Rating 97 2022 Top 50  
Style White
Variety
Vintage 2020
Appellation
North Coast
California
USA
ABV 13.3%
Price $54.00  Buy This Wine
Print Shelf Talker
Reviewed By
Review Updated 2022-11-16

Perfect For

Long-Term Aging, Special Occasion Splurges, Treat Yo'self

Drink If You Like

Assyrtiko, Sauvignon Blanc , Sémillon

Palmeri Monte Rosso Vineyard Old Vine Sémillon 2020 Review

There is an excellent quote from Palmeri co-owner Kerry Damskey on their website: “Mountain vineyards are dynamic and can possess both elegance and strength.” This is what defines Palmeri Wines. The Damskey family focuses solely on mountain fruit, and thank Dionysus they do! High-elevation vineyards can really allow grapes to shine with balance, verve, and complexity. The Damskeys' preferred vineyards live above thousand feet above sea level. The Sémillon grape, native to Bordeaux, has been in California for a long time. Actually, the second oldest plot of Sémillon on the planet is on Moon Mountain in the Monte Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma County (the first in Hunter Valley, Australia) at a hefty 136 years old. The respect and attention to detail the Damskey family gives to these grapes results in an absolute American gem. This old vine Sémillon has notes of lemon and bistro butter along with a calm whisper of marzipan balanced by a light crystallized sugar vibe. But this wine is all about texture. It is structure-forward with a grippy frame and a deep well of fruit that blossoms on the palate. Sweet almond and pear spiked with quiet citrus notes emerge from the soft, saline mouthfeel. All of this culminates into wine that's not only of historical importance to our wine culture but one of the best American white wines available to us.

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97
POINTS
Palmeri Monte Rosso Vineyard Old Vine Sémillon 2020
There is an excellent quote from Palmeri co-owner Kerry Damskey on their website: “Mountain vineyards are dynamic and can possess both elegance and strength.” This is what defines Palmeri Wines. The Damskey family focuses solely on mountain fruit, and thank Dionysus they do! High-elevation vineyards can really allow grapes to shine with balance, verve, and complexity. The Damskeys' preferred vineyards live above thousand feet above sea level. The Sémillon grape, native to Bordeaux, has been in California for a long time. Actually, the second oldest plot of Sémillon on the planet is on Moon Mountain in the Monte Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma County (the first in Hunter Valley, Australia) at a hefty 136 years old. The respect and attention to detail the Damskey family gives to these grapes results in an absolute American gem. This old vine Sémillon has notes of lemon and bistro butter along with a calm whisper of marzipan balanced by a light crystallized sugar vibe. But this wine is all about texture. It is structure-forward with a grippy frame and a deep well of fruit that blossoms on the palate. Sweet almond and pear spiked with quiet citrus notes emerge from the soft, saline mouthfeel. All of this culminates into wine that's not only of historical importance to our wine culture but one of the best American white wines available to us.

Reviewed On: 11-15-2022
97
POINTS
Palmeri Monte Rosso Vineyard Old Vine Sémillon 2020
There is an excellent quote from Palmeri co-owner Kerry Damskey on their website: “Mountain vineyards are dynamic and can possess both elegance and strength.” This is what defines Palmeri Wines. The Damskey family focuses solely on mountain fruit, and thank Dionysus they do! High-elevation vineyards can really allow grapes to shine with balance, verve, and complexity. The Damskeys' preferred vineyards live above thousand feet above sea level. The Sémillon grape, native to Bordeaux, has been in California for a long time. Actually, the second oldest plot of Sémillon on the planet is on Moon Mountain in the Monte Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma County (the first in Hunter Valley, Australia) at a hefty 136 years old. The respect and attention to detail the Damskey family gives to these grapes results in an absolute American gem. This old vine Sémillon has notes of lemon and bistro butter along with a calm whisper of marzipan balanced by a light crystallized sugar vibe. But this wine is all about texture. It is structure-forward with a grippy frame and a deep well of fruit that blossoms on the palate. Sweet almond and pear spiked with quiet citrus notes emerge from the soft, saline mouthfeel. All of this culminates into wine that's not only of historical importance to our wine culture but one of the best American white wines available to us.

Reviewed On: 11-15-2022