Featured Wines - April 2015

The 2010 Monterotondo Chianti Classico Riserva Seretina resembles its creator, Saverio Basagni, in more ways than one. An expressive stocky man who appears to spring from the very earth he tills and tends, Saverio manages to imbue his full-bodied Seretina Riserva with a healthy dose of his ebullient character. Born in an outstanding vintage, the 2010 Monterotondo Chianti Classico Riserva Seretina exhibits considerable flavor and structure...

The 2013 F. Bachelier Réserve du Sanglier Chablis pays tribute to the reputation of Chablis and the appellation’s renowned terroir. Redolent with the soft scents of apple blossoms and springtime tempered by a light salty sea breeze, the 2013 F. Bachelier Réserve du Sanglier Chablis begins to seduce the nose from the minute it is poured. And unlike many New World Chardonnays in which the preponderance of oak tries to smother the fruit and

The 2009 vintage produced phenomenal wines in the Carneros region of southern Napa Valley for growers such as the Fore Family who harvested before the rains set in. The 2009 growing season in Carneros was both long and mild, which allowed Pinot Noir to ripen slowly and evenly. The 2009 Fore Family Vineyards Carneros Napa Pinot Noir embodies the impeccable conditions of the vintage and offers members tremendous drinking pleasure now.

Many parts of Europe experienced less than ideal weather conditions in 2013 for the production of the continent’s full-bodied red wines. However, the vintage’s white wines fared far better. This is especially true in northern Italy where the wines are delicate, fresh and so easy to drink. Tamellini’s 2013 Soave DOC offers Garganega’s eye appealing glint of sunshine in its robe along with a soft, delicate aroma of wildflowers and spring in full...

Bordeaux was blessed with outstanding weather in 2010. With ideal growing conditions throughout the 2010 vintage and traditionally very low vineyard yields, Château Barreyre has produced the château’s most prestigious wine to date. The 2010 Château Barreyre weighs in at a whopping 15% alcohol and is packed with color and flavor. We have been great admirers of the wines of Château Barreyre for a decade, but nothing quite prepared us for the...

Morgadío has emerged as a truly consistent producer of classic Albariño. From vintage to vintage, Morgadío manages to capture the greatness in Galicia’s exceptional varietal, so much so that once again in 2013 Morgadío’s Albariño Rías Baixas comes across as both brilliant and precise. This is a truly dry wine that exhibits sophisticated fruit flavors and pinpoint minerality. Morgadío adheres to the traditional style of Albariño, which means...

“If I hadn’t seen the label first, I would have taken the 2012 Donati Claret for very fine Bordeaux,” whispered one experienced taster and devoted oenophile. “Me too,” added another. “I’m glad it’s not,” shot a third. “We just saved ourselves at least $50.00, maybe more.” And that’s no exaggeration. Claret may not be a familiar word in the American wine lover’s lexicon (claret being the age-old English term for the red wines of Bordeaux)...