Trisaetum 2011 “Trisae” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
Oregon’s Willamette Valley produces some of the world’s best Pinot Noirs. And that is only half the reason to love their wines. The other is its grassroots vibe. Unlike so many …
classic
Mastroberardino 2007 “Radici” Taurasi
Mastroberardino produces a range of great wines, but it truly excels with its Aglianico bottlings. The grape is an ancient varietal that dates back to antiquity. It’s sometimes cited as the …
Frank Family 2010 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
If you are a grape junkie looking to score some top-grade Napa Cabernet, this is a bottle that will ease your pain. If you haven’t experienced something like this before, allow …
Domaine Pradelle 2010 “Courbis” Crozes-Hermitage
Very little of this wine is imported into the United States, and most of it ends up in the Philly-NYC corridor, which is fine by me. It’s one of the great …
Bodegas Eguia 2008 “Vina Eguia” Crianza
Our readers may be familiar with Bodegas Eguia, as we gave a high rating to one of their Rioja Reservas a few years back. This is the Crianza, which by definition …
Gordon Estate 2009 Syrah, Columbia Valley
Another winery has opted to change its name and cause great confusion in the marketplace. Gordon Brothers Winery, which has earned a large following over the past decade, has changed its …
Petra 2010 “Ebo” Val di Cornia Suvereto
I reviewed the Petra 2008 Ebo a few months ago and came away very impressed. The Ebo is an underdog in the Super Tuscan category but outperforms many wines that are two …
Hecht & Bannier 2010 Cotes du Roussillon Villages
This wine sports an inky hue with dark fruit and orchid perfume flowing easily out of the glass. The ripeness of the fruit is layered and soft as velvet. Allspice and …
Goose Ridge 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley
The big four –Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, International Wine Cellar, and the Wine Advocate– all liked this wine. None of them loved it, but they all gave the wine a solid …
Durigutti 2010 Cabernet Franc Reserva, Mendoza
I am thrilled to see a bottle of Cabernet Franc coming out of Argentina. This grape varietal is grown in limited quantities in South America, and it’s mostly used in blends. …
Piccini 2008 Sasso Al Poggio, Tuscany
This style of Tuscan wine is turning into the most popular with American wine drinkers looking for good value in Italian wines. This is something of an irony: It wasn’t too …
Chateau Saint Jean 2010 Chardonnay, Belle Terre Vineyard
This is an American classic Chardonnay. Imagine a big ole’ honey bear of wine, dressed up in a tuxedo but passed out on a feather bed. Golden and glossy in the glass, …
Novy 2010 Syrah, Napa Valley
The nose in this Napa Valley Syrah offers copious aromas of black fruits –black cherry, currant, and blackberry– and a thread of smoky licorice. On the palate, it is lush and …
Petra 2008 “Ebo” Val di Cornia Suvereto Rosso
The Tuscan coast has become a hotbed of luxury wines in the past decade. This is the motherland of the so-called Super Tuscans that have captured the American imagination. Petra is …
Contadi Castaldi 2007 “Brut Satèn” Franciacorta
Sparkling wine is one of the great pleasures in life. Sadly, there are only a few wine regions that really truly do a spectacular bubbly. In Italy, Franciacorta is such a …
Bodegas Briego 2009 Crianza, Ribera del Duero
Bodegas Briego is an obscure winery from one of the greatest wine regions in the world, the Ribera del Duero. The winery was founded in the nineties by three brothers from the …