“In its eighth vintage, grapes were sourced from seven sites: from valley floors to the Mayacamas and Vaca mountains. With 15% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, and aged 21 months, 65% in new French oak, one can pick up aromas and flavors that impart a sweetness from these barrels. Succulent notes of strawberry-vanilla and maple, along with a dense, creamy tex-ture and round tannins, fill the mouth. Blue¬berry preserves and licorice coat the tongue, rich and lathered with milk chocolate.”

“The Elvio Cogno 2016 Barolo Riserva Ravera Vigna Elena represents a tremendous effort and a wine that makes the best of an iconic vintage and a celebrated territory. The Ravera cru of Novello is making some of the best new Barolos today, and it definitely made some of the best expressions from the 2016 vintage. The bouquet is mostly primary and bright, but there are light hints of age that are already beginning to appear. They include licorice, tar and camphor ash.”

“The 2017 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice shows generous inner fiber and richness with dried cherry, blackberry, plum and dark spice. I love the especially smooth and soft quality to what is a powerful and lasting wine.”

"Attractive nose, imbedded with copious red-berry and sweet strawberry notes, as well as hints of sweet spices and Mediterranean herbs. Nimble, medium-bodied palate with a juicy, concentrated core of red fruit. Silky, polished and succulent."

This amber-colored Tokaj Aszú is made from grapes from the Betsek vineyard. It has heady aromas of intense apricot, acacia and Bartlett pear. There is elegant sweetness and flavors of apricot and canned peach. It is nicely balanced in sweetness and acidity.

“A strong vintage for Te Mata and the Hawke's Bay region in general, this release of Elston strikes a fine balance between fruit ripeness, freshness and oak. Lemon and pineapple aromas are vibrant above seashell and creamy oak nuances. The palate shows lovely slippery texture, crystalline acidity and concentrated fruit. It's supported, not dominated, by the wood. A persistent citrus finish makes it easy to take another sip.”

"The 2020 Anas-Cëtta is a brisk, vibrant white. Pear, green apple, mint, sage almond, crushed rocks and white pepper lend notable aromatic brilliance. The move towards a more chiseled style has paid off big-time."

"This vintage is as deftly crafted as the last but is more tightly wound when first opened. Give it air and only a quick chill to allow the citrus, dried tarragon, white blossoms and cream to shine. The acidity is bracing and the oak shows a bit on the palate, but overall there's beautiful length, texture and flavor depth on this well-structured wine."

"This breathtaking beauty offers enticing scents of rose petal, ripe woodland berry, pipe tobacco and camphor. It's full-bodied but elegantly structured, delivering delicious flavors of ripe red cherry, blood orange, licorice and baking spice. Taut, refined tannins provide the framework while bright acidity gives it wonderful balance, energy and tension."

“Aromas of rose petal, dark spice, woodland berries and camphor form the nose on this fragrant, elegant wine. Loaded with finesse, the linear, savory palate features red cherry, orange zest, star anise and black tea alongside tightly wound, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity keeps it impeccably balanced. It's still youthfully austere, with fantastic aging potential.”

This wine comes from one of Tokaji's most famous vineyards. It is light amber in color with heady aromas of honeysuckle, freesia, beeswax and honey. It has pleasant heft on the palate and there are intense flavors of tinned peach, clover honey and apricot conserves. It is a well-made and well-balanced wine that ends on a sweet note and makes you want to go in for another and another, sip.

"A lovely expression of Barolo riserva with just the right balance of fruit and riserva oak, which is quite rare in this category. Ripe, lightly spiced red-fruit character on the nose, which expands into a myriad of extra nuances if you linger, including truffle, ash, dried citrus peel and pressed flowers. Full-bodied with nicely integrated tannins that encourage the fruit character all the way through the long finish. Enduring, bright and cool character at the end. So well constructed, making the best of a great vintage. So good to taste now, but a there’s a long life ahead of this"

"This medium straw-colored wine has aromas of lemon curd and gooseberry. It is well balanced in the midpalate with flavors of lemon curd and bright lemon pith. It has nice minerality and a crisp finish."

"Light amber in the glass, this Aszú has aromas of yellow peach, honeycomb and a whiff of dried fig. In the mouth are intense flavors of white peach, apricot and a touch of savory herbs in the finish."

"Dark amber in the glass, this Tokaj Aszú has aromas of honeycomb, jasmine and freesia. In the mouth are intense flavors of ripe yellow peach and dried apricot."

"The 2020 Cape Crest offers nutty and flinty notes alongside nectarine, black currants, custard apple and citrus flavors. A little more than light in body, there's also a light grainy texture and a hint of sea salt on the fresh, balanced finish. A very appetizing, well-crafted style."

"The 2020 Elston is a round and textural Chardonnay. A delicate, seamless style. There's a light woody oak note in the background, but it allows the ripe peach fruit to shine. The ripe acid on the finish makes your mouth water, and yet this is a satisfying and mellow expression."

"More chalky minerality, chocolate, tobacco leaf, and assorted red and black fruits emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Davies, a full-bodied, rich, textured, ripe mountain Cabernet that has sweet tannin, plenty of fat and opulence, and outstanding length. It has the classic Diamond Mountain richness paired with savoriness, and I'd certainly be thrilled to drink a bottle."

“This features a well of blackberry and black cherry flavors, along with iron, licorice and fresh herb aromas and flavors. The dense tannins are easily matched by the concentrated flavors, and this shows fine potential, despite the compact finish now.”

"Brightened by red cherries and cinnamon in the aromas and flavors, this wine offers everything in good balance. Light tannins and a nip of acidity support its ripe red- and black-cherry flavors that are accented subtly with baking spices from oak aging."