2005 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River. 2006 Petaluma Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills. NV Pirie Sparkling Chardonnay/Pinot Noir, Tasmania. 2003 McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon, Hunter. 2003 Craigow Riesling, Tasmania. 2003 Tempus Two Copper Zenith Semillon, Hunter. MORE >>

Just goes to show that skill and dedication in the vineyards and winery are every bit as important as prime real estate when it comes to making great wine. And so I decided not to be frightened by MMIII, even though it features grapes from the roasting-hot 2003 vintage. If it were, Boulard's Petraea would cost far more than $38. MORE >>

At a recent trade tasting, I sampled a few of the wines from Domaine Berthet-Bondet, a winery founded by Jean Berthet Bondet on the relatively New World time frame of 1985. Their Cotes de Jura Tradtion 2003 provides the oxidative wine character, but at a fraction of the price (about $22; find this wine ). Really. MORE >>

This weekend at The Boston Wine Expo Gary Grunner, from Grapes On The Go, exhibited the following Italian wines from the Ferragamo family's Tuscan vineyards, Il Borro and Castiglion Del Bosco: Il Borro Lamelle Chardonnay 2006 IGT ??This The hand harvested grapes are immediately transferred to the winery and sorted manually. MORE >>

A few weeks ago I sat with Gary Grunner and tasted the wines of Il Borro and Castiglion del Bosco, the wineries owned by the Ferragamo family, the well known Italian fashion house. Notes - The Chardonnay grapes for ‘Lamelle’ are carefully selected from vineyards within the Il Borro Estate in San Giustino Val d’Arno in Arezzo. MORE >>