Certainly one of the fastest rising stars in the Mosel firmament.  A.J. Adam does it all old school, extended lees contact, ambient yeasts, yadda yadda. But the difference here is the fact that Adam is working the Hofberg, one of the Mosel's most distinctive and under-rated sites! There's a refreshing density to this wine, rich, b ...read more

92 pts! The 2012 Secateurs Chenin Blanc has a light but pure bouquet with lemon peel, grapefruit and hints of wet wool. The palate is crisp and vibrant on the entry with touches of lanolin and litchi nuts. This is so well balanced – uncomplicated but delicious. Drink now.  Adi Badenhorst is the charismatic winemaker who alongside Eb ...read more

90 pts! A blend of 74% Shiraz, 10% Cinsault plus Grenache, Carignan and Mourvedre aged for 14 months in old French casks, the entry-level 2010 Secateurs Red Blend has ripe raspberry, blackberry and wild hedgerow on the nose that is well defined and very natural. The palate is medium-bodied, supple on the entry with juicy bright red berries, ra ...read more

Medium-dark yellow. Spicy, high-pitched aromas of stone fruits, flowers and nutmeg, along with more exotic notes of ginger and smoked sausage. Enters full and rich, with the sweetness of the apricot and spice flavors tempered by decent acidity and a hint of minerality. The long finish throws off...

The 2009 Dogliani Papa Celso is wonderfully complete. It has an extra dimension of roundness that makes it so immensely appealing. In many years the Papa Celso is a big wine with more of a profile that tends towards black fruit, but the 2009 is a bit more feminine, with sweet floral notes that add lift to the dark raspberries, cherries and red ...read more

This racy, supple Cabernet boasts a pure core of raspberry, cassis and black cherry coulis notes fortified by bright acidity and a firm, minerally backbone. Long, offering fine tannins and an aftertaste of crushed berries and graphite. Drink now through 2016. - Wine Spectator, October 15, 2012

Very pure, with a beam of raspberry coulis, blackberry and cherry pulp notes that pump out layers of spice, flint and wildflowers. Juicy yet structured, with a mineral edge to the long, savory finish. Drink now through 2015.- Wine Spectator, August 31. 2012

Acustic currently gets the Best Wines nod as the best producer for our money in Montsant, Spain.  This rugged terrain at the foot of Priorat has the potential to deliver Priorat quality at half the price, which is exactly what this wine does. Old vine Carignan (Cariñena) and Garnacha make up the blend here, as they should. Though chunky (this is Montsant after all) the wine exhibits a polish and flair that goes above and beyond considering the price charged. A ton of dark, ample, deeply-fruited wine for the money... 

Acustic Celler Brao Vinyes Velles 2011

Adami is making some of the finest Prosecco wines on the market. These wines just flat-out taste good, uber-refreshing and invigorating, which is a more ringing endorsement than the usual "apples, tropical fruits, cherimoya, blah blah". We drink a lot of Prosecco around here as it is the perfect beverage to kick off an evening, and this is the first one we reach for...

We are picky about our Prosecco. We actually don't like them too dry, seeing as dry Prosecco kind of takes the refreshing fun out of them!  But that doesn't mean Prosecco can't be serious, as this 'cru' bottling from Adami would suggest.  Sure, there's the light, fizzy, dainty, floral quality and stone fruit flavors we associate with the genre. However, lurking underneath we find another layer of complexity and a strong sense of the time and effort that goes into making a wine from this famous Cartizze-adjacent site. Profound Prosecco? Sure, why not?

94 points! The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino graces the palate with exquisite layers of crushed flowers, tobacco, grilled herbs, mint and wild cherries. There is a deep soulfulness to this wine that is hard to fully capture with words. Despite its richness and super-ripe, racy fruit, the Brunello preserves quite a bit of freshness and elegance.  ...read more