Altadonna 2010 Nero d’Avola
Altadonna is a project by the well-known father & son winemaking team of Stefano and Niccoló Chioccioli. Their portfolio is a line of pan-Italian wines sourced from northern to southern Italy. While such …
Wine Ratings
Los Boldos 2008 Amalia, Cachapoal Valley, Chile
Vina Los Boldos is an old winery at the foot of the Andes Mountains dating back to 1850. In 1990 the Massanez family from France purchased the property, turned it into …
Chateau Ollieux Romanis 2011 “Cuvee Capucine” Corbieres-Boutenac
I don’t know why this wine is named Capucine. Was it named after the French actress who lives about an hour away? Or Refuge Capucine, a dog shelter near the winery? …
Nugan Estate 2012 “Third Generation” Shiraz, South Eastern Australia
Eight years ago, a juice company from Australia contacted me. They were moving into the wine market, and we’re working on distribution into the US. Could I help them? Sure, I …
Rivetto 2007 “Lirano Soprano” Barbera D’Alba
Rivetto is well known for their Barolo, which is all well and good. Those bottles earn their high price tags, but the hidden gem in the lineup is Barbera d’Alba. Along …
St. Urbans-Hof 2011 Zickelgarten Riesling Spatlese
I tried this wine for the first time almost one year ago. I was at the annual trade tasting for a wine importer. He had just brought this wine less than …
Chateau Lanbersac 2010 “Vieilles Vignes” Puisseguin Saint Emilion
This is a winery whose bottles never end up on our shores: it’s a tiny outpost in one of the most obscure satellite wine regions of Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion on the right bank …
Chateau de Roquebrune “Cuvee Reine” 2009 Lalande de Pomerol
The Guinjard family have been Bordeaux wine growers for five generations. Before 1970, most of that fruit went to other wineries. Over the past few decades, they have started making more …
Badenhorst 2010 Secateurs Red
Adi Badenhorst is showing himself to be an ingenious winemaker and a by-the-bootstraps winery owner. His vineyards in Paardesberg in Swartland, South Africa, are reclaimed from a defunct 1930’s winery. His …
Valdipiatta 2010 Chianti Colli Senesi
Colli Senesi is the wine region surrounding the Tuscan town of Siena. Two of Chianti’s top wine regions –Montepulciano and Montalcino– are located there. Valdipiatta is a well regarded producer of Vino …
Trimbach 2000 Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive, Alsace
I’ve been reviewing ancient vines and vineyards recently. The theme continues with this bottling from Trimbach. The winery itself dates back 12 generations, and its vineyards are some of the best …
Reginato 2011 Chaman
In Argentina, a chaman is a witch doctor. Is this a witchy wine? I am not sure, but it is a fine wine and a surprising departure for the Reginato clan. …
Domaine Collotte 2010 Fixin Cote de Nuits, Burgundy
Domaine Collotte is a family estate dating back a few hundred years, with vineyards in Marsannay and the nearby town of Fixin. The current winemaker, Philippe Collotte, was making some of …
Havens Winery 2009 Bourriquot, Napa Valley
Before Michael Havens found himself out of cash and bankrupt, I worked at his winery as a cellar rat. He later sold the winery, along with the name – his own, …
Rafael Reverte 2009 Cistum, Navarra
Mr. Reverte comes from a family with eight generations of winemaking experience. His family owns Bodega Reverte in nearby Rioja, where his brother Daniel is the winemaker. Cistum is a solo …
Chateau Gigognan 2009 Vigne du Regent Chateauneuf du Pape
Gigognan is a small producer with a short history; the winery was founded in 1996 by Anne and Jacques Callet in the outskirts of Chateauneuf du Pape. While many well-known wineries are located …