Wine Reviews

90

Needle & Thread 2023 Chardonnay, California ($14)

The rich vanilla pudding mouthfeel is accented by papaya and banana. Chamomile and pine nuts add dimension, and a fine acid structure maintains brightness. Smooth and silky.
WX Brands

94

Nino Franco 2022 Vigneto della Riva di San Floriano, Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Veneto, Italy ($43)

Lemon bar, vanilla wafer and honeyed white rice are alluring and stark notes. Acidity peaks at med-palate, as jasmine takes a lead and lingers on the long, structured finish.

93

Nino Franco NV Rustico, Prosecco Superiore, Valdobiaddene DOCG, Veneto, Italy ($30)

Vanilla cream and jasmine are dramatically flavorful notes. Powdered pineapple, mango, and sweet potato attain a high profile with ebullient acidity.

92

Ocnautic 2023 Red Wine, Paso Robles ($16)

Comprised of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Petite Sirah, and 14% Zinfandel, this is roughly as robust as you might expect from Paso Robles. However, it is also surprisingly fresh and fruity rather than overbearing in physical weight or alcohol, with pure fruit notes providing the wine’s primary impression. A little whiff of wood lends complexity to aromas and flavors akin to blackberries and red cherries. Excellent value.

95

Optik 2022 Pinot Noir, Solomon Hills Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County ($50)

Aromas of cocoa-coffee and pluots are sensational. Soy sauce-kissed Porcini mushrooms and a hint of iron add a savory side. Jasmine, wild strawberry, and roses pick up speed mid-way, edged by minerality and tamed by just-turned soil.

97

Palladino 2016 Barolo D.O.C.G. Riserva San Bernardo, Piedmont, Italy ($100)

A single vineyard Barolo that winters in concrete tanks and then aged in lager French oak barrels, with two years in bottle. Blackberry and slate, earthy to its core, with cinnamon roses and balsamic. Great backbone with sturdy tannins supporting ripe cherry and heady notes of sweet tobacco and tilled soil Engaging.

90

Pampa 2024 Estate Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina ($11)

Moderately deep red color, good purity with lifted aromas of dark plum and cherry. Expressive, medium body, with ample structure, and heaped with primary fruit notes. Accessible, exuberant and lively on the palate with a smooth finish. Very good value for the money.

90

Pampa Family 2021 Reserve Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina ($30)

Well-extracted, deep dense color red, and precise aromas. Black fruit, savory spice, roasted coffee notes, smoky oak, and black olive flavors. Ample volume on the palate, well balanced, with good presence on the front, mid and back palate with a silky smooth textural quality. Higher elevation vineyard site of Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley.