Wine Reviews & Tasting Articles
IWR wine reviews and tasting articles report on our ad hoc tastings of new vintages and releases of wines not covered in our bi-monthly in-depth reports. Most of the wines are submitted for review by producers and importers. Others are tasted during our travels or at special trade events held throughout the year. The wines are reviewed and rated following our tasting guidelines and procedures which include the use of the 100 point system.
You may use Search to find specific wines, although only subscribers have full access to the reviews. A list of bi-monthly reports is available here. IWR Blog articles reviewing wines are also listed.
Recent Tastings
New Releases from Israel
Golan Heights Winery and Galil Mountain
New Releases from Israel
South African Sparkling Wine
Discovering South Africa's hidden treasure in a bottle.
South African Sparkling Wine
Champagne for the Holidays
Our selections for that special person or special occasion.
Champagne for the Holidays
Luxury Champagnes
Reviews of the world's best, just in time for the Holidays.
Luxury Champagnes
Bodegas Valdemar of La Rioja in Spain: New Releases
Some of the best Rioja on the market.
Bodegas Valdemar of
La Rioja
in Spain: New Releases
Italian Whites: New Releases
Reviews of 14 new releases.
Italian Whites: New Releases
Italian Reds: New Releases
Reviews of 29 new red wines.
Italian Reds: New Releases
Previous Tastings
Comparative Tastings
- Luxury Champagnes December 2011
- Champagne for the Holidays December 2011
- 2009 Vintage Port October 2011
- America's Best Sweet Wines June 2011
- Time for Rosé: Forty 2010 New Releases May 2011
- World Class Pinot Noir at the Pinot Noir Shootout May 2010
- It’s Time for Rosé April 2010
- Southern Hemisphere Sauvignon Blanc Tasteoff April 2010 (blog)
- Sauvignon Blanc July 2008
- Rosés May 2008
Argentina
- Torrontés: Argentina's Other Grape March 2011
- Late Harvest and Fortified Argentine Malbec March 2011
- Viña Doña Paula November 2010
- Legado New Releases February 2009
- Doña Paula, Bodegas Salentein, Finca El Portillo New Releases October 2008
- Alamos, Antis, Bressia, Catena, Ben Marco, Crios Susana Balbo, Luigi Bosca, Mapema, Mendel, Tikal, Viña Peridices New Releases April 2008
- Bodegas Alto, Cicchitti November 2007
- Bodega y Cavas de Weinert, Selections New Releases September 2007
Australia
- Taylor’s Wakefield Wines August 2008 (Blog)
- Yering Station September 2007
Austria
- Wohlmuth: New Releases from Styria and Burgenland September 2011
- Austrian Sweet Wines from the Neusiedlersee and the Danube July 2011
- Anton Bauer, Leo Hillinger, Steininger, Steindorfer New Releases April 2007
- Anton Bauer, Steininger, Tegernseerhof other New Releases December 2006
California
- Chalone Vineyeard New Releases September 2011
- Longoria's California Pinot Noir August 2011
- Ravenswood 2008 New Releases July 2011
- Sierra Madre Vineyards: 2008 Chardonnay from the Santa Maria Valley July 2011
- McIntyre Vineyards New Releases from Monterey County June 2011
- The Wines of Miro Tcholakov: Trentadue and Miro Cellars June 2011
- The Hess Collection: Exciting Wines from High Altitudes Vineyards May 2011
- Morgan Winery of Monterey: New Releases April 2011
- Morgan Winery and Lee Family Farm: New Releases September 2010
- Terrific New Releases from Sonoma Coast Vineyards September 2010 (pdf)
- WesMar Russian River Pinot Noir August 2010
- Sierra Madre Vineyard August 2010 (pdf)
- Castello di Amorosa - Tuscan Wines Made in a Napa Castle July 2010 (pdf)
- Wrath Wines - The Grapes of Monterey July 2010 (pdf)
- Dominus: Napa Wine with a French Personality June 2010
- Peay Vineyards Spring 2010 Releases May 2010
- Failla Spring 2010 Releases May 2010
- Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley's Artisanal Wineries April 2010
- Ravenswood 2007 Vineyard Designate Zinfandels: Quality and Ageability April 2010
- Robert Mondavi Selections: Revisiting the 2006 vintage March 2010
- Twin Oaks Cellars: Two Stellar Pinot Noirs March 2010
- Longoria Wines: New Releases of Spanish & other Varietals March 2010
- Radio-Coteau: New Spring Releases 2010 - March 2010
- Freestone Vineyards: Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay February 2010
- Joseph Phelps: 2007 Insignia, 2007 Backus, and Other Releases February 2010
- Elizabeth Spencer Wines: Style and Elegance November 2009
- Cass: New Estate-Bottled Rhone Releases November 2009
- Quady Winery: California’s Sweet Spot September 2009
- Longoria Wines: Handcrafted from Santa Barbara September 2009
- New releases and Best buys from California September 2009
- David Ramey: Exceptional Wines from an Exceptional Winemaker August 2009
- Clouds Rest Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir June 2009
- Radio-Coteau: Spring 2009 Releases May 2009
- Freestone and Sonoma Coast Selections March 2009
- Failla Vineyards - New Pinot Noir Releases February 2009
- Peay Vineyards New Releases February 2009
- A Donkey and Goat Winery: Berkeley Garagiste December 2008 (Blog)
- Anthony Austin’s New Left Edge Pinot Noirs December 2008 (Blog)
- Benziger, Morgan, Paraiso, Ramey, Talley, Others New Releases October 2008
- Spann, Vineyards New Releases January 2008
- Hall, Mumm, Paraiso, Twin Oak Cellars, New releases November 2007
- Schramsberg Vineyards New Releases September 2007
- Sonoma Coast Vineyards New Releases July 2007
- Spann Vineyards, Two Angels, New Releases April 2007
- Eponymous, Source, Two Angels, New Releases December 2006
- Spann Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards New Releases February 2007
Chile
- The New Pinot Noirs of Chile: An Update May 2011
- Cono Sur: Sustainable Viticulture, Pinot Noir, and More April 2011
- Concha y Toro's Casillero del Diablo New Releases January 2011
- Emiliana Natura Wine Reviews January 2011
- The Chilean Wines of Jean Pascal Lacaze November 2010
- Álvaro Espinoza's new releases October 2010
- Aresti, Big Tatoo, Cousiño Macul, Erasmo, Los Vascos, MontGras, Santa Rita, Veramonte New Releases April 2008
- Aresti Vineyards New Releases September, 2007
France
- Luxury Champagnes December 2011
- Champagne for the Holidays December 2011
- 2009 Red Burgundy Releases October 2011
- 2009 White Burgundy Releases October 2011
- Robert Kacher Imports from France August 2011
- 2007 Sauternes Great Values from an Excellent Vintage May 2011
- Maison Louis Jadot: 2009 Burgundies May 2011
- Michael Sarrazin, J-L & F Chavy and Robert Groffier 2008 Burgundies December 2010
- Domaine Prieuré-Roch: Wines of Elegance and Power January 2010
- 2004 Burgundies Revisited: How are they evolving? January 2010
- The Wines of Jean-Luc Colombo May 2009
- Domaines Schlumberger: Wines of Tradition, Youth and Passion May 2008 (Blog)
- Lucien Albrect, Les Domaines Barons de Rotschild (Lafite), P Guillard New Releases April 2008
- Chateau de Jau, Chateau d’Or, Chateau de Ségres, Chateau de Surville, Chateau de Valcombe, Chateau Grande Cassagne, Mas de Guiot, Chateau Lamarque, Castelmaure Mas des Bressades, Mas de la Dame, Mas de Guiot, Col de Vents, and more New Releases February 2008
- 2005 Affordable Bordeaux and Rolland collection December 2007
- Domaine Roulot, Domaine Rieflé, New Releases November 2007
- Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss, Morey-Blanc New Releases September 2007
- Patrick Lesec Selection New Releases February 2007
Germany
- German Wines from Valckenberg January 2010
- German Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir from Baden May 2007
Greece
- Greek Wine Selections from Nestor Imports November 2009
- The Exciting Wines of Northern Greece June 2009
- New Gems from Greece: Kitma Argyros, Strofilia, Fragou, Amethystos, Foundi, Protopapas, Aivalis, Tselepos January 2008
Israel
- Golan Heights Winery and Galil Mountain: New Releases January 2012
- Carmel Winery New Releases July 2011
- Israel's Recanati Winery: New Releases June 2011
- Israeli Wines of the Jerusalem Mountains May 2011
- Adir Winery: More exciting wines from the Upper Galille January 2011
- Israeli Wines: Top New Releases from Boutique Wineries December 2010
Italy
- Italian Whites: New Releases October 2011
- Italian Reds: New Releases October 2011
- Sicily: New Releases from Donnafugata September 2011
- Current Montepulciano Releases from Boscarelli October 2010
- Bellavista from Franciacorta: Italy’s Challenge to Champagne January 2010
- Southern Italy September 2009
- Villa Matilde: Campania’s Wines of Antiquity September 2009
- Southern Italy March 2009
- Tuscony February 2009
- Veneto New Releases February 2009
- Mazzei Serrata, Poggio Bronzone, Tenuta Belguardo New Releases January 2008
- Castello di Volpaia, TreRose New Releases September 2007
- Conte Brandolini, Feudo Principi di Butera, Tenuta Poggio Verano, New Releases May 2007
- Caldora New Releases February 2007
New Zealand
- Wine Treasures on Waiheke Island November 2010
- Riverby Estate November 2007
- Nautilus Estate, Palliser Estate New Releases May 2007
Portugal
- Jose Maria Da Fonseca, Quinta da Padrela New Releases April 2008
- Quinta dos Roques, Terrenus, Herdade dos Grous January 2008
- Altas Quintas, Monte da Caldeira, Porta de Santa Catarina, Quinta das Apeqadas Port: Croft, Delaforce, Fonseca, Quinta Seara, Taylor Fladgate, New Releases November 2007
- Borques Lello, Adega de Moncão, Quinta da Pinheira, Quinta do Crasto, New Releases September 2007
- Casa de Santar, Herdade do Esparão, Muxaqt Monte dos Outeiros Releases July 2007
- Jose Maria da Fonseca, Periquita, V.-Conde-Portugal, Aveleda, Cortes de Cima, Quinta da
Cortezia, Quinta do Fojo, New Releases June 2007 - Quinta do Monte D’ Oiro New Releases April 2007
- Herdade do Perdiqão New Releases May 2007
- Encostas de Estremoz, Monte de Caldeira, New Releases December 2006
South Africa
- South African Sparkling Wine: A Hidden Treasure January 2012
- Sweet Wines of South Africa August 2011
- Mulderbosch Wine: Current Releases March 2011
- Graham Beck: South Africa’s Sparkling Wine King May 2010
- Thelema: Consistent Quality from Mountain Vineyards April 2010
- Reyneke Wines: South African Biodynamic Pioneer April 2010
- Surprising South African Sparklers April 2009
- The Quality of South African Wine: Whites vs. Reds January 2009 (blog)
- Blue Cove Wine January 2009 (blog)
- Durbanville Hills, Eleven Tongues, New Releases September 2007
Spain
- Bodegas Valdemar of La Rioja in Spain: New Releases December 2012
- New Releases from Bierzo and Méntrida May 2010
- Monastrell: Great Values from Spain October 2009
- Bodegas Señorio de Cuzcurrita March 2009 Also available en Español
- New Releases from Cariñena, Finca Elez, La Mancha, Montsant, Navarra, Ribera del Júcar, Rueda, Tierra de Castilla, Tierra de Castilla y Leon, Toro Part II December 2008
- New Releases from Campo de Borja, Mentrida, Monterrei, Pla de Bages, Priorat, Ribera del Duero Rioja Part I October 2008 Also available en Español
- Bodegas San Isidro, Pago Casa del Blanco, Bodegas y Viñedos Vega Tolsa, Vinyes Domenech New Releases April 2008
- Bodegas Altanza, Baigorri, Callejo, Jalon, Palacio de los Frontura y Victoria, Gordonzello and more New Releases February 2008
- New Releases from Rias Baizas, Bierzo, Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Toro, Rioja, Alatayud, Navarra, Jumilla, Cava, Castill-La Mancha Agricola la Bastida, Pago de Larrainzar New Releases September 2007
- New Releases from Campo de Borja, Madrid, Montsant, Navarra, Penèdes, Priorat, Rias Baixas, Rueda, Toro, Zamora New Releases July 2007
Other
- Tokaji Aszú: Hungary's Great Sweet Wine July 2011
- Barboursville's Elegant Octagon Wine - Virginia, USA March 2011
- Cristom Vineyards Pinot Noirs - Oregon, USA October 2010
- Boxwood Winery: New Releases - Virginia, USA July 2010
- Selections from the North Fork of Long Island New York, USA February 2010
- New in America: Geogian Sparklers August 2009