BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast

91
Coghlan 2009 Tourmaline Grenache
Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley). For full review
see page 7.
abv: 13.6% Price: $24
91
Cutruzzola 2010 Riven Rock Vineyard
Riesling (San Luis Obispo County). What
a lovely Riesling. The grapes were grown near the coast,
and you can taste the zesty natural acidity, which gives a
lift to the orange, lime, mineral and honeysuckle flavors.
It’s a little sweet, but the finish is dry and spicy. Great to
drink now. Editors’ Choice. —S.H.
abv: 12.5% Price: $22
90
Manzoni 2010 North Highlands Cuvée
Pinot Gris (Santa Lucia Highlands). Rich
doesn’t begin to describe this Pinot Gris. It’s explosive in
orange and apricot jam flavors, with vanilla and buttered
toast layers. There’s a fat, oily texture that adds interest
to a variety that can be simple. Editors’ Choice. —S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $18
88
Tangent 2010 Grenache Blanc (Edna Valley).
With no oak to interfere with the fruit, this
wine shows flashy tangerine, pineapple, Meyer lemon
and tart lime flavors that are bone dry, and brightened
by Edna Valley acidity. It’s savory, refreshing and frankly
delicious. —S.H.
abv: 14.1% Price: $20
86
Bailiwick 2010 Vermentino (California).
Basically dry, this Vermentino is crisp in acidity
and forward in lemon, lime and tangerine fruit. It’s
a nice, easy drinking wine to try as a switch from Sauvignon
Blanc and Pinot Grigio. —S.H.
abv: 13.9% Price: $18
SPARKLING WINES
91
One Hope 2009 Two Pisces Vineyard Reserve
Blanc de Noir (Sonoma Coast). It’s
easy to like this smooth, clean sparkling wine, which
hails from the Petaluma Gap, an increasingly important
area in the cool, foggy south of the Russian River Valley.
It’s very rich in raspberries and strawberries, with notes
of sweet vanilla and yeast. The mouthfeel is smooth and
elegant. —S.H.
abv: 12.4% Price: $45
89
One Hope 2009 Split Rock Vineyard Reserve
Blanc de Blancs (Sonoma Coast).
A little rough in the mouth, with a scoury feeling. But
it’s extraordinarily rich in orange and lime flavors, with
the vanilla and yeasty dough accents you want in a nice
sparkling wine. —S.H.
abv: 12.4% Price: $45
89
Schramsberg 2004 Extra Brut (North
Coast). Extra brut means that this Pinot Noirbased
bubbly is drier than Schramsberg’s regular brut.
Even at the age of more than seven years, it’s aggressive
in bubbly acidity, with a scoury mouthfeel framing ripe
raspberry and lime flavors. Feels austere and hard, but
who knows? Could surprise. A gamble if you want to
cellar it. —S.H.
abv: 12.9% Price: $70
87
Iron Horse 2007 Chinese Cuvée (Green
Valley). Iron Horse crafted this brut, which has
a gorgeous red and yellow label, for the Chinese market.
It’s similar to their other bruts, dry and rich in lime,
strawberry and yeasty flavors, although it’s softer, which
may reflect what Iron Horse knows about the Chinese
palate. The price also seems to reflect what Iron Horse
believes the Chinese market will bear. —S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $98
CABERNETS & BLENDS
95
Hunnicutt 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Oakville). Strong Oakville tannins mark this
100% Cabernet, although they’re so ripely sweet, you
can negotiate them now, especially considering the opulence
of the fruit. Blackberries, cassis and dark chocolate
just begin to describe the flavors. They’re as sweet
as a dessert pastry, but the finish is utterly dry, a magic
trick the best red wines pull off. Beautiful now after decanting,
and should develop through 2018. —S.H.
abv: 14.7% Price: $75
95
Hunnicutt 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Rutherford). Made from 100% Cabernet,
this wine hits all the right notes. It’s fantastically rich
and ripe, with flavors of sweet cherries, cassis and dark
chocolate, while oak brings delicious notes of buttered
toast. The tannins are complex, but so soft you can enjoy
this wine now, although it should develop for at least a
decade. —S.H.
abv: 14.7% Price: $75
95
Venge 2009 Bone Ash Vineyard Cabernet
Sauvignon (Napa Valley). For full review
see page 3.
abv: 14.9% Price: $80
94
Clos du Val 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Stags Leap District). One thing you can
depend on concerning Clos du Val’s Cabernets is that
they’re elegant. The winery resolutely refuses to kowtow
to the modern style of ultraripe, extracted fruit,
high alcohol and massive oak. This lovely Cab, which
contains a drop of Merlot, defines their style, and is a
joy to drink. It has rich, complex cherry and blackberry
flavors, flecked with earth and herbs, and is just beginning
a long journey. Now–2021, at least. Cellar Selection.
—S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $75
94
Pestoni Family 2007 Estate Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon (Howell Mountain). A
terrific Cabernet Sauvignon, dramatically structured in
smooth mountain tannins, with lush, complex blackberry,
cassis and dark chocolate flavors. Satisfies on every
level you could ask of Napa Valley. Good as it is, it will
age over a decade. —S.H.
abv: 14.4% Price: $65
94
Robert Young 2008 Scion Cabernet Sauvignon
(Alexander Valley). Another terrific
Scion from Robert Young. Blended this year from
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit
Verdot, it’s rich in blackberry and cherry fruit, with
caramel from oak barrels. Feels soft and gentle in the
mouth, in the way of Alexander Valley Cabernet. An au-
thentic wine of place, it deserves a place on the best
tables. —S.H.
abv: 14.8% Price: $62
94
Volker Eisele Family Estate 2008 Alexander
Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley).
For full review see page 4. Cellar Selection.
abv: 14.5% Price: $125
93
Bennett Lane 2008 Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon (Napa Valley). A distinguished
Cabernet, rich in fruit and impeccably oaked. But it’s
young. There’s a fresh, jammy taste to the blackberries,
cassis and dark chocolate, and the tannins are brisk and
fuzzy. Don’t drink it until at least 2015, and it should
develop for years afterward. Cellar Selection. —S.H.
abv: 14.5% Price: $95
93
Flora Springs 2009 Hillside Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon (Rutherford). For full review
see page 4.
abv: 14.4% Price: $100
93
Mario Perelli-Minetti 2005 Miriam Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley).
Shows the lush richness, dryness and complexity
you want in a fine Napa Valley Cabernet. At more than
six years of age, the tannins are just beginning to resolve,
although they’re still pretty fierce. But the flavors
are beautiful, showing classic blackberries, cassis, dark
chocolate, plums and cedar. Drink now–2015. —S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $75
93
Rodney Strong 2008 Symmetry Meritage
(Alexander Valley). For full review see page 5.
abv: 15% Price: $55
93
Rutherford Grove 2008 Pestoni Family
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford).
A beautiful Cabernet, dry and rich, with wonderful tannins.
They’re firm, yet soft and sweet, an apparent contradiction
the palate loves. Shows near perfect ripeness,
an impressive range of blackberries, plums and cassis,
and an earthy herbaceousness. May be a little too young
for proper enjoyment, so give it a few years in the cellar.
—S.H.
abv: 14.3% Price: $45
92
Atlas Peak 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
(Mount Veeder). For full review see page 5.
Cellar Selection.
abv: 14.6% Price: $86
92
Flora Springs 2009 Trilogy (Napa Valley).
For full review see page 6.
abv: 13.9% Price: $65
92
Rubissow 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
(Mount Veeder). Seems to have hardly
aged over nearly six years, still showing massive blackberry,
cherry, cassis and dark chocolate flavors, sweet
and fresh. Lots of oak, too, bringing even more caramelized
sweetness. Yet the finish is dry, long and spicy.
Made from 100% Cabernet, but sometimes these wines
surprise. Give it another six years. Cellar Selection.
—S.H.
abv: 14.7% Price: $125
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