Category: Other

La Rioja Alta Vina Arana Rioja Reserva 2009

92
La Rioja Alta Vina
Fanciful Name: Reserva
Varietal: Rioja
Vintage: 2009
Country of Origin: Spain
Retail Price: $30

Tasting Notes: Rich, powerful and full bodied. Loaded with inviting black truffle and blueberry. Well balanced. Drinking great right now but will continue to develop for a few years.
La Rioja Alta Vina Arana Rioja Reserva 2009

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Antica Corte Valpoicella Ripasso 2015

92
Antica Corte
Varietal: Corvina
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: Italy
Retail Price: $25

Tasting Notes: This wine expresses power and concentration of the Ripasso method. The wine showcases flavors of black cherry, blueberry and oak tones. It’s framed with a fresh acidity providing a long length and excellent food compatibility.
Antica Corte Valpoicella Ripasso 2015

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Gran Appasso 2015

92
Gran Appasso
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: Italy
Retail Price: $17

Tasting Notes: A remarkable blend of negroamaro and primitivo grapes from Puglia. Deep rich color with dense cherry notes. A slight raisiny character with soft vanilla oak tones. Overall medium balanced fruit and oak body with a lasting dried fruit finish. Great when paired with lasagna and tenderloin roast.
Gran Appasso 2015

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Henry Fessy Les Vergers Macon-Villages 2014

92
Henry Fessy
Fanciful Name: Les Vergers
Vintage: 2014
Country of Origin: France
Appellation: Macon-Villages
Retail Price: $16

Tasting Notes: The bright apple and citrus aromas that fill the glass are quite welcoming. The presence of all-stainless-steel ageing are evident in this extremely bright, clean and elegant wine. Beautifully balanced acidity and minerality make this wine truly a pleasure to drink. A wonderfully fresh-but-slightly sweet finish is perfect for any occasion.
Henry Fessy Les Vergers Macon-Villages 2014

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Bodegas Ondarre Reserva 2010

93
Bodegas Ondarre
Fanciful Name: Reserva
Vintage: 2010
Country of Origin: Spain
Retail Price: $20

Tasting Notes: An abundance of nice tart cherry and spice are prevalent on the nose. The palate is greeted by a pleasant plum and balanced oak taste. There are notes of vanilla and earth around mid-palate. The finish is long and tannic with subtle spice.
Bodegas Ondarre Reserva 2010

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Chocapalha Arinto 2016

94
Chocapalha
Varietal: Arinto
Vintage: 2016
Country of Origin: Portugal
Retail Price: $14.99

Tasting Notes: Arinto (Pronounce it like a Star Wars droid, RN2) is a great alternative for your sauvignon blanc/pinot grigio customers. Bright, clean, with great focus, it's refreshing, and very food friendly. This version is one of the best, and a wonderful value. Citrus, and a touch of tropical fruit, with a long finish.
Chocapalha Arinto 2016

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Elvio Tintero Barbaresco 2014

94
Elvio Tintero
Varietal: Barbaresco
Vintage: 2014
Country of Origin: Italy
Retail Price: $29.99

Tasting Notes: Elvio Tintero makes affordable wines in Piedmont and the Barbaresco is the star. This fruit-forward, easier-drinking expression of nebbiolo offers people a nice entry into the market, while also attracting the nebbiolo purist. This is the perfect balance between big and bold, and pleasing to drink now, with roses screaming from the glass into your nose and red fruits and earth finishing on the palate. Most barbaresco that come in at this price don't deliver the goods. This is not that case.
Elvio Tintero Barbaresco 2014

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Domaine Filliatreau Chateau Fouquet Saumur Rouge 2015

95
Domaine Filliatreau
Fanciful Name: Chateau Fouquet
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: France
Retail Price: $19.99

Tasting Notes: 100% Cabernet Franc from organically grown grapes from vineyards in the Saumur village of Breze. The wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel. Expressive floral, black fruit and coffee aromas combine with rich earth tones. Concentrated flavors of blackberry, plum and mocha harmonize with firm tannins and a lovely hint of terroir. The finish is long with sweet/tart acidity melding perfectly with the tannins. Decant for at least two hours and pair with roast pork, duck, lamb or game. Though very enjoyable now, this wine will cellar beautifully for 3-5 years.
Domaine Filliatreau Chateau Fouquet Saumur Rouge 2015

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Manni Nossing Gruner Veltliner 2015

95
Manni Nossing
Varietal: Gruner Veltliner
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: Italy
Retail Price: $26.99

Tasting Notes: Gruner veltliner from . . . Alto Adige? Yes, that's right! Welcome to the coolest and most surprising white wine you will try all year. This is the white wine of all white wines this year. Wonderfully balanced, perfectly acidic, dancing on all cylinders and making us forget this is a grape Austria made famous. Partake in this gem from Manni Nossing and join the Italian gruner veltliner bandwagon.
Manni Nossing Gruner Veltliner 2015

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Domaine Filliatreau La Grande Vignolle Saumur-Champigny Rouge 2015

96
Domaine Filliatreau
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: France
Appellation: La Grande Vignolle
Retail Price: $22.99

Tasting Notes: The Cabernet Franc for this fabulous wine is grown on the La Grande Vignolle vineyard which is composed of a unique type of limestone called tufa-stone and highly calcareous subsoils. The mineral nuances are evident in the wine from beginning to end. Along with this, there is a lush bouquet of lilac, raspberry, and cherry. There are layers of concentrated red fruit, clove, and licorice flavors with a hint of “cigar-box” leading to a long finish with firm tannins. To enjoy now, decant for at least 2 hours. For optimum enjoyment, lay this one away for 5-7 years. Your patience will be well-rewarded!
Domaine Filliatreau La Grande Vignolle Saumur-Champigny Rouge 2015

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Domaine Filliatreau “Linnea” Saumur Blanc 2016

96
Domaine Filliatreau
Fanciful Name: Linnea
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2016
Country of Origin: France
Retail Price: $16.99

Tasting Notes: 100% chenin blanc from 25-plus-year-old vines grown on the Filliatreau Family Estate. Fermented and aged in stainless steel with a short maceration on the skins. A bouquet of melon, pear, peach and a wisp of anise leads to those flavors on the palate with crisp, lively acidity and a hint of minerality on the lengthy finish. The wine is totally dry, though really shows lovely ripe fruit. It’s a great example of Loire chenin blanc that will complement seafood, cream sauces and milder Oriental cuisine. It’s also a perfect aperitif!
Domaine Filliatreau “Linnea” Saumur Blanc 2016

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Sets Brunelli 2012

98
Sets
Varietal: Brunelli
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Italy
Retail Price: $98.99

Tasting Notes: If classic brunello is what you want, classic is what you get! Sesti produces their wines the rustic style, embodying the style that brunello gained its fame for. The fruit flavors are there, but they take a back seat to the aroma that bursts from the glass and welcomes you in for a brunello experience you won't soon forget.
Sets Brunelli 2012

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