Wine Reviews: Old World Wines
We asked the Cheers national wine panel to taste and rate their favorite pours from Old World wine countries. As always, these reviews include tasting notes, ratings and suggested retail price for a 750-ml. bottle (unless otherwise noted).
RATING SYSTEM
Five Stars (92-100): A top-flight wine. Superior in taste and character and providing an outstanding price/value relationship.
Four Stars (86-91): A very good wine and an excellent value. A wine for which customers will keep coming back.
Three Stars: (80-85) An above-average wine, at a reasonable price point, which many customers will enjoy.
FIVE STARS
(97) Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV (France)
From a well-known and respected Champagne house, their Brut Réserve is comprised of the classic varieties, with the reserve wines used for the blend adding complexity and texture. The lovely fruit aspect of the profile, on the nose and palate, are reinforced by the long and exceptionally elegant finish. ($75)
(96) Tinto Pesquera Crianza DO Ribera del Duero 2021 (Spain)
This 100% tempranillo from the Ribera del Duero is produced by one the region’s most historic and well-known wineries. Aged for a minimum of one year in American oak, it can be cellared or enjoyed immediately. Brilliant garnet in the glass, the nose and palate both display plenty of ripe red fruit, with strawberry being the dominant aspect. A great wine to pair with a wide range of fowl and meat dishes. ($40)
(96) Poggerino Chianti Classico Reserva Bugialla 2020 (Italy)
Coming from just a few small plots of the oldest estates vineyards, you quickly realize you are drinking something special. Powerful dark cherry, blackberry, cedar and tobacco notes fill the mouth, before giving way to a seductive finish showing hints of cocoa powder and toasted oak. Truly a wine worth seeking out. ($45)
(96) Pertois-Moriset L’asseblage Brut Champagne NV (France).
Seductive aromas of white roses and dried pineapple rise from the glass. Flavors of green apple, peach and orange peel blossoms in the mouth giving way to a racy, sexy finish kissed with a hint of toasted brioche. This blend of chardonnay and pinot noir all from estate vineyards will amaze for its price. ($55)
(95) Emilio Moro Finca Resalso Tempranillo 2023 (Spain)
The youngest and most playful wine from this historic, family-owned winery. Showing all its beautiful fresh fruit with notes of plum, black cherry and blueberry. Four months of barrel aging is just the right amount to round out the edges and express the fruit and terroir. A stunning value that begs for some smoked meat or barbeque. ($20)
(95) Salviano Castello di Titignano Rigogoli 2022 (Spain)
An “international’’ blend of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and merlot, the wine is fermented and aged in steel. Brilliant lighter red, the nose and palate are dominated by dark fruit, with hints of spice and touch of an herbal note. The lack of oak helps the wine maintain a supple texture, with a balanced finish, highlighted by bright, clean fruit. ($47)
(94) Campo al Mare Bolgheri DOC 2022 (Italy)
The Bolgheri region, at the Western edge of Tuscany, is home to top wines, utilizing cabernet sauvignon and other classic red varieties. With the addition of merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot, this blend provides complexity, with lovely weight, great structure and plenty of dark fruit. The lingering, balanced finish demonstrates the level of winemaking and the resulting quality of the wine. ($35)
(94) Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho 2023 (Portugal)
From the man known as “Mister Alvarinho,” this wine eloquently demonstrates why he has earned that distinction. With a purity of fruit, due to cool fermentation in steel tanks, the wine showcases the variety’s characteristics. Beautiful peach and citrus notes on the nose and palate create an enticing, refreshing delicious wine, which confirms that the region of Monção e Melgaço provides the perfect conditions for top class alvarinho. ($22)
(94) Quinta da Pedra Milagres 2019 (Portugal)
Produced with a combination of stainless and older used barrels. The lees are stirred in the barrel for half a year, adding complexity to the nose and palate, as well as weight and texture. Brilliant yellow in color, the nose provides lots of peach and apricot notes, and the palate follows suit, with a lovely touch of minerality. ($29)
(93) Jacques Dumont Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (France)
Bright tropical fruit rains down on the palate, showing notes of kiwi, peach and lemon. Lively and well balanced on the long finish. Will pair well with any seafood; think swordfish, grilled calamari and salads. A real standout in this overwhelming category. ($15)
(93) Laurent Delaunay Morgon 2023 (France)
A red that is both refreshing and luxuriously silky. Bright notes of plump cherry, perfume and spice undertones erupt from the glass, ending in a velvety finish. An easy choice to pick this wine up! ($21.99)
(93) Domaine Michaut Freres Chablis 2022 (France)
This is a great example of a plush and luxuriously textured Chablis. Abundant stone fruit notes like apricot and mango with the classic Chablis minerality that produces a dry but rich finish. ($29.99)
(92) Domaine Michaut Freres Petit Chablis 2023 (France)
A smooth and rounded version of the Domaine’s Chablis. Abundant stone fruit notes but also lemon curd, pear and crisp apple are wrapped up by a touch of minerality. ($26.99)
(92) Laurent Delaunay Bourgogne Rouge Pinot Noir 2023 (France)
A vibrant and captivating red from a 5th generation winemaker. Supple and well integrated with notes of cherry, raspberry and a hint of black currants. It has the acidity to make it very food friendly, but is also balanced with a smooth finish. ($19.99)
FOUR STARS
(91) La Vostra Prosecco Superior DOCG 2023 (Italy)
Easy drinking but crisp and lively. This prosecco shows the brand’s exceptional style with fine bubbles that burst with citrus flavors, green apple and floral blossoms. Delicious, and sure to bring enjoyment with every sip. ($16.99)
(91) Guy Mousset Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2023 (France)
Strawberry jam and sweet baking spices envelop you as you take a sip. The tannins are subtle, but fine, creating a medium-bodied, fruit-driven wine. Well integrated, with a freshness that makes this a perfect year-round red. ($14.99)
(91) Chateau Paradis Casseuil Blanc 2023 (France)
A classic Bordeaux Blanc from the estate winery belonging to Lafite Rothschild. Notes of bright citrus: lemon, lime zest and clementine. The minerality provides a great backbone to complement chicken and fish dishes. ($19.99)
(91) Dolia Cannonau di Sardegna 2022 (Italy)
A red that’s packed with ripe red fruits and a touch of crushed black pepper. Full-bodied and structured, this would easily harmonize with many types
of food, from lighter fare like cheese to heavier stews. ($16.99)
(91) Chateau Paradis Casseuil Rouge 2022 (France).
This is a round, bouncy and fresh red from a Lafite Rothschild estate winery. Bright red fruit notes lead with hints of oak and earthiness that yearn for a charcuterie board. The wine has structure and black fruit notes to round out the palate. ($19.99)
(90) Nero Oro Rosso Riserva 2021 (Italy)
A structured and full-bodied red. This wine has great density and is filled with notes of raspberry, spice, blackberries and a hint of plum. While it is full-bodied, it is still clean and fresh on your palate. ($16.99)
(90) Laurent Delaunay Beaujolais 2023 (France)
Classic fun, easy-drinking Beaujolais from a fifth-generation wine maker. Silky, refreshing with soft tannins. Juicy cherries, raspberries and a touch of florality. ($10.99)
(90) Laurent Delaunay Beaujolais Villages 2023 (France)
A very charming expression of Beaujolais from a fifth-generation winemaker. Fresh strawberries, wildflowers and earth flood the palate with balanced acidity and a smooth mouthfeel. ($13.99)
(90) La Belle Angele Ruby Pinot Noir 2023 (France)
A fruit-forward expression of the varietal, the grapes used for this blend were selected from the producer’s top vineyards in Southern France. This approachable, easy-drinking, oak-aged pinot noir shows expressive notes of red plum, cherries and mixed berries. ($14.99)
(93) Vale Dona Maria Superior Douro Red Blend (Portugal)
Produced from a combination of typical Douro Valley varieties — touriga nacional, touriga franca, tinta roriz (tempranillo) and alicante bouschet — the blend creates a wine with complexity, accessible tannins and dark fruit. A great wine to accompany a wide range of meats and cheeses. ($20)
(93) Laurenz V. Singing Grüner Veltliner 2023 (Austria)
Grüner veltliner is one of the lesser-known but best food-pairing wine varieties available. A lovely pale gold, with greenish hints in the glass, the nose and palate demonstrate plenty of bright clean tree fruit, with a hint of spice. The wine finishes with balanced fruit and acidity. ($18)
(92) Paulo Laureano Ema’s Vineyard Red Blend 2021 (Portugal)
Produced in one of Portugal’s most prolific regions, this blend of regional varieties provides plenty of depth of fruit, mostly aragonez, and trincadeira with some alicante bouschet and tinta grossa. All of the components work together to create a wine with great complexity, and a supple and mid-weight mouthfeel. Very flexible, with its ability to pair well with a wide range of foods, only adds to its high-quality nature. ($17)
Feature photo by Michiel Mulder on Unsplash.
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