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The i-WineReview is your link to in-depth reports on important wine regions and expert tasting notes

08/22/2026

Read my article on the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs made by one of California’s top winemakers, James PacPhail, at his Sonoma County winery. Sonoma County Vintners Tongue Dancer Wines

08/19/2026

WHITE SANGIOVESE FROM ONE OF BRUNELLO’S PREMIER PRODUCERS IN MONTOSOLI A white wine made from Sangiovese isn’t very common, much less one from the famous Montalcino region of Tuscany. My review: Capanna 2024 SanGioBi Toscana IGT This white wine made from the red Sangiovese reveals melon, ripe pear, and just a hint of honeysuckle on the nose. Round and full-flavored in the mouth, there’s brisk acidity on a firm palate with flavors that mimic the bouquet. Fresh and bright with a lingering finish, this is a wine that goes well as an aperitif or paired with fish and fowl. Sourced from younger vines at 250-280m altitude with northwest exposure in Montosoli. Fermented in stainless steel and aged six months in 10 hl Slavonian oak barrels. 91 points on the IWR scale. Patrizio and Amedeo Cencioni are the winemakers. Importer: Broadbent Selections

08/07/2026

Godello: The little known (outside Spain) white variety makes some wonderful, balanced wines. Here's my review of the 2025 vintage: Pago de los Capellanes 2025 Godello O Luar do Sil Valdeorras 93 Vibrant bouquet of white pear and melon with floral and mineral notes. Creamy mouth feel on a firm palate with lively acidity and good concentration of white peach, ripe pear and a hint of baking spice. A gorgeous, beautifully balanced Godello! Sourced from old vineyards of granitic soils at 450m altitude in Seadur. 13.5% alc. Valdeorras Kysela Père et Fils Read all my reviews of Pago de los Capellanes wines at https://iwinereview.substack.com

08/06/2026

MILSETENTAYSEIS: HIGH ALTITUDE WINE FROM FUENTENEBRO IN RIBERA DEL DUERO Alma Carraovejas 2020 Milsetentayseis Tinto Ribera del Duero is a high-altitude wine that is light on its feet with superb freshness. It reveals bright red fruit with good depth and hints of savory mountain herbs and firm minerals. Long finish and round tannins. Ready to drink now. 85% Tempranillo and 15% other native varieties (Alrije, Albillo Mayor, Bobal, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo and Viura) hand harvested from old (75+ years) bush vine vineyards in Fuentenebro located at 920-1100m altitude. Calcareous clay soils with high iron content turning the soils red in color. Sorted in the field and again at the winery and vinified separately by each small parcel in a variety of vessels—oak, concrete, stainless steel and clay amphoras; then aged 18 months in used barrels and foudres of French oak. Javier Rivero is the winemaker. Fran Kysela is the US importer. 94 points on the IWR scale. 15.5% alc. Kysela Père et Fils Ribera del Duero

06/25/2026

Rosé Champagne is the perfect celebratory drink, and it is especially appropriate for toasting the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. French naval and other support were critical to the success of the American Revolution. And Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, was especially fond of Champagne (the still kind), which he later imported for White House dinners while he was President. Today, America is a very important market for Rosé Champagne. Imports to the US continue to rise, while French domestic consumption is on the decline. In the PDF article in the link [https://iwinereview.substack.com/p/rose-champagne], we list our favorite producers of vintage and non-vintage Rosé Champagne and provide detailed tasting notes of over two dozen current releases. Champagne

06/08/2026

Read my latest reviews of winemaker Sabrine Rodems' wines on Substack: https://iwinereview.substack.com/p/wrath-newly-released-pinot-noirs Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans

05/19/2026

Read my reviews of Gran Selezione Chianti Classico wines made by 22 of the to producers. Click on the link: https://open.substack.com/pub/iwinereview/p/chianti-classico-gran-selezione-current?r=395jx3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Chianti Classico

01/10/2026

MACROSTIE 2023 CHARDONNAY BACIGALUPI VINEYARD The definition of superb: an elegant Russian River Valley Chardonnay sourced from one of California's top Chardonnay vineyards and crafted by one its top winemakers, Heidi Bridenhagen. Read my full review article on MacRostie at substack/iwinereview2

11/07/2025

Sourced from California’s Sierra Foothills, the Starfield Vineyards 2023 Counoise El Dorado reveals a starbright luminous red hue. This Counoise is silky smooth and easy drinking with explosive red berry aromas and flavors and enough savory notes to give it a serious demeanor. It could pass for a saignée rosado from Spain. 95% Counoise and 5% Grenache; aged in 24% new oak. Absolutely delicious.

11/03/2025

BOORDY 2022 LANDMARK SERIES RED BLEND DRY BENCH RESERVE CATOCTIN AVA ($61) 94 We’ve been tasting a lot of Bordeaux blends recently, and the 2022 Boordy Red Blend is a pleasant respite from some of the over-ripe, overly alcoholic bottles that make it to our tasting room. It offers delicious flavors without over-the-top alcohol. Here’s our tasting note: “Semi-opaque red. This Cabernet Sauvignon led blend (with Merlot and Cabernet Franc) is a delicious, flavor-packed wine. It opens with a rich, dark fruited bouquet and proceeds to a full-flavored, well-structured palate of plum, huckleberry, cassis and savory herbs. Finishes long with firm, velvet-coated tannins. A great wine to accompany grilled steak. 13% alc.” 94 points on the IWR scale. D Winkler Boordy Vineyards

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