Wine Reviews

An archive of all wine reviews

Littorai, Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2008
November 13, 2012
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 Platt Vineyard sits due south of the B.A. Thieriot Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast. The location is lower and cooler with loamy soils.  This...
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Littorai, Anderson Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2009
November 13, 2012
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 This wine has a brighter, lithe nose that signals a departure from Ted Lemon’s Sonoma Coast bottlings.  This 1.8 acre vineyard produced a wine...
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Poderi di Luigi Einaudi, Dolcetto di Dogliani (Piedmont, Italy) 2010
Rebecca Murphy
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November 6, 2012
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 Yes, the fruit is juicy black cherry, maybe a little raspberry, but this wine is not just about fruit.  Savory threads of woody spice...
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Joseph Faiveley, Mercurey (Burgundy, France) 2009
Michael Apstein
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November 6, 2012
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 Mercurey, a village and appellation in the Cote Chalonnaise, is a fine source for well-priced authentic Burgundy.  The high-quality Nuits-St. Georges-based négociant, Faiveley, has...
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Hecht et Bannier, Minervois (Languedoc, France) 2009
Michael Apstein
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November 6, 2012
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  A smaller appellation within the greater Languedoc, Minervois has the potential to produce wines with more finesse.  And this one does.  Still slightly...
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Hecht et Bannier, Languedoc (France) 2010
Michael Apstein
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November 6, 2012
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 Hecht et Bannier, a small high-quality négociant, is something of a rarity in this part of France.  Founded only about 10 years ago, they...
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Sobon Estate, Fiddletown (Amador County) Zinfandel 2010
Gerald D. Boyd
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October 30, 2012
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The name Fiddletown is closely connected to the history of modern California Zinfandel.  Zinfandels from this area in Amador County are known for deep...
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TintoNegro, Mendoza (Argentina) 2010
Marguerite Thomas
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November 6, 2012
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 As dark as its name suggests (Nero is Spanish for “black”), this is an intriguingly luscious wine created by Jeff Mausbach, who was for...
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Chateau Ste. Michelle, Wahluke Slope (Washington) Malbec 2008
Marguerite Thomas
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November 6, 2012
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 Malbec is proving to be one of Washington state’s most promising grapes, and Chateau Ste. Michelle’s rendition is a good indication of the grape’s...
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Potel-Aviron, Chénas (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France) 2009
Michael Apstein
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November 6, 2012
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 I love the range of Potel-Aviron’s 2009 Beaujolais.  They are ripe and precise across the board.  This Chénas, perhaps the least well-known Beaujolais cru,...
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Carol Shelton Wines, Sonoma County (California) Zinfandel 2008
Gerald D. Boyd
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October 30, 2012
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Carol Shelton’s label comment about her name for this complex Zin is “Gifts of Karma received in life, whatever the source.”  Karma Zin is...
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Kuleto, Napa Valley (California) 2009
Robert Whitley
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October 30, 2012
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Under new ownership but with the same winemaker (David Lattin) Kuleto has embraced the concept of terroir in this red blend that has been...
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