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Gaja Barbaresco 2012

Gaja Barbaresco 2012

Sampled at a trade tasting, the distributor told me that in the 2012 vintage the winery did not bottle their single-vineyard Barbaresco wines, rather this is a blend of all three sites. It’s elegant as Gaja wines are wont to be, with caressing notes of tart pie cherries, red forest berries, lilting spice and feminine […]

Falesco Vitiano Rosato 2015

Falesco Vitiano Rosato 2015

Falesco’s Vitiano Rosato 2015 is a fruit-forward, cherry-colored Umbrian blend of 30% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Aleatico. The nose bursts with concurrent aromas of ripe watermelon, yellow-fleshed peaches, and bright pie cherries. Bright and fresh acidity on the palate that pops against fruity sweetness on the back palate fades to a […]

Falesco Montiano Lazio IGT 2012

Falesco Montiano Lazio IGT 2012

Subtle but not subdued, the 2012 Falesco Montiano is crafted from 100% single-vineyard Merlot. Sweet Italian plums, black cherries, underbrush, dust, worn leather, decaying rose petals and sandalwood lead into a wine that is fuller and a touch lusher than one might expect for an Old World Merlot. Fine, polished tannins aptly frame red and […]

Falesco Tellus Merlot 2013

Four stars (or ~8.9) because Falesco’s Tellus Merlot 2013 is a great value, velvety and sumptuous, it retails for less than $15 in the US. From vineyards in Montecchio, in the heart of Umbria, the Merlot sourced for Tellus is grown in clay and calcareous soils. It’s an open-hearted wine, and softly focused with lush […]

Da Vinci Chianti 2014

Da Vinci Chianti 2014

88 points because Da Vinci’s Chianti falls squarely in the value category. A softly textured blend of 90% Sangiovese grapes and 10% Merlot, the 2014 vintage offers pretty, uncomplicated aromatics of plums, black cherries, and vanilla. Roughly half of the grapes are vinified in new and used American oak, and the tannins along with the […]

La Marca Prosecco NV

La Marca Prosecco NV

La Marca’s NV Prosecco sports the classic grapey Glera nose. It’s straw-colored and festively effervescent, with yellow apple, and acacia honey notes. On the palate, it’s soft, clean, and inviting—a perfect wine for springtime. Candied lemon peel and orange pastille round out the mid-palate. 1.70 g/100ml RS 11.29% ABV | Sample Cantine La Marca 8.8 […]

Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT 2011

Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT 2011

The 2011 Palazzo della Torre is loaded with roasted figs (is this because I was just roasting figs? Maybe.) and sun baked plums. There is too, a beautiful earthy note, like dust in high summer, that echoes on the palate, lending complexity to high acidity and firm, ripe tannin along with an appealing touch of […]

Ferrari Brut NV

Crafted from 100% Chardonnay that is sustainably grown at high altitude, this sophisticated Trentodoc sparkler gives off delicate aromas of yellow apple, d’Anjou pear and smoke. It’s clean and focused, with brisk bubbles and lively citrus undertones—white grapefruit pith lends tension to fuller, yeastier notes of wet dough that gradually subsides into a persistent and […]

Pieropan Soave Classico 2014

Pieropan Soave Classico 2014

A lovely, spirited Soave Classico from the Veneto region, utterly fresh and bright with notes of Meyer lemon zest, white flowers, dried honey, and almond extract. Aged on fine lees in concrete, the effect of which is largely textural, lending minerally undertones of wet pomace, and slight autolytic character. A nice lingering finish. Clean and […]

Piccini Vino Spumante Extra Dry NV

Piccini Vino Spumante Extra Dry NV

A straightforward Prosecco made in the Charmat method from the Treviso province. Piccini’s Vino Spumante Extra Dry is bright and lively with notes of freshly cut yellow apples and cheery meadow flowers. On the palate, fine bubbles and a dash of citrus race across a lovely acid spine. It’s very pleasant and very quaffable. A […]

CHRISTINE HAVENS
McMinnville, OR

christine@christine-havens.com