This notably burly rendition of Sangiovese won’t induce disorientation by making you think you’ve landed in Tuscany,...
Straccali, Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy) 2014
A fine rendition of Chianti Classico, this shows very pleasant interplay between ripe fruit (dried cherries) and toasty oak,...
Girard, Napa Valley (California) Petite Sirah 2013
This wine packs quite the punch, but when paired with the right (robust) food, it will already prove quite enjoyable. With...
Mettler Family Vineyards, Lodi (California) Zinfandel 2014
I don’t think of Zinfandel as a shy wine, and this example certainly confirms my profiling. The bouquet will wake up...
Cupcake Vineyards, Central Coast (California) Merlot 2014
In my former home town of Chicago, one of the best ways to start a fight would be to lead with, “Hey,...
Villa Pozzi, Sicilia Rosso IGT (Sicily, Italy) Nero d’Avola 2016
Juicy, straightforward deliciousness is what this wine is all about, and it delivers a lot of it for just ten bucks. Dark...
Ron Rubin Vineyards, Green Valley of Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Syrah 2013
This excellent wine is an object lesson in how good Syrah can be in California -- or at any rate in the cooler winegrowing...
J. Lohr, Paso Robles (Central Coast, California) Petite Sirah 2014
I taste this wine every year, and every year it brings me to the same conclusion: Totally delicious, and amazingly soft...
Bolla, Rosso Verona IGT (Veneto, Italy) 2011
This blend of 65% Corvina and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon delivers quite a punch from the 2011 vintage, showing impressive depth of...
Do Vintages Still Matter?
In one sense, it seems like “belaboring the obvious” to claim that some years are better than others when it comes...
Campo Viejo, Rioja Gran Reserva (Spain) 2010
This is a very tasteful rendition of Rioja Gran Reserva that shows the excellence of the vintage. Very unusually fresh --...
Handley Cellars, Anderson Valley (Mendocino County, California) Pinot Noir 2014
This is a lovely Pinot Noir showing modestly dense pigmentation that suggests restraint -- a good thing -- and delivers that...