Category: Wine Reviews

2016 Domaine de Gouye, Saint-Joseph Rouge, Vieilles Vignes, Northern Rhone, France. The old school and traditional Domaine de Gouye, which was established as an estate winery back in 1933, is…

2017 Envínate, Vidueño de Santiago del Teide, Ycoden-Daute-Isora DO, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Founded by wine college students in 2005, Envínate (which means “Wine Yourself”) is the brainchild of four…

2017 Alfredo Maestro, Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) “Viña Almate” Peñafiel, Valladolid, VdT Castilla y León, Spain. Alfredo Maestro Tejero, a rebel winemaker who’s family came to Peñafiel, not far from Madrid…

2017 Laurent Herlin, Method Ancestral “Cintre” Rosé of Cabernet Franc, Loire Valley Sparkling Wine, France. New to America, the Herlin wines from the Loire are all natural bottlings that mostly…

2017 Arianna Occhipinti, SP68 Rosso, Terre Siciliane, Sicily, Italy. There is always great expectations when I get the latest Occhipinti, and this new SP68 Rosso does not disappoint, it has…

2017 Cruse Wine Company, Monkey Jacket, North Coast. A unique inter-regional blend of black grapes, Cruse Wine Co.’s 2017 Monkey Jacket is a cuvee of Valdiguié, Carignan and Tannat, a…

2017 Samuel Louis Smith, Chardonnay, Spear Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills. Sam Smith’s gorgeous Spear Chardonnay is a revelation in California Chardonnay for this vintage, it rides the line between restraint…

2017 Bow & Arrow, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon. Crafted from selected vineyard sites, mostly organic or biodynamic the Bow & Arrow Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is always a bright…

2018 Small Lot Collection by Russell Joyce, Gamay Noir, San Benito County, California. Winemaker Russell Joyce of Monterey’s Joyce Wine Company has branched out to explore with an exciting new…

2014 J. Bookwalter, Merlot, Book Club Select, Columbia Valley AVA, Washington State. One of Washington State’s top producers, J. Bookwalter is known for their Cabernet Sauvignon, but like Leonetti do…