Wine Reviews

An archive of all wine reviews

Château des Reyssiers, Régnié (Beaujolais, France) 2011
Michael Apstein
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April 30, 2013
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Régnié was the last subregions of Beaujolais to be award cru status, which explains why it’s not as well known as Fleurie or Brouilly....
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De Bortoli, King Valley (Victoria, Australia) 2011
Michael Apstein
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April 30, 2013
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Here’s a pleasant surprise. I was not expecting much from an $11 wine from Australia. Instead of some simple fruit bomb, De Bartoli has...
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Alpha Estate, Florina (Greece) Merlot 2008
W. Blake Gray
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April 30, 2013
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Who expects a Merlot to be the best wine at a Greek winery? But everything broke right for these grapes in 2008. Beware vintage...
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Alpha Estate, Florina (Greece) Tannat 2009
W. Blake Gray
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April 30, 2013
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Owner/winemaker Angelos Iatridis worked in Madiran before returning to his native Greece, and that’s where he got the clones for this wine. I’m typing...
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Alpha Estate, Florina (Greece) Pinot Noir 2009
W. Blake Gray
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April 30, 2013
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If anywhere in Greece could make good Pinot, you’d think it would be in Amyndeon, which winemaker Angelos Iatridis says is the coolest place...
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Masut, Mendocino County (California) Pinot Noir 2011
Robert Whitley
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April 30, 2013
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Masut’s Block 13 from this vintage offers richness and flesh without sacrificing the minerality that seems to be a consistent characteristic throughout the vineyard....
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Frank Family Vineyards, Napa Valley (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Michael Apstein
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April 30, 2013
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This is a rich (14.5%-stated alcohol) and opulent Cabernet that transmits cassis and plumy notes wrapped in suave tannins. Though the focus here is...
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Alpha Estate, Florina (Greece) 2008
W. Blake Gray
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April 30, 2013
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This blend of 60% Syrah with 20% each of Xinomavro and Merlot is very tannic and not as pleasant as the pure versions of...
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Alpha Estate, Amyndeon (Greece) Xinomavro 2008
W. Blake Gray
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April 30, 2013
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Made from 87-year-old vines at elevation over 600 meters, this wine has an earthy, mushroomy aroma reminiscent of good Pinot Noir. There’s plenty of...
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Alpha Estate, Amyndeon (Greece) Xinomavro 2009
W. Blake Gray
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April 30, 2013
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The minerality is more intense in this wine than the ’08: It’s like drinking plum juice squeezed from a stone. There is more tannin...
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Alpha Estate, Florina (Greece) Syrah 2009
W. Blake Gray
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April 30, 2013
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There’s a northern Rhône feel to the aroma, with earth and violet notes mingled with a slight animal note. In the mouth, though, it’s...
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Alpha Estate, Florina (Greece) 2009
W. Blake Gray
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April 30, 2013
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The entry-level red, a 50-50 blend of Xinomavro and Syrah, has Alpha Estate’s characteristic precise, ripe, red fruit, with a minerally, rocky feel in...
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