Approachable, full-throttle red blend of unlikely bottle mates—petit verdot and petite sirah. Take note, there is nothing “petite” about wines made with either of these grapes. Petit verdot usually shows up in Bordeaux blends. Petite sirah rides alongside California zinfandel. The intriguing Texas pairing delivers a tasty, surprisingly well-integrated marriage of grapes known for their deep color, firm tannins, and power. Yee-Haw, Texas! $55-60 Continue reading “Invention Vineyards P2, Fredericksburg, Texas 2022”
Month: May 2026
Tenuta Cucco Langhe Nebbiolo DOC 2023
Fresh, vibrant “baby Barolo” from a Serralunga d’Alba estate that also makes classic Barolo. In this case, the winemakers work to tone down tannins during fermentation, then forgo oak contact. The result is a young, light, drinker-friendly nebbiolo that shuns the raw power and extreme ageability the grape can attain. $25-35 Continue reading “Tenuta Cucco Langhe Nebbiolo DOC 2023”
Varvaglione Cosimo Varvaglione Collezione Privata Old Vines Negroamaro del Salento IGP 2021
Complex, layered wine made with the negroamaro grape, a key black-skinned grape in Salento, the sun-washed peninsula in the heel of Italy’s boot. This is a stellar example of what can be done with the grape. Easy drinker over-delivers. $28-30 Continue reading “Varvaglione Cosimo Varvaglione Collezione Privata Old Vines Negroamaro del Salento IGP 2021”
K Estate Estate Tempranillo, Texas Hill Country 2023
Built-to-please, food-friendly expression of Texas tempranillo, the red grape that has a particularly affinity to Texas terroir. Very accommodating, easy drinker with just enough red-fruit character to be interesting. $51-60 Continue reading “K Estate Estate Tempranillo, Texas Hill Country 2023”
Crane Lake Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, California NV
Cheap easy-drinker. There is only faint depth and complexity, but is a very respectable wine for $5-7 a bottle. There are nights and events and situations where that is all you need. Continue reading “Crane Lake Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, California NV”
Domaine Bousquet Ameri Wild Roots Block #3 Organic Malbec, Eva Estate, Gualtallary, Mendoza 2022
Domaine Bousquet’s most ambitious wines, made in relatively small amounts and only with superior vintages from block-selected sites from the premier Eva Estate. Excellent effort from one of the world’s reference points in organic wines. This is Argentine quality hitting on all cylinders without requiring a second mortgage to enjoy. $85 Continue reading “Domaine Bousquet Ameri Wild Roots Block #3 Organic Malbec, Eva Estate, Gualtallary, Mendoza 2022”
Avignonesi Nobile di Montepulciano, Toscana Biologico DOCG 2021
Excellent, affordable sangiovese winner from a historic Montepulciano estate that has reinvented itself over the past 15 years as one of Tuscany’s flagship terroir-driven producers. $25-30 Continue reading “Avignonesi Nobile di Montepulciano, Toscana Biologico DOCG 2021”