★★★ Empire Estate Finger Lakes Dry Riesling 2018, 12 percent, $20
A divisive wine as some wondered whether it might be fatiguing to drink something so distinctive. My feeling: Who would tire of a wine so delicious, with earthy, stony flavors and an intriguing, pebbly texture?
★★½ Anne & Sylvain Liotard Domaine des 13 Lunes Apremont 2021, 10 percent, $22
This alpine wine, made entirely of the jaquère grape, was as fresh and lively as a mountain stream. Great for a long, tiring meal, but some felt it was no more than pleasant, at its best as an aperitif. (Wine Traditions, Falls Church, Va.)
★★½ Tenuta La Novella Toscana Bianco Sambrena 2019, 12.5 percent, $23
Light, lively and delicate. Suprisingly, this was 50 percent sangiovese, a red grape, blended with trebbiano, malvasia and moscato. It was refreshing but perhaps lacked distinctiveness. (Avant-Garde Wines and Spirits, New York)
Reds
★★★½ Beatrice & Pascal Lambert Chinon Les Terrasses 2020, 13 percent, $24
Lively, precise and refreshingly tart, with complex aromas and flavors of fresh red fruits, herbs and a bit of tannic heft. A pleasure to drink with the meal. (Savio Soares Selections, New York)
★★★½ Broc Cellars North Coast La Boutanche Red Blend 2021, 13 percent, $22, 1 liter
This liter-bottle of red, made in an easygoing, thirst-quenching style, is primarily zinfandel blended with carignan and valdiguié. Nonetheless, it offers intriguing complexity, with spicy, smoky, herbal accents to the tart flavors of red fruit.
★★★½ Cooper Mountain Vineyards Willamette Valley Cooper Hill Pinot Noir 2020, 13 percent, $22
An excellent value that is both structured and easy to drink. It’s complex and floral with a winning texture, and the red fruit and balsam flavors seem both savory and sweet.
★★★ Charles Gonnet Vin de Savoie Mondeuse Chignin 2020, 12 percent, $18
Dark and savory, with a saline, almost umami touch. It’s spicy and herbal, refreshing and delightful, though some felt its discernible tannins might be a little much over several hours. (Massanois Imports, New York)
