The 2021 Gigondas boasts lovely florals that suggest roses and violets, plus garrigue and black cherry notes. It's medium to full-bodied, not the rich, blockbuster-concentrated wine that some vintages at this address can yield, but charming, balanced, silky and easy to drink. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes. Drink date: 2023-2035. Score - 92. (Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com, May 16, 2024)
A full-bodied red with savory aromas of stewed currants, salted plums, mushrooms and dried herbs. Some seaweed, too. Firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity balance a concentrated core of black fruit with a savory edge. Dense and chewy. Very refined and polished. Gorgeous cabernet. Score - 95. (jamessuckling.com, April 2, 2021)
A lively, succulent and composed Chianti Classico showing aromas of forest berries, dried flowers, thyme and warm spices with some dry clay. It's medium-bodied with fine tannins and fresh acidity. Bright and agile, with a vivid center palate and a tactile, driven finish. Drink or hold [through 2030+]. Score - 93. (jamessuckling.com, July 11, 2024)
A good-value Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire. It's sourced from vines averaging 22-30 years of age, with some fruit coming from 50-year-old vines. This crisp, buoyant, intense wine is immediately and unmistakably Sauvignon Blanc, showing citrus, mango, gooseberry, and complex herbal notes that suggest mint and nettles. The gently spicy finish has a distinct mineral note.
Ruby black color. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, eucalyptus, rosemary and white pepper, and tea with a velvety, lively, dry medium body and a warming, interesting, medium-length finish that exhibits nuances of blackberry, leather and white pepper, menthol, and red and black cherry with herbs with crunchy, chewy tannins and light oak flavor. A big Shiraz that stays in balance and doesn't become heavy while still showing good complexity; a natural pairing for rare steak or herb crusted lamb. Exceptional. Score - 91. (tastings.com, Sept. 12, 2024)
Lime curd, fresh pineapple, minerals and seashells on the nose, followed by a juicy, refreshing and medium-bodied palate. Excellent drinkability. Drink now. Score - 90. (jamessuckling.com, Nov. 28, 2024)
This top tier Riesling from HoP is always one of the best Rieslings made in Niagara from vintage to vintage. It's from the estate's Short Hills Bench vineyard, planted to the Weiss 21b clone in 1984. It has a beautiful nose of gushing lime, Meyer lemon, fresh salinity, wet stones, peaches, and apricots. It feels dry on the palate, despite over 10 g/L of RS, and shows fresh squeezed lime, grapefruit, peach tart, pears, chalky minerality, razor-sharp acidity and a bright, lifted finish. Can age through 2034. Score - 94. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, Feb. 18, 2025)
This wine comprises Nebbiolo, Barbera and Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), each vinified and matured separately before the final blend is assembled. It's ripe and bold, with bright red fruit, earth, forest floor, chocolate, and a touch of spice. The Barbera brings freshness and lift, while the tannins of the Nebbiolo gain a nuanced elegance from the Pinot Noir. A thrill for the grill.
Tornatore is one of the larger wineries among dozens on the north slope of Mt. Etna. Made from the local carricante grape, this is a hefty yet streamlined white with a complex and well integrated nose of almost tropical guava and olive overlaid with the flinty/smoky aromas of Etna's volcanic soils. Almost peppery as well. It is a full bodied fairly dense and serious white with girth and length. Really solid and well balanced with excellent length. Tasted March 2024. Score - 91. (David Lawrason, winealign.com)
Always a delight, this rosé is fermented in stainless steel and delivers a lithe, light character, with fresh strawberry, apricot, and a delicate minerality. Enjoy it with grilled prawns dressed with lemon, chili and oregano.
Here's a naranjo with a vivid, light orange hue that you don't come across very often. Very perfumed nose with orange blossoms, jasmine tea, white grapes and orange jelly. Medium- to full-bodied with some subtle, lightly grainy tannins and a floral finish. Drink now. Score - 91. (Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com, March 1, 2024)
Sweet tobacco, hot chocolate, black plums, blackcurrants and spearmint on the nose. Full-bodied, chocolaty and plush, with fine tannins. Both toasty and leafy at the end. Drink now. Score - 91. (jamessuckling.com, Jan. 27, 2023)
It's gorgeously fruited and intensely expressed on the nose, showing passionfruit, pineapple, mango and lime zest aromas. The palate delivers excellent weight and fruit power, wonderfully supported by vibrant acidity, making it delicious and hugely appealing. At its best: now to 2030. Score - 95. (Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz, Sept. 2024)
It's charming and elegantly fragrant on the nose with green pear, apricot, rockmelon and white floral aromas, followed by a finely flowing palate that's ripe and supple. Beautifully rounded and juicy with a lengthy tasty finish. At its best: now to 2026. Score - 93. (Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz, Aug. 2023)
A blend of Gamay, Merlot and Pinot Gris, this sunny, engaging rosé is bursting with red berry, lemon and grapefruit tones. Its fine structure makes it a great option for salmon or chicken from the grill, or simply for sipping and savouring.
Sourced from Cave Spring Vineyard's oldest, lowest-yielding vines, this structured, elegant wine is a faithful expression of the limestone-rich soils. It shows attractive notions of hazelnut, ripe apple, crème brûlée, vanilla extract and stony mineral, with a suggestion of coconut on the finish. Pair it with grilled salmon, lobster with wild rice, or stuffed pork tenderloin.
70% Monastrell, 20% Syrah, 10% Garnacha Tintorera. Teeming with raspberries and redcurrants with a light dusting of cinnamon spice. Rounded and pleasurable with abundant, fleshy tannins and a mouth-watering zip of acidity. Score - 95. (Decanter World Wine Awards, 2024)
Sourced from Block Ten of the Finca El Retiro, this is always among the most exciting expressions of Torrontés in Argentina. Fermented and aged in concrete eggs, it's a focused, textured, pithy white with layers of lemongrass, citrus peel and clementine, some stony minerality and a hint of Burgundian style struck match. Drink date: 2025-2030. Score - 95. (timatkin.com, Argentina Special Report 2024)
Though not believed to be native to Rueda, Verdejo has truly flourished there and is grown virtually nowhere else. It's often blended with Viura or Sauvignon Blanc, but this example is 100% Verdejo. It shows pear, grapefruit, tropical fruit, and garden herbs and is ideal for sushi.
Made from 100% estate fruit organically grown on the Beamsville Bench. Fruit is whole-bunch pressed before fermentation in concrete using ambient yeast, after which the wine is aged 10 months in concrete and an additional eight in stainless steel before it's bottled unfiltered. Expansive and textured, it evokes lemon oil, crunchy yellow apple, oyster shell and sea salt and features a long, luxurious finish.