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Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Noble House Riesling 2018

Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Noble House Riesling 2018

Dr. Pauly Bergweiler’s 2018 Noble House Riesling offers up a classic nose of yellow apple, pears, and a whiff of kerosene. It’s lightly sweet on the palate, balanced out by snappy acidity and a lively with a touch of lemon curd and yellow peach at the close. A nice value for its price point. 10.5% […]

Domaine Bobinet Hanami 2014

Domaine Bobinet Hanami 2014

From the Saumur-Champigny region of the Loire, Domaine Bobinet’s 2014 Hanami is made from 100% Cabernet Franc, 30% of which is carbonically macerated. The nose unspools to reveal earthy barnyard funk, freshly turned tilth, and decomposing leaves along with pie cherries and Damson plum. In the mouth, it’s a touch astringent and drying, with a […]

Fitz-Ritter Riesling Sekt Extra Trocken NV

Fitz-Ritter Riesling Sekt Extra Trocken

Apricot, dewy pear and a whiff of diesel and laurel leaf anoint the nose. Delicately embroidered bubbles play off tightly coiled acidity that gathers at the sides of the tongue—Fritz-Ritter’s Riesling Sekt is the very picture of lightness—chalk and slate-flecked minerality burbles along, twining a pretty streak of candied pink grapefruit on the finish. 12.0% […]

Herdade do Esporão Colheita Tinto 2017

Esporão Colheita Tinto 2017

A delightful blend that features Aragonez, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Touriga Franca, Esporão 2017 Colheita Tinto is made from organically-grown grapes from the winery’s estate. Pigéage is accomplished in large concrete vats. Plums, black cherries, and vanilla round out the nose. It’s quite dry on the palate, with structured, chewy tannins. Minerality resonates against a backdrop […]

Mionetto Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze Dry NV

Mionetto Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze Dry

From Mionetto’s Luxury Collection, the Cartizze DOCG Dry NV is produced from select grapes grown along the steepest hillsides of the Valdobbiadene. The color of onion skin, it offers up an elegant, tender nose of yellow apple, d’Anjou pear, almond pastry, granulated honey, wet porcelain clay, and citrus blossom. Cascading, voluminous bubbles lead into a […]

Mionetto Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry NV

Mionetto Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry NV

A more serious offering form Mionetto, the Prosecco DOC Extra Dry is convivial and ebullient with classic aromas of baked apple and poached pear that sink into more complex tones of honeycomb, orange zest, and autolytic notes. In the mouth, lively acidity and a brisk torrent of bubbles add lift to orchard fruit and lengthy, […]

Castel Sallegg Lagrein 2018

Castel Sallegg Lagrein 2018

An attractive mélange of earthiness and floral tones—rose petals and lilac bush layered on top of briary red berries, mulberries, plum, sandalwood, toasty oak, and spice. In the mouth, it’s rounder and more concentrated than some cool-climate examples of the variety I’ve sampled. The profile on the palate echoes the nose with sweet red and […]

Bodegas Faustino VII Tempranillo 2017

Bodegas Faustino VII Tempranillo 2017

An old-school Rioja from Bodegas Faustino, of course, I wouldn’t expect anything less from this producer. The Faustino VII is a label I haven’t seen before and looks to be a value line crafted from 100% Tempranillo that’s been aged in American oak for six months. It offers up a classic profile of macerated strawberry, […]

Hecht & Bannier Côtes de Provence Rosé 2018

Hecht & Bannier Côtes de Provence Rosé 2018

A salmon-hued blend of 60% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, and 5% Vermentino, Hecht & Bannier’s 2018 Côte de Provence Rose opens with a kaleidoscope of red berries, mandarin orange, white peach, melon, star anise, mountain herbs, and line-dried linen. It’s interesting to see what the addition of Vermentino does to the flavor profile of this blend, […]

Nathalie Falmet Le Val Cornet Brut Champagne 2010

Nathalie Falmet Le Val Cornet Brut Champagne 2010

From the Côte des Bar region of Champagne, Nathaalie Falmet’s single-vineyard 2010 Brut Le Val Cornet is a revelation—offering up rippling, glinting layers of yellow apple, golden raspberry, buttercream frosting, croissant, hazelnut skins, curling parchment, wet porcelain clay, and an ephemeral wisp of smoke. In the mouth, a burbling and delicate bead steadily rises through […]

CHRISTINE HAVENS
McMinnville, OR

christine@christine-havens.com