Someone explain this labeling: La Creole Vineyard is a blend of 96% Feltz Vineyard and 4% Madrona Vineyard? No matter the name, it smells good, boasting plenty of smoky and woodsy aromas. The flavors are immature, almost grapey still, with some unintegrated vanilla and toast from oak, and fine tannins on the finish. Needs some time; give it a couple of years’ rest before popping your first cork.
There’s a persistent menthol note running through this wine that may prove controversial. My money is that it will integrate with time (say, 2–3 years) into the otherwise rich cherry fruit. The finish is explosively fruity and long, which bodes well for the future.
Bursting with sweet cherry fruit scents and flavors, this rich and sensuous Cab has the broad palate appeal of many Washington Merlots. Tannins are medium-grained; and the persistent finish is toasty with a trail of mocha.
Sweet berry aromas offer touches of marzipan and leather. The palate is ripe, vibrant and grabby, with full tannins framing plum and berry flavors along with accents of tobacco and earth. Lightly oaky on the finish, with a vanilla note and dryness. Shows good weight and clarity; Drink now through 2015.
This shows greater complexity than most rosés, with hints of leather and spice layered over cherry fruit. It's round in the mouth and rich in weight without beng heavy or warm. The spice-driven finish lingers a long time. Drink now and over the next year.
The Milbrandt bottling is all Sundance Vineyard fruit, cropped a little higher, and macerated with fewer stems for a shorter time. It is a fine introduction to the K Vintners style; showing good density in a moderately ripe format. The fruit is brambly and tart, with some earth and stem flavors, good balance, and a hint of the grape's gamy aspect.
This is a lovely example of Ventoux Grenache (80%), with 15% Syrah and 5% a blend of Mourvèdre, Cinsaut and Carignan. It's slightly warm in style and supple in structure, but with hints of dried flowers and licorice to give verve and dimension to the black cherry fruit. Drink now and over the next few years.
This Syrah-based cuvée is aged in barrel, but the cedary notes are only a backdrop to the floral, garrigue notes and dark fruit aromas. In the mouth, the flavors seem brighter and more like red berries, with plenty of savory spice for interest. It's drinking well now, but the moderate tannins suggest it should hold through 2016.
Although this cuvée is 100% Syrah, it's remarkably well behaved, without any reductive or animale scents. Instead, it delivers ripe cherry and vanilla aromas, some creaminess on the palate and a long, elegant finish that ends savory not sweet. Drink now–2016.
Grapes from Ciel du Cheval, Champoux and Dineen contribute to this attractive Bordeaux-style blend. Cassis and black cherry fruit are combined in a smooth, supple wine with generous coffee and licorice components.
Fermented in stainless steel, then aged in a mix of neutral oak and stainless steel barrels, this single-vineyard, 100% varietal Sauvignon Blanc is racy and bone dry, a true Loire Valley style. Classic varietal flavors of gooseberry, lemon/lime and slate, with a bit of spritz to liven it up.
Tight, focused and crisp on the nose, with clean berry and spice aromas. About as good and healthy on the palate as Ribera gets, with wild berry and correct tannin-acid balance. Toasty and peppery on the finish. A well-made, stylish wine done right.
Starts out with baked, mulchy aromas of earthy leather, raisin and tobacco and gets more complex with air. The palate is narrow and clean, with good intensity and flavors of brown sugar, mocha and dried berry fruits. More light and oaky than fruity on the finish. Ready to drink now.
An attractively fruity wine, with the richness of 2009 giving sweet red cherry fruits, blackberries and a balanced layer of tannin. Produced in the vineyards of the 18th century Château de Fleurie, this is a wine with good concentration and weight as well as fine fruit.
An intriguingly perfumed wine that brings out highly spicy wood as well as ripe yellow fruits. This is light and ready to drink, and already enjoyable for its ripeness combined with a fresh, toasty finish.
A finely structured wine that brings out soft acidity as well as pear and red apple flavors. There is a great layer of toast, some spice and a rich, yeasty character. The wine is elegant, delicate, well balanced.
Starts off slightly pungent and sweaty, but offsets that with ripe notes of melon and fig. This is a medium-bodied Sauvignon Blanc with excellent concentration and length. Drink up.
A pure line of fresh green fruits goes right through this mineral, bone-dry wine. The texture shows citrus and green apple skins, with a tight freshness that is still young. You can almost taste the stones in the concentrated flavor. Age for at least a year.
It's pure and aromatic, with black cherry hard candy fruit flavors. Tannins have been nicely managed; there's a sweet herb undertone without the bitter green edge.
Cherries and fresh berry fruits dominate this smoothly ripe wine. It has light tannins, a smooth leather and sweet plum skin texture which gives it a round character. The acidity, cutting through the sweetness, gives a lift, finishing the wine on a fresh, mineral character.
This unlikely blend of 87% Shiraz and 13% Petit Verdot hits the right notes for a bargain sipper, boasting plenty of weight and an interesting juxtaposition of raspberry fruit with dark chocolate. Earthy notes provide depth, and the finish is surprisingly silky for a wine in this price range. Drink now.
A lush, tropical style of Sauvignon, combining peach and guava aromas with passion fruit flavors. This is delicious right now for its immediate fruit, ample weight and slightly creamy texture.
Passion fruit and nectarine aromas are joined by hints of jalapeno, while the palate displays stone fruit flavors with tropical overtones and grassy accents. This medium-bodied wine is textbook Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at a refreshingly affordable price.
The spicy, warm nose on this mellow red is an apt start to a really good wine. Flavors of clove, cinnamon and spice mingle with red berry and a slight tingle on the tongue and finish. An intriguing sip that will pair well with dishes of like warming spice: think Moroccan, Turkish.
Mostly Red Mountain fruit, this Bordeaux blend also includes about a third of the grapes from Alder Ridge in the Horse Heaven Hills, and a splash of Merlot from Pepper Bridge in Walla Walla. It follows the Hightower style of pretty fruit, ripe tannins and lots of chocolaty notes. In this excellent vintage it retains just a hint of fresh rosemary and black pepper, which contributes some snap to the finish.
Axel Stiegelmar confirms his reputation as one of Austria's top red winemakers with this delicious juicy Pinot Noir. It has just the right amount of barnyard character to go with the bright black cherry flavors, layered with soft tannins.
This blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon offers up decadent juicy flavors of sun-kissed red cherries and watermelon. While dry in style, there's a slightly caramelized ripeness on the midpalate that balances out pertly against brisk grapefruit acidity. Enjoy now for its forward fruity exuberance.
Toasted almond aromas lead the way in this elegant, harmonious offering. It's medium bodied and plump, easily supporting intriguing notes of smoke, pineapple, peach and citrus. Drink now–2020.
This estate blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 26% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot is smoky and tart. Its robust underbelly of tannin and persistent charred oak notes frame a core of red currant and cranberry fruit, peppered with clove.
This wine is expressive, with aromas of violet, herb and purple fruit. The palate is lighter styled and tart, delivering a bit more tannic heft than this variety often shows. Give it some time to open up.
Full-bodied, rich and a bit sweet, this plump wine offers up hints of honey, cinnamon toast and ripe pear and melon. Drink it before the end of 2017.
This vineyard designate from Yountville is packed with compact tannin and rich oak yet nicely balanced by crisp ranberry, cherry and clove flavors. Light black-pepper notes add seasoning.
The Fillippini family has been growing grapes in eastern Paso Robles since 1982, and this is among their better modern bottlings. The nose offers light sandalwood, ripe cranberry and river stone mineral scents. Its punchy berry fruit is underlaid with leather and cigar accents on the palate, where buoyant acidity and grippy tannic structure pervades.
Named for farmer David Osgood's beloved hat, this blend of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah shows plump boysenberry, black raspberry, peppercorn and wet rock scents. Dense tannins dominate the palate, framing plush red plum, dark strawberry and clove-like spice flavors.
Roasted meat, wet slate, dried Concord grape and wet cement notes show on the somewhat gamy nose of this blend of 37% Mourvèdre, 23% Grenache, 23% Syrah, 12% Cinsault and 5% Counoise. The texture is lively and grippy, supporting prominent wood and elderberry flavors.
The nose of this blend of 46% Roussanne, 24% Picpoul, 21% Viognier and 9% Grenache Blanc is quite lush at first, evoking pan-seared pear and pineapple, but a steely tension keeps it in check. On the palate, coconut and honey butter flavors are cut by searing acidity.
Textbook Duero Valley aromas of licorice root, cola, peppery spice, blackberry and vanilla are complete and cover all the bases. While this is medium to full in body and weight, it is racy due to pulsing acidity. Flavors of toasty oak and vanilla are compatible with tart berry and plum fruit, while this is lithe and bolstered by acidity on the finish. Drink through 2027.
Compelling warm berry compote and orange rind aromas mark the nose of this stylishly labeled bottling, with dried fennel, cola and dill accents. The palate is as hearty as expected, with ripe blackberry, vanilla, rose petal and ginger snap flavors.
Ripe blackberry notes dominate this wine's nose and palate. Their ripe, tart juiciness makes for an appetizing, fruit-driven palate. Smooth but pervaded by freshness, it's a vibrant, juicy blend full of refreshing, ripe fruit. Uncomplicated but delicious.
This is a bold ripe wine that is dominated by firm while juicy Tannat. Named after the characteristic black berets worn by the menfolk of Gascony, the wine is powerful and dense with black fruits and balanced acidity. Drink this already enjoyable wine now, or better from 2018.
This estate, managed for the owner by Producteurs Plaimont, surrounds a perfectly preserved medieval castle. The wine is firm with tense tannins and intense juicy acidity. It has a structured character full of blackberry fruit and with a dry core. It hints at being mature already although it will be much better to drink from 2018.
This is zippy and refreshing, offering aromas of struck flint, pea shoots and grapefruit. For its abv, it's light on the palate, dancing with vibrant grass and citrus flavors and crisp acids.
Bold lychee, honeydew and stone-fruit perfume adorns this varietally classic Gewürztraminer. Its tastes just a shade off dry, its hibiscus-nectar sweetness accenting sunny tangerine and peach flavors. Sunny acidity and integrated alcohol tie the package together smartly. Drink now through 2020.
Broad blueberry, black cherry and vanilla aromas show in this bottling from Steve and Pam Lock's eponymous westside Paso Robles vineyard. The mouthfeel is quite full, showing root beer float flavors, ample acidity and present but well-chiseled tannins.
This fleshy, tropical wine offers a wealth of rich peach, pineapple and golden honey flavor in a medium-bodied frame. It finishes light and bright, with an undercurrent of toasted oak.
This ripe, juicy wine opens with yellow stone fruit, Spanish broom and faint nut aromas. The medium-bodied palate doles out ripe Golden Delicious apple and mature Bartlett pear flavors, while a pleasant bitter almond note backs up the finish.
For an entry level wine, this is impressive, offering hints of grapefruit pith, bergamot and smoke on the nose and following those up with some meaty-mushroomy notes on the palate. It's not typical, but boasts a silky texture and a unqieu combination of citrus and umami that lingers nicely on the finish.
Aromas of spice cake, licorice, moist earth, pie cherries and kirsch, with flavors that follow suit. A luxurious wine, bursting with flavor, tannic and just a bit pruney. This is a love it or hate it style; you pick.
Dark and loaded with big black fruit aromas, tobacco, spice and a lot of vanilla from copious oaking. The palate is good and juicy, with a healthy blend of blackberry, fig and chocolate flavors. Toasty, round and chocolaty on an oaky, creamy finish.
Delicious apple aromas give a wine that is as fresh as possible, with a pear skin texture. It's bright with almost a prickle on the tongue. Apples, grapefruit and other citrus fruits dominate this mouth-watering wine. Screwcap.
A very complete wine, firm but flattering on the palate. A mix of cherry skins, red plums and lovely juiciness all come together in an harmonious whole.
Savory and meaty on first take, with ample berry on the nose as warmth and leather seep through. The palate is round and healthy, with a mix of succulent berry and savory spice and leather pumping up the flavor profile. Spicy and chocolaty on the finish.
Rich, ripe and chocolaty in style, this is a full-bodied yet soft and velvety-textured wine. It's a rich, satisfying mouthful of lusty red from the right bank of the Rhône, made by Laudun Chusclan Vignerons for the importer.
A fine value in Northern Rhône Syrah, the Tain cooperative's 2009 Crozes-Hermitage is fairly extracted for a Crozes, with plummy, dark fruit alongside hints of clove, leather and coffee. Turns a bit astringent on the finish; try 2013–2018.
The oak is prominent on this wine, giving a high-glass sheen of toasted coconut and vanilla to the otherwise modest fruit. There's enough weight and richness to stand up to the wood, but just barely, while the texture is creamy and lush throughout. Drink now.
Explosively peppery upfront, with hints of allspice and pomegranate on the nose and expressive garrigue and tart fruit flavors on the palate. This wine is a little lean, but the beautiful aromas are well worth the price of admission, and this wine should prove brilliant paired with food.
Earth, leather, baked fruits and spice notes make for a classic aged Rioja bouquet. The palate is juicy, crisp and pure, with light cherry, cranberry, tobacco and dill flavors. Racy and ready to drink now, but with such a tight spine it'll age another decade.
This is a tremendously inviting price for a wine of this caliber, super structured and tight at first with chewy tannins and savory plum and chocolate on the palate. Concentrated, this Zin could stand a little time in the cellar, 3–5 years, or let it breathe awhile if you just have to drink it now.
Emina 2009 Tinto Fino Roble (Ribera del Duero). Purple and big, with black fruit aromas along with plenty of young oak, licorice, cola and bacon. The palate has a saturated, lush feel and bold flavors of blackberry and oak. On the finish it's all coconut, butter and dill. Ribald and offering a lot.
Firm tannins here and rich fruit underneath, but the wine is spoilt by the banana flavor that intrudes. Perhaps recent bottling has brought this out, in which case a few months wait will see the full potential.
Sweet plum juice and strawberry flavors, a typical wine of the vintage. Acidity and tannins are well integrated into the ripe character of this delicious wine.
A blend of Zweigelt and Bordeaux grapes, this is rich and spicy with black plum fruit and soft tannins. Acidity cuts through the opulent feel. It is juicy, ripe and ready to drink now.
Meaty and leathery opening aromas bring spice, herbs and a bit of everything. It's clacky and tannic on the palate, which shows good acidity and lightly herbal flavors of tomato, red berry and spice. Turns more herbal and oaky on the dry finish. Very nice and solid, but a bit herbal tasting.
Robust on the bouquet, with ample red berry fruit and vanilla. The palate has a deep, layered feel and flavors of plum, berry and peppery spice. A tight blend of Carignan, Garnacha and Syrah that's forward and wiry, with power in reserve. Drink now through 2015.
Full bodied and thickly concentrated, this is almost too much of a good thing, with nearly overblown orange, honey and truffle notes coating the palate. Shows touches of warmth and bitterness on the finish. Drink over the next few years.
This venerable firm is going through substantial changes as the Frey family continues to update the viticulture and winemaking. This is a rather full-bodied Côte Rôtie, with plenty of dark, earthy and meaty notes edged with just a bit of peppery spice. Drink 2014–2020.
Noceto is a Sierra Foothills' Sangiovese specialist but does a nice job with Barbera as well, this wine being well-integrated, not heavy-handed (13.8%) with a deft balance between acidity and fruit, mostly sweet cherry and blueberry. Very good.
A blend sourced from the Steinhauer, Bancroft Ranch and St. Helena Home vineyards, among others, this is a full-bodied and ageworthy wine. Leathery black pepper and blackberry notes form the backbone, with a length of currant, raspberry and dark cherry fruit, accented with minty tobacco. Cellar through 2033.
Heady oak aromas lead the nose of this silky, rich wine sourced from a cool site on the producer's own Big Ranch Vineyard at the southern end of the valley. Golden honey notes add to its luxurious nature, contrasting the linear infusion of tart lemon zest, orange peel and nutty spice flavors.
After a few swirls of the glass, this elegant red releases aromas of ripe wild berry, pipe tobacco, dried herb and a whiff of dark spice. The supple succulent palate doles out fleshy black cherry, baking spice and a hint of licorice framed in velvety tannins. Smooth and delicious, it's already approachable, but will offer fine drinking for several years or more. Drink through 2021.
Enticing scents of red berry, baking spice, Mediterranean scrub and a hint of eucalyptus slowly emerge. The elegantly structured palate delivers black cherry, licorice, clove and espresso framed in youthfully austere but refined tannins. It's still young and tightly wound but balanced, with bright acidity. Drink 2020–2028.
Lush and inviting on the nose, with blackberry, kirsch, lilac, licorice and balsamic notes, this bottling shows promise for the warmer side of the new Malibu appellation. It's soft on the palate, offering complex black plum skin, soy, loam and meat flavors, brightened with mint. Quite pricey, nonetheless.
This deep garnet-colored wine proffers fragrances of black cherry and dark plum with a flourish of green pepper. It is smooth on the palate, with silky tannins and flavors of black cherry, raspberry, Mediterranean herbs and licorice. A mélange of bright berries and smoky spice permeates the sleek finish.
This blend of 48% Roussanne, 35% Marsanne and 17% Viognier is delightfully drinkable, viscous and fresh in steely acidity. With beautifully potent floral aromas, it shines in focused pear and apricot flavors.
This blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah is a terrific bargain. It's full-bodied and creamy in texture yet without excessive weight, featuring complex notes of garrigue and cherries, plus hints of chocolate, cinnamon and clove. Finishes silky and long. Drink now–2025.
The Donum Estate continues to show its prowess with this variety in addition to its speciality, Pinot Noir, and this bottling is no exception. High-toned lemon flavors meet supportive oak and a light-bodied layering of fresh pear and honeycomb, buoyed by bright acidity from start to finish.
Subdued crushed stone and smoke aromas ease into a dramatically riper, richer palate full of lush tropical mango and melon flavors here. It's a deeply penetrating wine with scintillating lightness and a spine of tingling acidity. Gorgeous already but concentrated enough to improve through 2025.
Concentrated olallieberry and black plum meld with leather and lilac scents on the nose of this blend of 50% Mourvèdre, 33% Grenache and 17% Syrah. Round and ripe blueberry, black currant and kirsch-like fruits show on the palate, but floral aspects, grippy texture, peppery spice and vibrant acidity take it to the next level.
Crushed slate and salty mineral tones pepper this intensely citrusy dry white. It's dry, bold and silken-textured, yet hits the palate with laser-like lemon, lime and tart tangerine fruit. The finish is long and meandering, accented by a murmur of lime pith astringency.
This is a current release from Joe Davis, who holds his wines back until their prime. Hailing from Ballard Canyon, it shows black plum, pressed purple flowers, tanned leather and balsamic notes on the nose. There's a pleasantly yet softly structured texture to the palate, where dried blackberry, roast beef, lilac and Concord grape flavors arise.
Despite its age, this is almost grapy in its youthful intensity. Cedar, anise and spiced meats appear on the nose, while the flavors are plummy and ripe. this is full-bodied, creamy in texture and powerful, with a long, mouthcoating finish. Drink now–2030.
This is a tightly structured wine, taut with intense minerality and acidity. It has green fruit and citrus flavors filled out with toast and a creamy texture. The aftertaste, with its tangy minerality, shows the wine will age. Drink from 2020.
Sultry black-cherry and berry flavors and ripe deeply integrated tannins are held upright by a strident backbone of acidity in this elegantly structured Cabernet Franc. Swathes of fresh peppery greens offset sweet spice and vanilla tones on the midpalate. It's an elegant, deeply textural wine that's lovely already but should only improve through at least 2025.
This charming wine isn't big or rich, but it has an appetizing tang, supportive texture and attractively restrained flavors. There's a tawny rim to its medium garnet color, loads of fruit and spice to the aroma, and cherry, tart cranberry and oolong tea flavors. Well-balanced, it will drink best after 2019.
The owners' Swiss connections are commemorated in the international initials for Switzerland (CH) on the label, but everything else about this wine is resolutely Portuguese. From its dense tannins and dry core to its bold red fruit, it's full bodied, rich, ripe and likely to age further. Drink from 2018.
A strong effort, this wine boasts blueberry and blackberry fruit framed by hints of baking spices and mocha. It's full-bodied but supple, with a long, plush finish. Drink now–2025.
Chewy and delicious, this doles out aromas and flavors of fleshy wild cherry, ripe raspberry, truffle, star anise and pipe tobacco. Round velvety tannins provide support and lend a smooth texture. It's already enjoyable but will age well for several more years. Drink through 2023.
This limited production wine is a selection of the estate's best barrels. It's packed with tannin, giving it a dusty texture. Underneath, black fruit pulsates with energy and richness. The wine is still developing and will drink best after 2020.
This blend of four parcels from different premier crus is structured with all the density of this fine village. Its black fruit gets a fresh edge of acidity, while the tannins are firm and tight. The wine needs to age and will be best from 2022.
Produced from a 7-acre parcel within the premier cru, this wine is tight and nervy at this young stage. It has acidity, a tangy mineral texture and crisp white and citrus fruit but needs time to fill out and show its full potential. Drink from 2021.
If this bottling is any indication, Picpoul may be Paso Robles' best chance at becoming better known for white wines. Tense chalk, baking soda, pomelo pith and lime skin aromas show on the fresh and compelling nose. The palate is tightly wound and nervy, showing clean, grippy kumquat and citrus rind flavors. That tension holds firm even days after opening.
Hermann J. Wiemer may be synonymous with NY Riesling, but its Cabernet Francs are consistently some of the best reds made in the state. Subdued shades of cigar box, cedar and tomato leaf lend savory Old World elegance to this ripe richly concentrated wine. Pristine blackberry and plum flavors are juicy and penetrating yet briskly composed. A bristle of soft cocoa powder tannins extends the finish.
This is a quiet blend of 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 19% Malbec, 18% Merlot and 18% Petit Verdot. It's delicate and light in toasted oak, with clove, tobacco, blueberry and cassis flavors. It finishes on a lingering licorice note.
This is a lovely, well-crafted wine from a fine site in the heart of the appellation, originally planted by Jim Barbour. It opens with richly inviting vanilla cream and clarified butter notes before soft tannin and subtle oak come into play. The fruit is lively, with strawberry and cherry flavors.
Veteran winemaker Joe Davis holds back wines like this Chardonnay longer than most, revealing wondrous maturity once uncorked. This shows whipped vanilla cream, marzipan, walnut and baked apple scents on the unctuous nose, while similar butter and meringue flavors show on the palate. Underlying acidity and chalky tension keep it fresh and mouthwatering.
Bright and peppery with spice, this bottling from Ed Kurtzman delivers all that's lovable about Pinot Noir in a fresh, light style. Its raspberry fruit is accented and lifted by bay leaf, thyme and white pepper notes, with a saline hint of kalamata olive. That boundless energy continues on the palate, where crisp pomegranate blends with marjoram.
Jammy berry, blueberry and spice aromas meet the nose, followed by a narrow palate that turns softer as the wine airs out. Flavors of jammy berry and raisin end on a mellow, chewy finish. A soft Garnacha for casual consumption.
Lake Chelan is one of the few regions in Washington State that can take a whack at growing Pinot Noir. For this bottling, the winemakers elected to blend in 5% Malbec—a small percentage, but one that seems to have taken over the flavor. Not a trace of Pinot Noir character remains, just a strong Bourbon-barrel flavor and a bit of alcoholic heat.
This has a soft texture and an attractive apple flavor, with light acidity. Bright and fruity, it's ready to drink, just hinting at pepper and spice on the finish. Screwcap.
A touch foxy and reduced on the nose, with jumpy berry aromas, this feels edgy and shows a grating tannic bite. The wine's plum, herb and candied berry flavors are solid, finishing with a dose of blueberry.
This is fresh and open on the nose, which is what you'd want from a $9 quaffer like this. It tastes good and fruity, with lychee, green apple and spice flavors working together. Vanilla and papaya notes come up on the mild finish.
This grassy North Coast offering has plenty of lime, kiwi and jalapeño flavors that are able to stand up to spicy appetizers with its crisp, long finish. Proceeds are donated to the restoration of watersheds for steelhead trout and coho salmon.
With Ribera wines there's an assumption of tannic presence, but this older vintage, while displaying a classy bouquet, is brutally tannic, with an acid-washed palate. Splashes of cranberry and plum flavors are cut by lemony acidity and drying sandpaper tannins.
This smells like plastic and milk chocolate at first, then with airing it begins to take on its classically Rioja character. It feels fresh and zesty, with a medium body and red fruit flavors that are spicy, lightly herbal and generic. A mid-level wine in every way.
Wet leaf, black cherry, and assertive barrel flavors of brown sugar, maple syrup and crème brûlée are the dominant notes in this blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Franc. The short, slightly bitter, green finish is the downside.
Red berry flavors and a soft-but-spicy texture give this now-mature wine some ripeness. It has a raspberry jam character that's laced with acidity; its tannins are soft and mature.
Light pink in color, this has chewing gum, watermelon and dust aromas. It is underwhelming on the palate, with a simple mouthfeel and flavors of cotton candy and cherry.
This wine's grassy plum and berry aromas have a lactic angle. It feels full but gripping, with pasty floral flavors that leave a grabby residue on the finish. Drink now.
Upon first sniff, this could be a Chilean red; but then the warm fruity entry—complete with hints of crushed flower and fresh herb—suggests something else entirely. The wine does not hold together well, turning sour and herbal through the back of the palate.
Purely varietal, this is a soft and peppery wine, with tastes of berry and chocolate. Despite the relatively high alcohol, it feels light and simple, without depth or complexity.
Melon and green fruit aromas have a pinch of almond bitterness. This feels fresh but low in volume, with standard apple and green melon flavors. It finishes soft, with notes of mustard seed and fennel.
Planted in 1993, this four-acre, cool-climate vineyard had a relatively late harvest in 2005, which can, in the Pacific Northwest, result in more European, vertically structured wines. This is wrapped up tight, and is far away from the sweet, succulent fruit of California Pinot Noir, but its pleasures are many and varied. Clear and bright, its berry-cherry fruit is shaded with leaf and earth. The tannins are firm but quite polished, and the flavors meld together seamlessly.
Honey and corn syrup aromas tell you this is rich, but what you don't realize so easily is how complex and expansive this Muscat is. The flavors of honey, banana and clover start out as sweet and unctuous, but then they unfurl to show depth, complexity and length. In the end you realize that this is all about pure, unrefined power and purity. Drinking it is like a rush of natural sugar to the brain.
A bit of choppy wood announces a fully oaked wine, and yes, it's a touch hard-coated. But underneath the veneer of barrel there's lively red fruit and a natural brambly character. The palate is just acidic enough to be lively, and the finish is healthy and settles upon chocolate due to the wine's generous oaking. Very good mouthfeel and depth make this more than solid. Drink now–2011.
A powerful, punchy wine that brings richness along with acidity to a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barocca and Tinta Roriz. The smoothness of the surface hides firm, dusty tannins, with wild fig and dark plum flavors.
A clear step up from the overdone 2003 Propiedad, this vintage is sweet and easy to like. There's a blast of hickory smoke on the new-oak nose, but also black fruit and molasses. The ripe palate deals chewy fruit, medium tannins and moderate length. It's a charming but blunt wine, and all in all it's probably not one to hold for too long. Drink now through 2009.
This is the last vintage of a joint venture between J M da Fonseca and Cristiano van Zeller (the 2005 is a solo production by J M da Fonseca). It's a dry, dark, structured wine, with some minerality, full of ripe black plums and concentrated tannins.
From 40-year-old vines in the Geelong GI, this is a huge step up in quality from the winery's Jindalee label. Nutty aromas of toasted cereal grain and grilled peaches set the table for this full-bodied, lushly textured Chardonnay. It's rich and ripe, yet reasonably balanced by acid, finishing long and ever so slightly warm. Drink now.
Despite being a 2004 vintage wine, this top-shelf Chardonnay from Penfolds is still embryonic in its development, shrouded in some smoky, tarry, coffee-like aromas that call for brisk decanting. Underneath, you'll find richly textured layers of ripe, honeyed fruit and grilled peaches, ending with lingering notes of citrus. Drink now–2015.
Fragrant and dense, this sends up a lush, intriguing mix of aromas—black fruits, lead pencil, rock and green tea. It's a textural, earthy wine that never stops coming at you. The barrel aging brings in smoke and bacon fat also; this is full-bodied and complex, with substantial tannins and a strong, intense finish.
Big in every way, with tons of new oak, popcorn and coffee sitting on top of dark-fruit aromas. Modern despite its incorporation of several indigenous grapes, this blend delivers a blast of roasted black cherry and plum flavors in front of a resiny finish that's dripping with menthol and molasses. Unique if a touch syrupy; it's clearly shooting for the modern style.
Soft, ripe and jammy, this is too ripe and misses structure. Its acidity does redeem it, but it is not going to develop much.
Red fruit aromas are fresh and sharp, yet tight and linear. The palate follows suit by way of tart citrus overpowering cherry and raspberry flavors. A dash of spice lingers on a semisour finish.
This wine leads with vanilla over characteristic varietal notes. The palate is spritzy, while modest flavors of nectarine and citrus finish light.
This is a lean wine that seems to be missing the fruit. It has an austere quality with a strongly tannic element and mineral acidity.
Mealy aromas suggest that this wine is past its peak. The palate is unbalanced, with flavors of bell pepper and green fruit, showing hints tropical fruit. Drink now.
This has a plump, yeasty, leesy feel, with tropical fruit and lychee aromas. Flavors of bread and white fruit unfold on the palate, with notes of banana and papaya on the finish.
A typically heavy, ripe style of rosé, this does have some freshness and citrus acidity but it is put against ripe carmel, spice and a fat texture. Drink now.
Dusty, musky notes persist throughout this delicately framed Seyval Blanc, lending a savory, dark tone to pressed apple and pear flavors. The palate is tart and lemony, with a brisk finish.
Musty aromas of saddle leather combine with cherry soda on the nose, and the flavors prove a bit thin, with cherry, raspberry and blackberry present amidst tart tannins. The finish is quick.
The wine is fruity, although it is flat, missing a fresh lift. It has spice and apple flavors, rounded in texture and with a bite of lemon zest at the end. Drink now.
Aromas of underbrush and leather dominate a rustic nose. The palate tastes briny, with underripe berry flavors that finish candied and herbaceous.
Earthy, funky aromas of leafy, baked berry fruits and cassis rank as strange and wild. Burnt flavors of coffee and herbal berries are gamy, while the mouthfeel is tannic and hard to plow through.
Candied black cherry and blueberry notes are accented by ginger on this slightly confected wine. The monotone red cherry palate leads to a hint of bitter tannins on the finish.
Mocha and milk chocolate seem to waft from this ruddy, ripe wine made from Marquette grapes. Ripe cherry and strawberry flavors are soft and plush on the palate, brightened by a welcome streak of acidity.
Jammy cherry and plum aromas turn briary with airing. This wine is candied and jammy in feel, and soft in the middle. Flavors of spiced blueberry are low in depth and fade away with weedy notes.
There is very little varietal character in this rounded wine. It's off dry, just crisp and with a light aromatic character. Crisp and clean, it's ready to drink.
This is a special selection from parcels of vines in Château Castéra. Stewed plum aromas lead to a wine that is lean, leaving little room for the fruit.
Soft and aromatic, this is a crisp, clean and fruity wine. It has some sweetness (not indicated on the label) with lime and tangy citrus flavors. It's ready to drink.
Vegetal aromas outmuscle the wine's green fruit character. A plump, round mouthfeel offers only mild acidity, while the vegetal essence returns on the palate, with sulfuric bitterness on the finish.
Light and gently aromatic, this is a rounded style of Riesling without much texture. It's soft, fruity and ready to drink.
Raw, woody aromas are forceful to the point of smelling like a timber mill; in addition, the nose is fiery and herbal, with minty berry aromas. A disjointed palate features bulky plum and red-berry flavors as well as a green tinge, while a finish with heavy oak and raisiny fruit delivers Baja's patented saltiness.
There is a strongly rustic character to this wine. The fruit seems to have disappeared. and the wine is tough right through. Maceration took place in traditional concrete vats; malolactic fermentation and aging in barrels, 25% new oak.
This exhibits overripe characteristics and a sweetness that seems overdone. There is 8% Petit Verdot blended in.
Here's a clean, dry, light-bodied white wine with green-apple and celery aromas and flavors that are very mild. The first sip is crisp and refreshing, and it turns softer and leaner on the finish.
A standard wine, with slight aromas of strawberries, flavors of plums, a somewhat sweet balance, mild tannins and soft finish.
There is an earthy side to this otherwise fruity, smooth, medium-bodied wine. It tastes quite ripe, slightly sweet, with low tannins and not much acidity. Blended from Merlot, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah.
This almost colorless wine has a slight aroma of bananas and roses, and a very light flavor of cucumbers. It's light-bodied, soft in texture and short on the finish.
The wine is light in color and light in body. Red cherry fruits give freshness, although there is a burnt aftertaste. Drink now.
Sauvignon Blanc can vary in style from merely crisp and almost neutral to more herbaceous examples like this. It conveys an assertive, slightly heavy personality with plenty of herb and eucalyptus flavors, a rather soft texture for this variety and dry finish.
Light and mostly fresh, with shy peach and green-fruit aromas. The palate is soft and reticent, with lower-level acids and chunky melon and papaya flavors. Finishes pithy and thus mildly bitter. Drink soon or wait for the 2008.
A lean style of wine, grassy and herbaceous, with dry tannins that are already showing signs of maturity. There is still some attractive juiciness, but the acidity and the tight tannins are good indications of the lightness of the wine.
A rounded, very soft Chardonnay from Chablis producer Simmonet-Febvre. There are green fruits, with hints of pears and light acidity. The edge of green tannin gives the wine some shape, but it is essentially soft. Screwcap.
Light and flowery, with apple aromas. The body and palate are lean and a little stripped, but the apple flavors are clean and quaffable. This is like a waif model, or maybe a scarecrow. It is good on the surface but has very little meat on the bones.
A blend that is half Cabernet Sauvignon and half the local Toulouse grape Negrette. It gives a light, fruity, juicy, bright wine, its freshness and flavors of ripe red plums underlined by a soft tannic element. Easy and fresh, to drink now.
Latex, rubber band and other roasted, rubbery aromas send up the red flag, yet the palate and flavors are good enough even if they are already a little tired and rusty. Not really recommended given that rosé should be fresh and fun. This one veers to big berry fruit and softness. 100% Tempranillo. Imported by National Distributing Co., Inc.
Crisp, dry, caramel- and red berry-flavored wine that has some crispness as well as good strawberry softness. There is some spice to finish. Screwcap.
Minty, earthy and leafy, but with enough fruit that it seems honest. The palate is lively with thin-sided cherry flavors followed by a clean but lean finish. More like standard old-school Chianti than typical Chilean Cab.
Intense orange rind aromas are accented by waxy honey and lanolin notes on this dry, full-bodied Pinot Blanc. It's juicy and bright on the palate, with tart peach and tangerine flavors and zesty lime-toned acidity.
Pleasant whiffs of eucalyptus help to lift aromas of bright cherry, red plum and red raspberry. Zesty acidity on the tongue leads to a fruit-packed finish.
For a modestly priced Oregon Pinot, this is a punchy, pleasing wine, centered on brambly purple berry fruit flavors, framed in toasty, spicy tannins. The persistence is impressive.
From a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot comes this earthy wine with aromas of underbrush, tobacco, leather and meat juices. The palate offers juicy black cherry and plum layered with chocolate and coffee alongside somewhat astringent tannins.
A fruity Muscadet, it shows delicious citrus and green apple freshness. It's light, clean, totally dry and equally ready to drink. Sauvion are long-time experts in Muscadet, and it shows in this refreshing wine.
Forest floor, mushroom and dried red cherry lead the bouquet, with a lift of eucalyptus in the background. Fresh cherry and raspberry flavors unfold on the palate, with bright acidity in the finale.
Honeysuckle, stone fruit and mineral tones mark this fragrant, dry Weissburgunder. It's rich and round on the palate, but brightened by tart melon rind and white peach flavors, along with a refreshing mineral sheen on the finish.
This begins with aromas of ripe black fruit and red berries, toasted oak and coffee. The soft, round palate offers juicy black cherry, espresso and toasted spice notes. Easy drinking and approachable, this isn't an ager so enjoy soon.
Dusty, chalky mineral tones extend throughout this delicate wine, lending a stark, linear tone to concentrated flavors of sweet apple and lemon. It's startlingly brisk with acidity, but zesty and clean in feel, making it a perfect pairing for creamy cheeses and fish or fowl in cream sauces.
This blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot commences with aromas of black plum, green bell pepper, blue flower and balsamic notes. The juicy palate delivers a core of black cherry along with black pepper, espresso and chocolate. Still tightly tannic, it also shows the warmth of the vintage. Drink 2015–2018.
This is a really refreshing, crisp and fruity wine. It achieves a good balance between acidity and lively red berries and lime juice. The wine dances brightly in the glass and would make a good apéritif.
Made with Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo, it opens with aromas of wet soil, meat juices, spice and black fruit. The palate holds black cherry and white pepper but it has a short finish and lacks complexity. On the other hand, it's easy-drinking and thoroughly enjoyable now.
This Tempranillo-led blend from southern Spain opens with a lot of oak on top of mature berry and graphite aromas. A lively, juicy palate features drying tannins, while wood-spice and berry flavors filter into a barrel-dominated finish. Drink now.
Although still young, this wine packs enough ripe fruit and structure to age. It has dark cherry, red plum and smoky bacon flavors that go with a stalky texture and firm tannins. Drink from 2015.
Made with Sangiovese and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, it opens with aromas of plum, berry, spice, leather and a hint of toast. The palate holds fleshy black cherry accented with notes of cinnamon and clove alongside aggressive, dusty tannins that overwhelm the finish. It closes on a drying note.
This relatively low-alcohol Zinfandel offers dusty blue fruit and piles of earthiness around a core of juicy texture. Straightforward on the finish, with a hit of herb and fresh farm.
Tropical fruit aromas, lime and minerality create an appealing bouquet. This feels tangy but a touch hollow, with modest body weight and flavors of green apple, orange and lemon-lime. A chiseled, racy finish makes this the perfect pairing for Asian foods and sushi.
Made entirely from Sangiovese, this begins with leafy aromas that burn off in the glass to reveal underbrush, black berries, spice and a whiff of espresso. The palate offers up succulent wild cherry layered with cinnamon and a note of milk chocolate. It's extremely approachable, almost forward, so enjoy soon.
A solid and concentrated wine. it promises much for the future. For now, the red fruits come with a stalky structure and high acidity. These will integrate well, to grow into a wine that is rich and firmly structured. Drink from 2015.
Firm and focused berry aromas set up a full, weighty palate with dry tannins. Flavors of lightly herbal plum and berry are more generic and clean than special, while on the finish this feels smooth and tastes dark and fruity.
The wine is young, which explains the intense acidity and flavors of currants as well as citrus. It is right up front with its fruitiness. Bright acidity shines through and gives the wine delicious, ready-to-drink character.
A blend of Sangiovese and 10% Ciliegiolo, this wine has a fruit and spice aroma of crushed red berries, white pepper and clove with a whiff of coffee. The tightly woven palate delivers black cherry, black raspberry, chocolate, mocha and black pepper alongside assertive, tongue-drying tannins.
Pretty aromas of wild strawberry and a hint of baking spice take shape in the glass. The luminous palate delivers red cherry, vanilla, cinnamon and a cedar note brightened by fresh acidity. It's balanced with silky tannins. Drink through 2017.
The immediate impression is that this wine is heavy, ripe and oaky. Sawdust and wood grain are the lead aromas. In the mouth, this chunky Priorat is hard, with grating tannins. Hickory and toasted berry flavors finish hot and resiny.
This opens with aromas of toasted nut, pressed white flower, straw, exotic fruit and honey. The firm palate has a smoky, mineral quality that accents citrus zest, pineapple, toasted hazelnut and sliced apple. It's balanced and fresh, with tangy acidity.
Aromas convey pear, green apple and flint. The crisp palate delivers nectarine, Granny Smith apple, pineapple, mineral and tinge of Mediterranean herb. It's nicely balanced, with bright acidity.
From a warm, ripe vintage, this reflects those characteristics with fruit-driven flavors of plum, berry and apricot. Round and full-bodied, it finishes with a lick of orange liqueur.
Aromas suggest red berry, pomegranate and violet. The vibrant palate delivers crushed sour cherry, tangerine zest and a hint of baking spice alongside bright acidity and silky tannins. Enjoy soon.
This has some of the concentration you would expect from old vines, along with a lighter, fresher character that gives the wine a lift. It's as much young and fruity as structured, a well-balanced wine that will be ready to drink from 2016.
This unusual, brass colored-white opens with aromas that recall candied orange, flint and pressed yellow flowers. Fermented on the skins in cement and aged in acacia casks, this wine shows tertiary flavors on the palate, including smoky mineral, dried herb, dried apricot and ginger drop as well as a hint of nectarine zest. Bright acidity keeps it fresh. Drink through 2018.
Rich, ripe yellow peach and mango flavors are deeply concentrated in this fruity, off-dry wine. It's plush and delectably juicy, but clean lines of steel and lime lend balance and vibe.
An exotic collection of olive, rubber, blackberry, blueberry and cardamom aromas stirs interest. The palate is at first high in tartaric acid but later reveals itself to be loamy and chunky. Baked flavors of blackberry and earth finish short, salty and blocky, with a reverberation of pointed acidity.
From a very reliable series of well-priced wines, this one shows a clean nose of slate, rose petals and a hint of lilac. The light and airy flavors are reminiscent of rose water, with olallieberry and hibiscus elements spicing up the palate.
Aromas of white flower, beeswax, pear and a hint of vanilla lead the nose. The medium-bodied palate offers crisp yellow apple, citrus zest and a mineral note alongside tangy acidity.
Classic old-school Carmenère aromas of bell pepper, olive and hard spices accent black cherry and plum notes in front of a full, mostly well-balanced palate. Herbal red-plum flavors are a touch salty, while the finish is minty and oaky tasting, with a hint of green.
For such a young wine, this seems surprisingly developed—or maybe it's just riper than usual. It may lack in bracing lemon-lime department, but hints of apple blossoms and tropical fruit turn spicy and a bit apricot-like on the long finish.
With a bright purple tint, this opens with aromas of raw oak, pencil lead, lettuce leaf and black currant. It's pinching and tannic on the palate, with lightly green, juicy blueberry and cassis flavors. A rubbery feeling, tannic palate is potent and calls out for a pairing of steak or lamb. Drink through 2019.
From vineyards in the southern Minho, close to the Douro Valley, this blend of Loureiro and Arinto is rich and full in the mouth. It has spice from wood aging as well as crisp apple and pear flavors that are laced with pink grapefruit. Drink from 2016.
This is the entry-level wine at Vallado, one of the Douro's top quintas. Full of berry fruits, it also has layers of tannins and acidity, but is rich and soft enough now not to need much aging. Although it could be drunk now, it will be better from 2016.
Spicy, forest berry aromas are slightly herbal, but familiar and reassuring. In the mouth, this basic Merlot shows structure and balance. Flavors of herbal blackberry, fig and chocolate finish with lasting minty, oaky notes.
Ripe, earthy aromas of plum and berry are oaky and give off a note of maple. Angular and intense on the palate, this blend of Cab Franc, Cab Sauvignon and Carmenère is bolstered by tartaric acid, while the flavor profile is earthy, baked and includes herbal plum and berry. A peppery, spicy, minty finish is typical of high-end Chilean red blends. Drink through 2016.
Bombastic and burly, this wine holds a depth of black raspberry and cherry at its edge, surrounded in swathes of smoky oak. Rich and full bodied, it is a testament to the intrigue of baking spices and black tea, but more significantly to dark chocolate and espresso.
Smoke and pressed apple notes are savory on the nose, but the palate of this zesty off-dry Riesling is fresh with sweet-tart peach and honeydew. It's refreshing and straightforward in style, but finishes with lingering mineral complexities.
The Ataíde estate in the Alto Douro is one of the rare Douro vineyards to be relatively flat. From old vines, it produces a solid, structured and rich wine, with ripe swathes of plum and berry fruits that are structured by firm tannins. Young and fruity, this will age well, although it is drinkable now.
This vibrant, linear wine opens with aromas of lemon-lime, pear and a whiff of alpine herb. The vertical palate offers crunchy apple, white grapefruit and a hint of mango alongside zesty acidity.
Apple, pear, clover honey and mineral aromas make for a fresh, clean nose. Similarly, the palate is fresh and zesty, with crisp flavors of orange, grapefruit and nectarine. A fresh, stony finish fits the bill.
Aged in French oak for 16 months, this soft and supple Pinot is ready for immediate enjoyment. The fruit leans toward raspberry and Bing cherry, with subtle streaks of tea, chocolate and a finishing kick of heat. The balance and texture suggest that it can be cellared for a few more years.
This medium-bodied white opens with aromas that recall citrus blossom and stone fruit. The vibrant palate doles out creamy white peach, juicy tangerine, lime and bitter almond alongside fresh acidity. A mineral note signals the close.
Clove and barrel spice are dominant factors in this ripe Tannat, from first whiff to the finish. In between, there's char on the nose and palate as well as ripe blackberry and black currant flavors blended with wood-based pepper, nutmeg and more. A smoking, chewy, tannic finish closes this out. Drink from 2016–2019.
Barrel aromas of toast and char are at the fore, followed by black fruit, graphite and spice. The palate is full bodied with ripe, generous dark-fruit flavors. The oak seems a bit heavy handed but there are lots of good things going on.
Tangy cranberry fruit carries light impressions of stem, in a compact frame. This single vineyard offering gains depth as it breathes, and shows enough stuffing for some mid-length cellar potential. Drink 2018–2024.
This elegant, medium-bodied wine has fresh lemon and apple flavors, subtle butter and vanilla accents, good supportive acidity and a polished texture. The mouthfeel turns richer with each sip yet the appetizing balance remains.
This is a smooth, ripe take on the often-wild Baga grape. It has some tannins and layers of acidity over the red-berry fruits. Bright and textured with minerality, this impressive wine is balanced and ready to drink.
Tropical pineapple and more relaxed apricot find comfort in a creamy texture in this rare version of the variety, blended with 3% Sauvignon Blanc. Full-bodied and fleshy, it stays fresh in the glass, thanks to highlights of lemon zest and grapefruit.
Coming from a downright hot vintage, this wine offers quite pure aromas of black currant and black fruit. The palate brings more of the same, giving a very pure unencumbered-by-new-oak look at Washington Cabernet. Lightly grippy tannins provide support.
The second wine of Château Dassault in Saint-Émilion is rich and fruity, bringing out the ripe fruit of the vintage. The tannins, already well integrated, give the wine a firm core that is surrounded by juicy blackberry flavors and final acidity. Developing well, the wine should be ready from 2018.
A ripe, juicy and smoky wine that is already attractive to drink. It has soft tannins, ripe red berries with acidity and black currants at the end. Drink this fine wine from 2020.
This is a generous fruity wine with ripe tannins and plenty of black currants. There is a good amount of Cabernet Franc (32%) in this perfumed wine, giving both the structure and the dusty tannins. This is ready to drink.
This Cru Bourgeois estate has produced a rich, minty and spice-flavored wine. It has ripe tannins and rich blackberry fruits. It is dense, with a firm structure that gives the wine potential. It also has the fruitiness of the year. Together, they will make a fine wine, so drink from 2019.
A firm and tannic wine that will become fine, structured and rich. Blackberry fruits come from the 70% Merlot in the blend, which is perfumed with Cabernet Franc. It is a ripe wine, juicy with acidity and finishing with a solid, concentrated aftertaste. Drink from 2019.
Young and tightly wound, this compact cuvée marries cranberry and raspberry fruit to proportionate tannins and a touch of acidity. There is a hint of clean earth as well.
Named after one of the best vineyards of Moulin-à-Vent, the wine is dark and dense with ripe black fruits and a generous texture. It has blackberry flavors, laced with acidity and structured still with some tannins. Drink from late 2017.
This is a smooth, richly fruity wine. Spice from wood aging and soft tannins give balance and concentration. Produced from organically grown grapes, the wine is ready to drink.
Made from organically grown grapes, this is a ripe wine, very balanced and integrated. It conveys yellow fruits along with tangerine and juicy pear. The wine is ready to drink, although it will be better from mid-2017.
This blend includes the Rhône varietal Roussanne among the Portuguese grapes. The wine has a lightly honeyed character as well as rich yellow and stewed-pear flavors. A touch of toastiness and almonds comes through the rich fruits and acidity. Drink the wine from 2018.
This is a fruity, attractive wine from a venture started in 2000 by Abilio Tavares da Silva. With well-integrated tannins, bold black fruit and a spicy character that comes through strongly, the wine is ready to drink.
The latest vintage of one of the original wine brands in the Douro, this bold wine offers great tannins and structure along with the ripe black fruits. Balanced and generous, it is developing quickly. Drink from 2019.
It's hard to find Chardonnays priced at less than $20 that pack this much interest. This bottling offers fresh-squeezed underripe tangerine, lemon blossoms, lemon curd, crisp Gala apple, sharp grapefruit skin and a bit of butter on the nose. A salty lemon butter and marmalade flavor show on the palate, along with pear, apple and nectarine, framed by intense acidity.
This 100% varietal wine from Goose Ridge and Frenchman Hills vineyards provides immediate appeal, with fresh aromas of blackberry, black currant and licorice. The flavors are full and don't hold back, with firm lightly grainy tannins providing support. It still needs some time to stretch it legs. Give it an hour decant or wait until after 2017.
This rich-tasting and generous-feeling wine keeps everything in balance. It has mildly spicy oak aromas underlain with dark fruit, plus ample ripe berry and black-cherry flavors that broaden across the palate and linger on the finish.
An especially ripe, concentrated aroma of dark fruit carries over beautifully on the palate, where the black cherry, clove and black currant jam flavors are delicious, and the balance feels just slightly sweet. This is a big, full-bodied but smooth-textured wine.
Don't let the indecipherable labels deter you from exploring the wines of Vinum Ferus. The Valour is a good place to start. It's a single vineyard, Hanzell clone, 100% whole cluster cuvée, bursting with warm fruit flavors of maraschino cherry. There's a light dash of white pepper and refreshing acidity, with a lick of minerality.
Whiffs of bamboo leaf, lime zest and green herb invite and invigorate on this light-bodied, off-dry Riesling. The palate is juicy and concentrated, an easy going yet tangy mix of tangerine, lemon and salty minerality that lingers long through the finish. Proceeds benefit Nashville's homeless people and pets.
A very pretty wine, in scent and flavor, this estate-grown effort offers aromas of rose petals and cherry blossoms. Those floral notes continue into the palate, with light cherry fruit and citrusy acids.
Aromas of vanilla, coffee, coconut and wood spice lead to full-bodied cherry, chocolate and vanilla flavors. Fruit and barrel flavors linger on the finish. The wood shows prominently but it largely works.
Aromas of blackberry jam, stewed plum, raisin, roasted coffee bean and fig carry over to the palate along with a note of clove and orange zest. Fine-grained tannins and zesty acidity provide a firm elegant structure. Drink 2018–2024.
A whiff of crumbled clay lends an earthen tone to this vibrant lime-edged spätlese. Crisp green plum and grapefruit flavors are juicy and fresh, sweetened by a kiss of honey. It's gossamer light in texture yet lingers with a lacy haze of sweet citrus.
Ripe oaky aromas of marzipan, vanilla and baked berry fruits are soft and raisiny. This blend of 40% Carignan and 30% each of Garnacha and Cabernet Sauvignon feels rich, saturated and smooth. Flavors of raisin, prune, spiced cherry and cheesy oak finish with a reprise of raisiny ripeness. Drink through 2018.
Roasted dark fruit aromas form a generic opening, while the palate is perfectly acceptable even with some scratchiness. The flavors are your basic berries and pepper, while the finish is dry and toasty. Good but regular, plain and simple.
Perfumed with white flowers, this wine is crisp, bright and light in character. Lovely, pure acidity is highlighted in an attractive combination.
At the price, a pretty satisfying Malbec that's a little tight at first, with dark stewy notes, but on balance good texture and finish. It shows plum and black cherry flavors integrated throughout and a touch of Yolo earthiness, too.
Smells largely neutral, with slightly earthy red fruit aromas. The palate is soft and creamy, what I'd call low in acidity, with mellow, mildly baked flavors of black cherry and chocolate powder. Finishes full and plump, but calls out to be drunk right away.
Scents of honey and citrus rind on this golden Tokaji are marked by lifted apple and pear notes. Sweet tropical fruit and vanilla notes are pleasant, but there's a slightly tinned, apple juice concentrate flavor that persists on the palate.
Starts with peppery, leafy aromas that morph toward dry and earthy. The palate, like with all of Torres' basic '07 wines, is crisp and acidic, which brings tang to the wine's red cherry and plum flavors. Spicy, peppery and fresh on the finish.
This South Australia Viognier comes across as restrained on the nose, offering up little more than some vaguely smoky or flinty notes, then delivers melon, pear and spice notes via a full-bodied, slightly oily-textured palate. Turns crisp and citrusy on the finish.
A toasty wine, its ripe fruit enveloped by a buttery character. The loss of fresh fruit is compensated for by the soft texture and full-in-the-mouth feel.
A Rhône-inspired blend of Marsanne (40%), Roussanne (37%) and Viognier (23%), this comes across as rather broad in the mouth, but lacking depth and length. Melon, pear and almond notes make a favorable impression, and the wine finishes fresh, if somewhat simple.
At first sharp and focused, with sharp aromas of pine and citrus rind, this broadens out and thins quickly once in the mouth. Fresh green apple fruit fades into a smooth, plain, slightly watery finish.
A bit volatile, with a hint of fusil, light herb and cut grass flavors, and fruit that is just ripe enough. Green banana and green apple, with a soft mouthfeel and a gentle fade.
A welcome barnyard funk of sour cherry, wet leather and mulched shrubbery kicks off the nose on this wine from the likable Joey Gummere, once know for the Kenneth-Crawford wines. Fennel seed flavors and violet characters emerge on the very pretty palate, which has both tannins and mouth-washing acid on the finish.
Smoky aromas of graphite, road tar and wild berry set up a wiry, full-force palate with a can't-miss beam of tartaric acidity. Blackberry and chocolaty flavors finish forward, with unabashed freshness and drive. Drink through 2019.
A classic blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this has a steely texture, fresh acidity and lively flavors of sliced apple and citrus with a tangy orange zest texture. It is bright and a bit taught now, so give it a little time to harmonize; try in 2015.
This is quintessential Argentine Malbec. Aromas of roasted black fruits and smoke transition to a toasty, oaky palate with a spectrum of flavors ranging from herbal to jammy berry. In between are notes of tobacco, spice and molasses. Drink now through 2018.
Sharply peppered, leaning toward Fresno chiles, with bits of cedar and forest floor, this is a very savory Pinot Noir, showing over very cool climate essences. On the palate, there are green olives, Indian spices and raspberry, and this would give extra kick to any dish served.
This tribute to the winery's wooden basket presses begins with a nose of raw dough, lemon rind and a wet gravel minerality. It's a very evenly spaced wine once sipped, walking a balance between citrus and yeast, yet not going overboard with either.
Production is down, quality, cost and finished alcohol are all up for this estate-grown designate, now labeled as a reserve. There's a sniff of leather and underripe blackberry and black cherry fruit, along with a somewhat unusual, though not unpleasant, scent of chicken boullion. The wine opens up quickly but stops just a bit short of a full-length finish. Give it extra breathing time if you plan to drink it soon.
With pure black-fruit aromas, modest minerality and violet scents, the bouquet is right on target. In the mouth, this is saturated and wide, with smooth tannins. Earthy flavors of blackberry, licorice and baking spices finish solid and toasty. This fits the bill and then some; drink through 2018.
A sumptuous wine from a vintage that is fruity and generous. It does show some of the structure of the appellation, but the juicy cherry and ripe strawberry flavors dominate. It's going to develop into a rich and early-maturing wine. Drink from 2017.
Already beautiful and rich, this has power, concentration and many layers of ripe berry fruits. Red plums also come through strongly, bringing in juicy acidity. This dense and muscular wine should age. Drink from 2017.
From a small parcel called Les Mazières Basses, this is a rare Village wine in an area packed with Premier and Grand Crus. It has power and richness as well as a smooth texture that is already velvety. It's ripe and concentrated, with juicy black currant and berry fruits, finishing dry and firm. Drink from 2018.
Ripe dark fruit, leather and chocolate aromas lead the nose on this rich, full-bodied wine. The concentrated palate delivers layers of crushed black cherry, blackberry, cinnamon and clove. Accents of mocha and clove add depth while polished tannins give it a velvety texture. Drink 2015–2019.
This generous wine is big and full on the nose, with two-thirds new French oak making itself felt in texture and aroma but entirely well-managed, resulting in a balanced wine. Forest floor and earth tones burst on the palate, followed by brambly dark berry fruit, the texture soft to the finish, which offers some grip.
Peaches and honeysuckle seem to perfume this lavish, aromatic semi-sweet Riesling. The palate is lush with sweet yellow cherries and peaches, yet balanced by sunny lemon acidity and a crush of minerals that linger on the finish.
Dusty mineral tones fade to reveal a glorious perfume of blossoms and grapefruit on this elegant, aromatic Riesling. Semi-dry in style, it's pristine with sun-kissed peach and melon flavors accented by a shower of tangerine acidity. Enjoy now for it's youthful beauty.
Hulking, oaky aromas include spice, sandalwood and loads of ripe black fruit. This is massive in the mouth but sturdy and not overbearing. Flavors of baked berry and cassis are meaty, while the finish offers up licorice, spice and tons of density and concentration. Drink through 2019.
Zesty limes and lemons brighten aromas of fresh pear on this irresistibly nimble-bodied Riesling. Ripe tangerine and peach flavors are semi-sweet on the palate, but zippy with acidity and a delicate fringe of minerals that lend complexity to the finish.
Aromas of sandalwood, curry, cumin and toast rise up from the glass, while the cranberry/black cherry fruit leaves an impression of rock at its core. Immaculate and very young, this suggests a wine whose complexity is still sheathed in the primary, fruit-driven flavors of the vintage. Drink 2017–2025.
Light and spicy, this hails from cool-climate sites. It is exhilarating in cinnamon and clove, with a structured core of wild strawberry and a finish of fennel. The aromas of violet that waft forward on the nose are incredibly inviting, as is the wine's silky texture.
Ripe and forward, this is powered with a generous mix of Asian spices, brown sugar and ripe, plummy fruit. A whiff of cedar accompanies pleasing complexity as it weaves along to a full-throttle finish. Drink now–2020.
A perfumed Moscatel, it features spice, honeyed fruitiness and a strong spirit character. When it was bottled, it had just begun to exhibit the old-wood aging flavors and resulting acidity.it offers a delicious orange-peel aftertaste.
The millennium year, 2000, was not the greatest Champagne vintage. However, Boizel has released a prestige cuvée from that year and produced a well matured wine with a dry character and plenty of toasty notes. Dominated by Pinot Noir, it is deliciously rich and totally ready to drink.
Everything feels balanced in this ripe—not overripe—Pinot Noir. It smells like plump black cherry and blackberry, tastes rich but crisp, has firm tannins and acidity for structure, and a long, lingering finish. With medium body, a velvety texture and flavor complexity, this is the complete Pinot package.
Incredible purity rises from the glass, reminiscent of iced pear slices on a bed of the freshest chervil. The palate is filigree and savory, lithe, translucent but intense and shimmering with stone and earth, with pear and apple, with chervil and tangy peel. What light-footed, concentrated and yet elegant joy. This is resolutely dry and shows what Sylvaner does in the right hands.
This is a limited production wine—a selection of the winemakers. It is still very young, structured and rich. The tannins are firm and solid at this stage giving the basis for a ripe and fruity wine to develop. It's an impressive wine that can be drunk soon, although which will also age well. Drink from late 2016 and until 2024.
Bright and brambly, this dense and textural wine brings strawberry and cherry fruit goodness front and center. It remains powerfully focused deep into a long finish, nuanced with cured meat and barrel toast.
Aromatic but tart notes of kumquat signal concentration and citric poise. The palate is rich with zesty, aromatic notes of tangerine zest. This is concentrated and dry, explosive and aromatic—a bundle of citrus energy, with swirling clouds of kumquat and tangerine.
The steep, stony slope of the Cul de Beaujeu has produced this firmly structured wine that has rich plum and berry fruits. It is an impressive wine, ripe and juicy. With plenty of youthful crisp freshness the wine needs to age to plumb the depths that are there for the future. Drink from 2018.
High-toned tangerine and lime acidity cuts a sharp edge through this intensely ripe yet composed dry wine. It's zesty and green, but boasts rich yellow plum, melon and grapefruit flavors. It's delicious already but should continue to meld beautifully through 2025.
Smoked beef, tart cherries and dark berries show on the inviting nose of this hearty bottling from winemaker Paul Clifton. The palate is both heavy duty and elegant, with blackberry and black-cherry fruit resting on a spicy backbone of ginger, clove, bay leaf and aromatic chocolate, leaving the tongue singing for quite a while.
Lifted notes of beeswax and chamomile signal maturity. In contrast to these wonderfully evolved notes, the palate sings with freshness and verve. This is resolutely dry but full of charm, despite its serious if gentle nature. The body is characterized by fluidity, concentration, warmth and freshness. A great joy that lasts long after the last sip.
A small-production wine from longtime growers, this is light and herbal, integrated in wood and tannin. It's vibrant and fresh on the palate and nose in plum and wild strawberry. High in gentle acidity, it provides a note of black tea and earthy truffle on the finish. Drink now through 2021.
Blending Aragonez with Touriga Nacional has produced a magnificently structured wine, big and bold and packed with dark fruits. The wood aging and the firm tannins show strongly even after four years and the wine obviously needs aging. There is a fine, juicy backdrop that will develop to give a serious, complex and impressive wine. Drink from 2017.
Hints of saffron and pollen lend spice and earthiness to this spine tingling but juicy spätlese full of zesty tangerine, lime and yellow peach flavors. It's sheer and spry initially, but builds in fruity, mineral intensity through a long, lingering finish. Drink now through 2025.
This very fine effort may well be the best yet from Saffron Fields and consulting winemaker Tony Rynders. Cola, smoke, black cherry and cinnamon scents explode from the glass, and the mouthwatering palate continues along those lines. It's got the balance, length and crisp, defining acidity to continue to drink well through 2021 or longer.
Ribbon Ridge is making a name for itself as a premier AVA for Oregon Riesling. This rich, mineral-laden wine is scented with orange blossoms and loaded with fruit flavors of Bosc pears, peaches, apricots and a touch of grapefruit. It's big, full bodied, fresh and powerful, and an excellent value.
Black cherry, chipped slate and cola notes lavish the nose on this top-end bottling of best barrels from the single-vineyard specialist. The palate offers much more depth, with ripe alpine strawberry, black plum skins and blackberry fruit, all seasoned by crushed nutmeg and shaved juniper.
Very dark in the glass, this imposing wine shows bacon fat, black cherries, blackberries, allspice and violet-flavored cookies on the lush and layered nose. Once sipped, a silky, luscious mouthfeel conveys blueberry pastry, lavender, black tea and espresso notes, set against a strongly tannic backbone that ensures long aging. Drink 2017–2027.
A bright, fresh nose of rose petals, brisk raspberry juice, cranberry, turned earth and a pinch of white pepper makes for a lively wine. The palate begins with juicy strawberry then settles into anise and citrusy spice, an expertly lively wine with chalky texture and vibrant energy. Winemaker Lane Tanner is new at Grenache, but she's rocking it.
Due to its location near the western end of the Douro vineyards, this vineyard makes very fine white wines. This one is at the top, with wood fermentation and aging giving richness, intense flavors and a fine structure. It's a wine that demands serious aging—ripe and full of zesty acidity as well as toast and spice flavors. Start drinking this impressive wine from late 2017.
While the year is not one of the great Port vintages, it has produced some finely structured wines like this that will mature relatively quickly. It comes with great fruit that was teased out of the grapes in traditional open stone lagars. It is, of course, dense and full of tannins as well as fruit. It will develop well and could be drinkable soon (say by 2018) for its fruit although it will then age for many years until 2030 and beyond.
Fresh green floral and lime zest lend vibe to this fine-footed, almost feather-textured kabinett. It's spry but surprisingly powerful, amplified by soaring grapefruit acidity and penetrating green-apple and pear flavors. Finishes long with a delicately honeyed touch. Drink now through 2021.
Swathes of freshly cut herbs and blossom perfume zesty grapefruit and honeydew flavors in this dry, deftly balanced wine. Bracing acidity invigorates and amplifies its crystalline demeanor, extending a long, mineral finish. It drinks well now, but should improve through 2025.
Hints of dusty mineral and caramelized sugar lend complexity to deep, penetrating layers of honey, peach and yellow plum in this light-footed, yet resounding, kabinett. Delicately sweet and puckering with lemon-lime acidity, it's a deftly balanced wine that resonates long on the finish. Drink now through 2021.
Notes of beeswax, mirabelle plum compote and faint cardamom spice suggest a wine no longer in the first flush of youth. This is a compounded, rich but dry, layered but ultraclean wine. The palate reveals textured notes of gingerbread framed by the ripe fruit of ripe, dried yellow plums and even stored winter apple. There is just an echo of peach on the finish. This has lots of substance.
This classy Cabernet marks a high point for Salentein. On the nose, it's redolent of oak grain, tobacco, vanilla and all sorts of berry fruits. The palate is full, ripe and solid as an ox. Spiced berry, tobacco and cedary flavors finish dry, sturdy and lightly herbal. Drink through 2022.
An extremely dense nose reveals espresso bean, blackberry paste, caramelized berries, black pepper and a hint of tobacco, reminiscent of a fruit-laced, heavily spiced crème brûlée. The blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc and 5% Syrah is silky on the palate with oregano, dill and fennel giving nuance to dried blueberry fruit, laid across a powerful structure. Drink 2016–2027.
Showing extreme elegance, this fragrant, radiant wine opens with aromas of jasmine, white peach and aromatic herb. The linear palate delivers crisp Granny Smith apple, white stone fruit, sage, lemon drop and flinty mineral alongside zesty acidity that provides balance and energy.
Dry oak, black fruit and floral notes suggestive of violet are the aromas that set off this tannic, clamping, deeply structured Malbec. Flavors of mocha, maple, savory blackberry and roasted plum end with a mix of creaminess and strapping tannins. Drink through 2025.
Fruity but also showing saddle, game and vanilla aromas, this reserva from a top vintage sees its whole exceeding the sum of its parts. Full and creamy on the palate, this tastes of barrel toast and earthy plum and berry. Smooth and impressive, this is as welcoming as it is complex and age-worthy. Drink through 2025.
The winery notes that this is their 16th vintage of Malbec, but just the first reserve bottling. Intense aromatics introduce a wine saturated with black fruits, coffee liqueur, soy and tobacco. It offers exceptional depth and power. Drink now through 2025.
This stunning wine offers strawberry-shortcake goodness, with a hint of cream. It's pretty, fine-tuned and quite young, with suggestions of rhubarb and cranberry. Give it plenty of breathing time and enjoy it now through 2025.
Aromas of black cherry, tobacco and exotic spice lead the nose of this wine. The palate is soft and ripe, with black cherry, prune and white pepper accents. A bit simple, but delicious, and ready to drink now.
Earthy, herbal accents of forest floor and garrigue complement the black-fruit core of this solid, ripe wine. The palate is juicy and rich, and although it's a bit straightforward, it's balanced, attractive and enjoyable nonetheless.
Here's a soft ripasso, with aromas of plum, raisin and menthol. The round palate offers plum, prune, black licorice and chocolate sensations. There's not much complexity here, but it's very enjoyable.
This single-vineyard Soave Classico offers lovely citrus, white peach and pear sensations punctuated by a hint of mineral. The crisp acidity leaves the palate cleansed and refreshed. It's a perfect companion for pasta or seafood.
Here's a spicy selection, with aromas of black pepper and cherry accompanied by smoky tones. The palate delivers ripe black-cherry and white pepper flavors in a fresh and enjoyable style that's meant to be drunk young.
This offers ripe plum and red-berry aromas, accented with a touch of bitter almond. It has a clean and refined palate, showing black cherry and white pepper flavors. Fresh and spicy, try this with pasta all'arrabbiata.
Lightly oaked Chardonnay, full of yellow fruits, spice and a floral character that gives the wine a lift. Softly textured, juicy with tighter final acidity. Screwcap.
This fruity, off-dry Riesling is sourced from the Lawrence Vineyards on the Royal Slope. Despite the relatively cool climate site, it has a ton of very ripe fruit, peaches and apricots. There is a slight bitterness, perhaps from skin contact, in the finish.
Scents of marshmallows and spun sugar are twined around flavors of lemon, candied orange peel and English Breakfast tea. It's off-dry, brisk and lively.
A very perfumed, fragrant and refreshing wine. It is full in the mouth, ripe, smelling of hedgerow blossoms and having a touch of spring in its fruits. Ready to drink, but also keep until 2016.
This is dark and brooding, showing earthy aromas of tilled earth, leather and farmyard. The palate is big and ripe, with black fruit, nutmeg and white pepper flavors.
Bright, fleshy dark-fruit flavors of plum, blackberry and boysenberry all unfold on the nose and in the mouth of this value-priced wine. Hints of mocha and pepper add interest to the palate, with approachable tannins and a balanced, easygoing structure.
On first take, this smells like prunes, with little vitality. In the mouth, however, there's more pulse than the nose indicates, as tomato-like acidity drives the palate toward a mix of cherry tomato, red plum and oak flavors. A fresh but mild tasting finish ensures that this blend can accompany food without a problem.
One of the two main cuvées from La Chablisienne, the wine is fresh, fruity while having a tight, mineral character and a cool, fragrant feel. It could age for a few months, but is a wine to drink soon.
This Amarone has aromas of plum and evident oak. The palate delivers dark cherry, raisin and spice flavors, with chocolate and espresso accents. The dense fruit has easy appeal but the wine doesn't have much personality.
This offers aromas of bell pepper and raisin, with a whiff of toast. The warm, round palate shows ripe black-fruit flavors, layered with red-bell-pepper and coffee accents. You'll also notice an alcoholic warmth to the close.
This vibrant wine offers floral and fruity aromas of iris and just-crushed black grapes laced with spice. The palate is both structured and fresh, with black cherry, white pepper and cinnamon flavors.
Light and herbal, this blend of Malbec, Syrah and Merlot fails to evoke much flavor or charm. It's thin and simple.
Starts out with grassy, gamy aromas that are not up to what I've tasted from Viu Manent. This wine is bulky but also clumsy and regular at best. It has a simple, grassy set of generic berry flavors followed by a heavy finish. Granted, it's $9, so with tempered expectations it's not a deceiver.
Mild vinegar and full-fledged herbal aromas are typical of traditional Chilean Merlot, and while the palate is solid, it's also scratchy, with tart raspberry and semiweedy flavors. Finishes with burnt brown sugar, herbal flavors and grating acidity.
This “Barrel Select” Syrah has been ripened to pruneyness, yet remains short, hot and simple. It could be any red grape left to hang late and fermented at (perhaps) high temperatures.
Aromas of tobacco, molasses and damp moss suggest earthiness, yet the palate is piercing and high-wire, with bright, almost blinding acidity pushing cherry and red plum flavors. Kind of gritty on the finish, where the tannins and acids combine.
A broadly fruity mélange of red grapes, moderately tart and pleasant enough as a simple pizza and pasta red. At the listed 14.4% alcohol, you might hope for a bit more concentration.
Pink and light, with a sharp nose that's sweaty and sour. The palate is quite strong in acidity, so there's razor-like sharpness and spiky flavors of grapefruit and early season red plums. Overly zesty and tart; made from Malbec, Syrah and Petit Verdot.
Not much in the way of aromas except for flatness and apple juice. This wine is a cipher for the most part; it has flat apple and lemon flavors and then a maderized finish that is wheaty and suggests vanilla. Not fully vital; could already be past its prime.
Sulfur and matchstick on the nose is offputting, while what remains suggests oily green fruits. The palate is sharp and acidic, with green fruit flavors and a sharpness that suggests salad with vinaigrette. Doesn't click, really.
Smells a little too much like nail polish and cherry candy, while the acidic palate has a wiry mouthfeel and herbal, brambly red fruit flavors. Finishes herbal, with some carob. A snappy, simple-at-best wine.
Aggressive early on, with foxy, briary aromas of turned earth, olive, rhubarb and green tobacco. The palate is fleshy, soft and welcoming, but the flavors are a sketchy amalgam of bramble, leather and herbal raspberry. Mouthfeel is the best part.
Short and sharp, this “Proprietor's Limited Release” is simply a plain, generic style, with a bitter finish.
The bouquet suggests burnt rubber, compost and briar patch along with basic raspberry/cherry. The palate has a mild creaminess to it and herbal, lightly stemmy flavors of raspberry and rhubarb. Finishes tart, with herbs and vanilla.
Smells very bright, with alluring lemon, cocoa and grass aromas. The flavors veer to citrus fruits, apricots and sweet white chocolate, and linger through the longish finish. Yet it's basically a dry wine.
A firm and fruity effort with some nice toasty elements. Precise and tangy, it offers some ripe berries and cranberries, and a pleasantly toasty finish.
From the winery's premier vineyard comes this inky, earthy wine with woodsy aromas. Flavors of plum and pie cherry dominate the fruit, along with a definite smoky, charred flavor, perhaps from overroasted barrels.
This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Sangiovese and 20% Zinfandel. Spicy, light and fruity, it sports plenty of acid beneath tart red fruits. The addition of Sangiovese gives it a little bit of leather and toast for added interest.
The nose is an interesting blend of cocoa, dill, cassis and lemon. Flavors pretty much follow suit, sneaking in some tobacco and cedar shadings before turning lean and lemony. The finish shows off a whack of dry, cedary French oak. Hard to know where this will be in five years—might dry out, might get interestingly complex.
On the nose, creamy oak sits atop bright plum and raspberry fruit, followed by a friendly, fruity palate with just the right amount of toast, vanilla, mild tannins and sweetness. A mild, warm finish makes this an entirely quaffable Sangiovese.
Troon's reserve is not all that different from the regular bottling. The color is a bit darker, and the tannins have been boosted. The fruit is compact and tightly wound.
Tart, apricot/white peach flavors offer no real hint of varietal perfume, though classic Gewurz flavors can be found in the lightly floral finish. High acid wine.
A tart, tight and tannic Merlot, that shows simple flavors of young red fruits. It is still quite hard and compact, and seems likely to remain so.
This unusual Oregon Malbec carries intense, rustic aromas mixing plum, grape, spice and saddle leather. Despite its very tight tannins, the wine tastes open and grapey, reminiscent of a Washington Lemberger, though not quite as soft.
With cherry aromas, some cedar and a perfectly clean, unmuddled palate, this is what an affordable Chianti should be like. Simple and easy to drink, it will go fine with basic fare.
Yes, that is the official name for this tannic blend. It features tart berry fruit; a bit Zin-like; the tannins are substantial but well managed, without the chalkiness often found in southern Oregon. A good summer BBQ wine.
This is made in a very rich style, with lots of forward fruit, flavors of pears, citrus and citrus rind. Somehow the floral elegance of the variety is lost in all the ripe fruit.
Henry estate, Scott Henry explains, “is more Alsace/Burgundy country, but we feel we are on the ragged edge of pulling these Bordeaux guys off.” A fair and candid assessment. This is a lean, but not too green, Merlot. It shows dark cherry fruit, some stem and wood, and fairly stiff tannins.
The grapes come from the Applegate valley and the blend is 100% Merlot. The flavors are not particularly varietal; they are broader and more rustic, reminiscent of Carmenère. The palate impression is of soft, sweet, light blueberry fruit, for immediate drinking.
The color is substantial, and the wine has some spicy tartness. Moderately ripe red fruits, firm acids and balanced tannins tell the story.
This is a light and leafy effort, whose soft and forward fruit mixes flavors of leaf, beet, tomato and red fruits. It is balanced but insubstantial.
A full-bodied, slightly heavy style with a thick texture. Smells like warm baked apples, complete with cinnamon and clove accents; tastes similar, picking up some oily-diesely nuances. Despite the heft, finishes a bit short.
A rough-and-tumble style, full throttle, with throat-burning cherry fruit, chocolate and plenty of alcohol.
Soft, ripe fruits are layered with licorice, red berry flavors and toast. The wine is fresh while also having ripe fruit, open and ready to drink.
Yellowing and leesy in character, with a deep, brooding style. Struggles to keep its pulse up; the core flavors are in the bland citrus category, while peachy, leesy secondary flavors turn pithy on the finish. Tasted twice with consistent notes.
Unfiltered and unfined, this wine made from 60-year-old Baco Noir feels significantly fuller in body than the alcohol content belies. Ripe and concentrated on the palate with hints of garrigue and Graham cracker crumbs, it finishes with a whisper of green on a softly bitter finish.
Light and fresh with soft tannins, this is an attractive, ready-to-drink wine. It has layers of acidity over red fruits.
Juicy on the palate with ample black cherry and Damson plum flavors, this is an easy-drinking Pinot Noir with just the faintest whisper of tannins. Hints of bramble and wet earth add dimension.
White currants and grapefruit dominate this wine. It could be drunk now but will certainly improve for the next two years when the fruit will be more in balance and the acidity better integrated.
With much of the freshness of 2006 now evolved into more mature flavors, this balanced if somewhat stalky wine has fine perfumed black currant fruit flavors, with a firm core of tannins and wood aging.
Full of spicy wood flavors, this wine also has black currant fruit flavors and considerable acidity. It's well-balanced, fresh while also ripe and fruity. Drink soon.
Blending Cabernet and Merlot, this is a caramel-flavored dry rosé, with good berry fruitiness. There's a fine final burst of acidity.
Light and frothy, with perfumed notes of tangerine, spice and a mere hint of strawberry. Falls off a bit on the finish, but still represents a good value in dessert-style bubbles.
A wine with light tannins and juicy red fruits. Though the acidity is prominent, it has a soft texture and attractive strawberry fruit flavors. Not for aging.
Spicy, savory aromas of smoked nuts and coconut are brightened by clean, green floral notes on this dry, medium-bodied Chardonnay. Quite creamy in texture with a smoke-inflected vanilla palate, it's a well-balanced accompaniment to hearty fowl or braised pork dishes.
Cool-climate aromas of rhubarb, red plum and brambly spice are draped all over this zesty, racy Pinot from Chile's deep south. It feels quick and high in acid, with crisp, almost tart flavors of pie cherry and red plum. Finishes fresh but short.
Just a single barrel was produced. Volatile and slightly vinegary at first, it improves with aggressive swirling. The fruit remains quite tart, almost to the point of being sour, with little varietal character.
Generic red fruit flavors are set in a light wine with a slightly chalky finish. In the nose there are hints of volatility and leather, but it's perfectly quaffable.
Oily and melony smelling and after that it's pretty much your average, innocuous white wine. Feels like orange juice on the palate and tastes like orange and tangerine. Cleansing, fresh enough and easy to drink.
Fleshy, soft and honeyed on the nose, with spiced pear aromas. Feels sort of flabby, with soft acids and meaty, mustardy flavors of white fruits that finish blowsy. Flowery and fluffy now, but it seems to be fading.
When a Bordeaux wine gets into a heavy bottle, it has something to prove. As here, when the wine has way too much wood and lacks fruit. It could balance out, but that is a long shot.
Surprisingly lightweight for the vintage, this is a red fruit-flavored wine, with tannins, acidity and a fresh aftertaste. Not for aging.
Outcrop was planted in 1982. A hint of leather (not too much) along with scents of sassafras and crushed roses, open into a peppery palate with cranberries and red fruits. Ample acidity carries it into a penetrating finish. Drink 2020 through 2035 and beyond.
An abundance of fresh fruit spills out of this full-bodied, pure and uncomplicated wine in a way that's hard to resist. There is little obvious oak to get in the way of flavors like vine-ripened raspberries and blackberries as they stream along on fine tannins and lithe acidity.
It's amazing how this super-concentrated wine smells like chocolate cherries and tastes almost like blackberry syrup, yet it's nice and dry in style. A firm coating of fine tannins gives grip on the tongue and seems to extend the juicy fruit and dark chocolate notes on the finish.
The richness and structure of the appellation are well represented in this firm wine. It has dark tannins and hints of wood aging as well as ripe black cherry and berry fruits. With its structure and intense acidity, the wine will age well. Drink from 2020.
Since its inception, Numanthia has never once bottled a disappointing Termes. Aromas of lemon peel and orange rind mix with blackberry and cassis notes. This feels tight and tannic, but structured and appropriate. Dark-berry and chocolate flavors finish tannic but healthy. This is true-to-form Toro.Drink through 2021.
While the nose is soft-spoken, the palate of this honey-slicked Spätlese is robust, buoyant with fruit and complexities of spice, saffron and mineral. Ripe tangerine and stone fruit flavors are satisfyingly juicy, yet edged by a fine filigree of lime and lemon acidity.
From what's becoming one of the most heralded vineyards in the region, this bottling shows wet cement, baked plums, blackberry, thyme and black sage on the nose. Boysenberry fruit comes first on the sip, followed by tart orange peel, a touch of green olive and more fresh thyme flavors.
Some kind of magic is happening here. As the lowest-priced Chardonnay in Stoller's lineup, this may turn out to be your favorite. Using all-stainless steel, this sleek style brings out the aromatics, texture and detail. There's tensile strength here, herb-tinged accents, clean and juicy citrus-inflected fruit and superb balance throughout.
A fragrant nose of chocolate-cherry candy, dried blueberry and hint of spearmint shows on this potent blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot. The body is medium-heavy, with chalky tannins framing the tart boysenberry fruit, grippy leather and tobacco flavors that evolve toward grape and blackberry and finish on a woody cedar note.
This is a big, lush, juicy wine with grip and a fully-formed body, accented with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. A great deal for the quality, it's well made and deeply satisfying in highlights of coffee, cedar, mocha and blackberry, girded by a firm structure.
A classic Chilean potpourri of spiced cherry, herbal plum, tomato, tobacco and earth aromas introduces a fresh palate with just the right amount of creamy, oaky weight. Rooty, spicy cherry and cassis flavors are ripe and generous, while a warm finish tastes spicy and perfectly ripe. Drink through 2020.
This young, precocious wine is still knitting together, but is already quite tasty. Vanilla custard and tart red-berry flavors combine in the core, then smooth out through a silky, chocolatey finish.
Planted in 1979, the Wädenswil block brings raspberry, cherry and cola flavors together into a nicely textured wine with a wide streak of vanilla. Round and forward, it gently resolves into a balanced finish with light highlights of herb, nutmeg and coffee.
Fragrantly floral, this stunner offers delightful bursts of lemon, grapefruit and pomelo, as well as succulent raspberry. The acidity is persistent and tangy. Light-bodied and yet complex, it's easy to love and enjoy being just right for the table, beach blanket or kayak.
This is the inaugural release of a tiny new project from winemaker James MacPhail and his wife, Kerry Forbes-MacPhail. Inspired by wines that “dance on the tongue,” it's a worthy debut, showcasing earthy, stemmy roses, herb, tar and tea, layered across a soft, juicy palate of baked orange marmalade and cardamom.
Bold berry and black-cherry aromas come with equal amounts of overt oak and coconut scents. This has hard but manageable tannins that create a powerful but rocky mouthfeel. Flavors of coconut, vanilla, blackberry and chocolate finish with firm, dry tannins, fresh acidity and a lasting mocha flavor. Drink through 2022.
Firm black cherry fruit opens with a slightly liquorous, Bourbon barrel accent. This young wine is still knitting together, but with ample breathing time it smoothes out, delivering a robust mix of ripe fruit, highlights of sassafras, and a hint of charcoal. Drink now or tuck it away another few years.
Intense aromas of white spring flower, aromatic herb, exotic fruit and citrus seamlessly come together on this. The radiant, precise palate offers nectarine zest, lime, sage and white peach while a tangy saline note closes the lingering finish. Enjoy now or hold another few years for more complexity. Drink through 2020.
This light-bodied wine sings in bright, citrus-laden overtones, with enough length and complexity to intrigue. Rocky minerality overlays lemon pith and a delightful crispness that makes for a food friendly, celebratory selection.
Ripe, jammy fruitiness gives this wine a generous feel. Packed with opulent berry flavor, it will develop well. It is rich and rounded, nicely supported by the tannins that are in the background. Drink from 2019.
This wine is properly steely, tight and with considerable acidity. To balance all this freshness it has layers of ripe yellow fruits that are developing and will likely give a fuller wine in a few years. Drink from 2017.
A blend of Grecanico and Insolia and fermented with wild yeasts in concrete tanks, this unusual white offers intriguing aromas of dried Mediterranean herb, sea breeze, candied citrus zest and wild flower. The savory, mineral-driven palate offers nectarine, dried apricot, saline, sage and baking spice while a honey note wraps around the finish.
Rich and textural, this gloriously mixes raspberries, cherries, baking spices, cola, cocoa and coconut components, all woven together seamlessly. It's forward and juicy, yet built for medium-term aging. Drink now through 2026.
This is produced from 25-year-old vines in the Chambertin Grand Cru vineyard. It is a smoky, structured wine with layers of dark fruits and ripe tannins, with the fresh acidity of the year. Lots of attractive fruit is surrounded by the firm tannins and dry aftertaste. It should not be drunk before 2020.
Blueberry pie, vanilla ice cream, milk chocolate, licorice and caramel converge on the very inviting nose of this blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Petit Verdot, 27% Merlot and 3% Malbec. Caramelized blackberries, anise, a touch of tar and bountiful acidity show on the sip.
This is a big, crowd-pleasing take on Pinot Noir, with fresh and ripe red berries enhanced by barrel smoked toasted teriyaki pork and a pinch of violet on the nose. Ripe raspberry juice shows on the juicy palate, but so does wet slate minerality, dried sage and thyme and even nice pine needle and eucalyptus astringency.
Robust blackberry and herbal notes on the nose lead to a powerful, blocky palate with bold acidity. Well-oaked cassis and spice flavors are earthy, while flavors of mint, cinnamon and herbs grace the finish. Drink through 2022.
Rich summer peach and yellow cherry flavors flood the palate of this deeply concentrated Spätlese. It's intensely fruity and forward, yet elevated by a crush of lemon-lime acidity and a crystalline clarity that's exhilarating. The finish is long and lip smacking.
This wine is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 25% Malbec. The aromas of plum and cherry are kissed with vanilla, coffee and spice. The palate is lush and full, with the tannins showing some grittiness. Still, it delivers a lot of appeal.
While this breathes alcohol, there's also requisite caramel, fig and chocolate aromas on the nose of this heavy Pedro Ximénez. Flavors of raw honey and caramel dominate a syrupy finish. Consider this for an ice cream topping rather than as a drink.
Despite coming from the Rocks District, the appellation doesn't seem to truly reveal itself on this blend of 75% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache and 5% Syrah. Light in color, the aromas are bright, with notes of raspberry compote, cranberry, raw meat and green herb. The palate brings well-balanced red-fruit flavors, with the oak seeming dialed way back. It doesn't quite stand up on its own but should shine at the dinner table.
Young, juicy and enjoyable, this round fruity red opens with aromas of wild berry, violet and a whiff of white pepper. With 80% Nebbiolo and the remainder being Vespolina, Croatina and Uva Rara, the savory easy-drinking palate doles out mouthfuls of ripe black cherry and crushed raspberry accented with hints of clove. Supple tannins give it a smooth texture. Enjoy soon.
Although this youthful wine has obviously been in plenty of wood, it has the weight to reveal a promising future. So while the spice and toastiness are present now, they will soon integrate with the fine tannins and blackberry fruits. Drink this from 2019.
The wine is almost mature. It has a minty edge with some firm tannins and plenty of balanced fruit and acidity. It benefits from the propitious conditions in this appellation during the difficult 2013 vintage and shows ripe fruit and a generous berry aftertaste. Drink from 2019.
This is a wood-aged wine from a vineyard that is well situated on the ridge that runs east of Saint-Émilion. It is structured with firm tannins as well as perfumes from the Cabernet Franc in the blend. The needs time to develop more, so drink from 2020.
Produced from 90% Merlot and 10% Malbec, this wine is made by two young brothers. It is ripe and structured, still young of course, but with delicious ripely fruity potential. Black-currant and berry flavors are lifted by acidity and held firmly by the structure. Drink from 2019.
Owned since 1999 by the Kressman family of Latour-Martillac in Pessac-Léognan, this wine reflects fine winemaking thanks to its ripe tannins and the fruitiness of the vintage. It is juicy, rich with blackberry fruits and already shows a fine balance. It is ready to drink.
While this Ducourt wine does have wood-aging flavors, it also has plenty of black-currant fruitiness to bring out the crisp character. The ripe Merlot of the vintage is very evident in this potentially delicious wine. Drink from 2018.
This serious wine is young and still has prominent wood-aging flavors. That toastiness masks the ripe blackberry fruits that are underneath the tannins and wood. The wine will be fine as it matures, giving richness and dense fruits. Wait to drink until 2019.
This ripe, bold and generous Gonfrier Frères wine is ready to drink. Some firm tannins and a ripe texture are balanced with the juicy black-currant fruits. Drink now, although even better from early 2018.
This is a prototypical Washington Cabernet, with aromas of cherry meats, black currant, coffee and whiffs of herb. Though far from over the top, the flavors show intensity and texture with a pleasing acidic lift. It offers a lot of subtlety and elegance for a wine at this price.
Cabernet clones 6, 8 and 191 make up the majority of this wine. The aromas show some reduction out of the gate. This is followed by a medium-bodied, acid driven palate, with clove, cherry, wood spice and herb flavors. There's intrigue but it doesn't all quite come together. That said, it should fit in well at the dinner table.
Bright and linear, this offers delicate aromas suggesting ripe orchard fruit and bread crust. Made with no added dosage, the vibrant rather lean palate offers mature yellow apple, toasted walnut and a hint of citrus alongside crisp acidity and a firm, continuous perlage.
Appealing aromas of butterscotch, cream, spice, lees and tropical fruit lead to medium-bodied fruit flavors that bring a sense of richness but also delicacy. It shows a touch of warmth on the finish.
It's hard not to like this dark-colored and superripe wine made from 60% Alicante Bouschet plus Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah. The broad texture soaks the palate with blackberry jam and chocolate flavors. Soft acidity and mild tannins create a surprisingly gentle mouthfeel considering the power of the wine.
It's still very early in the life of this blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Petit Verdot, 15% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot, so it's likely that it will improve with time. Currently, aromas of dried oregano, cedar, black plum, and violet drop into a palate where dill, marjoram and black pepper rise against a ripe blackberry base.
This enjoyable Nebbiolo opens with aromas of black cherry, rose petal and graphite. The bright accessible palate delivers ripe raspberry, white pepper and a hint of licorice alongside firm but refined tannins. Drink through 2019.
A blend of Nebbiolo and Pinot Nero, this vibrant sparkler has aromas of small red berry, grapefruit and chopped herb. The racy palate offers strawberry, raspberry, nectarine zest and a hint of fennel alongside tangy acidity. It finishes clean and crisp.
Forest floor, exotic spice, new leather and a balsamic note of menthol lead the nose. The palate is still youthfully shy and extremely tight, but it eventually reveals suggestions of raw cherry, tart cranberry, espresso and dark spice. Close-grained tannins give the finish a firm squeeze.
This blend combines 70% Monterey County fruit with 26% from Sonoma County and 4% from Santa Barbara County to create a dense expression. Baked black cherry, black-plum pie, vanilla crust and anise show on the nose. The palate offers plum juice and rose petals, proving a bit thick but entirely pleasant.
A blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, this is oaky and lushly fruited upfront, with forward scents of coffee, chocolate-covered cherry and brambly berry preserves. The palate follows suit, with mouthfilling flavors of ripe berries that are framed by structured tannins and lingering tones of licorice and black pepper.
This is a svelte, easy-drinking style of Crozes. Cassis-scented fruit dominates, with perhaps just a hint of vanilla, but doesn't show much complexity. Ample weight and and an open-knit texture makes it already approachable. Drink now–2022.
Elegant black-cherry and cassis flavors are accented with savory tones of ripe stem and leaf in this slightly understated Cab Franc. Overall, the palate is lean in profile, but it's a brisk, straightforward wine offering plenty of varietal character.
This is a dark, brooding and earthy Zin, that's high in alcohol, intensely oaky, and with a huge black pepper character that dives head first towards the finish into slightly pruny land.
Mocha, coffee, leather, brandied red fruit and a grassy aroma define the bouquet on this sweet, ripe-tasting Cabernet that's full of cherry and candied berry flavors. A sweet, jammy finish has a little burn to offer.
A bright pink colored rosé, this blend of Touriga Nacional and Syrah, has strawberry flavors and a touch of sweetness from the ripe fruits that is balanced with an attractive acidity. Enjoy with food rather than as an aperitif.
Exotic aromas of dusty blueberry, latex and campfire set up a jammy, somewhat clumsy feeling palate with big, candied flavors of baked berry blended with sweet oak and licorice. The finish tastes minty, chocolaty and oaky, with heat.
This smells stalky and leathery, while the mouthfeel is tannic, raw and racy. Flavors of baked black fruits turn herbal upon closer consideration, while the finish feels drawing and tastes leathery and peppery, without much fruit.
Initially hard, rooty aromas of leather and horsehide transition to cassis, raspberry and plum if given time. The palate on this is a bit rough and tannic, but there's also solid berry fruit and a moderately baked finish with a rubbery feel to give it character.
Chunky aromas are lacking in fruit. The palate feels pithy and citric, while pyrazines and bland citrus drive the flavor profile on this Verdejo-Viura blend that's past its prime.
A stewy, thin version of Syrah that could be almost any red wine.
The wine is rustic, full of barnyard flavors and tannins. The fruit doesn't come through at all.
Floral and yeasty on the nose, but not fruity or interesting, this wine is on the fade. The mouthfeel is heavy and flat, while peachy, melony flavors finish bready.
Oily, nutty, gritty aromas show hints of white flower and tropical fruits. The palate is loud, broad, and somewhat oily in texture. Flavors of lychee and citrus finish heavy.
A pronounced jolt of backyard compost jumps out first in this wine, followed by thin layers of cranberry, quickly wrapped up before there's much to say about a finish.
A pleasant, tropical-flavored “house white,” it hints at banana and pineapple flavors and is soft and easy in texture. The winery blended 52% Chardonnay grapes with the aromatic Symphony variety and a few others.
This strange, floral-smelling Chard seems more like Gewürztraminer. It's creamy and cloying in the mouth, with spicy, sweet flavors of anise and lychee. It's particular and unique, but not very good.
Stewy, chewy and quite tannic this blend splits Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre and Grenache into thirds. It offers little in the way of fruit; instead it's mostly leathery earth.
This opens with oxidized, creamy aromas while the palate offers mostly acidic, tart citrus flavors that are surrounded by oxidized stone-fruit notes. The finish ends nutty.
Plastic, rubber and latex aromas dominate the nose on this Carmenère. Tomatoey, cloying and tannic in the mouth, the palate tastes mostly of carob, oak and herbal berry fruits.
Light and watery, this Cab is somewhat dull and lifeless, not showing much in the way of fruit or structure.
Cool conditions in 2011 seem to have affected this wine. It's stalky and stemmy smelling, with a scratchy feel and raw flavors of rhubarb and bell pepper covered with oak.
This wine is a bombast of sweet liqueur and vanilla-infused candy, dusty with a sour finish.
In this blend of Sangiovese, Teroldego, Barbera and Dolcetto, it's unclear whether the wine is better than the sum of its parts or a tangle of confused flavors. A mouth-puckering quality overrides all; the rest of the flavors tend toward sweet vanilla.
A fat, soft wine that isn't fresh enough. There are some sweet strawberry flavors, a touch of caramel and a metallic edge.
The aromas are light and elusive with notes of mineral and pear. It drinks dry with a wash of alcoholic bitterness that runs throughout.
Closed aromatically, this tannic Cab doesn't impart much in the way of fruit, offering leather and herbs instead.
A thin Cabernet distinguished mostly by its earthy, farm-like aromas and not much else. A fairly generic red wine.
This yellow-colored blend is weird and wooly, with aromas of blowsy apricot and herbs. A pulpy, melony palate is creamy and odd in feel, with nectarine and chunky peach flavors that turn rubbery on the finish.
A pop style of pink wine that the Peter Mondavi family makes from Zinfandel with minor portions of Chenin Blanc and Muscat. It has a light coral color, mild fruit aromas and semisweet red Popsicle flavors.
This offers allspice aromas around a thin core of hard-to-decipher fruit and a finish that veers into burnt-rubber territory.
This Petite Sirah has a strong aroma of farm and funk, and not much else to distinguish itself.
Stalky and oxidized on the nose, this becomes cidery, high in acid in the mouth, with sour-lemon flavors.
Jammy aromas of candied red fruits and raisin lead into the palate, with red-fruit flavors and a sticky, bitter finish.
This Malbec shows massive amounts of barrel influence and a strong element of diesel fuel, which takes a while to blow off.
As good as any Père de Famille to date, this brilliantly crafted wine jumps from the glass immediately with a rainbow of blue, purple and black fruits. The scents and flavors are dense and seamless, the tannins polished and graceful, and the barrel aging puts the last dabs of paint on a winemaking masterpiece.
This bottling is quintessential Red Mountain in style, with potent aromatics of concentrated black fruits, gun metal and rock. Sourced from Ciel du Cheval, Obelisco, Force Majeure and Klipsun, it's a one-wine showcase for the AVA. The spectrum of fruit flavors is impressive, compact and deep, and despite the high alcohol it retains its precision and detail.
This wine comes from a small Chardonnay enclave in the predominantly red premier cru of Beaune Grèves. With its intense exotic fruit and apricot flavors, it's both ripe and crisp with acidity. That makes for a delicious reflection of the vintage, needing time to mature. Drink from 2020.
Top consultant Luis Duarte has produced this wine from vines in the southeast Alentejo district of Reguengos. It's bold and ripe, with a heady mix of Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet and Touriga Nacional giving powerful, dense, black fruit flavors. The aftertaste, with its acidity and tannins, suggests aging potential. Drink from 2019.
Aromas of ripe strawberry, mint, pipe tobacco and a whiff of forest floor take center stage on this structured red. The full-flavored elegant palate boasts a nice depth of flavors including red cherry, raspberry, cake spice and a hint of new leather alongside polished tannins. Enjoy through 2020.
Plummy aromas mix in the glass with whiffs of pressed blue flower, vanilla and mocha. The taut structured palate offers dried black cherry, coconut, licorice, espresso and black pepper while firm fine-grained tannins provide the framework. A note of pipe tobacco closes the tight finish. Give it a few more years to unwind and fully develop. Drink 2020–2027.
This Niven family project pairs cooler climate Edna Valley Syrah with 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petite Sirah from warmer Paso Robles. Raspberry sorbet, blackberry, loam, spearmint and rose aromas come across as tart and fruity. The palate shows crushed gravel-like minerality, opening into dried strawberry fruit, thyme and pepper flavors. Fun yet serious.
Aromas of new leather, truffle, spiced plum and a whiff of raisin come together on this mature red. The hearty palate is also refined, offering prune, dried black cherry, chewing tobacco, coffee and licorice alongside smooth, velvety tannins. Drink through 2024.
A green hint extends from nose to finish in this slightly austere, earthy Mosel Auslese. Linear lemon and lime tones are tinged with flint and ripple persistently on the palate. It's a fantastic bargain for the complexity it offers and likely to improve further through 2025.
The Westhofener, one of Wittmann's more accessibly priced offerings, has the same electric acidity and bold, linear steel-and-lime strokes as its higher priced siblings. It's a lighter, more delicate wine, however, with crushed mineral tones and tart citrus flavors that fall on the palate in a gossamer haze.
This wine is extremely well integrated and approachable on the nose, with crushed pepper notes spicing up the elegant black currant and plum aromas. Thyme, fennel pollen and licorice notes sing throughout the palate's dark but restrained black fruit, all held together by tarry structure. Drink 2018–2023.
This bottling from a relatively new vineyard in Ballard Canyon shows blueberry fruit surrounded by strands of black licorice and chunks of damp pine wood on the nose. The blackberry, blueberry and crushed violet flavors lead into slight beef char and burnt wood on the palate.
Aromas of Mediterranean scrub, underbrush, berry, licorice and a balsamic note take shape on this. The aromas carry through to the rounded palate along with juicy cherry, grilled herb, cured meat, clove and a toasted note. Polished tannins provide the framework. It's already accessible and will offer loads of near and midterm pleasure. Drink through 2021.
Fresh and vibrantly floral on the nose and palate, this lovely white from the musqué clone imparts full-bodied, voluptuous layers of pineapple and grapefruit rind, lingering long on the finish.
Aged in wood for 14 months, this dense wine is still in its early stages. Firm tannins dominate this blend, which has 10% Tannat along with Malbec. Ripe black fruits are developing to give a wine that will have great concentration and intense juicy black plum fruits. Drink from 2019.
From the northern end of the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation, this wine is ripe, floral and supple in texture. It has crisp red fruit and vibrant acidity, underpinned by ripe tannins. Developing quickly, it will be ready to drink from 2019.
This is a fine wine that performs at the level of a premier cru. It has brambly fruitiness and intense perfume. The structure is already finely integrated, allowing the strawberry fruit and acidity to shine through. Drink from 2019.
Delicate aromas of ripe orchard fruit and crushed stone lift out of the glass while the fresh rounded palate delivers mature apple and citrus. Crisp acidity lends balance while a savory mineral note closes the finish.
Patience will reward those who wait for this stunning wine to reveal itself. It's initially smoky and closed, but time and aeration bring out penetrating black-cherry and berry flavors. It's such a seductively perfumed wine with a lingering finish nuanced by spice and violet petals. High-toned acidity and fine upright tannins will keep this wine lively for many years to come.
Dark and viscous in the glass, this classic Paso Robles-style Syrah shows baked black cherry, vanilla pastry, tar and black pepper touches. It has a firm and upright structure, managing to remain soft and lush with black cherry, cola, bacon fat and maple flavors.
Who can resist a wine called the Lovers' Vineyard? Finely aged in wood, it comes from the highest point of the Santar estate and is rich in yellow fruit and toasty spice. Creamy, smooth and lightly tangy, it needs another few months to mature. Drink from 2018.
This is a stunning Bordeaux-style white wine, dominated by Sauvignon Blanc with 18% Sémillon. Ripe, attractive aromas of honeydew, clove-spiked orange, wood-grilled apple and fresh honeycomb lead the charge on the nose, while the palate offers brighter notes of green plum, lime and melon rind. Vibrant acidity lifts the medium-weight palate, while a saline accent graces the close. Drink now–2021.
Concentrated black-fruit aromas are charred and savory, with notes of grilled beef and black olive. A plush plump layered palate offers earthy saucy savory plum fruit, while the finish is round, wholesome and smooth. Drink through 2023.
This Chardonnay hits all the right marks, as toasty oak influence is coupled seamlessly with ripe fruit tones and balancing acidity. Gorgeous scents of yellow apple, melon and honeysuckle transition through to the medium-weight palate, where they are met by attractive oak spice tones, a subtle tannic texture and refreshing acidic lift. The finish is long and evolving, and this should drink well through 2020.
Black cherry to the eye, this wine has a bouquet of raspberry and Mediterranean herbs with a strong note of lavender. It is well-crafted, with flavors of cherry, blackberry, smoked meat, thyme and black pepper. Silky tannins line the palate, and the finish offers a burst of cranberry and pomegranate.
This fine, ageworthy wine is rounded, smooth and full of ripe yellow fruit. There is a zesty tang on the back palate that will allow it to mature, its richness shining through a frame of crisp texture. Drink from 2020.
Bright cassis, strawberry and red currant flavors are on vivid display in this 100% varietal wine. Soft and easy to enjoy, it impresses with full-bodied accetnes of dusty cigar and mocha.
A yeasty baked bread note leads this wine's nose before smoky oak and lushly layered blue and black fruit take over. With spice- and leather-laced flavors, it offers a wealth of brawny structure and lip-smacking succulence, finishing soft.
This pure Touriga Nacional is perfumed, firmly tannic and packed with the tight, mineral character typical of the region. Richly fruity with juicy black currant flavor, it's still developing and will be best from 2019.
Grilled herb, forest floor, ripe plum and leather aromas take shape in the glass. The brawny concentrated palate doles out ripe dark berry, tobacco, licorice and a hint of orange zest while firm, velvety tannins give the finish texture and grip. Drink 2020–2030.
Dark blackberry, riverstone, and crushed gravel notes make for a lively cool-climate Grenache grown in the heart of the appellation. The palate is very dry, tautly woven and elegant, with savory beef, thyme, rosemary and purple flower flavors all perfectly integrated.
The flinty but utterly promising scent of reduction still hovers above this wine: clearly this is not meant to be drunk now. The palate underneath already tells of the freshest apple fruit, of depth and purity plus a woody roundness. Let this sleep in your cellar until 2017–2023.
A new project from Bill Hill, formerly of William Hill in the Napa Valley, this vineyard-designate is nutty and thick, layered in honeycomb and floral honey. Complex, it unravels slowly in the glass, showing a medium build and moderate use of oak. The coolness of the site allows it to retain minerality and tension.
This is a luxuriously layered and complex white. It's an expertly rendered combination of ripe, rich fruit—most notably spicy apple and pear—that's completely uplifted by bright acidity and a refreshing mouthfeel. Still youthful, it's both vibrant and nuanced.
From 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Zin, this is a deceptively elegant wine wrapped in a full-bodied, richly layered package. Juicy, extracted and generous, its tannins are firm and the oak integrated, with savory characteristics of currant, cedar and pencil shavings showing before a finish of berry pie.
Fragrant wild flower, yellow stone fruit, citrus and chopped herb aromas lead the nose on this vibrant blend of 90% Carricante and 10% Riesling. The racy palate doles out fresh apricot, crisp green apple and energizing mineral framed in tangy acidity. A note of aromatic herb accents the succulent finish.
Old vines dating back to 1904 produce this unusually brawny late-harvest wine. It's deeply fruity, almost tropical in profile, bursting with sun-kissed mango and guava flavors. High-toned tangerine and grapefruit acidity lend balance, highlighting a delicately astringent, tea-toned finish. Drink now through 2025.
Not at all shy, this bold, brash wine will be great to drink with equally bold food. A very dark color and a tempting aroma like grilled baguette slices leads to big, powerful berry flavors, full body, high alcohol, thick but soft tannins and a smoky, meaty finish.
This blend starts with panache, offering aromas of vanilla cream, lemon, banana and crushed herbs. On the palate, it balances brisk acidity with alluring citrus and melon fruit flavors. The wine has a spicy spin that gives it extra spunk.
This classic, bone-dry Riesling is sourced from almost 40-year-old vines. Made with native yeast, fermented in stainless tanks, and not put through secondary fermentation, it's an acid lover's wine. Aromatic and textural, it brings citrus, yellow plum and green pineapple into focus, with penetrating tartness.
Earthy mushroom, cedar and leather provide an elegance of savory invitation in this nicely balanced wine which is a mix of powerful fruit and tannin with nuanced seasonings of white and black pepper and a beautifully intoxicating aroma of violets. Drink now through 2022.
With its sea salt, lemon peel and fresh-fruit aromas, this wine offers focus and finesse from the beginning. On the palate, bright lemon and lime peel flavors and a pronounced mineral edge are beautifully integrated. This is a terroir-driven white that's made for fresh fish and vegetarian dishes.
Whiffs of wood smoke, black pepper and clove bring an exotic touch to this dry, medium-bodied and tautly balanced wine. It stops just short of full ripeness, but has ample enough blackberry and black olive flavors to taste complete and to reverberate on the finish. It has great varietal character, and will be interesting to age through 2019.
This wine is a prime example of a dry but deeply satisfying style of Zin. It has aromas like dark chocolate with hints of wood smoke and cedar from aging in 50% new oak and focused, pure fruit flavors on a firm, lip-smackingly tannic texture that begs for another sip. It's not sweet, but so, so tempting.
This has both a rich structure and rich fruit. The tannins comes first, dark and concentrated with spice and a dry core. After it, the ripe and juicy black fruit is layered with dense acidity. Together these two elements make for a concentrated wine that will age. Drink from 2020.
Ripe and juicy, this is a wine with structure and fine, dusty tannins that give it density. The red fruit is juicy, perfumed and has the freshness of the vintage, bright and forward. The underlying tannins are concentrated and will allow the wine to age. Drink from 2020.
This austere wine offers some firm tannins over the red fruit. It has acidity, red-currant fruit and a core of dryness, typical of young Pommard, that suggests it will age well. Drink from 2020.
Yeasty aromas of banana and white bread feed into a round full palate that's not at all edgy despite this being brut nature. Bready, yeasty flavors of citrus and nectarine end with a flash of peach and excellent clarity, length and elegance. Both this and AA's Privat Mirgin prove that elevated Cava can compete with the world's best sparkling wines.
Alluring aromas of ripe berry, violet, iris, baking spice and fennel take center stage on this stunning red. The structured palate delivers juicy red berry, black raspberry, clove and star anise alongside fresh acidity and close-grained tannins. A mineral note energizes the finish.
Berry fruit aromas come with an early hint of floral bath soap and later cherry candy. The palate is fairly wiry and pointed, with power-packed acidity. Direct, bold flavors of plum and red fruits are snappy, lively and run long due to sizzling acidity. Drink this Syrah-Carignan blend through 2023.
A bushel of black cherries blends with slate, bay leaf, thyme and dried lilacs on the nose of this Josh Jensen bottling, which shows an amazing amount of aging potential. The palate is wound tightly by fine-grained tannins, which are starting to give a peek at the layered flavors of cranberry, pencil lead, thyme, bay leaf, pressed violets and dried citrus that patiently await their turns to shine. Drink 2018 through 2033.
Warm aromas of lightly buttered apples, lemon cream croissant, yellow cake and dainty caramel invite the nose into this bottling by retired pro baseball players Dave Roberts (today manager of the L.A. Dodgers) and Rich Aurilia. The palate is creamy and buttery, but judiciously so, with custard flavors framed by a bright lemony acidity and finishing on vanilla bean.
Fresh-pressed alpine strawberries and blackberries are lifted by touches of cola and fresh lilac on this wine by retired baseball pros Rich Aurilia and Dave Roberts, today the Dodgers' manager. Turned earth, juniper, pine needle, thyme and bay leaf form a very earthy core to the sip, where dark-red and even purple fruit carry the ripeness torch.
This is the second release this year from Maison Louis Jadot's Oregon project—both wines are labeled Résonance, but this is the Willamette Valley cuvée, not the Résonance vineyard bottling. Some estate fruit is included, and it is a subtle and detailed wine, with pretty mulberry and pie-cherry fruit. Thirteen months in 20% new French oak adds light mocha highlights, and it is as smooth and refined as one might expect from master winemaker Jacques Lardière.
Weil's standard-label Spätlese shares the same core of minerality that its single-vineyard siblings boast, but in a slightly earthier, more rustic style marked by heady whiffs of pollen, saffron and spice. It's a thirst quencher, light-footed and sheer on the palate, finishing with an exhilarating array grapefruit, lime and tangerine flavors.
True to its full-bodied, burly profile, this blend of 89% Syrah and 11% Petite Sirah packs a powerful punch and needs further time to open. For now, a reduced sense of baked coconut, plum and black pepper struggle for identity, with shocks of dark chocolate and velvet. Drink now through 2020.
Light hints of licorice and clove dance around lusciously ripe fruit flavors in this big, layered and almost monumental wine. The fruit is darker than usual, like black plum and currant, while the thick yet fine tannins massage the mouth as you sip and pull all that gorgeous fruit through the lingering finish.
There's a deeply purple touch to this bottling, with dark strawberries, dried purple flowers and a touch of vanilla laid across a clay-based minerality. The palate rides a middle line touching on all relevant points: a dash of acid, some mint and dark-purple fruit, proving quite classic in presentation.
Here's a rich, toasty, barrel-fermented wine, sourced from the older estate vines. Pear, lime and preserved lemon fruits combine nicely, framed with flavors of toasted almonds, and finished with a streak of quinine.
From a winery and region where big and chewy reign, this is a rather approachable and pretty take on the grape, with woody aromas of blackberry, elderberry, black gravel and plum skins. The palate shows blueberry and Concord grape fruit as well as licorice shavings and dried herbs. The structure is strong but smooth, so it's serious but easy to put down with a smile.
One of Tasmania's most notable wine personalities, Andrew Pirie, is behind this wine, which aims to compete with prestige cuvée Champagnes. Forty percent of the base wine is barrel-fermented, imparting a rich, cashew character that's augmented by two years of aging on lees. It's a complex, medium-bodied wine that's a departure from most New World sparklers.
Overall, this elegant wine is dry with just a touch of stonefruit sweetness. Lemon yellow in color, there's brightness throughout with ripe apricots, honey and yellow freesia on the nose. A polished minerality and orange pith bitterness help keep things in balance.
Bone dry, wonderfully fresh and loaded with strawberry and watermelon flavors, hepped up with lightly peppery spice. In short, a perfect summer sipper, chilled and drunk with picnic foods, preferably outdoors.
This is a well-balanced Petite Sirah, with chewy but proportionate tannins, a broadly fruity, black cherry core and nuanced highlights of apricot. The finish does a quick fade.
Piercing to start, with leathery, bacony and campfire aromas. Saturated, although healthy, if a bit hard and tannic. Flavors of bacon and clove are right up there with black fruit and syupy richness, and clove carries onto the finish. Needs time to breathe and unfold; 65% Garnacha and 35% Syrah.
Husky on the nose but mostly it comes across as wild, with jumpy, loud pear, melon and apple aromas. The mouth is spunky and all over the map, while flavors of tangy yellow fruits carry an acidic, herbal twinge and even a grassy quality. Lacks perfect poise but it can't be called timid or dull.
This is cool-climate fruit, from a vintage the winery describes as “the coolest year we have ever seen.” Nonetheless they have made a good wine, with balanced scents and flavors. It's definitely herbal, but also brings some cured meat and tart, wild cherry flavors into play.
Opens with bright, popping cherry aromas that are straightforward, much like the rest of the show. The palate is regular and healthy in feel, with standard cherry and raspberry flavors. Finishes the slightest bit toasty and warm. Nice but basic Rioja.
The winery mentions neutral oak barrels, though the immediate aromatic impression is still on the toasty/oaky side. The fruit comes up more slowly, along with residual CO2 that gives a spritzy mouthfeel. Yeasty, light and tart, with green apples the strongest fruit flavor.
In contrast to the winery's big, rough and tumble style of Merlot, this Cabernet is lightly fruity. It shows cherry and cranberry hard candy fruit flavors. The tannins are rough and substantial, and quickly take over the finish.
Cola, Dr. Pepper, cherry coke all come to mind, as this has a strong emphasis on those flavors, or sassafras as some define them. It's tasty, forward and light, with a lightly herbal aftertaste. Perfectly pleasant, though not showing much depth.
Aromatic and floral, this forward and fruity Pinot mixes spicy raspberry and strawberry fruit leading into a cherry cola core. That's where it remains through a quick fade. Good near-term drinking.
Grapey and potent as Rioja crianzas go, with a medium-to-full-sized palate that's full of bright acidity and standard but solid berry fruit flavors. It's the slightest bit creamy and thick on the finish, but overall it's about as middle of the road as any wine on the market.
Soft wine, light in texture, some spice and tropical fruits. There is freshness, well integrated into an attractive, ready-to-drink wine. Screwcap.
Dark, roasted and smelling of licorice, root beer, savory oak and smoke. The palate is hard and saturated, with smack-down tannins that are surely due to the 46% Tannat in the blend. Syrah and Petit Verdot are the remaining elements in this roasted, sweet, oaky wine that finishes with burnt marshmallow.
Intense aromas of day lilies, honey and spiced canned peaches abound in this not quite “dry” Riesling. The mouth feels a bit confected with so much sunny orange marmalade and lemondrop flavors, but the finish ends drier with a hint of bitter orange pith.
Fruit overload and gumball richness define the syrupy, super ripe nose on this Monastrell (Mourvèdre) Cabernet Franc blend from Valencia. This is big stuff, with blackberry, prune and chocolate cake qualities. It's thick, intense, tannic and will continue to be lively and drinkable for another six or seven years. A surprise wine; 100 cases produced.
Dark fruits are the backbone of this fine wine, with flavors of blueberries, black cherry and figs along with smooth, polished wood. It is certainly big and dense, the tannins soft but concentrated. The finish is juicy and fruity, but dry.
This is rather sweet—loaded with honeyed peaches and tropical fruit—but all of those ripe, rich flavors are brought into focus by the citrus- and mineral-edged finish. It's luscious now, but in 5–10 years it should be a complex, filigreed table wine.
The estate wine from Casal Branco is impressive and structured, with dried berry fruits, dark, dry tannins and a solid structure. The acidity is very present, helping to keep the wine fresh, but the complex dark flavors and spice are certainly there to allow the wine to age over the next 3–4 years.
Having never tried this producer's wines, we can only heap praise on this medium-bodied, more modern style of Rioja. Bacon, rubber and raspberry work the bouquet, while the palate is ripe and full as it pumps forth with pure red-fruit flavors. Firm and mildly tannic, with ample new oak leaving lasting flavors of vanilla, coffee and pepper. Hold for another year or so, if possible; 900 cases produced.
A good value among spätlesen, Mönchhof's 2005 Mosel Slate avoids the superripeness of the vintage, instead staying true to type. Hints of kerosene give a slate-like impression, layered over crisp lime and apple flavors. It's lithe and sinuous, ending crisp and racy.
Aromatically this is evocative; there's spice, tobacco and dried fruit in addition to classy, balanced oak. The palate dances with cherry, dried plum and earthy spice notes, while the finish is elegant, smooth and features just the right amount of tannic grab. A very nice, true-to-the-terroir type of Tempranillo.
This wine comes out of the bottle a little cranky, but give it some time in the glass and the initial stink gives way to notes of lime, apple and peach. It's plump in feel, with some dusty minerality and dried spices adding nuance to the sweet fruit.
Ripe and richly fruity, with chunky flavors of oranges, honey and tropical fruit tinged with hints of mineral and orange pekoe tea. It's a lush mouthful of easy-to-enjoy fruit.
This is aromatic and enchanting, loaded with very pretty scents of citrus blossom and lime. The fruit blends sweet apple, lemon/lime and juicy white peach. It's a luscious Chardonnay that relies on the perfectly ripened fruit to deliver the flavors, and succeeds beautifully. All Dijon clones, with a splash of Viognier lifting up the nose.
Produced only in outstanding vintages, this rich Bordeaux blend exudes fantastic flavors of black plum, blackberry and black cherry accented by notes of tobacco and white pepper. The bold palate and creamy texture lead in to a long and evolving finish that closes on a hint of mocha. The solid structure and assertive backbone ensure this wine will be a pleasure now and for years to come. Imported by Yarden Inc.
Aromas of toasted almond, Bartlett pear and wildflowers waft from the glass. The bright palate offers citrus zest, mature yellow apple and a nutty note, brightened by refreshing acidity.
The magnificent chateau of Cheverny is a fitting focal point for the wines of this small appellation. This wine is light in color, young and fruity. Soft tannins and red berry fruits are rounded and easy to drink. The wine is ready to enjoy although it could age through 2017.
With its joyous red color and ripe fruits, this is a balanced and lively wine. It is fresh but has a light structured character, full of cherry fruit flavors and fresh acidity at the end.
Made entirely with Friulano (formerly called Tocai Italico), this vibrant white conveys aromas of white flower, citrus and nut that carry over to the palate along with a slight metallic note. Bitter walnut marks the close.
Aromas of apple, pear and a touch of toasted oak take shape in the glass. The palate offers Golden Delicious apple, candied lemon and toasted almond brightened by fresh acidity. A butterscotch note signals the close.
Here's a no-nonsense wine with fresh fruit aromas, ripe but not overripe flavors, good acidity to keep it tangy and a smooth but firm texture that is appetizing. It tastes like white peaches with a splash of orange, then brings in toasted almonds on the finish.
From pop music star Fergie, this wine shows dainty aromas of lemon-lime soda, red apple and honey. The palate is bright, with lemon custard and poached pears, proving sweet and sour notes simultaneously.
Chunky, lightly vegetal, green-fruit aromas are authentic for Casablanca SB. This has a full, slightly oily feel with girth and weight. Punchy, tart citrus and green-fruit flavors finish with lime, bell pepper and jalapeño notes.
Ripe blackberry juice, espresso, baking spices and savory roasted herbs hit the nose on this blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. Dried black cherries dominate the palate, with extra seasoning from chopped mint, lilacs and all manner of brown and black spices. It's almost too flavorful.
Earthy berry aromas blend with cola and maple notes on this forceful, rubbery, tannic Tempranillo. Forward oak results in mocha, toast, blackberry and chocolate flavors, then char, toast and fudge flavors ride home on a fierce, hard-tannin finish.
Despite overriding aromas of spunky, candied berry fruits and wet dog fur, this rubbery, acidic blend is pretty good. Saucy, fresh berry, cherry and tomato flavors finish briny and savory, with moderate heat and burn.
Waxy apple opens the nose before this tame stainless-steel aged white builds flavors of pear and vanilla extract amid a medium-bodied frame. More pear, with a wrapping of gingery spice, is featured on the finish.
Green grassy aromas are modest and watery. This feels oily, but with decent acidity. Oxidized flavors of stone fruits finish wheaty, bland and eggy.
Grainy oak and green aromas rest on top of generic red-fruit scents. This feels chunky, blocky and tannic, with herbaceous medicinal flavors of tomato, oak resin and green herbs. A spicy saucy-tasting finish holds onto the wine's minty green herbal essence.
The initial shock is of intense acidity. Only after a while, do the structure and the fruit show. It makes this an unbalanced wine, the structure out of kilter with the fruit.
Less tangy than some Loire Sauvignon Blanc, this easy, soft wine has attractive acidity and a balanced, steely texture. It's crisp, with some herbaceousness over grapefruit flavors. Drink now.
A gaseous smelling nose and a chunky palate are not motivational, while flavors of banana and melon aren't much better. Overall, this is a basic Verdejo that's starting to fade.
Herbal and thin, this is not the fleshy, fruity style typical of Oregon Pinot Gris. Dilute flavors of apple and melon are smothered in herbs.
Concentrated and intense, this wine has a mix of sour lemon and potatoes going on aromatically. It is medium to full bodied, rather than crisp and light.
This wine is soft and fruity, with a smoky touch that adds interest. Red-cherry flavors and balanced acidity allow easy accessibility. The wine, with its gentle texture, is ready to drink.
Scratchy raspberry aromas are jammy but also green, with a strange hint of perfume. This feels chunky and rubbery, with stretchy, elastic tannins. Flavors of baked berry fruits, prune and herbs finish hot.
A blend of Touriga Nacional and Aragonez, this is a soft wine, fruity with ripe red and white fruit flavors. It is a light wine with only a hint of tannin, much more in the way of gentle fruitiness.
Big, raisiny and obtuse up front, this fully extracted Malbec is heavy on the palate, with raisin, prune and cassis flavors that show interior notes of green herbs. This tastes minty, herbal and hot on the finish, with barely any freshness.
Soupy, saucy aromas are akin to tomato sauce. This is wide, chunky and struggling for textural balance. Stalky roasted plum flavors finish herbal, spicy and flabby in feel.
Earthy aromas and meaty flavors make this medium-bodied wine a bit of a wild card. Consumers expecting an average red blend may find this too funky, but it does feel rich and have a lingering finish.
The wine is soft, lightly textured and perfumed. It has yellow fruits and ripe pear flavors along with a touch of ginger and spice. The wine is ready to drink.
This wine has showed no consistency over the years. This vintage is black and extracted with piercing inky blackberry aromas. In the mouth, it's huge, chunky and grating. Overdone black-fruit flavors finish clampy with oaky bitterness and a sense of reduction.
Crisp with an edge of honey, this is a ripe and fruity wine. Along with apple and cantaloupe melon flavors it has a nutty character and some light acidity, both of which add to its simple attraction. Drink now.
A fruity, young and crisp wine that is all about raspberry and red currant fruits. It is fresh with just a hint of caramel and with bright acidity at the end.
A light tan color and dusty sweaty aromas of apricot, matchstick and onion set up a clampy, pithy, citrusy palate. Flavors of nectarine and orange are mild, low on stuffing and grabby on the finish.
The wine is soft, light and stalky. It is made to be drunk young with its fresh red berry fruits, acidity and only a minimum of tannins. Drink now.
Bold aromas of bread dough and strong flavors of herbs and stewed fruit flavors compete for attention. This wine is medium bodied, smooth in texture and rustic in flavor.
Melon and cidery aromas are distant. This feels low on acidity, while pear, papaya and briny flavors taste bitter on the back end of the palate. A briny, pickled note marks the finish.
Almost bubbly with a lively mousse, this is a tangy citrus and apple flavored wine that is unfortunately unbalanced with an artificial sweetness at the end.
A light and gently fruity perfumed wine, this has easy flavors of spice, pears and soft acidity. It is ready to drink.
This pure varietal seems underripe, with scents of mushrooms and tar, and no fruit in sight. The finish turns bitter, with dry tannins.
Grapy candied berry aromas mix with loud oak that smells like clove and mint. This has a narrow astringent mouthfeel and strange-tasting berry flavors that end with a rugged finish.
Nothing on the bottle says this is oaked, but this Albariño smells like burnt plywood and sawdust. It's chunky and fat on the palate, with woody melony flavors that finish salty and dried out.
A generous body and oak stand out most in this wine, which leans sour in tannin and bittersweet chocolate more than fruit. A forest-floor component keeps it savory, with a taste of yeasty bread.
This medium-bodied red has a dark, inky color. It smells smoky, and offers flavors that are simple, grapy and very oaky. The texture is quite tannic.
A zesty, citrus-accented wine that features aromas and flavors of lemons and limes, piecrust and minty herbs. Finishes clean and refreshing—a racy wine that nevertheless isn't lightweight.
Understated and less ripe than many Australian Chardonnays, which makes for a nice change of pace when tasting, but also a leaner, more austere style dominated by citrus flavors. This atypical Aussie Chard could even be paired with shellfish.
New oak and ripe fruit blend together to yield complex aromas of baked apples and pears, complete with a pat of melted butter and a dash of cinnamon. Finishes clean, not cloying, with a distinct Granny Smith flavor.
Starts off with understated aromas of buttered whole-grain toast, pineapple and tropical that gradually build in intensity, finishing with a blast of toasty American oak, vanilla and spice. It's slightly unpolished, but flavorful and full of character.
A boldly flavored wine that doesn't hold back, packed with sweet pears, powdered cinnamon and clove. Smooth and supple in the mouth and leaves tangy, lingering flavors of lime on the finish.
Standard stuff, done right. Smoke and toast aromas add nuance to scents of citrus and peach. Hints of vanilla and baking spices buttress apple and pear flavors. The wine finishes with fresh, lemony notes. This is textbook Chardonnay.
Musky spiced pear and melon aromas lead off, backed up by lush ripe pear and melon flavors. Finishes with a tasty blend of tart pineapple and peppery, clove-like spice.
Features a complex nose of green apples, pears and pineapples, accented by smoky notes. The flavors are similar, folding in more vanilla and toast nuances—the oak in this wine seems to build toward the finish, while the fruit does the reverse, turning fainter and more citrusy.
This wine from Kendall-Jackson's Australian outpost offers aromas of butter, clove and tropical and citrus fruits. Dried spice flavors accent soft peach andvanilla, finishing with a touch of tangerine. Best Buy.
This organically grown, no-sulfites-added Chardonnay is forward and fruity, with a nice scent of green apples and just a hint of butterscotch. Lively and made for immediate drinking.
A smooth, easy-to-drink wine made to the New World formula: Sweet caramel, vanilla and peach aromas and flavors, capped off by spicy oak on the finish.
Filled with bouncy aromas of melon, pear and tropical fruit, this lightweight charmer even blends in notes of butter and anise on the finish. It's a fun wine with the accent on fruit. Best Buy.
The regular cuvée from Glen Carlou is a weighty wine, spicy, with toffee and cream flavors and some attractive green fruit to give it a fresh aftertaste. While this is not as serious as the Reserve Chardonnay, it makes a delicious apèritif wine, that will pair well with light fish dishes.
Soundly made, straightforward Washington Chardonnay, with chunky, forward, green-apple fruit married to some butterscotchy oak. Full malolactic fermentation brings the fruit forward and keeps the acids low.
This wine is produced by the Malan family of Simonsig Estate from purchased grapes. Light, fresh, with crisp, green fruit, it is an easy, pleasant wine to drink, well-made and delicious. There's a lovely, creamy, toffee aftertaste. Best Buy.
Snappy and pure aromas grace the nose, with Bartlett pear, lees and toasty oak most prominent. The palate is overt and fruity, featuring apple and citrus flavors accented by bright acidity. This seems like a fine appetizer, by-the-glass, or party-friendly wine, but the composite cork the winery is using is madness to get off the corkscrew. Best Buy.
Sure it's oaky, but it's good oak, contributing complex aromas of burnt sugar, smoke and bacon fat to an otherwise straightforward peach-and-pear-flavored Chardonnay. The disparate elements converge in a harmonious finish that invites you back for another sip.
This is a big, ripe wine, yet it showcases cool-climate-influenced citrus fruits. Lemon-lime, ginger and piecrust open to sweet citrus and vanilla, with just a touch of butter. A hint of grapefruit pith on the finish provides additional structure.
The Malan family makes a ripe, balanced Chardonnay, 100% wood-fermented in French oak. The style is rich and creamy, and there are attractive hints of honey from the partial use of malolactic fermentation. The downside of that is a lack of acidity, but for those who want rich, fat Chardonnay, this is it.
These grapes are sourced from the relatively cooler region of Orange, and it shows in the wine's pear and citrus flavors. Hints of nuts (cashews, perhaps?) add complexity and style not often found in this price range. Crisp and clean on the finish, with refreshing citrus notes.
Still young, raw and a bit oaky, this well-balanced wine just needs some more time to smooth itself out. All the right elements are there, from the polished fruit to the tangy acids to the toasty oak (slightly more than half is barrel fermented). This is a firm, fruity style, well-made and lively. Best Buy.
There is an unfortunately strong scent of burnt match to this wine, so much so that it can be tasted as well. Oversulfured though it may be, it's a delicious bottle, with ripe, round fruit, made in a big, balanced style and enhanced with generous new oak. Air it out!
This wine is packed with bright tropical fruit and citrus aromas and flavors, yet stays balanced and spritely through the long, citrusy finish. It's easy to like and easy to drink.
Toasty and oaky, but in a warm and lovable way, all underpinned by lean citrusy fruit that helps maintain a sense of balance and proportion. There's even a bit of crème brûlée thrown into the mix. Finishes smoothly, with nary a rough edge. Best Buy.
With its high-toned, herbal and toasty style that sets it apart from the crowd, this distinctive Chardonnay may not be to everyone's taste. Shows lots of oak and powdered dry spices on the finish to accent the custardy-lemony fruit. Should age well and might surprise you in five years.
A pleasant, mild-bodied wine that shows pretty citrus, melon and apple notes at itscore. A fresh, lemony edge on the finish is clean and bright. Best Buy.
With its rich fruit, this is an immediately attractive wine. It shows the ripeness of the year in Saumur, bringing together apricot and cantaloupe melon flavors, the acidity a necessary and balancing adjunct to the full-bodied texture. Drink now, or age for 2–3 years.
This wine reeks of intensity, from its powerful aromas of musk and dried pineapple to its somewhat monolithic honeyed fruit flavors and enormous sugar levels. It's impressively concentrated—enough to stand up to almost any dessert you choose to throw at it.
This is a rather sweet auslese, but the sugars are balanced by crisp acids, which impart backbone to the wine. They form a solid spine from which the opulent flavors of superripe pineapple and honeyed citrus are suspended. Finishes with verve and a flourish of crushed-stone minerality.
This wine boasts a heavy wooden overlay, but the final result is a full-bodied, lushly textured Shiraz powered by caramel, vanilla, leather, cedar and baking spices. There's sufficient length and tannin on the finish to think it might even improve over the next 10 years or so.
Water Wheel's 2005 Shiraz is a full-bodied, creamy-textured effort filled with the scents and flavors of dark plums, vanilla and coffee. It's delicious now, but should evolve through 2020, thanks to its concentrated fruit and ample tannins.
Featuring tobacco, cassis and lesser quantities of mint and cocoa, d'Arenberg's The High Trellis Cabernet is a full-bodied wine that offers plenty of flavor interest and depth at a reasonable price. It does show some slightly chewy, dusty tannins on the finish, but the fruit ultimately wins through, suggesting it will be at its best from 2010–2020.
Made from vines planted in 1965, David Hill's estate Riesling is aromatic and textural, with an interesting, nuanced character that brings apples, peaches, pears and passion fruit flavors in profusion. Despite 1.8% residual sugar, it has plenty of acid and alcohol, finishing with a creamy, lemony fade.
Shows true Priorat depth and minerality while pouring on the new oak, char and polish. The mouth is ripe and saturated, with intense raspberry, plum and vanilla flavors. Extremely firm and structured, with a hint of bitter chocolate and burnt character. Drink now through 2014. Imported by National Distributing Co., Inc.
The price on this high-flying Rioja continues to go through the roof, and so does the oak and tannin. And while we still appreciate the wine's intensity and power, this vintage pushes so much espresso, burnt nut and rubber that it probably won't impress all comers. In the mouth, look for dark, almost bitter black-fruit flavors followed by a firm, tannic finish. Needs time in the cellar to find more integration. Hold for another year before checking on its status.
This is a little slow out of the gate, starting off with some rather cabbage-like aromas. Over time, the odors evolve toward smoke and ash, and, finally, into a complex, cedary aroma. The flavors of this medium-bodied blend (80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, 8% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot) feature blackberry and cassis, but also fold in hints of smoked meat and vanilla before finishing crisp and long. This really evolves and improves in the glass, suggesting 10-plus years of potential longevity.
Herbal notes mingle with aromas of kirsch, violet, tobacco and tanned hide. Sweet spice and pepper unfold on the palate, integrating seamlessly with the black fruit flavors. The structure is firm but not too tough or unapproachable now, with medium acidity and a long, lingering finish.
Jaboulet's basic Crozes is a good value in '07, offering complex aromas of smoke, plum, black olive, horse sweat and cracked pepper framed by slightly coarse tannins. Turns firm on the finish, yet remains mouthwatering. Drink now–2017.
Certainly rich, but also finely structured, it keeps its exuberant fruit firmly in check with dry tannins, dense texture and a fresh edge of acidity. With this structure, this is a great, rich, meat-friendly wine.
Salmon pink in color, a wine that is soft and smooth with rich fruits, vanilla and some concentration. It is balanced with acidity while keeping the ripe fruit right to the fore.
This wine's dried spices, dusty earth and bright cherries exemplify some of the southern Rhône wines' most charming attributes. It's medium-bodied, with supple tannins and a lingering finish. Drink now–2015; it doesn't look to have the structure for aging.
Based on Cercial, here is a rounded, smooth wine with a delicious perfume. Warm, ripe and delicious, this shows wood hints, peaches and green herbs. Keep for a year.
Licorice and dark chocolate flavors emerge with firm tannins cutting through the balanced fruit and acidity. Flavors are also of black cherry, damson and perhaps mineral. The wine needs decanting.
This sensational blend of 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 20% Carignan and 5% Cinsault displays knockout aromas of black cherry and cassis alongside asphalt and black olive. It's an intense and compelling mix of fruity and savory, with a long, mouthwatering finish.
Though lightly ripened, with alcohol at 13.5% and flavors keeping to the yellow-green fruit spectrum, the use of oak barrels for both fermentation and aging adds pleasing layers of butter and caramel. It's a French style, with a welcoming elegance.
A full, rounded wine, very much a rosé for food. It is bone dry in character, although the berry fruitiness gives the wine an attractive open feel. With its firm texture, it could age a year.
The wine is ripe and rounded, full of red cherry and raspberry flavors. It has weight and enough richness while not losing its acidity.
A dramatic dose of smoky, toasty oak in both the aroma and the flavor give a showy, spicy personality to this full-bodied, deeply colored wine. It adds mouth-filling blackberry and blueberry flavors, braced by firm tannins.
Two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Merlot, this wine conveys brooding aromas, with notes of dark cherry, herb, anise, toast and gun smoke. The palate has restrained dark-fruit flavors that possess a silky feel.
Smoke and bramble on the nose contrast with the kaldeidscope of fresh green melon, stone fruit and citrus flavors in this delicately sweet wine. It's juicy and light-footed, balanced with zesty acidity. The finish lingers on a slightly sugary note.
Reserved on the nose, this Cabernet shows aromas of forest floor, spice and root beer along with herbal berry fruits. A blocky rubbery round palate houses a mix of herbal berry and prune flavors, while this is earthy and showing a bit of oxidation on the finish.
Winemaker Colin Murphy is in the midst of focusing on the health of this property's many old Cabernet vines, but this makes for a very promising starting point. A powerful black licorice aroma meets elderberry, volcanic rock, dill and olive on the nose while the palate combines dark red fruit with strong acidity and a solid tannic structure.
Fresh notes of green Conference pear are edged with citrus freshness. The palate shows the same restrained fruit and has a lovely bitter edge that lends texture and shape. Freshness pervades. The finish is just about still dry.
Big, ripe and a touch earthy, this wine embraces dried fruit flavors, full body, firm tannins and broad, mouth-filling texture. Dried plum and black cherry flavors follow toasty, oaky, new leather aromas.
Very fruity in flavor and smooth in texture, this Rhône-style blend of 67% Grenache with Mourvèdre and Syrah is easy to enjoy. It is full-bodied, feels rich and mouth-filling on the palate and remains light in tannins and acidity.
Delicately scented, this offers subtle aromas of beeswax, yellow stone fruit, Spanish broom and a whiff of Mediterranean scrub. The vibrant elegant palate doles out yellow apple, nectarine and candied lemon drop alongside bright acidity. A savory saline note lingers on the finish.
Pale salmon in color, this Brut Nature leads with clean, stony aromas that are more neutral than expressive. It's fresh, crisp and tight on the palate, with light, dry currant and raspberry flavors that feel clean on the finish.
Earthy, chalky aromas and dry, savory flavors take the lead in this engaging, light-bodied wine, while any fruitiness is quite subtle. It's interesting and unusual in style, yet should pair nicely with appetizers and seafood due to its bracing acidity.
Crisp, cutting pineapple and lemon acidity lends raciness this otherwise sunny kabinett full of sweet honeydew, apricot and peach flavors. It's a sprightly, briskly balanced wine with an easy-drinking, approachable feel. Drink now through 2020 to enjoy its freshness.
Pristine tangerine, cantaloupe and lime flavors are refreshing and tart in this delicately concentrated, dry wine. Briskly composed, it's approachable and fresh, with just a hint of earthiness on the finish.
This wine is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Petit Verdot. Aromas are exuberant, with notes of dark cherries and raspberries along with soil, anise, savory herbs and light barrel accents. The palate is surprisingly restrained in style, with the fruit expression and oak dialed back. A core of acidity keeps the interest high.
Beeswax, orchard fruit and white stone-fruit aromas meld together in the glass. The rounded palate offers yellow peach, lemon drop and white almond alongside bright acidity. It closes on a tangy citrus note.
The wood is showing strongly in this young wine. But then so is the bold ripe black fruit. Put the two together as they integrate and this will be a rich full wine with juicy acidity as well as plenty of spice. Drink from 2018.
Made with Friulano, Chardonnay and Sauvignon, this offers aromas of white flower, tropical fruit, tomato leaf and citrus. The bright linear palate offers yellow peach, candied lemon zest and dried herb alongside tangy acidity.
This cuvée offers a mix of blue and purple fruits, with a forward grape-candy-character dominant. It's fruity and drinking nicely, but lacks the stuffing to improve much further with age.
This red blend is comprised of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. It has aromas of perfumed violet talc and red raspberry. Flavors of cherry vanilla and tart pomegranate partner with fine tannins, finishing with a nice splash of fruit acidity.
Despite showing reduced black plum and blackberry aromas, this displays grippy tannins and tension on the palate. Its blackberry and boysenberry flavors are lush, and the oak is mild and integrated on the finish.
The Hunter's almost tropical climate shows in this wine's aromas and flavors of roasted cashews, grilled peaches and superripe tangerines. It's medium in body heading towards full, but silky in feel and with mouthwatering grilled notes on the finish. Drink now.
This wine's tangy raspberry and cherry fruit is front and center, with a vein of rich chocolate underneath. Dominated by acidity now, with oak and tannin components not fully integrated, it clearly needs more time to pull itself together and should reward further bottle age.
This is a delicious and textured wine. It has great swathes of crisp citrus and gooseberry fruits that are bright and still young. Drink this steely flinty wine from 2018.
This is the entry-level wine from this producer. Following the vintage, it is rich, juicy with white fruits as well as citrus and already refreshing. There is an attractive bite of minerality at the end. Drink now.
Made entirely from Nero d'Avola, this opens with ripe dark-skinned berry, exotic spice and blue flower scents. The straightforward, juicy palate delivers fleshy black cherry, blackberry and white pepper notes alongside firm, refined tannins. Enjoy through 2019.
This wine is firm and taut. Cassis, mulberry and blueberry fruit finishes with some dusty tannins and crisp acids. Drink now–2022.
This Syrah opens with black-skinned fruit, tilled soil and cooking spice aromas. It's soft and dense on the palate, offering ripe black currant, vanilla and black pepper flavors hemmed in with velvety tannins. Drink through 2021.
This single-vineyard wine has benefited from the warmth of 2015. It is rich, full bodied and veering towards tropical fruits. There is a contrast with the steely texture that keeps crispness in the wine. It is now balanced and ready to drink.
The wine is ripe and opulent. It has a soft texture that is filled out by the rich peach and creamed-pear flavors. With just the right acidity and flinty texture to balance this fruit, the wine is now ready to drink.
With six months in wood, this wine shows a strongly spicy character that gives a toast taste. The fruit is still developing, although it shows promise with its rich tannins and black-currant flavors. Wait until 2018 before drinking to let it live up to its potential.
Made from 60% Nero d'Avola, 30% Alicante and 10% Nocera, this offers tobacco, violet and black cherry aromas. The savory palate delivers mature blackberry, carob and black pepper flavors alongside velvety tannins and fresh acidity. Enjoy through 2021.
This structured wine shows firm tannins as well as plenty of black fruit. At the same time, it has a sense of balance and elegance, as well as crispness that counteracts the ripe, juicy fruit. The wine is ready to drink.
Rooty, earthy berry aromas include a hint of clove. This feels full and chewy, with broad shoulders and firm tannins. Herbal blackberry flavors come with tea and spice notes. It is stocky and woody on a finish that tastes like campfire smoke.
Black-fruit aromas come with notes of fresh-cut grass, rose petal and berry jam. The mouthfeel is creamy and sticky, with modest acidity. Ripe, rich flavors of berry fruits, cocoa and caramel finish jammy. Drink this tasty, saturated, soft-bodied Malbec through 2018.
Concentrated lavender and incense aromas make for a woody perfume on the nose of this appellation blend, giving lots of character to the core of cherry syrup. The palate shows the same levels of intense incense and purple flowers, which nearly overpowers the cranberry and pomegranate fruits.
This straw-colored dry Furmint has lemon zest, green apple and tropical mango aromas. Its apple, pear and peach flavors are inflected with a nice level of minerality. The finish is soft yet zesty.
The wine is ripe, full of black-cherry fruits and with a substantial tannic core. At the same time, it does have the lighter style normally associated with red Pinot Noir. The aftertaste is ripe, fruity and rich with fruit. Drink from 2018.
This structured wine is firm, with still-young tannins. Perfumed black fruits—a blend of Castelão, Alicante Bouschet and Touriga Nacional—are crisp, with plenty of acidity. With its dry core, the wine will age further. Drink from 2018.
This mint and red-berry-flavored wine is still firm with tannins. The juicy black-currant character is lifted by acidity, but the dry core is persistent and likely to remain. Drink now.
Honeysuckle perfume introduces this fragrant fresh Riesling. A shade off dry on the palate, it balances spine-tingling lemon and tangerine flavors against earthier notes of wax and crushed minerals. Drink now through 2019.
The nose is full of baking spices, cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as blackberry and black currant, with a peppery note lingering under it all. The tannins are taut, with ample acidity lifting the spicy palate. Fruit notes of black plum and black currant meld with raw tobacco leaf. The tannins linger on the finish, with plenty of dark fruit and spice.
Earthy sage and black licorice invite one into this dark brooding expression of the grape, defined in exotic blackberry, black cherry and smoke. Medium bodied and softly smooth, it impresses in its brush with the dark side.
One year of wood aging has given this wine its toasty character. It is balanced with the red-cherry fruit and acidity. Named after the constable who controlled the castle of Sancerre in the Middle Ages, the wine is dense with tannins as well as the fruit. It should be ready to drink, although it does seem on the dry side.
Part of the limited edition Vineyard Designate series, this is a medium-bodied, rather blocky wine. It delivers cherry fruit and a touch of chocolate from aging a year in 30% new French oak but doesn't have the complexity of some of the other wines in this series.
Quite light in the glass, this bottling by James Sparks of Liquid Farm fame shows cherry, hibiscus, cola and a touch of garrigue on the delicate nose. There is a noticeable tannic structure to the sip, where red-cherry and rose-petal flavors are quite mellow, refreshing and very quaffable. Time may add more complexity, but it's fun and lively now.
Light, fruity and juicy, this is a soft cherry-flavored wine. It has attractive acidity that lifts the warm fruitiness and gives the wine its characteristic perfumed aftertaste. Drink now.
This is a pretty and floral rosé, with attractive notes of strawberry, red cherry, sweet pea and white clover. The light-weight palate offers vibrant notes of red currant and lime peel that carry through to the bright and refreshing finish. Drink now.
This is a light, focused and cleanly refreshing white, stainless-steel fermented and aged to retain zesty acidity and lingering traces of lemon and lime. It finishes with tartness on the palate.
The flavors of this full-bodied wine are ripe and the texture soft, so it gives a feeling of being broad and relaxed on the palate. Aromas recall cola and dark berries, and the flavors resemble stewed cherries.
Dried black cherries, vanilla and a touch of roasted meat show on the rich, luscious and fruity nose of this bargain bottling. The palate is juicy with black cherry and milk-chocolate flavors that lean a little bit sweet.
Light and clear in color this wine is somewhat simple on the palate and marked by the presence of oak. Light bodied, it has flavors of baked bread and strawberry jam that get along well before a wave of vanilla lingers on the finish.
The wine is dry, and firm with tannins still masking the fruit. With its dark coffee flavor it has been heavily extracted and this needs to soften before the wine will be ready. Look for the berry fruits and acidity as the wine ages. Drink from 2017.
This Syrah-based rosé leads with a fruity mélange of aromas: watermelon, peach, white cherry and a touch of banana. The palate offers more of the same alongside additional notes of mango and tart currant. It's light weight and easy drinking, with ample acidity and a subtle peppery spice to the close. Drink now.
With a buttered popcorn aroma and butterscotch flavors, this wine is flashy with oak character. Soft in texture, it's low in acidity and full in body.
A tarry, asphalt character shows on this bottling of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, as well as oregano and dark but slightly sour berries. The palate offers charred cherries and charcoal notes, yet the mouthfeel and structure are relatively light.
Produced from a 40-year-old densely planted vineyard this wine is the epitome of crisp, light and fruity Beaujolais. Cherries and a touch of spice are cut with acidity. The structure is light, just right for such a lively wine from Xavier and Nicolas Barbet.
Mildly snappy nettle, passion fruit and tangerine aromas are a nice entry to this spunky but basic SB. Lime and tarragon flavors quickly fall off on a light finish.
Unfiltered, this is an invitingly earthy wine, marked by truffle and forest, with a generous concentration of black cherry that's impacted quite a bit by oak. Velvety smooth, it's substantial on the palate.
Notes of grass, lime leaf and garrigue herbs lead the bouquet of this attractive wine, supported by fruity tones of white melon, green plum and citrus peel. The medium-weight mouthfeel is countered by ample acidity and pithy flavors that finish slightly astringent. Drink now.
Aromas of white cherry and strawberry lead the nose of this wine, with hints of peach and honeydew that lend richness. A mentholated thread adds interest to the palate, alongside a soft astringency that couples with notes of melon rind and citrus peel on the finish.
Slightly oxidized on the nose, this is low on fruit aromas but not unappealing. A plump palate offers flavors of corn, banana and melon. Firm acidity keeps this pumping on the finish.
This soft and lightly spicy wine has big fruit flavors, a veneer of sweet oak and a plush texture. It's easy to smell and taste the ripe cherry and strawberry accents.
This is a firm and structured wine that is not yet ready to drink. With surprising tannins and a tight texture, it needs time for the fruit to come through. Drink starting from 2017.
The wine is soft, and full of fruit with attractive spicy black currant flavors. Dominated by the rounded Tinta Roriz, it is an easy wine to drink young.
Leafy aromas of tomato and plum come with a blanket of coffee and mocha. This has a balanced mouthfeel and rooty, peppery, oaky flavors that outweigh the wine's fruit. A finish with flavors of plum, spice and pepper is fitting.
This wine has faint floral aromas and a note of the tropical, built around an unfussy core of caramelized oak that manifests as crème brûlée.
Scorched earth, dry underbrush and chopped aromatic herb aromas lift out of the glass. The lean palate is rather evolved, showing dried cherry, espresso and a hint of anise alongside fine-grained tannins.
Bready and yeasty smelling upfront, this feels round but also dry on the palate. Briny, pickled, yeasty flavors lead way to a salty finish. Quickly dissipating bubbles render it more of a demi-sec.
Forest floor, aromatic herb, moist soil and blue flower aromas take the lead. The simple, light-bodied palate starts off with juicy sour cherry, a hint of clove and a green note of sage, but it falls apart quickly, leaving brisk acidity fleeting tannins.
Herbal aromas of cherry and currant are a touch grassy. This feels lean, racy and fresh, with spicy plum, berry and tomato flavors. Toasty oak notes rise up on the finish, which shows a note of chocolate as well as some heat.
This fruity red wine is one of Portugal's best sellers. Along with its red fruit and attractive acidity it is soft with just an edge of tannins. Drink this young wine now.
Lightly green aromas of herbal red plum and cinnamon lead to a hard, closed, edgy palate. Minimal red-fruit flavors are herbal and finish scratchy, tannic and raw.
Pale onion skin in color, this is a soft fruity wine. It has attractive red-fruit flavors and light acidity. With a salty tang as well as some minerality, the wine is crisp and fruity right to the end.
Sturdy in texture and a bit earthy in flavor, this medium-bodied wine has aromas like raspberries, core flavors like red cherries and a sense of good maturity for drinking now.
The immediate impression you get is of strong menthol aromas, followed long after by supporting fruit flavors of blackberry and cherry. The minty sensation also carries through to the mouth, but a touch of fruitcake spice adds something different to the finish. Smooth and approachable now.
There's a lot of earthy spice character to this wine, as assertive aromas of purple florals, whole cinnamon stick, nutmeg and clove are supported by a frame of small forest berries. Medium weight and round on the palate with a mulled boysenberry-flavored finish.
Lake County remains a serious place for Cabernet Sauvignon and Six Sigma is one of its better Cab practitioners. This 2007 version all rich and yeasty baked bread until it delves into black olive, dark plum and black tea flavors, finished by caramel and vanilla, all in all a refreshingly light touch.
Sweet pure fruit, starring grapefruit flavors, is rounded with a more creamy character, and additional flavors of pear and fresh sliced melon, finished with pepper.
On one hand this is a bulldozer blend that's all about black fruit and heft. On the other, it's fun, fruity and generous, with plump tannins and a luscious mouthfeel. Flavors of blackberry are dark, oaky and spicy, while the finish is regular in feel and toasty. A ripe, big, friendly blend of 70% Malbec with Tempranillo, Syrah and Petit Verdot.
Fleshy peach, spice and citrus lead on this fresh, fun white from Cyprus, which displays good balance of refreshing summer fruit and minerals with an underpinning of honeyed softness. Versatile and easygoing, this will pair well with grilled fish and poultry.
Delicate mint aromas play alongside notes of bittersweet cocoa powder, dried blackberry and date. Mouth-coating tannins provide a firm structure to the medium-weight mouth, while a touch of black pepper spice remains after swallow.
Another nice effort from McGrail, a Cab from their estate vineyards that shows dark plum, vanilla and tobacco and a soft roundness, all around its tannins crying out for red meat.
With layers of honeyed botrytis, this is an open, generous sweet wine. Melon and creamed apple give a fresher side to what is a seductively opulent wine.
A nice and easy Chenin Blanc that's also a terrific value, this white offers bright notes of ripe red apple flesh and lime rind followed by a touch of woody spice on the close. Medium weight with good cut and freshness; drink now.
This young wine may need more time to reveal itself; though Resonance is proven as a top vineyard, here it seems shuttered and not yet woven together. Tart berry and cherry fruit turns sour in the finish, and does not display the power and depth of which it is capable.
A nice flinty accent graces the ripe peach and sweet citrus aromas, while flavors of honeydew are lifted by a good acidic streak in the mouth. Refreshing and balanced with a mouthwatering close; drink now.
A wine that is beginning to show its age, with yeast and toast dominating the fresh acidity and the broad, creamy character. It has a light texture, with a bite of steel to give the wine a final shape.
Light in style and low in price and alcohol, this Chard is tropical and slightly sweet, perfect for your next-door neighbor or tippler aunt who doesn't often drink wine. For more experienced wine drinkers, the sweet doesn't overextend its welcome. Fine for weeknight roast chicken or pasta salad.
Rubbery, bold and earthy on the nose, then full and sticky in the mouth, with sweet black fruit flavors. Tastes more like a Bordeaux red wine than textbook Pinot Noir courtesy of heavy extraction, darkness and oak. Tastes good but could use a lesson in elegance and restraint.
Sweet vanilla mingles with ripe cherries and plums on the nose and palate of this supple, soft Long Island Merlot. Bright acidity and a hint of green, leafy herbs add freshness on the palate. Finishes on a slightly grippy, tannic note.
While soft on entry with slightly pulpy, sweet plum flavors, this Cab Franc gains intensity on the midpalate as spicy bramble notes and soft tannins accumulate. Approachable in style, it's a pleasant everyday red with just a hint of leafy green on the finish.
This is an easy-drinking Faugères with lively accents of thyme and crushed purple florals to the ripe red fruit core. The mouth is vibrant and mouthwatering with strong acidity and a clean but somewhat tart finish. Drink now.
Savory notes of soy sauce and yeast extract add richness and umami to the sweet, cooked plum and cherry flavors on this Finger Lakes Pinot. A bit rustic with hints of smoked meat and leather, it's an ideal accompaniment to winter stews and braises.
Opens on the scratchy side but settles into true Pinot country with some airing. Chunky and full in the mouth, with round berry flavors and leafy, herbal spice notes. Just juicy and fresh enough on the finish, with additional spice and some burn.
Mossy, furry, leafy black fruit aromas are a reasonably good opening. Feels upright and alert, with bright acidity. Flavors of plum and berry blend with chocolate, herbs and spice in front of a grabby, slightly clacky finish.
There's no hiding the 24 months in French oak this Zin spent after growing up in an organic and dry-farmed vineyard. Medium to heavyweight it's all about ripe strawberry and blackberry, sweet to the point of being in a pie, rounded out by graham cracker and a fine fruit liqueur.
Jammy black fruit aromas aren't specific or elevated but they work to draw you in. Feels regular, with blackberry, black currant and dark cherry flavors that don't rise above normal. Finishes with cola and straightforward feel and length.
Initially, this Canary Islands rosado smells like a sweaty gym or a backpacker in need of a shower—it's that funky. In the mouth, it smacks down hard. Short, vegetal flavors turn bitter prior to a finish that tastes more like bitter greens than fruit.
Mediumsalmon colored and lightly bricked, it's aromatic with notes of strawberry, orange peel and brown sugar. The smoky flavors bring a touch of sugar with the alcohol showing prominently.
Wilting white flowers, tangerine and jasmine aromas are followed by light but sweet fruit flavors, with the sugar providing much of the appeal.
Pale salmon color and slightly bricked, this wine displays aromas of geranium, dried herbs and strawberry. It drinks off dry, with lightly spritzy herb flavors.
An unclean nose smells cheesy. This is flabby and flat, with no acidity. Thus the flavors are sugary and soft, with no spunk. Overall, this struggles to keep up with what's on the market.
This wine is dominated by Touriga Nacional, which offers a backbone of dark tannins that gives it a firm structure and will allow it to age for many years. Produced in open stone lagares, it has richness and impressive opulence in black fruit tones that are cut by juicy acidity. Drink from 2022.
Gorgeous from head to toe, this saturated Toro heavyweight sets a new bar for this winery and the region as a whole. Ribald blackberry aromas are toasty and carry a strong note of crushed stones. Cassis, black plum and blackberry flavors are complex and inspired, while the finish tastes of chocolaty oak, blackened toast and a black-fruit potpourri supported by just the right amount of acidity. Drink from 2017–2030.
One look, one whiff, one taste and you're swooning. This mature, tawny, ready-to-drink gran reserva with aromas of lemon peel, cedar and dried cherry is the epitome of elegance. A juicy, supple palate is highly approachable, while flavors of vanilla, orange peel, saffron and dried plum don't waver on the finish. Drink through 2027.
A wondrous bottling of delicately handled, incredibly complex wine, this bottling shows tangy cranberry, black raspberry, butter cookie, wet sage, rosemary, menthol and green peppercorn on the nose. Once sipped, the soft, savory yet amply fruited palate shows plum, fig and mulberry that are seasoned with pencil shavings, graphite, incense and sandalwood.
This full-bodied, muscular Shiraz is built for the ages. Baking spices and plummy fruit form a concentrated, nearly impenetrable wall on the nose, while the palate is nearly dense enough to stand a fork in. Despite all that, it's not overly heavy or fudge-like, instead offering tremendous poise, purity and length. Drink 2020–2030, and likely then some.
Subtle smoke hovers above earthy notes and the nose only holds the faintest suggestion of citrus. The palate comes forth with a vivid, leafy purity that suggests herbs, freshly turned earth and pure, lifted citrus. All we get right now are the flavors hovering above the core which is still firmly closed. A wealth of apple and citrus fruit is evoked which will awake with time, this is too young to be opened. Don't touch before 2018 and then drink until 2030 or even beyond. This is dry, delicate and yet powerful with a supremely clean finish.
The pure, delicate but ever so authentic scent of fragrant Muscat grapes rises from the glass. The palate is a joy: a feather-light, fragrant but intense experience of pure Muscat flavor. There is the textural tinge of lemon freshness and the uncompromising notion of stone on a dry, sprightly and utterly disarming palate of immense purity. What we are left with is a notion of fragrance and stone.
Faint notes of ripe pear are only hinted at on the nose but on the dry palate they open up into pure, textured, precisely drawn fruit. There is concentration and a heady, seductive lemon and pear perfume hovering over the concentrated, profound palate of wet stone and immensely pure lemon oil. This comes on light, delicate feet but leaves you with a deep, lasting and impressive memory of Riesling purity and elegance.
Very faint notes of mandarine and earth emanate from this delicate, closed wine. All the flavors are subdued and delicate with flinty smoke making an appearance here and there. All of this suggests that this is far too young to be approached: the structure, however, suggests delicacy and balance, tender flavors of linearity and precision. Smoke and salt characterize the long finish. Drink 2019–2035.
Everything about this stately Ribera heavyweight impresses. The nose is outright oaky, so expect derivative aromas of toast, clove, cinnamon and spice to go with black-fruit scents. This remains firm, tannic and tightly wrapped, with massive blackberry, chocolate and toast flavors. Peppery spice, brooding mixed-berry flavors and mouth-coating tannins endow a finish that signals that this has many good years ahead of it. Drink from 2018–2032.
Lightly rusty in color, this outstanding gran reserva is just now entering its golden years, which should endure for another two decades or so. Aromas of raisin, malt, tobacco and cedar are beautiful. This is tight and sinewy in feel, with rooty, creamy, classic Rioja flavors of vanilla, tobacco and dried red fruits. A lasting, stout finish isn't breaking down at all; drink through 2040.
A single-barrel reserve, this wine is compact and concentrated—a perfectly melded blend of fruit, barrel and acidity. It's a refined, beautifully polished wine, with just a touch of butterscotch wrapped into the finish. Drink now through 2030. If enjoyed soon, give it some time in the decanter to open up.
Perhaps the best young wine I've tasted from Margaret River, this makes a compelling case for the region's Cabernet. Pure cassis fruit is lifted and framed by hints of toasted cedar, making for soaring aromatics and flavors, but what sets this wine apart is the tender, silky texture married to ample weight and richness. The finish lingers, with a supple, dreamy character that speaks to a gentle climate and careful winemaking. Drink now–2030.
Like its big brother Alabaster, this is a superb Tinta de Toro that's powerfully built but also stylish. Aromas of cassis and blackberry are dark, malty and chocolaty. Flavors of burnt toast, dark chocolate, black peppercorn and blackberry end with a tannic yet balanced swirl of licorice and minerally complexity. Drink from 2017–2030.
A heady and lifted nose suggests healing herbs steeped in honey. The palate is rich and unctuous but fresh with the lemon peel, herb and clear honey notes that were already present on the nose. The balance between luscious and tart is on a knife's edge and all the more thrilling for it. The flavors last and last—not in sweetness but in utter, gloried freshness. Drink 2016–2040.
This is a field blend from the steep Quinta da Foz vineyard at the mouth of the Pinhão River. Aged from two years in new wood, this impressive, structured wine is just setting out on its aging process. Big tannins and big fruit are all there, packed into dense tannins and a mineral texture. It will age well, don't drink before 2019.
A hugely structured and powerful wine, this wine comes from old vines at Herdade do Espoão's Douro vineyard. It is rich in black fruits and firm tannins and is still young. There is strength and virility in this sinewy wine with its dark structure and density. Drink this impressive wine from 2020.
The purity of juicy, tart, red apples runs like a fault line through a very taut, linear, whistle-clean Riesling. This has purity and precision, linearity and drive. Still tightly wound, this needs time to unfold but promises to be a wine of great longevity and expression. Resolutely dry, the purity and concentration of flavors will always remain. Drink 2018–2030.
This is wonderfully complex and aromatic, with scents ranging from baking spices and savory beef to mixed berries. That swirl of seeming contradictions continues on the palate, backed by luxurious, supple tannins that linger softly on the finish. Drink now–2025.
A standout among an excellent lineup of 2014 grosses gewächs from Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, this gorgeously textured wine is as light as a feather, yet with a distinctly luscious cling. Dry but pentratingly fruity, it contrasts ripe peach and grapefruit flavors against laser-sharp edges of acidity and minerality. Drinks beautifully now but should continue to please well into the next decade.
Very enticing but ever so ethereal notes of tropical fruit are hinted at: yellow and pink grapefruit, passion fruit and even some pineapple. The palate is still in thrall to all the primary citrus notes but holds promise of stone and riper fruit. This is taut, elegant, concentrated, dry and whistle-clean. Like a superlative sports car waiting to be sped around a race track. This spells raciness, subtle power and linearity. What a super-clean finish. Drink 2020–2035.
Tasted five years after bottling, this profoundly elegant spätlese exhibits a minerality that penetrates through layers of fruit and honey. Struck flint and slate offer dark counterpoints to a lush, creamy palate full of ripe tangerine and apple marmalade flavors. It's a penetrating, deftly balanced wine that's both stimulating and thought-provoking. Drink now through 2021.
Bright raspberry and strawberry flavors kick off this well-balanced effort. It's buoyed by ample natural acidity and adorned with highlights of pastry and baking spices. It expands gracefully as it breathes, adding volume and density. Give this extra cellar time. It should drink best from 2018–2030.
The nose is heady and fragrant, edged with dried chamomile and hay flowers and subdued honey. Underneath that is a notion of sweet, luscious apricot compote. With time, there are the most subtle notes of enticing pine resin and fir honey—lit and illuminated all the way by the purest and most concentrated of lemon acidity. A triumph of balance and richness.
A promising touch of reduction still plays on the nose, riding above ripe notions of redcurrant and red cherry. The palate is ripe, mellow and smooth, showing rounded berry notes and a gentle structure supported by spicy freshness. Oak is beautifully integrated and nothing is overdone. The ripeness of the vintage is evident, but it is on the finish that this shows its true colors: a good structure and lasting freshness.
In addition to the blackberry base, minty herbs, leather and turned loam on the nose, this bottling offers a strong woody character, with cedar, sandalwood and pine needle aromas. The very dry black-currant fruit is awash in flavors of dill, savory black pepper and black olive. Tannins are sticky but not overly aggressive.
New leather, ripe woodland berry, aromatic herb and a balsamic whiff of menthol are some of the aromas you'll find on this full-bodied red. The savory structured palate offers dried Marasca cherry, strawberry compote, cinnamon and pipe tobacco set against a firm backbone of fine-grained tannins. A sage note wraps up the finish. Drink 2019–2031.
Aromas of wild berry, crushed aromatic herb and a whiff of dark spice slowly take shape in the glass. On the firm linear palate, tight youthfully austere tannins support tart sour cherry, cranberry, anise and freshly ground clove. This still needs a few years to fully open and develop. Drink 2022–2032.
This 50-50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah comes from adjacent blocks planted in 2002. It was aged in new French oak for 42 months, so the nose delivers rich aromas of sugar plum, gingerbread spice and black-cherry syrup. The palate is quite dry, with a dark-chocolate bitterness, woody juniper flavors and firm, structured tannins that give depth to the black-plum core and vanilla-pie-crust touch on the finish.
This bottling's deeply layered nose shows black plum, blackberry, vanilla and licorice aromas. The impressive palate starts with rich baked-blueberry flavors before clove and dried ginger spices arrive to provide depth. The tannins are firm but not in the way.
Rich and concentrated, this vineyard-designate is in its third year of bottling, the site farmed by the Martinelli family for this producer. Crisp green apple, salty brine and integrated oak all play a part in its delicious attraction, remaining vibrant through the lengthy, spicy finish.
This wine is a unique blend of Grenache (63%), Syrah (19%) and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of raspberry, garigue, blueberry and herb give way to palate-coating red and blue-fruit flavors that persist on the finish. It shows a lovely sense of balance, poise and polish.
Big but polished, this full-bodied wine almost bursts with dark berry and bittersweet-chocolate flavors that are laced with lighter, spicier oak nuances. It tames the overtly tannic grape variety and shapes it into a bold and very appealing style.
This full-bodied wine blends rich fruit flavors and abundant fine-grained tannins for a velvety texture that propels the cherry and blackberry flavors to a lingering finish. Made from an estate vineyard planted with four clones, it has excellent balance.
Bright raspberry aromas are cut by a slightly funky touch of composting violets, dried bay leaf and animal hide on this deeply layered bottling from the legendary producer. The palate is equally complex, with mulberry, tangy cranberry, juniper and earthy mushrooms. It offers a great experience for the price.
Aromas of ripe berry, exotic spice, menthol and underbrush slowly take shape in the glass. It's full-bodied, offering raspberry jam, crushed herb and star anise set against fine-grained tannins. Drink 2019–2026.
Leather, tobacco and mocha combine effortlessly in this medium-bodied wine, a juicy, broad expression of the variety that drinks well. Black cherry and currant fruit flavors integrate into the quiet oak.
Light in color, Q is the winery's second vintage of a single-vineyard, single-clone expression of the variety. Concentrated in dark-cherry flavor, it's soft and silky on the palate, with an undercurrent of smoky oak and cedar.
An attractive mix of spiced plum, fresh tomato, herb, tobacco and vanilla aromas are the intro to this excellent wine from a not-good vintage. The palate is creamy but vital, with roasted plum, integrated oak and savory flavors. A smooth but intense finish brings this home. Drink through 2019.
This opens with aromas of pressed rose petal, underbrush, truffle, white pepper and leather. The already approachable palate delivers juicy black cherry, cooking spice and licorice. Drink through 2022.
Although it effectively disappeared from Bordeaux after phylloxera, Malbec hung on in Blaye on the north side of the Gironde Estuary. This wine, part of a single-parcel (lieu dit in French) single-varietal range, is richly structured and powerfully dense. It has great tannins and also bold ripe black fruits. Drink this concentrated wine from 2020.
Red plum, dark cranberry, composting rose petals, dried ginger and earthy mushrooms show on the slightly funky, slightly sweet nose of this bottling. The palate begins with a sour plum skin and tart raspberry kick, then leads into a core with hints of pine needle, juniper and turned loam.
Restrained mulberry aromas interweave with scents of turned soil, white pepper and clove on the earthy nose of this bottling. The sip starts with a pleasing softness but quickly grows deeper and more weighty with luxurious tannins, showing hearty red cherry and dried fennel flavors.
Intriguing aromas of saltwater taffy, churned butter, lemon drop and cotton candy show on the dairy-powered nose of this bottling of the historic vineyard by the Duckhorn-related producer. Lemon cream and white-peach flavors show on the sip, where a strong salty character cuts through.
Very smooth and flavorful, this full-bodied wine pairs excellent concentration of dark-fruit flavors with subtle accents of both dark and milk chocolate. Classic varietal cues of black olive, black cherry and a faint hint of rosemary make it complex and interesting to taste. The mouthfeel strikes a good balance between firm, fine-grained tannins and a posh richness that helps the finish linger. Best after 2024.
Although not labeled as such, this is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. Aromas of dried herb, black currant, pipe tobacco, cassis, black licorice and blackberry pie give way to pitch-black tightly wound fruit flavors. It shows exquisite concentration and richness, with enough acid and tannin to go the distance.
After many years of singing the praises of Muga's rosé, this vintage seems lacking and sour. The nose is short and quiet, while the palate delivers lean, citric flavors and a sharp, scouring finish. Whets the whistle, but doesn't put a smile on your face.
Delicate citrus, spice and flowers lead this pretty Chardonnay from Macari. On the palate, attractive flavors of toast, citrus and fresh fruit are soft and subtle. A pretty wine for everyday cuisine.
This is a simple, cherry-dominated fruity quaff at a realistic price. It's only light to medium in body, with crisp acids and a bit of tannic astringency on the finish.
This wine starts with a combination of herbs, allspice and cinnamon leading into spicy, red berry flavors. A touch angular, but its dry character makes it easy to pair with food. Think spicy cuisine, grilled beef or hamburgers.
Tart, lean red fruit aromas don't give much reason to plow forward, but if you do expect a high-acidity wine with a snappy mouthfeel and flavors of rhubarb, red plum and raspberry. Not much body or anything else, really.
This wine starts with a showy nose of vanilla, nuts and oranges/citrus, leading into like flavors with a spin of spice. It's a bigger style Chardonnay that will pair well with richer dishes: think salmon, creamy poultry, steak.
Smells like a dog badly in need of a bath, and alongside those funky aromas there's berry fruit and bubblegum. The palate is forceful and sort of heavy and tannic, with herbal, semitart plum flavors. Bright and lively, but unsophisticated, with poor aromas.
From the range of single-varietal bottlings from Alorna, this wine is perfumed and crisp, with bright lemon and tangy citrus flavors. It is a delicious, young, fruity and ready to drink.
This wine is made to be enjoyed young and fruity—it is a ripe, generous and full-bodied blend of Douro red grapes. There is a dry edge of tannins which are cushioned by the rich black fruits and lifted by final acidity. Drink now.
Lighter in color, this is a fairly heavy-duty take on the grape, with cola, red cherry and cinnamon notes on a nose that seems hotter than the alcohol level suggests. Licorice, caramel, smoky Scotch and kirsch flavors consume the palate.
Dried blueberries and chopped oregano show on the nose of this widely distributed brand. The palate is powered by sagebrush and other wild herbs, with plum and olallieberry fruit.
Minty cherry aromas and a distant mineral note akin to crushed seashells set up an honest, slightly rubbery palate with medicinal cherry flavors that come with a touch of bitterness. A juicy, steady finish is fresh but straightforward.
Gritty, waxy aromas of pithy citrus and vanilla feed into a fleshy palate with bracing acidity. Light, mild flavors of papaya and pear finish simple and short, with stone-fruit notes along with cantaloupe and peach flavors.
This is a deliciously fruity wine, packed with red berry fruits, strawberries and fresh raspberries. While fresh and crisp, there is decent roundness to the palate. Drink now.
Wiry plum and earthy cherry aromas announce a lively, medium-bodied Tempranillo with plum and raspberry flavors. A light, solid, adequately fruity finish is clean and tasty.
Spunky raspberry and plum aromas are youthful and bright. A wiry palate is drawing and tight, with red plum, currant and a dash of salt making up the flavors. Saline becomes even more apparent on a tight, scratchy finish.
Bready orange-like aromas are a touch spent and oxidized. This is soft but still in balance, with yeasty, dry flavors of cantaloupe. On the finish, this Trepat rosat turns heavier, with almost no pop. Drink immediately.
Gritty aromas of match stick and nut skins blend with light citrus aromas. This feels plump but also vaguely citric, with lime and grapefruit flavors that finish well.
Layers of tannins lie easily over the ripe fruit in this wine. It has a light structure, showing more of the smooth, mature fruits that make it soft and ready to drink. Acidity at the end keeps the freshness. Drink now.
This wine is rich and ripe with full strawberry and red currant fruits. A spice and pepper character adds a bite to the fruitiness. Acidity at the end gives lift.
Both ripe, red apple and juicy Mirabelle plum make an enticing appearance. The fruity character somewhat loses itself on the broad palate which nonetheless is made lively by a frothy, friendly mousse. This is simple but fizzy and fresh, with a bitter finish.
This is a fresh, fruity and juicy wine. Shot through with citrus flavors, it is light and crisp. The wine has a nervy texture that gives a great lift on the finish. Drink from 2016.
This fruity and juicy wine has red-berry flavors and fresh acidity. The fruit from this single vineyard gives concentration and some firm tannins as well as allowing a fresher side to sing out. Drink now.
This wine has considerable acidity and a crisp, raspberry flavor. A dry edge will need to soften to bring out its full, fruity potential. Drink from 2016.
This is a fresh and fruity wine that has ripe berry fruits that are shot through with acidity. This wine is developing fast and will be ready to drink from the end of 2016.
Curiously thin, this wine has acidity as much as fruit, giving a lean character that makes it seems austere and, with the tannins, tough. It could round out as it devrlops. Drink from 2017.
Red plum flavors are spiced with wood aging and enlivened by zesty acidity. It is a fruity, lightly structured wine showing rich fruit tones. Drink now.
Light in the glass with shy aromas of red berries and a touch of anise, this wine is soft and earthy on the palate. An energy emerges around mid-sip, with sour cherries and juniper elements beginning to show by the finish.
This Mencía smells earthy and a bit stalky. In the mouth, it's grabby along the edges but hollow in the middle. Tomato and herbal red-fruit flavors simmer on the finish with spice notes and raw red-fruit flavors.
This smells like waffles and maple syrup, and feels very generous. The smooth texture shows moderate tannins, while a brown-sugar note rounds out the finish.
An orange shade of pink, this wine leans toward dried lemon and orange peels with a slight bit of bubble gum and pomegranate on the nose. The flavors are more concentrated than bright, with iodine and dried fruit character, more reminiscent of an orange wine than a pink one.
Occasio continues to plumb the depths of the Del Arroyo Vineyard and its abilities with each of the red Bordeaux grapes, this time deftly showing what it can do with the enfant terrible that is Cab Franc. Give it some time to open and then enjoy its densely layered richness of cherry and coffee and plum.
This is focused upon a lovely mix of ripe fruits, running from citrus to apple, smooth and lightly buttery. The grapes were sourced from Boushey and Elephant Mountain vineyards, and aged on the lees for a full year.
Light in weight, delicate in style, this is just barely off dry. Crisp apple fruit carries hints of riper stone fruit (nectarine?) but is underlain by a distinctly stony note. The lingering finish ably balances tart and sweet.
Smooth and chocolaty, this generous Cabernet brings plenty of chocolate-covered cherry flavors to the heart of the palate. Balanced and seamless, it follows the path of previous vintages. Drink it young for maximum enjoyment.
Coal black, this no-holds-barred Syrah is for those who love the dark side of the grape. Flavors of smoked cherries fill the palate, which is dense and tannic. At the core is a mesh of bark, earth and graphite, but the wine retains its balance with the perfect mix of ripe tannins and natural acidity.
This Bordeaux-style blend includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Merlot and Malbec. A tasty, toasty bottle, it's loaded with ripe black fruits, notably cherry and cassis. The tannins are supple and seem soaked in Kahlua.
Pondera's Sericus is based upon Merlot, while this Bordeaux-style blend is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. Solid fruit flavors of blueberry and plum are set amid sweet spices from the barrel aging. Cinnamon, sweet black tea and fine tannins lead through a balanced, lingering finish, with good grip and weight.
Dark and rich, there's a slightly liquorous sensation to the blackberry and cassis core. The medium-weight mouth offers lifting acidity, great balance and depth, with attractive notes of cigar spice, cocoa powder and roasted espresso grinds on the finish.
Sweetly floral, this concentrated and penetrating wine, from some special old-vine plantings on Snipes Mountain, smells and tastes like fancy perfume in a wine bottle. Though not sweet, it could certainly be served as a dessert wine, given its exotic character.
Light brown and slightly translucent in color. Aromas lean toward raisin and prune, but there's orange zest and molasses on the bouquet as well. Bores straight ahead on the palate, with sweet flavors of burnt brown sugar, caramel and prune. Satisfying and balanced even if it's not overly complex.
This is a splendid rendition of Chateau Ste. Michelle's mainstay Cabernet, rich and round, with a sophisticated mix of grapes, including Malbec, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Syrah. Dark fruit flavors of black cherry and cassis create a lush center, and the wine is more evolved and smoother, with less obvious oak and barrel flavor, than the pricier Cabs from Ste. Michelle.
Attractive and layered with a blueberry and raspberry fruit core accented by notes of sweet spice, orange oil, ashy tobacco and a touch of dark purple florals. The gripping tannins are fine and balanced, with skin-driven fruit flavors dominating the palate and a fudgy chocolate and sweet spice note lingering on the finish.
Rajat Parr's take on this historic vineyard walks a tasty aromatic line between squeezed citrus, whipped vanilla cream and brisk stone fruits. On the palate, salinity reigns atop grilled lemon and honeydew, delivering just flecks of vanilla.
Earthy, velvety and spicy, this is lean and balanced in acidity with a meatiness to the midpalate and finish. Layered, it is concentrated in nuanced cherry and raspberry with a depth of forest floor.
This historic producer's flagship blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Picpoul offers scents of wild honey and lemon custard. The flavors walk proudly between those elements and a citrus peel bitterness, woven amidst the freshness of seltzer and morning dew.
Spicy pear and apple fruit is at the core, with suggestions of green pineapple, mint and lemon verbena. The subtle herbs and citrus components are layered throughout, and the structure favors long term cellaring.
Hints of green herb accent fresh, crisp pear and apple flavors in this delicate, dancing wine. Semisweet in style, it deftly balances bracing, acidity with long, lingering swathes of honey and stone fruit.
This wine comes from three vineyards that sit atop a dry, ancient riverbed. The nose mixes sour cherry and toasted vanilla bean with scents of ginger and turned earth, while a soft mouthfeel frames flavors of cherry cola and beet juice.
A pleasantly dank nose of black tobacco, cedar and deep purple fruit like elderberry combine for a strong wine from the Willow Creek District. It's elegantly brooding, redolent of stewed plums, leaving the tongue gripped with tannins and refreshed with acid.
This small-production Cab is at first faint in subtle fruit but slowly works its magic, offering balanced layers of black currant and blackberry around soft, toasty mocha oak, picking up nuance and complexity on the way to a lingering finish.
A balanced and lilting 100% varietal white that touched no oak, it's sublime in white peach and garden herb notes, with memorable minerality on the finish. Crisp and refreshing, it's ideal for picnics, beach outings and pairing with light fare.
From a winery focused on Alsatian wines since starting in 1983, this tremendous Gewürztraminer is redolent with grilled lemon peels, lilac and a chalky minerality. On the elegant and tasty palate, there are white rocks, roasted nectarines, yellow apples and noticeable salinity.
A layered fragrance of blue flower, leather, tobacco, mature black fruit and incense lead the nose on this bold but refined wine. The palate doles out crushed blackberry, graphite and licorice alongside chewy tannins and surprisingly fresh acidity for an eight-year-old wine.
From a barrel selection of the Quintus block, planted to the 828 clone of Pinot Noir, this wine offers a bigger mouthfeel and heartier vinous experience, awash in darker cherry fruit and more substantial tannin. Floral in rose and violet on the nose, those floral highlights return on the palate, giving the wine a nice tension and balance.
Intense and feral in brooding dark cherry, this Terra Neuma from the extreme Sonoma Coast vineyard known as De Coelo is owned and tended to by the Benziger family, who pull out all the stops with its annual collection of Pinots from the site. Earthy, this one is also silky, subdued and quite elegant.
Fantastically bright acidity defines this wine, the winery's “finest selection,” which is memorable for its crisp black cherry and strawberry core of fruit. Voluptuous and silky on the palate, it carries a hint of Asian spice throughout, the slightest taste of wild vanilla wrapping things up on the finish.
This reserve is actually one of the winery's less expensive Chardonnays. It's full, fruity and forward, with a lush mix of pineapple, peaches and tropical fruits, buttressed with juicy acids and highlights of toasted nuts. Thoroughly delicious, and ready for immediate enjoyment.
Sumptuous notes of sugar cookie and honeydew perfume this lavish, full-bodied bottling. It's dry on the palate with piercing white-grapefruit acidity, but balanced by a rich, almost creamy, mouthfeel. The finish lingers luxuriously with a murmur of lime-zest astringency.
While sprightly and lean in style, this dry, mineral-tinged Riesling seems to round out on the palate, building in ripe white-peach and grapefruit flavors. Penetrating lemon-lime acidity wins out on the finish, along with a pleasant bite of citrus zest.
Pollen and dust notes lend an earthy, mineral tone to ripe tangerine and peach flavors in this bristling, bright eiswein. It's strikingly acidic, but broad swathes of honey and nectar balance things out elegantly.
Named for the soil layers important to wine's terroir, this Pinot is sourced from a variety of sites and multiple clones, providing a complexity of wild strawberry, high acidity and an herbaceous, oaky backdrop. A teasing kiss of toffee and chocolate on the finish is deliciously intriguing.
A heady but attractive bouquet of marzipan, balsam wood, blackberry, cassis and raisin introduce a loaded but well-balanced, full-bodied palate. Toast, chocolate and black fruit flavors finish with additional spice, chocolate and lustiness. Drink through 2019.
Cedar, char and blackberry aromas are full and ripe on the nose. Given the wine's age, its structure and tannic weight are just right. Earthy, lightly roasted flavors of spiced raspberry and plum finish peppery and dry. Drink through 2020.
Intense note of caramel and smoke add complexity to fresh apple and tangerine flavors in this dry, mineral-rich wine. It's delicate in alcohol, yet remarkably round and clingy on the palate, cut by a stream of high-toned acidity on the finish.
Revancha is a new line of wines from esteemed winemaker Roberto de la Mota. This blends Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cab Franc. On the nose, it is spicy, lightly herbal and deep in fruit. A tight palate shows raw tannins and flavors of wild berry and oak-based coconut. Dry, flashy and a bit rough on the finish, this will benefit from a few more years in bottle. Drink through 2020.
Blackberry, charred sage, beef crust and cedar notes introduce this blend of 48% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. It's lively on the palate, with a lingering finish of dried cherries.
There's diamond-like precision on the nose, with white peach, salinity and croissant aromas. The flavors are very even and still unraveling, with tight lemon, apple and salt on the front and pineapple emerging on the finish.
The lovely wines from this pioneering estate, now in the capable hands of second-generation winemaker Jason Lett, are generally priced well below any comparable efforts. Here the texture and minerality evoke surpassing elegance. Lime, grapefruit, a bite of pineapple all come into play, with the depth and balance that suggests several years of life ahead.
This is a lush and fragrant wine, instantly appealing with aromas of orange blossom and sweet pear. Quite dry and concentrated, it brings further flavors of citrus, grapefruit and lemon rind as it plays out in a lingering, refreshing finish.
The nose on this wine from veteran vintner Eric Ogorsolka is reminiscent of an old-time closet, with pipe smoke, cedar and plum perfume. It's quite woody and elegant on the palate, with well-integrated fruit, spice and herb characters suggesting savory plum jelly and prune reduction sauce.
Lightly baked and charred on the nose, this is a well-oaked wine showing blackberry, cassis and lemon peel aromas. A saturated, layered palate features loamy blackberry and cassis flavors offset by peppery spice and cocoa dust. Licorice and blackened oak revive a sense of char on a broad, full finish. Drink through 2022.
This bottling masterfully handles the young appellation's tropically inclined fruit, with apple candy aromas and a soft, rich mouthfeel. The flavors nod briefly toward the traditional greener, grassy side of the grape, but it's a smoother experience, less biting, with a hint of barrel smoke.
With a touch of initial mineral austerity, this still-young wine offers tannins and a solid structure as well as black cherry and dark plum fruits. Beautifully balanced, it will develop slowly, leaving its minerality and rounding out.
Wow. This challenges the best of Canada for a great Gewürztraminer ice wine. A thrilling mix of flower, fruit, caramel, coffee (!) and honey, it is impeccably balanced and outrageously delicious. Just goes and goes.
Very pure in character, a wine that expresses the chalk terroir. Minerality and complexities of bright acidity, flavors of pear juice and grapefruit presage a final hint of honey.
Archery Summit's top cuvée is young and brash, a jangle of brambly berries, threads of incense and chocolate, assertive acids and not quite integrated tannins. It will require some patience, either in the cellar, or in the decanter (hours!) but has an underlying plush texture and an exotic mix of spices that elevate the pretty fruit to the next level.
A tightly delineated wine, ripe, but with a great swathe of tangy balancing acidity. The structure shows the immense possibility of aging in a wine that is not yet getting into its stride.
One of Chile's benchmark wines is typically clean, pure and inviting. The nose is ripe and lusty, while the palate is vital, juicy, fresh and crisp, with fine Cabernet flavors of black currant, cherry, chocolate and more. Probably the closest thing in style to great Napa Valley Cab; deep, dense and long on the finish. A hearty but refined wine to drink now through 2017.
A ridiculously hedonistic bottle of Syrah, this hits you first with its heady aromas of strong black olive, tobacco and bacon, then seduces you further with layers of rich berry fruit topped by Syrah-proper pepper. Blended with Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot and fairly high in alcohol (15.5%) this is one for those who love good Syrah.
Named after the cherry trees that edge this vineyard, the wine is rich and structured. It has concentrated butts and ripe black-cherry flavors. Full bodied and with an aging potential, this fine wine should be drunk from 2018.
Black color shows a depth of extraction in this earthy, burly wine. It reveals layers of leather, cedar and tobacco most, with a billowy tannin structure providing a foundation for additional elements of meaty black fruit and graphite.
Juicy cherry, strawberry and blueberry compete for attention in this fully plush and powerfully built wine. Its brawn is offset by a beautifully soft texture that gives it a lushness on the palate.
Aromas of underbrush, baking spice, violet and Alpine herb come together on this elegant wine. The tense, firmly structured palate delivers raspberry, red cherry, tobacco and star anise alongside youthfully austere but refined tannins and bright acidity. Give it time to fully develop. Drink 2018–2028.
Immaculate flavors of raspberries and Bing cherries are set in a well-structured frame of barrel toast and tannin. There is ample, yet unintrusive acidity, and the balance throughout is perfectly maintained. Drink now and over the next five or six years.
If you're curious about how Priorat wines age, this 16-year-old blend of Garnacha and Carignan is a good indicator. Mature aromas of earthy grit, leather and spicy plum rest in front of a flush jammy palate with structure. Peppery berry and plum flavors match the nose, while this folds in sweet syrupy notes of chocolate and berry jam prior to a long spicy complex finish. Drink through 2020.
Gritty berry aromas are solid but a bit underwhelming for a wine of this price. Heavy, sticky and tannic on the palate, this tastes of herbal berry fruits and a ton of oak. That woodiness reverberates on the finish via maple, resin and toast flavors, while hard tannins make this more about power than finesse. Drink through 2025.
Aromas of leafy underbrush, moist soil, dark berry and new leather lead the way. The firm polished palate doles out ripe morello cherry, licorice, chopped herb and a hint of coffee while youthfully assertive, fine-grained tannins provide the framework.
Fresh-pressed blackberry and boysenberry are lifted by white pepper and anise on the nose of this bottling by Steve Martell. The palate is dark in flavor, with black plum, charcoal, black pepper, prune, dried wisteria and other purple flowers, all presented on a very soft mouthfeel.
A full 13-years-old on release, this wine is in perfect bloom, with tertiary aromas of leather, dried cherry, cocoa and vanilla. The cranberry and cherry flavors are tart and lithe, lingering on the finish. It still has life in front of it but is in a sweet spot.
A splendid example of affordable Oregon Pinot, this benefits from a great vintage for forward, fruit-driven wines. It has additional assets: balance, texture and length, all compact in a young wine still in its infancy. The sappy raspberry fruit and overall polish suggest giving it another couple of years of bottle age before opening.
This is plump, custardy, leesy wine, with ample texture to support the flavors of toasted marshmallow, melon and citrus. It's plush and round on the lingering finish. Drink now–2018.
At the suggested retail price, this constitutes a fine value. It's rich and full in body, but balanced, with “tangerine dream” notes of ripe citrus backed by hints of peach and vanilla. Plush and mouthwatering on the finish, it should drink well through at least 2018.
Here is a compelling mix of berry, cherry and citrus fruits that are forward and punchy, with a touch of clay anchoring the finish. It was aged for 18+ months in a mix of new and neutral French oak.
A blend of Viognier (60%), Marsanne (25%) and Roussanne, this wine displays fragrant aromas of white flowers, orange peel, almond and citrus. The palate shows an elegant styling along with absolutely impeccable balance that keeps the interest high. Orange peel notes linger on the finish.
This dark, full-bodied and well-balanced effort is jam-packed with flavor. A big burst of blackberry, blue plum and black cherry holds down the center palate. It's focused, fresh, ripe and lingers broadly. It's a wine to buy by the case and drink over the next decade.
This is a finesse wine, with light flavors of pomegranate and cranberry. There's a suggestion of burnt toast—just a hint—around the tannins, which remain a bit stiff and chewy. Give this another year or two and it should open up further.
This has a big burst of spicy, toasty oak right up front. That's often a sign of a young wine, and this is one with the fruit and depth to handle the extra toast. Cola, black cherry and a touch of clean earth come through, with a suggestion of tanned leather. It's got inviting complexity, coupled with forward, fruity flavor. Drink 2018–2026.
This is juicy, almost jammy, with forward flavors of strawberry candy that fill the mouth and hang tight. There's a light hint of pepper around a lingering, clean finish. It's full, forward and fruit-powered.
Aromas of vanilla, clove, coffee and dark raspberry lead to a mouthful of rich layered fruit flavors. It shows impressive concentration, with fruit flavors lingering on the long finish.
Fermented and aged in both stainless steel and neutral oak, this wine opens with a heady aroma of lemon cookie covered in powdered sugar, as a spicier element of lemongrass rears its head. Bright in acidity and focused, this textured white also shows highlights of grapefruit and dried herb.
A firm, rich wine that has great potential. The blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon gives the wine its ripe, berry fruits and fine acidity. Now maturing well, it still has some firm tannins and a dark core that will soften in the next few months. Drink from late 2017.
The top bottling of the Talley family's second label, this blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 17% Petit Verdot and 16% Malbec offers tons of black fruit on the nose as well as fennel, thyme, oregano and a subdued licorice note. The palate puts violet florality together with fresh blackberry fruit, white pepper and a bit of caramel, proving both delicious and elegant.
This wine is a blend of Tempranillo (63%), Graciano (26%) and Garnacha. Appealing aromas of red fruit, spice, cocoa and toasty barrel accents give way to fruit and barrel flavors brightened by tart acidity and supported by lightly grainy tannins. It's an intriguing blend of these varieties that shows impeccable balance and impressive length.
Fully revealing in brioche and preserved lemon, this wine shows a boldness of oak and body alongside an exuberance of ripe, tropical fruit that's lengthy and complex. This is classically Napa Valley in its luxuriousness and velvety texture.
A 100% Petit Verdot is a rare event. Here in Bairrada, close to the ocean, the grape produces a structured, dense wine with serious blackberry fruits and dark tannins. It is deeply colored, ripe with bold fruitiness as well as acidity. Drink the wine now.
Pale in color but rich in flavor, this offers a compelling mix of scents and flavors. Acacia flower, pink grapefruit and Honeycrisp apples lead into a delicious wine with excellent length, balance and texture. Drink now through 2020.
This is a wine that brings out all the bright fruit of the vintage. It has classic black-currant flavors and crisp acidity. The tannins are a firm supporting act to this wine that will develop well over the medium term.
Lafon-Rochet is an estate that is producing some very fine wines. This second wine is a good reflection of the quality. With its powerful tannins and dark concentration, it is a still young. Blackberry fruits are paired with the dry core of tannin to give a wine for aging. Drink from 2019.
Still light and astringent, this seems to be in some bottle shock: the score is a guesstimate. It's been well-rested, and tasted over a 24-hour period, but more aging is recommended. Stem and leaf flavors accompany tart raspberry fruit. The rating could rise or fall depending upon how it cellars.
Made from a blend of Sangiovese (85%) and Merlot (15%), this Morellino discloses aromas of incense and exotic Asian spices together with toasted oak. The palate shows raspberry and plum layered with espresso and coffee alongside astringent tannins. It closes on a bitter, drying note.
Made in a richer style, it is bone dry and with a creamy texture, apricot fruit flavors as well as the right, crisp acidity. The wine is fresh, fruity and, of course, needs to be drunk now.
eedy, leafy aromas give way to coffee bean and subdued whiffs of black fruit. The palate opens with espresso, oak, and black cherry but it's a bit lean in fruit richness and closes with drying and astringent wood tannins.
Baked, earthy aromas of berry fruits are mature. This feels a bit rubbery and raw, with grabby tannins. Flavors of baked plum and berry fruits are limited in scope, while the finish is mature, sweet tasting and disjointed in feel.
Quite hard and almost impenetrable at first, this slowly opens to give a glimpse of compact, dried blueberry fruit and a dash of dark chocolate. The tannins are hard and herbal also. Aeration will help.
A fine and ripe wine with touches of black currant and more flourishes of red berry flavors. It is structured, although that doesn't remove its immediate drinkability. The aftertaste is softer, just off dry.
A warm-climate Pinot Noir, it's very soft and gentle. It is ripe, with good juicy red fruit flavors and a brush of tannin. Drink now.
With a handful of Pinotage in the blend, this Petite is hearty in oaky tannins and blackberries, smooth and straightforward with a suggestion of earth and tar.
A ripe white tasting of lemon chiffon that's sharp with an edge of acidity, yet softly textured. The wine's finish is quick.
Dusty in cocoa powder and leather, this is a dusty mountain of a Zin, from old Foothills vines. Soft and racy, enjoy with pizza or creamy lasagna.
Leafy underbrush aromas with whiffs of wet earth and blue flower lead the nose on this blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Canailo and Colorino. The one-dimensional palate offers black cherry, raspberry and a touch of cinnamon alongside astringent tannins. You can also detect the alcohol despite the modest percentage.
With a suggestion of New Zealand-style grass, this is a widely distributed Sauvignon Blanc with layers of racy acidity that's all in all snappy and cleanly linear. The taste is mostly grapefruit rind, crisply rendered. A great wine to have on hand for large gatherings.
A blend of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo and 10% Colorino, this simple, fruity wine opens with discreet aromas of violet, red berries and black plum. The palate is rather lean, but you can detect black cherry and a hint of pepper. It finishes on a drying, tannic note.
Light to medium in body, this is a silky-textured Pinot that shows some understated cherry fruit and a fair bit of mushrooms and decaying leaves. Mocha and cinnamon mark the finish.
While a bit savory on the nose, with notes of pressed apple, lemon and stem, this off-dry Gewürztraminer is fresh and bright on the palate, with crisp pear flavor. It's brisk and easy drinking, if not varietally expressive.
Crisp and fruity, it conveys flavors of red fruit and spice. Its smooth texture is given just a lift by acidity and light tannins. Although young, it is ready to drink.
The Moscatel in this blend shows strongly, bringing out perfumed aromas. The wine has spice, light acidity and a bright aftertaste. Drink now.
Crisp, dry, leafy aromas come with notes of green herbs, mint in particular. Texturally, this feels good, with drying tannins supporting modest berry, chocolate and wood-spice flavors. A tight, toasty tasting finish is minty, drying and a bit high in acid.
Sweet yet simple aromas of milk chocolate, candied cherry and vanilla set up a fair and balanced palate with oak, medicinal and raw red-fruit flavors. A slightly hot, semisweet finish is just good enough.
Rounded and fruity, the wine has caramel, ripe red fruits and a touch of tannins. It's dry, although it's not as fresh as it should be, more ripe and full in the mouth. Drink in 2014.
A salty, briny, minerally quality is pronounced in this larger-scale wine that opens intensely sour before mellowing into green apple and quince notes. Medium in weight, body and impact, it finishes with a tartness that suggests the need for food.
Light and fruity, this smells like cucumbers, honeydew melon and green apple, tastes delicately appley and feels gentle in texture. It's light bodied, low in alcohol, fresh and thirst-quenching.
Unusual notes suggest cherry, allspice and hickory smoke. It's full bodied with cherry flavors and firm tannins that lead to a mesquite-filled finish.
Layers of vanilla, spice and toast persist throughout this richly textured wine. Sunny raspberry and cherry flavors are pleasant, but peek through a bit shyly on the palate. It's an oaky wine, but supple and seductive with a fringe of finely grained, persistent tannins.
Aromas of radiator dust, lime and green apple are a bit heavy and scattershot. However the palate is tangy and lean, with cutting acidity. Lead flavors of waxy apricot are backed by orange and lime notes, while the finish is dry and waxy, with a yeasty, leesy flavor bolstered by snappy acidity.
Hushed aromas of dark berry and a touch of cedar lead the nose on this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The simple palate offers black cherry and a hint of white pepper alongside delicate, fleeting tannins.
This full-bodied, concentrated wine is dry, quite firm and tannic in texture. It smells rich and a bit earthy, and tastes like blackberries, cranberries and beef. The style will accompany rich, meaty food very well.
Aromas recall plummy blue fruit, mortared dried herbs and a kiss of vanilla. It drinks a hair off dry with abundant black currant flavors and dry, lightly astringent tannins.
Berry, dried sage, licorice and menthol aromas lead the nose. The warm, one-dimensional palate offers toasted oak, coconut, spirit-soaked prune and vanilla alongside sharp, astringent tannins.
Made in an obviously oaky style, this has spicy, smoky vanilla and nutmeg aromas, plus equally high-intensity and almost sweet flavors. A relatively smooth texture accompanies the full body. Generous and ripe fruit flavors come out with each sip and add depth.
Deep in color, big in flavor and full bodied, this is a rustic, straightforward wine. It smells like very ripe blackberry and black cherry, tastes dense and feels full, tannic and firm-textured.
Freshness and refreshment are the strong points of this well-balanced, tangy, medium-bodied wine. It is light in fruit aroma and subtle in flavor, offering some crisp apple inspiration on the palate and finish.
Wood takes center stage on this wine. Char, dark roasted coffee, chocolate and vanilla are followed by sweet fruit and oak flavors backed by firm, dry tannins.
Aged in a mixture of new French (80%) and American oak, this leads with barrel notes of woodspice followed by herbs, brown stems, blue fruit and cinnamon. It shows good concentration with quite tart acids and dry, chalky tannins.
This brooding wine shows notes of tire rubber, herbs, dark chocolate and blue fruit. It's elegant, with mouthwatering acids and grainy tannins.
This is an aromatically subdued wine with notes of peach, pineapple and spice. It's medium bodied, elegant in style with a lightly creamy feel, seeming a bit dilute.
Pressed apple and pear notes are brightened by a kiss of yellow cherries and lemon in this delicate wine. The palate has a pleasant roundness despite its light-bodied frame. The finish is brisk.
Stalky, grassy, briny aromas of red-berry fruits run low on ripeness. This is tangy and tomatoey in feel, with tart plum and tomato flavors. A snappy, zesty, crisp finish is raw and cutting. Drink this wine now.
Earthy, spicy aromas of juniper, bell pepper and oak cover up slightly underripe berry scents. This has an acceptable level of tannic scratch and peppery, herbal berry fruit flavors. Like the rest of this Cab, the finish is lightly herbal, green-leaning and hard.
This has an unusual profile, with notes of pear, lees, peach and almond spritzed with lime. The concentration isn't all there, flattening out on the back half.
This bright, fresh and fruity wine presents an appealing mix of apricot and peach aromas, ripe and round peach flavors and a smooth texture. Rather full bodied, it is lifted by a good amount of tangy acidity.
A strong, toasted, smoky aroma and charred oak flavors define this medium-bodied, rich-textured wine. Not exactly light on its feet, but fans of oak will appreciate the bold, toasty, buttery character.
Selected from four sites planted 40–60 years ago, this is a full-bodied, muscular, rich Shiraz. Roast beef notes provide savory counterpoints to ripe plum, chocolate and mint. Long, firm and focused on the finish, where it picks up some mocha nuances. Drink now–2030.
Jenkins is a Charlie Chenoweth-farmed site, an 18-acre vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills. Spicy acidity cradles considerable weight and breadth, accented in rose petals, cardamom and an elusive partnership of raspberry and strawberry. It's entirely exotic and delicious, both concentrated and lush.
This opulent wine is full of ripe fruit and has a generous texture. Apricot and pear flavors give richness that is cut by acidity that gives the wine tremendous lift. The toast adds the lightest touch at the end. Drink from 2019.
Floral scents of iris and rose meld together with wild berry, chopped mint and a balsamic note. The elegantly structured, full-bodied palate presents juicy black cherry, crushed raspberry, white pepper and licorice alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2018–2025.
Apricot, melon and caramel apple provide an alluring richness to this concentrated, full-bodied wine, which finds its balance in texture and power as it opens in the glass. Pretty aromatics provide the counterpoint to the curvy lustiness at its core, offering focus and finesse.
Yet another example of where a producer's slightly cheaper appellation blends are just as stunning as the single-vineyard expressions. Steve Dooley's bottling offers black sage, dried tarragon, fennel, beet juice, cranberry, Earl Grey tea and smoked game on the nose. The palate shows smoked pork with a black-cherry rub, a touch of pencil lead and an intriguing red-sumac flavor.
Though not one of the producer's single-vineyard bottlings, this estate blend manages to stun the nose and palate nonetheless. Tart mulberry, Kalamata olive, hibiscus, rose hips, red plum and sandalwood aromas wrestle attention immediately, then the sip delivers bergamot, cedar ash, exotic cranberry and rosemary depth. It delivers an excellent combination of wood, fruit and herb.
This revamped label by Josh Klapper of La Fenetre is exciting on all fronts, and this four-barrel bottling from Aubaine Vineyard is one of the best. Light red cherry and pomegranate meet with gravel, dried basil and oregano on the delicate nose. Thyme, bergamot and Earl Grey tea flavors pop on the tight palate, which is still wound up but offers underripe strawberry, fennel and lavender florality.
As Australian vineyards go, this isn't that old, having been planted in 1971. Chocolate and vanilla shadings frame bowls of mixed berries in this full-bodied, powerful wine. It finishes long and intense, outlined by dusty tannins.
If you're into big Argentinean Malbecs with great fruit, oak and balance, look no further. This is exact and pointy on the nose, with graphite and spice notes framing huge blackberry aromas. Deep but well balanced, this muscular Malbec tastes of chocolate, peppercorn, fine oak and black fruits. A smooth, toasty finish is bold, with a touch of unresolved heat. Drink through 2022.
This wine is dark and structured, offering ripe fruits although they are covered at this stage by the tannins. Firm and dense, with a dry core, this will be a powerful wine full of black fruits and concentration. Drink this from 2023.
This château in the middle of the Clos de Vougeot claims fame as the only winery situated inside the walls of this fabled vineyard. This ripe, rich and concentrated wine is full of jammy strawberry fruits that are deepened by the wood aging. The structure and the density of this wine show that it will age well. Drink from 2023.
Smoothly seductive, this wine showcases an amazing site with great skill, coaxing high-toned squeezes of mandarin orange, honeysuckle and anise from a foundation of balance and acidity. Luxurious, the oak plays a supporting role, never distracting from a core of freshness and finesse.
Ripe, loamy aromas of raisin and prune include notes of coconut and chocolate. Full and rugged on the palate, this Malbec-Cabernet combo tastes fully ripe and dark, with immense blackberry and prune flavors. Fig, prune and cassis notes grace a finish that's flush with chocolate and unbridled richness. Drink through 2024.
Forest floor, new leather, menthol and wild berry aromas take shape in the glass. The structured palate delivers dried black cherry, raspberry compote, licorice and tobacco alongside youthfully firm tannins. A mineral note closes the lingering finish. This is one of the few 2012s that show serious aging potential. Drink 2022–2032.
This Malbec-led blend contains 20% Syrah, but it's the Malbec that drives it. Crisp, toasty aromas of graphite, lemony oak and blackberry are tight and not at all lazy. A massive palate is choppy, with rugged tannins. Baked black-fruit flavors of cassis, mocha, tobacco and chocolate end long and loamy, with unbroken concentration. Drink through 2025.
A crazy amount of peppercorn, from white to black to green to red, pops on the nose of this bottling by the legendary Adam Tolmach. Aromas also convey dried violet, black gravel and the slightest touch of blueberry. The pepper spice is almost unbelievable on the sip, where it spices up the soy and coffee-bean flavors.
Boasting structure and elegance, this opens with earthy aromas of tilled soil, underbrush, woodland berry and a whiff of leather. The succulent palate shows juicy black cherry, crushed raspberry, white baking spice and chopped mint alongside firm, polished tannins. A pipe tobacco accent signals the close.
Lovely scents of rose, iris, wild berry, vineyard dust, baking spice and a hint of new leather all come together on this fragrant red. The structured, elegant palate delivers juicy black cherry, licorice, clove and mineral alongside supple tannins that give it a polished, silky texture. Drink 2018–2026.
This is a hugely dense wine, still firm with its dusty tannins and solid with concentrated black fruits. Despite all this power, the wine has style and a sense of elegance that will stand it in good stead as it matures. It is certainly not yet ready and should be aged until 2019.
This producer is making some fantastic best-bang-for-your-buck Cabernets. This one is an excellent case in point, a sultry, sophisticated and elegant take on the variety, with memorable characteristics of chocolate, raspberry and dried herb in the form of bay leaf. Structured and ready for the table, it's a standout.
First recorded in 1375, this vineyard produces powerful, concentrated wines. This fine example is dense, weighty and firm. The acidity is there, buried in the firm tannins. It is a wine with an enormous potential, dark and full of plum skin and berries. Drink from 2022.
Structured and dense, this wine comes from the remains of a quarry on the hill of Corton. From the Louis Latour domaine, it is powerful and packed with black fruits, rich while still with the freshness of the year. It has a good future, so don't drink before 2023.
This opens with balsamic aromas, leather, ripe raspberry, iris and a heady whiff of pressed powder while the succulent, delicious palate delivers ripe black raspberry, cake spice and aromatic herb. Firm, polished tannins provide structure and envelope the palate. Drink 2018–2025.
A tang of salty minerals extends throughout this sublime spätlese. Intensely fruity, its sweet white-peach and mango flavors seem to fall on the tongue in crystalline shards. Light-footed and vibrantly acidic, it's a superbly balanced wine that drinks well now but should improve through 2024 and beyond.
From the family that has made the variety from a three-acre block on Pritchard Hill since the 1960s, missing a few years to replant, this is such a lovely, well-composed and deliciously enjoyable wine it might induce tears of happiness, that's how good it is. Apricot, vanilla and cream surround a rounded, smooth lushness spiked in spicy nutmeg and tea.
Enhanced by 3% Viognier, this wine from Bob Tillman offers smoked meat on the nose, showing why Syrah pairs perfectly with the grill. Aromas of charred beef, charcoal and fresh-cracked black pepper lead into a palate dense with blueberry and blackberry, spiced with more pepper, soy and roasted coffee bean, and redolent with roasted-lamb flavors.
Here is another stunningly good Oregon Chardonnay, this one sourced from Oregon's oldest certified biodynamic vineyard. It strikes a perfect, harmonious chord, with ripe tree fruits, juicy citrus flavors and a lingering impression of madeleine cookies. There are skin flavors of lemon and orange, contributing to a dense, lingering finish with marvelous texture.
This is quite a value for the quality, a stellar, medium-bodied, restrained wine that's high-toned and elusive at first aromatically. But it opens in the glass, delighting in blackberry, cherry and a burst of clove, showing skill in winemaking from a blend of vineyards, some valley floor and others mountain.
The wine is ripe and juicy with some smoky tannins in support. It has a finely perfumed character although the touches of extraction give it a bitter edge. That should blow by, leaving an attractive, fruity wine.
The wine is dry, dense although with a fine fruity potential. Underneath the dry texture, the wine is full of black-currant fruitiness. The vineyard is managed by Jacques Chardat and winemaking by Grégory Dalla Longa. Drink from 2019.
Fresh and juicy, this is a spicy lightly tannic wine. It has a rich ripe character that boost the red-berry fruits and acidity. The structure is still a little young, so wait until 2017.
A fruity wine from Bordeaux Vineam, this is ripe and full of red-berry fruits. It has tannins that are softening already to give an accessible wine that is rich and full. Drink from 2019.
Fruity while also structured, this is a solid wine. It has juicy acidity, ripe red fruit and layers of spicy toasty wood. Drink this wine from 2017.
Strong, dusty, stringy herbal notes run right through this wine, contributing to an overall impression of thin not-ripe-enough-for-prime-time fruit. Tart and hard, it's principally cranberries and bitter herbs, with a tannic finish. It helps to give it a lengthy decanting and/or aeration.
More often found in the central Dão region, this version from the Alentejo shows a ripe red fruit and blackberry richness. Surrounded by balanced spice and wood, the wine is young and fruity. It will be better from 2017.
Light aromas of lemon curd and Gravenstein apple meet with a touch of crackling minerality and a bit of struck match on the nose of this bottling. The palate starts sour with kumquat and pink-grapefruit flavors, evolving into warmer notes of poached pear and lemon-lime soda.
Dense in color, with big, oaky aromas of clove, wood grain and vanilla on top of berry-fruit scents, this resiny, rugged RDD tastes of minty, dark oak along with blackberry and plum flavors. A tannic, hot, toasty finish settles with airing.
Oak and roasted coffee bean aromas carry over to the lean palate along with a note of dark spice. Astringent tannins grip the assertive finish.
Earthy, herbal, tomatoey aromas suggest pizza. This feels wide and rubbery, while minty, earthy plum flavors hold onto that same leafy, green character on the finish.
Despite the bold statement of this rosé's cat-shaped bottle, it is fairly subdued, suggesting more mineral tones than fruit. It's brisk and lemony though, with a refreshingly clean finish.
Obtuse aromas of chunky citrus fruits and mild-smelling vegetables open this Merlot rosé. Fat in feel, with just enough acidic offset, this tastes of pithy citrus with a green note thrown in. A grabby, blocky finish tastes mildly briny.
Intense in black, brooding blueberry and cinnamon spice, this wine is robustly varietal if not a bit overdone, dense and syrupy with challenged acidity.
Fruit-punchy aromas show on the seemingly sweet-leaning nose of this fun and easy wine, as do hints of pomegranate and hibiscus. The palate picks up strawberry and dried-lilac flavors. It's well made, but simple.
Fresh fruitiness makes this an appealing medium-bodied wine. It has aromas like cucumber and white pepper and flavors like a mixed fruit salad. The texture is on the soft, almost sweet side.
Aromas of black-cherry chewing gum, raspberry and plum are simple but solid. This feels full, fruity and a touch clampy. Black-fruit flavors of plum and blackberry finish with grabby tannins.
A tartness of acidity weaves its way throughout an otherwise barrel-influenced, medium-bodied experience, streaked in simple renderings of pineapple, pear and green olive. There's richness and concentration on its edges.
Simple but solid, this offers delicate aromas of rose and red berry. The straightforward palate isn't as expressive, showing dried cherry, a note of star anise and sage alongside assertive astringent tannins that leave an abrupt, mouth-drying finish.
As advertised, this lush white is barrel fermented in 40% new French oak, and it imparts quite a bit of that upbringing in its toasty character. Apple and preserved lemon offset ripe fruit flavors.
With a handsome percentage of whole-cluster fermentation in the mix, this wine shows a funky undercurrent of marshmallow and mushroom. It never quite finds its voice amid a light-bodied texture and disjointed body.
This smooth-textured, mature-tasting and medium-bodied wine offers lots of fruit character. An earthy vein runs through the aromas and flavors.
This vigorous sparkler has flavors of red berry, bread crust, bitter walnut and a confectionary note. It's a bit on the lean side, with sharp vivacious bubbles that give it a bracing finish.
Aromas of cranberry, currant and plum are spunky, suggesting a hint of animal hide. A crisp, almost biting palate is lean and high in acidity. Medicinal cherry and plum flavors finish with energy and a sense of rawness.
Aromas like cedar and marascino cherries are followed by good red and black cherry flavors. A firm and tannic texture gives this medium-bodied wine a rustic touch.
With a light, smooth texture and nicely jammy fruit character, this wine delivers good flavor impact and a generous mouthfeel.
Showing new wood, this is a straight down the line red Bordeaux. The tannins are firm, maybe the wood gives a burnt character but the fruit comes through strongly, giving fresh, sweet blackberry juice flavors. A good, dry, but lively finish.
Light spice notes and jammy berry aromas are about all you get from this Prieto Picudo-based wine. The palate is sheering in feel, with cherry, plum and apple skin flavors. Just weighty enough, with a juicy profile and finishing flavors of cola and lean red fruits. Drink now.
Fairly obvious vanilla and dill aromas work with red-fruit and resin scents to give this a “roble” sort of nose, meaning the oak is definitely there. (Roble is the word for oak in Spanish.) In the mouth, cherry, plum and pasty lactic flavors integrate the more you swirl, while the finish is toasty and dark, with another wave of oak.
This wine's smooth texture is soft, velvety, needing tannins to give it a sense of shape. As it tastes in the mouth now, it shows pleasant sweet berry flavors and a dense mouthfeel. In the end, it is an easy-drinking, early maturing wine.
Orphelin is a real head-scratcher. A mutt wine blend of nine grapes, it might be trying to be Châteauneuf-du-WA except for the Cabernet, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir and Touriga. Whatever, it comes together in a raisiny, broadly-built, unfocused red wine that could be fine on a picnic.
Earth and leather aromas bring depth to a nose defined by raspberry and other red fruits. The mouth is narrow but perfectly clean, with sassy berry and pepper flavors that are standard and cleansing. A simple wine that delivers what it should.
This Shiraz has a plucky nose of tart cherry, tobacco and pepper. The flavors of clove, tobacco and berry on the palate are fruity but balanced by the spice. Pair with cheeses, lamb.
A good if somewhat generic red wine, blended from Dornfelder, Cabernet Sauvignon and Dunkelfelder. It delivers black cherry fruit, medium body and soft tannins.
Still fresh, this shows red currant and red berry fruit flavors over a smoky layer of wood, licorice and spice. It has some warmth, a smoothly textured wine that only has a glimpse of rustic tannin beneath the flavors.
Fully mature, Jacob's Creek 2005 Shiraz-Cabernet features savory overtones to its sour plum and coffee bean flavors. It's medium-bodied and pleasantly round in the mouth, with balanced fruit, acid and alcohol levels and decent length on the finish.
This wine has aromas of pepper, cedar and red cherry fruit on the nose. On the palate, vibrant flavors of smoke, pepper and cherry give the wine a friendly, quaffable edge. Pair with lamb, cheeses.
Woodsy at first, then more foresty and stretched. The nose is peppery and light on fruit, while the palate shows tight cherry and raspberry flavors alongside edgy, invigorating tannins and acidity. A lively wine with bite and modest offsetting sweetness to the overriding snap.
Comes off as a slightly skinny Pinot Noir, with herbal overtones to the cherry and strawberry flavors. Still, it's varietally true, and light enough in body to pair effectively with chicken or salmon. Drink now.
Intense and frisky, with mild green-herbal aromas standing out on the nose. Like any varietal Graciano, the wine is shrill, with acidity pushing the tart side of the huckleberry and blueberry fruit. Lean at the end, with little richness. Best for die-hard Rioja buffs and fans of acidic red wines.
Cloves, butterscotch and slightly candied fruit aromas begin this playful Chardonnay from Jardin. On the palate, fresh, balanced flavors of fruit and citrus spice give the wine heft. Pair with grilled fish, scallops.
Extreme reflects a level of oaking that may prove controversial. Raw cedary notes mark the nose, while some dark fruit sneaks through on the palate, reflecting the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. More wood shows up again on the finish, partially balanced by tart berries.
Made partly from purchased wine, Lingenfelder's Hare Label Gewürztraminer shows varietally correct aromas and flavors of roses, lychees and spice, but also a touch of alcoholic warmth on the finish. It's a round, soft, ample wine that verges on fatness. Not imported.
This is old reliable as far as Washington Pinot Gris is concerned. Mouth-filling flavors of tart apple, citrus and pineapple are set in juicy acids. The addition of small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer heighten the aromatics.
A dusty drink of blackberry, lean and structured with resolved tannins and a clean finish.
This blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Petit Syrah and Carignane begins with a tartness of earthiness and firmly built tannins, followed by layers of strawberry, licorice and black pepper. Not overpowering, it'll pair nicely with cassoulet or duck breast over risotto.
This savory Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend offers aromas of bell pepper, red currant and plum that carry over to the palate, along with toasted sensations of espresso and oak. Its linear structure will pair well with grilled chicken seasoned with rosemary and grilled vegetables.
This Amarone has earthy fragrances of underbrush, mushroom and tobacco leaf. The palate delivers raisin, black pepper and vanilla flavors, along with evident oak and alcohol sensations. This shows the heat of the vintage and won't develop much complexity, so drink soon.
Spicy and fresh, this clean and fruity wine displays flavors of jicama, melon and pear. It's a simple, straightforward, well made, fruit-driven wine for every day enjoyment.
This wine has lots to recommend, from its soft, slightly spicy introduction, to big berry and vanilla flavor follow through. But most memorable is its beautiful perfume, encompassing all those singular elements. Give it some time in bottle to show through.
This presents aromas of ripe black fruit—just shy of overripe—and bitter almond. The palate shows black cherry, baked plum and cinnamon flavors. While it's simply structured and a little shy on fresh acidity, it's still very enjoyable thanks to the generous fruit.
Here'a a rather simple but well made and enjoyablewine. It has mouthwatering black-cherry flavors, with hints of bitter almond and espresso. This is easy to drink, so enjoy soon.
Smooth, soft wine with light tannins well integrated into the blackberry fruits. A full-bodied, rich wine that has weight, a dense texture and a juicy, very fruity aftertaste. Drink now.
This Amarone has aromas of plum and evident oak. The palate delivers dark cherry, raisin and spice flavors, with chocolate and espresso accents. The dense fruit has easy appeal but the wine doesn't have much personality.
This offers aromas of bell pepper and raisin, with a whiff of toast. The warm, round palate shows ripe black-fruit flavors, layered with red-bell-pepper and coffee accents. You'll also notice an alcoholic warmth to the close.
One of the two main cuvées from La Chablisienne, the wine is fresh, fruity while having a tight, mineral character and a cool, fragrant feel. It could age for a few months, but is a wine to drink soon.
This has aromas of black cherry and spice. The palate shows ripe blackberry and spice flavors, along with evolved tannins. This has instant appeal, so drink soon.
Combine two herbaceous grapes in a cool climate and you get this crisply fresh, and certainly herbaceous wine. It is bright and fruity with an undertow of lemon and orange zest giving a more textured character.
Rather delicate flavors of green melon, apple and fresh cut grass infuse this elegant Sauvignon Blanc. The precision and balance are impressive; the price and overall lightness make it an excellent, mealtime quaffer.
There's a slight warmth throughout this wine, complementing the amazingly ripe and lush black plum and cherry notes. Accents of leather and tobacco leaf add depth to the medium-weight palate, transitioning into flavors of chocolate and toasted spice on the close.
This is a simple, clean, well-balanced, all-purpose Chardonnay. Light streaks of honey, lemon and vanilla run through crisp, apple-flavored fruit. Nothing fancy, but solid and reliable.
This charming Pinot Grigio has a pretty nose of pear and white peach that carries through to the palate alongside lively citrus notes. This is simple but delicious, with crisp acidity that leaves a clean, dry finish. A perfect partner for pastas or grilled fish dishes.
A rich, velvet textured wine, full of dense, dusty tannins and sweet black Merlot fruits. The wine is concentrated, ripe and powerful, with a dark texture that is both impressive and ageworthy. Give this wine at least 5–6 years.
A complex, rich and ripe wine. It shows both a tannic edge and full red fruit flavors. With acidity cutting through, this is finely balanced, a delicious and serious wine that would benefit from a few more months in bottle.
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Wallula Vineyard, this brooding wine screams of the Horse Heaven Hills with notes of dusty earth, black currant, and bittersweet chocolate. It's tightly coiled and largely about structure with its firm tannins supporting concentrated cherry flavors. Needs time to come into its own but has the stuffing to lay down for a decade or more.
Lovely aromatics introduce this subtly powerful Pinot Noir. Floral highlights lead into tart cherry fruit that seems to gather strength as it flows across the palate. There are hints of mineral and a splash of coffee in the lingering finish.
The blend of these four Rhône white grapes—47% Grenache Blanc, 32% Marsanne, 16% Roussanne, 5% Picpoul—outshines their individual bottlings. Some sort of magic accrues. The Sirocco is supple, creamy and packed with aromas and flavors of citrus blossom, flesh and rind. It's got a peaches-and-cream mouthfeel, and a lick of butterscotch in the lush finish.
Unique in style and sourced—these are the oldest Pinot Gris vines in the country—this young, yeasty, textural wine will surely continue to improve in the bottle. Give it a lot of breathing time, and complex layers of rock and fruit unfold. Jicama, cucumber, daikon radish...You get the idea. It tastes as clean and fresh as a mountain spring.
This is a ripe, dark but balanced Toro with pastry, prune, blackberry and vanilla aromas. The palate is fiercely tannic on the surface but not overly hard at the foundation. Flavors of burnt toast, blackberry, spice, licorice and chocolate finish warm, toasty and dark, with echoes of ripeness and hard tannins. Drink now through 2018.
Though it's not mentioned on the label, the Malbec is sourced from the Pepper Bridge vineyard, and compares favorably with high end Argentine versions. Yummy and deep, its sweet berry flavors are matched to firm, polished tannins, and finished with a touch of pretty toast.
Big, rich wine, packed with spice, ripe peach and mango flavors. Designated a Library Wine by Knoll, it is complex, ageworthy, with a weight of both fruit and pepper to it. Keep this powerful wine for at least another 2–3 years.
This is an elegant Syrah, blended with 18% Mourvèdre and topped with a splash of Grenache. Good phenolic ripeness along with substantial sugars lead into flavors that have melded nicely. Berry, truffle, chocolate, leather, pepper and coffee are all in the mix, and the mid-palate is delicious. Only a fairly quick fade keeps the score from climbing even higher.
Given that 2009 was a hot vintage in Chile, it's not shocking that this old vine Cabernet is rich, ripe and syrupy. The nose is attractive and offers aromas of blackberry, tree bark, herbs and minerality. The palate deals gritty tannins and rich, raisiny flavors of cassis, blackberry, coffee and toast. This finishes a touch choppy and rough, with weight and power. Drink through 2016.
The Edelgrund vineyard, along the northern slopes of Lake Neusiedl gives a powerful, structured wine. It layers dark tannins, an initially stern mineral character that needs time to soften. At the same time, the juicy black fruits and tight acidity offer a more fruity aspect. Keep for 4–5 years. Screwcap.
All six Bordeaux grapes make an appearance in this well-oaked spicebox of a red. It's just plain delicious, from the first sniff on through. The firm mid-palate shows pretty blue, purple and black fruits, a touch of black olive, black tea, and those oh-so-tasty baking spices.
Equally amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot go into this high-octane blend. There are suggestions of black olive and dried leaf, but the fruit seems canned and the tannins have a tinny aftertaste.
This is a walk backward after the impressive 2012. Almost impenetrably black, the flavors converge around espresso and bitter chocolate, yet the tannins have a green edge. The wine simply feels flat in the mouth with no life to it.
Produced at the Quinta do Gradil estate, this is a crisp, stalky and fruity wine. Black currants and hedgerow berry fruits are pushed forward by acidity. A hint of light wood aging helps smooth out the otherwise mineral aftertaste. Drink now.
Produced in central Alentejo in the warm region of Redondo, this is a surprisingly cool, crisp wine. Its blend of Antão Vaz and Arinto give plenty of acidity and citrus flavors. Green plum adds an extra richness. Drink this wine now.
The wine is soft with a toasty spicy character. That balances with the ripe berry fruits that are just on the stalky side of smooth. Drink this wine, with its fruity 70% Merlot, now.
This bottling is a bit slight on the nose but does show olallieberry, coffee, crushed lilac, soy and ganache aromas. There's interesting Asian spice to the palate, with sour plum and chocolate-sauce flavors.
The volatiles are quite amped up here along with abundant barrel spices, such as vanilla and toast. The palate brings sweet jammy slightly dried-out raspberry and cranberry flavors but they have a hard time making up the difference.
This medium-bodied wine has low-key fruit and herb flavors, and a reasonably smooth texture. A touch of earthiness runs from aroma to finish.
This wine also includes 3% Sémillon, the whole fermented half in oak and half in stainless steel. Simple in its layers of vanilla and fleshy white peach, it shows a wealth of oak and tannin.
The back label notes that this is the winery's reserve, sourced from Methven Family vineyards. The flavors seem to avoid ripe fruit in favor of stem, leaf and citrus. There's a bit of rhubarb, but nothing more substantial, and it quickly turns thin and tannic.
This is an attractive blend of grapes from different regions of Portugal. It is light, with crisp acidity and refreshing lemon fruit. The wine is soft and ready to drink.
This aromatic herbal Sauvignon is crisp while also showing the ripe fruit of the vintage. It is full of citrus and melon fruits, tangy acidity and a bright, fruity aftertaste. Drink now.
Aromas of mature berry, cooking spice and a whiff of violet lead the nose on this easygoing wine. The simple palate offers dark cherry and a suggestion of almond alongside loose fleeting tannins. Drink soon.
This fruity blend shows spice from oak aging and black-currant flavors. Soft and only lightly textured, it is a wine to drink young to benefit from the fruitiness.
The thin diluted fruit suggests rhubarb and raspberry. There's an abundance of acid, which will help to pair this with creamy sauces. Drink up.
This is a bold rich wine—perhaps too rich. It has dense black fruits that go with the dark chocolate and licorice flavors. It still has young tannins and acidity and these need to soften. Drink this rich wine from late 2017.
This wine is firm and closed up, with signs of heavy-handed extraction that give it a seriously dry character. It is hard to see these going away.
This is a very young wine, still dominated by its wood aging. It is spicy, with layers of red-berry fruits under the strong wood flavors. Let this wine develop over the medium term and drink from 2020.
This wine is ripe, full of easy fruits and likely to develop quickly. It has a juicy character, attractive berry flavors and gentle tannins. Drink from 2019.
Dark-skinned berry, moist earth and blue flower aromas lead the nose on this. The lean straightforward palate offers raw cherry and a hint of clove alongside bracing acidity and fleeting tannins.
Although this smells a bit oily, gritty and pyrazinic—an indication that it's living on borrowed time—at the moment this SB is still in fairly good shape. Pithy grapefruit flavors finish plump and citrusy. Drink immediately.
Here's a rustic zesty red that has aromas of ripe berry, game and whiff of tilled soil. The gamy note carries over to the simple, quaffable palate along with ripe black cherry and a hint of dark spice. Drink soon.
Brisk and simple, this vibrant red has aromas and flavors of tart red berry, rose and an herbaceous note. It's on the lean side, with bracing acidity and fleeting tannins that give it an abrupt finish.
This is a crisp herbal wine, bright with acidity and marked with lemon and grapefruit tastes. It is light and bright with a mineral edge that gives it a fine texture. Drink now.
While this wine's moniker literally translates as “scantily dressed,” it is derived from the name of the vineyard. The wine is light and crisply fruity, with red-currant fruit and plenty of acidity. It is ready to drink.
Grassy raspberry and cherry aromas are a bit leathery. This Carignan-Garnacha-Syrah blend feels saturated but not entirely comfortable. Jammy ripe mixed-berry flavors are chunky, candied and finish hot, with chocolaty oak.
Tropical fruit, banana and citrus aromas are flat and not fully convincing. This is narrow in feel, with bland stone-fruit flavors. The finish follows the palate, meaning it's good enough but unremarkable.
This firm and dark Cabernet features notes of charcoal, smoke and plenty of berry on the bouquet. Clampy tannins and staunch acidity make for a lively, structured palate, with a saturated berry flavor and a vanilla shading. It is ripe and modern, providing proof that Argentina can make excellent Cabernet in addition to Malbec.
Just a hint of sweetness can be found in a bouquet of honey-dusted flower. Pretty in on the palate, with citrus and apricot notes, this shows floral accents that are somewhat reminiscent of Gewürztraminer.
With no indication on the label, it would be hard to know that this is a sweet wine. That is a shame, because the wine itself is ripe and opulent, layering honey and sweet lychee flavors. There's even room for an attractive edge of acidity.
This is a delightfully curious, multifaceted wine that's penetrating with flavors of dried fig, black tea, honey and smoke. A savory wet clay note is interspersed with a note of sweet spice, plus tea-leaf tannins that linger long on the finish.
Technically proficient and showing a certain amount of style, this is a focused Cabernet with tart, tangy cassis and berry flavors. The barrel regimen adds bits of toast and mocha to the finish.
Full and ripe, this has a pure, fragrant fruitiness. Its structure and freshness add a delicious drinkability to this rich wine. Age for another year.
There is a great balance between the natural floral and perfumed character of this Gewürztraminer and its lively acidity. These elements combine to form a wine that is complex and immediately attractive. It's ready to drink, but it can also age for a year.
The Burggarten Vineyard is below the Falkenstein Castle, producing a Pinot Blanc that is rich and creamy, with a slight hint of wood aging. Fullbodied with pear and white peach flavors, it will mature for 3–4 years. Screwcap.
This is perfectly welcoming and complex upfront, with dried raspberry, leather and light herb aromas. It feels stylish and layered, with flavors of berry, earth and integrated oak. Classy and smooth on the finish, drink this now–2020.
Always the last of the Long Shadows lineup to be released, this spent 20 months in barrel and another two years in bottle. The blend remains weighed toward Cabernet Sauvignon (61%) and Syrah (29%), with small amounts of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Oaky, smoky, smooth and mouthfilling, it's bursting with rich cassis fruit and annotated with a dash of pepper.
Minty and on the nose, this has notes of licorice, black fruit and a funky kick. It feels big, tannic, powerful and warm, with wild berry and boysenberry notes, plus a ton of dark spice, chocolate and mild heat. Toasty and extremely dark on the finish.
A blend of Zweigelt, Syrah and Blaufränkisch, this is rounded and ripe, with a dark plum flavor, rich tannins and a smooth texture. It's solid and impressive, though not for aging. Screwcap.
Sourced entirely from Walla Walla's Les Collines Vineyard, this lovely Syrah features pretty strawberry and cherry flavors that are broadly displayed with a rich vein of chocolate. It's forward and flavorful, drinking quite nicely already, but with the stuffing to cellar for a few more years.
Gaja's classic Barbaresco is gorgeous in 2010, showing an intense perfume of violet, earth and ripe red fruits punctuated by balsamic notes. The palate delivers rich wild cherry notes layered with mint, cinnamon and eucalyptus. This is structured and elegant and will develop more complexity over time. Drink this after 2018.
An expressive wine, with solid, dense and powerful tannins. With a spicy, leathery, dry textured feel, and perfumed fruits supporting it, this is a wine for the seriously long-term. It is black and solid, an impressive evocation of the structure of great Malbec in Cahors. Keep for at least eight years.
Whiffs of orange blossoms add delicate floral flair to sweet marmalade and honey tones on this penetrating dessert Riesling. While creamy and sweet on the tongue, earthy mineral tones and piercing acidity add balance and structure. It's delicious now, but certainly an age-worthy wine that will develop gorgeously over the next two decades at least.
The faintest whiff of petrol adds a seductive mineral tone to bright, sweet honeyed peach and candied orange-peel notes on this penetrating Riesling. The palate bristles with acidity, intensifying juicy citrus flavors on the finish.
Sheldon's Roma's Vineyard Pinot Noir is exquisite. Very light in color (and alcohol level at 12.9 percent), it opens with gorgeous raspberry and violet aromas. Fully satisfying from start to finish, it has a lush mouthfeel, cherry spice high tones and a long, easy finish that will tempt you to want more. This is a beautiful wine. Only 60 cases made.
This Barbaresco offers quintessential Nebbiolo aromas of red rose, leather and berry along with succulent cherry and raspberry flavors layered with spice, sage and Alpine herbs. It's wonderfully balanced, with bracing but fine tannins and fresh acidity, and will develop additional complexity with more bottle age.
This single-vineyard Barbaresco Riserva shows lovely floral and fruit scents of violet, iris, ripe berry and pressed powder. The palate is delicious, with black cherry, plum and spice uplifted by freshness and energizing mineral notes. It has ample depth and balance, and while it's drinking well now, it will also age for years.
As consistent as ever, this is sleek and stylish, with complex, layered flavors of citrus rind, citrus flesh and delicate tropical fruits. There are further highlights of honeycomb and dried apricot, and mouth-pleasing, underlying minerality.
A blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, this is right up there with the best of Maison Bleue for a southern-Rhône-style blend from Washington. Lovely aromatics introduce a forward, fruit-powered wine loaded with scents and flavors of ripe cherries and plums. The red fruits are enhanced with hints of tobacco and mineral, but the lollipop fruit core is what captivates through a long finish.
This is a terrifically full-bodied, lush Shiraz that nevertheless retains a sense of balance and freshness. Vaguely minty, herbal notes make a brief appearance, then give way to raspberry and blueberry fruit. Savory  hints creep in on the palate, further increasing its appeal. This blend of fruit from the Barossa and Eden valleys should drink well through at least 2020.
This stunning Barolo hails from the village of Verduno. Its gorgeous floral fragrance features balsamic herbs and orange peel. The palate is rich but elegant, with sweet black cherry fruit layered with spice and a hint of vanilla. It's silky smooth already, but will gain more complexity over the next few years.
This traditionally crafted Barolo presents a gorgeous bouquet of dried rose petal, violet and truffle with hints of forest floor and leather. The palate delivers juicy wild cherry and berry flavors, layered with mint and balsamic herbs and shows great depth and balance. It is loaded with finesse, and with time will develop even more complexity.
With only 10 cases imported to the U.S., one suspects that this terrific wine will largely be found in exclusive restaurants. If you can find a bottle at a reasonable markup, jump on it, for this is one of Victoria's finest Shirazes. Hickory smoke, espresso and herbal notes accent raspberry fruit, whose brightness gives the wine extra lift and dimension. It's creamy and lushly textured without ever seeming heavy, and boasts a long, silky finish that echoes with suggestions of cocoa powder and pulverized coffee beans. Drink now–2025.
Despite the excessively hot vintage, this is a compelling riserva from one of La Morra's top vineyards, crafted by a master Barolo maker. The fragrance shows ripe plum and floral notes, while the palate delivers ripe black fruit laced with cinnamon and Alpine herbs. With its lovely depth and balance, this is almost ready now.
This classically styled Barolo has hallmark Nebbiolo scents of rose, violet, spice, leather and forest floor. The creamy palate delivers wild cherry flavors, layered with spice, mint, licorice and eucalyptus notes. It's well balanced, fresh and structured. While it's already enjoyable, drink it after 2018 for more complexity.
The aromas bring notes of cream, padded butter and summer squash. The palate is rich and creamy, made in a full-bodied style that brings plenty of appeal.
This young, fruity herbal wine also has a smooth, ripe character from the warm vintage. That means it is developing fast to drink young, while the texture indicates that it can age, at least until 2022.
This is opaque in color, with oaky, balsamic aromas of black fruits, mint and vanilla. In the mouth, this is muscular, with full and somewhat rough tannins. Toasty roasted blackberry flavors are peppery, minty and fully spiced, while on the finish this is packing all sorts of power and oak. Drink through 2021.
A viscous, floral explosion of beautiful fruit, this wine is bright in acidity, with concentrated flavor. Textured, it's meant for the table, where it will play well with a range of rich foods.
This impressively bold, dry wine could have been labeled as a varietal Syrah. It needs to pair with big chunks of meat or cheese. Concentrated blueberry, dark chocolate and blackberry combine with firm tannins and light spices from oak aging.
A dryness of tannin leans into bitter notes of tobacco before mellowing on the palate to allow for crisper, more balanced aspects of cranberry, currant and plum to weigh in. A lightness to the palate belies this wine's ripeness.
Bramble, violet and leather notes lend complexity to this fruity but elegantly composed Merlot. Ripe plum and cherry flavors are plump but pristine, brightened by crisp acidity and a smooth velvety finish of tannins. Drinks well already but should improve through 2021.
Rich and thick in chocolate mocha and a punch of espresso, this wine offers great value. It showcases the cooler side of the variety in cedar undertones, while delivering decadent counterpoint with its suggestion of bacon. A lift of acidity brightens the finish.
This doesn't have the same floral notes on the nose as the other 2014s from Escarpment, but instead offers aromas of baking spices, vanilla and black cherries. In the mouth, it's crisp and medium in weight—not the most generous wine right now—but the tart, lingering finish suggests it should age well. Try after 2018.
Aromas of tropical fruit, pressed wild flower and ripe orchard fruit lead the nose. The round savory palate offers juicy peach, red Bartlett pear and a white almond note. Energizing mineral lifts the creamy flavors.
The aromas pop on this wine, with generous notes of white pepper, jalapeño pepper and herbs. The cherry flavors are light and elegant, showing a very pretty styling.
Varietal Counoise is a rarity in the state. This one offers aromas of mortared fresh herbs and red plum that are followed by plump pure fruit flavors that stretch-out on the finish.
In a field of sometimes tough wines, this one is remarkably approachable, smooth and delicious, not to mention a great value. Fermented by native yeast, it has wonderful spicy, plummy aromas, a generous and melting texture, and deep but mellow plum, prune and milk-chocolate flavors.
A blend of Roussanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul and Marsanne, this wine brings reserved aromas of apple skin, pear, almond and lemon verbena. The palate brings a sense of freshness and vibrancy, with a citric kick and an impressively long finish.
A luxurious, tempting oak perfume continues through the flavors of this richly textured, spicy wine. Aromas are toasted and smoky while the flavors are ripe blackberries and dark chocolate.
Soft ripe raisiny aromas are slightly baked and toasty. A saturated firm palate shows proper balance, while flavors of prune, blackberry, chocolate and spicy oak finish strong and tannic, but not hard. Drink through 2018.
Gritty berry and olive aromas are woodsy and a touch flat. This feels full and grabby, while flavors of tea, herbal blackberry, salt and roasted meat finish blackened and peppery, with a toasty element that gets more pronounced the longer this sits. Drink through 2022.
This producer remains committed to showcasing this rare variety, making this 100% version of it from 40-plus-year-old dry-farmed vines. He lets the grapes hang out sur lie for five months in mostly stainless steel, with a small amount of neutral French oak. The result presents as full bodied, though the ripeness is restrained, a celebration of apple, vanilla, spicy lemongrass and robust minerality.
This pure Vermentinu (the local spelling) is fragrant, crisp and deliciously fresh. With bright acidity as well as zesty white fruits and orange peel, it is perfumed and ready to drink for its freshness, or age until 2017 for extra richness.
On this dense, appealing and fruit-driven bottling from Camel Hill Vineyard, fresh-pressed blackberry meets with touches of other red fruits, from dark strawberry to plum, enhanced by cocoa dust. Leather, dark chocolate, red cherry and blackberry flavors show on the palate, where incredibly sticky tannins still need a bit more time to smooth out.
Stéphane Brocard is based in Marsannay the northernmost vineyard in Burgundy's Côte d'Or. This wine comes from two small parcels with 35-year-old vines. It is already fruity and attractive, although the tannins do promise aging. Crisp with the pure acidity of the vintage, it will develop well and should be drunk from late 2017.
Fresh and herbal, this young, textured wine shows green fruits and crisp acidity right up front, making it immediately attractive. Drink it now for this fruit or wait until later in 2017 for it to soften.
Coming from Cerro Prieto Vineyard, one of the few places to grow Pinot Noir in this appellation, this bottling shows aromas of clove, vanilla, sandalwood and pomegranate on the nose. Light pomegranate and tart red-fruit flavors dominate the palate, with a touch of dried herb.
Savory tones of roasted beet, truffle and soil juxtapose pristinely ripened cherry and plum in this elegantly balanced Cabernet Franc. It's supple and juicy yet nuanced and earthy. Crisp acidity freshens a long, softly tannic finish.
This opens with aromas of forest floor, mature dark-skinned fruit and leather. The hearty palate offers raisin, dried black currant, clove and tobacco alongside tightly wound tannins that leave a firm finish.
The aromas are vibrant, with notes of pear, honeysuckle and peach. The palate is full flavored, dry as promised, with a zing of tart acidity that stitches it all together. It's an outstanding value that shows a beautiful sense of balance.
Coming from one of the state's most esteemed Syrah vineyards, this wine opens with nuanced aromas of bacon fat, smoke and berry. The palate is rich and sumptuous, with fruit and savory flavors lingering on the finish.
This is a light-colored wine, with structure and acidity to balance the perfumed cherry-flavored fruit. Still young, still developing its fruitiness, the wine is going to be crisp with attractive strawberry flavors and soft tannins. Drink from 2019.
This is a rich, fruity wine that has a delicious apple flavor cut by lemony acidity to give a line of freshness. The wine is dry, fruity and ready to drink.
Earthy, slightly leathery cherry and berry aromas are nothing unusual. This is aggressive in its attack, with energy to spare. Fresh blackberry and black-plum flavors finish with resiny, lactic notes that are oak based.
This wine from well-known winemaker Luis Duarte is structured, with a lean character that brings out acidity as well as black currant fruits. The tannins are still severe and firm, giving a dry, tight wine that is just lifted by acidity. It is really too early to drink, so wait until 2017.
A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Malbec and 23% Syrah, this wine displays a strong tannic backbone, a burly strength of character and deep, dark black fruit. The Malbec shows in notes of dark chocolate and blueberry, while the Syrah peeks in with a touch of gaminess. All in all, there's elegance alongside the power.
Smoky, meaty aromas and lush berry flavors combine for a showy, full-bodied wine. It smells like charred oak, minerals and blackberry, then tastes like chocolate and dark cherry, with soft tannins for texture and a lingering, almost sweet finish.
Very tropical fruits aromas overlay a crisp, tight wine with orange zest acidity. It is softly textured, rich and packed with peach and apricot flavors. The wine is full in the mouth and ready to drink.
Pure fruit with some concentration, this wine also has a steely texture and a touch of saltiness. It's fresh and crisp with delicious green fruits, citrus and white peach. Ready to drink now, the wine will be better from 2016.
Oak aromas ride high on a ripe, smoky nose that's pumped full of black-fruit scents. This is a chewy, dense style of Cabernet with thick, rubbery tannins. Baked blackberry, resiny oak, spice and herbal flavors finish long, with roasted notes and lasting, chewy tannins.
Initially dense and brooding, this wine reveals lightly etched layers of cherry and strawberry on the palate. Just the right accent of earthy dirt and stone round out the finish.
This is done in a lightly spicy, lightly toasty style. It's clean and supple, with a mix of apple, peach and melon fruit. Ample acidity keeps it fresh and lively through the finish. It spent six months in a mix of one-third stainless and two-thirds neutral oak.
Coming from 100-year-old vines, this fascinating wine shows black cherry, spearmint, graphite and pencil lead on the restrained nose. The palate is all about dried cherries and the tart skins of plum and other red-purple fruits, keeping a nice sour tension throughout the sip.
Melony, tropical aromas are clean and holding steady. This is on the full and oily side, with citric acidity creating a centerweight. Punchy citrus, melon and peach flavors finish with a light, pithy bitterness. Drink now.
Floral streaks of orange blossom open this wine, followed by vibrant bursts of lemon. Estate grown, produced and bottled, this fresh, balanced wine picks up weight on the finish, ending with a ripeness of voluptuous apple and oak.
This attractive, fruity wine has refreshing acidity and clean lemon and orange zest flavors. It has a creamy side as well, giving a smooth, soft aftertaste that balances with the fresh acidity. Drink from 2016.
Crushed red and black berries meet sweet notes of anise and violet on the nose. The medium-bodied palate is bright and fresh, bringing forth briar fruit flavors mingling with cherry cola. Well-balanced, structured tannins offer ample support. Pair this wine with a rib-eye steak prepared in a coffee dry rub.
Scratchy but fresh blackberry and plum aromas properly announce a direct, juicy palate with straightforward plum and cherry flavors. This is a thoroughly likeable blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon that shows mild oak on a light, easy finish.
A touch of petrol lends a slick, mineral sheen to this lusciously peachy, yet zesty dry Riesling. Delicately textured yet mouth-filling, it finishes long on a lingering lime-zest note. Enjoy now for its youthful, primary nature
This 100% varietal wine offers aromas of coffee, green herbs, pencil lead and vanilla followed by silky cherry and dark chocolate flavors. There's plenty of appeal but the variety seems to get lost.
This pure Malbec from a single vineyard offers deep boysenberry fruit flavors, along with cassis, coffee and dark chocolate. It shows an effective balance between fruit and barrel flavors.
Part of a range of wines that have been made to showcase the different styles of Portuguese regions, this wine brings out the fruitiness of Tejo. It's easy drinking, with soft tannins, attractive acidity and fresh blackberry flavors. Drink now.
Made from old vines, this is a fruity yet concentrated wine. It is rich and creamy, cut by sliced apple freshness. There is a typical Douro minerality that comes from the rocks of the region. Drink this wine from 2016.
A cocktail of freshly muddled raspberry, red cherry, thyme, anise and dried rose petals sing on the nose. Silky and seductive on the palate, twangs of game and dried Mediterranean herb persist. As an homage to the grape's country-of-origin, enjoy this exotic red alongside traditional South African braai fare.
For such a competitively priced offering, this delivers a lot of complexity. Dried herbs, anise, chocolate and coffee notes add nuance to the raspberry fruit. It's medium bodied and supple, with a lush, lingering finish. Drink now–2020.
Scents of Spanish broom, stone fruit and a whiff of wild herb lead the way on this vibrant, medium-bodied white. The bright palate offers green apple, lemon zest and white almond alongside tangy acidity.
A fifty-fifty blend of native grape Monica and Sangiovese, this fresh, fruity rosato is loaded with ripe cherry, juicy strawberry and crushed raspberry alongside a hint of white pepper. Zesty acidity lends balance and a bright, easy-drinking vibe.
Black-fruit aromas come with notes of leather, horsehide and mint. In the mouth, this is medium to full in body, with enough juicy acidity to preserve balance. Blackberry, cherry and stewed-plum flavors are sound on the finish.
Gritty, roasted aromas of herbal black fruits come up a touch short of fully ripe and convincing. This feels flush, with manageable tannins. Flavors of salty, roasted blackberry and dark plum continue to the tannic finish.
A popular wine in Portugal, this is ripe, full of black fruits and with a lightly stalky aftertaste. It is rich and fruity, softly tannic with a full-bodied structure. It is easy to drink young.
Soft, ripe and fruity, this is a jammy, rich and lightly structured. Spice and acidity balance the fruitiness to produce a wine that is ready to drink.
This ripe, bold wine is full of rich red fruits and soft tannins. Light wood aging (six months) smoothed out the tannins for a balance of spice, ripe berry fruits and acidity. Drink now.
This basic Tempranillo has many good things to offer. Although a touch heavy and oaky on the nose, it's generous and congruent. Initial flavors of raw wood and campfire settle down and are replaced by dark-berry fruit notes. On the finish, this is woody, with powerful berry and cherry notes in support.
Jumpy berry aromas are young, simple and raw. This feels fresh but jagged, with clean but basic pomegranate and berry flavors. An edgy palate with juicy acidity helps to maintain the wine's integrity.
Grown on the plateau above the Douro valley, this wine is rich, generous and finely balanced. Green plum and citrus acidity are dominant, while ripe melon and spice grace the finish. Drink now.
Produced from high-altitude (1,800 feet) vines, this wine is ripe while also crisply fresh. Its lime and lemon flavors are balanced by the mineral texture and intense final acidity. Drink now.
This is a soft, rich and ripe wine that is full of red fruits. It has well-integrated tannins and a warm, southern feel of generous fruitiness. The wine is deliciously ready to drink now.
This somewhat disjointed wine is laced tight with streaks of stem and herb. The light strawberry fruit flavors are accented with a touch of chocolate, presumably from barrel aging.
Elderberry and blueberry fruit meet with an interesting eucalyptus oil and spearmint component on the nose of this bottling. The minty charatcer shows strongly on the palate, with camphor tones decorating the black-plum fruit.
With a pale coral color and flavors like strawberry and watermelon, this wine is bright and appealing. It is medium bodied and has a hint of sweetness.
Blended from two-thirds Zinfandel and one-third Sangiovese, this red is rustic in smoky fruit, soft tannin, raisiny-plum compote and black olive. Moderate in acidity, it presents as fairly light bodied.
This is a voluptuously layered, slightly green wine, more fruity than subtle, with highlights of melon, stone fruit and vanilla wafer. Easy to enjoy and nicely priced, it's a perfect picnic choice.
Intensely earthy at first, aeration opens up the nose of this rather savory off-dry Riesling, revealing fresher notes of lemon and lime peels. It's delicate in concentration, but tart green apple and citrus flavors are zestful.
The wine is bright and fruity with a youthful character of red-berry flavors. As this all calms down, the ripe fruit will show well, balanced by some firm tannins. Drink from 2018.
This is a crisp, fresh and red-currant flavored. It is lively, tight and fruity. A touch of perfume adds to the pleasure of this ready-to-drink wine.
This is a fresh wine that has just the right balance between spicy wood and red-currant fruits. With its acidity and crisp character, it is going to be a bright, fruity wine from 2017.
Crisp and fruity, this is a wine full of red currant and blackberry flavors. It does have a tannic structure that will allow the wine to develop along with the acidity. In the family for three-generations, the estate is now run by Denis Hazane. Drink from 2018.
Bernard Larrat's wine is dry at this stage, although with hints of ripe black-currant fruit and acidity. The potential is there with juicy flavors and fruitiness already developing well. Drink from 2019.
The wine is packed with toasty wood flavors that give it a bitter character. The wood masks the fruit although there are hints of black-currant freshness. The wine needs time to come together, so wait until 2019.
Bright red-fruit aromas give this wine its signature fruitiness. Red currant and spice come together to give a crisp texture. The wine should be ready from 2018.
Concentrated and earthy up front, with aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, graham cracker, leather and a whack of robust oak just for good measure. Feels big and chewy, with broad, oaky flavors of black fruit, herb, tea and exotic spice. Finishes heavy but gentle in feel. Drink now through 2014.
A potent, dark style of Syrah, with aromas of black cherry, generous oak, leather and vanilla. Shows overdrive on the palate, with forceful tannins and concentrated flavors of blackberry, graphite, black licorice and wood resin. Fruity and long on the back end; drink now through 2013.
Sweet, lush and harmonious, with almost decadent honey, apple and citrus flavors balanced by scents of crushed stone and just enough acidity to keep things vibrant.
A palate-pleasing combination of ripe plum and cherry fruit, gently applied baking spices, with a peppery bite and firm, focused tannins. Impeccable balance, with just enough ripeness to suggest ageworthiness.
The most forward of Cristom's 2009 single-vineyard Pinots, this shows flavors of strawberry preserves and candied orange, suggestive of marmalade. It has a streak of root beer and pleasing spice, with a quick finish.
Off-dry, this succulent wine has you smacking your lips rather than puckering them. The natural acidity buoys up the sweet fruit, a mix of peach and apricot principally, and the wine has an excellent focused core that trails off into suggestions of honeycomb and lemon custard.
The reserve gets a little tighter selection and an extra new oak barrel or two; it brings a broad, strawberry-flavored palate, with accents of pine and forest. The finish is lightly toasty, with a streak of dark chocolate.
Bright cherry fruit is set against a backdrop of clean earth, while the young tannins are firm and focused. The wine carries balanced suggestions of leaf and herb, and will surely benefit from further bottle age.
This is a full-bodied wine that belies the notion that Oregon always makes a sleeker style of Chardonnay. Here are ripe, round flavors of peach and mango, wrapped in naturally vivid acidity, with a warming sensation in the finish. Best enjoyed soon, while fresh and young.
A smooth and beautifully ripe wine that is full of rich red fruits, in a Burgundian style. Opulent and deliciously rich, its tannins are enveloped in a plump velvet cushion. It can age longer, but is almost drinkable now.
Dense, dusty tannins show the concentration of this wine from the southwest region of Armagnac. The wine has power and a solid, chunky character. Dark plum, cranberry and wood flavors combine well.
A pure black-fruited wine, rich in berries and tannins. It is firmly structured, although as the wine opens up the fruit brightens. The finish is fruity, with balanced acidity.
Bright boysenberry and black-cherry scents are seasoned with clove and nutmeg, and enhanced with gravel and rose-bud aromas. The palate is spicy and juicy, with boisterous black pepper, plum, blueberry and tobacco flavors.
Clean and crisp, this opens with aromas of white wildflower, pear and a hint of crushed rock. The lively palate delivers crisp green apple, lime zest and mineral alongside invigorating acidity.
This opens with scents that recall elderflower, white stone fruit and a whiff of yellow pepper. The linear palate offers white peach, grapefruit and tart gooseberry brightened by racy acidity.
This bottling of the Mt. Eden and Clone 4 clones shows apple sauce, lemon rinds and a bit of browned butter on the nose. The palate offers plenty of salty energy, with flavors of seared nectarine, lemon rinds and toasted orange zest.
Subtle aromas of apple skin, yellow flower and nut lead the way. The nervy palate offers citrus, acacia honey, green pear and a mineral note. It's racy and linear, but not quite lean.
Big and blocky up front, this tough Malbec smells like pencil lead, dusty berry fruits and herbs. The palate, typical of most Rutini wines, is grabby and clampy, with piercing acidity and rock-hard tannins. Flavors of minty oak shadow berry fruit, while char and mint flavors steer the finish.
This is a bright mix of brambly berry, peppery herb, pine sap and tree bark. It definitely falls into the herbal/forest style of Oregon Pinot, with tart, spicy fruit in the background.
Cut grass, citrus, gooseberry and tomato vine aromas lead the way. The crisp palate delivers grapefruit, white peach, kiwi and mineral with just a hint of green bell pepper. Racy acidity provides the framework.
In this appellation blend from the single-vineyard-focused Los Gatos winery, aromas of cherry and chaparral scrub are pleasant if reluctant to emerge. The palate laces tart pomegranate and cranberry with licorice and forest-floor elements.
Delicate scents of yellow apple, white spring flower and citrus lead into the tangy palate along with a note of candied tangerine zest. Bright acidity gives it a clean, crisp finish.
Dense to the eye, then fully oaked and extracted on the nose, this beefy Malbec smells like coconut and blackberry. The palate is the same: jammy and extracted. Meaty berry flavors are heaped with a ton of oak, while the finish is syrupy and mighty tannic. Drink through 2020.
Richness and near-sweetness are the main personality traits of this full-bodied and quite viscous wine. With oodles of ripe pear, peach and vanilla flavors, it should be great with aged cheeses and fruit desserts.
Savory whiffs of dried reed and stem blow off with aeration to reveal an unexpectedly effusive, fruity palate full of yellow cherry, peach and melon flavors. Off dry in style, this is an accessible, uncomplicated but elegantly balanced Riesling, finishing on a brisk citrus streak. Drink now through 2017.
A tight nose of black cherry and Mediterranean herbs yields to overly cooked flavors of eucalyptus, cassis and black cherry. Although cooling herb notes are a hallmark of Cabernet Sauvignon and blends from Galilee, this is a tad too cool, with eucalyptus overpowering the fruit right through the minty finish.
While the nose shows more minerality than fruit, suggesting of hints of wet slate and clay, the palate of this off-dry Riesling reveals crisp green apple and yellow plum notes. It's a juicy, fresh and approachable wine for everyday enjoyment.
Crisp and racy, this offers scents of Meyer lemon, orange peel and a whiff of peach. The linear, vibrant palate shows grapefruit, green apple and chopped herb accompanied by racy acidity and a hint of flint.
Delicate pear, honeydew melon and hay aromas lead the way. The linear, elegant palate offers yellow apple, fresh herb and citrus zest alongside crisp acidity. A mineral note further brightens the finish.
Fragrant and fresh, this charming wine opens with enticing aromas of hawthorn, peach blossom and orchard fruit. The elegant, linear palate offers green apple, tangerine zest and mineral alongside tangy acidity. It closes crisp and clean.
Enticing scents of elderflower, gooseberry and a whiff of exotic fruit are noticeable on this elegant white. The bright palate offers grapefruit, kiwi and mineral accompanied by lively acidity.
Dainty scents of fresh hay, pressed yellow flower, orange rind and ginger frame the stone-fruit core of this wine. Flavors of white tea, spiced orange and peach flood the palate, and while the texture is somewhat round and plush, ample acidity keeps the finish fresh and clean. Drink now.
Light, off-dry and refreshing, this would make an ideal poolside sipper. Hints of damp moss and fern add complexity to green apple and citrus flavors. Drink now.
This blend of 60% Petit Verdot, 15% Malbec, 15% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon offers a grape-driven nose, boosted by dried black cherry, licorice and baking spice, more playful than brooding. Bright flavors of blackberry and red cherry make for a juicy, tangy wine with decent tannic structure.
Vibrant and elegant, this opens with scents of citrus blossom, Golden Delicious apple and a whiff of herb. The bright palate offers tangerine zest, mineral hint of almond alongside bright acidity.
Extreme pepper elements, from peppercorn to bell pepper, carry through this entire experience. The nose also shows red berries, while the palate offers barely ripe strawberry notes. Fans of the peppery style, which often benefits from a slight chill, will be enthused. Those who hate pyrazines should stay away.
Delicate scents of citrus, white stone fruit and a whiff of crushed rock come together on this luminous wine. The vibrant palate offers peach, citrus and a hint of apple alongside lively acidity and a mineral note.
Fragrant white flower, orchard fruit and a touch of flint lead the nose. The linear, lively palate shows mature apple, nectarine zest and mineral alongside vibrant acidity. The flavors follow through to the tangy finish.
This wine is a butterball—even though unoaked—from the butter and almond aromas, to the butterscotch flavors and rich texture. It feels full bodied, not overtly fruity, and does bring tasty acidity to the flavors and on the finish.
Delicately scented, this offers aromas of apple, candied citrus peel and a hint of pressed yellow flower. The palate offers Kaiser pear, lemon drop and toasted almond alongside bright acidity.
Cedar and bramble lend toasty, woodsy complexities to this Cabernet Franc's luscious blackberry and cherry palate. It's fleshy and succulent in mouthfeel, framed by fine tannins and sweet-tart sour-cherry acidity. Elegant yet approachably juicy, it's drinking nicely already but should hold well through 2020.
A deepish pink blush signals full-fruited pleasure: indeed the palate has some body but also lovely balance between fresh red apple fruit and zesty citrus notes. Completely dry, this will be an ideal and versatile lunch or picnic wine. It is on the finish that all the strawberry notes burst through.
Cool, herbal black-fruit aromas come with olive and eucalyptus notes. The palate is full but grating, while flavors of herbal berry and plum are bit salty. On the finish, olive, brine and herbal berry flavors set this apart from most Ribera del Dueros. Drink through 2021.
Full-flavoured, almost heady notes of tart strawberry, crunchy red cherry and fresh lemon pervade nose and palate perfectly. This is a real mouthful of flavor, yet light and zippy. A very satisfying, grown-up rosé for countless summer days, lunches, picnics and parties. A real and delicious allrounder.
This reserve-level wine is meant to represent the best barrels of the vintage, coming from grapes grown on both the Schug Estate and Wildcat Vineyard, which makes up the majority at 80%. Austere on the nose, it offers chiseled acid as well as apricot, pear and a touch of mango. Complex and lengthy, it should become more interesting as the baby fat sheds.
Earthy, roasted blackberry, leather and animal aromas are draped all over this Malbec blend. A palate with drawing tannins and firm acidity frames flavors of baked black fruits, toasty oak and char. A tight finish delivers additional toast and smoke flavors along with licorice and blackberry notes. Drink through 2021.
This is a nice wine, sanguine with specks of cinnamon, chocolate and cherry, held up with polished tannin and a touch of grip that gives it substance, before finishing softly and quietly humbled.
Wet stone, cut grass and white pepper create an appetizing nose. The palate positively sprays with refreshing, lively pepperiness and verve while the balanced body cushions its freshness in a creamy, white-pepper-scented core of pleasant lightness.
Elegantly structured and savory, this offers aromas of white field flower, orchard fruit and chopped herb. Boasting depth and finesse, the bright, juicy palate delivers mature pear, tangerine zest and flinty mineral alongside fresh acidity that lifts the creamy flavors.
This wine blends in 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, offering a nose of chocolate, barbecue and tobacco. Burly, yet balanced, the highlights include black currant, cherry, clove and plenty of cedar and sage.
Made with 100% Garganega grapes, this rich wine offers aromas that suggest tropical fruit, citrus and a whiff of light spice. The ripe palate offers mature apple, candied orange zest, apricot and a hint of ginger. Mineral notes weave throughout, giving precision and elegance.
This muscular Malbec opens with a blast of ripe berry aromas offset by oaky coconut notes. A plump palate avoids being pudgy, while plum, black cherry and blackberry flavors end with a turn of oaky vanilla and balancing residual acidity.
This blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Tempranillo opens with spicy berry and plum aromas. It's tight and minerally on the palate, with lightly medicinal cherry and plum flavors that are darkened by a blast of peppercorn. Spice notes and soft oak make the finish friendly. Drink through 2019.
Dark-skinned berry, leather, coffee and baking spice are some of the aromas you'll find on this solid red. The chewy palate doles out ripe black cherry, blackberry, cocoa and vanilla framed in robust tannins. Drink through 2018.
Overtones of shortcrust pasty and fruitiness are reminiscent of apple pie on this nutty, textured and sunny Austrian original. This Neuburger's major focus is on freshness and verve. It has a pleasantly fruity, ripe but refreshing body with lip-smacking freshness. It will gain immensely from being served alongside food where its texture will come into its own.
This wine is just under two-thirds Syrah with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. The first vintage to bear this appellation designation, it offers reserved aromas of stems, high-toned herbs and minerals that lead to a sultry, savory, full-flavored palate. It still seems quite closed at present but brings plenty of intrigue.
Aromas of white spring flower, honeydew melon and citrus lead the way. The savory palate doles out white peach, juicy tangerine, aromatic herb and white almond alongside tangy acidity. A saline note closes the finish.
Ripe bramble and and berry notes are concentrated in this crisp, elegant blend of Merlot and Malbec. It's taut and tight in tannic structure still and oak tones of sweet spice, cedar and chocolate are pronounced, but everything should meld together beautifully between 2018 and 2022.
Zesty, peppery green notes lend freshness to ripe blackberry aromas on this zippy Cabernet Franc. It's crisp and quaffable yet elegant and serious, framed squarely with fine, firm tannins.
Savory notes of crushed chervil and yeast join lively, almost fizzing notes of lemon zest. This is ultrafresh, light-footed and very toned. Juicy, ripe acidity animates you to drink this almost as a thirst-quencher. This will work on a hot, sunny evening.
Based in Aix-en-Provence, this négociant company has sourced a beautiful wine from cool vineyards in the northern part of the Côtes de Provence region. The result is a lightly mineral wine with a crisp red-currant heart that is refreshing and good for an apéritif.
Made in small amounts, this floral, tangy and richly textured white wine offers a depth of honey and caramel that overpowers the prettier, more mineral-driven aspects lurking in the underbelly of body. Youthful, it should come around.
Very dry and delicate, this outstanding-quality, Euro-style wine has a transparent pink color, good crisp acidity, relatively light body, and fresh, charming flavors like pink grapefruit and white peach. Drink it as soon and as often as possible.
Enticing aromas of white spring flower, orchard fruit and flint waft out of the glass. The fresh, refined palate doles out ripe Bosc pear, nectarine peel and a mineral note alongside bright acidity.
Aged half in stainless and half in new French oak for eight months, this is a complex, tangy wine with medium viscosity and a strong taste of lemon peel and green apple. With a slightly tropical edge of lemongrass, it's lively and fresh.
A deep, stony minerality persists from nose to finish on this light-footed Riesling. Sweetened by hints of guava and stone fruit, it's a shade off dry but endlessly refreshing. The finish lingers on a gorgeously chalky, saline note.
Made from Merlot grapes repassed, or fermented over, the pomace of previously fermented Petit Verdot and Malbec grapes, this powerful Merlot is imbued with a distinctly bold, textured mouthfeel and firmness of tannins. It's deeply, richly concentrated in black cherry and berry flavors, but there's also an intriguingly briny, umami element that reverberates through a long finish.
A blend of Cabernet Franc (80%) and Petit Verdot, this is a perfumed wine with high-toned aromas of violets, herbs, baking spices, pencil eraser, barrel notes and plum. The flavors are broad in feel, with bright acidity that stitches it all together nicely.
This bargain Sauvignon is leafy and intense on the nose, with fig, ripe citrus and herbal overtones on the palate. It's plump and round, and decently concentrated for the price.
With only 7,525 bottles produced, this is one to snag if you happen to find it. Gorgeous aromas of black fruit guts and cassis are spiced by accents of violet florals and sweet smoke. Supple raspberry sauce and woody spice flavors fill the medium-weight mouth and lead nicely into the hickory smoke-saturated finish. It seems to all be in good balance now, so drink up soon.
A clean, dry, green-fruited wine that's juicy, citric, tangy and features pure orange, lemon and lime aromas and flavors. It's more of a quaffer than anything complex, but with fish or salads it should be just right. The blend is 70% Treixadura with multiple other white grapes including Torrontés, Godello and Albariño.
Mud House winemaker Nadine Worley has turned out an authoritatively flavored 2008 Pinot Noir, loaded with tart cherries and a hint of citrus zest. While this medium-bodied Pinot Noir could use greater doses of delicacy and nuance, it's still a flavorful mouthful of wine. Drink it over the next few years.
Definitely an elevated New World-style Chardonnay with baked apple, peach and toast aromas. The palate is richly textured, with lemony flavors that suggest orange, green melon and apple. A fresh and classy wine with well-applied oak and good overall balance.
Black cherry and berry preserve aromas and flavors are almost secondary to the strong sweet smoke elements of this wine: cured meat, dried sausage and cigar tobacco. Full but balanced with medium acidity and soft, approachable tannins. The finish offers a sweet smoked-vanilla flavor.
From a Snipes Mountain vineyard, this dense and rich take on Viognier has sharp edges around spicy lemon and pineapple fruit. The phenolic “bite” (from skin contact?) powers the finish, slightly bitter but defining and expressive.
Perfumed, fresh, attractive wine. It feels light in character, the texture open, showing jelly fruit character as well as ripe fruit. There is a perfumed rosehip aftertaste.
Fiery, foxy and leathery on the bouquet, with a hint of latex in addition to ripe blackberry aromas. Feels round and fresh, with a complete mix of plum, berry and currant flavors. Finishes tight and legit, with good length and feel.
Earthy and subtle on the nose, with mellow leafy notes, spice and fresh red-fruit aromas. Feels lively and layered, with integrated flavors of berry fruit, oak and mocha. Creamy and long on the finish, with just enough acidity to maintain length and feel.
This wine adds to the growing case to be made for Cabernet Sauvignon in Livermore Valley. Mother Vine Reserve is a smallish offering for Concannon, loaded with black olive, tea and black pepper. It's Cab Franc-esque in some way, yet intensely dark, brooding and velvety.
There's a striking minerality that adds depth to varietally characteristic scents of ripe cassis, violets and cedar. Full bodied and densely concentrated, with sweet, black-fruit flavor, it's balanced by brisk acidity and fresh herb flavors that linger on the finish.
Concentrated aromas of berry fruits, spice and black currant jelly suggest that the wine is full and rich. In the mouth, severe tannins create a grinding sensation, while flavors of toast, blackberry, cassis and brown sugar lead to a heavy, burnt tasting finish that's blocky in feel.
This newish producer pays honor to its Persian roots with Yalda, a Rhône-style blend of 41% Shiraz, 26% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache and 8% Cinsault that's intense, coated like chocolate-strawberry jam, tobacco, leather and earth with a subtext of cheese rind. This wine definitely has character.
Rounded and soft, with gentle tannins. Packed with black cherry fruits, a herbal edge and sweetness, this is already an approachable wine, fruity and generous.
Chunky aromas of sweet berry and beets announce a ripe style of Rioja. The mouthfeel is medium to full and healthy, with focused flavors of berry, oak and peppery spice. Long and a little fiery on the finish.
Tart and fresh, with lovely aromas of grass, green plum and asparagus. Glimmers of stony minerality flash on the palate, with lime pith and plum skin flavors driving through to the mouthwatering finish. Brisk and slightly pricky texture.
Plum and berry aromas are straightforward, but also clean and nice. The palate on this wine from San Rafael is focused and orderly, with flavors of red fruits, spice and mild woody notes. Long lasting on the finish, with freshness and just a modicum of tannic bite.
From a single sustainably farmed vineyard in Lodi comes this super bang for your buck. It's earthy Cab that's perfumed inside and out, with wafts of cedar burning on an open fire, as well as brick, black cherry and clove. It's balanced and structured to boot.
Oak, toast, roasted coffee bean and wild berry aromas lead the nose. Tightly wound tannins dominate the taut palate, framing dried red cherry and chopped herb while leaving a firm, drying finish. Drink 2018–2023.
The nose is initially closed but eventually reveals toasted oak, hazelnut, dark berry and cake spice. The firm palate shows French oak, vanilla, star anise, baked plum and oak-driven spices alongside close-grained tannins that leave a firm finish. Drink 2018–2023.
This has aromas of oak, grilled herb, dried porcini mushroom, a note of stewed fruit and camphor. The straightforward palate shows leather, grilled herb, toast and red cherry alongside firm seasoned tannins.
Stiff and herbal, this follows a traditional Southern Rhône format, with 3% Viognier co-ferment and aging in neutral wood. The flavors combine wild, tart berry fruit, orange peel and somewhat earthy tannins.
Subdued aromas recall dried woodland berry, mint and a whiff of culinary spice. The juicy, straightforward palate offers raspberry, ripe cherry, clove and a touch of star anise alongside solid but well integrated tannins. Drink through 2019.
Offering aromas of blackberry, strawberry and green bell pepper, this wine has flavors of raspberry, strawberry, black cherry and leather. The fruit flavors are jammy on the palate and strong tannins and equally strong acidity make for a pleasing wine.
A blend of 65% Furmint, 25% Hárslevelu and 10% Kabar, this Hungarian white has aromas of white peach and fresh apricot juice. There are flavors of yellow peach, green apple and crisp clean minerality in the mouth.
This big-bottled, wax-topped wine blends half Merlot with a quarter each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Thick and concentrated in red fruit, it holds back on body somewhat, making way for a soft, likable character with a touch of grit among the definitive red cherry.
Pale blush on the glass, this Rhône-style blend has a pleasing bouquet of strawberry and lavender. It is very refreshing, with flavors of strawberry, honeysuckle, orange blossom and watermelon. There is a light sense of coolness towards the finish, but bright citrus notes outlast that sensation.
Full in the mouth, this is a ripe, rich wine. With acidity, spice and warm yellow fruits, it is generous and has a spicy undertone. Acidity and peaches blend together well at the end.
Produced in this village in the hills behind the main slope of the Côte de Beaune, this wine is smooth and rich. Fine, soft tannins easily integrate into the sweet texture and red-plum fruit. The acidity is there, giving a wine that is both fresh and generous. Drink from 2018.
Ripe with yellow fruits and soft acidity, this is a smooth and creamy wine. It also has a more textured character giving a crisper edge that leaves a tangy aftertaste. Drink this rich wine now.
The odd name of this wine—meeting in September—is because grapes from different parcels are blended directly in the press at harvest time in September. It is an easy, ripe and open, with attractive white-peach flavors and just a touch of tighter minerality. Drink now.
Toasted oak, espresso and exotic spice aromas emerge on this structured red. On the palate, French oak, vanilla, and chocolate underscore ripe berries while raspy tannins leave an astringent mouth-drying close.
Roasted fennel, scorched earth, leather, game and mature cherry aromas lead the nose while the palate shows French oak, mature black cherry, coffee, roasted herb and a note recalling cured meat. Brawny tannins provide the framework.
Tight and light in color and weight despite 14 months in 100% new French oak, this offers flavors of watermelon and strawberry, some leesy texture, and a bit of dilute minerality. It's surprisingly short and light given its pedigree. Tasted three times with same results.
This blend of Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Graciano and Syrah is concentrated in currant and blackberry, with accents of smoked meat and anise. While light in tannins, there's good grip and structure, with additional spice notes of anise and herbal spice.
This opaque Malbec smells grapy, with foxy animal notes mixed in. Flush on the palate, but with abrasive tannins, this tastes like it smells: grapy blackberry with herbal notes and mild toast make up the flavor profile. A dark, blackened finish is big and spicy more than fruity and refined.
Dusty tobacco meets plum skin and currant on the nose of this blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The medium-bodied palate is round and lactic in feel, with grainy tannins giving ample support to the dark fruit tones.
Floral currant and plum aromas fall squarely into the red-fruit spectrum. While not overly deep or dense, this has some weight to go with flavors of cassis, berry and chocolaty oak. It finishes mildly, with soft oak and a light herbal note.
This special edition release is perfect for those drinkers who enjoy the herbal and savory side of aged Cab Franc. Dried tobacco, jalapeño and red currant reduction start on the nose and carry to the medium-bodied palate. Streaks of graphite offer a bit of life to a wine that should be enjoyed soon. With its sandy tannins and still lively acid, enjoy alongside a lamb shank.
Toasted hazelnut, dark spice and roasted herb aromas lead the nose. The ripe, approachable palate offers dark chocolate, ground pepper, stewed prune and mocha alongside velvety tannins.
Full-bodied and tangy in acidity, this wine is from a hillside site planted with some Sauvignon Musque. Refreshing, it offers a mix of salty green olive with exotic tropical pineapple.
Cinnamon spice meets with rose petal, cola, red cherry and dried violets on the nose of this bottling by veteran Terry Culton. The palate is tasty but not overly complex, with black cherry, earthy fennel and sage, and a touch of tobacco into the finish.
Medium-straw in color, this wine offers aromas of Asian pear, guava and juniper berry. Featuring flavors of Seckel pear, honeysuckle and anise seed, it is bright on entry, goes through a short cool phase, and then brings the brightness back with a finish that includes lingering notes of white peach.
Vines around 25 years old on this family domaine yield this soft and creamy wine. It has attractive, crisp acidity and a bright texture that brings in apples and lemon flavors. The wine is ready to drink.
This wine has intense acidity along with red fruits, showing the freshness of the year. A smoky, burnt character from the wood aging needs to integrate, with a youthful crispness that needs to soften. Drink from 2020.
Hints of honeycomb and beeswax add heft to the notes of fresh green flower and sweet citrus. Ripe yet elegantly composed, this has concentrated fruit flavors that extend onto a long, honeysuckle-kissed finish.
Hints of wet stone add a minerally sheen to the fresh apple and heady white-flower notes on this refreshing wine. Lemon-lime acidity leads to a long, lean and steely finish.
Notes of honeysuckle, white peach and fresh green herb are intensely aromatic. This off-dry effort balances zippy, lemon-lime acidity with layers of ripe, rich fruit. It's lushly textured, yet it finishes delicately with a bristle of white-tea astringency.
Black in color and dense on the nose, this has well-oaked aromas of black fruit, lemon peel and cedar. It feels full and fresh, with good acidity and prickly tannins. It tastes juicy and clean, with berry, black plum, vanilla, tobacco and spice flavors that carry through onto the finish.
Ripe, smooth and creamy, this has just a touch of wood to give extra roundness to the ripe yellow and citrus fruits. Ready to drink wine.
With its white fruit, lively acidity and delicious ripeness, this is very ready to drink. It's an opulent, rounded wine, with hints of spice to go with its fruit character.
With its juicy, strawberry-like acidity, smoky character and firm tannins, this is already well developed and delicious. The finish brings out crispness and fragrance.
This is concentrated, with black plum and damson flavors that are balanced by firm, dense tannins. It has a dry, solid core, with a more perfumed character that merges with the acidity.
Full, ripe and lusty, this has notes of licorice and grit on the bouquet. It feels fresh and lively, with enough richness and weight for balance. It tastes of balsamic-infused berry and spice, with an integrated herb note peeking through.
Notes of sweet pea blossoms, freesia and ripe stone fruits perfume this beautifully executed blend of Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Light on it's feet, with zippy acidity, it's a crisp, thirst-quenching white that finishes on a lavishly floral note.
Hints of fennel add a splash of green to the intense yellow peach, pineapple and honeysuckle flavors of this penetrating, off-dry Riesling. The palate is lush with sweet fruit flavors, but spirited lemon-lime acidity carries it to a dry, elegantly floral finish.
A black-fruit aroma comes with accents of tobacco and prune but also a strong, almost vegetal green angle. It feels nice and full, with green-leaning flavors of spiced berry and juniper. Tobacco, bitter lettuce and green bean notes all make appearances on the finish. This is a blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Jammy strawberry, crushed raspberry and mineral aromas define the bouquet. The palate is lifted by good acidity, while flavors of vanilla and tomato accent the raspberry and plum fruits. Fresh and subtle on the finish, this is a middleweight wine with a juicy disposition.
A foursquare, solid wine that shows its structure right up front. It is backed by red fruits and acids that lend a warm feeling. Full and dense, this needs to age.
Wood aromas are out front, with notes of vanilla, dill and char, making it hard to get at the fruit. On the palate, the oak almost completely obliterates any sense of the fruit underneath as well. The variety is completely lost.
This wine has an unusually dark color, plus potent and spicy charred-oak aromas. A very aggressive sweet-oak flavor coats over the grape flavors. It stays somewhat sweet on the palate and finish.
The wine shows the richness of the vintage while also showing some firm extracted tannins. At this stage, the wine is too dry and firm. Give it until 2018 for a little softening.
Firm and dense, this wine has solid tannins as well as the potential of ripe black fruits. It has been firmly extracted, although the fruit is there to give the balance. Drink from 2018.
This is a light and juicy wine, with bright black-currant fruits and a layer of balanced, integrated tannins. It has a dry core that should soften quickly, so drink from early 2018.
Red cherries give this wine a soft open feel. It is light on structure, more about crisp acidity. Drink from 2018.
The wine is packed with fruit (including red berries) and attractive acidity. It has tannins that are still very present, although they are now supporting the bright fruitiness of the wine. It's almost ready to drink; just wait until 2018.
The wine is lean, with acidity rather than ripe fruit. It is also tough with tannins. It could come round, although it will always be tough and extracted.
This Grandeau wine is tight and firm. The tannins are a serious component of a wine that will have more fruitiness as it develops. It just escapes being over-extracted, leaving a crisp aftertaste.
The wine is crisp and shot through with acidity. That gives the black-currant fruit great intensity as well as a juicy character. The wine needs to calm down, so wait until 2018.
Although this opens with foxy aromas that suggest moderate to sketchy ripeness, this Garnacha-Syrah blend feels pretty good. Mild oak, plum and berry flavors are racy on an acidic finish.
Feral in earth and mushroom forest, this wine is big in ripeness and body. Sizable tannins distract from the fruit.
Plum, berry and spice aromas are a touch volatile. A hard, flush palate is loaded with rubbery tannins. Baked berry, cassis and prune flavors fall off on a finish that tastes slightly cooked.
This wine is pale peach in color. The 100% Grenache, the wood influence (100% new 500L French oak) is almost completely overwhelming, showing notes of vanillin, wood spice and cream. It lightens up a bit on the dry palate but still can't make up the difference.
Earthen, savory tones of dusty mineral on the nose open to tart sour cherry and strawberry on the palate of this semi-dry rosé made from Merlot grapes. It's light bodied and zesty but balanced with a hint of sweetness.
The wine is all juicy red-currant and berry fruits. With light tannins and a crisp edge the wine is fruity and ready to drink.
This is a juicy red-fruit-flavored wine. It has attractive tannins and plenty of acidity. With a fresh crisp aftertaste, it is light and will develop quickly.
The wine's stalky character, acidity and black-currants are lit by light tannins. It is likely to age quickly, and be ready to drink from 2018.
This perfumed wine, with a dry tannic core, is just beginning to soften. The potential for the black fruits is already there. Drink this solid wine from early 2018.
This soft spicy wine comes from the heart of the Entre-deux-Mers region. It has blackberry fruits and balanced acidity, typical of the vintage. The wine is fruity, just backed up by tannins and is ready to drink.
Strong aromas of pear cider, ripe apples, honey and a slight nuttiness show on the nose of this bottling. That cider flavor continues into the sip, where browned apples and sour-lime flavors show most prominently.
Berry and raisin aromas announce a slightly overripe wine. That's confirmed on the palate, which feels a bit syrupy. Oaky black-fruit flavors are candied, and this Garnacha finishes steady but chunky.
Soft and ripe, this young wine is already to drink. Light tannins and a touch of spice give it just the right amount of richness from this good vintage. The wine is filled with red berries and is ready to drink.
An aggressively oaky aroma, like fresh-sawn boards and lacquer, goes along with the deep-gold color and flavors of butter, vanilla and heavy cardamom and nutmeg. It's full bodied, dry and extreme in style.
Mild aromas of citrus cream and sea spray mark the nose. Broader stone fruit flavors give weight to the palate that doesn't seem to quite balance out by the sugary finish.
Feline aromas of nettle and lime lean toward the 90% Sauvignon Blanc in this blend (the rest is Carmenère). A flat, mostly lifeless palate is a downer, while pithy, green flavors of lettuce and tarragon finish short.
Tropical aromas of melon and papaya are clean and youthful, but rudimentary. This is pulpy in feel, with moderate acidity. Simple apple and peach flavors finish mild, with mild complexity.
The aromas of mandarin orange and apricot seem to show a touch of oxygen exposure. This drinks just off dry with stone-fruit flavors throughout.
Aromas of overripe peach pit and oily tropical fruits are flat and low on fun. This is acidic but lacking in body and support. Sour plum and lemon flavors lead to a tangy finish.
A straightforward and light-bodied wine, this has buttery, earthy aromas, and butter and apple flavors on a rather crisp texture. It turns dry and a bit sharp on the finish.
Aromas and flavors like mixed fruit cocktail and a rather soft texture make this a pleasant, easy-drinking wine. Medium bodied and not tart, it seems almost sweet on the finish.
A rather closed nose yields some earthy notes mixed with citrus. The palate comes across as tart but counteracts with a slightly oily texture. This wine is fresh and clean but should be drunk soon.
This wine is so light, all bright fruit and crisp acidity. A stalky, herbal element contrasts with the red currant fruit flavors. The wine could be better from 2016.
This Cabernet is topped with a coating of char and oak. Creamy and resiny in feel, this is a sticky, confected wine, with flavors of vanilla, resiny spice and berry fruits backed by lactic oak on the finish.
A thick slathering of oak gives this Malbec a plastic-like coating on the nose; in addition, there are aromas of brushy, herbal berry fruits. This is chunky and plump in feel, with herbal, oaky, minty flavors that outweigh the wine's berry character. The finish is hot and oaky.
Gritty, seemingly reduced aromas of berry and plum are herbal and come with an olive note. This is highly acidic, with a scouring mouthfeel and finish. Tart flavors of berry fruits lead to a finish with some bitterness.
A blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine shows tones of red currant juice and geranium. Light in body and tannin, this is mild and approachable.
Muddled citrus and a drizzle of artificial butter initially marks the nose and palate. Additional notes of bitter lemon peel and roasted pear carry the flavors to a slightly astringent finish.
Brined berry aromas meet an aroma of wet cement. This is medium in body, with herbal berry and chocolate flavors ending on a mild stewed and minty note.
Rubbery cherry aromas show a mushroom note. This is acidic, with grabby oak-based tannins. Dry, spicy, woody flavors of tea and black plum hollow out on the finish, which tastes a bit raisiny.
Herbal and somewhat weedy, this is a thin wine from a coolish year, offering faint amounts of cassis, cranberry and milk chocolate.
Sharp aromas of Mexican lime peel mix with struck match and cement on this nose. The palate is extremely tart and sour.
Stalky, murky aromas of rustic red-berry fruits are strained. This is both tannic and soupy in feel, while stalky, leathery flavors bring tomato and herbal tones to the finish.
Crisp aromas of citrus are feline and snappy. This smells more like Sauvignon Blanc than Chardonnay, and the palate is racy and citric as well. Lime, nettle and tangerine flavors finish green, tart and long, with acidic push.
Berry aromas take on a savory and animal hide note. The dense palate carries herbal and earthy flavors, with mulchy, stalky berry tones that come with a dash of coffee grinds. An earthy finish is suggestive of fresh compost.
This purple-tinted heavyweight smells rugged, scratchy and jammy, with horsey notes accenting currant and cranberry flavors. An aggressive palate is far from an easy ride, while plum, spice and herbal flavors end with juicy acidity.
From an estate vineyard, this wine is somewhat unformed and quite feral, largely tannic, with a rough-hewn texture. The oak is overwhelming and needs time to settle, to better reveal the abundance of strawberry and cherry fruit.
This GSM from the southeastern corner of Arizona is medium bodied, with mild, easy tannins. A rubbery berry aroma on the nose turns more candied and fruity on the palate.
Fairly shy aromas of crushed grapes and grape seeds show on the nose of this widely available wine. It's also quite reserved on the palate, offering just a touch of plum, grape and earth elements.
This medium-bodied Chardonnay smells sweet like marshmallows but tastes dry. It shows mild peach and lean apple flavors, a slight earthy touch and crisp-enough balance.
This blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Negrette shows treacly candied cherry and crème de cassis as well as a composting purple-flower element on the nose. Thick kirsch and blackcurrant flavors are present on the boozy palate, which would pair with a cigar easily.
Whiffs of black coffee and wet soil mingle amidst plump black cherry and berry notes on nose of this medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. The palate shows a cooler crisper black-fruit profile, accented by swathes of green leaves and herbs. The finish is a bit tart, lingering on a bite of penetrating tannins.
Ripe ruddy black-plum flavors are shaded in rustic tones of basil and thyme in this herbaceous Cabernet Sauvignon. Brisk acidity lends freshness to the midpalate, leading a moderately long finish framed by pleasantly bitter tannins. Drink now through 2019.
This robust rustic red has aromas suggesting barnyard, game and cured meat. The aromas carry over to the muddled palate along with cranberry, raisin and a salty note. Stalky, grainy tannins give it a raspy finish.
Aromas of candied cherry, leather and tire rubber require some patience and swirling. This Tempranillo feels grabby and pinched, with roasted, almost burnt black-fruit flavors. Salty toasty notes carry a hard but sturdy finish.
Melon and apple aromas are at first stony, then more mealy. This feels sturdy enough, with dry yeasty white-fruit flavors. On the finish, this turns increasingly bready, yeasty and less fresh.
This attractive, herbal wine has intense fruitiness but misses any sense of place. It has appealing white currant and grapefruit flavors and a tight finish of acidity. Drink now.
Briny aromas of orange peel are not exactly popping. This feels healthy and balanced, although white-fruit flavors are yeasty, bitter and gritty, while the finish tastes pithy and underripe. For Uruguay's leader in Albariño, this is not a sterling vintage.
Straightforward plum, cherry and tomato aromas lead to a juicy palate that's lacking in structure. Simple slightly sweet plum and black-currant flavors finish with a note of peppery spice. At only 11.5% ABV, this is Merlot is an easy sipper.
This is a crisp, fruity and perfumed rosé from Sciaccarellu. It has red-currant freshness, bright acidity and a delicious refreshing character. Drink now.
This has delicate aromas of chopped herb and red berry. The no-frills diluted palate offers suggestions of unripe cherry, orange peel and a touch of mint alongside brisk acidity and grainy, fleeting tannins.
Deep mauve to light red in color, this bottling conveys rustic aromas of smoked berries, blood and leather on the nose. Smashed wild berries and dried strawberries show on the sip, which also shows some brick and meat flavors. The chalky tannins keep it intriguing.
Aromas of gritty berry and wet cement lead to a chewy sticky grabby palate. Round generic baked flavors of plum and berry are solid, while salty notes work their way onto the finish.
A staunch, almost severe level of oak controls the nose on this barrel-fermented Viura that's narrow on the palate, with high acidity. Oak stays around as the lead flavor, with a hint of sour apple, while texturally this feels solid and not too resiny.
Plum, dill, oregano, pencil lead, tobacco and woody berry aromas show on the nose of this bottling. Light in body and flavor, the palate offers leather, tobacco, dried berry and plum-skin elements.
The wine has layers of the acidity typical of the vintage. For fruit it is juicy with tight red-currant flavors and more of that intense acidity. The wine probably needs to calm down and so will be better from 2017.
Young and fruity, this smoky wine shows the natural crispness of the Aligoté. It has fine minerality, lively acidity and layers of apple fruitiness. Drink this wine now.
Its borderline weedy aromas are abrasive. This has a drawn-in tannic palate with citrusy acidity. Briary herbal berry and red-plum flavors are green in the middle, while this is unyielding and herbal tasting on the finish.
This dry, medium-bodied wine has mild berry aromas and flavors. It offers a firm mouthfeel and moderate tannins.
Fresh aromas of plum, vanilla, flowers and spice lead to an off-dry palate full of blue-fruit flavors.
Strong raisin and prune flavors give this wine a late-harvest character, while fruit acidity and tannin makes the texture grippy.
Golden in color and slightly chunky on the palate, this is for fans of the variety only. A foxy, resin-like taste of tartness attempts to soften the with residual sugar.
This is a light and very fruity wine from vineyards in the hills above Nuits Saint-Georges. It has just fruit, light tannins and considerable acidity. The wine is crisp, bright and will be ready to drink from 2017.
A lightly perfumed wine, this is fruity with peppered lemon and melon flavors. It has a crisp edge and finishes with bright acidity.
Medium-bodied and easy drinking, this Cabernet opens with yeasty red-fruit aromas and a touch of smoky oak, before finishing clean. A very good Cabernet Sauvignon that should be fairly easy to find.
For ten bucks, this is an attractive and crowd-pleasing Chenin that boasts forward notes of baked apple, melon, sweet orange and a hint of savory herb. The balanced acidity ensures that the ripe flavors don't feel too heavy on the close.
Lemberger is a grapy red, with broad and simple fruit flavors, often with a rustic, tannic finish. Here it's been done in a lighter style, with a dried leaf note and lightly dusty tannins.
Dainty floral aromatics mingle with the fresh scents of white peach and melon rind. Medium weight, this has good zip on the palate that carries through to the finish. Lively lime and green plum flavors abound.
Delicately perfumed, this is an attractive, fruity wine.It layers acidity and a light tannic edge with white fruits and red currants. There is a soft vanilla aftertaste.
Light salmon in color, this has aromas of pineapple, passion fruit and tangerine. It feels tangy and zesty, with pithy, crisp flavors of citrus fruits and red berries. It's juicy, but not overly flavorful on the finish.
Light and forward, this pure Cabernet offers pretty strawberry fruit and soft tannins. Easy drinking, it's built for near-term consumption.
Taut and crisp, this has tight acidity and a lively green-fruit character. It's full of attractive fruit, with a mouthwatering finish. Ready to drink. Screwcap.
This is very soft and rounded, with a caramel edge. Its warm, ripe mouthfeel is marked by fruity, light acidity and a splash of lime. Screwcap.
With its extra richness, this has lost some fruitiness and acidity, lending a fat feeling. The red fruits are still there, however, coupled with an orange zest note. Screwcap.
Lively aromatics and fresh fruit are coupled with a bright, mouthwatering texture and a refreshing finish. White peach, strawberry hull and melon rind form the fruity core of this wine, with assertive lemon-lime citrus flavors infusing the zippy finish.
This négociant operation has greatly expanded its offerings in recent years, and this blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre is reasonably successful. Cherry and dried herb notes are framed by dry cedar accents before picking up olive and coffee nuances on the finish. Drink now and over the next two years.
Bacon, rubber and berry fruit aromas comprise the bouquet. Feels crisp on the palate, with roasted berry flavors and herb and pepper accents. It feels warm on the finish, with herbal leanings and some roughness.
This Fiddletown Zin has a sweet graham cracker and marshmallow quality about it, soft and round in the middle, and a finish that's long and a touch green.
This is very much in the light, fruity style of instantly-drinkable Grüner. It's packed with green apple flavor and bright acidity. The finish is marked with a tang of citrus. Screwcap.
This is big and bacony on the nose, with herbal berry aromas and notes of spice and more. It feels lifted and nervy, with vital, almost volatile acidity and resiny, oak-led flavors of vanilla and black fruit. This is minty, spicy and aggressive on the finish.
Spice, pepper, chocolate and a hint of stem are all wrapped into this light-hearted Cabernet Franc. The pretty, sweet, cherry candy core gives it immediate appeal. Drink up.
Forward and pleasant, with a balanced attack of berry and peppery herb, this saw 20 months in one-fifth new French oak. The resulting toasty, lightly-chocolaty finish is pleasing, though it tends to override the subtle fruit. Drink soon.
Boasts a reasonably complex bouquet of chocolate, cedar and weedy cassis, followed by a mellow, soft palate impression. The fruit is sweet and direct, just the kind of thing that would hit the spot with an impromptu meal of steak frites. No, there's not a lot of structure, but why age a wine that's so clearly made for immediate gratification?
Young and grapy, with plenty of heavily toasted oak, this is one Chilean red that could use a year or so to settle down. Right now the fruit is just too unformed and the charred oak too unintegrated, but the solid raw materials should knit together nicely in a relatively short time.
Richly fruity and soft, this wine boasts loads of black-cherry and plum flavors. Clearly made from very ripe fruit, it lacks the herbaceous-vegetal character so often found in Merlot, but also any sense of structure. Finishes with a bit of alcoholic heat.
Bright grapefruit and gooseberry aromas flesh out admirably in the mouth, with tart apple and citrus flavors moving to the fore. Finishes clean and crisp—a perfect partner for shellfish or fresh chèvre.
Sweet caramel, a touch of mintiness, and some earth-tinged cassis grace the nose. That's followed up by simple fruit flavors and a corpulent mouthfeel held together by some light tannins on the finish.
Ripe pear-pineapple fruit is layered with vanilla and tinged with citrus. This is a plump, slightly heavy Chard best served cold at parties and picnics.
Thick in decadent tannin accents and integrated oak, this wine also offers high-toned cassis and cranberry, with a touch of cedar lurking in the shadows. It finishes in a wash of leather and black pepper.
With a rich palate and dense spicy black fruits, this is a full-bodied wine. Showing a balance of fresh berries, vibrant acidity and structured tannins, this is a classic Douro blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. Drink now.
Wood aging and ripe fruit combine to make a structured and rich wine that has good potential. It's solid, concentrated with all the minerality and texture of the Douro. With vineyards on the high plateau north of the Douro, the wine has a cool edge that keeps it fresh, despite the alcohol.
Enticing aromas of chamomile, hay, aromatic herb, tomato vine and stone fruit lead the way. The vibrant, elegant palate shows yellow peach, grapefruit, anise sage and a hint of mineral alongside vibrant acidity.
A bit less intense aromatically than other Adam Lee bottlings, this shows sour plum, smoked meat and a touch of garden herbs on the nose. Those elements come alive on the palate, where peppercorns, oregano, thyme and pencil lead decorate dark cranberry fruits.
This cuvée is made with the oldest Wädenswil plantings at the estate. It's broadly fruity with delicious strawberry flavors front and center. Supporting acids are proportionate and fresh. Although relatively light, this elegant, graceful wine is ready for immediate enjoyment.
Firmly tannic, this is the rare example of a lower-priced wine that deserves some time in the cellar. There's a sense of coolness and restraint to this wine at first. Hints of menthol lift scents of mixed berries, then develop on the palate into sturdy, chewy fruit flavors and mocha. Drink 2018–2030.
Complex and fascinating aromas suggesting cranberry, cedar and mushroom get your attention right away. Next a tight, firmly tannic texture takes over and seems to hold on to the fruit flavors. The wine is light to medium in body, and seems likely to let its flavors out after 2019.
Faintly spiced, ripe apple and pear notes on the nose are mellowed by gentle, barely-there sweetness on the palate. This is rounded and pliable, but without an ounce of fat. A balanced, gently spiced wine with deep but slender richness that finishes dry.
The nose is subdued but opens into juicy ripe pear fruit with a gentle, balanced sweetness. The body is pliable and fluid, unobtrusive and balmy, yet serious. It achieves a wonderful balance with an off-dry finish.
Spicy and strong, this vineyard-designate has a definite point of view. Pure, fresh cranberry and apple flavors drive down into the finish, buttressed with crisp, clean acidity. Drink now through 2020.
Caramel and vanilla provide a richness and influence of barrel from the nose, before crisp apple delivers itself on the palate. Stony minerality keeps the wine fresh and vibrant, finishing with a touch of ginger.
High, bright notes of the ripest pears pervade everything. They are edged with the slightly bitter tinge of fir honey which counters the sweetness of the fruit. This is balanced, off-dry and finishes with pleasant warmth.
A distinct note of honey hovers above the ripe, tart apple fruit. On the palate the apples have the rounded richness of baked fruit and the zing of lemon freshness, making for a friendly, approachable, zesty Riesling with a clean finish.
The palate of rich, fleshy and ripe pear is already signalled on the nose and relaxes into softly sweet juiciness at its fruity core. Fresh acidity means that it stays sprightly and finishes just off dry.
Made with Friulano, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon, this opens with aromas of pressed flower, ripe orchard fruit, nut and a whiff of citrus. The linear palate offers toasted oak, mature apricot and candied orange zest. It closes on a note of bitter almond.
With time, fresh rose petals merge into heady Turkish delight notes on the nose. This is full-on Gewurztraminer with all the bells and whistles: utterly decadent rose water and honeysuckle notes are submerged in rich, indulgent sweetness. This is perfumed and full-on: a super-charged varietal expression with rich, powdery layers of rose, honey and caramel.
Named after the mistress of Portugual's King João V who lived at this estate, the wine is a super-ripe expression of the warmth of an Alentejo wine. It is a powerful, structured although the tannins are surrounded by ripe berry and damson fruit flavors. It is ready to drink.
Whiffs of spice and slate lend complexity to plump, sunny peach and yellow plum flavors in this off-dry Riesling. It's fruity, approachable and easy, yet elegantly balanced.
Juicy streaks of grapefruit and pineapple in this spry, dry Riesling are cut by laser-focused acidity and rocky edges of slate. It's approachable and fresh yet abundantly elegant. Drink now through 2018.
A blend of 70% Friulano, 15% Ribolla Gialla and 15% Malvasia, this is perfumed with scents suggesting yellow flower, apple, citrus fruit and hazelnut. The vibrant palate is loaded with verve and finesse, offering peach, Golden Delicious apple, sage, fennel and a hint of candied tangerine zest. A note of bitter almond closes the tangy finish.
This is an unexpected wine, unoaked Baga in the Alentejo rather than its home territory of Bairrada. The result is a wine that certainly hasn't lost its fierce tannins while gaining a rich, full black fruit character. The typical acidity is there, again mitigated by the warmer climate away from the ocean. It's a surprisingly impressive wine to drink now.
Soft, ripe apple and nectarine notes mix with fresh lime, jasmine and Anjou pear on the nose of this unoaked bottling. A pinpoint, lemony acidity is racy once sipped, but fleshy apple and pear keep the palate grounded.
Pear, apple, hazelnut and crushed stone aromas unfold on this polished white. The aromas follow through to the full-bodied palate along with lemon drop and a tier of energizing mineral. Crisp acidity brightens the creamy flavors.
Enticing scents of beeswax, citrus blossom and stone fruit meet the nose. The sleek, linear palate offers crisp yellow apple, white peach and a mineral note alongside bracing acidity.
Sumptuously honeyed yet not at all cloying, this sprightly kabinett dances on the tongue, catapulted by lemony acidity and a crush of fresh pear and apple flavors. It's an enlivening sip that finishes on a lingering sweet kiss.
Aromas of brioche and caramelized sugar waft amidst apple jelly and quince in this elegantly pétillant Riesling sparkling. It's strikingly brisk, but the mousse feels lavish and comforting. The finish is marked by a meandering salty tang.
Put aside the bizarre name and label and concentrate on the wine which is fine, structured and densely tannic red fruit. The tannins and firm texture are balanced by black currant flavors and succulent acidity. The wine needs to age, and shouldn't be drunk before 2017.
Half Viognier with the rest equal parts Marsanne and Roussanne, this is aromatic with notes of pear, apples and apricot with surprisingly tart fruit flavors. The warmth of the vintage shows with the alcohol bleeding through, especially on the finish.
A widely available offering from Concannon, this Cab is rich in jammy cherry and vanilla, with a backbone of oak, a nice choice for midweek dinners of rib roast and steak.
Light, dilute aromas of raspberry and cranberry come with a sweet accent of red-licorice rope. This feels sticky but shallow, while the flavors are candied. A gritty, somewhat bitter tasting and tannic finish is the closing act.
This wine shows plum and toasted oak sensations with hints of animal and barnyard. The palate offers overripe black fruit flavors along with astringent tannins that cut the finish short.
Red-fruit aromas lead the charge, but they come with a green, candied component. This is flabby in feel, with minty berry flavors and a modest finish.
A maderized tint signals a wine in decline. Nectarine and mild citrus aromas lack edge or snap, while flavors of apple, melon and white grapefruit are showing oxidized characteristics.
Blueberry, prune and beet aromas are mulchy and fail to improve with airing. The palate is medium in size and jammy, with green herb and leafy, stemmy berry flavors. There's a burning feel to the finish.
Charred, leathery aromas include popcorn and black fruits. This is angular and high in acidity, while the flavors run salty and rubbery, with black-fruit notes. A strained, lightly herbal finish tastes like roasted tomato.
Peach and white-flower aromas forecast a fleshy, soft palate. Papaya and melon flavors are honeyed, but this finishes bland, with a vanilla note.
Powdery citrus aromas are mild yet friendly. In the mouth, this is both acidic and a touch sticky. Nutty, almondy flavors of stone fruits and bitterness finish with stalky notes of hay and stems.
This Torrontés is fading. After aromas of air freshener and lychee, the wine feels heavy and clampy, with an oily character. Its tropical flavors are unimpressive, while the finish is round in feel but bitter in taste. Better to wait for the 2012, or even the 2013, to come around.
This is the epitome of an innocuous white wine. Modest cantaloupe aromas lead to a rudimentary palate with mealy grapefruit and stone-fruit flavors. A chalky, stony finish is simple ad straightforward.
This is a wiry, scratchy wine with generic red-fruit and mild green aromas. A grabby, hard palate contains soft berry and plum flavors. A finish of carob, herbal notes and oaky spice is an adquate ending.
This has somewhat acrid aromas of animal and farmyard, while the palate offers a very ripe plum flavor that's just short of being overripe, as well as vanilla and chocolate sensations. It finishes on a bitter note.
Cherry-rhubarb juice, shiitake mushrooms, sagebrush and iron make for a lush and layered nose on this appellation-blend wine that is widely available. The palate begins with plush red cherry then dives into oregano, sage and mace spice. It's expertly complex for a reasonably priced wine.
Earthy plum and cherry aromas score points for being clear and direct. The palate on this varietal Mencía is round, smooth and just right. Lightly briny, earthy plum and cherry flavors hold steady on the finish, with a dash of saltiness.
Made with 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, this boasts aromas of black currant, mature plum, black pepper and clove. The ripe palate delivers fleshy black cherry, blackberry, licorice and Mediterranean brush accompanied by firm, fine-grained tannins.
This wine is a big one, going all out to make friends. New-oak aromas like clove, cedar and cinnamon explode out of the glass, then flavors of dark chocolate and cherry spread across the palate for a generous—almost thick—impression. Fine layers of tannins and firm acidity blanket the texture.
This wine is a field blend of 80% Zinfandel, with 10% Petite Sirah, 6% Alicante Bouschet and 4% other mixed black grapes. High-toned in plum and dark cherry, it's bright while also being plush and juicy. This is a small-production offering from a fairly cool area for the grape.
A dense, leathery, richly stylized wine from a great vineyard site, this offers thick layers of dark chocolate, blueberry and plum. Integrated in terms of oak and tannin, it delivers concentration and power, capped off on the finish in a shot of cigar.
Amber gold in the glass, this Ribolla Gialla has aromas of wet river rocks, vanilla bean and honeycomb. It has a luscious mouthfeel with pronounced minerality and flavors of apricot, apple and ripe pear.
This blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Saperavi and 5% Rara Neagra has aromas of red raspberry, violet candy and black cherry. There are flavors of cherry vanilla and pomegranate with soft tannins and an elegant finish.
This outgoing and full-bodied wine has a lot going for it. Fruity, enticing aromas lead to fully ripe flavors that suggest plums and fresh strawberries, with a suave and supple texture.
Smoke and oak pronounce themselves vigorously on the nose and entry of this 100% varietal wine, which holds on with a tight grip. Black fruit dominates with leather, chocolate and tobacco playing secondary roles. The finish is lengthy and powerful.
Aromas of baked plum, chopped mint, espresso and toasted oak lead the nose. The chewy palate doles out cherries marinated in spirits, raspberry jam, star anise, mocha and white pepper alongside big, velvety tannins. It's already extremely accessible and while it's not loaded with complexity, it is hearty and delicious. Drink 2017–2022.
Underbrush, scorched earth, chopped mint and roasted berry aromas lead the nose. The taut palate offers mature black cherry, clove, dried sage and toasted nut alongside tightly wound tannins that leave a firm finish. Drink 2019–2024.
Aromas of scorched earth, leather, ground pepper, porcini mushroom and mature berry lead the nose. The aromas carry over to the ripe palate along with raspberry jam, vanilla and chocolate. It's already accessible. Drink through 2023.
This Oregon-based producer has sourced Petaluma Gap grapes to craft a light, clear and somewhat smoky and full-bodied expression of the variety. It's dense and rich in black cherry, currant and cola-vanilla.
Medium bodied and restrained on the palate, this wine offers a mix of caramelized lemon and Gravenstein apple. It ends lengthy with tastes of ginger and lemongrass that leave a refreshing finish.
Mandarin-orange zest, cut Asian pear, lemon blossom and slight beeswax show on the fresh nose of this bottling by young winemaker Mike Callahan. It's extremely dry on the palate, like licking limestone, with hints of nectarine blossom and lemon-skin flavor.
Grown on a family-owned vineyard and aged in 25% new French oak, this wine brings together lemon and lime zest with aromas of orange blossom. It then introduces soft, lilting waves of integrated texture, the oak understated with a taste of hazelnut.
Bready white-fruit aromas are a touch funky and difficult to gauge. In the mouth, this is foamy but secure, with lemon-lime and nectarine flavors. This feels precise on the finish, with mild yeast and bread flavors.
Tropical guava and mango surround a restrained cradling of French oak, only 15% of it new, in this easy-to-like, approachable wine. Wrappings of vanilla and honeysuckle complete the picture, with a straightforward, relatively lengthy finish.
Leather, game, underbrush, dried herb and ripe black-skinned fruit aromas take shape in the glass. The big, chewy palate has a rustic charm, offering fleshy black cherry, game, truffle and a hint of cake spice wrapped in tightly packed tannins.
This Bulgarian Mavrud presents the nose with suggestions of dried cherry, black plum, freshly ground black pepper and a whiff of eucalyptus. In the mouth it is balanced with soft tannins mingling with dried cherry, cassis and black plum.
Given about a year in French oak, less than half of it new, this is a cohesive blend of 53% Grenache, 29% Mourvèdre, 12% Syrah and 6% Counoise. It's brawny in meat and leather, blackberry and tar, with a velvety mouthfeel benefiting from integrated oak.
Forest floor, mature berry, scorched soil and a whiff of new leather lead the nose. The palate shows dried black cherry, mocha, cinnamon and clove alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. A licorice note closes the finish.
Lipsmacking plum and currant accent a touch of chocolate in this soft, approachable, estate-driven wine from the heart of Stags Leap. Classically elegant with plenty of California oomph, it's a study in balance and fruity bravado.
Dark violet-red in color, this wine has a bouquet of blueberry, brambles and flint. It is soft on entry, with a web of tannins that spreads across the palate. Flavors of cherry preserves, bacon and juniper berry are at play in the mouth, and bright fruit notes and tactile tannins come in waves through the lingering finish.
This straightforward wine shows an exuberance of toasted oak and grip at first before relaxing into its more mannered self, a twist of cedar and sage giving it a classic sensibility. Cassis and black cherry take on more power on the full-bodied palate, exhibiting the soft approachability of the appellation.
Chocolaty aromas and ample spicy, dark-fruit flavors power this generous and firm-textured wine. Everything seems in place and in balance, ready to take on a nice roast or braise.
Tar and black fruit loll on the full-bodied palate here, the wine well composed to highlight dark, leathery cigar and a hint of cedar. Smooth and round on the finish, it's a varietal rarity for the appellation.
This comes in at 15g/L residual sugar, but it's more than offset with mineral-drenched acidity, so it drinks like a dry wine. Pale lemon in hue, it offers citrus flesh and rind in a young, yeasty, medium-bodied wine. The persistent, crisply-defined finish leaves a pleasing aftertaste of tangerine.
Straightforward punchbowl aromas greet you, and beyond that there's melon to the nose. The palate is decidedly softer and rounder than Cono Sur's higher-tier SBs, while the flavors run toward familiar lemon and green apple. Finishes sweet but comfortable. Perfectly good and competent.
A pleasant change of pace from the usual Marlborough recipe of tropical fruit and herbal tang, this offering instead supplies copious amounts of citrusy aromas and flavors coupled to a hint of stony minerality. It's round in the mouth, just fading away a bit quickly on the finish.
Pungent upfront, marrying freshly cut grass with hints of sweat and backing those scents up with bright citrus fruit. Flavors are musky and complex, adding fig and melon to the mix, all carried by a plump texture and a moderately long finish.
Opens with aromatics of jalapeño, fresh lettuce, green apple and white pepper. The body is lithe and dances across the palate, while flavors of tangerine, Yellow Delicious apples and passion fruit are clean, light and familiar. An easygoing, likable and honest style of Sauvignon Blanc.
Spritzy, with light stone fruit flavors suggesting peach and pear. Hints of residual sugar, some good texture in the mouth, and a lactic, slightly buttery finish.
A vibrantly fresh wine, its green fruit flavors positively glowing with acidity and lemon and tangerine flavors. There is some depth beneath all this fruitiness, giving structure. But, in the end, this is a lively, crisp wine. Screwcap.
This is a friendly, New World- style Chardonnay, with flavors of toast, oak and spice and decent complexity. Assertive and upfront, it's a good everyday white for fans of whites with pronounced flavors.
On the nose, this wine shows typical Chardonnay aromas of peach, melon and citrus, all augmented by toast and vanilla from barrel aging. But on the palate, it displays a tight, rather lean framework; there's more citrus than stone fruit, finishing crisp rather than particularly rich or nuanced.
This wine starts with an intriguing nose that is at once floral, fresh and spicy. On the palate, it's racy and fun but has an elegant, delicate edge. A combination of lemon and grass flavors with tropical melons and fruits are balanced and enjoyable. A good go-to white that will pair well with grilled seafood and salads.
Black currants and spice provide the backbone to this classic Bordeaux red. There are dry tannins, some attractive smoky flavors, topped with acidity and a final, lightly wooded close.
A little sweat, a little funk in the nose; following that, the wine is sturdy and substantial. Made with fruit from 36-year-old vines which the winery says are the oldest in the AVA. It shows a flavorful mix of herb, bark, earth, pepper, rock and dark, tannic, muscular fruit. Better winemaking would dramatically improve the score.
In the Middle Ages, this vineyard was on the boundary between Burgundy and Champagne. This is a plush , rich wine with a broad, full character. It offers ripeness, yellow fruits and crisp, fresh acidity at the end. Drink from 2017.
There's a unique nose on this single-vineyard bottling by Joshua Klapper, with black olives, dried figs, cranberries and wood ash combining into a delicate almond-brittle sensation. The palate is subtle and restrained, all about finessed energy and nuanced texture, opening up into strawberries and cracked black pepper. Great right now but will live through 2025-plus.
This is a lighthearted, well-crafted take on the variety made for the producer's mother, Lee. It's bright and rich simultaneously, with highlights of tropical pineapple and mango supported by crisp minerality and a refreshing finish of tangerine and lime zest.
Spice and black plums are touched with hints of purple flowers and beet root in this ripe, supple Pinot Noir. Richness is offset by bright acidity and a fine, but firm, frame of tannins. It's an elegant wine with evenhanded grace.
From a 2.4-acre vineyard with vines that are 60 years old, this is a tight, mineral wine, very pure and with a line of acidity and crisp apple flavors. Very perfumed, it is fresh but also densely textured, finishing with tannins and concentration as well as liveliness. Drink from 2018.
Heady, high-class aromas of kirsch, balsamic-soaked blackberry and licorice get this off to a great start. At this stage, this is intense and restricted, but concentrated in a promising way. Toasty black-fruit flavors welcome coffee and chocolate accents on the finish. Give this powerful Cab Franc time; best 2018–2027.
Hot olallieberry jam, lava rocks and uncracked black peppercorn aromas decorate the nose on this blend of 45% Syrah, 24% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache and 11% Tempranillo, about 90% of which is from the Paderewski VIneyard. It's jammy, juicy and meaty on the palate, a lip-smacking wine made interesting by a plum-skin tartness and pork stew richness.
There's a sharp element of lime rind and brie cheese skin at first sniff of this wine, but the nose quickly softens into white peach elements. Once sipped, the citrus pith tightness remains, and while it doesn't veer into juicy ripeness, there are supple apple and pear fruit flavors, cut further with lemon juice on the finish.
There's a touch of soft cheese rind at first on the nose of this wine from the historic vineyard. It quickly emerges into a gray slate and white rock minerality, followed by warmed pears and apples. It's tightly focused on the steely, tense palate, with lime sorbet and green pear ripeness and a sunny body.
Light garnet in color with a tawny rim, this offers earthy, wet stone aromas and then gushing fruit flavors like raspberry and wild blackberry that ride on a wave of lively acidity, making for a fascinating taste adventure. This nails the acid-tannin-alcohol balance in a way that's compelling and delicious.
From a small appellation near Bonny Doon that this family has farmed for half a century comes this zesty wine, with aromas of seared lemons, caramelized nectarine, browned butter and hard apple candy. The palate shows warm apples, roasted almonds and a shred of iodine, finishing with dried apricot and pressed white flowers.
Purely delicious, this has stunning and distinctive aromas and flavors that recall pomegranate juice and blueberries, plus a velvety-smooth texture. While very full bodied, this wine does not win with power but with grace. It has excellent balance and harmony, and stands above the crowd.
From a small dry-farmed vineyard comes this rich and layered wine that shows black olives, ripe cranberries, buttered cherries and red rose petals on the complicated nose. Very savory fruits emerge once sipped, with smoked black plums, mission figs, red cherries and raspberries alongside balsamic vinegar, licorice candy and a Tootsie Roll chocolate element.
Ripe and juicy in red and black berries, this wine has a big presence and plenty of bold flavor, retaining all the elements so beloved in the variety, from black pepper to leather and cigar, while displaying a deftness of winemaking skill in the cellar. Mouthfilling, it has zinging acidity on the finish, making for a memorable wine.
Ripe dark berry, sweet cake spice and pipe tobacco are just some of the aromas you'll find on this stunning wine. The palate shows structure and finesse, doling out black cherry, raspberry, black pepper, clove and anise alongside firm, velvety tannins and bright acidity.
Aromas of underbrush, rose petal, dark berry, baked earth and game lead the way. The firm, fresh palate delivers juicy black cherry, crushed raspberry, white pepper and licorice while assertive but refined tannins add a solid grip to the finish.
This classic offering combines Petite Sirah with Carignane, Grenache, Syrah, Peloursin and Mourvèdre. Truffled earth and black pepper give it a savory edge that's completely inviting, while the mouthfeel remains soft despite the powerful tannins. Enjoyable now, it should disclose a depth of complexity over time; cellar through 2021.
This vineyard is farmed Biodynamically, and a scent of compost (but good funk!) weaves through the nose. Truffle, chicken yard and ripe berry scents open into a soft, smooth and focused wine. Flavors persist and expand, with cherries, cola and sassafras running through a long, detailed finish.
Among all eight of the winery's current Rieslings, this was the least accessible upon opening. With ample breathing time it began to show more aromatics, with flavors of orange and pear in a nicely concentrated, well-balanced package. This is the one to decant!
Spicy and structured, this rich Barolo opens with aromas that recall scorched earth, leather, clove, ground pepper and dried berry. The firm palate offers ripe black cherry, fleshy raspberry, licorice and tobacco that seamlessly support the hefty alcohol. Despite its bold structure, it's almost weightless, thanks to fresh acidity and tightly packed but fine-grained tannins. Drink 2019–2031.
This is a balanced wine with touches of honey and toast, along with ripe yellow and white fruits that are cut by a salty structure. Great acidity runs through the wine, giving a tight, steely, very pure aftertaste. Drink from 2017.
This is a balanced, fruity wine with a beautiful line of fragrant acidity. Apples, pears and a touch of chewy tannin all work together well to give a wine that is both firmly textured and fresh with fruit. It could be drunk now, although it will be best from 2016.
Red berry, baking spice and grilled herb aromas lead the nose. The taut palate doles out succulent black cherry, raspberry, licorice and a mint note alongside firm but polished tannins. Give this time to open up and unwind. Drink 2017–2024.
Mint, menthol, leather and wild berry aromas unfold in the glass, accompanied by a whiff of forest floor. The elegantly structured palate offers sour cherry, crushed raspberry, anise, white pepper and graphite alongside assertive but refined tannins and nervous acidity. Give this time to unwind and come together. Drink 2017–2030.
Round and melony, but also a bit heavy and mealy smelling, indicating that it's starting to turn. Feels chunky, with lychee, sweet citrus and pithy flavors. Adequate acidity rises up on the finish, but overall this is a chunky, ripe type of Godello that seems to be fading prematurely.
A light and somewhat racy Pinotage with good vibrancy to the strawberry and ripe pomegranate seed notes throughout. A kiss of vanilla on the close adds a touch of decadence to this otherwise straightforward wine.
Smells a bit stalky and burnt, with green, herbal aromas like rosemary and thyme popping up. The palate is sharper than most, with high acidity and angularity supporting a mix of citrus, grass and burnt, gaseous aromas. Finishes stalky, with lemon-lime notes.
Pointy and sharp at first, with earthy, dry aromas. Edgy feeling, with heat and scour to go with peppery, herbal berry flavors. Finishes mossy and warm, with a minty burn. Improves with airing.
Quite light, with tart rhubarb and strawberry fruit. There's more than a hint of peppery herb, and a tart, quick finish.
Grainy and leathery smelling, with medicinal plum and raspberry aromas. Perky but angular in the mouth, with freshening acidity leading to light but zesty strawberry and raspberry flavors. Shows drying tannins, vanilla and spice on the back end.
A soft, rounded wine, with delicious plum and black cherry fruit flavors. It is rich, along with acidity, ripe tannins and an easy, light finish.
Tart and tight, this young wine is still pulling itself together. The tart raspberry fruit turns quite sour, with a streak of Band-aid, then an unintegrated wash of caramel.
Primary, light fruit flavors of strawberry touched with herb. Not much else going on in this young, still raw and grapey wine.
Yes, it's a good price, but this SB from Mendocino has loads of green pepper and peach fuzz that overpower its otherwise varietally familiar acidity and texture.
A broad, rather soft example of rosé, this blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan should be consumed over the next few months.
Concentrated and smoky, with shoe polish and other black aromas. It's ultratight in the mouth, collapsing on itself more than expanding. Flavors of earth and berry are loud. Rugged feeling on the finish.
This young Cabernet feels thin and earthy, with little to offer in the way of fruit. Aged in American oak, roughly one third new, it is tart and unyielding.
This blend of 80% Clairette and 20% Bourboulenc seems to be fading a little, losing its freshness in favor of greater palate breadth. The flavors are largely neutral, but hint at oranges. Drink up.
Heavy on the bouquet, with baked, rustic black fruit aromas that turn cheesy and leathery with airing. Chunky but layered in the mouth, with thick, ripe black cherry and blackberry flavors. Sweet, lightly herbal and heavy on the finish.
A red fruit flavored wine, light and packed with acidity. The wine may not have the richness of the vintage, but it does have a fine line in red cherry flavors. Drink now.
Bright aromas of jasmine, lime leaf and peach are followed by off-dry fruit flavors, with jasmine and stone fruit lingering on the finish. The concentration wavers in the middle but regains its balance.
Gritty, muscular aromas of charred, smoky black fruits and asphalt give way to a medium-full palate with good acidity. Saucy, savory berry and plum flavors finish with notes of herbs and tobacco. For Rioja crianza, this is more than satisfying.
Ink, graphite, lemon peel, licorice root and reedy berry aromas combine into a solid, somewhat complex whole. This feels snappy and pure, with medium weight. Toasty flavors of plum and berry fruits are earthy and deep, while this finishes in good shape, with moderate complexity.
Smoky, tarry top aromas blanket jammy plum and cherry scents. In the mouth, this is tight and tannic. Meaty, salty flavors of black plum and blackberry finish without much padding. Drink this tough Toro with food or it may not register as friendly.
Coming from an up-and-coming vineyard, this wine offers aromas of dried herb, vanilla, baking spice and cherry. Fruit and barrel flavors mix on the palate, continuing through the finish.
This vineyard high up toward the Blue Mountains is best known for its Syrah. Aromas of garden herbs and cranberry lead to a tart, lightly grippy palate. It needs time to stretch its legs but the balance is there.
The veteran winemaker's blend of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne shows yellow melon, caramelized pear and a touch of marzipan on the nose. The pleasant flavors touch on all those scents as well as baked apples, but are hinged on a grippy texture and a tingling acidity.
Aromas of rose, blue flower, wild berry and a hint of forest floor lead the way along with a balsamic note. The extremely ripe palate offers raspberry compote, licorice and a green note of powdered sage alongside bracing tannins that leave a gripping, drying finish. Give the tannins a few years to unwind then drink.
Smoky berries and black cherry mix with crushed grapeseed and a dried-mint element on the nose of this bottling. Dill, dried oregano and a touch of thyme pop on the palate, where deep and dark elderberry flavors are framed by sticky tannins.
While the nose wants to give little away, the palate speaks of crunchy, fresh red cherry. The medium body carries this fruit with ease and gives the necessary structure. The tenor of this is playful, fruit forward and most enjoyable, with a suitably peppery finish. Drink soon.
Ripe, juicy pear notes make nose and palate immensely appetizing. They are highlighted by zippy, fresh lemon accents that create a lovely balance on this fun, fresh summer wine.
This luminous red offers aromas of wild red berry, dark spice, menthol and a whiff of espresso. The ripe, rather straightforward palate offers raspberry, tart cherry, licorice, toast, mocha and tobacco alongside polished tannins. Drink 2017–2022.
This is a ripe concentrated wine, full of black-currant fruit and dense tannins. The two balance each other giving a wine that has weight and a medium-term future. Drink from 2018.
This is a super cuvée from Bourseau with dense dark extracted tannins and concentrated fruits. It is rich, almost too rich, full of powerful fruits, black plum skins and a young firm structure. It will remain dry and tannic for several more years, so don't drink before 2020.
A blend of 75% Merlot with 25% Cabernet Franc, the wine has richness. It also has the firm dry tannins that are typical of the vintage. It is dry and solid with its black-currant fruits still developing. It needs to age further, so wait until 2018.
From old vines, this wine has weight and the potential for rich black fruits. For the moment, the wood aging is too much, although this should go on to bring out the fruit. It is a wine that needs to develop, so wait until 2018.
Exuberant aromas of botrytis, lime zest and flowers are followed by suggestions of stone fruit. It tingles the palate with lighter-weight fruit flavors that display a good sense of balance that keeps the interest high.
This is a grassy, herbal wine with green and crisp citrus fruits. It is of course very young and its exuberant fruitiness will be better when it all calms down. The acidity and hint of apricots give the promise of a richer fuller future. Drink from 2017.
A peppery, dried-herb aroma and rich chocolate and blackberry flavors make a nice combination in this medium- to full-bodied wine. It feels supple, tastes concentrated and has a lingering, jammy finish.
Very slight notes of reduction still cling to the wine, but a swirl or two reveals crisp, crunchy red cherry. On the slender palate the fruit is pleasantly tart and even more crunchy but wonderfully vibrant. A refreshing, easy-drinking red. Drink soon.
Lightly roasted, earthy and slightly nutty up front, this smells of buttery oak along with plum and cherry. Sinewy and firm in the mouth, this tastes of vanilla, buttered popcorn, plum and red-berry fruits. A solid finish with ripping tannins keeps this firm. Drink through 2019.
This rosy colored Mencía smells of floral plum and cherry, with hints of cinnamon and schist. On the palate, this is grabby, fleshy and rubbery, with big tannins. Raw, rubbery flavors of plum and currant are also minerally, while this finishes with lightly roasted red-fruit flavors, toasty oak and crisp, lasting acidity. Drink through 2020.
Correct aromas of tropical fruits are slightly briny. This feels focused and citrusy, with good body and a few curves. Orange and grapefruit flavors, the skins and peel included, finish with a juicy, bright citric character.
Lees aromas are at the fore. The palate is thick in feel, showing a good sense of balance that intrigues.
Ripe berries and cherries vie with each other for attention—this is all about fruit and freshness, with a distinct background of ripeness and generosity. It is easy to like and drink, you never know what you want more: black or red cherry, fruity plum or fresh blueberry.
The winery's first release of this variety offers aromas of apple, chamomile, spice and lees. On the palate, the green-apple acids are tart and bracing, needing some food to tame them.
This is a firmly structured and full-bodied wine with great grip in the texture and lots of oak flavor and tannin. The rich fruit flavors are dominated by the grip now, but that should change with time. It's best to drink after 2018.
Slightly gritty aromas of brick dust, savory plum and herbal berry fruits lead to a solid palate. Salty, earthy berry flavors are familiar to Rioja, while this finishes fresh, full and savory, with no overripe or overoaked qualities.
Done in a lighter style, and listed at under 13% alcohol, this is scented with sweet strawberries and tastes like them also, with a soft core of fruit and very gentle tannins. Light streaks of sassafras and chocolate wrap it up.
A broad as well as crisp wine that has great fresh, beautifully polished ripe pear fruit, lightly nutty in character.
Concentrated and solid, but not a wrecking ball. The nose offers tobacco and earthy aromas, while the palate is jammy and smooth, with sweet flavors of blackberry, fig and tobacco. Spicy enough and pretty long on the finish, with another wave of tobacco. Almost too ripe but not quite. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah, as is the 87-point 2006 vintage.
Zerba's crowd-pleasing Wild Z blends Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah about equally, with a splash of Cabernet Franc to finish it off. It's a ripe, full, forward, chocolaty mouthful. It keeps the red fruit tart and tantalizing, while loading in the barrel flavors (French and American) to round off the finish. A fine follow-up to the excellent 2006.
Exotic scents immediately characterize this wine as fascinating; weaving together incense, smoke, wild berry, baking spices and plum jam. Yet the wine retains a delicacy, lightness, its flavors based upon juicy acids rather than new oak. It showcases the fruit, and does so with grace and panache.
This aromatic semisweet Riesling is a bouquet of jasmine blossoms and luscious pears laced with lime and musk. Sweet honeycrisp apples and powdered sugar on the palate meld with a tang of acidity and a long, mouthwatering finish.
Lightly floral, showing a hint of minerality and pink grapefruit fruit. There is a fine apple skin edge to this bright wine. Screwcap.
Fermented in a mix of stainless steel barrels and neutral oak barrels, this was fermented with native yeast and given sur lie aging. It went through 100% malolactic fermentation, which has softened the mid-palate, a mix of lemon, grapefruit and Satsuma orange. There are still traces of phenolic bite, but those citrus rind flavors have been well rounded also, though this carries some heat in the finish.
Already showing some tawny color, this is a drink-up-quickly bottle. Softly fruity, it also carries a hint of residual sweetness, honeysuckle and Earl Grey tea. Right now it is drinking nicely, with pear tart, brioche and a little honey and vanilla crème running through the finish.
There's a hint of smoke throughout the nose and palate that adds a layer of complexity to this sweet, pretty Riesling. Aromas of honeysuckle blossoms combine with the freshness of pressed apples and a bright, high-toned acidity. Smoke, slate and stone kick in to create a long, elegant finish. Overall, a well balanced, enjoyable wine.
From start to finish, there's so much going on with Lamoreaux Landing's Yellow Dog. Honey and orange blossom aromas are laced with a whisper of musk. The bright lemon-lime sweetness is balanced elegantly with a distinct minerality evocative of smoke, slate and stone, and a bracing acidity that drives a lingering finish.
Give this wine some airing out to let the SO2 blow off, and it will reward you with a pleasant mix of orange peel, sweet citrus and honeydew fruit. The residual sugar is 1.35%, but it feels a bit sugary in the mouth—definitely in the off-dry camp. Some of the fruit is from a 1973 Sagemoor block, among the oldest Riesling in Washington.
A fresh, crisp wine that brings out the pepper character of Grüner along with an attractive creamy citrus flavor. The wine has good acidity and a final lemon zest.
A touch leafy and candied smelling, but overall this is a steady value-priced Malbec with a tight feel, firm tannins and basic chocolate and berry flavors. Not a ton of nuance and variety; it's standard but good throughout.
A dark and smoky wine, with that charred, smoky note most evident in the nose. Streaks of vanilla and black tea run through the core flavors. Substantial, perhaps enough to match to a thick steak.
This Greek variety is used for retsina, or, as in this case, made into a single-variety wine. On the nose, peach, nuts and apple are followed by flavors of white peach and white fruits. Savatiano has less acidity and minerality than other Greek whites, so fans of a subtler style will enjoy this drinkable offering.
A fully oaked Merlot that yields cinnamon, spearmint and good berry aromas. Feels lively, with tannic grip in support of raspberry, plum and sweet oak flavors. Thick and tannic all the way through, with pepper and woodspice to the finish.
100% barrel fermentation delivers instantly noticeable toasty accents, giving the wine a pleasant lift. The fruit is a mix of apple and melon, light and pleasant, with a gently fading finish.
Rubbery and scratchy smelling on first take, with fiery berry aromas lurking below. After it airs out the wine is juicy and solid, with good balance and dark, spicy flavors of black fruits and chocolate. Tannic and steady on the finish.
Floral, fruity wine, very herbaceous in a New Zealand intense style. Grapefruit and melon give the wine great freshness. It's ready to drink.
Earthy up front, with roasted, smoky berry aromas and herbal accents. Feels good, with tomato, red plum, leaf, herb and oaky flavors. Turns more juicy and rugged as it opens, with a light green character to the finish.
Very Beaujolais-like, and still showing a bit of spritz in the mouthfeel, this offers pretty cherry fruit in a fun, forward, clean and simple style. Note the low alcohol.
Emphasizing the fruity side of Malbec, this ripe, black-fruited wine is smooth and forward, with tobacco, spice and delicious, solid, berry fruit flavors. Acidity weaves through this ready-to-drink wine.
Deliciously herbaceous wine, with the freshest green fruit flavors, plus lemon and grapefruit. The Colombard adds a little spice to give it a final burst of freshness.
A ripe and fruity wine, with berry fruits, some spice and smooth tannins. The structure is buried within the fruit, soft and ready to drink.
Light and clean, which compared to other Argentine Pinot Grigios is not something to dismiss. Feels solid and punchy, with orange and mango flavors. Has nice overall clarity and balance, with a citrusy finish.
Done in a rich, layered, barrel-aged mode, this retains its lively fruit and some zippy acids. Scents and flavors move from candied citrus to light tropical fruits. The finish is softened and rounded with the addition of 12% Sémillon and aging in 30% new oak.
The long slope of the Côte du Py has produced this structured wine that's firm, dry, tannic and needing to age. It is concentrated in both structure and in rich black-plum fruits. The wine will age well, so don't drink before 2017.
The bright cherry-red color shows how young this wine is. It is firm, still full of its youthful tannic character. Dense and solid, it has great juicy acidity, layers of red berries with more weight coming from dark plum flavors. It needs aging; drink from 2017.
Ths wine has firm tannins although these are well balanced by ample fruits and rich red-cherry flavors. It's a big wine, bold with fruit as well as tannins, a generous texture that just needs some time. Drink from 2017.
Located in the upper Yarra, this site normally yields Pinots higher in acid and tighter in structure than the Sexton Vineyard. The 2013 marries fruity and savory elements of cherries and mushrooms in a medium-bodied, silky package. It's bright and generous from the bold start to the lengthy finish. Drink now–2023.
To judge by the aromas—a complex herbal mélange containing hints of cabbage leaf, tea and acacia blossom—this includes a healthy proportion of stems. On the palate, the black cherry and plum fruit asserts itself, while the texture is crisp and silky, lingering through the finish. Drink now–2025.
This limited, two-barrel release from Jaxon makes a strong case for the quality of Southern Oregon Malbec. It's dark to the point of black, and the flavors continue to emphasize black cherry fruit, along with dark chocolate, roasted coffee and clean earth. Tannic and chewy, it is a solid choice for anything grilled.
Light daffodil aromas mix with Key lime pie, soft pear flesh, pressed tuberose and apple blossoms on the nose of this relatively complex wine from an often simplistic grape. There is decent grip on the palate, with flavors of dried pome fruit, pencil lead minerality and a lemony tang.
Aromas of violet, rose and woodland berry emerge on this fragrant wine. Made solely with the Sorbara grape and refermented in the bottle, the vibrant palate offers woodland berry, cherry, nectarine zest and a hint of crystallized ginger alongside firm acidity and a frothy mousse.
A fuller-bodied, richer and denser style of Pinot Noir than many of the producer's other offerings, this one traffics in toasted oak and tannin before revealing dark cherry and leather. Generous, it finishes dry and with power. Cellar through 2022.
Cherry trees surround the vineyard and it is easy to find those fruit flavors in this wine. Other strong elements are the tannins and structure that allow the fruit to develop slowly. Acidity, black cherries and a layer of spice all go with the dry core. Drink from 2017.
An earthy wine from the Laguna Ridge neighborhood within the Russian River Valley, this features a light yet richly textured mingling of cinnamon, clove, wild strawberry and aromatic violet. Offering depth and length, this is a delicious representation of both the region and the vintage.
Done in a svelte style, with modest alcohol and zippy acids, this delivers crisp fruit flavors of apple, pear and nectarine. About 20% was fermented in neutral oak, the rest in stainless steel.
Floral aromas of wild flowers, wisteria and a whiff of white tree fruit float out of the glass. The vibrant, refined palate delivers crisp apple, succulent pear and a note of citrus zest alongside bright acidity and an elegant perlage. A light mineral touch marks the finish.
Named after a grower who believed in allowing nature to speak in his wines, this rich, round and ripe wine is full of red berry and black-cherry flavors. It is lightly textured and can age, with its structure and acidity giving a youthful freshness at this stage. Drink from late 2016.
Ripe, oaky, baked aromas of blackberry, coconut and graphite accurately set up a lush, sticky palate. This tastes candied and intensely ripe, with cassis and blackberry flavors that end with brown sugar and blueberry notes. Overall this blend of 60% Monastrell, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah is overtly ripe and sweet tasting, but balanced. Drink now.
So light that it's like water in the glass, this is a dynamic wine, with aromas of sugared lime peels, lime blossoms and a touch of quinine. The palate is reminiscent of a gin & tonic cocktail, with icy lime juice and lots of botanical influence.
This barrel-fermented Rioja is woody and toasty up front, although exotic white-fruit aromas with a minerally boost can handle the barrel influence. Almost Burgundian in style and weight, this tastes like honey, nectarine and wood spice. Fresh acidity, generous body weight and creamy, woody stone-fruit flavors close it out.
This is a wine that brings out the fine minerality of Dão whites. It is crisp while at the same time full and ripe. There is a smooth texture that comes from the Encruzado in the blend, with lively acidity coming from Gouveio. This wine will benefit from a few months in bottle, so drink from summer 2016.
Fragrant and detailed, this pure Cabernet Franc mixes dried berries and herbs, hints of tar and tobacco, along with well-managed tannins. Everything resolves in a long and lissome finish.
This is three-fifths Cabernet Sauvignon, the rest split between Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It's supple and forward, with pretty, plummy fruit and pleasing touches of cinnamon and spice.
Full and rounded, this is a rich wine with its perfumed and smooth character from the blend of Gros Manseng and Petit Courbu. There is a more delicate element that acts as a fine contrast to the otherwise ripe wine.
A fragrant, pretty Syrah with a core of savory berry and smooth tannins, layers of leather on the back, amid the variety's gorgeous attributes of smoky meat and herb.
A mix of 44% Marsanne, 28% Roussanne and 28% Viognier this white blend smells like spring, with wildflowers, almond and wet stone with a touch of honey figuring prominently at different times. The wine's lemon minerality hits a high note on the finish. Drink alone or with fresh goat cheeses.
It might seem odd to plant Syrah in the heart of Pinot Noir country, but it's one of the mysterious charms of the Northwest, where Riesling and Cabernet can also grow successfully side by side. This wine has deep color, excellent balance, true varietal expression, and seductive hints of smoke, cured meat, and a salty tang. Purple berry flavors are just ripe enough; it's an elegant, restrained style, suggesting that the Willamette Valley can put a unique stamp on this grape.
From two separate parcels of vines, this balanced and fruity wine is already delicious. It does have the tannins for aging, but its main thrust is to fragrant blackberry fruits, touched by spice and given a brightness by the final acidity. Drink now, or keep for 2–3 years.
Made from Tannat with added alcohol to stop the fermentation, this is a sweet, deliciously rich wine. It shows a fine balance between fruity acidity, red-fruit jelly flavors and layers of tannin from the Tannat. It will certainly age over many years.
This second wine from Château Lagrézette is rich with ripe, generous fruits and tannins in the background. It has concentration, dusty texture and generous acidity. Expect this wine to be ready to drink in the next year.
Mint flavors showcase the new wood used to age this wine. That wood balances well with the ripe, full, berry flavors and solid fruit tannins, yielding a structured and impressive wine worth aging over at least four years.
A wine that brings out so many facets of Chenin Blanc. It is rich and lightly honeyed, yet dry and rounded. Almonds and apple acidity are enhanced by black currant dustiness to give a wine that should age for several years.
The hot conditions of 2009 are draped all over this rich, syrupy wine that's opaque to the eye and heavily charred on the nose. Under a blanket of burnt oak, there's leather, beef and black-fruit aromas. The palate on this heavyweight is chewy, while flavors of oak, roasted berry and herbs lead to a mildly complex but forceful finish. This is more big and ripe than elegant.
Easton's largest-production Zinfandel, and earliest release, exhibits mushroomy earth tones around a core of baked plum and leathery spice. Soft and round, very accessible and ready to drink, the finish underlines those leathery jolts—the wine would be perfect with barbecue.
Classically styled Barossa Cabernet, with plenty of weight and texture, its rich chocolate and cassis aromas and flavors backed by just a touch of mint. Finishes long, with velvety tannins that should begin to settle by 2010 and keep it evolving through 2020.
In the Villa Maria style, this is an amply endowed Pinot Noir, but it also shows excellent balance—the dark plum and cola fruit is matched in intensity by crisp acids and firm tannins, suggesting a few years in the cellar wouldn't hurt. Drink 2010–2016.
Part of the fun of exploring Argentine Malbec is tasting all the new kids on the block. Having not seen Guentota before, all signs point to high quality. The bouquet is dark, with accents of cola, mineral and burnt toast giving it a masculine edge. Round, plump and full in the mouth, with cherry, berry and cassis flavors. A total package of a wine, with character, nuance and serious base-level fruit.
A strong contender for the best $22 Merlot in the country. Sculpted, dense and deeply layered, it's loaded with mixed blue and black fruits, fresh herb and sweet toast. The use of new oak is restrained and appropriate, extending the finish with nicely applied streaks of coffee around ripe, tight, dry tannins.
The 2006 Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay is the tightest and least evolved of KR's 2006s, showing slightly nutty, toasted-grain notes upfront, followed by crisp, taut flavors of pineapple and lime. Finishes long, with vibrant citrus flavors. Best from 2010-2015.
This mouthfilling red features lashings of oak, but the bountiful blackberry and blueberry fruit still shines, framed by notes of maple syrup and vanilla. The finish delivers a powerful finale of tannin, but the bold fruit powers through. Drink now–2015.
In the glass there is a sense of depth that goes beyond anything previously apparent; the mixed aromas of flower, berry and chocolate-covered rock lead into a wine of presence and power, its pretty, spicy berry and cherry flavors tightly wound and wrapped in seductive but lightly applied layers of chocolate and caramel.
Intense, spicy and loaded with grapefruit, pineapple and citrus, this has a unique intensity and power. If you distill Washington Riesling down to its essential fruit/sugar/acid components, this expresses it beautifully. At just 9.8% alcohol, it's a definite Kabinett style, with so much acid that the 2% sugar does not signify.
Fresh apples, grapefruit and sweeter apricots all hang together well in this elegant Chardonnay. It's an apéritif style, its crispness giving a light character, the fruit floating over the acidity. There are lively green fruit flavors to finish.
Simple citrus freshness brightens nose and palate, the refreshment factor enhanced by ample spritz. This will make an ideal light-bodied and fun apéritif on a hot day. Drink soon.
Dense blackberry, licorice, leather and herb aromas come together nicely on this Garnacha-Tempranillo blend. Bracing, racy acidity creates edge and sharpness on the palate, while hickory-smoked plum and raspberry flavors finish with firm tannins and dashing acidity.
Blue fruit, herbs and brown spices vie for attention. The palate brings lighter-styled yet still generous-feeling fruit flavors that linger.
Taking an oxidized approach to the grape, this golden wine shows aromas of crushed almonds, hazelnut brittle, dried apricot mash and a bit of iodine. The palate is reminiscent of lemon preserves—salty, tart, rich and exotic—with a marzipan touch on the finish.
Aromas of blackberry jam, dried fruit and woodspice lead to full-bodied black fruit and vanilla flavors. Despite its youth, this wine seems advanced. Drink now.
Oaky on the nose, this is a lean, crisp wine on the palate, straightforward and balanced in its combination of green apple, pear and Meyer lemon characteristics. Medium bodied, it'll work wonders with midweek meals.
Earthy, meaty berry aromas have a foresty overtone along with leafy, herbal notes. This is stocky on the palate, with good grip. Plum, mixed black fruits and peppery spice make up the flavor profile on this ripe Rioja that loses some snap and turns loamy on the finish.
This wine doesn't entirely seem in harmony with aromas of tire rubber, coffee ice cream, herbs and barrel spice. The dark fruit flavors have a full feel but a bitter note that runs from head to tail distracts.
A traditional blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, this medium-bodied rosé offers delicate floral aromas as well as some slightly confected bubble-gum scents. It's less overtly fruity on the palate, then finishes with a welcome burst of lime zest.
Honeysuckle and Good & Plenty combine on the entry of this fruity, floral wine, full-bodied and intriguing on the palate in ripe apple and vanilla. A funkiness on the finish gives it an earthy ending.
This offers an unusually full-bodied take on this variety. It shows a vivid gold color, with generous apricot and pear aromas followed by a lush texture that carries apricot, vanilla and almond flavors across the palate. This was barrel-fermented and had extended aging before release.
Made with organic grapes, this charming young red has a delightful fragrance of blue flowers and woodland berries. The zesty palate doles out crunchy red berry and a hint of white pepper accompanied by lively acidity.
Made with organically farmed fruit, this opens with aromas of brown spices, tilled earth and black-skinned fruit. The vibrant, medium-bodied palate offers blackberry, dried cherry, licorice and orange zest alongside zesty acidity and round tannins.
Generous flavors with a full body add up to a very likable, mouthfilling wine that will love a juicy steak or grilled lamb chop. Almost-sweet spices like vanilla and nutmeg come out in the aroma and persist through the fresh black cherry flavors and finish.
Subdued aromas of wild berry and forest floor lead the nose of this easygoing red. The vibrant palate delivers crunchy red cherry, tart red currant and a hint of mint alongside zesty acidity and fine-grained tannins.
A taut, clean Riesling that seems a little subdued in its flavors. The palate is clean and fresh and offers the refreshment one expects from dry, Austrian Riesling.
A wine of contradictions, this attempts to merge ripe elements, like fig, nectarine and melon, with taut notes of citrus and hints of garden peas. It's medium bodied, with a crisp, pleasant finish.
Citrus and soft red berry flavors are restrained on nose and palate of this pale, pink and slender rosé. But the bone-dry nature of the wine makes for great refreshment. Drink soon.
This perfumed wine discloses hints of apricots and white peaches as well as ripe lime juice. It is balanced, fruity with a good touch of minerality to give texture. The aftertaste is all about fresh fruits that will soften over the next few months. Produced by the Ducourt family, first in Bordeaux in 1858 and now one of the largest independent producers in the region. Philippe Ducourt handles the vineyards and Jérémy Ducourt makes this wine.
This opens with an attractive fragrance of ripe plum, violet, aromatic herb and baking spice. The straightforward palate offers dried black cherry, crushed raspberry, ground pepper and leather alongside polished tannins. Drink sooner rather than later to capture the remaining fruit freshness.
This wine is fresh, crisp and still young. Crisp acidity dominates the strongly citrus character and gives a tight aftertaste of lime and pink grapefruit. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc was aged on the lees for six months to enhance aroma. Wait to drink until early 2016.
This blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Can aiolo and 5% other red grapes opens with aromas of ripe dark-skinned fruit, crushed blue flowers and a whiff of clove. The easygoing palate offers dried black cherry, espresso and a hint of anise alongside dusty tannins.
Assorted dried herbs, pink peppercorn and bell pepper aromas mix with dark cherries. The cherry and black currant flavors are sweet with dry, chalky tannins backing them up.
This is the winning Mourvèdre of the vintage for Ryan Pease, one of the few winemakers to do multiple bottlings of the Rhône varietal. Exotic olallieberies, black peppercorns, vanilla cookies, nutmeg and black rocks show on the nose, while the palate delivers tighter boysenberries, cracked pepper, Sichuan peppercorns, wet gravel and crushed asphalt. This one's built to last.
Pointy, pinched black-fruit aromas come with complex notes of graphite, tobacco, tree bark and horse hide. A young, fierce palate is tannic like sandpaper, while roasted blackberry flavors are backed by savory spice notes and wood grain. Big, lusty flavors of coffee, mocha and toast unfold on the finish, which is everlasting. Drink 2018–2028.
Fresh but creamy notes of ripe Conference pear on the nose mute into a peppery, herbal, yeast-savory palate with verve and freshness of utter typicity. This is textbook Grüner that offers the full and perfect package of spice, freshness and fruit on a light but concentrated body. The finish is both long and clean.
Compelling aromas of dry herbs blend with ripe berry, plum and leathery scents. This feels tight, juicy and ripped with raw, hard-pumping acidity. Flavors of currant, plum and cherry run deep, while the finish is presently youthful, grabby and drawing, with a slight note of raisin. Drink through 2032.
Sultry aromas of dark berries and crushed violets show on the nose of this bottling alongside black sage, clove and fine-grained graphite aromas. Dark pomegranate and cranberry arise on the sip, lifted by white pepper and allspice.
Golden honey and apple aromas open the door to a fulsome, rounded and sensually textured vineyard-designate, with a fruity core laced in nutmeg. Medium bodied yet lush, it retains a lingering persistence of acidity that keeps it fresh and bright on the palate.
Dried red cherries, dark strawberry, mulberry, light baking spice and freshly cracked pepper show on the nose of this balanced bottling of 40% Mourvèdre, 28% Syrah, 22% Grenache and 10% Counoise. The sip starts with a dusty character, and then lovely flavors of light purple fruit, lavender powder and intriguing florality ensue. It drinks great now, but will age marvelously. Enjoy from 2018–2033.
Winemaker James Ewart's powerful bottling shows blueberry, vanilla, dark spice and scarlet-red roses on the nose, followed by an intriguing complexity on the palate. Flavors of blackberry jam and black pepper run through the sip, as does a touch of roasted beef, framed by bursting acidity.
This eye-opening blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Petite Sirah is dark and sexy in color, showing aromas of black cherry, sarsaparilla and black tobacco on a densely complex nose. It is soft and lush on the palate, with caramelized blueberry and black-cherry flavors, boosted by a touch of smoked meat.
Perfumed berry, fragrant blue flower, cake spice and leather are just some of the alluring scents you find on this firmly structured red. The elegant, full-bodied palate offers red cherry, raspberry, clove, menthol and licorice alongside a backbone of tightly wound but refined tannins and bright acidity. Give this a few more years to fully develop. Drink 2019–2025.
Fragrant, fresh scents of perfumed berry, blue flower, crushed stone and a hint of exotic spice meld together on this. The elegant palate delivers bright red cherry, white pepper, flinty mineral and a sprinkling of clove alongside bright acidity and silky, polished tannins. Drink 2018–2023.
This study of density shows blueberry, caramel, vanilla bean, coffee syrup, fudge and concentrated lilac and violet notes on the nose. The mouthfeel is extremely full and the flavors quite powerful, delivering blackberry jam, burnt caramel, touches of teriyaki, mocha and candied pecan. As the alcohol level hints, this is a bombastic bottling, sure to grab any table's attention.
Red berry, dried rose, leather, eucalyptus and baking spice aromas slowly take shape in the glass. The ripe, juicy palate offers black cherry extract, raspberry, anisette and clove alongside firm, refined tannins. A tobacco note wraps up the finish. Drink 2017–2022.
Aromas of molasses, wood grain, blackberry and cassis are alluring. Bright, bold and energetic across the palate, this Crianza from a warm, dry year offers toasty oak, chocolate, spice, licorice and black-fruit flavors. As it moves towards the finish, toasty, blackened notes along with hints of mocha rise up. Drink from 2018–2028.
This is the winery's first commercial release of this varietal, all aged in neutral French oak. It offers nuanced aromas of spice, tobacco, vanilla and savory notes that are followed by plentiful, palate-coating red and blue-fruit flavors that extend out through a long, fruit and spice-filled finish. Firm tannins provide the structure. It needs time still but possesses a delicious factor that is impossible to ignore.
Gorgeously lifted notes of mint and crushed citrus foliage suggest immense purity with the very first whiff. The palate has the same lifted quality but is fleet of foot and more rounded than you would expect. It remains slender but charms with exquisitely pure lemon freshness and an essence of tart apple. Both intriguing and delicious, this drinks well now but will evolve. Drink 2016–2024.
The HJW Vineyard bottling shares the same backbone of mineral and citrus purity common to the producer's entire 2014 Riesling lineup, but with far greater intensity and penetration. Blossomy and perfumed at first, its grapefruit flavor and honed, steely density build on the palate with elegance and power.
Enticing scents of iris, perfumed berry and baking spice float out of the glass. The elegant, full-bodied palate offers tart cherry, raspberry compote, clove and grilled sage alongside tightly wound tannins and fresh acidity. A licorice note accents the finish. Drink 2020–2028.
Pungently earthy in forest and truffle, this is a soft, medium-built wine with a density beneath it, the palate explosively juicy in blackberry and currant. Balanced despite a significant concentration of savory fruit, it'll pair well at the table with seared and grilled meats.
Dense aromas of caramel-laced fudge and hickory-smoked meats atop the base of blackberry coulis show on this lavish, delicious bottling. Framed in a chalky structure, the smoked-meat element consumes the palate, which also shows black cherry, vanilla ice cream, caramel and rich milk-chocolate flavorings.
Soft hints of orange zest on the nose give way to joyous, bright and sprightly lemon zest notes on the slender but concentrated palate. Lustrous citrus is expressed with great purity and drive. Freshness and verve is all. What a joy. You feel purified after drinking it. Drink 2016–2026 at least.
Winemaker Steve Gerbac got to work with clones 667 and 2A from this iconic vineyard atop the appellation, and the result offers black plum, crushed clove, nutmeg and vanilla cola on the nose. The palate shows a lighter touch, with elderberry and black raspberry fruit enhanced by dried violets, sage, juniper and orange rind-driven tension.
This is a very intriguing, tasty and cerebral bottling from this producer, which has an urban tasting room in the heart of Santa Cruz. Aromas of Brie-cheese rind, Meyer-lemon pith, light jasmine and sea-salt-crusted cashew lead into a very grippy palate laden with pomelo pith and incredibly vibrant citrus and saline flavors.
Josh Klapper made six barrels of this wine from coveted old vines at Bien Nacido Vineyard. The result is an exciting, focused expression of minerality, with wet cement prominent on the nose alongside black cherry, alpine strawberry and a touch of vanilla dust. Light and lithe in mouthfeel yet still packed with tons of flavor, the old vines unleash cranberry, pomegranate, orange rind, thyme, bay leaf and eucalyptus flavors.
Pure notes of red fruits reach the nose: Morello cherry and mulberry harmonize beautifully. Their purity pervades a palate that has the lightest touch: there is something authentic, beautiful and unforced about this. There is a suggestion, too, of herb, moss or undergrowth. This unpretentious winemaking style lets this pure, glorious fruit speak for itself and brings with it a profound sense of honest depth, bountiful earth and full-fruited balance.
A fresh and peppery nose kicks off this lively wine, with aromas of Kalamata olives, Mediterranean herbs and garrigue along with a rich red cherry-cranberry-pomegranate quality. It's lithe and zesty on the palate, with juniper, eucalyptus oil, dill, thyme, bay leaf and green sage. This would spice up many dishes.
There are so many unexpected joys in this 100% varietal wine, given the chance to shine in light-bodied wisps of tangerine, lemon and lime. Despite its delicate nature, it doesn't skimp on satisfaction nor complexity, delivering waves of flavor sip after sip.
Earthy and just the slightest touch reduced, this is a feral, juicy and intriguing wine from the well-known site, complex and medium to almost light-bodied in texture and approach. Cherry and pomegranate compote meet cardamom baking spices to suggest warmth and comfort in a glass.
Already with a deep golden color, this single vineyard wine is richly honeyed and dense. It has a viscous texture, ripe with Seville orange marmalade and apricot fruits that are cut by the acidity that gives this wine its lift and its ageability. The wine is delicious now, but don't be too impatient: it will get better and better over many years. So drink from 2020.
High in acidity and low in oak, at least on the palate, and indeed aged in a majority of neutral French barrels, this wine is bright in lemon and green apple, with a suggestion of mango, falling somewhat flat on the finish.
This wine is soft and rather shapeless. It has red fruits and a gentle texture while lacking in depth. It's a simple wine that will develop quickly.
Herbal and somewhat harsh in tannin, this wine is plummy and forceful, blended with smaller amounts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It has a bitterness to the finish that's a mix of cedar, currant and leather.
Earthy, lactic aromas of berries and tomato propel foisted oak and eucalyptus notes towards a chewy, tannic palate. Herbal, oaky flavors of bell pepper, coffee grinds and toast surround generic berry notes, while this tastes of minty oak and green herbs on the finish.
Musky aromas of red apple skins and stone fruits are mild but mostly clean. This Shiraz-Cabernet blend feels solid and full for rosé. Peppery, leafy flavors of spiced berry, apple and olive finish chunky, dry and slightly bitter.
This ripe wine is pale in color, with caramel and red-fruit flavors. It is rich, full of fruit with a hint of crispness at the end. Drink now.
The nose does not want to give away much. However the palate shows fresh apple notes livened by some freshness. Drink soon while aromas last.
In color, this is almost white. In flavor it is equally light. There is some attractive acidity and the soft wine will slip down easily. The aftertaste is crisp with just a touch of red currant.
Some flint hovers above the glass and leads to a simple but pepper-spicy body that is light and very crisp. Drink this simple wine soon.
Blended with Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, this wine remains somewhat generic in tone and style, offering red berry and currant in measured doses around a big body and cut of oak.
Aromas of pressed acacia flower, nut and smoke lead the nose. The lively, lean palate doles out unripe Bartlett pear, yellow apple skin and a flinty mineral note alongside zesty acidity.
The soft pear of the nose is also apparent on the palate, which is fruity but lacks a little precision. This wine is clean and soft. Drink soon.
Plump blackberries and blueberries gain complexity on the nose of this bottling with touches of chipped cedar and smashed grapeseeds. Woody flavors show on the palate, with more grapeseed and some black tea. It's quite firm in tannins.
Light herbal aromas and lively grapefruit flavors make this inexpensive wine true to type and fun to drink. It is nicely dry and has good, crisp acidity.
Why this basic Garnacha is so oaky is a question that deserves to be asked. That said, it's still a healthy, balanced wine with grabby tannins and good energy. Dry, woody notes of spice and clove accent sappy plum flavors.
Cherry and lactic aromas give this a forced, pushy nose. Reasonable freshness and flavors of cherry, plum and minty oak are adequate, while the finish is scratchy and hot, with peppery spice and leftover oak.
Whether it's the winery's intent or not it is the flavor of the oak barrels that define this wine. The impression is that the vineyard is overcropped. The fruit is light and dilute, with generic fruit flavors. It's perfectly sound, but lacks depth.
A rather ripe style of the variable grape, this bottling shows honey, mango and caramelized banana on the nose, proving approachable although very buttery. The palate is a bit flat in acidity and texture, but offers white peach and dried apple flavors.
Aromas of dried chamomile flower and toasted nut lead the nose. The scents carry over to the somewhat lean palate along with a bitter note that recalls adhesive bandage.
Gently fruited notes of green pear appear on the nose. The palate is more sullen with some bitter edges but shows rounded softness.
Oily, slightly harsh aromas are sketchy. This barrel-fermented Viura feels a bit heavy and stale, as if it's already on the way down. Bitter flavors of peach pits and citrus peel finish low on vibrancy.
Forward scents of white raspberry, muddled cherry, pressed pink flowers and white chocolate suggest this is a ripe and rich rosé. The round palate is surprisingly juxtaposed by a sharp astringency that dominates through the finish.
This harkens back to the days of white Zinfandel, though it's not from that grape. But it offers similar simple, sweet, generic fruit, best for drinking chilled on a hot summer afternoon.
A blend of dominant Merlot with Grenache, this is a light, caramel flavored wine. It is full in the mouth with spice and red fruits cut by lemon acidity.
This industrial-quality Chardonnay opens with forced oak aromas and little to no fruit. The palate is plump, with low acidity. Melony flavors come with yeasty notes of salami and ham, while the finish tastes salty.
This varietal Xarello is organic, natural and has no sulfites, but with a floppy, fat, flowery nose and an amorphous shape, does that matter? Flavors of yeasty white fruits are plump and finish salty, much like popcorn. Overall this amounts to yet another weird natural wine with more faults than virtues.
This wine is fresh, crisp and fruity. With its almost-white color and green and citrus fruits, there is only the merest hint to suggest a rosé. It's an attractive wine, but hardly typical.
Almost difficult at first, this smells a lot like iodine, sweaty horse and stalky berry fruits. Although bumpy and hard, this is big and full in body. Roasted, herbal, peppery black-fruit flavors come back with an underripe stalky note on the finish.
This dry Furmint has aromas of lemon curd, vanilla, fresh apricot and canned peaches and flavors of apples, peach and apricot preserves. It has a crisp clean finish.
This is immediately ripe and wooly, with touches of lanolin and apricot on the nose. Plump but also citrusy in feel, this sports a citrusy flavor profile built on orange and offset by a tropical hint of banana. Racy, solid and healthy on the finish.
Always willing to try new blends, winemaker Peter Bright has put together this really attractive combination of grapes, the Touriga Nacional giving the same structure as Cabernet Sauvignon to the softer Merlot. The wine is ripe, fruity with attractive acidity and a layer of firmer tannins. Drink from 2017.
Menthol, mint, leather, forest floor and a balsamic note lead the way. The firm palate offers dried cherry, anise, bitter chocolate, chopped herb and clove alongside assertive tannins.
This deeply colored, full-bodied wine is as good as many at twice the price. Smoky, charred aromas lead to potent flavors that combine toasted oak nuances with concentrated espresso and dark chocolate. Plenty of fine-grained tannins add to the suede-like texture.
Slightly cloudy in the glass, this brings broad flavors of mint, lemon custard, banana and a touch of curaçao. It's smooth, soft and accessible, already showing an early aging curve. Drink now through 2017.
A bit fuller-bodied compared to most Australian Sauvignons, but the lime and herbal-grassy notes remain refreshing on the finish. Melon and fig flavors plump up the midpalate.
Delicious and very sweet, this comes off as a tempting dessert wine rather than a cocktail drink. It has deep peach flavors, almond nuances, a layered and creamy texture and lingering finish.
Björnson's Pinots are difficult to differentiate. This one is labeled Estate, but is also a barrel selection; the other is also estate but not labeled as such. Both offer medium-ripe berry and cherry fruit and a pleasant touch of new oak and both were aged in barrel for 11 months prior to bottling. This may have had a few more new barrels: at the moment it seems a bit toastier.
Oak, ripe berry, toast, menthol and vanilla aromas set the tone. On the bracing palate, notes of mocha, espresso and licorice accent dried black cherry while astringent tannins leave a raspy finish.
Aromas of menthol, ripe berry, dark spice and a balsamic note lead the nose. On the straightforward palate, star anise accents dried cherry while firm tannins provide support.
This is a rich and fruity wine with an easygoing, soft texture and lower alcohol than many. Flavors recall boysenberry syrup and strawberry jam, and the wine just seems to melt in the mouth.
A pioneer in rosé Vinho Verde, this producer makes a dry wine and one of the few rosés from the region that really make sense. It is balanced with crisp red fruits as well as tight acidity and a shot of lemon. Drink now.
The name, Al-Ria, at the seaside, is a reflection of the importance of the beach culture to this region. The wine has a cool, minty character although its black fruits are ripe and full. It is rich with berry flavors, warm tannins and a dry firm aftertaste. Drink now although the wine will soften.
This blend of Touriga Nacional, the local Baga and Merlot is smooth and ripe. It has soft tannins and a fine level of acidity to give the wine a fresh character to finish the warm red fruits. Drink now.
A blend of grapes from the north of the Vinho Verde region, this is tangy and crisp. It is bright and dry with attractive acidity and a lemon zest texture. Drink now.
For a wine from this appellation, this is soft, bringing out ripe fruit rather than structure. It means the wine will develop quickly and with charm as well as richness. The red fruits are already showing well, as is crisp acidity. Drink from 2018.
Aromas of black cherry, saddle leather and coffee prepare the palate for flavors of raspberry, cherry, mocha, and mountainside herbs. There is a pleasing balance of grippy tannins and bright acidity, with an especially zesty flash of cherry on the finish.
This very ripe and full-bodied wine has aromas like vanilla and baking spices, sweet cherry flavors and a smooth and rounded texture. A luscious cherry-pie impression lingers on the finish.
This blend of 79% Sauvignon Blanc and 21% Semillon is pungent and sweaty, with an almost Collio-like pungency. It's a bold, in-your-face passion-fruit monster that fades quickly on the finish.
This is an intense wine, from the concentrated fig and plum aromas to almost-sweet flavors like honey and strawberry jam. It has a very full body and lingering, warm finish.
This is a wine with great fruit. Apples, pears and a touch of apricot blend easily with the zesty lemon and the mineral texture that cuts through the fruit. Drink now, although the wine will be better from 2017.
This easy-to-drink wine has aromas of blackberry and cassis with a touch of bell pepper. Offering good mouthfeel and smooth tannins, it has flavors of black cherry, eucalyptus, chocolate and smoked meat, with a touch of orange peel on the finish.
This unoaked wine made from low-yield vines has great minerality and a tight texture. It is packed with acidity as well as citrus fruits. The mineral edge gives the wine tightness and also brings out apples and tangy acidity. Drink from 2017.
This McLaren Vale-based winery reaches into the neighboring Adelaide Hills for its Chardonnay. This is subtly oaky, hinting at toast and butter, then pulling back to reveal understated apple and citrus flavors that are clean and refreshing on the finish.
Light-straw in the glass, this wine has aromas of grapefruit and lemon curd. It is soft in the mouth, with a sophisticated feel and refreshing acidity. Flavors of lemon, grapefruit and marzipan persist into a slightly cooling finish with a bright ending.
From the Louis Latour domaine, this rich wine is lightly touched with wood. It has red-plum flavors and ripe acidity, with the structure embedded in the fruits. Drink from 2019.
Ripe and fruity with a velvet texture that encompasses the tannins easily, this is a rounded, rich wine. The balance of fruit and acidity is already attractive. Drink from 2018.
Very light, the fruit is soft, easily attractive but rather muted. Flavors are of spice, black figs and stewed plums, the acidity a factor along with the wood.
The wine tastes young, its fruits and wood characters not quite integrated. But it has a good light touch of redcurrants and blackberries to go with the acidity. The wood gives dry tannins and a firm structure.
Very tart, almost sour, this high-acid wine just might be a good match for fresh oysters, but on its own it is slightly bitter and barely ripe.
Leather, spice, vanilla and tobacco aromas and flavors dominate in this beefy red. Ageable tannins and a dry finish add to the strength. Pair with beef or lamb.
Aromas of milk chocolate, cotton candy, bacon and sweet fruits are a lead into standard fare cherry and raspberry flavors. The feel is acidic but fresh, while the finish is thin but clean. Average wine.
Pure and driving, but also acidic and woody in aromas and flavors. Can't say that this barrel fermented Viura-based white is Muga's best wine. It's crisp with green apple and pineapple, but also a little sour and simple. With 10% Malvasia.
This blend of five different grape varieties yields by its very nature nonspecific fruit character, but it is ripe and round, honeyed and spicy on the finish. Drink now.
Hints at underripe peach on the nose, then follows up with flavors of peach, pineapple and a hint of white chocolate. It's medium in body, with a relatively compact but clean finish.
Opens with black cherry, baked plum and other heavy, semiroasted aromas. The palate is chunky but weak on definition and structure, while the flavors are limited to dry red-apple skins and bland red fruit. Acidic as well, which leads to a washed-out finish.
Light-bodied wine, with fresh spice and stalky tannins. There is bright black currant acidity, giving an edge to the wood perfumes.
A lively, crisp wine, packed with bright raspberries, red cherries and acidity. It has a touch of caramel, but no more. The freshness is much more important. Screwcap.
Starts off with melon and a touch of almond character, then adds brighter pineapple notes that turn tart and metallic on the finish, a poignant counter to the wine's breadth on the palate.
Fresh lemon and lime and a spray of minerals and sea salt gives this wine a slightly lean, austere character. Clean and bright and not overly complicated, it will pair well with shellfish and grilled seafood.
Raisin, licorice and coconut aromas produce a ripe bouquet. This is raw and screechy in the mouth, with little in the way of a midpalate. Flavors of heavy red-berry fruits have a green leaning, while the finish is raw in feel and reedy in flavor.
Strong mint aromas hint to the wood aging in this wine. Currently, they tend to dominate, accompained by bitter wood notes and dark-edged tannins. The wine is firm and needs time express its fruit.
Very dense and extracted, this wine has bitter chocolate as well as dark plum-skin flavors. It is hard-edged, demanding time to escape the dominating clutches of toasty wood. The firmness continues to the finish.
This is a hard edged wine, solid and firm, with dry tannins and only a hint of fruity acidity. It does have weight, so it could soften with age.
Juicy and fruity, this is a wine with fine acidity, crisp green fruits and a tight texture. Easy to drink already, it has a tangy character that gives the wine an extra bite at the end.
Grassy and herbal, this wine is crisp, tight and mineral. It's delicate and bright in character, and ready for drinking now.
Perfumed with rose petal and leather notes, this is a classic Zin—smooth, rich with red fruit and cocoa, and with a smoky, oak finish. Fairly priced and ready to drink now.
Young and fruity and with a light prickle on the tongue, this is an immediately drinkable wine. Freshly sliced apple and lemon aromas open to a crisp texture and a dry, bright aftertaste. Screwcap.
With bright fruitiness, this is an attractive black-currant flavored wine. It has fine acidity that cuts through the wine's gentle, tannic character and leaves a lively, fresh aftertaste.
Here's a simple but well-made and enjoyable expression of Umbria's classic white wine. Made from a blend of Procanico, Grechetto, Verdello, Malvasia and Drupeggio, this has a pretty floral bouquet that recalls white flowers. The palate delivers white peach and pear flavors, and finishes crisp.
This wine shows ripe fruit, sweet tannins and soft acidity. Strawberries are prominent along with a bright, fruity feel. The wine doesn't seem likely to age and will be enjoyable in a year.
Crisp acidity dominates this black-currant flavored wine. It's all about fresh fruit, soft tannins and benevolent acidity. It's pepperd with hints of licorice and spice. Likely to be drinkable in the next year.
With good tannins and acidity, this wine has potential for improvement. Sulphur notes still show prominently at present, giving the palate a bitter character. Once it blows off with age, however, this will be an attractive wine. Give it two years.
Sweetly aromatic of jasmine, this Chardonnay has a core of honey, apple and caramel, and is pleasantly crisp and balanced. Accessible and well-priced, it's a solid and friendly go-to white for just about any occasion.
This crisp, citrusy Chardonnay is zesty and refreshing. It avoids any sense of heaviness, finishing on a tart, lemony note.
Jumpy, tutti-frutti aromas are young and spunky in nature. This is a fresh, lively, basic Tempranillo with candied red-berry and boysenberry flavors. A mild, basic finish confirms its standard but overall good quality.
This fragrant and fruity wine is crisp and fresh. It has a perfumed character, soft apple acidity and a crisp texture. It's a wine for apéritifs that's light and ready to drink now. Screwcap.
Tangerine aromas lose clarity the longer this sits. The palate is full but acidic, which creates tartness on a flavor profile that revolves around pithy citrus, particularly orange. A chalky finish is lively but tastes a bit sour.
Deep, rubbery black-fruit aromas suggest prune and cassis along with blackened spices and toasty oak. The wine is flush and bursting with fruit and herbal notes. Cassis and berry flavors settle with blackened toast and menthol. Drink this Bordeaux-style blend through 2019.
Once known as Nugent Vineyard, Winside is a blend of Dijon and Pommard clones that's on the more robust side, especially in this climatically perfect vintage. Offering exuberant red cherry fruit and layers of cola and milk chocolate, it's ready to enjoy with pork tenderloin and similarly hearty fare.
Aromas of forest floor, leather, espresso, spice and grilled herbs lead the nose. The palate offers toasted oak, roasted coffee bean, dried sage, raw red cherry and licorice alongside astringent tannins that need time to integrate fully. Drink after 2018.
Fruity in black plum and ripe raspberry, it's structured and weighty on the palate, dark and brambly with firm, substantial tannins. The grapes come from both Rancho Carneros and the mighty Hyde Vineyard, both sites planted to relatively older vines, which show through in this wine's savory side.
Beguiling in cedar, black cherry and black tea, this inviting Cab is made by consulting winemaker Aaron Pott with 2% Petit Verdot blended in, noticeable in its dark, inky color. The tannins are well-managed, present but softened, a taste of dark chocolate and coffee subtly hinted at through the finish.
Lemony and balanced in oak, it reveals ripe Asian pear, creamy vanilla and a swirl of toffee. Medium bodied and smooth on the palate, it features buoyant acidity. It's ideal for pairing with roast chicken or meat topped with an apple chutney.
Deep red rose and violet florals meld with cooked meats and ripe raspberry on the nose. It's a bit dainty on the palate but full of texture, with lingering vanilla elements, some light mocha and impressive tannic grip for a 2012.
This racy, vivid wine carries an Oregon AVA, but the fruit is principally sourced from warm sites in the Columbia Gorge. Bright raspberries are set amidst sappy acidity, and the structure brings both precision and vitality into play.
From the estate vineyard, this crisp white opens with ripe, slightly tropical aromas of cantaloupe, guava and papaya, with a darker, riper undertone of honey on the palate. Although fleshy and full on the palate, it's also bright in acidity and offers attractive floral aromas throughout.
Here is a fine, fruity, expressive example of all-stainless Oregon Chardonnay. A generous mix of apple, pear, lime and lemon zest combines with perfect balance to yield a wine with real flavor and depth that is not derived from barrel aging. The low alcohol is an added bonus.
From single vineyard specialist Testarossa, this has fresh aromas of raspberry and a bit of eucalyptus. The flavors are very straightforward and pleasant, with cherry dominating. Dill, oregano and thyme provide herbal backbone.
Newly grafted over from Pinot Gris, this is the first vintage for Wichman Dundee Estate Rieslings. Aromas are gentle and offer a suggestion of rose petals and mint. The palate has a lightly toasted aspect, with medium weight and solid fruit flavors. It's a good effort, but it remains the lightest of the Trisaetum offerings.
Taste history in this Rhône varietal made from the oldest vines in Lodi, and one of the few plantings of Cinsault in the state. It is so smooth and polished it could almost be a Pinot Noir. Full-bodied but soft textured, it offers ripe fruit aromas, generous and satisfying fruit flavors and a rich, lingering finish.
This fragrant wine from an excellent vintage offers terrific value. Silky and potent, it features mixed flavors of berries, cherries, cola and mocha, with a dash of white pepper.
It captures the Sierra Foothills balance of power and seems to have everything in the right proportions, including the price. Deep, nearly opaque garnet in color, it offers cedar and clove aromas that lead to rich fruit flavors like blackberry and boysenberry, firm tannins and full body.
This straightforward Barolo opens with classic Nebbiolo aromas of black cherry, violet and underbrush. The bright palate offers up dark red cherry, black pepper and licorice alongside firm tannins and brisk acidity. Drink 2018–2028.
Sourced from high atop Michael Mondavi's Atlas Peak vineyards, this is feral and intense in black currant liqueur and leather, the mountain tannins up front and fierce. Cellaring until 2014–2019 will do further wonders for this wine.
Wild in barely ripe strawberry, grapefruit and a hint of mint, it hails from great ground, the Bucher Vineyard along Russian River Valley's Westside Road. A tinge of orange blossom and orange playfully intermingle on the nose and on the palate. Midweight and layered, it's a lovely wine.
Toasted oak, espresso and a whiff of tire rubber open the nose on this wine. The palate displays crushed black cherry alongside coffee, sweet vanilla and plum. Bracing tannins need time to integrate.
Berry and plum aromas are clean and true for Rioja, with notes of fall leaves and earth. A juicy, taut palate features earthy flavors of plum and berry, while loam and a touch of ripe raisin add weight and flavor to the  finish. Drink through 2018.
Produced from young vines, this is the third wine of Larrivet Haut-Brion. As such, it is very accessible with its ripe, red exuberant fruits. The tannins are in the background, giving the necessary structure to a wine that will age quickly. Drink from 2017.
While the wood aging of this wine still shows, it's already balancing out with the ripe black fruits and rich structure. An attractive smoky character is followed by juicy berry flavors and acidity. This is a wine to age, so wait until 2017.
Hugely ripe Merlot is at the core of this rich wine. It is opulent, rounded and packed with dark plum-juice flavors. It verges on too much, too rich and too generous. What redeems it is the Bordeaux structure and final dry aftertaste.
This ripe, now soft wine has gentle red fruits and soft acidity. It's ready to drink with its rich texture and smooth structure. The end is rounded, only just hinting at tannins.
Owned by the same family as Château Talbot in Saint-Julien, this vintage of Sénéjac is now mature, showing signs of leather and a firm structure rather than fruit. It's unlikely to develop further, so drink now.
This opens with aromas of toast, weedy underbrush and tobacco. The palate offers stewed plum marinated in spirits, anisette and coffee but not much fruit richness. Bracing tannins give it an astringent finish.
Though just four years old, this wine seems advanced with notes of dried cherry, vanilla, dried tobacco and blackberry. The dried cranberry and cherry flavors are rich and tart, backed by quite astringent tannins.
Aromas suggest oak, vanilla, plum, espresso and coconut. The tightly wound palate isn't very expressive but offers dried black fruit, roasted coffee bean and clove alongside raspy tannins, with the heat of alcohol on the close.
Berry and cherry aromas are fruity and clean. This blend of Carignan, Grenache and Syrah is big on the palate but also tannic, acidic and fierce. Black plum, blackberry and tomato flavors finish crisp and firm.
Aromas of pink peppercorn, dried herbs, chocolate and jalapeño are light and subtle on this 100% varietal wine. It's soft and pure in feel, tapering toward the finish.
Crisp, minty, herbal aromas of berry and plum lead to a bright, rumbling, tannic palate with energy. Blackberry and chocolate flavors are good and earthy, while the finish is plump but braced by lively acidity. This is well made and satisfying for a basic roble wine.
Jammy, soft blueberry aromas are a touch green. This is syrupy, heavy and sticky on the palate, with chocolate, prune and peppery flavors. Tannic and heavy on the finish, this is an overweight Malbec that's lush to the point of being fat.
Here's a bright, crisp white that delivers aromas of apricot, nectarine, white peach and a whiff of Mediterranean brush that all carry over to the palate. Mineral notes add energy to the juicy fruit flavors, while zesty acidity generates a clean, refreshing finish.
This saignée-style wine is pale salmon in color, showing some bricking. It drinks dry with rounded suggestions of cherry and watermelon providing easy-drinking enjoyment.
Scents of lemon-cake icing meet the pretty yet not treacly tropical aromatics of white flowers on this barely off-dry wine. The sweetness is noticeable on the palate but far from overdone, with clean flavors of lemon custard, tangerine juice and a Key-lime finish.
Bramble wood and savory herbs lend earthiness to this ripe, juicy wine. Fruit-forward in style, the palate bursts with black currants and cherry flavors. Soft acidity and a whisper of tannins on the finish keep the mouthfeel plush.
This warm-climate wine is fulsome and hearty in baked Asian pear and candied ginger. A dried-fruit quality stands out on the buxom palate, a buttery taste of dried apricot drizzled in honey and brioche.
This blend of 41% Chardonnay, 26% Marsanne, 18% Roussanne and 15% Viognier shows notes of grilled sweet corn on the cob and Golden Delicious apple. It's broad in feel but seems to only have one trick to show.
Medium in weight, this offers a richness of plum and medium acidity surrounded by sizable tannin and oak. Cherry, dark currant and leather round out the characteristics, the wine aged in both French and American oak. The price is nice.
Although light, this well-balanced wine has good depth. A dry core of tannins backs up the bright red berry and black currant fruits. Acidity and the tannins promise some aging, although the wine is drinkable now.
While delicately framed for its variety, this Gewürztraminer is concentrated with sunny tangerine and peach flavors. Delicate hints of smoke, spice and blossom accent the midpalate and linger on the finish.
The nose is broad and welcoming, with apple and pear flesh aromas touched with vanilla and struck match. The palate shows good tension between lemon pith and roasted apple, proving quite focused and grippy with tannins, although a tad hot.
A touch of caramelized sugar lingers from nose to finish on this brisk wine, melding into layers of white peach, caramel and cream. It's light in body, but the mouthfeel is surprisingly round and rich. The finish is zesty and bright.
Pretty aromas of violet, rose and wild berry lead the nose. The bright but rather lean palate offers raw red berry, peppercorn and saline together with notes of dried sage. Astringent tannins create an abrupt finish.
Equal parts Viognier and Roussanne, this wine displays notes of peach, lees and spice. The palate is broad in feel with stone-fruit flavors and a tart finish.
This wine is near-equal parts Marsanne and Picpoul. It brings zesty aromas of spice, lees, almond and citrus followed by a medium-bodied palate with a zing of acidity and good balance.
Coming from one of the state's top Chardonnay sites, this wine offers pleasing aromas of crushed stone along with peach, cardamom and other spices. It's sleek in style, with a tart lick of acidity. Put it on the dinner table to see it at its best.
This blend of Viognier (51%), Roussanne (36%) and Riesling offers bright aromas of nectarine, honeysuckle and almond. It drinks dry, holding up a bit on the finish.
An unusual blend of 40% Malbec, 40% Syrah and 20% Merlot, this wine intrigues with its aromas of black pepper, plum and café au lait. It's supple in feel, with reserved red and blue fruit flavors that persist on the finish.
Though this wine saw only 35% new French oak, the barrel notes show first, with aromas of vanilla and coffee ahead of the variety's peppery spices. The palate displays a better sense of balance with plump, elegant cranberry and cherry flavors that linger.
This exceedingly light wine was given very subtle amounts of oak. It offers a sophisticated take on sassafras and Bing cherry within an earthy, structured shell that imparts a medium-bodied mouthfeel and plenty of acidity. From a site in Sebastopol, it needs time to open in the glass.
This is the winery's first release of this vineyard-designated wine. Cocoa, fresh herb, tire rubber and cherry aromas are followed by cassis flavors backed by tightly wound tannins.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (32%), Merlot (28%), Petit Verdot (22%) and Cabernet Franc, this cool-vintage wine offers aromas of savory herbs, cedar, black tea, woodspice, red fruit and flowers. The cherry flavors are full bodied, with firm tannins and a finish that lingers.
Firm and with dark tannins, this wine has great potential. Ripe berry fruits and a concentrated structure are already well balanced with acidity cutting through. As it matures, this wine with its dense structure will develop well. Drink from 2017. Enologist Sebastien and vineyard manager Nicolas are the latest Carreau generation managing family estates.
There's immediate appeal to this wine's plum and cocoa aromas, with Syrah (11%) adding game and smoke. The flavors are fruit-forward with plenty of plushness that make it hard to resist. It doesn't seem entirely varietally correct but after the second sip all that is forgotten.
Toast, plum, dark berry, ground pepper, tilled soil and coffee aromas come together in the glass. The chewy palate offers fleshy black cherry, juicy blackberry, licorice and tobacco alongside smooth, velvety tannins and bright acidity.
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Mourvèdre offers aromas of toast, coffee, bittersweet chocolate, cherry and black pepper. The fruit flavors are lighter in style, with chewy tannins and mouthwatering acids.
Blackberry and black cherry sauce aromas are given intrigue with tobacco leaf and sharp clove spice on this wine from a vineyard between the Santa Lucia Highlands and the Carmel Valley. Cinnamon stick and allspice shine on the very spicy palate, which is laid across a boysenberry backbone, with flecks of black pepper throughout.
From a single parcel in the estate, this is a full and rich wine with impressive intensity and concentration. It has spice, pepper and warm black cherry fruits, with a layer of tannins. Ripe and full in the mouth, this can be enjoyed now.
Aromas of dark fruit and cedar lead the nose and follow through to the warm, soft palate with peppercorn, licorice and dried blackcurrant. Velvety tannins provide the framework but it's shy on freshness, so enjoy soon.
Bright and silky, this offers aromas of damp earth, leafy underbrush, chopped mint and wild berry. On the fresh palate, zesty acidity accompanies tart cherry, red raspberry, white pepper, clove, licorice and orange peel.
Bold and full bodied, packed with ripe blackberry, dark chocolate and spice flavors, this wine is also mouth-coating due to fine, soft tannins and a hint of sweetness. It will be fun for people who enjoy drama in their wine, but needs to be tamed by a juicy steak or the equivalent.
This wine is still settling in, with tiny bubbles coating the glass. The aromas of spice, flowers and lychee are vibrant and the palate drinks dry, showing plenty of richness and intensity.
Smoked hazelnuts, toast and cedar notes lend woodsy complexity to this punchy, fresh Lemberger full of crisp black cherry and berry flavors. Moderate in body and delicately spiced, it finishes long on a shimmering streak of cranberry acidity.
Young and spicy, this medium-bodied red offers fruit driven sensations of blackberry, black currant, crushed plum and ground white pepper. Polished tannins and fresh acidity give it focus and a drink-now vibe, but it has the structure for modest cellaring. Drink through 2018.
All varietal from the winery's vineyard, this bottling offers aromas of toast, tar, dark fruit and spice. It's reserved in style with plum and spice flavors that narrow around the edges.
A classic from Savoie, this fresh, crisp wine is fruity, with attractive creamed pear and apple flavors. Light and bright, it's perfect for après-ski in the nearby Alps. Drink now.
Aromas of candied strawberries, plums and herbs lead the way on this blend, followed by coffee and vanilla accents. It's medium bodied with a dry, lightly astringent feel.
Leafy, earthy aromas of raisin, baked plum and leather are oaky but also a touch green. High acidity creates an upright, juicy mouthfeel, while shrill, acid-driven flavors of plum and berry fruits end with a green reprise as well as flavors of tobacco and citrus peel. This will last a long, long time; drink through 2030.
Aromas of blackberry, underbrush, blue flowers and a whiff of coffee lead the nose. The medium-bodied palate doles out juicy black cherry, raspberry and white pepper alongside firm acidity. Drink through 2016 to capture the combination of fruit and freshness.
Cherry pie and cinnamon dominate the aromas. Sweet oaky influences like baking spices and brown sugar come out in the flavors, as a lush texture soothes the palate. This tastes mild in terms of acidity and tannins so it comes off as soft and almost sweet.
With fruit mostly from Northridge Vineyard along with Katherine Leone and Clifton Hill, this wine displays aromas of herbs, vanilla, mocha and green wood. Coffee and cherry flavors are sweet and high octane with light squeeze of tannins.
Made from 57% Sémillon, the rest Sauvignon Blanc, this proprietary, estate wine is 100% barrel-fermented and built to age, a studious take on sultry oak and viscosity. Golden Delicious apple highlights the taste experience, reaching rich, concentrated proportion, before the wine finds its balance on the finish. Drink now through 2020.
Equal parts Syrah and Merlot combine with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon in a big, concentrated package of generous fruit and tannin, bringing together fruit from both Napa and Sonoma counties. Full-bodied and grippy, blackberry and gamy meat are the stars of the show, with Cab's mix of dried herb and cedar coming through on the finish.
This well-oaked Cab opens with reedy berry scents along with notes of lemon peel, coconut, tobacco and black currant. A narrow palate evaporates into a pool of snappy acidity, while short, choppy, citric flavors of red plum and currant end with oaky vanilla but even more wiry acidity. Drink through 2019.
Quite austere when first opened, this drinks best after significant aeration or decanting, which is no surprise with any Eyrie Pinot Noir. Light strawberry and cherry fruit sits stiffly framed with crisp tannins, underscored with ample acidity. There's a well-matched herbal component as well. This is at least a 10, if not a 20-year wine. Drink 2020 through 2030.
Tinta Francisca is one of the older varieties of the Douro, generally passed over in new vineyards. Perfumed, ripe and with an almost intense acidity, there is a dry core of tannins that are balanced by ripe red berry fruits, showing concentration from old vines. The wine is still young, finishing with considerable acidity. Drink from 2017.
Produced from Grand and Premier cru vineyards, this ripe wine is from a good, not great, year in Champagne. It has good structure and a tense texture that shows that it is still maturing. With crisp acidity and layers of complex fruit and structure, it could still age further. Drink from 2017.
Even though this wine is structured, it's as much about fruit as tannins. Rich, juicy red-fruit flavors are lifted by acidity. The structure is in support, with a dry core that will allow the wine to age. Drink from 2017.
From the Caldwell Vineyard in Carneros, this 100% varietal, Rhône-inspired wine is smoky, like a great outdoor barbecue, with dense elements of black pepper and gunpowder. Balanced, weighty and dense, it peaks in pomegranate, providing a tartness to the proceedings, particularly the finish. Drink now through 2020.
This structured, firm wine brings out tannins as well as rich fruits. Concentrated raspberry and ripe cherry flavors are cut with a fine balance of acidity. From a single vineyard, the wine needs some age, so drink from 2017.
This is a delicious, tongue-tickling wine, crisp and solidly built with fresh fruit flavors of apple, lime and tangerine in abundance. Beyond that there is body and depth, with the fresh acidity that supports a great variety of lighter seafood, shellfish and poultry.
Dominated by Alicante Bouschet—which explains the dark color—this is a hugely dense and ripe wine. Concentrated in dark plum and spice flavors, this wine that is all about power. Drink from 2018 when it may have calmed down.
A new side project between longtime Shafer Vineyards partners Doug Shafer and Elias Fernandez, the Eighty Four wines are meant to showcase varieties outside of what they do at their day jobs. A leathery texture with juicy plum and blackberry make for a supple, enjoyable wine, laced in coconut and rocky earth. Drink now through 2020.
A blend of Encruzado and Gouveio, this soft, young and fruity wine will be fine and ripe by 2016. The palate integrates a mineral texture and fresh citrus flavors that are tight and need to round out. It's a finely structured wine that finishes with a fresh, crisp aftertaste. Drink from the end of 2016.
Marrying cranberry fruit to a stiff, herbal spine, this offers sensory highlights of hemp, thyme and oregano. Though reticent aromatically, this wine earns your interest with its nicely-threaded herbal elements and substantial, albeit stiff, finish.
Aromas of pressed yellow flowers, dried apricot, tropical fruit and a pastry note emerge on this luminous wine. The elegant palate delivers ripe Golden Delicious apple, toasted almond and a yeasty note of bread crust alongside an ultrafine perlage and tangy acidity. A hint of citrus zest closes the lingering finish.
Dark, meaty aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, herbs and spice pave the way for a jammy, tannic palate that's jumbled in feel. Blueberry, mint, herb and briny flavors finish blocky, with herbal notes and heat. Drink this big-bodied offering through 2023.
Strawberry hints and floral overtones promise pleasure that arrives on the dry, creamy palate. A lively froth accentuates lightness and ease, while dryness underlines the clean fruit flavors. Fine autolysis provides the creamy, textured background, all pervaded by a lively seam of bright acid.
Randall Grahm's blend of 55% Roussanne, 26% Grenache Blanc and 19% Picpoul Blanc shows sliced honeydew, wet stone and a flash of topicality on the delicate nose. The mouthfeel is steely with layers of tense energy, showing lime pith and faint green banana, as well as lemon blossoms lasting long on the finish.
Elegantly structured, this opens with aromas of tropical fruit, bread crust, nut and a whisper of oak. The round palate delivers lemon zest, pastry cream, pineapple and walnut alongside an elegant perlage. A touch of honey signals the close.
Creamy, fresh and delicately scented, this lovely sparkler opens with a fragrance of pressed yellow flowers, mango and a hint of flint. The elegantly structured palate offers nectarine zest, white peach, mineral and a honeyed note are accompanied by bright acidity.
Outstanding fruit comes up immediately, with blue plum and ripe cherries. Tannins are smooth and polished, while the barrel aging contributes complex, well-integrated components of toast, coffee and soy.
This may be a touch more elegant than the 2012, but otherwise, it's remarkably consistent. It's medium bodied, with supple tannins framing cherry fruit underlain by hints of beetroot and ground spices—clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. Drink now–2024.
An unlikely white wine from a producer known more for old-vine Zinfandel, this full-bodied bottling shows the variety's more voluptuous side. Richly textured, the wine traffics in ripe peach and apricot, with a back note of almond.
Named for producer Charlie Heintz' mother, who once cared for the family ranch and vineyard, this salty, herbal wine opens exquisitely in Key lime pie and orange blossom. A nutty afternote follows the first set of flavors, all around a core of balanced minerality and oak, finishing with a bite of graham cracker.
The Boissieu family produces a style of Beaujolais that is rich, packed with fruit and with a structure that allows for some aging. This wine, from a certified biodynamic vineyard, has black plum skin and cherry flavors along with a tight aftertaste that will soften. Drink from 2016.
Powerful, natural, uncomplicated grape aromas and flavors fuel this light-bodied but memorable wine. With each sip its depth, complexity and appeal improve. The density and intensity of the fruit flavors combine with very firm tannins and lively acidity to make it nervy and delicious. Best now through 2019.
Succulent and juicy in velvety waves of black-cherry cola, this is a delicious expression of Durell, with intriguing teases of truffle, black tea and forest floor. Concentrated and full bodied, it offers additional seasonings of cinnamon and black pepper, which persist through a long finish. Enjoyable now, this wine is structured to cellar through 2020.
The flavors run as deep as the dark garnet color in this full-bodied but sophisticated wine. Aromas trigger black cherry, subtle spicy oak and a walk in the forest, while the fruit flavors are ripe and delicious. The texture is like velvet—smooth but not slick. The complexity and inherent richness of flavor seem to increase with each sip, and it has firm acidity and tannins to cleanse the palate.
Full-bodied and loaded with finesse, this opens with aromas of ripe dark-skinned fruit, exotic spice, toast and a whiff of new oak. The firm palate delivers ripe black cherry, crushed plum, clove and ground pepper alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink 2017–2024.
Aromas of green olive, grilled asparagus, moist peat, mineral and coffee meld with earthy funk. The smoke and savory flavors are lithe yet concentrated, lingering on the finish.
The 2010 vintage wines from Washington can be unforgiving on release but this wine—already a full five years old—is an exception. It shows a compelling assortment of jammy red and black fruit along with milk chocolate and barrel spices. The flavors convey both power and finesse with a spot-on sense of balance and a long finish that kicks it up a notch. It's drinking beautifully now but has a long life in front of it. Best from 2020 to 2027.
An arresting blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (62%), Merlot (27%) and Cabernet Franc, it displays purity with its herb, bay leaf, earth and cherry flavors. The exquisite balance is where this wine really shines, winning over on its elegance, detail and length rather than power. It shows first-class fruit and exceptional winemaking.
A little air is all that is needed to shake the orange and lemon zest flavors awake. This is a feast of ripe citrus: crisp, slender and very, very appetizing. The palate is streamlined and full of drive, with added complexity and texture from lees. Keep sipping to taste all the nuances of citrus—yuzu, tangerine, lemon and bergamot. This poised, pure beauty is delicious now but will last. Drink now till 2025.
The winery named after one of California's prominent pioneers continues a strong legacy with aromas of red cherries, orange rinds, dried violets and dark red rose petals. The palate shows a decent amount of tannic grip, with flavors of pomegranate, black tea and graphite.
From an estate vineyard high atop the appellation and blended with 9% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec, this is a bold, balanced wine made by Julien Fayard. Juicy blackberry and blueberry layer along soft, fine-grain tannins, making an impression on the palate. A creamy richness lingers on the finish, accented by black licorice. Cellar through 2022.
Inky red-violet to the eye, this wine has an intense nose of blackberry, toast and chocolate. Tannins are strong yet well matched by rich flavors of strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, smoke, orange zest and violet. It is full-figured on the palate, with a smooth yet zesty finish.
Rooty aromas of blackberry and baked plum share space on the bouquet with vanilla, smoke and coconut scents. This feels lush, round, firm and tannic, with profound depth. Flavors of blackberry, baking spices, chocolate and pepper finish toasty, with massive black-fruit leftovers. This is a powerful specimen to drink 2017–2030.
The color is light but that's deceptive. Brooding aromas of coffee, smoke, peat, earth, mineral and fire pit lead to lightly styled but rich, focused savory flavors that display both deftness and intensity, with a sense of texture.
This wine from Benjamin Silver is peaking right now, with fascinating aromas of exotic red fruits, sesame oil, maple syrup, hoisin sauce, Korean BBQ spareribs and smoked, coffee-crusted meats. It's in your face on the palate too, with pomegranate and rhubarb ripeness mixing into espresso and meatiness.
Aaron Jackson sources from the Central Coast's most extremely coastal vineyards, and this one from Edna Valley shows complex cola, black cherry, star anise and Dr Pepper aromas. It's soft and slate-driven on the lively palate, with graphite flavors that lead into tart cherry, clove spice and Sichuan pepper, entertaining the mouth for a long time
Just over two-thirds Merlot with the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and a pinch of Petit Verdot, this thoroughly delicious wine opens with a complex assortment of aromas, including incense, toast, crushed flowers, spice, bay leaf, licorice and red and black fruit. The palate is deft but brings waves of layered fruit flavors that show great density and richness. It's hedonistic but doesn't sacrifice one iota of balance. It drinks best at 62 degrees.
Made entirely with Sangiovese, this offers lovely aromas of iris, fresh violet, perfumed berry and a whiff of sweet baking spice. The elegantly structured palate doles out juicy black cherry, crushed raspberry, mocha, white pepper and cinnamon while firm, velvety tannins offer support. It closes on a tobacco note. It's already delicious but hold for complexity. Drink 2016–2021.
This pure, bullish, smoky Tinto Fino is full of charred blackberry, cassis and licorice aromas. The palate is massive but superbly balanced. Flavors of mocha, black coffee, bitter chocolate, toast, blackberry and cassis finish with power and precision. Drink 2017–2025.
The best of Escarpment's latest bevy of single-vineyard releases, Kupe (ku-pay) is from the close-planted vineyard nearest the winery on Te Muna Road. It's floral upfront, loaded with raspberry and blueberry fruit and amazingly supple despite using 70% whole clusters and 50% new oak. Drink 2016–2025.
All the secrets of this wine are still locked away—only time will reveal them. There are glimpses of lemon and grapefruit and notions of yeast on a thrillingly pure, streamlined and linear palate. Right now there is fruit, with time there will be eternal stone. This is Riesling with true pedigree. There is a lesson, too: You can impress with Federspiel, it does not always have to be Smaragd! Drink now until 2030.
Made entirely with Sangiovese, this offers aromas of forest floor, tilled soil, violet, woodland berry and a whiff of leather. The structured but elegant palate doles out juicy black cherry, licorice, tobacco and ground pepper alongside velvety tannins. It's already delicious but hold for more complexity. Drink 2016–2026.
Just about two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Merlot, this delivers complex aromas of blackberry, raspberry, earth, licorice and barrel spice. There's a mesmerizing sense of freshness, richness and concentration to the fruit and earth flavors along with a purity that commands attention. Just a baby now, it has decades in front of it. It will be best from 2020 to 2026.
Concentrated, silky smooth and subtly complex, this is almost like a dessert wine, yet technically dry. Aromas of pear tart and toasted walnut grab the attention, followed by deep, layered flavors reminiscent of lemon, cream and frangipane. The texture is seductively smooth and the finish lasts for at least 30 seconds. This wine provides a great example of posh indulgence.
A 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a number of hillside and valley floor vineyards, including Beckstoffer Georges III, this still-developing wine is delicately layered in soft-grained tannins, a dusty, graphite spark around the mellow red fruit and anise. With a lingering finish, it ends with a touch of dust. Cellar through 2020.
From a high-elevation site near the outpost of Annapolis, close to the Mendocino border, this is a briny, salty and soft wine, complex and bristling in acidity, yet possessed of subtle power and finesse. Enjoy now or over time, cellaring through 2018.
From a relatively warm site within the burgeoning Petaluma Gap, this wine offers lush, velvety layers of blackberry, mint and dried herb, employing some whole-cluster fermentation to add to the weight and concentration. Perfumed in spice, it retains plenty of structure; it would be a good one to cellar, through 2023.
The winery's third vintage from this cooler-climate vineyard offers a mix of bright red cherry, wild, dried herb, rose and anise aromas rising to the fore. Lingering acidity keeps the firm tannins at bay—the two opposites finding a peaceful balance, allowing a freshness of citrus to succulently creep in on the finish.
There are elements of a restrained ripeness to the nose of this wine: Kalamata olive, pressed cranberrry and herbs, along with slightly sweet figs and plums. It's quite easy to drink yet rather intriguing with strawberry-raspberry juice and crushed herb notes of oregano and marjoram.
Made from Pommard and Martini clones planted in 1973, this wondrous wine shows black and white pepper, black slate, dried sage, rainy cement and touches of raspberry and blueberry on the nose. Pencil shavings hit the palate first, followed by rose petals and violets that open onto a sense of cherry-black olive compote over roasted pork. Expect more exotic spice and fruit to emerge 2018–2026.
Almost all varietal (with 2% Malbec) from one of the state's premier sites, this wine draws you into the glass with aromas of coffee, scorched earth, herb, spice and dark fruit. The palate shows a beguiling sense of restraint and detail, with the tannins combed to a fine sheen, perfectly framed acidity and a lengthy finish. It's an exquisite example of the variety that should have a long life ahead of it. It will be best after 2020.
The lightest of the cuvées from Jean-Maurice Raffault, this is soft, fruity, already drinkable. It has a heady perfume, red fruits and light acidity all attractively packaged in a round structure.
The bouquet delivers a mix of lactic-smelling oak, herbal berry and finally a blast of char. The wine is full and resiny in feel, with oak-driven flavors of cassis, blackberry, chocolate and clove. On the finish, this tastes baked and oaky, with some heat.
The youngest red in the Couly-Dutheil range is just such pure, exuberant Cabernet Franc. It is perfumed, ripe with black currant fruit and a layered with acidity. Its fruitiness makes it a wine to be drunk young, its tannins giving structure rather than aging potential.
Starts out distinctly herbal but as it opens up notes of red currant and pencil lead emerge. The plump fruit flavors are supported by a firm structure of fine grained tannins.
Tropical aromas come with familiar notes of apple and pear. This feels chunky and melony, with soft, pithy melon and apple flavors. It remains soft and friendly on the finish, and with more fruit than cut, it should be drunk right away.
For everyday drinking, one can't go wrong with this bright, fruity Tempranillo that's defined by unadulterated cherry, raspberry and plum aromas and flavors. This is a mild, fruit-filled wine that's clean and defines good value.
This is a heavy wine with an earthy, almost stewed-smelling nose that is defined by raisin and prune aromas. It feels grabby on the palate, with chunky, blocky berry and prune flavors. This musclebound Malbec finishes rubbery and ripe.
The nose on this Syrah is ripe, with plum and raisiny aromas. It's lively in the mouth, albeit raw feeling, with red berry, plum and currant flavors. A short, mildly oaky finish closes the show.
A lightly aromatic offering of Cabernet Franc with notes of cherry cola, medicine cabinet, and herbs. The palate leans heavily on the grainy tannic structure with the light fruit flavors accented by tart, fresh acidity
There's a subtle warmth to this wine, with spicy hints of black pepper and licorice that mingle with the blackberry and boysenberry fruit core. The medium-weight mouthfeel is slightly lush and round, with final flavors of bark and cocoa nib.
This straightforward quaffer has aromas of plum, woodspice, tire rubber and herb. The fruit flavors are elegant in style with some sugar balancing it out.
Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes left for more than two years en tirage, this is a dark reddish-pink wine with an intensity of strawberry and raspberry that falls a tad flat midway through and into the finish. With a tiny amount of sugar, it veers slightly sweet.
Aromas include oak extract, yellow flower, citrus zest and Mediterranean herb. The palate offers butterscotch and vanilla but not much fruit richness or freshness.
Concentrated in cassis and dry, firm tannins, this wine has richness and density flecked in dried herb and anise. Let it open before enjoying; it possesses an elegance on the abbreviated finish.
Simple and straightforward, this provides aromas of pear, pineapple and spice. The flavors are lightly sweet and unctuous in feel with a clipped finish.
Rich tropical fruit collides with searing lemon-lime acidity on this semidry Traminette. The palate is racy and sharp, but softened slightly by a delicate, lacy sweetness that lingers on the finish.
This medium-bodied wine is a pleasant, tart-berry quaff, with hints of berry herbal tea, dusty wood and sour cherries. Look for this bottling to improve in subsequent vintages, as Cloudy Bay is now in complete control of the vineyard.
Modishly gray-pink in color, this is an attractive wine with fresh acidity and soft texture. The wine is off dry, giving it a gentle character that makes it an apéritif style.
The 18th-century estate's second wine is bright, crisp and fresh with attractive acidity and a lively, juicy aftertaste. Drink immediately.
Light and clear in color, this vineyard-designate combines earthiness and oak in a slightly tart and oak-laden package, unsure whether to let the oak overpower or not. Wild strawberry and herb can be found within the folds.
Old-style gin bottles are obviously popular in Provence. This pale salmon-pink colored wine comes in such a bottle. It's lightly fruity with attractive acidity that dominates the fruit and texture. Drink now.
A whirl of saddle leather, pressed plums, smoked licorice and metal hit the nose on this take on the nearly forgotten grape. The palate shows a decent amount of grip, with rustic leather and plum elements.
Dilute, oddball aromas of blueberry and currant are rendered earthy and less than fully clean by a whiff of compost. This feels basic and jammy, while floral berry flavors settle on herbal and peppery. It finishes lean.
A 50-50 blend of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this wine shows aromas of ripe blackberries, spicy raspberry and warm vanilla. The palate seems a bit dichotomous, with ripe fruit on entry leading to a toasted oak character on the finish.
This 100% varietal wine displays aromas of leather, barnyard, cherry cordial and raisinated fruit. Flavors are sweet and full, seeming a bit dried out and advanced beyond their years.
This juicy middleweight is well-integrated in terms of oak and ripeness. Salty lime and pear interplay on the palate, finishing crisp and clean.
This pleasant white offers delicate aromas of citrus blossom and orchard fruit. The easygoing palate has green apple and peach alongside bright acidity. It would work well for everyday occasions or informal parties.
From a particular block of an estate vineyard, this is a high-strung, high-acid Pinot that's earthy and piquant on the tongue. The aromas offer a mix of spearmint and dried herb.
Aromas recall white flower and stone fruit. The simple, light-bodied palate offers green apple and a light citrus note.
Fermented and aged in new barriques, this deeply golden-colored wine opens with aromas of toasted oak, vanilla bean and oak-driven spices that carry over to the palate. It lacks the fruit richness needed to stand up to the oak and racy acidity, giving it a lean character.
A clean, somewhat direct offering, this leads with brambly black berry and plum notes that are accented by hints of toasted oak and mocha. The palate is lightly structured and accessible now, with lifting acidity and a racy, short finish. Enjoy now.
A somewhat basic undertaking of 82% Merlot with 9% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot, this is herbal and giving in clove, tobacco and black plum. Medium bodied and soft, it leaves one wanting on the finish.
Wiry, rugged aromas of cassis and blackberry are a bit green and pyrazinic. Chunky, tannic and sticky in feel, this tastes of baked black fruits. Stewy, syrupy and creamy on the finish, the wine gets better the longer it sits.
This red-fruited, ripe wine has attractive bright acidity and some weight. It's dry and probably better suited to food than as an apéritif.
Exotic guava and pineapple form a profile of tartness that evolves into intriguing layers of dried herb and lemongrass in this white from a slightly cooler section of the Napa Valley. Medium in body and length, it is tight in minerality.
Grapy, slightly pulpy tones of blackberry and cassis liqueur persist throughout this full-bodied Petit Verdot. Brawny in profile, it's rich and slightly viscous in texture, but accented by fresh acidity and a frame of fine, delicate tannins.
It's a light and fruity wine, with a delicate texture and bright acidity. Soft and crisp, it's fine for an apéritif.
Smooth, velvet-textured wine. It tastes like munching into mouthwatering black cherries. The acidity is important but not overwhelming. Ready to drink now.
From a producer better known for its red wines, this is a notable white—although there is a slight coppery tinge to the wine's hue. Melon and herbal notes are true to the variety, as is the broad mouthfeel and faint tactile dustiness on the finish. Drink now.
Dark on the nose, with licorice notes and mildly roasted black fruit aromas. Ripe, properly sized and balanced, with lightly candied blackberry flavors leading to a smooth finish with a hint of coffee. For the price and origin, it's right on.
Opens with blackberry aromas, earth and spice notes. There's a shock of core acidity to the palate that keeps the wine fresh and balanced. Flavors of black cherry and black currant are jammy and on the sweet side, and the finish has a cookie dough quality along with lasting sweetness.
With baked apple aromas, this is a soft, sweet, creamy wine, remaining fresh, with hints of white fruits and honey, finishing with lively acidity.
Ripe, berry-flavored wine, with tobacco overtones, contrasting with stalky acidity. The wine finishes on the fruity side, with red berries and plums.
The bright young thing in the Tracy range, this is an intensely herbal wine, its acidity fully integrated into a rich texture. It's packed with lemon, green plum and pink grapefruit flavors. Give it six months.
The aromas are firm and appealing, a good mix of black cherry and black currant, with a hint of garden soil. The mouthfeel is young and still taut, showing raspberry along with cherry fruit, and some stiff but well-managed tannins.
From one of Livermore's oldest producers, a small-production Petite Sirah, one of their specialties, all from an estate vineyard planted 40 years ago, this wine is super dark purple in color, very earthy, with nice chocolate and delicate fruit interspersed among the dusty tannins. Pretty and interesting.
Smells waxy, as if it has slipped past its prime. The palate still sports a beam of bright acidity but there isn't much body or lees to accompany the richness, so the volume is low as a whole. Tastes good, but mostly like citrus and fresh fruit juice.
Hefty and fruity, with depth to the black fruit nose. The palate is a bit sticky and tannic, but it's ripe and driving, with wild raspberry, black plum, tea and spice flavors. Finishes a hint herbal, but on the plus side the wine isn't overextracted or too jammy and sweet.
Hyperperfumed, with billowing floral notes, raspberries and citrus that provide immediate impact. The sweet, fruity flavors are adequately balanced by bubbly froth, making for an easy-to-drink quaff. The gentle pink color is even reminiscent of summertime sunsets. Drink now.
Fairly full-bodied and lush, with berry fruit flavors balanced by darker notes of chocolate and coffee. The tannins are soft, making this wine immediately accessible.
The Monarch line is a new venture for Latah Creek. The Zin, from the Coyote Canyon vineyard, offers tart berry fruit, lightly spiced, and a hint of fresh herb. Clean and modest in scope.
Strawberry cream on the nose and a subtle touch of lemon blended in with strawberry flavors gives this rosé a pretty balance of sweet and crisp. Fun, but with substance, it could be paired with everything from a light seafood salad to a heartier poultry dish.
Predominantly Grenache, with smaller amounts of Shiraz and Mourvèdre, but the aromas reflect the Mourvèdre's tendency toward dark fruit and tree bark. The flavors show some redder fruit flavors—raspberries—as well as touches of caramel and rhubarb, and this slightly syrupy wine finishes with a tangy edge. It's a little eccentric in style and flavor profile, but savory and tasty in its own way—and a relative bargain.
Osborne, which owns the Solaz label, got this Tempranillo-Cabernet blend right in 2005. The wine opens with light, spicy oak and healthy berry fruit aromas. The palate is juicy and fresh, with crisp red-berry and plum flavors and just the slightest brush of oak. Sturdy, composed and ready for the masses.
Domäne is the everyday range of wines from Schloss Gobelsburg. This 100% Zweigelt is in a fresh, fruity style, emphasizing red berry fruits and light tannins. The acidity gives a crispness to the wine, which balances the intensity of fruit flavors.
An intriguing nose of dried herbs, soft cherry, smoked meat and spice is the start of this food-friendly Cab. On the palate, more herbed meat and berry in a smooth, elegant package adds to the draw. Not overly complicated but good.
Sweet oak and jammy berry aromas are a touch syrupy but solid. Surprisingly, the palate runs narrow and fresh, yet likable. Flavors of peach, tangerine and cherry are definitely lean but not sour, while the finish is fresh and elegant. Highlights the leaner side of red wine. Imported by USA Wine Imports.
On the meaty, gamy, savory side of things, with fruit flavors of tart blackberries to bolster hints of coffee and roasted meat. It's full-bodied, then turns crisp, lacking texture on the finish.
A strong, blunt and fairly appealing wine with cola/root beer aromas along with tobacco and raisin on the nose. The palate is driving and lively, with a mix of berry, coffee and resiny flavors sharing center stage. It's a tad rough and unfamiliar, but that's Utiel-Requena boiled down to its essence.
Ripe and Grenache-heavy, to judge by the black cherry and chocolate aromas and flavors. It's medium-bodied, with a tart finish that provides a refreshing counterpoint to the ripe fruit. Imported by Trinchero Vineyards.
Yes, this wine comes from a village of Chardonnay in the Mâcon region of Burgundy. It's a typical, crisp, freshly green Chardonnay that zings on to the palate. No wood here, just light grapefruit and citrus flavors, rounded with a touch of apple. Screwcap.
This is a Tuscan blend with character. The nose is full of cinnamon, mint, cloves and spice, while on the palate, an enticing blend of cherry, raspberry, mocha, mint and spice makes it a great solo sip. A solid wine with an overall likeable personality.
Fresh flavors of white peach, nectarine and apricot flow through this perfumed, light and delicate wine. Its fruity, uncomplicated, freshened with crisp acidity. Screwcap.
Fairly gassy and sulfuric off the bat, so the nose isn't ideal. Patience will be partially rewarded with jammy strawberry and raspberry flavors along with mocha. However, it never does fully get rolling. It settles on solid but midlevel red-fruit flavors and a similar mouthfeel.
This wine offers ripe yellow fruits and soft acidity. A honeyed character adds to the richness and generous character of this warm wine that is lightly cut by acidity at the end.
Situated in the south-east end of the Setúbal peninsula, this estate has produced a ripe, smooth and densely rich wine. It has a plum jelly flavor that is sustained by finely integrated tannins. It has a medium-term future, with full, generous fruitiness developing fast; drink from 2016.
Black gravel and cracked pepper spice enliven a nose reminiscent of a dried boysenberry Fruit Roll-Up on this wine by 25-year-old winemaker-to-watch Bret Urness. It's bursting with mouthwatering acidity on the palate, almost in an overpowering way, showing purple fruit and black spice flavors.
Tropical in personality, this wine is also singing in acidity, offering refreshing stone-like minerality to complement the fruit. Layered and just the slightest bit grassy, it's a wonderfully refreshing quaff, and a fantastic choice with seafood.
This wine has ripe fruitiness that is rounded and soft. Some toast gives a warmer character that is emphasized by the rich apricot and pineapple flavors. Drink soon, in 2015 or early 2016.
While 2011 has been widely seen as one of the great Port vintages for long-term aging, there are also wines, like this, that are so attractive they can be drunk early. This wine, with its perfumed character and red fruit flavors, is soft, fruity and will be ready to drink from 2016.
Light aromas of tropical fruits and acacia blossom show a note of ginger. This has a citrusy, fairly full body and flavors of lime, pineapple and mango that turn more towards citrus on the finish.
Judged as medium-sweet on the international scale, this shows petrol and lime Jell-o on the nose. The palate is not overly sweet but certainly not dry, offering honeyed lemon curds and sugared lime-peel flavors.
A touch of vanilla, butter and seared lemons characterize the nose of this wine that also shows pears and apples, making it a solid Chardonnay alternative. The palate offers a hint of marzipan along with juicy lemon pulp and zest as well as richer stone-fruit elements in the midpalate.
This geeky bottling with 21 days of skin contact shouldn't be confused with the fresh zest expected in a pink wine. Aromas of are similar to an Old Fashioned cocktail, with macerated Maraschino cherries, pulverized orange peels and a touch of smoky bourbon. There's a burst of acidity once sipped, then the wine emerges toward a bitter grip, with more dried cherry and orange peel flavors.
Toast, roasted coffee bean and anisette aromas lift from the glass. The tense palate offers dried cherry, toasted oak, star anise and a hint of white pepper alongside bracing tannins.
Aromas of grapefruit and seawater greet the nose in this medium gold-colored Chardonnay. Flavors of pink grapefruit, lemon, orange blossom and phyllo dough mingle on the palate, held up by a strong backbone of acidity.
Round fruit flavors meld melon, pears and apricots. Partial barrel fermentation smoothes it all out and adds just a touch of vanilla spice. It's a lovely choice for a Chardonnay alternative that will match appropriately with a variety of food.
This opens with aromas of red berry, rose petal, roasted coffee bean and brown cooking spice. On the palate, notes of anise, sage and white pepper accent raw red cherry alongside bracing tannins. Drink 2018–2024.
A seductive blend of Petite Sirah, Carignane, Zinfandel, Syrah, Barbera, Alicante Bouschet and Mourvèdre, this wine sourced from old-vine grapes conveys an old-world sensibility. Juicy berry pie and black pepper surround a soft, structured core, finishing with a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Forward, ripe and full bodied, this most pleasurable Pinot Gris is drinking quite well, with fresh fruit flavors of pear and melon. Moderate acidity is just sufficient to keep the fruit from becoming too flabby. The wine was vinted and bottled by Lujon.
Very golden and even nearing brown in color, this wine by the Paso Rhône pioneer shows walnut oil, honey and dried lemon peel on the nose. It's not so dense on the palate, offering an essence of brown pear and orange rinds. It could use a touch more mellowing in the bottle.
Made with botrytized Grillo grapes, this dessert wine opens with aromas that recall dried peach and citrus zest. The rich, sweet palate offers lemon honey, candied tangerine slices and toasted almond.
Rich purple in the glass, the nose focuses on dark bramble berries dusted with cocoa and vanilla. The medium-to-full body follows suit, with support from smooth tannins and balanced acidity. The berry tones linger on a black-pepper kissed finish.
Spicy, herbal plum and berry aromas are a bit rubbery and offer a sweet hint of cinnamon powder. This is deep and ripe on the palate, with rooty flavors of blackberry, fig and baking spices. Lasting rooty nuances blend with cocoa notes and mild heat on the finish.
Subdued aromas of red berry, sweet baking spice, rose and a balsamic note lift out of the glass. On the tight, tense palate, bracing tannins frame wild cherry, white pepper, clove, powdered sage and anisette.
This is an extremely restrained Syrah, offering black olive, tapenade, asphalt, damp grass and garden herbs on the nose. The palate shows tar, green coffee bean and Kalamata and green olives, proving intriguing if obscure.
A clean and refreshing rosé, this opens with attractive scents of red cherry, strawberry and a hint of clementine. The medium-bodied mouthfeel is balanced by a good cut of vibrant acidity and bright fruit flavors. Melon and citrus rind flavors kiss the fleeting finish. Drink now.
Lychee and lemon-lime aromas come straight from the Torrontés textbook. This is plump and round but still fresh in feel, with peach, pear and melony flavors that finish a bit short and oily, but with a note of white flowers. Drink now.
Rooty aromas of licorice, leather and blackberry improve with airing. This shows hard tannins and a grabby palate along with rooty, herbal flavors of blackberry and dark plum that finish with blackened spice notes, licorice root flavors and lively acidity.
Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz are blended together in this rich yet structured and fruity wine. It has fresh acidity and a hint of the ocean in its crisp red-currant fruits. The structure is softening and filling out, so drink from 2016.
Sharp in acidity while silky on the palate, this blend of 12 estate blocks is the Pinot made in the largest quantity by the winery. Soft, pretty and approachable, it offers red cherry, blackberry, rose petal and cola spice, with a bite of oak on the finish.
This medium-straw-colored wine is a blend of 40% Muscat, 30% Viognier, 15% Sémillon and 15% Sauvignon Blanc. Lemon-lime aromas with touches of petrol set the stage for flavors of lemon-lime sorbet, rose petal and jasmine. It is very soft on the palate, with citrus playing second fiddle to floral flavors.
A rich nose of pineapple, honey and orange peel starts well, and on the palate, a blast of orange, lemon and acid appeals. the big flavors are attractive with a good acid/fruit balance, but the wine has a touch of tart sweetness. Overall though, pretty and flavorful.
A beautiful dark plum color and elegant aromas of cherry, allspice and pepper lead this Virginia Merlot. Rich and savory notes and a bright fruit character are appealing but need time to age and integrate. Overall, a solid red for the cellar.
Violet as all get-out, with a nose that initially smells like bug juice. This is all about sweet, youthful fruit, so if you're looking for sophistication at bargain- basement prices you're shopping in the wrong place. What you will get is blackberry fruit, sweetness and gummy tannins. In the grand scheme of things it's just o.k., but for $6 you should not expect more.
Grassy and slightly pungent, showing the distinct aromas of underripe Muscat, but the delicate texture—it's lightly sparkling—and sweet flavors win out on the palate, balanced by a fresh, citrusy finish.
This is a vibrant, energetic Chardonnay that starts with fresh aromas of lemon zest, vanilla and spice and follows with appealing flavors of lemon, spice and citrus. Food- friendly and versatile.
Slightly grassy and pungent on the nose, but this sweet, fizzy Muscat turns more charming on the palate, where hints of pineapple and underripe citrus help to balance out the considerable sugar. Finishes fresh and soft at the same time. Drink now.
Generally speaking, this a neutral wine that makes no impression. It shows pine and generic citrus on the nose, followed by equally generic apple and orange flavors. Waxy and drying on the finish, with limited scope and depth. Drink right away, if at all.
Refreshing, lively, this Pinot Gris starts with aromas of grapefruit and lemon and leads into zesty flavors of white pepper, lemon and grapefruit. A touch acidic, the wine could use more fruit balance, but overall an enjoyable dry white choice.
Fairly flat on the nose, and also innocuous on the palate. Flavors of green melon and nectarine are modest at best, and while the mouthfeel is decent, the overall character of the wine isn't that exciting. Finishes pithy, citric and mealy. Yet another mediocre Navarran Chardonnay.
This is a real blaster of a Malbec, showing power, concentration and subtleties. The bouquet is full of graham cracker, cola, monster berry and moss notes, while the pure, driving palate deals flavors of toasty blackberry, spice, mocha and more. The lengthy but mellow finish hums like a fine-tuned machine. Drink now–2018.
This smells as deep as an ocean trench, with mint, cola, blackberry and toast aromas all rolled into a tight bomb that's ready to explode. It feels balanced yet densely concentrated, with wild berry, tobacco, savory spice and even a mild saucy component. This finishes smooth, with integrated leather, herb and berry flavors. Drink any time over the next 5–6 years.
This small-production Malbec is superb. The bouquet smells mossy, earthy, dense and loaded with smooth berry aromas. It's lush, deep and well balanced on the palate, with powerful black-fruit flavors along with fudge, tobacco and cola notes. The feel, flavors and length are all top quality. Drink now–2018; only 230 cases were made.
Opens with aromas of black cherry, pepper, herbs and rubber. The palate is sort of flat and low in intensity, with smooth but basic flavors of vanilla and berry compote. Tastes sort of roasted and minty on the finish, but also full and sweet.
Spicy and jumpy smelling, with red fruit aromas. The palate is alert, upright and tangy, with both citrus and red raspberry flavors. Reasonably good in terms of mouthfeel, with a light, herbal finish. A bit lean but exceedingly fresh.
Tart and citrusy, with distinct lemon and pineapple components that finish crisp and slightly musky. Fine as an apéritif or with light seafood. Drink now.
While it certainly has bright acidity and green fruit flavors, this is quite creamy in texture for an Aligoté, its angles softened and rounded. The finale is fresh, with a more citrus character.
The name Gemischter Satz means a field blend of grapes, often old and rare varieties, an Austrian tradition. The wine is light, fresh and crisp, with just a slight prickle on the tongue. There is a creamy character, lying well with the spicy element. Screwcap.
Not overdone or overripe, here's a rich Chard that boasts fresh peach and red apple notes with notes of tropical fruit acidity. Clean and solid with a medium mouthfeel; an easy-drinking choice that's perfect for company.
Largely neutral from front to back, with citrus and apple on the nose. Easygoing and basic in the mouth, with green melon and apple flavors in front of an inoffensive, slightly bitter and pithy finish.
While sweet on the nose with hints of black cherry cola and vanilla, Lucas' Limited Reserve is a bit lean and tart on the palate with strident sour cherry fruit flavors accented by ripe wood and foliage notes.
Earth, pepper and prickly spice comprise the aromas on this Central Valley Pinot. Feels resiny and warm, with sweet flavors of black cherry, cream and oak. Spicy, chunky and drying on the finish. Good for the price.
Crisp wine, with some slight creaminess, green apple flavors and a herbal edge. The wine is light and fresh.
Greenwood suggests cellaring this wine for four years but in the meantime it's more baked bread than earthy, red fruit and pretty high in acidity.
Pithy green fruit aromas are short but within normal parameters for the variety. Feels a bit heavy, with a baNAa influence. Flavors of soft citrus and melon are middling, while the finish is weighty.
Brambly smelling, with tomato, green herb and rhubarb aromas. Nervy and tight in the mouth, with minty, spicy flavors that keep any fruit character in the distance. Scratchy and tannic as well.
Smells exotic and unusual, and frankly not a whole lot like Cabernet Sauvignon. The palate is high in acid, so there's a citric sheer to the mouthfeel along with generic berry and spice flavors. Tartness and tannic clamp show up on the finish.
Ebullient with ripe cherry fruit, this intensely aromatic rosé is geared towards the white Zin drinker who's looking for a step up. While soft and a tad confectionery with a sweet, candied cherry palate, there's a crisp acidity throughout that keeps it from becoming too cloying.
Lusciously ripe mango and lychee aromas introduce this unusually sprightly Gewürztraminer. Perfumed and delicately sweet, but not at all cloying, it's vivacious and thirst quenching, finishing on a enticingly astringent tea-leaf note. Drink now through 2018.
The aromas entice with notes of wet stone, honeysuckle, chamomile and stone fruit. The palate is generous in flavor and feel, showing a fine sense of balance.
This screaming deal is majority varietal, with small amounts of Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. It works deliciously, thick and concentrated in cherry, cranberry and a tease of orange peel, staying crisply intriguing and amazingly light bodied on the palate. This is well worth case-stocking in one's home.
The aromas of blue fruit, herbs and spice are initially under tight restraint. The flavors are full, with the tannins simultaneously firm and fine grained. It shows good length.
Fronds of leafy herb and violet perfume align in this vibrantly composed Cabernet Franc. It's equal parts earthy and fruity, showcasing ripe black cherry and plum flavors etched by savory shades of mineral and soil. Fine, penetrating tannins squarely frame the finish of this red.
Deep ruby to the eye, this blend of Öküzgözü and Bogazkere has a heady aroma of cassis and baking spices. It opens with a volley of acidity backed by solid tannins. Flavors of cherry, cassis, anisette and black pepper with a touch of rose are set in a web of long-lasting tannins. A touch of tartness on the finish keeps the tannins from stealing the entire show.
Tilled earth, ripe dark-skinned berry, leather and menthol aromas show this wine's Sangiovese pedigree. The robust, concentrated palate doles out crushed black cherry, raspberry jam, cinnamon, licorice and the warmth of evident alcohol—the latter a common characteristic of this hot vintage. Firm, ripe tannins provide the framework. Drink 2017–2021.
Scorched earth, toasted nut, espresso, cured meat and baked plum aromas lead the nose on this concentrated wine along with a hint of new leather. The big, chewy palate doles out mature black cherry, pomegranate, licorice and tobacco while tightly knit, fine-grained tannins provide the framework. Drink 2019–2023.
Light copper in color, this Vin Gris at first has crisp acidity and muted aromatics that unveil slowly in the glass. A bite of tannin gives it structure and direction, brightened by notes of orange and red cherry.
Baked pears, tangerine oil and wet-cement minerality show on the nose of this rich yet balanced wine from one of the region's premiere sites. The palate shows Gala apples, honeysuckle and blood-orange rinds, blending ripeness with grippy tartness.
Aromas of forest floor, violet, red berry and a whiff of dark baking spice unfold in the glass while wild cherry, black raspberry, ground pepper and star anise drive the palate. Framed in firm, fine-grained tannins, this is a classic Tuscan red. Drink through 2020.
This is an aromatic brooder with aromas of scorched earth, plum, dried flowers and green herbs. It's full in feel with dense, dark-fruit flavors, tightly coiled tannins and tart acids—a pleasing example of the variety.
Wild cherry, rose, spice and chopped sage aromas come together on this round, savory wine. The juicy palate offers fleshy black cherry, raspberry, star anise and a coffee note set in a framework of polished tannins. Drink through 2018.
A blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino and 5% Canaiolo, this offers pretty aromas of pressed rose, violet, berry, menthol and a whiff of ground cooking spice. The linear palate offers mature black cherry, orange zest, clove, white pepper, licorice and a hint of pipe tobacco alongside firm, fine-grained tannins.
Black fruits, fine herbs and horsehide carry the aromas of this offering. In the mouth, this is firm and well built, with integrated tannins. Savory flavors of soy sauce and roast plum share space with bolder, riper cherry notes, while a warm, earthy finish tastes of roasted plum and berry. Drink through 2021.
Leather and peppercorn jump from the glass in this soft, strong wine, powerful in tannin and dusty earth. A gravelly, rocky component plays on the palate around waves of chocolate and black currant, finishing in herb.
Grippy and robustly powerful, this wine has a plethora of pleasing cedar and red fruit that provide structure and definition. It finishes in classically dusty tannin and tobacco. Drink now through 2020.
This Bordeaux-style blend is comprised of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc. The fruit flavors of raspberry and blackberry are light and tangy, the tannins mellow. A note of dark chocolate highlights the finish.
Boosted with 5% Barbera, this bottling for the estate's Bootjack Ranch shows ripe cranberry, red cherry, a pinch of herbs and touches of caramel and coffee syrup on the nose. A dense core of black plum skins at the palate's core is surrounded by bright cherry fruit, evolving into a dark chocolate and espresso touch.
This late harvest wine reminds one of lemon grass, cut grass and honeysuckle. It is sweet with a good acid balance along with flavors of lemon meringue pie and lemon curd.
Tangy and intensely vibrant in citrus, this site-specific white sings in grapefruit pith and zest, layering those flavors atop spicy ginger and herb. It finishes bright and fresh on the palate, eager for food.
Apple, lime and mineral aromas lend freshness to a mature nose. This feels round and plump, but well balanced due to fine acidity. Peach and citrus flavors are stony and finish with tropical notes of lychee and mango. Drink now.
Grapes are sourced from both Stagecoach and Hyde vineyards in this wine that takes its time in the glass coming around. Funky brine and a tropical flourish open on the nose with a severity of oak that mellows slowly. Made in an opulent, full-bodied style, it'll pair well with buttery fare.
Aromas of lemon custard and pineapple are well-balanced in this blend of 50% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Gris and 5% Pinot Blanc and the desert-them doesn't stop, as this white offers the palate a medley of crème brûlée, vanilla bean and lemon meringue pie.
The aromas that come together are those of scorched earth, grilled porcini, roasted coffee bean and a bit of burnt rubber. The mature palate offers dried cherry, blackberry confiture, mocha, vanilla and a hint of game alongside tongue-drying tannins that clench the finish. Give this a few years to unfold then drink sooner rather than later.
This blend of 32% Alvarelhão, 31% Souzão, 24% Touriga and 13% Tinta Cão shows baked black cherries, licorice, gingerbread, iron and smashed asphalt on the nose. The palate is soft and rich, with jammy cherry, blueberry and blackberry flavors eloquently spiced by clove, framed by silky tannins and cut with a welcome acidity.
This wine has a compelling earthy funkiness that's both varietal and fun, a tangle of red fruit, sassafras and cardamom that's light and bright. It makes a great companion to food.
Tight-grained tannins that stick on the palate support a core of full-bodied extracted raspberry flavor and a distinction of herbal brashness. Leather, tobacco and pencil shavings add context and complexity. This is 100% varietal and from one site, Pedroni Vineyard.
Slightly weak and primary aromas of freshly pressed black raspberry, grape seed and rosebuds show on the nose of this bottling. It's extremely light on the sip, though a compelling black-plum and hoisin-sauce flavor takes hold, with hints of lavender and bountiful acid, especially for its age.
Gritty aromas of red-berry and roasted fruit are not overly ripe. This feels firm, with high-toned acidic energy and a raspy afterburn. Oaky plum and currant flavors finish dry and hot. Not much cushion or softness here; requires food.
Nelson Neves has made a rich wine, recognizably Portuguese in its tannic structure while also having a jammy, juicy red-fruit character that comes from the Merlot. This ripe wine is ready to drink.
A tasty array of clove, tamarind and cinnamon aromas are followed by rich fruit and spice flavors in this medium-bodied, moderately tannic wine. It has lots of personality, good balance and a lingering finish.
A seemingly reduced nose smells of alfalfa and grass, even more so than fruit. Shrill acidity is loud for Uruguayan Tannat. Herbal grapey plum flavors are salty, while this is full of tension and acidity on the finish.
This wine is superfruity, gushing black-cherry syrup aromas and ripe concentrated cherry flavors backed by good acidity and very mild tannins. It emphasize the crisp zingy character that's inherent in the grape variety while being very full bodied.
Dried black cherry, shaved chocolate and dried herb aromas show on the nose of this bottling from a producer based in Marietta, Georgia. Fat flavors of cocoa and black cherry mousse make for a compelling sip.
With 15 months of wood aging enhancing the natural richness of old vines, this impressive wine is both spicy and packed with fruit. It is young, still with its bright baby fruit and with acidity that needs to soften. The wine, with its pepper toast flavors as well as its rich apple and citrus fruits, will be best from 2018.
Quite dark in the glass, this bottling from a vineyard often known for subtlety packs in a ton of power and darkness, starting with hefty blackberry, tree bark and sarsaparilla on the nose. Tart black-plum-skin flavors kick off the big palate, which grabs attention but is a little clumsy at this stage of life. Patience may bring cohesion.
Exotic spice, plum, French oak and underbrush aromas lead the nose while the juicy palate offers espresso, raspberry jam and a hint of star anise. It's chewy, with close-grained tannins.
This Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend includes smaller percentages of Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Together they are a velvety thick and rich exploration of berry-patch flavors and smoky oak founded on a floor of soft tannin.
This offers aromas of tilled soil, black-skinned berry and a whiff of baking spice. The round palate presents vanilla, clove and blackberry jam alongside smooth tannins. Drink through 2019.
Noticeable green aromas of juniper bush and grassy berry fruits are reflective of a cool vintage. This feels raw and tight but honest. Flavors of green herbs run side by side with plum and cassis notes. On the finish, oak-driven coffee and chocolate flavors are minty.
Produced in traditional stone lagars, the wine has typical rounded smooth tannins. It has spice, juicy black currant and fine acidity. The wine is rich and needs another year. Drink from 2019.
There is a firm tannic element to this solid wine. With some Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, there are hints of black currants as well as the perfume of Touriga Nacional. This is a dry wine at this stage, although the ripe fruit will certainly come through over the next few months. Drink from late 2018.
The aromas are light, with notes of berry, herb, dried flower and spice. The palate brings plenty of plump cherry flavors along with pleasing spice accents. It's an intriguing example of this variety.
A reduced nose gives off aromas of charred black fruits and pencil eraser. This Tannat is saturated in color and pulpy in feel. Flavors of salty plum and minty oak end with a raisiny note and acidic push.
Aromas of cocoa, baking spice and herb are followed by cocoa and vanilla-speckled flavors. The tannins bring a slight sense of astringency but overall it offers some appeal.
Hawke's Bay isn't known for Pinot Noir, but this wine shows that it can be done, given proper site selection. It's supple in style and fully ripe, with an open-knit texture and velvety finish, yet boasts pretty cherry and floral notes. Drink now–2019.
Made with 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot, this opens with aromas of forest floor, blue flower, black fruit, graphite and a balsamic note. The juicy palate delivers crushed black cherry, white pepper, clove and licorice alongside polished tannins. Drink through 2018.
The mighty partnership between the Hyde and de Villaine families shows maturity in this vineyard-designated wine, from the Hyde's well-respected site. Ripe golden pear delivers a richness to the palate that is offset by floral minerality and a pleasant texture of citrus and spice.
Nutty flavors of new oak signal a more international style of Pinot, but the underlying fruit speaks eloquently of ripe, red cherry and offers glimpses of raspberry. Subtle spice plays around the edges. The palate is rounded and soft but has a refreshing vein of acidity.
Lighter in color, this blend of Conner Lee, Red Mountain Vineyard and Elephant Mountain fruit has aromas of freshly brewed coffee, dark chocolate, toasty barrel spices and red fruit, with the barrel notes taking the lead. It's silky-soft in feel, with generous raspberry flavors that show a pleasing sense of balance, all backed by a light squeeze of tannins.
Another of the producer's estate-grown offerings, this vineyard-designate is bittersweet on the palate, rich and yet softly smooth in anise and waxy apple. Plenty of acidity buoys the experience, adding to the wine's ability to stay crisply refreshing on the finish.
All the characteristic pepperiness of Zweigelt swings enticingly on nose and palate of this fresh-faced wine. This is medium bodied, fruit-driven and made incredibly appetizing by white pepper notes that pervade and complement the cherry fruit. Vibrant fruit singles this out.
Combined with 20% Grenache, this full-bodied, fruit-forward wine brings sweet aromas and flavors of raspberry jam and plum. Aged in mostly neutral oak, it possesses purity that carries through the finish.
Intensely earthy, this wine hails predominantly from Susanna's Vineyard, a site in the heart of the Green Valley section of the larger Russian River Valley that's known for its elevation and coolness. Here, crisp raspberry and cherry do provide a sense of that coolness, but the wine develops into a substantial behemoth of full-bodied richness and weight, with a powerful, peppery finish.
Sourced from six different vineyards, this is a broadly pleasing wine, fruity in blackberry and raspberry that veers even into cranberry and cassis territory without getting bogged down. Substantial and lush, it's tightly woven in tannin and savory herb, ready to open itself over time. Patience will reward with more exotic interweavings of vanilla-cola and tea.
The producer continues to impress with this variety, an increasingly popular wine for her loyal followers and beyond. Rich in crème brûlée and vanilla, it's layered and well-textured, a mix of pear and orange blossom with a tropical edge that finishes with a nice lift of minerality.
This is a big, bold, but welcoming wine with tons of flavor, plenty of tannin but an almost silky texture that invites another sip. The deep red-black color goes almost to the rim. Aromas are like apple skin and red cherries and the flavor suggests blackberries. Its richness without heaviness helps it stand out from the pack.
Faint notes of peony and oak play above the red plum fruit, leading to a wonderfully peppery, oak-scented but nonetheless very refreshing red. This is an ambitious rendition of slender, fruity Zweigelt in oak that does justice to the peppery, fresh nature of this variety.
Zweigelt can do easy-drinking styles but in the right hands, it can also turn into something more elegant. That's the case here: This exudes sophistication. Subtle use of oak supports the supple structure and gives the ripe red cherry fruit a more velvety spin. While this is ready now, it may well get even better with a year or two in bottle.
This wine shows roasted beef with blackberry crust, fresh-cracked black pepper and tarry asphalt on the nose. The asphalt and charred meat play strongly on the heavy-duty palate that also offers blackberry balsamic reduction. It's brawny and burly, perhaps too much so for the everyday drinker.
This is textbook Central Otago Pinot, from the nuances of wild thyme to the bold cherry fruit and mouthwatering finish. This medium-bodied wine is structured enough to last several years, but soft enough to drink now.
Nettle, tomato leaf and ripe, juicy pear make for an intriguing aroma that is still recognizable as varietal Sauvignon Blanc but brings an individual note of ripeness. Not quite tropical it nonetheless bursts with juicy pear. If you love Sauvignon Blanc this is an intriguing facet of this variety to try. Juicy refreshment is guaranteed.
Tingling lemon and grapefruit pith make for a tantalizing experience in this white made from several vineyard sources throughout the Napa Valley. Saline and wet stone provide the minerality, with a searing seasoning of lemongrass. The wine finishes on a tart, herbal note that yearns to be matched with seafood.
While intensely floral from nose to finish, this subtly nuanced Riesling has a more savory side as well, offsetting stark lemon, tangerine and lime flavors against wet stone and clay. It's ethereal and light on the palate, but finishes boldly with a lingering murmur of astringency.
While demure on the nose, this dry, seemingly diminutive Riesling builds in power and concentration on the palate. It's fairly low in alcohol, with an unassuming gradation of flavors ranging from lime to lemon and grapefruit, but its rippling textural expanse lends persistence and gravitas.
This wine intoxicates aromatically in wild cherry and strawberry before entering into an entirely different direction of feral earth. Softly smooth on the palate, it's enjoyable now and an interesting taste experience, with an unfussy finish.
Perfumed red berry, blue flower, baking spice and balsamic aromas open this round, full-bodied red. The accessible palate offers wild cherry, crushed plum and cinnamon alongside soft tannins. Drink through 2016.
With fruit from The Benches (71%) and Canoe Ridge vineyards, this wine offers aromas of toast, pineapple, peach and pear, with barrel notes (100% American) providing accents. Flavors are creamy in feel with a finish that lingers.
Blended with 25% Cabernet Franc, this engaging wine has aromas of herbs and blackberries. The fruit shows a real sense of vibrancy and purity, laden with tart, cranberry-like acidity and firm, lightly chalky tannins. Just a baby now, it should be at its peak in 2025.
Classic Pinot Noir scents of dusty rose blossom and black cherry emerge from the glass. They're followed by flavors and textures that highlight the tension between slightly herbal and tea-like notes with dark cherry fruit. This medium-bodied wine then glides into a long, finely textured finish.
This delicously crisp wine is light and full of fresh citrus and red fruits. It dances out of the glass, bright with acidity. The name says it all—it's ready to drink this instant.
This wine comes from hills well inland in Provence, giving it a fresh, lively character. It is rich but the strawberry fruitiness is dominant and finishes the wine with delicious acidity. The blend is 50% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, 35% Syrah; there was no barrel aging.
Galoupet's vineyards are close to the sea, giving the wine a delicious freshness. It is crisp with layers of fruits and acidity. Full in the mouth, this is a wine with a great place at the table.
A 100% varietal wine made by Kirk Venge, this tiny-production offering is concentrated in leather and dark baked fruit. Rich and rewarding, it wears its voluptuousness well, showing the palate with firm chewy tannin and integrated oak.
Pouilly-Fumé is often the source of wines for the Sancerre producers. This wine is ripe, full in the mouth with its yellow fruits. There is a spicy character from the oak aging. The wine could age a little longer so drink from 2018.
Subdued and delicately ripe, this wine offers understated notions of leather, chocolate and blackberry bramble, with an electric undercurrent of fresh-squeezed citrus. Light and bright, this is a study in holding back, with complexity at its core.
Aged for 12 months in wood, this smooth, ripe wine is already rich and delicious. Its structure is well integrated into the berry fruits and acidity. It's ready to drink from 2018.
Elegant and balanced, this straw-colored dry Furmint has lemon curd, peach and apricot aromas, lemon zest and flaky pastry flavors and a creamy finish.
This wine's new leather, pressed violet and orange zest aromas unfold in the glass. The vibrant, medium-bodied palate offers red berry, baking spice and crushed herb flavors framed by bright acidity and firm, refined tannins.
This Cabernet Franc is superripe and oaky, with earthy, stewed and woody aromas. In the mouth, this feels grippy, resiny and dense. As it airs out, vanilla, woodspice, prune and cassis aromas come to the fore. The chocolate-tinged finish is slightly sticky in feel, exuding a strong sense of ripeness.
This fragrant red opens with violet, red berry, crushed herb and menthol scents. It's bright and elegant, offering raspberry, juicy Marasca cherry, white pepper and clove flavors alongside polished tannins. A saline note signals the close.
This producer's style is for rich wines and this is no exception. With its depth of fruit and ripe apples and lemon, it is both crisp and full. The wine has some wood aging not for the flavor, more for the open effect. Drink the wine now.
Bright golden color gives way to caramelized oak and densely packed flavors of yellow apple and anise. Crisp, underlying acidity helps balance the lush mouthfeel of luxurious weight and incorporated oak.
Given the vineyard location, on the eastern edge of the Columbia Gorge, this is a unique take on Merlot, falling somewhere between the broad, fleshy Washington style, and the thinner, more herbal southern Oregon style. The layered flavors mix berry, citrus and red plum, in an open, easy-drinking wine that should pair well with a variety of transitional autumn entrées.
This is an intensely herbal wine. Its high alcohol doesn't take away from its green fruit, gooseberry and cool taste. Perhaps it does increase the intensity of all these elements, producing a wine that is both rich and also taut and mineral. It does seem to need more aging, so drink from 2018.
This is from a cool-climate 9-acre site divided into two blocks, cooled by afternoon breezes off San Pablo Bay. It shows off the site in its embrace of high-toned fruit flavors of plum, blueberry, cranberry and dried cherry, the background meaty in chewy tannin and concentrated oak.
This wine is fruity and crisp. It is also full of ripe apple and rich pear fruits that give density and fine concentration to this delicious impressive wine. The acidity adds brightness while the minerality comes from the taut steely texture. Drink this wine now.
New leather, red cherry and fresh herb aromas follow through to the firmly structured palate, along with cinnamon and white pepper notes. A young and racy wine, it already boasts finesse thanks to taut, refined tannins.
A blend that includes Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro, this is a well-structured wine. Tannins and black fruits are seamlessly integrated to give weight and richness. The acidity, the mineral texture and the density all contribute to a wine that will be ready to drink from 2018.
An unusual blend of Touriga Nacional and Petit Verdot, this wine does in fact work. Tannins, perfume and a dense, dark color give weight and concentration. It is a powerful wine with a future. Drink from 2019.
This wine leads with new leather, dark spice, iris and eucalyptus scents. Its linear, slender palate offers sour cherry, pomegranate, white pepper and ground clove—flavors that are held taut by fine-grained tannins and racy acidity.
Menthol, new leather, blue flower and sage aromas lead this wine's nose, along with a whiff of toast. Taut and savory, it offers crunchy red berry, star anise, ground clove and a hint of tobacco on the palate. Youthfully assertive, fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity lend structure.
A blend of seven grapes (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Alicante), this elegantly structured wine opens with aromas of toast, coffee, black pepper and dark-skinned fruit. The polished palate offers black cherries, espresso, mocha and oak-driven spice alongside firm but refined tannins.
Like all Jurançon, this wine brings together great richness and great freshness. The honey and peach fruits are laced with acidity to give the wine poise, while hints of dry botrytis promise aging. This is a ripe, full wine that should be drunk from 2017.
Almost black in color, this prestige 100% Malbec cuvée is as intense as it is powerful. Dark and brooding, still very young, it shows its wood aging strongly. As it ages, this richness will mellow well to give a concentrated while stylish wine. This small-production wine is named after a statue of Notre Dame in the vineyards of this family estate taken over by daughter Martine and husband Serge Costes 20 years ago. Drink from 2019.
A whiff of lanolin is a harbinger of maturity adding depth and complexity to this penetrating, fruity wine. Sunny, but puckering pink grapefruit shines on the palate, but it's limned by a deep mineral vein that extends the finish dramatically. Delicious now, but sure to develop well through at least 2025.
Acquired in 2006 by Alain-Dominique Perrin of Lagrézette, Clos Marguerite is situated on the top terrace above the Lot. It's a perfumed, polished wine, ripe and smooth in texture despite the attendant tannins. They give a dry core to the generous black fruits and acidity, allowing the wine to be structured as well as opulent. Drink from 2017.
The winery's various Chardonnays are defined by their varying clonal mixes. Here the blend delivers polished flavors of lemon-lime, orange peel and apple butter. There's a hint of bourbon barrel also, from aging in mostly neutral French oak. This young wine is round, full bodied and spicy, ready for immediate enjoyment.
Cola, cherries, dried violets, iodine and a slight bit of forest floor funk introduce the nose to this top-end bottling from the biodynamic-minded winery. There is quite a bit of aromatic spice on the palate, from wild mint to pine and juniper, all set against a cranberry fruit character. The tannins are light and acidity is just right.
This powerful and rich 100% Malbec from the western edge of Cahors is still so young. Big and fruity with ripe tannins that are surrounded by concentrated fruit, it is only just rounding out with a smoothness that comes from the wood aging. This small-production wine is named after a statue of Notre Dame in the vineyards of this family estate taken over by daughter Martine and husband Serge Costes 20 years ago. Drink from 2018.
Plum and currant aromas are supported by asphalt, dried leather, herbal hints and grit on the bouquet. The palate is full, ripe and steady, while flavors of currant and wild berry are peppery and spicy. An elegant, lightly toasted finish is what this fine Cabernet deserves and delivers. Drink through 2022.
Menthol and sweet sage aromas leap off this wine from Steve Clifton. They spice up the black cherry and blackberry juice backbone that comes from this Nipomo vineyard, located seven miles from the Pacific. The palate shows lots of energetic verve, with flavors of dried cranberries, raspberries, licorice and slate, finishing long on a sagebrush-driven sense of chaparral.
Zesty lemon and lime, with honey and blossom notes permeate this ethereally delicate semisweet Riesling. Despite it's diminutive frame, it's concentrated in citrus and stone fruit flavors. Finishes long on a honeyed saffron note.
This has a deep, dark red color that's practically opaque in the glass. The main aroma resembles oak and cedar dust, with ripe blueberries behind it. Flavors then turn very chocolaty and deep, while the texture is quite sleek for something this concentrated. Aged in 100% French oak, it is full-bodied, appropriately tannic, and built to go with some spectacular meaty meal. Best now through 2022.
This is a powerful, dense and impressive wine showing ample weight supported by fruitiness. The acidity from the ripe black-plum fruit gives the wine intensity as well as aging potential. Enjoy this fine wine after 2016.
Inviting aromas of buttercream, vanilla bean and lemon custard-laced pastries draw the nose into this wine, made by three families. Two members of the group, Rich Aurilia and Dave Roberts, are former pro baseball players. It's very balanced on the palate, with white peach, honey and citrus, and a judicious amount of butter on the edges.
The vineyard is located in the Chehalem Mountain AVA (not shown on the label) and reflects the dark, earthy characteristics of the region. Fruit is spicy, tart and tightly wound, mixing black raspberry, black cherry and a sip of Dr Pepper. That blackness continues with some licorice threading through the finish.
This lively, crisp and tantalizing wine emphasizes fresh green apple aromas, vivid citrus flavors of lemon and grapefruit, and a rather full body from energetic bubbles. An attractively tart mouthfeel turns creamier with each sip. It does just what a brut style is supposed to in terms of refreshment and lip-smacking flavors.
This 100% Merlot opens with enticing aromas of wild mint, blackberries, blue flowers and allspice. The firm palate doles out black currant, fleshy plum, tobacco, clove and licorice alongside velvety tannins. It's savory and balanced but drink sooner rather than later to capture the juicy fruit.
This is a polished, smooth, ripe-smelling Toro with an inky color and earthy undertones to the bouquet. Full, tannic and voluminous, this tastes mostly of blackberry and prune, while the finish is similar in taste and lush in texture. This is more forward and ripe than complex and nuanced; drink through 2021.
Made entirely with Merlot, this full-bodied red opens with aromas of menthol, dark berries and cooking spices. The firm, savory palate offers ripe plum, juicy black cherry, cinnamon, clove and dark chocolate alongside velvety tannins. Drink through 2020.
The Sheila reserve is a block and barrel selection, and brings an extra dollop of fruit concentration when compared side-by-side with the other estate reserve. Both are wines of immaculate detail, here with a lush mix of strawberry, raspberry and cherry fruit, augmented with streaks of cola and red licorice. The balance and length are impressive.
Zippy, fresh aromas of citrus and white fruit lead the nose. Ripe fruit balanced by good acidity and a lingering, luscious finish make this an exemplary Greek pour. Pair with poultry, grilled seafood or enjoy as an apéritif.
Lime and white grapefruit flavors form a bracing backbone of acidity in this rich and fruity, yet breathlessly elegant Riesling. The midpalate boasts plump yellow cherry notes, but the long finish is laser focused and steely.
The back label notes that this fruit is from the Whistling Ridge Vineyard. It's rich and concentrated, a mix of apple, pear and green banana. Creamy and dense, it coats the mouth and lingers deliciously.
Quiet intensity and broad complexity characterize this medium-bodied, entirely bracing wine that smells like cranberry, red cherry and rhubarb. Flavors suggest crisp cranberries and cinnamon with wisps of smoke and clove, almost vibrating with vivid acidity and firm tannins. It will improve through at least 2020.
This old-vine site, now entering its fifth decade, brings a lean, tight profile to this wine, with a strong mineral foundation. The structure and sleek styling, with tangy raspberry fruit and a slightly chalky finish, suggest that this wine will improve now through 2025 and beyond.
Fresh blackberries, wild mint, anise and dried purple flowers make for an appealing nose on this appellation blend from one of the region's pioneering and esteemed producers. There is a pleasantly thick yet lively weight to the palate, with flavors of licorice, coffee, violets, lavender extract, dark purple fruits and a hint of asphalt.
The delicate but intriguing nose on this wine from young but experienced vintner Michael Callahan shows dried honey, lemon blossoms, beach sand, yellow cake and a touch of coconut shavings. It's rich and waxy on the palate, with flavors of cooked Meyer lemon, yellow flowers and a petrol-driven grip.
Oaky, inky aromas of blackberry and vanilla are pushy and potent. This blend of 50% Tempranillo and 50% Syrah is rubbery and pinched on the palate, while toasty, rooty flavors of black fruits blend with herbal berry and coffee notes. A narrow finish is herbal in flavor and weighty. Drink through 2020.
Vanilla, black cherry and cinnamon on the nose lead the aromas of this exotic red. On the palate, a good red fruit and spice balance offers layers of cherry, plum and cedar. Likeable and a good introduction to Xinomavro.
Rooty berry aromas vie for attention with molasses, graphite and earth notes. This Toro is stout and creamy in feel, with bracing acidity and firm tannins. Baking spice, roasted black-fruit and molasses flavors are typically ripe, while the finish is hot, with punchy acidity. Drink through 2020.
Bright and crisp, this is a fruity wine that's full of citrus and red currant flavors. It has a fine tangy texture that brings out the freshness. Ready to drink as a fine apéritif.
An oily white-fruit aroma is overrun by a heavy oak scent, leaving notes of resin and toast on the bouquet. The wine feels fleshy, and the palate keeps that theme going with baked flavors of apple and peach. This is about as oaky as a wine can be and still be very good.
Made with 80% Grenache Blanc, this is a wine intended for early drinking. It's already beginning to show some evolution toward increased breadth on the palate and almondy nuttiness but retains enough honeydew and citrus intensity to remain very enjoyable over the next few months.
Big, toasty and brooding at first, this calms down and becomes a glass of pleasing dark fruits and soft tannins, with a lilt of spice. A fine midweek wine that will pair with a range of meats and taste perfectly good on its own.
New wood influence and extraction give the wine a bitter edge, and a dark chocolate flavor dominates. It has a core of ripe black fruit that will round out as it develops. Solid, chunky, firm and dense.
This pure Mourvèdre begins well, offering a full palate of varietal flavors that are built upon a mix of citrus and ripe tree fruits, along with accents of leaf and forest. It turns soft and seems a bit overripe, running into a rather short finish.
A Syrah for all the California Zin lovers out there, this is heavy and brimming with dark cherry flavor amid a wall of tannins, leather and earth.
This wine is herbal, prickly and roasted, singing the Salta tune of oddness and earthiness. It feels medium to full in the mouth, with a roasted dark-berry flavor and plenty of herb and pimiento tones. Finishes deep but salty, with notes of roasted red pepper and stew. A blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wild berry, cherry and mint notes are what you'll find on this wine's open, likable bouquet. The feel is clean and crisp, with snappy wild-berry and plum flavors that crackle with finishing acidity and controlled tannins.
Rich and structured, this features tannins that pack the same weight as its ripe black fruits. A wood element shows in the background. The balance is likely to come together in the next year.
Tight, crisp and mineral driven, this wine has citrus fruits and a steely texture, demonstrating that it needs to age for a year.
This is a fruity wine, and its black currant flavor emerging right away. Next comes the bright acidity, while the tannins form a solid, dark and dry contrast. The wine needs at least two years to soften into something rich.
This is a carefully made Cabernet, 100% varietal, with light and clean fruit flavors of plum and cherry. The mix of French and American oak (how new unspecified) is lightly applied, and the wine is nicely balanced, but no blockbuster.
A single-clone, single-vineyard, estate wine. Released young, it is oaky, liquorous and sharply volatile. Plenty of plum and sweet berry fruit flavors suggest a wine with the power to age, but at the moment it has not come together, and has a vinegary bite to the finish.
Young and fully toasted, with exuberance mellowed by mossy leather aromas. Full-on in the mouth, with piercing tannins in front of a chocolaty, rich palate that's herbal and offers oaky vanilla for sweetness. Turns more herbal and sauvage on the finish.
Sweet, jammy berry aromas are a nice opening. The wine is tight in the mouth, with smacking tannins that draw down red berry and herbal flavors. For the most part this is a complete, standard type of Rioja with juiciness and crisp acidity.
Earthy on first take, with baked berry and raisiny aromas. Comes across fresh in the mouth, with cleansing, almost citrusy acidity giving a jolt to roasted berry, tobacco and orange peel flavors. Earthy, dry and long on the finish.
This is a fresh, vibrant blend of 85% Roussanne and 15% Grenache Blanc. It's medium bodied, with straightforward pineapple flavors and a touch of almond skin. Simple but solidly made; crisp and lingering on the finish. Drink now.
This 100% Albariño from Ribeiro shows light orange blossom aromas. It's chunky and almost chewy, with lightly pithy citrus flavors and roundness to the palate. Finishes a touch pithy and bitter, with white pepper notes. May already be starting to fade; drink right away.
A pure, varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, well aged, from an excellent vintage. It's a smooth wine, drinking perhaps at its peak, with an herbal edge to the red fruit and a suggestion of green in the tannins.
Warm, rich aromas of wild berry carry a hint of dried cheese, while the rest of the bouquet is woodsy and spicy. The palate is juicy with fresh acidity, and the flavors of red plum and raspberry are solid. A structured wine with good DNA. Drink now through 2011.
Crisp on the bouquet, with green apple and controlled fresh celery aromas. The palate is also fresh, with basic roundness, bounce and natural flavors of apple cider, citrus and lime. Finishes with a slice of white grapefruit and a tiny spot of pith. Drink immediately.
A little heavy and sweet on the nose, but juicy and deep on the palate, with round, pleasant lemon, grapefruit and green melon flavors. Dry, pure and driving white wine with a long, clean finish. Galician Godello in good form.
A beefy wine, solid and structured. The tannins are dense, very dry, packed with the juiciest of black fruits, and promising a year or two's aging. There is a hint of perfume from wood and sweet fruits. A great wine for rich meats.
A heavier style of Rioja, with raisin and prune aromas and a brandied character. The palate is expectedly flush and ripe, with weight and size along with black cherry and herbal tea flavors. Shows good stamina and fullness on the finish. Ready to drink now before it starts to fade.
Full, ripe and so tannic in its present form that it's scratchy and hard on the mouth. Aromas of ripe berry and syrup hint at its core power, while flavors of blackberry, fresh raisin and chocolate are true and good. A powerpacked wine with a fierce mouthfeel; only time can bring it around. Hold until 2011.
Undurraga's top Sauvignon hails from the premier terroir of Leyda. It smells clean and inviting, with an aromatic mix of talcum powder, lime, mango and scallion. The palate is very fresh and lively, with snappy citrus flavors that include grapefruit. Razor-clean on the finish.
Nicely done for an entry-level wine, with slate, fresh floral greens and briny minerality all wrapped up in an off-dry cocoon of green apples and citrus fruits. Fresh and clean on the finish.
A compelling mix, with bright, vivacious fruit flavors running from apple to pear, peach to papaya. The influence of barrels is felt more than tasted, but it does add a whisper of toast to the finish. Lively and fresh, this is a great wine for richer seafood.
A comforting nose of vanilla toast, butter and a spin of citrus starts this venerable producer's elegant Chardonnay. On the palate, the wine is creamy, with integrated fresh fruit and spice components, and offers a lingering, unctuous finish.
A complex palate and lingering finish give this wine serious appeal. Tropical fruit aromas and a combination of minerals and lush fruit in the mouth offer elegant balance. The wine has a delicious, mouthcoating appeal but still offers a spin of fresh, clean flavors. Versatile with food—from rich to spicy.
An excellent version of this wine, mixing together 39% Chardonnay, 31% Roussanne and 30% Viognier. It was half stainless and half barrel fermented, combined to deliver crisp, racy flavors of lemon cucumber, pineapple, citrus rind and a hint of pepper. Overall this is a very bright and nicely defined wine.
Dominated by new wood, this wine has not yet found its true character. It will likely become rich and juicy, with black plum and spice flavors coming forward in 2–3 years. For the moment, it is all about firmness and dryness.
This is pretty sweet for a spätlese but finishes clean and refreshing, thanks to some zippy acids. Aromas of paraffin, wet stones and citrus lead the way, followed up by flavors vaguely reminiscent of lime sherbet.
Very nicely done for a new brand that we haven't seen before. This is Chilean SB in fine form. It's a mix of green and ripe fruits both on the nose and palate. Aromas of gooseberry and mango are alluring, and in the mouth it bounces along on a wave of bracing acidity. Elegant and easier toprocess than Quintay's more pungent, angular and demanding Reserva.
Starts off with apple and pineapple aromas, but quickly develops intensely mineral flavors to go alongside. Likewise, it seems round—almost fat—in the mouth at first, then finishes with refreshing acidity, a mouthwatering mix of sweet and tart.
Rieslings from the Burgenland need very specific locations to keep their crispness and varietal distinctiveness. It's obvious that Höpler has found such a place for this wine, with its fine mineral character enhanced by a dash of grapefruit and green berries.
A deliciously delicate TBA, it has all the right sweetness, but balances that with acidity, ripe pineapple and dried peach. Extra complexity comes from some honey and lemon freshness.
As all the Icon Pinot Noirs have over the years, this one shows a fair amount of oak: cinnamon, toast and vanilla all mark the nose. But this medium-bodied wine also shows layers of soft, supple fruit underneath. Give it another year to integrate, then drink it over the next 3–4.
Intensely sweet, concentrated and viscous, but without quite the charm and balance that characterizes the regular Himmelreich auslese in 2006. Once past a bit of sweaty sock on the nose, the flavors show off honeyed orange slices to go with hints of spice and minerality.
With 250 cases imported, this Reserve is easier to acquire, half the price and almost as satisfying as the brand's Limited Release offering. Loaded with influence of the surrounding garrigue, including bay leaves and sage, aromas and flavors of black cherries, plum skin, violets and tar also abound. Velvety in texture and full in the mouth with a long, evolving finish that ends on a divine mocha note.
A fine effort; it takes some of the Mountain's best fruit and showcases it to put the flavors of berry, cassis and mineral in perfect proportion. This is a forward and fruity wine that surprises you with what it brings in the back—notes of straw, cracker and sweet toasted coconut. It's nota monster, but it sure is delicious.
It's obvious from the alcohol that the Merlot here was very ripe. But, happily, it doesn't taste that way. The balance of rich raisin and red plum flavors are well balanced by acidity. There is some smokiness from wood, the ripeness finishing freshly with a black cherry taste.
From the estate vines, this toasty wine will please those who love a soft and buttery style of Chardonnay. Buttered popcorn, toasted walnuts, soft and ripe tropical fruits all come into play; Bonair's definable house style.
This is a big, slightly rustic Pinot that marches to a decidedly unfruity beat. Coffee and mushroom aromas set the stage, then add cola and earth notes on the palate. Finishes long, but with some rough edges; give it 2–3 years in the cellar.
The cherry aromas of this wine are so sweet, so obvious, that they come across as almost candied; thankfully, they're balanced by subtle spice and leather shadings that make it clear that this is wine, not fruit juice. Silky tannins bolster that impression, nicely buffering and extending the finish.
With its high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), this gives an initial serious structure, topped with rich, ripe black fruit flavors. The tannins are calmed by this richness, with spice, blueberries and blackberry juice much more dominant.
This Malbec blend is ripe and woodsy, with cedary boysenberry and cassis aromas that are spicy and include some barnyard. A full, hammering palate is tanninc and grating. Flavors of black cherry, cassis and vanilla finish on both sides of the line that divides elegance from rugged intensity. Drink through 2024.
Scorched earth, grilled herb, toast and ripe berry aromas lift out of the glass. On the dense, full-bodied palate, notes of cinnamon, clove and licorice add depth the black cherry core. Firm, velvety tannins provide the framework.
Rich and dense, this concentrated wine has a fine, smooth texture that is ripe with red-berry fruits. The freshness of the vintage comes through in the acidity and crisp, taut texture. The wine will be ready to drink from 2020, the 800th anniversary of the oldest-known traces of this vineyard.
Good depth of flavor and a sense of layering makes this wine especially enjoyable. A big aroma pulls in wood smoke, black pepper, black cherry, generous fruit flavors, dark chocolate and smoky accents.
This structured wine is firm at this early stage, with tannins and a touch of bitter-chocolate extraction that needs to diminish before the black fruits get their chance. Keep this dark, solid wine until 2022.
This is a ripe wine. Red plum and berry fruits are given weight and richness by the solid tannins, smoky flavors and the dryness at the heart of the wine. Give this structured wine time to develop and drink from 2021.
Packed with both wood and ripe fruit, this rich wine is full of juicy citrus and spice flavors that are lifted by the steely acidity and crisp aftertaste. Drink from 2017.
This is three-quarters Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay. It's a thoroughly captivating rosé, with Champagne-like finesse. Concentrated flavors deftly mingle cherry, green citrus and herb, with a lovely mineral base.
Subdued aromas of menthol, dark spice and a whiff of leather lead the nose while the full-bodied palate offers mature black cherry, star anise and clove. Tightly wound tannins give a solid finish.
Ripe, toasty, smoky aromas of blackberry, cassis, licorice and prune are gritty. This is big, tannic and blocky, with tartaric scrape. Flavors of blackberry, cassis, raw oak, licorice and spice finish with notes of toast, chocolate and baking spices. Drink this full-bodied, jammy blend of Malbec and four other red grapes through 2020.
Notes of fresh honeysuckle, baking soda and shaved citron mix with tons of slate, gravel and wet rocks on the nose of this great bottling. There's the slightest touch of sweetness to the palate, where waves of vibrant acidity carry forth flavors of orange blossom and mandarin as well as a grapefruit peel twist. It's certainly drinkable now, but will mature and evolve well through 2034.
Attractively perfumed, this rich wine offers some dark tannins as well as forward black-currant fruits. The wood aging is still showing in the burnt toastiness of the wine, although this will diminish, leaving a broad wine packed with fruit. Drink from 2018.
Packed with red fruits, this wine has great potential, with attractive wild-strawberry fruits that are fresh and perfumed. Behind this fruitiness, the wine is tight and structured. It will be round, rich and ready to drink from 2019.
Fresh yellow peaches seem to be layered in honey and pollen throughout this lusciously sweet, lip-smacking Riesling. The midpalate bristles with acidity, but it's harmoniously balanced, bursting of fresh apples and lemons. The finish is elegant and long, laced in soft tea tannins.
This is a ripe powerful wine. It has layers of wood aging adding spice to the rich black-plum fruit. Smoky, rich and concentrated, it is an impressive wine that is going to need some long-term aging. Drink from 2019.
Crisp, toasty aromas of black cherry and cassis are impressive. This is a full-bodied Malbec with edgy tannins that stop short of being hard. Berry, chocolate and woodspice flavors finish smooth, long and complex, with a welcome note of cedar. Drink through 2020.
Roasted herb, moist underbrush, menthol, dark berry and vanilla aromas meld together in the glass. The ripe, chewy palate is full of juicy black cherry, dense raspberry, vanilla and cinnamon along with firm tannins and fresh acidity.
This is 68% Shiraz, 32% Grenache. Compared to the straight Shiraz, this is spicier, showing more leather, clove and pepper. It's still a full-bodied, rich wine, but maybe a bit less plush, with brighter acids.
Winemaker Kirk Venge blends 52% Cabernet Sauvignon from both To Kalon and Kenefick Ranch with 36% Sangiovese from Benessere and 12% Petite Sirah from Kick Ranch. The blend makes for a bombast of juicy blueberry pie topped by vanilla ice cream. Tannins are rounded and velvety, and the wine comes across as big and bold.
Leather, ripe berry, cured meat, chopped herb and a hint of underbrush are some of the aromas you'll find on this full-bodied red. The firm, savory palate delivers ripe raspberry, juicy black cherry, star anise, clove and mineral alongside youthfully assertive tannins. It closes on a juicy note. Drink 2020–2027.
What differentiates this offering is the block selection—all Pommard clone—and a higher (30%) proportion of new cooperage. Warm and generous fruit flavors bring strawberry and cherry in a lushly textured wine that refreshes as it delights. The finish adds extended notes of lemon custard, orange flan and a lick of caramel.
There aren't a lot of producers making this variety in America, let alone a Zinfandel and Rhone-wine specialist, but it works on every level, the wine offering a concentration of rich apple, pear and stone fruit, the texture rounded and complex.
This is a good reminder that Touriga Nacional comes from originally from the Dão. The wine has power and dense tannins while also having a strongly textured character that shows up the granite soil of the region. The wine is just maturing and will be at its best from 2017.
At this stage, this wine still shows considerable wood flavors. As it develops, its rich pear and peach fruit will come more to the fore along with the crisp edge of acidity and citrus. The texture, with its mineral edge, will allow this single-parcel wine to develop well. Drink from 2018.
Mighty Klopp fruit is hard to get, and the tiny production of this wine reflects the coveted nature of these grapes. Justice is done; this beauty shows funky, soft and floral characteristics that persist on the palate, along a streak of black cherry and chocolate.
Dried herb, forest, berry and black peppery cola combine on the nose and palate to delirious effect, making way for a velvety texture of medium-sized body and weight. Sourced from several vineyards, including some estate, this wine satisfies on every level.
Compelling scents kick off this wine, from black cherry and black-plum skins to vanilla-ginger cookies and pepper dust. There is an imposing structure to the palate, which holds up the black plum, dark strawberry, thyme-led herbal character and peppery spice.
Intensely fragrant, this opens with scents of violet, rose, perfumed berry and a subtle whiff of menthol. The elegant, structured palate delivers tart cherry, white pepper, clove and a hint of coffee alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2020–2028.
Spicy Syrah, with a clear herbal core, shows blackberry and blueberry fruit, along with lighter suggestions of compost, pepper and anise. Unfined and unfiltered, the wine remains proportionate and avoids over-the-top ripeness or heft. Best if cellared for another 5–8 years.
A beautiful, smooth, rich, intense wine, the structure clothed in great ripe layers of fruit. Touches of paprika balance with lively acidity and fresh berry flavors.
Impressive, but so young, this is a Pinot Noir-dominated vintage, the richness as yet a mere hint in the welter of acidity and fruit. Already, though, this is   shaping up to be a structured, tight wine, with great final balance.
A surefire success in all the Milbrandt vineyard holdings, Syrah shows stuffing and spine here. It's firm, herbal and earthy, with a lightly funky aspect. But the fruit is there in support—black cherries and blackberries—and the hint of toast and mocha in the finish provides exactly the right send-off into the next sip.
With its rich toasty aroma and ripe creamed apple palate, this is a rich Champagne reflecting the vintage. It is well balanced, with toffee softness and lime juice acidity. Not for aging, but currently very enjoyable.
Thick, ripe, creamy and luscious, this 15.4% Sémillon carries itself with grace and style. The dense fruit flavors mix peaches, apricots, pears and spicy apples; with a hint of caramel and brown sugar. Though quite dry, it has so much fruit as to seem lightly sweet, and the high alcohol does not take away from the complexity. If it were not fermented dry, this would be a stunning late harvest dessert wine.
A beautiful ripe, soft and fruity wine. The acidity is sweet, crisp pears and apricots giving a rich character. This is a vintage that is for drinking, not aging.
A fine example of pure, varietal, Columbia Valley Sémillon, this is like liquid honey, without the sweetness. It's more like the essence of honey flavor, coating the mix of peach, pear and fig fruits. Smooth as silk, supple and soft, it's a lovely effort.
Subdued aromas suggesting stewed plum, mature berry, dried herb and scorched earth lead the nose. The straightforward, rather evolved palate offers dried cherry, cranberry, leather, clove and a green note of powdered sage alongside tightly wound tannins that clench the finish.
This is a soft wine, full of ripe apple and white currant fruit flavors. It's fresh , but also has a steely edge that gives a strong texture. Produced from chalk and clay soils, it is tight, rich and needs a few months more in bottle. Drink from 2017.
Tropical and fleshy with upfront acidity, this wine has a full-bodied richness on the nose and overtone, despite a more light-bodied midpalate and finish. Along the way, lemony brightness mingles with a taste of yellow apple.
Aromas of toast, coconut, thyme, vanilla and sugared plum cake lead the nose. The round, accessible palate offers black-cherry-marinated in spirits, licorice and a confectionary note framed in mature tannins. Ripe and evolving quickly, this is best suited for near- to mid-term enjoyment.
Earthy aromas of game, porcini mushroom, scorched earth, saline and crushed herb meld together on this. The taut palate offers raw red berry, mineral and grilled sage alongside austere tannins. Drink 2018–2023.
Plump and round in the mouth, with clean, fresh flavors of pear and pineapple. This year, the Marsanne is better, although the Roussanne should win friends for its charming fruit.
Made with 95% Malvasia and 5% Sangiovese, this opens with aromas of resin, dried fruit and flaky pastry. On the sweet but rather fresh palate, clover honey and pine nut accent a core of mature apricot.
Bright and fragrant, this opens with scents of wild berry, rose and violet. The vibrant palate delivers tart cherry, blood orange, anise and chopped herb alongside supple tannins and zesty acidity. There's no complexity but it's easy drinking and thoroughly enjoyable.
Aromas of red berry, sunbaked earth and crushed blue flower lead the nose. The easy-drinking palate offers mature wild cherry, white pepper and anise alongside polished tannins. It's simple but savory. Drink through 2016.
A little air unlocks aromas of underbrush, scorched earth, blue flower, toasted oak and mature berry. On the firm palate, notes of espresso and licorice add some depth to the core of dried black cherry while grippy, close-grained tannins provide support.
Aromas of citrus, especially white grapefruit and lime, are spunky and sweaty like Sauvignon Blanc or Verdejo. A solid, fleshy palate is home to a mix of citric and tropical flavors, while the finish reverts back to grapefruit, with a monotone feel. This is Macabeo, Garnacha Blanca and Pedro Ximénez.
Aromas of waffles and corn flakes suggest maturity and complexity. This feels open and wide, with depth to the palate. Direct flavors of lime and tangerine finish more citric and minerally than the nose, with a lasting sense of freshness.
Aromas of spice, lees and ripe pear are followed by creamy feeling tropical fruit flavors, with pineapple in the lead. It doesn't quite all come together but provides plenty of intrigue.
The texture and structure of this wine may be light but the fruitiness is so appealing. Soft and ripe with red-berry fruit flavors and refreshing acidity, it will develop quickly and be ready to drink from 2017.
Pinot Noir from Canada can often be quite delicate, but this is a full-bodied, even muscular effort. Toasty and tasty, it puts a pleasant roasted character upon ripe strawberry and cherry fruit. Tannins are substantial, along with some barrel flavors from nine months in French oak.
Clarissa Nagy, whose main job is making wine for Riverbench, sources grapes from the nearby Garey Ranch Vineyard for this bottling. It shows strawberry, plum blossom, beet juice, rose petals and cola on the nose. The palate is light and easy, with flavors of pencil lead, Earl Grey tea and brisk cranberry juice.
This wine is big, burly and complex, showing a preponderance of dark, ripe black fruit built around dusty tannins, leather and lavender. It's compelling and drinking well now.
This wine is half Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Merlot (20%), Cabernet Franc (18%) and a healthy dollop of Petit Verdot. Aromas of green herbs, fresh flowers, soil and barrel spice lead to dark cherry flavors backed by grainy tannins.
Aromas of white peach and honeysuckle yield to flavors of grapefruit, peach, jasmine and orange blossom. This wine is smooth in the mouth and the zesty finish is characterized by lingering floral flavors.
Aromas of stewed prune, grilled pepper and roasted coffee bean join in this blend of 45% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Franc. The evolved palate shows date, vanilla and coconut. Drink sooner rather than later.
From vines that sit at 1,000 feet overlooking Monterey and the Carmel Valley, this wine only went through partial malolactic fermentation. It shows a tight nose of lemon-laced sour cream and grapefruit blossoms. Lime peels, more sour cream and stronger grapefruit-pith flavors mark the tight, tart palate that has firmness that will mellow with age.
Raspberry, herb and sugared-plum aromas are followed by easy-drinking red-fruit flavors that show a sense of balance that keeps the interest high.
Heady with aromas of rose petals, this wine has a thin, light-bodied texture and tastes of black licorice and black cherry. With a surprising ripeness of fruit, it ends without tension or nuance.
Stony and tropical in personality, this full-bodied white wine conjures up the taste and aroma of vanilla crème brûlée with a twist of lemon. The body is tense in acidity and the finish lean and mid-length.
Delicate aromas of sliced Meyer lemons and tangerine show on the nose of this wine that is named after a seaside hamlet just south of Santa Barbara. There is textural weight to the palate, which offers flavors of green apple, jasmine, pear and sour cream, with intriguing dashes of chive.
Forest floor, grilled porcini, charred earth and a whiff of leather lead the nose. The ripe palate offers dried black cherry, raspberry, clove, licorice and tobacco alongside chewy tannins. You'll also detect the warmth of alcohol on the close.
Floral and funky, this combines 47% Syrah, 42% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Franc and 1% Viognier. Medium-strength, it's a rustic, dusty wine with notes of blackberry, blueberry and a touch of dried herb.
Intense smoke and dusty mineraity has become a calling card of sorts for Tierce, the annual collaborative bottling of three Finger Lakes Riesling producers. Deeply savory on the palate as well, pronounced notes of chalk and slate are broken by staccato strikes of sour green apple and lime. It's a distinct and increasingly consistent style now for Tierce that has served it well over the years.
Aromas of red berry, tilled earth, menthol and dark cooking spice unfold in the glass. The structured, elegant palate doles out ripe wild cherry, mint, licorice, blood orange and chopped herb alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. It's still tight so let it unwind for a few more years. Drink after 2019.
Made in minuscule amounts, with fruit sourced from the Martinelli family's Charles Ranch, this is a fulsome, come-hither white. It's ripe in apple caramel and butterscotch, beautifully unctuous on the palate in all the right ways. Finding a balance beneath the generosity, it ends in crisp lemon and lime.
This vineyard designate is consistently richer and rounder than many of the other whites made by the producer, a mix of thick and concentrated barrel influence and savory-sweet fruit and spice. Full bodied, it offers a curiously compelling briny edge, decadent yet bright.
Crushed iris, pressed rose, perfumed berry and eucalyptus scents come together on this stunning wine. The elegantly structured palate delivers red cherry, raspberry, white pepper, licorice and chopped herb alongside well-knit, polished tannins and fresh acidity. This is one of the few 2011s that will do well with more cellaring. Drink 2019–2031.
Made from Grand Cru vineyards in Mesnil-sur-Oger on the Côte des Blancs, this beautiful wine is maturing well. The ripe, creamy pineapple and spice character has softened the natural minerality of the texture. Full in the mouth, ripe and rounded, the wine will age more, so drink now, or better, keep until 2017.
This is a reserve-level bottling, from Yates Conwill fruit, made in half bottles only. Dark, dense and concentrated, it shows hints of raisining in the nose, yet is a balanced and potent wine anchored in superb black cherry fruit. Enjoy it now and through 2021.
Luscious ripples of blackberry and plum contrast savory swathes of herb and bramble throughout this richly textured Spätburgunder. While full bodied and densely concentrated, it's balanced elegantly by a strike of cranberry acidity and fine-grained tannins. Drinks well now but structured enough to improve through 2020.
Whiffs of pine fronds, smoke and spice lend a woodsy alpine flair to this dry, intensely mineral Riesling. The palate is bracing and bold, juxtaposing crisp greengage plum and lime against crushed minerals and lemon-zest astringency. It's a penetrating, thrilling wine that drinks well now but should only intensify in its mineral complexity through 2023.
Red berry, violet and aromatic herb scents unfold in the glass while the juicy palate doles out crushed red cherry, strawberry, mint and white pepper. Bright acidity and firm, polished tannins provide impeccable balance. Drink after 2018.
This big and rich wine is succulent and generous. Firm tannins show strongly through the ripe juicy black currant fruits. Full of the strong minerality typical of the Douro, this wine and its dry core still needs time to age. Drink from 2018.
One of the markers for grapes from the heart of the Dundee Hills is a deep black-cherry fruit core, and it's here in spades. In this penetrating, powerful wine, that dense fruit comes close to cassis, along with coffee and cola streaks. Drink now through 2026.
From a tiny, three-acre vineyard, this wine is soft, seamless and delightfully floral, offering lithe layers of red cherry, tea and oak, barely able to rein in its savory underbrush of black earth. Crisp, the acidity is pronounced and lengthy and the rose aromatics irresistibly persistent.
Intense aromas of rose, iris, perfumed berry and eucalyptus lead the way on this radiant wine. The vibrant palate offers juicy wild cherry, raspberry, grilled sage, menthol and dark kitchen spice while firm, fine-grained tannins provide the framework.
Spiced berry, violet, menthol and anise aromas float out of the glass. The elegant, firmly structured palate doles out juicy black cherry, licorice, white pepper, clove and a hint of pipe tobacco alongside firm, fine-grained tannins that need a few more years to unwind. Drink 2019–2031.
This is a serious, concentrated wine that is full of generous fruit and structure. Alongside this weight, there is a lighter, juicier side from vibrant acidity. The main thrust though is concentrated tannins that are still developing. The aftertaste is dense and shows the wine needs to age. Drink from 2019.
This is the winery's ultra-reserve-level Chardonnay, labeled “Grand Cru” just to make the point. In this vintage of exceptionally ripe fruit, its superrich style explodes from the glass, with a cavalcade of apple pie, buttered nuts and popcorn flavors. It's big, bold and massively concentrated. This is best enjoyed through 2019.
Like many Mornington producers, Kooyong has a relatively short track record (founded 1996). For much of that time, winemaking was under the guidance of Sandro Mosele, including this stunning 2012. It shows Burgundian levels of complexity in its array of smoke, leather, root vegetable and black cherry notes, then backs that all up with a firm-yet-supple texture and tremendous length. Drink now through 2022.
Perfumed berry, dark spice, dried herb, a hint of tar and a balsamic note are some of the aromas you'll find on this striking red. The racy palate boasts finesse and structure, delivering red cherry, raspberry, white pepper and cinnamon alongside bracing but refined tannins and vibrant acidity. This is made for lengthy cellaring so give it ample time to fully develop into the dazzling wine it promises to become. Drink 2021–2036.
This is not your average power-packed Malbec. Opening scents of meaty, wild berry fruits are feral and interesting, and also quite bold. A layered, deep palate shows purity, black-fruit flavors and oaky additions of chocolate, spice and pepper. A dark, minty, spicy finish is fiery, so drink cautiously through 2023.
This focused, full-bodied wine opens with aromas of scorched earth, ripe black-skinned fruit and a whiff of game. The tight palate is still rather closed but already offers dense black cherry, clove, licorice and grilled herb alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2021–2031.
Firm and fragrant, this offers aromas of wild berry, forest floor, pressed rose, baking spice and a balsamic whiff of menthol. The bold, robust palate doles out cherry-marinated in spirits, fleshy raspberry, licorice and chewing tobacco alongside firm, velvety tannins. Thanks to the juicy fruit, you can't detect the hefty alcohol. Drink through 2026.
This opens with aromas of blue and red flower, underbrush and mature, dark-skinned berry. The tense palate offers black cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise tobacco and mocha alongside firm, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. A note of chopped herb closes the finish. Drink 2018–2028.
Steeped plum, baked earth, grilled herb and tobacco aromas come together on this structured wine. The savory palate offers rich black cherry, mocha, clove, dried herb and licorice alongside firm, ripe tannins. Drink after 2018.
Pure Baga in all its glory, packed with dry and dark tannins and a brooding character that is mitigated by the rich dark plum and blackberry jelly flavors. It's a wine that is probably at its peak, still with its tannins and structure although now with rich fruits and intense final acidity. Drink now and until 2022.
From a longtime vineyard source, this wine opens with dried herb and menthol aromas. It's exotic on the palate too, with seductive, silky-smooth texture and a tightness of acidity. Black cherry meets black tea and pomegranate, with just the slightest remembrance of cola. Drink now through 2023.
Smoky aromas, underbrush, dark berry, clove and a whiff of leather slowly emerge on this structured red. The palate displays power and finesse, delivering juicy wild cherry, white pepper, tobacco, licorice and mineral alongside assertive but refined tannins and fresh acidity. It already has depth but hold for more complexity. Drink 2019–2029.
You'll find scents of red berry, chopped herb, clove and a balsamic note on this fragrant Nebbiolo, Vespolina and Croatina blend. The luminous palate delivers ripe cherry, juicy strawberry, white pepper, and menthol underscored by a mineral vein. It's elegant and intense but still austere at this stage, with a firm tannic backbone. Drink 2018–2031.
This is a pretty wine, vibrant in white pepper and braised meat. The nose is pure violet and blueberry, while the approach to the fruit is light-handed, with integrated tannins and a low oak imprint. Entirely varietal, it delves into earthy territory with elements of forest floor and dark chocolate.
This blend of 80% Tannat and 20% Cabernet Franc has given a wine that is both dense and smoothly ripe. Rich black fruits dominate, supported by a dry, solid structure from the Tannat. It is a wine to age, so drink from 2019.
Expensive Malbec, but there's no denying its quality and class. The bouquet is super smooth and silky, but also powerful. And that pretty much describes the palate: beautiful berry fruit rides a wave of richness that comes with accents of vanilla and pepper. Sexy, alluring wine with character.
Big and bold, this lives up to the reputation of richer Meursault. Yet crispness, a core of tight structure, toast and fresh fruits are always present. The play between the characters is delicious and likely to allow the wine to age over several years.
A tannins-dominated wine, firm and dry. The fruit is relatively subdued, with a juicy character of raspberries, red plum skins and crisp acidity. This is a wine that needs aging to soften those tannins: give it 4–5 years.
A solid wine, showing some generosity and richness, the fruits displaying a fine balance between sweetness, dry tannins and bright acidity. It has some of the sensuous character of good Volnay, opening into ripeness. Worth aging for several years, but already offering considerable pleasure.
Edges of granite and savory herb lend extra freshness to this brisk blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Crisp-tart red cherry and plum flavors are pristine on the palate, augmented by zesty, reverberating acidity. The finish brings a surprisingly bold, tannic note.
This well-structured wine balances generous tannins with red-berry fruits. It shows both the aging potential of this appellation and its immediate appeal. Ripe and full in the mouth, the wine can be drunk now but will be better from 2018.
Spicy, toasty aromas are the theme of the wood-laden palate of this wine. Apricot and mango fruit lies behind this vanilla character. The wine is rich, needing further time for the wood to integrate. Drink from 2018.
This smoky wine is ripe with a fine balance between tannins and rich red fruits. It is warm, rounded and attractively spicy. The structure and dry core will allow the wine to age. Drink from 2022.
Although this wine does not come from a premier-cru vineyard, it hails from a single vineyard that regularly produces delicious white wines. This bottling, rich as befits the year, also has an attractive bright, crisp edge that contrasts with the warm yellow fruits. Drink the wine from 2019.
For a different breed of cat, take a look at this blend of Merenzao (Trousseau), Mencía and Garnacha from Valdeorras in Galicia. An elegant, schisty nose displays gamy, savory plum and currant aromas similar to Pinot Noir. A choppy, astringent palate makes this wine less than smooth. Herbal plum and spicy oak flavors are bolstered by racy acidity and finish long and almost citrusy in flavor. Drink through 2022.
Earthy blackberry and black-olive aromas set up a saturated, thick palate with grating tannins. Herbal blackberry, toast and coffee flavors reflect time in barrel. It's stout and full of power and fruit on the finish. Drink through 2020.
Co-fermented with 5% Viognier, this wine's appealing fresh flower, orange peel, ham hock and black olive tapenade aromas jump out of the glass. The palate is light, tart and sleek, not delivering on all that the aromas suggest but still providing plenty of intrigue.
A slightly darker shade of yellow in the glass, this bottling offers a creamy cider-like nose, full of corn tortilla, dried mandarin and lemon-pith aromas. The palate is quite tart at first, but the midpalate offers that corn-like warmth before the finish shows more sour apple and ashy cheese-rind flavors.
This offering, which is bolstered by 6% Petite Sirah, offers a cohesive nose of allspice, root beer, vanilla, slate minerality and a dark berry core. The root beer and cola spices are strong on the sip, where fatter plum and mulberry flavors are balanced by decent acidity and lightweight tannins.
Blackberry paste, crushed black rocks and a pinch of baking spice show on the nose of this bottling, which is a project between sommelier Paolo Barbieri and his partner Erin Kempe. The flavors are full of dark red and candied purple fruits, with clove, olive and vanilla touches and a dense tannic structure.
Savory complexities of bramble, herb, bell pepper and leather highlight the duality of this luscious, deeply fruity Cabernet Franc. While plump and full bodied, it's structured with taut acidity and a frame of delicate, finely textured tannins.
There's something different and appealing about this cool-climate Pinot. For beginners, the nose is savory and meaty-smelling, but offset by fresh strawberry and plum notes. A smooth palate with a touch of buttery oak tastes of savory plum, cherry and spice. A long finish is comfortable on the fade.
This wine's aromas are quite restrained but include whiffs of red fruit and spice. The palate is light to medium bodied, showing both subtlety and balance. A lovely wine lacking only in aromatic expression.
This wine has a mineral texture, cool and crisp. It is packed with citrus and green-apple flavors that give a bright, tight character. At the end, the vanilla flavor from wood aging comes through. Drink from 2019.
This leads with menthol, new leather, exotic spice and balsamic notes. The concentrated palate offers dried black cherry, tobacco and star anise flavors set against firm, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity.
Gentle whiffs of caramel and olive entice on the nose of this intensely ripe, nuanced wine. Offsetting the plushness of Merlot against more floral, herbal elements of Cabernet and Malbec, it's a deeply layered, satisfying sip. Fine, feathery tannins and an open fruit structure make it approachable now but it's solid enough to improve through at least 2021.
Dense and distinctively earthy, this wine offers ample tannin and oak, that are balanced by full-bodied ripeness. The core of its flavor profile is etched in baked strawberry, forest floor and a meaty tease that's unexpected, but welcome.
Bright red fruit stars in this classically made wine, which is full bodied and quite concentrated in flavor. A moderate structure supports flavors of cassis and currant, accented in toasty oak and bay laurel. The tannins are lush and plush.
This wine is deeply colored, quite oaky in aroma, bold in terms of fruit flavors and has a lively texture due to good acidity and moderate tannins. The fruit has a bright quality like red cherries and cranberries and the oaky spices wind through the finish.
This unique wine, made in California by Jed Steele, is sourced from Washington's only planting of Aligoté. Bright and spicy, it's anchored with solid apple/pear fruit flavors and zippy acidity.
Soft and forward, with ripe and lightly oxidized flavors, this is a solid, ready-to-drink, fruity style. A full mid-palate tastes of golden apples and hints at orange liqueur in the finish. Drink up.
Very soft, it feels like the vinous equivalent of a creampuff. The fruit is lightly tropical, with notes of caramel and banana, cut through with a streak of citrus and apple.
Lightly lemony, slightly waxy in the nose, with interesting details of green berries, yellow fruits and citrus oils, this wine sneaks up on you. It's lively and clean, with flavors much like a crisp, stainless steel-fermented Chardonnay.
A mix of estate-grown and sourced (from the Rogue valley) grapes, this Oregon Merlot has black cherry and chocolate at its core, but quickly thins out, with very tart acidity. It's got its own style, with stiff tannins, the leaf and stem notes subdued, and a fine balance. But it will show best with food, especially steak.
Minty black cherry aromas give it a solid opening, but there's also some mild cleanser and paint scents to the nose. The palate is basic, snappy, fresh and carries good weight, while the flavors are sweet, berry-oriented and softened by vanilla. A good Grenache with good balance.
Light, fresh and easy wine, with pear and green apple fruit and a deft, soft texture. Totally ready to drink.
A new offering from the country's largest producer of Rieslings, this fits an emerging off-dry category, with 11% alcohol and 4.7% residual sugar. It's a slightly sweeter companion to the winery's popular Columbia Valley bottling, with more of the honey and tea, less of the cool fruit flavors.
Ripe yellow peaches and cantaloupe combine elegantly with a hint of wet stones on the nose. A nice, tart acidity, steely backbone and a bitter citrus pith finish give this off-dry Riesling structure and balance.
This might be called banana Port, for a rich, banana flavor is what dominates. Of course, with Muscat, you will also find tangerine and orange, like a tangy sauce over the richer, creamier banana. You've got to think—pair this with a banana split? Could be the dessert of the century!
A broad swathe of lychee gives the wine a perfumed sendoff. It is ripe, full in the mouth, with melon, white chocolate and a good amount of acidity.
Rounded and soft, with an attractive bite of fruit skin texture and lively fresh acidity. There is a touch of final minerality.
This wonderfully refreshing, dry Riesling is redolent of ripe honeydew melon and freshly pressed Granny Smith apples. Lime and a nice steely backbone combine mid-palate with the sour tang of lemon drops and a lingering bitter almond finish.
Steely, mineral style, very crisp. The texture is bone dry, with grapefruit and lime flavors, a wine under tight tension. It has lightness and extreme freshness.
Off-dry with a candied orange character, this is indeed a mélange, including portions of seven different white wine grapes. It's an interesting wine, though might prove a bit challenging to match to food. Perhaps a curry?
This inexpensive Chardonnay has a fair amount of oaky depth to it, unexpectedly since only 5% of it was aged in American oak, the rest in stainless steel. Nonetheless it has toasty vanilla flavors and aromas of lime, apple and cantaloupe and tastes refreshing and clean.
Barbera grapes from a Lake Chelan vineyard are blended with 25% Sangiovese from the Yakima Valley. It's an interesting wine, with pretty strawberry fruit, tart acidity and a wall of tannin that cuts it short. The components are starkly apparent, but with time may ultimately blend into a more seamless expression of what seems to be good fruit.
Smooth, oily-textured ripe wine, stylish and flavorsome. The melon and apple flavors are counterbalanced by a rich acidity, a dense structure and a vanilla hint.
Fresh and inviting with assertive notes of pineapple and sweet citrus backed by fleshy pear and melon accents on the nose and mouth. The palate offers zippy acidity with a clean lift to the finish. Drink now.
The blend of Fernão Pires and Arinto produces a rich and creamy wine with pear, ripe apple and apricot flavors. A floral character gives extra piquancy.
Peppery and bright, this carries tart flavors of wild berries and mountain herbs. The penetrating peppery character is its most defining attribute.
A peachy, fruit-forward, mouthfilling wine that brings bright Washington fruit—peaches, apples and pears—into play, along with caramel candy and underlying acid support. It falls short only in the finish, which turns slightly bitter and attenuated.
KJ's Mendocino County Zin has both red and black berry fruit flavor and the spiciness one expects from dry-farmed Mendocino County vineyards, though the tannins stick around a bit longer than one might like. Cedar definitely shows up on the finish.
Supple at first, with brown sugar and prune flavors that seem sweetly ripe, but this full-bodied wine firms up substantially on the finish, where it turns a bit leathery in flavor and coffee-astringent. Drink now, before the fruit fades.
Full berry aromas with spice on the side form a good opening. It's a full, tight wine on the palate with oaky, meaty, almost foresty flavors of blackberry, spice and mint. Racy, drying, tasty and good given that one finds few Syrah-Bonarda blends to pick from.
Solid, workmanlike Shiraz, offering a mélange of caramelized berries, tobacco and cassis. Seems warm but at the same time slightly austere, making it a good candidate to partner grilled steak. Drink now.
A pleasant, though somewhat generic Cabernet. Light cherry and berry fruit, firm tannins and the acidity to carry it. There's an herbal streak that brings forest floor and moist earth into the finish.
Dense, meaty and lightly herbal on the nose, with minty berry notes. The palate is firm and issues tannic crack in front of plum, herbal flavors, brown sugar and vanilla. Turns mildly hot and grating on the finish, with juicy length. Good for everyday Malbec.
Fresh and lively, with bright berry fruit accented by hints of chocolate and cedar. This is a medium-bodied, elegantly proportioned Shiraz, with a smooth mouthfeel and a crisp, tart-berry finish. Drink now–2015.
Aromatically, this everyday wine delivers floral berry and rubbery scents. It's full and a touch gummy feeling, with creaminess and candied flavors of cassis and plum. Overall it feels good and finishes short.
This wine brings all of this grape's exuberance with notes of fresh flowers, peach and jasmine. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, it's broad and full bodied with the alcohol poking through on the finish.
With clean citrus and tropical aromas as well as a touch of almond skins, this is nice on the bouquet. On the palate, it's round feeling and citrusy, with weighty peach and citrus flavors that hollow out on the finish.
Despite a good effort at balancing this wine, the Pepper Bridge fruit was just at the green edge of ripeness in this vintage. The wine remains tart, sharp and herbal, with some chalkiness in the tannins.
A intensely fresh, aromatic blend of Gros Manseng, Arruliac and Petit Courbu that gives a vibrant character full of citrus, pineapple and green plum flavors. It is a delicious wine just exotic and worth keeping for a few more months.
This is a good but decidedly herbal-leaning Cab. The nose gives off tomato, spice and light berry aromas. It's fresh and medium in heft, with more herb and spice flavors than black fruit. Things turn woody, spicy, dry and slightly hot on the finish.
Floral raspberry aromas carry a jammy scent. The palate on this Cabernet is grabby, with scouring tannins sitting in front of oaky berry and cassis flavors. On the finish, there's sweet blueberry, mint and pasty oak. This is good but oaky and a bit gummy.
While the nose is toasted, raw and spicy, the palate is weighty and legit, with grabby tannins and generic but solid flavors of mixed berries, herbal notes and oak. The finish is savory and slightly barbecued in flavor.
A wiry, green bouquet greets you along with aromas of plum, tobacco and alfalfa. The mouthfeel on this Syrah is tannic, acidic and tight, while herbal berry, cherry and cassis flavors end in a tannic, abrasive finish. This means well but it's rough and green along the way.
Strawberry fruit runs into light, candy cherry, carrying just a slight hint of milk chocolate. It's a pleasant wine with modest concentration.
Vegetal aromas are followed by a more red berry, while always herbal, wine. It is taut, showing minerality as well as a tight texture. The wine is young and will certainly round out as it ages over the next 2–3 years.
Generous, sweetly perfumed aromas of melon and lemon oil lead into a wine with precision and penetration. Spicy, candied ginger complements the citrus and tropical fruit, and barrel fermentation gives it a gently buttery mouthfeel.
This earthy Brunello leads with aromas of underbrush, mushroom, bay leaf, cherry and Mediterranean herbs. The palate offers juicy black cherry and ripe raspberry punctuated with cinnamon-spice, vanilla, mocha and licorice alongside smoothed but fleeting tannins. It's nicely crafted and boasts decent freshness for the vintage.
Sagemoor and Conner Lee grapes go into this soft, plush, totally drinkable Chardonnay. Pretty fruit flavors of banana, apple and pear mingle seamlessly, and the wine has both balance and texture to spare. Drink it now for its poise and freshness.
Chunky, slightly rubbery aromas revolve around black fruits and oak. This is a dense, thick wine with blackberry, plum, fig and bitter chocolate flavors. The finish is dark and weighty in this meaty Malbec.
Intense underbrush aromas, black berries and baking spices lead the nose on this wine. The dense palate offers up juicy wild cherry, black pepper and cinnamon-spice alongside solid but velvety tannins. It's well balanced and already shows depth but hold for complexity. Drink 2016–2021.
Aromas of dried cheese, iodine and candied fruits settle with airing. In the mouth, this is firm and tannic, with savory, oaky flavors of hickory, blackened toast and roasted berry fruits. On the finish, there's both weight and elegance. Best from 2015 through 2020.
This delivers a classic Sangiovese nose of wild cherry, leather, violet, iris, flint and spice. The dense palate reveals fleshy black cherry uplifted by menthol, eucalyptus, black pepper and sage. It's still young but should develop more complexity over the next few years. Drink 2016–2023.
This wonderful under-$20 Malbec opens with a blast of black-fruit aromas as well as mild rubber scents and minerality. The palate is solid, with baked berry and integrated saline and mineral flavors. A bright, lively finish with a ton of berry essence closes this out.
Crisp, pristine blackberry notes are deeply penetrating on the nose and palate. It's ripe and luscious on the palate with layers of savory herb, smoke and hay that add complexity and flair. Big, impenetrable tannins need time to mellow, but are likely to smooth out beautifully through 2019.
Smoky aromas of bacon mix with tobacco, graphite and earthy berry scents. Offering a big, tannic mouthfeel, the wine has flavors of fig, tobacco and mature berry fruits. The finish is long and firm. Drink through 2017.
Earthy aromas suggest tilled soil, leather, prune, balsam and dried cherries marinated in spirits. The palate offers ripe black cherry accented with sensations of white pepper, cinnamon, fig, black tea and a hint of chocolate. It has assertive but polished tannins and nice depth, but it already seems fully developed. Drink 2015–2023.
Pure Cabernet from Conner Lee, Stillwater and Gamache vineyards, this represents fine value. Dollops of herb and stem show the grape's varietal character, while the aging in French and American oak barrels brings robust flavors of bacon fat and toast. Firm black fruits hold down the core.
Initial, swirly clouds of woodsmoke turn into full-fledged oakiness on this rounded, almost buttery Weissburgunder. This definitely goes down the Burgundian route and will also age well. A big wine that can impress in the right circumstances. The seam of fresh acidity keeps everything in check. Drink up to 2018.
It opens with aromas of underbrush, leather, fennel, prune and plum with just a whiff of rubber. The palate delivers dense black cherry accented with fresh mint, sage, espresso and mocha alongside fine but tightly-knit tannins that need time to unwind.
Plum and raspberry aromas are wiry in nature and “red” in character. The wine feels healthy and not overly heavy, with roasted, slightly herbal flavors of berry fruits and creamy oak. A spicy, lightly herbal finish ends this Malbec-Syrah-Merlot blend in solid fashion. Drink through 2015.
This is a blocky, big Rioja, with coffee, earth and slightly stewed aromas that suggest warmth and ripeness. A deep, saturated palate is round and a touch jagged, while fig, prune and baked berry flavors finish earthy, slightly pruny and round. Drink this ripe wine now through 2017.
Pure Mourvèdre from a mix of Columbia Valley vineyards, this is clean, sharp and varietally accurate. Tart raspberry fruit is set in a balanced frame of clean earth, wet stone and mineral. It's a fine-boned wine, well-structured and powerful.
This wine starts off with typical Sangiovese aromas of blue flower, pipe tobacco, underbrush, black berries and baking spices. The dense palate shows fleshy black cherry, black raspberry, black pepper and a hint of coffee bean alongside forward, round tannins. Drink 2015–2019.
Sturdy black plum aromas feed into a dense, juicy, secure palate, with deep flavors of blackberry and loamy plum. The finish is smooth, mature and pure, with lasting berry flavors and integrated oak. Drink now.
Candied berry and sweet oak are draped all over a ripe, rich nose. This is bright, fruity and cleanly made. Flavors of blueberry and cassis run sweet and oaky, while milk chocolate and residual berry fruit push the finish. The wine balances oakiness and sweetness.
Jammy and sweet smelling, with intensity and a lot of ripeness. Throughout it teeters on the precipice of being overripe, but amid the chunky darkness and sweetness there's tasty berry, chocolate and spice. Finishes a bit pruney and raisiny, so get at it as soon as you can.
Truth be told, the difference in quality between this wine and the $125 Graveyard Vineyard bottling doesn't appear that great, so savvy consumers should jump on this Shiraz, which offers leather, coffee and roasted meat complexity allied to medium body, a creamy texture and a long, firmly structured finish. Drink 2015-2025.
Dominated by Merlot, but with sizable chunks of other Bordeaux grapes, this is finely polished, wood-aged wine. It has perfumed spice and dry tannins from the wood. The fruit balances well, showing wild blackberry and licorice. Age for 2–3 years.
An attractive, ripe wine that pushes up against raisiny but then draws back to focus on blackberry, licorice and other dark aromas and flavors. Very good weight and mouthfeel, with nice balance supporting ripe berry, cola and mild chocolate flavors. Finishes lush and warm. Drink now through 2011.
Like most Tapestry offerings, this wine shows plenty of cedary and cinnamon-like oak, but the soft plum and blackberry fruit serve to provide balance. It's full and creamy-textured in the mouth, then finishes with some warmth and a burst of tart acidity for balance. Drink now-2017.
Lagarde regularly makes consistent, true wines and this Cab is compact, solid and smooth, with spice and a lot of berry fruit on the nose. Refined, deep and pure on the palate, with blackberry, marzipan and licorice flavors. Very nice Argentine Cabernet for the money. Drink now into 2011.
Not a typically fruit-driven Shiraz, Longview's 2007 Yakka boasts pungent scents of smoke, leather and marinated beef, then delivers earthy, meaty flavors. It's full in the mouth, with a creamy texture that turns chewier on the finish—perfect alongside rare beef or lamb. Drink now-2018.
Roasted meat, floral notes, peppery spice...sounds rather nice. Add in silky tannins, hints of coffee and blueberry and a long finish, and you have a pretty wine at a realistic price. Drink now-2014.
Starts off dark and a bit brooding, with aromas of plum, espresso and black olive, but shows hints of brighter fruit elements on the palate. Mouthfilling but dry on the finish, this is still very young; decant if serving now, or try 2013-2020.
Yeasty funk initially plays over a whole mix of pink grapefruit, mandarin and lemon flavors. The citrus party continues on the palate, with zesty notes of citrus peel. Verve and freshness are kept only in slight check by a phenolic backbone and are driven on by the linear lemon freshness. While totally compelling now, the wine will become even more intriguing with bottle age. Drink 2015–2020.
As always with a grand cru from Gevrey-Chambertin, this wine shows immense power. It is dominated by black fruits as well as signs of the 60% wood aging. Behind, the red cherry fruits are developing along with the lively acidity. It needs to age and should not be drunk before 2019.
Impeccably balanced and extremely elegant, this opens with a multifaceted fragrance of perfumed berry, crushed blue flower, menthol, baking spice and just a hint of new leather. The graceful palate offers layers of succulent wild cherry, white pepper, licorice, mint and eucalyptus alongside firm, polished tannins and fresh acidity. It's sleek and already tempting but hold for complexity. Drink 2016–2030.
The nose is still dominated by funky yeast, signaling that this Riesling requires time in bottle. The streamlined palate reveals something that is equally generous and tart, like pink grapefruit or pomelo. There is a lovely phenolic texture, too, with intimations of riper fruit in the background that will still take their time to appear. Best to let this slumber for a while in a cool cellar. Drink as of 2018.
Brian Loring's bottling of this vineyard planted by Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni is bursting with raspberry syrup, cola and peppercorns on the nose. The palate boasts notes of strawberry juice, red berries and hibiscus. It's luxurious and sexy.
This opens with a classic Sangiovese fragrance of crushed violet, blue iris, perfumed berry, underbrush and baking spice with a whiff of leather and menthol. Structured but elegant, the palate offers crunchy red cherry, juicy raspberry, white pepper clove and savory herb alongside a tannic backbone and fresh acidity. It has great aging potential. Drink 2016–2030.
Incredibly delicious aromas of blackberry syrup, strawberries, cherry pie and cinnamon sticks make for a very juicy introduction to this single-vineyard bottling by Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton. The veil of ripeness carries to the palate, but it proves more serious and restrained, with graphite minerality, bergamot and sage elements. It's complex and yet easily enjoyable.
The producer's highest-end bottling, this is tightly wound in fine-grained tannins with complex, diverse undertones of chocolate mocha, cherry-vanilla, black tea and garrigue. Layered and balanced, it sends gentle waves of black currant and cassis to the palate, a floral element lurking behind the proceedings. This well-made wine will cellar nicely, through 2032.
Firmly structured but elegant, this offers aromas of blue flower, tobacco, tilled earth, black fruit and a balsamic note. The vibrant palate boasts wonderful intensity, weaving notes of white pepper, baking spice, savory herb, licorice and mineral around a black cherry core. It's young and austere but impeccably balanced with firm acidity and assertive but fine-grained tannins. Give it time to unwind and develop complexity. Drink 2018–2030.
The Marquis de Laguiche vineyards, with a great stock of premier and grand crus, have long been managed by Drouhin. This wood-aged, generous and opulent wine is already smooth and rich. Yellow fruits have a tight, tense texture to go with their open character. The wine is just beginning to develop its intense complexity. Drink from 2019.
This opens with subtle aromas of dark berry, tobacco and exotic spice. The vibrant palate is more expressive, delivering a core of juicy black cherry accented by notes of raspberry, white pepper, vanilla, licorice and savory herb. This finessed wine is still young, but structured with tightly knit, yet fine-grained tannins. Drink 2016–2025.
A blend of Champoux (62%), Sagemoor (26%) and Woodward Canyon (12%) estate vineyards, this wine is aromatically brooding at present, with notes of coffee, toffee and vanilla bean alongside high-toned cherries, dried herbs and flowers. The palate is supremely rich, dense and layered, with milk chocolate, coffee and cherry flavors. Tannins are expertly managed and the wine brings plenty of textural appeal, combining richness and elegance. The barrel notes are primary now, so give them time to integrate. Best from 2025 to 2035.
Delicious aromas of dark raspberries, Bing cherries, black pepper, pipe smoke, smoked meats, thyme and just enough dank mushroom greet the nose. This wine is very full on the ripe and juicy palate, showing more raspberry, rhubarb, dried strawberry and warm black licorice, all balanced by plum-skin bitterness and just enough tannic structure.
Attractive aromas of violets, perfumed berries and a whiff of sandalwood unfold in the glass. The vibrant palate doles out ripe, juicy black cherry and cranberry, while accents of white pepper, toasted oak and cinnamon add backup. It's well balanced, with firm tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2015–2025.
Legendary winemaker Jim Clendenen delivers aromas of sour cherry, dried pine needles, bay leaf and kirsch-like brandy on this wine. The full, dense palate features butter-fried herbs including tarragon, marjoram and black pepper, all laid across a roasted lamb-like gaminess, followed by hints of dark chocolate and mint.
From a cool section of the appellation, this wine delivers bursts of white pepper and violets on the nose. Dark in color and fierce in aromatics, it continues with a lovely balance of cherry and leather on the palate, alongside juicy, high-toned acidity. Enjoy now or for years to come.
Minty fresh and significantly herbal, this is a lighter-styled, stemmy and earthy wine from a longstanding vineyard source that just shines from start to finish. Pomegranate, black cherry and tea combine to delicious effect, giving the wine enough body and soul to remain memorable through the long, tea-stained finish.
Ripe pear shot through with savory notes of lovage and yeast create an appetizing nose. The palate holds the same savory dimension but is streamlined by welcome, citric freshness reminiscent of grapefruit peel. A phenolic component makes for real mouthfeel and texture—one of the characteristic joys of Grüner. This is a tight little bomb waiting to go off. It will do so in great fashion from about 2018.
Wet earth, rain-wet stones, damp moss, wild sage and very ripe pear make for a complex opening. Further sniffs reveal more citrus: both juice and zest of lemon. The palate still holds a lot of leesy yeast flavors but its phenolic richness is tempered by total citrus freshness. This is still tightly wound; leave it so it can come into its own. The warming resonance on the palate suggests it has a long future. Drink from 2019.
While this takes a while to open up, what follows is worth waiting for. It discloses a rounded richness composed of yeasty layers interspersed with ripe pear, stone fruit and ivy leaves. It also offers shimmers of apricot and juicy, yellow pear, with a more salty verve of grapefruit zest around the edges. Texture and acidity are the twin pillars of structure on this ripe and rounded wine that should be cellared to give its best. Drink from 2018.
Well-integrated minerality and a combination of exotic fig and guava make this an inviting wine, supported by floral wafts of orange blossom. Finely made from a stellar vineyard site in Carneros, it has creamy lemon and tangerine layered throughout, finished by a spicy, herbal accent.
Leather, game, blue flowers and ripe, dark-skinned fruit aromas open this full-bodied wine made from the estate's highest vineyards. The palate offers dried black cherry, ground black pepper, clove, thyme and licorice alongside assertive, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. It closes on a graphite note. Drink 2018–2028.
Roasted coffee aromas are inviting on the nose of this Cabernet Sauvignon, blessed with 25% Cabernet Franc. The marriage works on every level, providing structured tannins and a leathery afterthought around vibrant accents of blackberry and dark plum. Broad shouldered, the wine is balanced with a jolt of minerality, suggesting cellaring through 2022–2027.
The sweet smell of campfire meets with bacon fat, dried purple flowers, black tea, licorice, espresso and just a razor's edge of ripe fruit. It's delicious on the palate, with rich raspberry fruits, dried strawberry, mocha and a minty sensation that lingers amidst the noticeable tannic grip.
This wine is no shrinking violet on the nose, resplendent in fresh roses and strawberry-raspberry. It confounds in its ability to provide huge flavor and personality while retaining a freshness and high level of acidity on the palate. A leathery, savory component speaks quietly amid the suggestions of cinnamon and cigar.
Unctuous and earthy, this medium-bodied wine is more about subtle and savory herb notes than deep fruit. With its light fruit characteristics and bold spice elements, it will make a versatile choice for the table.
Aromas of oak, vanilla, espresso and mature black plum carry over to the palate along with notes of prune, grilled herb and clove. The palate is framed by astringent, woody tannins that generate a fleeting, drying finish.
With a fluorescent pink color, this Syrah-based rosé opens with cherry, raspberry and plum aromas. As a whole, it's basic but spunky on the palate, with adequate structural support. Raspberry, plum and citrus flavors finish firm and fresh.
It smells like a nicely charred steak and tastes like black pepper, dark chocolate, and boysenberry. It has plenty of oak in the aroma and flavors, but enough fruit, tannins and rich mouthfeel to balance it out.
A bit voluptuous in style, this bold, round Chardonnay accents fresh apple and pear with slick tones of buttered popcorn and toast. It's rich and silky in mouthfeel with a lingering kiss of warmth on the finish.
This lightweight, silky-textured wine features scents of strawberries, tomatoes and campfire smoke. Those same elements appear on the palate, ending without much tannin. Drink up.
Dark plum, cherry and herbal aromas are a bit dusty and medicinal. A round, chunky palate is mouthfilling but tannic, while herbal, briny flavors of raspberry and dark plum finish dry and pulling, but fresh. This is 75% Merlot with Carmenère, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Rich and ripe with blackberry and cherry tones, this off-dry rosé is luxuriously plush in style. While a touch candied on the palate, it balances out nicely on the finish with a vibrant kick of sour cherry acidity.
Light and crisp, this is an open, bright and lightly herbaceous wine. Green fruits and lime juice are dominant along with a fresh, bright texture. It is ready to drink.
Floral-smelling up front, this lightweight, cool-climate Pinot offers tutti-frutti raspberry aromas in front of a crisp, lean palate. Dry, spicy, oaky flavors dominate a beam of modest red currant and cherry notes, while the finish is light and hollows out quickly.
Dark berry and spice aromas are mildly grassy and pasty. This has pulse and a mostly fresh-feeling palate. Flavors of baked cherry and plum come with a note of creamy oak, then things turn hot and scratchy on the finish.
Spicy plum and olive aromas get this tannic, wiry Cab going. It also offers mild green notes on the nose along with hard tannins. Spice, plum, vanilla and herbal flavors carry the finish.
Hints of cream and vanilla lend warmth to savory pressed apples and pears in this slightly rustic ice-style wine. It's rich and silky on the palate with bright, pleasing acidity.
This opens with tomatoey, slightly raw aromas of cured meats and green herbs. The palate is plump, lush and a touch amorphous, while flavors of baked, barbecued black fruits run heavy with savory oak and spice. A minty, hot finish sticks out.
Aromas of celery, arugula, snap pea, dusty apple and citrus announce a clean palate with scouring acidity. Lemon-lime and grapefruit flavors are typical of Casablanca SB, while a fresh, citrusy finish brings a green-herb element into play.
Pomegranate fruit scents emerge alongside licorice, black olive and green tea on this appellation blend from esteemed sommelier Raj Parr. It's light and bright on the palate, with plum-skin-driven tannic tartness, but there's not much else going on.
Aromas of oak, toast, underbrush and ripe berry lead the nose. The palate offers dried black cherry and black pepper alongside dusty, drying tannins. The fruit is drying up quickly and there's the warmth of alcohol on the finish.
Made from 100% Cabernet Franc, this dry wine does not entirely skirt the challenges that the grape poses for rosé. Tart and stiff, it mostly tastes of underripe rhubarb, green herb and citrus. Best drunk with food, perhaps roast chicken.
This easy blend of Primitivo, Negroamaro and Cabernet Sauvignon opens with fruity aromas of dark berry and a whiff of tobacco. The palate offers dried plum, mature blackberry, a hint of clove and bitter almond alongside round tannins.
Veins of smoke and nuts lend savoriness to the bouquet of this dry, full-bodied Chardonnay. It's rich, round and easy on the palate, balancing pressed apple and pear flavors with a fresh zest of lemon on the finish.
Made entirely with Negroamaro, this opens with aromas of underbrush and roasted coffee bean. The mature palate seems older than it is, showing prune, raisin, espresso, and licorice alongside astringent, fleeting tannins. Almost all the fruit richness has dried up.
This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon hails from a three-acre block of the winery's estate. Muted somewhat in terms of fruit, it offers instead ample amounts of smoky oak and herb, the tannins firm and generous.
Bold, concentrated and spiced with some new oak aromas, this shows opulent fruit flavors. It looks dark, smells ripe, and feels broad textured and full bodied. It is generously proportioned and easy to drink.
Blackberry and cassis aromas come with oak-based notes of pencil eraser and plastic. This blend is mildly sharp and acidic in feel, with sinewy tannins. Blackberry, currant, coconut and vanilla flavors finish solid but don't evolve or improve.
This leads with slightly honeyed notes of peach, melon and pear. Flavors of grilled apple skin, peach pit and beeswax unfold on the palate, finishing somewhat warm and toasty. Drink up.
Rubbery black cherry and spiced plum aromas come with a roasted note. This has a firm, narrow, pinched palate with grabby tannins and flavors of carob, roast meat, juniper, spice and dark berry fruits. An herbal, minty finish is lively and aggressive.
With lots of spices and maple syrup notes, this smells and tastes rich, nearly sweet, smooth in texture and medium in body. It should be good with barbecue, because the perceived sweetness can soften spicy, peppery food.
Candied aromas of plastic and earthy black cherry lead to a medium-full palate that's creamy in feel. Lightly oaked and resiny cherry and plum flavors finish loamy and with modest acidity. Drink lightly chilled for best results.
Soupy, gritty aromas of herbal blackberry and olive show a touch of brandied cherry. The palate on this warm-vintage Syrah feels chunky and a touch stewed, while ripe, jammy dark-berry flavors hold onto an herbal, stewy note of tomato and oregano. Other than showing heat, the finish is in tune.
The style can only be called “nouveau” as the soft, forward, very grapey aromas are followed by tart, lightly spicy cranberry fruit and a quick, light finish. —P.G.
The Hyatt is tight, hard and chewy. Its stiff tannins are calling the shots, and leaving an earthy impression strongly tasting of roots and stems through a somewhat bitter finish. —P.G.
With its restrained fruit, this wine is more food accompaniment than stand-alone quaff. The smoky, weedy aromas and flavors positively demand a juicy burger to bring out the underlying cassis and tobacco. —J.C.
Seems slightly hollow, and finishes with some coarse oak, but the fruit flavors of cherries and yellow-fleshed red plums are pretty and accented by a hint of smoke. Quaffable. —J.C.
Grapey and sappy, with almost candied cherry fruit, this is a young wine made to be consumed young. Try chilling it to give the cherry and chocolate flavors greater focus and quaff it with burgers this summer. —J.C.
The initially effusive nose of strawberries and caramel quiets rather quickly, replaced by cola and tree bark. There's more of the same in the mouth, finishing with a stemmy note. —J.C.
A 70-30 blend, this wine shows loads of cherry fruit that's surprisingly tart given the wine's loose-knit nature. Finishes with a warm alcoholic glow and hints of damp earth, cinnamon, clove and eucalyptus. —J.C.
Light and earthy, with welcoming aromas of forest floor and black tea, this is a wisp of wine, delicate and soft, lightly spicy and enjoyable. Cherry and raspberry round out its profile, an elegant representation of Russian River Valley Pinot.
Made with 100% Chardonnay, this creamy wine delivers golden apple, Bartlett pear, bread crust and pastry cream sensations. Vibrant acidity brightens the juicy palate while the fine perlage adds elegance.
Fans of no-dosage sparklers will appreciate this elegant, bone-dry wine. Made with Chardonnay, it offers pretty aromas of chamomile, hay, citrus and pear. The sleek palate delivers yellow apple, ginger and herbs alongside a fine perlage and vibrant acidity.
Light in color and lilting floral aromas of rose, this is an inviting cool-climate Pinot Noir swirling in equal parts strawberry and spice, subtle and sophisticated.
Here is an austere Pinot Noir that's both elegant and high-toned. The flavors mix black cherry and blueberry, while the finish is blithely earthy and herbal. A nice choice for mealtimes of an equally elegant nature, or an easy lunch of BLTs.
A blend of 70% Pinot Nero and 30% Chardonnay, this opens with aromas of toast, roasted nuts, mature apple and pear. The palate offers rich apricot, citrus, bread crust and vanilla alongside a fine, persistent perlage.
Made with no dosage, this is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Nero. Ripe apple, toasted walnut, lemon zest and bread dough flavors are backed up by crisp acidity. The refined perlage adds softness and elegance.
Dried oregano and sage notes lend a dusty, savory tone to the nose of this racy, light-bodied kabinett. The palate, by contrast, surprises with layers of lush, ripe tropical fruit cut with a razor's edge of acidity and lime zest. Finishes snappy and bright.
Alluring, inviting aromas of white flowers, melon and peach are pure as stream water. This feels round and juicy, with flavors of green herbs, lettuce, lime and orange. Tangerine notes carry the finish, which is linear and racy in feel before turning slightly pithy in flavor.
Honey-kissed peaches waft from this ripe, rich off-dry Riesling full of juicy, luscious stone fruit and citrus. It's quaffable and thirst quenching, yet refreshingly brisk with a lingering shower of lemon-lime acidity.
Named after the 13th-century house at the center of the estate, this is a rich, full-bodied wine. With citrus flavors at its heart, it also shows a texture that gives minerality from the granite soil, followed by juicy yellow fruits and finishing with intense acidity. Give this wine until mid-2015 to settle down.
Made with Nebbiolo and Pinot Nero, this delivers freshness and structure. Intriguing aromas suggest rose, tilled earth, red apple, berries and a whiff of cake spices. The palate offers wild cherry and cinnamon alongside an elegant, persistent mousse and crisp acidity. Enjoy through 2018.
Whiffs of smoke and struck flint persist from nose to finish, lending dramatic minerality to this otherwise juicy, fruity Riesling. Sunny peach and tangerine flavors are semi-sweet on the palate, but it's a refreshing wine with a honed elegance throughout.
Pretty peach in color, this 50-50 sparkling blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a small percentage of the Pinot added to the blend before secondary fermentation, is a light, high-toned, flinty bubbly rich in strawberry aromas and a savory, herbal streak.
Round, savory aromas of orange-cranberry with a sprig of sagebrush lead the nose on this single-vineyard look at the western end of the Sta. Rita Hills. Spicy notes of chai and burnt caramel lead the flavor profile, which is expansive with cooked fruit on the midpalate.
Roberts Road is one of the Sangiacomo family's coolest-climate sites, and it offers light, clear color and deliciously floral notes of violet and rose on the nose. In taste it is earthy and full of dark plum and black cherry, the backbone deeper and darker in mushroom and fresh dirt.
This is a good, rich, leesy and immediately appealing wine, with great texture and a fine mix of melon, apricot and peach flavors. For the price, it's hard to find a better Pinot Gris.
Aromas of tilled earth, blackberry, cedar and raisin jump from the glass. The dense palate delivers mocha, vanilla, mature plum, bitter prune and black pepper supported by velvety tannins. The warmth of alcohol shows on the finish. Masciarelli Wine Co, Vinity Wine.
The wine is still young, with a dense and full-bodied series of flavors that are still developing. As it matures the ripe yellow fruits will come through strongly, assisted by the citrus zest and contrasting with the tight, nervy texture. Expect the wine to be ready in 2016.
Pristine apple and lemon aromas are glazed with honey on this sprightly, fresh sweet Riesling. The palate gushes with juicy nectarine and peach flavors, but maintains brisk composure from start to finish.
Hints of crushed stone lend a mineral tone to honeysuckle scents on this sweet, light-footed Riesling. The palate balances lavish, ripe tangerine flavor with a nervy streak of lime acidity. It's dancing and delicate on the tongue, yet leaves a long, lingering impression.
Delicate whiffs of orange blossom and honeycomb scent this slightly off-dry Riesling. The palate is ripe with honey and peach, but elegantly balanced with lime acidity and a lingering touch of crushed-stone minerality.
This is a hearty, rich Pinot Noir from the famed Hirsch Vineyard, seductive and silky on the palate with dark, lingering black cherry fruit and layers of exotic spice. A core of earthiness defines the wine, its finish mid-length.
This is an earthy Mencía with cheesy aromas, tobacco hints and a pinch of compost that suggests ripeness and maturity. The palate is deep and intense, with a modest but pointed beam of acidity. Fern, juniper, mint leaf, licorice and blackberry flavors finish warm. Drink through 2016.
Herbal and spicy, here's an easygoing Merlot that's perfect for entertaining. Pepper and anise add character to the black fruit core, and the pronounced acidity keeps things lively and clean on the finish.
A Prosecco style, with residual sugar at 12% and alcohol down around 6.5%. Just a little on the sugary side, though the acidity helps cut through, and the light spritz gives it a refreshing tingle. Fine for sipping chilled in the hot weather.
Fresh grass, vibrant citrus and tart gooseberry fill the nose and mouth, making this an approachable and clean white perfect for pairing with lighter chicken and fish dishes. 70% Chenin Blanc and 30% Sauvignon Blanc; drink now.
Very pale in color, this is a lightly fruity wine that feels fresh, light in flavor, with a final caramel note.
Simple, fruity lemon-and melon-flavored wine. The acidity is well integrated with the more rounded texture, finishing soft and fruity.
Raspberry, plum and subtle oak aromas lead to a snappy, crisp, high-acid palate with pie cherry, raspberry and plum flavors. There isn't much finish or extras here; basic and well cut.
Citrus blossom and tropical aromas are light and easy. The palate is melony and not too acidic, with standard Asian pear, lychee and citrus flavors. Lively on the finish, and solid overall for under $10.
The wine feels huge, showing its alcohol—maybe too much—with a touch of pepper. The black plum fruit flavors are fully ripe with only a hint of acidity.
Very light in flavor and texture, the wine has hints of strawberry flavors with acidity and a crisp, clean character.
This wine is full of the ripe fruit as well as the mineral tannins typical of the Douro. It is a blend of typical grapes with a dominance of Touriga Franca. The wood aging has given the ripe black currant flavors a smooth, rounded character as well as adding spice. Drink this wine now.
This wine opens with a curious aroma of fried foods, like hashed browns from a diner, before finding its sense of black fruit, mild spice and leather. Dry and somewhat puckering on the palate, it's full bodied and powerfully concentrated.
This tasty and full-bodied blend of Rhône varieties has an attractive, spicy, oak aroma that continues through the flavors. It finds ripe black-cherry notes in the core and enough concentration to form a lingering finish.
This vibrant red opens with aromas of wet soil, underbrush, cured meat and a whiff of oak. The lively palate offers dried black cherry, cranberry, ground pepper and star anise alongside dusty, almost grainy, tannins that leave a rather raspy finish.
This predominately Duras wine is fresh and fruity with an attractive depth of smoky tannins and structure. It is rich enough to age although its red currant fruitiness is delicious and juicy now. Drink now, or age until 2018.
Aromas of toast and grilled herb lead the way on this straightforward red. The light-bodied palate offers wild cherry, orange peel and a coffee note alongside racy acidity and fine-grained but fleeting tannins.
Rich cherry blossoms and dried strawberry-cherry paste aromas make for a very fruit-forward bottling. The palate is grippy with tannins that long hold attention, with dark red fruit and cinnamon flavors.
New leather, menthol, ripe berry and Asian spice aromas emerge in the glass while the firm palate offers dried black cherry, pomegranate, star anise and a hint of game. You'll also notice a green note of powdered sage. Assertive, close-grained tannins squeeze the finish.
This clonal study blends rich black cherry and sassafras notes with cola, savory herbs, strong iron and slight scorched rubber aromas. The palate jumps from a red cherry and cranberry tartness right into a toasted sage and pencil-lead character.
Slightly stalky, roasted aromas of earthy plum and berry lean in the direction of compost. This feels light and somewhat hollow, but easy. Stalky, oaky flavors of tree bark and rooty berry fruits carry onto the finish of this slightly herbal crianza.
This young wine is already softening up around the tannic edges, and showing some early maturation of the plum and berry fruit flavors. A streak of mint and licorice runs into the finish, along with some not-quite-integrated oak tannins.
Wild aromas of sage, thyme and cedar play out on the aromatic entry of this softly layered wine. Integrated oak wraps around a density of chocolate and herb, before the full-bodied finish mellows out.
Stewy in baked compote and smoky oak, this is a soft and smooth wine, a blend of red Bordeaux varieties that finishes lean.
Indeed as black as night, this 100% varietal wine has a confectionary quality to it, the tannins sweetened and juicy, but most definitely pronounced. Full bodied and yes, concentrated, the fruit is all about blackberry jam and crusty pie.
This 53% Malbec marries 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, combining for a thick, extracted taste of blueberry jam and chocolate. Full bodied and hyper-ripe, this bold, big wine needs food.
Light, appley aromas and lively apple and citrus flavors brighten this unoaky wine. It has refreshing acidity, an elegant texture and crisp finish.
While restrained on the nose, there's plenty of zesty apple, lemon and pear on the palate of this off-dry Riesling. It's an elegant yet quaffable wine with a brisk, crystalline finish. Drink now.
Blueberry, black plum, dark chocolate, coffee and a little asphalt show on the nose of this bottling. The palate is medium bodied and relatively straightforward, yet shows a depth of noticeable tannins and dark fruit flavors.
This Cabernet is not too loud, herbal or funky on the nose, but it does smell a touch rubbery, with cherry and cassis notes. A firm palate with strong acidity creates sizzle, while savory, saucy plum flavors finish with notes of brine and tomato.
Juicy acids brighten up the mouthfeel, with pineapple, citrus and black-cherry-cola flavors commingling. This was aged nine months in 20% new French barrels.
Made from vines well over 100 years old on the Kunde Estate, this wine is tight and youthful in dry, dusty and grippy tannin, with thick, extracted flavors of red berry and cherry. A streak of pencil lead and fig provides further intrigue and complexity around a full-bodied elegance.
Fruity and floral aromas of wild red berry and freshly picked violet lead the nose on this bright, easy-drinking red. The zesty, no-frills palate offers crushed strawberry, orange peel and a cinnamon note alongside firm acidity and pliant tannins.
An eye-catching, conversation-starting color of faded orange-pink, this wine shows bright peach, watermelon and red apple on the nose. The palate is full and fruity, yet cut with citrus acidity, offering orange, underripe cantaloupe and lime-rind flavors.
Heavy aromas of baked berry fruits and raisin suggest a bit of overripeness. On the palate, that take is confirmed by chunky weight offset by natural acidity. Flavors of oak barrel, raisin and tart plum cover a wide spectrum, while this blend of Garnacha, Tempranillo and Carignan finishes long, with black-fruit flavors. Drink now.
Floral white-fruit aromas come with a pyrazinic scent of sweat. This feels solid, with modest acidity. Candied flavors of mango, lychee and melon blend with pyrazine-driven notes of grape skins and bitterness.
This is a firm, almost fleshy style, with solid peach fruit and highlights of grapefruit pith and rind. It emphasizes fruit over flower, and finishes quite dry.
This bright, easygoing red offers aromas of truffle, chopped herb and wild berry. The fresh, easy-drinking palate doles out juicy Marasca cherry, white pepper and star anise alongside racy acidity and pliant tannins. Drink soon.
Reaching back into the 19th century, this wine revives an old-style label design, while putting a very modern spin on the blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Light cherry fruit mixes with both herbal and slightly vegetal streaks.
Made in a thick, oaky style, this shows burned caramel, fudge and hints of dried mint and oregano on the nose. The palate is rich with blueberry and dark chocolate, wrapped in a veil of oak smoke, with chunky, chewy tannins and a purple-flower nuance.
Toasty oak, oodles of sweet fruit, and supple tannins are hallmarks of superconsultant Michel Rolland, and he has managed to bring them to the masses in this gently constructed Merlot. Bing cherries and toast, with mocha and herb shadings, are brought together with a deft touch.
Sure, cedar and chocolate are the dominant aromas and flavors, but there's enough blueberry fruit to stand up to the oak rather nicely. It doesn't hurt that the oak is high-quality stuff either, as the elements blend together in a harmonious whole. A little oaky, but shows a degree of finesse not often found in Chilean wines at this level.
Concha y Toro is making an effort to upgrade its entire lineup. This offering boasts copious weedy, chocolaty, black-currant aromas, followed by a soft, lush mouthfeel. It could use a bit more backbone, but this is a generously fruity wine ideal for early consumption.
Floral aromas of rose hips and scents of plum and spiced tomato comprise the nose of this light-bodied Rioja. Floral raspberry and exotic spice flavors finish airy juicy and light. Drink this easygoer with a light chill.
Full-bodied and plush in texture, this offers plenty of apricot marmalade fruit and some nasturtium-blossom-like spice, making for a satisfying mouthful of flavor.
An earthy rendering of Pinot Noir, this features scents and flavors of clean humus, dead leaves, molasses and just a hint of plum. It's medium-bodied, and finishes well, marked by silky tannins and ample length.
Sweet grapey high-toned fruit flavors are the best things here. But along with the fruit come volatile aromas, leathery, bitter tannins, and a residual impression of balsamic vinegar.
The alcohol would indicate a level of ripeness which does not register in terms of flavor or density. Thin generic red fruit has a slightly burnt edge to it, and it fades out quickly.
This brings off-putting aromas of barnyard, compost and rubber, without the fruit to compensate. Thin dilute berry flavors are buried in the mix, and it feels flat in the mouth.
This pale, cotton candy hued wine contains muted aromas of strawberry hull and raspberry. The flavors are ripe and fruity, with a hint of orange blossom. It's light bodied, but the ripe-fruit sweetness is almost textural.
This overtly woody wine smells like cedar chips and fresh-cut oak and tastes like pine, menthol and cherry candy. While it's fun to pick out its different flavors, this is not what most people expect from Cabernet.
Briny pickled aromas are just clean enough to pass muster. This simple Viura is lemony and tangy on the palate, with saline-influenced flavors of citrus fruits and bell pepper. On a snappy finish, a briny flavor leads the way.
On the nose, there is a keen note of charred oak. Underneath, there are faint black cherry and earthy, herbal accents. In flavor, it doesn't contain much fruit—there is more charred oak and a buttery quality. The finish is plush, with sweet oak and spice.
This wine has intense aromas of blueberry pie and vanilla, along with a barnyard note. The palate is jammy in prune and baked berry flavors. There is a yeasty and resinous quality as well. The finish is long, tart and mouthwatering, with a charred-oak note on the back.
This is an interesting rosé, with a light burnt-orange hue and an orange theme throughout. It's evident from wild, sweet orange on the nose to clementine, orange blossom and orange candy flavors on the palate. There are other aromas such as cherry cough drops and raspberries, while the palate is fruit forward, with flabby acidity.
Entry-level Pinot Noir isn't an easy ask anywhere in the world. This one is marked by chocolate and espresso overtones and features a dark, earthy core that's medium-bodied and appropriately silky in texture.
There was a generous use of wood aging here and it shows in the wood and toast flavors. The wine has bitter chocolate as well as black-currant fruits suggesting overenthusiastic extraction.
This is a ripe wine, mainly from Merlot, showing fruit that is jammy and almost sweet. With attractive acidity to balance, it is soft, smooth and ready to drink.
Feral in rustic compost and funk, this wine is flat and green in tone, with dried herb and sage notes forming the core of the palate.
Very light aromas of red cherry, rose petal and potpourri barely show on the nose of this bottling. The flavors are very flat, with light cranberry and a touch of licorice.
This murky fortified wine pushes some blackberry fruit forward. The liquorous brandy flavors come up strongly, and the wine finishes with flavors of dried leaves.
Traces of light cherry fruit give way quickly to a thin dilute finish. This is marginally riper than the non-reserve 2014 Pinot Noir.
An unusual blend of flavors fills this full-bodied wine. It has fruit cocktail aromas and obvious butter and butterscotch flavors as if it's trying to be a Chardonnay. The texture is rich and soft, and the butter keeps flowing on the finish.
Maple and cinnamon aromas and sweet-seeming flavors come with a soft texture in this simple, entry-level wine that has an atypical personality for a Cabernet.
Sugared apple aromas and semi-sweet Fuji apple and honeydew flavors make this wine simply appealing. It's good for very casual meals or big crowds.
Lively aromas of cassis, red cherry and lavender are present on the nose. The flavors of tart cherry, violet and Cran-Grape are juicy and easygoing. A light wine, there is a fresh fruitiness but not a lot of acidic lift or tannic structure.
Medicinal berry and chocolaty oak flavors come in front of a high-acid, tartaric palate. This everyday Tempranillo tastes of oak, chocolate and slightly weedy plum. Overall, it's good enough to warrant a glass or two.
This budget-priced rosé sparkler is earthy and mushroomy, with modest berry flavors, a slightly creamy texture and citrus zest on the finish.
This is a rough, simple and nutty white that shows a bite of fresh pear and some barrel reduction.
Cranberries and pie cherries give a crisp, almost citrusy, edge to this wine. The tannins are silky and there's some appealing clove-like spice as well, but the acids are elevated, making the wine come across as tart and ungenerous.
This Bordeaux-style blend comprises 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and a smattering of three other grapes. There's an herbal frame around dark cassis fruit and a powdery mouthfeel from stiff, dry tannins. The accents of char, graphite and smoke are well integrated.
Ripe fruit and oak loom large in this wine, produced from relatively old vines in the heart of the appellation, long a source for the producer's Pinot Noir. Preserved lemon, fleshy melon and caramel dance around each other, steeped in Golden Delicious apple, honey and pear. A high wire of acidity marks the finish.
This 100% Furmint offers scents reminiscent of yellow peach, vanilla and caramelized pineapple upside-down cake. In the mouth, there are bright flavors of green apple and gooseberry.
Deep ruby red to the eye, this red wine has a nose of cherry, pomegranate and lemon peel. It comes on bright, offering flavors of cherry, peach, eucalyptus, rose petal and pencil lead. Velvety tannins coat the palate into a finish that is a luscious mélange of cherry and orange zest with a touch of mint.
Cabernet Sauvignon makes up just over half of this blend with the rest Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Vanilla and cocoa aromas are out in front of herb, black licorice and dark fruit. The dark-fruit and woodspice flavors are refined and show a sense of depth, elegance and balance that captures the attention.
Aromas of charred earth, toast, ground pepper, mature black-skinned fruit and espresso lead the nose. The big, ripe palate presents licorice, fleshy black cherry, clove and tobacco alongside a tannic backbone.
This light pink rosé has aromas of lemongrass, mango and eucalyptus. On the palate there are strawberries and cream and raspberry. There is a slight touch of creaminess and roundness to the body with a crisp finish.
The first of the vintage to be tasted from the region, this bottling is a promising sign. Fresh-cut green apples, Anjou pear skins, honeydew, bubblegum, wet stone and whiffs of cut grass show on the nose. There's lots of verve to the palate, with white pepper, apple skin and slight jalapeño flavors. It's perfect for shellfish and salads.
A ripe and rich wine, this is full of jammy red fruits. The structure is well integrated into the fruits, giving a smooth, ripe wine that's developing attractively. With a juicy, fresh aftertaste, it is ready to drink, although it will be better from 2017.
From Atlas Peak sites, this is a dark, brooding wine rich in earthy loam, pomegranate, cranberry and cherry that carries a fistful of weight and power. The oaky finish could use more time to resolve. Drink now through 2020.
Aromas of menthol, toast, espresso and mature black-skinned fruit come together on this accessible, full-bodied red. The ripe, chewy palate offers cherries marinated in spirits, blackberry jam, vanilla and a confectionary note alongside velvety tannins. You'll also note the warmth of alcohol on the midpalate.
Not just an intriguing wine that geeks will love to find, this bottling of Charbono is intriguing and accessible to lovers of many different styles. Rich but fruity aromas of boysenberry, black plum, hoisin sauce and wood smoke give way to a palate laced with more plum and rounded purple fruit as well as touches of graphite and gravel.
Vibrant in apple blossom and coconut, this voluptuous, well-made wine is full bodied and ripe. Key-lime pie and orange pith marry atop a firmly structured texture and a punch of integrated oak, finishing with a taste of caramel apple.
The aromas of earth, char and dark berries are alluring. The flavors are rich but never lose their deftness.
This is a robust, full-bodied and sultry wine, one within the producer's single-vineyard series, from a well-known and respected site. Oak and candied black cherry sit atop an abundance of cola spice and earthy truffle, promising more to come as it opens in the glass.
There's no denying that this is a heavily oaked Rioja with toast, resin, vanilla and cheesy aromas alongside fully ripe blackberry and prune notes. There's energy to the palate, while previously mentioned heavy oak spawns flavors of vanilla and spice to go with berry fruit. A mouth-coating, woody finish stands out on this compartmentalized Tempranillo-led blend. Drink through 2023.
Scorched earth, underbrush, blue flower and woodland berry are some of the scents you'll find on this focused wine. The elegant, full-bodied palate delivers black raspberry, mature cherry, brown kitchen spice and a hint of leather alongside tightly wound but refined tannins. Drink 2016–2021.
This bright, savory wine delivers aromas and flavors of juicy wild cherry, black raspberry, violet, white pepper and mocha. Polished tannins provide the framework. Enjoy through 2020.
This wine displays assorted aromas of berry, plum, licorice, raspberry and smoked meat, searching for a bit more clarity but still providing plenty of intrigue. It's soft and sumptuous in feel with a pleasing texture and a tart finish.
This flavorful and beautifully contoured wine is simply delicious. It has a lightly spicy aroma, plenty of fresh red-cherry and plum flavors, moderate acidity and tannins, and medium body.
The inaugural vintage of this project, this bottling shows snappy black and white pepper, black raspberry, cranberry, beef tartare, tight purple flowers and a tiny touch of pork fat on the nose. The light, frothy palate presents all manner of pepper, from white and black to green, as well as tart boysenberry juice and a touch of asphalt.
This is the Hearst family's run at a luxury-level Chardonnay, and it's a promising start, with creamy aromas of honeysuckle, light butter and citrus rinds. There's a touch of vanilla bean on the palate, which also shows apple ice cream, flashes of cinnamon and a firmly wound texture. It's delicate, clean, light and quaffable.
Juicy blackberry and blackcurrant mix with cocoa, cola and peppercorns on the nose of this densely layered wine. Flavors are deep and dark with tar, pencil shavings, dried blueberry, street asphalt and a strong umami character, still tightly wound at five years old. Let it breathe, or wait another couple years for optimal drinking.
From older vines on the producer's estate, this wine has a depth of richness to the nose and is intensely powerful in gingerbread and Meyer lemon on the medium-bodied palate. Lemony acidity rounds out the finish, flecked in butter.
Deep ruby to the eye, this wine has an intriguing nose of cherry, rose and fennel bulb. It is soft in the mouth yet it fills the entire palate with flavors of cherry, pomegranate, fennel bulb and white chocolate. Light yet ever-present tannins continue into the soft finish.
Aromas of dark-skinned berry, rose and wild herb lead the nose. The round, juicy palate doles out ripe black cherry, fleshy raspberry, white pepper and clove while polished tannins provide a smooth, velvety framework. Enjoy through 2019.
Forest floor, truffle, baked plum, eucalyptus and baking spice unfold on this structured red. The linear, elegant palate offers dried black cherry, clove, ground pepper and tobacco framed in polished, fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2020.
This wine is sourced from a handful of stellar vineyards, including Pratt, Dutton, Sullivan and Chenoweth. It was given 18 months in French oak, all of it twice-used or older, which contributes to an integrated, understated wood presence that's refreshing in its restraint. Creamy acidity and a taste of baked bread cradles lemon zest and almond before a crisp, lengthy finish.
There is much buzz about this new Steve and Chrystal Clifton (of Palmina and Brewer-Clifton) project that finds inspiration for wine from music. This orange-mauve-pink rosé is redolent with the familiar Pinot components of cherry, sagebrush and clove. On the palate, iron, graphite and wild herbs spice up the pomegranate fruit. It's very varietally pure.
This is an estate-grown, co-fermented field blend of Zin with Cabernet Franc, Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Grand Noir de Calmette, Peloursin, Lenoir, Merlot and Mourvèdre made in a small amount. Powerful tannin and leather are the stars, along with flavors of cigar, black pepper, cherry and orange.
A scratchy, rough nose with forced creamy oak aromas is also a bit fiery and hot. A heavy palate with surface-level oak tastes more of clove and cured beef than honest fruit. A sticky, cloying palate is creamy and overtly oaky.
Resiny oak and wallflower fruit aromas lead to a palate that's thick and sticky. This tastes woody and barrel heavy, with little to no fruit. On the finish, a tropical note of banana is offset by briny saltiness.
Maple and clove aromas scream of oak, and not toasty, spicy oak. Following suit, this is creamy and less than fluent on the palate. Furthermore, this tastes of clove and creamy oak more than actual fruit.
Harsh, fruitless aromas of green bean and ashtray come before a raw palate that's far from welcoming. Choppy, herbal plum flavors are grassy, while the finish offers nothing new or different.
A lean wine with green fruit flavors, this is made drinkable by its balance between fruit and the dry core of tannins. The wine should be drunk now.
Sulfur and match stick aromas are less than pleasant and devoid of fruit. A flabby grabby palate deals oaky flavors of stale white fruits. A long but arduous finish doesn't help the situation.
Aromas of sawmill and burnt wood are dominant. This feels resiny and sticky. Flavors of spiced apple are smothered by heavy-handed oak, while this is flat as a board and resiny tasting on the finish.
Candied-raspberry aromas are soapy and strange. This sweet Tannat from Brazil is hollow yet cloying, with candied-cherry flavors that don't cut it. While not undrinkable, this just isn't good.
This latest incarnation of the famous brand is a superb wine. It is on par with, maybe even better than, the already legendary 2002. Its balance is impeccable: Apple and citrus flavors working with the tight minerality to give a textured yet fruity wine. Produced from Roederer's own vineyards which are mainly biodynamic, the wine has its own intense purity and crispness. It has amazing potential and is likely to age for many years. Drink from 2020.
This new release from a great vintage for Chardonnay in Champagne is a perfect blanc de blancs, showing a wealth of intensity from the crisp, chalky, mineral tones to the perfumed apple notes. The aromas hint at developing toastiness that adds depth and complexity. The wine is still young and it will age for years. Drink from 2020.
The heady aromatic scent of fresh tangerine peel takes turns with the refreshing perfume of green Seville oranges. The palate takes these enticing aromas and bundles them into one arrow-like force of concentrated freshness. This is a high-wire act of piercing brightness and layered citrus aroma. This is like a self-generating well of freshness that convinces with its luminosity, raciness and rapier-like purity of citrus flavors. Everything is heightened: Fruit, dryness, freshness and vibrant verve. It is tempting but it would be a shame to drink this now. Keep this genie in its bottle for a while longer, if only to see what fascinating direction it takes. This is wondrous. Drink 2022–2037.
There is something incredibly fruity and simultaneously tart on the nose: It is reminiscent of honeyed deaf nettle blossom as well as passion fruit. Wet stone and lemon heighten these perceptions even more. The palate comes in with concentrated zestiness—there almost is a sobering edge of bitter pith that pulls us towards the earth while the soaring lemon and grapefruit notes lift towards the light. This is fruitful promise and airy spirit, earthy depth and boundless richness. All this comes as a bundled force of joy, freshness and utter pleasure. That beguiling, lemony wet stone appears again on the dry intense finish of this elixir-like wine which perhaps has not only captured the light of the sun but that of the stars, too. Drink 2022–2040.
Smoke, orange, wet stone and earth notes are powerful and beguiling on the nose. The palate has absolute concentration and energy and more of that smoky promise. This is like the bundled focus of a laser light—incisive, precise and piercing. Notions of peach, lemon and tangerine dance and hover, but the central core and force remains a kind of drive that could move mountains. This is a sleeping giant, absolute and pure, brooding, laying in wait to unleash its might. The palate is absolutely dry, absolutely fresh, absolutely uncompromising. The finish is piercingly clean. Wait for this. Drink 2025–2040 at least.
An earthy touch of freshly turned soil clings to the pure apple note on the nose. On the absolutely dry palate, however, a beautifully lithe, serene but all-encompassing cloud of lemon freshness just steals the show. It pervades and informs nose, palate and mind. Its luminosity and vivacious freshness just soars and sings. Yes, this is uncompromising. You have to like freshness, acidity and unflinching honesty to be a fan of this, but if you are, this is a ticket to vinous heaven. Wow. This is a real experience and a celebration of site and variety. Hoard this if you can. Gorgeous and fresh now, but far too young. Drink 2022–2040.
The wine from this clos or walled vineyard in the city of Reims has spent eight years aging before disgorgement. It's a rare wine, with a wonderful balance between its toasty character and the crisp, dry apple and green-fruit flavors. It will certainly age further, so wait—if you can—until 2019.
Whiffs of red-cheeked mirabelle plum, tart red apple, a touch of earth and vivid tangerine immediately signal pleasure. The absolutely straightlaced, concentrated and dry palate adds hints of quince and blood orange. This is dry, even lean but absolutely powerful with bundled flavor. You can feel heat and energy at the core of this, there is real ripeness and force here, played against absolute, vivid and cleansing freshness. High drama indeed. Let it age a while before playing it out. It will be worth the wait. Drink 2022–2037.
This fine vintage of Insignia combines 87% Cabernet Sauvignon with 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Soft, supple and seamless, it offers rich but balanced cassis and milk chocolate flavors, with supportive and complementary oak. It should do well in the cellar and will be best from 2024–2034.
A touch of flinty reduction still hangs over the nose, subduing the varietal aromas. But this is only a sign of youth, as is the residual carbon dioxide on the palate. While very young, this holds all it needs for a promising future: A bright core of juicy fruit—think tangerine, tart red apple and ripe yellow pear—as well as the vividly clean and racy freshness of bright lemon. This is concentrated and rather powerful, rapier-like in its cleansing, dry finish but also generous on its fruity midpalate. This is confident and self-assured and stands tall with its powerful structure and body. Leave this to calm down and become itself. Drink 2018–2037.
Tender pure peach and fine spicy notions of grapefruit zest unite to create a very inviting nose. The leafiness of fragrant citrus foliage adds extra charm. All these notions continue to play on the very zesty, thoroughly aromatic palate. Citrus flesh and peel shimmers and swirls across mind and palate, creating a dreamy, heightened cloud of fragrant freshness. The palate is just off dry and lip-smackingly bright and fresh. A triumphantly long finish adds the allure of blood orange to this seductive, aromatic wine and makes it utterly irresistible. Drink 2017–2037.
Interestingly released after the softer 2009 version of this wine, this 2008 vintage is beautifully balanced between crisp fruit and ripe maturity. With its red fruits still in place, it also has a toasty yeasty edge that is sophisticated and enticing. It is a superb wine, delicious to drink now although because of the quality of the vintage it will age for many more years, certainly into the 2020s.
Fans of liveliness and structure in their wine will love this full-bodied, tight-wrapped example made with 30% whole-cluster fermentation and 20% new French oak. It has plenty of bright cherry, spice and toasted oak flavors, wrapped in a crisp and bracingly tannic texture.
While not Millbrook's premium Chardonnay, this bottling offers a surprising amount of elegance amidst a lavishly ripe, fruity sip. It's ebulliently peachy with a decadent creamsicle twist, offset by crisp acidity and a firm, focused finish.
A ripe style—possibly too ripe for some—this borders on cherry-chocolate liqueur. The tannins are meltingly soft, the weight is ample and the texture is plush. Drink it by 2020 for its hedonistic charm.
A sleek, medium-bodied wine that's made in large enough numbers to find, it combines black tea, rhubarb and cherry cola around a lengthy, approachable sense of weight.
A fragrant nose is composed of lime zest and fern. The palate is softer and lighter than this suggests but carries a savory, yeasty, herb-tinged core reminiscent of fresh sage and pear peel.
An extremely, deep, almost black color is the first sign that something unusual is going on in this bold but not heavy wine. It smells like dark berries and baking spices and tastes like boysenberry jam while staying dry in style. Abundant layers of fine tannins make the texture grippy and prepare the wine for the richest proteins on the table.
Coming from one of the state's top Syrah sites, this wine brings aromas of dark fruit, iron and coffee. The fruit flavors are sweet and well proportioned, pulling up toward the finish.
This wine is a blend of Grenache (44%), Counoise (36%), Syrah (10%) and Cinsault. Quite pale in color, it offers appealing aromas of raspberries and cranberries along with smoke. The flavors are light and lithe, putting a premium on purity, trailing slightly toward the finish.
Honeysuckle, white stone fruit and honeydew melon scents are at the fore along with a whiff of tomato leaf. The bright, juicy palate is full of white peach, mature apple and a white almond note while fresh acidity perks up the creamy flavors.
Made with organically farmed grapes, this offers aromas of tropical fruit and white stone fruit. The round, juicy palate doles out white peach, yellow apple and a mineral note with a pleasantly bitter almond finish. Tangy acidity brightens the creamy flavors.
Smashed Concord grapes, lavender and more purple flower aromas make for a very purple-leaning nose on this bottling from the hot stretches of southern Monterey County. The flavors are also quite violet-like, with lavender, jasmine, black plum, olallieberry, plum blossoms, and dill, altogether quite elegant with a relatively light touch.
On an estate about 10 miles north of Aix-en-Provence, this 32-acre vineyard has produced a pretty, fruity wine. Light and crisp, it is cut by citrus acidity, giving a lift to the lively raspberry fruits.
Lush and buttery with caramel notes, tar and plump blackberry fruit, this bottling by the Riboli family will certainly appease the dinner crowd. It's fairly light in body, but layered with smoky, juicy blackberry fruit, earthy undertones and an easy-drinking and soft tannic structure.
Much lighter than the winery's other bottling of this level, this wine shows cranberry, light olive and the slightest hint of eucalyptus on the nose. Cranberry, black pepper, pencil lead and earth show on the palate, which makes for a very nice wine, just not quite as stunning as the Bien Nacido version.
Aromas of yellow stone fruit and Spanish broom lead the nose while the juicy palate offers mature yellow peach, citrus, pineapple and a hint of almond. Bright acidity provides balance and a crisp finish.
There's no mistaking the variety, with the hallmark aromas of jalapeño pepper, cayenne and herbs. The ample cherry flavors are sweet, with the tannins bringing some graininess.
Fruity aromas of blueberry and red cherry lead the way along with violet and a whiff of mint. On the fresh, densely pigmented palate, chewy tannins offset ripe plum, blackberry and clove.
Aromas of espresso, vanilla, French oak and mature plum come together in the glass. The warm palate delivers juicy black cherry, mocha and anisette alongside fine-grained tannins that grip the finish. Drink 2018–2025.
Grapy aromas of berry fruits and the dust of spearmint gum set up a loud, high-acid, seemingly electrified palate that tastes of black currant, blackberry and plum. Overall, this is a linear feeling Bordeaux blend with bracing acidity and minty oak. Time should only help it along. Drink through 2022.
Subtle aromas of wild berry, scorched earth and clove slowly emerge in the glass. On the palate, notes of allspice and cassis add depth to the black cherry core while chewy tannins provide the framework. Best through 2017.
Subdued aromas of mature berry, leather and hint of toasted oak slowly emerge on the nose. The palate is a bit more expressive, showing dried black cherry, ground pepper and a hint of star anise. Fine-grained tannins offer support while a coffee note closes the finish. Drink 2017 through 2022.
Sunny stone fruit and earth mingle on nose and palate of this user-friendly Chardonnay. The midpalate is plump with textured ripeness, red apple and yellow plum. A very fruit-forward, easy-drinking wine with lots of drive and presence.
Big and beautiful, this full-figured and firm-textured wine has a very dark color, warm fruit flavors like those in cherry and blackberry pie and firm tannins that give it a nice, gripping texture. It's definitely full bodied but still velvety on the tongue.
Crisp fruit unveils itself slowly in this classically refreshing wine, soft and medium in acidity and oak. It picks up additional ripeness on the finish, from mango to peach.
Briny notes of oyster shell blend with spicy barrel notes and core apple aromas on the bouquet of this crisp, pure, minerally Chardonnay. Flavors of apple, quince, orange marmalade and minerals finish sturdy and secure.
Soft and round, this ripe wine offers both fruit and acidity. It is young and full of green plum and pear flavors, still textured with a young, crisp character. It needs to fill out for a few years, and will be best from 2017.
Woody in aroma, this is an exceptionally light-bodied, floral and herbal white, marked most by its high-pitched acidity that threatens to veer into extreme territory. Instead, beeswax and white peach figure into the mix, finishing in a refreshing twist of lemon.
Cherry and plum aromas are dry, earthy and direct. This is a straightforward aged Rioja with grabby tannins but enough body and fruit to absorb them. Baked cherry and plum flavors are a touch rustic and stalky, while a roasted aftertaste sends this on its way. Drink through 2019.
Classic Nebbiolo aromas of violet, wild berry and a whiff of baking spice float out of the glass on this attractive red. The elegantly structured palate offers mature wild cherry, cinnamon, white pepper and clove alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2017–2022.
Strong blackberry aromas come with hints of wood smoke, graphite and minerality. On the palate, it is high in acidity and a touch scouring, but also fresh and lively. Common blackberry and toasty oak flavors end fresh and crisp, but short.
Lots of dark-fruit flavor, an ultrasmooth texture and a lingering finish raise this medium-bodied and value-priced wine well above average. Black cherry and blackcurrant flavors are sprinkled with spices recalling nutmeg and cardamom.
Forward and full-bodied, this opens with aromas of mature dark fruit, grilled herb, toast, spirits and a balsamic note. On the warm palate, oak and licorice provide the backdrop to black cherry marinated in spirits alongside firm tannins. The heat of alcohol closes the finish.
You'll find aromas of mature black cherry, dark cooking spice, mint, leather and a whiff of espresso on this full-bodied red. The firm palate shows dried black cherry, roasted coffee bean, oak and a licorice note supported by bracing, grainy tannins that leave an astringent finish. Drink after 2020.
Aromas of underbrush, scorched earth, eucalyptus, mature berry and dark spice lead the nose. There's not a lot of fruit richness but the spicy palate offers licorice, black pepper and sage alongside grippy tannins that leave a firm, drying finish.
Apricot aromas are singular and firmly in control of the bouquet of this Galician blend of 70% Albariño, 15% Loureira and 15% Caiño Blanco. This is juicy and fresh, but low on cushion and leesy framework. Apple and pineapple flavors run quick and finish with minerality and zest.
Sun-ripened mango and pineapple flavors lend a lavish, tropical feel to this off-dry Riesling. At the same time, there's a resolute core of acidity that gives it balance and grace. It's concentrated and fruity but maintains vitality and length.
Toasted nuts, seared marshmallows, roasted corn and dried apple play on the nose of this richly layered wine. The palate shows plenty of lively sea salt from front to back, along with concentrated citrus character and an apple-syrup ripeness.
Aromas that recall red berry, chopped herb, baked earth and a whiff of leather lead the way on this polished wine. The linear palate delivers dried cherry, raspberry wild mint and a touch of white pepper that carry through to the firm finish.
Bright fruit flavors of mountain berries are bolstered with steely acidity. This firm, lightly herbal wine sneaks in a hint of clover as well. It may improve with another couple of years of bottle age.
This is certified organic, from one of Oregon's leading vineyards. Somewhat muted in this cool, wet vintage, it's nonetheless a sturdy effort with a potent herbal component. The stiff red fruits conjure up a tart cranberry and cherry mix.
This Malbec-led blend opens with inky, hard-packed aromas of black fruits and grilled meats. The palate is on the rough and tough side, while flavors of ripe black fruits are intertwined with strong oak and spice. Overall, this is ripe, bold and heavy.
Simple and delicious, this vibrant, mouthwatering red doles out fleshy black cherry, crushed blueberry, ground pepper and clove alongside polished tannins. An almond note graces the finish. This makes a fantastic everyday wine.
Earthy notes of porcini mushroom and black olive blend with balsamic plum and cherry aromas. This is a touch heavy and syrupy in feel, and thus creamy flavors of chocolate, plum and berry are not surprising. On the finish, this remains creamy and ripe.
The nose isn't very expressive on this big, brawny wine but the chewy, full-bodied palate offers blackberry jam, raisin, licorice, chocolate and orange peel alongside smooth tannins. It still has enough fruit richness to carry off the hearty alcohol but drink sooner rather than later.
Underbrush, grilled porcini, red berry and grilled herb aromas lead the way. The bracing palate offers dried wild cherry, clove, cinnamon and powdered sage alongside astringent tannins. Drink after 2018.
This firm red offers aromas of underbrush, French oak, exotic spice, dried rose and a balsamic whiff of menthol. On the full-bodied palate, a bracing tannic backbone supports dried black cherry, coconut, licorice, roasted coffee bean and oak-driven spice. Drink 2019–2026.
Everything is in place in this medium-bodied, smooth-textured and generously flavored wine. It has a good blend of subtle cherry, blackberry and raspberry flavors, plus hints of spice from barrel aging. Well balanced for drinking now through 2018, it's made with 63% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah and 14% Syrah.
This opens with attractive aromas of pressed rose, woodland berry, dried herb and a whiff of baking spice. The robust palate shows sour, almost unripe cherry, clove, mocha and anisette. The warmth of evident alcohol closes the finish.
Mature berry, toast, espresso, fennel and a balsamic note lead the nose. The firm palate doles out Morello cherry, raspberry jam, powdered sage and white pepper framed in assertive, fine-grained tannins.
Despite good vineyard sources, including DuBrul, Weinbau and Ciel du Cheval, this does not rise to the top ranks of Washington Cabernet Franc. The addition of 10% Sangiovese seems only to thin it out. It's astringent and herbal, with light cherry fruit.
The flavors are herbal, the tannins a little green, but no rough edges have been left. Could be a good burger bottle.
There's a whiff of volatile, hot fermentation aromas that overlie black cherry and smoky tar. In the mouth this is a chewy, earthy, smoky Cabernet, suitable for outdoor dining and grilled meats. The tannins are still showing a little green edge, but some extra breathing softens them up.
A lean, somewhat narrowly constructed Sauvignon Blanc, the 2009 Sentinel is best suited alongside raw oysters, clams and the like, where its dry, herbal, stony character will match the shellfish's salinity.
Starts out kind of murky and pasty, with gummy black fruit and compost aromas. Airing helps it escape that shell, and in the mouth there's rubbery blueberry flavors mixed with mildly tart rhubarb and bramble. Good enough, but doesn't do much to push the envelope that is Chilean Syrah.
The mouthfeel of this wine is beautiful, with a velvety texture and dusty tannins, and the lingering, coffee-infused finish seals the experience nicely. The attractive aromas and flavors of small red berries, cherry and red plum skins help to make this an easy-drinking choice with pairing flexibility.
Somewhat thick and pulpy in texture, with chunky apple, peach and musk melon fruit forming a fruit-cocktail of a Chardonnay. Simple, fruity and clean, with a citrusy note on the finish. Drink now.
Quite raisiny, with an overweight personality conveyed through the nose. The palate is tannic, with black cherry and cola flavors thickened up by a full dose of raisin. Very sweet on the finish, but also hard and baked. Still reasonably good but it's less well balanced than in previous vintages.
Lime aromas and modest minerality are proper given its origin, but it turns softer and sweeter the more time it airs out. The palate is fairly round, with lemon-lime and pineapple flavors. Citric if a bit pithy on the finish. Fine but average.
Hints of struck flint and fresh grass accent passion fruit flavors in this plump Sauvignon Blanc. It's at once citrusy and round, soft in texture yet with a mouthpuckering sour tinge to the finish.
This bargain-priced offering combines tobacco leaf with Green Gage plum in a medium-bodied format. The flavors aren't quite as fresh and vibrant as the best examples, but it'll more than do for many occasions.
Light fruit, with milk chocolate in the nose and on the palate, yields a simple wine with tangy acidity. It's clean and fresh, but nondescript.
Combines slightly pungent herbal notes with passion fruit and pineapple in a chunky, assertively fruity style that lacks a bit of elegance.
A straightforward and vibrant Pinotage with notes of red cherry, raspberry, clove and cocoa. The palate is lively and fresh with medium acidity and a firm structure.
It's a rustic, slightly raisiny Bordeaux blend (with a little Syrah also), sourced from excellent vineyards, but a bit overripe. Soft, forward and a little leathery, it's ready to drink up.
Costco's private-label Sauvignon Blanc is priced right and offers a fruity mouthful of melon and gooseberry flavor. The citrusy finish is a bit short, but pleasant.
A bit disappointing from veteran winemaker Alan McCorkindale, or maybe this is just sliding past its prime. The modest grapefruit notes, herbal overtones and tart finish are fine, but fail to excite. Drink up.
Pure minerals, peach and melon aromas come with a hint of leesy dust. This wine is elegant, chiseled and minerally on the palate. Flavors of dusty apple and citrus end long and stony, with class. Laxas is a top-flight Albariño producer and this vintage is one of its best. Drink now.
Acidic on the nose, like a cider, this late-harvest wine made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc retains 130 g/L residual sugar, and is rounded and plush. Appropriately sweet, it is completely balanced, tasting purely of baked pear, finding a hint of nutmeg on the lengthy finish.
The large Brotte firm is capable of turning out some excellent juice, exemplified by this full-bodied, velvety-textured wine. Intriguing aromas of cola, black olive, cinnamon and clove give way to dark-fruited, earthy flavors tinged with espresso. Drink now–2025.
Made from 56% Syrah, 25% Grenache and 19% Mourvèdre, this wine currently has locked-up aromas, with notes of dark cherry, blue fruit, herbs and vanilla bean. The jammy red and black fruit flavors are considerably more expressive, with a palate-coating feel and plenty of intensity.
Doug Margerum makes this traditional Chianti-like blend for a couple who owns the vineyard, and they must delight in the raspberry extract and graphite notes that show on the nose. Better still is the palate, with light and tight strawberry, a touch of cedar and an intriguing mix of light density yet grippy tannins that will shine even brighter in years to come. Drink 2018–2025.
This is winemaker Ross Cobb's own family project, from extremely cool sites along the Sonoma Coast, including the family's own Coastlands vineyard. Here, with Rice-Spivak, he skirts the edge of ripeness, producing a light, bright wine that's at first hard to penetrate. Faint notes of tart cherry and pomegranate weave through like a fog, a seasoning of allspice on the finish.
Aromas of rooty berry, loamy dark plum and minerally crispness create a fine nose that offers notes of coffee and char as it unfolds. The palate on this Monastrell is widespread and grabby, with baked blackberry, raspberry and plum flavors. Chocolate and spice notes ride high on a comfortable finish. Drink through 2018.
Domaine des Berthiers produces rich Sauvignon Blanc, packed with spice, acidity, concentrated citrus and herbal flavors. This 2014, still very young, has a strong bite of acidity and tight mineral texture that gives an almost shocking crispness at this stage. The wine obviously needs to age; drink from 2018.
This wine is rich with apricot and pineapple fruits that give ripeness and a smooth, while always tangy texture. It is beautifully structured with its creamy fruits, cut with intense acidity and delicious depth of flavor. This opulent wine is ready to drink.
While dry and impeccably elegant, this buoyantly perfumed Riesling balances subtle notes of honeysuckle and bees wax against a backdrop of luscious, mango, pineapple and peach flavors. The palate is satisfying and supple yet balanced by a sheen of lemon-lime acidity. Finishes long with a savory flick of pollen.
This single-vineyard, 100% varietal wine explodes with aromas of freshly ground black pepper, thyme, violets and black cherries. The flavors are supremely pure and transparent, with little apparent new-oak influence and a captivating sense of texture.
In this polished and composed wine, subtle aromas of minerals, plums and spices are followed by a firm, slightly tannic texture that seems to relax with each sip. The flavors resemble plums and black cherries, plus hints of cinnamon, dill and dark chocolate. Save this for an elegant occasion after 2018.
A bright and sour combination strikes the nose on this wine, with aromas of lime sorbet, kumquat and salted green apple rinds. The lean, focused and racy palate is led by crushed limestone grip, with the slight warmth of tart crab apples, proving quite palate cleansing. It's perfect for halibut or other delicate fish.
Nectarine, apricot, jasmine blossoms and lots of fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice makes a delicious nose on this refreshing treat of a wine. It conveys lively, citrusy acidity and apple-rind tartness, offering flavors that last throughout the sip and deep into the finish.
Blended with 4% Viognier and 1% Grenache, this fragrant offering displays aromas of fresh flowers, herbs, green olive, huckleberry and smoked meat. The palate is ripe and fruit-forward, a bit balled up in the middle right now but showing a pleasing sense of purity with length to match. Give it time to come into its own.
This wine is Cabernet Franc and Merlot with just a smidgeon (4%) of Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. It provides aromas of earth, high-toned dried herbs, licorice, black cherry and crushed granite. The dark fruit flavors are densely packed, surrounded by firms tannins. Drink after 2020.
From the folks at Merryvale, this is a blend of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah and Petite Sirah. Big, dense and juicy, with a dusty tannic underbite, it's bold, brambly and exuberantly delicious.
This wine is a joy to drink with its aromas and flavors of coffee, dark chocolate, herbs and cherry. The opulently styled flavors are rich but well balanced, with chewy tannins backing it all up. It's irresistible.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc make up equal parts of this wine, with pinches of Petit Verdot and Malbec blended in. Vanilla, cocoa, coffee, herb and cherry aromas are followed by generous fruit and barrel flavors supported by tightly wound tannins. The wood is primary right now. It will be best after 2021.
Aromas of perfumed berry, scorched earth, rose and cake spices lead the nose. The structured palate offers wild cherry, crushed strawberry, white pepper, clove and aromatic herbs alongside firm, fine-grained tannins and lively acidity. It's almost accessible but will be even better in a year or two. Drink after 2018.
Firmly structured, this opens with scents of dark cherry marinated in spirits, baking spices, forest floor and a balsamic accent. The focused palate offers red berry, dried black cherry, clove, licorice and dried herbs alongside bracing but refined tannins and nervous acidity. Give this time to unwind and blossom. Drink 2018–2026.
This is a heavy-duty wine, layered with power and richness. The nose shows black cherries, prunes and gingerbread, inviting like a hot dessert. The palate is soft, deep and mouth-massaging with the blackest of cherries and bluest of berries, though lifted with licorice, espresso and fudge elements. Serve with hearty roasts.
Dark berry, cinnamon, clove, leather, oak and a balsamic note are some of the aromas and flavors you'll find on this structured red. Firm, fine-grained tannins provide the framework but it still needs time to unwind.
Aromas of dried herbs and leaves, tree bark and espresso lead to soft, polished cherry and chocolate flavors and a lengthy finish. The refinement and detail are captivating.
A small-production wine from a new producer, this impresses in plush red- and black-cherry, tangy minerality and a refreshing cloud of citrus that gives it buoyancy on the palate. This medium-bodied wine is fresh and alive from start to finish and will be delightful at the table.
Delicate sea salt and caramel brittle aromas meld with lemon blossoms, honey on brie rind, sweet alkalinity and a subtle white peach ripeness on Rick Longoria's annual ode to his wife. The texturally intriguing palate is racy with acidity and chalky in minerality, showing lean flavors of lemon and lime peels and a touch of vanilla on the deep finish. Drink 2018–2025.
Classic aromas of wild berry, leather, game and forest floor unfold in the glass. The bright, savory palate delivers mature black cherry, ripe raspberry, clove, star anise and grilled herbs alongside bracing tannins and brisk acidity. Drink 2017–2022.
Chalk and flint soil contribute to this tight, tangy, amazingly crisp wine. Behind this still-young texture await ripe apples, green plums and orange peel. Packed with acidity and still developing, this wine needs some more time. Drink from 2017.
Lightly smoked, minerally berry aromas are leathery and ripe, but perfectly healthy. The palate feels entirely in sync, with fine tannins and lasting acidity. Layered, earthy plum and berry flavors are spicy and show notes of vanilla and tobacco prior to a smooth finish. Drink through 2022.
San Vicente is part of the Casa Donoso group, and this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec and Cabernet Franc smells tarry and blackened, with notes of olive, char, cassis and minerals. The full, layered palate is meaty and integrated, while flavors of spiced blackberry, cassis and pepper end in toasty, dark and lightly herbal fashion. Drink through 2022.
Dark golden in color and high in acidity, this vineyard-designate was made in small amounts with great skill. Yellow apple skin and a slight slant to tropical guava provide a fleshy intensity and burst of weight on the palate, before the wine settles down and finishes long and lean.
Grown on dense chalky soil, this concentrated, tight and mineral wine is also rich. Pure acidity and rich apple flavors are cut by a nervy streak and textured with lively spice. This wine is worth aging, so drink from late 2017.
Organically grown grapes are the source of this wine that comes from selected parcels on the Domaine de Rochoy. Flint soil gives a strongly mineral character that permeates the wine. The tight and steely texture contrasts happily with the sliced apple and lemon flavors. It needs to age for several more months. Drink from late 2017.
The initial impression is of toast and spice. Only slowly do the fruit and full-bodied richness of this wine become apparent. It comes from a Grand Cru close to Corton-Charlemagne and has similar structure and power. The wine will develop slowly and richly. Drink it from 2020.
This single-vineyard wine offers wonderfully balanced fruits and texture, along with ripe fruitiness. Apples, crisp citrus and warmer pear and peach flavors are all integrated into a texture that just hints at the herbal while being more about bright, fresh acidity and fruit. Drink now.
This densely packed and very firm-textured wine will need aging to show its full potential. It has smoky, black pepper aromas and concentrated, dry flavors that layer with blackberry, blueberry and dark-chocolate impressions. A welcome sense of austerity keeps it from seeming sweet, and it features an elegant balance. Best after 2019.
This vineyard is best known for its Syrah but Grenache also shines, as evidenced by this compelling bottle. The aromas pop with complex notes of flowers, brown stems, mineral, smoke, raspberries, peppery spice and the vineyard's signature earthy funk. The palate shows delicacy, precision and detail, with a lightly meaty, peppery finish that lingers. It's a completely captivating expression of the variety with balance that downright dazzles.
The vineyards to the immediate south of Madrid rarely produce wines like this, which is a blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon. Fully toasted, creamy aromas of fine oak accent plum and berry scents entice the nose, while this feels fresh, fruity and structured. Saucy plum and berry flavors deliver a savory aftertaste, while the finish impresses via exquisite balance, elegant dryness and spicy fruit flavors. Drink through 2022.
A brambly and intense vineyard-designate rich in blackberry and brown sugar, this proffers just intense enough to provoke, but never gets extreme. Soft on the palate, it has a lively undercurrent of dark cherry grenadine and black pepper. This is one to remember, with a cool label to boot.
Mature black-skinned fruit, truffle, underbrush, tobacco and leather aromas lead the nose on this powerful wine. The chewy, full-bodied palate doles out layers of juicy wild cherry, black raspberry, cinnamon, licorice and nutmeg, all framed in ripe, velvety tannins. The succulent fruit richness seamlessly supports the hefty alcohol. Drink 2017–2022.
Earthy and aged notes of cigar, leather, beef char and blackberry paste show on the nose of this wine, but so do fresh purple flowers, rosemary and dried mint. The blend of 55% Syrah, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot is creamy on the palate, with a dank herbal quality. It blends oregano and dill with black currant, licorice, fudge and a menthol-laced finish.
Barrel aging in 50% new French oak for 16 months is evident on the nose in this wine, giving it a reduced quality. But with enough time and air it begins to unveil thickets of brambly red and black berry, with a wild raspberry compote component that's quite stunning. Cardamom and pine accent the rest of the palate, which is textured and complex. Drink now through 2023.
Opaque deep purple in color, this luxuriously rendered wine comes from the eastern Vaca range of the Napa Valley. It expands on the palate with a richness of plum, cinnamon, brown sugar and dark chocolate. Smooth and sturdy in tannin, it finishes with a taste of hazelnut.
This wine is Cabernet Sauvignon (72%) and Syrah (30%), with the fruit hailing from both River Rock and Jack's vineyards. Aromas of green herbs, peat, mineral, cherry and spice are followed by smoke, olive and other savory flavors. It shows polish and impeccable balance from start to finish.
Toasted oak, coffee, scorched earth, baked plum and a whisper of exotic spice lead the way. The chewy, full-bodied palate offers mature black cherry, raspberry compote, anise and espresso alongside fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins that lend restraint and finesse.
Old vines planted in the 1950s by a neighbor named Ovide form this complex wine. Aged for eight months on lees, it is a concentrated wine, tight with acidity and with nutty flavors that add complexity and give the wine depth. This beautiful wine needs to age. Drink from 2018.
Aromas suggesting underbrush, toast, ripe plum, dark spice, menthol and Mediterranean herb waft out of the glass. On the bold, polished palate, velvety tannins support juicy Morello cherry, blackberry jam, licorice, coffee and a chocolate note. It's already accessible and will make for fine drinking over the next few years. Drink through 2021.
Lovely floral scents of violet and iris mingle with dark fruit and a whiff of exotic spice. The elegant, structured palate offers fleshy black cherry, ripe raspberry, white pepper, anise and chopped mint alongside fine-grained tannins. A hint of mocha closes the finish. It's already tempting but hold to let this unwind and fully develop. Drink 2019–2026.
Scorched soil, underbrush, pressed violet, oak, ripe berry and cured meat aromas lead the way along with a whiff of menthol. The bold, structured palate offers black raspberry jam, mature wild cherry, baking spice, toast and dried herb framed in assertive, tightly woven tannins. Give this time to unfold and develop fully. Drink 2020–2030.
A 100% varietal wine that's barrel fermented in neutral French oak, this wine is creamy and lightly tropical in guava and tangy mandarin orange. Balanced acidity and integrated oak provide buoyancy against a natural ripeness and power, finishing delightfully floral.
This intense wine comes from a vineyard just below the main street of Chassagne-Montrachet village. While the aromas are still toasty, the palate is full of fresh fruit, with a tensely mineral structure. Hints of yellow fruits as well as crisper citrus are there, along with shots of toast from the wood aging. Drink from 2018.
This new brand from the folks behind Suacci Carciere is a study in cool-climate austerity and elegance. A tangle of savory herb and Asian spice seasons soft, lean layers of strawberry and pomegranate. Bright and full of verve, it's a food-friendly, complex wine from a producer worth watching.
Meaty, slightly earthy aromas are tempting, and the flavors expand with gobs of rich black plum and blackcurrant. This wine from a rising star in the Sierra Foothills has serious structure and full body, blanketed in fine tannins and encouraging the flavors to linger on the finish. Drink after 2018.
Forest floor, tilled earth, truffle, ripe berry, thyme and a whiff of game are some of the aromas you'll find on this full-bodied red. The concentrated palate delivers fleshy black cherry, raspberry jam, cinnamon, clove and a hint of anise. Densely packed, velvety tannins leave a firm, polished finish. Drink 2019–2026.
This is a concentrated wine, full with dry tannins and perfumed red fruits. Hints of the wood aging give the wine toast and smokiness. The fresh fruits form a contrast offering a future of fragrance and stylishness. It needs to age, so wait until 2019.
Forest floor, rosemary, ripe berry, new leather and a whiff of earth are just some of the aromas in this structured red. The full-bodied, chewy palate flexes muscle and restraint, offering ripe black cherry, licorice, clove and dried aromatic herb while firm, ripe tannins provide the framework. While it won't need many years to become accessible, it also has some staying power. Drink 2019–2026.
Charred earth, toast, grilled porcini, cured meat and mocha aromas lead the nose. The juicy palate offers mouthfuls of ripe black cherry, raspberry jam, licorice and menthol framed in big, velvety tannins. Drink 2018–2025.
Classic Sangiovese aromas of wild berry, just-turned soil, leather and a hint of underbrush unfold in the glass. The bright, juicy palate offers layers of rich wild cherry, black raspberry, cinnamon and pipe tobacco framed in firm, velvety tannins. A licorice note closes the finish. Drink 2020–2030.
Exotic Asian spices and moody, brambly black fruit play at the center of this full-bodied vineyard-designate from a high-elevation site. Citrus, fresh-grated nutmeg and bright acidity make for a savory yet completely succulent experience that'll remain memorable long after the bottle is gone.
All varietal, this wine is mostly Klipsun and Bacchus vineyards, with Kiona and Red Willow rounding it out. The aromas bring immediate appeal, with pure notes of black cherry, fresh and dried savory herbs and crushed granite, showing pleasing complexities. The palate is tightly wound, showing a fine sense of depth that is balanced by bright acid and firm tannins. The finish lingers. It's a compelling example of the variety.
There's classic lychee fruit on this rich, full-in-the-mouth Gewürztraminer. It's ripe, opulent and generous, offering a great burst of spicy flavors that have just a touch of sweetness to them. Screwcap.
This lightly perfumed wine is full bodied and packed with ripe quince and mango flavors. There is just a touch of pepper, which is balanced by the acidity and edgy texture. Give the wine a year to age further, or drink now. Screwcap.
This is a spicy, peppery wine initially, opening with a fragrant, fresh and citrus character. It's bright and crisp, showing some intensity from low-yield vines. Full, ripe and fresh on the finish. Screwcap.
Notes of melon and citrus rind are annotated with a fresh green-herb scent. Decant this tight, compressed white wine.
Cedar cigar box and berry aromas become significantly more charred and toasted upon airing. It feels good, with plum, berry and plenty of burnt toast in the flavor package. It finishes dark and spicy, with a leftover burnt note.
Pure Sauvignon Blanc, this is a light and fresh wine, with notes of lime, melon and a hint of bell pepper. It's nicely rounded off with a touch of residual sugar—a perfect thirst-quencher.
An initial yeastiness on the nose blows off to reveal aromas of sweet, ripe apple, white blossom and savory smoke. Lushly concentrated, with sweet tangerine and apple flavors, it finishes with hints of lime zest and fennel.
Fresh wildflower and pear aromas, with just a hint of yeastiness, introduce a bold, textured palate that's full of flower and stone fruit flavors. Striking acidity drives the long, penetrating finish.
This is a softly floral wine, with citrus and fresh pear notes that accompany green apple. It is ripe and fruity, with a light tang of orange on the finish. Screwcap.
Mossy and inky in smell, this has a firm palate. Flavors of berry, herb and chocolate set up a dry finish, with structure and background complexities. Spicy and herbal, it has a Chilean sort of character.
Ripe black cherries with a hint of garrigue mark the nose of this attractively plump red from Ferraton. The fruit dominates, but there's just enough savory complexity to make it interesting, with a firm yet silky finish. Drink now–2017.
Tannins, acidity, black fruit, everything is in its right place in this wine. It has the structure of the vintage, with a series of dry, smoky bacon flavors, the weight apparent.
Warm and ripe wine, very open with its red fruit acidity well integrated. There are tannins and a more dry character of course—this is a 2010 wine, but the main effect is of weight and some power.
If you want to experience the pepper in Grüner Veltliner, this is the wine to drink. It has plenty of fruit as well—pear and white fruits, elderflower and light acidity. A great food wine.
Robust on the bouquet, with ample red berry fruit and vanilla. The palate has a deep, layered feel and flavors of plum, berry and peppery spice. A tight blend of Carignan, Garnacha and Syrah that's forward and wiry, with power in reserve. Drink now through 2015.
Hans is not really a clone; it's a block in the vineyard. The clone is Pommard; the wine is deep, earthy, tannic and not afraid to show its wild, herbal, forest flavors. It's a classic Oregon style, a little bitter, but nicely sculpted and crisply defined.
Full bodied without being heavy and fruit driven without being confected, this is a well-made Châteauneuf-du-Pape imported in sufficient quantities to make it reasonbly available (2,000 cases). Plum and licorice flavors finish dusty and long. Drink now–2015.
Crisp apples give the wine its tautness and apricot adds a richer touch. This is a balanced, full wine, the fruit tempered by a more herbal, spicy character.
Noceto is a Sierra Foothills' Sangiovese specialist but does a nice job with Barbera as well, this wine being well-integrated, not heavy-handed (13.8%) with a deft balance between acidity and fruit, mostly sweet cherry and blueberry. Very good.
From a vineyard in southern Oregon that is actually its own, self-contained AVA (Red Hill Douglas County), this is a well-structured Pinot Noir with grip and authority. There is a noticeable smokiness to both nose and palate, not unpleasant, and the fruit is tight and supple. Black cherry and blackberry flavors are set in charred wood tannins, but everything is in proportion and nicely developed.
So, why not take advantage of the appellation name to declare a wine spirit of seduction? You''ll find soft, ripe and warm fruits, delicious juiciness and well integrated tannins.
This venerable firm is going through substantial changes as the Frey family continues to update the viticulture and winemaking. This is a rather full-bodied Côte Rôtie, with plenty of dark, earthy and meaty notes edged with just a bit of peppery spice. Drink 2014–2020.
Intensely fruity, combining a spicy edge with ripe apples and grapefruit. It is deliciously crisp, with some richness. The fruitiness goes through and through the wine. Screwcap.
Earthy and a touch leafy, with brick, dried fruits, raisin and lightly roasted berry aromas. The palate is lean, tight and agile, with perky cherry, raspberry and light vanilla flavors. Finishes elegant, with herb and oak notes. Ready to drink.
Ripe fruit with soft acidity chracterize this wine that has great concentration, jammy flavors, strawberry jelly and a generous plum skin texture.
Ideal Spanish rosé in every way, from color to aromas to flavors to the price tag. The nose is inviting, with delicate, crisp fruit aromas. The feel is just right, propelled by bright acids. Tastes of raspberry and watermelon, while the finish is long and lightly spicy. What a quaffing rosado should be.
Powerfully rich wine, with jammy fruit flavors to go with its strawberry fruits. The wine is driven by its ripe fruit, the acidity coming through the sweetness to finish freshly and with some tannic, ageworthy structure.
Dry Red No. 2 is virtually all Shiraz, though small amounts of Viognier, Marsanne and Mataro are often included. The 2008 displays slightly vegetal shadings of capsicum and tomato that may prove controversial, but there's ample cassis as well, rounded out by a cedar note. Its medium weight and delicate, silky texture combine to impart those ineffable qualities of grace and elegance.
Full bodied and richly textured, this is a terrific example of Barossa Shiraz. From its smoky aromas and intense, briary scents to its complex, earthy, spicy flavors with an undercurrent of blackberry, this is a complete package. The long finish is slightly chewy, suggesting that additional aging is warranted. Drink 2016–2025.
Voluptuous and almost creamy on the palate, this very dry yet intensely fruity Riesling is chock full of sweet white peach and orange blossom flavors, balanced by a shimmer of minerality and piercing acidity on the long finish.
There's magic up in Hank Beckmeyer's hills. The Suma Kaw Vineyard in the Sierra Foothills is a prized source for Rhône varieties, where the Mourvèdre typically gets blended in with Syrah, but not here, where it is given room to exude fresh, bright, earthy tones amid an intensity of raspberry, strawberry and just-ripe cherry. A hint of leather surfaces on the finish.
This is opulent, with a perfumed character. It has ripe tannins, which add to the wine's generous nature. The dry edge that comes from the core provides a solid, structured side to this age-worthy effort.
The Ogier firm, which controls this property, has made great strides recently. This is full bodied and silky in texture without being overly soft, and it boasts complex, well-integrated, interleaving notes of dark fruit, mocha, spice and earth. Drink 2015–2025.
This starts off attractively, with a lifted raspberry aroma and just a tiny touch of mint. The red fruit presence expands on the palate, hitting notes of cherry and raspberry and adding hints of spices, like cinnamon and clove. It's full bodied yet supple, with a long, dusty-textured finish that bodes well for aging over the next decade or two.
The quality of the wine emerging from this producer located off the coast of South Australia continues to impress. This is a big, brash Shiraz, screaming with vanilla and mixed berry flavors, yet the result is some kind of harmony, even with the volume turned up to 11. It's full bodied and plushly textured, with a long, layered finish. Delicious now and over the five years or more.
Dauzac, whose vineyards are in the south of Margaux, has produced a severe wine in 2010, full of impressive tannins. It is not without charm, however, and it will certainly fill out its serious structure over the next several years. Give this dense wine time.
This textbook example of classic Rioja is light yet strong, with tobacco, earth and spice aromas accenting dry raspberry and plum scents. It feels juicy and agile, with popping acidity and crisp flavors of red plum and cherry. Like its gran reserva cousin from 2005, this finishes dry and can stand up to additional aging. Drink 2014–2025.
Big tannins give this wine a powerful structure. It has a dense texture that is slowly revealing the sweet-tasting fruit. Powerful and concentrated, it has a long future.
One of the chateaus owned by négociant Borie-Manoux, Lynch-Moussas has produced a fine, stylish 2010, which is firmly based on Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit is rich and ripe, dominated by a blackberry note and underpinned by tannins. This is a chateau to watch.
Ebullient floral and honey notes bolster the intense, ripe, fleshy mango and peach flavors in this powerful Riesling. Full bodied and remarkably dry in style, with a richly textured, almost feathered mouthfeel. It finishes exceptionally long, with a bristle of lemon-lime acidity.
A firm and very structured wine, this is for long-term aging. At this young stage, the fruit seems extracted, but this will pass as the weight of the dense damson skin and tannic character shines through. Complex and finally ripe.
Plum, berry and a noticeable oaky streak define the bouquet on this well-built Rioja. Flavors of raspberry and plum are creamy and end with thickness and full-bodied grip that's balanced off by good acidity. This is perfectly good, healthy and adequately fruity, yet woody.
Toasty, roasted aromas of baked berry and earth head straight to a narrowly built yet weighty palate with earth, plum and raspberry notes. On the finish, this holds onto its plum and raspberry flavors as well as its fresh feel.
This Kekfrankos (known more commonly in Austria as Blaufränkisch) layers tart, crisp blackberry and briar flavors with earthy, rustic notes of wet soil, barnyard and hay. Savory in style and brisk on the palate, it would be a wonderful accompaniment to wild game or fowl.
Two complementary grapes produce this ripe wine that's full of citrus flavors and balanced with pear and peach. It's rounded and rich in its texture, with a touch of honey to go with the lemon acidity on the finish.
This has a spicy bouquet of black pepper, nutmeg and plum punctuated by sandalwood notes. The palate is subdued, revealing bitter cherry, vanilla and coffee flavors. The finish is short, with drying tannins.
This is a bright, young Chianti Classico, showing violet aromas along with delicous strawberry and red-cherry flavors. It's a simple and food friendly wine best enjoyed in its youth.
This has ripe plum and black cherry aromas with hints of underbrush, chocolate and spice. On the palate, it offers a wild cherry flavor spiced with chocolate and coffee. It has a simple structure but is well made.
This lemon-scented Riesling has a bright apple character and hints of peach. It is also delightfully fragrant, while the finish is bright.
This offers red currant, black cherry and chocolate flavors, with a hint of green pepper. It's round and accessible, with soft tannins.
This wine shows aromas of toasted oak, black berry and espresso. The palate offers forward flavors of black cherry, café au lait and chocolate. It's soft and round, but lacks a bit of vibrancy.
Long Island Malbec occupies an unusual place in the spectrum of global wine, showing little resemblance to its cousins in Argentina or France. This one is deeply concentrated, with forward blackberry and cherry flavors—clearly showing its New World identity—yet grounded in acidity and a dark, savory mineral tone. It's a promising wine with light footed elegance.
Pepper Bridge and Stoney Vine vineyards contribute equally to this 100% varietal wine. It's the barrel influence that shows through first, with woodspice followed by green herbs, coffee and dark plum. The palate is rich with focused coffee and dark fruit flavors that have a touch of astringency.
Welcoming and easy to drink, this full-bodied wine has mellow, ripe fruit flavors, light oaky accents and a warm sense of ripeness that doesn't go over the top. Subtle tannins support the texture while keeping it smooth. The blend includes Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah.
This offers aromas of blue flowers, dark berry, coconut and a balsamic note. The warm, forward palate delivers baked plum, ripe cherry, anise and vanilla alongside firm tannins.
Cocoa, nutmeg and cinnamon aromas, generous and broad fruit flavors like blackberry jam and dried black cherries fill up this full-bodied wine. The silky texture is backed with fine tannins, and a lingering finish that echoes the fruit and chocolaty spices.
Whiffs of honey and caramel entice on this elegant late-disgorged sparkler. A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it's delicately pétillant, filling the palate with soft, supple mousse and whispers of biscuit, citrus rind and berry.
This wine is unmistakably Cabernet with its aromas of olive, herb and cherry along with whiffs of game. The palate shows a mixture of fruit and savory elements with a restrained styling and a finish that lingers.
This blend is 39% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. Aromas of herbs, coffee, spice and dark fruit are backed by tart cranberry and cherry flavors, with some grit to the tannins.
This ripe, warm-smelling blend of 75% Monastrell and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon deals aromas of jammy blackberry and baked plum. The palate is thick and chewy, with leathery flavors of roasted plum and baked berry fruits. Notes of raisin, chocolate and earthy spice can be found on a lush finish. Drink through 2018.
This is a blend of 60% Viognier and 40% Roussanne, with all of the fruit coming from Art Den Hoed Vineyard. Aromas of honeysuckle, ripe peach, lees and citrus lead to a full-bodied, creamy-feeling palate with sweet fruit flavors.
What an aromatic tease: there is elderflower, tart passion fruit and lots of fruity exuberance. The interplay between lip-smacking tartness and almost frivolous fruit makes for liveliness, excitement and joy. Serve this when you want your guests to sparkle as much as the wine. Autolytic flavors are subtle but provide a creamy finish.
Hints of vanilla and caramel in the bouquet are followed by lots of ripe berry and cherry flavors that spread out across the palate and coat it with fine-grained tannins for a firm texture. This is medium to full bodied, deep in flavor and broad but structured in mouthfeel.
The value to be found in Costières de Nîmes from the 2013 vintage is impossible to overstate. This certified organic blend of Syrah and Grenache blends cherries, olives and hickory smoke into a silky-textured, medium-bodied wine that's available for a relative pittance.
Concentrated and spicy, this is full of generous tannins and delicious black plum fruits. Spice goes with the toasty wood-aging flavors that enhance the opulent texture of this delicious, ready-to-drink wine. The aftertaste, with its acidity, introduces some freshness.
Firm and with dark tannins, this wine has great potential. Ripe berry fruits and a concentrated structure are already well balanced with acidity cutting through. As it matures, this wine with its dense structure will develop well. Drink from 2017. Enologist Sebastien and vineyard manager Nicolas are the latest Carreau generation managing family estates.
There's immediate appeal to this wine's plum and cocoa aromas, with Syrah (11%) adding game and smoke. The flavors are fruit-forward with plenty of plushness that make it hard to resist. It doesn't seem entirely varietally correct but after the second sip all that is forgotten.
Toast, plum, dark berry, ground pepper, tilled soil and coffee aromas come together in the glass. The chewy palate offers fleshy black cherry, juicy blackberry, licorice and tobacco alongside smooth, velvety tannins and bright acidity.
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Mourvèdre offers aromas of toast, coffee, bittersweet chocolate, cherry and black pepper. The fruit flavors are lighter in style, with chewy tannins and mouthwatering acids.
Blackberry and black cherry sauce aromas are given intrigue with tobacco leaf and sharp clove spice on this wine from a vineyard between the Santa Lucia Highlands and the Carmel Valley. Cinnamon stick and allspice shine on the very spicy palate, which is laid across a boysenberry backbone, with flecks of black pepper throughout.
From a single parcel in the estate, this is a full and rich wine with impressive intensity and concentration. It has spice, pepper and warm black cherry fruits, with a layer of tannins. Ripe and full in the mouth, this can be enjoyed now.
Aromas of dark fruit and cedar lead the nose and follow through to the warm, soft palate with peppercorn, licorice and dried blackcurrant. Velvety tannins provide the framework but it's shy on freshness, so enjoy soon.
Structured and fragrant, this wine offers aromas of tilled soil, forest floor, blue flowers, rose and dark berry. The savory palate delivers mature black cherry, ripe plum, orange peel, Asian spice and anise alongside supple tannins and vibrant acidity.
This light-bodied wine made from Grenache has a deep pink color with a hint of orange, light cherry and raspberry aromas and a touch of spicy-earthy flavor among the fruit nuances. It feels very smooth and easy in the mouth and has a soft finish.
This ripe, full-bodied wine is full of lemon, apricot and crisp pear flavors. They are held together by the tight, almost steely edge to the young texture. It is a wine to hold for maybe a year and drink from 2017.
Though this wine saw only 35% new French oak, the barrel notes show first, with aromas of vanilla and coffee ahead of the variety's peppery spices. The palate displays a better sense of balance with plump, elegant cranberry and cherry flavors that linger.
This exceedingly light wine was given very subtle amounts of oak. It offers a sophisticated take on sassafras and Bing cherry within an earthy, structured shell that imparts a medium-bodied mouthfeel and plenty of acidity. From a site in Sebastopol, it needs time to open in the glass.
This is the winery's first release of this vineyard-designated wine. Cocoa, fresh herb, tire rubber and cherry aromas are followed by cassis flavors backed by tightly wound tannins.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (32%), Merlot (28%), Petit Verdot (22%) and Cabernet Franc, this cool-vintage wine offers aromas of savory herbs, cedar, black tea, woodspice, red fruit and flowers. The cherry flavors are full bodied, with firm tannins and a finish that lingers.
Earthy notes of forest floor, tobacco leaf and black cherry open this wine made entirely from Montepulciano. The lush palate offers a core of ripe black cherry layered with cinnamon-spice, chocolate and coffee. While purists will say there's too much oak, the fruit is undeniably delicious. Not an ager so enjoy soon.
This opens with pretty floral aromas of white peach and juicy pineapple accompanied by salinity and dried sage notes. Siena Imports, L'Amore di Vino.
Tart cranberry fruit is the defining character here and is in tune with the tight, slender body and the refreshing acidity. This has ample elegance and a light touch.
This Xinomavro offers red cherry, spice and black pepper aromas and layers of smoke, vanilla and plucky spice on the palate. Approachable and great for everyday drinking—think lamb gyros or short ribs.
This is a medium-dry wine that has more spice than sweetness. It is warm and full in the mouth, and accented with a touch of pepper, brisk acidity and lychee flavors. The wine is rich and ready to drink. Screwcap.
Heady, oaky, pushy aromas of green-leaning red-berry fruits and coffee grinds are earthy and strong. This is concentrated in the mouth, and also pasty and resiny in feel. Flavors of lactic oak, cardamom and blackberry finish with vanilla sweetness and a lasting wave of wood.
With bitter cherry flavor and a light touch of tannin, this is a fruity, spicy wine. It has a cool climate feel of acidity and tight texture, while also being light and fresh. Drink now.
Ripe, luscious blackberry and bramble bush notes are seductive on the nose of this rather big, powerful Cabernet Franc. The palate is forward as well, with rich black-fruit flavors accented by sweet spice and vanilla, along with a fresh swathe of green on the finish.
Aromatic, with notes of red cherry preserves, this is a fresh, fruity Pinot Noir filled with bright cherry and berry flavor, and a delicate violet flair. It's medium bodied in style, with zesty acidity and big, rigid tannins on the finish.
Hints of sugar cookies and nuts add warmth to notes of fresh apple and blossoms on this dainty Champagne-style sparkling. It's delicately petillant with tart tangerine acidity and pleasant apple and lemon flavors.
While the nose of this Lemberger is quite voluptuous, with aromas of ripe black cherries and plum, the palate highlights crisp, slightly tart blackberry flavor. It's full bodied in style, yet refreshing with acidity and finishes quite brisk.
Warm toast, vanilla and spice notes are inviting on this deeply penetrating Merlot. Despite its rich black-fruit profile, the palate is surprisingly delicate displaying tart cranberry notes that linger long and lean.
Polarity is an unusual golden-hued wine made from Pinot Noir grapes that have minimal skin contact after pressing. Barrel fermentation and aging, as well as substantial lees stirring lend a rich, rounded palate and abundant notes of caramel, butter and popcorn. All this lusciousness is balanced by fresh apple and lemon flavor, and brisk acidity.
Though the oak is high quality (62% new American and French), it's in your face on this 100% varietal wine, with notes of char and toast. It's soft, silky and elegant in feel but the barrel flavors take over making it hard to get all the fruit notes.
Notes of jasmine and acacia mingle with fleshy white peach, apple, citrus and ginger. The lithe palate comes with firm but balanced acidity, while a flinty minerality characterizes the finish.
This is a new offering for Columbia Crest's Grand Estates lineup. Fresh fruit flavors emphasize lemon, lime and pineapple, backed with moderate acidity. A nice spicy lift informs the finish. Light and lively.
This wine is rich with smooth tannins that meld into fresh red-fruit flavors. It's a juicy wine with a crisp, acidic finish. Drink now.
This opens with a delicate and enticing fragrance of white and yellow flowers, hay and beeswax. The palate delivers flavors of golden apple, peach and lemon, with an almond accent. The smooth, weightless texture is brightened by fresh acidity.
This is a fruity and fresh wine with a warm, herbal feel characteristic of Provence. The palate boasts apricot and delicate citrus flavors with a hint of minerality. It has a fresh, perfumed aftertaste.
High-toned with lemon-rind notes against an undertone of oak, this woodsy Sémillon is crisp and bright with acidity. It develops into a fuller style in the glass and on the finish. Fenestra makes a lot of different wines in small lots and this is one worth trying.
Made from organically farmed Verdicchio, this dessert wine opens with apricot, pecan, tangerine and honey aromas that carry over to the syrupy palate alongside citrus, tangerine and almond flavors.
This opens with aromas of butterscotch, lemon cream pie and ripe stone fruit. The palate starts off with rich apricot, apple and peach flavors, but it has a very warm palate that's dominated by evident alcohol sensations. It finishes on a bitter almond note.
Flinty lemon and caramel are flouted around rich layers of caramel and baked quince in this blend of two vineyard sites, both planted to Wente selection Chardonnay. The richness of the vineyards speaks loudly enough to call for only neutral oak to be used in aging. The finish brings a spark of pineapple and mango custard.
A blend based on Alicante Bouschet, this ripe and rich wine is appropriately dark in color. It is a firm wine, full of juicy black plum fruits and dense tannins. With weight and considerable richness, it is a complex wine that is developing slowly but surely. Drink from 2018.
Attractive floral scents of crushed rose and pressed violet are joined by perfumed berry and a hint of menthol. The elegant, focused palate delivers wild cherry, raspberry, white pepper, clove and chopped herb alongside a firm network of fine-grained tannins. It's still young and tight but loaded with finesse. Drink 2019–2031.
This single-parcel, partially barrel-fermented Champagne is in effect a Blanc de Noirs. If all that sounds complicated (and so does the name of the wine), the wine itself is much easier to appreciate. It is certainly rich, with a touch of tannin and mineral texture. Full of ripe white fruits, it offers good acidity at the end. It could age longer; drink from 2017.
The 2014 vintage produced so many standouts for St. Urbans-Hof, it's hard to decide on favorites, but this luminous Spätlese pulls quite a bit of weight for its dimunitive price tag. While delicate in frame, it's dramatic in composure, shifting from floral fruity exuberance to waxy, mineral and taut in each sip. It's drinking gorgeously now but should hold well, and perhaps improve, through at least 2020.
Gorgeous fruit aromas and flavors fill out this plush-textured and softly balanced wine. It offers ripe black cherry and raspberry tones and a full body, but has a delightful, light touch on the palate. The finish lingers nicely, too.
An oily character of tangerine skin, peach flesh and condensed nuts meets with caramel, pinched soda and cut stone-fruit freshness on the nose of this top bottling from the Los Gatos producer. The palate shows ripe Granny Smith apple flesh, seared pears and almond oil, with a sea-salt splash on the finish.
The fantastic nose pitches French toast together with Meyer lemon pith, crushed rock, struck match and a slight sour-cream element. This wine is immediately lively on the tongue, with lots of but not overdone acidity. Yeasty toast flavors are cut by lemon and poached pear on a racy and focused palate.
Spicy orange rind and sunny tangerine notes offset steely shards of lime and mineral in this bracing, deeply concentrated Riesling. The midpalate smooths out richly, glazed by a sheen of lanolin that stretches out the finish. Drinks beautifully already, but should improve through 2020.
Classic Nebbiolo aromas of red berry, leather, crushed flower and a balsamic note unfold in the glass. The full-bodied palate doles out juicy black cherry, licorice and tobacco alongside firm, refined tannins. Drink 2018–2026.
Made by Robert Foley, a sought-after winemaker in the Napa Valley, this older-vintage Cab evokes mocha-chocolate fudge bar in aroma and secondary flavors, accompanied by strong, full-bodied jolts of blackberry jam. Brooding, soft and lightly spicy in clove, it finishes with elusive hints of pencil and cedar.
This blend of Touriga Nacional and Castelão has produced an impressive wine that is packed with rich tannins and a dark brooding structure. Intense acidity cuts through the rich, powerful texture to give a fresh aftertaste. It is still young, so drink from 2018.
The Herdade da Boavista vineyard has produced a serious powerful wine. It has dark tarry tannins with concentrated black fruits and a dense structure. It is big and solid in all senses, while still keeping a surprising amount of elegance with its fresh fruits and juicy aftertaste. Drink from 2018.
Primary yet deeply complex, this powerful Auslese juxtaposes intense mineral complexities against a bounty of luscious white grapefruit, yellow plum and lemon flavors. Though it feels so lithe in texture, it builds in fruit and smoky mineral tones, catapulted by a brisk line of acidity. It drinks beautifully now, but should deepen through 2025 and hold even longer.
Two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay, this aged a decade in bottle on the yeast, before being disgorged in August 2015. Amazingly fresh, it bursts with subtle, well-integrated flavors of citrus rind, peach, almond and pastry. The length and imposing structure suggest it can age for another decade. Drink now through 2025.
Heady notes of saffron and pollen lend a savory spicy tone to honey-kissed chamomile and white grapefruit flavors in this dazzling auslese. Shocks of lemon-lime awaken the midpalate, leading to a long crystalline finish.
Rich succulent black cherry and berry notes mingle with swathes of ripe bramble and dried sage in this bold full-bodied Pinot Noir. Unabashedly luscious and fringed by a feathery fray of tannins, its forward but refined nature is appealing now.
Aiming to highlight one Cab clone grown in the dusty soils of the appellation, this well-crafted wine remains tight in grippy tannins for the meantime. Just enough compelling notes of cedar, grenadine, red cherry and truffle hit the palate to suggest further aging. Drink from 2017–2027.
Rich and layered on the nose, this wine shows peppercorn, bacon fat and blackberry jam aromas. It is full and soft on the palate, with deeply rich yet still a tad tart boysenberry and elderberry fruit as well as an asphalt-driven grip.
On the wonderfully plump, dense and floral nose, this wine shows blackberry jam, black cherry, allspice, wet river stones and lilac aromas. The palate packs plenty of earthy tones, from juniper and asphalt to eucalyptus and black pepper, proving quite complex and layered.
Among a fascinating array of low-alcohol Pinots from this producer, this is the standout. Bright, tart raspberry fruit, immaculately clean and refreshing, is backed with crystalline minerality. There's a touch of wet cement and a persistent, engaging finish.
Here's a bold, full-bodied red that opens with aromas of mature dark berry, Alpine herb, wild flower, and a whiff of menthol. The firm, radiant palate offers bright red cherry, baking spice, licorice and sage alongside bracing tannins and vibrant acidity. It's still young and needs time to develop but already boasts classic Nebbiolo sensations. Drink after 2021.
Dense and concentrated, this is a wine with a long-term future. Ripe apricot and apple flavors are cut with acidity. Equally, the tight, tense structure shapes a rich wine, taut and with a steely texture. It is serious while also likely to be delicious. Drink from 2019.
Just beginning to soften, this is turning into a finely crafted, fruity wine with a tense, mineral structure. It is complex, ripe, packed with apples and with acidity. Taut, it needs to develop further. Drink from 2018.
Forest floor, truffle, wild berry and a whiff of grilled herb unfold on this full-bodied red. The savory, structured palate displays ripe black cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice, clove and a hint of chewing tobacco alongside a firm, tannic backbone. Drink 2019–2031.
This structured wine opens with a quintessential Nebbiolo nose of wild berry, baking spice, grilled herb, fragrant blue flower and a balsamic note. The bracing palate delivers wild cherry, raspberry, clove, licorice and a smattering of chopped herb alongside brisk acidity and tightly knit tannins. Drink 2019–2031.
Bright and balanced, this is a fine wine from an exceptional vineyard site that coaxes a lovely combination of elegance and complexity from the grapes. Opulent on the nose in caramel and quince, it's layered and lengthy, even viscous toward the finish, ending with depth and a touch of vanilla. Drink now through 2021.
Ken Wright recently sold the vineyard to Angela Estate, but continues to make these wines for the owners. The 2013 is sleek and refined, with pristine clarity. Let it breathe and it warms into nicely rounded flavors of cherry fruit, along with highlights of orange peel and pekoe tea. Finishing notes suggest coffee grounds and dark chocolate.
Rich and creamy, this stylish, concrete-egg-fermented Pinot Gris is both muscular and fleshy. Generous fruit flavors combine pear and peach with highlights of orange peel and citrus. The flavors continue through a long, clean finish.
Nicely made, this enters the palate with confidence and strikes a juicy pose, layered with white peach, apricot and pear. The fruit flavors gather strength in the midpalate, dappling in bits of baking spice, cinnamon and custard, and then gently fading into a smooth, supple finish. Classy winemaking here; this is a lovely, fruit-driven bottle with extra dimensions of texture and spice.
Still young, this wine shows the firm tannins of ripe Malbec, allied with some equally tannic Tannat. At this stage its berry fruits and acidity will cut through grilled red meats with ease. In 4–5 years, the richness of the wine will come through.
This is a fascinating wine, just by reading the list of grapes in the blend: Duras, Braucol, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The first two, local grapes, lend a rough edge of tannins, which demands aging, but also give flavors of herbs, wild thyme and solid meaty character. The roundness comes from the ripe Syrah, which adds perfume.
Fillaboa ranks among the most consistent high-quality producers of Albariño. This vintage delivers fresh lemon, melon and apple aromas. The palate is pointed but with some leesy richness and flavors of lemon, lime and stones. Finishes in mouthwatering style, with pineapple essence as the final act.
This excellent Pinot Gris brings crisp, enticing flavors that perfectly mix pear skin, citrus and spice with a finish that somehow evokes coffee grounds and caramel. Huh? Don't know how that happens, but what a riot of flavor in such a simple wine. Better yet, the alcohol rests at an unbelievable 12.5%—unheard of in the last two decades. Tart and juicy, this is as European as it gets in Oregon.
For Chilean Sauvignon Blanc with character, style and panache, Kingston Family's Cariblanco is a perennial pace-setter. There's mineral, sea air and tropical fruit aromas to get it going. Next in line is a flush palate of passion fruit and green apple. Finishes long and stylish, with elegance.
Smooth, ultra-rich, ripe wine, packed with dense but sweet tannins, warm southern herbs and black plum flavors. There are layers of toasty wood here, blending well with the fruit tannins. The effect is big, powerful, but there is acidity as well, just edging the concentration.
Very nicely done, with full-force berry and plum balancing off mild vegetal/herbal aromas. The palate is ripe, round and textured, with alluring plum, berry, leather and vanilla flavors. It folds in cinnamon and pepper on the finish to bring everything full circle, while keeping the herbal element under control; 60% Carmenère and 40% Malbec.
This is purest Grüner Veltliner from one of the best vineyards in the northern Weinviertel. It is ripe, concentrated, an explosion of spice, pepper and fresh pears to go with the lively acidity of crisp apples.
A warm, rich wine, with its red plums, truffle flavors and fresh red fruit acidity. There is wood aging, which has melded well with the fruit, giving a soft, rounded core. The acidity shows well to finish.
A lovely nose of blueberry and spice leads this stylish Pinotage. On the palate, lush, mouthfilling forest berry, pepper and spice is integrated but assertive. An easydrinking wine that is nonetheless complex. Hold for additional enjoyment.
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Rolle and Ugni Blanc, this creamy wine packs a delicious fresh layer of crisp citrus and a soft underbelly of avocado smoothness. There is some green fruit skin structure, and a lively herbal element.
This two-vineyard blend of two-thirds Merlot and one-third Cabernet Sauvignon is a well-balanced mix of brambly berry flavors, with details of leaf and clean earth. Both vineyards are well established and are located in prime Cabernet country on Red Mountain.
Like the barrica (barrel) in its name implies, this is a toasty wine, with vanilla, yeast and elegant white-fruit aromas. Full bodied, it has citrus and apple notes, with mild oxidation in front of the toasty finish. A classy Cava to drink now.
Dusty and smooth upfront, this has attractive orange, nectarine and cream aromas. It feels layered and balanced, with cantaloupe, orange and milk chocolate flavors vying for attention. Mild but composed on the finish, this is made entirely from Trepat.
Though the wine saw less than 10% new oak, it carries a rich, smoky note of espresso from first whiff to last swallow. It's dusty and dense, with fragrances of baking spice and incense. The flavors bring accents of citrus rind, orange peel and white pepper, showing lovely balance and varietal strength throughout.
Still in its infancy, this should be cellared for at least another few years to fully integrate and better express the nuances of spice root, black tea and cocoa nib. The black cherry and plum flavors are plentiful and vibrant, and the gripping tannins linger long into the close.
With its flavors of spice, dark fruit and a hint of herb, plus its touch of rusticity and tense acidity, this is classic Blaufränkisch. Its juicy berry flavors emerge through the tannic texture, revealing a final flavor that is elegant while also rich. Screwcap.
Sourced from Les Collines Vineyard in Walla Walla and Wallula Benches Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills, this engaging Syrah features firm, ripe fruit, brown spice and a strong streak of cola. It's drinking quite well and is fully integrated, so enjoy it soon rather than cellaring it for later.
Intense on the nose, this has spice, leather and ripe berry aromas. It feels clean, plummy, juicy and bright, with lifted red and black fruit flavors. Showing chewy tannins and additional juiciness on the finish, it's very nice and delivers the goods.
A significant expansion in the case production of this wine suggests that fruit from newly planted vineyards is now in the mix. This is a pure expression of pretty boysenberry with a red licorice highlight. A firm foundation of juicy acidity keeps it lively and fresh.
Ripe to the point of smelling like Port, this is a wine for those who relish sweet flavors of raisin, cooked fig, and ultraripe tree fruit in their Cabernets. This has so much fruit it almost seems to have some sweetness. Drink this soon, while some youthful freshness remains.
This opens with balsamic, briary aromas that include herb, olive and greenness. It wine feels big, full and generally well balanced, with roasted flavors of earth and herbal berry that reflect the bouquet. Tobacco, coffee and leather components drive the finish.
This smooth, wood-aged wine demonstrates the acid of Zweigelt, plus complex toast, red cherry and dark chocolate flavors. The wine is rich, ripe and full-bodied, finishing with fresh juicy acidity.
This is dry and firm—its tannins immediately noticeable. There are hints of juicy acidity in the background, but this solid, dense and serious wine is unlikely to soften much more. Pair with winter stews and rich meat dishes.
Solid and varietal, this puts the fruit up front, a substantial, mouthfilling plum and black cherry combo. Streaks of licorice, coffee, chocolate and smoke can be found, though exposure was minimal and the barrels were used. Well done, quite clean and a fine value.
A recommended Chardonnay that's a step or two up from this country's norm. Vanilla, toast and apple aromas set the stage for lively apple, peach and melon flavors. Honey and toast work the finish, and overall it blends tropical power and sweetness with subtleties and some elegance.
This is a smooth, easy-drinking, chocolaty Cabernet. The ripe red fruit is laced with streaks of black olive, mushroom and loam. Barrel aging in both American and French oak (half new) brings in coffee and chocolate.
Riverbend vineyard—the estate vineyard for Fielding Hills—is the fruit source. Also in the blend are Cabernet Sauvignon (12%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). Berries, cassis, coffee liqueur, vanilla and coconut flavors combine in a tasty and substantial take on Merlot. This is especially rich in barrel flavors for this price.
A warm, earthy, rustic style, richly fruity with peaches and sweet juiced fruits. There is good balance of wood, toast, nutmeg and sweet spice. The finale draws a fine line in elegance.
This is an off-dry, fruity style, bringing luscious pear, orange, golden apple and citrus flavors to the front. There's a hint of orange marmalade, and it has good weight and concentration, along with lovely purity of flavor, right through the finish. You'll be reaching for that next glass before you know it.
A full, warm, big-fruited Cab with savory, meaty, oaky overtones to go with solid, acid-rich berry fruit and vanilla flavors. Definitely oaky, but not roasted like many Terranoble wines. Shows slight heat and rubbery qualities, but overall it's a good, hardy Cabernet with serious fruit and structure.
Close to Sancerre, Menetou-Salon produces a soft style of Pinot Noir, the acidity tamed by fresh tannins and loganberry fruits. A hint of wood gives extra weight.
Notes of olive and bay leaves add some interesting complexity to the nose of this blend, otherwise dominated by typical red berry flavors. Ripe and rich on the palate with medium acidity and lighter tannins. The finish, dominated by beautiful notes of wild strawberries, is long and satisfying.
Re-released just now, the wine is already mature, its fruit fading, leaving notes of dried leaves, pipe tobacco and coffee grounds.
As happens with Chenin wines, this has closed up, showing only marzipan flavors without the fruit. It's a stage, and the wine needs another 2–3 years before realizing its mature potential. Screwcap.
A wine that combines a light, off-dry character with crisp Chenin acids, very fresh and bright. Flavors include fine nuts, spice and sweet apples. Screwcap.
Aromas of sweet berry fruit and cherry lean toward medicinal. The palate is juicy due to bold acidity, and the flavors settle on main street cherry. There's a buttery oak note on the finish, but overall it's more basic and fruity than supple and complex.
Spiced gumdrop and rooty sweetness carry the massive nose to a big but balky palate of baked, roasted black fruits, cassis and tire rubber. There's sweetness, beef, marshmallow and burn along with tannic weight and grab. A lot of power; needs more touch. Believe it or not, Medalla Real Cabernet is now a 73,000-case product.
There's no shortage of spice in this value Minervois, with strong notes of pepper and garrigue herbs backed by notes of orange rind, red cherry and young raspberry. Medium-light in the mouth with moderate acidity and soft tannins; drink up now.
This is a 50-50 blend of estate-grown Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in neutral oak. Dark, plush, well-ripened fruit is the focus of a wine still a bit stiff and steely. It's classic in the way a Bordeaux is classic, firm and confidently blended.
Intense aromas of smoke and struck matches blow off with aeration, allowing pretty grapefruit, lime and lemongrass notes to come through. While a touch racy and light in body, it's a ripe richly fruity wine with subtle accents of earth, pine frond and lime pith.
Made entirely from Sangiovese, this opens with aromas of black plum, vanilla and toast. The concentrated palate doles out black cherry jam, cedar and tobacco alongside assertive tannins. Drink through 2019.
This deep ruby-colored wine has a nose of black cherry, apple peel, and anise. It is soft on the palate, with mild tannins and flavors of raspberry, strawberry, black pepper and aniseed that lead up to a mellow but fruity finish.
This straw-colored wine has floral aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle and crisp flavors of lemon zest and grapefruit juice. The finish is lively and lingers.
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese brings bright aromas of cranberries, red currants and cherries. The palate packs a punch of dark-fruit flavors, showing some heat on the finish.
Oaky aromas of sandalwood and spice accent dark-berry scents. This feels full, tannic and drawing, but not rough. Woody roasted plum and blackberry flavors remain oaky on a finish that includes vanilla notes.
Earthy notes of compost and murk blend with oak and black-fruit aromas to form the nose. While this feels a bit spiky and high in tartaric acidity, flavors of vanilla and berry fruits are good. A finish with plum-based flavors, overt oak and scratchy acidity is par for the course.
Subtle vanilla and baking spices accent plum and blueberry notes in Colombo's entry-level Cornas. It's medium in body, with a brightness and freshness to it that make it approachable young. Drink now–2025.
Made entirely with the rare grape variety Rebo, this hearty red opens with aromas of wild blackberry and cassis. The robust straightforward palate delivers =red berry and blackberry jam alongside round tannins. Enjoy soon.
This is a beautifully ripe, tangy wine with fine acidity and hints of spice. Lemon and crisp green apple notes shine through the still tight, mineral texture. The concentration of the fruit suggests it will age well. Drink from 2018.
This rosé is a blend of Tinta Roriz and Tinta Francisca. Its wood aging has smoothed out the bright fruit, replacing it with a rich, creamy, warm character. With firm acidity and ripe raspberry touches, it's a full wine that is ready to drink.
This wine offers pleasing aromas of raspberry, coffee bean and butterscotch. It is easy on entry, with flavors of cherry, cranberry, toffee, mocha and mint. Soft tannins glide over the palate into the almond-toffee finish.
Aromas of cut grass, lemongrass and honeysuckle pave the way for flavors of lemon curd, pineapple juice and freshly cut guava. It is balanced in the mouth with a pleasantly acidic finish.
The nose of this bottling begins with juniper and chaparral scents, building toward black cherry fruit and cola spice. Cooked red plum and cranberry flavors emerge on the palate, where oregano, pine and eucalyptus touches add nuance.
Citrus blossom and lemon pith entice your nose while flavors of apple, pear and peach please your palate. There's a hint of ripe fruit sweetness on the finish.
While initially subdued on the nose, this zesty citrus-kissed Riesling offers loads of lemon and lime vitality. It's crisp and light bodied with a finish that's dry and mineral.
This is an oak-aged style of Sauvignon Blanc that brings out more earthy, savory characteristics than fruity ones. It shows a touch of leek and wet stone in the aroma, with crisp fruit and mild oak flavors on the palate, and a nicely broad texture.
This medium-straw-colored wine has aromas of citrus blossoms and lemon zest with just a whiff of sea mist. It opens up with flavors of peach, apricot and a touch of salt on the tip of your tongue. It's got great minerality and a crisp finish.
This full-bodied white opens with aromas of white rose, honeysuckle, lychee and a whiff of nutmeg. The rich palate has a silky texture, delivering apricot, white peach and a confectionery note.
Aromas of French oak, toast, red berry and dark culinary spice emerge in the glass. The bracing full-bodied palate mirrors the nose, evoking sour cherry, licorice, toast and clove set against austere close-grained tannins that clench the finish. Give the tannins a few more years to soften then drink to capture the remaining fruit.
Made with 60% Pinot Bianco, 30% Chardonnay and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, this opens with aromas of acacia flower, orchard fruit and Alpine herb. The juicy palate delivers white peach, yellow apple and a hint of lemon alongside fresh acidity.
Delicate crisp yellow apple and tangerine flavors are laced with dusty pollen and crushed mineral tones in this dry white. While medium bodied, it's pleasantly creamy in texture, brightened by a streak of lemony acidity on the finish.
Round, superripe aromas of earthy black plum come in front of a tannic palate. Earthy baked-cherry and black-plum flavors finish with licorice root and baking spice notes along with gripping tannins. Drink through 2019.
Despite the age, this is still crisp, lively and refreshing, with notes of gooseberry, verbena and lime leaf on the vibrant bouquet. The lightweight palate offers ample acidity and fruity flavors of just-ripe peach and melon that lend depth and substance. Drink now.
Seductive, toasty scents of brioche and pie crust are upfront on the nose, supported by notes of baked apple, orange oil and melon. The round, plush mouthfeel is soft and richly fruited, with just enough acidity to keep it from feeling too heavy. The palate transitions nicely from flavors of apple pie and creamed pear to woody spice. Drink now.
Earthy compost accents berry and root-beer aromas. This Salta Malbec gives a lush false impression before wiry, jumpy acidity takes over the palate. Across the flavor profile, berry and plum are amplified by tartaric acidity, while on the finish this doesn't settle down much. Drink through 2023.
A gold colored wine, it is honeyed, almost as if touched by botrytis. It's full and rich with a syrupy texture, very smooth, the spice is completely sublimated by the mature character and some fragrant final acidity. It's ready to drink.
Very ripe and concentrated, this wine offers fruit-forward peach and pear flavors. There is also a hint of mango, and a sense of toastiness and smooth texture, although the acidity is never far away. Give the wine another year to mature.
There is a touch of gold to the color of this fine, full-bodied wine that shows a light touch of sweetness. Rich lemon and honey flavors are cut with grapefruit acidity to give a taut, wonderfully crisp wine. Age for another 3–4 years.
This dry, spicy, solidly tannic wine is still young. Its fruit, still hidden behind the structure, promises ripe plums and berries. For now, it's impressively powerful, with layer upon layer of chocolate and coffee marked with bright acidity on the finish. Drink from 2016.
The vines of Casal Branco are planted in what was once the falcon hunting grounds of the Portuguese kings—hence the name of this wine. It's a big, bold wine with flavors of mint and black fruit. It shows its wood aging in the smooth texture and touch of spice that give it a harmonious, rich aftertaste.
One of the best sparkling wines to come from the Loire, this is a classically driven wine, packed with tingling acidity along with some toastiness and apple fruits. The wine is still fresh and could age a few more months in bottle.
Nadal is approximately 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. Like the 2009 Persia, it's a dark, intensely concentrated wine that's tight and ungiving but opens up to reveal notes of asphalt, earth, plum and espresso. It's full bodied and richly tannic, with a long, velvety finish. Drink now–2025.
A surprisingly supple Cornas, the 2009 “Valley of the Eagle” delivers rich plum and smoke notes. It's an already approachable, mouthfilling, superripe Syrah that should express its origins more clearly in about 10 years.
This is a beautiful wine from a great vintage. It has a rich fragrance of underbrush, mushroom and truffle, with ripe black-cherry, mint and rosemary accents. It's still young with exuberant but supple tannins and racy acidity. Drink 2016–2025.
This is an excellent vintage for this cuvée, showing great concentration of fruit. It's a generous mix of strawberry, raspberry and cherry flavors, with the depth of preserves, but not the jammy character. Perfectly buoyed with zippy acidity, and finished with a lightly toasty edge, this is a lovely bottle.
This shows more finely detailed aromas than the 2009—violets and cracked pepper accent dark fruit—but less pure richness and concentration. It's still a full-bodied, dense expression of Cornas, with bright acids highlighting plum and black olive notes. Drink 2015–2025.
This is one of the top Malbecs from Neuquén and it's under $20. The bouquet is focused, dark and loaded with inky berry aromas and graphite. The palate is deep and layered, and full bodied, with blackberry, chocolate and coffee flavors. A long, spicy, toasty finish is warming but not hot. Drink through 2017.
Ripe red fruits dominate this soft and juicy wine. The light structure and touch of tannin give shape to this easy wine. Drink now.
Furry berry and minty oak aromas are forced. This Cabernet-Malbec blend is saturated and intense to the point of being hard. Medicinal plum and berry flavors are basic, while a peppery shot of oaky mint returns on the finish.
The is a soft, gentle wine with ripe berry fruit. Minimal tannins are embedded in its fruitiness and rounded texture. Drink now.
Lightweight and lacking in texture, this wine offers fading red-cherry fruit, cola notes and leafy greens. Drink up.
Aromas of smoke are upfront, with underlying aromas of dried strawberry, prune and mushroom. The smokiness continues on the palate, with prune and fig adding fruit tones. In feel, this wine is disjointed, with adhesive tannins and a lack of lift.
Raw, reedy aromas of currant and cherry lead to a rubbery, pinched palate. Cherry and berry flavors are generic, as is the finish, which has hints of brown sugar. The blend is Merlot, Bonarda and Malbec.
This Viognier is alive with aromas of honeysuckle, chamomile and white peach. The flavors are tart and upfront, showing tangy peach and passion fruit.
This tart, silky wine brings together hints of vanilla and cedar with pie cherries and beets. Light in body, it finishes with crisp acids.
Named after an ancestor of the present owner who became a saint, this wine is soft, spicy and smoky, although with excessive acidity. The wine is ready to drink.
Named after the quay in the heart of Oporto, this light, simple wine is full of black fruit, balanced tannins and acidity. It will be a good barbecue wine. Drink now.
Light in color, this affordable white is floral on the nose, with just a touch of reduction and heady smoky oak. Simply executed, it offers generous flavors of apple, pear and peach.
This wine is soft and smooth. Its juicy black currant character makes it instantly attractive and drinkable now.
Earthy, mulchy berry aromas lack freshness and clarity. This is a dense, meaty, thick Malbec with stewed black-plum and woodspice flavors. Used tea bag and baked berry flavors show on the finish.
Tropical aromas abound on the nose, giving way to passion fruit and peach. These notes the star players on the palate, along with papaya, banana and lime in support.
This has somewhat acrid aromas of animal and farmyard, while the palate offers a very ripe plum flavor that's just short of being overripe, as well as vanilla and chocolate sensations. It finishes on a bitter note.
This wine shows both sweet and bitter sensations that include ripe fruit aromas along with rustic farmyard notes. The palate shows overripe plum and vanilla extract framed by green, bitter tannins.
Apple and tropical aromas fail to hold up to airing. This is flabby and also citrusy in the mouth, with pithy citrus and passion fruit flavors. On the finish, an onion-like green flavor rises up.
There's a burnt toast quality on the nose of this otherwise soft Barbera and a lingering aftertaste of that same toast.
Leathery aromas of raisin and horse hide are shaky. This is thick, grabby and a touch cloying, with baked, medicinal flavors of black fruits and blueberry. A minty, herbal finish feels sticky.
Lightly stewed, tomatoey aromas belie how angular and acidic this Malbec is. Sharp is the word that best describes the mouthfeel, while tart plum and currant flavors finish with drawing acidity.
Jammy, herbal aromas come with a note of orange peel. The palate feels choppy and rough, while flavors of medicinal red berry and herbal influences end in a light, candied, green-tasting finish.
This shows rustic sensations of overripe black fruit, animal and hints of barnyard that contrast with harsh and astringent tannins.
Peach and tangerine aromas are modest and inoffensive. The mouthfeel is flat and flabby, while flavors of stone fruits and citrus are green and stalky. A bland, peachy, chunky finish offers little help.
This opens with aromas of oak and roasted coffee bean along with pungent whiffs of farm animals. The palate offers a sour cherry flavor and bitterly astringent tannins.
A bit rough at first, with aromas of burnt field, corn and haystack. It gets fruitier with time, and the palate is smooth despite offering a lot of citrus and pineapple flavors. Finishes both lively and a touch creamy, with tang and vitality.
Give this wine credit for consistency: in the three years it's been on the market it has scored the same each vintage. This offering is soft, fleshy and slightly green on the nose, with a wet, easy palate that gives mild citrus, apple and peach flavors. Good in the mouth, with just enough acidity to keep it kicking.
Prominent menthol aromas hit you first in the bouquet of this wine, followed closely by bright red cherry and pepper accents. More of the same unfolds on the palate, with accents of raspberry sauce and mocha developing on the finish. Lighter weight with delicate tannins; very drinkable and enjoyable.
Sineann's Peter Rosback has been venturing to New Zealand for several vintages, and his latest Pinot Noir is a ripe, boldy flavored wine. Assertive cherry and cola notes dominate, while the texture is all Pinot silkiness. The drawback—if there is one—is the degree of superripeness and touch of alcoholic warmth engendered by 14.8% alcohol. Drink now.
A five-grape Bordeaux blend, with somewhat generic fruit flavors that show a mix of leaf and raisin characteristics. It's smooth and supple, drinking at its best right now, with finishing highlights of peppery herb.
Bright orange citrus coupled with rich aromas and flavors of green apple, underripe peach and soft fresh grass fill the nose and mouth, with a lively tart acidity cutting through and keeping things lively on the palate. Mouthwatering and easygoing; drink now.
Arctos is more Cab-centric than its sibling Ursa, but in 2007 it must take second place. The blend is about two thirds Cab Sauvignon, with the other four Bordeaux grapes also represented. It has scents and flavors of fruit that seems just on the verge of spoilage—both leafy and fat, and there is a bitterness to the finish that overtakes the ripe, raisiny berry fruit.
Utilizing only ambient yeasts and bottled without fining or filtration, this is a showcase of winemaker Kim Engle's devotion to natural winemaking. Dry in style with savory apple, orange rind and a whiff of apple cider vinegar on the nose and palate, the finish is long with a pleasant orange pekoe tea note.
Crisp and apple-flavored, this light and serviceable Chardonnay brings the clean and balanced flavors of Washington fruit to this California-based producer of high volume, moderately priced wines. Fine for everyday enjoyment.
Berry fruit and mild leather open this good little bargain. There's adequate body and fullness, some oak, and then bright, fresh berry, herb and spice flavors. Finishes dry and lightly toasted, with coffee notes.
A touch of carnation and dried date mingles with the typical dark fruit flavors. A touch of blueberry enters into the mix in the mouth, with approachable tannins and a peppery finish sealing the deal nicely.
Light in color, with a candied, red fruit nose that's sweet and not very oaky. The palate is juicy but simple, with flavors of herbal raspberry and spice. Not overly complex but good due to its fresh, floral outlook.
Scents of salted caramels, smoke and apple blossom make this wonderfully enticing. It's a straightforward, easygoing wine, but highlighted by fresh apple and pear notes that melt into richer, rounder flavors of nuts and cream.
A Riesling/Viognier blend, this mixes citrus and peach fruit flavors together, with more than a little bit of sweetness in the finish. It's a fruity, forward, easy-going quaffer, best enjoyed with a good chill on it.
Lush and ripe with the aroma of honey-kissed apples and spice, the Tanzen Dame is a uniquely contemplative sip. Off-dry in style with super concentrated flavors of honey, orange peel and marmalade, it's a darker, spicier expression of Finger Lakes Riesling worth exploring.
This wine is dense and structured, showing it this is still a work in progress. It has richness rather than huge sweetness with a dry core of botrytis. Bitter honey and spice go with the ripe yellow fruit flavors. Drink from 2018.
Delicious flavors like those of a pear tart and a soft, expansive mousse make this wine easy to love. It combines richness and a luxurious texture with light flavors of butter, vanilla, pear and nutmeg.
This wine is well sourced, its grapes coming from Brown Ranch, Toyon and Trefethen, among other sites. Aging takes place partially in barrels that have been soaked in water before toasting to lessen the impact, and in stainless steel. Light, crisp honeyed apple, pear and vanilla star alongside caramel and a floral flourish.
Vanilla, baking spice, coconut and dark fruit aromas lead to plush, plentiful purple-fruit flavors. It provides a lot of enjoyment and appeal, showing equal parts fruit and barrel.
Perfumed aromas of flowers, orange peel and smoked meat are followed by full-bodied fruit and savory flavors. It delivers a lot of enjoyment.
This wine is a blend of Syrah (76%), Grenache (21%) and Viognier (3%). Perfumed aromas of orange peel, flowers, spice and dark fruit lead to plump raspberry and smoked meat flavors. It needs time to unwind.
Tight red cherries, dried sweet sage, crushed graphite and a touch of smoke show on this clonal study by Richard Sanford and winemaker Nick De Luca. Snappy raspberry fruit meets with pencil lead on the fairly delicate palate, showing that is bound by a tart structure that will ensure long ageability.
This wine pulls it all together for a full-bodied, full-flavored and well-balanced taste experience. It smells like fresh-cut oak in a good way, tastes ripe and fruity, yet at the same time is somewhat tart and dry like cranberry juice. It's rich, well made and could even improve through 2020.
A 100% varietal, this generously proportioned wine offers gamy meat specked in black pepper, the texture smooth and soft. Black fruit and a twist of chocolate add weight and flavor to an already luxurious effort, with length and breadth on the finish.
Slenderness and light touch are apparent with the first sniff of fresh citrus blossom. The palate of this wine shows the full fruit of 2015 with pear, peach, orange and apple shimmering through. The soft, bouncy palate is super-clean, fresh and dry.
A blend of three-quarters Syrah along with 17% Mourvèdre and 8% Cinsault, this wine brings aromas of vanilla, herb, coffee and cherry. The blackberry flavors are lush and full, showing precision, with oak notes speckled throughout.
This variety is a niche player in the state but this wine shows its promise. Aromas of cigar box, mineral, herb and red fruit are followed by a plush full fruit palate. It brings unabashed appeal.
A lifted nose combines the purity of fresh mandarin peel with the mellowness of baked apple. This shows how a few years' bottle age can turn dry, fresh Riesling: into a perfumed marvel. The palate is sprightly, still informed by fresh lemon zest. Lovely now it will continue developing. Drink now through 2024.
Made from organically grown grapes, this wine opens in grass and grapefruit pith, crisply inviting one in. Lemon zest complements the refreshing juiciness while the finish has a bit of a bite, giving an edgy complexity.
This plush-textured wine effortlessly blends ripe fruit, light spices and touches of oak to glide easily across the palate. While full bodied it is not heavy, but well balanced by good acidity and fine-grained tannins.
Vanilla, barrel spice, coffee and dark fruit aromas are followed by generous black fruit and barrel flavors that show exquisite balance. It's impossible not to enjoy.
Warm, shimmering notes of ripe pear fill nose and palate. This generous fruit is countered by citric freshness on this dry, almost slender wine that pulls off a lovely balance and softness without losing its definition.
This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (20%), Malbec (15%) and Cabernet Franc. It brings notes of herb, espresso and cherry that are followed by concentrated fruit flavors backed by burly tannins that need significant time to stretch their legs. Best after 2021.
Deftly showing restraint with this grape that can easily be made into overripe wine, this bottling offers clean aromas of nectarine, apple blossom, bubblegum and tropical guava cream. A mouthwatering acidity hits the palate first, followed by a line of tense chalkiness, then comes the stonefruit, lime juice and a tactile sizzle into the finish.
This is juicy, full of red-berry flavors that are balanced with attractive tannins and acidity. It has some concentration from the old vines, planted in 1951, that gives the wine considerable depth and richness. This is one of those Beaujolais that could age through 2022, although it's very drinkable now.
This wine is all from Yellow Jacket Vineyard, one of the oldest sites in The Rocks. The aromas bring subdued notes of black pepper, bacon fat, blue and blackberries, flowers, mineral and black olive. It has a hypnotic sense of texture—a very pretty interpretation of the variety and area.
Light pink in color, this wine offers laser-sharp, zesty aromas, with pink limeade, pink grapefruit and crushed white-rock scents. There's lots of life to the palate, where a cement minerality unites ripe flavors of watermelon, tart nectarine, white peach and strawberry.
There's not a great quantity of Pinot Noir in Long Island, but McCall's is consistently one of the region's best producers of it. The Hillside Corchaug Estate is particularly refined, offering loads of ripe cherry and berry flavors calibrated neatly by zesty acidity and savory herb and smoke notes. It's supple and mouth-filling, finishing on a long, delicately tannic note. Drinks well now but should hold nicely through 2025.
This well-priced wine shows deep aromas of blackcurrant and kirsch bolstered by soft cola, clove and sassafras notes. The palate is framed by a rocky, volcanic minerality and seductive structure that unveils vanilla, minty herbs and rich rhubarb.
This is a rich, smooth wine, full of both dark black fruits and acidity. The fruit character dominates, sustained by the toasty wood. It is still young with its baby fruit crispness. Drink from 2018.
This wine is an unusual blend of Grenache (59%), Cabernet Sauvignon (29%) and Syrah. It brings aromas of herbs and red fruit that lead to a full-bodied palate, chock-full of plump, ripe cherry and raspberry flavors, with the tannins giving a squeeze. It's a unique interpretation of these three varieties.
Jasmine and summer blossom hover over ripe, aromatic aspects suggesting melon or quince that shine with power on the dry, streamlined and taut palate. The freshness is immense in this precise, bracing and charming wine.
Subtle ember, umami, mineral, funk and black-olive notes are followed by an elegant, lightly styled palate full of savory and floral flavors. It stretches out on the finish with the focus on feel and elegance.
Floral notes play about the tart berry fruit of this harmonious and generously fruited fizz. The palate is exuberant with lively red-berry fruit while creamy notes of biscuit and oatmeal provide a wonderful balance. This is fresh and frothy, creamy and utterly irresistible. The lasting finish is wonderfully dry.
Made by Don Van Staaveren, this blends 36% Malbec, 36% Merlot and 28% Syrah, all grown at the well-known vineyard high atop the appellation. Berry pie, chocolate and tangy acidity define it, supported by integrated tannin and oak, finding balance in a medium-bodied, velvety package.
Sourced from old-vine Wädenswil clones, this effort carries the new Elkton AVA designation. Pretty raspberry and strawberry fruit is set in lightly toasty tannins. This is a lovely everyday Pinot Noir with some density.
Tropical fruit aromas are suggestive of bath soap and body oil. This feels obtuse, with depth and an oily sensation to the palate. Chunky, ripe, oily flavors of melon and orange finish loud and ripe, with a deeper set of tropical fruit flavors than your average Argentine Torrontés.
Lush aromas of black cherry, vanilla, kola nut and blackberry fudge pack lots of action into this bottling. The palate confirms the complexity, with blueberry and black cherry backed by pipe tobacco, dried marjoram and a pencil lead-driven structure.
Sourced from 35-year-old Wente clone vines, this offers bright apple with hints of peach. It's medium bodied and streaked with flavors of caramel and butterfinger candy.
Floral scents float above a chunky, cherry-fruited, single-vineyard wine. It's quite refreshing, with appealing texture and underlying minerality that compensates for the overall impression of palate lightness. Drink now through 2018, while the freshness remains at its peak.
A dusty, cigar-smoke character on the nose of this blend of 52% Syrah and 48% Cabernet Sauvignon spices up aromas of strawberry fruit and rotting roses. The palate combines complex cranberry fruits with Kalamata olive, thyme and pencil lead.
Offering fine flavor for the price, this release emphasizes spice over fruit, with a sharp, slightly herbal edge. Crisp apple and pear show ginger highlights. Drink this lightly chilled with some spicy Thai food.
The winery's entry-level bottling, this offers turned earth, juniper, cola and ripe red cherries on the nose. The cherries carry to the palate, where they meet with tangy cranberries, oregano-thyme herbs and grippy plum skin tannins that last into a solid finish.
Crisp and fresh aromas of lime sorbet and iced apple flesh greet the nose on this Riboli family bottling. The palate is steely and bright, with Anjou pear flesh, a bit of smoke and some red-apple ripeness.
Fresh-pressed blackberry aromas leap out of the glass of this wine, along with asphalt and a touch of purple flowers. The palate is a study of density and thickness, with black plums, coffee and espresso showing most out of the deep, black flavors.
This is a rich wine dominated by ripe Alicante Bouschet that gives some firm tannins as well as juicy red berry fruits. It is ripe, well balanced and likely to age well over the next few years. Drink from 2017.
Broad aromas of seared lemons, white peach and nectarine are given nuance with a bit of quinine on this entry-level bottling. Stewed lemons and apple-custard flavors show on the plush and pillowy palate, cut with an acidic sizzle.
Floral berry and plum aromas are touched up by notes of thyme and cardamom. Fresh grippy acidity keeps this lively, while flavors of berry and plum are spicy and suggestive of tomato sauce. Saucy, herbal flavors rise up on a high-acid finish.
Crisp apple and pears are streaked with earthy tones of saffron and bramble in this brisk invigorating Spätlese. It's concentrated and fruity on the palate with a clingy honeyed touch that extends the finish.
Like most Tradition wines in Cahors, this fruity and perfumed wine has been aged in stainless steel to keep the fruitiness. Blackberry flavors are cut with acidity and a tight tannic character. It needs to age another few months, so drink from late 2016.
Sanguine, this Merlot-dominant blend is juicy with well-toned structure and length. Smaller percentages of Syrah and Malbec provide succulence and softness, while also offering a density of black cherry and berry, finished in dark chocolate.
After five years, the Baga is beginning to soften to create a structured while generously fruity wine. It has acidity and a solid tannic base which is topped by black currant and berry fruits and followed by a richly juicy aftertaste. The crisp, crunchy aftertaste is typical of the grape as it matures. Drink now and until 2022.
Briny, thick and gravelly, this is a blend of 42% Roussanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, 20% Picpoul Blanc and 18% Marsanne, fermented half in neutral French oak and half in stainless steel. High-toned acidity and citrus wrap around salty, herbal undertones, finishing crisp and light.
Bright and fruity, this accessible wine is ready to drink. Fresh and packed with red berries, it is juicy and fresh. The aftertaste, with its acidity, has a touch of spice. Drink now.
Ripe, loamy raisin and kirsch aromas set up a pinched clampy tannic palate that grabs like Velcro. This tastes of vanilla and creamy oak along with herbal red berry fruits. Resiny, vanilla-driven flavors crowd out residual berry fruit on the finish. Drink now.
This opens with rather funky aromas of scorched earth, overripe black-skinned fruit and a whiff of barnyard. The extracted palate offers mature black cherry, toast, espresso and a gamey note alongside tightly packed tannins. A note of roasted coffee bean signals the close.
This ripe, still very young wine has a tangy, mineral texture that cuts into the white fruit flavors. Acidity, creamy texture and flavors of melon and apricots all give this wine the potential to be deliciously fruity. Drink from 2017.
An effusive wine, this shows potent, almost sweet aromas and opulent flavors with hints of mint and rosemary. It has a medium body, fine tannins that add nicely to the texture and a lingering finish.
Luscious peach and blossom notes perfume this plucky off-dry Riesling. Laced with honey and tart tangerine acidity, it's easy, fresh and approachable. Drink now.
Despite opening with a yellow color and waxy oily peach aromas, this benefits from zesty lemon-like acidity. Flavors of quince and apple are oaky, while effusive acidity keeps this Verdejo fresh on the finish, which is otherwise big and full. Drink now.
Aromas of stewed fruit, prune and toast lead the nose. The firm palate is still rather closed but reveals dried black cherry, fig, black pepper, clove and coffee alongside astringent, grainy tannins.
Aromas of oak, toast, espresso and coconut carry over to palate along with coffee, a hint of baked plum and a confectionary note. Drying tannins leave an astringent finish.
While dry in style, sumptuous black cherry and cassis notes lend a plummy feel to this Lemberger. It's an uncomplicated welcoming wine that's a bit plush in mouthfeel but invigorated by bright cranberry acidity on the finish. Drink now.
A finely structured, impressively elegant wine, packed with dark fruit skin flavors, heavy with tannins and delicious perfumed fruit. While it is rich, it is also dry, suggesting excellent aging potential.
Altaïr is a fortressed high-end Cabernet blend with mineral and charred aromas announcing a palate coated with dense berry flavors, tobacco, vanilla and balsamic notes. It's a complex wine that is fairly tough out of the bottle. Ideally it should be cellared for another three to five years.
Big, juicy fruit, bolstered by tannins, gives this wine weight and impressive structure. There is a dry core surrounded by ripe plums, herbs and fresh spices , resulting in soft, juicy freshness. But those tannins promise aging potential.
This is Chris Gorman's first white wine; it has been babied and it shows. The wild yeast fermentation in 100% new French oak really piles on the rich, butterscotch flavors, along with toast, spice, nutmeg and caramel. But there's fruit to match, powerful and thick, with impressive length and weight.
Initially earthy aromas give way to red fruits. The wine follows the same pattern, the barnyard flavors opening out with the ripe red plum and strawberry fruits. There is a delicious richness here, balanced with acidity and firm tannins.
Sourced entirely from the estate vineyard, this is two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Merlot, with just a splash of Petit Verdot. Fat, juicy, toasty and deliciously flavorful, it opens quickly into a plush midpalate, with pomegranate and raspberry fruit dominant. Streaks of caramel and nougat thread through the generous finish. Enjoy right now.
Dense with flavors of blueberry and cassis, it's been soaked in delicious French oak barrels (60% new) for 30 months, and then given further bottle age before being released. Coconut and vanilla highlights are threaded through long, fine, dense, ripe tannins. This strong, stylish wine can be cellared until 2024–2029.
This could be labeled Merlot, which comprises three-quarters of the Bordeaux-style blend. Big, bold, dark and intensely aromatic, it's a bit tight and tannic at first, but opens gracefully into well-layered, powerfully-structured flavors of violets and smoke, cherries and chocolate. Highlights of ground coffee and graphite extend through the finish.
Just under 10 g/L residual sugar, this Riesling, sourced from vines planted in 1972, opens with a juicy mix of grapefruit, orange and tangerine fruit. Textural and dense, it carries across and through the palate into a lingering, mineral-drenched finish. Superb already, it could be cellared through 2024 or longer.
Pure Merlot sourced from several Columbia Valley vineyards, this opens with inviting toasty scents, quickly moving into a broad, flavorful palate loaded with pretty cherry fruit. The balance between fruit and barrel is perfect, and the wine is ready for near-term enjoyment.
From the estate vineyard, this is a blend of three-quarters Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest evenly divided among Cab Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Lovely aromatics introduce a sleek, tightly wound wine with crisply defined berry fruit, good tannins, and hints of clean earth. It was aged in 50% new French oak barrels.
As in 2009, the 2010 Bully includes 10% Petit Verdot, and was aged in 100% new French oak. Muscular tannins and hints of caraway speak to the substantial addition of PV, and the wine is at first chewy and closed. Give it aerating and it shows plenty of depth, with dense raspberry fruit, notes of white pepper and crushed rock, and a lively streak of lemony acid.
Tight, compact and dense, this should continue to evolve with time, easily through 2020. Deep, heady aromas of blackberry, cassis, black plum, tobacco leaf, leather and licorice dance in the bouquet. The palate starts off ripe and juicy, with fresh black-fruit flavors that give way to spicy notes of black tea, licorice root and charred cedar on the long finish. It's structured and gripping, with fine yet powerful tannins and good concentration.
This is a rich, well-balanced and layered white, with lots of aging potential. Notes of red apple, peach, melon and orange blossom mingle with spicy accents of toasted brioche, clove and vanilla bean. It's medium weight and crisp in acidity, with a long, evolving finish that ends decadent yet elegant. Drink now–2020.
Despite a growing number of quality sweet-style Rieslings from the Finger Lakes, this one stands out amongst its peers. It's gorgeously complex, with layers of pollen and saffron accenting deep, concentrated flavors of mango, orange and peach. Searing lemon acidity drives the midpalate towards a long finish that's peppered with dusty mineral notes. Delicious now, but bound to be irresistible from 2021–2024.
Sought-after vineyard grower Charles Heintz has teamed with stellar Sonoma County winemaker Hugh Chappelle (Lynmar, Quivira) to make this divine estate-grown Rosé, pale pink in the glass with hugely inviting floral aromatics. From there is a bolt of electricity, the wine juicy and alive in peach, citrus and strawberry, mouthwatering and light.
Here's a gorgeous wine made with Roviello, an obscure and nearly extinct grape from Campania. It opens with an alluring floral fragrance punctuated with citrus and spice. The elegant, structured palate delivers grapefruit, cinnamon and intense, focused mineral alongside crisp acidity. Hold for more complexity. Drink now through 2020.
A blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 13% Malbec, 11% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, this stunning, well-balanced wine will reward patience. Dark and dense, it's a powerful selection that boasts serious fruit concentration and a full, firm structure, with mouthcoating tannins. The black-fruit core is accented by notes of leather, fresh mint, pepper, char and bittersweet cocoa. Additional nuance and layers of complexity will develop with time; drink 2016-2020.
A tight, metallic streak runs vertically through this Cabernet. Deep cassis fruit, juicy acids and the mineral/metal signature of the vineyard combine in a well-structured wine with an extended finish.
This estate-grown, single-vineyard, 100% varietal bottling is smooth, rich and forward. Scents of baking spices, caramel and toast introduce a full and lengthy palate loaded with black cherry and cassis fruit. A steely firmness to the wine anticipates further development in the bottle.
Barnard Griffin's über-reserve, this extremely limited offering is a Bordeaux-style blend, produced from old vines at one of Washington's founding vineyards. A spicy, peppered candy note in the nose precedes juicy pomegranate fruit, toasted walnuts, mocha and more.
Loamy berry and saucy notes make for a complex bouquet, while the mouthfeel on this Catalonian blend is smooth, round, precise and structured. Flavors of ripe plum, herbs, licorice and savory spices finish dark, chunky and deep, with lasting cocoa and cherry notes that suggest warmth and richness. Drink through 2019.
Rich, full bodied and medium dry, it is powered by ripe fruits, lychees and pomegranates. A spicy undertow brings along some acidity to this concentrated wine. Drink from 2016.
Smoky and meaty, with decadent bacon notes, this wine is hugely built and concentrated, its black fruit deeply etched with cigar box and clove accents.
Whiffs of toasted coconut, dark herbs and animal combine with plush black cherry on the nose of this full-bodied red. Dornfelder's characteristic ripe, ruddy black fruit flavors are a bit obscured in wood and sweet spice, but it's brisk finish is refreshing. Drink now.
This late-harvest wine was frozen cryogenically and aged in neutral casks prior to bottling. It's mid-level sweet, with much higher alcohol than most such efforts. Candied pears come to mind, with residual phenolic bitterness in the finish.
This wine shows reductive notes initially, requiring aeration to burn off the aromas. The palate is sharp-toned, with simple flavors of apple, making it perfect for simple enjoyment.
Ripe and softly smooth, this simple, affordable wine is robust with toasty oak, coconut, cocoa and baked plum notes.
The nose isn't very expressive but eventually yields subdued whiffs of toasted oak and honey. On the shy palate, suggestions of mature apple, lemon drop and a briny note come through before a rather abrupt finish.
Chocolate and plum flavors abound in syrupy concentration in this rich, round and ripe wine. Blended with small amounts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petite Sirah, it finishes on a brawny black cherry jam note.
This proprietary, single-vineyard blend is 50% Cabernet Franc and 25% each Tannat and Malbec. Sharp and slightly volatile, the black-cherry palate is burried by herbal tannins.
This full-bodied wine has a strong stamp of sweet-seeming oak in the aroma and flavor, dominating its lighter raspberry and red cherry notes. Vanilla and brown sugar nuances emerge and continue into the finish.
A year's barrel aging has smoothed the firm tannins of the dark berry fruits in this wine. It is still very structured with layers of tannins and a dark smoky almost bitter character. It really needs some time to open up, so wait until 2018.
This wine conveys cola, root beer, dried strawberry and graphite aromas, with an intriguing twist of curry spice. It's rich on the palate with decent weight, showing Indian spice, pepper, star anise and tart yet juicy cranberry.
Oak, almond and nutmeg represent the rounder, lusher aspects of the 10% Sémillon in this Sauvignon Blanc-based wine, complemented by creamy pear, peach and melon. The two work together well, providing soft layers of crisp goodness in a glass.
From a particular block with limestone soils, this is indeed a light, steely and minerally white wine, given nine months in French oak, only 17% of it new. It takes on that oak with subtle concentration, offering a touch of baked pineapple, peach and vanilla, ending in a bittersweet bite of Meyer lemon.
This is a big ripe wine full of juicy sweet plum flavors and dark dense tannins. It is still young with a bitter edge from the toasty wood aging. The wine, with its structure and firm texture, will need more time so drink from 2017.
A ripe and juicy wine, this is rich with black fruits. Soft tannins and a stalky backdrop make it very approachable when young. So drink this full fruity wine now.
A streak of wax and honeycomb glazes through this otherwise brisk citrusy Riesling. Off-dry and concentrated in apples and tangerines, it finishes moderately long with lingering touches of tea leaf and honey. Drink now.
A ripe and warm wine full of yellow fruits and a full-bodied texture. It's rich and creamy with a fine balance between exotic fruit and the crispest citrus. The wine is ready to drink.
Solid dark-berry aromas are dense and deep. This has a plump forward fruity palate with concentrated, toasty flavors of blackberry and dark plum. On the finish, this remains fruity and compact, with more than enough body weight.
Ripe rustic woody aromas of berry fruits and cedar introduce a raw rugged drawing palate with oaky baked lightly medicinal flavors of candied berry fruits. Grabby tannins, heat and spicy flavors push the finish on this firmly structured Garnacha. Drink through 2018.
Aromas of black raspberry, violet, baking spice and a whiff of game lead the nose. The chewy palate offers juicy sour cherry, ground pepper and licorice alongside racy acidity and round tannins. It's meant to be drunk young so enjoy soon.
Aromas of mature plum, espresso, toast and Asian spice lead the nose while the dense palate delivers dried black cherry, red currant, licorice and ground pepper. Tangy acidity and close-grained tannins give it a mouth-puckering finish.
Aromas of baked plum, scorched earth, mint and menthol come together in the glass. The firm palate offers dried black cherry, raisin, ground pepper and a hint of Oriental spice accompanied by close-grained tannins. A licorice note closes the finish.
Aromas of black cherry, ground pepper, clove and chopped herb jump out of the glass and carry over to the vibrant, easy-drinking palate. Racy acidity and round tannins support the juicy fruit. It's made for sheer drinking pleasure so enjoy soon.
Aromas of plum, blackberry, violet and exotic spice jump out of the glass. The bright, polished palate offers black cherry, raspberry jam and black pepper alongside fresh acidity. It's made for immediate drinking pleasure so enjoy soon.
Spiced blueberry, ripe plum and tilled earth aromas lead the nose on this hearty wine. Made with no added sulfites, the big, chewy palate delivers juicy black cherry, ripe blackberry and licorice alongside the warmth of evident alcohol.
It has been a while since we've reviewed Cuatro Pasos, but eight vintages later it's basically the same wine, which, for the price, means good value. This opens with earthy warm muddled berry aromas. The palate is flush and plump, reflective of a hot vintage, while blackberry and cassis flavors finish hefty. Drink now.
The ample alcohol in this wine imparts a rich slightly syrupy feel to this wine that's not particularly Pinot-like, but still satisfying. Strawberry and raspberry notes carry a hint of tomato leaf, then finish with crisp acids.
Waxy aromas of lanolin, dried apple and cheese set up a plump well-balanced palate, with plenty of body weight and adequate acidity. Peach, apple and melon flavors are moderately stony and minerally, while this varietal Garnacha Blanca finishes with good length.
With the normally more northern Alvarinho in the blend, this wine has considerable freshness. That is mitigated by the wood aging that has broadened the wine and brought out tropical and yellow fruit flavors. The wine is ready to drink.
This is a pale colored wine, a blend of local grapes and deliciously fresh. It is rounded and smooth, touched by citrus and fresh tangerines. Ripe and fruity, it is ready to drink now.
Barrel-fermented in neutral oak, this is ready to drink, softly flavorful with yellow apple and other yellow fruits, and a warm, autumnal mouthfeel. Drink now through 2018.
The aromas of wild strawberries, spice and sarsaparilla are immediate in their appeal. The palate is light bodied and elegant, with mouthwatering acids and flavors that linger. This wine is delicate but brings a lot of enjoyment.
Light pink in the glass, this Pinot Noir-based wine shows pink lemonade, lime and watermelon on the nose alongside wet cement. There is lots of tangy power and fresh energy on the palate, with lemon-zest flavors making the tongue sizzle and cleaning the mouth perfectly.
This wine offers clean, slightly dilute raspberry fruit, along with lovely aromatics and a persistent, engaging finish. In spite of the lightness, it holds your interest.
Solidly built, almost chunky, the accent flavors suggest time spent in a percentage of new wood. Citrus and apple are cloaked in oaky spices and barrel flavors of toast, vanilla and butter.
Aromas of fresh asphalt are gritty but mix nicely into lightly herbal black-fruit scents. This blend of 70% Cabernet and 30% Carmenère is hard-driving and firm. A collection of baked berry and spice flavors finish with mild oak, tobacco and vanilla flavors. Drink through 2019.
Rose-petal aromas and luscious melon and grapefruit flavors give plenty of interest to this medium-bodied, dry and ultrasmooth wine from a stalwart winery. Delicious on its own for lunch or cocktail hour, it also makes a great counterpoint with Thai food and shellfish.
From Michael Mondavi's portfolio, this affordable Cabernet is concentrated in red berry and savory leather, a nod to the small amounts of Syrah and Petite Sirah that are included in the blend. French oak provides a hint of vanilla and cardamom, while the medium-bodied palate and attractive finish is washed in coffee.
Earth, spice and plum combine around a lean frame that's dusty and sublime in this high-acid wine that features a muscular, caramel-laced finish. In balance, this is lovely and food friendly.
This wine is filled with aspects of black licorice, leather and high-toned red fruit, along with interesting side notes of white pepper and dried herb. Full bodied, it has zestiness on the finish thanks to a pleasant note of acidity that balances out its burlier side.
This luscious, flavorful and mouthcoatingly rich wine smells like ripe strawberries, and tastes almost like blackberry jam. It does a good job of balancing lots of ripe and nearly sweet fruit flavors with firm tannins and has a rich and lingering finish. It's high in alcohol and flavor.
Touches of matchstick, garrigue herbs and lime leaf complement the green apple- and pear-fruit core of this well-balanced, attractive Chardonnay. There's a slight creaminess to the palate, lifted by medium acidity to keep the mouthfeel fresh and the finish clean. Accents of toast and sweet spice dance on the close.
This wine from San Ardo Ranch in the San Lucas appellation wins against Zins twice the price. Black cherry and blackberry aromas meet with sensuous lilacs and wet asphalt on the nose. The palate's cherry juice front quickly turns to tobacco, dried blueberry and a tarry, dried-berry finish.
Thick like a chocolaty malt, this full-bodied, robust wine is big and rich, concentrated and layered in tobacco and jam. Despite its size, it is drinkable now, with well-integrated tannins and a complete finish.
Aromas of toast, prune, dried earth, leather and a balsamic note emerge on this full-bodied wine. The structured palate delivers dried black cherry, mocha, tobacco and a touch of baking spice accompanied by a network of tightly woven tannins.
This single-vineyard exploration shows a more tropical side than the winery's other Chardonnays. Rich, rounded notes of honeysuckle, lemon custard and apple cider characterize the nose. The palate is reserved compared to the showy aromas, with buttered peach and green-apple flavors.
A musky, herbal element rises on the nose of this wine, a majority varietal, with small additions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Dry and structured, it features soft waves of savory tobacco and tea leaf around crisp cherry and clove.
Exuberant green apple and quince aromas meet a savory almond-croissant tone on the nose of this 100% Chardonnay sparkler. Time in French oak and extended aging on the lees have rounded and broadened the mouthfeel, offering a rich palate accented by lemon rind and candied nuts. Vibrant acidity and finely-beaded bubbles keep things light and entertaining.
This blend is principally Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a pinch of Petit Verdot blended in. The barrel aromas (24 months in all-new French) stand out at first, with notes of chocolate, coffee and spice. The black-fruit flavors are full bodied and high-octane, showing some warmth on the finish. The oak needs more time to integrate.
This is a new line of label-driven wine meant to be adventurous and whimsical. Catchy label aside, the wine inside entirely delivers in well-integrated fruit and floral characteristics, showing the crispness of its stainless-steel fermentation. Tangy, it's both tart and tropical, finishing focused and lean.
A notion of light citrus peel rises on the nose before a nicely packaged selection of Asian pear, fennel-like herb and lemongrass appears. Thick, rich and nearly full bodied, the wine settles into a crisp, tangy finish.
Cocoa, baking spice and blackberry aromas lead to opulent herb and dark fruit flavors. This is high-octane but generally holds it well.
Enticing scents of jasmine, wisteria and white stone fruit lead the way. The vibrant palate doles out green apple, juicy pear and white peach accompanied by a soft mousse. A white almond note closes the crisp finish.
There's nice restraint on the nose of this judiciously priced bottling by the Delicato group, with lemon-lime citrus and slightly green apple flesh on the nose. The wine is strongly textural once sipped, with sour apple, lime peel and riper stone fruit in the background, finishing grippy and clean.
This wine is generous, rounded and soft. Rich red fruits dominate, exploding in the mouth with red cherry and raspberry flavors. It is a soft wine, perfumed with delicious, forward fruitiness. Drink from 2017.
Aromas of licorice, nutmeg and blackberry come with herbal, leafy notes. This feels plump, with integrated acidity and a good texture. Notes of toast and pepper give complexity to core plum and olive flavors, which are backed by an herbal, toasty finish that sports some heat. Drink through 2018.
Fruity, spicy, oaky aromas make an instant impression, and tasty, ripe fruit flavors deliver the goods. This full-bodied, lush-textured and quite flavorful wine is bold and dramatic.
This wine is pretty and floral in violet and lavender, soft, smooth and simply rendered. High-toned in bright red fruit, it's out and out yummy and a tribute to a great old vineyard still planted to the rare variety.
From an extremely coastal 13-acre vineyard in Bonny Doon that was replanted in 2005, this wine shows black-cherry jelly candies on the nose alongside wild mint, white sage and black olive. The palate is more asphalt and tar-laden, but with blueberry, violet and uncrushed peppercorn flavors that make it quite tasty.
A blend of 45% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre and 5% Syrah, this is a beautifully expressive, well-balanced Corbières-Boutenac red. Initial aromas of dense red plum, raspberry, and strawberry give way to secondary scents of rose, lavender and thyme. The medium-weight palate shows more fresh fruit character, with fine yet structured tannins lending grip through the close.
Aromas of baked plum, vanilla, raisin and a confectionary note emerge in the glass. On the palate, notes of ground black pepper and chocolate accent the core of black cherry and raspberry compote alongside firm, fine-grained tannins.
Fistfuls of rustic, pungent earth rise out of this silky, complex wine that is sourced from Nobles and Spring Hill vineyards. A sauvage element keeps it dancing on the edge in terms of balance between savory black tea and forest, and crisp, red berry. Smooth and soft, it meets a demure end.
The Indelicato family's vineyard is basically the entire appellation. This hearty blend of Syrah, Grenache, Petit Verdot and Viognier shows it off well, with fruit-driven aromas of grape juice, grape seeds, olallieberries and sandalwood. The palate shows decent structure as well as blackberry fruit, dried oregano, beef jerky, peppercorn and sanguine flavors.
Rounded, ripe and aromatic apple flavors of Cox Orange Pippin present themselves in lively purity. The palate also mimics that crunch of sweet apple flesh and tart freshness. Supported by bright lemon, this makes for a very clean-cut, friendly and utterly appetizing dry Riesling.
From a parcel of Malbec that is planted at 6,666 plants to the hectare (about 2.5 acres), this is such a concentrated wine. With powerful and brooding tannins, it is structured and richly endowed with black fruits. The natural acidity of the Malbec is enhanced by the mineral character coming from the stony soil. Drink this young wine from 2019.
Light purple in color, this aromatically appealing, fruit-forward wine has notes of dark plum, dried herbs and peppery spices along with a mocha top note. It's plump and velvety in feel, with concentrated yet lithe fruit flavors that linger effortlessly on the long, fruit-filled finish that kicks it up a notch.
Rose, violet, perfumed berry and cake spice aromas lead the nose on this sleek, elegant Barolo. The vibrant palate is loaded with crunchy red cherry, juicy raspberry, cinnamon and savory herb. Firm but polished tannins and fresh acidity provide the framework. Drink 2018–2030.
Though quite high in alcohol, this blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah doesn't overwhelm the nose with heat. Instead, complex and integrated aromas recall beet juice, cinnamon and Christmas spices. It's lush and flavorful on the palate, with brandied cherries, boysenberry sauce and a strong backbone of licorice, sage, creosote and pine.
An herbal edge of lemon balm plays amidst the citrus and pineapple-scented nose of this immensely concentrated Riesling. Pleasantly bitter notes of apple and pear peel add an earthy quality and a firm structure that allows citrus aromas of lemon zest, pink grapefruit and tangerine peel to soar.
Not much of this wine is made and that's a shame. A celebration of richness and creaminess on the palate, the wine is given extended lees contact to contribute both texture and complexity. Marked by oaky caramel notes on the nose and palate, the wine also shows minerality and freshness, especially on the finish.
Remarkably intriguing aromas of dragon's blood spice (a Southeast Asian incense) as well as cinnamon and dried raspberries arise on this wine by Dan and Thérèse Martin. The palate is also highly floral, like sipping a purple bouquet, with violet and ollallieberry flavors that linger after your sip is done.
Smoke, graphite, leather, woodland berry, forest floor and balsamic notes lead the nose on this complex, elegant wine. The palate offers dried black cherry, ground pepper, grilled sage, mineral and licorice alongside firm but polished tannins and bright acidity. Give it time to develop fully.
From two very good vineyards—Pahlmeyer's Wayfarer on the extreme Sonoma Coast and Hallberg in Russian River—this stellar wine is juicy, herbal and swimming in delightful acidity. With just enough concentration to give it some strength and structure, it's a nice balance between power and finesse.
Fragrant and structured, this classically crafted Barolo opens with a Nebbiolo aromas of red rose, red berry, underbrush, leather and balsamic notes. The palate doles out ripe black cherry, crushed raspberry, savory herb and ground black pepper alongside elegant tannins. Drink through 2015–2020.
On the nose this is muted, but the palate is full of easy charm. Floral hints meet with ripe pear and that wonderfully leafy, ripe pungent pepperiness. Sleekness, shapely freshness and a bit of playful verve underlines the fact that this is immensely concentrated despite not coming across as heavy.
Mellow, ripe Comice pear on the nose leads into a soft, expressive yet light-bodied palate that has slight spritz, subtle, pear-scented flavors and a mellowing earthiness surrounded by overtones of dandelion and jasmine. At the center there is acidic verve. This is very elegant and very balanced.
This is deep and ruby in hue, while the aromas are spicy, brightly oaky and reminiscent of red cherries. Ripe yet fresh and tangy flavors recall cherries and raspberries, while a vein of darker plum comes in and lingers on the long finish. It's serious and delightful at the same time, and will age well; delicious now, but best after 2016.
Ripe mandarin with tender touches of white blossom beckons invitingly on the nose. The palate is precise, toned and sprightly. This wine dances nimbly on the palate, touching here with tangerine, there with lemon. Spicy zestiness lasts and lasts.
Ripe yellow pear is held in check by citrus zestiness, but rich fruit notions keep breaking though the bracing freshness of this wine. A slender body and fine-tuned phenolics add to the appeal of this balanced white.
Freshly sliced yellow plum, ripe yellow pear and creamy hints of aloe vera make for an inviting nose and a very mellow, soft palate with that delicious edge of finely ground white pepper. Quintessential Grüner with verve and concentration.
Aromatically still in its shell, this wine offers notes of mineral, pepper, smoked meat, barrel spices and dark-blue fruit. However, flavors are already singing, with waves of rich, intense fruit that almost overwhelm the senses. This velvet hammer of a wine should only reveal more charms with additional time in the bottle. Best from 2017 to 2022.
From its base in the Marne Valley, Blin has access to the best Pinot Meunier. This rare Champagne—100% Pinot Meunier—has a richness and open fruitiness that impart ripe character, but with a tight, dry edge. The lightest pink color, it's not quite a rosé, although it certainly has some raspberry flavors as well as orange zest and a tangy texture. Drink from 2016.
Succulent and linear, this structured wine opens with classic varietal aromas of underbrush, ripe berry, leather, grilled herb and balsamic notes. On the palate, a tannic backbone supports juicy Morello cherry, white pepper, clove, tobacco, sage and a note of menthol. Drink 2016–2024.
Dried herb and tobacco accent a mix of red and black fruit in this silky-textured wine. Vanilla and menthol notes add more nuance on the nose, while the red fruit lingers elegantly on the long, velvety finish. Drink now–2025.
Produced only in top years, this Tannat-dominated wine is named after the Greenwich 0-degree longitude that passes through the vineyard. The wine itself is powerful and structured while keeping a great sense of style. Black fruits push through strongly. offering richness and balanced acidity. The wood aging combines easily with the fruit tannins to give a textured, dry background. Drink from late 2015.
This stunner of a wine brings notes of nut oil, ripe, fresh-off-the-tree peach and mouthwatering apricot. It's nectarous and rich with a rounded feel and abundant sweet fruit flavors that linger. Terrific stuff—a benchmark for the variety in the state.
This blend of 58% Petite Sirah and 42% Zinfandel provides a good example of a winery going over the top and succeeding. Aromas recall blackberry-laced tea, dried rose petals and Luxardo cherries. Cassis provides the centerpoint of the flavor profile, with a backbone of ample tannins and touch of tar.
This 100% varietal wine brings notes of fresh herbs, red fruit, vanilla and clove. It's supple, textured and soft in feel with a captivating sense of balance, well-framed acidity, and lightly chalky tannins.
Pure and soaring elderberry fruit with overtones of Morello cherry puts this in the darker fruit spectrum. Nonetheless, it has all the freshness and verve of red-fruited styles. This balanced and immensely enjoyable wine only reveals its seriousness slowly. Velvety texture and definite but gentle structure spell that this will also age well.
Iron oxide and earth inform the sumptuous red cherry fruit. The medium body is slender and toned, yet not without depth. The fruit lavishes notes of blossom and smoke; ripe but firm tannins provide structure. This is fresh, not overdone and honest. The name "Umriss" means contour, perhaps an outline of what this lovely variety can be. The lovely cherry aftertaste gives us an idea.
Leathery on the tongue, this lovely Merlot, with 7% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in, offers inviting notes of plum and cherry, completely juicy, around firm, strong tannins and balanced acidity. From two separate, rocky blocks on the winery property, this wine is concentrated and smooth. Enjoy through 2021–2025.
Ripe pear and yellow plum vie for prominence on the nose, while the palate is full of savory, peppery kitchen herbs like chervil, lovage and dried sage. The midpalate phenolic texture destines this for the table where it will shine with subtly spiced dishes. Wonderfully complex and long.
An interesting, fecund nose carries aromas of wet hay along with cherries and plums. Well-balanced and high-toned flavors are bright and set the fruit against firm tannins and a layer of loam and graphite. Give it a few years in the cellar to bring out all the complexity.
A dusty, plummy, dark berry pie Petite Sirah from old vines grown in the Santa Clara Valley by the Guglielmo family, who have been based here since 1925. With lots of bittersweet chocolate, white pepper and well-integrated oak, this Petite is subtle, its alcohol relatively low and its tannins quite refined, a Petite for French palates.
There is very little Carmenère in Washington, and Beresan's limited and sought-after varietal offering is restricted to tasting room and mailing list customers only. Balanced and tight, the crisp red fruits are annotated with hints of gun metal, toast and cinnamon. Just a touch of pepper and leaf, along with streaks of licorice and vanilla in the finish.
A dark, inky purple in color, this is a full-bodied (15.5% alcohol) but gentle Malbec, its vanilla, plum and black olive notes framed by supple tannins and a velvety finish. Drink it over the next several years.
Deep, compact and rich on the nose, with a big dose of ripe berry aromas. The palate is healthy and blends a beefy, muscular body with balancing acids and firm but ripe tannins. Tastes pretty and sweet, like blackberry or plum pie. Chewy and chocolaty on the finish; overall it's a winner.
Argento has found its calling with this wine, by far the best to date from this label. It's deep and pure, with raisin, blackberry, spice and vanilla on the nose. Super solid and lush, with layered flavors of jammy berry, coffee and chocolate. Holds all its form on the finish; excellent vino for the dollar.
This Corbiéres blanc is 50% Marsanne and 50% Roussanne, and it is a stunner. Aromas of toasty red apple, soft bouquet garni and a hint of sweet spice draw you in immediately. The medium- weight mouth is fruity and spicy all at once, with accents of butter and peach pit developing on the close. Drink now through 2013.
Despite being 51% Sangiovese, this wine comes across as more Shiraz in style, marked by dark, plummy notes, black olive, tar and coffee. It's medium-bodied, with soft, creamy tannins and a reasonably long finish. Maybe the Sangiovese just brightens things a little. Good value.
A really good and clean white wine with all the tropicality and zest that this Argentine variety can give. The nose is crystalline and pure, with white flower scents of jasmine and citrus blossom, while the palate is round, melony and full of lychee and papaya. Smooth on the finish. Drink soon.
A nicely done microscopic-production Syrah out of Livermore Valley's Madden Ranch, the source for many a Syrah, not always so deliciously rendered. Winemaker Greg Jenkins (wife and partner is Olympian Peggy Fleming) works with a variety of grape sources from his historic Novitiate Winery in Los Gatos, using John Madden's hillside vineyard fruit in this case to make an intense wine full of cassis, vanilla, anise and chocolate.
Condensed and dark on the bouquet, with initial hard, cheesy aromas giving way to herbal berry scents that suggest thyme and rosemary. The palate is soft and chubby, with just enough structure to make the earthy, ripe berry flavors taste better than simply big and bulky. Finishes with a light espresso bitterness. Drink now through 2012.
With a wine from every cru in Chablis, La Chablisienne is able to bring out the character of each. This cool Côte de Léchet is typical in its tight, mineral character, revealing its edgy nature. It's a wine with some aging potential, so give it 2–3 years and more.
The 2014 vintage was slightly cooler than 2013 in the Barossa, which bodes well for Cabernet. This shows aromatic red currants, bay leaf and sage on the nose, then folds in hints of cinnamon and brown sugar. The oak is in the background, letting the fruit carry the wine, yet building in a rich, velvety texture. Drink now–2030.
Fragrant blue flower, red berry and balsamic notes set the tone for this delicious red. The elegantly structured palate delivers wild cherry, crushed raspberry and chopped mint flavors, a potpourri of dark spice lingering through the finish. It's enjoyable now but promises fine drinking over the next several years. Drink through 2022.
Dijon clones go into this rich mouth coating wine. It pushes pastry flavors front and center—apple pie, pie crust and cinnamon—but it never goes too soft, and finishes with a well-modulated mix of barrel toast (30% new French oak) and underlying minerality.
This newly released still wine from sparkling specialist Gloria Ferrer is a successful first effort, blending bright cherry, strawberry and tangy blood orange flavors. With an earthy hint of compost and forest, it celebrates the variety in all its glory, upholding its acidity beneath a weight of richness.
This is a fine example of what Barossa Shiraz is capable of at a realistic price. It's full bodied and richly textured, plush without being too soft. French oak brings a smoky, bacony element to the ripe blueberry fruit, plus a dusting of baking spices that lingers on the finish. Drink now–2025.
Inviting, even beguiling aromas of lovely ripe and tart apple fruit play on the nose. They are fully and charmingly expressed on the dry fresh palate. Lemon freshness brightens everything and makes for a clean enticing finish. Lovely classy Riesling.
This Christian Roguenant wine, which translates to “Red Falcon,” offers a plump and inviting nose of black plum, cherry, cinnamon,and gingerbread aromas, with a touch of crushed slate. The palate tightens up remarkably, revealing gravel notes and dark berry fruit, proving minerally throughout the sip.
A wine to remember for its spicy pepper scents and vibrantly fresh acidity, this is complex and layered, moderate in acidity yet amply juicy in blackberry and blueberry fruit. Hints of spice, sage and lavender linger impressively on the finish.
From the producer's oldest estate vineyard, planted in 1970, this is lovely in rose petals and baked fruit, offering a powerful density of full-bodied concentration and succulence on the palate. A velvety texture is complemented by a bite of oak and tannin that flirts with grip.
This wine is so ripe, rich and generous in flavor it's almost jammy, but there's no denying the appeal of all that fruitiness. Full body, velvety texture and soft acidity make it plush on the palate, helping the rich finish linger. Although it was aged in French barriques—two-thirds new—it's by no means an overoaked wine.
Well-ripened fruit flavors and full body define this big, smooth wine that was aged in French oak for 18 months—longer than is usual for Pinot Noir. It shows black cherry, blackberry and mild spices on the palate, with an appropriately tannic mouthfeel and warm, lingering finish.
Full bodied, creamy and rich, this wine will undoubtedly please Torbreck fans and provide another piece of ammo for critics. Tasted blind, I wrote, “Torbreck-like nose of lifted spice and stewed berries.” There's a hint of mint as well. Mixed berries and brown sugar notes mingle easily on the palate, while a touch of dried fruit (not a positive) creeps in on the finish. Drink now–2025.
Heady aromas of cola, blackberry and licorice set up a youthful choppy palate with hard tannins and a sense of skins. Blackberry, licorice and charred toasty oak flavors finish dry, spicy and with a strong note of dark chocolate. Drink through 2028.
Classic Eden Valley aromas of lemon-lime sherbet and wet stone mark the nose of this medium-bodied wine. That wet stone note carries through on the palate to yield a slightly chalky or crushed-stone texture, while the citrus fruits race through the long finish. Drink 2020–2030.
Despite the rather high listed alcohol, this looks and feels elegant, even refined. The well-balanced barrel treatment puts highlights of toast and caramel around fruit flavors that sing of spicy plum cake.
Emeritus is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot and Syrah filling out the form. Dense earthy aromas of blackberry come with a note of graphite, while the oak on this bruiser smells a bit cheesy. Pounding blackberry and chocolate-cake flavors finish oaky, toasty, baked and incredibly ripe. Drink this massive wine through 2023.
Lush ripe aromas of earthy black fruits and graphite open this varietal Graciano from a warm vintage. Hefty and chewy in feel, this tastes of fudge cake, blackberry and cassis. A lasting stout finish offers tobacco and prune flavors. Yes, this is huge. But there are very few Gracianos that offer this kind of power, flavor and intensity. Drink through 2023.
At a fraction of the cost of the Velvet Glove, readers can try this wine with similar results. It's full, rich and expansive on the palate. Warm waves of ripe berries suffuse the palate, tinged with Mexican chocolate, vanilla and mocha. Drink now–2025.
Creamy and plush may not be traditional Cabernet descriptors, but they're what this wine delivers. Vanilla and graham cracker notes swaddle mixed currant fruit in this big but cuddly teddy bear of a wine. Drink now–2022.
A full-bodied explosion of hearty ripe fruit is the story in this soft, straightforwardly approachable and enjoyable wine. It's blended with 15% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and aged in oak, giving it smokiness and a length of spice that opens in the glass.
Crisp clean white-fruit aromas come with a hint of clover. This is mellow and mature on the palate, with nothing aggressive or edgy. Dry, peppery, yeasty flavors show little overt fruit, while this offers a hint of green melon on a dry complex finish.
Blue fruit character comes softly layered with exotic clove and cardamom scents in this elegantly light and vibrant wine. Given less time in oak than some of the producer's single-vineyard wines, it's focused and varietal, with a gravelly, complex finish.
This bright, juicy red offers rose, dark berry, baking spice and new leather scents that mingle together in the glass. On the palate, crushed raspberry, wild cherry, licorice and clove notes are bolstered by chewy tannins and fresh acidity. It's delicious now but will reward a few more years in the cellar.
This offers ripe dark-skinned berry, chopped herb, baking spice aromas wrapped in balsamic savor. On the palate, chewy tannins weave through wild cherry, black raspberry, cinnamon and star anise flavors. Drink 2018–2024.
The wine from this estate, controlled by Jean-Luc Thunevin of Château Valandraud, is serious with dark tannins and concentrated fruit. It is complex with layers of black fruit and a sweet ripe structure. Serious, intense and with fine acidity as a balance, it will be ready from 2023.
This wine comes from an estate surrounding an impressive castle. The estate itself was created in the 6th century and is under the same ownership as neighboring Château Cissac. The wine is dark colored with intense flavor. It's sourced from old vines and carries Petit Verdot in the blend. It has the weight and the richness to age well. Drink from 2022.
Under the same ownership as Château la Dominque in neighboring Saint-Emilion, this estate produces 100% Merlot. This generous wine with its rich tannins is dark with tight acidity, juicy black fruits and dark coffee flavors. It is concentrated and is going to take many years to soften. Drink from 2023.
Petal pink in the glass, this wine was specifically grown to be a rosé by winemaker David Galzignato. The nose is pretty with bubble gum, strawberry, raspberry and a bit of lime peel, and the palate offers flavors of ruby-red grapefruit and lemon juice, with bright acidity throughout.
Made from a majority of Cabernet Franc, complemented with a small handful of Merlot, the wine is aged in new French oak half barrels. Tannic and savory in cassis and cranberry, the wine also shows a trace of black tea and tomato leaf. The wine's oak remains extremely pronounced, which suggests some time in cellar, through 2020.
From a hilltop location near the ocean-influenced town of Freestone, this wine is silky in plum and dark cherry, a hint of mushroomed earth doing its best to come out. Robust on the palate, juicy berry fruit satisfies, finishing thick and rich.
This four-variety blend shows that crisp, refreshing white wines can emerge from the Southern Rhône. Hints of pineapple, pear and mandarin orange mark this medium-bodied white. Drink now–2016.
Pure Négrette produces a smooth, black cherry and red berry-flavored wine. Light hints of wood from aging in big barrels have helped to give the wine a rich and spicy character. This is further enhanced by black-fruit acidity that adds a fresh streak to this warm, ripe wine. Drink now.
Apple, peach and melon aromas are fresh and easy to like. This has a pure palate, with citric and malic acidity offset by pulpy weight. Peach and apricot flavors finish long, and overall this should maintain its good shape over the next year.
Ripe and forward, this brings brambly berry fruit and plenty of Dr Pepper soda flavors front and center. It's a smooth ride to a quick finish. Both scents and flavors show a hint of pine needle.
This is lushly fruity, a big bowl full of strawberries, with a milk chocolate coating. There's nothing wimpy here, but the low alcohol keeps it zippy and perfect for warm-weather quaffing.
A blend of 80% Nebbiolo and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in barriques, this opens with aromas of bell pepper, cedar and red currant. The palate delivers dried black cherries, coffee, mocha and grilled herbs alongside firm, fine-grained tannins.
This luminous Nebbiolo from the mountain vineyards of Valtellina opens with a pretty fragrance of rose petal, red berries, baking spice and a whiff of crushed rock. The understated palate delivers ripe wild cherry, cinnamon-spice, licorice and a mineral note alongside firm, fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2017.
Ample aromas of blue flowers, dark-skinned berry and a whiff of baking spice come together in the glass. Made entirely with Sangiovese aged in large oak casks, the warm palate doles out dried black cherry, anise and dried herb alongside fine-grained tannins. It's shy on freshness so drink through 2016.
Aromas of underbrush, blue flowers, cooking spice and black plum unfold in the glass. A blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Malvasia Nera, the palate reveals dried black cherry, black pepper and anise alongside firm, polished tannins. Drink through 2017.
Green bell pepper and cedar aromas lead the nose of this easy-drinking blend of Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The aromas carry over to the fresh palate, along with black currants and black cherries. Supple tannins support the juicy flavors.
Delicate and dry, this offers lightly spicy strawberry fruit and supporting acids. It's pretty and pale, light but not dilute, and would be an ideal match to a pork dish with a fruit sauce.
Fresh blackberry and cherry character is packed into this concentrated but rather soft and sweet wine. It has that signature wild berry aroma of the variety, then flavors are rich, the texture broad and the body full.
Lush and creamy as soon as it hits the palate, this fine value is packed with flavors of fresh-sliced, just-ripe pear. Hints of apple and tangerine further expand the flavor, and it finishes crisp and clean.
Open and fruity, this delicious, already drinkable wine is a typical Portuguese blend that's dominated by Touriga Nacional. It has an attractive perfumed aroma along with toasty wood flavors and black currant freshness. The combination is full, forward and delicious now.
Black pepper, anise, boysenberry and a bit of juniper combine for a slightly funky, somewhat reductive nose on this blend of 46% Grenache, 23% Petite Sirah, 23% Syrah, 6% Carignane and 2% Mourvèdre. There's an ample amount of blackberry jam and chopped Italian herbs on the palate, with an asphalt character in the midpalate and a somewhat tart finish.
This sunny, off-dry Scheurebe juxtaposes bright yellow-cherry and plum flavors against a backdrop of grapefruit acidity. Made from biodynamically grown grapes and fermented with indigenous yeasts, the finish is accented by curious hints of milk chocolate and vanilla.
This warm-climate Pinot Noir appeals to those who prefer density on the palate. Cranberry and tart cherry dominate on the nose, followed by richer elements of strawberry tart, earth and milk chocolate.
A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 30% Syrah, this opens with aromas of espresso, toasted oak, ground pepper, ripe black-skinned fruit and game. The extracted palate offers licorice, raisin, clove and tobacco alongside raspy tannins that leave an astringent finish. The fruit is starting to dry up so drink sooner rather than later.
Here is a well-focused wine with appealing toastiness as soon as it's opened. Fruit flavors are still tight, but unfold into tangy raspberry. It spent 18 months in half new French oak, to good effect.
Made entirely with Merlot, this densely extracted wine opens with aromas of toasted oak, black currants and vanilla. The tightly packed palate delivers dried blackberries, tobacco, espresso and licorice alongside raspy wood tannins that leave an astringent finish. It lacks the fruit richness to stand up to the heavy oak influence.
From vineyards at the top of slopes above the river Lot, this balanced wine moves easily between red cherry acidity and dark, young tannins. Still young, the tannic structure needs to mellow and will soften with time. Drink from 2018.
This is the casual sipper of the Château de Nages rosé pair, offering slightly briny, fumé notes on the nose, but following them up with peach and melon fruit flavors that finish long, crisp and dry.
This is a stony, savory style of rosé, with its ample weight backed by firm acids and only modest melon fruit. It's a style better suited to food than casual sipping on its own.
Ripe melon and grapefruit flavors are plush and pristine in this forward off-dry Riesling. Zesty tangerine acidity brightens the midpalate and leads a moderately long, sugar-cookie finish. It's a refreshing, fruity quaffer intended for youthful consumption.
Briny citrus, green melon, bell pepper and grassy aromas are 100% coastal Chile. This has a citrusy yet round palate that's lively but not overtly complex. Salty, briny flavors of lime and white grapefruit ride through the finish.
Young vine flavors of bright raspberry fruit shine through, backed with juicy, tongue-tickling acids. This is not a complex wine, but fresh, persistent and lightly spicy. Drink it while it retains its vibrancy, now through 2017.
Soft and forward, this has a plush mouthfeel, a mix of banana marshmallows and lemon meringue pie. It's quite tasty and easy-drinking, so give it a light chill and drink up while it remains young and fresh.
Rounded notes of Bosc pear flesh and peel play softly on nose and palate. There is a very pleasant, slightly bitter phenolic edge, reminiscent of marzipan and a slight sweetness. Together they make for an intriguing and moreish contrast against a fluid, textured palate. The finish is off dry and has that marzipan edge.
Heady notes of ripe pear and chalky stone entice on the nose. The dry, focused palate adds aromatic spice, some white pepper too, and glides along a faultline of pure, fresh acidity. Beautifully integrated, the elements of pear and citrus zest complement each other for grown-up, sustained fun.
The rich fruit and tannins are immensely dense and concentrated. Black plums and the darkest structure give promise for long-term aging. Produced from a field blend of old vines, this is an impressive wine that speaks strongly of the schist soil and ripe grapes. Drink from 2020.
Crafted from estate-grown Dijon clones, this outstanding effort offers sophisticated flavors of pear, quince, ginger and lemon curd, wrapped together in a buttered-nut finish. Barrel fermentation helps smooth the way into a beautifully balanced, ageworthy style.
Oaky on the nose, with a whiff of caramelized honey, this ripe, robust wine finds its balance through a veneer of fruity tarte Tatin and rocky minerality. Still unwinding in the bottle, it needs time to open. It'll drink nicely now through 2022.
Five vineyards contribute their best barrels to this outstanding blend, which carries the humble Oregon AVA on its label. It's a testament to the art of blending, as most of the components are also featured in vineyard designates, but here the whole is more than the sum of its parts. It's a showcase of pure, dense, detailed red fruits, set in perfectly matched acid, tannin and mineral elements.
The Domaine cuvée spent 20 months in French oak, 30% new and another 30% once-used. The concentrated, well-ripened fruit sets up a chunky core of strawberry jam that plays nicely against defining acidity. It remains focused and pure through a driving, lingering finish.
Hugely dense and dark, this is a powerful and concentrated wine. While all this structure is there, so are stylish fruits and the potential for suave elegance, which comes from the wood aging, the rich black fruits and the balance between tannin and fruit. Drink this impressive wine from 2018.
Produced on silex and flint soil, this is fruity, juicy and lemon-flavored wine. There is a strong mineral element here, giving a crisp texture. It's really the perfumed character and the intense fruit that sets this wine apart. It is ready to drink if you like fruit, although it will be better as the fabulous texture kicks in, so wait until 2017.
This vineyard is the oldest estate vineyard. In 2012 the fruit attained optimal ripeness, yielding a tight, tart young wine with firm cranberry and raspberry fruit. The barrel flavors are lightly applied, and the polished tannins and overall structure promise years of life ahead.
While it shares the same electricity and mineral finesse of Bürklin-Wolf's other 2014 Premier Cru (labeled P.C.) wines, the Rechbächel has an intensely fruity, almost tropical appeal. It's concentrated and ripe, but with cutting white grapefruit and tangerine acidity leading a long, focused finish. Drink now through 2025.
This is a serious wine, dark with tannins and ripe with black fruits. It is structured, toasty, rich with its concentrated structure and juicy acidity. Dominated by Touriga Nacional and Cabernet Sauvignon, the texture and density are still very present. The wine needs to age, so drink from 2018.
Classic varietal aromas like forest floor, black cherry and spicy, ripe red-fruit flavors offer welcome into this medium-bodied, firm-textured wine. The structure is so firm with acidity and tannins that it keeps the flavors slightly in reserve, so it will benefit from a few more years in the bottle. It will be best after 2019.
Grapes for this 100% varietal wine—the family's first estate Merlot under this name—are grown on the Grieve Family Vineyard in Lovall Valley, just above cool Carneros. Concentrated and showing integrated oak, it reveals cedar and dried herb around subtle fruit components of plum and cassis. It finishes soft and balanced in a flurry of cocoa.
This is a savory style of Shiraz that remains very drinkable. Despite being full-bodied, it's bright and refreshing on the palate, delivering notions of cracked pepper, sour plum and roasted meat. The long finish is simultaneously dusty and mouth-watering. Drink now–2025.
Ripe, rooty aromas of licorice, leather and peanut are matched by cedar, tobacco and other complex scents. This mature Cafayate classic is still rugged and solid on the palate despite showing a rusting color. Flavors of chocolate, prune and baking spices finish deep, with rooty, chocolaty notes and pent-up energy. Drink now.
Rich and smooth, this amber-colored wine is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio and Riesling Italico. Fermented in amphorae and aged for six years in oak casks, it boasts a fascinating assortment of flavors, ranging from mature apricot to ginger. Its structure and velvety texture make it a perfect mediation wine. Drink through 2022.
This amber-hued wine is Josko Gravner's calling card, and it not only helped kickoff Italy's orange wine movement, but it put the native grape Ribolla Gialla on the map. Delivering dried apricot, orange zest, saline, resin, ginger, anise, dried herb, nut and a blast of smoky mineral, it has an extreme character. While it's not for everyone, it's an impressive effort that combines structure, restraint, depth and complexity. Serve only slightly chilled. Drink through 2027.
Roast beef, black currant, caked purple flowers, caramel and fudge come together on the wondrous nose of this blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Strong chocolate flavors kick off the palate, followed by blueberry, violet, espresso, dill and licorice, all clinging to sticky, mouthcoating tannins. It delivers lots of body and power.
A blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia and Picolit, this stunning wine offers enticing scents of wildflower, citrus and ripe orchard fruit. The radiant palate delivers white peach, lemon zest, yellow apple and mineral while bright acidity provides impeccable balance. Drink through 2020.
As delicious as its 2012 counterpart, yet needing more time, this vineyard-designate shines in high acidity and swirls of lemon and tangerine, remaining balanced in weight and volume in body and structure. With suggestions of ginger throughout, it finishes briny.
Like it's slightly more elevated cousin, Kay's Block 6 Shiraz, this is full bodied and almost painfully concentrated. Lovely oak-derived notes of cinnamon, vanilla and mocha cosset roasted meat and blueberries, then glide to a long, dusty finish. Drink 2020–2030.
This well-loved vineyard delivers classic Eola-Amity Hills flavors—fresh strawberries spiked with peppery herbs. It's sharp, detailed and persistent, carrying fragrant notes of truffle into the finish.
This spent 18 months in 100% new oak—rock star treatment for the winery's top cuvée. Toast, cherry pipe tobacco and spicy cherry cobbler flavors combine in a deep and potent wine that remains firmly tannic. Optimal drinking is 2018–2028.
The entry-level Pinot in the Ayoub lineup would be the top cuvée for any number of wineries. Full and fruity, with rich cherry flavors backed with defining minerality, it's powerful, deep and immaculately clear.
Aged substantially in bottle, this wine has found its groove, sanguine in meat and game topped in currant, dried herb and cedar. Pomegranate and cranberry give it a high-toned minerality around integrated oak and tannin.
Both ripe pear and ripe, yellow apple shine on nose and palate. On a slender body they are even more highlighted by pure, clean lemon freshness and the dry style. There is a stony backdrop and immense brightness. This is friendly and pure, light but long lasting, like an open, happy smile.
The producer's high mark for excellence, this opaque, thickly tannic wine begs for more time in the bottle. Bold, it hones in on a full-bodied weight of black raspberry, tobacco, cassis and black pepper. Complex, with touches of clove and dark chocolate, it can be enjoyed now, though it will cellar well through 2021.
Firmly tannic wine with blackberry fruits and a woody, stalky character. The hard-edged and spicy fruit is on the green side.
Somewhere between neutral and bland is where this wine's bouquet resides. The palate is plump feeling but stagnant, with chunky apple and pithy citrus flavors. Bitterness comes up on the finish, which is pithy as a whole.
Gritty, herbal aromas of generic berry don't exactly draw you in. The palate on this rudimentary Cab is rather weak in structure, with herbal, slightly salty flavors of dry, generic berry fruits.
This opens with vanilla and sweet, powdery aromas. In the mouth, it's bubbly and foamy, with a mix of pickled citrus and dry apple flavors. The finish is crisp and dry like a soda cracker.
For a big, simple style of Pinot Noir, this gets the job done. It's dark and mulled on the nose, with boistrous plum and cherry flavors that darken up and turn peppery on the finish. This emphasizes freshness and size more than finesse.
This wine is about as raisiny as it gets while still holding onto a sense of balance. Aromas of stewed berry fruits, prune and carob lead to a grabby, lemony tasting palate with raisin, vanilla and sweet tobacco on the finish.
Almost clear in color, this is an overtly floral Chardonnay that also displays notes of pear and ale that make it seem not entirely finished.
A spritzy wine, with strongly herbal flavors. There isn't much in the way of fruit, just stems and herbs and chalky tannins.
Just lightly sweet, this is a curious wine that is neither one thing or the other. It's clean, has some peach flavor and light acidity.
This pale, watery wine is herbal and sour. It seems barely ripe, with accents of pine needle and very tart, light fruit.
With its day-glo pink color, this smells stalky and lacks the aromatic freshness one seeks in rosé. The mouthfeel is reasonably lively and grabby, with briny, pickled citrus flavors in front of a briny tasting finish.
With almost no color, this spritzy rosado is prickly and feline on the nose, like Sauvignon Blanc or Verdejo. The palate is lightly bubbly, with bounce and tart tangerine and herbal flavors. Txomin Etxaníz has never made a commercial rosé prior to this. This makes you wonder why they did.
Raw aromas of rhubarb and scratchy raspberry offer little to latch onto. The palate feels clipped and angular, while the flavors are a touch stalky and generic as far as red fruit goes. This finishes tangy and scouring.
The nose is appealing; there's a mix of wet clay, spice, red currant and herbs. In the mouth, however, this is tangy to the max, with tart red plum, pie cherry and vanilla flavors. By the time it finishes, acidity has assumed the throne. This is extremely lean and zesty for Cab Franc.
Thin, awkward and excessively herbal, this sour wine seems barely ripe.
There is a distinct hint of ripe, juicy peach flesh amidst all the pear aromas. The palate is less expressive but still full of friendly, appetizing and generous fruit. A seam of citric freshness again allows glimpses of that peach. Drink while these fruity aromas are out in force.
Soft tannins and a rounded texture make this wine almost drinkable now. The smooth structure only slowly shows tannins and acidity. A fresh, raspberry fruit character will allow the wine to develop. Drink now, although better from 2017.
Roses, peaches and apricots all swing in the unctuous richness of this plush Gewurztraminer. They are countered by some freshness but this is certainly on the plumper side. It will be the perfect match for ripe, soft cheeses.
Round red fruits, hibiscus and rose petals show brightly on the nose of this blend of 44% Grenache, 43% Mourvèdre, 11% Syrah and 2% Viognier. It's light in body and easy to quaff thanks to vibrant, zinging acidity, with flavors of pepper, more hibiscus and pomegranate.
This is a tight and bright take on the grape with steely kiwi and scratched pomelo aromas. The palate is framed by appealing pome fruit with a touch of juicy lemons and the slightest shred of sweetness.
Dazzlingly aromatic, this true-to-type Traminette abounds in ripe berry, mango and melon perfume. Dry and delicate in body, it's refreshingly easy-drinking despite heady aromatics. It's not a complex wine, yet undeniably delightful to drink.
Rounded and plush, with a subdued mélange of pear and apple fruit and a lovely, rescuing streak of tart apple freshness, this comes together in the end. The opening is broad, rich and medium-sweet, but the finish is illuminated by lemony acid.
Mature notes of dried apple skin, orange marmelade, toasted nuts and popcorn unfold on the nose of this rich, savory wine. There's a pleasant richness to the medium-bodied mouthfeel, with a smooth texture and final hints of apple core and cloved orange rind that linger long on the finish.
This is a big, dry Rhône-style wine with a medium color. It offers aromas of wild berry, earth and oak, along with clove and pomegranate-juice flavors and a firm, tannic texture. It's not what you'd call a cocktail wine, but it should be versatile at mealtime with meats and pastas.
Smoke, egg yolk and pear make for an unlikely but inviting nose. The palate is characterized by fresh, clean and almost tart apple notes that give great freshness. This is very appetizing and echoes beautifully.
Made with dried Graganega grapes, this opens with aromas of pressed wild flower, white and yellow stone fruit. The palate doles out ripe peach, dried apricot and acacia honey. It closes on a toasted almond note.
Apple peel and orange rind are hinted at on the restrained nose, with the same aromatic subtlety on the poised palate. The wine holds a lovely, fresh balance between varietal richness and the freshness of the vintage, with notes of honey and baked apple. It's a friendly, fruit-focused and balanced wine with a lovely, lingering finish.
Fresh red apple and tangy mandarin flavors unite in a fruity and fun combo. The palate is equally fruit-driven and refreshing, with bright but ripe acidity. This is a light-footed summer apéritif and very moreish.
This blend of 70% Syrah, 15% Carignan, 10% Grenache and 5% Mourvèdre opens with an assertive garrigue character—lavender, thyme, bay—that's supported by notes of red berry, cherry and plum. The medium-weight mouthfeel shows fine tannins and an easy texture, while violet tones unfold on the close.
The expected cut-grass greenness shows on the nose of this wine, but so do plenty of white flowers, nectarine, golden apples and chalk. The palate is rather rich in style for this grape, perhaps explained by its slight aging, but well done with ripe apple flesh and more cut-grass flavors.
Invigorating acidity and slightly restrained black cherry and plum notes lend a cool elegance to this delicately framed Cabernet Sauvignon. An inviting wine that welcomes richer poultry or pork dishes, it's sprightly and fresh, lingering long on a spicy, cedar-toned finish.
Coming in one of the more beautifully shaped bottles on the market, which enhances the pretty light-pink color, this wine shows light, brisk raspberry fruit and a rain-on-cement minerality. The flavors are expectedly light, with just a touch of strawberry fruit, slight lime bitterness and a tongue-exciting texture.
This wine has more than the typical backbone and texture. Fresh raspberry and red cherry flavors get support from good acidity and a hefty layer of almost chewy tannins. It is dry, firm and well balanced, and is made to accompany food.
Yellow pear, Golden Delicious apple and a dollop of honey create a fruitful, inviting and friendly opening, countered by lemony freshness that keeps things on the right side of fruity opulence. Drink this wine while its aromas are at their height.
Made entirely with Corvina, this opens with aromas of black currant, pressed blue flower and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate offers dark cherry, pomegranate, clove and nutmeg alongside polished tannins and freshness.
Gritty, spicy aromas of kirsch, dried cherry and cinnamon set up a narrow, high-acid palate that's fresh but grating. Baking spice, eucalyptus and tomato accent plum and red-currant fruit, while the finish tastes herbal, spicy and oaky, with lasting acidity.
Raspberry, black pepper, graphite and the tinge of dried garden herbs touch the nose on this widely available bottling from the Gallo portfolio. Very even yet growing flavors of raspberry, sharp pepper spice and pencil lead make this wine quite straightforward and good in a simple way.
There is much to enjoy in this vineyard-designate, from grippy tannins to dark, brooding black fruit. Burly, it also tends toward barbecue smoke and cigar, a dense wine of great power and alcohol, aged entirely in new French oak.
Lemon and tart apple with some overtones of riper Golden Delicious are the fruity hallmarks of this easy-drinking but superrefreshing summer wine. The apple taste stays and makes you go back for more easy, pleasant fruit.
This wine shows more age than it should, but is quite good now, with aromas of vanilla, honeysuckle, molasses, white-flower extract and liquid marshmallow ice-cream topping. The palate brings apple extract and roasted nut flavors.
A mushroomy underbelly lies beneath a layer of leather and graphite, making for a tight, dry wine with sizable tannin structure. Powerfully concentrated, this wine holds 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and is not for the faint of heart.
Rather closed on the nose, this shows plump, sweet pear fruit countered by sprightly, spiky, lemony acidity. This is lively and fruity and easy to drink; enjoy while flavors are at their peak.
Earthy lemon and tart flavors of freshly cut green apples play on nose and palate. With time on the palate, the lemony freshness dominates and lingers texturally, with a suggestion of apple peel. This has lots of freshness and a dry finish.
Black plums and Mission figs stewed with cinnamon, cloves and vanilla make for an intriguing nose on this bottling from a longtime Italian winemaking family. The palate shows cola, black cherry, coffee bean and dark chocolate, though proves quite grippy with a structure that will let down its guard with patience.
An initial hit of reduction blows off to reveal rich vanilla backed by gentle lemon purity. This clearly needs some time in bottle to find its middle but all the basics are there: freshness, clean fruit, texture and poise. Drink 2028–2025.
This is an impressive blend of 45% Merlot with 25% estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah from Stagecoach Vineyard and 10% Biale Zinfandel. It comes together seamlessly in a twist of structured blackberry, leathery tannin and tomato leaf, priced to be enjoyed by many.
Three parcels, totaling 16 acres from the Hospices de Belleville estate, provide the fruit for this wine. Wood aged and rich, the wine is fruity, packed with generous red-cherry flavors. There are concentration and some dark tannins as well as fine fruitiness and acidity. Drink this wine from 2018. This is Drouhin's second vintage making wine in partnership with the Hospices de Belleville charity.
This wine has all the deep, dark color and firm tannins that are expected, but it pleasantly sweetens the blackberry flavors ever so slightly and smooths the edges in terms of texture, for a big wine that's also quite friendly.
For now, flinty reduction rules the nose. The palate is threaded with freshness and ease. Mellow hints of oak echo in the lemony brightness and convey the sunny but cool climate of Styria perfectly. This is elegant, light and thankfully not overdone. The finish is pure apple.
This lively white is floral in honeysuckle aromas, while creamy, rounded layers of apricot play on the full-bodied palate. A spicy nutmeg chaser closes things out. Well balanced and accessible, this is ready to drink now.
Made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese and a drop of Petit Verdot, this has aromas of stewed plum, exotic spice, raisin, purple flower and a balsamic note. The concentrated palate offers cassis, dried blackberry, oak-driven spice, bitter cocoa and espresso alongside close-grained tannins that leave a firm grippy finish.
Fresh aromas, vivid citrus flavors, elegance and poise make this an attractive wine. It has a balance that is easy to enjoy and keeps calling for more sips, with pleasant notes of citrus and green fruit throughout.
Deep color and lots of concentration make this full-bodied wine stand out. It has smoky, black-peppery aromas along with ripe but not sweet blackberry and black-cherry flavors. Firm tannins add texture. This boldness needs rich food for a pairing.
Aromas of black currant and a whiff of bell pepper slowly emerge on this hearty blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Concentrated and robust, the palate offers cassis, black cherry, licorice and the heat of evident alcohol alongside big velvety tannins.
Wonderfully heady hints of yuzu play about the nose. The palate, on the other hand, is characterized by ripe juicy mirabelle plums. This is plump and opulent, yet structured: a rounded and generous souvenir of the 2015 vintage.
Toast with apricot jam comes first to mind in this nicely balanced white that begins in richness and evolves in the glass to offer a freshness of lime zest and grapefruit, the minerality well-defined.
This is a very light expression of the grape from a San Francisco-based producer, with thyme, chaparral, cranberry, tart pomegranate juice and wet clay on the nose. The palate shows light, tangy cherry juice, fennel, crushed olive and peppery spice. It will work well for fans of this style, but there's not enough there to entertain the mainstream Pinot Noir fan.
Candied—almost confected—red fruit shimmers on the nose. On the palate, this turns into fleshy aromatic red cherry that carries immediate charm. The palate is light, refreshing and full of easy fruit. The finish is clean and reinforces that lovely cherry note.
The varietal is unmistakable, with generous amounts of freshly ground black pepper along with lemon twist, herb and raw meat. The medium-bodied palate brings more of the same, with fruit and savory flavors that provide intrigue.
Measured oak cradles spicy pepper and a richness of vanilla-kissed black cherry and blackberry in this bold, full-bodied wine, that yes, would pair deliciously with wild boar.
This wine seems broad across the palate, but not quite as deep as some Condrieus. The fruit is understated, resembling gently toasted marshmallow and maybe a touch of baked pineapple, rather than flamboyant apricot and spice. Plan on serving it with fish or chicken rather than something rich or extravagant.
With a perfumed nose of rose and toasted oak, this wine is thick in red fruit, dense oak and a welcome undercurrent of bright acidity that helps keep it fresh in the glass. Small amounts of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec are all within.
Inviting aromas of dark-skinned fruit, blue flower, leather and a whiff of baking spice waft out of the glass. The firm juicy palate offers ripe wild cherry, licorice and hint of charcuterie while assertive, seasoned tannins provide support. Drink through 2021.
This wine is big in tannin, extracted and full bodied, with dense blueberry and maple syrup at its core. For fans of a rich style, it will impress for  its ripe, dark fruit and sizable yet velvety mouthfeel.
This blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Cinsault would be a crowd favorite if more than 700 cases were available in the U.S. The black cherry fruit is punched up by hints of herbs and cracked pepper, there's ample weight but great freshness and zest, and the finish is long and complex, showing off hints of licorice, pepper and dusty earth. Drink now–2020.
Golden caramelized oak supports a fleshy, full-bodied sensation of pear and fig in this bold, rich wine. Resolved on the palate and possessed of moderate acidity, it finishes in a plume of nutmeg.
The aromas suggest notes of herb, vanilla, wood spice, plum and dark fruit. The palate is restrained in style, full of dark-fruit and barrel flavors and lightly grainy tannins.
Merlot (73%) takes the lead on this wine, which is rounded out by Malbec (12%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%), Petit Verdot (4%) and Cabernet Franc. Aromas of herb, barrel spice, pencil lead and red and black fruit are followed by plump yet elegant fruit flavors backed by chalky tannins. It shows a lot of restraint.
Deep blue and black-fruit and spice aromas lead to a soft silky palate loaded with fruit flavors. It's a perfect example of the approachability of this vintage.
Mulberry, crushed slate, turned earth and a touch of clove can be found on the nose of this bottling from a vineyard planted by the Franscioni and Pisoni families. The sip shows rusty rhubarb and beet juice, with some tart cranberry, sour cherry and graphite rounding out the flavors.
Fragrant and refined, this vibrant red boasts enticing scents of violet, wild berry, tilled soil and a whiff of new leather. The bright palate delivers juicy red cherry, crushed raspberry and a hint of dark baking spice alongside zesty acidity and polished tannins.
This very appealing wine smells like a Danish pastry but then turns nicely dry on the palate, gushing with crisp apple, ripe Bosc pear and toasted-baguette flavors. Made from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, it's medium bodied, complex and well balanced.
Bracing acidity offsets plush and penetrating peach and marmalade flavors in this delightfully honeyed auslese. It's bold in flavor yet so sprightly in demeanor, finishing long on lingering tones of saffron and spice. It's delicious now but structured enough to continue to improve through at least 2026.
Once again Winderlea's outstanding Chardonnay is a blend of grapes sourced from Carabella, Hyland and Thistle. Immaculate winemaking builds a full-bodied wine, lushly flavored with apples, peaches and citrus. The concentrated midpalate is framed with skin flavors and toasty oak, lightly applied.
Perfumed and so pretty, this lively kabinett abounds with aromas and flavors of sweet citrus, pineapple and mango. Lavish lavender and potpourri notes persist from nose to finish, lending elegance to this otherwise juicy fruity wine. The sweet-tart tangerine finish is long and meandering.
Balsamic notes of camphor and eucalyptus meld with rose, violet and wild berry aromas. The chewy palate has structure, offering ripe raspberry, red cherry, white pepper and a hint of clove. Assertive tannins leave a firm finish. Drink 2020–2018.
Deep violet red in the glass, this wine has a nose of black cherry, herbes de Provence and lavender. It is very smooth on entry, with flavors of black cherry, white chocolate, anisette and violet. Velvety tannins do not overstay their welcome, making way for a licorice and orange-tinged finish.
Towards the southern end of Chassagne, Morgeot is a large premier cru that once belonged to an abbey. This wine is full of fruit, spiced with the wood aging and with a strongly mineral texture. It has the potential to be rich, round and smooth. Wait until 2018.
This blend showcases the many varieties that shine at Stagecoach, from Tempranillo, which makes up 44% of the whole, to Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Floral and marked by a rocky, gravelly minerality, it tastes of cherry compote, pencil lead and black pepper, showing juicy acidity throughout. Drink now through 2023.
This is a ripe and fruity wine. Soft, generous tannins are embedded in the developing red-fruit flavors. With spice, hints of the wood aging and a rich texture, the wine will develop relatively quickly. Drink from 2020.
Lavish aromas of tropical fruit and caramelized sugar abound on this boldly fruity Riesling. It's sweet-tart tangerine and stone-fruit flavors also pack a punch on the palate. Swirls of sweet honey on the midpalate are offset by nervy streaks of acidity and a salty, tangy minerality that lingers on the finish.
This wine is very ripe and jammy in aroma, and delicious like fresh blackberries in flavor. Full bodied, it's almost sweet and very smooth in texture. Made with the Lodi Native hands-off winemaking protocols, it's as close to pure, beautiful fruitiness as a wine gets.
This opaque Malbec weighs in heavy, with fully ripe aromas of jammy blackberry, raisin and baking spices. A gigantic palate is packed with lemony acidity and resiny oak. Flavors of blackberry, prune and cassis come with chocolaty richness. The finish is rugged and hard, with massive tannins. Drink through 2022.
Bold center-cut oak aromas are lemony and resiny, while notes of coconut and vanilla are present along with cassis and plum scents. A saturated palate is full of power and energy. Flavors are heavily oak influenced, meaning mocha and coffee notes are as prominent as plum and berry fruit. Drink this serious Malbec through 2023.
Blackberry jam, menthol, truffle and leather aromas lead the nose while the concentrated, enveloping palates shows black cherry marinated under spirits, licorice and nutmeg. It's already approachable thanks to the juicy fruit and velvety tannins.
This is a warm, creamy wine with layers of toast and yellow fruits. It has a ripe feel and a generous texture, with a mineral backbone keeps the wine in shape. Drink now.
Here is a lovely, dry evocation of the spicy, fragrant grape, with a vibrant mix of peach, apricot and papaya fruit flavors. The floral aromatics are inviting and varietally appropriate, without becoming so perfumed that it makes food pairing a challenge.
This new label by a few friends who are veterans of the restaurant business is promising. This bottling shows peach, lime rind and melted butter on sliced apple on the open and inviting nose. Anjou pear, dried apple and jasmine flowers show on the palate, which is tropical in nature but not overly showy.
Whiffs of sunny tangerines are shaded by hints of earth and herb on the nose of this remarkably nuanced spätlese. The palate is juicy and sweet, brimming with ripe yellow-peach and grapefruit flavors, but the long finish is driven again by that slightly savory, dried herb and mineral complexity. Drinks beautifully now but should continue to improve through 2021 and likely beyond.
A selection of the best parcels of Alvarinho, this is a wood fermented wine. It is round and soft with as much spice as fruit. The texture is full, lightly tangy as well as hinting at minerality. The aftertaste, with its rich toast, is generous and suggests the wine is ready to drink.
This is a powerful wine, although it wears its density easily. There is a streak of acidity that gives the wine its juicy, attractive character. Black fruits and firm tannins are equally to the fore along with a powerful, concentrated texture. The wine is still aging and will be ready to drink from 2018.
Tight, rooty, spicy aromas of cherry and cassis include notes of raw minerals and crushed rocks. This is a bit gritty and tannic, but it's not fierce or unyielding. Reedy, spicy plum, berry, coffee and cocoa flavors finish dry, with lasting notes of chocolate and baking spices. Drink through 2021.
Grilled herb, underbrush toasted hazelnut and stewed prune aromas meld together along with a floral note. The juicy, structured palate presents fleshy Morello cherry, raspberry, star anise, clove and a hint of orange zest alongside firm, polished tannins that give this a smooth mouthfeel.
Ripe, loamy blackberry, prune and cassis aromas lead to a structured palate that boasts big, firm tannins. This offers dark, ripe flavors of wild berry, black plum and chocolate prior to a toasty finish that's largely subtle and smooth. Drink through 2021.
Ripe berry, leather, menthol, baking spice and pipe tobacco aromas almost jump out of the glass. The structured, generous palate delivers fleshy black cherry, raspberry compote, clove and star anise alongside firm, velvety tannins. Drink 2017–2023.
This opens with a nose of mature black-skinned fruit, leather, truffle, blue flower and cake spice. On the smooth palate, notes of cake spice and star anise back up ripe black cherry and raspberry compote. Firm, velvety tannins provide the framework. Drink through 2023.
A blend of 54% Mourvèdre, 27% Grenache and 19% Syrah from the vineyard's sunniest slope, this very dark wine shows tar, stewed black plum, boysenberry, dense peppercorn, dried lilac and roasted-lamb aromas. The still-young palate is all about density and depth, with asphalt, black pepper and elderberry-crusted beef-roast flavors.
Aromas of balsam wood, blackberry, asphalt, leather and peppercorn combine into a complex and appealing whole. This is big and tannic, but with snappy acidity, it's harmonious. Blackberry, cassis and boysenberry flavors show chocolaty richness, while a moderately hot finish keeps things going in the right direction; drink through 2020.
This McLaren Vale winery specializes in blends of Mediterranean varieties, and this is a fine example. It's 70% Mourvèdre and 30% Syrah, featuring plum, berry and cedary vanilla notes, plus a bit of meatiness on the nose. Richly textured on the palate, it finishes long.
This opens with aromas of menthol, chopped mint, ripe berry, leather, underbrush and a hint of toasted oak. On the firm palate, tightly wound tannins weave through Morello cherry, crushed raspberry, cinnamon and a balsamic note. Drink after 2020.
This honeyed wine is ripe and beautifully rich. With apricot and sweet melon flavors that are touched by the wood aging, it has both great fruit and a fine mineral texture. Vines in the heart of the Dão region produce this very fine wine that is now ready to drink.
Bold brush strokes characterize this wine, the fruit a complex mélange of red berries, acidity and weight. The wine has good density, offering a strawberry jam character to go with the fresh edge. Tannins are enveloped in the fruits, promising medium-term aging.
A bit reticent on the nose, showing hints of struck flint, lime and custard, but this tightly coiled Chard shows its true brilliance in the mouth, revealing complex fruit flavors of lime and lemon, but also slightly riper notes: apple and white peach come to mind. The bright core of acids shines on the long, refreshing finish. Should age comfortably through 2015, at least.
The nose delivers a mix of herbal berry, cola and earth, while the palate is fresh and deep, with lightly medicinal cherry, cola, blackberry tobacco, mocha and more. Finishes rich and chocolaty, with a rush of textbook Chilean flavors including tobacco, herbs, olive and black fruits.
One of Bouchard's signature wines, this is beautifully textured, a series of bright fruits, strawberries and sweet acidity. There are tannins, but this is lighter than in some vintages, a wine for short-term aging.
Very pure lemon and toast flavors dominate this wine. It has crispness, intense freshness and lively acidity. There is also a sense of richness that is slowly developing and that will broaden the wine over the next several months.
Toasty, buttery and laced with tropical fruit, this is a full-bodied, fully-oaked Chardonnay that manages to pull all that off with grace and aplomb, thanks to healthy acid levels and admirable concentration. Long on the finish; drink now through 2013.
A particularly rich, unctuous wine, its ripe and oily texture a foil for the lime acidity, the botrytis and the tangy honey flavors. It's an impressive full-in-the-mouth wine, worth aging for several years.
One of New Zealand's icon Chardonnays, the 2007 version of Maté's is a smoky, bacon-scented offering, with plenty of leesy richness to go with bold pineapple and melon fruit. It's full bodied, ending on notes of smoke and roasted coffee.
A very rich and soft wine made from hand-squeezed Malbec grapes. There's a ton of oak on it, which comes out as coconut and cream on the nose. The palate is also creamy, with mocha, sweet blackberry and fudge flavors. Cola, coconut, coffee and other hedonistic, dark, masculine accents make this a fun and interesting wine to drink now. Best on its own or with meat.
Although d'Arenberg is better known as a source of hearty McLaren Vale red wines, this tautly balanced, wooded Chard leans toward pineapple and lime. Buttered, toasted hazelnuts add a polished, elegant note to the long, citrusy finish.
Plenty of green, crisp fruits here, but the wine is only just starting out and will certainly become broader and richer. For now, it brings in vivid acidity, toast flavors and a taut texture.
A wine that starts with ripe citrus flavors, then moves easily into soft richness as the spicy wood and sweet peach flavors come through strongly. The wood is dominant, but not excessive. Full, ripe and still young.
Here's a full-of-dynamite, small-batch Malbec that smells of bold berry fruit mixed with earth, smoked meats and mocha. The flavor set is pure, driving blackberry with mild herbal accents, and the finish is long, flavorful and lightly herbal. Expensive and a little fiery, but still excellent. Drink now through 2013. Only 250 cases made.
An already complete wine, the tannins well integrated into the firm black fruits and acidity. It is foursquare but also has a richness that comes from wood as well as lively final freshness.
Mostly Merlot (51%) and Cabernet Franc (40%), rounded out by Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, this wine opens with aromas of black cherry and dark fruit alongside floral and barrel--spice accents. The palate is focused and layered, bringing waves of fruit flavors supported by enough structure to go the distance.
Most of this wine hails from Force Majeure Vineyard, with Olsen in the Yakima Valley filling it out. Aromas of crushed granite, blackberry, wood spice and herbs are followed by vibrant red and black-fruit flavors that display depth and finesse. The finish carries.
Made with 70 and 80-year-old Nerello Mascalese vines planted at high altitude, this opens with delicate but enticing scents of leather, menthol, iris, red berry and thyme. The elegantly structured palate doles out juicy black cherry, raspberry, mocha, cinnamon and licorice. Polished tannins, bright acidity and a mineral vein provide the framework.
A basket of tart red cherries, chipped asphalt, fresh-picked thyme and even a touch of rosemary show on the nose of this bottling by Josh Klapper from Riverbench Vineyard. Warmer flavors of cranberry, bay leaf and more thyme make the mouth water, boosted by a plum-skin-flavored acidity.
This producer continues to impress in quality and focus. Proving the point, this estate-grown white proffers inviting teases of jasmine and tropical-kissed peach and pear. Tangy acidity finds a complement of texture and body, delivering voluptuousness that remains elegant in the glass.
One of the few Syrahs from this cool-climate vineyard on the appellation's western edge, this bottling is an expert take on savory, with black and white papper, crushed rosemary, potpourri, oregano and anise seed spicing up the fresh-pressed boysenberry fruit. A wondrous array of peppercorns and tart black fruit show once sipped, with elderberry and underripe black currants mixed amongst fennel, dill, oregano and charred meats.
A very light straw in color, this bottling by winemaker Tara Gomez shows freshly cut brown pear, delicate citrus and fresh apple blossom aromas on an inviting, tightly hewn nose. An extremely grippy texture claims the palate, where flavors of tangerine rinds, lemon pith and a tense chalkiness converge for a classic wine with long cellar life.
Coming in the appellation's specially designed estate bottle, this offering from Michael Larner shows densely packed blackberry and blueberry on the lavish, even creamy nose, alongside rich violets, caramel, lavender and purple sage. There's lots of depth to the palate, where blackberry paste meets with peppery spice, dried lavender and a searing acidity.
Concentrated blackberry-balsamic sauce meets with sandalwood, light incense, char and dried pork on the nose of this bottling by Paul Clifton. The fruits are rounded on the palate, with baked black plum bolstered by black tea, crushed clove, black peppercorn, kola nut and exotic spices.
A whole universe of fresh flavors opens up: lime zest and kaffir lime leaves, green Seville orange peel and camphor. This is pure, straight-laced, unfussy and honest refreshment. As clear as a mountain spring and as bracing. That last lick of freshness will take you to a weightless citric heaven.
Incredibly rich blackberry-jam aromas meet with licorice, smoked beef and black rocks on the continually evolving and dynamic nose of this bottling from Paso Robles' west side. It's rich, juicy and expertly structured on the palate, where blackberry fruit meets with pencil-lead minerality and light espresso flavors. The tannic grip is solid and the acidity is strong, ensuring long ageability.
Enticing scents suggesting iris, rose, tilled earth and red berry slowly emerge in the glass. The meaty palate doles out ripe black raspberry, juicy black cherry and a potpourri of cake spice alongside a backbone of firm tannins and fresh acidity. A licorice note closes the lingering finish. Drink 2018–2024.
Mainly Grenache, this is a full, rich, velvety Rhône blend. Toasty oak, vanilla and baking spices dominate the youthful aromas, backed by black cherry fruit on the palate. It's warm and plush on the finish. Drink now–2025.
Fermented and left on the skins in amphora for 120 days, this alluring orange wine offers an array of intriguing aromas including saline, dried yellow stone fruit, baking spice and honey. The vibrant, savory palate continues to open up in the glass, doling out dried apricot, candied orange zest, aromatic herb, tobacco and candied ginger alongside racy acidity. A flinty mineral vein backs up the finish.
Dark gold in color and intensely cradled in oak, this wine maintains a balance of complex, well-defined flavors of honey and apple, with lurking minerality that keeps it fresh and lively. It's lush and yet layered, a complete package. Drink now through 2020.
This wine is 100% varietal, with Cold Creek Vineyard providing the backbone. It starts out quite brooding, with aromas of savory herbs, spice, cranberry and blue and black fruit. The palate is layered with focused, plentiful dark-cherry, currant and spice flavors with a mouthfeel that downright dazzles. It's Cabernet at its finest. Give it time to open up.
This is a small, family-run estate situated in the heart of the appellation, with a bent for making elegantly styled wines. Here, in its fourth vintage, small amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc are blended in to provide a concentration of high-toned raspberry, cherry and cassis atop soft layers of integrated tannin and oak. The wine remains rich and velvety through a long finish.
From a 3.5-acre block planted in 1978, which makes it Santa Barbara County's first Syrah, this bottling shows an intriguing density of flowers on the nose along with a funky compost note, elderberry fruit, pine needles and fresh mint. Cracked peppercorn, dried thyme and rosemary combine for strong herbal intrigue on the palate, spicing up the black plum and blackberry fruit.
This is made to be a reserve-level wine, crafted from a combination of blocks within the famous vineyard. Succulent boysenberry and blackberry impress from first sip, before a juiciness of cherry and strawberry pile in. Expansive and powerful, with tremendous body and texture, it ends with a persistence of black pepper. Drink now through 2023.
Red cherry, caramelized black cherry, roasted pork and wet slate show on the rich, smoky nose of this bottling by Doug Margerum. Tight pomegranate, strawberry and hibiscus touches appear once sipped, and the palate packs lots of earthy flavors. It's acid-rich and dynamically layered, so drink from 2018–2024.
From a vineyard that overlooks the wild Marin Coast, with plenty of Pacific Ocean fog, this is an earthy, cool-climate and beguiling wine, speckled in clove, cinnamon and a brightness of wild cherry, raspberry and orange peel. Light and refined, its finish is dusted in pine leaves.
A parcel of 40-year-old vines, this is a full, ripe wine that balances a tangy texture with rich yellow fruits. There is a mineral background along with fine acidity. The wine is impressive, full both of fruit and structure. It is ready to drink, rich and concentrated.
A funky yeasty richness still lingers on this very young wine, the palate, however, shows all the promise of a concentrated yet refreshing wine: there is ripe, juicy pear flesh at the core, framed by zesty lime that swings with the peppery freshness of arugula and watercress. This is full of life, concentration, charm and refreshment.
An impressive effort at an attractive price, this is a full-bodied wine with an elegant edge. Floral in aroma, it luxuriates in high-toned flavors of cassis and cranberry. Soft and smooth in texture, it's graceful despite its power, and lengthy too.
Aged both in wooden tanks and wood barrels, this smooth, silky rich wine is impressive. A blend of one-third each of Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, it is dense, dark and spicy. Juicy black fruits give the wine its ripe character. At the same time the structure keeps the opulent fruitiness in check. The wine is showing well now, although it will be better kept until 2018.
Like all the wines from this domaine, this comes from biodynamically produced grapes. It is part of a series of wines named after the subsoil in which the vines are planted. The wine is tense, mineral and still young. It has a flinty character along with lemon and grapefruit fruit. There is a salty tang to this wine that really needs to age. Drink from late 2017.
While the wine is dry, it has such a wonderful honey character. It is perfumed, ripe and rich with almonds, pear and baked apple flavors. The wine, from a single vineyard, is likely to develop much further. Wait to drink until 2019.
Underbrush, menthol, new leather and black-skinned berry aromas emerge in the glass. The smooth, full-bodied palate delivers juicy black cherry, baking spice, tobacco and mineral alongside firm, velvety tannins.
Slightly dusty, herbal notes distract from pleasant peach and strawberry flavors in this dry rosé made from Pinot Noir along with a splash of Chardonnay. It's delicate in concentration but refreshing on the palate.
Made with Cortese grapes, this white from Piedmont has a delicate fragrance of white and yellow flowers accented with whiffs of stone fruit. The palate offers crisp apple and pear along with hints of citrus and peach.
It opens with aromas of toasted wood, cherry cough medicine, espresso, vanilla, black spices and Mediterranean brush. The muddled palate delivers sweet oak, vanilla extract and caramelized sugar sensations alongside astringent wood tannins. It lacks fruit richness and closes on a bitter, medicinal note.
Completely dominated by oak, it offers aromas of toasted wood, vanilla and roasted coffee bean. The palate is extremely evolved, showing dried-up fruit, espresso and vanilla alongside the warmth of alcohol and astringent wood tannins.
This wine opens with nondescript aromas of oak, espresso, coffee and plum. The low-acid, one-dimensional palate offers black cherry, oak extract, and sweet, almost sugary vanilla and butterscotch alongside evident alcohol and soft, fleeting tannins. It lacks energy and intensity, so drink soon.
This is a dense wine, rather rough round the edges with some firm, tough tannins and bitter extraction. It does have good fruit weight underneath, suggesting that its black currant flavors will emerge. Drink from 2017.
A very herbal wine, it's also light and fruity. With crisp gooseberry, currants and an attractive perfumed fruitiness, it needs to develop for a few months. Wait until the end of 2014.
A juicy wine, it is full of black currant fruits and vanilla wood flavors. It is generous, rounded with fine acidity and a fresh, open feel. Dry tannins will help the wine age for the medium-term. Drink from 2016.
Bright apple and lemon aromas, along with a hint of sweet creamed corn, introduce this generously oaked Chardonnay. It's dry in style but bold on the palate with a rich, luxurious mouthfeel. Finishes moderately long with a lingering slick of butter.
Stalky, somewhat rubbery aromas of plum and berry come in front of the grabby, tannic, staunch palate, with baked, leathery flavors of plum and berry. While this tastes stalky on the finish, the feel is good.
Leafy aromas suggest forest underbrush, dried tobacco leaf and dried rose petals. The palate offers fading wild cherry, hints of cinnamon-spice and astringent, fleeting tannins. It seems fast forwarded by a decade, a trait of this vintage. Superior Wines, V I Wines Distributing.
This wine reflects the difficulties of the 2009 vintage. It open with aromas of toasted oak and espresso that carry over to the palate along with restrained black berries, menthol and drying tannins. The fruit richness is already fading, giving this wine a lean, unbalanced character.
This is a mild, neutral Torrontés with yeasty notes and hints of tropical fruits. The palate is smooth but simple, while flavors of melon and green papaya finish with lingering lychee notes. Overall this is plump, fresh and good.
Dominated by new oak, it opens with aromas of toasted wood and vanilla that muffle the ripe black fruit sensations struggling in the background. The concentrated palate offers oak, toast, overripe black cherry and vanilla alongside the warmth of alcohol despite the modest 14% abv. The finish is muddled, with sugar-plum sensations cut short by bitter, drying wood tannins.
Oak, sawdust, espresso, chocolate and plum lead the nose on this somewhat nondescript wine. The palate offers oak, toast and black berries alongside green tannins and nervous acidity. It lacks complexity as well as fruit richness.
Savory apple and spice notes mark this bright wine. Brisk lemon acidity cuts through the full-bodied palate, giving it a refreshing, balanced mouthfeel.
Opening aromas of cherry, leather, oak and tobacco continue to the palate, which also carries a note of espresso. The wine shows the heat of the vintage with a warm midpalate and a general lack of freshness. Drink soon.
Aromas of overripe black plum and black cherry aromas accompany notes of leather, espresso, and powdered sage. The one-dimensional palate offers hints of baked plum alongside evolved, fleeting tannins but the fruit is drying up fast.
Made from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this opens with aromas of tire rubber and sawdust. The lean palate offers espresso and roasted notes but it lacks fruit richness and intensity.
Leathery in tobacco and black currant, this wine leaves a bold imprint of toasty tannins.
Tight and precise, with sharply defined edges, this needs hours of breathing time. Dense black fruit, pretty herbal grace notes, supple, slightly grainy tannins. Built for the long term.
A solid structure and layers of dense fruit characterize this wine. Rich acidity, red cherry flavor and a dry, dark tannic core are surrounded by juicy red berry fruits and the freshest finish.
An enticing mix of toast and white fruit aromas follows through to rich apricot and ripe pear flavors, spiced with the creamy toast. The wood does need to calm down for the wine to be at its best.
An immense wine, inky purple, packed with black and purple fruits, laced with smoke and espresso, and finished with fine-grained, substantial tannins. This Cab lives up to its name––it's a Big Muthah as well as Papa, and should be cellared for optimal expression.
An outstanding and uniquely styled Syrah. The mix of tart fruits, peppers, herbs, earth and forest floor flavors is riveting. The wine dances and bows, it takes you on a leaping trip through a world of Syrah rarely found anywhere else, buoyed by the brilliant natural acidity of Washington fruit.
An intense and concentrated wine, with dense black fruits balanced by acidity. There is ripeness here, with a firm, ageworthy structure as well as delicious juicy Pinot Noir character.
A rare 100% varietal Mourvèdre. The tannins are superb, almost silky, almost impossible to achieve with this rough and tumble grape. Dark, smoky, earthy and still refined, this seduces with clean, wild blueberry fruit, just hinting at a mountain berry sweetness.
Taut and edgy, very steely in character, with almost an austere character in its youth. Its fruits are definitely on the citrus side of the spectrum, crisp yet rich as well. The acidity shoots right through the wine.
A beautifully proportioned wine, from its rich yet mineral texture to its full grapefruit and gooseberry flavors. It gradually shows toast as well as wonderful acidity. For aging over 4–6 years.
A dark, smoky, earthy Syrah with juicy blackberry and black currant fruits. This wine just coats the palate and seduces; threads of coffee and caramel, baking spices and cinnamon all weave through the lengthy finish. The tannins are supportive but unobtrusive, and the balance is superb. It finishes with a burst of grilled meat.
A relatively new producer in the Bendigo region of Central Otago, this wine won big at the annual Air New Zealand Wine Awards and it's easy to see why. Lovely black cherry aromas and flavors are touched with hints of herbs and spice, while the mouthfeel is rich and velvety. Finishes long, with hints of vanilla and spice.
Structured, complex wine that is only just beginning to hint at considerable depth of powerful, rich flavors. The structure is dry, a little lean, but with dense tannins. The fruit, rich plums and stone fruits is just coming through. Age for 10 years.
This is classic Washingon Merlot; plush with dark and smoky fruit, a supple and muscular mouthfeel, and broad flavors of plum and cherry. The generous (80%) use of new French oak adds plenty of chocolate and spice. Klipsun fruit can sometimes be rough and tannic, but here it is supple and almost soft, like real Corinthian leather.
This is deliciously hedonistic in the best traditions of Volnay, opulent and powered with flavors of blackberry jelly, dry tannins and perfumed violets. This is a big, ripe, solid wine whose perfumes give an enticing exotic aftertaste.
Intense and dark, with an oily nose of mineral, leather and mocha along with ripe berry fruit notes. The blend (50% Carmenère, 40% Cab Sauvignon, 10% Syrah), works like a charm. The flavors settle on lightly herb-infused berry flavors and chocolate, while the finish is on the spot. Rich, ripe and with modest tannins; drink now–2009.
This classy Walla Walla Syrah is still young and tightly wound, with juicy acids and flavors of tart berry and wild mountain fruit. As it opens in the glass it starts to show smoked ham and bacon, with black pepper in the back. Tannins are chewy and right on the border between green and black tea, but the bright raspberry fruit shines through. It's got good, crunchy structure and a substantial finish.
The aromas carry with them a bright raspberry note, which adds amplitude to the other scents of peppery spice, while the flavors revolve around the same raspberry core, embellished with vanilla, pepper, clove and cinnamon. It's medium-bodied wine, with creamy-soft tannins, balanced acids and a lingering finish.
A vibrant nose of grapefruit and flowers leads on this complex but lively Sauvignon from lauded winemaker Gottfried Mocke. On the palate, the oak-aged wine offers crispness and more tropical fruit and citrus, with a touch of minerality and spice on the finish. An excellent, elegant wine that can handle both typical SB dishes (seafood, salads) as well as heartier fare.
This wine combines complexity and an appealingly gentle texture to make for a compelling whole. Smoky oak influences fade into the background as the wine airs, leaving the mélange of plum, black cherry and herbal notes lingering on the mouthwatering finish. Drink now–2012.
Much like the 2006, this is an excellent effort, combining ripe melon and fig flavors with leafy notes of fresh garden herbs and crisp citrus. It's a touch viscous on the palate, finishing with superb length and freshness. Drink now.
Fresh meets floral in this elegant blend. On the nose, there's perky citrus and delicate flowers. The flavors are an excellent balance of minerality and fruit, with a rich, round but delicate overall character that's intriguing and unfolds on the tongue. The finish is clean and cool. A versatile, sophisticated white.
The 2005 Inkwell wines are undeniably big, but they manage to carry their weight and ample alcohol levels with a surprising measure of balance and grace. This one clocks in at 15.7%, but doesn't seem hot or heavy, just mouthfilling and round. Blueberry and blackberry fruit lead the way, but they're joined by earthier notes of black olive, coffee and tree bark. Drink now–2010.
This is 100% varietal, a 50-50 blend from Waliser and Candy Mountain vineyards. A beautiful color, deep purple, leads into a substantial Merlot with smooth berry flavors. Highlight hints of soy and balsamic are streaked into the midpalate, and the wine sails into a dark, smoky finish, which lasts a minute or longer, sending out a rainbow of flavors suggesting stone fruits and even a bit of papaya.
This Bordeaux blend is a powerful, dark, earthy wine, scented with Bordeaux-like forest floor, herb and fungus. It's the sort of Cabernet that is not afraid of the grape's true varietal character, and promises to age beautifully. Right now it would need some considerable airing to show its best, but the compact and intriguing finish, with its panorama of earth, green and black tea, spice and cassis, is well worth the wait.
Some of the best-bred Carmenères in the world are grown in Peumo, and a star example is this saturated, minty wine with medium-weight tannins and a long finish. It's lush, powerful and along the way you taste pepper, chocolate, berries and sunshine.
Spring blossoms and lime zest scent this bristling light-footed Riesling. It's dryish on the palate and penetrates with crisp-tart peach and apricot flavors. The finish is invigoratingly mineral. Drink now through 2020.
Honeysuckle, exotic fruit and herbaceous notes carry over to the racy palate, where they're joined by grapefruit, pineapple and green melon flavors. An almond note closes the crisp finish.
Dark berry aromas, chocolate and grit define the nose on this blend of Syrah, Cabernet and Tempranillo. The palate feels ripe and fresh, but the tannins are hard and grabby. Black plum flavors are bold and offer notes of spice, herbs and earthiness. This is composed on the finish despite a reprise of hard smacking tannins.
This 100% Nebbiolo opens with classic varietal aromas of dried rose petal, underbrush and balsam. The savory palate delivers red raspberry, sour cherry and baking spice flavors, with polished tannins and fresh acidity. Drink now–2021.
This grape excels in the region's warmer climate, proving relatively light in color and full of baked strawberry, caramel and dust aromas in this bottling. The palate is similarly light but carries an array of fun and easygoing flavors, including more red fruit and leather.
This bottling from the 55-year-old winery is one of the most reliable and well-priced Chardonnays in California. Plump nectarine and cherimoya aromas meet honeysuckle on the nose. It's tightly wound on the palate, with a sizzle of acidity that opens into peach and pineapple flavors.
This white Rhône blend places Grenache Blanc at center stage, with Marsanne, Picpoul Blanc and Viognier playing supporting roles. It's fresh and engaging on the nose, suggesting caramelized pear, apple blossom and chalk. Laser-sharp acidity and chalky minerality balance bold lime custard and apple skin flavors.
The year 2014 was a fine vintage for reserve-level wines, and this one brings concentrated cherry-berry fruit into a generous midpalate. Those big forward fruit flavors wrap through the finish, which is lightly touched, though not seriously impacted, with a glue-like note.
The nose of this New Orleans-inspired blend is juicy and fruit forward, with blackberry jam, black plum and a light licorice scents. It's soft and full on the palate, with Concord grape flavors and nicely polished tannins. A crowd-pleaser.
This blend of the very local Petit Courbu and Petit Manseng grapes comes from the same region as Madiran. The wine is dry but rich—very rich—with apricot and honey flavors. It has concentration, a great tang of lemon and just enough acidity to keep everything in order. This is ready to drink.
It's somewhat odd to find a reserve-level Pinot Noir done entirely in neutral oak, but here it is. Pretty cherry fruit comes wrapped in tart acids. The tannins are light and suggest drinking this now rather than aging it further.
This cuvée has more complexity than its companion releases, perhaps owing to the inclusion of 10% whole clusters and/or the use of native (wild) yeast. Citrus, orange flesh and peel, and tart raspberry fruits are finished with a tannic burst.
Almost entirely whole cluster fermented, this reserve saw just 5% new oak; the rest was neutral. It's clean and sharp-edged, with tangy raspberry fruit. Put it away for a couple more years, and drink from 2020 on.
Ripe apple, toast and grilled herb scents lead the nose while the medium-bodied palate offers pear, ripe citrus and toasted almond hints. A mineral note lifts the finish.
At 20g/L of residual sugar, this is sweet enough to work well with spicy dishes, like many curries. Green apple, peach and pineapple flavors show a fine balance of ripeness and acidity on the long, mouthwatering finish.
A savory touch of soy colors the nose of this wine. It boasts underlying fleshy, black cherry notes that are edged with peppery spice and enough freshness to feel lively, honest and appetizing. The finish is fresh and juicy.
Made entirely from Nero d'Avola, this opens with black-skinned berry, freshly turned soil and cooking spice aromas. The soft, juicy palate offers blackberry, carob and clove flavors while rounded tannins lend a smooth texture. Enjoy through 2019.
This blend of Pinot Bianco, Friulano, Sauvignon and Ribolla Gialla has oak, butterscotch and pressed acacia flower aromas. They carry over to the tangy, linear palate, along with pineapple and citrus zest flavors. A toasted almond note leaves a lingering, rather bitter finish.
Fermented in oak casks, this opens with tropical fruit, graphite and white pepper aromas. On the lively, medium-bodied palate, candied nectarine and vanilla notes back up ripe pear fruit while a flinty mineral hint marks the close.
Small amounts of other grapes figure into this majority-Cabernet Sauvignon, including Merlot, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. It begins with a reduced sensibility that translates into an undeniable aroma and taste of barrel and petrol.
Herbal berry aromas suggest density, and this is certainly dark full-sized and sticky. Pumped-up candied black-fruit flavors are thick and gooey, with cooked brown sugar, mint and toast flavors on the finish.
Murky mucky passion fruit and pineapple aromas are uncommon and uninviting. This feels watery and a bit citrusy, while strained mango and passion fruit flavors end bitter, pithy and lean.
Reduced medicinal raspberry and cherry aromas are more like fruit juice than wine. This is choppy and off the mark in mouthfeel, while unfamiliar jumbled flavors of jammy red berry fruits finish tannic and green.
Mild peach and quince aromas come with zero zest or edge. This lacks shape on the palate and tastes jumbled, with bland peach and tropical fruit flavors. This finishes flat as a board, with almost no lasting flavor.
Tight with shocking acidity, this wine confirms that red Vinho Verde can often be an acquired taste, perhaps best left to the local market back in Portugal.
This wine has very intense vegetal, stemmy aromas and flavors. It was aged entirely in stainless steel.
Muddy plum and berry aromas lead to a sharp, rugged palate. Tart plum and pie cherry flavors end raw, rough and bitter.
This basic wine that has earthy aromas, slightly pruney flavors and a smooth-enough texture.
An exceptionally young wine that tastes like bacon and cherry syrup, this offers an overripe, concentrated and thick drink experience.
Odd aromas of bath soap and tropical fruits are not convincing for Chardonnay. A narrow diluted palate offers low-level lemon and tropical-fruit flavors in front of a sour underwhelming finish.
Aromas of spearmint gum along with a weird coating of oak create a challenging nose. This is high in acidity, to the point of feeling shearing. Sour herbal plum flavors finish rough and bracing.
A disappointing blend of wine sourced from Mornington and Yarra, this is a bit pale in color, with a Sherried edge to the fruit and some astrigency on the finish.
Strange yeasty unfocused aromas are unclean. This is flat and spineless, with yeasty papaya flavors. A diluted, leesy finish confirms that it's not ready for prime time.
Cidery, citric and jumbled on the nose and palate, this is barely cutting it. Briny, limited flavors of mealy citrus fruits finish flat.
This is a heartbeat or two from being DOA. Tan in color with an oily heavy mouthfeel, this tastes oxidized and shows almost no pulse.
Herbaceous red-fruit and forced fiery oak aromas give this a spicy, almost Pinot Noir-like nose. Raw as nails on the palate, this tastes like herbal green strawberry and chemicals. Weedy on the finish.
A firm and tannic wine, this has dry spices, dark fruits and concentration. Great depth of flavor gives a serious wine that also has a fruit-driven profile. Concentrated dark tannins push this wine to a great height and impressive length. Drink from 2020.
Packed with tannins and boasting an enormous structure, this wine is opulent while very firm. At the same time, smoky acidity shoots through all this density. From a great terroir, this wine shows minerality and its great structure well. Drink from 2023.
This wine is perfumed with gorgeous fruit that contrasts with the strict minerality. The tannins under the fruit are severe, solid, dark and promising enormous potential. Concentrated even while it celebrates great fruit, it is going to last for many years. Drink from 2023.
An intoxicating bouquet of beeswax, honeysuckle, freesia and shea butter leads the way for flavors of peach nectar, apricot preserves, citrus zest and orange blossom. This wine is truly exquisite on the palate, marked by a delicate balance of ongoing sweetness and lively acidity.
This offers a firm, dense structure, with dark tannins and big, ripe, opulent fruits. At the same time the elegance that is the hallmark of the domaine is equally present with stylish red fruits and a velvet texture. The wine needs to age to be at its peak, although it is beautiful now. Drink from 2020.
This marks another stellar vintage of The Traveler, an estate-grown block planted to a suitcase clone that seems to have found a happy place in Fort Ross-Seaview. Dark cherry and strawberry jump out of the glass, around a core of lush, spicy and decadent chocolate swirls. Buoyant in acidity, this is a gorgeous Pinot with lilting traces of orange and cranberry on the finish.
Big and bold with great strawberry and red cherry flavors, this wine has all the elements of dense fruit, intense acidity and rich tannins. The structure is dark and full of potential. With acidity at the end to give a lift of freshness, this is a wine for the long-term. Drink from 2020.
Very fruity and fresh in aroma, this elegant wine has light, crisp apple and lemon flavors, fresh-baked bread accents and lively acidity. A layered texture seems to blend in accents of almond and vanilla, increasing complexity with each sip. It's one of California's blue-chip bubblies.
Delicately light yet showing a fascinating amount of character on both the nose and palate, this bottling by winemaker Nathan Kandler offers aromas of lightly pressed cherries, purple sage, juniper, eucalyptus oil and a hint of mushrooms. The sip sings with cola, raspberries, pencil lead, morel mushrooms and forest-floor flavorings.
A magical blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, this estate-crafted blend exudes elegance, etching out silos of herb, lavender, cedar and earth around savory-laced texture. A powerful concentration of dark chocolate appears on the lengthy finish, the wine sourced from dry-farmed, impeccably tended vines. Cellar through 2027.
This might be one of the best values on the market, given the quality. Equal parts pretty and funky, it's a tightly wound, savory, fruity wine that's elegant and compelling. The tannins and oak are lightly imprinted around strawberry-rhubarb and fresh-cut rose, and the texture seductively silky. This is a delicious treat of a wine that should also age.
From a vineyard east of Napa first planted in 1905, Moore is densely structured and deceptively elegant, all while maintaining an intensity of tart cherry and wild blackberry. Spicy in black pepper and a dusting of cinnamon, it remains vibrant on the palate from start to lengthy finish, a knockout among the producer's consistently high-achieving Zinfandels that should stand the test of time. Cellar through 2023.
An unattractive green-herb aroma is followed by a green-pepper- and dill-flavored palate.
Rusty in color, this wine features aromas of compost, juniper and a touch of floral red fruit. It comes on strong in the mouth, with a leafy, rustic dried-cherry flavor, before feeling hard and tannic.
This wine's fruit is overripe, which spoils the structure that has been built around it.
Torrontés is not known for aging well in the bottle, and this one is almost past its prime. There's some tropicality left on the nose, but it mostly smells sweaty. Flabby on the palate, with an oily, bitter peach-pit flavor.
Lean and rather dry, this has old wood and lean fruit flavors.
This very ripe wine tastes of supermature grapes; it' s soft and formless.
Raisin and funky leather are the prime aromas on this marginal Tempranillo. Expect a dried-out, tart and herbal wine, with a raisiny sweetness.
Mulchy and gaseous on the nose, this subsequently turns scouring and acidic on the palate, with a leafy, dry red-plum flavor. Herbal, dry and not very fruity overall.
From Northridge Vineyard grapes, this mix of four clones spent more than two years in barrel. Tremendous depth and complexity are apparent on the nose, and there is no let-down on the palate. It's a seriously powerful wine, with muscle and magic. It opens generously into beautifully integrated layers of ripe fruit, confection, candied rind, cacao and a finishing touch of minerality.
This pure Cabernet from a lush vintage comes together in a wonderfully supple, dense and complex mix of red and black fruit, coffee, mocha and toast flavors. There is no part of this wine that is not thoroughly delicious. It's very satisfying, long and luscious, with plenty of life ahead—but why wait?
King Coal is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah from the Stoneridge Vineyard. Silky and seamless on entry, it pushes into a wine of power and punch. The fruit is complex and complicated, a mix of berry and cherry, with tart, tangy acid. While the wine is still primary, it has superb concentration and length, and it's beautifully structured for aging.
Year after year, Lynch-Bages is able to produce sumptuous wines, typically rich, powerful and structured. This is solid, the blackberry ripe fruit enveloping this structure with a velvet sheen. This is developing into one of the successes of the vintage.
Loaded with honeysuckle, melon, pear, peach and hints of sweet grapefruit, this juicy wine perfectly captures the intensity of Washington Riesling and the complexity of German wines. Buoyant and precise, with notes of chalk and limestone in the finish, this is a stunning achievement in a challenging vintage.
A terrific example of Australian Chardonnay, the 2003 Tiers offers mature aromas of truffles, orange marmalade and peach preserves. It's full-bodied and rich, yet retains a sense of freshness on the long, anise-tinged finish. Drink now–2012.
The Fielding Hills Syrah remains one of my favorites in a state loaded with great Syrahs, fruit-powered with spicy purple fruits, annotated with scents of game, anise, smoke and moist earth. The black and purple fruits dominate, as expressive and ripe as any Syrah in the state. It's still young, a bit oaky, and relatively high in alcohol. Give it some bottle age and all the complexity will come into focus.
Extremely dark, inky, black, impenetrable; dense in every way, this highly extracted wine is a real tongue-stainer. The fruit is blueberry compote; the tannins grippy and strong, but polished and ripe; the acids and minerality keep the power under a firm leash.
This plump, creamy-textured Riesling shows plenty of flattering peach and lime fruit, but also enough mint and slate that it avoids being simply fruity. Balanced toward the dry side of the Riesling spectrum, so it should prove versatile at the table.
Classic aromas of oak, spice, toast and vanilla lead on this dependable white from Le Bonheur. The wine's flavors offer a spicy minerality with a touch of liveliness that will pair well with more sophisticated seafood and ethnic dishes.
Opens with true citrus, nettle and other snappy, prickly aromas. Like many Chilean SBs, it's fresh and charging, with zesty green-fruit and citrus flavors. Lime is present on the finish, as is a touch of lasting bitterness. Good but straightforward, and slightly narrow.
A decent effort from a difficult vintage in Marlborough, combining slightly fungal notes of sous-bois with oaky notes of vanilla and cedar, then adding in hints of tomato on the palate. Given the presence of so much decay and earthiness, drink this over the near term.
Whispy and lightweight on the nose, with hints of celery, sweat and passion fruit. There's not a ton to say about this pedestrian but well-made Sauvignon. It is citrusy with a touch of bell pepper, and it finishes in a comfortable way. Classic everyday SB from Casablanca is what this tastes, smells and feels like. Drink now.
The winemaking team of Château Lafite makes one of the better branded Bordeaux. This 2006 has tobacco aromas followed by flavors of fresh black currants with an attractive smoky character and a fine line of balancing acidity.
Rich and soft, this is a fine blended wine that shows layers of wood, ripe tannins, flavors of blackberry fruits and good balancing acidity. There is a delicious juiciness from the St Laurent, which is tightened by the other grapes in the blend.
A minerally, grassy nose leads on this white blend of 51% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Chenin and 23% Chardonnay. Intense flavors of honey, almond and spice blend well with a citric, zingy edge. Some tropical fruit curviness rounds the whole thing out. A unique and stylish sip.
Light, spicy and well made, with pale fruit flavors of strawberry, cranberry and raspberry. Tannins remain stiff and peppery; the fruit does not seem to have the ripeness to fill out the middle, even with more bottle time.
Made in a restrained style, this has savory black-fruit sensations. The palate delivers plum and raspberry flavors, with hints of bitter almond and tobacco that are supported by fresh acidity. Tellitalia Imports, Tradizione Imports.
This is Blue Plate's first red wine after a couple successful vintages of Clarksburg Chenin Blanc. It's an impressive wine and one hell of a deal. Light in color with a pretty nose of flowery raspberry and strawberry, it's softly textured and delicious with a long finish, a wine to savor but not take too seriously, simply drink and enjoy.
This opens with aromas of nearly overripe black fruit and hints of nail varnish. The palate delivers blackberry, chocolate, oak and vanilla flavors, along with spirit-soaked cherries. The alcohol is very evident, and although the fruit is delicious, it's one dimensional. Imported bz Panebianco, Vinity Wine Company.
At first a stiff, unyielding wine, this shows promising—though compact—dark fruits with a strong herbal streak. Fresh greens and other herbs move into a finish with barrel flavors of tar and espresso.
Fresh and very crisp, this is a distinctive, fragrant wine. It has concentration, tight acidity, with apples and minerality. At the end, the wine is more floral, open and ripe. Drink after 2016.
Warm, fragrant and juicy, this is an off-dry, just peppery wine, full of ripe peach and pear flavors. Very fruity and delicious.
Gold in color, this is a mature wine interesting for its roasted almond and spice flavors, very ripe and rich. Drink this full-bodied wine now.
Made with the Friulano grape—formerly known as Tocai Friulano—this white offers lemon peel and mineral aromas that carry over to the palate. It's long and linear, with a crisp finish.
Decadent in coffee, toffee and caramel tones, the leathery mouthfeel of this wine is met head-to-head by a juiciness of ripe, dense blackberry fruit. An approachable Petite Sirah that will also please lovers of the variety's chewiness and concentration.
This savory selection offers a spicy bouquet of black pepper, nutmeg and clove, along with blackberry and cherry notes. It has a refined and vibrant palate, with black cherry, pepper and spice notes framed by silky tannins and refreshing acidity.
The American oak aging (80%) plays a significant role here but not in a bad way. There are notes of toast and Mounds bar with ripe flavors and a cranberry-filled finish.
This Amarone has nearly overripe aromas, with hints of nail varnish and raisin. The palate is better, offering spirit-soaked black cherry, black pepper and licorice notes. You'll also notice the warmth of alcohol on the midpalate.
This wine offers blackberry, raisin and spice aromas upfront, with a whiff of vanilla. The palate shows a dense black-cherry flavor, with accents of white pepper and Asian spice, all wrapped up in a velvety mouthfeel. Bright acidity gives this energy and keeps it lively.
Sourced entirely from the Bacchus vineyard, this was whole-cluster pressed and 20% was fermented in neutral oak. Just a hint of sweetness remains, but what comes across strongly is a mineral-driven, wet stone base, under snappy fruit flavors of citrus, apple and orange peel.
The vineyards of the 13th century abbey of La Ferté produces some of the best Givry. This wine has great structure with firm tannins, and also rich, juicy fruitiness that offers delicious acidity and a more solid base for aging. Drink from 2016.
Tomato, red bell pepper, plum and currant aromas have a slightly sharp, varietal-related minty, green angle. This feels round and creamy on the tongue, with good acidity propping up flavors of baked berries, spice, chocolate, raw oak and vanilla. A medium-length finish with baking spice flavors confirms the wine's power.
Intensely charred and rubbery, with peanutty aromas that also fold in fresh-laid road tar. Gotta say this is unusual for Maipo and Chilean Cabernet; it's herbal, with a green infiltration. Bouncy on the finish, with grabby tannins. It's almost there, but too many speed bumps don't allow for smooth driving.
An interesting wine that walks to the beat of its own drum. Organic wines are almost always a little unusual, and this is no different. It pours on the funky red-fruit aromas and then come herbal cherry, raspberry and plum flavors. As a whole it's a good, well-made wine with decent feel. But hailing from La Rioja, it also has its own unfamiliar identity. Worth a try if organic wines are your thing.
Oddly confected on the nose, with cotton candy-like cherry aromas, but once past that, this isn't bad wine, even if it's not really varietally correct. It's round in the mouth but with crisp acids, giving it a hard-edged feel, while the flavors are less candied and more like black cherries and chocolate.
Red in color, and definitely smelling and tasting like Malbec. And while you want to like it more, there are some glaring flaws here, namely a weak bead that turns it flat. Furthermore, there's rhubarby sourness at the core. Has its moments but needs more work.
There's more rhubarb and bramble here than we prefer from a young, everyday Malbec, and thus the bouquet is austere and only skin deep. As might be expected given the aromas, the palate is limited to herbal, lightly pickled red fruit, while the finish is quick and offers some lasting chocolate. Decent wine, but that's as far as it goes.
Strawberry fruit is set against some pretty stiff tannins; it seems to have over-reached in color and extract, given the rather lean fruit. Leafy, herbal and a bit off-kilter.
Sort of gaseous and touchy on the nose, with bramble and sweaty leather rising up once the bouquet opens. The palate offers a quick flash of berry fruit but nothing backing that up, and the finish is gone in seconds. Basically this is a light-bodied quaffer that seeks not to offend.
This pleasing quaffer blends five white grapes, capturing the floral top notes of Riesling and Gewürztraminer, the herbal spice of Sauvignon Blanc and the tangy fruit of Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Hellfire is the second label of Phelps Creek.
Tart and bright, with pretty cherry candy fruit flavor, this crisply defined Pinot Noir is annotated with rosemary, thyme and pepper. There's even a hint of pine needle—it's definitely Oregon, not California fruit—but well-made with good structure.
A showy, aromatic white, the '07 Côté Jardin features assertive notes of orange zest and anise around a core of wet stones. It's full bodied without being blowsy, but should be consumed over the near term.
Remember those vaguely anise-like white gumdrops? That describes the aromas and flavors found in the 2006 Les Sinards, albeit without the sugar. It's a medium- to full-bodied largely neutral white that should be consumed over the next year or two.
Plowbuster is Carabella's second label, offering this light, balanced, moderately priced Pinot Noir. Wild berries and cocoa powder compete with astringent tannins that taste of green tea. Though slightly bitter, it softens up when paired with heartier stews.
A deliciously fresh and lively Kosher white blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Riesling and 10% Colombard, offering vibrant aromas and flavors of ripe tropical fruit, key lime and a touch of fresh cut grass. Well balanced with subtle sweetness and crisp acidity.
This blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is an Oregon winery's take on a super Tuscan red. Aromas are volatile and those high tones carry into the flavors. Light raspberry fruit, high acidity, and a sharp astringency characterize the wine.
Raisiny and sweeet smelling, with baked qualities but also a bitter bite of horseradish. The palate is deep and hard, with burnt notes, tough tannins and berry flavors softened by buttery oak. Beefy and rubbery, but with enough ripeness to be worth a look.
A tight wine, the tannins almost too much for the fresh but lightweight fruits. The wood element is poised to soften the edges of the acidity and black currant fruits, but it needs another six months. The aftertaste is dominated by soft Merlot.
A wood-dominated wine, all the dryness coming from barrels rather than fruit. Will it broaden out? It's hard to find the fruit at the moment, but there is weight under the wood, so perhaps.
A soft nose of juicy berry, spicebox and a touch of flowers lead this elegant red. On the palate, tobacco, clove, red berries and spice flavors are balanced and ageable. This is still a dry style of red that goes well with spicy food.
Widely available, Kings Ridge delivers strong flavors for the price. Cherry candy fruit with an earthy edge is set within sharp, potent tannins. This is a steak-worthy Pinot Noir.
A laser-focused nose of lime zest, limestone and a hint of orange blossom characterize this very refreshing sparkler. The bubbles dance across the tongue with lean, not lush flavors of orange peel and squeezed citrus.
With its beautiful pale pink color and bright fruitiness, this delicious wine also has a good depth of texture, mineral strength and tight acidity. Even though it is now six years old, it is showing no sign of maturity, so drink from 2016.
The tart berry fruit flavors seem etched in place, as they are framed with sleek tannins, bright acidity and a sliver of steel. Aged 16 months in 30% new French oak, this wine seems to be somewhat shuttered, and has the structure to age well. Drink 2016–2024.
Smoky, dark aromas of blackberry, vanilla, licorice and toast introduce a palate with verve, power and balance. Flavors of ripe blackberry and boysenberry are toasty and dark, then fig and mocha flavors take over on the finish. Drink through 2018.
Ripe and creamy in apple and pear fruitiness, this is cut by just the right amount of acidity. It's balanced, with fruit and and bright steeliness working well together. Drink from 2016.
The wine is tight and closed, hiding its natural fruitiness. For the moment, what is showing is acidity and a strongly mineral texture. This complex wine needs aging to fill out the structure. Drink from 2017.
Whiffs of caramelized sugar and smoked nuts accent aromas of ripe, concentrated peaches and nectarines on this intensely juicy semi-sweet Riesling. It's fruitiness makes it unabashedly approachable, but it's stately in feel with bold mineral and smoky earth tones that linger on the finish.
Rich, ruddy peach and tangerine scents are fleshy and ripe on this lavishly fruit-forward Riesling. Semi-sweet in style, it's unctuously juicy, but a jolt of grapefruit acidity adds balance and vibe. The finish is marked with a spray of citrus blossom.
Citrus, peach and toasted aromas lead the nose on this creamy sparkler. Made entirely with Chardonnay, the palate delivers candied lemon zest, mature Golden Delicious apple and apricot brightened by fresh acidity. It finishes on a ginger note.
Opening with earth and herb, much like its companion vineyard-designated Bucher Vineyard Pinot, this wine is lean on the midpalate but builds character and strength as it goes, and is delightfully measured in tart cherry with memorable subtlety.
A welcome barnyard funk of sour cherry, wet leather and mulched shrubbery kicks off the nose on this wine from the likable Joey Gummere, once know for the Kenneth-Crawford wines. Fennel seed flavors and violet characters emerge on the very pretty palate, which has both tannins and mouth-washing acid on the finish.
Fragrances recall acacia, white spring flowers, honey, bread dough and beeswax. The concentrated palate delivers mature yellow apple, toasted walnut, clove, vanilla and pie crust alongside vivacious, persistent effervescence.
Freshly baked bread, toasted hazelnut, yellow apple, ginger, subtle oak and vanilla are some of the sensations conveyed by this sophisticated sparkler. Made from 100% Chardonnay, it boasts a remarkably refined mousse and bright acidity. It also has great length and a crisp, dry finish.
Dry, leathery and earthy up front, this mature Mencía is all about grip and complexity. In the mouth, it's tight and tannic. Flavors of dry cherry and berry are layered and earthy, while hard tannins and additional earth notes steer a long, spicy finish. Drink through 2019.
Exotic, earthy aromas of loamy blackberry, pencil eraser, brown sugar and violet petals lead to a deep but wiry and clipped-feeling palate. The flavor profile is oaky, with spiced berry and cardamom notes leading the charge. A lasting finish is stern and doesn't waver. Drink through 2020.
Made entirely from Nebbiolo, Italy's most noble grape, this offers a fragrance of McIntosh apple, grapefruit and yellow peach. The palate displays an enticing depth of flavors including red cherry, strawberry and notes of cinnamon-spice alongside a refined and persistent perlage.
Totally fresh, this is crisp and packed with citrus. A complex, tight texture brings out nervy acidity, a strongly mineral character and a firm structure. Age this youthful wine and drink from 2018.
This wine is a great mix of fruit and a tight texture. The two are joined easily by the wood-aging flavors that give a smoky character as well as toastiness. The citrus and crisp peach skin acidity leave a lively aftertaste. Drink from 2016.
Complex and individualistic, this conveys a savory rather than fruity personality. Smoky, meaty aromas lead to spice-accented plum and berry flavors. It feels full-bodied but not hot, has a suave texture and lingering finish. The first vintage to be released from the new Roederer-owned winery.
Fresh-cut grass and green-floral notes lend vibe to heady apricot aromas on this ripe, rich, lusciously textured Riesling. Dry in style yet bold in body and alcohol, it's kept in balance by a streak of nervy acidity. Finishes with a flair of potpourri and floral perfume.
Yeasty and woody after lengthy time in the bottle, this is a complex cuvée that's dry and savory more than sweet. Secondary flavors of apple and pear are crisp and developed.
Hints of pine frond, earth and smoke entice on the nose of this unusual, remarkably well-priced Riesling. Semi-sweet in style, it's rich and creamy on the palate with luscious peach and grapefruit flavors. It's surprising nuanced too, exposing layers of steel, crushed mineral and acid that meld beautifully through a long finish.
Brimming with ripe black plum and cherry flavors, this densely concentrated wine is unabashedly fruity and forward. It's well balanced though, showcasing crisp acidity and nuanced hints of rose petal and granite. Fine-grained but penetrating tannins persist on the finish.
There's a lot to like in this thickly ripe wine, so dark purple in color as to be almost paint. Lipsmacking black and blue berries ride a wave of smoky tannin, chocolate and power, the acidity moderate.
Vanilla, wood spice, herb and plum aromas are followed by soft, silky purple-fruit flavors. The tannins give a light squeeze on the finish.
Aromas of herbs, crushed flowers, peppery spice and dark fruit are followed by sweet cherry flavors that taper toward the finish. The volatiles are just in check.
Mostly a blend of Merlot (30%), Syrah (25%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (24%), this wine offers appealing, downright fruity aromas of red currant and raspberry jam. The lightly sweet cranberry and cherry flavors provide a lot of easy-drinking enjoyment.
Blueberry, wet tobacco, charred beef, cedar and a touch of dried herbs show on the nose of this bottling. There is tons of acidity on the palate, where dense and dark purple fruits meet with cocoa dust, incense and woody spice, culiminating in a long finish.
The aromas are light, with notes of yellow apple and spice. The palate is rounded in feel, showing a lovely sense of texture.
Six months in French oak lend a rounded feel and delicate spice to pressed apple and lemon flavors in this wine. While less forward and fruity in style than most New York Sauvignon Blanc, its richer body and slightly salty, saline palate are enticing.
The vines around the showpiece castle of Cléray have produced a crisp, lemon-scented wine that has a tight mineral edge to point up the ripe apple and lime fruitiness. Drink now.
Aromas of plum, blue fruit, cocoa and herbs lead to lead to palate-coating, textured fruit flavors supported by grainy tannins. It doesn't always seem entirely varietal but still delivers a lot of enjoyment.
A rather neutral but fresh nose leads onto a palate where freshness, texture and alcoholic warmth unite into a punchy, fluid and substantial body. There is real alcoholic power, countered by very fresh, luminous acidity, framed by green and red apple fruit. This definitely needs food to come into its own.
This opens with aromas of toast, oak, grilled herb and a hint of iris. The palate offers coffee, marinated cherry, licorice and a saline note alongside close-grained tannins that leave an astringent finish.
Light and simplistic compared to other bottlings from the winery, this is still quite tasty, with aromas of lemon curd, sliced green apple and tangerine blossom. The palate shows stone fruit, vanilla cream and lemon wedges, with a decently grippy tension.
Angels is made from a majority of Merlot, the balance nearly equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Black pepper, clove and a whiff of Dr Pepper give it a spiciness that's also fruity, while a softness of texture and medium body maintain approachability.
Aromas of vanilla, pickling spices, green pepper and dark fruit are followed by tart cherry flavors. It shows both the elegance of the vintage and the power of the appellation.
This rich, reddish-orange wine has aromas like sour-cherry candy. Tasty, dry and complex fruit flavors suggest cherry, cranberry and tamarind, with a smooth texture and full body. It's made from 74% Grenache and 25% Mourvèdre.
Dusty apricot, peach and citrus aromas come in front of a snappy, basic palate with racy acidity. Citrus, banana and pineapple flavors finish fresh and modest. This is nice and perfectly appealing. It's ideal for patio sipping.
This is a ripe, full wine that has both citrus fruit and richer pineapple and melon flavors. It is a spicy wine, touching on pepper and finishing with tight acidity. With its attractive fruit, it is ready to drink.
Aromas of dried herbs and leaves, vanilla, cassis, wood spice and cherry are followed by coffee and blue fruit. The tannins show some grit and need time to smooth out.
This wine is a unique blend of Roussanne (59%), Sauvignon Blanc (26%) and Marsanne. The aromas are perfumed with notes of flowers, citrus, peach and lees. The flavors are sweet, with Sauvignon's herbal streak running throughout. It provides intrigue.
Dried herb and barrel spice aromas intermingle with gamey notes. The flavors are pitch black, supported by the burly tannins that this region is known for.
This wine was fermented and aged in French oak, 25% of it new. It shows a touch of nutmeg dotted along a light-bodied swath of pear, apple, peach and vanilla. The wine is deliciously simple and focused, with a short finish.
This medium-bodied wine has a classic aroma of cherries, tea and spice, plus a rich mouthfeel, deep flavors and good balance. It's nicely made and easy to enjoy.
A subdued nose leads to a lively, fresh palate with both red and black fruit: there's crunchy red cherry and some blueberry. The palate is light and easy to drink, and majors on its primary fruit notes and ample freshness.
Underbrush, ripe berry, menthol, Asian spice and a whiff of aromatic herb come together in the glass. The straightforward palate offers dried wild cherry, cranberry, chopped mint and anise alongside polished tannins.
Honey, concentrated pear juice, candied tangerine rind and a light botanical aroma show on this dynamic dessert wine. The palate is expectedly sweet but cut by a driving, mouth-searing acidity, showing flavors of pear and apple skins, ripe stone fruit, golden raisins and lemon rinds.
The aromas provide notes of baking spice, vanilla, licorice and dark fruit that are starting to show some bottle age. Full-bodied dried red-fruit and cranberry flavors lead to a tart finish.
Generous aromas of baking spice, clove and vanilla lead to quite tart, tangy cranberry and cherry flavors, with the oak and the fruit playing off each other.
This is a pretty impressive wine being offered for an almost unheard-of price, the fruit sourced largely from Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast. Cardamom and cinnamon figure in, with a lightness of body and high-toned strawberry and cherry belying an underlying richness that'll satisfy.
This is a classic, dry wine. It's medium bodied, fresh in aromas and moderately tannic, resulting in a balanced yet grippy texture. It's backed by reserved but tasty cherry and raspberry flavors.
This Cab is minty and leathery, with overwhelming vanilla-y tannins at first—maybe from the time spent in all new American oak—that mellow with opening, giving it a soft mouthfeel.
One of the many inexpensive wines from Aliança, Alabastro has an earthy feel, chunky and fruity. At the same time, it also has richness, perfumed tannins and attractive spicy acidity.
Dense tannins and a solid, chunky character suggest a wine with richness. The black fruits are concentrated, with juiciness coming through over time. It has the ripe power of the 2009 vintage.
Billed as a dessert wine, this is in fact more of an apéritif wine, with its botrytis sweetness muted by a soft, open character. It has ripe apricot flavors, hints of honey and a tang of orange peel.
A touch stemmy and cooked smelling, with Cafayate's patented herbal notes. The palate has a regular feel and briary, herbal flavors of pepper, tobacco and red berry fruit. Spicy and warm on the finish, but good in a competent way.
There's a sweet ripeness to the strawberry and raspberry fruit flavors in this wine, with a touch of chocolaty richness developing in the mouth. Easy drinking with soft tannins and a clean finish; enjoy now.
A plush, big, oaky California Tempranillo with plum, fig and black cherry in the mix, but also clove, bittersweet chocolate and did we mention, oak? Oy, the oak. Maybe more than it needed. A pruney aftertaste muddles the finish.
Fresh grass, green plum and lime rind notes characterize this easygoing white. There's a lifting prickly sensation to the palate followed by a short but cleansing finish.
A perfectly simple, stainless-steel fermented Lake County SB with tangy lemon and lime notes, subtle at first. The finish falls off fast.
Rustic with softened tannins, this Charbono, a rare sight in California where fewer than 100 acres are planted, is inky and mellow, its acidity a good match for a range of goopy, Italian-inspired foods.
Dark like a cave in color, this big red blend consists of Zinfandel, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Merlot, all sourced from vineyards in Lodi and Clarksburg. Oaky and tannic, not overdone alcohol-wise, the cherry flavors are just right for the backyard barbecue or other casual meat-eating gathering.
Spice and dark fruit aromas settle fairly well. It's light to medium across the palate, with zesty acidity and standard flavors of black cherry, plum and pepper. Crisp and clean on the finish, confirming its basic but juicy disposition.
A just off-dry rosé with great fresh fruit, attractive red currants and vanilla flavor. This is bright, clean, delicious as a food rosé. Screwcap.
An attractive, bright, red-fruited wine, laced with intense acidity and a layer of tannins. The wine has great texture and some sweetness. A very drinkable red.
Producer of one of the first rosé Vinho Verde, Casa do Valle continues to make one of the best. Full of delicious strawberry flavors with great acidity, deliciously fruity.
On the austere side, this shows more tannin than fruit, based around a dry core that has spread through the wine. There is some black plum skin and black currant fruit, but it is hard to find.
For a Bordeaux rosé, this is fresh and delicious in a light, fruity style, and immediately appealing. Not for aging, of course, but with a good touch of acidity as well as vanilla. Screwcap.
Rounded, soft creamy wine, attractively fruity with yellow fruits and bright acidity. It's easy, the freshness naturally integrated with the soft fruit. Screwcap.
There are people out there who will love this big, blustery Cab, with its powerful fruit and oak, its bacon fat reminiscent of other high-octane reds under the Earthquake label. And there are those who will not like this wine at all, the alcohol all that will register and remain. This wine does not tread lightly.
The folks at Jaboulet have nailed the texture of this wine, which is pure silk in the mouth. Mild hickory and menthol notes accent raspberry fruit, while slightly meaty, herbal and savory notes add complexity. Approachable now, it should easily evolve through 2025.
Continuing a long-running streak of excellence, the latest vintage of Eroica blends fruit from vineyards in the Lake Chelan, Yakima Valley, Royal Slope and Horse Heaven Hills regions. It's a rich mix of peach and papaya, creamy and slightly sweet (16.6 g/L). The citrusy acids keep a fine edge on the lush flavors.
This is a five-grape Bordeaux-style blend that's firm, substantial and tannic. It spent 30 months in 65% new French oak prior to bottling, and is only ever released five years after it's bottled. Focused and expressive, this deftly blends blueberry, black cherry and cassis fruit with barrel flavors of coffee, toffee and caramel. Hints of woodsy, dried herb notes add further intrigue.
It's hard to imagine anyone not liking this deep, lush, purple Mencía from Bierzo. A concentrated, minerally, toasty black-fruit nose sets up blackberry, boysenberry, prune, juniper and beef jerky flavors. On the finish, it's sultry, dark and peppery. There's all sorts of power and sizzle to this; drink through 2019.
With its inky black color and intense, dense aromas of black fruits, leather, spice and herbs, Almirez is a poster child for Toro. The palate is firm but offers cushion, while flavors of toast, wood, roasted berry, cassis and licorice finish long, wild and leathery. Drink through 2019.
This property is flying below the radar...for now. This is yet another excellent wine from Clos Berenguer. The nose is full of butterscotch and oxidized aromas of fine Sherry. The palate has a big feel, purity and fine acidity, while flavors of smoke, toast and oxidized white fruits finish waxy, creamy, oaky and long. This Garnacha-heavy blend would go great with fish or lobster done in a butter sauce.
This is a full-bodied, extracted wine, loaded with cedar and vanilla notes that frame concentrated dark fruit. It's rich and velvety in texture yet manages to retain a sense of mouthwatering tension on the finish. Give it a few years to absorb some of the oak; drink 2020–2028.
Pure Syrah from the Boushey Vineyard, this was barrel aged in a mix of half new Russian and French oak. Citrusy acids brighten up this wine, where the tight-wound, tangy red fruit flavors suggest wild, just-picked raspberries. With excellent concentration and focus, this is a wine to cellar for up to a decade.
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Syrah initially smells cool and earthy, then more woody, spicy and animal-like. On the palate, this is concentrated and deep, with milder tannins than the winery's varietal Petit Verdot. Flavors of blackberry and cassis are powerful, while burnt wood, bitter chocolate and peppery flavors drive a muscular finish. Drink now through 2020.
A full, rich and rounded wine that brings out the concentration from the low yielding old vines. It has rich black cherry and spice flavors that go with the delicious acidity and solid structure. This could be a wine to age, but it's so good now. If you want, drink until 2018.
Alta Vista's single-vineyard series consistently consists of winning wines. This version is compact, with intense aromas of plum and boysenberry along with a whiff of orange peel. The palate is tight with tannins. Flavors of blackberry, toast and licorice finish sturdy and long, with juicy acidity adding length. Drink through 2019.
It was difficult to get much out of the glass; the wine may have entered a dumb phase. There were vague hints of barnyard and plastic, suggestions of red fruits, and overall the wine left a rather sharp, herbal impression.
Opens with leather, cowhide and sweet notes of raisin and licorice. The palate is a bit scratchy, with leathery red fruit flavors, oak-driven spice, bitterness and then mild heat on what amounts to a snappy but earthy finish. Improves with airing.
Smoky and dark on the nose, with crusty black fruit aromas. It's short and tough in the mouth, with beaming acidity but only monoline red berry flavors. High acidity rears up again on the finish. Reflects the tough conditions of 2008.
Pale salmon rosé, with peach and melon aromas. It's dry and minerally on the palate, with mouthwatering acids that linger on the finish.
An unusual and exotic bouquet is the greeting; it smells like Middle Eastern spice, blueberry and cinnamon. Runs a bit flat and syrupy in the mouth, with raisin, stewed plum and spicy flavors. Fig and carob flavors define the finish, which is thick and soft.
Starts out with scratchy, dusty, red fruit aromas. The first impression in the mouth is of shrill acidity, but as it evolves and expands that acidity helps prop up cherry and red plum flavors. Cleansing and crisp on the finish, with structure and zest.
Proprietor Jean Marot's entry-level blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah is aged entirely in cement and stainless steel, resulting in a fruit-driven, medium-bodied red that delivers cherry fruit, supple tannins and a slightly peppery finish. Drink now–2014.
Black cherry and berry jam aromas bring a touch of raisin as well. The palate is mostly fresh and zesty, with medium weight and intensity along with crisp red plum and raspberry flavors. Tight, mildly acidic and a bit toasty on the finish.
Dry, spicy and dusty on the nose, with red plum and cherry aromas that become more raisiny with airing. The palate is chewy and thick, with baked plum, blackberry and medicinal flavors. Finishes medicinal as well, with a peppery accent and lasting sweetness.
There's an inkling of floral character on the nose of this otherwise robust, brooding and brawny vineyard-designate. It's overwhelmed by grippy tannins and a bitterness akin to tobacco. Along the way dark cherry and forest earth make an appearance—particularly pine and a whiff of tar.
Saucy plum and wet-dog aromas improve ever so slightly with airing. This feels creamy and sticky, while basic flavors of cherry and plum finish with herbal hints and sweet notes of vanilla and cream.
The Malbec in the blend adds its tannins to this wine meant to drink young. The spice and wood aging are balanced with acidity and a juicy aftertaste. Drink from late 2016.
Soupy tomato, plum and green tobacco aromas feed into a pinched biting rubbery palate. This Merlot tastes roasted and oaky, with baked plum and berry flavors matched by clove and chocolate notes. A drawing tannic finish tastes stewy and woody.
Iron, raspberry and light cranberry notes greet the nose on this bottling. That sanguine element powers the palate as well, where iron and rust meet with turned earth flavors.
With fruit drawn from all over Burgundy, this is a light, bright and refreshing wine. It has light acidity, spice and apple flavors and a bright, tight aftertaste. Drink now.
Fresh and fruity with a crisp mineral and textured character, this is a lively wine that's ready to drink. Acidity and a citrus zestiness give a refreshing lightness at the end.
In this wine, a red-black color and ripe, spicy aromas first grab the attention. Then cherry and black plum flavors spill out of the firm and dramatically tannic texture.
The oak is pronounced from the start of this full-bodied, slightly over-the-top white, which comes off as reduced among layers of caramel and almond. A hint of ripe cantaloupe, peach and apricot provides a sense of freshness on the finish.
Although less common than it once was, Malbec is still often part of the blend in red Bergerac. However, this pure Malbec is unusual. It's dark in color, with an almost medicinal aroma. The palate is pure black fruit with firm tannins to support the smoky blackberry flavors. Drink young for the fruitiness.
As with most Del Rio wines, this is 100% varietal. Fruity and forward, it's a bowl full of peaches and apples. Flavors are light and fresh, without much substance. Drink up.
Made from a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon, this bombastic blend also has Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petite Sirah. A bouquet of cinnamon and clove invites, before intense tar, tobacco and bittersweet tannins make way for super-sized oak and a taste of bacon.
This blend of Viura and Malvasia is mild, low on aromatic punch and suggestive of saline solution. This is friendly but flat in feel, with modest structure. Leesy flavors of peach and apple finish chalky and grabby.
Hints of maple syrup and brown sugar in the aroma, ripe blackberry and strawberry in the flavor, and full body add up to a big, extroverted wine. It's not overly tannic, so is easy to enjoy in spite of the bold flavors.
This is a light, fruity wine with lemon and apricot flavors and a citrus tang that gives a lift. It's attractive, fresh and with a ripe, warm aftertaste.
A blend of Viosinho and Verdelho, this a soft and ripe wine that has attractive pear, melon and gentle acidity. A light perfume from the Verdelho adds to the attractiveness of this fruity wine. It is ready to drink.
This wine was given quite a bit of time in bottle. It offers cranberry, olive and a sanguine touch of dried cherry. Medium in weight and oak, it finishes with tart acidity.
The wine is still young, still shockingly full of acidity and black currant fruits that are backed by tannins. It needs time to calm down, to fill out with richer fruitiness. Drink from 2017.
Simple light aromas of vanilla and lees set up a round palate with ample acidic kick. For the most part, this is chunky and weighty, with apple and peach flavors, while mild bitterness in the form of peach pit closes this out.
This ripe, pineapple- and peach-flavored wine has a soft texture, hints of vanilla and light acidity. It is rounded, full in the mouth and with a light textured aftertaste. Drink now.
Shy honeyed aromas of tropical fruits wind up at banana. This feels fleshy and not direct, while soft powdery flavors of leesy melon and papaya finish with notes of oxidation, as if this is already starting to fade.
Dusty apple aromas come with a vanilla-like note of animal crackers. A plump but diluted palate shows mediocre wan flavors of nectarine and apple in front of a flat finish that's losing steam. Drink immediately or wait for a new vintage.
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot comes across as simple and generic. None of the three components stands out, and the blend is diffuse and slightly sour.
This is an unusual white made from red Touriga Nacional and white Tamarez. Bright lemon flavors are balanced by notes of apricot and richer fruit tones. Drink now.
This is a bright lemon and grapefruit flavored wine that has lively acidity and the lightest touch of mineral texture. It's crisp, refreshing and will be ready to drink from mid-2016.
A lemon flavored wine that's crisp and fruity. The texture is soft with fruit and fresh acidity dominant. With its refreshing aftertaste, the wine is ready to drink now.
This fresh wine shows fruit tones balanced by a light mineral note. It is bright with acidity and grapefruit flavors alongside a crisp aftertaste. Drink now.
The wine is all fruitiness, with attractive acidity and almond and lemon flavors. Made to be drunk instantly, it has the lightest texture, white fruit flavors and a fresh, crisp aftertaste.
Angular and piquant on the nose, with tight aromas of red zinger tea, fresh herbs and raspberry. This is a Pinot made in a light, coastal style; it offers red cherry, cough drop and tea-like flavors in front of a lasting, unforced but mild finish. A year in French oak has added a buttery element, and overall the wine rings true but distant.
A bit of volatility and jamminess is acceptable here because overall the wine is good. The nose mixes graphite and cassis with leather and earth to give a sense of good things to come, while the palate is snappy and properly tannic, with nice black cherry, plum and chocolate flavors. Solid and sturdy; 60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot.
Slightly oily and lemony on the nose, but there's also some sauvage character along with berry aromas. The palate can be best described as “juicy,” which means the acidity is fairly high and the extract level not all that thick. And with red berry and plum flavors in front of a short finish, this one is ready to drink now.
This red offers bright berry and violet in its pretty, perfumed nose, followed by soft, integrated cherry and pepper flavors. The wine has an impressive complexity and a spicy, lingering finish. Pair with cheeses, duck, turkey.
Approach this unusual Chilean white with no preconceptions and you will like it. The nose is tropical and floral, with aromas of green melon, air freshener, citrus blossom and more. The palate feel is in harmony, while the flavors of melon, kiwi and apple work well together. Finishes dry, with green-fruit flavors and washing acidity.
This Riesling starts with a unique nose of tropical fruit, lemon and apple, and on the palate, clean citrus and apple and a lively acidity offer balance and poise. A very nice white with versatile food pairing abilities.
Wine geeks like to poke fun at Yellow Tail, but there's a lot to like about this offering. It's full-fruited, with plenty of grapy cassis, chocolate and tobacco aromas and flavors, complemented by a thick, velvety texture. Drink now.
Aromas of stewed berry fruits, olive and herbs combine to form a soupy bouquet. This is fairly racy, with a touch of spiky tartaric acid creating mild astringency. Stewy, roasted flavors of black fruits and carob finish herbal.
A fresh, herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc, mainly from the French south-west. It has a lively, crisp, totally fruity character with grapefruit, gooseberry and a more tropical fruit hint. Drink now.
An appealing quaffer with notes of passion fruit, papaya and citrus. It drinks a hair off dry (1.2g/L residual sugar), with moderate concentration, and goes down easy.
There is a strong steeliness to this wine although it doesn't lose out on fruitiness either. Crisp apples are tempered with pineapple to give a ripe feel, while the end is fresh and mineral.
A bit thin on the nose, this has buttery apple juice aromas. The acidity is a bit off, both tart and mixed with vanilla creaminess, and the flavors are slight with apple candy and tart lemon.
This lean wine delivers oak sensations of espresso, vanilla, coffee bean and oak extract but the fruit has all dried up.
Apple and melon aromas are basic. This feels round, with moderate acidity. Flavors of citrus, peach and nectarine are competent, while the finish takes on a salty note as it loses its fruit character.
Coming from the cool 2011 vintage, this vineyard-designated wine doesn't seem entirely ripe, displaying notes of herbs, cranberry and red fruit. It's screamingly tart with moderate fruit flavors and abundant oak accents that lead to a warm finish.
Fresh-cut flowers and gooseberries lend characteristically green, grassy notes to this light-bodied, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc. It's delicate in concentration but finishes elegantly on a chalky, mineral note.
Expanding from his Provence château, Sacha Lichine's new rosé is a blend from across the south of France. It's crisp, fruity, with a touch of sweetness, giving a soft, red berry fruit texture and light, fresh acidity.
Leathery, earthy berry aromas are generic but good. This is more acidic and narrow in the mouth than the aromas suggest, with tart flavors of raspberry and red plum. A lightly herbal, snappy feeling finish ends with a note of bitterness.
Toast and herb mingle with lavish lilac and lavender perfume on this unique red blend (made predominantly from Cabernet Franc). Brisk berry and cherry flavors are expansive and bold on the palate, and fringed with savory herb tones on the finish.
While a tad savory on the nose with aromas of pressed apples and pears, this full-bodied Chardonnay boasts brisk lemony acidity and a straightforward, fresh apple appeal. It finishes briskly, with a hint of honeyed tea.
This is a blend of Pinot Noir from Burgundy and the south of France, giving a warm and rich character with soft tannins and juicy red plum fruit flavors. Cherry and fresh acidity complete this attractive, easy wine.
Sourced from the cool Awatere Valley, this wine displays some of that region's characteristic leafiness. It also shows hints of cruciferous and root vegetables, medium body and crisp, red-fruit flavors on the finish.
This is a simple, straightforward quaffer, with off-dry (5.2 g/L residual sugar) notes of melon, tropical fruit and musk. It's 85% Chardonnay, with 10% Riesling, 3% Gewüurztraminer and 2% Viognier blended in.
Light and fruity, this wine is soft, with a sweeter touch than is sometimes found in Provence rosés. The blend includes Cabernet Sauvignon, giving a tannic edge as well as caramel and sweet raspberry flavors.
This crisp, lightweight Pinot Noir could easily go with salmon or chicken. Its peppery, pie-cherry and currant fruit and spicy, tangy finish would make it a refreshing choice in warmer weather.
Red-currant, strawberries and a touch of passion fruit almost give this a summer-cocktail vibe. It's very refreshing, with frothy, lively fizz. This wine spells party mood and is ideal for informal gatherings with its fun, off-dry and utterly fruit-driven nature.
Here's a supple, velvet-textured Merlot from the all-around successful 2012 vintage in California. It pulls together baking-spice aromas and attractive, ripe flavors of raspberry and cherry on the medium-bodied palate. It conveys a sense of breadth and meatiness without being heavy.
This ripe, fruity wine is ready to drink. With red berry fruits and fresh acidity spiced with wood flavors, it's an easy wine that is ripe and soft.
With a name like this, it should come as no surprise that this is 85% Carmenère (with 15% Malbec and Syrah). This smells like pencil lead, plastic and blueberry. In the mouth, it's chunky but flat, with flavors of plastic, lactic oak and herbal berry fruits. A minty, green finish is oaky and adequate.
A fruity blend of Tannat, Syrah and Cabernet Franc that has berry fruits, a stalky texture and touches of wood spice. It's an easy, juicy wine, made fresh and ripe to be drunk now.
This wine is fresh, bright and light, with citrus and ripe yellow fruits. Crisp, light and aromatic, it's ready to drink.
The flavors of this very full-bodied wine are dominated by sweet-seeming oak, with smoky, toasty aromas and a maple-cured bacon flavor. Rich, almost sweet, it's very obviously flavored with oak.
With its bold aromas of cotton candy and two-cent bubblegum, this is just too tutti-frutti to rate higher. That said, if you like the style, it's a solid, well-made example, filled with bouncy fruit while finishing dry and refreshing.
The wine is full of ripe bananas as well as cherry flavors, very much in the style of a nouveau. It's soft and rounded, with plenty of fruitiness as well as soft tannins. The wine is ready to drink now.
This fruity wine offers attractive cherry flavors that are spoiled by touches of banana. However, the acidity is good, keeping the wine fresh and indicating that it will be very drinkable in 2015.
From one of the two properties owned by the Mulliez family of Château Belle-Vue, this wine is full of dense tannins as well as black currants. It is likely to develop into a rich although always firm wine. Drink from 2020.
One of the group of vineyards that make up Domaines Lapalu, this wine is attractive and soft. It has generous black cherry and plum fruit along with gentle tannins that are already softening. Drink from 2019.
In the south of the Médoc, close to Bordeaux, this chateau has produced a ripe fruity wine. It has a fine balance between tannins and juicy black fruits. The blend, with its equal balance between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, gives richness along with firm structure. Drink from 2019.
Dense with almost 100% Merlot, this is a rich wine. It has tannins that are cushioned by the ripe fruit and lifted by the acidity. The wine is dense with fruit, likely to develop quickly. Drink from 2022.
Crisp and fresh, this is a bright wine. It has some attractive tannins as well as fine acidity. With a light structure and black-currant fruit, it should be ready to drink soon, certainly from 2021.
The third wine of Château Valandraud, this is a lighter version of the estate. With its generous tannins and concentration, it is smoky, full of blackberry fruits and the potential to age for a few years. Drink from 2020.
Fresh blackberry fruit is lifted by thyme, fennel and tobacco on the nose of this fruity, herbal bottling, further accented by cedar, black olive and peppercorn notes. Its blackberry-rich palate is balanced by dry tannins and coffee and gamy flavors.
Made of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Colorino and 5% Merlot, this opens with black-skinned fruit and Mediterranean herb scents. Black plum fruit with a tinge of cinnamon leads the straightforward palate, structured by smooth tannins. Enjoy soon.
This opens with black plum, mocha and baking spice aromas. On the ripe, forward palate, tobacco and vanilla notes accent a core of prune-like fruit, while chewy tannins provide backbone. Drink through 2021.
Heavy sagebrush and chaparral spices meet with cherry fruit and a touch of asphalt on the nose of this bottling. The palate is earthy with loam and juniper flavors, all woven into dark cranberry fruit.
This has heady floral aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom. The palate is medium-bodied and round, delivering yellow apple, citrus zest and candied ginger notes, framed by bright acidity.
Tender notions of ripe pear make for an enticing nose. The palate has apple freshness and a rounded earthy aspect, despite its lightness. Drink soon.
Earthy leather, forest floor, herb and balsamic aromas emerge in the glass. The taut, wiry palate offers sour cherry, dried sage and clove flaavors, set against a backdrop of bracing tannins that leave a firm finish. Give it a few more years to soften, then drink to capture the remaining fruit.
Made of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, this opens with violet and underbrush aromas. The palate is easygoing, offering juicy red plum and ripe raspberry flavors with a blanket of smooth tannins. Enjoy soon.
Dundee Hills Pinot doesn't come along at this price very often. This is classy and well defined. Strong citrus flavors frame a core of plum and chocolate. It will benefit from another couple of years of bottle aging. Drink 2018 to 2022.
Mild apple and white-fruit aromas are a bit wheaty like bread. Conversely, the palate is tight, with pulling lemony acidity. Like the nose, this tastes wheaty and like stone fruits, while the finish is distinctly leesy.
A blend of grapes from North Canyon and Fiddlestix vineyards, this bottling shows hickory smoke, cherry pie and floral aromas on the nose. The palate offers tart blackberry, cranberry, clove and vanilla flavors, with a smoky, roasted pork touch.
Ripe flavors of apple and pear highlight this expressive and easy-drinking wine. It's medium bodied and solidly built, with a hint of graham cracker running through the finish.
Young and spicy, this is bursting with bright fruit flavors of cranberry and cherry. Flavors of cola and Dr. Pepper come through also, and the up-front freshness carries throughout. Enjoy this lovely wine now through 2018.
Scents of grilled peach and mango give this medium-bodied wine a tropical feel. It's creamy and lush on the palate, then adds a mouthwatering burst of citrus on the finish. Flavorful and satisfying.
This wine offers soft structure and rich, dark blue fruit, revealing its addition of 4% Malbec. Vanilla and cinnamon notes accent the juicy fruitiness.
This wine has a lovely bouquet of blackberry, violet, lavender and church incense. They all translate onto the austere palate, with velvet tannins. The finish is long, herbal and woody.
Earthy, savory berry aromas are rubbery, while this feels fleshy and jammy. Young woody flavors outweigh the wine's basic fruit notes, while this tastes toasty on the finish.
A blanket of sweet-seeming, oaky, baking-spice flavors wraps around ripe fruit in this medium-bodied, supple and relaxed wine. It will be a lot of fun for people who like the full-on new-oak style.
Red berry, rose petal and eucalyptus aromas carry over to the savory, white-pepper-laced palate. It's an easy-going wine built on supple tannins. Enjoy soon.
Made entirely from Syrah, this opens with black-skinned fruit, tilled earth and roasted coffee scents. The straightforward palate delivers blackberry, black pepper, espresso and vanilla flavors, framed by firm tannins.
Roasted meat, charcoal, elderberry, asphalt and smoke show on the nose of this blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 12% Malbec. The smoke extends into the palate, where tangy plum and berry flavors mix with dark chocolate notes, soft texture and a lingering acidity.
From grapes grown near the town of Los Alamos comes this wine from a San Diego-based family. Complex aromas suggest red cherry, blackberry, shiitake mushroom and black peppercorn. The palate is tighter, with cranberry, tart yet dark raspberry, iodine and sanguine flavors.
Heady aromas of yellow field flower, dried Mediterranean herb and a whiff of tropical fruit lead the nose. The juicy palate delivers ripe pear, peach, pineapple and wild fennel. Fresh acidity lifts up the creamy finish.
This is a reserve-level blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, given extra bottle-age prior to release. If you favor more than a hint of stem and herb in your Bordeaux-style blends, you'll find this quite interesting. Complex layers of iron, smoke, coffee grounds and cassis are in play, with a slight bitterness to the tannins. Pair it up with lamb chops right off the grill.
This winery's Walla Walla Valley debut displays aromas of ash, green olive, grilled asparagus, dried flowers, smoked meat and blue fruit. The smoke and savory flavors are soft and reserved in style, showing a pleasing persistence on the finish.
The dark garnet color seems right for a wine that smells like black cherries and black-skinned plums, and tastes deep and rich. Both the flavors and the texture seem shaped by subtly spicy oak. Fine-grained tannins add a velvety touch and the finish lingers.
Vibrant and elegant, this refreshing, mineral-driven white offers aromas of white spring flower, ripe orchard fruit and citrus blossom. Bright acidity frames the juicy pear, apple and flint flavors, while the crisp finish closes on a saline note. This is a fantastic wine from a grape grown only at the Sella & Mosca estate in Sardinia.
Albariño is rare enough in Oregon, but virtually unknown in the Willamette Valley. This estate-grown wine, from a vineyard in the valley's southwest corner, makes a solid case for more. Tart and tangy with brightly defined flavors of grapefruit, apple and pineapple, this is deliciously bracing. There's nothing simple about it; the flavors extend and expand through a wonderfully long finish.
Luis Patrão started the organic Vadio Project in 2005 to preserve the native Baga grape grown nine miles from the Atlantic Ocean. This vintage, spectacular throughout Portugal, is a ripe, jammy, fruity wine, with typically firm tannins from the Baga grape. The red plum and rich berry flavors at the core are cut by ample acidity. It is already soft enough to drink now, although it will be better from 2016.
Structured and loaded with finesse, this opens with a bouquet of blue flower, perfumed red berry and a whiff of cake spice. The silky, focused palate delivers creamy red cherry, ripe raspberry, cinnamon, licorice and mineral tones set in a framework of supple tannins. Drink through 2020.
A touch of smoked pork meets with red cherries, cola and black licorice on the nose of this small-batch wine out of Templeton by Will Persall. Bacon fat and blackberry-maple syrup flavors make for a delicious palate, with lots of lively acidity that gives balance and keeps the tongue tingling.
A nicely structured wine with a sizable component of Petite Sirah and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, this offers a density of oak and tannin on the entry, offset by a juicy backbone of blackberry and cherry. Full bodied, it has the elements to last, being completely drinkable now through 2020.
Dark garnet in the glass, this blend of 40% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Franc and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas of wild raspberry, brambles and geranium leaf. It offers a good balance of tannins and acidity as well as fruit and spice flavors featuring blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, coffee, fennel bulb and black pepper. Mouth-coating tannins do not overpower, but continue well into the bright, lasting finish.
The Umpqua Valley is carving out a reputation for producing many of America's finest Tempranillos. Here's one to add to your list. Plummy, bloody and meaty, it captures the essence of this Spanish grape. The cherry pastry core is cloaked in smoke and dotted with white pepper. The finish has an appealing, softly leathery grip.
This wine is an exemplary expression of Touriga Nacional. It has structure, perfumes, rich black-fruit flavors and a serious tannic background. Concentrated and with fine intensity, it needs to age, so drink from 2017.
This wine is ripe, with good balance between acidity and the rich yellow fruits. It has a lightly tangy character, although it is more about delicious juiciness and a warm, generous character that is lightly sustained by toast. Drink from 2017.
This blend of 70% Malbec with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Syrah is woody and smoky up front, with aromas of raw oak, char, shoe polish, blackberry and cassis. The longer it breathes, the better it gets, with black-fruit, baking spice and licorice flavors leading the way to a rich but short finish. Drink through 2019.
This interesting and complex rosé—made from 65% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, 7% Vermentino and 3% Viognier—is aged for six months in oak. The resulting wine is a cellar-worthy selection that boasts upfront notes of toasted spice, lemon custard, vanilla bean and ripe red berries. The oak influence currently dominates the plush and generous palate, while the creamy texture and lingering smoky spice are enticingly decadent. While you can enjoy this rich wine now, give it some time for the oak to mellow and further integrate with the fruit; drink now–2017.
Lush and creamy in texture, this shows just how good some relatively inexpensive Barossa Shiraz can be. Elements of graham cracker, espresso, dark chocolate and baking spices are bolstered by ample weight and berry fruit. Enjoy this velvety wine over the short term—by 2018 or so.
The mineral texture that marks out a fine Meursault is very present here. Yellow fruits balance with this perfumed and intense wine. Still young and crisp, the acidity gives a tight, nervy edge. The wine obviously needs to age, so drink from 2017.
Strong pencil shaving aromas open this 80% whole-cluster wine by James Ontiveros and Paul Wilkins, along with the dusty scents of raspberry fruit and violet petals preserved in pages of an old book. It's light and lean once sipped, with cranberry and raspberry fruits dancing across the tongue alongside green tobacco leaf, olive tapenade and peppery spices.
This very ripe, jammy blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah smells rich and concentrated. In the mouth, however, it's syrupy and low in acidity, while flavors of cassis and blueberry push up against candied before finishing dense and extremely ripe. Drink now through 2019.
A blend of 95% Carignano 5% Bovale Sardo, this savory wine offers aromas of black currant, coffee, cooking spice and chopped herb. The firm palate delivers blackberry, baking spice and a hint of licorice alongside velvety tannins.
A pretty bouquet of violets greets the nose, followed by a bolt of black pepper. Boysenberry, black cherry and leather combine to mark the palate, which also reveals cola and anise. Soft and restrained for the variety, this is a food-friendly wine, with a gnarled bite of tannin on the finish.
Made from the Pisapola vineyard in the village of Verduno, this elegantly structured wine opens with aromas of pressed violet, wild berry and sweet baking spice. The linear palate offers sour cherry, raspberry, crushed aniseed and white pepper alongside youthfully austere but polished tannins. Drink 2018–2026.
This structured blend of Touriga Nacional and Cabernet Sauvignon offers firm tannins and dark berry fruits. It has a ripe, juicy intensity, with ample acidity to balance the firm texture and dark, dry core. Let this wine age, and drink from 2017.
From a powerful vineyard comes this powerful wine, beautifully aromatic and succulent in coconut flakes and raspberry liqueur. With a crispness from the acidity, it remains balanced on the palate despite its size, finishing in spicy black pepper and leathery tobacco.
Aged in oak for 12 months, this rich wine is supple, lightly toasty and full of ripe red fruit. With a background of tannins, it's ready to age for another year. Drink from late 2018.
This structured wine is firm with tannins and stalky black currant fruit. It's dry, with a bitter edge from high extraction. A smoky character indicates aggressive wood aging and the need to soften further. Drink from 2020.
A toasty, spicy aroma reveals the wood-aging flavors that are still firmly in place in this wine. Underneath, there is fine, juicy black currant fruit, crisp acidity and good potential. Drink from 2019.
Very pleasing aromas of red berries, wet slate and red flowers make for a very floral and fruity entry to this bottling from a single vineyard. The palate is very easy to enjoy as well, with fat red-cherry fruit, decently chalky tannins and hints of licorice and caramel toward the finish.
Dried-fruit flavors of prune and raisin lend a very ripe, dense richness to this high-powered full-bodied wine. It has good supportive acidity and tannins to balance out the extreme ripeness.
Lavish black-cherry candy and concentrated rose-petal aromas combine with candied-licorice notes on the lush nose of this bottling. There's a Concord grape ripeness to the slightly sweet sip, with a touch of woody spice, framed by chalky tannins.
Give this value-priced Pinot Noir its due given that production is nearly 300,000 cases. Aromas of baked cherry, cocoa and baking spices lead to a fresh palate with wiry acidity. Earthy, slightly salty flavors of plum and currant finish steady.
From organic grapes, this blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot shows roasted coffee, chocolate, peppercorn and beef char on the savory nose. Rustic red cherry and tart cranberry show on the sip, which is dominated by a woody spice and hints of thyme, tarragon and leather.
Spicy in vanilla cola, this vineyard-designate does justice to the variety, imparting thick rich characteristics of smoky oak, mocha, blueberry and plum. It maintains an undercurrent of herbal underbrush that balances nicely against the fruit.
The aromas are quite smoky, with notes of burnt toast along with herb and vanilla—not a particularly appealing combination. The flavors seem light in concentration. It doesn't all come together.
A dark, saturated color and stout aromas of herbal tomato, basil and oregano give this Cabernet Franc a saucy outlook. Savory pepper and black-fruit flavors share the stage with oak tones, while the finish shows plenty of grip. Drink through 2018.
This affordable, larger-production wine is soft, structured and attentive to a savory edge of blue fruit, sweet vanilla and toasted oak. It's a crowd-pleasing blend from several appellations that's ultimately balanced and round.
Aromas of prune, raisin and graphite come together in this wine. The ample palate delivers blackberry, clove and orange peel alongside chewy tannins. Enjoy through 2020.
Fresh and light aromas of lemongrass, Pink Lady apples, guava soda and a hint of pineapple make for a slightly tropical but clean approach to this bottling. It's fresh on the sip with spritzy acidity and more tropical flavors of guava, mango, pineapple and tuberose.
From the heart of Oakville, this is a velvety thick wine, supple in tannin and integrated oak that offers a ying-yang of rich mocha notes and herbal sage.
Aromas of black plum, licorice and tobacco lead the nose. The savory juicy palate delivers black cherry, nutmeg and white pepper alongside fine-grained tannins. Enjoy through 2021.
This has subdued aromas suggesting oak, toast, camphor and underbrush. The robust palate doesn't have a lot of fruit richness, but offers licorice, clove and a hint of dried cherry alongside close-grained tannins that grip the finish. You'll also notice the heat of evident alcohol.
Aromas of blackberry, black currant and ground black pepper set the scene for flavors of brambleberry, cassis, chocolate and smoke. It is bright on entry, with fruit and acidity making way for savory notes and smooth tannins, ultimately wrapping up with a zesty cranberry finish.
Although this blend is perfectly good, it does have an herbal, green, minty streak that's likely due to the 30% Syrah and Cabernet bolstering 70% Garnacha. Aromas of mint, herbs, milk chocolate and plastic lead to snappy herb, spice, plum and raspberry flavors. The finish is fiery, drying and spicy.
Mossy, balsamic aromas of baked berry fruits and root beer are soft and friendly. In the mouth, this is chunky and fairly tannic, with no glaring holes. Rooty flavors of baked berries and mocha finish with molasses and root beer notes.
A very pale flamingo-pink rosé, this is moderately confected in style, but vibrant and fresh. Cotton candy notes are balanced by peachy fruit and some floral elements, while the finish is mouthwatering. Drink up.
McManis excels at making good wines at competitive prices and this is a prime example. It's smooth, easy-drinking Pinot Noir, with cherry-vanilla layers from start to finish. Pair with roast chicken, turkey meat loaf or simple burgers; a nice quaff at a nice price.
Despite its unusual, five-grape blend, this is a well-balanced rosé with a fruity mix of cranberry, cherry, raspberry and watermelon flavors. It's light, forward, a little on the soda pop side, but quite nice for sipping or accompanying something as substantial as your holiday turkey.
Made with organically farmed grapes, this pretty Pinot Grigio offers floral aromas of white spring flowers along with creamy green apple and citrus notes. It has crisp, clean finish. Sip as an apéritif or pair with lightly seasoned fish dishes.
Made with organic grapes and no added sulfites, this delightful blend of Merlot and Cabernet has aromas of spice and berry. The palate is fresh and bright, with red currant, blackberry and white pepper notes. Meant to be enjoyed young, this would be perfect with pasta topped with a simple tomato sauce.
Here's an inviting Pinot Grigio that has a lovely fragrance of white peach and flowers. The palate delivers green apple along with crisp acidity that leaves a clean finish. Pair this with pastas or pizza.
Floral blue-fruit aromas suggest juniper and moss. This feels heavy and low on acidity. Crazy, unique flavors of tea, prune, pepper and hoisin sauce finish minty, mossy and herbal, while the lasting feel is grapy.
This is a straight-ahead, crisply  defined, well-ripened Chardonnay. Bright flavors of jicama and green apple are within a toasty frame. It's light and accessible, with good balance and flavor.
This is a very fresh and fragrant style of Tavel, which can often be a bit weightier in style. Bubble gum and passion fruit aromas give way to citrus and berry flavors on the palate, finishing soft and easy. It should easily last at least well into the spring.
Here's a straightforward Verdicchio with a pretty floral fragrance of white spring flowers. This is medium-bodied and shows pear and white peach flavors balanced by crisp acidity that leads to a clean finish. It's very well-priced.
Here's a interesting white from southern Italy made entirely with the native Coda di Volpe grape that has a pretty fragrance of yellow flowers and citrus. The palate offers lemon zest and lime with a hint of kiwi.
Iodine and celery aromas dominate the nose, which offers mild fruit-driven scents of apple and lime. This feels firm but nothing north of normal, with generic white-fruit flavors of lychee and apple mixed with green herbs. A cleansing finish can best be described as fresh.
A blend of Tempranillo, the seldom seen (in Washington) Graciano and Grenache, this wine is direct and fruity with notes of raspberry, char and barrel spices. It's light in style with elegant fruit flavors and grainy tannins with the oak approaching too intrusive.
Melon, mango and papaya aromas are tropical and lead to a smooth, creamy palate with sweet orange, melon and baking spice flavors. Nothing is complicated or edgy; this is standard Verdejo that's easy to drink.
Aromas of rubber, leather and herbal berry suggest ripeness issues, but in the mouth this is upstanding, with mild acidic cut. Flavors of leathery berry filter into an earthy, slightly muddled tasting finish with warmth and weight.
Although this Cab is scratchy on the nose and palate, it is fresh and cleanly made, with black-fruit flavors, spice and only a mild dose of Chile's patented minty green character. A monotone finish burns a bit but otherwise tastes right.
A cool wine that shows fresh fruitiness and a firm sense of structure. There is an attractive red berry character, laced with considerable acidity. It should age for a few months, so drink from 2014.
The bringing together of Malbec and Tempranillo works like a charm here. There's a touch of complexity to the fruit-forward nose, and better depth than what most under-$10 red varietals offer. Look for sweet, smooth raspberry and plum flavors with a tasty, balanced finish.
Bold blackberry and cola aromas work the nose on this bold, muscular Malbec-Syrah blend. But just when your expectations are at their highest, the palate doesn't quite meet expectations with its angular acidity and sharp-edged feel. The fruit is here, and with it the aromas and flavors. But moutfeel and balance are thin and piercing.
Agiorgitiko, famed in Nemea and popular for its soft, fragrant red berry character, is represented well in this balanced, flavorful wine. A nose of wooded spice, pepper and Mediterranean herbs is followed by waves of soft tannis, red fruit, spice and a touch of smoke. Pair with steak or a meat stew.
Aromas of baked plum, spice and bramble give it a sweet-savory opening. The palate is a touch scratchy but also endowed with tasty raspberry, plum and spice flavors. All totaled it's slightly heavy and probing, yet the burnt caramel, chocolate and dark fruit on the finish seem right for the wine.
Strawberry and sour candy flavors hit the midpalate squarely and stay there; this is a wine that knows where it wants to go. It has the appealing tartness of rhubarb pie, and the acidity seems natural and unforced, giving length to the finish.
A little rough around the edges, i.e. there's a sharp note to the nose and then lots of barrel char to back that up. There's black fruit, pepper and lots of oak on the palate, which has a full feel and then firm, clamping tannins.
Bright fruit, mildly creamy, with good zest and acidity. Shows a sweet, savory center with hints of brown sugar and spice sitting along the edges. Easy tannins make it a friendly style; good for near-term drinking. No cellaring necessary.
A fine example of how integrated the Xinomavro grape can be. Earthy, Mediterranean nosings of eucalyptus, olive and clove lead into balanced, simply attractive flavors of spice and fruit that are robust but refined. A great choice for a spiced meat entree—think grilled lamb kebabs. Tannic but smooth.
This medium-bodied Riesling comes across as a bit rich and oily for the kabinett prädikat, but it still offers enjoyable drinking. Hints of dried apricot and orange marmalade shade the aromas, while the flavors are of honeyed stone fruit with some underlying petrol. Finishes clean and minerally.
This is a very nicely rendered Wahluke Slope AVA Syrah, with spicy currant and raspberry fruit underscored with the characteristic lightly citrusy acids. There's a hint of pineapple which resonates just beneath the surface. The wine gathers some strength in the back, adding weight and flavors of plum, cherry and chocolate.
A blend of two ancient white varieties—Assyrtiko and Asproudi—this wine offers clean, crisp aromas and flavors with a soft, fragrant roundness. Deep aromas and an unfolding, slightly sweet balance of flavors gives the wine a more opulent edge than many of its Greek white counterparts. Feminine and elegant.
This light, fresh wine, with its concentration on raspberry flavors, has lifted acidity and an edge of bitterness. The tannins are there, but relatively subdued, so it's likely to age quickly.
An improvement over the dull, mulchy 2005; this wine is still a little earthy, heavy and gaseous out of the bottle but with airing it offers ripe strawberry and plum flavors with licorice and tree-bark accents. Solid, a bit tannic and slightly resiny from barrel aging; but it's also a legitimate Pinot Noir with some elevated qualities.
The latest vintage from this estate is still very young. It has typical stalky black fruits, layers of wood aging that give spice and dark toast and following acidity. As it balances, the stalkiness will subside to give a richly structured wine. Drink from 2019.
The slightly off-dry profile (12g/L residual sugar) perfectly complements the ultraripe, deeply concentrated fruit. It's downright plush, with ripe apple and pear tart flavors. Young as it is, you may not want to wait to drink this one.
One of a quintet of estate reserves, this stands out for its delicious mix of chocolate (barrel) and savory highlights. Purple brambly fruits abound, with streaks of coffee and brown spices. It's full flavored and drinking nicely already, with another six to eight years of solid drinking time ahead. Note: first bottle was corked.
Some yeasty funk hits the nose first. Underneath that sits and earthy, if slender, dry Riesling which has a subtle understated richness that seems very firmly anchored in earth. Pithy citrus zest frames and illuminates and promises future pleasure. This needs a little bottle age. Drink 2018–2030.
Delightful peachy notes define the fruity friendly nose. The palate adds zesty lemon to this rich fruit to create one of those dramatic and moreish Rieslings that teeter enticingly on the brink of peachy richness and citrus tang. The palate is slender, light footed and dry, the finish is whistle clean and wonderfully appetizing.
The aromatic tang of ripe lemon peel plays on the nose. The palate is pervaded by the same refreshing zestiness, shimmering with cheerful citrus brightness amidst riper notions of pear and peach. This is mouth-watering stuff, almost addictive with its dry zesty finish.
Ripe berry and cassis aromas are broadened by open-grain oak. This Cabernet is big and tannic. Toasty chocolaty berry flavors with a full complement of oaky support maintain a chocolaty essence on a finish that confirms how whole and thorough this is. Drink this warm-vintage wine through 2022.
This wine is a blend of McQueen, Bob Healy and Lefore vineyard fruit, aged 22 months in 73% new French oak. Alluring aromas of macerated cherries, scorched earth, coffee, barrel spice and dark chocolate are followed by supple, focused, concentrated dark-fruit flavors. It brings some tannic heft that will benefit from time in the cellar. Best from 2023–2030.
Veins of crushed slate and spice lend complexity to this spine-tingling wine. Fresh, sweet tangerine and stone-fruit flavors are concentrated yet pristine, bolstered by streaks of lemon and grapefruit acidity. The finish meanders long, nuanced by hints of bramble and earth.
This single clone estate-grown wine was vinified 50-50 in stainless and mainly neutral oak. It's punchy and tight, with complex apple, peach and lemon/lime fruit. A light touch of toast enlivens the back palate and finish. Good already, it's designed for ageability. Drink now through 2028.
A wonderfully aromatic note of tangerine and orange peel appears first. The palate continues with the purity of ripe aromatic citrus flavors: there is zest and freshness on a slender, lively and bundled body that delivers a blast of tangy ripe citrus. The finish is clean, just off dry and almost addictive—you just have to take another sip.
Hibiscus, rose petal and sour cranberry kick off the nose of this bottling, but its most compelling aroma is the stark and ethereal minerality, recalling iron and crushed gravel. Strawberry fruit pops on the palate, as does ripe cranberry, but that earthy soil and crushed rock quality rises to the top again.
Cedar, cola and spicy oak notes fill the aroma of this full-bodied, well-balanced and smooth-textured wine. The flavors are soaked with concentrated and layered black cherry and currant fruit that persists nicely on the finish. A generous helping of fine-grained tannins adds to the velvety mouthfeel.
Mourvèdre (62%) takes the lead on this wine followed by Syrah (21%) and Grenache. It's aromatic and appealing, with notes of roasted meat, black pepper, herb and plum. The red- and black-fruit flavors are concentrated and bring a compelling sense of texture. Smoke and savory flavors linger on the finish. It's a standout at this price.
Rich in texture and full of flavor, this is a generous, mouth-filling wine that layers subtle spice and fruit and seems to melt on the palate. Matured for 12 months on the lees, it's concentrated, creamy and complex, from its fresh-baked bread and nutmeg aromas to its lemon cream flavors to its lingering, vanilla-laced finish.
This wine boasts an expansive and complex lineup of aromas and flavors, ranging from dusty earth and cola through plummy fruit and hints of cinnamon and clove. It's plump and round in the mouth, with soft dusty tannins to provide support. Drink now through 2025.
With a degree more alcohol than Moorooduc's 2013 Robinson bottling, this is a riper, even more richly textured example of Chardonnay. There's a hint of warmth on the finish as a result, but overall it keeps a fine sense of balance. Toast, brown sugar and caramelized pineapple notes lead the way, backed by hints of melon and citrus. Drink now.
One of the better wines on the market in the $30 range, this bottling from winemaker Aaron Walker shows beet, rhubarb, raspberry and dried mint aromas. The flavorful red fruit on the palate is lively and boisterous, its acidity and peppery spice combining for a very memorable sipping experience.
This is a rich impressively structured wine. It showcases the Alvarinho and brings out its fruit and flavors. The subtle wood aging has just enhanced the fruit. The wine is delicious and is now just ready to drink, although it will be better from early 2018.
Ripe pomegranate and candied raspberry aromas meet with potpourri and cinnamon touches on the nose of this bottling from the Franscioni family. The palate is very approachable, with raspberry sorbet flavor and a graphite edge, providing both the richness that the appellation is known for and smart restraint.
This is the top wine from this producer. Produced, as its name indicates, from old vines, it is ripe with mango and pineapple fruits as well as fine streak of tangerine. There is good mineral texture and tight acidity to give this wine its crisp side. Drink this rich wine from 2018.
Tangerine and mirabelle plum aromas combine on a very inviting nose. The palate is slender and fresh, framing the ripe mirabelle fruit in zesty refreshing brightness. This is dry and lemony, ripe and whistle clean. The tangy lemon flavors create a long and bracingly clean, utterly refreshing finish.
This wine hails from an up-and-coming appellation and one of the few dry-farmed vineyards in the state. Nuanced aromas of white pepper, dried flower, herb and lemon zest provide direct appeal. It's light, tart and elegant on the palate, showing a mesmerizing sense of purity and restraint.
White pepper and vanilla bean aromas give this richly textured, concentrated and subtly fruity wine a spicy start. It has a bright yellow-gold color and has gained complexity through extended aging before release. Savory consomée and dried herb characteristics accent its substantial core of apple butter flavor.
Firm tannins and a tart taste of wood contribute an Old World sensibility to this estate-grown wine—the producer's sixth vintage of the variety. Juicy cassis and damp earth notes meld together with tension, calling for time to settle in the bottle. Enjoy 2020–2030.
A savory and earthy spin on a cool climate vineyard, this bottling offers salty dried meat, iron, dust, red plum and raspberry aromas. It's light bodied on the palate yet firmly structured with tannins, offering red plum fruit and peppery spice. Refreshing and elegant.
This new entry into the growing ranks of Oregon Pinot Noir vinified in the style of a white wine belongs with the very best of them. A hint of tawny gold results from barrel fermentation (all neutral) and 16 months of lees stirring prior to bottling. It's rich and layered with toast, apples, pears, cream and a touch of citrus.
The nose shows restrained citrus and a slightly lifted, very slightly aromatic touch of conifer. The palate is taut and slender, presenting sober, clean citrus flavors. This stands upright and has a wonderful backbone of freshness. I feel it will have more to give in the future. It's refreshing now and promising in the future. The finish is so subtly fruited that this will be worth the wait. Drink now through 2030.
This field blend of 50% Grenache 32% Syrah and 18% Mourvèdre, the lots co-fermented, impresses with dense blue fruit and meat and lavender accents. Big and brawny on the palate, it reveals more leather and black pepper intrigue as it opens in the glass.
Minty, this restrained Syrah is from a sought-after vineyard, a pioneer in Sonoma County Rhône-style wines. Here, the producer keeps things interesting in swathes of white pepper, mint and cranberry, as well as a strong sense of leather throughout. High in acidity, it needs time to come together; try after 2020.
Solid and full-bodied, this tightly structured Cabernet has a deep red-black color. Enticing aromas of cedar and cinnamon precede focused but not overly ripe fruit flavors that suggest black cherry and cranberry, plus a dark chocolate impression that suits it well. It's tight with tannins right now, so best to drink after 2016.
Made from grapes picked early specifically for rosé, this bone-dry wine keeps alcohol low and flavors rich. A pale copper hue, it offers flavors that mimic a cava, without the bubbles. Racy minerality underscores a juicy, fruit-driven palate of lemon, lime and orange. A hint of coffee and crème brulée pokes through the refreshing finish.
This cool-climate wine offers relatively low alcohol and a delicate, mineral-driven structure. A light floral note opens into a complex, invigorating palate, mixing honeysuckle, beeswax, apple and wet stone. It comes from original, own-rooted, 1965 plantings according to the winery.
This vineyard sits quite near the cool Cambria coastline, yet the grape-growing challenges faced with each vintage are not present on this wine, which combines raspberry, cedar and pan-seared peppercorns on the excellent nose. The palate is powered by gingerbread cake topped with a clove-berry sauce.
This is Mordorée's top cuvée of Tavel, and it earns that distinction by virtue of its length and stoniness on the finish. There's a hint of garrigue to the cherry aromas and a plump, complex midpalate as well. Drink it over the next year or two.
This purple-tinted Monastrell offers ripe yet cool aromas of blackberry and cola that run smooth and long. A deep, bright, juicy palate is weighty but balanced. Dark berry flavors are lightly toasted with fine oak, while the finish is bold and fruity. Drink through 2018.
Fermented in oak (50% new), this is a broad, toast-accented wine that delivers hints of honey and marmalade yet remains reasonably long and focused on the finish. Best enjoyed before the end of 2015.
Lightly textured, this is an ethereal and sublime wine. Dark brick red in color but feathery on the palate, it offes earthy cherry around a core of subtle spice.
Stylish and complex, with its fleshy pear fruit set in a frame of bracing minerality, this is a wine of lucid clarity. It conveys the depth of looking into a deep, transparent mountain spring, with that same tongue-tickling minerality.
Smoky aromas give this wine allure, its layers of flavor soft and flowery, accented by red berry fruit. On the elegant spectrum of the variety, the wine is fairly subtle, with an evolving cinnamon spiciness to the finish.
Retailer-turned-winemaker Doug Margerum drops aromas of boysenberry-cherry pie with peppercorn crust on this wine, which slightly predates the Ballard Canyon appellation creation. The flavors are down the middle, with ripe elderberries, Italian herbs and hops providing an intriguing, heady mix.
Intense aromas of violet, black plum, leather with a whiff of baking spices lead the nose on this full-bodied wine. The hearty palate offers mature black cherry, white pepper and clove alongside brooding tannins that need time to open up. Drink 2016–2020.
The nose on this blend is inviting, somewhere between hot blackberry pie and coffee-crusted beef roast. Those elements persist on the soft palate as well, which is not overly complicated but quite nice, with blueberry and cocoa emerging as well.
Tropical aromas of mango, banana and honeysuckle lead the nose on what first seems like a fruity wine. But then the palate is much more restrained, clean and mineral-driven, with steely flavors surrounding the remnant ripe plantain-like tropicality.
The winery is owned by Candice Wozniak, ex-wife of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. This nontraditional blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir impresses, with aromas of ripe berries, wildfire and smoked herbs. The smoky palate picks up licorice, tobacco, cedar, asphalt and acai fruit, altogether reminiscent of a blueberry crusted pork roast.
The winery's reserve bottling, this is named for the Wisconsin town from which the owners migrated. Coincidently, Racine also translates to roots in French. Cherry, mocha and toast scents and rich complementary flavors explode from the glass. This is by far the richest and deepest wine from among the winery's 2012 Pinots. Lovely fruit and a streak of iron give it a strong, grippy finish.
Pineapple and lemon cream pie converge on this viscous, deep-yellow blend of Chardonnay and Roussanne, made by urban winemaker Matthias Pippig on Santa Barbara's Eastside. There is an emergent acidity on the palate, powered by nectarine, but it's nicely dense and rich.
There's a good deal of complexity on this top bottling from this Gilroy-based producer, with chopped black olive, cola, cloves, thyme and dried lemon peel on the nose. It's expansive on the palate, with strawberry, leather, sour cranberry and chopped herb flavors.
Pretty in honeysuckle and gardenia, this bright wine, blended with 5% Sémillon, recalls fresh-squeezed lemonade before the sugar, refreshing and intensely delicious. The acidity is balanced by enough weight to dial the volume down and flavors of rich, lush melon.
Slicks of honeycomb and lanolin lend richness to tart white peach and lemon tones in this dry, elegantly structured wine. It's silky in mouthfeel, but not weighty, streaked with white grapefruit and a firm, mineral finish.
Here's a youthful nine-year-old that offers intense aromas of crushed blue flower, leather, tobacco leaf and baked plum. The savory palate delivers crushed dried black cherry, prune, vanilla and nutmeg framed in velvety tannins. Drink through 2020.
Subtle in honey and grapefruit, this is a playful wine, vibrant in acidity and swirls of lemon zest that make it simultaneously refreshing and intriguing. Oysters are the obvious call.
Smoke tones blow off revealing layers of tropical fruit encased in wax and lanolin on this bold, nuanced wine. It's dry in style with a luscious, creamy texture cut with shards of acid and lime-zest astringency. Finishes long and lean.
This is strongly marked by toasty, cedary oak, but enough fruit comes through on the midpalate and finish to suggest this is more than just another oaky red. It's rich and creamy through the midpalate, then finishes long, with mixed berry notes emerging at the end.
Solo comes from the winery's estate vineyard, the third vineyard planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in the Stags Leap District. It is elegant and old-school in style, pretty in violets and red berries, with a juicy, soft texture. It begs for steak.
The Peach Tree cuvée actually carries a whiff of peaches—possibly the power of suggestion. Its strawberry fruit includes an herbal component, more like a wine from the Eola Hills than Dundee. Overall structure is fine, and aging in 42% new oak puts some toasted coconut into the finish. This has the balance and persistence to age nicely through 2025.
From a newish, small producer that's worth keeping an eye on, this wine is earthy and slightly cloudy, balanced in nature. Wild strawberry and cranberry are pitted smoothly against firm, medium-bodied tannins and oak. The finish is crisp and juicy.
An elegant rendering of the appellation, this is only medium bodied, yet packs in plenty of complex flavors. Cracked pepper, cured meat, blueberry and plum notes finish with a soft dusting of silky tannins. Drink now–2020.
Espresso, blackberry and black olive flavors all come together on the palate of this medium- to full-bodied Shiraz. Hints of leather, plum, menthol and spice add complexity to the aromas, while only a touch of warmth on the finish from its 15% alcohol keeps this from an excellent rating. Drink now.
A soft wine, with fresh fruit and floating, light acidity. There is a poised, balanced structure of green apple skins, and just a touch of pepper.
Tight at first, with aromas of olive, brick dust, cured cheese and dark fruit. The palate on this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère (15%) is narrow but healthy. There's a tough juiciness to it, and eventually it reveals black plum and cherry flavors along with a chocolaty finish that holds its pose until the cameras are off.
The Morrison Lane Vineyard Syrah is one of the highlights of the lineup from K Vintners, but has not previously been made by Walla Walla Vintners. Here it is shown unblended and wrapped in a generous amount of cinnamon, baking spice, milk chocolate and hazelnut flavors from barrel aging. The juice is a little overpowered, though the acids punch through with some tart raspberry fruit.
Pretty ripe stuff, featuring aromas of brandied fruitcake to go along with its 14.5% alcohol. Plenty of spice, vanilla and toasty oak frames the blackberry fruit, finishing with a touch of coffee. Drink now–2012. Imported by International Vines, Inc.
This ample-bodied wine boasts appealing buttered apple and citrus flavors to go with subtle touches of cinnamon and clove. Despite being unoaked, it shows plenty of weight and a fair amount of complexity; the only drawback is a touch of warmth on the finish.
Quite Bordeaux in style, meaning the wine is leaner, tighter and more tannic than typical Southern Hemisphere blends usually amount to. But we very much like the wine's mineral, plum and juicy raspberry flavors. All in all, expect a sturdy, well-made wine with plenty of natural and barrel-aided tannins. Will likely improve with another year or two in bottle.
A toasty, oaky wine, with smoky aromas and flavors that mask the white fruit flavors and acidity. Hopefully all this high toast will burn off. Hold for 2–3 years.
Shows plenty of palate weight, but very little tannin, combining cedar and vanilla from oak with slightly grapy, black cherry flavors. It's ready to drink now; don't count on aging it for very long.
Very pure, creamy fruit with acidity and green plum flavors. There is a fine, underlying tension that translates into a tight acidity and spice to finish.
Black fruit, bacon and sawdust aromas introduce this fuller-styled, fairly heady Merlot. With ripeness written all over it, there's still plenty of liveliness and punch to the black cherry and blackberry flavors. Finishing notes of pepper and chocolate give it added character.
Fresh, crisp currant and melon flavors, with lively acidity and intense, fresh fruit. This is a delicious fruit salad of tastes, light and vibrant.
Crisp, green and steely, this is classic Chablis, all about pure green fruits and minerality, only lightly layered with wood. It is vibrant and fresh, with the acidity adding a mouthwatering lightness.
Light, fresh, soft and already very drinkable. The initial taste is dominated by citrus, and then it rounds out, adding toast, green fruits and a definite sophistication for a simple white Burgundy.
This pioneering Otago winery has turned out a medium-bodied, sturdily built Riesling loaded with notes of baked apples and spice. Although there may be a touch of residual sugar, the primary impression on the lingering finish is of crisp acids, not sugary sweetness.
This limited release (300 cases), first-ever Zin from Columbia Crest points to the rising prominence of this quintessentially Californian grape. In Washington's Wahluke Slope, Zin ripens well without turning into a Port-like substance. Tightly-defined raspberry, blackberry and plum fruits, scented with violets and juicy with fresh acid, take to the new oak aging well. It's a balanced mix of berry, barrel and crisp, palate-cleansing acid.
Like all the Fromm wines, this is a densely structured effort. It blends black cherries and spice with hints of pepper, cedar and bracken, finishing long. Probably best from 2010.
From entirely estate-grown Pinot Noir (70%) and Chardonnay (30%), this dry sparkling is vivacious and fun, crisp in apple, pear and raspberry. Lively, lemony acidity lifts the palate. Complementing the freshness is the rounded plushness of ripe fruit and an earthy accent.
This bold, full-bodied wine is understated in its layering of cassis, currant and juicy black cherry, with hints of clove and smoked meat. It's well balanced, with an enduring and evolving finish.
The 2012 vintage was reasonably warm, and this wine is ripe and creamy in texture, with ground clove and cracked pepper notes accenting plummy fruit. Vanilla and bacon notes chime in on the slightly dusty finish. Drink now–2025.
This wine is made entirely from the Martini clone of the variety, a heritage clone that imparts a lovely perfume of raspberry and rose that's hard to resist. Moderately spicy cola seasons a voluptuous midpalate that fills with length as the wine develops, never letting go of its unshakeable prettiness.
This is refreshingly bright for a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Pineapple and bergamot notes mark the palate, while the finish is tight, citrusy and even a bit chalky in texture. Drink now–2020.
A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot, this opens with aromas of red currant, clove and toast. The structured, elegant palate doles out plum, sage and tobacco alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink 2017–2022.
This is a big, concentrated and lush-textured wine, bolder and thicker than many of its peers and beautifully laced with dark berry, dark chocolate and cardamom flavors. The mouthfeel is full and gripping, as the many layers of fine tannins coat the palate and help the rich flavors linger on the finsh.
Classic northern Rhône aromas of smoke, espresso and black olive set the stage, followed by layers of dark fruit and spice. The finish is softly dusty, brimming with plum and licorice notes. Full-bodied, concentrated and supple, this is ready to drink now, yet should age well through 2025 or so.
A big blanket of oaky, chocolaty, minty aromas sits on top of herbal plum and cassis scents. No surprise that this is a big wine with loud plum, blackberry and spice flavors, but it's also a bit awkward in feel. On the finish, this spreads apart at the seams, leaving no cushion for scorching acidity and hard tannins. Drink through 2021.
The 2012 vintage was a cool one in Marlborough, and it shows in this wine, especially when compared to the fine, elegant 2013 Te Koko. This is grassy and herbal, even hinting a bit at green peas, yet still offers a compelling texture and ample length. It may even outlive the 2013, even if it doesn't quite reach the same heights.
This straightforward wine delivers a lot of flavor for the price. The juicy, rounded layering of dark cherry, dried herb and cedar works within a light-bodied, mellowed context of balanced acidity and fruit.
A bright star within Hudson-Chatham's strong lineup of red wine, this Pinot Noir offers loads of fresh pristine black-cherry and berry flavors. Whiffs of bramble, toast and anise lend complexity to a neatly balanced yet silken palate. A fine feathery fringe of tannins leads a long finish. Drink now through 2022.
This lush wine offers true value, deeply flavored in strawberry and cherry. A tannic foundation supports the fruit beside black tea, clove and a twist of orange and cranberry, with a soft and smooth texture.
Smoky tar and oak meet baked huckleberry in this soft, textured and lengthy wine from this great family of grape growers. Moderate acidity allows for a ripe, full-bodied expression of the variety.
This opens with aromas of black-skinned berry, blue flower, French oak and a balsamic whiff of menthol. The smooth, refined palate offers dried black cherry, dark spice and chopped herb alongside supple tannins.
Leather, menthol, ripe dark berry, pressed blue flower and a balsamic note emerge on this robust red. The full-bodied palate delivers mature wild cherry, pomegranate, star anise and clove set against a tannic backbone. You'll also detect the warmth of alcohol on the close. Drink 2018–2023.
Though pale in color, this is a tannic and flavorful wine with an earthy underpinning. Lightly spiced red-fruit flavors unfold and gather strength midpalate. This nicely captures the elegance of Naramata Bench Pinot Noir.
Woodsy earthy berry aromas share the nose with fresh-cut oak scents. This Carmenère-Syrah blend feels lively and juicy, not heavy or flat. Dark spicy berry and plum flavors include notes of olive and oak, while the finish is spicy and tastes of olive and tobacco.
Made from 65% Sangiovese and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon—organically farmed—this polished red opens with aromas of black-skinned fruit, violet and Mediterranean herb. On the full-bodied palate, tobacco and aniseed accent a core of ripe black cherry, while firm tannins provide support.
There is a refreshing minerality underscoring this tightly wound wine. Fruit flavors of grapefruit, lime and white melon carry a hint of spice. There's penetrating acidity, only slightly muted by the 13 g/L of residual sugar.
Cloudy Bay's latest vintage is the first from their own vineyards in Central Otago and reflects a step up in quality despite a challenging vintage. Plummy fruit dominates the rather chunky wine, framed by hints of toast and dried herbs, while moderately dusty tannins and bright acids mark the finish. Drink 2018–2025.
While obviously not a “cult” wine, this full-bodied bottling has just what the varietal should offer in terms of ripe fruit, spice, a firm and moderately tannic texture, and a mouthfilling presence. Its strengths lie in good balance, tempting layers of flavor and a lingering finish.
From one of the leading estates in this cru appellation, the wine is structured and firm and likely to age well. With black cherry and red-currant fruits it is crisp although with its solid texture it should broaden out. Drink this wine from 2018.
Annick and Jean-Marc Lafont's three acres on the slopes below the chapel of la Madone give a firm and concentrated cru wine that will repay aging. There are layers of red-berry fruits that are cut with solid tannins and a dry core. The wine will age, so drink from 2018.
Although the Chermette family is based among the Beaujolais vineyards to the south, it does also possess vines in the crus villages of the north. With an open, ripe and juicy character the wine has concentration and richness. It is full, fruity and ready to drink.
This unfiltered, cloudy wine offers aromas of lime and yeast. A blend of Chardonnay (80%) and Viognier (20%), it's grown according to the principles of biodynamic viticulture. The juicy palate doles out white peach, vanilla and lemon, closing on a toasted hazelnut note.
In this wine, a core of juicy apple and Anjour pear flavors is dressed with light vanilla, nutmeg and cream accents for a beautiful, airy wine that's dry and not at all heavy. Baking spices linger on the long, vibrant finish.
This likable wine smells sweet and plummy. It tastes smooth, juicy and fruity, as red cherry and black-plum flavors spill over the palate. Pleasantly medium bodied, it's moderate in tannins.
Fermented and aged in neutral French oak with full malolactic fermentation, the aromas are light, with notes of green apple and mineral. The freshly squeezed lemon acids are tart and racy, capped off by a lightly creamy finish. Pair it with food to see it at its best.
Dusty spiced-apple aromas set up a stony, drawn-in palate with a mix of tart tangerine and pickled flavors. On the finish, this is fresh, almost sour in flavor, and light in weight.
This offers aromas that suggest wild berry, toast and menthol while the palate shows raw red cherry, chocolate, grilled sage and espresso. Assertive tannins grip the finish.
Fermented and aged in steel, this opens with aromas of wild berry, cassis, Mediterranean herb and a whiff of game. The lively, straightforward palate offers raspberry, clove and just a hint of white pepper framed in lithe tannins and bright acidity.
A rather deep, brassy color and very buttery aromas make this wine stand out. The flavors are also buttery, appley and rich, while the texture is creamy and the body almost full.
Subdued dried herb, vanilla and dill aromas mix with notes of baking spice. The red-fruit flavors are light and elegant, winnowing toward the finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot each make up 40% of this wine, with the balance Cabernet Franc. The aromas suggest notes of herbs, fruit leather and anise that are followed by tart, palate-coating cranberry flavors, with celery notes on the finish.
Sharp notes of cut grass, yellow pear, kiwi and a shred of grapefruit pith show on this bottling by winemaker Karen Steinwachs. It is light and clean on the sip, offering flavors of lemon sorbet, lime rind and more mowed grass.
Syrah (61%), Mourvèdre and Gre-nache make up the bulk of this appealing wine. Bright aromas of strawberry candy, watermelon and orange rind are followed by mouthwatering citrus and cherry flavors.
There is an attractive 15% Cabernet Franc in this wine. That gives a strongly perfumed character and brings out firm tannins from both the fruit and the wood aging. The wine's blackberry fruits are ripe and juicy with a smooth, rounded aftertaste. Drink from 2019.
A 24-acre vineyard at the southern end of the Graves region has produced a 2010 that is rich while still retaining an attractive light touch. There are firm tannins that are the background to the blackberry fruits and bold structure. Drink this wine from 2017.
Produced from 60-acres of vines on the plateau east of Saint-Émilion village, this is a fresh and fruity wine. It has layers of tannin surmounted with red cherry and black-currant fruits. The wine, with its dominance of Merlot, is developing well and will be ready to drink from 2018.
The second wine of Château de Lamarque is named after the medieval tower of the castle. It is a densely tannic wine, firm and dense although also with plenty of black-plum fruits. The wood aging is still showing prominently, giving a tough, dry edge to the wine that needs to soften. Give this tight wine until 2018.
This smoky wood-aged wine shows tannins as well as black fruits. It has a fine structure that balances with the fruitiness. Produced in the Entre-deux-Mers, the wine has a spicy, fresh aftertaste.
Situated on the ridge in the center of Entre-deux-Mers that produces fine white wines, this vineyard has produced a wine that is rich and full. Apricot and ripe pear fruits have a perfumed touch along with almond and spice flavors. It could do with a few more months and will be best from 2017.
Clovis Point's Black Label Chardonnay shares the ripe, voluminous feel of it's standard-label Chard, but offers a bit more freshness and structure. It's plump and full bodied, slick with honey and mango flavors, but cutting citrus acidity lends refreshment and balance. The moderately long finish is marked by lingering notes of nut, spice and toast.
This 50-50 blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot offers lavish aromas of purple flowers, baked olallieberries, black sage and a hint of grapeseed on the nose. Very primary flavors of grape Jolly Rancher and Concord grape show on the palate, followed by tobacco ash, roasted fennel, lavender and black pepper.
Aromas of cured meat, camphor, cherry marinated in spirits, toast and a whiff of smoke lead the nose. The smoky note carries over to the brawny, monolithic palate along with ripe raspberry, dried herb and a hint of saline. Tightly wound tannins leave a bracing finish.
Wisps of apricot perfume seem to concentrate on the palate of this spry semi-dry Riesling, melding into riper, summery tones of peach and nectarine. It's a sunny, approachable fruity wine that finishes on an invigorating lemon-lime note.
Bright and tangy, this is a crisp, tight and mineral wine. It is fruity with pear and lime fruits that are caught up in the tangy texture and tense acidity. This is a wine that could age a while more, so drink from 2017.
Wiry, fiery and full of Prima's usual cherry and black-currant aromas, this bottling from a very cool vintage is tough as nails on the palate. Berry, mocha and chocolate flavors finish with power but also rock-hard tannins that scrape and grate.
Fresh and minerally on the nose, this bottling shows the expected aromas of orange blossom, Key-lime pith, crushed soda and a touch of petrol. It's very light on the palate, disclosing lime zest, light nectarine juice and lemon-sorbet flavors.
Aromas that recall cellar floor, toast and espresso lead the nose. The full-bodied palate shows oak, roasted coffee bean and ripe black cherry framed in assertive tannins. Drink after 2019.
This is an unusual blend of Syrah (35%), Malbec (25%), Merlot (25%) and Cabernet Sauvignon. Baking-spice, vanilla, clove and plum aromas are followed by cranberry and cherry flavors that taper toward the finish.
A smoky, foxy, saucy opening leads to a medium-bodied palate that's more or less standard for Rioja. Blackberry, roasted plum and light oak flavors finish steady, a touch rustic and with a vanilla note.
A full, ripe wine that has melon, crisp pear and hints of yellow fruits. Amidst this fruit salad of flavors, there are tight acidity and minerality. The wine is crisp and tangy at the end.
This opens with aromas of toast, coffee, chopped herb and a whiff of cellar floor. The straightforward palate offers dried cherry, licorice and a hint of orange zest alongside firm tannins.
This full-bodied wine has an unusual darkish color with a touch of pink in it. Seductive aromas suggest fig and vanilla, and good, solid fruit flavors fan out through the opulent texture.
Bright aromas of vanilla, toast and wood spice lead to a full-bodied, rich palate. The style gets out in front of the fruit but there's still much to enjoy.
Produced by Château Larose Trintaudon for historic Bordeaux merchant Schröder & Schÿler, this is a rounded, black-fruit flavored wine. Now soft and ready to drink, it still has attractive juicy flavors as well as ripe blackberry. Soft tannins form the background and sustain the structure. Drink now.
Lemon-lime soda, fresh lemongrass, kiwi, pear blossoms and wet stones show on the focused nose of this bottling from a vineyard located between Pismo Beach and Edna Valley. The river-stone element carries to the palate, where richer flavors of yellow apple, Anjou pear, kiwi gum and honeydew-candy emerge.
Stewed berries mix with sweet spice aromas of anise and vanilla on this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Tannat. The light-bodied palate is streamlined and focused on watery strawberry and red cherry flavors riding over underripe green notes.
Basic black-plum aromas are as good as it gets. This is showing too much acid and not nearly enough stuffing to support it. Scratchy pie cherry and raspberry flavors finish raw and rugged.
Flat, bitter aromas of almond skins and mango are the entry to a citric, angular palate with oily orange and nectarine flavors.
Grassy, herbal aromas contain little fruit, while this feels firm, with no give to the palate. Green, herbal flavors are low on fruit, and this ends with heat and scratchiness.
Musky aromas of lychee and orange are easy to peg as Torrontés. On the palate, there's zest and acid but not much substance. Tangy and tropical in flavors, and shallow in body, this is just o.k. Includes 5% Malbec for color.
Odd aromas of orange oil and citronella mark the nose of this Cabernet Franc. Light and lithe on the palate, red cherry flavors are met by tobacco leaf and green peppercorn.
Soft with a yeasty character, this wine has not gotten its act together. It has some bitterness, walnut and spice flavors although nothing hangs together.
Medium-ruby in color, with slightly tawny edges, this Bordeaux-style red blend shows underripe red currant, green peppercorn and anise on the nose. The light, lithe palate follows suit, with sharp acids peppering the tongue on the finish.
A whole slew of adjectives beginning with the letter F are used by the producer to describe this wine. It is a gently sparkling, off-dry wine that has attractive acidity and a touch of citrus. It needs to be enjoyed now, well chilled for a warm day.
This is hardly a fashionable color for rosé, deep and almost like a light red wine. It tastes heavy, although the red fruits are cut by ample acidity. The finish is rich and ripe.
There's a reduced, bitter quality to this wine, which remains light-bodied and somewhat elusive in the glass. An extreme sense of earthiness and mushroom, veering on dampness, keeps it a sensory quandary.
As proof that any blend goes in Tejo, this wine is 50-50 Touriga Nacional and Pinot Noir. Initially, it is more full of acidity than fruit, although it does have a soft texture. The fruit comes through slowly to give fresh plum and berry flavors at the end. Drink now.
A weak nose shyly offers pungent plum skins and rust when sniffed deeply. There are raspberry and graphite flavors on the palate, which shows a respectable play between tannins and acidity.
Rubber, animal and herbal aromas control the nose on this strained blend of Malbec and 30% Corvina. The palate is drying and crisp, with rugged tannins, while flavors of stalky red-berry fruits, bacon and rubber finish with heat and bitterness.
Dry cherry and plum aromas are earthy at first, then more briny and like olive juice. A full body borders on syrupy but is slapped by sharp acidity. Oaky, chocolaty plum and berry flavors taste slightly weedy, while toasty oak and heat make for a tough finish.
This medium-bodied Cabernet is elegant and supple enough to offer some pleasure, but also boasts some green bell pepper and eucalyptus notes. Drink now.
A medium-sweet wine, with a light prickle on tongue, very much in the style of some Vinho Verde, this is crisp, with lemon candy flavors and bright acidity. Drink now.
Simple apple and apricot aromas prevail on the nose. This feels lean, shallow and hollow, while flavors of peach pit and melon are somewhat bitter and finish abruptly.
This wine is perfumed, soft and with a light character. An oddly floral character doesn't jell with the fruitiness that is behind it.
This is a wine with harshness, sharp walnut and bitter orange flavors. It gives off a hard feeling that probably won't soften much.
Butter and petroleum mix on the nose before an extreme splash of tartness overwhelms the tongue. Pineapple and peach vie for attention amidst a fuller-styled body and abbreviated finish.
A murky appearance, earthy aromas and mineral-like flavors add up to an eccentric wine. The balance is soft rather than crisp and the body light. Since the winemaker leaves a good portion of lees in the bottle, it's best to stand it up for a few hours before pouring slowly.
Soapy, pungent aromas of lychee nut are atypical for your average Chardonnay. This feel shallow and flat, with lychee and melon flavors that turn bitter and oily on the finish. This is more like Torrontés or Gewürztraminer than standard Chardonnay.
Musky orange and grapefruit aromas include asparagus and bell pepper scents. This is flat in feel, with mostly vegetal flavors of asparagus and green bean.
Herbal aromas of tomato, spice and red plum are a fair announcement of what's to come, namely a sharp, acidic palate with sizzling plum and raspberry flavors. Blazing acidity and little body make for a long, tart finish.
Orange peel, anise and honey aromas come before a honeyed, soft palate. Flavors of orange, honey and melon are wan, with little finish. This tastes manufactured more than natural.
Scott Sampler is employing some avant-garde techniques in his winemaking, including extra long macerations, but this blend of 50% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre and 25% Syrah is relatively straightforward. Aromas of stewed blackberry and red currant meet with licorice spice and a leathery richness on the nose. The palate shows black raspberry, vanilla dust, gingerbread and minty tarragon, laid upon a still-tight texture with lively acidity.
This classy wine is rich, with its firm structure still intact. It has bold tannins, ripe blackberry fruit and bright acidity. Its concentration, together with its dry, tannic core, confirms that it will age further. Drink from 2020.
Made with 65% Sangiovese and 35% Foglia Tonda, this fragrant full-bodied red offers aromas of new leather, purple flower, espresso, exotic spice and a balsamic note. The round polished palate boasts structure and elegance, delivering ripe black cherry, blackberry, cinnamon and licorice framed in velvety enveloping tannins. Drink through 2023.
The wine is dry, concentrated, very much in the house style of this legendary brand. It has acidity as well as the rich dried fruits, with the tannins a force in the background. It is a style of LBV that could age well, with its structure and acidity. Drink now, certainly, but it will be an even better wine from 2020 or 2022.
This is an invitingly floral, textural and rich white wine that's full bodied and lush on the palate. Tropical pineapple, guava and mango are highlighted in deeper, darker tones of honey and caramel, with a foundation of present, integrated oak.
Juicy black cherry and grippy oak are the stars of the show in this delicious red wine, softened by the addition of 16% Malbec. Elongated tannins support the leathery texture as highlights of cedar and sage play on.
Made to benefit the exploratory organization, this high-toned stunner exudes flavors of Gravenstein apple followed by a slight richness of marzipan. Moderate acidity and weight makes it a fine companion for the table, finishing with a sense of welcome fullness.
This inky, red-violet colored wine offers aromas of black plum and lavender. Flavors of black cherry, raspberry, vanilla, espresso and violet sit among silky tannins that offer a pleasing textural experience to the entire palate. The finish is notable for a short burst of orange zest.
This food-friendly wine is most remarkable for its structure and gracefulness on the palate. Herbal on the entry, it offers grip and elegance within sturdy elongated tannins, a note of brushy cedar and sage and integrated French oak.
Very gamy and umami-rich aromas of bacon fat and animal hide meet with maple, boysenberry, white pepper, rosemary and teriyaki on the nose of this bottling. The savory and somewhat smoky touches thrive on the palate too, where roasted pork and charred plums combine with coffee bean and warm-toast flavors.
From a well-farmed site, this wine is invitingly floral in apple-blossom notes, followed by fully developed flavors of peach and meringue. Earthy and complete, it offers concentration and balance.
A black color and baked ripe-fruit aromas are the greeting on this second wine to Clos Apalta. While this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Merlot and Petit Verdot feels soft along the edges, it's propped up by tartaric acidity. Blackened flavors of saturated blackberry and cassis maintain lush ripeness across the finish. Drink through 2020.
Ripe blackberry and spice aromas are a touch meaty and earthy but mostly straightforward. A grabby, fleshy palate is obtuse but still balanced, while this tastes of berry and cassis, which are textbook flavors for Cabernet Sauvignon. A dry, woody finish with a chocolate note renders this better than most for $20.
Fresh and lean as a sea breeze and tautly wrought in tense acidity, this memorable wine is bright and crisp. The palate shows earthy flavors met by subtle notes of black cherry and strawberry.
With a sniff of noble reduction, this is a well-made robust wine, indicative of its historic estate and small-production values. A juicy core of broad plum, dark cherry and pomegranate wrap seamlessly around a fresh streak of minerality and rich texture.
Picked from selection of grapes from the estate's best parcels, this is a perfumed, dense and rich blend of Syrah, Touriga Nacional and Cabernet Sauvignon. Its concentrated black fruits and rich tannins are impressive. It has style, too, as well as great ripe fruits and power. Drink this fine wine from 2019.
In 1997, restoration architect José Perdigão used his skills to turn a 17-acre bench of unmerciful land above the Dão river near Viseu into a garden of organic native vines. The 2006 now reflects maturity. It is packed with secondary flavors, ripe acidity, and toast and mushrooms from a blend dominated by Touriga Nacional. It is, luckily, very ready to drink.
This field blend of old white-grape vines—a rarity in the Douro—is rich in the bottle from a mélange of stainless steel, wood fermentation and barrel aging. It is smooth with concentration from the toast flavors and floral complexity. Its ripe character and generous texture make it a wine to drink now.
Made from 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20% Mourvèdre, this is a thick, extracted exploration of strawberry and leather. Bright and brawny, it has supportive freshness and acidity beneath the power of its meaty ripe fruit.
Candied red cherry, mulberry, lilac, kola nut and dark sandalwood show on the lush nose of this bottling. The palate is wound tightly around a tense structure and bright but not overpowering acidity, revealing flavors of allspice, dark red fruit and hints of juniper.
Beet and plum juice aromas meet with hearty clove and juniper spice on the nose of this bottling from a vineyard located 16 miles from the Pacific Ocean. It's a dark and deep expression on the sip, with blackberry, wet earth and pine-forest flavors, proving quite muscular and manly, with a menthol lift on the finish.
Black pepper, espresso, dark berries and woody herbs show on the nose of this blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Sangiovese, 13% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot and 6% Freisa from the Los Alamos and Valley View Vineyards. Stewed blackberries and more pepper show on the densely structured,  acid-laced palate, which also offers coffee and dark chocolate flavors.
Plum, dark berry and baking-spice aromas slowly emerge on this full-bodied red. The taut spicy palate offers sour cherry, dried blackberry, ground clove and licorice set against a backbone of assertive but fine-grained tannins. It's still young and primary. Drink after 2025.
From the Palindrome Vineyard, this meaty red is perfumed and thick, velvety smooth in texture and substantial in approach. Garrigue, leather pouch and wild strawberry play well together as wafts of cigar filter in quietly. Brawny, this wine manages to also be balanced and delicious to drink.
This is a very accessible white wine for those seeking a reliable alternative that's both bright and flavorful. Aromas of coconut, poached pear, chamomile and white flowers show on the broadly painted nose, while the palate is clean and crisp with apple, zippy acidity and a chalky minerality.
Light and creamy in lemon meringue with a shake of salt, this 100% varietal white has full-flavored intensity and a floral aromatic streak that invites. Dry, it spent time aging in both new French oak and stainless steel, riding both waves with graceful ease.
Earthy aromas of Boston baked beans and stewed berry fruits set up a stout, dense, ripe palate. This wine tastes of baked berries and cassis. A finish with spice-cake flavors feels dense and meaty, with a savory aftertaste.
There's a lot of desert-based flavors to explore and enjoy in this blend, starting with a prominent chaparral underbrush and campfire tone to the nose, followed by the tangy red-plum, smoke, salt and pepper notes. The sip is welcoming and broad, with bright strawberry fruit decorated by licorice, mocha and anise, altogether quite well rounded.
Candied blueberry, vanilla bean, dried dill and anise make for a very approachable and layered nose on this bottling from winemaker Tim Kramer, a mentor to many in the region. Ripe black fruit, licorice spice and shaved chocolate show on the sip, where soft tannins and balanced acidity lead into a chalky finish.
This Messias family vineyard is close to their main winery in Bairrada. The wine, with its proportion of Baga, is full of acidity as well as tannins and black-currant fruit. It offers a touch of saltiness as well as spice. The wine is just approaching maturity so drink from 2018.
This estate vineyard in the heart of the appellation provides this wine with a generosity of spirit and flavor, all within a light-bodied package of elegance and restraint. Pear and applesauce give it a fruity edge of ripe round flavor that's likable and nourished by touches of citrus. The finish is as crisp as a lime chaser.
Austere on the nose, and light on the palate, this vineyard-designated expression of this Rhône variety works in its full embrace of succulent pear, peach and tart citrus. Given time in neutral oak, it has enough body to remain meaningful in the glass around dry, focused acidity.
This wine's red berry, grilled herb, blue flower and French oak aromas carry over to the firm palate, along with sour cherry, vanilla, toast and star anise hints. It's lean in body but also focused and racy.
The song of the elm is the poetic name of this wine. It is a rich wine, dense with fruit and with some toast from the wood aging. It is impressive with its ripe swathes of fruit and its spicy aftertaste. The wine is just ready to drink although it will be better from 2018.
Vinified in stainless steel, this affordable wine doesn't need new oak flavors to flesh it out. It's sharply defined, with crisp apple and pear fruit that carries a touch of spice. The length and precision are impressive.
This smooth, wood-aged wine is impressively ripe and stylish. Yellow fruit and pear flavors are spiced with nutmeg and toast from the wood, giving richness and a ripe character that are balanced by acidity. Drink this wine now.
This juicy, ripe and rich wine has a sweet jammy background, giving concentration as well as good acidity and an open, ripe texture. Drink this already accessible wine from 2025.
This rich blend of Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional comes from high-altitude vineyards in Portugal's eastern mountains. With its structure and solid texture, it has both power and a sense of style and balance. It is drinkable although its fruit is young and will repay aging. Drink from 2018.
Red berry, aromatic herb, eucalyptus, leather and iris scents come together in this. The tightly wound and linear palate offers crushed cherry, cranberry, cinnamon and star anise flavors set against a backdrop of austere, fine-grained tannins and firm acidity. Give it time to unwind and integrate. Drink 2018–2043.
Eric Weisinger's latest release for South Stage, this is impressive, with pungent citrus peel, grapefruit and lemon scents and flavors. Honeycomb accents come into focus as it finishes, emphasizing its overall concentration and pushing it to the top of Oregon's growing number of Albariños.
This bottling is still very young and will vastly improve with time, but already shows many of the components that make this remote mountain-surrounded vineyard one of the more exciting slices of the region. Aromas of black currant and purple flowers are deep and heady, while the palate's richer blackberry-syrup notes are cut by a black-plum tang, fresh underbrush herbaceousness and tons of cola spice.
Produced entirely from vines planted in 1978, this drinks drier than its 13 g/L of residual sugar would indicate. It's juicy and loaded with apple, pear and tangerine fruit. A tangy taste of orange baby aspirin lingers on the finish.
Juicy and fresh red fruit meets an herbal woody component in this wine—a nod to its inclusion of 12% Cabernet Franc. Firm integrated tannins support the full-bodied frame of approachable richness and plush texture, working toward a seamless whole.
Cabernet Sauvignon comprises 59% of this wine, with 35% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot blended in for good measure. Together, they offer firm lengthy tannins and a generous presence of body and weight. The darker characteristics of chocolate and blackberry are balanced by crisp red currant and spicy clove.
The wine is ripe, dense and with fine layers of green fruits, grapefruit and acidity. The flinty texture is still strong in this young wine which bursts with youthful fruitiness. It is going to develop well into an impressive wine. Drink from late 2018.
Produced from organic grapes, the wine is beautiful and honey touched. Its acidity keeps crispness while the fruit shines with lemon and creamed-apple flavors. Drink from 2018.
Displaying typical McMinnville AVA subtlety, this frames its tight raspberry fruit with mineral and iron ore details. Aging in neutral oak has helped soften the sharp edges a bit, without flavoring the wine.
This wine's cranberry, raspberry and cherry flavors are spicy and tart, carrying a suggestion of hard candy. It's consistent throught its tart finish and promises much development ahead. Drink now through the late 2020s.
Plump blackberry, dark strawberry, dried herbs and baking spice show on the nose of this well-rounded and easily likable bottling. The palate mixes fleshy red and purple fruit with a strong chaparral component in the midpalate. The firm grippy texture makes this a more serious Zinfandel than most.
Dark-golden colored, this block designate opens in a wealth of butter and wild vanilla, before unveiling interwoven layers of juicy acidity and integrated oak. Gravenstein apple and pear dominate in flavor, adding to the overall succulence and success of this wine.
This is about as strange and individual as Albariño gets. The nose oozes odd cinnamon and resin aromas, which are abnormal for the variety and the Rías Baixas region. A flavor of spiced apple finishes with the same spice character. Funky is probably the best word to describe this wine.
This is dry, herbal and leathery on the nose. On the palate, this feels snappy and crisp, with flavors of peppery red fruits that are leafy, herbal and almost green. Turns hotter and sharper the longer it breathes.
This smells heavily charred, like a blend of burnt leaf, charcoal-grilled hamburger and funky, roasted berry. The palate feels rough and bumpy, while the flavor profile is herbal to an extreme. Finishes green and soupy.
Dry red fruit and tomato notes define the nose on this light-colored Pinot. Flavors of earthy cherry and spice get buried under buttery oak, which carries through onto the finish.
There is an awkwardness to this wine, coming from the overripe fruit and juicy character. It lacks structure and will likely age quickly.
A bitter yeast flavor doesn't do this 100% Sémillon wine any favors. It is heavy and fat, and the citrus fruits are lost along the way.
At first, this smells unexpectedly of almonds. But overall, this is a viscous bottle of raisin, blackberry and tar flavors.
Almond candy and lacquer aromas create a corny scent on the nose. This wine feels flabby and soggy, with buttery oak and little to no fruit flavor. Finishes woody, with vanilla and spice. A blend of 60% Viura and 40% Chardonnay.
This wine is all wood, with no promise of fruit.
Chunky cherry and earthy tea aromas lead to a supremely tannic and overbearing body, leaving a residue as it transitions to the finish. Flavors along the way include oak, vanilla, syrupy berry, plastic and creamy chocolate.
This Lodi Cabernet is priced to sell, but it has a sweltering swath of green pepper.
This is stalky smelling, with modest fruit and a burnt field aroma. It looks and tastes weak and transparent, with sourness rising up on the palate along with notes of citrus, cranberry and cherry pie.
Meat and bacon aromas introduce a wine that is taut, structured and high on the acidity. It has a lean, slightly dirty taste, which is not attractive.
The scent of ripe, red-cheeked apples perfumes this tight and linear offering. It refreshes with almost spritzy lemon peel and comes across as a zippy but concentrated summer wine.
Tasted along with a dozen other single vineyard selections from Ken Wright, this feels a bit thin, but only in relation to a portfolio of astonishing power and depth. Truffle, red berries and sharp acidity combine nicely, though the finish falls away rather quickly.
No grape seems too obscure for Kenneth Volk, not even the Portuguese varietal Verdelho. Only 92 acres are planted in all of California, including the ones Volk himself planted in Paso Robles in 1994. Aromas of red apple and pear slowly draw you in, not spilling all the goods on the nose. The flavors are relatively slight on the tongue, with nectarine, honeyed nuts and baked apple. The tight acidity makes it a great pairing for Thai and Vietnamese dishes.
This bold Pinot Grigio is a far cry from the many watered-down versions of this popular wine. It's loaded with creamy white peach, Bartlett pear and green apple accented with lemon zest and a hint of pastry filling. Crisp acidity brightens this up and it finishes clean and dry.
Honeysuckle notes waft gorgeously from this summery off-dry Riesling full of juicy tangerine and stone fruit flavors. Bright citrus acidity balances a palate that's rich and round with a waxy slick that lingers deliciously through the finish.
Pretty milk chocolate wraps around fresh strawberry fruit in this estate-grown, single-vineyard selection. A gentle wine, it turns almost soft in the middle, finishing with delicate flavors of rose water.
Lightly straw-colored, this is a crisp and fruity wine. Apples, citrus and a touch of ripe melon dominate at this stage, giving a young, fresh character. It's still bouncy and tangy and will broaden out over the next few months to give more complexity. Drink from 2015
Aromatically unctuous and inviting, this rich, thick Petit Verdot, one of Concannon's smaller bottlings, is mouthfilling in chocolate, tobacco and dark plum, long-lasting through the midpalate and finish. Soft, with moderate tannins, it's a big wine with structure that'll age or pair with serious meat or game now.
Made from 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault and 20% Syrah, this is a vibrant, floral rosé, offering upfront aromas of iris, lavender and laurel that complement the raspberry and strawberry-hull core. The fruity palate is bright and refreshing, with ample acidity and just a hint of orange blossom on the finish.
Rubbery dark-fruit aromas are surrounded by hints of olive, minerals and spice. This feels round as well as fair and balanced; flavors of loamy blackberry are smooth and come with chocolate notes. Coffee, spice and herbal flavors work the finish.
Restrained and soft on the nose, this light-bodied white offers subtle lemon zestiness and a phenolic seam that provide structure and food-friendliness with a savory, almost herbal edge.
Upfront aromas of savory herbs and pressed apple lend an earthy feel to this medium-sweet wine. It opens gradually to reveal a pretty perfume of jasmine and lavender that penetrates long on the palate. It's juicy with sweet white-grapefruit flavor, and finishes tight with zesty lime and lemon astringency.
Fresh green herbs and tart stone-fruit aromas waft delicately from this dry, remarkably juicy wine. The palate bursts with ripe white peach and nectarine flavor accented with bright, zesty lime acidity.
Firm, pinched aromas of rubbery berry and red fruits feed into a narrow, tomatoey palate with crisp, drawing acidity and tannins. This Carignan-led blend of five grapes is herbal and briny tasting, with tomato, cassis and red-berry flavors. Length, balance and drive push an herbal finish to a good ending.
A blend of 40% Bourboulenc, 30% Grenache Blanc and 30% Vermentino, this is a bright and floral wine, offering upfront scents of orange rind, melon, apple flesh, green fig and garrigue herbs. Flavors of red apple and stone fruits continue on the medium-weight palate, with ample acidity to provide good cut and freshness to the finish. A toasted-walnut flavor whispers softly on the medium-length finish. Drink now–2016.
This inviting Pinot is broadly ripe and fully lush in earthy, spicy layers, dark cherry and plum that plays across the palate. With a long, substantial finish, iot suits pork roasts and bacon-wrapped scallops.
There are swirls of faint red raspberry and black cherry in this wine, otherwise rich in ripe flavor and a taste of red licorice. Soft, satisfying and structured, it's got some weight to it, and some definite grip. A big wine for big meals.
GSM means Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, while the T stands for Tempranillo. On the nose, it's spicy and a touch stalky and roasted. The mouthfeel is full and balanced, while flavors of baked plum cassis, cocoa and tea finish mellow, with mild tannins.
Texture rather than aroma is the main appeal of this slender white. The nose is restrained but the palate has spicy hints of pepper. While citrus dominates, it also shows a riper notion of tangy passion fruit.
Hints of passion fruit sneak up on the nose of this fragrant wine, lifting up the smoky, mineral palate. Wonderfully tangy and fresh.
While subdued on the nose with aromas of pressed apple and lemon, this semi-sweet wine is surprisingly fresh and floral on the palate with ripe, juicy flavors of yellow plums and cherries. Searing lime acidity adds brightness and drives a moderately long finish.
Yellow and green pear, leaves of lemon balm and juicy chunks of pineapple play on nose and palate. It's fresh, completely fruit-driven and provides lots of simple, honest joy.
Clean, poised, lemony freshness on an arrow-straight body. Zesty refreshment in one clean and compact package.
This restrained, salmon-tinged rosé teases with riper fruit, even with a red-berry compote of red currant and strawberry. The plump fruit is held in a dry frame and tempered by freshness. Equally tempting with or without food.
Salmon-pink in color, this 100% Chambourcin rosé is alive with watermelon Jolly Ranchers and tart peach. Bright, citrusy and fruity, it's a perfect sipper for hot summer days.
A bit reticent on the nose, this only stubbornly offers up aromas of underbrush and ripe cherries. Then, on the palate, the fruit seems to darken, taking on black cherry overtones and hints of mocha before finishing tart and crisp. Drink now.
This medium-bodied wine features fresh cherry aromas accented by hints of vanilla. While it doesn't offer much in the way of complexity, it does deliver ripe fruit, a soft texture and a realistic price tag. Drink now.
Bonheur—happiness—is an appropriate name for this fresh and crisp wine that comes in a flute à corset bottle. It is fruity, lively with orange and apricot over raspberries. Bright acidity finishes it all in good humor.
This blend of Grenache (72%), Syrah (14%) and Mourvèdre offers aromas of barnyard, red cherries, flowers and spices. It's tangy and full flavored, displaying good richness but it doesn't all come together.
This wine seems advanced for its years with aromas of medicine cabinet and woodspice. The cranberry flavors are tart and soft, seeming somewhat diluted with medicinal flavors on the finish.
Aromas of bright berry, blue flower and savory herb lead the nose. The palate offers raw cherry, espresso, oak and anise alongside bracing, rather astringent tannins.
Lemon- and pineapple-rind aromas lead to a green apple-driven palate. Medium-bodied yet crisp, this would pair well with citrus-marinated chicken kabobs.
This is a crowd-pleaser made in larger quantities that succeeds in its herbal lemongrass and suggestion of fresh-cut grass, which lovers of that style will find appealing. The finish is reminiscent of lemon curd and tastes ripe.
This is subdued in a nice way. It does not show a lot of big aromas or bright flavors, but it has an appetizing, firm texture, and it's pleasantly dry and well balanced. Hints of raspberry and pomegranate in the flavors linger on the finish.
Yellow apple, candied nectarine and a hint of butter come together against a backdrop of crisp acidity. This wine opens strong but finishes abruptly.
Creamy vanilla and pear open this wine from a new Napa Valley producer. It offers a nice mix of minerality and fruit ripeness, before finishing a tad flat.
This open and generous wine is attractive and ready to drink. White peach and pear flavors give it great fruitiness without losing sight of acidity. It's fruity, softly textured and just right now.
Dusty mineral and herbal aromas contrast against a palate that's chock full of raspberry and cherry flavor. It's forward with fruit, but a bit strikingly acidic, spiked by a razor-like edge of cranberry and lemon.
Faint notes of citrus lend an edge of freshness to this easy-drinking wine. Slightly dilute notes make for even more lightness but the finish is clean and fresh.
Aromas of scorched earth, leather, vanilla, spiced plum and grilled herb take shape in the glass. The warm palate offers dried black cherry and licorice alongside extremely astringent tannins. This is aging preciously and the fruit is already dried up, which makes the warmth of alcohol noticeable on the close.
Pleasant but then rather persistent oak aromas occupy the nose on this wine, with lemon rinds and lime juice hiding beneath. The palate is also quite reliant on the oak, offering smoked vanilla beans, pear juice and a touch of citrus peel bitterness, but it's really a very plush white wine.
The Australian producer tries its hand at California fruit, and this very straightforward bottling showing aromas of cranberries, raspberries and graphite. The palate is clean and familiar, with Bing cherries, oregano and black slate. It's a good-deal wine
This comes out of the bottle a little tarry and rubbery, so splash it around a bit while pouring, or opt for a quick decant if that's possible. Once those off aromas dissipate, the wine delivers plenty of herb-tinged cherry fruit, with a medium body and a mouthwatering, fine-grained finish.
Light oak and spice aromas blend with baked berry, graphite and vanilla scents. This feels grabby, with gritty, lightly stalky flavors of leather that overshadow the wine's modest fruit components. The wine is peppery, oaky and a bit raw and pinching on the finish.
Enhanced with 5% Viognier, this wine shows baking spice, gingerbread cookies and blueberry-boysenberry juice on the nose. There's a healthy dollop of Indian spices like cardamom on the palate, but the framing of cherry juice needs a bit more power to fully impress.
Stewy earth and black licorice wrap themselves around a tightness of oak and tannin in this medium-bodied wine. Layered without being dense, the finish is short and peppery.
This has a delicious tang of citrus and acidity to go with the crisp red currant fruitiness. It is bright and ready to drink, with refreshing acidity at the end.
This second, affordably minded label from the Center of Effort team shows caramelized cherries and chipped slate on the nose. Candied red fruits arise on the palate, along with bitter orange peels and a nice acidity, though there's a slightly odd film left on the tongue in the finish.
Open and ripely fruity, this has fresh acidity, with tight and tangy flavors of lemon zest. A warm, rounded character to the wine puts it firmly as an apéritif.
This wine is 100% varietal and given two years in oak. The aromas and prevailing flavors veer into red cherry cobbler, cassis and mint, with a bright core of acidity around medium-level weight and length.
This red offers tightly wound strawberry and cassis around spicy leather and medium-boned weight and length.
This blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 17% Syrah, 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc offers plummy chocolate and leather notes and dense, layered tannins. Toasty oak adds to the concentration and body, before a lift of acidity closes out the finish. This wine is available in three Halloween-themed labels all created for Flora Springs by CD-cover artist Wes Freed.
This dense, round, full-bodied red from a quiet appellation offers smoked plum and dark cherry flavors, with integrated oak and tannin.
Ripe jammy aromas of red currants and berries set up a linear-feeling palate that is ruled by zesty core acidity. This blend of Carignan, Garnacha and Mataro tastes of snappy saucy red-berry fruits, while the finish slings a bit of tomatoey tang. Drink through 2024.
The aromas are wound up at present, with notes of generous barrel spices, dried herb, dark fruit and pencil lead. The dark-cherry flavors are smooth and supple, backed by fine-grained tannins.
Syrah makes up just under two-thirds of this blend. Dark in color, it brings aromas of generous French-oak spices along with mineral, olive and dark fruit followed by a spicy top note. The palate is rich and dense, full of tightly wound cherry flavors that linger on the finish.
The best vintage to date for this wine, delivering sharp well-defined varietal character. It's tight, tart and focused, mixing lemon, orange and cherry fruit with a well-built finish. No new oak, just half neutral and half twice-used barrels, but the highlights of toast and mocha latte add a nice touch to the tannins.
Bright tangerine and wet stone notes kick off the palate in this light-bodied Chardonnay. As it opens, those notes develop into more defined lemon and tart green apple flavors. It's nice, vibrant and ready for salty food.
This is a wine that, unlike many Muscadets, can age well. Although only three years old, it will likely go for several more. That comes from the depth of the fruit, the ripe spice and acidity and the rounded white fruits. So drink now and until 2022.
Most of the fruit for this wine comes from the esteemed Cold Creek Vineyard. It brings an aromatic medley of plum, cocoa, vanilla, milk chocolate and spice. The flavors are plush in feel, barrel heavy, but still bringing plenty of appeal.
The wine has 12 months of aging to give it extra richness and a ripe full texture. It does have firm tannins although these are already embedded in the rich black fruits. The Douro minerality shows through the texture and acidity at the end. This wine deserves some aging: drink from 2019.
Norman Beko saves library wines for his fans to enjoy, and this bottling, which shows its age yet remains interesting, is one great example. Kirsch, leather, charred wood and cola aromas lead to a palate laced with hibiscus, cherry paste, hoisin and earthy spice. It is nearly past its prime, so drink up.
Despite this wine's spice and gravelly mouthfeel of stony texture, it's rich, round and voluptuous, its flavors recalling crème brûlée and caramel.
This 100% varietal wine comes from a vineyard best known for its Syrah. It offers brooding aromas of mortared savory herbs, bittersweet chocolate and spice that lead to tart, well-balanced fruit flavors, backed by lightly dry tannins.
Enticing notes of ripe juicy yellow pear mix with tangy notes of fresh citrus zest on the nose. The fluid palate has the same interplay of ripe generosity—think yellow plum and ripe pear, and fresh lemony zestiness. This is off dry, full flavored and fresh.
This blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon comes from schist soil on the plateau above the Loire river. It benefits from a warm vintage to give a rich character as well as some firm tannins. The balance between fruit and structure is just right. Although the wine is young, it will mature quickly, so drink from 2019.
This had quite an evolved nose, suggesting bitter almond and vanilla, as much as pear and dried orange rind. The palate is dry and expressive, fluid but precisely drawn showing great depth of flavor and concentration. An intriguing nuttiness makes for a long dry finish.
A barrel selection aged in three-quarters new oak, this is nonetheless surprisingly light, as the oak does not intrude. Elements of the entire red-fruit spectrum, from rhubarb to cranberry to raspberry to red plum all come up, though the wine retains a rather delicate aspect that rewards your attention. The tannins are drying and lightly chocolatey.
Bob Lindquist may be the only winemaker in California who knows how to make Marsanne in a compelling way, and his only grow more fascinating with each passing vintage. This shows dried apple, light melon, sweet chamomile and tangy lime juice on the nose. Racy acidity and tactile tension show on the palate, with light stone fruit and citrus flavors that will intensify with time in bottle. Drink 2018–2030.
This wine starts out reduced before opening to reveal aromas of earth, peat, pencil lead and dark fruit. Dark plum and black-olive flavors show concentration and sophistication, with the barrel influence dialed way back. It's an intriguing example of the variety. Give it a short decant.
Cherry spice and earthy compost meet in this well-made, full-bodied wine from a warm vintage. Despite its density and concentration, it's freshened by bright acidity and a streak of cinnamon cola that lasts into the finish.
This wine from the heart of the appellation is woody with cedar and sage notes, its leathery texture defined by firm tannins. Full-bodied, it shows an underlying streak of bright acidity, keeping it balanced and lively in the glass, highlighted with black cherry and currant fruit.
Enveloped in toasted oak aromas, this reserve-tier wine tingles with acidity and refreshing, high-toned fruit. As it opens, it delves into richer baked apple and pear flavors while preserving a lemony citrus undertone. It finishes layered and round, with a lingering nutmeg note.
This is an aromatic wine, with generous notes of potpourri, clove, dried herb and purple fruit. The palate is lush and fruit forward, supported by tart, vibrant acidity. It's lovely on its own but should really sing at the dinner table.
This intensely mineral wine leads with bold strikes of steel, slate and smoke. But the palate opens gradually, exposing brighter yellow peach and lemon. Taut and dry, it finishes on lingering notes of salt and crushed minerals. It's elegant now but should improve through 2025 and hold further.
This is a warm rich enveloping wine that opens with details such as candied orange peel and maraschino cherries. It's smooth and resonant across a palate of plummy purple fruits, and there's just a hint of brown rum in the aftertaste. Drink now through 2024.
Toasty but also pickled, with a lot of wood spice and other oak-based aromas and flavors. At one moment the wine seems to have the right stuff: citrus and some length. But upon further inspection the fruit turns foxy and shows itself to be overripe. Loses steam as it unfolds. Imported by North American Beverage Group.
A simple, plain Jane style, moderately flavorful but quite generic.
A fleshy wine with aromas of wet clay and earth. It seems a little hot and herbal at its foundation, but around the edges there are flavors of cherry and raspberry. The feel is chunky and innocuous, with mild tannins.
Tobacco and spice aromas lead into flavors of jammy fruit and vanilla. A touch smoky on the finish, with pretty aromatics typical of the grape. Pair with lamb or grilled meats.
This is a very light, thin, spicy wine, pleasant but undistinguished.
Mildly roasted berry and asphalt aromas set up clean berry and plum flavors that also feature accents of herbs and olive. Tastes good and clean, with nothing out of the ordinary. A little generic in the end, but fine for everyday drinking.
The nose offers minor essences of apple core and more pronounced notes of wet minerality. On the palate, more refreshingly acidic characteristics shine with flavors of ripe rhubarb and red cherry. A rosé perfectly designed for enjoying with food.
Offers heady aromas of mashed peaches, banana, blueberry and walnut. The palate matches the nose in flavors and intensity, but is lifted by the vibrant acidity and somewhat prickly texture. Finishes clean with moderate length.
An aromatic nose of pepper, violets and a touch of spice leads this likeable Cab from Le Bonheur. On the palate, elegant overall flavors of berry, spice and smoke and balanced tannins give the wine complexity and and a food-friendly character.
Fresh and lively with flavors of strawberry, cherry, raspberry and red plum pulp. The acidity subdues the stronger fruit flavors on the palate, balancing everything out nicely. Moderate weight with a full texture and a zingy, lingering finish.
A crisp, fresh, intensely dry wine that is balanced by some ripe caramel and red currant flavors. This is a rosé in the Provence tradition, dry, designed for food.
Earthy scents of feneel and pepper lead this distinctive Merlot from Thorntree. Young but accessible, the wine offers an appealing blend of berry, spice and dried herbs on the palate. Coluild benefit from some aging, but will pair well with duck and grilled meats.
Cherry, pepper and spice on the nose are followed by similar flavors in this dry red. Balanced and touched with oak, the wine will pair well with grilled meats and spiced dishes. For fans of softer wines, age this for a few years before drinking.
Pierre Léon is a selection of different clones from the winery estate. Maybe it's the vintage, but the wine seems dilute. The flavors of tart wild berry, earth and herb have a thin, edgy character; and the tannins seem greener than what would be optimal.
Green, inky, reduced aromas are less than inviting. A saucy palate with heavy tannins delivers flavors of inky blueberry and green herbs, much like the nose.
A strong caramel aroma and flavor spoils the suggestions of fruit. They give a ripe, almost sweet character that doesn't match with the red-currant fruit flavors.
Drinkable and very generic in taste, this medium bodied wine has little varietal character and a broad, soft texture.
This otherwise fruity wine has a rustic edge. It gives an unattractive herbal character that may come from underripe grapes.
This bland, overoaked Chardonnay is dilute, with aromas of clove but no fruit. A watery palate tastes woody and bitter, with another shot of unwanted clove on the finish.
A very neutral wine, this has some earthy spice on the palate, but is almost bare of fruit. It's clean and neutral but not refreshing.
Flavors of apple are spoiled by notes of mud and pondwater on the nose. The palate is bitter and undefined.
The nose is subdued while the palate shows some apple and yellow-plum fruit. This is simple and fresh but shows a bitter edge and some dilution.
Wow. Juicy, expansive and effusive, this wine is made from 100% estate-grown dry-farmed, relatively old vines of the variety, and introduces itself as a Cab-lover's version, with explosions of black pepper and plum that soften to a polished point on the finish. Mouth-filling, it wraps in complex notions of cedar, cigar and dark chocolate. Drink some now and some later; cellar through 2023.
Finesse abounds on this radiant wine, starting with alluring scents of Spanish broom, aromatic herb, citrus and a delicate whiff of beeswax. On the elegantly structured palate, a mineral vein underscores crisp apple, pear, lemon zest and white almond. Vibrant acidity provides the backbone. It's still young so give it time to develop to its full potential. Drink 2018 through 2028.
From a prime site planted in 1910 and brought back to life in recent years, this is a juicy, rustic wine that's lengthy and boldly crafted—a hint of mushroomy earthiness providing an intriguing additional layer of flavor to the fruity raspberry and strawberry. There's black pepper and cinnamon spice lurking in the background, waiting to exhale. Drink now through 2023.
Wow. This is an incredible wine, as always, but particularly soft and structured in this fine vintage, which deftly marries pretty aromatics and zippy acidity with darker, stormier elements of ripe fig and wood smoke. There's so much complexity and life going on, it'll be hard to wait on this one, though more time in the bottle should make everything that much more settled and complete. Drink now through 2023.
Deep, lavish and creamy aromas of fudge, espresso, cola, vanilla and perfectly ripe black currants and berrries greet the nose with measured force. The wine lands on the palate with aplomb, framed by silky yet grippy tannins and boasting flavors of espresso, dense blueberry, black peppercorn, bay leaf and pencil shavings. The woody angles will intensify with age; drink 2018–2032.
Not only is this appellation blend the cheaper Nebbiolo offered by Steve Clifton's Italian varietal-focused winery, it's the best right out of the bottle. Bright strawberry, sweet rose, leather, star anise, cardamom, black-cherry-laced gingerbread and vanilla show on the rich and full nose. The tannins part to open dried strawberry, plum, rose hip and earthy flavors, proving both manly in presence but feminine in delicacy.
This vintage is even better than the prior version, which is almost unimaginable, but there it is. Floral and as tempting as blueberry pie, this concoction from Jesse Katz is velvety smooth and silky on the palate. White chocolate dances around its edges, along with a strong suggestion of cigar, which may perhaps come from the fine lady on the label.
A tremendously well-made and intriguing 100% varietal wine, this opens in seasonings of black pepper over popcorn, before red currant, herb, cedar and pencil lead provide the stuffing for an old-world nose. On the palate, it's all about the New World, a hit of power and concentration that takes on weight and length without ever becoming heavy, the acidity firmly in sync with the fruit.
Magnetic aromas of woodsy spice, fine cedar and pure berry fruits are singing a pretty song. This is fresh, ripped and juicy on the palate, with zero excess weight. Rooty, earthy, woodsy blackberry and cassis flavors finish long and with fig, chocolate and toast notes. Hold this world-class red for a few more years, if possible. Drink through 2025.
From the producer's own dry-farmed estate, this is a concentrated, full-bodied expression of the grape at its best, dense in chocolate and blackberry, almost syrup-like in its heady, brambly style. Burly integrated tannin create a significant foundation of weight and length, that's completely ready to be enjoyed now, yet may take on further nuance through 2023.
This full-bodied, richly tannic wine delivers. It starts off with savory notes of cracked pepper, black olives, violets and cedar, then eases into concentrated flavors of blueberries and roasted meat before ending with a flourish of firm, dusty tannins. Give it a few years to soften. Drink 2020–2030.
Edwards has worked with this Laguna Ridge site for decades and her intimate understanding of it shows. Rose petals ride a voluptuous texture and concentrated notes of chocolate, caramel and black cherry; it's as savory as it is buoyant and floral. Still holding on to a wealth of tannin and body, it will cellar well despite being delicious and enjoyable today.
Made from 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache, this deceptively restrained wine shows a silkiness of texture wrapped around a brightness of soft, red berry and earth, managing to stay juicy and refreshing in the glass. Leather and black pepper play on the palate as it winds down.
Made by the Tari family who used to own Château Giscours in Margaux, Bordeaux, this wine with its 18 months wood aging shows a great understanding of red-wine making. Firm and tannic, almost totally from Mourvèdre, this dark and brooding wine is nowhere near ready to drink. The organically grown grapes give a purity of fruit that cuts through the tannins. Don't drink before 2018.
This wine is made from two sites, English Hill and Que Syrah, both estate and within 10 miles of the Pacific Ocean. Made in a low-heat style, it retains plenty of complex notions of meat, blood, white pepper and citrus, with a subtle bit of dark plum. Concentrated in richness, it maintains a persistence of bright acidity on the palate that keeps it fresh and rewarding in the glass.
From four acres at the crest of a knoll onsite, this wine is indelibly crisp in cranberry and orange. It's structured and classy, with a zesty acidity that belies the darker, deeper elements of toasted oak and Asian spice. The tannins are there, but subtle and supportive, resulting in a pretty yet substantive selection.
Winemaker Norm Yost's decision to release later than most of his neighbors pays off tremendously every vintage. The nose on this bottling is delicate but with tons of sexy, supple depth, mixing red cherry, hibiscus and pomegranate with iron and sweet bay leaf. Perfect red fruits decorate the lavish palate: the tartness of cranberry, the lushness of red cherry, the brightness of pomegranate, all cut by eucalyptus and expert acidity.
Rich with iron and carpaccio notes on the nose, this single vineyard expression also shows dried rose petals, leather, red cherry, turned loam, dense black sand and exotic red spice. Sour cherry and cranberry stewed in spice mixes with tangy-yet-savory li hing mui spice on the palate, which offers meaty notes as well. The flavors grow stronger and richer the longer the wine is open.
There's an abundance of length and grace at the heart of this otherwise powerfully rich and rewarding wine, 100% varietal and aged in 75% new French oak. Classic notes of red currant and burly, polished tannin find balance in soft acidity and a silkiness on the palate. Drink now through 2023.
From the producer's Sebastopol Hills hillside vineyard, this is a perfumy, elegant wine, a combination of lavender and roses with sizable tannins and a backbone of acidity. Dark black fruit and game swirl together with a complex addition of dried herb and violet. This is a lovely wine now, but will benefit from further cellaring through 2023.
A warmth of baking spices like cardamom and nutmeg charge an otherwise earthy, herbal wine. It's light bodied yet complex, crisp in strawberry and black cherry flavors. Only the third vintage produced from this particular site, it's subtly ripe and lengthy in texture.
Subtle scents of white spring blossom, white stone fruit, aromatic herb and a whiff of beeswax float out of the glass. The round, concentrated palate offers a wonderful depth of flavors that include juicy Anjou pear, lemon pastry, anise, honey and a hint of marzipan. Fresh acidity brightens the creamy flavors. Hold for more complexity.
This Pinot Grigio has an intriguing copper color thanks to prolonged skin contact. It's dominated by assertive oak notes, with light fruit flavors that take second stage to the astringent wood sensations.
A forward, fruity wine, full of apple and creamed pear flavors. The acidity is light, bright and attractive giving a wine that is fresh and ready to drink.
Whole berry pressed with 11% saignee from Syrah and Primitivo rounding out the blend, it's a very pretty, pale salmon color with notes of strawberry, watermelon and mineral. It drinks medium sweet with abundant cherry flavors.
Big, bold and fruity wine, boasting deliciously ripe black fruits and a smooth, just tannic texture. All fruit, this is the perfect barbecue wine: rich, open and generous. Drink now and until 2016.
A Zin of high-toned red raspberry and blackberry fruit and dark plum that segues quickly into oaky toast tastes.
Rounded wine, softly fruity. Its attractiveness comes from ripe white fruits, soft structure and a generous feel. It's not for aging and can be drunk now.
This blend of 30% Carignan, 40% Grenache and 30% Syrah is easygoing and approachable, with medium-intense aromas and flavors of wild strawberry, black cherry, raspberry and fresh herbs. The palate is ripe and fruity, with dusty tannins and a clean, bright finish.
A full and rounded wine, touched by caramel as well as red plum and ripe strawberries. It is generous, with a soft, open aftertaste. There is a light texture from the acidity that creeps in at the end.
A fruity wine, just touched by some wood aging with attractive strawberry fruit flavors and acidity. It's not a wine for aging, its light minerality enhancing the fruitiness.
This is 100% varietal from an excellent vineyard. For those who love PV for its earthy, tannic, somewhat rustic flavors, this wine will be spot on. It's hard and dark, with char and smoke around light red fruits.
Small amounts of Riesling, Viognier, and Gewürztraminer (3% each) considerably boost the aromas giving notes of peach, dried pineapple and flowers. Coming from the cool 2011 vintage, the flavors are light in style with a lemony lick on the finish.
Waxy aromas suggest haystack and dusty apple. This is on the borderline of heavy and cloying in the mouth, while oak is the main driver of the flavor profile. On the finish, notes of melon and banana are covered by a resiny oak flavor.
With 7% Muscat Canelli boosting the aromas, it has notes of flowers and apple skins. It drinks dry with an oily, rich feel and a bitter note that distracts on the finish.
A rare Pinot Noir rosé from Washington state, this is unabashedly ripe and pink, but not at all sugary. It offers a burst of strawberry and watermelon candy flavors, like a good, long lasting taste of saltwater taffy.
The notes of herbs and citrus are quite light. It's medium bodied and drinks just a hair off dry, thinning out toward the finish.
This Amarone has an overripe black fruit aromas, with a hint of nail varnish. The palate shows raisin and spice flavors, but is dominated by oak and evident alcohol.
Sourced principally from the excellent Artz vineyard on Red Mountain, this blend of 78% Sauvignon Blanc and 22% Sémillon is ripe and lush, almost to the point of tasting sweet. No residual sugar was listed, but in terms of flavor, it's hard to ignore. If you like that richness, there is a creamy, milk-and-honey flavor, along with toasty notes.
Soft, fresh, just off dry, a fruity wine that is light and fragrant. Crisp acidity cuts through the wine, giving a tight, nervy edge along with bright fruitiness.
Muted aromas of red currant, raspberry and baking spice comes forth more on the structured palate. Flavors also evoke something woody and tobacco like, with hints of cinnamon.
A deeply tawny gold color, this offers slightly oxidized, dusty peach and pear fruit, with a bit of residual sugar (20g/L) to round off the rough edges. Drink now through the end of 2017.
Closed and muted on the nose at first, this wine shows varietal scents that include blue and red berry fruit and dried sage. Softly textured, it's an approachable middle-of-the-road Syrah.
This blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo opens with aromas of bath soap and apple juice. Plump and standard in feel, this tastes of stone fruits and salt. On the finish, which is steady but basic, this tastes bready and leesy.
Deep gold in color, this vineyard designate is oaky, with gingerbread, caramel and canned pineapple flavors. It's full, unctuous and creamy on the palate.
Briny aromas are less than fruity. This feels oily and round, with flavors of tropical fruits such as pineapple and mango set against nectarine and stone-fruit notes. Plump on the finish, with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Baked black-fruit aromas feature a ton of oak and related char and spice. In the mouth, this is pulling, blocky, tannic and wiry. A mixed bag of oak, spice, clove and blackberry flavors finishes like a campfire, with choppy, hard tannins that make for a rock-hard closing mouthfeel.
Forced oak and modest red-fruit aromas are good enough to draw you in. This feels snappy, with cheek-puckering acidity. Tart red-fruit flavors of plum and currant are woody but honest, while the wine's initial forced oak character settles down on the finish.
This has toasted oak, espresso and mature dark-skinned berry aromas. The palate dense and packed with prune, blackberry extract and roasted coffee flavors. Raspy tannins leave an abrupt, astringent finish.
Fresh, crisp and more neutral and competent than exciting is how to best describe this racy but lightweight Viura. A citric palate issues short, tangy lime flavors, while the finish is juicy, lean and tight.
Made of 70% Sangiovese, 20% Ciliegiolo and 10% Canaiolo, this has delicate black-skinned fruit and rose petal aromas. The simple palate offers easygoing tannins, plum fruit and a hint of baking spice. Enjoy soon.
Made of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo, this has delicate black-skinned fruit and violet aromas. The simple palate offers black cherry and underbrush notes as well as smooth tannins. Enjoy soon.
This is firm with dry tannins and a concentrated dense texture. It is more about structure than fruit and it is likely to remain dry. The acidity at the end does give a final lift.
A blend with 67% Cabernet Sauvignon produces this black currant and crisply fruity wine. The wood aging and the fruit tannins are integrating well, giving a wine that is bright, packed with fruit and likely to age well over the medium term. Drink from 2020.
This is tight, juicy wine produced by the local cooperative. It has intense black-currant acidity and spice and toast from the wood aging. With its tannins it will age. Drink from 2019.
This is a light wine with bright acidity and red fruit flavors. It has a mere touch of tannin to give structure to the crisp aftertaste. Drink now.
Earthy compost and forest vie for attention in this full-bodied, lush wine that's lightly spiced with clove. Cranberry, strawberry and a hint of leather round out the experience.
Red cherry, clove, cola and a touch of pepper make for an intriguing nose on this rosé. The palate is a touch viscous, lacking the expected brisk acidity, but it's quite flavorful—more cherry and spice flavors with a hint of wild game.
The nose is subdued and gives little away. The palate seems slightly dilute and neutral, showing very little of Sylvaner's subtly perfumed quality. It's a very light bodied, clean but almost neutral white.
Made entirely from organic Sangiovese grapes, this opens with delicate red cherry and underbrush aromas. Ripe strawberry and raspberry lead the palate, revealing easygoing tannins. Enjoy soon.
Made predominantly from Sangiovese, this has delicate black-skinned fruit and brown spice aromas. The palate is simple, with vanilla-laced black plum fruit and laid-back tannins. Drink soon.
The nose seems to be dampened by notes of earth. The palate, however, is fresh and sprightly with friendly pear notes but with slightly bitter edges. Drink soon.
Very easy, slightly confected cherry fruit comes immediately to the fore. The palate has the same candy-ish notion countered with lots of freshness. The body is light, translucent and off dry. Drink soon while berryish aromas are at their peak.
Light and fresh on the nose, this bottling offers pleasant key lime pie aromas. The palate is more standard than flashy, with sliced pear and grapefruit pith flavors.
French oak, coconut and spice aromas follow through to the lean palate, where they're joined by sour cherry and vanilla flavors. Grainy, fleeting tannins give it an abrupt finish.
From a small estate of only 10 acres, this wine with its 60% Merlot is fruity with just the right amount of tannins. It has red fruit and crisp acidity along with a dry edge. The wine is likely to age quickly, so drink from 2019.
Situated to the north of the village of Listrac, this estate is one of several that carries the name Dupré. The wine is dominated by Merlot (60%). That explains the wine's high alcohol and lush character. It also shows signs of firm extraction that has left a tough dry core. It will soften, but it will not lose its overwhelming richness.
The wine is smooth and ripe. Generous and already balanced between tannins and black fruits, it is a rich wine that will develop quickly. Drink from 2019.
Apparently this is the current release. The winery aims at a Right Bank, Bordeaux-style profile. At this advanced age the wine is showing some bricking at the edges, with mature drying fruit and a big dose of barrel. Smoky, oaky and toasty, it's a wine to drink up, perhaps with a big steak dinner.
The nose is rather closed and just hints at crunchy cherries. The palate has ample red-cherry fruit but lacks a little definition and sports a slightly bitter edge. The body is dry and juicy. Drink soon.
This Petit Verdot from southern Tuscany offers aromas of mature black fruit, oak and spice. The palate shows plum, fig, vanilla, nutmeg and oak layered with bitter chocolate. Give this a few more years to soften aggressive tannins.
Almost all syrah with just a smidgeon of viognier (0.4%) added, it has notes of cherry, mint, and blackberry. Buttery oak spices (22% new French) accent sweet fruit flavors though a long, expressive finish.
Dark and fragrant, this interesting Syrah opens quickly with blue and black berries, a streak of balsamic, and suggestions of bloody meat. Off to a great start, it thins out through the finish, while remaining interesting with surprising complexity.
Elizabeth's Reserve is comprised of Adelsheim's “best barrels from our best lots.” In this light vintage it brings scents and flavors of pretty cherry and apple fruit, along with a hint of milk chocolate. The tannins are moderate, and there's a streak of root beer and a little stemmy bitterness carrying through the finish.
Borra's blend of 80% Petite Sirah, 10% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre has three strong personalities vying for attention with Petite Sirah definitely dominant in juicy, blueberry fruit and a core of dusty tannins, with just a suggestion of meaty game. Structured this is a nice wine to pair with a rich risotto or leg of lamb.
Beautifully aromatic, this kabinett abounds with luscious peach and honeysuckle perfumes. On the palate, the flavors veer toward peach marmalade. It packs a punch, but stays brisk and delicate in texture, making it refreshingly easy to savor.
Ripe plum and berry aromas come with floral accents as well as touches of horse hide and leather. The palate is firm and direct, with balanced tannins and acidity working with flavors of dark berry fruits, chocolate, pepper and spice. The finish is chocolaty, with hints of vanilla, herbs and heat.
A solid and textured wine, Catapereiro Reserva is full-bodied and rich. With dark berry and ripe plum fruit characteristics, as well as firm tannins, it is a serious and complex wine that deserves aging. Drink from 2015.
While certainly ripe and fruity, this wine is also structured—its generosity tempered by intense acidity, crisp apple-skin notes and a mineral texture. The result is a full wine that needs a little time to soften. Drink from 2014.
Rhubarb, pie cherry and tart strawberries comprise the fruit component of this young, tangy Pinot Noir. The acidity is still pronounced, and suggests that further aging is a good idea. A nice dusting of cinnamon adds interest to the finish.
Castelgreve is a refreshingly straightforward Chianti Classico made for sheer drinking pleasure. It has a lovely fragrance of violets and berry with a hint of pressed powder. The vibrant palate offers up bright red cherry, white pepper, clove and thyme along with silky tannins and freshness.
This wine has weight and concentration, heavy on the tannins at this stage. Wild strawberry and dark plum fruits are taking their time to show through the structure. Dark tannins from firm wood aging and extracted fruit can also be found here. Drink from 2015.
This hugely ripe Merlot has created a monster of a wine, heavily laden with bitter coffee extraction as well as very ripe black plum fruits. Big and concentrated, this is a wine to be enjoyed for its profusion and excess.
The high altitude Cardo vineyard always produces finely structured wines that need aging. This firm, initially austere wine shows good potential as its bright red fruits develop and the firmer tannins come into balance. The acidity gives a fine freshness to the aftertaste. Drink from 2015.
Poggio Valente opens with a fragrance of ripe black cherry, oak and vanilla. The palate delivers cherry and plum layered with mint, toasted oak, chocolate and coffee notes. It has soft tannins and is already at its ideal drinking window so enjoy soon.
Dusty minerals and dried herbs accent bright lemon-lime aromas on the nose of this delicately framed kabinett. A tickle of spritz on the palate adds to the wine's wispy, subtly sweet and fruity character. Finishes long and fresh, with intense citrus acidity.
Aromas of dried strawberry and cherry preserves brighten notes of toasted oak and dried herbs in this wine. The palate is crisp and youthful, with red cherry flavor, and a slightly bitter edge that adds depth and dimension. Soft, chalky tannins linger on the warming finish.
A very pretty, very varietal wine with notes of strawberry, cherry and jalapeno pepper. The palate is full of luscious, candied red fruit flavors that lead to a spice-filled finish.
If your impression of South America Malbec has been shaped by Argentina, then this Chilean example will be appealing. It's ripe and dense, with blackberry and animal hide aromas. The palate is rock solid in feel, with concentrated flavors of blackberry, cassis, cumin, pepper and chocolate. This gets oakier, darker and more compact on the finish.
For a Vinho Verde, this is rich and full-bodied, showing delicious acidity, crisp apples and a touch of tropical fruit. There's the typical prickle on the tongue that brings out freshness, but in fact this wine could age for a year.
Broad, sturdy and herbal, this everyday Merlot is a fine choice for simple grilled fare. It's actually a rather interesting blend, with a mix of Cabernet Franc, Lemberger, Syrah and Sangiovese adding to the Merlot base.
Monteviejo, one of the Clos de los Siete wineries, has entered the unofficial “fun Malbec” category with Festivo, which has a stemmy, slightly burnt character that is present from start to finish. Along the way there are leathery black fruit flavors, herbal qualities and a good mouthfeel. Decent wine but decidedly herbal and stemmy.
A touch green smelling, with aromas of coffee grinds and earth. Tannic in the mouth, and then hollow in the middle, with green-leaning, leafy flavors of blackberry and cola. Roasted on the finish, with burnt coffee and chewy, bitter tannins.
Piercing leather, berry and foresty aromas lead to a zesty palate of medicinal cherry and raspberry flavors. The acidity here is high, and so there's some tartness and scour to the palate and finish. Tastes pretty good but rides rough and bumpy.
Rather barnyardy and gaseous at first, but air breathes more clarity into the nose. The palate is chunky, grabby and a little awkward, with herbal, medicinal black fruit and buttery flavors. Slight heat and burn hamper the finish.
Bright, crisp raspberry flavors on a bone-dry wine. It is fresh and vibrant, a light touch of caramel and powerful acidity.
Sometimes price is not indicative of a wine's overall quality, and this appears to be a case in point. The nose is dry, cheesy and overly oaked, and the palate is downright screeching with acidity, so much so that there's a sour flavor and scour to both the palate and finish. Too much tartaric acid? You bet!
Fairly brambly and a little sour on the bouquet, with prickly fruit aromas. The palate is just as sharp and angular, without much cushion to fall back on. Flavors of cherry and raspberry are slightly herbal and tart, while the finish is more of the same. Not as round and ripe as you'd expect for an $18 Malbec.
A somewhat austere, lean wine, with dry tannins and tobacco aromas. The berry fruits are full of spice and fresh currants, giving a wine that is stalky, firm and finishes dry.
This wine will benefit from aging, as it's quite tannic and dry right now but has substantive flavors packed in tightly. It has smoky, meaty aromas, rich blackberry and tart cherry flavors, a very firm texture and gripping mouthfeel. Best after 2017.
Peardrops on the nose currently hide the more peppery, savory side of this slender Grüner, which nonetheless convinces with its light but spicy and fresh body.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Petit Verdot, this wine suggests smoke, cocoa, dry chocolate, dark fruit and barrel spices. The flavors are chocolaty and candy-bar sweet backed by a firm grip of tannins.
Firm and savory, this opens with aromas of ripe berry, clove and graphite. On the palate, notes of clove and black pepper add depth to ripe Morello cherry and crushed raspberry flavors.  Supple tannins offer support.
“Open and drink” the instructions should read, as this smooth and luscious wine is best enjoyed young. Half was barrel-fermented, yielding flavors of caramel, almond paste and buttered nuts. Pair with leek, bacon and potato soup, says the winery, which sounds just about perfect.
Violet, scorched soil, spice and mature berry aromas lead the nose. The medium-bodied, elegant palate delivers mature black cherry, crushed raspberry, freshly ground clove and black pepper. Firm but fine-grained tannins provide support.
This Cab follows a similar protocol to previous vintages, with 22 months in French oak. It comes from a single vineyard planted entirely to Clone 7 and is dry and generous in tannin, though nicely juicy in currant and pomegranate.
Yeasty pepperiness and savory spice pervade the lemony core of this zippy Grüner. The body is light but offers interest and refreshment. A very moreish, spicy little number.
Ripe apple flavors are pervaded by yeasty richness. The palate is more slender than the nose at first suggests and is made more lively by tight, spritzy acidity. Yeasty notes give an added earthiness and beautifully long finish.
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Malbec and 10% Petit Verdot, this reflects a pleasing mixture of each, with notes of blackberry, raspberry, plum and fresh herbs. Fruit flavors are plush and up front backed by chewy tannins.
This is a rare, single-vineyard, 100% varietal wine from Red Mountain where Bordeaux varieties reign. It brings appealing accents of tart cherries and assorted barrel spices, including clove and vanilla. Flavors are medium bodied with a pleasing blast of tart acidity. Vanilla flavors speckle the finish.
This opens with tropical fruit aromas of pineapple, mango and melon that are framed by hints of honeysuckle and sweet spice. The medium-weight palate boasts similar tropical fruit tones, but with an assertive mineral and lime-zest lift on the close, ending fresh and lively. Drink up.
Bright and fragrant, this opens with aromas of violet, strawberry and raspberry that carry over to the palate. Silky tannins provide elegant support. It's a lovely wine to enjoy soon.
With half of the fruit coming from Kelly Vineyard in The Rocks region of the Walla Walla Valley, this leafy offering of the variety has notes of green herbs, cherry and vanilla. It's dazzling in feel, coating the palate from end to end with velvety soft cherry flavors that linger on the finish. Some may find the aromas too green on this cool-vintage wine but the flavors and feel will make others swoon.
Focused and sprightly flavors of savory leaves are shot through with lemony freshness and zing, but the freshness is beautifully cushioned by a yeasty midpalate spice. Concentrated yet light.
Tobacco, mature plum, espresso and toast aromas lead the nose. The round, full-bodied palate offers dried black cherry, mature blackberry, licorice, black pepper and toasted oak alongside velvety tannins.
This is a dry, richly flavored and well-structured wine. A complex, spicy, earthy, cherrylike bouquet accompanies saturated flavors of currant, black cherry and pomegranate spiced with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. It's not too full bodied and has good balance that comes from firm acidity and tannins.
This vibrant, delicious rosato delivers fruity aromas of woodland berry and cooking spice. On the spicy palate, notes of white pepper and clove accent a juicy core of crushed raspberry. Crisp acidity gives it a clean, lingering finish.
Firm and juicy, this opens with intense aromas of violet, ripe berry and baking spice. The vibrant, delicious palate doles out crushed black cherry, succulent raspberry and black pepper alongside bright acidity and smooth tannins. Enjoy it soon with everyday fare or for informal occasions.
Sharp upon entry, this has a concentration of citrus rind amid penetrating flavors of grapefruit, pineapple, orange and nectarine. The buoyant acidity keeps everything in proportion, with just a hint of bitterness at the edge of the finish.
The nose is still rather closed but eventually reveals leather and balsamic notes. The subdued palate offers mature black cherry, spicy plum, grilled herb and a whiff of black pepper alongside bracing tannins. Drink 2016–2021.
A very light, almost rustic red that calls for hearty meals. A sonorous note of vanilla-oak amid the cherryish red fruit accompanies the streamlined acidity from start to finish.
A cool-vintage red that clocks in at a low (for Washington) alcohol, this wine is aromatically reticent with notes of green herbs, cherry, tomato paste and barrel spices. It's tart with puckering acid and firm tannins, but good fruit intensity throughout. Drinking quite young now, it will be best after 2017 and should have a long life ahead of it.
A spicy, herbal nose and flavors of cherry and balsam recommend this softer red from Nemea. Balanced and elegant, the wine has heft but a delicate touch. Good overall flavors and acidity—pair with lighter meat fare.
The fruit is light and almost delicate, suggesting mountain strawberries and sour plums. The one-year-old French oak still imparts a significant burst of bourbon barrel flavor, especially in the finish, which resonates like a bourbon and chocolate bon-bon.
This new release from Waterbrook is a slimmed down version of previous efforts, with rather plain fruit flavors and no discernible new oak influence. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing, but when Chardonnay is built upon little but simple green apple fruit flavors the grape's lack of character sometimes makes you wish for the return of the good old oaky days.
A bone-dry, refreshing rosé, with tight acidity and crisp red berry and apple flavors. Classic summertime wine. Screwcap.
A potentially polarizing wine, the 2005 Idyll Vineyard Shiraz boasts a complex bouquet that ranges from meaty and gamy to stewed fruit and coffee and green olive. It's likeable in a stinky-cheese way. In the mouth, the tannins are soft and Pinot-like, but the wine does show a trace of heat, adding a chocolaty note on the finish.
Despite a slightly bitter edge to its raspberry and charred-oak flavors, this medium-bodied Pinot Noir delivers plenty of pleasure. It's a soft, medium-bodied Pinot with nuances of brown sugar and coffee and a persistent finish. Ready to drink now.
Sassy pepper and light rhubarb aromas give this medium-weight crianza a spicy, lean outlook. The palate has tang, vibrant red fruit and mildly grating acidity, while the finish runs zesty and rings about your mouth as it does a spicy fade. A wine for current consumption.
From the Bowral region, one hour south of Sydney, this is a slightly herbal and green-tinged Pinot Noir, but one with considerable cherry intensity and a woody overlay. It's a good, medium-bodied effort, but could use a touch more richness and complexity overall.
Soft, ripe and chocolaty, with a raisiny quality on the bouquet. There's fading black plum and wild berry flavors; the mouthfeel is big but short on structure. Finishes with medium length and mild bitterness.
Very aromatic, to the point of being flowery. The palate is sweet and dense, with a heavy, round mouthfeel and candied mango, melon and applesauce flavors. Finishes just pure enough, with weight and pith entering the fray. Don't wait long to drink.