With the 2019 vintage just now coming into the market, the ’18 remained fresh, deeply hued, and voluminous with a generosity of fruit. Nebbiolo is sourced from two single vineyard properties, and the wine is aged 15 months – surpassing the nine month minimum. It then spends three years in insert vessels before bottling. Lush undertones of violets, dark chocolate, and fennel add depth. You can taste the soil, with tarry notes of anise. Stunning.
Aged on the lees and absolutely no use of oak creates a unique style. Its suede-textured entry is deep and intense, with mocha-boysenberry and black cherry. Decidedly robust, with an inner goosedown weightlessness. Notes of soy sauce and walnut skin bring an earthy tonality as the fruit continues to embrace the palate.
Named for one of the original parcels the family purchased, this vivacious Cortese-based white offers aromas of pear tart. White flowers, and lemon meringue. With no skin contact, and a long, cool fermentation of 30 days, the elegance shows through with bright notes of tangerine and marzipan with a flinty saline twist thanks to its limestone “tufa” soils. Acidity is admirable and does not overwhelm the zesty lime mouthfeel.
Even at such an early stage of its youth, this wine is already knitting together into a highly successful whole: Sweet, beautifully integrated tannins frame notes of cassis, currants, blueberries, licorice, and cafe mocha. This is a ripe wine, but it has the minerality to keep it fresh, and the potential to age nicely for the next 10 to 15 years.
Aromatically complex yet still anchored, the balance between lemon blossom lift and citrus acidity is beautifully woven. Flavors of white grapefruit, papaya, fennel bulb, and tarragon mingle seamlessly, and resolve in a savory, mineral finish.
Savory notes of tilled earth and loam are perked up with a punch of red-cherry acidity and crunchy minerality. A very appealing umami core provides the spine against which brambly berries and cherries sing with woodsy spice. This widely available Pinot punches way above the weight its price tag might imply.
This white is kissed with 4% Semillon, and saw four months of aging in predominantly neutral French oak (30% rested instead in concrete egg and stainless steel). Vibrant flavors of quince, passionfruit, and yellow grapefruit are joined by mixed garden herbs, and all of it is lively with balanced acidity. At $20, this is a fantastic value.
Gluten-free and vegan, with aromas of peach and fresh linen. Tart green apple and a squeeze of lime exhibit a crisp, refreshing white.