Hello and welcome to my weekly dig through the pile of wine samples that show up on my doorstep, asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have arrived recently.
This past week I received a few bottles from Whitehall Lane in Napa. Their Sauvignon Blanc is a classic representation of the form that delivers bright tropical flavors while being very easy to drink. I wasn’t aware that they also made Pinot Noir, which is decent, but I suppose there’s a benefit to offering a little variation to your customers when you’re smack-dab in the middle of Napa Valley. Their Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2022 vintage offers a lot of ripe fruit qualities that are perhaps a consequence of the warm vintage, and may make the wine slightly less ageworthy than either the 2021 or 2023 vintages.
When it comes to Portuguese fortified wines, everyone knows Port, and some people know Madeira is also from Portugal, but there are a number of other fortified wines produced in the country that would be much more famous were they not overshadowed by the leviathan that is Port (and their historical occupation of some of Portugal’s most attractive real estate). In fact, in the 19th century, the light amber fortified wines of Carcavelos were just as famous as Port. But the region sits on the coast east of Lisbon and over the course of the next 150 years, urban expansion and seaside tourism all but wiped out the vineyards there. Still, a bit of viticulture (a mere 22 hectares) clings to life, from which Villa Oeiras (for the longest time, the only game in town) makes a traditional fortified sweet white wine that brims with acidity and caramelized flavors.
Moscatel de Setubal enjoys slightly less threatened status as a wine, in large part thanks to the efforts of José Maria da Fonseca, who is credited with not only pioneering the style of the region’s fortified wines, but also keeping the production of these wines relatively robust since the early 1800s. The wines take their name from the Setubal Peninsula, south of Lisbon, where both dry and sweet wines are produced, but where sweet fortified wines made from Muscat have long been the most famous. Roughly 330 hectares remain dedicated to Moscatel de Setubal production, with José Maria da Fonseca still the dominant regional force, along with half a dozen other smaller wineries. The 20-year-old bottling from Fonseca I’m recommending this week is a great demonstration of why these wines were so well-regarded historically. It’s beautiful and manages to be refreshing despite its sweetness. Interest in the wines (as with most fortified wines) has been dropping in recent years, so drinking a bottle can help support this storied appellation, which, in 1907, was the second demarcated wine region in Portugal after the Dão.
One of the things I love about rosé wine is the sheer breadth and variety of styles you can find in the category, from the palest pinks to wines that approach the hues you expect from red wines. The Rosa di Lupo rosé from COS Winery in the Vittoria region of Sicily sits somewhere in the middle, offering a slightly darker color and some tannic grip in addition to all the wonderful freshness and saline brightness that I love in a good rosé. Made from Nero d’Avola, the wine is a wonderful expression of the effortlessly delicious style of COS wines.
To finish up this week, I received three single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons from Nickel and Nickel winery in Napa, which is part of the Far Niente empire. All three are from the 2023 vintage, and each demonstrates the impressive quality of that year. As usual, these bottlings are reliably delicious and very well made, rewarding anyone who’s willing to spend $100 on a Cabernet with all the grace and power you’d typically look for in Napa Cabernet without getting close to being over-the-top.
Notes on all these wines below.
Tasting Notes
2025 Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc, Rutherford, Napa, California
Palest straw in color, this wine smells of golden apples, passionfruit, and lemon zest. In the mouth, bright passionfruit and golden apple flavors have a very good level of acidity and a faint floral sweetness that lingers in the finish. 13.9% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $30. click to buy.
MV Villa Oeiras “15 Year Old” Vinho Generoso, Carcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Light amber in the glass, this wine smells of acetone, candied citrus peel, and caramel. In the mouth, moderate to very sweet flavors of vanilla caramel, butterscotch, candied citrus, and hints of cafe-au-lait linger for minutes in the finish. Great acidity. A blend of Arinto, Flego Dourado, Ratinho. Composed of barrel-aged vintages averaging 15 years of age. Fortified to 18.5% alcohol. 104 g/L residual sugar. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $52. click to buy.
MV José Maria da Fonseca Vinhos “Alambre 20 Year-Old” Moscatel de Setubal, Península de Setúbal, Portugal
Medium amber in color, this wine smells of acetone, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, and maple sugar. In the mouth, flavors of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, candied orange, and a hint of baking spice linger for minutes on the palate. Fresh acidity is bright enough to give an almost minty quality. Very sweet. Aged in used wood, and made from a blend of vintages ranging from 1911 to 2006. The 20-year designation is the minimum age of any wine to be used in the blend. Fortified to 17.1% alcohol. 157.2 g/L residual sugar. Score: around 9.5. Cost: $80. click to buy.
2025 COS “Rosa di Lupo” Rosato of Nero d’Avola, Sicily, Italy
Pale to light ruby in the glass, this wine smells of stony berries and herbs. In the mouth, a faint tannic grip adds texture to saline flavors of sour cherry, citrus peel, rosehips, and rhubarb. Juicy and bright with excellent acidity, this wine has a lovely freshness and snappiness that make it a joy to drink. 11.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $28. click to buy.
2023 Whitehall Lane “Sonoma Stage Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma, California
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of oak and cherries, anise, and dried herbs. In the mouth, gauzy tannins wrap around a core of cherry and raspberry flavors shot through with cola and cedar notes. Dried herbs linger a bit in the finish. Decent acidity. 13.9% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $??.
2022 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Napa, California
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cherries, tobacco, a hint of black olives, and a touch of grapey-ness. In the mouth, supple, fleecy tannins surround a core of black cherry, cola, and that Concord-grape note that showed up in the nose and lingers in the finish. Very good acidity. 14.7% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $56. click to buy.
2023 Nickel & Nickel “John C. Sullenger Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa, California
Very dark garnet in the glass with purple highlights, this wine smells of black cherries, cassis, and a hint of cola. In the mouth, muscular, fleecy tannins surround a core of black cherry, blackberry, and black currant flavors shot through with dried herbs and a touch of milk chocolate. Excellent acidity. 14.8% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $107. click to buy.
2023 Nickel & Nickel “DeCarle Block” Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa, California
Very dark garnet with purple highlights, this wine smells of black cherries, blackberries, and cola. In the mouth, fleecy tannins wrap around a core of black cherry and blackberry fruit shot through with vanilla and the nutty espresso notes of oak that linger in the finish. The tannins stiffen with time, but excellent acidity keeps things fresh. 14.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $117. click to buy.
2023 Nickel & Nickel “Fog Break Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon, Atlas Peak, Napa, California
Very dark garnet in the glass with purple highlights, this wine smells of black cherries and cassis. In the mouth, fleecy tannins wrap around a core of black cherries, black plums, cola nut, and cassis as hints of flowers emerge in the finish. The tannins stiffen a bit with time, and excellent acidity keeps things fresh and vibrant on the palate. Very pretty and delicious. 14.8% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $115. click to buy.
