Classic Wines

This blend of garnacha, syrah, and cabernet sauvignon exhibits a deep, impressively concentrated color, an almost inky black at the center that lightens up to ruby. The nose comes off a bit hot, but not distractingly so. Once you get beneath that, ther... read more

Not far from Barcelona lies Priorat, one of the most exciting wine regions in the world today. It is, in fact, one of the great success stories of the late 20th century, and its transformation from also-ran to world wine focal-point is nothing short of... read more

Once you get away from the more well-known wine-producing regions of Italy—Tuscany, Piedmont, Umbria to a certain extent—there is an entire universe left to explore. And while the wines may not have the same cache as their more famous count... read more

This ain’t your girlfriend’s sauvignon bland. Nor is it your wine-snob friend’s single-vineyard Sonoma chardonnay. No, this fabulously interesting white wine is in a class all its own, not likely to jump out at you from the store shel... read more

Much has been made of Brunello di Montalcino lately, perhaps because of the surge in popularity the wine has experienced. And it’s no wonder why—the wines from this region are as deep, rich, and complex as they are anywhere in the world. In... read more

This wine needs a lot of time, patience, and TLC before it’ll give you anything approaching drinking pleasure. But with a good two or three hours of decanting, something magical happens: The nose explodes into deep aromas of crushed red fruit pos... read more

There is perhaps no wine in the world more intimately associated with a specific region than Port. Indeed, the wine itself even carries the name of the place in which it’s produced. Unfortunately, Port was, for a long time, associated with the ol... read more

This wine is not for the faint of heart—or the shallow of wallet. In fact, don’t even think of buying this wine if you don’t have a cellar to store it in, unless you want to experience for yourself what all the fuss is about right now... read more

The aroma of damp stones and minerals is undeniable here—that classic Alsatian austerity that the region’s fans love so much is in abundant evidence. But the beam of lemony acidity cuts right through all that and provides a lift that both b... read more

Among wine lovers, the name Gaja is legendary. The patriarch of this family-run operation, Angelo Gaja, has had the same effect on Italian wine as, say, Frank Sinatra had on American music. Which is to say that his influence has been nothing short of r... read more

This wine, originally the brainchild of two of the world’s most highly regarded producers-Frescobaldi and the Robert Mondavi family-seems to embody all the potential of the “Super-Tuscan” name. And the best part is it won’t brea... read more

July 17, 2007This wine is exactly the sort of thing you should keep half a case of in your cellar or on your wine rack: It’s wonderfully fruit-forward but not dumbed-down like so many other value-priced wines, varietally accurate (meaning it actu... read more

July 09, 2007Rose season is here, and not a moment too soon. There is, after all, only so much of the same old red and white juice you can possibly drink, and rose - or, in this case, rosato - is the perfect antidote. The wines are generally less than ... read more

Wine of the Week: July 3, 2007This wine is the color of fresh blood, with a brick-colored rim heading in the direction of garnet. But the nose is all rich, ripe blueberries and blackberries, a hint of the expected zinfandel spiciness, and a base note o... read more

Wine of the Week: June 24, 2007This wine is proof of how far California sparklers have come. I just wish more people would shell out the extra $5 to buy a bottle of this beauty and leave the Korbel on the shelf. Not that there's anything particularly w... read more

Wine of the Week: May 31, 2007Wine, like fashion, has its brand-obsessed masses. Who among them wouldn't like a brand-new Armani suit, a fetching new Fendi bag, a magnum of 1995 Chateaux Margaux or a case of DRC Romanée-Conti? But then there are... read more

On a recent visit to Washington State, I had the opportunity to visit a few select wineries in the Seattle/Olympic Peninsula area. Most wineries in this area source their grapes from the sunnier and milder eastern regions of the state, such as the Colu... read more

An interestingly lolly-pop-like purple color that lightens to ruby at the edges is the first indication that this is a lighthearted wine. The nose smells strongly of cloves, and this exotic spiciness is mirrored on the palate, which also shows a bit of... read more

This deep ruby-colored beauty is redolent of dark berry, ripe strawberry, bittersweet chocolate and ground coffee on the nose and tastes wonderfully nutmeg, fresh vanilla, and coffee.There is a pronounced underpinning of smoke, typical of a Sangiovese-... read more