Lanciola 2009 Le Masse di Greve Chianti Classico
Chianti Wine Review A hedgehog playing in a pile of autumn leaves. This bottle starts off with a very specific wet fur-and-oak-leaf aroma that was both surprising and delightful. There is …
Fine Wine and Good Spirits
Bertani 2009 “Villa Arvedi” Amarone della Valpolicella
Amarone Wine Review Aromas of licorice and Cherry Coke on the nose with a shaving of bitter chocolate. This is a very flirtatious aroma, with a hint of cardamom and white …
Rocca delle Macie 2008 Ser Gioveto
Super Tuscan Wine ReviewI often describe Italian wines like this as a conversation between Italian winemakers and wine drinkers in America. We ask for a taste of the old country, and …
Erasmo 2009 Red, Maule Valley
Wine Review: Erasmo 2009 Red Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and a percentage of Syrah. The Cabernet is clearly dominant here, with graphite and cedar aroma rising above the wildflower …
Feudi di San Gregorio 2010 Rubrato
Wine Review: Feudi di San Gregorio 2010 RubratoAglianico. Aglianico. Aglianico! I have a hard time keeping bottles of this wine on hand. Largely because I open it up as soon as I …
Milbrandt Vineyards 2010 Grenache, Clifton Vineyards
BackgroundSome of the best wine grapes in America are grown in the Columbia Valley of Washington State. Butch and Jerry Milbrand are two of the farmers that made it happen. They were a …
Landmark 2011 “Overlook” Chardonnay
Background At the Wine School, we don’t review wines that are produced by big corporations. We only care about unique wines made by small producers. Because of that, this is very …
Di Majo Norante 2011 Ramitello
The BackgroundDi Majo Norante is an Italian winery located in Molise, just off the Adriatic coast. The property dated back to 1859 and was the farm and vineyard of a local …
Maquis 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley
What do Chateau d’Yquem, Joseph Phelps, Leoville Las Cases, Champagne Roederer, and Dominus Estate have in common? First, they all share the same winemaking consultant, Xavier Chone. Originally hailing from Bordeaux, …
Mas Doix 2006 “Costers de Vinyes Velles” Priorat
Valentí Llagostera of Mas Doix understands the concept of terroir. I was fortunate to spend a day with him during a recent visit to Priorat with the Wine School. Valentí’s family has …
Vall Llach 2009 “Idus” Priorat
Wine Review: Vall Llach 2009 “Idus” Priorat On the nose, a giant whiff of wild fennel and fig confit. The palate is bursting with black fruit with sweet vanilla and balsamic. …
Bouchaine 2009 Pinot Noir Carneros
Who are the Bouchaines? It doesn’t really matter at this point. It was the maiden name of one of the original partners in this winery. The important question is, who are …
Ottimino 2009 Zinfandel, Rancho Bello Vineyard
Ottimino was established in 1999 by Brad Alper and William Knuttel. Their first bottling was from the Ranch Bello vineyard. This is Alper’s winery in many ways, but Knuttel is the name that makes …
Pierre Legras Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
One of the great developments in sparkling wines in the last few years has been the emergence of small grower-producer Champagne houses. They offer a level of quality and individuality that …
Cantina Firriato 2011 Quater Bianco
This is not the first time we have reviewed a [link id=”11146″ text=”Firriato wine”], and it probably won’t be the last. They bring classic Sicilian wines to the American market in …
Bodegas La Magdalena 2011 “Sueno” Tempranillo
Ribera del Jucar is one of a dozen unknown yet exemplary wine regions in Spain. It’s an ancient wine region that was under vine during the Roman Empire. But it’s also …