Showing 817–828 of 848 results

  • Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012

    £299.95

    “The Quintarelli Giuseppe 2013 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico pours from its heavy glass bottle to reveal a dark ruby and shiny garnet appearance. The bouquet takes a few moments before it comes into focus, and even then, this wine holds back a bit, especially at this young stage in what promises to be a very long cellar life. It’s in no rush. The mouthfeel is especially impressive, and it brings a heightened level of texture and life to the wine. Black fruit and dried plum segue to spice, campfire ash, camphor and grilled herb. A silky and polished mouthfeel is capped by a powerful 16.5% alcohol content. This vintage will appeal to Quintarelli purists who have plenty of time to wait. Drink: 2025-2050. 96+ points“

    Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (12/21)

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  • Quintarelli Bianco Secco 2020

    £44.99

    “The 2020 Bianco Secco is spicy and floral with lemon-tinged orchard fruits and hints of kiwi. This is soft and soothing on the palate, with citrus-tinged apples and spice motivated by zippy acid-driven excellent depth of fruit. It’s long and spicy through the finish, also a bit tropical, while pinching at the cheeks with residual tension. The 2020 Bianco Secco over delivers in every way. This is a blend of 80% Garganega, 10% Trebbiano Toscano, 5% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Chardonnay and 2% Saorin. Drinking window: 2022-2026. 91 points”

    Eric Guido, Vinous (04/22)

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  • Quintarelli Primofiore 2019

    £54.99

    “Like a freshly opened jar of raspberry preserves complemented by spiced citrus, cloves and minty herbs, the 2019 Primofiore blossoms in the glass. This soothes with its silky textures that coat the palate in mineral-tinged red berries and spices. It seems almost weighty at times, yet the lift of acidity is perfectly inserted. This tapers off amazingly long with rosy inner florals, hints of pepper and autumnal spices, yet is only lightly structured. The 2019 is full of balanced pleasure. This was tasted from both a fresh bottle and a bottle opened three days earlier. In my opinion, Primofiore is the hidden gem of the Quintarelli portfolio. Drinking window: 2022-2028. 92 points”

    Eric Guido, Vinous (04/22)

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  • Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella Classico 2007 (375ml)

    £159.95

    “The 2007 Recioto della Valpolicella Classico A Roberto coats the glass with glycerol-like richness while displaying dusty dried flowers, incense, cloves, pine resin, quince and a lifting hint of camphor. It’s silky in texture yet enlivened by bright acidity, as ripe red fruits give way to hints of grilled orange, exotic brown spices and cocoa. While this is certainly sweet, clocking in at 65 grams per liter of residual sugar, it’s also wonderfully balanced and vibrant from start to finish, tapering off remarkably fresh and perfumed with a bitter twang of coffee and dark chocolate. The 2007 is a thrill-ride rendition of Ouintarelli Recioto, which may not last through long-term cellaring, but it will wow collectors over the next 10 to 15 years. The Recioto A Roberto is the only wine in the portfolio that undergoes spontaneous fermentation, and it is also matured completely in small oak barrels. As this was the favorite wine and passion project of Roberto Ferrarini, Giuseppe Ouintarelli’s enologist who passed in 2014, the family decided to dedicate the 2007 in his honor. Drinking window: 2021-2035. 95 points

    Quintarelli, located within the Valpolicella Classica region on the hills above the town of Negrar, strives to respect the legend and traditions established by Giuseppe Quintarelli over a career that spanned 60 years. During that time, Quintarelli oversaw the work of many of the region’s best modern-day winemakers. For vineyard managers, cellar assistants, and enologists, time spent within the hallowed walls of this winery and cellar was like a golden seal of approval in the winemaking circles of the Veneto. It was with this in mind that the current generation set forward, after Quintarelli’s passing in 2012, to continue to work with the teams of winemakers and assistants that had gained knowledge under his guidance and that of Roberto Ferrarini, the estate’s trusted enologist, who also passed away in 2014. As readers can imagine, the loss of these two prominent figures meant that the current generation, led by Fiorenza Grigoli (Giuseppe’s daughter), needed to quickly get a handle on all of the intricate details and practices that went into creating this portfolio. While speaking with Francesco Grigoli Quintarelli (Giuseppe’s grandson), the assistant manager of the property, he spoke in detail about how they only wished to make slow and careful changes, which started to take place in 2009. These included a reduction in oxidation, better control over the use of sulfites and lowering the average percentage of alcohol in the wines. The goal was to create a crisper, more vivid expression of fruit. Otherwise, practices have remained the same. Vineyard management can be described as natural yet practical, intervening only when the vintage demands it; and while passive air-drying of the grapes is preferred, the family is also prepared to use mechanical means if necessary to safeguard the health of the fruit. As for the current vintages, they show terrific purity of fruit and also come across cleaner. That said, Grigoli told me that his next goal is to bring back a bit more of Giuseppe’s character to future vintages.”

    Eric Guido, Vinous (02/21)

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  • Quintarelli Rosso Ca’ del Merlo 2012

    £84.99

    Review to follow

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  • Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi 2008

    £148.75

    “Giuseppe Quintarelli’s namesake 2008 Rosso del Bepi (made well before this legendary figure would pass away in 2012) is made in the so-called average vintages when Amarone is not produced. This wine replaces Amarone in those declassified years, meaning that we see Rosso del Bepi made in 2008 and next again in 2010. The estate’s Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, however, is produced in 2009 and 2011. The final decision on which wine will be released is made just a few months before bottling. In very difficult years, neither wine is produced. I have reviewed the 2008 vintage currently on the market now, although the 2010 vintage of this wine was shortly to be released when I visited the estate (but I did not get a chance to taste it). This wine reflects the ideals of a classic blend of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella (with a smaller percentage of other varieties mixed in for good measure), although you do feel some of the extra heat of the vintage, with some lingering sweetness on the close. The wine registers at 15.5% alcohol, and there are ripe nuances of dark fruit, sweet cherry and jammy blackberry. The wine is immediately open, accessible and beautiful, but like all of Quintarelli’s releases, it would also benefit from additional aging. Drink: 2019-2038. 93+ points

    Tasting wines correctly at the Quintarelli family winery is not as straightforward as it could be, and my belief is that the wines suffer because of it. The process is weighed down by tradition and folklore (for example, the late Giuseppe Quintarelli reportedly didn’t approve of visitors spitting his wines) that is practiced at the winery today as a way of keeping his memory and presence alive. The setup involves dim lighting, small and thick glasses, no spit bucket and tiny pours from half-full bottles. Having experienced this in the past, I brought my own tasting glass with me to the winery this time. I was happily surprised when Lorenzo, Giuseppe’s grandson who was pouring for me, asked if I wanted to taste in a more appropriate stem instead of the heavy glass his grandfather loved. I never had to pull out the Riedel wrapped in cloth in my purse. A spit bucket also appeared by request, and I was able to obtain slightly larger pour sizes with a little extra coxing. I can report that things have improved since my last visit the year before, although they could be better still. In complete honesty, I can say that tasting at Quintarelli is a source of some frustration for me. However, the wines themselves are a delight.

    Today, the Quintarelli family (Giuseppe’s daughter Fiorenza, her husband Giampaolo with sons Francesco and Lorenzo) farm 12 hectares of vines on limestone and basalt soils between the property adjacent to the winery and other plots in the surrounding hills. Most of the vineyard land was purchased by Giuseppe Quintarelli, but the house and winery were acquired by his father. The Quintarellis worked with consulting enologist Roberto Ferrarini (who passed away in 2014), and the stunning 2007 Recioto della Valpolicella Classico (reviewed here) is dedicated to him.

    The winemaking process for Amarone is simple. The best clusters are selected during harvest and left to dry on wooden boxes or mats. Noble rot starts to appear in November and develops carefully until January of the following year. After appassimento, the dehydrated grapes are pressed at the end of January and undergo 20 days of skin contact with alcoholic fermentation on ambient yeasts. The entire fermentation lasts 45 days, and the wine is then racked into Slavonian oak casks for seven years, slowly concluding alcoholic fermentation during aging, thus resulting a dry wine.

    The wines are sold according to market demand, so there are no official release dates or schedules. When stock sells out, the family moves more wine from barrel to bottle accordingly. The Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is only made in the best years, and when it is not produced, the family opts to make Rosso del Bepi instead. In terms of the current and upcoming releases, we have the following wines to look forward to: the 2008 vintage went to Rosso del Bepi, the 2009 vintage is Amarone, the difficult 2010 vintage is Rosso del Bepi and the 2011 vintage is Amarone.“

    Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (244)

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  • Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2014

    £94.95

    “This was a humid and rainy vintage and many producers in the Valpolicella decided not to make their top-shelf Amarone wines, directing their fruit to wines like this instead. The Quintarelli Giuseppe 2014 Valpolicella Classico Superiore offers a spicy opener with tarry smoke and cured tobacco. It also shows some tart and brambly fruit, and this ties into what we can expect of the vintage. In truth, the ripeness is present and balanced. It undergoes a partial and brief appassimento. The 2014 is thinner than past vintages have been, but I am very much enjoying this more streamlined and elegant approach. Drink: 2022-2032. 93+ points”

    Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (12/21)

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  • Radio-Coteau SeaBed Estate Chardonnay 2019

    £83.95

    “The 2019 Chardonnay Estate SeaBed is laced with the essence of crushed rocks, graphite, dried herbs, chamomile and chalk. The SeaBed is always the most mineral and phenolic of the Radio-Coteau Chardonnays. It is all that in 2019, but with the volume turned up. Even with its large-scaled intensity and explosiveness, the 2019 retains striking transparency. It’s one of the most memorable wines l have ever tasted from Radio-Coteau. Drinking window: 2023-2031. 96 points

    I was deeply impressed with this range from Eric Sussman and Davida Ebner. Tasting a bit later in the year gave me an opportunity to sample two vintages in bottle, which is not the case in most years, when I visit earlier. The bottled 2018s capture all the promise I saw last year. It is simply a fabulous vintage for Radio-Coteau. In 2019 I think the Chardonnays are stronger than the Pinots, which is consistent with my feeling about the vintage in Sonoma more broadly. I find the 2019s Pinots a bit light, despite the smaller crop that year vis-à-vis 2019. The 2019s were also vinified with more whole clusters and with lighter extractions overall, so separating the vintage effect from a natural evolution in winemaking is not easy.”

    Antonio Galloni, Vinous (01/21)

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  • Remelluri Granja Remelluri Rioja Gran Reserva 2013

    £59.75

    “2013 could very well be the most challenging vintage of recent times, a year with 900 liters of rain, which created a lot of problems, including botrytis during the harvest. Produced selected Tempranillo and Garnacha, thea2013 Granja Remelluri Gran Reserva has lower alcohol, 13.5%, and aged in barrel for 27 to 29 months. Compared with the 2014, you see less-perfect ripeness in the tannins, and it’s a little lighter, sharper and a little more austere. I think this is a triumph over the very adverse conditions of the year. 8,000 bottles were filled in May 2016, when they normally produce around 20,000 bottles. Drink: 2020-2026. 94 points

    Remelluri is Telmo Rodríguez’s family property between the villages of Labastida and San Vicente de la Sonsierra.”

    Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate (07/20)

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  • Remelluri Rioja Blanco 2019

    £57.95

    ”

    The white 2019 Blanco comes from a year that was marked by hail and frost in April and May that resulted in a small crop that ripened early in a warm growing season. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in used barriques, foudres and 1,200-liter concrete eggs. The wine is powerful at 14.4% alcohol but has good freshness showcased by a pH of 3.21. This is a very serious and complex white, with spice and smoke, balanced and harmonious, combining power with elegance. It’s a little more fluid, with more finesse and delicacy, despite the fact that they got low yields and the wine had natural concentration. 8,766 bottles and 103 magnums were filled in May 2021. Drink: 2022-2032. 94+ points

    There will be some changes in the Lindes lineup, for which they plan to even have a completely independent winery. The idea is to have up to six village wines from Lindes in 2021.”

    Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate (06/22)

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  • Ridge Lytton Estate Petite Sirah 2019

    £38.75

    “A wine of weight and substance, the 2019 Petite Syrah Lytton Estate is fabulous. Best of all, readers won’t have to contend with huge Petite tannins, as those have been handled admirably. Black cherry, plum, exotic spice, leather, tobacco and incense infuse the 2019 with tons of complexity. There’s plenty of supporting structure, but the tannins are pretty much buried. What a wine. Drinking window: 2024-2039. 95 points

    Readers will find a number of terrific wines among these new releases from Ridge. Over the last few years Ridge has expanded their offerings, which means the highlights aren’t always the usual suspects. I have kept drinking windows compact for the 2020s out of an abundance of caution. Other than that, there’s not much left to say other than there’s plenty to like.”

    Antonio Galloni, Vinous (11/22)

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  • Rossignol-Trapet Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2018

    £43.25

    “The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes comes from vines averaging 60 years of age, within nine parcels that are representative of the appellation. It has a lovely bouquet of undergrowth scents percolating through red berry fruit that is slightly darker than the Bourgogne Rouge, the 50% whole cluster nicely integrated. The lightly spiced palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and an elegant finish that exerts gentle grip. Give it two or three years in bottle. Drinking window: 2021-2032. 89-91 points

    Rossignol-Trapet is a domaine that is starting to step up a few gears in recent years. Their wines have performed impressively during the annual Burgfest blind tastings, a perfect litmus test to see who’s really doing the business inside the bottle. I met with brothers Nicolas and David Rossignol who gave me the lowdown on the growing season. “We started the harvest on 4 September until 12 September, commencing in Beaune and then through the Gevrey appellation, finishing with the Latricières-Chambertin. We used around 40-50% whole bunch except for the Bourgogne Rouge, the stems helping to add freshness and longevity. The wines underwent a two week cuvaison, the colour coming easily. There were some cuvées that took a while to finish their alcoholic fermentation, though they all eventually ended with zero sugar. The premier crus are all raised in around 25% new oak, the village crus will be bottled in February, the premier crus in March and the grand crus in April. I think it is a good idea to have a good length of élevage.””

    Neal Martin, Vinous (01/20)

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