Pooneet K

9.1

Another Brunello producer I have not tried before - quite nice. Quite restrained - apparently the Brunello comes from higher altitudes which shows. It’s not quite Ragnaie in terms of the high altitude character but it’s a nice wine for sure. Perfect with some local Cinta pork. — 3 years ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.2

Pinot in a Riesling bottle! The Winery is close to Stuttgart less than 20 Miles from Porsche and Mercedes-Benz in Württemberg/Germany. There is a ton of fruit in this, quite dark. More Oregon than Burgundy. Super elegant. Tannins fully resolved. Dark cherries, hint blueberries and crushed marble, touch orange juice. Drink now. Given the diversity of terroir altitudes/mountains and different styles and affordability Germany is now in my opinion the leader in Pinot Noir and this is another prime example. Lyle when will you get a Pinot from the Ahr grown on Slate? — 5 years ago

Phil Gurin

8.9

Nicely acidic and we thought it was French. Very drinkable — 6 years ago

Benjamin Hall Jr

9.0

I’m beginning to enjoy the other varietals (than Malbec) produces in these Argentine Andean souls at high altitudes more and more. This 70% Cab / 30% Syrah blend is a lovely example of a refined mix giving intense new world character with the subtleties of old world wine making. The terroir comes thru in notes of gravel and rosemary. The fruit is big but it mildly dissipates in a most pleasant way. Drank it with a cheesy vegetable casserole with mushrooms and herbed garlic tomato sauce base... a great pairing! — 8 years ago

Michael Mugmon

9.5

Brought this one back from Beirut. Very nice Lebanese rosé made from Syrah, Cinsault, and Caladoc (which is apparently a cross between Grenache and Malbec). Bought for roughly $13 and well worth it. — 9 years ago

with Amy

Jenn Tesch

9.1

My steadfast wine in Rwanda, best enjoyed post gorilla and chimpanzee trekking🐒. A merlot, I know. Maybe it tastes better in higher altitudes ? — 9 years ago

Gae Saccoccio - NdC

9.0

Ampeleia, beyond this winery in the heart of Maremma (Tuscany) there was a swiss couple: Erica and Peter Max Suter, they bought an abandoned piece of land which since 2002 has been reorganized under the protection of Elisbetta Foradori. Roccatederighi's the ancient town nearby that spread over the Metalliferous Hills. All the Ampeleia wines bear names that recall ancestral ideas and profound concepts taken from ancient Greek culture: Kepos, Empatia, Ampeleia. Biggest enemy in the wine region is an excess heat and too much sun exposure of the vines which could provides too mushy wines or some dispreferred overipe. How does Marco Tait in the vineyards first then in the cellar, fight against such an adversary? Altitude, actually three different altitudes! Ampeleia di Sopra is where they've got vineyards between 450 and 600 m.a.s.l., here's for instance, the main reason why this vintage 2004, a blend of Cab Franc, Sangiovese and four others Mediterranean grape varieties despite his twelve years behind it is still that vibrating, breezy, unbroken and savory! http://www.ampeleia.it/ — 10 years ago

Sagee Aran

8.9

A nice Bordeaux blend from the Shomron area at altitudes of 700 to 900 meters. Good dark color, medium nose, missing on the palate. — 3 years ago

Marcus Weber

8.9

Falanghina, Biancolella and Pepella grapes. Grown with altitudes of up to 600 meters above sea at amalfi coast, wide temperature ranges and manually harvesting.
Dazu: Risotto al Limone - Artischocke - Wilder Thymian / Zicklein - Myrte - Zitrone / Cime di rapa — 4 years ago

Taylor

9.0

The kinda backwards wine you drink when your household grows from 4 to 7 within a day with the majority of those creatures having four legs. This wine will take you to altitudes you need to go when trying to acclimate to your new surrounds by giving you a burst of fruity ambiance notably resembling sweet raspberries and black fruits, yet smokey enough to remind you of your age. Highly recommend during these kinds of dark days, stay thirsty my friends. — 6 years ago

with Christian

Tom Kobylarz

9.2

Girolamo Russo “a’Rina” 2016 Etna Rosso 🇮🇹 $25
•
Nerello Mascalese (94%) and Nerello Cappuccio are the yin and yang of red grapes that grow exceedingly well in the wild and high altitude clime atop the Sicilian volcano #MountEtna.
•
A hell of a bargain at about $25 as this crushes most Bourgogne/Hautes-Cotes under $50 and would give pricier versions a run for their money. It is also more complex now and ready to consume when compared to many similarly priced, well made “Langhe” Nebbiolo wines. From the @coravin this was ready to go and opened up well with 10-15 minutes in the glass.
•
A youthful medium ruby color, fairly transparent. The nose suggests to me a red Burgundy, possibly a Beaune or Chassagne-Montrachet red from the wildness of the Etna character. A deep underpinning of rocky minerality, hints of ash, rose petal and purple florals, with dabs of red cherry and red plum fruit, sweet spices with hints of old leather jacket and unsmoked pipe tobacco. The palate is juicy and fresh, with refined, silky, ripe tannin that are youthfully firm. Excellent density and persistence, but light as a feather. Medium+ on the finish.
•
Etna red wines are commonly described as having similarities to nebbiolo from Piedmonte and pinot noir from Burgundy. There are for sure some similarities, but make no mistake that Etna wines, when made well, refract the wild and volcanic Etna terroir well and are genuine in their own right. •
The complex volcanic soils of Etna, combined with some of the highest elevations for vineyards in Europe at 3,000+ feet, can produce wines with immense complexity and freshness. A sense if refinement comes across in the density without excessive weight, allowing for transparency of terroir. Most vines are trained in the traditional bush-vine method, which works well in the rocky soils that see a lot of wind and sunlight at these high altitudes.
•
#GirolamoRusso #aRina #NerelloMascalese #NerelloCappuccio #EtnaRosso #Sicily #Italy #GiuseppeRusso #coravin #winesolutions #wine #winelover #somm #sommelier #instawine #wineporn #naturalwine #vinnaturel #winegasm #winegeek #vin #vino #vinos #vinhos #wein #ilovewine #winetasting #winetime — 7 years ago

Christina Hart

9.4

Loved it! Good complexity, oaky. Very interesting blend, with grapes grown at different altitudes. Can't beat the price. — 9 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.3

This is a blend of all five vineyard sites different altitudes all nerello mascelese — 11 years ago

Vanessa

9.1

Liguria is a coastal region in Italy, nestled in the northwestern corner of the country, hugging the Ligurian Sea, with steep mountains defining the landscape.

It offers an ideal mix of warm, dry conditions, moderating influences from the coast and varying altitudes, and nutrient-poor soils (which is good for vine growing!). However, its dramatic topography limits the amount of wine that can be produced from this region…

With that background, we were thrilled to be sipping a glass of this beautiful Ligurian white wine made from the Vermentino grape. What a pleasure to envision us sitting on a terrace overlooking the sea!

Leaping out of the glass was tangerine peel, grapefruit, green apple, passion fruit, pineapple, boxwood, white citrus blossom, elderflower, and wet stone -- a delicious confluence of pronounced fruit and floral aromas and flavors.

It was vibrant, youthful, and fresh, yet also concentrated and juicy, adding a level of richness to the mouthfeel.

Lvnae, Colli di Luni D.O.C., Vermentino, ABV 12.5. Vintage 2019. A fantastic value at $25 / bottle.

Salute! — 4 years ago

with Deked1

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.0

Surprisingly well balanced and a great value. Definitely taste the syrah and carignan. — 6 years ago

Ben Rossen

8.9

1st of 3 Mendoza Malbecs for NYT Wine School. Uco Valley, high altitudes, calcarean soil, fermented in concrete eggs. Medium/deep purple, blackberry and mint on the nose. Blackberry, plum, boysenberry, mint, pepper, and minerals on the palate. Needed a lot of time to open up. Some alcohol burn. It’s good and well made but doesn’t change my overall impression that Malbecs are kind of boring. — 6 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.0

The color of this rosé is almost like bourbon, a nearly burnt orange that tends more to brown.  It doesn't look much like rosé, and it doesn't smell that way, either.  First whiff, I get an earthiness that borders on foxiness, as in wines made from North American grape varieties.  Strawberry with an intense mineral overlay takes over.  The palate offers plenty of cheerful fruit and earthy minerals but little acidity, which is reportedly an issue with Agiorgitiko grown in lower altitudes.  Ios is not what most American consumers would expect in a rosé, but more adventurous souls won't be disappointed — 8 years ago

Nick Demos

9.3

🔥 from one of the highest altitudes in Chablis! — 9 years ago

with JT

Jonathan Lord

9.3

Wow what a surprise this was! Blackberry, pepper, leather, and cherries on the nose: interesting blackberry jam, cherry tomato, cardamon and toast in the mouth. The thinness of vines grown in Aragon at such high altitudes can really be noticed, yet this interestingly has medium body and structure to it. — 10 years ago