Huge, black, and bold. Needed to be decanted for 2 hours and then softened greatly. A very big wine that needed some time to open up. The ripe fruit mellowed and evened out the tannins and acid. Dark berries, leather, chocolate coat your mouth. Superb and fun from start to …
Delicate fruit on first swirl with a lighter ruby red color. Well balanced with solid blackberry and stone fruits. Excellent finish, very supple, and elegant. For the price point, an excellent red. 93 Points
Well oaked on the nose with a lush deep purple color. A big wine that shows wood, leather, and dark fruits, solid tannins and acid. Grips your palate and takes you for a nice long ride. You could decant for an hour for a smoother finish. 92 Points
Bright floral with melon fruit notes jump out at you. Delightful, well balanced body with excellent acid and structure. A refreshing and thoroughly pleasing wine. 93 Points
Washington State is finally getting the recognition it well deserves. Though the wines from here have been terrific for years, they are comfortably hitting their stride and the winds of change are noticeable with excellent and well-structured wines throughout the state. From Walla Walla Valley comes Cadaretta’s 2015 Malbec, which …
Valentine’s Day is almost upon us and that means bringing your best game to the table — including wine, spirits or beer. This is not the time to cut corners, experiment or dabble with dodgy labels or make branding mistakes. Count on the wines, spirits, and beers that won’t diminish …
Though Santa Barbara County is known for Pinot Noir, it is typically from the coastal Santa Rita Hills AVA. This 100% Pinot Noir however comes from its brethren, the inland Los Alamos and Santa Maria valleys, so it presents a different fruit style. Spending nine months in neutral French Oak. …
The problem with some malbecs today, even the pricier ones, is that they are one dimensional wines, and that’s not fun to drink, is it? Lorimar’s 2015 Malbec is a welcome respite from some of the dull and mundane lazy bottlings out there, offering a hard-to-resist invitation upon pouring, with …
In many cases a wine is greater than the sum of its parts and this holds true for the 2016 iteration of MacRostie Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, utilizing fruit from five different sites. To keep that fruit in prime expression this wine was whole cluster pressed, after which 15% of the …
Wine: Beronia Crianza Variety: 88% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 2% Mazuelo Vintage: 2014 Country: Rioja, Spain ABV: 13.5% Score: 89 Harmonious notes of vanilla, black plum and creamy oak flow from the glass with a base of baking spices, cloves and cinnamon. There’s a sensuous dark fruit that lingers with liquorice …
Wine: Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli Blanco 2016 Variety: Hondarrabi Zuri 85%, Hondarrabi Beltza 15% Vintage: 2016 Country: Spain ABV: 11% Score: 90 As one of Spain’s most eye-catching wines, Txakoli isn’t just vibrant in ambience. The palate showcases an energetically refreshing acidity with fresh juicy green apples, pears and a distinct …
Wine: Tempranillo Elaboración Especial Variety: Tempranillo Vintage: 2015 Country: Spain ABV: 14% Score: 93 A striking example of Rioja and a testament to Tempranillo production by Gonzales Byass. This special production showcases a divine and exuberant nose of black cherries, sweet vanilla cocoa and fresh tobacco alongside a dominant dark plum …