Wine Reviews

An archive of all wine reviews

Frescobaldi, Toscana IGT (Italy) 2011
Michael Apstein
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August 16, 2016
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So-called international blends in Tuscany can be fabulous or a heavy-handed disaster.  Put Frescobaldi’s Mormoreto into the former category.  The winemaking team there clearly...
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Castello di Amorosa, Napa Valley (California) 2012
Rich Cook
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August 16, 2016
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Thanks to this wine, 2012 might just come to be remembered as the vintage in which Castello di Amorosa came of age.  This iron...
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Castello di Amorosa, Napa Valley (California) Sangiovese 2012
Rich Cook
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August 16, 2016
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Only a precious few domestic Sangiovese wines turn my head.  Italy has so much value to offer with the variety that it’s difficult for...
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Edmeades, Mendocino County (California) Zinfandel 2013
Rich Cook
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August 16, 2016
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A very complex Zinfandel that shows great balance despite the big number in small print on the front label.  I’m in the habit of...
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Cadaretta, Columbia Valley (Washington) Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Rich Cook
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August 16, 2016
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It’s always refreshing to run across a restrained, elegant and flavorful Washington Cabernet Sauvignon in the midst of a bombastic flight of California examples. ...
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Cobb Wines, Sonoma Coast (California) Pinot Noir 2013
Rich Cook
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August 9, 2016
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Oh my!  This is wildly complex Pinot Noir, and it will need some cellar rest to fully show its charms, but you’ll be handsomely...
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Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma County (California) Zinfandel 2014
Wayne Belding
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August 9, 2016
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If you’re in the mood for a delicious mouthful of jammy fruit and spice, reach for the Dry Creek Sonoma Heritage Vines Zinfandel.  Deep...
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Michel Chapoutier, Les Vignes de Bila-Haut (Côtes du Rousillon Villages, France) 2014
Paul Lukacs
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August 9, 2016
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A juicy quaffing wine, full of fresh fruit flavors, with pliant tannins and an appealing finish, this is an easy to enjoy red.  It’s...
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Le Vigne di Eli, Etna Rosso DOC (Sicily, Italy) 2011
Paul Lukacs
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August 9, 2016
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Made primarily with Nerello Mascalese, a red grape variety that grows on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna, this is an enticing and very...
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Illuminati, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC (Abruzzo, Italy) 2014
Michael Apstein
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August 9, 2016
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A steal, this wine is in the “buy it by the case” category. Always a good buy, the 2014 vintage is especially noteworthy because...
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Vivera, Etna Rosso DOC (Sicily, Italy) 2011
Michael Apstein
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August 9, 2016
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The more I taste wines grown on the slopes of Mount Etna, the more I like them because they have a Burgundian sensibility about...
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Fattoria di Grignano, Chianti Rufinà Riserva (Tuscany, Italy) 2011
Michael Apstein
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August 9, 2016
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Chianti Rufinà region sometimes is overshadowed by Chianti Classico region, which is a shame because wines from the former often deliver more savory notes. ...
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