Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Venerable Napa Valley producer Pahlmeyer has a winner on its hands with the accessible (and fairly priced) Jayson line, named after founder Jayson Pahlmeyer. The Jayson Sauvignon Blanc is a more recent entry in the lineup, and it's lovely; sporting grapefruit and lemongrass aromas, peach and citrus flavors, and an air of seriousness that suggests a heavy Bordeaux Blanc influence.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Feeling a flair for the exotic? Then check out the Talo red from Cantine-Feudi di San Marzano. This 100% Malvasia Nera from Brindisi is affordable but age-worthy, silky yet structured, and has easy to appreciate plum fruit flavors balanced by complex aromas of anise, violets, and mint. It's a compelling sipper that can will provide fodder for wine geeks, as well as those just looking for a great match for grilled burgers.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Inama is famous for producing Carmenere in Soave country, but its Garganega offerings are equally as compelling; particularly their Vigneti di Foscarino. Here is a Soave that is crafted from fruit from 40+ year old vines, sees older oak fermentation, and even some batonnage. The result is a Soave white that stays true to form with its freshness, but that also contains enough "stuffing" that could see it mature for 8-10 years in the bottle.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Spring has been kind of commandeered by Rose, but it'd be a crime to ignore a good Provencal pink such as the Inspiration during the warmer Summer months. Chateau de Berne gets its fruit (a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, and 10% Syrah) from a mix of vineyards that are surrounded by pine forest and lavender fields, and range in soil types from stony to sandy. That mix gives their dry Inspiration rose a great balance, with pomegranate and cherry aromas on one side, and fresh/tart strawberry flavors on the other.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Simply put, this tribute to Olé Imports co-founder Patrick Mata's mother (who spoke German at home, hence the wine's name) is a gorgeous expression of what Albarino can offer. Sourced from three vineyard sites in the Val do Salnes of Rías Baixas (some of which are located only 100 feet from the Atlantic Ocean), this white is a masterful display - citrus, orange zest, white flowers, ginger-like spices, and white fig are all evoked when drinking it. Muti's foudres aging and its zesty acidity both suggest that it will age well in bottle, too.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Susana Balbo has become one of the most trusted names in Argentine wine (she was, after all, the first Argentinean woman to be hired as an international consulting winemaker), and her barrel-fermented Torrontes shows that she has some imaginative twists up her sleeve. This white sees about three months of aging in medium-toast French oak barrels, which is just enough time to impart additional depth and spices to the exotic fruit flavors of this variety, while still retaining its floral, honey, and mineral notes.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
The "Super-Tuscan" phenomenon can sometimes feel a bit played-out, but that bit of marketing exhaustion hasn't stopped Tuscany from churning out ever-better versions of its Sangiovese and Bordeaux grape red blends. Venerable Italian producer Cecchi has a winner on their hands with their Coevo Super-Tuscan, a blend of grapes hailing primarily from their Castellina and Maremma vineyard estates. This is a rich, refined, and thoroughly modern take on Tuscan reds, with ample black fruit flavors and notes of licorice and wood spices.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
One of the best examples that we live in the best of times for wine lovers has been the advent of popularity for the previously unsung dry red wine blends of Portugal's Douro. Better known for making potentially long-lived sweet wines, the same red grapes that converge to produce Port can also make compelling still wines. Such is the case for Quinta de la Rosa's main red blend - it's juicy, chewy, spicy, and smooth, with black fruit flavors and enough underlying structure to age well in bottle for 2-4 years.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Is there any fine wine grape that can't thrive in California's Central Coast? Certainly Opolo Vineyards are making a case to include at least one more French transplant - Roussanne - to the list of varieties that are taking well to the CA sunshine. This is a round, rich, and buoyant white, which tops off its stone and tropical fruit flavors with aromas of white flowers, minerals, and herbs.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Sometimes, you run into a wine that is so delicious, it's basically impossible to hate. Dr. H. Thanisch's Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett, from the famed and historic Mosel region of Germany, is one such wine. Resplendent with stone fruit flavors, it manages to conjure up notes of lemon drop candy, limes, nectarine, and spices, and to present it all in a focused, fresh, and friendly package.
