WineSpeed - Wines to Know

May 26, 2023

SELBACH-OSTER

Zeltingen Sonnenuhr Riesling GG 2020

(Mosel, Germany) $50

I first met the multi-generational Selbach family at their home on the Mosel River nearly thirty years ago. I remember the ravishing purity of their wines back then. Today (if this is possible), the wines are even better—crystalline, deeply rich yet aerial with elegance. This dry Riesling in particular tastes to me as if, by magic, tender ripe apricots have metamorphosed into crunchy minerals. The wine fairly vibrates with aliveness. It is ranked a GG or Grosses Gewächs (Great Growth) from the family’s rocky Grand Cru-level estate vineyard near the sonnenuhr (sundial) midslope on the hill above the town of Zeltingen—a perfect “thermal belt” site. Like all exquisite GG wines, this is dry. It’s made from 80-year-old vines, sunlight, and nothing more (except perhaps a lot of TLC).

96 points KM

Available at Back Room Wines

May 19, 2023

RAEN

“Royal St. Robert” Pinot Noir 2021

(Sonoma Coast, CA) $70

If great winemaking can be “in your genes,” then Carlo and Dante Mondavi are evidence. The sons of Tim Mondavi and grandsons of the late Robert Mondavi make sensational tiny-production, cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay—wines that are out-of-this world great. Almost aerial in their elegance and yet deeply rich, the wines have such beauty and purity of flavor that I could have been fooled into thinking I was drinking Grand Cru Burgundy. The “Royal St. Robert” (an homage to Robert) evokes spiced cherries, rose petals, sea spray, and sun-lit meadows. The sensory arc of the wine is languorously long from beginning to end. Once, years ago, when I was interviewing Robert Mondavi, he said to me, “Pinot Noir isn’t supposed to knock your socks off. It’s supposed to slip them off slowly.” If only he could have tasted RAEN. I think he would have been very proud.

And a final note: Carlo Mondavi, among the most active winemaking environmentalists of his generation, is passionate about climate action, soil health, species preservation, and regenerative farming. Watch our People-to Know video interview with Carlo, coming up in the June 2 edition of WineSpeed.

98 points KM

Available at Wine.com

May 12, 2023

FEL

“Savoy Vineyard” Chardonnay 2020

(Anderson Valley, CA) $52

The Anderson Valley, on the cold Pacific coast several hours north of San Francisco, is known by California wine insiders as a place to watch for elegant Pinot Noir as well as rich and vibrant Chardonnay. FEL’s Chardonnay (from one of the region’s best vineyards) is exactly that—a wine with brioche richness that, at the same time, sings with vivid freshness. Crunchy apple, lime zest, Asian pear, and mandarin orange notes are threaded with a creamy tanginess. Bright and sophisticated, it’s a California Chardonnay that (thankfully) is not drowned in oak and butteriness. FEL—the sister winery of Cliff Lede Vineyards in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley—is making simply stellar Chardonnay.

95 points KM

Available at FEL Wines

May 5, 2023

PIEROPAN

“Calvarino” Soave Classico 2021

(Soave, Veneto, Italy) $35

If I had to name the three best white wines in Italy, Pieropan’s “Calvarino” would be one of them. The first single-vineyard white wine in Italy (designated as such more than 50 years ago), it’s a wine of ravishing purity. Freshness vibrates through the wine with such exquisite vitality, it stops you in your tracks. “Calvarino” is made mostly from indigenous Garganega grapes grown on volcanic hillsides. And importantly, it’s made entirely in cement tanks so it’s exposed to very little oxygen. The result is a wine with bracing minerality, exotic floral notes, and a sense of elegance that’s enrapturing. Do not miss this! (Note: Pieropan’s “regular” Soave Classico 2022 is just coming on the market. Not quite as ethereal as “Calvarino,” but delicious and a total steal at $20.)

97 points KM

Available at Vivino.com

April 28, 2023

BIG TABLE FARM

Pinot Noir 2021

(Willamette Valley, OR) $50

One of the best things about a top Oregon Pinot Noir is how it feels—silk on satin. Plus a rich core of lively fruit that’s just ripe but never overripe. Big Table Farm makes a slew of these. Their Pinot from the Willamette Valley is their basic appellation wine (they also make more expensive single vineyard wines), but it’s always one of my favorites. Can a wine taste like an explosion of cool crunchy cherries? Or an eruption of raspberry coulis? The purity, freshness, and aliveness of this wine is addictive. As the saying goes: run don’t walk. Big Table Farm’s Pinot Noirs—with their charming letterpress labels hand-drawn by the co-owner—sell out fast.

94 points KM

Available at Wine.com

April 21, 2023

CORISON

“Kronos Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

(St. Helena, Napa Valley, CA) $225

Cathy Corison was the first woman winemaker to own her own winery in Napa Valley. She’s now made more than 35 vintages in the valley, honing her style year by year. That style? Making Cabernets that are so alive they have a lit-from-within quality. This Cabernet from Kronos (her top vineyard) is a perfect example. Plush yet precise, structured yet elegant, it’s a wine of depth, complexity, and beauty. It slow dances onto the palate with languorous deliciousness, then whirlwinds its way to a long supple finish. It’s one of the best Cabernets in all of Napa, and one of my favorites year after year. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are coming, and this gem would be the perfect gift.

97 points KM

Available at Corison Winery

April 14, 2023

EDOUARD DELAUNAY

Pommard Premier Cru “Les Frémiers” 2019

(Pommard, Burgundy, France) $125

In a world of $500-(and up)-a-bottle Burgundy, finding a Premier Cru that’s $125 seems—well, somewhat more reasonable. For, every now and then, it’s good to remind ourselves of Burgundy’s inimitable flavors and textures. Burgundy remains, after all, the “mother ship” of terroir. The domaine Edouard Delaunay is not well-known today. Even though the family’s wine business dates back to 1893, the estate had fallen into near oblivion, until it was recently rescued by fifth generation descendent Laurent Delaunay. Delaunay has access to some impeccable plots, but of all the wines we tasted, we loved this Pommard “Les Frémiers” the best. (The word comes from fremyer, Old French for “robust.”) Wild and lively, the wine felt like a racehorse coming, full force, right out of the starting gate. Lots of earthiness and peatiness followed, plus notes of violets, cherries, and a delicious streak of salinity. Both dramatic and elegant, it was a wine none of us could stop drinking. Final note: as a premier cru Burgundy, this wine is not effortless to put your hands on, but many Total Wine & More stores carry it. Total’s concierge service (conciergesales@totalwine.com) will facilitate buying it.

95 points KM

Available at Total Wine & More

April 7, 2023

SOJOURN

Pinot Noir 2021

(Sonoma Coast, California) $41

A sommelier friend of ours calls Pinot Noirs like this “steakhouse Pinots”—meaning they’re big, lip-smacking, bursting with fruit, and yes, powerful enough to stand up to a grilled steak. (In other words, Burgundy lovers, this may not be your cup of tea.) But Sojourn’s Pinot is just so downright hedonistic that we couldn’t help but be won over by it. And the yum factor is as palpable as a bowl of cool crunchy cherries and raspberries drizzled with kirsch. (In an ever-increasing sea of $100 California Pinots, Sojourn’s less-than-$50 price feels nice.) Founded in 2001, Sojourn Cellars is now owned by winemaker Angelina Mondavi, one of the fourth generation of that famous California clan. Time to fire up the grill.

93 points KM

Available at Vivino.com

March 31, 2023

PENLEY ESTATE

"Helios" Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

(Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia) $60

Australian Shiraz may get all the attention, but Australian Cabernet Sauvignon can be stunning—especially the Cabernets from Coonawarra (in South Australia) and from the Margaret River (in Western Australia). Coonawarra, in fact, is one of the few places in the world where Cabernet grows in limestone soils. Helios (the word is Ancient Greek for the sun god) by Penley Estate is packed with blackberry and cassis flavors woven together with bay, sage, and menthol. It’s a “cool” Cabernet that bursts onto the palate with wonderful liveliness. There’s lots of fine tannin here that gives the wine a sense of majesty. If you know Napa Cabernet, and know Bordeaux, it’s time to experience Australia’s top Cabs.

94 points KM

Available at Old Bridge Cellars

March 24, 2023

STARK-CONDÉ

Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

(Stellenbosch, South Africa) $25

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of South Africa’s leading red grapes, and the top wines are both fantastic—and fantastically priced. Bold, sleek, and delicious, this Cabernet from Stark-Condé leads with a big wave of rich blackberry and cassis flavors, then finishes with a streak of coffee, dark chocolate and mineral notes. The impressive tannin here calls for some grilled chops. The story of Stark-Condé is an amazing coming-together of nationalities and cultures—Japanese, Cuban, American, and of course South African. Black winemaker Rüdger van Wyk is a rising star.

92 points KM

Available at Vivino

March 17, 2023

MASSOLINO

Nebbiolo 2020

(Langhe, Piedmont, Italy) $37

If you love Italian food and wine, I hope this is the wine you drink sometime soon. (It’s easy to buy; see below). The minute I tasted it, I wished I had an Italian grandmother who was, right that moment, rolling out some tagliarini or stuffing some ravioli. (Sigh). Nebbiolo—considered by many to be the greatest Italian red grape variety—is the grape that makes Barolo, which is famous, long-lived, often hard-to-get, and usually quite expensive. So, finding a great Nebbiolo from the area around Barolo, but not in the appellation, is the key to scoring something delicious to drink that doesn’t require hocking the family jewels. This wine fits that bill. It’s from the Langhe, and Massolino is one of the top producers in all of Northern Italy. I’d drink anything they make. Nebbiolo is light in color, but don’t let that fool you. The variety usually arrives with a big bolt of tannin. But Massolino’s Nebbiolo is, thankfully, not aggressive. In fact, the sweep of cherry and dark chocolate flavors is what defines the wine and makes you want to come back to it again and again. Time to put the pasta water on to boil.

93 points KM

Available at Wine.com

March 10, 2023

LA CAPILLA

Crianza 2018

(Ribera del Duero, Spain) $31

Red wines from Ribera del Duero in northern Spain are not known for their frailty, and La Capilla (The Chapel) is a great example. Lush, soft, and powerful, this is a wine for red meat if there ever was one. But power alone is not why we fell in love with this gem. The aromas and flavors (anise, lavender, chocolate, cherries, spices) are layered and complex. And best of all, while La Capilla is uber rich, it also has a streak of freshness, keeping it lively on the palate. Like the vast majority of Ribera del Duero wines, this one’s made 100% from tempranillo, Spain’s great red grape. “Crianza” means it was aged a minimum of two years (one of which must be in oak casks) before release.

93 points KM

Available at Plummarket.com