Featured Wines - August 2021

Under the guardianship of the Amorim family, Quinta Nova has gone from one strength to the next as Quinta Nova’s beautiful 2019 Pomares Tinto will attest. This is a wine that captures the eye with its brilliant ruby hue as it delivers a draught of juicy blackberry, cherry, and red fruits. Yet, it is in the mouth that this wine truly shines by offering exuberant fruit flavors, delicate spice tones, and a delightful hint of vanilla from a nine...

Donati’s 2019 Sisters Forever Central Coast Chardonnay is where California’s Central Coast meets the gentle golden slopes of Burgundy. Light, dry, and eminently enjoyable, the 2019 Donati Sisters Forever Chardonnay reminds us of the beautiful, fresh, un-oaked Chardonnay wines of Chablis (authentic Chablis from France) and the delightfully sun-kissed Mâcon-Villages offerings, which highlight the elegant varietal character of Chardonnay, devoid...

The 2017 Mayu Valle de Elqui La Campañia Vineyard Carmenère-Syrah (90 Points – Wine Advocate) offers a unique blend of two of Chile’s finest red varietals as well as a bold, rich draught of Old World tradition. The 2017 Mayu Carmenère-Syrah is the beneficiary of four years of bottle age, which has smoothed its full, ripe tannins and made it ideal for present consumption. The 2017 Mayu Carmenère-Syrah sports a deep purple color and offers juicy...

The 2018 Miner Paso Robles Viognier positively sings from the glass. Eschewing malolactic fermentation, Miner’s Viognier is happily reminiscent of the world’s finest Viogniers from France’s Rhône Valley. Aromatically complex with seductive scents of citrus, honeysuckle, and stone fruits, Miner’s 2018 Viognier makes one want to dive right in. In the mouth, the wine’s hedonistic fruit flavors and hints of exotic spices are carried on an energetic...

Luca’s 2017 Beso de Dante (meaning Dante’s Kiss), which emanates from high altitude vineyards, easily outperforms many classified Bordeaux and California Meritage offerings. The 2017 Luca Beso de Dante (93 Points – Wine Enthusiast) offers a brilliant deep purple robe, entrancing aromatics, and a mouthful of complex flavors. Blackberry, cassis, mint, and spicy wood tones permeate the nose and palate. The wine’s deep and dense berry, clove...

The 2018 Au Bon Climat Estate Bottled Santa Maria Valley Hildegard (95 Points – Vinous, 93 Points – Wine Enthusiast) captures the European art of blending indigenous grape varieties to produce a balanced, complex wine. Jim Clendenen’s 2018 Hildegard marries perfectly ripe fruit to great acidity and a taut, finely balanced structure. A complex sophisticated air dominates the olfactory, offering a mélange of Asian pear, glazed citrus, and...

Donati’s 2016 Ezio Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as Donati’s flagship wine. Named for Ezio Donati, the first Donati born in the New World, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon hails from Matt Donati’s most prized grapes and selected barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted against very fine but decidedly pricier Napa Valley Cabernets, the 2016 Ezio Cabernet Sauvignon proved itself to be a crowd pleaser. Ezio’s mélange of blackberry, cherry, bramble, and...