92
points
Gallo of Sonoma 2000 Estate Chardonnay (Northern Sonoma)
-
$45
Yup, this is a 2000, and it’s still fresh and zippy in acidity. It’s not a big wine, but a complex, subtle one, with a firm minerality undergirding pineapple and oak flavors. It should hold and improve through this decade, and will be instructive for those who don’t know what a good, old Chard can do.
— S.H.
(3/1/2006)
90
points
Gallo of Sonoma 2001 Reserve Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast)
-
$8
This is an astonishing value, especially from such a prestigious appellation. Has a silky texture and lush but dry flavors of cherries, raspberries, herbs, mushrooms, coffee and clove that unfold across the palate. Versatile at the table; try with pork tenderloin with plum sauce. With more than 30,000 cases produced, this should be easy to find.
— S.H.
(11/15/2003)