Zotovich Estate Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills
Taut red fruit with layers of wild rose and honeysuckle. It is a lithe expression of Pinot Noir that offers great finesse and clarity. A beautiful bottle of Pinot Noir at a fantastic price.
91 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Martinelli Zinfandel, Vellutini Ranch
Deep, lush, and velvety. It is full-bodied to the extreme, with its alcohol content pushing toward 17%. Flavors are reminiscent of Hermitage, with the iron, game, and burning herbs in the mix. A monster piece of a Zinfandel. Huge fruit and a Syrah-like complexity. This wine will topple you with a sip.
94 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Castelli del Grevepesa “Clemente VII Chianti” Classico Riserva
Aromas of cigar box and burnt anise open into dark berry notes. Espresso and tea leaf lend complexity to the savory fruit compote and rich texture of this lovely wine. A top-notch Chianti from a co-op with a keen eye towards quality.
93 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Shirvington Shiraz, McLaren Vale
Burnt incense, toasted allspice, and chocolate-covered cherries bobbing in a gigantic vat of blackberry jam. Oh, and the tannins are big and round as the face of a velvet dolphin. This is a bottle of pure hedonism from a cult winery. I fully expect to drink this on my personal yacht while Kayne helicopters down to serve me Martian caviar on a plate made of orphans’ tears.
95 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Gloria Ferrer Chardonnay, Carneros
A cool climate chardonnay that has little in common with its compatriots further north in Napa. Flavors of sea salt, melon, and tangerine. A taut style of chardonnay that shows classic elements of Chablis.
90 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Havens Winery Merlot Napa Valley
A stellar bottle of Napa red. All you merlot haters should pick up a bottle to see how wrong you can be. If Tom Hardy were a bottle of wine, he would be a bottle of this juice: muscular, dramatic, and brooding. Toasted spice, Belgian truffle, and creme de cassis.
91 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace
Saumur Champigny
This is what I want from a Saumur Champigny (A Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley in France): fresh cherry, delicate tannins, light body, and inexpensive. This is a classic café wine, at least in Paris. Have a glass with a simple meal at home.
88 Points | Wine Report by Keith Wallace