Most well-known wineries seem to suffer when they are purchased by a larger company that see them as only another notch in their...
Scharffenberger, Mendocino County (California) Sparkling Rosé NV ($30)
Around since 1981 and at one time partly owned by Champagne Pommery among others, and at one time rebranded by one of those...
Scharffenberger, Mendocino County (California) Sparkling Wine “Brut Excellence” NV ($24)
Now under the same umbrella as neighboring Roederer Estate, this offering gets a refreshed label, and you will be refreshed by...
Domaine Anderson, Anderson Valley (Mendocino County, California) Estate Chardonnay 2021 ($40)
An acid-driven Chardonnay that embraces its cool climate pedigree to great effect. Quince, pineapple, and a dash of herb aromas...
Cha Cha Cha, Prekmurje (Slovenia) Red Blend “Valevino” 2021 ($24)
Sometimes something way out of left field makes its way to my desk, which in this case counts as a perk of the job. A blend of...
La Valentina, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva (Italy) “Spelt” 2019 ($23, Dalla Terra Winery Direct)
This is a somewhat complex red – well-balanced, lots of zippy tannins after 18 months in the barrel, lean cherry fruitiness,...
Chapel Down, England (United Kingdom) Rosé Sparkling Wine NV ($43)
This wine has picked up several accolades of late, and I’ll add to the chorus here. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot...
Domaine Ray-Jane, IGP du Var Blanc, Provence, France “1288” 2022 ($24, Cru Wines)
Just half a mile south of Domaine Tempier sits Domaine Ray-Jane, one of Bandol AOC’s most traditional producers. Owned by Jane...
Agricola Punica, Isola dei Nuraghi IGT (Sardinia, Italy) “Samas” 2023 ($22, Kobrand)
The inclusion of Chardonnay (20%) into this Vermentino-heavy blend adds richness without destroying the saline minerality of the...
Beaulieu Vineyards, Napa Valley (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($40)
Not all Napa Valley Cabernet producers have a second-label wine in the Bordeaux manner, but BV has long cultivated that...
Bortolomiol, Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Veneto, Italy) “Bandarossa” Extra Dry 2023 ($25)
Prosecco Superiore, as my colleague here at Wine Review Online recently pointed out, is a category of Prosecco that is a step...
Chapel Down, England (United Kingdom) Brut Sparkling Wine NV ($40)
Fresh and clean at pop and pour, the aromatics carry bright green apple, lemon and a hint of toffee. The palate turns the apple...