Vinanmeldelser

Octavius has always been oaky, but over the years the fruit has come into better balance, and the 2009 may be one of the most successful editions yet released. It's dense and impenetrable at first, o…

Aromas of underbrush, sunbaked earth, ripe dark-skinned berry and cake spice slowly emerge on this structured red. Made entirely with Sangiovese, the full-bodied palate delivers juicy black cherry, c…

Intensely slatey, even smoky mineral tones distinguish Maximin Grünhäuser's Abtsberg spätlese from the Herrenberg. It shares the same sweet-tart peach and apricot fruit profile, but it's deeper, reve…

Freshness abounds in this invigorating mineral spätlese. It's judiciously sweet, showcasing delicate peach and honey flavors balanced by bracing acidity and complexities of saffron and earth. The fin…

Intense aromas of tropical mango and melon scent this elegant, slightly cream-textured dry Riesling. Sprays of white grapefruit and lime juice brighten the midpalate, extending through a long finish…

L'Attitude needs a warm vintage to succeed, and it got one in '04. The wine, a blend of Carignane, Syrah and other Rhône reds, is dry and complicated, offering rich, earthy, Provençal herb flavors wi…

Rich and thickly textured, this wine features intense botrytis aromas of dried apricots, backing them up with flavors of honey and orange marmalade. Long and intensely sugary on the finish, with enou…

This is one of the most successful Pinots the winery has produced, and I have no doubt it's because the vintage was so cool. The wine is absolutely dry and has bracing acidity, with extraordinarily l…

This is the best Potelle Syrah I've ever had, but be forewarned: It's an extraordinarily tannic wine that shows its 1,800-foot mountain origins. It clocks in at 13.9% alcohol, yet it's bone dry. The…

Richly textured wine, full of ripe and spicy fruit, the acidity just a hint behind the dried honey and watermelon flavors. It is full-bodied, ripe, packed with intense fruit flavors. A wine for aging…

Even with the elder Giuseppe Quintarelli in retirement, this storied name in Valpolicella continues to make one of the most classic and traditional expressions of Amarone available today. The layered…

Sartori hits a home run with this beautiful edition of Amarone Corte Brà. The wine's deep layers reveal balsam aromas of cola and cedar, accented by spicy intensity and a long, smoky aftertaste. Drie…

Sometimes a blend of vineyards like this one can equal or surpass the single-vineyard bottlings. This complex and well-rounded wine achieves a good balance between seductive fruit flavors and more su…

This is not from a generally declared Port Vintage year. However, the year did produce some exceptional wines, such as this one. It has a firm tannic structure under opulent black fruits. Beautifully…

This Avidagos vineyard in the Corgo River Valley is one of the oldest in the Douro. The wine, from a parcel of old vines, is hugely powerful and dense. With its dark tannins, concentrated black fruit…

Among an excellent trio of Chardonnays from Roco, this is the spicy one, with soft and supple tree fruits, a touch of citrus and more. The complexities pile on, suggestions of melon and cotton candy,…

Dark clay, deep layers of earth, black-cherry bread and black-slate aromas show on the nose of this finely woven wine by Matthias Pippig. The palate is distinctive, with rich yet not overripe black-p…

Expressive and loaded with fruit, mineral and spice components, this powerful wine centers around dense flavors of black cherry and cassis. Threads of coffee, caramel, wet rock and citrus keep coming…

Not many $30 wines can offer fruit from 100-year-old vines, but this one does. It's full bodied and rich, with notes of plum and black cherries supported by hints of chocolate and vanilla. With its l…

Aged for 18 months in wood, this impressive ripe wine is full of fruit and also a firm, smoky tannic structure. The partial fermentation in open stone tanks has given the wine an extra dimension of r…

Bright, beautiful and balanced, this tiny production wine is aflutter in high-toned citrus notes, melon and peach. A well-crafted marriage of power and sophistication, the aromatics of wild jasmine s…

This is one of the winery's last takes on this vineyard, as they move their focus to Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. The nose is blackberry liqueur lifted with chopped black sage, fennel stalk and…

Deep, ripe, smooth blackberry, prune, cola and earth aromas are elegant and harmonious. This small-lot Malbec (50 cases made) shows ripeness and freshness on the palate as well as lightly roasted bla…

Blackberry, raspberry and asphalt aromas are staunch and gritty. A tight, firm, structured palate is balanced from front to back, while dark berry flavors are woody, dry, toasty and spicy. The big, s…