Reviews

No Acqua, Solo Vino My favorite wine bar in Florence was founded in 2008, located opposite the Palazzo Pitti. The following year I made my first visit, and Pitti Gola has become a mandatory stop on every trip I make to Florence, including for this year’s 2025 Tuscan Anteprima.  The wine selection (both by bottle and glass) is impressive, the …

The post Wine Reviews: Mini Round-Up for February 24, 2025 appeared first on 1 Wine Dude. I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format. They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) …

A bright and tangy version, with lemon-lime flavors creating a mouthwatering style, while almond skin and fresh herb notes swirl in. Drink now. 28,000 cases made, 6,800 cases imported. Source : 7e0ce0998ae0350862674d8502035baa

A fresh red, offering an open-knit, accessible feel. Yet there’s focus and length, with integrated flavors of plumped raspberry, plum skin and mineral. Shows a touch of tobacco, with fine, taut tannins. Drink now through 2032. 11,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported. Source : 47e546fc9480cd0a453cf46c1e545a25

An extraordinary white, with details of beeswax, honeysuckle and lanolin giving way to succulent white peach, nectarine and lemon curd flavors on a plush, juicy frame. Shows details of marmalade and candied ginger, with hints of litsea oil and lemon balm that linger on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2035. 5,000 cases made. Source : ba56ba010ec88de7db774570cc4fbb90

There’s appealing lightness to this silky red, despite the ripeness. Unadorned cherry and red licorice notes cruise alongside dusty earth, mulling spices and graphite. Cool stone minerality and grilled apple wood smoke mark the finish, gently guided by sculpted red tea tannins. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now. 10,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported. Source : 89461a6cd4dcaa249dc647a6eff21080

While traveling in Western Georgia, I stopped by the Khareba Winery in Terjola to see their Imereti facilities and taste their wines, both those made in traditional qvevri (churi) and those made the international way in modern stainless steel and oak. I had earlier visited Khareba’s winery in Telavi and tasted the portfolio of wines from Kakheti, so I was …

The post California Wine’s No Good, Very Bad Month appeared first on 1 Wine Dude. As sunny California is still reeling from having to accept that the Philadelphia Eagles are conclusively, unarguably the greatest team in the NFL at the moment, even more bad news has hit the state’s wine industry—and, by extension, the USA’s wine industry (which California production …

This lacy-textured sparkling rosé crackles with lip-smacking acidity and boasts a fragrant range of wild strawberry, peach skin, tangerine and thyme notes through the lightly spiced finish. Drink now. 6,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported. Source : 727d1cb18aaa147142aa77f832431ae4

Kirkland Signature products aim to bring premium quality at rock bottom prices, and most of the time they hit the mark, particularly in the wine aisle. To get that high quality, Costco often teams up with big name producers who can’t always claim these wines as their own, or it might devalue some of their […] Source : http://costcowineblog.com/who-are-the-real-producers-behind-costcos-kirkland-signature-wines/

This white is vibrant and luscious, with pear and tropical fruit flavors laced with hints of vanilla and spices. Finishes on a zesty accent. Drink now. 3,472 cases made. Source : 133c093e46775cb3a7192c39f1d7221c

A mix of mulled boysenberry and blackberry fruit, dried violet, iris and lively licorice snap notes gives this a textbook and very aromatic St.-Julien profile. A sleek iron detail courses underneath, allowing the fruit to sail unhindered through the finish, flanked judiciously by singed apple wood. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2042. 12,500 …

Bright and expressive, with an appealing range of pineapple, kiwifruit, tangerine peel, Marcona almond and ginger biscuit. Well-cut, with herb, spice and mineral notes on the zesty finish. Drink now through 2028. 4,750 cases made, 1,576 cases imported. Source : 0ffcc58c679528f29f0a10c9b9567770

Succulent and bursting with raspberry and cherry aromas and flavors, this red is spry and vibrant, leaving a mouthwatering impression. The finish echoes ample fruit notes, plus mineral details. Drink now through 2029. 8,300 cases made, 2,000 cases imported. Source : 19601b48ef5ffc280d1104556b29f641

This is the first time reviewing this wine for the site but it is a bottle we’ve tasted and thoroughly enjoyed across multiple vintages. It is always a classic expression of Napa Cabernet at a great price, and Costco really did us a favor bringing it in at $26.99. A quick online search will show […] Source : http://costcowineblog.com/2022-hess-allomi-cabernet-sauvignon/

An expressive burst of flowers, melon, quince and lemon rind is full and unctuous on a round palate. Salty, tangy acidity keeps this balanced. An example of the fruity, ripe Alsatian style. Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris. Drink now. 20,000 cases made, 500 cases imported. Source : 5dc2683a377e8b1d1a59e1e8176fa2d9

Steely in build, with etched acidity that focuses on vibrant cherry and guava flavors underlined with stony minerality and black tea tones as this gathers tension toward sleek tannins. Drink now through 2032. 4,670 cases made. Source : 85debaa4f0b364182a47ddbcb2acdc1a

An intriguing, distinct and aromatic version, with a cherry wood base note mixing with chamomile; spiced, poached pear; and brûléed grapefruit flavors that gain richness and depth. Takes on vanilla bean and baking spice details on the finish. Drink now. 1,000 cases imported. Source : 3f36f89229ddd51dc8c0cb0d9f5bd319

Every time we see a Portuguese bottle hit Costco shelves we pick it up immediately. It might be the best “bang for the buck” region in the wine world today. This bottle was a particularly fun find for us. We’ve reviewed a couple of this producer’s less expensive bottles in the past, and they were […] Source : https://costcowineblog.com/2021-quinta-do-portal-douro-reserva/

A vibrant red, with a core of ripe mulberry, raspberry and boysenberry fruit flavors. Light, supple tannins and lively acidity provide fine definition for the medium-bodied frame, and notes of violet, thyme, anise and iron linger on the finish. Drink now through 2030. 3,075 cases made, 880 cases imported. Source : 8f2621c2e05ef1af77a462fb2a2b72b2