Wine & Spirits - April 2020 - 138

IMPORTED NEW RELEASES
92 | Benedikt Baltes

$65

2016 Franken Klingenberg Alte Reben
Spätburgunder ^ Benedikt Baltes grew up in
the Ahr, Germany's pinot stronghold, but
when he established his own winery he settled in Franken, where he could better afford
land. In 2010, he purchased the Weingut
Stadt Klingenberg, and now farms 30 acres
of terraced vineyards under biodynamics.
Perhaps it's the farming methods, or maybe
it's the old vines that contribute to this cuvée,
but the wine has a vividness and honesty that
makes it particularly compelling. It's earthy
but clean, the flavors evoking tiny wild berries with thick skins, surrounded with cool
stones and fresh mushrooms. And while it's
reserved, it lasts for days after the bottle is
opened, boding well for further aging in the
cellar. Or pour it with a morel risotto this
spring. -T.Q.T. § Schatzi Wines, NY
276558

92 | Ziereisen

$45

2016 Baden Schulen Blauer Spätburgunder ^ From a parcel of stony limestone,
this is succulent with juicy cherry flavors. It
feels fresh and lively, with a streak of lemonpeel acidity that illuminates the wine's foresty herbal spice. -T.Q.T. § Terry Theise Selections/Skurnik Wines & Spirits, NY
276242

91 | Friedrich
Becker Family

$22

2015 Germany Pinot Noir (Best Buy) ^ Friedrich Becker, Jr., farms 69 acres that extend
from the winery in Pfalz over the border into
Alsace. This bottling is a lighthearted introduction to the family's wines. It's fermented
in open casks, then aged mainly in large oak
casks. The wine is bright and spicy, with notes
of herbs, pickles and fresh orange zest giving
the cranberry fruit a playful edge, making it
very easy to drink. Although it feels light and
brisk, it's also structured, the flavors vibrant
several days after opening. -T.Q.T. § The German Wine Collection, Carlsbad, CA

then the sun shines from within the wine's
cherry fruit, showing off its fine structure. It's
sweetly ripe, yet firm with fine-grained tannins, while notes of rose and spice give it lift.
This has the heft for pork shoulder. -T.Q.T. §
Delicato Family Wines, Napa, CA
275562

90 | August Kesseler

$27

2017 Rheingau The Daily August Pinot
Noir ^ This is a dark, meaty pinot, its raspberry flavors taking on a charred-steak edge
with air. It's ripe but not heavy, thanks to
the refreshing acidity, and it's ready to drink
now, screwcapped for easy access. -T.Q.T. §
Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL

90 | Ratzenberger

$33

2014 Mittelrhein Bacharacher Spätburgunder ^ Jochen Ratzenberger farms nearly
30 acres in and around Steeg, a small village
in the Bacharach area, including 3.7 acres of
pinot noir in the steep, slate-covered Steeger
St. Jost. A south-facing site that rises to 1,640
feet in altitude, the vineyard seems to have
weathered the heat and humidity of 2014
well: This wine is dark and fleshy with redraspberry flavor, with a warm earthiness
running underneath. It gains transparency
with air as the prickly acidity works its way
through, a slightly rustic but charming pinot.
-T.Q.T. § Petit Pois/Sussex Wine Merchants,
Moorestown, NJ
276562

90 | Franz Keller

2017 Baden vom Löss Pinot Noir (Best
Buy) ^ It may take two days for the reductive aromas to lift from this pinot noir, but
138

WINE & SPIRITS

APRIL 2020

276287

91 | Gaja

$155

2017 Langhe Alteni di Brassica ^ Scents of
lemongrass and chamomile highlight this
sauvignon blanc's flavors of kiwi and grapefruit. The juicy fruit is balanced by notes of
manuka honey and pleasantly bitter lime
zest. -S.J. § Terlato Wines Int'l, Lake Bluff, IL
276029

91 | Tenuta Tascante

$22

2018 Etna Bianco Buonora (Best Buy) ^
Fresh floral scents lead into this wine's flavors of golden apple and barely ripe white
peach. Lemony acidity propels the flavors in
a taut and energetic line, picking up notes
of citrus zest and smoke along the way. It's a
nice introduction to Etna Bianco. -S.J. § Dalla
Terra, Napa, CA
276290

90 | Gaja

$280

$26

2016 Baden Tschuppen Spätburgunder ^
This comes from a parcel of young vines
planted on loess over loam. Bottled with a
screwcap, it's a fragrant, generous pinot, with
fir-tree scents on its rich red fruit. It feels ripe
but structured, with firm cherry-skin tannins adding texture and grip. -T.Q.T. § Terry
Theise Selections/Skurnik Wines & Spirits, NY
274479

2018 Salina Didyme Malvasia ^ Delicate
orange-blossom scents combine with flavors
of apricot and nectarine in this malvasia from
an island off Sicily. Subtle brown spice notes
accent the juicy fruit flavors, yet the wine finishes fully dry, offering a refreshing match
for light seafood. -S.J. § Dalla Terra, Napa, CA
276062

90 | Ziereisen

88 | Dr. Heyden

$18

87 | Villa Wolf

$16

2017 Rheinhessen Oppenheimer Pinot
Noir (Best Buy) ^ Bottled under screwcap,
this is a rich pinot, with spice-cake scents,
ripe cherry flavors and soft tannins. -T.Q.T. §
Winesellers, Niles, IL
275687

86 | Borell-Diehl

$25

ITALY WHITE

2017 Langhe Gaia & Rey ^ In 2017, hail in
April and summer drought reduced yields,
but the result is a chardonnay with flavors of
Asian pear and crispy green apple. The wine
aged for 6 to 8 months in barriques, gaining notes of hazelnut, honey and vanilla that
contrast with bracing acidity. Cellar this for a
couple of years to let those flavors integrate.
-S.J. § Terlato Wines Int'l, Lake Bluff, IL
276036

2017 Pfalz Pinot Noir (Best Buy) ^ This is soft
and fruity, the accent on black raspberry flavors, with enough spice and acidity to keep it
lively. -T.Q.T. § Loosen Bros. USA, Salem, OR
276758
275805

spice. It's a good weight for warm summer
evenings. -T.Q.T. § David Bowler Wines, NY

$16

2017 Pfalz Pinot Noir (Best Buy) ^ Grown
without any chemical inputs, this is fresh and
easy, with tangy cherry fruit and light, smoky

90 | Tenuta Capofaro

$25

88 | Tasca d'Almerita

$22

88 | Tasca d'Almerita

$22

2018 Sicilia Tenuta Regaleali Antisa
Catarratto (Best Buy) ^ Bright acidity weaves
through this wine like refreshing spring
water, propelling flavors of kiwi, mango
and guava. Those tropical fruit flavors pick
up notes of green spice and white smoke
toward the finish. -S.J. § Leonardo LoCascio
Selections/Winebow Imports, NY
276063
2018 Sicilia Tenuta Regaleali Cavallo delle
Fate Grillo (Best Buy) ^ This wine's flavors
of yellow plum and lemon pith are balanced
by zippy acidity and brisk salinity. A natural
match for oysters. -S.J. § Leonardo LoCascio
Selections/Winebow Imports, NY

https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/franz+keller+loss+spatburgunder+baden+germany

Wine & Spirits - April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - April 2020