Martini & Rossi Spumante Rosé NV
A fun, festive porch wine, this charming rosé was the first in a lineup of Bubbly Pinks at Pebble Beach Food & Wine. The Martini & Rossi Rosé NV opens with a lively and classic Muscat-ish nose of honey and chamomile flowers. The mousse is fine, yet spirited and there is enough acidity to give lift […]
Elio Grasso Barolo Riserva Rüncot 2007
This legendary Barolo was one of the knock-out wines at our holiday table. The Elio Grasso Riserva Rüncot Barolo 2007 blossoms in the glass with heady, provocative scents of violets, forest underbrush, dusty earth, star anise, incense, and smoke. On the palate, fine, tightly-wound tannins weave in and out of glints of cherries, rose hips […]
Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio 2007
Roberto Voerzio’s Barolo Cerequio 2007 is pure seduction. Perfumed, there is a heady outpouring of rose petals, Madagascar vanilla, black cherries, Italian plum, tar, black tea leaves, and tobacco. The attack is forceful, though not without composure, boasting stunning power and a graceful, masculine energy. Taught, fine-grained tannins, and a structured core signifies long aging […]
La Spinetta Chianti Riserva Casanova 2007
While there is lots of complexity to be found in the 2007 La Spinetta Chianti Riserva Casanova, but individual elements come across as slightly underripe. Aromas of Black olives, saddle leather, roasted bell pepper, black cherries, smoke and burning embers fill out the nose. On the palate, it’s mid-weight, but there is little in the […]
Società Agricola Nativ Irpinia Campi Taurasini Eremo San Quirico 2010
For those of you who are interested in unbridled opulence, the Nativ ‘Eremo San Quirico’ Aglianico Irpinia Campi Taurasini 2010 might be the wine for you. The nose fairly explodes with roasted cherries, plums, milk chocolate and vanilla, topped by a whiff of smoke and spice. There is some heft and power here, but it’s […]
Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino 2008
The Nardi Brunello Di Montalciano 2008 evokes a warm, still afternoon in a deciduous forest, the sort where you can hear twigs snapping under your feet. Splendid, woodsy aromas of forest floor, brambles, dried leaves, mushrooms, and dried black cherries. Silky and voluptuous on the palate, with firm, polished tannins that plunge into the substrata—densely […]
Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1999
One of the most profound Brunellos I’ve ever tasted, the Soldera Riserva 1999 has a nose that is both infinitely complex and pungent. Alluring aromas of dried rose petals, dark cherries, game, saddle leather, damp tilth, decaying leaves, anise, and sandalwood waft from the glass. Truly, it’s the iron fist in a velvet glove—incredibly intense […]
La Mozza Aragone Maremma Toscana 2010
A blend of 40% Sangiovese, 25% Alicante, 25% Syrah, and 10% Carignan, La Mozza Aragone Maremma Toscana 2010 is soft and primary on opening, with inviting layers of ripe plum, underbrush, clove, and mint. On the palate, tannins are still very firm, with seductive, lush notes of juicy blackberry and black cherry, earthiness, and tar. […]
Agricola Brandini Langhe Arneis Le Coccinelle 2012
Brandini Le Coccinelle Langhe Bianco 2012 is a new the US market, and is well-worth seeking out. Fragrant, lilting aromas of crisp Asian pear, cherimoya, honeysuckle, and lemon thyme grace this classically-styled Arneis. Aged in stainless steel, it’s medium-to-full bodied, nicely textured, and sports a vibrant acid backbone to offset notes of star fruit, dried […]
Bastianich Vespa Bianco 2012
The Bastianich Vespa Bianco 2012 is a showy and rich blend of 45% Chardonnay, 45% Sauvignon Blanc, and 10% Picolit. Beguiling notes of bruised pear, ripe nectarine, dried mango and orange blossom honey lingers heavily in the air above the glass, like a warm day in mid-summer. Dark gold and luxurious, there is just enough […]