spawn99/wine-reviews · Datasets at Hugging Face

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US	Big and rich, front-loaded with blackberry and cherry jam fruit. The tannins are considerable, giving the wine a full-bodied mouthfeel, like Grenache. Delicious, but a bit ponderous now for a Pinot Noir. Give it a few years in the cellar to mellow.	Paris Mountain Lone Oak Vineyard	90	48	California	Santa Lucia Highlands	Central Coast	Pinot Noir	Calicaro	null	null	Calicaro 2009 Paris Mountain Lone Oak Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)
Italy	This wine has a very pretty nose with a delicate embroidery of forest berry and wild flowers. Yet its structure is full and round with a deep ruby color. Thicker, denser favors come through on the palate like smoked ham, sweet cherry followed by a zesty touch of basil or green herb. Imported by Montecastelli Selections.	null	90	50	Tuscany	Brunello di Montalcino	null	Sangiovese	Collelceto	null	null	null
Germany	While fresh pink grapefruit and Meyer lemon notes shine brightly on the nose and palate of this off-dry Riesling, there's a touch of savory allium that distracts. It's a juicy easygoing wine with approachably soft, sunny acidity. Drink now.	Mettenheimer Kabinett	86	13	Rheinhessen	null	null	Riesling	Schäfer	null	null	null
US	The variety is important in Sicily. In California, just about the only winery producing it is Paoletti. It has made a very dry, tannic and rustically astringent wine, with bitter cherryskin flavors. Drink now.	Nero Cuvée Speciale	85	36	California	Napa Valley	Napa	Nero d'Avola	Paoletti	null	null	null
France	This steely, mineral, structured wine speaks of the chalk soil of Puligny. It is firm and crisp, even though the fruit is rich. The wine layers the white fruits and mandarin orange zest with some judicious toast from the wood, leaving spice and ripe acidity on the finish.	Champs Gains Premier Cru	93	115	Burgundy	Puligny-Montrachet	null	Chardonnay	Chanson Père et Fils	null	null	null
US	Firm and juicy, this Pinot has a core of berry fruit and plenty of acidity. The earthy, herbal accents are typical of this AVA. Overall, it shows fine balance and decent concentration.	Dijon Cuvée Estate	87	22	Oregon	Eola-Amity Hills	Willamette Valley	Pinot Noir	Cherry Hill	null	null	null
France	This firmly structured, dense wine is packed with dark plum and fig fruits, laced with chocolate and tannins. It's a solid, foursquare style of wine, with acidity and fruit forming a fine partnership. Like many wines from this year, it is likely to mature quickly, so drink from 2016.	Les Charbonnières	90	65	Burgundy	Nuits-St.-Georges	null	Pinot Noir	Jean-Claude Boisset	null	null	null
US	Solidly in the winery's house style, this is a clean, varietally true Chard, dry and balanced. It shows citrus, green apple and mineral flavors, while partial barrel fermentation adds elements of smoky cream and buttered toast.	null	84	15	California	Sonoma County	Sonoma	Chardonnay	Rodney Strong	null	null	null
Argentina	This smells mildly reduced and candied at first, with notes of blackberry, horse hide and licorice. Firm, chewy and lush on the palate, this full-force Malbec delivers ripe blackberry, boysenberry, spice and rooty licorice flavors prior to a spicy, dark finish that's bolstered by firm acidity. Drink through 2019.	Gran Reserva	90	30	Mendoza Province	Mendoza	null	Malbec	Larrea	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	Larrea 2010 Gran Reserva Malbec (Mendoza)
France	Smoky and toasty, this is a structured wine. It has layers of black currant fruits, fresh acidity as well as firm tannins that overlay the juicy fruitiness. It needs to age. Drink from 2016.	null	88	16	Bordeaux	Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux	null	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Château Chantemerle	null	null	null
France	93-95 Barrel sample. A fine, fresh, berry flavored wine, delicious acidity, ripe final fruits. Great balance here, the year's freshness in firm focus.	Barrel sample	94	null	Bordeaux	Pessac-Léognan	null	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Château Picque Caillou	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Château Picque Caillou 2009 Barrel sample (Pessac-Léognan)
Italy	This pretty Extra Dry Prosecco (with a playful touch of sweetness) opens with bright aromas of peach, honey and jasmine and segues into a soft, creamy mouthfeel.	V Extra Dry	87	null	Veneto	Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore	null	Glera	Vettori	null	null	null
Italy	Carmignano is one of the most overlooked appellations in Tuscany, but the work done here with Cabernet Sauvignon and other grapes is worth noting. This blend of 70% Sangiovese, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, shows red currant, wet earth, leather and dried red-rose notes, backed by dry, gritty tannins.	Il Circo Rosso Riserva	88	25	Tuscany	Carmignano	null	Red Blend	Pratesi	null	null	null
Italy	Made from Puglia's celebrated Negroamaro grape, this opens with a ripe fruit aroma of blackberry jam and a savory cured-meat tone. The mouthfeel is chewy, soft and slightly bitter on the finish.	null	85	13	Southern Italy	Salento	null	Negroamaro	Miali	null	null	null
US	This is the second label for Col Solare, the Ste. Michelle/Antinori collaboration on Red Mountain. A fine bottle for the price, it shows the same elegance and supple texture as the frontline wine. Black cherry, blueberry, mocha and smoke swirl over and around the palate. Only in the finish does it seem to fade quickly, with a very slight suggestion of glue in the aftertaste.	Shining Hill Red Wine	88	45	Washington	Columbia Valley (WA)	Columbia Valley	Red Blend	Col Solare	Paul Gregutt	@paulgwine	Col Solare 2008 Shining Hill Red Wine Red (Columbia Valley (WA))
US	This is a young yet lush and amazingly rich Pinot Noir. The raspberry and cherry fruit hardly could be riper. Yet the balance of sweet tannins and just-in-time acidity gives the wine good structure. Fine to drink now, and should age well for a couple of years.	Estate Grown	90	72	California	Carneros	Napa-Sonoma	Pinot Noir	Donum	null	null	Donum 2010 Estate Grown Pinot Noir (Carneros)
US	Rooted in dark, roasted aromas like coffee, this blend of 60% Syrah with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Zinfandel has tight-grain tannins and simple layers of tobacco, leather and clove.	null	85	14	California	North Coast	North Coast	Red Blend	The Loyal Companion	null	null	null
US	Thick, rich and tightly wound, this cool-climate wine from near the town of the same name is brightly acidic and floral. A mix of rose petal, violet and dried herbes de Provence on the nose echoes on the palate. Bing and dark cherry provide a sultry fruitiness that never dominates over the piquant cardamom spice. Drink now through 2023.	Freestone	94	60	California	Russian River Valley	Sonoma	Pinot Noir	Lynmar	Virginie Boone	@vboone	Lynmar 2013 Freestone Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
US	This grape excels in the region's warmer climate, proving relatively light in color and full of baked strawberry, caramel and dust aromas in this bottling. The palate is similarly light but carries an array of fun and easygoing flavors, including more red fruit and leather.	null	89	40	California	Temecula Valley	South Coast	Montepulciano	Robert Renzoni	Matt Kettmann	@mattkettmann	Robert Renzoni 2013 Montepulciano (Temecula Valley)
US	What a delicious barbecue wine. It shows Malbec's thick, sturdy tannins and California's ripe, sweet fruit, in the way of blackberries, cassis and blueberries, with a savory streak of espresso. But it's totally dry on the finish. Shows how well the Rockpile appellation ripens these big, full-bodied red wines.	null	91	42	California	Rockpile	Sonoma	Malbec	Keating	null	null	Keating 2008 Malbec (Rockpile)
US	Simple and robust, dry and full-bodied. A little on the thin side, but there are some decent sour cherry candy and red currant flavors.	Reserve	84	15	California	Sonoma County	Sonoma	Merlot	Angeline	null	null	null
Italy	Ripe and succulent expression, with deep tones of blackberry, exotic spice, leather, moist tobacco and Spanish cedar. There's also a smoky, barbecue note at the back; the wine is thick, sweet and luscious in the mouth.	Cinque Stelle Ca' del Pipa	91	95	Veneto	Amarone della Valpolicella Classico	null	Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara	Castellani Michele & Figli	null	null	null
Italy	This linear wine opens with aromas of blue flower, underbrush and red berries. The palate delivers bright red cherry, espresso and a white pepper note alongside firm, drying tannins. Pair this with hearty Tuscan soups. Drink 2014–2019.	Casalino Riserva	87	15	Tuscany	Chianti Classico	null	Sangiovese	Bonacchi	Kerin O’Keefe	@kerinokeefe	Bonacchi 2009 Casalino Riserva (Chianti Classico)
US	A candied, buttery aroma, ripe fruit flavors and full body characterize this wine. It seems to have a strong spicy influence that comes with firm tannins and an almost-sweet character.	Estate	86	38	California	Livermore Valley	Central Coast	Tempranillo	Las Positas	null	null	null
France	Attractive fruity tones of red currant, raspberry and strawberry hull dance in the bouquet of this pretty rosé, graced by garrigue accents of lavender and rosemary. Flavors of red berry skin and peach pit unfold on the medium-weight palate, framed by soft tannins and a delicate spice note that lingers on the close.	Le	90	18	Languedoc-Roussillon	Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint Loup	null	Rosé	Château de Lancyre	Lauren Buzzeo	@laurbuzz	Château de Lancyre 2015 Le Rosé (Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint Loup)
Italy	Starts with a rich nose of dark cherry, milk chocolate and anise. It shows the typical espresso and toast flavors of the new style, but with more nuance and better balance than many others. There's a lot of oak here, but it's a very good example of the style, and should improve through 2003.	null	88	17	Tuscany	Chianti Classico	null	Sangiovese	Villa Cafaggio	null	null	null
US	From nearly 30-year-old vines planted at 1,700 feet, this very balanced wine begins with an excellent nose of citrus blossoms, lime rinds, salted cream and a touch of popcorn. The sharply focused palate rides a racy line of lime zest with flashes of tangerine and lemon and a creamy character on the edge, mouthwatering throughout the sip.	Split Rail Vineyard	92	30	California	Santa Cruz Mountains	Central Coast	Chardonnay	Sante Arcangeli	Matt Kettmann	@mattkettmann	Sante Arcangeli 2014 Split Rail Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains)
US	Made in the rich, forward, jammy style, this boasts a flavor of black raspberry jam. It's oaky, too, with a veneer of buttered cinnamon toast. This is a Pinot Noir that's easy to drink now.	Durell Vineyard	88	50	California	Sonoma Coast	Sonoma	Pinot Noir	Dunstan	null	null	null
France	Soft notes of honeysuckle adorn mandarin and clementine fruit. The off-dry palate is richer than the nose suggests and its residual sweetness boosts the full-fruited, peachy nature of the wine. It finishes warm, but zesty and citrus-flavored.	null	88	17	Alsace	Alsace	null	Gewürztraminer	Wolfberger	Anne Krebiehl MW	@AnneInVino	Wolfberger 2015 Gewurztraminer (Alsace)
France	This is very black currant in character, with crisp fresh fruits to go with the bright acidity. There are tannins certainly, lightened by the fruity character of the wine.	null	90	null	Bordeaux	Pauillac	null	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Château d'Armailhac	null	null	null
US	Although there's lots to like in this Zin, it's just too sweet. On the plus side are rich, complex flavors of cherry pie, raspberry tart, cassis, cocoa and mushu plum sauce, accented by peppery spices and a bit of wood. Also nice are the dense but ripe tannins. But then there's that sugary, brownie taste that's inappropriate in a table wine.	null	84	30	California	Russian River Valley	Sonoma	Zinfandel	Dutton-Goldfield	null	null	null
Italy	Plump, sweet and bursting with chewy blueberry and milky chocolate flavors, this is a dense, creamy Syrah to enjoy on a cold winter night. The wine delivers a velvety mouthfeel and long spicy overtones.	Kaid	88	30	Sicily & Sardinia	Sicilia	null	Syrah	Alessandro di Camporeale	null	null	null
US	Mainly Sauvignon Blanc, with Chardonnay, this is a simple wine, sugary sweet and soft.	Beachfront	82	18	California	Dry Creek Valley	Sonoma	White Blend	Bedarra	null	null	null
Argentina	Saucy and sulfuric at first, but better with time. The palate amounts to a saturated fruit bomb with grip, while the core flavors of cassis and black fruits are very sweet and chunky. Bulky, broad and on the cusp of syrupy. Ripe and ready but maybe too ripe and creamy for its own good.	null	86	19	Mendoza Province	Perdriel	null	Cabernet Sauvignon	Marchiori & Barraud	null	null	null
US	Comes down on the austere side of Chardonnay, trading the modern flashy style for a sober, streamlined wine. It's bone dry and bright in acidity, with lemon, lime, honey and mineral flavors, touched with sweet oak. Expensive, but elegant and complex. Will challenge sommeliers to come up with the perfect pairing. Consider shellfish first.	Ferrington Vineyard	93	65	California	Anderson Valley	null	Chardonnay	La Rochelle	null	null	La Rochelle 2010 Ferrington Vineyard Chardonnay (Anderson Valley)
US	A rich mouthfeel and considerable sweetness come with oaky spicy aromas and jammy fruit flavors in this full-bodied and rather tannic wine that was blended from mostly Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.	Flock	87	12	California	California	California Other	Red Blend	One	Jim Gordon	@gordone_cellars	One 2015 Flock Red (California)
US	Though better than the 2006, this shows no varietal character; it's charmless and empty. Acid and alcohol, with a lightly lemony middle; it could be anything.	null	81	11	Oregon	Oregon	Oregon Other	Pinot Gris	Firesteed	null	null	null
Italy	Made with organically farmed grapes, this opens with alluring scents of honeysuckle, hawthorn and white stone fruit. The silky palate delivers white peach, nectarine and green apple framed in bright acidity and a delicately foaming mousse.	Col di Manza Extra Dry	90	25	Veneto	Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore	null	Glera	Perlage	Kerin O’Keefe	@kerinokeefe	Perlage 2016 Col di Manza Extra Dry (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore)
France	Very fruity, this is a crisp, lemon-scented and flavored wine, with grassy, herbaceous character from the green Sauvignon Blanc in the blend. The aftertaste is tight with some bitterness.	null	84	15	Bordeaux	Bordeaux Blanc	null	Bordeaux-style White Blend	Château de Parenchère	null	null	null
Spain	Crisp, clean and minerally on the nose, with apple and green-fruit aromas. It has a round, smooth feel and flavors of peach, apple and citrus that will enliven the palate and aid almost any seafood, vegetable or salad. A natural wine with just enough powdery sweetness to raise a smile.	null	89	18	Galicia	Rías Baixas	null	Albariño	Nora	null	null	null
France	This ripe and fruity wine has just the right amount of mineral texture to give it a zesty character. It offers hints of toast, attractive juicy acidity and a lively, bright aftertaste. The wine needs to lose the slight earthy flavor from bottling that should soon blow away.	Les Charmes Dessus Premier Cru	90	108	Burgundy	Meursault	null	Chardonnay	Domaine Antonin Guyon	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Domaine Antonin Guyon 2015 Les Charmes Dessus Premier Cru (Meursault)
US	Beautifully feminine, with a delicate cherry-blossom perfume, this off-dry rosé sparkler blends juicy cherry and strawberry flavors, with a hint of earthy, mushroom goodness. Medium sized bubbles are brisk and tonic on the finish.	Gabrielle Rosé Sparkling Wine	86	10	New York	New York	New York Other	Sparkling Blend	Ambition	null	null	null
US	A slightly floral but lively nose is followed by a pretty, balanced spice and white flower mix on the palate with this offering from Ohio. Paired with a delicate Asian dish, this wine is a fun choice.	Lot 707 Reserve	84	15	Ohio	Grand River Valley	null	Riesling	Debonné	Susan Kostrzewa	@suskostrzewa	Debonné 2006 Lot 707 Reserve Riesling (Grand River Valley)
Argentina	Baked plum, molasses, balsamic vinegar and cheesy oak aromas feed into a palate that's braced by a bolt of acidity. A compact set of saucy red-berry and plum flavors features tobacco and peppery accents, while the finish is mildly green in flavor, with respectable weight and balance.	Felix	87	30	Other	Cafayate	null	Malbec	Felix Lavaque	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	Felix Lavaque 2010 Felix Malbec (Cafayate)
Portugal	This elegant, structured wine has layers of intense acidity surmounted by firm tannins and red currant fruit. It's a real food wine, that acidity ready for rich meats. It's also likely to age well. Drink now and until 2024.	Vadio	90	22	Bairrada	null	null	Baga	Vadio Wines	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Vadio Wines 2012 Vadio Baga (Bairrada)
US	Vibrant aromas of spice, cranberry and plum lead into a vivid, juicy, youthful wine with plenty of tangy fruit. The acids are way out in front, but the fruit has a zip to it, and there is little or no suggestion of new wood to get in the way.	null	87	15	Oregon	Willamette Valley	Willamette Valley	Pinot Noir	Kudos	null	null	null
US	This rich wine shows sweet, luscious cherry, green herbs, medicine cabinet and leather aromas and flavors. It doesn't bring a lot of complexity but yields plenty of enjoyment. Drink now.	null	87	15	Washington	Columbia Valley (WA)	Columbia Valley	Cabernet Sauvignon	Revelry	null	null	null
US	An overt and attractive toasted-oak aroma leads to assertive, smoky, buttery flavors in this traditional reserve-style California Chardonnay. Full bodied, it pulls out all the stops for a grand expression of pear, toasted almond and nutmeg flavors that are backed by ample acidity.	The Arsonist	90	22	California	Dunnigan Hills	Central Valley	Chardonnay	Matchbook	Jim Gordon	@gordone_cellars	Matchbook 2015 The Arsonist Chardonnay (Dunnigan Hills)
US	A gentle undertone of clay soils permeates this delicate effort. Raspberry and rhubarb flavors are light and slightly peppery, and the low alcohol keeps everything in proportion.	West Block	87	50	Oregon	Willamette Valley	Willamette Valley	Pinot Noir	Patton Valley	Paul Gregutt	@paulgwine	Patton Valley 2011 West Block Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)
US	One of the few Chenin Blancs from Santa Ynez Valley, and a pretty one. Made with a bit of oak, it's dry and acidic, as the variety should be in California, with citrus, floral and mineral flavors.	Jurassic Park	87	16	California	Santa Ynez Valley	Central Coast	Chenin Blanc	Field Recordings	null	null	null
US	This wine is dominated by acids and tannins that numb the mouth, although the blackberry and cherry flavors are so ripely powerful, they come through unscathed. Feels rustic now, but it's thoroughly dry, and could be more interesting in a year or two.	null	85	22	California	Edna Valley	Central Coast	Syrah	East Valley	null	null	null
South Africa	An appealing nose of tropical fruit, citrus and spice, followed by a clean, dry, spicy combination of citrus and fresh fruit, give this white a summer sipping appeal. A great partner to salads, grilled seafood, Thai cuisine.	null	88	13	Western Cape	null	null	Sauvignon Blanc	Stormhoek	null	null	null
US	A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Counoise, this is bone dry and brisk in acidity, with complex flavors of mineral, herb, sour cherry candy, red currant and white pepper. Although production was only 2,000 cases, this wine is worth the search.	Rhône de Robles	88	18	California	Paso Robles	Central Coast	Rhône-style Red Blend	Robert Hall	null	null	null
New Zealand	This vintage from Stoneleigh nails the Pinot mouthfeel—supple and velvety—while delivering smoky and earthy flavors. There's enough black cherry fruit to keep it lively, but this wine's just not that fruity, instead relying on cola, coffee and earth flavors for interest. Imported by Allied Domecq Wines USA.	null	87	15	Marlborough	null	null	Pinot Noir	Stoneleigh	null	null	null
France	Good, spicy Cabernet Franc, loaded with dry plums and stalky fruit flavors. It's soft, with a streak of acidity to give freshness, but mainly juicy and fruity.	Vallée des Jardins	86	11	Loire Valley	Saumur	null	Cabernet Franc	Remy-Pannier	null	null	null
US	Deep strawberry, blackberry, black olive and oregano show on the nose of this bottling that comes from a vineyard 1,100 feet above the town of Saratoga. The 100% American oak treatment makes for a savory sip, with bay leaf, white pepper, cracked peppercorn and olive, all bone dry and mouth-drying in tannins.	Lonehawk Vineyard	91	42	California	Santa Cruz Mountains	Central Coast	Cabernet Sauvignon	La Honda Winery	Matt Kettmann	@mattkettmann	La Honda Winery 2012 Lonehawk Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Cruz Mountains)
Chile	Pointed and herbal on the nose, with olive and a hardness that suggests paint or chemical. The palate is tight, grating and tastes of jumbled fruit and olive. Herbal and minty on the finish.	Reserva	83	9	Maipo Valley	null	null	Carmenère	Santa Alicia	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	Santa Alicia 2010 Reserva Carmenère (Maipo Valley)
Germany	This is rather sweet—loaded with honeyed peaches and tropical fruit—but all of those ripe, rich flavors are brought into focus by the citrus- and mineral-edged finish. It's luscious now, but in 5–10 years it should be a complex, filigreed table wine.	Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese	91	30	Mosel-Saar-Ruwer	null	null	Riesling	Dr. F. Weins-Prüm	null	null	null
Australia	The nose is honest and fresh with more herbaceous and mulchy notes than fruit. Strawberry notes infuse the rather weak palate but lead to a hit of alcohol on the finish. Drink now.	null	81	9	Australia Other	South Eastern Australia	null	Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon	Blue Reef	null	null	Blue Reef 2007 Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon (South Eastern Australia)
Portugal	There is a slight prickle that gives a surprise lift to this dry wine. Along with that is crisp fruit (lemon and apple flavors) and a refreshing amount of acidity. Drink now.	Dom Diogo	85	15	Vinho Verde	null	null	Arinto	Quinta da Raza	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Quinta da Raza 2016 Dom Diogo Arinto (Vinho Verde)
France	A fruit cake and smoky fruit flavored wine with intense youthful acidity. The flavors all come from the fruit rather than from any wood, giving a bright, accessible wine that is ready to drink now.	null	86	16	Loire Valley	Anjou	null	Cabernet Franc	Château la Varière	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Château la Varière 2011 Cabernet Franc (Anjou)
South Africa	Straightforward and easy to drink with a red fruit core of plum and cherry flavors accented by notes of black currant leaf and tea leaves. Low tannins assist in the approachable structure, and the finish is clean and juicy.	Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Malbec-Petit Verdot	85	12	Wellington	null	null	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Appollis	null	null	null
Italy	Hearty Aglianico is blended with a small percentage of Sangiovese to produce a tight and straightforward red wine, with sassy spice and dark fruit aromas. Pair this value wine with pizza or grilled sausage.	Guaglione	87	13	Southern Italy	Irpinia	null	Aglianico	I Capitani	null	null	I Capitani 2010 Guaglione Aglianico (Irpinia)
US	Tannins and acids make for a hard, resistant mouthfeel on this three-year-old Merlot. But the flavors are very rich, suggesting black and red cherries, red currants, violets and milk chocolate. Drink it with a well-marbled steak to break through the astringency.	null	87	28	California	Napa Valley	Napa	Merlot	William Hill Estate	null	null	William Hill Estate 2007 Merlot (Napa Valley)
Italy	Delightfully fresh and sweet, this playful sparkler would pair with almost anything from the dessert table. The creamy finish is redolent of peach and honey.	null	85	12	Piedmont	Asti	null	Moscato	Tosti	null	null	Tosti NV Moscato (Asti)
US	The delightful palate puts rhubarb pie, strawberry jam and cherry compote in play. The wine, at first broad and openly fruity, keeps building upon itself, adding hints of cured meat, smoke and chocolate. Don't quit on it before the extended finish is completely played out; it won't quit on you.	Temperance Hill	93	48	Oregon	Eola-Amity Hills	Willamette Valley	Pinot Noir	Brooks	Paul Gregutt	@paulgwine	Brooks 2014 Temperance Hill Pinot Noir (Eola-Amity Hills)
France	This soft and lightly herbal wine has a smooth texture that brings out its ripe red fruit and plays down its acidity. That makes it easy to drink, rich and generous on the finish.	Mira	88	13	France Other	Mediterranée	null	Rosé	Château Ferry Lacombe	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Château Ferry Lacombe 2016 Mira Rosé (Mediterranée)
Italy	La Marca delivers a fresh and easy-drinking Prosecco that would wash down beautifully with bruschetta topped with cherry tomatoes and basil. This luminous sparkling wine is redolent of white peach and honey and offers a touch of sweetness on the bubbly finish.	null	86	17	Veneto	Prosecco	null	Glera	La Marca	null	null	null
US	Nicely dry, acidic and minerally, with tart Meyer lemon, lime and pink grapefruit flavors. Suffers a bit from some green unripeness that suggests vegetable. Not too much, though, and pretty good for the price.	Reserve	86	18	California	Monterey County	Central Coast	Sauvignon Blanc	Concannon	null	null	null
US	This is an oaky, seemingly sweet, blackberry- and strawberry-tinged blend of 65% Zinfandel, 30% Sangiovese and 5% Syrah. With an earthy note of sage running through, this is a food friendly wine that'll require a hearty meal to tame it down.	Mistero	85	22	California	Sierra Foothills	Sierra Foothills	Red Blend	Naggiar	null	null	null
Argentina	With little to compare it to, it's hard to evaluate the correctness of this Semillon sweetie from Argentina. Let's just say that it's a weird wine that carries a vivid yellow color and aromas and flavors of honey, corn syrup and hominy.	Famiglia Bianchi Late Harvest	82	23	Mendoza Province	San Rafael	null	Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc	Valentin Bianchi	null	null	null
Israel	This Cabernet-dominant blend is drinking young, with firm, gripping tannins and a tight structure. There's plenty of black fruit flavors to flesh out the palate, along with complex nuances of licorice root, creme de cassis, cigar-box spice and a touch of bitter chocolate. Give it a few years in the cellar for the tannins to mellow a bit.	Reserve	89	40	Galilee	null	null	Cabernet Merlot	1848 Winery	Lauren Buzzeo	@laurbuzz	1848 Winery 2009 Reserve Cabernet Merlot (Galilee)
Argentina	An elevated, higher-quality style of Patagonian Pinot Noir. Verum has ripe, agile fruit aromas accented by bacon and vanilla from the barrel, while the balanced palate houses plucky cherry and raspberry flavors. Dry and spicy late, with delicacy. Drink now through 2011.	Patagonia	88	25	Other	Río Negro Valley	null	Pinot Noir	Verum	null	null	null
US	Sonoma Cabernet specialist Cohn turns his attention to Pinot, with good results. The wine is dry, silky and interesting, showing an array of cherry, cola, tobacco and peppery spice flavors. Has enough of a complex tannin structure to pair with lamb chops, or a great grilled salmon steak.	null	90	40	California	Russian River Valley	Sonoma	Pinot Noir	B.R. Cohn	null	null	null
France	All the restrained nose gives away is a touch of lemon. The palate is similarly lean, with lemon, and a bright frothy mousse on a light, dry body. This is ideal for clean, dry and brisk refreshment. No frills but total freshness and a clean finish that shows the slightly more mellow autolysis.	null	89	30	Alsace	Crémant d'Alsace	null	Sparkling Blend	Leon Beyer	Anne Krebiehl MW	@AnneInVino	Leon Beyer NV Sparkling (Crémant d'Alsace)
South Africa	Winemaker: Marc Kent. A blend of Syrah from Kent's Porseleinberg's Vineyard and an old Stellenbosch vineyard, this is a gripping and young Syrah, begging for some time to mature. Initially, aromas of church incense, fruit cake, licorice and fynbos lead the bouquet, with ripe black cherry and berry fruit at the core. It's rich and robust, with aggressive tannins that lend a gripping texture to the mouthfeel and a bittersweet cocoa astringency to the finish, alongside notes of char and black olive. Drink 2021–2026.	Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Reserve	91	null	Coastal Region	null	null	Syrah	Boekenhoutskloof	Lauren Buzzeo	@laurbuzz	Boekenhoutskloof 2015 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Reserve Syrah (Coastal Region)
France	This is rich, opulent Pinot Noir, its ripe strawberry, black cherry and sweet plums brimming out of the glass. The core of tannins, and smoky wood are more serious, offering aging potential. The wine is young, beautifully ripe, mouthfilling and hedonistic.	Clos des Mouches Premier Cru	94	85	Burgundy	Beaune	null	Pinot Noir	Joseph Drouhin	null	null	null
Italy	Dark berry, rose petal, tilled soil, aromatic herb, leather and a whiff of game are just some of the aromas you'll find on this intense, full-bodied wine. The palate is still tight, showing wild cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice, baking spice and tobacco alongside firm tannins that need time to unwind. It already has depth but will develop even more complexity over the next decade and more. Drink 2018–2027.	Rio Sordo	93	60	Piedmont	Barbaresco	null	Nebbiolo	Cascina delle Rose	Kerin O’Keefe	@kerinokeefe	Cascina delle Rose 2012 Rio Sordo (Barbaresco)
Italy	San Fermo is a beautifully luminous and bubbly wine that suffers from a slight hint of matchstick that appears at the front. Once you get past that, however, the wine opens to reveal a crisp, mineral finish.	San Fermo Brut	84	19	Veneto	Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore	null	Glera	Bellenda	null	null	null
Chile	Not unlike this producer's 1999 Chardonnay Selection, this Gran Reserva's delivery is all at the beginning. Apple and toasted oak start things off and are followed by crisp acidity and a smooth mouthfeel, However, the finish is short and the oak somewhat overbearing.	Gran Reserva	84	15	Colchagua Valley	null	null	Chardonnay	Château La Joya	null	null	null
Germany	With equal parts earth and fruit, this richly composed kabinett offers plump, cushiony peach and apricot flavors, offset by zesty acidity and dusty, earthy complexities. It's an approchable yet elegantly balanced, nuanced wine.	Kabinett	89	30	Rheingau	null	null	Riesling	Robert Weil	Anna Lee C. Iijima	null	Robert Weil 2015 Kabinett Riesling (Rheingau)
US	This soft, gentle wine is ready to drink now with umami-rich meats, especially charcuterie. It has very rich flavors of raspberry jam, baking spices and toast.	null	86	25	California	Paso Robles	Central Coast	Mourvèdre	Minassian-Young	null	null	Minassian-Young 2010 Mourvèdre (Paso Robles)
France	A lively, strawberry fruit-colored wine, light, soft and creamy. There is an attractive vibrant feel to the texture, with a hint of red berries, lifted by crisp acidity.	Premier Cru Brut Rosé	88	null	Champagne	Champagne	null	Champagne Blend	Pascal Doquet	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Pascal Doquet NV Premier Cru Brut Rosé (Champagne)
US	A barrel-fermented, single-vineyard designate, this vivacious Viognier brings suggestions of summer cocktails—specifically margaritas and gin and tonics. The spicy, pear-flavored fruit seems to be edged with salt and fresh-sqeezed lime, which is not to say that it isn't a beautifully crafted wine. Fine balance and length.	Clifton Vineyard	91	18	Washington	Wahluke Slope	Columbia Valley	Viognier	Bunnell Family Cellar	null	null	null
Italy	Ripe fruit and chocolate rise upfront but the wine also offers background tones of old leather and spice. This 75-25 Sangiovese and Merlot blend is plush, rich and sits comfortably on the palate. Pair it with lasagna or stuffed pasta with meat sauce.	Fiore	90	null	Tuscany	Toscana	null	Red Blend	Castello di Meleto	null	null	null
Moldova	This 100% Traminer is light bodied and has aromas of pineapple, peach, kumquat and rose petal. It is soft and balanced in the mouth with flavors of peach, apricot and lychee.	D'Or	88	11	Moldova	null	null	Traminer	Château Vartely	Jeff Jenssen	@worldwineguys	Château Vartely 2014 D'Or Traminer (Moldova)
US	This is a flamboyant wine made in the oaky style. It's opulent in pineapple, golden mango and pear flavors, with a coating of sweet oak. The richness is brightened by tart acidity. Drink this flashy wine now, with the richest fare you can.	Estate	90	28	California	Santa Lucia Highlands	Central Coast	Chardonnay	McIntyre Vineyards	null	null	null
US	Domaine Carneros' entry-level, estate-grown Pinot is intensely earthy and herbal, grippy on the back palate, a swirl of approachable blackberry, black cherry and sweet oak.	null	87	35	California	Carneros	Napa-Sonoma	Pinot Noir	Domaine Carneros	Virginie Boone	@vboone	Domaine Carneros 2011 Pinot Noir (Carneros)
US	This is a simple wine with candied raspberry, mint and toasted oak notes.	Blend 175	82	15	California	Central Coast	Central Coast	Red Blend	Bridlewood	null	null	Bridlewood 2011 Blend 175 Red (Central Coast)
US	Sonoma Valley stalwart Sam Sebastiani returns to the winemaking fold with this small-production Sangiovese. A juicy study in robust, powerful tannins and fresh plum, it has a trace of anise on the back of the palate. Blended with 8% Petite Sirah and 4% Malbec, it spent a year in older French oak barrels and is a delicious California version of the Italian classic.	Reserve	91	35	California	Sonoma Valley	Sonoma	Sangiovese	La Chertosa	Virginie Boone	@vboone	La Chertosa 2012 Reserve Sangiovese (Sonoma Valley)
Italy	An Italian classic, Riserva del Fondatore (a brut-style sparkler) offers a compelling nose that is as intense as it is complex. The aromas here span dried fruit and nuts to toast and melted butter. Its appearance is sharp and luminous and the quality of effervescence is both tonic and persistent.	Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore	93	90	Northeastern Italy	Trento	null	Chardonnay	Ferrari	null	null	null
Italy	There's a dark, savory quality to this richly concentrated wine that is reminiscent of aromas of air-dried beef or spicy bresaola. You'll also get ripe fruit and blackberry jam and there's a textured, gritty quality to the firm but ripe tannins.	Marina Cvetic'	90	29	Central Italy	Montepulciano d'Abruzzo	null	Montepulciano	Masciarelli	null	null	Masciarelli 2006 Marina Cvetic' (Montepulciano d'Abruzzo)
Argentina	Almost red in color, and maybe already past its prime. Crios was a standout in 2006, but the '07 is chunky and sweet smelling, with ripe but dull apple, melon and nectarine flavors. Soft and already in its late stages; probably best to wait for the 2008.	Crios Rosé of	84	12	Mendoza Province	Mendoza	null	Malbec	Susana Balbo	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	Susana Balbo 2007 Crios Rosé of Malbec (Mendoza)
US	Ruddy, ripe plum and cherry tones penetrate deeply through the core of this bold, voluptuous Pinot Noir. The palate balances opulent fruit with subtle tones of bramble and savory herb, as well as a piercing line of acidity. Fine grained but grippy tannins mark a puckery finish.	null	89	25	New York	Seneca Lake	Finger Lakes	Pinot Noir	Ventosa	Anna Lee C. Iijima	null	Ventosa 2012 Pinot Noir (Seneca Lake)
New Zealand	Starts off zesty, with bold scents of passion fruit accented by lemon and lime, then turns softer and less racy on the finish. Worth trying with ceviche. Imported by Palm Bay Imports.	null	86	16	Marlborough	null	null	Sauvignon Blanc	Grove Mill	null	null	null
Italy	Galatrona is an opulent, gorgeous wine (from the excellent 2007) vintage that shows the very best of Merlot in Italy. Thanks to a unique growing climate located between Florence, Siena and Arezzo, as well as extremely low vineyard yields, the wine feels soft and velvety and imparts long-lasting flavors of black cherry, lively spice, tobacco and cigar box. The true beauty of Galatrona is that it shows all the passion and enthusiasm of its very talented winemaker.	Galatrona	98	135	Tuscany	Toscana	null	Merlot	Fattoria Petrolo	null	null	null
US	Rich and fruity in Cabernet character, with blackberry, blueberry and cherry jam flavors subtlely tinged with oak. With soft tannins and a dry finish, it's a fine expression of Cabernet for drinking now.	null	87	19	California	Sonoma County	Sonoma	Cabernet Sauvignon	Sebastiani	null	null	Sebastiani 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County)
US	This blends estate-grown Wädenswil and Dijon 115 clones into a briary, open and forward expression that accents its core of cherry fruit with a dash of cola. It lightens up as it finishes but remains nicely balanced and layered, with subtle hints of chicken stock.	Dardis	90	52	Oregon	Willamette Valley	null	Pinot Noir	Fairsing	Paul Gregutt	@paulgwine	Fairsing 2015 Dardis Pinot Noir
US	Like a Beaujolais Nouveau, this is a lively, grapey wine, with fresh-from-the-fermenter flavors of raspberries, red cherries, cinnamon and pepper.	La Grenouille Rouganté	85	14	California	Napa Valley	Napa	Rosé	Frog's Leap	null	null	null
Italy	Made with a 50-50 blend of Grillo and Catarratto, this presents aromas of Spanish broom and ripe orchard fruit. The refreshing palate tastes of juicy lime, unripe pear and mineral alongside zesty acidity.	Azisa	87	null	Sicily & Sardinia	Sicilia	null	Grillo	Zisola	Kerin O’Keefe	@kerinokeefe	Zisola 2015 Azisa Grillo (Sicilia)

US

Big and rich, front-loaded with blackberry and cherry jam fruit. The tannins are considerable, giving the wine a full-bodied mouthfeel, like Grenache. Delicious, but a bit ponderous now for a Pinot Noir. Give it a few years in the cellar to mellow.

Paris Mountain Lone Oak Vineyard

90

48

California

Santa Lucia Highlands

Central Coast

Pinot Noir

Calicaro

null

Calicaro 2009 Paris Mountain Lone Oak Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands)

Italy

This wine has a very pretty nose with a delicate embroidery of forest berry and wild flowers. Yet its structure is full and round with a deep ruby color. Thicker, denser favors come through on the palate like smoked ham, sweet cherry followed by a zesty touch of basil or green herb. Imported by Montecastelli Selections.

null

90

50

Tuscany

Brunello di Montalcino

null

Sangiovese

Collelceto

null

Germany

While fresh pink grapefruit and Meyer lemon notes shine brightly on the nose and palate of this off-dry Riesling, there's a touch of savory allium that distracts. It's a juicy easygoing wine with approachably soft, sunny acidity. Drink now.

Mettenheimer Kabinett

86

13

Rheinhessen

null

Riesling

Schäfer

null

US

The variety is important in Sicily. In California, just about the only winery producing it is Paoletti. It has made a very dry, tannic and rustically astringent wine, with bitter cherryskin flavors. Drink now.

Nero Cuvée Speciale

85

36

California

Napa Valley

Napa

Nero d'Avola

Paoletti

null

France

This steely, mineral, structured wine speaks of the chalk soil of Puligny. It is firm and crisp, even though the fruit is rich. The wine layers the white fruits and mandarin orange zest with some judicious toast from the wood, leaving spice and ripe acidity on the finish.

Champs Gains Premier Cru

93

115

Burgundy

Puligny-Montrachet

null

Chardonnay

Chanson Père et Fils

null

US

Firm and juicy, this Pinot has a core of berry fruit and plenty of acidity. The earthy, herbal accents are typical of this AVA. Overall, it shows fine balance and decent concentration.

Dijon Cuvée Estate

87

22

Oregon

Eola-Amity Hills

Willamette Valley

Pinot Noir

Cherry Hill

null

France

This firmly structured, dense wine is packed with dark plum and fig fruits, laced with chocolate and tannins. It's a solid, foursquare style of wine, with acidity and fruit forming a fine partnership. Like many wines from this year, it is likely to mature quickly, so drink from 2016.

Les Charbonnières

90

65

Burgundy

Nuits-St.-Georges

null

Pinot Noir

Jean-Claude Boisset

null

US

Solidly in the winery's house style, this is a clean, varietally true Chard, dry and balanced. It shows citrus, green apple and mineral flavors, while partial barrel fermentation adds elements of smoky cream and buttered toast.

null

84

15

California

Sonoma County

Sonoma

Chardonnay

Rodney Strong

null

Argentina

This smells mildly reduced and candied at first, with notes of blackberry, horse hide and licorice. Firm, chewy and lush on the palate, this full-force Malbec delivers ripe blackberry, boysenberry, spice and rooty licorice flavors prior to a spicy, dark finish that's bolstered by firm acidity. Drink through 2019.

Gran Reserva

90

30

Mendoza Province

Mendoza

null

Malbec

Larrea

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

Larrea 2010 Gran Reserva Malbec (Mendoza)

France

Smoky and toasty, this is a structured wine. It has layers of black currant fruits, fresh acidity as well as firm tannins that overlay the juicy fruitiness. It needs to age. Drink from 2016.

null

88

16

Bordeaux

Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux

null

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Château Chantemerle

null

France

93-95 Barrel sample. A fine, fresh, berry flavored wine, delicious acidity, ripe final fruits. Great balance here, the year's freshness in firm focus.

Barrel sample

94

null

Bordeaux

Pessac-Léognan

null

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Château Picque Caillou

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Château Picque Caillou 2009 Barrel sample (Pessac-Léognan)

Italy

This pretty Extra Dry Prosecco (with a playful touch of sweetness) opens with bright aromas of peach, honey and jasmine and segues into a soft, creamy mouthfeel.

V Extra Dry

87

null

Veneto

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore

null

Glera

Vettori

null

Italy

Carmignano is one of the most overlooked appellations in Tuscany, but the work done here with Cabernet Sauvignon and other grapes is worth noting. This blend of 70% Sangiovese, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, shows red currant, wet earth, leather and dried red-rose notes, backed by dry, gritty tannins.

Il Circo Rosso Riserva

88

25

Tuscany

Carmignano

null

Red Blend

Pratesi

null

Italy

Made from Puglia's celebrated Negroamaro grape, this opens with a ripe fruit aroma of blackberry jam and a savory cured-meat tone. The mouthfeel is chewy, soft and slightly bitter on the finish.

null

85

13

Southern Italy

Salento

null

Negroamaro

Miali

null

US

This is the second label for Col Solare, the Ste. Michelle/Antinori collaboration on Red Mountain. A fine bottle for the price, it shows the same elegance and supple texture as the frontline wine. Black cherry, blueberry, mocha and smoke swirl over and around the palate. Only in the finish does it seem to fade quickly, with a very slight suggestion of glue in the aftertaste.

Shining Hill Red Wine

88

45

Washington

Columbia Valley (WA)

Columbia Valley

Red Blend

Col Solare

Paul Gregutt

@paulgwine

Col Solare 2008 Shining Hill Red Wine Red (Columbia Valley (WA))

US

This is a young yet lush and amazingly rich Pinot Noir. The raspberry and cherry fruit hardly could be riper. Yet the balance of sweet tannins and just-in-time acidity gives the wine good structure. Fine to drink now, and should age well for a couple of years.

Estate Grown

90

72

California

Carneros

Napa-Sonoma

Pinot Noir

Donum

null

Donum 2010 Estate Grown Pinot Noir (Carneros)

US

Rooted in dark, roasted aromas like coffee, this blend of 60% Syrah with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Zinfandel has tight-grain tannins and simple layers of tobacco, leather and clove.

null

85

14

California

North Coast

Red Blend

The Loyal Companion

null

US

Thick, rich and tightly wound, this cool-climate wine from near the town of the same name is brightly acidic and floral. A mix of rose petal, violet and dried herbes de Provence on the nose echoes on the palate. Bing and dark cherry provide a sultry fruitiness that never dominates over the piquant cardamom spice. Drink now through 2023.

Freestone

94

60

California

Russian River Valley

Sonoma

Pinot Noir

Lynmar

Virginie Boone

@vboone

Lynmar 2013 Freestone Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)

US

This grape excels in the region's warmer climate, proving relatively light in color and full of baked strawberry, caramel and dust aromas in this bottling. The palate is similarly light but carries an array of fun and easygoing flavors, including more red fruit and leather.

null

89

40

California

Temecula Valley

South Coast

Montepulciano

Robert Renzoni

Matt Kettmann

@mattkettmann

Robert Renzoni 2013 Montepulciano (Temecula Valley)

US

What a delicious barbecue wine. It shows Malbec's thick, sturdy tannins and California's ripe, sweet fruit, in the way of blackberries, cassis and blueberries, with a savory streak of espresso. But it's totally dry on the finish. Shows how well the Rockpile appellation ripens these big, full-bodied red wines.

null

91

42

California

Rockpile

Sonoma

Malbec

Keating

null

Keating 2008 Malbec (Rockpile)

US

Simple and robust, dry and full-bodied. A little on the thin side, but there are some decent sour cherry candy and red currant flavors.

Reserve

84

15

California

Sonoma County

Sonoma

Merlot

Angeline

null

Italy

Ripe and succulent expression, with deep tones of blackberry, exotic spice, leather, moist tobacco and Spanish cedar. There's also a smoky, barbecue note at the back; the wine is thick, sweet and luscious in the mouth.

Cinque Stelle Ca' del Pipa

91

95

Veneto

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

null

Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara

Castellani Michele & Figli

null

Italy

This linear wine opens with aromas of blue flower, underbrush and red berries. The palate delivers bright red cherry, espresso and a white pepper note alongside firm, drying tannins. Pair this with hearty Tuscan soups. Drink 2014–2019.

Casalino Riserva

87

15

Tuscany

Chianti Classico

null

Sangiovese

Bonacchi

Kerin O’Keefe

@kerinokeefe

Bonacchi 2009 Casalino Riserva (Chianti Classico)

US

A candied, buttery aroma, ripe fruit flavors and full body characterize this wine. It seems to have a strong spicy influence that comes with firm tannins and an almost-sweet character.

Estate

86

38

California

Livermore Valley

Central Coast

Tempranillo

Las Positas

null

France

Attractive fruity tones of red currant, raspberry and strawberry hull dance in the bouquet of this pretty rosé, graced by garrigue accents of lavender and rosemary. Flavors of red berry skin and peach pit unfold on the medium-weight palate, framed by soft tannins and a delicate spice note that lingers on the close.

Le

90

18

Languedoc-Roussillon

Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint Loup

null

Rosé

Château de Lancyre

Lauren Buzzeo

@laurbuzz

Château de Lancyre 2015 Le Rosé (Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint Loup)

Italy

Starts with a rich nose of dark cherry, milk chocolate and anise. It shows the typical espresso and toast flavors of the new style, but with more nuance and better balance than many others. There's a lot of oak here, but it's a very good example of the style, and should improve through 2003.

null

88

17

Tuscany

Chianti Classico

null

Sangiovese

Villa Cafaggio

null

US

From nearly 30-year-old vines planted at 1,700 feet, this very balanced wine begins with an excellent nose of citrus blossoms, lime rinds, salted cream and a touch of popcorn. The sharply focused palate rides a racy line of lime zest with flashes of tangerine and lemon and a creamy character on the edge, mouthwatering throughout the sip.

Split Rail Vineyard

92

30

California

Santa Cruz Mountains

Central Coast

Chardonnay

Sante Arcangeli

Matt Kettmann

@mattkettmann

Sante Arcangeli 2014 Split Rail Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains)

US

Made in the rich, forward, jammy style, this boasts a flavor of black raspberry jam. It's oaky, too, with a veneer of buttered cinnamon toast. This is a Pinot Noir that's easy to drink now.

Durell Vineyard

88

50

California

Sonoma Coast

Sonoma

Pinot Noir

Dunstan

null

France

Soft notes of honeysuckle adorn mandarin and clementine fruit. The off-dry palate is richer than the nose suggests and its residual sweetness boosts the full-fruited, peachy nature of the wine. It finishes warm, but zesty and citrus-flavored.

null

88

17

Alsace

null

Gewürztraminer

Wolfberger

Anne Krebiehl MW

@AnneInVino

Wolfberger 2015 Gewurztraminer (Alsace)

France

This is very black currant in character, with crisp fresh fruits to go with the bright acidity. There are tannins certainly, lightened by the fruity character of the wine.

null

90

null

Bordeaux

Pauillac

null

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Château d'Armailhac

null

US

Although there's lots to like in this Zin, it's just too sweet. On the plus side are rich, complex flavors of cherry pie, raspberry tart, cassis, cocoa and mushu plum sauce, accented by peppery spices and a bit of wood. Also nice are the dense but ripe tannins. But then there's that sugary, brownie taste that's inappropriate in a table wine.

null

84

30

California

Russian River Valley

Sonoma

Zinfandel

Dutton-Goldfield

null

Italy

Plump, sweet and bursting with chewy blueberry and milky chocolate flavors, this is a dense, creamy Syrah to enjoy on a cold winter night. The wine delivers a velvety mouthfeel and long spicy overtones.

Kaid

88

30

Sicily & Sardinia

Sicilia

null

Syrah

Alessandro di Camporeale

null

US

Mainly Sauvignon Blanc, with Chardonnay, this is a simple wine, sugary sweet and soft.

Beachfront

82

18

California

Dry Creek Valley

Sonoma

White Blend

Bedarra

null

Argentina

Saucy and sulfuric at first, but better with time. The palate amounts to a saturated fruit bomb with grip, while the core flavors of cassis and black fruits are very sweet and chunky. Bulky, broad and on the cusp of syrupy. Ripe and ready but maybe too ripe and creamy for its own good.

null

86

19

Mendoza Province

Perdriel

null

Cabernet Sauvignon

Marchiori & Barraud

null

US

Comes down on the austere side of Chardonnay, trading the modern flashy style for a sober, streamlined wine. It's bone dry and bright in acidity, with lemon, lime, honey and mineral flavors, touched with sweet oak. Expensive, but elegant and complex. Will challenge sommeliers to come up with the perfect pairing. Consider shellfish first.

Ferrington Vineyard

93

65

California

Anderson Valley

null

Chardonnay

La Rochelle

null

La Rochelle 2010 Ferrington Vineyard Chardonnay (Anderson Valley)

US

A rich mouthfeel and considerable sweetness come with oaky spicy aromas and jammy fruit flavors in this full-bodied and rather tannic wine that was blended from mostly Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Flock

87

12

California

California Other

Red Blend

One

Jim Gordon

@gordone_cellars

One 2015 Flock Red (California)

US

Though better than the 2006, this shows no varietal character; it's charmless and empty. Acid and alcohol, with a lightly lemony middle; it could be anything.

null

81

11

Oregon

Oregon Other

Pinot Gris

Firesteed

null

Italy

Made with organically farmed grapes, this opens with alluring scents of honeysuckle, hawthorn and white stone fruit. The silky palate delivers white peach, nectarine and green apple framed in bright acidity and a delicately foaming mousse.

Col di Manza Extra Dry

90

25

Veneto

Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore

null

Glera

Perlage

Kerin O’Keefe

@kerinokeefe

Perlage 2016 Col di Manza Extra Dry (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore)

France

Very fruity, this is a crisp, lemon-scented and flavored wine, with grassy, herbaceous character from the green Sauvignon Blanc in the blend. The aftertaste is tight with some bitterness.

null

84

15

Bordeaux

Bordeaux Blanc

null

Bordeaux-style White Blend

Château de Parenchère

null

Spain

Crisp, clean and minerally on the nose, with apple and green-fruit aromas. It has a round, smooth feel and flavors of peach, apple and citrus that will enliven the palate and aid almost any seafood, vegetable or salad. A natural wine with just enough powdery sweetness to raise a smile.

null

89

18

Galicia

Rías Baixas

null

Albariño

Nora

null

France

This ripe and fruity wine has just the right amount of mineral texture to give it a zesty character. It offers hints of toast, attractive juicy acidity and a lively, bright aftertaste. The wine needs to lose the slight earthy flavor from bottling that should soon blow away.

Les Charmes Dessus Premier Cru

90

108

Burgundy

Meursault

null

Chardonnay

Domaine Antonin Guyon

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Domaine Antonin Guyon 2015 Les Charmes Dessus Premier Cru (Meursault)

US

Beautifully feminine, with a delicate cherry-blossom perfume, this off-dry rosé sparkler blends juicy cherry and strawberry flavors, with a hint of earthy, mushroom goodness. Medium sized bubbles are brisk and tonic on the finish.

Gabrielle Rosé Sparkling Wine

86

10

New York

New York Other

Sparkling Blend

Ambition

null

US

A slightly floral but lively nose is followed by a pretty, balanced spice and white flower mix on the palate with this offering from Ohio. Paired with a delicate Asian dish, this wine is a fun choice.

Lot 707 Reserve

84

15

Ohio

Grand River Valley

null

Riesling

Debonné

Susan Kostrzewa

@suskostrzewa

Debonné 2006 Lot 707 Reserve Riesling (Grand River Valley)

Argentina

Baked plum, molasses, balsamic vinegar and cheesy oak aromas feed into a palate that's braced by a bolt of acidity. A compact set of saucy red-berry and plum flavors features tobacco and peppery accents, while the finish is mildly green in flavor, with respectable weight and balance.

Felix

87

30

Other

Cafayate

null

Malbec

Felix Lavaque

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

Felix Lavaque 2010 Felix Malbec (Cafayate)

Portugal

This elegant, structured wine has layers of intense acidity surmounted by firm tannins and red currant fruit. It's a real food wine, that acidity ready for rich meats. It's also likely to age well. Drink now and until 2024.

Vadio

90

22

Bairrada

null

Baga

Vadio Wines

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Vadio Wines 2012 Vadio Baga (Bairrada)

US

Vibrant aromas of spice, cranberry and plum lead into a vivid, juicy, youthful wine with plenty of tangy fruit. The acids are way out in front, but the fruit has a zip to it, and there is little or no suggestion of new wood to get in the way.

null

87

15

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Pinot Noir

Kudos

null

US

This rich wine shows sweet, luscious cherry, green herbs, medicine cabinet and leather aromas and flavors. It doesn't bring a lot of complexity but yields plenty of enjoyment. Drink now.

null

87

15

Washington

Columbia Valley (WA)

Columbia Valley

Cabernet Sauvignon

Revelry

null

US

An overt and attractive toasted-oak aroma leads to assertive, smoky, buttery flavors in this traditional reserve-style California Chardonnay. Full bodied, it pulls out all the stops for a grand expression of pear, toasted almond and nutmeg flavors that are backed by ample acidity.

The Arsonist

90

22

California

Dunnigan Hills

Central Valley

Chardonnay

Matchbook

Jim Gordon

@gordone_cellars

Matchbook 2015 The Arsonist Chardonnay (Dunnigan Hills)

US

A gentle undertone of clay soils permeates this delicate effort. Raspberry and rhubarb flavors are light and slightly peppery, and the low alcohol keeps everything in proportion.

West Block

87

50

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Pinot Noir

Patton Valley

Paul Gregutt

@paulgwine

Patton Valley 2011 West Block Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)

US

One of the few Chenin Blancs from Santa Ynez Valley, and a pretty one. Made with a bit of oak, it's dry and acidic, as the variety should be in California, with citrus, floral and mineral flavors.

Jurassic Park

87

16

California

Santa Ynez Valley

Central Coast

Chenin Blanc

Field Recordings

null

US

This wine is dominated by acids and tannins that numb the mouth, although the blackberry and cherry flavors are so ripely powerful, they come through unscathed. Feels rustic now, but it's thoroughly dry, and could be more interesting in a year or two.

null

85

22

California

Edna Valley

Central Coast

Syrah

East Valley

null

South Africa

An appealing nose of tropical fruit, citrus and spice, followed by a clean, dry, spicy combination of citrus and fresh fruit, give this white a summer sipping appeal. A great partner to salads, grilled seafood, Thai cuisine.

null

88

13

Western Cape

null

Sauvignon Blanc

Stormhoek

null

US

A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Counoise, this is bone dry and brisk in acidity, with complex flavors of mineral, herb, sour cherry candy, red currant and white pepper. Although production was only 2,000 cases, this wine is worth the search.

Rhône de Robles

88

18

California

Paso Robles

Central Coast

Rhône-style Red Blend

Robert Hall

null

New Zealand

This vintage from Stoneleigh nails the Pinot mouthfeel—supple and velvety—while delivering smoky and earthy flavors. There's enough black cherry fruit to keep it lively, but this wine's just not that fruity, instead relying on cola, coffee and earth flavors for interest. Imported by Allied Domecq Wines USA.

null

87

15

Marlborough

null

Pinot Noir

Stoneleigh

null

France

Good, spicy Cabernet Franc, loaded with dry plums and stalky fruit flavors. It's soft, with a streak of acidity to give freshness, but mainly juicy and fruity.

Vallée des Jardins

86

11

Loire Valley

Saumur

null

Cabernet Franc

Remy-Pannier

null

US

Deep strawberry, blackberry, black olive and oregano show on the nose of this bottling that comes from a vineyard 1,100 feet above the town of Saratoga. The 100% American oak treatment makes for a savory sip, with bay leaf, white pepper, cracked peppercorn and olive, all bone dry and mouth-drying in tannins.

Lonehawk Vineyard

91

42

California

Santa Cruz Mountains

Central Coast

Cabernet Sauvignon

La Honda Winery

Matt Kettmann

@mattkettmann

La Honda Winery 2012 Lonehawk Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Cruz Mountains)

Chile

Pointed and herbal on the nose, with olive and a hardness that suggests paint or chemical. The palate is tight, grating and tastes of jumbled fruit and olive. Herbal and minty on the finish.

Reserva

83

9

Maipo Valley

null

Carmenère

Santa Alicia

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

Santa Alicia 2010 Reserva Carmenère (Maipo Valley)

Germany

This is rather sweet—loaded with honeyed peaches and tropical fruit—but all of those ripe, rich flavors are brought into focus by the citrus- and mineral-edged finish. It's luscious now, but in 5–10 years it should be a complex, filigreed table wine.

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese

91

30

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

null

Riesling

Dr. F. Weins-Prüm

null

Australia

The nose is honest and fresh with more herbaceous and mulchy notes than fruit. Strawberry notes infuse the rather weak palate but lead to a hit of alcohol on the finish. Drink now.

null

81

9

Australia Other

South Eastern Australia

null

Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon

Blue Reef

null

Blue Reef 2007 Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon (South Eastern Australia)

Portugal

There is a slight prickle that gives a surprise lift to this dry wine. Along with that is crisp fruit (lemon and apple flavors) and a refreshing amount of acidity. Drink now.

Dom Diogo

85

15

Vinho Verde

null

Arinto

Quinta da Raza

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Quinta da Raza 2016 Dom Diogo Arinto (Vinho Verde)

France

A fruit cake and smoky fruit flavored wine with intense youthful acidity. The flavors all come from the fruit rather than from any wood, giving a bright, accessible wine that is ready to drink now.

null

86

16

Loire Valley

Anjou

null

Cabernet Franc

Château la Varière

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Château la Varière 2011 Cabernet Franc (Anjou)

South Africa

Straightforward and easy to drink with a red fruit core of plum and cherry flavors accented by notes of black currant leaf and tea leaves. Low tannins assist in the approachable structure, and the finish is clean and juicy.

Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Malbec-Petit Verdot

85

12

Wellington

null

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Appollis

null

Italy

Hearty Aglianico is blended with a small percentage of Sangiovese to produce a tight and straightforward red wine, with sassy spice and dark fruit aromas. Pair this value wine with pizza or grilled sausage.

Guaglione

87

13

Southern Italy

Irpinia

null

Aglianico

I Capitani

null

I Capitani 2010 Guaglione Aglianico (Irpinia)

US

Tannins and acids make for a hard, resistant mouthfeel on this three-year-old Merlot. But the flavors are very rich, suggesting black and red cherries, red currants, violets and milk chocolate. Drink it with a well-marbled steak to break through the astringency.

null

87

28

California

Napa Valley

Napa

Merlot

William Hill Estate

null

William Hill Estate 2007 Merlot (Napa Valley)

Italy

Delightfully fresh and sweet, this playful sparkler would pair with almost anything from the dessert table. The creamy finish is redolent of peach and honey.

null

85

12

Piedmont

Asti

null

Moscato

Tosti

null

Tosti NV Moscato (Asti)

US

The delightful palate puts rhubarb pie, strawberry jam and cherry compote in play. The wine, at first broad and openly fruity, keeps building upon itself, adding hints of cured meat, smoke and chocolate. Don't quit on it before the extended finish is completely played out; it won't quit on you.

Temperance Hill

93

48

Oregon

Eola-Amity Hills

Willamette Valley

Pinot Noir

Brooks

Paul Gregutt

@paulgwine

Brooks 2014 Temperance Hill Pinot Noir (Eola-Amity Hills)

France

This soft and lightly herbal wine has a smooth texture that brings out its ripe red fruit and plays down its acidity. That makes it easy to drink, rich and generous on the finish.

Mira

88

13

France Other

Mediterranée

null

Rosé

Château Ferry Lacombe

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Château Ferry Lacombe 2016 Mira Rosé (Mediterranée)

Italy

La Marca delivers a fresh and easy-drinking Prosecco that would wash down beautifully with bruschetta topped with cherry tomatoes and basil. This luminous sparkling wine is redolent of white peach and honey and offers a touch of sweetness on the bubbly finish.

null

86

17

Veneto

Prosecco

null

Glera

La Marca

null

US

Nicely dry, acidic and minerally, with tart Meyer lemon, lime and pink grapefruit flavors. Suffers a bit from some green unripeness that suggests vegetable. Not too much, though, and pretty good for the price.

Reserve

86

18

California

Monterey County

Central Coast

Sauvignon Blanc

Concannon

null

US

This is an oaky, seemingly sweet, blackberry- and strawberry-tinged blend of 65% Zinfandel, 30% Sangiovese and 5% Syrah. With an earthy note of sage running through, this is a food friendly wine that'll require a hearty meal to tame it down.

Mistero

85

22

California

Sierra Foothills

Red Blend

Naggiar

null

Argentina

With little to compare it to, it's hard to evaluate the correctness of this Semillon sweetie from Argentina. Let's just say that it's a weird wine that carries a vivid yellow color and aromas and flavors of honey, corn syrup and hominy.

Famiglia Bianchi Late Harvest

82

23

Mendoza Province

San Rafael

null

Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc

Valentin Bianchi

null

Israel

This Cabernet-dominant blend is drinking young, with firm, gripping tannins and a tight structure. There's plenty of black fruit flavors to flesh out the palate, along with complex nuances of licorice root, creme de cassis, cigar-box spice and a touch of bitter chocolate. Give it a few years in the cellar for the tannins to mellow a bit.

Reserve

89

40

Galilee

null

Cabernet Merlot

1848 Winery

Lauren Buzzeo

@laurbuzz

1848 Winery 2009 Reserve Cabernet Merlot (Galilee)

Argentina

An elevated, higher-quality style of Patagonian Pinot Noir. Verum has ripe, agile fruit aromas accented by bacon and vanilla from the barrel, while the balanced palate houses plucky cherry and raspberry flavors. Dry and spicy late, with delicacy. Drink now through 2011.

Patagonia

88

25

Other

Río Negro Valley

null

Pinot Noir

Verum

null

US

Sonoma Cabernet specialist Cohn turns his attention to Pinot, with good results. The wine is dry, silky and interesting, showing an array of cherry, cola, tobacco and peppery spice flavors. Has enough of a complex tannin structure to pair with lamb chops, or a great grilled salmon steak.

null

90

40

California

Russian River Valley

Sonoma

Pinot Noir

B.R. Cohn

null

France

All the restrained nose gives away is a touch of lemon. The palate is similarly lean, with lemon, and a bright frothy mousse on a light, dry body. This is ideal for clean, dry and brisk refreshment. No frills but total freshness and a clean finish that shows the slightly more mellow autolysis.

null

89

30

Alsace

Crémant d'Alsace

null

Sparkling Blend

Leon Beyer

Anne Krebiehl MW

@AnneInVino

Leon Beyer NV Sparkling (Crémant d'Alsace)

South Africa

Winemaker: Marc Kent. A blend of Syrah from Kent's Porseleinberg's Vineyard and an old Stellenbosch vineyard, this is a gripping and young Syrah, begging for some time to mature. Initially, aromas of church incense, fruit cake, licorice and fynbos lead the bouquet, with ripe black cherry and berry fruit at the core. It's rich and robust, with aggressive tannins that lend a gripping texture to the mouthfeel and a bittersweet cocoa astringency to the finish, alongside notes of char and black olive. Drink 2021–2026.

Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Reserve

91

null

Coastal Region

null

Syrah

Boekenhoutskloof

Lauren Buzzeo

@laurbuzz

Boekenhoutskloof 2015 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Reserve Syrah (Coastal Region)

France

This is rich, opulent Pinot Noir, its ripe strawberry, black cherry and sweet plums brimming out of the glass. The core of tannins, and smoky wood are more serious, offering aging potential. The wine is young, beautifully ripe, mouthfilling and hedonistic.

Clos des Mouches Premier Cru

94

85

Burgundy

Beaune

null

Pinot Noir

Joseph Drouhin

null

Italy

Dark berry, rose petal, tilled soil, aromatic herb, leather and a whiff of game are just some of the aromas you'll find on this intense, full-bodied wine. The palate is still tight, showing wild cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice, baking spice and tobacco alongside firm tannins that need time to unwind. It already has depth but will develop even more complexity over the next decade and more. Drink 2018–2027.

Rio Sordo

93

60

Piedmont

Barbaresco

null

Nebbiolo

Cascina delle Rose

Kerin O’Keefe

@kerinokeefe

Cascina delle Rose 2012 Rio Sordo (Barbaresco)

Italy

San Fermo is a beautifully luminous and bubbly wine that suffers from a slight hint of matchstick that appears at the front. Once you get past that, however, the wine opens to reveal a crisp, mineral finish.

San Fermo Brut

84

19

Veneto

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore

null

Glera

Bellenda

null

Chile

Not unlike this producer's 1999 Chardonnay Selection, this Gran Reserva's delivery is all at the beginning. Apple and toasted oak start things off and are followed by crisp acidity and a smooth mouthfeel, However, the finish is short and the oak somewhat overbearing.

Gran Reserva

84

15

Colchagua Valley

null

Chardonnay

Château La Joya

null

Germany

With equal parts earth and fruit, this richly composed kabinett offers plump, cushiony peach and apricot flavors, offset by zesty acidity and dusty, earthy complexities. It's an approchable yet elegantly balanced, nuanced wine.

Kabinett

89

30

Rheingau

null

Riesling

Robert Weil

Anna Lee C. Iijima

null

Robert Weil 2015 Kabinett Riesling (Rheingau)

US

This soft, gentle wine is ready to drink now with umami-rich meats, especially charcuterie. It has very rich flavors of raspberry jam, baking spices and toast.

null

86

25

California

Paso Robles

Central Coast

Mourvèdre

Minassian-Young

null

Minassian-Young 2010 Mourvèdre (Paso Robles)

France

A lively, strawberry fruit-colored wine, light, soft and creamy. There is an attractive vibrant feel to the texture, with a hint of red berries, lifted by crisp acidity.

Premier Cru Brut Rosé

88

null

Champagne

null

Champagne Blend

Pascal Doquet

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Pascal Doquet NV Premier Cru Brut Rosé (Champagne)

US

A barrel-fermented, single-vineyard designate, this vivacious Viognier brings suggestions of summer cocktails—specifically margaritas and gin and tonics. The spicy, pear-flavored fruit seems to be edged with salt and fresh-sqeezed lime, which is not to say that it isn't a beautifully crafted wine. Fine balance and length.

Clifton Vineyard

91

18

Washington

Wahluke Slope

Columbia Valley

Viognier

Bunnell Family Cellar

null

Italy

Ripe fruit and chocolate rise upfront but the wine also offers background tones of old leather and spice. This 75-25 Sangiovese and Merlot blend is plush, rich and sits comfortably on the palate. Pair it with lasagna or stuffed pasta with meat sauce.

Fiore

90

null

Tuscany

Toscana

null

Red Blend

Castello di Meleto

null

Moldova

This 100% Traminer is light bodied and has aromas of pineapple, peach, kumquat and rose petal. It is soft and balanced in the mouth with flavors of peach, apricot and lychee.

D'Or

88

11

Moldova

null

Traminer

Château Vartely

Jeff Jenssen

@worldwineguys

Château Vartely 2014 D'Or Traminer (Moldova)

US

This is a flamboyant wine made in the oaky style. It's opulent in pineapple, golden mango and pear flavors, with a coating of sweet oak. The richness is brightened by tart acidity. Drink this flashy wine now, with the richest fare you can.

Estate

90

28

California

Santa Lucia Highlands

Central Coast

Chardonnay

McIntyre Vineyards

null

US

Domaine Carneros' entry-level, estate-grown Pinot is intensely earthy and herbal, grippy on the back palate, a swirl of approachable blackberry, black cherry and sweet oak.

null

87

35

California

Carneros

Napa-Sonoma

Pinot Noir

Domaine Carneros

Virginie Boone

@vboone

Domaine Carneros 2011 Pinot Noir (Carneros)

US

This is a simple wine with candied raspberry, mint and toasted oak notes.

Blend 175

82

15

California

Central Coast

Red Blend

Bridlewood

null

Bridlewood 2011 Blend 175 Red (Central Coast)

US

Sonoma Valley stalwart Sam Sebastiani returns to the winemaking fold with this small-production Sangiovese. A juicy study in robust, powerful tannins and fresh plum, it has a trace of anise on the back of the palate. Blended with 8% Petite Sirah and 4% Malbec, it spent a year in older French oak barrels and is a delicious California version of the Italian classic.

Reserve

91

35

California

Sonoma Valley

Sonoma

Sangiovese

La Chertosa

Virginie Boone

@vboone

La Chertosa 2012 Reserve Sangiovese (Sonoma Valley)

Italy

An Italian classic, Riserva del Fondatore (a brut-style sparkler) offers a compelling nose that is as intense as it is complex. The aromas here span dried fruit and nuts to toast and melted butter. Its appearance is sharp and luminous and the quality of effervescence is both tonic and persistent.

Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore

93

90

Northeastern Italy

Trento

null

Chardonnay

Ferrari

null

Italy

There's a dark, savory quality to this richly concentrated wine that is reminiscent of aromas of air-dried beef or spicy bresaola. You'll also get ripe fruit and blackberry jam and there's a textured, gritty quality to the firm but ripe tannins.

Marina Cvetic'

90

29

Central Italy

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

null

Montepulciano

Masciarelli

null

Masciarelli 2006 Marina Cvetic' (Montepulciano d'Abruzzo)

Argentina

Almost red in color, and maybe already past its prime. Crios was a standout in 2006, but the '07 is chunky and sweet smelling, with ripe but dull apple, melon and nectarine flavors. Soft and already in its late stages; probably best to wait for the 2008.

Crios Rosé of

84

12

Mendoza Province

Mendoza

null

Malbec

Susana Balbo

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

Susana Balbo 2007 Crios Rosé of Malbec (Mendoza)

US

Ruddy, ripe plum and cherry tones penetrate deeply through the core of this bold, voluptuous Pinot Noir. The palate balances opulent fruit with subtle tones of bramble and savory herb, as well as a piercing line of acidity. Fine grained but grippy tannins mark a puckery finish.

null

89

25

New York

Seneca Lake

Finger Lakes

Pinot Noir

Ventosa

Anna Lee C. Iijima

null

Ventosa 2012 Pinot Noir (Seneca Lake)

New Zealand

Starts off zesty, with bold scents of passion fruit accented by lemon and lime, then turns softer and less racy on the finish. Worth trying with ceviche. Imported by Palm Bay Imports.

null

86

16

Marlborough

null

Sauvignon Blanc

Grove Mill

null

Italy

Galatrona is an opulent, gorgeous wine (from the excellent 2007) vintage that shows the very best of Merlot in Italy. Thanks to a unique growing climate located between Florence, Siena and Arezzo, as well as extremely low vineyard yields, the wine feels soft and velvety and imparts long-lasting flavors of black cherry, lively spice, tobacco and cigar box. The true beauty of Galatrona is that it shows all the passion and enthusiasm of its very talented winemaker.

Galatrona

98

135

Tuscany

Toscana

null

Merlot

Fattoria Petrolo

null

US

Rich and fruity in Cabernet character, with blackberry, blueberry and cherry jam flavors subtlely tinged with oak. With soft tannins and a dry finish, it's a fine expression of Cabernet for drinking now.

null

87

19

California

Sonoma County

Sonoma

Cabernet Sauvignon

Sebastiani

null

Sebastiani 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County)

US

This blends estate-grown Wädenswil and Dijon 115 clones into a briary, open and forward expression that accents its core of cherry fruit with a dash of cola. It lightens up as it finishes but remains nicely balanced and layered, with subtle hints of chicken stock.

Dardis

90

52

Oregon

Willamette Valley

null

Pinot Noir

Fairsing

Paul Gregutt

@paulgwine

Fairsing 2015 Dardis Pinot Noir

US

Like a Beaujolais Nouveau, this is a lively, grapey wine, with fresh-from-the-fermenter flavors of raspberries, red cherries, cinnamon and pepper.

La Grenouille Rouganté

85

14

California

Napa Valley

Napa

Rosé

Frog's Leap

null

Italy

Made with a 50-50 blend of Grillo and Catarratto, this presents aromas of Spanish broom and ripe orchard fruit. The refreshing palate tastes of juicy lime, unripe pear and mineral alongside zesty acidity.

Azisa

87

null

Sicily & Sardinia

Sicilia

null

Grillo

Zisola

Kerin O’Keefe

@kerinokeefe

Zisola 2015 Azisa Grillo (Sicilia)