Hello and welcome to this week’s dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.
After almost two decades of making only red wine, Tim Mondavi’s family, whose primary efforts have been at their Continuum Estate up on Pritchard Hill, have launched a new brand called Sentium, for their first release of a Sauvignon Blanc, which comes from several (unspecified) organic growers of (unspecified age) old vines in Mendocino’s Redwood Valley and Potter Valley. The wine represents a project of Tim’s children, part of the fourth generation of the Mondavi family in California, led by Chiara Mondavi. This barrel (and tank and concrete) fermented wine is a nod to the family’s historical Fumé Blanc in California, and marks an interesting new chapter in the Continuum story (the superb 2022 vintage of which I also review below).
This past week also included a couple of interesting Chardonnays. The first is from a special project by German winemaker Ernie Loosen. Loosen has a passion for Pinot Noir, which led to a collaboration with J. Christopher Cellars in 2005 that he called Apassionata Estate. The vision was to create a Pinot Noir that would see extended bottle age and would not be released until Loosen felt it was perfectly ready. As with many things in the wine business, one thing led to another, and now Appassionata makes several wines, including a “GG” Riesling, and Loosen is now the owner of J. Christopher wines. Among the wines now made by Appassionata is the Willamette Valley Chardonnay that I tasted this week, which has an unusual and distinctive character.
The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay from Moone-Tsai Wines is a bit more classic in profile, if a tad richer than the current trends in Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. But if you’re a fan of more traditional California Chardonnay, you’ll appreciate the lemon curd and pastry cream this wine has to offer.
I’ve got a couple of interesting reds to recommend as well this week, beginning with the crunchy, fresh, and aromatic interpretation of alpine Nebbiolo from Tenuta Scerscé. The Sassella is a fresh and vibrant expression of Valtellina, with electric acidity and a wonderful combination of complexity and deliciousness.
Château Malherbe is a beautiful property in coastal Provence, organically and biodynamically farmed by the Ferrari family who can trace their ownership of the estate back four generations. The estate makes a number of different wines, of which the red I’m reviewing this week is their “entry-level” estate red, a nice blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Grenache.
Lastly, I’ve got three bottlings from Pride Mountain Vineyards, that unique estate whose vineyards quite literally straddle the county line dividing Napa and Sonoma, allowing them to make wines from either appellation or in the case of many of their top wines, a mix of both. That is the case for the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Reserve Claret wines I’m reviewing this week, both of which were excellent expressions of the 2022 vintage. The estate’s reserve Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon was also worthy of attention.
Notes on all these below.
Tasting Notes
2022 Sentium Sauvignon Blanc, Mendocino, California
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of ripe Fuji apples. In the mouth, aromatically sweet apple and lemon flavors have a nice crispness to them thanks to excellent acidity. Silky textured, with that appley note lingering in the finish. Contains 1% Semillon. 13% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $77. click to buy.
2020 Appassionata Estate Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, lemon peel, toasted nuts, and lanolin. In the mouth, lanolin, lemon pith, grapefruit, and a hint of salinity have a nice filigreed acidity…
Source : https://www.vinography.com/2025/02/vinography-unboxed-week-of-2-16-25
