Press - Page 237 of 396 - Regal Wine Imports

Vintage	Producer	Product Name	Notes	Source	Score	Sell Sheet	Updated
2014	Mountford	Pinot Noir	This Pinot, from North Canterbury’s cool climes, has hit its stride. Traditional winemaking from well-established vines makes for a lively, complex yet crowd-pleasing nose of red berries, cloves, dried flowers and ground white pepper. The palate is light weight, with a gentle grip of spicy, savory tannins, juicy fruit and some well-placed oak. Balanced with length and poise, this is a charming drop that’s drinking well now and will hold up over the next few years. Editors’ Choice.	Wine Enthusiast	94		2020-11-24
2015	Mountford	Pinot Noir 'The Rise'	The low crop vines for this small, North Canterbury-based estate grow in active limestone soils. Woodsy notes of pine, cedar and spice wander amongst brambly berries, licorice, flowers and vanilla bean. There’s lovely lifted acidity on the palate and spicy, fine tannins. The barrel shows, along with more wood-spice flavors, but the fruit is bright and silky. Drink now through 2025.	Wine Enthusiast	93		2020-11-24
2017	Decibel	Pinot Noir	Pop this in a decanter or give it some good swirling to really uncoil it aromatically. When it does release its aromas, it’s a characterful and tasty drop. Think plump brambly berries, warm stones, mushrooms and roses. It’s medium weight, with fleshy fruit, crunchy acidity and silky tannins. There’s a lovely spiciness that flows through to the finish. Drink now with rustic, fatty, Pinot-friendly fare.	Wine Enthusiast	92		2020-11-24
2016	La Fiorita	Brunello di Montalcino 'Fiore di NO'	The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Fiore di NO from La Fiorita is sweet and seductively spiced with masses of black cherries, mixed with cinnamon and clove. The textures are silky-smooth, ushering in ripe red fruits laced with minerals, as pretty inner florals amass toward the close. This turns grippy and structured through the finale; yet there’s something so drinkable and energetic about the Fiore di NO, that it will be hard to keep your hands off of it upon release.	Vinous	92		2020-11-24
2016	La Fiorita	Brunello di Montalcino	The elegant 2016 Brunello di Montalcino boasts a beautiful blend of pure fruits and perfumed aromatics. A dusty mix of wild strawberries, cherries, sage and cedar makes for an understated yet pretty display. It’s medium in body, and the textures are creamy in feel, with a polished display of red and black fruits offset by a twang of sour citrus, as inner florals build toward the close. The tannins here are sweet and nuanced, even as they create a classically dry expression; yet there’s plenty of residual energy to make this a knockout Brunello to enjoy over the medium term.	Vinous	91		2020-11-24
2015	La Fiorita	Brunello di Montalcino Riserva	The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva from La Fiorita is a pretty, floral and sweetly spiced effort. Dried roses, black cherry, cinnamon, clove and a dusting of cocoa create a seductive display. It’s silky in texture and polished, with depths of dark red berry fruit, wild herbal tones and a note of menthol, which forms toward the close. The first hint of tannin comes through in the finish, yet it is perfectly balanced by residual acids with an air of inner rose lingering long. In the past, I’ve found the style of this house to be too focused on ripeness and wood, yet that is not the case in this wonderfully balanced and oak-integrated 2015 Riserva.	Vinous	93		2020-11-24
2016	Elia Palazzesi	Brunello di Montalcino	The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from Elia Palazzesi shows a slightly rustic yet alluring display, with crushed strawberries and rich brown spices giving way to hints of sage and animal musk. It’s silky in feel with cooling mineral tones and brisk acids adding lift to its woodland berry fruit, with hints of mocha coming forward toward the close. It’s gently tannic and poised but with a twang of sour citrus keeping the expression wildly fresh and lively. I love the balance here of sour and sweet, rich and then energetic, creating a wine of contrasts.	Vinous	93		2020-11-24
2017	Domaine Alain Voge	Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes	Old vines averaging 60 years and long oak maturation (20% in new oak) lend spicy, sweet notes of cinnamon toast and clove to deeply concentrated black plum and blackberry flavors in this wine. It’s a creamy Syrah, balanced by tart cassis acidity and ripe but firm, lingering tannins. Delicious already, the wine should show even better from 2022 and improve through 2037. #46 on the Wine Enthusiast Top 100 in 2020	Wine Enthusiast	96		2020-11-23
2018	Domaine Vallet	Saint Joseph 'Cuvee Muletiers'	Slightly richer yet still playing in the same style, the 2018 Saint Joseph Muletiers reveals a ruby/plum color as well as classic notes of spiced red and black fruits, leather, ground pepper, and hints of spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannins and a beautiful texture, this is another terrific wine readers should snatch up. It should be slightly longer lived than the Meribets cuvée.	Jeb Dunnuck	93		2020-11-19
2019	Domaine Vallet	Saint Joseph 'Cuvee Muletiers'	Mulberries, currants, spice, and peppery herb notes emerge from the 2019 Saint Joseph Muletiers, another rich, full-bodied wine from this estate. I like its tannins, it has an expansive texture, and it should have 10-15 years of longevity.	Jeb Dunnuck	91-93		2020-11-19