Wine Enthusiast 02.03 2023

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February/March 2023
Features
42 THESE ROOTS RUN DEEP
BY MICHAEL ALBERTY
Oregon’s deep roots coalition is asking fellow winemakers to turn their
irrigation spigots off in the name of conservation and quality—many are
heeding the call of this growing movement.
46 RIVERS AT THE EDGE

BY KRISTEN RICHARD
For centuries waterways have sustained wine regions—now it’s time they
return the favor.
54 CHILEAN SAUVIGNON BLANC RISING

BY JESICA VARGAS
Discover Casablanca and Leyda—two cool, coastal Chilean regions fed
by the Humboldt current where sustainable and organic practices yield
vibrant wines.
60 LAKE MICHIGAN’S WINE WAVE

BY CHRISTINE CHITNIS
A viticultural awakening in Northern Michigan is attracting attention to
the Great Lakes. A few notable local winemakers tell us where they go to
make a splash.
74 THE MERROIR OF GIN

BY KARA NEWMAN
Distillers are drawing inspiration from the briny, savory flavors of the ocean.
70 WHY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO CONSIDER

THE OYSTER
BY NILS BERNSTEIN
For the oyster enthusiast, eating them is an ethical, and delicious,
environmental imperative.
78 WINE ENTHUSIAST 2023 VINTAGE CHART

BY THE TASTING DEPARTMENT
A scannable guide to help you determine the quality and drinkability of
vintage-dated wines—letting you know what’s in your cellar and what
might be past its prime.
22
Moving
booze by
Cover Photography by Tom Arena Prop Styling by Monica Simon
boat
4 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

54
Humboldt
current
events in
Chile
DEPARTMENTS COLUMNS THE CRUSH

16 A crash course in bubbly
OUT & ABOUT PUBLISHER’S LETTER water for cocktails
18 The Instagramming of ice
10 Venetian cicchetti and Pinot 14 Sustaining the Things that
Nourish Us 20 A fortified wine sno-ball
Grigio, Resident dinners with
Centre-Loire and Pasqua BY JACQUELINE STRUM 22 Booze shipped by boat is
master class more than a throwback
SPIRITED 24 Pairing wine with the
SOUNDBITES
40 What are people saying on
39 Wine and Whiskey Don’t
Always Mix
nautical notes of seaweed
26 Embrace winter with Japan’s
regal, shaved-ice treat
70
Pearls
the WE Podcast? BY KARA NEWMAN among
28 An emerging wine region in brine
BY JACY TOPPS
Georgia is growing more than
VIEWPOINT peaches, y’all
CHEERS 41 If You Don’t Know If You’ve 30 Malvasia is an ancient grape
38 The best of what we blind- Drank Your Aha-Wine Yet, with a promising future BUYING GUIDE
tasted for this issue You Haven’t 32 Are earthworms the answer 81 Reviewed this month
BY THE TASTING BY MARSHALL TILDEN III to wastewater?
DEPARTMENT 82 Portugal
34 The fishy relationship
114 Spain
LAST DROP between brewers and
aquafarming 118 Irish Whiskey
120 Finding Hope in the Disparity 119 IPA
of South Africa 36 Diving into Italian lake
with Dante
BY JANICE WILLIAMS
WINE ENTHUSIAST | THE WATER ISSUE | 5

VOLUME 36, NUMBER 1
Jacqueline Strum EDITOR & PUBLISHER

MANAGING EDITOR, PRINT John Capone TASTING DIRECTOR Anna-Christina Cabrales
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EDITORIAL DESIGN TASTING WRITERS AT LARGE

MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL ART DIRECTOR SENIOR EDITOR, TASTING SOCIAL WINE
Rachel Tepper Paley Monica Simon Jim Gordon Michael Alberty, Danielle Callegari,
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Mike DeSimone, Matt Kettmann,
SENIOR EDITOR, PRINT DIGITAL VISUALS EDITOR SENIOR TASTING COORDINATOR Elyse Estrella
Christina Pickard, Jeff Porter,
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SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST Emily Saladino, Layla Shlack,
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Kristen Richard Eric DeFreitas Cody Wexler Aleks Zecevic
ASSISTANT EDITOR, PRINT VISUALS PRODUCER ASSISTANT TASTING COORDINATOR VIDEO SPIRITS
Jacy Topps Jesse Reiter Russell Peborde Kara Newman
SUPERVISING VIDEO PRODUCER
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, FOOD ASSOCIATE PHOTO PRODUCER Braxton Parr BEER
Nils Bernstein Tom Arena John Holl
VIDEO PRODUCER
WEB PRODUCER Rob Martin
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letter fromthepublisher
At
the dawn of a new year, we take stock of
what’s ahead. What can we do differently?
What can we do more of? And perhaps
most important—what can we do better?
It allows us a quiet moment of hope, optimism and
expectation. In my family, we love the classic act of making
a list of resolutions. The thinking is even if you do only one
item on your list, you’ll make your life incrementally better
over the long yawn of a decade or two.
A list of resolutions in the universe of wine may mean
something very different depending on who you ask. It could
be trying the most sought-after vintages on the Left Bank of
Bordeaux. Or finally visiting some of those far-flung regions
that make our favorite juice. In this issue, we look at one
of the most primary necessities in the wine world and how
many are resolved to improve its
usage—water.
In my family, we Water is so critical to wine (it’s
love the classic 85% of what’s in a bottle) that it
act of making a may change the entire trajectory
list of resolutions. of a winery’s style and philosophy
when in short supply, as you’ll see
in some coastal regions of Chile
and Oregon. The ocean often brings inspiration to spirits,
whether it’s the salty air infused into Scotch or the nautical
roots of gin, which we dive into in these pages. One of my
favorite pieces looks at the importance of preserving rivers
for wine production—from the way a river shapes and
hollows the land as it winds through to the deposits it leaves
in its wake that change the soil. Rivers have always been a
key part of many iconic wine regions.
In considering New Year’s resolutions related to the
fundamentals of wine, we consider the outlook of the
planet. Water is one of the most critical elements on the
winemaker’s list this year, and it will be for many years to
come. Even if we make incremental changes, over time the
future of our world will reap the benefits.
.
GETTY IMAGES
JACQUELINE STRUM
EDITOR & PUBLISHER WE Media
@jackistrum

© 2023 Carnival plc. Ships’ Registry: Bermuda. The Cunard logo and logotype, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Anne are
registered trademarks of Carnival plc, an English company trading as Cunard. All rights reserved in the United States and other countries.
Indulge your senses.

Sail in luxury with the choice of delectable food and wines, while enjoying award-winning
service in timeless elegance that comes as standard – only on Cunard. SM
Contact your Travel Advisor, call (800) 728-6273 or visit Cunard.com/WE

Transatlantic Crossings Europe Americas World Voyages
out&about
SIPS AND SNAPS AROUND THE GLOBE
VENETIAN
CICCHETTI
AND
PINOT
GRIGIO
Wine Enthusiast and
the Consorzio Vini
DOC delle Venezie
hosted an aperitivo
at Bar Cicchetti that
showcased Pinot
Grigio delle Venezie
wines. The evening
was filled with live
music, a tour of Pinot
Grigio from Venice,
a grand spread
inspired by Italy and
an interactive history
lesson on cicchetti.
Wine Enthusiast President and Publisher Jacqueline Strum (left)
with Valentina Fraccascia (center) and Regine Rousseau (right)
Vivian June (left), B.D. Lenz provided live

Kimberlee Lizakowski (center) music entertainment
and Birmania Ríos (right) throughout the evening.
Three guests were selected to
build their own cicchetti.
PHOTOS BY JOY MALONE @JOYMALONEPHOTOGRAPHY

out&about
SIPS AND SNAPS AROUND THE GLOBE
Chef Sakari Smithwick (center) and Jacy Topps

Nicole Muscari (left) conversing (right) share insights into the dinner pairing
with a Resident guest. with wines from Centre-Loire.
RESIDENT
DINNER WITH
CENTRE-LOIRE
Resident and Wine Enthusiast
partnered to host a lively
penthouse dinner at Club 75
in Rockefeller Plaza. Guests
enjoyed wines from Centre-Loire
and learned about the unique
personality of the 10 appellations
making up this special region
of France. Wine pairings were
selected and presented by
Anna-Christina Cabrales and Jacy
Topps to accompany a five-course
tasting menu from Chef Sakari Chef Sakari Smithwick prepares
Smithwick. a curated five-course dinner.
MASTER
CLASS WITH
PASQUA
Wine Enthusiast hosted
an intimate master class
with Pasqua at the Rizzoli
Bookstore. The tasting
was led by Wine Enthusiast
Writer-at-Large Jeff Porter
and third generation family
Wine Enthusiast team with the member Alessandro
Pasqua family. Back row (left to Pasqua. Guests engaged in
right): John Capone, Sara Maule, conversation about the iconic
Margherita Pasqua, Umberto Pasqua, Italian wines, hearing directly
Bonnary Lek, Emily Matson, Dara from the Pasqua family and
P. Kapoor. Front row (left to right): were gifted a set of Wine
Alessandro Pasqua and Jeff Porter Enthusiast glassware.
Pasqua logo specially branded

onto Wine Enthusiast glassware.
Wines included the 2021

PassioneSentimento
Bianco Veneto and
2013 Amarone della
Valpolicella.
PHOTOS BY KEVIN ORNELAS @KEVIN.ORNELAS / JOY MALONE @JOYMALONEPHOTOGRAPHY
From Ranch Waters to gin
and tonics, bubbly
water is a key ingredient—
some might argue the
key ingredient.
BY
KARA NEWMAN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
TOM ARENA
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
ERIC DEFREITAS

BUBBLY BASICS
H2 Know
SODA WATER SELTZER
A catch-all term for carbonated water. Artificially carbonated water, with no
minerals added to it. This was the term
mixologists used in the 1800s; they
would have used glass siphons to create
carbonation. Now, we have access to
Sure,
fizz is fun, but plenty of bottled seltzers, as well as home
carbonating devices like the SodaStream
it serves a
and Aarke. Hard seltzer is a different
functional role, animal; It’s brewed like beer with sugar
too. “Carbonated water lengthens and yeast, flavored and then
and acidifies drinks,” explains Camper force-carbonated.
English, author of Doctors and Best for

Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal Aperol Spritz
History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and
Cocktails. “Plus, the bubbles help lift
aromatics up out of the drink and
tickle your nose.”
However, not all carbonated
water is alike. “I know it’s a
little funny to wrap your
brain around thinking about
water as an ingredient, but
it’s so important,” says Jena
Ellenwood, cocktail educator
at NYC bar Dear Irving. “Bubble
size and stamina vary with
each fizzy water.” And it can
make a difference when
added to other elements in a
drink, like spirits and citrus. In
addition, some can add sweet,
salty or bitter flavors, so it’s
important to know which is
which—here we offer this
sparkling guide to the world
of effervescent H2O.

CLUB SODA MINERAL WATER TONIC WATER
Artificially carbonated water to which Flat or sparkling water from a mineral A sweetened soft drink made with
sodium salts and/or potassium salts have spring. If it’s effervescent that’s naturally carbonated water and quinine—the latter
been added. This is done to mimic the occurring, and the bubbles may be more adds bitterness and was originally used as
effect of bubbly mineral water, but the salts delicate compared to seltzer or club soda. a medicinal tool to help ward off malaria.
also are added to neutralize acidity in some Most of these waters contain some degree Tonic water is a key cocktail mixer (see gin
water. of mineral content—hence the name— and tonics, vodka tonics), and bartenders
In terms of cocktails, seltzer and club making them of great interest to early are clear: it is not interchangeable
soda are both relatively neutral, and can be health practitioners. with seltzer or club soda since it adds
used interchangeably, says Matt Chavez, bar “Naturally carbonated mineral spring perceptible bitterness and sweetness.
manager of New York restaurant Ci Siamo. water was thought to be extra healthy Some brands add additional flavorings,
Think about them in terms of texture, not compared with regular mineral water, and too, like Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic,
flavor: The bubbles may be larger compared far healthier than surface water from rivers which maximizes floral notes.
to that of naturally carbonated mineral and streams,” English notes. “European “Tonic is an acquired taste, and it is
water and should “dance and tingle” on your and American mineral springs rich in iron very far from neutral,”
tongue—it won’t change the flavor of a drink or other mineral salts were recommended Ellenwood cautions.
like a Tom Collins or whiskey highball, but can to settle the stomach or treat conditions “Do not swap for
help “jolt it to life,” he adds. including anemia.” anything else.”
“It enhances the flavors Of note: Mineral salts can impart
in the cocktail, rather than distinct salinity. Since the water is derived Best for
bringing in more flavors,” from a natural source, the flavor, saltiness Gin & Tonic
Chavez notes, bringing a sense and bubbliness can vary widely.
of freshness to a drink. “Mineral water runs the gamut of flavor
and carbonation—from
Best for super salty Vichy Catalan,
Tom Collins to mild, extra-fizzy Perrier,
or a slight salinity and
super fizz in a Topo Chico,”
Ellenwood explains.
“Personally, I like a hint of
salt in cocktails, because
it boosts other flavors—
think salt in desserts.”
Best for
Ranch
Water

ICE AGES
How blemish-free blocks became de rigueur in craft cocktails.
GETTY IMAGES

In
2012, if you’d seen Scott credits Japanese bars’ influence on out and then everyone could replicate
Beattie brandishing a New York at that time and says “hand- that pretty easily,” says Camper English,
chainsaw outside Napa’s cut ice was a part of our daily repertoire author of the forthcoming The Ice Book:
Goose & Gander, you and our side work behind the bar” when Cool Cubes, Clear Spheres, and Other
might have wondered he worked at Milk & Honey, but that Chill Cocktail Crafts. “It was really word-
if the barkeeper had lost his mind. But ice wasn’t crystal clear since they were spread among the bartenders. And a lot of
in his quest to serve clear ice in rocks freezing it themselves. When they opened people who were opening bars ended up
cocktails at the bar, Beattie had acquired Dutch Kills in 2009, he says, “I wanted to opening ice companies,” after Dutch Kills
huge slabs of sculpture ice, which he then go a step further, and I wanted that ice to cracked it. And once one bar in a city—
cut down to blocks with a chainsaw. Very be crystal clear, like they do in Tokyo in L.A. or Rochester, New York or Phoenix
carefully. Then, bartenders would hand many of the popular bars there, which is or Charleston or Petaluma, California—
chop these into double-rocks size for essentially a common standard.” Boccato bought a ClineBell or similar machine and
each drink behind the bar. The company a band saw, other craft cocktail bars in that
he bought the ice from has adapted to city had a reliable source of clear ice.
bars’ demands over the past decade and Maybe you can call it the Instagramming
now delivers its ice in more manageable of ice, even though ice chopping would
three-inch blocks. “Which is great, you
“Beyond being photo have been an essential barkeeper’s skill
know, because we had a very safe way ready, denser clear ice before commercial refrigeration when bars
of chainsawing the ice down, but it’s still has a much slower were in ice houses by necessity and the
a chainsaw,” Beattie says. dilution rate.” blocks had to be chiseled down by hand.
Block ice like this is frozen completely But today’s modern ice age—which now
clear through directional freezing, usually includes patterns on the outside of ice or
using one of a few commercially available flowers frozen inside, as Colleen Hughes
machines purpose-designed, at that time, at Haberdish in Charlotte, North Carolina
to supply ice for sculptures. But bartenders went all the way and bought a ClineBell popularized—seems to have been fueled by
serving carefully constructed cocktails CB300X2D, a machine designed for ice drinkers’ expectations after scrolling their
with hand-cut ice in neo-speakeasies began sculptors that makes 300-lb blocks of ice, smartphones.
adopting clear ice both for its aesthetic for the new bar. Image may not be everything, as clear
qualities, but also because the cloudiness That’s a lot of ice. The machine ice also has clear quality advantages,
found in conventional ice from air bubbles could produce much more ice than but “when that glass goes over the bar
causes it to melt faster. So beyond being Dutch Kills, a busy bar even by New York and you see that beautiful, crystal-clear
photo ready, denser clear ice has a much standards, could use. From there Boccato cube, and it’s a big rock inside of your old
slower dilution rate. Beattie says he saw founded Hundredweight Ice in 2011 and fashioned, even before you taste it,” says
block ice being used in Tokyo bars and this began delivering ice to bars all over New Boccato, “your old fashioned might be
might have put the idea in his head. York City. completely imbalanced and not potable,
Rich Boccato, cofounder of Queens’ Clear ice began to spread like wildfire. but it’s going to look beautiful and you’re
Dutch Kills with Sasha Petraske, also “The business model was figured going to want it.” —John Capone

COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH
MACVIN DU
JURA SNO-BALL
McLain Hedges, co-owner,
Yacht Club, Denver
2 ½ ounces Macvin du Jura

There’s a chance this might be the most sophisticated take (Ganevat, Labet, François
Rousset-Martin and
on a nostalgic summertime treat you make this winter. Montbourgeau are some of
Hedge’s favorites)
“
At Yacht Club, we have ½ ounce salted honey syrup*
a major love affair with ¼ ounce lemon juice
wine of all sorts,” says Lemon zest or a drizzle of honey
McLain Hedges, co- (or both), to garnish
owner of the playful

Denver bar. “Many, if not all, of Add all ingredients to your
our drinks contain some form glass of choice, then fill it
of wine base to them.” halfway with shaved or finely
That includes a rotating crushed ice. Gently tap the
list of shaved-ice sno-balls glass on the counter to settle
the ice in the glass. Scoop in
enlivened with fortified
more shaved or crushed ice
wine—a whimsical mash-up of
until the glass is filled to over-
the classic Cobbler, a fortified flowing. Compact slightly to
wine standard served over form a loose dome (you know,
crushed ice and the nostalgic like a snowball). Garnish with
sno-cone. Iterations have lemon zest or a drizzle of
included raisin-y PX Sherry honey (or why not both?) and
and bittersweet amer liqueur. serve with a straw.
This version centers Macvin
du Jura, a blend of grape juice *In a saucepan, combine
and must fortified with marc 1 cup each honey and hot
(distilled from grape skins and water with ½ teaspoon
salt. Bring to a simmer,
lees—akin to grappa) from Jura,
then remove from heat and
then barrel-aged for at least 14
cool to room temperature.
months, with a final flavor some
liken to brandy.
“The result is one of the
most aromatic and textural
experiences you’ll come
across,” Hedges says. “It’s truly
something special.” Combining
it with salted honey syrup and
lemon lets the Macvin shine,
highlighting its “delicate honey
and high-toned floral notes.”
He urges people to give often- Yacht Club uses a shaved-ice machine
overlooked Macvin a try: to make ice with a fluffy, snow-like
texture. This can also be accomplished
“There is a vast world of by crushing ice in a blender or food
fortifieds, mistelles and vins processor, a couple of cubes at a time.
Or place cubes in a plastic bag and
doux naturels that are at our use a rolling pin or meat mallet to
pulverize the ice. Or maybe you want
TOM ARENA
fingertips but don’t quite get

to use your kids’ plastic-crank sno-
the attention they deserve!” ball machine as we did here. Just
–Kara Newman remember, Macvin du Jura is not a toy.

SCHOONER OR LATER
LEFT TO RIGHT: BJOERN KILS; SCHOONER APOLLONIA; ALEXIS LAMBROU

The sustainable sail-
freight movement may
look old school, but it’s
very much a forward-
looking enterprise.
BY
KARA
NEWMAN
Grain de Sail from Brittany

passes through New York Harbor

The
schooner Apollonia has become
a part of business-as-usual
for Nika Carlson, owner of
Greenpoint Cidery, who makes
farmhouse-style cider at her
Hudson, New York facility. The bottles are loaded aboard the
sailboat—about two weeks later, they arrive at the dock in Red
Hook, Brooklyn, where locals can pick up a “boat box.”
Not two hours or two days. Two weeks, pending the unpredictable
pace of the wind and the river tides. That’s just fine with Carlson.
“The way I make cider is slow; low intervention,” she explains.
“This fits in with my business.” After all, she says, “people have been
moving alcoholic beverages on the river for hundreds of years.”
From Brooklyn to Burgundy, a new “golden age of sail” has begun,
shipping experts say: Specifically, sailing ships are transporting
wine and other goods, whether down the Hudson River or on a
trans-Atlantic journey. While it seems like a romantic step back in
time, it’s more than just a throwback. Amid supply-chain woes and
ever-expanding carbon footprints, some envision sail-freight as the
future—a cleaner, greener way to ship cargo.
The schooner In New York, a pair of such routes intersect. The Apollonia, which
Apollonia takes 11
round-trip cargo debuted in 2020, sails along the Hudson from Albany down to New
voyages between
New York's Hudson
Jersey and New York City. And Grain de Sail, founded in 2010 in
Valley and New Brittany, carries French biodynamic wines via schooner to New
York City a year
York. Both have the goal of 99% carbon-neutral shipping. The global
shipping industry creates 2.9% of total CO2 emissions, according to
a study by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)—as much
as the entire continent of South America emits.
Other such vessels and routes include the Timbercoast
(Germany, the Caribbean, Miami); Sail Med (Greece); and Nordlys
(the Netherlands).
While these boats transport a wide range of nonperishable goods,
from chocolate to olive oil, alcoholic beverages are often part of
the freight. That’s not a coincidence, says Raphael Lyon, CEO, of
Brooklyn’s Enlightenment Wines, which has used the Apollonia to
ship mead. “Wine is heavy and it needs to stay cool,” Lyon notes.
Stored in a cargo hold, liquids are naturally cooled by the water
below, he explains.
Finding ways to extend these watery byways, whether by
expanding routes (adding the Long Island wine region may be next) or
connecting via partnerships, moves things along. An example of the
latter: Brad Vogel, who oversees logistics related to the Apollonia’s
cargo, recounts a 2021 experiment. Grain de Sail brought a shipment
of French wine to NYC; after a “celebratory exchange” of goods, the
Apollonia continued the wine’s journey up the Hudson to Ossining,
New York.
“It was great to say that, since this bottle of wine left Europe, it
has only moved by sail,” Vogel says.

PAIROLOGY

UMAMI
Seaweed is extremely high in
glutamates, which create the so-
called umami—intensely savory
flavor—in foods such as cured
ham, dried mushrooms, sun-
dried tomatoes and aged cheese.
Wines aged on the lees (the dead
or residual yeast cells) share this
character, so try a Muscadet Sur
Lie (aged on the lees) for a crisp
and saline pairing that might spur
some conversation.

BRINE
Many seaweeds taste primarily
of the ocean, and a crisp wine
with intensity of fruit can balance
the brine. Made primarily from
the Garganega grape, wines
SEAWE labeled Soave Classico from
ED IS S
UMBRE IMPLY northern Italy’s Soave DOC have
LLA TE THE rich, almost creamy flavors of
MARIN RM FO
E PLAN R VARI stone fruit, melon, salted almond
T S OUS
many v AND A and Mediterranean herbs. They
arieties LGAE, a both complement and round out
but also ar en nd
extrem ot only delicio seaweed’s salty side.
form th e u
e base o ly nutritious. T s,
are sold f sa hey
CHLOROPHYLL
toasted lads and brot can
possibl a h
y the m s standalone s, and some
The deep green (often with
rich reds and browns) of most
plant th os t sna
ere is. S environmenta cks. It’s also seaweeds reflects their richness
f r om s e ea lly
awater, weed pulls nit friendly edible
in chlorophyll, and hints at their
grassy, plant-like, at times vaguely
non-da he rogen a
ngerou lping maintai nd metallic flavor. The “green on
remark s levels n those phosphorus green” of a grassy wine like New
ably eff . Mo nu
icient ca re important trients at Zealand Sauvignon Blanc might
rbon sin , seawe read bitter, but the Sicilian grape
k: ed is a Grillo has a crisp and savory
herbal quality while also boasting
balancing rounder notes of citrus
and tropical fruit.

SMOKE
Some seaweeds, like dulse and
dried nori sheets, have a distinct
smoky note. It’s a terrific match
GETTY IMAGES
with Pouilly-Fumé. Made
from Sauvignon Blanc grown in
Kimmeridgien marl limestone
and clay soils on the right bank
of the Loire River, the wines are
said to have flint or gunpowder
notes. Combined with Sauv Blanc’s
trademark acidity, it’s a refreshing
pairing with lots of character.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Embrace winter with Japan’s regal shaved-ice treat.
K
akigōri is one of the great STRAWBERRY HONEY MILK KAKIGŌRI Place sugar and lemon juice in a small
shaved-ice desserts of the Courtesy Tonchin New York, by Creative saucepan or skillet over medium heat until
world. Unlike the coarser sugar dissolves. Transfer to a blender with
Director Kiyotaka Shinoki
PHOTOGRAPHY: ROBERT BREDVAD, FOOD: TAKAKO KUNIYUKI, PROPS: PAIGE HICKS

texture of snow cones, kakigōri the strawberries and purée until smooth.
Instagram @tonchinnewyork
Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.
is fine and fluffy like soft snow,
In a large bowl, whisk cream until it
which lets the toppings diffuse throughout 3 tablespoons sugar
thickens slightly. Whisk in honey un-
the dessert like a sunset casting its glow 1 tablespoon lemon juice til smooth. Chill in refrigerator until
across the sky. Look for a machine that 1 10 oz. bag frozen organic ready to serve.
shaves thin, rather than crushes, the ice. strawberries, thawed Shave ice according to the in-
While kakigōri is often gilded with ½ cup organic heavy cream structions of your shaved-ice
sweetened condensed milk, Tonchin, a ¼ cup honey machine. Scoop tall servings of
New York restaurant with its roots in Shaved ice, as needed shaved ice into four individual
Tokyo, uses a honey cream, which is less goblets or small bowls. Pour
Sliced fresh strawberry, for garnish
sticky and more complex. It’s a beautiful strawberry sauce over to taste,
Chopped fresh mint, for garnish then drizzle with honey cream
complement to the bright strawberry
to taste. Garnish with straw-
flavor. Frozen berries are preferred here
berries and mint and serve
since they’re packed at peak ripeness and
immediately. Serves 4.
exude a strawberry syrup as they thaw, but
feel free to use very ripe—even overripe—
fresh strawberries. –Nils Bernstein
Find which shaved ice
machine works best for you at
winemag.com/shavedicemachine
WINE PAIRING
Kato Sake Works Bubbly Nigori
“This sake has the perfect balance to accompany this
dessert,” says Tonchin General Manager and Sake
Curator Dylan Capello. “It’s lightly effervescent, and
boasts notes of honey and coconut, with the creamy
texture of an amazing ambrosia salad.”

©2023 Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL
2019 VINTAGE 2018 VINTAGE 2019 VINTAGE

SEPT 2022 SEPT 2022 SEPT 2022
AVA DOSSIER
WELCOME A
ffectionately called “Napa of director of tourism for the Dahlonega-
the South,” the Dahlonega Lumpkin County Visitors Bureau. Thus,
(pronounced ‘duh-lah-nee- vineyard managers must be very meticulous
guh’) Plateau AVA offers wine and prepare for these late surges that occur
lovers a dose of Southern during budburst each vintage. Luckily,
TO THE
comfort. Tucked away about an hour these seasonal frost events have not greatly
north of Atlanta, the Dahlonega Plateau is impacted grape or wine quality.
one of two American viticultural areas in Though Dahlonega Plateau became an
the state of Georgia—the other being the official AVA on June 29, 2018, winemaking
Upper Hiwassee Highlands AVA shared goes back much further in the region. Since
DAHLONEGA
with North Carolina. the 19th century, the state of Georgia has
Being a plateau, the AVA sits just been a leader in growing the Muscadine
above 1,500 feet of elevation, allowing grape—a variety native to the southeastern
for adequate sun exposure to help with part of the U.S. that does exceptionally
ripening and good drainage through the well in the warm climate. It was in the
PLATEAU AVA
JASON T. BARKER/DISCOVER DAHLONEGA

clay-loam soils, which provide increased 1990s, however, that many of the wineries
flavor concentration in the grapes grown. operating today purchased land to cultivate
But over the last few years, growers have it for growing European wine grapes.
been met with climate-change related According to the visitors bureau, today the
challenges. “Climate has changed the region is planted with over 100 acres of
Growing goes beyond growing season slightly, making it more grapes, including European, French-hybrid
volatile due to warm Januarys and and American varieties.
peaches and pecans in this Februarys, then late freezes in March With its nine vineyards and dozen
Georgia wine region. and even April,” explains Sam McDuffie, tasting rooms, Dahlonega is home to a

Lumpkin County. Sharon Paul cofounded
“Getting the AVA designation Three Sisters with her late husband, Doug,
in 1995, and only uses Georgia-grown fruit
four years ago legitimized
to produce their wines. “Getting the AVA
our work, and now the world designation four years ago legitimized our
has noticed that we have a work, and now the world has noticed that
special place here.” we have a special place here,” she says.
Three Sisters produces red, white, rosé
and sparkling wines, with Cabernet Franc,
host of hotels, restaurants and bed-and- Merlot and Cynthiana Norton (considered
breakfasts—a welcoming environment the South’s version of Cabernet Sauvignon),
for tourists interested in discovering this representing about 10 acres of the estate;
hidden piece of the wine world. History the other half is dedicated to other grapes
buffs will be interested to know that such as Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, Pinot
Dahlonega holds an important role in Noir, Pinot Blanc and Touriga Nacional.
Georgia’s past—it was the primary location As the region continues to grow, Paul is Date AVA
of the first gold rush in 1829. And because optimistic about the recognition that the Established:
of this, the name Dahlonega is derived wines of Georgia will receive. “Wineries
have exploded everywhere!” Paul exclaims.
June 29, 2018
from the Cherokee word meaning “yellow”
or “gold.” “Not just here in Dahlonega, but Upper
The Paul family claims the title of Hiwassee [Highlands AVA] as well. And Total Size:
Dahlonega’s first family farm winery more tasting rooms come online every year.
The more the merrier!”
133 square miles
and produces all of their award-winning
wines from their 20 acres of vineyards in —Chasity Cooper
Planted Acreage:
100 acres
Most Planted Grapes:

Cabernet Sauvignon
Pinot Noir
Climate:
Continental, with hot
summers, cold winters,
moderate rainfall
Number of Wineries:
8 wineries
12 tasting rooms
Fun Fact:
Dahlonega is the first
site of Georgia’s gold
rush in 1829.
Three Sisters Vineyards

GRAPE ON THE GO
MALVASIA BIANCA
An ancient grape shows a promising future.
CROATIA
Malvazija Istarska, or Malvasia Istriana (as it’s known in neighboring Italy),
is Istria’s signature dry white wine, aging well as a single varietal. Though
genetically distinct from other Mediterranean Malvasia varieties, Malvazija
Istarska is complementary with, and often believed to be related to, Malvasia
The
Bianca. Meneghetti Winery’s Mare Nostrum vineyard preserves more than 40
Malvasia family of grapes is ancient, hearty and
Malvasia varieties to tell a “centuries-old oenological story,” according to the
prolific. Yet, it is often an overlooked component winery. Here in the Upper Adriatic, vines benefit from the region’s Bora winds,
in blends—even making up a small fraction of which descend from the mountains to the coast and create cool conditions that
bottlings claiming to be “single varietal” wines made from other support the cultivation of the strong-skinned Malvasia grapes. Resulting wines
white grapes. “I’ve been growing Malvasia Bianca for 20 years and are fragrant with peach, apricot and floral notes, while also offering surprising
underpinnings of minerality and slate.
pouring it for 16, and we still have to explain how to pronounce it
and what it is,” says Victor Poulos, founder and co-owner of Zin
ITALY
Valle Vineyards in southwest Texas.
Oenologist Walter Filiputti of Meneghetti Winery in Istria traces Malvasia is prolific in Italy’s mountainous northern region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia,
as well as the northeastern Collio and Colli Orientali regions, where hilly terroir,
Malvasia to the 13th century, with origins in Asia Minor (now
complemented by sandstone soils, offers the drainage that’s key to this variety
Turkey and Greece). Today, Malvasia Bianca, a white subvariety, is flourishing in the vineyard. Cooler climes, from both Adriatic Sea breezes and
the most frequently vinified, making light, crisp white wines as well Alpine foothills, ensure even ripening and balanced acidity. Like nearby Croatia,
as complex sweet wines. Both the longevity and great geographic Friulian Malvasias coalesce fruit and floral notes with bright, mild acidity.
diversity of Malvasia grape varieties, particularly Malvasia Bianca,
hints at its promise and adaptability in an era of climate change. UNITED STATES
Malvasia Bianca thrives in hot, dry climates, particularly on The Texas High Plains’ hot, dry climate and sandy loam soils make a fitting home
sloping terrain and—most especially—in soil with good drainage. for Malvasia Bianca. Further west of the High Plains in Texas’ Mesilla Valley,
Nikhila Narra Davis, co-owner of Narra Vineyards in the west Texas along the New Mexico border, Zin Valle is at 4,000 feet of elevation. West Texas
Malvasia Bianca is refreshing, expressing tropical fruit flavors like jasmine, guava,
High Plains and Kalasi Cellars in Fredericksburg, Texas, comments
lime and citrus peel in white wines that have body, says Narra Davis. Poulos
JOÃO NEVES
that the grape’s versatility has kept it relevant throughout the comments he draws no distinction, in taste or structure, between Malvasia Bianca
centuries, and she predicts that the accelerated change in climate from the southwest desert and northern Fruili. “It doesn’t change so much across
will result in increased plantings in various regions. region and microclimate. It’s got a lasting characteristic note.”
—Amy Beth Wright

WRIGGLING
ARE WORMS THE ANSWER TO

Mimicking nature, reclamation systems aim to close the loop.
BY
JOHN CAPONE
In
the improbable circumstance that you find yourself on the outskirts of Parlier, California, pondering
12 Olympic-size swimming pools full of earthworms, you might start to question your own place in
the planet’s ecosystem. If there were a high-dive board and you climbed the ladder and dove in, you’d
land with a resounding splat as you hit dense tangles of California red worms wriggling their way
through woodchips soaked with effluent from the nearby O’Neill Vintners & Distillers winemaking
facility—the largest such winery wastewater reclamation project in the world. If you are a wine drinker (or consume
any agricultural product that produces wastewater at an industrial scale, really), then these worms, about 100–200
million of them, are cleaning up your mess.
Wastewater, millions of gallons of it, produced through normal winery operations flows out and is sprayed over
the beds of earthworms—each one 174 feet in length, 65 feet in width—where the worms do what comes naturally:
chomp through the wood chips (separating the biomass and water as they
go) and make more earthworms who also chomp and create even more
worms. The population starts at about 22 million early in the year and
balloons to as much as 200 million as they are fed by the flowing effluent If you're a wine drinker,
during peak harvest season. The worms process and filter the water then these worms,
through their bodies and microorganisms in the beds further break down about 100–200 million
the BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand)—a measure of biological material of them, are cleaning
present—until it is deemed clean enough to be pumped back out into the up your mess.
fields for irrigation where it returns to the aquifer and can go back into the
winery to be used in winery operations. Then the cycle starts all over again.
The process is nothing new, of course. A worm’s function in nature
for millions of years has been just this: processing and cleaning water so that it can cycle through the soil again.
BioFiltro, the company that installed the worm farm for O’Neill, just found ways to scale the process that are both
cleaner (with a lower carbon footprint) and less costly than other means. And in California, where regulation
governing winery wastewater disposal introduced in 2021 and going into effect over the next five years will affect
how thousands of wineries cycle their wastewater, sustainable and lower cost earthworms are an attractive option.
So, what is holding wineries back from adopting it? Most people just simply don’t believe worms can do this,
says Phil Castro, senior director of winery operations for O’Neill, who has become something of a vermiculture
evangelist, “It’s a leap of faith for some people, I believe.”
The reaction he gets is often, “Come on, really? A worm can do this?” Castro was skeptical at first himself: “I
didn’t become a true believer until after we did a full season study of a test pilot on site and saw what they were
truly capable of doing and seeing the results for myself. It’s going in at X and it’s coming out at Y.”
“It’s biomimicry at the end of the day,” says Mai Ann Healy, chief sustainability officer at BioFiltro, which now
counts about a dozen West Coast wineries, none of which are processing anywhere near the million gallons a day
O’Neill is, among the true believers; including Fetzer (now Bonterra Organic Estates), the first California winery
BIOFILTRO (5)
to adopt the system; Ehlers in Napa; Sleeping Giant in Carneros and Lynmar in Sebastopol. “We’re just really good
worm farmers,” she says. “The design of nature is that there is no waste. Waste is an error of human design. Instead,
nature just converts it into energy in the form of something else.”

SOUNDS FISHY
Not
all fish food starts this way. All beer does
though. It takes tons of grain for individual
producers to make finished beer and spirits.
Steeped or boiled in hot water, the malt
releases sugars that are fermented with yeast to create alcohol. Once
the liquid has been drained from the solids, breweries and distilleries
are left with an oatmeal-like substance—often referred to as spent
grain—that only has a few options for use.
A lot will wind up in landfills and other batches will be sent to
farms to be used for animal feed (who in turn sell butchered animals
back to brewery restaurants). Some grains will be composted.
Over the last several years companies in the aquafarming space
A growing number of breweries are cycling their have seen potential for brewers’ clean waste and have been finding
spent grains into aquaculture. ways to incorporate spent grain into food that can feed farm-raised
fish and shellfish.
“This can be meaningful change for our food supply chain,”
says Mario Mazza, general manager and vice president at Five & 20
Brewing and Distilling in Westfield, New York. When the company
was building its production space in the town along the shores of Lake
Erie, it partnered with another local
company, TimberFish Technologies,
which was working to turn clean
food waste into food for fish.
“When you see
More accurately, the technology the sheer amount
works to combine wood chips with of malt that is
waste, like spent grain, into suitable used and is piling
living conditions for worms and up, you want to
larvae that are then used to feed
find a practical
catfish, perch, trout, bass, shrimp
and more.
use for it.”
Because it’s located on the
same property as the brewery and
distillery, Mazza says that spent grain can be quickly transferred to
TimberFish. Through the process, they’ve raised between 10,000 and
20,000 pounds of fish and shrimp per year since starting.
“The taste trials were great,” he says.
The company says this is a scalable technology with facilities
that could harvest a million pounds of fish per year. Mazza says
that putting them near population centers can provide sustainable
seafood to the population without worry of microplastics or metals.
FoodChain in Lexington, Kentucky, previously used spent grain
from neighboring West Sixth brewery to directly feed its fish. There,
tanks are topped with greens, like lettuce, with roots in the water
that are fertilized by fish fecal matter.
“There is a desire for this,” says Rob Hunter, the malthouse
manager at the Vermont Malthouse. “We’re providing all this grain
to breweries and when you see the sheer amount of malt that is used
and is piling up, you want to find a practical use for it.”
DENIS FREITAS
With more than 9,000 breweries in the U.S. and 2,000 distilleries,
there’s a lot of spent grain available for feed, to say nothing of other
food waste from the hospitality industry. —John Holl

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LAKE EFFECT
THE WINES OF
LAGO DI BOLSENA,
Modern producers give fresh life to the vines and wines of this ancient Italian region.
High altitude and

volcanic soils give the
wines of Lago di Bolsena
a true sense of place.
On
his journey through the “There’s no need to perform magic or the radical difference in wines produced
afterlife described in the witchcraft—the lake and the territory just from grapes grown around Bolsena when
“Divine Comedy,” the jump out of the glass.” compared with the lush mouthfeel, density
medieval poet Dante Alighieri stumbles There is something magical about the and intense tannins that come out in wines
across a pope repenting in purgatory for place itself though, and it was a love-at- produced even just a tiny bit north at the
his gluttony. The church leader isn’t in first-sight experience with the lake that border with Tuscany, or 30 kilometers east
heaven yet, it turns out, as a result of his drew American-born Joy Kull to make near the city of Orvieto. Bolsena’s wines are
uncontrolled indulgence in eels cooked in wine here. The owner and winemaker at La fresh, lean, stony—the very definition of
white wine. More specifically, as Dante Villana, Kull notes that the vines of Lago di minerality—which is good news again given
takes pains to emphasize, eels and wine current trends that see drinkers moving
from Lago di Bolsena—the ancient crater away from fleshier, high alcohol “fruit
lake about 100 kilometers north of Rome bombs” and back toward more restrained,
celebrated for the delicacies produced in The wines of Lake Bolsena linear wines that deliver more subtlety.
and around it. In the 700 years that have can’t be like other wines, Trish Nelson, owner and winemaker at
passed since Dante’s writing, relatively and that’s what makes them La Gazzetta winery, similarly came from
little has changed around Lake Bolsena, afar (in her case, Australia) to make wine
worth drinking. here, and while she describes her arrival
including the wines, even if its fame has
unfairly declined. and decision to stay as more of a series of
To be sure, wine made here remains coincidences than a love story with the
extremely distinctive, and that’s thanks to Bolsena were still highly prized until quite lake, she settled in once she began to see
the lake’s “powerful, positive influence,” recently: “Tuscan winemakers used to buy how intensely and unapologetically the
as Pier Francesco Galassi, owner and the grapes, and even fight over them before place and its fruit expressed themselves:
winemaker at Vini La Carcaia, describes the price of fruit dropped.” Though Dante’s “I started out by wanting my wines to
it. That influence is characterized by contemporaries were willing to risk their taste a certain way and being disappointed
COURTESY OF JOY KULL
high altitudes, unusual wind patterns souls for the delicacies of Lake Bolsena, by when they didn’t.” Soon Nelson realized no
and black volcanic soil. This rare terroir the 20th century the wines began to fall amount of coaxing was going to work: The
so thoroughly influences the indigenous out of vogue, between thinning margins on wines of Lake Bolsena can’t be like other
Aleatico, Grechetto and Procanico grapes grapes and a global shift in tastes favoring wines, and that’s what makes them worth
that Galassi works with that he insists, bigger, bolder expressions. Kull underlines drinking. —Danielle Callegari

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Top 5 Top 5 Top 5
Hidden Gems Cellar Selections Best Buys
search
winemag.
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ratings. Our reviewers think You can count on These wines
you absolutely these bottles to age represent the highest
should try these beautifully. value wines we rated
atypical wines. for this issue.
94 98 94
Quinta Varzela Penfolds Michele Chiarlo
da Pedra Grange 2018 2020 Le Orme
2015 Grande Shiraz (South Barbera d’Asti
Reserva (Lisboa) Australia) abv: 14% Price: $18
abv: 14% Price: $64 abv: 14.5% Price: $850
94
Long Shadows
We blind taste a lot of
94 98
Herència Epoch 2019 2021 Poet’s
Altés NV Block B Syrah Leap Riesling
wine. Like, so much (see Trementinaire
Garnatxa Blanca
(Willow Creek
District)
(Columbia Valley)
abv: 12.5% Price: $20
below). This issue, we’re (Terra Alta) abv: 15.1% Price: $105
94
abv: 13.5% Price: $40
Mosnel NV
spotlighting the top-
97
Joh. Jos. Prüm Pas Dosè
94
Thomas T. 2020 Auslese (Franciacorta)
rated wines across Thomas 2020
Estate Grown
Gold Kapsule
Wehlener Sonnenuhr
abv: 12% Price: $20
three categories: five Pinot Noir (Anderson Riesling (Mosel)
93
Valley) Carlos Serres
abv: 7.5% Price: $146
2016 Reserva
that will give you abv: 13.4% Price: $70
(Rioja)
97
Casa Primicia
94
abv: 13.5% Price: $18
the most bang for Puppione
Family Wines
2015 Pensate
Special
your buck; five you’ll
93
2021 Intero Selection (Rioja) Allan Hancock
Don Miguel Vineyard 2021 Rosé
abv: 15% Price: $200
want to hang onto a Syrah (Russian River
Valley)
of Pinot Noir
(Santa Barbara
97
Donum 2020 County)
few years; and five abv: 13.5% Price: $45
East Slope
Single-Block
abv: 11.1% Price: $15
that are out of the

93
Ezio T. 2019 Reserve Pinot Noir
Terra del Noce (Carneros)
ordinary but well Barbera d’Asti
Superiore
abv: 14.1% Price: $140
worth trying. abv: 14.5% Price: $26
“This single-
FOR THIS ISSUE vineyard wine
ILLUSTRATION MARYSE CHEVRIERE/@FRESHCUTGARDENHOSE

pops on the
WE blind tasted 2,408 wines that nose with
scored 80 or above juicy aromas
of raspberry,
83 of those scored 95 or above
rosewater,
watermelon
gummy and
The average price of 90+-point wines: wet cement.”
$54
112 wines from Beaujolais, Languedoc-
Roussillon and Loire Valley scored 90+ points Turn to page 84 to see what
wine is being described
With an average price point of $39, these French wines
presented the best value
spirited
FINISHING MOVE
WINE AND WHISKEY DON’T ALWAYS MIX

Maybe that bourbon was already “finished” before it hit the Cabernet barrel.
BY KARA NEWMAN
I
love wine. I love whiskey, too. But from multiple barrels aged in various
a recent mega-tasting for Wine weather conditions. “A rookie would just One Cab-finished bourbon
Enthusiast tested those affections: throw it all in a Port cask and wait.”
Some of the least palatable were wine- Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s
tasted like a stick of Big Red
finished whiskeys. Director of Distilling & Whisky Creation, gum swirled in Robitussin.
To be fair, as spirits reviewer for a was a pioneer of finishing, starting in the
wine magazine, I probably get more wine- 1990s; even he acknowledges the technique
finished samples than most. (“Finishing” can be “tricky.”
here means matured whiskey is placed in a Like any good wine pairing, he explains. “You’d have cooling things
barrel that previously held another liquid— understanding which complements a on the side, like cucumber raita. It’s the
like wine—which can add nuanced flavor.) whiskey is integral to success, Lumsden same idea: big-flavored whiskey that has
Many have been outstanding: Finished notes. For example, he counts Ardbeg been matured in new oak, then finished in
in red wine casks from Bordeaux’s Pauillac Black, aged in New Zealand Pinot Noir barrels from big, full-bodied, high-alcohol
region, peaty Port Charlotte Scotch took on casks, as a particular success, since the wines like Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t
lively dark chocolate and smoked chipotle. assertive fruit stood up against the smoky always work.”
And Milam & Greene’s Port-finished rye Islay Scotch. By comparison, the softness of Knowing how much forethought and
was one of my favorites of 2022, layering unpeated Glenmorangie plays better with a expertise is needed, it’s easy to see why
peanut brittle and dried cherry tones. rich, sweet wine such as Sauternes (making so many experiments miss the mark. But
But for every rave, I find myself with Nectar d’Or bottling a honeyed delight). hear me out: Despite those wrong turns,
multiple wine-finished clunkers, like a When I told him that many of the wine-finished whiskeys have earned a
Cab-finished bourbon that tasted like a bottlings I’d hoped—but failed—to love place on any well-stocked bar cart. Chosen
stick of Big Red gum swirled in Robitussin. have been American whiskeys finished well, it can be one of the most satisfying
What makes the difference? in casks that held wines from the same pours around.
“Experience,” says Milam & Greene region, Lumsden offers a pithy diagnosis:
CEO and master blender Heather Greene; lack of balance.
GETTY IMAGES
Kara Newman has written several cocktail

that Port-finished rye I enjoyed was the “You wouldn’t have a red-hot Mexican
books. She reviews spirits for this magazine.
culmination of years honing her palate and chili con carne and eat it at the same time
@karanewman
relentlessly tweaking the final blend, drawn as you’re eating red-hot vindaloo curry,”

For
those of you who
have already They still didn’t provide my
basked in your
“holy crap, is this wine
epiphany wine
experience, allow me to congratulate you.
phenomenal” moment.
And if you are not sure if you have had
it or not, then it most definitely has not
happened, as it is unmistakably crystal
clear when it does occur. The beauty of the and started raving about it, I haven’t
epiphany wine moment is that you never stopped since.
know when that illuminating discovery What is this epiphany experience
of the senses will come and knock you off though? It can be an ethereal sniff and
your feet. sip of wine that mystically opens all your
If you don’t know if you’ve My moment came early on in my wine senses to how an incredible wine can
had your aha-wine or not journey, and as it happens would end up smell and taste. All those wine descriptors
leading me into wine as a career. I was living that you may have heard in the past that
yet, you haven’t. in New York City and going to school for probably sounded a little wacky, start to
my Master’s in Education while working to have meaning. The crushed rose petals,
BY
put myself through school. I had always the grilled bing cherry, the delicate and
MARSHALL TILDEN III
been interested in, and enjoyed, wine as harmonious balance of searing acidity and
part of our Sunday Italian family dinner sleek, silky tannins. It’s astonishing when a
ritual at my grandparents’ house. Of course, wine can turn on that sensory light bulb in
it was usually baskets of Chianti on the your head. It’s downright emotional.
table, but on special occasions my grandpa It also feeds into the potentially lifelong
would bust out a bottle of somewhat quest of replicating it. Wine lovers search
generic Burgundy—comparatively it was their whole lives trying to wrap their arms
a real treat. around another epiphany wine experience,
California reds were next; and, boy, but it is easier said than done.
were those wines eye opening. All that The moment the aha-wine passes your
fruit, oak and alcohol opened a whole lips it opens your eyes to the intricacies of
new world of flavors and textures. But the universe inside a grape, and you start to
they still didn’t provide my “holy crap, question and understand the differences in
is this wine phenomenal” moment. varietals, regions, terroir, ageing, vintages,
That happened at Spark’s Steak winemaking processes and cellaring. It
House in Manhattan where my family almost forces you into thinking while
was celebrating my dad’s birthday. you’re drinking to decode the mystical
He was feeling saucy that night and experience to determine what you love so
splurged for a bottle of 1986 Premier much about certain wines and why, and
Cru Gevrey-Chambertin, which at what you don’t enjoy and why not. Yet
that point was about 10 years old. when it comes to that one wine, the one
I swirled; I smelled; I sipped. that lit the fuse, there is no thought on
Then I think I passed out for several that one. It goes directly on the Janis Joplin
seconds. But when I came to, the berry theory of enology: “You know you got it, if
fruit flavors combined with the black it makes you feel good.”
pepper spice, floral notes and earthy,
mushroom undertones lingered unlike Marshall Tilden III hopes everyone feels the
anything I had experienced before. And elation of the epiphany wine sooner rather than
the unwavering creamy texture on the later. As head of the Wine Enthusiast Academy,
GETTY IMAGES
Wine Enthusiast’s WSET education program, he

palate is something I have yet to experience is helping usher them toward it.
again. It literally left me speechless
@westchesterwine
for about a minute, but once I came to

Oregon’s deep roots coalition
is asking fellow winemakers to
turn their irrigation spigots off
in the name of conservation
and quality—many are heeding
the call.
BY MICHAEL ALBERTY
As far as the history of wine-

making goes, drip irrigation
is a pretty new develop-
ment—going back only to
the late 1960s—and one a growing chorus of
winemakers and viticulturalists say is better left
behind. Oregon’s deep roots coalition (drc) has
been beating the dry farming drum in earnest
for nearly two decades. Led by a former scientist
and galvanized by the memory of the legendary
winemaker who started the movement, their
message is picking up steam. Driven by sustain-
ability principles and terroir, drc members
commit to halting irrigation once their new vines
bear fruit. They also agree not to make wines
with fruit purchased from vineyards that irrigate.

The Case for Quality Drop by Drop
“If you irrigate, you shouldn’t even get to talk In the late 1980s, Australian vintner Brian
about terroir,” says John Paul, drc cofounder, Croser arrived on the scene in Dundee. He
and owner-winemaker at Cameron Winery was persuasive when it came to promoting
in Dundee. Taking the hard line and cham- irrigation. In 1988, Croser convinced the
pioning growing vines with only the rainfall late Cal Knudsen to install the Willamette
that nature provides helps drc members to Valley’s first drip irrigation system in his
make what Paul claims are “the best wines estate vineyard atop the Dundee Hills.
in Oregon.” As irrigation spread in his own backyard,
Paul’s views on irrigation and the drc’s Paul was soon discussing dry farming with
roots trace back to mid- to late-1970s Cali- his friend, the late Russ Rainey of Evesham
fornia. Paul was living in the Bay Area when, Wood. The dynamic dry-farming duo soon
during his routine wine country drives, he used their wine labels to proudly advertise
noticed that new vineyards were popping their non-irrigated vines to consumers.
up all over Napa Valley. “Spurrier’s tasting To educate consumers and influence vine-
in Paris put Napa on the map, and suddenly yard owners, Paul decided to form a group to
investment money was flowing from San get the word out. “Russ was the idea man,
Francisco into the valley,” Paul says. and I was the action guy, so I started calling
He also noticed the new vineyards were
littered with irrigation lines, the use of which Water scarcity, people like Mike Etzel at Beaux Frères, Doug
Tunnell at Brick House and David Lett at The
had exploded. While Paul suspected irriga-
tion was meant to maximize yields and speed whether caused Eyrie Vineyards,” Paul says.
The loose-knit dry-farming group
investment returns, he knew it would also founded by Rainey and Paul went name-
alter the quality of the fruit. Paul remembers
thinking, “These plants, with their massive
by drought, less until 2006 when Paul’s assistant Kyle
Cheney cheekily suggested a “deep roots
canopies, are just going to generate sucrose
[sugar] that will go straight to the grape.”
population coalition.” Paul insisted on using lower-case
letters to avoid confusion with Domaine de
And he’s done the work to back up the claim.
At that time, Paul was a postdoc at U.C.
growth la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy. So far, no
letters written on French legal stationery
Berkeley. His mentor Melvin Calvin won
the 1961 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his
outstripping have arrived at drc headquarters.
The name also draws attention to the
work using radioactive isotopes and chro-
matography to trace carbon’s path during demand, benefits of forcing a vine’s roots deep into
the ground to find water. Paul says irrigated
the stages of photosynthesis. Calling it his
“greatest contribution to academia,” Paul or supply vines are physiologically different from dry-
farmed vines because they stay close to the
used Calvin’s equipment for an experiment surface, where they find more nutrients than
that showed that grape leaves transport
only sucrose to the rest of the plant. As the
disruptions they would deep in the subsoil. He credits
this nutritional boost with larger crops and
sucrose molecule enters a grape, an enzyme
cleaves it into its component parts of glucose
due to faulty diminished fruit quality. Rainey agreed,
believing irrigating and training vines to
and fructose.
Thoughts of irrigation faded when Paul
reservoirs and remain near the surface was as detrimental
to fruit quality as overcropping.
traded academia for winemaking and even-
tually moved to Dundee Hills, Oregon. There
infrastructure, Jim Prosser, a drc member and owner
of J.K. Carriere, concurs with this logic.
he was surrounded by the irrigation-free
vineyards of the relatively wet Willamette will be difficult “Dry-farmed vines seem more likely to hang
smaller clusters, with smaller berries and
Valley. That dry-farming utopia lasted just a
to avoid therefore more concentration. Honestly,
SHUTTERSTOCK
few short years. I’m not really looking to make wines of less
concentration.”

Early signs of trouble in the Willamette
Valley include wells being dug on new vine-
yard properties that aren’t hitting water in
some locations. “Water is not a slam dunk
in these hills; it is a scarce commodity. Our
Clockwise from left:
aquifers are definitely going down, likely due
A young John Paul, to heavy irrigation. What’s happening in
who would later go
on to lead the drc,
in the lab; the late,
great drc cofounder
Russ Rainey;
Tyson Crowley,
drc president and
owner of Crowley
Wines
Quality issues were kept in the back-

ground when the drc first started, much
to Paul’s chagrin. “I wanted to get in
people’s faces about high-alcohol wines
and quality, but Russ always suggested
taking it easy.” Rainey and Paul agreed
on the quality issue but, says Paul, “Russ
was a diplomat who wanted to empha-
size sustainability issues early on to
avoid confrontations.”
Erin Nuccio, Rainey’s former assis-
tant and current Evesham Wood owner,
says the idea of wasting water on a crop
that didn’t need it never made sense to
Rainey. He recalls a favorite Rainey line:
“If there’s not sufficient water to grow
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: COURTESY OF JOHN PAUL (2); COURTESY OF SUZANNE BAYARD
grapevines, perhaps that land is better

suited to grow something like onions.”
California is coming here,” Paul warns.
A Dry Outlook Tyson Crowley is drc president and owner
Rainey and Paul made a great team, ford, California, which joined in late 2022 of Crowley Wines. He says it would be arro-
despite being polar opposites in many ways. and is notably the first member outside gant for the drc to think they are the only
Rainey came from a retail wine background in Oregon. With Rainey’s death this past July, wine group thinking about water issues like
the Midwest, with a reserved, calm manner. the drc looks to honor his diplomatic legacy these—and surely they are not, though they
Paul came to winemaking from the scientific as they approach new challenges, such as have set a model for cooperation in the face
world with a high-octane personality. One water scarcity. of a changing environment. He is moving to
thing they did have in common: sharp minds. The drc’s position has always been that reach out to other wine regions in Oregon
“When they got together, you could almost while irrigation may remain feasible over the and states like California and Washington
see the brain cells bouncing around the space next 10, 20 or 30 years, it is an unsustainable to learn more about their local water issues
between them,” Nuccio says. practice over the long term. They say that and needs.
Paul concedes that Rainey’s diplomatic water scarcity, whether caused by drought, Crowley acknowledges it will be a chal-
approach was the right move. It helped boost population growth outstripping demand, or lenging and contentious path where some of
drc membership from six to more than 30 supply disruptions due to faulty reservoirs that old Rainey diplomacy will likely come
wineries, including Frog’s Leap in Ruther- and infrastructure, will be difficult to avoid. in handy.

MORGAN RACHEL LEVY/REDUX
PHOTO CREDIT

Waterways can nourish or destroy acres of vineyards,
and there has never been a more urgent need to find the
balance between viticulture and nature.
BY KRISTEN RICHARD
W
hat do Bordeaux, Loire, Mosel, Rhine, Rhône, Douro, Napa, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Tokaj
and the Wachau all have in common? If you said they are all major wine regions split by
rivers or laced with tributaries, pour yourself a glass of wine.
It may seem obvious, but wine wouldn’t exist without water. And rivers deliver it.
For centuries that has meant soil, sediment, nutrients, warming and cooling influ-
ences, and, of course, water, all traveling along riverbanks. According to the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), today the United States alone has more than 3 million miles of rivers and streams—and many of those
miles have historically made agriculture, including viticulture, possible. But with development, climate change,
pollution and a myriad of other factors, these rivers might be in major trouble.

The Napa River
Learning from Past Mistakes
“The Napa River is the lifeblood of the Napa Valley,” says Will Drayton, director of technical viticulture, sustainability and
research at Treasury Americas, a division of Treasury Wine Estates. Running around 50 miles from Mt. St. Helena in the
north and spilling into the San Pablo Bay, the Napa River is home to plants, endangered critters and some of the most valu-
able acreage of grapevines in the country.
Since the first European colonists arrived in Napa in 1823, the river has faced a series of degradations. For instance, the
beavers, whose dams create wetlands near the riverbanks, which help regulate flooding, had their populations decimated by
hunters in the 1840s. Dams, such as the York Dam, were constructed in the 1800s and onward to mitigate flooding. However,
the manmade versions didn’t do such a great job: There were a recorded 21 major floods from 1862 onward.
When it comes to the Napa River, “I’ve seen three phases in my lifetime,” says Tom Gamble, proprietor of Gamble Family
Vineyards, who grew up along its banks and is a major proponent of the Napa River Restoration Project.
As a child in the 1960s, Gamble saw what he calls the “first phase,” when the river was radically altered “the old-fash-
ioned way” by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as Napa entered an era of unbridled development. Trees were
burned to the ground, offshoot streams and tributaries were filled in and large levees to “protect” properties from flooding
were built. “I remember the black smoke in the heat of the fires and the smell and the noise of all these giant pieces of equip-
ment. That’s the way we were managing the river,” he says.
“There has always been tension between the Napa River and people who live and work next to it,” says Drayton. “On one
hand, the river provides the water to sustain agriculture and the way of life, and on the other, there [have been] devastating
floods and damage that have happened regularly throughout modern history.”
COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM TOP: PAUL KURODA (3); SARAH ANNE RISK

With every effort to control the river, the floods worsened.
“Farms along the river would build levees to reduce the immediate flood risk on their side of the river, but that just
pushes the water to the other bank during the next storm, forcing their neighbor to build up,” says Drayton. “As the levees
grew higher, they constrained the river’s flow, causing significant erosion and making future breaks even more devastating.”
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), between 1961 and 1997 there were a total of 19 floods
that led to deaths and evacuations and equaled $542 million in damages.
With the absence of native vegetation, the riverbanks became host to invasive plants, such as Himalayan blackberry and
periwinkle, which harbor pests like Pierce’s disease that kill grapevines. “There’s always going to be Pierce’s disease,” says
Gamble, “but instead of being just an incidental problem it was a contagion.”
In 1962, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson was published and helped kickstart the environmental movement in the U.S. In
1968, Napa established the Agriculture Preserve, further pushing the environmental movement in the area. But as the move-
ment took hold in the late ’70s, Napa entered what Gamble calls the second or “no-touch” phase of the river. The general
consensus at the time was, if the river was finally left alone, it would restore itself back to its natural state.
So, it sat—for nearly 20 years, according to Gamble, its banks overrun with invasive species and missing many
of the creatures—both land and aquatic—it had once supported.
“Nature was not healing itself. It was declining even further,” says Gamble. By the late ’90s Gamble and a coali-
tion of vintners decided to take action. “It took a lot of quiet conversation outside of the media glare,” he says.
But it worked. In 1998, Napa County Measure A was passed, creating the Napa Flood Protection and Watershed
Improvement Expenditure Plan, which includes a local half-cent sales tax that goes toward restoring the river as
well as flood management. Invasive species were ripped out and replaced with native plants like oaks and willow
trees. Levees were removed, which allowed for more gentle flooding—rather than just allowing water pressure to
build, which had caused such catastrophic flooding.
The result? “The flooding is less severe, and the river can do what it’s meant to: gravel onto the hills, shade
the river with its trees, sequester carbon and become a biodiversity node again,” says Dayton.
Along with the decrease in flooding, vintners saw vineyard diseases decrease rapidly. “I think that the imme-
diate reduction in Pierce’s disease is huge because that has a direct economic impact,” says Gamble. Steelhead
and other species that hadn’t been seen in the river for decades have also slowly began to reemerge.
One unintended consequence Gamble doesn’t seem to mind so much: The river has become home to the
beavers once again—who have some pretty expensive taste in building materials and have taken to adorning their
dams with his Oakville Cabernet vines.

Clockwise from
top: The Napa River
winds through
Gamble Family
Vineyards in
Oakville; proprietor
Tom Gamble;
Gamble checks
on Napa River
Restoration Project
progress; work
continues

The Colorado River
A Story of Outdated Legislation
“This year, I can walk across the Colorado River in my irrigation boots. That shouldn’t
happen,” says Neil Guard, vineyard manager at Avant Vineyards, which is located in the
Grand Valley AVA and depends on the Colorado River for irrigation.
Unfortunately, the dwindling supply of water is not at all surprising.
“The Colorado River is physically 19% smaller than it was just 20 years ago. And by 2050,
it could be 30% smaller [than it is now],” says Sinjin Eberle, communications director and
executive producer at American Rivers, citing a scientific study done in 2017. According to
the organization, the Colorado River “provides drinking water for 40 million people, irri-
gates 5 million acres of farm and ranch land and supports a $1.4 trillion economy.” And
this water isn’t just going to the state of Colorado. It’s transported to New Mexico, Utah,
Wyoming, Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico. “No other river has to take that kind of
pressure from that much population,” says Eberle.
Whitewater Hill Vineyards also depends on the Colorado to irrigate their vines. “We
have converted to micro-sprinkler irrigation,” says Melanie Wick, co-owner of Whitewater
Hill Vineyards. “So that allows us to use less water.”
Being so close to the headwaters of the river, grape growers in the Grand Valley AVA
may not feel the impacts of the Colorado River’s decreased size yet. But if legislation
doesn’t change, this could be a different story.
“In the Colorado basin, about 80% of the water used is used by agriculture,” says
COURTESY OF WHITEWATER HILL VINEYARDS (4)
Clockwise from top:

Eberle. “And often, much of that water is returned to the river. A farmer takes a bunch of
Whitewater Hill
Vineyards depends water out, runs the water through fields, and at the bottom of the fields it flows back into
on the Colorado the river. That’s called return flow. That’s how it works for the majority of the basin. But
River for irrigation;
when you take water out of the river, and you move it to another place like Denver, then
own-rooted Syrah
and Cabernet that water never returns to the river.”
Sauvignon Why is the Colorado’s water in such high demand? Because of the outdated 1922 Colo-
rootstock trials
rado River Allocation Act, which was done after looking at river levels based on some of
next to peaches
facing north; self- the wettest years in our recent history.
rooted Viognier; “So, they over-allocated what is in the Colorado River,” says
early phase of
Guard. “[You] can’t really give away more than you have.”
rootstock trials
There’s also been less snow, meaning less snowpack in the moun-
tains. “A way to think about our reservoir in the West is as this
massive snowpack in the Rocky Mountains that holds all of our
water through the winter and slowly releases it over the course of
the growing season,” says Deborah Kennard, PhD, professor of envi-
ronmental science and technology at Colorado Mesa University. “It’s
the perfect reservoir of freshwater.”
Generally, the Colorado River gets 85% of water from snowpack.
“So, in years of low snowpack, there’s less water in the river. Summer
rains don’t contribute much since storms are localized,” says Kennard.
Some vineyards are also contending with massive sediment runoff
into the rivers due to the hotter, more intense wildfires the West is
experiencing. “Debris that’s in that water overwhelms your irrigation
pond,” says Bob Witham, co-owner of Two Rivers Winery and Chateau.
“Now you have to hire somebody to come in with a tractor with a blade
or with a bucket and haul it away. So, it’s really an expense issue. And
then it can be overwhelming to your filtration system.”

The Snake River, Idaho
Water Rights and the Whole Big Dam
Question
“The wine industry would not exist without the river,” says James Holes-
insky, owner of Holesinsky Vineyard and Winery, on the Snake River.
The Snake River originates in Wyoming—near the Yellowstone and
Grand Teton national parks—then flows through Idaho and ultimately
makes its way through Oregon and Washington into the Columbia River.
Like the Colorado, the Snake faces increased allocated water needs.
But its resources are running dry—literally, as the western U.S. is in an
extended drought.
“When there are droughts, it can get contentious in terms of water
rights, and how water is allocated,” says Josh Johnson, senior conserva-
tion associate of the Idaho Conservation League.
“Long-term or severe droughts could affect our ability to draw water
and irrigate,” says Jake Cragin, farmer at Winemakers LLC. “I haven’t run
into that situation in all my years of farming; not to say it can’t happen.
Idaho as well as, heck, the whole West has been in long-term drought.”
The system of water rights in Idaho is complex. But, for many farmers,
it boils down to first come, first served for those with “senior rights” and
“junior rights.” Those with senior rights get their water first and their
full allocated amount. Those with junior water rights get theirs second,
meaning if there is ever a severe enough drought, they may not get their
water at all.
There are also a series of dams along the Snake River, which are contro-
versial. On one hand, they provide clean, cheap energy and allow vine-
yards to pull adequate water for irrigation. But they’ve also decimated
the salmon population, and according to Johnson, increase algae blooms,
which can make the water toxic for drinking.
TOP: SHUTTERSTOCK; BOTTOM: KIM FETROW/VISIT IDAHO (3)
It All Flows Downstream

Along with some of the world’s greatest wine regions, many cities were
built on riverways, so the issues go far beyond growing grapes. “More than
two thirds of the people in the United States get their drinking water from
rivers,” says American Rivers’ Eberle.
Nature’s entire house of cards is built on them. They support countless
plants, animals and other forms of wildlife.
“Rivers are more than just places to get water,” says Eberle. “They are
ways that connect all of us, all the time.”

Clockwise from top:
Shoshone Falls on
Snake River is fed in
the spring by snow
melt and the flow
reduces in the fall
when a portion of
the river is diverted
for irrigation; the
Snake runs through
Parma Ridge Winery’s
vineyards; Skyline
Vineyards; Parma
Ridge vineyards

Discover Casablanca and Leyda—
two cool, coastal Chilean regions
fed by the Humboldt current
where sustainable and organic
practices yield vibrant wines.
B Y J E S I C A VA R G A S
C
asablanca and Leyda are acquiring a reputation as
producers of world-class Sauvignon Blanc—some of
which rival that of the iconic expression from New
Zealand. But at the same time, they have identified
unique characteristics of their specific terroir that
are site-specific expressions with a true sense of place.
In these two valleys, located along the Pacific coastline, the
Humboldt current, morning fog and granitic soils help shape flavor
profiles of the wines produced.
Adding to the quality of these wines are the organic, biody-
namic and regenerative practices utilized by an increasing number
of growers—especially as climate change continues to evolve and
affect the region. They affirm that this is the best way to face this
challenge and, at the same time, make better wines.
TOM ARENA

CASABLANCA
Camanchaca is the local word for the fog that rolls in from the Pacific this environment. The valley’s lower temperatures and overcast days
and covers the land in the early morning. As it’s blown away by the cold- allow for a longer ripening period, positively influencing grape chemistry
water Humboldt current that originates from Antarctica and sweeps and thus the resulting wines: “Natural acidity is higher, pH is lower and
through coastal lands, one can spy the Coastal Mountain range to the because the production of sugar is low, the grapes make more balanced
east and the expansive surrounding valley that is Casablanca. wines,” says Bertelsen.
“Casablanca is a cool-climate coastal valley influenced by the Sauvignon Blanc wines from the valley offer an aromatic nose and
Humboldt cold-water current that, in this section of the continent, flavors of citrus and tropical fruit alongside elevated acidity. There is
cools the wind that blows from west to east,” says Gonzalo Bertelsen, ripeness, but also freshness. “The soils in this region are older than those
winemaker at Veramonte. “The mornings are usually cloudy. At noon of the Andes Mountains and are composed of granite. This also provides a
ocean breezes blow off the fog and the sun shines over Casablanca.” sense of minerality and tension to our coastal wines,” he adds.
Sauvignon Blanc, a variety sensitive to heat and light, thrives well in Bertelsen further equates the region’s high quality wine production to

Camanchaca
blows in from the
Pacific Ocean
the ability of growers to adhere to sustainable viticultural practices. For amid climate change means farming organically and biodynamically,
its part, Veramonte has certified all its vineyards as organic and, starting as these viticultural practices allow their soils to capture and retain
with the 2023 vintage, wines will also be certified biodynamic. more water throughout the growing season, meaning less total irriga-
COURTESY OF VIÑEDOS VERAMONTE
For the last decade, Casablanca has become increasingly affected by tion is required.
drought, meaning it’s now more difficult to access water for irrigation. In “We believe that good balance and the best fruit can be achieved
a region where dry farming isn’t always an option, this poses a real threat by farming organically,” agrees Bertelsen. “Farming Sauvignon Blanc
to producers who are focused on high-yield grape growing. “Growing organically improves canopy health by allowing better ventilation. Since
grapes for massive wine production will be unfeasible in Casablanca,” the canopy is balanced, the fruit-set process is healthy, too. The berries
says Julio Bastías, head winemaker at Matetic Vineyards. “The future lies are smaller and concentrate more flavors.” As a result, the winemaker
in small wine production with focus on high quality wines.” confirms that Sauvignon Blanc wines made with organic grapes “have
For the winemaking team at Matetic Vineyards, achieving quality more complexity and more aromatic layers.”

LEYDA VALLEY
Because of its proximity to the Pacific, Leyda Valley experiences even On the palate, these wines have a lasting and crunchy acidity.
cooler temperatures than Casablanca and, as a result, produces “This is a result of cloudy skies that stop sunlight from hitting the
Sauvignon Blanc wines with vibrant acidity and a citric and herbal grape skins directly, preserving natural acidity,” explains Navarrete.
character that makes them more similar to New Zealand wines than Diego Rivera, winemaker at Viña Garcés Silva, explains that the
those of its coastal neighbor. region’s soil—not just climate—plays an important role in the wines’
However, resembling the wines of New Zealand isn’t necessarily vivacity as well. Soils with more clay inclusion “tend to produce
what winemakers are aiming for. “Why follow a recipe that is not vigorous Sauvignon Blanc with more herbal and citric character.”
ours?” says Viviana Navarrete from Viña Leyda. “As winemakers, our Soils with a larger presence of rock near the surface produce more
goal is to make wines that talk about the place they come from.” austere expressions with subtle fruit flavors. “In these wines the
“Sauvignon from Leyda have a more austere nose than those focus is on the texture,” he says, referring to the distinct minerality
of Marlborough, but they are very elegant,” she continues. “They found in the wines produced from these areas.”
are herbaceous with aromas of fresh cut grass, cedar, vervain and Viña Garcés Silva is practicing regenerative farming with the goal
intense citric notes such as lime, grapefruit and tangerine followed of improving soil health and biodiversity—creating an environment
by salt.” with more life both amid the vines and within the soil system. “This
Viña Garcés Silva is practicing regenerative

farming with the goal of improving soil health and
biodiversity—creating an environment with more life
both amid the vines and within the soil system.
is very important not only because having living soils keeps
our vineyards in good health, but because it benefits the
ecosystem as a whole in the short and long term,” says Rivera.
Rivera confirms that, thanks to their conscientious viticul-
tural practices, grapes are ripening more slowly and evenly.
“We have seen more complexity in the wines.”
Rivera also comments that the number of producers in
the region incorporating sustainable farming methods—
including organic, biodynamic and regenerative methods—is
increasing. Given the benefits to grape quality, the resulting
wines and, most importantly, the environment, he hopes
that this kind of viticulture will become a characteristic and
a standard of Leyda wine culture.
Sunset at Garcés Silva

COURTESY OF GARCÉS SILVA

BY CHRISTINE CHITNIS
COURTESY OF ARCADIA BLUFFS GOLF CLUB

Secret Swimming Spots
Taking a dip at Old Mission State Park with
T
owering sand dunes to the health of its waterways—a Sean O’Keefe, Head Winemaker, Mari Vineyards
plunge steeply into the critical resource, even in a region
clear waters of Lake that appears to have more than Swimming locales are kept under tight wraps, but there is one
Michigan at Sleeping enough. You needn’t look further trick of the trade worth sharing. Depending on which way the wind
Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, than the ongoing Flint Water Crisis blows, warm water pools in the harbors and coves around Old
while in the distance sleek sailboats to understand that Michigan, Mission Peninsula—Haserot Beach and Lighthouse Park are great
cut through the turquoise waves. though surrounded by fresh water, swim spots—and once you’ve lived here a long time, as O’Keefe
Endless rows of cherry trees and faces serious public health and has, you get a read on it. The water is inviting from May through
bucolic farmland greet the eye as environmental issues, much of it November as long as the air is warm, and a chilled bottle of Mari
you drive from one charming small rooted in deteriorating infrastruc- Vineyards’ lush, citrus-leaning Late Harvest Riesling suits the
town to the next along winding ture, government misconduct and mood no matter the season.
country roads. Culinary standouts social inequality. The Great Lakes
such as Traverse City’s Farm Club, ecosystem, which contains roughly
The Cooks’ House and Modern 20% of the world’s fresh water, also
Bird offer diners locally sourced, faces myriad conservation issues,
inventive cuisine paired with exciting including the effects of aquatic
wine lists. Paddle boarders, water invasive species, coastal develop-
skiers, windsurfers, kayakers, slushie ment, climate change, overfishing,
surfers, wake boarders and other contamination of watersheds due to
freshwater fans delight in the golden runoff, erosion and over-farming—
sandy beaches and lakes large unfortunately, that is merely the tip
and small. The glittering shores of of the iceberg.
Northern Michigan have long drawn “The very reason that we’re able
Midwestern summer crowds eager to grow grapes this far into
to soak in all the area has to offer. the interior of the continent
Add to the list of attractions increas- is because of the water,” says
ingly acclaimed wines produced in winemaker Sean O’Keefe of
the Great Lakes region. Mari Vineyards. “Being here
In recent years, the relocation of on Old Mission Peninsula,
talented winemakers from Napa, there’s no vineyard view that
Bordeaux and the Willamette doesn’t offer a glimpse of
Valley coupled with the presence the water.” It is a constant
of long lauded local vintners reminder of the responsibility
has added to the Great Lakes’ that comes with growing in
luster. Situated along the 45th these parts. Dave Bos of Bos
parallel—a distinction shared with Wine in Elk Rapids says, “I’ve
notable winemaking localities, been growing organic and
including France’s Burgundy and biodynamic wine for the past
Italy’s Piedmont—the freshwater 13 years in Napa, and when
shoreline and glacial soils shape I moved back to Michigan I
the character of the wines. The had a vision of making world
area’s three AVAs—each with its class wine and changing
own unique grape-growing terroir— farming in the region to create a
include the Leelanau Peninsula, healthier system.”
which stretches from Sleeping Bear Perhaps the best way to Paddle Out
Sand Dunes to the western arm of appreciate the natural beauty Kayaking Elk Rapids Day Park with Dave Bos, Owner and
Grand Traverse Bay, straddling two and fragility of the Great Lakes— Winemaker, Bos Wine
bodies of water (Lake Leelanau besides sampling its tantalizing
and Lake Michigan); Old Mission wines—is to get out on the water. In the summer months, when it stays light well past 10 p.m., dinner on the
Peninsula, situated just across the Here, some of the biggest names in beach is the preferred way to end the day. Bos stocks the cooler, stows the
LEFT: CHRISTINE CHITNIS
bay from Leelanau; and the state’s the Northern Michigan wine world kayaks in the back of the truck (you can also rent boats from Bayfront Beach
newest AVA, Tip of the Mitt. share their favorite places to play and Bike) and heads to Elk Rapids Day Park, a family friendly beach with picnic
Michigan’s fate and the vitality of on, over, around and, of course, in tables and grills—not to mention great paddling. Bos Wine Garden, a few miles
its vineyards are inextricably linked the water. down the street from the beach, offers tasting flights paired with dips and
charcuterie boards (and a less sandy dining option).

The Great Lakes
ecosystem,
which contains
roughly 20%
of the world’s
fresh water, also
faces myriad
conservation
issues.
TOP: SEAN O’KEEFE; BOTTOM: COURTESY OF ARCADIA
Local Links
Golfing at Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club with Doug Olson,
Director of Winemaking and Grape Growing,
Boathouse Vineyards
With sweeping panoramic views of Lake Michigan and natural sand

dunes incorporated into the links, Arcadia Bluffs is a bucket-list
BLUFFS GOLF CLUB
course that lucky locals play regularly. As a public course, all are
welcome. Nearby Traverse City is the place to stop for a bite to eat:
Boathouse Restaurant, Modern Bird, The Cooks’ House, Trattoria
Stella are all favorites of Olson’s.

“We’re four-
season flyers.
There are lots
of advantages
to cold weather
flying, not just
for what you
see but how you
experience flight.”
—Nicole White

High Flying
Floating over Lake Leelanau with Nicole White, Owner,
Dune Bird Winery
Taking to the skies in a floatplane offers a new perspective on the area’s

immense beauty and a bird-eye view of the seasonal changes. You may see the
snow receding to reveal spring’s greenery, or careen over shores alight with the
fiery rich colors of autumn. Lake Leelanau’s colors shift from Caribbean blue in
the shallows to deep cerulean. Once back on land, White will commemorate a
flight with a bottle of one of Dune Bird’s aviation themed reds: AV8, a rich, dry
red that marries Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah varietals and Woolsey’s
Red, a robust blend of Blaufränkisch and Merlot.
TOP AND LEFT: NICOLE WHITE; RIGHT: GETTY IMAGES
Happy Trails
Mountain biking at Glacial Hills Pathway and Natural Area
with Thomas Houseman, Winemaker, 2 Lads Winery
Tucked between Torch Lake and Lake Bellaire you’ll find 31.5 miles of
Michigan’s finest mountain biking and hiking trails. During the warmer
months, this forested area is a mushroom forager’s paradise if you know where
to look. Houseman has found morels, oyster mushrooms, hen-of-the-woods
and chanterelles galore. Which incidentally pairs perfectly with a chilled bottle
of 2 Lads Winery’s versatile Cabernet Franc Blanc.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY FOOD STYLING BY PROP STYLING BY
R O B E R T B R E D VA D TA K A K O K U N I Y U K I PA I G E H I C K S

Distillers are drawing Gin’s Nautical Roots
If
inspiration from the briny, that sounds very different from the usual
savory flavors of the ocean. pine- or citrus-forward gins, that’s exactly

what these distillers have in mind.
In recent years, gin producers have
It’s easy to forget that Brooklyn is bound really leaned into unusual botanicals beyond
by the Atlantic Ocean. But here was the boundaries of classic London dry. But many
a reminder: visiting Halftone Spirits, sea-inspired gins push harder than ever, from a
located in Brooklyn’s Gowanus neighbor- myriad of gins featuring kelp, sea lettuces and
hood and finding owner and head distiller other seaweeds to piscatory varieties made with
Andrew Thomas measuring two types of oysters, squid ink (England’s Dr. Squid, a color-
seaweed to add a subtle umami flavor to changing novelty gin), lobster (Homard and
his SVQ Gin, named for the airport code Lobstar Gins, both from Belgium) and pinches
for Seville, Spain—a country on the other of sea salt (Jin Môr Sea Salt Gin, from Wales).
side of the Atlantic. Unfortunately, not all are available in the U.S.
Wild Icelandic kelp adds peppery, briny With all that splashing about, they’re each
notes—“it smells to me like pure ocean,” still considered gin.
Thomas says—while frilled purple leaves “Gin has no rules, aside from the juniper,”
of Drillisk dulse seaweed, sourced from observes Manya Rubinstein of The Industrious
Ireland, are pungent, earthy, with an Spirit Company (ISCO), which is developing a
almost fishy exhale as I nibble a dried leaf gin infused with oysters and kelp. “There’s so
that escapes the gin basket. much you can do with it.”
This is just one of a growing number of That’s right: While juniper must be included
BY gins featuring oceanic botanicals designed to label a spirit as “gin,” there are no restrictions
KARA to add subtle salinity and seaside breezi-

ness to martinis and other drinks.
on any other ingredients used to lend fragrance
and flavor. “Botanical”—a word typically relating
NEWMAN to plants—is the catch-all term used, but there’s
no specification in either the E.U., U.K. or U.S.
regulations that says they must be plant-based.
So, bivalves and other sea creatures are fair
game to flavor gin.
Some say there’s ample historical precedent
for ocean-inspired gins.
“When you go back to the origins of gin,
it does indeed have a nautical and maritime
component to it,” notes distiller Marsh Mokhtari
of Gray Whale Gin, which features foraged
Mendocino kombu, among other California-
based botanicals (including Big Sur juniper plus
mint, fir, lime and almonds) in its citrusy, faintly
saline spirit.
“When the Dutch introduced genever (the
precursor to modern-day gin) to the U.K., it
became so popular that British naval sailors
would receive one pint of gin as their daily rations.
So, it does make sense that gin producers would
be inspired by the ocean.”
Merroir
A
big part of the draw: These oceanic
ingredients evoke a sense of place.
That place may be as vast as the
entire ocean. Consider the newly

MORE
GIN-SPIRATION
• Rétha Oceanic Gin
• Nautical American Gin
• Fundy Gin
• Gin de las Californias Nativo
• Edinburgh Seaside Gin

released ’66 by Norwegian: The cruise-line gin friendly drink pairings.
includes the soft vegetal notes of Salicornia “I think people are really excited about more
seaweed (also known as sea beans or samphire) savory cocktails and more briny cocktails,” says
to give a coastal vibe. Others, like Halftone, use ISCO’s Rubinstein. “It’s a fun flavor to play with.”
ocean botanicals to evoke faraway places; their The broad nature of the category means a wide
SVQ gin, part of a series of limited-edition gins variety of flavors, from briny and bright to smoky
that nod to locales around the world, draws and savory.
inspiration from the “savory salinity” of food and Another impetus: Developments in aqua-
drink from Spain’s Galician coast, folding that in culture—including an uptick in seaweed and
with Seville orange peel, woody olive leaf and oyster farms—mean greater availability of
white peppercorn. these underwater ingredients, which in turn
But the vast majority strives to draw in local speaks to the spirits industry’s growing focus
flavor—instead of earthbound terroir, a sense on sustainability.
of “merroir,” derived from the French word mer, “From a global perspective, 98% of farmed
meaning “sea.” Typically, the portmanteau is seaweed is from Asia,” notes Bailey Moritz, aqua-
used to describe the flavor of bivalves, but gin- culture program officer with World Wildlife Fund.
makers are starting to co-opt the term, too. But over the past few years, seaweed farming
“We’re leaning into celebrating our little has picked up significantly in Europe and the
oceanic merroir and playing up those coastal U.S., notably Alaska and along the West Coast
briny aspects,” says ISCO’s Rubinstein. Located of the U.S. Mild sugar kelp, bull kelp and red
in Providence, Rhode Island (the Ocean State), seaweeds, like savory dulse (“bacon of the sea,”
ISCO made a splash in 2021 with its Ostreida Moritz jokes), are among the popular farmed
Oyster Vodka, made with oysters sourced from varieties in the U.S.
small producers in New England, New York State Similarly, oyster farming is on the rise. “It’s
and beyond, and plans to follow that with an another way that people can make money on
oyster gin in late 2023. the water if things like fishing are not working
Elsewhere, Scotland’s Isle of Bute Distillery out,” Moritz explains. Plus oysters have been
uses oysters sourced from Loch Fyne in its briny proven to help filter out particulates and clean
Oyster Gin, along with coriander, seaweed and the water where they reside. It also doesn’t hurt
cucumber. The distillery lays claim to creating that oysters are considered a high-value product:
the world’s first commercial oyster gin, debuting “They’re sought after for their merroir … oysters,
in 2018; it remains the distillery’s first and most they all have their story to tell,” says Moritz.
popular offering. With so many ocean species, “people are
“It feeds in with the provenance of being a recognizing that there’s untapped potential,”
seaside, island-based, more rural area,” says Moritz observes. Amid worries about climate
cofounder Jack Madigan-Wheatley. change and the sustainability of farming on land,
The shells and seawater (aka oyster liquor), “people are more actively seeking food they can
but not the oyster meat, are used; after an initial feel good about. We’re facing challenges, and
test batch that included the full bivalve. “We kelp and seafood can be a solution for that.”
realized putting raw fish into the still was a really What could be next? Moritz sees a rise
bad idea,” Madigan-Wheatley says. “The place in farming of scallops, clams, mussels and
absolutely stank; for weeks the distillery was lobster. Will these lead the next wave of sea-
absolutely unbearable.” inspired gins?
Truly, anything could be possible. After all,
“gin is not just a singular category,” Thomas
muses later, in Halftone’s graffiti-adorned
“Gin has
Cocktails & Creativity tasting room, as I sample the earthy SVQ gin,
accented with hints of licorice and mint.
no rules,
One aside
of the key drivers behind Indeed, many of the distillers working with
the spate of sea-centric underwater sea life seem to recognize the
from the
gins: savory cocktails, same offbeat holy grail: the specter of pechuga,
like the Dirty Martini. Mexico’s tradition of distilling mezcal with raw
While bartenders have long created infusions chicken breast or other meats to celebrate a
with kitchen-sourced ingredients, these
commercial bottlings are a recent development,
bountiful harvest season.
“Eventually,” Thomas says, “someone’s going
juniper.”
helping to speed such cocktails, as well as food- to do a pechuga of gin with a whole fish.”

In Marennes-Oléron, France,
oysters are finished in these
ancient salt mines known
as claires
Why It’s More Important Than Ever to Consider
For the oyster enthusiast, eating them is a delicious environmental imperative.
“Cicero ate oysters to nourish

his eloquence, and the ancients
used them with a startlingly
cold-blooded combination of
gastronomy and pure hygiene.”
BY –M.F.K. Fisher, from “Consider The Oyster” (1941)
NILS BERNSTEIN
You
can’t talk about this country’s waterways and These ancient middens show no reduction in oyster size or quan-
coastal histories without oysters. The United tity over time, suggesting that indigenous people practiced sustain-
States’ estuaries (where rivers meet the sea), able fishery that colonial populations did not even think of. Until the
such as Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound, late 1800s, oysters were so abundant as to practically be free, but
were largely comprised of oyster reefs, which purified the water, gave by the close of the 19th century, overfishing, disease and pollution
habitat to other marine life and provided stability to shorelines. collided to spark a slow decline. Today, there are virtually no wild
Just as important, they were one of the most abundant food sources oysters sold commercially.
for millennia. There are middens (shell deposits) in the U.S. that show The good news is that farmed oysters are a net positive for the envi-
GETTY IMAGES
continuous oyster consumption for over 5,000 years. Florida’s Mound ronment. A single adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of seawater
Key, south of Fort Myers, contains the shells of almost 20 billion oysters a day. The so-called “oyster liquor”—the delicious liquid inside a just-
that were harvested by the Calusa tribe. shucked oyster—is just filtered seawater.

There are many advantages to (non-oyster) aquaculture in terms of and taste than wild.
providing a high-quality food source, employment, ecological balance The shells from oyster consumption can be returned to the water
and more. However, it can also involve drugs and chemical disinfec- with oyster “seed” (oysters are very fertile; a single male and female
tants, large quantities of fish feed, pollution by waste products and oyster can create millions of babies) to restore oyster reefs. In the wild,
excess nutrients, and complex equipment that negatively affects the oysters like to settle and grow on other oysters or oyster shells. These
sea floor. reefs can help prevent coastal erosion, provide habitat for vulnerable
Oyster farming, on the other hand, has virtually none of these down- marine creatures and help restore wild oyster populations that even-
sides. Because oysters are stationary beings—making just a single real tually could deliver the same environmental benefits without human
estate decision their entire lives—that require no feed and purify, rather intervention.
than pollute, the water, it’s more akin to growing plants in a nursery. In other words, you can think of eating oysters as an ethical, and
As a bonus, farmed oysters have a better and more reliable shape, size delicious, imperative.

Crew members “flipping and
tipping” oyster racks, which
affects shape and condition,
at Hog Island Oysters in
Tomales Bay, California
AW, SHUCKS
Crucial considerations when opening an oyster
Find an opening near the hinge where you can wiggle

the tip of the knife between the top and bottom shells.
Slide it in parallel to the top of the shell gently, above

the oyster meat. Use a back-and-forth twisting
motion with your wrist, rather than poking or stabbing
straight down.
As the knife goes in, turn the knife like you would a door
knob to pop the shells apart.
Try not to spill the “liquor.”
“Eating a raw oyster

is like French kissing
a mermaid.”
Oyster-reef restoration —Tom Robbins
projects you can support:
Billion Oyster Project
billionoysterproject.org
Chesapeake Oyster Alliance

chesapeakeoysteralliance.org
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana

crcl.org
Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group

mvshellfishgroup.org
LEFT: REMY ANTHES, RIGHT: GETTY IMAGES
North Carolina Coastal Federation

nccoast.org
Oyster Recovery Partnership

oysterrecovery.org
Puget Sound Restoration Fund

restorationfund.org
Virginia Oyster Shell Recycling

Program
ricerivers.vcu.edu
Wild Oyster Project

wildoysters.org
“All art is
autobiographical;
the pearl is
the oyster’s
autobiography.”
—Federico Fellini

BEVERAGE PAIRING
WITH RAW OYSTERS
White Wine Mignonette
For such a simple and pure bite of food, oysters on the half shell
inspire a lot of debate about what to drink with them. This is not
because they’re difficult to pair with, but just the opposite. The hit
of brine contrasted with a cucumber-like sweetness lets you go in
myriad directions:
CRISP AND MINERAL WHITE WINES:

Chablis and Muscadet are often cited as ideal pairings for their
There are as many riffs on this traditional acidity and vaguely saline or seashell minerality, but add Albariño
oyster accompaniment as there are cooks. In and Assyrtiko to that list. They all share qualities with the oysters
themselves, for a complementary, rather than contrasting, pairing.
this version, dry white wine both tempers the
vinegar’s harsh acidity and adds an extra layer CHAMPAGNE:
of complexity. White pepper preserves the At least for the time being, oysters are a luxury, and Champagne
bright color, but black pepper works fine. Invent amps up the level of luxe. It also has the acidity and minerality that
your own mignonette by experimenting with go so well with raw oysters. And if yours happen to have stronger
flavors or richer toppings, the bubbles help cleanse the palate.
different vinegars and adding fresh herbs or
ground dried spices.
SWEET WINE:
The sweet and salty combination is nothing new: Sweet wine and
¼ cup (60 ml) white wine vinegar oysters was the assumed pairing in much of the world in the 1800s.
¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine Sauternes is lovely—perhaps because the funk of botrytis has an
affinity with shellfish—but any sweet wine with balancing acidity is
2 tablespoons minced shallot
an addictive accompaniment.
½ teaspoon freshly ground white or
black pepper STOUT BEER:
¹⁄8 teaspoon sea salt In oyster-loving Ireland, you might be ostracized for not drinking a
Guinness with your oyster—and it’s not just patriotism. Stouts are
more malty (sweet) than hoppy (bitter), with a silky texture that
goes with creamier oysters, while accentuating the “pop” of crisper
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, wine,
ones. Each teases the sweetness from the other.
shallot, pepper and salt. Refrigerate the mi-
gnonette in an airtight container for at least DRY CIDER:
1 hour before serving; store in the refrigera- Ciders range from bone dry to sugary sweet, but always with a crisp-
LEFT: PHOTOGRAPHY:ROBERT BREDVAD, FOOD: TAKAKO KUNIYUKI, PROPS: PAIGE HICKS, RIGHT: GETTY IMAGES
tor for up to 1 week. Makes ½ cup. tart appley flavor that could almost be used directly on oysters in
place of mignonette. Still, for the best pairing, look for one labeled
“off-dry” or “semi-sweet” for a sweet-tart-salty flavor combo.
SAKE:
There’s good reason that sake is a default pairing with raw seafood
in Japan. Whether crisp and dry or milky and sweet, sakes have a
lush fullness of flavor that is especially good with larger and brinier
oysters with creamy or chewy textures.
Oyster and
mussel racks in
the water in Turkey
“You don’t do
oysters and red
wine together.
That’s a no-no;
you just don’t
do that.”
—Grace Jones
WINE PAIRING WITH
COOKED OYSTERS
Roast Oysters with Bone
The heartier flavors of cooked and prepared oysters demand
different wines. We asked chef Christopher Haatuft of Houston’s
Golfstrømmen (and a Norwegian restaurant empire) and his
consulting wine director Mads Kleppe for their thoughts on prep and
pairing, respectively. Marrow and Pistachios
Courtesy chef Sheyla Alvarado,
STEAK AND OYSTER TARTARE Restaurante Lunario, Valle de Guadalupe,
Haatuft: “Raw, lean beef or whale—I know, but I’m Norwegian, Mexico
so sue me—has some of the same iodine flavors as briny oysters.
We mix them and dress with fine shallots, mixed herbs, chopped Instagram: @lunario.restaurante
housemade pickles and a fruity olive oil.”
Kleppe: “For this mineral yet exotic serving, I like aromatic wines
with good acidity and freshness, like cool-climate Riesling or
Sylvaner. As a more experimental choice, a Pét-Nat could be fun
and delicious.”
At her restaurant Lunario in Mexico’s Valle de
Guadalupe wine region, chef Alvarado cooks
BROILED OR FRIED OYSTERS
Haatuft: “Though I’m Norwegian, my mother is from Tennessee, so I these over a hot wood fire, which adds extra
have a craving for Southern food. Cornmeal fried oysters with a sour smoky complexity.
cream ranch dressing is the perfect snack. And for bigger oysters like
Gulf oysters or wild Belons, we mix butter with grilled scallions, chili 2 lbs. beef marrow bones, split
and panko.” lengthwise by the butcher
3 roasted garlic cloves
Kleppe: “Whether broiled or fried, try a luxurious combination with
Champagne, especially one on the richer side, like a Blanc de Noirs 12 oysters, shucked, on the half shell
based on Pinot Noir.”
1 cup finely grated sheep’s milk cheese
(such as Manchego or Pecorino)
OYSTER SOUP (about 3 oz.)
Haatuft: “We base ours on a traditional fish soup from Bergen. It’s
made with a powerful fish stock—no dainty French fûmet here!— ½ cup chopped roasted pistachios
thickened with sour cream, beurre manié, egg yolk and more sour
LEFT: GETTY IMAGES, RIGHT: PHOTOGRAPHY:ROBERT BREDVAD, FOOD: TAKAKO KUNIYUKI, PROPS: PAIGE HICKS
¼ cup Sherry vinegar
cream, with vinegar for acidity and finished with a touch of sugar. The
oysters are gently poached in the warm soup. It’s usually the best fish
soup anyone has tasted, but it might give you a heart attack.”
Roast marrow bones, marrow side up, in a
Kleppe: “This deserves a rich and full-bodied white wine, like good 400°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until
Chardonnay from prestigious villages in Burgundy or exciting marrow separates from bones and sizzles at
producers in the cooler regions of California. Regardless, find one the edges. Scoop marrow into a food pro-
with good acidity to play with the creamy textures and flavors of this cessor (making sure there are no bone bits)
amazing soup.”
with garlic and purée until smooth. Lightly
salt to taste and set aside.
Place oysters on a baking sheet, using
Checking the bags coarse salt to hold them in place. Alter-
at an oyster farm
in Washington nately, stabilize them over the cups of a
muffin tin. Heat oven to 500°F.
Add about 2 teaspoons of the marrow
mixture to each oyster, top with a heap-
ing tablespoon of cheese and about 2
teaspoons of pistachios. Place in oven for
at least 5 minutes, or until the cheese is
melted and oysters are sizzling. Transfer to
a platter and garnish with a few drops (no
more than ¼ teaspoon) of Sherry vinegar
and serve hot. Serves 4 as an appetizer or
2 as an entrée.
If you are an oyster
enthusiast, look
for Nils Bernstein’s
book The Joy of
Oysters (Artisan)
out May 9.

A General Guide to the Quality
& Drinkability of the World’s Wines
H
RATINGS MATURITY ailstorms in France, wildfires in California, climate change globally. Such
98–100 Classic Hold variables directly affect the quality of vintages around the world. Wine
94–97 Superb Enthusiast reviewers update the vintage chart annually to reflect such factors
Can drink, not yet at peak
90–93 Excellent and indicate the average quality and drinkability of vintage-dated wines to
87–89 Very Good Ready, at peak maturity help you know which to buy and when to enjoy them. The ratings are broad indications,
83–86 Good Can drink, may be past peak however, so be aware that many wineries make excellent wines in lower-rated years.
80–82 Acceptable For specific reviews on current and past vintages, use the search function at winemag.
In decline, may be undrinkable
NV Not Vintage Year com/ratings to find our top-scoring wines, including Hidden Gems, Best Buys, Editors’
NR Not Rated Not a declared vintage/no data Choices and Cellar Selections.
United States
Region Wine Variety 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996
Napa Chardonnay 93 91 92 93 90 94 90 92 91 91 87 87 88 87 90 86 86 85 85 90 90 88 88 87 94 90
Cabernet Sauvignon 94 88 94 94 90 95 95 95 95 95 89 89 89 92 95 90 95 90 90 93 98 85 93 85 96 93
Zinfandel 93 90 90 90 89 93 93 93 93 92 89 89 89 89 94 87 87 90 88 86 91 85 90 85 89 88
Russian River Valley Chardonnay 93 92 94 94 92 94 92 94 94 93 89 89 87 90 92 86 91 93 91 97 93 90 92 88 95 92
Pinot Noir 94 93 94 94 92 95 92 94 95 95 89 91 90 92 96 87 95 93 90 89 90 89 91 85 91 90
Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 92 89 91 92 90 94 93 93 94 93 88 87 87 90 92 87 89 87 89 88 93 84 90 84 91 90
Pinot Noir 92 90 91 92 90 95 92 94 95 95 90 92 91 93 95 87 95 93 89 88 89 87 90 85 90 88
Zinfandel 92 90 91 92 89 93 93 93 93 92 89 89 89 88 93 86 90 90 89 88 91 86 90 86 88 90
Carneros Chardonnay 93 90 91 92 92 92 90 94 93 92 88 88 87 89 91 85 87 92 91 95 93 89 89 85 91 90
CALIFORNIA
Pinot Noir 93 90 90 91 91 92 91 93 94 93 87 90 89 90 94 86 93 89 89 85 87 85 87 83 85 86
Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 95 91 91 95 90 92 94 93 95 96 91 93 93 92 95 88 94 90 90 87
Santa Barbara Chardonnay 93 92 93 93 93 93 92 93 93 93 92 92 90 91 92 90 89 92 92 94 91 88 91 88 95 90
Pinot Noir 93 93 94 93 91 94 93 93 93 94 90 92 91 92 95 90 95 93 94 94 92 89 90 84 95 89
Central Coast Chardonnay 92 91 92 92 92 92 91 92 92 92 90 91 88 90 92 87 90 93 92 94 90 89 89 85 94 88
Pinot Noir 93 93 93 92 91 92 91 93 92 92 88 93 89 89 94 88 92 89 93 95 91 88 89 86 93 87
Syrah 92 92 93 92 92 92 91 92 90 89 88 89 87 87 90 85 84 86 92 88 91 84 86 83
North Coast Syrah 90 89 92 91 90 92 92 91 91 92 89 88 87 88 93 88 85 89 89 88 92 84 89 83
South Coast Syrah 89 89 89 89 89 88 88 88 88 88 87 90 90 88 94 91 87 89 91 89 92 85 88 83
Paso Robles Reds 92 91 92 92 92 91 91 91 92 91 90 90 90 87 92 87 85 87 86 86 87 85 89 84 86 86
Sierra Foothills Zinfandel 90 92 91 93 89 94 94 93 93 92 89 91 90 88 90 87 87 89 87 86 85 84 85 84 84 85
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 93 85 91 92 93 91 95 93 92 93 91 87 91 92 86 94 89 92 86 88 89 91 94 92 84 87
OR
Whites 91 91 92 92 94 92 93 93 93 92 89 88 92 94 86 91 90 93 86 88 89 90 83 90 85 87
Southern Oregon Reds 91 91 90 87 91 90 90 90 89 90 90 89 88 90 89 87 87 90 85 87 88 89 90 89 84 85
Columbia Valley Cabernet, Merlot 82 91 92 95 91 90 90 93 91 95 89 92 90 92 93 92 95 89 92 94 92 88 96 91 87 86
WA
Syrah 93 92 93 93 91 91 90 90 90 95 91 89 91 90 89 91 93 90 91 94 93 88 92 89 87 88
Whites 91 92 92 93 94 91 89 90 88 93 90 92 89 94 89 90 92 88 90 91 89 89 87 90 88 89
Finger Lakes Reds 89 90 91 88 91 90 89 89 88 92 85 91 85 89 89 85 89 86 84 89 91 86 90 88 86 84
Whites 88 91 94 88 91 90 90 89 89 90 88 90 88 90 88 89 90 88 90 91 93 89 92 89 90 88
NY
Long Island Reds 89 91 94 88 90 90 90 90 92 92 84 92 85 89 88 87 87 90 84 85 90 87 86 93 89 86

Whites 88 89 92 89 90 89 89 89 88 89 86 90 86 89 90 88 87 91 88 89 90 88 89 93 90 88
Southern Hemisphere
Region Wine Variety 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996
Barossa/McLaren Vale Shiraz 95 92 93 95 92 92 91 90 93 96 83 95 91 87 89 91 95 94 87 94 93 87 89 93 87 93

Clare Valley Riesling 93 93 94 96 97 96 96 90 92 93 87 95 93 92 89 91 93 89 88 94 88 88 87 91 93 89
AUSTRALIA
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 95 93 95 94 90 90 90 90 93 94 83 93 90 88 88 94 94 92 88 87 93 91 89 94 88 91

Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 93 95 91 91 96 91 94 88 93 95 82 89 85 88 90 91 92 86 89 89 90 91 87 91 93 91
Western Australia Cabernet/Chardonnay 90 92 95 95 91 92 91 93 93 94 94 95 94 94 95 88 90 94 88 91 91 87 88 90 90 91
Hunter Valley Semillon 93 92 94 93 86 85 96 91 86 91 90 93 84 89 89 90 88 90 87 88 90 89 92 86 89
Hawke's Bay Reds 95 96 95 93 90 94 93 95 96 88 86 95 93 88 92 89 92 90 88 91 86 84 90 95
Martinborough Pinot Noir 95 96 95 89 90 93 91 90 93 89 94 91 92 88 93 88 93 87 88 91 88 87 91 90
NZ
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 93 95 94 84 89 92 93 89 93 90 90 92 92 88 92 91 93 88 92 90 90 89 91 90 88 90

Central Otago Pinot Noir 95 96 93 89 91 92 92 91 90 92 88 93 92 92 93 92 91 88 89 93 90 89 90 90
South Africa Reds 91 93 92 95 91 95 88 89 90 89 87 94 88 91 92 90 89 93 87 92 93 92 93 87 86
Maipo Reds 88 85 86 92 86 83 90 88 90 88 89 88 88 89 95 88 94 90 93 86 92 88 91 83 91 90
CHILE
Casablanca/Coastal Whites 87 87 87 90 87 85 91 84 88 85 90 90 86 88 93 90 92 90 85 92 87 91 81 90 90
Colchagua Reds 90 85 88 92 85 84 90 85 87 88 90 90 87 90 94 88 94 90 93 83 92 87 91 84 91 90
Argentina/Mendoza Reds 90 88 93 92 91 84 85 85 90 87 89 90 89 87 86 93 89 88 92 94 85 87 90 83 89 95
Download the 2023 Vintage Chart at winemag.com/VintageChart

Europe
Region Appellation/Type 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996
Bordeaux Pomerol/Saint-Émilion 94 95 95 95 94 97 96 95 87 90 90 97 96 92 88 91 98 91 88 87 95 97 88 92 85 86
Médoc 95 97 98 97 96 98 99 94 88 90 91 100 97 93 87 90 100 89 89 86 96 96 88 90 83 94
Graves (red) 93 96 96 95 96 96 96 94 87 91 90 96 96 91 86 88 95 89 89 86 94 96 89 89 84 91
Graves (white) 95 94 95 95 95 95 94 95 95 95 94 95 91 90 96 90 93 91 86 90 89 94 90 89 89 90
Sauternes/Barsac 95 92 95 96 96 95 96 95 94 88 95 95 95 88 95 91 89 87 92 91 95 81 94 87 92 85
Burgundy Côte de Nuits (red) 94 96 96 95 96 94 98 95 92 94 91 95 97 89 88 89 96 91 94 97 88 84 93 92 90 96
Côte de Beaune (red) 94 96 96 94 95 93 96 91 90 90 92 94 95 91 87 90 95 90 93 96 88 84 88 87 90 95
Côte Chalonnaise (red) 94 95 94 95 93 94 94
Chablis 94 96 95 94 94 95 94 95 90 95 94 96 95 91 91 91 95 92 87 95 93 89 87 89 89 93
Côte de Beaune (white) 95 96 95 94 95 93 94 96 94 95 94 96 95 92 91 91 96 93 88 96 92 91 88 90 89 92
Côte Chalonnaise (white) 94 95 94 94 94 93 94
FRANCE
Mâconnais 94 96 96 94 96 94 93 94 92 94 94 95 95 90 90 90 92 89 84 91 90 89 87 89 90 94
Beaujolais 92 95 96 96 96 90 96 94 89 89 93 93 96 90 87 90 92 91 90 87 87 84 88 88 90 92
Nothern Rhône Reds 93 94 96 94 94 95 99 87 88 92 91 95 95 86 87 91 94 87 93 83 92 90 93 92 91 87
Whites 96 94 94 93 93 93 94 93 90 92 92 95 92 87 88 91 92 94 86 85 91 87 92 92 90 89
Southern Rhône Reds 93 93 94 94 94 99 97 89 88 92 91 98 93 85 96 90 92 90 90 NR 93 90 89 96 85 85
Whites 95 93 93 93 93 94 93 89 90 92 92 95 89 87 94 89 88 87 87 85 87 87 90 93 87 86
Loire Dry Whites 93 94 95 94 95 96 96 95 90 94 92 94 94 91 92 88 94 91 89 92 88 84 89 86 85 92
Sweet Whites 92 92 93 95 94 93 97 96 87 87 95 94 93 87 95 89 95 89 92 87 93 88 89 85 90 92
Reds 93 95 96 97 97 93 96 95 88 93 93 89 93 88 89 88 93 88 90 88 89 93 90 85 87 91
Alsace 94 92 94 93 93 90 92 89 89 92 91 93 95 90 94 88 91 93 89 88 94 86 84 89 96 90
Champagne 94 96 97 97 95 93 95 93 NV 98 91 90 94 98 91 89 93 95 86 98 NV 88 88 90 87 98
Languedoc-Roussillon 93 93 93 93 93 94 93 88 90 89 90 92 92 90 91 91 87 88 90 84 92 90 89 95 85 84
Provence Reds 94 94 94 94 94 94 94 92 89 89 91 89 91 90 94 90 87 87 90 85 90 91 88 94 86 85
Piedmont Barbaresco 95 93 98 89 91 99 92 92 92 93 90 98 94 95 90 95 89 96 85 82 96 95 92 95 93 96
Barolo 95 93 98 89 90 99 93 90 94 93 93 98 95 95 95 95 89 97 86 82 97 90 95 94 93 98
Veneto Amarone 93 91 93 89 90 92 91 85 91 92 92 93 94 90 93 93 92 92 90 83 90 89 88 89 95 87
Soave Classico/Lugana 94 93 94 91 88 92 90 85 90 90 91 93 93 90 91 91 89 90 88 84 85 94 87 90 95 86
Trentino-Alto Adige Whites 94 93 93 90 88 90 90 84 89 91 91 93 94 92 93 92 91 91 86 84 86 97 90 85 87 86
Collio-Friuli Whites 93 92 92 90 88 90 90 85 89 92 92 93 94 92 93 93 90 92 88 83 87 90 90 85 87 86
Lombardy Franciacorta 91 91 95 90 88 92 90 85 89 92 90 92 93 90 91 91 88 90 89 87 90 88 90 86 91 89
Tuscany Bolgheri 91 90 95 88 88 91 91 85 91 93 93 96 93 93 94 93 93 94 90 83 97 89 90 93 94 90
Chianti Classico 92 91 95 90 88 92 92 83 91 91 92 96 94 93 94 93 91 93 91 83 95 91 96 91 97 90
Brunello di Montalcino 92 93 95 90 88 96 92 83 91 92 93 98 95 93 97 97 92 94 87 83 91 89 94 90 98 86
91 91 95 88 88 90 90 84 91 90 90 94 92 90 92 91 90 92 90 82 96 89 90 92 97 90
ITALY
Maremma
Umbria Reds 93 91 93 90 88 91 90 84 89 90 90 93 92 90 92 92 90 93 92 84 91 90 91 96 94 86
Marche Verdicchio 94 92 93 90 87 90 90 86 89 91 90 92 91 90 91 90 91 91 88 87 96 88 89 90 90 83
Conero/Rosso Piceno 91 90 90 88 88 91 90 83 89 88 90 92 91 90 92 92 90 90 89 89 90 89 87 89 91 82
Abruzzo Reds 91 90 90 87 88 90 90 83 88 90 90 93 92 90 91 92 91 90 87 88 92 93 92 92 91 81
Campania Reds 91 91 94 89 89 92 90 84 89 92 92 93 93 92 94 93 94 90 89 88 90 92 94 93 95 92
Whites 92 93 94 90 88 92 91 86 92 92 92 93 93 92 94 94 93 92 90 93 94 95 92 90 90 89
Basilicata Aglianico del Vulture 91 91 93 88 89 90 90 82 89 91 92 94 93 92 94 93 94 90 89 89 96 95 94 94 93 93
Puglia Reds 91 90 91 87 88 90 90 82 89 90 90 92 92 90 90 90 91 89 88 83 90 97 92 93 84 91
Sicily Reds 92 93 95 88 88 93 92 93 88 92 91 90 88 90 93 92 94 90 91 87 84 86 83 87 87 87
Whites 93 92 92 90 88 91 91 94 89 90 90 91 88 90 90 90 91 88 90 86 86 86 83 87 84 90
Sardinia Reds 92 92 93 89 89 91 91 94 90 91 91 92 92 90 90 90 91 90 88 93 92 93 91 90 90 88
Catalonia Reds 92 90 92 86 87 93 92 87 88 89 91 92 90 87 85 87 94 91 86 85 93 89 90 88 88 89
93 92 94 86 86 95 93 84 85 92 93 97 91 86 86 88 93 94 84 84 95 87 90 88 85 89
SPAIN
Rioja Reds
Ribera del Duero Reds 93 91 92 87 87 93 93 85 84 91 93 95 92 85 85 88 94 92 84 86 93 88 89 88 87 89
Galicia Whites 90 89 90 87 87 92 90 84 85 90 88 93 90 88 88 87 94 91 85 86 92 88 90 87 86
98 97 98 93 93 93 96 90 89 92 93 93 95 90 94 93 96 90 93 91 96 85 90 89 89 93
GERMANY
Mosel Whites
Rhine Regions Whites 96 94 95 92 92 90 94 90 90 92 93 92 94 88 96 94 95 88 94 94 95 84 91 89 88 95
Franken Whites 95 95 96 92 92 91 93 90 90 91 90 89 92 90 96 92 90 88 88 90 95 85 90 88 88 93
PORTUGAL
Port 93 95 95 96 96 100 96 88 89 90 100 92 96 89 93 89 91 90 96 84 84 92 86 87 93 85

Table Wines Reds 94 95 96 95 95 96 96 89 89 94 95 92 95 90 94 88 91 89 92 83 85 90 88 91 92 89
Whites 93 95 94 94 94 95 94 93 93 92 91 92 91 92 90 87 88 85 87 86 88 89 90 89 90 90
Danube Regions Whites 98 95 96 94 94 94 94 90 93 94 94 90 93 89 90 92 88 88 87 88 89 86 92 88 89 88
AUSTRIA
Burgenland Reds 97 94 96 93 93 93 93 88 91 90 92 90 93 90 88 93 85 89 91 89 90 90 91 88 92 85
Sweet Wines 92 93 93 92 92 92 96 87 90 90 88 90 94 87 95 90 91 91 84 88 91 84 94 92 86 87
F R A N C E I TA LY G E R M A N Y
Pomerol/Saint-Émilion: 1990, ‘89, ‘85, ‘82, White Burgundy: 1995, ‘92, ‘90, ‘89, ‘86, Piedmont: 1990, ‘89, ‘85, ‘82, ‘78, ‘71 Mosel/Rhine Regions: 1996, ‘90, ‘83, ‘76, ‘75, ‘71, ‘59
GREAT OLDER
‘78, ‘70, ‘64, ‘61, ‘59, ‘55, ‘53, ‘49, ‘47, ‘45 ‘83, ‘82 Veneto: 1983, ‘79, ‘76, ‘74, ‘71, ‘70
VINTAGES
Médoc: 1986, ‘82, ‘78, ‘70, ‘66, ‘61, ‘59, ‘55, ‘53, Northern Rhône: 1995, ‘91, ‘90, ‘89, ‘88, ‘85, Tuscany: 1999, ‘97, ‘95, ‘90, ‘85, ‘82, ‘78, ‘71 P O R T U G A L
‘49, ‘47, ‘45 ‘83, ‘78, ‘70, ‘61
Port: 1985, ‘83, ‘77, ‘70, ‘66, ‘63, ‘55, ‘48, ‘45
Graves: 1990, ‘89, ‘82, ‘78, ‘70, ‘64, ‘59 Southern Rhône: 1985, ‘83, ‘81, ‘78, ‘67
S P A I N
Sauternes: 1990, ‘89, ‘88, ‘86, ‘83, ‘76, ‘75, ‘67 Loire: 1985, ‘78, ‘76, ‘71, ‘69, ‘59, ‘47
Catalonia: 1985, ‘83, ‘82, ‘81 U N I T E D S TAT E S
Red Burgundy: 1985, ‘78, ‘76, ‘71, ‘69, ‘59, ‘52, Alsace: 1985, ‘83, ‘75
‘49, ‘47, ‘45 Rioja: 1995, ‘94, ‘91, ‘85, ‘82, ‘81, ‘70, ‘68, ‘64 California Cabernet: 1995, ‘94, ‘87, ‘84, ‘78, ‘74, ‘68
Champagne: 1995, ‘90, ‘85, ‘82, ‘79, ‘71, ‘64
Ribera del Duero: 1995, ‘91, ‘85, ‘83, ‘82, ‘80, ‘79, ‘70, Oregon Pinot Noir: 1994, ‘83, ‘80
‘68, ‘62 Washington Reds: 1987, ‘83, ‘79, ‘78
G SAUVIGNO
N
NB
BEST SELLI
#
LANC
ND
IN
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SUSTAINABLY STONELEIGH
M ad e f rom 100% su s t a i n ably s ou r c e d g r ap e s
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©2023 TRANSCENDENT WINES | TRANSCENDENTWINES.COM | ENJOY RESPONSIBLY | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

DATA SOURCE: AZTEC IRI, NZ GROCERY CHANNEL, STILL WINE, LATEST 52 WKS ENDING 1.16.22
FEBRUARY/MARCH
THIS MONTH
82 PORTUGAL
114 SPAIN
118 IRISH WHISKEY
119 IPA
The beautiful landscapes of the

GETTYIMAGES
Douro River in Portugal
FOR ADDITIONAL RATINGS AND REVIEWS, VISIT WINEMAG.COM/RATINGS
WINE ENTHUSIAST | 81
WINE ENTHUSIAST
BUYINGGUIDE
PORTUGAL AND SPAIN PORTUGAL

WHITE WINES
Taste the transformation in Portugal’s wine industry.
93 Quinta do Piloto 2015 Superior (Península
P
de Setúbal). Ripe with intense sweetness,
ortuguese wine is the new world in the old. It has undergone a this wine is perfumed and richly honeyed. It has
total transformation in the last 30 years through an explosion a smooth, generous texture, ripe and concentrated
of new wines, new wineries and the complete renaissance of from wood aging. Drink the wine now. Brands of
Portugal. —R.V.
older producers.
abv: 18% Price: $30
The wine tradition and the potential were always there. But until
the revolution of 1974, when the fascist dictatorship was overthrown,
wine was controlled by badly run cooperatives. The only region that 93 Quinta da Taboadella 2020 Taboadella
Grande Villae (Dão). With a good dose of
creamy Encruzado that is freshened by Bical, this
escaped was the Douro Valley and the only independent producers
wine is well balanced and deliciously textured.
were the major Port firms and a few wine merchants.
Aging in wood for nine months has given the wine
Apart from the rare landmark wines, such as Barca Velha, quality a broad character, open and generous. The texture
table wine, as distinct from Port, really began in the 1980s with pio- takes its cue from Dão granite, offering minerality
neers such as Dirk van der Niepoort and João d’Almeida, both as it as a contrast to the fruit. Drink the wine now. Farah
happened based in the Douro Valley. Trading Co. —R.V.
abv: 13.5% Price: $80
“Reviews in this issue show Portuguese wines are as exciting

and original as any in the world.”
93 Van Zellers & Co. 2019 CV Curriculum Vitae
(Douro). This rich, wood-aged wine offers
layers of white fruits, minerality and spice. The field
blend of old vines gives concentration to the ripe
fruits. Drink from 2024. MS Walker. —R.V.
In Alentejo, estates reinvented themselves as they were returned to private ownership after a brief
abv: 13.5% Price: $75
period of nationalization. Major estates like Herdade do Esporão brought in winemaking expertise (in
Esporão’s case, Australian winemaker David Baverstock) to introduce a whole new level of quality.
Today, as the reviews in this issue and in many previous issues show, Portuguese wines are as excit- PORTUGAL
ing and original as any in the world. The big secret, and what has given Portuguese wine its original taste,
has been the retention of the array of indigenous varieties found nowhere else. —RogerVoss
RED WINES
DOURO
Long known for values, Spain now boasts icon wines too. 95 Quinta do Monte Xisto 2020 (Douro). The
unforgettable vineyard of Monte Xisto in
If
the upper Douro has produced a fine, richly ripe
you haven’t noticed, Spanish wine is having a moment right wine. Its tannins and powerful black fruits are well
integrated, bringing out a mineral texture and saline
now. At one end of the scale, Spain is still the homeland of well-
edge. This is an impressive vineyard that has given
priced, high-quality wine. However, at the same time, we see a a beautifully structured wine. Drink from 2026.
new breed of high-end icon bottlings from both historic and up- Organic. Kestrel Vintners. —R.V.
and-coming producers. abv: 14% Price: $NA
For this issue I tasted wine from more regions than ever before,
including Ribeiro, Yecla, Rias Baixas, Tierra Alta, La Mancha, Cas-
tilla y Leon, Cadiz, Bierzo, Monterrey, Valdeorras, Campo de Borja,
95 Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo
2019 Vinha Centenaría Ref P29/P21 (Douro).
A wine from two parcels, one of Touriga Nacional,
the other from a field blend, this is impressively
rich and dense. With a year in new wood, the wine
“Explore the astonishing array of wine is powerful, with juicy blackberry fruits and solid
that Spain has to offer.” tannins, all suggesting it needs further aging. Drink
from 2025. Wein Bauer Inc. Cellar Selection. —R.V.
Calatayud, Cariñena, Navarra, Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Rioja. Indig-
enous grapes are a mainstay, and in addition to the usual suspects I tasted varieties such as Treixadura, Mon-
astrell, Garnacha and Mencia. 94 Quinta da Romaneira 2019 Reserva (Douro).
This limited production Reserva is a dense
wine, with the perfumed wildness of this remote
I am excited to see such vibrant diversity in Spanish wine and even more so in the styles that importers
estate. Richly textured and with dark fruits as well
are bringing to our shores. Whether you are seeking a value-driven crisp white or a premium full-bodied red, I
urge you to use this month’s jam-packed Buying Guide as a jumping off point to explore the astonishing array
of wine that Spain has to offer. —Mike DeSimone
Continued on page 113

The Wine Enthusiast
Buying Guide
The Buying Guide includes ratings and reviews of new-release
and selected older beverage alcohol products evaluated by Wine
Enthusiast magazine’s editors and other qualified tasters. Regular
contributors to our Buying Guide include Tasting Director Anna-
Christina Cabrales (Burgundy, Rhone), Senior Editor, Tasting Jim
Gordon (Napa, Sonoma), Senior Tasting Coordinator Craig Cham-
berlain (Virginia), Senior Editor, Print Stacy Briscoe (California),
Assistant Editor Jacy Topps (Languedoc-Roussillon, Vin de France)
98
and Writers at Large Michael Alberty (Oregon, Washington, Cana- Bass Phillip 2019 Reserve Pinot Noir
da), Mike DeSimone (Spain, Croatia, Israel, Turkey, Lebanon, Arme-
nia, Hungary), John Holl (Beer), Matt Kettmann (Central and South
(Gippsland). 2019 was renowned Pinot
Coast California), Kara Newman (Spirits), Christina Pickard (Aus-
tralia, New Zealand, England, New York), Emily Saladino (Greece ,
Georgia), Layla Shlack (Alsace), Jesica Vargas (South America and
producer Phillip Jones’s last vintage. And what a
vintage to go out on. Lucid and detailed with heady
aromas of red berries, mushroom, dried leaves,
97 Beau Marchais 2021 Clos Pepe Vineyard
Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). Intriguingly
sharp aromas of black raspberry, cherry, carnation
South Africa), Roger Voss (Portugal, France: Bordeaux, Beaujolais,
Champagne, Loire, Provence, Southwest France), Aleks Zecevic herbs, flowers and vanilla with a structured, pow- and rose potpourri are both elegant and powerful.
(Austria, Germany), Jeff Porter (Piedmont and Northern Italy) and
Danielle Callegari (Tuscany and Southern Italy). erful palate of bright, tangy fruit and fine tannins. The palate is cohesive in all the right ways, offer-
Each review contains a score, the full name of the product, its Drink now–2033. Vineyard Brands. —C.P. ing tense tannins, fresh red fruits, spicy pepper dust
suggested national retail price, its alcohol (abv) as reported to us abv: 14.6% Price: $1,062 and lingering baking spice flavors. —M.K.
by the submitter and a tasting note. If price or alcohol content
cannot be confirmed, NA (not available) will be printed. Prices abv: 15.5% Price: $95
are for 750-ml bottles unless otherwise indicated.
TASTING METHODOLOGY AND GOALS
All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind.
Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights of from 5–8
samples. Reviewers may know general information about a flight
to provide context—vintage, variety or appellation—but never
the producer or retail price of any given selection. When possible,
products considered flawed or uncustomary are retasted.
ABOUT THE SCORES
Ratings reflect what our editors felt about a particular product.
Beyond the rating, we encourage you to read the accompanying
tasting note to learn about a product’s special characteristics.
Classic 98–100:The pinnacle of quality.
Superb 94–97: A great achievement.
Excellent 90–93:Highly recommended.
Very Good 87–89:Often good value; well recommended.
Good 83–86: Suitable for everyday consumption;
often good value.
Acceptable 80–82: Can be employed in casual, less-
critical circumstances.
Products deemed Unacceptable (receiving a rating below 80
98 Penfolds 2018 Grange Shiraz (South Aus-
tralia). The warm ’18 vintage of Penfolds’s
most iconic wine delivers on all it promises. It
97 Casa Primicia 2015 Pesante Special Selec-
tion (Rioja). This deep-garnet-colored wine
has aromas of pomegranate, blackberry, rose petal
points) are not reviewed. promptly fills the nose with a multitude of aromas: and clove. Glossy tannins support flavors of cassis,
SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS black cherry, grilled plums, dark chocolate, cracked blackberry, eucalyptus, Turkish delight and coffee
Editors’ Choice products are those that offer excellent qual-
ity at a price above our Best Buy range, or a product at any price black pepper, roasting herbs and spices and a pol- bean. The long finish is marked by a lingering note of
with unique qualities that merit special attention. ished glean of well-placed oak. The palate is power- violet. Drink through 2040. W. Direct. Cellar Selec-
Cellar Selections are products deemed highly collectible ful, dignified, sculpted. Decades of age await. Trea- tion. —M.D.
and/or requiring time in a temperature-controlled wine cellar to
reach their maximum potential. A Cellar Selection designation sury Wine Estates. Cellar Selection. —C.P. abv: 15% Price: $200
does not mean that a product must be stored to be enjoyed, but abv: 14.5% Price: $850
that cellaring will probably result in a more enjoyable bottle. In
general, an optimum time for cellaring will be indicated.
Hidden Gems are products which are not your typical re-
gional finds, but should not be missed. These fun, esoteric wines
are priced above $20 and score above 87 points.
Best Buys are products that offer a high level of quality in
relation to price. Wines meriting this award are generally priced
at $20 or less, and are designated Best Buys after surpassing a
specific quality-to-price ratio benchmark.
SUBMITTING PRODUCTS FOR REVIEW
Products should be submitted to the appropriate reviewing loca-
tion as detailed in our FAQ, available online via Wine Enthusiast/
contact-us. Inquiries should be addressed to the Tasting & Review
Department at 914.345.9463 or email tastings@wineenthusiast.
net. There is no charge for submitting products. We make
every effort to taste all products submitted for review, but there
is no guarantee that all products submitted will be tasted, or
that reviews will appear in the magazine. All samples must be
accompanied by the appropriate submission forms, which may
be downloaded from our website.
97 Aperture 2019 Estate 1912 Vineyard Red
Blend (Russian River Valley). Concentration,
97 Donum 2020 East Slope Single-Block
Reserve Pinot Noir (Carneros). This deeply
flavorful and ultrasmooth-textured wine feels
LABELS focus and power are the hallmarks of this deeply fla- mouthcoating while delivering rich, ripe and indul-
Labels are paid promotions. Producers and importers are given
the opportunity to submit labels only after the reviews have been vorful, firmly tannic wine. Intense oak toast, black gent raspberries, red cherries and black currants
finalized and assigned to a specific issue. Labels are reproduced currant, blueberry, graphite and dark chocolate fla- with accents of spearmint, cedar and cinnamon.
and printed along with tasting notes and scores. For information
on label purchases, contact Denise Valenza at 813.571.1122; fax vors crowd into a massive, dense yet velvety tannin Good, tangy acidity and moderate tannins provide
866.896.8786; or email [email protected] structure that holds them tight but also lets them great balance and a lively, refreshing feel to counter
Find all reviews on our fully searchable database at cast their spell. Cellar Selection. —J.G. the wine’s richness. Best from 2025–2032. Cellar
Wine Enthusiast/ratings abv: 14.4% Price: $85 Selection. —J.G.
abv: 14.1% Price: $140
BUYINGGUIDE
97 Epoch 2019 Estate Blend Red Blend (Paso

Robles Willow Creek District). This blend
of 51% Syrah, 17% Mourvèdre, 14% Grenache, 7%
96 Donum 2020 Three Hills Single Vineyard
Pinot Noir (Carneros). Generous black fruit
flavors are accented by cloves, cedar and bay leaves
96 Sandeman NV 50 Year Old Tawny (Port).
Taking advantage of the newly created
50-year-old tawny category, this famous producer
Tempranillo, 6% Graciano, 3% Carignan and 2% in this big, complex and full-bodied wine. Black has launched a dense, intense Port. The wine’s con-
Zinfandel shows how a sum can be much greater cherries, cranberries and black tea notes expand on centration is immense, wood and old gold flavors
than its parts. Deep, dark and hearty aromas of the palate and linger on the finish. Good acidity and almost incidental in an age-defying wine. Drink this
boysenberry jam, woodspice, mocha and loam lead moderate tannins maintain excellent balance and fine wine now. Evaton, Inc. Editors’ Choice. —R.V.
into an extremely textural palate that’s creamy yet bode well for continued improvement. Best from abv: 20% Price: $300
tense with tannins. Suave cocoa, berry and graham 2025–2032. Cellar Selection. —J.G.
cracker flavors ride an energized acidity. —M.K. abv: 13.8% Price: $95
abv: 15.1% Price: $60
96 Epoch 2019 York Mountain Vineyard Gre-

nache (York Mountain). This wine begins
96 Tatomer 2021 Sanford & Benedict Pinot
Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). Both gleeful and
thoughtful, this single-vineyard wine pops on the
96 Bass Phillip 2019 Premium Pinot Noir

(Gippsland). First comes the primary red
fruit, then dried spices and herbs, ground black
with lush and lovely aromas of baking spice, cherry
compote and boysenberry. There’s a firm structure
to the palate, where baked berry and black pepper
nose with juicy aromas of raspberry, rosewater,
watermelon gummy and wet cement. The palate
carries the red fruit forward with strawberry and
pepper, a bit of mushroomy, vineyard floor and flavors ride a lush and polished frame. Drink now– candied rose flavors. Cinnamon adds nuance and
some toasted-oak nuances. It both glides and prick- 2034. Cellar Selection. —M.K. elegant acidity rides long into the flavorful finish.
les the tongue with tangy freshness and textural abv: 15.3% Price: $80 —M.K.
richness. Tannins are present throughout, sturdy abv: 14% Price: $65
yet fine. Drink now or cellar for at least a decade.
Vineyard Brands. —C.P.
abv: 14.2% Price: $293
96 Inniskillin 2021 Icewine Riesling (Niagara

Peninsula). This is a glorious ice wine
96 Township 7 2015 Seven Stars Sirius Lang-
ley Estate Vineyard Sparkling Blend (Fra-
ser Valley). Stunning. Aged en tirage for five years,
96 Cossart Gordon 1975 Verdelho (Madeira).

As it has aged, this medium-dry Madeira
has gained a deep color and even great concentra-
where acidity and sugar are in perfect harmony.
The candied orange peel, ginger, straw and toasted
walnut are a mere preview of what’s to come. These
this graceful Pinot Noir-Chardonnay blend offers
Golden Delicious apple, honeycomb, toasted filbert
and coconut aromas. The wine’s crisp, dry mouth-
tion. No hint of fruit, but powerful acidity, spirit intense flavors of apricot jam, pumpkin pie and feel and elevated acidity are accompanied by flavors
and a tight bite that give a wine that demands huge lemon drops are matched by electric acidity. Enjoy such as apricot, red cherries, marzipan, lemon and a
attention. It’s a great wine that is ready to drink. now until 2035. Maisons Marques & Domaines warm croissant au beurre. Township 7 Vineyards &
Vineyard Brands. —R.V. USA. Cellar Selection. —M.A. Winery. Editors’ Choice. —M.A.
abv: 20% Price: $413 abv: 9.5% Price: $99 abv: 12% Price: $70

96 Tread 2020 La Encantada Vineyard Pinot
Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). Light and transparent
in the glass, this wine begins with pure black rasp-
95 Donum 2020 Single Vineyard Year of the
Rat Pinot Noir (Carneros). This concen-
trated, fruit- and spice-packed wine offers brilliant
95 Holman Ranch 2019 Hunter’s Cuvée Pinot
Noir (Carmel Valley). This blend of clones
115 and Calera from a hillside vineyard overlooking
berry and sweet hibiscus tea aromas on the focused black cherries, black currants, cloves and cinna- Carmel Valley is vibrant, fresh and downright deli-
nose. Crisp and precise, the palate offers red fruit mon, braced by moderate tannins and lively acid- cious, starting with aromas of baked cherry, hibis-
dusted with delicate spice and flowers. Balanced ity. It is big but balanced, appetizing and ageworthy. cus tea and vanilla-spiked pie crust. A firm texture
acidity shepherds the sip into the finish. —M.K. Matured in 70% new French barrels for 16 months, holds the buoyant berry and cherry pie flavors of
abv: 13.9% Price: $56 it should be best from 2025–2030. —J.G. the palate in check, with hints of purple flower and
abv: 14.1% Price: $95 bay leaf adding complexity. —M.K.
abv: 14% Price: $56
95 Audeant 2019 Luminous Hills Vineyard

Pinot Noir (Yamhill-Carlton). This wine
95 Donum 2020 Single-Vineyard Year of the
possesses silky tannins, illuminating acidity and
aromas and flavors like forest floor, not-quite-ripe
raspberries and the sweetness of a cup of white
Rat Chardonnay (Russian River Valley).
Gorgeous tropical fruit and a touch of tangy min-
erality give this full-bodied, silky-textured wine so
95 Lucia 2021 Estate Cuvée Pinot Noir (Santa
Lucia Highlands). This bottling is both lush
and bright at once, starting with aromas of crisp
peony tea. Each sip feels as comfortable as a favor- much to savor. It is layered, concentrated but not cherry compote, fresh raspberry, mace and elegant
ite sweater and a pair of well-worn corduroys. Enjoy heavy, keeping an ethereal touch on the palate and French-toast spices. Sprightly energy dances across
now–2030. Cellar Selection. —M.A. finishing with flourishes of fruit and balsam. Edi- the palate, where juicy dark-red-fruit flavors are
abv: 13.2% Price: $70 tors’ Choice. —J.G. lifted by lavender, carnation and rose petal. —M.K.
abv: 14.1% Price: $75 abv: 14.1% Price: $55
95 Bass Phillip 2019 Estate Pinot Noir

(Gippsland). For this reviewer’s money,
BP’s Estate Pinot offers the best bang for buck, 95 Donum 2020 West Slope Single-Block
Reserve Pinot Noir (Carneros). All about pol-
despite the still-hefty price tag. Crafted for drinking
young, it’s ironically the Pinot that takes longest to
open. But when it does, it billows aromas of dried
ish and depth, this complex, subtle and layered wine
is imbued with black cherries, blackberries and
rooibos tea flavors on a smooth, moderately tannic
95 Merry Edwards 2020 Meredith Estate Pinot
Noir (Russian River Valley). Vibrant fruits,
subtle herb and oak accents, and nervy acidity bring
cranberry, cherry preserves, umami-like mush- texture. Underlying acidity gives great support for an elegant but powerful expression to this focused,
rooms, cocktail bitters and potpourri. The palate is the rich fruits, and helps the wine into a long fade delicious and just slightly restrained wine. Great
silky with a lift of crystalline acidity and ultra fine, on the finish. Best from 2025–2032. —J.G. balance, moderate tannins and the fruit intensity
talc-like tannins. An iron fist in a velvet glove. Drink abv: 13.9% Price: $140 all indicate more enjoyment with time. Best from
now-2030. Vineyard Brands. —C.P. 2025–2032. Cellar Selection. —J.G.
abv: 13.9% Price: $119 abv: 14% Price: $90
BUYINGGUIDE
94 Avancia 2020 Nobleza Old Vines Godello

(Valdeorras). This wine has a bouquet of
95 Penfolds 2020 RWT Bin 798 Shiraz

(Barossa Valley). This is a strong vintage
of RWT. It’s austere, dense and still young, almost 95 Tower 15 2020 Denner Vineyard Syrah
(Paso Robles Willow Creek District).
lemon, passion fruit and a touch of brambles. There
is a strong vein of minerality, with flavors of mango,
toasted pineapple, slivered almond, thyme and flint
unnoticeably complex. The brambly blueberry and Smoked organ meat, singed seaweed and melting tar that evaporate into a white-peach finish. Jorge
raspberry fruit is woven with plums, dried herbs, aromas make for an umami-driven nose on this bot- Ordóñez Selections. Editors’ Choice. —M.D.
spices and florals, with a note of freshly sealed tar- tling. Smoked beef, peppercorn and asphalt quali- abv: 14% Price: $75
mac. The palate is silky and supple, tightened by a ties come through on the palate as well, but the fruit
muscular line of chalky tannins with lifted acidity also arrives in the form of black plum and elderberry
and densely packed flavor. A long-distance runner, compote. Drink now–2036. Cellar Selection. —M.K.
this should be held another few years until around abv: 15% Price: $105
2026. Treasury Wine Estates. Editors’ Choice. —C.P.
abv: 14.5% Price: $150
94 Bella 2019 Rocks Edge Zinfandel (Dry Creek

Valley). Dense and layered, this extra-con-
95 Ruby 2019 Old Vine Estate Pinot Noir (Laurel-

wood District). The wine’s silky tannins pro-
94 Alvaredos-Hobbs 2019 Godello (Ribeira
Sacra). This medium-yellow-colored wine
has a nose of lemon zest, pink grapefruit and honey-
centrated wine holds deep blackberry, raspberry,
wood char and grilled herb flavors, with firm tan-
nins and a full body. Black pepper, grilled beef and
vide a pretty partner for elevated acidity and a plush, suckle. It is soft on the palate, with flavors of white dark-chocolate notes build on the palate and linger
luxurious mouthfeel. Aromas and flavors of tart rasp- peach, mango, orange blossom and milk chocolate long on the finish. Best from 2026–2036. Cellar
berries, violets, toffee and saline are difficult to resist. that dissipate into a bright, flower-strewn finish. Selection. —J.G.
Enjoy now until 2033. Cellar Selection. —M.A. Paul Hobbs Selections. Editors’ Choice. —M.D. abv: 14.8% Price: $68
94 Aubaine 2020 Athas Chardonnay (Eola-

Amity Hills). Aubaine is a joint venture
95 Shafer 2021 Red Shoulder Ranch Chardon-

nay (Carneros). This full-bodied and beau-
tifully balanced wine is powered by energized fruit
between owner Andy Lytle of Lytle-Barnett fame
and winemaker extraordinaire Isabelle Meunier of
Lavinea. This brilliant Chardonnay is representative
94 Benovia 2020 Pinot Noir (Russian River
Valley). This alluring wine hits the sweet
spot, combining gorgeous ripe cherries and berries
acidity. Vivid green-apple and lemon zest flavors, of their work. Chilled melon, tonic water and vanilla with a dash of tangy acidity and moderate tannins
and a snappy finish. Subtle oak notes remain sec- bean aromas are joined by wee bits of wet rock and to balance out the effusive fruit. Oak spices from
ondary. Fermented in both oak barrels and stainless lemon. The wine’s mouthfeel is lean, as flavors of cinnamon to clove and ginger contribute nicely to
steel, and matured without maloactic conversion, yeasty fresh-baked sourdough, not-quite-ripe pine- the wine’s complexity and appeal. —J.G.
the wine is super refreshing, clean and mouthwater- apple and chamomile surf a big wave of acidity. Edi- abv: 14.5% Price: $48
ing. Best from 2024–2031. Cellar Selection. —J.G. tors’ Choice. —M.A.

94 Carodorum 2019 Vino de Autor Crianza
(Toro). This wine has aromas of black 94 Domaine Delaporte 2021 Les Monts Damnés
(Sancerre). After aging for 10 months in
cherry, dark chocolate and clove. It is at once bright
and spicy, with flavors of cherry, pomegranate, lico-
rice and clove wrapped in a sheath of tannins and
94 Cliff Lede 2021 Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Val-
ley). This is an outstanding white, with
91% Sauvignon Blanc, 8% Semillon and 1% Sauvi-
large wood barrels, this wine has a broad, ripe feel.
Its creamy texture shows density as well as lime and
grapefruit fruits. From one of the top vineyard sites
burnished by a note of dark chocolate. W. Direct. gnon Vert, the whole fermented in 92% French oak in Chavignol, the wine should age. Drink from 2024.
Editors’ Choice. —M.D. and the remainder in stainless-steel tank. Bright Vineyard Brands. Cellar Selection. —R.V.
abv: 15% Price: $55 and fresh in peach and wet stone, it is nicely tex- abv: 13% Price: $55
tured, with just enough weight and breadth to add
complexity and structure. Editors’ Choice. —V.B.
abv: 13.6% Price: $32
94 Chateau St. Jean 2019 Cinq Cépages Bor-

deaux-style Red Blend (Sonoma County).
Powered by delicious black-fruit flavors, this big
94 Domaine Grosbois 2018 Clôture (Chinon).
Just now mature, this wine has weight,
richness and structure. A dense structure is at the
but balanced wine is tempting now and is destined
to age well. Black cherries, blueberries and subtle
oak spices give it a well-integrated, harmonious
94 Crū 2019 Solomon Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir
(Santa Maria Valley). From a vineyard that
regularly produces light but ethereal Pinot Noirs,
heart of a powerful wine with blackberry flavors
that are brightened by acidity. The wine is now
ready to drink. Vineyard Brands. —R.V.
expression while moderate tannins and a full body this bottling reflects those qualities. Transparent in abv: NA Price: $106
add good structure. Best from 2024–2032. —J.G. the glass, it’s loaded on the nose with pomegran-
abv: 14.9% Price: $100 ate, hibiscus, white pepper, white sage and bay leaf
aromas. The palate zips through tomato, cranberry
and sagebrush flavors, with hints of peppered meat
on the finish. —M.K.
abv: 13.7% Price: $60
94 Domaine Serene 2019 Evenstad Reserve

Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley). A “Goldi-
94 Clarice 2021 Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir

(Santa Lucia Highlands). This bottling is
simultaneously fresh and dark on the nose, offering
locks wine” where everything, down to the
restrained alcohol, is just right. Blackcap rasp-
berries, dried rose petals, beeswax and a touch of
aromas of black cherry, scarlet rose petal, violet and
mint. There is ample tension to the dense sip, where
ripe black raspberry flavors are lifted by a touch of
94 Daou 2020 Sequentis Reserve Merlot (Paso
Robles). Dark and thick in the glass, this
top-shelf Merlot offers aromas of toasted pecan,
Madagascar vanilla draw the nose deeper into the
glass. Bright red cherry and tangerine flavors create
a juicy and pleasurable sweet-tart flavor combina-
tarragon. —M.K. roasted cocoa nibs and smoky oak on the nose. The tion. Editors’ Choice. —M.A.
abv: 14.4% Price: $95 palate is wrapped in tight tannins that envelop the abv: 13.5% Price: $95
blackberry sauce and dark-chocolate flavors. Drink
2024–2034. Cellar Selection. —M.K.
abv: 14% Price: $52
BUYINGGUIDE
94 J. de Villebois 2020 Les Boffants (Sancerre).

This intense, vibrant wine is crisp, with a
youthful herbal character that will soften. Mineral
94 Quinta Vale D. Maria 2020 Vinha da Fran-
cisca (Douro). Named after Francisca van
Zeller, daughter of Cristiano van Zeller whose fam-
94 Florence 2020 Reserve Zinfandel (Rock-

pile). Spicy, cedary aromas and beautiful
red and black fruit flavors make a seamless blend in
textured with a flinty character, the wine is complex
and full of ripe fruit. Acidity and a steely edge are
just ready to soften into an elegant wine. Drink from
ily home is Vale D. Maria, the wine comes from a
single plot of old vines. It is a powerful wine with
great density and simultaneously serious richness.
this well-polished, complex and handsomely oaked later this year. Vineyard Brands. Editors’ Choice. The wine deserves further aging. Wait to drink until
wine from the family that pioneered grape growing —R.V. 2026. Aveleda Inc. Cellar Selection. —R.V.
in the remote Rockpile appellation. It is big and full abv: 12.5% Price: $66 abv: 14.5% Price: $84
bodied, yet layered and subtle, bringing you back for
more and more sips. Editors’ Choice. —J.G.
abv: 15.9% Price: $60
94 Manzanos 2015 125 Aniversario Reserva

(Rioja). Dark ruby to the eye, this wine has
a nose of cassis, black cherry and chocolate-covered
94 Raptor Ridge 2019 Estate Whole Cluster
Pinot Noir (Laurelwood District). At first
sniff, the spicy red fruit is shy. With time the mac-
94 Folded Hills 2020 Estate Syrah (Santa Ynez

Valley). Rounded and plush, this Syrah is
also yet fresh and peppery, offering violet, black-
espresso bean. It is full in the mouth, with flavors
of purple plum, black currant, violet, clove and
truffle wrapped in a sheath of satiny tannins that
erated strawberry and bright red-raspberry aromas
announce their presence, along with touches of
basil, lemon drops and fresh-cut hay. The wine’s
berry and soft oak aromas. The palate is rich and dissolve into a fruit-filled finish. Manzanos Wines lithe mouthfeel is matched by equally elegant fla-
generous in cassis fruit, but nuanced in pepper and USA. —M.D. vors of chrysanthemum tea, bergamot and blackcap
game flavors, all wrapped in a tense texture. —M.K. abv: 14% Price: $105 raspberry sorbet. Cellar Selection. —M.A.
94 Ireland Family 2021 Pinot Noir (Russian

River Valley). An almost-electric charge
94 MCV 2020 Black Red Blend (Paso Robles).
Very ripe and inviting aromas of cas-
sis, blackberry pie, caramel and prominent baking 94 Reustle 2021 Green Lizard Prayer Rock Vine-
yards Grüner Veltliner (Umpqua Valley).
runs through this nervy yet well-concentrated spice make for a gooey nose on this Petite Sirah-led This wine's aromatic combination of key lime, pine-
wine. Vivid raspberries, red cherries and cranber- blend, which also includes 19% Tannat and 10% apple, basil and Hawaiian sweet bread is a tropical
ries dance on tangy acidity for an appetizing and Petit Verdot. Fluttery tannins provide the tension paradise. The fruit on the palate is surprisingly closer
refreshing effect. With its moderate tannins and required to hold the rich, booming palate of cassis to the orchard, with a trace of lime zest joining fla-
lively balance, the wine should age well. Best from cream flavors in check. —M.K. vors of peach and Golden Delicious apple. Side notes
2025–2032. Editors’ Choice. —J.G. abv: 15.7% Price: $60 of German chamomile and macadamia nuts also
abv: 14.5% Price: $65 make an appearance. Editors’ Choice. —M.A.
abv: 12.6% Price: $36

94 Rodney Strong 2019 Reserve Pinot Noir
(Russian River Valley). Light earthy, savory
aromas lead to tangy, ripe red and black cherries
92 Starfield 2020 Reserve Grenache (El
Dorado). This wine shows complex inte-
gration of primary, secondary and tertiary flavors, 94 Valduero 2018 Unacepa (Ribera del Duero).
This dark-garnet wine offers a bouquet
and moderate, lip-smacking tannins on the palate. meaning that it’s 100% enjoyable now but has great of black currant, blackberry and anisette. Luxuri-
Subtle oak spices in this well-balanced wine let the aging potential. It offers vibrancy and freshness as ous tannins coat the mouth, providing a framework
nervy, cherrylike impressions and hints of rhubarb well as depth, layering and decadence. Notes sug- for flavors of black cherry, Chambord, orange zest,
and pine take the lead. Editors’ Choice. —J.G. gest fresh roses and violets, basil, raspberry, wild milk chocolate and violet. This wine feels good in
abv: 14.5% Price: $55 strawberry, red plum, chocolate and oak. Hints of the mouth and the finish just keeps on going. Vinaio
nutmeg and hazelnut join with an earthy aura of for- Imports. Editors’ Choice. —M.D.
est floor and mushroom umami. —S.B. abv: 14.5% Price: $45
abv: 15.7% Price: $60
94 Salentein 2018 Single Vineyard La Pampa

1997 Vineyard San Pablo Malbec (Uco Val-
ley). The winery’s single-vineyard series presents
wines from its best estates in Uco Valley. This Mal-
bec comes from La Pampa vineyard at 4,265 feet. 94 V. Sattui 2020 Collina d’Oro Chardonnay
(Russian River Valley). A concentrated core
94 Vina Robles 2019 Mountain Road Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles). From
the winery’s estate vineyard in the Adelaida District
A combination of fruit from a cool-climate subre- of ripe pears and apples is layered in butter, vanilla on the large region’s western flank, this bottling will
gion and the classic style of the house results in a and nutmeg nuances that give a sense of mellow last for many years. Charred meat, cocoa, milk choc-
wine with good acidity and depth. Rich fruit and oak maturity to this full-bodied wine. Hints of toast, olate and baked elderberry aromas entice the nose.
spices show in the form of cherry, blackberry and ginger and lemon zest build on the palate while The palate is tightly wound in texture, with long-
nutmeg in the firm palate. Palm Bay International. a touch of tannin and good acidity keep it lively lasting tannins that uphold violet, purple fruit and
Editors’ Choice. —J.V. through the finish. —J.G. nutty cocoa nib flavors. Drink 2024–2039. Cellar
abv: 15% Price: $59 abv: 14.2% Price: $52 Selection. —M.K.
abv: 14.3% Price: $66
94 Sierra Cantabria 2015 Reserva (Rioja). This

dark-violet-colored wine has a bouquet of
black currant, dark chocolate and juniper berry. A
94 V. Sattui 2021 Collina d’Oro Pinot Noir (Rus-
sian River Valley). Fully ripe fruit flavors
and generous oak spices give this wine a lot to linger 93 Andis 2020 Petite Sirah (Sierra Foothills).
A full-bodied, generous wine with lots to
framework of opulent tannins plays host to flavors of over as moderate tannins and good acidity keep it give—more to come with age. Notes convey plump
blackberry, dark plums, bittersweet chocolate, rose going strong through the finish. Black cherries, dark black plum, blackberry, dried black cherry, fresh
petal and eucalyptus that evaporate into an endur- plums, cinnamon and cloves all contribute to its and dried violets, and chocolate. Hints of spiced
ing chocolate-scented finish. Drink through 2035. complexity. —J.G. meat and barnyard add depth and complexity, mak-
Jorge Ordóñez Selections. Cellar Selection. —M.D. abv: 14.1% Price: $70 ing the wine both fun and interesting. —S.B.
BUYINGGUIDE
93 Andis 2020 Cabernet Franc (Sierra Foot-

hills). While enjoyable now, this wine will
only get better with time. Currently, barrel aromas
lead, with notes of fresh cedar, vanilla, star anise,
cinnamon stick and chocolate. These override beau-
93 Caddis 2019 G-S-M (Chalk Hill). This suave,
velvety and complex wine shows how good
a blend of Rhône grape varieties can be. It offers a
93 Chalk Hill 2021 Estate Bottled Pinot Noir
(Russian River Valley). A good, firm texture
wraps around bright red cherries, raspberries and
tiful fruits and florals of boysenberry, blackberry, fig seamless layering of plums, raspberries, balsam and pine needle nuances in this layered and well-bal-
and violets. Tannins are still a bit tightly wound but cacao on light tannins backed by good acidity. The anced wine. The structure of medium tannins and
the potential of this wine to age with elegance and balance and structure will help it age through 2028 good acidity will help it improve with more age. Best
grace is obvious. —S.B. but why wait? Made with 50% Grenache, 25% from 2024–2029. —J.G.
abv: 12.9% Price: $40 Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre. Hidden Gem. —J.G. abv: 13.9% Price: $48
abv: 14.9% Price: $55
93 Andis 2020 Shake Ridge Ranch Reserve

Zinfandel (Sierra Foothills). This very lay- 93 Center of Effort 2021 Oro Bianco Chenin
Blanc (Edna Valley). From a small vine-
93 Chalk Hill 2021 Estate Bottled Sauvignon
Blanc (Chalk Hill). An attractive array of
fruity, savory aromas leads to a nicely ripe but still
ered wine is almost naughty in its decadence and yard in the yard of the winery’s owner, this release lively palate that is packed with lime, grapefruit,
deliciousness. Plump ripe fruit notes of bright always provides an exciting look at what a cool cli- fresh thyme, cucumbers and jicama. Hints of ginger
red cherry, black plum and boysenberry join with mate can do to this variety. Unique aromas of peach and toast suggest a little barrel aging time, and add
complementary tones of vanilla, nutmeg, black tea, blossom, lemon peel, honey and macadamia nut on even more complexity. —J.G.
chocolate, black olive and game meat. Tannins are the nose lead into a thicker, honeyed palate of baked abv: 14.5% Price: $38
mouthcoating yet smooth. The finish provides a lin- apricot and light stone flavors. —M.K.
gering integration of aromas and flavors. —S.B. abv: 13.5% Price: $35
abv: 14.4% Price: $60
93 CheckMate 2019 Queen Taken Dekleva Vine-

yard Chardonnay (Golden Mile Bench). This
regal Chardonnay is made with a clone of mysteri-
93 Chalk Hill 2019 Estate Red Blend (Chalk

Hill). Opulent in texture and supercon-
ous origin that grows on what may be Canada’s old-
est plantings, topping four decades in age. Aromas
93 Bella 2019 Block 10 Zinfandel (Dry Creek

Valley). Judicious oak spices like toast,
cedar and clove meet dark and deep blackberry fla-
centrated in fruit and oak flavors, this wine has a
big presence, from the inky dark color to the baking
spice and blackberry jam flavors to massive but soft
of kiwi, lime and the jasmine-driven scent of green
clover. A balanced, medium-bodied wine with a
creamy mouthfeel and flavors such as white grape-
vors in this full-bodied, moderately tannic wine. The tannins. Made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec fruit, blood orange and chalk dust. CheckMate.
mouthfeel is rich and broad. Generous berry flavors and Petit Verdot, the wine is bold, full bodied and Editors’ Choice. —M.A.
take over the midpalate and lingering finish. —J.G. packed with flavor. —J.G. abv: 14% Price: $100

93 Fernández Rivera 2019 Tinto Pesquera 93 Ferrari-Carano 2019 Tré Terre Chardonnay
(Russian River Valley). This deep-gold-col-
93 Daou 2020 Bodyguard Red Blend (Paso

Robles). This reliably powerful blend
begins with aromas of nutty pecan, toasted cocoa,
Crianza (Ribera del Duero). Deep violet-red
in the glass, this wine has aromas of blackberry,
cassis and dried Mediterranean herbs. Dark berries
ored wine is also deep in fruit and oak-spice flavors,
layering rich toasted walnut and almond accents
over poached pear and butterscotch flavors. The
walnut shells and cassis. The palate is viscous and are joined on the palate by flavors of chocolate-cov- wine shows a handsome maturity, all mellow, warm
heavy in attention-grabbing ways, offering rich ered espresso bean, black-olive paste and a hint of and nutty. —J.G.
black plum and toasted cocoa flavors. —M.K. violet. Plush tannins make their way across the pal- abv: 14.1% Price: $40
abv: 14.8% Price: $40 ate and dissolve into a bright, lingering finish. Folio
Fine Wine Partners. —M.D.
abv: 14.5% Price: $40
93 Finca Bacara 2021 3015 Ecológico Monas-

trell (Jumilla). Deep ruby to the eye, this
93 Domaine Divio 2020 Gregory Ranch Vine-

yard Pinot Noir (Yamhill-Carlton). Aromas
of dusty roadside blackberries, black-cherry compote
wine has a nose of black cherry, butterscotch and
dried Mediterranean herbs. It is bright at first sip,
with flavors of cherry and pomegranate that are
and an earthy-meaty note similar to grilled portobello quickly joined by silky tannins and notes of dark
mushrooms prepare you for a memorable experience. chocolate, violet, fennel pollen and tarragon. Pleas-
The wine’s sturdy tannins provide a nice frame for all
the tart red cherry and tangerine fruit flavors that coat
the palate. Added bonus is the touches of bittersweet
93 Ferrari-Carano 2017 PreVail West Face Red
Blend (Alexander Valley). Big aromas of
cedar, toasted oak and espresso lead to rich, ripe
ing notes of herbs and flowers make it long past the
finish line. Tri-Vin Imports. Hidden Gem. —M.D.
abv: 14% Price: $25
dark chocolate and black tea that arrive after a bit of black fruits and dark chocolate on the palate. This
glass swirling. Editors’ Choice. —M.A. small-production wine was aged in 75% new French
abv: 13.9% Price: $65 oak, coming out full bodied, richly tannic and quite
mouthfilling. Best from 2025. —J.G.
abv: 15.1% Price: $120
93 Francis Ford Coppola 2019 Eleanor Red

Blend (Sonoma County). This classic-style
93 Fernández Rivera 2019 Condado De Haza

Crianza (Ribera del Duero). Dark garnet in
color, this wine has aromas of blackberry, raspberry 93 Ferrari-Carano 2019 Siena Red Blend
(Sonoma County). This smooth, velvety
wine carries the name of Eleanor Coppola, who
designed the label. It is packed with black fruits,
mint, cedar and cinnamon flavors, nodding to an
and chocolate-covered espresso bean. It is smooth and reasonably priced wine offers delicious black- old-school style with a touch of black olive for
on the palate, with polished tannins and berry fla- fruit flavors, subtle oak spices and light tannins to added complexity. A full body, moderate tannins
vors joined by notes of milk chocolate, cocoa pow- support them well. For a rather full-bodied wine and excellent concentration bode well for further
der, anisette and violet that wend their way to a it also shows good balance and a palate-cleansing aging. Best from 2026–2036. —J.G.
floral and fruit finish. Folio Fine Wine Partners. texture. It is a blend of Sangiovese, Malbec, Petite abv: 14.5% Price: $85
Editors’ Choice. —M.D. Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Editors’
abv: 14.5% Price: $24 Choice. —J.G.
abv: 14.5% Price: $26
BUYINGGUIDE
93 Gary Farrell 2020 Russian River Selec-

tion Chardonnay (Russian River Valley).
This buttery but not extreme wine is scented with
93 Landmark 2019 Dierberg Vineyard Pinot
Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). This is a regionally
familiar, ripe and fresh spin on Pinot Noir, which
popcorn and butterscotch followed by good acid- actually comes from the Dierberg family’s Drum
ity, cream and golden apple flavors, and a touch of Canyon Vineyard. Intense aromas of black cherry,
lemon. It is nicely balanced, layered and oaky. —J.G.
abv: 13.7% Price: $35 93 Justin 2019 Reserve Malbec (Paso Robles).
Fruity aromas of boysenberry jam are
enhanced by elegant violet, lilac and lavender ele-
thyme and woodspice lead into a bold palate full of
cherry pie and lavender flavors, with a touch of tart
elderberry on the finish. —M.K.
ments as well as a sharp pepper spice on the nose abv: 14.3% Price: $65
of this bottling. The palate is bold and rich with
strawberry-açaí-blueberry smoothie flavors, as just
a touch of oak spice rounds out the finish. —M.K.
abv: 15% Price: $50
93 Gary Farrell 2020 Russian River Selection

Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley). Relatively
light, dry and tangy, this medium-bodied wine has
a lean elegance. Tart cherries, raspberries, redwood
forest and black pepper flavors are buoyed by good
acidity and light tannins. The wine is excellent in a
racy, trim style. —J.G. 93 Kopke 2020 Vintage (Port). The wine is
both smooth and seriously textured. With
93 Landmark 2019 Escolle Road Vineyard Pinot
Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands). Focused
aromas of cherry gain complexity from more wild
abv: 13.9% Price: $45 weight and density, black fruits and a fine balance of hints of peppercorn and bay on the nose of this bot-
dried fruits and fresher acidity, the Port is impres- tling. That peppery spice kicks off the vibrant sip,
sive in its concentration and potential. Drink from where dark berry and cherry flavors are wrapped in
2029. Wine In-Motion. —R.V. crushed, dried herb elements. —M.K.
93 González Byass 2017 Finca Moncloa Red

Blend (Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz). A bou-
quet of jammy red berries sets the stage for flavors
of blackberry, black cherry, toffee, dark chocolate
and coffee syrup with bold notes of clove and anise.
Vigorous tannins coat the tongue and gums and
then dissolve into a spicy finish. Gonzalez Byass
93 Kunde 2019 Wine Club Selection Estate
Grown Cabernet Franc (Moon Mountain
District Sonoma County). Potent black fruit flavors
93 Lincourt 2020 Carol Ann Chardonnay (Sta.
Rita Hills). Fresh peach-slice aromas give a
riper touch to this bottling at first, but then zesty
USA. —M.D. and a rather firm texture give this wine good aging lime peel comes in to freshen up the nose. There’s
abv: 14.5% Price: $50 potential. It comes on slowly, showing rather closed rocky tension to the palate, where toasty, nutty
blackberry, clove and toasted oak flavors at first sip, flavors play against salted peach and French-toast
then grows and expands on the palate. Best from spices, with a delicately eggy finish. —M.K.
2027–2037. —J.G. abv: 14.3% Price: $60
abv: 14.7% Price: $60

93 MCV 2020 Gemeny Vineyard Petite Sirah
(Paso Robles). Petite Sirah specialist Matt
Villard masterfully takes his wines to the edge of 93 Muscardini 2019 Alpicella Vineyards San-
giovese (Sonoma Valley). Striking a great
ripeness without going over the line. Ripe aromas balance between fruitiness, spiciness and structure,
93 Luca Bosio 2020 Passato (Barbera d’Asti

Superiore). A serious and immensely plea-
surable wine in one! This dark-fruited Barbera has a
of black currant, caramel and prune are dense on
the nose. Ripe lilac and berry flavors are wrapped in
tense tannins, with a toasty finish. —M.K.
this bold and concentrated wine is wonderfully fla-
vorful and complex. Black fruits, black olives, rose-
mary, graphite and balsam all crowd onto the palate,
purity of fruit that makes you feel that you are pick- abv: 15.6% Price: $52 giving plenty to savor. Best through 2030. —J.G.
ing the fruit yourself. Aromas of blackberries, black abv: 14.3% Price: $52
cherries, savory spice and forest floor. The wine is
well structured with rich fruit notes on the palate
that are all resolved by the bright acidity on the fin-
ish. Impressive. Quintessential Wines. —J.P.
abv: 15.5% Price: $30
93 On Wine Hill 2020 Millerandage Chardonnay

(Tualatin Hills). This fascinating Chardon-
nay is made with clone 548, which is predisposed to
93 Merry Edwards 2020 Olivet Lane Chardon-

nay (Russian River Valley). This medium-
bodied, well-balanced wine from the Pellegrini
“hens and chicks,” hence the millerandage name. The
smaller grapes have high skin-to-juice ratios result-
ing in serious tannic structure and naturally elevated
93 Lytle-Barnett 2018 Blanc de Noirs Spar-

kling Pinot Noir (Eola-Amity Hills). Ripe
Red Anjou pears and raspberries on the nose, along
family’s vineyard offers tasty but subtle vanilla, fig,
poached pear and toast flavors that blend beauti-
fully on the palate, supported by a tangy apricot
acidity. It has aromas of grilled apricots, basil and
a fresh scent I can describe only as chilled slices of
cucumber. Peach and filbert flavors dominate the
with spring-like floral notes of lavender and lilac. note and touch of mouthwatering acidity. Best palate, along with notes of chalk, fresh-shucked oys-
Flavors such as tonic water, lemon peel, brioche through 2030. Cellar Selection. —J.G. ter shell lining and the lemony scent of clean laundry
and strawberries are braced by brisk acidity and abv: 14.1% Price: $68 hanging on the clothesline. Editors’ Choice. —M.A.
a crisp mouthfeel. This traditional method 100% abv: 13.71% Price: $35
Pinot Noir was disgorged in spring of 2022. Edi-
tors’ Choice. —M.A.
abv: 12% Price: $75
93 MCV 2020 1105 Red Blend (Paso Robles).

Intense aromas of violet, lilac, cassis and
açaí are enhanced with a hint of sarsaparilla on the
93 Merry Edwards 2020 Pinot Noir (Russian
River Valley). This smooth, ripe and invit-
ing wine wafts raspberry, strawberry and cherry
93 Precision Wine 2020 Ten to Life Zinfandel
(Dry Creek Valley). A bracing structure of
moderate tannins and good acidity supports vivid
nose of this blend of 61% Petite Sirah, 14% Tannat, aromas and offers all that fruit in the flavors as well. black pepper, blackberry and wild sage flavors in
9% Petit Verdot, 8% Syrah, 7% Grenache and 1% While full bodied and rich in texture, it also has an this full-bodied vine that tastes true to the grape
Viognier. The strong purple fruit and flower flavors appetizing vein of good acidity that slices through variety. Good intensity and depth keep you coming
pick up a blueberry sorbet quality on the palate. the palate and finish. —J.G. back for more sips. —J.G.
—M.K. abv: 14.5% Price: $65 abv: 14.5% Price: $35
abv: 15.6% Price: $50
BUYINGGUIDE
93 Ramirez de la Piscina 2017 Reserva (Rioja).

Dark garnet to the eye, this wine has a bou-
quet of pomegranate, dark plum and mocha with a
93 Rodney Strong 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Alexander Valley). A rich, creamy texture
floats lush black fruits and intricate oak spices in 93 Santa Ema 2018 Catalina Bordeaux-style
Red Blend (Maipo Alto). This well-balanced
hint of dried kitchen herbs. Durable tannins take this full-bodied, palate-saturating wine. Cooked Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend includes Carmé-
hold of the palate, bearing flavors of purple fig, black blueberries, blackberry jam and espresso crema nère, and Cabernet Franc. It’s elegant and has an
cherry, dark chocolate, purple flowers and a hint of come to mind when sipping this elegant, velvety aromatic nose of strawberry and blackberry jam,
red-apple peel and then evaporate into a violet and wine. Best from 2024–2034. Editors’ Choice. —J.G. with hints of bay leaf and baking spices. It offers
ripe cherry finish. Jorge Ordóñez Selections. —M.D. abv: 14.5% Price: $30 a sweet entrance, with vanilla and juicy red-fruit
abv: 14.5% Price: $24 flavors alongside hints of peppercorn and silky
tannins. The finish is long and shows dried herbs.
Pacific Highway Wines & Spirits. —J.V.
abv: 14% Price: $50
93 Rare North 2021 Pinot Noir (Willamette Val-

ley). This graceful, ethereal Pinot Noir was
93 Rombauer 2021 Proprietor Selection Char-
donnay (Carneros). Subtlety and good
balance are the hallmarks of this medium- to full-
aged for a mere nine months in neutral oak. It is bodied, nicely layered and quietly rich wine. Mod-
balanced and restrained, with a silky mouthfeel and
aromas and flavors of tart red cherries, pine needles
and a shot of espresso with lemon. A tremendous
est notes of baked apples, pineapples and nutmeg
fill the palate while a toasty, lemony accent keeps it
dancing. —J.G.
93 Schug 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma
Valley). Fragrant pine and cedar aromas
lead to pure red and black cherry flavors and accents
value. Editors’ Choice. —M.A. abv: 14.5% Price: $80 of rosemary and mint in this uncomplicated, well-
abv: 13% Price: $29 balanced and drinkable wine. A medium body and
light tannins provide a good texture that makes you
want to keep sipping. Hidden Gem. —J.G.
abv: 14.5% Price: $48
93 Rodney Strong 2018 Rockaway Cabernet

Sauvignon (Alexander Valley). This ele-
93 Salentein 2017 Single Vineyard El Tomillo
Vineyard Paraje Altamira Malbec (Uco Val-
ley). The nose exhibits fresh cherry and plum aro-
gant wine wraps classic Cabernet flavors in a silky
blanket of fine-grained tannins. Black currants and
spearmint greet the nose, while moderately rich
mas followed by a light note of herbs. The palate
is elegant, with a mineral texture. Notes of cherry
and plum meet dark chocolate and thyme. A linger-
93 Schug 2021 Pinot Noir (Carneros). Potent
black-fruit flavors meet spicy, cedary
accents in this big and firmly structured wine.
black cherries and dark plums saturate the palate. ing finish delivers oak spices. This red has depth Noticeable tannins wrap around black cherry and
Best through 2030. —J.G. and lively acidity—a good example of wines from blackberry flavors while flinty, peppery notes kick
abv: 14.5% Price: $80 Altamira. Drink through 2028. Palm Bay Interna- in on the finish. Best from 2025–2030. —J.G.
tional. Editors’ Choice. —J.V. abv: 14% Price: $42
abv: 14% Price: $59

93 Talbott 2021 Kali Hart Pinot Noir (Mon- 93 Tower 15 2021 Enz Vineyard Mourvèdre
(Lime Kiln Valley). This is a fresh and
terey). This is one of the most reliably
delicious-while-affordable Pinot Noirs in Califor-
nia. Bright but concentrated aromas of strawberry
vibrant spin on very old vines from a historic vine-
yard in the middle of nowhere. Aromas of lilac,
berry and herb are inviting on the nose. The palate
92 Banshee 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Sonoma County). This smooth, mouthfill-
ing but not heavy wine is scented with black plums,
cream, singed sage and crushed rock kick off the is zippy with acidity, as peppery spices enliven the black cherries and maple, followed by rich, ripe
nose. The palate is satisfyingly rich with baked bright red fruit flavors. Hidden Gem. —M.K. fruit flavors and a very polished texture. Light tan-
cherry and pecan pie flavors, yet tense in texture abv: 14% Price: $65 nins add to an easy touch on the palate. Editors’
and zippy in acidity. Editors’ Choice. —M.K. Choice. —J.G.
93 Vina Robles 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

(Paso Robles). Black cherry, mocha and
93 Three Furies 2019 Constant Vengeance

Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). Intense aromas
of Luxardo cherry and luxurious chai foam invite
vanilla-cream aromas give a satisfyingly lush nose
to this estate bottling. A firm structure frames a
pure palate of roasted red fruit, vanilla cookie and
92 Castello di Amorosa 2019 Pinot Noir (Los
Carneros). This flavorful and well-polished
wine offers a delicious blend of raspberries and
the nose deeply into this bottling. The spice rack is toasty oak flavors. Generous spices push to the fin- black cherries on a texture of light tannins and
prevalent on the palate as well, elevating the lush ish. —M.K. good acidity. Well balanced and smooth around the
raspberry and strawberry preserve flavors. —M.K. abv: 14.3% Price: $32 edges, it lingers long on the finish. —J.G.
92 Aubaine 2020 Chardonnay (Eola-Amity

Hills). Guava and rose water join fresh,
92 CheckMate 2020 Attack Chardonnay
93 Tommasi 2019 Ripasso (Valpolicella Clas-

sico Superiore Ripasso). Dried fig and black
cherry aromas are the core of this classic wine from
herbal aromas—lemon verbena, fresh-cut hay and
Sencha green tea. Ripe apricots and peaches domi-
nate the palate, along with bursts of more green tea,
(Okanagan Valley). This offbeat combina-
tion of straw, petrichor, warm pie crust and Lime-
ade made me want to inhale this wine. Flavors of
the Veneto. Aromas of clove, cinnamon and choco- toasted brown rice and Sicilian lemons mixed with lemon pith, juniper, coriander and chilled citron
late support the fruity aromas. The frame of the pal- quinine. A fuller, rounder mouthfeel with elevated sake are just as compelling. The wine’s acidity will
ate is sturdy with fine tannins and moderate acidity acidity. Quite elegant. Editors’ Choice. —M.A. make the mouth of the person sitting next to you
while flavors of dried flowers, herbs and cherries abv: 12% Price: $45 water. CheckMate. —M.A.
integrate perfectly. Vintus LLC. —J.P. abv: 13.5% Price: $95
abv: 13.5% Price: $27
BUYINGGUIDE
92 De Bortoli 2019 The Estate Vineyard Pinot

Noir (Yarra Valley). Made from five small
estate plots, De Bortoli’s is a textbook Aussie Pinot.
Highly fruity and aromatic, it delivers heady notes
of strawberries and cream with white pepper and
92 Effort 2020 Chardonnay (Edna Valley).
Inviting aromas of lime peel and sea salt
cut into the peach and honeysuckle elements on the
92 J Vineyards & Winery 2018 Vintage Brut
Rosé (Russian River Valley). Crisp, fruity,
layered and elegant, this balanced bottle of bubbles
a slight autumnal vibe (think wild fungi and wet nose of this complex bottling. The body is viscous offers fresh, subtle cherries, strawberries and cream
leaves). Despite being light bodied overall, with on the palate, full of peach and more white-flower notes on a tangy texture lifted by a fine mousse.
strawberry preserves and spice-flecked tannins, flavors, yet that saline quality keeps it all in check. —J.G.
there’s a power that nearly catches you off guard, —M.K. abv: 12.5% Price: $65
and a crunchy lift of acidity. PH Importing. —C.P. abv: 14% Price: $26
abv: 13.5% Price: $39
92 J Vineyards & Winery 2019 Annapolis Ridge

Vineyard Estate Grown Pinot Noir (Sonoma
Coast). This richly spiced wine matches deep, ripe
92 Dominio Fournier 2019 (Ribera del Duero).

A bouquet of cherry, blackberry and clove
sets the scene for flavors of black cherry, raspberry,
92 Folded Hills 2020 Estate Grenache (Santa
Ynez Valley). Grenache is not known for
aging well, but there’s a unique combination of hot
black fruit and tobacco flavors with cinnamon, clove
and balsam notes from oak barrels. The wine is full
bodied, light in tannins, and smooth and mouthfill-
lavender, milk chocolate and anisette. Sturdy tan- and cold on this estate that begs for patience with ing in texture. —J.G.
nins ply the palate and then dissipate into a floral- this wine. Light in hue, it shows fresh raspberry jam, abv: 14.6% Price: $125
scented finish. Gonzalez Byass USA. —M.D. dried flowers, pepper and roasted meat on the nose.
abv: 14% Price: $30 A firm, leathery texture wraps up the strawberry,
pomegranate and cracked pepper flavors of the pal-
ate. Drink now–2040. Cellar Selection. —M.K.
abv: 13.6% Price: $78
92 Landmark 2019 Hilliard Bruce Vineyard

Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills). Baked nectar-
ine, brown spice, lanolin and macadamia nut make
92 Drum Roll 2019 Pinot Renoir Pinot Noir (Wil-

lamette Valley). Aged in a combination
of French oak, this Pinot Noir’s aroma of clothes
92 Foley 2020 JA Ranch Chardonnay (Sta. Rita
Hills). Lemon glaze and tangerine aromas
meet with nectarine flesh and light stone on the
for a complex nose that’s rounded and rich. The pal-
ate is also on the lush side, showing toasted nuts
with lemony glaze. A creamy flavor and mouthfeel
washed in lavender and lemon-scented laundry pow- dynamic nose of this bottling. The palate is a more extend through the finish. —M.K.
der is quite refreshing. Aromas such as black cherries rounded expression, showing apple, pear and maca- abv: 14.2% Price: $55
and wet grass linger beyond the laundry. Substantial damia nut, with a flashy citrus acidity. —M.K.
tannins and modest acidity back a whole lot of red abv: 14.1% Price: $52
cherry fruit and a note of something similar to iced
black tea flavored by a dollop of stevia. —M.A.
abv: 13.5% Price: $28

92 Lucia 2021 Estate Cuvée Chardonnay (Santa
Lucia Highlands). Lovely aromas of Asian
pear, delicate white lily, lime pith and river water
invite the nose into this bottling. There’s an impres-
sively chalky texture on the palate, giving balance to
the ripe apple and pineapple flesh flavors. —M.K.
92 Manzanos 2020 Siglo Roble (Ribera del
Duero). This deep-garnet-colored wine has
a nose of brambly berries and anise. It feels good
92 Navarro Balbás 2018 Nabal Crianza (Ribera
del Duero). Deep garnet to the eye, this
wine has aromas of cassis, purple plum and forest
abv: 14.1% Price: $50 in the mouth, offering plush tannins and flavors floor. There is a nice interplay of chalky tannins and
of black cherry, black currant, milk chocolate and bright acidity and flavors of cranberry, pomegran-
lavender that glide into a gentle finish. Manzanos ate, milk chocolate, sage and orange zest. W. Direct.
Wines USA. —M.D. —M.D.
92 Lytle-Barnett 2017 Blanc de Blancs Spar-

kling Chardonnay (Eola-Amity Hills).
This traditional-method sparkling wine is filled
with aromas and flavors of white peaches, Hami
melon, lemon pastilles, white flowers, mint and a
mild saline note. Disgorged in the spring of 2022,
this elegant 100% Chardonnay has a crisp, clean
92 Optio 2020 La Mar Vineyard Tempranillo
(Paso Robles Geneseo District). From a
newer estate producer, this bottling shows plenty of
mouthfeel with elevated acidity. —M.A. ageworthy traits. Aromas of crushed pencil, dried
abv: 12% Price: $75 herb, berry, leather, iodine and smoke make for a
92 Matsu 2019 El Viejo (Toro). Inky garnet in

the glass, this wine has a nose of brambly
fruits of the wood and black-olive paste. Grippy tan-
rugged entry to the nose. The palate is dark, dry
and leathery, true to Tempranillo with grilled black-
berry flavors and thick tannins. Drink now–2034.
nins provide a backdrop for flavors of black currant, Cellar Selection. —M.K.
dark plums, bittersweet chocolate and dried hillside abv: 14% Price: $55
herbs. Bright fruit outweighs heavy tannins on the
palate and carries on into the enduring finish. Vintae
USA, Inc. —M.D.
abv: 15% Price: $50
92 Manzanos 2015 Gran Reserva (Rioja). Dark

garnet in the glass, this wine offers aromas
of black cherry, blackberry, and chocolate-covered
mints. There is a nice note of brightness across
the palate, alongside velvety tannins and flavors
of fruits of the wood, milk chocolate, orange zest,
92 Merry Edwards 2020 Pinot Noir (Sonoma
Coast). This broad and plummy wine offers
abundant red and black fruit flavors, a smooth tex-
92 Pali Wine Co. 2021 Huntington Pinot Noir
(Santa Barbara County). Dark and focused
black plum, elderberry and mulberry aromas are
violet and thyme. The sense of brightness lingers ture and good underlying balance. Moderate acidity lifted by lavender on the nose of this reasonably
on the palate, with notes of orange zest and white and tannins give a little bite that perks up the con- priced bottling. Ample tannins frame the sip, where
chocolate. Manzanos Wines USA. —M.D. siderable strawberry and black plum flavors. —J.G. oak and cherry flavors are spiced up by mace and
abv: 14% Price: $35 abv: 14.5% Price: $60 clove. Editors’ Choice. —M.K.
abv: 14.5% Price: $32
BUYINGGUIDE
92 Plaisance Ranch 2018 Papa Joe’s Private

Stash Syrah (Applegate Valley). The wine’s
blackberry aromas almost literally fill the room,
92 Raeburn 2021 Pinot Noir (Russian River
Valley). This pure-tasting, appetizing and
tangy-textured wine cuts generous red and black
92 Rombauer 2021 Chardonnay (Carneros).
A toasty, spicy aroma leads to ripe apple,
pear and nutmeg flavors in this friendly, full-bod-
supported by notes of white pepper, roasted pork cherry flavors with vivid acidity and tingly tannins. ied wine. It offers a mouthfilling richness, persis-
shoulder, applesauce and talc. More blackberries The structure is lip-smacking now and will promote tent fruit and baking-spice flavors, and a lingering
on the palate, with powerful bursts of cedar bark further aging through 2027. Editors’ Choice. —J.G. finish. —J.G.
and espresso. The wine delivers a plush mouthfeel, abv: 14% Price: $25 abv: 14.5% Price: $40
with integrated tannins and modest acidity. A joy to
drink. Editors’ Choice. —M.A.
abv: 14.6% Price: $35
92 Rodney Strong 2018 Alexander’s Crown

Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley).
This bold, direct and concentrated wine has been
92 Salentein 2017 Single Vineyard Los Cerezos
Vineyard Gualtallary Malbec (Uco Valley).
Made in a classic style, this red from Gualtallary
92 Precision Wine 2020 Ten to Life Pinot Noir

(Sonoma Coast). Warm, full bodied and
generous in flavor, this mouthfilling wine offers
a single-vineyard offering since the 1980s. It offers
tasty black cherries, black currants and black olives
with light accents of bay leaves and dark chocolate.
opens with bright fruit aromas of blueberries and
cherry followed by coffee beans. Oaky notes are
intense but mix beautifully with black-and red-
deep black plum, black cherry and blueberry fla- Moderate tannins and good acid balance give an fruit flavors on the plush palate. It’s well balanced
vors accented by light oak notes of cinnamon and appetizing texture and set it up for further improve- with a mineral character and a fresh long finish.
nutmeg. Its moderate tannins are offset by the rich ment with time. Best from 2026–2036. —J.G. Palm Bay International. —J.V.
texture. —J.G. abv: 14.5% Price: $80 abv: 14.5% Price: $59
abv: 14.5% Price: $35
92 Rodney Strong 2019 Reserve Chardonnay

(Russian River Valley). With the perceived
sweetness of a fig bar and the tangy richness of a
92 Salentein 2018 Single Vineyard Los Jabalíes
Vineyard San Pablo Malbec (Uco Valley).
The grapes for this wine were sourced from vine-
lemon meringue pie, this full-bodied wine is a yards at 4,500 feet in elevation in San Pablo Uco
92 Precision Wine 2021 Navigator Zinfandel

(Dry Creek Valley). Plenty of fresh berry fla-
vors are accented by wild sage, mint and toasted oak
showstopper. While technically dry on the palate,
the wine gushes ripe pears, marzipan and vanilla
bean flavors while a lush texture promotes a long,
Valley. Aromas of chocolate-covered blueberries are
inviting. Licorice notes complete the bouquet. The
palate is smooth and rich, with pleasant chocolate
in this complex, well-balanced wine. It brings out rich finish. —J.G. flavors followed by black fruit. It’s big, with muscu-
the classic fruit-herb-pepper complexity of Zinfan- abv: 14.5% Price: $45 lar tannins and a balancing acidity. Palm Bay Inter-
del grown in Sonoma County. —J.G. national. —J.V.

92 Sarah’s Vineyard 2020 Estate Pinot Noir
(Santa Clara Valley). Jammy aromas of
stewed berry, roasted fennel and myrtle show on
92 Thin Blue 2020 The Oath Syrah (Paso
Robles). With a bottle proclaiming that
this brand is all about “American Exceptionalism”
91 Belle Glos 2021 Balade Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita
Hills). This will wow those who prefer Pinot
Noir in a massive, powerful style, though probably
the ripe nose of this bottling. The tense palate picks and “unashamedly pro law enforcement, unapolo- disappoint those seeking ethereal elegance. Heavy
up a more mineral-forward angle, with crushed getically pro military,” this is indeed an authoritar- aromas of cherry, charred cola and clove on the nose
rock and turned soil playing alongside concentrated ian-esque bottling. Brooding aromas of blackberry, lead into cherry cordial and cardamom-cookie fla-
cherry, woodspice and sagebrush flavors. —M.K. smoke, iodine and dark lilac lead into a hearty pal- vors that are wrapped in creamy tannins. —M.K.
abv: 14.5% Price: $52 ate that’s lush in flavors of purple flower, cassis and abv: 14.7% Price: $55
warm toast. —M.K.
abv: 16.2% Price: $55
91 Belle Glos 2021 Las Alturas Pinot Noir (Santa

Lucia Highlands). This extremely ripe and
92 Smith & Hook 2020 Proprietary Red Blend

(Central Coast). This is a satisfying, widely
92 Viña Leyda 2021 Lot 4 Sauvignon Blanc
(Leyda Valley). Grown in coastal vineyards,
this refreshing wine is well balanced. Celery and
bold style of Pinot Noir will please those seeking
such lushness. Dark in the glass, it begins with
black cherry, toasty caramel and cola milk shake
available and affordable blend of Merlot, Malbec, salt combined with subtle lime and peach flavors, aromas. The palate is hefty and heavy, carrying ripe
Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of alongside lively acidity. It shows lemon notes in the berry but also tart red-plum-skin flavors, as licorice
roasted blackberry, bittersweet cocoa and roasted enjoyable finish. Winebow Imports. —J.V. adds spice. —M.K.
fennel on the nose lead into a palate loaded with abv: 13% Price: $33 abv: 14.9% Price: $55
grilled strawberry, rounded oak, vanilla and carda-
mom spice. —M.K.
abv: 14.8% Price: $25
92 Vina Robles 2020 Petite Sirah (Paso

Robles). Violet and lilac aromas are
wrapped in toasted walnut and black currant on the
91 Chalk Hill 2021 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast).
Excellent balance and a sturdy structure of
tannins give this full-bodied wine a hefty mouthfeel
92 Starfield 2020 Grenache (El Dorado). This

light and lively Grenache with integrated
oak tones and soft, silky tannins is easy to sip and
nose of this bottling. The palate is lush with dark
fruits and oak spices, which evolve into mocha and
coffee bean flavors by the finish. —M.K.
that backs up its nicely ripe and robust cherry and
blackberry flavors. Best through 2028. —J.G.
abv: 14.3% Price: $29
savor. Dry, earthy dustiness immediately wafts out abv: 14.5% Price: $32
of the glass followed by aromas of red roses, rasp-
berry, cranberry, wild strawberry, vanilla flower,
oak wood and a touch of smoke. —S.B.
abv: 14.9% Price: $45
BUYINGGUIDE
91 Chamisal 2021 Pinot Noir (San Luis Obispo

County). Muddled mulberry and blackberry
aromas meet with earthy chaparral elements on the
91 Domaine Divio 2020 Les Climats Pinot Noir
(Willamette Valley). A beautifully balanced
wine with integrated tannins, bright acidity and
nose of this county blend. The palate zips with acid-
ity that cuts into rich flavors of plum, berry, char-
cuterie and pepper spice. —M.K.
a crisp, clean mouthfeel. Aged for a year in lightly
toasted French oak barrels, 10% new. This is a
Goldilocks wine where everything is “just right,”
91 Ferrari-Carano 2018 Trésor Bordeaux-style
Red Blend (Sonoma County). Well struc-
tured and firmly tannic, this full-bodied wine is
abv: 13% Price: $24 with aromas and flavors of raspberry, black cherry, saturated with blackberries, blueberries and 90%
lavender, burning sage, orange peel and grilled meat. cacao flavors for a tight mouthfeel at this stage of its
Editors’ Choice. —M.A. development. Best from 2028–2038. —J.G.
91 Defiance 2018 BLK 1 Estate Cabernet Sauvi-

gnon (Paso Robles). Concentrated aromas
91 Domaine Divio 2020 Pinot Noir (Chehalem
Mountains). The wine’s floral nose is an
elegant mixture of fresh rose petals and rose lil- 91 Foley 2020 T Anchor Ranch Chardonnay (Sta.
Rita Hills). Nutty aromas of sandalwood
of blackberry hide behind a veil of dark wood and ies at dusk. Raspberries and cinnamon compote, meet with lemon rind and turned earth on the nose
crushed stone on the nose of this ageworthy bot- bergamot and cedar-greenery aromas round out of this bottling. Leathery tannins frame the sip,
tling. Tense tannins make for a firm palate, with the aromatic set. The fruit is darker (blackberries where aged lemon cream and spiced apple flavors
blackberry, smoked meat and peppery spice flavors and boysenberries) and tarter, with added notes of align. —M.K.
clinging to the tight texture. Drink 2024–2034. wood spice, leather and vanilla bean. Sturdy tan- abv: 14.2% Price: $52
Cellar Selection. —M.K. nins are matched by elevated acidity and a long fin-
abv: 13.5% Price: $54 ish. —M.A.
abv: 13.6% Price: $55
91 Domaine Divio 2020 Clos Gallia Vineyard

Estate Pinot Noir (Ribbon Ridge). Blackberry
and blackcap raspberry aromas mingle with wisps 91 Francis Ford Coppola 2021 Director’s Cut
Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast). In this wine,
of maple and violets. There’s tart acidity here, but rich baking-spice aromas and nutty, poached pear
the tannins are still a bit grippy. Decanting is called
for if you would like to coax out the wine’s beautiful
blackberry, orange and bittersweet dark chocolate
91 Ferrari-Carano 2017 PreVail Back Forty Caber-
net Sauvignon (Alexander Valley). Chocolaty
in aroma, jammy in flavor and velvety in texture,
flavors rest on a smooth, slightly smoke-edged tex-
ture for an oaky, toasted expression overall. A full
body and broad mouthfeel give heft on the palate.
flavors. —M.A. this full-bodied, mouthfilling wine offers generous, —J.G.
abv: 13.8% Price: $60 super ripe black fruits, dark chocolate and fine- abv: 14.5% Price: $22
grained tannins. —J.G.

91 J Vineyards & Winery 2018 Blanc de Noirs
Sparkling Blend (Russian River Valley). In
this wine, a fruity aroma of strawberries and crisp
91 Long Walk 2019 Long Walk Vineyard Cari-
gnane (Rogue Valley). Blackcap raspberries
and pluots make a beautiful team on the nose, along
91 Morét-Brealynn 2021 Stray Dogs Pinot Noir
(Central Coast). With 10% of proceeds going
to animal shelters, this philanthropic bottling offers
apples is followed by a tangy but slightly rounded with notes of beeswax, oregano, star anise and black juicy strawberry and bay leaf aromas on the nose.
mouthfeel that releases more fresh, dry and appeal- pepper. The wine’s velvety mouthfeel and tannins The palate lands with a hearty mouthfeel and grippy
ing fruit flavors. A medium body and fine-beaded make it awfully easy to take sip after sip. Flavors like texture, framing boysenberry and light mint flavors.
bubbles keep the wine refreshing. —J.G. almost ripe nectarines and sweet Chelan cherries are Editors’ Choice. —M.K.
abv: 12.5% Price: $65 bolstered by brisk acidity and a distinct Sumatran abv: 14.5% Price: $50
coffee note on the finish. Editors’ Choice. —M.A.
abv: 13.3% Price: $38
91 Optio 2020 LaMar Vineyard Petite Sirah

(Paso Robles Geneseo District). Focused aro-
91 J. Lohr 2021 October Night Chardonnay

(Arroyo Seco). Gardenia, jasmine and apple
mas of charred nuts, lush but dry fruit, a touch of
violet and dark woodspice show on the nose of this
blossom aromas meet with a touch of stone on the
nose of this approachable bottling. The palate offers
tuberose and guava flavors that lean quite tropical,
91 Marchesi Antinori 2019 Villa Antinori Reserva
(Chianti Classico). Savory notes dominate
the nose of this Chianti Classico Riserva, from
estate bottling, The fruit on the palate is dark while
tart, as hints of herb and peppercorn ride mouth-
drying tannins into the finish. —M.K.
but enough stony minerality and citrusy acidity tomato and pepper to soil and tobacco leaf, before a abv: 14.5% Price: $55
keeps it vivid into the finish. —M.K. rich layer of cherries and chocolate comes through.
abv: 14.5% Price: $25 Cherries and chocolate continue on the palate, with
a meaty earthiness that leans into tannins and acid
just beginning to mellow pleasantly. Ste. Michelle
Wine Estates. —D.C.
abv: 14% Price: $36
91 Lincourt 2020 Courtney Chardonnay (Sta.

Rita Hills). Crisp lemon and lime peel aro-
mas give a zippy nose to this bottling, which also
91 Merry Edwards 2021 Sauvignon Blanc (Rus-
sian River Valley). Floral and buttery aro-
mas open this full-bodied, creamy-textured wine
91 Portlandia 2019 Big Believer Cabernet Sau-
vignon (Columbia Valley). This 100% Cab-
ernet Sauvignon from Soaring Eagle Vineyard sees
shows lychee and a hint of oak as it opens. Baked that offers a soft mouthfeel and the roundness 15 months in French oak, 20% new. It’s balanced,
apple, light caramel and pineapple flavors arise on that comes from aging on the lees. Concentrated with aromas of blackberries, white pepper, violets
the palate, where acidity provides ample tension. peaches, melons and a good viscosity help the wine and a touch of earth. Black-cherry and orange-peel
—M.K. stand out. —J.G. flavors are joined by bittersweet dark chocolate.
abv: 14.1% Price: $56 abv: 14% Price: $48 Fine-grained tannins are matched by elevated
acidity. —M.A.
abv: 13.5% Price: $22

BUYINGGUIDE
91 Prunotto 2018 (Barolo). Bright and lifted

tart red fruit notes permeate the nose on
this pretty Barolo. As the wine opens, it unveils a
91 San Simeon 2020 Estate Reserve Syrah
(Paso Robles). From the Maddalena Vine-
yard, this bottling is opaque in the glass, offer-
91 Starfield 2020 Cinsaut (El Dorado). This
wine opens with an aura of fresh moun-
tain air, followed by subtle aromas of raspberry,
solid core of cherry mixed with rosebud and a touch ing roasted blackberry, oak and clove aromas in a cranberry, strawberry, a touch of forest floor and
of minerality. The palate highlights the ripe red Shiraz-like expression. The palate lands with hearty a hint of smoke. The wine comes alive on the pal-
fruit notes which are hemmed in by the fine youth- weight and big flavors of violet, roasted wood and ate. Flavors confirm the nose with more vibrancy
ful tannins and bright acidity. The wine is generous rich, stewed fruits. —M.K. and assertiveness, incorporating a coarse tannic
and giving making it a good Barolo to drink now. abv: 14.9% Price: $30 texture. The wine maintains brightness that gives
Now–2033. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. —J.P. it versatility to enjoy on its own or with a plethora
abv: 14% Price: $67 of dishes. —S.B.
abv: 14.6% Price: $36
91 Sebastiani 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alex-

ander Valley). This super ripe, opulent,
91 Quinta Vale D. Maria 2020 Vinhas do Sabor

(Douro). A dense, complex wine with
immense black fruits and solid tannins, this is a fine
almost sweet-tasting wine overflows with choco-
late-covered cherries, maple syrup and crème de
cassis flavors. It has a rich, creamy texture due to
91 Starfield 2020 Tempranillo (El Dorado). A
mouthful of plush tannins and elevated alco-
hol is well met by voluptuous notes of blackberry,
wine from the Douro Superior. The wine, with its soft tannins and thick viscosity. —J.G. black plum, black currant, black pepper, chocolate,
tannins and solid texture, is ageworthy. Drink from abv: 15.2% Price: $45 vanilla, nutmeg and cedar. Integrated acidity allows
2026. Aveleda Inc. —R.V. for an elegant line of freshness that rides through
abv: 14% Price: $23 the center of the palate, pointing toward a warm,
lingering finish. —S.B.
abv: 14.9% Price: $42
91 Sonoma-Cutrer 2019 Winemaker’s Release

Grand Brut Rosé Sparkling Blend (Russian
91 S.A. Prüm 2020 Wehlen Sonnenuhr Kabinett

Riesling (Mosel). This is racy, with notes of
River Valley). In this wine, a light pink color leads to
fresh aromas of raspberries and strawberries. The
dried sage and mint to the green peach, citrus and
fresh-cut apple flavors. Lively acidity links all the
elements. The finish lingers with hints of cream.
sip reveals equally fruity and nicely crisp flavors
buoyed by fine-grained bubbles. Blended from 70%
Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, the wine is quite
91 Vatan 2020 Nisia Las Suertes Old Vines
Verdejo (Rueda). Aromas of Golden Deli-
cious apple, lemon curd and honeysuckle waft
Taub Family Selections. —A.Z. flavorful and well balanced. —J.G. from the glass. This full-textured wine rolls across
abv: 8.5% Price: $34 abv: 12% Price: $55 the palate with flavors of pineapple, passion fruit,
lemon zest and vanilla. A soft touch of mint hangs
around into the enduring finish. Jorge Ordóñez
Selections. —M.D.
abv: 14.5% Price: $35

90 Brancaia 2020 Tre Red Blend (Toscana).
The savory nose of this Tuscan red is fresh
91 Viña Leyda 2019 Lot 21 Pinot Noir (Leyda Val-

ley). This wine is made with grapes from
Leyda Valley, a cool-climate region that is known for
pavement and cedar chips at first, then fresh red
cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, then fennel and
licorice. Barely ripe red fruit on the palate and more
90 Firestone 2019 Reserve Syrah (Santa Ynez
Valley). Blackberry pie aromas meet with
violet, pepper, herb and leather on the nose of this
its vibrant wines. Thyme, spices, and hints of rose licorice with approachable tannins and snappy acid bottling. Dried elderberry flavors are dusted in
petal shape the nose. The palate reveals chalky, firm makes for lovely drinking ready whenever you are. cocoa and wrapped in leathery tannins on the pal-
tannins alongside Leyda’s lively acidity. Light notes Maze Row Wine Merchant. —D.C. ate, which finishes on a warm cookie note. —M.K.
of smoke and herbs (followed by wild cherries) lin- abv: 13.5% Price: $25 abv: 14.9% Price: $52
ger in the finish. Winebow Imports. —J.V.
abv: 13.5% Price: $33
90 D’Arenberg 2018 The Coppermine Road Cab-

ernet Sauvignon (McLaren Vale). A deep
90 Firestone 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso
91 Windstream 2021 Sarmento Vineyard Pinot

Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands). Lavender, rose
petal potpourri and black raspberry aromas create
crimson color, this has all the plush, dense, thicket-
of-fruit aromas typical to McLaren Vale Cabernet.
There’s black currant, dark cherry, a little dried mint
Robles). Rugged aromas of sagebrush,
scorched earth, bittersweet cocoa and dried elder-
berry make for a layered nose on this bottling. The
a floral-driven nose on this single-vineyard expres- and a sweet, toasty oak note. The palate is powerful palate shows a riper side, offering strawberry, bay
sion from the Riboli family’s Salinas Valley prop- with quite elevated—somewhat forced—acidity and leaf and oregano, with the kick of green peppercorn
erty. Floral elements sail across the palate as well, powerful, sappy tannins that require a hefty amount toward the tannic finish. —M.K.
ranging from red to purple petals, with darker black of protein. Old Bridge Cellars. —C.P. abv: 14.1% Price: $22
plum and elderberry flavors also showing. —M.K. abv: 14.5% Price: $65
abv: 15.1% Price: $35
90 Andis 2020 Di Stasio Vineyard Reserve Old

Vine Zinfandel (Sierra Foothills). This is
90 D’Arenberg 2018 The Ironstone Press-
ings G-S-M (McLaren Vale). Gentle winter
warming notes of black pepper, cloves and bay leaf 90 Firriato NV Gaudensius Blanc de Noir
(Etna). The nose on this blanc de noir
a big red wine that’s not overly bold or boisterous weave between plump plum and black-currant fruit nonvintage Sicilian sparkling from Nerello Mas-
about it. Concentrated aromas and flavors bring and graphite. The palate offers a lovely texture and calese is a savory-sweet combination, from maple
forth notes of black cherry, chocolate, boysenberry, savoriness with powerfully taut, well-placed—if syrup and baklava to roasted Poblano peppers and
plum, clove, toasted wood, black tea, fennel fronds, drying—tannins and a tang of juicy acidity that nixtamalized corn. The palate offers more classic
cinnamon stick and cola. Tannins are firm and makes this a wine that drinks well now with rich, notes of lemon, grapefruit and a bit of stone fruit,
grippy, adding textural integrity. A pleasant acidity meaty dishes like barbecue ribs. Old Bridge Cellars. as well as honey and tall grass, with effervescence
ensure freshness from start to finish. —S.B. —C.P. dancing over the tongue. Soilair Selection. —D.C.
abv: 14.9% Price: $50 abv: 14.5% Price: $65 abv: 12% Price: $40

BUYINGGUIDE
90 Fort Ross Winery 2021 Sea Slopes Pinot

Noir (Sonoma Coast). Nicely ripe fruit and
a rather warm, soft mouthfeel make this medium-
90 Ireland Family 2020 Peake Ranch Vineyard
Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). Black raspberry,
black plum and frankincense aromas pull the nose
90 Le Garenne NV (Crémant de Loire). A blend
of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Caber-
net Franc, this smoothly textured sparkling wine is
bodied wine easy to like. Red cherries, cherry pie into this bottling. The palate is bold and oak-spiced, full and rich. The white fruits and fresh citrus com-
and a slight cranberry slant keep the flavors inter- offering roasted plum, wild cherry and dark straw- plement the wine’s touch of maturity. Drink now.
esting, while light tannins and a nip of acidity add berry flavors that lead into a ripe finish. —M.K. Asgram LLC. —R.V.
good balance. —J.G. abv: 14.5% Price: $75 abv: 12% Price: $22
abv: 13% Price: $35
90 Già Bella 2020 Brut Rosé Cabernet Sau-

vignon (Red Mountain). A traditional 90 Ironstone 2020 Reserve Estate Grown Cab-
ernet Franc (Sierra Foothills). Aromas and
90 Marchesi Antinori 2020 Pèppoli (Chianti
Classico). Cherries, strawberries and ripe
tomatoes pop off the nose of this Chianti Classico
method sparkling wine made with Red Mountain flavors suggest red cherry, red plum, wild straw- standby from Antinori, with more classic notes of
fruit is not something you stumble across every day, berry, boysenberry, tarragon, basil, toasted wood wild fennel, soil and balsamic vinegar arriving after
but I’m glad I did. There are the aromas of straw, and chocolate, with hints of leather, black pepper a moment. The palate is fresh and bright with more
strawberries, dried rose petals and vanilla biscotti. and crushed violets. Coarse, chalky tannins coat cherries, joined with figs and plums, before hints
The wine is dry, with a frothy mousse and flavors the mouth, but are well met by the concentrated of dark chocolate. Dusty tannins highlight earthy
like strawberry Jell-O and a mildly bitter note fruit structure. An elevated acidity provides needed undertones for a savory contrast. Ste. Michelle
resembling tonic water. —M.A. freshness. —S.B. Wine Estates. —D.C.
abv: 12% Price: $40 abv: 14.5% Price: $26 abv: 13.5% Price: $21
90 Handpicked 2018 Regional Selections

Pinot Noir (Yarra Valley). On the riper end
90 Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta 2020 Val-
of the Pinot spectrum, this opens with aromas of
cherry cordial and strawberry compote. Behind
those, cocktail bitters and autumnal vibes of sap,
90 J. Lohr 2021 Arroyo Vista Chardonnay
(Arroyo Seco). Tropical aromas of guava
and lychee are clean and direct on the nose of this
morena (Barbera d’Asti). This is as classic
a Barbera as they come. Aromas of tart red cher-
ries, baking spice and violets. The elegant palate is
dried leaves and florals. The palate is plump in bottling. The palate tightens up in texture, pushing driven by vibrant red currants and sour cherries.
shape, with silky, soft tannins and delicate cherry, forth fresh and vibrant Asian pear flesh flavors with Fine and bright on the finish, this wine’s savory
floral and spice flavors. Drink now. American Spir- hints of that lush lychee character. —M.K. quality demands you have food with it. Serendipity
its Exchange Ltd. —C.P. abv: 14.5% Price: $25 Wine Imports. —J.P.

90 Rodney Strong 2018 Brothers Cabernet
Sauvignon (Alexander Valley). Vivid
90 St. Francis 2020 Artisan Collection Pinot
Noir (Sonoma Coast). Rich and smooth,
this full-bodied wine leads with quite-ripe red and
89 Broadbent 2021 Reserva (Madeirense).
This curiosity, a white wine from Madeira,
is delicate, perfumed and fruity. The blend includes
toasted oak aromas and rich clove and cinnamon black cherry flavors on a broad, mouthfilling tex- the rare Arnsburger grape, developed in Germany.
flavors dominate this full-bodied and moderately ture. It offers good depth of fruit and moderate tan- The Ilha de Madeira result is fresh, with an edge of
tannic wine as blackberries and black cherries take nins. —J.G. spice from wood aging. It is ready to drink. Broad-
a back seat. Sandy tannins and a smoky, chocolaty abv: 14.2% Price: $48 bent Selections, Inc. Hidden Gem. —R.V.
note carry the palate. —J.G. abv: 12.5% Price: $27
abv: 14.5% Price: $80
90 Valentín Bianchi 2019 Gran Famiglia Bian-

chi Corte Bordeaux-style Red Blend (Uco
86 Centerstone 2018 Erratic Oaks Vineyard
90 Rodney Strong 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon

(Sonoma County). This broad, rich and
easy-sipping wine features soft tannins around
Valley). A Malbec-based blend with a splash of Petit
Verdot, Merlot and other red varieties, this has a
nose of strawberry, raspberry and cassis. A ripe pal-
Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley). Aromati-
cally, this wine is a fruit basket filled with mixed
berries, smoky red cherries and a trace of ripe
ripe, jammy blackberries and black currants on a ate offers concentrated red- and black-fruit flavors banana. Cherry jam with small chunks of orange
full body. Hints of maple, vanilla and milk chocolate and a note of thyme that extends the finish. Quintes- spread out on toast keeps the theme going on the
show how indulgent it is. —J.G. sential Wines. —J.V. palate. The wine has enough acidity and sturdy tan-
abv: 14.5% Price: $23 abv: 14.6% Price: $30 nins to support the fruit. —M.A.
abv: 13.7% Price: $20
BEST BUYS
90 San Simeon 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

(Paso Robles). Cocoa, cassis and loamy
earth aromas make for a satisfying aromatic com-
89 Azienda Agricola Marcocelli Giuseppe
2019 Conte Ripoli Montepulciano (Colline
Teramane). A restrained nose that dances delicately 94 Long Shadows 2021 Poet’s Leap Riesling
(Columbia Valley). How do I love thee? Let
bination on the nose of this bottling. The palate is from tar and soil to sour cherries, figs and plums me sip the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth
more generous, offering rounded and ripe flavors of leads to a palate that’s rich, with dark chocolate and and height of your aromas and flavors of spicy baked
blackberry jam that are enhanced with oregano and black cherries, to tannins that are both grippy and pear, passion fruit, chilled Golden Delicious apple
light woodspice. —M.K. dusty and to an acid that kicks back. It is equally slices and ginger. Your acidity adds a glow to my pal-
abv: 14.9% Price: $35 suited for a no-frills but delicious pizza night or the ate, after which a trace of petrol drives me home.
richer, deeper flavors of a goat curry or beef adobo. Editors’ Choice. —M.A.
Marcocelli Wine Importer. —D.C. abv: 12.5% Price: $20
abv: 14% Price: $21

BUYINGGUIDE
BEST BUYS BEST BUYS BEST BUYS
92 Pazo Cilleiro 2021 (Rías Baixas). Medium-

yellow in the glass, this wine has a nose of
lemon curd, green pear and white chocolate. It is full
93 Cline 2020 Ancient Vines Mourvèdre (Con-

tra Costa County). Fresh and dried violets,
roses and orchids lead the aromas on this wine, fol-
in the mouth, offering flavors of Valencia orange, nec-
tarine and mango, with touches of cocoa butter and
honeysuckle. There is a nice note of orange zest on
91 Lamoreaux Landing 2021 Unoaked Chardon-
nay (Finger Lakes). With aromas like green
apple Jolly Rancher and peach candy—backed by
lowed by vibrant fruits of raspberry, red currant, the finish. Quintessential Wines. Best Buy. —M.D. toasted coconut and ground ginger—this is an easy-
rhubarb, cranberry and red plum. There are also abv: 12.5% Price: $20 to-like Chard. The vivid, confected fruit flavors flow
hints of cacao, charred oak and dried forest floor, through to the palate, where a softly creamy tex-
complete with leaf litter. On the palate, chalky tan- ture is buoyed by a lick of acidity. Balanced, with
nins, well-integrated alcohol and vibrant acidity lovely freshness and length, this is a versatile, food-
keep the fruits forward from start to finish. Best friendly bottling at an affordable price. Best Buy.
Buy. —S.B. —C.P.
92 Vite Colte 2021 Rossofuoco Vino Biologico

(Barbera d’Asti). This Barbera is loaded
with aromas of ripe plums, juicy cherries, violets
and a touch of white pepper. The palate is juicy and
92 Blue Canyon 2021 Estate Grown Pinot Noir

(Monterey). This is a very satisfying and
plump with flavors of plum and cherry just like the
nose taking center stage. The wine has the trade-
mark pop of vibrant acidity on the finish balancing
91 Muirwood 2021 Chardonnay (Arroyo Seco).
Crisp aromas of lime peel and pear flesh are
lively on the nose of this bottling. There’s a firm tight-
dynamic wine for a fair price. Aromas of wild cherry, out the wine. Lorbert Imports. Best Buy. —J.P. ness to the sip, where more citrus and pome fruit fla-
damp sagebrush, crumpled bay and rose hips lead abv: 14% Price: $19 vors align against vibrant acidity. Best Buy. —M.K.
from the nose into an earthy, acid-flushed palate of abv: 14.5% Price: $15
crisp cran-raspberry, orange rind and game. Best
Buy. —M.K.
abv: 13.5% Price: $17
92 Kilikanoon 2019 Killerman’s Run Cabernet

Sauvignon (Clare Valley). Highly perfumed,
91 Bersano 2020 Costalunga (Barbera d’Asti
with heady notes of savory herbs and spices (think
mint, ground pepper and oregano), there’s luscious-
yet-fresh blueberry and plum fruit, chocolate, vio-
Superiore). If you could fit every type of plum
into one glass, this is what it would smell like. Lush,
ripe and juicy but balanced by floral notes, green
91 Navarro Balbás 2019 Valle De Nabal (Ribera
del Duero). Deep garnet in the glass, this
wine has a nose of black cherry, pomegranate and
lets and a little tomato stem. There’s power to the herbs and baking spices. The palate shows flavors juniper. Flavors of cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate
palate but a constant lift of cool-climate acidity, of macerated cherries with thyme and bay leaf. The and dried herbs are set into a framework of rigorous
wound tightly with spicy, talc-like tannins, with wine is well structured with fine tannins and vibrant tannins that drop off into a lasting, fruit-filled finish.
length and balance. Drink now with grill fare, until acidity on the finish. 8 Vini, Inc. Best Buy. —J.P. W. Direct. Best Buy. —M.D.
around 2027. Old Bridge Cellars. Best Buy.—C.P. abv: 14.5% Price: $14 abv: 14.5% Price: $20
abv: 14% Price: $20

91 Salentein 2021 Reserve Chardonnay (Uco 90 Chamisal 2021 Chardonnay (Monterey

County-San Luis Obispo County). Melon,
Valley). White grapefruit, green apple and
lime perfume the nose. A medium-in-weight pal-
ate offers notes of honey and lime joined by subtle
90 Argento 2020 Estate Reserve Made With
Organic Grapes Cabernet Franc (Men-
doza). This wine is made with organic grapes from
white flower and ash aromas are delicate and clean
on the nose of this wine. There’s firm tension to the
sip, where citrus, light stonefruit and lemon curd
peach, apple and herbaceous flavors. Coming from Agrelo in Luján de Cuyo. Light notes of cherry and flavors ride lingering acidity into a crisp apple fin-
one of the highest altitude vineyards in Uco Valley, mint form the nose. Fresh and smooth, it has a min- ish. Best Buy. —M.K.
San Pablo, it has vigorous acidity, mineral character eral character. Flavors of berry blend with herbs and abv: 13.5% Price: $18
and a long finish with subtle oak spices. Palm Bay linger in a minty finish. Pacific Highway Wines &
International. Best Buy. —J.V. Spirits. Best Buy. —J.V.
91 Wine by Joe 2021 Chardonnay (Willamette 90 Cline 2020 Ancient Vines Zinfandel (Con-
tra Costa County). There’s a delicacy to
Valley). A sweet, floral combination of gar-
denia, honeysuckle and cantaloupe contrasts with
fresh-cut grass, cellar-floor earth and the white
90 Breca 2021 Rosé (Spain). This deep-
apricot-colored rosé has a bouquet of
white peach, cherry and passion fruit. Peach and
this Zinfandel due to the vibrancy of the fruit and
elevated acid structure. While the nose leads with
oak tones of fresh cedar wood, chocolate and nut-
dusting from a stick of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chew- passion fruit transition to the palate along with fla- meg, the palate opens up to vivacious fruit notes of
ing gum. The wine has a soft mouthfeel, with modest vors of lemon-lime, orange zest and rose petal that black and red plum, red currant, rhubarb, Mission
acidity and lemon, honey and green tea flavors. Best culminate in a brilliant finish. Jorge Ordóñez Selec- fig, boysenberry and blueberry. Best Buy. —S.B.
Buy. —M.A. tions. Best Buy. —M.D. abv: 14.5% Price: $16
90 Centerstone 2018 Un-Oaked Erratic Oaks 90 Dr. Konstantin Frank 2021 Dry Riesling (Fin-
ger Lakes). Delicately crafted from one
90 Altocedro 2020 La Consulta Select Red

Blend (La Consulta). This is a blend of
32% Malbec, 23% Syrah, 20% Tempranillo, 19%
Vineyard Chardonnay (Willamette Valley).
Aromas of grilled pineapple slices team up with
notes of saline balsa wood and crushed classroom
of the Finger Lakes’s best-known producers, this
opens with lifted aromas of white peach, lemon-
lime and florals with a honeyed underbelly. The
Cabernet Sauvignon and a splash of Merlot and chalk. Elevated acidity backs a lot of melon and palate is dry with a lofty line of laser-like, lemony
Petit Verdot. Rich flavors of black fruit, rosemary mango fruit, with traces of fresh-foraged porcini acidity and a slightly chalky texture. Crying out for
and black pepper meet baking spices and smoke on mushrooms grilled in butter. Partial malo provides flavorful fish dishes like spicy fish tacos or Thai red
the savory palate. Lively acidity extends the finish. a rich, round mouthfeel. Best Buy. —M.A. curry. Best Buy. —C.P.
Vino Del Sol. Best Buy. —J.V. abv: 13.8% Price: $20 abv: 12% Price: $17
abv: 14.7% Price: $20

BUYINGGUIDE
90 Kate Arnold 2021 Riesling (Columbia Val-

ley). White peaches and powdery talc on
the nose, with flavors such as sweet Asian pears,
90 Nieto Senetiner 2021 Malbec (Mendoza).
Fresh and youthful, this red shows cherry
and baking spices on the nose. It’s fruit-forward
90 Quinta Monteiro de Matos 2021 Reserva
do Paul Selection (Tejo). A blend of Syrah,
Touriga Nacional and Cabernet Sauvignon, this
beeswax and frosted animal crackers. The mouth- and has juicy red- and black-fruit flavors blended wine has structure, density and ripe black fruits.
feel is smooth and creamy. This off-dry beauty may with herbs. Good acidity freshens and lengthens The alcohol shows in a bite of pepper at the end
be short on acidity, but it is long on charm. Best the finish. Foley Family Wines. Best Buy. —J.V. that should disappear as the wine ages. Drink from
Buy. —M.A. abv: 14% Price: $14 2024. HB Wine Merchants. Best Buy. —R.V.
90 La Crema 2021 Rosé of Pinot Noir (Mon-

terey). Easy-to-like aromas of strawberry
and wet stone converge on the nose of this bottling.
90 Pike Road 2020 Chardonnay (Willamette
Valley). Smear a little lemon curd on a
warm brioche straight from the oven to get an idea 90 Raeburn 2021 Chardonnay (Sonoma
County). This well-rounded, fruity and
The palate combines subtle flavors of watermelon, of the aromas this Chardonnay gives off. There’s also lightly oaked wine offers the classic baked apple,
cotton candy and bubblegum, with ample acidity a small herbal note on the nose that’s like crushing butter and vanilla flavors backed by mild green-
and a chalky texture. Best Buy. —M.K. chamomile between your fingers. The wine’s crisp, apple acidity and a full body. Best Buy. —J.G.
abv: 13.5% Price: $16 clean mouthfeel and brisk acidity make a nice foil abv: 14% Price: $20
for flavors like lemon and iced black tea with a dab
of honey. Best Buy. —M.A.
abv: 13% Price: $18
90 Salentein 2020 Reserve Cabernet Franc

(Uco Valley). Subtle aromas of bell pep-
90 Marchesi Antinori 2019 Villa Antinori Red

Blend (Toscana). This Sangiovese blended
with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah offers
per and berry jam appear on the nose and palate. A
smart use of oak adds flavors of coffee and smoke.
It’s ripe and smooth, with good acidity. It finishes
a nose of black cherry, chocolate, dirt and coffee with hints of dried herbs. Palm Bay International.
grinds, with a palate of bing cherries, medicinal
herbs and more coffee. A velvety richness is brought
by easygoing tannins while bouncy acid gives a back
90 PoderNuovo a Palazzone 2019 Therra Red
Blend (Toscana). Chocolate, soil and mush-
rooms combine with blackberries and black cherry on
Best Buy. —J.V.
abv: 14.5% Price: $20
palate reminiscent of a glass of Manhattan Special. the nose of this broodingly dark Garnet Tuscan red.
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. Best Buy. —D.C. The palate has more blackberries, soil and cocoa pow-
abv: 13.5% Price: $24 der, with a bit of licorice and tea leaves propped up by
dusty tannins. Barone Trading. Best Buy. —D.C.
abv: 13.5% Price: $20

90 Santa Carolina 2020 Gran Reserva Caber-

net Sauvignon (Cauquenes Valley). This
wine opens with inviting aromas of bell pepper, bay
90 Toad Hollow 2021 Francine’s Selection
Unoaked Chardonnay (Mendocino County).
This is a fun, yet delicate and elegant, expression
90 Vina Robles 2020 The Arborist Red Blend
(Paso Robles). This ever-reliable estate
blend of 40% Syrah, 34% Petite Sirah, 20% Gre-
leaf, and berries. A flavorful palate features good of Chardonnay, and a definite bang-for-the-buck. nache and 6% Tannat begins with aromas of crum-
acidity balancing out notes of bell pepper, red plum, Notes of apple, pear, lemon, lime, chamomile flower pled lavender, crushed elderberry, white pepper
and dried herbs that linger in a medium finish. Car- and a hint of white grapefruit are kept light and and dried meat on the nose. The palate combines
olina Wine Brands USA. Best Buy. —J.V. bright by the elevated acidity. The mouthfeel is purple flower and dried elderberry, with a hint of
abv: 13.5% Price: $20 smooth, almost silky in texture. Best Buy. —S.B. old leather. Best Buy. —M.K.
90 SeaGlass 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon (Cen-

tral Coast). Fresh fruit aromas of straw-
berry and raspberry are expertly captured on the
90 Underwood 2021 Pinot Noir (Oregon).
Bright and bouncy, with aromas of dusty
roadside raspberries, garrigue and a wee bit of can- 90 Viña Tabalí 2019 Pedregoso Gran Reserva
Malbec (Limarí Valley). Fresh blackberry
nose of this bottling, which also offers dried herb taloupe. The wine’s crisp acidity and brisk mouth- and hints of vanilla fill up the bouquet of this Mal-
and incense elements. There’s a tannic backbone to feel pairs nicely with its smooth, mostly integrated bec from Chile’s northern region, Limarí. With ripe
the palate, where bright red fruit and woodspice fla- tannins. Flavors like strawberry jam on toast, bees- and firm tannins, it’s full bodied and features well-
vors align. Best Buy. —M.K. wax and bittersweet dark chocolate complement a balanced acidity. Flavors of plum and blackberry
abv: 13.5% Price: $15 shot of espresso. Great value. Best Buy. —M.A. linger in the finish. Biagio Cru Wines and Spirits.
abv: 13% Price: $14 Best Buy. —J.V.
abv: 14% Price: $15
90 Sean Minor 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon

(Paso Robles). A lighter shade in the glass,
90 Viña Leyda 2021 Coastal Vineyards -
this widely available twist-top kicks off with aro-
mas of raspberry jam, oak and coffee dust on the
nose. There’s an oregano character to the palate,
Garuma Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley).
Delicate aromas of herbs and white peach are subtle
on the nose of this wine. It has a mineral character
90 Viña Tabalí 2021 Vetas Blancas Sauvignon
Blanc (Limarí Valley). Hints of lime and
flowers on the nose lead to ripe lime and peach fla-
where toasty oak, clean red fruit and anise flavors and mouthwatering acidity. The palate offers flavors vors, with a hint of salt and moderate acidity. It’s
work in harmony. Best Buy. —M.K. of stone fruit and lime finishing, with light notes of balanced with a pleasing brisk finish. Biagio Cru
abv: 13.5% Price: $18 grass. Winebow Imports. Best Buy. —J.V. Wines and Spirits. Best Buy. —J.V.

BUYINGGUIDE
90 Wine by Joe 2020 Pinot Gris (Oregon). A

tropical nose, with pineapple and a touch
of shredded coconut to pair with notes of fresh- 89 Matsu 2021 El Picaro (Toro). This
deep-ruby-colored wine has a bouquet
88 Beronia 2018 Crianza (Rioja). This deep-
garnet-colored wine has a nose of black
cherry, marjoram and truffle paste. It fills the palate
baked bread and thyme. A lighter-bodied wine with of dark plums, blackberry and tobacco leaf. It is with flavors of cassis, blackberry, toffee, coffee bean
a crisp, clean mouthfeel. A flavorful lemon-lime smooth on the palate, with velvety tannins and fla- and fennel pollen. A wall of tight tannins slowly dis-
combination dominates the palate, with a touch vors of black cherry, purple fig, dark chocolate and solves into a fruit-filled finish. Gonzalez Byass USA.
of almond shortbread. Intense acidity. Best Buy. Turkish delight that fade into a floral finish. Vintae Best Buy. —M.D.
—M.A. USA, Inc. Best Buy. —M.D. abv: 14.5% Price: $15
90 Z. Alexander Brown 2021 Uncaged Chardon-

nay (Monterey). Offering a reliably tropical 89 Wine by Joe 2021 Pinot Blanc (Willamette
Valley). Lemon-drop hard candy and
88 Broadbent 2020 Dão White (Dão). Refresh-
ingly fruity, this wine is full of citrus and
apple flavors. A touch of spice adds to the bright-
spin on Chardonnay each vintage, this bottling shows tropical fruit aromas such as guava and banana are ness. Drink now. Broadbent Selections, Inc. Best
ample restraint, starting with tight aromas of jas- joined by a trace of chalk dust. Flavors of Meyer Buy. —R.V.
mine, melon and pineapple cream. The palate is clean lemon, beeswax and spearmint fill the mouth. A abv: 13% Price: $11
and crisp though still tropical, with pineapple, man- soft, smooth mouthfeel with modest acidity. Best
gosteen and light tuberose flavors. Best Buy. —M.K. Buy. —M.A.
89 Domaine de Nizas 2021 Le Clos Rosé

(Languedoc). Concentrated aromas of pink 88 Argento 2020 Estate Reserve Organic Mal-
bec (Mendoza). This is a medium-bodied
88 Broadbent NV Broadbent (Vinho Verde).
The light prickle on the tongue and the
dancing texture are immediately attractive and very
grapefruit, kiwi, and juicy strawberry show on the and good-value wine. The nose offers candied Vinho Verde. This off-dry, low alcohol wine conveys
nose of this wine. Crisp acidity follows flavors of blackberry and cranberry aromas, with notes of bright apples and acidity, lively and fruity. Drink
ripe cantaloupe, raspberry, crushed stone and hints flint. Featuring soft tannins and moderate acidity, now. Broadbent Selections, Inc. Best Buy. —R.V.
of pepper to round out the palate. Old Bridge Cel- it’s best to drink slightly chilled. Black and red fruit abv: 9% Price: $10
lars. Best Buy. —J.T. mingle with notes of eucalyptus on the palate. The
abv: 12.5% Price: $17 finish is medium in length. Pacific Highway Wines &
Spirits. Best Buy. —J.V.
abv: 14.5% Price: $15

88 Cline 2020 Petite Sirah (Contra Costa

County). This well-balanced wine offers
notes of plump, overripe blueberry, blackberry and
88 Sierra Batuco 2020 Reserva Estate Bottled
Pinot Noir (Maule Valley). Meaty red-plum
aromas introduce a palate with high acidity, cherry 87 Kirkland Signature 2021 Pinot Noir (Russian
River Valley). This relatively light and lean
plum complemented by licorice, cinnamon, vanilla, flavors and soft tannins. This is a Pinot Noir for wine offers smoky, oak-spice aromas, low-intensity
chocolate, toasted wood and hints of dried forest everyday consumption. Invina. Best Buy. —J.V. fruit flavors and a nip of tannin in the texture. Best
leaves plus a mushroom-like umami. Best Buy. —S.B. abv: 13.5% Price: $12 Buy. —J.G.
88 D’Arenberg 2021 The Hermit Crab Viognier-

Marsanne (McLaren Vale). A ripe, if syn-
87 Argento 2021 Minimalista Malbec (Mendoza).
This red opens with herbs and plum on the
nose. Bell pepper and cooked red-fruit flavors meet 86 Argento 2021 Minimalista Pinot Grigio
(Mendoza). Subtle lime aromas are pleas-
thetic nose of peach candy, lemon-lime and floral on a medium-weight palate lifted by good acidity. It ant on the tight nose. This white is austere but
air freshener notes leads to a medium-weight pal- finishes with hints of grass. Pacific Highway Wines refreshing, offering mild citrus-fruit and pear flavors
ate that’s laced with citrusy acidity to tighten the & Spirits. Best Buy. —J.V. backed by sharp acidity. It’s a wine to drink chilled
gently viscous texture. Feels somewhat forced style- abv: 13.5% Price: $9 at the beach. Pacific Highway Wines & Spirits. Best
wise, but is a pleasant drink nonetheless. Old Bridge Buy. —J.V.
Cellars. Best Buy. —C.P. abv: 12.5% Price: $9
abv: 14% Price: $17
87 Broadbent 2020 Douro Red (Douro). A soft,

gentle wine with red fruits and light tan-
88 Rodney Strong 2021 Charlotte’s Home Sauvi-

gnon Blanc (Sonoma County). Generous in
flavor and rounded in texture, this easy-sipping and
nins, this is made for early drinking. It has plenty
of fruit and a structure that is open. It is all ready
to drink. Broadbent Selections, Inc. Best Buy. —R.V.
86 Broadbent NV (Vinho Verde). With a light
prickle on the tongue, this off-dry rosé is
light and bright. Plenty of strawberry flavors come
medium-bodied wine offers red and green apple fla- abv: 13% Price: $11 along with acidity. Drink now. Broadbent Selec-
vors, a juicy and rather soft mouthfeel, and an impres- tions, Inc. Best Buy. —R.V.
sion of sweetness on the finish. Best Buy. —J.G. abv: 10% Price: $10
abv: 13.5% Price: $18

BUYINGGUIDE
BEST BUYS SPIRITS SPIRITS
94 Linden Leaf Botanicals 88 Organic Molecu-

lar Gin (England; Eighty8, CO). A clean, 94 Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (Ire-
land; Bacardi, Coral Gables, FL). Look for a
86 Graffigna 2021 Genuine Collection Pinot

Grigio (Argentina). The nose is aromatic
featuring notes of honeysuckle and lime. A citrus
classic juniper profile, plus a whiff of savory spice
leads the nose. The palate opens citrusy and brisk
—botanicals in the blend include yuzu, calamansi,
baked-apple aroma, plus a wisp of peat smoke. The
palate plays up the smoky note, tempering it with
honey. The gentle finish is enhanced by nutmeg,
palate delivers lemon, white grapefruit and stone and lemon thyme—and finishes tingly, with rose- clove and cinnamon glow. —K.N.
fruit alongside sharp acidity. It has a slightly bitter, mary and mint. Ideal for Martinis. Best Buy. —K.N. abv: 46% Price: $78
medium finish. Shaw-Ross International Importers. abv: 43% Price: $40
Best Buy. —J.V.
abv: 13.5% Price: $9
85 McLaren Flat Wine Co. 2021 Chardonnay

(South Australia). Oniony reductive aromas
on the nose send the citrus and stone fruit to waxier,
pithier territories. Some oak and yeast influence is
present but subtle. The mouthfeel shows richness, 94 Four Walls Irish Whiskey (Ireland; Wigle
Whiskey, Pittsburgh). This is a cask-
94 Teeling Virgin Chinkapin Oak Irish Whis-
key (Ireland; Bacardi, Coral Gables, FL).
Chinkapin, a type of North American oak, is the sole
sliced by razor-edged acidity. The fruit is on the flat strength, 15-year-old single barrel selection to wood used to mature this pot-stilled whiskey. Here,
side but present. Wine 4 Winners, LLC. Best Buy. —C.P. commemorate 15 seasons of It’s Always Sunny in it imparts a deep, burnished gold hue and bold, des-
abv: 12.5% Price: $10 Philadelphia. The enticing aroma mingles orange sert-like aromas and flavors: think dulce de leche,
marmalade and almond, almost evoking a liqueur. vanilla cookies, spiced cocoa and cinnamon heat.
The palate also seems sweet at first, offering pro- This is the debut expression in the “Wonders of
SPIRITS nounced candied orange peel, golden raisin and Wood” series in partnership with Tree Council of
marzipan notes, but the alcohol strength cuts Ireland. —K.N.
through sharply, finishing with ginger and white abv: 50% Price: $119
pepper heat. —K.N.
abv: 57.8% Price: $999
97 Bushmills 29-Year-Old Rare Cask (Ireland;

Proximo Spirits, Jersey City, NJ). The second
release in the Rare Casks collectors’ series spent
12 years in bourbon barrels, then another 17 in PX 93 Four Pillars Fresh Yuzu Gin (Australia; Park
Street Imports, Miami, FL). Mild lemon-
sherry casks. All that barrel time imparts a deep
amber hue, and dried fig and toffee aromas. Add
plenty of water to take off the tannic edge and open
94 Mojave High Desert Dry Gin (USA; Purple
Brands, Petaluma, CA). The aroma is mild
and lightly sweet, leading into a citrusy palate that
grass and pine aromas lead the nose. The palate
treads lightly with mild lemon and lime. Fleet-
ing lemon-sugar sweetness winds into a fiery pink
up luxurious deep, dark flavors: dried figs and dates, hints at lemon peel and white pepper, plus a fleet- peppercorn exhale. Botanicals include yuzu, ginger,
plum skin, mocha and clove spice. Released in May ing floral note. Juicy lime frames the mouthwatering turmeric and sencha genmaicha (Japanese green tea
2022; limited edition of 500 bottles. —K.N. finish. Mix into gin and tonics. Best Buy. —K.N. with roasted brown rice). —K.N.
abv: 53% Price: $750 abv: 42% Price: $29 abv: 41.8% Price: $35

Continued from page 82
SPIRITS SPIRITS
as acidity, the wine is still so youthful. Drink from
2026. Vias Imports. Cellar Selection. —R.V.
abv: 14% Price: $56

2019 Vinha Centenaría P28/P21 (Douro).
While there are many old vineyards in the Douro,
few can lay claim to a century of growth. This dense
and properly concentrated wine is impressive. It
has weight and many complex layers of black fruits
and tannins. It certainly needs more aging. Drink
92 Bayab Gin (Africa; Spearhead Spirits, West

Hollywood, CA). Pleasant dried spice aro-
mas include nutmeg, cardamom and coriander. The
90 Sláinte Irish Whiskey (Ireland; Slainte
Brands, Greenport, NY). Backed by actor Liev
Schreiber, this newcomer entices with vanilla-bean
from 2025. Parcels 28 and 21. Wein Bauer Inc.
—R.V.
abv: 14.5% Price: $149
palate echoes the spice notes, leading into a mild aromas. The palate echoes that note, layering vanilla
fruity note, suggesting kumquat and a citrusy finish.
(Africa’s subtly tangy baobab fruit is a key botani-
cal.) Enjoy topped up with tonic water. —K.N.
sugar with toasted coconut, baked pear and nutmeg.
The tingly exhale suggests fiery Red Hot cinnamon
candies. Released September 2022. Best Buy. —K.N.
94 Van Zellers & Co. 2019 CV Curriculum Vitae
(Douro). This is a powerful, rich statement.
Its ripe black fruits are enhanced by the wine’s tex-
abv: 43% Price: $35 abv: 40% Price: $38 tures and layers of tannins. This CV is concentrated
with blackberry flavors, part of carefully choreo-
graphed parts. Drink this fine field blend of more
than 25 varieties from 2026. MS Walker. Cellar
Selection. —R.V.
abv: 15% Price: $75
93 Burmester 2018 Quinta da Boavista Vinha

do Oratório (Douro). This fine wood-aged
wine is made from a field blend of 25 varieties with
an average age of 90 years. The wine is dense, bal-
anced with tannins and black fruits. The richness
of the wine, enhanced by wood aging, is serious and
worthy of aging further. Drink from 2024. Wine In-
92 Fort Hamilton New World Dry Gin (USA; Fort

Hamilton Distillery, Brooklyn, NY). Made
with a corn base and distilled with “cannonball”
90 Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey (Ireland;
Bacardi, Coral Gables, FL). Hints of green
apple and almond lead the nose. The palate opens
Motion. —R.V.
abv: 14.5% Price: $235
watermelon and cucumber, this gin is ideal for

mixing into summery highballs. The cucumber and
melon aroma is fresh and inviting and delivers on
with roasted grain and lemony astringency; adding
water releases hints of vanilla custard and buttered
toast. Sprightly lemon-pepper and cayenne sparks
93 CARM 2018 Grande Reserva (Douro). This is
a powerfully rich wine with solid tannins
and a touch of dark chocolate. With the 12 months
the palate with mild melon flavor and a long, cucum- warm the exit. Finished in five distinct wine casks, wood aging, the wine’s fruit is still waiting for its
ber-y exhale accented with cayenne and white pep- including sherry, port, Madeira, white Burgundy and chance to shine. That suggests the wine will be best
per glow. —K.N. Cabernet Sauvignon. —K.N. from 2024. Brands of Portugal. —R.V.
abv: 40% Price: $35 abv: 46% Price: $63 abv: 14.5% Price: $45
93 Nova Quinta do Sagrado 2017 VT17 VV Old

Vines (Douro). This is a serious wine worth
the aging. Produced from a field blend of old vines,
it is structured and full of life. Foot treading in
open lagars and aged in wood, this fine wine is just
now ready to drink. Brands of Portugal. Hidden
Gem. —R.V.
abv: 15% Price: $70
93 Quinta da Romaneira 2019 Três Parcelas

(Douro). A dense and perfumed estate wine
that has ripe tannins under the black fruits. The
minerality adds texture as well as a succulent char-
90 Proclamation Blended Irish Whiskey (Ire-

land; Tri-Vin Imports, New Rochelle, NY).
The fresh, mild floral aroma leads into a rich vanilla
acter. Drink the wine from 2025. Vias Imports. —R.V.
abv: 14.5% Price: $38

palate laced with bracing lemon peel and ginger
spice. A puff of peat smoke lingers into the finish.
Best Buy. —K.N.
abv: 40.7% Price: $30

BUYINGGUIDE
textured, poised between sweet black-fruit compote gives great depth and immense concentration. It
DÃO flavors and plenty of firm tannins. This impressive is a very complete wine, with spice, spirit and old
wine is dense, sure to age well. Drink from 2029. wood adding to the nutty character and concentra-
93 Fontes da Cunha 2015 Quinta do Mondeco

(Dão). Ripe, yet with a fine line of acidity
and freshness, the wine is juicy and full of black
Winesellers, Ltd. Cellar Selection. —R.V.
abv: 20% Price: $85
tion. Drink this very fine wine now. Premium Port
Wines, Inc. —R.V.
fruits. After seven years, it is still surprisingly
youthful with energy alongside the wine’s richness.
Drink now. EcoValley. —R.V.
2020 Vintage (Port). This Vintage Port, in
the sweeter style popular with Portuguese produc- 94 Blandy’s 2009 Sercial Colheita Single Har-
vest (Madeira). The driest style of Madeira
abv: 13.5% Price: $NA ers, is so fine. Ripe black fruits are full and dense, is mouth-wateringly crisp, taut and tense. Its rich-
hints of compote and spice giving the wine its ness comes from the concentration that goes with
93 Rocim 2020 O Estrangeiro (Dão). This rich

blend that includes Touriga Nacional is a
powerful, dense wine. Its firm texture is an indica-
sweetness. The wine with its tannins, though, has
plenty of aging potential and will probably be best
to drink from 2029. Wein Bauer Inc. Cellar Selec-
the acidity and the remains of the perfumed white
fruits. This wine really demands food. Drink now.
Premium Port Wines, Inc. —R.V.
tion that this is still a young wine, deserving aging. tion. —R.V. abv: 20% Price: $115
The wine has dark tannins and a fine spiciness from abv: 19.5% Price: $112
wood aging. Drink this wine from 2025. Shiverick
Imports. —R.V.
abv: 14% Price: $52 93 Burmester 2020 Vintage (Port). This is a dry
style of Vintage Port with structure and the
94 Cossart Gordon 2009 Colheita Single Har-
vest Verdelho (Madeira). This dry style of
Madeira is intense with bitter toffee flavors and
added spirit to the fore at this very young stage. The acidity. There are touches of citrus as well as lay-
wine has richness, a dry core and dense black fruits. ers of wood aging that have concentrated the wine.
LISBOA It will age, of course. Drink this fine wine from Drink now. Vineyard Brands. —R.V.
2029. Wine In-Motion. Cellar Selection. —R.V. abv: 20% Price: $NA
94 Quinta do Monte d’Oiro 2016 Reserva (Lis-

boa). Aging for up to 20 months in wood
abv: 20% Price: $80
94 Cossart Gordon 2006 Colheita Single

has given this wine a fine, polished and spicy char-
acter. A classic northern Rhône blend of Syrah with
a touch of Viognier, the wine is beautifully struc-
93 Kopke 2020 Vintage (Port). For full review
see page 92. Wine In-Motion.
abv: 20% Price: $85
Harvest Bual (Madeira). A smooth, rich
Madeira, its toffee ripeness and spice are intense,
shot with spirit and wood from the aging. It is an
tured and could age further. Drink from 2024. Alt impressive wine that has such concentration from
Wines. Cellar Selection. —R.V.
abv: 14% Price: $60 93 Rocim 2020 Bela Luiz Vintage (Port). Pro-
duced by top Port producer Niepoort for
Rocim, this Port is stylish and beautifully textured.
the acidity and the density of the wine. Drink now.
Vineyard Brands. —R.V.
abv: 20% Price: $88
94 Quinta Varzela da Pedra 2015 Grande

Reserva (Lisboa). A mature, splendidly per-
fumed wine, this is a blend of half Touriga Nacional
It features perfumed aromas followed by layers of
firm tannins and rich, sweet black fruits. The wine
is well balanced between the sweetness and acid- 93 Cossart Gordon 2009 Colheita Single Har-
vest Malmsey (Madeira). This sweet style
and half Syrah. Barrel fermented and wood aged ity. Drink this wine from 2029. Shiverick Imports. of Madeira still retains the tight acidity and spice
for 3.5 years, the wine is polished and rich. It is —R.V. typical of the region. At the same time, the wine
an impressive wine, ready to drink now. Bonhomie abv: 19.5% Price: $165 is gorgeous and opulent, sweetness balanced with
Wine Imports. Hidden Gem. —R.V. freshness. Drink now. Vineyard Brands. —R.V.
abv: 14% Price: $64 abv: 20% Price: $78
MADEIRA
93 Quinta do Monte d’Oiro 2017 Ex Aequo
(Lisboa). Syrah and Touriga Nacional are
blended in this rich, dense wine. Its velvet tannins 97 Blandy’s 1978 Terrantez Medium Rich
(Madeira). There are only a few acres of
SPAIN
are cushioned by the ripe blackberry fruits. This is Terrantez left in the world, almost entirely on the RED WINES
already a balanced wine, full of concentration. Drink Madeira island. This magnificent wood-aged wine
the wine now. Alt Wines. Editors’ Choice. —R.V. is perfumed, ripe with wood-aging tannins and a RIOJA
abv: 13.5% Price: $100 bite from the spirit, and so generous and smooth
at the end. Drink now. Tasted 375ml. Premium Port
Wines, Inc. —R.V. 97 Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega
Sicilia 2018 Macán Clásico (Rioja). This dark-
PORT abv: 20% Price: $450 garnet-colored wine has a nose of black currant,
raspberry and milk chocolate. Deep fruit flavors of
96 Sandeman NV 50-Year-Old Tawny (Port).

For full review see page 84. Evaton, Inc.
Editors’ Choice.
96
Brands.
Cossart Gordon 1975 Verdelho (Madeira).
For full review see page 84. Vineyard
cassis and dark plums fill the mouth, joined by notes
of cocoa powder, tobacco leaf and espresso bean.
Fleecy tannins dissipate into a lingering, fruit-filled
abv: 20% Price: $300 abv: 20% Price: $413 finish. Drink now through 2037. Europvin USA. Cel-
lar Selection. —M.D.
94 Quinta da Romaneira 2020 Vintage (Port).

While the wine is full of black fruits, it is 95 Blandy’s 2009 Verdelho Colheita Single
Harvest (Madeira). A medium-dry Madeira,
abv: 14% Price: $66
the quality of the tannins and the fruit compote

sweetness that make it stand out. The wine is finely
textured and rich. Drink this fine Port from 2029.
its intensity enhanced by spirit and acidity. It is so
concentrated, with ripe, long wood aging giving a
great wood and spice character. Drink this very fine
97 Casa Primicia 2015 Pensate Special Selec-
tion (Rioja). For full review see page 83. W.
Direct. Cellar Selection.
Vias Imports. Cellar Selection. —R.V. wine now. Premium Port Wines, Inc. —R.V. abv: 15% Price: $200
94 Quinta de la Rosa 2020 Vintage (Port). A

finely balanced Vintage Port, this is richly 95 Blandy’s 1972 Bual Colheita Medium Rich
(Madeira). The richness of this Madeira
96 Cuenta Viñas 2018 Los Yelsones (Rioja).
This wine has aromas of cassis, raspberry
and chocolate-covered mints. It fills the mouth with

vigorous tannins and flavors of black cherry, rasp- Plush tannins evaporate into a lingering finish. Jorge and then drift off into a cherry and violet finish.
berry, eucalyptus, cocoa and black olive. A pleasant Ordóñez Selections. —M.D. Donna White Communications. —M.D.
savory note persists into the lasting finish. Jorge abv: 14.5% Price: $115 abv: 14% Price: $52
Ordóñez Selections. —M.D.
abv: 13.5% Price: $200
95 Marqués de Vargas 2016 Hacienda Pradol-
agar (Rioja). Aromas of purple plum, black 94 Manzanos 2015 125 Aniversario Reserva
(Rioja). For full review see page 88. Man-
96 CVNE 2016 Imperial Gran Reserva (Rioja).

Deep red-violet in the glass, this wine has a
bouquet of cherry, black currant and juniper. Durable
cherry and Red Delicious apple peel prep the pal-
ate for flavors of Luxardo cherry, blackberry, lav-
ender, and mocha. Luxurious tannins and a note of
zanos Wines USA.
tannins coat the palate, bearing flavors of cassis, dark

plums, dark chocolate and violet that lead into the
spice-filled finish. Donna White Communications.
chocolate persist into a lasting finish. Torgar Group.
—M.D.
abv: 14.5% Price: $150
94 Marqués de Riscal 2017 XR Reserva (Rioja).
Deep ruby in the glass, this wine has a
nose of blackberry, black cherry, milk chocolate
—M.D. and clove. There is a nice balance of spice and fruit
abv: 14% Price: $98
94 Casa Primicia 2016 Reserva (Rioja). This
deep-ruby-colored wine offers aromas of
on the palate, with flavors of black currant, pome-
granate, clove, licorice and dark chocolate. Sturdy
96 Muga 2018 Selección Especial (Rioja). Deep

ruby in the glass, this wine offers a bouquet
of black cherry, blackberry and licorice. Flavors of
blackberry, purple fig, dark chocolate and fennel
pollen. It is smooth in the mouth, with luxuri-
ous tannins and flavors of cassis, Luxardo cherry,
tannins dissipate into a lengthy finish. Shaw-Ross
International Importers. —M.D.
abv: 14.5% Price: $30
black currant, pomegranate, anisette, dark choco- chocolate-covered espresso bean, violet and a touch
late and black truffle are supported by plush tannins
that drift into a cherry-tobacco finish. Jorge Ordóñez
Selections. —M.D.
of mint that carries into the satisfying finish. W.
Direct. Editors’ Choice. —M.D.
abv: 14.5% Price: $38
94 Ramirez de la Piscina 2016 Gran Reserva
(Rioja). Inky ruby to the eye, this wine has a
bouquet of black cherry, cassis, thyme and lavender.
abv: 14% Price: $53 It is spicy at first sip, with plush tannins and flavors
96 Muga 2016 Torre Muga (Rioja). This

dark-ruby-colored wine has aromas of
94 CVNE 2018 Imperial Reserva (Rioja). This
deeply hued wine offers a bouquet of dark
plum, black currant and aniseed. It is spicy at first
of anisette, clove, fruits of the wood and chocolate
with a touch of mint. As tannins and spice peel
away, brighter fruit notes appear on the palate and
blackberry, cassis and black-olive paste. Flavors of sip, with flavors of clove, anisette, blackberry and head into the enduring finish. Jorge Ordóñez Selec-
black cherry and blackberry wash across the pal- cassis. Polished tannins make their presence known tions. —M.D.
ate, backed by notes of clove, vanilla and orange zest. abv: 14.5% Price: $30
160 MILES AND

30 INCHES FROM SEATTLE
Southeast of the Emerald City’s drenched streets is Red Mountain, an area of
Washington that sees under seven inches of rain per year. Our winemakers use
this climate to their advantage by restricting the flow of water to their grapes
and making them fight to become some of the richest, boldest, and most
intense red wines in the world. 90 points later, we firmly believe that in wine,
like in life, perseverance always pays off.

BUYINGGUIDE
94 Sierra Cantabria 2015 Reserva (Rioja). For
full review see page 89. Jorge Ordóñez
Selections. Cellar Selection.
into an enduring finish. Winesellers, Ltd. Best Buy.
—M.D.
abv: 13.5% Price: $18
flavors of black cherry, raspberry, cocoa powder,
licorice and violet. Satin tannins and a light note of
mint stroll off into a pleasing finish. Jorge Ordóñez
abv: 14% Price: $32 Selections. —M.D.
93 Banisio 2016 Reserva (Rioja). This wine has

a nose of brambly berries, with a touch of
93 Cosme Palacio y Hermanos 2016 Reserva
(Rioja). This deeply hued wine has a nose
of cassis, raspberry and a pleasant hint of saddle
abv: 14.5% Price: $40
summer farm stand. Luscious tannins take hold of leather. It is full on the palate, with plush tannins RIBERA DEL DUERO
the palate, bearing flavors of blackberry preserves, and flavors of fruits of the wood, oregano, dark
vanilla, clove and orange zest, with a pleasant touch
of tobacco leaf. Closing notes of berry and vanilla
make for a nice sip. Serge Doré Selections. —M.D.
chocolate and eucalyptus. The enduring finish
is marked with notes of chocolate and mint. USA
Wine West. —M.D.
94 Marqués de Vargas 2019 Conde De San Cris-
tóbal (Ribera del Duero). Deep violet-red
to the eye, this wine has a bouquet of cherry cola,
abv: 13.5% Price: $25 abv: 14.5% Price: $40 blackberry and freshly ground black pepper. It is
full on the palate, with flavors of cherry liqueur,
93 Bodegas Olarra 2018 Olarra Clásico Reserva

(Rioja). This wine is dark garnet to the eye.
It has aromas of blackberry, cherry and soft baking
93 Cosme Palacio y Hermanos 2015 Glorioso
Gran Reserva (Rioja). Aromas of cassis, cof-
fee bean and orange zest pave the way for flavors
cassis, chocolate-covered espresso bean, violet and
a touch of mint. Grippy tannins slowly drop away
into a spicy finish. Torgar Group. —M.D.
spices that prepare the palate for flavors of cassis, of dark plum, blackberry, cocoa powder, freshly abv: 14.5% Price: $27
purple plum, orange zest, eucalyptus and dark choc- ground espresso and herbes de Provence. Slightly
olate wrapped in a sheath of satiny tannins. A burst
of cherry permeates the lingering chocolaty finish.
Tri-Vin Imports. —M.D.
grippy tannins are offset by a brilliant vein of acid-
ity that makes its way across the palate from the
very first sip. USA Wine West. —M.D.
94 Valduero 2018 Unacepa (Ribera del Duero).
For full review see page 89. Vinaio Imports.
Editors’ Choice.
abv: 13.5% Price: $55 abv: 14% Price: $33 abv: 14.5% Price: $45
93 Carlos Serres 2016 Reserva (Rioja). This

ruby-colored wine has aromas of cherry,
dark chocolate and freshly ground espresso. It is
93 Ramirez de la Piscina 2017 Reserva (Rioja).
For full review see page 94. Jorge Ordóñez
Selections.
93 Altos de Valdoso 2018 Crianza (Ribera del
Duero). Dark violet-red to the eye, this wine
exhibits aromas of Chambord and licorice. Luxuri-
bright in the mouth, with flavors of pomegranate, abv: 14.5% Price: $24 ous tannins and a strong vein of acidity play host to
strawberry, white chocolate and orange zest, with flavors of black cherry, raspberry, clove, orange zest
hints of herbes de Provence. Downy tannins drift off
93 Villota 2020 Tinto (Rioja). A nose of black
currant and caramel prepares the palate for
and mocha that ply their way toward a lengthy finish.
Tri-Vin Imports. —M.D.
abv: 14.5% Price: $30
93 Altos de Valdoso 2018 Crianza (Ribera del

Duero). This deep-garnet-hued wine has a
nose of raspberry, purple fig, white chocolate and
fennel seed. Flavors of blackberry, cherry, milk
chocolate, Valencia orange and baking spices are set
into fleecy tannins that pleasantly coat the tongue
and gums. Tri-Vin Imports. —M.D.
abv: 14.5% Price: $35
93 Bardos 2018 Reserva (Ribera del Duero).

Aromas of black currant, cherry liqueur
and herbes de Provence set the stage for flavors of
dark plum, blackberry, mocha and rose petal, with a
touch of marjoram. Vibrant acidity and plush tan-
nins head neck and neck into an enduring finish.
Vintae USA, Inc. —M.D.
abv: 14.5% Price: $25
93 Bodegas Viyuela 2018 Selección (Ribera del

Duero). Aromas of cassis, dark chocolate
and orange zest prep the palate for flavors of black-
berry, black cherry, mocha, violet and clove. Pliable
tannins and notes of baking spices make for a plea-
surable finish. Terroir Connections. —M.D.
abv: 14.5% Price: $30
93 Fernández Rivera 2019 Condado De Haza Cri-

anza (Ribera del Duero). For full review see
page 91. Folio Fine Wine Partners. Editors’ Choice.
abv: 14.5% Price: $24

93 Fernández Rivera 2019 Tinto Pesquera Crianza
(Ribera del Duero). For full review see page
91. Folio Fine Wine Partners.
94 Vall Llach 2019 Porrera Vi de Vila Carignan-
Grenache (Priorat). Intense ruby to the eye,
this Carignan-Garnacha blend has aromas of cherry
abv: 14.5% Price: $40 liqueur, mocha and anise. There is a nice level of
cooling herb notes that support flavors of black
93 Tr3smano 2019 Proventus (Ribera del Duero).

Aromas of brambly dark berries and cherry
pipe tobacco set the scene for flavors of black cherry,
cherry, blackberry, milk chocolate and rose petal.
Polished tannins and rich acidity stroll hand in hand
into a lingering finish. Folio Fine Wine Partners.
black currant, dark chocolate, eucalyptus and lav- —M.D.
ender. Slightly chewy tannins are beautifully offset abv: 15.5% Price: $65
by a vein of bold acidity, and floral and minty notes
power on into an enduring finish. United Cellars, Inc.
—M.D. OTHER RED WINES Order your
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abv: 15% Price: $40 e-tickets now
93 Valdrinal 2018 Eufrasio (Ribera del Duero).

Dark red-violet in the glass, this wine has a
96 Torres 2019 Varietat Recuperada No. 32 Pirene
(Catalonia). Made from an almost-extinct
indigenous variety that has been repropagated by the
nose of blackberry, black cherry and milk chocolate, Torres family, this wine has a nose of brambly ber-
with a hint of baking spice. Dark-berry and choco- ries, pomegranate and flint with a light hint of wild-
late flavors transition seamlessly to the palate, joined flowers. It is quite soft at first sip and then builds in
by notes of orange zest, chocolate-covered espresso texture as midweight tannins take brief hold of the
bean and clove. Opulent tannins and a splash of palate. It offers a sensuous, almost syrupy quality in
pomegranate make for an impressionable finish. the mouth, with flavors of blackberry, maraschino
Hidalgo Imports, LLC. —M.D. cherry, violet candy, smoke and thyme that linger
abv: 15.5% Price: $32 into a savory finish. Wilson Daniels Ltd. Editors’
Choice. —M.D.
93 Villalba Del Duero 2019 Arano Moradillo De

Roa Crianza (Ribera del Duero). This wine
abv: 13.5% Price: $82
has aromas of black plum, black currant and herbes

94 Viñas del Cenit 2017 Cenit Tempranillo
de Provence. Flavors of dark berries fill the palate,
alongside substantial tannins and notes of almond
toffee, coffee bean and dark chocolate that evapo-
(Tierra del Viños de Zamora). This dark-
ruby-hued wine has aromas of purple plum, black
currant and dark chocolate. It is slightly spicy on
GET
rate into a lasting finish. Arano LLC. —M.D.
abv: 14.5% Price: $30
the palate, with opulent tannins and flavors of
blackberry, cherry liqueur, clove, anisette and vio-
let that continue into a finish marked with notes of
THE
93 Viña Vilano 2019 Legón Premium (Ribera del
Duero). This dark-garnet wine has a bouquet
orange zest and fennel seed. Aviva Vino. —M.D.
abv: 15.5% Price: $35
TASTE FOR
of black cherry, raspberry and anise. A framework of
plush tannins supports flavors of fruits of the wood,
mocha, orange zest and clove that evaporate into a 93 Bodegas Los Frailes 2020 Sinergia Cabernet
Sauvignon (Valencia). This deep-violet-
BUSINESS.
fruit-filled finish. Misa Imports. —M.D. red-hued wine has aromas of blackberry preserves
19 - 21 March 2023
abv: 14.5% Price: $50 and baking spices. Flavors of blackberry, cherry pie,
clove, rose petal and milk chocolate come wrapped
Düsseldorf, Germany
in a sheath of silky tannins that glide into a long,
PRIORAT smooth finish. Belmont Select Wines. —M.D. THE WORLD’S NO. 1 Trend Show
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for Wines and Spirits
96 Clos Mogador 2019 Gratallops Red Blend
(Priorat). Aromas of cassis, blackberry and
shale prep the palate for flavors of black currant, 93 Bodega Tesalia 2017 ARX Red Blend (Vino de
la Tierra de Cádiz). This dark-ruby wine has This is what business tastes like!
black cherry, butterscotch, freshly ground coffee, a nose of dark plum and black currant, with a hint
Düsseldorf will once again be the center
eucalyptus and clove. Durable tannins are equally of green pepper. It has a pleasant saline quality at
of the wine and spirits sector – and with
matched by vibrant acidity, and both play on into a first sip, joined by flavors of cherry, pomegranate,
a unique international offering. Experience
lasting finish. Drink through 2044. Europvin USA. black olive-paste, dried Mediterranean herbs and
Cellar Selection. —M.D. smoke. Grippy tannins are balanced out by a strong
the new vintages and trend themes from
abv: 15% Price: $100 backbone of acidity that soldiers on into the savory all over the world, concentrated over
finish. Wine Symphony, Inc. —M.D. three days in a professional atmosphere.
95 Vall Llach 2019 Priorat Idus Cariñena-

Garnacha (Priorat). Made with Carignan
abv: 14.5% Price: $54
and Garnacha, this deep-violet-colored wine has

a bouquet of dark plum, purple fig, clove and lav-
ender. It is smooth in the mouth, with flavors of
93 González Byass 2017 Finca Moncloa Red
Blend (Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz). For full
review see page 92. Gonzalez Byass USA.
www.prowein.com
black currant, blackberry, dark chocolate, anisette abv: 14.5% Price: $50 For show information:
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BUYINGGUIDE
trated caramel aromas. The palate layers that with
IRISH WHISKEY
inviting tropical fruit and just a hint of campfire
smoke, resulting in caramelized pineapple, burnt
orange peel, dried fig and toasted coconut, finishing
long with black pepper sting. Best Buy.
abv: 45% Price: $37
It’s a tradition to top whiskey with H20.
94 Sliabh Liag Midnight Silkie Irish Whiskey
(Ireland; Preiss Imports, Ramona, CA). This
Y
ou may have noticed that in our reviews in the glass.
blended whiskey opens with mild peat smoke and
for whiskey—including Irish whiskey—we Sometimes that dilution is pure necessity— vanilla aromas; with time, more smoke comes for-
often include tasting notes about how the a survival tactic when so many whiskeys are ward. The palate also has a peaty core, surrounded
spirit presents before and after a splash bottled at cask strength or just above 80 proof by mouthwatering salted honey and finishing with
of water is added. in general. black licorice and a grind of black pepper.
abv: 46% Price: $53
Why do this? It’s with good reason that around the world,
Even just a few drops of water can trans- whiskey is traditionally mixed with water in one
form whiskey in some way. It form or another, from calls for 93 Busker Irish Whiskey Single Malt (Ireland;
Disaronno International, Somerset, NJ). Look
for an orange-gold hue and bold baked-apple notes
can lighten or integrate flavors, “bourbon and branch water”
coax certain nuances forward or Why do this? (formally, water from a stream, on the nose and palate, accompanied by orange peel
and honey-drizzled walnuts. Adding water lightens
back, or introduce new flavors Even just a few as opposed to soda water) to
the texture, with mild cocoa, smoke and cinnamon
that weren’t there before (hey, “Scotch and soda,” Japanese-
drops of water can tingling on the exhale. Best Buy.
where’d that mocha note come style highballs and other whis- abv: 44.3% Price: $30
from?). Often it just snaps the
transform whiskey key-soda variations mixed with
in some way.
whole picture into focus.
The pros understand and
bubbly water. There’s a long
tradition of drinking whiskey
93 Egan’s Conviction Irish Whiskey Aged 10
Years (Ireland; MHW Ltd., Manhasset, NY).
This is a blend of single grain and single malt whis-
even encourage this. topped up with H2O. kies, each aged at least 10 years and finished in XO
“On a professional basis in the lab, we will And of course, there’s always frozen water: Cognac cask. The end result is a dark-gold hue and
always dilute our whiskey to about 25/28% For personal enjoyment, it’s hard to beat a neat almond aromas. Look for palate-coating honey,
or 50/56 proof,” explains Darryl McNally, pour of whiskey chilled with an ice cube, which golden raisin and dried-apricot flavors shot through
with cigar smoke and espresso.
founder-distiller with Limavady Irish Whis- dilutes as it melts.
key, adding it helps “open the whiskey up” and There’s no need to get too precious about it.
“bring out all the flavors.” Specifically, adding Enjoy whiskey diluted to the strength you enjoy,
water releases the congeners (chemical com- and know there’s plenty of history and science 93 Lambay Irish Whiskey Single Malt Blend (Ire-
land; CIL Amerique, Manhasset, NY). This
Cognac-finished Irish single malt offers robust
pounds that contribute to aromas and flavors) supporting your dram.
baked-apple and pear notes surrounded by peat
bound in ethanol and lowers the alcohol level –Kara Newman
smoke and spice. Adding water releases dried fruit
notes; golden raisin and dried date round into a
warming clove exit.
abv: 40% Price: $50
96 Limavady Single Malt Whiskey Single Bar-

rel No. 0040 (Ireland; Whistlepig LLC,
Shoreham, VT). The mild, grassy aroma has a tinge
first-rate toddy with this classic. Baked apple and
pear notes mingle with caramel and a light sprinkle
of baking spice, leading into a long but bright finish. 93 Redbreast 15-Year-Old Irish Whiskey (Ireland;
Pernod Ricard USA, New York). Look for a
of green apple. Meanwhile, the palate leads with The flavor stands up well to dilution, making it a tawny hue and aromas suggesting vanilla bean and
brown sugar and caramel. A splash of water pulls a favorite for cocktails. roasted grain. The palate opens with raisin and date
deep-toasted grain note forward, finishing with bit- abv: 40% Price: $65 accented with orange peel and candied ginger. Oak,
ter espresso plus cardamom and black pepper heat. a hint of grapefruit peel bitterness and the faintest
A bit of apple-y freshness returns on the complex
exhale.
abv: 46% Price: $45 for 700 ml
94 Bushmills Single Malt 12-Year-Old Irish Whis-
key (Ireland; Proximo Spirits, Jersey City, NJ).
Aged in oloroso sherry and bourbon barrels, then
whiff of espresso enliven the finish.
95 Limavady Single Malt Whiskey Single Barrel

No. 0081 (Ireland; Whistlepig LLC, Shore-
finished in marsala casks, this 12-year-old offers
rich butterscotch tones plus a hint of milk chocolate
studded with almonds and toasted coconut. Still, it
93 Redbreast Lustau Edition Irish Whiskey (Ire-
land; Pernod Ricard USA, New York). Finished
in Lustau oloroso sherry butts, look for an amber
ham, VT). Whiffs of toasted grain and smoke intro- lands lightly, cut with grapefruit peel astringency. hue and a rich aroma that suggests dried figs and
duce this Irish single malt. The palate sings with abv: 40% Price: $60 dates. The palate benefits from a splash of water,
almond and spice: Biscotti, golden raisin and a hint which coaxes cocoa and prune notes, winding into a
of mocha lead into a tingly finish accented with
grapefruit peel bitterness and ginger heat.
abv: 46% Price: $45 for 700 ml
94 Slane Special Edition Irish Whiskey (Ireland;
Brown-Forman, Louisville, KY). Extra-virgin
oak is at the heart of this special edition, meaning
warming finish with cinnamon and clove heat.
abv: 46% Price: $87
the wood hasn’t been exhausted of its potential to
95 Redbreast 12-Year-Old Irish Whiskey (Ireland;

Pernod Ricard USA, New York). Sip or mix a
contribute caramel and spice. It follows through:
Look for a bright topaz hue and inviting, concen-

sweet malt body. Biscuit and caramel mix well,
COLD IPA
keeping bitterness at bay.
abv: 6.2% Price: NA/Draft
95 Mikerphone Step into the Freezer (Cold IPA;

Mikerphone Brewing, IL). Well balanced
Brewers make it clean, crisp and hoppy. between the lager yeast and the hop-forward aro-
mas and flavors associated with an India pale ale.
Citrusy and dank, the hops are center stage but well
O
ver the last two years, brewers have been or a dankness.
backed by a soft caramel malt that adds body and
releasing Cold IPAs, a fresh take on a The traditional malts for that style often sweetness. For tailgate parties, ice fishing or any-
style that combines lager yeast with a add some caramel-like sweetness to the beer, where a good time happens with friends in cold
traditional West Coast India pale ale rec- although Davey suggests using a cleaner pilsner weather.
ipe. Brewers of all sizes are capitalizing on the malt for the grain bill. abv: 6.5% Price: $15/16oz 4 pack
trend and working quick to get their own on And then it is fermented with a standard
shelves and on tap.
Kevin Davey, the brewer at
lager yeast. IPAs are traditionally brewed with
ale yeasts that favor warmer fer-
95 Reuben’s Stay Frosty (Cold IPA; Reuben’s
Brews, WA). With aromas and flavors rem-
iniscent of the IPAs that built the American craft
Wayfinder Beer in Portland, mentation temperatures and can industry, this has pine and citrus, a touch of dank-
Oregon, widely credited with Cold IPA, a fresh impart fruity esters, whereas ness and pleasing bitterness that keeps the taste-
buds involved from start to finish. A midpalate
creating the style, has been take on a style lager yeast thrives under colder
crispness keeps the whole sip moving along well. A
shepherding the larger industry conditions.
that combines good start, middle and end to any night out with
on recipes and best practices. He The finished beer, with lower friends.
wants to ensure that Cold IPA
lager yeast with a yeast esters, has a clean profile abv: 6.9% Price: $11/12oz 6 pack
isn’t simply a fad. He also wants traditional West that allows the hops to shine.
to help create a brewing standard
in the new category so that the
Coast India pale The ideal abv, Davey says, is
around 7%. A Cold IPA is often
93 Offshoot Cruising (Cold IPA; The Bruery, CA).
A juicy, hop-forward IPA that ends with
ale recipe. a touch of crispness. This is a beer for the beach,
style has some consistency in the treated like an ale, but without pool side or someplace where a warm breeze brings
marketplace as it attracts and the yeast. Brewers largely have relief. Pine and tropical hops mix well with a small-
retains new drinkers. been following the technical advice doled out malt sweetness, making this a beer to ease well into
any happy hour .
So, what is a Cold IPA? by Davey and the Cold IPAs on the marketplace
abv: 5.7% Price: $15/16oz 4 pack
The style takes many of the hallmarks of the are clean and crisp, with noticeable hop bitter-
traditional West Coast IPA, where hops such as ness.
Cascade, Chinook and Simcoe bring pleasing IPA is showing no signs of slowing down and 92 Workhorse Cut From the Same Cloth (Cold
IPA; Workhorse Brewing, PA). A collabora-
tion with Cape May Brewery, this is a mashup of an
bitterness and earthy aromas to the beer, with this style is poised to bring it into a new age.
older style, the Cascadian Dark Ale, with the newer
flavors that lean into grapefruit, or pine resin, -John Holl
Cold IPA. The result is a dark, malt-forward lager
that offers up light-roasted coffee and toasted bis-
cuit along with piney hops and a touch of tropical
dankness. A lot to unpack with each sip, but it’s a
fun challenge.
97 Blackberry Farm Lemon Groove (Cold IPA;

Blackberry Farm Brewery, TN) An enjoyable 96 Edmunds Oast Freeze Ray (Cold IPA;
Edmunds Oast, SC). This golden and mostly
abv: 6% Price: $16/16oz 4 pack
diversion from the norm with rich lemon herb and

a floral herbal quality at the forefront. The lemon
comes on in additional layers including candied
clear IPA offers up a robust head that laces the glass.
The lager yeast gives boost to the caramel malt
sweetness and tropical hop profile. Well balanced
91 Neshaminy Creek Suspended Animation (Cold
IPA; Neshaminy Creek, PA). Bright fresh hop
aroma with green earthy undertones, pine resin and
peel and lemon verbena. It still finishes dry, with a between sweet and bitter, it finishes dry. citrus peel. A refreshing clean finish sets the taste-
lager snap. Pair with summer vegetables or a simple abv: 6.7% Price: $14/16oz 4 pack buds up for another round with the hops.
roasted chicken to bring out the best in both. abv: 7% Price: $8/12oz 6 pack
96 Samuel Adams Cold IPA (Cold IPA; Boston
Beer Co., MA). From a brewery that knows
90 Coronado Cold Rush (Cold IPA; Coronado
97 Lamplighter Some Like it Cold (Cold IPA;

Lamplighter Brewing, MA). Bursting with
hop-derived tropical fruit aromas, this IPA brings
how to deftly maneuver in the lager space, this well-
hopped IPA is golden and clear as a bell, with a mod-
est head that lasts and laces the glass. The earthy
Brewing, CA). A collaboration with SLO
Brewing, this is an easy-drinking Cold IPA that lets
a clean malt bill and lager crispness live in the fore-
juicy character to the forefront with pleasing bit- hops are never overwhelming but add to a notice- front, with a tropical fruit and coconut hop essence
terness lurking behind. Sweet vanilla and torched- able bitterness that engages the olfactory senses. in the background. Light and refreshing, just right
sugar flavors arrive midpalate before a dry finish. abv: 6% Price: $8/12oz 6 pack for the seventh-inning stretch.
Tropical vibes present, no matter the weather. abv: 6% Price: $15/16oz 4 pack
95 Prison City Unicorns Coupling (Cold IPA;
Prison City Brewing, NY). With lively warm
pineapple aromas and flavors, this Cold IPA contin-
ues to deliver with a perfume-y hop bouquet and

POSTCARD FROM STELLENBOSCH
SLOWLY BUT SURELY

Wine writer Janice Williams reflects on the evolving South African wine community in the shadow of apartheid.
The
sky lit up with pastel air. It is to feel both weightless and graceful, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Petit
shades of orange, pink yet mighty, all at the same time. Verdot and Merlot. Statuesque and elegant,
and lavender. Fluffy Even amid such natural splendor, a an award-winning red wine produced by
clouds danced across the horizon. The shadow of disparity cloaks the country. Carmen Stevens, one of the first Black
rugged peaks of South Africa’s natural The stain of apartheid is inescapable, and African winemakers to own and operate a
giants Simonsberg, Groot Drakenstein and the immense poverty that directly results winery in South Africa, offered a response.
Die Twee Pieke surrounded us, standing tall from it runs deep throughout the Cape. Stevens is also a member of The Wine Arc,
and majestic in the distance. The view in There is a wealth gap that’s far too wide the collective that provides resources and
every direction was utterly breathtaking—a to wash over with good wine. After days of guidance for Black African-owned wineries,
Stellenbosch sunset that was truly a feast driving to gorgeous wine estates, passing winemakers and entrepreneurs, which
for the eyes. The guests, out on the lawn townships lined with houses made of tin hosted the event.
clinking glasses of Cap Classique, ate it up. and scrap metal, where people who looked The change was already happening,
I was in the bathroom crying. like me lived, I found myself struggling to slowly but surely. Through Wine Arc and
The Western Cape, which makes up hide my anguish. initiatives like the South Africa Wine
most of South Africa’s Winelands, is So there I was, crying my eyes out in a Industry Transformation Unit, a nonprofit
overwhelmingly beautiful. The wine made stall at the South African Cultural Carnival that promoted equitable access and
there is equally alluring. While visiting the and feeling the weight of a complicated and increased representation of Blacks in wine,
country for the first time, I got a double- prejudiced history not too different from people from the country who looked like me
edged lesson on the sense of place wine can my own. I wondered what could be done to were gaining visibility.
deliver. To enjoy a glass of South African help change the circumstances of so many Though it will take time to shift the
Chenin Blanc is to know how it feels to impoverished people. disparity, there is work being done to create
stand in the sun beside a 240-million- As I wiped my eyes, there was an answer change for the better, at least through the
year-old mountain while scents of proteas, of sorts sitting on the bathroom sink: my lens of wine. I left the bathroom with
honeysuckle and sea salt waft through the glass half full of a dark garnet blend of renewed hope, ready for another glass.
Even amid
such natural
splendor, a
GETTY IMAGES
shadow of
disparity cloaks
the country.

Beyond rare vintages
Recreating the perfect year
Photographer Iris Velghe - Design LUMA

99/100 96/100 19/20
Grand Siècle Nº23 in magnum. Extremely limited.

www.laurent-perrier.com - #grandsiecle
P L E A S E E N J O Y R E S P O N S I B LY

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$6.

ABOVE & BEYOND

46 RIVERS AT THE EDGE

54 CHILEAN SAUVIGNON BLANC RISING

60 LAKE MICHIGAN’S WINE WAVE

74 THE MERROIR OF GIN

70 WHY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO CONSIDER

78 WINE ENTHUSIAST 2023 VINTAGE CHART

4 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

DEPARTMENTS COLUMNS THE CRUSH

WINE ENTHUSIAST | THE WATER ISSUE | 5

Jacqueline Strum EDITOR & PUBLISHER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marco Turelli

EDITORIAL DESIGN TASTING WRITERS AT LARGE

DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SERVICES Emily Matson ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Sherrill Flaum

ADVERTISING MARKETING WINE ENTHUSIAST COMPANIES

6 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

8 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

Indulge your senses.

Contact your Travel Advisor, call (800) 728-6273 or visit Cunard.com/WE

Vivian June (left), B.D. Lenz provided live

PHOTOS BY JOY MALONE @JOYMALONEPHOTOGRAPHY

Chef Sakari Smithwick (center) and Jacy Topps

Pasqua logo specially branded

Wines included the 2021

WINE ENTHUSIAST | THE WATER ISSUE | 15

English, author of Doctors and Best for

16 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

WINE ENTHUSIAST | THE WATER ISSUE | 17

How blemish-free blocks became de rigueur in craft cocktails.

18 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

WINE ENTHUSIAST | THE WATER ISSUE | 19

2 ½ ounces Macvin du Jura

owner of the playful

fingertips but don’t quite get

20 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

LEFT TO RIGHT: BJOERN KILS; SCHOONER APOLLONIA; ALEXIS LAMBROU

Grain de Sail from Brittany

22 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

WINE ENTHUSIAST | THE WATER ISSUE | 23

Embrace winter with Japan’s regal shaved-ice treat.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ROBERT BREDVAD, FOOD: TAKAKO KUNIYUKI, PROPS: PAIGE HICKS

26 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

2019 VINTAGE 2018 VINTAGE 2019 VINTAGE

JASON T. BARKER/DISCOVER DAHLONEGA

28 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

Most Planted Grapes:

Three Sisters Vineyards

WINE ENTHUSIAST | THE WATER ISSUE | 29

30 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

ARE WORMS THE ANSWER TO

32 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

WINE ENTHUSIAST | THE WATER ISSUE | 33

34 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

Enjoy the beauty of your

High altitude and

36 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023

Ask our experts which EuroCave

three categories: five Pinot Noir (Anderson Riesling (Mosel)