BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast

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als are pitted against the intense mulled-raspberry and black-fruit core. Drinkable now, with approachable tannins and a dusty, cocoa-sprinkled finish, but could age until 2014. Terlato Wines International. —L.B. abv: 14.5% Price: $20 88 Releaf 2010 Made With Organically Grown Grapes Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Shiraz (Western Cape). For full review see page 11. Best Buy. abv: 14% Price: $12 88 Tormentoso 2009 Syrah-Mourvèdre (Paarl). For full review see page 11. Best Buy. abv: 14.5% Price: $13 87 Ken Forrester 2010 Petit Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot (Western Cape). It takes some time for this wine to open up in the glass, but when it does you’re greeted with black cherry and cassis aromas laced with hints of cigar box. Structured with mouthcoating tannins and medium acidity, a leathery texture carries through the close. Cape Classics. Best Buy. —L.B. abv: 14% Price: $12 86 Boekenhoutskloof 2010 The Wolftrap Syrah-Mourvèdre-Viognier (Western Cape). Bright red mixed berries are infused with a mocha streak, filling the medium weight, but juicy palate. Straightforward and enjoyable with clean fruit flavors and a short but softly spiced finish. Vineyard Brands. Best Buy. —L.B. abv: 14.5% Price: $11 86 Guardian Peak 2010 Frontier Red (Western Cape). Mocha notes are upfront on the nose, with supporting fruit elements of raspberry and cherry flesh. Medium weight with a touch of bitter fruitskin flavors in the mouth, and a short but clean finish. Easy and straightforward; drink now. Terlato Wines International. —L.B. abv: 14.5% Price: $15 86 Leopard’s Leap 2009 Pinotage-Shiraz (Western Cape). A funky edge frames this wine, both on the nose and in the mouth, and adds character to the otherwise straightforward blackberry, boysenberry and fig-preserve core. Cured meat and sweet spice grace the palate and persist through the mediumlength close. The blend is 52% Pinotage and 48% Shiraz. Kysela Père et Fils. —L.B. abv: 13.5% Price: $14 85 Goats do Roam Wine Co. 2010 Red (Western Cape). Suggestions of soft spice and bark jazz-up the dark fruit center of this blend, made with 75% Syrah, 13% Cinsault, 7% Mourvèdre, 4% Carignan and 3% Grenache. Mouthwatering black cherry and raspberry sauce flavors flood the mouth and stay through the solid finish. Drink now. Vineyard Brands. Best Buy. —L.B. abv: 14% Price: $10 85 Robertson Winery 2010 Shiraz-Mourvèdre-Viognier (Robertson). Skin-driven red fruit characteristics abound on the nose, alongside soft vanilla and purple floral accents. Cherry and mulberry 38 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | MONTH 2012 flavors dominate in the lightly-structured mouth, and the wine closes with a mouthwatering freshness. Indigo Wine Group. Best Buy. —L.B. abv: 14% Price: $10 85 Rooiberg 2010 Roodewyn Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot (Robertson). With 12 months spent in French oak, this wine offers rounded notes of boysenberry and cassis framed by hints of purple florals and sweet spice. There’s a lively lift to the fruit in the mouth, driving the palate to a clean and juicy finish. Drink now. Worthwhile Wine Company. Best Buy. —L.B. abv: 13% Price: $10 85 Two Oceans 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon- Merlot (Western Cape). Soft sweet spice and black tea characters mingle with black cherry and plum flesh aromas and flavors. Medium weight and approachable, with dusty tannins and a clean, licorice-kissed finish. Drink now. Aveniù Brands, Inc. Best Buy. —L.B. abv: 13.5% Price: $10 AUSTRALIA MOSCATO 88 Innocent Bystander 2011 Moscato (Victoria). Innocent Bystander has been ahead of the Moscato curve, making this wine for a number of years, and it has always been among the best from Australia. The 2011 is perfumed and spicy, with ample strawberry and cherry fruit and a soft, frothy feel in the mouth. Drink it over the next six months or so. Old Bridge Cellars. Editors’ Choice. —J.C. abv: 5.5% Price: $14 86 Two Hands 2011 Brilliant Disguise Moscato (Barossa Valley). A bit weightier than many Australian versions, this is a pale straw Moscato with a soft, frothy mouthfeel. It’s floral on the nose, but mainly citrusy in the mouth, finishing on lime and grapefruit notes. Drink now. Terlato Wines International. —J.C. abv: 8% Price: $22/500 ml 85 Jacob’s Creek NV Sparkling Moscato (South Eastern Australia). This pale strawcolored Moscato comes across as very citrusy and clean—lemon more than Muscat’s typical orange. It’s light, frothy and sweet, with a mouthwatering finish. Pernod Ricard. —J.C. abv: 9% Price: $13 85 Lindemans 2010 Bin 90 Moscato (South Eastern Australia). This is a frankly sweet, dessert style of still Moscato. It’s modest in alcohol, offering up notes of oranges, melons and honey that are reasonably balanced on the finish. The price makes it a bargain. Treasury Wine Estates. Best Buy. —J.C. abv: 9% Price: $7 84 Zed NV Rosé Moscato (Australia). Zed is a pale flamingo in color, with plenty of hallmark Muscat aromas and flavors of orange and just a hint of berries. It is a bit heavy and rich compared to some of its competitors; try it with dessert rather than as an apéritif. Pernod Ricard. —J.C. abv: 8.5% Price: $13 PINOT GRIS/GRIGIO 90 Zonte’s Footstep 2010 Doctoressa di Lago Single Site Pinot Grigio (Fleurieu Peninsula). Nicely rounded in texture without being flabby, this is a lively, crisp white wine, well endowed with flavors reminiscent of melon, pear and lime. Perfect to drink now with most seafood dishes, or as an apéritif. Old Bridge Cellars. Best Buy. —J.C. abv: 12.5% Price: $15 89 Hazyblur 2010 Pinot Gris (Kangaroo Island). This wine almost quivers with freshness when first sniffed, it’s so vibrant and citrusy. Then it broadens out nicely on the palate, delivering ripe melon and apple flavors and ample weight. Drink it now and over the next few months. Baum Wine Imports Inc. —J.C. abv: 14% Price: $23 88 Sidewood 2010 Pinot Gris (Adelaide Hills). This medium-bodied dry white is notable for its balance and harmony. Citrus, wet stone and green apple aromas and flavors all come into play, none of them dominant, then end on a bright, grapefruity note. Drink now. USA Wine West. —J.C. abv: 12.5% Price: $18 87 Robert Oatley 2010 Pinot Grigio (Adelaide Hills). This Pinot Grigio is faintly coppery in color (trendy in some circles), with slightly floral and citrus overtones. It’s modest in alcohol, but reasonably plump on the midpalate, delivering melon and apple-skin flavors before finishing crisp and refreshing. Drink now. Robert Oatley Vineyards Inc. —J.C. abv: 12.2% Price: $17 85 James Oatley 2010 Tic Tok Pinot Grigio (Adelaide Hills). Another faintly copper-hued Pinot Grigio from the Oatley family, this one offers modest apple, melon and citrus notes, medium body and a slightly tannic edge to the tart, lemony finish. Drink now. Robert Oatley Vineyards Inc. —J.C. abv: 12.8% Price: $14 SAUVIGNON BLANC 90 Plantagenet 2010 Omrah Sauvignon Blanc (Great Southern). An intense, flavorful rendition of Sauvignon Blanc, this is grapefruity from start to finish, balanced by slightly riper notes of pineapple and a custardy richness to the wine’s texture. Pair it with bold fish dishes over the next 6–9 months. Old Bridge Cellars. Best Buy. —J.C. abv: 13% Price: $15 88 Katnook Estate 2009 Sauvignon Blanc (Coonawarra). Coonawarra’s not known for Sauvignon Blanc, but this is a very good example. It’s medium in weight and dominated by citrus, but it also sneaks in some slightly tropical nuances before ending
in a zesty, mouthwatering finish. Drink now. Victoire Imports. —J.C. abv: 13.5% Price: $22 88 Taltarni 2009 Three Monks Fumé Blanc Sauvignon Blanc (South Eastern Australia). This takes a page from California in its naming convention and style, which includes a good proportion of barrel-fermentation and oak maturation. Toast and vanilla frame melon and fig notes, and the midpalate is slightly creamy in texture before the wine turns crisp and lemony on the finish. Drink now. Clos Du Val Wine/ Goelet Wine Estates. —J.C. abv: 12.5% Price: $20 87 Sidewood 2010 Sauvignon Blanc (Adelaide Hills). This could be straight out of New Zealand given its styling, which features pungent notes of crushed tomato leaf and gooseberries. It’s light and refreshing, with a clean, crisp finish. USA Wine West. —J.C. abv: 12.5% Price: $18 86 D’Arenberg 2010 The Broken Fishplate Sauvignon Blanc (Adelaide Hills). The relatively cool Adelaide Hills are making a name for their Sauvignon Blanc, and this example shows a restrained, grassy bouquet and flavors of grapefruit and tangerine. It’s plump on the midpalate, then almost razor-sharp on the finish. Drink now. Old Bridge Cellars. —J.C. abv: 13% Price: $17 86 James Oatley 2010 Tic Tok Sauvignon Blanc (Western Australia). This is a fresh, grapefruity wine, accented by fresh cut grass and green herbs. It’s nicely proportioned and medium bodied, with a tart, slightly pithy edge to the finish. Drink now. Robert Oatley Vineyards Inc. —J.C. abv: 12.8% Price: $14 85 Coldstream Hills 2009 Sauvignon Blanc (Yarra Valley). Coldstream Hills is better known for its Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs than its Sauvignon Blanc, but this is a solid effort. It’s medium in body, with simple grapefruit and pineapple flavors and a crisp, clean finish. Treasury Wine Estates. —J.C. abv: 13% Price: $NA OTHER WHITE WINES 87 Zonte’s Footstep 2010 The Love Symbol Single Site Savignin Blanc Savagnin (Langhorne Creek). Once thought to be Albariño, this grape variety is actually native to France’s Jura. In this example from South Australia, it’s a lean, crisp white, with hints of pencil shavings that accent its grapefruity flavors. It’s pretty, harmonious and a good all-around white for drinking over the next 6–9 months. Old Bridge Cellars. —J.C. abv: 12% Price: $15 85 Tamburlaine 2009 Wine Lovers Sauvignon Blanc-Chardonnay (Orange). This 50-50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay is a light-bodied, crisply focused wine. Lime and green apple notes dominate. MHW, Ltd. —J.C. abv: 13.1% Price: $15 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 93 Wakefield Estate 2006 St. Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon (Clare Valley). For full review see page 5. Cellar Selection. abv: 14.5% Price: $50 92 Peter Lehmann 2006 Mentor Cabernet Sauvignon (Barossa). For full review see page 6. abv: 14.5% Price: $38 91 Penley Estate 2008 Reserve Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra). It’s slightly oversized to be truly a classic representation of Coonawarra Cabernet, but this wine still punches all the buttons, from cassis and cedar to mint and earth. It’s firmly structured, with a finish that manages to be dry, velvety and mouthwatering, all at the same time. Drink now–2020. Old Bridge Cellars. —J.C. abv: 15% Price: $50 90 Morambo Creek 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (Padthaway). A good value in New World Cabernet, with supple, silky tannins framing cassis fruit that’s just starting to show some evolution toward cedar, leather and earth. Lingering vanilla and a burst of tart berries mark the finish. Drink now–2018. Kysela Père et Fils. Editors’ Choice. —J.C. abv: 14.5% Price: $20 90 Penley Estate 2009 Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra). For full review see page 8. Editors’ Choice. abv: 14.5% Price: $20 89 Katnook Estate 2009 Founder’s Block Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra). This is a classically styled Coonawarra Cab, with ample cassis, cedar and mint wrapped up into a balanced, wellproportioned whole. The Katnook style favors silky tannins over power, making this elegant Cabernet one to drink over the next several years. Victoire Imports. —J.C. abv: 13.5% Price: $20 88 Katnook Estate 2006 Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra). Katnook’s top Cabernet is always oaky, and the 2006 is no exception, featuring plenty of brown sugar and caramel aromas. Vanilla and cedar dominate the palate, forming an attractive wooden shell over cassis fruit. Drink it now if you like that sort of full-on youthful oak, or hold it a decade until it develops a soft, rich patina of age. Victoire Imports. —J.C. abv: 14% Price: $43 88 Parker 2008 Coonawarra Estate Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra). A solid example of Coonawarra Cabernet, the 2008 Terra Rossa features a charming combination of cherrycassis fruit and eucalypt with cigar box and vanilla. It’s medium to full in body, with fine balance and a long finish. Drink now–2016. Rathbone Wine Group. —J.C. abv: 14.5% Price: $30 88 Yalumba 2009 Menzies The Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra). There’s a bright, almost Ribena-like quality to the fruit in this wine, with underlying hints of wood and mint. It’s full bodied, but the tannins are modest and softly rounded, making it deceptively easy to down. Drink now–2018. Negociants USA, Inc. —J.C. abv: 14% Price: $25 87 Katnook Estate 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra). An easy-drinking Coonwarra Cab, with regionally characteristic notes of cassis, cedar and mint. It’s medium in weight, with a finish that turns tart and tea-like. Drink now–2017. Victoire Imports. —J.C. abv: 13.5% Price: $35 RED BLENDS 92 Yalumba 2004 The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz (Barossa). A blend of 69% Cabernet and 31% Shiraz, Yalumba’s 2004 The Reserve is still firm and dusty on the finish, suggesting at least another 2–3 years of cellaring are warranted. Cassis, caramel, earth and vanilla notes are all nicely integrated into a cohesive whole, with the result being a dark, chocolaty wine that’s savory as much as it is fruity. Negociants USA, Inc. Cellar Selection. —J.C. abv: 13.5% Price: $125 90 S.C. Pannell 2008 Pronto Red (Adelaide). Pronto red is 77% Grenache, with the remainder a blend of Touriga Nacional (11%), Syrah (7%) and Monastrell (5%). It starts off with leather and spice, then folds in cherries and licorice. It’s full-bodied, round and slightly warm, with a supple, spice-driven finish. Drink now-2015. Epicurean Wines. —J.C. abv: 14.5% Price: $69 89 Inkberry 2009 Mountain Estate Shiraz- Cabernet Sauvignon (Central Ranges). This 60-40 blend combines Shiraz’s blackberry fruit with Cab’s slightly herbal notes to make a pretty marriage. It shows enough firmness to stand up to rich, fatty meats now, or to sustain it through up to a decade of cellaring. Lion Nathan USA, Inc. Best Buy. —J.C. abv: 13.9% Price: $14 88 Greg Norman Estates 2008 Cabernet Merlot (Limestone Coast). At only 7% Merlot, it’s unclear why it’s even mentioned on the label, especially since it seems to be so obviously Cabernet in style. Cassis and chocolate notes dominate this richly textured, full-bodied red. Drink now. Treasury Wine Estates. Editors’ Choice. —J.C. abv: 14.5% Price: $15 87 Penley Estate 2008 Chertsey (Coonawarra). In certain vintages, this wine can be excellent, but in 2008 it’s merely good. The fruit—a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (49%), Cabernet Franc (32%) and Merlot (19%)—comes across as slightly pruny or stewed, while the tannins remain firm and leathery. Old Bridge Cellars. —J.C. abv: 14.5% Price: $50 WineMag.com | 39
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Page 19 and 20: long-lasting. This is a beautiful w
Page 21 and 22: It’s tannic, firm and ready for a
Page 23 and 24: ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 91 Capanne Ricc
Page 25 and 26: 85 La Torre 2010 Rosso di Montalcin
Page 27 and 28: 86 Collemassari 2010 Gròttolo Ros
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Page 31 and 32: texture, it revels in its fresh red
Page 33 and 34: Devo Enterprises Corporation. Edito
Page 35 and 36: 89 Cramele Halewood 2009 Kronos Lim
Page 37: y. Drink now-2015. The Triton Colle
Page 41 and 42: turns crisp and edgy on the finish.
Page 43 and 44: as more standard cassis and berry a
Page 45 and 46: y and lightly oaky, minty flavors.
Page 47 and 48: 90 Sarah’s Vineyard 2010 Chardonn
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Page 53 and 54: 87 Francis Ford Coppola 2009 Direct
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Page 57 and 58: in blackberry and cherry fruit and
Page 59 and 60: 86 Lava Cap 2009 Estate Barbera (El
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Page 63 and 64: SPIRITS REMEMBER THE REPOSADO drink
Page 65: BEER STOCKING UP FOR SUMMER With su

BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast

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