Best Buys $10 And Under

Winemaker Notes:
This Pinot Grigio is pale yellow to sandy in color and subtle in its bouquet, with fruity notes of pears and candied fruits. The eloquent, harmonious body emphasizes its dry, full-bodied taste and round finish.

Pair with light appetizers, fish dishes, and South Tyrolean specialties.

91pts Wine Enthusiast:
Aromas of honeysuckle, green apple and honeydew melon follow through to the juicy palate, along with a note of white peach. Tangy acidity lifts the rich flavors.

The review is on the previous vintage.

Organic

#70. on The Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2023!

90 points Wine Spectator
This light-on-its-feet white is dry, tangy and orangey, with blood orange granita, orange blossoms and juicy tangerine acidity accented by hints of fresh tarragon and salty mineral. Drink now.

Winemaker Notes:
The wine is dry with intense aromas and appealing flavors of Golden Delicious apples and citrus with a long, multi-layered finish. Excellent as an aperitif and with a medium body that makes it versatile to pair with everything from salads to chicken or grilled fish. Wonderful pairing ideas include butter lettuce with apples, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds, pizza topped with prosciutto and arugula, scallops, with tarragon cream, or tagliatelle with Italian olive oil, lemon zest and pine nuts.

Pinot Grigio thrives in the Alpine air of northeastern Italy, and this version from Kris is no exception. The expression here is a little on the voluptuous side, with notes of honeysuckle, nectarines and almonds, and a nice citrusy tang on the palate that goes incredibly well with slices of nutty Fontina cheese. -- PJ

#33 On The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines Of 2024!

91 points Wine Spectator
Elegant, with an appealing, creamy nappe to the texture as it carries notes of ripe pear, peach skin, blood orange peel, green almond and orchard blossoms. A tangy streak of salinity and lively acidity focus and refresh the finely woven flavors and nicely spicy finish. Drink now through 2029.

The grapes used in this classic example of Gavi grew in the shadow of “Il Forte,” the iconic fortress that towers over the region’s namesake village. Cool temperature fermentation for 20 days, aging in steel through the winter months.

Bright, balanced, aromatic, fruity wine. Floral aromas, with delicate scents of lemon, green apple, honey; notes of almonds in the finish.

Semi Dry

Ramato style Pinot Grigio from Fruili. This is a rose colored wine from 4 days of skin contact during fermentation.

Organic

High-toned red fruits, crushed rocks and alpine herbs all combine to perk up the senses in this well-crafted mountain wine. With vines grown up to 3,500 feet, this blend of Syrah, Petit Rouge and a touch of Cornalin light up the palate with lifted cherry and cranberry notes, wild game and white pepper. Fine tannins and mouth-watering acidity give the wine's finish a big push that goes on for a long time.

The Aosta Valley lies at the foot of Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc, in the northwestern corner of Italy. Surrounded by the Alp's highest peaks, Aosta is home to Europe’s highest vineyards many of which reach heights over 1,000 meters. The soils are mainly rocky and alluvial, with slate, granite and quartz.

Despite the alpine position, located at the south side of the Alps the Aosta Valley is blessed with a high amount of sunshine and relatively low rainfall. Due to geographical, physical, and climatic limitations, Aosta Valley has always been considered a “harsh” territory. Therefore, wine production is focused on quality rather than quantity. A fine example is the Rosset winery where quality is at the forefront, if you can find their wines.

The Rosset family decided to plant their first vineyards in the area of Saint Christophe in 2001. The first cultivated plot was about three hectares at an altitude of around 750 meters. The varieties planted were Chardonnay, Syrah, and the indigenous Cornalin. Some years later, Petit Rouge, another autochthonous red variety, was planted in the same area.

Hard to find a better performing Pinot Grigio than this for the money!

Organic

Although native to the Côte d’Or, Pinot Noir has been cultivated in the Val d’Aoste since both regions were under the Burgundian Dukes in the Middle Ages. While 70% of Grosjean’s vines are French clones, 30% are the rare Wadenzwil cultivar. Grosjean’s example blends varietal typicity with raciness and freshness. The vineyards are at a high altitude (600-750m) and steep incline, allowing for the distinct alpine characteristics to show through. Vinification in wood casks with daily punching down for three days, followed by 10-12 days of settling before aging partly in steel, part in oak.

Dry Rose of Lambrusco

We had the pleasure of tasting through this wineries selections with the owner. They produce stunning small production wines, in the land of mass production (Emilia Romagna). This is a hand picked and sorted small batch Lambrusco. This sparkling red has beautiful bright pure fruit that finishes classically dry.

90+ pts Vinous Media
Bright red-ruby. Blueberry, lavender and vanilla on the nose. Succulent, broad and sweet on entry, showing strong floral lift to the red and dark berry and pepper flavors. Finishes long and clean with very good juicy cut.

Organic / Natural / No Added Sulfites

An intriguing medium-bodied red with evolved fruit notes on the bouquet but fresh ripe red fruit mid-palate. Soft velvety tannins on the exit. This is impeccably clean for no added sulfites. Outrageously good! 13.5% abv

Vinification Method: Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and macerated in open-topped wooden vats for 20 days without refrigeration. Hand punch-downs are performed about 4-5 times per day. The skins are pressed to stainless steel tanks for about 4 days at cellar temperature. Then the wine is racked, with the fine lees, to 2500 and 500-liter oak barrels for elevage.