2014 products
Podere Sul Lago Torcular Vernaccia Nera di Serrapetrona 2016 750ml
Winemaker Description
This small winery is the project of Sandrino Quadraroli, the owner of one of the finest restaurants in central Marche, Osteria del Borgia. Always a champion of the wines of his region, starting in 2012 he was finally able to crown his dream of producing wine.
The 4 hectares estate was planted in 1999, upside down Guyot system, on clay, sandy and calcareous soil 500 meters above sea level on the south-facing hills right above lake Caccamo in the township of Serrapetrona located in the mountainous central part of the Marche region.
The focus of the winery is the grape varietal indigenous to this sub-region: Vernaccia Nera, not found anywhere else in the world. This grape has a long history, however it was traditionally vinified sparkling and semi-sweet, possibly in order to tame the bold characteristics that this varietal has: crushed white and black pepper. Over the past two decades or so, a new generation of wineries in the area is concentrating on exalting the unique character of Vernaccia Nera and are bottling still, dry wines. The results are fascinating: the wines are distinctive, aromatic, full-bodied but elegant and vibrant, with good minerality and refreshing acidity.
Sierra de Tolono Rioja Tempranillo Tinto (Red) 2021 750ml
Winemaker Description
Intense color with purple reflections. The aromas of violets and Mediterranean herbs complement the delicate notes of chocolate and toast from the subtle aging.
Elegant on the palate, with fresh notes that combine with round and sweet tannins. In perfect balance with natural acidity, it is a pleasant and long-lasting finish.
Calcari Xarel.lo Pares Balta Penedes Organic 2023 750ml
An organic xarel·lo wine with minimum intervention.
From the flagship variety of the Penedès, the xarel-lo, comes this organic single-varietal wine. Calcari brings together the purest and most sincere expression of this ancestral variety, native to our territory and strongly rooted in our winemaking tradition.
Its characteristics give it great versatility, making it a variety suitable for the production of long-aged sparkling wines or wines with minimal intervention such as Calcari, a wine that allows us to see its great expressive capacity and its mineral characte.
Domaine Delesvaux Coteau Du Layon Les Clos 2015 500ml
Made with a mixture of raisined grapes and others with botrytis, it is an excellent example of a Coteaux du Layon from the Loire, which brings together the best of two worlds. This delicious dessert wine is made 50:50 of noble rot and late harvest grapes. Made biodynamically and with natural yeast, it exhibits succulent flavours of mango, pineapple, and sweet spices such as saffron. A very high acidity makes this wine quite refreshing considering how sweet it is. Fruit and/or nut based desserts, salty blue cheese Deliciously sweet, with good acidity, ideal as an aperitif, with cheese or after dinner. Winemaker Description.
Rosi Schuster Sankt Laurent Klassik 2021 750ml Austria RED
Winemaker Description
In the hands of Hannes Schuster, Sankt Laurent becomes a focused expression of the soils in and around St Margarethen. Sankt Laurent is thought to be related to Pinot Noir, a crossing of the noble grape and another variety of unknown origin, native to Burgenland. The Schuster always shows earthy yet fresh mineral-rich notes of cherry and red berries which explode on the palate.
Silky tannins, delicate spice and a lovely long finish are signature characteristics. As all the Schuster wines, it is organically farmed with meticulous work in the ideally situated vineyards. This Sankt Laurent was fermented with native yeasts and spent one year in used 500 Liter Stockinger barrels. Winemaker Description.
Winemaker Description
90 Points Wine Advocate | The 2021 Sankt Laurent Burgenland blends the fruit of 14- to 34-year-old vines cultivated in Sankt Margarethen, Zagersdorf, Oslip and Donnerskirchen. Aged in large, used barrels for 10 months, this release displays a bright cherry color and a pure, fresh and reductive nose of cherries, red berries, black pudding, earth and grass. Silky and fresh on the palate, this is a charmingly fruity, light to medium-bodied red wine with remarkable finesse, juiciness and fruit intensity. If at all, this autochthonous red is reminiscent of a refreshing Gamay from the Loire Valley. A great drinking pleasure indeed. 11.5% stated alcohol. Diam cork. Tasted in April 2023.
Gratavinum 2PIR Priorat 2021 750ml
2πr 2021 is an organic red wine made in Priorat, Spain by Gratavinum. The name of the wine is a reference to the perimeter of a circle, and the wine itself is described as having "perfect roundness."
The nose is aromatic and complex, with notes of preserved red fruit, toasty oak, and cacao. The mouthfeel is soft and round, with ripe tannins and good acidity. The flavors are of red fruit, mineral, and wood smoke. The finish is long and fresh.
2πr 2021 is an ideal wine for wine lovers to enjoy with traditional Mediterranean cuisine. It is a complex and well-balanced wine with a lot of personality.
Cacique Maravilla Pipeno Pais 2021 1 Liter
Winemaker Description
Hand harvested, destemmed manually using the zaranda (traditional bamboo screen) and fermented in open top lagars of raulí (native pink oak of Chile).
Free run juice is transferred into pipas (or barrels) made of raulí for several months after harvest on the fine lees.
Sustainable, organic, dry farming
Koehler-Ruprecht Kallstadter Saumagen Riesling Spatlese Trocken 2019 750ml
Chateau Gaby Canon-Fronsac 2010 750ml
Expert Reviews
Wine Enthusiast 91 Points | This wine is now mature, showing richness while also preserving elegance. Earthy, herbal tones are laced through the wine’s juicy fruit texture. Enjoy now for best enjoyment.
Wine Spectator 90-93 Points | Still very primal, but enticing, with sappy raspberry, sweet spice, melted licorice and linzer torte notes that have yet to stretch out fully. There's racy acidity as well, so this should knit nicely.
Miguel Torres Sauvignon Blanc Reserva Las Mulas 2021 750ml
Winemaker Notes
Azores Wine Company Isabella a Proibida 2018 750ml
Winemaker Description
Rescuing and resistant, Queen Isabella has ensured since the attack of phylloxera, in the 19th century, the continuation of vineyards and wine on the islands until the present day. For many...it's not part of the customs.
This "Isabella" the Forbidden, highlights the history of the last 200 years, in an elegant, aromatic, authentic and...simple wine, like all that is good!
A fresh, elegant, spicy and saline red like few others. Ideal partner for grilled and seasoned red meat dishes. Signature of the winemaker António Maçanita.
An Isabella Forbidden and super appetizing.... Another great wine from the Azores Wine Company!
Domaine Sigalas MM I Mavrotragano Mandilaria ,Cyclades Aegean Islands 2021 750ml
Winemaker Description
Deep crimson color, refreshing scent of red fruit, a bouquet of finely blended aromas, tannins, and acidity.
Ronchi di Cialla Schioppettino Rosso Friuli 2017 750ml
Expert Reviews
Vinous 93 Points | The 2017 Schioppettino di Cialla is wildly spicy and fresh, with an intense burst of peppery rose and smokey raspberry offset by a dusting of savory spice. This is silky-smooth and sapid with masses of mineral-tinged dark red fruits offset by zesty acidity. It finishes potent with a staining of primary concentration and a coating of sweet tannins. What a beauty, and with the potential for a very long life. In 2017, Ronchi di Cialla lost 30% of their production due to frost at the end of April. Drinking window: 2025-2040. (2017).
The Ronchi di Cialla winery is located within its own valley, like something out of a fairy tale, with roads that curve through rows of vines planted between outcroppings of forest. The family home and cellar sit at the top of a hill, overlooking vineyards in all directions. Ivan Rapuzzi runs the winery with his mother and brother, following the same traditional methods as their father before them. Thanks to Ronchi di Cialla, Schioppettino may be one of the top reds of Friuli in the not-too-distant future. The Rapuzzi family saved the variety from extinction, creating a library of wines that spans decades and proves just how well Schioppettino matures. Today, the variety has its own subzone within Friuli Colli Orientali, Schioppettino di Prepotto, while Ronchi di Cialla enjoys its own unique terroir.
This year, I tasted several back vintages at the estate: 1983, 1992, 2005, 2014 and the recently released 2017. Ronchi di Cialla releases these older vintages at regular intervals and at extremely reasonable prices. As for the 2017 Schioppettino, which hailed from a tough, warm and dry year (there is no irrigation permitted in the appellation), the Rapuzzi family decided to limit the amount of time in wood to one year, down from the usual three to four years, to preserve freshness. Moreover, they lost 30% of their production due to spring frosts. As a result, this is an atypical style of Ronchi di Cialla that will be amazing to follow over the years. Lastly, I would be remiss not to mention the white wines of Cialla, which include an off-dry Verduzzo that’s to die for, the age-worthy Ciallabianco, a blend of 65% Ribolla Gialla, 25% Picolit and 10% Verduzzo, and a varietal Ribolla Gialla. While the entire portfolio is worth seeking out, the Ronchi di Cialla Schioppettino is a must for lovers of deeply complex, age-worthy wines.
Castellroig Sabate i Coca Corpinnat Brut Nature Reserva 2019 750ml
Our Professional Review
Oscar Garcia Lead Wine Sommelier 67Wine.com | Castellroig is part of the prestigious Corpinnat designation that is meant to oversee the quality of grower in the Penedes region of Catalonia. Castellroig is also one of very few producers in the region that is 100% Estate owned. Their philosophy for producing some of the region's best sparkling wines centers on the typicity of their terroirs of their various estates. Varietal singularity is another part of their winemaking tradition.
Winemaker Description
Castellroig Brut Nature Reserva is an examplary wine of what corpinnat is seeking to achieve: A clear distinction from the mass-produced, low quality sparkling wines of the region.
Aromas of green apples, with some herbal nuances: lemon-thyme and sage. Further aromas of lime peel and ripe oranges. Medium-bodied with fine bubbles and persistent palate sensation. The finish is clean and refreshingly dry. I highly recommend this Sparkling wine for its value and superb craft.
A refreshing and rewarding traditional organic premium Catalan sparkling and a big step up from a lot of Cava.
A small group of producers from the traditional heartlands of Cava country, Penedes, left the Cava DO a few years ago as they felt it didn't reward or represent the quality wines they were producing with native grape varieties, and so formed Corpinnat - a new brand under which to market superior quality Catalan sparkling wines. Sabate I Coca's Castellroig Reserva comes from around 40 plots of Xarel-Lo, Macabeo and Parellada grapes that are grown to organic principles and vinified separately before blending and then undergoing the traditional sparkling wine method, like Champagne.
Lovely floral aromas of jasmine, white flowers, green apple and citrus, along with something a bit richer, lead onto a fresh and persistent palate with ripe citrus, orchard fruit and a fresh, dry minerality on the finish. Excellent value for money.
Great as an aperitif but would also work oysters and shellfish, white fish, and salads.
Vinedos y Bodegas Ponce La Casilla 2021 750ml
Winemaker Description
This wine has dark savory fruit with notes of bay, thyme and leather. Firmer structured and chalky on the palate. In typical Bodegas Ponce fashion, La Casilla manages to express the inherent power and structure of Bobal and it's native Manchuela, but goes so with the sort of grace and style that re-calls Cru Beaujolais
Domaine Pierre Gelin Fixin 2019 750ml
Expert Review
Wine Spectator 90 Points | Richly textured, with good cut framing the cherry, plum, tobacco and spice flavors. Graceful and nicely integrated, with a lingering, spice-tinged finish.
Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino 2015 750ml
Expert Reviews
Robert Parker 95 Points | Poggio di Sotto doesn't miss a beat with this very special release. This is a glorious expression of the vintage, and the wine has absorbed the golden sunlight of Tuscany, delivering beautifully ripe, round and subtle fruit layers. The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino shows concentration, but not too much, and richness, but not too much. You get the power and the opulence of the vintage presented with the elegance and grace that is the house style at this venerated estate. Poggio di Sotto is one of the benchmarks of Montalcino, and the winery team continues the tradition with this 22,000-bottle release. There's a lot of red fruit energy deep inside that should stir this wine on course as it ages over the next two decades. (2015).
Decanter 96 Points | On steep slopes in the southeast of Montalcino, Poggio di Sotto's vineyards are cooled by breezes coming off the nearby Monte Amiata. The Brunello is crafted from plots that range in altitude from 200 to 450 metres. Fermentations are spontaneous, maceration lasts one month and ageing is in 30-hectolitre Slavonian oak casks. This demonstrates the generosity of the vintage but is still fresh and graceful. Sweet fennel, underbrush and thyme blossoms give intricacy to pure red cherry fruit. Abundant chalky tannins build stealthily across the palate and provide a welcome dimension of texture, while Sangiovese's appetising juiciness shines through. (2015).
James Suckling 94 Points | There’s a real Burgundian feel here to the sour cherries, five spice, citrus, nutmeg and fresh oregano. The tannins have a beautiful, porcelain-like feel; the acidity cuts a wide and long shape. Delicate, floral and refined. All about grace and elegance. Drink from 2021. (2015).
Quintessa Napa Valley Red Biodynamic 2018 750ml
Winemaker Description
Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Quintessa is a wine of perfect harmony, with deep flavors and elegant layers that are apparent even from a young age. Intense aromas of cassis, black cherry, and raspberry intermingle with savory notes of sage and thyme; the 2018 Quintessa continues to unfold as notes of dark chocolate, graphite and fresh tobacco mingle with the fresh fruit. Precise and dense, the wine shows supple tannin that play with flavors of black cherry, dark chocolate, and crushed rocks. The 2018 Quintessa has a perfect balance of fresh acidity followed by bright fruit and minerality at the finish that portends unparalleled aging potential.
Expert Reviews
James Suckling 99 Points writes | This is beautifully polished with firm, dusty tannins to the blue fruit, as well as chocolate and cedar character. Some much earthier character, too, from mushrooms to bark. Forest flowers. Perfumed. It’s full-bodied with round tannins and a soft, creamy finish. Some iron and iodine to this. So attractive at the finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Better after 2023. (2018).
Decanter Georgina Hindle 96 Points writes | A less traditional style of wine in Napa Valley, this is lifted and charming with poise, powdery tannins and a chalky finish. Richly perfumed and wonderfully evocative on the nose, it’s seductive and inviting with black cherries, raspberries and blueberries alongside savoury notes of dried herbs. The flavours open and evolve on the palate bringing cocoa, tobacco and pencil lead into play underpinned by supple tannins. It’s powerful but on the leaner side, refined and elegant with a good sense of diretion and drive - everything feels well placed and well defined. Tasted twice and both times were highly enjoyable. A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 2% Carmenére and 1% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 20 months in oak, 100% French, 62% new. Biodynamically grown and certified organic. Winemaker Rebekah Wineburg and estate director Rodrigo Soto.
Robert Parker Joe Czerwinski 94+ Points writes | The dense, purple-hued 2018 Proprietary Red Wine seemed just a bit closed at this tasting, with pronounced cedary notes overshadowing the black cherry fruit. It's medium to full-bodied, with a lush mouthfeel, silky-textured tannins and cocoa powder-like nuances on the lingering finish. (2018).
Vinous Antonio Galloni 93 Points writes | The 2018 Red Wine is a powerful, driving Napa Valley wine. Scorched earth, iron, chocolate, and leather give the red cherry/plum fruit distinctly savory accents. This is an especially tight wine in a vintage that yielded generally more supple, open-knit reds. Quintessa is one of the first Napa Valley estates I visited, many years ago. Since then, the property has undergone several stylistic phases. It will be interesting to see where things go over the next handful of years here. Drinking 2023 - 2038
Jancis Robinson 18.5 Points writes | Youthful purplish crimson. Vibrant nose with a suggestion of a creamy texture. Dense and savoury and beautifully balanced. Lovely and pure with a great future and tannins almost hidden by the fruit. Attractive savoury note. You could drink this now but it would be a pity. (2018).
Jancis Robinson Richard Hemming MW 17.5 Points writes | Luxuriously rich and velvety, opulent but with enough herbal contrast to keep freshness on the nose. Lots of oak and dark chocolate on the palate. Such soft tannins! Really ready to drink. The oak is predominant on the finish. For Napa, this is reasonably restrained, and I'm sure it will develop well. (2018).
DAC Alvaro Castro Dao Tinto 2019 750ml
Winemaker Description
Dark ruby in color, it offers aromas of crushed herbs with hints of black pepper. Silky smooth mouth feel with concentrated smoky black fruit and earthy flavors, with silky tannins and a long finish.
Lichtenberger-Gonzales Muschelkalk White 2021 750ml
Lichtenberger González Muschelkalk Weiss is an organic white wine made with the Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc and Welschriesling varieties in Leithaberg (Burgenland) by the Austrian winery Lichtenberger González.
Wines made on this small estate in the town of Breitenbrunn (between Lake Neusiedl and the Leitha mountains) are the result of a collaboration between two pioneering organic winemakers. On the one hand, Austrian Martin Burgenlander brings knowledge of his land and, on the other, Spaniard Adriana González brings her passion for wine. This results in a limited production of organic wines that follow the course of nature.
The Lichtenberger González Muschelkalk Weiss vineyards are planted in limestone and slate soils, and stand out for being well aligned and well ventilated. In addition, they do not use any chemicals that could destabilise the strain’s natural balance. Once the grape reaches optimum ripeness, it is harvested by hand.
When the Lichtenberger González Muschelkalk Weiss grape reaches the winery, it ferments spontaneously on lees in used barrels with little movement.
Lichtenberger González Muschelkalk Weiss is a white wine that represents the great produce from the banks of Lake Neusiedlersee, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Winemaker Description.
Channing Daughters Winery Research Bianco 2019 Orange 750ml
Winemaker Notes
Our 2019 Research Bianco is a skin-fermented white wine blend in which the proportions and varieties change with each vintage. A good friend supplied the grapes from a "research" vineyard on the East End. All the grapes were grown together (a field blend), hand-picked, de-stemmed, crushed by foot and punched down by hand.
Wolffer Estate The Grapes Of Roth Merlot 2019 750 ml
Winemaker Description
The Grapes of Roth is Winemaker Roman Roth's private label, and a true testament to his classic, yet adventerous, wine-making style. Wonderful dark cherry fruit with well integrated oak, classic graphite and great minerality is complimented by a very savory and elegant finish.
Dark red brick in color. Elegant aromas of cassis and fine toasted sandalwood fill the glass. The mouth-feel is rich and concentrated, yet balanced with wonderful fruit of plumbs, prunes and amazing minerality. The finish has layers of ripe tannins and nicely toasted oak with fine classic earthiness, leather and iodine notes. The fruit and alcohol provide great length and make this a very special Merlot that possesses great aging potential and is the perfect partner with food.
This is a wine to be aged. It has a huge maturation curve ahead and will gain many more nuances and facets. Serve just at room temperature. Pair this Merlot with dishes you might think of for big, bold wines: steak, cassoulet, duck and decadent dark chocolate desserts.
Weis Vineyard Blaufrankisch 2019 750ml
Winemaker Description
Blaufränkisch, also known as Lemberger, is a beautiful varietal full of fruit and spice!
There's a reason this vineyards been winning awards. On the nose I get cassis with some rubber and a definite minerality. Some herbal notes are hiding in the background. The palate brings forth licorice and black raspberry with those currants. There's a slight jammy quality with great acid and some beautifully lingering tannins. It's deliciously drinkable for a cold winter night but light enough in body to sip all year round. Pair with barbecue ribs or a wiener schnitzel. Winemaker Description.
Domaine Sigalas, AA I Assyrtiko and Athiri SANTORINI 2022 750ml
Pale lemon color. On the nose, citrus, tropical and flower blossom notes. Flavors of citrus fruits, peach and mango while emerging hints of white flowers. Pairs with fish, sea-food, salads, white meat, and fruits. Winemaker Description.
Quinta Da Corte 2015 Vintage Porto 750ml PORT 93WE
93 Points Wine Enthusiast | The quinta, situated in the prestigious Torto River valley near its mouth at the Douro, is now producing some fine Ports. This Vintage, superficially soft and fruity, is in fact still packed with dense tannins, giving a solid structure, some maturing sweetness and black fruits. The wine will be ready from 2028.
Jancis Robinson 16.5/20 Points | A more traditional bottle shape than most of the Quinta da Côrte wines. Darkest, inky crimson with a deep cherry rim. Rich earthy spice and warm blackberry fruit with dark chocolate notes and lots of spice, cardamom, for example. Complex and inviting. Tastes sweeter than the LBV 2015. Great power, packed with spice and very ripe black fruits. A savoury, earthy intensity even with all this fruit. The tannins are chewy and thick but already relatively supple for a vintage port. More noticeable freshness than on the LBV and better balanced than their unfortified Douro reds. Long and deep and still a baby. 2025 - 2035"
Felsina Fontalloro Toscana IGT 2019 375ml HALF BOTTLE
Winemaker Description
Ruby red color with rich and intense tones. Variety of aromatic herbs accentuated with generous notes of tobacco and wet earth (dry earth, as well), black currant and licorice.
The palate manifests good consistency of medium-smooth tannins to ensure the lengthy ageing. Rich structure and weight and elegant breed on the finish. Optimum cellar life in all vintages.
Expert Reviews
Wine Advocate 95 Points: To my palate, the 2018 vintage sometimes feels a little too ripe or baked. I was reminded of those characteristics when tasting the Fèlsina 2018 Fontalloro. There is plenty of dark fruit at its core, but this wine also reveals dry tones of jarred oregano, grilled Mediterranean herb, crushed aspirin and graham cracker. The mouthfeel is pleasantly lean and silky, and perhaps the wine delivers more in terms of length than it does weight or texture. A little more bottle age should help flesh out and soften these results.
James Suckling 94 Points: A tight and intense, pure sangiovese with density in the center palate and a linear and racy tannin texture. Bright and long. Balanced and harmonious.
Vinous 95 Points: The 2018 Fontalloro is bright, floral and full of energy. In most vintages, Fontalloro is quite open, but the 2018 is especially nervy and taut. That won't be an issue in time, of course, but readers should plan on being patient. Sangiovese is so expressive here. A whole range of floral and savory accents lingers on the close.
Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Tre Stelle 2018 750ml
Winemaker Description
Calcareous limestone with sand. No herbicides (only manual) and they only use a minimal amount of copper and sulfur in the vineyard - aiming towards as minimal an environmental impact as possible. Fermented with skins for three weeks with remontage. Aged in Slavonian botti of 10-20HL for 18 months followed by time in the bottle before release. No clarification or filtering before bottling.
Expert Review
Wine Advocate 94 Points | Compared to the Rio Sordo, the Cascina delle Rose 2018 Barbaresco Tre Stelle is slightly more robust and open-knit. This wine shows a more overt concentration that comes across with blackberry and wild cherry. To the palate, it shows a smooth but nicely elaborate texture. There are light touches of crushed stone and even some tobacco on the close.
Red Car Cabernet Sauvignon Mohrhardt Ridge Vineyard 2018 750ml
Expert Reviews
Jeb Dunnuck 90 Points | Lastly, this estate fashioned a solid 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Mohrhardt Ridge Vineyard, which comes from the Fort Ross-Seaview appellation, and you don’t see many Bordeaux varieties from this region. This inky-hued beauty offers lots of cassis and blueberry fruit as well as sappy green herbs, tobacco, and subtle cedar-like aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied and has ripe, building tannins, good overall balance, and a solid finish. It will benefit from another year or three of bottle age and should drink nicely for a solid decade. (2018).
James Suckling 93 Points | Aromas of plump red and black fruit. Full-bodied with structured tannins and rich, opulent dark fruit. Chocolate and spice on the palate. Smoke and ash at the finish. Very tasty. Drink now or hold. (2018).
Vinous 94 Points | The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Mohrhardt Ridge Vineyard is another super-distinctive wine in this range. A Cabernet of tremendous character and nuance, the Mohrhardt speaks with distinction. Rich, red berry fruit, rose petal, mint, spice and cedar infuse the Cabernet with striking inner sweetness and perfume. The 2019 feels unctuous and luxurious in the glass, and yet it has plenty of mountain savoriness. The Cabernet has so much sheer personality. -- Antonio Galloni (2018).
Domaine Des Schistes Cotes du Roussillon Essencial Rouge 2022 750ml
Winemaker Description
Black currant, blackberry and dried herbs on the nose. Mouthfeel is fruity with more berries and hints of licorice. low+ tannins and medium acidity. A nice red wine with soft tannins and appealing fruits. Aromas of red berries and a fun wine to enjoy with tapas or seasonal cuisine.
Pair with beef, pasta or veal dishes.
Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Barolo Cannubi RISERVA 2015 750ml
Winemaker Description
Francesco Rinaldi’s estate was first founded back in 1870, when he inherited a plot of land and vineyard house in the heart of Barolo. Though Francesco’s family wasn’t new to the winemaking game-- his cousin, Giuseppe RInaldi, was also producing great Piemontese reds that were completely shaking up the scene. Today, F. Rinaldi wines are produced only from organic fruit and are some of the best deals coming out of the region’s top growing sites.
Expert Reviews
Wine Advocate 93 Points | Revealing an open-knit and immediately welcoming personality the Francesco Rinaldi & Figli 2015 Barolo Cannubi offers a good taste of that inner sunshine and warmth that so beautifully defines this vintage. The Cannubi vineyard is one of the first sites to ripen and the wines tend to show enormous elegance and Nebbiolo fruit purity. This vintage is particularly successful in its showing of wild berry fruit rose hip and chopped mint. The tannins are silky and fine.
Vinous 93 Points | Today the 2015 Barolo Cannubi is an elegant classy wine. The Cannubi also seems to have handled the heat of the summer more gracefully than the Brunate. Silky and sensual the 2015 is very attractive today. The aromatics are perhaps just a touch forward but the 2015 makes up for that with its suave inviting personality. Crushed flowers mint licorice and sweet berry fruit add to the wine's charm. I wouldn't push my luck on aging too much but the 2015 is undeniably appealing. -- Antonio Galloni
L Ecole No 41 Merlot Columbia Valley 2017 375ml HALF BOTTLE
Winemaker Description
Exhibiting complex layers of raspberry, plum, and black cherry, accented by crushed roses, pencil shavings, and smoky cedar nuances, this full-bodied, vigorous Merlot bursts with flavors of macerated berries, coffee, and kirsch. Charming and ripe, it firms up to finish with a satisfying longevity.
Vietti Barolo LAZZARITO 2017 750ml
Winemaker Description
Deep garnet red color. Fascinating and deep on the nose. Notes of hay, cut grass, tobacco, white pepper and wild mint. Robust, muscular on the palate, with a taut and mineral finish. The tannins are typical of Serralunga: angular, austere and very deep. Appealing lingering sweetness on the finish.
Expert Review
97 Points Jeb Dunnuck | From the southwest facing amphitheater of Lazzarito in Serralunga d’Alba the 2017 Barolo Lazzarito was aged for 30 months in a combination of large oak casks and barrique. The nose is layered with elegant spice and floral notes of cedar, red plum, and brushed leather. There is incredible balance within its structure, which has deceptive ease for early drinking. Hold 3-5 years or drink 2023-2046.
96 Points James Suckling | This is very chewy and powerful with lots of velvety tannins that are firm and intense. It’s full and flavorful with strawberries and tar. Bark undertones. Flavorful finish. Needs time to soften. Try after 2024.
95 Points Wine & Spirits | Floral and juicy, laden with cherry and berry flavors that feel tangy and even crunchy, this shows no signs of the dry heat of the vintage. The refined tannins dovetail with notes of graphite that lend a cool firmness to the ripe fruit. The wine packs plenty of power, yet the freshness and balance are impressive.
94 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate | The Vietti 2017 Barolo Lazzarito draws its fruit from Serralunga d'Alba and reveals a luminous garnet color. Compared to some of the others in this portfolio, the wine takes a little longer to open and express itself. It does, however, unfold to dark cherry, redcurrant, grilled herb, iron ore and candied orange peel. You need to give your glass a few extra vigorous swirls. Those rusty mineral notes build in intensity and drive the wine's medium-long finish.
94 Points Wine Spectator | A taut, structured Barolo, offering aromas and flavors of plum and cherry fruit shaded by accents of tobacco, iron, green tea and leafy underbrush. This is firm and gains power on the long finish. Best from 2025.