BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast
BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast
BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast
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in a zesty, mouthwatering finish. Drink now. Victoire<br />
Imports. —J.C.<br />
abv: 13.5% Price: $22<br />
88<br />
Taltarni 2009 Three Monks Fumé Blanc<br />
Sauvignon Blanc (South Eastern Australia).<br />
This takes a page from California in its naming<br />
convention and style, which includes a good proportion<br />
of barrel-fermentation and oak maturation. Toast and<br />
vanilla frame melon and fig notes, and the midpalate<br />
is slightly creamy in texture before the wine turns crisp<br />
and lemony on the finish. Drink now. Clos Du Val <strong>Wine</strong>/<br />
Goelet <strong>Wine</strong> Estates. —J.C.<br />
abv: 12.5% Price: $20<br />
87<br />
Sidewood 2010 Sauvignon Blanc (Adelaide<br />
Hills). This could be straight out of New<br />
Zealand given its styling, which features pungent notes<br />
of crushed tomato leaf and gooseberries. It’s light and<br />
refreshing, with a clean, crisp finish. USA <strong>Wine</strong> West.<br />
—J.C.<br />
abv: 12.5% Price: $18<br />
86<br />
D’Arenberg 2010 The Broken Fishplate<br />
Sauvignon Blanc (Adelaide Hills). The relatively<br />
cool Adelaide Hills are making a name for their<br />
Sauvignon Blanc, and this example shows a restrained,<br />
grassy bouquet and flavors of grapefruit and tangerine.<br />
It’s plump on the midpalate, then almost razor-sharp on<br />
the finish. Drink now. Old Bridge Cellars. —J.C.<br />
abv: 13% Price: $17<br />
86<br />
James Oatley 2010 Tic Tok Sauvignon<br />
Blanc (Western Australia). This is a fresh,<br />
grapefruity wine, accented by fresh cut grass and green<br />
herbs. It’s nicely proportioned and medium bodied,<br />
with a tart, slightly pithy edge to the finish. Drink now.<br />
Robert Oatley Vineyards Inc. —J.C.<br />
abv: 12.8% Price: $14<br />
85<br />
Coldstream Hills 2009 Sauvignon Blanc<br />
(Yarra Valley). Coldstream Hills is better<br />
known for its Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs than its Sauvignon<br />
Blanc, but this is a solid effort. It’s medium in<br />
body, with simple grapefruit and pineapple flavors and a<br />
crisp, clean finish. Treasury <strong>Wine</strong> Estates. —J.C.<br />
abv: 13% Price: $NA<br />
OTHER WHITE WINES<br />
87<br />
Zonte’s Footstep 2010 The Love Symbol<br />
Single Site Savignin Blanc Savagnin<br />
(Langhorne Creek). Once thought to be Albariño,<br />
this grape variety is actually native to France’s<br />
Jura. In this example from South Australia, it’s a lean,<br />
crisp white, with hints of pencil shavings that accent its<br />
grapefruity flavors. It’s pretty, harmonious and a good<br />
all-around white for drinking over the next 6–9 months.<br />
Old Bridge Cellars. —J.C.<br />
abv: 12% Price: $15<br />
85<br />
Tamburlaine 2009 <strong>Wine</strong> Lovers Sauvignon<br />
Blanc-Chardonnay (Orange). This<br />
50-50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay is a<br />
light-bodied, crisply focused wine. Lime and green apple<br />
notes dominate. MHW, Ltd. —J.C.<br />
abv: 13.1% Price: $15<br />
CABERNET SAUVIGNON<br />
93<br />
Wakefield Estate 2006 St. Andrews Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon (Clare Valley). For full review<br />
see page 5. Cellar Selection.<br />
abv: 14.5% Price: $50<br />
92<br />
Peter Lehmann 2006 Mentor Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon (Barossa). For full review see<br />
page 6.<br />
abv: 14.5% Price: $38<br />
91<br />
Penley Estate 2008 Reserve Estate<br />
Grown Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra).<br />
It’s slightly oversized to be truly a classic representation<br />
of Coonawarra Cabernet, but this wine still<br />
punches all the buttons, from cassis and cedar to mint<br />
and earth. It’s firmly structured, with a finish that manages<br />
to be dry, velvety and mouthwatering, all at the<br />
same time. Drink now–2020. Old Bridge Cellars. —J.C.<br />
abv: 15% Price: $50<br />
90<br />
Morambo Creek 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
(Padthaway). A good value in New<br />
World Cabernet, with supple, silky tannins framing cassis<br />
fruit that’s just starting to show some evolution toward<br />
cedar, leather and earth. Lingering vanilla and a<br />
burst of tart berries mark the finish. Drink now–2018.<br />
Kysela Père et Fils. Editors’ Choice. —J.C.<br />
abv: 14.5% Price: $20<br />
90<br />
Penley Estate 2009 Phoenix Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon (Coonawarra). For full review<br />
see page 8. Editors’ Choice.<br />
abv: 14.5% Price: $20<br />
89<br />
Katnook Estate 2009 Founder’s Block<br />
Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra). This<br />
is a classically styled Coonawarra Cab, with ample cassis,<br />
cedar and mint wrapped up into a balanced, wellproportioned<br />
whole. The Katnook style favors silky<br />
tannins over power, making this elegant Cabernet one<br />
to drink over the next several years. Victoire Imports.<br />
—J.C.<br />
abv: 13.5% Price: $20<br />
88<br />
Katnook Estate 2006 Odyssey Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon (Coonawarra). Katnook’s top<br />
Cabernet is always oaky, and the 2006 is no exception,<br />
featuring plenty of brown sugar and caramel aromas.<br />
Vanilla and cedar dominate the palate, forming an attractive<br />
wooden shell over cassis fruit. Drink it now if<br />
you like that sort of full-on youthful oak, or hold it a decade<br />
until it develops a soft, rich patina of age. Victoire<br />
Imports. —J.C.<br />
abv: 14% Price: $43<br />
88<br />
Parker 2008 Coonawarra Estate Terra<br />
Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra).<br />
A solid example of Coonawarra Cabernet, the 2008<br />
Terra Rossa features a charming combination of cherrycassis<br />
fruit and eucalypt with cigar box and vanilla. It’s<br />
medium to full in body, with fine balance and a long<br />
finish. Drink now–2016. Rathbone <strong>Wine</strong> Group. —J.C.<br />
abv: 14.5% Price: $30<br />
88<br />
Yalumba 2009 Menzies The Cigar Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon (Coonawarra). There’s<br />
a bright, almost Ribena-like quality to the fruit in this<br />
wine, with underlying hints of wood and mint. It’s full<br />
bodied, but the tannins are modest and softly rounded,<br />
making it deceptively easy to down. Drink now–2018.<br />
Negociants USA, Inc. —J.C.<br />
abv: 14% Price: $25<br />
87<br />
Katnook Estate 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
(Coonawarra). An easy-drinking Coonwarra<br />
Cab, with regionally characteristic notes of cassis,<br />
cedar and mint. It’s medium in weight, with a finish that<br />
turns tart and tea-like. Drink now–2017. Victoire Imports.<br />
—J.C.<br />
abv: 13.5% Price: $35<br />
RED BLENDS<br />
92<br />
Yalumba 2004 The Reserve Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon-Shiraz (Barossa). A blend of<br />
69% Cabernet and 31% Shiraz, Yalumba’s 2004 The<br />
Reserve is still firm and dusty on the finish, suggesting<br />
at least another 2–3 years of cellaring are warranted.<br />
Cassis, caramel, earth and vanilla notes are all nicely integrated<br />
into a cohesive whole, with the result being a<br />
dark, chocolaty wine that’s savory as much as it is fruity.<br />
Negociants USA, Inc. Cellar Selection. —J.C.<br />
abv: 13.5% Price: $125<br />
90<br />
S.C. Pannell 2008 Pronto Red (Adelaide).<br />
Pronto red is 77% Grenache, with the remainder<br />
a blend of Touriga Nacional (11%), Syrah (7%) and<br />
Monastrell (5%). It starts off with leather and spice, then<br />
folds in cherries and licorice. It’s full-bodied, round and<br />
slightly warm, with a supple, spice-driven finish. Drink<br />
now-2015. Epicurean <strong>Wine</strong>s. —J.C.<br />
abv: 14.5% Price: $69<br />
89<br />
Inkberry 2009 Mountain Estate Shiraz-<br />
Cabernet Sauvignon (Central Ranges).<br />
This 60-40 blend combines Shiraz’s blackberry fruit<br />
with Cab’s slightly herbal notes to make a pretty marriage.<br />
It shows enough firmness to stand up to rich, fatty<br />
meats now, or to sustain it through up to a decade of cellaring.<br />
Lion Nathan USA, Inc. Best Buy. —J.C.<br />
abv: 13.9% Price: $14<br />
88<br />
Greg Norman Estates 2008 Cabernet<br />
Merlot (Limestone Coast). At only 7% Merlot,<br />
it’s unclear why it’s even mentioned on the label,<br />
especially since it seems to be so obviously Cabernet in<br />
style. Cassis and chocolate notes dominate this richly<br />
textured, full-bodied red. Drink now. Treasury <strong>Wine</strong><br />
Estates. Editors’ Choice. —J.C.<br />
abv: 14.5% Price: $15<br />
87<br />
Penley Estate 2008 Chertsey (Coonawarra).<br />
In certain vintages, this wine can be excellent,<br />
but in 2008 it’s merely good. The fruit—a blend<br />
of Cabernet Sauvignon (49%), Cabernet Franc (32%)<br />
and Merlot (19%)—comes across as slightly pruny or<br />
stewed, while the tannins remain firm and leathery. Old<br />
Bridge Cellars. —J.C.<br />
abv: 14.5% Price: $50<br />
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