Randy Fuller

9.1

This wine pours up delightfully frizzante. It has a deep purple color, and even the bubbles are purple. The nose is earthy and grapey. It’s simple, but very pleasant. There are more complex Lambruscos, but finding a less expensive one will probably prove difficult. — 4 days ago

Randy Fuller

9.3

This wine is striking to look at. The color is a strident yellow, almost the shade of an amber ale. The nose brings a huge note of dried apricots, almost a sugary sense. There is also a nuttiness to the sniff. On the palate, a mix of apricot and Meyer lemon present one of the more unusual flavor profiles I’ve had recently in a wine. Salinity is high, acidity is fresh, but not sharp. It is quite an exceptional wine, if maybe just not for everyone. At the very least, it’s an opportunity to mark the Ansonica grape on your Century Club list. — 21 days ago

Randy Fuller

9.5

This wine has a clean, yellow glow in the glass. The nose is full of lemon and herbal aromas. Minerals abound on the palate, along with a delightfully racy acidity. Sweet lemon flavors and a mineral-laden salinity mark this wine as one to look for. — a month ago

Randy Fuller

9.5

This wine shows a medium dark ruby color in the glass. The nose is clean and savory, with dark fruit shining through a haze of earthy tones. On the palate, the flavor of bright red cherries takes charge. It is a fresh mouthful with zippy acidity and gentle tannins. Among the winery’s recommendations for pairing is eel, which is maybe the oddest pairing suggestion I’ve ever seen on a winery website. It does sound good, though. I had mine with a soppressata sandwich slathered with some spicy black olive tapenade, and it was great.
— 12 days ago

Randy Fuller

9.4

This wine is lightly tinted, a little redder than a rosato, but not as dark as most red wines. The nose is fruity, yet earthy. I smell red plums, blackberries, cherries, and a faint licorice note. The mouthfeel is full and clean, almost a creamy presentation of red fruit. The tannins are light, but the acidity is very refreshing. I wouldn't fault you for dropping an ice cube in it for summer enjoyment. I heard someone say they wanted to make sangria from it, and that sounds like a good idea. I'll just sip mine, though. — a month ago

Randy Fuller

9.6

This wine is medium dark in the glass. Its nose brings a powerful blast of aromas. Raspberry, blackberry, currant, and plum dominate the bouquet. A touch of smoke leads a savory streak which includes tobacco, tar, and earth. In the mouth, the fruit steals the show. A firm set of tannins just begs for a juicy steak, while the finish goes on and on. — a month ago

Randy Fuller

9.2

This wine has a dusty rose color, darker than pink but lighter than red. The nose was a surprise, and not a particularly good one. There was hardly any fruit to speak of at all. The dominant aroma was a funky, barnyard sort of smell. On the palate there were flavors of cherry and Meyer lemon, with a savory overlay and a ton of salinity. If you can get past the first whiff, the taste is a treat. Mine paired very well with a spicy soppressata, some cheese, and an onion focaccia bread. — 13 days ago

Randy Fuller

9.4

This wine has a medium red color in the glass. Its nose is lovely, with purple flowers jumping out first, followed by cherries and red licorice whips. Cherry flavor dominates the palate, with a hint of oak spice. The oak is handled very lightly. The tannins are smooth and the acidity is refreshing. It is really a nice wine to sip, but pairing it with an Italian sub is working just fine, too. — 15 days ago

Randy Fuller

9.3

This wine is a golden yellow in the glass. The nose shows minerals, apples, stone fruit, and salinity with a lanolin backbeat. The palate has those same traits, but leans a bit heavier into the salinity. The acidity is fresh, but not razor-sharp. It finishes medium long. I paired mine with a lentil and sweet potato salad, with a good result. — a month ago

Randy Fuller

9.5

This wine is very dark. It looks that way and it smells that way, too. The nose offers a funky, earthy, dare I say barnyard-y package of aromas. The fruit that is there, the blackberry, currant, and black plum, is muted and dwarfed by the savory smells. Tar, creosote, forest floor, and cigars are the main event. The palate bears much more fruit. Flavors of dark berry, black currant, plum, black cherry, elderberry and black Mission fig all vie for attention. The mouthfeel is fairly elegant, which is surprising after the brute force of the nose. Fine tannins and a gentle acidity will make a nice pairing with meatballs in a Bolognese sauce or sautéed mushrooms. — a month ago