Rick Thompson Wine

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Rick Thompson Wine

Reviewing current release and older vintage wines from Italy, Oregon, Champagne and the Iberian Peninsula. He is also a passionate skier and fly fisher.

I also review occasional wines from California, Washington, and other important wine regions. mbracing a deep passion for wine for nearly 25 years, Rick has a strong affinity for bottlings that reveal the classic elements of the craft. Wines that show the transparency of the variety and expose what only outstanding terroir and artful winemaking can express. He shares a love of old and new world wi

nes alike and remains in an endless search of the finest expressions of the vinous culture. While his heart lies in the multitude of Italian varieties and appellations, he shares a keen attraction for the grapes and wine regions of France, Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Oregon, and countless other wine regions. Rick has worked in wine imports, distribution and sales since 2006 and has represented many outstanding portfolios, giving him an edge that focuses not simply on what constitutes great winemaking, but what represents extraordinary value for the consumer. He intimately understands the ever-morphing wine market and the dynamics that drive it. This is an aspect of wine reviews that continues to get lost in todays’ increasingly expensive import, and domestic markets, but also understanding the mass marketing of today’s growingly popular plonk. His business background includes owning an award-winning design/build firm in Pennsylvania with his longtime partner and brother Frank in the late 70s, 80s and early 90s, which was awarded three times Pennsylvania Builder of the Year. He was one of the Founders of the National Non-Profit Access Fund – the nation’s leading rock climbers’ conservation and advocacy organization – and has been a passionate rock climber for 47 years, having amassed over 800 First Ascents during that time. Rick has authored nine books on rock climbing, including the first-ever climber’s guide to the legendary New River Gorge – New River Rock © 1987 – and served as a contributing journalist for a variety of national/international climbing publications including Rock & Ice, Climbing and Mountain Magazine. Most recently he finished a long overdue guide to Cooper Rock State Park, WV: True Grit. Rick has two sons – Richard and Chris – and adores living in the Colorado High Country, where he has resided for nearly 30 years and can follow his passions with fervor.

11/23/2025

For all the stalwart wine geeks in the world, here's another snippet from my website that I just finished posting this morning - Rick Thompson Wine - as we move into the heart of the holiday season and Thanksgiving week descends upon us. Wishing you all of the love, happiness and heart-warming comfort this Turkey Day, and every day. I hope our paths cross soon and we can share a glass or just a smile and a chuckle! 💗 🥂

2007 Guastaferro, Taurasi Riserva, Primum
2007 Guastaferro, Taurasi Riserva, Primum (RT96) At age 18 the 2007 Primum Riserva is a beastly heavy weight, crafted from some of the oldest vines in Italy: a 1.5 hectare plot of pre-phylloxera stock grown with pergola-training of 150-220 years old. To behold this vineyard is simply amazing! Thunderous notes of black cherry liqueur, spiced dark plum, damp forest floor, used saddle leather, pan iron, black olive and volcanic ash burst from the glass. The palate is supple and deceptively ripe, with delicious fruit and ample acidity that’s masked by its massive wall of fruit. The tannins are succulent and deliciously ripe as the finish goes on forever. This is a magnificent example of the powerful depth that Aglianico can reach and should continue to cellar extremely well for the next couple of decades. Sadly, just 2,600 bottles are produced, so this is a buy it while you can wine. Drink now-2042+ Tasted November 2025

Note: this wine predates the son Raffaele’s (who runs the winery today) appearance at the winery and was crafted by the father who was mainly working to grow and sell grapes at the time. When he was unable to sell all of this grapes from the 2007 vintage he ended up keeping the pre-phylloxera grapes and crafted this wine from them. The rest is history.

Located just outside of the village of Taurasi in Piano d’Angelo, the vineyards of Guastaferro lie at 350m above sea level. This cantina has about seven hectares of volcanic vineyards cultivated with Aglianico along with a small amount of a rare white variety called Grecomusc’. Most of the vines are old, by all standards, ranging between 40 and 80 years old, but the most impressive plot, covering 1.5 hectares, contain some of the oldest pre-phylloxera vines in the world ranging between 150 and 220 years old. From this vineyard, the winery produces the legendary Primum Riserva. Fast forward to 2013, when after the son Raffaele’s university studies in Agricultural Sciences and a brief stint in the corporate world, driven by ambition and inspired by a special encounter with Campania’s legendary winemaker Antoine Gaeta of Villa Diamante, Raff decided to join the family winery with a clear objective: to elevate Taurasi to the Olympus of Italian wines.

In the cellar today, Raffaele is supported by enologist Fortunato Sebastiano, well known for his deep knowledge of Campania’s local varieties and extensive vineyard management. They produce a limited quantity of top tier Aglianico wines, specifically Memini and Primum, along with a Primum Riserva). Fermented in stainless, they are then aged in used, 25hl Slavonian oak for surprisingly short periods. Memini gets a mere 6 to 8 months while Primum receives 14 months. My research did not reveal how much additional aging (if any) the Primum Riserva gets, but I suspect from the mouth texture at least a few additional months. These are hard to find bottlings, so keep an eye peeled for them, they are worth your effort to seek out and experience their magnificence.

09/21/2025

Another recently posted review from my website - rickthompsonwine.com - for the reading pleasure of those who love their sparkling wines! Enjoy, this wine seriously out performs its price point!

NV Suenen, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru, Extra Brut, C+C (RT97) The NV C+C, crafted with a blend of fruit from the Cramant and Chouilly Grand Crus and disgorged in December 2019, has truly blossomed in the last year and is now showing an extraordinary level of detail, depth and dimension. I was blown away at how stunning this most recent bottle showed, as I shared it with John Witmer, one of the owners and sommelier at Bird & Jim Restaurant in Estes Park Colorado. Truly amazeballs, the hue has deepened and the bouquet reveals notes of ripe Meyer lemon, white melon, layers of brioche, toast, roasted hazels nut and waves of limestone dust. The palate has also fleshed out magnificently showing a ripe richness that makes me smile. This is now in a gorgeous place along the aging curve and should fully be enjoyed while it’s showing so exceptionally well. Drink now-2035+ Tasted September 2025

On this evening, I chose to pair the C+C with Bird & Jim’s homemade Potato Chips with Onion dip, which proves an utterly mind-blowing pairing with champagne. Highly recommended!

Aurelien Suenen has been the winemaker at this emerging winery since 2009, but his family dates back to 1893, when they were acting as merchants selling grapes to champagne houses in the Cramant region. Under Daniel’s leadership they began making vintage-dated wine under Champagne Suenen label and embraced organic farming for the start. Though Suenen cultivates Pinot Noir and Meunier, he mostly sells off those grapes as their passion centers around Chardonnay and capturing the varied nuances of its different expressions resulting from the diversity of chalk soils of their vineyards in Oiry, Chouilly, and Cramant. This wine is a nonvintage bottling of 100% Chardonnay from two different vineyards, Chouilly & Cramant, both in the Cotes de Blancs region and thus the label name ‘C+C’. Average vineyard age is 38 years. It is aged about 9 months on the lees in 25% Stockinger (Austrian) neutral barrels, the balance in enameled steel and concrete. The bottled wine undergoes further aging for an additional 2 years and is hand riddled. Suenen employs some biodynamic treatments when they work but likes having the options of other tools in his vest when they aren’t ideal. Native yeasts are employed thus fermentation including malolactic occurs naturally.

09/13/2025

A sample review from rickthompsonwine.com, where we take wine seriously! This bottle was utterly mind blowing!
2019 Paitin, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG, Sori Paitin, Vecchie Vigne (RT97+) The 2019 Riserva Vecchie Vigne shows mind-blowing character, loaded with power and focus, what a stunning vintage for this wine. Crafted by Pasquero-Elio brother Silvano, Paitin’s head winemaker, his focus on the desired results and lofty goals was more than achieved. Darker in hue than the 2021 Barbaresco Cru bottlings, it reveals deeply brooding black cherry, tiny ripe wild blueberries, Christmas spice, goudron, dried herbs, smoked balsam, dusty spices and a spine built on a frame of minerality. With time to open in the glass it becomes more complex, more giving, and reveals increasing depth. The palate texture is pure magic, with robust, yet elegant fruit, layered with waves of complexity. The acidity keeps it fresh and exciting, the suave structure buried behind a wall of fruit. This shows more of a Barolo Riserva persona than that of most Babaresco Riservas. What an impressive wine, with proper cellaring this may be destined for perfection. Do NOT miss this bottling! 14% alcohol. Drink 2029-2055+ Tasted July 2024
Produced in miniscule quantities, a mere 2,666 bottles were made in 2019. This was bottle #2,581. For this vintage there were originally 2 casks made, but they decided just one was the standout, and used the second cask to blend into Sori Paitin, thus this vintage’s miniscule production. Like the other Barbarescos, this wine employs a submerged cap fermentation – aka cappello sommerso in Piedmontese dialect – which last 3 weeks, followed by a 40-45 day maceration. It is then aged for 30 months in untoasted Slavonian casks of Garbellottian origin from Croatia. The first vintage this wine was bottled was 1999, and I’ve followed its evolution since. I still have a few bottles of that vintage in my cellar and recently checked in on a magnum of the 2000 vintage, you can find the review here. In early vintages it was not labeled a Riserva but was aged to merit that label. That has recently changed. In my view this impressive bottling is one of the great secrets of Barbaresco and is crafted from vines planted by family father Secondo Pasquero-Elia on a plot in the Sori Paitin vineyard between 1948 and 1953. The focus and purity of the old vine fruit along with the winemaking sets a standard of excellence, do not miss this benchmark wine!

05/30/2025

For those who might be thinking of subscribing but are on the fence, here's an example of one of my recent winery reviews of a Barolo and Barbaresco producer's 2021 and 2022 releases. Some of my formatting gets stripped when posting like this - like bolding, italics and photo positions - but you can get the picture. Enjoy the reading and please support my small wine journalism website. It's a lot of work, but having your support makes it worth it! All for $.22 cents a day!

2021 Mauro Molino Barolos + their First-Ever Barbaresco!
Molino’s 2021 Barolos and their first-ever Barbaresco – the 2022 Giacosa – are just arriving in the US market and should be available soon. While the Barolo’s, which are produced in a relatively larger scale, will be readily available, the 2022 Barbaresco is exceptionally limited in production, and therefore will be challenging to source in the US market. I expect what small quantity that does make it to our shores to sell-out quickly, so move fast.

Coming on the heels of the 2019 vintage, Molino smashed it out of the park with their 2020s, but the 2021s surpass the 2020s and represent as fine a set of wines as I’ve tasted from this winery. In my view they are very much on par in terms of both quality and age-worthiness with the 2019 vintage releases. These are wines that will show best with at least mid-term cellaring, although they can be drunk young, which is the modern trend for age-worthy wines. But they will truly sparkle with long cellaring! Don’t be bashful, lay down a few if you for long term cellaring. Vinification of Molino’s 2021 Barolo’s is identical to their previous vintage. It feels to me like they’re on a roll with that formula.

Some important news from the winery: with their first-ever Barbaresco having been recently released, next year they will release their second Barbaresco from the Casot Cru. This vineyard is also in Treiso. For the Molino family, the acquisition of these two parcels represents a dream come true. For years they’ve been eyeing various Barbaresco vineyards, but the market is very competitive with vineyards commanding extraordinary prices and it took time and patience to realize their dream. Fulfillment has arrived!

On the topic of the 2024 vintage, which I wrote about in the previous Molino feature, they wrapped up harvest in mid-October. Matteo said it was a very challenging harvest given the complicated weather conditions. Reminiscent of cooler vintages of the past, it was a vintage that challenged their winemaking skills. Mauro’s experience was important in vineyard management, especially during the summer and autumn phases, as the amount of rainfall during the year was very significant. The wines won’t be released for a couple more years, but I’m looking forward to tasting them. Reminding my readers of one of my mantra’s: Producer over vintage”. In the meantime, the next Barolo vintage will be 2022, and for Barbaresco 2023, where they’ll have two Cru bottlings. Stay tuned!

2022 Mauro Molino, Barbaresco, Giacosa (RT92) Relatively deeply perfumed and coming from a hot, dry vintage, the 2022 Giacosa, sourced from their newly acquired parcel in Treiso, is an impressive bottling, displaying the deft touch of the talented team at Molino. This over performing bottling wafts up notes of spiced red plum, pomegranate liqueur, aromatic cedar, sous bois and mineral notes. The palate reveals the hot, dry conditions of the vintage, as it displays super ripe fruit with early tertiary notes emerging, not prevalently, but just hinting that they’re on the horizon. The acidity is fresh, yet pliable, the tannins suave and sweet, if not leaning toward a slightly grainier texture than in the best vintages. This is an impressive effort, bravo Team Molino! Drink 2027-2037+ Tasted April 2025

This first ever vintage of Molino’s Barbaresco Giacosa is crafted from a small plot at the crest of the ridgetop. The grapes are hand harvested, then fermented in stainless, with malolactic following, and then aged for 13-14 months in 500 liter used French oak tonneaux. It is then bottled, aged for an additional 1 year, and released into the market. As of the time of my tasting, this wine had not yet arrived in the United States but should be on our shores soon. Production is miniscule with just 2084 total bottles produced and the winery has released very small allocations for their various importers. If you have relationships with them, I suggest reaching out and discussing if there will be any available in the market for you to acquire.

Martina and Matteo Molino had long ago set a goal of producing Barbaresco to augment their extensive Barolo selection. In 2022 they brought that dream to life when they purchased two small parcels in the municipality of Treiso. This municipality is known for its high elevation vineyards and renowned for producing aromatically endowed wines. With the acquisition of this small triangular plot parcel of the Giacosa Cru in 2021 they completed the first step in this process. This plot is situated right at the crest of the hilltop, where it basks in the late afternoon ripening sun. In 2023 they also added a small portion of the Casot Cru, which sits just below the bottom slopes of the Giacosa Cru and here they will produce a 2023 vintage Casot Barbaresco. The Casot plot is even smaller than the Giacosa, and expected production is 1625 bottles.

2021 Mauro Molino, Barolo DOCG (RT93+) Shimmering ruby-garnet, the aromatics of Molino’s recently released 2021 Barolo are mesmerizing and impressive for a classico Barolo blend. Rising from the glass with precision focus are notes of crushed red raspberries, pomegranate arils, red currants, alpine flowers and sweet herbs. The palate displays a lightness that’s somewhat of a surprise, yet is powerful, linear and supremely elegant, the acidity punctuating with sharp resonance, the tannins ripe and defining the finish. This vintage will drink well for a long time and age in an elegant, structured direction. Drink 2026-2041+ Tasted April 2025

This classico Barolo is blended from grapes grown in the Annunziata cru, in the lower part of La Morra, the Berri cru, on the high slope to the southwest of La Morra, and the Perno cru, in the municipality of Monforte d’Alba. The Perno cru adds structure while the Annunziata and Berri fruit adds elegance. The soil in these crus leans more toward clay dominant. This is a relatively large production bottling with 45,000 bottles produced. It receives a medium-long maceration and is then aged in 10-15 year old 5000 liter Botti crafted from untoasted French oak, which is sourced from a variety of forests, for 20 months.

2021 Mauro Molino, Barolo DOCG, La Serra (RT96) Delivers deep Morello cherry, Ariel plum, balsam, anise, brambly brush and soaring mentholated notes. The aromatic package is intense and sharply focused, while the palate is built like a massive fortress, with layers of intense, sweet ripe fruit, the acidity omnipresent, yet perfectly proportioned, the tannins structured and succulent. The balance and weightlessness is divine and masterful, this is built for the long haul and is one to lay down and cellar. Whether it’s for 5 or 25 years, it will show exceptional well. Just be sure to give it some O2 and allow it time to unfurl its magnificence. Impressive! Drink 2029-2046+ Tasted April 2025

The La Serra cru is a superb example of the enlightened winemaking approach at Mauro Molino with the fruit being sourced from a single parcel of estate property. The fruit is hand harvested, gently pressed and fermented. It is then aged for 20-24 months in used French oak mainly sourced from the Troncais forest. The barrels range from 225 to 3000 liters and are either untoasted, or very lightly toasted, mostly used. This wine expresses deft winemaking skills and reveals no evidence of small barrel again. Marvelous, understated winemaking!

2021 Mauro Molino, Barolo DOCG, Conca (RT97) The flagship 2021 Conca is a superstar in the 2021 vintage revealing the power and structure of the vintage exquisitely balanced by the experience of the Molino winemaking team. Stunningly pure, laser detailed notes of mentholated red cherry liqueur, cranberry compote, aromatic cedar, crunchy dry sous bois, and a cloud of limestone dust. The palate is equally impressive and precise with the acidity and sweet fruit in perfect harmony, the finish is long and inviting. A fantastic effort, this is an iconic Barolo made in small production levels. Buy it before it sells out and lay it down, you will be handsomely rewarded. Drink 2029-2050+ Tasted April 2025

The Conca bottling, from the flagship vineyard where Molino first started winemaking, is another of their single parcel bottlings. I suspect the 2021 of this wine will take a long winter nap in the coming years (aka closing-down), so I’m glad I caught it in an open, expressive mood. Do not despair if it sleeping when you pull the cork, it just needs more cellar time or some serious decanting if you’re drinking it on the younger side. Like the La Serra, the fruit is hand harvested, gently pressed and then fermented and macerated. It sees 22-24 months of aging and like the La Serra bottling, is only aged in 225-3000 liter, untoasted or lightly toasted, used, French oak barrels. Like La Serra, again, you would never know it! Bravo Matteo Molino and your Team!

12/30/2024

As we move toward the end 2024, I've been opening a number of impressive cellar wines, sharing them with friends and celebrating the holidays. You get a glimpse of them on the home page of my website, here's a sample review:

2007 Giacosa, Barbaresco Riserva, Asili (RT98+) The purity of fruit; laser focused, squeaky clean and superbly linear, is incredibly impressive in the 2007 Barbaresco Riserva Asili. I find it almost hard to believe that this is so underdeveloped and young at age 17. Deep notes of brilliant, pure Morello cherry, raspberry preserves, deeply nuanced anise, dried lilacs, aromatic cedar and a blast of limestone dust lead to complexity that increases with time in the glass. As focused and alluring as the bouquet is, it remains a bit compact, hiding the best, which is yet to come as it moves toward tertiary development. The palate is mesmerizing and weightless, the fruit sappy and mouth coating, the tannins as suave and sexy as you’ll encounter. The mouth coating texture leads to a finish that seemingly goes on for an eternity. This was not decanted and was followed for four days, during which time it barely changed an iota. I have little doubt that with time in the cellar, this is headed for perfection! Drink 2030-2050 Tasted December 2024

The legendary producer of both Barolo and Barbaresco, Bruno Giacosa, who passed in 2018, built an unparalleled vinous dynasty over his time and left a heavy load for his daughter Bruna to now follow. With the assistance of his head enologist, Dante Scaglione, together they are surpassing the challenge and carrying on Bruno’s lofty reputation with style and grace. This 2007 is the first vintage after Bruno suffered a devastating stroke that left him a former shell of himself. But the proof is in the pudding, and Dante, along with the assistance of Bruna, have carried on in a style fitting of one of Piedmonte’s true legends, and supported in this superb 2007!

This wine was hand harvested from their plots on the hilltop of the Asili Cru, gently pressed and slowly macerated and followed by a two-to-three-week fermentation in stainless steel at moderate temperatures. The wine was then aged for 42-48 months in untoasted French oak botti, which Giacosa has employed for decades. Even with the inner secrets of his winemaking techniques exposed, there is something unexplained and magical about his wine that only Bruno, Bruna and Dante likely know. Behold the mystique of Bruno Giacosa’s Riserva wines!

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving 2024! Much love to all my family and friends! Wishing you all the best this holiday season!

Just posted on my website at RickThompsonWine.com, the inaugural Top 25 of 2024 listing of wines I've reviewed this year!

From the posting, followed by a listing of the wines:

Top 25 of 2024
Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024

This is the inaugural year for my Top 25 Wines. I have meticulously selected this list from a thorough look back at the many wines I’ve reviewed over the past year. All are current release bottlings that represent a broad spectrum of diversity from the regions I focus on: Italy, Champagne, Oregon & Iberian Peninsula. No older, aged wines, which are featured in the section of my website titled From the Cellar, are included in this list.

Some of the wines were selected on purely qualitative attributes, while others were selected based on the top value they bring to today’s increasingly expensive market. This will be a growing focus of my website and a top priority in 2025: to identify and feature the best, consumer-friendly values in today’s market. These are wines that are featured in the Hot Picks section of the website. One of my core convictions is that you shouldn’t have to spend a lot to enjoy premium quality wine crafted by families and people who truly care about our vinous delights.

All the wines in this list are impressive representations of how widely varied and diverse the world of wine is today. They remind us of the advancements in the vinous world over the past couple decades. I often characterize this progress by embracing the term “the world of wine is flat”. By that, I’m referring to the developments the information highway has brought to vineyard management and the skills of winemaking. The craft has advanced in leaps and bounds as the proprietary winemaking secrets that were once the domain of the finest wineries and winemakers in the world, are now common knowledge. This has resulted in amazing wines being produced by increasingly smaller wineries, and this progress will continue in the coming years. Hats off to all the great emerging wineries and those that have been crafting great wine historically. It is a pleasure to taste and showcase your wines.

On the opposite side is an emerging trend which I’ve found deeply concerning. I characterize it as the “Race to 100 Points”, which is seemingly embraced by an increasing number of professional wine critics. It goes without saying that every critic longs for their reviews to be quoted, and often. But this senseless, ill-founded movement has numerous, long term negative implications on the publicity surrounding wine. What was once a conservative approach to rating/scoring wines is now spiraling downward. Today a large percentage of wine critics appear to have embraced the trend of awarding increasingly higher scores, if for nothing more than to become the most often quoted wine critic. Twenty-plus years ago a 96 or 97 point score was a lofty achievement, 100 points almost unheard of. Today, 96 and 97 point scores have become commonplace, while 99 and 100 points scores are tossed around like they are candy. At this current pace scores will become meaningless to the consumer, the very people we serve: our subscribers and readers.

Those who subscribe to my site or have read my philosophy on the scoring of wines can remain confident in my reviews and my application of the 100 point scoring system. I am a proponent of a conservative application of the system and its foundational integrity. 100 points is earned, over time, in the cellar.
Following is my Top 25 of 2024. All are current releases and should be available widely on the national market. Seek out and you shall be rewarded. And whatever you do, don’t drink all your wine too soon as you’ll be overlooking the enormous benefits of cellaring wine, of which I am a huge proponent! Salute and enjoy! – Rick Thompson

10/02/2024

Recently posted on Rick Thompson Wine, the reviews continue to flow, here are a couple classic oldies, cellared since release and reviewed last weekend:

1998 Giacosa, Barolo, Le Rocche del Falletto (RT98) Slow-O’ed for the day, not decanted, and served directly from bottle, as this stunner approaches age 26 it is proving to be one of the truly profound Barolo of the 1998 vintage. This was bottle #5571. This bottle was one in a string of these - I’ve followed it closely over many years - was far and above the finest yet. The essence of pure, weightless silk, it sends up notes of black cherry liqueur, brambly thickets, dried rose petals, aromatic cedar chest, spiced hazelnuts, hints of marzipan and a wisp of iron-like minerality. It evolves, morphs and changes in the glass. The palate presents classic Giacosa laser focus with nary an iota of perceptible flab, the fruit zeroing-in like a laser, the acidity flamboyant yet perfectly integrated, the tannins as integrated and seamless as imaginable. A near perfect presentation, as much as I’ve adored recent bottles of 1998 Giacosa Santo Stefano Riserva, tonight this edges it out with its pure finesse and incredible gravitas. Simply put: Amazeballs! Drink now-2038+ Tasted September 2024

2006 Kiralyudvar, Tokaji Aszú, 6 Puttonyos (RT94) The 2006 6 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú has morphed to a deep, grade B maple syrup hue at age 18. Thick, dense and packed with magnificence as notes of apricot marmalade, sweet orange pith, caramelized ginger, roasted hazelnuts, honeycomb, and flint like minerality provide a firm finish. The overall sweetness is offset by a quince-like bitterness, which is quite expected for Tokaji. The palate is packed with sumptuous fruit as the acidity keeps things lively and entertaining. There is ample residual sugar in this 6 Puttonyos bottling, so a small pour goes a long way. A fine effort for this small, relatively unknown producer, Kudos to owner Anthony Wang and his team, they’re crafting some fabulous wine. Drink now-2041+ Tasted September 2024

This was purchased on release, and I’ve followed it since. The 2006 is a blend of Furmint, Hárslevelu and Sárgamuskotály, produced from a mix of estate-owned, grand cru vineyards. It grows in clay and rock of volcanic Rhyolite Tuffs. The vineyard has been biodynamically farmed since 2008 and was certified in 2012. For their dessert wine Tokaji’s, the heavily botrytized Aszú berries are then crushed and macerated with the juice from ripe, but non-botrytized, grapes before moving to barrel for fermentation and 3+ years of aging. This wine is bottled in miniscule quantities with a mere 250 six-pack cases typically being produced.

09/15/2024

Just posted to my website, numerous reviews including 2024 St Innocent Sparkling Wine Releases, Bodegas Peñafiel (Miros de Ribera) and many many more. Here's a sample:

St Innocent Sparkling Releases 2024
The St. Innocent winery, founded by Mark Vlossak is 1988, is home to some terrific Willamette Valley varieties, with a focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winery, being highly traditional, focuses on single vineyard expressions, and in this arena they excel. They are also crafting small production, handcrafted sparkling wines inspired by the famous French regions of Alsace and Champagne. With the assistance of his daughter Makenzie, who is emersed in on-going training to assume full winemaking responsibilities when Mark retires, these two are hitting it out of the park with their sparklers. Crafting sparkling wines is a bona fide labor of love, and these wines embrace that ethos. The time commitment is enormous, but these wines “sparkle” with their authenticity and expression of both variety and region.

These wines are crafted in miniscule quantities and are available winery direct, so if you’re looking to secure some get online at Visit - St. Innocent Winery (stinnocentwine.com), and get what you can.

2020 St Innocent, Willamette Valley Sparking Wine, Crémant d’Innocent (RT93) With its glowing platinum hue, this delivers fine bubbles and a bouquet that embraces fresh lemon curd, ripe white peach, honeysuckle, chalk dust and a pinch of flakey pastry dough. The palate has generous rich fruit and is layered with fresh acidity. This is a beautiful sparkler, showing the potential of Willamette Valley’s ability to deliver terrific bubbles, of course with the implicit assistance of the great winemaking Team at St Innocent. Drink now-2033 Tasted September 2024

This bottling is 100% Pinot Blanc and crafted from grapes grown at the Freedom Hill vineyard. It is produced using the méthode traditionnelle. The hand-picked grapes are pressed gently, fermented in stainless and then rest on lees for 9 months. During secondary fermentation it is hand riddled, aged for 27 months and then disgorged. 137-12 bottle cases were produced, typically available at the winery and through their website, $50 directly from the winery.

2019 St Innocent, Willamette Valley Sparking Wine, Crémant Rosé (RT92+) With its deep rose hue, the 2019 Crémant Rosé starts out subdued and tight, but as it gently warms it opens impressively showing strawberry, fresh red raspberry, a hint of quince, a pinch of lemon pith and a dusting of minerality. The palate is rich and robust, showing caressing fruit and bright acidity. This is the most masculine of the three sparklers but still hangs on to its feminine traits, which I find highly attractive. Drink now-2029(+?) Tasted September 2024

A blend of 90% Pinot Blanc and 10% Pinot Noir, the single vineyard fruit is sourced from the Freedom Hill cru. Crafted in an Alsatian style, grapes are fermented to complete dryness in stainless, then rests on lees for 9 months. During secondary fermentation it is hand riddled, aged for 39 months and then disgorged with 1% dosage. 148-12 bottle cases were produced, typically available at the winery and through their website, $60 directly from the winery.

2018 St Innocent, Willamette Valley Sparking Wine, Blanc de Blancs, Freedom Hill (RT94) The medium straw yellow, single vineyard 2018 Blanc de Blancs reveals smokey notes of lemon, green apple, cold butter, flint and brioche. With time in the glass the smokiness is amplified. The palate is packed with delicious, mouth coating fruit with an attractive, ever so-slightly sweet core, offset with lovely acidity and a long finish. This is a fine effort reinforcing Mark Vlossak’s commitment to the art, and is hand crafted in minuscule quantities. Drink 2024-2028 Tasted September 2024

This 100% Chardonnay sparkling wine is crafted from grapes grown at the Freedom Hill vineyard and is produced using the méthode traditionnelle. The hand-picked grapes are picked early at a time when acidity is high, then pressed gently, indigenously fermented in acacia cask and rests on its lees for 9 months. During secondary fermentation it is hand riddled, aged for 51 months and then disgorged with 3 g/l dosage. 141-12 bottle cases were produced, typically available at the winery and through their website, $70 directly from the winery.

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