spawn99/wine-reviews · Datasets at Hugging Face

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US	Quintessa's been on a roll the last several vintages, with the 2004 knocking it out of the park, but the '05 isn't quite in the same league. Hard to say why, except that production was higher than ever. The tannins leap out first, big and hard in the way of a young Cabernet, and immediate gratification is not what this wine is about. But it has impressive black currant flavors and needs time. Should be best after 2010. Tasted twice.	null	88	135	California	Rutherford	Napa	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Quintessa	null	null	null
Chile	Light on the nose, then fresh but a bit watery on the palate, this simple SB delivers undefined citrus flavors that lose steam in front of a quiet finish.	null	85	12	Maule Valley	null	null	Sauvignon Blanc	Bossy Boots	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	Bossy Boots 2015 Sauvignon Blanc (Maule Valley)
Italy	Balsamic notes, leather, menthol and red berry aromas take center stage. On the firm palate, tightly wound tannins frame black cherry and a hint of anise. Give this another year or two to unfold then drink up.	null	88	null	Piedmont	Roero	null	Nebbiolo	Monpissan	null	null	null
France	93-95 A wine that combines big solid, but fresh fruit, with big flavors of new wood. It is solid, black and powerful.	Barrel Sample	94	null	Bordeaux	Pauillac	null	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Château Pontet-Canet	null	null	null
US	Malbec makes up just under half of this wine, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Despite its young age, it seems quite evolved with aromas and flavors of raisins and dried cherry.	Genesis	83	12	Washington	Columbia Valley (WA)	Columbia Valley	Meritage	Hogue	Sean P. Sullivan	@wawinereport	Hogue 2014 Genesis Meritage (Columbia Valley (WA))
Italy	Inky black, dense and concentrated, that's a lot of extraction at just $9 per bottle. Ripe fruit, prunes, dried figs, blackberry confiture and chocolate notes characterize the nose; in the mouth the wine is chewy, with sweet cherry flavors. At 3.7 grams per liter of residual sugar, it definitely has a sweet note.	null	86	9	Southern Italy	Salento	null	Primitivo	La Pisara	null	null	null
US	Raspberry and cherry fruit, pure and concentrated, introduces the wine aromatically and glides smoothly into the midpalate. It tightens its focus and lingers gracefully, a mouthful of tart, primary, ripe and deliciously fresh fruit.	Guadalupe Vineyard	91	50	Oregon	Willamette Valley	Willamette Valley	Pinot Noir	Ken Wright	Paul Gregutt	@paulgwine	Ken Wright 2010 Guadalupe Vineyard Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)
Portugal	Smoky aromas on a wine that is curiously lacking in flavor. It is soft, light, missing acidity, just hinting at pear fruits. Boring could be a word.	Monte Cascas Reserva	84	24	Douro	null	null	Portuguese White	Casca Wines	null	null	null
US	. This excellent wine, which is made from the five classic Bordeaux varieties, shows the briary, tannic quality of Dry Creek Valley red wines. It's a lusty, complex sipper with quite a lot of character and personality, and should provide good drinking over the next six years or so.	null	90	25	California	Dry Creek Valley	Sonoma	Cabernet Sauvignon	Dry Creek Vineyard	null	null	Dry Creek Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley)
Spain	Clean and stylish, with hints of ginger ale and citrus on the nose. Good in terms of texture and flavors, with citrus and juicy nectarine working the palate. Focused and fairly long on the finish, with depth and integrity. Sweet in the extra dry style, but not candied or artificially sugared.	Aria Estate Extra Dry	88	12	Catalonia	Cava	null	Sparkling Blend	Segura Viudas	null	null	null
Argentina	Rich, warm and possessing a ton of dry oak, this is one serious Argentine Cabernet. The palate is grippy as a rubber glove, with snappy berry flavors and pointed acidity. It's ripe, racy and edgy, with substance to the fruit, feel and finish. Drink now through 2010.	null	90	27	Mendoza Province	Mendoza	null	Cabernet Sauvignon	Susana Balbo	null	null	null
Argentina	We haven't seen much improvement in this wine since the 2003 vintage. It's still lacking forward, ripe fruit and instead shows more leather and drying, firm tannins. Shows glimpses of higher quality but can't support them.	null	83	11	Other	San Juan	null	Malbec	Mayu	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	Mayu 2004 Malbec (San Juan)
Italy	Villa Rubini delivers a fresh, easy Pinot Grigio that will wash down informal summer meals and picnic foods. Aromas include stone fruit, grapefruit and talc and the wine's consistency is lean and thin.	null	84	15	Northeastern Italy	Colli Orientali del Friuli	null	Pinot Grigio	Villa Rubini	null	null	Villa Rubini 2006 Pinot Grigio (Colli Orientali del Friuli)
Italy	Here's a bigger, more sophisticated expression of Barbera with thick concentration and loads of plum, blackberry and spice. The mouthfeel is thick and meaty and the wine offers a long, crisp finish. Very nice.	Vigna Roreto	89	20	Piedmont	Barbera d'Alba	null	Barbera	Orlando Abrigo	null	null	null
US	Here's a big, rich, ripe and oaky Chardonnay that will appeal to fans of sheer power. It's potent in pineapple jam and vanilla caramel flavors, with bright acidity. Impressive, but could use greater subtlety and complexity.	Double L Vineyard	87	36	California	Santa Lucia Highlands	Central Coast	Chardonnay	Morgan	null	null	null
US	Delicious and crisp in acidity, this is dry despite its flavors of honey and ripe, jammy tropical fruit. How this wine achieves such a quality is magic, but the brisk acidity helps, as does its stony minerality. Ready to enjoy now.	Bien Nacido Vineyards	92	32	California	Santa Maria Valley	Central Coast	Chardonnay	Stephen Ross	null	null	Stephen Ross 2010 Bien Nacido Vineyards Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley)
Portugal	A 100% Alvarinho wine grown outside its classic area in the north of Vinho Verde, this one earns the Minho regional designation. This wine is in a light style, fruity with green plums and tangy with orange peel. Drink now.	Dom Diogo Colheita Seleccionada	87	16	Minho	null	null	Alvarinho	Quinta da Raza	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Quinta da Raza 2015 Dom Diogo Colheita Seleccionada Alvarinho (Minho)
US	This soft, high-toned wine is more than a little sweet— either a stuck fermentation or intentional residual sugar. Strawberry candy, cracker, and a hint of sweat in the finish.	Red Roan Red Wine	83	15	Washington	Columbia Valley (WA)	Columbia Valley	Red Blend	Tagaris	null	null	null
Australia	Loaded with smoke, hickory and vanilla, this definitely shows plenty of oak, but there's also plenty of fruit to balance the ledger. Cola and blackberry flavors pick up a slightly tart edge on the long, finely textured finish.	Cellar No. One Reserve	91	65	South Australia	McLaren Vale	null	Shiraz	Chateau Reynella	null	null	null
Portugal	Light and fruity, this is full of crushed-strawberry flavors and attractive acidity. It's a fresh wine with the flavor of vanilla on the finish. Screwcap.	Coreto	84	6	Lisboa	null	null	Rosé	DFJ Vinhos	null	null	null
Greece	This is a delicious example of what Agiorgitiko should be—complex but delicate, fresh but full of flavor. The nose starts with vibrant cassis, cherry and plum aromas, followed by flavors of blackcurrant, pepper, cherry and cinnamon that are rounded and layered. The wine ends with a lively mineral spin.	Microclima	90	40	Nemea	null	null	Agiorgitiko	Papaioannou	Susan Kostrzewa	@suskostrzewa	Papaioannou 2005 Microclima Agiorgitiko (Nemea)
France	Sure, this wine shows the effects of the hot summer in its slightly jammy raspberry flavors, but there's also incredible complexity to complement the fruit intensity—Asian spices, tea, pepper and meat, to name just a few nuances. It's all wrapped in a blanket of soft tannins, but stays fresh-tasting thanks to great minerality despite low acidity. Drink now–2030 or beyond.	null	97	96	Rhône Valley	Côte Rôtie	null	Syrah	Domaine Jamet	null	null	null
Portugal	A solid value in ruby Port, Sandeman's bottling pairs dried fruits with leathery notes to offer more than simple, grapy fruit. Finishes with fresh, spicy notes. Imported by Pernod Ricard.	Ruby	86	12	Port	null	null	Port	Sandeman	null	null	null
Spain	Simple red-berry aromas are about as good as this gets. In the mouth, it's wet but dilute. Flavors of pithy citrus and grass finish with grapefruit and bitter flavors. This is basic at best and empty at worst.	Conde de Valdemar	82	10	Northern Spain	Rioja	null	Rosado	Bodegas Valdemar	null	null	null
Italy	A blend of Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and Sauvignon, this northern Italian white opens with crisp, tangy fruit and long tones of stone fruit, mineral, pineapple and pear. Those fruity notes help support the wine's medium structure and build.	Réserve della Contessa	88	19	Northeastern Italy	Alto Adige	null	White Blend	Manincor	null	null	Manincor 2011 Réserve della Contessa White (Alto Adige)
US	This wine is opulent with flavors of orange, peach, mangoes and oak, with excellent acidity. Open now and pair with lobster, crab, scallops or tuna.	Lone Oak Vineyard	91	41	California	Santa Lucia Highlands	Central Coast	Chardonnay	Testarossa	null	null	Testarossa 2011 Lone Oak Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands)
France	90–92. Barrel sample. Solid and structured, while also a fruity wine, this has weight, richness and generous black-fruit flavors. It's quite a success, and showcases the pleasurable side of the vintage.	Barrel Sample	91	null	Bordeaux	Haut-Médoc	null	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Château Hanteillan	null	null	null
France	A powerful, dense and still youthful wine. It balances a fresh blackberry fruit character with smoky tannins and delicious, bright and juicy acidity.	Retour des Palombières	89	28	Bordeaux	Graves	null	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Château Haut-Peyrous	null	null	null
Portugal	Made to be drunk young, this is a fruity red berry flavored wine. It has a bright crisp edge to its fruit as well as light tannins and acidity. It is quite ready to drink.	Vinea Tinto	84	7	Alentejano	null	null	Portuguese Red	Cartuxa	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Cartuxa 2014 Vinea Tinto Red (Alentejano)
France	This crisp wine has a creamy background that presents an attractive blend of fresh apples with honey and lemon. It's a light, perfumed wine that is ready to drink now.	null	85	12	Loire Valley	Anjou	null	Chenin Blanc	Domaine Cady	null	null	null
Austria	Attractive fresh fruit, crisp apples and vivid acidity make a great citrus wine, perfect as an apéritif.	Kalmuck Federspiel	86	20	Wachau	null	null	Grüner Veltliner	Gritsch Mauritiushof	null	null	null
Italy	Blueberry, blackberry and cherry candy are backed by deep and penetrating notes of ash, pencil lead, mineral and licorice. The wine delivers vigor and personality and is a fine example of a Campania red with a solid structure and lasting finish.	Rubrato	88	18	Southern Italy	Campania	null	Aglianico	Feudi di San Gregorio	null	null	null
Italy	Delicate aromas of both toasted nuts and pear waft out of the glass. On the lively palate, a mineral vein enhances rennet apple, citrus zest and bitter almond while zesty acidity leaves a tangy finish.	null	89	27	Northeastern Italy	Collio	null	Friulano	Castello di Spessa	Kerin O’Keefe	@kerinokeefe	Castello di Spessa 2014 Friulano (Collio)
US	Lively in aromas and with vivid flavors like grapefruit and apricot, this wine tastes lightly herbal and appetizing. It has light oaky, buttery notes in the aroma and fairly vivid fruit flavors. The texture that gets richer with each sip, revealing a rather full body.	Lawson Ranch	86	15	California	Lodi	Central Valley	Chardonnay	Victor Vineyards	Jim Gordon	@gordone_cellars	Victor Vineyards 2013 Lawson Ranch Chardonnay (Lodi)
US	Made from a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, followed by Merlot and a curious 1% of Sauvignon Blanc, this penny-colored wine is herbal in jalapeño and not terribly fruit-forward. It's extremely low in terms of alcohol and finishes diluted.	null	83	26	California	Knights Valley	Sonoma	Rosé	Delectus	Virginie Boone	@vboone	Delectus 2014 Rosé (Knights Valley)
Portugal	Vargellas is always associated with violet aromas as well as the strength and power of its wines inside a velvet glove. The 2012 is concentrated yet soft and smooth on the surface. It's fruity and fresh, while brooding with inner strength. Drink now for its fruit; wait until 2021 for its power and longevity.	Quinta de Vargellas Vintage	94	53	Port	null	null	Port	Taylor Fladgate	null	null	null
US	Deep and dark smelling, the nose is composed of cola, charred meat, blackberry and chocolate notes. The mouthfeel is pliant and supple, with integrated tannins and malleable acids. A smoky mocha note lingers on the finish.	null	86	23	Virginia	Virginia	null	Cabernet Franc	CrossKeys	null	null	null
US	This begins to show varietal scents of spice, pepper and citrus, but once in the mouth it turns thick, charred, flat and burnt. The fruit tries to fight its way through, but there's a hole in the mid-palate and it leaves a bitter finish.	null	83	12	Washington	Columbia Valley (WA)	Columbia Valley	Syrah	Duck Pond	null	null	null
US	The tannins on this Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend are strong. They numb the mouth, but not so much that you can't enjoy the ripe black currant, cassis and smoky oak flavors. With its inherent balance, the wine should have no trouble aging, so give it eight years in the cellar.	null	91	65	California	Napa Valley	Napa	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Tetra	null	null	Tetra 2010 Red (Napa Valley)
Italy	Dark concentration and medium aromatic intensity open Barolo Castelletto. There's a delicate, feminine side to this Nebbiolo that presents itself through aromas of pressed violet, root beer, chopped mint and peppermint. Those fresh overtones are backed by tight, gripping tannins. Drink after 2018.	Castelletto	90	55	Piedmont	Barolo	null	Nebbiolo	Mauro Veglio	null	null	Mauro Veglio 2007 Castelletto (Barolo)
US	A sound, good Chardonnay that offers popular flavors made in the modern way. The wine is soft and dry, with ripe notes of pineapples, pears, buttered toast and butterscotch.	null	85	32	California	Russian River Valley	Sonoma	Chardonnay	Athair	null	null	Athair 2007 Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)
US	This blend of all five Bordeaux varieties has cranberry, plum, sage and herb throughout and is good, with a medium-body and tart finish. Aged almost two years in nearly all new French oak it's fairly light on its feet. Much of the blend (27%) is Alexander Valley Cabernet, the Merlot is from Sonoma Valley and the Cab Franc from Dry Creek. The Malbec and Petit Verdot, earthy and leathery both, come from Clear Lake.	Meritage Quintessential	87	48	California	North Coast	North Coast	Meritage	Suncé Vineyard & Winery	null	null	null
US	Gets the job done with this dry, crisp everyday sipper. Shows citrus, fig and apricot, with a minty spiciness. Good for cocktails or with appetizers.	null	84	10	California	Central Coast	Central Coast	Pinot Grigio	Tamás Estates	null	null	null
US	This longstanding collaboration between vintner and grower reflects years of mutual understanding and respect. The wine offers pretty orange blossom and lemon verbena aromas that wrap around a composed, well-integrated and mineral-laden body. Voluptuous, the wine is also well-balanced, finishing in bright acidity. It is deliciously good.	Hyde Vineyard	96	65	California	Carneros	Napa-Sonoma	Chardonnay	Ramey	null	null	null
US	Here we have a fascinating wine that's elegant and opulent, massive and controlled, flattering yet elusive, all at once. That combination of opposites gives it intellectual interest, a wine worth thinking and talking about. Technically, it's dry, fairly high in alcohol and oaky. The 100% Cabernet grapes off the estate are incredibly concentrated in black currants and cassis, showing their sunny, high elevation origins on Pritchard Hill. The wine is not perfect. There's a certain hollowness mid-palate, which has to be attributed to the challenging vintage. But it's a fabulous Cabernet to drink now, and it will reward cellaring for 10 years.	Elevation 1147'	95	175	California	Napa Valley	Napa	Cabernet Sauvignon	David Arthur	null	null	David Arthur 2010 Elevation 1147' Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
New Zealand	A bit broad on the palate, this wine offers ample melon and fig flavors but lacks that vibrant zesty character that so often sets Marlborough Sauvignon apart from the pack. Drink now.	Momo	84	22	Marlborough	null	null	Sauvignon Blanc	Seresin	null	null	null
France	This is a major wine from a great white wine vintage that's naturally impressive and intense. Ripe white and yellow fruit dominates the palate, sustained by wood aging flavors and tight, nervy texture. Bâtard-Montrachet is largest of the five white Grand Crus in Puligny and Chassagne Montrachet. Drink from 2024.	null	98	367	Burgundy	Bâtard-Montrachet	null	Chardonnay	Louis Jadot	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Louis Jadot 2014 Bâtard-Montrachet
Austria	The Winkler-Hermaden family's vineyards drop precipitously down from Kapfenstein castle, which they run as a hotel. With their great exposure, the vineyards allow the Zweigelt in this wine to ripen well, giving richness and density of structure, with the rich spice and red stone fruits blanketed by dark tannins. Glass stopper.	Olivin	90	36	Südoststeiermark	null	null	Zweigelt	Winkler-Hermaden	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Winkler-Hermaden 2005 Olivin Zweigelt (Südoststeiermark)
England	Fragrant overtones of acacia honey play alongside lemony notes on the nose, adding a touch of restrained, exotic decadence. A hint of chalk contributes grounding dimension. All combine to make a fragrant nose. These themes play out again on the slender but expressive palate. Pure lemon freshness brightens the notions of honey and chalk, while tiny bubbles provide endless explosions of deep, sustained flavor. This wine seems still young and taut, but the energy suggests great future development. Lemon purity on the finish appeals with its clean and invigorating nature. Drink 2017–2027.	Blanc de Blancs	94	50	England	null	null	Chardonnay	Exton Park Vineyard	Anne Krebiehl MW	@AnneInVino	Exton Park Vineyard 2011 Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay (England)
Spain	Lush, composed and fresh on the bouquet, with blackberry and perfect prune aromas. This is mouthfilling and smooth, with a firm, flush tannic structure and flavors of coconut, lemon rind, herbal black fruit and red berry. It's long and supple late, and it's arguably one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons you'll find from Spain and Navarra.	La Viña de Mi Madre Reserva	92	50	Northern Spain	Navarra	null	Red Blend	Finca Albret	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	Finca Albret 2007 La Viña de Mi Madre Reserva Red (Navarra)
Italy	Winemaker Francesco Spadafora shows his deft hand with Syrah in this easygoing wine. It has intensity and complexity, with layers of spice, red cherry, leather and black pepper.	null	88	12	Sicily & Sardinia	Sicilia	null	Syrah	Principi di Spadafora	null	null	Principi di Spadafora 2010 Syrah (Sicilia)
US	This is soft and jammy, with raspberry, cherry and oak flavors. A pretty wine, with a good tannin-acid balance, for drinking now.	Gracie Creek Vineyards	86	32	California	Sonoma Valley	Sonoma	Syrah	Muscardini	null	null	Muscardini 2010 Gracie Creek Vineyards Syrah (Sonoma Valley)
France	The fabled Salon's latest release is much riper and softer than the great steely 1996 vintage. This suggests it is likely to be ready to drink soon. In the meantime, the acidity is supremely fresh, with grapefruit edges and green apple flavors. And then there is minerality and a tight, structured aftertaste as a reminder that this great Champagne is always going to be more than its fruit.	Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs	96	400	Champagne	Champagne	null	Chardonnay	Salon	null	null	null
France	Produced from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this balances ripe red berry and citrus fruits with more mature spice and vanilla. With this development has come depth, concentration and richness. It is a wine to drink with food, ripe and finishing with crisp, dry acidity.	Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé	94	260	Champagne	Champagne	null	Champagne Blend	Billecart-Salmon	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Billecart-Salmon 2006 Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé (Champagne)
Chile	A scratchy, rough nose with forced creamy oak aromas is also a bit fiery and hot. A heavy palate with surface-level oak tastes more of clove and cured beef than honest fruit. A sticky, cloying palate is creamy and overtly oaky.	Reserva	83	14	Colchagua Valley	null	null	Carmenère	MontGras	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	MontGras 2015 Reserva Carmenère (Colchagua Valley)
US	Mint, black cherries and graham crackers all mingle elegantly in this bright, medium-weight wine. The crisp acids keep the wine focused, ending on a citrusy note.	Beckstoffer Las Amigas Vineyard	87	35	California	Carneros	Napa-Sonoma	Merlot	Merryvale	null	null	null
France	This wine is bready and yeasty with notes of vanilla and spice from wood. Big and bold on the palate, it could intensify in fruitiness in the future.	null	86	16	Bordeaux	Bordeaux Supérieur	null	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Château Mirefleurs	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Château Mirefleurs 2011 Bordeaux Supérieur
Austria	I had a slight preference for Högl's less expensive Loibner Vision Riesling Smaragd, but you can't go wrong with this one either. Thick, viscous and full-bodied, it's richly fruited but minerally as well, marrying diesel and smoke notes with orange and tangerine flavors. Long and spicy on the finish.	Ried Bruck Viessling Smaragd	92	38	Wachau	null	null	Riesling	Högl	null	null	null
US	A delightful rosé sparkler, rich in raspberry, cherry and toasty, yeasty flavors, with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and a honey-sweet finish. Made from Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Gamay and Chenin Blanc, it's a super value at this price.	Brut Rosé	87	12	California	California	California Other	Sparkling Blend	Korbel	null	null	null
US	Lots of zesty acidity in this wine, which gives it a mouthwatering raciness. It's bone dry but ultrarich and ripe in cherries, raspberries and oak. There's a slightly bretty funkiness that adds a mushroomy appeal. Should develop over the next six years.	La Encantada Vineyard	92	47	California	Sta. Rita Hills	Central Coast	Pinot Noir	Waits-Mast	null	null	null
Spain	Aromas of cherry, plum, forest floor and tobacco feed into a clampy palate with fresh acidity. Lightly spiced currant and red-plum flavors are limited in scope but nice, while this tastes herbal and feels tight and racy on the finish.	Edición Limitada	90	25	Northern Spain	Navarra	null	Red Blend	Príncipe de Viana	null	null	null
US	Classic black cherry fruit anchors this Cabernet from the seminal Champoux vineyard. There is also a strong vein of minerality, etched in herb and hinting at licorice. This is very young and tight, but poised for a long life ahead.	Champoux Vineyard	92	50	Washington	Horse Heaven Hills	Columbia Valley	Cabernet Sauvignon	Januik	null	null	null
Argentina	Dry, fresh aromas of red fruits set up a tight, sinewy palate with little to no fat. Direct, hard-hitting flavors of cherry and berry fruits are what they are. Overall, this is a forward wine with low amounts of spice and complexity.	Colección Privada	86	12	Mendoza Province	Mendoza	null	Cabernet Sauvignon	Navarro Correas	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	Navarro Correas 2012 Colección Privada Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendoza)
Australia	One of the more obviously ageworthy offerings from Clarendon Hills, the 2004 Hickinbotham Syrah boasts a wonderfully perfumed bouquet of flowers, minerals and spice. Then it backs up those captivating aromatics with rich blueberry fruit shaded with mint and cracked pepper and a long, firmly tannic and minerally finish. Drink 2010–2020.	Hickinbotham	96	100	South Australia	Clarendon	null	Syrah	Clarendon Hills	null	null	null
Italy	Here's a standout Sangiovese-based super Tuscan with a very unique peppermint-like characteristic that helps to increase the wine's intensity and delicious overall effect. Beyond that layer of fresh mint are softer aromas of earth, white mineral, talc powder, pencil lead, cherry and spice. The wine has a strong mineral component.	Flaccianello	92	120	Tuscany	Colli della Toscana Centrale	null	Sangiovese	Fontodi	null	null	null
US	Bold strokes of blackberry, cassis and bramble persist throughout this surprisingly youthful late-release Cabernet Sauvignon. It's rich on the palate yet balanced neatly, boasting brisk acidity and ripe but grippy tannins. Two years of maturation in French oak contribute to a long finish marked with sweet tobacco and baking spices.	Reserve	91	35	New York	Finger Lakes	Finger Lakes	Cabernet Sauvignon	Shaw	Anna Lee C. Iijima	null	Shaw 2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Finger Lakes)
US	This opens with herbaceous dollops of thyme and fresh-dug earth and evolves slowly in the glass, revealing juicy black plum and berry. Medium in weight and density, it's soft and leathery, with a lengthy, supple finish.	Blocks 7 & 22	90	35	California	Napa Valley	Napa	Zinfandel	Hendry	Virginie Boone	@vboone	Hendry 2012 Blocks 7 & 22 Zinfandel (Napa Valley)
US	Pretty good price for such a nice Sauvignon Blanc. It's a little one-dimensional in ripe tangerine, mango and lime flavors, but the acidity is bright and clean, and the finish is long and spicy.	null	86	16	California	Santa Ynez Valley	Central Coast	Sauvignon Blanc	Koehler	null	null	Koehler 2010 Sauvignon Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley)
Italy	Barolo Bricco Rocca still needs a few more years in the cellar to allow for full integrations of its spice, fruit, tobacco and mineral components. This beautiful wine is ripe with potential and the mouthfeel is plush and velvety with a wonderful fade of smoke and black fruit. Drink after 2018.	Bricco Rocca	92	null	Piedmont	Barolo	null	Nebbiolo	Cascina Ballarin	null	null	null
US	You'll find savory blackberry, cherry, currant and cola flavors in this dry blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, as well as smoky, oaky notes. The problem is excessive softness. There's no proper structure, so it all collapses in mid-palate.	Cheval Rouge	85	30	California	Carmel Valley	Central Coast	Bordeaux-style Red Blend	Boëté	null	null	Boëté 2009 Cheval Rouge Red (Carmel Valley)
Italy	Made with native grapes Carricante, Catarratto and Minnella, this has delicate enticing scents of yellow wild flower, citrus, orchard fruit and aromatic herb. The bright ethereal palate shows yellow peach and lemon drop alongside crisp acidity.	Femina	89	28	Sicily & Sardinia	Etna	null	White Blend	Patria	Kerin O’Keefe	@kerinokeefe	Patria 2016 Femina (Etna)
US	At just 12.5% alcohol, this comes across as dry and quite fresh, with vivid grapefruit flesh and acidity. Some mint and lemon flavors sneak in also. The emphasis is clearly on citrus rather than peach or apricot; a fine food wine.	Traditions	88	13	Washington	Columbia Valley (WA)	Columbia Valley	Riesling	Milbrandt	Paul Gregutt	@paulgwine	Milbrandt 2009 Traditions Riesling (Columbia Valley (WA))
US	Elizabeth's Reserve is comprised of Adelsheim's “best barrels from our best lots.” In this light vintage it brings scents and flavors of pretty cherry and apple fruit, along with a hint of milk chocolate. The tannins are moderate, and there's a streak of root beer and a little stemmy bitterness carrying through the finish.	Elizabeth's Reserve	89	55	Oregon	Willamette Valley	Willamette Valley	Pinot Noir	Adelsheim	Paul Gregutt	@paulgwine	Adelsheim 2011 Elizabeth's Reserve Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)
France	From its lovely bouquet of dried flowers and spices to its voluptuous mouthfeel, this knockout has it all. Perfectly ripe (not overripe) black cherries form the foundation, garnished by complex notes of garrigue, and framed by a firm, ageworthy structure. Why pay more for Châteauneuf-du-Pape when you can drink this now and over the next decade?	La Reine des Bois	91	33	Rhône Valley	Lirac	null	Rhône-style Red Blend	Domaine de la Mordorée	null	null	null
US	This is dark, tannic and smoky, with a tarry tobacco note. Balanced and precise, it blends cassis and raspberry red fruits, matched to appropriate acids and new oak. There are intimations of herb, but nothing green or unripe at all. In a sense this is simplistic, but the simplicity allows the exceptional fruit to shine.	null	93	38	Washington	Wahluke Slope	Columbia Valley	Cabernet Sauvignon	Fielding Hills	null	null	null
France	This is a lightweight Chambolle that's dominated by red fruit and acidity. There is a bitter edge that comes from the wood and the firm structure of the vintage. However, with its attractive, juicy finish, it is already soft enough to drink.	null	87	32	Burgundy	Chambolle-Musigny	null	Pinot Noir	Jaffelin	null	null	null
US	Zesty raspberry meets warm cherry notes on the nose of this elegantly presented wine, which also shows aromas of beet juice, sandalwood, clove, mace and bergamot. The palate is a texturally driven, evolving experience, with flavors of earth, iron and pencil lead melding with sage scrub, wild berries and elderberry.	Tondre Grapefield	94	44	California	Santa Lucia Highlands	Central Coast	Pinot Noir	Cinnabar	null	null	null
France	This is a soft, rounded and ripe wine. Attractive raspberry fruits are filled out with a light tannic character. The freshness and acidity do cut the full texture although perhaps not enough. Drink now.	Rosé d' Folie	84	16	Beaujolais	Beaujolais Rosé	null	Rosé	Jean-Paul Brun	null	null	null
Spain	There's no denying the wine's raisiny ripeness; it's confirmed via Sherry/Port aromas and black plum/baked fruit flavors. But it's not simply a heavyweight on its last legs. To the contrary, the wine delivers a jolt of core intensity and finishing notes of spicy black pepper and licorice. Drink right away.	Reserva	88	19	Northern Spain	Rioja	null	Tempranillo	Marqués de la Concordia	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	Marqués de la Concordia 2004 Reserva (Rioja)
Italy	This full-bodied wine reveals aromas of wild berry and allspice accented with a balsamic note. The palate is still rather closed but delivers black cherry, black pepper, sage and licorice alongside tightly woven tannins that need to unwind. Drink 2016–2023.	null	90	35	Piedmont	Barbaresco	null	Nebbiolo	Castello di Neive	null	null	null
Italy	La Grola is an opulent and luscious blended wine from Verona and this particular expression offers extra aromas of cured beef, leather and earth over a generous base of black fruit and spice. It shows soft, fine tannins that would pair with smoked ham.	La Grola	90	28	Veneto	Veronese	null	Red Blend	Allegrini	null	null	null
Italy	This is a simple and easy Moscadello—a traditional late-harvest dessert wine from Montalcino—that exhibits clean notes of apricot, honey and almonds. The wine is light and buoyant and would pair beautifully with cinnamon-based treats or sponge cake.	Aurico	87	null	Tuscany	Moscadello di Montalcino	null	Moscadello	Villa Poggio Salvi	null	null	null
US	Smells and tastes raw, weirdly combining green, minty flavors with slightly sweet medicinal ones of cherry cough drops.	null	81	12	California	Santa Barbara County	Central Coast	Pinot Noir	Queen of Hearts	null	null	null
US	Made in the Mazzocco style, this Zin is enormously high in alcohol, namely 16.1%, and is fully dry. Shows a Porty headiness, with berry flavors that veer into chocolate-covered raisins and prunes.	Reserve Pony	84	50	California	Dry Creek Valley	Sonoma	Zinfandel	Mazzocco	null	null	null
South Africa	This Shiraz has a plucky nose of tart cherry, tobacco and pepper. The flavors of clove, tobacco and berry on the palate are fruity but balanced by the spice. Pair with cheeses, lamb.	Vineyard Creations	85	10	Western Cape	null	null	Shiraz	Douglas Green	Susan Kostrzewa	@suskostrzewa	Douglas Green 2007 Vineyard Creations Shiraz (Western Cape)
France	A rich, ripe wine, striated with yellow fruits, acidity and spice from wood. It is warm and generous, while not losing sight of its origins in the streak of minerality. A fine, attractive wine that could do with another year's aging.	null	90	28	Burgundy	Pouilly-Fuissé	null	Chardonnay	Evening Land	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Evening Land 2011 Pouilly-Fuissé
New Zealand	Intriguingly floral and savory upfront, this delicate wine then adds a deep base of ripe cherries that expand effortlessly across the palate, giving an impression of fullness without weight, suppleness without being soft. Finishes long, with a great deal of complexity.	Waitaki Vineyard	91	55	Central Otago	null	null	Pinot Noir	Valli	null	null	null
Australia	Intense and tightly wound, this Riesling gradually unfolds layers of white pepper, green plums and Key lime pie. The lingering quince-flavored finish is mouthwateringly crisp but not quite dry. Try with mushroom pasta. Drink now for the youthful fruit or wait a few years for more complexity.	The Dry Dam	88	16	South Australia	McLaren Vale	null	Riesling	D'Arenberg	null	null	D'Arenberg 2008 The Dry Dam Riesling (McLaren Vale)
Italy	Black fruit and wild berry are wrapped in an enticing envelope of spice and tobacco. This expression of Barbera d'Asti Superiore has both elements of the modern and the traditional and leaves the mouth refreshed thanks to its naturally crisp acidity.	null	88	null	Piedmont	Barbera d'Asti Superiore	null	Barbera	Cascina Guido Berta	null	null	null
US	This wine does a good job of delivering ripe cherry and plum flavors, and has a smooth, inviting texture in spite of a firm level of tannin. The flavors are mild enough to please most anyone.	null	85	7	California	California	California Other	Cabernet Sauvignon	Camelot	Jim Gordon	@gordone_cellars	Camelot NV Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
Chile	Another fine and dandy old-vine, dry-farmed Cauquenes Carignan from Odfjell—one of the pioneers of this revived Maule varietal wine. Dark and lush on the nose, this is jammed with notes of berry, mineral, vanilla and smoky, lemony oak. It tastes fleshy, like berry marmalade, and finishes with flavors of dark chocolate, burnt toast and fine herb. Drink now –2017.	Orzada	90	20	Cauquenes Valley	null	null	Carignan	Odfjell	Michael Schachner	@wineschach	Odfjell 2009 Orzada Carignan (Cauquenes Valley)
France	While the Larmandier's main vineyard is in Vertus, they also have a parcel in the grand cru vineyard of Cramant. It is full of beautifully ripe fruit, beginning to round out as it ages. Green fruits and white pears, as well as yeast are still dominant; drink 2010.	Vieilles Vignes de Cramant Grand Cru	95	80	Champagne	Champagne	null	Chardonnay	Larmandier-Bernier	Roger Voss	@vossroger	Larmandier-Bernier NV Vieilles Vignes de Cramant Grand Cru Chardonnay (Champagne)
Italy	Mature black fruit, leather, wild berries and balsamic notes waft out of the glass. The solid palate delivers red cherry, toast and a whiff of orange peel alongside bracing tannins.	Gallina	90	null	Piedmont	Barbaresco	null	Nebbiolo	Castello di Neive	null	null	null
Germany	Dark, mysterious aromas of smoke, petrol and brine are enticing on the nose. Semisweet in style, with an abundance of honeyed stone-fruit and citrus flavors, this wine shows glimmers of maturity already, but it's structured enough to improve for at least 7–10 more years.	Bernkasteler Badstube Auslese	92	70	Mosel	null	null	Riesling	Dr. H. Thanisch (Erben Thanisch)	Anna Lee C. Iijima	null	Dr. H. Thanisch (Erben Thanisch) 2010 Bernkasteler Badstube Auslese Riesling (Mosel)
US	I drank this at the end of a long, hot summer day, which is when a cold, crisp white is at its best. What a delicious wine. Bold citrus and apricot flavors, acids so strong they almost fizz and a rich creaminess even though there's no oak.	null	89	19	California	Rutherford	Napa	Sauvignon Blanc	Voss	null	null	null
US	A bit unripe, with some vegetal flavors along with the blackberries. There's also a lot of sweet heat from high alcohol.	Zinfusion Reserve	82	18	California	Paso Robles	Central Coast	Zinfandel	Castoro Cellars	null	null	null
Chile	Opens with grapy black-fruit aromas that come across chunky and jammy but don't elicit complaints. Feels round and meaty, with condensed flavors of blackberry and grilled beef. Finishes with a creamy feel, medium length and lasting darkness.	Toro de Piedra Reserva	87	14	Curicó Valley	null	null	Syrah-Cabernet Sauvignon	Viña Requingua	null	null	null
Italy	The cherry fruit in this lighter-style wine shows definite herb accents. Bright acidity and a touch of mint come out on the palate, and it finishes with tart fruit flavors and slightly prickly tannins.	null	84	11	Tuscany	Chianti Classico	null	Sangiovese	Piccini	null	null	null
US	This is a lighter-style wine, as Pinots from this vineyard, which is in a warm part of the valley, tend to be. But it's also a tasty Pinot, soft and supple, with cola, cherry jam, brown sugar, pie spice and sandalwood flavors. Drink now.	Bacigalupi Vineyard	87	45	California	Russian River Valley	Sonoma	Pinot Noir	Cellars 33	null	null	Cellars 33 2011 Bacigalupi Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
US	This well-aged release definitely falls on the ripe-to-the-point-of-raisins side of the fruit spectrum. It's almost Port-like, with flavors of blackberry pie and coffee. Not a dessert wine though—it's bone dry and ready to drink right now.	Hi-Valley Vineyard	88	28	Oregon	Columbia Valley (OR)	Oregon Other	Syrah	Jacob Williams	Paul Gregutt	@paulgwine	Jacob Williams 2009 Hi-Valley Vineyard Syrah (Columbia Valley (OR))

US

Quintessa's been on a roll the last several vintages, with the 2004 knocking it out of the park, but the '05 isn't quite in the same league. Hard to say why, except that production was higher than ever. The tannins leap out first, big and hard in the way of a young Cabernet, and immediate gratification is not what this wine is about. But it has impressive black currant flavors and needs time. Should be best after 2010. Tasted twice.

null

88

135

California

Rutherford

Napa

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Quintessa

null

Chile

Light on the nose, then fresh but a bit watery on the palate, this simple SB delivers undefined citrus flavors that lose steam in front of a quiet finish.

null

85

12

Maule Valley

null

Sauvignon Blanc

Bossy Boots

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

Bossy Boots 2015 Sauvignon Blanc (Maule Valley)

Italy

Balsamic notes, leather, menthol and red berry aromas take center stage. On the firm palate, tightly wound tannins frame black cherry and a hint of anise. Give this another year or two to unfold then drink up.

null

88

null

Piedmont

Roero

null

Nebbiolo

Monpissan

null

France

93-95 A wine that combines big solid, but fresh fruit, with big flavors of new wood. It is solid, black and powerful.

Barrel Sample

94

null

Bordeaux

Pauillac

null

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Château Pontet-Canet

null

US

Malbec makes up just under half of this wine, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Despite its young age, it seems quite evolved with aromas and flavors of raisins and dried cherry.

Genesis

83

12

Washington

Columbia Valley (WA)

Columbia Valley

Meritage

Hogue

Sean P. Sullivan

@wawinereport

Hogue 2014 Genesis Meritage (Columbia Valley (WA))

Italy

Inky black, dense and concentrated, that's a lot of extraction at just $9 per bottle. Ripe fruit, prunes, dried figs, blackberry confiture and chocolate notes characterize the nose; in the mouth the wine is chewy, with sweet cherry flavors. At 3.7 grams per liter of residual sugar, it definitely has a sweet note.

null

86

9

Southern Italy

Salento

null

Primitivo

La Pisara

null

US

Raspberry and cherry fruit, pure and concentrated, introduces the wine aromatically and glides smoothly into the midpalate. It tightens its focus and lingers gracefully, a mouthful of tart, primary, ripe and deliciously fresh fruit.

Guadalupe Vineyard

91

50

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Pinot Noir

Ken Wright

Paul Gregutt

@paulgwine

Ken Wright 2010 Guadalupe Vineyard Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)

Portugal

Smoky aromas on a wine that is curiously lacking in flavor. It is soft, light, missing acidity, just hinting at pear fruits. Boring could be a word.

Monte Cascas Reserva

84

24

Douro

null

Portuguese White

Casca Wines

null

US

. This excellent wine, which is made from the five classic Bordeaux varieties, shows the briary, tannic quality of Dry Creek Valley red wines. It's a lusty, complex sipper with quite a lot of character and personality, and should provide good drinking over the next six years or so.

null

90

25

California

Dry Creek Valley

Sonoma

Cabernet Sauvignon

Dry Creek Vineyard

null

Dry Creek Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley)

Spain

Clean and stylish, with hints of ginger ale and citrus on the nose. Good in terms of texture and flavors, with citrus and juicy nectarine working the palate. Focused and fairly long on the finish, with depth and integrity. Sweet in the extra dry style, but not candied or artificially sugared.

Aria Estate Extra Dry

88

12

Catalonia

Cava

null

Sparkling Blend

Segura Viudas

null

Argentina

Rich, warm and possessing a ton of dry oak, this is one serious Argentine Cabernet. The palate is grippy as a rubber glove, with snappy berry flavors and pointed acidity. It's ripe, racy and edgy, with substance to the fruit, feel and finish. Drink now through 2010.

null

90

27

Mendoza Province

Mendoza

null

Cabernet Sauvignon

Susana Balbo

null

Argentina

We haven't seen much improvement in this wine since the 2003 vintage. It's still lacking forward, ripe fruit and instead shows more leather and drying, firm tannins. Shows glimpses of higher quality but can't support them.

null

83

11

Other

San Juan

null

Malbec

Mayu

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

Mayu 2004 Malbec (San Juan)

Italy

Villa Rubini delivers a fresh, easy Pinot Grigio that will wash down informal summer meals and picnic foods. Aromas include stone fruit, grapefruit and talc and the wine's consistency is lean and thin.

null

84

15

Northeastern Italy

Colli Orientali del Friuli

null

Pinot Grigio

Villa Rubini

null

Villa Rubini 2006 Pinot Grigio (Colli Orientali del Friuli)

Italy

Here's a bigger, more sophisticated expression of Barbera with thick concentration and loads of plum, blackberry and spice. The mouthfeel is thick and meaty and the wine offers a long, crisp finish. Very nice.

Vigna Roreto

89

20

Piedmont

Barbera d'Alba

null

Barbera

Orlando Abrigo

null

US

Here's a big, rich, ripe and oaky Chardonnay that will appeal to fans of sheer power. It's potent in pineapple jam and vanilla caramel flavors, with bright acidity. Impressive, but could use greater subtlety and complexity.

Double L Vineyard

87

36

California

Santa Lucia Highlands

Central Coast

Chardonnay

Morgan

null

US

Delicious and crisp in acidity, this is dry despite its flavors of honey and ripe, jammy tropical fruit. How this wine achieves such a quality is magic, but the brisk acidity helps, as does its stony minerality. Ready to enjoy now.

Bien Nacido Vineyards

92

32

California

Santa Maria Valley

Central Coast

Chardonnay

Stephen Ross

null

Stephen Ross 2010 Bien Nacido Vineyards Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley)

Portugal

A 100% Alvarinho wine grown outside its classic area in the north of Vinho Verde, this one earns the Minho regional designation. This wine is in a light style, fruity with green plums and tangy with orange peel. Drink now.

Dom Diogo Colheita Seleccionada

87

16

Minho

null

Alvarinho

Quinta da Raza

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Quinta da Raza 2015 Dom Diogo Colheita Seleccionada Alvarinho (Minho)

US

This soft, high-toned wine is more than a little sweet— either a stuck fermentation or intentional residual sugar. Strawberry candy, cracker, and a hint of sweat in the finish.

Red Roan Red Wine

83

15

Washington

Columbia Valley (WA)

Columbia Valley

Red Blend

Tagaris

null

Australia

Loaded with smoke, hickory and vanilla, this definitely shows plenty of oak, but there's also plenty of fruit to balance the ledger. Cola and blackberry flavors pick up a slightly tart edge on the long, finely textured finish.

Cellar No. One Reserve

91

65

South Australia

McLaren Vale

null

Shiraz

Chateau Reynella

null

Portugal

Light and fruity, this is full of crushed-strawberry flavors and attractive acidity. It's a fresh wine with the flavor of vanilla on the finish. Screwcap.

Coreto

84

6

Lisboa

null

Rosé

DFJ Vinhos

null

Greece

This is a delicious example of what Agiorgitiko should be—complex but delicate, fresh but full of flavor. The nose starts with vibrant cassis, cherry and plum aromas, followed by flavors of blackcurrant, pepper, cherry and cinnamon that are rounded and layered. The wine ends with a lively mineral spin.

Microclima

90

40

Nemea

null

Agiorgitiko

Papaioannou

Susan Kostrzewa

@suskostrzewa

Papaioannou 2005 Microclima Agiorgitiko (Nemea)

France

Sure, this wine shows the effects of the hot summer in its slightly jammy raspberry flavors, but there's also incredible complexity to complement the fruit intensity—Asian spices, tea, pepper and meat, to name just a few nuances. It's all wrapped in a blanket of soft tannins, but stays fresh-tasting thanks to great minerality despite low acidity. Drink now–2030 or beyond.

null

97

96

Rhône Valley

Côte Rôtie

null

Syrah

Domaine Jamet

null

Portugal

A solid value in ruby Port, Sandeman's bottling pairs dried fruits with leathery notes to offer more than simple, grapy fruit. Finishes with fresh, spicy notes. Imported by Pernod Ricard.

Ruby

86

12

Port

null

Port

Sandeman

null

Spain

Simple red-berry aromas are about as good as this gets. In the mouth, it's wet but dilute. Flavors of pithy citrus and grass finish with grapefruit and bitter flavors. This is basic at best and empty at worst.

Conde de Valdemar

82

10

Northern Spain

Rioja

null

Rosado

Bodegas Valdemar

null

Italy

A blend of Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and Sauvignon, this northern Italian white opens with crisp, tangy fruit and long tones of stone fruit, mineral, pineapple and pear. Those fruity notes help support the wine's medium structure and build.

Réserve della Contessa

88

19

Northeastern Italy

Alto Adige

null

White Blend

Manincor

null

Manincor 2011 Réserve della Contessa White (Alto Adige)

US

This wine is opulent with flavors of orange, peach, mangoes and oak, with excellent acidity. Open now and pair with lobster, crab, scallops or tuna.

Lone Oak Vineyard

91

41

California

Santa Lucia Highlands

Central Coast

Chardonnay

Testarossa

null

Testarossa 2011 Lone Oak Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands)

France

90–92. Barrel sample. Solid and structured, while also a fruity wine, this has weight, richness and generous black-fruit flavors. It's quite a success, and showcases the pleasurable side of the vintage.

Barrel Sample

91

null

Bordeaux

Haut-Médoc

null

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Château Hanteillan

null

France

A powerful, dense and still youthful wine. It balances a fresh blackberry fruit character with smoky tannins and delicious, bright and juicy acidity.

Retour des Palombières

89

28

Bordeaux

Graves

null

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Château Haut-Peyrous

null

Portugal

Made to be drunk young, this is a fruity red berry flavored wine. It has a bright crisp edge to its fruit as well as light tannins and acidity. It is quite ready to drink.

Vinea Tinto

84

7

Alentejano

null

Portuguese Red

Cartuxa

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Cartuxa 2014 Vinea Tinto Red (Alentejano)

France

This crisp wine has a creamy background that presents an attractive blend of fresh apples with honey and lemon. It's a light, perfumed wine that is ready to drink now.

null

85

12

Loire Valley

Anjou

null

Chenin Blanc

Domaine Cady

null

Austria

Attractive fresh fruit, crisp apples and vivid acidity make a great citrus wine, perfect as an apéritif.

Kalmuck Federspiel

86

20

Wachau

null

Grüner Veltliner

Gritsch Mauritiushof

null

Italy

Blueberry, blackberry and cherry candy are backed by deep and penetrating notes of ash, pencil lead, mineral and licorice. The wine delivers vigor and personality and is a fine example of a Campania red with a solid structure and lasting finish.

Rubrato

88

18

Southern Italy

Campania

null

Aglianico

Feudi di San Gregorio

null

Italy

Delicate aromas of both toasted nuts and pear waft out of the glass. On the lively palate, a mineral vein enhances rennet apple, citrus zest and bitter almond while zesty acidity leaves a tangy finish.

null

89

27

Northeastern Italy

Collio

null

Friulano

Castello di Spessa

Kerin O’Keefe

@kerinokeefe

Castello di Spessa 2014 Friulano (Collio)

US

Lively in aromas and with vivid flavors like grapefruit and apricot, this wine tastes lightly herbal and appetizing. It has light oaky, buttery notes in the aroma and fairly vivid fruit flavors. The texture that gets richer with each sip, revealing a rather full body.

Lawson Ranch

86

15

California

Lodi

Central Valley

Chardonnay

Victor Vineyards

Jim Gordon

@gordone_cellars

Victor Vineyards 2013 Lawson Ranch Chardonnay (Lodi)

US

Made from a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, followed by Merlot and a curious 1% of Sauvignon Blanc, this penny-colored wine is herbal in jalapeño and not terribly fruit-forward. It's extremely low in terms of alcohol and finishes diluted.

null

83

26

California

Knights Valley

Sonoma

Rosé

Delectus

Virginie Boone

@vboone

Delectus 2014 Rosé (Knights Valley)

Portugal

Vargellas is always associated with violet aromas as well as the strength and power of its wines inside a velvet glove. The 2012 is concentrated yet soft and smooth on the surface. It's fruity and fresh, while brooding with inner strength. Drink now for its fruit; wait until 2021 for its power and longevity.

Quinta de Vargellas Vintage

94

53

Port

null

Port

Taylor Fladgate

null

US

Deep and dark smelling, the nose is composed of cola, charred meat, blackberry and chocolate notes. The mouthfeel is pliant and supple, with integrated tannins and malleable acids. A smoky mocha note lingers on the finish.

null

86

23

Virginia

null

Cabernet Franc

CrossKeys

null

US

This begins to show varietal scents of spice, pepper and citrus, but once in the mouth it turns thick, charred, flat and burnt. The fruit tries to fight its way through, but there's a hole in the mid-palate and it leaves a bitter finish.

null

83

12

Washington

Columbia Valley (WA)

Columbia Valley

Syrah

Duck Pond

null

US

The tannins on this Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend are strong. They numb the mouth, but not so much that you can't enjoy the ripe black currant, cassis and smoky oak flavors. With its inherent balance, the wine should have no trouble aging, so give it eight years in the cellar.

null

91

65

California

Napa Valley

Napa

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Tetra

null

Tetra 2010 Red (Napa Valley)

Italy

Dark concentration and medium aromatic intensity open Barolo Castelletto. There's a delicate, feminine side to this Nebbiolo that presents itself through aromas of pressed violet, root beer, chopped mint and peppermint. Those fresh overtones are backed by tight, gripping tannins. Drink after 2018.

Castelletto

90

55

Piedmont

Barolo

null

Nebbiolo

Mauro Veglio

null

Mauro Veglio 2007 Castelletto (Barolo)

US

A sound, good Chardonnay that offers popular flavors made in the modern way. The wine is soft and dry, with ripe notes of pineapples, pears, buttered toast and butterscotch.

null

85

32

California

Russian River Valley

Sonoma

Chardonnay

Athair

null

Athair 2007 Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)

US

This blend of all five Bordeaux varieties has cranberry, plum, sage and herb throughout and is good, with a medium-body and tart finish. Aged almost two years in nearly all new French oak it's fairly light on its feet. Much of the blend (27%) is Alexander Valley Cabernet, the Merlot is from Sonoma Valley and the Cab Franc from Dry Creek. The Malbec and Petit Verdot, earthy and leathery both, come from Clear Lake.

Meritage Quintessential

87

48

California

North Coast

Meritage

Suncé Vineyard & Winery

null

US

Gets the job done with this dry, crisp everyday sipper. Shows citrus, fig and apricot, with a minty spiciness. Good for cocktails or with appetizers.

null

84

10

California

Central Coast

Pinot Grigio

Tamás Estates

null

US

This longstanding collaboration between vintner and grower reflects years of mutual understanding and respect. The wine offers pretty orange blossom and lemon verbena aromas that wrap around a composed, well-integrated and mineral-laden body. Voluptuous, the wine is also well-balanced, finishing in bright acidity. It is deliciously good.

Hyde Vineyard

96

65

California

Carneros

Napa-Sonoma

Chardonnay

Ramey

null

US

Here we have a fascinating wine that's elegant and opulent, massive and controlled, flattering yet elusive, all at once. That combination of opposites gives it intellectual interest, a wine worth thinking and talking about. Technically, it's dry, fairly high in alcohol and oaky. The 100% Cabernet grapes off the estate are incredibly concentrated in black currants and cassis, showing their sunny, high elevation origins on Pritchard Hill. The wine is not perfect. There's a certain hollowness mid-palate, which has to be attributed to the challenging vintage. But it's a fabulous Cabernet to drink now, and it will reward cellaring for 10 years.

Elevation 1147'

95

175

California

Napa Valley

Napa

Cabernet Sauvignon

David Arthur

null

David Arthur 2010 Elevation 1147' Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)

New Zealand

A bit broad on the palate, this wine offers ample melon and fig flavors but lacks that vibrant zesty character that so often sets Marlborough Sauvignon apart from the pack. Drink now.

Momo

84

22

Marlborough

null

Sauvignon Blanc

Seresin

null

France

This is a major wine from a great white wine vintage that's naturally impressive and intense. Ripe white and yellow fruit dominates the palate, sustained by wood aging flavors and tight, nervy texture. Bâtard-Montrachet is largest of the five white Grand Crus in Puligny and Chassagne Montrachet. Drink from 2024.

null

98

367

Burgundy

Bâtard-Montrachet

null

Chardonnay

Louis Jadot

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Louis Jadot 2014 Bâtard-Montrachet

Austria

The Winkler-Hermaden family's vineyards drop precipitously down from Kapfenstein castle, which they run as a hotel. With their great exposure, the vineyards allow the Zweigelt in this wine to ripen well, giving richness and density of structure, with the rich spice and red stone fruits blanketed by dark tannins. Glass stopper.

Olivin

90

36

Südoststeiermark

null

Zweigelt

Winkler-Hermaden

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Winkler-Hermaden 2005 Olivin Zweigelt (Südoststeiermark)

England

Fragrant overtones of acacia honey play alongside lemony notes on the nose, adding a touch of restrained, exotic decadence. A hint of chalk contributes grounding dimension. All combine to make a fragrant nose. These themes play out again on the slender but expressive palate. Pure lemon freshness brightens the notions of honey and chalk, while tiny bubbles provide endless explosions of deep, sustained flavor. This wine seems still young and taut, but the energy suggests great future development. Lemon purity on the finish appeals with its clean and invigorating nature. Drink 2017–2027.

Blanc de Blancs

94

50

England

null

Chardonnay

Exton Park Vineyard

Anne Krebiehl MW

@AnneInVino

Exton Park Vineyard 2011 Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay (England)

Spain

Lush, composed and fresh on the bouquet, with blackberry and perfect prune aromas. This is mouthfilling and smooth, with a firm, flush tannic structure and flavors of coconut, lemon rind, herbal black fruit and red berry. It's long and supple late, and it's arguably one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons you'll find from Spain and Navarra.

La Viña de Mi Madre Reserva

92

50

Northern Spain

Navarra

null

Red Blend

Finca Albret

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

Finca Albret 2007 La Viña de Mi Madre Reserva Red (Navarra)

Italy

Winemaker Francesco Spadafora shows his deft hand with Syrah in this easygoing wine. It has intensity and complexity, with layers of spice, red cherry, leather and black pepper.

null

88

12

Sicily & Sardinia

Sicilia

null

Syrah

Principi di Spadafora

null

Principi di Spadafora 2010 Syrah (Sicilia)

US

This is soft and jammy, with raspberry, cherry and oak flavors. A pretty wine, with a good tannin-acid balance, for drinking now.

Gracie Creek Vineyards

86

32

California

Sonoma Valley

Sonoma

Syrah

Muscardini

null

Muscardini 2010 Gracie Creek Vineyards Syrah (Sonoma Valley)

France

The fabled Salon's latest release is much riper and softer than the great steely 1996 vintage. This suggests it is likely to be ready to drink soon. In the meantime, the acidity is supremely fresh, with grapefruit edges and green apple flavors. And then there is minerality and a tight, structured aftertaste as a reminder that this great Champagne is always going to be more than its fruit.

Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs

96

400

Champagne

null

Chardonnay

Salon

null

France

Produced from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this balances ripe red berry and citrus fruits with more mature spice and vanilla. With this development has come depth, concentration and richness. It is a wine to drink with food, ripe and finishing with crisp, dry acidity.

Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé

94

260

Champagne

null

Champagne Blend

Billecart-Salmon

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Billecart-Salmon 2006 Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé (Champagne)

Chile

A scratchy, rough nose with forced creamy oak aromas is also a bit fiery and hot. A heavy palate with surface-level oak tastes more of clove and cured beef than honest fruit. A sticky, cloying palate is creamy and overtly oaky.

Reserva

83

14

Colchagua Valley

null

Carmenère

MontGras

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

MontGras 2015 Reserva Carmenère (Colchagua Valley)

US

Mint, black cherries and graham crackers all mingle elegantly in this bright, medium-weight wine. The crisp acids keep the wine focused, ending on a citrusy note.

Beckstoffer Las Amigas Vineyard

87

35

California

Carneros

Napa-Sonoma

Merlot

Merryvale

null

France

This wine is bready and yeasty with notes of vanilla and spice from wood. Big and bold on the palate, it could intensify in fruitiness in the future.

null

86

16

Bordeaux

Bordeaux Supérieur

null

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Château Mirefleurs

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Château Mirefleurs 2011 Bordeaux Supérieur

Austria

I had a slight preference for Högl's less expensive Loibner Vision Riesling Smaragd, but you can't go wrong with this one either. Thick, viscous and full-bodied, it's richly fruited but minerally as well, marrying diesel and smoke notes with orange and tangerine flavors. Long and spicy on the finish.

Ried Bruck Viessling Smaragd

92

38

Wachau

null

Riesling

Högl

null

US

A delightful rosé sparkler, rich in raspberry, cherry and toasty, yeasty flavors, with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and a honey-sweet finish. Made from Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Gamay and Chenin Blanc, it's a super value at this price.

Brut Rosé

87

12

California

California Other

Sparkling Blend

Korbel

null

US

Lots of zesty acidity in this wine, which gives it a mouthwatering raciness. It's bone dry but ultrarich and ripe in cherries, raspberries and oak. There's a slightly bretty funkiness that adds a mushroomy appeal. Should develop over the next six years.

La Encantada Vineyard

92

47

California

Sta. Rita Hills

Central Coast

Pinot Noir

Waits-Mast

null

Spain

Aromas of cherry, plum, forest floor and tobacco feed into a clampy palate with fresh acidity. Lightly spiced currant and red-plum flavors are limited in scope but nice, while this tastes herbal and feels tight and racy on the finish.

Edición Limitada

90

25

Northern Spain

Navarra

null

Red Blend

Príncipe de Viana

null

US

Classic black cherry fruit anchors this Cabernet from the seminal Champoux vineyard. There is also a strong vein of minerality, etched in herb and hinting at licorice. This is very young and tight, but poised for a long life ahead.

Champoux Vineyard

92

50

Washington

Horse Heaven Hills

Columbia Valley

Cabernet Sauvignon

Januik

null

Argentina

Dry, fresh aromas of red fruits set up a tight, sinewy palate with little to no fat. Direct, hard-hitting flavors of cherry and berry fruits are what they are. Overall, this is a forward wine with low amounts of spice and complexity.

Colección Privada

86

12

Mendoza Province

Mendoza

null

Cabernet Sauvignon

Navarro Correas

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

Navarro Correas 2012 Colección Privada Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendoza)

Australia

One of the more obviously ageworthy offerings from Clarendon Hills, the 2004 Hickinbotham Syrah boasts a wonderfully perfumed bouquet of flowers, minerals and spice. Then it backs up those captivating aromatics with rich blueberry fruit shaded with mint and cracked pepper and a long, firmly tannic and minerally finish. Drink 2010–2020.

Hickinbotham

96

100

South Australia

Clarendon

null

Syrah

Clarendon Hills

null

Italy

Here's a standout Sangiovese-based super Tuscan with a very unique peppermint-like characteristic that helps to increase the wine's intensity and delicious overall effect. Beyond that layer of fresh mint are softer aromas of earth, white mineral, talc powder, pencil lead, cherry and spice. The wine has a strong mineral component.

Flaccianello

92

120

Tuscany

Colli della Toscana Centrale

null

Sangiovese

Fontodi

null

US

Bold strokes of blackberry, cassis and bramble persist throughout this surprisingly youthful late-release Cabernet Sauvignon. It's rich on the palate yet balanced neatly, boasting brisk acidity and ripe but grippy tannins. Two years of maturation in French oak contribute to a long finish marked with sweet tobacco and baking spices.

Reserve

91

35

New York

Finger Lakes

Cabernet Sauvignon

Shaw

Anna Lee C. Iijima

null

Shaw 2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Finger Lakes)

US

This opens with herbaceous dollops of thyme and fresh-dug earth and evolves slowly in the glass, revealing juicy black plum and berry. Medium in weight and density, it's soft and leathery, with a lengthy, supple finish.

Blocks 7 & 22

90

35

California

Napa Valley

Napa

Zinfandel

Hendry

Virginie Boone

@vboone

Hendry 2012 Blocks 7 & 22 Zinfandel (Napa Valley)

US

Pretty good price for such a nice Sauvignon Blanc. It's a little one-dimensional in ripe tangerine, mango and lime flavors, but the acidity is bright and clean, and the finish is long and spicy.

null

86

16

California

Santa Ynez Valley

Central Coast

Sauvignon Blanc

Koehler

null

Koehler 2010 Sauvignon Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley)

Italy

Barolo Bricco Rocca still needs a few more years in the cellar to allow for full integrations of its spice, fruit, tobacco and mineral components. This beautiful wine is ripe with potential and the mouthfeel is plush and velvety with a wonderful fade of smoke and black fruit. Drink after 2018.

Bricco Rocca

92

null

Piedmont

Barolo

null

Nebbiolo

Cascina Ballarin

null

US

You'll find savory blackberry, cherry, currant and cola flavors in this dry blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, as well as smoky, oaky notes. The problem is excessive softness. There's no proper structure, so it all collapses in mid-palate.

Cheval Rouge

85

30

California

Carmel Valley

Central Coast

Bordeaux-style Red Blend

Boëté

null

Boëté 2009 Cheval Rouge Red (Carmel Valley)

Italy

Made with native grapes Carricante, Catarratto and Minnella, this has delicate enticing scents of yellow wild flower, citrus, orchard fruit and aromatic herb. The bright ethereal palate shows yellow peach and lemon drop alongside crisp acidity.

Femina

89

28

Sicily & Sardinia

Etna

null

White Blend

Patria

Kerin O’Keefe

@kerinokeefe

Patria 2016 Femina (Etna)

US

At just 12.5% alcohol, this comes across as dry and quite fresh, with vivid grapefruit flesh and acidity. Some mint and lemon flavors sneak in also. The emphasis is clearly on citrus rather than peach or apricot; a fine food wine.

Traditions

88

13

Washington

Columbia Valley (WA)

Columbia Valley

Riesling

Milbrandt

Paul Gregutt

@paulgwine

Milbrandt 2009 Traditions Riesling (Columbia Valley (WA))

US

Elizabeth's Reserve is comprised of Adelsheim's “best barrels from our best lots.” In this light vintage it brings scents and flavors of pretty cherry and apple fruit, along with a hint of milk chocolate. The tannins are moderate, and there's a streak of root beer and a little stemmy bitterness carrying through the finish.

Elizabeth's Reserve

89

55

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Pinot Noir

Adelsheim

Paul Gregutt

@paulgwine

Adelsheim 2011 Elizabeth's Reserve Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)

France

From its lovely bouquet of dried flowers and spices to its voluptuous mouthfeel, this knockout has it all. Perfectly ripe (not overripe) black cherries form the foundation, garnished by complex notes of garrigue, and framed by a firm, ageworthy structure. Why pay more for Châteauneuf-du-Pape when you can drink this now and over the next decade?

La Reine des Bois

91

33

Rhône Valley

Lirac

null

Rhône-style Red Blend

Domaine de la Mordorée

null

US

This is dark, tannic and smoky, with a tarry tobacco note. Balanced and precise, it blends cassis and raspberry red fruits, matched to appropriate acids and new oak. There are intimations of herb, but nothing green or unripe at all. In a sense this is simplistic, but the simplicity allows the exceptional fruit to shine.

null

93

38

Washington

Wahluke Slope

Columbia Valley

Cabernet Sauvignon

Fielding Hills

null

France

This is a lightweight Chambolle that's dominated by red fruit and acidity. There is a bitter edge that comes from the wood and the firm structure of the vintage. However, with its attractive, juicy finish, it is already soft enough to drink.

null

87

32

Burgundy

Chambolle-Musigny

null

Pinot Noir

Jaffelin

null

US

Zesty raspberry meets warm cherry notes on the nose of this elegantly presented wine, which also shows aromas of beet juice, sandalwood, clove, mace and bergamot. The palate is a texturally driven, evolving experience, with flavors of earth, iron and pencil lead melding with sage scrub, wild berries and elderberry.

Tondre Grapefield

94

44

California

Santa Lucia Highlands

Central Coast

Pinot Noir

Cinnabar

null

France

This is a soft, rounded and ripe wine. Attractive raspberry fruits are filled out with a light tannic character. The freshness and acidity do cut the full texture although perhaps not enough. Drink now.

Rosé d' Folie

84

16

Beaujolais

Beaujolais Rosé

null

Rosé

Jean-Paul Brun

null

Spain

There's no denying the wine's raisiny ripeness; it's confirmed via Sherry/Port aromas and black plum/baked fruit flavors. But it's not simply a heavyweight on its last legs. To the contrary, the wine delivers a jolt of core intensity and finishing notes of spicy black pepper and licorice. Drink right away.

Reserva

88

19

Northern Spain

Rioja

null

Tempranillo

Marqués de la Concordia

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

Marqués de la Concordia 2004 Reserva (Rioja)

Italy

This full-bodied wine reveals aromas of wild berry and allspice accented with a balsamic note. The palate is still rather closed but delivers black cherry, black pepper, sage and licorice alongside tightly woven tannins that need to unwind. Drink 2016–2023.

null

90

35

Piedmont

Barbaresco

null

Nebbiolo

Castello di Neive

null

Italy

La Grola is an opulent and luscious blended wine from Verona and this particular expression offers extra aromas of cured beef, leather and earth over a generous base of black fruit and spice. It shows soft, fine tannins that would pair with smoked ham.

La Grola

90

28

Veneto

Veronese

null

Red Blend

Allegrini

null

Italy

This is a simple and easy Moscadello—a traditional late-harvest dessert wine from Montalcino—that exhibits clean notes of apricot, honey and almonds. The wine is light and buoyant and would pair beautifully with cinnamon-based treats or sponge cake.

Aurico

87

null

Tuscany

Moscadello di Montalcino

null

Moscadello

Villa Poggio Salvi

null

US

Smells and tastes raw, weirdly combining green, minty flavors with slightly sweet medicinal ones of cherry cough drops.

null

81

12

California

Santa Barbara County

Central Coast

Pinot Noir

Queen of Hearts

null

US

Made in the Mazzocco style, this Zin is enormously high in alcohol, namely 16.1%, and is fully dry. Shows a Porty headiness, with berry flavors that veer into chocolate-covered raisins and prunes.

Reserve Pony

84

50

California

Dry Creek Valley

Sonoma

Zinfandel

Mazzocco

null

South Africa

This Shiraz has a plucky nose of tart cherry, tobacco and pepper. The flavors of clove, tobacco and berry on the palate are fruity but balanced by the spice. Pair with cheeses, lamb.

Vineyard Creations

85

10

Western Cape

null

Shiraz

Douglas Green

Susan Kostrzewa

@suskostrzewa

Douglas Green 2007 Vineyard Creations Shiraz (Western Cape)

France

A rich, ripe wine, striated with yellow fruits, acidity and spice from wood. It is warm and generous, while not losing sight of its origins in the streak of minerality. A fine, attractive wine that could do with another year's aging.

null

90

28

Burgundy

Pouilly-Fuissé

null

Chardonnay

Evening Land

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Evening Land 2011 Pouilly-Fuissé

New Zealand

Intriguingly floral and savory upfront, this delicate wine then adds a deep base of ripe cherries that expand effortlessly across the palate, giving an impression of fullness without weight, suppleness without being soft. Finishes long, with a great deal of complexity.

Waitaki Vineyard

91

55

Central Otago

null

Pinot Noir

Valli

null

Australia

Intense and tightly wound, this Riesling gradually unfolds layers of white pepper, green plums and Key lime pie. The lingering quince-flavored finish is mouthwateringly crisp but not quite dry. Try with mushroom pasta. Drink now for the youthful fruit or wait a few years for more complexity.

The Dry Dam

88

16

South Australia

McLaren Vale

null

Riesling

D'Arenberg

null

D'Arenberg 2008 The Dry Dam Riesling (McLaren Vale)

Italy

Black fruit and wild berry are wrapped in an enticing envelope of spice and tobacco. This expression of Barbera d'Asti Superiore has both elements of the modern and the traditional and leaves the mouth refreshed thanks to its naturally crisp acidity.

null

88

null

Piedmont

Barbera d'Asti Superiore

null

Barbera

Cascina Guido Berta

null

US

This wine does a good job of delivering ripe cherry and plum flavors, and has a smooth, inviting texture in spite of a firm level of tannin. The flavors are mild enough to please most anyone.

null

85

7

California

California Other

Cabernet Sauvignon

Camelot

Jim Gordon

@gordone_cellars

Camelot NV Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

Chile

Another fine and dandy old-vine, dry-farmed Cauquenes Carignan from Odfjell—one of the pioneers of this revived Maule varietal wine. Dark and lush on the nose, this is jammed with notes of berry, mineral, vanilla and smoky, lemony oak. It tastes fleshy, like berry marmalade, and finishes with flavors of dark chocolate, burnt toast and fine herb. Drink now –2017.

Orzada

90

20

Cauquenes Valley

null

Carignan

Odfjell

Michael Schachner

@wineschach

Odfjell 2009 Orzada Carignan (Cauquenes Valley)

France

While the Larmandier's main vineyard is in Vertus, they also have a parcel in the grand cru vineyard of Cramant. It is full of beautifully ripe fruit, beginning to round out as it ages. Green fruits and white pears, as well as yeast are still dominant; drink 2010.

Vieilles Vignes de Cramant Grand Cru

95

80

Champagne

null

Chardonnay

Larmandier-Bernier

Roger Voss

@vossroger

Larmandier-Bernier NV Vieilles Vignes de Cramant Grand Cru Chardonnay (Champagne)

Italy

Mature black fruit, leather, wild berries and balsamic notes waft out of the glass. The solid palate delivers red cherry, toast and a whiff of orange peel alongside bracing tannins.

Gallina

90

null

Piedmont

Barbaresco

null

Nebbiolo

Castello di Neive

null

Germany

Dark, mysterious aromas of smoke, petrol and brine are enticing on the nose. Semisweet in style, with an abundance of honeyed stone-fruit and citrus flavors, this wine shows glimmers of maturity already, but it's structured enough to improve for at least 7–10 more years.

Bernkasteler Badstube Auslese

92

70

Mosel

null

Riesling

Dr. H. Thanisch (Erben Thanisch)

Anna Lee C. Iijima

null

Dr. H. Thanisch (Erben Thanisch) 2010 Bernkasteler Badstube Auslese Riesling (Mosel)

US

I drank this at the end of a long, hot summer day, which is when a cold, crisp white is at its best. What a delicious wine. Bold citrus and apricot flavors, acids so strong they almost fizz and a rich creaminess even though there's no oak.

null

89

19

California

Rutherford

Napa

Sauvignon Blanc

Voss

null

US

A bit unripe, with some vegetal flavors along with the blackberries. There's also a lot of sweet heat from high alcohol.

Zinfusion Reserve

82

18

California

Paso Robles

Central Coast

Zinfandel

Castoro Cellars

null

Chile

Opens with grapy black-fruit aromas that come across chunky and jammy but don't elicit complaints. Feels round and meaty, with condensed flavors of blackberry and grilled beef. Finishes with a creamy feel, medium length and lasting darkness.

Toro de Piedra Reserva

87

14

Curicó Valley

null

Syrah-Cabernet Sauvignon

Viña Requingua

null

Italy

The cherry fruit in this lighter-style wine shows definite herb accents. Bright acidity and a touch of mint come out on the palate, and it finishes with tart fruit flavors and slightly prickly tannins.

null

84

11

Tuscany

Chianti Classico

null

Sangiovese

Piccini

null

US

This is a lighter-style wine, as Pinots from this vineyard, which is in a warm part of the valley, tend to be. But it's also a tasty Pinot, soft and supple, with cola, cherry jam, brown sugar, pie spice and sandalwood flavors. Drink now.

Bacigalupi Vineyard

87

45

California

Russian River Valley

Sonoma

Pinot Noir

Cellars 33

null

Cellars 33 2011 Bacigalupi Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)

US

This well-aged release definitely falls on the ripe-to-the-point-of-raisins side of the fruit spectrum. It's almost Port-like, with flavors of blackberry pie and coffee. Not a dessert wine though—it's bone dry and ready to drink right now.

Hi-Valley Vineyard

88

28

Oregon

Columbia Valley (OR)

Oregon Other

Syrah

Jacob Williams

Paul Gregutt

@paulgwine

Jacob Williams 2009 Hi-Valley Vineyard Syrah (Columbia Valley (OR))