The 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva is a total knock-out. Sumptuous and enveloping, but with plenty of structure to support it all, the 2017 captures all the best elements of the house style. Succulent black cherry, worn-in leather, smoke, licorice and espr...
The 2019 Maximin Grunhaus Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett is pure, fresh and stony on the floral/herbal and even flinty-scented nose. On the palate, this is a concentrated yet fresh and piquant, tensioned and crystalline Abtsberg Kabinett with juicy fruit and ...
"Barrel X" is winemaker Florian Lauer's Platonic ideal of what a slightly off-dry (feinherb) Saar Riesling should be. If we were in Burgundy, this would be the equivalent of a ?Bourgogne Blanc.? As an appellation-level wine, it is sourced from multiple vi...
The 2021 Chianti Classico Berardenga is boisterous and expressive right out of the glass. Dark fruit, earthiness, leather, spice and tobacco convey tons of Castelnuovo Berardenga character. The 2021 keeps getting better in the glass. It's a super-class...
This has a perfumed nose of wild cherries, strawberries, sandalwood, peppercorns, cloves, rosemary and truffles. Elegant and refined, with firm, fine tannins. Long and deliciously wild, with savory spice notes.
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 expressi...