Wines (24 View)

Organic

91points Vinous
Wonderfully balanced and full of character, the NV Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Extra Dry displays a bouquet of crushed yellow apples with savory herbs and white smoke. It?€?s smooth in texture and gently sweet, blending ripe orchard fruits and spices with notes of candied ginger. This cleans up remarkably well, becoming dry and almost savory in character; yet above all else, it?€?s refreshing.

Review is on the previous vintage.

90 points Vinous
The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc comes from 27 sites and sees 10% matured in 7th fill neutral oak barrels after four months on the lees. Attractive on the nose with Golden Delicious, pine and light resinous notes. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite taut and lightly spiced; just a faint hint of stem ginger appears towards the finish. Enjoy this over the next seven to eight years.

Looking for some “bang for ya buck?” Look no further than Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa. The wine shows the focus, texture and minerality of a wine twice it’s price!

Southern Right is the value line from one of South Africa’s great wineries Hamilton Russel. They specialize in Pinotage and Sauvignon blanc on a strikingly beautiful 448 hectare property in the cool, maritime, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation, just behind the old fishing village of Hermanus. The wines are named after the rare Southern Right whales, which frequent the cool South Atlantic Walker Bay, 3 kilometres from the vineyards. With each bottle sold, Southern Right makes a contribution to their conservation.

Made in a way ensuring the personality of site and soil is not overridden by the forceful character of the variety, this wine exhibits the typical Southern Right balance of "Old World" minerality and length with hints of "New World" palate coverage and body. The 2020 expresses individuality, minerality and palate complexity ahead of pure, pungent varietal aroma. A significant percentage of fruit from iron and clay-rich soil has added a mid-palate structural component and additional overall complexity to this wine. The Sandstone soils have contributed their typical bright, tensile character and a marked minerality.

The generous, sun-kissed wines of Spoken West over deliver on quality and value.
Spoken West was built on the premise of producing delicious wines from California that embody the beauty of the West Coast. Produced by Jamey Whetstone who is no stranger when it comes to producing top notch California wines. Jamey moved to Napa Valley from his home in South Carolina to manage Mustards Grill in 1996. Simply captivated by the community, lifestyle, and culture of wine country, he found himself quickly growing roots. By 1998, he had begun his winemaking education at Turley Wine Cellars where he would remain in his apprenticeship until 2005. During that time, he spent a summer sabbatical working for the Seysses family at Domaine Dujac in Morey-Saint-Denis and laid the groundwork for Whetstone Wine Cellars, which he founded in 2002.

All vineyards are certified sustainable. Grapes are hand harvested and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Aged for 11 months in a combination of tank, and French, oak barrels (10% new)

Winery Notes:
"A classic Cabernet Sauvignon that shows off rich color, layered aromatics and good structure. The wine is smooth and vibrant with cassis, dark cherry and black olive aromas preceding rich fruit flavors of dark plum and cherry preserves followed by a note of roasted coffee bean.
Blend: An excellent companion to aged blue cheese, braised or grilled beef, and roast pork with fruit "

Winery Notes:
This wine is all the rage right now, an international bestseller - especially as a major export to the United States and Great Britain. The grape, which actually originates from Burgundy, loves not only the climate in South Tyrol, but also the soil conditions. It has found a second homeland here, and has become the most widely planted grape variety. It is appreciated for its freshness, nice acidity and pleasant, lingering aftertaste.

Organic

Whereas much of Austria’s Grüner Veltliner is planted in soils of loess, Stadlmann’s grows in the limestone that characterizes their sector of the Thermenregion, resulting in an elegantly chalky, salty wine less opulent than many versions grown elsewhere. Fermented spontaneously in large neutral-oak casks, it is bottled in May the year after harvest without fining and with only a gentle filtration, rarely topping 12.5% alcohol. (Rosenthal Wine Merchant Import)

Organic

Produced from vines planted well south of the cluster of northern-Thermenregion villages that comprise the majority of their holdings, Stadlmann’s Pinot Noir (called “Blauburgunder” locally) is simultaneously fresh and substantial, offering the textural harmoniousness of their white wines, as well as a lifted and elegant spice character that puts one in the mind of excellent red Burgundy. (After all, it was the Cistercian monks who brought Pinot Noir from Burgundy to the Thermenregion in the late 1100s.) Like the estate’s white wines, this is fermented and aged entirely in large, well-worn oak casks and bottled without fining and with only a gentle filtration. 12.5% abv (Rosenthal Wine Merchant Import)

Organic

Stadlmann produces a singular riesling that takes advantage of the calcareous soils and temperate climate of the Thermenregion, rendering a classic, flinty expression of the varietal, leading with crisp, ripe green apple and notes of alpine flowers. Fermentation lasts 12 days in stainless steel tanks, with lees ageing for two months. As with all of the wines here, it is produced organically and biodynamically. 12.5% abv (Rosenthal Wine Merchant Import)

Organic

This wine offers a nicely engaging nose of pear, white flowers, herbs, and smoke. The wine proves still slightly tart but full of character on the palate and leaves a nicely light-footed and animating feel in the long finish. Tartness and zest add persistence to the aftertaste. This easy-going wine will offer much pleasure over the summer!

Sweet red.

Organic / Natural Wine - This wine may be reductive when first opened, aeration is recommended.

93 points Wine Advocate
The village red from La Orotava 2020 7 Fuentes was produced with List??n Negro and 5% Castellana Negra from up to 25 different vineyards, mostly from the center and east of the valley where the grapes are mostly red, with vines ranging between 10 and 200 years old at altitudes of 300 to 700 meters on different soils, all volcanic but with more or less clay, silt and sand. It fermented with 10% full clusters in concrete with indigenous yeasts and matured for eight months, 70% in concrete and 30% of the volume in used 500-liter oak barrels, then it was blended and kept in stainless steel until bottling. It has moderate alcohol, 12.65%, and mellow acidity. 2020 was a warm year with a very early harvest and good yields after a small crop in 2019. This is herbal and a little reductive, with a polished palate and fine tannins. 58,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2022

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural

60% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Vermentino.

Is this Sancerre in disguise? This refreshing white wine has all the makings of Sancerre and cost under $20! Lip smacking acidity and minerality dominate the palate. Crisp with subtle citrus notes that finishes bone dry. 100% Sauvignon Blanc from old vines.

Quincy does produce exceptionally high quality Sauvignon Blanc, much like Sancerre, but at a much more affordable price. The cost of Sancerre has skyrocketed over the years with it?€?s immense popularity and recent difficult vintages. So the savvy Sancerre drinker should be looking towards regions such as Quincy to get their high-acid, mineral driven white wine fix.

Today?€?s wine happens to be produced by an outstanding Sancerre winery, Domaine Sylvain Bailly. This is one of our favorite Sancerre producers, who really created something special with their Quincy botting.

The Bailly family have been vignerons in Sancerre from father to son since 1700. Like most winemaking families in France who suffered from the phylloxera blight in the late 19th century and then the two world wars of the 20th century, it was only in the early 1950's that Sylvain Bailly began to prosper and grow his business. His son Jacques has took the helm in the late 1980s and today, his daughter Sonia manages the estate.

Fresh and fruit-centric, the price here may be super accessible for everyday, but its treatment by this famed Douro producer is nothing less than classically old-school. The point in a young, vintage-blended ruby is to keep the fruit lively and juicy, with a texture that feels velvety-luxurious in your mouth and is nothing less than a pleasure on the tongue. Taylor Fladgate's Special Ruby NV port sees up to four years in large, oak casks and when you sip it, you can really feel that intense softness and supple texture from not rushing it through the process. It's got pretty notes of black and red plums and bright cherry, and is oh-so irresistible alongside some pungent, tangy Cashel blue cheese. -- PJ

Organic

This dry Italian white is a great example of what Pecorino can achieve. A straw-yellow color with a subtle toasty element and lovely minerality on the back end. This has an elegantly floral bouquet with a touch of jasmine that is quite inviting. The racy acidity holds throughout keeping it fresh and bright. Hard to beat at this price!

This family-run estate is situated in Castel di Lama in the Ascoli Piceno region, in southernmost Marche, with vineyard holdings (45 ha) straddling the Abruzzo line. The main vineyard, in Offida, is hilly (280m-350m), with eastern exposure and a loose clay soil. First planted in the 1950s, the winery is managed today by proprietor/winemaker Quinto Fausti and his son Alighiero. The Offida DOC is Pecorino's key appellation – it is the only DOC-level appellation that allows varietal wines from the grape.

Tenuta De Angelis is one of a handful of Italian wineries that have gone through the laborsome process of getting their Organic certification. All wines are fermented with native yeasts and sulfur is at a minimum.

Organic

Straw yellow in color with greenish reflections. On the nose it has fresh and clear aromas of green apple, citrus fruits, ripe pear and white flowers with a final mineral note. On the palate it stands out for its acidity, moderated by softness generated by the alcohol content; It is very reminiscent of citrus fruits on the nose, in particular candied citrus fruits. The sip is refreshing and the finish decidedly savory.

#30 on The Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2023!

92 points Wine Spectator
This stands out for its expressive, elegant bouquet of citrus blossoms, guava and red currant—flavors that are equally engaging and fresh on the palate, picking up mineral details and lingering nicely around polished tannins. Drink now.

94 points James Suckling
Such a beautiful, fresh nose with tons of wild herbs, thyme, rosemary, sour cherries and flowers. Very linear and bright on the palate, charged with silky, fine-grained tannins and fine austerity. You can literally smell the herbs and the wild flowers from the vineyard. Pristine but intense and so fresh and precise. Pure fruit! Insane value for a $20 bottle. Drink now.

Winemaker Notes:
Pale lemon straw with a green hue. Vibrant aromas of fresh lemons and limes, green apple, thai basil and a touch of floral honey. Slides across the palate seamlessly with crisp fresh fruit notes bountiful. Delightfully refreshing.
This wine pairs with fish, shellfish, salads and white meats.

100% Unfiltered Viognier. Skin fermented to complete dryness. 95% of 2023 vintage aged in concrete eggs & neutral oak barrels. 5% of 2022 vintage with 14 months of lees aging in neutral French barrels. A bouquet of tangerine, peach and honeysuckle greets the nose. The palate is crisp, full and dry with flavors of green mango, dried apricot and wet stone. The finish is fresh and lively with balanced undernotes of beeswax and baby pineapple. Enjoy chilled.

Perfect conditions from the start of the growing season to its finish. Winter will be remembered as the 10th wettest season on record in Napa with consistent rain that got us out of the extreme drought and with surprisingly no floods. Spring was poetic leading to a mild summer with no heatwaves whatsoever. Harvest was a month behind compared to the past few years. The slow ripening helped the grapes reach a potential that we?€?ll be talking about likely for decades to come.

Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley: a micro-climate moderated by San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Ocean, both keeping the vineyard cooler than other valley?€?s vineyards. Clay soil with a high-water table, and warm Californian sun allow our viognier grapes to gradually develop, producing an aromatic, complex and elegant gem.

Tasting Notes:
Inviting and elegant tropical aromas give this wine a stylish personality before even tasting it. A storyteller on the palate, this World Class Sauvignon Blanc has brilliant fruit concentration, rich texture, bright acidity with an entertaining long and smooth finish.

A delightful sparkling wine built exclusively from Chardonnay (younger vines of 20 years of age) harvested from parcels in the village of Serrières on the border with Pierreclos. The vineyards are west facing and are planted to sandy soils. Only 6,000 bottles are produced annually. Depending on vintage conditions, the malolactic fermentation is sometimes blocked in order to maintain the proper high level of acidity. The dosage is minimal so as to produce a bone-dry, brightly effervescent cuvée.