Locations F-5 NV
Locations F-5 NV offers up a deeply perfumed nose of black cherry, black raspberry, plum, earth, purple lilac, dark chocolate shavings, and vanilla bean paste. In the mouth, it’s medium bodied, with finely sueded tannins. Dark fruit is bolstered by a lively vein of acidity—all in all, this is a beautifully crafted wine from winemaker […]
Golan Heights Winery Gilgal Sangiovese 2014
Don’t be afraid to dip your toes into the pond of a region you aren’t familiar with, and a variety that seems slightly out of place. Golan Heights Winery Gilgal Sangiovese is triumphant in its spot-on profile of fleshy plum and black cherry, incense and sandalwood aromas, followed by a touch of exotic spice. It’s […]
Trivento Reserve Malbec 2016
The 2016 Trivento Reserve Malbec delights sports velvety, plush tannins suspended by a bright acid backbone. The profile brims with plums, mulberry, vanilla, cedar, and on the finish a pleasant herbaceous streak of bay leaf and dried herbs and an intriguing meaty rare lamb tone. Great QPR in this bottle. 12.5% ABV | Sample Trivento […]
Erste+Neue Lagrein 2016
From vines trained on pergolas, an overhead trellis system introduced by the ancient Romans, Erste+Neue’s 2016 Lagrein offers up a sumptuous bouquet of fleshy plums and ripe black cherries followed by spice, crushed lavender, and a daub of earth. It’s softly textured on entry, with plush black fruit framed against a backdrop of velvety tannins. […]
Erste+Neue Pinot Nero 2016
Robed in translucent garnet, Erste+Neue’s 2016 Pinot Nero is nimble and lively. Crafted from grapes grown in flint, clay, and lime sedimentary soils that surround bucolic Lake Kaltern, the vines are trained on pergolas. Pie cherries, seedy black raspberry, and forest floor aromas round out the nose. Aging in large casks has imparted a subtle […]
Erste+Neue Kalterersee Leuchtenburg Classico Superiore 2016
Limpid, translucent ruby in the glass, the 2016 Erste+Neue Kalterersee Leuchtenburg Classico Superiore is made from 100% pergola-trained schiava, a grape that is indigenous to the Alto Adige/Südtirol winegrowing region. Lilting aromas of red currants, cherry clafoutis, baking spice, and marzipan waft from the glass. It’s round, light, and silky in texture, with ultra-fine tannins […]
Isaac Fernandez Mencía Ribeira Sacra Adrás 2015
Magenta in the glass with a clear meniscus, the 2015 Isaac Fernandez Adrás Mencia beckons with aromas of bing cherry, plum, vanilla, and cinnamon bark. It’s medium-bodied on the palate, with plentiful and chewy tannins that create a base layer to a vibrant acid backbone and spice-laden finish. A lovely food wine from a Spanish […]
Alain Jaume & Fils Rasteau Les Valats 2015
Soft, plummy and plush, the 2015 Alain Jaume & Fils Rasteau Les Valats offers ample drinking pleasure. On opening, black cherries, ripe Damson plums, cedar, sweet tobacco and menthol. The palate takes its cues from the nose, with a uniform profile—juicy black fruit cozened in velvety, ripe tannins and tempered acidity. This is a wine […]
Adega da Cartuxa Évora Colheita Tinto 2013
Ruby hued, the 2013 Cartuxa Évora Colheita Tinto is, at least for this writer, more expressive on the second day, and is deeply perfumed with notes of Japanese plums, blueberries, balsam wood, and exotic spice. Softly textured on the palate with lovely purity of fruit, couched in black tea tannins, this traditional Alentejo blend of […]
Domaine Amido Lirac 2014
A splendidly perfumed nose that is so classic of Grenache: raspberry pastis, market strawberries, forest floor, black licorice candy, violets, and warm spice. The 2014 Domaine Amido Lirac is fresh and vibrant on the palate, with a sweet-fruited raspberry turnover core supported by ultra-fine tannins. The finish, while not lengthy, offers bay leaf and spice. […]