Reviews

Marietta Cellars 28957

Angeli Zinfandel 2018

Alexander Valley, California

February 11, 2021
Once a component of the Angeli Cuvée, this Zinfandel long stood out for its brilliance, clarity, and leanness. Now, showcased on its own, it speaks volumes about this unique little canyon off Alexander Valley known as Angeli Ranch. The halo-like image on the label pays homage to Viola Angeli, who sold the Angeli Ranch to Chris Bilbro in an angelic act that mirrors her name. The estate series from Marietta is made with terroir in mind above all else. For many years these sites were included in blends, though they routinely stood out as extraordinary. These wines are true expressions of unique sites, crafted with freshness, tension and longevity in mind.

Le Macchiole 28897

Bolgheri Rosso 2018

Bolgheri Rosso DOC

February 10, 2021
Bolgheri Rosso is a refined, irresistible blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, serving as an introduction to the estate. The wine is, frankly, almost too good at the price. All the intensive artisanal work that Le Macchiole carries out in its vineyards and cellars benefits this wine, and despite more availability than its Paleo Rosso, Messorio and Scrio siblings, it sells out nearly as quickly.

Xavier Milhade Wines 28870

Château Boutisse 2018

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

February 09, 2021
Purchased in 1996,the Milhade family have invested enormously in the vineyards and facilities at Boutisse and, above all, with their energy. Today Boutisse is no longer a surprise - dynamic young winemaker Marc Milhade has transformed this estate into an outstanding Saint-Emilion, with ripe, structured and engaging character.

Casisano 28833

Brunello di Montalcino 2016

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

February 09, 2021
This elegant, traditional style Brunello is produced in the southern hills of Montalcino, between the towns of Sant'Angelo in Colle and Castelnuovo dell'Abate.

Paternoster 28754

Don Anselmo Aglianico del Vulture 2016

Aglianico del Vulture DOC

February 04, 2021
Don Anselmo is a landmark wine made from 100% Aglianico grapes, the native varietal in Basilicata for which the region is renowned. It is dedicated to the winery's founder, Anselmo Paternoster, and represents the history, roots, and continued importance of the Paternoster family in the area of production of the wines, Vulture.

Domaine des Baumard 28649

Quarts de Chaume 2017

Quarts de Chaume

February 01, 2021
The dramatically beautiful Quarts de Chaume appellation produces some of the great sweet wines of the world, Baumard's chiefly among them. Truly the "Grand Cru" site of the Loire Valley.

Domaine des Baumard 28644

Savennières 2018

Savennières

February 01, 2021
Baumard’s Savennières are intensely mineral, concentrated Chenin Blancs from the tiny Loire appellation, prized for their complexity, elegance, and remarkable ability to age.

Champagne Ayala 28620

Le Blanc de Blancs 2014

Champagne, France

February 01, 2021
Ayala’s Blanc de Blancs is 100% Chardonnay, produced in small quantities in exceptional years only, fully expresses the superb caliber of great Chardonnay from the best crus of the Côte des Blancs. After 6 years of aging in Ayala’s cellars, remarkable minerality and low dosage make this an outstanding wine.

Le Macchiole 28394

Bolgheri Rosso 2019

Bolgheri Rosso DOC

January 27, 2021
Bolgheri Rosso is a refined, irresistible blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, serving as an introduction to the estate. The wine is, frankly, almost too good at the price. All the intensive artisanal work that Le Macchiole carries out in its vineyards and cellars benefits this wine, and despite more availability than its Paleo Rosso, Messorio and Scrio siblings, it sells out nearly as quickly.

Le Macchiole 28385

Paleo Rosso 2017

Toscana IGT

January 27, 2021
Paleo Rosso has been called Italy's landmark expression of Cabernet Franc. It is named for a type of local wild grass, which once covered the land where its vines are now planted. Originally a blend of several different varieties, the wine has been made from 100% Cabernet Franc since 2001, and was the first mono varietal Cabernet Franc to be produced in Bolgheri. The grapes come from several vineyards on the estate, including Vignone, Madonnina, Puntone and Casa Nuova. Each vineyard is picked separately, and fruit from the same vineyard is often picked more than once at different stages of maturity, resulting in about 20 different pickings.

Le Macchiole 28382

Scrio 2017

Bolgheri DOC

January 27, 2021
Scrio was first produced in 1994. Le Macchiole founder Eugenio Campolmi created it because he wanted to produce a wine that would best express his vision of Syrah, his favorite grape variety. Scrio has an original personality and stands apart from Syrah grown in France or anywhere else - it is an extraordinarily compelling meld of deep and velvety Mediterranean fruit with cool climate aromatics and detail. Given the extremely limited production, Scrio is decidedly a hidden gem.

Le Macchiole 28378

Messorio 2017

Toscana IGT

January 27, 2021
Messorio, a Merlot monovarietal, is the winery’s crown jewel. Its initial vintage was 1994, and since then it has received extraordinary acclaim, including a 100-point score from the Wine Spectator for the 2004 vintage. The name Messorio refers to the ancient Tuscan practice of wheat harvesting, the most important time of the year in the Bolgheri countryside - once it referred to wheat; these days, it is all about grape harvesting.

Finca Decero 28248

Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Agrelo, Mendoza, Argentina

January 20, 2021
Agrelo is recognized for red varieties and while it has been acknowledged for its high-quality Malbec it has also become known as the source of some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon emanating from Argentina. The wine has a beautiful, full-bodied structure that comes across effortlessly due to the hallmark Decero refinement.

E. Guigal 28136

Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2018

Crozes-Hermitage

January 14, 2021
Crozes-Hermitage can be considered the gateway to the red and white wines of the Northern Rhône Valley. Whites make up a small percentage of production in the Rhône, under 2%, but white wines are a little bit of a secret speciality at Guigal and today comprise 25% of their production. And for good reason, as the whites of the Northern Rhône are true discovery wines, immensely appealing and complex.

E. Guigal 28130

Saint-Joseph Lieu Dit Blanc 2018

Saint-Joseph

January 14, 2021
Guigal’s Saint-Joseph Lieu Dit comes from the vineyard that gives the Saint-Joseph appellation its name, and is one of the finest sites in the Northern Rhone Valley. Made in minuscule quantities, the Lieu Dit Blanc is one of the most original and distinctive whites in the Rhone. A seamless balance of freshness and fruitiness, pleasure and interest, and flavors and structure. Guigal’s specialty in whites is especially evident in this wine.

Château La Serre 28077

Château La Serre 2018

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe

January 08, 2021
Château La Serre has an exceptional position in the very heart of Saint-Emilion, six hundred feet from the town ramparts of this magical UNESCO protected area, on outstanding limestone soils with a due south exposure.  The history of the property dates to the 15th century, with the residence constructed at the end of the 17th century by a prominent local family.  Arnaud d'Arfeuille's grandfather purchased the property in 1956, and his father Luc in particular worked on renovating the vineyards and cellars to produce wine equal to its terroir.

La Carraia 27982

Sangiovese Umbria IGP 2019

Orvieto, Umbria

January 06, 2021
Sangiovese has always played a starring role at La Carraia. Made from a Tuscan clone, their muse is clearly Chianti, and the wine bears a resemblance to those of the Colline Senesi. With two weeks of skin contact, and four months of aging in second and third pass French Oak, this is a serious wine. They have scaled back the use of oak over the last few years, and also opted for less toast, which allows the pure red fruit to shine through. You can’t beat the price, and this joins the ranks of Masciarelli Montepulciano and Poggio al Tufo Rompicolo as one of the best Tuesday night pizza wines in New York.

Old Vine Ranch by Marietta Cellars 27637

Old Vine Rosé 2020

California, United States

December 11, 2020
Marietta's Old Vine Rosé is a perfect extension of the Old Vine series. Made in a Provençale, direct-press style from some of the oldest Syrah and Grenache vines in California, it is fresh, nuanced, and perfectly balanced to enjoy with food or on its own. As always with the "OVR" wines, it delivers a lot more substance and pleasure than you could expect.

Villa Gemma 27622

Colline Teatine Bianco 2019

Colline Teatine IGT

December 11, 2020
While the Villa Gemma Montepulciano was the wine that announced Abruzzo to the world, the Bianco, created just a year later, further defined what the region and grapes of Abruzzo could produce. This wine, first released in 1985, speaks to the white grape varieties specific to the region and has become on of the most exciting wines produced at the estate

Lucien Le Moine 27274

Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru “Les Vaucrains” 2017

Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru “Les Vaucrains”

November 25, 2020
The commune of Nuits-Saint-Georges is the southernmost commune of the Côte de Nuits, and includes, from a viticultural standpoint, the small adjoining commune of Prémeaux-Prissey. There are 431 acres of vineyards which take this appellation at the village level, of which 29 are in Prémeaux. Of the 1er Cru vineyards, numbering 36, 28 vineyards occupy 248 acres in Nuits-Saint-Georges; the remaining eight, in Prémeaux, cover 104 acres. The Les Vaucrains is a vineyard of 15 acres lying upslope at 260-280 meters in the south part of Prémeaux.

Il Mosnel Franciacorta 27269

Franciacorta Brut Nature NV

Franciacorta DOCG

November 25, 2020
The debut of this new cuvée made solely from organically-grown grapes pays homage to the quintessence of the vineyard and to the utter harmony of nature’s components. This assemblage of elegant Chardonnay and subtly fruity Pinot Blanc, with a judicious tot of Pinot Noir to lend structure, matures sur lie for a minimum of 24 months in the cellar. Revealing in the glass a luminous white-gold shot through with pale green highlights, it opens to a thrust of vibrant, crisp fragrances, with cleanly-delineated citron and grapefruit melding gracefully into floral impressions of hawthorn, honeysuckle, and verbena, with just a hint of iodine. At the same time, it conveys crisp fruit notes of white peach and gooseberry, marked by the generous effusion classic to youth, which equally characterizes the full-volumed palate, taut, and energy-laden that concludes with a lively, full-flavored finish. 

Il Mosnel Franciacorta 27265

Franciacorta Brut Nature NV

Franciacorta DOCG

November 25, 2020
The debut of this new cuvée made solely from organically-grown grapes pays homage to the quintessence of the vineyard and to the utter harmony of nature’s components. This assemblage of elegant Chardonnay and subtly fruity Pinot Blanc, with a judicious tot of Pinot Noir to lend structure, matures sur lie for a minimum of 24 months in the cellar. Revealing in the glass a luminous white-gold shot through with pale green highlights, it opens to a thrust of vibrant, crisp fragrances, with cleanly-delineated citron and grapefruit melding gracefully into floral impressions of hawthorn, honeysuckle, and verbena, with just a hint of iodine. At the same time, it conveys crisp fruit notes of white peach and gooseberry, marked by the generous effusion classic to youth, which equally characterizes the full-volumed palate, taut, and energy-laden that concludes with a lively, full-flavored finish. 

Il Mosnel Franciacorta 27257

Franciacorta Rosé NV

Franciacorta DOCG

November 25, 2020
A deeply-fragrant rosé whose crisp, graceful Chardonnay finds its delicious complement in the fruit-rich depth of Pinot Noir and the supple roundedness of Pinot Blanc. All the grapes are gently pressed, and the wine develops its harmonious character over more than 24 months of maturation sur lie. Its gold-edged, powder-pink hue hints at fresh picked redcurrants and cherries on the nose, which then develop into ultra-crisp apricot and wild strawberry, peony petals and blood oranges, plus a subtle vein of fresh almond and cotton candy. It opens generously, warm, and full in the mouth, with energy-laden impressions of succulent, fresh picked pomegranate and red apple, a complex enlivened by a slender yet tangy sapidity.

Il Mosnel Franciacorta 27248

Franciacorta Brut NV

Franciacorta DOCG

November 25, 2020
Since 1979, the harmonious interrelationship of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Noir grapes at every harvest guides the assembling of this flagship cuvée that constitutes the foundation of the Mosnel house style. At least 24 months sur lie allows this Brut to reach a perfect stylistic equilibrium. It boasts a subtle white-gold hue, and a slender, silky bead of pin-point bubbles. A refined aromatic medley of elderflower and hawthorn blossom nuances, crisp Mediterranean citrus, pear and apple, apricot and melon, along with subtle impressions of wild herbs and almonds. Crisp fruit and a tangy acidity are gloriously abundant in the mouth, concluding with a finish that is long-lingering, elegant, and beautifully balanced.

Il Mosnel Franciacorta 27246

Franciacorta Brut NV

Franciacorta DOCG

November 25, 2020
Since 1979, the harmonious interrelationship of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Noir grapes at every harvest guides the assembling of this flagship cuvée that constitutes the foundation of the Mosnel house style. At least 24 months sur lie allows this Brut to reach a perfect stylistic equilibrium. It boasts a subtle white-gold hue, and a slender, silky bead of pin-point bubbles. A refined aromatic medley of elderflower and hawthorn blossom nuances, crisp Mediterranean citrus, pear and apple, apricot and melon, along with subtle impressions of wild herbs and almonds. Crisp fruit and a tangy acidity are gloriously abundant in the mouth, concluding with a finish that is long-lingering, elegant, and beautifully balanced.

E. Guigal 27181

Condrieu 2019

Condrieu

November 23, 2020
Condrieu is the ancestral home of the Viognier vine and is the source of one of the world's most exotic white wines. In the mid-20th century, only 20 acres of Viognier remained in Condrieu, leaving the grape and the appellation in serious jeopardy. Guigal was instrumental in bringing this appellation back from near extinction, and today supplements the grapes from their own vineyards with grapes purchased from numerous small growers, ultimately vinifying nearly one-third of the entire appellation.

E. Guigal 27170

Condrieu La Doriane 2019

Condrieu

November 23, 2020
La Doriane is a luxury cuvée of Condrieu that the Guigals have produced since the 1994 vintage. A great success since the first vintage, the wine always seems richly oaked and very fruity when young, transforming in 3-4 years into a seamlessly complex, aromatic and vibrant wine. La Doriane contradicts the accepted wisdom that Condrieu does not age well.

E. Guigal 27158

Saint-Joseph Blanc 2019

November 23, 2020
While the reds of Saint-Joseph are today one of the most exciting stories in the Rhone Valley, the minuscule production of whites, in the hands of the best producers, are absolutely thrilling and in a perhaps less extreme way than the other great whites of the region, namely in Hermitage and Condrieu. Get them while they're still affordable.

E. Guigal 27147

Saint-Joseph Lieu Dit Blanc 2019

Saint-Joseph

November 23, 2020
Guigal’s Saint-Joseph Lieu Dit comes from the vineyard that gives the Saint-Joseph appellation its name, and is one of the finest sites in the Northern Rhone Valley. Made in minuscule quantities, the Lieu Dit Blanc is one of the most original and distinctive whites in the Rhone. A seamless balance of freshness and fruitiness, pleasure and interest, and flavors and structure. Guigal’s specialty in whites is especially evident in this wine.

E. Guigal 27133

Hermitage Blanc 2018

Hermitage

November 23, 2020
Whites make up a small percentage of production in the Rhône, under 2%, but white wines are a little bit of a secret specialty at Guigal and today comprise 25% of their production. And for good reason, as the whites of the Northern Rhône are true discovery wines, immensely appealing and complex. They specifically display an expressiveness and brightness while also capturing the warmth of the area. Even more of a discovery is Hermitage Blanc, one of the least-known yet most intriguing wines of the Rhône Valley and in the small 309 acre Hermitage AOC.

E. Guigal 27132

Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc 2016

Hermitage

April 14, 2021
Ermitage Ex-Voto represents the fulfillment of a longtime dream of Marcel Guigal’s to own vineyard land on the hill of Hermitage. Through the purchase of the de Vallouit and J. L. Grippat domaines in 2000, Guigal acquired four exceptional vineyard parcels on this legendary site. The 2001 vintage was the first release of this estate-bottled Hermitage red and white. The quality of the intense old-vine fruit is quite special, but given the Guigal’s already strong work in Hermitage, they decided to only release an Ex-Voto red or white when the wine is utterly exceptional and clearly superior to their appellation bottlings.

E. Guigal 27030

Saint Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice 2017

Saint-Joseph

November 23, 2020
Guigal’s Vignes de l’Hospice is one of the finest sites in the Northern Rhone Valley. This steeply terraced vineyard used to be divided into three, but Guigal now owns majority of this parcel in order to restore perception of Saint-Joseph as an appellation of utmost quality. In fact, Guigal is often asked when they will produce a fourth “LaLa,” and their response is that their fourth single vineyard phenomenon of the Northern Rhone is already being produced: the Vignes de l’Hospice.

Marina Cvetić 27003

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva 2018

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC

November 20, 2020
The Montepulciano Marina Cvetic represents an intense and remarkable expression of one of the historical vines of Abruzzo.  The 100% Montepulciano comes from eight of the estate's top parcels, across an altitude of 500 to 1,200 feet above sea level, on soils of calcareous clay and lime.  In these vineyards, we find not only the traditional Abruzzo pergola vine training, but also Simple Guyot and Spur Cordon as well.