montsant Peraj Petita Rosat is crafted from 100% Grenache grown on steep clay and granite soil terraces. Interestingly, it’s made under the strict supervision of the Orthodox Union (OU) and is a kosher wine—aromatically speaking, it’s fairly bursting with aromas of bright pie cherries, almond paste, and […]

Figgins Walla Walla Valley Estate Red 2014

Figgins Walla Walla Valley Estate Red 2014

Ever since I tasted the 2010 Figgins Estate Red, a remarkable and flawless vintage, I’ve come to prefer it over Leonetti, but both are crafted by Chris Figgins. For me these wines are poised, showing more restraint and complexity than I find in most Walla Walla Valley reds. The 2014 is lavishly trimmed in red […]

Arínzano Gran Vino Blanco 2014

Arínzano Gran Vino Blanco 2014

In the North-Eastern corner of Spain, Arínzano’s estate vineyards are planted at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains, midway between the Rioja and Bordeaux. The 2014 Gran Vino Blanco is 100% Chardonnay, aged 11 months on new and used French oak. A profusion of yellow apples, pear, mandarin oranges, vanilla, smoke, whipped butter, and warm […]

Locations WA-4 NV

Locations WA-4 NV

Winemaker Dave Phinney has captured the spirit of Washington State Syrah, accented by Merlot, and Petit Sirah. His latest Locations WA-4 is rife with sumptuous blueberries, blackberries, cassis, vanilla, incense; it’s medium-bodied in the mouth with a core of sweet, juicy fruit nicely counterbalanced and bound by acidity and powdery tannins. A finish of bay […]

Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio Alto Adige 2016

Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio Alto Adige 2016

Straw yellow in the glass, Peter Zemmer’s 2016 Pinot Grigio from the verdant storybook commune of Cortina, in the Südtirol/Alto Adige region of South Tyrol. A semi-alpine microclimate lends lightness and lift. Aromas of emerging spring flowers, fresh herbs, soft alpine breezes, white peach, and pear waft from the glass. Blithe acidity wends through the […]

Baron Edmond de Rothschild Les Lauriers Rosé 2017

Baron Edmond de Rothschild Les Lauriers Rosé 2017

An offshoot of the Barons de Rothschild house, the 2017 Baron Edmond de Rothschild ‘Les Lauriers’ Saint-Émilion Rosé is all strawberries, raspberries, crème patisserie, and wild buttercups. Medium-bodied and round, acidity spreads across the palate like a freshly ironed linen tablecloth unfurled and smoothed across the dining table in anticipation of a special occasion. Bright […]

Alvear 3 Miradas Vino de Pueblo 2016

Alvear 3 Miradas Vino de Pueblo 2016

I’m well acquainted with the excellent range of Fino, Amontillado, and Oloroso wines Alvear produces from the Pedro Ximénez grape. 3 Miradas Vino de Pueblo 2016 is a new endeavor for the winery, fermented under the veil of “velo de flor,” and aged in tinajas, traditional concrete tanks for eight months, it’s a dry wine […]

CHRISTINE HAVENS
McMinnville, OR

christine@christine-havens.com