Walter Massa’s 2004 “Pertichetti” Bonarda
Let’s set the record straight – Croatina is NOT Bonarda, although, in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, that is how it is erroneously identified. Bonarda is a separate varietal that is extensively cultivated …
Terriccio 2005 Tassinaia
Well balanced, this wine offers up two cores of flavor: the first is an interplay of dried flowers and rich earth; the second a note of delightful cherry and chocolate—an elegant …
Hot Hot Hot
I preach this to the Wine School’s students every chance I get, but since there are readers of the School’s blog who I haven’t yet had the chance to meet, it …
Viberti 1999 Barolo Riserva “San Pietro”
Lovely room-filling aromatics of wilted violets, dried roses, and lilac… and roofing tar. This is a classic cru Barolo and at its peak. If you ever find yourself noshing on wild …
Wine Review: Green Point 2003 Chardonnay, Yarra Valley (Australia)
A lovely cool-weather chardonnay. Asian five-spice and fresh pears dominate the nose. Apple and stones pop across on the tongue, reminiscent of a Chablis with a beer belly. At $9, this …
Crios Rosé 2008, Mendoza
Buy half a case of this and try to make it last through May. Yeah…good luck with that: I’ll likely be kicked by Memorial Day. Easy drinking, supply, fruity: Quintessential rosé …
Roagna 2005 Dolcetto d’Alba, Piemonte
The name Dolcetto derives from dolcezza, meaning sweetness, and refers to the berries of the varietal, a quality that does not show up in the wines of its seven DOC zones. …
Moet et Chandon Brut Imperial Rosé, Champagne
Not, it’s not cheap. And no, you probably won’t be slurping down a case of it on your patio. But with grilled lamb chops, it’s delicious, and if firing up the …
Corte Agnello 2004 Corvina, Veronese IGT
You’ve probably had Corvina, the Veneto’s “little crow,” somewhere along the way, even though you may not have realized it. A light, easy-drinking Bardolino? Corvina and Rondinella. Valpolicella in all its …
Elvio Cogno 1999 Montegrillo Langhe Rosso
Elvio Cogno’s established his reputation in Piedmont long before he purchased his own property in Novello. His mark had been made at the renowned Marcarini estate in La Morra, bridging the …
Segura Viudas 2001 “Mas D’Aranyo Riserva” Tempranillo
One of those rare $10 bottles of wine that can deliver some substance along with style. Ripe currant flavors edge into toasted chocolate, and finely textured tannin support flavors of thyme …
B. Levet 2003 “La Chavaroche” Cote Rotie
Typical of the hot 2003 vintage, the nose here is all raisin-y black currants, cherry liqueur, and high-toned spice, as well as a pronounced black peppercorn bite. It actually reminds me, …
Of Bubbles and Guilt
As the holidays recede ever further into the distance, and as the Thanksgiving-to-New Years need to dull, the pain of all that happy-happy family time subsides, Champagne and other sparklers begin …
Hentley Farm 2007 Zinfandel, Barossa
Say “Zinfandel,” and most people will immediately think of California. But Australia is also home to some great examples of the grape variety. This one, from Barossa Valley, shows all the …
Bellum 2006 El Providencia, Yecla
Cigar smoke, cedar, and a beastly whiff are the aromatic introduction to this roundly tannic and full-bodied wine. Flavors veer to boysenberry-meets-IHOP and then back to a more classy kirsch. Not …
Sette Ponti 2005 Toscana “Crognolo,” Tuscany
The miraculously priced Luce 375s that the state has been selling may have gotten all the attention (and justifiably so–the 2001s are drinking beautifully right now), but that famous Mondavi – …