Wayne Belding

1 week ago | winereviewonline.com | Wayne Belding

The top value white wines in Burgundy come from the vineyards of the Maconnais. The broad valleys and limestone cliffs of the Mâcon provide an enchanting backdrop for the vineyards. The best villages in the appellation are entitled to the Mâcon-Villages designation. Domaine Frantz-Changoleau’s 2023 Mâcon-Villages Clos Saint Pancras bottling is drawn from 3 quality vineyard plots and shows the refreshing style Mâcon Chardonnays.

1 week ago | winereviewonline.com | Wayne Belding

Santorini wines have become so popular that the Assyrtiko grape is being planted widely in vineyards on mainland Greece. Ktima Kir Yianni is a top producer in northwest Greece. They started planting Assyrtiko a decade ago and now produce a delicious northern rendition of this classic Greek grape. This is a pure and textured white that can age beautifully but is a delicious treat even on release. The 2023 Kir Yianni Assyrtiko shows scents of peach, apple and lemon zest.

2 weeks ago | winereviewonline.com | Wayne Belding

The Rebholz Estate 2022 Mandelberg Grosses Gewächs Weisser Burgunder is outstanding in every way. Weisser Burgunder is most commonly known as the Pinot Blanc grape although it goes by Pinot Bianco in Italy as well as Rulandské Bilé, Klevner and others depending on the location. The 2022 bottling is a wonderful expression of Pfalz style. The bouquet is expressive and complex with lemon, pear, peach and pineapple fruit scents interwoven with elements of fresh herbs, flowers, almond and subtle spices.

3 weeks ago | winereviewonline.com | Wayne Belding

I admit it, I’m a wine collector. Collectors span a wide range of individuals with differing motivations and budgets. Some have large cellars filled with the classic wines of the world while others have much more modest accumulations, perhaps tucked into a closet or a corner of a basement. I don’t possess a huge quantity of bottles, but I do have enough variety on hand to pick something for most any menu I might prepare.

1 month ago | winereviewonline.com | Wayne Belding

Dry Creek Vineyard began an effort 43 years ago to identify vines in old vineyards that produced exceptional fruit. They grafted cuttings from these vines onto modern rootstocks and nurtured a vineyard of “Heritage Vines”. Today, the Dry Creek Vineyards Heritage Vines Zinfandel exemplifies the best that Dry Creek Valley fruit can offer. It shows a balance and complexity that evokes the character of the original old vines.