Bubbles

Graham Beck Brut Rosé

From the winemaker: “A pale silver-pink in color with aromas of raspberries, cherries and a few secondary whiffs of minerality. Fine in the mouth, with subtle red berry flavors enlivened by bright acids. Brisk on the palate, showing hints of oyster shell and fresh lavender. Flirtatious and fun, yet elegant and structured, it’s perfect for all seasons and settings.”

From Decanter, which scored it a 90: “This méthode cap classique (South African fizz made in the same way as champagne) from South African stalwart Graham Beck has a lovely creamy red fruit and apple character, with a rich mousse and brioche finish. It has a vibrant raspberry acidity and a long finish. Great value.”

From me: It’s bubbles like these that make it impossible for me to spend crazy sums for champagne. Sorry, I’m a cheapskate . . . but one with good taste!

$21.99 at http://wine.com

White

2021 WillaKenzie Estate Cuvée Chardonnay

From the winemaker: “This wine offers notes of mandarin orange, citrus blossom, crystallized ginger, marmalade and hints of yeasty sourdough. Those flavors carry onto a balanced palate that offers wonderful purity, tension and length.” 

From James Suckling, who scored it a 92: “Aromas of citrus and flowers, with a concentrated palate and bright acidity. Light- to medium-bodied with notes of sliced lemons and honeysuckle. Ends with a tangy and refreshing finish. This is an enjoyable and interesting wine that sees approximately 25% new oak.”

From me: The winery was named for the dirt — Willakenzie soil — in which vines grow. The vintner behind the finished product is Erik Kramer, a fixture in Oregon’s Willamette Valley since 2004 who, fittingly, has a degree in geology. He segued through the petrochemical industry before finding his true passion, first working harvests in Washington state, then earning a postgraduate diploma in viticulture and oenology at Lincoln University in New Zealand, where he graduated with honors. Call him both a scientist and an artist.

$38.99 at http://wine.com

2022 La Poussie Sancerre

From the winemaker: “A beautiful minerality brings a lovely character. The palate is round with a finesse offering the aromatic flavors of gingerbread, honey and peach. The finish is persistent and ends on a light and refreshing mineral note. The first notes are very fine, complex and delicate. The aromas of peaches, quince and white flowers follow. Light aeration reveals the delicate scents of exotic fruit. The minerality brings a beautiful equilibrium and harmony.”

From the Wine Spectator, which scored it a 91: “Delivers a delicious mix of fleshy lychee, lime and green apple flavors covered in a layer of fresh herbs. Shows chalky mineral and flint smoke accents that grace the salty, nicely weighted palate, which shows serious length. Drink now through 2027. 1,700 cases imported.”

From me: The vineyards where the grapes grow date to the 11th century, when the Capetians were in charge, and are located in a gorgeously unique natural amphitheater forming a nearly perfect 180-degree semicircle. The steep — 45 degrees — slopes offer ideal sun exposure, explaining the wine’s high quality.

$47.99 at http://wine.com

2021 Archery Summit Chardonnay Dundee Hills

From the winemaker: “Apricot, golden raisin, honeycomb and apple make up the fragrance of this elegant wine. The texture is remarkable, featuring the flinty, slightly waxy, basalt-kissed makeup we’ve grown to love and expect from Chardonnay grown in the appellation. The palate is layered, beginning with lemon and dried mango and leading to notes of brioche and kiwi. A juicy strand of acidity runs throughout, giving the wine a radiant quality that lights up the glass.”

From James Suckling, who scored it a 93: “This has ripe tropical fruit with hints of cashews, toffee and dried herbs. Crisp and tangy palate with a medium to full body and juicy lemon pith character in the middle. Balanced and complex with a textured and peachy aftertaste.”

From me: Founded in 1993, the winery deserves much credit for making the Dundee Hills famous, and the Archery Summit team, led by winemaker Ian Burch, is all in on minimal-impact agriculture, another reason to love what’s in the bottle.

$46.99 at wine.com

2023 Vignobles Lacheteau Touraine Sauvignon Blanc

From the winemaker: “It’s fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve its fresh flavor profile and vibrant character. It’s deeply aromatic, with bright notes of citrus and spring blossoms, tasters will note a pronounced, yet balanced, acidity that keeps the palate engaged with every scintillating sip.”

From me: Touraine may not be as famous as Sancerre for sauvignon blanc, but by and large there’s no appreciable drop-off in quality between the two and the wines from this sub-region of the Loire Valley generally offer better value. In this case, exceptional value.

$6.99 at Trader Joe’s

2023 Kidia Estate Sauvignon Blanc

From the winemaker: “Citrus, grass, gooseberry notes on nose. Follows through on palate. Good acidity and mouthfeel.”

From me: Vina del Pedregal, founded in the Valle del Maule in 1825 with vines imported from France, has been named Chile’s Winery of the Year by the Sommeliers Choice Awards and the 2022 vintage of this delectable sav blanc received a 95-point score in the same competition. And it costs six bucks a bottle? Ca marche, as the French would say.

$5.99 at Trader Joe’s

Pink

2023 J.Lohr Stairway Vineyard Grenache Rosé Paso Robles

From the winemaker: “Displays grapefruit and wild strawberry aromas with accents of Asian pear, guava, and Crenshaw melon. The palate is crisp yet succulent, with tangelo and strawberry hard candy flavors that transition to a refreshing finish.

From me: The chalky, rocky Stairway Vineyard earned its name because of the vertiginous slopes, in places inclining at 50 percent, in the Adelaida District. The land is at 1,500 feet in elevation and receives cool early afternoon breezes from the Pacific Ocean just 13 miles to the west, making the four acres of grenache vines, planted in 2018 and 2019, that deliver the fruit for this wine very, very happy.

$28 at http://jlohr.com

Red

2021 Trisaetum Pinot Noir

From the winemaker: “Full, firm and forceful, this is a sturdy, solid, almost blocky vintage for this estate selection. Black cherry dusted with cocoa gives the fruit a chocolatey note, and the finish resonates with a saline note derived from the high-quartz marine sediment of the AVA.”

From James Suckling, who scored it a 92: “The 40-million-year-old marine sediment soils of high-quartz sandstone and weathered bedrock on Ribbon Ridge were once under the Pacific Ocean and produce wines with a darker fruit profile and spice notes of nutmeg and clove.  The sandy soils of the Ridge generally produce wines with more structure and greater aging potential.  The 2021 Ribbon Ridge was fermented with 38 percent whole-clusters and aged in 25 percent new French oak barrels.”

From me: Given that his undergraduate and masters degrees were earned in exercise physiology and that he also has an MBA, James Frey seems to have been an unlikely candidate to become both a winemaker and an abstract expressionist painter. But today he is both. Chasing a dream, he and his wife Andrea bought land outside of McMinnville in 2003 and the rest is history. Not having gone to school for wine, James Frey essentially taught himself, although he received much-appreciated help from Oregon’s Josh Bergström and Burgundy’s Jacques Lardiere. The name Trisaetum is an amalgam of James and Andrea’s two children, Tristen and Tatum.

$60 at trisaetum.com

2020 Tenuta Sallier de la Tour

From the winemaker: “Arguably the most well-known grape from Sicily, Nero d’Avola is perfectly suited for the island’s terroir given its ability to thrive in saline-rich soils and maintain its acidity in the heat. Low yields guarantee a high quality and concentrated harvest. Choosing to age wine partly in wood and partly in steel tanks, allows the wine to display the fresh and fruited notes of a young wine as well as elegant, spicy and licorice aromas of wines with more aging potential.”

From James Suckling, who scored it a 91: “A firm and lightly chewy nero d’avola with earth and spice and some mushroom undertones. Medium body, solid tannins and a fresh, savory finish.”

From me: In 2008, Filiberto Sallier de La Tour approached his cousin, Alberto Tasca, with the idea of joining Sallier de La Tour with the renowned Tasca d’Almerita family of wineries. Alberto readily agreed, having long been impressed with his cousin’s passion and the family’s deep ties to their own land.This tasty wine is the end result of a win-win partnership.

From me: $17.99 at http://wine.com