V

8.7

Wow. Sweet spicy ginger, chamomile, black tea, rose/lychee, diacetyl (butter), lemon, apple. Med body and med+ acidity. I tasted this blind initially and was struggling between a super manipulated gewurztraminer (unlikely) or a viognier. The acid was too high for Gewurztraminer and the rose/lychee & chamomile notes (which I think typify Gewurzt) not intense enough. This wasn’t exactly in line with Viogniers I’ve had either but I haven’t had enough to be sure and some characteristics (rose/lychee, spicy ginger, diacetyl and structure) reminded me of an oaked Vigonier picked at the perfect time (when it has good acidity and flavor). I absolutely did not expect it to be a Chardonnay! Sort of wondering if these characteristics are typical for South African (or Stellenbosch) Chardonnays. Very complex. Excellent wine. — 2 years ago

V

8.4

I Coravin-ed this and drank it over the course of about 6 months. At first it was apple, pear, passion fruit, and unripe kiwi. But by the end, it had developed this super savory Japanese curry flavor (along with the fruits especially that unripe kiwi still there in the back).

With this glass sitting on the table, I literally gets whiffs of that unripe kiwi every few minutes. — 3 years ago

V

8.1

I really thought I’d love this wine but I can’t say I do. It’s got the characteristic lychees aroma mixed with ginger and chamomile. But that sort of chamomile bitterness is a bit overwhelming and coupled with a less than ideal amount of acidity, the wine as a whole feels cloying. This could be great if only it were sharper.

(Update: Had this again with a lightly seasoned, grilled swordfish steak, and that made this wine a whole lot better)

(Update 2: My original rating was 7.4 but the more I drink this, the more I like it) — 4 years ago

V

8.0

At first there’s this whiff of cream, and sweet candy, and tropical fruit on the nose but it quickly dissipates. On the palate, it’s sharp lemon with a juxtaposition of a medium, slightly waxy, body with bracing acidity. There’s also a touch of vegetal pyrazine-like notes on the finish which is unexpected. — 2 years ago

V

8.2

Grape, orange marmalade, peach, and slight plum aromas on the nose and palate. Good acidity to wash down the sweetness. — 3 years ago

V

8.4

I think this Moscato d’Asti and Michele Chiarlo’s (Nivole) are my favorite. Both are far better than the widely distributed (at least in the US) Saracco. The Saracco’s I’ve had always suffered from a touch less acidity than is ideal. This Vietti Moscato d’Asti on the other hand has literal mouth-watering acidity which is needed to balance the sweetness and keep the wine fresh. It’s almost ethereal on the palate with notes of the rose, grape, ripe apple and cream. — 3 years ago

V

8.4

Cataratto, a grape used primarily for bulk wine in Sicily, is much maligned. But when grown for quality in the right hands it can shine.

And this wine shines. Buttery ripe citrus and herbs on the nose (these “herbs” on the nose are something I get with a lot of Italian whites). Bitter finish. High acidity. Overall, super fresh, bright, and refreshing. — 4 years ago

V

8.4

Absolutely gorgeous sweet wine made from Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains (locally known as Moscadello) from the region of Tuscany better known for Brunello. Cream, honey and a touch of tangerine on the nose with a piercing high-toned marizpan-esque sweetness. Similar notes on the palate though the deep honeyed notes predominate in this case while the high toned sugar predominates the nose. A wine of complementary contrasts - it’s both bright and deep at the same time, and full bodied and juicy (high acid). — 2 years ago

V

7.9

Strong rosemary aroma on the nose and palate with a bit of fresh mint (my mouth literally feels slightly fresh after drinking it as if it were a mild mint). It reminds me of a rosemary, thyme, parsley focaccia bread (Wegmans) I had the other day. Retsina’s got a bad name but this would be excellent with that focaccia bread, hummus, or light herb rich foods. — 3 years ago

V

8.1

I’m starting to think that the Pedro Parra style might be easy drinking juicy fruity light wines but to be fair, I’ve only tried two of his wines. This wine was juicy mixed fruit (like the fruit cartons you had as a kid) BUT with a larger quantity of strawberry than any other fruit and a noticeable Pinot Noir-like earthiness (this is a 100% Cinsault). Structurally, its super light body, medium acidy, low tannin. The fruit starts to dissipate quickly and the strawberry is mostly on the nose. This wine shares a lot with Pedro Parra’s Vinista Pais (also from Itata) - both have that base of kid’s mixed fruit juice and are structurally similar. — 4 years ago