Drinkhacker

JUNE 18, 2024

Two wines from Etude, which crafts bottlings from all over California — but particularly Napa Valley. 2021 Etude Pinot Gris Carneros – Etude’s pinot gris invariably offers a floral-heavy, slightly austere experience, and this 2021 bottling is no exception.

Wine 102

Wine Bottling 102

Drinkhacker

JUNE 10, 2024

Tornatore’s Pietrarizzo Etna Bianco is not the same thing as this wine , which is bottled only under its DOC identification of Etna Bianco. The main difference (by my reading) is that Pietrarizzo spends two extra months on the lees before bottling — and in oak barrels instead of stainless steel.

Wine 89

Wine Bottling 89

Drinkhacker

MAY 13, 2024

Before bottling, the wine was aged for nine months in French Oak. Trying the wine, I found it surprisingly assertive for a Pinot. The wine has high acidity providing much needed structure that keeps the fruit in check, and its gentle tannins provide a good mouthfeel.

Wine 107

Wine Bottling 107

Drinkhacker

JUNE 9, 2024

While Daou ‘s lineup is increasingly ubiquitous (we just bought a half bottle of Daou Chardonnay on a recent no-frills Allegiant Airlines flight), it’s still cranking out ultra high-end wines at the top end. Soul of a Lion is its most luxe offering, and we recently sampled the new 2021 vintage release.

Wine 95

Wine Bottling 95

Cheers

JUNE 24, 2024

For our latest round of wine reviews, we asked our national wine panel to taste and rate wines priced at under $30. bottle (unless otherwise noted). If you’d like to submit wines for review, please do so through our Wine Stars app. Four Stars (91-86): A very good wine and an excellent value.

Wine 97

Wine Bottling 97

Imbibe Magazine

FEBRUARY 7, 2024

For Jorge Riera , the headline-making, French-heavy wine lists he created for New York City’s Frenchette aren’t especially new—for him. To Jon Bonné, managing editor of Resy and author of The New French Wine (Ten Speed Press, 2023), the return of France as a dominant news peg in the wine world feels a little like a homecoming.

Wine 262

Wine Bar Sommelier Inventory 262

Drinkhacker

MARCH 7, 2024

Herdade Do Esporao wines bring only positive words to the Portuguese wine conversation: they are sturdy ambassadors staying within the realm of affordability and are consistent in quality. A- / $23 2022 Herdade Do Esporao Reserva White – Sunny and aromatic pouring out of the bottle and into the glass.

Wine 94

Wine Bottling 94

Drinkhacker

MAY 10, 2024

2021 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – The 2020 vintage featured a blend that was 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. This is big and brutish out of the bottle, so at minimum an hour of decanting or air should be allocated to allow to get some level footing.

Wine 52

Wine Bottling 52

Drinkhacker

AUGUST 1, 2024

McPrice Myers recently launched a new label of (very) affordable wines called Hard Working Wines — all made not with generic Central Valley fruit but rather (for the most part) more prized Paso Robles grapes. And yet prices on all of these wines are kept to just $20 a bottle. Let’s dig in.

Wine 89

Wine Bottling 89

Drinkhacker

MARCH 2, 2024

We are returning to the wines of Bryn Mawr in the Willamette Valley, Oregon to sample two recent releases we haven’t tried before: a brut rosé and a Dolcetto. For different reasons, both are rather unusual wines. This sparkling wine is not made using secondary fermentation. Let’s see how it plays out in the bottle.

Wine 81

Wine Infusions Bottling 81

Drinkhacker

SEPTEMBER 14, 2024

The region is best known for Zinfandel, but the wine makers at Avivo note that it has a climate similar to what we find in the Mediterranean and choose to cultivate grapes that are typically grown in Italy. 2021 Avivo Red – 95% Sangiovese, 5% Syrah. I recommend giving the wine some air before trying it or maybe even using a decanter.

Wine 86

Wine Alcohol Bottling 86

Drinkhacker

JUNE 15, 2024

2021 William Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast – Rich with chocolate on the nose, mellowing out with time to present aromas of black currant and baking spice courtesy of oak aging. It’s a bottle one would expect during drinks service in business class or one that could work well as a base for a nice white sangria.

Club 88

Club Wine Bottling 88

Cheers

MARCH 22, 2024

We asked the our national wine panel to taste and rate Old World wines from this past year. As always, these selections include brief tasting notes, a rating and the wine’s retail price (which can vary from store to store and market to market). Four Stars (91-86): A very good wine and an excellent value.

Wine 108

Wine Bottling Alcohol 108

Drinkhacker

JULY 21, 2024

It checks all the boxes expected of a Chardonnay of this pedigree and reputation and is certainly a bottle worthy of special occasions and guests. It’s great now, but I can’t help but wonder if another year or two in storage would see this bottle evolve to higher level.

Bottling 89

Bottling Wine 89

VinePair

JUNE 16, 2024

Bottled water is nothing new. While it’s hard to nail down exactly when the very first water bottle was invented, packaging water for transportation dates all the way back to ancient times. It didn’t take long for the environmental impact of these plastic bottles to become obvious.

Bottling 98

Bottling Wine Alcohol 98

Drinkhacker

MARCH 29, 2024

We aren’t ones to shy away from additional wines from Merry Edwards, with this wintertime release spanning more 2021 pinot noirs, two whites, and the first sparkling wine we’ve tasted from the winery — this one bottled in honor of the upcoming eclipse.

Wine 103

Wine Infusions Bitters Bottling 103

Drinkhacker

JANUARY 13, 2024

Butaud Blanc de Noir – A white wine (with just the barest shade of pink to it) made from 100% mourvedre (red) grapes, 6 barrels made from grapes grown in Desert Willow Vineyards in Seminole, Texas. A- / $48 2021 C.L. Butaud with a look at a pair of newish releases — one white, one red… but both made from red grapes.

Wine 86

Wine Bottling 86

Drinkhacker

AUGUST 3, 2024

The world of wine is currently seeing some interesting shifts in 2024. Some countries find themselves with a glut of bottles in surplus, while others are pulling their vines due to an overcrowded market and low demand. No country feels immune to change and Argentina is no exception.

Wine 96

Wine Bottling 96

Drinkhacker

DECEMBER 16, 2023

Situated slightly northeast of Rome, Italy’s Abruzzo region has many a delight to offer wine lovers and those looking for an adventure slightly off the tourist-beaten paths. This bottle holds promise with one to two years if stored away from sight, but it’s also ready to deliver presently if in a pinch. B / $19 cantinazaccagnini.it

Wine 92

Wine Bottling 92

Imbibe Magazine

JUNE 11, 2024

When the team behind Oxalis , a Michelin-starred restaurant in Brooklyn, opened Clinton Hill wine bar Place des Fêtes in 2022, beverage director Piper Kristensen knew exactly what he didn’t want to do: re-create the same-old, same-old bistronomy-style French-heavy list. Spanish wine—even great Spanish wine—isn’t new to stateside customers.

Wine 174

Wine Bar Sommelier Club 174

VinePair

MARCH 11, 2024

Despite the bleak forecast for much of the global wine industry, Americans still love their red, white, and rosé. In 2021, the U.S. imported a whopping 456 million gallons of wine, accounting for roughly 17 percent of the world’s total wine imports. This region also consumed the least amount of wine per capita at 0.37

Wine 128

Wine Alcohol Beer Bottling 128

VinePair

DECEMBER 20, 2023

White wine has historically faced the stereotype that it’s not as prestigious or worthwhile as red or sparkling. But white wine can be just as complex, ageable, and splurge-worthy as any other style — especially if you know what to look for. Whether you want to impress a Riesling fanatic or convert a skeptic, this bottle can do it all.

Wine 98

Wine Bottling 98

Drinkhacker

MAY 19, 2024

2021 Sonoma-Cutrer The Cutrer Chardonnay Russian River Valley – The Cutrer is always a bold experience from Sonoma-Cutrer, and this aggressive release is no different. The wine to have with Asian cuisine or a spice-laden filet of fish. Pick up a case or two now to get you through the scorching summer.

Wine 91

Wine Infusions Bottling 91

Cheers

DECEMBER 28, 2023

To close out 2023, we asked the our national wine panel to taste and rate their favorite wines from this past year. As always, these selections include brief tasting notes, a rating and the wine’s retail price (which can vary from store to store and market to market). Four Stars (91-86): A very good wine and an excellent value.

Wine 101

Wine Aperitif Bottling 101

VinePair

MARCH 13, 2024

Almost 200 years after his death at Monticello, his beloved Virginia home, we can only imagine what our third president, Thomas Jefferson, might have thought about Virginia wines if he were around to taste them today. Among those planting their flags from all over the wine world: Virginia Wine.

Wine 111

Wine Promotion Promoter Bottling 111

VinePair

AUGUST 27, 2024

Scanning a bottle shop or menu for something other than your tried-and-true wine can be intimidating. With so many choices, it’s easy to throw in the towel and stick to the wines you know best. Nicole Castro Garro, wine director, Lita , Aberdeen, N.J. Its higher acidity allows it to pair with many dishes.

Sommelier 124

Sommelier Wine Bottling Hospitality 124

Drinkhacker

JUNE 25, 2024

So today we’re enjoying three of the fab four: a Chardonnay, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Sauvignon Blanc, all readily affordable and listed for the sensible asking price of around $13 per bottle. Allowing this to chill well isn’t the worst approach to take with this bottle, especially as the summer months start to heat up.

Wine 93

Wine Bottling 93

Drinkhacker

MAY 9, 2024

23 grape varieties are allowed to be used in the Côtes du Rhône AOC, with grenache, syrah, and mourvedre the standard bearers that created the “GSM” moniker that describes numerous wines made in the Rhone style. Recently we sampled three different wines from the region, which together showcase the diversity of the Rhone Valley.

Wine 92

Wine Bottling 92

VinePair

JANUARY 30, 2024

America has a sweet tooth, but when it comes to wine, many tend to avoid bottles with a high sugar content. But if you find a well-made, harmonious bottle, sweet wines can be some of the most complex and age-worthy wines in the world. In sweet wines, balance is key.

Wine 116

Wine Bottling Brandy 116

VinePair

DECEMBER 14, 2023

But affordable and high quality don’t always go hand-in-hand — unless you’re The Prisoner Wine Company. Nestled in Napa Valley, The Prisoner Wine Company’s first bottle, The Prisoner, was released 20 years ago, and the label has since grown to produce some of the region’s most popular and intriguing red blends.

Wine 105

Wine Bar Spoon Mixologist Bottling 105

Drinkhacker

APRIL 21, 2024

2021 Domaine Bousquet Cameleon Organic Cabernet Sauvignon – 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Malbec, and somewhat surprisingly, that 15% stays quietly in the background and does a minimal amount of lifting. An engaging, affordable bottle that will do well with an easygoing weeknight pasta dinner. In other words: terroir.

Bottling 75

Bottling Wine 75

Drinkhacker

AUGUST 6, 2024

Argentina continues to be an outstanding source of wines that hit well above their price point. Today we are looking at 6 wines, all made by winemaker Marcelo Pelleriti with grapes from the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina. This is a big wine, but it is also quite nuanced, and its flavors come together nicely.

Wine 87

Wine Alcohol Bottling 87

VinePair

JUNE 26, 2024

Understanding wine is often about comparisons: If you’re not familiar with a certain variety, what does it remind you of? The issue is tannins, the chewy, often “dusty” remnants of the grapes that coat the mouth, give red wines structure, and make them worthy of aging. Those young California Cabs are quite tannic. Plenty of time.

Wine 105

Wine Alcohol Bottling 105

Drinkhacker

JULY 3, 2024

Today we are fortunate to cover a quintet of wines from the storied operation, including a white blend, three Chianti Classicos, and a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano — offering a broad look at the various styles coming out of the winery. 2021 vintage is pictured, but 2020 was tasted.) Let’s dive in. Let’s dive in.

Wine 77

Wine Bottling 77

Drinkhacker

APRIL 7, 2024

2021 Trapiche Medalla Malbec – Initially assertive with concentrated aromas of blackberry, raisin, and dark cherry, things eventually diminish with nuances of vanilla and toasted oak from aging in French oak barrels emerging and providing balance. Trapiche is certainly among them, maintaining its presence in the conversation year after year.

Bottling 77

Bottling Wine 77

Drinkhacker

FEBRUARY 18, 2024

Tucked away in France’s Loire Valley, Vouvray is a relatively undersung white wine composed entirely of chenin blanc grapes. While most drinkers have experience with dry table wines from the area, you may not realize that Vouvray also producers sweeter wines, in both the demi-sec and fully sweet styles, the latter akin to Sauternes.

Wine 88

Wine Bottling 88

Drinkhacker

JANUARY 8, 2024

Vouvray is both a region in the Loire Valley and a wine, known for its high acidity drawn from the near-exclusive use of chenin blanc grapes. B+ / $32 2021 Domaine Vincent Careme Sparking Vouvray Plaisir Ancestral – Aromatically reminscent of Champagne, with a dry and yeasty nose. Solid value for what’s in the bottle.

Wine 93

Wine Bitters Bottling 93