Light ruby colour with a minerally, cherry nose; elegant raspberry and cherry flavours, velvety on the palate with a dry, firm finish.
From their Angela Estate vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton, this perfumed and generous Pinot shows the finesse of its ancient marine sedimentary soils. Ripe strawberry, raspberry and cherry are seasoned with rosehips, fine salts and pink peppercorn, and bracketed with fine, sticky/grippy tannins. Medium-full bodied, fleshy and round, with a snappy acidity to drive the whole through a lingering, warming finish.
An impressive Barolo that combines ripeness and judicious new oak. Dark in colour, there is ripe cherry, plum, spice, cocoa and rose. Nice weight, suave tannins and excellent persistency. It will only get better with time.
Malbec from Uco Valley's Vista Flores and Los Chacayes, harvested around 1,100 m, makes up this youthful, balanced and enjoyable wine. Black liquorice, leather, wild blackberry and violets fill the juicy, affable wine, one seasoned with dark chocolate dusted tannins and fine stony textures, upping the interest here. A warming swell of pepper trails the finish. Excellent, approachable and well-made Malbec for enjoying now.
Earthy ripe plum scent with a slightly funky barnyard note that dissipates on the palate, leaving attractive ripe red cherry fruit and background blackberry. Well balanced, with just enough tannic grip. Easy drinking and excellent value.
Stony, streamlined and bright, this lively Jacquère charms with herbal meadow blossoms, green apple and scents of green fig, lemon thistle and nettle. A river stream of minerality beds this light-bodied white, one that flourishes in the steep clay-limestone slopes of the French Alps. A herbal lick of lees carries throughout, until lemon zest, white blossoms and light smoked stone ring on the crisp finish. Honest, simple, charming, smashable.
La Kiuva is a tiny co-op in the Aosta Valley and Arnad is a small village in the DOC. This day-glo coho salmon-hued rosé is a blend of Nebbiolo, Gros Vien and Neyret from 380 to 500 m and sandy soils. After a 12-hour maceration, this saignée method rosé completes fermentation before 6 months in stainless steel tank and a 2 month stint in the bottle before release. Gushes of watery and youthful raspberry, strawberry, red currant on a medium, bright palate, ending with an appropriately bitter, salty rasp. Cured meats, salty alpine cheeses, lardon-laced salads would welcome this wine. Not overly complex, nor does it need or pretend to be. It's ideal just as it is.