Freddy R. Troya

9.1

Castellani — St. Giorgio Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2024, Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG — Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

Overview:
100% Vernaccia. A fresh and vibrant follow-up to the Vintage 2023,(also reviewed) maintaining the classic Tuscan profile while leaning into greater precision and energy. This vintage 24 highlights freshness and length over the more almond-driven character of the prior year.

Aromas & Flavors:
Lemon zest, green apple, and crisp pear take the lead. Subtle floral notes and a delicate mineral edge add lift, with less emphasis on the traditional almond note and more focus on citrus-driven clarity.

Mouthfeel:
Light to medium-bodied with brighter acidity than the v.2023. Clean, lively, and more linear in structure, finishing longer with a slightly savory edge that lingers elegantly.

Food Pairings:
Seafood, grilled fish, light pasta, fresh salads, or simple Mediterranean dishes. Excellent as a refreshing aperitif.

Verdict:
A more energetic and refined expression of Vernaccia. While the v.2023 leans slightly rounder with its almond touch, the v.2024 shines with freshness, precision, and a longer, more savory finish.

Did You Know?
Vernaccia di San Gimignano was the first Italian wine to receive DOC status in 1966, marking its place as one of Italy’s most historic white wines.

🍷 Personal Pick Insight:
V.2024 edges ahead for its freshness and extended finish, more vibrant and food-driven, while still honoring the classic style. — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Palmalias – Vermentino – 2024
Sardegna – Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
A beautifully balanced Vermentino that captures the coastal essence of Sardegna. Fresh and vibrant in its youth, yet structured enough to show intention and precision. This is a wine that overdelivers in both casual and food-driven settings.

Aromas & Flavors
Citrus zest, green apple, and subtle tropical notes unfold alongside a delicate herbal edge. A clear saline/mineral character runs through the profile, giving it a distinctly Mediterranean identity.

Mouthfeel
Light- to medium-bodied with bright, refreshing acidity. Acidity and salinity are perfectly in harmony, lifting the wine’s coastal, citrus-driven profile. Clean, crisp, and energetic from start to finish.

Food Pairings
Seafood, light salads, grilled vegetables, fresh cheeses, or simple appetizers. Exceptionally versatile and reliable at the table.

Verdict
A crowd-pleasing Vermentino that delivers freshness, balance, and subtle complexity without trying too hard. Equally enjoyable on its own or paired with food, an easy staple for everyday drinking.

Did You Know?
Sardegna’s proximity to the sea plays a key role in Vermentino’s signature salinity, with constant maritime winds helping preserve acidity and freshness in the grapes.

🍷 Personal Pick
A go-to casual white that consistently punches above its weight, refreshing, food-friendly, and effortlessly enjoyable. Cheers! — a month ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Love Margaux wines with rack of lamb. It is a classic pair as long as you are not doing a Mediterranean mint prep. This is salt, pepper, Napa Valley rub and red wine.

As it airs and intermixes w/ the meal, it rises from 93 to 94.

The wine is approaching its peak. Still has another 10 yrs of appropriate drinking.

The fruits are ripe, juicy; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, strawberries, raspberries with hues of purple & blue fruits. There is excellent integration & evolution. Led pencil shavings, fresh & dry herbs, moist grey volcanic minerals/clay, fresh & dry tobacco, sandalwood, used leather, soft, dark spice with heat on the long set, limestone, dry crushed rocks into powder, touch of black pepper, saline, fresh dark, red flowers with violets, excellent, cool rainfall acidity, well woven, balanced, softly tensioned & structured with a pure elegant finish that lasts a full two-minutes. — 2 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Donnachiara – “Resilienza” – Beneventano Falanghina – 2023, Beneventano IGT – Campania – Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
A vibrant Falanghina-based blend from Campania that showcases the grape’s natural brightness and aromatic lift, complemented by small amounts of indigenous white varieties for added dimension. The “Resilienza” line focuses on purity and freshness, with no malolactic fermentation to preserve acidity and precision. Compared to the 2022 vintage, the 2023 shows noticeably brighter acidity and a more refreshing overall profile.

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive and aromatic, with tropical fruit, citrus zest, and stone fruit at the core. Subtle floral notes enhance freshness, while ripe pear and a touch of melon add softness and charm.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with crisp, lively acidity and a refined, clean texture. The absence of MLF keeps the wine energetic and focused, leading to a fresh, mouthwatering finish with slightly elevated brightness in this vintage.

Food Pairings
Seafood risotto, grilled octopus, lemon-based pasta dishes, fresh cheeses, and Mediterranean appetizers.

Verdict
A beautifully executed Falanghina blend that leans into freshness and drinkability while maintaining complexity. The 2023 vintage stands out for its enhanced vibrancy and refreshing character, elegant, expressive, and incredibly enjoyable.

Did You Know?
“Resilienza” reflects the enduring nature of Falanghina, an ancient Campanian grape that survived phylloxera and continues to thrive in southern Italy’s volcanic-influenced soils.

🍷 Personal Pick
One of my top Falanghina picks in the $25–$30 range, reliable, vibrant, and a consistent crowd-pleaser that always delivers. — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Terre di Talamo – Vento Vermentino 2024
Toscana IGT, Maremma – Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
Crafted from organically grown Vermentino, this white reflects the Tuscan coast’s maritime influence. The IGT classification allows the estate flexibility while still showcasing the grape’s tension and vibrancy from Maremma’s sun-drenched vineyards.

Aromas & Flavors
Enticing notes of white peach, broom flowers, and a saline iodine edge mix with ripe tropical fruit—mango and papaya. It feels Mediterranean to its core, with both floral charm and coastal freshness.

Mouthfeel
Vibrant and tense, marked by crisp acidity and a light, tingling texture that keeps it energetic. The finish is silky and elegant, with a mineral snap that invites another sip.

Food Pairing
Perfect alongside grilled shrimp, seafood pasta, or even a tomato-based fish stew. Its brightness also makes it an easy pairing for mozzarella-based salads.

Verdict
A lively Tuscan white that proves Vermentino shines under the IGT umbrella. Clean, crisp, and expressive, it’s both refreshing and distinctive—ideal for warm-weather sipping. Cheers! — 8 months ago

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9.3

The 2020 Clio is a blend of 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Zingla Vineyard, which was planted in 1936 in Jumilla. Aged for 22 months in French and American oak barrels, this garnet wine unfolds in the glass with ripe black fruit and dried fruit notes, layered with herbal and oaky nuances and a prominent vanilla tone. Indulgent and bold, the rich palate features a velvety, overwhelming mouthfeel. This is a ripe, concentrated red born under the Mediterranean sun. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, September 2024)
— 2 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.1

Gérard Bertrand – Orange Gold – 2023
Vin de France – France 🇫🇷

Overview
A thoughtfully crafted orange wine made from a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Grenache Blanc, 15% Viognier, 10% Muscat, and 5% Gewürztraminer. This is a cerebral, texture-driven expression that leans into aromatic intensity and phenolic structure rather than immediate approachability.

Aromas & Flavors
Honeysuckle, ripe peach, and orange peel lead the profile, followed by roasted almonds and subtle spice. A gentle grapefruit-like bitterness adds lift, while floral and exotic notes from Muscat and Gewürztraminer bring complexity.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with a distinctive textured grip. Light tannic astringency from skin contact gives structure, balanced by fresh acidity. The interplay between softness and phenolic tension keeps the palate engaged throughout.

Food Pairings
Glass noodles with vegetables and shrimp, Mediterranean dishes, roasted poultry, spiced cuisine, or dishes with umami depth. A strong performer at the table.

Verdict
A fascinating and layered orange wine that rewards attention. This wine can be an acquired taste when enjoyed on its own, but truly shines when paired with food. A true “thinking wine.”

Did You Know?
Orange wines are made by fermenting white grapes with their skins, similar to red wine production, extracting tannins, color, and structure rarely found in traditional white wines.

🍷 Personal Pick
A wine that keeps your brain really busy, in the best way. Pair it with food and it absolutely shines. — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.1

SoHu – Debit / 2024
Moslavina, Croatia 🇭🇷

Overview
An orange wine made from 100% Debit, an indigenous Croatian grape. Locally called Žutina (“little yellow”), this skin-contact white undergoes 14 days of maceration, giving it both depth and character.

Aromas & Flavors
Apricot, peach, yellow flowers, and subtle herbal notes layered with a mineral streak.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with a firm texture from the extended skin contact, balanced between freshness and grip.

Food Pairings
Mediterranean seafood dishes, roasted chicken with herbs, grilled vegetables, and soft sheep’s milk cheeses.

Verdict
A vibrant and authentic expression of Croatia’s Moslavina region, showing how indigenous varieties can shine through orange winemaking. Engaging, flavorful, and distinctively regional.

Did You Know?
Debit is believed to have arrived in Dalmatia via Venetian traders centuries ago, and today it is one of the key native grapes defining Croatia’s modern wine identity. — 7 months ago

Patrick Hu

9.5

This is outstanding! Camphor. — 8 months ago

Kyle Davidson

9.3

Wow Mediterranean garrigue and fruit and amazing integration. Kept getting better I wish I had more. — 3 years ago