There’s a little-known spot in the middle of Sicily with incredible viticultural treasures. Feudo Montoni's vines are isolated from the rest of the island's viticulture, a small oasis of vineyards surrounded by a sea of golden wheat and ancient olive groves. This isolation has worked like magic to keep the phylloxera pest away. And no phylloxera here means no grafting necessary: these vines are own-rooted and some are hundreds of years old. Scientists believe this is the birthplace of Nero d'Avola.
Posted on November 20, 2024
Jeff Patten
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Rote Erden comes from the Zellertal am Schwarzen Hergott, a cold parcel on pure limestone soils. Keller farms the vines, but Julian calls the harvest, and the fruit is trucked back to Piesport to be vinified and aged in Julian’s cellar. The wine is whole-cluster pressed and vinified and aged in large neutral barrels for 10 months before bottling.
Posted on November 17, 2024
Dan Weber
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In 2022, Domaine Lafarge-Vial produced simply sensational Cru Beaujolais. These are deep, finally balanced wines with a deliciously rich fruitiness that makes these a lot of fun to drink now. But they are made in a Burgundian style and have a sneaky amount of structure for Gamay-based wines, so they are also unquestionably ageworthy. If you are a fan of Lafarge, or of great Beaujolais, these are must-tries:
Posted on November 13, 2024
Jeff Patten
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Among the classic cult wines of California, we have a favorite that's especially refreshing, unique, groundbreakingly innovative, and elegant. It's also pure fun, joyful and somehow one of the most affordable — when you can get it — of them all. How is this possible? Because it's Arnot-Roberts' Trousseau, one of the new-wave California icons that has never lost its touch.
Posted on November 10, 2024
Julia Burke
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Xavier Gerard is a relative newcomer to the world of old school Côte-Rôtie vignerons. But since he took over for his father in 2012, the wines have become critical darlings. John Livingston-Learmonth raves vintage in and vintage out. But they aren't the kind of Côte-Rôties that appeal *only* to wine geeks and Northern Rhône nuts. Xavier is friends of the Levet family, the super-old school producers in Côte-Rôtie whose wines are very much on the wild and woolly side of what the appellation can do.
Posted on November 06, 2024
Joshua Cohen
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We are living in a golden age of Chardonnay in Oregon. Over the last seven or eight years, the Willamette Valley Chardonnay conversation has gained startling momentum, and for good reason. The Chardonnays coming out of this region, one of North America's most exciting and dynamic, have found a voice and become seriously compelling, thanks to a combination of better genetic material, better farming practices, better understanding, and, frankly, better recognition.
Posted on November 03, 2024
Julia Burke
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Torre dei Beati’s next door neighbor is arguably the most famous wine grower in Abruzzo (arguably Italy’s most famous region for gastronomic delights) — Eduardo Valentini. If you can even find a bottle of Valentini, you’ll walk away from the experience your wallet a bit lighter.
Fortunately, Torre dei Beati offers a range of classic Abruzzese wines from similar terroir for far less.
Posted on October 30, 2024
Valerie Pimpinelli
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At the moment, there is simply no better value in Muscadet, and maybe the whole of the Loire Valley, than Domaine Gadais. This small, family-run, 5th generation estate is one of the most exciting producers in the Loire valley, yet it still feels like a well kept secret.
Posted on October 27, 2024
Dan Weber
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2022 was a challenging year in much of Chianti Classico: heat and drought were followed by rain and even hail.
But you wouldn’t know it tasting Monteraponi’s “fresh” and “bright” beauty of a ‘22. It has, in the words of Wine Advocate's Monica Larner, a bouquet of “tart berry flavors and pronounced floral aromas” and delivers lots of “bright primary fruit.” Those aren’t the flavors we associate with an overly hot vintage!
Posted on October 23, 2024
Joshua Cohen
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Today, we’re offering two of our all-time favorite COS wines, an exuberant, fragrant Frappato, and Rami, a skin-contact Inzolia-Grecanico blend. The former is juicy and gently spicy, the latter elegant and mineral-driven, a skin-contact wine to convince die-hard orange wine lovers and neophytes alike.
Posted on October 20, 2024
Valerie Pimpinelli
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Sangiovese from Tuscany may be the best source of under-$30 red wine in the world. But which Sangiovese exactly? Is it a racy Chianti Classico? An elegant Vino Nobile di Montepulciano?
Today, we’ll make the case that — at least with the delicious 2022s that are now coming on the market — your best and finest source of under $30 value in Sangiovese comes from Rosso di Montalcino.
Posted on October 13, 2024
Jeff Patten
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