Marchesi Mazzei Belguardo Rosato Toscana IGT 2017
This charming salmon-hued rosado from Mazzei, a winery that’s been around since the Early Renaissance, is a blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Syrah, all from Maremma. Orange blossom and pie cherry waft from the glass. On the palate, it’s light and welcoming with a delicate core of mandarin oranges and salted yellow peach. 13.8% […]
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 […]
Château Léoube Rosé de Léoube 2016
Oh, the sweet promise of summer, Château Léoube Rosé de Léoube hints at ripe melon and fleshy, fuzzy-skinned peaches from the market, a whisper of minerality and jellied raspberries adds layered complexity. It’s light and lean, with a well-formed mineral backbone that chaperones what fruit there is from start to finish, unfurling in a final […]
Bergström Old Stones Chardonnay 2015
A bit of a powerhouse, really. Bergström’s 2015 Old Stones Chardonnay opens with aromas of Bosc pear and baked apple rendered more complex by swirling aromas of smoke, iodine, and flinty overtones that are more akin to the profiles I find in some white Burgundy. In the mouth, there’s not much fat, lemon curd adds […]
Eifel Pfeiffer Heinz Eifel Kabinett Riesling 2015
Billowy, rapturious aromas of white flowers, pine, high-altitude breezes, line-dried linen and white peach waft from the glass. But for me, that wasn’t the most compelling aspect of the Eifel Pfeiffer Heinz Eifel Kabinett Riesling, no—it’s definitely the acidity. A nervy electric cord of pure lemon pith that cuts through this Mosel Riesling like sewing […]
Eifel Pfeiffer Heinz Eifel Riesling Spätlese 2015
A terrific value Spätlese from Heinz Eifel, made from late-harvest grapes grown along the steep, slatey banks of the Mosel. Luscious aromas of yellow peach, Bosc pear, lemon drop, Snapple, and an ethereal kerosene top note. It’s fairly gentle on the palate, and round, with a citrusy burst of acidity that gives as much balance […]
Domaine Sainte Lucie MiP Classic Côtes de Provence Rosé 2015
Who says rosé can’t age [a little]? This, found in a dusty corner is a welcome surprise, bringing with it a tidepool of minerality and Provence’s warming summer breeze. The 2015 Domaine Sainte Lucie MiP is pale salmon pink in the glass, lithe and made from that most classic blend of cinsault, syrah, and grenache. […]
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 […]