Salentein Numina Malbec
Plums, cassis, mulberries, lavender and milk chocolate aromas carry through to a medium body with soft tannins. Plump and supple. Delicious now. -J.S.
Plums, cassis, mulberries, lavender and milk chocolate aromas carry through to a medium body with soft tannins. Plump and supple. Delicious now. -J.S.
This has aromas of blackberries, thyme, walnuts, balsamic and olives. Rich, savory and salty, with a medium to full body, ripe tannins and fleshy finish. Drink now. -J.S.
Blackcurrants, blackberries, nutmeg and orange leaves on the nose. Fresh and creamy with a medium body and chalky tannins. Youthful and approachable. Drink now or hold. -J.S.
Full-bodied red with mocha, dried blueberries, chai, charcoal and stewed black plums on the nose. Some iodine. Rich and chewy, yet the firm tannins are well-integrated. Layered and complex. Savory at the end. Vegan. Drink or hold.
Blackcurrants, raspberries, bark and balsamic on the nose. I like the fleshy texture, with ripe tannins and a medium body. Fresh herbal finish. Drink now.
Deeply colored with ripe strawberries, plums, vanilla beans, bitter chocolate and licorice on the nose. Full-bodied, firm, dense and toasty, with bitter woody elements. Should integrate in a year or two. Vegan. Try in 2025.
A full-bodied, big red with aromas of baked cherries, prunes, roasted portobello mushrooms, coffee, sweet tobacco and black chocolate. Rich and polished, with a firm structure and dense centre palate. Vegan. Better after 2024.
Medium to full body with pears, apricots, baked apples and brioche on the nose with lemon and grapefruit zest too. Creamy and flavorful. Excellent freshness to the ripe stone fruit. Vegan. Screw cap.
A fresh and juicy malbec with blackcurrants, cherries, violets, lavender and iodine on the nose. Medium-bodied with soft tannins and a fleshy texture. Vegan. Drink now. Screw cap.
Fragrant nose of blackcurrants, purple flowers, thyme and rosemary. Fresh and herbal with a medium body, easy tannins and juicy finish. Vegan. Drink now. Screw cap.
Simple but well made, this fresh white offers honeydew melon, banana and green apple flavors. Bright acidity keeps it tangy. - K.O.
Look for a neutral aroma and earthy palate tinged with vanilla, clove and black pepper heat. The clear liquid within the bright-red bottle is a grain neutral spirit distilled with wild Irish nettle, Irish grain and “sausage tree” fruit, which resemble elongated potatoes (some say sausages) hanging from the branches of the Kigelia Africana tree. —K.N.
The nose reveals aromas of tart cherry and plum. Mineral-textured, the palate offers cherry, blackberry and plum with hints of bay leaf. Oak spice flavors are potent but still pleasant. Lively acidity provides freshness and leads to a long finish. Palm Bay International. —J.V.
Fresh grass, stone, citrus and the peppery herbaceousness of new olive oil show on the nose of this Vermentino. The wine remains savory on the palate with brine and stones but also toasted nuts, tahini and shortbread. These contrast with the bright acidic pop of lemon juice alongside rich lemon curd. Palm Bay International. Best Buy. —D.C.
The nose on this wine is earthy and dense with mushrooms, soil and underbrush, followed by hibiscus and cranberry tea. Cherries, strawberries and raspberries meet up with cranberries and hibiscus on the palate, with hints of vanilla, milk chocolate and finally some orange pith for astringency. Palm Bay International. Best Buy. —D.C.
With a nose that’s intensely woodsy, this Cabernet Sauvignon feels like a stroll through the woods on a winter’s afternoon. Aromas start with roots, underbrush and soil and then pass into dark berries and bramble. The palate turns chocolaty and dense with blackberries and currants. Palm Bay International. —D.C.
The nose on this single-vineyard wine is savory up front but fruit sneaks in from behind. Gunpowder, slate and tar roll into cherries, herbs, dark chocolate and coffee. Fresh Bing cherries, pomegranates and cranberries come out on the palate, alongside more dark chocolate, coffee and bitter cocoa, embraced by muscular but not aggressive tannins. Palm Bay International. —D.C.
So named because “gunpowder” green tea is one of the key botanicals, this gin has an assertive citrusy aroma, with a hint of tropical fruit. The palate is minty and light, showing plenty of juniper. The tingly, drying finish includes grapefruit peel and a powdery floral hint. -K.N.
A 100% expression of Sangiovese, the Rocca delle Macìe 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva SerGioveto shows hints of baked plum, candied fruit and spice with dusty mineral and good overall definition. This Riserva is limited to a production of 6,500 bottles. Its mid-weight definition would pair nicely across from a classic spaghetti and meat sauce. -M.L.
The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Tenuta Fizzano is 90% Sangiovese with 10% Colorino with fruit from a special 10-hectare parcel with loamy soils. The wine's name has changed from Riserva di Fizzano to Tenuta Fizzano. It presents dark fruit and medium concentration, although this vintage doesn't show the same level of depth and precision that we get in some of its peers. Some 25,000 bottles were released. -M.L.
The full-bodied Rocca delle Macìe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Roccato (with 6,500 bottles released) shows sweet fruit, dark cherry, toasted almond and milky cinnamon cream. Fourteen months of barrique aging plays a big role in the intensity and textural support of this wine. It feels rich over the palate and thick around the middle. -M.L.
From a very warm vintage, the 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Sergio Zingarelli opens to a dark garnet color with hot-climate aromas of baked fruit and scorched earth. There are hints of savory spice and toasted almond at the back, but mostly you get lots of rich dark fruit over a full-bodied texture. This is a production of 6,500 bottles. -M.L.
The Rocca delle Macìe 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Sergio Zingarelli (a 100% expression of Sangiovese) offers pretty brightness and intensity with layers of dark currant, cherry and crushed mineral with lingering smoke and spice. This is the estate's top-end wine to pair with a hearty Tuscan cut of T-bone steak. 6,500 bottles were made. -M.L.
The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Sergio Zingarelli offers the extra richness and concentration that came naturally to the 2019 growing season. There are aromas of baked cherry, sweet earth and black olive that are characteristic of Sangiovese. This is not quite full-bodied, but it offers generous fruit texture nonetheless. -M.L.
Considering its age, this medium-bodied red is still quite youthful, showing nice vibrancy and structure around a plum pastry core. Delivers citrus peel, olive and spice notes, which lengthen around firm, minerally tannins. Drink now through 2026. 2,050 cases made, 250 cases imported. -A.R.
White grapefruit, green apple and lime perfume the nose. A medium-in-weight palate offers notes of honey and lime joined by subtle peach, apple and herbaceous flavors. Coming from one of the highest altitude vineyards in Uco Valley, San Pablo, it has vigorous acidity, mineral character and a long finish with subtle oak spices. Palm Bay International. Best Buy. —J.V.
Warm anise and ginger aromas are inviting. The rounded, malty palate leads into a flurry of black pepper heat and gingerbread spice. -K.N.
The lightly citrusy aroma teases a palate with plenty of lemon peel lift. Faint bitterness midpalate leads into a finish with lemony acidity and white pepper sting. Best Buy. -K.N.
Distilled from agave and made with Oaxacan ingredients, this is a mezcal-lover’s gin. Hints of honey and orange mingle with a whiffs of dried thyme and jalapeno. The palate echoes that honeyed tone, weaving in juicy blackberry and mild smoke, finishing with a complex mix of graphite, licorice, clove and black peppery heat. Botanicals include prickly pear and yerba santa; overall this is a nontraditional and memorable gin. -K.N.
The grapes for this wine were sourced from vineyards at 4,500 feet in elevation in San Pablo Uco Valley. Aromas of chocolate-covered blueberries are inviting. Licorice notes complete the bouquet. The palate is smooth and rich, with pleasant chocolate flavors followed by black fruit. It’s big, with muscular tannins and a balancing acidity. Palm Bay International. —J.V.
Made in a classic style, this red from Gualtallary opens with bright fruit aromas of blueberries and cherry followed by coffee beans. Oaky notes are intense but mix beautifully with black-and redfruit flavors on the plush palate. It’s well balanced with a mineral character and a fresh long finish. Palm Bay International. —J.V.
The nose exhibits fresh cherry and plum aromas followed by a light note of herbs. The palate is elegant, with a mineral texture. Notes of cherry and plum meet dark chocolate and thyme. A lingering finish delivers oak spices. This red has depth and lively acidity—a good example of wines from Altamira. Drink through 2028. Palm Bay International. Editors’ Choice. —J.V.
The winery’s single-vineyard series presents wines from its best estates in Uco Valley. This Malbec comes from La Pampa vineyard at 4,265 feet. A combination of fruit from a cool-climate subregion and the classic style of the house results in a wine with good acidity and depth. Rich fruit and oak spices show in the form of cherry, blackberry and nutmeg in the firm palate. Palm Bay International. Editors’ Choice. —J.V
Subtle aromas of bell pepper and berry jam appear on the nose and palate. A smart use of oak adds flavors of coffee and smoke. It’s ripe and smooth, with good acidity. It finishes with hints of dried herbs. Palm Bay International. Best Buy. —J.V.
This has aromas of passion fruit, lime zest, elderflower, sweet herbs and sea shells. It’s tangy and vibrant, with a medium body and a mineral finish. Sustainable. Drink now. Screw cap. -J.S.
Full, chewy, gripping and very dry with notes of chocolate-covered cherry, clove-studded ham, fennel seed, cigar box, leather and vanilla. -C.F.
Full, lively, gripping and very dry with notes of cranberry, raspberry, fig paste, raisin, dark chocolate, cedar, leather and bacon. -C.F.
Mid-weight, supple, tart and dry with notes of cherry, plum, brown mushroom, bay leaf, sage and cocoa. -C.F.
Light, crisp and minerally with notes of lemon, lime and sea shell. -C.F.
The top-of-the-range 2019 Gran VU Blend was produced with a blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from Los Árboles in the Valle de Uco following the philosophy and style of winemaker José "Pepe" Galante. The wine is ripe and powerful, with 15% alcohol and a full-bodied palate with abundant, slightly dusty tannins. -L.G.
The increasingly herbal, spicy and developed 2018 Primus Cabernet Sauvignon, which is written as Pr1mus and labeled as Primum in some markets, is varietal, herbal and balsamic with good ripeness and intensity. It has a full body and a juicy palate with integrated acidity and fine-grained tannins. -L.G.
The 2019 Single Vineyard Malbec Los Jabalíes was sourced from the estate vineyard in San Pablo at 1,400 meters in altitude. The wine is very aromatic, floral, spicy and herbal, with contained ripeness, clean aromas, focused flavors and very fine tannins. Super! -L.G.
The 2019 Single Vineyard Malbec La Pampa was sourced from the estate vineyard in Los Árboles at 1,300 meters in altitude. The vineyard was planted in 1997 with an ungrafted massal selection at 2,500 plants per hectare on alluvial soils from the Las Tunas River in San Pablo. The wine has very good balance and harmony, varietal character and good freshness from a cool place in a cool year. It's tasty and has a soft mouthfeel and a dry finish. -L.G.
The 2019 El Tomillo Vineyard Malbec Paraje Altamira shows high ripeness, black fruit and notes of licorice and graphite. It's powerful and a bit rustic, with abundant grainy tannins and a chalky mouthfeel. -L.G.
The 2020 Primus Malbec was made with grapes from different locations in the Valle de Uco and produced in a clean, classical way, with ripe berries and measured spice, varietal notes of flowers and abundant fine tannins. It's powerful and balanced, with good freshness from a warm year. -L.G.
The red blend 2020 Numina Gran Corte is a multi-grape wine with Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot with very high ripeness, 15% alcohol and spicy oak. It's medium to full-bodied, herbal and spicy with abundant dusty tannins. -L.G.
Light, fresh aromas suggest honeysuckle and a hint of pear. The palate echoes those notes, layering on toasted coconut and hints of fresh basil and thyme, landing gently with white pepper and a curl of lemon peel. Aged 18 months in ex-bourbon casks.- K.N.
Aromas of nectarine and toasted hazelnut set the stage for flavors of ripe summer peach, Granny Smith apple and rising pizza dough. It is bright from the first sip to the finish. Palm Bay International. Best Buy. —M.D.