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 Pinot Grigio 2016
The color of sun bleached straw, Erste+Neue’s 2016 Pinot Grigio offers up notes of Bosc pear, yellow apple, prairie flowers, and line-dried linen. Aging on fine lees has graced it with plenty of textural appeal, and there is a faint and lovely background note of freshly milled buckwheat that joins in the delicate interplay between […]
Erste+Neue Sauvignon 2016
Classic Sauvignon Blanc aromas of boxwood, lime zest, and piney alpine forest in summer. There’s no excess weight on the palate—it’s vibrant and crisp, offering a sophisticated daub of quarry dust on the finish. 13.5% ABV | Sample Erste+Neue 89 Points
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 […]
Beaux Frères The Beaux Frères Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015
From Beaux Frères original estate vineyard, planted by Mike and Jackie Etzel from 1987 through 1991, and primarily to Pommard & Wädenswil clones, all on their own roots. The 2015 vintage is a portrait of weightlessness and concentration—an expression Oregon Pinot Noir can achieve in a good vintage, and under the watchful eye of a […]
Beaux Frères Gran Moraine Pinot Noir 2015
From a small, narrow vineyard aptly named The Tongue, Beaux Frères 2015 Gran Moriane Pinot Noir is made from Dijon clones planted in transitional volcanic marine uplift. Coastal influence has graced it with lavish aromas of ripe blue fruit, black raspberries, underbrush, lilacs, and a dusting of cocoa powder. The profile is more masculine in […]
Schäfer Riesling 2015
The Schäfer family have been organically farming their vineyard parcels in Mettenheim (Schlossberg) and Bechtheim since 1709, and really, when the wine is good, what more could the savvy wine consumer want for $13.00 per bottle? A kerosene top note leads into weighter expressions of white peach, poached pear, and lemon drop. It’s medium-bodied on […]
Cristom Eileen Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015
Eileen is Cristom’s highest elevation vineyard, a 16-acre parcel that benefits from cooling marine breezes and low fertility Witzel and Nekia type soils. Raspberry and black cherry notes glide beneath with lighter tones of fragrant roses, hibiscus tea, and exotic spice. Lifted fruit, and racy acidity lead into silken tannins perched at the front palate, […]
Domaine Bousquet Brut Rosé NV
Ninety points because I was caught quite off guard by this elegant sparkler from Domaine Bousquet. A blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay—all organic fruit grown at high elevation in Argentina’s sparce and arid Tupungato district, it’s fine-boned and as one might expect, graced with high acidity. Aromas of white peach, white flowers, […]