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$44.98
WINE SPECTATOR 90 POINTS - "Fine intensity and expression in this light- to medium-bodied Champagne, exhibiting a candied, cherry confit character to Read More...
its flavors. Balanced and juicy, with good persistence. Drink now."
$29.95
Simply put, this is excellent wine. The nose is a blend of beauty and strength, the veritable iron fist in the velvet glove, as it opens with Pavlovian scents of dried cherry and strawberry Read More...
fruits melded with a layer of gorgeous spice (white pepper and sweet brown baking spices). The side notes, almost the rhythm section with fruit and spice on the leads, consist of saddle leather, tar and a counterpoint of night-blooming garden herbs and dark florals. In the mouth, the tart tannins and sweet fruit, a compote of wild strawberries and mulberries, are in perfect harmony. The finish is long and sumptuous, leaving a hint of sea air and dark plums and berries, as the tannins slowly recede. This is big, balanced, beautiful wine that will pair wonderfully with braised beef, pastas with sausage, mushroom risotto or osso buco.
$6.99
We know that we are hardly breaking new ground with this recommendation, but any roster of value fizz wouldbe sorely lacking without this ever-so-consistent player. This Brut Read More...
is a blend of three Catalonian white varietals (50%Macabeo, 35% Parellada, and 15% Xarel-lo) all grown in Jaume Serra’s own vineyards. Cristalino is made by theMetodo Tradicional (i.e. the classic Champagne process) and aged on the yeast twice the minimum nine month termrequired for official Cava designation. It is always pleasantly devoid of the earthy/coarse flavors that are so commonin fizz at this low price point. On the contrary, this budget bubbly offers attractive apple/pear fruit aromas and flavorsthat are nicely complemented by a hint of bread dough while its aftertaste is clean and not overly tart.
$109.99
WINE SPECTATOR 96 POINTS -
"The first impression of this red is purity and finesse, as black currant, raspberry and violet aromas and flavors stay Read More...
focused and persistent. An earthy leather element and mineral notes chime in on the finish, backed by a vibrant structure. Sangiovese. Best from 2015 through 2032. 5,000 cases made. –BS"
WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "The 2009 Flaccianello della Pieve is a huge wine that definitely shows the richness of the year, yet somehow retains fabulous balance. Ripe black cherries, mocha, spices and licorice are some of the many notes that flesh out in the glass. The 2009 Flaccianello is impressive, but readers will have to be exceptionally patient. As good as the 2009 is, it doesn’t have the sexiness of the 2004 or 2007, nor the power of vintages like 2006 or 2008. Instead, it is a bit of an in-between wine with elements of all those years. Today it is the wine’s structure and concentration that dominates. My most recent tasting suggests the wine is beginning to close down hard. Next to the Sorbo, Flaccianello has more richness and volume, but slightly less vibrancy. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029."
WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "The 2009 Flaccianello della Pieve is a huge wine that definitely shows the richness of the year, yet somehow retains fabulous balance. Ripe black cherries, mocha, spices and licorice are some of the many notes that flesh out in the glass. The 2009 Flaccianello is impressive, but readers will have to be exceptionally patient. As good as the 2009 is, it doesn’t have the sexiness of the 2004 or 2007, nor the power of vintages like 2006 or 2008. Instead, it is a bit of an in-between wine with elements of all those years. Today it is the wine’s structure and concentration that dominates. My most recent tasting suggests the wine is beginning to close down hard. Next to the Sorbo, Flaccianello has more richness and volume, but slightly less vibrancy. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029."
$39.99
WINE SPECTATOR 92 POINTS - “A delicate, expressive version, offering fine texture and well-knit acidity, with a smoky, mineral-tinged base note and flavors Read More...
of wild strawberry, black cherry, biscuit, gumdrop, grated ginger and coconut. Drink now through 2020.”
A great Valentine’s Day call, like drinking a tingly sunset.
A great Valentine’s Day call, like drinking a tingly sunset.
$12.95
"The colour of the wine is bright and limpid. The nose is floral and fruity. Very straightforward and direct on the palate, as if biting into a grape. Fresh and light, with a very Read More...
pleasant aftertaste." Véronique Boss-Drouhin
$49.98
Last month's Champagne of the Month is a wonderful example of the "fresh and natural" movement that is taking hold in Champagne. Remember the first time you ate a salad made with organic Read More...
heirloom tomatoes? That's the sort of treat that awaits you here. Biodynamic viticulture combined with non-manipulative wine making and the exclusion of any sugar in the dosage has resulted in a stunningly luminous and vital Champagne. Sagesse ('wisdom' in French) is 57% Pinot Meunier, 36% Pinot Noir and 7% Chardonnay. It delivers vinous but sleek sensations of white peaches, nectarines, bread dough and guava that are impressively persistent. As we suggested last month, Sagesse shows its best when served with a moderate chill out of a regular wine glass.
$54.95
"The Unnamed" Syrah is loaded with aromas of peach, tangerine, wild blackberry, smoke and hints of lavender and a trace of caramel. This elegant wine is created to be enjoyed in its Read More...
youth but will evolve over the next 7-8 years.
$28.98
WINE ENTHUSIAST 90 POINTS - "Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, this bubbly is dry, elegant and will take some bottle age. It has rich and complex, Read More...
but subtle, flavors of grilled peaches, pears, brioche, vanilla and smoke, with a spicy finish."
91 Points / Wine Review Online - Some years I like Schramsberg's Blanc de Noirs better, but historically they're best known for this wine. It's a good vintage, with a crisp attack of Meyer lemon that spreads on the midpalate, bringing some toast and a hint of earth on the finish.91 Points / The Wine News - Pale gold color with a healthy lustrous sheen. Toasted, doughy nose with tight citrus notes. Bright, taut entry of tart yellow citrus framed by well-integrated acid and toasted bread notes. Minerality and hints of green Chardonnay fruit take the mind to the Champagne region on a cool fall day."
91 Points / Wine Review Online - Some years I like Schramsberg's Blanc de Noirs better, but historically they're best known for this wine. It's a good vintage, with a crisp attack of Meyer lemon that spreads on the midpalate, bringing some toast and a hint of earth on the finish.91 Points / The Wine News - Pale gold color with a healthy lustrous sheen. Toasted, doughy nose with tight citrus notes. Bright, taut entry of tart yellow citrus framed by well-integrated acid and toasted bread notes. Minerality and hints of green Chardonnay fruit take the mind to the Champagne region on a cool fall day."
$24.95
Stan Kroenke has a keen eye for quality. Maybe that’s why in addition to Screaming Eagle he also owns Jonata in the Santa Ynez Valley! Jonata (pronounced “ho-nada”) has proven that Read More...
Bordeaux and Rhône varieties can succeed in the warm pockets of Santa Ynez. Made from the vineyard blocks that are either too young or don’t fit into the vintage style of the Jonata wines, The Paring is essentially a “chip off the old block.” Jonata winemaker Matt Dees crafts this spectacular wine and The Paring wines bring an incredible value to your diner table! A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Grenache aged in 55% new French oak for 22 months, the wine shows mint, cedar, cassis, blackberry and ripe plum flavors, with good structure and richness. This is a perfect celebration of the cool, long growing season: complexity, balance, subtlety, precision and the perfect amount of power. Though it will age well for years and develop beautiful secondary notes, you can drink this gem today!
