Recently, I’ve received some wines that would fit really well into my springtime meals and gatherings. I’m always on the lookout for those wines that combine quality, value, and speak to their place and tradition, and this week’s choices include a few that hit that spot.
California is well represented here with a collection of springy, spritely wines. I can’t wait to visit again soon and hopefully catch a bunch of wildflower views in meadows and vineyards. Classic bubbles from Scharffenberger, along with a mix of delightful Chardonnays – there’s a lot to like. I’ve included a few fresh Pinots to round things out, as those juicy, red-fruited wines are always welcome at my table. And some Italian wines from Friuli’s Attems have a lot of quality and value to offer.
These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.
2021 Attems Pinot Grigio Ramato – Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli DOC
SRP: $20
Pale copper color. The nose is a spritely jaunt of white peaches and lemons, white cherries, lots of flowers, with cool briny, white pepper, and celery seed tones. The palate is racy and taut with nice textural depth and flavors of white cherries, orange peel, and juicy pear. Such a crunchy, spicy, fun wine with lots of floral nuances, honey, and herbal tones to parse through. Has a cool herbal, chalky, salty vibe that lingers long onto the finish. An “accessible” style of Ramato that would be a great introduction for a newbie or a by-the-glass list addition. Also a really solid value. (90 points)
2021 Attems Sauvignon Blanc – Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
SRP: $15
A light yellow with hint of pale copper. Super peachy on the nose with zesty lemons, limes, a green apples, with dandelion and chalky, flinty vibes. The palate is bright and crisp but sports a pleasant creaminess as well. Green apples and limes mix nicely with talc and flinty, mineral tones. Nuances of basil and white pepper accent the wine well. Brisk and salad-friendly, but it shows a lot of complexity. A “real”-tasting Sauv Blanc at this price point, which isn’t easy to find. (89 points)
N.V. Scharffenberger Brut Rose Excellence – USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County
SRP: $29
Deep salmon color. The nose sports a bright, chalky, floral appeal with raspberries and white cherries, with some biscuits, strawberry rhubarb pie, sea salt – a lot of cool things going on. The palate is racy with fine bubbles and a lush mouthfeel. Strawberries, tart red apples, wild raspberries, the fruit is mixed with biscuits, saltine crackers, honeysuckle, mint. Love the creaminess but this maintains crunchy, fresh vibes throughout. This classic California sparkler is still going strong, and is demonstrating some serious value. 55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, aged two years on the lees. (90 points)
2021 Girasole Vineyards Pinot Blanc – USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County
SRP: $15
Light yellow color. Such a bright aromatic display, a fruit salad of lemon, papaya, and pineapple, topped with dandelion, honeysuckle, and white pepper. A creamy texture supports the palate, matched with brisk acidity, and flavors of limes and pineapples. A fun, juicy appeal but it has a lot of complexity and depth, with notes of basil, honeysuckle, white pepper, all sorts of spring meadow vibes going on here. Juicy but racy, well-balanced Pinot Blanc – I could see this being a BTG list hit at a bistro. Value alert! (89 points)
2020 Landmark Chardonnay Overlook – USA, California, Sonoma County
SRP: $27
Ripe yellow color. A rich nose of yellow apples and pears, with honey, fresh biscuits, whipped butter, but the wine stays fresh and inviting. The palate shows a creamy base with flavors of juicy white peaches and yellow apples, with moderate acidity. Notes of honey, almond, cinnamon, and graham cracker add a warm complexity, but the wine finishes lively with a floral touch. Fun, juicy Chard at a good price. (88 points)
2021 Balverne Chardonnay Estate Grown Forever Wild – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $35
Medium yellow. The nose has a lot to offer, with yellow apples, quince, lemons, and a mix of honey and graham cracker, with some chalk dust and sea salt. The palate shows lovely texture and vibrant acidity over a bed of yellow apples, key lime pie, pears, with a fresh and vibrant appeal. Richer notes of hazelnut and almond cake mix with bright elements of honeysuckle, chalk dust, sea salt. Deep but balanced and fresh Russian River Chard. (90 points)
2021 Three Sticks Chardonnay Durell Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
SRP: $70
Light yellow color. A brisk and salty appeal on the nose, with limes, green pears, with honeysuckle, almond skin, and a lot of white and yellow flowers. Racy acidity frames the palate well, keeping and airy and lively feel, but there’s beautifully deep texture, and refined balance. Juicy yellow pears and apples, drizzled with limes, mixed with hints of basil, peanut shell, chalk dusty, saline. There’s so much clarity and focus in here, and it will age wonderfully. A great example of Durrell Chardonnay. Fermented and aged in concrete eggs, stainless steel and oak. (93 points)
2019 Landmark Pinot Noir Overlook – USA, California, Sonoma County
SRP: $27
Vibrant cherry color. Aromas of fresh red plums, tart cherries, cranberry relish, backed up with dried rose petals, rhubarb, white pepper – really fun. The palate sports a tart, crunchy, vibrant appeal with juicy red cherries, pomegranate, and strawberries – the fruit has this chilled, freshness throughout. Notes of violets, rhubarb, anise, and white pepper add complexity, and more of those savory tones come out with air. A lot of finesse and complexity for a Sonoma Pinot at this price point. (90 points)
2021 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Monarch – USA, California, Sonoma County
SRP: $75
Deep ruby color. Gorgeous aromas of black cherries, gushing strawberry and red plums, ripe yet fresh, the fruit on the nose makes the mouth water. Elements of cola, rhubarb, spicy herbal tea, and warm clay add complexity. Suave tannins and refined acidity meet blissfully on the palate. Chewy but fresh with delicious fruit (cranberry relish, chilled cherries, strawberry jam), which is met with a complex host of earth, spiced tea, chestnut, black tea, oregano. There’s a stony, clay earthy, mineral-encrusted atmosphere here, and a silky, floral finish. Great now but this will be even better in five years. Beautiful. A blend of estate fruit aged 10 months in 40% new French oak. (93+ points)
SRP: $20
Pale copper color. The nose is a spritely jaunt of white peaches and lemons, white cherries, lots of flowers, with cool briny, white pepper, and celery seed tones. The palate is racy and taut with nice textural depth and flavors of white cherries, orange peel, and juicy pear. Such a crunchy, spicy, fun wine with lots of floral nuances, honey, and herbal tones to parse through. Has a cool herbal, chalky, salty vibe that lingers long onto the finish. An “accessible” style of Ramato that would be a great introduction for a newbie or a by-the-glass list addition. Also a really solid value. (90 points)
2021 Attems Sauvignon Blanc – Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
SRP: $15
A light yellow with hint of pale copper. Super peachy on the nose with zesty lemons, limes, a green apples, with dandelion and chalky, flinty vibes. The palate is bright and crisp but sports a pleasant creaminess as well. Green apples and limes mix nicely with talc and flinty, mineral tones. Nuances of basil and white pepper accent the wine well. Brisk and salad-friendly, but it shows a lot of complexity. A “real”-tasting Sauv Blanc at this price point, which isn’t easy to find. (89 points)
N.V. Scharffenberger Brut Rose Excellence – USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County
SRP: $29
Deep salmon color. The nose sports a bright, chalky, floral appeal with raspberries and white cherries, with some biscuits, strawberry rhubarb pie, sea salt – a lot of cool things going on. The palate is racy with fine bubbles and a lush mouthfeel. Strawberries, tart red apples, wild raspberries, the fruit is mixed with biscuits, saltine crackers, honeysuckle, mint. Love the creaminess but this maintains crunchy, fresh vibes throughout. This classic California sparkler is still going strong, and is demonstrating some serious value. 55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, aged two years on the lees. (90 points)
2021 Girasole Vineyards Pinot Blanc – USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County
SRP: $15
Light yellow color. Such a bright aromatic display, a fruit salad of lemon, papaya, and pineapple, topped with dandelion, honeysuckle, and white pepper. A creamy texture supports the palate, matched with brisk acidity, and flavors of limes and pineapples. A fun, juicy appeal but it has a lot of complexity and depth, with notes of basil, honeysuckle, white pepper, all sorts of spring meadow vibes going on here. Juicy but racy, well-balanced Pinot Blanc – I could see this being a BTG list hit at a bistro. Value alert! (89 points)
2020 Landmark Chardonnay Overlook – USA, California, Sonoma County
SRP: $27
Ripe yellow color. A rich nose of yellow apples and pears, with honey, fresh biscuits, whipped butter, but the wine stays fresh and inviting. The palate shows a creamy base with flavors of juicy white peaches and yellow apples, with moderate acidity. Notes of honey, almond, cinnamon, and graham cracker add a warm complexity, but the wine finishes lively with a floral touch. Fun, juicy Chard at a good price. (88 points)
2021 Balverne Chardonnay Estate Grown Forever Wild – USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $35
Medium yellow. The nose has a lot to offer, with yellow apples, quince, lemons, and a mix of honey and graham cracker, with some chalk dust and sea salt. The palate shows lovely texture and vibrant acidity over a bed of yellow apples, key lime pie, pears, with a fresh and vibrant appeal. Richer notes of hazelnut and almond cake mix with bright elements of honeysuckle, chalk dust, sea salt. Deep but balanced and fresh Russian River Chard. (90 points)
2021 Three Sticks Chardonnay Durell Vineyard – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
SRP: $70
Light yellow color. A brisk and salty appeal on the nose, with limes, green pears, with honeysuckle, almond skin, and a lot of white and yellow flowers. Racy acidity frames the palate well, keeping and airy and lively feel, but there’s beautifully deep texture, and refined balance. Juicy yellow pears and apples, drizzled with limes, mixed with hints of basil, peanut shell, chalk dusty, saline. There’s so much clarity and focus in here, and it will age wonderfully. A great example of Durrell Chardonnay. Fermented and aged in concrete eggs, stainless steel and oak. (93 points)
2019 Landmark Pinot Noir Overlook – USA, California, Sonoma County
SRP: $27
Vibrant cherry color. Aromas of fresh red plums, tart cherries, cranberry relish, backed up with dried rose petals, rhubarb, white pepper – really fun. The palate sports a tart, crunchy, vibrant appeal with juicy red cherries, pomegranate, and strawberries – the fruit has this chilled, freshness throughout. Notes of violets, rhubarb, anise, and white pepper add complexity, and more of those savory tones come out with air. A lot of finesse and complexity for a Sonoma Pinot at this price point. (90 points)
2021 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Monarch – USA, California, Sonoma County
SRP: $75
Deep ruby color. Gorgeous aromas of black cherries, gushing strawberry and red plums, ripe yet fresh, the fruit on the nose makes the mouth water. Elements of cola, rhubarb, spicy herbal tea, and warm clay add complexity. Suave tannins and refined acidity meet blissfully on the palate. Chewy but fresh with delicious fruit (cranberry relish, chilled cherries, strawberry jam), which is met with a complex host of earth, spiced tea, chestnut, black tea, oregano. There’s a stony, clay earthy, mineral-encrusted atmosphere here, and a silky, floral finish. Great now but this will be even better in five years. Beautiful. A blend of estate fruit aged 10 months in 40% new French oak. (93+ points)
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